The next day dawned beautiful and chilly. The kind of weather Rivin loved.
She wore a light dark green dress, her cloak thrown over carefully brushed
hair. She wore a strange necklace, one her family had never seen before. It
was in the shape of an hourglass, a sword through the middle. No one asked
her about it. So, when the sun was up, the three started the journey to
Master Theobald's School of Sorcery. They walked afoot, Caramon not wanting
to use the horses. Rivin walked behind the two males. No one saw her
occasionally pick herbs or flowers and store them in a secret pouch she had
sewn into her cloak. Eventually, they reached the large building that
served as home and school to its inhabitants. Palin's eyes shone, Rivin's
breath caught in her throat. The building was far from beauty, but there
was a magical aura surrounding it. Rivin felt tears come to her eyes, then
blinked them furiously away. She didn't want to seem weak, especially in
front of the master of this school. She had heard that the master was
prejudiced, especially against young ladies who aspired to become magesses.
I'll show him. If Uncle Raistlin was better than him, I've got to try and best him! They walked into the school. Master Theobald met them in the entrance hall, smiling at Caramon and Palin when he greeted them. His smile faltered, however, when his introductions came to Rivin. He stared at her curiously. But, within a moment, his smile was back. He bowed politely to the three, and led them on a tour through the school. They were visiting classrooms when Rivin spoke up. "Do you have a library here?" she inquired. Theobald frowned slightly at her, but nodded, and said, "Yes, right this way," He walked off into a deserted hall. They soon reached the book hall. Rivin's sharp in take of breath was enough to show her appreciation of the room. While the rest of the building was not much to look at, seeing so many books made it seem lovely to the young girl. She loved reading. Especially about magic. She walked over to a row and dropped to her knees to study the bottom shelf. Palin also walked over to a shelf, carefully picking up a book. Caramon talked quietly of money matters with Theobald. Rivin chose a book, titled "Mithranah Misra Lunitari". She opened the delicate book, and flipped to the middle page, which was marked off. She looked down the lines off spells, stopping at one with a check next to it's name. "Magic Missile," she said to herself. She studied the words, then looked up at Theobald. "Master, would I be permitted to cast this spell?" No one spoke. Theobald studied her quietly. "How old are you, girl?" he asked her. "Eight, Master." "And you have had no magical training before?" Rivin opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. She seemed to be thinking a moment, trying to remember something. Then she said, "No, Master." Theobald snorted. "You wont be able to cast it." "But may I try?" Theobald watched her intently. "Very well. Aim at that board over there." He pointed to a slab of wood. "The students use that." Rivin nodded, then looked down at the spell. After reading it once or twice, she nodded to herself, shutting the book. She gazed at the target, then lifted her hand to point two fingers at it. "Kalith karan, tobanis-kar!" For a moment, nothing happened. Then there was a crack as a lightning like missile sparked from Rivin's hand, landing squarely in the center of the board. There was a sizzling sound as the board cracked, landing in ashes on the floor. Rivin smiled, pleased with herself. She turned to look at her brother and father, at her new master. They all stood, looking at her with a mixture of amazement, disbelief, and (Rivin was upset to see) a bit of horror. "What's wrong? Didn't I do it right?" Theobald was the first to recover. "Yes, yes you did it perfectly! Too perfectly for a student who has not even been taught how to pronounce the words of magic!" "But I-" Rivin shut her mouth with a snap. She was trying to remember a time long ago.sixteen years ago, to be precise. She shook her head. "I was just reading it." Theobald shook his head. "I'm placing you both in the beginner class, until you prove yourself worthy enough to move to a higher class." Palin bowed; Rivin curtsied. "Thank you, Master Theobald." Caramon said politely. "I will bring them when the term starts next month." He bowed to the magic-user, then promptly left with his children. The whole way home, no one spoke. Rivin traveled behind the two males, her head bowed. The sun was just setting when they reached home. Caramon sent Palin inside. Rivin started after him, but Caramon called her back. Standing in front of him, she raised her head to look into his eyes. "Yes, Father?" He was silent a moment. "Where did you learn that?" Rivin was about to answer him when a shaft of red light fell on her. She looked up at Lunitari and Solinari. It seemed that the red moon was watching her. No, not the moon; the goddess. Rivin's eyes widened. Lunitari stood on her moon. Slowly, Solinari came form his moon to join his cousin. And, even more slowly, Nutari came to join his family. Rivin's eyes widened more still as the three cousins swirled into an eye, a white rim, a black pupil, and a red iris. Rivin blinked, and the image was gone. She looked slowly back at her father. "The Gods have gifted me, Father," she said it so quietly that Caramon had to bend down to hear her. "And I intend to use that gift!" For a moment, Caramon stared into her eyes. They burned with a passion; the same fevered glimmer that used to live within Raistlin. Caramon pulled back in terror. But, when he looked again, her eyes were their normal blue-gray, with the confused, interested look that most eight year olds wore. He shook his head, then walked inside with his daughter. ISo much like Raistlin./I
