The Soul of a Mage
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonlance.
Author's Note: Okay here's the first chappie of the sequel. It may seem a little bumpy right now, but I'm trying to get it all set up still. You'll have to excuse any inaccuracies in the beginning concerning the Graygem, I have a poor memory when it comes to those kinds of things, and I couldn't quite recall who knew about it besides Reorx. Thanks for being patient. Hope you guys like the sequel to, To Just Give In.
Chapter One: Deception
Five years had years had passed since Raistlin made his ascension into god hood. Many changes had occurred since then. Gilthas, who took his test only a year later, was now head of the white robes. Dalamar lead the conclave. Gilthas and Aurelia were married one year ago. She was only nineteen and both of her parents had strongly disapproved. Crysania stated that she was not of proper her age and neither her or Gilthas could possibly understand the commitment that marriage was. Raistlin on the other hand had said that she would never end up taking her Test if she got married. This of course she knew was not true. She was a cleric of the golden robes, her father's first cleric. She still had a deep love for magic she was just willing to wait for the right time to take the next step, her Test.
Gilthas had taken his test at seventeen, younger than her father had been. It was the earliest any mage had ever taken it. Some said that it was sure that he would die and in the darkest parts of night she feared he would as well. He made it through unscathed physically, however he never spoke of his Test with her or anyone else and ever since he had taken it he had became more reserved and quieter. The change wasn't that bad though, Par-Salian himself said that Gilthas had done remarkably well in his retirement speech when he handed head of white robes over to Gilthas.
Aidan had just turned seventeen and he and their younger cousin Palin, who was fourteen, studied together under Gilthas as well as Dalamar. They were both regarded as perhaps the most talented youths across Krynn. Palin's parents were both apprehensive about his studies in magic, so their studies with Dalamar were secret, Gilthas however both Caramon and Tika loved and trusted. Aidan who was much closer to taking his Test than Palin still felt no alignment with good or evil. This was not to say he was neutral either, he was a tad bit indecisive. A secret dream of his, he truly hoped to set up his own order under his father's leadership. Though his father was the god of the forgotten ones, he knew him well enough to understand that magic was still his first love, he had a few clerics who served him but no mages. Aidan wanted to change that; he was not going to be content to sit and serve the Conclave, yet he didn't want to go renegade. His father understood his ambition in a way no one else did. Aurelia had been ambitious when she was younger but when their father became a god she quickly became his first cleric, all but giving up magic. Palin unlike him seemed to have a very strong alignment already. He talked constantly of the service and good he would do for the white robes and seemed to genuinely really admire Gilthas. Strangely though when they took lessons under Dalamar he seemed more quiet and mesmerized, he supposed it was due to the mystery Dalamar posed, it was something Palin couldn't understand. Whenever they talked about the black robes Palin would get quiet and uncomfortable.
Crysania was still head of the Temple of Paladine in Panathalas. As he had promised Raistlin did visit, quite often in fact. He only once missed an important event, Aurelia's eighteenth birthday. Though Aurelia hadn't been bothered by it Crysania was upset. This signified their little girl becoming an adult and where was he? Well later she had learned that in a small village in minotour islands, the brutal civil war had torn through and destroyed all of the homes. All of the minotour men and women who had been sleeping were slaughtered and even young boys, who may have been able to fight. All that was left were very young children in the destroyed village. Raistlin had repaired their homes and cast a spell of protection over the young after feeding and healing them. Some of his clerics would stay there until things settled down. After she heard the story she felt rather guilty for yelling. It seemed that Raistlin with his very small following had done more good than her church had in a long time, she had decided she need to do something about that. So she was currently starting a project to build a new orphanage in Panathalas and employ her clerics as care takers.
Raistlin was talking to Nuitari this morning about magical disturbances that were being noticed across Krynn. "What do you suppose it means?" Raistlin asked looking down at the particular area that was generating the most disturbances. It was near the tower where the Graygem was being kept.
"Well I'm not quite sure, the Graygem is known for generating exceptional magic power, though we're not sure why. Reorx who had been listening to their conversation suddenly got chills. Nervously he moved away, hopefully no one would ever know why exactly the Graygem caused these disturbances. Or else he'd have quite a bit of explaining to do.
"Raistlin." Called Paladine annoyed. "My cleric is praying to me again to get you. You really need to talk to her, that's rather distracting for me."
