Angel Street- Hi, thanks for reviewing! I had a week off from school so I
had loads of time to update. Hopefully I will still update as often but it
will depend on how much homework I get. It has been a while since I read
the Circle books so you are probably right about Mithros so thanks for
pointing that out. Glad you think I have got the characters right and I
think the name you suggested is perfect so I will fit it in. Thanks for
reading and I hope you'll review again.
Fate of Destiny- Hey! Hope you think this chapter is as good as the bull one! If you have any other ideas that I could add I'd love to hear them so just email me. Thank you!
EclipseAzNGTX- Thanks for reviewing! People always get my name wrong as well or just call me something completely different and it bugs me sometimes so I hope I got yours right. Anyway, I wasn't planning on making the characters dance so I'm glad it works and you like it. So thanks again and I hope you review!
Jamara shifted on the uncomfortable chair and sighed. Stephanie had first been cleansed in a ritual that had taken two hours before participating in another preparatory ceremony which had lasted another hour.
"We are now going to rehearse the offering that Stephanie will give" a priest announced to her.
Jamara gladly rose from the wooden chair and followed the group out of the room. Walking down the stone stairs and back in to the huge temple she wondered how long this would take. Jamara visibly drooped and sighed loudly when she saw the hard wooden seats in the main room.
"Is there a problem?" questioned the head priestess with a disapproving glance
"No, not at all" replied Jamara as she crossed to one of the chairs and gingerly lowered herself on to it. She flashed a smile at the priestess and tried to make herself comfortable. The priestess frowned and turned back to Stephanie.
"If you would just like to go through the whole ceremony as if it was real" she asked as she bowed respectfully to the girl
Smiling smugly Stephanie nodded.
"That would be fine" she answered
Another priestess handed her a round bowl filled with fruit and small ornaments.
"This is the offering you will give" the priestess explained
"It's heavy" Stephanie complained
"Yes but I am sure the queen of the festival will be able to manage" the priestess flattered
"Yes of course I can"
Stephanie turned and walked to the temple doors with the group of priests and priestesses behind her. The head priestess stood by the alter and waited. Walking regally Stephanie made her way slowly down the center of the temple.
Jamara shifted and rolled her eyes. Wiggling she turned sideways and rested her feet on the chair next to her. Leaning on the back of the seat she was on she closed her eyes and tried to relax.
"Jamara!"
The mage gasped and tried to get up, forgetting her feet were not on the ground.
"Oof!" she cried as she hit she stone floor.
Stephanie giggled and called: "You were asleep!"
"I wasn't!"
"Yes you were"
"How did I fall asleep on that chair?!"
"I don't know but come on we're going back upstairs"
"What for?"
"To get me out of this"
The priestess had given Stephanie an un-dyed wool dress when she had come to them wearing only Jamara's cloak.
"Plus there's another ritual to perform"
"Another? What for?"
"Just to purify me"
"I thought they had already done that"
"Not completely"
"Oh" said Jamara frowning
Re-entering the room upstairs Stephanie was hurried to the bath to be washed and to take part in the final ceremony. Back on the painful chair Jamara leant back and wished she was with the others helping to clear up the main road.
What seemed like hours later Stephanie was ready and even Jamara had to admit she looked very pretty. Descending the stairs they met with Niko, Sandry, Daja, Briar and Tris. They all looked tired but had some how managed not to dirty their costumes.
"Is the road cleared?" asked one of the priests
"Mostly, it's the best we can do in such a short time" replied Niko
"It's time to assemble for the parade" announced the head priestess as she walked over followed by Stephanie.
Stephanie grinned and made sure she was stood next to Briar. Her smile widened when Briar couldn't take his eyes off her.
"You will follow Sylfae-"the priestess began
"Who?" interrupted Tris
"Sorry I mean Queen Stephanie"
When the group frowned the priestess explained.
"We decided that the queen of the festival should seem to be like one of the cities people, a simple and common name was thought to be a good idea, to please the crowds and to show them that anyone can be chosen by the gods"
"So your real name is Sylfae?"
The girl nodded.
"Which would you rather we called you?" asked Briar
"You can call me Sylfae" she smiled and stepped closer to him
"I think it would be best if you called her queen Stephanie until the festival is over" the priestess intermitted "Now if you'll follow me"
She led them outside. Already most of the performers for the parade had already gathered. Leaving Stephanie inside to collect the offering the group descended the steps and waited while the priests and priestess arranged the groups of dancers and acrobats and other performers. Another priest then showed them where they would walk. They were right behind the open topped carriage that Stephanie was to ride in.
