Secret of the Mystic

The group arrived at the edge of a wide, dark clearing, charcoal clouds hanging low above them. They paused to gaze across the clearing at the mysterious cloaked creatures, soft and mist-like in their appearance. The mystics stood in perfect silence, nine of them side by side, the tenth, their leader, before them. The Mystic himself, and the two apprentices on either side of him, each carried a staff unique to the individual. Aniki quickly recognized the staff of Remaliah, who stood at the Mystic’s left. Veinta shifted uneasily, but stepped forward to speak with the mystic leader. The moment Veinta moved, the tenth hooded creature lifted his head, though his face still lost amongst the glamour of shadows, and stepped forward as well, complete silence enveloping him as he quickly moved. When the two met in the center of the clearing, Veinta was dwarfed by this giant creature, over ten feet in height. The hwervag bowed nervously before the Mystic, trying as best he could to avoid the hidden gaze he knew was upon him.

“Oh great Mystic, I come before you to speak on behalf of one of the legendary warriors, my dear friend. I only ask that you hear what I have to say and think kindly over my words, of which I swear to you are as true as can be...” Veinta, trembling slightly, closed his eyes as he waited for the intimidating creature’s response.

The Mystic hesitated in ear-numbing silence. He then raised his right hand, and with it pulled back the hood from his face, revealing the features of a creature not seen by outside eyes for over 3,000 years. The Mystic’s head was somewhat like that of a wolf, though with a muzzle more broad, and tall perked ears. He was covered in silver, shimmering fur, which was short yet thick and tightly sealed against his skin. He had scarlet curls that flowed just past his shoulders and between his perked ears, nearly covering both eyes. The hair was thick and somewhat wild, like mane, yet so beautiful still. His eyes were soft, a dreamy deep blue in color, his expression unexpectedly gentle.

Tai couldn’t help but feel amazed, for the Mystic, like Lord Svaldio, was of the same unknown race as Anima.

“By all means, Healer, speak proudly and telleth me why I mustn’t destroy this young creature, for it pleases me not in doing so.” The Mystic’s voice was smooth and soft as velvet, light and slightly tenor in tone, the syllables rolled rhythmically through each word. This was indeed the voice that Tai had always heard in his mind, and now at last, the sound touched his ears. Aniki, too, recognized the lovely sound as he watched beside Tai, his eyes set on the Mystic with wonder.

“Thank you, Mystic-”

“My name is Raz, you may call me so, per favore.”

Veinta stared at Raz in slight bewilderment, then hesitantly forced himself to speak. “Uh, of course, Raz...”

As Veinta explained to the Mystic Raz of Tai’s misfortune in being corrupted by a spell of Lord Svaldio, Tai could not help but gaze at the strange creature, almost in fascination. When the Healer’s hopeful speech was over, Raz shifted his gaze directly into Tai’s eyes, sending chills through his body despite the placid softness in the Mystic’s eyes.

“Come forth, Avira.”

Tai stiffened, paralyzed for a moment with nervous tension, then stepped forward, entranced, towards Raz. He stopped and stood anxiously beside Veinta, sweat dampening his palms as he clenched his hands at his sides. When he cautiously looked up to meet Raz’s gaze, he wasn’t positive, but he thought he noticed a slight, secretive smile upon the Mystic’s muzzle. His face was a contrast of young and old, his features so filled with the bright, tender freshness of youth, yet his eyes and expression holding behind them a mysterious aura of the most ancient wisdom of all times past.

“Buon giorno, Avira, Lord of the Thunder... Warrior of wind and of spirit... Does it stand true that you have been corrupted against your will by the Darkside?”

“Yes, it is true, Mystic.” Tai forced his quiet voice to be heard, despite the tightening feeling in his throat.

“Hmm, and would it also be true that you have, once deceived, separated yourself from those of good nature, and spilled the blood of innocent creatures in their attempt to stop your aid of the Darkside?” Raz never raised his voice, but rather kept a mild and somewhat casual tone. Tai hesitated, and broke his gaze from the Mystic’s slightly somber expression.

“...Yes... That is also true...” He replied, staring blankly at the dark earth beneath himself, half hoping for the ground to open up and plunge him into eternal darkness where, at least, he would not have to face the Mystic’s fatal decision.

Raz closed his eyes and paused for a cumbersome moment, his body motionless as stone except for a few strands of his scarlet hair caught amongst the soundless breeze. Silence as thick and metallic as blood hung in the atmosphere, as though all of time had ceased in its forward march to aid Raz in his ponderous thoughts.

Without moving, he opened his eyes and spoke with such gentle consideration. “Avira, I hope that your soul will find some way to forgive me at the time of judgment, for I must resentfully destroy you, and release the Aura Wolf from the binds of unchosen darkness within your heart...”

Raz closed his eyes again and muttered something in a smooth, Latin-toned language, a flicker of pain twisted into his expression. He slowly, reluctantly, lifted the staff in his right hand. Atop the twisted twigs of the wood was cradled a smooth, white orb that began to glow with the soft luminance of the moon, and a burst of white flame encircled Tai at his feet in response to Raz’s power.

“Wait!” Tai tensed, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Immediately Raz doused the flames with a flick of his wrist, almost as though he had expected to do so.

“I know I have done wrong, killing innocent creatures, striving to achieve the goals of the Dark Forces... I hate what I’ve done, that I was weak enough to be so easily corrupted, and I am truly sorry. I have a lot to learn, and I swear to do better, I truly want to help the people and do whatever I can to help you destroy the Dark Forces. Please give me another chance, I won’t disappoint you again, Mystic...” Tai did not look up from the ground, too ashamed to look into the face of the Mystic, who seemed to be the supreme judge over all the land, his every decision final and unquestioned by the creatures. Raz, however, gazed down at Tai with a soft expression, and to everyone’s amazement, smiled proudly.

