Creators Guild: A Wizard's Beginning (25 page)

             
“It does involve some physical change, the first thing that you must realize is that every object is alive in one way or another, the trees, rocks, even the air after a manner, each one possessing a specific identity.  When you can train your mind to accept that knowledge you can become practically anything.”

             
He sat down hard on the ground his legs giving out. A small cloud of dust rose up around him. His mind didn’t want to accept the possibility of what he was being told.  He knew from his time spent in the house of learning that Roland was said to be the bringer of light and whom better to be his shadow then his best friend.  The commander left the small dwelling to allow him the time to think.

             
He stayed up most of the night thinking of what he had been told, trying to figure out if he really wanted that kind of responsibility. Knowing that Roland was the one he would be protecting made the decision all that much easier.

             
He woke up to the smells of cooking rabbit and breakfast gruel. He had made his decision to become the shadow. Roland was his best friend, and growing up together had to mean something, he walked out of the commander’s station and looked around not finding anyone. He was hungry so he went over to the cooking fires and cut himself some meat off of the rabbit and spooned himself up some of the boiling gruel before sitting down to eat.

             
He barely caught the sight of someone coming behind him in the forest. He figured it was Chander and left it at that.  He continued eating, when the figure didn’t immediately come out, he paid more attention. Turning only his head slightly he caught the movement again and verified whoever it was, was still there. Putting his breakfast down, he walked back into the station house.  He put his cloak on and slid his sword between him and the cloak.

             
Knowing that what or whoever was out in the forest was waiting for him to come back out, he made a small hole with his sword in the back wall. He looked out hoping that whatever it was was alone.  He decided to go out the back wall, hoping it would only be watching the front.  Not seeing anyone around he made the hole larger, putting the cloak over him he walked into the forest.

             
He quickly found what was watching him. He stood there quietly watching it as it scanned over the campsite. It looked like a large Tepern; he had never seen one in person, only images and paintings from the training academy.  Its powerful arms were resting on the tree, its large eyes reflecting from the light of the morning sun, a large cudgel hanging in a strap on its back.

             
Creeping behind it he pulled his sword out, preparing to strike. He aimed for its neck, as his arm started to swing the Tepern turned. In a flash it had the cudgel out blocking the blow.  The movement was so fast and fluid that he was not prepared for the deflection his sword made off it.

             
The vibration shook through his arms, throwing him off balance spinning him into a large tree. The Tepern stood there watching him, anger flashing in its eyes.  It walked over to him, eyes focused on its target.  Lifting its arm up, preparing to bring it down on his head.

             
“I am Winteler, prince of the Teperns. I come seeking the aid of the wizards, why do you attack me so?” he asked walking closer to Ty.

             
“I’m Tylin, guardian of the wizards,” he told him, standing up retrieving his sword.  “I didn’t know who you were, and when you watched me from the forest, I feared for my life, how did you see me?”

             
“That is typical of humans, kill first then find out who it is,” he said putting the cudgel back.

             
“I’m sorry for that, why are you seeking the wizards?” Ty asked.

             
“My people are coming under attack from the Legion. They are taking our mystics and without them we cannot perform our enchantment ceremonies.  My people are slowly fading into the dark realms. I have come to ask for their assistance to battle against these enemies.”

             
Ty could see the sadness in his eyes, Winteler’s muscles tensing at the mere mention of the Legion. His own anger was rising; he didn’t know how to help him.  He felt even worse about wanting to kill him.  He invited Winteler back to the commanders’ station, offering him some breakfast while they talked.  He took most of the rabbit, and a large portion of the gruel.

             
Winteler told him of the hardships his people were facing of the battles they fought and how many were lost.  He tried to explain the growing power of the Legion.  He was still wondering how Winteler was able to see him, until then no one had been able too. 

             
“To answer your question about how I knew where you were you must understand how limited the abilities of you humans are,” he started, not putting much emphasis on his apparent superiority. “How do you see things?” he asked Ty.

             
“With my eyes, like everyone else I suppose,” he answered.

             
“That’s my point you use only one of your senses, let me show you something. Close your eyes. I’m going to move somewhere in the room, you count to ten and then point to me.”

             
Ty closed his eyes, as he started to move, he reached ten and sat there for a minute. He pointed right to him.

             
“See now how did you know where I was, you didn’t see me?” he asked smiling.

             
“Very well,” he said shaking his head, “point well taken, but I still don’t know how you could have sensed my presence, I didn’t think I made any noise.”

             
“That my boy is another difference. Unlike you we are trained and have the ability given to us to see the wind. Something the human wizards don’t see fit to teach as it can be very disadvantageous to them.  Whenever someone or something moves it creates ripples in the wind, as you walked towards me. I could feel and see the changes in the wind patterns. It was just as though you were visible to the naked eye.”

             
“Is that why the humans and teperns have always fought?” Ty asked him.

