Chapter 2: The Beginning of Problems
Evan followed Kisha through the crowded streets of Athean. At first he had thought that people would wonder why they were alone but it seemed that people in a city didn't pay much attention to anyone but themselves and their business.
Except for the people in the booths shouting to them if they wanted to buy what they were selling, no one paid them much attention.
To further his surprise there were a lot of young people like him everywhere and not just his kind. A centaur about his age noticed him looking. Evan quickly turned away but it was to late, the young centaur had began making his way towards them. "You should never look at a person for to long." Kisha hissed at him when she noticed the centaur. "I'm sorry." Evan whispered ,"It's just this place is overwhelming." Kisha shook her head.
This was going to be harder than she originally thought it'd be. The centaur stopped in front of them and looked from Evan to Kisha. "It's not nice to stare." Kisha said. "Sorry." the centaur said. "I've seen you before." he said looking at Kisha, "But' I'd never seen him here before."
Evan resisted the urge to take a step back. Unlike his cinnamon coloring this centaur was black and white. His hooves were black melting into white halfway up his back and front legs. Everything else was white, except for his eyes that were gray and his hair which had the same pattern as his hooves, going from black at the bottom of his ponytail, that reached halfway down to his waist, to white at the top.
Kisha straightened up, though the centaur was at least a foot taller than her, the way she stood made it seem as if she was a great queen looking down at a servant. "It's none of your business who I decide to bring with me." she said.
The centaur backed up a step. "I didn't mean to pry. I just wanted to know who he was." Evan had had enough. He wasn't as brave as he suspected Kisha was but that didn't mean he was going to stand for her talking down to one of his kind. "My name's Evan." he said stepping forward. "From the Wide River Clan." he made his right hand into a fist and covered it with his right infront of his chest and bowed his head over it as all his kind did, to the young centaur.
The centaur in turn did the same, "My name's Erell from the Mist Forest Clan." Evan's eyes widened. "You live there?" he asked in wonder.
Erell nodded. "Yes, my people have lived there for a very long time. Great grandfather said that we were there even before the humans came to our world and named it after their own." Evan looked at Kisha. Kisha knew what he was thinking, she shook her head furiously. This was suppose to be a secret mission that both of them had to finish on their own not get other people to join them.
"Excuse us a minute." Evan said to Erell. Erell nodded and watched as Kisha and Evan retreated further and began to whisper. "Come on let's tell him." Evan said. "He's from the Mist Forest, what if we need to go there for some reason, he can help us." Kisha rolled her eyes. "No." she said. "I highly doubt we're going to need there and he's probably with his parents or part of his clan. They'll look for him and we'll get caught. Don't you want to find your brother?" she asked. Evan nodded. "Yes I do but I think he can be of some help." Kisha shook her head.
Their whispered discussion kept on going until they were interrupted by Erell. "Where are you trying to go?" he asked interested. Kisha jumped back. Evan looked at him. They hadn't even noticed that he'd come close enough to listen to them. "We're trying to get to the Wizard's Isle." Evan said before Kisha could put her hand over his mouth. She raised her hands in exasperation.
"Fine! you tell him but if he gets us caught I'll put a curse on both of you!" she said. Evan tried not to look scared and was caught by surprise when Erell laughed. "Right, you're going to curse us." he said mockingly. "How dumb do you think I am, I know that Fairies can't curse people. They can keep the weather calm, make things grow and use defensive magic but nothing else unless they're trained in it." Kisha sniffed and turned away.
Erell turned back to Evan. "So you were saying?" Evan turned back to Erell. "As I was saying we're trying to get to the Wizard's Isle because we have very important information for them." he swallowed remembering what Chaos had done to all those people and his father. Whatever Erell had seen in his face seemed to have convinced him. "Alright, I'll help you get there. The ship that's going that way just arrived. We need to find a way to get on board."
Kisha smirked. "I already have a plan. My friend is the the daughter of the ship's captain. We were on our way there when you interrupted." Erell looked at her. "Then we should get going."
Kisha didn't move. "Won't your parent or whoever you came from miss you?" she asked. Erell shook his head. "Don't worry about that. They won't miss me until sunset and the ship will be on it's way by then." Kisha nodded slowly and began making her way through the crowds.
Gimly kept looking around in suspicion. When Laurenor noticed he laughed. "Calm down! The trees will not harm you. If you really want to know they're to sleepy to try anything." Gimli looked up at Laurenor in question. Laurenor smiled, "It's spring my friend. The trees don't simply wake up as we do. They take quite a few months being sleepy and then finally waking up." Legolas looked around in wonder. "Then if I try speaking to them they will not answer?" he asked. Laurenor shook his head, "You might hear a grumble from them." he said. Gimli snorted. The idea that trees could speak never really sank into him and listening to the elves talk as if the trees were people wasn't exactly his idea of a good conversation. "How far to your home?" Legolas asked. "Not far." Laurenor said. "In one more hour we will be there." Gimli loked up at Laurenor. "Any chance of a break?" he asked. Laurenor laughed. "Yes, unless you wish to keep walking. I know that Legolas and I can keep going for quite a while but you on the other hand." Gimli's only reply was to look away and grunt. Laurenor smiled and turned back to talk to Legolas.
