The Schooling of the Spell Caster

She had run into Brian and Jason on that journey and their devotion to Syn had lasted well into the night and into the morning. Syn had been pleased. But then her steps had taken her further south, past a blockade established by the King, and into the realm of the Fae. The Fae lands were split in two. The mountainous Night Fae realm to the West ruled over by Rhiannon de Moroingi, Queen of the Night Fae and Unseelie Court. And to the East lay the towering forests of Titania de Feywild, Queen of the Light Fae and Seelie Court.

The two queens had been at war since time immortal, constantly pushing against one another for dominance. Neither side ever truly gaining ground. Between the two realms lay a few cities, but it was Yanwey that mattered. It was the only true Fae neutral city, established a thousand years ago to settle disputes between the two Fae queendoms.

Syn had sent her to this city, and she had been eager to see it. It had been described to her as a towering city of opulence and glory, its architecture a mix of Night Fae and Light Fae majesty.

Instead, she had found first a blockade barring all from heading south. King Arbuckle had closed all roads south, and she had been forced to demonstrate the power of Syn to those who would stop her. The road south had been lonely. The land was too quiet, too empty, too desolate. A deep sense of trepidation had filled her, and Syn had hurried her along.

She could still vividly recall the first sight of what had remained of Yanwey. She had crested a hill and stopped, frozen in horror, as her gaze took in the remains of the city.

It was gone, and all that remained was a massive, blackened crater. It was six miles wide and the city that lived there was simply gone. The centre of the crater rose a little, and black water surrounded it for half a mile. The centre glinted like glass. She sank to her knees and stared at the desolation. The air was silent, and Jennifer noticed the complete absence of any life around her. The trees to the east were flattened and scorched. The hills and mountains to the west were smoothed down with underlying rock exposed.

All those people, she thought with horror. Men, women, children, and animals. All gone. The buildings, the parks, the canals, the shops. Gone.

Jennifer had no idea what could do something like this. The power of the desolation was beyond her ability to grasp. She wanted to turn and flee and leave it all behind, but Syn pushed her hard at that moment. Syn demanded she continue and to walk all the way into the centre of the devastation.

Her eyes blurred with tears she could not stop. Her heart grew heavy and pulled her down, but Jennifer rose, answering the call from Syn, and started the slow walk toward the crater centre. Each step had seemed impossible, but she drew from her determined nature and trudged the miles.

As soon as she crested the wall of the crater, she felt it. A faint stirring of ecstasy washed over her, the source somewhere ahead. Her steps grew a little lighter, and she pushed herself forward. The feeling of ecstasy grew stronger, and then she felt something new. A sense of betrayal. A sense of loss. Jennifer was confused. At first, she felt the joy of birth, the same feeling she always had witnessing the birth of a child. But underlying that joy were much darker feelings.

She could feel immense anger and hatred. A feeling of betrayal. It lay in the centre of the crater. She looked around the crater, devoid of anything but blackened soil and the dark waters surrounding the centre. The air smelled of fire and ash... and magic. Jennifer stopped and looked about. The level of magic was enormous. It permeated the air, and mixed with the ash, gave her a sickly feeling. The small amount of joy and ecstasy she had felt was buried under it.

She felt nauseous and bent over quickly and emptied her stomach. Her stomach clenched hard and soon nothing was left. Spit and tears filled her mouth and eyes, and she spat and wiped at her face. She felt weak and asked Syn for strength but was denied through silence. Syn was too focused on the centre of the crater and seemed almost annoyed with Jennifer and her weak stomach.

"I'm trying!" complained Jennifer. It was rare that Syn annoyed her, and she felt a stirring of anger toward her goddess.

Immediately, Syn seemed to step back a little. Jennifer wasn't sure, but she may have felt a bit of an apology from Syn. She had never felt that before, and somehow it made her feel a little better. Jennifer wiped her mouth, swallowed against the burn in her throat from her vomit, and continued to trudge toward the centre of the crater.

Jennifer soon realised she wasn't capable of processing all the feelings she was feeling. She wanted to run and run and never stop running until Yanwey was behind her. But Syn pushed her along. Jennifer had to bear witness. As a Paladin of Syn, her duty lay in finding truth and seeing justice served.

