1

On the surface its was a typical large room. The kind of room that you might find in any noble home of the great families. In fact, it looked like a grand study about two stories high, with a vaulted ceiling of knotted pine that rose even higher. In the middle of this grand library was a large oak table worn with age, that could easily sit as many two-dozen people around it, but the surface of the table was spectacular. Instead of being flat and polished to a shine such as a dinning table might be, it was texture with mountains and valleys. It was by all accounts, one of the most detailed maps of Gaia to ever exist. Not just the Verant Empire, the Heathlon Empire or the Elvin lands, it was a map of the entire continent and its immediately surrounding islands. A similar table map also existed at the Imperial Palace and it was much bigger than this one, with its flat surface and glossy finish, but it lacked the incredible details of this table. This was not a table made by artisans. This table changed as the landscaped changed, slowly, over time. If the rains came and the rivers swelled or flooded, these details would appear in real time on the table. No craftsman could make such a table. This was a table made by wizards, for wizards.

The walls of the room were lined with bookshelves so high that a ladder was needed to reach the top shelves. Some were newer books printed on a printing press, an invention a mere hundred years old, but could be found in almost every major city. And yet most books on the shelves were handwritten or magically written and came in a variety of styles and languages. There were two spots in the long rectangular room where there were no shelves. At the one end was a stone archway that was completely filled in with flat field stone which matched the style of the walls and flooring. At the other end of room was a large stone fireplace with a thick wooden mantle above it. Place around in front of the fireplace was a sofa and three plush comfortable chairs, enough seating for half a dozen people. Small side tables held mugs and glasses. Next to the fireplace was a sideboard that held various bottles of alcohol.

The one thing about the room that was so strike and set it apart from any other room was the fact that there were no doors anywhere. On the vaulted ceiling above there were rows of small windows to let in the light during the day, but they were too small for someone to climb through. This was not a room for normal people. This room was very special and it took a certain level of skill to enter it.

Three people, two older men and a middle-aged woman sat in the chairs around the fireplace. Sipping on their drinks and speaking casually.

“The poor girl,” Kora, the middle-aged woman, commented. “It was an accident. These things happen when you are learning. That’s why training is conducted in the wizard towers. For the safety of the public.”

“If you ask me, I don’t even think it was the girl’s fault,” The grey-haired man with the long thick beard, Rickard Hermitech, spoke up. “By the Gods, it’s a wizard school. Why weren’t there wards in place or protective shields? It’s negligence I tell you.”

“Well, you can ask Minerva herself when she arrives here,” Wen-Dell stated. He was short, balding and fat. His glasses kept sliding down his nose and he keep pushing them back up.

“Oh, for fuck sakes! You invited her?” Rickard cursed.

Wen-Dell nodded. “Why not? I get along with her and so does Kora. This is an open space Rickard, for all those who use magic. Nobody owns it. You’re the one that has a problem with her.”

Rickard sighed. “Its not that I have a problem with her. We just don’t see eye to eye on some policies. And I certainly don’t believe that Servia De Gallio should be held in jail right now.”

2

Suddenly on the far wall inside the archway a portal of swirling magic appeared and through it stepped an older woman dressed in a fine silken red dress and her protégé. Once through into the room, the magical gate behind them closed as if it was never there.

“Ah well!” Rickard’s voice boomed filling the room. “Look who’s come to join our little after-hours party. Come to unwind after a long week? I see you’ve brought your stern little ward with you too, how comforting!”

Minerva’s companion gave him an icy stare. Minerva’s ward was young, early twenties at most. Her long hair dyed bright blue hung around her matching her clothing, which was equally as fine as Minerva’s. Her shirt was short sleeved and her arms were cover with tattoos. Magical tattoos that seem to move, change colour and swirl with her as she moved. She had close narrow eyes that could read the soul of those not careful of her judging gaze. She had a wand hanging from her belt and staff strapped across her back.

“You call this a party?” Minerva smirked. Though her face had many lines from age, her eyes held a youthfulness to them. “Where’s the music and the booze?”

