Let’s start this by saying I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Yes, that’s right. I love you! And you and you and you and you and you and YOU! Especially you ! So far I hadn’t put up any personal replies to your replies (Am I the only confused one here?) But I will someday! So I wanna say how much I appreciate all the people reading this. And I could get all sappy on you and start crying and all that but I don’t think you want that! You wanna read my fic! …I think. OK, I leave nows! Thanks! Bibi!
Might & Magic
Chapter 4: The Call to Arms
Willow sighed wistfully, her chin in the palm of her hand as her elbow rested on the top of the table. All she could think of was Tara. Tara Tara Tara. It was impossible to get the blonde out of her head. Her musical voice, which most thought was flawed by her stutter, but Willow, on the other hand thought it was quite adorable. Her golden tresses that cascaded down her shoulders, her blue eyes that looked into her soul.
“WILLOW!”
Willow so startled by her instructor’s voice, jumped up 5 feet in her stool before regaining her composure.
Dalamar pressed a thumb and index finger to his temples, closing his eyes and exhaling in frustration of his only student. Humans. If he had his way, he wouldn’t be passing on his knowledge of dark arts into a human. Who knows what could happen when passing Elven Dark Magics into the hands of a human girl! He wondered what possessed him to accept Willow as his apprentice. Because she was the only person on the entire face of Kranin who had the heart and mind to learn. But still. That did not excuse her lack of participation. Usually she was so willing to learn new spells.
“Willow. Willow…” He shook his head. “My dear, what has gotten into you?”
Willow looked around nervously. “Oh-um…you know me! I was thinking through a spell! Yeah, you now the one you taught me yesterday! The one with the-“
Dalamar shushed Willow tirade with a cold voice. “You mean a simple enchantment spell would make you sigh like a lovesick fool?”
Willow, properly hushed, stared into her hands, which were folded across the tabletop. Dalamar felt a tug on his heart and felt a little guilty for his harsh words. He had a soft spot for his young apprentice, the only person brave enough to take on the daunting task of learning one of the darkest magics on the spectrum. When he was called to Ashenvale’s Tower, he had expected a young male Qualinost elf to be his student.
For the Qualinost were the bravest, if not most foolish of all the elven Nations. But instead he had received not an elf but a human GIRL. A weak pathetic human girl learning the most dangerous of arts! He had nearly laughed when the Mage Council showed him his would-be pupil. But there was something about Willow that made him clap his mouth shut and stifle the roar of laughter. The way she stood proudly before the Mage Council, the most powerful sorcerers and sorceresses in the world, and had glared defiantly at them. It reminded him of himself when he was banished from Silvaseti for pursuing dark arts. And he saw himself in the little girl. So he said yes. He would teach her the Art. He would mold Willow from a sniveling little runt into the most powerful of sorceresses! He would make her great!
But now he wasn’t so sure.
“Come.” He said, sweeping over to one of the laboratory’s many bookshelves. He glanced through the many magical texts, his lips whispering their titles as her browsed through them. “I will teach you something new today.”
Willow gazed at him in curiosity. What would he teach her? Circles of protection? Summoning the dead? How to tap power from pieces of land to gain mana? Or perhaps curses? She was about to find out for Dalamar seemed to have found what he was looking for. He drew a thick black-bound tome from the shelf and brought it over to where Willow sat, at the end of a long oak table, on a stool far too short for her.
He slammed the tome down on the table with a terrific boom that echoed through the dark cold laboratory. He proceeded to flip through the worn-yellowed pages until he stopped at a page that held an old drawing or a wooden orb made of tangled roots of trees fused together to form a perfect sphere. The roots twisted from the ground and rose up high to suspend the sphere on what seemed like a pedestal.
“What is it?” Willow blinked.
“An ancient artifact.” Dalamar said matter of factly.
‘Duh!’ Willow thought, rolling her eyes. Dalamar caught the exasperated look and merely smiled.
“It’s a Wooden Sphere.”
“No, really?” Willow, clearly disappointed, but managed to pretend to be surprised.
Dalamar shook his head, once again his apprentice remained ignorant and shallow. “The magic, Willow. It’s an incredibly rare artifact.” He got up and went over to his desk, and began fumbling through it. “It allows to user to tap into any power source and draw energy into his body, to either enhance his magic skills or, when used in times of war, heal his battle wounds.” He finally found what he was looking for, and held the object close to his right eye, regarding it warily. He walked back over to where Willow was sitting. “There are only two left in the entire world. One is held in Palanthas, the other…” He placed next to the book, in front of Willow, the exact same sphere that was depicted in the book. “Is lost.”
