The Crystal of Hope

[EmilyH]

The Crystal of Hope

By Emily M. Hanson

This is an original work of fiction. All of the characters belong to me. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead, or to any places that exist in reality, is completely coincidental. Please don’t borrow these original characters without my permission. That goes without saying for the words in my story -- please don’t plagiarize.

* * * * *
Chapter 1

The Month of Sunbright, Day 5, Year 2100

Golden flames crackled in the fireplace as the Archmage stood up. Sage Blackstone was a tall woman with long auburn hair which she usually wore loose. Her emerald green robe cascaded to the ground. The Amulet of Mysteries, the symbol of her office, hung around her neck on a glittering gold chain. It was a nine-pointed gold star.

Each point was adorned with a different jewel, one for each element of magic and the lesser realms. Diamond represented air. Emerald stood for the earth. Ruby meant fire, and sapphire was the symbol of water. The realms of magic were astral, solar, temporal, natural, and lunar. They were symbolized by amethyst, topaz, garnet, peridot, and moonstone, respectively. The amulet was also enchanted for magical protection.

Sage hummed while she dipped her quill pen into an ink bottle and began to write in her journal. This had become a nightly exercise, one which she enjoyed a great deal. She had just made the first mark, when someone knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

“Aneurin,” the elf responded.

“Come in.”

Aneurin Moondark was tall and slender like most of the elven race. His short-cropped black hair and amber eyes marked him as a southern elf. His people lived in Bright Vale, a place far south of Wizardspire. He wore an indigo robe embroidered with silver stars. The ring on his left hand was set with a sapphire and two small amethysts. It had a faint aura of magic that Sage could see.

“What can I do for you?” she asked.

The elf’s gaze fell upon the Crystal of Hope. It had been safe in Wizardspire for over a century. Forged in the Citadel of Mirrors by elven and human wizards, it had the power to keep the Legions of Night from entering the physical realm. They were the armies of undead summoned by necromancers in the last war between elves and humans. The chaos caused by the Legions of Night had nearly torn the world asunder. Kyran Starwind, an elven Seer, had dreamt that the crystal could bring peace. And so it was forged, and the undead were banished to the Netherworld.

A shadow passed over Aneurin’s face as he replied, “Bring me the crystal.”

“It is safe. Do not concern yourself with it. Is there anything else I can do?”

“No.” The elf walked across the room and held his left hand up. Blue energy crackled from his fingertips and surrounded the crystal on its pedestal with ice.

“What are you doing? Stop this at once,” Sage cried. She hurled a globe of incandescent fire but Aneurin’s defensive shield, activated by his ring, absorbed it. It wasn’t enough. She began to cast another spell, intending to disarm his shields. By then, the crystal had become entirely frozen.

“No,” she exclaimed. “You don’t have to do this, Aneurin.”

“I must,” he replied. “Nelos has commanded me to.”

The worship of Nelos, the God of Darkness, was banned from both elven and human realms after it had been revealed that the necromancers who summoned the Legions of Night had worshipped him. This turn of events bothered Sage even more, since Aneurin had worshipped the Lady of Stars since his childhood. There were no signs that she could think of that might have led her to discover his conversion. It must have been a sudden change. If so, that did not bode well.

“That’s insane. Aneurin, listen to me and stop this nonsense, or I will be forced to destroy you.”

He ignored her. From his pocket, the elf produced an onyx dagger. It had one gemstone in the hilt, a sapphire, which seemed to glow with its own inner fire. He raised it above the frozen crystal.

The Archmage had intended to dispel the magical shields which surrounded the elf, but she realized that would not stop him in time. She clutched the Amulet of Mysteries and chanted. In the same moment when Aneurin brought his dagger down, a bolt of lightning shot out and struck him. The acrid scent of smoldering fabric and skin filled the air as he cried out. However, that was still not enough to stop the determined elven wizard. His dagger smashed the frozen crystal, shattering it into tiny pieces.

The elf turned around to see the rage on the Archmage’s face. He smirked. “Destroy me if you want to, but Nelos will triumph in the end.”

Sage called for the guards as Aneurin began to cast a teleportation spell. The guards arrived just as he vanished with a shimmering burst of light.

* * * * *

Garnet Silvermoon enjoyed being outside. She would much rather be out in the wilderness than in the stuffy old tower where her mother lived. Elyssia, her mother, was very ill. She had gone outside to gather herbs for a pot of tea, which would ease her mother’s discomfort.

The fifteen-year-old girl paused before a patch of Dragonsbreath and gathered a handful of the bright gold stalks. Suddenly there was a loud rumble in the sky overhead. She looked up and saw no clouds, just clear blue sky.

“That’s odd,” Garnet mused aloud.

It was almost as if a dragon had made the sound, but the last recorded sighting of a dragon had been over a thousand years ago, and it had been slain by a wizard. No one seriously believed there were any more dragons to be found. The very idea was laughable. But she still didn’t know what had made the noise.

There was another rumble. This time, the sky that had been blue only moments ago was shrouded with thick gray clouds. Then the heavens truly began to roar as silver lightning claws scraped across the sky. Raindrops tumbled from the clouds and Garnet had to run inside. She would have to make the tea later.

