DaydreamChronicles

Episode 13: The Might of Cyrith

I awoke washed up on the shore near the ruins of Lilyfield. Confused and alone I tried getting up, but my body was slow to respond. Balthazar, Miriam and Ilyana were nowhere to be found. I fear that they may have been taken by the sea. A day had passed. I took refuge in one of the abandoned houses of Lilyfield. There I tried to remember the events that led me here.

A storm raged on as the magic of Balthazar and Commander Bryce clashed. Somehow our ships met on the way to Daltrith. I used what magic master Balthazar had taught me to attack the other ships in their fleet. There were four and we were but one. Miriam couldn’t fly in this weather so instead she used her magic to try and deflect the light rays being shot at us. Her reflexes were very impressive, she could cast a deflection shield in an instant. Balthazar had explained that many of her senses would become enhanced as she mastered shapeshifting. Meanwhile Balthazar was casting a powerful energy storm to counter a continuous ray of light that the enemy commander was casting. They were seemingly locked in a stalemate. It was evident that very powerful magic was being used. Not only was the Ether chaotic, but it was having a strong effect on the currents and weather above us. For a moment Balthazar dropped to one knee. I feared he would not have the strength to fight the commander on his own. Then came the decisive blow. Bryce cast five small light orbs behind him. He was able to conceal his attack from Balthazar and Miriam was too busy with the attacks from the other boats. My own spells began to have an effect, I was able to hit one of the ships and blasted away one of its sides. The light from Bryce’s spell increased forcing Balthazar to use more of his own power to try to hold the force of the attack back. The five light orbs rose from behind Bryce and launched towards our ship. We got hit from three sides when Miriam shifted her attention to the orbs. Two were deflected, but three hit the ship and destroyed it. As the pieces of wood cracked and flew off I saw Miriam attempt to transform and fly away, but she did not have the energy to do so. Balthazar was gone. I did not see him. Ilyana had been aiding the sailors in the lower decks so there was nothing I could do but try to project a protective ward that would see us all to safety. After I cast that spell, I lost consciousness.

My frustration built as I thought about how I may have lost another master to the Lightbringers. I did not want to lose hope. The spell I used must have worked, but currently I had no way of making sure, or did I? Balthazar taught me a little about sensing the Ether more accurately. Perhaps if I meditated for some time a path would reveal itself.

After about an hour of meditation all I felt was hunger. The Ether here would not lead me anywhere for now. I decided to raid the stores of the abandoned inn, maybe I would find something edible. A lower cellar had some dried meat and fruit preserves that were just enough to keep me from starving. Now, originally I thought that the Ether showed me nothing special. A few minutes after exiting the inn I felt a minor tug on the flow. There was a battle happening nearby and dark magic was being used. Could it be Balthazar perhaps? I ran as fast as I could and used some of my magic to give me a bit of a boost.

I arrived at a hut deep in the forest. Inside someone fought against a pair of soldiers. They did not see me approach so I put my back against the open door and looked inside. Miriam was fighting using a piece of a broken table. I saw her try to cast a spell but I believe she was out of energy. Since I had meditated for a long time I was ready to blast away the soldiers, and so I did. My spell conjured up a dark cloud that took the shape of large hands. These pushed away the soldiers and held them against the walls. “Miriam! Let’s go!”, she saw me and let out a sigh of relief. “Kaiden! Thank goodness! I was about to lose all hope of any help”, she was a bit bruised but mostly fine. We ran into the forest and concealed ourselves. The soldiers tried to find us but they had no magic of their own so they could not track us.

“Those Lightbringers we faced at sea were tough, much more so than the battalions that roam the continent”, Miriam mentioned to me. We settled on a small clearing inside the forest, near a stream. “They were indeed. I hope my spell protected everyone. How did you reach the hut?”. “Well, I was encased in a magic bubble so I guess your spell worked. The bubble protected me until I reached the shore. Once there I headed into the forest. I used my magic to search around but it was late and I was tired. The hut served as a temporary refuge until those soldiers arrived and saw me there. I tried to repel them with my magic, but I didn’t notice there was an Ether void nearby that sapped me of energy. Had I been there any longer I would have lost consciousness”, Miriam looked to the sky, “I want to soar again”. I told her we should regroup in Lyre. That night I placed protective wards around our small camp as well as a concealing spell. The feat drained my energy, but it was necessary in order to rest well.

Just before dawn I woke up from a nightmare where the Lightbringers had found and killed us using their purging spell. It was horrifying. Hopefully we will reach Lyre in about a day.

