Chapter 5- The Tower of Mages
Rae awoke to Raye laughing. "Wuz so funny.?" she asked
thickly. Then she noticed the glint in Rayes eyes. "Uh, oh. what are
you planning?" She was suddenly wide-awake. No one knew what exactly
to expect when Raye had that look, but mischief would always follow.
"Well, I do believe that Tendai is feeling a bit under the
weather. or will be soon." She laughed wickedly. Then Rae caught on.
"Oh." Rae smiled a bit evilly. "Zanadi too, please!"
"Oh course, I'm insulted that you would think I would forget!"
Raye laughed "Then what do you say to shopping?"
That night, the mages gathered for leisure time. Raye and Damson were
battling it out in a game of chess; Rae was curled up in a chair
reading. Amberle and Kat were on the computers; Noelle was working on
homework next to them. Tendai was sprawled out on the couch, playing a
hand held game that kept making various beeps and bloops. Yasmin
waslaying flat on the floor, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.
The beeping of Tendia's game ended, leaving the purring of Breeze,
curled at Rae's side, and the typing of the two computers, the only
sound.
"I have to leave, gang," said Tendai. "Gotta get home." Rae
snorted.
"More like he's got to go see his girlfriend," she intoned
without looking up. Tendai turned a dark shade of red. Yasmin propped
herself up, glaring up at Rae. "Was that necessary?" she asked. Rae
did not answer, but stood and without looking at Tendai, went to the
kitchen to fix a snack. Tendai gave Yasmin a grateful look, but she
blinked coldly at him and flopped back down.
"Well, bye."
"Bye," murmured a few people. Then Tendai hopped down the
ladder and disappeared from view.
"Rae was right, you know." Raye told Yasmin as she moved her
queen to capture Damson's rook. Raye looked at Damsons arm, where a
light bruise was forming.He moved his knight. "Check."
Raye moved her pawn and captured the knight. "Oops! Didn't see
that." Damson frowned. Jonathan, the newest mage, watched carefully.
He was tall, about 6'1", with sandy brown hair, warm brown eyes and
silver wire rim glasses. He was fourteen, making him the youngest mage
in the group if you excluded Rae; her birthday was in two weeks. Raye
liked him, he was quite thoughtful, which was a change from. others.
"Raye, do you want a soda?" yelled Rae from the kitchen.
"Please!" Raye yelled back.
"Anyone else?"
"No thanks, I have to leave too," yawned Cat. Raye looked at
the clock, it was almost nine. Cat walked slowly over to the trapdoor
to get her shoes. She slipped them on, but before she could say
"Alliah," they found themselves in the Chamber of Stones, where they
had all their meetings. Even Tendai was there as well, looking just as
surprised as the rest. Rae was holding two sodas. She looked shocked
as she held one out to Raye. Raye took it, feeling the coldness of the
can. This was no dream. Damson bewilderedly put down his bishop on the
table.
Raye found her voice first. "Okay, someone summoned us here."
"I guess we should sit down?" Rae asked.
"I guess," Jonathan agreed. Tendai nodded, speechless. They
sat down.
"Stones in place," Raye said automatically as she slipped hers
into the groove in front of her. Everyone else did the same.
"What now?" wondered Damson. Raye started to shake her head,
when Chavin, her phoenix familiar, popped into being in the center of
the table. He looked unsurprised, as did all the other familiars who
soon followed.
Damson's tiger, Rasheed, lay down; its head up looking at
Amberle's raven, Avis. Rae's Pegasus snorted and stomped a foot.
"Easy, Edessa," Rae said as she petted its nose. Tendai's
snake Shazia curled around his arm as the last familiars appeared with
a pop; Yasmin's fox, Cleara, Katrona's white cat, Isabelle, and
Jonathan's monkey, the aptly named Chatter. The room was getting a bit
full. Finally, Noelle's dove, Snow, joined the group, and settled
herself on Noelle's shoulder. Only Chatter's talk prevented silence.
Rasheed growled at him, and he quickly leapt into Jonathan's arms; the
noise settled.
