Author's Note:

What's up, everyone? I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope I set up the characterization for Jack correctly. He'll be the next party member after Gavin, so stay tuned. However, they have to go to Candar first, so it might be awhile until a new party member emerges. Also, I finally get to introduce the first school of magic: Chaos!

Enjoy!

P.S. Sorry about the lateness of this chapter. School is busy.

-Tangent

The next morning arrived with the presence of a message for Ean, delivered by a young boy. As soon as they had all awoken and eaten, Ean told the others that their presence was requested by Uthar as soon as possible.

"It sounds like he's found some leads." Ean finished, closing the letter and placing it in his pocket.

"Well, I guess we won't be sticking around much longer, then." Rye said. "Let's take our things with us." They retrieved their gear, bidding farewell to the innkeeper as they exited the comfortable inn. It was still early, so few people were out on the streets, and even fewer paid them any attention. The trio was welcomed into the castle quickly by the guards, who pointed them to the throne room once again. As they entered, Uthar was standing in front of his throne, alone. Ean bowed to him, as did the others, and the man spoke:

"I have decided upon a course of action. Princess Ella IV of Candar has sent me a letter, telling me she knows of her parent's fate, and that she will gladly assist us in our fight."

"Candar?" Ean asked, and Uthar nodded.

"It's another large city to the north, through Brightwood Forest. She, like me, is the acting ruler of the city." Ean nodded, and Uthar continued on. "She has heard rumors of an ancient and powerful weapon that could be used to defeat the Snow Queen, but she doesn't dare send the information in a letter. You will travel there and receive the information. I also understand that the nymph of love resides there." He looked at Iya, who nodded once.

"Is the forest dangerous?" Uthar nodded.

"The Queen's soldiers have blocked the main road, so you'll have to find a way around. But be wary of the monsters that dwell within. Even I do not know what exactly they can do." Ean looked apprehensive at this, but spoke confidently.

"We shall go, Uthar." The man smiled.

"Then do so with my blessing. Return to the city when you have completed this task, okay?" They nodded, and Uthar bowed to them slightly, surprising the trio.

"The world is relying on you, heroes." They exited the castle, still slightly surprised at Uthar's words. Rye broke the silence.

"Are we going to the magical building, or no?" Ean nodded.

"Yeah, we should probably check it out. I'm not sure how long we'll be gone. Iya?" She nodded, grasping her staff with a determined look in her eyes.

"I can handle it." They set off across the square, towards the building they had walked past many times by now. It was simple and unassuming, but Ean knew better than to be fooled by appearances. Iya tried the handle, and the door swung smoothly open with an ominous creak. They stepped inside, looking around nervously.

The building was composed of one massive room, which had no windows and was covered in ominous red carpets. The walls were lined with bookcases and strange tables with potions on them. It was also totally empty of any person.

"What kind of place is this?" Rye muttered. Suddenly, a howl of wind filled the room, and a blinding flash of light made all of them jump backwards. A hooded figure had appeared in the middle of the room. The robes were dark blue, with gold insignias upon them that stretched across the whole garment. The person's face was in deep shadow, but his voice echoed throughout the room, low and gravelly.

"You have come, song mage." Iya looked frightened.

"W-Who are you?" she asked tremulously. "Why did you summon me?"

"I wish to test you, to see if you have the power to harness the storms themselves. With it, you can become immensely powerful, beyond anything you could imagine." It held up a withered hand, and a glimmering blue orb appeared, with snow swirling inside of it. Iya gasped.

"A song sphere?"

"Yes. This is the school where mages would test their ability to harness chaos. I am the only one left, but you may be my final student." Iya paused, and Ean knew she was considering it.

"What happens if I accept?"

"I will grant you another sphere for you to use. As you grow, so will it."

"I…" Iya turned to the others. "What should I do?" she whispered. Rye considered it.

"If he wanted to attack, he would have. I think he's telling the truth, Iya." Ean nodded slightly.

"It's up to you." He spoke, and Iya turned back to the figure.

"I will accept the role of Chaos Mage." The figure seemed to grow taller at those words.