Episode 12: Battle for Seastride

The Lightbringers moved towards Seastride from the east, while the defenders of the village, the Etherian Guard, moved out from the west. We neared from the south. Miriam watched the two forces clash from up high. I told her not to make any moves yet because the moment the Lightbringers learned of our presence they would push their forces toward us and we needed the element of surprise. They had not yet seen us. We abandoned the road and instead travelled through a nearby forest. It would conceal our approach further and allow us to strike after studying the battlefield. I dismounted along with Kaiden and watched from a hill near the battlefield. The Etherian Guard was defending the village well. Their strength matched that of the Lightbringers and it seemed like a stalemate. Then, in a moment’s notice, a flare of light struck the center of the guardsmen and knocked them away from the blast center creating an opening for the Lightbringers to move in and strike them down. This was our chance, they believed to have an advantage. Ilyana was ready to charge in with Kaiden. Meanwhile I prepared a protective spell to quickly shield the downed guardsmen. “Go!”, Ilyana rode with Kaiden at top speed towards the battle. Miriam let our a screech from up high and unleashed a spell that created towers of dark energy in a line splitting the Lightbringers’ battalion into two separate forces. I unleashed the spell I was working on protecting the guardsmen from lethal blows that were about to be dealt by the soldiers of the church. Miriam expanded her spell to attack some of the soldiers launching them into sky and away from the Etherian Guard. Ilyana entered the fight slaying enemy knights that were on the side of the guardsmen. Their captain was perplexed at our intervention but grateful nonetheless. He rallied his troops and pushed the Lightbringers back. Kaiden bombarded the enemies with dark orbs that exploded on the ground. I warned him from the hill to conserve some energy and he reduced the frequency of his attacks. It was after that when I saw her. The general of the Lightbringers, Catalina. She wore a heavy, enchanted armor suit that made her stand out clearly. Without hesitation the general rallied her troops and ordered them to charge forward. Miriam continued to knock down the church’s soldiers and one of her pillars caught the general and threw her off her horse. In a fit of rage she unleashed a blast of light energy that turned into a multitude of rays that rained towards every direction. It did not harm her soldiers but she was able to hit many guardsmen. Miriam was hit twice and she lost control of her shapeshift. Before she fell to the ground I caught her with a levitation spell. Despite the distance I was able to gently land her on the ground. She was still conscious, but had little energy to go on. Kaiden and Ilyana were able to protect themselves as did many of the Etherian Guard. Some of the Lightbringers began to retreat, but their general refused to surrender. I began my descent from the hill wary of any attacks from some of the soldiers who would think me easy prey. My hands swirled with dark energy, ready to strike at any foe who would dare confront me.

A clash of fierce swordsmanship between Ilyana and Catalina showed why the general was both feared and respected. She was also very skilled with light magic. In the end she was not ready for what came next. I faced her after she blasted away soldiers, Ilyana and Kaiden. The light energy lingered much like in Lilyfield. “I suspect you led the attack on Lilyfield?”, I asked. “You are correct, and you are?”, I could see her crazed eyes inside the helmet. “My name is Balthazar, court mage to the king of Lyre. I suggest you surrender, few of your soldiers remain”, she let out a scream and charged at me. As I mentioned her soldiers had mostly fled. Only a few remained and were slowly being overrun by the guardsmen. I deflected her charge and put a curse on her blade. It became extremely brittle and when she tried to strike again, she missed and hit the ground where the sword shattered. “I hate you so much, you will pay for this!”, she screamed again and threw the hilt, which was all that remained of her sword, to the side. Her hands radiated light and she gathered the energy between her palms. I knew that if I allowed her to continue we would be in trouble, but striking her down would be detrimental to our plans. We needed to capture her. As she raised her hands holding the ball of light I began casting my own energies towards her. The shadows at her feet grew and began to surround her. From behind me Kaiden cast a large dark crystal which split her accumulated energy and dispersed it. The distraction allowed me to finish my attack. I had constricted her with dark energy. She could no longer move.

“I have blocked her connection to the Ether. It will not last forever but for now she will have no energy to cast spells”, I told the captain of the Etherian guard. “Miriam are you alright?”, Kaiden was worried, he had seen her taking a fall but not when I caught her with my magic. “She will be fine. The spells the general uses create a lingering aura of light, it will affect her ability to access the flow of Ether, but I can dispel it with time”, I reassured Kaiden. Ilyana was tired form the fighting but wanted a debriefing from the captain of the guardsmen, “How did this come to pass? We know the Lightbringers attacked Lilyfield and destroyed it but surely the information didn’t arrive so quickly”. “My lady, our forces had been aware of the battalion’s presence for some time. They only needed to make a move. A day ago a courier arrived from the capital with news of what happened at Lilyfield. They said that a caravan arrived late at night and told the grandmaster what happened”, the captain said. “So the caravan arrived safely, that is good to know”, I was tending to Miriam while listening to the conversation. “Your intervention here was most timely. If it weren’t for you we would have had a difficult time defending the village”, the Etherian Guard had only a handful of mages that could repel the magical attacks of the Lightbringers.

Before returning to the village with the general as our prisoner I suggested to the captain that she be transported to Lyre for questioning and as a bargaining tool in case the church wanted to negotiate a ceasefire. He agreed especially considering how dangerous she was. The Lyre Royal Guard would be better suited to handle her. Tomorrow she would begin her trip to Lyre. Meanwhile we received news from a courier that another Lightbringer battalion was readying to set sail. The informant told us that their city was on the western continent of Daltrith. I had read about this continent before. Engulfed in a war for many years it is said the rise of the church stalled the conflict, but the old hatreds remain. I believe that our destination should be the seat of power of the church, by this time tomorrow we should have charted passage on a ship to take us there.

