Author's Note: Here is the first bit of an original for those fans of mine who wished to be notified when I began working on an possible publish-worthy peice. If you wish to read more, go to the sister site of Fanfiction - Fictionpress. Thank you everyone for your terrific support. Comments continue to come in and I love every one of them.

435 yrs P.B.

Slightly over four centuries ago, a barrier was created to separate a city of humans from a world of unpredictable creatures of varying power. The strength of eight magical traditions encompassed a civilization which was intended to be free of any hazardous encounters with any magical beasts or phenomena. There was one power which assisted the creation of this barrier, a power which has since then faded from history into myth. Now it is needed to save a people who live in ignorance.
Leon, come in and rest. You've been doing that all morning.
The crying of an infant added to the homely atmosphere surrounding the small house. A tall figure rose from where he had been kneeling along the fence. It was an odd fence, not built in the expected straight lines but curved in a perfect circle. The man wiped his forehead with his sleeve, droplets of sweat flicking from the ends of his light brown hair. He smiled at the woman reprimanding him from the doorway.

I know, but with Philip coming tomorrow I want to be sure all is secure. My enchantment skills do not have a very lasting effect.

The angry cry for attention drew the woman back inside. She called over her shoulder, Your little one also wants you to come in and play. It is her birthday after all.

Leon obligingly followed. The topic of the conversation sat splattered with oatmeal in her chair at the table. The bright green eyes she inherited from her father were nearly lost behind the roundness of her cheeks as she squealed and reached towards him. Leon made a face at her sticky hands and went to the kitchen for a water basin and wetting a cloth.

Leannah, you haven't practiced today.

She pushed back her long black hair and continued stirring the batter for a future cake without answering. Leon finished cleaning his daughter who continued to insist on being carried. With a sigh, he held her in the crook of one arm before cornering his wife at the table.



She looked up at him, dark eyes troubled. Giving the mix a few more turns, she poured it into a waiting pan and said, I just don't quite see why I couldn't take the day off. It's been nearly four years since we've been threatened.

But the threat is still present.

She sighed. I know, but will you at least let me enjoy this one day? Aura is three years old. A miracle I never though I would see.

Leon smiled and looked down at the little girl who was quietly observing her parents with one hand firmly wrapped around the chain of his heavy pendent. A miracle I never expected either. I forgive you, but tomorrow -

Yes, yes, even in the presence of your old assistant.

He leaned over the black head of his daughter and gave Leannah a quick kiss. By the way, I have something for you.

His wife brightened expectantly. Unclasping a bright silver chain from his wrist, he handed it to her.

I've been wearing this for the two years. My magic has nearly filled the silver and I want you to become accustomed to it.

Warily she took the innocent looking bracelet. How do you want me to use this?

Consider it a reserve of energy.

Slipping the band over her own wrist, Leannah affectionately tousled
Leon's hair and leaned in close to Aura.

Remind me to warn you away from overly-cautious wizards when you come of age. My mother forgot and I ended up marrying one.

Leon huffed indignantly. She didn't need to warn you. You had enough suspicion of your own when we first met.

Yes dear, and it still didn't do me much good.

With a laugh, she picked up a basket next to the door and walked out to the garden. Setting Aura in her cradle, Leon prepared to change her diaper. She giggled up at him, trying to catch her own feet as he carefully restrained her from making an even larger mess than her usual morning one. Once that task was complete, Aura was dressed in a light green cotton tunic and set down on the kitchen floor. She immediately trotted towards the doorway, Leon close behind.

The eruption of the apple tree outside the fence was the only warning. Consumed in a mass of burning tar it slowly collapsed, crushing a portion of the yard's fence. Leon snatched Aura away from the flying bits of wood and embers and sprinted back into the house. Opening the shallow cellar next to the bedroom ladder, he lowered his daughter inside with a strained smile.

Stay here, little one, till Mum or Da comes to get you. Don't be afraid of the loud noises. We'll keep them away.

Wide green eyes tried to interpret the worry and fear in his own. Leon gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. I love you.

