Author's Note: Disclaimer: I do not own Wizard101 or any spells or enemies mentioned here. Miguel Spellblade is one of my characters.
I obviously took literary liberties with all of the characters and the spells. Look at this as a re-imagining of what the action could be like.
This chapter is full of firsts. The first story to be all dialogue and little action, and the first story to feature all three of my guys together. Rowan Skulldreamer, Tasha Stormcaller, and Alia Sunsword all are characters of my lovely lady's creation, and may or may not feature/cameo in subsequent stories.
Enjoy, and don't hesitate to review. Thank you.
The Adventurum: A Compendium of Adventures in the Spiral
Tonight We Dine in Stormdrain!
Part I of Lord of the Night
Kane Darksword scanned the pages of the book, sitting on his stool before the exquisite desk that came standard in every dormitory room. The candle placed on the end of the desk was unlit, unnecessary since the desk was situated against the stone wall between the two floor length windows of the hexagonal room. The combined daylight streaming into the dusty room was sufficient enough for his reading. Directly above the desk was a dark wooden shelf, holding a skull, a jar containing a preserved brain suspended in fluid, and a small female figure. She was a Myth sprite, clad in a short white dress and boots. She picked at her blond hair as she watched Kane flip through the book, searching for something.
"Ah ha." Kane exclaimed softly, motioning with one hand for the sprite to come down without looking up from his find. With a fluttering of opal wings, the sprite descended, hovering over the book.
"Alright Luna, look for this symbol in the tome on the lectern," instructed Kane, pointing to an arcane design in his book. Luna nodded, squealing with delight at the chance to be useful. Kane watched her as she flitted over to the lectern, which stood before one of the windows overlooking Ravenwood.
Luna was his newest pet, found just a few days ago while he was out training with a friend. Being a diviner, the girl, Alia Sunsword, had less of a need for a Myth pet than Kane, so he decided to investigate the sprite's potential. Her search through the tome for the symbol was part of the test, analyzing her potential in his studies. The arcane design was the other part, as the meanings and powers behind that symbol could help him discover Luna's battle potential. Kane was a pragmatist, and hence enforced a simple policy; his pets had to earn their keep.
But the book sitting upon his desk was merely a textbook, concise and succinct in its information. The tome, however, was a gift from Professor Cyrus Drake for Kane's excellence in his studies, and was far more informative concerning legends and mythical creatures.
His dark sprite, Stella, was sitting on top of his bookshelf beside the door, arms crossed. Since Kane had found Luna, Stella had been inexplicably more dour than usual. Kane sighed as he watched Stella watch Luna, hoping that jealousy wasn't the problem. He wasn't sure if he could handle that emotional trouble.
His very first pet, Brutus, hung upside down from a pole perch near his bed, tongue hanging out as always and flopping over the blood bat's face. He was wrapped in his wings, napping in the daylight. However, while Kane waited for Luna to find the symbol, Brutus' tiny ears twitched, and the blood bat spread his wings and began to chatter. This was why Kane still kept the bat; he made an excellent security system.
"Thanks Brutus," murmured the conjurer, getting up from the desk and approaching the door as the bat quieted, his duties fulfilled. Kane swung the door open into the room to see a fellow student standing there, hand poised to knock.
"How did you-" the boy began to ask before Kane cut him off with a curt 'Brutus', which solicited a momentary pause and 'oh' from the wizard. Unlike Kane, who was dressed in simple student robes of blue trimmed with yellow, and sporting a similarly colored pointed, wide-brimmed hat, his visitor was clad in much more intricate garb. It was a monk-styled brown robe with dark crimson, zigzag hems, golden arcane symbols adorning the cloth just before the hems. Two large red orbs were strapped onto him, covering his chest and left shoulder. Black iron feathers sprouted from the left shoulder orb, giving the robe an avian vibe.
"Talon, why are you here?" Kane cut to the chase, folding his arms as he awaited the reply. Stella came down from the bookcase to see who was at the door.
"Um… well… I need your help with something." Talon stated after a moment of hesitation, feeling the edge in Kane's voice. "I interrupted something again, didn't I?"
"As always." Kane shot back, narrowing his eyes. Talon Skullflame may have been a year his senior in Ravenwood, but far less mature and studious to Kane. They met because Talon introduced himself in the first week of Kane's classes, and Kane hadn't been able to get rid of the pyromancer since.
Talon scratched the back of his head nervously, his wild and wavy red hair falling around his hand to just beyond his shoulders. It looked like a fire bursting from the back of his skull, some of his friends would say. Kane always got Talon nervous, because he could never be certain when Kane might snap. But the bookworm was in dire need of socialization and friendship, and Talon was never one to withhold them.
The friendship was a work in progress.
"I need some advice on handling Lord Nightshade," Talon finally blurted, unable to bear the silence between the two. Dakota, Talon's blue pet dragon, trilled softly as he crawled up Talon's back to look into Kane's room.
