Game of Thrones Workbook

House of the Undying: Wizard of Two Realms

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Entry #1 by 1starsong

A change! Yep, that is what I need. Rejeck affirmed as he began to pack up his meagre belongings into his faded green satchel. No more of this being low mage on the totem pole. Limited, always limited, depsite the fact that I seem to have a greater gift than some of my masters. Age and experience they say makes a master. Yeah! Well, how will I get experience if I don't get to use what I have in some way of importance? I know they know I am capable. I overheard them talking about me. "don't know what to make of me, indeed!" he pressed the stuff into his bag, almost breaking his mirror stick. Oops! he muttered and slowed down. I'll settle that! I will head out on my own. After all that is what the ancient mage Torlock did. Not that I am as good as him just yet, but...

"I'll say! He would never make such grandiose moves without some logical thought, less emotion." a voice responded to the thoughts in his head.

"What? Who? Where did that come from?" he jerked around to see behind him. "Am I now hearing things too? On top of everything else?" he shook his head.

"What? Too many gifts have ye now? Not too grateful are ye?" the voice quipped.

"I told you! But no, you wouldn't listen." yet another voice piped in. "Don't pick him, I said, he'll be too proud in the end."

"Shh! Kale, of course, he's the one. Much has been invested in him, his family line!" the older voice stated.

"Here, now, you quit talking about me as if I am not here." Rejeck stamped his foot, spinning around again
even more agitated. He was beginning to think maybe he was mad. "Show yourselves. I know I am not just hearing shadows! I could use magic..."

"That's a good one, uh, hearing shadows, hee hee. The boy's more a poet that a mage!

"Shut up, Kale, will you: Come on, let's show ourselves before he collapses all together."

The two small fairy folks stepped out from behind the herb pot on the window ledge of his room on the second floor. I didn't even rate a tower room yet. he sighed.

"Here we are, my friend. And just in time, too, I see. Interesting you can hear us." the elder voice spoke clearly and looked up at him.

Rejeck turned around to see two finely dressed little fairies. At least, he thought they were fairies. Too small for elves but they had no wings and did not sparkle. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. They were dressed in green overalls with brown shirts. One had a tweed like jacket with a flower in a button hole. He looked older than the other but it was hard to really tell. Their ears were a bit pointed and the smaller one had a dark cap on over unruly red hair. Both were barefoot, fairly thin with fine facial features. "Who are you?"

"I am Tinkin." the elder one bowed. "and this is Kale, whose humour is not good today. You must forgive him." he squinted his eyes at the younger one and wagged a finger at him in warning.

"We are messengers from the Fairy realm, sent to bear you, young Rejeck, tidings from the Elven and Fey Kingdoms, both have which have watched over you since your birth, and, granted great gifts down through your lineage." he explained in a formal voice.

"Now, wait. If you are fairies, where are your wings? How did you get here?"

"Fairies? why... we are fairy kin. Why do you humans think fairies are all blinking little winged things? We are just as fae as they are, My father..." Kale was riled again.

"I didn't know.."Rejeck began.

"Enough Kale! Our mounts are outside," he said, pointed to two of the largest dragon flies Rejeck had ever seen. They were camouflaged in the herb beds.

"Oh," he was mystified. "er.. so what do you want? I don't understand why you would be watching my family and why did no one ever tell me?" his mind was filled with questions.

"Dolt!" Kale shook himself in impatience. "It was prophesied, you see that.."

"Shh! Kale!" Timkin swatted his arm. Turning back to Rejeck, he said, "There is more, as you were just thinking, that this limited training school can provide. I see you are ready now to leave, anyway. So, we have a way for you to go! Timely indeed, our arrival." he smiled with sparkly eyes.

"Now, wait a minute, if you think I am just going to make tracks with you, just because you say so, you are mistaken!" Rejeck responded, though he was intrigued with the whole notion.

"As I was saying," Tinkin continued, totally ignoring the outburst. "We've been sent to guide you back to our realm. It is time to return."

"What?" He wrinkled his forehead in puzzlement, "I have never been to Elfdom or what ever it is called." He was even more confused now and could feel energy rising in his belly. An old feeling..

"Your grandfather came from there. He was a great wizard in our land. We lost the best when he was banished by an evil sorcerer's spell. He chose, with the help of an older power, to transform to human and dwell here. The spell was generational. We had to wait til your generation to get the return of that wizardry, of which you are so proud."

"But my parents weren't wizards and nor magical. I was a throwback, strange, they called me." he bowed his head, remembering the sadness.

"Your father did indeed have the gift, buried it as it was suggested by his own father. He knew of the legacy and the timing. That is why he wanted to send you away to school. He saw you would not be able to contain it as he had. He would have sent you had the fire not consumed both your parents. The evil wizard Demazar has his ways but has not been able to find the heir, you lad! We have shielded you as best we were able in this world, but this is not ours not really your world. Have you not felt it?" Timkin touched his arm as Rejeck sat on the floor.

"What? How come I don't know this?" Kale piped up. "All this time I was on this mission with you and.."

