"Celcius? Celcius what's wrong?" The young blue haired woman stood up
quickly, knocking over the crystal table. Her blue kimono caught the edge
of the table and tore slightly. ~"One of light come to my side."~ She
watched as the woman sitting across from her started to fade. Celcius
slowly melted into the Eather plane. ("Cold.") Her long silver blue hair
fell over her shoulders, kept only in place by her silver circlet. ~"Bound
by will too weak to fight."~ Something was calling. She had never felt
anything like it before, she couldn't stop herself. Creatures she had once
called her friends now shied away from her. ("It's so cold.") Celcius tried
to call out to her friends, but her lips no longer moved. Her body was no
longer hers as it was guided through the dangerous terrain. ~"With heart as
evermade."~ Everything started to fade, as if she now were a prisoner in
her own body. ("Am I making it this cold?") Her sight blurred and she
watched through the frosted vision that kept her from controlling herself.
Suddenly she was ripped from her own body and everything faded to
nothingness as the floor rushed up to meet her. ("What's happening to me?")
"He's starting the spell!", "He found some old spell books and took most of his information from them I heard.", "Impossible! All that knowledge was lost long ago." Wizards and Sorcerers gathered around the stage were abuzz with excitement. Pogno continued etching the magical seal into the stage floor. "I'll never get there with this crowd, and I can't do anything here." Ran cursed to himself as he pushed his way closer to the stage.
"Your winnings sir." The young woman handed Heir Ottoman a large bag of coins and gems. "Thank you for participating in this years' Spell casting competition." She smiled nervously as Heir Ottoman solemnly looked back over the arena grounds. A team of magicians were still trying to pull the inanimate Shield Golem from the stage. "Well done, you really are truly amazing." Yannis beamed proudly as he strode up to greet the champion. His royal purple robes swishing about. "I must say I have waited forever to see your Heir Cannon Technique. I've never seen anything punch a hole through a Shield Golem in one hit before. Oh, how rude of me. I am Yannis. Imperial Magi. And you are, I assume, the legendary Heir Ottoman." "I know who you are. Because of you and your guilds, I can enter neither town nor city without false name or disguise spells." Heir Ottoman interrupted as he pushed his way past Yannis and his Mages. "I'm warning you now Heir Ottoman. Don't make me your enemy. You have no idea what I can do." Yannis warned the rouge Mage as he made his way from the arena through the crowds. "Nor do you know me Yannis, nor do you know me." Heir Ottoman pulled on a hat of disguise and disappeared into the waning crowd. "Shall we stop him?" One of the Magi asked Yannis as they turned to leave. "Try if you want, but I really doubt you'll be able to stop him short of a complete lock down of the city, and I really don't want a riot on my hands."
"It's done." The Runesmith called out. "Great! Can I see?" Karumi shouted happily as she jumped out of her seat and rushed over. Beaming with pride, the Runesmith handed the small silver ring to the girl. Giddily Karumi looked it over, enjoying the small magical item as if it were some great forgotten treasure. "On the house girl, just tell me how it works if we ever meet again." The Runesmith called as began taking another order. "Thank you! I will!" Karumi called out happily. "Finally, it is done. I shall fear thee not my shadows." Karumi sped off silently into the crowd.