Then the clock struck nine. The door flung itself open and an
extremely bright light filled the room, even though all the windows
showed the darkness outside. A figure walked in, and the door slammed
behind him.
Raye jumped up and snarled "Serendrile!"
The boy studied her for a moment with his green eyes, a smirk
on his face. "Rhiannon. How pleasant to see you."
All the other mages stared at him. He looked seventeen,
Damson's age, and about the same height. He was beyond good looking,
with his golden hair worn long, almost to his waist, with flashing
green eyes that were the same color as the tunic he was wearing. A
light sword hung from his belt; the hilt of which was silver, set with
a single emerald.
But all this they saw in a second, for in the next, Raye had
let out a cry of rage and flung balls of flame at him. He set up a
shield, but it did not deflect them. He ducked just in time, but the
smirk was gone.
"Ah, you've become better since the last time I saw you,
Rhiannon Elan."
"That's right, Serendrile. You elves don't change much, do
you? Still the same selfish brat." Raye spat the words out, as if they
left a bad taste in her mouth.
"Selfish?" He raised an eyebrow as he took a step towards her.
"And conceited." She took a step towards him. They stood face
to face.
"No more than you," he said softly, then kissed her.
For a moment, Raye forgot what to do. She couldn't pull away,
she couldn't move. All she could do was fall into Serendrile's arms.
Then she remembered who he was; the sun mage, an elf. She
pushed him away and stumbled back, still dizzy. Then she felt Damson's
protective arms around her, and the dizziness disappeared.
"You-," she snarled, but Damson placed a finger to her lips.
"What do you want?" Damson asked. A shadow of emotion flicked
through Serendrile's eyes; jealousy? Then it was gone.
"Well, I suppose through your phoenix, you know that all
royalty has been killed, except one?"
"Rowan," Rae spoke up. Serendrile glanced at her. "Yes, we all
know."
"My, my, you really have changed, Rhiannon," Serendrile
commented. "You usually keep important things to yourself. or don't I
need to remind you?"
"I had no choice in that matter and you know it," Raye
snapped, but not moving from Damson's grasp.
"Maybe not, but they," her indicated the rest of the mages,
some of whom had jumped up at some point, "don't know who I am.
Perhaps you should tell them." Then he turned to address the group.
"We are on the same side, differences aside. I will see you all at the
Tower of Mages very shortly." The door flung open suddenly, the light
filling the room. He stepped out with a "Goodbye," and the door
slammed, leaving the darkness from their own world.
"Well. I must be dreaming," Tendai murmured.
"It's no dream," Raye said hollowly. "We must go to Clarabelle, the
fairy world."
"What!?!" many of the mages yelled, sounding shocked.
"We have to. We are the mages. Look at your stones." Everyone glanced
down. Every stone was glowing with the same golden light that had
filled the doorway. All the familiars rustled excitedly.
"Raye," Kat exclaimed, "you have some story to tell!"
"Yeah, I guess I do." Then, without moving from Damson's arms, she
began.
"As you know, I am Princess Rhiannon Collina Thisa Elan. I came to
live in the human world when I was ten. I had this choice because I
was born a human, and a mage. It's not often when a mage is born into
the magic world. Fairies, of course, are born with magic, but they are
not mages. We are much stronger than they.
"Of course, when Castella, an evil witch, found out, she tried to kill
me. A royal mage is a danger to all evil. The Wood Nymphs, my mother's
kindred, took me in to train me. Serendrile was also to be trained. We
grew up together very good friends. Then I found out I was a princess,
when Chavin came to me. He told me who I was. I was eight at the time.
"I had run to the Nymphs, and asked if it were true. Of course it was,
because my familiar had told me! But I couldn't tell Serendrile.
However, when his familiar came to him a month later, a golden dragon,
he knew. He accused me of not telling him, and there was a great rift
between us.
"No longer friends, we competed against each other constantly. Then,
when I was ten, I beat him in an archery contest. He told me that I
could never be a princess. He meant to make me angry, but he was
right. I left Clarabelle that night.
