Erik lifted his drooping head from his reverie.  He had sampled the fine wine and ale of the mountain and it tickled his senses.  He inwardly wondered if K’ailasa slipped something into the soup to make him sleepy.  He blinked at his clenched fist, which was gripping the table.  What was making him so on edge?  It would take a true night’s rest to rid his mind of the uneasiness he was feeling.

            Korah placed a hand on Erik’s shoulder.  “You grow weary.  Come now and rest.  You must gain some sleep before your meeting tomorrow with the Lady.”

            “Perhaps you’re right,” Erik assented with a nod.  He rose and followed Korah to a well-furnished room lit with candles that waved with a friendly glow.  His legs practically walked themselves to the bed.  When his head hit the pillow he was already asleep.

            Korah closed the door and chuckled quietly, “K’ailasa’s special soup never fails on weary travelers.”

            The night passed with the gentle fall of snowflakes, coupled with the mountain breeze.  But the calm of nature did naught to assuage Erik’s dreams. He tossed to and fro as a sense of darkness invaded his dreams.  He heard a sinister laugh and saw a figure cloaked in shadow.  He had dreamed of this shadow before, but it had never gained such power.  He was taught to interpret dreams as signs of the future, if this were so, then this dream would be an ill omen. Erik awoke quickly and paused, ‘what did I dream about?’  He shook his head and decided he had more things to worry about than a dream.

            A knock at the door roused him from his pondering.  

            Korah peeked his head in the room.  “Oh good, you have awakened.  K’ailasa has prepared a hot bath for you down the hall.  You can make yourself presentable before being presented to Lady I’mati.”

            Erik blinked sleepily as he shook off the effects of a deep slumber.  “Do her baths have the same effect as her soup?”

            Korah feigned innocence.  “Of course not.  The water is from a hot spring and the bath salts clean out the lungs.”

            “Right,” Erik said.  He followed Korah down the hall and smiled as the warmth of the washroom penetrated his senses.  After Korah left he sank into the hot bath and sighed in contentment.  He couldn’t remember the last time he took a hot bath. . .until his thoughts came rushing back at him. 

            “Erik,” his mother said with a laugh.  “Water is supposed to stay in the bath, not float above it.”

            Erik chuckled mischievously.  He had come into his magical powers when he was quite young.  His young eyes turned to the door; his father was talking to an older man.  Another man seemed to stay behind as his father walked over to them with the older man.  The older man raised his hand, whispered quietly, and made the bubbles in the air turn into bubble birds.

            Standing beside the bath, wrapped in a towel, Erik imitated the words he heard and made the bubbles turn into bubble dragons.  “Weeee!  The bubbles are pretty, just like the man made them.” 

            His mother blinked and exchanged glances with his father.  The man in the shadows seemed to come closer and caught one of the bubble dragons in his hand. He looked at it for an intrigued moment, but then crushed it before leaving.

            “That’s right,” Erik said with a sigh.  “It was in a bath that Eldred tested me to go to the Academy.”  Whispering the spell he learned that day, he smiled as he turned the bubbles into dragons.  Wrapping himself in a towel he chanted another spell to clean his clothing and he pulled them on.  He looked to the door as Korah entered, stifling a laugh at his expression.

            “The Lady is-” Korah blinked and cut himself off.  “Why are the bubbles dragons?”

            Erik shrugged, “maybe it’s the bath salt.”

            “Wizards,” Korah muttered, shaking his head in amusement.  “As I was saying, Lady I’mati will see you now.  You will be presented to her in the Hall of Gems.  Do be on your best behavior, you don’t want to make a bad first impression.”

            “Thanks for the reassurance,” Erik said as he followed him.  He noticed that Korah wore a finer garment than he had on previously.  “Do many travelers get the privilege of seeing Lady I’mati?”

            “No, only special cases,” Korah replied.

            “I see,” Erik said.  He followed Korah out of the Inn and pulled his cloak tighter against himself.  He didn’t know how he was ever going to get used to the cold air.  His eyes widened as they entered the Hall of Gems.  Silver Elves were about the precipice, each wearing fine garments of different colors.  He remembered reading that purple was reserved for the most revered, blue for those who were of higher stations, and grey for those who performed other duties.  He glanced to Korah’s grey outfit, which seemed to shimmer silver, and absently wondered what the different colored gems on the garment represented.

            Several elves dressed in blue ushered them to the main chamber.  The walls had an iridescent glow and gems seemed to radiate from every nook and cranny of the room.  A regal elf dressed in purple sat at a throne at the end of the room.  Korah walked with Erik to the elf and bowed to her. 

            “This is the traveling Mage my Lady,” Korah said.  “His name his Erik and he requests permission to travel in the mountains.”

            “Greetings Lady I’mati,” Erik lowered his head respectfully to her.

            “Thank you Korah,” the Lady replied.  Her voice had a melodious tone.  “You may leave us.  The young Mage and I have much to discuss.”

            Korah bowed his head to Lady I’mati and turned on his heel, exiting the room.  Erik and Lady I’mati were left alone staring at one another in curiosity.

            A cloaked figured stared at the battlefield below him.  He hovered on shadows above his army and couldn’t help but smirk.  His army had breached the Academy wall.

            He gave a mental order to his army.  Capture everyone and drain the magical energy of all who resist you.  Anyone who kills will be sent to the deepest layer of the abyss, that privilege is reserved for myself.  I will deal with the high ranking wizards.  Imprison the students; I expect to smell the overwhelming sense of fear when you do.

            A consenting cry rang out from the army as they charged into the school.  The figure’s voice rang out in the Academy.  “Do not resist!  Make this easy on yourselves or feel pain!”

