While learning advanced magic, it was common for a student to become injured. As a result, Floren had a collection of some of the finest healers on all the worlds.

Healers who trained under the High Priestess on Harvestom were often recruited to come to Luvelles to serve the Head Master's school. Many of the High Priestess' students perfected their craft while saving the lives of over zealous pupils of magic. The best-of-the-best healers were often employed by the Head Master himself to stay on as staff of the school's vestry. Many never returned to their homeworlds.

It was not long before George stood with Athena and Kepler at the base of the Head Master's school. The building was invisible to the naked eye. If it had not been for the note delivered to Kebble's Kettle with specific directions and detailed instructions, George would not have known that they had arrived.

Words to a spell had been scribed on the parchment. They were written in the elven language, and without Kebble's help, George would not have been able to p.r.o.nounce them to reveal the entrance. The mage spoke with a forceful tongue. "Aaw' meenle nuava calan ar' ta hewsta e' ale'queneel," which meant-May thy paths be green and the breeze at thy backs.

Athena squealed when the door appeared.

The mage reached out to open it. "Hmpf, just another freaky thing. I wish I could say that I'm surprised, but not much surprises me any longer." George motioned for Athena to enter. "After you, my dear." Once she was inside, he looked at Kepler. "Get your furry a.s.s in there."

Kepler growled, "There are Peaks when you look like a morsel."

"I'm just kidding, buddy. Don't get your hairy panties in a bunch. Besides, I taste like garesh."

The demon sauntered in without responding.

"Sheesh! Tough crowd," George snickered.

Once the door shut, the entrance vanished to the outside world. The inside of the school was capacious. A circular staircase stretched upward for what seemed to be forever. Bookcases full of endless knowledge lined every wall and stretched upward just as far. The furniture was made of dark, heavy stone. Symbols had been chiseled into their surfaces and were filled with gold. Each symbol had a unique meaning, representing the paths of white and dark magic. The floor throughout the tower changed color. The green glow faded and was replaced with a bright yellow. It was as if a source of light had been placed beneath to shine through.

"Everything is so beautiful," Athena marveled as she watched many pairings of fairies carry a.s.sorted tomes from one shelf to another. "It looks like they're reorganizing. Look, George! Look at how many it takes to carry that book. I bet there are at least seven of them."

George was still fascinated with the floor. He bent over to see if the light created warmth, but before he had the chance to touch it, a silver sphere, about twice the size of his fist, appeared and hovered in front of them.

A moment later, the fairies quickly placed the books they were carrying on a nearby shelf and fled from sight.

Kepler snarled, "Why do they flee?"

George shrugged. "Who cares? Look at this thing." George could not stop marveling at the sphere. "Holy horror movies. I feel like I've just walked onto the set of Phantasm." He reached out to poke the sphere. "Maybe it'll lead us to the Head Master."

"Well, don't just stand there, imbecile, say something to it," the demon-jaguar growled. "See if it responds." A moment later, the jaguar added, "I don't have a good feeling about this ... this ... thing."

Athena tugged at George's tunic. "I agree with Kepler. Something isn't right. Let's return to the inn. We can come back when someone is here to greet us properly."

George rolled his eyes and put on a smile. "Babe, don't worry about it. Everything will be-"

Before he could finish his sentence, small electric shocks erupted from the ball. Kepler roared as the first of these charges. .h.i.t his nose. George threw up a wall of force to protect them, but the ball moved through the barrier as if it was not there and once again, took the offensive.

Athena was. .h.i.t. She cried out, begging for George to protect her. The mage lifted his hands. Fire erupted from his fingertips, pushing the ball back through the barrier, but not before the sphere absorbed the magic and then used the power against him.

The flames cut through the air at a high rate of speed and were aimed at George's head. The mage managed to get out of the way, but the books sitting on the shelves behind him exploded from the intensity of the energy.

The force knocked the trio across the room. As they landed, the floor turned red while George and the now unconscious Athena slid to a stop.

Kepler was not so fortunate. The jaguar had taken the brunt of the explosion. He stopped sliding only after he hit his head against the edge of a heavy, stone table that sat beneath the spiral staircase. The jaguar's h.e.l.lish roar was deafening.

Chills ran down George's spine as he heard the demon's cry. The mage jumped to his feet and shouted to capture the sphere's attention.

Again, the sphere shot its charges, hitting George on the legs. p.i.s.sed, George screamed, "Take this, you s...o...b.." The mage blasted the ball with hundreds of magical arrows that sent the sphere crashing into a bookcase located at the far side of the chamber. The severity of the collision sent pieces of not only the shelf, but the books flying in every direction.

George threw up another wall of force to keep Athena from being hit again, but his act of heroism left him vulnerable. The edge of a heavy binding caught him on the temple after it toppled off a shelf above his head. Dazed, the mage fell to the floor and struggled to stay alert. A moment later, the silver menace lifted off the floor and resumed its attack.

