Mantic explained that magic could be stored in other objects like gemstones, which Arkin had already told them about. He then went on to say that during the War of Generations both the Elves and the Iumenta were engaged in a magical arms race. It was impractical to find gems big enough to store any significant amount of power, and they were finicky and hard to enchant.
During that time of the War, dragon domes were not in existence. The Elves grew hangers that were just curved buildings that the dragons stayed in. They grew fortresses out of trees and other plants, too. They could place spells on these structures, allowing the energy of the plant to power spells, and the domes today still used that principle. The structure was alive, and its energy went into everything.
However, these forts put the Iumenta at an extreme disadvantage; they could not make plants grow at will. Instead, they discovered crystalline technology, determining what made gems so good at holding magic and then finding a way to grow crystals with those specifications. From there, magic evolved rapidly and both sides began working on crystals, though even to this day, Mantic explained, Iumenta crystalline technology was far more advanced than Elven.
He went on to explain that there were crystals littering this dome that controlled everything from the dome’s growth to its lighting. They also powered spells that allowed the dome to see far away, sensing enemies and even weather patterns. More important, these crystals powered protective wards that were extremely powerful, so strong, in fact, that no Elven or Iumenta dragon dome had ever been defeated.
Legon felt his head buzzing with the information. Mantic looked sympathetically at them. “This is a lot to take in. It will take you years to learn all that this place holds and does. Don’t worry about it for now, just understand that it works.”
They nodded. He waved for them to follow. They walked next to hangars, most empty or closed with different crests on the door. As they approached, a woman walked out. Legon’s stomach gave a slight leap at the sight of her. She was an Elf, slender like all the other Elves, but her figure was incredible. He felt Keither’s brain function stop as well, and he understood why Sasha and Sara had reacted they way they did to Mantic.
She was wearing a pink dress that looked to be made of silk or some other rare and expensive cloth. It was like no other he’d seen. It was as if a piece of fabric was wrapped or inexplicably flowed around her body, simple and elegant. His eyes moved up her body. Her face was warm with thin red lips and a small nose. It was her eyes that seemed to make time stop, though. They were a deep blue green, rich with color and character, with metallic looking specks in the irises that reflected pink. They were amazing. What were they? Then it hit him as Mantic reached forward to introduce the woman.
“You’re a dragon!” Legon blurted without thinking.
It was the flecks of pink that gave it away. Arkin had told them that magic affected the look of one’s eyes once they were strong enough to ascend. The more flecks in the eyes, the more magic. He hadn’t understood what Arkin meant by “flecks” until now. She smiled widely, showing perfect white teeth.
“Guilty. My name is Iselin.” She gave a slight bow to them.
She turned to Arkin and her voice become playfully condescending.
“Babysitting didn’t wear you down too much did it? Do you need any more help?”
“Ha ha. I missed you too, Ise. Thank you for saving our collective behinds,” Arkin said.
“Anytime.”
“You were the dragon that saved us?” Keither said incredulously.
Legon and Keither felt the slight horror of knowing that their new true love had burned twenty people to a crisp not too long ago.
She laughed. “Why, do I look like a fire breathing beast to you?”
“Ah no, no…that’s not what I’m saying,” Keither stammered. “You’re very attractive. Not that I was looking…”
Sara spoke. “He’s fun to mess with.”
“I can see that,” Iselin said, smiling.
Keither chose silence. Legon thought that was a good idea. They stood quiet for a moment. He focused on Sasha’s mind. She was thinking. What was she going…?
“So Iselin, I’m sorry we’ve been rude. I’m Sasha. This is Sara, Keither, Arkin, who you seem to know, and my brother Legon.” As she finished she nudged him slightly forward. Reason and logic dictated that Sasha avoid doing anything embarrassing, something she usually succeeded at, except in one particular situation: Sasha’s favorite pastime was trying to set him up with people. To her credit she was good at it, but he needed to find a way out of this. Too late.
“You are a very beautiful woman Iselin. Your husband is lucky,” Sasha said.