            Eldred froze as he heard the voice.  “No. . .it cannot be. . .”

            Debris fell from the ceiling as the High Wizards struggled to gather the students.  Half of their number was already unaccounted for and they were weary from defending the wall, which was now breached.

            Cyril whirled himself about as he heard the voice.  “The voice is rich in darkness.  Everyone form ranks and prepare offensive spells!  We will not bow before this army!”

            The High Wizards started to chant and the students fell into their rhythm, stuttering though they were.  Most of them were still young and relatively sheltered from the world.  Now their world was falling about them and their minds were elsewhere.

            “Concentrate!”  Cyril the Enchanter felt as chill as shadows started to crawl into the chamber where they were gathered.  The shadows writhed into the forms of men and Cyril’s eyes widened.  He swallowed and held his ground, his eyes widening even more as the creatures advanced toward them.  It was as if he were seeing ghosts . . .he couldn’t be closer to the truth.

            Obadiah fought back a shiver as he saw the dark army enter the Academy walls.  Wizards were supposed to be powerful . . .why couldn’t they stop the darkness?  He shook his head and ran his fingers through his horse’s mane to calm himself. 

            Einar watched the boy fight off his fear.  He put his faith into the boy and hoped that his instincts were leading him in the right direction.  “Is the tunnel much further?”

            Obadiah shook his head.  “We’re close.”  He trembled as they approached the Academy and he stopped his horse abruptly.

            “Where is this tunnel o’ yours?”  Riglaf surveyed the surroundings.

            “It. . .it was here. . .I swear. . .” Obadiah fought back tears.

            Einar rode his mount over to a pile of rocks and Riglaf rode beside him.  “It seems this is the tunnel,” Einar said.

            “Was the tunnel,” Riglaf said.  “Wolf’s teeth,” he cursed.  “Now what are we to do?”

            Einar calmly dismounted and rolled up his sleeves.

            Riglaf blinked, “oh no. . .yer one stubborn. . .”

            “Are ye helpin’ or not?”

            Riglaf sighed and dismounted.  “This’ll take a day, even with help.”

            “Then we best ‘urry,” Einar said, “we don’t know where else the tunnel may ‘ave caved in.”

            Other warriors of the tribe dismounted and started to help clear away the rocks.

            Erik and Lady I’mati started quietly at one another until one of them broke the silence.

            “What do you wish to gain from the Mountain of Ice, child?”

            Erik gritted his teeth and composed himself.  “I beg your pardon Lady I’mati, but I am no child.”

            “Hold your tongue young one,” she said.  “I am several centuries your Elder. . .in my eyes you are still a child.”

            Erik inwardly thought, ‘mark one tally for Lady I’mati.’

            Lady I’mati chuckled.  “You best mark another.”

            Erik reddened; it appeared this Silver Elf could read minds.  Why didn’t he pay attention more in his Elven Telepathy lectures?  Why was it now that he remembered that the older the elf, the more fine tuned their telepathic capabilities were?

            “My apologies. . .”

            “There is no need for an apology,” she replied standing.  She seemed to take a moment to choose her words carefully.  “You are on no ordinary journey young mage.  Can you even comprehend the importance of your task?”

            Erik blinked.  “Well, I. . .”

            “As I thought,” Lady I’mati said.  “You cannot possibly grasp the web in which you are entangled.”  She motioned him to come over to a large sheet of ice.  Several gems formed a rectangular shape, in their embedded places.  The ice had a sheen that was reminiscent of a mirror.  “Have you heard word from the Academy recently young mage?”

            Erik shook his head.  “I haven’t tried to contact them.  I bet Eldred is worried about me, as usual.”  He took out a gem and calmly waited for it to flash in reply.  When the gem remained lifeless, Erik’s brow furrowed in confusion.  “This is impossible. . .”

            “Oh?”

            “These gems are to last as long as the Academy. . .I don’t underst-. . .”  He trailed off as he looked to the sheet of ice.  An image started to form as Lady I’mati waved her hand and hummed a song.  The image was that of the Academy.  A cloud of darkness surrounded its walls.  The shield that protected it was nowhere to be seen and smoke wafted from the windows.  Dark figures poured into the Academy and he could hear screams.  “What dark magic is this?! What matter of witchery do you elves which to deceive me with?!”

            “It is no matter of witchcraft on my part.  This is an image of truth.  Look longer and you shall see that I am not deceiving you,” she replied calmly.

            Erik clenched his fists at his side.  “No!”  He could sense the image’s truth and it would explain the bad feelings he had been having for the past several hours. 

            Lady I’mati placed a hand on his shoulder.  “I do not know why they would send one as young as yourself, I expected a High Wizard to go to the Mountain of Ice.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “You are not on a regular journey, yours is a journey against the darkness.  You must not fail.”

            Erik turned away from the image.  Anger filled his eyes and worry filled his heart.  The one who attacked the Academy would pay.  No one messed with his home and got away with it.  “Then I have permission to travel?”

            “You have more than my permission, you have my aid.  Your horse is readied and knows the shortest way to the mountain’s entrance.”

            Erik nodded as he turned to leave.  “Thank you.  I won’t forget this.”

            Lady I’mati watched him leave and inwardly thought, ‘no one will forget, this time.’

Author’s Note:  Things are getting ever more suspenseful. . .I wonder, what will happen next?!  Wait, I should be the one who knows . . .looks like more writing for me.  I actually had time to write another chapter and hopefully my muses will be up for another one soon.  *muses grin and pose suggestively next to the review button* *sweat drop from Shadowgirl* Anyway, please review!