( 1710 BC ; Babylon )
Long ago , far back in the earliest history of man , there was a group of people who decided to build a tower . This tower was not a watch post or a simple decorative tower . The people who built it wanted it to reach heaven so that they could touch the gods themselves .
But humanity was not yet ready for such an interprise and so they were thwarted and the tower was left incomplete , unable to reach heaven . From the tower grew a city next to a river and although the tower did not become incredible , the city that rose around it did .
This city was Babylon .
.....
Carey woke up slowly , his body hurt as if he had been dragged through a field by a mad horse . He didn't open his eyes when he woke up but instead tried to move his body , one limb at a time .
First his fingers , then his toes , his knees and his elbows , until he could turn around where he lay . The pain didn't go away , but he got used to it and only then did he open his eyes .
The first thing he saw was gold . Bright pristine gold above his head . He frowned when he saw it , instantly curious about what it was . He turned his head and looked around the room he was in and , bless the gods ! it was quite a room .
The room was wide and square with only one stone wall behind the bed . The rest of the room had pillars holding up a roof of white stone and gold . Where walls should have been were curtains , long and soft looking . There was one in rusted red , another in rotten orange and one more in faded pink . They billowed like the dresses of courtesans , and the light of day shined behind them .
Carey looked down at the bed he was laying on . It was a round bed , carved of stone with sheep fleece , died fabric and animal skin on it . The boy lifted his hand from under the sheep fleece and looked at himself ... then he dropped his hand .
" You are awake . I am pleased . " A deep voice said and Carey turned to it slowly and carefully .
When his golden eyes landed on the person who spoke only one word came to his mind ; Bastard .
" How did you sleep ? " Trega said from the eastern pillar .
He wore a loose robe with black pants and his hand held a red apple . Carey looked at him slowly , carefully and a glint was in his eyes .
" Has my sprite gone mute ? " Trega asked with a smile and he moved towards the bed . But the moment he moved from the pillar , Carey ran . He flung the fleece off and ran toward the opposite rustic red curtain .
As he reached it , the curtain curled as if in a breeze of wind before it circled and grabbed him . It held him tightly and then lifted him from the ground .
Carey screamed as it flipped him like a coin and he landed on the bed with a flop . Trega watched this with an amused smile before he walked over to the bed . He found Carey truly amusing and he reached for the confused boy .
Carey shot away from his hand like it was a snake . He didn't run but moved to the only wall in the room . His body pressed close to the stone as if hoping to faze through and his scared eyes were on the man dressed in a robe .
" Why do you state at me like at ? " Trega asked him , Carey gritted his teeth and said one word .
" Rape !? " Trega said standing up , " What do you ... oh , now I understand . "
They both looked at Carey's lower half and it was a good thing he was covered by the fleece because under that there was nothing . Carey was nude and when he'd woken up and seen it , one word had come into his mind ; rape .
It was nothing he hadn't heard off , there were reports of masters raping servants and women and such news , although rare , had happened in his home village . But the very action had never happened to someone Carey knew or near his home . It was a distant concept to him and he'd only ever once feared being raped in his entire life .
" You think I raped you ? " Trega asked him and Carey looked at him without talking but the accusation was in his eyes .
Trega opened his mouth and said a quick incantation , with words so fast and foreign , no language could properly record them . When he finished , one of the curtains snapped from the roof and flew down next to him . Slowly it curled into itself and transformed into a rustic red garment with a ruby red necklace and rustic red arm bands . Carey stared in wonder but he still didn't move closer .
" Kindly put this on and we will be on our way . " Trega said placing the outfit on the bed , " I have not raped you nor have I ever raped anyone. Consensual copulation is far more pleasing and if you doubt me , then you can leave at your own accord . I didn't bring you here to be charged with such a foolish assumption . "
Trega turned around and walked out of the room and when he walked out from where the curtain had been , he snapped his fingers and a new curtain fell from thin air . It was a magenta purple and it fell to the floor as if it was too long .
Carey stayed where he was , daring for Trega to come back and explain but he didn't come back . After five minutes , Carey looked at the outfit on the bte and the place that Trega had walked out from .
When the first curtain had fallen off , Carey had seen a stone wall , which was confusing . The other two curtains showed a bright light like sunlight and so had the rustic red curtain . Carey decided it was sorcery , if he didn't believe it now then what more did he need ?
He moved to the outfit and put it on , but when he looked at the arm bracelets and necklace , he had misgivings . This was not clothes he had worn before and he wasn't sure he could . Or should .
Carey placed them on the bed neatly without taking them and then turned to the magenta purple curtain . It was glowing with a bright sunlight as if behind it was midday . Carey touched it and it opened up by the corner , revealing the stone passsage he had seen .
" I was almost about to believe you weren't coming . " Trega said when Carey stepped into the passage . He was leaning next to a pillar , his eyes raised to the roof as if looking for something .
" I needed answers . " Carey said and Trega looked at him .
" So you have questions . " He said and it wasn't a question , " You obviously would . "
" Yes , my first being ; where am I ? " Carey asked Trega and he received a smile .
