-Journey's end, life's start-

138 1 1
                                    

It had been a long journey and the boy had learned much but the enormity of the whole situation still overwhelmed him during the bumpy nights in the boat. Sometimes he cried into his pillow for he missed his mother and father and his small home on the outskirts of Enlan. Sometimes he couldn't keep a smile off his face thinking of what he had learned and what he was to learn. His teacher was an old but strong man and kind too. The boy liked him, he often told the boy stories about the Evokers of the past and their great adventures and how they always seemed to overcome any evil which threatened the empire. They would be landing in Al'Yaren later today and tomorrow he would set foot in the most sacred of cities in the world: Godsguard! There his journey would end and begin at the same time. He didn't quite understand it at all but he knew he was to learn to become a member of the Duisara De Al Riah, the Evokers! That day the boy was stuck into his books, trying to understand the still unfamiliar symbols. It seemed the book was about the previous inhabitants of the island, the Galith. The Lith were everywhere, if there were so many of them how come the humans were always so much more powerful? The world held so many things he didn't understand but he made a vow to himself that one day the world would hold no more mysteries for he would uncover them. Teacher knocked on his door and the boy jumped from his chair and ran to open the cabin door for him.

"Come lad, come see it for yourself! Horomer is visible over the horizon." Teacher told him, a wide grin cast over his wrinkled features. The boy followed his teacher up onto the deck and gazed off into the horizon.

"We'll be there by sundown so get your things ready so long lad." Teacher ruffled the boy's hair. The boy didn't know it yet but his teacher was none other than the Arch Mage himself. According to tradition once every ten years the Arch Mage would set out on a journey to find a child worthy of training. On any other occasion the lower Evoker priests would be out searching for pupils in Morromon, Callador and very occasionally Sarrador. They would search for children of around two to six years emitting unusually high energies in one or more of the six elements.

The boy took one last glance at the land then darted below decks to gather his possessions for his arrival on the sacred isle.

The boy, his teacher and the two Evokers who had accompanied them all the way spent the night in Al'Yaren, the northernmost port of Horomer. It was a busy place, even at night, always something going on or making a noise. It reminded him of Enlan and suddenly a pang of nostalgia bit him and tears came to his eyes but before they could flow he pushed his head into his pillow, whispering to himself that it would be ok. Even with all that was going on in his mind he could not resist night's embrace and soon enough, it seemed, it was morning once again. The journey began early though it took less than two hours before the boy was looking out his carriage window at the gates of Godsguard.

"We'll be at the Godsguard university in time for breakfast it seems then, how bout some bacon then lad? We haven't had a proper breakfast in a while have we?" Teacher said smiling at the white walls of the city. "Home at last" He added, almost to himself. The boy studied his teacher's face then once again stuck his head out the carriage window to take in all the sights of the city. As they rode through the bustling city the boy wondered to himself why the Evoker academy was in the furthest part of the empire and asked his teacher as much.

"That's a complicated question lad... Its partly because this is where Orkscrio the sacred blade rests but more to do with the great Ingea crystal." He replied and the boy's eyes went wide.

"Ingea crystal, what's that?"

"You see there was great battle that took place on this island between Ansetagal and his immortal father. To craft Orkscrio Ansetagal returned to Siel, the realm of the angels, and stole shards of each of the elemental hearts. Ansetagal's father is king of Konhar the island of the spirit in Siel. Anyhow you'll learn about all that in your lessons. Long story short, Ansetagal's father wanted Orkscrio and to punish his son for leaving Siel in the first place so he came in person to our realm, it just so happens that the gateway he opened led to Horomer which was then home of the Galith. The Galith, well they're all gone now, they were destroyed... Ansetagal, with his other worldly powers, sensed the massive loss of life and ventured out with a hand full of his trusted warriors to see what had happened. Ansetagal fought a huge battle against his father and so much evokery was used that it actually began to crystallize, that means turn into a crystal lad. That battle must have shaken the very foundations of our world! Ansetagal won the battle but was left without any power and mortal like the rest of us. He gave his sword to his leading officer and told him to build a great city where he stood. That city is Godsguard, where the world was guarded by a god."

"So the Ingea crystal is made of magic?"

"You could say that I guess though I wouldn't, the Evoker priests don't like the term magic."

"Why's that teacher?" The boy's eyes were sparkling. Half of what his teacher said had slipped past but teacher had such a voice that the very act of listening was pleasurable.

"They consider it a science and not some magical act." The boy could sit at length listening to teacher's tales or explanations and passed away many of the long hours of the journey doing just that. Their discussion now had ended for they had reached the Divine university of Godsguard. The university was large enough to be a small city in itself. It was made up of eight districts, the one they had just arrived in was known as Gateway the visitor district. There was a district dedicated to each of the six elements, the Gateway district and the temple district. The boy would be calling one of the six districts of the elements his home from now on, which one would depend on his elemental affinity.

"It would seem that we've come just in time, there will be an initiation ceremony before lunch. There are quite a few initiates this year of your age which should make things easier for you lad. But before all of that how's about a late breakfast?" Teacher patted the boys head and they made their way into Gateway.

GodsguardWhere stories live. Discover now