Daily Write - Balance on Windmill Hills - Part 4

The afternoon air was chilled and the omnious clouds in the grey-blue sky threatened rain. Ariya looked up at the sky before decided to move. Up until now, she had been sitting on one of the stone benches in the college gardens. The gardens were a beautiful place, especially during the spring and summer months. The different types of flowers and greenery, the vibrant and lush colors, the perfumed foliage light and refreshing. Ariya liked coming here to read and study. It was a more relaxing, happier atmosphere. A definite switch from the stuffy walls of the library. Today she only had one book and a small satchel where she kept her flute and music Ariya had decided that she would practice her flute today, seeing how her orchestra class was just as annoying difficult as her magic studies. The gardens seem to be the best place to hone musical talent. It breathed creativity.

Before the rain began, Ariya packed up her things and headed for a small gazebo near one of the many garden fountains. Made of jade colored marble, the fountain sat in the middle of several stone benches, like centerpiece for all to gather around. As the drops began to ping against the gazebo's roof, Ariya pulled her flute out once again and started playing her orchestra music. Her fingers slowly moved along the instrument as she studied the notes on the paper in front of her. It was another one of those difficult pieces that Professor Ickman seemed to love so much. This time, the orchestra planned to play for the Festival of Wine; a large festival held annually in the Noble Quarter of Cynosure, celebrating one of the country’s major exports. Ariya herself was quite familiar with this festival, but it would be the first time she would be there to actually do something aside from smile and watch wine tasting. She wondered what her colleagues would say if they saw her standing with her family as they marketed their vintage. That’s if they even noticed.

The drops fell a bit harder as Ariya tried to concentrate on the notes, but soon she became frustrated with the piece and gave up trying to play it.

“Why does Professor Ickman always choose these outrageous pieces of us to play? I’m sure there has to be something just as nice sounding and not so astoundingly difficult.”

Ariya sat under the gazebo, watching the rain spatter against the sidewalks. In the peaceful silence of the falling rain, Ariya took out her book and opened it to where she had left off.

I woke up this morning pretty worn out. It seems to be the only side effect from the long battle we had against the Vann-Lyse navy. They fought as hard as I had expected them to and they made all the mistakes that I had expected them to as well. It seems that the use of our water magic against theirs was almost as strong and by mixing in the air magic with it, we took them on easier than I had anticipated.

Ariya stopped for a second. Had she read that correctly? Mixing of magic? Could someone really do that?

By using air and water together, we obscured the vision of the enemy with a heavy fog. We concentrated the mist to use in the initial attack. Each team created their own storm cells, using the air around them and water of the ocean. Our projectiles were faster, sharper, and more accurate. Our attacks were better directed, more dangerous and even caused fire to break out on one of the enemy ships. Though they tried to fight against us, their mages were not able to counter me and my team and ending up retreating.

Once the fight was over, I shortly collapsed from exhaustion and found that many had done the same. While being tired is not a bad side effect, it still concerns me. I will be speaking with the rest of my group about this and hear their thoughts about our recent battle. I am also preparing a letter to send to the head of the Navy once we return to Varro.

Ariya couldn’t believe it. So this is what Professor Cohen meant by a Tempest Wizard. A person who was able to use air and water magic at the same time?! Ariya had no idea that something like that was actually possible. She had never heard of anyone attempting such a feat, much less actually succeeding at it. It took years to master just one element, but this group of people had seemed to be able to master two! And wield them simultaneously!

As Ariya continued to flip through the pages of the book, she read about battle after battle that the Varro navy had against the navy of Vann-Lyse. As the victories began to increase in number, the popularity of the Tempest wizards grew. Milstein became a commanding general over the growing number of Tempest wizards that were to be trained to accompany the soldiers on the battleships. His initial group also became commanding officers. As the years of fighting went on, the numbers of those being trained as Tempest wizards exploded exponentially.

It has been almost five years since my first battle. The soldiers they send me to train keep getting younger and younger. And it is no longer trained mages that are choosing these new trainees. They are being sent to me by military heads, heads of state affairs. Even over zealous diplomats who have no magic training or a head for magic strategy are coming to be trained as Tempest wizards. I have gone to those who have the ability to make this training more exclusive. But, my suggestions on how to do things have been rejected time and time again. Tempest wizards seem to be the only thing that sets our navy apart from everyone else’s. But how long will that last? How long before other countries see what I have done and start to do the same?  For all the good I have tried to do for the sake of protecting my home, I fear that bad things will come on the horizon.

Ariya sat in the gazebo, staring at the yellowed pages of the book on her knees. The sound of the rain spattering against the gazebo roof, the cobblestone sidewalks and the stone benches were the only sounds heard. What could Milstein have been thinking when he talked about bad things coming on the horizon? Did he mean more fighting? The fighting becoming more dangerous? The methods of his magic use becoming more dangerous? Ariya found it quite odd that Varro was letting anyone become a Tempest Wizard. Being allowed entrance into the Collegium was quite a feat. There were so many tests to take and interviews to go through. How could anyone just walk up and be allowed to train as a Tempest Wizard?

What if something happened to make it that way? The rules for magic probably weren’t always like this. I’m sure there were things that were allowed back in Milstein’s time that aren’t allowed now. Perhaps that is why I have never heard of a Tempest wizard before.

Ariya resumed reading her book. The wars raged on, and just as Milstein had feared, bad things did happen. Even for all his expertise and excellence with magic, Milstein’s suggestions, advice, and warnings were all pushed aside. If Tempest wizards could strengthen the navy, then certainly other types of hybrid battle mages could make Varro an unstoppable force. Soon Milstein was looked at as being over cautious and unable to see the big picture. He would continue on training Tempest wizards for the Varro navy, but he was never again asked to consult when it came to uses of magic in war.

The military does not believe that I am forward thinker. And I do not believe the military has thought forward enough. The majority of those in charge are those whose only wish is to grab for more and not think of the cost of what they are doing. I have tried my best to show them that they must be careful with magic. To be a Tempest or anything that uses rules similar to being a Tempest, the wielder must understand the balance of magic. I have been a Tempest for almost ten years now and even I do not call myself a master. And yet they continue to bring in the unskilled to act as commanders. I see the legacy that I am to leave behind shrouded in the darkness of things to come. I only hope that my name is remembered for the good I tried to do, the honor for which I fought, and let it always be said that I never wanted things to end the way they are going to.

Ariya’s mouth fell open slightly with shock as she flipped the next page of the book. That was the last thing that John S. Milstein wrote in this journal. While Milstein kept extensive memoirs, nothing else was ever found during his time as a commanding general for the Varro navy. He never mentioned it again in any of his writings. And his writings were quite extensive. Ariya kept flipping through the pages of the book, but all the rest was nothing but descriptions of more battles that Varro fought. There was little else mentioned about Milstein, except that his battalion of Tempests were the most successful in the entire navy. However, a woman by the name of Cameron Mosby led a battalion that was a very close second.

Ariya frowned slightly as she closed the book. Just when things were getting exciting, the entire story ended. The book went back to being a history text. Ariya stared up at the grey skies as the drops of rain fell down in fine mist that obscured objects in the distance. Ariya wondered what it was the Professor Cohen was trying to get her to see.

The Collegium teaches that we must learn each element and balance between them before focusing on our own element. Professor Cohen wants me learn about Tempest wizards, mages who wield two elements at once. I don’t see what Professor Cohen wants me to see.

Ariya sighed and crossed her legs underneath her. Nothing was coming to her. She just wasn't able to make the connection. She would have to ask Professor Cohen when they saw each other next.