(Deposit Photos Edited With Canva by Author)

The Legend of Man: Book One: Destiny Awaits.

Chapter Five: Here We Stand. Here We Fall (Part One)

Disclaimer: I had to break each chapter down because some people told me that they were WAY too long (pfft), so each chapter will be divided into three parts.

Night crept in slowly. From their vantage point, they had a clear view of the summoning stones. Grendor had brought more beasts through them.

"I thought you said they were not active?" Wong asked.

The sight was filled with movement. Men riding the large hog beasts patrolled the outer edges of the area. Other guards patrolled the inner area; getting in there and using the summoning stones without being seen would be impossible.

Merladio looked at every movement, and he knew some of them personally, other Masters and teachers. Friidian must have sent all of them to help Grendor activate the stones. He looked around to see if there was a way through the defenses.

A small rodent approached them.

They had been hiding amongst the thick bushes a distance away from the stones. Using the old ruins as a barrier between them and their opposition.

"It is hard to get any closer," Lexia said, retaking her human form. "They have magic wards to detect any source of magic, including my shapeshifting."

Merladio knew that the other Masters who had come to help had done all they could to make sure Merladio and the others would not make it back to their Master. Friidian had sent all these people to ensure that whatever he was doing at Heavstat would not be disturbed.

Merladio had been thinking about Friidian all day and all night. The two Grand Masters had been friends for a long time, longer than most people's lifespans. Merladio knew that was the reason Friidian had sent him away; he knew that Merladio would try to stop him.

"They will be guarding both stone locations now," he mentioned. He knew the others were thinking of going back to the other stones.

"We need a diversion. Then two of us could get through easily," Trabias stated. The ever tactician was always thinking tactically. He knew rushing in there would be suicide.

"That means two of us would be the bait?" Wong asked.

Wong knew it would have to be Merladio and himself to go through. If things were as bad as they thought back at Heavstat, the only real way to fight Friidian and his followers would be for their most potent threats to make it through.

"Good luck, Master," Lexia waved at Wong as she was already standing and readying herself for a fight.

Wong was about to say something, anything to his best pupil, but he simply nodded back at her.

Trabias and Lexia began to walk through the bushes toward the camp.

"Follow my lead," Trabias said as he started to run forward.

Trabias's primary ability was lightning, and on a night like this, he was at his most dangerous. Arcs of lightning shot out of his hands, destroying two wagons of supplies. Lexia had no magic abilities except for shapeshifting.

The exploding wagons got everyone's attention; beasts and men ran towards them. Trabias destroyed another wagon, sending a few of the men flying into the air.

"Run!" Trabias shouted.

Groups of men and women began to run after them. Lexia shapeshifted into a wolf and bolted for the forest line.

"Let's go," Merladio motioned to Wong.

The two Masters walked towards the stones. Only a handful of people remained. They were no match for the two Grand Masters.

As Merladio activated the stones, Wong stood guard for any of the combatants who would return. A figure broke the forest line, and Wong prepared himself for combat. It was Lexia, running back in human form.

"What happened?" Wong asked.

"He said he could handle them. He said I would be needed with you," Lexia breathed heavily. She held a hand to her side as she approached them. She looked more wounded than she was letting on.

Wong tried to look at it. But she shook her head.

"It isn't too bad. I think I hurt myself," Lexia tried to smile. "Too much shape shifting!" she shrugged.

The stones began to turn again.

"They are ready," Merladio turned to them.

The three of them ran towards the swirling light. There was a flash of bright light, and then it disappeared. They found themselves just below Heavstat, which was floating way above them.

"It never ceases to amaze me," Lexia said as she looked up.

She could see the whole thing. Heavstat sat on a large, rough rock the size of a small mountain. It floated above a large hole in the ground. She stepped forward to look down the hole. Wong pulled her back.

"If you look at the pure energy that keeps it afloat you will be mesmerized and fall in," he said to her.

