The Golden Scepter - Chapter One

Linneaus placed his quill back onto the table, and contemplated his friends' offer.

" You want me, to help you get back the Holy Scepter? But how can that be possible."

" It's not what it seems Linneaus. With Elais, you, and myself, it will be an easy feat to accomplish."

" But I'm just an aspiring sorcerer, I have a long way to go." Linneaus picked his quill back up, and scribbled a note onto his parchment of spells.

" Think of the reward Linneaus," Elais mused as she leaned up her chair, " the constables will be more than willing to pay us in gold for restoring the Holy Scepter back to the altar, where it belongs. We could be rich, and with the extra money you can be able to give yourself an even wider education on becoming a sorcerer." Her voice drifted through the large stone hall of the covenant as if it was air itself. The smell of books, wrapped parchments, ink bottles, and stale air clouded Elais's brain, and made her head hurt. It was on rare occasions that she even ventured inside of covenants.

She saw Corei nod her head in assertion. Linneuas was silent, as he rubbed a hand through his brown hair. She could tell by the look on his face, that this was a serious matter to consider.

" What will happen to us if we don't get the scepter? What will the constables do to us then?"

" If we don't get the scepter, then it won't matter what the constables will do to us, we'll all be doomed to a horrible fate. It is likely Xavier wishes it so."

" He will enslave us." Elias said

" Or worse." Corei echoed. Linneaus looked to Elais.

" I'm surprised she was able to convince you into all of this Eli."

" If it means saving my world, our world, then I am willing to do anything."

" And so should you." Corei said. Linneaus's mouth moved in silent protest.

" Will you join us or not, given that the consequences could be contrary to what we hope, but could otherwise be what we plan?" Elais pressed. Linneaus stared down into his scroll, and scribbled another note.

" If it means saving Crest, the world, then yes..."

" Thank you so much!" Corei screamed as she jumped from her chair and hugged him across the neck. Elais smiled, but she could see that Linneaus was not enjoying their excitement.

" When will we leave?" He asked, rolling up his scroll and tying it in white silk

" Tonight," Corei said as she reset, " we will leave when the clock strikes midnight. By that time we should have everything we need that will help us: food, water, and clothes."

" I will bring spells with me from the lower vaults of the covenant in case we will need them." Linneaus whispered.

" The Gods know we will!" Elais said.

Linneaus never knew that time could be in such a hurry as he heard the sounding of the bells that announced the hour of midnight. In the darkness of his room he pulled off his bed covers and edged silently to the window of his room. He raised the window, and listened outside into plaza below. The bells sounded thrice, their shrillness drifting to every corner of Crest. He turned from the window, assured that the hour was indeed midnight. He whispered an incantation and all of the candles in his room flared to life. Had he been a powerful sorcerer the act would have taken only a minute train of thought to accomplish, an incantation being a waste of breath.

His bags were already pack. In one he had his clothes, and in the other his spells. He placed on bag on his back, and the other in his hand.