by Mike Shelton
“It’s nice to have friends in high places.” Kelln laughed.
Bakari nodded his head, his scholarly mind beginning to calculate what would be needed for that kind of spell. “Seems like your king is a powerful wizard.”
“Aye,” the cook said, pulling a large salmon out of a bucket of water. “Most powerful wizard in the Realm.”
Kelln nodded in agreement with the cook’s statement.
“And, has your kingdom done well with a wizard being the king?” Bakari knew about all the arguments in his own land of Alaris through the years, of whether a wizard king was the best or not.
The cook continued moving around the small room as he said, “It wasn’t always that way. I remember sailing as a young lad on my father’s ships, between Belor and Mar. Magic was not talked about in the open, though we all knew someone that seemed to have the spark. An evil wizard used to rule Belor—that is, until Governor El’Han and King Darius came along.” He pointed to the governor.
Kelln blushed with the attention and added, “Since then, the king has opened a wizard school on White Islands, and more and more magic has become accepted.”
The cook lowered his voice and looked around as he said, “Though, not all like it, I tell you.”
“Oh?” A frown crossed the governor’s face.
The cook seemed to have forgotten who he was talking to. So he stumbled on his words a bit as he added, “No offense, sir, to any of your friends… But some say the wizard school is getting too powerful.”
Bakari was going to ask the cook more questions, but then another man came into the galley. It was the first mate, a tall, mustached man with corded muscles that wrapped around his arms like thick ropes. So Bakari and Kelln grabbed a few slices of bread and left the cook to his preparations.
The rest of the day passed with a cool breeze blowing into the sails as the ship continued out into the picturesque Blue Sea. As Bakari spotted some small islands dotting the horizon, the mainland disappeared completely behind them.
That night, Bakari lay down on his small bunk, and, despite the snoring of one of the crew, Bakari was rocked asleep by the gentle movements of the ship on the water.
The next day dawned bright and clear. But, throughout the day, distant clouds were billowing thousands of feet above the ocean’s surface.
When the ship reached its easternmost point, it took a wide turn, heading northwest, toward White Island. They picked up speed as the wind blew faster—signaling an approaching storm. And the day ended with Bakari finding it harder to sleep than on the previous night.
The next morning, something woke Bakari, and he sat up quickly, cracking the top of his head on the wooden bunk above him. Yelling out, he lay back down for a moment to gather his wits. Rubbing the top of his head fiercely, he got up slowly out of bed, only to be tossed back against it a moment later, when the ship lurched to one side.
A few of the crewmen swore and climbed out of their own bunks.
“I’m going to see what is going on,” Bakari mumbled to himself, heading out of the door. Climbing the few steps to the deck of the ship, Bakari was buffeted by the strong winds that were blowing his cloak out around him. The governor joined him in the hallway, coming out of his own private room.
The wind pushed a torrent of rainwater into Bakari’s face as he climbed up the steps to the main deck. He gathered his cloak around him. But, in seconds, it was soaked. Holding on to the side railing, he gazed out over the vast gray and churning water, only to find that he could barely see a few hundred feet in front of himself.
The ship’s bow lurched up and down dangerously in the breaking storm. Lightning flashed off to one side, and thunder rolled through the sky. Bakari watched sailors scrambling along the deck, trying not to slip and fall, but with little success. A few looked his way with glares that seemed to ask for him to help or for him to get back down below.
But what could he do? The storm was huge, and Bakari knew he didn’t have the power to control nature—that was more in line with being a battle wizard, who got their powers from the earth. Bakari’s was the power of the mind. He dug deep into his thoughts and memories of all he had read. He couldn’t do anything about the storm, but maybe he could help protect them through it.
Raising his hands up in the air, Bakari brought forth the powers of his young mind. He built up as much as he could, then went deeper. He thought of the power that Abylar used to share with him, and his own powers lurched with sadness. Grabbing hold mentally, he fought back the grief and found the stream of magic. Even though Bakari no longer could sense his dragon bond, his mind was still infused with much of the power that he had gained from Abylar. And he realized now that it was easier each time to go deeper and grab a hold of more.
