The skies almost looked like a watercolor painting. The clouds ran together in packs, blending in occasionally with the sky. They looked feathery-soft and silky, playing as they did along the cerulean curtains. Today was a beautiful day on the Zealian continent. The long, lush blades of grass danced on the warm zephyr that was blowing today. Sitting in the field was a tall, muscular man. His deep violet hair shimmered in the sunlight, the thick braid at his back waved slightly in the wind. He was dressed in a shimmering cloth that denoted his position: a Zealian high mage. The fabric was woven in such a way a person might think they saw the spirit plane if they looked at it just right. The cloak over his shoulders seemed to be woven with the stars themselves, although this was merely trickery for the eyes. It was well known that many mages had to make their own clothing, and so anyone would know just how skilled a magician was by the clothes they wore. The light green cloth, shimmering as if it were woven by the stars itself, made the figure almost blend into the grass around him. He took a deep breath and focused, reaching out to the world around him.
A castle built atop a large hill rose from the ground in the distance. It shimmered the many colors of the rainbow in the afternoon sunlight, and attracted the attention of all that passed within sight of it. It was easy to see this was where the ruler of this kingdom, Queen Zeal, and her young daughter, Schala, lived. Speaking of, the girl sat on a bench just across the river that flowed next to the palace. The bench itself was a work of art. Flowers and birds of all kinds had been skillfully carved into the glistening white granite. Just blossoming into womanhood, the fifteen year-old's violet gown molded her body perfectly. Azure hair, highlighted with turquoise by the sun, framed her pale beautiful face as she read. Every so often Schala would glance up at the sky, and look thoughtful for a moment before returning to the book in her lap.
He breathed deeply, letting out a breath. Schala, the budding young mage, was already beginning to get an idea of what this expert in magery was doing. He wasn't terribly far away, just enough so that his presence wouldn't crush her (since most of the high mages had trouble suppressing their own powers. There was a reason they often isolated themselves). She'd still feel him, and the occasional ripple he sent through the weave of life. In his hands sat a small animal. It was one of the many exotic lizards that had been 'grown' by the dreams of Zeal. A curious little thing about the size of a robin, its vibrant orange rill extended and bobbed. She could feel it as he talked to the animal, a faint murmur of voices at the back of her mind. What he was doing, she wouldn't know, but as a light whistle pierced the air, he threw the reptile toward the sky. Its transformation was quick and stunning. The pebbly skin of the reptile suddenly burst forth with feathers of bright crimson and oranges. Zeal: the only place where a lizard could fulfill a dream of becoming a bird.
The mage could feel her green eyes on him. He had sparked an interest in her with his work. Transformation was advanced magic and she had yet to learn to accomplish such a feat. The reptile-changed bird flew off out of sight and a summer breeze picked up. Schala turned away from the mage to face the breeze, letting the wind caress her cheeks and play with strands of her hair.
He had a rather interesting position in the kingdom as far as his job was concerned. They had no official name for him, because the combination of words needed to describe accurately what he did was near to non-existent. What he did was take the creations made by those, which made the new species for Zeal and talked to them. After conversing with them, he would then ask them if they felt they were truly happy. If they weren't, well, he changed them. This, seemingly so mundane, was crucial to the existence of Zeal. If the magical beings needed to keep the island aloft were unhappy, the continent would sink and that would be the end of it. He stood, the sweeping green and silver material rippling as he got up to his feet. She would find him tall, and his deep tan skin was indica of a healthy body...unlike most of the other mages. Actually, if she looked closer, she would find that the material he wore was slightly prismatic, and would detect hints of blue, red, and violet woven into the fabric. He took another deep breath and let it out slowly.
"It is a beautiful day today," he put into words that which was obvious to any onlooker. However, it was more of a pleasant observation, so such a thing would not be replied to in an unkind manner.
Schala nodded politely. "Yes, it is." She never really knew how to react to this man. After all she was a teenage girl and he was quite handsome. Many of the ladies of the Court found themselves fawning over him if not for his looks, for his power. Anyway back to the princess. She always tried to limit her time with the mage. He made her feel about ten feet tall and clumsy.
Ah yes, there was that. He didn't enjoy much of the attention, mostly because of the fact that he knew they were trying to flatter him to possibly start a relationship didn't help. For despite his good looks, he was somewhat of a hermit. Often enough, he found himself contemplating why he didn't simply go somewhere to be with the dream creatures he had changed. At least they didn't blatantly lie to his face. Even then, a smile traced on his lips and he responded,
"Princess Schala, your skills continue to grow. I can distinctly feel them now." This, to a younger Zealian learning magic, would be a great compliment.
The princess carefully schooled her expression into neutral gratitude. She had learned long ago to not show her true feelings to the others of the court. Most would use the information to their own advantage and her detriment. "Thank you Master Solei." Schala answered politely, bowing her head in acknowledgement of the older mage's stronger powers.
He took the thank you with grace, although he knew she was practicing her training. He, being telepathic, often sensed when somebody was hiding something for lying to him. In this case, he could sense her going into her princessly duties. He didn't blame her, being so high in social power, but it still unnerved him a bit. Turning to his left, he gazed over to the island where the city of Enhasa was.
"Princess Schala, I must take my leave. However, I look forward to seeing you at the feast tonight." Ah yes, the feast. It was in celebration of the day the Kingdom of Zeal broke through the clouds. It was a symbol of bountiful times and, to the earthbounds, a time of oppression.
A real smile lit Schala's eyes and curved the corners of her lips. "Again, thank you for your support." Many considered the young princess unfit for the Zealian throne. She had none of the ambition or snobbery that characterized most Zealians. And she was kind to the Earthbound. Her enemies feared that when Schala became queen, there would be no social difference between the lowly Earthbound ones and the Enlightened. Only the fear of Queen Zeal and Schala's inherent magical abilities kept the dissenters from murdering the young princess. "Farewell, Master Solei. May your dreams contain happiness."
The violet-haired Magician nodded, and in response he replied, "And may your dreams take you to far-away places." He came forward, his shimmering peridot cloak sweeping up behind him. As he walked, his pace was brisk. Soon, once out of sight, he broke into a run. The land bridge was several miles away, and he needed to get to the city of dreamers in time for a prior appointment. As Schala sat by herself, she might see that lizard turned bird, singing happily in the trees. Schala sighed with contentment, listening to the music of nature, even if it wasn't quite all the way natural. This was what she grew up with and what she was used to. Sometime later she rose gracefully to her feet and returned to the palace to ready herself for the feast.
A/N: Well, this is the first chapter we've written. Yes, it is a co-authorship. Between me, Nightmarestalker and Bishounenstalker! What do you think? Please read and review. We love imput, even criticism. At least as long as it's constructive. How can we change anything if we don't know what's wrong? Updates will be erratic as it is a two-person project and we're both full time college students. Sorry! We'll try to get the next chapter up A.S.A.P. We're almost done, I promise! Thanks again for reading! Happy days!