"You did not need to know, my friend, and as you know are my trainee. You have done well and now..you needed to know for your part in this is still beginning." he reassured him with an arm over his shoulder. "I too have my instructions".

Rejeck thought back over the years since his parents died. He had always felt different, out of place, a step ahead of time, even here amongst the greatest of the human mages. He could never really find contentment, frustrated by what he thought was his own anti-power. He shook his head to break out of his revery.

"I guess, you are right, but.."

"I know it is hard to believe. But it is true, lad and what's more, we need you, your great magic returned to our world. The imbalance since your family magic was banished in a trick, has become even worse. Damazar's hold has grown increasingly powerful and thrives, drawing more of out light each day. Our magic still resides as protection,, but is weakening and without yours back in place, who knows what will happen. Timkin's voice was tinged with urgency.

"I'm sorry." he suddenly thought of the friends he did have, "this is the only home I've known and things are happening here too. I want to help."

"We know, lad." Timkin said and turning to Kale. "See, I told you Kale!"
Kale nodded and had nothing to say.

"Remember the connections. Know this, what happens in fey worlds will have effect even in this one. Such is the weave and web of things. What if to help this world, your place is back in our world? The power you've discovered in you is more ancient, connecting to earth and stars. It may prove more detrimental here in this realm. Yet even greater for good in ours."

Rejeck still was unconvinced and Timkin felt it.

"Wait!" Kale, sensing the vibe said, "I have an idea. You do not have to believe us. er.. I mean I did not really believe in you either. Sorry about that. Why don't you come and meet with ONE who knows more. Our Seer Ajelak and meet our King."

"Yes! Great idea Kale!" praised Timkin. "They will better be able to explain and allay your doubt. It will be your choice as with all prophecies given. It will be up to you and you will feel better if you see both sides." Timkin concluded.

"Besides," Kale poked at him, "you were ready to go adventuring any way, were you not?" He kicked the packed bag. "so begin with a little detour."

"But what if..how will I get back?"

"Boy, for one so confident, you sure change easy. Maybe I was right from the start.. you.." Kale started ranting.

Timkin stopped him. "Kale, you are not helping!"
"Not to worry. I f you want to come back, you may, anytime. You are part of the Fae magic. Look at us, we just flip and fly , though with the imbalance shifting, the gateways of the mists are growing smaller. The dark magic works here too so few are believing in us any more. I dread to say what will happen if they close all together." He bowed his head.

Rejeck's instinct told him this was a serious matter and also that somehow these fairy folk could be trusted. When he went beyond his mind and ego, he knew and something stirred within that he had forgotten. Looking around the room and remembering the conversations he had heard from his masters, he stood up and decided.

"All right! What"s the difference? Experience can be found anywhere! What have I got to lose?" maybe I will find what I am seeking. "As you say Kale, I was growing bored here and was setting out!" he smiled and tossled Kale's little hat! Kale pulled away and straightened it again.

Slinging his satchel over his shoulder, he grabbed his staff."Lead on, fellows! I will follow."


Entry #2 by dmt1967

Rejeck followed the two fairy kin folk to their mounts. He frowned. "Eh, I hate to... I mean they are nice... The thing is, although these insects are big, I'm bigger and..."

Tinkin held up his hands and grinned. "We don't expect you to ride on a dragon fly, Master Rejeck." He formed his lips into an 'o' and a shrill noise erupted from his throat.

Rejeck felt a strong breeze and head thunder. He gazed up at the sky and say a black dot that grew the nearer it got to the ground. The thing landed beside him. "Oh, cool. It's a dragon."

The creature snorted and a ball of fire exploded from his nose.

"Careful" -- Tinkin pulled him away -- "She's only a dragonett and is still leaning how to control her powers."

Kale smirked. "You can ride a dragon, right?"

That little man is mocking me. Rejeck shrugged. "Sure." How hard can it be.

The young apprentice placed one foot on the dragon's magnificent wing and threw his other leg over the beast. The dragon huffed, shook, and Rejeck flew over his head and landed in a bush. He got up, dusted himself down, and tried again with the same outcome.

Kale snickered but changed it into a cough when he spotted Tinkin's icy glare.

When you two have finished," he grumbled as he snapped his fingers and Rejeck flew ion to the dragons back.

Rejeck held on to one of her enormous neck spikes as the dragon shifted her weight. "Eh, what's she called?"

Tinkin shrugged. "She's your dragon. Call her whatever you want."

"She's mine!"

"Yes, every first year gets a young dragon to train. The grand wizard thinks it teaches them responsibility having a pet. Plus, we need them trained and this is much cheaper than hiring a handler, especially since one of your first year exams id dragon handling. Your second year you can choose the animal you want to train. Most young wizards choose unicorns but some stay with dragons, and if you are really good, you can do both."

"Rejeck smiled. "I think I will call you, Fireball."

Kale snorted. "Oh, very original, that."

Rejeck looked him up and down. "Look, if you have a problem...."

Kale rose in to the air followed by Tinkin.