"The raw power will tear you apart slowly," Merladio said. "It will be very painful and feel like it is lasting an eternity, but it will only take a day."

He began waving his hands in circles. It started slowly but then built. The air around them began to stir, then grew into a loud hum. The three of them shot upward into the air fast.

They landed at the main entrance to Heavstat, where the rock met the school. The flat surface of the rock gave way to stairs that led up to the main door of Heavstat. Anyone who had permission to enter Heavstat came through here.

At the moment, their path was blocked by teachers and Masters loyal to Friidian.

"I do not wish to hurt any of you," Merladio started walking towards the large group, barring their path. "Please let us through."

"Take my staff," Wong whispered to Lexia.

He took out a small staff from under his robes. He followed behind Merladio as the group ahead of him did not move. They would fight him.

"Do not shapeshift if you do not have to," Wong ordered. "Stay behind us and do not give them any mercy, they will show you none!"

He handed the small staff to Lexia. When she held it, the staff's magic extended it to its entire length. She held it at her side. She had learned many different styles of attacks and defenses. She knew these were Masters. She would have to use everything she had learned and learn new tricks on the fly to defend herself against these people.

Merladio gave them a final warning; he begged them to rethink their actions. They looked at each other, then ran forward to attack the two Grand Masters.

Lexia braced herself for any of them that got through.

She tried to keep up the best she could. Getting the people who fell through the cracks of Merladio's and Wong's attacks. One of the teachers attacked her with vines that came from the ground. She jumped free of them, floating through the air. She landed behind him. She spun around, knocking him to the ground with the end of the staff. She jumped again, bringing the staff down on top of him. She turned to see that for her one victory. Merladio and Wong had many.

It took only moments for Merladio and Wong to start laying waste to the others. Lexia tried to keep an eye on Wong, but he seemed to be everywhere, disappearing and reappearing. She knew it was a spell making him move faster than her eyes could see.

Merladio was easier to watch, but his abilities made her feel small by comparison. He defeated other Masters with ease; they were clearly outmatched.

Another attacker somehow got through, but he was already weakened. With a simple swing of the staff, she knocked him unconscious.

When she looked again, the rest of them were either groaning in pain on the floor or not breathing. The two Masters were already at the door.

"Come on," Wong motioned.

Lexia was thoroughly impressed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While the three of them were fighting to get inside Heavstat, Friidian was fighting to get inside the Great Hall. He was furious; his followers had captured and tortured all the Watchers that they could find, but none of them had given up the spell that held the doors closed.

"Master!" one of his followers ran up to him as he stood outside the great hall. Merladio and the others have reached the entrance. We are being pushed back," the follower said.

Friidian looked back at him with anger in his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he walked towards the man. "Who would you rather face, them or me!"

The man turned on his heels and ran down the hallway. The other followers around Friidian backed away from him.

"There must be one of them inside!" Friidian shouted.

The memories of the Eternal Mage were just out of reach. Every time he thought he had something, a memory, a thought, or a spell, it would disappear. He knew that over time, he would remember everything. But time was not an option. He was aware that in a few moments. Merladio and the others would come for him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Inside the Great Hall. Cayaison stood by the door while the others tried to comfort the younger kids; some were crying, others were trying to hide or run. They were scared of the man outside the door.

Cayaison could make out Friidian's voice but no others. When he heard the mention of Merladio, he got excited. His Master was coming, and by Friidian's reaction, he was in Heavstat.

"We need to talk," a young man came up to him.

Cayaison nodded. He had heard that Friidian had thought there was a Watcher inside the hall. They moved against one of the far walls, away from the rows of chairs.

"The ward on the door, I can break it, but only from the inside."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Cayaison asked.

"Before Arthais passed, he told us one of his plans," the man said. "He put the ward on the door and sealed us in," the man said, looking around to make sure no one could hear him. "He sealed us in because of you!"