Willow was in shock. “Oh my God…”
“I will teach you how to use it.” Dalamar continued as Willow kept staring at the artifact in awe. It was relatively large, the approximate size of her head, not counting its pedestal of roots that held it up. She reached out to brush her fingers against the surface. There was energy stored into the orb, that was certain, what kind she did not know.
“How could you fit it into your desk?” Willow asked, confused. Dalamar picked up the sphere in his hand and whispered words of magic. To Willow’s surprise, it disappeared! “How did you-Where did it go?!” She looked around the room.
Dalamar reached out his hand and Willow saw a small wooden marble that rested in his palm. “It can diminish in size. Very convenient actually.” He closed his hand over the marble and placed it into the pocket lining his black velvety robes. “I’m afraid I do not have time to teach you how today though.” He glanced outside the window. Willow followed his line of sight and found herself gazing into the moon’s full face placed against the black sky.
Willow, realizing what time it was, scrambled to collect her things. Dalamar watched her patiently. “I will see you tomorrow. But please do not be late like today.” His dark almond-shaped eyes saw everything, and did not miss the rush of blood that rose to Willow’ cheeks as she remembered how she and Tara spent the afternoon talking.
“Good night, Shalafi.” Willow used the elven word for ‘Master’. It was common use here in the Ashenvale Tower. Her elven vocabulary had greatly improved and she could even understand some conversations. But she never got any specific dialects, it was enough trying to learn Elven Common.
“Goodnight Willow.” Dalamar nodded.
Willow disappeared out the door and began walking toward the direction of the rooms. She wondered vaguely of her home, Solace. She wondered how Buffy and Xander were doing. Sure, it was great here in Ashenvale! Not too mention meeting Dawn and Tara. She grinned, thinking of the blonde elf. But she got homesick too sometimes. She missed Ms. Summers and her spiced potatoes that she always had ready for them whenever they chose to drop by.
She thought of Buffy and hoped that she wasn’t teasing Xander too much and his ego too damaged. Oh how she would love to be with them again! Too run the hills with them, go fishing in the river that ran through Solace. Somehow Willow always seemed to be the one who caught anything, a fact that Willow loved, as she would shove this fact into Xander’s face and rub it in.
Willow’s meditation was broken when she neared a group of elves talking excitedly and a bit too loudly. She twisted her face in annoyance, about to proceed forward but then found that Dawn and Tara were among the group. She bounded forward, eager to join them.
“The orcs are massing an army! I heard it from my mother!” On girl elf said.
“The humans are going to attack Silvaseti!” Another joined in.
“War drums were heard in the west!”
“Hey guys.” Willow waved to Dawn and Tara, approaching them.
“Hey, Willow.” Dawn muttered.
“H-Hi.” Tara said quietly, raising her hand in a greeting.
“What’s up? What’s everyone so excited about?” Willow asked, wondering what was happening to have half the students out in the cold night with their sleepwear on. Tara and Dawn looked at her like she grew another head. Willow checked her shoulders, just in case.
“You mean you didn’t hear?” Dawn said, unbelieving, her eyes wide.
“I just came outta class!” Willow reasoned.
“Makes sense. Faith’s message came a few minutes ago. Beren didn’t even stop for a snack.” Dawn crossed her arms, which mimicked Tara’s current position. Willow would’ve found it funny if the situation hadn’t been so unnerving.
“Who’s Faith?” Willow blinked.
“A friend of o-ours.” Tara explained. “She sent us a l-l-letter from Silvaseti, we’ve only got it ten minutes ago and the entire school seems to have f-found out a-already.”
Willow was reminded of the night she found Tara tying a letter to the leg of a falcon, a few days ago. ‘So that’s what she was doing!’
“The human army attacked.” The brunette elf wrung her hands, glancing at her older sister who seemed equally nervous.
“Oh God guys-I’m sorry-“ Willow hastened to apologize on her part. But Tara interrupted her before she could get any further.
“W-Willow? W-W-What village are you f-from again?” Tara asked a bit hesitantly. Willow did not miss the look that passed between the sisters. They knew something.
