The Guardian's Apprentice (Beyond the Veil)
Author: Radcliffe, J. Michael
Date: 2010-10-03
Publisher: Smashwords

The Guardian’s Apprentice

Beyond the Veil - Book One

By

J. Michael Radcliffe

http://www.theguardiansapprentice.com

Published by J. Michael Radcliffe

Copyright 2010 J. Michael Radcliffe

All rights reserved.

For information email guardiansapprentice@yahoo.com

The events and characters in this story are fictional.  Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

To my wife – my soulmate in this life and beyond,

And to my children, my reason for being.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1 - Deliberations

Chapter 2 - Things to Ponder

Chapter 3 - A New Position

Chapter 4 - Dark Thoughts

Chapter 5 - A Journey Started

Chapter 6 - Detour

Chapter 7 - Missing in Action

Chapter 8 - Found

Chapter 9 - A Friend in Need

Chapter 10 - An Unwilling Accomplice

Chapter 11 - Politics

Chapter 12 - The Dragon’s Pawn

Chapter 13 - Always Tip the Skunk!

Chapter 14 - Family Reunion

Chapter 15 - The Alderdrache

Chapter 16 - Visions

Chapter 17 - The First Test

Chapter 18 - The Shadow

Chapter 19 - Headache

Chapter 20 - A Council Divided

Chapter 21 - Interview with a Dragon

Chapter 22 - Escape

Chapter 23 - Thoughts and Reflections

Chapter 24 - Betrayal

Chapter 25 - Research

Chapter 26 Revelations

Chapter 27 - Illusions

Chapter 28 - Tea

Chapter 29 - Omens

Chapter 30 - A Painful Lesson

Chapter 31 - The Color of Blood

Chapter 32 - Sealing the Gateway

Chapter 33 - An End and a Beginning

Chapter 34 - The Breaking

Chapter 35 - Destiny

Chapter 36 - A Thief in the Night

Chapter 37 - Talith Nor

Chapter 38 - Healing

Appendix - A History Lesson

Prologue

A parcel wrapped in plain brown paper had arrived at the chambers of Tobias Follett, Chancellor of the High Council and head of the Grey order Neutrality, just over an hour ago.  He was not expecting a delivery at this late hour, so he regarded the package with some suspicion.  It was just past midnight and the wisp over his desk gave off a soft white glow, casting shadows across the old wizard’s features and making him look pale and drawn.  A thin man already, he looked positively gaunt as he leaned forward with the seeing crystal in his hand.  He passed the crystal over the package, which was about the size of a deck of playing cards.  The crystal showed him the vial nestled within, and the opalescent liquid it contained.  According to the note attached to the package, the vial contained salamander tears, a very rare and useful item for potions.  The writing on the outside of the package indicated the parcel had originated from Deadwood & Blight’s, his usual supplier for such hard to find ingredients.  Although he had a standing order for salamander tears for whenever they became available, they had been out of stock for months and did not expect a new source for some time.

Something’s just not right, he thought.

He leaned back in his red leather chair and stared at the parcel, still trying to decide if he should open it.  Tobias had been Chancellor of the High Council now for five months.  His election came after almost a year of bickering among the council members, and he relished the position of power he had finally achieved.  As the leader of his sect, he controlled the votes of three other members while as Chancellor he could threaten, berate or cajole the votes of most of the other castes.  The only two he could not control were Cedric Thornback, leader of the dark wizards and Phineas Whitestone, leader of the white.  Despite this however, he still wielded powerful influence over their followers.  The fact that Phineas, who served as the Guardian, could not vote on matters before the Council also strengthened Tobias’ hand, for so long as Phineas held that position he was so bound.  The Guardian maintained control of and watched over the BlackStar amulet, which created the veil of separation and divided the magical world from the non-magical one.  As long as he wielded that power, Phineas was independent from the Council and one of his subordinates on the Council had to serve as his deputy.  That left the White order with just three votes, while the Black and Grey orders still had four.

Tobias schemed and plotted for years, until he finally had enough votes to win the post as Chancellor when old Eudora Fogle, a very stern black-robed witch, had stepped down in the midst of a scandal.  Of course, it wasn’t his fault Eudora had developed a habit of betting on the snark fights – it was a very addictive sport.  He had simply tipped off his contacts at the Daily Tattle (worst gossip rag he had ever read) and the pieces had fallen into place.  Even with the threats, bribes and outright intimidation it still took almost a year, but now it was his!  Perhaps the parcel really was a gift of congratulations from his supplier, as the note said.  He sighed deeply as he leaned forward again to examine the package one last time with the seeing crystal.  His mind must be playing tricks on him.  Ever since his election he had become more paranoid, convinced that someone was actively seeking to undermine him, though he had no proof.  As he finished examining the package for the fifth time, he set the crystal down on the desk and chuckled.  Rubbing his tired eyes with the back of his hands he smiled to himself as he picked up the package.  He must learn to trust people again.  After all, his fellow Council members had been lavish in their praise for him since he took office.  Opening the box, he extracted the vial and held it up to the wisp for a better look.  He smiled broadly, as the contents swirled in the pale light and cast prisms of color over his desktop.  He was still smiling when the contents erupted into a violent explosion, vaporizing the still smiling wizard and tearing a gaping hole through the side of the castle.

~~~~

Chapter 1 - Deliberations

The High Council had convened three days ago to nominate a new leader.  Their Chancellor, the grey wizard Tobias Follett, had died in an apparent (and very tragic) potions accident.  The resulting explosion killed the old wizard instantly and destroyed his chambers, as well as a large portion of the castle’s north wing.  Although Tobias had schemed, plotted and backstabbed for years, he was still one of their own and would be missed, terribly.

Cedric Thornback, leader of the Dark wizards, stood to address the Council.  “Ladies and gentlemen of the Council, it has taken us three days to come to agreement on nominations to replace the late Tobias Follett as Chancellor.  I would therefore like to make a motion that we cease this incessant bickering and proceed to a vote!”

There were various nods of agreement from around the table as the other eleven witches and wizards looked around the room at each other.  With the death of Tobias, his deputy stepped into the role of temporarily leading the meetings until the Council elected a new Chancellor.  There were only two nominations so far, both of whom were heads of their respective orders.  Portia Nightshade, an ardent supporter, had nominated Cedric while one of the white wizards had likewise nominated Phineas.

Alexander Ducat, now the leader of the grey wizards, rose from his seat in the Chancellor’s chair.  Motioning for quiet, he glanced from face to face around the table.

“Fellow Council members we have a motion before us.  As deputy for our now deceased colleague, I accept the motion and call for a vote.  Will those in favor of Cedric Thornback please signal by raising their right hand?”

Portia’s hand shot skyward so fast Ducat thought the witch would actually leap from her seat, while the other two members of the Black order also raised their hands, along with Cedric himself.  Looking around the table, there were no other votes.

“I see,” said Ducat.  “So, that is four votes for Cedric.  Now would all those in favor of Phineas Whitestone please raise your right hand?”

This time the three members of the Grey order raised their hands, as did the three members of the White as well as Ducat himself.  Phineas however, did not raise his hand.

Ducat looked at him with a puzzled expression.  “Phineas?”

The old wizard smiled warmly at Ducat.  “I will abstain from casting a vote in this, Alex.  As the Guardian I serve the Council as a whole and do not seek the trappings of power.”

Ducat chuckled at his old friend.  “Well it would appear that your vote is not necessary anyway, my old friend.  The vote is seven to four – you are our new Chancellor.  Congratulations,” he said with a deep bow to the older wizard.

Phineas nodded politely in return.

“Thank you Alex, but as I said I do not seek this office.  I am happy with my position as it is.”

Ducat sat down as he looked in shock at Phineas.  “You’re refusing?  You can’t refuse, Phineas, the vote is binding.”

As if to emphasize his point, the crystalline sphere that hovered high above the Council table slowly descended, shifting from a blue-white glow to one faintly tinged with red.  The crystal, often referred to as the Oracle, had existed since the beginning of the Council when the two worlds were first separated.  No one was quite sure where it had come from, but the object radiated pure power and had occasionally intervened in Council affairs.  On the rare occasion a debate turned violent, the orb sometimes chose to petrify both participants by encasing them in crystal.  By the time the crystal faded – usually five or six days – tempers were usually subdued and the witches or wizards involved much more humble.

Even Phineas took notice of the crystal’s descent, rising from his chair to look directly at the orb.  Although he was the leader of his sect, as long as he held the post of Guardian, his robes were a shimmering non-color to signal his service to the Council as a whole and all three orders.  He stared at the crystal long and hard for what seemed like an eternity, until finally nodding his head with a sigh.

“It seems I have no alternative but to accept the will of the Council,” he said with a touch of resignation in his voice.

The various witches and wizards around the table nodded and smiled, murmuring their agreement (and relief) that Phineas had agreed to the vote.  Even a couple of the Black order seemed pleased at the decision, except for Portia.  A highly volatile witch prone to outbursts, she was obviously seething at the decision.  Cedric on the other hand remained quiet and sat with an almost stoic expression on his face.  Ducat rose once again, turning to face Phineas who continued to gaze at the Oracle.

“We are all grateful Phineas, as the Council desperately needs your leadership.  You will of course have to step aside as Guardian to assume your new post, so the Council will need to name your successor.”

“Oh, that will not be necessary, my friend,” said Phineas as he finally turned away from the crystalline orb which had returned to its normal blue-white glow.

“I’m sorry Phineas, but you have no apprentice.  Therefore the Council has no choice but to name a new Guardian.”

“I will be naming my apprentice shortly, Alex,” he said with a gleam in his eye.  “The young man is quite capable and will learn quickly.  I will of course bring him before the Council to that he may be tested, as is required.  Until such time Alex, I would put it to the Council that you remain as acting Chancellor until I may assume the duties.”

“Very well, Phineas, but I must say this is all highly irregular.”

“Trust me my friend, I will send for my apprentice at once,” said Phineas as his rose from his seat.  Raising his staff in the air, a sharp crackle resounded across the room as a portal snapped open.  Within seconds, the old wizard stepped through and was gone, leaving the other Council members to exchange puzzled glances.

~~~~

Chapter 2 – Things to Ponder

Phineas sat in his study staring absently out his window, watching the swans on the lake below.  Having served for over two hundred years now, as measured by the mortals, he had watched from the ancient citadel of Pahret T’pur as events unfolded and transformed his world.  His robes shimmered in the autumn twilight, changing colors slightly as he shifted in his chair.  He smiled and nodded his thanks as Mrs. Hoskins, the castle caretaker, brought him a fresh cup of tea.  She was the one resident of the castle that had been here longer than he had.  No one knew exactly how long she had been at the castle, and if you asked, she would just smile and say “Not long enough, dear.”

Perhaps it was the wisdom that comes with having lived for as long as he had, or perhaps it was merely the realization that a once pure ideal for governing had become twisted into a conduit for those seeking power, but he found that Council politics no longer interested him.  He focused now on what lay ahead.  Like the White order, he did not believe that the world of science was ready to be joined with that of magic; however, he did not share his order’s near xenophobic attitudes demanding complete isolation.  Slowly, as the years passed, he began allowing a few more incursions into the mortal world.  A portal here and a passage there, a lonely witch or wizard seeking a mortal mate or even a curious warlock with an interest in the latest scientific advancements – all were granted permission to cross the Veil and allowed to pass unhindered to the non-magical world.  Phineas believed strongly that this intermingling was crucial to the survival of both worlds.  Wizards, witches and warlocks on this side of the Veil needed those from the other side to ensure the wizarding world did not lose its humanity.  With each new generation of wizards, the humans on this side of the Veil became less human and more magical, like the elves, sprites and faeries.  In a few more generations, the human race on this side of the Veil would cease to exist, becoming undistinguishable from the other magical races.  Likewise, the world of science needed the constant infusion of magic to survive.  As technology spread, the spark of life in the world dimmed as people focused on productivity and the ‘bottom line.’  The people on that side of the Veil needed the constant influx of magic to keep that spark alive and prevent the world from becoming a cold and unfeeling place where dreams were no more.

The increasing number of crossings had gone largely unnoticed by those on the Council, who were more concerned with who was to represent which order and who would be chosen to serve as Chancellor.  Although Phineas allowed a few more crossings each year, a sudden, dramatic lifting of the partition between the two dimensions would be catastrophic, like matter and anti-matter in the same room.  Why, can you imagine if while fetching the morning paper one day you were to discover that a gnome had taken up residence in your azaleas?  Perhaps a great northern dragon would decide that the runway at Kennedy airport looked like a perfect place for it to nest and raise its hatchlings.  No, the Veil had to lift gradually, with the two worlds blending slowly over the span of hundreds of years or more.  As magic became more and more commonplace in the realm of science, the more acceptable such a thing would be or so he hoped.  He could accomplish this now that he was to become the next Chancellor, as he would be able to influence the other orders and deflect attention from his handpicked successor.  That part would be simple enough.  The hard part was convincing his successor to take the job.

Long ago, the Council had decreed that one family from each order would be entrusted with the responsibility of serving as Guardians.  The Whitestone family, taking their name from their ancestral home in England, were considered to be moderates in the order of white and so were entrusted with the task first.  The Thornbacks, long considered one of the most powerful wizarding families, were selected by the order of Black, while the Ducat family served for the Grey.  While the Guardian was allowed to return to the Council upon choosing a replacement, in the event of an untimely death the nine elected Council members would choose between the three permanent members as to who would serve next.  Likewise, even a Guardian’s hand picked apprentice must first pass approval by the Council prior to taking the position.  This process had very nearly sparked a war when the Grey and the White orders vetoed the nomination of Tondil Thornback, considered by most to be a complete idiot.  His father Willit had chosen him as an apprentice, but when the Council refused, he had attempted to seize the staff of office by force for his son and keep the Guardianship within his line.  Too late did Willit realize this was one of those times when the Oracle would intervene.  The crystal completely incinerated him and his son by a bolt of pure energy, leaving his cousin Cedric to take over as head of the dark wizards.  It was then that the role of Guardian had passed to Phineas, whose election was unanimous.

Although Phineas’ last living heir, his grandson Keegan, should be his successor, the boy had no idea of his heritage or abilities.  The Council had stripped Keegan’s father of magic and ordered him into exile over one hundred years ago.  Forced to live in the mortal world and deprived of magic, Richard had unknowingly conceived Keegan with a mortal woman.  When she showed up with Keegan in her arms, he had rejected them both immediately, however upon her death a few years later he was forced to take the boy into his home.  According to the information retrieved by Acamar and others, Phineas learned the boy had drifted away from his father and had not seen the man in the years preceding his death.

Although Phineas knew the family ring had passed down to Keegan when Richard died, he knew that the boy had no idea of his heritage, much less what the ring meant.  This then was his challenge; to somehow convince this young man that (1) there was such a thing as magic and (2) he had a good deal of it in his blood and finally (3) he would have to forsake all he currently knew and loved to become the Guardian’s apprentice.  It had to be done, but who to send?  His eyes strayed to the big black cat curled up asleep on the hearth.

“Maybe I’ll go for a walk along the lake,” he said to himself, rising from his chair.

He took up his staff and walked out, taking one last glance back at the cat who had barely opened his eyes and then went back to sleep.

†††

The sun was slowly setting over the castle, changing the sky into brilliant hues of orange and red, which reflected off the lake and caused an almost eerie double image.  As usual, there were birds singing in the background and tree frogs beginning to call in the distance.  Phineas looked out across the landscape before him, taking in the beauty surrounding what had been his home for so long.  After years of tumult, controversy and political bickering, he had been the longest to serve as Guardian.

It is time.  I shall truly miss the place he thought, muttering under his breath.  His long, shimmering robes billowed out behind him in the breeze as he strode along the pathway, staff in hand.  He turned and walked through the archway into the courtyard, the heels of his boots striking the cobblestones with a harsh clatter as he quickly reached the Great Hall.  As he went deeper into the darkness, the top of his staff began to glow with a cool blue-white light, giving his wizened features a more frightening look.

“Acamar!” he shouted.  “Acamar!  It’s time!”

The door in front of him creaked open slowly, just enough for him to pass.  Phineas went through into a small room, in the middle of which sat a large black cat who at the moment was staring intently at him, ears flattened and eyes barely slits.

“Don’t give me that look, Acamar,” said Phineas.  “I warned you the time was drawing near when we would have to act.”

Acamar did not say anything, just flicked his tail and continued to stare, as if trying to bore a hole through the old wizard.

Phineas leaned on his staff and sighed.

“I’m tired my friend.  My time as Guardian is ending and we must find my successor.  I’ve been putting the Council off for far too long as it is.”

Except for an irritated twitch of his long black tail, the cat did not as much as blink.

“If I refuse them again, the various factions will begin bickering and the entire Council will dissolve into chaos.  You know as well as I do I have no choice but to accept the position as Chancellor.”

“You know ‘Old Seedy’ will try to stop you,” the cat responded dryly.  “He’s been passed over for the leadership position twice before, so a third blackball will really send him over the edge.”

“Now, now, show some respect; after all Councilor Thornback is the head of his order.  Cedric and I were educated at the same academy, for heavens sake.  If he catches you calling him ‘Old Seedy’ one more time he’ll pull your whiskers out for use in his potions again,” warned the mage.

The cat did not respond, merely flicking his ear at the wizard and flexing his paws so he could more closely inspect his razor sharp claws, as if he had never seen them before.

Shaking his head the old wizard did an about face and took a long, impossibly thin silver key from around his neck and locked the door.  Replacing the key around his neck, he turned and pointed his staff at the ceiling.  A beam of light shot from the top of his staff and struck a black orb set high overhead.  With a deep shudder the floor began sinking downward, carrying them down deep into the bowels of the castle.  When the room stopped, an archway appeared in the far wall.  Walking through the arch Phineas took his place beside a small pool of water set into the middle of the floor.  With a shimmer of light a picture slowly formed in the pool, as he waved his hand over it.  It was a picture of an office, at the center of which was a young man probably in his early thirties, sitting at a desk.  He had a rather blank look on his face and was obviously so bored he was in considerable danger of falling face first into his half-eaten lunch.

“You can’t be serious,” said the cat, staring intently at the picture in the pool.

“He has potential,” said the wizard, slowly sitting down on a small stone bench near the edge of the pool.  “He just doesn’t realize it yet.”

“But he’s not even from this side of the veil,” Acamar hissed.  “Just look at the boy – he obviously has no focus or motivation and yet you expect him to guard our world?  I doubt the boy could master a card trick much less control a trans-dimensional portal!”

The old man stroked his beard slowly.  “He is a wizard Acamar, he just isn’t aware of it yet,” he said softly, glancing at his aide.  “He has the potential to be one of the more powerful mages of our time, I believe.  That makes it all the more important for me to teach him the craft and how to control it, lest it should awaken too soon and control him.  Remember; even though the Whitestone line was one of the founding families of the order of White, that alone will do nothing to prevent his corruption.”

“You know he’ll never believe me,” said the cat as it sat next to the pool, tail wrapped tightly around its paws and looking quite cross.

“He will my friend, in time,” said Phineas.  “He has to; the balance of our world and his life depends on it.”

Muttering an incantation under his breath, Phineas sketched glowing silver glyphs in the air above the pool.  When completed, the glyphs fell like stardust into the image, sparkling as they disappeared into the shimmering water.

“There – that should do it, I think.”

“What did you just do?” the cat asked suspiciously.

“I have awakened his ring Acamar, and with it his destiny.”

~~~~

Chapter 3 – A New Position

Keegan yawned deeply as he stared at his computer screen.  He was bored.  Not that it was unusual mind you, but today seemed somehow worse than usual.  It was another day of reading the same reports, eating the same lunch and going through the same routine as every other day in his dreadful existence.  He shook his head and tried to focus.  Staring at the details of the spreadsheet on his computer screen, he absent mindedly spun his signet ring.  The ring was a beautiful design – crafted from gold it was in the form of a coiled dragon that wrapped around his finger.  In the mouth of the dragon was a white stone of some unknown type that had an opalescent quality about it.  If one looked closely enough, a symbol could be seen etched in the stone – Keegan always thought it looked like a number eight laying on its side.  The ring had been his only inheritance from his father.  He had not spoken with his father for years – then Keegan had learned about the man’s death when he received a strange package in the mail.  It had been a small parcel, containing a gold ring and a hand written note on an old-fashioned piece of parchment.  The note had simply read:

April 9th, 2002.  I regret to inform you of the passing of your father, Richard Noah Whitestone.  Enclosed you will find the Whitestone family ring, which is your birthright.  Guard this with your life, as it will guide your destiny and determine your fate.  With my deepest sympathy, A.T.W.

Keegan’s mother had raised him alone, his father having refused to acknowledge the boy as his own when Keegan’s mother had turned up pregnant.  When Keegan was just nine however, his mother had died of an illness never identified by the doctors.  After her death, his father had reluctantly taken him into his home, although the hateful old man had pointedly told Keegan that once he reached the age of eighteen he was on his own.  As he grew older, he discovered his father to be a self-centered and hateful old man who saw no good in anyone or anything.  It was this poisonous attitude that had finally destroyed what little relationship they had, as Keegan’s father had shut him out of his life.

Keegan found himself staring unblinking into the eyes of the dragon on the ring.  He tried to focus; shaking his head to rid himself of his dark thoughts like a dog shakes itself free of water.  Taking off his glasses, he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms, trying to force away the fog that was clouding his vision.  It was then that he noticed an itching sensation coming from his ring finger.  Putting his glasses back on he looked down at his hand and was startled to see that the stone in the dragon’s mouth appeared to be glowing.

Oh, this can’t be good.

He tugged at the ring but it refused to come free as he pulled and twisted.

That’s odd, it slipped on easily this morning.

He pulled harder, but the ring simply would not budge.  He leaned back in his chair and sighed.  He glanced out his office window and noticed a large black raven perched on the ledge outside.  The glossy black bird cocked its head to one side when it saw Keegan watching and quickly ruffled its feathers, leaped into the air and was gone.

Hmph.  That’s the third day this week that stupid bird has been there.  If I didn’t know better I’d swear the thing was watching me.

Getting up from his desk, he decided a quick walk in the small park across the street would help clear his head, and on the way back to the office he could stop at the corner store and pick up some dish detergent to slip the ring off his finger.

“I’ll be back in a minute Tim,” he said to the assistant at the front desk in the lobby.  “I need a breath of fresh air.”

“Certainly, Mr. Whitestone.  I’ll forward all your calls to voicemail while you are out.”

As he strode outside and headed for the park he let his mind wander.  As it often did, his thoughts turned to his years spent with the company.  He had started with Fischer & Sons as a simple clerk working his way through college, then decided to stay on with the company when he graduated.  Since then, he had worked his way up to a more senior post, but the position had no challenge any more and left him empty.  It had been only a few months since his thirtieth birthday, and Keegan had been brooding ever since.  He was successful by most standards, with a promising career and a nice apartment on the good side of town, but he was alone.  He was a handsome young man of average height, with dark hair that was probably a bit longer than his superiors would prefer.  His most striking feature however was his eyes, which were a smoky grey in color.  He never had a problem socializing while in college and dated a number of nice young women, but it never seemed the right fit.  Now past thirty he was beginning to wonder if solitude was his destiny.

Walking across the green commons area of the park, Keegan headed for his favorite section – the small hedge maze.  He had always come here to study and now used the small courtyard at its center as an escape from the monotony of his daily routine.  He began coming here at lunch because of the peace and quiet the spot offered.  He had never been the type to socialize with his coworkers much, preferring instead to keep to himself and read.  While the others in his office would go to the local pub for lunch and gossip, he would come here and read or think.

Sitting down on the small bench, he looked down at his ring again.  It did not seem to be glowing any more, although it could just be the glow was lost in the bright sunlight.  His finger seemed to have stopped itching as well.  Chalking the whole thing up to his imagination, he leaned back and closed his eyes, relaxing in the warmth of the afternoon sun.

“You know, you really should try and socialize more; you’re leading a dreadfully lonely life,” said a voice from out of nowhere.

Keegan sat bolt upright and looked around, but saw no one.  He leaned back and started to relax when the voice spoke again, only this time much closer.

“It’s not polite to ignore someone when they speak to you.  If you’d be so kind I’d like to have a word.”

He sat up again, quite perplexed and noticed a large black cat sitting next to him on the edge of the stone bench.  He must not have noticed the cat sitting there before, although it should have been hard to miss thanks its piercing green eyes and the blood red jewel that hung around its neck.

“Yes, I’m the one that spoke,” said Acamar.  “No, you are not dreaming.  Happy now?”

Keegan just stared at the cat, not believing what had just happened.  The cat had talked to him!  The beast’s lips moved and everything; if this was a trick, it was a damn good one, he thought.

Acamar jumped down off the bench and walked over to face Keegan, sitting down directly in front of the young man.

“I told my Master that you would never believe I could talk, so he said I could choose another more believable shape.”

As Keegan watched, the big black cat transformed before his eyes into a rather tall, older man wearing black robes and wire rimmed glasses.  Keegan also noticed the same blood red jewel now hanging as a pendant around the older man’s neck.

“I suggest you close your mouth; it’s not a very flattering look for you, not to mention that you may very well swallow a bug,” said Acamar as he sat down beside the flustered young man.

Keegan, not realizing his jaw had dropped, clamped it shut and flushed a bright red.  He could not believe what he just saw!

“I must be asleep; cats don’t talk and they certainly don’t turn into people,” he muttered to himself.  He shook his head as if to clear the dust from his thoughts and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

“Technically speaking I’m not a cat,” said Acamar.  “I’m actually a person just like you only I have the ability to turn myself into other things, in this case a large black tabby cat.  When I was assigned to my current position as an assistant to the Guardian, the Council decreed that I spend most of my time in the form of a cat.  On the positive side, I tend to attract less suspicion from mortals like you when I am on this side of the world.  A bit ironic mind you, given I’m dreadfully allergic to the damn beasts.”

Keegan stood up quickly, dusting off his suit as he stood.

“Right!  I need to wake up and get back to the office before I’m fired.”

He smacked himself soundly on the cheeks with both hands, but Acamar merely sat on the bench with his arms crossed, looking rather amused as he gazed at Keegan over his spectacles.

“I assure you that you are not asleep, my boy,” said Acamar.  “In fact, I need you to be quite alert and pay attention, as I have been sent to summon you before the Council.”

“Excuse me?”

“The High Council of Magic,” said Acamar.  “They’re the ones who set the rules and insure that balance and order are maintained.”

“I don’t understand - the balance and order of what?”

“Of this planet dear boy,” said Acamar in a slightly exasperated tone, gesturing around him with his arms.  “They keep these two worlds of ours in balance.”

“Two worlds?” asked Keegan, who was beginning to feel rather confused.  After all, it’s not every day that one sits down in the middle of a maze and has a discussion with a man who moments before was a large black tabby cat.

“You really don’t have a clue, do you?” asked Acamar as he leaned forward and squinted at Keegan as if he were an unknown life form.

“About what?” Keegan snapped, his head starting to spin.

“About how this world works and your relatively important place in it,” said the mage.

Keegan snorted and looked askance at the man in front of him.

“I think I have a pretty good idea of how this world works.  My position in it is about as far from important as it gets!”

Turning on his heel, he started to head for the exit to get away from this obviously insane man who kept babbling on about magic.  He made a mental note to himself to alert the security guards at the office to be on the lookout for this idiot.  Suddenly, Keegan came to an abrupt halt.  The exit from the courtyard that lead out into the maze should be directly in front of him.  The only problem however, was that it was not there any more.  The place where the hedge parted for the pathway just moments ago now looked as if it had grown together fifty years ago.  Where there should have been a cobblestone path were now brambles, underbrush and a very large oak tree.

“It isn’t going to hurt you to listen, and you might end up even liking your new job,” said Acamar as he rose to his feet.

Standing a good head higher than Keegan, he towered over the young man.  His black robes made him that much more imposing.  He stroked his grey streaked goatee as he paced back and forth.

“You see my Master is one Phineas Whitestone, your grandfather.  He has determined that you are to be apprenticed to him, to learn his secrets and become Guardian, the Keeper of the Amulet.”

“Wait a minute.  I admit that my grandfather was Phineas Whitestone, but he’s been dead for years.”

“I don’t recall him saying anything about being dead,” said Acamar.  “I do believe he would’ve mentioned it and he appeared to have all his faculties about him when last we spoke.”

Sitting down on the bench next to Keegan, Acamar looked over the rim of his glasses at the young man.  “Keegan, do you know how old your father was when he died?”

“He had just turned 60.  Why do you ask?”

“Because he was older, Keegan.  Much older, actually.  You see, we have much longer life spans on the other side of the Veil.  Over here, without as much magic surrounding us, our lives are much shorter.  Your father was closer to the age of 150 or so when he passed.  Master Whitestone is much older even than that.  My boy I promise you that I could not be more real and I assure you, Master Whitestone is most certainly alive.  I realize this is all a bit sudden, but the Guardian can explain in much greater detail than I.  Just come with me and meet with him, and you will be free to ask as many questions as your heart desires.”

Keegan looked straight at Acamar.

“Go where?  I told you, he’s dead!  Even if I thought there was some chance he had lived to be over two hundred years old, do you think I should just trust you and go running off to God knows where?  You’re a total stranger who talks nonsense about some mystical Council and a Keeper or ‘Guardian’ of God knows what - hell I don’t even know your name!”

“My name is Acamar.  Acamar Troelus Wycroft, and that’s Keeper of the Amulet or if you prefer, Guardian of the Veil,” the older man said.  “I have been assigned to the Keeper for the past three hundred fifty years, and the Blackstar amulet is what separates our worlds and keeps them safe.  The heart of the amulet focuses the energy necessary to maintain the Veil between our worlds.  That is why you do not see dragons flying down Broadway or goblins selling newspapers.  You see, when I mentioned our ‘two worlds’ a moment ago, it may have been misleading.  There really is only one planet Earth, but there are two separate realities sharing the planet; one is magic and one is not.  Think of two planets separated by a tether of magic, only instead of orbiting each other side-by-side one exists in another plane of reality. Your magic will function just fine here and now on this side of the Veil, but it would likely get you locked up and dissected by some government agency.  Your magic would also not be as strong over here, as the Veil traps most of the magical energy on the other side, where we exist.  The Veil cloaks our world from non-magic outsiders – those who don’t understand us, never will and would persecute us had they the chance.”

Walking over to where Keegan was standing, Acamar crossed his arms and looked down at the young man from over the tops of his glasses.  ”I knew you would be difficult to convince, so your grandfather instructed me to show you a few things.  First, look closely at the family ring passed down to you upon the death of your father.”  He nodded towards Keegan’s right hand on which he wore the signet ring delivered to him so mysteriously several years ago.

Keegan glanced down at the ring, not quite knowing what to expect.  He remembered how the stone had begun to glow earlier and how he had been unable to remove the ring from his hand.

“Have you noticed anything different about it lately?”

“Well…”

“Yes?”

Keegan felt foolish.  He was standing in the middle of a hedge maze talking to a stranger dressed in black robes.  Furthermore, the stranger had shown up in the form of a cat and then told him he should come to another dimension to talk with his dead grandfather.

“It was glowing.  The stone was glowing earlier today,” he finally said feeling like a complete fool for saying it aloud.

“Is that all?”

“Not exactly.  It started itching and when I tried to pull the ring off my finger it wouldn’t budge.”

Acamar smiled.  “Master Whitestone awakened your ring from its long slumber.  It is intertwined with your spirit and destiny; that’s why you couldn’t remove it earlier.”

Keegan examined his ring more closely, not knowing what to say with this new revelation.

“Look closely at the shield etched into the stone; do you see the two circles intertwined?  Those represent our two realities or worlds, and the Veil that separates them.  That ring was forged over one thousand years ago, just after the Great Council was first convened.  They selected three families, one each from the three different sects of wizards; the color of your stone indicates the particular order to which your family belonged.  They were white for Good, grey for Neutral and finally Black, which represented dark magic.  Master Whitestone, the current Guardian, was recently elected by the Council to ascend to the leadership position of Chancellor.  As the last surviving member of this family’s bloodline you are the heir apparent, or apprentice apparent as it were.”

“So now you’re telling me I’m a wizard?” asked Keegan in disbelief.

“No,” sighed the older man.  “Merely that you have the potential to become one.  That somewhere, deep down inside you resides a core of magic that has been long dormant.  Given some time and the proper tutelage, you will hopefully master the skills that lie somewhere within.”

“So what does the ‘Guardian’ do?  How does the Blackstar amulet work?” asked Keegan.

“Alas, dear boy, that is not up to me to explain.  My task is simply to bring you before the Council.  They will explain further and set out to educate you in your responsibilities.”  Provided they don’t dice you up into little bits and feed you to one of the couriers, of course, thought the old wizard to himself.

Acamar took out a pocket watch and glanced at the time.  Turning to Keegan, he said, “Our time is drawing to a close.  We must be off now to the Council; they are not ones to be kept waiting by a mere apprentice-to-be.”

Looking at the large, imposing man in front of him, Keegan thought about what Acamar just told him.  This is all ridiculous he thought; there’s no such thing as magic.  He wished there was – more than anyone could know.  He had always loved reading fantasy novels when he was a kid, reading about magic and dragons, elves and faeries.  Then he grew up and reality set in, banishing his dreams to the darkness of the past.

Acamar smiled at Keegan with what appeared to be pity.

“You don’t have much to lose, you know.  You can always tell your boss you were taken to hospital because of food poisoning.”

Keegan sighed, crossing his arms and looking up at the wizard.

“Oh, what the hell.  I’m in a dead end job anyway.  How do we get to this Council of yours?” he asked.

“Easy.  You open a gateway and we step through.”

“I what?”

“You open a gateway.  It is a portal, which allows us to cross through the Veil.  Your scientists would probably call it a ‘wormhole’ or some other fanciful scientific name; to us it is simply a gateway or portal to our world.  Mind you, portals are very closely regulated by the Guardian.  Only a few are allowed to pierce the Veil and pass through, otherwise you would have people popping through to your side of the world just to cause mischief.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it, my boy.  Let’s say I’m an art lover.  If portals were unregulated, what would stop me from opening one in the Louvre, snatching the Mona Lisa and then stepping back to my side of the Veil?  How would your police forces stop me?  Worse yet, what if I was power-mad and decided I was the rightful master of this side of the world?  Do you really think the military or intelligence services would be able to stop me if I could open a portal and bring through a few hundred trolls or a couple of dragons?  The Veil is here for a reason, Keegan.  As I said before, it protects each side of the world from the other.”

Keegan, sobered by Acamar’s comments, realized the responsibility the Guardian must bear and the immense power it must take to enforce the separation of the world.

“Now, my young apprentice-to-be, it is time to try your first spell.”

Keegan looked at the man as if he had just asked him to step off the roof of his office building.  “I can’t do magic,” said Keegan.  “Besides, even if I could I don’t have a wand or anything.”

Acamar’s face suddenly darkened, carrying the expression of someone who had just eaten a roach. “People on this side of the Veil are so stereotypical,” he said with obvious distaste.  “I suppose you think all witches have warts and all wizards wear pointy hats?”

“Well, yeah, I guess so.”

“Well they don’t!  Wizards and witches are like you and me; they have everyday jobs, eat everyday foods, and so forth.  Granted, when in our world, we generally wear our robes rather than those drab old clothes you normals wear.  We don’t all use wands, either.  Some do yes, but some use rings, brooches or pendants.  Some wizards and witches are powerful enough that they don’t use a talisman; those whose talent leans towards potions are a good example.  Likewise, those of us who sometimes take the form of animals have little need for wands - cats don’t have pockets, you know!”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean offense,” replied Keegan sheepishly.  He felt foolish for being so narrow minded.  “Until you appeared I didn’t even believe in magic; I’m still not certain I do anyway.”

”I have little patience for stereotypes my young apprentice, especially from those who are uneducated about the topic at hand.  You may not need a talisman; I do not know - your talent will determine that in time.  For now, you will likely rely on your ring which at the moment knows more about your magic than you do,” said Acamar in a more patient tone.

Acamar walked over to Keegan and placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder.  “The most important aspect of your talent is confidence.  Now, I want you to follow my instructions and we will start you on your journey.”

Keegan looked up at the older man and then back down at his ring.  He had never believed in magic before or anything else really.  Keegan gazed into the stone set into his ring and felt something stirring deep within himself.

“I’ll do my best.”

“Point your ring at the hedge,” said Acamar.

“Okay.”

“Now close your eyes and concentrate.  Picture a doorway in the hedge and repeat the phrase ‘vervoers portaal.’”

Keegan glanced at his ring again and then at Acamar.

“I feel like an idiot.”

He raised his hand and pointed the ring at a section of the hedge.  Picturing an archway in the hedge, he repeated the phrase as the older man had instructed.

“Vervoers portaal.”

Nothing happened.

Acamar looked quite amused at the attempt.  “Now try again.  Close your eyes and concentrate on your ring, then say it as if you really believe it this time.  Push forward with your mind, willing the magic to pierce the Veil.”

“Vervoers portaal,” intoned Keegan as he focused on his dragon-ring with his mind’s eye.  He felt a hot surge of energy welling up from somewhere within him.  It shot outward through his right arm, down through his signet ring and outward towards the privet hedge.  With a low rumble akin to distant thunder the hedge in front of him stretched and twisted, contorting itself until a perfect six-foot arch had appeared.  Keegan’s jaw dropped open and he stared in disbelief at the archway.  Beyond it, he could see what appeared to be the same cobblestone path that led into the hedge maze.  The portal seemed to hang in the air effortlessly, the surface distorted slightly by eddies and swirls that played across its face.

“I don’t believe it,” he said with a grin at Acamar.  “I don’t freaking believe it!  I just did magic!”

The older wizard chuckled as he smiled at Keegan.

“You see, my young apprentice, confidence and strength of will are your ally.  Your biggest weakness is your lack of faith; you don’t really believe in anything, least of all yourself.  Believe it or not, you are quite capable of many great things - both good and evil.”

The grin faded from Keegan’s face as a new realization dawned on him.

“How do you know so much about me?  Things that I don’t even know myself?”

“It’s my job,” said Acamar.  “Part of my penance is to serve as an assistant to the current Guardian.  I am messenger, bodyguard, gopher, you name it.  My current master required information when he determined who his successor would be, thus I know all there is to know about you.”

“Wait a minute.  You said your service to my grandfather was a ‘penance’ for something.  Why are you being punished?”

“I am serving a sentence for a rather inept decision on my part a very long time ago, in my youth,” said Acamar.  “I won’t bore you with all of the gory details; let’s just say I chose the wrong side of a political debate.”

“So you’re a slave because you didn’t agree with someone?”

“The debate happened to center around the future of the veil.  It ended with an uprising by an element of the dragons against the High Council,” said Acamar.  “At the time I believed the dragons to be correct in their assessment of the situation and joined their cause.  I see now that I could not have been more wrong.”

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to pry.”

“My punishment was just and given the fate of others, quite mild in comparison,” said the older man.

“So now what?”

“Well you’ve made your first gateway, so I suggest we put it to good use before it dissipates.  Just step through to the other side, like walking through a door.”

With one more glance at his new companion, Keegan took a deep breath and stepped into the archway he had just conjured into being.

~~~~

Chapter 4 – Dark Thoughts

The inner chambers of Council member Cedric Thornback reflected his personality - dark, cold and foreboding.  He sat at his desk, gazing out the tower window at the night sky, bony fingers steepled under his nose.  His pinched features, hardened by the dim glow coming from the wisp hovering above his desk, looked as if they were chiseled from a block of ice.  Cedric’s assistant, a large raven, sat preening itself on a stand in the corner.  She had tried engaging him in conversation twice already and had given up - having a large leather-bound edition of Dark Arts and the Pursuit of Power thrown at her was enough of a hint.  He was never a cheerful person even on his best days and having received news that he was to be passed over for leadership of the Council for the third time had soured his mood even further.  She fluttered over to the fireplace and scratched a symbol in the ashes with her talon.

“Incinerata invigoratus!” she squawked, with a sharp flap of her wings toward the dark stones of the fireplace.  With a flash, the hearth jumped to life and a blazing fire leapt into being, spreading its heat through the chill of Cedric’s chambers.  Cedric cut his dark, almost black eyes, around to where his assistant perched on the now warm hearth.

“Had I wanted a fire, I would have lit one, you know,” he hissed at her as he sank lower in his chair.  “I enjoy the chill of the evening.”

Nisha shot a frosty glance at the wizard and ruffled her feathers.

“You have your robes to keep you warm; I only have these damn feathers.  If you enjoy freezing to death, then go sit on the balcony and do so by yourself,” she snapped.

“So change to human form if you don’t like your feathers,” he said, feigning innocence.

”You know that is forbidden!  I have already been in human form today.  You know the Administrative Rules - hell you helped write them,” she squawked angrily.