This shocked Cayaison; he didn't want to be the cause of the deaths of many. He didn't want that burden on him.

"Why me?" he asked.

"He knew this day would come; he knew one day the visions would be too much for a Grand Master to take, so he set a plan into action. A plan you must carry out!" the man continued. "Somewhere in this room is the first part of that plan. That only you can find," the man looked around.

Cayaison began to look, but all he saw were the familiar faces and rows of seats. The same walls. Nothing seemed out of place, not even the Master's table where all the Masters would sit; everything looked the same, nothing was out of place.

"He said it would take time," the man said as if he knew what Cayaison was thinking.

Cayaison nodded.

"Cayaison!" Dawain shouted from the door. Cayaison ran over to the door. "It went quiet," Dawain said as they both put their ears against the door.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What have you done. Friidian?" Merladio asked as he strolled towards his best friend.

Friidian's followers stepped aside as Merladio and Friidian met face to face.

"What the other Grand Masters should have done years ago!" Friidian said, unafraid.

Merladio studied the chaos that was rampant in the hallway. The dead bodies of the Watchers lay bleeding out on the floor. Scorched marks of spells that had bounced off the protection ward scarred the roof and adjacent walls. Friidian stood there, putting his face up high as he watched Merladio look around at the chaos and damage he had caused.

"All of this because of your visions?" Merladio shook his head as he circled his friend. "You killed the Watchers and put Heavstat into ruin because of your visions!"

He was telling his friend more than he was asking. He walked closer to the door.

"Cayaison?" he called out.

Merladio knew if anyone could keep the other students and teachers of Heavstat safe, it would be his best pupil.

"Yes, Master?" Cayaison answered.

Merladio breathed better; he was right, his best pupil was still alive.

"How many are left?" Merladio asked, looking back at Friidian.

Cayaison and his friends counted the remaining people in the hall.

"Forty-one teachers, Five Masters, and three hundred students," Cayaison replied in a low voice.

Even Friidian cringed at the number of students.

"But I saw Visiroux take some students and teachers into his classroom, I am sure he kept them safe!" Violetta added.

"Thank you, Violetta," Merladio nodded. "Thank all of you, you did well!"

He walked closer to Friidian. There was anger and disappointment on his face.

"It is over," he said as he laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "The two of us will talk about your punishment and…"

"No!" Friidian shouted. "I am not defeated!" he shouted as he shrugged Merladio's hand off him.

"You have killed hundreds of students, and a countless number of Masters!" Merladio shouted back at him. "It is over!" he backed away from Friidian.

The Grand Master shook his head.

"Master, be careful, he has taken the life of Arthais. I think he took his powers too!" Cayaison shouted through the door.

Merladio turned around quickly, facing Friidian.

"All of the Grand Masters saw the visions. They didn’t turn on their own, everyone of them saw what you saw! What makes you any different?" Merladio shouted.

"They did not see them as I did. They did not interpret them as I have! I see all! And now it falls to me. As it always has, to fix things before they go wrong! Friidian yelled louder.

His hands shot forward, and an arc of dark lightning shot out, arching its way toward Merladio, who disappeared and reappeared behind Friidian.

"So, it's true!" Friidian said, laughing. "Arthais did have the real power of the storm," he laughed louder, looking at his hands. "You said it was over. I think it is just beginning!"

He turned quickly and fired another bolt at Merladio, but again, he had disappeared before it hit him.

Merladio was prepared; he didn't move or falter after appearing a distance away from Friidian. He stared at his friend, giving him a warning look.

"Arthais warned me about you," Merladio said. "He told me how to defeat his magical attacks," Merladio said, shaking his head. "At the time, I had wondered why."

Merladio circled his arms as he uttered the chant Arthais had told him. The next bolt hit him. It had no effect. The dark lightning circled his body, then went into the ground.

"No!" Friidian said. "That old man will give me all his secrets!" Friidian shouted as he pushed both hands out as arcs of lightning shot out.

