[Evil Agent]

Uh Oh, time for a small correction in continuity! :) It was snowing before, remember?

"Fools!" Madry's voice cut through the pair's enthusiasm like a leather whip. The woman had seemingly appeared behind them, though they had not heard her horse's approach.
Gilean spoke quickly "Master, I apologize. I should not have let her do it. She knows not her power, it was her first mistake-"
"It was not her first," Madry spoke coldly "Do you forget already that we waded through snow not one full day ago? This unnatural heat that Magenta just quenched was also of her own devising, a side effect of whatever it was that you two spent your morning doing!"
Both Gilean and Magenta turned a deep crimson, shamed by Madry's keen insight
Madry looked Magenta in the eye, no trace of her motherly smile evident. "Magenta, your emotions are controlling the weather. You must learn to control your passions before you destroy us all -and yourself!"
"I beg your pardon, Madry..." Magenta spoke in a trembling voice. "I know so little of all this... I... I thought I was some kind of monster, some kind of freak."
Gilean's eyes shone with sympathy for this poor, bedraggled orphan girl. "Magenta," he began, as he took her hand in his, "Magenta we're like you. You're one of us. You're home."
Magenta looked from Gilean to Madry and back, searching their eyes for something. And then she suddenly knew what to do.
"Madry," she began, her voice steadying, "I am yours to train, and yours to command, if you'll have me. I want you to teach me to control my power. I want to learn who I am."
Madry's smile returned, like the sun coming out from behind a dark cloud. "Child, you have the look of Adrigan. I would be honored to train one of his kin. Now, both of you, come. We must speak with the Council of Masters. There is the small matter of a prophecy for us to deal with." She kicked her heels to her horse, and was off with a spray of snow.
The two apprentices mounted, and followed in Madry's wake.

[Iskaral Pust]

Into the mountains they headed. The biting wind gusting through gaps in the snow - covered peaks. Drawing her cloak tighter about her body she called over the wind to Gileon, "Where is the Guild?"
"The entrance is hidden," he replied. "We go into that cave," he pointed to a small crack halfway up the mountainside.

An hour later they arrived at the cavemouth. A small balding man ran out to meet them. "Hail, Iskaral," Madry shouted to him.
"Sorcerous freak," he muttered to himself.
"Magenta, this is Iskaral Pust, head servant at the Guild"
"Pust?"
"Do you mock my name, whore? Are you hiding any spiders?" out of nowhere he produced a broom and begain to beat at her face.
"That's enough Iskaral," Madry said with a kindly smile. "She isn't hiding any spiders." With a last suspicious glance at Magenta, he led them through to an emormous doorway, which closed behind her with a ominous bang.

[Amyria]

Magenta looked around at the spacious room that spread out before her. It was more magnificent than she had expected. It was almost like a city inside of a mountain. There was a stable in the farthest end, and small houses stretched along the sides. Magenta hardly had time to take it all in before she a voice was calling her name, demanding her attention.
"So you are Magenta?" a feminine voice said, "I've heard good things about you."
Magenta looked at the young girl who had just spoken. She looked to be around her age, but shorter. She had long black hair and stunning brown eyes that looked to be almost entirely black rather than brown.
"Yes," Magenta responded, "And you are?"
"I'm Amyria, pleasure to meet ya," she clumsily curtsied, "I study here under Clera, but you probably don't know her."
"No, i don-"
"Thank you, Amyria, for introducing yourself, but we really must be going now," Madry gently sent her off, then said to Magenta, "Bright girl, and the youngest one here. I will have her get you more acquainted here, but later. Right now you must be inducted...

Do you want me to leave it like this or erase it? i don't mind.

[Evil Agent]

...
Iskaral Pust??? Isn't that a name from an Erikson book? Oh well, until we publish this I guess we don't have to worry about copyrights! :)

