Child of Spellcasters

Joys of Adolescence

" Hai! Take that!" Cobadra swung the blade down with a graceful arc over his opponent's head. Inflar simply ducked.

" That one nearly took my head off." The boy huffed, as he readied his battle stance. Col gave him a sheepish grin.

" I expected you to duck." He apologized. Inflar stabbed the sword towards him. Col swung to the side.

" That one nearly took out my heart."

" So we're even then."

" Move your feet, In!" Goth shouted from the trees where he was eating lunch. " You're like an old tree with deep roots."

" Shut your trap Goth." In called back, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Ever since they turned twelve and began training, the three of them were inseparable. Inflar was a mix of Enchanter and Wizard, a boy with red hair and red eyes and quite terrible to look at because of his demonic-like appearance, while Gothran was a mix of Sorcerer and Enchanter. The three were the only mixes in their year, and took classes together and trained together, mostly in martial arts.

The art of Sword Dancing is especially important in the magical community. Often the level of magic in a being is inbred and not acquired, therefore making duels unfair. Physical combat is not inbred, and therefore shows the individual's true character—his intelligence, motivation, endurance, and patience. Duels always start with swords, and may progress with spears, and if it is a duel to the death, anyone who wins the sword can use both weapons and magic, while the loser may only use weapons. A battle of any sort must start with swords, follow the rules, or pay the penalty. No one is sure what the penalty is, or who gives the penalty, since everyone followed the rule strictly to the letter, and no one wanted to know what the penalty is.

" Butterfingers!" Col danced away as the sword came twirling in his direction as In lost his hold on it.

" Ow!" Inflar glanced at his wrist ruefully. " I think I sprained it."

" Oh come on." Col sighed as he went over. " Want me to heal it for you?"

" It's your fault." In held it out. Col brushed his fingers lightly on the skin and Inflar shook his wrist, nodding with approval.

Goth clapped from the branch. " Smooth, In, very smooth."

" I would like you to go against Col!" In snapped, immediately shutting Goth up. Everyone in the Fort knew how well Aquila, Col's mother, wielded the sword. Col seemed to have taken this particular trait from her. No one was sure where he got his Enchanter and Wizard trait from though.

" Stop being such a sore loser." Goth answered after a moment's hesitation. He made a pose as if he were a girl. " Oh Col!" He stated in a high, girlish voice, " You made me sprain my wrist! Heal it for me, pretty please? Pretty pretty please?"

In responded by tilting his head, and the tree branch that was supporting Goth suddenly bent down, sending Goth tumbling to the ground. Col began laughing at the sight of Goth in such a sorry predicament.

The Enchanter-Sorcerer got up a little miffed, throwing a dirty look at In, but the three were such good friends that such things were never taken heavily.

Cobadra had grown much taller and was the tallest of his friends. He was also the youngest, younger than Goth by four months and Inflar by six. Perhaps the lasting youth of the enchanter and the long life of a wizard also runs in his veins, for though he was tall, he was thin and had a face of a child. A child's face on a tall body. There was also a kind of fairness about him, almost elvish, but everyone simply guessed it was just chance. After all, they say, you can only be a mix of three, and Cobadra was already a Wizard-Enchanter-Sorcerer.

There was a frailty in his body. Out of the three, Cobadra always tires first. But while his endurance is low, everything else was high. He was quick and nimble, a prodigy at swords and knowledge, a healer, a warrior, a sage. The frailty people accepted—Cobadra was too powerful in magic, he has to sacrifice something. If it is strength, then so be it. Besides, if ever he should fall due to that weakness, his friends will stand beside him. They always have.

Goth was as tall as In, and the strongest of the three when it comes to endurance. He did not have a child's face like Col, because he has no Wizard-blood, but his face was definitely not that of an adult. All three were only fourteen, and even sorcerers live to be a hundred and fifty. Goth was adept at the sword, but his true talent lies in the spear, and when he wields it, Col stands no chance. And because Goth can fight longer, in long duels Goth usually wins, and alternate between winning and losing with Col depending on when spears are involved.

Inflar descended from the Scarlet Oracle, who died many centuries ago, a misfortune since Oracles are immortal. Therefore, In has some ability of premonition and can read minds. He is adept at both sword and spear, but stellar at archery, which Col was only moderately good at and Goth terribly pathetic. He is very powerful as a Wizard, and his chosen staff is very rare and valuable. Inflar is quick to get angry, and should his anger cause him to wield his staff, even Col is cautious.

" Cheap shot!" Goth cried, pulling dark leaves out of his braids. In just sniffed, feeling content with that, and Goth came over to the two grumbling.

The sound of a horn rang in the distance.

" Oh no!" Col hissed in regret. " They are going to have our heads for being late again!"

