Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Raistlin Chronicle characters. But I do own the ones that aren't, so you can't sue me. (does a happy dance)

Hey, I'm back. Not in perfect health but back nonetheless! I decided to change my route for the story considering the pyromaniac moment my brother decided to have with my books.

Thanks to:

Dalamar Nightson: Thanks for the vote of confidence. I shall try to update faster.

Guan: Yup, I'm sick as well and it bums me out. I don't know if I'll be able to buy the book in a while considering my brother torched all my chronicle books and I'm broke. (DAMN PYROMANIAC)

Gaugaumrthou: I am confused about the Crysallis having Mary Sue stamped to her forehead statement. Are you implying that Crysallis reminds you of a ditz? Oh, and Xellos just so happens to my favorite character from Slayers besides Lina. I put that line in at least everyone of my AU stories, just to see if anyone would figure it out. On, and I did warn you in the beginning chapters that my story was basically a modifier: meaning that I was taking it from the book and placing my own character into the mix. But considering that my pyro of a brother has seemed to have "accidentally" lit my books on fire. . I will have to change my plans. And it started out to be my story when Marius and Theoddox were introduced, so technically my plans aren't all that messed up now.

Humble Master: Awww, you don't like Crysallis? That's okay, who knows you may grow to like her sometime. Thanks for appreciating my story!

Recap: Raistlin meets the estranged Crysallis one fate ful day. Joins the Baron's Army, and finds himself face to face (or should I say: face to shin) with Horkin.

Is Blood Really Thicker Than Water?

Book One: A lesson learned

" Life would be so much better if people

used guns on themselves instead of on

other people."

Raistlin fell in step behind Horkin, his eyes occasionally darting out to stare at their surroundings. Passing by the soldiers, he caught a glimpse of Caramon, standing tall over all the other fighters. Their captain was making them do drills in which the soldier's had to constantly lift their swords and lunge forward on their right legs. Scurrying faster, he managed to avoid catching Caramon's gaze. The last thing he needed was for his brother to embarrass him even more in front of the others. They didn't respect as much as it already was.

Crysallis walked behind Raistlin, her eyes closed. She was still able to sense anything around her so at least that prevented her from deliberately running into anyone or anything. She had made sure, she pulled her hood over her head, to shield her face from prying eyes. She didn't need any unwanted attention at the moment, now was the time for training not giddy flirting men.

Theoddox snorted at the condition of the other soldiers, filthy every last one of them. They wouldn't be able to hold their own if they were fighting against an army of killer rodents nonetheless ogres. Tightening his grip on his staff, he made sure to keep as far away from the others in the group with the exception of Marius; who was currently taking everything with a childish awe.

Horkin had them walk to the top of a somewhat steep hill top which was about five miles away from the campsite. The hill top was bare of everything besides grass and a small wooden fence that defined the border of the army camp.

Horkin turned his pudgy body around to face the mages. Bending over he picked up a branch from a tree, which was probably far off and the wind most likely had blown it there.

" Alright, now here's when your real training begins. . You see that fence over there?.."

Everyone gazed over at the oak built fence.

" Well, I want each of you to try and hit the fence with a simple blazing spell. "

Raistlin nodded slightly; reaching into his robes; he felt around for his quill and lamb skin. Before he could pull them out, he gestured over to Raistlin.

" Hey you there, Red.. You'll go first. "

Raistlin frowned internally at being forced to answer to such an inane nickname but he swallowed his pride and stepped forward.

" Yes Sir."

Whipping out his lamb skin and quill he prepared to scrawl onto it but he was stopped by a sharp jabbing pain in his side. Dropping his items, Raistlin stared over at Horkin.

" What the?.. Why did you hit me?!"

Horkin flipped the branch between his pudgy fingers.

" You took to long, now try again.."

Raistlin scowled slightly. Bending down to pick up his items; he was suddenly pushed forward and a sharp pain shot through his side once more.

Snapping his head upwards, he found himself staring up at the short red faced mage.

" Once again you took to long.."

Raistlin opened his mouth to retort.

" But sir, I can't cast the spell without my material…You could at least wait for me to retrieve them before berating me for being too slow… Plus I am unable to concentrate with you constantly whipping me with that branch of yours."

Horkin frowned down at him.

" When you're in the middle of a battle, swords are clashing around you; thunder crackles over your head; lightning flashes in front of your eyes, blinding you momentarily. Rain is thumping upon your head, drenching your robes; your so cold that you could feel your teeth chattering. There are so many people screaming, fire is flying around your head. You can see your comrades falling over one by one to the blows of a giant ogre. He's injured enough that one blast could take him down and what do you do? You reach into your pocket to grab for your little lamb skin and quill.."

Raistlin's mouth opened to interrupt but Horkin held up his hand.

