The Warriors/Wizards Academy

[Raichu Master]

Alvender just stared into her eyes, not with a longing hunger, but with new found hope that he finally found someone he could trust. Butterflies still swarmed inside him as he stood there looking into Skye's indigo eyes. 'How could I have done that? I've never kissed anyone before, why suddenly for this girl? Do I really love her? Does she really love me? Will we last? Can we last? She's a wizard! Does that stop anything? Do I really trust her? Does she really trust me? Are we going to regret this later? Or are we going to treasure this moment? Was this just spur of the moment? Was this really meant to be this way?' Alvender wondered, seriously contemplating and evaluating each question that popped into his head. He was still unstable and this bold move only seemed to make him even more unstable.

'Are your toes going to fall off? If so when? Is your hair going to fall out? Is your hair going to stay in? Will your nose burn away? Will your nose freeze off?' his mother countered, putting shame in him for even thinking such questions. 'What kind of questions are those? Of course you love this young woman. You wouldn't have been so bold otherwise, from your past, you would have rather cut her down, but you found what you've lost in this girl, the will and power to love. I have a feeling she loves you equally so. Why don't you get to know her better?'

"I...I...I...I...I...um...l..lo..." Alvender started to say, trying to voice how he felt for her to make sure she felt the same way. A huge lump formed in his throat and he found he couldn't finish his sentence.

 

[Skye]

"Shh....it's okay," Skye told him, and put her index finger to his lips. "I understand."

She blinked a few times, trying to clear her mind, which had become kind of foggy and dazed, and her knees still were not cooperating. She would have liked nothing more than to stay there, to forget that they were there to stop the wars raging in their world, and just live in the bubble of love and affection they had created for themselves. She did not want to return to the world where she felt everyone's suffering. And she realized that the entire time she had been there with Alvender, she had felt nothing at all of what went on outside.

"We should probably go back inside and see if our instructors are ready for us..." she said with a tinge of regret at having to bring it up. She glanced over at Yukiko, who was still lazing about in the grass. She turned her attention back to Alvender, and smiled.

 

[Raichu Master]

"I agree," Alvender said as his expression turned from his love and trusting to his distant and hardened expression. He, too, had forgotten all about the outside world. Trapped for what seemed, and what he hoped for, and internity. A rush of anger consumed him again as all his past demons came bombarding him again. His knees buckled, and his head started to spin as flashback after flashback came at him. He then remembered why he hated wizards, why he hated the imperial army, why he hated both sides of the war.

"My love will always be true for you. But there is, in fact, a war going on. As much as I hate the imperials. I've been drafted, and ready to fight, which requires me to push my true feelings away," Alvender said as he looked into her eyes. He reminded himself that he couldn't trust everyone, and that Skye was his only friend here. What he had to say may have been harsh and blunt, but he couldn't help it, not with all these past demons dwelling within him.

"I'm going to get this thing started," Alvender said before bowing, keeping a suspicious eye on Skye, his trust temperarily going by the way side. Then he turned on his heels and disappeared into the corridor.

"You coming?" Alvender said with a wide grin, as if he was joking about the sudden hardening. Truth be known, he still was hardened after all the flashbacks, but he now no longer mistrusted his new friend. They would both find out soon enough that he only opened up for her.

 

[Skye]

Skye nodded, trying to not be offended by his sudden harshness. Yukiko woke up and shrunk to her small size, climbing up onto Skye's shoulder. She followed Alvender into the academy once more, the cool corridoors a nice change from the warm sun. She put up her hood, and entered the hall where they had all been waiting before. To her suprise, the spell casting master was there. He approached her with a very professional air.

"Good to see you, Skye. My name is Lucas. I'll be your spell casting instructor and mentor here at the academy," he said, shaking her hand firmly. He was a younger fellow, much to her suprise, in his late twenties. He pulled back the hood of his cloak to reveal short, spiked brown hair and vibrant green eyes. "We'll be training out in the courtyard today. Come along."

Skye cast a look back at Alvender before she disappeared down the coridoor once again, feeling rather apprehensive.

 

[Jaybob]

i'll join.

