Daily Write - Balance on Windmill Hills - Part 5

The early morning sun was starting to rise, pushing away the dark blues and greys of the night; making the sky a brilliant shade of pink that spilled onto the ocean. The view from Windmill Hills was quite spectacular during these early hours. The only sounds were the striking of water on the sand and the sea birds gliding through the gentle breeze coming off the water. Coming up the winding path to the hills, Ariya rubbed her eyes and let out a rather large and noisy yawn that she didn't try to stifle. Ariya didn't mind mornings, but this was just too early to be awake and outside. She had not even bothered to do her hair. Instead, she had lazily put it up in a messy bun and covered her head with a dark green colored scarf. Next to her, the tubby Professor Cohen walked alongside, staff in hand, as she puffed her way up the hill. As she always did, Professor Cohen wore her light colored air wizard robes and her blonde bob was neatly combed.

“After walking up this hill for the third week in a row, you would think that this little hike would get easier. You either need to read your books a little faster, Ariya or I need to lay off of the sweet cakes from the pastry shop.”

“Why did we have to come up here so early?”

Professor Cohen could hear the unpleasant demeanor that tinged the words coming from Ariya’s mouth.

“If you had been attending your Earth magic classes like you are supposed to, you would be used to waking up this early. It has come to my attention that you haven’t been going for quite some time now.”

Ariya’s violet orbs slid sideways at the air wizard. “I doubt that Earth class starts this early. Most people are only rolling out of bed this time of morning. Am I to guess that this is punishment for me skipping? It’s not like I don't know what’s happening in class. I get my notes from people who were there that day and I study them. That class is one big history course anyway. I really don't have to be there to hear what the professor has to say. Just remember all the important dates for the exam, pass the class and move on to next.”

“Ariya, did you ever think that perhaps there is a reason that we want you to know all those things about Earth magic before you use it?” Professor Cohen asked. The sound of her staff made a very distant thunking noise against the path they were traveling.

Ariya took a deep, noisy breath. If there was anything more agitating than being asked these aggravating questions, it was being asked these aggravating questions early in the morning. 

“Magic is dangerous. Some elements are dangerous just by nature, fire being the prime example. Other elements are dangerous when not used correctly, earth being the prime example. By looking at where others got it wrong, we can see what went wrong and how not to do it again. I’m not as thick as everyone makes me out to be.”

The large windmills began to come into view as the two continued on the path in silence. They stood like mammoth old giants that had gone dormant along the hillside. Now nothing but fixtures worn by time and the elements, these ‘giants’ still stood as imposing as ever, dominating the landscape. As they came close to the windmills, Professor Cohen began to speak again.

 “Ariya, why do you make it so difficult for professors to get close to you? To try and understand you? To teach you?”

“Because all the professors are the same," Ariya replied, "They think the same thing about me when I walk into their classrooms. I am the one that will not bend to them. I am the one who will not believe their theory unless they have proof what they are saying is right. To question the doctrine of the Collegium is to be branded a troublemaker. So why should I try and prove them wrong? I am going to use my energy in order to become a good elementalist and in the end become an air wizard. In the end, it doesn't matter if the professors are close to me or not. They can think that I'm trouble, thick skulled, or just too stupid to understand the complexity of magic if they wish. It won’t change anything about me or what I'm going to do.”

“You think the professors in the Collegium are judging you?”

By now, the two had reached the top of the hills. The ocean breeze buffeted against Professor Cohen’s blonde bob and caused Ariya’s scarf to flap against her head. Her eyes had gone cold as she stared out at the ocean in front of her. What was Professor Cohen after with these questions?

“Isn't that why we have been doing this, Professor? You brought me out here because the other  professors are talking about me. They believe that I am a problem that needs to be fixed and you are here to do the job. Yes, I believe that they all judge me.”

“Do you believe that I judge you?”

Ariya loosely folded her arms over her chest. How could Ariya possibly answer that?

“It is a fair question,” Professor Cohen replied, “I may not be one of the higher, more prestigious professors but I am a professor. So, do you think that I judge you?”

“You aren’t like the others. It’s different with you.”

