January 19, 2003
Shades of Gray: Installment II
Chapter I: Assault at Dawn
13-year-old Castaspella closed her eyes, feeling the comfortable spring breeze hit her face. The smell of the flowers in full bloom relaxed her as she concentrated on the lands far away, feeling the voice of the cosmos speak to her. It was nearing sundown and she had studied and practiced her magic hard. Her brown hair was pulled back out of her face and hung just past her shoulders in ringlets. With her innocent deep blue eyes and full lips, she hardly looked to be someone that was expected to be one of Etheria's most powerful sorceresses. Her meditation was interrupted by a voice that she immediately recognized.
"Castaspella, I was wondering where you were", said Norwyn, her mentor, as he walked over to her onto the balcony that hung from their quarters in the Enchanted Castle.
Norwyn was not much older than some of the students himself, but he had proven the magical kingdom of Mystacore to be a very powerful wizard. Castaspella looked to Norwyn like a father. He had raised her and trained her in sorcery ever since he had found her as an orphan at age four. He had also taken upon the difficult task of taking on two apprentices. Along with four-year-old Castaspella, he had also taken on another student, Liora Light Spinner, an ambitious nine-year-old. Castaspella and Liora had met each other as orphans in the village of Galeheart. Liora had never known her real parents, so Castaspella's parents soon adopted her. It was soon after that that Galeheart was burned to the ground by a mysterious evil magic. Norwyn grew attached to the girls whom he felt some sort of magic within them, and took them on as students. Liora and Castaspella grew up like sisters, with Liora taking on the role of older sister and being somewhat protective of Castaspella. Now, Castaspella was starting to realize her full powers, and sometimes, they frightened her.
"Norwyn, I was just out here thinking", said Castaspella, as she turned and faced him.
"You are working very hard, Castaspella. I see you really want to become a first rate sorceress, yet I feel something is bothering you", said Norwyn.
Castaspella looked down. She hated it sometimes that Norwyn could sense her feelings and know when something was wrong.
"I don't know, Norwyn. I feel uneasy, like something is happening or about the happen", said Castaspella.
"Like what? Like something bad?" asked Norwyn.
"Whatever it is? It does not comfort me any. I wish I were more like Liora. Either she doesn't get these negative vibes or she just doesn't care", said Castaspella, as she took her hands and straightened her light gray robe that was starting to slip off her shoulders.
"Well, Liora does not seem to care about a lot of things", said Norwyn, sounding a little annoyed.
Castaspella looked at Norwyn as he turned and looked away.
"What do you mean?" asked Castaspella.
Norwyn took a few steps away, as if to avoid Castaspella's gaze and said, "I am sorry. I should not have said that".
"Norwyn, you did say it and I want to know what you mean. Liora is like my sister and we have always had that connection. Did she get in trouble in school again?" asked Castaspella.
Norwyn turned and looked at Castaspella and finally said, "Castaspella, I took you both on because I sensed a strong magic with in you. Liora is very powerful, but I feel she is not living up to her full potential. Yeah, she wants to learn magic and loves it, but she doesn't want to work at it".
"I have seen her practicing magic several times. She does want to learn", said Castaspella, feeling she had to come to Liora's defense.
"Yeah, but she practices what she likes, not the spells she has problems with. If she has trouble on certain subjects she gives up too easily, gets angry, and doesn't want to try anymore. It is because of that, I am very worried about her", said Norwyn.
"Perhaps I could keep an eye on her. I can feel when she is upset about something, but Liora is not one to express her feelings. Besides, she is on some sort of mission with Lady Astra. She is a great teacher who might help Liora", said Castaspella.
"Well, I hope she'll be alright. If she works harder, she could be one of Etheria's most powerful sorceresses as you can be too", said Norwyn, as he laid a reassuring hand on Castaspella's shoulder and then walked back toward the door.
"I am sure she will be. After all, we have overcome so much already together. Goodnight, Norwyn", said Castaspella as she watched Norwyn disappear through the door.
Norwyn called back toward Castaspella, "Goodnight, and Castaspella, keep up your good work".
The Enchanted Castle that was the heart of the magical kingdom of Mystacore radiated a vast number of colors as it reflected the rising sun. Two women on horseback were heading slowly up the main road that leads to the gates of the kingdom. One was Lady Astra, one of Mystacore's most famous teachers. Her long blond hair was left down and gently blowing the breeze. She wore a light blue cloak that seemed to shimmer in the pale sunlight. She road on her steed, sitting up tall and confident while her younger companion seemed more anxious and unsure of herself as she looked around her surroundings.
"We are almost there, Liora. I know this has been a long trip for you, but Norwyn insisted that I take you outside of Mystacore for a while", said Astra, as she looked over at the girl.
Liora Light Spinner, a small eighteen-year-old turned toward Astra and said, "He feels I needed to hang out with other teachers because he feels I can do much better than he feels I am doing. I guess maybe he is giving up on me or something".
Astra looked over at the teenager. Liora's wavy blond hair was pulled back out of her face in small braids that hung on her shoulders. Her dark blue eyes seemed to be a mystery to most people in that they could never tell how she was really feeling.
"Liora, Norwyn has not given up on you. A sorcerer or sorceress does not know everything there is to know about magic, and I think he is giving you the opportunity to learn from other teachers. Perhaps they can teach you things that he cannot", said Astra.
"I am sorry. I guess I have been a little frustrated. Whenever I think I have tried my hardest, he still thinks I can do better. Castaspella seems to be doing well. Perhaps he has more faith in her than me", said Liora, as she looked down.
Liora ran her fingers through her horse's fine white mane. Astra looked hard at Liora, feeling sadness flowing through her. She felt for the young girl and wanted to help her. She knew, being a teacher herself, how Norwyn must feel to see such great potential in a child and not figuring out a way to bring that strength out. Liora was powerful, but her skills in the white arts needed so much fine-tuning.