             
“That is one of the many reasons people of different races have a tendency to hate those of another, it’s unknown why. If we could combine our entire knowledge together, look at what good could be done.  But alas I fear that will never happen.”

             
“So what will you do if the wizards don’t help your people?” he asked, concerned for his new friends people.

             
“I fear that is not an option. Without their help, I fear we are doomed to destruction, only the wizards will have the power needed to combat the Legion.”

             
There was nothing more that he could think to say. Silently he prayed to the creator that the wizard council would feel the need to help them, to put aside their generations of disputes.

             
Commander Chander came back into the camp, hearing Ty talking to someone, and recognizing the rasping voice of a Tepern, he readied himself to fight.  Knowing how ferocious they could be.  He cracked the door, seeing the two of them sitting and talking, neither one threatening the other. Winteler turned his head quickly to the doorway, standing with cudgel in hand.

             
Ty jumped up, putting himself between the two, hoping to stop any need for violence.  He told the commander what the two of them had been talking about, asking if he could take Winteler to the house of learning in hopes that he could convince the wizards to help.

             
Chander knew the intensive training that Ty was going to need to go through, so he agreed to let some of the other guardians escort him to the house of learning, He sent a scout ahead to notify the headmaster of who was coming.  Then they began Tys’ training.

             
To become the shadow he needed to learn how to disassociate himself as a person, to blend and meld into seemingly inanimate objects.  As Chander had told him before, every object was alive, living in a manner after which the creator had designed.  Those items that were transformed into useful objects were taking on much of the same transformation that he had to go through.

             
“Now concentrate, think of being the rock, look for its identity, seek it out,” Chander encouraged him.

             
Over the next few weeks he worked nonstop, using all his senses to accomplish what was required. He could now see the identity of the rock; it glowed appearing larger than the rock itself.  He walked into the life force of the rock, melting his own with that of the rock.  The small changes always came as a shock, the tingling feeling and sensations of losing his human identity. That’s what held him back, the fear of losing himself to something he truly didn’t want to become.

             
“Listen to me, you have to concentrate, put all the fears out of your mind, you have the ability to do this.”

             
He tried again, putting his life forces into the changes, knowing how important it was to learn.  With the knowledge and desire to be able to protect his best friend, he could feel the change coming again. This time he put everything out of his mind, concentrating on making the change.  It came easier; the tingling sensation was gone and then it happened. The two life forces melded together and he became the stone.  He was not able to hold the form for long.

             
He woke up lying in the bed in the commanders’ station. Looking around he saw Chander by the fire cooking something for dinner, he didn’t feel well enough to get up so he just sat on the edge of the bed.

             
“How are you feeling?” Chander asked without turning around.

             
“Weak and dizzy, I’ve never felt like this after training, how did I get in here?”

             
“You passed out after your last training, right after you changed into the rock.”

             
“I did what? You mean I actually did it?” he asked, surprised at the news.

             
“I don’t know what you did different, but it worked, you became an extension of the rock. It didn’t last long, but that’s to be expected,” he told him. “Now eat you need the energy, I was told it would drain you, at least at first. Once you can control and harness the necessary power to change when and where you want to it won’t be so draining. So rest now, we will work some more in the morning.”

             
The next few weeks the two of them kept working on learning how to use and control the power.  Eventually he was able to take the form quickly holding it for hours, the strain taking less and less energy.  After he had mastered the skills of nature and fixed location items, it was time to advance.

             
Being able to take on the properties of fixed objects was the easiest of all transformation forms. Once those skills were mastered he moved onto movable objects, like that of a bird. To understand the dangers of being different animals he took several days to learn their habits, the dangers from predators and how they functioned in nature.

             
Animals were more challenging even though he easily recognized that they were living elements in nature. Unlike the rocks and trees where he could stand next to them and be joined the animals were always moving. Their life forces were closer to them so it took time to get to be as they were.  Through the process he found he didn’t have to actually meld with the element or object he desired to become but he only had to view their life force and manipulate his own to match the patterns that were found in each one.  At the same time changing into an animal he needed to learn how to live as one.

             
He worked at becoming a bird next, with that ability he had to learn the principles of flight. He watched the different kinds of birds that were in the forest. Being able to change to anyone he wanted he quickly learned the advantages and disadvantages of each one. The eagle could fly high and fast seeing clearly for miles.  Whereas when he took on the form of a humming bird he could get into smaller areas and avoid being seen.

             
Each animal that he learned from had its own challenges as well as special abilities.  By taking the form of a bear it gave him greater strength, the wolf giving him speed and agility.  With each transformation he grew in wisdom and strength, he could change from one thing to another with little to no effort. He always liked being in his human form to be able to reason and communicate with others.

             
His training was nearly complete, having learned the traits of so many different items had been difficult, now he had a new skill that none of the other guardians possessed the control over something he was not.