Rayann was not as surprised as one would think her to be when she turned and saw Nim’Sul had left. It was always like him to give space when it was needed. Besides, he knew if she needed to discuss things further with him, all she had to do was say so. Just as his note pointed out.

The fact Myth had waited patiently for her to bring herself around spoke volumes to Rayann and she kissed him tenderly on the forehead in recognition of that just before she sat down. There was no need for words between them right now as she knew he could feel her emotions just as she could feel his own. The emotional drain she felt at learning what she had done to Rorie made her feel weary and she was glad to sit down once again.

Not feeling very hungry but knowing she had to maintain her physical strength, not to mention show Nim’Sul she appreciated his hospitality, Rayann picked at some food and nibbled on it. She had just settled down with Myth to share a silent but soulful meal with him when she heard the door slam from the higher level of the tower followed by the sounds of stomping feet as they descended their owner down the stairs.

This was completely out of Nim’Sul’s character. Rayann knew that to be as true as the fact her hair was white so like Myth, she got to her feet to see what was so urgent as to make such an exit from one place and enter another. As soon as she saw the tail of the robes descending the stairs, Rayann knew who it was. Her look went from curious, raised brows to that of concern and her brows now furrowed.

For some reason, she had a feeling this was not going to be a pleasant encounter and prepared herself for more comments that would most likely have the veiled properness removed from them. In fact, she expected them to be down right insulting and hostile. When Myth glanced her direction, Rayann shared a glance with him that told him all he needed to know.

She didn’t trust this apprentice, Melcindomien.

Melcindomien turned along the spiral and there stood Myth and Rayann beside the stairwell. He made an immediate stop and looked at both of them, his face was red with rage and his eyes narrowed on Rayann. He would not dare look at the Prince in this matter, but a human, that was a different story.


“I suppose you want an explanation?”


He brushed past them and continued down the stairs without saying another word.

Rayann didn’t bat an eyelash when the young apprentice barked at her. As he continued on his way, she simply called after him.

”I suppose you mean for the rudeness you are showing in your Teacher’s home? Yes. An explanation would be warranted.”

Rayann didn’t want to get in the middle of anything Nim’Sul and his student had between them, but Melcindomien’s behavior was beyond comprehension and protocol insisted she say something to the young Elf. She could allow his actions towards her to go to the wayside as it was not her place to say anything to him while Nim’Sul was in their presence but for the Elf to act this way in her mentor’s home AND in front of the crown Prince was totally unacceptable

Melcindomien stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face her. The look of sheer disgust was obvious on his face. He took a step towards her and a thin smile spread on his perfectly sculpted lips.


“My Masters home is less tainted by my behavior and more polluted by the poison of mixing human and Elf blood.” His gaze shifted slightly to look at Myth and then back at Rayann. Myth would know that the mages tended to follow the traditions of the Elves but tended to be slightly outside the Elves laws and traditions having their own codes to follow due to their lifestyle. They fell under the rule of the Speaker of the Stars, but tended to be slightly autonomous from certain protocols. This was a clear act of defiance however, and Melcindomien was certainly beginning to tread in dangerous waters. Logically it would make sense that he would recognize that his temper got the best of him and he had spoken out of sorts in front of the Prince, but it didn’t seem to affect him.


“The deeper spoilage in this place is the union between the Prince of his people and a human. My words will fade in minutes, but the vile act of mixing bloodlines will echo in our society for generations. The next thing you know we will have a half-blood on the throne determined to unite the nation of humans and elves. I also can’t help but find it ironic that I am being lectured by a wizard who was given the greatest gift to ever be bestowed on our discipline and she threw it away like yesterday’s news. How many Magi would be honored to be graced with the favor of all three gods of magic! I suppose this is what happens when the gods trust a human.”


Melcindomien took half a step back, narrowing his gaze on her ever tighter, his eyes burning like fire.

As Rayann listened to the hateful words of the Elf, who was acting more like a spoiled child now, she did her best to keep her anger in check. Still, when he accused her of throwing her gift away like trash, she flinched slightly and furrowed her brows deeper. Her lavender eyes took on a stormy look and her hands clenched at her side for a moment until she took on the neutral stance she did when facing an opponent for clearly that was what it felt like now to her.

