It never once crossed his mind that he would get emotional about leaving
the Tower after being there for so long. He had never considered himself
any better of a student than any of the others, and had always gotten
average marks for the various rituals he had performed.
He hadn't made any close friends, except for Chloe, and of course, he knew he would miss her once he left. He hoped the other students would be as kind ot her as he had been and that she wouldn't be too sad when he left.
He watched her as she led Thedious out of the transport chamber by it's massive iron chain. Thedious was a magnificent silver dragon that the elders had captured to use for short distance travel. He had been under Majek and Chloe's care almost the whole time he had been there, and it seemed fitting that Thedious would be the one to deliver him. His eyes widened with a smile as the beast bowed it's head to allow Majek to pet his rough, scaled neck. He chuckled to himself as the dragon's hot breath bellowing up from his nostrils, ruffling his blonde hair.
"Greetings, Thedious. I am so happy that you are the one to be taking me to the Suikert region. As I recall, it is where Orphen and I found you when you had been injured." Majek said.
He remembered that day vividly. It had been a few years ago, when he had first come to the Towers to study. Orphen and Cleo had come to invite him to spend the day with them on the country side, and he had prepared a picnic for the three of them under short notice.
"I sense a disturbance close by." Orphen had told him.
His dark haired former master always had a way of knowing somehow when there were conflicts arising. It ranged from natural diasters to the threat of hostile warriors. He trusted the older man with his life and knew that it was because of Orphen that he was probably alive now.
What the problem was the loud roars of a wounded dragon, having been stabbed in the side by a frightened native's spear. Orphen had been concerned when he saw the thick turqouise blood run down Majek's hand when he examined the injury, but his gentle touch soothed the savage beast enough for the three of them to be able to medicate him.
He had especially taken a liking to Majek, and he had named him Thedious when he had choosen him as his master. Thedious' luminous emerald eyes opened as he and Majek were approached by his master.
"You have done a fine job caring for this majestic creature, Majek. As a parting gift in thanks for all the time you have spent here with us, I would like you to take Thedious here as your own on your journey." Master Kyonshi said.
Chloe beamed with pride as both she and Majek bowed to their master. "Thank you, Master Kyonshi. I will never forget all the things you have taught me." Majek said.
"You may leave whenever you are ready and good luck with Master Joell." he told Majek.
"Thank you, sir." Majek said.
A few of Majek's fellow students came out to say their goodbyes and to wish him luck on his journey. Taking all their good cheer in stride, he made sure to keep a good stiff grip on Thedious' chain so he would stay calm and steady around all of his old friends.
He looked over at Chloe, who trusted them both completely and was giving Thedious some fresh fruit to eat. Until just this moment as she had packed the dragon's back with hsi supplies, he hadn't realized how much he would miss her as well. She was such a pretty young girl, still innocent at the young age of sixteen, with shimmering white golden hair and eyes the color of blue diamonds. I have to say goodbye to her in my own special way, he thought. Thanking all of his friends for their sentiments. he strode over to his handmaiden, taking Thedious' chain from her hands.
"Lady Chloe, I cannot begin to express how much your service to me has meant to me over the years. You have been my friend and my confidente, someone I could always go to whenever I needed anything. I will miss you and you will always be in my thoughts." Majek said.
"I have always considered it to be my privalge to be at your command, master Majek. Forgive me for saying so. but I shall miss you as well." she said.
"For as long as I have your scented lotion with me and remember your shining blue eyes, my memory of you, sweet lady, will never fade away." he told her.
She tried to hide her face so he would not see her cry, but he just smiled as he took her face in his hands and kissed her tears away. Gasping as he embraced her warmly, her tears stained his cloak before they parted ways.
"Farewell, lady Chloe, Master Kyonshi." he told them.
They both waved goodbye to him as he launched himself onto Thedious' back.
"Farewell, master Majek. Farewell." Kyonshi said.