" Especially your mom!" In started running towards the horn. The two friends followed him.

" Why is your mom always so protective of you anyway?"

" Who knows? She's a sorceress, you know how sorceresses are, can't have children often, so all children are precious to them." Col jumped over a fallen branch. " She even took five years off teaching to raise me. Wouldn't want that to go to waste."

" My parents are like that too," Goth decided running in the trees would be faster, and leaped onto the branches. " But they're not nice like your mom. Everyone's nice to you—you're the only one that might not get penalized for being late all the time."

" It's because of my good looks." Col smirked. " I'm the most handsome of us three!"

" Of course not!" In called from ahead, " I'm the most handsome!"

" Except when you wear red!" Col laughed, deciding to follow his friends into the trees. The Fort came into view, with dozens of young Mages standing in the courtyard, as if…

As if they were waiting for them.

" They are going to have our heads, they are going to have our heads," Col burst out of the trees, did a perfect quadruple flip, and landed in front of his friends…and in front of Aquila.

" Where were you?" Aquila asked sternly, her eyes sharp and hard.

" Uh," Col fumbled for words, " In and I were…well, practicing—"

" You were dueling again, weren't you?"

" Er…kind of."

" How many times do I have to tell you, never leave the boundaries of the Fort alone?" Aquila looked at the three boys. " These are not peaceful times. It seems light and happy now, but there is war coming, you can almost taste it. Now get in line! You, Inflar Mondain, join your group. I'm ashamed of you all."

Goth was not that bothered with that. Aquila says it so many times that Goth basically ignores it. He hears it from his parents too, too many times. But Col was a little regretful, uncomfortable with the idea of making his mother angry, and did not smile when Goth punched his shoulder as they stepped in line with the rest of the Sorcerers.

" First exercise," Aquila said to the Sorcerers, " The Swordless Warm-up Routine. One, Two!"

Something exploded near the east gate. Col's eyes went wide as he looked at his mother, confirming with his expression as well as his posture that he was the one who did it.

" Now why didn't you practice that instead of dueling when you went out?" Aquila sighed. The other Sorcerers laughed, and Col blushed. He was not a bad student, and other children respected him, acknowledging him for his intelligence, but Col nearly always explodes something in the Swordless Warm-up Routine. It inspired awe more than scorn, however, as only someone extremely powerful would be able to unleash their magic like that.

One of the Enchanter Masters put the fire out, giving an annoyed but not at all surprised look at Aquila, who deftly ignored it.

" One Two!" She started again. A stamping of feet answered as the young Mages got into their hand and feet positions. " Arc, Forward, Out! Flick! Shove, and Down! One, two, arc, forward, out! Flick, shove, down!"

The pattern was repeated as she sped it up, and the students following her accordingly. Col did nothing wrong until the end, where he placed his foot too forcefully on the ground and punched a big hole in it, revealing a nest of very irritated muskrats. The students took incredulous looks at the hole and couldn't even find the voice to laugh.

" You'll have to watch that in a real duel." Aquila while using her magic to recover the hole said for what must have been the millionth time, " The opponent might accuse you of breaking the rules."

" But I don't do that with anything else, just the warm-up." It was true. Col looked at his friend for help, but Goth simply shook his head, unable to make anything of this.

" Col, you really did it this time." Goth sniggered. " But I suppose now they know where these creatures came from, and why they couldn't seem to get rid of them."

The students in the courtyard already did the sword and spear routine in the morning, and the swordless warm-up routine was a requirement before starting anything, so after all the Masters finished with all the warm-up routines, the students scattered to their respective lessons. Col and Goth both have Sorcery, with a Master named Malcri. Col then has Wizardry with In, and finally he and Goth have Enchantment.

Col and Goth changed from their warrior robes to Sorcerer robes, while In changed into his Enchanter attire.

" What happened this time?" In asked. " I didn't see what was going on, but Kyaok told me you solved the muskrat problem?"

Col blushed. " I stepped too hard."

" Oh, that." In rolled his eyes while Goth sniggered, " You are going to make a volcano right in the middle of the Fort one day."

" Doesn't seem too improbable with how things are going." Col answered, tying the sash around him. He pulled at his hair. " What's with all the beads and braids and little ribbons? I hate these things."

" Your fault you're a mix of all three Mages." In answered.

" And they get all tangled too!" Col groaned, pulling free a braid at last to rebraid it, " Why can we just tie all our hair together and be done with? That would be much more convenient."

" Who said they're trying to be convenient?" Goth pointed out. He polished his talisman, even though he was taking Enchantment after his break, " The talk of legends just flushes all ideas of convenience out of these old men and women."

" Come, let's go." In called to them. " I'm going up to Enchantment now if you don't hurry."

" You can go without us." Goth called. In shrugged and went up. " Need help?"