"Liora, Norwyn does not feel that way at all. He has raised you and Castaspella since you were very young and I sometimes feel he feels more like a father than a teacher to you two. Castaspella is a great sorceress in the making as you are too and he knows it", said Astra.
"Don't get me wrong. I love Castaspella. She is like my sister, and I am proud that she is doing so well. It would make me happy to see her become one of Etheria's most powerful sorceresses. I wish I was more like her in that she never gives up, no matter how times she fails. I guess I don't have the patience, and I hate that about myself", said Liora, as she smacked a hand down hard on her horse.
Liora's horse jerked a little at the reins, a little startled by being hit. Liora realized she scared her horse and she whispered in its ear, "I am so sorry. I did not mean to take that out on you".
Astra smiled at Liora and then faced up ahead where they were approaching the gates. "We are here, Liora. I think you should head to your quarters and tell Norwyn all about your trip to the Mystic Wetlands".
"Well, I guess it could be classified as a trip. I wonder if he has ever been there. At least there was no weird stuff going on that others have been reported going on in various places on Etheria", said Liora.
Liora suddenly pulled up on the reins, causing her horse to whinny and almost throw her off. Astra stopped and turned toward Liora who was looking all around. Astra's face became stricken with worry.
"You see anything. I sense something is near", said Astra, as she looked around.
Liora looked past Astra, suddenly pulled back her gray cloak that covered her red tunic and pulled out a long gold sword. She made a flying leap, powered by her magic, and soared over Astra's head. She swung her sword up in the air and some being screamed as it hit the ground. It has been knocked off a flying gray horse that had wings more like a bat than a bird that most of the Pegasus that existed on Etheria had. The flying beast, seeing that's rider had been knocked off, flew over Liora and Astra and then turned around, making a dive toward them. Astra held out her hand and a flash of light surrounded the horse. It screamed and then was gone. Astra then hopped off of her horse and ran over to Liora who was on the ground, gasping for breath.
"Liora, are you okay?" asked Astra, as she helped Liora up onto her feet.
"Yeah, just got the wind knocked out of me. It came fast and was ready to attack us", said Liora, as she looked over at the fallen rider.
Liora and Astra walked over the rider who was laying still. Liora's sword was right through its middle. As they got closer, they realized it had been a living skeleton. Its black cloak was all tattered and moth eaten.
"Oh my god!" cried Astra, as she placed her hand to her chest.
"What is it?" asked Liora.
"A Dark Rider. I have not seen them in years. They can only be summoned by a possessor of black magic", said Astra.
"Oh, it was worth then to kill it", said Liora.
"Your sword did not kill it. No weapon except for bright light of a white sorceress can destroy it, until it is summoned again", said Astra, as she pulled out the sword and handed it back to Liora.
"Okay, then who summoned it?" asked Liora, sounding a little frightened.
"I don't know, Liora, but black magic is very powerful and not to be messed with. Only one who is skilled in the black arts can summon the Dark Riders", said Astra, as she shook her head.
The skeleton being slowly began to dissolve. Liora watched in horror. She then turned toward Astra and asked, "Is black magic more powerful than white?"
"It could be. Depends on what kind of white or black magic, but black magic is something you should never mess with. It only brings negative energies to those that possess it, such as pain, anger, sadness, and destruction", said Astra.
Liora turned toward the castle and saw that some people had been woken up by the noise. Liora saw Norwyn and Castaspella running over to them. Castaspella ran over and hugged Liora.
"Liora, are you okay? I heard someone attacked you", said Castaspella, as she pulled back.
"Just shaken up a little. I am surprised that I knew that thing was coming", said Liora, as she pushed some of the hair that had fallen in her face.
"Your magic told you. I told you if you listen, your magic actually uses the cosmos to sense things around you", said Norwyn.
"Your student saved my life, Norwyn. You should be proud. I felt its presence too, but I had no idea where it was. If she had not acted fast enough I would have lost my head", said Astra.
"Where is the attacker?" asked Norwyn.
"Destroyed. It disappeared. It was a Dark Rider", said Liora.
"A Dark Rider? They can only be summoned by someone who practices the black arts", exclaimed Norwyn.
"Exactly. I am afraid we need to find out who is behind this before something even more terrifying happens", said Astra.
Castaspella looked and saw that there was blood on the shoulder of Liora's gray cloak. She walked over and cried, "Liora, you're bleeding!"
Liora turned her head. She slid the cloak off her shoulders and saw that she had a nice deep cut that went through her red tunic and into her upper arms. In her adrenaline rush she had not noticed that she had been cut. Norwyn walked over and looked at the wound.
"Okay, you're coming inside. We need to get you stitched up", said Norwyn.
Liora did not say anything. She slipped her cloak back on and walked towards the castle. Castaspella walked along side her. Norwyn stood for a while with Astra as they watched the two students walk away.
Norwyn looked over at Astra and said, "We need to address to the Council of Kings at once. Something is going on somewhere on this planet. Perhaps we need to contact Bright Moon and see if they know of anything".
"Liora and I traveled to the Mystic Wetlands and nothing was found there. If the Dark Riders are near Mystacore, we need to act fast. Bright Moon won't contact us if they know anything. They have much more powerful allies. We are thought of as just a school of magic than an actual kingdom", said Astra.
"But we are a kingdom. We just happen to have one of the most famous schools of magic on Etheria. Perhaps we should go inside, check out Liora's injury, and then discuss this matter", said Norwyn.
"I agree, Norwyn", said Astra.
Astra and Norwyn then followed Liora and Castaspella into the Enchanted Castle, leaving just the smoldering ground where the Dark Rider had been before it dissipated.