Garnet placed the Dragonsbreath flowers on the table and went to check on her mother. Elyssia was very pale, even for a northern elf. Her steel-gray hair cascaded across the pillows. Her breathing was ragged. She carefully touched her mother’s forehead. It was very warm. Her mother’s eyes opened. They were indigo, like the night sky, and nearly as deep. They were filled with pain.

“Hope,” Elyssia whispered.

“Yes, I hope you will get better,” the girl replied. “Please rest, Mother.”

“The crystal…broken…”

Garnet had to bend down to catch her mother’s faint words. She realized now that Elyssia meant the Crystal of Hope. “The crystal is fine. It is in Wizardspire, where it has always been. The Archmage is looking after it.”

“It was broken,” she insisted. “Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“The Lady is calling me home, Garnet. I want you to promise me that you will go to Wizardspire when I die. Your father was a wizard. He would have wanted you to be one. Promise me.”

The girl hesitated. Ever since she could remember, she had always been afraid of enclosed spaces. Being cooped up in a musty old tower was the last thing she’d wanted. What she wanted was to become a bard or a mercenary…anything but a wizard. She wanted to stay out in the open, to always have the sky above her. Wizards had to live there after they finished their apprenticeships, which sometimes took years to complete. Garnet really didn’t want to be stuck there.

“It is your heritage,” Elyssia whispered. “Promise me.” Her voice was fading as quickly as her health.

The girl could see that her mother was dying. She had no choice but to promise this one last thing, even if it wasn’t what she wanted. To do otherwise would have been unthinkable. “I promise.”

Elyssia smiled. “May the Lady’s light shine on you always.” It was a traditional elven farewell.

The girl’s eyes brimmed with tears. “May her warmth embrace you, Mother. Be at peace.”

Thunder crashed outside as Elyssia’s spirit ebbed away from the world that had held it for more than 300 years. There was nothing Garnet could do now except to give her mother a proper burial after the rain ended. The girl’s tears flowed down her cheeks and splattered onto the floor below, shimmering like glass fragments as lightning illuminated the heavens outside.

* * * * *

It had been a long night. Garnet hadn’t slept well. She’d woken up several times and cried until she’d fallen asleep. The girl awoke early in the morning and decided that she wasn’t going to drift off again. It had stopped raining, but the sky was still dark and gloomy.

The scent of wet grass wafted in through the window as she opened it. The bright yellow dragonsbreath that she’d gathered yesterday seemed very much out of place. The nearest neighbor was an hour away, and she hated to bother them. But she would need help to bury her mother. Even though they were humans, the Goodwater family had been her mother’s closest friends.

The girl wore a crimson silk dress, since it was the tradition to wear red for mourning and it was the only red dress she owned. She also wore a black wool cape in case it rained again, and boots to walk in the mud. Garnet set off toward her neighbor’s house. It began to drizzle no sooner than she had left. She sighed and lifted up the hood of her cape to protect her long brown hair from the rain.

About fifteen minutes into the journey, she encountered an old man sitting by the roadside. He was human and dressed in beggar’s rags. He also held a flute in his lap. The beggar stopped and looked up at her. His brown eyes widened as he saw her red dress. “My deepest sympathies. Did you lose someone very close?”

Garnet nodded. “My mother died last night. She was very ill.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Let me play you a tune. Perhaps it’ll help you feel better.”

The girl shook her head. “I really don’t have time. I am going to my neighbor’s house. My mother needs to be buried.”

He gave her a very commanding gaze that seemed out of place on a beggar. She had no choice but to meet his eyes. “Music really helps to heal the heart, Garnet.”

She blinked in surprise. “How did you know my name?”

“I know many things. Please let me play for you, and then you can be on your way.”

Realizing that she didn’t have much choice, because walking away would have been rude, Garnet nodded. “All right.”

The elderly beggar lifted his wooden flute and played a lilting melody that really did make her feel better.

“Thank you,” she said, and offered him a copper coin in return. “May the Lady’s light shine on you.” Somehow it seemed like the proper thing to say, even though he wasn’t an elf.

He nodded. “And you.”

Garnet hurried up the path to the Goodwater family’s house. Daralis, a slightly plump human with blonde hair and blue eyes carefully pulled out weeds in her garden. She looked up to see the elf girl approach. Daralis’s eyes went to Garnet’s red dress. “Oh, dear. Was it your mother?”

She nodded. “It happened last night.”

“Oh, no.” Daralis stood up and embraced the girl. “You didn’t bury her yourself, did you?”

Garnet shook her head.

“Good. Why don’t you come inside? Tomas made breakfast. There’s still some fruit and bread left over. And there’s fresh tea. You like tea, right?”

The girl nodded.

“Of course. Come on in.” Daralis held the door open and waited.

Garnet entered the house. The scent of black tea seasoned with cloves and cinnamon reached her nose. It mingled with the scent of smoldering pine wood from the stove and fried eggs. She removed her cloak and hung it up, then sat down at the table. It was made of pine wood.

Meanwhile, Daralis washed her hands with a pitcher of water by the sink. They did not have running water yet, but the plumbing system allowed it to flow into the sewers below. Rumor had it that Wizardspire and the palace both had running water, but no one she knew had been to either place.

“That storm yesterday sure was something, wasn’t it?” Daralis asked.