Flying on the back of his newly acquired transport Thedious, Majek had plenty of time to think about all the things that crossed his mind. He thought about Orphen and Cleo, about the Tower and his departure from there, and about his handmaiden Chloe. The bandages on his hands were enough of a reminder of her, and he would have to redo them himself once he arrived.
He also thought about his new master, Master Joell. They had a powerful sorcerer for Master Kyonshi to send him there at his command, and he couldn't wait to show his new mentor his skills. Although he was not terribly skilled at weaponry, he knew his magic was sure to impress. He had learned to put up shield barriers, to freeze liquid and to heat up objects to their breaking point. He could also levitate objects short distances and chant spells to influence nature at his will.
I am not worried about him not being pleased with what I know, Majek thought, but wondered what more his new teacher could instruct him in.
"Remember Majek, and remember this well, every day of life you learn something new. Not even the most aged man in the world knows everything there is to know. Keep your mind open to all possibilities and that is what you will achieve." Orphen had told him.
For one as young as Orphen had been, he had always been very wise in Majek's eyes, even if he had lacked a few social skills. As for those skills went, Majek had learned those from his association with Cleo, a young woman who was very close to Orphen. He was sure by now that the pair had realized that they cared very deeply for one another as friends and more. He had seen evidence of that from time to time, but Orphen's stubbornness usually got in the way of them truly connecting.
He thought again of Chloe as he thought about the mountain region, a place the two of them had gone to practice ritual magic among the budding mountain foliage. Chloe had looked so radiant sitting in the midst of all those flowers, almost angelic. He could have fallen hard for her if he hadn't forgotten his station at the Tower.
He was a student, her a servent. Students were allowed to to command their servents to do whatever they wished, as long as the yougn women were not physically abused and used for less modest reasons. Majek knew of a few students that hit their servents or spoke to them harshly, and some that even commnaded them to perform other acts.
As willing as he was sure Chloe would have been to obey him, Majek had never thought to do any of those things and was one of the few that had not been punished for his conduct during his stay.
I need to concentrate on what was ahead, he thought, on preparing myself for what was to come. After apprenticing under the headstrong Orphen and then the quiet, calm Master Kyonshi, he knew he had to be ready for anything...
"I heard Master Joell has taken on a new student." one villager said.
"I find that hard to believe. Master Joell has never been willing to tutor anyone since the temple was built in their honor." another said.
Aband of villagers were standing about together in the cliffs, relaxing after a successful day of hunting. They had heard rumors about their most honored mountain guardian requesting to take on a special student from the northern region. It had been lifetimes since they had done so, since their last apprentice had been killed in a fatal accident during the building of Joell's sacred temple.
The men knew that on their way home, they would have to leave an offering at the temple's gate and were more than happy to do so. It was because of Master Joell that their village and it's people existed. Until they had come from the mountains that day, their region had been possessed by demonic spirits. They had terrorized many and claimed more lives than could be counted in their insatiable hunger for death.
At first sight, the villagers had feared this strange visitor, a robed creature who hid it's face from all except for glimpses of it's long fair hair, crystalline blue eyes and long slender hands with it's fearsome sharp claws.
"What kind of creature are you? Be gone with you; we have been ravaged by enough demons." a villager shouted at them.
It was with this remark that the villagers drew their waepons upon hearing Joell chuckle, baring to them their long white canine teeth.
"Foolish mortals...let me show how things should be done." Joell said.
A hush fell over the crowd as they watched in shock as Joell strode out in the middle of all the demons, allowing them to surround them. Eager for the kill, silence suddenly engulfed the region as the demons were dealt with in a quick, swift manner. All that was left from the invasion were shreds of the destroyed demons and the solumn fiqure of the village's victorous protector.
"And what shall you offer me for my undying devotion to your humble region?" Joell asked.
Falling to their knees in both fear and admiration to this foreigner, the natives pledged to them whatever they would desire.
"All I ask for is a temple in my honor to house my servents and I, and the privacy to fulfill our duties as needed. My name is Master Joell. It would be wise of you to remember it." they told them.