"Did you find out what made the bulls act like that?" Jamara questioned before the priest walked away
"Not yet" he replied and left them
"If you would all take your positions, the queen is now ready" called a priest from the top of the steps.
Moving in to a line the group of mage watched as Stephanie descended the temple's stairs. Jamara tapped her foot impatiently as the queen made her way slowly towards the carriage and climbed in. Gradually the carriage began to move forward and the group of acrobats followed using a series of flips and somersaults.
As Jamara was vaulted up on to Briar's and Daja's shoulders she quickly looked around but saw nothing to cause her concern. Nearing the centre of the city the crowds became thicker and the group of mages became more alert. Jamara jumped down and shook her head when Daja looked at her questioningly.
The parade made its way forward with Stephanie at the front smiling charmingly. As Jamara flipped up in to a handstand Briar whispered:
"There's a guy over by that building"
Jamara turned her head with great difficulty and watched the tall man that Briar had indicated, walk behind the crowds. He glanced around nervously.
"I see him" she muttered back
Flipping back down she saw him reach for the person in front of him.
"He's a pickpocket" she hissed to Briar
"Oh that's alright then"
Jamara frowned.
"No it isn't!"
"Well what can we do?"
"Drop me"
"What?"
"Pretend to loose your balance and drop me on him, quick before he leaves"
Shaking his head Briar boosted her up on to his shoulders. Walking nearer to the crowd he pretended to trip. Jamara fell but somehow managed to kick the man before hitting the floor and rolling to her feet. Grabbing the purse he had stolen she returned in to the owner, pointed the pickpocket out to some nearby guards and returned to the parade.
"How did you manage to kick him?" asked Briar
"I don't know, I wasn't planning it"
Gradually they worked their way round the city and finally headed back to the temple so Stephanie could give the offering. The sun had set and now the town was lit by flickering torches. As they neared the huge building the group of mages frowned.
Shimmering brightly round the massive doors was the glow of magic.
"Oh no" murmured Tris as she emerged from the crowd to stand by the acrobats.
"Where's Niko?" asked Daja
"I don't know, I lost him in the crowd" Tris replied
"That doesn't sound like Niko" whispered Daja "You can't just loose him in a crowd"
The priests at the front of the parade were trying to open the doors and were confused when they couldn't.
"What's happening?" the head priestess asked Tris as she walked up
"I don't know but the door has been spelled"
"Can't you do something?" she hissed urgently "The moon is rising, we need to make the offering!"
"It looks like a powerful spell but we could all try at once" she suggested
"Lets try" Briar said stepping up to the doors
They sat on the floor and slowed their breathing.
Reaching inside herself Jamara felt her magic swirling. Taking a glowing strand she pushed it out and gave it to Tris. She saw Tris take hold of it and add it to the shimmering bundle she already held. She saw the fiery glow of Daja's magic, the soft shimmer of Sandry's and the fresh green color of Briar's. The magic's spread; weaving in and out they formed a bright glowing blanket which covered the doors.
Jamara watched in awe as the glow from the doors seemed to waver when the blanket lowered towards it. The woven magic's slowly touched the spelled entrance and the flash that followed caused Jamara to clench her eyes shut. When she opened them again she saw the spell shatter and the woven magic unravel and return to the five mages.
The head priestess ran up the steps as the group unwound their stiff legs and stood.
"Did it work?" she questioned
"Yes but we had better check inside before Stephanie makes the offering" responded Jamara
The priestess nodded but urged them to hurry up. Carefully Jamara pushed open the door and looked inside. Not seeing anything unusual she crept forward and the rest of the group followed. Standing warily in the entrance they all scanned the inside of the temple.
"We had better check right inside" said Sandry
"Yeah" agreed Jamara
The group filed cautiously down the aisle. The temple seemed eerily quiet and their footsteps echoed noisily off the tall walls.
"Right I can't see anything" said Briar
"Let's go" called Jamara and the group turned back to the doors.
"Not again" Jamara groaned as the neared them
The doors glowed with magic again but this time it seemed tainted with a dark grey color.
"Do you think we could break it?" asked Sandry
"I wouldn't try it" came a chilling voice from behind them
Spinning round the cluster of mages peered into the gloom. They saw the faint outline of a man stood in the corner.
"What do you want?" asked Jamara.
The man stepped in to the light and the group was surprised to see he was only a few years older than themselves. He smiled
"You"
Jamara frowned "Why?"
"Why does every power seeking mage want someone like you?" he asked "For your power of course"
"You can't have it"
"I think you'll find you don't have a choice"
"Why not?"