"When I arrived here, I found you," Raye looked at Rae, "and
you," she said smiling sadly at Damson, "and all of you. I knew I had
found a home. And now, five years later, I must go back. Castella has
grown stronger. I could just stay here, pretend I'm another ordinary
human, but I cannot. None of us can."
Jonathan walked over from where he'd been standing. "We are with you,
Raye."
"Yeah, we're in for the whole ordeal," Rae agreed, joining them.
"All of us," added Noelle's soft voice.
"Everyone," put in Tendai.
"Because we are mages," Kat added.
"Because we are friends," added Yasmin.
"And because we care about you," whispered Damson.
Raye looked at her friends. "Okay, grab your stones, and your
familiars," Raye smiled. "We are going to the Tower of Mages." She
walked to the door. "Callabelle cendia vestana halla." The door flung
itself open. She picked up her stone, and watched the familiars stride
confidently into the light.
"Well, she said, "let's go." She looked into Damson's eyes, then
turned and jumped into the unknown. For a moment, she panicked; what
if it didn't work?
But then she felt her feet hit the ground and her knees buckled. She
opened her eyes; she was lying face down in soft clover. She sat up,
and watched as the others fell with a soft thud.
[Took you all long enough,] Chavin said with a touch of annoyance.
"Well, I'm sor-ry," Kat snapped at him. Raye turned and looked at her
in amazement.
"You can hear him?!?" Raye cried. Kat's jaw dropped.
"Yeah. I can!" Raye looked at the others. They nodded, amazed.
[Chatter?] Raye thought intently, [Can you hear me?]
[Of course!] Chatter laughed, [they all can. If you were to
concentrate on speaking to just me, they wouldn't. But you were mind-
speaking freely.] He laughed a crazy laugh.
[Damson?] Raye thought quietly.
[Yes?]
[I'm glad you are here.]
[I wouldn't leave you for anything.]
"So," Rae asked aloud, "where are we?" They all turned and looked.
They were in a valley about a mile long, and at the end, there was a
crooked ancient tower.
"The Tower of Mages."
Rae awoke to Raye laughing. "Wuz so funny.?" she asked
thickly. Then she noticed the glint in Rayes eyes. "Uh, oh. what are
you planning?" She was suddenly wide-awake. No one knew what exactly
to expect when Raye had that look, but mischief would always follow.
"Well, I do believe that Tendai is feeling a bit under the
weather. or will be soon." She laughed wickedly. Then Rae caught on.
"Oh." Rae smiled a bit evilly. "Zanadi too, please!"
"Oh course, I'm insulted that you would think I would forget!"
Raye laughed "Then what do you say to shopping?"
That night, the mages gathered for leisure time. Raye and Damson were
battling it out in a game of chess; Rae was curled up in a chair
reading. Amberle and Kat were on the computers; Noelle was working on
homework next to them. Tendai was sprawled out on the couch, playing a
hand held game that kept making various beeps and bloops. Yasmin
waslaying flat on the floor, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.
The beeping of Tendia's game ended, leaving the purring of Breeze,
curled at Rae's side, and the typing of the two computers, the only
sound.
"I have to leave, gang," said Tendai. "Gotta get home." Rae
snorted.
"More like he's got to go see his girlfriend," she intoned
without looking up. Tendai turned a dark shade of red. Yasmin propped
herself up, glaring up at Rae. "Was that necessary?" she asked. Rae
did not answer, but stood and without looking at Tendai, went to the
kitchen to fix a snack. Tendai gave Yasmin a grateful look, but she
blinked coldly at him and flopped back down.
"Well, bye."
"Bye," murmured a few people. Then Tendai hopped down the
ladder and disappeared from view.
"Rae was right, you know." Raye told Yasmin as she moved her
queen to capture Damson's rook. Raye looked at Damsons arm, where a
light bruise was forming.He moved his knight. "Check."
Raye moved her pawn and captured the knight. "Oops! Didn't see
that." Damson frowned. Jonathan, the newest mage, watched carefully.
