Story Ten: Game
Summary: It's hard having a science nerd for an older brother. But Miritayen is determined to get Sallen to do something fun, even if it means enlisting the help of his two best friends.
Miritayen's POV
"But why Sallen, why won't you do anything with me?" I pleaded, flopping down before him on his work station in an effort to catch his eye.
"Will you quit it Mir." he grumbled, attempting to reorder his papers since my sudden movement had disturbed them.
"Not until you give me a good answer." I wheedled, displaying my best innocent expression. "Come on Sallen, all you do now is paper work. Have some fun while your still a kid like me."
"Miritayen, for stars sake shut up!" snapped Sallen, smacking his hand down on the tabletop "Can't you see that I'm trying to do something important!"
"Playing with me 's not important?" I asked, tears springing to my eyes.
"Oh, Mir, I didn't mean it like that." said Sallen, rising and reaching towards me.
"But you still said it!" I cried dramatically, resting my forehead on the table before me.
"Really Mir? I'm your brother. I can tell when you are faking something like that." he said in amusement, putting a finger beneath my chin to raise my gaze to meet his. "Now, I am busy right now you know. Father and mother are teaching me the ways of the household, and they shall be mad if I do not finish this by week's end. So go and have some fun with your friends while you can, alright?"
"Fine." I grumbled, standing and flicking my wings in annoyance, enjoying the way the light shimmered across the magenta feathers. "If you want to spend all your time doing paperwork, who am I to stop you. But you best not complain to me some day that I never encouraged you to take a break and have fun."
With a grunt of acknowledgment Sallen turned away, flicking his wigs as he straightened his papers and flicked away a stray strand of hair that had fallen into his eyes.
"Well, if Sallen doesn't want to play." I murmured, walking away "Then I will have to make it so that he doesn't know he's playing until it is too late too stop. And I know of the perfect ones to help me with it." With that, I left the room where Sallen was studying. My pale magenta tunic caught a strange shadow on it as I walked, a scattering of light beams that did not follow the pattern they should have. Tracing the pattern upwards, my eyes caught sight of a figure positioned in the cross braces of the ceiling, dark wings that faded to a lighter hue blending with the natural shading of the building.
I see you Zer. I sent in amusement You may hide from others, but not from me.
*My light, I could never hide from you.* Zeren sent back, glee tinging his sending *You have a game for us though, I can tell.*
*Yes, yes we want to hear your game.* sent Illusion, his dark shape slithering from a shallow alcove, purple and black wings sending a myriad of colors across the floor as his tail swished behind him, the feathers on the tip making hissing noises as they scraped against the wall. The two of them made their way down from the rafters, short controlled glides from Zeren and a series of flaps from Illusion, who was slightly better at flying than either of us, his tail allowing for far better balance.
"So what is this game my light." asked Zeren, one wing extended to lace with mine.
"Yes, do tell." said Illusion "We should get on with it before you two decide to do something that others might not approve of."
"Eh, what could they do about it anyway?" shrugged Zeren. We
"Anyway." I said, rolling my eyes "There is a game we must prepare, and it is intended for my brother."
"What has Sallen done to you that makes you wish a game upon him?" asked Illusion "I thought your brother was your favorite among your family."
"No, not that kind of game." I hissed "I would never wish that kind of game on any but an enemy. The power we share should not be used save in the most drastic of circumstances. Do you not remember when we first used that power? The destruction we caused? No, if things go as they should, we shall never have need to use such power again."
"What sort of game do you suggest then?" asked Illusion "We have made no other sort together as of late that can be played by more than three. We have had no need."
"Well, Sallen will not willingly play our games." said Zeren, striding down the corridor and gesturing for us to follow. "I have heard him speak of us, He thinks our pastimes are silly, a waste of time he could spend training to take over from his parents He does not know of our games nature, how they teach us even while we play."
"So we have to trick him." I said, a smile playing across my lips. "Find a game that can hide until he is ensnared, then capture him within its fun."