"Then…" It tossed its hood back, and Iya saw a hideous visage of gray skin and red eyes. "We shall begin the trial!" With flames dancing in its eyes, it raised its hand and began to cast magic at the elf in front of it.

Iya dodged left as a bolt of lightning flew past. The teacher had erected a barrier around them for their duel, and she only had some much room to maneuver. With a flick of her staff, a jet of water shot towards the man, but it simply dissolved under the power of a wave of fire that swept towards her. She leapt over it, only to be struck by a blast of wind and rain. Her body was flung into the wall, and she coughed in pain. A bright light filled Iya's vision, and she rolled aside just as several bolts of lightning raked the walls. She got to her feet, clutching her staff. So far, the figure had just launched powerful spells from a distance.

I have to get in close. She sprinted forward, but the waves of fire kept her at bay, dancing left and right as the figure tired to smite her with a terrible blow. All of her own magic was merely swept aside by the fire, or absorbed by the chaos sphere. One dodge came too slow, and she was flattened against the wall. The figure raised a hand, ready to end the fight, and she drew upon her magic with a loud cry.

A wave of wind blasted the fire away from her in a titanic whirlwind, causing the figure to stumble ever so slightly. She leapt forward, her staff coming down in a swift blow, onto the figure's head, and-

With an odd sensation, time distorted around her. Everything moved in normal speed except her own body, which was moving in slow motion. The figure had raised its hands, pointing them at her. Then, just as suddenly, it lowered them, and she collapsed to one knee. The barrier had disappeared.

"You have passed. Well done, chaos mage." She simply nodded, and it held out one hand. She held her own hand out instinctually, and the blue orb appeared once more above the withered palm. He placed it into her own hand, and she gasped as she felt the raw power surging through the orb. The green sphere was gentle and warm, but this one was cold and powerful, with raging winds and crashing waves inside of it. It vanished, but she could still feel the current inside of her, like something alive.

"Guard it well." The figure said, and she bowed her head in gratitude.

"Thank you… master." It turned to her, studying her.

"You must defeat the Queen at all costs, or the spheres will be lost. Visit each of the mage guilds across the world and increase your strength, young one.

"How many are there?" She asked.

"There are 3 others besides this one. You will find them on your journeys, no doubt. Each has different spells to offer you, as long as you can prove your worth." Iya nodded, and turned to leave. The figure dissipated into thin air behind her, and all was quiet. She looked at Ean and Rye, who looked almost scared of her.

"That was… impressive." Rye said, his eyes wide. Ean smiled at her, and she felt her heart give an odd jump at the sight.

"Well done, Iya." His simple words sufficed, and she gave him a smile in return.

"I just acted on instinct, I guess. It happened so quickly…" They exited the building, returning to the warm streets of Thais. Everything was lively, and they felt cheery as they headed towards the main gate. The guards let them out, saluting as they passed.

"I guess they know us." Little did they know that Uthar had spread the word around the entire town about the young heroes. To the north, Ean could see a green forest stretching out of sight, until it met the mountains and the sea.

"Speaking of which, why can't we take boats to Candar?" Iya asked. Ean had the answer ready.

"Well, none of us knows how to sail, firstly. And before the Queen's army went into hiding, they destroyed all of Candar's and Thais's boats. So we're out of luck on that front."

"How'd you find that out?" Rye asked curiously.

"I talked to one of the castle guards about it. And apparently Thais is more known for its magical academy anyways, the School of War and Magic."

"Hmmmm, I guess we don't have time for anything like that." Iya put in, and the trio kept walking towards the forest, and towards the next objective of their quest.

Brightwood Forest certainly lived up to its name. In total contrast to the Shadow Woods, the trees here were rounded and lively, with light shining through the branches in a beautiful pattern. The path was worn with past footsteps, and the ground was light and soft under their boots. In front of them, they saw a path with a marker:

North- Candar and Grimm's Farm

South- Thais

"Oh, there's a farm in the woods? What an odd placement." Iya commented. Ahead of them, Rye had moved forward to study something in the dirt.

"Come look at this." His voice was tense, and he pointed to the many footsteps in the earth. "Soldiers, and lots of them." There was hundreds of footsteps, all leading along the main path.

