Multiverse of Magic & Mistakes (Completed)

2.2.13 Chapter 13

The new land, 328 years ago.

"What shall we call this place?" asked Lissa, her head resting on Reinard's shoulder. His damp hair shone in the bright flickering firelight. The forever frozen branches of the stone oak tree loomed high above their heads, as the mages of the red desert, began to unpack, and establish their new city.

"I'm not sure ..." He brushed a strand of her long blonde hair from his face, "Have you got any suggestions? As you discovered this place, you should be the one who names it..."

Lissa stared into the flames, thinking. They needed a name that matched the vast green flora, and power of this world. It wasn't easy.

"Lissaland," she joked. They laughed briefly, then she continued, "Greenworld... no ... erm... Eden... Edyn... no, that's not right... how about Verdyn?"

"Verdyn..." repeated Reinard. "Yes, I like that... we will be the Mages of Verdyn, and this can be our Academy..."

"College!" said Lissa "I don't want to step foot in an 'academy' ever again!"

"College then. Yes, this will be the Mages College of Verdyn!"

Lissa lifted up her head and grinned. She could barely believe it, that they were having this conversation of what to call an entire realm. That they were going to set up a school dedicated to practising magic without limits, right at the centre of their new realm. They had tragically lost several of their numbers to get here, they had all endured a hellish week of torment, but they had succeeded. Nothing would ever be the same.

Everything had changed. She was no longer the studious girl from the red desert, always desperate for more, pushing at the boundaries that had been inflicted upon her.

"We need new names, for this new world!" she said softly. "'Lissa' no longer feels right..."

Reinard considered her. "New names for a new start. That seems fitting."

Calem joined them, taking a seat on a log to Reinard's right. "I'm in, 'Calem' no longer seems right for me either... but I do not wish to change it much,"

"How about Calleon?" suggested Lissa.

He shook his head. The conversation continued for a while, the three of them all suggesting variations of names for each other.

Finally, Calem found a new name that fit "Yes, 'Callistan' I like that.." he said.

"And I will go by Reynold!" said Reinard, with a smile. "Similar, yet different, like how I intend to be here."

"I already have another name... one that I do not use..." muttered Lissa, thinking out loud. "I think that here, in this new wonderful world of Verdyn, I will take it back. Here, I will be Alyssia!" she said with a smile.

≠

The Lurker in the lake was no longer asleep. Upon the arrival of several hundred of those pesky bipedal creatures, the solitude and peace it had dosed in for centuries were well and truly shattered.

They started to cut down some of the trees. The Lurker felt the pain of the forest deep within. It heard the anguish of the trees, the cries for help from the forest creatures. It stuck its tentacles above the surface of the lake and swept anyone who dared to close, off their feet and pulled them down, down into the depths.

But still, more of the creature dared to walk along the lake edge, and several even dared to go out into the water, trespassing into its realm. The Lurker listened long enough to make sense of their language, and their self-righteous babble filled their mind. Verdyn! That's what they were calling this land. The Lurker laughed. They did not deign to inform the intruders of this realm's ancient, true name.