Merladio stood his ground as the light from the lightning filled the halls. He kept his hands before him, palms faced outward. The very walls trembled as thunder boomed inside. Everyone in the corridor shielded their eyes and ears from the lightning flashes and thunderous loud cracks.

"You will not stop me!" Friidian yelled over the crackling of the lightning. "I will bring an end to all the chaos and make things right. No one will stop me!"

"You have lost all of your sanity," Merladio said calmly. "I tried to convince you to stop," he said as the lightning cracked and broke around him. "I tried to reason with you!"

He brought his hand closer to his body and then shot them out. A single fireball shot out of it. It hit Friidian, sending him flying across the hall. He landed on his side and skidded to a stop. Friidian's followers went to his side. Friidian pushed them aside as he rose to his feet.

"You are no longer allowed to stay in Heavstat!" Merladio said aloud. "As the new Grand Master, I expel you and your followers out of Heavstat!"

As if Heavstat itself were alive, it began to shake. With every word Merladio said, the large building shook.

"You will no longer be able to use the spells that were given to you while inside these walls. I strip you of all the experience you had while you were Grand Master!" Merladio shouted. His voice echoed and reverberated in the large hallway.

Friidian chuckled. "I taught you those words!" he said. "They mean nothing to me!" he said, standing defiant. His words sounded defiant and strong, but his face trembled.

"No one will ever mention your great deeds again between these walls. Any memory of you and any of your followers will be erased from the great hall!" Merladio continued, stepping closer and closer to Friidian and his followers.

Cayaison looked at the writings on the back wall. Friidian's name disappeared from the roster of the Masters. Many other names began to disappear as well.

"You are now an enemy of all that have and ever will graduate from this place," Merladio continued.

"No!" Friidian said. "You and anyone that goes against me will be my enemy. I will hunt you down and kill all of you. Humanity is a disease, and I will wipe it clean from this world!" Friidian countered.

"You will now be expelled!" Merladio said.

Heavstat shook one last time as Friidian and his followers were forcefully removed from Heavstat by the powers that held it above the abyss. Merladio fell to the floor on his knees.

Slowly, Merladio got to his feet, breathing heavily as he looked around. It was done. Heavstat was safe again for now. He turned his attention to Wong and Lexia.

"Search for any teachers and students. All of Friidian's followers should have been expelled, but be careful," he ordered.

They both nodded and walked away. Merladio walked towards the door; he tried to touch it, but felt the strong barrier protecting it.

"Did you erect this ward Cayaison?" he asked.

"No," Cayaison replied. "Arthais did. One of the Watchers is in here, and he can take it down,"

There was a low muttering, and then the ward fell, and the large wooden door crumbled with it. Without the barrier, it could no longer stand on its own.

Cayaison stepped over what remained of the large door.

He looked into the eyes of his Master, who nodded back at him.

"It is over," Merladio said.

Merladio walked into the Great Hall. Students came out of hiding. He smiled at them. "It is over," he repeated.

"We will keep them all here until we are sure there are no remnants of Friidian’s followers," he told Cayaison. He looked over at Dawain and the others. All of Cayaison's friends looked well, healthy, and unharmed.

"I can see that you all have done well, keeping the others safe, and for that, I am very thankful."

"There is something I must tell you," Cayaison uttered.

Merladio shook his head.

"There will be time," Merladio replied. "For now, let us focus on safeguarding a path to the cleric ward," Merladio said

"You four stay here. No one enters the hall except for Master Wong and me. Is that understood?" he said to Dawain and the others.

All four of them nodded. Merladio and Cayaison began to walk away.

"Now what is it you have to say?" Merladio asked as they started to walk towards the cleric ward.

Cayaison told him about the events leading up to today's battle, including what Jacobsien and his group had done. Lastly, he repeated what the man in the hall had said.

"It would seem that Arthais knew this day would come and has set forth a grand plan for you," Merladio smiled.

