Lady Valura: Probably ;) I started this a few years ago, then stopped writing after Chapter Five. Then I wrote True Sight Saga 1: Dark Uncle and True Sight Saga: Summer of Flame and a few chapters of True Sight Saga 3: The Hard Path as well as a side story concerning the son of Crysania, Sir Duane.
Now, hopefully I haven't 'spoiled' a future fic for anyone, lol.
Chapter Four
A few months later
Marion had completely recovered and was restless. Caramon watched the regal looking woman pace in front of the fireplace and then she turned to him and said, "There is much more at stake than one life. I am talking the lives of everyone, of everything."
"There isn't much you can do," he pointed out. "Raistlin has... what was your charger's name?"
"Avanti," she answered.
"Raistlin has Avanti with him. You are stranded here as much as I am," Caramon pointed out the window into the howling winds of the winter blizzard that had clogged the roads. "It is up to him now."
But he too looked out into the harsh winds with concern.
The Day Mare had brought him as far as she could, but when the snows were too deep even for a steed of made of dreams, she left him in Tarsis for the Winter. He watched as far as he could as she disappeared out of sight, then into the shimmers that he knew meant that her form had returned into the dream of which she was made.
He turned to face the city that confronted him and walked the streets until he found an inn. Entering, he shook the snow from his hair and from his cloak and boots. Walking over to the counter the barman said, "We don't serve your kind here."
With a sigh, Raistlin returned to the cold and looked for another inn. It was his luck that he found none. Clutching his sleeves and feeling the cold creep into his joints he wondered if he was going to survive this. He was stranded, his clothes were not made for this weather, he had no food, nothing to drink, his spell components were nearly gone, and he had no money.
This has to be some sort of test. I rode a Day Mare here, for Lunitari's sake, he grumbled mentally. The Gods wouldn't leave me out here to die in the cold. This is just a... challenge to see how I would handle an extreme situation...
Right?
No answer was forthcoming. Raistlin wandered for awhile, knowing that to keep moving was to stay warm when the flickering lights of a church attracted his attention. He walked into the, although very solid, crumbling building and into a sudden wall of warmth. There was no religious symbols but for a single blue colored star in a void. He walked up to the alter.
"I had a feeling you would come," came a voice behind him.
Raistlin whirled around, and then dizziness assailed him. The man ran up to him and supported him as he helped Raistlin to sit in one of the benches. A throbbing in his skull told him that a fever had set in. It was likely from the cold.
Just what I need... was Raistlin's last conscious thought before passing out. Now I'm sick.
Marion was getting more antsy. It was the only word Caramon could call it. She was restless now that her wounds were completely healed. Much to his curiosity, she had not turned gold like his brother since the incident. Caramon yearned to know how that could be but was not overly wanting to ask. Something about that made him flinch.
She finally turned to Caramon and said, "Do as you will, but I am leaving. I must return to my duty."
He looked up from his meal in shock, "What? What about my brother? You can't just leave! Without you to help me I might never find him!"
"That is your problem, not mine," she replied cooly as she began to gather her things into her saddlebags and a small packsack.
He watched as she checked the strange curved sword. "I think you need a new sword, in the very least. At least wait until a new one can be made!" he pointed out desperately.
"There is nothing wrong with my scimitar, Caramon, it is meant to look like that," came her exasperated voice from down the hall.
Damn, she moved fast.
Caramon hurried to catch up, and blocked her off at the stairs down to the common room, "Then at least wait for me."
Hands on her hips, she glared at him, "I am not going after Raistlin. You would be quicker to go after him yourself, and as you said, all venues are closed until Spring. I go to the East. Things are happening in Neraka that require my attention -- and Raistlin is likely in Tarsis which is nearly directly South from here."
"I can't change your mind?"
"No. You cannot."
With that he watched her leave and a feeling of dread came over him and he chased after her, "Okay, look. I don't care where you are going. Let me come with you."
The look on her face was of sheer amazement, and now she was curious. "What in the name of the Abyss is your problem?"
Caramon shuffled his feet, and an unintelligible mumble was his answer. Marion ducked her head and said, "What was that? I didn't quite catch that."
"I've never been on my own before," he admitted. "Someone was always with me, whether Raistlin, Kit, Tanis... or even Thorn."
Her eyes opened wide and she took a deep breath, suddenly understanding. Laying both hands on his shoulders she said, "Look, kid, you can't walk through life the entire time with someone always holding your hand. Someday you are going to have to walk your path by yourself. When that day comes the better you will be if you have done so for a little while. I can take you as far as Solace. I do hope someone will be there that you know."
Caramon nodded, relieved. Maybe on the trip there I can convince her to stick around, not go East. Maybe once the Spring comes she would be willing to go with me...
"Go pack your things," she sighed. "I want to get back on the road as soon as possible."