Episode 11: Losses

Three days ago we had our conversation with grandmaster Zephius. He told us that an unknown light mage learned of a number of things happening within the Cyrithian Church. First of all, their forces were being led by a general named Catalina. She, another man named Bryce and Cyran himself were the main leaders of the Lightbringers. If we could find those people and capture them the conflict could end. Ilyana, Miriam, Kaiden and I now had this arduous task. Not only did we need to locate them, but also avoid too much conflict against the Lightbringers that would reveal our plan to them. By now we had almost arrived at Lilyfield. In the days past I was able to help Kaiden with his dark magic studies. I was impressed by how easily he could manipulate the Ether. As for Miriam she learned some spells as well, but she has spent most of her time shapeshifting and soaring the skies. I suspect she enjoys the freedom greatly. Ilyana approached me with some concerns about Miriam and Kaiden, “You know, those two are fairly young to be going out on this journey with us. Don’t you think it’s dangerous?”. I of course shared her concern, but this was something that had to happen this way, “I am aware of their youth, but this was inevitable. I would rather them face the Lightbringers with us. The alternative was them facing such odds on their own. Besides, I needed to take in an apprentice and Kaiden is very talented”. “What about Miriam? How do you see her faring?”, Ilyana was curious since I had not mentioned Miriam as a student of mine. “Oh she will learn her own spells. The truth is there is little I can teach her. Among the schools of magic, Flux magic is particularly dense. There are many areas that a person can focus in. Shapeshifting is her specialty and I am sure her instincts will guide her”, I have a lot of confidence in her strength.

As we neared Lilyfield the iconic flowers of the area began to dot the plains. Our slow approach allowed us to survey the region. Ilyana quickly caught some very disturbing details. Some areas of the plains were either burnt or trampled. The village was clear on the horizon, smoke rose from various places, and one building was clearly still on fire. We urged the caravan to hurry. When we arrived the destruction was more evident. Corpses littered the road, many still had a clear, lingering light energy from the powerful spells used. It was a horrible sight. Miriam flew high to search for survivors or signs of the Lightbringers, who clearly had been the perpetrators. “The coast is full of wood planks and broken sails. Even small boats have been torn apart. This is far more aggression than what they did at Clearwater”, Miriam relayed her findings through her mind. “It appears the Lightbringers wanted to send some sort of message”, I mentioned to Ilyana. She was disgusted at all the carnage. Surely there was no need for so much death. No one survived this massacre.

We asked the caravan to return to Etheria with haste and the news of this attack. I would enchant the carriages so that they would be masked from any Lightbringers they might encounter. This enchantment was fairly simple, but would only last them a short time so they left immediately. Ilyana suggested that we take care of the bodies by giving them a proper burial. It would be a difficult day for us. I began by dispersing the light energy that still lingered. The flow of Ether had been disturbed so greatly that some areas had a sort of draining effect. Kaiden noticed this as he walked near some of the houses. He felt his energy being sapped. We sat down in the middle of the village, near a broken statue with our backs to each other. In my mind I led him to use his magic to manipulate the flow of Ether. It was a slow process but we managed to fix the flow so that the voids no longer posed a threat. In that moment while we meditated I felt a powerful tug on the flow of Ether heading in the direction of the sea. It was a fleeting sensation, but it was very disturbing. Someone or something was drawing Ether to who knows where.

“So many graves…”, Miriam stood watch in the night as we made our camp near the coast. There was not a cloud in the sky. The stars shined brightly. “This is what war looks like, senseless death and destruction, and all for what?”, Kaiden mentioned as he stared at the sky. “We have to protect the other villages from this. Do you have any ideas Balthazar?”, Ilyana asked. She was right, the next village to the north of here is Seastride. If the intention of the Lightbringers was to bar people from the sea that would be their next target. “We should head north to Seastride. No doubt we will find more conflict on the way there. The Lightbringers must be stopped. If they attacked here then it is likely that village is their next target”, I said with confidence. The flow of Ether had given me some insight into the Lightbringers’ movement. Their influence was clear. A battalion of theirs was sure to move north. “Rest up then, it will be a long trip there”, Ilyana said, “We take the horses from the stable in the village and set out to Seastride”.

The high tide made the waves sound closer to us. The moon now adorned the sky as dawn fast approached. I was wide awake with a multitude of thoughts running through my mind. Kaiden and Miriam were asleep and Ilyana was now standing guard. I stood up, Ilyana waved at me, I waved back. Walking up to her I told her, “Keep watch of them, I have something to do in the village”. She nodded in agreement and I made my way to the village center once again. I stood in front of the broken statue and faced it. The shadows climbed the statue. My sight was blinded. My hands raised to the sky, a dark energy pouring from them like a cloud enveloping me. As I did this the shadows began to rebuild the statue. I lowered my hands and shortly after, the energy created a rune circle beneath me. The real statue was still broken, but the shadows were showing me what had transpired. Using this spell I would be able to see events that had already passed. I hoped to get a glimpse of what we might face. When the statue was back in what seemed to be its original state I would see dark clouds in the shape of people. It was as if the village was back to life in a way. A normal day unfolded. People went about their business. Some prepared nets for fishing. Children ran around the marketplace stalls. Some fishermen had a good haul that day. Guardsmen arrived running and urging the people to their homes. It was too late. In this shadow vision of the past I saw how the Lightbringers annihilated everything in their sight. They trampled people, slew the guards and used a powerful spell that encompassed almost the entirety of the village. I could feel my anger, my heart pounding, I would avenge these people. Then, I saw her. She was their leader. Although the vision would not give me any sounds I could see her talking to her soldiers. I was beginning to tremble. The spell had been going on for too long and I was running out of energy. The shadows faded, my sight returned to see the broken statue in front of me. That lady destroyed it most likely. The village’s founder. A lady who was named after the flower that grows in these fields. By now Kaiden and Miriam had awoken. Kaiden saw some of what I was doing from a distance. He would surely be curious. Although from his perspective all he saw were the runes and magical energy flowing around me.