They left the strange old man and the eager apprentice behind, and circled the edge of the room that was a city. Soon they reached and passed through a hole in the rock walls, and descended a steep stone pathway that wound itself deep into the roots of the mountain. The path was lit with torches that guttered and spewed forth a black and oily smoke.
"Madry," Magenta said, "I find it strange that the heart of your Guild is barely more than a day's ride from the Fat Grenda's farm..." She left the question hanging in the air.
"Child," Madry spoke from the shadows ahead, "We are much more than a day from Grenda's farm. You have not asked me how long you were first unconscious. And while it may not seem so, we have travelled a vast distance, a journey that would take many weeks for ordinary folk. "
"Ordinary folk," Magenta mused. "So what does that make me...?"
"Far from ordinary," Gilean spoke from beside her. The torchlight played off the angles of his face, making him seem even more mysterious than usual. He reached forth and clasped Magenta's hand in his own, and their mounts walked side by side.
"Now, Magenta, we are nearing the inner Council Chamber, where you will be presented to the Council of Masters," Madry paused, "You may still be unsure of who and what you are, but rest assured your questions will be answered shortly. You have lived a hard life, and I have faith in your strength. Do not fear, but prepare yourself for whatever may come."
Magenta felt strange. Her fear seemed to melt, and instead a new strength rose up to replace it. She was Adrigan's granddaughter, and he was the most powerful mage that had ever lived. What did that make her? Gods, who could say?
The group reached a sharp bend in the path, and rounded it to find themselves facing a massive stone doorway.
"Are there no guards?" Magenta asked.
Gilean chuckled, and Madry looked back, her smile looking sinister in the shifting light of the torches. "The Guild has no need of guards. No one passes this door unless it is their fate." The old mage looked back to the door in front of her, and spoke, "intari ingliso". A deep rumbling sound accompanied the opening of the massive doorway, and Magenta found herself facing a large stone chamber. There was a table in the middle, also of stone, and around it were seated twelve beings who could only be the Masters of the Guild. She was shocked at how strongly she could sense their power. It radiated from them in waves, waves which seemed to speak to her in whispers. One of the Masters in particular, an old woman in deep blue robes, seemed to be speaking to her mind. The words, though unclear, were unmistakeably hostile and violent in nature.
"I can feel them," Magenta whispered.
Madry's entire form tensed in shock at Magenta's words.

[Evil Agent]

Madry mastered her expression, and turned back to the Council.
"The Mouse has arrived, as was written in the prophecy. The days ahead will be troubled, and her seed will grow to light the way. Even now, the seed is planted."
Magenta stood in awe of the twelve robed Masters before her, their thoughts and emotions flowing from them in waves that were so easy to see. Their Power threatened to overwhelm her mind.
Madry droned on, "The Mouse herself can sense you. She can feel the nature of your power, each and every one of you..."
Over and over again Magenta's gaze was drawn to the blue robed old woman, the frightening source from which Magenta could feel pure hatred and malevolence reaching out towards her.
"She hates me!" Magenta interrupted whatever Madry was saying, and she threw a finger towards the old Mage in accusation. "She hates me, she wants me dead!"
Soft, musical laughter drifted from the mouth of the old woman, seeming to put the Council at ease. She spoke, "Please! Save your accusations child, this is not play time."
"Be silent Zarina!" Madry intoned ominously
"Silent? A 'mouse' arrives on our doorstep, accuses me in front of the Council, and I am to say nothing? Come now." Zarina smiled in amusement as she began a slow circle of the great stone table, moving towards Magenta and her companions.
"Zarina, she is The Mouse, and she must-"
"Madry, I sat on this council long ere your own father ever glanced upon your mother and thought her a comely wench!" A ripple of shock spread through the Council at Zarina's crudeness. "I accuse her of treachery!"
"Treachery-" Magenta gasped, "Against whom?
"Why the very Guild of Mages itself!" Zarina declared. "A 'mouse' is to arrive and then just take over? To assume command of the Guild of Mages, while we bend knee? While we frolic at her feet? Madry, you have ever been hungry for power, but this is madness."
"Zarina!" Madry warned, "It is written! The prophecy is the guiding hand of this Guild! Do you dare to flaunt-"
Quick as a snake, Zarina spun and grabbed Magenta in a brutal embrace. Before Magenta knew what was happening, a sharp fingernail was pressed against her throat.
The Guild sat like statues of stone.
"Madry," Zarina hissed, "You have reached too far in your quest for power, and now your 'mouse' will pay the price for your ambitions. You will accept me as Master of the Guild, not some child. My finger is upon her throat. You know I can destroy her with a thought!"

[An8el]

Zarina had twisted them both so that Majenta's face was covered with her arm as Zarina has screeched her ultimatum. Wiley Majenta twisted to gain her feet as the shocked council paused. Feigning a faint, Magenta sank to the ground, pulling Zarina with her.

"I don't want your ....prophe...sy," Magenta managed to spurt out as she was thinking, No, not here, don't want to do anything here of all places, in front of these...

Many things began to happen at once.

