Myles looked puzzled but before he could ask what his mother meant her image began to fade.
“I think it is time for me to wake up back home Myles, and you must return to the Wizard World. Goodbye my boy, may we see each other again soon.” with this she kissed her son’s forehead softly and was completely gone.
The message had gotten through to Myles, he knew what to do. He close his eyes quickly and when he opened them he was back in the Wizard World. Arkalon looked exhausted from dodging and deflecting Septora’s attacks.
“Just hang on a little bit longer Arky.” Myles yelled.
Carefully, he stood up on the dragon’s back, his staff held high. He looked to the moon, which was nearly full that night. In his head, he spoke to it like an old friend, and asked it to lend him its power so that he could defeat Septora. Myles suddenly felt weightless, he looked down to see he was now floating above Arkalon. The dragon seemed relieved at the weight being lifted off his back. Myles looked at the crescent stone on top of his staff. It began to glow softly at first, but was growing steadily brighter by the second. This process went on until something absolutely extraordinary started to occur. The stars were physically becoming nearer to the apprentice.
Septora took notice of this and it seemed to worry her. She shot an inferno beam of her black fire directly at Myles. He didn’t see it coming at all and Arkalon wasn’t close enough to get to him at time. But before it could reach him the stars light wrapped around his body and formed a silver sphere around him. The inferno was stopped in its tracks by the magic forcefield. Myles felt a kind of energy filling him up that he had never even imagined was possible. It was similar to when he had used the sun’s magic, but this felt more natural and had a cooling sensation all over his body. He could feel the stars’ light pouring through his veins, until he had the oddest feeling he had become something other than himself. “No,” he thought, “I’ve become what I really am. A wizard of the stars and moon and everything that embodies the night.”
Septora looked as if she was contemplating what do next and continued to hover on her cloud of dark flames. Myles thought one last time of the seaside cave, how the night had always given him a glimpse into the impossible. The moon rewarded him and shined a holy beam into the sphere that had surrounded him. Within this beam was a moon stone, identical to the crescent which sat atop his staff. It fell gently and fit into its counterpart. Myles now wielded his staff with the full moon on top. It shown in a great white light, as pure as the moon itself.
While Septora was distracted at casting her next move, Arkalon had flown behind her. He rammed his ice-armored head into her back, knocking her down onto her cloud of darkness. Myles saw his chance, he pointed the full-moon staff at the evil witch and unleashed all of the night’s energy combined with his own. A black beam dotted with the sparkling of stars bulleted out of the staff. It struck Septora’s body and resonated for a moment. She lay writhing in pain, and as her magic faded away, as did the dark flames that had once held her up. She began to fall through the air, and Myles noticed Savalot’s body had been returned.
“Arkalon, you’ve got to catch him, we can’t let him die!” he yelled.
The dragon responded in an instant, and while he may have disagreed in saving the boy, he did as Myles asked. Diving through the air he clutched Savlot’s torn shirt and carried him to the ground below. Myles floated down to where his dragon sat, and allowed the sphere of moon energy around him to be released. The staff in his hands stopped glowing and he set it aside. Ignoring Savalot for now, he rushed over to Alfaron.
Shaking his master he pleaded, “Alfaron, get up, you’ve got to get up!”
The wizard’s eyes opened slowly, blinking in the light of the lava and moon.
“Myles, what has happened?” he said as he lifted his torso from the ground carefully.
“Septora is no more. Are you okay?” he asked nervously.
“Oh yes, it’ll take more than one blast of magic from that hateful she-witch to kill me off.” he said, a twinkle coming back to his eyes. “My boy, your eyes glow with the light of the moon, is this what lead to her demise?”
Myles explained the series of events that had taken place once Alfaron had gone unconscious.
“You are an extraordinary wizard Myles, I have never before heard of the moon lending its magic to a single individual, and to only an apprentice! I am beyond proud of you.” Alfaron praised.
“So what do we do with him?” Myles asked, pointing at Savalot’s damaged body.
Alfaron stood up, and the two walked over to where Arkalon lay in front of the boy. Alfaron rested his hands on the boy for a minute and then looked to Myles.
“There is no trace of Septora left inside of him. However, her possession has left him very weak and close to death. If we don’t get him back to the medical wizards in Lavantala quickly, he will perish. I leave this up to you to decide Myles, leave him here or take him back with us?”
Myles took a moment to think. He remembered the pure hatred he had seen in Savalot’s eyes back in the arena. He thought of how he had almost killed Arkalon in a fit of rage, and nearly caused the death of Alfaron and thousands of other wizards too.
“He’s too dangerous Alfaron, I think we should leave him here.” Myles replied, and Arky let out a snort of agreement.
“Very well, a wise choice I believe. Shall we head home then?” the wizard asked.
Suddenly a flash of white light appeared beside them, and there Gardilon stood.
“I afraid I must be the bearer of bad news.” the spirit wizard started, “As hard to believe as it is, Savalot has a destiny in the Wizard World. The other wizards of the spirit world are in agreeance, the boy must live. Take him with you, nurse him back to health, and I will ask no more of you, my old student.”
Alfaron nodded, “I understand, it is not the will of us to disobey the guidance of spirits, especially from my old mentor. We will take the boy.”
