The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Closed)

[atenai]

A scream tore through the night and all of a sudden Karolena's older brother was shaking her. "Lena, Lena wake up!"

Brown eyes flew open and she sat up only to find herself breathless and trembling with the echoes of that scream in her ears. "What?" She had a bad feeling she knew.

"You were screaming," he told her, stroking her shoulder gently. He knew, just as she did, that she didn't remember her dreams. She never did. And what's worse, her screams often started a few nights before something horrible happened nearby.

Karolena nodded, staring down at her thin blanket. She ducked her head, letting her nearly black hair fall forward to hide her face. Sometimes she wished she could remember her dreams. At others, and with echoes of her scream still ringing in her ears this seemed like one of the latter, she dreaded finding out. Either way, her neighbors would call her names tomorrow, and 'witch' was the least of it. "At least I wasn't screaming last night too," she murmured loud enough for her brother to hear her. One night was bad, but two were that much worse.

Her brother set a pan on the stove and started heating water for tea, something that calmed Lena's shaking just by invoking the idea. "Do you want anything special?" he asked her quietly, pulling a few dried leaves together in a pile from their meager stores. She shook her head, so he made their usual lavender chamomile night time blend. For an older brother who hardly gave her a second's thought during the day, and often expected her to wait on him when he did, Lena could depend on him when she woke screaming. It had become almost ritual to the two of them over the eight years or more since she started shrieking in the middle of the night.

She and her brother both jumped when someone started pounding on the door of their tiny hut, yelling her father's name at the top of his lungs. Even as her father exited his bedroom (the only room in their house that was actually walled off fully from the main living area with a real door), her brother jumped up and opened it to reveal their father's good friend, panting with exertion. "Hide her," he panted. "Vasili's youngest took a bad injury from a spooked stallion and we could hear Lena start screaming at the same time. They think she's witched him. All the horses, even, they're all acting something fearful." The poor man leaned against their doorway and panted, but now that his message was passed on, he didn't move a muscle but to try and catch his breath.

Karolena froze in her tiny nook behind the woodstove, not conscious enough to be embarrassed at letting her father's friend see her in her shift. Part of her had been dreading this day since she had understood the repercussions of the word 'witch', but she had never really dared think it would actually happen. When she turned twenty and nothing had happened yet, she almost allowed herself to believe it never would. But her father and brother were in motion, her brother jerking her out of bed and shoving her overdress into her hands as he pulled her towards their father's bedroom window, the only one large enough that a slender young woman could fit through. Her father was folding a blanket around something, she hadn't paid attention to what, exactly, and repeating his thanks for the warning.

She found herself pushed to climb out the window, and then her dress and the blanket bundle were pushed out after her. She grabbed both awkwardly, gulping as she heard shouting getting closer. "Run!" her brother hissed, making shooing gestures. "Lena, run!"


Morning found the skinny twenty-year-old girl with her blanket clutched around her shoulders, having eaten the meager rations of bread, cheese, and mead that her father had given her. She knew she was lost somewhere on the forested mountain, but 'lost' didn't really register since at least while she didn't know where she was, her town didn't know either. Any time she thought she recognized a rock or tree, she looked for the sunrise and headed north again, farther from town.

 

[amon_darknight]

A hooded figure sat in a dark room lit by only a single candle as he stared off into the room. Staring at nothing it seemed. Was he alive? Not a single feature of emotion could be seen on this man's face. He held a slender stick in his hand as it laid on the table that he rested in front of. What was this man thinking about, what was he about...?

Suddenly the stick in his hand moved and glowed from the tip. Now the man uttered some strange words and waved the wand in front of him. It happened...

The room filled with a bright orange light and the ceiling turned to a night sky filled with stars and the moon. The hooded figure stood and pointed his wand at a large map he had hanging on the wall. He grinned as he picked up a large crystal that had a chain attached to it. He held it out to the map and said a few strange words and the crystal hung in mid air, it levitated there and started to move up and down the map.

"You sensed it as well... do your damn job!"

He said that as the crystal started to glow with a deep orange color. Almost as if responding to his feelings.

"Find it!"

He watched as the crystal moved about. He sensed a disturbance with in the weave of magic itself. He had to find what this disturbance was and deal with it, it was for his guild... his bleeding guild. He was the leader of "Seeking Dragons" or what was left of the guild. He had to restore his guild to the former glory they once had. Let the people know they still existed. Time was running out...

