Chapter 2

“Aah, it’s going to be so wonderful!”

“I can’t wait to see the fireworks!”

“They say they were enchanted by the Wizard Council members themselves.”

“Really? They’ll be even more spectacular than usual then!”

“But… Is it safe to go? Comodo doesn’t have any city walls…”

“The Council is supposed to have put seals on the caves – We can get in, and the monsters can’t get out. Already, some people have been going in to try and purge the demons.”

“Why doesn’t the King just send his Knights and Crusaders?”

“Well, Comodo isn’t really part of the King’s domain…”

“Right, that’s why there are no walls. It’s on the southwest fringes of the Kingdom, away from the eye of the government.”

“But in Rune-Midgard, gambling and other kinds of amusement are outlawed. Because Comodo is so far away, those kinds of things are common there!”

“The City of Pleasure! I can’t wait for the celebration tonight!”

This was the characteristic banter as Mages, Wizards and Sages from throughout Geffen streamed into the warp portals bound for Comodo Beach, and the celebration being held there to mark the alliance of the Sage and Wizard Guilds into one unified Magical Consortium. For many generations, the two guilds had fought to attain the most promising Mages into their higher class of learning, constantly bickering, always accusing the other of foul play. Now, at last, the two factions had agreed to a sharing of all the magical resources Geffen had to offer, not the least of which were the Mages themselves.

As the students quickly made their way from Geffen, headed for the celebration, a number of Wizards and Sages looked on. Some of them still harbored resentment for the others, no doubt. Especially in the case of the older mystics, it would be hard to forget what had transpired over so many years. Others, however, embraced this change with open arms and open hearts. Among these was a tall woman with notably aristocratic features. Her soft brown eyes conveyed a sense of serenity beneath her blonde hair as she watched her pupils leave for Comodo. Clad in traditional Wizard’s garb, she wore an elaborate dress in violet and gold and fur-trimmed boots. Her cream-colored cape and muffler, trimmed in fur, fell about her like an air of grace as she moved the arcwand in her hand with practiced ease, tracing a seal over the ivory doors of Geffen Tower.

Satisfied with her handiwork, Caliga Myrde turned away from the Tower to see that there were, in fact, very few people left within all of Geffen. She smiled, knowing that this day would commemorate a new and brighter future for her city. One of the remaining individuals, a Wizard by the name of Enziet, was approaching as he threw his own cape over his brown slacks and crimson vest.

“You’re certain you won’t join us Caliga?” he asked.

“Thank you for the offer, but no. I think it better to have someone remain behind.”

“I very much doubt that the city should be overrun in so short a time as we shall be gone… But I cannot force you. Be well, and we shall see you upon our return.”

Enziet turned to the few remaining Wizards and Sages and as one they vanished, headed to Comodo to begin the momentous celebration that would mark this night. With a smile, Caliga turned to enjoy a quiet walk through her beloved city.

* * *

The sun was setting on Geffen as a figure appeared atop the city walls. As his cape fluttered slightly in the light breeze, the last remnants of the sun’s light shone off his sword and armor. With arms folded across his chest, he simply nodded.

“Begin immediately.”

“One of the Wizards remained behind,” another voice noted, as a figure appeared sitting at the base of the wall beneath the armed man.

“That is not my concern.”

“Of course not. I just wanted you to know that there could be complications.”

“Just do your job, Nagisa. I don’t want any excuses.”

Just as he had appeared, the armed man vanished, leaving his companion still seated at the base of the wall. With a grin, he stood up, lifting his sickle-like staff along with him. His heavy, sand-colored robes fell about him. His muffler, much more protective than any worn by the Wizard Guild, guarded his neck and shoulders with its sturdy plating. Dark, sinister eyes looked out over Geffen’s serenity one last time as he ruffled his dark brown hair with his free hand and chuckled, just slightly. Satisfied, he lifted his mighty Staff of the Soul over his head, and began to chant.

“Cuiva nwalca carnirasse, nai yarvaxea rasselya, raltuva notto carrinar!”

