Chapter 6: A Gift for Magic

"Dragare yes that's the name he said. Who is he Asirel?" Athena asked as she sat up.

"He is a demon that one of my great, great grandmothers banished to a special prison. It begins long ago; one of my ancestors worshiped him. The man was so evil, that he sacrificed his own daughters to the demon for more power. When he tried to take over our homeland, he promised all our people's children for the creature's aid. Well he was killed, and the demon and all records of him were sealed away in a special prison. This prison is connected to one of our generations since its construction. This time it is I, so long as I live, the prison's walls are enforced until I pass it along to the next one of our generation. My mother's mother passed it to me three days before she was murdered. That was the day I entered Mistress Star's apprenticeship. It is foretold that the day the demon Dragare escapes the Night Wars will be decided."

"The Night Wars? What are those?"

Asirel adjusted her body, checked on Star, and pulled Athena into her arms. "Athena that is the day the world will be destroyed if the Gods of good are destroyed. Dragare commands legions of demons, and he would unleash them on the world. We cannot allow this to happen, so we have searched for the most powerful Mages to train under to help defeat them. The more Mages and Priests that we have, the better chance we have to defeat them..."

While Asirel talked, Athena felt her body healing and then she noticed the bandage around Asirel's arm. "Asirel what happened to your arm?"

"Its nothing Athena, Star fixed it. Now how are you feeling? Are you hungry?"

Noticing that blood was still seeping into the wound, she grabbed her friends arm. "It's not Okay, you're still bleeding." Unwrapping the bandage, she froze as she saw the silver scales. "What ... what are you Asirel?"

"I am your friend that's all that matters," she replied as she pulled her arm back and wrapped the bandage tighter.

Taking her friend's arm back, she tightened the bandage down, "Of course you're my friend, and your secrets are safe with me." Suddenly Athena's belly rumbled very loudly, and she gasped out, "Oh! I guess I am hungry."

"Good, you rest here, tell me if Star moves, if she does I can enter her personal pentagram and get her up on her bed. I will be right back." Laying Athena down, she stood up and went into the other room.

Athena watched her Mistress breathing and saw she was in a deep sleep. 'I wonder why we cannot move her, ' she said to herself.

"Because my daughter, her defensive magic is still up and it would slay you if you try to enter the pentagram," replied a voice from behind her.

Athena turned her head and saw a man walking towards her, dressed in a dark blue robe, with stars and moons all over it. Trying to get to her feet, she stopped when he shook her head at her and pointed to the floor. "Who are you?" she asked as she lay back down.

"My child surely you know me."

"Master?"

"Yes, now you have been very lucky today, please don't try and stop anymore magical bolts until you're ready to. I bring word to you that your sister is safe, she is in a new home in Kartland, so do not worry about her. Your brother has also been rescued and is now in his new home as well. You shall meet both of them again, and when you do, you shall know each other and be reunited, but for now you three must stay separated." Nightmaster stepped into the protective circle, and touched Star's head, "Now rest my daughter, you have done me proud. I increase thy power in you, and a new stack of books is on your desk. As my final gift to you, I am going to organize your books and scroll room. You shall from henceforth know where every scrap of paper is in that room." Waving his arm at the far door, a loud clattering was heard, and if anyone was to look, they would see the room organized into a grand library with bookcases and scroll tubes all over the wall. Each book, scroll and sheet of paper files itself away in its designated repository.

Walking back to Athena, he helped his daughter to her feet. "Now child, know I love you, and with this touch, you shall never be found by Dragare, he has gathered several strands of your hair and is trying to fashion an amulet of location. I have blocked him. If he wants you, he will have to use his minions not his foul magic." Leaning down he kissed Athena on her forehead, then he continued, "He knows not your name, just your description so you shall be safe. You were very wise not to give him your true name or your new name. Come in Asirel." He said as he looked up and saw the young girl standing there.

"Master, your humble servant trembles to be in thy presence," she replied as she stepped into the room and set the plate down by Athena.

"Flattery could get you everything my child but the reason I called is to tell you this. The prison is now linked to both of your lines." Seeing the shock on Asirel's face, he held up his hand stopping her in mid speech. "Let me explain child. Now Star had to use some of your blood for the potion, but you yourself infused her with the magic when your shed tears fell on Athena's face, so now both of your destinies are one. Pulling out a pouch, he opened it and pulled out two silver rings encrusted with rubies and emeralds. "Now I want each of you to put on one of these rings," handing each girl a ring.

Athena looked at the ring and slipped it on her finger, "My lord it's too big..." suddenly the ring shrunk down until it fit snuggly on her finger. Looking at Asirel, she saw her looking at her ring as well.

"It's beautiful master, thank you," replied Asirel as she examined the ring.

"These rings now bind you to each other, from now on you will know where each other are at. In addition, you will be able to communicate with each other, even if you are across the world from each other. The final power is, if one of you is in danger you can teleport to each other's location or in the reverse it can bring you from danger to your companion. Now I must go, learn, and be well my children." With his words spoken, Nightmaster disappeared in a silver flash of light leaving the two children there to stare at where he stood.

"Has he ever..."

"No he hasn't Athena, something is destined to happen with the two of us, what it is we must discover on our own." Standing up she pulled her companion to her feet. "Help me with Star; we can put her in her bed now."

Coruthus glared into the mirror, and fumed, "How dare she tell me to study, I who have more power in my little finger then that wench has in her whole body. Hell it took her three weeks to learn the simple light spell, I learned in a day." Yanking his robe off he hurled it across the room where it dropped by the wall. "No more will I be treated as a second rate, from this day forward, I will dictate what I want." Storming into his private spell casting room, he walked around the room lighting the candles, then went to the pentagram, and sat in the middle of it. Closing his eyes, he tried to see what was happing in Star's inner rooms. Within minutes, he saw Star going through her library and searching and then she arrived and started helping her. "Bitch Asirel, how dare you take my rightful place? You will get yours."

Coruthus watched as Star issued orders and wished he could hear what was being said, and then Star looked up and seemed to be staring right at him. With a wave of her arms, the doors closed, and the vision evaporated as he heard in his head, 'Coruthus! Mind your own business.' Coruthus flew out of the pentagram and landed against the wall, blood leaked from his nose and he screamed in rage, as he hurled the tables and benches around the room. Shattering the mirror on the wall, he shouted, "Bitch I shall have it all, I swear it one day all of what you know will be mine."

Staggering to his feet, Coruthus shook his head as he grabbed his magical pack, stuffing his books, papers, and components into the pack, he then added his few traveling clothes that he has. Swinging it over his back, he descended to the bottom of the stairs and walked to the spell component room. Pushing the massive door open, he went through, taking as much components as he can along with anything else he could sell.

"One day Star, we shall meet again, and when we do, I shall have my revenge," he snarled as he opened the last box, his eyes settled onto the magical daggers, each inscribed with a name. Reaching in, he lifted his dagger out, and attached it to his waist. "Since this is mine, it's going with me." Reaching up he started to close the lid and stood there looking at the remaining daggers, he dared not touch them, but instead grinned evilly as he pulled a vial out and sprinkles the poison on the hilts. "Now if anyone else touches their daggers, they are dead."