The day was grey. In fact, it seemed that the first storm in weeks would soon break in the evening sky. Rolen knew it would be good for the crops, but he also didn't want it to come. He was enjoying sitting on the grass, playing. Sure, maybe it's strange for a nineteen year old man to be playing, but if you could pull some mysterious sparkly stuff out of the air and mould it just by focusing, wouldn't you?
He was intrigued by this strange energy. He knew that he must have an element, but this wasn't an element he knew. His father was an Earth element, and his mother was Wind, but he still hadn't really figured out what his element was. He thought that perhaps this was a rare element, and so he experimented. He knew he could shape it, and he knew that it stung and burned like a static shock whenever he touched it... but it was still a mystery to him.
He had just shaped some energy into a loop when he heard someone approaching. He knew his parents were inside, so he looked up to see who it could be. It was a strange sight in this rural place, a woman dressed in long blue robes that seemed to shimmer even though the sun was hidden. She carried a bag over one shoulder, and in the other hand was a gnarled wooden staff that carried a pale opalescent stone in the top. The boy was so surprised that he couldn't speak, and as his concentration on the energy was lost it slowly dispersed into the air as if it had never been there. The woman looked keenly at him, and he felt as if she was seeing more than others could.
"...I am in need of lodgings for the night. Is there any chance of board here?"
The woman's voice was sharp, but gentle at the same time. Rolen found himself unable to respond at first, but as she continued to stare at him he finally managed to speak up.
"Aah... I don't exactly know. We have a guest room... Please, come inside and you can ask my parents if you can use it for the night."
The woman nodded, and waited as Rolen pushed himself up from his seated position on the grass. He led the woman through the front door and into the kitchen. The smell of cooking food filled the air, and his mother was at the counter, cutting vegetables, while his father was seated at the table. He looked over at the two as they entered with somber eyes that showed mild amusement and confusion mixed. The woman gave a slight curtsy and introduced herself.
"Good evening. I am Torrena, a Wizardess, and I find myself in need of lodgings for the night. I wondered if I might find a spare bed for the night here."
The farmer and his wife kindly accepted their guest, and they ate a pleasant dinner together half an hour later. After the meal, Torrena drew Rolen off to the side. With her whole attention directed at him, the young man felt strangely uncomfortable. Then she asked a question that made him jump.
"I saw you practicing with magic earlier. Can you do it again?"
Rolen was surprised, but she seemed seriously interested, so he began awkwardly. Under her scrutiny it felt unimpressive, but he was able to draw the energy together. He was surprised to see she looked pleased.
"Interesting... you have the talent... what element are you?"
"I don't know, ma'am."
"What do you enjoy doing?"
"I like reading, but there aren't many books around here."
"I see... well, you certainly have potential. We'll have to do something about that element, though... and next time you are using that type of magic, try drawing it in as if you were winding in a ball of yarn. It helps."
Later that night, after Rolen had gone to bed, Torrena sat down by the fireplace with his parents and had a talk that lasted for more than an hour. This conversation changed Rolen's life.
***************
The next morning, Rolen came down to breakfast to find all three adults looking at him. This made him uneasy. Had he done something wrong? He was relieved when the silence was broken and his father spoke to him.
"'Morning, son. We had a talk with Lady Torrena last night, and she wants to teach you. Like an apprentice. We told her that it was fine by us, as long as you want to."
Rolen stared. He had loved learning everything he could from books around the house, and from school. And now a wizard was offering to teach him?
However, Rolen was very cautious and somewhat pessimistic by nature. He wanted to know more before he made any decisions.
"What would I be learning?"
Torrena took a sip of tea and then began talking.
"I will teach you how to control the magical energy you have already experimented with. I will show you how magic can be done safely, and to benefit others. I warn you now, you will likely be very frustrated at first. I was when I first began to learn. But,"
She paused for an instant as she swirled her finger and her teacup lifted into the air and turned upside down. The contents did not fall, however, but split into five distinct orbs which rotated around the cup.
"It can be very rewarding. I promise you that I will do the best I can to help you learn. You should also know that I travel from time to time, as I am now, so part of your training will be hands on. I know this may take time to take in. However, I cannot give you much time to decide. I just leave soon."
****************
Throughout breakfast, Rolen was silent and thoughtful. It felt risky to leave home with a person he hadn't met until the previous day to learn about things he had never dreamed of. But it would be wonderful to learn. He had a gut feeling...
