Dragon Prince - One-Shot Book

Rough Nights

Anaartal sat up with a jolt. His breathing came out fast as he sat there. He shook his head a hit and bit his bottom lip. He slowly stood from bed and stepped outside onto the balcony. He shivered slightly in the cold air as he walked out. Yet, the cold chill was soothing.

He walked to the railing and ran his hand along the metal railing as he leaned on it. He straightedge as he heard the door open and foot steps approaching him. "Toalis? What are you doing up" He asked looking at him.

"Could ask you the same thing, Artal." Toalis replied.

Anaartal bit his bottom lip and turned away causing the bells to ring softly. "It was nothing."

"Nothing?" Toalis asked. Anaartal could almost feel the suspicious look coming across his face.

"Yes. Nothing," Anaartal repeated.

"So. The scream was a ghost? Or some demon that got trapped in my library?" Toalis asked calmly. Anaartal looked at him and then looked away with his expression darkening slightly.

"Come on Art. Let's go back inside, the cold will do you no good." He then said walking closer. Anaartal nodded and let Toalis grab his hand an lead him back inside and over to the bed. Anaartal sat back down while Toalis closed the doors to the balcony and then pulled a chair over.

"It will help a bit if I knew you dreamt about." Toalis said.

Anaartal was quiet and turned his head slightly. He then just pointed to the bandages and he heard Toalis give a sigh. "I know when you are lying Artal. Now, come on, the reason why your here to being with is for me to help. Shall I remind you that it was you who chose to come to me?"

"No," Anaartal replied.

"Right. Now, come on. What was your dream?" Toalis said.

Anaartal leaned back and pulled a pillow into his lap. He ran his hand along the soft fabric before he said, "the dark magic...how...how it was used. The pain as I felt my connection fade and how weak I felt. How sick and helpless I still feel from it."

"The scream makes sense but your not there anymore." Toalis said.

"I know," Anaartal replied. "Still doesn't ease the memories."

"True but I may have something that can help." Toalis said.

"Toalis.  Please do not tell me it's one of your potions." Anaartal said. "There are reasons that you aren't allowed in a kitchen."

"I resent that, I can cook just fine." Toalis said. Anaartal smirked and looked away trying to hide his light laughter. Anaartal assumed that Toalis tried to hold a firm angry expression but he eventually heard them start laughing as well.

"Alright. So I read the recipe wrong....and left it over the fire for too long." Toalis said. "It's kinda sad that you can do a better job at cooking then I can."

"I would say amusing would be a better word." Anaartal said.

"Fine. Amusing but no its not one of my potions. It's something else." He said. "You know how those bells have magic in them as well as your sword?"

"Yes," Anaartal said.

"Well it also has magic to it," he replied. "It won't help with the pain of your past. That's up to you but it can help with that feeling being helpless. Since your still working on your swordsman skills I can give you this to use in the meantime."

"Alright but what is it?" Anaartal asked.

"Wait here. I'll grab it," Toalis said as he stood up and left the room. Anaartal listened to him leave and walk down the hall. He smiled a bit as he settled back, he was right. It was up to him to help with that past pain. Everything could help but in the end it was him.

He didn't wait for long as he heard Toalis walk back down  the hall and then into the room. Anaartal sat forward as he felt a slight dip in the mattress as a box was placed there. Anaartal moved his hand along the box and fumbled for a moment to get the lid off. He reached inside and felt along what felt like smooth wood. It took him a moment to recognize it was a fan. He opened it and ran his hand along the smooth fabric. Even with his limited magic he could feel the power in this.

"It'll help focus any of your spells, in creasing it's power and since you do not like fighting you can use it for defence. Since if you just focus just a bit of magic into it it'll literally turn into a void that anything will get trapped in." Toalis said.

Anaartal stood up closed the fan focusing a bit of power into it and swung it at the box that Toalis brought. He felt it go around the box and when he moved his hand there the box was gone.

"Now you have a box to get if you need. It also serves as a pocket dimension." Toalis explained. "Also will help with hot weather and slapping idiots."

Anaartal looked at him with a slight glare as he closed the fan. He relaxed and opened the fan again. He put his fingers to it and once again it was just a normal fan. He smiled and looked at Toalis and said, "Thank you."

"Of course," Toalis said.

"Toalis? Can you describe how it looks?" He asked.

"Course," Toalis said. "Let's see. It's dark blue with a red string. A white strip with light designs into the side and when it's open it's black, dark blue, dark purple, with some violet, and then some light blue. Then it's doted with white dots that act as stars."

"Thank you." Anaartal said.

"Once again of course. Now, want to try a spell with it?" He asked.

Anaartal looked uneasily at the fan then Toalis. To which the other elf put a hand on his shoulder and said, "I'm right here. Besides I'm here to help if anything happens."

Anaartal nodded and held out the fan with it closed. He focused and moved it through the air drawing a simple star rune spell. The other arcanums were lost on him after he lost so much of his power to being used in multiple dark magic spells and tests. Leaving him with only the ability to use the star arcanum and well dark magic if he ever had to use it.

"Focus Anaartal. Just breath and let him fan use its magic so you do not have to focus on yours." Toalis said from next to him.

Anaartal nodded and let the rune go. He looked at Toalis as he walked to the balcony doors. He heard him laugh and unlock them. "So. How do you feel?" Toalis asked.

"Normal," He replied.

Toalis gave a clap and said, "perfect. Know it won't be able to do any insane spells without some back firing but it's a step."

"I'll take it," Anaartal said with a smile as he looked at the fan.

"Perfect. I'm going to head back to the library would you like to come or try and get some sleep?" Toalis asked.

"I'll come, I may have relaxed but sleep tonight is out of the question." Toalis said. "Come on I have a spell I'm working on that you may find fascinating."

Anaartal just nodded and followed using one hand to grip his cane and the other thr fan. He fanned hinself slightly as he walk listened to Toalis. He felt Toalis look over as hey walked and then look away.

"What?" Anaartal asked.

"Nothing. Just slightly jealous that with that fan, your cane, and the bells. Well you just look cooler then I am." Toalis said.

Anaartal had to open the fan and cover his laughter. "Toalis. You made both the sword and I assume the fan as well." He said.

"True, eh. I'll just have to make some cool things for myself to use." He said and Anaartal just laughed lightly some more.