She stopped at the edge of the brackish water. It smelled of tar and death. What unnerved her was just how calm the water was.

In fact, she realised, there is no wind. No noise. This is unnatural. That one obvious thought sent a moment of humour through her, and it buoyed her heart. Of course it's unnatural!

She undressed, looking out over the oily water and placed her armour and belongings on the smooth crater floor a good distance from the edge. She tied her hair up high on her head and looked out over the water.

She grabbed her small latrine shovel from her backpack and tied a string to it and put it around her neck. She stepped up to the water's edge and dipped a toe into it. It was warm. Too warm, but not quite hot.

She pulled her toe free and saw the oily water clung to it. She shuddered, reached deep within herself for courage and strength, and waded into the water, feeling the smoothness of the crater under her feet. She disliked the feel at once as the water level slowly rose over her shins and clung to her. She noticed no large ripples undulated away from her. The surface remained smooth like glass, barely disturbed by her passage. When she looked down, she saw her reflection like in a mirror.

This is pure horror, she thought, and a heavy shudder wracked through her. Please Syn, lend me your strength!

Syn was still focused on the centre of the crater. Jennifer felt a flutter of her attention, like a mother might notice her child at her feet for a moment. Jennifer grimaced and kept walking.

The water level rose slowly, and Jennifer hesitated when it would soon touch her most private area. She paused for a long moment and then continued. She almost squealed when the level touched her mons, but she pushed the repulsion down and clenched her teeth. She forced her feet to move, and the oily water rose as she waded deeper. Soon she was beyond wading and when the water touched her breasts, she ground her teeth.

In moments, she had no choice but to swim. She did the breaststroke and kept her head and face clear. Her nose, so close to the water, could smell it so much clearer. It smelt like the remains of a house consumed by fire and then doused by the citizens. It was foul and acrid. She spat and was alarmed when her spit was black, too.

She pushed herself, eager to reach the centre and climb out of the water. It was too warm, and she overheated. She swam and swam, fighting the ache in her arms and legs. Swimming wasn't something she did routinely, if at all, and she found it difficult.

Nearing the centre, she reached down with her feet and felt her toes scrape the bottom. She nearly choked on her joy and scrambled to right herself. In moments, she was once again wading, and she almost gasped with the relief to her aching arms and shoulders. She looked down at herself and saw the water clung to her. She scrapped it off as best she could and pushed forward harder.

As soon as she was free of the water, she collapsed at the edge and drew in shuddering breaths. She held her upper body up with her arms, and her latrine shovel scrapped the almost glassy surface at the centre of the crater. It felt hard like stone, and she recognised it. It was obsidian. She shook her head, trying to deny what it was.

She coughed then, and it wracked her frame. She felt something loosen in her throat and spat out a glob of black phlegm.

"Syn? What is this? Obsidian comes from volcanoes. This isn't a volcano, so how?"

She waited for an answer but only felt the need to rise and reach the centre. Groaning, she pushed herself to her feet and stared at the centre, now only a mere hundred yards from where she stood. All around was obsidian, smooth and unmarked. It was hot, but not unbearably so. She looked down at her little shovel and felt almost stupid for bringing it.

The centre rose about five feet from the edge of the water. In the middle was another rise, of about two feet and looked to be about six feet in diameter. Jennifer walked forward and found it slippery with her wet feet. She wiped at them as best she could and continued forward. Soon the heat dried her feet, and she could move quickly.

She stopped at the centre and looked down. A circular depression lay before her and in the middle was the unmistakable mould of an egg shape. It was empty.

Syn grew angry. It rose within Jennifer with alarming force, and Jennifer fought to keep her sanity. She had never felt the wrath of her goddess this strongly before. It rose and rose, and Jennifer clapped her hands to her head and squeezed. She fell to her knees and then cried out.

The anger knew no bounds and grew until Jennifer felt her mind explode and blackness took her away.

When she woke, the sun was sinking toward the horizon. It would be dark in a few hours. Jennifer groaned and rolled over from her front to her back. The shovel scrapped on the glass. She lay on her back and looked up and spotted the crescent moon, high in the remains of the day sky. She ached all over and her breathing was laboured.