“The spell shows you past events by manipulating your sight and the shadows that form in the darkness. It can be dangerous because recovering your sight often takes some time. Only masters of the spell can regain their sight almost instantly”, I explained to Kaiden who still looked at me with curiosity. By now we had mounted our horses and left Lilyfield behind. Miriam chose to fly instead of riding. She would be our eyes since her vantage point would give us ample warning. “Also, when we eventually face the Lightbringers, do not worry too much about blindness. The light may be overwhelming, but there are ways to circumvent such a grievance. Dark mages are renowned for the way we can avoid the worst effects of such ailments”, I continued the lesson.

After two days on the road we were fairly close to Seastride. Far in the distance Miriam spotted what looked like a battle. A large battalion of Lightbringers was clashing with the Etherian Guard. The time for battle had come.

Episode 10: Back In Business

I awoke with the bustle of the city in the background. The night before I bid farewell to people who felt like longtime friends. Theirs was a journey that would be difficult and dangerous. Although I was aware that my talents might not help them as much, I have no desire for combat and yet wish nothing but the end of this conflict. I stare at the magical thread that Balthazar gave me and I am filled with an inexplicable curiosity. Surely if I did enough research I would be able to learn how to use it and perhaps weave my best work yet.

Lyre is fascinating. Such grand architecture. A single step outside and I was taken aback by the beauty of it all. I set out after having a good meal at the inn. My main goal today was to secure a place to set up my shop once again. Surely this city would provide a multitude of customers. The townspeople I asked were kind enough to lead me to a place that was on sale. A perfect location for my trade. Although I was running low on coin, the previous owner made a deal for a dress set for her wife as a gift for their anniversary.

It is now way past the afternoon. Some people have become curious of their new neighbor and lent a hand in cleaning and setting up. At this rate I should be able to open up sooner than I thought. Before going back to the new locale, which will also be my home, I wanted to spend some time at the Grand Library of Lyre. This world famous library is known to have an incredible selection of texts that cover many trades. There are even some of the few remaining poems that were penned by a dragon and a man who lived together, or so the story goes. It is here that I would learn of weaving with this special thread, and perhaps a spell or two that would help with my work. As I often like to do, I wear my own pieces of work, they show my passion and dedication to this trade. This apparently caught the eye of the master librarian here. She was kind enough to lead me to a section of the library dedicated to weaving, dress making and magical robes. After a few hours of searching I found a single book with an entry that had just what I needed. It appears that Balthazar’s master may have been using this book to create the thread. The spell to make the thread was complex, it had many warnings. In the end it appears to be used to create a unique and powerful piece of magical clothing that can withstand a lot of punishment. I cannot ascertain if the mage was able to finish the enchantment, at least to me it appears finished. I committed what I could to memory. Perhaps tomorrow I may return to read some more.

The night was serene. A few people still walked around the city. There were taverns offering drink and food to wary travelers. Upon reaching my new home I noticed the quiet marketplace and looked on. A group of guards patrolled the street. The music in the tavern sounded far off in the distance. There is a peace in this city not felt elsewhere. Once inside the soon to be shop, I sat down at the edge of the bed immersed in thought. Already I had ideas of the robes I wanted to craft using the mystical thread. It may take me a lot of time, but I would see this endeavor through.

Episode 9: King’s Request

The city walls towered over the forest, and this was only the outer layer. Ilyana and I arrived quite early in the morning. The guards greeted us and urged us to meet the king at once. By now, news of the attacks on Etheria and Greensborough had spread among the people. As we hurried through the streets a young girl crossed our path. At first I was confused, but a quick read of the Ether gave me all the information I needed. “Ah, you must be Miriam. You have caught me by surprise, you are very young”, I said to her. “I am fifteen years old, sir Balthazar”, she said, in a shy manner. “Please, just Balthazar will do. Why did you decide to come here?”, I noticed that beneath her right wrist she bore a marking just as she fixed her hair back. “It is said that there is no safer place in the world than Lyre. I came here to seek protection and to see if anyone could tell me what this marking means. According to the people of the coven it is supposed to mean I am to save the coven, but I barely know how to protect myself”, she lifted her right hand this time and I took a short moment to examine it. As I approached I felt a strong focus of Ether on her left wrist. She wears an amulet which I have not seen before. My curiosity was great, but Ilyana and I had to reach the throne room quickly. Speaking of Ilyana, she simply watched on, completely perplexed as to who this girl was. It slipped by me that only I had the conversation with Miriam the day before. “I apologize Ilyana, this girl is a shapeshifter, one of the coven of the crow. I spoke to her when I noticed her aura yesterday as we traversed the woods. I know of the coven, but only what I have read in books. Never thought I would meet someone who had trained under their… wings”, the pun was intended of course. Miriam smiled, she seemed so somber when she arrived. Ilyana looked at me and said, “We have to hurry to the king, you’re welcome to join us. You can tell us more about your journey here”. With that all three of us made for the castle.

“I should have you executed!”, the king jumped from the throne and quickly walked towards us, then hugged us and proceeded to say, “For keeping your king so worried about you! Thank goodness you two are alright. Please, tell me everything that has transpired. So far I have only heard from the spies that monitor the happenings of the world, but I need your accounts on what happened. I am aware Etheria was attacked as well as Greensborough. We need to know the extent of what the Cyrithian Church has done”. I was rather taken aback, but he is clearly so much more than just a king, he is our friend. Composing myself I began explaining the events at the summit of ages. After I finished Ilyana took her turn and after that we invited Miriam into the throne room so she could tell her story.