He loved to bait her like that; reminding Nisha of her restrictions absolutely infuriated her.  She had been under enchantment in the Administrative Service for almost one hundred years now - a long time by even the Service’s standards.  Cedric had never bothered to ask what she had done to earn such a punishment - life as an aide and restricted to one transfiguration to human form per day.  She was really quite an efficient assistant, keeping Cedric’s office organized and his appointments up to date.  Life as a Council member was hectic enough, but he was also the leader of his order and a master of the Dark Arts.  On any given day, he received several hundred notes and letters from the various members of his sect, usually requesting favors or his advice on matters involving the darkest of magic.

“Temper, temper, my dear assistant,” he chided.  “Mind your manners or I’ll be using your tail feathers for quill pens again.”

She shot him one last harsh look and then returned to warming herself by the fire.  She knew the limits of her master’s temper and decided against pressing beyond them.  Although she despised Master Thornback, she needed him.  She knew that eventually with his return to power and the reunification of the two worlds, he would release her from her life of servitude.

“I have an additional task for you my dear,” he said in an oily voice.  “Your observation of young Master Whitestone is to continue, however I now want to know everything available about the background of our young friend.  He should be arriving sometime this evening, if all goes as planned.  If I’m not mistaken, Master Whitestone sent his aide to fetch the boy yesterday.”

“As you wish Master,” she said.  “If I may ask, why the sudden interest in the young man’s background?”

“You may not ask,” Thornback said with an icy tone.  “As far as anyone is concerned, I am merely upholding my duty as a member of the High Council.  I must be prepared for when I interview the boy, to reassure myself that he is the correct choice for the position.”

“Huh!”  She had an inkling of what he might be up to, though.  He had been denied leadership of the Council already because of his strong views about the link between the two worlds.  Although according to the Council’s official decision he was ‘far too valuable an asset’ as an Advisor on the Dark Arts to the sitting Chancellor, Nisha knew it was because he had been branded a radical.  She personally thought it was because the other Council members, even those of his own order, were afraid of what he might do with the power of the leadership position.

“What was that?” asked the dark wizard, swiveling his chair around to face his assistant.

“Nothing Master, merely clearing my throat,” she said quickly.  She had learned the hard way when to hold her tongue in Cedric’s presence.  She had just grown back a new set of tail feathers and had no intention of them being plucked out again.

“Mmm.  Off with you then.  I want your report tomorrow, before the other Council members arrive in the city,” he said as he turned back towards his desk and its ever-present pile of scrolls and papers to answer.

Nisha ruffled her feathers one last time, turned and flew from the chambers, leaving Cedric to his work.  She had barely reached the corridor outside when she heard a muttered incantation and a loud crack as the dark mage extinguished her nice warm fire.

~~~~

Chapter 5 – A Journey Started

Keegan, standing in the archway he had just created, looked around at his new surroundings; it looked just like the path he had taken to enter the maze - same stones, same little garden statuaries and so forth.  Somehow, it just did not feel the same though.  It was as if he had been asleep and was suddenly jolted awake by a bucket of cold water thrown in his face.

“Ahem,” Acamar cleared his throat, motioning for Keegan to move forward.

“Sorry,” said Keegan.  “It’s just that this is a little overwhelming, is all.”

Acamar placed his hand gently on the younger man’s shoulder “I understand my boy, really I do.”  The older man smiled as he reached forward and gave Keegan a sudden shove that pushed him the rest of the way through the archway and onto the path beyond.

“Hey!  What the hell did you do that for?” shouted Keegan, stumbling to regain his balance.

“I told you before that we need to get moving; the Council will not wait forever.  As a mere apprentice it would be considered an intolerable insult for you to keep them waiting,” said the older man as he stepped through the archway himself.  With a sharp crack, the opening in the hedge spiraled shut.

“Now what?” asked Keegan, falling into step behind Acamar.

“Now we catch your ride to the castle where the High Council meets,” said the older man as he made his way down the path.

“Wait, let me guess – a really big broomstick, right?” asked Keegan, snidely.

Acamar stopped in his tracks, his back going rigid as he whirled around to face the young man.  “Now let’s get this straight youngling,” he said icily, his finger not an inch from Keegan’s face.  “You may think this is all gimmickry and foolishness, but it is far more serious than you could ever imagine.  If the order of the Dark Arts has his way and ascends to a position of power then both our realities will be in jeopardy.  If nothing else, you will show respect for the arts and the people that wield them or I will personally turn you into a goat and feed you to the nearest dragon!”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean...” stuttered Keegan.

“I don’t care what you did or didn’t mean,” hissed the older man.  “You will learn that magic is not a toy to be trifled with and believe me, it is far better for your long term survival if you learn that from me and not from your enemies.”

Keegan was suddenly getting a lump in the pit of his stomach.  His companion had failed to mention a threat to his life before. “What do you mean enemies?  I don’t even know anyone here.”

“Do you honestly think that everyone was in favor of bringing an outsider like yourself into a position of this much power and responsibility?  If Thornback has his way, you’ll be incinerated on the spot and your ashes used to fertilize the gardens at the castle,” Acamar replied.

“Who is ‘Thornback’?” asked Keegan, not quite believing what he had just heard.

Acamar sighed, leaning against a tree for support.  “I’m sorry, I should say Master Thornback.  I have known him for several hundred years and have grown to loathe the man.  Cedric Thornback is an ambitious, power hungry, deceitful man who just happens to be the head of the order of the Dark Arts.  Master Thornback has been passed over for the position of Chancellor twice before and without a strong wizard in charge of the Council things are likely to get very ugly.  Master Whitestone, the one to whom you shall be apprenticed, is the only wizard with both the courage and the power to face down the threat posed by Thornback.”

“It sounds complicated,” said Keegan.

“Complicated isn’t exactly the word I would use in this case.  Your government officials can’t summon demons to kill their opponents,” said Acamar with a chuckle.

“Demons?  Surely you can’t be serious!”

“It has happened on occasion, although the last time was back in 1804,” Acamar said. “The practice fell out of fashion because demons are too tricky to control; doesn’t take much for one to turn on the wizard that called it into being, you see.  It’s much easier to resort to the tried and true methods of poisons, hexes and such.”

If he did not know better, Keegan would swear that the older man was toying with him.  As the two men continued down the path that normally would have led Keegan back to his office building, he began to notice subtle differences.  The hum and buzz of traffic was absent; in its place however, was another sound he could not quite make out.  It was a distant whistling sound like something moving through the air at a very high speed.  As they reached the edge of the park, Keegan stopped suddenly.  The street was still there, but it was cobblestone instead of pavement; the buildings were not quite right either.  Where his office building should be was a large fountain with something that looked like a griffin standing in the middle spouting water.  The other buildings looked as if they had been built eons past, yet they still stretched high overhead.  The people bustling about were what really caught his attention; though everyone was dressed in robes like Acamar’s.  He also noticed creatures that were not quite human moving amongst the crowd.

Suddenly the sound that Keegan had heard reached a level he could no longer ignore.  A shadow passed over him and he looked skyward; hurtling straight towards him was the largest dragon he could have imagined!

“Look out!” he screamed at Acamar, who just stood there with an amused grin while Keegan panicked and dove headfirst into the bushes at the edge of the path.  The dragon landed with an earthshaking whump not five feet from where the older man stood.  Keegan carefully peeked out of the hedge and saw Acamar walking right up to the beast!  The older man stopped ten paces directly in front of the dragon and bowed deeply.

“Greetings, Brimstone!  You have been well, I hope?” asked Acamar.

“Greetings my old friend; all is well with you, I hope?” the dragon inquired, bowing his head slightly in return as wisps of smoke curled upward from his nostrils.  The beast stood at least fifteen feet tall at the shoulder with enormous, bat-like wings, now folded neatly at its sides.  The most striking thing of all was its color - it was the darkest, blood red that Keegan had ever seen, yet its cat-like eyes were a brilliant gold.

“I am quite well my friend, though I’ve been given the task of baby-sitting the dunderhead in the bushes over there,” said Acamar, gesturing to the hedge where Keegan had landed.

The dragon chuckled deeply and swung its massive head over to where Keegan’s head was poking out of the bush.  “You may come out youngling,” the beast said.  “I have been sent to transport you to the Council, not to eat you.”

Keegan was not quite sure whether to believe the creature or not.  Deciding he did not really have a choice, he slowly clambered up out of the bushes.

“It’s just that I’ve never seen a dragon before, much less had one speak to me,” he said with a hint of defiance in his voice.

Acamar walked over to where Keegan now stood and patted the boy roughly on the back.

“Allow me to introduce you to Brimstone, one of the courier dragons currently in service to the Council.  He will transport you to the castle where the Council convenes.”

“Wait a minute,” said Keegan as the realization sank in.  “You mean you’re leaving me with a dragon?”

“Aye lad, I am; Brimstone has been a trusted courier for as long as I can remember and he can offer you much stronger protection than I ever could.”  Giving a slight bow to Brimstone, Acamar turned on his heel and transformed back into the large black tabby.  “And remember,” he said over his shoulder “show respect above all else.”  Bounding off through the bushes, he quickly disappeared.

“You needn’t worry youngling.  No harm shall come to you while you are in my care,” said the dragon.  “Climb into the harness and we shall be off.  We must make haste.”

Realizing he had little choice, Keegan walked over to the dragon’s front legs, which looked like two great scaly red trees with great curving talons digging into the soft ground.  Strapped to the dragon’s breast was a large harness, although it was more like a small gondola cab really, centered between Brimstone’s forelegs.  He grasped the rope ladder dangling from it and climbed upward into the cab; after pulling up the rope ladder, he secured the door.  “I’m ready,” he shouted out the window.

Brimstone craned his neck downward and eyed the cab and its occupant.  “Look in the compartment under the seat.  You shall find a set of robes there.  One must wear the proper attire for an appearance before the High Council.  To appear before them in your mundane clothing would be disrespectful.”

“All right,” said Keegan, cringing at the smell of the dragon’s hot, sulfurous breath.

This thing could obviously turn him to a cinder with a single snort if it so desired.  He unlatched the top of the seat and opened the hinged lid.  Within the small compartment, he found a set of grey robes and a small leather belt with several pouches attached, along with a set of soft leather boots.  Shedding his suit and dress shoes (but deciding to keep his t-shirt and boxers on), he put on the robes and boots and then picked up the belt.  Looking through the pouches, he discovered that one of them contained several odd looking gold and silver coins.  Another contained a dozen or so vials, each with a different colored liquid inside, while a third contained bits of parchment and a small writing quill.  The fourth contained a dozen sachets with foul smelling powders in them.  Placing the belt around his waist, he put his wallet in one of the inner pockets.  It was then he noticed Brimstone had turned his great scaly neck downward and was watching him with interest.

“What is all this stuff, anyway?” he asked the dragon.

“”The Guardian thought it best if you had a few coins and tools of your trade in the event we are separated,” the beast hissed.  The potions and powders will serve to protect you if necessary.  They are the prepackaged kind that even a child could use.  Simply follow the instructions written on the container and they should function well enough.  Not as good as the true potion made from scratch of course, but they are at least dependable.”

Rising to his full height, the great dragon stretched out his powerful wings and took to the air with a sudden upward thrust.  Unprepared for such an abrupt takeoff, the force threw Keegan to the seat of the cab quite violently.  Terrified of heights, he quickly fastened the leather seat straps around his waist and hung on to the handholds for dear life as Brimstone banked sharply to the right and turned towards the north.  Quickly gaining speed and altitude with each powerful beat of the dragon’s wings, the ground receded until the park where Keegan had entered this world was just a speck in the distance.

~~~~

Chapter 6 - Detour

They had been in the air for over two hours, continuing to angle northward on their way to meet the Council members.  Keegan tried to watch the scenery to get some idea of what this world looked like compared to his own, but they were simply moving too fast and too high for him to see any details.  As the sun was beginning to set, the temperature began to drop, a fact not lost on Keegan since the gondola cab he was riding in had three open windows.  He had just worked up to a good bout of shivering when he noticed that the dragon began to angle downward, towards what looked like a small valley nestled between two small mountains.  There was no sign of any buildings.

Surely, the Council doesn’t meet out here in the middle of nowhere.

“Hang on, little man,” rumbled the dragon, as he suddenly closed his wings tightly to his sides and dove straight downward to the valley below.

The sudden descent pressed Keegan back into the seat, even as he gripped the leather hand straps in shear terror.  As the ground rushed up at them, he was certain the dragon had decided to commit suicide by diving straight into the mountain.  With a sharp snap, the dragon’s wings suddenly opened just seconds before they reached the ground.  Stretching his wings wide, the dragon gave one huge flap and touched down as gently as a butterfly landing on a flower.  Keegan unlatched the door of the gondola and stumbled out onto solid ground.

“What the blazes were you trying to do, kill me?” shouted Keegan as he tried to regain his balance.

The dragon just glanced down at him with a toothy grin and started chuckling, a sight even more unnerving than Keegan would have thought.

“If I had wanted to kill you there are much simpler ways, youngling,” the dragon snorted as wisps of smoke curled up from his nostrils.  “For example, if I don’t roast you alive I could leave you here in this valley, lost and alone until you are found by those who seek to prevent your apprenticeship to the Guardian.”

“But why would anyone want to prevent my apprenticeship?”

Keegan noticed a certain look in the dragon’s eye that he decided he really did not like.  He had the distinct feeling that he was going to end up as the beast’s dinner or worse, left to fend for himself in the mountains.

“There are those who believe that the separation between magic and non-magic is long overdue to end,” the dragon hissed.  “When that separation ends, the non-magic shall take their proper place, serving their masters.  I am told that a missing apprentice would help bring our worlds together that much quicker.”

“You said ‘when’ the separation ends,” said Keegan as he edged backwards towards the forest behind him.  “I thought you were a loyal servant of the Council?”

The dragon advanced on him, lowering its head until it was now level with Keegan.

“I have served the Council for all of my adult life, ever since the Great Uprising five hundred years ago.  Those of us who refused to surrender were put into bondage as punishment.”

Brimstone stood up to his full height and tore the harness from his breast.  Behind where the gondola cab had been was a solid gold amulet the size of a dinner plate, hung ‘round the dragon’s neck with a gold link chain.  Keegan could see some strange writing on the amulet, and could see there was a giant emerald the size of a baseball set in the center.  “This accursed amulet has kept me in slavery to the Council, but with the completion of my current task, my servitude comes to an end.”

“That is correct, Dragon.  You have served well and fulfilled your contract.”

This new voice was one that Keegan had not heard before.  He whirled in the direction of the sound and saw a hooded figure in dark robes standing not ten feet from him.  Something was not right though, as the figure appeared slightly translucent.  The figure turned slowly towards Keegan “Greetings young candidate; I would like to welcome you to your first and - in all likelihood - last trial that will test your worthiness as an apprentice to the Guardian.”

Brimstone stood to his full height, obviously displeased with the shift in attention.

“I have completed my task, have I not?  I am risking a death sentence to fulfill this bargain, wizard.  I am betraying not only the head of an order but the entire Council,” he hissed at the apparition, obviously waiting for his reward.

The figure gestured half-heartedly with one hand, not bothering to turn around.  There was a sudden sharp cracking sound and the chain holding the amulet to the dragon’s breast snapped in half.  The amulet fell to the ground and exploded into a bright blue fireball, burning furiously for a few moments before hissing out of existence.

“You are paid in full, Wyrm,” the figure said.  “Do not forget who it was that granted your freedom, for I may yet have need of your services.”

“Hmmph” snorted the huge beast, sending a twenty-foot blast of green flames just a few feet over Keegan’s head and knocking him to the ground.  The dragon stretched his wings and shot upward, climbing until he was no longer in view; only the pungent smell of sulphur left as a lingering reminder of his presence.

“Temperamental creatures, but they have the occasional use,” the hooded figure chuckled.

“Who are you?” demanded Keegan “Why have you stranded me in the middle of nowhere?”

“SILENCE, you insolent mortal!” shouted the figure, who flicked his hand in Keegan’s direction.   With a loud crack, a ring of bright red flames jumped up around where the young man stood.

“Yours is not to question, only but to survive.  Anyone claiming the right to be a future Guardian must possess both the power and intellect to maintain the balance between magic and mortal, to protect our world from theirs and us from them.  If you live to arrive at the Council, then you will have passed my challenge and be allowed to appear before the rest of the Council members.”

“But I don’t even know where the Council is!” exclaimed Keegan, beginning to panic as he realized just how desperate his situation was becoming.

Much to his horror, the hooded figure began to fade, slowly dissolving into wisps of smoke until the only thing left behind was the echoing sound of laughter.  The ring of flames surrounding him dissipated as well, leaving behind no trace – even the grass was untouched.

Keegan, in complete disbelief of what had just happened, fell to his knees.  What the hell was going on?  One moment he was safe and secure (or so he thought) and the next he was facing some unknown dark wizard who wanted him dead.  Keegan just sat there for a few moments, not quite knowing what to do next;

Wait a minute!  I can use my ring to create a doorway again, back to my own side of the veil – why didn’t I think of that before!

He quickly stood up, pointed his ring at a nearby outcropping of rocks and shouted “Vervoers portaal!”  Nothing.  Again, pointing his signet ring at the rocks, he shouted

“VERVOERS PORTAAL!” and again, nothing happened.

He knew the incantation was correct, but why was nothing happening?  He focused on his ring, allowing its image fill his mind and intoned the spell a final time.

“Vervoers Portaal.”

A slight burning sensation began to spread from his ring finger and up along his arm, increasing in intensity as it went.  The sudden pain broke his concentration and dispersed the spell.  Keegan kicked the ground in frustration and realized he had been with Acamar when he summoned his first portal.  Acamar’s presence then must have somehow helped him pierce the Veil, where he now found his spell blocked.

He looked up at the sky, now beginning to dim in the late afternoon.

“Well if nothing else I’d better find somewhere to spend the night,” he muttered to himself.  He trudged toward the edge of the forest at the base of the mountains.  Unsure of the path he should take, he wandered deeper into the woods as the twilight descended.  He looked around but could see nothing in the darkness save for the giant tree trunks all around him.  He knew he was not alone though, for every so often he would hear the low, guttural growls of something lurking beyond the trees.  The sound continued, followed by a deep rumbling sound.

What in blazes was that?

Not wanting to find out, he continued stumbling through the underbrush until he finally came to a small clearing, surrounded by large birch trees on three sides.  He slumped down to rest at the base of one of the trees, unable to go any further for the moment.  He blinked a few times to try to clear his head but his vision seemed to be blurring; he was suddenly so unbelievably tired!

I just need a small rest – yes, that’s it – a small rest…

His vision blurred further and his thoughts became jumbled, as the trees around him seemed to spin about.  Darkness followed quickly and engulfed his thoughts before his head hit the moss-covered ground.

†††

The guttural sounds increased in the distance and a few moments later a snuffling sound came from the underbrush.  Cautiously at first, a round bodied animal the size of a large dog emerged from the shadows.  Covered in coarse brown fur, the creature loped along on two oversized back legs.  Instead of eyes, it had two thin, twitching antennae sprouting from its forehead, and a leathery black nose with three slits and whiskers on each side.  Although it had no eyes, it zeroed in on Keegan’s body by scent and loped forward, its two smaller hook-shaped front limbs poised to strike.  Whiskers twitching with delight at such large prey, the animal moved in for the kill,.  As it approached, it began absorbing Keegan’s essence, feeding off the young man’s magical aura.  Suddenly it stopped, sensing the presence of another creature nearby, although it could not sense what that creature was.  Putting its nose to the air, the beast snuffled loudly trying to taste the scent of this new intruder.  It caught just the slightest wisp of a scent and froze in confusion and fear.  Before it could move however, a shining silver bolt shot from the darkness, hitting the creature directly between where the eyes should have been.  The beast collapsed in a furry heap and expired, leaving its prey untouched.

†††

Freed of the mind numbing influence of the beast, Keegan woke with a start.  Struggling to stand, he nearly fell over the carcass of his would be attacker.  Startled by the size and appearance of the animal, he staggered forward, desperate to find safety.  He did not know how long he ran through the woods; all he knew was the total exhaustion overtaking his body.

Finding a small grove of trees that provided shelter from the wind, he set about gathering dry wood for a fire.  He had no idea what he was going to do for food, but at least he would be warm.  He rummaged through his pouches looking for a match, a lighter or anything that would help him build a fire.  He pulled out a small silver metal box with strange markings on it.  Squinting in the dim light, he could just barely make out the inscription:

Warning: Fire beetles - extremely volatile.  Keep away from open flames, dry wood, leaves or other combustible materials.  To ignite, place beetle within six inches of the fuel source then poke beetle with sharp object.  Retrieve beetle from ashes after extinguishing fire and return to storage container when cool.

You have to be kidding, thought Keegan.

He opened the little silver box and saw a pair of tongs attached to the lid.  It certainly did not look very impressive; it was a dark russet color with two emerald green eye patches on its back.  Taking the tongs from the bracket, he reached further into the box and gently grabbed a beetle.  Placing it near the firewood, he poked the little insect with a sharp twig.  Not partial to being poked, the beetle made a loud clicking sound as a warning.  He poked again a bit harder and the clicking got both louder and faster but still no fire (the little insect was really irritated now).  Alright you stupid little bug, he thought and gave it a good sharp jab when WHOOSH the little insect shot a bright blue fireball into the pile of wood.  The blast of heat was enough to knock Keegan back a few feet.  The beetle was still making clicking sounds and had turned to face him; he looked down at the sharp stick in his hand and quickly threw it to the side.  Slowly the clicking subsided, and after a few moments the little insect flicked its back carapace open and shut a couple of times and then scuttled contentedly into the hot coals at the center of the fire.

Keegan had no idea where he was, much less how he was going to get to the Council.  Exhausted after his long day he leaned back against a small tree and closed his eyes, hoping to erase the last twenty-four hours of his life.

~~~~

Chapter 7 – Missing in Action

“Where’s my grandson!?” shouted Phineas, his normally calm features flushed with anger at Lord Cedric Thornback.  The two were in Lord Thornback’s Council chambers discussing the failure of a long trusted courier dragon to deliver its quite precious cargo - one Keegan Whitestone.

“Phineas my old friend, I have no idea what happened to the courier,” said Cedric in an oily voice.  “As to your young applicant for the position of apprentice, it is my understanding that he is to undergo a pre-interview qualification of his skills.”

“You have no right to do this, Cedric,” replied Whitestone in an ominous tone.  “You are bound by the by-laws of the Council and must follow its decrees.”

“The Council is nothing but a bunch of weak minded fools!” spat the dark mage “Present company excepted of course,” he said placing his hand on his breast with a smile.  “They do not have wits enough to conjure up a bowl full of toads much less choose the next Guardian.  Besides, you know as well as I that the rules of the Council plainly state the applicant shall be tested to determine his qualifications for the position.”

“Tested by the Council Cedric, not by you,” said Whitestone dryly.

“Merely a matter of interpretation my friend.”

“My grandson is an innocent, Cedric!  He knows nothing of the power that resides within himself!  The boy barely knew his father and has been raised completely in the world of science.”

“Do you honestly expect me to believe that?  How can he not sense the power that runs through his veins?  He carries the blood of the Whitestone family, Phineas.  As much as I dislike pointing this out, yours has always been one of the most powerful families!”

“His mother was a normal human without talent, Cedric.  And in case you haven’t forgotten, the boy’s father was stripped of his magic by Council when he was exiled,” said Phineas in a strained voice.  The older wizard had watched in horror as his only son fell to the temptations of power and turned away from him.  Richard’s robes had shifted quickly to black as he delved deeper into the mysteries of magic and tried to overthrow the Council and his own father.  Only the combined power of the Council and Phineas’ use of the Blackstar amulet had stopped him.

“Oh yes, that must have been hard on you, my old friend.  However, that does not change the fact that your family has had far too much power for too long.  It is time another family was chosen to hold the Guardianship.  The Council’s rules are vague Phineas, you know that.  I have as much right to test the boy as any other.”

The Guardian rose slowly, turning towards the door.

“If he is harmed Cedric, I will not be responsible for my actions.  I will remember this old friend.  That much I promise,” he said over his shoulder.

With a flourish of his robes, he strode out of Thornback’s office.  He walked quickly down the hallway to the Transit Center, the main embarkation point for the Council’s domain, since direct summoning of gateways was usually forbidden within most areas of the castle without the express permission of the entire Council.  Entering the great courtyard that marked the point of entry for most visitors to the Council’s domain, Phineas walked over to a small stone archway encrusted with vines.  Pointing his staff at the opening, he muttered an incantation and a whirling blue-white vortex appeared in the archway.  Gathering his robes about him, he ducked his head slightly and stepped through the portal into his home at Pahret T’pur.  With a strange sucking sound, the vortex snapped shut, leaving nothing but a blank stone wall.  Walking to his study, the Keeper leaned his staff against the wall and sank down into the chair by the fire with a sigh.

Acamar, who had been asleep on the warm hearth, looked up at him sleepily “That certainly didn’t take very long.”

“Cedric has decided to test our young friend before allowing him access to the Council,” said the wizard.  “He probably bribed the dragon and had him dropped in the Atlantic Ocean to see if he could swim!”

Acamar chuckled as he hopped off the hearth, morphing in mid-air into his human form.  He stretched his arms high above his head and yawned deeply as he tried to get the kinks out of his back.

“Well, I suppose the question now is what we do to help the young boy pass this so called test without getting himself killed.”

This time it was Phineas’s turn to chuckle as he rested his chin on his steepled fingers.  “I think it safe to say we should send him an assistant who could ah, help him study a bit for the test, don’t you think?” he said with a wink at his companion.  He reached into his robes and pulled out a small amulet, which popped open when he pressed the stone in the middle.  Taking out a small pinch of what looked like gold glitter he tossed it into the air.  Instantly there was a whooshing sound and a spiraling vortex of bright blue flames appeared in mid-air.  Leaning forward he waved his hand in front of the flames, whispering a soft incantation.  The flames flickered brightly and began swirling even more violently in a clockwise vortex, the center of which became clear.  Slowly the image of a face appeared in the center of the flames.  As the image cleared the person seemed to be looking directly at the old wizard.  The creature was smaller than a man, but larger than a dwarf.  Its dark skin had an almost bark-like pattern to it, but most remarkable were the creature’s eyes.  Almond shaped and glinting with cunning, the creature’s eyes glowed red like the embers of a fire.

“Phineas?  How are you old man?  I haven’t received a summons from you in fifty years if it’s been a day!”

“I am troubled, my friend,” sighed the wizard.  “As you can probably guess I have a task for you, perhaps the most vital one I have ever called upon you to perform.”

“And my payment?” the creature asked, a look of distrust on its face.

“One thousand gold Crowns, but only if you are successful of course.”

“Of course.  My, my it MUST be important for you to part with that much gold...what’s the job?”

“I need you to help ah, retrieve something for me,” said Phineas.

“What is it?” the creature asked

“Not what exactly, but who.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve lost another assistant?  If it’s that damn black cat you had, he can stay lost.”

Acamar leaned down so his smiling face could be seen by the creature.  “My love to you as well, you little miscreant,” he said acidly.

The creature was obviously not at all pleased that Acamar had avoided ending up as troll fodder.  Ignoring the Guardian’s assistant, he looked at Phineas intently, his keen red eyes glinting in the flames of the portal.

“Who have you lost and what do you want me to do with them?”

“I haven’t lost anyone,” said Phineas in an irritated tone.  “I have an apprentice who was misplaced by his courier.  It is my belief that the dragon Brimstone was bribed by Council member Cedric Thornback to shall we say, misplace the young man.  Cedric of course maintains that he is merely testing the lad, to make sure his powers and abilities are sufficient for the job.”

“Old Seedy would say that.”

Phineas ignored the obvious insult to Lord Thornback and continued.

“So what I require is for you to find him and bring him here before the Council.  However, I must insist that you be discreet; technically I am forbidden from interfering.”

“That’s why you’re not sending your precious feline friend.  I’m expendable, aren’t I?” asked the little creature indignantly.

“I’m not sending Acamar because he is my assistant and an obvious link to me.  Cedric would have great difficulty convincing the Council that you were working for me, since Dark Elves rarely associate with humans, much less a Master of White Magic.”

“True enough.  I’ll take the job, but I want two thousand,” said the creature with a cunning smile.

Ebonwood was home to the Dark Elves and remained tightly under their control despite the best efforts of the Council to exert influence over the territory.

“One thousand five hundred,” countered the mage.  “Plus a bonus of five hundred if you bring me back a pouch full of dragonsbane from the forest.”

“Then we have an agreement,” smiled the elf, obviously quite pleased with his price.  “I will track down the dragon and see what he did with his cargo.”  With an offhand wave at the flames the image vanished and Phineas’ vortex dissipated.

“Do you really think you can trust him, Master?” asked Acamar after Phineas had leaned back in his chair by the fire.

Phineas smiled sadly at Acamar, and then gazed back into the flames dancing in the hearth.

“I don’t really have a choice now do I, if I want the boy to live?”

~~~~

Chapter 8 - Found

Keegan awoke with a start to find he had dozed off while sitting next to the fire he had just made.  Night had now fallen and the forest around him was alive with strange noises.  He noticed too that his stomach was rumbling with considerable hunger, given that he had skipped lunch for that walk in the park this afternoon.  Rummaging through the pouches on his belt, he pulled out the various potions and powders; surely, he could use one of them to conjure up a turkey sandwich or something.  He could just barely make out the thin, spidery writing on the small labels in the firelight.  Words such as ‘disorient,’ ‘stealth’ and ‘petrify’ were written on the sachets of powder while ‘shrink,’ ‘grow’ and ‘dissolve’ were on the vials of liquid.  Failing to find anything even remotely edible, he decided to try his ring.  He pointed his signet ring at the ground near the fire, pictured a sumptuous feast before him and willed it to appear, for which he was rewarded with only a mild tingling sensation in his hand.  It was then that he noticed the eyes.  Two small, gleaming red eyes that were watching him out of the darkness.  His blood froze as he was gripped by fear, not knowing if he should try to fight or flee.  The eyes were staring unblinking, directly at him while they slowly edged closer.  Scrambling backwards until he hit the tree behind him, he felt the sudden tingle of panic welling up within him.

“You’ve no need to be afraid, boy; I’m not going to eat you.  Not yet, anyway.”

“Who…or what…are you?

As Keegan remained frozen with fear at the base of the tree, a small creature about four feet tall stepped into the firelight.  It was dressed in a simple dark grey tunic with a small satchel slung across one shoulder and several pouches hanging from its belt.  The creature had a dark complexion that was mottled grey; in fact, the skin looked very much like the bark on an old oak tree.  A shock of pale grey hair poked out above pointed ears, which stuck out on both sides of the cloth cap it wore.  However, the most remarkable feature of all was the creature’s eyes.  They were a piercing red color that was so vibrant they seemed to glow.  Keegan thought it must be a male, as it appeared very similar to a human, albeit a very slender one.

“I am a wood elf – also called a ‘dark elf’ among some of your race.  Those humans I choose to associate with call me Kust, as I doubt you could pronounce my true name even if I were to reveal it to you.”

Moving with a fluid motion that barely made a sound Kust sat down cross-legged next to the embers of Keegan’s fire.

“And you would be?”

“K-K-Keegan,” came the stammered response.

“Well young Master K-K-Keegan, that’s an odd name if I do say so myself.”

Easing himself back to a sitting position, Keegan joined Kust next to the campfire.

“No, you misunderstand.  My name is Keegan; it’s just that you startled me when I saw your eyes.”

His answer appeared to amuse the elf greatly.

“Well Master Keegan, you are indeed lucky; few humans get to meet any of my kind and fewer still live to tell the tale.  Fortunate you are that I was sent to find you – you very well could’ve been killed by now.”

“What?  You mean you saw that beast back at the clearing where I blacked out?”

The elf smiled quietly at Keegan as he poked the embers of the fire with a stick, sending sparks high into the night sky.

“Yes; as a matter of fact I was the one who killed it before it could start feeding.”

“What was it?  The last thing I remember was feeling dizzy and confused, then the next thing I knew I woke up beside the body of that thing.”

“The creature that tried to kill you was called a reaper.  They are solitary hunters who trap their prey by confusing their senses – that is why you passed out.  It was closing in to drain your life energy when I killed it.  It could have been much, much worse believe me.  You could have stumbled upon a herd of mongers or worse yet a haggle; a herd of mongers and we’d both be dead.”

Keegan could not believe half of what he was hearing.  He felt a hundred questions swimming through his mind but struggled to decide what to ask first.  He was still at a loss for words when a loud gurgling sound emanated from his stomach, protesting the fact it had been nearly a day since he had eaten.

“Ah, where are my manners,” said Kust.  “I should’ve known you weren’t provisioned for a trip through Ebonwood.”

Taking a small cloth from his pouch, he unrolled it until it was a three-foot square of material lying by the fire.  He murmured a phrase under his breath that Keegan didn’t quite catch and snapped his fingers.  With a sudden flash of bright light and a popping sound, a bottle of wine and basket filled with cheese and bread appeared, sitting neatly in the center of the cloth.

“You needn’t worry boy, I was sent to find you and find you I have,” the creature said. The little man uncorked the wine and poured himself a large goblet full, gesturing for Keegan to join him by the fire.  Keegan tentatively accepted a goblet of his own from the elf and settled down across him.

“Who sent you?”

“Your Master or should I say soon-to-be Master, the Guardian of the Veil.”

Kust nibbled at a piece of bread while he spoke and began slicing pieces of cheese.  “He got wind of what Old Seedy was up to and sent me out to give you a hand.”

“Old Seedy?”

The elf just rolled his eyes and sighed.  “My apologies.  I should have said Master Cedric Thornback, Honorable Wizard (if there ever was such a thing) and Head of the order of Dark Arts.”

Keegan still looked puzzled.  “Why did you call him ‘Old Seedy’?”

Looking somewhat amused, Kust explained.  “Well you see, it all started innocently enough.  When the Council passes a decree, all of the wizards place their initials at the bottom of the scroll.  Cedric of course would place his initials ‘C.T.’ in big bold letters so most of the clerks and scribes started referring to him by those.  It started out as ‘C.T.’ and then gradually became ‘Old C.T.’ and finally ‘Old Seedy’ because for one thing, it suits him.  He always looks rumpled and worn, never lights the fire in his chambers – for Ancients’ sake you’d think it would kill the old man to buy a decent set of robes for a change!”

Somewhat relieved, Keegan attacked a sandwich with more vigor. “Mmph…sorry….Ah, where exactly are we?” he asked between mouthfuls of food.

“We are just within the fringe of Ebonwood, at the base of the Dragonsback, a range of mountains that spans the length of this continent.  Normally the forest is a place anyone with an ounce of common sense would avoid.”

“I didn’t really have much choice in the matter,” said Keegan, somewhat resentfully.

“Yes, yes, I know; you were dropped here by the courier dragon.  By chance, do you know what his reward was?  It must have been significant, for him to willingly breach his contract with the Council.”

“Freedom, I suppose,” said Keegan.  “This guy in dark robes did something that made the amulet snap in half and burst into flames.”

“Did he, now,” muttered the elf.  “That would certainly be worth the risk, though I doubt he’s truly as free as he thinks.  If I know anything Old Seedy put a curse on the unbinding spell that will bring the dragon into his service forever.”

“Why would he do that?” asked Keegan

“Because he’s sneaky, underhanded and well, evil - most of the dark wizards are like that, you know.  Besides, a dragon in your service would be very useful.”

“But why is he so intent on me not reaching the Council?  I’m not even a real wizard!”

“Lord Thornback will do his best to eliminate anyone he perceives as a threat, be it real or imagined.  You just happen to be the most obvious one at the moment.”

Kust got to his feet and brought his two small hands together with a surprisingly loud ‘clap’ and the remains of their dinner vanished in a puff of smoke.  “Now lad, we need to get you North before the Council convenes.  On your feet!  You’ve got a long way to go.”

Keegan stood as well, brushing the crumbs from his robes.  “Can’t we just fly or conjure a gateway, or something?”

“Old Seedy can’t know that I’m helping you so no, we can’t use magical means to get there faster - you’re not supposed to know magic very well yet, remember?  I am to act as your guide only, so I will start you in the right direction and then come back to check on you from time to time,” the elf replied.  “Now, you need to follow the path through the forest towards the North until you come to the White River.  Once you reach the river, you will come to a small village where you can purchase transportation.  There will be a transit station where you can buy a portal ticket to the capital city, where the Council convenes.”

“Okay, but I don’t have any money other than what I brought from the other side of the Veil.”

The elf took out a few coins and handed them to the young man “This should be enough to get you there.  Mind you, I expect your Master to reimburse me once you reach the Council!  Now pay attention - the gold ones are Crowns, the silver are Shillings and the small copper ones are called Fens.  There are ten Fens to the Shilling and five Shillings to the Crown, got it?”

Keegan took the handful of coins and tucked them away in an empty pouch.  “Got it.”

“Well then, off you go!  You don’t have much time,” said the elf as he pointed Keegan down the path.

“Hang on a minute,” said Keegan, turning in protest.  “Its pitch dark out here.  How am I supposed to see the pathway?”

“Use your ring.”

“How?”

“For a light to walk by hold your ring up and say ‘anstrahlen’ or for a bright light say ‘solarus’ mind you though, that last one would blind a troll.  To extinguish the light, just say ‘umbra.’  Now why don’t you give it a try?”

Keegan glanced at Kust, then down at his ring, and said “Amstrelun.”

The elf shook his head and gave a deep sigh.  “No, no, no; ‘An-STRAH-len.’  Now try it again, only this time like you know what you’re doing.”

Somewhat annoyed, Keegan tried again by pointing his ring towards the path and saying clearly, ‘anSTRAHlen’ as Kust had instructed him.  This time he was rewarded with a blue ball of light about the size of a baseball hovering just above his hand.  Keegan muttered ‘solarus’ next and the ball of light vanished and was replaced with a bright beam that completely illuminated the pathway for a good twenty feet or more.

Kust smiled and nodded his approval.  “Much better, lad.  Now off with you and try not to get killed - you’re worth fifteen hundred Crowns to me, but only if you’re alive.”  With a sharp nod of his head toward Keegan, the elf turned and vanished into the woods.

Just lovely… not only am I lost and alone in a strange place, but now some maniacal wizard is out to kill me to satisfy his political agenda.

It had become quite dark now, so Keegan raised his hand and said “anstrahlen,” and conjured the small blue ball of light again.  He stared at it for the longest time, watching as it hovered above his hand, glowing bright enough to see the path ahead but giving off no heat.  He stared at the ghostly light until he felt like he was falling inward towards its center.  Shaking his head to clear it, he cast one last longing glance at the bright little orb.  All of his life he had dreamt about magic and now that it was literally in the palm of his hand, he still couldn’t quite believe it.

Gathering up his fire beetle from the ashes, he set off down the path that Kust had indicated.  The path snaked downward through the valley, taking him deeper and deeper into the dark reaches of the forest.  Keegan was no longer able to see beyond the sphere of light coming from his ring, which made him feel extremely exposed and vulnerable.  Turning his ankle on a loose stone, he stumbled.  He reached out in the darkness and grabbed a small tree for support as he pulled himself to his feet.  Attempting to remove his hand, he was startled to discover that he could not release his grip from the small sapling!  He pulled harder, but it accomplished little.  Bracing his feet against the base of the small tree, he pulled as hard as he could, and with a sudden loud SNAP! his hand pulled free.  He landed hard on his backside, and was just sitting up when he suddenly heard a loud guffawing off in the dark.

“Who’s there?” he shouted.

The only response was the sound of even harder laughter.  Keegan finally snapped; jumping to his feet, he whirled in the direction of the laughter.  Pointing his ring toward the sound he screamed “SOLARUS!” and with a sudden jolt a hot, white beam of light shot into the darkness, illuminating everything within a hundred feet.

“Aaaayeeaahh!” came a scream from somewhere in the center of the beam.

“Blinded us, he has!” came a second voice, shrieking in panic.

Unfortunately, Keegan couldn’t see the source of the voices as his beam of light had blinded him as well.  Shielding his eyes, he tried to peer into the distance where the sound came from.

“Show yourself!” he shouted in the direction of the voices.  “Show yourself and I’ll turn off the light.”

“Curse you!  Curse you, all right!” shouted the first voice

“Fine, we gives up just turn down the light!” came the second.

Hesitating just for a moment, Keegan said “Anstrahlen” and the light dimmed considerably, shrinking back into a small orb above his hand.  He could now make out a large figure standing in the woods.  It had large beefy hands covering its eyes to shield them from the glare.  Suddenly Keegan’s jaw dropped as he took a closer look at the creature.  Now that it was near the path he could see the creature had not just one head on its shoulders but two!

“Ya didn’t have to blind us - we was only havin’ a bit o’ fun”

“Who are you?” demanded Keegan “and why were you trying to trap me?”

As the creature shuffled closer, Keegan could see it stood roughly two heads higher than him.

“My name is Grum,” said the left head as the creature gestured towards its chest with its left hand.  “And this here’s me brother Grim,” he said pointing to the head on the right.

“Your brother?”

“Aye.”

“But you’ve only got the one body?” said Keegan.

“Aye, so?”

“Well, normally a person only has the one head….” said Keegan carefully.