Merladio had always admired Arthais, even though he had never seen the reason for many things the great Mage did, but in perspective, Arthais never revealed all of his plans to anyone.

"But why me?" Cayaison asked.

Merladio shrugged. "I have never seen any of the visions that the Grand Masters have had," Merladio said. "Now that I am Grand Master, I may see them…" he broke off as he looked at the barred door of the cleric ward.

They both ran towards the door.

"Hello?" Cayaison said, reaching the door first.

He immediately felt the fireward on the door.

"Stand back, those flames will burn even you!" the matron yelled through the door.

Merladio stepped forward and placed his hand on the door. The flames roared and then died down just as quickly.

"It is me, Merladio. I have returned and have expelled Friidian and his followers from Heavstat. I am coming in," he said.

He pushed the door open slowly. The matron stood there with her staff in front of her.

"Merladio!" she screamed, rushing forward.

The large lady engulfed Merladio in a hug that nearly squeezed all the air out of the thin man.

"Glad to see you too, Matron," he said as she let him go. "We have wounded. I have safeguarded a path between here and the great hall. As soon as you can, start to prepare for their arrival. I must make sure other paths to this level are cleared."

Cayaison nodded at the matron.

"Good to see you alive, Cayaison," the matron said as she gave orders for the preparation of the injured. "Many of us thought that Friidian would have killed you on sight!"

Cayaison smiled nervously. "I am certain he would have," He looked back down the hall.

Merladio was near the staircase. He turned and ran down the hall to catch up to him.

"We need to safeguard more paths. There will be time to talk later," Merladio said sternly.

Something was on his mentor's mind. Cayaison could see that whatever it was, it was tearing him from the inside out.

"Master, may I ask?" he began to say before he was interrupted.

"It was supposed to be me, Cayaison," Merladio spoke in barely a whisper. "I was expected to be Grand Master," he shook his head. "Friidian saw that I was too scared to take the mantle. So, he took it from me, he shielded me from the responsibilities that I didn't want," Merladio stopped. He looked at Cayaison straight in the eyes. "We are at war, Cayaison. Do not let your guard down for one instant!"

They were walking towards the dorm rooms when they heard a loud popping noise as they turned a corner. Merladio nodded his head.

"The banishment spell."

"Someone was hiding?" Cayaison asked.

Cayaison had heard about the banishment spell in books and whispers but had never seen it work. It worked only against people in the caster's vicinity. All others were safe as long as they did not encounter anyone present during the spell.

Since both Merladio and Cayaison were in the vicinity of the original casting, any person they came close to who was intended to be banished would be banished immediately; they didn't have to be seen or heard.

"And that was the sound of them being banished," Cayaison nodded. Now he understood why they were walking the halls.

"I will do another Banishing spell in the cafeteria, and the Masters room. We will gather as many people as we can for each spell," Merladio told Cayaison.

"What are the visions of?" Cayaison asked. Merladio stopped walking.

"As I said, I had never had them. I have been told that they are the future. A future that shows the human race destroying the world around them."

They had turned onto another corridor.

"When many of the races leave this world, they leave humans all alone. At first, they prosper, creating great cities, forming vast civilizations. It is said that greed and jealousy eventually lead humans to fear and anger. They begin to fear the unknown and hate each other. All those emotions grow deeper into them, it is what starts the downfall of humankind, even though they reach great heights of achievement, anger and fear will keep consuming them."

Cayaison nodded.

Everyone knew that the elves would eventually leave to follow their ancestors, the high elves, to find the great world beyond this one.

The Dwarves were always digging into the ground. They were trying to return to the vast world below, from which every book in Dwarven history had told them they had come.

Other races, like the centaurs, minotaurs, and many others, had stories of returning to the great beyond. So, eventually, the world would be left to humans.

"What about Arthais?" Cayaison asked. "He was a Grand Master. Why did he not give in to the visions?"