"Is this truly a good idea, Lord Doubloon? Entering port Sailion in broad daylight?" The woman with long brown hair asked as she slowly ascended onto the main deck of the Gold Coin. Behind the helm stood a man, wearing a red bandanna, covering half of his face. "Never a better time, Lady Jewel." He responded as the sea salt air whipped about, and the noonday sun reflected brilliantly off of the gold coin he boasted upon his bandanna. He wore a silken shirt, embroidered with crimson flame. Against his belt, rested a magnificent blade. The silver scabbard leaned proudly against his blood red pants, which in turn folded neatly into his half-calf boots. "We're here for one thing and one thing alone. We'll be gone long before they even know that we're here." Her long skirt brushed against her black boots as she made her way up to the helm. Several of the crew cleared her way as she navigated about the deck flawlessly. Rays of light dazzled and danced about the jewel she wore about her neck as she took up her position aside Lord Doubloon, as he shouted commands to the men below. She shivered and gently rubbed her glove swathed arms together. She stopped to admire the gloves she wore, as they were the finest any had seen. Jet black leather, soft yet firm, ran up her arms and ended abruptly slightly past her elbows. "Quite impractical for a swordswoman, or a seafarer." Lord Doubloon commented as he noticed her admiration of the clothing. "Yet perfect for a lady, and a lover." Lady Jewel replied as she took the wheel from him. "Prepare to dock!" She shouted to the deckhands as she skillfully manipulated the ship. "Take what you can, love." She called to Lord Doubloon as he headed down to aide with docking preparations. "Give nothing back." He called back over the din of the crew.
Slowly she could feel herself moving. Everything was fuzzy and different. (Hot.) Celcius slowly got to her feet. (Loud.) Celcius looked blindly about. She stood someplace unfamiliar. (It hurts.) People were crying, laughing, shouting. (Why?) Someone was standing next to her, she could feel it. (Too hot.) What did they want? She did not know. (It burns.) They were watching. They were watching her. (Make it stop, please.) Why?
Pogno shouted and fell back in surprise. There, in the middle of the stage, stood a girl. Her hair, light, silver-blue, and as brilliant as fresh snow, ran down her back and tapered at her waist. Her clothes, strange and alien as they flared out about her hands and feet, shirt unconnected from leggings at the waist, brilliantly white as the purest frost. Collar cutting low and unmoving. Her silver circlet delicately resting upon her brow. An amulet, finely carved from crystal far more intricate than any elven work. Her eyes, frosted blue. Her fey ears. He felt it. A power that lingers long after a spell fades her power. Pogno realized what he had done, who this girl was. "Celcius, mistress of the frost, and youngest of the elemental spirits of our realm!" Pogno shouted proudly to the astonished crowd. Murmurs broke out immediately as the last twinkle of magic began to fade. "It has got to be a trick of some kind." One of the older mages grumbled, "She can't be real." Another of Pogno's students whispered about the crowd, "She's beautiful." Gasped an astonished sorcerer as he stood before the stage. "You can't control her, you know." A voice cut through the crowd. Silence fell as everyone watched the figure emerge from one of the charts that stood proudly upon the stage. "Who, who are you to say such a thing?!" Pogno shouted as he slowly backed away. The stranger slowly moved forward, sunlight slowly caressed his green stocking cap, faded green tunic, and worn red backpack. "I am a traveler, one who has seen much. I warn you for one final time, if you don't unsummon her, I may not be able to stop her." The young man warned as he kept weary eye upon both Celcius and Pogno. "Bah! You know nothing of my work!" Pogno snipped quickly. "Behold! Even a stranger confirms my legitimacy!" He turned and shouted to the crowd. (No more.) Everyone gasped in amazement as Pogno showed off his prize. (It Hurts.) Then he felt it. The magical bond snapped. (BURNS!) A shrill cry of pain shot through the city as Celcius fell lifeless to the ground. "NO!" Pogno shouted in terror as the spirit lay upon the stage. Slowly the temperature began to drop. Ice crept across the boards that the girl lay upon. Fingers numbed and breath fogged as the noon sun failed to heat the stage. "It can't be.." Pogno stammered as he trembled in fear before the girl as she slowly began to push herself to her feet again. A pulse of frost rippled across the stage, enveloping it in a flash frost. Celcius slowly pushed herself to her knees and held her head in pain. "Too late, it is too late." The young man cursed as he slowly backed away.
