Meg hurried through the corridors. The policy was that the first Sage be informed by writing of each student's choice within two weeks of their choice, but he was sure that she'd forgive his breach of the rules.

His footsteps quickened as he neared her door. Throwing aside the ornately carved oaken doors he stepped in determinedly

"Sage, I'm sorry to intrude but…" he blushed scarlet and slammed the doors shut.

"I'm terribly sorry Sage, I had no idea…"

The doors burst open behind him. As the first sage approached him, he noted with a grimace that her mind was closed this time.

"What is so important that you must interrupt me while I am reflecting?" She asked angrily.

The Sage was not a particularly imposing woman, just as Meg was not a particularly imposing man. She was middle-aged, with a motherly face that seemed ageless. Her hair was tied up in a tight bun behind her head, and had just started showing the slightest hints of gray, probably from stress. Again, though, appearances were deceiving. Underneath her gentle exterior she was a kniving politician. Though she sincerely was a kind woman she was willing to do almost anything to keep the magic in the world in check. She stood more than a head shorter than Meg, but somehow was managing to drive him up against the wall in the hallway.

"I'm…I'm…" Meg tried again. There was no doubt that the Sage was immensely angry. What he had walked in on was a reflection, a method by which a mage could project their very thoughts and feelings around them to study their own mind. It was a useful tool for sorting out feelings, and for observing patterns that might otherwise have been missed, but it also revealed everything about a person to anybody who observed it. In those brief moments that he saw the First Sage reflecting, Meg had probably learned more about the sage than she would have revealed in years.

Finally recovering his composure Meg managed to calm his stuttering. "I assure you sage, it is a matter of such importance, that I would be tempted to interrupt again, given the chance."

The First Sage calmed as the gravity of his statement dawned on her. "Well then, you'd better come in." she said.

As they crossed the doorway the Sage began erasing the representations of her thoughts from the room. Meg squirmed nervously as each figment of her mind disappeared one by one.

"So, Meg, what brings you here?" the Sage asked more calmly.

"Airith, you know I can't respond to that" Meg said with a smile "there are procedures"

Airith sighed "I never could get the better of you, even when you were my student…"

Meg smiled fondly and cast another spell that would make anything that they did an official action as ruling members of the magical world.

"A student has chosen his order, First Sage, Guardian of the Flow, Keeper of the…"

"Oh skip all that, it's not strictly required anyway" Airith interrupted, "this is what was so important?"

"You didn't let me finish" Meg replied, exasperated, "The student Drekal has chosen the noble order of the black" he finished, releasing the spell.

Suddenly all around him magic flared. In her distress the Sage had lost all control of the figments of her mind that remained to be erased (the least embarrassing figments), and all were replaced with pure emotions. Distress, anger, sadness, mortification, one after another assailed Meg until he could take it no longer. Raising his hands he overpowered the Sage and cut off all of her power.

"Some nerve you have" Airith muttered wresting her power free of Meg "That's not allowed, you know"

Meg smiled, glad that she was back to her senses. "I believe that it would be deemed necessary by any inquiry."

"Hmm, I suppose you're right…but this does present a pretty little problem for us doesn't it? The last mage to choose black took out nearly 10 of our order before we stopped him, either by killing or by severing. We will want to take immediate action…

ahh, but we have another factor this time don't we?" she muttered slyly

"What is that, Sage?" Meg asked, genuinely confused.

"Why the zodiac brave, of course, and a king who was his childhood friend" Airith smiled demonically. Despite the fact that her skills had retained the balance of power in the world many times, her devious mind often frightened Meg.

"Hmm, I see what you mean" Meg said pensively "of course, he's not dead, though the Ivalician King and the Galabados Church would have us think that.

Simple minded fools, how could they know that one amongst us has the ancient skill to sense the truth in words…" He looked meaningfully at Airith.

"Yes, once again he must be the light to banish the darkness. His purpose doesn't end with the purging of deamons, oh no," Airith smiled again "He has a much greater responsibility than that, though he seems to be neglecting it…

Meg, I have a favor to ask of you"

Meg sighed, he could tell what was coming "because of my druidic abilities, by their nature meshed in the full and endless cycle of life, you wish me to be the agent to gather forces to combat Drekal" he said flatly "I am to gather the warriors who follow the brave, who are scattered throughout the world so that not even the church can find them, and prepare them to face what they will. Am I correct?" he asked.

"Ahh Meg, you know me too well" Airith smiled "Have a fair journey and…" her face grew serious "be careful Meg, I will have need of you again after you complete this task"

Meg smiled in a comforting way "We shall meet again, Sage" he assured "that is a promise"

A.N.

Sever-to cut off from one's magical powers .

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