“...Very good, Avira. You have within your heart a courageous and honorable soul. Your words have proven truths of which I have fought to clarify in your favor, to those who believe I did wrong in saving you. You truly desire with all that you are to be rid of the shadows that so block your mind and cloud your judgment, and, if that of which I have spoken is fully true, I have the cleansing power within myself to remove this darkness from you, but it will only be victorious if you truly desire with all your power to understand and follow truth.”

At that, Tai looked up at Raz, slightly confused of the Mystic’s words, and surprised at his kindness. He quickly forced himself to make some form of reply. “Uh, I want to be like that more than anything, Mystic.”

Raz made no hesitation. He took a step toward Tai, towering over him, and again held up his staff. He closed his eyes in concentration, and began to softly chant in his Latin language. Within moments the orb again began to glow, and even more brilliantly as he brought its tip back to the ground, sending forth a wave a soft, white light. Tai stood in silent, motionless curiosity as the white light of purity, blindingly bright, felt as though it were reaching into the dark crevices of his soul, cutting through any shadows like the seraph blade of an angel would cut through the heart of a demon. A wave of hot, static pain cascaded through his head from the Mystic’s power. When the final burst of light pulsated from the orb of moonlight, Raz spoke the last words of the chant and paused in a silent, dreamlike trance, feeling the very energy and aura of the small creature before him. Finally, he opened his eyes and smiled with satisfaction.

“You have been cleansed of darkness, young one. How do you feel?”

Tai stared at him, a bit dazed, the cells of his body tingling still from the cleansing. “...Well, better than I have felt in a while...” He smiled shyly. Raz smiled back at him for a moment, then quickly glanced to the right, his body, hidden beneath the cloak and robes, tensed in concentration. Suddenly, his expression became almost amused, a mysterious smile upon his muzzle.

“Ahh, Lord Dreykin is not at all pleased with me for taking you from his master.”

At that moment, everyone else nervously followed Raz’s gaze. Far into the chalky-grey, desolate distance, a small army of shadows was building, moving quickly towards them. One of the other mystics stepped forward a bit in apprehension.

“Raz, what do you want us to do? Should we leave now that your ‘work’ here is finished?” The hidden creature did not seem to approve of Raz’s decision any more than the Dark Forces.

“No, brother, we stay and we fight. They cannot defeat this army alone.” Raz’s voice changed from the soft and mild tone to a stronger, more confident one.

“But, Raz, we are not prepared...”

“Do you not recall my teaching you, that you will not be graced with perfect conditions when times of trial are forced upon you?”

The disgruntled apprentice silenced as his companions moved obediently to face the oncoming shadows, prepared to fight on Raz’s command if needed. A tremor pulsated through the ground as a burning fissure split the earth between the mystics and Tai’s friends, Tai himself caught in between the two. He fell through the fiery crevice, but felt a large furred hand grab ahold of his wrist and pull him back up to ground level. Raz set Tai beside him, keeping a firm hold on his shoulder with one hand, his right hand tightly gripping the staff, the orb once again glowing brilliantly as a sudden burst of light, quick as lightning, slammed against the demons like a brick wall.

Many of the demons screamed in agony as the light charred them into ashes. Out of the smoke and ash stepped a demon dragon, a large and powerful wingless lizard with great twisted horns. Tai gazed up at Raz, whose expression was brave and confident, not a trace of fear in his features. The orb cradled within his staff glowed fiercely again, and from it came a blast of twisting light, sparks rolling off the spiral like electric rain. The blinding light burned into the dragon’s broad chest. It roared in anguish and fury, the sound sending shockwaves through the ground as a blinding flash of red filled the land, covering every inch. Tai closed his eyes as he felt Raz tighten his grip upon his shoulder. The powerful tremors finally knocked him off his feet and, he couldn’t see for certain, but Raz must have fallen with him, for the clawed hand never left his shoulder. Suddenly, the deafening noise ceased, the ground stabilized, the heat of the red light replaced by a chilling breeze. Tai felt grass beneath him, then remembered, there was no grass in the rocky clearing they were in.

Tai opened his eyes. He was lying on his back in a bleak forest, the sky above him a blanket of grey, leafless trees of black twisted eerily above him. He sat up in confusion, gazing into the sky, then heard something move beside him. He looked to see that Raz was still there, towering over him, his magic staff in hand. The Mystic’s expression was soft and wise again, though strangely filled with assurance rather than confusion. Raz looked down at Tai and smiled gently, his hair falling over his eyes a bit.

“I see you are quite confused, Tai.” Raz’s tone was smooth and legato.

Tai gazed at him in hesitation. “How… did we get here? What happened to everyone else?” Tai stood up in alarm, worried suddenly about his friends. Raz took a step sideways, his ears perked, listening. After a moment, he glanced back at Tai.

“The demon dragon, Lord Dreykin’s apprentice, used his weakening power to disperse us across the land, thus making us easier targets. Do not despair, I know our exact location, and for now we must return to my castle so that I may better prepare myself to fight. Then, we shall find your family and mine.”

Tai felt numb as he stared up at the strange half-man, half-wolf creature. He noticed how his face was a strange compilation of both halves, for his muzzle, though the same length as that of a wolf, was more squared rather than pointed, his jaw more angled like that of a handsome man. He was a bit uncertain after these recent events, as to whether he could truly trust this creature. Raz’s gentle smile faded as though he had heard Tai’s thoughts, then turned away from him and began to walk into the forest.

“Come, Tai.” The Mystic shot him a sideways glance. Tai hesitantly followed, the somehow gentle power of Raz’s command pulling him with magnetic force.

“How do I know I can trust you?” Tai questioned suspiciously.