He shut the cellar door and grabbed his focus staff. Once outside, he paused in horror at the sight of the fire scorpion. The creature was four times the size of a large horse and the joints between its coal black exoskeleton burned with a molten red glow. The right eye was crystal black with a point of fire deep within it. The left was made of a tiger yellow topaz. A voice with the hiss of steam came from the creature's mouth.

Finally found you, elusive one. My master is extremely angry with me that it has taken so long and is impatient for your arrival.

Loudly clacking the two great claws in front of it, the monster bore down on Leannah as she stood in her modest garden. Stinging tail raised, it fired another mass of burning black pitch. The deadly liquid deflected off an invisible shield and landed in a patch of tomatoes which immediately withered and burned. Leannah raised her hand, black eyes changing to a blue-white. Energy out of the very air seemed to be sucked towards her. Raising her hands, she made a motion that froze the first striking pincer. Repeating the movement, she held the huge insect captive.

Leon! I cannot hold it long!

The wizard quickly ducked under the pincers and raised his staff. Instead of a usual crystal or other traditional magic focus, the end was fixed with a long leaf shaped blade. He drove this up between the head and main body, chanting softly. The metal of the blade began turning white with power and then abruptly melted. Leon managed to leap out of range as the scorpion broke free of Leannah and thrashed wildly in pain as boiling tar from the wound burned the ground.

Rearing back on its three sets of legs, the arachnid glared down at the couple. Wizard, I do not need you. Save your own life and leave.

Unstrapping a long dagger from under his sleeve, Leon held it out in front of him. Tell your master that I am bound to this woman and he will never have her. He will never have his war.

The fire scorpion whipped its tail down in an effort to spear its opponent. Leon dodged the blow, and gave one of his own. The stinger plunged into the ground, severed from the tail. The creature screeched and gouts of the deadly liquid which substituted for its blood began spraying the yard. Leannah managed to defect most of the pitch away from the house which hid their precious secret.



No Aura!

The three year old toddler stood in the doorway looking in innocent wonder at the great creature standing in front of her parents. The scorpion halted.

There is another?

Leon growled and thrust the dagger into the dirt at his feet. You will take no one from me.

The ground surrounding the house began to tremble. What remained of the fence dissolved in green flame as a glowing spiral crawled outward from doorstep. It rapidly encompassed the garden, burning what remained of the vegetables, and then spread to the cover the entire hollow in which the home rested. Leannah clutched her husband's arm.

Leon it will kill you!

He smiled sadly. We've known this was a possibility. I will not have that creature take you or Aura from me as long as I live. If it means my own life, I am willing to give it.

The blue-white glow of her eyes faded to her natural black. She shook her head and demanded, Let me help.

You cannot work this magic. If this fails, do what you can to escape with the little one.

Leon turned his back to his wife and raised one hand to the scorpion. Black lightening lashed out to strike the creature but it merely raised its claws to deflect the strike. Narrowing his eyes, the wizard drew the dagger from the ground. It glowed white in his hand as he raised it. The spiral brightened. With one last look at the quiet and peaceful home he had created and would now destroy, Leon poured his life energy into the blade and threw. The fire scorpion roared, clawing violently at its left eye. The white light shot out of the gaps in the creatures armor, cooling the fiery glow and paralyzing any remaining death throes. The magic spiral faded away leaving only blackened hillsides. Leannah knelt over the motionless body of her husband and tried to find a heartbeat. She heard Aura's small feet crunch the dead grass behind her.

Mum? Where Da?

Wiping her face with trembling hands, she gently closed the dull green eyes of the man who had given up everything for his family. Holding out her hand to Aura, she tried to smile.

Da has gone on to another world, love. He'll meet us there someday.

A rumble from the remains of the fire scorpion gave Leannah enough warning to grab her daughter and shield her from the blast with her own body. Falling against her deceased husband, she cradled Aura in her arms. The last thing she heard was a cry of pain but couldn't tell if it was her own, or her child's.