Name: Sun Xeng
What People Call me: God Of Death
Age: 12
Looks:

Skills: Fantastic at Sword Fighting and Animal Riding
Personality: Kind hearted, protective and funny
Village: Luster Village
What you will study: Wizard
Major(s): Elemental
Special Power: Power of Death
Pet: Dragon
Name of Pet: Ellie

 

[JBCBlank]

"Wow you hit hard," Michael says touching his cheek, "I think you brused it, and I'm sorry about that you guys, it's just one gets very lonly out here in the world with no home or family.."

he looks deep into the eyes of the young elf... "But I have not yet seen a young lady as delecatly composed as you my dear, not even the angels posses such a glow as I see in your face at this moment." he leans forward and kisses her left cheek before realizing the darkness of the area, "the sun's going down, you must get inside, there are more dangers at night then in all the days." he says taking his bow and quiver from lucifer's back.

 

[Raichu Master]

Alvender cocked his head at the unusual appearance. The man was only about 20, which made him very one edge about how powerful Skye really was, if a master wizard was only 20. With a firm nod, Alvender wished Skye the best of luck and turned around and disappeared into the opposite direction.

The old man, who had stopped him earlier, appeared in front of him, just about 10 minutes after Skye had left. "Do people just appear around here? What happened to walking?" Alvender snapped.

'Oh have some fun,' the old man said in Alvender's mind.

Those few single words set him on his heels, he could have sworn that nothing could get through his defenses. "Get out of my head!" Alvender growled as he mentally pushed the old man out of his mind.

"I've been reading through your thoughts. You have a very dark past, and I hope we can defeat all those demons," the old man continued nonchalantly.

This was why he hated wizards! "You touch my mind again and watch how quickly you get cut down!" Alvender threatened as he quickly unseathed his jeweled scimitar.

"You're probably wondering why I have my apprentices helping me. One on one attention is the best way to learn. So if I have help, then students will learn quicker. I'm the main teacher. I have assigned you to the same teacher as Skye. Your weapons teacher will meet with you after your session.

"You may be down one apprentice when I return," Alvender threatened, but it wasn't entirely empty. He lied when he said he was helpless as a fighter, you don't just be born to two of the most powerful elves, and not be any good of a swordsman at birth.

Walking back out to the courtyard, Alvender found Skye and the young apprentice preparing for a lecture. Alvender smiled politely at Skye, and then snapped a wicked gaze at the young wizard, not for any protectiveness or jealousy, but because he didn't trust this man at all. One wrong move, if that mageling made any move to push into his mind, Alvender's blade would be in his heart quicker than anyone could say "ouch". I suppose, he felt a little pang of jealousy as he looked at the young man. Although he was older than Alvender, making him a bit too old for Skye, in human age that is. He wasn't quite thinking human yet, he was still thinking in elven, where 16 and 20 aren't a bit age difference. His blade would find the man's heart even quicker if he even tried to take Skye away, not because he was madly in love with the female wizard, but because he felt too much pain, too much agony, to want to experience heartache, after the loss of his parents.

 

[Super_Lawliet]

I turned slightly red and touched my cheek, stunned by what just happened. I want to slap him for that, yet I do not think I should...What am I saying?! Have I gone mad?....

 

[Skye]

"Alvender..." Skye said, her voice rising cheerfully as he approached.

"Welcome," Lucas said. He bowed politely to Alvender, and resumed his normal stature. Skye appeared very attentive, sitting cross-legged in the grass before Lucas, her dark robes sprawled around her. Her hood was down, her pale features and bright eyes contrasting sharply with the black of her attire. Yukiko was in her usual spot upon her shoulders. "Today, for our first lesson together, I thought we would try a period of meditation. The Master assigned both of you to me because he thought you would be able to help each other enhance your strengths and discover your weaknesses."

Skye felt her expression slowly dropping from rapt attentiveness to worry. Even though she only knew Alvender for a few hours, she knew enough to understand that he did not like anyone messing around with his mind. She wasn't too fond of the idea herself.

