“It’s good to see you too Yalaf, funny enough we could actually use your business today.”
“My my, a customer? How wonderful today is turning out to be. I assume the wizard in question is this young lad here with the dragon on his shoulder?”
Myles stepped forward and introduced himself, “Hello, yes I am Myles, Alfaron’s apprentice. And this is Arkalon my new friend.”
“Pleasure to meet a new wizard any day! Don’t see them as often as you used to, you know? I assume Alfaron that the boy needs a staff, am I right?”
“Precisely Yalaf, every wizard wields a staff of some sort, and Myles is no exception.” Alfaron answered.
Myles appeared to be excited about the prospect of his very own staff and stepped up to the side of the carriage. To his joy the doors swung open and he followed both Alfaron and Yalaf inside. Myles was amazed to discover that within the small carriage there was an entire shop full of staffs and other strange magical tools. The room was as big as the parlors in Alfaron’s castle, yet the carriage itself was ordinary in size. Myles shrugged off his bewilderment, as he was starting to get used to the magical properties of this new world. Yalaf walked behind a gold accented counter and returned a moment later wielding a black and maroon staff.
“Give this one a try.” he offered as he handed the staff to Myles.
Myles grabbed hold of it and took a moment to admire the orb on its top. It emitted a black glow that seemed to give off extreme amounts of magical energy. The staff felt hot in his hands and he was immediately reminded of the boy he had encountered in the Spirit World. Myles didn’t like the connection and he handed it back to Yalaf.
“I don’t mean to make this difficult sir, but I don’t like the way this one makes me feel inside.”
“It’s no problem at all! This is an important decision, as it will be your very first magical tool. Allow me to give it another go.”
Yalaf returned a moment later, this time holding an intricately designed staff. The stick of it was gray in color with white lines swirling all around it. On top was a crescent shaped stone, that seemed to glow with the same light as the moon Myles had admired for so long. He felt immediately drawn to it and was pleased at the comfort it gave him when he held it.
“That stone on top was made from a piece of the moon. It is directly and forever bonded to the night sky, and the one that wields it will be lent the power of the stars and moon. It appears you two are a match made in the heavens!”
“Alfaron, this is the one. I just know it!” Myles exclaimed.
“Very well apprentice, I think it is quite fitting that you should choose this one, as when I found you, you were gazing at the night sky.”
Alfaron paid Yalaf in some sort of green emerald coins and they all shared a nice farewell before heading in opposite directions. Myles started to get a feel for walking with the staff, and soon felt as if it had always been there in his hand. He watched in delight as Arkalon emerged from the nearby bushes with a small bird in his mouth. They stopped as the dragon quickly gobbled down his catch, and then they were off again.
“So where are we headed to?” Myles asked curiously.
“We are just about to reach Siphalong Plains, where you shall train hard for the next month or two. The plains cover an immense amount of land and we shouldn’t get in the way of anyone while you learn the basics of your training.”
The trio carried on down the path until it opened up into an expansive field of tall grasses. For as far as the eye could see there were endless plains. They walked a while longer through the grass until the path they had taken could no longer be seen.
“Alright Myles your first lesson will do us a great help. We need to clear out some of this grass to form our campsite for the duration of your training. Now, what do you know about fire?”
“Well,” Myles began to think, “I know that is very powerful but it can be hard to control. And it kind of scares Arkalon a bit I think.”
“Makes sense of course, being a creature of ice, his natural enemy is fire. Go ahead and send him off to get us some dinner for tonight.”
“How do I go about that?” Myles wondered, not knowing if dragons could understand English.
“Just ask him! Dragons may not be able to speak our language but they certainly understand it! Even a young lad like him will be born with an immense amount of knowledge about such things.”
Myles was pleased to know that Arkalon could understand what he was saying and called over to him, “Hey Arky, can you try to get us some food to eat tonight?”
Arkalon gave his cheek a lick and flew off into the distance, letting out a tiny screech in the process.
“Now on to the task at hand! Go ahead and try your best, before I give you any instruction.” Alfaron advised.
Myles was happy to do so, for unknown to Alfaron, he had already experimented with the creating fire from magic. Myles once again thought about the fire he had witnessed coming from the Spirit Dragon’s mouth, only this time imagined it embodying his staff. He closed his eyes for a moment to really grasp the nature of the flames, and when he opened them he saw the moon on his staff glowing in a red-orange hue. He pointed the staff at the grass around them and it burst into flame! Myles continued to move his staff in a large circular motion until a clearing had been formed where there was once lush green grass. Then he thought about the cooling ocean spray he loved so dearly, and in doing so cooled the remaining fires until they burned out completely.
Alfaron was delighted, “A truly wonderful job you’ve done! Without any help at all, too! It is easy enough to ignite a flame, but to be able to control it as you did is quite a feat.”
Myles was glad that his master was so pleased with his magic. Alfaron took the lead on the next step, and pulled something out of his robe’s inner pockets. It was tiny little tent, with all of the details of one that was full size, only in a smaller form. Alfaron tossed it into the newly made clearing and it sprung into an entire tent! It was a magnificent sight and brought a smile to Myles’ face. He loved everything about magic- the way it amazed him and made things he once thought impossible to be a reality.