All in all the church made its incursion into multiple locations. Etheria, Greensborough, Clearwater and some other places that the spies reported. “This is getting out of hand. If we do not act soon they will be at our doorstep. Although I trust the strength of our walls and the perseverance of our soldiers, I would rather it not come to fighting here”, the king pondered the situation. Ilyana stepped forward, “My king, we have to root out the Lightbringers from the kingdoms. If we learn where their base of operation is we can push them back”. The task would not be simple and moving an army across the continent would alarm Etheria and the Northern Alliance. They might consider it a hostility, even though peace has permeated for many years between Etheria and Lyre. “The Northern Alliance will probably have no interest in interfering, but if their might joins ours and Etheria’s the church would not stand a chance”, I mentioned this considering other strategic targets as well. “Excuse me”, Miriam said rather quietly, then she repeated louder, “Excuse me! Perhaps moving large battalions of soldiers is not the answer here. A smaller group could hunt down the Lightbringers and force them to retreat to where they came from. It would be more efficient to move just a few people”. The king was immersed in thought, “You are correct. Our military cannot be the answer here. We have seen too many years of peace for it to be broken by this. Even now I would not be surprised if the church expects us to mobilize our troops. Balthazar, Ilyana and Miriam, I have a request of you. The task I lay before you will be a very difficult one but you are the most skilled people I know in this kingdom, nay, the whole continent. Search for a way to stop the Cyrithian Church and its Lightbringers. We can protect the kingdom for now, but no one knows what they plan while we sit idly by. Will you accept?”. I took a deep breath, “My lord, I accept. We will drive this threat away. They must answer for their transgressions”. Ilyana heistated for moment but accepted as well, “I am unsure as to how successful we will be. Frankly I wish to protect his majesty if the fighting comes here. I will strive so that the Lightbringers stay far away from Lyre”. Finally Miriam said, “I will join you in this task because of the horrors I have witnessed. My mother, and the coven must have justice”. Her sage brilliance was surprising to me, her mother must have been an incredible parent to have given her daughter such wisdom.

I gathered some trinkets from my home to prepare for the journey. We had a good hearty meal before setting out. Ilyana would meet me at the north gate. Meanwhile Miriam was just outside my home waiting for me. I told her that I would teach her how to defend herself with some spells as we travelled. A part of me knew she would also learn things instinctively not only because of the mark, but because crows are very clever creatures. At some point her intuition would give her the tools she needed. I stepped outside, looked at the city around me, “Let us part, the sun sets and we must move swiftly”. Miriam and I walked towards the north gate. From a distance we spotted Ilyana waiting by the gate in a set of armor I had not seen before. Before I continued a man stopped me and asked, “You look familiar, did you not give me this spool of thread some time ago?”. I looked at the thread and remembered, my master had this for many years. He had been infusing it with Ether and numerous spells. The thread itself was a mystery to me, so when he passed away I saw no use for it. How the world turns. The man I gave it to was the very tailor I missed back at Etheria. I would not have guessed that I would meet him again here. “You probably don’t remember but my name is Gallian good sir, this boy is Kaiden. We are looking for a dark mage who fought against the Lightbringers in Etheria. Perhaps you know of him?”, the young man stood behind him. I studied the Ether for a short moment and said, “You, I will teach you the power of Flux magic if you come with me. There is something special about you, but I cannot point out what it is”. The boy looked a bit spooked, but he understood that this was the opportunity of a lifetime. He agreed to my proposal, “Do keep in mind that this will be a dangerous journey. We may be fighting the Lightbringers on every turn”. Kaiden replied, “They took my old master from me, I think they deserve to get knocked around a bit. They would hunt me for my natural talent”. On the other hand the tailor stopped to think for a few short minutes, “Well then, this is where we part ways my boy. I think Lyre is a good place to start my shop again. As for this thread, you gave it to me as a gift, so I will give you one back in return. Come by once I have set up my shop”. “Of course. Well then, shall we part, I am eager to know what Ilyana has planned for our trip”, we began our walk to the gates. Gallian remained at the area where we met and waved goodbye. We met up with Ilyana, she had arranged a transport by caravan. They were headed for Etheria, once there we would talk to Grandmaster Zephius and tell him of our journey. I am sure that they will help us to undermine the church and put an end to their vile crusade. By travelling in the caravan we were able to rest while the carriage moved. It was a bumpy ride, and sleep was very difficult but it would cut our travel time. We needed to hurry, for the Lightbringers would not wait for us to make our move.

Episode 8: Flight of Freedom

I soared high, feeling the wind on my wings. It is an exhilarating experience. Such freedom was a bit overwhelming, but the sacrifices of the coven made me value this greatly. They gave me this freedom, and they also gave me the knowledge to understand that there is so much more to our world. I flew for a long time, looking for a place to land just south of Etheria. My thoughts drifted to how mother would sometimes wake in the middle of the night and sit outside the house. One night she met up with a man. Sometimes I would wonder if it was father. Maybe I would learn of him one day. Mother rarely mentioned him. I often thought he was deceased, but mother clarified one day that he had simply left on a journey. She seemed incredibly understanding. To me it was as if he had abandoned us. Today I am on my own journey and I wonder where it will take me.

