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Falric asked； Chosen what？
The gnome said； Be silent； boy； you ll find out soon enough。
Turning to Scavell； the elf said； You have trained all five of your students well； Magna Scavell。
Aegwynn frowned； she d never heard that honorific before。
However； there is one student that has stood out from the others。 One student who has proven inquisitive in the
ways of magic beyond ordinary curiosity； who has shown aptitude for spellcasting that is unparalleled； and who has
already mastered the Meitre scrolls。
Now Aegwynn s heart raced。 The night elf Meitre was a great wizard from many thousands of years ago。 Elven
mages didn t attempt to cast from Meitre s scrolls until the final year of their apprenticeships； and human mages
often didn t even try until after that apprenticeship was pleted。 Aegwynn； however； was casting Meitre s spells
at will by the end of her first year。
She had also been doing so in secret Scavell insisted that it would annoy the boys。
Falric looked at his fellow apprentices in turn。 Who was casting Meitre s spells？
Grinning； Aegwynn said triumphantly； I was。
Who said you could do that？ Manfred asked angrily。
Speaking in his papery voice； Scavell said； I did； young Manfred。 And you and Falric would be wise not to speak
out of turn again。
Bowing their heads； Falric and Manfred both said； Yes； sir。
The elf went on： What you must now be told； all of you； is that there is a war being fought。 It is not known to the
general populace； only to the munity of wizards； of which all of you will some day soon be a part。 Demons
have invaded our world； and they grow more aggressive with each passing year； despite our best efforts to stymie
them。
Indeed； the gnome put in； earning him a mild glare from the elf； likely because of those efforts； which serve only
to anger them。
Demons？ Natale sounded scared。 He d always had a fear of demons。
Yes； one of the humans said。 At every turn； they try to destroy us。 Only the wizards can stand against them。
The Tirisfalen； the elf added； with a glance at the human that indicated that he didn t appreciate this interruption；
either； have been charged with protecting this world from demonkind； and we have created a Guardian。 The finest
young mages in the land are brought together by the current Guardian your master Scavell； in this case who
trains them。 We then determine e the new Guardian。
The choice wasn t easy； the gnome said。
Jonas muttered； It be a stupid choice。
What did you say； young man？ another elf asked。
I said the choice be stupid。 Aegwynn s a girl。 She be fit for a wisewoman； givin out herbal remedies to the
villagers or summat； but that be all！ We all of us be mages！
Aegwynn looked in shock and disgust at Jonas。 She had grown rather fond of Jonas； and the two of them had slept
together a couple of times。 They had kept their liaison secret from the other apprentices； though Scavell knew about
it there was nothing that escaped the old mage s gaze。 The last thing she had expected were those words from his
lips Falric s； maybe； he was a pompous ass； but not Jonas and Aegwynn swore to herself that Jonas would never
get her in bed again…。
It is true； an older human said with a sigh； that women are emotional and prone to excessive displays that are
unbeing of a mage。 But it is also true that Aegwynn has the most potential of any of the youths that Scavell has
found； and we cannot afford for the Guardian to be anything less than the best even if that means giving the
position to a girl。
At that； Aegwynn bristled。 With respect； good sirs； I will be as good a mage as any of these boys。 In fact； I think I
will be better because I had to overe so much more to get here。
The elf chuckled。 She raises a fine point。
So； waitasec； Natale said； you mean that she s gonna be this； uh； whadayacall； Guardian thing； and we get； what；
nothin ？
Not at all； the elf said。 You will each have important roles to play。 All the wizards of our order are fighting this
battle。 It is simply that the Guardian s role is the most important。
Turning to her mentor； Aegwynn asked； Scavell what of you？ Why are you giving up being Guardian？
Scavell smiled。 I am old； my girl； and very tired。 Fighting the hordes of demonkind is a game for the young。 I wish
to live out my few remaining years preparing the next generation。 He turned to the boys。 Rest assured； I will
continue to be your mentor。
Swell； Falric muttered。 All four boys were sulking。
If anything； the gnome said testily； the fact that you re being so immature about this is precisely why we chose
Aegwynn over you。
Besides； the older human added； the Guardian must be the vessel of the council。 I suspect that a girl will be less
willful and will understand the chain of mand； as it were。
This isn t a military engagement； one of the other humans said。
Aegwynn couldn t help herself。 You described this as a war。
Quite right； the elf said with a small chuckle。 Then he looked right at Aegwynn with eyes that seemed to bore
into her very soul。 You still have some preparations to undergo； girl； before you must undergo the transfer of
power。 The magic of all the Tirisfalen will be granted to you。 Understand this； Aegwynn you are taking on the
gravest responsibility any mage can accept。
I understand； Aegwynn said； though she wasn t entirely sure she did。 But she wanted to be a mage more than
anything else； and she knew that the primary responsibility of any wizard was to keep the world safe。 At its best；
magic was used by wizards to bring order to a chaotic world； and Aegwynn knew that that would be a lot of work。
She just hadn t realized how much work。 Or what Scavell s real motives for showing her Meitre s scrolls were。
Falric stepped forward。 Dammit； I m as good as any girl！ Better； even！ I can even cast one of Meitre s spells！
Watch！ Falric closed his eyes； then opened them again and stared at a rock that was jutting up from the ground