“Hmph.  One might say that you’ve got one head too FEW, boy!” Grum was obviously quite unhappy with the young man’s observation.

“Look, I didn’t mean to offend you.  I’m new to these parts and quite honestly I’ve never met anyone with more than one head before.”

The creature folded its great burly arms in front of its chest.  “Hmph.  Well boy, we’ll overlook it this time.  Mind you though, we won’t be taken it so easy the next.”

“Damn right!” said Grim. “You younglings show no respect, asking a stupid question like that!”

“Look, I didn’t mean to be rude.  You just surprised me,” said Keegan.  “I’ll just be on my way and leave you -- er, the two of you -- to your own business”

Keegan started to walk forward, but noticed that the giant had placed itself squarely in the middle of the path.

“You’ll not be going anywhere just yet,” said Grum.  “T’aint often we get visitors down this deep in the forest.  Now what might ya be doin’ this far into the woods?  Hmm?  ‘Specially at this time ah the night?”

“I’ll wager two Crowns he’s a poacher!” said Grim.

“Bah! He’s too little to be a poacher, you dolt.  And he don’t have a bow, so how’s he gonna kill anythin’ eh?” retorted his brother.

“I’m not a poacher, I’m just trying to get to the river by dawn,” said Keegan.

“The river eh?  What fer?”

“I need to get to the Council before it convenes.”

“Ha!  Why should the Council give a bent fen about a scrawny youngling like you?”

“This wasn’t my idea - I was summoned, ok?” said Keegan in an exasperated tone.

At this, Grim perked up and looked hard at Keegan. “Summoned?  You was summoned, was you?”

“Yes,” Keegan replied tersely.

Grim leaned over and whispered something in Grum’s ear that Keegan couldn’t quite catch.  Whatever it was Grum obviously didn’t seem to like it, as his face took on a dark, angry look.  He  glared down at Keegan and hissed between his clenched teeth.

“YOU was sent for by the Guardian, wasn’t you?!”

With a sudden giant step forward, the creature brought the back of it’s hand down hard across Keegan’ face, landing him unconscious at the base of the tree he had just unstuck himself from minutes before.

~~~~

Chapter 9 – A Friend in Need

The High Council Hall was surprisingly nondescript, given that it was the seat of the ruling body for the magical world.  Apart from the drab surroundings, its size was the first thing one noticed, as it appeared much larger than the castle that housed it.  In the center of the Hall was an enormous granite table shaped like a twelve-pointed star, only with a large circular hole in the center.  Within the center swirled an eerie, semi-translucent mist-filled pool with a glowing blue-white crystal floating about ten feet above the surface.  Arranged around the table at each ‘point’ of the star were twelve chairs.  Nine of the chairs were for the elected members from each of the three different sects of magic, while separate chairs were reserved for the three permanent members of the Council.  The table, composed of three overlaid triangles, was itself was made from three different colors of granite.  One triangle was Black, for those representing the Dark Arts, one was white for those of the order of White Magic and one dark grey for those avowing Neutrality.  The triangles were situated in such a way that the points alternated colors.

The members of the Grey sect were typically the most influential, as the other two orders were diametrically opposed to the interests of each other.  Whenever the Council had to vote on a decision or law, it was typically the Grey members that were forced to break the Council deadlocks.  Three chairs, more ornate than the others, rested on a raised platform.  These were the places of honor reserved for the permanent members of the Council.  The Council was lead by the Chancellor, a position elected by majority vote of the twelve.  Once the Council made its choice the decision was final, for anyone who tried to interfere risked the wrath of the Oracle.

Worried about his grandson, Phineas had come to the Council chambers to think.  The Council was adjourned for now and he knew there would likely be no one there to disturb him.  He leaned back in his Council chair and stared at the Oracle; a large crystal about the size of a soccer ball.  It was glowing a deep blue-white and hovered directly over the misty pool in the center of the table.  Once summoned by the death or retirement of the current Chancellor the Oracle would remain until the new Chancellor took office.  After the confirmation of the new leader, the orb would ascend through the chamber and out the roof, taking a permanent place hovering above the central tower of the castle.  Phineas supposed this was to satisfy the Oracle that the Council’s decision was honored.  No one quite remembered when or how the Oracle had first come into being, though there were those who believed it was the remaining essence of the Ancients left behind to oversee the Council.

One of the ornate mahogany doors opened with a cavernous creaking sound and Alexander Ducat, the head of the order of Grey Wizards walked in.

“I thought I might find you here Phineas,” he said as he took a chair next to the Guardian.  “Still trying to decline your place in the spotlight?”

“No, my friend, not this time.  I fear that the Council would not take kindly to being refused three times in a row.  Besides, I’ve always wanted to wave that little silver wand under Cedric’s nose, just to see if he can really shoot flames from his nostrils,” he said with a sad smile.

Ducat chuckled.  “Now, now, I don’t think old Seedy is quite that talented, yet.  Mind you though, I think he wouldn’t hesitate to try and snatch the wand for himself if he could find a way past the big blue-white menace up there.”  Ducat leaned back in his chair and gazed upward at the crystal, watching it spin slowly above the mist.  “So when will your apprentice be here?”

“That Alex, is an excellent question,” said Phineas. “It would seem that Cedric has determined to test the boy’s mettle and make sure he measures up as a candidate before being introduced to the Council as a whole.  The courier dragon dropped my grandson in the wilderness, on the edge of Ebonwood.  The beast never returned, so I am assuming Brimstone’s freedom was the price paid in return for the favor, though Cedric denies this.”

The Grey wizard cut his eyes around at his friend.  “I’m not sure I like the sound of that, Phineas.  Cedric has lusted after power for years, but that’s awfully brazen to kidnap an apprentice.”

“My grandson’s life is at risk, Alex.  The boy only recently learned of his heritage and knows nothing about magic.  I should never have entrusted his safety to a courier; I should have had Acamar escort him.  Now I am powerless to intervene.”

“What do you mean?”

“Unfortunately, the guidelines spelled out in the Council Bylaws are a bit vague on the subject.  The Guild Rules do not offer any clarification either, I’m afraid.  As Guardian, I must simply bring my chosen apprentice before the Council for approval, where his abilities will be tested.  If one follows a loose interpretation, Cedric is within his rights to test the boy.”

“What if we were to bring the matter before the full Council for discussion?” asked Ducat.

“I doubt it would get very far.  Cedric’s order will back him and he wields a great deal of influence over certain members of the Grey order; a few skeletons that haven’t been exposed to the light of day, that sort of thing.”

“So how do you ensure that the boy arrives unharmed?”

“Technically I am not allowed to interfere, Alex.”

“Technically?”

“Technically, Alex.  Let me assure you that I am doing all within my power to ensure Keegan’s safety.  If my grandson is harmed, Cedric will regret it,” said Phineas in an ominous tone.

Alexander stood and placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder.  “I’m certain this will work itself out, Phineas.  I look forward to meeting your new apprentice, my friend,” he said with a smile as he turned and left, returning to his chambers.

Phineas stood and stretched.  He would do well to return home and rest prior to the Council gathering, he thought.  If his grandson did survive, it would be a stressful meeting indeed.  With a last glance at the Oracle, he turned and left for the Transit Gateway that would take him home.

~~~~

Chapter 10 – An Unwilling Accomplice

Nisha soared over the main castle courtyard, admiring the sparkling central fountain and the beautiful flowers that were bursting from every corner.  There were times when she definitely did not mind being bound in the form of a raven; times like this when she was flying over everyone else, she felt almost free.  Today was actually her anniversary - it had been fifty years ago today that she stood before the Council and was found guilty.  She had been sentenced to become a civil servant for a period to be determined by her Master, who was to oversee her rehabilitation.  She was currently indentured as assistant to a Lord of the Dark Arts, the current head of the Sect of Dark Wizards.  She was at least grateful that the Council had allowed her to use her natural animal form - if her master had been allowed to have his way she would have ended up as a snake or lizard or some other unpleasant creature.  She continued circling the garden until she saw her Master, Cedric, standing in the shade of an ancient, twisted oak tree.  She angled toward him and, putting aside the urge to defecate on his head, touched down lightly on the small statue next to him.

“Well well, my pretty.  It’s about time.  You’ve kept me waiting for over an hour now,” he said, not bothering to look in her direction.

“I am sorry, my Master,” she gasped.  She was still out of breath from her long flight.  “I ran afoul of storms to the south –”

“I really don’t care about your troubles Nisha, I only want the information you carry,” he snapped.

“Yes, my Master” she said.  She hopped from the statue and morphed to her normal, human self.  She put her delicate hand into the sleeve of her black robes and pulled out a small stone tablet.  Trembling slightly, she handed it to Cedric.  “You will find all of the information you requested contained within the runestone; simply utter the incantation to unlock it.”

“Excellent,” he replied as he took the small stone tablet from her and pocketed it in his robes.  “Return to your animal form.”

“But Master, I am allowed only one transfiguration to human form each day.  If I morph again now I will not be allowed to transform again until tomorrow,” she pleaded.

He turned to face his assistant, his cold grey eyes boring straight through her.  “You are indentured into my service and you will do as I say, unless you would prefer I petition the Council to make you a permanent addition to the ranks of the administrative staff.”

“As you wish, Master,” she said, head bowed.  She knew better than to test his patience and before her tears could reach the ground, she transformed and flew off in the direction of the castle’s main tower.

†††

Cedric smiled as he watched her fly away.  Nisha was quite a resourceful assistant, but she must learn her place if she expected to earn her freedom in this lifetime.  He sat down on a small bench in the shadows of the oak and pulled the runestone from his robes.  Passing his hand over the small obsidian rectangle, he muttered ‘erkennen.’  With a quiet flash letters began appearing on the stone, looking as if they were written with liquid fire.  Cedric read the information quickly, scanning through the bits about Keegan’s family, bloodline, magical experience, etc.  He paused briefly over the psyche profile and career section, noting that the young man had failed to maintain any lasting relationship with a female.  He continued through the information until he reached the end, but it had been of much less use than he had hoped.  The one thing it did tell him was that until now, the boy had no discernable magical talent and had led a mediocre existence.  Muttering ‘skjule’ he waved his hand back over the tablet and the writing vanished as quickly as it had appeared.  Pocketing the runestone, he rose from the bench and headed back to his chambers lost in thought.

~~~~

Chapter 11 - Politics

In the ornate hall of the Council, the current Guardian sat stroking his beard, listening quietly while the other members of the Council had a heated exchange regarding the status of his job.

“The Council made its choice over a fortnight ago!  Either he accepts his place as Head of this Council or he forfeits!” shouted Portia, her fiery temper getting the better of her.

“Now now, Portia,” said Phineas’ friend Alexander.  “We are all anxious to move on with the business at hand, but the rules of this Council are quite clear.  You know very well that the Guardian has thirty days to present his apprentice for approval by the Council.  Phineas still has time remaining, whether you agree with it or not.”

Portia shot him a glance that would freeze mercury.

“Fah! This is just his way of trying to prevent our order from ascending to the leadership position and you know it!  You know as well as I do that if he steps aside, he does so not only for himself but his order as well, at which time it falls to us to lead the Council!”

Phineas truly thought he saw a wisp of smoke coming from Portia’s ears; she knew that in all likelihood, she would be the chosen one should he step aside.  Cedric had been nominated twice before, but could not find enough support to be elected.  What she didn’t know or would never admit to, was that she would serve only as a puppet for Cedric.

“That simply is not the case Portia,” said Ducat. “Phineas has chosen his successor; we are merely awaiting his arrival.”

“And where is this so called successor?”

“Traveling.”

“Bullsh-”

“Portia!” snapped Phineas as he rose to his feet, interrupting what was to be a lengthy stream of expletives directed at his friend.  “My apprentice is chosen and that is final.  If you would like to know his whereabouts, perhaps you should ask your learned colleague, Councilor Thornback.  If I’m not mistaken, he arranged for the boy to be ‘tested’ before he arrived.”

Portia glared at the Guardian but knew better than to continue her verbal attack; to do so would only weaken Cedric’s hand.  “If this is true, then matters stand better than I thought; the boy should be tested before he arrives and I applaud Master Thornback for his progressive thinking,” She said, nodding approvingly in the dark mage’s direction.

“Tested perhaps.  Not killed,” muttered Council member Nelson Merak, one of the Grey order.

“I resent that Merak,” snapped Cedric.  “The test I chose is appropriate to gauge his skills, wits and magical abilities.  If he fails the test then his continued existence is immaterial to me; his only worth is as an apprentice.”

“We all know that if it weren’t for the Oracle’s ability to fry you to a crisp you would’ve seized power long ago.  Killing an apprentice-to-be is merely an inconvenience,” Merak chided.

“Killing a coward whose order sits on the cusp, unable to choose a path in this life is an inconvenience.  Killing an apprentice-to-be is entertainment,” hissed the dark wizard.

Merak started to rise to his feet, hand on his wand, but Councilor Ducat grabbed his arm.

“Stop it, both of you!” he snapped.  “I’m sure the boy will pass this ‘test’ and survive to present himself before us.  Now stop acting like two children fighting on a playground before the Oracle incinerates you both!

Merak sat slowly down in his chair, muttering under his breath while Cedric sat looking highly amused.

“May I suggest, ladies and gentlemen,” said Councilor Ducat, “that we adjourn until notified of the arrival of the applicant?  Master Whitestone, will you be so kind as to inform us of his arrival?”

“It would be my deepest pleasure, Counselor.  Furthermore I second your motion for adjournment.”

“Very well; I have a motion and a second.  Any against?  No?  Well then, until we reconvene my friends,” said Ducat as he rapped the gavel on the table.  The members of the various orders all rose and, after separating into their respective groups, moved off to the exits.  The founders were wise enough, those many years ago, to plan for the segregation of the various sects.  Time had shown that the less contact they had with one another the better, as the dark wizards hated everyone, the order of White Magic hated the users of the Dark Arts and the order of the Grey were ambivalent about the other two.  All had agreed however that the Council Chamber was neutral territory, where differences were supposedly put aside in the interest of the greater good of the magical world.

Alexander walked over to Phineas, who had remained seated. “Your apprentice will be here within the allotted time, won’t he?” he said, a pleading look in his eyes.

“Yes,” Phineas sighed.  “The boy will be here,” he said as he rose from his seat.  “He will be here in time; I would stake my life on it.”  He turned and raised his staff towards the ceiling.  With a small gesture, a bright blue portal snapped open, drew the wizard up in a flash and snapped shut again.

Ducat starred up towards the now absent portal and replied darkly, “You already have staked your life on it my old friend; you just don’t know it yet.”

~~~~

Chapter 12 – The Dragon’s Pawn

The first thing Keegan remembered thinking when he came to was that the giant had gouged out his eyes.  After a moment of panic, he realized he must be in a cave or dungeon far away from the light, as the darkness was so black he couldn’t see his own nose.  He could hear water dripping somewhere in the distance and the air was cool and moist, so he guessed the giant had taken him to some hideout in the lower reaches of the mountains near the forest.  He felt of his right hand and whispered a heartfelt prayer of thanks that the creature had neglected to remove his ring; “Anstrahlen,” he whispered, raising his hand close to his mouth.  Even though the light was quite dim by normal standards, it was as blinding as a searchlight to Keegan.  He had no idea how long he had been out.  Judging by the size of the lump on his left temple, he had been hit hard.  He gave his eyes a moment to adjust to the light and then tried to get a view of his surroundings.  He seemed to be in a large room of sorts that appeared to have been carved out of solid rock.  There was a rough hewn wooden door set into the wall on the far side and there were no windows or furniture.  Looking upward, Keegan strained to see the ceiling but it was lost in the darkness, somewhere high above.  Judging by the number of bones littering the floor, the room had obviously been occupied before.  Keegan walked over to the door and examined it more closely.  It appeared to be a heavy oak door with iron bindings.  He pulled hard on the handle but it wouldn’t budge.

“Great...just bloody GREAT!” he shouted, collapsing in a heap against the door.  “I never asked for this, dammit!” he shouted, twisting the ring off his finger and hurling it as hard as he could against the far wall.  The ring landed with a clatter on the stone floor and Keegan realized with a jolt that he had never been able to remove it before now.  As he watched, the light coming from it began to change color.  It shifted to a dark, blood red and began to pulsate, almost as if it were angry.  Suddenly there was a loud hissing sound and with a snap, the ring writhed and transformed itself into a dragon!  The beast filled the far side of the room and was a dull red in color, except for its eyes, which glowed a bright green and gave off enough light to illuminate the room.  Keegan also noticed that a large white gemstone was set in the beast’s forehead which matched the stone set into the ring itself.

“How dare you!” the beast hissed, turning its great snout to face Keegan.  It lowered itself to his eye level and snorted out a great billowing cloud of smoke smelling strongly of sulfur.  “You are a disgrace to your family!  For ten generations have the wizards of your clan carried me, and for ten generations has there been peace in the realm.  Yet now, when darkness clouds the horizon and threatens both our worlds, I am to be wielded by a pathetic, weak minded little fool!”

Keegan, not yet recovered from the shock of seeing his signet ring turn into a dragon, didn’t quite know what to say.  “But…“

“SILENCE!” the beast roared at him, shaking dust and small stones loose from the ceiling.  It shifted into a sitting position and folded its wings close to its sides.  “Your place is not to speak youngling; your place is to listen and to learn.  Your place is not to question, but is to obey and follow the path that destiny has carved for you.”

Keegan simply looked up at the great beast and nodded, not knowing what else to do.

“I am called Nekk’ar, the shield of the Guardians.  I was among the first of all dragons, though now my essence is all that remains.  My bones crumbled to dust eons ago, however my spirit has remained behind to serve the light and fight the dark.  I have been under enchantment as a golden ring for over a thousand years, since before the time of the great rebellion.  I protect those of your bloodline who wield me as Guardian of the Veil and Keeper of the Portals.  Your family is one of the three branches entrusted with the power to maintain the Veil and guard the Portals.  To cast me aside is to cast aside your heritage, to shame your family and deny your destiny!”

“But I’m not a wizard!” cried Keegan in frustration.

“You are, you have just been too long in the realm of science and technology, where magic is neither accepted nor understood.  Your mind has become numb and you have forgotten how to believe in magic.  You think it is not possible, that this is all an illusion.  You are as a newborn pup that has not yet opened his eyes to the world around him.”

“Please understand Nekk’ar, I want to be more than I am.  I want to make a difference for once in my life, but I don’t know how!” said Keegan emphatically. “I get confronted by a two-headed giant for the first time in my life and all I can manage to do is shine a flashlight on him.”

“Wisdom is a function of time and experience, youngling.  To walk you must first crawl, lest you do harm to yourself or others unintentionally.  I intervene only in the gravest of times, when there is great risk to yourself or the realm; beyond that, you must use your skill and ability to survive.  To summon me in battle or crisis simply concentrate on the ring, willing your thoughts to mine.  Your training in the magical arts will commence once you are confirmed as apprentice, not before.”

“But how do I get confirmed as the apprentice if I’m trapped in a cave?!” asked Keegan incredulously.

“For that you will rely on your skill; for if you cannot solve this simple puzzle you are not worthy to be an Apprentice.  I leave you now, young one.  Do not fail your destiny and do not attempt to discard me so carelessly next time,” said the beast.

With a thunderclap, the dragon shrank and contorted back into the shape of a ring, which curled itself around Keegan’s finger.  He gave it a tug and discovered that the ring was now so tightly wedged on his finger it could not be removed it.  If he did not know better, he thought he could hear the echoing sound of the dragon chuckling at him.

Keegan sat down near the door and thought for a moment.  The fool of a giant had failed to notice Keegan’s belt, which contained the potions and powders prepared for his Journey by Phineas.  He started rummaging through his pouches and began looking at the small vials of potions by the light of his ring.  One vial was labeled ‘shrink,’ with the inscription ‘effects last approximately thirty minutes per drop’ in bright red letters.  Keegan uncorked the little vial and sniffed at its contents.  “Ugh!  Smells like rotten eggs,” he said to himself.  He shook the vial and splashed a drop on the bottom hinge of the door and was rewarded with a popping sound as the hinge shrank to the size of a paper clip and clattered to the floor.  He quickly applied a drop to the top hinge then, careful to re-seal the vial and return it to the pouch; he pulled on the iron handle.  With a loud scraping sound followed by a thud the door fell backwards into the room, narrowly missing Keegan on its way down.  Easing out into the hallway, he was pleased to see that there were at least one or two torches guttering in the distance, providing him with enough light that he could safely extinguish his ring.  There were no signs of life anywhere, let alone the two-headed beast that had brought him here.  Keeping as close to the wall as possible, he made his way down the corridor towards the torches in the distance.  There seemed to be an upward slope to the floor, so Keegan assumed he was going higher into the heart of the mountain.  Reaching the end of the tunnel, he came to a stone archway leading into a cavernous room beyond.  Putting hand to ear, he listened for any signs of life.  Hearing none, Keegan crept around the corner.  The room looked as if it had been abandoned for centuries.  The stone pillars around the side of the room were all cracked, with some having collapsed completely.  In the center of the room was a raised dais, with a coiled dragon carved into the floor.  At the center of the carving was a large inset with a diamond pattern cut into the bottom.  Keegan walked past the dais to the opposite side of the room; the only other entrance to the room was here, in the form of a towering double door that stood at least twenty feet tall and just as wide.  Keegan put his ear against the door, straining to hear if there was anything on the other side.

He could barely hear a faint thudding sound, but it seemed to be growing louder.  Yes, it was definitely getting louder, a long ‘swishing’ sound like something being dragged across the stone floor, followed by a ‘thud.’  Suddenly Keegan realized in a panic that whatever was coming was large enough to shake the surrounding walls, for with each ‘thud’ dust fell to the floor.  The noise was getting louder, so whatever the thing was it was obviously headed this way.  Keegan looked around the room for a place to conceal himself but there were few options.  Suddenly remembering his pouch he reached in, grabbed the potion marked ‘stealth’ and ran behind a nearby column.  Looking at the label, he read ‘One dram for every hour and the individual will match their surroundings.’

Well, it’s better than being something’s lunch!

He took a swig from the tiny bottle, hoping that a mouthful of the bitter liquid was something close to a ‘dram,’ whatever that might be.  He was immediately sorry, as it tasted like a cross between charcoal and dirt.  Putting the vial back in his pocket he pressed himself against the wall behind the column and waited.  He began to feel a strange burning sensation over his entire body.  Looking down, he was astonished to see his skin was now the exact same color as the rock wall behind him, complete with cracks to match those in the stones.  Likewise, his robes had faded to the same color.  He pressed himself tightly against the wall just as the massive wooden doors swung inward.  Keegan jumped slightly when a bright blue column of flame shot from behind the doors and raked across the torches lining the far wall, setting them ablaze.  With a loud dragging sound and several thunderous ‘thuds’ the creature hove into view; it was Brimstone, the great dragon who had stranded Keegan in the forest to begin with.  The great beast half walked, half slithered to the far side of the room and curling into a ball like some gigantic housecat, settled to the floor with its head resting on its front talons.  The dragon appeared to be staring intently at something standing just beyond Keegan’s view in the doorway when it spoke.

“Well slave, what do you have to report?” hissed the great dragon.

Keegan watched as the massive, two-headed giant (quite small compared to the dragon, actually) stumbled into the room, both heads bowing emphatically to the dragon.

“We caught ‘im in the forest, your worship, he’s the one what was called by the guardian,” stuttered Grim.

The dragon actually appeared to smile - something Keegan really wished he had not seen.

“Good.  The little fool shall make a decent snack; ‘twas a pity to set him loose in the wilderness.”

The giant was standing closer to the dragon now, wringing his hands together “But, your grace, you knows what HE said ‘bout keeping him ‘ere.”

“In case you had not noticed fool, I am no longer a servant to that Council of the damned, nor am I bound by that fool of a wizard who freed me.  Ours is an alliance of convenience, nothing more.  I upheld my side of the deal by setting the young fool free in the forest; it is the boy’s misfortune that he found you.  Now, go and fetch a deer or two from the forest.  I feel like a snack.”

“Yes your worship sir,” said the giant, bowing deeply and backing away from the dragon until he reached the door to the passage Keegan had taken to get here.  As soon as the giant left, Keegan realized just how perilous his situation was; if the giant reached his cell and found the door open, he would raise an alarm.  Keegan began edging his way towards the open double doors, moving slowly and carefully while trying to keep himself pressed against the wall to maintain his camouflage.  The dragon had resumed his resting position and obviously hadn’t seen Keegan yet.  His robes and skin continued to change color and texture to match the walls and even the door when he reached it.  He was edging towards the opening beginning to think he might actually make it, when the dragon opened his eyes lazily and looked directly at him.

“Your potion does not mask your smell, youngling.  Nor does it affect my ability to see in the other spectrums,” Brimstone hissed at him.

Keegan froze where he was, not quite knowing what to do; if he made a run for it, the dragon would surely burn him to a cinder.

“Oh don’t worry boy, I’m really not going to eat you.  Your species is far too stringy for my taste.  Besides, that is not your destiny in my plan.”

“I….don’t understand” squeaked Keegan.

“That’s right, you don’t.  You probably never will either, but that is immaterial.  For you to serve your purpose you need not understand, only do as I instruct.”

“And if I don’t?” Keegan actually managed to ask.

“You die where you stand.  If you’re thinking about trying to betray me after you escape, don’t bother.  You see, telling the guardian or the Council about me will alter nothing.”

“What is it you want from me?”

“Succeed.  Get to the Council and be interviewed.”

“And?”

“And nothing.  Just go to the Council.  That will accomplish all that I desire.  Follow the passage from the Great Hall and you will exit at the base of the mountain to the south of the forest.  The river is only a half day’s walk to the South.  Following the river East will bring you to the village of Quai.  From there even you should be able to find your way.”

“But…”

“Leave.”

“But… “

“If you do not leave before that fool of a giant returns, then I will have to incinerate you where you stand.  Is that sufficiently clear?” the great dragon said, raising his head up and glaring down at Keegan.

“I understand.  Thank you, dragon, for sparing my life.”

“Hmph.  You serve my purpose youngling, nothing more.  Now leave.”

Keegan didn’t hesitate this time and darted out the door and down the hallway, giving little thought to why he was being freed and concentrating on saving his skin.

~~~~

Chapter 13 – Always Tip the Skunk!

The city of Quai was nestled peacefully on the Eastern shore of the White River, and it was bustling with activity when Keegan reached it early the next morning.  According to Kust it was a thriving center of commerce, thanks to its location between the Outer Sea and the Capital city of Innenstadt.  All goods arriving had to pass through this port, which made it a hub for river shipments.  Keegan made his way to a small cafe near the center of town, hoping to grab a hot meal before venturing any further up-river.  He found a table in the corner and collapsed into the chair.  A server came over, bringing him a large mug of coffee.

“I’m sorry, but I haven’t ordered yet,” he said.

“Bought’n paid fer by th little fella over there,” she said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder.

Keegan glanced past the large woman in the direction she pointed, but saw only people busily eating their breakfast.

He leaned back in his seat, shrugged his shoulders, and asked for a plate of steak and eggs.  The server shuffled off with his order and he raised the mug and drank deeply.

“It’s a local brew, but not half bad once you get used to it,” said a little voice beside him.

Keegan choked on his mouthful of coffee and looked downward.  Sitting in the chair beside him was Kust, the dark elf who had first helped him near the forest.

“Damn you!” snapped Keegan, wiping coffee from his dripping chin.

“Oh, now, that’s a fine way to greet a friend – and one’s just bought you breakfast at that!” said Kust, clearly offended.  “I save your worthless neck, buy you a cuppa and what do I get?”

“Save my neck?  Where were you when that two-headed beast attacked me? Or when I was trapped under the mountain facing a dragon?” Keegan snapped.

“Keep your voice down, boy,” hissed Kust, giving his companion a sharp elbow to the ribs. “I didn’t say I would babysit you all the way, now did I?  You know part of this whole affair was arranged by members of the Council as a test to your abilities.  Were I to interfere every time you stubbed your toe, the Council would have me exiled, or worse.”

Their server ambled over, plopped down two large platters of food in front of them, and wandered off.  Keegan quickly dived into his meal with gusto.  He had been without food for several days as he had yet to master the charm Kust had used to conjure a meal when they first met.

“I guess you might be right,” said Keegan grudgingly, between mouthfuls of food. “It’s just that I’m still very new to all of this.  I don’t even know how to use this power everyone says I have; I even tried to get rid of this blasted ring when I was imprisoned in the mountain.”

Kust’s fork fell to the floor “You idiot! You’re lucky you didn’t pay for that with your life.  Talismans are not to be dealt with lightly, especially one as old and as powerful as the one you bear.”

“I figured that out,” said Keegan.  If he did not know better, he could have sworn the ring on his finger had squeezed even tighter at that moment.

“Look” said Kust, “you’re not going to know everything all at once; it’s going to take time and training.  Lots and lots of potentially fatal training.  Great wizards aren’t simply made overnight; they’re molded from good apprentices.”

They both ate silently for a moment, while the server filled their cups again with the strong brew.

“So what do I do now?” Keegan asked.

“From here your trip is simple.  You buy passage through the Transit Gateway to Innenstadt, the capital city.  Once there you will present yourself to the Council, at which point you will be interviewed,” said Kust as he hopped to his feet, letting out a mighty belch in the process.  “Now, it’s best to be off with you, before the first boats leave out this morning; waiting for the later ones will only raise the fares and give you more time to get into mischief.”

Scowling at his small companion, Keegan finished off his last bite of bread and rose to his feet.  He followed the little elf out into the sunshine towards the center of town.

“There, that large stone building over there,” said Kust, pointing to a dark grey building with a high roof.  Instead of doors, it had an enormous arch on each side that stood at least fifteen feet tall.  Every few minutes Keegan saw a bright flash of light from somewhere in the building.  “Now, off with you and don’t be late.  Your grandfather owes me a nice bit of coin once you’re safely at the castle.”  With a phwep he disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Keegan just shook his head and ambled off towards the Transit Center, fumbling in his robes until he found his coins.  Passing through one of the main entrances, he saw rows of archways lined up in the middle of the building.  A different colored line made from some type of sparkling stone set into the floor led away from each doorway.  He noticed that on the left side of the room the various lines converged and led to what looked like a security checkpoint.  Overhead was a sign that read, ‘Arrivals.’  On the right side of the room was another checkpoint nestled under a sign that said ‘Departure.’  Walking up to the checkpoint, he noticed a small desk with a sign on it that indicated tickets could be purchased there.  Behind the desk sat one of the largest skunks Keegan had ever seen.  It was sitting on a stool and wore reading glasses perched on the end of its nose.  A small nametag attached to a chain around its neck indicated the skunk’s name was Delores.

As Keegan walked up to the desk, the skunk looked up at him over her reading glasses and set aside her pen.  The look she gave him indicated she was NEVER going to get her paperwork done at this rate.

“Yes?”

Keegan wasn’t quite sure what to do; he’d never actually seen a skunk before, much less talked to one.

Delores took her glasses off and set them methodically on her stack of papers, glaring at Keegan with a look that would freeze salt water.

“Are you here to book passage or not?  I really don’t have time to waste while you stand there with your mouth open.  I have to fill out another form 1257a, in triplicate no less!  So make up your mind!”

“Sorry,” stammered Keegan.  “I need passage to Innenstadt, please.”

“Purpose?”

“I’m on my way to see the Council.”

“Ha!  You and every other half-wit!  You do know they won’t see you without an appointment, right?”  Delores shook her head and muttered under her breath as she shuffled papers and stamped forms.

“Name?”

“Keegan.”

Delores sighed and rested her head in her little black paws.  Gritting her teeth, she was making an obvious effort to keep a civilized tone in her voice.

“Keegan what?”

“Oh, sorry.  Keegan Whitestone,” he said sheepishly.

The skunk stopped shuffling papers and looked up at him, eyes narrowing to slits.

“Really.  Well now isn’t that interesting,” she muttered as she filled in his name on the form.  Finished with the paperwork, she slipped the form into a slot on her desk.

“That will be three Crowns.”

Keegan counted out three of the larger coins onto the desk and Delores pressed a small red button with her paw.  With a sharp ‘chink’ a rectangular silver token dropped into a little silver dish setting on the edge of the desk in front of Keegan.

“Follow the red line – third archway on the right,” she said, holding out her paw expectantly.

“You’re kidding, right?”

Delores, keeping her paw outstretched, responded with something akin to a snarl.  “I’ve been on duty for the past twelve hours.  I’ve spent the past forty three years booking passage for every simpleton who wanders in through that archway, and you have the nerve to ask if I’m kidding?”

Keegan had just begun to take a step back when Delores’ temper snapped.  Before he could jump clear, she flicked her tail and let loose the contents of her musk glands.  Bolting for his assigned archway, Keegan wiped the tears from his eyes just long enough to deposit his token in the slot and jump through.

~~~~

Chapter 14 – Family Reunion

Coughing and gagging from the stench that still clung to his clothes, Keegan stumbled through the portal and landed on the grass of the Transit Center of Innenstadt.  Eyes still stinging from being sprayed by Delores, Keegan blinked the tears from his eyes and looked around.  Directly in front of him stood the Council Hall, the largest building in the city.

The building was quite imposing, with a central tower spiraling upward at a rather odd angle.  Keegan could not see what kept the entire structure from falling in on itself.  Passing through the ornate stone archway into the front courtyard, he followed the path to the main entrance.  He pulled on the large iron ring set into the doorway, but found the door would not budge.

“Name?” said a deep, rasping voice that sounded like gravel pouring from a wheelbarrow.

Startled, Keegan jumped back a step and looked in the direction of the voice.  Set next to the door was a large winged gargoyle carved out of stone.  The creature appeared to be looking straight at him.

“Your name, sir?” the creature again inquired, only this time Keegan actually saw the beast’s mouth move.

“Uh, Keegan...Keegan Whitestone,” he stammered.

“Ah yes, young Master.  We have been expecting you,” the beast said, nodding its great stony head.  The great beast rose up on its hind legs and spread its wings wide; “Ianua Abolescere” it said in a thunderous voice and the massive doors swung inward without a sound.

Keegan passed through the doorway into the great hall, and saw Acamar striding up to him.  “Well my boy, a bit late, but at least you’re in one piece.” He said, smiling over the rim of his glasses.  As he drew closer to Keegan, the smile faded quickly from his face and he was forced to cover his nose with the sleeve of his robe.

“Oh dear,” he said with a strangled cough.  “You must have met Delores *cough*.  Let me guess, you failed to give her a tip?”

Keegan looked at his robes with a grimace and nodded sadly.  Acamar sighed and shook his head.

“Delores (cough) may be ill tempered, but she (oh my, that is strong) is very, very good at her job.  Remember that next time you meet her.”

Acamar sketched a glyph in the air with his finger and said ‘olfacta terminus.’  A golden glow surrounded Keegan as tiny, jewel-like sparkles whizzed across his robes, faster than he could follow.  Enveloping him like a glowing gold tornado, he was obscured from view for a few seconds before the sparkles burned themselves out.  When they were gone, both Keegan and his robes smelled as if they had just come from being laundered.

“Oh now that is much better,” said Acamar.  “I’m glad to see you arrive at last.  We feared the worst when we learned about Brimstone’s betrayal.”

“I thought you knew that dragon!?  The beast dumped me in the middle of nowhere and I was almost killed!”

“I know,” said Acamar gravely.  “I had thought Brimstone reformed, but it seems I was mistaken.  Now that he is free of the amulet, I fear he may be hoping for a return to the days of old.”

“That’s exactly what he’s hoping,” said Keegan.  “He had the chance to kill me in the caves and didn’t; he let me go on purpose.”

“The ‘caves’?” asked Acamar, “Where were you held, do you know?”

“Not exactly,” Keegan replied.  “It was just north of the river, not far from the town where I took the portal that brought me here.  Inside was carved like a giant cathedral, right out of the stone.  He also said something to the creature that knocked me out, something about making a deal with one of the Council members.”

“Did he say who?” asked Acamar.

“No, but it must be the same wizard that appeared when Brimstone landed near the forest.  All I could see of him was a dark, hooded cloak.”

“If what you say is true, then I fear it is worse than I first suspected.  What you describe sounds like the ancient citadel, the seat of power for the Dragons before the uprising.  It contains a portal similar to the one at Veilstone Castle that can pierce the veil in multiple places at the same time.  If anyone were to possess the veilstone to power it, then they could cause the disruption of the entire veil or even destroy it permanently.”

“So what do we do?”  Keegan asked.

“You my boy have done enough; your current task is to pass the interview with the Council and begin your training with the Guardian.  I will pass along the information you have given me to those that are best equipped to deal with it.  Now I will take you to the Guardian.  It is he who must present you before the High Council.”

Acamar escorted Keegan down several long passageways until he came to a halt in front of a circular stone portal.  It was covered in a pale grey mist, swirling about within its confines like a miniature thunderstorm.  Acamar stepped through, dragging a somewhat reluctant Keegan behind him by the cuff.  As Keegan passed through the void, a strange tingling sensation passed through him.  Suddenly, he found himself standing inside a dimly lit and very cluttered office.  An old wizard sat in a leather chair by the fireplace, sipping on a cup of tea.

“Master,” said Acamar, bowing slightly to the old man, “may I present your grandson, Keegan Alexander Whitestone.”

The old man set aside his tea and rose to greet Keegan.  For someone who was obviously quite ancient, the old wizard was an imposing figure.  As he walked over to Keegan, his robes seemed to change colors, shimmering in the dim light.  “My boy,” said the old man, clasping both of Keegan’ arms “You don’t know how happy I am to see you alive.”

“Uh, thanks, I think,” said Keegan, somewhat taken aback.  “Look, I’m trying to understand all of this but to be honest I’m lost.  First, out of nowhere a black cat appears and starts talking to me.  Then the cat turns into a wizard and not only tells me my long dead grandfather isn’t really dead, but I’m also descended from a long line of powerful wizards.  I have to admit I’ve seen more today than I had ever dreamed possible, but how can I believe you are who you say you are?  My father told me my grandfather died long before I was even born.”

The old man chuckled quietly and moved back over to his chair by the fire.  “Please Keegan,” he said gesturing to the chair opposite him.  “First sit down and relax.  Acamar, please bring Keegan some tea and biscuits while I explain a few things.”  The old man sat down and poked at the fire with his staff, stirring up sparks.  “There are a great many mysteries in the universe, Keegan, only the first of which has mankind even begun to unravel.  You see, mankind has practiced magic for thousands of years, but most people aren’t even aware of its existence.  Fewer people still have ever seen a dragon or a gnome and probably would not believe it if they did.  Our world exists beyond the sight of the one you live in, for our protection as well as your own.  You see, there are those who believe that the possession of immense power entitles one to rule over others.  That in essence is the crux of our problem.

Our world is governed by the High Council, which was created to bring peace to our world and restore order to our lives.  The Council consists of twelve members, four representatives from each of the orders of White, Black and Grey.  As you can guess, those who practice the dark arts have little use for morality and believe that those who do not possess magic occupy a lesser station in life.  They have pushed for years to do away with the veil, seeking to gain power over the mortal world as well.  The order of White, in contrast, views themselves as the caretakers of humanity, shielding mortals from the evil that would consume them.  It is this order that hides itself behind the veil like it is some sort of magical cocoon.  Although they champion mankind, they see mortals as a threat as well, remembering the Salem witch trials several centuries ago.  The Grey order, as you can guess, balances the other two; their views touching on those similar to both White and Dark.

As Guardian, I am above all of this…in theory, anyway,” he said over the rims of his glasses.  “You will notice that although my ring bears a white stone, denoting my order, my robes are all colors, and none, to mark my position outside the control of the Council.  My problem is this; I have been chosen to be Chancellor, the leader of the Council.  The problem is that to assume this position I must relinquish my job as Guardian.  I cannot do that unless I first have an apprentice that I can trust.  You see there are those who would twist the role of Guardian and use its power to destroy the veil or worse, strengthen it to the point where the separation between our worlds became permanent.”  The old wizard sat back and sipped his tea, watching Keegan for his reaction.

“So why me?” asked Keegan simply, staring into the flickering fireplace.

“Because you are the last of my line, Keegan” said the old man with a sigh.  “Your father, Richard, was stripped of his magic and exiled to the mortal world by the Council.  His crime was trying to open the great seal in an effort to gain power; had he succeeded our world would have been consumed.  Upon his death, the ring passed to you, courtesy of Acamar.  Simply put, if you do not become my apprentice then the role of guardian will pass to the next family, most likely the Thornbacks.  This must not be allowed to happen if our two worlds are to survive,” the old man said, leaning forward to emphasize his point.

“But what can I do about any of this?” asked Keegan, an increasing sense of fear welling up inside him.

“You must first interview with the Council,” said Phineas.  “Then you must pass three tests.”

“What kind of tests?”

“You will be tested on your magical ability in three basic areas of magic; portals, incantations and scrying.  In addition, you must also seek out an audience with Seba’an, the oldest and wisest of the dragons.”

“But I don’t know the first thing about any of this!  How am I supposed to pass the tests?”

