The Mageborn of Xanth: To Suffer No Pain

by Mortis Mai Divawolf

Throughout Xanth, there are tales of evil magicians, who enchant people. These people are known as the Mageborn. Eloise Alfya is one of these. Born of elfin race, she has strived to stay within the boundries of the Xanthian Tundra. Until now.

Eloise glanced at the door. The harsh winds of the Xanthian tundra raged and pummeled the stone walls of the house. She checked the clock, 9:43 PM. Only three hours and seventeen minutes before midnight. She massaged her face, moving from angled eyes to pointed ears.

I should get some sleep, tomorrow's gonna be a long day.

Extinguishing the lamps, she leaned back in her chair and shut her eyes. Images passed through the darkness between her eyes. Scenes of places she'd only seen in books. The I-Fell Tower, Castle Roogna, they all passed by while ethereal music played near the base of her skull until Eloise finally drifted down a river of color into the gourd-realm.

Eloise flipped forward, panting. Something moved in the darkness around her, shifting like a nervous rabbit, its labored breathing revealing its presence. She shuddered then took a breath and murmured the Words of Power that would light the lamps simultaneously.