Rickard snapped his fingers and suddenly there was mandolin music playing that echoed through the room. His staff, a twist looking oak branch was leaning next to him, but he did not use it. He did not have to for magic that simple.

“Drink are on the sideboard, my dear,” Kora said to her.

“I hope you have a decent brandy,” Minerva replied as she strolled along the table and over to the sideboard. She stopped behind Kora and place a hand on her should. “I haven’t seen you in a while, how are you? These two causing you trouble?”

“Oh, I’m fine and these two are no trouble at all,” She smiled back at her. “And the brandy is an excellent vintage.”

“Good to see all of you,” Minerva said. She gave a sly smile. “Even Rickard I suppose. Taryn be a dear and pour us some drinks, please.”

“Oh, look at me, moving up in the world!” Rickard said. He raised his mug in salute.

“Well, you are the Lord High Wizard now aren’t you,” Minerva stated. “It would seem the new emperor has been good to you.”

“What can I say, the emperor recognizes talent when he sees it,” Rickard beamed.

“A talent for wiping the emperor’s ass,” Taryn said handing a glass of brandy to her mentor.

Everyone laughed. Rickard scowled and his face turned red.

“Oh, come now Rickard, don’t be so pompous!” Minerva said. “It was a good joke, even you have to admit that. Don’t take such offence. This is supposed to be a party, remember!” She raised her glass. “How about a toast to the Lord High Wizard. Salute!”

Everyone followed suit. They drank hardily and relaxed, even Rickard softened his scowl until eventually he was talking and laughing along with the rest of them.

“Keep an eye on that one,” Rickard said pointing at Taryn. “One day she will have your job.”

“What? Headmistress of the wizard tower?” Minerva asked taking a seat on the sofa. She leaned forward. “She can have it. There’s too much bullshit to the job anyhow. So let me guess you all have been talking about Ms. De Gallio, haven’t you?”

“Rickard wanted to know why there were no protection wards in place when the event happened,” Wen-Dell told her.

“A great question I would like an answer to myself. By all accounts it seems a certain noble, who shall remain nameless because he’s dead, took the wards down,” Minerva replied. “I don’t think it was as accident and I think Servia herself was the target dangerous magic.”

“So why is she in prison right now awaiting her fate?” Kora questioned.

Minerva finished her drink I one gulp. She handed the empty glass to her ward to refill it. She spoke frankly. “What the fuck was I supposed to do? The boy’s father is Rubico Aquitaine. You know, the new emperor’s best friend and closest ally. “

“So, it’s for show?” Rickard questioned.

“Well, I had to do something. She’s already been expelled from the school,” Minerva explained. “The trial will show it was an accident, she’ll get a slap on the wrist and we will all move on from this.”

“But won’t she’ll be forbidden from practicing magic?” Kora questioned.

“I suppose,” Minerva replied. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see another way out of it. Xander and Rubico are going to want something done. This is the bare minimum that I could come up with.”

“Its just terrible,” Wen-Dell stated. It seemed the room agreed with him. “She was a good student. As I understand it, she didn’t have many friends. The only thing she had was magic and now she’ll be nothing more then a second-rate sorceress.”

“Well, maybe there is a way…” Rickard started.

3

A portal opened on the far wall again. This time out of the swirling magical mist three people, two men and a woman, stepped through into the room. Their long and flowing crimson robes made it clear they were high priests of the Fire Lord.

“Well, well, look who it is!” Rickard shouted. “Three clerics, personal advisors to the emperor no less. Well, it would seem that half of the Imperial Council is here now. And uninvited no less, how wonderful!”

Rickard made reference to the Imperial Council. It was made up of twelve people. Three wizards, Rickard, Wen-Dell and Kora, the three clerics that just arrived, three top military advisors and three members of the imperial family. Collectively they handled the day-to-day administration of the empire including the emperors wishes. They did hold some power. They could keep the emperor in check if they banded together. This happened to the last emperor Getta, who promptly had the council executed, so that power to check the emperor only went so far, but a civil war did emerge out of those actions and a new emperor put in his place, so an emperor upsets the council at his own peril.

“Drinks are on the sideboard,” Minerva said to them. To the rest she said. “Looks like we have a party after all!”