“Calm yourself, Keegan,” the old wizard said affectionately.  “These will be puzzles to test your rudimentary skills only.  You will be given clear instructions and the necessary tools for each one; you needn’t worry.”

“What happens if I fail?” asked Keegan.

“You won’t,” the old man said simply.  “I have faith in your abilities, Keegan, even if you do not.”

~~~~

Chapter 15 – The Alderdrache

Brimstone angled high over the North Sea, winging his way to the cave of the Alderdrache, the Dragon Elder whose word was law amongst all of the Greater Dragons of the North.  The last time he had been summoned before Seba’an was just before the great insurrection that ended in his enslavement to the Council.  This time he had requested an audience with the revered leader, hoping to gain the old wyrm’s support for what he had planned.  The lair of the Alderdrache was a vast cavern formed in the caldera of an ancient volcano when the lava dome cooled and hardened.  It provided both the seclusion that Seba’an desired as well as the ample room an ancient dragon needed to move about.  Seba’an was the oldest and wisest of the dragons, having lived since the beginning when the ancients first brought magic to the druids.  Brimstone landed softly outside what looked like a solid stone wall; with a wave of his claw however, the stone vanished to reveal a gaping archway cut into the stone.

“Enter and be well, Skyv’tai,” echoed the deep and resonating voice of the Elder.  It had been many years since anyone had used Brimstone’s birth name; he had grown accustomed to the name that the humans had bestowed upon him.

Brimstone bowed his giant head deeply, almost touching the floor “I am honored that Thou hast granted me an audience, Great Elder.”

“Rise and come forward, young one.  Why hast thou sought my Council?”

Brimstone rose and approached the raised dais on which the older dragon was perched.  Seba’an was slightly larger than Brimstone and his scales were such a dark black that it was like looking into an endless abyss.  Only his eyes betrayed his age; where once there glowed a fierce red fire, there now glowed only embers.  Brimstone knew it was by scent alone that Seba’an was able to identify him, as the old dragon had gone blind several hundred years before.

“I come to speak to thee of the Great Barrier, Wise One,” said Brimstone as he took his place at the foot of the dais.

Seba’an cocked his head to one side.  “What of it, young one?” he asked slowly, his voice laced with suspicion.

“The time has come, Great Elder, for the Barrier to fall,” said Brimstone intently.  “The Guardian is leaving his post to lead the Council and in his stead there shall stand but a mere apprentice.  Now is the time for us to strike the veil, before the apprentice is fully trained.”

“Bah!” snorted Seba’an, sending a blast of flame over Brimstone’s head.  “What dost thee know of the Barrier?  Thou were but a hatchling when it was created to protect our kind.”

“Surely thou should say imprison our kind?” asked Brimstone.

“Nay young one, protect.  Our kind is out numbered ten thousand to one by the humans alone, not to mention the other races that crawl upon this world.  The Great Barrier is the only thing that has saved us from extinction,” said Seba’an.

“With respect Elder, we are the most powerful of all the creatures that roam this Earth; magic has flowed in our veins since before the time of the Ancients.  We are not so easily defeated!” snarled Brimstone.

“Thou art a fool Skyv’tai, for the three orders will not permit thee to destroy the Veil; nor will the old Guardian stand idly by whilst thee incinerates his successor.  Thou hast disappointed me young one, as I had thought thee reformed.”

“Thou art nothing by a blind old FOOL!” roared Brimstone, rising up to his full height.  Blinded with anger, he shot forth a white-hot blast of flame directed at Seba’an’s shining black head.  The Elder dragon didn’t even flinch, as the flames split in two not an inch from his snout and were deflected harmlessly away into the surrounding cave.

“Thy temper will be thy downfall, young one.  Leave this place now and do not return, for thou shall remain exiled until nothing remains of thee but ashes,” hissed Seba’an.  He nodded his head at Brimstone and suddenly the younger dragon was enveloped in the center of a vortex of white light.  With a clap of thunder, he found himself deposited on a snow capped mountainside, a hundred miles from the cave of the Alderdrache.

“That weak minded old worm!  My first task after taking the Veilstone will be to destroy the old fool where he sits!”  Looking skyward, Brimstone unleashed his anger in a mighty roar that shook the mountain, spouting a blast of fire into the mountainside which sent tons of snow and ice falling into the valley below.  He spread his wings wide and with a thunderous clap he leaped into the air, winging his way southward towards the capital.

***

Seba’an sighed deeply.  Skyv’tai or Brimstone, as the humans called him, had shown such promise in his youth.  At one time, the Alderdrache had even considered him as a successor, but time had shown that Brimstone had a destructive nature and believed in the subjugation of all races to his own.  The old dragon raised a claw and made several motions, sketching glowing glyphs into the air.  A shimmering disk of flames appeared, casting eerie reflections off the old dragon’s scales.

“It has begun, my old friend,” said the Alderdrache to the figure that appeared in the portal.  The hooded figure solemnly nodded in agreement and turned as Seba’an closed the spell, snuffing out the disk of flames and leaving the cavern bathed in the dim light of the etherglobes set high above in the cavern walls.

~~~~

Chapter 16 - Visions

“Now,” snapped Acamar as he paced the small office “your test would normally consist of four parts:  Potions, Incantations, Portals and Scrying.  In your case, since Old Seedy decided to delay your arrival, we are going to consider that the Potions part of the test since that is how you escaped from the caverns.  Likewise, since you have successfully conjured a portal we’ve covered that base as well.”

“So where do we start?” asked Keegan.

“Well, incantations are relatively basic and even you shouldn’t be able to miss that one, so let’s work on your scrying ability.  After all, as Guardian you will rely upon scrying to help sense the opening and closing of portals.”

Acamar reached into his robes and pulled out a small silver orb, about the size of a small orange.  He tossed it to Keegan, who held it in his palm and noticed that the little sphere seemed to pulse with some sort of heat emanating from within.

Keegan very nearly dropped it in his surprise

“What is this thing, anyway?”

“That my boy is a scrying sphere,” said Acamar.  “You feel that warmth?  That’s the magical energy that flows throughout everyone and everything in our world.”

“So how do I use it?”

“Place the orb in the palm of your hand and then cup the other hand over it,” said the older man.  “Now close your eyes and concentrate on the warmth of the orb...that’s right...now let your mind drift.”

Keegan focused on the orb and tried to feel the warmth pulsating from within it.  If he didn’t know better he could swear he felt lighter somehow, like he was slowly beginning to float upward.  He tried to concentrate harder and could ‘see’ something coming into his mind’s eye, like the blurry beginnings of a dream.  He could just make out someone standing in a garden.  They appeared to be waiting for someone when a large black raven suddenly swooped downward.  Keegan was astonished to see the raven transform itself into one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.  She was bowing to the man in the black robes as she handed him a small tablet of some sort, when the man suddenly tensed.  The man turned and glared in Keegan’s direction.

Surely he can’t see me, Keegan thought.

The man made a sharp gesture with his hand and a flash of bright light obscured the scene from Keegan’s eyes.  A fierce pain shot through his head at the same instant as if someone had jabbed his forehead with an ice pick.  He was so startled he stumbled backward, dropping the orb in the process.

“Are you alright?” asked Acamar as he grabbed Keegan by the elbow to steady him.

It was a moment before he could answer.  He was covered in cold sweat and could still feel the pain coursing through his head.

“I don’t know…I’m not sure what happened Acamar; one minute I could see this beautiful woman talking with a wizard in black robes when he seemed to sense me watching him.  He glared at me and made some sort of gesture with his hand, then this bright flash of light came out of nowhere and it felt like my head exploded.”

Acamar helped him to a seat. “What did the woman look like, do you remember?”

“She was gorgeous!  Long black hair, dark eyes….the funny thing was that she started out as a raven.”

At this Acamar seemed startled.  “A raven?  Are you certain?”

“Positive.”

“Well that explains the pulse that you were hit with.  The woman you saw was Nisha.  She is Cedric Thornback’s assistant and it was most likely a very private conversation you interrupted.”

“But how could he know I was there?” asked Keegan.

“Simple.  The more powerful the witch or wizard, the more attuned they are to the magic around them.  He could sense the presence of the scrying orb and even though he didn’t really ‘see’ you standing there, he could feel your essence and even lash out at you to stop the vision.”

“If he knows I was there then won’t he come find me to figure out what I was doing?” asked Keegan somewhat alarmed.

“I doubt it,” said Acamar.  “You see, that’s the biggest problem with scrying  - you don’t necessarily know if what you are seeing is in the past, present or the future.  It takes many years of practice and even then it can be largely guesswork.”

Before Keegan could react further, the door behind them was opened and Phineas strode in with a grave expression on his face.  “I am afraid, my old friend, that our young apprentice has been summoned before the Council.”

“When?”

“Now,” said Phineas.  “We must leave immediately.”

“But Master, we’ve only just begun working on his training.  The boy isn’t ready!”

“He’ll have to do the best he can.  I’m afraid that the Council’s decision is final,” said Phineas.

“But…”

“Enough, Acamar.  You know as well as I that we cannot push the Council on this.”

Acamar snorted in disgust and shook his head.  In one smooth motion, he turned and morphed back into his feline form.  Head held high and ears laid flat in anger, he trotted from the room and headed for the kitchens.  There was a large rat that had been raiding the pantry that was going to be at the mercy of his claws very soon.

With a resigned sigh, Phineas led Keegan back to the mist-covered portal that had brought them to his office.

~~~~

Chapter 17 – The First Test

The Council chamber was brightly lit when Keegan was escorted in by Phineas, who led him to a high-backed chair facing the Council’s table.  The Council members were already seated at their respective places, and Keegan could see several of the members engaged in deep conversations with other members of their own order.  As Phineas took his place at the table Alexander Ducat, the acting chair for the meeting, brought the others to silence with a burst of green sparks from his staff.

“My fellow Council members,” announced Ducat.  “We have convened this session to satisfy ourselves as to the qualifications of the Guardian’s selected apprentice.”

Everyone turned to look at Keegan, who began to fidget under the scrutiny.

“Has the Council determined the examination form?” asked Ducat.

“Aye,” said Master Thornback.  “We have concluded that the boy should be given the opportunity to test his incantation skills.  Our young friend will be taken to the archives in the library and given a challenge to test his resourcefulness.  He will be tasked with finding the correct incantation to fit the circumstances.”

That didn’t sound too bad, thought Keegan.

With a nod in Keegan’s direction, Cedric continued.  “Should he prove successful, he will move on to the audience with the Alderdrache.”

“Very well,” said Ducat.  “The Council has spoken.”

With a wave of his staff, Ducat enveloped Keegan in a swirling mist that within seconds dissolved into nothingness.

†††

As the room around Keegan reformed and came back into focus, he found himself in what looked to be an enormous library of some sort.  Shelves towered above him towards the high arched ceilings, spanning a hundred feet or more.  Each shelf was lined with what looked like ancient volumes, huge bound tomes of God knows what, covered in thick layers of dust.

“S’bout time you got ‘ere,” said a gruff voice behind him.

Keegan whirled around to see a small man wearing wire-rimmed spectacles, a black visor and a pencil behind one ear.  The little man, who looked even older than Phineas (if that was possible) stood only two feet tall and was looking supremely annoyed.  He was standing there with his arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently and glaring at Keegan over the rims of his glasses.

“Pardon me?” said Keegan, not certain if this was part of the test or not.

“Two weeks I’ve been waitin’ thank you very much, and not so much as a note to say when you’d finally show up” he snapped indignantly.

“I’m sorry sir, but what did you say your name was again?” asked Keegan.

“I didn’t say, young master and I am not sure if I shall!”

“All right that’s enough!  First, I get conned into coming here by some maniacal cat with delusions of grandeur, kidnapped by a dragon and now dropped into this God forsaken library!  The least you could do is tell me your name!” shouted Keegan.

“Oh for Pete’s sake, tell the boy your name,” came the voice of an old woman.  Keegan was startled, as he had not heard her as she walked up behind him carrying an armload of books.  By the looks of her, she was at least as ancient as the little old man.  She was dressed in a simple frock, vest and skirt, but had the same black visor.

“You keep outta this, woman.  I’ll tell the ungrateful cur when I’m good and ready,” roared the old man, obviously incensed by her interference.

“You’ll tell the boy now, or it’ll be water and stale bread crumbs for your supper,” she snapped right back.  Having dropped her load of books in a cloud of dust, she adjusted the pins-nez on her nose and placed both hands firmly on her hips.  This was not a woman to be trifled with.

The little man braced himself for a retort, but seemed to think better of it.  Slouching back towards Keegan, he muttered something under his breath and harrumphed again.

“Pardon?” said Keegan.

“Nemwith!  I said the name’s Nemwith blast it!” he shouted, scowling up at him.  “Happy now, you old bat?” he snapped over his shoulder.

Keegan jumped back just in time as a large dusty volume came flying out of the pile of books where the old woman was working and landed smack in the back of Nemwith’s head, knocking him off the stack of books he was standing on.

Clambering to his feet, Nemwith adjusted his visor and dusted off his breeches, muttering under his breath as he did so.  Obviously on the losing end of the battle, he turned his attention to Keegan.

“Right, you’ll have to excuse the wife.  Evalsef gets a bit testy after a day in the archives,” he said somewhat sheepishly.  “Now, let’s get down to business.  If I’m not mistaken, you are here for your first test.”

Reaching over his head, he extracted a large tome from the dusty old shelf, setting it down with a heavy thump on the table beside Keegan.  He motioned the boy to take a seat in the cushioned chair next to the table.  Scuttling over to another shelf across the room, he retrieved a cobweb covered decanter and goblet, setting both on a silver tray.  Setting the tray on the same table as the old book, Nemwith blew the dust off and poured a generous portion of a dark, blood colored liquid into the heavy crystal glass.

“You’ll have to forgive my manners, young Master.  It’s not often we get visitors down here in the archives.  There you are,” he said with a satisfied tone, “now drink up and we’ll get started.”

Raising the glass to his nose, Keegan inhaled deeply.  The dark liquor smelled strangely of spices and herbs, with a hint of something Keegan could not quite pinpoint.  Shrugging, he took a long sip of the bittersweet liquid.

“What is it?”

“A very rare brandy, almost five hundred years old.”

Taking another long sip of the dark liquid, Keegan set the heavy crystal glass back on the tray and picked up the dusty old tome.  Laying the book on his lap, he unclasped the heavy leather binding and opened the book.

“So what am I being tested on?” he asked Nemwith.

“You mean you don’t know?” Nemwith asked in a somewhat amused tone of voice.

“How am I supposed to know?!” snapped Keegan “I was just dumped here by the Council without any warning.”

“Ingenuity.  Specifically, the identification of a poison by observation and its nullification by the proper incantation.”

“Poison?”

“Yup,” the little man said with a nod.  “One of your most important studies, to be exact.  You’d be surprised how many of your predecessors neglected the subject, only to regret it later – or at least their heirs did,” he said with a wink.

“Wait – you don’t mean…” Keegan’s voice trailed off as he glanced at the decanter.

“Why yes, I do mean, actually,” smiled Nemwith.  “Oh, don’t worry.  It’s a very slow acting poison.  You should have at least ten minutes or so before it reaches your heart.”

“WHAT?”

“Did you think these tests were supposed to be easy, boy?  Do you have any idea the amount of responsibility the Guardian has?  Surely, you didn’t think we would hand over that much power to a youngling like yourself without making sure you could handle it, did you?”  Chuckling to himself, Nemwith plunged his hands into his pockets and slowly strode over to a pile of books as tall as he was.  He slowly clambered up the stack and took a seat on top of the books, so he could watch Keegan.

The book in Keegan’s lap was apparently a very old treatise on poisons, with numerous descriptions, symptoms and antidotes.  It had only been a minute or so since his first sip of brandy and Keegan could already feel a slight tingling sensation in his fingertips.  He began flipping through the book feverishly, scanning the pages for something, anything that might tell him what poison he had just consumed.  Sweat beaded up on his forehead as he glanced over at the book stacks where Nemwith had gone and saw the little man sitting on top of a pile of books with his feet propped up in front of him.  The old gnome was watching Keegan over his glasses, puffing contentedly on a long pipe and blowing smoke rings that curled up and about his little white-haired head.

“Nothing like a little incentive to speed the learning process, eh my boy?” Nemwith chuckled.

Keegan snatched up the bottle and began examining it for writing or clues that might give him some idea of what it contained.  The tingling sensation was now in his feet as well, and had started moving up his left arm.  Dropping the bottle back onto the tray, he resumed his frantic search through the book; strange symbols were drawn on some pages, while others were so crammed with writing they were barely legible.  Finally the word “Antidotes” appeared at the top of a page and his heart leapt.  Moving his fingertip along the lines of ancient text, Keegan scanned for the answer he so desperately needed.

“…As with many types of potions, poisons and their quality vary widely depending upon the skill of the witch or wizard mixing the concoction.  Likewise the antidotes to those poisons vary widely in their effectiveness.”

This wasn’t helping.  The tingling was getting worse now, having moved up his forearms and his shins – he didn’t have much time at this rate.

“…While the careful choosing and mixing of ingredients is essential, in many cases timing may be an important factor.”

“No kidding,” he said with some difficulty; his mouth was dry and his tongue felt like an old bath towel.

“…Most mages can however produce the desired result and neutralize the poison with the use of the proper incantation and their particular talisman.  In many cases, use of the following incantation, along with proper concentration will convert the poison to an inert mixture that will pass harmlessly through the victim’s system.”

Keegan scanned the passage, concentrating on the incantation.  Grasping his signet ring, he began repeating the spell with increasing fervor, as he could now feel the tingling sensation caused by the poison moving up his torso.  He pulled up the sleeve of his robe and glanced at his forearms.  Both were now covered with a latticework of fine black lines, etched across his skin like a fine black spider web.  As he watched the lines were slowly making their way further up his arms.

“Anrheithia 'r gwenwynwch mewn, cartha 'r chrau a achub 'r enaid”

It’s not working he thought, starting to panic.  His heart was beginning to race and he was starting to feel dizzy.

“Anrheithia 'r gwenwynwch mewn , cartha 'r chrau a achub 'r enaid!!” he shouted, twisting the signet ring on his finger.  Over and over he chanted the incantation, trying to focus on the poison coursing through his veins, until slowly the room dissolved into darkness and he slid out of the chair onto the floor of the library, knocking the bottle from its tray as he fell.

***

Nemwith dropped his pipe and ran over to where Keegan lay on the floor.  He quickly checked the boy’s pulse and his pupils.

“Oh, dear; this isn’t right,” he fretted.  He picked up the decanter and sniffed carefully at the contents.  “By the Ancients!”  He recoiled from the smell and dropped the decanter to the floor.

“Nemwith?  Nemwith, what’s the matter,” said Evalsef as she came over from the behind the bookshelves.  She stopped short when she saw Keegan’s body and decanter on the floor.

“Something’s wrong Ev,” said Nemwith nervously.  “I gave the boy the bottle of elderbrandy, like I was supposed to.  But something’s wrong.  He passed out after only five minutes or so.  It shouldn’t have worked that fast!  I checked the decanter and it smells like nettlewine!”

“Nettlewine?!”  Evalsef covered her mouth with her hands.  “But Nemwith, how is that possible?  It’s kept in the restricted stores section and we’ve both got to use our keys in order to retrieve any.”

“I don’t know, Ev… I just don’t know.”

“What about young Master Whitestone?  Is he okay?”

“I think so.  The boy actually did it.  He found the incantation and it appears to have been effective.  He’s still breathing, and the markings on his arms are starting to fade.”

“Ancients be praised for that,” she said with a sigh.  “There’d be no end of trouble if Old Master Whitestone’s apprentice were to die while in our care!”

“I’m afraid the stakes are much larger than either of you realizes,” said a new voice, startling both librarians.  Nisha stepped forward and knelt beside Keegan, placing her hand on his brow.

“Mistress Nisha, you must understand!  I gave him the correct bottle!  My wife will tell you, it takes both our keys to enter the restricted storeroom.  I don’t know how the nettlewine got into the decanter!”

“I’m sure you don’t Nemwith.  You and Evalsef have served the Council since the library was founded.  You have their complete trust.”

“Will the young Master survive?” asked Nemwith’s wife, her brow creased with worry.

“Yes, Evalsef, I believe he will,” said Nisha calmly.  “I’m amazed he completed the incantation correctly.  His natural talent must be strong to perform an advanced bit of magic like that with no formal training.”

Nisha looked at both librarians, shaking her head.  “We must keep this to ourselves for now, I’m afraid.  To access the restricted stores without being detected means someone powerful is behind this.  I will return Keegan to his grandfather’s chambers, where he can recover.”

She grasped Keegan’s arm and took her pendant in her right hand.  Murmuring the portal spell, she and Keegan disappeared in a swirling vortex of energy, leaving Nemwith and Evalsef to exchange worried glances.

~~~~

Chapter 18 – The Shadow

Snow swirled around the feet and robes of the dark hooded figure, blown by the tough, biting wind that howled through the mountain pass.  The figure, bent against the blowing snow, trudged onward towards a dark crack in the side of the mountain.  Barely noticeable from a distance, what looked like a crack in the face of the mountain was in reality a deep passage, wide enough for six horses to stand side by side.  The traveler continued deeper into the mountain until the passage widened into a cavern with an immense domed ceiling.  There were scorch marks on the wall and rubble strewn about as if a great struggle had occurred here once, eons ago.  Towards the center of the cavern was what appeared to be a large, ornate golden seal set into the floor.  The figure brushed the snow away from a glyph carved into the middle of the seal.  Running a gloved hand across the stone carving, the figure murmured quietly causing the glyph to glow a pale green in the darkness.  The mark had been exactly where Brimstone said it would be – now had he told the truth about what lay beneath it?

“Patefacio quod solvo quis lies intus” intoned the figure, tracing over the glyph one final time.

A sharp crack resounded throughout the cavern, along with a hiss of escaping air as a white hot, glowing line outlined the inscription.  The section of floor containing the symbol separated from the cavern and rose upward.  A stale, stench filled the wizard’s nostrils as a blast of air shot upward from the opening, followed by an almost inaudible hissing voice coming from somewhere in the darkness.

“Who summons us from our slumber?”

Startled, the hooded figure stumbled backwards away from the opening.  Brimstone had not mentioned anything like this – the dragon had simply said the opening of the seal would allow a permanent gateway to be formed.

The hissing voice returned, louder this time.

“Who awakens us?”

“I am a powerful wizard who is not to be trifled with.  Who – or what – are you?” said the figure, rising to his full height.  He squinted at the opening – he could swear he saw movement somewhere in the dark.

“We were here at the beginning.  We were here before all else.  We shall be until the end and after all others are gone,” came the hissing voice.

“What do you mean you were ‘here at the beginning’?”

Was it his imagination or was the cavern growing darker?  It must be a trick of the light; but there was definitely movement there he thought.  Just beyond his sight, he could barely make out a form, but was it moving toward him or merely shifting in place?

“We were here long before your precious Council, long before your ancestors received the gift, long before they interfered.”

A chill ran down his spine; darkness began pouring from the opening as long, dark wisps of shadow stole forth.  For one of the few times in his life, he was truly frightened; there were few things in this world he didn’t understand but something like this he had never seen.  He began edging backward towards the opening, but the wisps of shadow were faster and the tendrils of darkness were now behind him as well.

“You will not be leaving us yet, mighty wysard,” came the voice.  “We have many questions to ask.”

“I am not inclined to answer your questions,” said the wizard as he pulled his wand from his robes.

Soft laughter issued forth from the opening.

“A great and powerful wysard are you?  Megalesius thought that once as well, but told us all when asked.  He struggled too at first, but was overcome with little effort….though his homeland paid the price for his resistance.”

“What do you mean?”  He was afraid he knew the answer; Megalesius was one of the twelve Telchines who lived eons ago.

“His pitiful little memory shield collapsed under our persuasion.  The resulting shockwave collapsed most of his island home of Therasia,” hissed the voices.

“Oh please,” snorted the wizard “you can’t expect me to believe that.  Therasia was devastated by a volcanic eruption over five thousand years ago.”  Raising his wand as he spoke, its shimmering tip was now pointing directly at the opening.

“Tell us about your precious Council, wysard,” hissed the voice, louder and more menacing now.  The shadows had grown and by now totally obscured the entrance to the caverns.

Desperate to escape, the wizard flicked his wand upward and shouted “Spiraktus!”  A blue-white spiral of flame engulfed him and a spilt second later he was standing inside his study, panting and covered in a cold sweat.

By all the gods, he thought; what have I done?!

He stumbled over to his desk and collapsed in the chair; he had narrowly escaped and only by the use of a very powerful but dangerous transportation charm.  His robes still bore the singe marks from the flames.  His eyes scanned the giant bookcase behind his desk and came to rest on an old and tattered looking volume whose binding was peeling at the edges.  He flicked his wand and the tome shot off the shelf, landing with a dusty thump on his desk.  As he waved his hand over it, the cover flew open and the pages began flipping so fast they were a blur.  Two-thirds of the way through the pages stopped – Ducat’s eyes came to rest above a page that was blank except for two words:  ‘The Shadow’

~~~~

Chapter 19 - Headache

Pain.  Intense, mind-numbing pain, as well as a horrid taste in his mouth.  Keegan slowly tried to open his eyes and focus his thoughts through the pain.  He must have had way too much to drink last night to wake up feeling like this.  He stared upward at the high arched ceiling overhead.

That’s odd; I don’t remember having arched ceilings in my apartment.

“Oh God,” he muttered, rising up slowly on his elbows. “It wasn’t a dream….it really happened.”

“Easy now,” said a woman’s voice from somewhere behind him.  “You’ve just had a very nasty experience with a vile and quite powerful poison.”

Keegan turned slowly and glanced in the direction of the voice.  He did not see anyone else in the room, however perched on the table was a large black raven looking straight at him.  It looked just like the one lingering outside his office for several days.

“Feeling better?” it asked, cocking its head to one side.

“Not really.  I’ve got a terrible headache.”

“That’s good – it means you’re alive,” said the bird.

“That’s a matter of opinion,” muttered Keegan as he slowly pulled himself up to a sitting position.  “What happened?  The last thing I remember was being in the library and drinking the stuff that little man gave me.  Then…wait…..I remember!  It was poison!  I remember flipping through that book and finding an incantation.”

“That’s right,” said the bird.  With a flurry of wings, it flew over to the bed and landed neatly on the bedpost.  “You found an incantation used to convert poisons into a harmless inert substance.  I am truly surprised you pulled it off, actually.  That’s an advanced bit of magic – not something a novice like you would normally attempt.”

“But how did I end up here?” asked Keegan.  “The last thing I remember was my body going numb and falling out of the chair; I thought I was dead.”

“I brought you here,” said the raven.  “You needed time to recover before your next task.”

“You?”

“Yes.”

“But…”

“Yes?”

“You’re a raven.”

“Very observant, you are.  Not much slips past you does it?” asked the raven, cocking its head to one side.

“That’s not what I mean!  There was a raven outside my office window three days this past week; that was you, wasn’t it?”

“Things are not always as they seem, Keegan.  You would do well to remember that.”  Spreading its wings wide, the raven flew across the room and out the window, disappearing into the dark night beyond.

Keegan dropped back onto the pillow, his head still throbbing.  The door across the room opened and Phineas entered, his robes shimmering in the light of the fireplace.  Seeing Keegan was awake, he strode over and sat at the foot of the bed.

“I’m very proud of you, Keegan. You passed the first test.”

“I almost died,” hissed Keegan, “and all you have to say is you’re ‘proud’?!”

“Yes Keegan, I am proud,” said the old man.  “I knew you would not fail.  You come from a long line of very powerful wizards, and you are continuing that tradition.  Magic runs deep through your veins, my boy.”

“So does the poison,” Keegan said flatly, arm still covering his eyes.  His temples were still pulsing, but now more from anger than the headache left by the poison.

“I’m going home.”

Rising from the bed, Phineas paced over to the fireplace.  Resting his elbow on the mantelpiece, he stared into the embers thoughtfully.  “You are home Keegan.  Whether you like it or not is irrelevant, I’m afraid.”

Keegan pulled himself into an upright position and glared at his grandfather.

“Look old man I’m leaving, got it?  I almost died thanks to you!”

“If you attempt to leave now, you will almost certainly be killed and I will be powerless to stop it,” sighed the old wizard.  “You are the chosen apprentice.  If something were to happen to you, I would be forced to step down as Guardian as I would have no successor.”  Turning to face his grandson, he said even more gravely, “Cedric would stop at nothing to gain my powers and that includes killing you.”

Keegan stared at his grandfather.  “I thought you were the most powerful wizard alive?!” he demanded.

Phineas chuckled quietly as he walked over to an armchair near the fire and sat down.

“I am very powerful yes,” said Phineas.  “All powerful?  Most powerful? I would never choose those phrases.  I cannot protect you every moment of every day.  That is why it is so critical for you to learn our craft and the quicker the better.”

Keegan buried his face in his hands.

“I didn’t even know I could do magic until a day or two ago,” he moaned.  “How do I learn to be a wizard in a few days?”

Phineas smiled at his grandson.

“Now there I can help you.  Acamar and I can teach you a great deal and with a little luck you will learn quickly.  Of course we will start off with defensive magic, portals and the like.”  Getting up from his chair, he walked over and placed his hand on Keegan’s shoulder.  “But none of this can begin until you are my apprentice, after you have passed the trials.  You came through the first, now you must pass two more.”

The door creaked open and a large black cat walked into the room.

“The Council is ready, Master,” Acamar said.  “The boy’s next trial is to begin within the hour.”

“Thank you Acamar,” replied Phineas.

Leaving Keegan’s bedside Phineas walked over to the open door and paused, turning to look at his grandson.

“You’re a Whitestone, Keegan.  Never forget that – I know you’ll do our family proud.”  Closing the door behind him, Phineas left Keegan to consider the task ahead.

***

Watching the door close, Keegan flopped back on the bed and flung his arm back over his eyes.  Perhaps Phineas was right.  Maybe he did have something deep within him that he had never realized before.  He had coasted through life up to this point, happy to accept his mediocrity and afraid to commit to anything more; maybe that was why he had never had a relationship last more than a month or two.  Maybe it was time for him to let go of the past, to forget about the rantings of his father – a selfish old man who thrived on belittling others.  Maybe he could make a difference for once – maybe.

~~~~

Chapter 20 – A Council Divided

The Council chamber was brightly lit as always and was filled with the sound of arguing, which was also not unusual.

“He failed!” screamed Portia, slamming her palm on the table in front of her and setting off a small shower of sparks in the process.  Her red tresses pulled back in a long pony tail made her sharp features that much more frightening.

“The hell he did, Portia!” shouted Nigel Bannister, just as angrily “He lived, didn’t he!?”

“Barely!  He was unconscious and had to be dragged back to the Council by a servant!” she snapped.

“He successfully completed a complex incantation – he passed!”

“Oh do shut up, Nigel – you should know by now how little weight your squeaky voice carries with this Council,” sneered Portia, her voice dripping with contempt.

“Forgive me, Portia, I did indeed forget my place.  I had forgotten the power and prestige which is brought to the Council by Cedric’s little lapdog,” Nigel replied icily, glowering at her over his glasses.

Standing up so abruptly she knocked her chair backwards, Portia flung her arms wide and brought her wand out of nowhere.  Her arms were coming down in a wide sweeping arc when the Oracle in the middle of the Chamber focused a beam of pure white energy on her forehead.  Blinded by her rage, she had stumbled into the trap laid by the white-robed wizard.  She had barely had time to utter a muffled “SH--!” before she was completely encased in crystal.  Bannister sat chuckling, gazing into Portia’s still flaming eyes.

“Second time this year,” he chortled.  “You really must learn to control that temper of yours,” he said as he blew her a kiss.  “Think about that over the next week as you thaw out, why don’t you?”

Shocked by the ferocity of the exchange, the other Council members sat in stunned silence, until a somewhat disheveled looking Ducat entered the room.  Striding over to his place at the table, he sat down beside Phineas.

“Right, are we ready to – ” he stopped cold as his eyes fell on the figure of the dark witch Portia, now encased in the crystalline prison.  “Oh surely, not again?” he asked, glancing around the table.

“She did ask for it, even if she is of my own order,” said Alicia Sadak.  “Portia has no respect for anyone, Alex; especially not those of the other orders.”

Shaking his head, he gave one last glance at the imprisoned witch.  “Yes, but one would think she’d learn after the first time the Oracle saw fit to encase her in crystal,” said Ducat.

Sighing, he sat back in his chair.  “Well, she can still hear us, so the Council will proceed with business.”

“It certainly will be quieter,” smiled Bannister.

“Enough!” snapped Ducat.  “Nigel, I expect that sort of behavior out of Portia, not you.”  Waiving his hand, the door across the chamber opened.  Keegan, still somewhat weakened from his bout with the poison, was standing in the doorway, leaning on a staff borrowed from his grandfather.  Motioning Keegan to come forward, Ducat rose to greet him.  Waiving his hand in an odd motion, a chair materialized near the Council table.

“Congratulations, young man, you have succeeded in your first task.  Please approach the Council.  Though not customary, it is quite understandable after your last task that you are still somewhat weak.  Please sit while we explain your next task.”

Keegan came forward and took his place in the chair.  Across the room, he could see his grandfather seated next to Ducat.  While he saw the other nine Council mages seated around the table, he noticed that one of the three chairs reserved for the Heads-of-order sat empty.  Since Phineas and Master Ducat were seated in the other two the third must be Cedric’s.

The Council members debated quietly for a few moments, with members occasionally casting a glance in Keegan’s direction.  He noticed Portia, encased in her crystalline prison near her place at the table.  If he didn’t know better he would have sworn she was staring right at him.

“Keegan?” asked Ducat, motioning towards the young man.

“Yes, Master Ducat?”

Keegan was determined to make his grandfather proud and accomplish something in his life for a change.  He had squandered most of his teenage years and early twenties in the frivolous pursuit of whatever caught his fancy.  He was determined to end that now and become a better man than his father ever had been.

“We have determined your second task.”  Ducat motioned for Keegan to approach the Council.

“As you might have surmised, my young friend, each sect determines one of the tasks you must complete in order to become an approved apprentice.  Not surprisingly your first task was decided upon by our esteemed representative of the dark order, Portia Nightshade,” he said indicating the now silent crystal-encased Council member.  “The second task which you will be tested with was determined by my order, the order of Grey.”

“I’m ready, Master Ducat” replied Keegan evenly.

“I dare say this one is somewhat less threatening, though just as challenging.  Your task is to survive an interview with Seba’an, the Alderdrache,” smiled Ducat.  This has been a tradition followed by all previous apprentices, which we have decided to continue.”

“Alderdrache?” asked Keegan, having never heard the term before.

“He is the ruler of the dragons of this world and quite possibly one of the oldest creatures you will ever have the privilege to meet.  He is wise beyond our understanding, and though blind can see more than most men.”  Sipping from a small glass of water in front of him, Ducat reclined in his chair, waiting to gauge Keegan’s response.

“But Master Ducat,” Keegan asked tentatively, “you said ‘survive’ an interview.”

“Yes, you heard correctly.  You see, if you do not survive the interview with Seba’an, then obviously you will have failed.  Your ashes, or whatever remains of you, will be returned to your grandfather for disposal.”

Rising from his place at the table, Ducat muttered an incantation that Keegan didn’t quite catch.

“STOP!” roared his grandfather, rising in what was obviously a fury, though Keegan had never seen him this angry before.

Ducat froze and the wispy edges of a vortex that had started to form dissipated quickly.

“After two attempts on Keegan’s life, I believe the Council will agree that it is my responsibility to see him to the lair of the Alderdrache,” said Phineas intently, his eyes fixed on his friend Ducat.

“Surely Phineas, you don’t think I was…” Ducat stammered.

“After what has happened over these past few weeks Master Ducat, I wouldn’t be surprised at anything.  I am obliged to see that he makes it to this task in one piece.”

Seeing that Phineas was not to be swayed, the grey wizard assented, and returned to his seat.

“Good luck Keegan; remember you are a Whitestone and I am very proud of you, never forget that,” said Phineas.

Raising his staff, he summoned a large vortex, ringed in a blue-white fire.  The power radiating from it dwarfed the one Ducat had summoned.