It was midmorning when the deaths were discovered. A lanky figure carrying a large pack and rolled blanket crested the rolling hilltop to look down into a valley of destruction. Narrowed gray eyes carefully took in any possible remaining threats before the man descended. Bits of blackened grass were caught on the smokey breeze and alighted on the heavy traveling cloak and in the long brown hair of the visitor. He paused at the remnants of a fence and groaned. Two badly burned bodies lay atop one another in the dirt in front of the skeleton of a house. It was not difficult to discern where the intense heat had emanated. A slight distance away was a pile of still smoking pitch and bits of insect-like armor. On top of the mess rested a cracked yellow topaz. The man cursed under his breath.

A slight movement behind him made him tense. One of the bodies, the woman, was shifting. For a moment he wondered if she had survived, but was astonished to see a small hand appear, clutching the ruins of the woman's dress. Carefully the newcomer lifted the charred body off of its partner. Bright green eyes crusted with soot looked up at him. He dropped his large leather pack and pulled the young one out.

Where Da?

The man smiled trying to mask his pain and picked up the little girl, keeping his face between her and the bodies of her parents. Hey, you must be Aura. I'm Philip Sherrode.

She gave him a winning smile and held up something on a broken chain. She laughed.

Philip's heart sunk even further when he realized she was holding the Eye pendent with the emblem of a open book engraved in place of the pupil. One like it hung from around his own neck. He shifted her on his hip and looked around once more. There was no possibility of remaining here after such an explosion of power. His master had been a strong man, and with such an expulsion of magic, questions would need to be answered. Questions for which he could not reveal the true answers. Philip set the little girl down and knelt in front of her.

he said solemnly, I want to tell you something you will not want to hear.

She clutched the chain and pendent closer to her chest.

Your parents have died. Their spirits have left us here, and you cannot follow till your time is decided. I am going to bury what remains and take you with me to someplace with food and a bed. Is that alright with you?

No Mum or Da?

He shook his head. She looked over at the burning beams of the house, then at the blackened bodies on the ground behind this stranger. The night had been cold and she was tired and hungry. This man seemed to know what had happened to her Mum and Da when they wouldn't wake up. Perhaps he could make her warm again.

Okay. Find Mum and Da?

Philip sighed, Yes, try to find Mum and Da.

Removing his outer tunic, he wrapped his master's daughter in the heavier brown cotton. Opening his pack, he found a piece of travel bread full of small bits of dried fruit. He gave this to Aura before turning back to the bodies. Taking a quartz crystal from a pouch at his belt, he drew a box around the couple. Once completed, he placed the crystal on Leon's chest and held both hands over it.

I know you would want to be hidden away like this, but I can't help feeling guilty that you will never be hailed as the master you were. No one would listen to you at the Eye, but your warnings will be remembered someday. I'll make sure of that.

The flash of light around Leannah's blackened wrist made him pause. A silver chain gleamed brightly among the ashes. It must have been shielded by her body, just as she had protected her daughter. Unsure whether it had been fully charged, he carefully picked it up with the hem of his cloak and placed it in his pack. Taking a deep breath, he again held his hands over the bodies.

From earth once made. To earth now return. Take back what was given. Remake in new life.

The markings shot out needles of violet light and the ground began to tremble and turn to sand. Philip repeated the chant and watched as his mentor and wife slowly sank from view. Once they were sufficiently buried, he found two stones from the foundation of the house and placed them at the head of the double grave. Aura had wandered over to the remnants of whatever creature had destroyed her home and was staring at the broken topaz. Philip carefully picked it out of the steaming black mass and put it in his belt pouch. Aura's sober green eyes looked up at the tall wizard for a long moment before scrunching up and begin leaking tears.

I want Mum and Da!

With a sigh, the wizard scooped her up in one arm before shouldering his pack. Taking a final pause at the charred fence, he carried the wailing girl away. It was best to be as far from this place as possible by the next morning. The shock wave of energy, both physical and magical, would have caught the attention of someone. Being so close to the Barrier was probably not a good thing. Philip had to find a place to hide this young girl who was most likely the last Mystic in the world.

