The smell of herbs and spices filled the house with a warm glow as Raistlin studied. A leather thong he cleverly created for this exact reason held his auburn hair back so when he studied he didn't have to keep pushing it out of his face. In front of him were his spell book and a quill he had bought from Weird Meggin. But the quill lay unused next to the spell book and Raistlin's mind kept wandering from his studies. He didn't know why; usually he could get his studies done quickly and then tend to his pets and plants, but today something was different. It started the night before when he dreamed; a dream that terrified him beyond belief. Though it included his death, Raistlin was more afraid of the darkness that consumed him as he died. He could still see it, slithering like a snake over his white robes, turning them at first red, the as the darkness progressed, into midnight black.
" Raist." His brother's voice called to him through the window, making Raistlin jump. " I am coming brother." He whispered and the nickering of horses propelled him into action. Placing the quill and the spell book into his shoulder bag, he padded out the door and went to meet his brother.
" Welcome to the tower of High Sorcery young mages." Par-Sailan's voice rang through the granite room. " Each of you shall be taken to your test by a mage of your order and there you shall either become an apprentice mage or," He paused on the last word, but he knew that every one of the children before him knew what the word was. " All I have to say is good luck and made the gods of magic be with you." He made eye contact with the young man closest to him and staring into those dark brown eyes so full of pain, so full of anger, so full of untapped power that they made Par- Sailan shivered. Suddenly the sharp voice of another white robe called to him and the young man broke the connection and quickly walked over to the mage, his body moving with unnatural grace.
" Who is that young man?" Par Sailan thought to Justarius who was also watching the man as he left. " That is Raistlin Majere."
" The youngest of us all to take the test." Par Sailan murmured and Justarius nodded slowly. " Gods help us."
All Raistlin could hear was the sound of his own breathing as the dark elf approached him. The sneer plastered to his face made Raistlin want to slap him, but fear had him and wouldn't let go. He had run himself into a dead end and with no spells or the energy to use them, Raistlin knew he was going to die trying to achieve what he had longed for all of his life; Power. But the thought of him dying without what he came for only angered him, he hadn't come this far to lose everything, and by the gods was he going to get out here. Suddenly the dark elf stopped, his feline face tilted in amazement and horror. Raistlin felt the cold sting of metal against his thumb and glancing down, saw the shape of what he hated in his hand. It was sword, but it was unlike any sword he had ever seen; curved in an arc with the ability to slash and stab his opponents. As he studied his weapon, the dark elf took its chance to cut Raistlin down and with a running start went to skewer him like pig. Raistlin lashed out; his body moving faster than any elf's and twisting dropped to one knee slicing open the dark elf's gut with a single stroke of his blade. The elf was hurled to the side, his blood slicked organs forcing their way out of the wound; many of them in half as the dark elf choked on his blood. Raistlin walked over to the dying man and kneeling beside him, wiped the blood off of sword on the elf's shirt.
" Who are you?" The elf hiccupped and Raistlin smiled. " I am the Raistlin Majere. " And standing, saw that his test had transformed into a battlefield. All around him Raistlin could see the flashes of magic punctuated by the sounds of screams. Suddenly Raistlin felt the hair on his neck stand on end and throwing himself into the red dirt, narrowly avoided being crushed by an ogre's hammer. The ogre picked up the hammer once more with ease and began trying to behead Raistlin, every swing growing more fevered. Raistlin's mind went blank, a red haze settled upon his vision and picking himself up quickly from the dust, he ducked under the hammer and thrust his sword into the ogre's chest. Twisting it, Raistlin was sprayed with the ogre's green blood as he pulled the weapon out with a snarl. The ogre collapsed in a heap at Raistlin's feet and looking up, Raistlin saw that there were others, others who were fighting, and others who were dressed in robes also. But as Raistlin watched them, he could tell that weren't exactly mages. They looked like them and they even were able to cast spells as mages, but these people who Raistlin was fighting with moved too gracefully to be mages.
" BEHIND YOU!" The call was made and Raistlin heard it, but it didn't echo. His body responded; another foe had materialized behind him and Raistlin threw his sword making contact with the man's flesh and sending him flying. Running over, he pulled the blade free and raising it over his head, let out roar that reverberated over the battle. The others who released their own battle cries, many of them actual roars, responded to his voice. Suddenly Raistlin felt a sharp sting and he fell forward onto his knees. Protruding from his ribcage was an arrow; its white feathers stained red with his blood. Raistlin knew he was dying; all around him, the people gathered and he smiled. Death after what seemed like the ages had come to claim him and Raistlin knew he would never leave the Tower alive.
" I have come for what I came for." He murmured and watching as his world dimmed Raistlin collapsed into darkness.
R&R