Raistlin smiled slightly, "I'll try to remember to tell her that." He said sarcastically and a moment later he vanished.
Nuitari laughed, "That woman of his keeps him on a rather short leash doesn't she? That's why I never settled down." The handsome dark haired god said laughing cynically.
Paladine smiled amused, "That's funny...I could've swore you haven't settled down because no one woman, goddess or mortal would have your sniveling self."
"Ha! Please I could have any woman I wanted." Nuitari said with a snort.
Takhisis laughed a sharp mocking laughter, "You better be able to, you are my son. No man can resist me."
Paladine rolled his eyes. "Poor Sargonnas, no man should have to put up with you." Takhisis only smiled slightly as she turned away from them. She had a plan this one would succeed and she knew it. She already had one person working for her and if everything went according to plan she'd soon have another. "Well I'll be seeing you all soon, have to go torture a few souls in the Abyss." Paladine grimaced and Nuitari smirked.
"Have fun mother." He said with a slight laugh.
When she returned to her immortal plane she contacted the one who would become her powerful servant. "Hello Sweetness...she whispered in his mind. She projected herself in her form of the Dark Temptress.
"Hello my Queen." He thought towards her. "Careful now others are around, others who can't be trusted."
"Pity...I was going discuss our plans with you." She could feel the excitement that rushed through his blood. He was young, but her servants usually were when she first contacted them, easier molded into the way she wanted them.
"I left...but I can't do this often. I told them I felt ill. My father seemed upset though, I think he may suspect something.
"I doubt that." Takhisis said her voice filled with sensuality. She knew he was attracted to her for reasons other than power alone. If he were a bit older he would make a fine consort. She could see it now in a few years he'd be ready to help her enter this world, and then when she became the Queen of Krynn he would rule by her side with an army of dark soldiers and black robed mages. "Now listen...I've spoke to Dalamar in his dreams, told him of your power, the distinction you will bring to the black robes. He will summon you for your Test soon. Not because you are ready. But because he is worried you will over throw him, you are already quite powerful, and with my help...well you will be unstoppable."
"Don't you think they will be suspicious of me taking the Test so early though? I mean I'm not ready, I know that and they know it. I can hardly imagine Gilthas and Justarius agreeing with Dalamar that I'm ready anyway. Especially Gilthas...there's no way he'll let me take the Test yet."
"Oh you may be surprised, Justarius mind can be manipulated easily enough by me, considering he is not dedicated wholly to good. And as for the sniveling little white robed elf. He can always be over ruled, or eliminated if he stands in my way." The boy flinched visibly. "Don't tell me you care for that miserable elf."
"No Takhisis." the young man said sighing. "I'm just not used to hearing talk of people being eliminated."
"Well my dark child, you should get used to it soon, because there will be far more. I will let you go before anyone should notice anything strange. Just remember you need to be ready and be ready soon." In his mind he saw the Dark Temptress blow him a kiss, it filled his soul with a dark forbidden warmth. Hearing his mother ask if he needed anything he pretended he was asleep. In the other room he heard his brothers fighting with their wooden swords, pretending to be Solamnic Knights. Standing up he looked at himself in the mirror. He and his older cousin Aidan could be twins, if their age was closer, the only difference was Aidan's hair had thick waves and his was relatively straight and he had cooler gray eyes like his mother. His father had told him before that he strongly resembled his Uncle Raistlin in child hood. He smiled at the thought, he would be better than his uncle, he didn't need god hood, that held no excitement for him. He could have power here on Krynn over other mortals and could rule over all of them with his Dark Queen. He felt his heart race with excitement even thinking of her. He remembered when she first came to him in his dreams when he first started studying magic. She told him ancient secrets of power; she told him that he would become the greatest mage who ever lived. When Gilthas and Aidan were constantly being praised he laughed in secret. He had much more power than he let on to them, he showed just enough to prove he had much potential and talked so frequently of his "precious" white robes that it made him sick. As long as they didn't figure out his plans he would be safe. He had no worries of that from his own family, his father was an idiot and his mother was to busy with her little angels to pay much attention to him. He sensed that she didn't like him as much as the rest of them, because of his magic of course. He wondered if his Uncle Raistlin had experienced the same problems with his family and friends. He had always had Aidan though. Aidan who loved magic as much as he did. He knew Aidan plotted as well, he did not know of what, but he was sure it was something big. He would ask but it may draw suspicion towards him and the last thing he needed was Aidan finding out. With a mother who was a cleric of Paladine, he couldn't be trusted. He heard the door open and he sat up weakly with a pathetic tired look on his face.
