My eyebrows knitted as I manoeuvred Terrowin from my back, showing the Wizard his apprentice. The Wizard’s expression fell grim as his mind raced into alarm and possibly grief. He looked concerned, exhaling a sharp breath as he took Terrowin from me. He retreated inside in a hurry, leaving me to my own devices, welcomed to let myself in whenever I felt like it.
As I entered the tower, mind driven from Terrowin for the time being, I saw a comfortable looking red couch in the middle of the room. My lips were met with a smirk.
I had ideas of my own and you can guess what happened next…
CHAPTER 6
THE PECULIAR WIZARD
CARLAYLIN
“ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, DEARIE?” a voice asked from what currently seemed like a faraway distance, startling me. My eyes flew open in a hurry, me being broken free from my deep sleep and saying the first thing that came to mind.
“What?”
I yawned and sat upright with my eyelids still heavy and my head still woozy.
“I can see that you were very tired.” My eyes met the all too welcoming sight of the kind old wizard that had given me permission to enter his tower, hidden from most in Ysellian, surrounded by the Forest of Lights.
“How long was I out?” I asked with quite the curiosity.
“Well, you arrived about seven in the morning and slept till now, which is… about four in the afternoon.”
“But that would mean…”
“Yes, you have slept for an approximate of nine hours.”
Man, was I tired! I didn’t even think that it was possible to sleep that long… for me anyway.
“You picked up quite the nasty wound there on your cheek and on your lower arm.”
I touched the wound on my cheek.
The wound hand closed up and the bleeding had gone. Looking down at my arm, I noticed a thin piece of bandage to be covering up the gash.
“Don’t worry. I took care of those for you.”
I sighed a sigh of relief.
“Thanks.”
I glanced past the Wizard and looked outside the window, witnessing a picturesque sight and scenery of the forest beyond the stunning clearing. The forest had a sense of mysticism clinging to it, carrying a mysterious feel alongside with it as the age old trees stood steadfast, some thin, some thick, stretching their leaves to the sky like dark green giants buried in dark, fertile ground.
“What brings you here?” he asked, keen on keeping the gentleness in his voice,
“Oh, well, it all started when Terrowin-” I was interrupted by my own thoughts I shocked into realization, the weight of my memories reawakened.
“Wait! Terrowin! Where is he?”
A deep worry settled over the Wizard. Grief and what looked like absolute heartache gnawed at him in what looked like endless torment.
Terrowin and his master must’ve been close, a possibly tight relationship that surpasses all known words… It came across to me as almost a fatherly one…
“Poor boy,” the Wizard swallowed, struggling to find his own words, “He’s… I… I rested him on a bed upstairs, on the highest level of my tower.”
“Is he… okay? How’s he doing?”
“I… I tried. I really did, to keep him here. To keep him…” The Wizard sighed miserably, eyes casted to the ground as his shoulders slumped in absolute desolation.
“I don’t know. He…” A single teardrop escaped the wizard’s now glistening eyes.
“He…”
The wizard gathered his breath, even as shaky as it was. He seemed physically unable to find his words. His heart must’ve lodged itself in his throat, cramping in a web of utter pain. At last, the Wizard wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, taking a deep breath as he tried once again to explain the situation. Though, his voice sounded on the verge of cracking.
“I think he might be gone...”
His grim eyes told the entire story for themselves. My heart skipped a beat.
“You’re lying.”
“I’m still trying to find a way to… revive him, to bring him back again... if he’s not already too far gone.”
I swung my legs over the edge of the comfy sofa, my eyes rolling down to meet my feet. Absentmindedly, I wriggled my toes, swallowing back what seemed a marble.
Seriously, Carlaylin… Seriously? You just met the guy… Why are you feeling like this? Snap out of it! Snap out of… He can’t be dead… It’s just not possible...
“After I left him upstairs to rest, I came back down here and found you fast asleep on my couch. I decided to leave the questioning for later. I don’t blame you, though. It must’ve been a long night.”
“Yes, it was.”
There was a moment of silence. The wizard settled beside me on the couch. I could feel his weight as he sat down amongst the cushions.
“What… What happened?” the wizard sounded distant. From the melancholy expressed on his face, I knew he was dying to know what had happened to Terrowin. Never in my life had I pitied any one so. They appeared to have been tremendously close. I at least owed him this… for it was I who suggested we make a stop at the Lost Inn in the first place. I swallowed back the guilt, trying to push it to the back of my head as I tried to find my words… the right words.
I told him about how he found me at Sleeping Dragon’s Inn in Thorodan, and left out a few details like how I gave him a mug shot… literally.
I spoke of his heroics and how he saved me in the Whispered Woods. He also spun him my entire tale about what happened in the Lost Inn… the part of my story I wasn’t exactly so keen on telling, but, even though I was quite hesitant, it was the real answer to the wizard’s question.
And so I told him, leaving him speechless at the end. He let go of a shaky breath and stood and went gradually strode to the open window to catch some fresh air. If I wasn’t mistaken, I swore I could see a faint involuntary tremble at his hands.