Knowing Myth was growing even angrier with the Elf’s words, Rayann lifted her hand to indicate to Myth she wasn’t exactly finished right now. There was much more beneath the surface of this Elf than what met the eye. Even an arrogant Elf like Melcindomien had to know he stepped way over the line by the way he was acting now.

”Be careful what you say, Melcindomien. You are crossing a line you will not be able to cross back over once you have made the fateful choice. And like me, you will have done something you didn’t mean to do and when you realize the consequences of your actions, you will have to live with your choice. I, for one, don’t think you can live with that choice. You’re jealousy is practically oozing through your skin right now and while green is a natural color for some things, it’s not natural for you pallor right now.”

”You are so easy to stand in judgment of me and what I am. And by what, I mean human. The choice Prince Myth’alas has made is of no concern to you. If it were, he would have asked for your opinion. But before you say something else you might regret, let me ask you one question, did you choose to be an elf?”

Rayann narrowed her eyes as she talked to the young upstart. Her question was a simple one but the answer was going to be a simple one, that’s for certain. Her eyes bore into the hateful glare she was receiving form the Elf and she wouldn’t look away or break the contact now no matter what the Elf did. There was something definitely out of sorts here. She couldn’t imagine Nim’Sul taking this arrogant, insolent Elf into his home and mentoring him in the use of the gift he had also been given.

Melcindomien looked Rayann dead in the eyes; his face was as hard and cold as marble.


"No, I did not choose to be an Elf, but I thank the gods every day for creating me to be among the greatest of their creatures! I rest easy knowing I will be staring at your grave during the dawn of my own life."

He kept his eyes locked on hers, refusing to lose this staring match, he had no intention of backing down from a human.


"So, if that is all, Ma'am, I will retire to my quarters so I can continue my studies."


There was obvious condescension in his voice as her called her “Ma’am”. He had chosen to not refer to her by rank, but simply as if she were someone he had just met. There was nothing but contempt and anger in his eyes, and for the briefest of moments, Rayann became aware of the extremely high draw of magic surrounding him. It wasn’t the sense a mage would get as magic was about to be cast; but more the aura of magic that surrounds all living things seeming to be in much higher concentration around Melcindomien. What was worse, as that it would suddenly become obvious to Rayann that he was fully aware of it, and he literally had no fear of her, Myth, or most likely, even Nim’Sul.

Ryann watched the young Elf and saw the magic aura around him become even more visible. She was right to think there was more to this young mage than what met the eye. Noting the lack of apprehension in his gaze and the look of utter contempt for her, Rayann actually smiled. When he referred to her as ‘Ma’am’ she smiled even more.

”Your arrogance is astounding, Melcindomien. You are so self absorbed with your jealousy and hatred of me and my kind that you can’t see what’s right before your face. All you have to do is take a closer look at yourself and see gifts abound all around you. But until you can look past your own nose, you won’t be able to fully appreciate what you have.”

Rayann actually felt sorry for the young apprentice. He was fearless and that could be a huge asset or a terrible liability. Right now, it was a little of both. If he weren’t so hateful to her or saw her as a lesser being, she would be glad to help Nim’Sul with his teachings. But Melcindomien was so full of….negativity that Rayann was still having a hard time understanding why Nim’Sul had agreed to tutor the mage in the first place.

That’s when Rayann thought she saw something. It was fleeting, none the less, but she saw it all the same. And that strange vibration that always seemed to be present when Melcindomien was around returned and was more noticeable than before. No. She needed to get to the bottom of this now. Something bothered her about the young mage, something that wouldn’t let her leave this alone and something she feared for Nim’Sul. Why, she couldn’t be for certain. It was just a nagging feeling she couldn’t shake.

”Your lack of respect to me is tolerable. But the disrespect you’ve shown your mentor is unacceptable. While I can do nothing but verbally admonish you, I pray Nim’Sul will not be insulted by your lack of discipline. But if you were my student, you would not be any more. Gift or no gift, you don’t deserve it if all you will do is act like a spoiled child who is angry because you think someone else has what you do not.”

Melcindomien smirked defiantly as she spoke, and his words
came forth with venom.


“Well I suppose it is a gift for both of us then that you are not my Mentor or Master.”


He spun on his heel and spoke as he walked away.


“Now if you will excuse me, I meed to study.”


As he walked away there was an incredible amount of magic flowing around him, it was almost unnatural but at the same time it didn’t feel awkward. Rayann would be able to see, hanging just under the sleeve of his robe the pearlescent spine of a spellbook.