Iselin looked a little uncomfortable. “Oh, I’m single…”
Sasha didn’t really try and conceal her happiness at the news “Really? Well are you going to be the one that shows us around?”
“Ah, I don’t know. I can if you would like…”
It was clear Sasha had taken Iselin off guard, and Legon wasn’t sure that it was a good idea, considering she was in fact a fire-breathing monster, albeit a very attractive one.
“It’s just, well, you seem so nice, and you know Arkin, and Legon is new to this Elf thing so…” Sasha trailed off.
The lights visibly went on in Iselin’s eyes as she turned her perfect gaze on Legon. He knew she was on to Sasha. She looked him over. He felt blood rushing to his face. Oddly, he found himself reciting the fear litany in his head. This was all the more embarrassing because Iselin, like Mantic and probably every other Elf in the room, could hear his heart speed up and see his face flush, even if the humans couldn’t. And worse, Mantic and Iselin most certainly felt the heat off him. This was great. Maybe he should go back to bothering the empire.
He spoke. “That’s ok Sash, I’m sure that…”
“No, I think it’s a good idea. Mantic, I will take them from here. Sasha, Sara, I like you two. We’re going to be friends, I can already tell.”
Mantic looked like he had been taken off guard. Clearly this was not part of the plan, and clearly Iselin had no authority to do this, but he turned and walked off anyway.
* * * * *
Sasha knew that she probably shouldn’t be trying to set Legon up with the first Elf she saw, but Iselin seemed to have a good sense of humor and probably wasn’t the type to be bothered by this behavior. Arkin was standing behind her and she could hear him trying not to laugh. Iselin made a jab at him and it appeared to be in good fun. She wondered about their history.
“Well, I will show you to your quarters first and you can rest and refresh yourselves. Then we can eat and I’ll show you around. Oh, and Legon, Mantic is in the process of contacting your house so they and the other great houses can ratify you.”
“Ratify me?”
“Yes. They need to certify that they believe you are who you are. It’s a formality, not to worry. They’ll have answered by this evening.”
Iselin whistled and Sasha gasped as she saw a large cat come walking up to her. It wasn’t a cat, though. It was made of pink fire and was in the likeness of a cat, slightly transparent with glowing eyes and a grapefruit sized ball of bright pink magic in its chest. The cat walked forward to inspect them, stopping first at Arkin, rubbing against his legs like any other cat would do. He petted it. Iselin looked inquisitively at them, and then seemed to realize something.
“So Arkin, what exactly did you teach them about magic?”
Arkin looked up, his countenance showing much irritation. “Oh, I’m sorry my lessons weren’t up to your standards. Forgive me for keeping them alive.”
Iselin laughed. “Touchy aren’t we. Come, Cat.”
“You still haven’t named her yet?” Arkin asked flatly.
“No. Why should I? Cat is so perfect. She is a cat, after all.”
“She’s a familiar, not a cat,” Arkin asserted.
“She’s in a cat form right now, so…”
“I’m sorry, but I
’m confused,” Sasha said.
Iselin answered. “Oh, sorry. Cat is a familiar. She’s made of magic, as you can see. This light in the center is where the crystal that powers her is. Familiars are very handy but take a class five to make and they’re hard to do. you will learn more about them. If you see Cat and need my assistance, you can ask her and if she is in range she will contact me.”
“Thank you,” Sasha said.
“You’re welcome. Now let’s go.”
* * * * *
Iselin turned and started to walk off, her cat close behind. Sasha liked Iselin so far, but she was also overwhelmed by this place. Everything about it was alien to her. They walked through passage after passage passing other Elves, all just as gorgeous as Mantic, or “delicious,” as Sara was thinking, but no humans. Finally Iselin spoke to Arkin.
“Will you be a dear and show Legon and Keither to their rooms and give them the tour? I will tend to Sasha and Sara.”
Arkin must have known where they were going because he nodded and turned down a hall with Legon and Keither. Sasha and Sara continued to follow Iselin, but something was bothering Sasha.