She felt cloth ripping, and a strange feeling of ice and heat on her arm as she was falling. Zarina opened her mouth to say something else as they rolled backwards under Magenta's elbow. Magenta noticed Zarina's chipped white teeth and dodged Zarina's fingers on their way by. Her own thinking was even slower, Please let me get away from these crazy people... Magenta's movements slowed down to almost motionless as she found herself horrified, going into a nightmare state. Let me go... she prayed.

A whirling wind dizzied Magenta's side where that woman had grabbed her as she twisted away again. On the other half of her body she felt a dizzying blast of heat. Her head felt as if it was on fire, while everywhere she had been touched became icy. As an opposing force lifted her to turn the opposite direction, she was lifted by another gust, first one way, then the other.

Then the floor and Zarina disappeared. Magenta was catapulted into a histrionic spin, slipping down a malestrom of tornado winds wildly gusting a column around her.

[Amyria]

Her head felt like an anvil on which a hammer was pounding relentlessly. Magenta felt the feathery pillow beneathe her head and the blanket around her and snuggled deeper, welcoming the wave of lethargy that swept over her. Suddenly remembering Zarina's cold hands grabbing her, her dark eyes fluttered open and she sat up.
Warm hands immediately embraced her and gently laid her back down. "You need your rest." the voice said.
Magenta looked around her, but her vision was still blurred. She figured the voice belonged to the dark figure that was leaning over her, though she couldn't see who it was. And then it occurred to her. "Gilean?"
"Yes," he said, stroking her cheek gently, "Relax, you are safe now."
Magenta lay back, her red hair curling around her face, "What happened? Why am i here? Why did she-" she stopped and put her hand to her head. The pounding seemed to have become beating now and it brought her near tears.
Gilean brushed the hair out of her face and kissed her forehead gently, "Shhh," he solaced her racing mind, "I will tell you all."

[Iskaral Pust]

It was at that moment that someone decided to knock at the door. It was Amryia, the servant girl.
"If you're feeling up to it you're to acompany me," she said softly, not lifting her eyes from the floor.
"Where? On who's orders?" said Gileon, standing up. She seemed almost frightened of him.
"Arch-mage Magry sent me. She is to begin her lessons."
"Impossible, she's too weak," Gileon said sternly, producing a whimper from the girl. Feeling defient, though he was propably right, Magenta rose, not very gracefully, from bed.
"I'll come," she said, and Amryia almost fainted from relief.
"Follow me," the girl whispered before scampering out of the room. Along arching corridors and empty halls they went, not speaking, until at last they arrived at a gilded door.
Amryria raced off, back the way they had come, leaving MAgenta alone. Unsure, she reached out and opened the door. Inside it was very hot, fires burnt at the sides of the room. A man in a scarlet robe faced her. She recognised him from the council chamber.
"Close the door behind you child, your're letting a draft in," he said in a soft melidous voice that caressed her like a flame. "You are here," he said, eyeing her up, "to learn some of the theory of magery." Hansome, though quite old, he reminded her strongly of Gileon, except he was a lot fatter.
"My grandfather already tought me many things," she said, ever so slightly fearful.
"Indeed? Then you can tell me which affinity I am?" after a moment, "thought not. Your grandfather, has show you how to open yourself to the power of the pillars, but very little else, now please, don't interupt.
"The Pillars are not tangible objects, they are simply the names of the place where power comes from. For example, the Fire Pillar is 24 miles north of here. The Guild is found where major power lines of six Pillars cross and major lines of the other Pillars all pass close by, it is unique in that respect.
"The power lines criss-cross the entire land, originating from their pillar. You must learn to sense the power lines of the Pillar you have an affinity for. Then you can learn to tap power from those lines, the closer you are, the more potential power you have. I, as you might have guessed, have an affinity for fire. Your grandfather had an affinity for both water and light. We must discover what your an affinity for. With you bloodlines it's possilble that you have an affinity for two Pillars, though that is rare.
Of course, it is possible to use power that you do not have an affinity for, though that is difficult and requires many years training. The main Pillars are Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Light, Dark, Life and Death. There are some more obsure Pillars such as Beast, Mind and Shadow. Shall we begin finding your affinity?"
"First I want to find out about what happened in that council chamber."
"Tough, I'm not to talk about that. No doubt it'll be explained to you by Madry later. Now, I ask again, shall we begin?"
"Yes," she replied with a bit of apprehension.