"To strip you of your power I will have to unbind you from these mages and I could easily make sure they don't survive the ritual" he replied
"Why do you need to unbind us?"
"Even though I am powerful I do admit that not even I could absorb all the power contained in the five of you"
"So what is stopping us from just getting rid of you now?" she questioned
The mage smirked and dragged Stephanie from the shadows.
"The lovely Sylfae here"
"What makes you think I would care about what happens to her?"
"Oh but he does" he replied indicating Briar "and you care about him"
"No I don't" Jamara said shortly
"Well then, do you care what happens to him?" he waved his hand and the mages looked to the row of chairs next to them. Sprawled across them was Niko.
"What did you do to him?"
"Nothing permanent" he raised an eyebrow "If you co-operate"
"What will you do with them once you unbind us?"
"Let them go of course"
"How do I know I can trust you?"
"You can't but it's a risk you're going to take"
Jamara sighed and nodded.
"No!" cried Sandry "You can't"
"What else am I going to do?"
"I don't know, fight him or something"
"Do you really think that I could win against someone who managed to capture Niko?"
"Yes!"
"Well I don't"
Jamara turned to the smirking mage.
"Fine you win" she sighed
"If you'd like to follow me" he said sweeping his arm to the side and walking away
"You can't do this" hissed Daja grabbing Jamara's arm "We can beat him"
"We can combine our magic, we're stronger together" added Sandry
"We won't have a chance before he kills either Niko or Sylfae"
Jamara ducked suddenly as a streak of white hot light sped above her head.
"If you would follow me and stop trying to think of ways to escape" called the mage "They won't work"
"What kind of magic is he supposed to have?" whispered Briar to Tris
"I don't know, I've never seen anything like it"
"I thought you where a weather mage"
"Yes but lightning doesn't fly from my hands"
Striding back towards them the mage took Jamara's wrist.
"I don't like to be kept waiting" he pulled Jamara behind him as he hurried back the way he had come.
Following the rest of the group saw an incomplete circle made of salt on the floor. Pulling the acro-mage in the centre he made her sit by pushing on her shoulders.
The other mages reluctantly followed and seated themselves as the older mage closed the circle.
"Sit round the edge of the circle and join hands" he commanded as he stood in the heart of the ring.
Complying, the group watched as the mage closed his eyes, breathed deeply and started chanting.
Sorry if you don't think this is long enough but I have had a really busy week. Any suggestions for names and background for my evil mage guy would help. Tell me what you think! Thanks!
Fate of Destiny- Hey! Hope you think this chapter is as good as the bull one! If you have any other ideas that I could add I'd love to hear them so just email me. Thank you!
EclipseAzNGTX- Thanks for reviewing! People always get my name wrong as well or just call me something completely different and it bugs me sometimes so I hope I got yours right. Anyway, I wasn't planning on making the characters dance so I'm glad it works and you like it. So thanks again and I hope you review!
Jamara shifted on the uncomfortable chair and sighed. Stephanie had first been cleansed in a ritual that had taken two hours before participating in another preparatory ceremony which had lasted another hour.
"We are now going to rehearse the offering that Stephanie will give" a priest announced to her.
Jamara gladly rose from the wooden chair and followed the group out of the room. Walking down the stone stairs and back in to the huge temple she wondered how long this would take. Jamara visibly drooped and sighed loudly when she saw the hard wooden seats in the main room.
"Is there a problem?" questioned the head priestess with a disapproving glance
"No, not at all" replied Jamara as she crossed to one of the chairs and gingerly lowered herself on to it. She flashed a smile at the priestess and tried to make herself comfortable. The priestess frowned and turned back to Stephanie.
"If you would just like to go through the whole ceremony as if it was real" she asked as she bowed respectfully to the girl
Smiling smugly Stephanie nodded.
"That would be fine" she answered
Another priestess handed her a round bowl filled with fruit and small ornaments.
"This is the offering you will give" the priestess explained
"It's heavy" Stephanie complained
"Yes but I am sure the queen of the festival will be able to manage" the priestess flattered
"Yes of course I can"
Stephanie turned and walked to the temple doors with the group of priests and priestesses behind her. The head priestess stood by the alter and waited. Walking regally Stephanie made her way slowly down the center of the temple.
Jamara shifted and rolled her eyes. Wiggling she turned sideways and rested her feet on the chair next to her. Leaning on the back of the seat she was on she closed her eyes and tried to relax.
"Jamara!"
The mage gasped and tried to get up, forgetting her feet were not on the ground.
"Oof!" she cried as she hit she stone floor.