"Arthais was never truly a Grand Master during the great Mage battles. He had taken up the charge of Heavstat, but he was not given the mantle of Grand Master," Merladio told him.

He looked around the halls.

"It will be night soon," Merladio said. "The rooms are not safe yet. Have all the kids stay in the Great Hall tonight," he looked some more.

Cayaison knew what he was looking at. Soon, the sun was going down, and Heavstat would be crawling with night creatures.

"Hurry!" Merladio said.

Cayaison did not hesitate; he took off running. Without the Watcher spell, he was vulnerable to any of the many creatures that would come into Heavstat. He jumped the stairs, clearing as many as he could. He ran through the same halls that had been safeguarded. He heard a few popping sounds along the way, but he didn't stop running. His feet pushed him faster as the light from the sun began to fade.

Cayaison saw the Great Hall ahead of him and slowed down. Thankfully, Master Wong had reached there before him.

"I have gotten as many as I can," Wong said. "I only hope the rest have found a safe place for the night."

Master Wong stayed outside the room. Cayaison heard Master Wong cast a charm on parts of the door that could stand. Then there was silence. Then, a loud booming voice was heard. It was Merladio.

"Any teacher or student who can hear my voice. The halls are not safe tonight. I am releasing the charms on all classrooms. Please enter them now while the moon is full. I will re-charm them after midnight. To any member of Friidian's followers, if you are found helping a child, I will release the banishment spell on you and let you leave on your own accord. This will be the only time that I will be forgiving."

Cayaison smiled. Dawain looked at them, puzzled.

"The classrooms are charmed at the end of each day so that a student cannot get a book or parchments that will help them get ahead of the rest of the class," Violetta explained. "Master Merladio has lifted that charm so that students can enter. They will be safe inside the classroom once he puts the charm back on."

"But so could a teacher or a Master who was loyal to Friidian," Dawain replied.

"If one does, they would only be letting Master Merladio know where they are since they would have to go through the enchanted door to get in," Violetta replied. "That's what he means by if they are found, if they go through with a student and keep that student safe until the charm goes back on, he will know."

Cayaison looked around the room. Arthais had put something in this hall. Something for Cayaison to find, if it was something that only he could find, did that mean no one else could see it?

That would mean there was something in here that only he could see, and no one else could. How long ago did he put it in here? Everything looked the same: all the paintings, the murals, the candles. Everything looked the same as when he first came to Heavstat. That was it. Cayaison smiled.

Arthais had planned this before Cayaison got here. So, there was something already put in here before Cayaison came. Something that would never stand out until the time was right. Instead of looking for something different, he should be looking for something that had not changed since he came here.

The others gathered around him. They searched for hours. Everything seemed normal. The moon crept up into the night sky, reaching its highest point.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Most of the students in the hall fell asleep. Cayaison went to the remnants of the door. Master Wong was still awake, keeping a watchful eye on the halls. Lexia was by his side; her eyes glowed an amber color in the darkness.

"Merladio and Visiroux have found more students. They are safe in the food hall," Wong said, sensing the young student's presence. Cayaison stood next to him.

Lexia smiled at the younger student and sensed that he needed to be alone with Wong. "I will keep an eye on the younger students," she nodded.

They waited until she was out of hearing range.

"What is on your mind?" Wong asked.

"Arthais," Cayaison answered. "He could have stopped Friidian easily; he could have flicked a finger and killed Friidian in an instant!"

Cayaison knew the Eternal Mage could have easily defeated Friidian and his followers by himself.

"So, the question on your mind is. Why didn't he?" Master Wong said.

Cayaison nodded.

"That is for you to find out. Nobody can truthfully answer that question but you," the Master said.

He could see that the answer hadn't satisfied Cayaison's need for a clear answer.

"For years I spent wandering that tower, I walked every inch, picked up every stone. To find out where I came from and how did I get there. Then it came to me. I was here for a reason. I had been found for a reason."