He was tall, about 6'1", with sandy brown hair, warm brown eyes and
silver wire rim glasses. He was fourteen, making him the youngest mage
in the group if you excluded Rae; her birthday was in two weeks. Raye
liked him, he was quite thoughtful, which was a change from. others.
"Raye, do you want a soda?" yelled Rae from the kitchen.
"Please!" Raye yelled back.
"Anyone else?"
"No thanks, I have to leave too," yawned Cat. Raye looked at
the clock, it was almost nine. Cat walked slowly over to the trapdoor
to get her shoes. She slipped them on, but before she could say
"Alliah," they found themselves in the Chamber of Stones, where they
had all their meetings. Even Tendai was there as well, looking just as
surprised as the rest. Rae was holding two sodas. She looked shocked
as she held one out to Raye. Raye took it, feeling the coldness of the
can. This was no dream. Damson bewilderedly put down his bishop on the
table.
Raye found her voice first. "Okay, someone summoned us here."
"I guess we should sit down?" Rae asked.
"I guess," Jonathan agreed. Tendai nodded, speechless. They
sat down.
"Stones in place," Raye said automatically as she slipped hers
into the groove in front of her. Everyone else did the same.
"What now?" wondered Damson. Raye started to shake her head,
when Chavin, her phoenix familiar, popped into being in the center of
the table. He looked unsurprised, as did all the other familiars who
soon followed.
Damson's tiger, Rasheed, lay down; its head up looking at
Amberle's raven, Avis. Rae's Pegasus snorted and stomped a foot.
"Easy, Edessa," Rae said as she petted its nose. Tendai's
snake Shazia curled around his arm as the last familiars appeared with
a pop; Yasmin's fox, Cleara, Katrona's white cat, Isabelle, and
Jonathan's monkey, the aptly named Chatter. The room was getting a bit
full. Finally, Noelle's dove, Snow, joined the group, and settled
herself on Noelle's shoulder. Only Chatter's talk prevented silence.
Rasheed growled at him, and he quickly leapt into Jonathan's arms; the
noise settled.
Then the clock struck nine. The door flung itself open and an
extremely bright light filled the room, even though all the windows
showed the darkness outside. A figure walked in, and the door slammed
behind him.
Raye jumped up and snarled "Serendrile!"
The boy studied her for a moment with his green eyes, a smirk
on his face. "Rhiannon. How pleasant to see you."
All the other mages stared at him. He looked seventeen,
Damson's age, and about the same height. He was beyond good looking,
with his golden hair worn long, almost to his waist, with flashing
green eyes that were the same color as the tunic he was wearing. A
light sword hung from his belt; the hilt of which was silver, set with
a single emerald.
But all this they saw in a second, for in the next, Raye had
let out a cry of rage and flung balls of flame at him. He set up a
shield, but it did not deflect them. He ducked just in time, but the
smirk was gone.
"Ah, you've become better since the last time I saw you,
Rhiannon Elan."
"That's right, Serendrile. You elves don't change much, do
you? Still the same selfish brat." Raye spat the words out, as if they
left a bad taste in her mouth.
"Selfish?" He raised an eyebrow as he took a step towards her.
"And conceited." She took a step towards him. They stood face
to face.
"No more than you," he said softly, then kissed her.
For a moment, Raye forgot what to do. She couldn't pull away,
she couldn't move. All she could do was fall into Serendrile's arms.
Then she remembered who he was; the sun mage, an elf. She
pushed him away and stumbled back, still dizzy. Then she felt Damson's
protective arms around her, and the dizziness disappeared.
"You-," she snarled, but Damson placed a finger to her lips.
"What do you want?" Damson asked. A shadow of emotion flicked
through Serendrile's eyes; jealousy? Then it was gone.
"Well, I suppose through your phoenix, you know that all
royalty has been killed, except one?"
"Rowan," Rae spoke up. Serendrile glanced at her. "Yes, we all
know."
"My, my, you really have changed, Rhiannon," Serendrile
commented. "You usually keep important things to yourself. or don't I
need to remind you?"