One with the power, Bakari felt the stream of magic flowing all around himself. Out of his fingertips soared a blue flame that rose up into the storm, spreading itself out as an iridescent shield over the entire ship. The storm still raged, but their bodies would be protected from the worst of it underneath the shield.
Bakari heard yells and cheers around him. Still with his eyes closed, he afforded himself a slight smile.
“That was great, Bak!” the governor said and patted Bakari on the back.
Before letting go of the magic, Bakari reached farther into the stream. Something wasn’t right. There was a darkness to it that wasn’t there before—echoes of evil swirling around its edges.
Bakari, a faint voice said, floating to him on the currents of magic.
Roland? Is that you? The presence of his friend felt wrong: too solid in the magic stream.
Fight the darkness, Roland’s voice said.
Roland, where are you? Bakari asked.
A faint apparition touched Bakari’s mind, and Bakari saw the outline of his friend, the High Wizard. I am here, Bak, in the magic stream. Stay away until I can find the evil.
What evil? Roland, how are you here?
I have left my body, Roland’s voice said, growing fainter. He was too strong for me. But my spirit is stronger. I will find a way.
Bakari began to lose contact with Roland.
No, Roland! he called.
There are also three more of them. Be careful. One is in the Realm. Roland’s presence flared brighter for a moment and then fled away.
Bakari reached for Roland again but couldn’t find him. So Bakari turned his power toward the other dragon riders and searched for Breelyn. But, just as he touched her presence, a dark evil pushed back against him.
No, Dragon Master, go back. It was Breelyn’s voice, but not her tone.
Breelyn, are you in danger? Bakari tried to ask, but he felt an evil presence closing in around him.
I must save Lan, came Breelyn’s only response.
Bakari had to jump away or be swallowed up by the tainted dark magic he felt around Breelyn. She was not well.
How can I handle all of this? Bakari asked himself as his shoulders sagged lower.
He felt Mericus and let him be—things appeared under control there. Then he searched for Jaimon and his dragon, Cholena, and found them in Quentis. Jaimon was still learning how to communicate through his dragon bond, but Bakari learned enough by touching Jaimon’s mind to know that Jaimon and Alli were closing in on the Chameleon.
Be careful, Bakari said to Jaimon’s mind. Roland is in trouble, and so is Breelyn. Tell Alli to tread carefully. The evil of the Chameleon is spreading.
We found some ancient artifacts that will augment our powers, Jaimon said, his presence barely within the stream of magic—his dragon carrying the weight of connecting them with her magic.
Be careful, Bakari said. Before Bakari could say more, Jaimon yelled out in pain and said, He is here. He is close. Then the connection collapsed.
Bakari saw the yellow eyes in the darkness again and fled. The Chameleon again! Bakari pushed back at the evil and felt his own powers waning. Suddenly, a flash of power screamed through the stream of magic. White, hot, and bright
. In its presence stood a woman, about thirty years old. She had short, blond hair and exuded such strength that Bakari backed off.
The woman struck a magic staff to the ground of the magic realm, and the air shook, the evil retreating farther away. Then she turned and saw Bakari, a look of surprise on her face.
Who are you? Bakari asked.
I am High Wizard Danijela Anwar, leader of the Wizard Conclave of Arc. And, who might you be, young wizard? Her voice was soft and kind, but her eyes glowed with a power that was immense.
I am Bakari, he said, in awe of her majestic power, a scholar wizard from Alaris. Then he added more softly, The Dragon King. He didn’t feel much like a king but wanted to appear as somebody important in her mighty presence.
The woman smiled. Ahh, the prophecies are fulfilled at last. Welcome, Dragon King. Your abilities are needed. A great evil is trying to take over our western kingdoms.