"Well, we know not to follow the main path, then. There's got to be at least 70 to 80 soldiers in the forest." Ean said, trying to estimate the number of enemies. Rye nodded, and he pointed to the northeast.

"We can try to go around, I suppose. That way is probably best." He pointed to the faint outline of a path leading through the trees. There were no marks upon it, and the adventurers followed it, heading deeper into the forest.

About an hour into their journey, Rye held up a hand.

"Stop." His voice was hushed, and they halted. "Do you feel that?" Ean listened, and he could feel a faint energy in the air. However, his senses could not locate any enemies within 100 yards of them. He opened his mouth.

"What-" Suddenly, he was thrown to the side as a massive fireball soared over the place his head had been. It exploded against a tree, toppling it with ease. Iya, had pulled her staff out and thrown his to the side with a blast of wind. Her magic flickered in her hand, and she was looking around.

"Stay down!" She commanded them, her eyes flickering from tree to tree. With a sudden gesture, she flicked a blast of water through the air, and the camouflaged enemy leapt aside, its cloak failing as it did. It was small, hook-nosed creature wearing black robes. It had a black staff in its hand, which it used to hurl another fireball towards Iya, chittering madly. She deflected it, and the orb in her hand changed to a dark blue. With a sharp movement of her staff, a spike of ice flew outwards, powering through the second fireball and straight into the creature's chest. It felt with a cry, and all was quiet. Rye jumped to his feet, his face pale.

"What," he said hoarsely. "The hell was that?"

"I have no idea, but it could use magic." Iya said quietly. "I guess our foes are getting tougher. But this can't be normal, can it?"

"I doubt it. This place has been infested with monsters like everywhere else." Rye said with a grimace. "We'll just have to step up our game. I wonder if there's anybody else out there who can help us with fighting."

"What, you mean like another member of our party?" Ean said. "That's not a bad idea, I suppose. We can look in Candar." They continued on through the forest, following the faintly disguised path on the forest floor.

It was a few hours before the path began to branch off into separate paths. One led to the north and, they presumed, Candar. The other led due east, and soon faded out of sight. The party had encountered several groups of monsters, from the rogue mages to a great creature that wielded long knives. It had given Rye a deep cut on the shoulder, and he had been having trouble drawing his bow since the attack.

"We've got to be almost out of here." Ean panted. Iya pointed east.

"I see a sign down there." They approached it, and they saw that the piece of wood had several foods carved onto it.

Grimm's Farm- Everybody Welcome!

"Do we go in?" Ean thought about it for a moment.

"I think we should, if only to make sure that the people here are safe from the evil lurking in the woods." With a nod, Rye followed the two elves down the path, which opened up to reveal a substantially large farm. There were several pens, all of which were empty, except for one that had a garden growing in it. It was filled with many different kinds of vegetables, and Rye looked impressed.

"This is a nice setup. But where are all the animals?" Ean shrugged.

"Let's go in and ask." The farmhouse, a large building in the middle of the plot, had a sign handing crookedly over the door that said something Ean could not read. They knocked on the door, and a voice called:

"Come in!" They entered to see a large kitchen and living space, filled with tables and chairs. An old woman, wearing a purple shawl, sat in a rocking chair near the fireplace. She smiled at them.

"Hello there! Do come in!"

"What kind of farm is this?" Ean asked as they sat down near her. Her smile faded a bit.

"We used to have all sorts of livestock and the like, but it's gone now. Bought by others. We only have the garden, and, well…" Her voice trailed off, and she seemed to be looking into the distance. "I've been thinking of selling the place and moving back to Candar."

"Oh, you're from Candar? We're heading that way ourselves." Ean said, and the woman shook her head at the unspoken offer.

"I can't leave yet, son. I need to make sure everything is in order for a buyer. If only the chicken would…" She seemed reluctant to continue, and Iya prompted her.

"Is there a problem with the garden, ma'am?"

"Huh? Oh, it's no worry for you youngsters. There's a very large chicken in the forest, and he keeps tearing up my garden. I'll catch him eventually, though. Thing is, he's got red eyes." Ean frowned.