The villagers shook their heads in disbelief as they headed back towards the temple. If it was really true what they had heard, they could only imagine what the future would hold...
He hadn't made any close friends, except for Chloe, and of course, he knew he would miss her once he left. He hoped the other students would be as kind ot her as he had been and that she wouldn't be too sad when he left.
He watched her as she led Thedious out of the transport chamber by it's massive iron chain. Thedious was a magnificent silver dragon that the elders had captured to use for short distance travel. He had been under Majek and Chloe's care almost the whole time he had been there, and it seemed fitting that Thedious would be the one to deliver him. His eyes widened with a smile as the beast bowed it's head to allow Majek to pet his rough, scaled neck. He chuckled to himself as the dragon's hot breath bellowing up from his nostrils, ruffling his blonde hair.
"Greetings, Thedious. I am so happy that you are the one to be taking me to the Suikert region. As I recall, it is where Orphen and I found you when you had been injured." Majek said.
He remembered that day vividly. It had been a few years ago, when he had first come to the Towers to study. Orphen and Cleo had come to invite him to spend the day with them on the country side, and he had prepared a picnic for the three of them under short notice.
"I sense a disturbance close by." Orphen had told him.
His dark haired former master always had a way of knowing somehow when there were conflicts arising. It ranged from natural diasters to the threat of hostile warriors. He trusted the older man with his life and knew that it was because of Orphen that he was probably alive now.
What the problem was the loud roars of a wounded dragon, having been stabbed in the side by a frightened native's spear. Orphen had been concerned when he saw the thick turqouise blood run down Majek's hand when he examined the injury, but his gentle touch soothed the savage beast enough for the three of them to be able to medicate him.
He had especially taken a liking to Majek, and he had named him Thedious when he had choosen him as his master. Thedious' luminous emerald eyes opened as he and Majek were approached by his master.
"You have done a fine job caring for this majestic creature, Majek. As a parting gift in thanks for all the time you have spent here with us, I would like you to take Thedious here as your own on your journey." Master Kyonshi said.
Chloe beamed with pride as both she and Majek bowed to their master. "Thank you, Master Kyonshi. I will never forget all the things you have taught me." Majek said.
"You may leave whenever you are ready and good luck with Master Joell." he told Majek.
"Thank you, sir." Majek said.
A few of Majek's fellow students came out to say their goodbyes and to wish him luck on his journey. Taking all their good cheer in stride, he made sure to keep a good stiff grip on Thedious' chain so he would stay calm and steady around all of his old friends.
He looked over at Chloe, who trusted them both completely and was giving Thedious some fresh fruit to eat. Until just this moment as she had packed the dragon's back with hsi supplies, he hadn't realized how much he would miss her as well. She was such a pretty young girl, still innocent at the young age of sixteen, with shimmering white golden hair and eyes the color of blue diamonds. I have to say goodbye to her in my own special way, he thought. Thanking all of his friends for their sentiments. he strode over to his handmaiden, taking Thedious' chain from her hands.
"Lady Chloe, I cannot begin to express how much your service to me has meant to me over the years. You have been my friend and my confidente, someone I could always go to whenever I needed anything. I will miss you and you will always be in my thoughts." Majek said.
"I have always considered it to be my privalge to be at your command, master Majek. Forgive me for saying so. but I shall miss you as well." she said.
"For as long as I have your scented lotion with me and remember your shining blue eyes, my memory of you, sweet lady, will never fade away." he told her.
She tried to hide her face so he would not see her cry, but he just smiled as he took her face in his hands and kissed her tears away. Gasping as he embraced her warmly, her tears stained his cloak before they parted ways.
"Farewell, lady Chloe, Master Kyonshi." he told them.
They both waved goodbye to him as he launched himself onto Thedious' back.
"Farewell, master Majek. Farewell." Kyonshi said.
Flying on the back of his newly acquired transport Thedious, Majek had plenty of time to think about all the things that crossed his mind. He thought about Orphen and Cleo, about the Tower and his departure from there, and about his handmaiden Chloe. The bandages on his hands were enough of a reminder of her, and he would have to redo them himself once he arrived.
