I guess I should introduce myself, I’m Ellice Dalzedi and I study at the wizard school of Laulshore, quite the beautiful city that resides at the heart of the so nicknamed “Hen bay”; the region is actually called Odron Pral, but because part of the sea that is shaped like a chicken… well you’ll make the connection yourself. But back to Laushore: a trader town with a portion of the ocean all to itself ensures huge growth, and grew it did; day and night you can observe a trail of ships, traversing the horizon as if they were gigantic ants, before disappearing on to the river of the unknown and beyond of the true ocean. Is it really a river if it connects two oceans? Odron Pral’s is more of a huge lake. Geography is weird.
For every ship that comes, new books arrive at the grand library of Laushore; sometimes they’re copied and translated, other times they keep their original condition, but I can assure you that if you need to know anything, there’s a book for it here. As you may have guessed I’m a bit of a bookworm, I got that from my father who sails across the world, he gains enough to get me on wizard academy! More books for me! And did I mention that the same founder of the academy made the library too?
Right, about what happened today, let’s start from the beginning. It started as a normal day, bells shouting the egress of ships and welcoming the entrance of others, the rising sun watching over those over the waters, and in one of them, The Moon Weaver, was my dad; he would attend a textiles ship and return the following month; I’m used to it, I know how to take care of myself; I wake up and get my notes and books ready and go off to school. That is after getting some breakfast, I always forget it; some diced fruits later (Mage Hand always speeds up the cooking) and I’m actually off to school.
My classmates always come in with someone else, they always come along in groups or pairs for the obvious two who have a crush with each other. No matter the situation, always talking about stuff, how their day went, requesting help on casting spells, showing off their magic or even the fresh gossip from lands far away about upcoming wars. I always ignore those, they’re not even real; but there is something… heartwarming about that. Something colorful. I don’t know how to describe it. Why did I mention that?
Um… anyways, school project! Our first ritual casting spell, one that we have to investigate on our own; I’ve been waiting for this for way too long, Off to the library! One of the things I like about the place is the atmosphere it manifests, a dome welcomes you into the starry night, into a timeless plane of knowledge and wisdom, and the centre of it is Lundri. Tall, robust, a man of discerning appearance, one who may look in to your soul to judge you with his dreadlocked hair, greyish skin and pointed husks, all of this while doing so in a desk just as large as him; but he’s none of that, he’s a gentle soul at heart who cannot hurt a single plant. He’s the keeper of this paradise I find myself here.
“Yes Ellie?” “Magic spells? Around the corner, next to the history section” And so I went, and I could clearly see where the shelves were, they trace a spiral that leads you to some tables to study, with candles and lanterns keeping you lit and clear. Did I mention the comfy chairs? Sitting one just makes you focus on whatever you’re doing, once you realize it you’re done! I really love this branch of the library. Wandering through the ritual section, one catches my eye in a flash: “Find Familiar” It lets you summon a spirit that will take the form of a small beast, and you get some sort of link with them.
Something is telling me, the same thing from before, the one thing I haven’t been able to experience. I think the word is “friend”; a friend. Someone to talk to. Have I been living my whole life alone? It can’t be, I’ve always had someone to look up to- Oh. What- No, how? Something I- I… don’t have the answer for.
I scramble my notes down and copy over the instructions for the ritual and sprint over my home. Running through the streets I almost bump into two classmates of mine, doesn’t matter, I’ve got manners to partake in, and fast. And almost forget the ingredients for the ritual itself: a handful of coal and herbs, with incense added to the mix. Simple enough to get. The moon has come out, no Weaver in sight and while everyone is readying themselves for the following day, I am working to get this on my first try. You have to get the charcoal burning to the deepest hells, then the herbs and finally the incense when the flaming heat spurs to a foggy white.
And so it did, the incense kissed the coal and a puff of smoke boomed from my mortar with a tint of a bright glow, it settled but there was no beast nor spirit; the smoke settled on the table but it did not dissipate. I genuinely got fears in my mind, “what did I do wrong?” I thought, but before any more haunting questions could ambush me, the mist seemed to regroup on my sketchbook, the same one I had opened to check what went south. My book was absorbing the results of the spell and as it did, a couple of pages folded to what appears to be a leg; then another leg folded; a lizard like body built itself on my dull yellow notes, and from the crust a pair of leather draconic wings expanded, the spine of my only source of memories and knowledge now serving as the literal spine of this half paper, half spirit fusion of magic and material.
And as it formed it’s lizard head to one of proud and confident gestures, it slammed its belly first on the hard wooden surface of my table. And I? I’m just as this creature’s state is to it’s form; my hand carefully crooks to it’s head, and it smells me. With a new found strength it finally gets up, and lands on my forearm. I’m just able to sputter a single name for him: “Ki-ki-kindle”. Kindle nods in acceptance. Not only in acceptance of his new identity, but acceptance of being my company, and maybe, even my friend.