"I had no choice in that matter and you know it," Raye
snapped, but not moving from Damson's grasp.
"Maybe not, but they," her indicated the rest of the mages,
some of whom had jumped up at some point, "don't know who I am.
Perhaps you should tell them." Then he turned to address the group.
"We are on the same side, differences aside. I will see you all at the
Tower of Mages very shortly." The door flung open suddenly, the light
filling the room. He stepped out with a "Goodbye," and the door
slammed, leaving the darkness from their own world.
"Well. I must be dreaming," Tendai murmured.
"It's no dream," Raye said hollowly. "We must go to Clarabelle, the
fairy world."
"What!?!" many of the mages yelled, sounding shocked.
"We have to. We are the mages. Look at your stones." Everyone glanced
down. Every stone was glowing with the same golden light that had
filled the doorway. All the familiars rustled excitedly.
"Raye," Kat exclaimed, "you have some story to tell!"
"Yeah, I guess I do." Then, without moving from Damson's arms, she
began.
"As you know, I am Princess Rhiannon Collina Thisa Elan. I came to
live in the human world when I was ten. I had this choice because I
was born a human, and a mage. It's not often when a mage is born into
the magic world. Fairies, of course, are born with magic, but they are
not mages. We are much stronger than they.
"Of course, when Castella, an evil witch, found out, she tried to kill
me. A royal mage is a danger to all evil. The Wood Nymphs, my mother's
kindred, took me in to train me. Serendrile was also to be trained. We
grew up together very good friends. Then I found out I was a princess,
when Chavin came to me. He told me who I was. I was eight at the time.
"I had run to the Nymphs, and asked if it were true. Of course it was,
because my familiar had told me! But I couldn't tell Serendrile.
However, when his familiar came to him a month later, a golden dragon,
he knew. He accused me of not telling him, and there was a great rift
between us.
"No longer friends, we competed against each other constantly. Then,
when I was ten, I beat him in an archery contest. He told me that I
could never be a princess. He meant to make me angry, but he was
right. I left Clarabelle that night.
"When I arrived here, I found you," Raye looked at Rae, "and
you," she said smiling sadly at Damson, "and all of you. I knew I had
found a home. And now, five years later, I must go back. Castella has
grown stronger. I could just stay here, pretend I'm another ordinary
human, but I cannot. None of us can."
Jonathan walked over from where he'd been standing. "We are with you,
Raye."
"Yeah, we're in for the whole ordeal," Rae agreed, joining them.
"All of us," added Noelle's soft voice.
"Everyone," put in Tendai.
"Because we are mages," Kat added.
"Because we are friends," added Yasmin.
"And because we care about you," whispered Damson.
Raye looked at her friends. "Okay, grab your stones, and your
familiars," Raye smiled. "We are going to the Tower of Mages." She
walked to the door. "Callabelle cendia vestana halla." The door flung
itself open. She picked up her stone, and watched the familiars stride
confidently into the light.
"Well, she said, "let's go." She looked into Damson's eyes, then
turned and jumped into the unknown. For a moment, she panicked; what
if it didn't work?
But then she felt her feet hit the ground and her knees buckled. She
opened her eyes; she was lying face down in soft clover. She sat up,
and watched as the others fell with a soft thud.
[Took you all long enough,] Chavin said with a touch of annoyance.
"Well, I'm sor-ry," Kat snapped at him. Raye turned and looked at her
in amazement.
"You can hear him?!?" Raye cried. Kat's jaw dropped.
"Yeah. I can!" Raye looked at the others. They nodded, amazed.
[Chatter?] Raye thought intently, [Can you hear me?]
[Of course!] Chatter laughed, [they all can. If you were to
concentrate on speaking to just me, they wouldn't. But you were mind-
speaking freely.] He laughed a crazy laugh.
[Damson?] Raye thought quietly.
[Yes?]
[I'm glad you are here.]
[I wouldn't leave you for anything.]
"So," Rae asked aloud, "where are we?" They all turned and looked.
They were in a valley about a mile long, and at the end, there was a
crooked ancient tower.
"The Tower of Mages."