Taking up his staff, Keegan rose stiffly from his chair and walked over to the portal.  Ducking slightly so his head would pass through, he stepped through the portal to begin his second task.

~~~~

Chapter 21 – Interview with a Dragon

It took Keegan’s eyes a few moments to adjust to the darkness.  He appeared to be in a large cavern that seemed to descend down into the bowels of a mountain.  The tunnel arched out of sight above him, but the air was quite warm for underground.  The cavern was lit on both sides by what appeared to be glowing red orbs; floating about twenty feet off the ground, yet from what Keegan could see they did not touch the walls.  While the light was by no means bright, it was enough for Keegan to walk by without stumbling.  Taking his new staff in hand, he strode towards the end of the tunnel, where he could see a dim reddish glow in the distance.  The staff felt oddly comfortable in his hands – not at all what he expected when Acamar had given it to him.  Though lightweight, Keegan had found it was impossible to bend or even flex the staff in his hands; whatever material it had been cast from was obviously far stronger than wood yet much lighter than metal.  He reached the end of the cavern and stepped through an enormous archway directly in front of which was a block of black granite, which rose at least twenty feet above the floor.  Atop the massive stone, reclining like some gargantuan cat was a large black dragon, who appeared to be staring intently at Keegan.

“You certainly took your time, my young friend,” said the beast, head still resting on his enormous claws.  “I’ve been waiting for you for several years now.”

Not sure what to say, Keegan knelt before the dragon “Forgive me Elder, but I was only just summoned a few days ago.”

“A small matter,” said the dragon.  “The wizards have been in turmoil trying to decide who should succeed the Gatekeeper for many years.”

The dragon shifted on its perch and only then did Keegan notice that unlike Brimstone’s fiery eyes, this dragon’s were a dull red in color with no visible pupil, although they still glowed like embers in a fire.

“Yes, young one, I am blind,” the dragon said simply.

“But how did you…”

“You are far more blind than I little one, because you only see with your eyes.  I see through scent and motion, through thought and magic.”  Shifting on his perch again, Seba’an lowered his neck so that his gigantic head was level with Keegan’s “I am ageless, young one; I was here before your kind had learned to walk upright on their hindquarters.  Do not make the mistake of underestimating my abilities.”

Keegan could not meet the dragon’s gaze.  “Please Elder, I meant no offense.”

“Humph,” snorted the dragon, sending a blast of scorching hot air over Keegan’s head.  “You have much to learn young one, yet very little time in which to learn it.  You will be pleased to know that I approve of you as the Council’s choice to train under Master Whitestone.”

Startled, Keegan looked up at the great beast.  “Elder, if I may ask, I thought I was supposed to be tested?”

“You have been tested, my young apprentice to be,” said the dragon.  “Your Council of mages believes that I will destroy you simply because I have destroyed every applicant up to this point.  You see, I foretold your appearance long ago and knew that until you were ready to cross the barrier, the position of apprentice must remain vacant.”

“But I thought the Guardian chose his apprentice.  Do you mean there were others before me?”

The dragon chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that shook the floor of the cavern.

“Normally the Guardian chooses, yes.  The Council can however, choose an apprentice for the Guardian if they go too long without one or refuse to name their own.”

Stunned by this sudden revelation, Keegan recoiled in horror.

“You mean you killed all of the others?”

“Yes,” said the dragon in a very matter of fact tone.

“But…why?” Keegan stammered.  This was horrible – these innocent people were slaughtered just to assure his ascendance.

Seba’an chuckled again as he rested his massive head on razor sharp talons.  “Yours is not to question youngling.  Your destiny has already been determined.  Although most Guardian’s choose their own successor, the Council may nominate one in order to try and force a succession.  This could not be allowed as the time was not yet appropriate.”

“But what if I don’t choose that destiny?!” demanded Keegan, anger rising inside of him.  Shaking with rage at the thought of cold-blooded murder committed on his behalf, he rose to his feet.  “I determine my fate!  Do you understand me?  I am neither your pawn nor the Council’s and I cannot accept the killing of innocents.”

Seba’an shifted slightly, the glossy black spikes along his neck rising in irritation.  “You would do well to remember to whom you are speaking, youngling.”

Keegan felt a white-hot burning sensation and looked at his hand; his signet ring was emitting an eerie blue-green glow.  He could swear the ring was constricting on his finger when a familiar voice suddenly filled the cavern

“He is young and naïve, Alderdrache….as you once were in times past,” came a voice that Keegan recognized as that of Nekk’ar.

The old dragon snorted and cocked his head to one side, his anger abating somewhat.

“It has been eons since I was ever considered ‘young’ and I was never naïve.”

“The boy has much to learn, Seba’an; he does not fully understand the tasks that lie ahead.”

The ancient beast shifted his great weight and addressed Keegan.  “You will return to your Council now, young one.  You will tell them that you have earned my blessing as apprentice to Master Whitestone.”

Keegan’s temples were still pounding with anger, but the white-hot pain coursing through his hand helped him keep his temper in check, for now at least.  He knew that Nekk’ar was right; he did have a great deal to learn and he had agreed to accept this life when he came to this world.  He looked back up at Seba’an,

“How do I get back?”

“Follow the tunnel back the way you came,” said the old dragon.  “There you will find your path back.”  With that, he settled his enormous head back down and closed his blind eyes.

Keegan turned on his heel, still fuming over the knowledge that innocent people had been killed for his benefit.

“They were not so innocent, my young apprentice,” came Nekk’ar’s voice, echoing through Keegan’s thoughts.  Keegan stopped halfway up the tunnel, startled by the sudden intrusion into his mind.

“What?  How did you do that?  Can you read my thoughts too?!”

“There are many things for you to learn, and yes, if I am so inclined I can read your thoughts.  In time you will learn to communicate with me in this way.”

Keegan thought he was already communicating that way “But isn’t that what I’m doing now?”

“You are responding to me while I am in your mind.  I simply hear your thoughts before you can vocalize them.  To project your thoughts to me when I am not already here is more difficult, though with practice you will master it.”

“So when I project my mind, can I then read your thoughts as well?”

A sudden pain seized Keegan’s mind.  Like an electric shock, it paralyzed his muscles so he could do nothing but stand rigid, trembling in agony.

“Do you find this painful?”

Keegan could not concentrate through the pain long enough to form a coherent thought, much less answer the spirit’s question.  Just as quickly as it had come, the pain was gone again and Keegan fell to the floor trembling, cold sweat running down his forehead.

Nekk’ar’s voice echoed through his mind, more sinister now than Keegan had ever heard it before “I thought as much; that is a warning my young apprentice.  To delve into the depths of my thoughts would result in your sudden death, though not without a great deal of pain beforehand.  Remember this lesson, lest you should be tempted to wander off the path.”

Keegan rose, supporting himself on his staff.  He tried to concentrate through the lingering pain still coursing through his body “I… I thought… I thought you were my ally, my guardian?”

“I am charged with your protection, so long as you are the apprentice or the Guardian, but you do not have the freedom of exploring my thoughts.  Your simple human mind would not cope well with the things you would find there.  Before you so readily grieve the ones who came before you, you should know that they were not so ‘innocent’ as you would like to believe.  They were foolish servants of others who sought to gain the power of Guardian for themselves.  The protection of this realm dictated their deaths.”

Keegan finally reached the end of the tunnel where he had first entered the mountain.  Directly in front of him was a hard rock wall, moist from condensation but with no sign of a gateway or portal.  Stupid – did I really think the old man’s portal would wait?  Raising his hand towards the blank wall and visualizing the Council chambers, he uttered the phrase that Acamar had first taught him.

“Vervoers Portaal.”

A bright light flashed and a sharp crack echoed through the cavern.  The air shimmered as the spell rebounded and knocked Keegan backwards, flinging him roughly to the floor.  Scrambling to find his staff, he pulled himself up and dusted off his robes.  The red orbs high above were dimming now, leaving Keegan in an ever increasing well of darkness.

“What the hell was that?!”

Suddenly, Keegan’s ring finger was searing with an intense pain.  Looking down, he noticed that Nekk’ar was glowing white and pulsing with energy.  Just as quickly, Keegan felt the dragon ring’s presence flow into his mind as it had before.

”Hide!” it hissed at him, almost leaving him unconscious from the sheer force of the thought.

Glancing around, he saw a black granite pillar that protruded from the wall.  Drawing his hood over his head, he squeezed down behind the pillar as best he could.  The light from the red orbs was almost gone now, though Keegan noticed that the orbs themselves were not dimming, rather they seemed surrounded by some nebulous black mist that thickened as he watched.  A sudden tearing sound, as if a thousand pieces of parchment ripping at once resounded through the cavern.  Keegan thought he caught a hint of sudden movement where his portal had been, but when he looked directly at the spot where it was all he could see was inky blackness.  A sense of dread entered Keegan like none he had ever experienced; he could sense something purely evil, just beyond his sight.  It was as if the blackness itself was alive and filled with malevolent hatred.

Keegan’s vision began to blur as a searing pain coursed through his temples.  As he clutched his head in his hands, images began to swim through his thoughts, seeping in around the blinding pain.  In the images, he could see himself as an old man, alone in a hospital bed.  As he watched, he could see himself aging, his skin wrinkling and joints enlarging.  His hair grayed and fell out and his face developed a sunken appearance.  Horrified by the approach of his own death, he was struck by the fact that the old man in his vision was dying alone.

“Keegan!”

A voice cut through the images like a knife, snapping him back to reality.  He was quaking with fear, scrunching down as small as possible behind the pillar when just as suddenly the red orbs began brightening again.  As they gained in strength his fear subsided, enough so that he could peek around the edge of his hiding place to look down the corridor. Keegan froze in horror as he saw the blackness moving!  The cloud of pure, oily-black mist was flowing down the corridor without a sound, moving towards the great dragon’s chambers.

“Flee!” hissed the voice of Nekk’ar in his thoughts.  ”Flee now you fool, while you have the chance.”

“What was that?”

“Death,” said Nekk’ar simply.  “The Dark Ones have been released, summoned to our realm to wreak their vengeance.  You must flee to the Council while you still can, where the Guardian can protect you.”

“But what about Seba’an?”

The ring tightened further on his hand.  “The Alderdrache is powerful; he may yet resist them.  His duty is to sacrifice himself to ensure your survival.”

“But how do I open a portal without them seeing me??” thought Keegan frantically.

His ring, already so tight that his finger was going numb, constricted further and grew hot to the touch.  “Their residual magic should shield you long enough – now GO!”

Keegan raised his arm, pointing his clenched fist at the wall and thought fiercely ‘Vervoers Portaal,’ praying that the portal would flare to life.  He felt the magic course through his veins and flow outward, blossoming into a flaming green spiral that he knew would connect to the Council chambers and safety.  As he opened his eyes and gazed upon his work, he suddenly felt a bone chilling cold and heard what sounded like the distant rumble of thunder.

”Blast!  They’ve sensed you boy!  Your portal was stronger than I thought – they’ve sensed your power and are returning.”

That was all Keegan needed; without a moment’s hesitation he dove head-first through his portal, only vaguely aware of the snapping sound behind him as it flared out.  He landed hard, sliding roughly on his stomach across the floor into the middle of the Council chambers, much to the surprise of the assembled witches and wizards.  Keegan managed one brief look at their puzzled faces before passing out in an exhausted heap in the floor.

~~~~

Chapter 22 - Escape

Keegan slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the fog that clouded his mind.  It was then that he noticed a large black cat sitting on his chest, peering intently at him.  Beyond the cat stood what appeared to be a ring of a dozen or more people in funny robes.

“He’s coming to – I think he’s going to be fine,” said the cat.

“Ugh,” said Keegan, letting his head fall back to the cold, hard floor.

“Nice to see you too, my young friend,” purred the cat as it hopped down from his chest.  “Your abrupt arrival interrupted my dinner, you know.”

Keegan closed his eyes again as Acamar hurried off to his interrupted supper.  His peaceful interlude was abruptly ended as two sets of arms grabbed him about the shoulders and hauled him into a chair.

“Are you all right, Keegan?” asked Phineas, bending close so he could better examine the boy.
“Yes, I’m fine.  I’m getting used to near death experiences,” he sighed.

Phineas looked puzzled.  “Do you mean your audience with the Alderdrache?  But surely it must have been acceptable; otherwise you would never have returned.”

“Oh, that part went fine,” said Keegan.  “It was the other bit that was a little dodgy.”  He straightened himself up in the chair to get a better view of everyone’s faces.  “Everything went fine until I started to return and found my portal blocked.”

“What do you mean blocked?” asked Alexander Ducat, who had edged his way to the front of the group to stand next to Phineas.

“Just that – it was blocked.  I couldn’t summon a portal.  When I tried, I was blown backwards by an explosion of some sort.  The next thing I know I was hiding behind a column as this dark cloud of something came through the caverns and headed for Seba’an’s lair.”

“What do you mean a dark cloud of something?” asked Alexander, pressing closer to Keegan and being elbowed by Phineas in the process.  If Keegan did not know better, he could have sworn that the grey wizard had turned noticeably paler and had broken out into a cold sweat.

“That’s just it – I don’t know what it was.  The whole cavern began growing darker and something came through where my portal should have been.  It looked like an oily-black, swirling mist.  The temperature must have dropped at least twenty degrees when it passed through.”

Keegan straightened himself up in the chair, having regained some of his strength.  He was about to explain to the Council about Nekk’ar’s warning when suddenly the ring constricted so tightly it made him jump.

“No!” came the voice in his mind, as loud to him as if the dragon had shouted it in his face.  Heeding the warning more out of fear than loyalty (he really didn’t want to lose a finger to that stupid ring) Keegan changed his story slightly.

“The mist had moved towards the chamber of Seba’an when I called my portal; I guess that’s what brought them – or it – back towards me.  I dove through the portal and didn’t look back.”

“Someone’s obviously conjured a shade to follow the boy.  Nothing to worry about,” Alexander pronounced.

“It hardly sounds like a shade Alex,” said Phineas derisively.  “The size doesn’t sound right for one thing, not to mention that a conjuring of that level normally doesn’t alter ambient air temperature.”

“Hogwash, Phineas.  I’m certain it was a low level conjuring and nothing more.”  Ducat abruptly turned to face Keegan again.  “This matter is closed young Master Whitestone.  It is not to be discussed outside these chambers, as the apprenticeship process is not open to the public.”

“But Master Ducat, that thing – whatever it was – was trying to kill me,” said Keegan in exasperation.

Ducat leaned towards Keegan, glowering at him in the process.  “Young one, you do not yet know the first thing about our world.  I daresay you could not tell a shade from a spectre.  As I am the Vice-Chairman of the Council until the new Chancellor is installed, it is my decision that stands – period.”

Ducat made this last statement with such finality Keegan new it was pointless to argue.  He started to speak anyway but glanced at Phineas, who gave him a very subtle warning glance.  Moments later the doors to the Council Chamber closed with a resounding ‘thud’ as Master Ducat returned to his chambers.  One by one, the other Council members returned to their own chambers as well, leaving only Phineas and Keegan to contemplate what had just occurred.

“I don’t know what I saw but I do know it was trying to find me, to kill me if it could.”

“I believe you, Keegan.  I do not yet know why, but Master Ducat refuses to consider the possibilities.”

“What possibilities?”

Phineas sat down in the chair next to Keegan, letting out a deep sigh in the process.  He leaned back, gazing at the distant ceiling of the chamber.  The mists swirling around the columns high above had turned a golden hue, matching the sunset outside.

“There are things in our world that have not been seen since long before the veil,” said Phineas.  “Eons ago, before the Council had been formed and before there was some order to our lives, there existed a darkness in this world.  There is only one thing that came to mind when you described what happened in the cavern.  Only one thing fits the description and could account for what you saw.”

Forgetting his bruises for the moment, Keegan leaned forward in earnest.  “What was it?  What was trying to kill me?  What did they or it want?”

Phineas met Keegan’s gaze, looking at him over the rim of the spectacles perched on his nose.  “I believe, Keegan, that what you saw was the Shadow.”

“Shadows?”

“No, Keegan.  The Shadow.  They are the embodiment of pure evil.  They were among the first ones on this world, although I do not believe they are actually from our world.”

“What, you mean they’re like aliens or something?”

Phineas shook his head and rose from the chair.  Striding over to one of the arched windows, he crossed his arms as he looked out across the courtyard below.

“They have always existed Keegan.  Before this world was even formed, they existed.  They inhabit the planes between the universes – the dark places where the light never shines.”

“Wait a minute – you keep saying ‘they’ but you call it ‘The Shadow.’  Is it a ‘they’ or is it an ‘it’?”

“Oh there is certainly more than one, Keegan.  In fact, there are a great many, unfortunately.  However, despite being separate beings, they move, act and think as one for they share a consciousness.  They are connected at all times.”

“So why are they after me?”

“The more important question is how they came after you,” said Phineas, turning to look directly at Keegan.  Clasping his hands behind his back, he paced over towards his grandson.

“Their portal to our world had been sealed eons ago, when the last of the ancients departed and the druids disappeared.  So the question I want to answer first is, how did they return?  How did they break the seal on the portal or perhaps more importantly, who let them in?”

“You can’t be serious – why would someone open a portal to let something like that loose?”

Unfamiliar though he was with this side of the world, Keegan was smart enough to know that one would not willingly let a being that malevolent pass through with an open invitation.

“It could be any number of reasons, Keegan.  Some fool seeking power would be my first guess, though they would have to be an incredibly powerful wizard to open the seals that have kept the portal safe.”

“So what happens to me now?  More trials?  More opportunities for me to get killed?” asked Keegan bitterly.  He couldn’t stand it any longer as a drowning sensation washed over him.  He jumped up and headed for the door, not exactly certain of where he would go – he just knew he had to get out.  He expected Phineas to stop him, to chastise him and implore him to be patient, but this did not happen.  The old man merely leaned on his staff and watched Keegan go.

***

“Why didn’t you stop him?”

Phineas smiled sadly, as he looked down at the large black cat that had suddenly appeared sitting next to his feet.  “He will return when he is ready, Acamar.  He’s a Whitestone, and the magic is in his blood; even if he doesn’t want it to be.”

“I hope you’re right – for your sake as much as his.”

With a yawn and a stretch, Acamar jumped up onto the window ledge and curled into a black, furry ball.  Before Phineas could say a word, the cat was fast asleep.

~~~~

Chapter 23 – Thoughts and Reflections

Keegan wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he stormed out of the Council chambers, nor was he certain how he had arrived in the courtyard.  He sat down on a secluded granite bench next to an ornamental pond.  The last rays of the setting sun had turned the surface of the water the color of fire, broken only by the occasional fin from one of the goldfish swimming just beneath the surface.

Keegan closed his eyes, leaning his forehead on the staff in front of him.  Although the wood was cool to the touch, he could feel something akin to a faint pulse somewhere beneath the surface.  Concentrating, he let his mind drift outward, feeling for the pulsing energy with his mind.  He felt himself drawn inward to the heart of the staff until suddenly he was surrounded by a soft, glowing warmth.  He seemed to be floating somewhere within the heart of the staff, surrounded by a soft, golden glow.

“You see Keegan, this is your destiny – it is in your blood.”

Keegan turned (or at least thought he did) toward the direction of the voice.  Slightly above and to his left someone (or something) had coalesced out of the glow.  The shape was blurry at first, until finally solidifying before his eyes into a large golden dragon.

Looking down at his hand, Keegan realized that his ring was gone, yet in its place was a glowing band of what looked like liquid fire.  From this band a tiny thread of light, no thicker than a human hair, snaked out across the distance towards the dragon.

“Yes, we are still connected – even here,” replied Nekk’ar as if anticipating the question.

“But where is here?”

“We are….in between.  Yes, that is the simplest way to put it.  We are everywhere, yet nowhere.  We are between the two worlds.”

“I don’t understand.  I was…”

“In the courtyard.  Yes, I know,” said the dragon, stretching its wings outward and flexing them, as if stretching after a long nap.  “You seem to forget that most of my time is spent coiled around your ring finger.”

Keegan had forgotten that little detail.  “Tell me, Nekk’ar.  Back in the Council chambers, why did you stop me from telling them about your warning?”

The dragon folded his wings back into place and lay down in front of Keegan, resting his giant head upon his crossed legs.  His huge head towered above the young man.  “You need to understand, young one that not all of the Council members know I even exist.  Oh, they know about the ring, of course.  All of the first families have them.  Yet yours is the only ring that is anything more than mere metal.  The others have been imbued over the years with various powers, certainly, but yours is the only one that is more than what it seems.”

“But my grandfather knows about you, yes?”

“Oh yes, he knows quite a lot about me.  You see I began as his ring but was handed down to his son, when he traveled beyond the veil.  The Elder Whitestone felt it best if his line had my protection if they where to stay in the mortal world.  He knew that one day you would have to return if he was to have an apprentice.”

The dragon suddenly cocked his head to one side, as if listening to something.  Keegan listened but couldn’t hear anything beyond the low hum of power that surrounded them.

“It seems you have a visitor, young one.  You had best return before they arrive.  Your body is vulnerable while here in this place.”

Keegan turned to look at the dragon but was startled to see that he was gone.  Looking down he saw that the ring had returned to his finger, though it glowed with an odd light that made the tiny scales of the dragon’s hide look as if they where moving on their own.  Not certain at first how to return, he strained his senses to see if he could find a way back until he felt an odd pulling sensation.  Quite suddenly, the world around him snapped back into focus, though now the sun had set and the bright red magical lanterns scattered throughout the courtyard had come to life.  He heard soft footsteps along the pathway and looked up.  Walking towards him was the woman he had seen with the scrying sphere!  If he had thought she was beautiful as seen through the sphere, she was absolutely breathtaking in person.  Dressed in elegant black lace robes, she was only slightly shorter than he was.  Although the lanterns cast a reddish glow on everything in the garden, he could still make out the soft olive tones of her skin beneath waves of long, ebony black hair.  But the most powerful thing about her where her eyes – those lovely almond shaped eyes were so dark that they must be as black as the night itself.

“Hello, Keegan,” she said with a soft smile.  “It’s good to see you up and about after your first attempt at neutralizing a poison.”

If it were not for the fact that it was physically impossible, Keegan’s eyebrows would have shot past his scalp; “That was you, wasn’t it?  You were the raven!”

“Yes.  That is my form for all but one hour of the day.”

Keegan was about to ask why when he caught a glint of red – a dark ruby pendant hung around her neck.  It was exactly the same type of pendant worn by Acamar.  “You have a pendant just like Acamar’s,” he said, indicating the delicate silver chain around her neck.  “So you’re sentenced to a life of servitude too?”

“It is my penance yes,” she said sadly.  Clasping her hands behind her, she stood solemnly gazing into the pond watching the moonlight dance across the ripples in the water.  “I am allowed human form for one hour each day.  If that time is cut short by transformation, then it is lost, until the sun rises again.  The restriction is meant to teach one the value of our humanity.”

“I’m sorry,” said Keegan, as he stood up from the bench and walked over next to her.  Not certain what to say, he stood silently next to her, watching the moonlight dance across the water.

“Don’t be.  The punishment was just, though someday I hope to earn my freedom again.”

“If I may ask, what is your name?  You never told me before when you visited my room after the test.”

“Names can be powerful things, Keegan.  To know someone’s name, especially their true name, is to have power over them.  But perhaps I’m being melodramatic; you may call me Nisha,” she said with a soft smile.

“Nisha.  That’s a beautiful name.  It fits you,” he said with a smile.

“You are too kind, Master Apprentice.  I am but a lowly civil servant – pleasantries are not to be wasted on such as me.”

“I’m not an apprentice,” replied Keegan bitterly, turning away from her as he spoke.  “I don’t think I ever will be either.  There’s so much I don’t know and don’t understand, not to mention that I’ve almost been killed half a dozen times already!”

“You will be the apprentice to the Guardian, Keegan and eventually you will be the Guardian.  It is your destiny – whether you like it or not.”

Keegan gripped his staff so tightly that his knuckles turned white.  Whirling around to face Nisha, he hissed through clenched teeth, “I determine my fate!  Not you, not the Council, not my grandfather and not some damned meddling dragon!!”

No sooner had he spoken these words than thunder rumbled ominously above.  Where the moon had been shining brightly before, now there were swirling black clouds growing thicker by the minute.

“Look at yourself, Keegan!” snapped Nisha, her eyes flashing with anger.  “Magic is in your blood – don’t you see that?  Look around you,” she said, gesturing up at the storm clouds overhead.  “The night was clear before your little tantrum – don’t you understand?  Your magic brought those storm clouds - you are powerful beyond your understanding.”

Turning away from him, she walked back over to the bench at sat down, her entire form looking exhausted.

“You can’t escape your destiny no matter how much you may want to.  Some things in life are bigger than all of us – if you weren’t so self-centered maybe you could see that not just one but two worlds need you!”

Ashamed and chastened, Keegan could do nothing more than stare at his feet.  The storm clouds above were quickly dissipating, allowing the moonlight to shine down once more.  He looked over at Nisha.  “You’re shaking; are you alright?”

“My time in human form is almost gone for today,” she said, her voiced strained.  “You must understand, Keegan.  If you fail, we are all at risk.  If you try to return to your old life, you will be killed – period.  At least if you train under the Guardian you stand a chance – to save not only yourself but the rest of us as well.”

“Why are you helping me Nisha?”

“Because I have grown; I am not the person I was when I was sentenced to this punishment.”  She was starting to shake more violently; it was becoming more and more difficult to maintain her human form.  “I am bound to serve my master, but I am not as short sighted as he is.  I know the dangers of bringing our worlds together too soon; it must not be allowed to happen yet.”

With these last words, Nisha shuddered and with a painful cry of anguish transformed into a large raven.  Ruffling her feathers, she cocked her head to one side.

“I believe in you, Keegan.  I believe in the power inside you whether you do or not.  You must not fail – for your sake more than any other.”

Spreading her jet-black wings, the raven flew off into the night, returning to the study of her Master.

~~~~

Chapter 24 - Betrayal

“You lied to me!!” shouted the wizard, so furious that little wisps of smoke were actually rising off of his dark robes.

Brimstone looked positively bored and continued to examine his front claws, ignoring the wizard’s fury for the moment.

“Don’t ignore me, damn you!  You lied about Talith Nor!  When the Great Seal opened I was very nearly killed!”

Brimstone was still not impressed.  This fool of a wizard had easily been tricked into doing his biding, unsealing the old portal in the mountains at Talith Nor that was the gateway for the Shadow.  It would only be a matter of time now before they exacted their revenge on the Alderdrache.  After his destruction, Brimstone would rise to command the dragons of the world and cast down the veil for good.  He would still have to deal with the wizards, of course, or at least those who were foolish enough to stand against him.

“I did not lie to you, I merely gave you the information you were seeking.  You asked the location of the Great Seal, not what lay beyond it.”

“You knew about the Shadow you damn, double-crossing beast!” he shouted as he paced back and forth, venting his rage at the dragon.  Brimstone merely watched as the wizard continued his tirade.

“You knew when I opened the seal they would come forth into our world unhindered – they were supposed to be held at bay until summoned.  How can I control them now?”

“The Shadow cannot be controlled, you fool,” sighed Brimstone.  “They existed before all others, except the ancients.  Do you really think that your petty powers would give you control over them?  Their magic is from the dawn of time; they travel between the dimensions and can control things that you barely understand.  The Shadow cannot be so easily stopped.”

The wizard, still pacing back and forth in anger, turned towards the dragon.  “That’s not true, dragon.”  He stopped his pacing and glared at Brimstone, some of his anger dissipating – although a few wisps of smoke still curled upwards from his darkening robes.  “They were stopped once.  They were banished from our world and set behind the great seal.  If it could be done once it can be done again, only this time they will be controlled instead of banished.”

This apparently got the dragon’s full attention, as the great beast shifted to face the wizard and brought his toothy snout down directly in front of him.  If this fool actually figured out how the Shadow had been banished he would have to be killed, immediately.  Brimstone could not afford for this amateur to interfere and possibly even disrupt the plan that the dragon had so carefully devised.

“Now you listen to me, wysard,” hissed the dragon in a menacing tone, using the dragon’s ancient term for those humans with magical talent.  “You have done all that I require.  If you try to interfere with what I have set in motion, you will be dealt with, understand?  If you are wise, you will follow my lead and support what happens next.  You will be in a position of power and can rule over the others of your kind.”

The wizard did not appear to be frightened by the threat; rather it seemed to make him even angrier.

“I have dealt with your kind before, dragon, and I will not be stopped by a youngling!”

The wizard made a quick motion with his hand and snapped “Sk’lath,” sending a shower of bright green sparks which engulfed Brimstone’s nose.

With a snarl of anger, the dragon jerked his head back to avoid the sparks – more out of surprise than pain, although a dragon’s snout is one of the more tender parts of their armored hides.

“I am not your pawn,” sneered the wizard.  “On the contrary, it is I who has controlled you all this time.  You have done my bidding and will continue to do so, unless you want that pendant around your great scaly neck again!”

Great wisps of smoke curled from Brimstone’s scorched nostrils as his internal fire stoked in anger.

“Listen carefully Skyv’tai,” said the wizard as he pointed a long finger at the dragon’s nose, giving particular emphasis to the dragon’s true name.  “That’s right dragon, I know your true name.  How else do you think I broke the charm that held the Council’s pendant around your neck?”

A flicker of surprise lit the dragon’s eyes.  Although taken aback by this knowledge, Brimstone was not flustered for long.  This would merely delay his plans, not stop them.  Narrowing his eyes until they were barely slits of gold against the deep red of his scales, he snarled at the wizard.  “And what, prey tell me, would you have me do oh mighty wysard?” said the dragon, his words dripping with sarcasm.

‘You will do as you are told,” snapped Ducat.  “First I must do more research into the Shadow and how they were banished; I’m sure you already know but I have learned not to trust the word of a dragon.”

“You would do well not to delve to deeply, wysard,” came Brimstone’s reply.  “You are dealing with powers you do not understand.”

Infuriated, the mage’s response came in the form of another shot of green sparks aimed at the dragon’s snout, but this time Brimstone was ready.  The dragon’s counter charm shielded his head and the sparks danced harmlessly off to one side, skittering across the floor until they burned themselves out.

“When I cast the summons, you will respond immediately – unless you want the prisoner’s pendant back around that scaly neck of yours,” snapped the wizard.  Turning from the dragon, the wizard conjured the portal that would take him back to his chambers.  With one last baleful glance at the dragon, he stepped through and was gone.

Hmph. thought the dragon.  I will respond when you summon me wysard, and when you have served my purpose I will roast your carcass over a spit for my dinner.

The dragon’s snout still tingled from the sparks; only magical fire could actually burn a dragon’s hide, as it was naturally fireproof against their own flames.  He had refrained from incinerating the man only because he still needed the fool for the time being.  If he killed him now, the entire Council and that damned Guardian would hunt him down.  No, he had to wait until the Shadow had dispensed with the Alderdrache.  The Council would be too busy with the chaos that ensued to stop him then.  Satisfied he could do nothing except wait, Brimstone curled up on the stones like some great red, scaly cat and went to sleep.

~~~~

Chapter 25 - Research

The Great Library of Innenstadt actually consisted of several buildings, having grown and expanded as necessary to accommodate the ever-growing collection of scrolls, tomes and other ancient writings.  The Central Repository was the first and largest of the buildings, having started out as the original library several thousand years ago.  Originally built in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs, the Council quietly moved the library in the middle of the night when the veil first separated the two worlds.  The great domed building’s main floor housed some of the oldest writings in the collection, although it was the lower levels of this building that interested the visitor the most.  He walked quickly through the marble halls, looking for the entrance to the sub-library that was located in the basement.  The lower levels were off-limits to all but the highest officials as they contained the histories, spells and writings of the most powerful (and in some cases evil) of witches and wizards.  Those in government deemed this information too dangerous for the masses and had locked it away, banishing it from prying eyes in hopes that the powers this information had previously unleashed would never return.  It was here he hoped to find the secret of the Shadow.  Slowing his pace, he finally located the entrance to the lower levels.  The passageway was behind a large bronze statue of Cerberus, the three-headed, dragon-tailed dog who stands guard before the gates of the underworld.

Sensing the wizard’s approach, the middle head of the statue looked down at him.

“Those seeking passage beyond this gate must pay the price,” said a deep voice that resonated through the empty hallway.

Knowing the ceremony by heart, the wizard took out a pure silver dagger and bared his wrist.  He winced as the sharp blade cut through his skin.  Carefully, he let the blood gather along the blade and then inserted the dagger up to the hilt into a small slit in the black granite base of the statue.  Looking up at the great bronze head watching him intently, he intoned the required response.

“I pay the price of my passage in my blood, my magic and my life.  Return within the hour to reclaim my down payment I must, lest I be struck down and payment taken in full.”

As he finished the response, the dog bowed its third head and a rectangular opening appeared in the black granite base as the stone slid away.  Alexander retrieved his dagger and hurried down the stairs that appeared in the passage as the stone slid back across the opening.  The stairs and passages below were lit by the golden glow of spellbound orbs along the walls.  He had to be quick, as he only had one hour as the ceremony stated.  When the library had been moved to its present location, a failsafe had been put in place to keep the curious at bay and prevent some witch or wizard from researching the darkest of secrets for too long.  If an hour passed before he could return to the entrance, Charon, the boatman for the dead, would come to collect his soul.  As payment for his passage to the underworld, the boatman would drain every drop of blood from his body and leave his body a withered husk.

However, he had no intention of visiting the underworld just yet – there was far too much to do before his time was up.  As if to emphasize the point, he nearly fell over the emaciated husk of a wizard at the bottom of the stairs.  As he nudged the body with his boot, the robes and body within crackled like dry parchment and crumbled to dust.  Covering his mouth and nose with his sleeve, he hurried down the passageway.  In his haste, he failed to notice the small, red eyes that peered at him out of the darkness not far from the body of the wizard over which he had just stepped.

Passing along the shelves that lined both sides of the cavernous room, he scanned the stacks of scrolls and books looking for the sign of the ancients.  He finally found the symbol carved in the keystone of an archway at the end of the aisle.  The symbol, signifying the infinite wisdom of the ancients, was etched in the stone as well as on the large bookcase below.  Scanning the contents of the shelf, the wizard finally located a large, black leather tome.  Reaching up, he took the tome from the shelf and laid it open on the table in front of him.  As he pulled the book from the shelf, a trail of thick black smoke followed it.  The shadowy chain was attached to the base of the book’s spine at one end and the shelf at the other.  This tether was to prevent the dark information contained within its pages from ever leaving the bowels of the great library.

The binding on the book crackled as the wizard pried it open.  Eagerly Ducat scanned the pages for any reference to the Shadow and their banishment from this world.  After several long minutes, he finally found the information he needed.  The passage was written in what appeared to be dried blood.  The writing was thin and spidery, and the words appeared to crawl across the page as he read them.

The passage told about the final confrontation with the Shadow and the creation of both the Oracle and the Blackstar Amulet.  This was his answer!  The amulet was the key to everything!  Eagerly he devoured the words in front of him, words that told of how the BlackStar Amulet was forged by the Ancients using and trapping the essence of the Shadow.

This is it!  This is how I bend them to my will and rend the Veil to pieces.  All I have to do is take the Amulet from its resting place in Pahret T’pur, place it in the keystone of the first portal located in the depths of the castle and complete the incantation.

Beside himself with glee, the wizard was so busy wringing his hands and chuckling to himself that he failed to notice the small, dark hand that darted from the shadows.  The hand made a small gesture and a noise sounded down the aisle behind the wizard.  Startled out of his reverie the wizard whirled about with his wand drawn, eyes scanning the dimly lit rows of bookshelves.  While he was still trying to find the source of the noise, the hand darted forth again.  With a small flash, it sketched a silvery glyph that settled into the page Ducat had been reading.  The page shimmered slightly and the hand quickly and silently tore it from the book.

Oblivious to what had been stolen, the wizard took out his silver dagger again and muttered an enchantment.  As he finished the blade of the dagger turned a dark blood red and a faint hissing noise came from the razor sharp edge.  Moving quickly, he sliced through the smoky chain attached to the spine of the great tome, freeing it from the shelf.  Checking one last time to make sure he still alone, he gathered up the book and pocketed it in the folds of his robes.  With only a few minutes to spare, he bounded up the stairway and inserted his silver dagger into the base of the statue of Cerberus.

“My task is complete, the time is late.  I reclaim my down payment, now death must wait,” he intoned as he removed the dagger and waved it in a slashing motion in front of himself.  The incantation completed and the curse aborted, the wizard returned to his chambers to finish his reading.

~~~~

Chapter 26 - Revelation

It was late that evening when Keegan finally returned to his temporary chambers, using the portal in the main courtyard as Acamar had taught him.

“It’s about time you came back,” said a sleepy voice near the fireplace.  Stretching and flexing his claws, Acamar slowly uncurled from his position near the hearth.  “Your grandfather was extremely worried about you, you know.”

“You were waiting up for me?”

“No, I was asleep; until you came in at least,” yawned the cat.  “I’ve found that since I’ve spent most of my days as a cat I prefer more warmth – your grandfather won’t let me keep the fire as high in his chambers.”

“Mmm.  And you knew he was worried about me, how?” asked Keegan, as he leaned his staff against the wall and slouched down in an oversized chair by the fire.

“A natural presumption, my boy.  He is your grandfather, after all.”  One final yawn and Acamar sat on the hearth with his tail curled tightly around his body, green eyes boring a hole through Keegan.

“I don’t have a choice, do I Acamar?”

Twitching his tail, Acamar laid his ears flat in irritation.  “We all have choices, young Master,” he said “it’s usually just a matter of doing what’s right or doing what’s easy.  Most people when faced with the choice, will do what’s easy.”

Crossing his arms, Keegan glared back at the cat.  “I don’t see where I have an easy way out here.  If I don’t stay here and try to become the apprentice then I’ll probably be killed.”

“What’s so hard about getting killed?” asked the cat, cocking his head to one side.  “That would seem to be quite easy.  The hard part is staying here, facing your fear of failure and fighting to take your rightful place at the Guardian’s side.”

“I don’t have a fear of failure – I have a fear of being killed,” Keegan said matter-of-factly.

“Hogwash!” snapped the cat, who was so irritated now that he was pacing back and forth on the hearth like a leopard stalking its prey.  “You’re afraid to fail, Keegan.  You’ve always been afraid to fail.  Why do you think you’ve never gone any further in your career, hmm?  Why have you never had a relationship that lasted more than six months?  Because you never take a risk, you never try for the higher rung on the ladder, you never take a chance.  You have lived your entire life up to this point sheltered in a cocoon that you’ve woven about yourself to keep you safe!”

“Do you blame me?” snapped Keegan, almost in tears.  “You don’t know what it was like, Acamar.  No matter what I did or what I achieved, it was never enough to satisfy my father.  Nothing was ever enough to achieve his approval, especially after Mom died.  I didn’t fear being a failure, Acamar – I was a failure!”

Acamar sighed and shook his head.  Closely examining the claws on one front pay, he spoke quietly “I remember your father, Keegan.  He was a self-centered and overbearing man, destined for mediocrity.  He was banished from this side of the veil because of an act of desperation.  He knew he would never be chosen to replace Master Whitestone as the Guardian, much less as the head off the White order.”

“What?” Keegan asked incredulously.  “I thought he left because he met my mother.”

“Hardly.  Your father was banished for trying to open the Great Seal.  He thought he would gain enough power to enslave the Council and destroy your grandfather.  He was never going to legitimately attain the power he craved and he knew it.  With our extended lifespan this side of the veil, the thought of several hundred years of mediocrity made him a very bitter man,” Acamar said in a very matter of fact tone.  “You see Keegan, I expect that your father’s critical eye was driven by his own failings.”

“Wait a minute.  You said he never would have been head of the white order – but he wore this ring didn’t he?  I thought our family inherited the position?”

Acamar sighed again – he was getting to old for this; being a cat for twenty-three hours a day was one thing, but playing nursemaid to this young novice was an entirely different level of trouble.  “Your ring is inherited, yes.  But things may….change…so to speak.  Your father’s motives were tainted by greed and ambition.  When he left this side of the veil, the stone in the ring you now wear was no longer white.  Both the stone and his robes were more of a dingy grey.  Had he stayed on this side of the veil I expect that both his robes and the ring would have turned black by now.”

Acamar’s words gave Keegan something to think about; if what he said were true, it would explain a great many things.  In fact, he remembered receiving the ring when his father died and the stone was indeed grey – not the snow white that it was now.

“That’s right,” said the cat.  “The stone is only white now because of you, Keegan.  Because of whom you are and the purity of your soul.”

Keegan jumped as the ancient clock in the corner of the room suddenly chimed midnight, with twelve deep-throated chimes that Keegan thought must have been designed to wake the dead.  Turning back to face Acamar, he was surprised to see the rather severe looking wizard in black robes sitting in the place on the hearth were the cat had been before.

“That’s right,” said Acamar.  “It’s a new day and I have my hour to be human.  I thought it would be easier to talk with you in this form and mark my words – this had better not be wasted!  I won’t be allowed to transfigure again until tomorrow, which means dinner tonight will consist of whatever I can catch – literally.”

“So what’s next?” asked Keegan with a sigh.

“That depends; are you staying or going?”

“Staying.  In spite of what you say, I really don’t see that I have a choice in the matter.  If I try to leave I’ll be killed; if I stay at least I might learn enough to try and defend myself.”

Acamar actually smiled at the young man “That’s the spirit, my boy!” he said, patting Keegan’s knee as he spoke.  “You’re final task will likely be scrying, or conjuring a vision from an object given to you by the Council.  We’ve practiced this one before, do you remember?”

“Yes, that’s when I first saw Nisha.”

Acamar visibly winced at the name, Keegan thought.  “Be careful, Keegan.  Nisha is….well…let’s just say she has a knack for getting her way where the opposite sex is concerned.  She is also an excellent chess player, Keegan.  I’d hate for you to end up as one of her pawns.”

“What do you mean?  What would she want from me?”

“I’ll not say any more for now.  Just guard yourself when she’s around.  In fact, that would be sound advice when dealing with almost anyone else you are liable to meet around here.  Be careful what you say and to whom you say it.”

“Great – one more thing to worry about.”

“Now, let’s give scrying one more quick practice run to make sure you’ve got the hang of it and then you need to rest.  Not to mention that my hour is very nearly up and it’s hard to hold a scrying sphere in a pair of fur covered paws.”

Walking over to the bookshelf, Acamar selected a small crystal sphere from a stand on one of the shelves.  Shimmering slightly at his touch, Keegan could sense the ripples of magic emanating from within the petite object.  It was amazing how sensitive to magical energy he had become over the past few days, he thought.

“Now,” said Acamar as he handed the crystal to Keegan, “take the sphere and concentrate on something recent.  Try one of your challenges and see if you can divine some of the details that you might have missed before.”

“Ok,” Keegan replied as he took the little sphere into the palm of his right hand.  If he didn’t know better he would swear he could feel warmth pulsating out of the object.  He focused his mind on the sphere in his hand and closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts.  He thought about his recent tests and decided to focus on the library task.  He opened his eyes and gazed into the crystal orb, trying to reach out to the pulsating warmth he could sense just beyond his grasp.  Slowly his eyes lost focus as his gaze turned inward, traveling with the magic into the sphere.  Almost before Keegan’s eyes, the scene in the library unfolded, only this time he could see the entire room as if he were floating near the ceiling.  There was Evalsef, working in the book stacks and humming a tune to herself, and there - there was that ill-tempered little gnome Nemwith!  The little old man had just set down a stack of old books when he looked up, as if he heard a sound.  It seemed to Keegan that the little old man was having a discussion with someone, but who or what Keegan couldn’t tell.  From where he was, he could not see anyone else in the room other than the gnome and his wife.  Keegan refocused his thoughts, trying to concentrate on Nemwith.  Suddenly the view changed and the little man was right in front of him.  He still could not make out who the gnome was talking to though; instead of a figure there was just a shimmering outline where someone should be.  The apparition was slightly taller than Keegan and from the shape of the outline, it appeared to be dressed in wizard’s robes.  Now that he was closer however, he could now make out the conversation.

“…but my instructions were to serve him the Elderbrandy poison, to allow him sufficient time to seek the solution.”

“Those instructions have been changed,” came a voice that though muffled, was at once familiar.  “You are to serve him this instead,” said the figure as it handed over the familiar looking bottle of poison that had very nearly killed Keegan.

“Nettlewine!?  Are you insane?  The young fool won’t stand a chance – he’ll have two minutes or less!”

The shimmering figure advanced on the gnome, towering over him.

“The last time I checked, it wasn’t the head librarian’s decision to make – it is mine.  You will serve this to the boy when he comes for the test, and after they drag his carcass from your library you will switch the bottles back again.”

“Now wait just a minute,” huffed Nemwith angrily.

Before he could finish his angry retort, the figure gestured at him and he froze in mid sentence.  Nemwith’s eyes were fixed forward and looked like two black marbles.

“You will do as you are told,” intoned the figure.  “When you have finished your task, you will be released and you will not remember any of what has transpired.  If you disobey my command or betray my confidence you will be turned to stone where you stand.”

As the apparition finished speaking, Keegan could see it making several motions around the little gnome with what he assumed were arms.  As it finished, Nemwith (still glassy eyed) took the bottle and set it on the shelf where it would later be retrieved for Keegan.  The little old man returned to his books and the shimmering figure faded into the background until it was no longer visible.

Shocked by what he had just observed, Keegan’s concentration broke and the images around him swirled and faded.  Snapping back to reality, he found himself sitting on the floor by the fire, the crystal sphere in his hands and beads of cold sweat on his forehead.  Acamar was sitting across from him, brows furrowed with a frown on his face.

“Acamar…”

“I know.”

“But,” stammered Keegan, still somewhat disoriented from his vision.