Raz was quick to answer. “You don’t. I could repeat to you that you can trust me until my voice goes hoarse, but that would not be proof that you can. You will just have to give me time to prove it to you, if that is what you desire.”

The young elf gazed up at the giant creature beside him, uncertain of what to say.

“I am sorry that you got involved with… Well. With the dark lords. I blame myself for your misfortune, to be honest… I brought you here to this world that you know nothing of, to be left with total strangers, and be disturbed by the events that have unfolded before you with no explanation… I wanted to be there, as I had planned. But when I realized the Dark Forces were planning to strike two of our kingdoms, I had to go. I knew you would be safe with the hwervags... I hope you can forgive me, I know I have disappointed you, and Sheraga.”

Tai fell silent as he walked uncomfortably beside his acquaintance. Raz, however, seemed unnaturally at ease, even in such a dark and menacing forest. Night was beginning to fall like blackened mist all around them, the fresh and static scent of a coming storm filled the air. Raz lifted his muzzle to the sky as a fiery spark burned through the clouds like a fissure of light.

“We must move. Presto.” The Mystic’s voice was calm, yet there was also undefyable force within his tone. Tai wasn’t positive, for he had no knowledge of the Italian language, but he guessed that by ‘presto,’ Raz meant ‘quickly,’ for his already long-stridden pace quickened, and Tai struggled to keep close to the giant creature. The dead, eerie forest began to melt into a comfortable living one, the trees now covered in fresh, green needles. The songs of nocturnal nature fluttered frantically on the breeze, the creatures preparing restlessly for the ominous storm approaching.

They soon arrived at the forest’s edge, a large circular clearing spread out before them. An enormous castle rested in the clearing like the stunning centerpiece upon a table. The castle held the design of a Gothic cathedral, its towering spires punctured the low hanging mist from the mountains. The face of the arch shaped building was covered in medieval art, the very center sectioned off by a large circle. The lower half of the circle held together heavenly clouds, incredibly soft in appearance despite being carved out of stone. The upper half held prisoner an archangel, whose great wings folded in on themselves, appearing broken. The angel’s face was sad and tortured, and he held a thin staff in his right hand like the one that Raz himself carried.

There was a river that flowed in the shape of a backwards ‘L’ through the clearing. The river started somewhere beyond the forest beside the castle, and flowed in a near straight line in front of it. It then curved sharply and flowed down the length of the castle’s right side, the river’s end disappearing somewhere between the thick trees of the forest.

Raz continued forward towards his castle as lightning surged around the spires, creating an eerie atmosphere around him. Tai hesitated, gazing after the Mystic as he paused before the drawbridge. The wind was blowing his hair and dark cloak, reminding Tai of Count Dracula, with the dark castle before him and the lightning cracking the sky above.

The Mystic paused only long enough for Tai to catch up to him, then walked across the drawbridge. The front of the castle was fifteen feet away from the river’s edge. The arch shaped entrance, twenty feet in height, stood out quite a ways from the castle’s front wall. Tai followed cautiously behind Raz into the entrance hallway. The hallway was dark, despite being lined on both sides with glowing torches. Along the walls were framed inscriptions, the text was Italian and written in beautiful, gothic lettering. Tai was about to ask Raz what the inscriptions meant when the corridor suddenly opened into an enormous room. The ceiling was so high that shadows consumed it in a void of murky black. A set of wide steps lead up to the sanctuary on the wall opposite the entrance. On either side of the steps was a tall golden post, the top of which held a wide bowl of flames. The sanctuary was a large, square platform nearly twenty feet or so above the castle’s black marble floor. There were ten decorative chairs with red velvet cushions, golden legs, and a gold vine-like border around the back. Five of the chairs sat on the right side of the sanctuary, six on the left side, all curving in a semicircle to face the entrance. Centered and pushed back against the wall of the sanctuary was a beautiful altar. The altar was covered in luxurious regalia, all sides of it were decorated in medieval art, mostly angels and strange beasts of mythology. A sparkling blue velvet cloth was draped perfectly over the top of the altar, silver threads lining flawlessly along each edge of the cloth. There were flame lamps, like the ones on each side of the steps, on each corner of the sanctuary, and one on each side of the altar. High on the wall above the sanctuary was an enormous painting of two howling wolves.

Raz walked to the left side of the sanctuary’s steps and paused, turning to face Tai, the orange glow of the flames tarnishing his silver fur.

“I shall return in a moment. You may look around if you so desire.” Raz closed his eyes and bowed slightly, then turned, the movement so quick that his cloak flowed around him like smoke, and he quickly disappeared into the shadows of the castle.

Tai stared into the shadows for a moment, wondering what strange things could be hiding amongst them, seeing that something as large as Raz could simply vaporize into them. He sighed quietly, then carefully climbed the steps to the sanctuary, and walked up to the altar. In the center of the altar was a silver statue, one side of it was a wolf, the other side a leucrocotta. The beasts were standing and facing one another, each holding one end of a handle with silver vines wrapped around it in their jaws. A silver bell hung from the center of the handle, its outer walls tarnished with the force of time. In front of the statue were three silver instruments used to ring the bell. They were set evenly in a row and each had a different symbol on the handle. The altar was covered in layers of dust, looking as though it hadn’t been touched for years. The candlesticks upon the altar had lines of webs connecting each one in a strange, spacial design. Tai stepped back a bit to gaze at the painting above the sanctuary. The wolves were perched across the boulders at the top of a mountain, looking as though they were about to ascend into the night sky. Their forms were strangely distorted, and all over their ghostly bodies were glowing, blue-green runes, strange symbols he’d never seen before.

“That is a painting of the Aura Wolves, the unbeings that thrive within you and your brother as part of your souls.”