"Come in," Kane sighed, shutting the door once the Pyromancer entered. Stella waved Dakota over to her, the dragon gliding onto the top of the bookshelf beside the dark sprite. "Why aren't you asking Rowan about stuff like this? She IS a proper necromancer after all," Kane moved over to the bookshelf and started perusing the books. Stella whispered something in the dragon's ear, and his orange eyes lit up.
Rowan Skulldreamer was a mutual friend, and an actual necromancer, whereas Kane merely dabbled in the Death arts. She was the same year as Talon, and apparently gloomy enough to warrant the pyromancer's cheery acquaintance as well. Or his acquaintance was due to the fact that Rowan was an exotic beauty of a girl; Kane wasn't sure if Talon even regarded women that way yet.
"I could, but there is a chance she doesn't know enough to actually help," responded Talon with a shrug and a smile. "I figured, Kane's a walking encyclopedia, if he doesn't know, no one does."
"Thanks, I guess." Kane picked up a book from the middle shelf, handing it over to his visitor. However, his hand did not release the book when Talon grabbed it. "Burn this in any way, and I'll troll you for the rest of your life." Talon gulped, but nodded in understanding and weakly smiled, tugging on the book. Kane didn't let go.
"You're not fighting Nightshade alone, are you?" Kane inquired, suspicious of the boy's intentions.
"What makes you think I'd do a stupid thing like that?" Talon retorted.
"Because you didn't go to Rowan, likely because you didn't want her to know and come along. And because this is you we are talking about," Kane jibbed.
"I will have you know I will be accompanied by Miguel, thank you very much." Talon jabbed back, just before Kane ripped the book from the pyromancer's grasp.
"I'll give this to Miguel then. Just to be safe." Kane smirked, quickly morphing into a snarl as Luna screeched, taking the room's attention. She whizzed past the two students, followed momentarily by a blur of blue and orange. Flying over his desk, the two pets sent the items on his desk and the shelf above falling in a flurry of flapping wings. Kane thrust out his hand, golden light sparkling across his palm and illuminating the fallen items. They stopped in midair, hovering over the floor at various heights and held in place by his telekinesis. It was a non-combative spell he learned to master in between his missions and training, and used for books or situations such as this. Kane lowered the items to the floor, turning to see the dragon and Myth sprite race over his bed and knock over Brutus' perch.
The blood bat hit the floor and promptly burst into a flapping, chattering mess, freaking out from the disturbance to his rest. Stella was holding herself through fits of giggles, rocking on the top of the bookcase.
"DAKOTA!" Talon roared, causing the dragon to stop dead in the air and hover, a whimper coming out softly. "You know not to behave like that around Kane." Talon stated firmly. He had learned quickly what Kane would not tolerate from his own, or other's, pets and sought to make sure Dakota knew playtime did not occur around the conjurer. "Out in the hallway, now." Talon pointed, and the dragon sullenly flew out to wait in the hall.
When he looked back to his friend, the boy was looking about ready to blow up. Talon cringed slightly, rushing to put back the fallen things exactly where they were before and apologizing thoroughly. Stella was still giggling, though it had died down, and Luna was hiding behind Kane's practice mannequin across the room from the bed. Kane glared up at Stella, and the dark sprite's merriment quelled. Satisfied, he went to calm down Brutus.
When the situation was cleared, Kane returned his violet eyes to Stella, no less angry than earlier. He pointed up to her, and she seemed almost like a scolded child.
"I know you told Dakota something, Stella. You set this up. You are staying here while Luna, Talon and I go visit Miguel. Are we clear?" His voice was stern and the question rhetorical. Stella nodded as Luna cautiously fluttered to Kane.
"I'm so sorry," Talon began again.
"Shut it, Talon. Let's just get to Miguel already." Kane growled, exiting his room with the book and glaring at Dakota as he passed.
Miguel Spellblade's room was rather well decorated for a dorm room, appropriate for a Marleybonian boy. His bed headboard was up against one wall, a royal sofa at the end of it for guests. A Triton statue was between bed and door, and a Storm banner behind it took up the wall. The other side of the door had his desk, and a bookcase against the wall beside that. Above his desk hung a Balance banner as well, and a potted palm brought some life to the room beside one of the windows.
A long blue runner covered the floor from the door to the opposite wall, ending at the foot of a padded red chair with a crate of food on one side, and a small table with knickknacks on the other. It was in this comfy chair that Miguel sat, his dark skin covered in a bathrobe. He had just returned from the lavatories when he heard the noise further down the hall, and had his brown eyes set upon the door in anticipation, a smirk gracing his elegant face.
"What happened this time, mis amigos?" Miguel called out as Kane and Talon knocked. They entered at the sound of his voice, agitation plain upon Kane's face and shame on Talon's. It was a typical sight after something bad occurred between the two, which usually happened.
"Talon's damn reptile chased after Luna, knocking over Brutus," spat Kane, standing in the center of the room with arms folded.
"Stella put him up to it and you know it!" Talon snapped back, making himself comfortable on the couch with his arms crossed. Dakota slithered under the pyromancer's feet, peeking out at Kane and hissing. Even though it wasn't directed at Luna, she still ducked behind her master.