“I thank you for the hospitality, Minerva, and my warmest greetings to the rest of you. However, unfortunately this is not a social call,” the man who appeared to be a leader had dark skin and a very pleasing smile. He was maybe thirty which seemed young to be on the council.

“What a surprise!” Rickard exclaimed with a big smile. His words drenched in sarcasm.

“Ah Rickard, a pleasure as always,” the man replied with and equally big smile and the same sarcasm.

“Well, I am the Lord High Wizard,” Rickard said raising his glass.

“As I’m sure you enjoy telling everyone as frequently as possible,” the man quipped. “And I’m the Lord High Priest, but I do not feel the need to brag about such things.”

There was a chuckle from the group.

“Never mind him,” Kora said, indicating Rickard. “Come join us, Jermaine. We welcome those who worship the Fire Lord in this hall.”

“Come now Lord Beckhart, we are all on the same side are we not?” Minerva spoke to him.

“Indeed, I would like to think so,” Jermaine replied. He walked by the table, admiring it. “This table… It impresses me every time I see it.”

“Is that why you are here?” Rickard questioned. “To admire the table?”

There was another chuckle from the group.

“Maybe I will have a drink after all,” Jermaine replied. “Do you have Brandy?”

“By all means, go ahead,” Kora said to him.

He took a glass from the sideboard and poured a drink. His two companions did the same. “You know I came here looking for Minerva. How are you headmistress, by the way? I imagine you’ve had a long week.”

“Long week, long month, long lifetime!” Minerva replied with a heaviness to her voice.

“Here! Here!” Wen-Dell said. Everyone saluted and took a drink.

“Oh, I imagine your job is not an easy one these days. And unfortunately, I have not come here to make it any easier,” Jermaine sat down next to her on the sofa. Minerva’s ward sat on her other side and watched Jermaine closely. “Let me guess, the subject of Servia De Gallio has already come up, hasn’t it?”

“Of course,” Minerva replied. “In fact, we were just talking about her fate.”

“Oh, now we get the icing on the cake, don’t we?” Rickard said. Leaning forward and stroking his long grey beard absently.

Jermaine gave out a heavy sigh. “Fate. Now that is and apt word for this situation. Have any of you met Amber Cindervale? She is one of the keepers of the sacred fire, you know.”

“Sorry, we haven’t had the pleasure,” Minerva spoke for Taryn and herself. Wizards and priest rarely had reason to seek each other out. In a strange way they lived in two different worlds. But they all knew what that meant. The keepers of the fire did two things that they trained their whole lives for. Keep the fire burning and interpret the visions seen in the fire.

“If you will enlighten us, Ms. Cindervale,” Jermaine said to her.

“Servia De Gallio’s face has been seen in the fire,” the young woman replied without any sign of emotion. This was just a job to her. Something she had to do for her superiors and nothing more. She added. “She is God Touched.” But no explanation was needed. The wizards already knew what that meant.

“Oh, for fuck sakes!” Rickard exclaimed. He got up from his seat and smashed his empty glass in the fireplace as he stepped past it. It startled everyone in the room. He started circling the map table stare intently at it as if it held some kind of secret. He added. “You have got to be fucking kidding me!”

“I wish this was a joke,” Jermaine stated, but he could not hide his smirk.

“What’s that well know saying,” Kora asked the room. “Man makes plans…”

“…And the Gods laugh,” Amber finished the classic saying.

“We should just let Vask have her and be done with it,” Rickard added dismissively.

“Vask? What are you talking about?” Minerva questioned. She sat up and looked over to Rickard.

“He was around the palace the other day enquiring about her fate. He might want to take her on as an apprentice since she is formally expelled,” Rickard replied.

“Well now, she can’t sit in a prison,” Jermaine stated. “Destiny will intervene.”

“The man is evil,” Minerva stated.

“There is no good and evil,” Rickard retorted. “Only order and chaos.”

“I respectfully disagree,” Jermaine said with the shake of his head. “But that’s a debate for another time. If history has taught us anything, it’s that the God touched have a way of finding each other. Vask’s nephew, his face has also been seen in the fire.”