Syn was still fuming. Jennifer felt it running through her in waves. She also felt uncertainty from her goddess. Like she didn't know what to do next and Jennifer felt her heart freeze.

Syn is never uncertain and if she feels that way now, what does that mean?

I'm sorry, my Jennifer, came a shocking response in her head.

Syn! Syn is talking directly to me!

Yes, yes. I'm sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me. I knew what to expect here but seeing it... it has overwhelmed me with the tragedy of it. Over four million lives were lost here. Fae, dwarves, gnomes, humans, animals of all kinds, trees, flowers, insects. All destroyed. I have never seen such an injustice.

B-by what?

This is the result of a Phoenix going through their rebirth. The male Phoenix. It is always violent. Always. But the Phoenix knows this and always finds a place to be reborn where the damage will be limited. Usually in the heart of deep, underwater volcanoes. This time it chose to do it in the centre of a massive city. It did so with such great anger.

Do you know why?

No, and yes. I sense the female Phoenix was here, too, as her egg. This is expected. The male finds the female egg and is reborn. For a time, they are united, free to express their emotional and physical love for each other. The female is born anew as a Phoenix and the male returns to the egg. This is the cycle. It has always been this way. One rises while the other sleeps.

What was different this time? asked Jennifer.

I cannot sense the male Phoenix egg. Something terrible has happened here. Something interfered with the natural order of things. A grave injustice has occurred. The male Phoenix was betrayed.

Jennifer grew silent and tried to understand. She felt like she was failing her goddess.

Worry not, my young paladin. If I do not understand this, nor should you. You have never failed me.

Those words almost had Jennifer crying in joy. She loved Syn so very much. What next, my goddess? What would you have me do?

Syn went silent for a long time. Jennifer sat up and looked back at the centre of the crater. In the middle was the impression of an egg, smooth and unmarked. Clearly an egg had lain here and had been removed by someone or something.

Syn spoke again. Head back to Whitehaven. Join with Daniel and his circle. Grace, Jason, and Brian will also be there. You will all come together and investigate this further. Find out what happened here. Find out what happened to the male Phoenix. Recover the female egg. It is with King Arbuckle. I charge you, Jennifer Jousts, with this task. Do not fail me. This has repercussions across the world.

Of course! replied Jennifer. I live to serve.

Syn laughed a little then. I do not want blind obedience, my little paladin. I want followers who think for themselves. I am not to be worshipped. Only obeyed so that my justice may be served. I only ask for your love, if deserved, in return. For I do love you, Jennifer Jousts. I love all my children, adopted, or otherwise. But I sense time is short. The Fae will go to war as they must. They are already blaming the other for this terrible loss and amassing their strengths. The natural balance has been altered. It will drag in the other races. I cannot abide this injustice, and it claws at me. I feel such hatred for this crime.

Hatred? Jennifer trembled. Syn was the Goddess of Love and Justice.

Yes, Jennifer. I am capable of both. Love and hatred are both sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. This is the natural balance of life. Hurry back to Whitehaven. Join the others. You have much to do. Like the Phoenix, you all must rise to this challenge.

Jennifer nodded her head. "As you wish."

Brian gasped at Jennifer as she finished her tale. "And Syn just spoke to you? Just like that?"

Jennifer nodded and wiped her tears away. They all sat at the dining table. Bitty had put out food and drink. The food was mostly untouched, but empty wine bottles littered the kitchen counter.

"What did her voice sound like?" asked Brian.

"Oh Brian, it was beautiful. Rich and feminine. Sultry."

"I wish I could hear her," murmured Brian.

"She told me she loves us."

Brian's face lit up with joy and he clasped Jennifer's hand and they stared at one another, lost in their love for their goddess.

Grace was watching Jennifer, and Daniel noticed.

"What's up?"

Grace stirred. "What Jennifer says is true. I was also in Yanwey. I lost many, many friends when the city was levelled. The male Phoenix evolved but failed to turn into the egg. He appears to be lost. The female egg was extracted by Eric, and it was Daniel who recovered it from him."

"So it's true? There is only one Phoenix at a time? Either the male or the female?" asked Jasmine.

Jennifer nodded. "So I am made to understand."

Grace nodded.

