NOVEL FROG Chapter 85: Renka
It's been three days since my miracle in Trentonville. To say things had blown over and life resumed would be a lie; however, the events that have occurred since then haven't been as bad as I thought. Quite frankly, the opposite. Word had spread that the "Good Doctor and the Little Angel" had cured Saint Marko of his debilitating illness, which I initially thought odd. He didn't have a debilitating disease that I knew of. He had an infection.
Then I remembered what happened and how, when I healed him, not only did the gunshot wound go away, but other aspects of him seemed to refresh, for lack of a better word. Healing arts, at least how I've used them, don't seem to work in a targeted sense but fix the whole thing. Perhaps he had some other issue outside of the infection that I cured? Probably.
Regardless, the news was out, and business at the clinic began to boom. People from the refugee camp began to flock to Kegan's clinic, and the rest of us, Isa, Varis, and myself, have been working overtime. The variety of individuals varied from those with life-threatening infections and illnesses like Marco to those with missing limbs and other issues ranging from big to small. Of course, they were asking for me to cure them.
"Only use your magic when necessary." My mother's words have stayed fresh in my mind since the other day. Many of the individuals who came to us could be treated without magic, and it was best that I lay low for a while. So, I mostly hung out in the back with Varis, sorting supplies or doing runs for whatever the doctor needed.
I am not saying I never used my magic, though; there have been a few cases when Kegan ordered me to come to the front. Revealing to those I was here, and since then, I've treated four people who were suffering from similar infections to what Marco had. We all knew that this was only going to draw more attention, but it was here that the doctor and I shared a similar mindset: we weren't going to let anyone die under our care.
I would hate myself if I rejected someone only to learn they died due to my decision. Even if it was the right decision, due to that, I've grown to respect Kegan more and more. He was genuinely a good man, though he has shown himself to have some weird and awkward things to say about people and other races. I recalled clearly from our time together on the road what he said about the Tenorahns, which Isa quickly shut down.
Kegan, please, I would think to myself in such moments: Stop saying cringe.
For instance, he said the other night how Serelli would ritualistically clean themselves by licking each other. This immediately pissed off Isa, who noted that such "facts" are just stereotypes and not actual. Having lived with Isa now for four years, I've never once seen her lick herself. Though I have seen her lick fish at some dinners.
Overall, he's a great guy, but he's horribly ill-informed about topics outside his field. This is annoying in itself, as he seems to have a strong case of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Thankfully, when corrected by Isa, he seems to own up to it in most cases.
I hope that some of his "knowledge" about other cultures doesn't devolve into outright bigotry. Aside from his one orc comment the other week, most of his "fun facts" have just been innocent misconceptions.
But still, though… Please don't be a flaming racist. I prayed internally.
Aside from that, things have gone pretty smoothly. The clinic has been receiving steady patients, and Varis and I have been busy. Isa even got a nice uniform that the doctor had given her. It was a lovely black and white dress with a little white cap; it was adorable. Varis had asked if either he or I would get an outfit, and Kegan mentioned he was working on trying to get a uniform for us, but due to our age and height, he'd need to commission someone, whereas, for Isa, he only needed to cut out a spot for her tail.
I wonder what our uniforms would look like.
Speaking of my brother Varis, my little training sessions with him continued in secrecy. Though mostly at night, a new routine has been established since the day I got into trouble. On weekdays after work, Varis and I are required by our parents to study with Isa. Alas, schooling has returned, and honestly, I don't mind; my brother hates it.
My aunt was able to scrounge up a couple of old textbooks and some portable chalkboards for Isa to use in the evening. Oh, she was elated upon seeing these. Isa always loved teaching Varis and me back at home, and upon returning to this, she welcomed me with open arms. Our first-class officially happened last night after she prepped a small lesson for us, which was also the night I planned on teaching Varis some minor spells.
To say my brother was furious would be putting it lightly. He wasn't screaming or complaining, but I could see a fury wanting to be unleashed in his multicolored eyes. Maybe he thought having a job would cancel the need for school, and if so, he was wrong.
What we learned last night was something that genuinely grabbed my attention.
"So, little ones," Isa said as she placed three heavy textbooks on the table and handed each of us a chalkboard. "I decided tonight we're going to take a little break from history, seeing as I'll need to prep a refresher session to get you caught up."
"So we have nothing to learn today?" Varis asked with a glint of hope.
Isa chuckled and shook her head. "No. We do." She winked at him. "We're going to learn about a Void Space."
"What?" Varis blinked.