Waking was a slow process for Raistlin. Snatches of memory and of someone giving him water and thin broth was hazy. But when he awoke it was to the realization that he had lost at least a few days if his body told him anything. Sitting up weakly he looked around and the man he remembered from the sanctuary came over, "My Lord, I am glad to see you recovered."
"Where am I?"
"In the last temples of Matheri," answered the priest. "Although not many believe anymore... and Matheri has not answered prayers in a very, very long time. Except by way of the Miiro."
Matheri... Majere?! realized Raistlin... And the irony was enough to make him laugh for a moment.
When he regained control, "I'm sorry. I just found it incredibly ironic. My name, that is, my surname is Majere."
The cleric nodded in understanding, "Ah, yes, I would find that ironic as well... especially for one in your... ah... position."
"But I thought Majere's symbol was the rose with a star in it?" asked Raistlin, mildly confused.
"The rose, yes, but Majere has always been, and always will, be associated with the Miiro. Majere is represented by the rose and Miiro the star hidden within its confines," answered the cleric. "Oh, forgive me. My name is Thaniel."
"Raistlin."
"Pleased to meet you," the cleric bowed. "But I am confused to what happened to the Lady Miiro?"
"I don't know," answered Raistlin, quite truthfully. "All I know is that I ended up on a Day Mare which brought me this far, and Marion was left behind after being accosted by an elf."
The man's head dropped in sorrow, "Ah, he did catch to her after all. But... do you have the ring?"
"Ring?" asked Raistlin in confusion. "No, she said we were after a ring. I assume it to the one you speak of."
Thaniel nodded his head. "Yes, the Blue Star itself. The star that is in the rose. Come with me..."
Raistlin got up, and with Thaniel's help, was dressed in robes that were more for the climate. They were the thickest velvet and colored grey and blue. While he was somewhat curious as to the colors, he supposed it was all they had. Much to his relief, however, the robes were composed of different layers.
The first layer were simple cotton underwear. The next layer was of heavy linen, white of all colors... and was a pair of pants and a shirt. He assumed this was to keep his skin from sweating and to have a layer that could breathe. It was a smart idea, one he would have to keep in mind.
Except not in white.
Then there was a middle layer, again, of a pair of pants that were a type of cotton that was so heavily woven and so much like leather only more pliable it could almost be used as leather armor. This was more form fitting although not skin tight. To his relief, it was in stone grey which was at least the color of neutrality, even if it was the cleric's neutral and not the wizards. Also he put on a long sleeve tunic shirt of the same material that had a rather neat collar that was straight up and very short and the entire shirt buttoned up the front. It was like wearing robes that were a bit shorter as the tunic fell to his mid-hip.
The final layer was not quite robes, but close enough. He wore a pair of loose fitting dark grey of a linen and cotton weave. They were heavy, and rugged, obvious for hard use but clean cut for wearing about. The tunic was longer and fell to just below his knees, only the cut was slit up both sides until just below the other tunic's cut. Over this was a minimal tabard that was silver grey with red rose leaves embroidered into the border. On each corner was a circle. The cleric then tied a sash around his waist to draw in all in.
Raistlin was then allowed to look in a mirror. He had to stare twice. He looked like a cleric of Lunitari, if those ever existed. Also the entire look was not quite of robes. To Raistlin's eyes the entire ensemble was very Eastern. Even of the isles of the extreme East where such... ah... yes... kimonos! That was what this was. Only it was the masculine version, even of the samurai order when not in armor.
Of course, this was conjecture as he had only read of them in books, but this did seem like that style of clothes.
Thaniel then tied Raistlin's white hair into a pony tail on the back off his head. Drawing back to look at his handiwork, he remarked, "You look like my brother would if he was ever touched by the Gods."
"Thanks, I think," said Raistlin. "Now, what was it you wanted to show me?"
Thaniel showed him the window and drew the curtains. Looking out into the night sky, Thaniel pointed up to the rose constellation. "See Matheri?"
"Yes," answered Raistlin.
"What is he missing?"
For a moment Raistlin was a bit confused, then he saw it. He gasped, "The star in the bud is gone."
Thaniel nodded. "And so is the Miiro."
Marion jumped from the horse and moments later Caramon joined her on the ground as they drew up to Flint Fireforge's stone house. "All this town and he is the only on the ground?" she asked.
"Yes, well, he doesn't like heights and he believes that only stone should be used to make a house," answered Caramon.
"How like a dwarf," Marion said as she tied the horse to the tree closest to the door.
She knocked imperiously on the door. When it opened to reveal the older dwarf, she said, pointing to Caramon as she did so, "Do you know this young man?"
Flint glared at Caramon who struggled not to flinch, then his eyebrows nearly reached his scalp, he answered, "Aye, that I do. Why, what has he done now?"
"That's all I wanted to know," she said as she turned to Caramon and remounted her horse. "There, now you're with friends. Be safe, Majere. Our paths separate permanently here."
