18DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DRAGON FABLE, ARTIX ENTERTAINMENT DOES.
CHAPTER XII
Mortis' POV.
The wind swept through my hair as the sand disappeared behind me, and the forest replaced it in front of me. I rode for hours when the Guardian Tower of Falconreach came into sight; another hour passed when I came to be inside the great city. The people were just going about their daily business: the logger, bringing in the lumber that he stole from Surewould; the blacksmith, hammering metals that would become takers of lives, or protectors of lives; the innkeeper, serving fresh ale and warm beds to the weary traveler; the alchemist, brewing potions for the ill and wounded, for the adventurer and commoner alike; the Guardians, as weapons clashed and bent, armor rang and dented, and the flesh of monsters was slit as they trained for battle; the traveler, such as myself, coming back from long journeys, both exciting adventures and simple trips; the lover, as they romanced their loved one; the fisherman, as he brought in the food that from Falconreach Bay he took; the hunter, as he brought in the elk that he stole from Surewould with his bloody hands; the farmer, as he tilled the ground for the food which Nature would gladly give to him. And the child, as they played in the grass, not a care in the world, no worry about survival or food or shelter, just play and having fun; a luxury taken from me at such an early age.
I finally arrived at the Guardian Tower that has protected Falconreach for so many years. Darius and I then went through the magic portal at the Tower's base, the very portal that would take me to the Blue Mage.
Near Warlic's Tent.
I tethered Darius to a nearby tree and walked in the direction of Warlic's tent. When I arrived there I saw a large blue tent, and a smaller purple tent, I walked into the former; the inside was not a tent, it looked like the inside of a tower. Warlic was nowhere to be seen. I walked around the room which contained: one table with two chairs, a large chair which appeared to be used for reading, and books, many books, with bookcases to hold them. The bookcases contained mostly reference books such as: Basic and Advanced Alchemy, The History of Lore, Studies of the Arcane, How to Train Your Half-Dragon, what? How to Train Your Half-Dragon?
"Who are you?" a wise yet urgent voice spoke. I turned to face the silver-haired Blue Mage himself, and he was about to disintegrate me.
"I am Mortis, Son of None, and I mean no harm." I said with my hands raised.
"Hm, very well... Mortis." he lowered his staff. "Why are you here then?"
"I need to learn how properly use magic"
"No, I'm already busy with an apprentice." he said, without even a second thought.
"I do not require a lifetime of training, I just need to learn the basics and I'll be on my way."
"No! I won't train you." again, he said without a second thought.
"Please! The safety of Lore rests on training me!"
"The safety of Lore rests on me NOT training you"
"And why is that?"
"Because you will be the Destroyer of Lore!" he gasped." "I should not have told you that."
"Why not? You're not making any sense." I said urgently.
"Because its dangerous to know one's future."
"But if you train me then-"
"GET OUT!" I ran out of his tent, and he closed the tent behind me. I simply stood there for several minutes, then I punched a nearby tree in frustration.
"Please, do not harm the trees." a very strong and masculine voice said. I turned to the direction of the voice and saw a large mass of floating rocks with glowing green crystals where the eyes on a human would be; a Stone Elemental.
"Warlic is wrong." the Elemental said.
"What?"
"You must be trained in the ways of magic, it is the Fate's design; come with me." I followed the Stone Elemental.
Third-person POV.
A cloaked man watched from the shadows, as Mortis was guided to the Cave of the Stone Elementals. Perhaps I was wrong, thought Warlic, he will be trained, no matter what I do he will be trained; but never, under any circumstances, will he be trained by me. But, in time, that may change.