Etheria was not safe. The recent attack on it prompted me to consider other options. I had heard that the northern allied countries were fairly peaceful, but the cold would be a hindrance. Among the three, Pax is said to be the most quiet of them. My flight there would be harrowing. Remaining transformed keeps my concentration in check, one slip and I could fall to my doom. So, for now, my best choice was Lyre. The capital city had never been successfully invaded and the king is said to be a generous one. Yes, Lyre would do well. I turned to catch an updraft. The day was fairly clear so I could see a town in the distance and in the southern mountain a large structure sat embedded in the rock.

I needed some rest, at least from the flight. Further south of one of the villages I decided to perch on a tree. The trip from Clearwater was very tiring. It was strange to feel the exhaustion on my wings. My true, human self has no wings. This magic truly was mysterious. I looked on to the road nearby. The gallop of a horse could be heard slowly approaching. My heart quickened. Could it be Lightbringers? Certainly they would not venture so far south? Then, in a short moment, as I stopped to listen carefully, I noticed it was but a single horse. It could be a peddler with their wares. As the two people approached I saw that it was a knight and a mage, a dark mage. I kept watch to see if they would notice this seemingly out of place crow in the forest. The mage looked at me directly when passing by. In my mind I heard his voice, somehow he knew, “We are of like minds, and powers. Do not be afraid, my name is Balthazar. What is yours?”. I hesitated for a second, but decided to answer, “Mine is Miriam, how did you know?”. “Well met, my lady. I am intensely attuned to the ether. I can tell when something is amiss”, he said calmly. “Are you headed for the capital?”, I was curious since I had not seen that many people on the road. “We are indeed, a most terrible thing happened in Etheria. We must tell the king. I am the court mage there and this here is my friend and knight Ilyana. Will you come to the city? The Lightbringers would hunt you down, It will be safe there”, Balthazar was right of course. I had already made up my mind, but hearing him was further confirmation. “I will take flight and meet you there, is that alright?”, it felt strange, but this man had an unique aura about him. He radiated kindness. “Of course, I will keep an eye out for you. Maybe we can exchange stories and perhaps become friends”, he answered. They were already deep in the forest by then. It was surprising to see that we could still communicate so clearly. I stretched my wings, opened them wide and took flight.

I moved on ahead of Balthazar and Ilyana. Surely I would be able to reach the city before nightfall and make camp so I could rest. My magic was running short and the flow of ether was weak. As the evening began to creep and the sun set into the horizon I flew down to land. My transformation was swift. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The forest was quiet, with only a few insects making their usual noises. I sat near a tree and leaned my back against it. Drawing on the knowledge of my spell book, I drew a number of runes in the air. The spell would warn of impending danger and would also balance the ether flow to ensure I had energy for a quick flight, if need be. With that cast my exhaustion took over and I promptly fell asleep.

Episode 7: The Kingdom of Lyre

A day into our trip back home and not a moment has passed where I am not worried about the Ether Tower. The flow of Ether nurtures the lands and the people. Is this why war seems so close to home now? Or perhaps the mad machinations of the church, obsessively bent on forcing people under its belief system. The king would not be pleased with the news. Just as we approached the town of Greenborough we noticed an eerie silence. “Do you hear that?”, said Ilyana while the horse stopped. I looked around, “ I don’t hear anything”. “Exactly my point”, she and I got down from the horse. Ilyana drew her sword. Her battered shield remained strapped onto the horse. She knew that whatever was here required haste, so she left it there. I surmised that if her instincts were correct we would soon find ourselves in a fight.

From the village three men and a woman approached, the woman spoke first, “You there! Hand over any valuables you have or we’ll gut you where you stand!”. Ilyana was annoyed that a bunch of brigands would dare try to assault us, “What happened to this village?”. “Are ya blind?! It was purged by the church. They left nothing of the people so we kindly moved in to take what no longer had an owner”, the woman’s remark angered Ilyana. “Your petty thievery ends here then, come if you dare!”, Ilyana pointed her sword towards the brigands. I stood behind her looking at the men and gathering a cloud of dark energy into my palm. I moved my arm back and swung from above launching my spell to one of the thieves. The magic hit my target right on the face, the man was panicking, the cloud of energy clung to his face blinding him. He swung his knife blindly while screaming. “Stop swinging you idiot! You two, get the mage, I’ll handle the mercenary. The mage must have some good coin for a pretty girl like her! Go!”, the two men that could still fight ran around to flank me from the sides while the woman rushed forward to fight Ilyana. “Nice shot with that spell, I dare ya to try again”, one of them said to me. “You clowns are no match for us, leave us be and you will come to no further harm”, they were wary of my magic now, but regardless I prepared another spell. I gathered a billowing darkness around my hands combined it in front of me and fashioned a large dark purple needle. “Pah, you must be joking! There is no way in hell that little spell will do anything, get him!”, they made their move. One ran at me from behind and the other right upfront. They had confidence that their numbers would be enough to overcome me. I threw the needle forward, it flew rapidly and slashed the thief on his shoulder. “That was nothing! Prepare to die!”, little did he know that the needle was being guided by my hand. The needle turned rapidly in the air, swung around back towards me and landed right in front of me just as I lowered my body and pressed my hands against the ground. When the needle landed a shadow formed beneath me and a spiked shield burst forth from that shadow. The two thieves were startled, one of them nearly stumbling into the sharp spikes. I released the spell and the spikes crumbled into dust. The thief behind me turned and ran while the other one stood in front still challenging me. “I don’t care how many tricks ya got, I’ll take yer gold!”, he charged again, this time I had something more subtle for him. I wrote a small rune right in front of my right palm, then I pointed it towards my attacker and cast the spell. The rune appeared on top of him and a very thin cloud draped over him and then vanished. “What? You’re finished!”, as he drew his next step he tripped on a root near his foot and fell face first. His knife fell out of his hand and the handle split from the blade, and then as he was getting up his pants ripped with some thorns that had mysteriously grown nearby. “You are completely out of luck, I suggest you turn away now”, I could barely contain my laughter. As all this happened Ilyana fought the woman using all her skill to, well, toy with her. With a swift flick of her sword she disarmed her foe. “You’re no ordinary mercenary! Who are you?!”, she nearly fell while walking backward readying to run away. Ilyana answered calmly, “I am the captain of his majesty’s royal guard, you would do well to remember this”. The thieves ran away, even the blinded one stumbled through the forest aided by the woman. We had no means to keep them in custody but surely they had learned their lesson. Our priority now was to assess the village’s situation and see what we could do.