It was a lot to take in, I know. A terrible story. I could see there was a sufficient amount of thoughts that dwelled his head.
“Necromancers…”
For another silent moment, his eyes dwelled across the clearing.
“I hate them so. Terrowin… I can’t lose him. He has already been through so much to prove his loyalty to me, to become my apprentice, to deal with is own father. He went through an appalling time. And now this, as if what happened wasn’t bad enough? As if Brendon wasn’t enough heartache.”
The wizard gritted down on his teeth, closing his eyes as he landed a fist to the windowsill, shaking his head.
By now, he was mostly babbling on to himself, possibly forgetting I was there for the time being.
“I know it might not be my place to know… but what happened? Is it maybe the reason why he can’t handle a physical weapon…?”
I had a feeling he wasn’t going to tell me about it anytime soon, and, turns out, I was right. He didn’t.
“Indeed it is, but we don’t speak about it. He can tell you himself if he needs to, but I’m sworn to secrecy.”
“I understand.”
Another while passed with no words spilt, the wizard taking some time to gather himself before he turned around, mustering his breath and moving on to the next topic for safety reasons.
“Thank you for bringing him to me. I appreciate it most sincerely, but I’m afraid I can’t do anything else to help him... It is beyond my own powers, even if I do say so myself…”
“You’re giving up?”
“What other choice do I have? As much as it pains me to say this... if you need me I will be outside digging his grave.”
Instinctively, I couldn’t help but jump to my feet, stopping the wizard dead in his tracks.
“Wait, wait, wait… Wait just a second! You can’t be serious! At least give me some time to figure this out. I can help. I can really help.”
It took some time, but at last, the wizard gave in and nodded, clearly happy at a
t least a spark of hope rekindled in the remains of a burnt out pyre.
I noticed the Wizard eager to say something on his mind. Seemed like he waited for just the right moment…
“I found this around your neck…”
He dug into his pocket and brought my amulet to light, gently swinging by its link, the chain, as the weight of its pendant sluggishly tugged at it.
My eyes broadened, and absentmindedly, I probed my chest, finding an absence of my amulet.
“Hey, give it back! It’s not yours,” I scolded, suddenly finding myself somewhat possessive… over protective over a mere… necklace. Yet, it did come a long way with me. It was the only thing I had left of my mother I never knew. It shared the good, it shared the bad. It’s more than just an amulet. It carries energy. It carries memories… It is me.
The Wizard noticed the fight dancing in my eyes. He smiled and handed me back my amulet. I snatched it from his grip, rapidly checking it to see if no damage had been brought to it. I held it firmly in my grasp.
“It’s yours then?”
I found no less than a frown plastered to his face.
“Of course it’s mine. Why?”
His frown hardened, almost laughing nervously as he tried to get rid of the idea that was stuck in his head.
“No, this can’t be. This isn’t right. How can you be the one to replace me when I’m gone?”
I found that a little bit derogatory, actually. I reeled away, eyes widened at both his statement and the offense. I couldn’t help but look down at myself.
“Why? What’s wrong with me?” I asked.
The wizard didn’t respond. Instead, he paced around the room aimlessly, mumbling things to himself with both his hands clasped behind his back.
“Fine,” he said all of a sudden, “Fine. I won’t argue with the amulet.” He finally turned to me. “If you are truly the rightful heir, then you will have to prove yourself to me, possibly your loyalty too...” His narrowed eyes inquisitively studied me from head to toe as he leaned in close.
“Can’t be too careful nowadays.” I looked around to see if he wasn’t talking to anyone else.
“I think you have the wrong person here, I -”
“I think so, too,” the wizard murmured, biting down on his lower lip.
“Hey! I heard you. What the hell is going on? What is this? And… What? What do you mean ‘replace me when I’m gone’?” I asked, acting out my best impression of the wizard at the end.
“You are supposed to be my descendant. You are to become the next Wizard of Elements.”
I once read about the Wizard of Elements and, frankly, it was the highest rank in being a wizard. Normal mages and sorcerers and wizards merely have one of the four elementals as their ability. Like Terrowin, for instance, whom I guess can only control his fire magic, whereas the Wizard of Elements is a wizard… a warlock that has the ability to control all four elements. It’s not something you gain by experience and or training. Either you have magic or you don’t. Either you have that element or another. Either you have one, or you have four… And frankly, if this wizard is the so-called Wizard of Elements, he is the only one of his kind, for there can only be one or two in one generation. And if what he says is true and I’m one too… then… how?
“A Wizard of Elements…? Are you joking? I’m not seeing a hidden playwright in here… Besides, how can I be the one if I can’t even use magic?”
The wizard’s eyes sparked with something I was yet to decipher. His lips pursed into a thin line.
“You’re right,” he simply stated, catching me by surprise.
“I am?”
“Yes. A girl such as yourself can’t be the one. You can’t possibly be my successor.”
I wanted to argue, but decided not to.
“Look at you. You’re making me laugh. You’re the last person to be worthy of wielding such a title. You’re weak, insecure, powerless, an embarrassment…”
Each word was like a sucker punch, leaving me never before so shamed in my entire life as I felt the need to shrink, and maybe disappear as a bonus.