“After your last experience with Cedric I thought it best if I…tagged along…as it where,” said the older mage, still frowning.  “I went with you into the vision so I could see what you witnessed.  Do you know who that was, talking with Nemwith?”

“No, I never could make it out.  It was always just a shimmering area, like ripples in water.”

“An elementary cloaking spell, one which I will teach you myself in time.  You may not have seen who it was, but I did.  Fortunately due to my curse, when I attach myself to others like that I am perceived as a cat.  Fortunately they did not see me behind the stack of books.  If they had realized it was me traveling through the vision with you, we might not be standing here now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Simple.  If the wizard in question had noticed me, they would know they had been discovered and would have altered their actions – thereby changing the future.  They might have moved more openly to kill you or removed the page containing the healing incantation you used.”

“But WHO WAS IT??!” screamed Keegan, who had finally had enough.

“I don’t think that is wise just yet,” said Acamar more calmly.  “This was one vision cast by an inexperienced novice.  If we took this before the Council we would be laughed out of the castle and you would be killed anyway.”

Blinded by rage Keegan sprang from the chair at the older wizard, intent upon seizing him by the throat.  Acamar was faster though and with a small gesture of his right hand, Keegan was held fast where he stood, as if bound by invisible ropes.  Keegan was furious; furious with himself for getting involved in this and furious with Acamar for not telling him who was trying to kill him.

“Listen to me!” snapped Acamar.  “If I tell you now I know what you will do – you’ll march straight into the Council making accusations and under our law, you would probably be challenged to a duel.”

Undeterred, Keegan continued to struggle against his bonds.  Unable to speak, he continued to glare in silent fury at his captor.  Acamar could see the boy’s anger and could even sympathize with it, but his first task was to protect his young ward.

“I am going to release you, Keegan, but not until I take some precautions.  I’m very sorry to have to do this, but I have to put you under a memory charm.  You won’t remember this part of the evening at all, rather you will remember our scrying session and you will recall that it was successful.  You will not remember what we witnessed with Nemwith, nor anything that happened afterward.”

Feeling shocked and betrayed, Keegan’s face was so red with anger and strain Acamar was actually concerned the boy might have an aneurism.  Clasping his blood red pendant in his left hand while still keeping Keegan safely restrained with his right, Acamar cast his memory charm.

“purgo vestri sententia, memor haud magis.”

As he finished the charm, Keegan’s features relaxed and his eyes turned glassy.  Easing the boy into the chair by the fire, Acamar instructed him in low even tones.

“You will fall asleep here by the fire and awaken refreshed.  Nothing shall seem out of the ordinary and you will not think of it any longer.”

There, thought the wizard.  The charm should hold until I release it.  “Or at least until my death if anyone finds out,” he murmured to himself.  He sighed as he sat down on the hearth and looked at Keegan with sad, tired eyes.  “You’ve got to bring about an end to all of this.  Not just for you but for us all.”

The clock in the corner chimed the top of the hour and Acamar shuddered as he slipped back into his feline form as his hour of freedom was exhausted.  He might as well wait until morning to see Master Whitestone; difficult discussions are best saved for the daylight.  Curling up into a furry black ball next to the fire, he covered his nose with his tail and went to sleep.

~~~~

Chapter 27 - Illusions

Keegan woke with a start the next morning, sitting bolt upright in the chair by the fireplace where he had apparently fallen asleep.  He looked around sleepily, but Acamar was nowhere to be found.  The fire was still burning brightly in the fireplace, filling the room with warmth and a cheerful glow.  Keegan thought this was a bit odd since no one ever seemed to add fuel to the fire yet it never died down or burned less brightly.  Looking around he saw the scrying sphere lying on the rug where he had dropped it last night.  Funny, but he could not seem to remember why he had dropped it in the first place.  His scrying session had gone well, or at least so he remembered.  He had conjured the vision from the library and Acamar had even complimented him on his accuracy.  Something was not quite right though, but for the life of him he could think of just what that something was.

“Ah, you’re awake,” came a voice from near the door that caused Keegan to jump straight out of the chair.  Ever since attempts on his life had become somewhat of a local sport his nerves had become more and more frayed.  Steadying himself on the chair as he turned, Keegan saw Acamar the cat sitting by the door with his tail curled around his paws.

“Don’t you ever knock?” snapped Keegan, who felt like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Acamar just laid his ears flat.  “I have paws – what do you think?”

“Oh, sorry,” Keegan replied sheepishly.

“In spite of what you may think there are some rather big disadvantages to this form.  The lack of opposable thumbs would be one and having to lick oneself clean would be the other,” the cat said flatly.

Keegan sat down again and yawned.  “So did you have a reason for coming by this morning or was it just time for another lecture?”

“It’s time for your next and final task; you’re to be examined on your scrying ability within the hour.”

“Already?”

“Your grandfather thought it best if things were moved along somewhat; he saw no reason to delay your final test,” said Acamar, examining one paw with detached interest.  It will also bring you under your grandfather’s direct protection a lot faster, since you will finally become his apprentice, he thought.  The Council is not going to know what hit them after last night’s little revelation.

“Come on.  Best not to keep the Council waiting once it is assembled.  They say that even Cedric will be there for this last test.”

Keegan stood up and smoothed down his robes.  He hadn’t shaved in two days and really needed to brush his teeth, but that could all wait.  He grabbed his staff and headed off down the hall behind the black cat.

The Council chamber was brightly lit as always, but this time it was different – this time all of the chairs around the table were filled, even Cedric’s.  The head of the Black order sat hunched in his chair lost in thought, fingers steepled in front of his nose and the dim light glinting off the silver skullcap he wore on his bald head.  Alyssa Alcor sat in the chair reserved for the head of the White order, filling in for Phineas as long as he remained the Guardian.  Alexander Ducat sat in his chair as the head of the Grey order, but Keegan thought he looked different somehow.  He looked older and more tired Keegan thought, and if he didn’t know better he could swear that the wizard’s robes were darker.

“Ah, Keegan,” said Alexander in what Keegan thought was a somewhat strained voice.  “Welcome to your final test.”

The wizard gestured to a chair that had been provided, motioning for him to sit and await his instructions.  Acamar sat near Keegan’s feet and was staring intently at the grey wizard.

“Now then, young Master Whitestone,” smiled Ducat.  “Let us begin your final task.”

Suddenly the chamber was filled with an enormous crackling sound.  Arcs of blue-white energy erupted as a powerful portal snapped open.  Although a good ten feet away the energy made the hair on Keegan’s arms stand straight up.  Half of the wizards around the table had grabbed their wands, staffs or other magical talisman until just as suddenly the portal snapped shut and extinguished itself.  Standing where the portal had been was the Guardian, staff in hand.  Stunned by this sudden display of raw power, Ducat was (for the moment) speechless.

“Surely you weren’t about to begin without me?” asked Phineas, glaring through his bushy eyebrows at Alexander.

“N-No, of course not!” stammered the grey wizard defensively.

Keegan saw the fear in Ducat’s eyes, but there was something else there as well.  For just a moment, there was the faintest flicker of pure hatred that passed across the Grey wizard’s face.  Keegan was shocked to see such a reaction; Ducat had been one of this grandfather’s oldest friends.

Phineas gathered his robes, sat down in his appointed chair and continued boring holes through Ducat as if he were a cockroach to be stepped upon.  The sense of fury boiling just beneath the surface of Phineas’ normally calm exterior was almost palpable, puzzling the other Council members.  What could Ducat have done to enrage the Guardian?  Starting without him was certainly a snub, but should not provoke this kind of outrage.

Ducat nerves recovered somewhat, though he was still mindful of Phineas’ smoldering temper.  “Now then,” he smiled at Keegan, “where were we?”

“We were about to start the third trial,” Keegan said.  He was just as puzzled as the rest of the Council.  He had never seen his grandfather so angry before.  Yet at the fringe of his memory, there was a nagging sensation that he should know what the problem was.  It was like seeing a shadow out of the corner of your eye only to lose the image when you tried to look straight at it.

“Ah, yes.  This one should be relatively simple compared to the last ones.  This one will involve scrying and your ability to conjure visions of the past, present or future,” said Ducat in an all too friendly voice.  Keegan thought the voice reminded him of the witch who promised Hansel and Gretel a lovely little afternoon snack right before she popped them into a pot of boiling water.

Ducat handed him an oversized crystal orb.

“This is larger than your normal scrying sphere,” he said.  “It is designed to take us all into the vision with you; normally with an average sized sphere you could only take two, maybe three of us at best.”

Keegan accepted the orb from the wizard and hesitated for a moment.  Was it his imagination or were Ducat’s robes getting darker?  Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Keegan looked deeply into the sphere.

“What you show us will be up to you, Keegan.  However, I would suggest to you that something from the recent past would likely be the simplest.  If you try to delve too far into the past, especially since you spent most of your life in the mortal world, you could overtax your senses.”

Keegan ignored Ducat, focusing instead on the orb in front of him.  He could feel himself drawn like a magnet inward towards the center of the sphere.  He wasn’t choosing a vision – it was choosing him, whether he liked it or not.  The room around him shimmered and shifted, and was gradually replaced with a scene he had witnessed before.  He was in the library again and as before, it was prior to his arrival for the first challenge.  Keegan was barely aware of a shuffling sound near him as he focused on the scene – he felt drawn to it, as if it was trying desperately to show him something he had forgotten.

Slowly he was aware of the other Council members on either side of, behind and above him as they joined in his vision.  He could even sense Acamar at his feet, though Keegan’s thoughts were pulled towards the center of the room.  Again he saw Nemwith, the little gnome librarian working with stacks of books lying scattered around the aisle.  As before, he saw the little gnome look up as someone entered the aisle where he was working.  Nemwith was nodding his head, apparently talking with someone.  Keegan focused on the little man, willing the scene to zoom in.  The vision shook slightly and blurred a little, but did not change perspective.  It was as if something was anchoring Keegan in place, not wanting him to venture any closer to the scene at hand.  Keegan looked down at Acamar and saw the cat make an odd motion with his paw and then nod at Keegan.  Suddenly something snapped and Keegan remembered what had happened the night before.  A flood of anger swept over him and he channeled this newfound energy into his vision, focusing on the image he knew was there.  Although there was resistance at first, it shattered before the onslaught of Keegan’s raw emotions and the vision zoomed inward so quickly that it made Keegan’s head swim for a moment.  The figure from before was there again, only this time the cloaking spell wasn’t as perfect; the shadowy outline was more distinct and the voice could be heard.  Keegan was aware of the Council members around him muttering to each other.  It was obvious that they saw the image too, but they could no more make it out than he could.  Keegan was furious – the figure was there but just beyond his grasp.  Focusing his anger, he channeled it into his ring.

Help me, Nek’kar!  I need you!  Bolster my strength, let me reveal the truth!

Pointing his ring towards the shadowy figure Keegan could swear he saw it flinch as if stung.  Suddenly a bright pulse of energy shot forth from the gemstone in Keegan’s ring, bathing the vision in a flash of golden light.  As the pulse intersected the figure, it writhed in agony and let off a scream as the vision froze.  Everything in the vision become still and, like snapshot developing before their eyes, the image came into focus.  The image of Ducat handing over a bottle of nettle wine to Nemwith was as clear as day to Keegan and the surrounding Council members.  Although the image had frozen, the echoes of Ducat’s voice continued as he forced the little gnome to do his bidding.

“STOP!  ENOUGH!” screamed Ducat.

The vision shattered and dissipated, returning all of them to the Council chambers where they had started, only Ducat was standing now, pale faced and shaking at the end of the table.  Phineas was standing too, staff crackling with power and anger flashing in his eyes.  Acamar shifted to his human form and stood protectively in front of Keegan, hand clasped over his red pendant.

“It’s a trick!  The boy is lying, don’t you see?” snapped Ducat angrily, as he backed away from the Council table.  He pointed accusingly at Phineas.  “He put him up to this to discredit me!”

Phineas took a step forward, his staff raised slightly.  “Show me your ring, Alex,” he said in a soft yet incredibly stern voice.

Ducat looked surprised at this request.  “What? Why?  Why do you want to see my ring?”

“Show me your ring, Alex.  Now!” said Phineas in an ever-louder voice.

Puzzled, Ducat held up his hand so that his ring was visible to all.  “There.  Happy now?  What is it you expect to see?”

“I expect to see proof of what you’ve become, Alex,” said Phineas sadly.  “Your ring confirms what I have suspected.  The stone in your ring is no longer grey; like your robes that you now wear, it is turning black.  I suppose you hid it as long as you could by changing your robes as quickly as they turned, but you cannot hide your ring.  You are tainted by evil Alex – from prolonged contact with the Shadow most likely.  You were the one that opened the Great Seal, weren’t you?”

“What?!  That’s absurd.  You are a crazy old fool Phineas!  You’ve been plotting against me for years now, just waiting for a chance to turn the rest of the Council against me!”  Ducat’s wand was in his hand now, as he backed away from Phineas and the others.  The crazed wizard made a downward slash with his wand, and with a shout sent a spray of golden sparks into the midst of the wizards and witches of the Council.  The sparks ricocheted amongst the Council, rooting them to the spot with the exception of Phineas.  The sparks had angled away from the old wizard the moment they came near, repelled by an unseen force.

Phineas walked slowly towards the grey wizard, with his staff raised in Ducat’s direction.  Ducat increasingly looked like a cornered animal, on the verge of panic.  With a flick of his wrist, a powerful bolt shot from Ducat’s wand towards Phineas, who deflected it easily with a swipe of his staff.

“It’s over, Alex.  It is time to undo what you have wrought.”  Phineas continued to advance on Ducat, stopping about ten feet from the wizard.

Ducat responded with a sweeping motion of his arm, sending a ring of green flames arcing towards Phineas.  The sparkling green fire coiled around the Guardian, obscuring him from the view of the Council, Keegan and Acamar.  Still bound in place by Ducat’s spell, they could only watch in silence, unable to help.

“Ha!  You are a spent force, Whitestone!  I have uncovered powers you can only dream of - powers beyond your simple comprehension.  Your pitiful little followers will watch you die, and then follow you into the abyss!”

“I think not, Alex,” came the calm yet stern voice of the Guardian.

As he spoke, a shaft of silver shot upward from the center of the inferno surrounding the old wizard.  Smaller lines of silver split off from the main shaft and arced downward, slicing through the flaming coils and extinguishing them.

“It is time to end this madness, Alex,” said Phineas as he brought his staff around with a flourish, binding Ducat with silver strands that shot forth from the tip.

Ducat screamed in pain as wisps of smoke snaked upward from his bindings.  Without warning a cloud of inky blackness shot outward from the wizard, obscuring him from sight as clouds of oily darkness swirled around the room.  Suddenly the sound of Ducat’s voice pierced through the mist – a shrill voice that shouted “Spiraktus!”  A crackle of energy reverberated throughout the Council chambers and the cloud quickly dissipated except for a few wispy tendrils of smoke, leaving nothing but scorch marks on the floor where Ducat had been.

Phineas leaned heavily on his staff and sighed, obviously weakened by the battle.  Turning to face his still frozen comrades, he sketched a symbol in the air with his index finger, murmuring softly.  A flick of his wrist and the symbol dispersed into the midst of the others, freeing them from their bondage.  Some fell to their knees from the sudden shock, others swayed and braced themselves on their staffs or each other.  Acamar rushed to the side of his Master, Keegan not far behind.

“Master, are you hurt?”

“No, Acamar.  Just very, very tired,” said Phineas, his voice somewhat hoarse.

“What happened to Ducat?  Where did he go?” asked Keegan.

Phineas knelt and examined the markings on the floor, muttering an incantation under his breath.

“He used a very old and very dangerous transportation charm.  Although it is extremely powerful, it is unpredictable if not properly planned.  His arms were bound to his sides, with his wand pointed downward.  I’m afraid his initial direction will be towards the Earth’s core; if he does survive it will make it even more difficult to find him.”

Phineas rose and pulled himself back to his full height, some of his strength returning.

“I am afraid Master Ducat is even more tainted by evil than I thought.”

By now, the other Council members had gathered around the Guardian, some examining the marks on the floor.  Nigel Bannister, one of Phineas’ own caste was the first to respond.

“What do you mean, Phineas?  Were his robes and ring not indication enough?”

Phineas shook his head sadly.

“No, Nigel, I’m afraid that was only the outward sign of his transition.  The spell of binding I cast used strands of pure silver; did you notice his scream of agony and the wisps of smoke?  That should not have happened if he were still completely human.  Silver would only have that effect on a true creature of the dark, or someone who is quickly becoming one.”

Hyacinth Stonecipher, one of Ducat’s early supporters in the Grey order, still looked stunned.

“I  just don’t understand, Phineas.  What would drive him to do this?”

“The thirst for unlimited power, Hyacinth.  In hindsight I wonder if it didn’t begin some time ago with the death of his mentor, Tobias.”

“Surely you don’t think…”

“We may never know for certain, Hyacinth, but you must admit Alex’s ascent to power was quite rapid.”

“But why didn’t that damned crystal stop him?” demanded Portia, only recently freed from her crystalline prison.  “It has intervened every time a wand has been raised in this room, but did nothing just now when we were all powerless!”

“I do not know, my dear,” said Phineas, with a glance upward at the Oracle.  The giant crystal remained in its usual place, floating high above the Council table, emitting a soft blue-white glow.  “I cannot fathom why or when it chooses to act.”

Phineas rose and turned to face the remaining Council members.  “I think you would all agree that my grandson has passed his exams, would you not?”

The members murmured amongst themselves until a voice came from behind the group.

“You would be correct, comrade.  The young master has earned his place as your apprentice and should rightfully begin his studies.”

The other witches and wizards turned towards the voice, finding Cedric Thornback still seated at the table.  He leaned forward and smiled at Phineas.  “You needn’t be surprised, old friend.  I may disagree with you on a great many things, but on this, we stand together.  Ducat must be caught and interrogated at all costs.  Based on what has happened and the information your grandson brought to us from his encounter at the lair of Seba’an, I believe that Ducat has truly opened the Great Seal and released the Shadow upon us.”

There were gasps of horror from the other Council members, but Phineas only nodded.  “I suspected as much.  With the Council’s permission, I will return to Pahret T’pur and begin Keegan’s training at once.  It is imperative to bring his skill level up to scratch before Ducat can try something drastic.”

“I completely agree,” said Cedric.  Turning to address the rest of the Council, who were largely still speechless, he called for a vote.  “As Head of my order, I hereby put forth the motion that Phineas’ grandson, Master Keegan Whitestone, be accepted as apprentice and begin his training immediately.”

“I second the motion,” said a middle-aged witch with neatly cropped grey hair and white silk robes.

“Thank you Flora,” said Cedric, nodding his approval.  “All those in favor?” he asked, scanning the group of wizards and witches.  As a group, the ten remaining members raised their hands in assent.

“So be it then.”  Cedric turned to Keegan.  “Young Master Whitestone, I would like to congratulate you.  By order of this Council, you are to be apprenticed to your Grandfather, the Guardian of the Veil.  You are to learn the craft as quickly and as thoroughly as you can, as the Council will depend upon you to keep our worlds safe.”

Keegan bowed deeply to the Council.  “I am honored to be chosen for this position.  I will not let the Council down.”

Phineas remained where he was, staring intently at Cedric with a puzzled expression on his face.

“I have to know, Cedric.  You adamantly opposed my choice for apprentice and even went so far as to try to have him killed before arrived.  Why the sudden show of support?”

“You are only partly correct, Phineas.  I did indeed arrange to have the boy dropped at the edge of the forest as a means to test him.  I assure you however, that I did not arrange for the courier dragon to be set loose.  Nor did I have our young friend kidnapped by the giant.  I’m afraid that you’ll have to thank our recently departed member of the Grey order, Master Ducat, for that.”

“Ducat?”

“I’m afraid so Phineas.  You see, I had asked Nisha to take care of the simple task of arranging the drop off,” said Cedric, gesturing as he spoke to the large black raven that had just flown in through the window and settled upon the back of his chair.  “Unfortunately it seems she has a loose tongue and mentioned what she was doing to Master Ducat.  I had wondered who would have dared to stun my assistant and then wipe her memory; now I know.  Since young master Keegan did not show up as scheduled, I assumed she had completed her duties; it was after learning that the courier had been freed that I began to get suspicious.”

Phineas smiled sadly.  “It would seem that Master Ducat had us both fooled.”  He then drew himself up to his full height and his features hardened.  “I can promise the Council that he will regret his actions.”

Phineas bowed to the assembled Council and expressed his gratitude at their acceptance of his grandson.  Then, turning to Keegan he motioned for him to come over.

“It is time Keegan.  We must return to Pahret T’pur immediately to begin your instruction.”  Standing next to his grandfather, Keegan flinched as Phineas raised his staff and in an instant opened the most powerful portal he had ever seen.  In a flash of blue-white fire, the two of them left the chambers of the High Council.

***

Cedric remained in his chair long after the others had gone.  This had been an unexpected development; he had not sensed Ducat’s corruption.

May the ancients be with you Phineas, thought Cedric.  We shall all need their help before this is over.

~~~~

Chapter 28 – Tea

Cold.  This stupid, damp old castle is really cold!

Keegan sat shivering beside a large stone fireplace, wrapped in a bundle of blankets.  Acamar had left him the task of building up the fire that morning but Keegan had yet to manage it.  Starting a fire was a talent that Keegan had mastered easily enough, but this morning Acamar had raised the bar a notch – starting a fire without any wood or coal!  Keegan had tried using the simple fire spell he had learned but it only produced sparks since there was no fuel source for it to ignite.  Acamar had charmed the door to the study so that it refused to let Keegan out until he succeeded in his task.  Becoming the apprentice to the Guardian was not nearly so glamorous as it sounded; it seemed to entail a great number of chores throughout the castle that no one else wanted to do.  Although Keegan did have to admit, it was nice that no attempts had been made on his life in the past two weeks since his arrival at Parhet T’pur.

”Incendia!”

Again, nothing but sparks rewarded his effort; although this time they were a scintillating red instead of blue-white.  With nothing to show for his efforts but scorch marks on the hearth, he decided to give up and wander around the study for a while since the door still refused to open for him.

No one had seen or heard from Ducat since his sudden disappearance and the remainder of the Council had effectively banished him.  If he appeared in any of the towns, villages or other populated area his presence would be immediately reported to the Council by the sentries – small glowing orbs sent out to find the renegade.  Once spotted, the Council would dispatch the goblins to deal with him.  The goblins had been the law enforcement and military arm of the Council since the creation of the veil; being highly regimented creatures, naturally resistant to magic and terrifying fighters in close combat, they were a perfect fit for the job.  Keegan had seen his first two goblins when he had accompanied Phineas to a Council meeting.  The sight of the burly five-foot tall guards stationed outside the Council chambers had given him chills; though shorter than most humans they were abnormally muscular and sported large lower tusks, not unlike a wild boar.  Although they had not said a word as he and Phineas passed by, their beady black eyes had followed his every movement.

Keegan, still wrapped in his blankets, crossed the room and absently stared out the frost-covered window.  Suddenly a loud banging sound at the study door roused him from his dream-state. He shuffled over to the door and tried to shout through the thick oak planks.

“I’m afraid it won’t open – it’s been charmed to stay locked until I’ve lit the fire.”

“Mmmph mmph mm-mmph.”

“What?”

He could not make out a word the other person was saying – it couldn’t be Acamar or he would have simply lifted the hex from the door and come in.  Surely, his grandfather would not be stymied by a simple locking hex either.  There was another muffled sound outside the door and the voice came through somewhat louder, though it remained unintelligible.

“I said wmmph you mmph mph mmph?”

“I’m sorry but I still can’t here you,” Keegan shouted.

“I said would you like some tea?” came a woman’s voice directly behind him.

Keegan jumped at the nearness of the voice and whirled around in a panic.  He was startled to find a matronly woman dressed in grey robes and a white apron.  She was a short woman, with Keegan standing a good head higher.  Her silver hair bundled up into an impossibly tight bun, she was peering at Keegan over a pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on the end of her nose.  Her icy blue eyes were twinkling in obvious amusement at having scared him half out of his wits.  She was holding a tray laden with a teapot and cups as well as what smelled like freshly baked pastries.

“Who the hell are you?!”

“Oh, that’s a fine way to greet someone when they’re offering you a fresh pot of tea in the morning,” she said with a soft Scottish brogue.

Still flustered from the witch’s sudden appearance, Keegan was speechless.  She placed the tray on the hearth and gave Keegan a disapproving look.

“You’ve been up here for over an hour and you haven’t kindled the fire?  You’ll catch your death of cold at this rate.  I’ll pluck the whiskers from that cat if I end up nurse-maiding you through pneumonia,” she said with a frown.  She glanced over at the still empty hearth, snapped her fingers and said “Incinerata absentia!”

She was rewarded with a blazing fire, which flashed into existence out of nowhere.  Having made up the fire, she busied herself with pouring the tea and serving up the scones.  She sat down on the edge of the hearth near the fire and brought the teacup up to test the aroma of the tea, her glasses fogging up from the steam.  She shifted her gaze to Keegan again.  “Well?  Are you just going to stand there gaping or are you going to take some tea?”

Keegan, still in shock from the old woman’s sudden appearance, sat cautiously down by the fire and took a cup of tea.

“Croissant?  They’re fresh from the oven and handmade – not a drop of magic involved,” she said as she beamed proudly.

Still not sure of what to say, he helped himself to one of the warm, flaky rolls.  They were still quite warm and the smell was absolute heaven.

After a couple of sips of tea, the old woman sat her cup down on the hearth and continued to peer at Keegan over the rims of her glasses.

“Now then, I believe you were wondering just ‘who the hell’ I am, yes?” she asked with sly grin.

Still holding his cup of tea and croissant, both still untouched, Keegan nodded dumbly.

“Ms. Hoskins, dear.  I’m the caretaker, housekeeper, maid and so forth.”  She straightened the white apron that she wore over her robes.  “I keep this place neat and tidy and make sure our guests are well taken care of.  If you had to depend on that damn cat for food you be having raw tuna for supper every night.”

“But, Acamar is human.”

“Bah!  Whiskers has been cursed for so many years now he’s taking on feline traits if you ask me,” she said with a disapproving look.  Bustling about the room, she collected the leftover tea cups from the night before and gathered up the tray.

“Ms. Hoskins?”

“Yes, dear?”

“If you don’t mind my asking…”

“Yes, dear?”

“Well, it’s just that I can’t seem to make out the color of your robes.  One minute I look and they’re off-white and then the next moment they seem grey or almost black.”

Holding the tray of dishes, she looked over the rims of her glasses at him.  “Now don’t tell me you’re one of them what try to judge a person by the color of the robes they wear.  A wizard’s robes are an extension of their inner being; except for the Guardian of course who represents us all and bears all the colors of the castes, except red of course.”

“Red?  I’m sorry but I’ve only ever seen the three castes – white, grey and black.  Who wears the red robes?”

“Now, young Master it’s not my place to be teaching you about the likes of the fourth order.  Just you hope that you never have the misfortune to meet a red robe while on your own.  Heaven forbid you do, get your hex in first before they have a chance!  Now then, you get yourself back to your studies; I believe you had a fire to light.  Lunch will be served promptly at eleven-thirty.”

Having gathered up the last of the errant cups, she bid Keegan good day and walked to the door.  With a snap of her fingers, the once roaring fire went out with a hiss, followed by the thud of the door slamming shut as Ms. Hoskins went about her daily chores.

~~~~

Chapter 29 - Omens

Phineas was standing on the balcony overlooking the lake below when Acamar found him.

“Master?”

Phineas did not respond.  Obviously lost in thoughts far away, his eyes clouded and sightless, Acamar grabbed his shoulder and shook him roughly.

“Master Whitestone!”

Phineas blinked quickly and shook his head, grabbing the stone railing for support.

“Yes, Acamar?  What is it?”

“The Council has sent word.”

“And?”

“There is still no sign of Ducat or the renegade dragon, but..”

“But WHAT, Acamar, spit it out man!”

“Information has been given to the Council that Ducat visited the Central Repository – the restricted section in the dungeons.  The Tome of Andromedus Blackstone has been taken.”

Phineas looked very tired; leaning on his staff, he sighed deeply.

“Events are unfolding faster than I would have them, my old friend.”

“What do you mean, Master?”

Acamar had walked over to stand by Phineas.  His hour was very nearly up and soon he would be forced to revert to his feline form until the next day.

“My time is coming to a close, Acamar; Keegan must be ready sooner rather than later and it is time that some old debts were settled.  You have served me without fail these past centuries and it is time you were rewarded.”

Puzzled by Phineas’ remarks, Acamar was about to question his master when Phineas silenced him with a wave of his hand.  The Guardian then traced several silvery glyphs in the air and muttered an incantation under his breath.  When the spell was complete, the spidery symbols swirled through the air around Acamar, encasing him in a whirlwind of ghostly signs.  The force of the magic held him where he stood, arms extended downward and unable to move until finally the silvery glyphs were absorbed into his skin.  Visibly shaken, Acamar steadied himself against the railing of the balcony.  His hands shaking, he examined the pendant that hung from the gold chain around his neck; what had once been a blood red crystal had now turned pure white.

“What…what did… you just do?”

Phineas smiled at his long time assistant.  “I have officially given you what you have earned – your freedom.  You are no longer indentured to me or to the Council; you may stay in human form for as long as you wish, unhindered.”

Acamar, still weak from the effects of the spell, wiped his brow.  “But my sentence, Master; I’ve not fulfilled my obligations as mandated by my trial.”

Phineas laughed.  “You forget Acamar, I was at your trial and, if I remember correctly, I sat on the tribunal itself.  You may still change yourself into your feline form of course, though now it shall be strictly at your whim.”

“But…why, Master?”

“Because you have never failed in your duty to me and this way I know that my wishes are honored.”

Acamar did not like his Master’s tone; he had been the Guardian’s assistant for many, many years but had never heard him talk like this before.

“What exactly do you mean, ‘you’ll know that your wishes are honored’?”

Gazing back out over the lake, Phineas held a faraway look in his eyes.  “There is no guarantee that I or any of us will survive what is coming, Acamar.  I believe that Alexander plans to use either the Oracle or the Blackstar Amulet to try and ensnare the Shadow and bend them to his will.”

Acamar blanched.  “WHAT?!  But that would likely destroy both worlds, not to mention he would have to confront us here at the castle!  Surely even he would not be so foolish!”

“Never underestimate one so tainted by evil or so tempted by power, Acamar.  He was a powerful wizard to begin with; now that his is willing to go beyond the bounds of what is acceptable I fear what he may be capable of attempting.  He also knows many of our secrets, as both head of his order and former Vice-Chair of the Council.”

Phineas walked back to the balcony and gazed out across the lake below.  The mist from the morning had not yet burned off, leaving most of the lake and valley beyond shrouded from sight in a silvery fog.

“Keegan must be ready, Acamar.  I believe we might have two weeks, maybe three at the most in which to prepare him for what is ahead.”

“Master, I know the boy has proven to be a fast learner, but do you really expect him to be able to defend himself in just two weeks?”

“He doesn’t have a choice, I’m afraid.”

Turning to face his assistant, Phineas peered over the rims of his glasses at Acamar.  “I want you to begin his instruction in defensive magic this morning.  As soon as you are confident he can block or evade stronger spells then you are to move on to the most powerful attack spells that you feel he can handle.”

“As you wish,” he said with a sigh.

Acamar bowed deeply and turned to leave.  As he closed the door, he saw his Master return to gazing at the valley below.

~~~~

Chapter 30 – A Painful Lesson

“OUCH!”

Keegan swore under his breath for the fourth time as a golden dart the size of a large hummingbird shot through his defenses and pierced his thigh, embedding itself an inch into the flesh.  Keegan dropped to one knee, gritting his teeth against the pain as he grasped the dart and pulled it out.  Like the other three he had failed to block, it was warm to the touch and pulsed with magical energy; once free of his flesh it dissipated into a puff of golden dust.  Keegan hated these exercises.  This was his second day of practicing defensive magic and he was not getting much better.  Acamar had been trying to teach him the fundamentals of defensive spells, which included creating an impenetrable shield to stop magical projectiles like the little golden darts.  Keegan was getting discouraged; after two days of practice, he was still unable to stop the stingers.  Although he finally succeeded in partially deflecting one, it still cut his robe’s sleeve.  The worst part was the darts were at a third their normal power – a fact Acamar never let him forget.

“Concentrate, Keegan!  Runa Effervo!” shouted Acamar and suddenly an entire swarm of the little golden missiles appeared and shot towards Keegan.

Keegan brought his staff up in front of himself quickly and shouted out the shield spell.  The air around him flickered with energy as a weak shield materialized.  The first three darts ricocheted off the energy field and embedded themselves in the wall of the study; four more obliterated themselves in a flash on impact and three were held fast by the shield, buzzing angrily.  Unfortunately, the final two shot through the fabric of the spell and hit Keegan – one grazing his cheek and the other embedding itself in his shoulder.  The sudden pain shot through Keegan’s nervous system, breaking his concentration and knocking him to the floor of the study.

“Dammit!!” he shouted through clenched teeth as he clutched his shoulder and ripped out the dart that had hit him.

Acamar walked over to him and helped him to stand.  He examined the wound to Keegan’s shoulder and muttered a brief incantation to stop the bleeding and deaden the pain.

“You’ve got to concentrate, Keegan.  You did better that time, but you are still not fully embracing the shield spell.  Any wavering of your force of will or break in your concentration causes weakness to spread throughout the entire spell like a virus.”

Keegan made the mistake of rolling his eyes as he sighed, which incensed Acamar further.

“Listen to me boy!  Do you have any idea what we are about to face?  I have at most two weeks to train you up in preparation for an attack that will be lead by the former vice-chairman of the High Council and Head of the Grey order.  Trust me Keegan; Ducat won’t be using a low powered version of Dante’s Stinger when he comes.”

Keegan eased himself into a chair by the desk.

“I don’t understand.  Why is he coming here?  Isn’t that like, suicide?”

Acamar sat down opposite him with a sigh.  The older man looked very tired; Keegan did not remember Acamar having that many grey streaks in his hair before.

“Ducat has gone mad, Keegan.  He has gathered so much dark magic about him that it has tainted his soul.  After the Shadow were banished from this realm, there were only two portals through which they could return.  The Great Seal that Ducat opened in the Northern Citadel was one.  The other is here in the depths of Pahret T’pur.”

“But he’s already brought the Shadow back to our world; why does he need the portal?”

“It’s not the portal he needs, Keegan.  It is the Blackstar amulet that he is after.  It is the talisman that keeps our worlds in balance and that the Guardian protects with his life.  If Ducat seizes the amulet and sets it into the keystone over the pool of visions, the Shadow trapped within the amulet shall be free again.  The veil will dissipate and our two worlds will be pulled together again – in the blink of an eye.”

“What?  Do you mean to tell me that there are more of those things?”

“Many more, I’m afraid.  Those that Ducat let into our world were the few who escaped enslavement.  I am certain that he believes they can be controlled through the amulet but he’s a fool.  They will consume his powers and his soul the moment they are free.”

“Then how do we stop him?”

Acamar rose and paced about the study.

“The castle is not without defenses, mind you.  Then there is your grandfather, of course.  He’s quite the wizard Keegan – the most powerful I have known in my lifetime,” he said absently as he played with the now clear pendant on its chain.

Keegan looked at the older wizard, wishing he knew all the secrets hidden behind those wire rimmed spectacles.

“What about the Council?  Shouldn’t they be helping us defend the castle?”

Acamar did not answer at first, choosing instead to pinch the bridge of his nose as if to stem a sudden headache.

“The thing you must understand about the Council is that the factions will not act outside of their own order’s best interest – even if it means the destruction of the world or the final extermination of our kind.  Oh, we can expect those of Phineas’ order to help if we ask, but Alyssa, Nigel and Flora have been searching the countryside for Ducat.  The Grey have buttoned themselves up in their studies and will sit this out until the end.  The Black are more of a problem – some may even choose to help Ducat, although Cedric has supposedly thrown his support to us.”

Keegan remained silent, thinking over all that Acamar had shared with him.

“Acamar?”

“Yes?”

“What order wears the Red Robes?”

A shadow seemed to pass over Acamar’s face and he frowned deeply.

“Who told you of this?”

“I did!” snapped Ms. Hoskins in a no-nonsense tone.

Acamar and Keegan both jumped, startled by the sharp voice from behind.  Neither of them had heard Ms. Hoskins come in and the study door remained bolted shut, but nonetheless there she stood.  She wore an expression of supreme annoyance and was standing with her hands on her hips.

Acamar regained his composure and glared at the housekeeper, obviously furious.

“You had no right!” he snapped.

“Don’t you start with me, Master Wycroft,” she barked, wagging her finger at him and cutting him off before he could finish.  “The boy has a right to know!”

“That may be but I was to decide when, not you!”

“Humph.  If you ask me, you’d be put to better use chasing the mice in the kitchen, you miserable old fur ball!  Now, you can tell the boy what he needs to know or I can – it’s your choice, Whiskers.”  Straightening her apron she snatched up the tray from the desk holding the teapot and remains of their lunch and bustled off to the kitchen.

Acamar shook his head and sighed.  Looking utterly defeated, he returned to his chair and sat down.

“It would seem Ms. Hoskins has left me no choice but to explain that which is best left unmentioned.”