“Solace.” Beat. “Why?”
“Um-Willow? I think you need to sit down…” Dawn suggested, which sounded totally stupid to Willow.
“On the FLOOR?”
“Yeah.” Dawn and Tara echoed together.
The Mage Council in the meanwhile had called a very hasty and urgent meeting in the Ashenvale Tower. Mages from all over Kranin came to this meeting, from the Mountains of Thanet, to the Plains of Istar. They wore robes ranging from black to white.Their arrival all due to means of magic, though some elves from nearby Qualiseti, had chosen to ride griffons. All were in a heated debate, to whether or not involve themselves in the War. Of course, anyone who was not elf or man was clearly set against it.
They were in the uppermost chamber of the tower. They lined the sides of a tremendously long stone table. Torches lined the walls, and candles were set at precise intervals to provide light for the reading of documents and books. But no one was really reading right now. They were arguing among themselves, so loudly that three stories down, in the dormitories, their voices could be faintly heard.
“What do we do?” One White Robe asked.
“What CAN we do? Better to not involve ourselves with the war though.” Another muttered.
“Of course, I’m glad that WE don’t have any students from Solace.” A minotaur wearing black snorted, a representative from Azeroth.
“Well I have a student…” Dalamar, who was also at the meeting, started.
But the Council was interrupted by the huge wooden doors thrown open. A red-haired human girl wearing scarlet robes, flanked by two elven girls wearing white strode in. The human’s face was flushed and stained with tears, and the elves looked openly distressed. Tara’s hand found itself on Willow’s shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. Willow, appreciating the blonde’s act of kindness, and firmly grasped the hand that, for a small moment, set her mind at ease.
Tara blushed, staring at her boots. Dawn noticed, and for the moment, allowed herself to smile.
“What do you want?” A voice snapped, Tara recognized as Porthios.
Willow frowned, stepping forward, forcing the girls to drop hands. “Permission to speak in the presence of the Council?”
“Granted.” Porthios snapped.
“I wish to postpone my studies.”
“Why?” The minotaur grunted.
“I want to go home. I want to return to Solace.”
A murmur passed through the mages. Some nodded heads; others were skeptical. And some were downright set against it.
“How will you return? You must pass through Silvaseti, and the Istar Plains. It will take you weeks to get to Solace.” The Head of the White Robes, a human named Palin, asked.
“As Head of the Black Robes, and her instructor...She has my approval.” Dalamar said, raising his hand.
“What?!” Porthios stood up, his face livid. The people in the room winced, who knew an elven voice could go so high? “She’s here to learn until her training is complete! She agreed to that when we accepted her into the tower!”
“Porthios, sit down and shut up.” Dalamar waved his hand. One could practically hear the “ooo’s” that echoed through everyone’s minds.
Porthio’s face turned redder than robes of the Order of Red. “How dare-“
“Porthios.” Dalamar turned his head, glaring at the White. “If Qualiseti were to be attacked on the morrow, I would doubt that you would sit around on your lazy ass and yawn.”
Dawn turned to Tara and whispered sidelong, pointing at Porthios discreetly. “Geez, is he having a heart-attack?”
Tara giggled.
“Fine.” Porthios grumbled, having more than his share of indignities, and sat down.
Willow did her happy dance, in her head of course. Behind her, Dawn clamped onto Tara and hugged her. Things were going in the right direction. Soon she could return to Solace.
“But the Palin has made a good question.” Dalamar continued. “How will you get to Solace? A girl traveling alone…” He trailed off.
Willow’s eyebrow knit together. She hadn’t thought about that. Great, how WAS she going to get home without getting robbed or killed or worse?
Dawn glared at Tara, willing her to say something. Tara just stared back. ‘What?’ She asked in their native tongue. Dawn rolled her eyes, and kicked the blonde in the shins. Tara winced, fully understanding.
“I-I’ll go with her.” Tara said meekly, once she fully recovered from Dawn’s blow.
“WE’LL go with her!” Dawn grinned proudly. “We’re willing to adjourn our studies too!”
“And how will that help Willow?” A dwarf in red asked.
“Begging your pardon sir.” Dawn said, a bit self-assertive. “But with your time spent at the tower, I’m surprised that you have not learned that we elves do have our methods of traveling.”