Tai turned around, startled, to look at Raz who was suddenly standing at the foot of the sanctuary’s steps. He was dressed differently now, though still wearing the same dark grey cloak. He had replaced the long, flowing robes that covered every inch of him with a crisp white shirt that buttoned down the front, sleeves rolled neatly up to the elbows, and black trousers. The Mystic was surprisingly human in shape, the only differences being that he was covered in short silver fur, he bore the digitigrade leg structure of a canine, a small deer-like tail, and that he had three, clawed toes on each foot, which were more like wolf paws.

The tall, glassless windows behind the Mystic glowed brightly with the flash of lightning, the castle walls trembled from the force of a massive quake in the sky. Ice and snow poured in a torrential fall from the black nocturnal sky, wind catching the large crystals now and then and spinning them together in a vicious vortex.

“Tai... I know you will not likely be pleased with what I am to say, but... I believe we should wait until the morning before we search for your friends. Powerful storms like this in these mountains are a dangerous force, even for me, to try and wander through in the dead of night... I promise you your friends will be alright as long as they stay together in one place. They know these lands, and how to survive.” Raz bowed his head slightly, hair falling over his eyes and covering them. Tai looked down the steps at him, a part of him wanting to argue with the Mystic, another part believing that Raz was simply wanting to protect him. Tai sighed softly in compliance and walked down the steps towards Raz, who looked at him and smiled gently.

“I understand that all of this must be of great inconvenience for you. Nonetheless, I do hope you will be able to enjoy your stay with me, at least somewhat.” Raz’s expression was soft and genuine. The Mystic, Tai was beginning to realize, was a surprisingly friendly creature.

“I will try, Mystic...” Tai replied sheepishly, his voice small and quiet.

“Please, do call me Raz. It has a much less formal sound to it, which is much more pleasant to my ears.” Raz chuckled softly, and Tai couldn’t help but smile lightly.

Raz took a step back and gazed to the far right end of the wall that the sanctuary rested against. He glanced back at Tai and made a quick gesture with his right hand, the lines of what appeared to be a rune on his palm glittered with metallic luminescence in the firelight.

“Come, per favore.” The Mystic turned and walked smoothly into the shadows, the pure grace of his movements unmatched by any creature. Tai cautiously followed him, straining his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Once closer, he was finally able to see the entrance to another dark corridor, this one however having no torches to light the way. Tai walked carefully, trying to avoid bumping into Raz, whose footsteps were so soft that he could not only no longer be seen, but no longer heard either. He was relieved when the corridor opened into another large room, this one lit not only with lamps, but also a grand chandelier hung from the ceiling, its dazzling crystal branches strung with beads of silver and stones that glowed with brilliant light. The room was apparently a dining hall, and had a long table in the center with eleven chairs set evenly around it. There was a small room on the left side, close to the wall of the entrance, that Raz continued towards. Inside the little room was a small table in the center, and a counter on the right wall. There were cupboards and shelves above the counter, labeled jars and cups lined the shelves. Despite the smallness of the room, Tai felt like a hobbit in a giant’s kitchen.

Raz paused. “I am afraid there is little for me to cook, we have not had the opportunity to restock for some time. However, I can make tea, so I hope that will be fine for you.” The Mystic chuckled again, the sound was light and airy, so pleasant to the ear.

“Oh, uh, thank you...” Tai gazed out the single window, illuminated now and then by a flash of lightning, barely aware of Raz’s presence as he silently made the tea.

“You do not have to stand, you know. I am not proper by any means and prefer my guests to be comfortable, not dignified.” Raz smiled in slight amusement as he set a cup on the table on the opposite side of which he was standing. Tai hesitated, then felt ridiculous as he struggled to climb onto a stool the same height as himself. Raz looked at him with an apologetic smile as he sat across from him, holding a cup of tea in his right hand.

“I apologize, Tai. My castle is designed to fit myself and my family.”

“That’s alright... things seem to be a bit big in this realm, so I’m getting used to feeling small... though this takes it to a slightly absurd level.” Tai smiled a bit.

Raz chuckled. “I am sure.”

“So… what are you, anyway? You look just like someone I met who lived with the vag… but she had no idea what she was…” Tai felt a tinge of sadness as he thought of Anima, hoping somehow in the back of his mind that she and the rest of the Valr pack were alive.

Raz’s expression was mildly intrigued. “Oh? You encountered another besides Lord Svaldio? How interesting…” He paused in thought, then proceeded to answer Tai’s original question. “I am of the race of veraski, a species not native to this world. There is a settlement of veraski in the far north across the sea, two kingdoms… though, they are both plagued by corrupted royalty.”

“Veraski? Do they have… I don’t know, special powers? Can they control the force of aether?”

“Oh, yes. The veraski, known as the children of Varsos, were born from aether. They are a race set apart, nobles among mortals…”

“Then you must be the most powerful among them.” Tai assumed.

The Mystic, however, chuckled. “I suppose. But tis an unfair comparison.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, stating that an Aurien is the most powerful among a race of mortals is like saying a lion is the most powerful among a group of cats…” Raz stated simply.

Tai gazed at him, his brow furrowed in confusion. “I don’t get it. What’s an Aurien? I’ve never heard that before.”

Raz looked as though he had a sudden realization, and smiled. “Ah, of course… You do not remember this universe. You see, an Aurien is a type of immortal being. Ageless, untouched by the corroding effects of time, yet not invincible nor indestructible.”

“Wow… so you really are immortal.” Tai fell silent for a bit in thought, trying to comprehend and piece together all of the wise Mystic’s words. In particular, the words directed toward him. It seemed as though Raz was telling him that he had been to this world before, that he originally came from Origynn, as opposed to earth. Tai’s thoughts reeled back to the comforting memory of Lake Heron, a memory he had carried as far back as he can remember. “Raz… please, tell me, have I been to this world before? Is this where I came from?”

