Hey, I'm BACK! Wow, I was gone a long time...So, if you look in my profile you will see that I started a webcomic, and that that, combined with school and music, was taking up most of my time. I plan to try to update this with my webcomic, about once a week or so, so that I don't forget about it (like I did...)

Anyway, this is part one with Meg, I plan to add a second part later this week.

Meg leaned against his desk, basking in the beauty of his study.

More than his study…this was his grove, the little patch of life that he had special affinity to. The only way to it from civilization existed in the form of an invisible portal that rested before him.

The grove itself was unusual, for it wasn't a grove at all (as was traditional with more orthodox druids). Instead, rolling grassland stretched in all directions as far as the eye could see. Running through was a narrow brook and behind Meg towered a beautiful tree. Other trees dotted the landscape occasionally. Walnut, Elm, Maple, Oak, and every other kind of tree imaginable were represented.

Reflecting on his grove, Meg frowned. Of course, this wasn't his true grove…The place that he had truly bonded with was in Ordalia, near the border, but for security reasons he had been forced to recreate his beloved place here, nestled between impassible mountains. The land had been bare, but Meg had cultivated it magically until it exploded with life.

Meg got up from the flat rock that served as his desk as he sensed a presence enter his portal. Of average height and slender build, Med cut an unimposing figure, but appearances deceived. Meg had been trained to defend himself both magically and physically, for his job was a dangerous one.

Despite his love of nature, Meg had entered civilization to become a scholar. His other loves were Alchemy, Philosophy, Music, and Linguistics. Despite his youth, he was a sage, one of the ruling council of mages that regulated magic in the world, and a teacher of higher level magic at the academy, that trained the students of schools like Gariland into true master mages. Of course, on the ruling council he was the third sage, the least amongst equals, but at the tender age of 17 that was still a fantastic feat.

Meg's dark face lit up with a bright smile as he saw one of his students enter through the portal. As the young man stepped through the portal once again disappeared into oblivion.

This student had the most potential of any that Meg had been assigned to mentor. He showed brilliance in everything he tried. The only problem was, where other students threw them selves into everything and anything to find what they loved and excelled in, this student, Drekal, seemed to have little interest in finding his calling. The source of Meg's delight was the small sash he carried that meant that he had chosen a calling. The sash would be used to tie the robes of his order, once it had been transformed by one of the order into the characteristic color and pattern.

"So, you've finally chosen?" Meg inquired, barely able to keep the excitement from his voice. He and Drekal were of almost the same age, and he felt it was appropriate to be informal with him.

"Yes…" Drekal muttered from under his pristine white robes

Not white much longer Meg thought excitedly unless, I suppose, he chose the Healers…

Meg Cast onto himself and his companion the spell of binding. Any decision made under this spell was, if not unbreakable, decisive oath, that would that would instill in someone the authority of the Order.

"And what is your choice?" Meg asked, his voice more serious

"I have chosen…The order…opposite your own," Drekal whispered.

Meg's eyes widened in shock. He was, of course, of all orders as his position as Sage. Each group he represented was dedicated to the pursuit of Knowledge, Beauty, Art, Life, and even Spiritual fulfillment. To choose other than every known order was to choose…

"Black…" Meg hissed, his already down turning eyebrows drawing together in anger, and an uncharacteristic snarl flying to his lips. "You wish to choose the order of black, that seek to better understand the world other than this one."

"Yes..." Drekal said again, in a stronger voice this time

"You know, of course, the nature of this order? Once they were a great order, seeking to completely understand the spirit, soul, and mind. But then, they met a great divide. Those that continued that noble quest joined the guild of no colors. The order that wears no sash, and those that chose to manipulate and torment spirits chose the order of Black…"

"Yes!" Drekal said, with fire in his voice

"And do you chose, this order, Drekal Seil'an? Do you choose to forsake all that you learned here, to seek power, and only power in your life?"

"YES!" Drekal cried, almost ecstatically.

"Then I will grant your wish" Meg said calmly. He took the sash and sent it drifting through the air. As it drifted gently to the earth, he barked a word of command and the sash turned black. Blacker than black, for black can have shades, but this black had no shade, no color at all in it. It seemed to absorb all light around it into oblivion.

"So you have chosen" Meg finished, closing the spell of binding "so you shall live…

You must leave here within the hour. As with all students, the First Sage shall be notified of your choice. Your order is, of course, not welcome in our halls, or in this grove" he added, "if you come here…She will drive you away"

Drekal smiled and turned away, his robes changing color as he did so.

"I…thank you, Sage. Fare you well"

Meg frowned after him

"I hope you know what you're looking for," he whispered.