"My hope is that Alvender, you would allow Skye to enter your mind. At first, you can expose whatever thoughts you wish, but eventually, it is my hope that you could expose all your demons...as you are here with me to conquer them. By exposing them to Skye, however, you will be helping her develop control over her ability to sense pain. You see, it affects her on a physical level as well. She's developed a tolerance for it, but not enough to send her into battle," Lucas explained.

Skye found herself becoming more apprehensive by the moment. Yukiko tightened herself in an effort to reassure Skye, around the young girl's shoulders. Skye reached up and scruffed the furry dragon's head absently, worriedly.

"Now....if there are no questions, I would like to begin," Lucas said gently, knowing full well that Alvender would not like this idea at all. He motioned for the young elf to take a seat in the grass opposite Skye. Skye looked at him with a small, hopeful half smile, and shifted slightly, trying to hide her anxiety.

 

[Raichu Master]

Alvender's eyes flamed up as the young wizard dared to even mention that option. His eyes eventually died down to it's far away distant look and said coolly, "No. My past is mine alone. You're the one who'll need help if you don't switch the cirriculm and fast."

"If you want Skye to lose her innocence, to lose the very thing that keeps her young and full of life, I'm not going to do it. I've seen too much of what the imperialist can do, too much of what both sides have done to ever let anyone into my mind for any type of viewing," Alvender said confidently, not bothering to unseath any of his weapons. He felt he could win this battle with words alone, there was no need to have the whole academy after him...yet...

"She's too young. Hone her magic skills, hone her fighting ability. Teach her more magic tricks, whatever the case maybe, let her lose that part of her innocence on the battlefield and not in someone's mind," Alvender continued, skillfully weaving his argument into his principles, making this argument all too personal, well it did start out personal. "What I've shared with Skye already, is all that I'm planning to share. Nothing else needs to be known about my past, instead I suggest working towards the future and letting me deal with my own demons."

'I would much rather you come forward and tell all that there is to tell,' his mother started, but before Alvender could counter she quickly added, 'But I do agree with you on some level, so I'll let you choose your own course.'

Changing the subject Alvender pointed to himself and to the clothes he was wearing, "Since I'm the only one here without robes..." Alvender started, again pointing at his dirty, rain-rotten, holed cloths that were covering his bodied, which still looked like slave clothing. "I expected the imperial forces to be a bit more civilized, or is this how they treat newcomers?"

"I have no money, but I expected to be clothed, fed, and sheltered for lending my services for your cause," Alvender said, not trying to sound harsh but more conversational.

 

[Jaybob]

OOC: umm am i in or what?

 

[Skye]

Skye looked hard at Alvender, her expression set.

"My innocence is mine to loose," she told him quietly, her voice reserved and calm. "I'm not going to last five seconds on a battlefield if I don't build a tolerance. You think I don't know suffering? Please then...take this power away from me and let me live at least a day without experiencing everyone else's pain. I'd love to give it up. I'd love to just go home, but I have a duty because of this power, and I am ready to serve it. I want to help end this war...I want to bring this land peace, and I can't do that any other way than if I build a tolerance. Being in an actual battle would kill me right now...I need this Alvender..." she trailed off, her expression softening, her eyes full of compassion and determination. "And...and if I can help you out in the process, all the better."

Lucas' expression was much more stern. He looked at the two adolescents and let out a breath. Skye folded her hands patiently in her lap.

"In terms of your living situation," Lucas said to Alvender, surveying the young elf carefully. As well versed in magic as he was, he did not want to test his abilities against a capable elf, especially an armed one. "You will find some tunics in your living quarters, and meals are served three times a day in the meal hall...through the doors opposite the entrance hall."

As he explained this, Skye felt a sharp pain in her middle. Her hands went to her gut, and she drew a sharp breath through her mouth. Her eyes squinted with pain.

Someone she knew in the battle field...his head looking up at the sky in pain. His handsome, angular face tight with pain and angst. She felt the sword wrenched out of his gut, could almost see the blood-stained sword before him as his enemy gave a mirthless laugh.

"I'm sorry you had to feel this Skye...I love you..."

"No..." her voice was a mere whisper, the pain in her stomach feeling very real. She felt tears welling up in her eyes, not so much because of pain, but because of the remorse she felt at the man's death. "Please....no...."

