Story Seed - Home, Sweet Home

Image Source: http://grungetv.deviantart.com/art/Wizard-s-Watch-308947076

"What is that?"

Lazil didn't bother to look up, it was obvious from the young boy's tone what he had seen. "That is my home, and now it is your home as well, until such time as you complete your apprenticeship." The old nano scowled at the device in his hands, muttering some choice obscenities in a long dead language as he did. The device was tucked away for further study.

"It's quite large," Ruva observed with a tinge of amazement; his entire village would probably fill less than half of it.

"That," Lazil remarked, "is no more than the bit of ice above the fluid."

Ruva flicked the aneen's reigns with one hand, keeping the creature moving at a steady pace, dragging the fantastic hovering cart they rode in along with it. "So the whole of it is what, ten times as large?" For a boy of nine Ruva possessed a keen mind and was already an accomplished student of the numenera. He had only ever seen the small trinkets that made their way into the village as trade. Those oddities, cyphers, and the occasional artifact -often already burned out and useless- had been his sole insight into the numenera. Despite that he had impressed Lazil enough for the nano to request the boy as an apprentice rather than the reverse.

"Very good boy, very good indeed," Lazil praised. "But if you think it is impressive now wait until you see it from within," he added mysteriously. The old nano stood on the seat of the cart, swaying with its motion, and scanning the surrounding fields and horizon. "First though, we must ensure that none see how we enter. Including you boy. I have my secrets and you will learn them in time, but not until you are ready and not until you have earned the appropriate level of trust."

Ruva looked up at his new master, "Yes sir, I understand. The explorers from the village would tell of bandits who sought to steal what others had paid for in hard work or hard coin." He gasped as he saw an opening form in the structure before them, he had not seen any device or manipulation of the data- or nano-spirits.

Lazil smiled down at his new apprentice, already proving himself more astute than many adults. "And always on the lookout for a trove of the numenera such as mine. Come, drive the beast inside, the way is open. Welcome to your new home."