Stephanie giggled and called: "You were asleep!"
"I wasn't!"
"Yes you were"
"How did I fall asleep on that chair?!"
"I don't know but come on we're going back upstairs"
"What for?"
"To get me out of this"
The priestess had given Stephanie an un-dyed wool dress when she had come to them wearing only Jamara's cloak.
"Plus there's another ritual to perform"
"Another? What for?"
"Just to purify me"
"I thought they had already done that"
"Not completely"
"Oh" said Jamara frowning
Re-entering the room upstairs Stephanie was hurried to the bath to be washed and to take part in the final ceremony. Back on the painful chair Jamara leant back and wished she was with the others helping to clear up the main road.
What seemed like hours later Stephanie was ready and even Jamara had to admit she looked very pretty. Descending the stairs they met with Niko, Sandry, Daja, Briar and Tris. They all looked tired but had some how managed not to dirty their costumes.
"Is the road cleared?" asked one of the priests
"Mostly, it's the best we can do in such a short time" replied Niko
"It's time to assemble for the parade" announced the head priestess as she walked over followed by Stephanie.
Stephanie grinned and made sure she was stood next to Briar. Her smile widened when Briar couldn't take his eyes off her.
"You will follow Sylfae-"the priestess began
"Who?" interrupted Tris
"Sorry I mean Queen Stephanie"
When the group frowned the priestess explained.
"We decided that the queen of the festival should seem to be like one of the cities people, a simple and common name was thought to be a good idea, to please the crowds and to show them that anyone can be chosen by the gods"
"So your real name is Sylfae?"
The girl nodded.
"Which would you rather we called you?" asked Briar
"You can call me Sylfae" she smiled and stepped closer to him
"I think it would be best if you called her queen Stephanie until the festival is over" the priestess intermitted "Now if you'll follow me"
She led them outside. Already most of the performers for the parade had already gathered. Leaving Stephanie inside to collect the offering the group descended the steps and waited while the priests and priestess arranged the groups of dancers and acrobats and other performers. Another priest then showed them where they would walk. They were right behind the open topped carriage that Stephanie was to ride in.
"Did you find out what made the bulls act like that?" Jamara questioned before the priest walked away
"Not yet" he replied and left them
"If you would all take your positions, the queen is now ready" called a priest from the top of the steps.
Moving in to a line the group of mage watched as Stephanie descended the temple's stairs. Jamara tapped her foot impatiently as the queen made her way slowly towards the carriage and climbed in. Gradually the carriage began to move forward and the group of acrobats followed using a series of flips and somersaults.
As Jamara was vaulted up on to Briar's and Daja's shoulders she quickly looked around but saw nothing to cause her concern. Nearing the centre of the city the crowds became thicker and the group of mages became more alert. Jamara jumped down and shook her head when Daja looked at her questioningly.
The parade made its way forward with Stephanie at the front smiling charmingly. As Jamara flipped up in to a handstand Briar whispered:
"There's a guy over by that building"
Jamara turned her head with great difficulty and watched the tall man that Briar had indicated, walk behind the crowds. He glanced around nervously.
"I see him" she muttered back
Flipping back down she saw him reach for the person in front of him.
"He's a pickpocket" she hissed to Briar
"Oh that's alright then"
Jamara frowned.
"No it isn't!"
"Well what can we do?"
"Drop me"
"What?"
"Pretend to loose your balance and drop me on him, quick before he leaves"
Shaking his head Briar boosted her up on to his shoulders. Walking nearer to the crowd he pretended to trip. Jamara fell but somehow managed to kick the man before hitting the floor and rolling to her feet. Grabbing the purse he had stolen she returned in to the owner, pointed the pickpocket out to some nearby guards and returned to the parade.
"How did you manage to kick him?" asked Briar
"I don't know, I wasn't planning it"
Gradually they worked their way round the city and finally headed back to the temple so Stephanie could give the offering. The sun had set and now the town was lit by flickering torches. As they neared the huge building the group of mages frowned.
Shimmering brightly round the massive doors was the glow of magic.
"Oh no" murmured Tris as she emerged from the crowd to stand by the acrobats.
"Where's Niko?" asked Daja
"I don't know, I lost him in the crowd" Tris replied
"That doesn't sound like Niko" whispered Daja "You can't just loose him in a crowd"
The priests at the front of the parade were trying to open the doors and were confused when they couldn't.
"What's happening?" the head priestess asked Tris as she walked up
"I don't know but the door has been spelled"
"Can't you do something?" she hissed urgently "The moon is rising, we need to make the offering!"