"A chicken with red eyes?" He looked at Rye, who shrugged.

"I have no idea." He turned back to the elderly woman.

"Would you like us to try and catch it? We are somewhat… experienced in these sorts of things." The owner studied them for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Oh, alright. Be careful, though. Okay?" They all gave their assent and rose from their chairs, heading back outside. They headed into the garden, where they found… nothing.

"What a surprise." Rye said with a sarcastic smile. "I wonder if she's telling the truth."

"You mean, you think it might be something else?" Iya asked.

"Probably, yeah. I mean, I've never heard of-" Ean beckoned them over.

"Look at this!" On the ground in front of him were several large prints, in the shape of chicken feet…

It was almost noon before they saw any sign of the chicken approaching. They sat in the garden, weapons ready for the beast, but it did not come. Soon, however, Rye heard rustling in the woods. He nocked an arrow to his bow.

"Get ready." He hissed, and Ean flicked his claws out. The bushes began to rustle violently, and the chicken exploded from the undergrowth.

It was a massive thing, standing almost equal to Ean in height. Its claws were sharp, and its red eyes glittered with a mad hunger.

"What the…" Rye said, and it let out a piercing cry, charging forward.

"Go!" Ean bellowed, lunging forward to distract the monster. It turned towards him and slashed at him with its head, gouging a scratch into his armor. He stumbled back, swiping at the flank of the chicken, drawing a little bit of blood. Ean's eyes widened at the armor-like skin, and the chicken pushed him backwards. Rye's arrow pierced its wing, and it turned, crying out in pain and anger. The man was forced to dive aside as it charged at him, tearing through the fence behind him. As it did, Iya whirled her staff, casting an icy spear at the chicken. This too, only penetrated the skin a little bit. The monster was properly angry now, and a jet of fire burst from its mouth towards them. Surprised, Iya barely blocked the flame with her own burst of water, and Ean pushed her to one side as the beast bore down upon them.

Drawing on the power of the beast, he leapt upwards, over the chicken's head, slicing downwards into the vulnerable neck as he went. Blood spurted out, and he landed hard, rolling to his feet. The chicken seemed stunned, and Rye hammered two more arrows into the wound before it rose again. As it did, Iya met it head on with a massive fireball, which hurled it backwards into the woods, smoking. It stirred feebly, and Ean walked over to it.

"Sorry." He said, and slashed downwards, ending the life of the creature. It faded to nothingness, and in its place was a small wooden statue. The elf's face turned pale.

"Is that-" Iya said, coming up behind him.

"Yes." He looked down at the statue. "Do I take it?" Rye had also joined them, and he looked at the figurine with mild disgust.

"I think you might have to, Ean. Didn't the hunter say you had to bear the curse or something like that?"

"Maybe…" Before he chickened out, Ean grabbed the figurine, and everything faded away.

He was back in the same place he had visited before, with the beast.

"I knew you would return." The low voice sounded. "You cannot resist this-" But it stopped, and a new, female voice joined the conversation.

"So, you have slain me, hm?" Ean was too stunned to speak.

"Y- You!" The first voice was angry and shocked. "How are you here, you-"

"Oh, hush. The elf brought me here, I suppose. Not sure how, though. I thought there could only be one."

"There is only ever one. But how did he call us both, then? Answer me, boy!" Ean glanced up, seeing two faint pairs of red eyes in the darkness.

"I honestly don't know. What's happened?" He said calmly.

"You've now taken two curses into your body, young one." The female voice spoke quietly. "That should not be possible."

"But what does that mean?"

"You have slain two evils that plagued the land, and have access to all of their power. But it corrupts you, changes you. If you continue your quest, you may not survive." Ean knew what it was asking, and he shook his head.

"Sorry, I can't abandon her. I guess we'll have to work together, huh?" The male voice was angry now.

"Work with you? You're nothing but a small child!" Ean stared at the eyes, his expression firm.

"Maybe. But I'm going to figure this out. And you can start by telling me who both of you are."

"Ha! Tell you our secrets?" The voices laughed in unison. "It's time for you to go now, anyways. We'll speak again soon, kid…" And everything faded away.