"It was a dream." Celcius slowly thought to herself as she chilled the air around her to more hospitable temperatures. "Everything had to have been a dream." Celcius shivered as she slowly tried to think rationally. "Mana will help me. Where is she? She was right at the table." Celcius slowly reached out to her crystal table and felt nothing, nothing but stinging heat. "My head, voices. So many voices." Celcius murmured as she slowly staggered to her feet. "Where am I?" she slowly asked herself as she opened her eyes to face the blazing light. Then she saw them. Demons of heat from another land, they were watching her. She stumbled about trying to find her bearings and pushed over a stand of some sort. It shattered as it hit the ground. Her mind whirled, pushed further and further by these strange things. Then, she felt him. The presence of a Planeswalker. "He will protect me. They always have and always will. That's why he's here." Her tortured mind screamed as she lunged at him blindly. Grasping desperately for something familiar. Something that could save her from this madness.
"He's starting the spell!", "He found some old spell books and took most of his information from them I heard.", "Impossible! All that knowledge was lost long ago." Wizards and Sorcerers gathered around the stage were abuzz with excitement. Pogno continued etching the magical seal into the stage floor. "I'll never get there with this crowd, and I can't do anything here." Ran cursed to himself as he pushed his way closer to the stage.
"Your winnings sir." The young woman handed Heir Ottoman a large bag of coins and gems. "Thank you for participating in this years' Spell casting competition." She smiled nervously as Heir Ottoman solemnly looked back over the arena grounds. A team of magicians were still trying to pull the inanimate Shield Golem from the stage. "Well done, you really are truly amazing." Yannis beamed proudly as he strode up to greet the champion. His royal purple robes swishing about. "I must say I have waited forever to see your Heir Cannon Technique. I've never seen anything punch a hole through a Shield Golem in one hit before. Oh, how rude of me. I am Yannis. Imperial Magi. And you are, I assume, the legendary Heir Ottoman." "I know who you are. Because of you and your guilds, I can enter neither town nor city without false name or disguise spells." Heir Ottoman interrupted as he pushed his way past Yannis and his Mages. "I'm warning you now Heir Ottoman. Don't make me your enemy. You have no idea what I can do." Yannis warned the rouge Mage as he made his way from the arena through the crowds. "Nor do you know me Yannis, nor do you know me." Heir Ottoman pulled on a hat of disguise and disappeared into the waning crowd. "Shall we stop him?" One of the Magi asked Yannis as they turned to leave. "Try if you want, but I really doubt you'll be able to stop him short of a complete lock down of the city, and I really don't want a riot on my hands."
"It's done." The Runesmith called out. "Great! Can I see?" Karumi shouted happily as she jumped out of her seat and rushed over. Beaming with pride, the Runesmith handed the small silver ring to the girl. Giddily Karumi looked it over, enjoying the small magical item as if it were some great forgotten treasure. "On the house girl, just tell me how it works if we ever meet again." The Runesmith called as began taking another order. "Thank you! I will!" Karumi called out happily. "Finally, it is done. I shall fear thee not my shadows." Karumi sped off silently into the crowd.
"Is this truly a good idea, Lord Doubloon? Entering port Sailion in broad daylight?" The woman with long brown hair asked as she slowly ascended onto the main deck of the Gold Coin. Behind the helm stood a man, wearing a red bandanna, covering half of his face. "Never a better time, Lady Jewel." He responded as the sea salt air whipped about, and the noonday sun reflected brilliantly off of the gold coin he boasted upon his bandanna. He wore a silken shirt, embroidered with crimson flame. Against his belt, rested a magnificent blade. The silver scabbard leaned proudly against his blood red pants, which in turn folded neatly into his half-calf boots. "We're here for one thing and one thing alone. We'll be gone long before they even know that we're here." Her long skirt brushed against her black boots as she made her way up to the helm. Several of the crew cleared her way as she navigated about the deck flawlessly. Rays of light dazzled and danced about the jewel she wore about her neck as she took up her position aside Lord Doubloon, as he shouted commands to the men below. She shivered and gently rubbed her glove swathed arms together. She stopped to admire the gloves she wore, as they were the finest any had seen. Jet black leather, soft yet firm, ran up her arms and ended abruptly slightly past her elbows. "Quite impractical for a swordswoman, or a seafarer." Lord Doubloon commented as he noticed her admiration of the clothing. "Yet perfect for a lady, and a lover." Lady Jewel replied as she took the wheel from him. "Prepare to dock!" She shouted to the deckhands as she skillfully manipulated the ship. "Take what you can, love." She called to Lord Doubloon as he headed down to aide with docking preparations. "Give nothing back." He called back over the din of the crew.