The Raven finally landed on an opened window that was located in Vennsile's study room. He didn't have to look for the person he wished to talk too for long. He was trying to look stern in voice and face as he looked down at a sitting young woman with blue eyes, bright orange hair and butterfly wings that changed color with the simplest of movements. Her eyes sparkled with humor and anyone could see that her mouth fought not to brake into a grin.
To the side leaning on a shelf of books was a young man with black hair tied back in a pony tail and dancing hazel eyes.
The raven cawed and the people looked up at him. "Ah, Michael I see you've returned." the raven cawed once more and landed on the ground.
He immediately began growing, his head taking on a human shape and his beak and feathers melting into him. When it was over a young man with black hair and brown eyes kneeled on the floor. He got up and dusted his clothes. "I've got grave news." he said.
Vennsile turned his full attention to him. Michael turned to the window and closed it. "It seems that Chaos is free, how I don't know,' he said turning back to the three. "I saw him at…" he hesisated looking at Miriam. Miriam understood. "Let me guess she went to pay Sekan a visit." she said not sounding surprised at all. Michael nodded. Miriam rolled her eyes. "I've told you before; he is no longer my brother, he stopped being my brother when he went to the dark side. Now what exactly are they planning?" she asked. "Sekan said he had some rings that could control us if they could make us, or force us, to wear them. Chaos wants revenge on Vennsile and both want to rule Demos." Michael finished.
All of them were quiet. Someone knocked on the door and Kyle went to open it. A young Wizard's apprentice looked at all of them with wide eyes. Miriam coughed. "We don't have all day young man." she said, smiling. "I know you're beyond surprise that such famous people are gathered within the same room but please no autographs." she said haughtily, though anyone could see she was playing around. The young man smiled at her. "I'm sorry but I've got a message for Master Vennsile." he said. "And it is?" Vennsile asked kindly. The young man fidgeted a little, feeling nervous under Vennsile's gaze. Finally the boy spoke. "There's a Great Falcon here to see you. He said his name is Silver Wing and that if you don't help his people are going to have to do something that's going to make the elves their enemies for a long while." Vennsile shook his head. "I knew it was going to well to last." he said glancing at a giggling Miriam. "Well, then we must help him we wouldn't want another enmity in this planet." he said sounding exasperated. He looked back at Michael. "I'll call a council of Wizards once I deal with this, you must be there to explain in detail." with that he turned to the boy who looked as if he'd been handed a piece of candy. "Lead the way and no telling anyone what you've heard here." Vennsile told the boy. The boy's face fell but he nodded and led Vennsile away.
The three left looked at each other. Then as one got up and followed Vennsile.
The quartet followed the apprentice through a corridor then an arch leading them through an inside garden with a fountain at it's center. The sun glinting in through the glass roof and sides told them that the midday meal would be beginning any time soon.
As if reading their minds bells began to chime signaling the end of classes and the beginning of lunch. They kept walking through the garden that ended in another arch covered with vines of purple flowers with pink trimming, and a long straight corridor with classrooms at each side. Students bowed and politely made way for them.
They went down a set of stairs that finally brought them to a large wooden door that ,at the moment, opened to a seemingly endless garden. There was a wide path in the middle fenced by trees.
The trunks of the trees were a dark green color while the leaves were a peach color and the small five petal blossoms were bright green.
Behind the trees flowers of various types and colors grew sometimes surrounding fountains where dolphins, mer-people or swans were displayed.
Most flowers were surrounded by small paths made of cement that people could walk on. The rest of the ground was covered with neatly trimmed green grass. On the far side of the right a waterfall fed a river that ran through the path they had taken and to the other side of the garden.
They crossed the bridge and kept on walking until they came to where the garden trees veered right and left, making a circle large enough for a football field to fit in or, in this case, a falcon the size of a four story building with the wing span of a large truck.
The falcon was white with silver at the tips of his wings. In the front of his neck he had a silver jewel imbedded, at his side were two Senior Wizards of the order.
One wore a gray robe while the other one a deep blue robe. They bowed at Vennsile who in turn did the same glancing to make sure his pupils followed hi example.