Bitty was sitting with them in a chair stuffed with cushions to raise her up. Her expression changed to the lecturing one they all knew. "The gnomes spent time researching the Phoenix cycle. At one time, we hoped they could provide insight into our curse. We were very desperate, as you know, and reached out for anything. Any clue on how to break the curse. We learned the cycle of the Phoenix is quite simple. One is alive while the other is an egg. They cannot both be alive at the same time. Every couple of hundred years or more, they are drawn together for a short time. The egg erupts into a full-grown Phoenix and the other is diminished into an egg. There is a massive exchange of power when it happens, both erotic and chaotic. Which is why we examined it. Erotic power is a rarity. Only the Phoenix has ever wielded that power. Until Daniel came along."

Everyone stared at Daniel.

Daniel put up a hand. "I have no idea, so stop looking at me." Daniel then looked at Grace. "Actually, Grace is kind of similar, no? We all know the power of her..."

"Pussy," declared Jasmine and Amy at the same time. They looked at each other and grinned.

Daniel chuckled. "Yes, her pussy. It's addictive."

Grace blew out air. "Like your cum, mister."

All the girls nodded their heads vigorously. Jason looked wistful.

Daniel pushed his wine glass around on the table for a time. "So now what?" He looked at Jennifer. They all did.

"Syn has sent me to join your party. I will be with you for many years, it appears. I am very pleased. Syn has rewarded me greatly for my service."

Grace grumbled. "Nine. Fuck me."

There was a quick flash of light and Grace gurgled and flopped backwards.

Brian chortled. "Divine Fuck. Love it." Brian helped Grace back to her feet.

Jennifer lacked the normal confidence she usually did. They could all feel it. "Syn said to come here and that we all need to join up. We need to locate the male Phoenix and the female egg."

Grace, Jason, and Brian looked at one another and communicated in the way only seasoned adventurers could. Brian nodded, and then Jason did.

Grace looked at the others. "This aligns with my task. I need to take back the egg I gave the King. My oath to Arbuckle is over, and I have my orders. I can't tell you much more than that. It looks like we form a large adventurer party. That's the simple part. Noobs and veterans."

Daniel nodded. "Then we need to go see King Arbuckle. Explain to him what has happened. I mean, stealing it won't do much good. It won't explain everything he needs to know. But would he understand if we tell him the Night Fae and Syn have sent us?" He was looking at Grace. He always seemed to be when she was around.

She shook her head. "He said he was hiding it for the safety of the Realm. I no longer believe him. I am worried. Things are not quite right."

"How do you mean?" asked Amber.

Grace ticked off her thoughts on her fingers one at a time. "One, why was the female egg in Yanwey to begin with? How did it get there? Two. What drew the male Phoenix there? Three. What caused the rebirth to explode out into Yanwey and destroy it? Four. Who removed the egg from the crater? I assume it was Eric, but how and why and where was he taking it if not to the King? Five. Why is the female egg still an egg? Six. Where is the male Phoenix? Is it alive or an egg? Seven. Who killed Eric for the egg?"

Grace looked away from Daniel. She didn't know how to tell him that King Arbuckle had sent his parents into the Wild to recover the female Phoenix egg. She didn't see the need to open that wound just yet.

Jason spoke into the sudden silence. "I find Eric puzzling. I agree he was an asshole. A large gaping, stinking, hairy..."

"Yes, we get it," murmured Grace.

"..., shitty asshole, but he was a good man down inside." He raised a hand to Grace. "Yes, and very rapey. I won't deny it. He's hopefully burning in the fires of Hades. But he was capable of good. Remember when we were looking for the egg? We met in Acron and looked everywhere. Then Eric took off. Sudden like. We just thought, oh look, there goes the asshole being an asshole again. But then he ends up dead outside Acron with the egg on him. Right? Why did he go back to Acron? If he was bringing it to the King like we swore we would, he wouldn't be in Acron. I think he was heading to the Wilds."

"Why?" asked Brian.

No one had an answer.

Jasmine looked thoughtful. "The King sent you to find the egg, correct? It seems to me that he might be behind all this. It's in his hands, after all, just like he wanted. Everything points to the King. So, I say we ask him. Daniel is right. He must have answers to some of this, right? Why don't we just ask the King? How would we get an audience? And make him listen to us?"