Kepler growled as he struggled to stand. His head had suffered a nasty gash, and his coat was singed. He could feel the blood saturating his fur as he looked at George. "We can't take much more of this!"

George was unable to respond.

Knowing it was up to him, the giant cat launched into the air. As he came down, the demon hit the sphere with his right paw. A metallic clanking sound pierced the air as the ball bounced across the floor and hit the wall. The now purple light beneath the floor reflected off the sphere's shiny surface as it rolled to a stop.

Kepler followed. Covering the distance, he pounced onto his enemy, putting all of his weight on top of the sphere to hold it down. He turned to shout, "George, get over-"

Suddenly, the demon-cat roared in pain, unable to finish his plea. He pulled his ma.s.sive paw clear of the ball's surface. Blood poured from the end of three silver spikes that had broken free of the sphere and remained embedded in the pads of his paw. Kepler's roar reverberated throughout the tower with such force that three more tomes fell from various shelves and landed with a thud.

The smack of the books against the floor helped to clear George's mind. As he regained his composure, the floor turned blue. The mage grabbed the nearest bookshelf and used it as a crutch to maintain his balance. As he did, he saw Athena lying motionless behind his wall of force. The mage's anger turned to hatred for his enemy.

Finding the ball, he shouted for Kepler to move clear. The giant cat limped away, leaving a trail of black blood across the floor as it completed its cycle, returning to green.

Before George could take the offensive, the sphere moved to hover just outside the invisible wall that protected Athena. Now awake, she screamed as another electrical charge pa.s.sed through her pocket of protection and hit her belly. Seeing this, George's emotions took over and fueled his power to a level he had never experienced.

Kepler sensed that George's use of magic was going to be dangerous. The jaguar leapt skyward and used his ma.s.sive claws to rip into the spiral staircase where he hung suspended.

Looking back over his shoulder, the demon watched as George lifted his hands to release his wickedness. The hatred the mage felt for his enemy after seeing his wife and unborn baby in danger, added to his magic's velocity and voracity. A powerful wave of water erupted from George's fingertips, and the gush consumed the lower level of the tower.

The torrential force pushed the ball backward, smashing it against the bookshelves as George placed yet another wall of protection around himself. The orb sunk to the now yellow floor that cast an eerie glow throughout the water as it sloshed about.

The wave had not only stopped the ball, but it also filled the room, chest deep. Beneath the surface, the sphere exploded, sending a powerful fountain of water and debris skyward. Kepler was the one to suffer. Besides being drenched, the demon was clubbed with many heavy tomes, and as a result, he was knocked clear of the staircase. The cat landed with a walloping splash.

George lowered his pocket of protection and pushed through the refuse to get to Athena. Once submerged, he found his wife sitting unharmed inside her bubble. He gave Athena a wink and then stood to check on Kepler.

The jaguar was miserable, as all wet, oversized p.u.s.s.ycats would be.

George lifted his hand, but during this series of moments, it was in the direction of the door. He used his magic to open it. The water siphoned out of the school and gushed down the stairs, away from the tower. Once George was certain there would be no other threats, he released Athena from her barrier.

From high above, a male voice called out, "Well done ... ha, ha, ha ... well done, George!" A figure in a red robe descended. He did not use the spiral staircase, but rather, he floated toward them.

As the man removed his hood, George could see he had short, brown hair and a goatee. He appeared to be an older man, maybe 55 or 60 seasons, with elven features, something George had become accustomed to seeing since the family's arrival on Luvelles. He could only imagine how old this guy really was, since other elves-elves who also looked his age-were typically hundreds of seasons old.

"A good first lesson. You handled yourself well. Amar said you would be a worthy Mystic Learner. I'm sure you can understand my desire to see for myself."

George did not respond. Instead, he trudged through what was left of the watery mess, now only ankle-deep with a blue glow. He a.s.sisted Athena to her feet, and then he pushed her hair clear of her face. "Are you okay?"

Athena nodded and reached down to rub her belly. "I think so."

George whirled around and glared at the man in the red, power robe. "Who the h.e.l.l are you?"

"I don't know of this h.e.l.l you speak of, but you know who I am."

"My wife is pregnant, you son of a-"

"Now, now, now! Let's not be hasty, George. You're a.s.suming I didn't know she was pregnant. I know plenty. I would never challenge you with magic strong enough to do any real damage to you or your wife." The Head Master looked around. "Well ... not to your wife anyway. The sphere knew to use weaker magic on Athena. The charges were not strong enough to hurt her or your baby."

The Head Master smirked. "Besides, there are plenty of healers readily available if she were to suffer an injury. The orb's stronger magic was only directed toward you and Kepler. In fact, it was your power that did the real damage. Looking back, perhaps I should have taken away the sphere's ability to deflect fire. I was concerned when the explosion from the blast knocked Athena unconscious. I'll need to remember this for later encounters."