The path into the village was clear. As I walked, I tried sensing the Ether flow. There was still something that felt strange to me, “Ilyana could you patrol around the village and check for survivors, I feel something strange about the Ether but I cannot point out what it is. I will sit here near the well. It is close to the center and it will allow my mind to reach out to every corner of the village”. Ilyana nodded in agreement and began moving away while I sat down with my legs crossed. I placed my hands on my knees, closed my eyes and concentrated on the flow of ether. My vision now consisted of a water like flow that coursed through the air and all around. With each breath this unique sight expanded further and further. The reason to have Ilyana patrolling was to give me a limit to how far I could go. Since I have known Ilyana for many years the ether energy within her was very clear to me. I would have no problem spotting her in a crowd with this sight. A short moment passed and I sensed a large gathering of ether near the inn. “A secret passage perhaps? A hidden door… or maybe a locked cellar with some supplies”, I thought. My eyes opened, I called Ilyana to join me at the inn.

Our footsteps on the wooden floor made our presence known. Ilyana was worried about survivors having been too long there without supplies. The church’s attack must have been very recent if the royal guard was not here yet. Both of us cared deeply for the people, as did the king, surely he would not forgive himself for having failed in protecting them. “Is anyone here?”, Ilyana asked loudly, “I am Ilyana, captain of the royal guard”. A loud thumping sound was heard, someone was trapped in the underground cellar. We saw a number of barrels and boxes that had been moved. Someone had intended to trap people here or perhaps it was done to protect them? Regardless we needed to find out who was here. Ilyana and I moved the barrels and boxes. There was a small square trap door that was quickly opened by the people inside. “Thank goodness you’ve arrived, we thought we were toast!”, a young man said as he rushed up the staircase and greeted us. “I only heard the mumb…, wait a minute, Ilyana! Balthazar!”, the young man was Elliot, a fellow mage and soldier of the kingdom, “You two are the last people I thought I would see here! Weren’t you back at Etheria?”. “We only just arrived from there, we need to head back to the capital, the church has begun an offensive”, Elliot stood by a few villagers and a pair of children, “what happened here?”. “Well as you said the church has begun its offensive. The king’s spies were able to warn us in time to begin an evacuation of the village. It took us an entire day to move most people out. Some troops were stationed here. The Lightbringers arrived at night and began their attack, these people were the last few to be evacuated. The cowards would hurt innocents for their mindless crusade. We fought hard but began to be overwhelmed by their numbers. The captain assigned to us ordered us to hide in this cellar. I used my magic to move the barrels on top of the trap door, so the Lightbringers could not reach us. I also warped the flow of ether so that they could not detect our presence. Sadly after they were gone my tampering of the ether caused a void in the cellar which prevented me from gathering enough energy to move the barrels again. It has been about a day since the attack. The food stored here helped us survive, I hope the innkeeper doesn’t mind”. “The attack here and the one in Etheria were well planned. Yet surely the church did not anticipate that we would be able to hold off their attack at the summit”, I mentioned to Elliot. Ilyana approached and said, “We have to head back to the capital now. It is imperative that the king be informed of what happened in Etheria. Even if the spies have given him some information already, our testimony of the fight will bring further insight into the church’s actions”. I agreed, we needed to move fast. Elliot told us that he would catch up with us at the capital. He would make sure that the villagers had a safe trip to a camp that was made near the capital.

Episode 5: Changing Threads

I barely arrived yesterday from Etheria only to learn a few moments ago that it was attacked! How incredibly dreadful, but at least I was spared such an awful event. My journey had barely started and already I was learning from all around me. The little hamlet called Graystone welcomed me with open arms. It seems my talents were in need. A few of the ladies in the village wanted a number of dresses hewn for a local festivity. I quickly settled at a small inn and began my work.

In a matter of three days I had made five dresses. All of my customers were pleased with the result. I, on the other hand, was somehow unsatisfied. The work itself was flawless. My magic helped quicken the pace of my sewing. Perhaps my mind was preoccupied with the news of the attack on the city. That place was, after all, my home for most of my life. It was such a shame to think it burned down, or broken by war. Throughout the day more news were slow to come. It seemed that the kingdom of Lyre was also attacked recently. This reminded me of a man who once arrived at my shop and gifted me with a very peculiar piece of thread. He told me he had found it in his old master’s collection and that he was instructed to give it to me. Ever since that day I have always wanted to meet up with him again. Though it saddens me I have yet to use that thread. It feels so unique and mystical. Surely I would find a use for it someday.