It was nearly night when he stopped to rest. He did not dare to build a fire for they were still too close to the house. Taking a rag, he dampened it with water from his water skin. Cleaning the black smudges from her face, he pushed back her hair. She winced when his fingers brushed over her right ear and he felt a crust of blood matted within the locks. Philip smiled reassuringly and turned his attention to her hands. Once she was sufficiently clean, he set about making dinner. It was merely more travel bread, cheese, and a bit of dried meat which Aura had difficulty chewing, but she soon dropped off to sleep. He sat for a long moment watching her clutch her father's medallion and bite on the first finger knuckle of her left hand. She whimpered quietly. Philip carefully pried the blackened chain out of the tight fist and held the pendent out before him.

Nex necis anquiro.

The Eye emblem began glowing steadily, projecting a miniature Leon Terhune as he thrust a spear into a giant scorpion. Philip's gray eyes were cold as he watched the manner in which his master died. When he compleated the viewing, he bowed his head and shuddered in silent grief. Taking out the cracked yellow topaz, he placed it against a rock and smashed it in half to be sure it could never be used again. The mastermind behind these murders knew of Aura's existance. He needed her, though for what reason the wizard wasn't entirely sure. Philip would be damned if she was ever found - either by the Eye or by whatever power orchestrated this attempt at war between humanity and magic.

Aura slept soundly as she was tucked into the pack among the rearranged food supplies and wizard crafting scrolls. With a grunt, Philip hoisted the pouch over his shoulder and began walking.

453 yrs. P.B.

The great ironbound stone doors shut with a foreboding clang. Sunlight streamed in from the East windows far above the great arena which made the heart of the tower. It bounced off the silver mirrors set strategically throughout the place of final testing and focused on a lonely figure. Kubo, the youngest graduator in the conjurer tower, drew a shaky breath and pushed his unkempt blond hair out of his eyes. The slate floor looked spotless but he knew that once the blood of conjurers had seeped through their cracks. The ancient standards of victory or death had been changed hundreds of years ago, however it did not provide the students any reprieve when facing their last challenge. Defeat, according to those sent back for further studying, resulted in injuries which crossed thresholds of pain one could never imagine. Even if the final gauntlet had been softened with the promise of life, the hair on Kubo's arms raised in cold fear. The blood of those before him would never wash away.

Kubo shrugged uncomfortably in the coarse brown sleeveless tunic he had been given. It belted at the waist over a pair of loose undyed cotton pants. He caught a bit of movement above his head where the instructors would observe. A voice he did not recognize echoed down.

Kubo Sumal, are you prepared for your final testing?

He wiped sweaty hands against his hips. Yes sir.

You remember that anything you summon is permissible. Defeat of your opponent is the goal. Fates be with you.

A door hidden in shadows slid open with a rasp. Kubo took another deep breath and braced himself, spells and strategies racing through his head. The black stone golem moved unnervingly quickly, charging immediately at the young man with one great arm raised. He dodged, then ducked as the monolith pursued, determined not to give the conjurer a moment to concentrate. The key to destroying any golem was to find its center of energy. The downside to this deceptively easy task was that the centers could be multiplied and scattered throughout the body. Diving between the creature's legs, he held out his left hand and chanted,

Come, crystal water, reveal to me what lies within.

A flicker of yellow light left a blue glass disk in his palm. Kubo held it up to his eye and had just enough time to count four energy points before being forced to dodge another massive blow. The impact shattered the slate flagstones and sent shards whizzing dangerously through the air. One caught the conjurer across the brow and he dropped the glass. It exploded on impact with the floor, coming dangerously close to cutting his sandals. He winced in regret. It would take some time before he could create another seeing glass as balanced as that one had been.

He needed a weapon. There was no way to break the golem's energy unless he broke the stone first. Kubo smiled grimly to himself. Three of the energy points rested in the monolith's head, shoulder and elbow. If he could find a way to take them all out at once, it was only a matter of time before he could finish his testing. The question was, what could he summon which had enough strength to do such a thing? He had perfected the summoning of basic animals and the average magical creatures such as fairies and sprites, but unless he managed to call them in force Kubo wasn't sure any of them would have the power to destroy a golem of this size or craft.