“Yes,” Garnet agreed.

“It’s very odd. It isn’t the season for storms.” The middle-aged woman put a plate of bread and fruit in front of the girl, then poured them both a cup of tea and sat down. “You didn’t have any flooding, did you?”

“No. But my mother said something very strange before she passed on.”

“What did she say?”

The girl closed her eyes, remembering her mother’s exact words. “She said that the Crystal of Hope was broken.” She looked at Daralis. “But that’s impossible. The wizards are looking after it, aren’t they?”

Daralis leaned closer as Garnet took a bite of bread. “She could very well have seen it. The veil between this world and the next becomes thin at death, so thin that sometimes people see things they wouldn’t have otherwise seen. Most people don’t believe them because they’re dying. But I’ve seen things myself that have led me to understand that. Did your mother say anything else?”

“She wanted me to go to Wizardspire. She said that my father was a wizard, and that it was my heritage.”

Daralis nodded. “It is in your blood, dear. Your people have many gifts, and among them is the gift for magic. But only you can decide what you want to do.”

The girl finished her food. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go. Perhaps that might be for the best.”

“Perhaps,” the older woman agreed. “Let me find Tomas, and then we’ll help you do what’s right.”

Daralis left. Garnet sat there lost in thought, wondering what Wizardspire was like and how the Crystal of Hope could have been broken. Surely it would have taken powerful magic to do that. But why would anyone want to break it? Didn’t they know the chaos and destruction it would cause? If the Crystal really had been broken, then the storm last night was probably a sign of things to come. She had to go to Wizardspire and find out for herself what had really happened. That much she knew in her heart.

Tomas Goodwater returned. He was a stocky man with dark hair and also middle-aged. He was wearing old clothes and carrying a paintbrush and a bucket of paint. Some of the blue paint had gotten onto his clothes.

“Hello, Garnet. I’m sorry about your loss. I’ll change first, and then we’ll all go to your place.”

He set the paint supplies down and disappeared into the bedroom as Daralis came back inside, carrying a bunch of flowers -- irises, silver roses, and lovely daystars in blue and white hues. She proceeded to put them into a beautiful glass vase and arrange them.

“Your mother would have liked these.”

Garnet nodded. “She would have. Silver roses were her favorite.” A tear slipped out of her eye before she could catch it.

Tomas came out of the bedroom dressed in a nice red tunic. He also wore a flowing red cape. “I’m ready.”

“Good. I’ll change, and then we can go.” Daralis slipped into the bedroom and shut the door.

Tomas felt sorry for the elven girl. It must have been difficult caring for her dying mother. Garnet had no other family that he knew of. Her father left when she was a baby. He’d gone off to Wizardspire and left the mother and child alone.

There were indications that Garnet’s father sent the family money every now and then. Elyssia sold a few herbs and did embroidery work, which would have been enough to make a meager living. Once, he’d seen a jeweled dagger laying on a table there, with amethysts and moonstones in its hilt. It might have been magical. He didn’t know much about that stuff. But they had lots of books laying around, and books cost money. Very few families owned more than two or three books. If Garnet was smart, she’d sell them someplace.

“You can stay with us if you need to,” he said.

“Thank you, sir. However, I’m planning on going to Wizardspire.”

“To find your father?”

“Perhaps. My mother wanted me to go there.”

“Ah. So, what are you going to do with your mother’s house?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m not sure that I’d want to sell it. It’s nice to have a place to come home to.”

Tomas nodded. “That’s true.”

Daralis left the bedroom. She wore a light red dress with long sleeves and a modest neckline. “I’m ready. Shall we go?”

While Garnet and Tomas stood up, Daralis took the vase. They headed outside, and she picked up her shovel. It was still gloomy outside. The sun refused to break free from the clouds above as they walked down the long road to the Silvermoon house. When they passed the place where Garnet had met the beggar, she noticed that he was no longer there. However, she had the strangest feeling that their encounter was more than just a coincidence.

* * * * *

Sage faced the Council of Wizards with a growing feeling of uneasiness. Everyone wore a gravely serious expression since the matter of the Crystal’s destruction was of great importance.

“Archmage, I must inquire, what are you going to do about the Crystal of Hope?”

The outspoken man was none other than Jarian Silvermoon, a northern elf. He was a high-ranked enchanter and regarded with much respect. The elf was tall with dark hair and amber eyes. His features were finely chiseled, which was different from most elves, who had smoother faces. He was in excellent physical condition, but as a mage, his mind was his most important asset.

“We must find a way to forge another,” she replied, meeting his concerned gaze. “There is no other alternative. It is either that or face an onslaught of undead, and pray that we can keep them from destroying everything we hold dear.”

“I thought the means of forging the Crystal had been lost.” The next speaker was Topaz Wintersnow, a human. He was tall and stocky with blond hair and blue eyes. He specialized in the field of divination and was considered an expert.

“After the Crystal’s destruction, I spent many hours doing research in the library. It seems there were several components which went into the original forging spell. Unfortunately, these are extremely rare items. Obtaining them will be a difficult task indeed.”

The council was silent for several moments. Finally, Jarian replied, “Do we know how to put them together?”

