Intro/Prologue
Raistlin Majere woke slowly and shivered in the chill of the room. So, someone has removed my robes, he thought. He was lying on something hard; he shifted slightly, as he did so he noted his inability to move, metal clasps holding him down and the dull scrape of concrete against his bare back. Where am I? He had heard rumours that some local magic-users had disappeared. He wondered if he had now been added to that list. He heard a sound. Footsteps, he thought. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. Pretending to be unconscious he waited for whatever it was that was making its way toward him.
****
So he has finally woken up, she thought. I have been looking forward to talking to this one for a long time. She walked slowly through the corridors of the temple. She stopped in front of a door, murmuring a few words, she smiled and turned the knob.
****
The door opened and he had to fight against the urge to look up into the face of his captour.
"I know that you are awake," said a feminine voice full of sarcasm. "You need not bother with pretending," her voice took on a different quality and he felt her standing over him. With a violent slap his eyes flew open and he glared at her with contempt etched on his face.
"Well, I am glad that you have decided to stop pretending," she said with a sneer.
"What do you want of me?"
"Well, that is different, the others always asked me who I was before anything else."
And at that moment he knew that he hated her, hated her more than anyone he had ever known before. And what was more she did not die. He looked upon her and saw her clear blue eyes, blonde hair, fair skin and dainty body, he saw all of this the way he would have before the Test.
"You looked confused," she smiled, licking her lips evilly as she looked him over. With a quick poke in his ribs she said, "And so thin. I do not see how you manage to stay alive much less use magic."
He was about to reply with a biting retort when a coughing fit seized him. Every time he coughed his throat slammed into the metal clasp around his neck and that seemed to make him cough even more. As he coughed up blood he looked over to his captour, and as his vision dimmed he saw her staring at him with a bemused expression. As he felt his blood escaping his mouth and running down his cheek, his eyes closed and he drew a final shuddering breath.
****
What a weakling! She sneered to herself as she walked over to where he lay. She laid a hand on his chest and let it rest there for several moments. So, she thought, he is not holding his breath he has really ceased breathing. How interesting. She put a hand over his heart and laughed evilly as she felt his heart slowing down. This is too easy. I have not even had any fun with him yet and here he goes, killing himself.
Shrugging she bent over him. Wiping the blood from his lips she breathed air into his lungs and attempted to restart his breathing. After what seemed like a lifetime Raistlin coughed and quickly drew several shallow breaths before being able to slow and steady his breathing.
****
She lets me pass out and then she restarts my breathing; why I wonder? What does she want with me? I am only a novice; I have nothing to offer her. What does she want?!?!
"I have nothing to offer you, let me go and I will not tell the Conclave about you."
Her mocking laughter sent shivers up his spine.
"The Conclave? Do you actually think that I am frightened by those pathetic weaklings? Yet still.her face took on the look of one who is deep in thought. "Tell me what you know about the Conclave and.magic.
Raistlin Majere woke slowly and shivered in the chill of the room. So, someone has removed my robes, he thought. He was lying on something hard; he shifted slightly, as he did so he noted his inability to move, metal clasps holding him down and the dull scrape of concrete against his bare back. Where am I? He had heard rumours that some local magic-users had disappeared. He wondered if he had now been added to that list. He heard a sound. Footsteps, he thought. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. Pretending to be unconscious he waited for whatever it was that was making its way toward him.
****
So he has finally woken up, she thought. I have been looking forward to talking to this one for a long time. She walked slowly through the corridors of the temple. She stopped in front of a door, murmuring a few words, she smiled and turned the knob.
****
The door opened and he had to fight against the urge to look up into the face of his captour.
"I know that you are awake," said a feminine voice full of sarcasm. "You need not bother with pretending," her voice took on a different quality and he felt her standing over him. With a violent slap his eyes flew open and he glared at her with contempt etched on his face.
"Well, I am glad that you have decided to stop pretending," she said with a sneer.
"What do you want of me?"
"Well, that is different, the others always asked me who I was before anything else."
And at that moment he knew that he hated her, hated her more than anyone he had ever known before. And what was more she did not die. He looked upon her and saw her clear blue eyes, blonde hair, fair skin and dainty body, he saw all of this the way he would have before the Test.
"You looked confused," she smiled, licking her lips evilly as she looked him over. With a quick poke in his ribs she said, "And so thin. I do not see how you manage to stay alive much less use magic."
He was about to reply with a biting retort when a coughing fit seized him. Every time he coughed his throat slammed into the metal clasp around his neck and that seemed to make him cough even more. As he coughed up blood he looked over to his captour, and as his vision dimmed he saw her staring at him with a bemused expression. As he felt his blood escaping his mouth and running down his cheek, his eyes closed and he drew a final shuddering breath.
****
What a weakling! She sneered to herself as she walked over to where he lay. She laid a hand on his chest and let it rest there for several moments. So, she thought, he is not holding his breath he has really ceased breathing. How interesting. She put a hand over his heart and laughed evilly as she felt his heart slowing down. This is too easy. I have not even had any fun with him yet and here he goes, killing himself.
Shrugging she bent over him. Wiping the blood from his lips she breathed air into his lungs and attempted to restart his breathing. After what seemed like a lifetime Raistlin coughed and quickly drew several shallow breaths before being able to slow and steady his breathing.
****
She lets me pass out and then she restarts my breathing; why I wonder? What does she want with me? I am only a novice; I have nothing to offer her. What does she want?!?!
"I have nothing to offer you, let me go and I will not tell the Conclave about you."
Her mocking laughter sent shivers up his spine.
"The Conclave? Do you actually think that I am frightened by those pathetic weaklings? Yet still.her face took on the look of one who is deep in thought. "Tell me what you know about the Conclave and.magic.