Headmaster Brayson ID Fellow Soul ... Mogg, the Sprite Queen is also depicted in this image, but you will learn of her later on in this tale.

The Head Master took a look around. "Look at my bookshelves. They're a mess. I trust you're unharmed, Athena."

Athena stayed quiet, but Kepler did not hesitate to jump into the conversation after pulling the last spike free of his paw with his teeth. "Don't forget me! I'm sure your concern is not limited to humans. I'm the one bleeding all over your floor. My paw is riddled with holes, and the back of my head is throbbing."

The elf laughed. "I'm sure you won't bleed out before the flow stops. I don't think I've ever seen a beast your size cry so."

Kepler growled, "I wonder how elf tastes."

The Head Master simply smiled and ignored the demon's threat. "Let's retire to my office, shall we?" He waved his hand and the group began to float upward.

Athena shrieked as her feet left the floor, but the Head Master was quick to take hold of her arm. "Relax, my dear. There's nothing to fear. My name is Brayson Id."

George watched the gap between his feet and the floor expand. "Brayson, I'm sure I should feel like it's a pleasure to meet you, but you're going to have to forgive my lack of enthusiasm."

The Head Master frowned, "I told Athena my name is Brayson. I did not say you could use it, George. You shall call me Master Id."

"I'll what? You must be out of your freaking mind if you think-"

Before the mage could finish, George began to fall toward the floor. As he fell, he shouted, "Master! Master!" His descent jerked to a halt just above the purple glow. Once again, the mage began to lift toward the others.

"Ha! Now that was primal," Kepler mused with a sinister grin. "George, you should've seen your face. It was a moment I won't soon forget." A drop of blood fell from the cat's paw and pa.s.sed George's head before it landed in what was left of the water that was now turning yellow.

George snapped, "Don't forget, Kep ... I may not be able to fight off the Master, but I can give you a look to match Kroger's."

The demon stopped laughing. The idea of being turned to stone was not pleasing. He looked at the others. "What a trobleted soul he is."

Everyone laughed, except Athena. She had never seen George command the kind of power he had used to defeat the sphere. His magic bothered her. She would need to speak with him, but now was not the right moment. She put on a strong face and joined the conversation. "Honey, you're adorable when you're angry."

George had to smile. Athena always had a way of softening his mood, no matter how disgruntled he became.

When they approached the ceiling of the school, the group pa.s.sed through it and appeared in the Head Master's office. In awe, they moved to look out the windows.

"I can see everything from here," Athena said. "It's all so beautiful. This building must be very tall. I can see the mountains below us. Honey, look. It's the island where the Merchant Angels left us. I can see all the crates. I had no idea Western Luvelles was so beautiful."

Brayson responded. "Very good, Athena. Your sense of direction is impeccable, but you're no longer in my school. My office floats high above the Lands of Kerkinn, and it's invisible to those who live below. Only a few know of its existence. When you leave this place, you'll remember everything you've seen, but you'll be unable to speak of your experience unless it's with someone who has also seen my office. This spell is how I ensure my secret stays safe. Only those I invite may return."

Athena pointed toward the water. "What's beyond the ocean?"

Brayson smiled, enjoying her curiosity. "Allow me to tell you more about my world. There are four populated continents on Luvelles, and I'm responsible for counseling each of their leaders. Western Luvelles is divided into two territories. Though these territories exist under one name, the Lands of Kerkinn, they're divided into two sovereign kingdoms. Eastern Luvelles, which I'm sure you can imagine by the name, lies far to the east, and the territories that make up this continent exist under the name Doridelven. Doridelven is an area known for slavery, and its leaders have been fighting amongst themselves for thousands of seasons. Eastern Luvelles is mostly populated by halflings, but there is another race that lives there, known as wood elves, who have a unique ability."

Athena was intrigued. "That sounds interesting. What kind of ability, and how does it work?"

Brayson pulled a book from one of the wooden shelves that held a number of ancient tomes. After rifling through the pages, he handed it to Athena. "Wood elves have the ability to take the form of different animals. Usually, their personality determines what kind of animal they shift into ... unless they aspire to master the art further. This would allow them to a.s.sume additional forms."

Brayson enjoyed the look on Athena's face as he continued. "Wood elves are a special race. They can use the senses of their animal form while walking as men. This is the best way I can describe how their ability works. Wood elves are also known for producing some of the finest students of healing. I've sent more than one to Harvestom to train with the High Priestess."

George looked over Athena's shoulder as she flipped through the pages of the tome. Eventually, she settled on a page that had a picture of an odd looking elf. From the way the page read, this being had pa.s.sed many seasons ago, but his life was extremely interesting, and the story beneath his name suggested that he was a tortured soul whose life had ended tragically.