“That is being researched as I speak. It will take some time to gather the components. In addition, Aneurin Moondark may be working to summon the undead legions once again.”

“He’s not a necromancer,” Topaz pointed out.

“True, but he is a water wizard and an expert on lunar magic. With those abilities combined, Aneurin could become a necromancer if he applied himself. If he’s truly converted to the worship of Nelos, raising the Legions of Night is probably his goal. We must find and stop him at all costs. It will not be easy.”

“What is your recommendation, Archmage?” Opal Glitterdew, the highest-ranking water wizard now that Aneurin was gone, remarked. At 5’6”, she was petite for an elf. Her slender frame was draped in a flowing white and blue robe, embroidered with silver thread. Opal’s long brown hair was wrapped in an elaborate knot, tied with pale blue silk ribbons. Her cerulean eyes took in everything around her, giving an impression of curiosity.

“I recommend that those among us with extraordinary talents and abilities be given the opportunity to use them. Forging another crystal is not something to be taken lightly. Those of highest rank should be invited first, then we should review the skills of the lower ranked wizards. We’ll probably have to hire some mercenaries as well. If there’s undead to be dealt with, we’ll need a few good fighters at our backs. Shall we put this matter to a vote?”

“Yes, let us vote,” Jarian said. Concentrating briefly, he formed a shimmering globe of white light the size of a large marble. It hovered in the air in front of him, casting a glowing reflection onto the polished silverwood table.

The white light indicated a positive response. There were very few negative responses, indicated by red light. The majority of the council agreed with the plan. Sage was pleased. There was a lot of work to be done, but she knew they could do it.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, Garnet carefully placed the dragonsbreath flowers next to Daralis’s vase on her mother’s freshly-dug grave. The flowers that she had wanted to make tea with were now a final parting gift. The bright yellow was such a contrast to the dirt that they might as well have been light from the Lady herself. She knew instinctively that her mother would have liked them.

“I know that I promised to travel to Wizardspire,” the girl whispered as her voice choked with emotion. “However, my heart tells me that I must find my own path. Perhaps I will find my way there eventually, and perhaps not. But it is my choice to make. No matter what, I will always love you dearly. I won’t forget you, Mother.”

She stood up and looked at the Goodwaters. Their human faces were full of compassion and sympathy.

“You’re doing the right thing,” Daralis said. “Wherever your mother is, she’s probably smiling.”

”She’s in the Lady’s arms now,” Garnet replied. “I’m sure you’re right. I should start packing.”

“For what?”

“I’m leaving. I will come back someday, but not for a while. My heart is set on seeing the city. After that, I don’t know.”

“That’s well enough,” Tomas remarked. “You’ll need a blade, though. I can lend you mine.”

“No, that’s not necessary. My mother had a dagger around here somewhere. I’ll find it before I go.”

“All right. Take care. If you ever need anything, you know where to find us.”

Garnet nodded. “Thank you for everything.” She gave Daralis one last hug and shook Tomas’s hand. “Goodbye.”

After they went home, she went inside and found her old backpack stowed underneath her bed. It was well-worn, but it would have to do. Several clothes went into it, as well as several pieces of her mother’s jewelry that had been her mother’s favorites -- an amethyst and diamond necklace with a silver chain, a silver emerald ring, and a ruby amulet on a gold chain. Garnet didn’t want vandals to get them while she was gone. She stuffed her journal, writing quills, and a bottle of ink into her backpack as well.

Then she looked in the dresser by her mother’s bed. There, she found her mother’s dagger. Garnet wondered if it was truly meant to be used as a weapon. It looked more decorative than anything. Three amethysts about the size of a small marble were embedded in the hilt and evenly spaced a fingerwidth apart. In-between were two perfectly round moonstones, less than half the size of the gems. It was possible that the dagger was magical. If so, Garnet had no idea how to use its powers. Perhaps she might eventually learn. She took the dagger and its leather hilt, then attached it to her belt.

Finally, she took some food. There wasn’t much that wouldn’t spoil within a few days. Garnet took a few apples, some carrots, a piece of cheese, some dried venison, and three potatoes. Most elves were not vegetarians, but they wouldn’t eat meat unless they knew that the creature had been killed honorably and without suffering. There were several rituals that elven hunters had to perform to ensure this was done. Elyssia had gotten most of her meat from an elven hunter named Daevin who lived within a two-day journey. It was a part of elven culture that the girl had grown up with.

Then she took the stuffed backpack and slung it over her shoulders. It took her a few moments to get used to the heavy weight. Once that was done, Garnet took one last look at the house where she’d grown up. She wouldn’t be here again for a while. Then she crossed the threshold outside and headed down the path, which would eventually lead her to the main road and towards the human city of Oakchester.

* * * * *

[EmilyH]

Chapter 2

The Month of Sunbright, Day 8, Year 2100

Excerpt from Garnet Silvermoon’s Journal

The sky is flooded with rose and amber light as I wake to another day. It seems very odd that I am sleeping on the cold, hard ground instead of in my soft, warm bed. It’s difficult to believe that my mother is gone. Yet in my heart, I know that she is safe and happy in the Lady’s arms, and without the pain or sickness that life brings.

I must journey on. The city of Oakchester is very close, within an hour’s worth of travel. Though I don’t know what my future holds, I strongly feel that I’ll find part of it there.

