"Happy Birthday, Kelly!" everyone screamed
I had walked into the dining hall just as Master Irving instructed, and all the mages of the Ferelden Circle of Magi were there, standing around an enormous cake. The cake was two layers high with chocolate frosting, decorated with purple icing. There were even little purple tigers decorated onto the side of the cake. Ten candles sat at the top of the cake.
I was really excited.
"Thank you, everyone!"
"The First Enchanter even asked Lele the cook to make this especially for you." Wynne explained to me
"Thank you, Master Irving!"
I had already been at the Circle for now four years, and many of these people had become my new family. I always imagined Wynne as my grandmother I never had; a kind, but stern woman. I always called Irving my master, but I had always thought of him as my father.
"Over here, Kelly!" Karl called out, waving me closer to the cake
I ran over to see Karl sitting to where he'd be on my left, Jowan beside him, and Anders was sitting where he'd be right.
"Hurry up already, Kelly! I'm starving for cake!" Anders complained
This was common.
"You can wait as long as I want to wait. Besides, you aren't getting the first piece anyway!"
"Children! Calm down. Kelly, please sit down, and blow out your candles." Irving instructed
He had just come into the room from outside the dining hall, followed by Gregoir, the now Knight Commander of the Ferelden Circle of Magi. He was getting far greyer than when he first brought me here four years ago.
Not only that, he was becoming far nastier towards me. At the time, I had no idea the reason why that was, but I realized later that my powers increasing at an incredible rate made him extremely cautious.
"Blow out the candles, Kelly." Irving ordered
I made my wish, took a large breath, and blew out the candles. All the candles went out.
Suddenly, a scream came from outside the dining hall. An Elvin woman came rushing through nobr/nobrthe doors in a shear panic.
"First Enchanter! First Enchanter! Kaleb exploded a potion in the chemistry lab, and now there is a fire!"
Irving and Gregoir jumped at the words, and followed the woman out the door. Anders tried to follow, but Wynne stopped him.
"No, Anders, it's too dangerous for a young man like you to go there. We don't want anyone hurt, if we can help it."
"But Wynne...!" he whined
"No buts! Now, let us enjoy this cake for Kelly, or would you prefer to get the last piece?"
"Of course not!"
She snickered. Wynne always knew how to get Anders attention.
Anders ran up to me and whispered in my ear, "The usual spot later, kay?"
I nodded.
. . .
I headed to the library later that night. It was quiet and dead, like it normally was this late at night. No one came here after bedtime.
A hand touched my shoulder. I jumped, but another hand covered my face. It was only Karl.
"Sorry to scare you, Kelly. It's darker than normal, so I was feeling my way around. Do you know if Anders and Jowan are here yet?"
"Not that I'm aware of." I replied after he removed his hand
Three sets of footsteps were heard. Karl and I hid between some bookshelves. There was a very dim lamp, and two of the figures were familiar.
I leapt out of hiding to scare them. Only Jowan and the new figure jumped.
"Glad you could make it, Kelly." Anders said
Karl came out of hiding.
"I'm here too."
"That means everyone is here. Come on, let's go!"
The new figure, which was a girl a few years younger than us with braided, jet black colored hair, walking behind Jowan. For the first time, Jowan didn't look like a coward. He looked like an older brother.
Anders quietly picked the lock of the underground storage closet and beckoned us inside; Jowan and the new girl first, then me, Karl, and finally Anders closed the door behind us. He turned the dial on the lamp, increasing the light in the area, and lead the way to our secret spot. An old wooden board laid against the wall, and Karl moved it out of the way to reveal a small cave big enough for about a half a dozen children to comfortably sit in. It had pillows and blankets scattered on the floor, books laying in the corner, a large box near the entrance, and several smaller boxes near the books. Anders sat on the far pillow, Jowan and the girl sat near him on the left, I sat on Ander's right side, and the Karl pushed the board a little in front of the entrance, and sat by Anders to the left.
"I have called this meeting for the Mages Against Templars, or MAT, for many reasons. First, we have a new member joining us today, who just came to the Circle after your party, Kelly."
He stood up, and looked to the girl. Here glass colored eyes showed nervousness and fear.
"Please stand up and state your name."
She slowly stood up, and nervously replied, "I-I'm Anjah Amell."
"Where are you originally from, and how were you able to join us this evening?"
"L-Lothering. It's a town not far from the Kokari Wilds. J-Jowan invited me."
"Anjah Amell, do you wish to join our cause in our hatred of Templars?"
I whispered to her, "We talk about the problems Templars create, but it's mostly just a club to hang out."
"I-I guess..."
"Then Anjah, you must pass a test! You must cast a fire spell!"
"Anders, we don't even know...!" Karl tried to protest, but she closed her eyes
Seconds later, a fireball sat in her hands.
"WOW! You're really good!"
"T-thanks. My father taught me before he died from a wolf in the Wilds."
"I'm sorry..."
"Anjah Amell, do you swear that you will not reveal our club house, or tell anyone of our cause?"
"N-No... I won't."
"And will you treat your fellow members with respect?"
"Yes."
"Then as of today, you are a member of the Mages Against Templars, or MAT."