" Aren't you curious about the clothes , the curtains or this illusion behind them ? " Trega asked but Carey shook his head .
" It's magic . That is the answer . " Carey said simply , " Now , where am I ? "
" Well , well , quite lovely little sprite . Quite lovely indeed . " Trega said and he raised his hand but Carey moved away from him , " I did not rape you . Or take advantage of your prone state . Why would I ? "
" Why would you not ? You seem to like me and I do not know why . " Carey said with narrowed eyes .
" Your voice . Your innocent and simple nature . And , this learnt , your adorableness . " Trega said with a smile and Carey looked away for a moment .
" Where am I ? " Carey asked once again .
" You are in the tower . " Trega said and Carey reeled back in shock .
" The city tower ? Or ... " He did not finish his sentence .
Babylon had three towers at that time . One was the palace tower , for the king and nobels to hide during an invasion . Then there was the city tower for special or important occasions like warning of an army approaching or a victory in war times . Then there was the First tower .
The First tower had many names technically but it was merely called the First tower because that was what it was . It was the First tower built by man to reach the gods in heaven . Although it had never been finished , it was still used . Not by everyone but by one class of people in the Babylonian empire ; the mages .
Early humans had many names for them ; Wizards , warlocks , magicians or sorcerers but inside the city they were known with the name Mage . As it was obvious , they held aptitude in magic and magical arts .
The king had included them into his court many years ago and they were refuted to be the richest and most powerful members of the empire . The rich members of the city who faught their civil wars often asked for aid from them . Having a mage as a friend was great but having them as an enemy was beyond deadly .
Carey looked at Trega again , this time with new eyes . He could sense no overbearing power but he could tell Trega was physically stronger than him at least . Trega's eyes were not too mystical except for being like black pits of the night .
" Are you a mage ? " Carey asked him and Trega frowned .
" It sounds as if you are surprised . Am I not majestic enough ? " Trega asked him and Carey looked down to the ground before returning his eyes back at him .
" You are not what I heard mages to be , Master Trega . " Carey said meekly .
" Oh , now you return to this ? I thought your form of respect had flown out from here . " Trega said with a smile . " I am a mage , yes . And as for this idea of mages , I have heard them all . We are nothing like them . "
Trega got away from the pillar and looked around before taking the left passage . Carey hesitated a moment before following him . Trega did not acknowledge nor deny that Carey was next to him but walked without talking .
They soon arrived at a group of stairs and he began to climb them . After walking for nearly ten minutes , he finally spoke .
" So , tell me Carey , " Trega said next to him , " Food or Friends ? "
" Food . " Carey said and Trega raised a brow .
" I thought you'd choose friends . " Trega asked him .
" You didn't say for what , so I assumed for what to eat . " Carey said to him , " I'd rather eat food than my friends . "
" Thinking about food , are we ? " Trega asked him and he waved his hand and produced an apple , the one from before . He offered it to Carey and the boy took it immediately .
" You didn't ask about it being poisoned . " Trega said slowly and Carey gave him a blithering look .
" You didn't rape me and if you wanted me dead , you would have killed me in the garden . " He said eating the apple seeds as well .
" You believe I didn't rape you now as well ? How quickly you change your mind . " Trega said but Carey kept quiet .
Finally they reached the end of the stairs and there was a large wooden and steel door infront of them . Trega walked up to it and swatted the door with his open palm . Carey winced a bit and then listened as Trega said a quick incantation again .
The door creaked open with a groan like a pregnant boar giving birth . Carey scrunched his face in confusion before Trega turned to him with a smile .
" Beauty first before power . " He said with a twinkle in his eyes but Carey didn't move a step . " You are not going to break decorum now ? "
" I remembered that I'm your servant . You are my master . You should go first . " Carey said looking down and Trega sighed softly .
" Very well , come along . " He said flatly , he walked through the door and Carey followed behind him .
They entered a dark space with no light , it was complete blackness . Carey raised his hand but couldn't see his arm at all .
" Master Trega ? " He called out and a sound of snapping fingers echoed before everything went bright .
Carey squinted his eyes before he looked around himself . He couldn't believe his eyes , he could not believe his fortune .
He stood on a stone platform , it was round like a wrestling ring and the area was flat . Beyond the platform was a pond of water , all around the platform and going for a few meters before falling off a cliff .
Beyond the water was a blue vast emptyness like a sunny day and in it's midst were clouds . In the pond were floating vases with various plants of all description , some small flowers and others were large trees . They floated on the water and when one reached the waters edge , they floated into the sky . Other potted plants floated in the air as well .
" How is it ? The garden is not something that has gained much attention from the others but we still try to keep it nice . " Trega said and he waved his hand and beautiful lilies appeared across the water , each one , colors that were impossible for any normal lilies . Some were green petaled , others were purple and one , Carey noticed , was brown .
" It's mystical . " Carey said with wonder and Trega smiled .
" Good , you will have time to admire it plentifully after ... we do introductions . " Trega said and he clapped his hands .
Everything went dark .
Trega clapped his hands again and the light returned .
Carey felt lightheaded and disoriented but he tried to keep it under control . They weren't alone anymore .
