Bright sunlight streamed into the Hall of the Stars as Alivia made her way through the glass doors and into the circular room. Arranged before her was a table set in the shape of a semi-circle, with the opening of the U shape it formed facing the doorway. Seated around the semi-circular table sat the seven members of the High Council, the ruling council which governed the affairs of all mages owing their allegiance to the Tower of the Seven Stars.
In the center of the table, so as to be surrounded by the members of the High Council, sat a chair, which the mage at the head of the table, Archmage Beryl himself, indicated was to be her seat. “Mage O’Leary, please take your seat,” the man said.
With a curtsy, and while silent, Alivia made her way to the chair as instructed and sat.
“Mage Alivia O'Leary,” Archmage Beryl began, "word has reached us through various channels of your heroics in Mara Damare. Would you regale us your side of the story from your journey?”
“Of course, Archmage,” Alivia replied. She began from the beginning, from Selma to Mara Damare. The archmages were silent, until she arrived at the part in her story about the firestorm that demolished the Bald Chicken.
“This mage, do you know who she was?” one of the mages asked from her right.
“I learned her name was Nikki, but beyond that I do not know where she hailed from.”
“The firestorm she created – do you know how she controlled such a vast circular storm like that?” This question came from her left.
“I felt her immense power when I later faced her, so I can only guess that she had enough power to control the firestorm.”
“The part of your story I am most intrigued to hear about, Mage O'Leary, is the part where you summoned lightning indoors,” Archmage Beryl said. “Can you explain how this was done?”
Alivia proceeded to explain how she had simply applied the theories explained by one of her instructors in an indoor setting.
“You could have died, girl,” a gruff archmage growled from beside Archmage Beryl. “What were you thinking?”
Alivia swallowed a sharp retort and took a breath before replying. “I was thinking, Archmage, that I had to do anything I could to stop this woman, or Lord Garik would win. It was a calculated risk that I had to take. I was willing to die for the cause.”
The gruff archmage sniffed. “The bravado of youth. You will learn with time when the time for risks is and when is the time to safeguard your life.”
Archmage Beryl raised an eyebrow at his fellow archmage. “You were young once, Artemis, or don't you remember? From what I have heard and seen from this young woman, she has demonstrated without hesitation the values of a mage of the Tower. I would nominate her to be raised to the rank of master mage. Do any here object?”
None of the hands in the room went up. After waiting a few more moments, Archmage Beryl smiled and looked Alivia in the eyes. “Rise from your chair, Alivia O'Leary, and forever be known as 'Master O'Leary’.”
Alivia tried to maintain a straight face as she stood, though inside she wanted to leap for joy and cry, all at the same time. She had earned a rank that few mages earned for another ten years! She would be able to train youngsters and other people with the potential for magic there at the Tower or across the realm. This is the happiest day of my life, she thought to herself. “Thank you all. I accept this high honor.”
Chapter 29: Parting of Ways
Blood and Shadows Page 31