Slowly she could feel herself moving. Everything was fuzzy and different. (Hot.) Celcius slowly got to her feet. (Loud.) Celcius looked blindly about. She stood someplace unfamiliar. (It hurts.) People were crying, laughing, shouting. (Why?) Someone was standing next to her, she could feel it. (Too hot.) What did they want? She did not know. (It burns.) They were watching. They were watching her. (Make it stop, please.) Why?
Pogno shouted and fell back in surprise. There, in the middle of the stage, stood a girl. Her hair, light, silver-blue, and as brilliant as fresh snow, ran down her back and tapered at her waist. Her clothes, strange and alien as they flared out about her hands and feet, shirt unconnected from leggings at the waist, brilliantly white as the purest frost. Collar cutting low and unmoving. Her silver circlet delicately resting upon her brow. An amulet, finely carved from crystal far more intricate than any elven work. Her eyes, frosted blue. Her fey ears. He felt it. A power that lingers long after a spell fades her power. Pogno realized what he had done, who this girl was. "Celcius, mistress of the frost, and youngest of the elemental spirits of our realm!" Pogno shouted proudly to the astonished crowd. Murmurs broke out immediately as the last twinkle of magic began to fade. "It has got to be a trick of some kind." One of the older mages grumbled, "She can't be real." Another of Pogno's students whispered about the crowd, "She's beautiful." Gasped an astonished sorcerer as he stood before the stage. "You can't control her, you know." A voice cut through the crowd. Silence fell as everyone watched the figure emerge from one of the charts that stood proudly upon the stage. "Who, who are you to say such a thing?!" Pogno shouted as he slowly backed away. The stranger slowly moved forward, sunlight slowly caressed his green stocking cap, faded green tunic, and worn red backpack. "I am a traveler, one who has seen much. I warn you for one final time, if you don't unsummon her, I may not be able to stop her." The young man warned as he kept weary eye upon both Celcius and Pogno. "Bah! You know nothing of my work!" Pogno snipped quickly. "Behold! Even a stranger confirms my legitimacy!" He turned and shouted to the crowd. (No more.) Everyone gasped in amazement as Pogno showed off his prize. (It Hurts.) Then he felt it. The magical bond snapped. (BURNS!) A shrill cry of pain shot through the city as Celcius fell lifeless to the ground. "NO!" Pogno shouted in terror as the spirit lay upon the stage. Slowly the temperature began to drop. Ice crept across the boards that the girl lay upon. Fingers numbed and breath fogged as the noon sun failed to heat the stage. "It can't be.." Pogno stammered as he trembled in fear before the girl as she slowly began to push herself to her feet again. A pulse of frost rippled across the stage, enveloping it in a flash frost. Celcius slowly pushed herself to her knees and held her head in pain. "Too late, it is too late." The young man cursed as he slowly backed away.
"It was a dream." Celcius slowly thought to herself as she chilled the air around her to more hospitable temperatures. "Everything had to have been a dream." Celcius shivered as she slowly tried to think rationally. "Mana will help me. Where is she? She was right at the table." Celcius slowly reached out to her crystal table and felt nothing, nothing but stinging heat. "My head, voices. So many voices." Celcius murmured as she slowly staggered to her feet. "Where am I?" she slowly asked herself as she opened her eyes to face the blazing light. Then she saw them. Demons of heat from another land, they were watching her. She stumbled about trying to find her bearings and pushed over a stand of some sort. It shattered as it hit the ground. Her mind whirled, pushed further and further by these strange things. Then, she felt him. The presence of a Planeswalker. "He will protect me. They always have and always will. That's why he's here." Her tortured mind screamed as she lunged at him blindly. Grasping desperately for something familiar. Something that could save her from this madness.