"Well, your brother likes science, right?" said Illusion, absentmindedly twisting on of his tail feathers between his fingers "And it is the season of snow. Ask him to come with you to collect information on the way it collects and where, to provide evidence to compare to future years. It can be used for defense by the causing of avalanches and also protect those who are innocent from harm done by those snow slides. Then he shall be within the snare of the game."
"Let us not delay then." said Zeren "Gather the supplies, and we can cast the proper spells to make it so."
"Agreed." I said "We shall meed once more in three hours. That should give Illusion enough time to get home and get his things."
*I shall see you then.* sent Illusion, teleporting off. Zeren and I parted, each going to retrieve our supplies for the spell.
When the three hours had passed, we reunited in my room. Most of the proper circles were already in place, left over from the last time we had played. Carefully removing the rug from over them so as to avoid smudging the symbols, I sketched the few changes necessary for a fourth player. Zeren completed the circle while Illusion laid out the necessary reagents for our chosen game. He was better at writing the games so things went as planned, so he had been given that task. While we wanted Sallen to play, we did not want to put him in danger.
"Ready?" I asked, finishing the last sigil. The others nodded, retreating to the edge of the circle. "Let's do this then." a haze of magic covered the circle, the different colors spreading to coat the room. With a flash of light the scene around us shifted, becoming a strange, similar version that didn't quite match. Hopefully, the differences were small enough that Sallen would not notice them though. "Alright, I'll go get him." I said "You two go to the forts."
"Okay." they agreed, stepping from the room. Following them for a ways, I soon went a different way, traveling to where Sallen was studying, or at least where that was located in this game. When I got there, Sallen was looking at his papers in concern, comparing several different sheets. I bit my lip. I had to do this right, otherwise he might find out too soon and the game would not be able to maintain its hold on him.
"Now, this can't be right." he murmured, comparing several details.
"Hi Sallen," I said, resting my hands on his work table "Are you still busy right now?"
"Yes, although I was going to take a break soon. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, I was just wondering if you had taken any data on the snow." I said, shrugging "Illusion suggested it, and at least to me it seemed like a good idea." Sallen hesitated, eyes thoughtful.
"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt." he murmured "Alright, I will."
"I'll come with you then." I said "I'm curious as to how that would work." I followed Sallen from the room, pausing in irritation as he stopped to pick up some lab equipment that Illusion had thought to provide, making sure that Sallen would not suspect anything.
"Let's see, where would the best place to do this be?" murmured Sallen, leaving the building and scanning the area. His eyes narrowed as he saw an unfamiliar scene, for the section of the estate where we had been was transposed on a plain, snowy landscape since Illusion had not bothered to recreate the actual scene. "What is the meaning of this?" he hissed "Have you done something with the intent of trapping me."
"No silly." I said, rolling my eyes "Why would I do that? The goal of this is to get you to play."
"Now, that's not going to happen." he snorted "I have to get back to my studies."
"Well, here's the thing." I said "You can't leave the game until its goal is fulfilled."
"You mean you've trapped me within one of your games?" he asked, something resembling fury crossing his face.
"Oy, Sallen, back off my light." someone called from behind. A snowball smacked into the back of Sallen's head, sending him reeling. Zeren stood behind him on a low rise, Illusion a short way behind.
"So you want out of this game do you? Well, then you'll have to get through us."
"Is that really all I have to do?" asked Sallen incredulously.
"Oh, don't think it will be that easy." said Illusion "For it is our game as well." Rolling his eyes, Sallen flicked his wings open, leaping forwards onto the two of them. The two of them blocked drawing ice game-blades to fling him back.
"Naughty, naughty, you need to play right." snickered Zeren.
"You two have until nightfall to get the crystal from our snow fortress." said Illusion, sheathing his game-blade. "Else you have to do the forfeit. Mir knows it if you do not succeed." With that, the two of them disappeared, heading towards the ice fortress.
"Perhaps your games are not as useless as I thought." Sallen murmured "Although I am not sure that the use they have is all that good."
"Eh, we like them all the same." I shrugged, leading him off.