A Wizard's Tears Read Online Free Page B

gold. He had never left the village, and had only read of the city. It sounded an amazing place to him. Keldoran felt like dancing at the side of the road, he was so excited by his thoughts!
    He glanced over at the other people waiting by the roadside, for he was not alone. His eyes widened in a quick sliver of fear, as he saw a horned humanoid not ten paces from him! He had never seen any of these people before, although his mother had told him about the other races sharing Elrohen with humans. This then, was his first sighting of a Bu’kep.
    He looked magnificent, resplendent in a bright green tunic. His skin was white, just like his own, but a small horn extended from his temple, red in colour. It was an odd looking thing, and Keldoran could not take his eyes off it. The man could sense he was being watched, and turned to regard Keldoran. Quickly, Keldoran averted his gaze, but not before the Bu’kep gave him a beaming smile, showing his white teeth.
    Embarrassed, Keldoran turned and looked to his right, where his eyes rested upon a petite, blonde girl. She was surrounded by three huge backpacks. It was a comical sight, for they were as big as she was. Keldoran already marvelled at this weird and wonderful world, with all these incredible people, and seemed so far away from his farm even though he was still in the village.
    “Daddy, look!” shouted a tiny voice in excitement behind him. Keldoran watched with interest as a small boy dragged his father over to the Bu’kep. “The juggler!”
    The father nodded to the Bu’kep. “Please forgive my son, he gets a little headstrong,” he muttered apologetically.
“Nonsense!” beamed the Bu’kep, grinning broadly at the little boy. “I like his carefree attitude.”
Keldoran was dumbstruck. The accent of the man’s words! It was unlike anything he had heard before. His voice sung. It was magical.
“Will you juggle for me? Please! Please!” jumped the boy, pointing to a small pouch resting on the Bu’kep’s belt.
“Why, of course, little one! What better way to pass the time then to juggle, to tease, to delight?”
In a fluid motion, the Bu’kep reached into his pouch and produced three, small wooden balls. In seconds they were above his head, seeming to almost hover in mid-air before they were caught in his dextrous hands. Then they were spun into the air once more, to the delights and cheers of the crowd.
Keldoran decided then and there that he wanted to learn that trick. It was amazing to watch. The man was so athletic, so lithe, he was dancing about, hopping from one foot to the other, his horn glinting in the morning sun, and he did not drop a ball, not even once.
The crowd clapped thunderously when he finished. Keldoran joined in, shaking his head in amazement. He turned to see if the blonde girl had seen the spectacle, and stopped clapping his hands. She seemed oblivious to the Bu’kep’s juggling, seeming to stare at the open road before her as if that was all there was in the world. Her mood made Keldoran frown slightly.
A hush descended onto the crowd.
His thoughts on the girl gone, Keldoran looked at the road. He could see a horse trotting along it, dragging a carriage behind. He squinted, for they were far away, to see if he could make out the rider on the horse. Moments passed, and then he could see the mage: a dark grey robed figure, hood over his face. He rode with a calm-like superiority. His horse wore a grey robe itself, and even it seemed to hold its head high, proud to be ridden by one so exalted as a mage.
The horse stopped silently in front of the crowd. Keldoran looked up at the mage in front of him, a tall, imposing figure. His heart was in his mouth.
Slowly, almost regal in his movements, the mage stepped down from his steed. He removed his hood, showing his chiselled, wise features. His eyes shone a bright blue, penetrating in their gaze. His hair was white, and long. His forehead had lines of age. To Keldoran, he looked in his late