He looked to the crystal and anger showed on his face as a dagger appeared in his hand. He threw the dagger at the crystal, but strangely he missed, it was as if the crystal dodged it. The dagger than glowed like the crystal...

"Wha the...??"

His head turned to the side curiously and he took a step forward. His face was full of confusion, the spectacles he wore reflected the light from the dagger and than suddenly he threw his hands up in shock as he looked down to see that the dagger was in his chest now...

"But how... by the Gods... Mystra... what have I done..."

He fell to the ground knees first hitting as he saw a image flash before his eyes, the very room changed before him

~~~~
~~~~~~~
A town of farmers and commoners was the room now, the sky was black, evil looking clouds filled the sky as lightning stuck, thunder crashed, a heavy wind blew through the village. The townsfolk ran and gathered there kids and any belongings they had inside there homes as this strange storm hit them. On the outskirts of town though is where the real threat was.

Vile, rotten, flesh ridden... bodies walked in the night towards the town, the very air was filled with flys and above them, stone creatures flew, gargoyles filled the high skies. It was only a matter of time before the town was over run...
~~~
~~~~~~

The hooded figure rose as he levitated off the ground.

"What was that...? That town... why was it being attacked by the undead... where..."

He than looked to the map and saw the dagger was there. The hooded man seemed to vanish as he appeared in front of the map and he looked.

"I must go..."

He didn't understand, it was the morning, but that was a vision of night...

He changed his hooded cloak, to a dark blue cloak with a hood, that had symbols of Mystra's Eye on it. He made sure his gear was secure on him and he chanted a few arcane words and he vanished from the room.

"I must restore my guild to its former glory!"

He appeared in a forest area in the morning time, he looked around as he was riding a large demonic Nightmare horse. He looked around as he strode in. Why would he end up here. He drew his cloak more closed around him as he saw a figure walking in the forest.

 

[atenai]

Karolena was stumbling along so far gone between paranoia and exhaustion that at first sounds did not register. A snort, a hoof... had the villagers found her at last? At least her hunger would not trouble her further. She spun weakly, both hands flung out in hopes of catching her balance on something. A sturdy pine found its way under her hand, letting her lean as she stared at the creature she'd assumed was a horse. Gasping for breath as she wavered, Lena leaned heavily on the pine tree, both hands attempting to brace herself but her cheek connected heavily in spite of the effort.

Propped up against the tree trunk, the waif of a twenty-year-old just stared at the apparition that vaguely resembled a man riding a horse. Her blank stare registered no recognition, but neither did it show fear; Karolena was too tired to fear. It was not the townsfolk that she had fled, and that was all her brain was capable of processing. Her paranoia eased, the single thought repeating itself. It's not them. I'm safe. Her body molded itself closer to the tree by the moment, her legs threatening to fold on her as relief swept through her and devastated what was left of her fear-driven strength. ... not them ... safe ... And then Karolena's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed.

 

[amon_darknight]

The Magi's demonic looking horse strode up to the woman that was on the ground. Its firey mane smoked as it snorted and a cloud of smome shot out. Its color was back with a crimson red tint to it. Its eyes burned red as spikes were found on its body. Its hooves seethed with fire and when it took a step, its hooves burned the ground.

That is why they were known as Nightmares.

The Magi looked down upon the woman and he immediatly smiled as he felt power within the woman. He got off of his hellish steed and kneeled by her side. She was passed out. She looked tired and famished. He chanted and a tray of food appeared with wine and water. He took some of the water and poured some on his fingertips and he felt it was cool and he let his fingers run over her lips. Letting her know he had water.

"Drink now my fair maiden. I am here to make sure you survive. I will let no harm come to you."

The wind blew and his hood blew back to reveal his face. He had raven black hair and it was a bit spikey, but long spikes in the back, in the front his hair was a mess, fell to the side of his face. But his features were that of a young elf. His eyes were the most mystic looking. They were a bright purple, like that of a gem. He smiled as he fed her the water.

"Yes drink it down"

He had imbued the water with healing magic so if she was injured it would heal any wounds. It would also restore her energy to her. He could see the dark clouds forming and knew the vision he saw was happening now.

"Come we must get out of here. You can trust me... please tell me it is ok to take you away from here. It is not safe."

He tried to stay calm amd he did not want to force anything on her.

