The Legend Of The Wizard's Apprentice (Book 1)

by Mike Ezekiel

  “We cannot stay here forever, Sal-A-Re. We need to get on our way to find the Forest Elves,” explained Master Sernett. “I just hope they are as friendly as you have been and welcome us into their domain. I fear that we may have a rough road ahead of us and a place to take shelter from the rain would be nice. But I am afraid that the rain will be the least of our concerns.”

  “Master, what are we going to do to get past the imps? From what Sal-A-Re has said, they have lots of magic and they hate humans. I think it would be best if we didn’t have to fight them, there must be a way to hide from them.”

  “Kerwyn, I think you are on to something. I know they are magical creatures and that they once were fairies. But I wonder if we use a similar sigil of protection that I used for the clearing. I could cast it upon cloths and we would be invisible to them,” finished the wizard.

  “Master Sernett,” said Sal-A-Re “You are not quite correct. Imps have the ability to detect magic and even though they would not be able to see you, they would be able to feel the magic coming off of your sigil. Chances are they would cast their own spells to reveal who you were.”

  “Master, I think I have an idea,” said Kerwyn, “Sal-A-Re, could you summon a deer to run through the forest? If Master casts the Sigil of Protection on it, it would make it invisible to the Imps and I’m sure a deer can move faster than any imp and could get away. Once all the imps go chasing after the deer, Master and I could slip out undetected and the imps would never know that we were ever here.”

  Master Sernett smiled at Kerwyn’s idea came up with and thought about other things that he could do to help the deer run faster and make it more interesting but harder for the imps to get too close to it.

  “Master Sernett and Kerwyn,” said Sal-A-Re, “I could indeed summon a deer but I would have to make sure that it wouldn’t come to harm. It is one of Mother Nature’s innocent creatures and I wouldn’t feel right about sending it to its death.”

  “Sal-A-Re,” said Master Sernett, “I would make sure that the deer would not come to any harm and have already thought about how I could change the Protection Sigil to give the deer the advantage, and make it really run fast.”

  Sal-A-Re saw the wining expression on Master Sernett’s face and smiled in return before beginning to summon a fully grown deer into the clearing. Once the deer had arrived, they stood waiting to be told what to do. Master Sernett placed his hand upon it and cast his modified Sigil of Protection spell. With this spell the deer would be invisible to sight and sound, but would magically give off the scent of humans for the imps to follow. He charged the sigil with more of the One Power to give the deer extra strength, endurance, and speed. He chuckled to himself thinking that it would have been fun to watch the imps go chasing aimlessly after the deer through the entire forest. Once the sigil and the deer were ready, they set it off to run.

  The deer burst out of the clearing pausing just long enough for the imps to feel the magic radiating from the sigil. Squealing with anger, the imps charged the deer. The deer sensed that it was time to go and darted up the forest trail leaving behind the smell of humans. The imps were immediately enraged by the smell of fleeing humans could not resist the chase. Scurrying after the deer all thirty-three imps ran as fast as they could, trying to catch up to the vanishing deer.

  Sal-A-Re felt that all of the imps were engaged in the chase, signalled Kerwyn and Master Sernett that it was time to go. Giving each of them a quick hug with a promise to help if ever they needed her, she watched them both run out of the clearing and into Mother Nature’s unprotected forest.

  As Kerwyn and Master Sernett ran out into the forest, they noticed that there had been a lot more changes while they were in the clearing. There were a lot more trees all bent and twisted and there were more spiky vines, prickly brush and brambles everywhere. The weeds had overgrown almost all of the flowers and it looked like a forest from every haunted forest story come to life that Kerwyn had ever been told. But seeing it in person was a lot scarier then any story could have prepared him for. Looking around and taking it all in, his new nature senses screamed in outrage that the forest had been changed from the way Mother Nature had made it. Glancing to his left he noticed a tree sprite stuck half way in and half way out of her tree. Kerwyn ran to her and grabbed her hand. She opened her eyes, winced with pain and looked at Kerwyn.