An instant after Kaworu Nagisa, Sage of the Seventh Order, one of the most powerful of his kind, spoke these words the sky around Geffen became dark. Black clouds rolled in and, as the thunder rolled, flames erupted in the sky. The earth shook, spiking through the city’s homes, shops, and paved roadways. From these earth spikes emerged monstrous creatures of stone, vaguely human in their shape, covered in deadly looking granite spears. Meteors rained from the dark clouds above, causing tremendous damage wherever they struck, but even this was not the extent of their destructive power. Once landed upon the ground, the balls of molten rock began to uncurl themselves into an aberration of life. Bulbous, boiling creatures of rock and lava formed and joined with their stone cousins. The Stalactic and Lava Golems roared as one, and their orgy of destruction began in earnest.

The Stalactic Golems, with their nearly impervious stone hides, simply used their strength to plow straight through walls, pounding through any obstacle that dared obstruct their rampage. Screams filled the air as the innocent families of the Mages, Wizards and Sages who had remained behind scattered to find safety. Kaworu observed their plight, grinning with twisted, sadistic delight. His Lava Golems were making even escape difficult as they flung their magma across the paths of fleeing civilians, some of them receiving terrible burns, others losing limbs to the horrendous flame. Soon the inner ring of Geffen was almost completely ablaze, and Kaworu’s Golems turned their attention to the shining spike that stood at the city’s center – Geffen Tower.

“Destroy it. Burn the tower to the ground! Leave nothing untouched by your rampage!” Kaworu whispered, goading on his destructive creations. The Lava Golems shrieked, and loosed the full fury of their magma at the base of Geffen Tower, Kaworu giggling madly with utter glee as they did so, his perverse sense of pleasure only enhanced as many of the surviving citizens gasped or cried out for fear of losing their monument. Soon his task would be complete. Soon there would be nothing left. Soon…

But the Sage’s dreams were not realized in that instant, for rather than a blaze of utter destruction and the collapse of Geffen Tower, there was only an eruption of steam. Where there should have been the sounds of falling rock, there was naught but a muffled hiss as a pool of water collected around the base of the tower, and no trace of the molten rock could be found.

The Golems, unsure of how to proceed and receiving no instructions from their equally confused master, simply managed to look about, dumbfounded. It took a moment for it to register with Kaworu that not only had the attack on the Tower been blocked somehow, but so too had the fires in the northern part of the city been extinguished.

“How is this possible?” he muttered to himself. And then, he realized.

“The Wizard,” he ordered in a whisper to his loyal minions. “Find the Wizard and destroy her.”

With a groan, the Golems came back to full animation, stalking around, looking for the Wizard who dared to stand in the path of their master’s goals. Many of them, however, were dead long before they even saw her.

“STORM GUST !!”

From out of nowhere, a white cloud appeared, and immediately began to shower snow and ice down upon a group of the Golems. The Lava Golems screeched as the bitter cold made contact with their hide, and continued to wail as their flames were completely extinguished. With a final groan, they toppled, shattering into the individual components from which they were created. The Stalactic Golems, while not as susceptible to the cold as their magma-based cousins, were still frozen within a sheet of ice resulting from the storm.

“FIRE PILLAR !!”

Spiraling columns of flame erupted from the earth beneath the frozen Stalactic Golems, the sudden change of temperature and might of Caliga’s magic shattering them as well.

Caliga stepped forward from the place she had been casting, and sighed as she looked over the carnage. How could she have let this happen? More importantly, what could have happened had she taken up Enziet’s offer and not stayed behind?

Caliga’s reverie, however, was interrupted as the sound of clapping hands echoed amidst the destruction of the City of Geffen. Gasping, the Wizard turned, seeing Kaworu walking slowly towards her.

“Most impressive,” he mockingly praised her. “You managed to destroy all of my Golems. What ever shall I do?” He feigned exasperation, and was delighted as she shook with rage.

“Why? Why would you do this? You had no enemies here! They were only innocent people. And on tonight of all nights… when Wizards and Sages could have made a lasting pact…”

“Ah, but that is precisely why it had to happen now my dear. You see, if the Wizard and Sage guilds were to be united, they would pose a much greater threat than they do separately. And now that the Wizards will know a Sage caused this destruction, they will no longer trust my Guild. In the same right, the Sages will never forgive a Wizard for failing to protect their homes.” Kaworu chuckled with unadulterated glee. “No matter what you do, my task has been accomplished here!”