" You whip out your materials but suddenly someone trips onto you making you drop your lamb skin into the mud beneath you. So many people are falling around you; the ogre spots you and begins to charge you; his mace hurling through the air, ready to take off your head. What are you going to do? Walk up the ogre and say: Oh excuse me sir, but it seems that I've dropped my items, could you quite possibly wait a second so I can find them and then write the inscription oh and there's a small wait before the magic begins to work? No! you learn how to work your magic without the use of those items. So when that situation does present itself, you can toast that sonuvabitch!"

Holding a hand down to Raistlin, he heaved him back upon his feet. Then he turned to glare at the other mages who were watching on in mild amusement and awe.

" Woman, step forward."

Crysallis nodded and stepped in front of Horkin.

" Antimodes told me that he had a pupil that could already perform such tasks as using magic without the use of alternative devices. Are you that student? "

Crysallis nodded slowly at him. Horkin scratched his hairless chin thoughtfully.

" So you're that amazing student. Well then, hit that pole right there.."

Horkin pointed over to the knob on the far left of the fence. Crysallis narrowed her eyes and focused upon the words of the spell. A small moment passed before she felt the magic beginning to tingle beneath her fingertips and burn upon the tip of her tongue. With a swift motion she sent her power outwards. The sky opened with a slight crackle and a huge flame darted down in a jagged bolt and crashed down upon the fence, about five inches away from her original target.

Crysallis laughed sheepishly and stepped back. Horkin frowned even darker, the creases in his face becoming even more noticeable.

" Oh I see, you're capable of committing the act but you're incapable of aiming your arcane energy."

Crysallis's eye twitched slightly before answering.

" Uh, yeah. . . I was never really taught how. . . . Sir.."

Horkin turned his back on her and stared at the fence.

" Well if you could teach yourself how to shoot energy from your hand then you should've been able to teach yourself how to aim it. It's no one else's fault but your own for your incompetence."

Crysallis narrowed her eyes slightly and her jaw began to clench, but she said nothing. Marius glanced sadly over at Crysallis, knowing that it was taking all over her will power to prevent herself from lashing out at Horkin. Theoddox held a different outlook. He was holding back his sniggering laugh by covering his mouth and pretending he was coughing.

Horkin walked away from her and stood in front of the sneering Theoddox.

" I would wipe that smirk off your face White Robe, I doubt you or your companion over there could do better.."

Theoddox's smile immediately faded while Marius looked away; disdain for Horkin on his face.

Horkin, now satisfied that he had embarrassed each of the mages, turned on his heel and pointed over to the fence once more.

" Now I want all of you to try to hit that fence with a blaze spell. "

Marius lifted his hand, much to Horkin's irritation.

" But sir, not all o' us knows what we be supposed t' do.."

Horkin glared at him.

" Don't you think I know this, you half wit? " he snapped.

Marius shrunk back, his head bowed in shame.

" Sorry, sir.." he muttered.

Horkin turned his glare away and spoke in a much calmer tone.

" I shall walk you all through it. As long as you pay attention to what I'm saying and follow my orders word for word, you may be able to be considered competent enough to be called warrior mages."

" Yes sir…" all the mages responded in unison.

" Good, now listen to me. I want all of you to think about the blaze spell. And I mean concentrate hard. Think of each word…memorize each section…"

Raistlin closed his eyes. He mentally pictured himself standing alone in a room. In the middle of the huge vacant room, was a table. Raistlin pulled himself forward, he could hardly feel as his legs carried him over. Staring down upon the wooden table, he noticed a small bit of parchment.

' What is this?…'

Suddenly the parchment began to glow bright gold.

' What….'

Intricately designed words began to file across the paper, each one looping around in cursive.

' It's the spell….'

Each word burned into the parchement with a sharp sizzling noise. It echoed profoundly through Raistlin's mind, making him flinch slightly.

" Now once you are certain that you've found that spell, concentrate it's energy into your hands."

Horkin's voice echoed around, jerking Raistlin out of his reverie.

Raistlin felt as the words burned into his brain, setting his nerves on fire. Pushing the pain away, he forced his energy into his hands, the energy crackling throughout his fingertips.

" Now once you focus that energy, outwards, force it through the air. "

Raistlin pushed the arcane energy outwards, and watched in amazement as it soared through the air with ease. A gray cloud swirled around it and a loud crack of thunder sounded off.

" Now envision your target and let it go."

Raistlin envisioned the knob on the fence, once he made sure that he had the perfect aim before he set it firing off. It cracked down upon the fence, splitting it in half.

And we end it there because I'm lazy. Very, very, very lazy. Oh yeah, I'm feeling pretty lazy right now.

REVIEW FOR ME PLEASE!!

RoguesHeart