  “Tree Brother, run from this forest, it has turned evil. My own tree has turned against me. It has trapped me so that I can not move or climb in its branches to escape the evil creatures that roam the forest at night,” the tree sprite said.

  Master Sernett realized what Kerwyn was doing and approached the tree. Seeing the tree sprite trapped and in such agony, Master Sernett wondered what he could do to help the poor creature.

  “Kerwyn, stand back; I’m going to try and cast a spell that will separate her from her tree. I just hope that it doesn’t kill her or her tree, which would end up killing her anyway,” Master Sernett looked doubtful that he would be able to separate them.

  “No Master, I will look after this. She is my Tree Sister and it is my responsibility to help her.”

  Kerwyn focused his Nature sight on the sprite so that he could tell where she started and where the tree was overlapping her, trapping her within its trunk. Concentrating on the One Power while using his new natural abilities toward nature, Kerwyn reached out and touched the tree sprite on her middle while letting the One Power flow through him. With a flash of light the tree sprite fell to the ground, free of her tree’s hold. Kerwyn reached down and helped her to her feet and embraced her as she started to shake and cry about her tree turning against her. Master Sernett watched Kerwyn cradle the tree sprite, comforting her, and was the first to notice the change coming over her tree.

  “Kerwyn, look at her tree, it’s changing!” exclaimed Master Sernett pointing to the tree.

  Kerwyn looked up from the tree sprite and focused on the tree again with his Nature’s sight, he could see that the tree was indeed changing. The twisted and evil presence was leaving the tree and it was turning back into the peaceful tree that it once had been. Looking closer into the core of the tree, Kerwyn realized that again he had changed the tree. It wasn’t changed as much as the tree in the clearing or the apple tree that he brought back to life. But the tree had a new inner glow to it and he could tell that it would never again be harmed by evil, disease or anything else that could harm a living tree. Looking down at the tree sprite, he could see that she was now vibrant and healthy. In fact, she looked as though she was the healthiest that she had ever been in her life.

  “Tree Brother, you have given my tree, our goddess Mother Nature’s, blessing. My tree is healthy and calls for me to forgive it and to come rejoin it in the branches.” Weeping with joy, the tree sprite kissed and hugged Kerwyn and climbed back up her tree so fast that she disappeared into the branches like a living shadow hiding from the light of day.

  Kerwyn and Master Sernett stepped back from the tree and noticed that the area around the tree was staring to clear. The weeds, spiky vines and the prickly brush were turning black and dying. Again, Master Sernett looked at Kerwyn and wondered how much Mother Nature has changed his apprentice and what other feats of amazement he would be doing next.

  Master Sernett shook his head and thought to himself that Kerwyn’s powers were increasing by the hour. He also noticed that Kerwyn didn’t even have to use any of the words of power to control the One Power. Maybe because he was controlling nature, and Mother Nature had infused Kerwyn with Nature’s power. Maybe, just maybe, she was working through him.

  “Ok, Kerwyn, let’s get going. The sprite has returned to her tree and it looks like you have made sure that she will not have to worry about the evil coursing through the forest ever again.”

  “Ok Master, I’m ready to go,” Kerwyn said while still looking at the tree and the new inner glow that Mother Nature had given it. Looking up into the branches he saw the tree sprite wave her goodbyes to them. He
also thought that he heard her call out to all the other trees that everything would be all right, that their tree brother had come to the forest and was bringing back the light. He wasn’t entirely sure though that that was what he had heard as it the sprite’s voice was very faint and had been whispered upon the wind among the branches between the trees.

  Kerwyn and Master Sernett turned their back to the tree sprite and her tree and started walking up one of several pathways that were a natural part of the forest. Most of these paths were made by the many different natural creatures that lived in the forest, like deer, raccoons, foxes, wolves or one of the many species of wild cats that can be found hiding in the undergrowth hunting for rats and mice. Humans, elves, dwarves, rocs, goblins, or many other creatures that were just passing through or exploring the forests depths made other pathways.