“I believe that you are the one that is doing all the judging, Ariya.” Professor Cohen replied in a soft yet stern tone, “You assume that every single professor in the enter institution is out gunning for you when really you are walking in class and putting a large target on your back. You set yourself up for confrontation.”

Ariya pursed her lips slightly. She just wasn’t in the mood to hear any of what Professor Cohen was trying to say to her. “So are we going to finish talk about Tempest wizards or not?”

Professor Cohen decided to go ahead and drop the subject for now.

“Well did you finish the book you were reading before?”

“Yes, I did. It just stopped. No ending, no stating how things went. It was just over. I went to see if maybe Milstein had written something else, but I didn't find anything. So now that I know what a Tempest wizard is. I don't know why you had me research it in the first place.”

Professor Cohen tossed her staff between her two hands as she turned to her lanky, pale skinned student. “Did you find out why there aren't hundreds of Tempest wizards wandering about today?”

“Something went wrong. The country’s military heads were ordering increases in the number of Tempests wizards left and right and then one day they started to be decommissioned. The training ended, the whole fighting style came to a grinding halt in the middle of the night. But no matter what book I looked at there were never any specifics on what happened. I would think with how powerful the Tempest wizards were that they would have been around for years.”

A strong gust of wind blue, making Ariya’s scarf flutter as Professor spoke,“That which is not respected is bound to be abused.”

Ariya looked at Professor Cohen quizzically as the professor uttered that statement into the air. “I am guessing that you know what happened?”

“When a person says ‘magic’ it gives the feeling that a wizard can do anything. That we operate outside the rules of the universe and wield an infinite amount of power that has no consequential strings attached to it. However, nothing can be farther from the truth. As elementalists, we don’t tell the elements to do anything. We only bend them temporarily. Milstein had a profound and deep respect for the elements he wielded. Those he worked for however did not.”

Ariya started play with the strands from her scarf,” I read that those trained in magic were no longer picking the wizard candidates. How did they know who was able to balance the two elements well and who wasn’t?”

“Balance at that time was not a big issue. The issue was, could the person do it. And if you could, could you learn to do it better, bigger, and faster than the person standing next to you. It was Varro’s trump card and the military was going to play it to the fullest. However, things went terribly wrong. Have you studied the Crimson Plague yet?”

Ariya nodded, “The Crimson Plague was first seen in a desert city in the lands of the South. A number of nomadic gypsies brought in their sick with a strange illness that they could not cure. It affected a number of similar nomadic tribes. It was traced back to their cultural uses of fire magic during rituals. The misuse of magic was making their tribesman ill.”

“Very good. Now, imagine the Crimson Plague, increase the symptoms by a hundred fold and multiply that by the number Tempest troops Varro had at the height of their fame.”

Ariya’s eyes widened as she stared at Professor Cohen, “A hundred fold?! How is that even possible? That could kill a person.”

Professor Cohen’s eyes met Ariya’s as she continued, “Soldiers talked about how the tortured screams of the wizards echoed through the hulls of the ships that carried them. Pain of the likes that none had ever been seen before. Those who did not die within hours prayed to the fates that they would die. The more reckless the wizard had been, the worse the sickness was. The Tempest wizard fleets were renamed Blood ships for the number of wizards that died on them. Those who lived were never the same, in constant pain; their contorted bodies lost the ability to use magic.  At first it was a rare case here and there. But as the numbers began to increase, it became quite obvious that Varro had made a huge mistake.”

Ariya just stared in disbelief. Was this what Milstein had been talking about in the last part of his journals? Was this the mistake he had wished to avoid? The smear that was going to stain his legacy?

“But certainly Milstein knew that could happen.”

Professor Cohen nodded, “Of course he knew. And he trained his battalion well so that none of them would succumb to the Crimson Plague. However others did not listen to him. Balance to them was not as important as power and cunning. It was nothing more than an after thought.”

Another gust of sea breeze wound its way around the Professor and Ariya. Silence fell around the two as both stared out at the ocean in front of them.

“So that is why you wanted me to find out what a Tempest was? So that I know how important the Balance is?”