His foot slipped and the great fist caught him across the shoulder. The young conjurer was tossed casually into the arena wall and cracked his head against the stone. Kubo fell to his knees with a groan, clutching the rapidly forming lump. There was probably concussion material in that blow. Fighting back the white flash of pain and trying to regain his breath, he scrambled to avoid a second hit and dove between the golem's heavy legs. Landing ungracefully on his back, he caught a full glimpse of the observation balcony.

Dressed in full formal robes of sun-yellow stood the Head of the conjurer tower with three of his instructors. Kubo froze in surprise. The Head was well known to hardly ever leave his high rooms or have any interest in the final trials of the students. He only congratulated a fellow conjurer after they had achieved greatness after graduation. Cold black eyes met astonished blue. Kubo's moment of shock nearly cost him an extreme amount of pain. The golem turned and raised a massive stone foot to crush its opponent. With a frantic hand motion, Kubo sketched a sign in the air in front of him, not even sure what he was summoning. The temperature in the room dropped immediately. An ice sprite hovered in front of him head cocked inquisitively.

Kubo tried to not sound panicked and ordered, Defend me!

The frosty creature with wings of crystal lace raised its arms and blew a blizzard of white at the descending stone foot. The golem hesitated long enough for the young man to avoid becoming a pancake. The sprite was not as lucky and vanished in an icy crunch. Kubo backed away and tried to think of another creature which could equal the brute power of stone. He glanced up at the balcony and saw the Head lean over to one of his instructors and say something to which the other nodded. Kubo's mind raced, wondering why the Head had come to see his trial.

An unseen fist slammed the distracted conjurer full in the stomach. He felt two ribs break at the impact and couldn't refrain from crying out when he landed some distance away. He saw the Head raise his hand as if to stop the trial. Struggling to his feet, Kubo drew the pentagram to summon a magical creature in the air before him. One had to draw the symbol of the creature within the center of the pentagram to actually bring it under control. Kubo's hands shook. He couldn't remember anything. The intensive days of studying all vanished in the blink of an eye. Only one symbol remained in his memory, one he remembered finding in an old leather book in the library but whose definition had not been translated. Desperately he wrote it anyway. The circle glowed and erupted in a silver flame. Time extended as first one black clawed foot, then another emerged from the summoner's portal. A great beaked head followed, fierce silver eyes taking in the new surroundings. With a screech that echoed through the entire tower, the black and silver griffin emerged and took to the air. Kubo stood unable to move as the rarely seen creature leisurely circled overhead. The stone golem, strong but unintelligent, took a swipe at the newcomer. The griffin retaliated by diving in and clawing the head off in a shower of small rocks. Kubo regained enough sense to shout,

The shoulder must be destroyed also! And the left hip!

The griffin turned and looked down at the young man in faint surprise having not seen him upon its arrival. Kicking with its back legs, the energy points in the arm and shoulder were quickly taken care of as the whole appendage tore apart. Darting away and then back, weaving in and out of the flailing arms, it pecked at the golem's hip until the monolith crumbled. Kubo sighed in relief.

The black griffin perched on top of the pile of stone and ruffled its wings, light gleaming off the silver edges of its feathers.

Hmmm, that was interesting. A good fight - are there more?

Kubo stared at the creature.

Are there more? Who are you? You called me here and I saw a good fight. If there are no more, then I want to go back.

With a sinking sensation in his chest, Kubo realized that he had failed to establish control over his summoned creature. The griffin had fought only for its entertainment, not because he had willed it. He should have known. Griffins were extremely powerful and independent. How could he have expected to be able to conjure and dominate one on his own, a mere graduating student? And now he was faced with an opponent even more dangerous than the golem. Perhaps if the griffin didn't know why he had been called here, he could send it back no worse for wear. Raising his hands, he again began drawing a pentagram, only in reverse. The griffin eyed him warily.

What is that now?

I'm sending you back.

A voice boomed out overhead. Stop, Kubo Sumal!

Kubo jumped and his finger broke the pentagram. Silver light shot out to ensnare the griffin which shrieked in pain. Kubo felt the energy being pulled out of his body along with the griffin into a world of darkness. Something was terribly wrong. Yellow light flashed from the balcony and surrounded the struggling creature. Both spells fought one another until in a dual ed burst, the griffin vanished. Kubo collapsed unconscious on the cold stone floor.