“Dang it!” she said.
“What is it?” Iselin asked.
“I forgot our things. I’m sorry, Iselin can you tell me how to get back in here and I can go get our stuff?”
Iselin smiled. “You don’t think that we have things for you?”
“Well I don’t…”
“When Mantic said that you were being offered our hospitality it didn’t just mean a room. He did offer, didn’t he?”
“Well yes, but…”
“We will have someone bring your things in, don’t worry about that. But all of your clothes are for colder areas; you must be hot,” Iselin said.
“We are,” Sasha replied .
“Good, then you will like the clothes we give you. They’re much lighter. I and another Ascended picked them out for you.”
“Oh, you did? Thank you. And Iselin?”
“Yes?”
“What’s an Ascended?” Sasha asked.
“Sorry, a dragon. You can use either term, but with the Elves you will mostly hear Ascended, as it’s the correct term.”
Sasha nodded and wondered: had Arkin given their measurements in his reports as well? She decided not to ask. They stopped at a plain looking door.
“This is your apartment while here. I will show you around,” Iselin said.
Iselin opened the door and Cat darted in like all cats do when doors are opened. So far she had been impressed by the dragon dome, but her quarters topped it all. There was a large living space with two white couches and a divan. The room was all wood with dark beam-like ribs running up the walls, meeting in the middle of the ceiling, which was about ten feet high with a large dome shaped light at the top. She noticed that the beams had intricate leaves carved, or rather grown, in them. The floor was the same dark color as the beams. To her right was a small sink that had a funny looking pipe coming out its back, and to her left a closet. On the floor was large rug. Separating the couches was a table not more than two feet from the ground. She walked to the couches, examining the intricate woodwork. Sara sat on down on one.
“Even when I was sent to a rich man’s house I never saw luxury such as this.”
Iselin started apologetically “I am sorry for the meager apartment. As a lady of one of the great houses you should have more, but unfortunately space does not permit.”
“This is normal?” Sasha asked.
“Of course. You must remember we come from different worlds. To Elves this is average at best. When you go home you will see real luxury. Now come, I will show you how everything here works and where your chambers are.”
Iselin took them on a tour of the apartment, starting first with the sink and the funny pipe, which was called a faucet. It was astounding. Next she walked them into a bedroom. They were met by a bed the likes of which Sasha had never seen. It was much larger than any she had ever slept in. She pressed down on the soft silky sheets. It was squishy. Iselin smiled at them and showed them the bathroom, as it was called.
Their amazement didn’t seem to end. There was a round thing you sat on and did your business like an outhouse, and Iselin said that the waste was taken by the dome. Then there was the ‘shower,’ which consisted of a space you stood in naked and an odd-looking set of hollow tubes close together coming from the top of the wall sprayed water on you. Against the wall was a ridge that you moved your hand along until the water was a temperature that you liked. There was a sponge and a liquid soap for your body and another for your hair.
“You two look a little overwhelmed,” Iselin said
“That’s a good way to say it,” Sara said.
“Well, I’ll tell you what: Sasha, you can stay in this room, and Sara, you can stay in the one across the living space. It’s set up the same. Take a nice, long, hot shower. Trust me, you will feel better and I wi…”
Sasha didn’t hear anything else. The episode came on fast and unexpected.
* * * * *
Sara waited next to Sasha for her to wake up. She would only be out for a few minutes. Iselin had moved quickly when Sasha fell. She didn’t even make if half way to the ground before Iselin swept her up with surprising speed and strength. She took her effortlessly to the bed and laid her down. Sara needed to remember that despite looking beautiful and fragile, Elves were far from it, and dragons doubly so.
“Does this happen often?” Iselin asked.
“A few times a week, but they’re better when Legon is around.”
Iselin was sitting on the bed next to Sasha, holding her hand. She saw that the Elf was bothered by this and she wondered why.
“Back home people said that she was possessed with devils. Legon and his friends got in a lot of fights defending her. That’s why she came with him. It wasn’t safe for her in Salmont with him gone.”