* * * * *

Garnet stood and stretched. She longed for a cup of hot tea, which she’d always had for breakfast since early childhood. The girl took a red apple out of her backpack and munched on it while she watched the sun rise. A peaceful feeling washed over her as the new day unfolded. The city of Oakchester could be seen in the distance. The houses weren’t that tall by modern standards, but for that time and place, they were very large. She could see the pointed roofs reaching towards the sky as the light from oil lamps, no doubt, gleamed in the windows below.

Garnet packed up everything, then headed down the road. Approaching the city, she could smell the aroma of wood burning and food being cooked, and the unmistakable scent of humans living together in close quarters. Elves had better senses than humans in general, but they were built thinner and physically weaker than humans for the most part.

As a result, elves honed their other senses and their intelligence. They learned how to harness the innate magical forces that flowed through their blood. A powerful elven wizard could best a human fighter, or even a troop of human soldiers, with the right spells. Even a neophyte wizard could often escape from a fight relatively unscathed, if he or she was clever enough.

It wasn’t long before she reached the city gates. Two burly guards stood there and scowled at her.

“You shouldn’t be traveling alone, miss. There have been sightings of mysterious creatures roaming in the woods. Sometimes they venture onto the road. There was a grown man twice your size, who was buried just yesterday. What happened to him wasn’t a pretty sight,” the first guard explained.

“Thank you for the information,” Garnet replied. “May I enter now?”

The second guard presented her with a long scroll that had various signatures on it. “Sign your name or make your mark, and we’ll give you a pass that’s good for a ten-day. If you wish to become a long-term or permanent resident, you’ll have to apply at the mayor’s office. The guilds around here are always looking for skilled help, even if you can’t stay very long.”

She signed it. “Thanks.”

The guards opened the gates and Garnet walked right through. The mercenaries’ guild was very close, easily distinguished by a sword and coin logo. She approached it and was met by another guard at the door.

“New around here?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m Garnet.”

“I’m Brand. Are you any good with a weapon?”

She shrugged. “I just got here and I need a job. This looks like a good place to find one.”

“Right. Come back when you’ve got a little more experience. You might want to try the wizards’ guild just down the road. They take a lot of young women and men about your age and train them from the ground up.”

Garnet was slightly taken aback. “I thought wizards learned everything at Wizardspire.”

“Not necessarily. A lot of wizards come from local guilds like ours and don’t go to Wizardspire until they’re much older. You need to pay a lot of gold to get into that place, unless you know someone there who’ll sponsor you.”

“My father lives there.”

“Really? Well, perhaps that’s where you should be headed.”

“Maybe later. I want to see the city first.”

“All right. I suppose I’ll be seeing you around, then.”

Garnet nodded. She walked around for a while and looked at the wares of various merchants. There was everything under the sun -- beautiful dresses made of silk, necklaces and rings with gemstones purported to be magical, thick wool cloaks dyed in many colors, and food. There were so many fruits and vegetables. There was also venison, but the hunters were human and didn’t know anything about elven hunting rituals. Garnet did buy a few carrots. She munched on them as she walked.

She would have sold her books, but the selling price was much lower than what they were actually worth, and the merchant wouldn’t haggle any further. Finally, the girl wound up outside the wizards’ guild, marked by the 9-pointed star on its sign. There was no guard at the door, so she went inside.

It was dimly lit by magical ever-burning candles spaced evenly in silver candleholders. They were easily set apart from normal candles by their flames, which flickered in various hues. Their wax was enchanted with a spell for them to burn for a whole ten-day after they were lit. You could only light each candle once, though. When the flames burned themselves out, or if you blew them out, they were useless. Because ever-burning candles lasted so much longer than ordinary candles, they made ideal indoor lighting if you could afford them.

Snatches of conversation that made no sense floated up from the rooms below. After staring briefly at the candles, which she’d known about but never seen before, Garnet headed downstairs. There was a common room which was well-lit. People sat at tables talking, reading or writing on scrolls. As Garnet hesitantly approached one flame-haired human man wearing crimson robes who looked particularly bored, he glared at her rudely.

“Don’t waste your breath. I don’t talk to neophytes. Go see Pearl Brightrain; she’ll help you. She’s the one in the purple robes over there.” He nodded towards a tall elven woman with violet eyes and long silvery-white hair, reading a book. She was of the age when elves tended to look ageless, which was around several hundred years or so.

“Thank you,” Garnet replied.

The bored-looking man returned to his introspection.

“Excuse me,” Garnet said politely as she approached Pearl.

The older elf looked up. “Ah, it’s so good to see a new face. You do want to join us, don’t you?”

The girl nodded.

“You have a slightly familiar look, girl. What’s your name?”

“Garnet Silvermoon.”

“Ah! I’ve met your father, Jarian. He’s still at Wizardspire, as far as I know. Did you have a safe journey?”

She nodded again.

“Good. How is your mother? Is Elyssia well?”

“No. She passed on a few days ago.”

An expression of sadness washed over Pearl’s face. “I’m so sorry to hear that. But I’m glad you found us. Do you have anywhere to stay?”

Garnet shook her head.

“Well, then you can stay here. We have a spare room. Don’t worry about your guild dues for now. I’ll show you to your quarters.”