She wiped her eyes and looked at Alvender. She winced as she felt the man in the battlefield sink to his knees, to his hands, to the mud in agony. She felt his heart try to pump blood through his body, a futile effort. His breathing became her own, ragged, slowing. Fresh tears came.

"Please Alvender," her voice was pleading now. Her eyes were desperate, a new desire for peace carving rivers down her face. "I need to do this...I need to stop this war....War....it does nothing for anyone. It's only greedy, selfish people playing with the lives of innocent people." She shuddered as she felt the man far away take his last, rasping breath." The only thing it does is take away people you love..."

Yukiko had put some distance between herself and the group and resumed her massive size in an effort to share more of Skye's pain. To no avail...Skye's pain was purely internal now. She tried to steady her breathing.

"I could never last on a battlefield like this," she said quietly. "And I need to...I need to be able to bear this burden better. I have been preparing for this for a long time....let me sacrifice what I need to in order to bring peace..."

 

[Raichu Master]

"I warned you," Alvender said all the more sternly as he watched Skye. "You haven't experienced this. If you want it, I have no choice."

With that Alvender threw his right hand at Skye's face, placing his palm on her forehead. Successfully blocking the young master out of both of their minds first, he opened up his pain, his every memory, into one flashback after another.

"NO!" a young boys' voice screamed out, as the image focused a young Alvender sat on his knees crying. As the scene on folded two burly half-orcs took out their wicked blades, and in front of the boy, chopped off both of his parents heads off. Next they cut out both of their hearts, squeezing the life force out of the beating."

Then another one was thrown in, revealing Alvender just a few months older, cradling back and forth against a wagon's interior, chained and beaten. Then came the wizard he spoke of, who almost resembled Skye except for her eyes were a dark, yet brilliant, red. Throwing a hand forward, blood slowly dripped from Alvender's mouth, then it came gushing, until it finally stopped, leaving Alvender barely alive.

Several similar scenes unfolded covering the span of a year, having to come to the point of dying, than being brought back to health and then dying again.

An unconscience Alvender was drug across a dirt path, still chained and beatened down heavily, as they came upon a huge plantation, with a huge imperial flag over it. Again Alvender had to endure the nightly torture, while by day he was whipped relentlessly.

Alvender suddenly withdrew, as the flashbacks began to reveal his bed torture, continuely (you know what, I can't say the four letter word that begins with a "R" I don't think...). Alvender in the next moment after stumbling away from Skye, was seen curled up into a ball, trembling and screaming. He had locked the memories deep inside, never wanting to expose them, but now a particular young girl begged him.

Soon getting back to his feet, Alvender found that he felt suddenly empty, alone and scared. Remembering where he was, Alvender muttered, "That's just the beginning."

Looking over to the young wizard, who he knew had successfully disarmed all of Alvender's defenses during the little show, said, "I'd like to be dismiss...no...make that...I'll take my leave..."

Stumbling out of the courtyard somehow Alvender found his living quarters, where all he could find he could do, was curl up in a ball on the floor, as the world around him became darker and darker. Until nothing was left but his memories and the darkness.

 

[Skye]

OOC: Whoa....a little intense there RM....:-P

IC: Through all his memories, Skye was suprised to find sympathy pain. She did not realize she would experience pain from memories, but it was there, as sharp as if it were happening in the present. She tried to block it from her mind, to put the pain in another place, to control it, and she was succeeding somewhat with Yukiko's help, but they sympathy she felt for Alvender complicated things.

And the man with the red eyes....she knew that face, and the moment she saw him, she wanted to vomit. Her stomach lurched, but she held on, pushed her body and mind to its limits.

And then the memories from the nights Alvender spent as a slave. Skye felt herself screaming, though whether she did in reality or not she did not know. The one thing Alvender could have kept for himself...they had taken everything from him. Everything. She felt his pain, but more than that, the rage, the hatred, the powerlessness....she wanted to reach into his memory, strangle the wizzard, stop him, anything...

In the next moment, she was lying in the grass, waking as if from a nightmare. Alvender was gone, and she found her head in Lucas' lap. He was gently massaging her temples and looking out towards the academy with a worried expression. Skye's eyes darted around, searching....

