The Great Battle

Planning

Chapter 3

That night

"Maybe I have this dance?" Numair asked Daine, grinning, giving her a mock bow.

"Oh of course!" Daine curtseyed daintily and took his arm, her eyes twinkling.

"You know, I've done some thinking. That Niklaren Goldeye, I think I remember him. He is another black-robe mage. And guess what, he used to be one of my best friends at Carthak Uni." Numair chuckled. "Imagine, I couldn't even recognize him at first!"

" Say, if he is a powerful mage, maybe he can help us too! You know what I think, the person who set these Hellions free must have some sort of spell to control them. Otherwise, why take the risk of getting into the danger of killing themselves. Either that or they have a spell to cast these Hellions back whenever they deem right: which is when Tortall is destroyed. But who would want to destroy Tortall??? We are on quite good terms with the other countries…." Daine said thoughtfully.

Numair shook his head in resignation. "It could be anyway, anyone, magelet. Ah, wait, Mr Goldeye is coming."

"Why I don't believe it! Arram Draper, what are you doing here??" Nikalren asked, slapping Numair on the back.

"And I may ask you the same thing, Nikki!" Numair joked back and to two men hugged each other.

Tris covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. 'Nikki???'

"No well, actually, I'm in the service of the King." Numair was saying to Niklaren. "Really," He added as Niklaren looked at him, disbelieving. Numair burst out laughing. "Still as distrusting as last time huh?"

"One would never know with you…" Niklaren replied and started to laugh as well.

Finally, when they stopped, Numair turned to Daine. "This is my student, Daine. She is a Wildmage, as Jon introduced just now. She has wild magic, and as I had said so many thousand years ago, there are such magics." Numair said smugly.

"Okay okay, you win. But I didn't disbelieve you at that time." Niklaren said a little defensively.

Tris opened her eyes widely. She had never heard her teacher speak so…so….casually before!

"Anyway, this is also my student. She is Tris and has weather magic. Well, the 4 of them have unusually magics." Nicklaren said.

"That's interesting. I have heard of it but never gotten to actually know people who have it. Yes, maybe we could do a study on it, like the old days." Numair said excitedly.

Daine rolled her eyes, he won't stop talking on this topic for ages. "Come on," she called to Tris. "Let's leave them to talk about whatsoever they need to. I trust you are not interested?"

Tris nodded silently. 'Sandry, Briar, Daja, where are you all?' Tris mind-spoke to them.

'Outside,' Sandry replied. 'We couldn't stay inside much longer. Come on out!'

'I have the Wildmage with me. Should I bring her?' Tris asked.

'Why not, we could get to know her.' Sandry said.

'Yes, besides, I'm interested in her dragon.' Daja added.

Tris turned to Daine. "My friends are outside. Do you want to come?"

Daine shrugged. "Why not."

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That night at the Conference Hall

"Jon, I've told Niklaren the situation." Numair said and broke the silence.

"You WHAT?" Jon practically shouted into his ear.

"Relax, he was one of my good friends at school and an equally power mage. Another one of the seven. And he says he may know who had the power to wake these Hellions up." Numair said calmly.

"Who?" Everyone asked.

"Lady Casirina of the Copper Islands." Numair said. "She was our adversary at the Carthk Univerity and apparently, she is the only woman black-robe mage around. Niklaren happened to meet her as he was traveling here and he says that she is now a very powerful sorceress. What's more, her husband is Jobell Jeholan."

Everyone looked at Numair in shock.

He nodded gravely. "Yes, one of the most powerful mages in the realm. Imagine the magnitude of magic they have!"

"No….then…then what can we do? Go right up to her and force her to stop?" Alanna asked in shock.

"Hardly that, my dear sister. I wouldn't do that if I were you. Tsk tsk, after all these years, still as impulsive as ever." A voice drawled right behind the room. Everyone turned around and gasped in shock at who they saw.

