Chapter 3
"Lord Markalion," Jolin called, "Could I have a word with you?"
"Ah, you are the student that was in the infirmary yesterday," came the reply, "come right in."
"Lord, if I might ask, how did you know that I was in the infirmary yesterday?" he asked as he entered the room. It was nothing like he would have expected. Rather than extravagance that would have been expected in the working place of such an important man, there were plain blue walls and comfortable seats next to a sturdy wooden desk. There was no gold, no silver, nothing of rarity or high cost. Just the basic needs for an office.
"Because I was there also. When the nurse told me of your condition, I quickly went to the infirmary and did what I could to heal you." Lord Markalion replied. "I used my power to release you into a condition that would let you rest. I put you into a deep sleep that you could not awaken from."
"I was told by a fellow student that I had awoken during the night and I has shown a personality that was not characteristic to me." Jolin stated, inquisitively.
"Were you being affectionate?" Lord Markalion asked.
"Yes," Jolin replied, "how did you know?"
"Because that is a rare side effect of my healings," the elder explained, "for the subject to be in such a deep sleep for several scores that he may not know consciously or may know only subconsciously what his body is doing. And when the subject does appear to awaken, he would show unnecessary affection for someone that is there, no matter how he feels for the subject consciously."
Jolin thought about this for a moment, and then said, "Thank you very much, Lord, for this has helped me greatly."
"Good, but now I have to get to work. Let me know if anything comes up, will you?"
"I will. Thank you, my lord."
"Have you the crystal?"
"I do, my Lord"
"Good, Good. It is time to begin the process."
"Shall I retrieve the book?" a faint shaking arising in his voice.
"No, I think that I shall go get it."
The servant heaved a sigh of relief. He knew how powerful the magic could be in the deepest places of his Lord's fortress. The dark lord pushed aside the carpet and lifted the ancient trap door, which creaked as he did so. He descended into the depths and closed the trap door behind him, contemplating his plans.
Jolin left the room, and Lord Markalion was struck by a feeling of dark magic being done. He knew at once who the doer of magic was, but he also knew the intensity and limitless power of that magic. Knowing that the time he had dreaded had finally come, the Lord went over his choices. He could either hide and wait out the destruction, or he could counter the magic with his own, passed down from one college Lord to the next. "This could be the downfall of the lands," he thought, but he rid it of his mind and soon as it came. "I must be strong if I am to protect all of this menace," he proclaimed aloud, as if telling himself that it was the truth. He had hoped that there would be more time for the young Jolin, but it seems that the boy will have to make do with what time he had. After all, Markalion thought, the child would be the true chooser of whether the Dark Lord would prevail or perish. The fate of all would be up to the boy. He sighed. "Tis' too bad that such should happen in our time, but if we can dispatch of this threat, then the evil in the world may prominently decrease in power, with its Master destroyed. But Markalion dispatched the ideas and changed his thought instead to the present. There were much more pressing matters at the moment, and the sooner they were dealt with, the better. The fate of all rested in how well Markalion could prepare it, for this was no battle of numbers, though to most it may appear so. Instead, this is a battle of magic. Markalion left his chambers to give word to the college that an emergency meeting of all Students and workers in the college. Drastic measures must be taken, and he was the only one who knew the danger at hand. He must act quickly, or the battle would already be lost.
"Lord Markalion," Jolin called, "Could I have a word with you?"
"Ah, you are the student that was in the infirmary yesterday," came the reply, "come right in."
"Lord, if I might ask, how did you know that I was in the infirmary yesterday?" he asked as he entered the room. It was nothing like he would have expected. Rather than extravagance that would have been expected in the working place of such an important man, there were plain blue walls and comfortable seats next to a sturdy wooden desk. There was no gold, no silver, nothing of rarity or high cost. Just the basic needs for an office.
"Because I was there also. When the nurse told me of your condition, I quickly went to the infirmary and did what I could to heal you." Lord Markalion replied. "I used my power to release you into a condition that would let you rest. I put you into a deep sleep that you could not awaken from."
"I was told by a fellow student that I had awoken during the night and I has shown a personality that was not characteristic to me." Jolin stated, inquisitively.
"Were you being affectionate?" Lord Markalion asked.
"Yes," Jolin replied, "how did you know?"
"Because that is a rare side effect of my healings," the elder explained, "for the subject to be in such a deep sleep for several scores that he may not know consciously or may know only subconsciously what his body is doing. And when the subject does appear to awaken, he would show unnecessary affection for someone that is there, no matter how he feels for the subject consciously."
Jolin thought about this for a moment, and then said, "Thank you very much, Lord, for this has helped me greatly."
"Good, but now I have to get to work. Let me know if anything comes up, will you?"
"I will. Thank you, my lord."
"Have you the crystal?"
"I do, my Lord"
"Good, Good. It is time to begin the process."
"Shall I retrieve the book?" a faint shaking arising in his voice.
"No, I think that I shall go get it."
The servant heaved a sigh of relief. He knew how powerful the magic could be in the deepest places of his Lord's fortress. The dark lord pushed aside the carpet and lifted the ancient trap door, which creaked as he did so. He descended into the depths and closed the trap door behind him, contemplating his plans.
Jolin left the room, and Lord Markalion was struck by a feeling of dark magic being done. He knew at once who the doer of magic was, but he also knew the intensity and limitless power of that magic. Knowing that the time he had dreaded had finally come, the Lord went over his choices. He could either hide and wait out the destruction, or he could counter the magic with his own, passed down from one college Lord to the next. "This could be the downfall of the lands," he thought, but he rid it of his mind and soon as it came. "I must be strong if I am to protect all of this menace," he proclaimed aloud, as if telling himself that it was the truth. He had hoped that there would be more time for the young Jolin, but it seems that the boy will have to make do with what time he had. After all, Markalion thought, the child would be the true chooser of whether the Dark Lord would prevail or perish. The fate of all would be up to the boy. He sighed. "Tis' too bad that such should happen in our time, but if we can dispatch of this threat, then the evil in the world may prominently decrease in power, with its Master destroyed. But Markalion dispatched the ideas and changed his thought instead to the present. There were much more pressing matters at the moment, and the sooner they were dealt with, the better. The fate of all rested in how well Markalion could prepare it, for this was no battle of numbers, though to most it may appear so. Instead, this is a battle of magic. Markalion left his chambers to give word to the college that an emergency meeting of all Students and workers in the college. Drastic measures must be taken, and he was the only one who knew the danger at hand. He must act quickly, or the battle would already be lost.