Raz was hesitant, his gentle expression careful. “Yes. You were born here, and lived here until you were ten years of age. Your brother, Aniki, was born here as well. But soon after his birth, it became…” Pain filtered into his sapphire eyes then, the gloss of a deep sorrow that had never fully healed. With a silent sigh he pushed away the emotion, shifting his gaze directly into Tai’s eyes. “…It became unsafe for you here. To protect you both, I sent each of you to live with separate parents and placed you in an earthly city, where I hoped you would not be found. It took seven years for the Dark Forces to find you…”

“So… Aniki is my actual brother, then? Not just… metaphorically?”

The Mystic nodded softly.

“All this time I had a little brother and never knew… and my parents, they were never my real parents after all.” Tai gazed down at the table, deeply troubled. All that he had ever known was simply a veil to protect him from whatever evil hunted him and his brother. He had never truly known anything about himself or where he came from, it felt as though he was discovering himself for the first time, a feeling so overwhelming he wished he could push it away and pretend nothing had happened.

Silence quickly filled the small room, and Tai shifted uneasily. Raz watched him from the corner of his soft, gentle eye. Though the Mystic’s expression was mostly unreadable, there was a hint of guilt or apology in his eyes.

“Raz... can I ask you something?” Tai was hesitant, but his thoughts troubled him greatly.

“Of course. You may ask of me anything you so desire, and I shall provide an answer.” Raz smiled slightly.

“Do you think… Because I have the spirit of the wolf of chaos and destruction within me… that I am destined for darkness?” He stared down at his hands, trembling as they tightly gripped the cup in his hand, his palms damp with nervous sweat. “…I feel drawn to it, sometimes. I don’t want to be part of the darkness, but it wants me…”

“The darkness wants everyone, Tai. The Great Evil… he preys upon all, invading the deepest crevices of our weaknesses. Our fears, our anger, our pain… All give him strength, and power over our lives.” The Mystic paused, shifting his serious gaze into Tai’s golden eyes. The look in his eyes, then, felt as though he was not merely looking at Tai, but into him. “You have much anger, and much pain. Most of which stems from your childhood… so many feelings of abandonment and loneliness… I am sorry…”

“What happened to me, Raz? Why can I not remember anything of my time here before? I have one memory of this world, yet I was here for ten years of my life. What happened to mine and Aniki’s real parents?”

“Many things happened… Tragedy, that I greatly regret.”

“What tragedy? I have the right to know what happened.” Tai felt frustrated, the pressure gripped his throat with the burn of anger. He wanted Raz to tell him everything he knew, that is why he sought the strange creature. Yet here he was, in the presence of the Mystic, being given only the tidbits of information, the crumbs of a loaf of bread. The mysterious Mystic held true to his stereotype, an enigma in himself keeping hold of the secrets of countless centuries.

Even so, as Tai slowly lifted his gaze to the creature’s face, his anger began to subside. His eyes, like sparkling lakes bathed in the light of the moon and stars, were so soft and filled with anguish, the likes of which would destroy any mortal man to bear. Despite the clear torture that Raz must have been feeling, Tai felt such comforting energy that seemed to be emanating from him, filling the small room with soothing peace. With a quiet sigh, Tai submitted to Raz’s silent plea, allowing the subject to pass on for now.

Raz gazed out the window, deep in thought. He sighed almost inaudibly, then took a drink from his cup and stood. He gazed at Tai, and gestured for him to follow again. Tai quickly followed the Mystic into the dining hall, through the corridor, and back into the sanctuary room. Raz walked silently along the wall on his right, many chamber entrances lined the wall. He stopped at the second to last entrance.

“Here is what may as well be our guest room. You may rest here. My room is the first one here, next to your’s. You may come to me at any time if you need.” He paused, gazing out one of the tall windows, as if checking the time of night. “We will find your friends in the morning once you awaken. Buona notte, Tai.”

Raz smiled and bowed slightly to him, then turned and walked towards his room. Tai watched as a flash of lightning filled the room with a black light feel, and as soon as the light faded and the shadows returned, the Mystic had disappeared into the darkness as though he was never there.

Tai could barely fall into sleep that night, for there was such an anxious pang in his heart. Through the short time that he managed to sleep, his mind conjured up the most vivid and strange dream. Within the dream, he was wandering through a land of darkness, the leafless black trees twisting into the inked sky and grabbing ahold of the full, blood-lined moon above. All around him was grey smoke and mist, flowing about like a river of the dead. As he walked deeper into the mist of souls, he could hear a strangely familiar voice speaking into the distance. Tai began to follow the voice, and the closer he got, the more he began to recognize its undeniable, medieval tone. The chilling mist thinned and Tai found himself standing in the center of a clearing, littered with huge boulders far taller than himself. He looked up, and there standing atop of a low cliff was the Mystic, gazing off into the distance, smoke and mist flowing around him like a breeze and giving him an eerie phantom-like appearance. Strangely, Raz seemed to be giving a speech, yet, when Tai glanced in the direction of Raz’s blank gaze, there was nothing but the swirling black mist.

“Raz?... who are you talking to?...” Tai was beginning to feel uneasy, his nerves and muscles tensing.

“...and now their corruption will bring about the destruction of Origynn, possibly even the entire realm of Aine... because of me... because of my decisions... I know that I shall soon face the gallows for my unconscious part in this tragedy, but I must now choose one of you to destroy them...” Raz’s tone was so tranced, with an eerie, dead feel to it.

“What are you talking about? Who has to be destroyed?”

Suddenly the Mystic turned his blank gaze onto Tai, the chill of it seemed to freeze him on the spot. “You there, you must do this for me. It must be done, but I cannot do it myself, I cannot destroy them, though it is because of me they have turned, I cannot...” Raz seemed to choke on his own words, and out of nowhere, blood began to pour relentlessly from the right side of his chest.