I have felt it, Bakari answered back. The Chameleon—we have met.
Bakari felt his strength waning. He felt a drop of water hit his face again. The barrier he had erected was failing. He was using too much of his power in the magic stream. Then High Wizard Danijela Anwar began to fade away.
We will fight with you, Dragon King, she said. You are the prophesied one. I will gather others. Where are you?
Bakari fell to his knees as he struggled to stay conscious. I am in the Blue Sea and about to die! The storm raged over him again. The magic was fading, and the thunder was deafening.
I will send help, she said.
Bakari nodded, grateful for any help. He needed to find the last dragon rider, then Abylar, then help Roland…and Breelyn…and Jaimon. It was all too much.
Rain splattered on his face once again, and his body sagged to the ground. Then Bakari felt Kelln’s arms around his shoulders, helping him to sit up. He tried to hold on, but, without the strength of Abylar, he couldn’t hold on any longer. The light of the woman had fled, and tendrils of darkness raced toward him.
As the full force of the storm hit him once again, Bakari screamed and then blacked out.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Liam DarSan Williams, son of the king of the Realm, sat on the southern coast of White Island, his Cremelino, Liberty, behind him, eating the newest growth of spring flowers. He sat about seventy-five feet above the water, on a high cliff. He kept a brooding expression on his almost sixteen-year-old face, as was usual, and his dark brown hair hung down over his ears on each side.
A dark storm raged farther out, over the water, and the wind whipped at his cloak, but he took no notice of it. Thinking of a small spell that required very little energy, Liam erected a shield over his head, to block out most of the rain. He enjoyed storms. He always had. The lightning and thunder, the destructive forces of nature—these matched his mood.
Liam didn’t much care for the wizard school on White Island. He had learned all he wanted about wizardry by reading and studying—of course, he didn’t have much choice. Born with a clubfoot that didn’t work very well, Liam was never destined for the army or to do much with weaponry. He had learned enough of these to get by and used magic to his advantage when needed, like keeping the rain off his face.
His father, the king, thought it would be good for Liam to learn in a classroom setting. So Liam and his twin sister, Breanna, had been sent to the school for six months each year for the past three years.
It wasn’t such a bad place. But this year had been stranger than normal. Things were changing, people were quieter, and life there was just plain boring. Also, the headmaster of the school was eerily absent lately, yielding rumors of a sickness.
Behind himself, Liam heard his sister’s voice, floating on the wind and over to him.
“Liiiiaaammmm,” she called again.
Turning, he saw her galloping down a gently sloping green field. His sister rode with the grace and ease of her station. She was a wizard of the earth, and new flowers seemed to spring up as she passed.
With her hair flying long and free, Breanna looked very similar to their mother, Christine, with her same petite features and fair skin. All that was different was the brown hair Breanna and Liam had both inherited from their father, Darius.
Breanna was everything Liam wasn’t—successful, with many friends and having a bright personality—and, as the oldest, she was trained to take over as Queen someday. But he loved her dearly. She was one of the few people that could bring a smile to his face.
Liam stood up to greet his excited sister. “What is it?” he asked. “Is something wrong?”
“Auntie Danijela just communicated to me through the Cremelinos.”
Liam smiled at their pet name for the High Wizard of the Conclave of wizards of the kingdom of Arc. A few years younger than Liam’s dad, Danijela had helped their father, years ago, to establish peace in the Realm and had become like an aunt to Liam and his twin as they grew up. Danijela had visited often and taught them much about magic.
As a fellow earth wizard, Breanna had formed an easy relationship with Danijela. As a wizard of the mind, Liam had given her a few more problems. But Danijela was one of the only other people that could make Liam smile. And her optimism and happy personality had taken Liam out of his dark thoughts many times while he was growing up.
Breanna dismounted from her beautiful white horse—its back as tall as Liam’s head—and stood in front of Liam, barely breathing from her short ride from the school grounds, a few miles away.