[An8el]

"Can you add another bit of wood onto the fire, girl? Come over here and sit in the middle of this square." He gestured behind him.
Majenta walked closer to him. Squatting down by the pile of wood, she selected a stick and used it to reposition the logs so another could be added. She tossed it in, expertly landing it just where she had made room for it. She sat down and recalled her first impression of his voice. "Sound. Your voice, you use the sound from the fire, that's your aff..." She stopped, because she'd couldn't remember the unfamiliar word he had used.

The old man frowned and said nothing. He arranged his robes closer to his body. "So you can already tell the Discernment of others. Well then, tell me what is your own affinity?"

"I don't want to remember," she answered truculently, cleaning the soot from her fingernails with her head hanging.

He leaned reached up out of her line of sight and pulled two blocks away. Two pendulums above her began swinging, taking turns crossing the space above her head. She sat in the middle, still looking into her lap.

"Look up," the old man directed, "at the point in the middle. where they pass closest to you."

Magenta flinched as she suddenly noticed what was silently happening above her. One of the pendulums increased speed and became erratic, knocking the next pin to start the pendulum next to it. Now there were three pendulums, each taking a turn crossing the circle above her, tracing a tri-rhythmic pattern.

"Do not concentrate. Think of when you were a child with your grandfather."

Three more blocks immediately collapsed that were holding pendulums back unconnected to the others already swinging. These made sounds, an erie whistling. Tears rolled down Magenta's cheeks. Her mouth was pursed up in frustration and anger. "I don't want to do this," she pouted.

"Just a little longer," he answered, scratching something down on a tablet. "Almost done." He sat back in his chair, pursing his lips. "How old were you when you discovered you had this power?"

"I told you I don't want to think about this. I was little. I wanted to forget. I wanted to be like other kids who had parents." One more pendulum began to swing at the end of the line.

"Answer the question with a number. That's how you will be allowed to leave."

"Six. I was six, I had just turned six." No more pendulums moved.

"All right, I'll stop them now and you can get out of there." The pendulums slowed as if they were puppets on strings. Before they had stopped, Magenta slid low to the ground to avoid them, making it out of the square pit by timing her movements to avoid them.

"Fine, I'm out of here." She hurried to the door, slamming it as she went though.

"You're welcome." the old man muttered to himself, recording the rest of the trial. He was shaking his head.

[Amyria]

Magenta paused outside of the door to collect her thoughts and slow her breathing. The tears were more of frustration rather than pain. She had clearly communicated to him that she didn't want to touch that subject and that was all he did.
She was about to walk off when she felt a something soft touch her arm.
"I'm sorry. I had to do it. No one disobey's the master..." The words tumbled out of Amyria's mouth. She frowned and muttered that sounded to Magenta like 'stupid'.
"No, it wasn't your fault. I understand completely." Magenta nodded as she said it, as if reasuring herself as well.
Amyria nodded in return and gulped, "I know that it must have been distressing... They always are, but everyone must go through it. I hope it didn't discourage you."
"No, no," Magenta said.
"Well, if you're up to it, i can show you around some, give ya some advice. I know what its like to be new to this place and not have any idea what to do."
Magenta nodded, "Okay."
"Okay," Amyria's face brightened. She smiled as she led her away from that forbidding door.

Amyria dove right into the basics. "The Pillar is much like any other source of energy. You don't sit in the sun all day and take in its energy like a flower would. No, you have to somehow get the energy into your system. With the Pillar you must harness it." Amyria saw the confusion in Magenta's face and laughed, "Its not as hard as it seems. There are strands of it everywhere. Its in the air, fire, water, earth. Its everywhere. You have to find it first, but thats simple. Just feel for it."
Magenta closed her eyes and held her hands out, palms up. The air around her seemed to stir, and when she opened her eyes there suddenly appeared thousands of strands criscrossing all around her. They glistened dimly and were almost transparent. "I see them," she said.
"Take them," Amyria said, "As much as you need. Just will them into your hand."
Magenta obeyed, and a marble sized ball of light began to form in her hand. It began to grow and grow as she willed more in.
Amyria laughed, "You've got it! My, you do pick up things quickly!"
Magenta smiled and held the ball of mana up close to her face so that she could examin it. Acting on her curiosity, she blew gently and the ball floated off her and hovered between the two girls. She watched as its brightness began to intensify, and suddenly it burst into a thousand strands.
"There was nothing harnessing it; nothing to hold it together." Amyria explained.
There was a knock at the door and both girls turned.