Lynn held her sword up to the light, a polishing cloth in her right hand. Then, giving a sigh, she put down the cloth and returned the weapon to its sheath. She had polished it so many times in the past year she was surprised it hadn't turned into a dagger. For all the use it had gotten, it would not really have mattered, she though bitterly. Seven years of training and the only thing she had used the sword for since getting her swords-master title had been coaching the neighbors youngest boy. It had been enjoyable until the boy decided he needed a "real" teacher, not a woman. Despite her mentors promises, no one hired female swordsmen. Sighing once more, she replaced the sword on its rest on the wall. It looked like her job in the market was going to be more permanent then she had hoped.
She plopped down in her chair, giving a deep sigh. Maybe it wasn't too late to become a priestess of the Goddess. She still fit the requirements-- unsoiled female, willing to give her life in service--
Lynn's hand instinctivly went to her dagger as her thoughs were interupped by her door slamming open.
"Hey, Lynn!" A familiar voice called.
"Hello, Jarama." Lynn sighed, sliding her dagger back into its sheath as her friend walked into the room.
"Do you remember two sun cycles ago when I told you about The Great Sphere?" Jarama asked, plopping down into a chair.
"The spellstone that---"
"I sent out a spell to find it," Jarama interrupted, beaming.
"I thought you said it was only a myth?" Lynn responded, curious.
"That's what I thought at first," Jarama began, warming up to the subject. "I was reading a history on Jirineaplast, where over half of the great sorcerers lived, and read about a rivalry between the sorceresses Dilia and Phoebe. Whenever Dilia made an effort to acquire an object of power, Phoebe always got there first, or made a higher bid for it. The one time Dilia managed to acquire a spell stone of great power, without any interference, she disappeared mysteriously, along with the spellstone. Because the stone was an odd shape, it was perfectly round, people started referring to it as the Sphere, and because it had caused the downfall of a Great Sorceress, it was considered one of the most powerful objects in the world."
"But there have been many quests to locate it, and no one has found even a trace of it," Lynn stated.
"Yes," Jarama grinned, pointing her finger at the older woman. "But none of the quests had anyone with magic! It seems that no one with magic ever desired to find it, therefore none ever sent out a location spell for it."
And there are most likely very good reasons for that. Lynn sighed internally. "You said two cycles ago that the Elders Magic Council advised you---"
Jarama made a face. "Bah. What do they know! They're just afraid that someone will be more powerful then they are." She grinned. "Won't they be surprised when I bring it back with me!"
A curious mixture of dread and excitement began filtering into Lynn's emotions. "Bring it back with you?" She repeated.
"Weren't you paying attention to me?" The younger woman frowned. "I told you, I sent out a location spell for it, so now I know where it is."
Lynn blinked.
"It's not too far from here either! Mind you, it's not in my back yard, but I figure it'll take less then a moon cycle, round trip."
Lynn blinked again. "Jarama, have you lost your sense?" The older girl exclaimed. "Are you truly planning on trying to retrieve this object?"
The young sorceress looked at the swordswoman as if she were a simpleton. "I wouldn't have gone looking for it if I didn't plan on retrieving it."
"But the most powerful spell stone!"
"I can handle it; you know how all those old myths get exaggerated." Jarama stated, leaning back into her chair in a nonchalant manner.
Goddess. Lynn sighed internally. "You said The Sphere was attributed to Dilia's downfall,"
"Speculation, mere speculation." Jarama scowled. There was a small pause before Jarama's face animated again. "And besides, I learned that The Sphere was sealed and spelled so it can only give energy to it's holder." She smiled.
'You know how all those old myths get exaggerated.' Lynn sighed.
"It makes sense that they would have hid it in the other side of the East Desert." Jarama added.
"The other side of The East Desert?" Lynn repeated, shocked.
Jarama shrugged. "It's not like I'm going to be going alone,"
"What?" Lynn had a sinking suspicion she knew what Jarama was going to say next.
"You're coming too, aren't you?" Jarama replied, looking at Lynn as if she had just invited her to go to the market. "You've been telling me for cycles that you've been yearning for an adventure, now I'm offering you a chance at one."
Lynn's knees felt weak. "Yes, but---"
"I have to go get supplies ready," Jarama explained as she got to her feet, cutting off Lynn's protest. "We'll leave tomorrow morning! Be ready!" She called as she left the small house.
The young swordswoman sat a moment, staring off in the direction her headstrong friend had gone and sighed. What had she just gotten herself into?