The magic Rayann felt swirling around the young mage was like anything Rayann had seen before. It fascinated her to no end that someone would have this strange ability to draw magic about them like this yet not recognize it. Surely he felt it flowing around him just as she could feel it and even see it now. As she watched Melcindomien retreat and saw the book she blinked. Before Rayann could stop herself, she called out to the Elf once more.

”No. You are not excused.”

When Melcindomien stopped and turned to face her once more with his glaring hatefulness, Rayann closed the gap between them and stood closer than what would have been considered safe, but for some reason, despite his disgust of her and what she had done, Rayann didn’t fear him. In fact, he acted as though he were angry and disgusted at her, but she didn’t really feel those emotions coming from him. How was that possible?

Now that she was this close to the magic surrounding him, she felt it flowing through her as though she were standing in a river. For a brief second, she closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the magic as it passed through her. When she opened her eyes, she glanced down at his hand then back at him again. Her voice was not as loud as it previously was when she spoke.

”May I take a look at your spell book? I promise not to taint it with my humanness. I merely wish to see how far you’ve advanced in Nim’Sul’s care.”

Melcindomien turned as she spoke to him, his face had a look of “Who the hell are you?”. He didn’t even flinch as she approached and he looked at her curiously as she closed her eyes for that brief moment. She spoke of his spell book and he looked down, his gaze returning from his right sleeve to her eyes.


“What spell book?”


He lifted his hands up between them and they were clearly empty. The magic that flowed between them began to feel a little uncomfortable, as though it was reacting to his emotions, pulsing like a heartbeat and increasing slightly in intensity. Rayann might begin to feel the sensation of warmth slowly fade and in its place a slight sense of nausea as the pulse radiated between them.


“My spell book is in my quarters, where it should be. When I am in my Master’s chamber I read and study what he wishes of me and I scribe spells on scrolls for memorization and his checking. Those spells are stored in his quarters not mine. Perhaps if you wish to learn more about my progress with Nim’Sul you should address him since he is my instructor, not follow up with me, the student.” His voice was much smoother now, having far less anger in it and more cold calculation.


He stepped back slightly, the close proximity to her finally becoming slightly uncomfortable. Elves by nature were not known for being close and affectionate, but it was also the look in her eyes, there was more to her question than merely wanting to know his progress, she was searching for something more, testing him in some way, and above all, he would only be able to mask the spell book with his invisibility spell for a few more minutes. Melcindomien could feel her distrust now, but he cared not, she was human after all.

At this close range, Rayann felt the change in everything. The warmth fade to cold and the way that once giddy sensation of the magic flowing between them turn to something that made her feel nauseated as it pulsated between them. There! That was what she was looking for! He was rattled by her closeness and now his true nature was coming out and what she was sensing was not something she liked in the least.

Her eyes once more bore into his and as she fought off the nausea, she refused to give any quarter. His voice was different and she noticed the change from less, clipped, angry words to something smoother. As though his words were flowing over cold, smooth steel.

But it was his answer that convinced her he was being deceitful. She saw the book as clearly as she was standing here in front of him and while she could be accused of a good many thing, she couldn’t be accused of seeing things. Not something like that, anyway. The book was here. Of that she was absolutely certain. And any accomplished mage would be proud to show another what they have learned thus far. As he stepped back, Rayann did as well.

”Very well. I shall do as you suggest. But…before you go….I have just one last question for you, Melcindomien.”

Rayann’s lavender eyes took on the slightest glow as she asked her question. Prior to asking the question, she cast her Probe Thoughts spell to seek out the answer to the question she was asking the young mage. It was time to put an end to the game and get to the bottom of things.

”Who are you, really?”

Melcindomien watched carefully as Rayann stepped back, his eyes shifted slightly, looking at Myth, and then back to Rayann. Myth would instantly recognize, from his warrior perspective, that this was no glance of concern or fear, it was the glance of someone that was about to do something, it was an assessment of the situation, knowing where all the adversaries stood, and the stage of calculation that preceded the strike and determined in what order and from what angles the attack would begin and where it would end.

"I am the shift in the gap, the one of strong will, she who strengthens in the defeat of the adversary." There was a feminine laugh that echoed from Melcindomien's lips.