Kepler looked over George and Athena's shoulders and stared at the picture. "I would swear to Celestria that I've met that being before."

George queried, "Really? How? The dude's been dead forever."

The Head Master quickly nodded. Brayson had to think fast to come up with a response. He knew the jaguar was right. Kepler had met the wood elf that was portrayed on the parchment, but it was not in the best interest of magic to remind the cat of a past that was meant to be long forgotten. "That would be impossible, Kepler," Brayson argued. "That wood elf would have pa.s.sed not more than four seasons after your litter was born."

George looked up at Brayson. "Master Id, how in the h.e.l.l do you know how old Kepler is?"

For a split moment, Brayson was wide eyed, and then he responded, "I have been to Grayham on many occasions. I was a young lad ... perhaps 250 seasons when I went with my father to Southern Grayham. I held Kepler when he was just a cub, but he doesn't remember it."

Kepler snarled. "I would not have forgotten that." The jaguar adjusted his gaze and stared at the name on the page. "Keegle Finkus," he muttered. "You're hiding something. This isn't this being's real name."

The Head Master anxiously reached forward and closed the book. "I'm sure it's just a coincidence, Kepler. If I knew something, I would tell you. Many beings have faces that we believe are recognizable. But we're not here to speak of the past. We should concentrate on your future. And a glorious future it will be if you and George continue to travel together."

George smirked. "Whatever, dude. Let's talk about my future. This ability to shift is intriguing, and something I want to learn more about. Is their ability to change magical or natural?"

Brayson's brow furrowed. "A curious question for a human. Why do you ask?"

The mage shrugged. "Because I'm here to learn. Should I not ask?" He further thought, You're not the only one who knows an ancient elf secret or two. Dumba.s.s.

The Head Master studied George's countenance for a fair series of moments before he decided how to respond. There was no way a human like George could know the secret of the ancients. "The wood elves' ability to shift is magical. It's a power that no other race of elf has been able to command ... not even I. Though my magic is far stronger than the wood elves, I cannot comprehend the language that must be spoken to evoke this power. They have managed to keep this secret well-guarded, and it's only pa.s.sed down within their race."

Skimming the tome further, George turned the pages and thought, The power to shift could give me an advantage. Perhaps the heart of a wood elf needs to be on the menu some Peak.

Brayson continued to study George for few more moments before he changed the subject. "There are two other large land ma.s.ses. The first lies far to the south. This area is called the Unmarked Territory, and it has been unmapped due to the savagery of the people who live there. Over the seasons, every man who has tried to study this terrain has perished. No one even tries any longer. Perhaps when my Peaks have pa.s.sed as Head Master, I'll map the area myself.

"The final continent is located far to the north. This area is called Desolation, and a small population lives there, perhaps a few thousand. They have adapted to the intense cold and keep to themselves, causing no harm to anyone. This land has been mapped, but there's really nothing of interest other than the animals which roam the area."

It was easy to see George's excitement. "This world is incredible. I must learn everything I can while I'm here. Tell us more. I can't wait. And I love your office, by the way. How do I get this kind of power? I want an office like this of my own."

Brayson smiled. "Your enthusiasm is encouraging. Come. Take a look."

The Head Master waved his hand. One of the windows began to zoom in on some of the farther areas of the land below, acting as a large telescope of sorts while Brayson took the moments necessary to point out many places of interest. "As I have said, Western Luvelles is called The Lands of Kerkinn, and there are two kingdoms that exist within it."

The window settled on one of the many cities. "Look here. This is the city of Marcus, my brother's city of shadows, which he conveniently named after himself. The lake just west of his city is called Lake Id. It would take a man 63 Peaks to make this journey by foot if he was to begin from the entrance of my school."

Athena grabbed George's arm. "We should travel there."

Map of the Area Around the City of Marcus Brayson chuckled. "To visit would be unwise, Athena. Allow me to explain. My brother is the Chancellor of Dark Magic. I suggest you stay away from him at all costs. He doesn't take to outsiders. He hates even himself.

"His city is located in the Kingdom of Hyperia. There isn't much about this kingdom that is appealing to men with goodness in their hearts. All the lands within the Western Territory are under the rule of King Gedlin Hyperia, but my brother commands even him. But enough of Marcus. I find that speaking of my brother is depressing. Let's change the subject."

Brayson adjusted the window's angle to another area. "The Eastern Territory is controlled by the King of Lavan, Heltgone Lavan. And his territory is called the Kingdom of Lavan. If you're thinking that this is not an original appellation, I agree. Kings can be vain.

"Within this kingdom lives my youngest brother, Gregory. He's the Chancellor of White Magic, or all magic considered good or neutral in nature. I provide counsel to both kings and also my brothers. But there are many moments when my guidance is disregarded by Marcus."