“I hate to do this to you Myles, but I’m afraid in the effort of your wizard training you’ll have to create your own shelter.” Alfaron explained with a mischievous smile.
“That’s okay, I understand! How should I go about that?”
“You did quite well with that earth statue you made earlier, perhaps it will provide you some use now.”
Myles ran with the idea and raised his staff high above his head, as the earth below him rose up and shaped into a small structure. He directed his arm and staff this way and that until it an opening had formed in the center. The only problem would be closing the opening to keep the inside warm, for Myles was unsure how to create a working door out of dirt. Alfaron seemed to grasp his student’s dilemma and looked around until he saw a large rock in the plains. Then, setting down his staff, he used both hands to cause the rock to levitate and float to the entrance of the dirt structure.
“That should do the trick! Levitation is tricky, so I don’t mind helping you out for now.”
Shortly after Alfaron pulled a small book bound in leather from inside of his tent. The title was scripted in bold and read “Phalaxes’ Spell Notes.”
“Myles I have in my hands something many wizards would consider priceless. There are as few as five copies left in our world that are known of. Three of which are either in institutions or libraries, one that I am in possession of, and another that is rumored to have wound up somewhere in the Mortal World. Tonight, and every night after our training, you’ll need to read a chapter. Each section is about a different variety of spell.”
“I love reading so I’ll be happy to! Who is this Phalaxes’ guy though?”
“He was one of the great wizards of our world, and died protecting our sacred practice of magic in a merciless war long ago. Beforehand he was known as one of the finest magical researchers in
all of the land. But after he defeated the sinister witch Septora, he was more commonly referred to as a hero.”
Myles was growing more eager to read Phalaxes’ work by the minute. He sat outside of his tent and opened the first page while Alfaron whittled away at a chunk of wood. The first chapter was all about manipulating water and how it could be used to perform forceful and healing spells. Myles was fascinated by the information inside and when he finished the first section he sat the book inside his dirt tent for a moment.
“Alfaron, why did this Septora lady try to end the practice of magic if she herself was a witch?” he asked with interest.
“Well she was normal enough growing up, although I can’t be certain for this was all long before my time. However, my wizard teacher Gardilon did know of her and told me the story one day when I asked like you have.”
Myles was happy to hear the name Gardilon, for it brought back memories of the powerful wizard he had met in the Spirit World.
“She was said to be a brilliant student, another of Gardilon’s disciples, but a point came when she had mastered all of the magic an apprentice is allowed. Gardilon was delighted at her progress, however he feared her motives may not have been pure. So he told her that before she could take her final wizarding test to become a full witch, she should take some time to enjoy non magical things. By telling her to do so, he hoped she may remember some of her past self and calm down. But her reaction was quite the opposite. She screamed and spit in the face of her teacher, taking off one night on her own. Septora traveled to heart of evil in the Wizard World- Varciseron. A place few ever dared to go to, Varciseron, was home to the most hateful of all wizards. She gained a following there and led her warriors back to Gardilon’s castle where they insisted upon destroying every wizard but her own. It is believed that since she was once restricted in practicing magic that she wished to gain revenge by not allowing anyone but her people to perform it.”
“Wow, she must have been truly evil inside and out!” Myles commented.
“It is easy to think so. Perhaps there are people who are born with no intentions other than hateful actions, but I have always stayed optimistic that there is a portion of good in everyone. Anyway, Phalaxes had been visiting the library in Gardilon’s land when this took place. He had recently created a new spell- one he feared was too powerful to be wielded by a single wizard. Quickly Phalaxes, Gardilon, and several other wizards gathered in the center of the courtyard. Septora’s army approached the gates to the castle, riding on evil entities they had created in the depths of Varciseron. The wizards formed a circle around Phalaxes in the center and began to chant the spell, moving their staffs this way and that and directing them at the dark sky. Phalaxes called upon the planet Saturn to lend him his power in order to defeat Septora. The wizards who encircled him began to run faster and faster around until they blurred into images of maroon color. They had become Saturn’s rings and Phalaxes was embodied by Saturn himself. His eyes raged with power and he rose up with his rings whirling around him. Everything the rings touched were destroyed and blasted into smithereens. Septora tried to cast a dark spell she had invented herself, but before she could complete it Phalaxes slammed his staff into the ground with all his might. It sent a ripple of astral red light directly into her and her body was utterly destroyed.”
“That’s incredible!” said Myles.
“Indeed it was my boy. But after that day Phalaxes proclaimed he would never again use the spell for it was far too dangerous and could mean the end of magic if it fell into the wrong hands. He went on to live a great life and wrote several books, including the one I’ve lent you. As for Septora, it is rumored her magic was so extraordinary that her spirit went back to dwell in Varciseron. That is why no one ever goes there, for as long as she cannot grab hold of a host, she cannot regain her existence.”