Tai’s eyes widened, his heart pounding. “Mystic, I... I don’t understand what you’re asking me to do, what’s... happening to you?...”

“You must kill the one who seeks to destroy... the one who’s heart burns with the darkest hatred of me, who’s strongest desire is to kill me by first destroying my natural heart...” Raz’s voice was beginning to fade as he clutched at his bleeding chest. He closed his blank eyes and stumbled forward, falling over the edge of the cliff he was standing upon. Startled, Tai staggered back, falling. He sat, staring in horror at Raz. The Mystic was dead.

When Tai awoke from the disturbing dream, the sky was just beginning to lighten as morning came. The storm had cleared, and as Tai gazed out the tall window at the foot of his bed, he could still see the full moon, its form fading slowly into the blue. As he sat there pondering the dream, an uneasy feeling gripped the back of his neck and he quickly climbed out of the giant bed. He made for the chamber’s door, but hesitated as he caught sight of another painting on the floor, propped up against the wall. Tai gazed at it as the brightening light illuminated the colored oils on the canvas. It was hard to make out the details from where he was standing, but the image appeared to be of the Mystic, the silver oil used to depict his fur glistened beautifully. Raz was standing at the top of the steps of the sanctuary in a dignified manner, dressed in bright, glittering regalia, a crown atop his scarlet hair. He seemed to be glowing heavenly, and the other mystics kneeled behind him in his shadow. Tai stared at the strange painting for a moment, then sighed and stepped into the sanctuary room of the castle.

Raz was sitting quietly on one of the sanctuary’s steps, holding a book. At first Tai thought he was reading, but as he neared the steps he noticed the pen in his left hand and the jar of black ink by his side. Raz’s ears twitched, though he did not look up from the page he was writing upon.

“Buon giorno, Tai. Give me one moment, per favore, I am nearly finished.” Tai watched as Raz’s gentle hand moved in quick, smooth strokes across the page, creating beautiful gothic lettering. The words made no sense to him, so he guessed that the Mystic must have been writing in Italian. Soon enough he rose and walked up the steps to a wooden podium that was not there the night before, and placed the open book upon it to allow the ink to dry.

“You write?”

“Si, all the time. I record history, keep journals of my own experiences... occasionally I write about legends and myths of the realm. I have even written a few of my own versions of the Bible.” Raz chuckled lightly and walked back down the steps to stand beside Tai, who smiled at him. However, as he gazed at the face of the Mystic, his ancient eyes bright and full of life, his mind fell back on the dream and how there his eyes were blank and dead and drained of all emotion. Tai shivered and dropped his gaze, only then noticing the studded belt that fastened tightly around Raz’s hips, holding two dagger-sized seraph blades at his right side. Raz’s smile faded as his expression changed to concern.

“Are you alright, Tai? You seem to be troubled by something.”

Tai cautiously looked back up at him. “It’s nothing really, just a dream I had...”

Raz’s expression became somewhat worried, and he gazed beyond Tai at the guest chamber. Tai wasn’t sure, but it seemed to him that the Mystic’s eyes filled with painful longing as he stared into the chamber.

“Dreams sometimes speak to us of important things that our conscious minds would never otherwise see...” Raz closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, trying to break away from the thoughts in his mind. He opened his eyes and looked back down at Tai again. “Mi dispiace young one... are you ready to go?”

Tai wasn’t sure of the meaning of ‘mi dispiace’, but by Raz’s expression, he figured it to be an apology. “Uh, yes, I am ready.”

“Wonderful. Andiamo, then!” Raz smiled, his pointed teeth showing a bit as he did so, and he seemed almost excited. Tai couldn’t help but laugh slightly, the Mystic was so much different than he had ever expected.

He followed Raz through the entrance corridor to the outside, where the sun’s early rays filled the mountain forests with orange light, causing the snow crystals that the storm had left upon the grass the night before to glisten. Raz closed his eyes and smiled, taking a deep breath as he crossed the drawbridge.

Tai gazed into the river’s glassy surface as it flowed beneath him. “Do you know where to start looking, Raz?” He asked, the thought suddenly crossing his mind that he had no idea where to even begin looking for Elwyn, Veinta, and Aniki.

The Mystic paused thoughtfully, gazing into the forest before him. “Tai, let me teach you something while you are with me. Do you know about energy? How to sense it?”

“Not really. I know it is a force within all living things.” Tai guessed, piecing together what he had heard about such mystical forces.

“Si, energy is a force that flows through everything, but is most vibrant in living beings. Because you and Aniki are brothers, you should be able to sense his energy more easily than that of someone who is unrelated. Your signatures are similar. Think deeply of him, search for his energy and aura.”

Tai closed his eyes and did as Raz instructed. At first he felt nothing but blank emptiness, but suddenly a spark struck through the wires of his mind. He felt a static connection break through the barriers of his own mind and surge through time and space towards the mind of another, connecting like a circuit. Tai suddenly felt Aniki’s presence, as though he were standing there next to him, touching him. The feeling was so strange but nice, until a shock struck him like a bolt of lightning. His heart raced as fear gripped his mind like a vice, but it wasn’t his fear. He was feeling Aniki’s fear as though it were his own.

He opened his eyes with a start, breathing heavily as though he had just taken laps around the castle. “Aniki, he’s… Afraid. Terrified. Raz, I think-“

Before Tai had a chance to finish, the Mystic placed his large hand upon his shoulder, as though to silence him. Raz’s lean and powerful muscles tensed as he closed his eyes, his ears twitched as his mind searched the energies and auras of the land around him. “I feel a demon presence strongest there, southward. Presto, Tai, shift to the form of the wolf so that you may move more quickly!” The Mystic’s voice had changed to the strong and commanding voice that he had used in the clearing the day before, the powerful voice of an army general, the force of which no creature could possibly defy.