Jarama whistled happily as she headed towards the market, mentally listing all the supplies she would need. She would have to pick up that new spell book from the Mage's Library, get a new herb pouch and see if she could get a pack of Kisakami; almost all the higher spells needed some Kisakami and she had almost run out, and then she could down a few mugs at the Drunken Druid.
Reaching the market she wasted no time, pushing her way past the line at the herb tent and snatching up the last two pouches of Kisakami in the shop, not hearing the protests of those she had stepped in front of. Picking out some other packets of herbs and pocketing a few while the shop owner was occupied. Paying for a fourth of the herbs and supplies she picked up, Jarama strode over to the Library. "Get me a copy of The Independent Mages, Spells of The Higher Level".
"Sorry, Jarama," the woman behind the counter said, "You have to show me proof that you have passed the Council Of Elders test for Level 7 before I can sell you this."
"WHAT?!" Jarama exploded.
"Do I have to spell it out for you? You have to show proof that you have undergone official magical training and passed the Level 7 test, and I know you haven't!"
Jarama's face reddened. "Are you trying to tell me that in order to get a SIMPLE SPELL BOOK, I have to had spent SEVEN years of my life listening to MYTHS AND FAIRY TALES and being TOLD what I can and CANNOT DO?!"
"Yes."
"THIS IS SHIT!" Jarama fumed. "I don't NEED to go to an academy! I'm self taught! And I'll tell you this," she exclaimed, pointing a finger at the woman in front of her. "I'm a better sorceress then the whole bunch of them!"
"I severally doubt that. Now get out of my store," the woman replied, stone faced.
Jarama angrily stopped out of the store, muttering under her breath. Once she got the Sphere, that woman would be so sorry. She wouldn't NEED crappy spell books---
Lynn tossed in her sleep, her worried mind filling her head with disturbing dreams.
"I TOLD you, it's harmless! Watch, I'll prove it." Jarama stepped up to the pedestal and picked up the glowing orb it displayed. "See Lynn? Harmless." She paused as the glow from the orb began creeping up her arms.
"Jarama! Drop it! It is dangerous!"
"Stop worrying!" The glow was growing fast, covering Jarama's arms and chest and snaking down her body. She looked up as the glow crept up to her head. "It tickles." she grinned as the glow devoured her.
The orb fell onto the floor as the glow vanished, taking Jarama with it.
"Lynn..." Jarama's voice called from the orb. "Lynn!"
"Lynn--LYNN!"
Lynn awoke with a start.
"Damn it, Lynn, you sleep like a rock!"
Lynn whirled to see Jarama at the window with a disgusted look on her face.
"Jarama! What are you doing!" Lynn exclaimed.
"You didn't answer the door." Jarama stated in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
"It's still dark out!"
Jarama shrugged. "I wanted to start out early."
"How long is it 'till sunrise?"
"A couple more hours."
Lynn groaned. "We are not traveling in the dark, Jarama. We will not be able to see our way."
"Oh," Jarama blinked. "Right."
Lynn sighed as Jarama vanished from the window. Snuggling under her covers she prayed to the Goddess that she and Jarama would survive Jarama's "quest".
"Hurry up!" Jarama exclaimed, her horse nerviously moving around. "We should have left already," she scowled.
Lynn faught back a yawn. "The sun's light is barely visable, Jarama, it is not light enough to see the road."
The younger woman scowled. "I can see it," she said defiantly.
Lynn sighed internaly. "Did you bring a tent?" she asked, carefuly loading suplies onto her horse.
"A tent? What for?"
"I do not think that there are any inns in the East Desert. We will need a place to sleep," the swordswoman stated, adjusting the sadle.
"Oh. You'll have to buy one for us then," Jarama said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Now come on already, get on your horse and let's go!"
Lynn paused. 'Do not stand for this,' she told herself. 'You can tell her you just remembed you cannot go. Tell her you have to go take care of the shop because Meral is leaving and you are the only one working she can trust. Tell her something, anything, stick up for yourself!'
"Well?" Jarama asked, expectantly.
Lynn sighed as she mounted her horse. She had the extra money with her, she could afford to buy the tent. Maybe she could convince Jarama to let her keep it when they were done, and she could use it again sometime.
"Let's go!"
--
And you can tell this was a more resently eddedthing 'cause it doesn't suck as much... though I'm kida blinking cause I remembered it diffrent.. Ah well.
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