"Hey son...sorry you aren't feeling good." Caramon said quietly holding a bowl of soup. "Your mother wanted me to give this to you. She said you needed to eat this then sleep. She told me to make sure you aren't studying your spell books either while you should be resting." Caramon smiled slightly now. "But if I know you as well as I think I do...You feel fine and you made this whole thing up so you could study."
Palin smirked at his father. "You do know me well. But I'll still take the soup, better than all the meat and potatoes." He said taking the watery soup. At this Caramon frowned.
"You know you're getting kind of skinny Palin. I know that as a mage it doesn't matter how strong you are. But the Test..." he paused with a look of pain across his face. He knew his father accompanied his Uncle Raistlin to his Test at the Tower of High Sorcery at Wayreth but his father never spoke of the actually Test.
"What father?" Palin asked intensely. His father looked at his eyes for a moment. He seemed almost in horror; his eyes held a look of frightened recognition.
Not making eye contact with his son, Caramon weakly said, "The Test takes physical as well as mental endurance." He walked out of his room abruptly shutting the door. Caramon Majere stood outside his youngest son's door for a moment remembering an incident that happened years ago.
(Flashback)
As they walked Caramon finally broke the tense silence. "I can see the damned Abyss in your eyes." Caramon said gravely with a hint of brotherly worry.
"The eyes are the mirrors of the soul." Raistlin said nonchalantly.
(End Flashback)
When Caramon had looked into his son's eyes what he saw would haunt his dreams that night and many more. Not the Abyss itself as he had seen in his brother's so long ago, but he saw a woman beautiful beyond words with silky black hair and deep black eyes, but her deep black eyes reflected evil beyond all description, and that evil was reflected in son's sparkling eyes. Tika gave him a worried look.
"Is Palin alright?" she asked her gentle face marred with nervousness.
"He'll be fine...he just needs rest. I know this seems sudden but I have to go to Panathalas." Caramon said his face still paled from what he had seen in his son's eyes.
"Well...I don't know Caramon, the Inn has been really busy lately and I kind of need you here." Tika said pouting. "Besides what do you need in Panathalas?"
"I need to speak to my brother and that's the only way I'll get to quickly." Caramon replied.
"There's not something wrong with Palin is there?" Tika frowned slightly. "And don't you dare lie to me Caramon Majere." She said threateningly. In her left hand was a cooking skillet, Caramon wasn't in the mood to take any chances.
"There's nothing wrong with him...just I think I need to talk to Raist about the direction he's going in. I'm probably just paranoid but I don't want anything bad happening to our son."
"Well if it's really important then go. But please try and hurry." Tika said pouting.
"I'll travel to Wayreth and use the portals." Caramon said as he packed some clothes and food in a bag.
"Alright be careful though." Tika said kissing him.
"Where are you going father?" his fiery haired son Sturm asked.
"Can we come along?" asked Tanin.
"I'm sorry boys, this trip is going to be short and I need to ride full force." Seeing that his sons weren't deterred by this he added, "It'll make Palin feel bad if I bring you two and not him." His sons nodded their heads understanding. "Watch over your mother and sisters while I'm gone." Caramon said waving to his oldest sons.
"Good luck on your trip father." Tanin shouted. Sturm was sulking, disappointed about being left out of the action.
As Caramon rode past the giant sheltering Valenwoods seeing the fiery sun set into the deep green forest. He felt the chill evening air enclose him. He had quite a journey ahead of him, and he had a funny feeling it wasn't going to go well. He couldn't understand what this meant. His son talked so frequently about Gilthas and the White Robes. After riding about four more hours Caramon began to grow so tired that he could ride no longer. He set up camp but all around him he could hear noise, he hear a wolf cry in the cold air. Lighting a candle he looked around nervously. Then in front of his tent for a single moment sat a black rabbit with golden eyes. It looked directly at Caramon for a moment then hopped away. Caramon smiled slightly then looked up into the sky. "Thanks Raist." He whispered. Feeling comforted he laid back down and fell asleep.