“What about you?”

“Do not worry about me, I can move rather swiftly myself. Now go, you will catch up to me soon.” Raz took off like a shooting arrow, amazingly fast. Tai shuddered as he quickly shifted into the black wolf, then sped off towards the south. It wasn’t long before he had caught up with the Mystic, and ran by his side through the mountain forest.

“Tai, you must go ahead of me, the demons are moving and I am losing their energy. I cannot move fast enough but maybe you can, go!”

Tai did as he was told and sped past Raz through the forest. He raised his ebony muzzle to the air as he ran, and finally caught the scent of another wolf, Aniki, on the wind. He followed the scent, energy pulsating through his powerful muscles as he shot between the giant trees and over moss-covered logs that had fallen long ago. The air was screaming through his eardrums, all other noise lost outside of the void forming around him from his wind-like speed. Fearful thoughts were racing through his mind as he wondered why Aniki’s scent was the only one he could find. Suddenly the scent became much more vivid, filling his muzzle. Tai soared over a freshly fallen tree, where he suddenly made impact with something hard and fury.

The force of the blow knocked him over onto his side, pain surging through his skull and shoulder blade. He growled as he heard something else land close beside him.

“Tai? You’re alive!” The young wolf stood and licked the face of his older brother affectionately, his tail wagging.

“Of course I’m alive, Aniki.” Tai gazed at the red wolf for a moment, simply relieved that he seemed to be alright. Now that he knew Aniki was his little brother, he felt a powerful urge to protect him. He stood and looked him over, noticing a deep cut across his shoulder. “Aniki, what happened? Where are Veinta and Elwyn?”

The red wolf whined. “We were attacked by demons just a bit ago, they captured them. I tried to stop them Tai, but they were too strong for me, and there was so many... So I ran to find help…” Aniki looked away suddenly as Raz climbed and jumped gracefully over the fallen tree. The young wolf’s eyes widened. “Is that… the Mystic, right?” His voice was hushed.

Tai smiled. “It’s alright, Aniki. Raz isn’t as scary as he seemed. I stayed with him through the night at his castle.”

“Wow, his castle?!” The red wolf grinned with excitement, then looked at Raz, who smiled kindly.

“Buon giorno, Aniki. Tis a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“Me, Mystic?” Aniki was bewildered, how such a great and famous creature would be happy to meet him.

Raz chuckled pleasantly and stepped forward, gently placing his hand upon the wolf’s head to stroke his ear. “Of course, the last time I saw you, you were just a babe. Children grow so fast…”

Aniki felt himself fall still under the Mystic’s touch, so soothing it was that he forgot suddenly about everything else. He had never before felt so safe and peaceful, as though nothing in the world could harm him within this creature’s presence. Everything from Raz’s smooth, velvety voice, to his calming scent of roses and sweet incense that filled the wolf’s nose, made him feel like he was huddled inside some heavenly cloud.

That is, until Raz stepped away, breaking the daze like a soft gust of wind blows away the morning mist. “Aniki, did you happen to see which direction the demons were off to?”

The red wolf shook himself to clear his mind. “Um, south I think. Towards the Black Lands.”

“Ah… They are likely heading to Zorowan, then…” Raz’s expression was thoughtful, almost relieved, it seemed.

“Zorowan? That’s where Lord Dreykin mentioned he was ruler over…” Tai recalled his first encounter with the elvish dark lord.

“Si, he is master over those lands in the south. It is there, in the molten city of Zorowan, where most of the demon armies are created.” Raz paused as he thought, then turned and walked back in the direction of his castle. “Come, I need to inform my family and prepare for this journey.”

“You mean the other mystics? Where are they?” Tai padded close beside Raz, Aniki following close behind.

“They have returned to the castle, I can feel their energies.”

When the three of them arrived back at the castle, the other nine mystics were gathered on the sanctuary. They had all removed the hoods of their cloaks, revealing their faces at last. The mystics were arguing amongst themselves in Italian until they felt the presence of their gentle leader, for they then silenced and turned to face him, some of them holding back their desire to greet him with affection.

Aniki smiled when he noticed Remaliah, recognizing his staff with the amethyst gem. Now that he could finally see him, he was pleased to find that his features matched his unexpectedly pleasant demeanor. He was the shortest of the male mystics, a stout and chubby fellow with red-brown fur and bright green eyes. However, unlike all of the others, he did not have hair, only fur. A dark dorsal stripe ran from his forehead presumably down his back. When he noticed Aniki, he smiled and waved at him.

“Buon giorno, mia famiglia. I am relieved that you have all returned unharmed, dear ones, but I am afraid I must leave you for a time to aid Avira and Sheraga as they travel to Zorowan to rescue their companions.” Raz’s voice was tender and loving as he spoke to his family. The other mystics spoke to one another for a moment, then the only sister stepped forward. She was shorter than the males, and had dark grey fur. Her hair was white and straight and flowed down her back, and she had deep violet eyes. Her left ear was pierced twice, two silver rings looped through the holes at the top half of the ear.

“No brother, we will go with you. We will help you, and the warriors.” The mystic lady’s voice was soft with a thick Italian accent. One of her brothers, a mystic with golden fur and soft, white hair snorted in protest to her statement, but said nothing. Raz dismissed it without a word to him.

“Grazie sister, but I want you all to know that it is your choice whether you stay here or come with me. You have free will, as I have told you many times before.” The Mystic glanced back at the two wolves behind him. “Tai, Aniki, I would like you to meet my family. I will tell you the name of each, but do not think that I expect you to remember them all right away.” Raz chuckled, and looked back at the other mystics.