Gardilon and Alfaron exchanged a smile and the white wizard disappeared in another flash of light.
“What do you say Arky, can you carry him back home for us?” Myles asked, knowing his friend was against saving the boy.
Arky bent down and picked the boy up by his robes once again, he would stand by Myles no matter what.
“That won’t be necessary Myles, I think I am feeling well enough to cast two of us back home and save us a trip.” Alfaron offered.
“Okay, then it’s settled. You take home Savalot, and Arky and I will fly back to Lavantala.”
The wizard gave the dragon a pat on the head as it set Savalot in his arms. Alfaron slammed his staff into the ground, and the two disappeared.
Myles climbed onto Arky’s back and the boy and the dragon took off high into the cool night sky.
Chapter 7
Myles woke up early, and heard Arkalon let out a massive yawn. He had outgrown the bed in the last month, and now slept on a rug on the floor.
“Ready for some breakfast?” he called down to the dragon.
Arkalon rose up quickly, as if the thought of food was tempting enough to stop sleeping.
“I’ll meet you outside in a little bit.” Myles told him, giving him a scratch behind the horns before leaving the room.
Myles headed to his closet and put on one of his new robes. It was a darker shade of silver, and had star shaped designs all over it. He grabbed his staff, and walked down the stairs. Walking out of the castle doors, he looked up to see Arky flying towards the forest in search of something to eat. He was headed to the apothecary, where Savalot had been for the past month in a coma. Today was the day when the medical wizards would wake him up, and he’d be fully healed. While this used to be something that would have troubled Myles, he no longer felt much concern. He was a capable wizard, and when he got back he had completed his training in a week and passed his exams with flying colors. He greeted several wizards and witches along his way, and they called to him cheerfully. Everyone was aware of the hero
ic deed he had performed and looked at him with a great amount of respect.
He met Alfaron at the gates of the apothecary.
“Are you ready for today Myles?” his old master questioned, taking a long drag from his pipe.
“I believe I am.” he answered.
“And are you sure you wish to go on with your plan for the boy?”
“Yes.” he replied confidently.
“Then let us get on with it.” Alfaron stated as they walked into the building.
The wizard who had been primarily in charge of Savalot’s recovery met them outside his room.
“Good morning Wizard of The Night, ready to come inside?”
“Please, call me Myles. And yes, I am ready.” Myles still wasn’t used to his new title and preferred the name his parents had given him.
The wizard opened the door and they walked in. Savalot lay awake in his bed, and turned to look at his visitors as they walked in the door. Alfaron and the medical wizard hung back, and Myles approached his bedside.
“Hello Savalot. How do you feel?” he asked calmly.
The boy looked at him for a moment, as if unsure how to answer. Myles noticed there was still a fire in his eyes, but he no longer saw the hate that had once filled them completely.
“I feel okay, still a bit weak. Why, why did you allow me to live? I don’t understand, I almost ruined everything for you, I almost killed you!” his voice sounded weak and uncertain.
“Your fate was not entirely my choice. However, the choice was made and now here we are. It is my understanding that you were briefed on what happened after Septora took control of you?”
“Yes.” Savalot replied, there was some shame in his answer.
“And am I correct in regards that you still wish to travel the path of wizardry?”
“I would do anything to practice magic again. I have no room left for hate, when I was possessed that is all I felt, even stronger than ever before. I wish to never feel that way again. I want to experience new feelings, I want a fresh start.” the boy was almost pleading, as if he knew his future was in the hands of Myles.
“Very well. The medical wizards have informed me that you will be back to your full strength by the end of the week. When that time comes, we will begin your training. Rest now, you’re going to need it.” with this Myles walked away.
“WHAT?” Savalot exclaimed, “You’re going to be MY teacher? But you’re hardly older than me, what could you possibly teach me?”
Myles ignored his comments and walked out of the room. Alfaron looked at the boy in interest.
“You would be wise to show some gratitude to your master. Myles has performed spells that even I cannot cast. He is a true prodigy, and a hero in all senses.”
Savalot looked bewildered and lost in thought. Alfaron too left after this statement, and caught up with Myles outside the apothecary.
“It’s a curious choice I must say, to be the teacher of a boy who once showed you so much hate.”
“I did it because I trust him with no one else but myself, no offense.” he added with a wink.
“I understand, I hope you can show him the world still has much good in it, and perhaps you can lead him to find some good in himself.”
“That is my intention, for sure. I hate to leave so soon Alfaron, but the wizards in Calderwell are in need of my magic.”
“No worries my dear boy, I shall see you at the end of the week when you return for Savalot’s training. Be careful, and fly safe!”
Arkalon flew from behind the castle’s peaks, and landed beside them. He crunched something in his jaws as if he was finishing up whatever poor prey had been his breakfast that morning. With a nod Myles climbed onto the icy dragon’s back and they took off into the clouds.
About the author
Mason J. Schneider resides in Ohio. He enjoys bringing his imagination to life within his books. His other well-known work is Success: Defined By You. You can follow him on Twitter @mayso35
Keep Watch For Book Two Of The Series- COMING SOON.
Wizarded Away Page 5
