The First Meeting
"Raistlin! Raistlin, NO!"
The voices faded into the mist as Raistlin disappeared, leaving his friends to their fates. He knew he couldn't rescue them; deep down, he sensed he didn't want to help them. He felt that they would do nothing but get in his way, especially Caramon. Raistlin's thoughts slowly sank away into darkness, and he felt nothing more.
When he came to, Raistlin opened his eyes and found himself staring up a cold, gray sky. A drop of rain fell onto his upturned face. He shivered and stood up shakily. Using his magic always left him weak and drained; that was a long way to transport anyways. The mage looked around, trying to figure out where in the world he was. He looked to the west and saw a forest. Thinking there could be a town somewhere close, he started towards the trees. His efforts, however, were not rewarded. When he reached the trees, he realized where he was; the tortured lands of Silvanesti.
"Oh, this is just terrific," muttered Raistlin. He stepped into the forest, looking for any signs of life.
It had been months since he and his companions had freed the dying land from the curse of the green dragon. He remembered the nightmares his friends had suffered through. Those had been terrible times. And he doubted that the times would improve.
A twig snapped to his right. Raistlin turned slowly to look at what had disturbed the forest's painful silence. A figure cloaked in black was staring at him with bright eyes.
"What are you doing here?" the figure asked.
"I'm trying to get to the closest city. However, I can't seem to remember which city that would be at the moment," Raistlin snapped.
"You won't be able to make it in this weather. A storm is coming. You'll be safest here. Come." The figure started away through the trees, seeming to float on the rancid air rather than walk.
Raistlin stumbled after the figure. He was wary, yet curious at the same time. He wasn't sure what to expect, but the young mage was weary and wanted very much to stay somewhere for the night. He didn't think it would be a very good idea to stay out in a cold storm with his health.
The figure led him to a small cave on the outskirts of the kingdom. A slender hand appeared from under the robe and pulled back a curtain of ivy. Raistlin gasped at what was inside the cave. Mountains of leather-bound books were piled to the ceiling; all of them spell books of some kind or another. A small fire leaped and danced in the center of the cave, casting a warm glow over the rock. A few pouches hung on the walls, and a small painting of the Silvanesti kingdom before the curse fell upon it hung beside the pouches.
"Welcome, fellow mage, to my home," the figure spoke gently, pulling off the hood of the cloak. A river of auburn hair fell to her waist. She turned and smiled. She was indeed an elf. Raistlin smirked and ran a finger across one of the books.
"Are these all yours?" Raistlin asked, hungrily eyeing one of the larger books.
"Yes."
"Wow. How long have you been living in this land?"
"Years. However, I've been banished from this land. I'm a dark elf." The she-elf said this without any trace of remorse, which was odd.
"Hmm." Raistlin looked up from the temptation of the books and looked into the elf's blue-green eyes. "And who are you?"
"Inanna."
"I'm Raistlin Majere."
She nodded and gestured to the books. "Go ahead. Read them, rest, do whatever you like. I shall be back soon."
Raistlin watched her go with his old smirk on his face. He reached eagerly for the nearest book and began reading it with vigor unmatched by anything he had ever had. Inanna paused outside the cave and looked back at Raistlin reading the book. She smiled slightly in an all-knowing way and shook her head. Then, she muttered a few words and was gone, leaving Raistlin to his rise to power.