"It looks like a powerful spell but we could all try at once" she suggested
"Lets try" Briar said stepping up to the doors
They sat on the floor and slowed their breathing.
Reaching inside herself Jamara felt her magic swirling. Taking a glowing strand she pushed it out and gave it to Tris. She saw Tris take hold of it and add it to the shimmering bundle she already held. She saw the fiery glow of Daja's magic, the soft shimmer of Sandry's and the fresh green color of Briar's. The magic's spread; weaving in and out they formed a bright glowing blanket which covered the doors.
Jamara watched in awe as the glow from the doors seemed to waver when the blanket lowered towards it. The woven magic's slowly touched the spelled entrance and the flash that followed caused Jamara to clench her eyes shut. When she opened them again she saw the spell shatter and the woven magic unravel and return to the five mages.
The head priestess ran up the steps as the group unwound their stiff legs and stood.
"Did it work?" she questioned
"Yes but we had better check inside before Stephanie makes the offering" responded Jamara
The priestess nodded but urged them to hurry up. Carefully Jamara pushed open the door and looked inside. Not seeing anything unusual she crept forward and the rest of the group followed. Standing warily in the entrance they all scanned the inside of the temple.
"We had better check right inside" said Sandry
"Yeah" agreed Jamara
The group filed cautiously down the aisle. The temple seemed eerily quiet and their footsteps echoed noisily off the tall walls.
"Right I can't see anything" said Briar
"Let's go" called Jamara and the group turned back to the doors.
"Not again" Jamara groaned as the neared them
The doors glowed with magic again but this time it seemed tainted with a dark grey color.
"Do you think we could break it?" asked Sandry
"I wouldn't try it" came a chilling voice from behind them
Spinning round the cluster of mages peered into the gloom. They saw the faint outline of a man stood in the corner.
"What do you want?" asked Jamara.
The man stepped in to the light and the group was surprised to see he was only a few years older than themselves. He smiled
"You"
Jamara frowned "Why?"
"Why does every power seeking mage want someone like you?" he asked "For your power of course"
"You can't have it"
"I think you'll find you don't have a choice"
"Why not?"
"To strip you of your power I will have to unbind you from these mages and I could easily make sure they don't survive the ritual" he replied
"Why do you need to unbind us?"
"Even though I am powerful I do admit that not even I could absorb all the power contained in the five of you"
"So what is stopping us from just getting rid of you now?" she questioned
The mage smirked and dragged Stephanie from the shadows.
"The lovely Sylfae here"
"What makes you think I would care about what happens to her?"
"Oh but he does" he replied indicating Briar "and you care about him"
"No I don't" Jamara said shortly
"Well then, do you care what happens to him?" he waved his hand and the mages looked to the row of chairs next to them. Sprawled across them was Niko.
"What did you do to him?"
"Nothing permanent" he raised an eyebrow "If you co-operate"
"What will you do with them once you unbind us?"
"Let them go of course"
"How do I know I can trust you?"
"You can't but it's a risk you're going to take"
Jamara sighed and nodded.
"No!" cried Sandry "You can't"
"What else am I going to do?"
"I don't know, fight him or something"
"Do you really think that I could win against someone who managed to capture Niko?"
"Yes!"
"Well I don't"
Jamara turned to the smirking mage.
"Fine you win" she sighed
"If you'd like to follow me" he said sweeping his arm to the side and walking away
"You can't do this" hissed Daja grabbing Jamara's arm "We can beat him"
"We can combine our magic, we're stronger together" added Sandry
"We won't have a chance before he kills either Niko or Sylfae"
Jamara ducked suddenly as a streak of white hot light sped above her head.
"If you would follow me and stop trying to think of ways to escape" called the mage "They won't work"
"What kind of magic is he supposed to have?" whispered Briar to Tris
"I don't know, I've never seen anything like it"
"I thought you where a weather mage"
"Yes but lightning doesn't fly from my hands"
Striding back towards them the mage took Jamara's wrist.
"I don't like to be kept waiting" he pulled Jamara behind him as he hurried back the way he had come.
Following the rest of the group saw an incomplete circle made of salt on the floor. Pulling the acro-mage in the centre he made her sit by pushing on her shoulders.
The other mages reluctantly followed and seated themselves as the older mage closed the circle.
"Sit round the edge of the circle and join hands" he commanded as he stood in the heart of the ring.
Complying, the group watched as the mage closed his eyes, breathed deeply and started chanting.
Sorry if you don't think this is long enough but I have had a really busy week. Any suggestions for names and background for my evil mage guy would help. Tell me what you think! Thanks!