Keegan was astonished to see an accomplished wizard such as Acamar put in his place by the castle’s housekeeper.  At this point, he did not care though, because he would finally learn more about the Red Robes that Ms. Hoskins first mentioned.  He leaned forward eagerly in spite of the pain from his still throbbing shoulder and listened as Acamar explained about the wizarding world’s most shameful secret.

~~~~

Chapter 31 – The Color of Blood

“Let me ask you, Keegan,” began the older wizard as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.  “How many castes of wizards do you think there are?”

“Well, before this morning I would have said three.”

“And those are?”

“White, Grey and Black – the orders of Good, Neutrality and Evil, right?”

Acamar smiled sadly.  Leaning forward, his gaze lost focus as he looked a thousand years into the past.

“If only it were that simple, my young apprentice.  Officially they are the orders of Good, Neutrality and Dark – not Evil, per se.”

Keegan frowned.  “Aren’t they the same?”

“Not exactly.  You see the Dark order and those who follow its teachings are seekers of power – at any cost.  They have an unquenchable thirst to attain ever greater magical abilities, regardless of the price they may have to pay.”

Keegan suddenly sat bolt upright, as if awakening from a deep sleep.  “Wait a minute – your robes are black!”

The older man’s gaze snapped back to the present and he smiled at Keegan.  “I wondered if you would ever notice.  Yes, I am or was a member of the Black order.”

“But not now?”

“Not officially.  Although I still seek knowledge and power, there are limits beyond which I will not go.  But as you can see from my robes I have not withdrawn from the world or become altruistic; otherwise my robes would have shifted to Grey or White.”

“And the Red?”

“Those who wear the Red robes are truly the order of Evil.  They worship the Shadow as their gods Keegan; they believe in chaos and destruction and they feed off of the raw emotional energy of others, just like the masters they serve.”  The older man leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.  “After the Shadow were banished the members of their order were hunted down and killed, though the history books aren’t clear on whether any escaped or not.  There have been rumors over the past couple of years about the return of the order, but no one believed them.”

“You think they’ve returned, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.  I also think the longer Ducat is exposed to the shadows the more his colors will shift; his robes have already become black and I expect them soon to turn the deepest of red.”

“What about the Shadow?  Why were they in the cave of Seba’an that night?”

“I can only speculate, but my assumption is they were there to exact their revenge.  Seba’an was one of the four who originally trapped and expelled the Shadow from our world.  The humans who were there that day are long since past, but Seba’an remains.  If he is killed it would be some time before a new Alderdrache could be named, most likely leading to another civil war between the dragons and wizard kind.”

Acamar stood and walked to the window, looking out upon the valley below.  “That is why your training must continue in earnest; we have to be as ready as we can when Ducat comes for the amulet.”

“But why are you so certain he’s coming for the amulet?”

“Because he’s been readin’ the Black Book is why,” said a gravelly voice from the shadows in the corner of the study.

Keegan nearly jumped out of his skin, but Acamar was unfazed, still looking calmly out the window.

“So you’ve confirmed it then?” he asked.

“Aye.  Saw it with me own eyes and brought proof back to boot.”

Stepping from the shadows, the dark elf Kust came forward – looking strained and more haggard than the last time Keegan had seen him.  He came over to Acamar, who had stepped away from the window to address the creature.  Reaching into the folds of his tunic, he withdrew what looked like a thick sheet of velum rolled tightly into a scroll and tied with a black ribbon.  Kust handed the item over to the wizard.

“Followed the sneaky bastard into the restricted section of the library, I did – caught him reading from Old Master Blackstone’s book.  He was looking at the section on the end-times and the Shadow, he was.  He’ll be missing that page soon enough, I imagine – old fool got distracted and snatched it right from under his nose, I did!”

The elf was obviously quite proud of his feat, evidenced by a satisfied grin spreading from ear to ear.  Acamar untied the ribbon from the scroll and smoothed out the page on the desk so he and Keegan could both read.

“…at the end time came the Shadow to the citadel, to throw down the last of those who opposed them.  At midnight they came, a blot of pure darkness against the cloudless night.  They passed through the outer walls and into the inner sanctum to destroy the head of the white wizards.  In the chamber, he waited, sensing the enemy’s approach.  Darkness filled the great vaulted room as the Shadow poured in, filling the center of the room above the pool of reflection.

“This ends now, white wysard” came their voice. “Your destruction will end this foolish resistance – the others will crumble.”

The wizard gathered his hands behind his back and look upwards to the enemy.  “I think not,” was his simple reply.

From the edges of the room came the others who waited with him – the head of the Dark Arts and the greatest of the grey wizards as well as one other, the Alderdrache.  The wizards raised their hands and the dragon his head and the shadows paused.

“Fools,” said they ‘to think you could stop us – you will all die tonight!”

The pool of reflection was becalmed and began to glow with a golden light.  Tendrils of pure light began crawling forth from its surface, entwining around the wizards and the dragon.  It was then that the great wizards and the dragon began their incantation, drawing upon the power of the ancients that swirled about them.  Shafts of light shot forth from the spellcasters, forming a pyramid of energy surrounding the Shadow.

“NO!” came their cry of fury, as they struggled against the forces surrounding them.

The beams of energy pulsed and coalesced as the pyramid grew smaller, condensing and forcing the Shadow into an ever smaller form.  Unseen by those below, small wisps of black escaped from the trap that had been so quickly sprung – wisps that vanished almost as quickly as they escaped.   The pyramid shrank and condensed until the remaining Shadow were compressed into a solid black mass the size and shape of a large egg, banded on four sides by a softly pulsing white line – the magical remains of their prison.  As they had been trapped, so too had the power of the ancients been trapped directly beneath them for as the pyramid had formed about them, a mirror image had formed below above the pool.  What remained was a large crystalline structure of immense power – the oracle – for the last of the ancients had sacrificed themselves to force the Shadow from this world.

Thus it was that the BlackStar Amulet and the Oracle were formed – polar opposites of one another.  The one contained the infinite power of good, the other the infinite power of evil.  The Oracle was placed in a position of honor above the Council, while the BlackStar was placed in the bowels of the citadel, Pahret T’pur.  Protected by the spells and wards surrounding the castle, the amulet would serve to power the veil that was created to cleave one world into two.  To control the amulet was to control the veil, and if used in the ancient portal of the citadel the power of the amulet could be harnessed to bend even the Shadow to serve one’s whims.

Therein also lies the greatest danger; if the incantation is interrupted, the master shall become servant and the dimensions thrown open again for the Shadow and worse to return.  The gateways to the Abyss will become permanent, forever open to our world.

Although physically separated by hundreds of miles, the two talismans remain connected by magic, the pull of which can be used to locate one another.  If ever the twain shall reunite, the veil shall be torn asunder and the worlds untethered, to be separated forever…

Set here under my hand, August 14th, First Year of the Veil

Andromedus Blackstone

Acamar was frowning deeply as he finished reading.  He turned to Kust, who was warming himself by the fire and looking entirely pleased with his performance.

“You’re certain of this?”

“Aye.  He knows the amulet is what he needs, but the rest he never saw – scurried away with the book before his time was up, he did.  Stay too long in the restricted section and it’ll be your last trip to the library!”

Acamar rolled the page back up, retied the black ribbon and handed the scroll to Keegan.

“This moves things up a bit, I’m afraid.  Master Kust, I thank you for your information,” he said as he tossed a bag of coins to the elf.  Straightening his robes, he pulled the door of the study open.

Keegan’s head was spinning from trying to absorb everything he had learned in the past few minutes.  “Where are we going?”

“To the ancient portal, deep beneath this citadel.  We must warn your grandfather, though I’m certain he already knows.  I suspect this is why he freed me from my penance.”

“What?”

Acamar turned towards Keegan.  “Your grandfather stayed my sentence for a reason; at first I couldn’t fathom it but now I do.  I believe he intends to destroy the ancient portal, and with it any chance Ducat would have of controlling the Shadow or worse, breaching the void to the Abyss.”

“But I still don’t understand; if he knows all of this then why do we have to warn him?”

“Because we have to stop him, Keegan.  To destroy the ancient portal he must be in it at the time!  The sheer force of magical energy necessary to permanently seal it shut will either consume your grandfather or trap him forever on the dark side of the Abyss.”

Acamar strode from the study with Keegan close on his heels, heading for the bowels of the castle, leaving Kust to warm himself by the fire and finish off the biscuits left from lunch.

~~~~

Chapter 32 – Sealing the Gateway

The path to the bowels of Pahret T’pur was a long one.  The castle, built eons ago before the Veil, had been added to and expanded in the centuries since the original construction.  Keegan and Acamar threaded their way down to the lower levels, finally reaching the pool of reflection after nearly thirty minutes.

“Is this the place describe on that page from the Black Book?”

“Yes, this is the pool of reflection – the place where I saw your image for the very first time just a few weeks ago.  Beyond the pool is the inner sanctum, wherein lies the ancient portal.”

Keegan looked in the direction indicated by Acamar beyond the pool.  A heavy door of what appeared to be solid silver encrusted with runes marked the entrance to the inner chamber.  The door stood partially ajar and there was a faint white light emanating from within.  Occasionally a low, distant rumble like far away thunder sounded, vibrating the floor beneath their feet.  Acamar walked up to the door and reached out to pull it open, but was held fast the moment his hand touched the ornate handle.

“Acamar?”

The older wizard did not respond – or even blink for that matter.  He remained in frozen in place with his right hand grasping the door handle, although Keegan could see that he was still breathing.  Keegan reached into his robes, retrieved his staff, and with a flick of his wrist returned it to its normal size.  He had learned that with a simple charm he could reduce the staff to the size of a number two pencil – the perfect size to stow it away in ones robes.  Ever since the evening in the garden when his consciousness had touched the staff’s inner core, he had felt a special connection to it.  Since then he had spent his few spare hours in between Acamar’s painful lessons exploring the staff’s abilities.

“Be careful where you tread, young one,” came the voice of Nekk’ar inside his mind.

“Why?  My grandfather wouldn’t hurt me, Nekk’ar,” thought Keegan.

“It is not your grandfather I am concerned about.  You are in the oldest part of the castle, near the very foundation itself.  Beyond the doorway lies the portal.”

”I’ve been through enough portals to know how to use one, Nekk’ar.”

“Ouch!” Keegan yelped suddenly, as without warning a spark of electricity shot through the ring into his hand.

“That isn’t just ANY portal, youngling; it is the first portal.  It is the one that came before all others.  It is the portal that first brought the ancients to our world and later conveyed the dark ones”

“You mean the ancients aren’t from Earth?”

“The ancients are beyond physical form, young one, although they can take the shape of anything they desire.  They are not bound to the physical as you are.  Their presence here unlocked the magical energy of this dimension and allowed it to flow freely.  There is still much residual energy in this place and the power of the ancients still lingers.”

“Great.”

Keegan did not finish his thought for fear it would provoke another shock from his temperamental guardian.  He was gradually learning to shield some of his thoughts from Nekk’ar, but the spirit of the ring was still far more powerful than Keegan and could easily pierce his defenses if it so chose.  Raising his staff and grasping it firmly with both hands, he focused his thoughts on its magical core and could immediately feel the pulsating warmth of energy surrounding him.  Easing forward he placed the head of the staff through the doorway, bracing himself against whatever might happen.  There was a sharp crackling sound as the tip of the staff passed the doorway and a tingling sensation passed through Keegan’s hands.  He concentrated on the staff, willing the magic to expand outward away from his hands.  The tingling sensation increased and he could feel the staff growing warmer in his hands.  Concentrating harder, Keegan felt the staff began to vibrate along its length as it struggled against the wards placed on the door to bar the entrance.  Gradually the vibration ceased and with a sharp snap! Keegan almost fell forward as the ward was broken and the resistance ceased.  As the protective spell faded, the force binding Acamar to the door handle failed and he fell to the floor.

“Acamar!”

At the sound of Keegan’s voice, the older man opened his eyes and blinked several times but made no effort to move.

“I’m….all right, Keegan.  Just…just stunned,” he said in a hoarse whisper, lips barely moving.  “I didn’t…expect your…your grandfather to…protect the door like that.”

“Can you stand?”

With a visible effort, Acamar shook his head.

“Not yet.  I need time to work the countercharm and for the effects to wear off.”

Keegan knelt down beside the older wizard.  Acamar immediately grasped the apprentice’s arm, though his hand was trembling with the effort.

“You have to go, Keegan.  You have to stop your grandfather before it is too late.  If he seals the gateway he will be destroyed when the portal implodes; or worse he will be trapped on the dark side of the Abyss with no way back.”

“But what do I do?”

“Use your ring, Keegan.  Trust Nekk’ar.  He is wiser than us all; he can tell you what needs to be done, if he will.”

Another rumble like distant thunder, louder this time, came from the antechamber beyond.  Keegan picked up his staff and stood as Acamar began murmuring an incantation under his breath and sketching glyphs in the air with his pendant.  Using the staff again, Keegan pushed against the door, expecting to encounter another protective spell.  Unlike the time before however, the door swung silently inward on its giant gilt hinges.  With one last glance back at Acamar, Keegan stepped cautiously through the doorway unsure of what to expect.

Hewn from the bedrock beneath the castle, the chamber was surprisingly large with rough walls that had no visible joints.  Looking upward, he was shocked to find that where the ceiling should have been there was a vast expanse of night sky – stars and all!  Keegan thought at first it must be a mural painted on the ceiling, but as he peered closer, he could perceive distance between the stars and even a hint of movement if he looked hard enough.  A sudden clap of thunder shook him out of his trance.  Looking in the direction of the flash of light that had accompanied the thunder, he saw the portal.  The ancient gateway was in the far corner of the room, set at an angle to the two walls so that it filled the corner completely.  Its obsidian archway curved upward at least twenty feet and in the middle where the keystone was set, he could just make out some type of indention as if an inset stone were missing.  The center of the gateway sparked and crackled with energy, as forks of lightning played across the surface of the mist beneath the arch.  Watching the arcs of lightning, Keegan could see they all seemed to originate from near the base of the arch.

In addition to the crackle of thunder, a sharp wind had sprung up within the room, causing the young wizard’s robes to flap against him.  Bracing himself on his staff, he leaned forward and peered toward the center of the portal.  Another flash of lightning showed him what he feared most – the bolts of energy originated from a wizard’s staff – a staff held by his grandfather, Phineas.

Keegan struggled forward against the wind, bracing himself with his staff as he inched his way forward across the uneven stone floor of the chamber.

“GRANDFATHER!”

Even though he shouted with all his strength, the howling of the wind in the chamber and the crackle of lightning drowned out his voice.

Holding his staff firmly in front of himself, Keegan bowed his head against the wind and concentrated, willing himself into the magic of his staff as he had done once before.  Gradually the sound around him lessened as a feeling of warmth spread from the staff through his arms and down into the rest of his body.  The gale inside the chamber had not lessened, yet somehow the forces around him parted as if broken by an unseen blade in front of him.  Desperately focusing his concentration Keegan began walking forward, slowly at first and then gradually faster as his confidence grew.  Moving forward in this way he finally reached the outer circle that surrounded the gateway, but as he went to step past the threshold, he walked straight into an invisible barrier.

Yelping in pain as his head and knee hit the unseen wall, his concentration wavered and the gale force winds whipped at his robes again.  Refocusing his thoughts, he pushed outward again, forcing the winds back but he still could not move beyond the outer rim.  Looking up for the first time since reaching the edge of the portal, he saw his grandfather in the great archway.  The air around the Guardian crackled with energy and Keegan knew that the world’s most powerful wizard was standing before him.  Phineas looked different somehow; his face looked tired and careworn and there were dark shadows under his eyes.  Keegan had not seen much of his grandfather since coming to the castle, but he was shocked to see just how old he looked now.  Focusing his will on the staff, he tried projecting his voice through the barrier.

“Grandfather!”

Phineas turned slightly and looked at Keegan, having somehow heard his voice through the chaos.  He nodded and smiled warmly at his grandson but did not move from inside the gateway, nor did the energy bands coming from his staff decrease in the slightest.

Keegan saw his grandfather peer directly at him and furrow his brow slightly.

“I was afraid you would come down here before my task was complete, Keegan.  I had rather hoped to spare you this vision.”

Remembering how he had shared thoughts with Nekk’ar, Keegan concentrated on his grandfather and thought, “I had to come, Master.  Please don’t do this; Acamar told me what you are trying to do and what will happen to you if the gateway is sealed!”

Phineas smiled fondly at the grandson he had just met a few weeks ago.

”I must do what must be done, Keegan.  You will fill my shoes as guardian quite capably, in time.”

“But I’m not ready!  I can’t even fully block Acamar’s attacks yet!”

The older wizard chuckled under his breath, though the power emanating from his staff never wavered.

“Acamar is my most trusted aide, and more importantly my oldest friend.  He will teach you well and you will come to no harm while he is near, though you may end up with a few bruises from his teaching methods.”

With this last thought, Phineas became more serious – almost stern in his appearance.  His staff began to glow brightly along its length as if gathering one last charge of energy before sealing the gateway.

“You must listen carefully, Keegan.  Whatever happens, listen to Acamar and let him guide you.  You must protect the amulet at all costs.  It can never be allowed to interact with the oracle in the Council chambers.  Remember Keegan, I am so very proud of you!”

The Guardian’s staff began to hum and quiver with the amount of power channeled through it, as long, spidery arcs of power spread out and intersected with the boundaries of the gateway.  The tempest in the chamber increased exponentially all around Keegan, until finally with a thunderous clap the portal wrapped inward on itself, shrinking to a ball of energy the size of a basketball.  Hovering for a nanosecond, the sphere exploded outward with a flash and then the chamber fell silent.  The force of the blast blew Keegan backward across the room, where he tumbled to the floor.  Desperately he scrambled to his feet, hoping to get to the portal.  One look at the ruined gateway and he froze in his tracks.  The edges of the stone archway were cracked and scorched from the heat, but what Keegan focused on lay in the center of the portal – the broken and splintered remains of Phineas’ staff.

~~~~

Chapter 33 – An End and a Beginning

Keegan sat at a small table on the balcony off the study, looking silently at the hills beyond.  It had been two days since his grandfather had permanently sealed the First Gateway.  The scorched, broken remains of his staff rested inside the bookcase of the study, sealed behind the glass doors.

“Your grandfather was very proud of you, Keegan,” said Acamar as he walked up from behind and placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“I barely knew him, Acamar,” Keegan said in a tired voice.  His eyes were dark from lack of sleep and bloodshot from the tears he had cried.  “I had just gotten some of my family back and now he’s gone.  He was so different from my father.”

Acamar smiled and sat in the chair opposite Keegan, the wind blowing his grey streaked hair.  “I know, Keegan.  I know.  I have lost a Master and a great teacher, but above all a friend.  Your grandfather saved me, Keegan.  He accepted me as a servant when no other wizard would because of my crime.”

“What do I do now, Acamar?  I’m not ready to be the Guardian.”

“Whether you are ready or not, the fact remains that you ARE the Guardian, Keegan,” said the older man, looking over his glasses at the boy.  “I promised your grandfather I would teach you everything I could and serve you as I served him.  I intend to keep that promise and will help you all that I can.”

“But you’re free, Acamar.  You told me my grandfather broke the binding and ended your service.”

Acamar leaned forward intently, “I serve you now Keegan because I choose to, not because I am bound into servitude.  Now, you need some rest,” he said as he got up from the chair.  “Your studies begin in earnest again tomorrow.  We have to be ready.”

Acamar strode from the balcony and left the study, closing the door behind him.  Keegan watched the older man leave; if he did not know better he would have sworn Acamar’s robes were a lighter shade than the day before.  Keegan shuddered at the thought of being the Guardian.  His studies would begin tomorrow to teach him to defend the castle against an all but certain attack from the missing wizard, Ducat.  He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes – hoping to delay for just a little while longer his first day on the job.

†††

Keegan awoke with a scream.  Sitting bolt upright in bed, he was soaked with a cold sweat.  It had been nearly a week since the death of his grandfather.  The nightmares had begun a day or so ago and now occurred on a regular basis.  They had been vague at first, usually running away from some unseen foe pursing him through the fog.  As time passed however, the dreams took on more detail and became true nightmares.  The latest had him back in the lair of Seba’an, the Alderdrache.  The last time Keegan had been there, he had barely escaped a confrontation with the Shadow.  In this dream however, he could not escape the oily blackness that engulfed him.  The Shadow surrounded him, chilling him to the bone with the cold of pure evil as they drained his life force.  He screamed the incantation for the portal that would take him to safety, but no matter how hard he focused or how loud he chanted the spell failed.  He watched as his skin shriveled, becoming as frail as parchment as the Shadow devoured his essence.  The Shadow around him laughed at the pitiful little wizard-to-be, crumbling to dust and powerless to save himself until at last he was jolted awake.

“Solarus-minimus.”

Keegan started slightly as soft golden light filled the bedroom.  He turned toward the door and saw the housekeeper, Ms. Hoskins, standing in the doorway.  Her silver hair, pulled back tightly into a bun on the back of her head, gave her the appearance of a stern schoolteacher.  Her wire-rimmed glasses were perched on the end of her nose and she wore an obviously worried look on her face.

“Are you all right, Master Whitestone?”

Keegan ran his hand through his hair, brushing the wet strands out of his eyes.

“I wish you wouldn’t call me that,” he said with a tired sigh.

“But you are the Guardian now, young Master,” she replied with a disapproving frown.

He glared at the old housekeeper.

“I am not the Guardian yet, Ms. Hoskins.  I’m just an apprentice; and not a very good one at that I might add.”

Ms. Hoskins huffed up, placing her hands on her hips and lowering her head so she could frown at Keegan over her spectacles.  Keegan knew this meant she was building up steam readying for a full broadside, or a ‘piece of her dusty old mind’ as Acamar would put it.  Acamar and Ms. Hoskins continued to have a prickly relationship since the death of Phineas, each trying to outdo the other with the caliber of their insults.  She still sometimes referred to Acamar derisively as “Whiskers” or “Fleabag” even though he spent much less time as a cat since being freed from his bond of servitude.

“Now see here, young Master,” she scolded.  “An apprentice you may be, but with the death of your grandfather the full responsibilities of the Guardian are yours now, whether you like it or not.”  She bustled over to the window and pulled back the thick drapes, letting in the first rays of the sunrise.  “Now, out of that bed so I can collect the linens.  Get yourself down to the study and I’ll be in with a fresh pot of tea and some breakfast before your studies.  You’d best hurry now before that teacher of yours gets back.  Whiskers is already in a foul mood this morning and he’ll have you dodging spells on an empty stomach if you’re not careful.”

“Back?  It’s just now sunrise; where on Earth did he go this early in the morning?”

Ms. Hoskins snorted scornfully.  “Off to see some of the Council I expect.  He received a note from one of them shortly before midnight and he was off this morning before sunrise.  Left about two hours ago.”

“Is something wrong?”

The old woman turned from the window and smiled warmly at Keegan.  “The Council took the news of your grandfather’s death very hard, young Master.  It will take some time for them to adjust, that’s all.  Now, up and about before Master Wycroft returns,” she said as she shooed him out of the bed.  Bustling about the room, she gathered up the soaked bedclothes and whisked out of the room.

Keegan just shook his head in amazement.  Acamar had told him Ms. Hoskins was incredibly old – she had served at Pahret T’pur longer than anyone could remember.  Yet she whisked about with the energy of someone much younger and was a force to be reckoned with on matters concerning the castle or its occupants.  Keegan stretched one last time then dressed in his apprentice robes.  Gathering up his staff and two books on the history of magic he was supposed to have read the night before, he headed down to the study.

Reaching the study, he placed his books on the desk and leaned his staff in the corner.  True to her word, Ms. Hoskins had indeed left a tray on the desk with a fresh pot of tea and a mound of freshly baked scones.  Helping himself to a steaming cup of tea, he broke open the scone and applied liberal amounts of thick Devonshire cream.  He had developed a taste for Ms. Hoskins’ scones and the clotted cream she always provided – giving him something to look forward to before his lessons with Acamar began every morning.

He had just taken a large bite of the scone when a portal snapped open near the balcony window.  The swirling blue-white portal crackled with power as Acamar stepped through.  The portal snapped shut, leaving behind nothing but the faint smell of ozone and an electric tingle in the room.  Acamar dusted off his robes and frowned at Keegan.

“You’re just now having breakfast?  You should have been up well over an hour ago,” snapped the older wizard.

“Mmph-mmph,” was all Keegan could manage through a large mouthful of scone.  He quickly swallowed and washed it down with a too-large gulp of tea, scalding his mouth in the process.  “I’m sorry Acamar.  The nightmares came again, only worse this time.  I woke up screaming – Ms. Hoskins even came in to see if I was okay.”

“The Shadow again?” asked Acamar.

“Yes, only worse this time.  I was trapped in Seba’an’s cave and they surrounded me, draining my life force until I was nothing but a husk.”

“Mmm.  A fate you may well experience if we don’t get you trained up in time,” warned Acamar.  “We have to focus on your defensive skills if you are to stand a chance against Ducat, much less the Shadow.”

Since the death of Phineas, Acamar had strengthened the Veil using the Blackstar amulet and virtually cut off travel between the two worlds.

“I’m afraid we have an even bigger problem at the moment, Keegan.  I have just come from the Council.  I was summoned there late last night by several of the members.  It seems that several of the Black order have decided since the Guardian died before you completed your apprenticeship, you are no longer qualified to hold the position.  They have found support among the Grey order as well.”

“What?  Why would they support the Black order?”

“I’m not certain yet, but if there is one thing I’ve learned in my service to your grandfather, it’s that Council politics are dangerous.  Very dangerous.  Not only is there the issue of your apprenticeship, but the Council seat held by your grandfather must still be filled.  Rightfully that position would be held for you as the Guardian, but now that is in question as well.”

Keegan was at a loss for words.  His grandfather had died in an effort to seal the first gateway, yet now the Council members were fighting for power over his vacant seat and the Guardianship itself.

“So now what do we do?”

“You and I have been summoned before the full Council, or what’s left of it.  The Grey order has not yet named a replacement for Ducat, leaving the Black with four votes to three for each of the other two castes.  We have been ordered to appear within the hour; I’m very sorry, Keegan.”

Acamar picked up Keegan’s staff and handed it to him.  With a final glance around the study, he conjured a portal back to the Council and they stepped through.

~~~

Chapter 34 – The Breaking

The Council chambers appeared much as they did before, although there was now a large scorch mark on the floor left as a reminder of Ducat’s escape.  The mood in the chamber was a somber one, although Keegan was not sure why.  The first thing he noticed was the number of empty chairs around the table.  None of the members of the White caste was present, and the seats formerly belonging to Phineas and Ducat were still vacant.  Cedric was also absent, however his deputy Portia was seated next to his chair.  The other two members of the Dark Arts were there as were the three elected members of the Grey order.  As Acamar and Keegan approached the others, Portia rose to greet them, almost as a lion would rise to greet an antelope arriving for supper.

“Well Master Wycroft, you and your protégé have finally decided to honor us with your presence,” she said as she leaned forward with her palms on the table, looking every bit like a hawk about to disembowel a rabbit.

“You will forgive me, Portia, but we came as soon as we were summoned,” he said with a polite nod of his head.

“I will most certainly not forgive you, Master Wycroft!  Were it up to me, you would still be confined to your feline prison.  You and the whelp should have appeared before us immediately upon the Guardian’s death, so the Council could choose his successor!”

Acamar visibly bristled at Portia’s accusation.

“I was expecting Master Thornback,” said Acamar in a cautious tone.

“Cedric no longer holds sway with our members, Master Wycroft, ever since he abandoned his loyalty to our Order and sided with the Guardian.”

“Portia, if we do not stand united against Ducat and the Shadow, we will all surely perish!”

“I still have no proof of the Shadow, Acamar.  As for Ducat, he is simply a power-mad fool.  I have now taken Cedric’s place as head of our Order.  Furthermore, the Black and the Gray have agreed that with power vested for so long with the Order of White, the Guardian’s former place on this Council is now forfeit and will not be filled.”

Keegan was too stunned to speak and Acamar looked shocked.  By forfeiting his grandfather’s seat on the Council the Order of White would have only three voting members while the other Orders had four each, once the Gray replaced Ducat and the Black replaced Cedric.  It was a dramatic shift of power.

“Young Master Whitestone is the rightful successor to the Guardian, whether the Council wills it or not,” was his terse reply.

“I beg to differ, Master Wycroft.  If the Council wills it, so shall it be!” she said with a hiss.  “We have decreed that a new successor shall be chosen, since our poor young apprentice is left without a Master.”

Blinded with rage and the lingering loss of his grandfather, Keegan could hold his tongue no longer.

“ENOUGH!” he shouted, silencing the room with a sweep of his arm.

His ring began glowing and a tingling pain shot down his arm as Nekk’ar tried to stop him, but his anger carried him onward.  Angrily he advanced on the Council members, who remained seated in stunned silence.  Even Portia was taken aback by his sudden outburst.

“This stops now!  I am not your pawn, to be discarded at a whim!  My grandfather died to protect all of you from certain destruction.  His final words to me were to carry on his work, and that I will do, whether the Council wills it or not!”

“Ha!” laughed Portia.  “You know little of our world and even less of magic.  My word is final, youngling.”

Bringing her wand out from her sleeve, she flicked the tip towards Keegan and smoky black tendrils shot forth to envelope him.

Acting on instinct and blinded by rage, Keegan brought his staff upward with a flourish, his ring still glowing white.  The air around him shimmered and the advancing tendrils withered and dissipated as they contacted the unseen shield spell around him.  Bringing his staff back downward with a sharp stroke, he struck the Council table a tremendous blow with the head of the staff.  The sound of thunder echoed throughout the room and with a flash, the granite table was broken in half.  The Council members scrambled for safety as the shockwave knocked Portia backward and hurled great pieces of granite to the floor.  As the dust began to settle, Keegan remained standing in front of them, gripping his staff.  His ring shone as brightly as a star and the air in the room crackled as waves of magical force ebbed and flowed through him.

“You fool!” screamed Portia.  “The Oracle will destroy you!”

No sooner had she spoken these words than the shining orb began descending through the dust-filled air of the chamber.  It hovered briefly over the remains of the council table, pulsing slightly, before coming to rest directly in front of Keegan.

Keegan watched the crystal intently, waiting for it to incinerate him or encase him in crystal, but nothing happened.  Watching the myriad patterns reflected off the crystal’s surface, he slowly became aware of a voice.  The voice was distant, yet near – alone, but many.  It was like a thousand whispers carried on the wind, just out of reach.  Concentrating on the crystal, he listened intently.  Finally, he nodded in understanding and smiled.  Moving carefully, the Council members slowly advanced towards Keegan and the Oracle, unsure of what was happening.  Keegan turned to Portia, who was standing a few feet from him with her wand at the ready.

“This Council is broken.  You may continue to bicker and fight amongst yourselves but you no longer speak for the rest of us.  You are no longer worthy to call yourselves leaders.  It is my responsibility to protect this world and stop Ducat; I am the guardian.”

As he spoke, the Oracle began to glow brighter, forcing those in the room to shield their eyes from the glare.  With a sudden flash, the light was gone and the Oracle had vanished.  In its place however, appeared a shining jewel the size of a large egg, suspended on a silver chain around Keegan’s neck.

“It’s not possible!”  Portia gasped, as she pointed at the jewel in disbelief.

“Of course it’s possible,” smiled Keegan.  “It’s magic.”

Turning on his heel, he walked away from the shattered remains of the Council table.  Gesturing towards Acamar, he raised his staff and a portal opened.  Almost as powerful as the one he had seen his grandfather conjure, it encompassed both wizards and took them home, leaving the Portia and her supporters standing in darkness.

~~~~

Chapter 35 – Destiny

The air in the study crackled with energy as Keegan’s portal snapped open, disgorging him and Acamar in a heap on the floor.

“Ow!  Get OFF me!” snapped Acamar at Keegan, who had landed on top of the older wizard.

“Sorry!” said Keegan as he scrambled to get up.  He extended his hand to Acamar and helped him up before setting his staff against the bookcase.

“What in the name of the Ancients did you do back there?!  Or perhaps I should ask how you did what you did!  You’ve struggled for weeks to learn a basic shield spell that can’t even repel a half-powered stinger, and yet back there you managed to block an attack by one of the more powerful witches I’ve ever known?”

Keegan had never seen Acamar this agitated before; the man was pacing back and forth across the study like a caged tiger.

“I don’t know exactly what happened, Acamar,” said Keegan with a shrug of his shoulders.  “I was furious at what they were trying to do.  My grandfather saved them all, but none of them gives a damn – they just want power for themselves.  Everything became so clear; I just knew what I had to do.  I could feel the energy swirling about me and I just told it what to do, sort of…”

“Sort of?  You shatter a thousand-year old granite table, confront a group of spellcasters who have been practicing magic since before you were born, and your explanation is that you ‘sort of’ told the magic what to do?  Incredible!”  Acamar shook his head in disbelief.  Looking at Keegan, he gestured at the Oracle-jewel hanging around the boy’s neck.  “And what about that?  The Oracle should have incinerated you!  What happened to you when you were just staring at it?”

Keegan shook his head as if he were trying to shake off cobwebs.

“I don’t know, exactly, Acamar.  It spoke to me; at least I think it did.  It was like a thousand voices all whispering to me at the same time.”

Acamar’s eyebrows looked like they were trying to crawl up his forehead as he leaned against the desk and stared at Keegan.

“And just what did these voices say to you?”

“The time of the Council is at an end.  You alone will seal the rift.”

“Well, by ‘rift’ I assume they meant the Great Seal that was opened by Ducat,” mused Acamar.

“Acamar?”

“Yes, Keegan?”

“There was one more thing,” he said cautiously.

“Yes?”

“I think I heard my grandfather’s voice when the Oracle spoke to me.  I can’t be sure, but I could swear I caught his voice mixed in with the others.”

Acamar, who didn’t say anything at first, just furrowed his brow and stared at the rug.  After a few moments of pondering, he finally spoke.

“It is possible, I suppose.  No one really understands the nature of the Oracle, nor do we fully understand the nether-regions beyond the gateway.  Although I assumed your grandfather was killed in the shockwave that sealed the gateway, perhaps it is possible he still exists in some form on the other side.”

“So what do we do next?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know just yet,” sighed Acamar.  “None can enter Pahret T’pur now unless we wish it.  Not even the most powerful of the Council members can break the wards that guard us here.”

“Then why fear Ducat?  Surely he alone can’t break the wards either, can he?”

“He alone, probably not.  However, if he is truly a servant of the Shadow, then his powers are likely far beyond what they once were.  There is also the matter of Brimstone, the rogue dragon that is still on the loose.”  Acamar paced over to the balcony, crossing his arms and looking out across the valley.  “If Ducat has command of the dragon, things become even more complicated.”

Keegan put his head in his hands.  It all seemed so hopeless!  Things were so much clearer back in the Council chambers when his anger overtook him.  He had known instinctively what must be done and had seized upon it.  Now that he had time to consider the possibilities, it seemed impossible.  They had to track down and stop Ducat, find a way to banish the Shadow and finally, find and capture a rogue dragon!

“You should rest for today, Keegan.  We shall begin our search for Ducat tomorrow.  I’m sure you are exhausted after our confrontation with the Council,” said Acamar, who had walked over and placed his hand on Keegan’s shoulder.  “I must tend to the Blackstar and check the Veil for signs of disturbance.  If you need me, use the summoning charm I taught you.”  Smiling sadly at him, Acamar turned and left the room, leaving Keegan to be alone with his thoughts.

***

Keegan watched the study door close as Acamar left the room.  A few moments after hearing the soft snick of the latch, he hurried over to the door and tried to remember the locking charm he had learned a few days ago.  Sketching the glyph in the air around the doorknob, he muttered what he hoped was the right incantation.  As he traced the lines in the air they began to shimmer slightly and he was rewarded as the door shuddered ever so slightly and the glyph wrapped itself around the handle and disappeared.  Moving quickly to the bookshelves behind the desk, he extracted a large leather-bound volume entitled “The War of the Shadow,” laid it open on the desk, and began to read.  Keegan knew that he must find and neutralize Ducat quickly, rather than wait for him to come out of hiding.  He scanned the book for any reference to the Great Seal that Ducat had opened and was soon rewarded when he found the following entry:

…After the construction of the first portal at Pahret T’Pur, the leader of the Black Order decreed that a second gateway should be built that was outside the control of the Guardian.  This portal would be assembled at Talith Nor, a stronghold in the far north that lay deep in the heart of the territory controlled by the dragons.

“Talith Nor; that has to be the place.  But how do I find it?”

“You could ask someone who has been there before,” came the voice of Nekk’ar in Keegan’s mind.

“You?” he thought back.

“Hmph.  I lived for centuries before you were born, youngling.  There are few places on this world that I have not been.”

“Then how do I find Talith Nor?”

“I could guide you, but by foot the journey would take far too long, and you would be discovered before you reached the mountains.”

“What about teleporting?  I could open a portal, couldn’t I?”

“Not directly, no.  There are wards there similar to the ones that guard this citadel. Only the most powerful of wizards could breach them.  You will need a key.”

Keegan was getting tired of this banter.  The dragon spirit enjoyed toying with him, and did not like to volunteer too much information at once.

“And where do I get this key?” thought Keegan with a distinct edge in his mind’s voice.

“Why, from the owner, of course,” chuckled Nekk’ar, enjoying his game.

“Wait a minute!” cried Keegan aloud.  “The book said Talith Nor was constructed by the head of the Black Order!  That means Master Thornback has the key, doesn’t it?”

“That is correct, young one.  You will find the key ensconced in a place of honor in Cedric’s study.  All you need do is go to his chambers in the capital, collect the key, and go to the main portal gateway.  When you place the key in the portal stone, it will allow you to pass safely to Talith Nor.”

“You make it all sound so easy.”

“I make what sound so easy, dear?” quipped a female voice from behind him.

Startled by the nearness of the voice, Keegan very nearly fell out of the chair.  He spun around to see Mrs. Hoskins smiling at him, a mischievous twinkle dancing in her eyes.

“Um, nothing.  Nothing at all Mrs. Hoskins – I was just talking to myself,” he stammered, trying to regain his composure.

“If you say so, dear,” she said, still smiling as she bustled about the room tidying up.  She paused just for a moment and looked Keegan directly in the eye.  “Now you’d best be off, before Whiskers gets wind of what you’re up to.”

“What?  But… I’m not up to anything – I was just reading through this history…”

“Now young Master, I’ve been caretaker here far longer than most would believe.  I’ve seen a great many things in this lifetime, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that a wizard doesn’t use a lock-charm unless they don’t want anyone to know what they’re up to.”

“But…”

Mrs. Hoskins held up her hand, silencing Keegan.  She shook her head and frowned.

“Now that’s enough, young Master.  You know as well as I what must be done, and you also know that Whiskers won’t like it, so I suggest you be off.”

Keegan nodded solemnly and closed the book on the desk.  Rising from his chair, he took up his staff.  Before he could go however, Mrs. Hoskins handed him a small black tablet of stone, about the size of a playing card.

“What’s this?”

“A runestone, dear.  It contains a map of the Council chambers, including the private offices of each member.  It might come in handy someday, should you ever need to locate one of the Council members,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.  “Just say erkennen to activate it and skjule to clear it.”

“I can’t thank you enough, Mrs. Hoskins.”

She nodded and smiled warmly at him, and then returned to her chores.  Keegan pointed his staff at the wall and opened a portal that would take him to the Council chambers once more.

~~~~

Chapter 36 – A Thief in the Night

Keegan’s portal snapped open in the main courtyard, disgorging him in a heap.  Although he was beginning to master opening portals, he really needed to work on landings.  He picked himself up and dusted off his robes, looking around to see if anyone had noticed his abrupt arrival.  At the moment the courtyard was empty, but he knew his arrival would probably not go unnoticed for long.  He quickly made his way through the archway into the main building and found a secluded corner behind a large statue of a rather severe looking wizard, its arm reaching upward towards something unseen in the heavens.  He settled down to wait until nightfall, although the castle was largely deserted already.  The breaking of the Council had become the news of the day, and word had traveled quickly throughout the magical world.  The members of the Order of White had pledged their support to the Guardian, much to Keegan’s relief.  The Gray and Black Orders, however, had fractured.  Many of the Gray had fled to the relative safety of their homes, however many had openly allied themselves with the Black, sensing an opportunity to seize more power for their Order.  Portia’s command of the Black Order had widened, as she had incinerated several of Cedric’s more vocal supporters on the spot.  Since no one had seen Cedric in some time, he was presumed to be captive or worse.

As night began to fall, Keegan noticed the red wisps coming to life around the courtyard outside, and pale golden ones lining the inside hallways.  Taking out the runestone, he muttered ‘erkennen’ and a silvery map sketched itself along the obsidian surface of the tablet.  Peering closely at the stone, he noticed a tiny silver arrow blinking at what he presumed to be his position on the map.  Keegan was scanning the map for some indication of Cedric’s chambers when he noticed a set of dotted lines flowing outward from the arrow symbol.  They were apparently blinking in the direction he needed to go.  He grinned and whispered a silent thanks to Mrs. Hoskins – he did not know how she knew his plan and right now, he did not care.

The journey to Cedric’s chambers was uneventful as most of the castle was deserted.  Keegan approached the door warily; unsure if anyone was inside he edged closer until he noticed that the door was ajar.  He peered carefully through the opening, but the room appeared to be deserted.  Carefully he eased into them room, shutting the door behind him.  Pocketing the runestone, he began searching the room for the key to Talith Nor.  Moving beyond the first room, he entered the study where Cedric’s desk was – surely something as important as the key to Talith Nor would be kept close at hand.  Keegan glanced at the desk and was about to move to the bookshelf behind it when he noticed something odd.  A small, crystal orb the size of a tennis ball was sitting in the middle of the desk – which he thought was just a paperweight until he noticed a faint shimmer surrounding it.  After picking it up for a closer look, he noticed that it was warm to the touch and there appeared to be something suspended inside.  Moving closer to the wisp hovering above the desk, he held the sphere up to the light and saw the tiny black shape of a raven!

Oh no!  They’ve trapped Nisha!

He knew he had to free her from the orb, but had no idea how.  He turned the sphere over and over in his hands while he thought.

“Would you stop it?  I’m getting dizzy!”

Keegan very nearly dropped the sphere in surprise.  Bringing the crystal close to his face, he whispered as quietly as possible, for fear someone would hear him.

“Nisha?  Is that you?”

“Yes, it’s me!  Who else do you think it is?  Now get me out of here!”

“But, how can I hear you?  You’re encased in crystal!”

“I can communicate with someone if they are holding the orb,” she said in an exasperated tone.  “Now would you please get me out of here?”

“How?  You’re encased in solid crystal!”

“You mean to tell me you single handedly destroyed the Council chambers and faced down Portia Nightshade, but you can’t break a hex?!”

Keegan sighed and shrugged his shoulders.  How could he explain something that he himself did not understand?

“Look, I’m not sure I can explain this; it’s a long story…”

“Do I look like I’m going anywhere?”

“Nisha, I don’t have much time!  I have to find the key to Talith Nor and use it to open a portal, so I can close the great seal.”

“WHAT?  ARE YOU INSANE?”

Keegan winced at the sharpness of her words.

“Keegan!  Listen to me – what you are attempting to do is suicide!  Even Cedric wouldn’t go anywhere near Talith Nor once we learned of the return of the Shadow.”

“I have to do this, Nisha,” he said firmly.  “It’s my duty as the Guardian to protect this world; I have to close the seal.”

Nisha did not respond for a few moments, and Keegan thought their connection had somehow been lost until she finally spoke again, quietly.

“There is an obsidian gargoyle in the corner, near the bookcase.  Use your thumbs to press the rubies in his eyes at the same time.”

Moving over to the gargoyle in the corner, Keegan pressed his thumbs into the rubies that were the gargoyle’s eyes.  He pressed firmly and after a few seconds heard the snick of a latch being released.  He pulled his hands back and watched as the beast’s mouth began opening wider and its black stone tongue slid silently outward.  Once the mouth had stopped opening Keegan could see a glint of silver at the back of the gargoyle’s throat.  Holding Nisha’s orb in his left hand, Keegan pushed up the sleeve of his robe and reached his right hand into the beast’s mouth until he felt a small piece of metal.  He was about to pull the key out when Nisha’s voice pierced his mind like a sharp knife.

“KEEGAN!  STOP!”

Keegan was so startled that he dropped Nisha’s orb, which came to rest a few feet away.  He was about to pull his hand from the gargoyle’s mouth and retrieve Nisha when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his wrist, like a needle being pressed into the skin.  Afraid of what might happen, he froze in place, his hand still clutching the key in the back of the gargoyle’s throat.

Unsure of what he should do, he whispered desperately to Nisha.

“Something has my hand pinned!  What do I do?”