Professor Cohen nodded, “No, you already know how important the Balance is to elemental magic. I want to show you why you must learn Balance first before you learn how to use your own element. Your thought of “learning your own element first and then learning how to the Balance incorporates your element with the others” is not a bad thought. There have been many who have thought just like that. How can you fully understand the Balance if you don't fully understand you own element, right?”

Ariya nodded her head at the professor.

“It is just that elements are not linear and magic isn't simple. So when your professor answer “Because you have to” it is the right answer. It is just not a very well explained right answer. Bending one element will affect the rest, even if we can't see the effects with our own eyes. Logically that doesn't make any sense of course, but you just have to know that it does. For many students, it probably wouldn’t matter which way they learned it. But for students like you, it is going to make a world of difference.”

Ariya shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “What do you mean by that?”

“I can already see it in you, Ariya Vant. You are the type of person who isn’t going to settle for what is simply in front of you. The air magic that you are going to learn within the walls of the Collegium is not going to be enough for you. Columns of air, shields of air, missiles of air, one day it is all going to become too simple. You are going to  want to push the limits even farther. You are going to want to see how far you can bend the elements to your will. You don't see magic as having walls, just hurdles that you have to climb over.”

“I don’t understand why you think that I…”

Professor Cohen chuckled.

“You are only sixteen and already you question the philosophy of the professors. Not because you think they are wrong, but because you want to know why they are right. You are hunting for answers on a higher level than the majority. You are the type of student who is going to leave this place and find there is more to elemental magic that what we are teaching you. You are going to bend rules and find that there are very few absolutes in what we do. For someone like you, learning the Balance first is absolutely essential.”

Again there was silence. The morning sun had finally come all the way up. Its pale yellow rays gently crept over the white capped waves that pounded along the sand of the coast line. The gentle breeze embraced both the professor and Ariya, buffeting the robes that they were clad in. Both stared out into the distance, gazes fixed on the climbing orange orb of the sun. The pinks were giving way to the light morning blue of the sky.

Ariya stood there, pondering what she had just heard. Her pale skin made her look statuesque amid the tall grasses of the hillside. Her tall, thin frame covered in the dark colors of her robe. Staring out at the landscape, Ariya was totally lost in her own thoughts. Would she really push the limits? Would she actually seek things that were beyond what was in front of her? It all sounded daunting and mysterious, as if Professor Cohen believed that there was something special about her. Or perhaps something beyond special.

“What do you mean bend the rules, Professor?”

Professor Cohen wagged her finger at Ariya with a large grin on her round face, “Learn the rules first, Ms. Vant. Make the Circle of Elements your foundation, learn how each coexists. Then we can talk about bending the rules of elemental magic.”

Ariya’s eyes shimmered slightly as a playful smile slowly made its way across her lips. It was the first sincere grin that she had ever seen Ariya make towards her.

“Oh c’mon, Professor. What would be the fun in that?”


                                                                                   - The End-

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.

Daily Write- Balance on Windmill Hills - Part 3

Ariya sat on the grassy hill, watching the windmills spin. The gentle breeze blew her powder colored hair across her fair skinned face. Pulling the strands out of her eyes, Ariya watched some of the older students off in the distance, practicing air techniques. They had more power behind their techniques and while most spells  relied on hand motions, others were done with just a subtle head turn or a single large breath. Ariya envied them. She had gotten better, but she wasn't as good as the students she was watching. Yes, they had been at the Collegium longer than her, but Ariya really didn’t care. She was never satisfied with where she was. She always wanted to be better, further along, stronger somehow. And she wasn't going to be satisfied until she was the best.

It would be some time before Professor Cohen showed up, so Ariya pulled out her book and started reading again. She had become very intrigued by this Jonathan S. Milstein and she wanted to learn as much about him as she possibly could. Born during the Wars, Milstein was like many others who served in the military as a battle wizard. He had been decorated numerous times for his abilities in strategy. It was quite obvious that he was a very powerful and very knowledgeable element wielder, even during his start in the military. But he was very soon set apart from his peers.

