Dragon Dance

chapter 12: luria

"Where can we find her?" Reema asked as  she and Lusty walk a straight dirt road that seemed to extend forever. 

"Luria has a house on a mountain by the sea" Lusty said, holding the straps of his gigantic backpack with his hands to stop it from biting his shoulders. 

"Why can't we just use your fire? " she asked, refering to the fire Lusty used on some of his travels. 

"She had casted a lock spell on the mountain, no magic can be used until we reach the house. If we did, the spell would take us to somewhere very far from it. Luria is a powerful witch"

"Who was she really? " Reema lowly asked, casting Lusty a quick look. 

"When I was a young boy, she took me in as her apprentice, she gave me books to study, thought me very patiently and even made my wand" Lusty said reminiscing the memories. 

"The same wand you have today? " 

"Yes, young wizards can't make their  own wands you see, only a skilled wirzard or in my case a witch can make wands, but not all witches are skilled enough to make wands. She was basically like a mother to me, I spend a month or so with her, then another month at the hut, that went on for three years maybe. A witch can only take one students at a time, and she chose me, I'm grateful. "

They reached a steep rocky path that inclines towards a low mountain. Lusty reached for Reemas hand before he took a step up the dirt path. Reema smiled at him .

"I'm fine" she said and took a step up too. 

"If you say so love" Lusty chuckled and slowly climbed the steep path. 

*******

Sweat formed on their foreheads as they drag their bodies up. The sun was slowly sinking at the skies, it's light slowly dying away. Lusty made a large grunt and finally made his final step reaching the mountain top. He offered a hand to Reema who took it with a smile. 

They panted ,chests falling with every breath they let out. The top of the mountain was barren, only the golden soil was there, facing the as well golden sea, the sun welcomed them at the top, it's light playing with their faces, sea breeze blowing on their ears, the warm yellowish light of the afternoon hit them like a dream, turning Reema's hair gold, Lusty's shiny black. 

"This is beautiful " Reema muttered, the sun reflected on her purple eye. 

"It is" Lusty said just as low, Reema turned to him and saw him staring at her with his eye. Reema chuckled and placed her hands on her hips. 

"What now? " she asked raising a playfully high brow at Lusty. 

"We do this " Lusty picked up a handful of peebles and threw it on the ground ahead of them.

Sharp blades sounds erupted in the air, before the peebles could even stopped rolling, all of it was severed into small pieces. 

Reema made a low gasp and took a small step back. 

"Still tricky" Lusty chuckled. He pulled out a small jar of his powdered moss from the bag. Lusty threw the powdered moss on the ground, some of it landed on the ground unharmed but some of it remained howering a few inches, revealing a line of widely spaced platforms that made a slithering path that had been hidden from sight. 

"That's our path" He smiled,

She knodded at him and Lusty took the lead, Reema tailed closely behind him. Jumping on the invisible platforms one by one as Lusty sprinkles his powdered moss. 

They reached the other side of the Cliff, facing the open sea. An old moldy door manifested infront of them. Lusty pulled the door open, and motioned for Reema to go first. She did as told and entered, Lusty checked their behind just to make sure. 

They found themselves under the Cliff,A two story wooden cabin was seated at the sandy beach, the cabin was bigger than a regular one, thin dry grass blades protrude from the dry soil. Reema was sure the cabin is nowhere in sight when they were walking towards the mountain top. It seemed to be hidden from anyone's sight, the cabin was facing the sea, barely visible through the Stones that rises from the waters, like ancient giant teeth that tries to bite the sky. She could swore it's was just a Cliff of sharp stones earlier. 

Lusty pulled Reema by the hand and dragged her softly towards the cabin. 

He knocked excitedly at the red wood door.  "Teacher! Luria! I'm back" he screamed at the door. A smile stretching on his lips. 

But they were greeted by silence, the door stayed unmoving, the cabin stayed still. 

"It's me!  Lusty! " he shouted again, and knocked on the door louder, his knuckles hitting the wood vigorously. 

At the mention of his name the wide door opened, a butterfly origami flew towards them, flapping it's wings in the air unnaturally. 

"Dear lusty", a voice swelled from the butterfly as it tries to hover in midair. 

"By the time you'll hear this, I had already passed on" the butterfly continued. 

"W-what? " Lusty asked, his lips trembled. 

"I am very sorry I have to leave you like this, but I know my time has come, I am very sorry I won't be by your side to help you anymore.  I am leaving everything I own to you, they are all yours now son" The voice finished.  

The butterfly shriveled and fell on the ground, appearing to die. Flames started to eat it's corners, the flame swallowed the butterfly whole leaving nothing but ash. 

A tear slid down Lusty's eyes, both the one that can see and the one that can't. He sniffed and wiped his cheek. 

"Thank you,  teacher "