Myles was slightly frightened by the story but felt more assured when Alfaron added that this had all taken place over five hundred years ago. The sun was by now beginning to set and Myles looked up at the sound of a screech. Arky had returned, holding two pheasants in his jaw. He dropped them at Myles’ feet and Myles’ rewarded him with a few pats on the head. Arkalon gobbled one of the birds up quickly while Alfaron sparked a fire with his hands and roasted the other. With his stomach filled, Myles’ bid Alfaron a goodnight and went inside his tent. Arky had fallen asleep in there already, so Myles pushed the stone over the hole to keep the cold winds out. Alfaron had kindly lent him a few expanding blankets to sleep on. Myles climbed under one of them and closed his eyes. He could hear what he thought was Alfaron’s snoring from the tent beside him, as well as Arky letting out some kind of cooing in his sleep. His last thoughts before falling asleep were of his parents, which he was starting to miss greatly. But then he thought of all the exciting things ahead and was ready to get on with the next two months of training.
Chapter 5
Myles had been training hard every day for a month and a half. He had made tremendous progress according to Alfaron. The wizard had mentioned something about him being ready to take his final test. He warned Myles, however, that a wizard continues to learn his entire life, but that passing the test released his limits on what he was allowed to learn. Myles had learned so much, from levitating boulders ten times his size to freezing over and entire lake and then heating it back up to normal.
Arkalon had made great strides too. He had more than doubled in size and now when Myles sent him to hunt he returned with full grown deer in his jaws. In addition to this, Alfaron had given the pair special lessons on how they could use their magic together for ice spells. He had heavily stressed the point that two creatures with a strong bond can use immensely powerful magic. Myles was thinking he might even be able to ride Arky in another month or two if he continued to grow at the same rate.
After a rough few hours of morning training, Myles was becoming frustrated with himself. Alfaron had them working on an extremely complicated spell. In order for it to work there had to be two individuals closely bonded to one another. And while they had done similar spells together in the past, Arky and Myles just couldn’t seem to get the hang of it. Myles looked over at his dragon and nodded, they would give it another try. Arky dug his massive claws hard into the ground. Then as his back rippled at the effort he released a ball of blue magic energy from his mouth. Meanwhile Myles had created a similar energy ball by quickly performing a series of hand symbols. Now all they had to do was combine the energy balls into one giant ball of magic. They guided the energy together and the magic began to rub against eachother. It looked as if they were going to merge when Myles collapsed in exhaustion, causing his magic ball to dissipate into air. Arky let out a sympathetic whimper for his master.
“It’s not your fault buddy, it’s mine. You did really great.” praised Myles as he got up and patted the dragon’s icy head.
“I think the two of you should take the rest of the day off and have some fun together. It might help you to perform the bonding spell if you spend some quality time together outside of training.” offered Alfaron.
“A day off of training? Sounds great to me!” Myles called jokingly.
Deciding a walk across the plains might be something different to do, they headed away from camp. After the tents had left their sight they slowed down a bit and sat down.
“Even though we can’t seem to get the hang of that spell yet, I can’t help but be happy. We’ve both made so much progress, and pretty soon I’ll be able to become a full wizard. I hate to say it but I don’t even miss home anymore. Of course I miss my family, but other than that I could never see myself living as great of a life in the Mortal World. I was so lucky Alfaron found me that night, it was something I had always dreamed of. This is all so surreal, but I’m really glad you’ll always be by my side Arkalon.”
The dragon nuzzled his head into Myles’ chest and gave his face a few cold licks with his giant tongue. Myles laughed and rubbed his back until Arky rolled over on his
side and exposed his stomach. Myles proceeded to scratch it for awhile until the two fell asleep.
Myles felt like he had only closed his eyes for a moment when they flashed open. He was in a meadow filled with wildflowers. He looked beside him to see Arky, a puzzled look on his face as well.
“I don’t know what’s going on buddy, do you?”
“No idea!” Arkalon spoke in a youthful voice.
“Di-di-did you just TALK?” Myles gasped.
“Wait you mean you can understand me?” replied a shocked Arkalon.
“This is crazy, something strange must be going on for sure.”
“Something tells me we’re not in the Wizard World anymore.” commented Arky.
Suddenly a loud booming of footsteps could be heard in the trees at the edge of the meadow. The pair looked up in fear and expectancy. It was Gardilon and the red dragon from the arena! Gardilon climbed off her back and approached Myles. Arky ran in excitement to his mother, who covered his face in licks, the two of them made a sort of purring sound that led Myles to believe they had missed each other greatly.
“Long time no see little wizard. Welcome back to the Spirit World, it appears you have made great progress in your training, and the same goes for your dragon!”
“It’s great to see you Gardilon, but why am I back here?”
“One never knows for sure, but I think it might have something to do with that bonding spell the two of you were working on. In any case, come along with me. You too Arkalon and Mythodas.”
Myles followed after Gardilon The White, assuming that Mythodas must be the red dragon’s name. They walked in the way that two had come in from through a Pine forest. Eventually they reached a pool of water in which a stream fell softly into from some overhead rocks. In front of the pool sat a man with a long gray beard. He wore green robes adorned with silver embellishments. Without a word Gardilon and Mythodas walked away and sat under the cover of a weeping tree.
“It is to my knowledge that you seek to master the bonding spell. Allow me to show you.”
Wizarded Away Page 3