  “Master?” Kerwyn asked breaking the silence and scaring a black bird that was out hunting, looking for a robin’s nest to steal chicks from and make a quick meal of them.

  “Yes Kerwyn, what’s on your mind?” replied his Master.

  “Master, I am wondering; now that I can see the forest on so many levels, why would the Necromancer attack the forest? I mean why does he hate the forest so much? Wouldn’t he be better off to just go after the humans who had imprisoned him instead of hurting all of these innocent creatures? Also why would he bother taking the time to make the entire forest evil? It just seems like a lot of wasted time when what he really wants is the humans to pay for his imprisonment.”

  Master Sernett pondered Kerwyn’s question before answering him.

  “Kerwyn, what makes you think that it is only the humans that the Dark Master and the Black Tower want to hurt?”

  “I don’t know Master, I guess because of this Legendary Wizard that battled the evil and put them all away in the Dark Tower to start with. I just think that if he was to beat the Legendary Wizard right away, he wouldn’t have to waste so much energy on the creatures and forest that really can’t hurt him.”

  “Kerwyn, that is quite a way of looking at it, but doesn’t it make sense that if he could just wipe out the Legendary Wizard that he would have done so by now? Maybe the reason that he is taking his time is because he is building up his strength and magic. Or maybe you’re not looking at things broadly enough. In the last battle there were all kinds of good creatures battling against all sorts of evil creatures. There were dragons, sphinxes, griffins, orcs, ogres, tree sprites, goblins, trolls and so many other creatures that haven’t been seen since. There were huge flying rocs, giants, big poisonous spiders, dirty harpies and even a few fire demons from what I have been told. Even the giant tree Sheppard’s came to the battle the evil that was taking over the land. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s not just a battle with the human race; it is a world war where every living creature has a part to play. It must decide whether that part will be on the side of good or on the side of evil. This war will either destroy our world or will bring peace back to the land for another thousand years.”

  “Then why is this Wizard so important, why can’t all the good creatures join forces and beat the evil creatures, why do they need the Legdendary Wizard?” Kerwyn shook his head in frustration.

  “Oh Kerwyn, the side of good needs a champion just like the side of evil has the evil Necromancer. Without a commander and chief there would be total chaos and each side would just destroy itself before the war started. It’s the way of things. There has to be order or chaos will reign supreme.” Master Sernett stated as though this was the most obvious thing that he could have ever said, almost like he was upset that Kerwyn had missed such an easy thing to figure out.

  “Alright, that makes sense Master, so why don’t we just search for this Legendary Wizard instead of wasting our time looking for the Elves that have sealed themselves within their trees and have refused to help their fellow creatures?”

  “Kerwyn, what makes you think that I don’t know where the Wizard of Legend is?” Master Sernett asked with a sly sideways glance at Kerwyn.

  “Master you know where he is! Why didn’t you tell me, if you knew where he is? Let’s go get him so he can end this war now before any other good creature gets hurt,” Kerwyn said excitedly.

  “Kerwyn, why do you think the Elves would go into hiding in the first place? They live longer then any other humanoid creature. Only true humanoid immortal creatures can live longer than elves; for example the Fairies.” Master Sernett asked Kerwyn.

  “Master, I don’t know why they would go into hiding. If I was able to live for almost forever I wouldn’t be hiding from the evil Dark Master I’d be out fighting him any way that I could,” replied Kerwyn while making slashing motions with his hands as if he was holding a great broad sword and he was decapitating the Dark Master himself.