The Probe Thoughts spell hit Melcindomien, and he pushed back, there was a force pressing against Rayann with such intensity it was unnatural and dangerously concerning. The push was laced with dark magic and if not countered would begin to create a splitting pain between the halves of the brain, a feeling as if the brain and skull were being split down the middle from the inside out.

Suddenly Melcindomien's eyes flashed and the thin slit pupils of reptile eyes, specifically those of a black dragon revealed themselves. "You are not the only one who can perform dazzling feats of the eye Rayann Padraig, White Robe, Killer of your twin! The difference is your pretty little violet eyes are merely a queer manifestation of being made in the desire of a god, mine were a gift of a goddess, and serve a much more profound function."



There was a brilliant burst of crimson light, mixed with a hideous spiral of pea green that spun and twirled, revealing an elf female; her features were even more beautiful than those of Melcindomien who was formerly standing before Myth and Rayann. Her robes were cloth, but moved and twitched like thick, black smoke that had been poured over her shoulders. Her honey blond hair seemed to be braided with shadow that moved and twitched with every motion and lay gently across her lily white skin. She was the exact same height as Rayann, and was distinctly Elven with sharp, female characteristics to her face. In a way she almost looked like the appropriate doppelganger, to Rayann, similar facial features, and wearing the exact opposite color of robes. The iridescent sleeves shimmered slightly and the perfect, silver crescent of Tahkisis hung from her neck, proudly displayed just above the fold of her outer robes. She appeared to be around 120 years old, but she held herself like one who had seen thousands of years of battle. A sphere of shadow suddenly engulfed her and cleared enough for them to see one another, as she starred at Rayann, a sneer that mirrored the one she had seen on Melcindomien's face earlier appeared.

"What you should be asking yourself Miss Rayann, is not who I am, but what."

The young elf female brought up from within her robes a dazzling white spellbook, the exact one that Rayann had seen under the robe sleeve. It rested tenderly in the palm of the female Elf's hand and she stared at it, and then back to Rayann. "It is unfortunate that you were able to sense me before I was ready to reveal myself, but no matter, the damage has already been done. As for what you can call me, my name is Shulamite, the Dark One."

The instant Rayann felt the pain I her head, she recoiled mentally but physically she merely stepped back another foot. Casting a protective shield around her, she saw the transformation of Melcindomien into that of the black robed mage before her. The Dark Queen had sent one of her minions here. To Nim’Sul. How long had this mage been pretending to be a white robe? The damage this could to the White Mage council alone was too much to even think about right now.

Rayann had to act quickly. There was little time to lose. Those special eyes of hers seemed to need some attention and Rayann was going to give them all they could handle. Casting a spell of her own instantly followed by another one, she tried to disorient this…Shulamite and take back what belonged here, in the Tower of Nim’Sul..

” Caecus Palma Vehementer Manus manus!”

A blinding light to only Shuilamite flooded the immediate area followed by what felt to Shulamite like a violent push backwards from an unseen force and Rayann reached to grab the spell book from her grasp.

”You should not have come here, Shulamite and try to take that which doesn’t belong to you! And Rorie IS NOT DEAD!”

With the last three words Rayann spoke Shulamite felt a searing pain in her head that felt like twin ice picks trying to pierce her skull from the outside in and from the inside out.

In the back of her mind, Rayann felt the familiar presence of Myth and he was very close now instead of being on the other side of the room. A fleeting thought crossed Rayann’s mind and she wondered if this Shulamite knew what sort of hornets nest she walked into by taking on this task for her Queen. No doubt the mage was quite able to handle herself or she wouldn’t have been sent to this city, to this tower. But it was a suicide mission if nothing else.

Myth stood crossing his arms as Rayann stepped forward to confront the young apprentice. The look she had given him was all he needed to see to know that his own suspicions had some merit. If she felt it then Myth had no doubts about what he was thinking. Time amongst the dark one's forces had made the presence of them easier to spot. This boy exuded a physical perfection that defied reality. Myth would have sworn that a polymorph spell or illusion may have been in place. His mouth remained shut however because he wanted to see how things would play out. A talk with Nim'Sul at this point was a certainty.

The disrespectful tone that the young one took with Rayann made Myth's blood boil. It was not out of anger for the rudeness to his lover but out of rudeness to a royal guest. There were protocols and human or not Rayann was still his guest. Not only that she was certainly a superior as well. As an apprentice Myth new the trials had not been taken and as such in even mage society she was of a higher class than him. The sheer disrespect this elf showed simply had no end. Elves were not fond of humans but this was borderline even by Myth's standards.