When he came to, he was back in his personal quarters. The baggy cotton pants had bunched uncomfortably around his knees. A bandage around his torso let him know that the healers had already been there to mend his ribs, though he would be sore for a few days. However, there was no sign as to whether he had passed his testing or not. A soft knock on the door had him carefully sitting up and pulling on a shirt.

Come in.

A scruffy brown head peeked around the door, followed by a slightly chubby body. Kubo smiled. Doug, how long have I been in here?

His friend shrugged, I dunno, maybe four hours. They're still talking upstairs about you. What happened?

Kubo shrugged back. I'm not sure. Somehow I summoned a griffin.

The other boy's eyes widened. You don't just somehow' summon something like that! What did the Head think?

I don't know. I tried to send it back but something went wrong and I was being taken with it. After that, I don't know. It hurt a lot though. Kubo frowned. What was the Head doing there anyway?

Doug gave his friend a skeptical look. You're the best in the Kubo. He wanted to see what you could do. Normal people would consider than an honor.

Well after what idiotic skill I showed in there, I'll definitely not be considered normal anymore.

You were never normal in the first place.

Kubo punched him lightly in the stomach before frowning. I couldn't remember anything in there, Doug. It's like I never opened a book. They nearly ended the final and I don't blame them. All I did was run around like a mindless first year.

An unsympathetic finger poked through Kubo's mussed blond hair at a fresh pink scar. You have something to show for it though. The girls will really dig your battle scar.

Kubo slapped his friend's hand away and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. Searching for a moment for his socks and boots, he gingerly bent to pull them on. With a sigh, he looked around the small room which had been his home for the last ten years. The furnishings were sparse, a low wooden bed, a table which also served as a desk, and one narrow window which provided a scarcely decent amount of light. The space around the door was covered with numerous shelves loaded with books. His few articles of clothing hung on pegs above his bed. Picking up the stack of books which he had studied for a full week, he slowly put them back in their reserved space above the door. Doug flopped on the bed and watched him.

So which is worse? The fact that the top student made a complete mess of the final? Or that you have to go back to the lowly bottom student for who knows how many more years?

Doug, you are not helping me at all.

I'm trying to find humor in your situation.

Sure -

A knock interrupted the growing argument. Kubo slid open the small peephole and blinked. In the hall stood all three instructors and the Head Conjurer. Swallowing hard, he closed the small shutter and turned to Doug.

You may want to get out of here.



With grimace, he opened the door. The instructors filed in, their yellow robes sweeping the floor. The Head stalked past them and cast a short glare at the unwanted guest. Doug sprang to his feet, gave a short bow, and bolted out the door. The Head turned his dark eyes to the nervous Kubo.

You are aware that without controlling the creature you summoned, you have technically failed your final testing.

Kubo couldn't pull his gaze up from the toes of his boots as he nodded.

However, your talent and strength have greatly impressed your teachers. The mere fact that you were able to contact a griffin is testimony to that. We are willing to overlook the incompleteness of your conjuring on one condition.

Shocked, Kubo glanced at the silent trio. Each wore a slight smile and were nodding in affirmation. Clearing his throat, Kubo asked,

What is that condition, sir?

The Head was looking at the shelves of books with detached interest. He turned, hands clasped behind him.

The contrasting spells which were set on the griffin set it free in this world. What you didn't realize was that to send back a being of such unique power requires a much more elaborate spell than a simple reversed pentagram. In addition, when you broke the pentagram, you would have destroyed the griffin. I diverted its death and your own, for it would have been an unnecessary waste. Thus, it has been decided that your final task before becoming a graduate of the Eye will be to find this griffin and bring it back.

Confused, Kubo burst out, But how am I supposed to do that?

The Head frowned and answered with slight irritation. Are you not the first in your ? This should not be a difficult task for one of such reputation. Do not question this generosity. Giving the astonished student no time to respond, the Head stalked out the door immediately followed by the still silent instructors. For a long moment after, Kubo stood unmoving in the middle of his room.

The Powers all hate me.