My eyes widened. "Wait, space? Like up above? Stars?" I beamed.
Yo, I'm down for some astronomy! My smile widened. Space was always something I enjoyed, even in my prior life. Memories of the TV show Cosmos and Into the Wormhole flashed across my mind. Such programs in my early days influenced much of my enjoyment of sci-fi.
Isa nodded. "Yes, Luna, we're going to talk about the void above, or, as you said, space. Either word can be used; specifically, what we're going to talk about is Enora's moons. Do the two of you know how many moons Enora has?"
Varis huffed and said, "Two. Andory and Radiant."
"It's Andoria and Raidance." I said, puffing my chest and smiling.
Varis rolled his eyes. "Nerd."
"Oi," Isa said, tapping the table in front of him with a ruler. "Be nice to your sister." She hummed before smirking and saying, "But you're both wrong."
"Huh?!" We both exclaimed.
"I've seen only two moons ever!" I said, "What do you mean there's a third?"
Isa giggled. "What I asked was a trick question. For you see, Enora does have three moons, but one of which only shows itself every thirty-six years."
Varis blinked. "So… it's hiding?"
"You could say that." Isa smiled, opened one of the very large textbooks, and began to flip through it. The third moon is known as Renka, named after the Garlayan God of Destruction."
I cocked my head. "Garlayan? Isn't that the continent the Dark Lord is from?" Isa slowly nodded.
"Indeed, Luna, I'm happy to see you've remembered." She smiled, and I couldn't help but hear my heart flutter at the praise.
"Nerd." Varis snickered, and Isa smacked the table again, the ruler startling him.
"For millennia, it was believed that Renka was a sign of war and chaos. Anything bad, really," Isa explained. "These periods were known as the years of blood. Or, the age of the Blood Moon. For when Renka arrives, it's light pierces the night and day for little over a year."
"It can be seen during the day?" Varis asked.
"Well, duh," I said, "Andoria can be seen during the day sometimes. It rises first before Radiance."
Varis puffed his cheek. "Yeah, so."
"So…?" I blinked.
Isa tapped the table before me, pulling my attention back to her. "This is true, Luna, but Renka shines brighter. Almost like a second sun, its red light bathes the world with its energy, and what happens may surprise you."
"What's it do?" Varis asked, now somewhat curious.
Isa placed both palms on the table, and as if telling a spooky story, she leaned in and said calmly, "It causes all of Enora's magic to go wild." Our eyes widened, and Isa continued, "Back in the days before Magrite Industrialization, magisters took note of how their spells became more potent; young atherless who thought they had no power were now capable of doing great things. Something about Renka's presence causes something within the magic of Enora to react to it, and usually in a very volatile way. Something the world learned four blood moons ago, before your parents were even born. Known as the Great Black Out."
"Wh-what happened?" Varis asked, as I already had an idea as to what.
Isa smiled and straightened up. She held a chalkboard and began to write away on it. "The year was 1799 on the first of Gudor, the start of the new year. The day civilization halted."
"Huh?!" We both exclaimed, and Isa smiled and held up a finger.
"I can't tell the story if you two keep gasping." She giggled. "It was the age of vast industrialization, as this was also the time the first acranium engine was invented. Another lesson for the future. The world was rapidly changing with this advancement in technology. With it, mag-trains were created, new ships were born, and centralized heating and water allowed almost everyone to have easy access. Not to mention the farms; have you two both seen those harvesters back at Mr. Shwarz's farm?"
We both nodded.
"All of these things stem from this." Isa tapped on the small, scribbled sketch she had made on the chalkboard of the acranium generator. It looked like a box with a sphere, and a crystal was inside it. "The arcanium generator—this single invention powers much of everything we take for granted today. Our lights, trains, heat, and even the food we eat. The ranges we cook on are all powered by these generators, but what's powering the generators?" Isa smiled and began to sketch what looked like a big rock on the board. "Do any of you know?"
Varis shot his hand up. "Oh, Papa told me this! Magrite!"
Isa smiled and nodded. "Yes, Varis, magrite, the magical crystal we've all come to know and love."
Ah, yes, the soul rocks. I bit my lower lip. Just thinking about it still unnerves me. I wonder if the magrite we find naturally differs from what the Rusivites are doing? I'd need to ask the Master that…
"Despite using Magrite for over millennia to forge weapons of war or perform vast wizardry feats, not much is actually known about the material. What we do know, is that it can absorb vast quantities of ether, which is the energy we use for magic, and that when put into various situations, it can be manipulated so that said ether can be tapped into."