“Thank you.”

“It is of no concern. Come on.”

Pearl took her book with her as she left. Up the stairs and down the hall was another flight of stairs. To the left and three doors down was the spare room. She unlocked the door and showed Garnet inside. The room was spotless, as if it had been dusted frequently since its last use. The bed and table were made of snakewood, named for its distinctive “S” pattern.

At the foot of the bed there was a large chest made of silverwood. The light gray wood, which lacked any marks and was so smooth that it resembled silver from a distance, was a sharp contrast to the other furniture. It was large enough to hold all of Garnet’s belongings with room to spare.

“Classes begin in the afternoons and go until dinnertime, then continue in the evenings. You’ll have a choice of what you want to study, but we must first test you to see what your affinity is.”

“Affinity?” Garnet asked.

“Yes. Every wizard has an innate affinity to at least one of the elements and at least one of the realms. Occasionally, we come across someone who is adept in two or three realms, but that’s quite rare. What you can learn depends on what your natural affinity is.”

“Okay.”

“Why don’t you get settled? When you’re ready, look for me downstairs and we’ll see what your strengths are.”

She nodded. After Pearl left, Garnet began to unpack. It felt strange to be in a new place, but she figured that she would get used to it eventually.

* * * * *

Excerpt from Sage Blackstorm’s Journal

Last night I dreamt of a darkened sky. It grew darker until it was so black that nothing could be seen. How the winds howled! Like the great direwolves of the north, they howled in fury as their burning claws raked the night. Suddenly in the midst of the storm, a single star appeared. Its brilliant silver light shone forth, blazing through the darkness. I woke up at that point. I’m not sure what it meant. Perhaps it means only that we are doing the right thing, and that there is still hope to be found.

The council leaders are being cautions, and I don’t blame them. We are doing everything we can to organize ourselves. In the face of oncoming trouble, we cannot do anything else. We must face the darkness with courage and wisdom. It will take a lot to forge another Crystal and to defeat Aneurin. I hope we are up to the task.

* * * * *

There was a knock at Sage’s door.

“Who is it?”

“Topaz Wintersnow.”

“You may enter.”

The human walked in. His posture was almost rigid, which she noticed immediately. It wasn’t like him. “Is something amiss?” she asked.

“No more than the usual. I’ve come to ask permission to travel to Myth Hollow.”

Myth Hollow was a town of wizards up in the far north. They kept to themselves, but were on cordial terms with Wizardspire. They were known for having necromancers in their ranks, and for supporting the necromancers who’d worshipped Nelos in the past, though they now denied any connection with the god of darkness. Rumor had it that they encouraged the creation of undead as experiments, and that there were vampires in their midst, masquerading as humans. The rumors had not been verified.

“What for?”

“To see if they know where Aneurin Moondark is. That is the most likely place he would have gone.”

“Permission denied. The last thing we need is infighting if they take your accusations as insults.”

Topaz’s fiery temper flared. “You’re not being logical!”

“Actually, I am. Think about it. If you accuse the Myth Hollow wizards of harboring a traitor, they will see it as an insult to their honor, and they will try to undermine us. We don’t need that, not now. Perhaps another time.”

The golden-haired man stared at her. His eyes were like smoldering coals. “Perhaps,” he replied curtly. Then Topaz stalked out of the room.

Sage let out a deep breath she hadn’t known she was holding. She would have to watch him carefully. Spying on a fellow wizard wasn’t something she relished the thought of, but in this case, it was necessary. She took an antique scrying glass from her desk. It was round and silver with amethyst and diamond gemstones embedded into the mirror frame. Instead of a traditional silver mirror, however, there was dark obsidian glass.

She concentrated on a mental image of Topaz. Soon afterward, his figure appeared in the scrying glass. He was writing a letter, but she couldn’t read the text. It appeared to be in an ancient language, one that she didn’t know. “Blast it,” Sage muttered. She would have to find out what that letter said.

Sage sat down at her writing desk and picked up her quill. Carefully she traced the obscure letters in her mind’s eye, writing them in her journal. It was as close as she could get to Topaz’s handwriting without hiring someone from the thieves’ guild to imitate it.

Suddenly her journal glowed faintly green for a brief moment. Was it a spell, then? She didn’t know. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, so she assumed it was safe. But the writing definitely needed to be translated. Luckily, she knew another wizard who had studied many ancient languages and who could be trusted to keep a secret.

* * * * *

Dale Eastwater looked up from his book when, in his mind’s eye, he saw the person he’d least expected to see – the Archmage herself, standing in front of his door and about to knock.

“Come in,” he said before she knocked. Hastily, he stood up and did his best to look presentable. He felt somewhat bad about the haphazard piles of books, scrolls and quills that were collecting dust in his room, but there wasn’t anything he could do about them now.

Sage entered, carrying a leather-bound book. “I need you to translate something for me.”

“Of c...course,” he stuttered, feeling extremely nervous. Sage Blackstone was, quite easily, the most beautiful woman he knew. He was astonished that she needed his help. No one paid him much attention at all, and when people did notice him, they were usually rude. “Anything f...for you, Archmage.”

Seeing that he was uneasy, she said, “Relax, Dale. I won’t bite.”

