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�Jublis, would you come over here,� Vekia called. Jublis walked over in front of her, staring at the substance on the table. �Now Jublis,� Vekia instructed, �place your hands on the clay.� Jublis spread his hands, looked at them each individually, as if it were the last time he would see them, and set them in the clay. Despite the implied heat, as it had seemed to be boiling seconds earlier, it was cool. Actually it was almost cold, as it was still a bit wet, a muggy kind that one tries to shake off on rainy days. Vekia placed her fingertips on the backs of Jublis� hands and began reciting an incantation. �Pier mano tan raybe, Nido bey ine maedar.� Then, where Vekia�s fingers touched Jublis� hands, there a small twinkle, but it vanished very rapidly. �Now Jublis go and try to grab the fire,� Vekia instructed. Jublis wasn�t so sure, and took another look at his hands, which were covered with an orange residue; this time sure it was the last time. He hesitated, but decided to go along with it; Kitt would never go along with something that was dangerous, especially if it was him involved. Jublis walked up to the fire, which was now the great bonfire it normally was, closed his eyes, and turned his head away, and stuck his hands in. The villagers gasped, one or two even screamed. But then, Jublis felt something in the fire, but it wasn�t a log, it was floating almost, like the flame was water, and he pulled it out. He nearly fainted, for now in his hands he held a small puppy, made entirely of fire, although it didn�t burn him. The puppy turned a couple times, and crawled up Jublis� arm.
�Hey, this is pretty fun,� Jublis laughed. One watching him might mistake him for a small child, simple joy in his eyes.
Vekia repeated this process one by one for each villager. Out of the fire came all manner of dogs, birds, and other creatures (for some of the men, a dancing girl was withdrawn, but this was usually kept from view of those who might look down on it), Darcane even withdrew a soldier. A tear came to his eye, but his pride made him wipe it away quickly, before another could notice. But it was apparent the rider had reminded him of his youth. The military discipline that dominated the military was more to his liking than the laid back mentality of the mountaineers.
Overall the night was a success, with celebration continuing to the early morning, with the moon overhead.
For Kitt, the clean up of the event took a bit extra, but not much time, an hours worth at most. He turned in for the night, and fell asleep almost instantly. But before he dozed off, he couldn�t help but think of the rider he had seen, and of the coming days of war. |
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