I could tell there was a much deeper explanation than this, but Isa paraphrased for both Varis and me.
"The arcanium energy feeds off of magrite crystals and is able to tap into this energy and take only what it needs to power everything we need," Isa said. "Are you two still with me?"
"Yeah, I think…" Varis said, "What does this have to do with space?"
Isa smiled. "I was just about to get to that," she said. "In 1799, when Renka revealed itself once again, all of those generators died." She snapped her finger. "All at once, Enora's power supply went out, and civilization came to a screeching halt. Trains stopped moving, ships became floating hunks of metal, lights went out, and our stoves stopped working. The machines that helped us tend our crops also stopped."
"That sounds awful," I said softly, and Isa nodded.
"It was a terrible year. Without the manpower to harvest the fields, many people went hungry. Without the trains to transport people, many were left abandoned. Many, many bad things happened, but… we prevailed, as you can see."
"So, how did we fix it?" Varis asked.
Isa shook her head. "We didn't fix it, but we adapted. Renka remained in our sky for just over a year, bathing the world in its red glow. It wasn't until Renka finally dipped beneath the horizon and vanished once more before the engines came roaring back to life. A void scholar by the name of Roderick Ludgiver had a theory that Renka was actually Enora's third moon, and the reason we never knew of its existence was due to it living in Enora's shadow, literally."
"Enora has a shadow?" Varis asked, and Isa nodded.
"Perhaps I should've covered more of the void system." She said but shrugged and said, "Yes, Enora has a shadow, because the sun's light is hitting it. Like how you make a shadow." She pointed towards the shadow on the table that Varis's arm was casting. "Renka lives in Enora's shadow, and just like the other moons, it travels around us in sort of a circle, which is called an orbit."
"Orbit…" Varis repeated slowly, and I giggled. I was having a blast learning about these magical celestial bodies, which, while scary, was also super interesting.
Isa nodded. "Yes. And he hypothesized that the reason why Renka only shows up after thirty-six years but only remains for a little over one is due to the length of its orbit."
She drew a circle of our planet on the chalkboard before drawing two other circular orbits around Enora. "The closest orbit, which is really close, is Radiance. The lush, pretty moon is also the biggest. The second orbit, which is a little farther out, is Andoria. The cold gray moon. This really big one I'm drawing now that extends super far away!" She said this while extending the word "super" out a bit for comedic effect, which made Varis giggle. "This is Renka. See how big the circle is? It'll take Renka a very long time to get around Enora; not only that, it's also because Renka is very slow. Doctor Ludgiver stated that he believes Renka has a wide orbit and a slow… velocity, which means speed; thus, a lot of the time, Renka finds itself trapped behind Enora's dark shadow. Though, every thirty six years, Renka is able to catch up, and finally it catches a bit of that sun's light, and Doctor Ludgiver believes that something about our sun's light excites Renka. We don't know what, as that's where his theory ends, but he believes that whatever it is causes an effect on our world, and he was able to prove this."
"How?" I was genuinely curious.
"With lead." Isa smiled as she reached beneath the table to grab something I hadn't noticed. She grunted and hoisted what looked to be a small but heavy lead box onto the table. "Three blood moons ago, thirty-six years after the Black Out, Dr. Ludgiver ran an experiment where he encased an arcanium generator in a thin box of lead, to the world's amazement. The box was able to prevent the generator from shutting off."
"Oh wow," I said with a big smile.
"Really, a box? That's the solution?" Varis said, sounding skeptical.
Isa giggled. "Sometimes complicated problems require simple solutions," Isa said. "I'll be honest, even I don't know the specifics." She hummed just as our aunt Saria entered the kitchen, looking sleepy.
"Lead has a density high enough that it prevents ether from penetrating it," she said. "That is why many wizard towers or artificer workshops have a small, thin layer about half a gen thick." A gen is roughly an inch. "It helps prevent would be scryers from peering into our facilities and stealing our work. This would mean that Renka has a way of manipulating the ether. An interesting topic to be discussing with the young ones." Saria smiled at Isa.
Isa grinned, blushed a little, and said, "It was a topic I was also interested in. So the school made a good excuse to talk about it." She admitted.
"I'm enjoying it!" I said. "Void space is interesting!"
My aunt giggled. "Oh, do we have a future void scholar in our midst?"
"Maybe!" I giggled and straightened up in my seat.
"I'm a little confused, but I think it's cool." Varis nodded.
"What has you confused?" Isa asked.
"Like… how can something so small do so much bad stuff?" Varis asked, and I couldn't help but laugh. "What's so funny?"