He nodded. The ever-burning candle flames flickered blue and red, illuminating his human face with green eyes and brown hair. Dale was shorter than average with a stocky build, and much more at home with his books than with people. He was a low-ranking earth wizard, but much more importantly, his skill with translating languages was unparalleled except for Ylara Summerwind at Myth Hollow.

Psychic abilities were rare among humans. Since Dale could only see what was happening in the present, and not the future, he wasn’t considered to be a powerful Seer as others who could see in different times. But his gifts were occasionally useful.

Sage opened her journal to the page where she’d copied Topaz’s letter down. “What do you make of this?”

Dale’s eyes widened in surprise, for the text resembled the draconic language. A few scraps of it had been preserved, luckily, but very little of it had been translated. How could someone have known it, he wondered?

“What is it?” the Archmage asked.

“Unless I miss my guess, that’s draconic writing. But how can that be? There haven’t been any dragons sighted in over a thousand years. I must study this further to be sure.”

“You may. I need to swear you to secrecy though. It is very important that no one else finds out about this. Since this is my personal journal, I trust that you won’t tell anyone if you happen to read anything else by accident.”

“Of course. You have my word,” the translator replied. “I will need at least a few hours. Is that all right?”

“Yes. Tell me what you have learned tomorrow morning. You will find me in my room. I’ll be awake at sunrise.”

He nodded. Finally, a challenge! He’d spent the last few months reading and doing research whenever he was asked to, but nothing had really challenged him until now. Dale relished the thought of learning something new, and draconic writing was rare enough that it was always worth the effort to read it. No doubt, he’d spend the night translating it, but it would be a worthwhile experience, so he didn’t mind.

“I’ll leave you to your work, then.” Sage closed the door as she departed.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, Garnet headed downstairs. She had taken a bath and changed clothes, and finally felt presentable. Whatever test Pearl had planned for her, Garnet felt that she was as ready as she’d ever be.

“Hello,” said Pearl as the girl approached. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Very good. Follow me, please.”

Garnet followed her to another chamber, which was smaller than the others and mostly bare, except for a rug on the floor and several objects. There was a crystal bowl filled with water, a pot filled with dirt, a normal candle, and silver wind chimes hanging from the ceiling.

“This is where we’re going to find your element, dear. Have a seat on the rug.”

As she sat, Pearl closed the door.

“Good. Now relax as best as you can and clear your mind completely. Then just remain calm and wait. Eventually, one or more of the testing objects will respond to you.”

Garnet followed the instructions. As she waited patiently, it seemed as if time had stopped. Neither she nor the older elf moved except to breathe. Several minutes passed. Suddenly the candle burst into flame. A moment later, the wind chimes clinked against each other and were soon jingling from a breeze that had seeming sprung up out of nowhere. The pot of earth did nothing, but there was a faint ripple across the water in the bowl, probably from the magical wind.

“Excellent,” Pearl remarked. “Your affinities appear to be fire and air. To the best of my knowledge, that is an extremely rare and powerful combination of elements. Your father, Jarian, is also adept at air magic. It is one of the requirements for being an enchanter. If you will stand up and follow me once more, we’ll discover the realms of magic you’re talented at.”

Garnet stood up and followed her. They went up a flight of stairs and past a huge library to a dimly lit and dusty corridor. All the dust made the elven girl sneeze. “Pardon me,” she said when Pearl glanced back at her.

The next room they entered was medium-sized. Various gemstones were arranged on a table, embedded into the wood so that they could not easily be removed. There was a candleholder in the center of the table, which held three normal white candles. They were not lit.

Pearl closed her eyes and muttered the magic word, *Illumina.* The candles flickered to life. “And thus you have learned the simplest of spells,” she told Garnet. “All you have to do is visualize the candle flame and say that phrase. Works every time.”

The girl nodded.

“Now I want you to stand over by the table. You’ll have to do this with each of the gemstones. Touch it and clear your mind completely. If the jewel begins to glow, it means that magic from that realm flows in your blood. Each gem represents a realm of magic. To make magic work, the realms must be combined with the elements. But you’ll learn all of that later.”

Again, Garnet nodded. Her hand touched the first gemstone, an amethyst. She closed her eyes and tried very hard to think of nothing at all. She waited and then opened her eyes. The gemstone wasn’t glowing.

“It’s all right, dear. Just move on to the next one,” Pearl said.

The next jewel was a brilliant yellow topaz. It flared up as soon as Garnet’s finger landed on it. The gem itself was cool to the touch, but the light nearly blinded her. She jumped back.

“I think it’s safe to say that solar is definitely one of your realms. Keep going.”

Garnet touched all of the gemstones in turn. The others that responded were her namesake stone and the moonstone.

“Wonderful. Three realms and two elements. That’s very good, dear. You have a lot of talent. Now you just have to learn to harness the power flowing through your veins.”

Garnet looked up. Her face was clouded by uncertainty. “What if I don’t want to?”

“Now that would be a shame,” Pearl replied. “You are the most talented wizard I’ve seen in years. Tell me, what troubles you so much?”

“I just don’t want to be cooped up inside all the time. I...I’m sorry.” The girl blushed and looked at the floor, not wanting to say anything more.

“Ah...I see. You want to adventure, don’t you?”