The wizard fell silent and gave me a mischievous smile with only his one hand behind his back this time. I knew I was blushing with embarrassment.
Was I really that bad? He made me feel completely and utterly useless.
“What?”
I couldn’t ignore the fact that this guy was grinning after what he said.
“Why are you smiling?”
“I knew it. You truly are the right one. You will just have to learn to control your powers.”
“Uh, two things. One, no you didn’t and two, what are you talking about?”
“You don’t know?” The wizard looked around and grabbed a mirror lying close by on a neat table. He held it in front of me. Though, what I saw wasn’t exactly what I expected.
The vision was so shocking that I almost got a heart attack.
“Where am I?” I asked, voice a little too sharp, a little too loud.
Concerned, my fingers probed around my face, hoping it to still be there for the mirror didn’t display my reflection.
“Is this some kind of a joke? This has got to be some trick mirror or something!”
I hope I’m not going vampire!
The wizard chuckled cheerily, finding my state of shock somewhat entertaining.
“This is no trick. I assure you. My dear, you are invisible.”
I wasn’t sure how to react, or what to say. I didn’t even know how it was even possible. Sure, magic exists in Ysellian, but nothing this bazar! Fire, water, earth and air… That’s all you get. Not… invisibility.
I took the mirror from him with an agitation of hands, still in a great alarm. Slowly, I saw my reflection returning to its former state. Reappearing in the mirror, almost in the form of mist tearing away in front of me.
“What…?” I could barely make a sound.
“This is impossible!” I protested as I touched my face to make sure it was really there.
“How can this be?”
The wizard laughed whereas I myself didn’t find it quite that funny. Sure… I admit that I always wanted magic. I just couldn’t exactly wrap my head around it yet, however I knew that the next day I’d be singing and dancing and testing all my abilities in, most likely, a chaotic manner.
Well, maybe it’s a step closer to explaining why Thomason didn’t caught me… didn’t see me.
Is this some kind of a self-defence mechanism? What am I? Part chameleon?
“You used the power of air and water to create some kind of illusion in order to mask yourself, creating the impression that you’re invisible, although you’re not. A mirage created by water droplets in the air that reflects the sky so perfectly… Like I said, as much as I hate to admit it, you are the rightful heir. Don’t worry, I promise I will explain soon, but, for now, you will have to work on verifying your allegiance to me.”
I was barely over the thought of me having turned invisible and there he went, blabbering on about how I should prove myself to him.
“Proving my constancy? Who says that I ever wanted to do this in the first place?”
“You did when you decided to come here. Besides, you don’t exactly have much choice at the matter. The amulet has spoken for itself.”
My cheeks flushed as my blood started to boil, seething as it pumped through my veins.
“I think I may know how you can prove your loyalty to me,” the wizard continued with what looked like a smug smile.
I wasn’t keen on proving anything to the guy. Absentmindedly, almost by sheer instinct, I threw my hand at the wizard, saying, “Enough of this!”
Unexpectedly, a blast of fire erupted from my hand and shot out across the room, setting one of the curtains on fire. We were left in silence to watch as the flames so blissfully burned away at the material, eating holes into the drapes.
“Seriously?”
It was amazing, the magic… a wish come true! But… I didn’t exactly think it was cut out for me. If anything, I’d be the one to burn Ysellian to the ground, after flooding the capitals, blowing away the mountains and bringing the earth to its knees… What? I have fantasies.
The wizard knitted his eyebrows, his eyes narrowed for protection from the flames. Yet, he stood calm.
“Uh… Sorry about that. I hope you still have the receipt…?” I laughed nervously.
He merely passed over my statement with no remark, eyeing me with absolute curiosity.
“Don’t you have a spell to fix that?” No response in words.
Keeping his gaze fixated on me, the wizard merely put out the fire by the wave of his hand. The wind he conjured extinguished the flames at almost an instant, blowing it out like that of a candle. He didn’t exactly look amuzed.
I gave him a nervous toothy grin, clearing my throat.
“As I was saying,” he continued, “I have a way you can prove yourself to me. You simply cannot become my novice without this.”
“Novice? I thought I was your heir.”
“You are my heir. You must first become my novice in order to take the next step. You have to earn the title of Wizard of Elements, the next Dosari.”
Dosari… another word for Wizard of Elements? Well, no matter… I wouldn’t mind becoming one… ahem.
“Isn’t Terrowin your apprentice?”
“I can have two if I like.”
I decided to withhold my argument.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Carlaylin, I told myself. Don’t let this one pass you by. Go for it and see what happens.
I folded my arms, keeping my expression most sincere.
“Fine. What do you have in mind?”
“I knew you would agree,” the wizard smiled.
I tapped my foot restlessly on the floor as I waited for an answer to my question.
Who knows what he might throw at me…
“There is this… witch-”
“A witch? I’m out.” I immediately withdrew as I threw both my hands into the air, recalling my memories of the times I spent with them.
Wizard of Elements Page 8