I decided it was time to walk around the village to clear my mind. It is past midday by now. The stroll would not only ease my mind, but also allow me to ask around for information on the nearest town I could visit. Some of the people suggested Clearwater, which was north of Etheria. Others were wary of going to Lyre, but they said the capital was protected by giant walls and a world renowned cadre of knights. As I continued on my way I saw a familiar face. The young man was making his way towards the Inn. I remember his face from naught a few days ago when his master disgraced my reputation in Etheria. Luckily the boy seemed level headed. Perhaps I could learn of what has transpired.

“I am looking for a man, a dark mage”, said Kaiden to the innkeeper. “Kid, you shouldn’t be looking for one if you know what’s good for ya”, warned the man while sweeping the entryway, and continued, “the Lightbringers would haul you to who knows where for questioning”. “Well, a dark mage took on an entire battalion of Lightbringers back in Etheria and I wanted to know where he went, I wish to learn from him”, said Kaiden. Meanwhile Galian entered the inn to meet the young man. “Uh, hello there, do you perhaps remember me? I have some questions for you, if you don’t mind”, he was curious about what happened at the capital.

“The summit was used to track down and kill mages. The Lightbringers said that they would purge the world of the unholy magics, especially the flux. My master died that day, but I was lucky enough to hide in a guard tower”, explained Kaiden over a cup of hot tea. By now the sun had set and they sat by the fireplace of the inn. “That must have been a harrowing experience, oh but my goodness, how careless of me, I haven’t even introduced myself properly. My name is Galian, as you know, I am a tailor specializing in women’s dresses and magical robes”, Galian was rather embarrassed at his lack of manners. Kaiden on the other hand was a bit disappointed that he could not find more information on the man he sought, “My name is Kaiden. My master, Pilius, was my teacher in the school of water magic. I learned much from him, but I was not as interested in that school. After what happened I can feel that I am fated to learn of Flux magic. From a younger age I have known to be talented in that school of magic, yet Pilius probably feared what could come if I sought to learn more”. “It saddens me to hear about what happened to your old master, but perhaps we could join up and find this mage you’re looking for. I have heard of a dark mage that lives in the city of Lyre, the capital of the kingdom that goes by that same name. I fear that place might be the safest in the world right now, even though it has received its fair share of attacks”, Galian had a knack for arriving at the right place and at the right time, “tomorrow is Graystone’s festival, we could leave after that if you wish, travelling together would surely be better than travelling on our own”. Kaiden pondered the offer for a short time. He knew he was running short on coin and the trip alone would be harrowing. As for Galian he, as a merchant, knew of trade routes and even hidden passages that could take days off of their journey. “Look, my family used to travel between the kingdoms before settling in Etheria. I know the roads well, even though they may have changed a bit through the years”, said Galian. “Alright, I will travel with you then. I only hope I will not burden you”, Kaiden was happy to know he would not have to travel alone and a half smile adorned his face. “Nonsense my boy, I’m sure that having a companion along will make the trip much more fun and interesting”, Galian reassured Kaiden while taking the last few drops of tea from the cup.

Episode 4: Perspectives

“Come now child, keep up! The summit of ages will not wait for us”, the old mage kept scolding me for falling behind. I could not help but admire the construction of the city and the grandness of the Ether Tower. “Damn it Kaiden, stop this foolishness at once!”, his behaviour was an annoyance for the most part, but master Pilius was a good teacher. I had been travelling with him for some time now, learning magic from the water element. Although he is intent on teaching me, I find the studies somewhat boring. The Flux holds much more interest for me. Some time ago I showed some talent in manipulating shadows, but master Pilius insisted that such magic was for savages or the like. He is probably just spouting the same banter as the church, one I’m not very fond of.

Yesterday was rather stressful. Master Pilius got denied entry to one of the meetings being held here. He raged at the tailor who made his robes, blaming him for the loss of ether from the robe’s threads. It was shameful but the master really has little awareness of how the flow of ether affected his clothes. He walked right through a small ether void that formed on the road to the conference hall. Of course his robes would lose energy.

Two days later and I was still no closer to being able to enter the conferences. Master Pilius said that I was there merely as an observer, and yet, every time he entered a conference he left me behind. Other times I was told my grasp of the fundamentals was too basic to be allowed inside. Their excuse was that I would not understand the concepts. Pah, surely I would understand more if it were not for Pilius’ slow teaching methods. I even set out to apologize to the tailor, but I found out he closed his shop not too long after that argument the other day. Surely Pilius had also mentioned things to other mages. He had a knack for spreading information quickly. Walking down one of the roads I saw a knight maiden checking some of the fruit stalls in the market. She had an air of confidence that I had not seen before. I wanted to keep exploring around, but the Lightbringers made me nervous. They were stationed all over the city. I know the church was invited to the summit, but I did not think they would send so many people here. Perhaps they are quite devoted to magic.

It has been a day since the event. I am at such a loss. Master Pilius died in the onslaught that the church brought upon the city. I was lucky one of the guard towers was well defended by the city guard. Others were not so lucky. I heard that many inside the conference hall were brutally killed by soldiers from the church. One powerful dark mage took it upon himself to strike down some of the church’s soldiers. It was like a message from beyond. I needed to find him and learn from him. Perhaps now my curiosity would be sated. My search for information gave me only a little to go on. At most I would have to head west to a village called Graystone.