“This is my sister, Vesper, and my brothers Jurian, Pyrros, Zephaniah, Remaliah, Xander, Deveras, Realto, and Vladimir.” Some of the mystics waved at the mention of their name, others nodded, and one, Realto, the golden-furred mystic, stood motionless.

Raz smiled. “And, as you all know, this is Tai and Aniki, the legendary warriors of Avira and Sheraga, respectively. Now, we must leave as soon as possible. Go and prepare yourselves, bearing in mind that it is probable that you will need to fight. The journey will be long, and it will likely be harsh.” Raz dismissed them with a slight bow, and the mystics quickly scattered throughout the different chambers and halls of the castle. Tai shifted into his elven form and followed Raz into his chamber. The Mystic did not gather much, all of his needs fit into one small leather bag.

Tai watched him silently, troubled thoughts coursing through his mind. “You know… ever since I arrived in this world, everyone I get close to seems to disappear… First Lunette, then Brandr and Enya, the Valr pack, and now even Veinta and Elwyn are gone. I keep hoping they’re all still alive, somehow… I mean, I never actually saw any of them die… I feel like I’m cursed, Raz…”

The Mystic paused in his gathering, gazing at the young elf with deep sympathy. “I understand. I once thought the same of myself…”

Tai looked up at him then. “You? But you’re the Mystic, great and wise and powerful… You can protect anyone from the Dark Forces.”

“I wish that were true.” He closed his eyes, looking away from Tai. Though his expression was calm and without emotion, Tai noticed the tips of his ears trembling ever so slightly, as though he was in pain. With a soft sigh he picked up a huge sword from beside his bed, its sheath attached to a strap of studded black leather which he slung across his shoulder. When he looked back at Tai, he smiled and all the traces of sadness faded, replaced with brave confidence. “Come now, do not worry. We will find those who have been lost and save them from the binds of darkness.”

While the others were preparing themselves, Aniki returned to his elvish form as well, and was admiring the beautiful painting upon the wall. The elvish child was amazed, he had never seen such a place as Raz’s gothic castle, something that seemed to have been born straight from the pages of a fairytale. Even the Mystic himself, Aniki thought, was like a wise and mysterious wizard from some wild fantasy.

He was alone in the grand room until the mystics slowly returned from their personal chambers, first Realto, who made Aniki uncomfortable, then the one who was called Deveras, who reminded him of a pale, winter phantom. Deveras had fur as white as snow, which looked all the more pale against his hair, black as ink, and the black of his nose. His ears were tipped with black as well, and beneath each ice-blue eye upon the cheek bones were black marks like a ‘v’ in shape. Unlike the other mystics who wore cloaks of dark grey, Deveras wore a velvet cloak of deep scarlet, and was the only other apprentice besides Remaliah who carried a staff like the Mystic. His was more industrial in appearance, black coated iron with a ruby gem, encased in a diamond shaped cage at the top. Aniki noticed that he had two tears in his right ear, and two deep scars upon his right cheek.

The moment that Deveras made eye contact, the chill of his gaze made Aniki shiver and quickly look away. It was then that he noticed Remaliah had returned from his room, now dressed in a white shirt, a soft, wide-sleeved jacket of deep royal purple, the cuffs of glittering gold, and loose black trousers like what the other mystics were wearing as well. He also had what appeared to be a collar around his neck, black leather studded with beautiful gems of red and blue, and lined with golden thread, the lavender star glowing at its center.

Unlike Realto and Deveras, Remaliah made Aniki feel quite comfortable, with his friendly and cheerful demeanor. The little elf quickly rose from where he had been sitting on the sanctuary steps and bounded over to the now not-so-mysterious apprentice.

“Hi Rem-al-iah!” Aniki nearly stumbled over the creature’s complex name, which made Remaliah chuckle.

“Oh, child, you can call me Rem. Most everyone does, they find it much easier to say.” His voice seemed even more jovial now that he did not have to strive to retain a serious façade.

Aniki smiled. “Ok, Rem. I like that better. It’s great to finally see what you look like! You and the other mystics don’t look like anything I’ve seen before… what are you?”

Rem set the heavy pack he had slung upon his shoulder down beside him, setting his staff beside it with a sigh. He clearly wasn’t too thrilled about going on a long venture, but maintained his joyous poise even so. “We’re veraski, a noble race. Those of us here came from the two kingdoms across the northern sea of Az.”

“Wow, that’s neat. How come you don’t have hair, like the other veraski? Did you cut it?”

“Oh no, not at all. I am a sphinx, born without the gene that tells the hair to grow. There are many different varieties of veraski, you see, just like there are different kinds of humans.”

Aniki nodded. “That makes sense. I like you Rem, you’re really nice. Not at all like what I expected a mystic apprentice to be like. I mean, when I met you I expected you to be all… well…”

Rem chuckled. “Serious, I’m sure, right? Oh, and mysterious and wise… Oh no, not me. Really, I’m no good at the whole smoky, eerie, silent wisdom… thing.” Rem made a slight gesture with his hand at the last word, as if dismissing his attempt at finding the right words. “Raz has it down to a science, but well, I was never very good at science…”

Aniki couldn’t help but giggle at the silly mystic. By this time the rest of the mystics had returned, quietly chatting with one another until Raz himself, Tai following along behind, entered the sanctuary.

The Mystic carried about him such an air of authority, soft and quiet, yet undeniable. The aura of a truly wise and respected leader.

“Are we ready now, to leave and rescue these innocent creatures?” Raz asked the nine mystics before him. They nodded, some eager, some reluctant. The Mystic glanced at Aniki and Tai, then smiled, excitement clearly noticeable in his young features.

“Well then, andiamo! To Zorowan!” With that, Raz lead them onward out of the castle and on their way to the dark kingdom of Zorowan.