“Oh, this just keep getting better,” Rickard said shaking his head. “Out with it, who else have you seen?”

“I’ve seen three other young men and a woman. But I don’t know who they are. Sometimes the images come with no context. The young woman, however, is Rubico Aquitaine’s daughter,” Amber said. “Only the Fire Lord and his fellow Gods know who is chosen and why.”

“I don’t trust Vask, Rickard,” Minerva said cutting through the conversation. “He’s trouble. He wants only power.”

“Everybody wants power, what difference does that make,” Rickard shot back. “He supported the emperor. He was on our side. He was at the last battle and it was his magic that hid the troops during the charge. He’s powerful and he will have his way. Besides, you know what the emperor will say.”

“He doesn’t get a say,” Minerva retorted. “This is our business, not his.”

“He is the emperor, he will have an opinion at the very least and he will voice it,” Rickard replied. “Are you going to tell him no? Because I’m not going to.”

“He can not stop destiny,” Jermaine interjected. “The wheel of history is always turning. Either you heed it, or you are ground beneath it. But the one thing you can’t do is stop it.”

“Bullshit,” Rickard spat. “I stopped it when I got the twelve consuls together for that meeting.”

“The one that branded them all rebels?” Jermaine shot back.

“Say what you will, but I stood up and did something about it. And what were you doing about it?” Rickard questioned. “Getta had stolen his own nephew’s destiny. And what did you priests do about it?”

There was a silence that had fallen over the group. All eyes were on Rickard and Jermaine.

Rickard pressed further. “How many of your fellow clerics and priests died at the hands of Getta? What was it he did while they were slowly being dismembered? He dined, didn’t he? He sat there and ate his dinner while listening to them begging and screaming as they were torn apart in front of him. Why didn’t you do anything about it? Where was your God then? And you of all people, weren’t you a cleric at one time?”

Jermaine sighed heavily. “I get it, Rickard. You do not understand how the priesthood works and it’s frustrating. Personally, I was new to the order at the time, I could only do as my superiors bid me to do…”

“And yet they themselves didn’t do anything, did they?” Rickard continued to press him. “No Everyone, and I mean this in a broader sense not just the priesthood, stood by and watch the spectacle in fear and horror. But not I. You see, I earned my position as the Lord High Wizard. I acted when no one else would. Was there a civil war because of it? Sure, but so what? An unjust ruler was deposed and Xander, someone who was God touched himself, was put in his place. A victory for our world and yours as far as I’m concerned, I dare anyone in the room right now to say otherwise.”

The silence was deafening and last for what seemed a moment too long.

Finally, Jermaine spoke. “Well, we came to say our piece and we have done so. I don’t wish to wear out our welcome here in this sacred hall.”

“My apologies Jermaine,” Rickard said to him. Jermaine got up from his seat and join his companions. “It was not my intent to make you uncomfortable here. You are indeed welcome in this place.”

“It’s quite alright Rickard, if anything I enjoy our debates,” Jermaine responded with a bright smile. “However, there is one thing I wanted to bring up before I take my leave.”

“By all means,” Minerva said to him. “Ask away.”

“Its this plague that keeps coming around,” Jermaine said. “We have examined it from all angles and as far as we can tell it is not divine in anyway. So, my question is, is it magical in origin?”

There was a long pause. The wizards all looked at each other. Finally, Minerva said. “We have also examined it from all sides and we are sure that it is not natural. But we do not believe that it is magical. I just don’t see how it would even be possible. I can not think of a way that magic could be used on that scale. To be honest we thought it was maybe divine.”

“But here you are telling us that not only is it not divine, but that you also don’t know where it is coming from,” Kora added soberly.

“So, if it isn’t divine and it’s not magic…” Jermaine began to question.

“Then there must be a third power that until now, we have been largely unaware of,” Rickard finished. The profoundness of that statement left the whole room silent. “The plagues look like they have run their course. But someone is directing it. Someone unleashed them on the world.”

“I would very much like to talk to that some one if that is indeed the case,” Jermiane stated.

“Wouldn’t we all,” Rickard agreed.