With that she gave her horse the nudge to get moving, and as fast as that horse could move, left along the South road. Caramon watched her go, this time too fast for him to even lift a finger to object. Just like that she disappeared, likely forever. He turned to Flint, "Boy, do I have a story to tell you. I'm not sure if I believe it..."
Two hours later, and a mug of ale, Caramon finished his tale. Flint leaned back in his chair and chewed on a piece of licorice in thought. "And you say she was dead and came back?"
"I swear it. I've never seen the like," maintained Caramon. "My brother is missing, thanks to her, but now I have no idea if he is still in Tarsis, dead, or somewhere else."
"I thought you said he was?"
"I said he was headed that way the last time either Lady Miiro or I saw him," clarified Caramon. "Now, whether he made it there or was sidetracked, I don't know. And it's been over two months. I'm beginning to worry."
Flint chewed some more on the licorice, deep in thought. "Two months is not that long, especially for a trip that long. And if that horse is as special as you saw, he got there. What he has to do there is the puzzle. Did she ever say?"
"No," answered Caramon miserably. "Other than that Raistlin is supposed to be her successor, whatever than means, and that she is the Miiro, I have no idea what is going on. I don't even know what this 'Miiro' is supposed to be!"
"Long ago, as a lad younger than you are now, I remember hearing a tale," Flint began.
"All I know is that for some reason I am the next Miiro," said Raistlin. "Supposedly, this is my test. I have no idea what is involved or what I am to do. I don't even know, beyond the basic reasoning that the greater balance is not good or evil, but of Law and Chaos, and that the Miiro is the midpoint between the two entities. Abyss, I didn't even know that they were Entities until she educated me on that point. Beyond that I am completely clueless."
Thaniel listened patiently, "Then allow me to finish that training. You see, this temple is the repository of the Miiro. The truth is we are a monastary of Matheri who agreed to train those who need help in learning their path, whether of Matheri or of Miiro."
"For what army?"
"No army except that of one: The Miiro," answered Thaniel. "You see, this is where every Miiro was trained, or at least, in a place like this. I am only here to make sure your needs are tended to. It is your test, and your calling, to become the Miiro."
"Once, in the dawn of time," began Flint. "There was a man and a woman. The man liked to create, but never did finish anything. The woman did. And what she finished, he destroyed. What he destroyed... well, no one knows what came of that. All we know is that there was no peace. The man was Chaos, the Creator. The woman was Law, the Organizer. From these two came the Gods we know, but only until Reorx was created could Krynn, as we know it, be."
"The Miiro is to be the mediator of Law and Chaos," explained Thaniel as he led Raistlin down stairs to a large room.
Once those doors were opened, light came, but no source could be seen.
"One of Gilean's children sought to bring peace between to the two warring factions of Law and Chaos," continued Flint. "However, they were both finished, at the same time, casting two devastating spells that would tear asunder Reorx's Krynn. This child of Gilean jumped to stop it."
Caramon leaned in and Flint continued, "The Child save Krynn by allowing itself to be torn asunder. The Gods came together, as both the greater parents were weakened, and somehow detained Chaos and Law. Unfortunately, Miiro's essence was fragmented and thrown in thousands of scattered bits across the cosmos. It is said, that if there is a world with people on it like that of Krynn, that a fragment rests on each world and beyond. But I digress."
"What is a Miiro?"
Thaniel smiled warmly and said, "Not a Miiro, the Miiro. At least, for Krynn. Every so often a fragment of a sundered God is said to be given to a mortal, making them not quite mortal. Some live life without ever knowing they are God-touched, or more accurately, God-heirs."
"Sometimes the fragment rests in mortal children before birth. Some never know unless something truly climatic happens to bring it out," said Flint. "Usually, when that happens under normal circumstances that person would be dead, but they don't die. Often they walk from it unscathed."
Caramon leaned back, "That is even more hard to believe."
Flint shrugged, "That's the legend, as I know it, of the only Miiro I have heard of.""Sounds more like myth. Raistlin? A God? Come on, Flint, that will never happen."
Raistlin stared at the man in shock, "Are you saying that I'm a God?"
"More accurately a demi-god," answered Thaniel. "But only if you let it happen, and only if you can find the Blue Star and reach that destiny. Only then will you have that key."
"So what happens until then?"
"Until then you train yourself to face anything that agents of Chaos and Law can throw at you."
I guess we know where Raistlin got the idea to become a God...
Just so you know, Marion isn't dead, nor has she disappeared off the map completely. Even if she never makes a reappearance in this story again, this story was meant to be a short duology. It was also the background for the Role-Play I was in where Marion bailed us out of the worst situations we could get ourselves into. Even though she was no longer the Miiro, she was still an Adventurer, and an Agent of the Miiro. We never met Raistlin... yet.