I'll show him. If Uncle Raistlin was better than him, I've got to try and best him! They walked into the school. Master Theobald met them in the entrance hall, smiling at Caramon and Palin when he greeted them. His smile faltered, however, when his introductions came to Rivin. He stared at her curiously. But, within a moment, his smile was back. He bowed politely to the three, and led them on a tour through the school. They were visiting classrooms when Rivin spoke up. "Do you have a library here?" she inquired. Theobald frowned slightly at her, but nodded, and said, "Yes, right this way," He walked off into a deserted hall. They soon reached the book hall. Rivin's sharp in take of breath was enough to show her appreciation of the room. While the rest of the building was not much to look at, seeing so many books made it seem lovely to the young girl. She loved reading. Especially about magic. She walked over to a row and dropped to her knees to study the bottom shelf. Palin also walked over to a shelf, carefully picking up a book. Caramon talked quietly of money matters with Theobald. Rivin chose a book, titled "Mithranah Misra Lunitari". She opened the delicate book, and flipped to the middle page, which was marked off. She looked down the lines off spells, stopping at one with a check next to it's name. "Magic Missile," she said to herself. She studied the words, then looked up at Theobald. "Master, would I be permitted to cast this spell?" No one spoke. Theobald studied her quietly. "How old are you, girl?" he asked her. "Eight, Master." "And you have had no magical training before?" Rivin opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. She seemed to be thinking a moment, trying to remember something. Then she said, "No, Master." Theobald snorted. "You wont be able to cast it." "But may I try?" Theobald watched her intently. "Very well. Aim at that board over there." He pointed to a slab of wood. "The students use that." Rivin nodded, then looked down at the spell. After reading it once or twice, she nodded to herself, shutting the book. She gazed at the target, then lifted her hand to point two fingers at it. "Kalith karan, tobanis-kar!" For a moment, nothing happened. Then there was a crack as a lightning like missile sparked from Rivin's hand, landing squarely in the center of the board. There was a sizzling sound as the board cracked, landing in ashes on the floor. Rivin smiled, pleased with herself. She turned to look at her brother and father, at her new master. They all stood, looking at her with a mixture of amazement, disbelief, and (Rivin was upset to see) a bit of horror. "What's wrong? Didn't I do it right?" Theobald was the first to recover. "Yes, yes you did it perfectly! Too perfectly for a student who has not even been taught how to pronounce the words of magic!" "But I-" Rivin shut her mouth with a snap. She was trying to remember a time long ago.sixteen years ago, to be precise. She shook her head. "I was just reading it." Theobald shook his head. "I'm placing you both in the beginner class, until you prove yourself worthy enough to move to a higher class." Palin bowed; Rivin curtsied. "Thank you, Master Theobald." Caramon said politely. "I will bring them when the term starts next month." He bowed to the magic-user, then promptly left with his children. The whole way home, no one spoke. Rivin traveled behind the two males, her head bowed. The sun was just setting when they reached home. Caramon sent Palin inside. Rivin started after him, but Caramon called her back. Standing in front of him, she raised her head to look into his eyes. "Yes, Father?" He was silent a moment. "Where did you learn that?" Rivin was about to answer him when a shaft of red light fell on her. She looked up at Lunitari and Solinari. It seemed that the red moon was watching her. No, not the moon; the goddess. Rivin's eyes widened. Lunitari stood on her moon. Slowly, Solinari came form his moon to join his cousin. And, even more slowly, Nutari came to join his family. Rivin's eyes widened more still as the three cousins swirled into an eye, a white rim, a black pupil, and a red iris. Rivin blinked, and the image was gone. She looked slowly back at her father. "The Gods have gifted me, Father," she said it so quietly that Caramon had to bend down to hear her. "And I intend to use that gift!" For a moment, Caramon stared into her eyes. They burned with a passion; the same fevered glimmer that used to live within Raistlin. Caramon pulled back in terror. But, when he looked again, her eyes were their normal blue-gray, with the confused, interested look that most eight year olds wore. He shook his head, then walked inside with his daughter. ISo much like Raistlin./I