“She needs our help,” Breanna said.
Liam stood up straighter. Maybe something would take them off this boring island. His Cremelino came up behind him and stuck his nose into Liam’s arm.
Anxious for an adventure too, aren’t you, Liberty? he said to the mind of his magical horse. Both twins had bonded with their Cremelinos in the first year after they were born. Almost sixteen years old, Liam recalled that the four of them had had many long rides together throughout the farmlands outside of Alaris.
“What does she need?” Liam asked.
“The storm has caught a young wizard out in a ship, and she needs us to rescue him.” Breanna combed her fingers through her silky hair to get out the tangles that the ride had put in it.
Liam’s thoughts went dark. “You know I can’t swim.”
“Oh, Liam, don’t get so defensive,” Breanna scolded him. “You need to lighten up. Your thoughts are always so negative.”
Liam wasn’t in the mood for her lighthearted banter. The dark storm had stoked his mood. “What would you know about enduring hardship, dear sister?” He limped a step toward her and then shook his lame foot at her.
As Breanna put her hands on her hips, she looked so much like their mother that Liam had to bite his cheeks to keep from smiling.
“Don’t blame that foot for everything,” Breanna said. “You can be a great wizard and do anything you want in life.”
Liam rolled his eyes and tried to stay angry, but he couldn’t. His sister had never made fun of him—ever—and had always made Liam seem more important than he was. It wasn’t her fault that he wasn’t anything special.
“All right then.” He tried to smile, but worried that it probably came out more like a grimace. “How do we get to a ship that’s miles out to sea?”
Breelyn grabbed his right arm in both hands and walked with Liam to the cliffs. She pointed out into the storm. “We can use magic to bring them to us.”
Liam felt his eyes widen. “That’s a lot of magic,” he said, glancing around to make sure they were truly alone. “What if the school finds out? We aren’t supposed to do that much magic alone, and Danijela doesn’t have any authority here.”
Breanna raised her dark eyebrows. “Not direct authority, strictly speaking, but she is the strongest wizard in the western lands.”
“True,” Liam said. Shielding his eyes, he peered out into the dark clouds. “I can’t see anything out there.”
Breanna motioned for him to sit back down, and Liam was grateful for
it—his foot always hurt when he stood too long. This was another thing Breanna had going for her—her natural compassion for others, without making them feel bad about receiving it.
“I am a wizard of the earth,” Breanna said. “And I have been learning to control nature—wind, rain, water. And you are a wizard of the mind, a scholar, in your own words, I believe, when you’re bragging about it.”
Liam actually blushed. “Go on.”
Breelyn pointed to the Cremelinos. “And we can pull power from them. Between all of us, we should be able to figure out how to bring a ship in from the storm.”
Liam let out a long breath. So far, only the edges of the storm had sprayed water around them. But it was blowing in harder now, and the wind was picking up.
“How are you always so optimistic, Breanna? You think there is nothing that we can’t do.”
His sister’s lips curved up in a broad smile. “There is no limit to how high we can fly, Liam. Don’t you just feel the power coursing through your veins? Don’t you just want to jump up and float on the wind and sail over the earth?”
Liam grunted and then said, “I’ll stay here on the ground, thank you very much. You can fly to the clouds all you want.”
“We can do this,” she said.
Liam turned his mind inward. This could be a good time to test his abilities and to show that he was ready to leave the school…
“Let me think a moment,” he said.
Breanna patted his arm and put up a small barrier that blocked the incoming storm from them. The Cremelinos moved closer to the twins.
After a few minutes of thinking, Liam smiled. “There is something that I have wanted to try,” he said. “And, with the clouds so low, it might work. I have been studying where the magic comes from and why some wizards are stronger than others.”
“Quite the scholarly pursuit, for someone that doesn’t think they can accomplish anything,” Breanna teased.
Liam punched his sister lightly on the arm. Seeing the joy in her eyes, he realized he would do anything for her.