“I will make you pay for this… I will make you suffer for what you’ve done!” Caliga screamed as her typical serene beauty was replaced by ferocity so raw and pure that it was a force to be cowered in front of. Kaworu did in fact take a step backwards as Caliga’s arcane energies erupted around her, forming a sort of Energy Coat to protect her from harm. Her aura began to shine with a golden radiance, summoning forth the power of her lightning spells as Kaworu firmly grasped his Staff of the Soul in both hands.

“JUPITER THUNDER !!”

Caliga’s aura erupted as she hurled a sphere of electric energy at the Sage, the ball of lightning hurtling over the ruined streets of Geffen. Kaworu, however, had no intention of being so easily beaten.

“MAGIC ROD !!” he cried as he lifted his staff into the path of the attack. As the Jupiter Thunder struck, it dispersed over his Staff of the Soul, harmlessly grounding within its arcane core.

“I’m afraid I have been trained to counter your magicks with the same skill that you wield them. Killing me will not be as simple as you may wish.”

“Then let us see your staff protect you from this,” Caliga said, her voice as cold as the ice she could summon with Storm Gust. “LORD OF VERMILLION !!”

“SPELL BREAKER !!” Kaworu shouted as quickly as he could, casting his arm out towards the Wizard. Whereas streams of lightning should have rained down upon the Sage at the call of the Wizard, nothing came to pass. “As I told you,” he said smugly, but notably relived. “Killing me will not be so easy.”

Caliga cursed to herself. How could she possibly defeat someone capable of warding off her most potent skills? She would have to rely on something more than just strength. Convincing herself that speed and numbers might give her enough of an edge to win, she took a deep breath, still facing down the Sage, still emanating raw energy as she resolved not to be beaten. Kaworu looked rather taken aback.

“You’re really not going to give up, are you?” he asked her.

Caliga shook her head. “Never. Not to the likes of you. Not when it means the fate of this city.”

“Fine. Have it your way.” Kaworu slung his staff over his shoulder, a leather strap holding the weapon on his back. Reaching into a small pack by his side, the Sage produced a rather plain looking book and grasped it firmly around the binding. “You may be able to master the elements through a force of nature, but I shall show you how the elements can be controlled as a weapon. Book of the Blazing Sun!” he shouted, and the plain book leapt to life in his hands, it’s cover changing from dull grey to vibrant red. The cover flew open, pages fluttering in an unseen wind as orbs of flame began to orbit the text, a pillar of fire rising from within the pages.

Caliga leapt to the side as Kaworu lashed out with the power of his book, narrowly avoiding the summoned flames. Quickly, she turned her assault back against her opponent. “SOUL STRIKE !!” The Wizard sent five ancient spirits soaring at Kaworu, each coming in from a different direction, each one traveling incredibly fast. Unable to cancel the attack on so many fronts, Kaworu screamed as they impacted him. Though they passed straight through his flesh, their passing was enough to rend his spirit and do considerable damage. The Sage gasped for air, clutching his chest where the ancient spirits had pierced him, a look of shock and pain mingling on his face.

“SIGHTRASHER !!”

A ring of fire appeared above Caliga’s head. From this ethereal flame shot forth eight fireballs. Only two of these were in position to strike Kaworu, but it was enough. The Sage was forced to retreat, and as he removed himself from danger, he glared daggers at Caliga. The Wizard met the stare unflinchingly, refusing to back down. As Kaworu stood, he smirked just slightly, and sealed his elemental book, the cover returning to its original grey. “You are fortunate, Caliga Myrde, that I have no more time to toy with you. My work here is done.” Reaching beneath his robes, Kaworu produced an iridescent wing, nearly as large as his palm. Caliga recognized it at once as the wing of a butterfly.

“No!” she shouted. “I won’t let you escape so easily!”

“You don’t have a choice my dear. Farewell, for now.”

A quick flick of his wrist, and Kaworu caused the wing to erupt in a prismatic display of light. Once it had cleared, he was gone.

Caliga cursed as she fell to her knees, slamming a fist into the ground. Her entire body was shaking as she managed to hold back tears, silently promising herself that she would have retribution for what was done to her home on this day.