“I see,” Iselin said.
“Is everything all right Iselin? I promise Sasha will wake up and she isn’t possessed with anything. She’s the best person I know. Nothing evil could live in her.”
Iselin looked at her. “I know she’s not possessed. I was allowing a healer to look through my eyes to figure out what Sasha has.”
“Do you think you might know what it is?” Sara asked.
“Yes, and the Iumenta would have known as well. Sasha would have had a very different life if people knew what was wrong with her physically and not treated her so horribly.” Iselin gave a deep sigh.
Sasha began to stir. She looked up. “Wha…?”
“You had an episode,” Sara supplied.
“No, you had a seizure,” Iselin said.
“What’s that?” Sara asked for Sasha.
“It’s what you’ve been having your whole life. I have sent your information to the head of our medical staff. He says that you have something called epilepsy. It’s a medical problem. You’re not possessed.”
Sara looked intently at Iselin. “Did Arkin know about it?”
Iselin looked at Sara. “No, he didn’t. He’s been trying to figure it out for years but he has had limited contact with us, and truth be told, his handlers cared a lot more about their schooling than medical problems. We needed more information. She needed to be around a very learned healer or someone that could send the healer information while it was happening.”
Iselin placed her hand on Sasha’s chest right below her neck and Sara saw a pink glow from under the hand. Sasha gasped sharply and her eyes widened. Iselin took her hand away. “Better?”
“Yes, thank you. It should take me a few hours to recover from that. Are you sure it hasn’t…?”
Iselin laughed. “You two need to remember that I’m a dragon. I have more than enough strength. Now take your showers, and trust me, you will feel wonderful afterwards. I will bring you clothes to wear. I am leaving Cat here if you need anything else while I’m gone.”
* * * * *
Arkin
walked down the hall to the approaching Iselin. She looked concerned. “What is it?” he asked
“Sasha had a seizure. We think its epilepsy. I can explain later. How are Legon and Keither settling in?”
“They’re fine. Both are still shell shocked with this place. I’m getting them something to wear now. The girls?”
“They’re fine. I like them both. You did well.”
“A compliment?”
She was alongside him now. They turned down a corridor. She placed her arm around his shoulder. “Tell anyone and I’ll eat you.”
He laughed. She had been this way since they were young. They continued along until they came to a shop that was inside the dome that sold men’s and women’s apparel. They both got what they needed, Iselin picking up four or five dresses for both girls, as well as shoes and everything else needed.
After that they went back to Iselin’s apartment to get Legon’s ring and Sasha’s necklace. They were important figures now, so certain precautions needed to be taken. For Legon it was a ring with a large amethyst crystal on it. For Sasha, a necklace that was made of platinum and in the center a large tear-shaped crystal that looked like ruby. A smaller ring and necklace for Keither and Sara were there as well. These were for protection. yes, they looked nice, but they were laden with magic. Once on they could only be taken off by the owner. They had wards that protected from many things that an assassin might use, including most poisons. Arkin figured Iselin had made them herself. She was incredibly skilled with magic. She had only been an Ascended for about ten years now, but she had grown in notoriety. Her charisma and prodigy-like skills helped her outstrip all of her peers.
After Legon got dressed, Arkin explained what the ring did and how it worked. Legon didn’t seem to mind the ring at all, and all he wanted to know was if Sasha and the others were getting protection as well. Arkin informed him that that they were, but that he and Sasha were to get the most.
“We are going to go to the girls’ rooms now and then to get dinner. I suspect that they will test your magic when we get there,” Arkin said.
“And how do they do that?” Legon asked.
“There is a crystal you hold; it has a spell to tell them what class you are. Be thankful—it used to be you had to demonstrate your power. Now you simply hold a rock.”
* * * * *
Keither knew that he was now out of place with the others. They were all Venefica. Even Kovos would have been if he still lived, but Keither wasn’t connected when it happened. So he was still just a regular human.