41 There was nothing special about Vincent Yuhi. He wasn't tall, he wasn't incredibly fast on his feet, he wasn't that strong and he certainly didn't possess a vast amount of knowledge. He was just a simple youth with blue hair and dark brown eyes who stood no taller than 5'11".
He worked in his mother's pottery shop. Nobody else in the village of Ardan would hire him because he was such a klutz. The last merchant that had hired him had fired him because he'd dropped so many glass bottles that that very day more money was lost rather than made. Another time he'd spilt the contents from a bottle onto one of the customers and accidentally turned him into a spider.
Of course it wasn't Vincent's fault. He never meant anyone any harm at all. He was very gentle and kind, but he was always tripping or dropping something. Life for the boy seemed pretty dull. Because his klutzy nature had earned him such a poor reputation among the people in the village the only people that still respected him as a human being were his mother and sisters. Of course it's a wonderful thing to be close to your family, but sometimes having a friend or two is nice as well and Vincent often wished for someone out there who would see past his mistakes and perceive him the way he really was.
His story begins on the morning of his eighteenth birthday. He'd had a nice peaceful sleep in his bed and was awoken late in the morning by the delicious irresistible smell of his mother's cooking. Chicken. His mouth watered as he slipped out of bed and quickly got dressed into a pair of blue pants that were baggy in the legs only and a tight fitting white undershirt. " Vin!" He heard his eldest sister Cara call up the stairs to him. Vincent rarely spoke more than two words even to the people he knew. He was a shy young man. "Coming!" He called out, but nobody heard. He thought his voice was loud enough. It was louder than he normally spoke, but it wasn't anything near a yell.
In the next two minutes he was bounding out of his room and down the spiraling staircase into the kitchen where his entire family sat at a round wooden table. His sisters Cara, Yurika and baby Amy. Cara was a blonde- haired, blue eyed fifteen-year-old girl. Yurika looked a lot like Vincent. She was only nine with long blue hair and deep brown eyes. Little Amy looked like a mix between Vincent and Cara with her blonde hair and brown eyes.
His mother was busy slaving over the fire, cooking breakfast for them. It must be chicken soup. Vincent thought as he quietly sat down at the table between Cara and Amy. He knew it was his birthday, but he wasn't the type of person to point out the obvious. His family would wish him a happy birthday when they wanted to. " Good morning, Vin. Did you sleep well?" Yuika asked him as he joined them sitting at the table. Vincent nodded, " Yes. Thank you."
"You slept like a rock, Vincent, " His mother said, not taking her eyes off of what she was cooking. " Consider the extra rest a gift from me. You know we don't have enough money to have a fancy festival for you like the other kids." Vincent nodded and smiled as she turned her head, " I know. It's all right." It was a miracle that he'd spoken that many words in a row. His mother smiled back.
She was a proud young woman in her early thirties. A blonde-haired, brown-eyed woman of strong, muscular build. She wiped her hands on the smock of her blue dress and sighed, " Things are going to get much harder in the winter." The children looked at each other nervously. They knew what she meant. The winter was coming soon and now they had little baby Amy to worry about. Since Vincent's father had left them twelve months ago normal living wasn't as easy as people thought. It was expensive to feed four children even with Vincent and his mother working in the pottery shop from morning till night.
"Don't worry mother. We'll think of something." Cara said firmly, looking at Vincent she said, " Right, Vin?" Vincent nodded. He was willing to do whatever it took to provide and protect the family whenever it needed him. His mother nearly cried. Having two older, stronger children made her life a lot easier. They sort of made up for their father's absence. Cara was a great cook and she was a responsible sitter while Vincent was pretty strong and very trustworthy. " Thank you both. I'm sure we will." She scooped out some chicken soup with a ladle and poured it into five bowls. Cara got up from the table and moved from the counter top to the table placing the bowls before each person while her mother sat down and then sat down herself.
Nobody moved. They knew their mother got angry if they didn't pray to the Mother before they ate. Vincent's prayer was the longest. He prayed that the winter wouldn't be harsh and that something exciting would happen, something that would make everyone proud of him. As he finished he opened his eyes. Everyone was staring at him. Nobody had eaten yet. " Happy Birthday!" Yuika cheered. And together the family sang an odd rhyming birthday song that is nothing like you or I have ever heard before. There were no presents or delicious foods for Vincent to eat, but as the song ended even he was grateful to taste the salty hot chicken-flavored liquid in his mouth.
After breakfast Vincent and his mother immediately left home and traveled halfway through town towards the pottery shop his mother had inherited from her grandfather. The town of Ardan was a small village. The people's homes were built high in the trees as if they were elves and running between each great oak and pine was a rope bridge that connected the trees to one another, making it easy to get to other homes and stores without having to climb down.
Climbing down was not the wisest thing to do for it meant certain death, especially at night. Ardan was located in the center of a dangerous forest. Poisonous mist covered the floors and crazed, bloodthirsty monsters stalked about. Many a villager had become prey for these maddened beasts. Even in the trees the people carried bow and arrows just in case.
Vincent and his mother crossed thirteen bridges or so before they reached their destination. A small building of grass and wood supported by the branches around it. His mother unlocked the door and stepped inside. She opened the windows, lit the glow crystals and set up her stand. She'd made twenty pots with Vincent's help the previous day and today the two would spend the day waiting for people to buy them. Throughout the day several villagers and a few strangers did look at the newly made pots, vases etc. Some bought and others merely looked. By the end of the day they'd only sold four pots that had earned them twelve gold pieces, only enough to feed two people.
Business was getting worse because travel was becoming too dangerous meaning that fewer foreigners came to Ardan. This was not a good thing. Soon Vincent and his mother would lose their business and their job. They were busy putting the rest of the pots away and preparing to lock down the shop when a dark skinned man dressed in red robes approached the window and hailed them, " Happy birthday, Vincent." Vincent looked up, but his mother either had not heard the man or was ignoring him. " Can you?" Vincent asked slowly. How did he know my name? The red robed stranger didn't look familiar to him. His mother looked in the man's direction, " Who are you talking to Vincent?" She asked, putting away the last of the clay pots. Vincent looked from the red robed man to his mother, " I don't know him."
His mother looked at him as if he were crazy, " Who? I don't see anyone." Vincent looked in the stranger's direction. He was standing right in front of them! How could she not see him!? The only one who can see me is you Vincent. I exist only in your mind. You called for my help did you not? A calm baritone voice echoed in his ears, but his mother only stared at him. You long for adventure, to make friends, to change what will come to pass. The voice continued. I bring you the chance to change the future. Change the future? How? Vincent was beginning to think he was insane. Why him? He couldn't even make a pot on his own without his mother reminding him how to do it. He couldn't hit a target with arrows if his life depended on it. What made this man think he had any power to change the future? "What is your name?" Vincent asked aloud. He wanted to smack himself. He should have asked mentally. This stranger seemed to have a kind of magical talent about him that possessed incredible powers. He probably could read Vincent's mind.
"Vincent?" His mother looked worried. " Let's go home, dear. We've both had a very long day." She laid a hand on his shoulder. My name is Mysik the Red One. If you wish to save your family meet me tomorrow at noon at the base of your tree. Vincent wasn't sure if he believed any of it. He could be hallucinating then again a part of him wanted to believe there was something better for him and his family out there. If he could do what it was that Mystik would ask of him then maybe his mother and sisters would never go hungry again. His decision was quickly made. All right. I will come, Mystik.