"It's not tiny." I smiled.
"What do you mean? I see the book." Varis pointed at Isa's textbook. "Look how small that picture is."
Isa giggled and said, "It only looks small, Varis, because it's far away."
"Oh…" He blinked, having now connected the dots. "So how big are they?"
"Big, " our aunt said from behind us as she began to fiddle with her coffee machine. "Bigger than you or I could imagine."
"But I see the moons every night!" Varis crossed his arms.
"Aye, you do, but only at a distance." Our aunt began to pour herself a brew, and while the machine did its business, she turned to us and said, "The moons look close to us, but really, it is said they are hundreds of thousands of gilos away from us. Which is farther than any place in this world." She hummed.
"But…" Varis began. "If it's so far away, how come they're so big?" He asked, looking confused.
Poor little guy. I sighed.
Our aunt smiled and tapped her forehead. "That's the thing, Varis. They're just that big."
"Wh-whoa…" Was all he said, looking star-struck, and he sat back into his chair. "That's like… really big."
"Really big." Aunt Saria repeated with a nod.
Isa giggled. "Well, now the void has entered his mind. Voidd-blown I think, is the famous phrase Dr. Ludviger came up with." She chuckled. "Well, why don't we start talking about something else fascinating tonight…" She said she was looking at the clock. "How about we discuss the void system…"
The remainder of the lesson continued from there, where Isa talked about this world's solar system. It was indeed something I was sucked into a hundred percent of the way. For some reason, I never would've thought that a world so engrossed in magic and, I hate to say it, fantasy, even though this is a reality, would be interested in space or science. In my past life, whenever I engaged in fantasy or D&D, such worlds seemed to reject science for the more practical use of magic.
Yet this world, Enora, seemed to share a nice, equal balance between the two. Science and magic go hand in hand. It was truly fascinating as I listened to Isa explain the ten planetary bodies within the system, all named after the gods of this world. She told us about how, just like in my old life, the world was once believed to be flat. Many millennia ago, a wizard, of whom I, unfortunately, can't recall the name, proved this to not be the case by flying high above the clouds and ascending Enora's natural curve. Yet, oddly enough, much of the world just accepted this.
It seems Enora is just home to many open-minded people.
Which brings me back to the present. After the lesson last night, I was too tired to teach Vari's magic, and it seemed that he had forgotten as he went straight to bed with me. However, tonight, I think I'll give him a treat once Mom and Dad are relaxing with our aunt and uncle.
"What're you thinking about?" Isa snapped me back into focus, and I nearly dropped the box of vials I was carrying.
Catching myself, I straightened up and looked at Isa in her cute nurse uniform. "Uh, nothing… just, uh, yesterday's lesson."
Isa smiled and came over to help me with the box. We placed it on another pile of crates, and she said, "You really seemed to enjoy that lesson."
My smile widened. "Mhmm, I've always found the moons and stars to be cool. Are there really ten other planets?" I asked.
Isa nodded. "Yep, but none of them are as pretty as Enora or Radiance, at least, that we currently know of."
I stepped back, dusted my hands off my skirt, and asked, "Do you think there is other life out there? Like aliens!"
Isa stopped and pursed her lips. "I never really thought about it. Radiance does look lush and pretty. So if we're talking plants, I guess so yeah."
Makes sense. We can see the grass and trees from here, so alien life is proven in that regard.
"But if we're talking intelligent life, like you and me, I don't know."
Would the gods count? I wondered. They are beings from beyond, in a strange sense. I guess they could be aliens. The thought made me giggle. I wonder what the Master would think of that; if he's listening, he'd comment on it.
He did not comment on it. "Isa," Dr. Kegan said as he stepped around the table after finishing up with a patient. "We'll be cleaning up and closing the clinic for the night. Have you finalized the documents I gave you?"
Isa nodded. "I have filed them away as well. It should be good for you to take home." She pointed to the manila folder on his desk.
The doctor smiled. "Excellent."
"Wait…" I blinked. "What time is it?" Have I been zoned out for that long?!
The doctor pulled out a pocket watch and said, "It's about—"
"Freedom!" Varis ran into the clinic; he had been outside organizing the excess storage. "Freedom at last!" He panted as he came over to us and adjusted his pants. Like me, we were both wearing our new clothes; he had a nice blue button-up and denim overalls. I was wearing a black-and-white dress with a purple bow, and I chose it because it reminded me of the halfling's dress I was gifted… I think it was three weeks ago now.