He also thought about his new master, Master Joell. They had a powerful sorcerer for Master Kyonshi to send him there at his command, and he couldn't wait to show his new mentor his skills. Although he was not terribly skilled at weaponry, he knew his magic was sure to impress. He had learned to put up shield barriers, to freeze liquid and to heat up objects to their breaking point. He could also levitate objects short distances and chant spells to influence nature at his will.
I am not worried about him not being pleased with what I know, Majek thought, but wondered what more his new teacher could instruct him in.
"Remember Majek, and remember this well, every day of life you learn something new. Not even the most aged man in the world knows everything there is to know. Keep your mind open to all possibilities and that is what you will achieve." Orphen had told him.
For one as young as Orphen had been, he had always been very wise in Majek's eyes, even if he had lacked a few social skills. As for those skills went, Majek had learned those from his association with Cleo, a young woman who was very close to Orphen. He was sure by now that the pair had realized that they cared very deeply for one another as friends and more. He had seen evidence of that from time to time, but Orphen's stubbornness usually got in the way of them truly connecting.
He thought again of Chloe as he thought about the mountain region, a place the two of them had gone to practice ritual magic among the budding mountain foliage. Chloe had looked so radiant sitting in the midst of all those flowers, almost angelic. He could have fallen hard for her if he hadn't forgotten his station at the Tower.
He was a student, her a servent. Students were allowed to to command their servents to do whatever they wished, as long as the yougn women were not physically abused and used for less modest reasons. Majek knew of a few students that hit their servents or spoke to them harshly, and some that even commnaded them to perform other acts.
As willing as he was sure Chloe would have been to obey him, Majek had never thought to do any of those things and was one of the few that had not been punished for his conduct during his stay.
I need to concentrate on what was ahead, he thought, on preparing myself for what was to come. After apprenticing under the headstrong Orphen and then the quiet, calm Master Kyonshi, he knew he had to be ready for anything...
"I heard Master Joell has taken on a new student." one villager said.
"I find that hard to believe. Master Joell has never been willing to tutor anyone since the temple was built in their honor." another said.
Aband of villagers were standing about together in the cliffs, relaxing after a successful day of hunting. They had heard rumors about their most honored mountain guardian requesting to take on a special student from the northern region. It had been lifetimes since they had done so, since their last apprentice had been killed in a fatal accident during the building of Joell's sacred temple.
The men knew that on their way home, they would have to leave an offering at the temple's gate and were more than happy to do so. It was because of Master Joell that their village and it's people existed. Until they had come from the mountains that day, their region had been possessed by demonic spirits. They had terrorized many and claimed more lives than could be counted in their insatiable hunger for death.
At first sight, the villagers had feared this strange visitor, a robed creature who hid it's face from all except for glimpses of it's long fair hair, crystalline blue eyes and long slender hands with it's fearsome sharp claws.
"What kind of creature are you? Be gone with you; we have been ravaged by enough demons." a villager shouted at them.
It was with this remark that the villagers drew their waepons upon hearing Joell chuckle, baring to them their long white canine teeth.
"Foolish mortals...let me show how things should be done." Joell said.
A hush fell over the crowd as they watched in shock as Joell strode out in the middle of all the demons, allowing them to surround them. Eager for the kill, silence suddenly engulfed the region as the demons were dealt with in a quick, swift manner. All that was left from the invasion were shreds of the destroyed demons and the solumn fiqure of the village's victorous protector.
"And what shall you offer me for my undying devotion to your humble region?" Joell asked.
Falling to their knees in both fear and admiration to this foreigner, the natives pledged to them whatever they would desire.
"All I ask for is a temple in my honor to house my servents and I, and the privacy to fulfill our duties as needed. My name is Master Joell. It would be wise of you to remember it." they told them.
The villagers shook their heads in disbelief as they headed back towards the temple. If it was really true what they had heard, they could only imagine what the future would hold...