 

[atenai]

Karolena saw only blackness, but slowly her senses registered moisture on her lips. She licked them tentatively, surprised to feel someone's fingers. She hadn't been cared for by anyone for so long, it gave her a start that pushed her back into consciousness. Rich golden brown eyes opened to stare in surprised wonder into purple eyes the like of which she had never seen before. He... he wants to protect me? She didn't know what to make of this stranger, and as such meekly did as she was told, drinking the water he put to her lips.

It tasted fresh and cold, and there was a scent... like freshly gathered herbs. This isn't just water, she realized slowly, her brain trying to catch up with the new turn of events. Someone was protecting her, caring for her, even healing her. Where did I get that from? Her eyes widened as energy pushed the lead from her limbs. Where have you been all my life? she wished, memories pushed away when they rose, unbidden.

The thin dress she wore was dirty and torn, but she didn't notice, trying to rise. She found that she could, at least once she'd grabbed the stranger's hand for aid. "The town," she whispered, wavering on her feet and reaching out to steady herself against the tree once more. "They want to burn me for witchcraft. I can't go back that way." She was shocked to find the words leaving her lips--I've known him all of what, a minute?--but the whisper was more for his sake than her own. If he was caught with her, the townsfolk would likely treat him ill. "You..." she choked on the words, flinching, but forced herself to keep going. "You don't need to aid me, I am thankful for everything you have already done. I understand if you would rather take a safer road than mine."

 

[amon_darknight]

He looked to her and he smiled. His smile showed that he was kind and caring. He put his hood back on covering his raven black hair. He seemed as if he was a massive person, but it was a feeling of misdirection. He mounted his Hellish Steed and he held his hand out.

"Take my hand, we must get out of here. I feel there is a terrible event about to occur here. So we must go. I will take you somewhere safe, but you have to say yes."

He looked to her and than to the sky. He felt the undead already on the move already. He looked to her and smiled again, he did not want to take her unless she wanted to. He than thought about something... what would she think?

 

[atenai]

Karolena's eyes widened when he said something was about to happen. No, her mind insisted. I always dream more than one night before anything happens. It's too soon. But the look on his shadowed face made her realize that whether she liked it or not, something was about to happen, and he was offering her a way out. Freedom.

She moved towards the fearsome beast that he rode like a horse, forcing herself to breathe evenly. Take his hand and you're free, her mind insisted. "Okay," she whispered. "Yes. I'll go with you." She took his hand and lightly leapt up behind him on the creature she decided she would call a horse for her sanity's sake. Shaking slightly at her bold decision, Karolena laced her arms around the man she knew nothing about and nodded against his shoulder. "Let's go."

 

[amon_darknight]

He took her hand as she reached up and he pulled her up easily. She sat behind him and it felt rather good having her arms wrap around him.

"You have made the right choice. Let us go."

He patted the Demonic Steed and made it take off in a long stride and suddenly...

"Hold on tight."

The steed jumped into the air and soon the wind was really blowing into them. His hood flew back and the steed took them high into the air, leaving a smokey trail behind in the darkening sky, he steered the Nightmare towards the village and his suspicions were true. An army of undead surged towards the village.

"Look, it will be only moments before the village is destroyed, you made the right choice. Now, let us be gone from here..."

He chanted a spell as a magical portal opened up in front of them. It glowed with power and the steed flew right into the portal, not looking back. What was that about, were they drawn to this woman's power? What was happening?

They came out and appeared in a large room, very dark, but the man appeared with this woman with her arms wrapped around his waist still. He looked back and smiled.

"We are on the ground now my dear. Welcome to the home of the Seeking Dragons. We were once the top Magi guild in the all the realms, watched over by Mystra, the Goddess of magic herself, but lately we seem to have fallen from grace and are now a dying guild..."

He said that with much sadness in his voice.

"My name is Jarvis, Jarvis of the Flame..."

He sighed as he looked to her.

"I have brought you here, because I sense a power in you and I wish to teach you the ways of the Magi, I do believe with your help, we can restore this guild to the heavens again. I do not know what made us fall, but there are only a few of us left now. Let me teach you."

He knew this was a lot to take in, but he knew if she could master the ways of magic, he could bring this guild back.

"What do you say?"

He said that with a smile that seemed to brighten up this room a bit, revealing that they were in some kind of audience hall. The room was filled with chairs that were scattered and broken all over the stone tile floor, broken statues, torn paintings, the room was destroyed...