"What is the reason?" Cayaison asked.

The Master shrugged. "I will know when the time comes; until then, I will not look anymore," he smiled. "Now get some rest. You and others will have to watch the students while the other Masters and I rest tomorrow."

Cayaison thanked the Master, then returned to his place next to his friends.

The day's events started to creep into his eyes and his body, and he felt tired.

"Someone put something over the rock," Dawain said as he shifted.

To which there were agreed moans.

"What rock?" Cayaison said.

"That one!" Alixia pointed at the large glowing rock in a small hole in the far wall.

Cayaison sat up and looked at where Alixia was pointing.

"That is not a rock. That is the crystal of Guidian," Cayaison said, lying down, resting his head on the makeshift pillow.

"No. It is the first rock that the makers of Heavstat picked up when they started to make the school," a student said.

To which others agreed. "Well, I was told. Guidian was the first Mage to graduate from Heavstat. When he did, he created the crystal to say thanks to all the teachers," Cayaison said.

To which no one agreed. Alixia shot up from her lying position.

"That is, it!" Alixia said. "Who gave you the walk?"

"Fulimer," Cayaison said, shooting up from his spot. Fulimer had been a Watcher.

"So, he told you something you would never think was important. And to the rest of us. It's just a rock, so we would not see it as important," she said, walking towards it.

Everybody sat up as Cayaison walked towards the glowing rock.

"But if Friidian, was looking for it. Why did he not see it?" Dawain asked.

"It's a rock. When he took the walk, he was told the same story," a student said. "Friidian was looking for something big or magical. A rock that glows in the dark would not spark his interest," the student said.

Cayaison nodded. Arthais had been here a long time before Friidian came. He could have placed this rock here and then told a story about it. That was passed down through the centuries. Friidian would know no different than anyone else.

When Cayaison came, Arthais would have told one of his Watchers to tell Cayaison a different story. Now, when the two stories come together, only his would be different.

Cayaison reached out for it when he touched it. The glow got brighter and brighter until it filled the whole room. Then Cayaison disappeared.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Hello, Cayaison," Arthais said.

They were outside of Heavstat on one of the mountain ridges. It was a small clearing on one of the highest peaks. The view was breathtaking. Cayaison could see the valley below. Heavstat looked tiny from up here. He turned around. He could not see anything on the other side of the mountain. There was dense fog covering the land.

"But you are dead?" Cayaison said.

"That I am," Arthais grinned. "Sit," the great Mage said.

A bench appeared from nowhere. The clearing was no bigger than a small room. There was nothing inside it, no grass, no wind, nothing.

Cayaison sat. Arthais waited. He watched the young student, looking up at him with so many questions he didn't know where to start.

"Why me?" Cayaison asked.

"Why any of us?" Arthais replied. "I know, it is rude to answer a question with a question. But I will explain," the great Mage smiled as he sat near Cayaison. "Why was I chosen to be the greatest Mage in history? Why was Friidian the Grand Master at this time? Why is it that only the Grand Masters can see the visions? Would it not be easier for all the Masters to see the visions so they could share them?" he asked.

Cayaison understood it was as Master Wong had said. No one else could answer. He had to find that reason himself.

"So, what do I do?" Cayaison asked.

"That I can answer," Arthais turned to the young Mage. "The Coalition must be reformed. Darkness is coming to Leumera, and no one is safe," Arthais said, looking over the land. "Even I cannot see a way out of it," he said as if trying to peer through the clouds and the fog that covered the land.

“Friidian?” Cayaison asked.

"Friidian is just the start of the darkness. The lightning before the storm. More will follow," Arthais said.

The sky began to rumble. The clouds overhead got dark. A storm was coming.

"Now go. I cannot hold back my death any longer," the Great Mage said.

With that, Cayaison found himself back in the grand hall. He fell to the floor. Merladio kneeled beside him.

"The Coalition!" Cayaison said before he fell asleep.

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