  “Kerwyn, you have a lot to learn yet. The elves value life more than any other humanoid; and death scares them. They will live for almost forever. The only thing that will make an elf die is to be killed by unnatural causes. Like a sword chopping them to bits or being eaten by one of the evil creatures. They do not know any sickness or natural diseases that can affect them. The Elves live a perfect life and know that they are vulnerable to the Dark Master and his minions. They fear for their very existence like no other. Humans believe there is a better place after death. But Elves fear death, as they believe they will be nothing more than the earth from which they come.

  Now I know what you’re thinking and the answer is that they are born from their mothers in the same way that humans are. They are not born from the earth like orcs are. In fact, orcs have mothers too but they are helpless female creatures that are impregnated with the seeds of evil and are buried alive in the ground where they die giving birth in a most horrible way. Orcs are born by tearing forth from their mother’s stomach and then come out of the ground. That’s why they are said to be born from the evil bloody earth.”

  Kerwyn’s face was turning green as he thought about the poor helpless female creature dying the most horrendous death he could think of. He now realized why Orcs were so evil; they kill their mother at birth by tearing their way out of her stomach. Kerwyn almost felt sorry for the Orcs because they had no choice but to be born evil. But that thought of sympathy went away quickly when he remembered the helpless female that was just killed to make an Orc.

  “Master, who made the first Orcs? If they are not a natural creature they would have had to be made by someone, wouldn’t they?”

  “Kerwyn, now you’re asking questions like a real wizard. The Dark Master made the first Orc. The Necromancer was trying a new spell to raise a new undead creature but ended up creating the Orcs instead. He even made the Orcs’ dead mothers into zombies to be their children’s caretakers, to look after their unholy children for all time. That’s why if you kill and Orc you need to be very cautious because their mother may come looking for you one day. I only say she may because sometimes the Orc once grown will tear his undead mother to pieces trying to prove that he is the most evil Orc and demands respect. So if you kill one that no longer has a mother you’re lucky, because if he didn’t destroy his mother, she will stop at nothing until she finds her offspring’s killer and destroys him.

  That’s how vile the Dark Master is; he has no remorse and he thrives on torture even long after he has killed a creature, he brings it back so he can torment it for all eternity or until it is destroyed as well. Remember that Kerwyn; the Dark Master has no remorse. He may try and tell you that he does but he does not, and will use whatever advantage he can gain or use some distraction to try and get the upper hand if he starts to lose. There is no fairness when dealing with the Dark Master or his minions. They are evil, the very darkest kind of evil, that come from his most inner, darkest core.” Master Sernett said this last with a glance to the ground, deep in thought and he wished that there was some way that he could protect Kerwyn from the coming reign of terror. But he knew that he would be no match against the Dark Master, only th
e Legendary Wizard had the power to defeat the Dark Master in open battle.

  Just then, as they were walking and talking, out through the forest crashed a small but stout figure, running as though the devil was chasing him.

  Crashing into Kerwyn and Master Sernett the small figure was as solid as any brick wall Kerwyn that could have imagined. Landing in a heap, they all looked at one another, stunned.

  “Pardon me, good sirs, but we need to get out of here and get out of here quickly we must do,” the short creature began to untangle himself from the wizards and was about ready to start running again. But from behind them there came the sound of a lot of cracking and crunching of branches as something large approached.

  “Umm, that would be a Cyclops, good sirs. We need to take a stand and try defending ourselves. They are huge and are not very friendly. I also think that they are a bit out of sorts as well. Now I’ll not be admitting that they would be mad at me and my kindred, but I be thinking that they wants to kill me and anyone with me as well. Umm sorry, good sirs, but that now would be including you with me.” The short figure still had his face hidden under his cowl and Kerwyn and Master Sernett still had no idea what type of creature this was let alone what they were about to face.

  “Kerwyn,” Master Sernett said sternly, “Get up off the ground and get ready for a fight. I think our little stout friend has just brought a fight to us that we didn’t want any part of. But now we are stuck for it. Get ready to defend yourself.” Master Sernett turned to face the oncoming noise, all the while whispering a few chants.