The Van-Lyse water wizards are more dangerous than stories give them credit. Using water for destructive magics was something that had been foreign to me until a couple of years ago. Yet the Northlanders have mastered it quite well. The Crimson Hawk met up with the rest of the Varro fleet at our rendezvous point. My group was split so that there were three of us per ship. The formations of the ships were gone over with each captain to ensure the positions of my wizards. Placement is crucial if this is to work. I am counting on the over confidence of the Van-Lyse captains to work in my favor.

Each group knows what they are to do. They have been practicing for weeks. I can only hope to the elements that my plan actually works and we will win our next encounter with the Northlanders. I do not underestimate their strength. I just don’t believe it will be strong enough to endure what they are about to face.

Ariya looked up as she felt the winds shift. Professor Cohen looked down at Ariya, a wide grin playing across her round, ruddy face.

“I see that you found the book on Milstein. I was hoping that was the one you would read first. So have you figured out what a Tempest is yet?”

Ariya shook her head, her white hair swinging gently against her shoulders, “No, not yet, but I’m guessing that Milstein was the first one.”

“Well technically he wasn't the first, but he was the first who was ever seen in a documented battle. And because of that, he will probably always be considered the best. He was known as the Varro Mastermind. A man who  became legend.”

Ariya stared up at Professor Cohen and gave her a confused look,“I don’t understand how this has anything to do with me and balance. You are telling me that Tempests are war heroes. The wars were over before my grandparents were alive. I like the information and all, but I don’t see the connection.”

Professor Cohen let a small grin play across her face and looked out at the sea.

“Once you have read more, you will understand. Unfortunately, these are one of those things that you have to figure out for yourself in order for it to mean anything.”

Ariya grimaced and groaned inwardly. That was one of the things that she hated about magic. Just about everything you had to figure out on your own. No one could just tell you and that be end of it. Professor Cohen’s grinned spread even wider as she looked at her white haired student. She could tell that this assignment had intrigued Ariya and there weren't many things that Ariya showed interest in. It was quite promising. She only hoped that her idea would work and that Ariya would finally grasp what it was that the other professors were trying to teach her.

“Well,” Professor Cohen replied, placing her walking staff on the ground, “There is no need to waste a perfectly good day on Windmill Hills. Let’s get some practice in. I heard from the two Tobias brothers that you have become quite the elementalist these past few weeks.”

Ariya stood and pulled the long strands of her hair back into a ponytail, smiling at Professor Cohen, “Those two go easy on me and then say I’m doing a good job. I’m surprised they even mention our little practice sessions at all. They are nothing really. Just something to keep us creative, keep us thinking.”

Ariya took her place next to Professor Cohen, facing towards the billowing waves of the sea. Ariya took her stance and waited for the Professor. Ariya’s technique started out with more movement and breathing, seeing how she was not yet capable of moving air with her mind. So she moved it physically and let the magic do the rest. As she got better, Ariya would be able to move air just by envisioning the movement.

“I have been told that you have become quite good with controlling one “whip” of air with each of your hands, Ariya.  Today we are going to practice how you can control  up to eight. And then once you have the hang of that, you will be able to split them into sixteen. Very good offensively and quite strong, defensively.”

Ariya turned and stared at her professor, “Sixteen whips at one time? How is that even possible?”

Professor Cohen grinned, “Take your stance and I will show you. Instead of focusing on your hands, you are going to focus the air around your feet. Think of yourself as being the center of a compass and your whips of air pointing out the directions. This takes a lot of concentration, because you not only controlling just the air that you see in front of you, but the air you can’t see behind you as well. You have to see it with your mind’s eye and feel it within yourself. For today, we will see if you can get up to four.”

Daily Write - Balance on Windmill Hills - Part 2

Ariya sat in her room, perched on the window sill. Whenever she got bored from reading her numerous texts, she would simply turn and look out the window. Collegium Arcanum was expansive, almost a city on its own merit. Places to eat, places to buy supplies, even small shops where one could buy items not associated with school. There was never a need for anyone to exit the walls of the college. Perhaps it had been built that way to keep the students focused. Or maybe it was to aid the faculty in keeping an eye on the students.