right in front of where the elf stood。 He muttered an incantation； then repeated it Meitre s spells all required
double incantations； which Scavell had said was a security precaution。
A flash of light； and then the rock glowed faintly with a yellowish hue。 Falric sneered at Aegwynn； and then
grinned at the mages that surrounded them。
Rock to gold； the gnome said。 How unoriginal。
Actually； the elf said with a smile； it is fool s gold。
Falric s grin fell。 What？ It can t be！ He cast a quick identification spell； and then his face fell even farther。
Dammit！
You have a great deal to learn； the elf said； but you have much potential； all of you。 Falric； Manfred； Jonas；
Natale； you will find that potential as Scavell s students。 Again the soulboring gaze。 Aegwynn； your destiny will
e quite a bit sooner。 We will reconvene in this glade in a month s time for the transfer of power。 There is much
you have to prepare for。
With that； all the councillors disappeared in a flash of light。
A month later； having taught Aegwynn about the legions of demons and their horrific minions that had been
trying and； through the grace of Guardians like Scavell； failing to encroach upon the world； Scavell passed on
the power of the Guardian to Aegwynn。 It was like nothing she d ever experienced before。 Spells that once took all
her concentration now required only the briefest of thoughts。 Her perceptions changed as well； as she saw far
beneath the surface of everything。 Where it once took an effort or a plex spell to determine the nature of a
plant or the emotional state of an animal； she could now divine it at the merest glance。
A year after that； Scavell died quietly in his sleep。 When he realized he was dying； he had arranged to find new
mages for Jonas； Natale； and Manfred to study under。 Falric； at that point； was ready to be out on his own。 Scavell
willed all his belongings； as well as his servants； to Aegwynn。
Less than a month after Scavell s death； Aegwynn returned from the small village of Jortas in time to receive a
mystical summons from the council。
As soon as she arrived at Tirisfal Glade； the gnome whose name； she had since learned； was Erbag said； What
do you think you were doing in Jortas？
Saving them from Zmodlor。 Aegwynn would have thought that her answer was selfevident。
And did you think to learn more about Zmodlor before you destroyed him？ Did you plan a strategy that would
dispose of him in a manner that would contain him without the populace of Jortas learning the truth？ Or did you
just blindly charge in and flail about； hoping you might succeed？
Fatigue and irritation bined to make Aegwynn a bit more forthright than she truly should have been with the
council。 None of those； Erbag； as you well know。 There was no time to plan such a strategy or learn more。 Doing
so would have endangered the children in the schoolhouse that Zmodlor had taken possession of。 There were
children in there。 Was I to hang back and
What you were to do； Erbag said； was as you were told。 Did Scavell not teach you in the ways of the Tirisfalen？
We proceed with caution and with
Aegwynn interrupted the gnome right back。 What you do； Erbag； is react。 And that s all you do； and it s why
you ve made so little headway against these foul creatures over the last several centuries。 Zmodlor was able to take
over an entire schoolhouse and was prepared to use the children of Jortas for a ritual that would have poisoned their
souls。 It was only purest chance that I detected the foul stench of demonmagic and was able to arrive in time。 Your
methods are reactive。
Of course they are！ Erbag was waving his arms back and forth now。 This council was created to react to the
threat of the
And it hasn t worked。 If we are truly to stand firm against these monsters who would invade and destroy our
homes； we cannot allow them to encroach upon us so easily that they capture children before we even know they re
here。 We must be proactive in seeking them out and eliminating them； or we will be overrun。
Erbag was not convinced。 And when the people start to realize that their lives are in danger and they panic
uncontrollably？
Rather than reply to the question； Aegwynn looked at the other councillors。 Does Erbag speak for you all； or is he
simply the loudest？
The oldest of the elves on the council； Relfthra； favored Aegwynn with a small smile。 Both； in fact； Magna。 The
smile fell。 Erbag is correct in that you are too reckless。 Zmodlor was a minor demon in the service of Sargeras； he
might have been able to provide us with useful intelligence about his master。
Yes； and he might have killed all those children before providing us with that intelligence。
Perhaps。 But that is a risk that sometimes we must take in order to fight this war。
Aegwynn was aghast。 We re talking about the lives of children。 Besides which； this isn t a war； it s a holding
action at best。 And it will get us all killed； child and adult alike； if we re not careful。 Before any of the other
mages could criticize her； she said； August mages of the council； with all respect； I beg you I am exhausted and
wish to sleep。 Is there anything else？
Relfthra s face darkened。 Remember your place； Magna Aegwynn。 You are the Guardian； but you serve that
function as the arm of the Council of Tirisfal。 Never fet that。
I doubt that you will ever allow me to； Aegwynn muttered。 If that is all？
For now； Relfthra said。 The words were barely out of his mouth when Aegwynn teleported back to the Violet
Citadel； in desperate need of sleep。
Thirteen
L orena was disappointed； but not entirely surprised； to see Kristoff seated on Lady Proudmoore s throne。 The lady
herself avoided sitting on the thing whenever possible； but the chamberlain would insist on using it when he was
left in charge。
Kristoff wasn t so much sitting in the throne as draping himself on it。 His thin shoulders were slumped； and he was
seated at an angle； one leg hanging off the side。 He was reading a scroll when Lorena came in； led by Duree。
Colonel Lorena to see you； sir； the old woman