"I've decided, ma'am. I'll come."
"Excellent. Then please pack your bags and prepare to depart. Your training begins as soon as we step into the road."
He was intrigued by this strange energy. He knew that he must have an element, but this wasn't an element he knew. His father was an Earth element, and his mother was Wind, but he still hadn't really figured out what his element was. He thought that perhaps this was a rare element, and so he experimented. He knew he could shape it, and he knew that it stung and burned like a static shock whenever he touched it... but it was still a mystery to him.
He had just shaped some energy into a loop when he heard someone approaching. He knew his parents were inside, so he looked up to see who it could be. It was a strange sight in this rural place, a woman dressed in long blue robes that seemed to shimmer even though the sun was hidden. She carried a bag over one shoulder, and in the other hand was a gnarled wooden staff that carried a pale opalescent stone in the top. The boy was so surprised that he couldn't speak, and as his concentration on the energy was lost it slowly dispersed into the air as if it had never been there. The woman looked keenly at him, and he felt as if she was seeing more than others could.
"...I am in need of lodgings for the night. Is there any chance of board here?"
The woman's voice was sharp, but gentle at the same time. Rolen found himself unable to respond at first, but as she continued to stare at him he finally managed to speak up.
"Aah... I don't exactly know. We have a guest room... Please, come inside and you can ask my parents if you can use it for the night."
The woman nodded, and waited as Rolen pushed himself up from his seated position on the grass. He led the woman through the front door and into the kitchen. The smell of cooking food filled the air, and his mother was at the counter, cutting vegetables, while his father was seated at the table. He looked over at the two as they entered with somber eyes that showed mild amusement and confusion mixed. The woman gave a slight curtsy and introduced herself.
"Good evening. I am Torrena, a Wizardess, and I find myself in need of lodgings for the night. I wondered if I might find a spare bed for the night here."
The farmer and his wife kindly accepted their guest, and they ate a pleasant dinner together half an hour later. After the meal, Torrena drew Rolen off to the side. With her whole attention directed at him, the young man felt strangely uncomfortable. Then she asked a question that made him jump.
"I saw you practicing with magic earlier. Can you do it again?"
Rolen was surprised, but she seemed seriously interested, so he began awkwardly. Under her scrutiny it felt unimpressive, but he was able to draw the energy together. He was surprised to see she looked pleased.
"Interesting... you have the talent... what element are you?"
"I don't know, ma'am."
"What do you enjoy doing?"
"I like reading, but there aren't many books around here."
"I see... well, you certainly have potential. We'll have to do something about that element, though... and next time you are using that type of magic, try drawing it in as if you were winding in a ball of yarn. It helps."
Later that night, after Rolen had gone to bed, Torrena sat down by the fireplace with his parents and had a talk that lasted for more than an hour. This conversation changed Rolen's life.
***************
The next morning, Rolen came down to breakfast to find all three adults looking at him. This made him uneasy. Had he done something wrong? He was relieved when the silence was broken and his father spoke to him.
"'Morning, son. We had a talk with Lady Torrena last night, and she wants to teach you. Like an apprentice. We told her that it was fine by us, as long as you want to."
Rolen stared. He had loved learning everything he could from books around the house, and from school. And now a wizard was offering to teach him?
However, Rolen was very cautious and somewhat pessimistic by nature. He wanted to know more before he made any decisions.
"What would I be learning?"
Torrena took a sip of tea and then began talking.
"I will teach you how to control the magical energy you have already experimented with. I will show you how magic can be done safely, and to benefit others. I warn you now, you will likely be very frustrated at first. I was when I first began to learn. But,"
She paused for an instant as she swirled her finger and her teacup lifted into the air and turned upside down. The contents did not fall, however, but split into five distinct orbs which rotated around the cup.
"It can be very rewarding. I promise you that I will do the best I can to help you learn. You should also know that I travel from time to time, as I am now, so part of your training will be hands on. I know this may take time to take in. However, I cannot give you much time to decide. I just leave soon."
****************
Throughout breakfast, Rolen was silent and thoughtful. It felt risky to leave home with a person he hadn't met until the previous day to learn about things he had never dreamed of. But it would be wonderful to learn. He had a gut feeling...
"I've decided, ma'am. I'll come."
"Excellent. Then please pack your bags and prepare to depart. Your training begins as soon as we step into the road."