“Yes. That’s right. I want to be under the open sky, on the road, beneath the stars.”

“Anywhere but in a stuffy old building,” Pearl added for her. “I cannot keep you here if you don’t want to be here, Garnet. In the end, it will be your heart that decides. You already know where to find me. Why don’t you stay the night and decide in the morning?”

She nodded. “That sounds like a good idea.”

“Excellent. Dinner will be served at six bells, which is in just a little while. We usually eat in the common room. Join us. Talk to some of the others and get a feel for what it’s like here. You might be surprised.”

“I’ll do that,” Garnet replied.

* * * * *

At Myth Hollow, it was still mid-afternoon. Aneurin opened his journal to see the letter Topaz had written, with the magical writing still glowing green on the page. The glow faded as he read the message.

Draconic writing had several special properties, one of which was that an enchanted journal could be used to receive messages written in the ancient script on a scroll with griffon’s blood ink. Such ink was rare indeed. Rarer still was the knowledge of the language; only a handful of wizards could write it fluently. Speaking draconic was even more difficult than writing it. Only a few wizards could actually speak it aloud, and none of them were fluent.

“So,” the elf mused, “the Archmage seeks to defeat me. Little does she realize who she is truly dealing with.”

The ritual he was going to perform that evening would ensure that the dark God, Nelos, would have a vessel so that the God could accomplish his deeds in physical form. It was a ritual that Nelos himself had commanded Aneurin to perform. His soul would be bound forever with the dark God’s. The elf would no longer be in control of his body, of course. His mind would be enveloped by darkness, just like the world, once the various mortal armies and the Archmage were defeated.

Light would be banished forever from the world so the undead legions could freely walk on the mortal plain once again. Together with the dark God, Aneurin would have ultimate power forever. The Archmage would bow before him before he squashed her like an insect with his boot. When the dark God shrouded the world with a cloak of darkness and conquered all who defied him, everyone would tremble at his feet. The elf relished the power it would give him. He looked forward to the ritual and the Archmage’s inevitable defeat.

* * * * *

Garnet came downstairs for dinner. If she’d thought the common room was full when she had first seen it, it was even more packed now. The elven girl had never seen so many people in one building before. The stuffy air made it hard for her to breathe. She felt her throat constricting and tried to calm down, but it was nearly impossible. When Pearl put a hand on her shoulder unexpectedly, the girl very nearly panicked.

“Relax, Garnet. No one is going to harm you here.” The older elf smiled, trying to calm her.

The girl blushed nearly as deep a crimson hue as the jewel she’d been named for. “I know. It’s silly. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been uncomfortable indoors, especially in cramped places. I don’t know why. When I lived with my mother, I tried to stay outside as much as possible. We lived out in the country, so finding an excuse to be outdoors was easy, and I just never thought much of it before.”

“No fear is silly once we learn what’s behind it. That’s the only way we can really deal with our fear. Why don’t you sit down with these students,” Pearl gestured towards a table occupied by girls and boys close to Garnet’s age.

She nodded and sat down. “Hello,” she said shyly.

“Hi,” a human girl replied. She was shorter than Garnet and very thin, with long brown hair and brown eyes. She looked very plain and unremarkable. “I’m Tarai Wintersnow. I’m going to be a water wizard, probably a healer.”

Garnet introduced herself politely. “I don’t know what I’m going to be,” she added.

“What’s your element?”

“Fire and air.”

Tarai gaped at her, somewhat rudely. “Two elements? That’s uncommon. I suppose Pearl told you that, though. You could be a warrior wizard and fight in the king’s army.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There aren’t many warrior wizards. Most of them tend to be fire adepts, and that kind of power is rare. You could be an enchanter too, I suppose. They work with air magic. What are your realms?” the human asked.

“Solar, temporal, and lunar.”

“Ah. Hmm…well, you could definitely be a warrior wizard with solar and fire. You’d need the astral realm to be an enchanter. You’ll have to ask Pearl later. There’s a bunch of different things you can do, but I can never keep all the realms straight.”

“All right, I’ll do that,” Garnet replied politely.

“She could be a Darkblade,” the elven boy next to her said. He was shorter than average for an elf, and stockier than usual with dark brown hair and violet eyes. “They’re the royal assassins.”

“Yeah, and they’re evil,” Tarai responded. “You don’t want to be a Darkblade, Garnet. They slit people’s throats when they’re sleeping, and sometimes when they’re not.”

“Only to save the kingdom,” the elven boy answered. “You need air magic for that and the temporal realm, as well as lunar. Most of the hiding spells use lunar. You’ll learn them sooner or later.”

“Hiding spells?” Garnet asked.

“You can use them to make yourself invisible for a little while. You can even make people think you’re someone else.”

“That sounds interesting,” she answered.

“Finally, the food is here,” Tarai remarked as servants brought in bowls of steaming stew and freshly baked bread.

Garnet dug into her stew as soon as the bowl was set down. She realized that it wasn’t polite, but she was hungry and needed the nourishment. The stew tasted good and was warm enough without burning her tongue. As Garnet ate, she realized that perhaps the wizard’s guild wasn’t such a bad place to be after all. She’d learn new things here, and that was really what mattered the most.

The End

* * * * *