Chapter 7

He woke the next morning to a soft knocking on the door, with a yawn he rose from the satin sheets and stretched out his arms. The thoughts of the previous night's events were still fresh in his mind as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He grabbed OBLIVION and OATHKEEPER and headed out to greet whoever had knocked.

It was the Princess, of course. She had a smile on her face, but could tell she was rather nervous. She was dressed in a lavender dress and bore herself proudly.

"Good morning to you, Princess," he said to her," how fared your night?"

"It was excellent," she said as she turned and led the way for him," and how fared your night? I could only imagine it was hard for you to rest knowing you would be going to Naor Shati."

He felt like telling her at that moment what he had read the previous night, but found himself unable to ruin her light mood," It was rather difficult. They say that some of the greatest witches and wizards were taught at this school."

The Princess laughed lightly, then said," That depends on how you define great. If you see it as one person who can destroy many other people, then yes most of them were great, but I have found it takes more than a multitude of dead bodies surrounding you to be great."

They walked outside in steady silence. The sun was just over the horizon and the birds were flying around the beautiful lavender garden, it smelled like spring all over again. Baylion finally spoke," How can you keep a garden like this during the fall and winter," he was in a sort of awe at its majestic state.

The Princess chuckled," Magik is used for more than just death and destruction Baylion, "he was about to ask another question, but the princess stopped him," hold your questions, Baylion, all will be answered in due course."

They continued in silence and Baylion noticed that everyone was looking at him. He held OATHKEEPER in his right and OBLIVION in his left. When Baylion and the Princess would walk by, they would first fix their eyes on the deadly blades and then look at him with a fearful look. He didn't know what they were afraid of, the blades or him. He wanted desperately to hide his face in a cloak and never come out but he kept his head up and looked onward to their destination.

The school was massive. It sat right on the cliffs that plunged into the Mooncast Ocean. It stood resolute about 300 feet from the watery surface and was a beacon to incoming ships. The castle itself stood over 100 feet tall at its lowest point. It span for more than 5 miles and was very ancient looking. The sun even seemed to be absorbed by this immense structure. The gate that surrounded it was wrought iron and stood fifty feet tall. Lion statures larger than Baylion stood erect every 30 feet all the way around the perimeter.

It was enough to take Baylion's breath away, or it would have, if not for the people standing outside the front gate he would have been. They were rather tall, and from the look of them, they seemed to be ancient. They wore grey cloaks and had an aura about them that made Baylion.

"It's the Council of Elders," she whispered to him as they drew nearer," they have been expecting you."

They stopped in front of them and there was a voice that seemed to carry on the wind like it was too delicate to be carried by anything else, Thank you for delivering the boy to our care, Princess. We will lead him from here.

The Princess bowed and looked at Baylion. Her eyes seemed to say "Good luck", but there was also a sort of desperation in those eyes. If she was going to say something, she dared not while they were in the presence of the Council.

Hello Baylion, we've been awaiting your arrival, they said, Baylion realized that they had not opened their mouths to speak. We are speaking to you telepathically, you are not able to do so, so you must speak to use. Come let us discuss your future.

They ushered him into the front gate that seemed to open on its own accord and he was admitted into a massive courtyard. The Council surrounded him and Baylion counted them. Twelve members total. They were all the same silent people they would be for the next three years. Baylion wasn't sure he could handle it.