"Yes. It's freedom time." The doctor giggled before saying, "It's seven in the evening, the same time we close every night."
Isa nodded. "Well then, children, gather your things."
I nodded and turned to Varis. Together, we went over to a small shelf that carried our personal belongings, like my Enigma bag. While getting my stuff, I couldn't help but overhear Kegan and Isa.
"Nice work today," Kegan said. "You're picking up on things much faster than I expected."
Isa chuckled. "It's not my first time doing nurse work. I've been around; I've done a bit of everything."
"A jack of all trades, eh? Impressive," Kegan said as he grabbed his jacket.
"Eh, I wouldn't say impressive," Isa shrugged as she leaned against the desk waiting for us. "Being good at a bunch of different things doesn't lend well to being great at one thing."
Kegan shook his head. "I disagree, but is there something you want to be great at?" He asked.
Isa thought for a second before shaking her head. "No, and that's the issue." She smiled at him. "I can't find what I truly want to do, hence why I've done a lot of things."
"It makes sense, " the doctor smiled. Speaking of doing things," he said as Varis and I started to make our way over to them. "Would you like to go out for dinner sometime?"
I paused as Varis kept walking forward, and I noticed Isa's brow rise and a faint blush appear on her cheeks. "Dinner?" She said, sounding confused.
Kegan smiled. "Yeah, if you'd like, of course. I know of a good Peshmurgan restaurant. Serves the finest kentari in all of Heinmarr, tastes like you're actually there in Peshmurga. I'd pay for us."
Varis opened his mouth to say something, but in a flash, I stepped forward and shot my hand over his mouth. "Grown up, talk." I whispered and pulled my brother away.
Isa noticed this and looked confused briefly before turning back to Kegan and pursing her lips. She thought for a second and glanced at me, and I smiled. She glanced at the doctor and said, "Sure, but only because you said you'd pay for it."
The doctor smiled and said, "Excellent!" He straightened up and fixed his coat. "Of course not tonight, but perhaps this coming Apex?"
Isa smiled gently and nodded. "I teach the children on the work days; how about a rest day?" She suggested it as the two of them began walking towards the front of the clinic while Varis and I followed behind.
"A rest day works for me; about Dusk's day then?" He said that, and Isa nodded.
"That'll be wonderful, though I'm afraid I don't have much to wear when going out. I'm not really one for… glamor, unlike yourself… no offense." She said, gesturing to the doctor's fine clothes.
Kegan waved his hand dismissively and said, "Wear whatever makes you comfortable."
Isa's smile widened, and I swore I could hear her purring. "Excellent."
We stepped outside the clinic into the chilly evening air and shuddered. I huddled close to my brother as a draft blew over us. Kegan tightened his coat and said, "Blimey, I swear it's getting colder by the day." He shivered. Please travel safely, and perhaps wear a coat tomorrow if this darned weather doesn't lighten up. I swear, it's the middle of the Aquila; it's supposed to be warm." He sighed.
"Aye, it is, though it's not uncommon for Heinmarr to flip the weather on its head," Isa said. "I'm sure this is just winter's death throes."
"Perhaps, but it took it, sweet old time." The doctor chuckled. "Well, good evening to you all. Take care." He said it with a wave.
"Are you not following us out as usual?" Isa asked.
Kegan shook his head. "No. I have one last stop I need to make, and that's in the opposite direction. Farewell!" He waved as he turned around and began walking down the park path, leaving us alone.
I smiled widely once I was sure the doctor was out of earshot. "Isa's going on a date!"
"I am not!" Isa hissed, though I could see the fierce blush forming on her cheeks.
"I thought you found him annoying?" I said it teasingly.
"Ooh, does Isa like the doctor?" Varis said with a shit-eating grin.
"I do find him annoying," Isa said, sounding genuinely frustrated, though her burning cheeks said otherwise, and her tail swished back and forth. "But I do enjoy his company. Nigel is a good man, a bit stupid, but I find that endearing."
"I dunno, you seemed super mad when he said you lick stuff." I said, snickering.
"I-I was, but only because he was incorrect about what we lick."
"So you do lick stuff!" Varis exclaimed.
"Yes, we do," Isa said. "In my culture, it is normal, but the way he framed it made it seem wrong. So I corrected him. It doesn't mean I don't like him."
Both Varis and I giggled. "Madam Soza is going on a date this Dusk Day ~," I said in a singing voice.
"What's next, getting married?" Varis teased.
"Okay, you squirts," Isa said, placing each hand on our heads. "Shut your mouths and keep walking, or else you're getting homework."