From Ariya’s window, she had a clear view of the “Fire” building. It had a more formal name, probably dedicated to a notable fire wizard. But, it had been termed the “fire” building just for ease when giving direction. Each elemental building had its own unique architecture to them and yet they all somehow resembled each other. In the setting of the afternoon sun, red and orange glows fell on the Fire building. Ariya leaned her head back against the wall and just stared aimlessly at the it. She watches as the students filed in and out of the main doors, talking and laughing amongst themselves. Probably getting in some practice before heading home or to the library.

Thinking of the library, Ariya shifted her focus to the stack of books that were sitting on her desk. She had gone and checked out just about every book she could get on her hands on that mentioned Tempest wizards. From what she had gathered from the librarian who had helped her, there weren’t many of them left. Very few had trained to be Tempests after the wars had ended. But their legends were still etched deep in history, never to be forgotten. Ariya slid from off the window sill and sat at her desk. She picked up one of the old books and opened its yellowed pages. After flipping through the first few pages, Ariya sighed and ran her fingers through her white hair. This book mainly just chronicled battles during the wars 100 years ago. No mention of tempest wizards.

Just as Ariya was about to close the book, she came across a page that looked like it was copied from a manuscript.

I am Jonathan S. Milstein, first mate to Ferdinand D. Davidson, captain of the Crimson Hawk. We sail under the flag of Varro, part of the royal fleet. We have been sent in as aid for the eminent battle against the Vann-Lyse navy. We have read reports that many of our battles at sea have gone badly. Mainly due to the fact that the North has such powerful water wizards that man their ships. This has proved crippling to Varro’s navy for quite some time. Hopefully, the Crimson Hawk will be able to evenly match the destruction magic of Vann-Lyse. Under the orders of the ruler of Varro, I have assembled several talented wizards and myself to use a new tactic during battle. If it proves successful, then Varro will definitely have a new weapon in their arsenal.

Ariya was very much intrigued now. It looked like more pages had been copied out of Milstein’s journal and put in this book, along with pictures of the Varro navy pitted against the Vann-Lyse navy.  Smoke curled from the cannons on deck as ropes were being tossed from either side to make a way for sailors to cross to the other ship to fight hand to hand. Large geysers of water were erupting from sea and lightning shot down from the ominous clouds. Ariya had never really paid attention when people talked about the wars from so long ago. But seeing these pictures made everything much more real. For some reason the name Milstein seemed to strike Ariya as familiar, but she wasn’t entirely sure why. Ariya continued to thumb through the pages of the old book late into the night.

Daily Write - Balance on Windmill Hills - Part 1

The rolling hills seemed to serve as a border between the coastline of the western seaboard and the city of Cynosure, as if protecting the city from the white capped waves that crashed the sands of the beaches. The strong ocean breeze buffeted against the hills, turning the numerous windmills that dotted the landscape. They resembled manmade wooden flowers that spun in the gusty breeze. The sun had just risen; a pale disc in the azure horizon. The clouds were thin cottony wisps, floating lazily in the early morning sky.

On the cobblestone road that led from Cynosure to the hills, traveled two women. One was much older with dark blonde hair cut in a bob, holding a dark colored walking stick. She resembled a ball with legs due to being short and quite rotund. Her cheeks were flushed and small beads of sweat were starting to form on her forehead. Her robes were white with light blue trimming. On the back of her robes was the marking of a senior air wizard of the Collegium Arcanum. Next to her was a woman who was much younger. More of a girl than woman. She was tall and lean, much like the walking stick that the first woman held in her hand. Her robes were a dark chocolate brown, a stark contrast to the robes of white. There were no markings on the younger woman’s robes. Her long white hair fell down her back like a fountain of newly fallen powdered snow, further accenting how dark her robes were.

When the two finally reached the hills, the older woman took a deep breath, pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed her damp forehead. A broad smile crossed her face as raised her arms outwards, the air catching the sleeves of her robes and waving them like ship sails.

“Can you feel that, Ariya,” the older woman said with her eyes closed, “Isn’t that the most wonderful feeling ever? Almost makes you want to be a bird, doesn’t it?”

Ariya stood next to the woman and closed her eyes as well. The strong breeze flowed over her, ruffling her robes against her body. It was a very freeing feeling. Aside from the Collegium, itself, the “Windmill Hills” was the favored spot of most air wizards to practice. Everything felt natural and serene here on most days. Ariya opened her eyes and turned to the chubby woman next to her.