"Doesn't change the fact that he should know better," Kane growled, one narrowed eye covered by his straight blond hair and giving a little more menace to the look.
"Amigos, por favor!" Miguel pleaded sternly, wincing slightly as he raised his arms to try and still his friends. "No fighting in my dorm." The two dueling wizards hushed, but the malice hung in the air for a time longer. This is why I am going to look into a dog. Miguel thought. Much easier to train and keep controlled.
"Now, I am sure you didn't come in here to regale me with your tales of trouble, no?" Miguel added, looking to both of them with curiosity in his eyes.
"No. We came because I wanted to give you this." Kane said, handing over the small book. Miguel took it, perplexed. "It has some mentions of Lord Nightshade, as well as list of resources you could find in the library about him." Miguel nodded in understanding, smiling.
"Thank you."
"Speaking of happenings, Miguel," Kane added before he released his grasp on the book, "what happened to you?"
"What do you mean?" A flash of worry crossed Miguel's face.
"Your skin is redder than usual." Kane remarked, but Miguel waved it off with an excuse of basking in the sun too long. Kane frowned, grabbed the boy's arm by the wrist, and pulled back the sleeve, revealing reddened skin pocked with light blisters.
"You went against Alicane Swiftarrow didn't you?" Talon asked, rising from the sofa with concern. Miguel nodded with a sigh.
"Weren't you helping Tasha train in Firecat Alley? Didn't she help you at all?" Talon continued questioning, approaching the chair from the other side. Miguel ripped his arm from Kane's grasp with a groan, his other hand covering his forehead.
Tasha Stormcaller was Rowan's little half-sister, and twin to Alia Sunsword by birth alone, which was probably why their parents gave them different names. She was an up and coming thaumaturge who still needed a lot of practice, but was as optimistically cheery as Talon, though more preppy as well. Miguel didn't mind that much, though it irritated Kane to no end.
"She wasn't ready to handle the Prince, and that street was a literal infierno," explained Miguel, looking up to his friends. "So yesterday I sent her off on errands for Professor Greyrose and took care of the matter myself." He seemed proud of this fact as Talon joined Kane in frowning. "Minor burning is to be expected, and I think it went well."
"Went well? You have second degree burns all over you!" Talon exclaimed, hands beginning to glow a distinct jade. "Why didn't you come to me yesterday about this? How are we supposed to fight Lord Nightshade tonight if you are burned?"
"You were going to fight him tonight?" Kane cut in, unsure he heard right. "With little information and second degree burns you were going to fight Lord Nightshade tonight?"
"By Bartleby, will you leave it be?" Miguel snapped, exasperated. "I could handle it, so long as Talon is there to help. The burns will heal, just give them time." While he was quite sure of himself, Kane and Talon didn't seem to share the sentiment.
"If it's just you two I doubt there are any women to show off to, Miguel," responded Kane, "and if you are fighting Nightshade soon, time is not a luxury. You need to be at your best to even stand a chance." Grabbing his friend by the wrist again, Kane hauled the sorcerer out of his chair and grabbed the other arm, holding both behind the sorcerer's back. Miguel cried out briefly in pain and began to squirm.
"The more you fight the worse it will hurt. Talon, now." Kane ordered, and the wizard moved in on his captured friend, a soft smile on his face as a low hum began to rise from his throat. The green aura moved from Talon's hands to his friend as he began to add rhythm to the humming. The light began to pulse over Miguel's body, mimicking the rhythm of Talon's softly hummed song.
When Talon opened his eyes again and stepped back, Kane finally released Miguel, who looked notably displeased. His skin was tingling with magic now, and he could still hear the song humming through his mind.
"I would have preferred it heal naturally," Miguel growled, hating the strange feeling healing magic caused in his body. Others seemed to like it, but he was raised without magic in his life, and frankly preferred the feeling of newly, naturally healed skin.
"And when you have a gouge in your belly, are you going to say the same thing?" Kane snapped from behind him. Miguel whirled on the conjurer.
"That's a different matter entirely!" Miguel proclaimed, but Kane looked unconvinced and picked the book back up, crossing his arms.
"That's it, I'm coming along," he announced resolutely, to the surprise of at least Talon. "You two alone make the worst team I've ever seen. With your clumsiness and his lack of regard for healing, Lord Nightshade will feast on your souls by midnight."
"I am not a klutz!" Talon defended. "Fire is hard to control you know."
"All the more reason for me to accompany you both," Kane retorted, heading for the door. "Get ready Miguel, and both of you meet me at the Library in half an hour to discuss tactics." Kane left with nothing further, Luna fluttering after him. Talon snorted and Miguel chuckled softly, looking over to his fiery friend.
"Told you it would work amigo. But was healing me necessary?" Miguel asked with a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
"Yes. Now come on, let's get ready to meet Colonel Kane." Talon grinned, disappearing with Dakota in a flash of magical flame as he went to his own place to prepare.