"Where's Alvender?" her voice was small.

Yukiko was by her side, in her small form, lying atop her chest, her claws dug deep into the cloth of Skye's robes. Her fur was bristled, her body tense.

"He needed some time. You two looked terrible....you could barely keep control Skye. What happened?" Lucas asked.

Skye tried to sit up, rubbed her eyes, and looked back at Lucas.

"I can't even begin..." she told him. "It was terrible...and I will not go into it..."

"If you're afraid you'll relive the pain-"

"I'd relive it a hundred times!" she snapped. "It's not a matter of pain...I can built tolerance to it....it's a matter of respect. What happened to Alvender is between me and him. Be satisfied with the fact that his memories didn't do worse damage to me."

Her eyes were full of tears.

"But I will build tolerance...and maybe..." she said hopefully, looking in the direction of the academy. "...just maybe this will help him heal too..."

Lucas lay a hand on her shoulder, and stood up. Yukiko had curled up in Skye's hood, which rested on her back. She looked up at Lucas.

"May I be dismissed until later this afternoon?" she asked him.

"Rest up," Lucas agreed. He helped her to her feet, and her legs wobbled for a moment. He helped her balance, holding her at her shoulders, but she took it only as a support, and nothing more, and stepped out of it as soon as she found her feet. "We'll work on spells this afternoon."

"Thank you," she said with a small bow, and walked towards the academy. She reached out with her mind, and Yukiko's, to find Alvender. She hurried along the corridoors, her heart racing. At last....she found the room, and opened the door slowly. She found him curled up in a ball, looking as defenseless as he had in his memories.

Skye hastened her pace over to him, wrapping her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder, her robes sprawled over the both of them as if protecting the both of them from the truth they now both knew.

"It's just me....I'm here," she said comfortingly, brushing a few strands of his hair away from his eyes. She leaned over his shoulder and kissed his cheek gently, and a tear fell from her eye onto his cheek, sliding slowly down into the corner of his mouth.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

 

[Raichu Master]

OOC: The wizard was a girl, who looked like Skye, except for red eyes, which is why he was so tense when meeting her, cause wizards, if they wanted to, could probably change their eye color.

Yeah it was a bit intense, but I'm working on a novel, and I had to summarize half a book, highlighting some of the worse moments.

IC: "That's not even the beginning...what I showed you...was just an introduction to everything that happened to me," Alvender said, shivering just a bit at the memories he had exposed. "I tried to stop it before they got to the horrible parts...which I kind of lost control of my memories, and you just saw a glimpse of what happened to me toward the end. Believe me, you don't want to go any further than where you've gone." Alvender said in a seriousness that had a hint of fear to it.

Alvender looked into Skye's eyes, immidiately his tainted vision replaced Skye's indigo eyes with red. Alvender jumped back, calling both swords to his hands and prepared to lounge forward with everything he had. In mid-flight though, his distorted vision cleared, revealing that Skye was Skye and not the female wizard of his past. Thinking Alvender tucked his arms, and rolled sideways, and called for his weapons to disappear.

"I am sorry. Bringing my demons into the light has distorted my vision," Alvender said, his voice marked heavily with shame and regret. Waving his hands, Alvender's rags were replaced by a long flowing suaded robe, and other wizard garbs.

"I don't meet with my swordsman instructor until tomorrow. Spells are today," Alvender said, bring a smile into the odd and extremely thin atmosphere. "Since we both appear to be on a break, let's go for a stroll, maybe tell a bit about each other. I'll explain my memories a bit more, and you can tell me more about your past," Alvender suggested as he hooked his arm, waiting for Skye to link arms with him.

 

[Skye]

Skye found herself drawing her wand on Alvender, and when he recoiled, she felt shame at not trusting him. They were both of a very thin string at the moment, both emotionally exhausted, and Skye let out a breath as Alvender seemed to regain his senses.

"A walk...would be nice," she admitted, feeling wary. Yukiko squirmed in her hood, and poked her head out, resting it on Skye's shoulder, and watching Alvender curiously.