“Well Professor Cohen. I’m sure that you didn’t bring me out here just to enjoy the scenery. What is it that you wish to talk to me about?”

The professor brought her arms down and rested both hands on her walking stick, planting it firmly in the ground in front of her. She slowly opened her golden yellow eyes, turning them toward Ariya.

“Some of the professors are concerned about you, Ariya," Professor Cohen started, “They say that you show a lack of interest in learning the basics of being a wizard. And yet the marks you receive during examinations prove that you are quite capable of learning how to be a very strong wizard. Especially in your air magic classes. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that you are one of my most outstanding students.”

Ariya pursed her lips and folded her arms loosely across her chest, “If I am making high marks and doing what is required of me, then what does it matter if I show interest or not? I obviously understand what is being taught in class and I’m learning how to use that material in a practice now. I don’t see why any of the professors should be concerned.”

Professor Cohen shifted the focus of her eyes back out to the ocean, watching the waves continue to crash on the shore, “You show a blatant disregard for The Balance and every professor you have ever had has struggled with you over it. It is a great concern to the Collegium when they are training a wizard who is as flippant about it as you are.”

Ariya rolled her violet hued eyes and pulled a few strands of her white hair out of her face. She knew it was going to come to this. It always came back to this. 

“I don’t feel like I’m disregarding it, per say," Ariya replied, "I just believe differently than the teachings at the Collegium. The Balance has its place. I just don’t think it is the place where the college puts it. But if I so much as breathe disagreement with the professors, then I’m some type of danger or threat or concern.”

Ariya shrugged her shoulders, “I’m done trying to explain my thought or have others try to answer my question of why my thinking is wrong. It only causes problems in the end. The Collegium wants strong students to become strong wizards and I will do just that. What does it matter if I daydream or fall asleep in class from time to time? If I receive the same marks as the student next to me, then they have to pass me, lack of interest or not.”

Professor Cohen nodded her head, her countenance falling slightly. Ariya’s head was thicker than rock. She had taken the label of deviant and delinquent and made it her personality. It was almost as if Ariya was now purposefully trying to obstinate about her beliefs about the place The Balance should have because of the all professors judging her. Professor Cohen turned to look at the pale skinned girl standing next to her. Ariya showed such potential. If put in the right situation, Professor Cohen knew that Ariya could excel. But right now, her stubbornness and obstinacy were getting in the way.
 
Ariya was causing a situation that the college wished to avoid. It was problem the Collegium Arcanium had seen before. A wizard that ignored The Balance would only cause harm and would become a danger. And that danger only increased exponentially when that wizard showed any type of talent for his or her craft. The last thing anyone from the college wanted was a rogue wizard on their hands. Professor Cohen tapped the end of her snub nose with her pointer finger several times. Ariya wanted the answer why things were taught the way they were. And answer “because they are” wasn’t going to be good enough. Not for someone like Ariya.

“Ariya, have you ever heard of a Tempest?”

Ariya shook her head, “No, I have never heard of that before. Is it a type of wizard?”

Professor Cohen’s grin returned to her face, “It is and there aren’t very many of them any more. What I want you to do is go and research them. I will give you one week and we will meet in this very spot to discuss it.”

Ariya turned and looked in the professor’s face. She was obviously up to something. Ariya could hear it her voice. It was the same tone Professor Cohen had in class when she was about to give a pop quiz. However, Ariya couldn’t figure out what the professor could possibly be planning.  Ariya nodded her agreement on this new assignment. Yes, Professor Cohen was like all the rest of the professors, but she was an air wizard. She was what Ariya aspired to be once she finished at the Collegium. So if Professor Cohen wanted her to research Tempest wizards, then that was exactly what she was going to do.

Daily Write - In the Rain

Icy sheets of heavy rain poured noisily outside; the large droplets pelting against the windows like tiny fists hammering against the glass, trying to get in. There was nothing else aside from the sound of the constant rain. Time melted into the rainy darkness of the night. Nyla had just laid there, on her couch, listening to the harsh rain falling from the sky above. That and the rhythmic heart beat coming from Valnon's chest, right under her ear. A steady metronomic beat amidst that clattering noise outside.

