The New World

Chapter 15

It was very late into the night when the snow finally stopped falling and the wind died down. Maxwell had casted another light spell on himself while Jim just kept himself warm with a flame in his hands. The two were back outside wandering down where they last saw the trail and just hoped another sign would show up. Jim then initiated a conversation by asking "So, you're a spellcaster too. Can you do other spells or is it just this light one?" 
"Only this one light spell so far, my parents were spellcasters as well but they didn't teach me any other spells." Maxwell answered Jim's question as he summoned another smaller one to show. 
"My mother was one too, but she didn't want me knowing. I learned most of mine from some book I found years ago and others from some magic realm I already forgot the name of." Jim continued before Maxwell said "My parents didn't teach any of their five children, at least I don't think they did. I left the household as soon as I turned eighteen." 
"Are you the oldest?" Jim then asked Maxwell. Maxwell answered with "Yes I am the oldest, or was. I haven't seen any of them since doomsday." 
Maxwell's family was most likely dead, Jim knew it. He also knew that it was his fault, but chose not to think about it. Jim responded "Sorry to hear that."
"Ah don't be, they wanted nothing to do with me anyways, or at least my parents didn't. They didn't approve of me changing my name and pronouns to he or they. They pretty much kicked me out, but I didn't need their approval." Maxwell told Jim before adding "Well, now you know something Turg doesn't." 
"Are you two that close already? I've only seen you two interact once." Jim asked Maxwell, shifting the conversation topic. 
"When you were gone one day I found him just wandering around the docks and we hung out for a bit. That's all." Maxwell answered as Jim took a deep breath and said quietly "I told him to stay inside because it is too dangerous outside." 
Maxwell then stopped and turned around with wide eyes. Jim did the same and looked in the same direction but couldn't see anything out of place. 
"Something's wrong." Maxwell said. Jim asked "Do you know what's wrong?"
Maxwell then looked at Jim and answered "It's Turg."
He then ran off back in the direction they came from with Jim doing the same. Maxwell was faster than Jim but he was still able to keep up. Eventually Jim had to slow down and stop to rest for a few seconds while Maxwell continued. When Jim caught up to Maxwell finally he had stopped in the middle of what used to be the downtown intersection and was looking around. 
"Dammit! I lost the sense!" Maxwell exclaimed in frustration. When Jim caught his breath again he asked "But is he nearby?" 
"He could be, lemme try this." Maxwell responded as he formed another light orb in his hands and tossed it up into the sky. It illuminated the entire area before it disappeared. Maxwell then shouted "TURG TURG! WHERE ARE YA?"
His voice echoed briefly before there was silence one again. Jim then did the same with his magic, or at least the best he could, and called out Turg's name as well. Maxwell then perked up again and looked down one of the streets. Jim did the same but still didn't see anything but assumed that Maxwell could sense there was something down it. Eventually a figure could be seen from the darkness, a figure who was fast approaching and had their arms out. When they came closer to the light Jim knew who it was. It was Turg running straight towards him at a high speed. He then collided into Jim, causing him to fall over with Turg landing on top of him. 
"Turg found Jim!" Turg excitedly exclaimed as Maxwell said with a smile "He is very happy to see you, Jim." 
"Yes you found me, now can you get off of me?" Jim asked Turg in response. Turg then got off of Jim and stood back up. While Jim was standing back up Maxwell asked Turg "Are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Are you in danger?" 
"Turg found mean people. Then Turg found nice people. Now Turg find friends." Turg answered as another figure approached them from the darkness. Turg turned to look at them and said "Beth new friend." 
The figure, who Jim assumed to be Beth, was a woman who was older, had big curly grey hair, similar skin tone to Maxwell but lighter, and was wearing a big yellow jacket. Beth looked at Jim and asked "So you're Jim Pickens?"
Jim nodded and replied "Yes, I am."
Beth then looked over to Maxwell and said "And I am going to assume you are Maxwell, Turg talked about you too."
"That I am, I am another one of his kind. We are possibly the last two alive in this area at least." Maxwell responded. Turg then hugged Maxwell and said "Turg like Maxwell too."
"We were worried about you, Turg." Maxwell told Turg as he let go of Maxwell. Turg then said "Turg wanted to explore. Then Turg got lost."  
"Yeah, that's why I told you not to leave the house." Jim told Turg, who looked down at the ground and replied "Turg sorry."
"Well, seeing as we found who you were looking for we might as well head back now, Turg." Beth told Turg before adding "You two should come as well." 
"If you insist." Maxwell responded. Beth then turned back around and started heading back down the street she came from, the rest followed her from behind. Turg stayed close to Jim and put one arm around him. Jim asked Turg "Did you miss me or something?"
"Turg was looking for Jim. Jim was not home." Turg answered. 
"Yeah, because you weren't there. I went out looking for you and found Maxwell." Jim told Turg before asking "Also, what were you doing?"
"Turg wanted to find food for Jim. Turg also wanted to explore." Turg answered again as Maxwell commented "That's kind of sweet of you, Turg." 
"Yeah, I found him being taken away by Vivian's cultists or whatever. I'm not letting that bitch have someone like Turg in her little cult." Beth said before adding "I am sure you are familiar with that concept, Jim." 
"Yes, but my cult didn't go out kidnapping people and putting bounties on them." Jim responded. Beth didn't say anything else, instead she continued to follow the road back to wherever she lived. Turg then moved his arm and tried to hold Jim's hand, but Jim moved his hand away and asked "What has gotten into you?"
Turg then put his hands to his chest and answered "Turg sorry again."
"It's fine, just you're more affectionate than usual." Jim said as Turg then couldn't look at Jim anymore. Turg then said "Turg don't know." 
"Well, we aren't at that stage yet. Maybe later." Jim told Turg, Jim could tell that he was blushing a little, though likely out of embarrassment. They were then all silent until they approached a candlelit home made of shipping containers as well as a crane on the property. Beth then said "Well, here we are. Our home close to the harbour and away from the chaos that is the inner town. We built it out of old shipping containers like a few others did." 
"Like what Jim found." Turg said as Beth looked at Jim and said rather quietly "Yes, exactly. Would explain Marcus' sudden disappearance."