"And how careless you all are. How can you discuss without casting a spell over this place first. People do eavesdrop you know." The person said and flicked a flame of violet magic over the room.

"Oh my…oh, no, goddess! It can't be!" Alanna was the first to speak. She went weak on her knees. "Is it who I think it is?"

"No happy to see me, my dear sister?"

"THOM!!!" Alanna cried out and went full force into his arms. "Thom! Oh Thom, I have missed you so much!" She reached out and pinched him. "You're in flesh!" She looked at him in bewilderment.

Everyone else looked as striken as she was. Especially Jonathan.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Thom asked.

"Coz…coz you're not supposed to be here! Mithros! You're supposed to be in the Black God's Realm!! Why are you here?" Alanna asked.

"Well, oh, I guess I had better to say it now. I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I am back alive and I've regained my powers. For the good now, that is." Thom said and looked at Jon.

"And well, that leads to the bad news. The bad news is that I'm here. Why? Because if I can be here, so can the other spirits and other enemies…" Thom said darkly.

Daine felt a shiver go up her spine.

"Other enemies?" Alanna turned pale. "Duke Roger?"

Jon, Gary, Thayet and Roaul turned white.

Thom nodded gravely. "Yes, and Lady Delia, Alex etc. Basically, all that have died have re-entered this realm because of what the Hellions did. But, only those who have been really powerful sorcerers or mages when they are alive are able to get back into flesh and get their powers back. Take me for instance. As for those who does not have the Gift, they float around like wandering spirits. They could be here and you'll never know as they are invisible and can phase through objects. Well, not here, I made sure for that but they could be anywhere else. You'll never know. That's why when you talk you have to be very careful."

Everyone slowly digest this piece of news. It was worse then before.

"Then what can we do? Where's Duke Roger?" Jon asked finally.

"He should be somewhere out there planning evil deeds with the person who caused this." Thom waved his hand nonachantly.

"But who caused this?" Jon asked.

"The very person this person guessed." Thom pointed to Numair. "Sorry but I don't think I was introduced to you but anyway, yes, Lady Casirina and her husband is responsible for it. Remember, I spent quite a lot of time floating around gathering information and restoring my powers before I came here."

"He is Numair Salmalin, the most powerful mage in Tortall. Numair, this is my twin brother Thom. And this is Daine, the Wildmage as well as Numair's student. I guess you know the rest of us…." Alanna made the introductions wearily.

"So what do we do now Thom?" Numair asked.

"Well, if I heard correctly, this Lady Casirina was your friend?"

Numair winced. " Not exactly my friend."

"Well anyway, you know each other. What I propose is that you and Daine here visit her, accidently of cause. I'm sure with her current mood she'll welcome you most delightedly. She should have the 'antidote'. But how you go about finding it out, you have to figure out yourself. Besides, Duke Roger doesn't know you." Thome turned to the rest. "In the mean time, we have to work up a spell that will protect Corus from top to bottom. A barrier so strong that the Hellions won't be able to get in. Numair, call that other mage friend of yours and the 3 of us with Alanna will work on the spell. Jon, in the mean time you have to take control of your Dominion Jewel to try delay the Hellions. Well, we have not much time. Let's set to work." Thom said.

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Okay, haha, I took one year to write this. But I was having a writers block at that time….besides, I was sooooooooooo busy with school work =( Btw, I also haven't read TP's books for abt a year too so correct me if I'm wrong abt the facts etc. Thanks! Oh yes, and thank you for your reviews!! I really appreciated them. Well, I hope to get at least 30 reviews before I upload the next chapter…..hehe…..so please review!!! Thank you so much!!!!

Lady Marianna

So, what's gonna happen now that old enemies have come back??? Oh yes, which reminds me of Emperor Orzone….is that how I spell his name?? I forgot to add him in….nvm, I'm too lazy to do that now, maybe the next chapter……well, this is indeed a Great Battle huh?? Read on to find out what happens….mahahahaha….=P

© Lady Marianna

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Completed on 9/8/2002