Rain in the Eastern Kingdom was something that everyone here was used to. It fell in buckets from the grey skies relentlessly, drenching the landscape. It fell like greyish white curtains, so heavy you could barely see in front of you. Most nights, Nyla would sit up in her bed and stare out of her dark window, wondering how rain could be so loud. It was much different than the snows she had grown up with in the North. As her thoughts continued about the rain, Nyla's sinewy head rest rose as she felt fingers tracing through her hair.

"You let me fall asleep."

"You looked tired," Nyla responded, turning her head to see the clear blue eyes that were looking back at her. Blue eyes that she was certain would never look into her's again.

There were few words that passed between them. There really wasn't a need for them. It would have been a list of wishes and wants which neither had the luxury of being able to grant the other. Instead, they settled for silence and these few fleeting moments with each other. Moments that neither had believed were possible until tonight.

"You have done well for yourself, Nyla. I never thought I could be more impressed by you."

"I think you are just a bit biased."

Small attempts at normal conversation, as if normal was something that they could have one day. It was a pointless endeavor. They both knew it. And yet they pretended anyway. They made themselves forget the guards, the sentencing, the punishment if Valnon were to ever show his face again in the Eastern Kingdom's capitol city. In the noise of the rain, they both drowned out the reality that was around them.

Nyla sat up and pulled a few of the silvery strands of hair away from Valnon's face. She lightly pressed her lips against the deep craggy scar that traversed the length of Valnon's cheek. There were no words. None needed to be said. This was goodbye. Goodbye until the one of them found a way to change reality.

Daily Write- The Hundred Years Celebration - Part One

(This was actually part of a story that I was going to do several years ago. But things did not pan out. So, I figured, I might as well write it now. No reason for a good story to go to waste. The setting is the world of Tellus, that was put together over at www.qfgc.com)


It was warm. The sun was bright as it burned in the blue sky. It was perfect. Of course everyone had expected it to be perfect. Springtime in Cynosure exceeded every man's expectation of the season where things were beginning to come back to life after the winter chill. And better weather could not have been picked for the 100 Years Celebration.


The cobblestone streets of the city were packed with people from all over, filling the air with their excited shouts and jovial rhapsody. Not just the denizens of the city or only the country of Varro, but spanning all over the continent. All were here to partake in the festivities, the games, the parades, the food and wind, and everything else Cynosure had to offer on this day of days. A day that was said would mark a new era. A day that would represent a turning of a page and start of a new chapter for the entire world.


But even on an auspicious day as this, the weight of the historical significance  was totally missed by some. One in particular, who was drowning in her own nervous anxiety as she waited in the eaves of the grand stage that had been erected in the center of the city. Of course, Cynosure could never do anything with simplicity. But today was even more over the top than any festival had ever been in the city's history. And she, Ariya, was about to become the main attraction amidst the brightly colored flags, the dancers that capered down the street, the glittering pomp that soaked city from the gates to the castle and back again.


The other orchestra students milled about her with the same nervousness, putting their instruments together and getting ready for the performance. They had been practicing for months for this day. And in recent weeks, the preparation had been toiling. Grueling probably a better descriptor. But now all that work was going to come together in what was the largest performance most of them would ever have. Ariya had been given the "honor" of having the solo. She didn't ask for it. She didn't even want it. But when Professor Ickman told you to do something, there was never a way to refuse him. She knew, because she had tried, several times.


Ariya peeked out and saw the hundreds, perhaps thousands that were filling up the city square. And she knew that even more were hanging from balconies and out of windows, all wanting to catch a glimpse of the Collegium Arcanum orchestra, one of the Varro staples when it came to magic and music. Ariya could feel the color draining from her face. In fact, she was pretty sure that she was going to be sick.


The dull roar of whispering, moving about, and clanking of instruments soon faded away into silence. Ariya turned to see Professor Ickman walking into the eaves with his wife, both dressed in conducting robes, the seal of the Arcanum emblazoned on their backs. Time for the performance was getting ever closer.