The falcon looked down at Vennsile and his pupils. I would say I'm sorry for dropping this problem into your lap, Vennsile, but truth be told I'm quite relieved I can The silver jewel in his throat had lit up as he spoke. Vennsile shook his head. "It's alright, after all I am the one that convinced you to help. Now tell me what went wrong?" he asked. They heard a sight, I am not certain how it began but when I did get there the elves looked wronged and stood at one side while the dwarves, also looking wronged, stood on the other side, both had weapons at hand and looked like they wouldn't mind using them. When I asked what had happened all of them began to speak at once. I know elves are suppose to be dignified but this ones were just a few steps from undignified. As for the dwarves, they didn't seem to care as long as I took their side Silver Wing sounded as exasperated as Vennsile could sometimes get with his students. Vennsile looked around. "I would have thought you'd bring representatives." he said. I did was the reply.
He gave a great cry and was answered by two other falcons coming towards them from opposite ends of the garden that surrounded them. Vennsile turned to the young apprentice when he coughed. "May I go?" the apprentice asked. "I have no desire to be here and if I don't hurry I will go without lunch." Vennsile smiled. "Of course, I'm sorry for forgetting to dismiss you."
The apprentice bowed and left as the great birds landed and kneeled for their passengers to get down. The elf slid down the falcon's back with a grace matched only by very few of the races in this world. The elf had hair so blond it was almost white made into the style of his people and light green eyes. His clothes marked him as from the Forest of Summer, as it's name suggested, the forest where this elf came from seemed to exist out of time. The forest was always green and hardly changed either in autumn, winter or spring. The trees that lived there were of many kinds and produced fruit not found anywhere else as well as animals only found there. The colors of his clothes were green and gray green.
The dwarf, clad in the style of his people, completed with mail shirt and axe, wore the dark colors the marked him of the Blue Mountain, as in the Forest of Summer, the name reflected the place he came from.
The mountain was home to the blue leaf trees that produced the blue fruit that only grew there. The fruit was one, if not the most, delicious fruit in the planet. The mountain also held the richest minerals and precious stones in Demos or Second Earth, as the humans called it.
Needless to say the dwarves of Blue Mountain were some of the richest people in the planet.
Vennsile had thought that getting them to begin trading again was a good idea.
The wine the elves made from the golden grapes that grew in their forests were exquisite and so was the game they brought in.
Now and then they also found materials that the dwarves wanted and the elves had no use for, while the dwarves had precious stones that elves valued and loved the fruit that grew there.
The dwarf stumbled down and almost fell but managed to land feet wide apart to stop himself from falling on his face.
They both glared at each other and walked to Vennsile who they bowed too. 'All this bowing is making me bored.' Miriam said resisting the urge to yawn.
There was silence for a moment before both dwarf and elf began talking at the same time.
They stopped glared and returned their gaze to Vennsile. He sighted, "I had hoped this would work." he said. "If it cannot work between your clans I don't see how it could work between any others." Vennsile said sounding disappointed.
Both dwarf and elf had the grace to look a little embarrassed. "I am sorry for this but an elf knows when a trade is not equal."t he elf said with great dignity. Miriam couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. All those gathered there looked at her with a puzzled gaze. "I'm sorry but to me this is extremely funny!" she said trying to catch her breath. "The great Elves fighting because they were…over charged!" she finished with a laugh.
Vennsile looked at her sternly though a smile tugged at his lips. "You are in enough trouble young fairalev. Don't get yourself in more."
She chuckled and stopped though her eyes sparkled and she had a grin on her face.
The dwarf looked amused however the elf did not. He drew himself up and glared at Miriam. "I will not discuss anything while this youngster makes fun of my people! I don't care if we are distantly related."
It was Miriam's turn to look wronged. "How dare you even say such a thing!" she said seeming outrageously shocked and displeased. "We, Fairalevs, prefer to think of ourselves not in the least related to anyone so uptight and way over the line of dignified. You people are so over the line that you can't see it!"
A chuckle was heard from the dwarf who coughed to disguise it. Miriam smiled. "We are more closely related to dragons than we are to either your kind or even the fairies, who are also way to dignified for our tastes." A laugh burst out of the dwarf. "Well said lassie!" the dwarf said. Miriam's eyes sparkled with pure mischief as she bowed to the dwarf. "Thank you Master Dwarf! I receive your praise with honor!" Kyle and Michael rolled their eyes. The elf did not look happy in the least. "Miriam!" Vennsile said, stopping the Fairalev from turning back to mocking the elf. She looked at him. "Yes Vennsile?" she asked innocently.
He pointed his staff towards the great white building that stretched to both sides like a great palace. "Back now!" he said sternly. Miriam bowed to him and took to the air, the sun glinting of her outspread wings. Making the colors shimmer and play across their length. "I will leave because none but one appreciate me." she said mockingly dignified. She waved to the dwarf and flew away.