She took his arm, feeling somewhat awkward and distracted. Her mind was swimming with a million thoughts, most of her dreading the message she would get this afternoon about the man she had seen on the battlefield. Her heart sank at the thought, but she had to be strong...she had to keep moving foward. He had told her that before he left...

She pushed those thoughts from her mind, feeling the threat of tears rising as a lump in her throat. Her robes swirled gracefully around her feet as she walked, barefoot, with Alvender around the academy.

"So..." she began quietly, hoping to ease into conversation. Her heart was heavy, and though her voice was quiet, it conveyed that weight very well. "What brought you here to the academy?"

 

[JBCBlank]

I turned slightly red and touched my cheek, stunned by what just happened. I want to slap him for that, yet I do not think I should...What am I saying?! Have I gone mad?....

Michael smiled and looked back at the young girl, "why don't we get your gorgiuse face inside before something happens to it." he says ruffling his wings.

 

[Legolas]

Don't push it Michael Legolas said as he looked at him, in a mad way, looking like he is constapated.

OCC:OMFG He looks SOOOO funny in my mind! XD

 

[Raichu Master]

"As you might have guessed, I hate the imperial government," Alvender started with a sigh. "I hate the seperatist too, so don't think I'm out to destroy any part of anything. I was drafted, they found me somehow. I had two options. Come here, or be enslaved again. So I came here, not because I wanted to. But because I had to," Alvender admitted as they turned a corner.

"I suspect, a part of me, which I can see clearly now. Wished to find trust in the academy. Which I thankfully did," Alvender said throwing a smile at Skye.

"But I already said all that several times," Alvender said waving what he said away, trying not to think of his past. "Why have you come here? Surely not just because you wanted to control your problems. Basically all our master is telling you, is to suck it up, and you'll get used to it. I don't agree with his method, as may have guess. I believe there are better ways to control ones powers. But it takes an elf's lifetime, and an elf's patience to master," Alvender said with a sigh. "But you're not elf, and neither is he from what I can tell, so I suppose desensitization is the best way to do it, and the quickest way."

"But enough of that, I digressed. My original question was: why did you truly come to the academy, other than to control your powers?" Alvender said, waving his whole speech to the way side, he decided he spent enough time talking, now it was time to listen.

 

[Skye]

"I watched an army take over a village once...I was traveling with my father, and we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I got very sick...the pain, the suffering....at such close proximities too. But after what I saw, I knew I couldn't just sit still and let it all happen. I couldn't take action then, but I'm hoping that with training I'll be able to," she looked away, her heart starting to pound. She could not think of the man on the battle field...could not bear to think of him. She knew she would have to face it soon.

"Skye!" Lucas came bounding downt he hallway, his face serious and worried. He approached the two of them, looking like he was about to deliver the worst news...

"I know," she told him flatly. "Please....don't say it. I know..."

"You-"

"I saw it happen when we were out on the grass."

"But you're not upset....I would have thought-"

"I'll deal with it in my own time," she said coldly. In reality, she was very near loosing it in front of both of them. She released Alvender's arm. "Please excuse me."

She walked down the corridoor and rounded the corner calmly, but promptly broke into a sprint. She ran up the stairs to her tower, which faced the morning sun, and threw off her outer robes, leaving them lying on the floor in a crumpled pile. Yukiko sprang out of the hood, not knowing what to do. The little dragon hopped up onto Skye;s bed as the girl flung herself upon it.

[I"His sacrifice was not in vain.[/I]

"I know, Yukiko."

I know you love him...I know he means the world to you, but you need to keep moving foward. You have to...you are going to help stop this war so this does not happen to anyone else.

"I know, Yukiko....just please....let me grieve."

She sat looking out the window, her wide jade-colored pant legs sprawled about her like a gown, her black tunic sleeves resting on her pant legs as her hands were folded neatly in her lap. She blinked her indigo eyes as the tears came forth. The reality began to hit...he was gone....she would not see him when she returned home. He wouldn't pick her up and spin her around, kiss her forehead and tell her he loved her. The few tears turned to a steady flow, and she lay down on her bed, Yukiko curled up in her arms, her heart racing.

Somewhere in the world, another battle began, and her body began to ache with the suffering.