When she did not answer, he came to the grim realization that communication would be impossible until he retrieved her orb from where it had rolled.  His staff was out of reach, propped against Cedric’s desk.  Stretching his leg outward, Keegan knelt down as best he could without allowing the trap to puncture his skin – the last thing he needed was to be injected with some kind of poison or have his hand severed.  He reached forward with his left foot and was just able to nudge Nisha’s orb with the toe of his boot, however she still did not answer.  He groaned in frustration and struggled to an upright position once again.

Maybe the orb has to contact the skin, he thought.  Struggling to keep upright, he balanced on his right leg while prying off his boot and sock with his left hand.  Now barefooted, he stretched outward again until he could just reach Nisha’s orb with his big toe.

“Nisha, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Keegan, I can hear you,” she said with a sigh.  “I’m just glad I can’t smell you right now; having your big toe in my face isn’t exactly the highlight of my life at the moment.”

“Look, it was the only way I could reach you,” he whispered desperately, still afraid of being overheard.  “My wrist is pinned inside the gargoyle’s mouth; there’s some kind of needle pressing against it.”

“I tried to warn you!  I really did not expect you to plunge your hand in and try to grab the key!  You MUST stay focused and remember that people on this side of the Veil play for keeps; a novice mistake like this could cost you your life!”

Keegan was losing his patience, not to mention that his leg was beginning to cramp.  “Yeah, well, I get it.  Now how do I get free?”

“Twist the gargoyle’s left horn one turn, counter-clockwise.  That should release the mechanism and free your hand.  Whatever you do, DON’T turn it the wrong way!”

Keegan hopped back to a standing position, unable to keep his balance any longer.  He looked at the gargoyle’s short, stubby horns and, taking the left one gently between his thumb and forefinger, began to turn it counter-clockwise.  After one complete revolution, he was rewarded with a soft click and felt the needle retract.  Grimacing, he carefully removed his hand while keeping a firm grip on the key, afraid the beast’s mouth might suddenly clamp shut around his arm.  Once his arm was free, he breathed a sigh of relief, pulled his boot back on and retrieved Nisha’s orb.

“Are you okay?”

“There’s a small red mark on the back of my wrist where the needle had me pinned, but the skin isn’t broken,” he said as he examined his right hand and wrist.  Satisfied his life was not in danger (at the moment), he took a moment to examine his prize.  The key that would open the portal to Talith Nor was a small, rectangular object, not much bigger than a book of matches.  It was engraved with strange runes on both sides that seemed to shimmer and crawl across the surface like so many spiders.

“You must insert the key in the slot on the main portal gateway.  That will open a portal to Talith Nor, but you must remember to take the key out just before you step inside.  Otherwise you will be trapped in the citadel with no way back.”

“But how did Ducat find the Seal if he didn’t have the key?”

“My guess is that the rogue dragon, Brimstone, took him to the base of the mountain.  It lies deep within the dragons’ territory, far to the north of here.  From there he could climb to the fortress above.  As to his escape, only he knows.”

Keegan deposited the key into one of his inner robe pockets and held Nisha’s orb up to his face for a closer look.

“Now, how do we get out of your prison?”

“You have to break the hex that binds the spell first, and then release me from the crystal, but…”

“But what?  How do I break the hex and what happens if it doesn’t work?”

There was a long pause before Nisha finally answered, and even though he couldn’t see her clearly, he could hear the tears in her voice.

“If you don’t break the hex correctly, it will permanently seal the spell and I’ll be trapped in here until the crystal absorbs my essence.  That’s how the trap works; the crystal feeds on the essence of my soul, growing stronger around me while I grow weaker.  It is one of the darkest forms of magic.”

Keegan was dumbfounded.  The thought of the crystal slowly draining the life from Nisha made him feel sick.  A sense of dread washed over him as he realized he would have to break the hex soon, or else she would die.

“Nisha, I’m going to place your crystal on the desk while I try to find a way to break the hex, okay?”

“I’m frightened, Keegan,” she said, the fear evident in the trembling of her voice echoing through Keegan’s head.

“I know, Nisha.  I am too, but I swear I will find a way to set you free.  Just stay calm, and trust me.”  Although she didn’t respond he thought he heard her choke back a sob.

He gently placed the orb in the middle of the desk, putting a book and a stack of papers on either side to prevent it from rolling off the desk.  Not sure what to do, he sat down in the chair and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.  One mistake and Nisha would suffer a slow and painful death – he could not allow that.  Uncertain of what to do, Keegan was on the verge of panic when the glint from his family ring caught his eye.  Of course!  Surely Nekk’ar would know how to free Nisha from the confines of the orb!  Keegan clasped his ring, closed his eyes and concentrated on the dragon’s spirit that lay deep within.

“Nekk’ar!  Nekk’ar I need your help!  Can you hear me?”

“Of course I can hear you, youngling!  Have you forgotten we are permanently connected?”  Nekk’ar did not like to be disturbed even on the best of days, but his tone was even sharper than usual when he snapped at Keegan.  “You obviously did not heed my attempt to warn you at the Council – why bother to seek my advice now?!”

Great, thought Keegan.  I’ve hurt his feelings and now he’s going to pout!

“I can hear your thoughts, youngling! And I do not ‘pout’ as you put it!  I am one the first ones, remember?  Of all the dragons, only Seba’an himself is older than I am!  Ours is the oldest of races, and you would do well to listen when I try to warn you!”

“I’m sorry, Nekk’ar!  I can’t explain what happened at the Council; I was so blinded by my anger I can barely remember what happened.”

“Exactly my point!  Your control over magic is tenuous and unpredictable; harnessing the sort of power you used to defy the Council is dangerous - it could have just as easily consumed you!  You must discipline yourself or I will be unable to protect you.”

Keegan paused at this – something did not make sense.  “Wait a minute – you mean you would not have helped me?”

“It would not be a choice, young one.  The amount of magical energy you summoned was astounding for one so young and inexperienced.  Had you lost control of the magic it would have consumed you along with most of the others in the room and I would be powerless to stop it.”

Keegan was startled that the spirit would admit this, since Nekk’ar was not only very powerful himself but also very arrogant.

“Then that’s even more reason to help me, Nekk’ar.  If you don’t, Nisha will die and I might be consumed while trying to save her!  I don’t have much time – I need your help now!”

“I will guide your hand, youngling, but you must do EXACTLY as I say or your friend will die,” came Nekk’ar’s grave reply.

Under Nekk’ar’s guidance, Keegan slowly began to chant an incantation while holding Nisha’s crystal prison in his hand.  He could feel the energy building within him, the very core of his being beginning to burn.  He fought back the urge to release the energy all at once, know it would mean Nisha’s death and probably his as well.  He could almost feel Nekk’ar’s presence in his mind, acting as a brake to slow the advance of the magic.  After what seemed like an eternity, the chanting finally ceased and Keegan placed the orb upon the desk.  Slowly the orb began to spin in place, gaining speed until it was spinning so fast Keegan was afraid it would fly off the desk.  It began to pulse with a blue-white light and finally a sharp crack resounded throughout the room and the orb shattered, leaving a rather disheveled looking raven perched on the desk.  Nisha ruffled her feathers, shuddered and transformed into her human shape.  Although she looked exhausted, as if she hadn’t slept for three days, she appeared to be no worse for wear.  She stood up from the desk and her knees immediately buckled, although Keegan quickly caught her in his arms.

“Nisha!  Are you alright?”

“Yes… I think so,” she said in a hoarse whisper, all the while maintaining a firm grip on Keegan’s arm.

Keegan eased her down into Cedric’s chair, where she shuddered again and shook her head, as if trying to shake off a bad dream.  Even pale and shaking, Keegan thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, in spite of Acamar’s warning.

“Thank you, Keegan,” she said weakly.  “You saved my life.  Another hour in the crystal and I would have been dead – my essence consumed.”

Unsure of what to say, Keegan shuffled his feet and flushed a bright red.

“I’m, uh…I’m just glad I found you when I did,” he said, thinking it had suddenly become quite warm in Cedric’s office.  “Do you know who imprisoned you?”

Nisha shook her head and looked up into Keegan’s eyes, turning his legs into jelly.

“No, I had just flown in through the window and landed on the desk when I was hit from behind.  It all happened so fast; there was no warning.”

“But what about Cedric?  No one has seen him in days.”

“In hiding I suppose,” she said with a shrug.  “All I know is that he and Portia had a fierce argument about his support of your grandfather.  She and her supporters accused him of betraying the Order.  He ordered me to leave so they could speak in private, so I left.  When I returned later that evening, everyone was gone and there was no sign of Cedric.  I’ve been in hiding ever since, afraid of what might happen if Portia found me.”

“I think you’ve found out,” Keegan said with a sad smile.  “You need to go to Pahret T’pur and find Acamar.  He’ll help you and give you a safe place to stay.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head and crossing her arms.  “I won’t let you go to Talith Nor by yourself.  It’s too dangerous.”

“Nisha, this may be a one-way trip.  I don’t know what will happen when I try to seal the gateway.  My grandfather was killed when he sealed the gateway at Pahret T’pur; I can’t expect much better.”

“It’s not an option, Keegan.  I’m coming with you whether you like it or not.  I’ve been to Talith Nor before and know my way around.  You need my help and you know it.”

Keegan couldn’t argue with her on that point.  He still had a tenuous grasp on magic at best, and required Nek’kar’s help with most complicated spells.

“We need to be going, Keegan,” she said as she labored to stand.

She was still unsteady on her feet and Keegan wondered if she could travel like this.

“Nisha, are you sure you’re strong enough for this?”

She sighed deeply and then threw her head back and smiled grimly at him.

“I don’t have a choice, now do I?  I’ll have to shift back to my raven form in less than an hour.  I can still do most magic when I’m in raven form, but most strong magic is difficult to perform when you don’t have fingers or hands.”

Keegan smiled as he picked up his staff.

“You shouldn’t come with me, but I’m glad you are,” he said sadly.

Nisha returned his smile and kissed him on the cheek.

“Come on, hero.  We’ve got a gateway to seal,” she said grabbing his hand and leading him out into the hall.

~~~~

Chapter 37 – Talith Nor

Snow was swirling around the blue-white portal that snapped open, breaking the silence around the mountain citadel of Talith Nor.  The high mountain pass channeled the wind, forcing it to scream through the narrow passage that led to the entrance at a constant gale force.  Keegan was unprepared for the assault on his senses when he and Nisha materialized out of the portal.  As the stepped into the maelstrom and the vortex snapped shut behind them, Keegan could see in the dim light that the portal they used had been carved directly into the face of a cliff.  A sudden gust of wind nearly knocked him off his feet and interrupted his thoughts.  The intense cold cut through his robes like a knife and he was shivering within seconds.

“Who in their right mind would build a castle up here?” he shouted, trying to be heard above the howling wind.

“It’s deep in dragon territory and almost unreachable except by the portal or from the air,” yelled Nisha.  “What safer place could there be?”

“So where’s the castle?  Is it far?”

Nisha shook her head as she huddled closer to Keegan to make herself heard over the wind.

“It’s not exactly a castle.  Talith Nor is dragon tongue for ‘dark cavern’; it was carved from a fissure in the mountainside.  This passage leads to the entrance, not far from here.  It’s the only way in, I’m afraid – there are wards in place that keep us from teleporting into the cavern itself.”

Putting her arm through his, she pulled him toward the entrance, bracing herself against the wind.

“Come on!  We have to go now, before my hour is up!  If I shift back into my raven form I won’t be much use to you in this wind!”

Arm in arm, they staggered forward against the bitterly cold wind, their footprints quickly filling in with blowing snow.  Peering ahead into the dim light provided by the full moon, Keegan could just make out the massive cliff face up ahead.  A dark black scar cut raggedly across the stone, marking the rift in the mountain that was the entrance to Talith Nor.  They made their way to the entrance, apparently unseen in the darkness and blowing snow.  As Keegan stepped over the threshold, the howling of the wind suddenly stopped, as if someone had flipped a switch.  From a distance, the dark rift in the mountainside looked tiny; now that he was inside though Keegan could see it was actually quite large, large enough in fact for several men to walk abreast.  The ceiling was last from view, high above in the darkness, while red wisps floating along the walls gave everything below the hue of blood.  Looking around the entrance hall, Keegan could see strange glyphs carved into the walls.  Nisha grabbed his arm and pointed, directing his attention to the far center of the room.  There, shrouded in a thin mist, was an enormous pit.  The same glyphs adorning the walls ringed the pit, only they seemed to shimmer with a strange light of their own.  This must be the seal opened by Ducat, thought Keegan.

“Now what?  Do you know how to seal the portal?” asked Nisha.  Even though she spoke in a hushed whisper, her voice seemed to echo through the cavern, making Keegan wince.

“The Oracle stone can seal the gateway if it is placed in the primary glyph at the top of the portal,” he whispered.

“Are you sure?”

“Beats me – the Oracle told me back in the council chamber,” he whispered with a sheepish grin.

Nisha grimaced, obviously not encouraged by his answer.

“We should hurry, before Ducat shows up.”

Keegan nodded in agreement.  The last thing he wanted was a confrontation with a powerful wizard, much less one driven insane and corrupted by the Shadow.  Motioning Nisha forward, Keegan edged along the wall towards the center of the chamber, watching for any sign of movement.  Although it only took a few minutes to cover the distance to the portal, it seemed like an hour.  As Keegan drew closer, he looked into the portal and felt a feeling of dread pass over him.  The pit was at least fifteen feet across and ringed by smooth cut granite stones, each carved with a different magical glyph.  It was what he saw in the center of the pit however, that drew Keegan’s attention.  A dark, inky blackness swirled and bubbled there, with wisps of black smoke occasionally curling upward from the surface.  It was a darkness that he had seen before, when the Shadow entered the lair of the Alderdrache and it gave him the same cold feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.

“Brace yourself, youngling.  It is not the Shadow that you see, only the pathway to their realm,” echoed the voice of Nekk’ar in his mind.

A tingling warmth spread from his ring and Keegan’s fear began to subside.  He moved around the edge of the portal, examining the granite stones as he went.  As he came to the far side of the pit, he found one stone set slightly higher than the others with an intricate glyph carved in the center.  Keegan noticed a slight depression in the stone at the head of the magical symbol and realized it was the same size and shape of the Oracle stone he now wore around his neck.  This must be the headstone for the portal.

“This has to be it,” Nisha whispered next to him.  “Do you know what to do next?”

“I think so,” he whispered back.  “When the Oracle stone spoke to me at the Council chambers there was rhythmic chant being repeated over and over in the background.  It’s been stuck in my head ever since.”

Keegan grasped the Oracle stone and was surprised to find that it was warm to the touch, with a faint throbbing sensation almost like a pulse.  Kneeling by the headstone, he placed the pendant in the depression.  There was a faint spark, like a circuit being closed, and spidery lines of silver began coursing around the perimeter of the gateway.  Quietly, he began reciting the incantation the oracle had planted in his mind, keeping his fingertips firmly on the pendant.  Silver lines of energy continued to flow around the perimeter of the portal, moving faster as Keegan continued to chant the incantation.  He felt a burning sensation moving through his arms, as magic flowed out through the Oracle stone, which was beginning to glow brightly from the energy passing through it.  The light grew in intensity until Keegan was forced to turn his head, his eyelids shut tight against the light from the stone, although he continued to recite the incantation.  Finally, he could hear a grinding sound of stone on stone and the burning in his arms lessened.   Keegan stopped chanting and looked into the gateway, the light in the Oracle stone having dissipated.  The dark pool of intense black nothingness was now gone, covered by a thick stone slab.  The seal was covered in the same magical symbols as the stones around the perimeter and was warm to the touch.

“You did it, Keegan!  You sealed the gateway,” Nisha said as she grabbed his arm excitedly.

“He certainly did, my dear,” came a new voice from somewhere behind them in the shadows.

Keegan and Nisha both jumped at the sound and turned to face their unknown visitor but saw nothing.

“Our little apprentice has done more in the past few weeks than I was able to accomplish in years – bravo, my boy, bravo!”  The voice echoed through the hall, seeming to come from all directions at once.

“Who are you?” shouted Keegan, peering into the darkness where the light of the wisps did not reach.  His query was rewarded with maniacal laughter.

“I am a loyal and faithful servant!  My master will be proud,” cackled the voice.

Out of the corner of his eye, Keegan thought he saw a movement, ever so slight, just beyond the light of the wisps.

“Show yourself!” shouted Keegan, thrusting his staff upward and casting a wider circle of light.

“Oh, I shall show myself, young master Whitestone,” hissed the voice from the shadows.  “I shall be revealed in all of my glory, and it shall be the last sight you ever see!”

The echoes of the voice were still reverberating around the chamber when a flash of light burst forth, illuminating the far side of the hall and revealing their unknown visitor.  A somewhat stooped figured shuffled forward, leaning heavily on a gnarled staff, atop which was what looked like the largest ruby Keegan had ever seen.  The jewel was casting a vibrant red light throughout the chamber.  The wizard’s face remained hidden beneath his cowl, but Keegan could see two glowing eyes within.  Most frightening of all however, was the claw like hand that grasped the staff.

“You’re too late Ducat,” spat Nisha.  “The gateway is sealed permanently this time.”

A ghostly chuckle came from within the wizard’s hood as he stepped closer.  “Oh yes, our young friend sealed it quite nicely.  I must say, it was a task I thought I would never accomplish.”

“Wait, what?”  Keegan looked at Nisha in confusion.  “You mean you wanted me to seal the portal?”

“Absolutely!  How else am I supposed to control the Shadow?”

The wizard reached up and pulled back his cowl, revealing his face for the first time.  Keegan barely recognized Ducat.  The wizard was beyond frail, looking almost skeletal in the eerie red light.

“You’re a fool, Ducat,” said Keegan.  “You can’t control the Shadow, don’t you understand?”

Ducat chuckled again.  “Oh, but I’ve learned a little secret, young Master.  You see, now that the only other portal is sealed, it has severed the link between the Shadow and the source of their power.  You have now trapped them in our world, for you see they cannot pierce the veil.  Once I take the Oracle stone from you, I will collect the Blackstar amulet to control the veil and I will rule both worlds!”

Keegan clasped his hand around the Oracle stone, as he tightened his grip on his staff.  “I will not allow you to destroy this world, Ducat.  The Shadow has destroyed your mind!  You can never control them!”

“Cedric should have killed you when he had the chance,” hissed Nisha, clenching her fists in anger.

“Ah, the little birdie has a tongue, does she?  I thought the little pet had just changed masters,” said Ducat in an oily tone.  “Your master couldn’t kill me when he had the chance, you see – I killed him first!”  Ducat cackled with glee as he thrust his staff upward and the light from the jewel brightened.  He pointed it towards the side of the chamber and illuminated a black heap lying motionless on the floor.

Nisha gasped and staggered slightly, steadying herself on Keegan’s arm.

“But, that’s not possible!  We have the key!”

Ducat cackled again and swung his staff back towards Keegan.

“Seems the master didn’t trust his pet with all of his secrets!  Old Seedy had a second key that he wore around his neck.  I knew he would come for me sooner or later – it was just a matter of patience – just as I knew you would perform the task we needed done.”

“We?”  asked Keegan incredulously.  “What do you mean ‘we’??  Surely the Shadow wouldn’t want to be trapped on this world permanently.”

Ducat continued to advance slowly on the pair, a vicious smile stretched across his face.

“Ah, you have so much to learn, youngling,” he hissed.  “When my master and I control the Shadow we shall rule over this world and expand the veil to encompass the next.  Even the once mighty dragons will bow their heads before us!”

Nisha lightly touched Keegan’s arm with her hand and he stiffened slightly as he felt her consciousness touch his.

“He’s gone completely insane!  We have to kill him quickly!”

“Are you kidding?  Did you see what’s left of Cedric?!”

“We don’t have a choice, Keegan.  There are two of us and only one of him.  We have to hurry though, my hour is almost up and I’ll be forced back into my raven form.”

“What if this so called master of his shows up?”

“Keegan, he’s completely mad!  He doesn’t know what he’s saying.  We must attack him now – can you summon Nekk’ar?”

“I am always here, raven,” came the rumbling sound of the dragon-spirit.  “Your friend is correct, youngling – you must kill the wizard now before it is too late.  I can sense his growing power and soon no one will be able to stop him.  Remember, you must focus and control the magic, or it will destroy you.”

With these final words, Nekk’ar severed the connection between Keegan and Nisha,  jolting them back to reality.  The entire exchange had only taken a fraction of a second, as Nekk’ar had stretched and slowed the stream of time around them.  Ducat was still advancing on them, staff held high and muttering under his breath.

“Now Keegan, before he finishes the incantation,” yelled Nisha as she clasped her pendant and began tracing symbols in the air.

Keegan tried to focus on his staff, willing the power to come to him.  Muttering an attack spell under his breath, he brought his staff down in a sweeping arc in front of him, pointing it straight at Ducat.  A brief showing of sparks shot forth from the end of his staff followed by an odd sizzling sound.  The demented wizard in front of him stopped his advance and laughed.

“Is that it?  Is this all the young Master Whitestone can manage – some pretty fireworks?  That fool of a cat hasn’t taught you much, has he?  Perhaps you need a better teacher…”

Ducat motioned with his left hand and pointed his staff at Nisha.

“For example, this is how one destroys a pitiful little shield spell,” he said with glee, as a silvery bolt shot from the end of his staff.  The bolt hit Nisha’s shield, enveloping her in what looked like purple lightening.  The bolts of energy swirled across her shield and with a thunderous clap, her spell collapsed, hurling her backward.

“Nisha!”

“I’m… I’m okay, Keegan – don’t lose your concentration!”

Nisha staggered to her feet, clasped her pendant and shouted out a curse, pointing directly at Ducat.  The crazed wizard easily deflected her curse with the flick of his wrist.

Keegan raised his staff and pointed it towards Ducat, willing the power to come to him.  He had to distract the wizard or Nisha would be killed.

“Ducat!  I’m the one you want, not her!” he shouted, as his staff shot forth another volley of harmless sparks.

Ducat continued to advance on Nisha, ignoring Keegan’s efforts and firing curse after curse at her.  His magic was incredibly strong, tearing through her defenses each time she tried to put up another shield.

“Keegan!  He’s too strong!  Run now, while I hold him off.”

“I won’t leave you!” he shouted as he fired off another round of sparks.  No matter how hard he concentrated, he could not will the magic to come to him.  His fear of losing control had built a wall between him and the magic, preventing him from tapping into it.  He tried desperately to link minds with Nekk’ar but his fear was overwhelming him.

“That’s right, you would never leave a damsel in distress, now would you?”  Ducat sneered at Keegan as he continued to press the attack on Nisha, easily deflecting her curses.  “You’re an all-powerful Whitestone!  You always take the lead, doing what is right and commanding others to follow – just like your grandfather!”  Ducat spit profanities at the thought of Phineas.  “Well your granddad isn’t here to protect you this time, sonny!  You and your pretty friend are going to die tonight!”

As he screamed these last words, Ducat brought his staff down hard on the floor of the cavern, sending a shockwave across the floor that threw Nisha against the far wall.  Pointing his staff at her he spoke a word that Keegan didn’t understand, sounding like a cross between a bark and a scream.  Silvery bolts shot from the end of Ducat’s staff, pinning Nisha to the wall as she screamed in agony.

“That’s right, scream your loudest, my little pet!  The Shadow feeds on your fear and will reward me for my offering!”

Nisha writhed and screamed as she struggled against her bonds.  It was only when her facial features began to distort that Keegan realized what was happening.  Her hour in human form was up, and her body was trying to transform back into a raven, but Ducat’s curse was binding her in place.  Ducat was leaning on his staff, watching Keegan intently.

“That’s right, boy,” he cackled.  “My curse is preventing her from transforming – she will be torn to pieces before your eyes!”

Keegan could feel the burn in his ring finger as Nekk’ar tried to communicate with him, but his fear was keeping him isolated from the dragon-spirit.  Keegan flinched as he watched Nisha writhing in pain.  He could not bear to see her killed, but he felt powerless to save her as his fear of losing control overwhelmed him.  He tried to calm himself and focus on his staff, picturing his grandfather’s wizened face, but his fear of losing control overwhelmed him.  A sudden scream of agony from Nisha tore through him and something deep within snapped, releasing a flood of emotions and energy.  Throwing back his head, Keegan screamed a powerful counter-charm, one he didn’t recall learning.  An invisible shockwave shot outward from Keegan, shattering Ducat’s spell and forcing the old wizard to throw up a shield at the last moment.  As the evil wizard’s curse collapsed, Nisha shuddered and coalesced into a raven, which dropped like a stone to the floor.

NO!  I’m too late!

Pain and anguish tore through Keegan as he saw Nisha fall to the floor.  He screamed in anger, ignoring the searing hot pain from his ring as Nekk’ar tried to warn him not to lose control of the magic.  Keegan stepped towards Ducat, who seemed to be in shock at the raw power now pouring from his formerly powerless prey.  Ducat quickly began working his fingers and chanting a defense spell, weaving what looked like a cocoon of black vapor that wrapped itself around the wizard.

Swinging his staff in an arc over his head, Keegan brought his staff down in a savage slicing motion.  As he swung the staff with all his strength, his last ounce of control shattered, releasing years of anger and fear along with a flood of uncontrollable energy.  Ducat’s eyes widened in fear, even as he worked his shield spell and layered it with counter-charms, until a split second later, a blinding white-hot arc of energy sliced through his defenses.  As the decayed old wizard was cut in half, the energy pouring from Keegan intensified, draining him to the core until at last he collapsed on the floor of the cavern.

***

Fiery red-yellow eyes stared into the seeing stone, surveying the battle of Talith Nor.  The master had not expected Ducat to fall so quickly.  Master knew the boy was gifted with power, but thought his ability to control it was weak.  Master would be very angry.  The bloodstone must be retrieved before the young Guardian could regain consciousness, or the Master would be very angry, indeed.  A claw-like appendage, more like a shriveled tree branch than a hand, tore through the dank air and opened a portal to Talith Nor.

~~~~

Chapter 38 - Healing

Keegan woke with a start.  He looked around and saw he was in his room at Pahret T’Pur, a warm fire blazing in the fireplace.

“About time you rejoined us.”

Keegan tried to sit up at the sound of the voice, but found his entire body to be wracked with pain.  He dropped back onto his pillow with a yelp and a curse, not sure what to do.

Acamar walked up to his bedside and smiled down at Keegan.

“I wouldn’t try that just yet,” he said glared down at the young man over the rims of his glasses.  “You’ve put your body through a great deal – quite frankly I’m amazed you’re alive.”

“But, how did I get back here?”

“You actually have Nisha to thank for that,” said Acamar with a deep sigh.  “She found you when she regained consciousness; fortunately she had just enough strength left to open a portal.  Of course she could not pierce the defenses I have established around the castle, so she ported as close as she dared and then summoned me.”

“You mean Nisha’s alive?!  But I saw her fall!  She was in her raven form and fell to the floor like a stone!”

“She is much stronger than you might think, Keegan.  She is a very formidable witch, though I must say she was near death when I found the two of you.  She is resting now and being tended by Ms. Hoskins.”

A feeling of relief washed over Keegan, as the ache in his heart at the thought of losing her dissipated.

“I’m very proud of you, Keegan.  You accomplished something most wizards could not, even if you did sneak away without telling me and almost kill yourself in the process.”

“So Ducat is definitely dead then, right?”

“Yes, Ducat is dead.  But…”

Keegan raised his eyebrows as Acamar turned and paced to the window.

“What do you mean, ‘But…’?”

“I mean that we no longer believe Ducat was acting alone.”

A feeling of dread began to creep into the pit of Keegan’s stomach as he remembered Ducat’s comments about his ‘master’ and their control over the Shadow.  Keegan had thought the old wizard was just insane; the thought that the was someone else out there even more powerful was something Keegan did not want to consider.

“But he was insane, Acamar!”

“Yes, but there is something else.  You have been unconscious for almost a week.  Nisha and I have had some very enlightening discussions about what took place in Talith Nor.”

“What do you mean?”

“When Nisha awoke in the chamber, she was able to transform and crawl over to see if you were alive.  You see, your release of magic was apparently powerful enough that when it tore through Ducat’s curse it freed her of the Council’s enchantment; she is no longer trapped in the form of a raven and can change at will, like me.”

With Acamar’s help, Keegan sat up in the bed; although he still hurt all over, he was slowly gaining strength.  Acamar poured a glass of ice water for Keegan from the carafe on the table near the bed and continued.

“She was able to find your pulse and you were breathing, barely, so she knew you were alive.  She looked over and saw the remaining pieces of Ducat’s body and thought you were both safe, for the moment at least.  That is, until a portal opened and something came through.”

“What do you mean, something came through?”

“Because we don’t know yet exactly what that something was.  According to Nisha’s description, it looked almost like a scarecrow.  It was over seven feet tall, cloaked in black rags with what looked like wooden crossbeams strapped to its shoulders for support.  The arms were long and crooked, like branches with cruel talons at the end.  The most unusual part was the head, though.”

“The head?”

“It was a large pumpkin, with a scowling jack-o-lantern’s face carved into it.  Bright red-yellow flames burned in its eyes and mouth, and it walked with a shuffling gate.”

“Did it attack her?”

“No; it would seem the creature was on a mission.  It ambled over to Ducat’s staff, reached down and detached the jewel from the top, then opened another portal and vanished.”

Now Keegan was truly puzzled.

“What was it?”

“I believe it was a minion, an evil construct brought to life by a very powerful necromancer.  This is very old and extremely powerful magic, Keegan.  Few alive today have ever heard of it, much less practiced or studied it.”

“But why did it want the head of Ducat’s staff?”

Acamar did not answer immediately, instead walking over to the window to gaze down at the valley below the castle.

“Acamar?”

The older wizard let out a deep sigh and turned to face Keegan again.

“Let me answer your question by first stating that I no longer believe Ducat was working alone; in fact I believe he served another.”

“The Shadow?  We already knew he was trying to control them.”

“Not the Shadow, Keegan, but rather something or should I say someone almost as powerful.  I now believe this person was the one behind unleashing the Shadow and was directing Ducat’s actions.”

“But who, Acamar?!”  Keegan was losing patience and wanted answers.

“A very powerful Necromancer thought long dead by the three ruling castes.”

“Wait, you say that like he wasn’t one of the three main castes; was he a member of the Red Order?”

Acamar smiled grimly at Keegan.  “Oh, he isn’t just a member of the Red Order, he was the founder of that caste.  Master Gu-Dai Ying, to be exact.  When their Order was driven to extinction, Ying was thought to have been killed along with the others, but I no longer think that is the case.”

Now Keegan was more confused than ever.  All along, he had believed Ducat to be the mastermind behind the attempts on his life.  Now, to find out Ducat was just a pawn under the control of another filled Keegan with a cold sense of dread.

“You see Keegan, only once before in the history of our world have minions like the one at Talith Nor been seen.  They are almost impossible to create – most wizards don’t have the power and the few that do would never dare to create one.  You see, Ying found a way to bind a piece of the Shadow with the soul of a wizard and place it in a receptacle specially crafted to receive it.  The result was a powerful, unquestioning minion who could wield magic just like a wizard, but that couldn’t feel pain and had no emotions.”

Keegan was horrified; the thought of binding someone’s soul with the pure evil of the Shadow was almost beyond comprehension.

Acamar sat down on the bed next to Keegan.

“I believe the minion was sent to retrieve the jewel from Ducat’s staff because it was the bloodstone – something Master Gu-Dai would protect at all costs.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask…”

Acamar smiled sadly and nodded.  “The bloodstone is one of the largest pure rubies ever found.  At the height of his power, Gu-Dai Ying imbued gem with great power and used it in the creation of his minions.  The jewel is said to be able to draw out one’s soul and ensnare it, storing it away to be used later.”

“So only Master Ying could create a minion and send it to retrieve the ruby, which you think was the bloodstone.  Great.  I thought with Ducat dead we had won, Acamar,” said Keegan sadly, a tone of hopelessness in his voice.

“Unlike the castes, events in life are never truly black and white, Keegan.  You stopped Ducat and sealed the only other portal, which was a great victory, Keegan.  You should be proud!”

Keegan got up and steadied himself on the side of the bed.  He shuffled over to the window, looking down on the valley below.  “So what now?”

Acamar joined Keegan at the window, placing his arm around the younger man’s shoulders.  He smiled sadly at the young man who had learned and lost so much in such a short time.

“Gu-Dai Ying must be hunted down and the bloodstone destroyed, before he can create an army of minions.  If he has time to build his forces, he will move to seize the Veilstone.  If he knows about the oracle stone around your neck, he will almost certainly try to kill you for it.  With those two talismans in his possession, he would control our world, the veil and the connection to your world as well.”

Keegan shuddered at the thought of facing another wizard, one far stronger than Ducat.  His failure to control his magic had almost resulted in his death and that of Nisha.

“How much time do I have?” he asked, knowing he would not like the answer.

“Not enough,” said Acamar, turning to leave.  “You need to rest for now, Keegan.  In a few days time, we will begin your training anew – with special attention to your focus and control.  Until then, try to rest.”

The older wizard bade Keegan farewell and left the younger man to his thoughts.  Keegan returned to the window, gazing back towards the valley again.  For the first time in many years, he felt he finally had a purpose; he would prove to Acamar, Nisha and everyone else, that he was the Guardian.

###

Appendix – A History Lesson

“There shall come to pass three ages of mankind; the third of which shall be the Age of Reunification – when the practice of Magic shall move out of secret hiding places and back to the forefront of society.  It will be the age when practicing the Arts may be done in the open instead of behind closed doors, when the Veil is diminished and the worlds that will have been separated for over two thousand years are to be re-united.

In the not too distant past of human history had been the Age of Enlightenment, when the Ancients passed their knowledge to the Great Druids and first taught humanity the use of the magical arts.

The Druids spread out amongst the lands seeking out those who had the talent, teaching them as they had been taught by the Ancients.  The practice of magic flourished at first, until those who sought power began to twist and contort its use.  Not all humans were able to use magic and those who did varied greatly in their strength.  Over time, those who sought to accumulate power for themselves began to venture into the unknown, into areas that the Ancients had deemed off limits or too dangerous for the likes of man.  Their craft became known as the Dark Arts and those who sought power and control were drawn to this order like moths to a flame.  So it was that the Dark Ones, those who dwelt in shadow throughout the mists of time and sought to spread evil through the blood of men, were awakened and drawn to our world.

Sensing opportunity the Shadow used the division that had begun to form amongst men; using it to breed hatred and contempt amongst those who could practice magic and those who could not.  Soon a caste system developed, pitting those with powers against those without.  Thus began the Second Age of mankind; the Age of Division.  As hatreds bubbled and fomented, the Shadow gathered their followers and allied themselves with the Great Dragons of the North.  They planted the seeds of fear, whispering that if left unchecked the non-magic would destroy all those who practiced the craft and that as superior humans it was their destiny to rule.

The first attack came in the dead of night, with the Great Dragons winging down from their lairs in the North, burning towns and villages as they went.  So appalled were many wizards that a rift occurred and the three sects were formed amongst the mages.  The order of Black, who believed in the acquisition of power and knowledge at any cost, supported the Dark Ones in their belief that the non-magic peoples should serve those who knew the craft.  The order of Grey opposed the death of innocents, but refused to intervene in matters that they believed did not concern them; thus theirs became known as the order of Neutrality.  The order of White viewed themselves as the caretakers of the world and protectors of humanity, even at the cost of their own power or lives.  The order of White also included the last of the Great Druids, who possessed the knowledge passed down by the Ancients.

Unknown to the three castes of wizards, a fourth group had arisen from the most fervent believers in the Shadow.  Theirs was an order of devout believers, of fanatics who vowed to destroy all those who opposed their masters, the Shadow.  Theirs was a religion of chaos and anarchy.  It was with the blood of innocents, sacrificed to appease their masters, that their robes became stained with red.  Those of the red robes are to be feared most of all.

The Great War with the Mortals that followed lasted for over one hundred years, pitting mortal against magic and order against order.  As the War continued the old hatreds and suspicions amongst those that could not practice magic against those that could grew stronger, widening the division between castes.  The Dark Ones, feeding on the emotions of fear and hatred, grew ever stronger and became ever bolder.  They openly fanned the flames of hatred, for as humanity suffered the raw emotional energy helped the Shadow to grow ever stronger.  In the end, realizing that the destruction and suppression of all magic was at hand, the order of Grey brought together the other two factions to form the Great Council.  With the signing of the Treaty of Arbroath peace was declared amongst the three orders, with those practicing the Dark Arts and those championing humanity agreeing that the preservation of all magic took precedence over all else.  The Council would be composed of twelve members; three from each order were elected by their respective caste members, while the three most powerful wizarding families (one from each order) would retain a permanent seat on the Council.  The three permanent members and their descendents were each given a Guardian Ring, and it was from these members that the High Council would choose a Guardian of the Veil.

Among the first actions of the Council was to outlaw the Red Caste.  Followers of the order were hunted down and tried for their crimes against the magical world.  In time, the Red Caste was driven to extinction.

The Oracle has existed since the time of the veil – as far back as anyone could remember it had always been there, hovering silently ten feet off the floor in the center of what would become the Council chambers.  The large, greenish-blue crystalline structure never made a sound, but pulsed with a warm glow that seemed to permeate everything nearby.  The Oracle served as a peacemaker in the Council chambers on certain occasions and sometimes intervened when feuds broke out amongst the Council members.  One knew better than to draw their wand or staff in anger in the Council chambers, for the offending party would often be encased in pure crystal for several days.  Though not fatal, it was uncomfortable enough to dissuade most Council members from violence against one another during debates.

After the first Council convened, their first action was to establish the Declaration of Partition, which divided the world into two dimensions; one the dimension of Magic the other the dimension of the non-magic.  The Age of Division began in this way when the greatest of each order, along with the ruler of the dragons had defeated the Shadow and with the power of the Ancients, created the black star amulet.  This talisman was placed deep in the bowels of Pahret T’pur, a great fortress created before the War, to be protected and overseen by the Guardian.  The core of the amulet emanated a field of pure magical force that permeated everyone and every thing, rending the Earth into two equal worlds but in two different dimensions, shielding those in the Realm of Magic from the mortals on the other side (or vice versa).  Passage between the two worlds was still possible through the use of portals or gateways, that with time and practice most mages could produce.  The portals were strictly regulated by the Guardian, who could sense attempts to open a portal or breach the Veil with the powers bestowed upon him by the amulet.  Upon sensing a portal, he could allow it to pass or seal it and its creator in magical limbo forever.  It was decided by the Council that the Veil was to be in place until such time as humanity could accept and coexist with the practice of magic and the existence of the other races of magical creatures.

Though the Treaty brought a tentative peace to the orders, a group of the Great Dragons of the North abstained.  It was their belief that the race of Dragons was entitled to rule over the world, as theirs was the first among all races.  Indeed, they had existed at the time of the Ancients, when humankind served as both fodder and amusement for the dragons.  As such, it was their belief that humans were a race of servants and so it should remain.  In the end, the majority of dragons followed the mandate of the Alderdrache, the oldest and most powerful of their Elders.  He realized the cost of a prolonged war that they could not win and ordered all dragons to return northward to their mountain lairs.  Those that remained behind were declared ‘rogue’ by the Alderdrache, and openly fought against the three orders and the Council to destroy the Veil.  In the end, most of the rogue dragons were hunted down and all but a few were finally killed.  Those dragons that were spared and their few followers who remained were to be indentured to the Council until the Age of Reunification, when the Veil was to be dropped and humanity re-united.  They were pressed into serving the Council as couriers and were forced to give three of their scales and a barrel of their blood each year to the Council to be shared amongst the orders as ingredients in potions and spells.  Each was bound to his or her servitude by a talisman that clung to their breast.  Disobedience brought a severe shock to the beast, while outright defiance usually brought a very painful and violent death.

The exact timing of the Age of Reunification was the focus of serious debate amongst the orders and the Council itself.  The order of White was steadfast in its opinion that the time was still far off when magic and mundane could coexist in peace.  Furthermore, they argued the advancement in technology and science could be seen as an increased threat.  One could only imagine they said, if the world of science was suddenly provided with proof that dragons and goblins and elves existed.  The order of Black on the other hand viewed the dropping of the Veil as paramount in its quest for power.  The simple minds of the mundane were easily twisted and controlled and as such could be employed to advance the cause of the Dark Arts.  Lastly, the order of Grey, as one might imagine, was neutral.  They were ambivalent towards the views of the other two orders with one exception: To maintain the status quo was to maintain their power on the Council.  They were viewed as the peacekeepers that balanced the sides of Dark and Light, holding the crucial votes on any Council mandate.  Though the dissolution of the Veil did not immediately mean the disbanding of the Council, it will certainly be soon to follow as the world of magic melds with that of mundane.”

Excerpt from “A Brief History of the Magical World,” as written by Hefestus Whitestone, Year of the Veil 23.

Connect with Me Online:

My blog:  http://michaelradcliffe.wordpress.com

My website:  http://www.theguardiansapprentice.com