" I think I got it." Col answered. " I hope. There, that's better. Let's go."

oO

It was late at night when lessons finished, as always. The three friends gathered their horses to start home. Col owned Frost, a white mare, a gentle and well-natured steed only to Col, who Col pampered and pampered Col in return; she never lets anyone ride her but him, and when he does makes his ride smooth and quiet. The two seem to almost understand each other's language, something both Inflar and Goth were envious of.

Goth owned Myst, a black stallion, with a white star and white hooves. The stallion was majestic and proud, and seemed to be courting Frost even though Frost showed no interest. Myst often gave Goth trouble, but several times when Goth needed companionship in place of his Mage friends, Myst never failed to bring cheerfulness to his master.

In's Flame was a curious horse. Red like his name, Flame was known to untie knots and slipping halters and bridles off. It was not a custom to use magic to restrain horses, yet nothing short of it could restrain Flame. The beast never did anything else to bother In, but sometimes when In needed to get home, he wound up having to ride double with Goth, as Frost refused to let In ride her, even with Col.

Aquila had already gone home, having finished her classes long before her son. Col rode leisurely down the path, consulting with his friends whether they should come over to one of their dwellings.

" What's wrong with books?" Col defended. " There is absolutely nothing wrong with books. Books let you learn."

" Which is what's wrong with books, Saucy chap." In pointed out. " Don't you think we've had enough of learning at the Fort already?"

" They only teach you stuff you don't need to know." Col smiled good-naturedly, and Goth and In agreed that was the only sensible thing Col has said so far.

" But come, surely my place is not so dull as to have only the library as a place of interest!"

" Col my friend, I am sorry to say this, so I'll make it short and blunt." Goth took a deep breath, as if to prepare for a speech. " Your place is boring."

" Aye to that." In raised his hand.

" It's two against one, Col. You are interesting and all, but nothing short of absolute dullness can describe your home. Come over Col, you can send a message to your mom and tell her you are staying with us."

Col hesitated, before fumbling with the reins to reach into his bag. Pulling out a string, he looped it, crystallizing it into Goth's name, and blew with his mouth. The string disappeared.

" Smooth." Goth commented appreciatively.

" That is because I am a genius." Col laughed.

The night was quiet, the sky was sparkling with stars, and the forest held the rustling of the wind and what night creatures had come out. Col smiled, feeling content, though a shadow of a memory of a night not quite unlike this one loomed at the back of his mind. In this memory, he was with a company of far less trustworthy friends, frightened and yet not daring to show it. Col shook his head.

" What are you shaking your head for?" In asked.

" Just…I had another one of…those."

" Those." In understood. Goth sighed.

" When is that Oracle planning to tell you about your past?" Goth asked. " You pop out of nowhere, with almost no memory. According to your mother, that Blue Dragon of yours is linked to what you were. You were…the Dragon Tamer, was it?"

" That's all I can remember," Col shrugged, as they turned left at the fork on the road towards Goth's dwelling, " And some sort of spellcaster, maybe, since I was working magic. Only I was older, taller, and…alone."

" Well you won't be alone as long as we're here." This was another reason why both Goth and Inflar were so protective of Col. From his mysterious past, the two friends could only gather that Col was once an orphan, and whatever friends he had had turned on him. Of course, it may be possible that Col had turned on his friends, but Goth and In immediately disregarded that. Once they are fifteen, the three plan to perform the Bonding Ritual that would mark them as almost blood brothers.

" Did you have a headache like you use to?" Goth continued.

" No."

" That's good at least." In smiled, reaching out and patting Col on the arm from his mount. " We can practice archery in Goth's yard."

" Archery." Col groaned. " But my beautiful books!" He gave a dramatic sigh.

" You might get worse headaches if you read." Goth pointed out. " Especially since you had a vision at night, there is no doubt you'll be having nightmares."

" Oh," Col thumped on the mare, who nickered with disapproval. Col rubbed that place comfortingly. " Sorry Frost." A snort.

Goth's dwelling could be seen now, and the three quickened their mounts to a trot down the shallow valley. Light did not pass the windows, nor did the smell of food.

" It's either they used a spell or they're not at home. That's odd, they never used spells," Goth tested the windows with his Enchanter's senses. " They used spells."

There was a terrifying crack, and it seemed a veil was thrown over the boys, a pitch black veil that blocked everything out. There was a high-pitched scream, a shriek like that of a mighty bird, and the earth rocked beneath their feet as the environment moved and swirled into a mess of energy and life. Col shouted and grabbed Goth's hand, holding out his staff so In could hold on, and yelled. He could almost feel the ghosts circling them, changing into plasma to form a shield around the three. All was suddenly quiet, and the ghosts were gone. Col opened his eyes only to close them again as he sank down from exhaustion, unconscious.