Rejeck yelp as Fireball spread her wings and shot upwards.

*          *          *

The evil wizard Demazar gazed out at the bleak countryside that surrounded his bleak tower. He sighed, secretly wishing he could live somewhere warmer, preferably with a nice breeze and the sound of crashing surf in the distance, but it really wouldn’t do for an evil wizard to have a lair where people actually wanted to visit, so he was stuck in this awful out-of-the-way tower that no one else wanted, in a part of the kingdom that was too dreary for anyone to visit.

At least he saved a bundle on the property fees!

Another thing that annoyed Demazar about being an evil wizard was how so many evil wizard plans somehow involved the good people of the realm nominating a Chosen One to rise up and thwart those plans. Well, Demazar was no fool, and he decided that he should just destroy the people’s Chosen One before he even got started with his plans. That way, he wouldn’t be expending too much effort on something that might never come to pass. Despite what people liked to think, henchmen and nefarious schemes required money, and if there was one thing Demazar was (besides evil), it was frugal.

Unfortunately, thwarting the Chosen One meant finding the Chosen One and, until that happened, Demazar was left with precious little else to do but stare out his tower window, gazing at the bleak countryside around him and wishing for an ocean view instead.

Off in the distance, Demazar spotted a rider approaching through the mists and gray hills. As the rider approached, Demazar realized it was one of the emissaries he sent to scour every corner of the realm for any sign of the Chosen One.

“Open the gates!” Demazar exclaimed to the nearest guards. “A rider returns!”

Demazar hurried to the throne room, taking his seat just as the guards ushered the rider inside. The evil wizard did his best to seem uninterested in his visitor, instead casting his gaze casually around the room, taking in the vaulted, arched ceilings and the suits of armor lining the walls.

“My Lord,” the rider said, kneeling once he reached the foot of the throne. “I have news from the Southern Reach.”

“Oh?” Demazar asked, as if just noticing the rider.

“We found him, my Lord. His father hid him away at the Pigblister School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

Demazar couldn’t keep the eagerness out of his voice.

“And you’re sure he’s still there?”

“As soon as I found out, I immediately set out here to tell you. That was no more than three days ago.”

“And what makes you so sure that he’s the Chosen One?”

“We interrogated some of the faculty, my Lord. This boy... they call him Rejeck... he has frequently demonstrates powers above and beyond those of his schoolmates. The headmaster himself admitted to feeling the strong presence of faerie magic within the boy.”

“We must leave at once,” Demazar exclaimed. “It would be too much of a coincidence to be any other than the one we seek. Assemble my forces! We ride within the hour!”

*          *          *

Meanwhile, Rejeck was finally learning how to control his dragonette, Fireball, and was gradually able to keep pace with Timkin and Kale who led the way. Toward what, Rejeck wasn’t sure, but it definitely beat studying books and scrolls at that stupid school!

“So how does one get to the fey worlds or whatever they’re called?” Rejeck asked, pulling Fireball up beside his two faerie escorts.

“First, you have to find a nexus point,” Timkin replied. “A place in this mortal world where the fey magic is strongest. Usually, it’s a place of great importance to the natural world. Clearings in the center of the forest, caves on the tops of mountains... you know, that kind of thing.”

“Like the Falls at the End of the World?”

“Now you’re getting it!” Kale exclaimed. “And in fact, that’s exactly the one we’re headed for!”

“Wait, we’re going to approach the Falls at the End of the World?”

“I sure hope you’ve got the hang of that dragonette, lad,” Timkin called over. “Because this is going to be a trip you’re never going to forget!”

Rejeck followed his two faerie guides as they lowered their altitude and took to following the flow of the World’s River, winding this way and that with every curve of the shoreline. In the distance, the roar of the falls was getting louder.

“Are you sure about this?” Rejeck asked, panic starting to creep into his voice.

Everything Rejeck had been told about the World River and the falls at its terminus were not exactly encouraging. The river basically ended in a massive waterfall that tumbled out into nothingness. It fell into a caldera so large that the mouth on the oppsite side wasn’t visible on the horizon and the bottom was nothing but an inky blackness that swallowed everything. Torches, magic illumination globes, and once even an entire carriage set ablaze by a very determined noble on a dare, couldn’t piece the darkness. The lighted objects would fall and fall and fall until they disappeared into the all-consuming blackness.

“Get ready,” Timkin called over to him as the three mounts lowered themselves nearly to the water and increased their velocity.

They were close enough to the roiling waters that Rejeck could have reached out and skimmed his hand along the surface. But that would imply he were feeling brave enough to take his hands off the reins which he decidedly was not. He held on for dear life as the mounts increased their speed even more, hurtling toward the edge.

Rejeck heard girlish screams of terror and looked around before realizing they were his.

And then they were over the ledge. Fireball spread her wings and dove downward in a spiral, turning over and over as falling water pelted them. Rejeck started to feel lightheaded, like he was going to pass out.

Then, just as consciousness was about to fully slip away, there was a blinding flash of light.

(1017 words)

Tagged: sum1swriting