Ean stirred upon the ground, and Iya grabbed his arm instantly.

"Ean? Can you hear me?" She was worried beyond belief, but Ean managed to nod.

"Yeah… Did I transform again?" Iya nodded, and Ean grimaced.

"All I remember is the conversation I had." He told both of them what had happened in his mind. "You say I didn't attack you guys?"

"That's correct." said Rye. "I wonder what happens now, though. Can you transform into both creatures?" Ean thought about it for a moment.

"I can feel the power in the back of mind, waiting to be used, so I think so? We'll have to see." Rye pulled him to his feet, and the elf slung on his pack. Iya looked at him apprehensively.

"Did you tell the woman we took care of the chicken?" The others gave assent, and Ean stretched from side to side. "I guess we better hit the road, then. Are either of you hungry?"

"We ate while you slept." Rye said, offering him an apple. Ean bit into it hungrily as they exited the farm, saying goodbye to the lone resident within. She saw them off cheerily, and Ean made a note to check in on her on the way back to Thais.

The woods were slightly more peaceful now, as if the death of the chicken had caused the other monsters to be more wary of the adventurers. They continued along the northern path, forging their way through bushes and even climbing up small hills.

"Hold on a minute." Rye said. "There's something over here." He turned towards a dense clump of shrubs, pushing them aside to reveal a small pass through the hill. It curved to the right and vanished, and Rye looked at them.

"Follow it?"

"Sure, let's do it." Ean said, and they clambered through the bushed and headed down the path. As they rounded the curve, they all gasped. They were in a small clearing with a pond in the middle, surrounded by vine-covered walls. However, the stunning part was the marble pillars surrounding the edge of the clearing, and the one small pedestal containing a bright orange gem in the middle. Ean stepped forward, examining it.

"It's got a picture of a bird on it. A phoenix, maybe?" Iya looked at it closer.

"It resembles one of my spheres, almost. I can feel the magical power surging from this thing, whatever it is." She reached out to touch it, but her hand passed through it as if it did not exist. She frowned, pulling her hand back and forth a couple times.

"That's weird. Why can't I touch it?" Ean and Rye tried, but to no avail. After a couple minutes, Ean noticed a small inscription on the edge of the pedestal. He read aloud:

"For greedy hands I shall not fall. Karma keeps me safe from all. Hm, karma…" His voice trailed off, and Iya looked at him expectantly.

"You know what it is?"

"I was told about a legend, that being a good person gives good karma. Being bad gives negative karma, and so on. I thought it was just a myth, but…" The elf pointed to the sphere. "I'd say that proves it's not."

"So, you're saying we don't have enough karma?" Rye said. "How do we get more?"

"I don't think it works like that. We truly have to be kind to work. Otherwise, it's greed." Iya shrugged.

"Guess we'll come back, then?"

"Maybe. We can ask about it in Candar, I suppose." Ean said, and they left the small pond. They had walked another mile or so when Ean heard a female voice:

"Not greedy? That's a first in humans. I suppose time will tell."

"What do you mean?"

"Your kind is a plague. They enslaved us, bound us to these curses. He does not prefer to speak of it, but I am not afraid." Ean stopped, his face turning pale.

"Who bound you?"

"A human, many years ago. "

"Can… Can I help you? Maybe there's a way to break the curse."

"Such insolence!" The voice was furious now. "You think I want help from a pathetic human? Begone!" Ean snapped out of it to see Rye looking at him.

"Voices again?" He nodded, and Rye sighed.

"Man, I hope it's not going to get worse." Ean nodded, but did not speak. He was too busy processing the new information. Who had bound the beings to their bodies? And why? Such questions did not yield any new answers, and he soon gave up on his thoughts.

By mid-afternoon, the party had finally arrived at the edge of the woods. Ean had spotted another teleporter, and they had activated it.

"Great, now we don't have to walk back!" Iya exclaimed, and the others nodded. They had fought off several other monsters, but had managed to avoid the garrison in the forest behind them. Before them, they could see a grassy plain that stretched northward until it met a wall of smooth grey stone.

"There it is." Rye said in a low voice. "The city of love."