The Council looked among each other. The Heads of the Orders, Dalamar, Palin, and Jenna, a woman of the Red Robes, and started to whisper heatedly at each other.
Willow turned around to face Tara and Dawn, her face full of confusion. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to get you home.” Dawn answered smartly.
Tara just patted Willow’s arm. “We’ll tell you later. Just trust us for now.” She returned her gaze to the arguing Heads, her eyes full of worry, her teeth biting her lower lip. She turned back to Willow and found the redhead still staring at her. “What?”
“You didn’t stutter throughout that whole thing!” Willow grinned.
“Oh, it’s a-um…I only do that when I’m nervous.” Tara gave a lop-sided smile, which instantly melted Willow’s heart, before dipping her head back down.
“Hey, it’s just me. We’re friends.” Willow whispered so only Tara could hear. She reached her hand out, brushed away a lock of blonde hair that obstructed her view of the night elf’s face, and tucked it behind her ear. Tracing a finger down Tara’s jaw line to her chin, she tipped the blonde’s face up to meet hers. “You don’t have to be nervous around me.”
“Friends.” Tara breathed.
“Yeah.” Willow smiled, though secretly, she knew she was longing for much more than friendship.
Dawn looked from one girl to the other and rolled her eyes. ‘They look like they’re gonna eat each other's faces or something!’ “Just kiss already.” Dawn muttered.
Tara and Willow’s eyes widened and both flushed deeply, pulling back hastily to Dawn’s distaste.
“Dawn!” Tara scolded her sister, glad to have something else to concentrate on, besides Willow.
“Wha-at?” Dawn asked. Her face a perfect picture of innocence. “I didn’t say anything!”
None of them had to say anything because at that moment, Dalamar stood up to deliver the Council’s decision. “Taranthalas.”
Tara turned, and stood nervously at full attention. It wasn’t everyday you had to stand in front of the Mages’ Council. She found it quite intimidating face in front of the most powerful of mages in the entire world.
“You’re scheduled take the Test next moon, are you not?”
“Y-Yes, S-S-Sir.” Tara nodded.
“Well then, how do you plan to go about this?” Palin intervened. “You cannot expect to go to Solace and return back in less than a month.”
Tara opened to mouth to reply but then shut it when she realized her had none.
“She can take it later?” Dawn asked meekly from behind her sibling.
Palin smiled, very much amused by Dawn’s suggestion, which of course was totally preposterous.
“I can t-take it in the T-Tower of Azeroth?” Tara asked. Very few knew that if a sorcerer had the power, he could travel from tower to tower in a blink of an eye. The Towers were in fact excellent power spires, and often used among mages as a teleportation device. In fact most of the non-elven mages arrived to the meeting by teleporting.
“So she knows of our portal.” Porthios chuckled much to Tara’s embarrassment. “Such a precocious child!” All the mages laughed, again to Tara’s embarrassment. Dawn and Willow each seethed with anger at the mages for laughing. Didn’t they know how hard it was for a mere student to stand in front of the Council? Willow herself had felt the huge sense of power that each council member held, and herself had felt very intimidated. She knew it was twice as hard for Tara.
“But it’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.” Dalamar threw in, sensing the blonde elf’s discomfort, and his student’s anger.
“I agree.” Jenna nodded. She too could feel the discomfort of the students. “Dalamar and I will go.”
“And I will meet them there.” Palin looked over at Tara. “Is it possible for you to send contact to the Azeroth Tower prior to your Test?”
“Y-Yes.” Tara nodded, clearly relieved to be out of the spotlight of humiliation. Willow and Dawn seemed to simmer down a little bit. But only a little bit.
“Very well then.” Palin nodded, and returned to glancing through the pages of a magic book. The trio just stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do before Dalamar spoke up to wave them off.
“You’re dismissed.” Dalamar smiled, chuckling.
“Oh.” The girls chorused, turning to leave.
“Oh, and girls?” Palin looked up, raising a hand. He waited for them to turn around and face him, before looking each in the eye and saying, “Do be careful.”
TBC...
………Did I mention I love you?
O-Mei Duei! JIA YOU!
by spazz07 » Thu Aug 01, 2002 2:25 am 
in shame... so it's not as if I was into that kind of universe in the first place but this fic certainly makes me want to know more.
ing it! 
but, cliffhanger... *SOB* cant wait for more