Myth's lip began to curl as his anger grew and as Rayann raised her hand to ward him he took that as a sign to calm himself. He was the prince and should show better self control. He withdrew in himself so that he could put on a mask of indifference upon his face. His mind was slipping to the darker places however. Not but six months earlier Myth would have already strung this mage up to dry like dirty laundry letting his entrails spill upon the earth. At that thought Myth chastised himself mentally and instead focused his eyes upon the elf before him.

There was something that just didn't seem right about him and after pondering it long enough it came to him. One of Myth's skills was reading his opponents body language. In more than one instance it had saved him even from a mage. A persons body had so many ways to show how they felt or what they might do. Myth was reading nothing from Melcindomien. Not even the most disciplined warrior could hide all his tells. They could conceal them to some extent but there was always a way to see something. Myth saw nothing watching the mage.

As the mage tried to walk away once more Myth noted the spellbook in his hand. There was a twitch in Myth's ear because he knew that the entire time they had speaking they had not seen it. As the boy turned to face Rayann once more he watch as the book returned to obscurity, and subsequently lied about possessing the item. His eyes shifted to Rayann as she began to press the matter and when it looked like she would relent the question in both their minds came out.

"Who are you?"

The response to the question was not entirely what Myth had expected but at the same time it confirmed what he had already thought. A plant in the office of a high ranking white robe in a place the Queen knew they would go. Myth wondered how long she had been here but it was a fleeting thought as one hand slipped to the hilt of his blade. With but a thought the chain melted away. It was not the only weapon Myth possessed though, just the most obvious one.

There was a tingling in his mind that caused him a small amount of discomfort. He knew that this elf had cast the first salvo in the fight as Rayann took a step back. Myth steeled his mind pushing the feeling away instead bringing Rayann to focus in his mind. They had trained day and night to fight together as one should the need arise. Myth new that the twins themselves would have been formidable opponents. Myth also knew that he and Rayann would never share that same level of efficiency. While they had connected themselves mentally at a deep level he was neither her twin nor a mage, and unknown to Myth there were other factors that had heightened the twins abilities. However Myth brought a different skill set to work with Rayann's magic that required a different level of efficiency. It relied on her skills as a mage and his skills as a fighter to percieve things upon the field of battle.

Myth's eyes focused as he pushed out everything from his mind except for Rayann and the presence before him. All had gone silent as Myth slid into a defensive crouch a hand upon the hilt. This was why they had trained day and night as they traveled. Rayann could feel that he was ready, coiled like a viper ready to strike.

Shulamite laughed deviantly when the flash of light burst forth, dragon eyes were immune to such tactics. She was about to make a move when the pain hit her skull and she recoiled, the spell book disappearing into smoke and wisping away. She grit her teeth and focused, the pain in her mind being repelled as she forced the sensation from her skull. She smiled again as she spun, the robes she wore taking on an almost supernatural appearance as the moved half a second ahead of her. Her face began to become transparent and Rayann would feel an incredibly sickening feeling as Shulamite drew in the ambient magic all around them, pulling it to her body. The sensation was revolting, and it would become clear to her what Nim’Sul had said to her about this being a “perverted” art… Rayann would be able to feel the very fabric of magic been shredded all around her.

Shulamites eyes flashed a deep crimson and she screamed as the spell left her body. Thrusting her arms outwards, a massive explosion detonated in the hallway sending a massive shockwave in a full 360 degree sphere. The stairs under Shulamites feet and the outer walls beside her evaporated under the compression wave that was created, and the entertaining room that was to the interior took an incredible amount of damage. Shulamites body turned to smoke and she appeared all the way across the tower, standing in front of the railing of the terrace where the meal had been originally set. Where Rayann (and Myth?) were standing, the integrity of the towers structure had been severely compromised and was crumbling away beneath their feet. To complicate matters, Shulamite, about 75 meters away now, was chanting and concentrating, gathering the magic around her to cast again. Rayann didn’t recognize the words being chanted, but she would definitely be able to feel that what was about to transpire was pulling as much magic towards Shulamite as she had just felt when the first explosion went off.

A voice whispered around Rayann, as if the voice was floating all around her body…

“Murderer… killer of the twin… murderer, killer of the twin…”