They were in a stone ring again but in a circular room with six pillars holding up the roof . The ring was larger than the one in the garden and the stones looked older and damaged . The room was bare and empty , except for the people who were there , looking at Trega and Carey .
There were nine people in the room , and Carey could tell they were the mages of the tower . Unlike Trega who could put on a normal persona , the individuals in front of him held an aura of power he felt it was suffocating .
" Everyone , " Trega said in a calm voice , " This is my new help , Careius or Carey to friends . "
" Greetings , great ones . * Carey said bowing his head in respect .
The nine members looked at each other before looking at the boy that came with Trega .
" Greetings to you too , I suppose . " One mage said and Carey saw it was a woman dressed in pink .
The mages were five men and four women and each wore a different color . Red , blue , garnet , white , purple , pink , yellow , green and grey . Carey looked around the room but when he didn't see anything , he frowned slightly .
" Anything the matter ? " Trega asked next to him .
Carey hesitated a moment before saying what was on his mind .
" Where are the others ? Only nine are in this room . Are there no more mages ? " Carey asked softly and it seemed as if the air froze .
" An inquisitive one isn't he ? " The pink mage said looking at the others around her . She had dark black hair and a mole on her chin . But a smile was on her face and seemed to be frozen there .
" Yes ... too inquisitive . " The mage in red said , he was a short man with big hair and a angry scowl on his face .
" Oh hush , Rebbo . " The mage in white said , she was a thin woman with long arms and legs . She moved towards them and looked at Carey with blue white eyes and a small smile .
" I am Opasi . Call me Opal . " She said to him and Henric nodded his head meekly .
" Well , are you all just going to stand there ? " Trega asked the rest , " Come , introduce yourselves . We hardly have new mem- servants in our midst . "
The other mages looked at each other before coming up to introduce themselves .
" I am Rose , I hope we get along . " The pink mage said to Carey and went to stand near a pillar .
" I am Rebbo , call me Ruby . " The red mage said with a scowl on his face and Carey assumed he just disliked him .
" I am Garnet . Call me Garnet . " The purple mage said in a deep voice and he smiled lustfully at Carey that even Trega frowned at him .
" I am the glorious Miasa , call me Amethyst . " The mage in a garnet robe said and she hugged Carey making the boy tense .
" I am Olisa , call me Sapphire ." The mage in blue said with a calm face and Carey felt her voice sounded extremely cold and indifferent .
" I am Basheer , call me Diamond , " The mage in grey said and Carey felt slightly intimidated by his size . He was over six feet tall and bulky under the robes he wore .
" I'm Emar , call me Emerald , " The Green mage said with a very courteous bow and Carey felt uncomfortable .
" Please stop bowing . " He said under his breath but he just smiled to the mage and let him go .
" I am Jashir , " Carey turned to the last mage who came up to him , he was taller than him and wore a golden yellow robe .
" Greetings Lord Jashir , I am very - "
" You do not belong here . " Jashir said with his baritone voice and Carey frowned slightly .
" Jashir - " Trega started but Jashir just glared at him before turning his eyes back to Carey .
" He is a weak , pitiful and frail piece of waste . We have no need for him unless as a sacrifice to demons , which we do not do . Hence he is useless and has no purpose here . Leave ." Jashir said moving his face upclose to Carey and glaring into his eyes .
Carey looked back at him feeling a sense of belittlement that was very familiar . His old master talked to him just like Jashir did and Carey was reminded again of his situation . He remembered the bleak pit of being nothing again and his heart sank .
He was useless , worthless and should leave . He looked down to the ground and Jashir smirked with his teeth . So pathetic , he thought and he turned around from him .
" Well , Jashir has always been original in his presentations . " Rose said with a smile that was a hairs breath from slipping into a scowl .
" It was cruel all the same . " Sapphire said but it was more of a statement than an opinion . Her face was calm and as cold glass at Santa Claus's house .
" Partially true though . " Ruby said with narrowed , " if not completely . "
" How could you say that . He deserves to be here . We should take care of his feelings . " Garnet said and he smiled at Carey but the boy didn't raise his eyes from the floor .
" Enough talking . Carey , excuse us . We often bicker amongst ourselves and eagerly pull someone into the fray . We have no animosity for you . " Trega said with a smile , " Now , one of us is not here . "
" He's in the library . " Emerald said softly and Trega sighed .
" Don't sigh . You know how he is . " Opal said and Trega just swallowed his words .
" We will introduce you later . Now , as for what you said about more mages ... there are only twelve mages in the Tower of Babylon . Any other mages come from beyond our city , because only twelve are centered in Babylon . I am one of them . I am Trega , my mage name is Obsidian . Do you understand . "
" Yes , Master Trega. " Carey said meekly and Trega frowned at the quiver he heard in his voice . He snapped his fingers and their shadows swallowed them and spat them out in another corridor of the Tower .
" Are you well ? " Trega asked him and he put his hand on Carey's shoulder but the young man moved away from his touch .
." You ... did this ... to amuse yourself , am I wrong ? " Carey asked him .
" What ? " Trega said confused .
" The mages mock me . Insult me and you do nothing . You wanted this did you not ? To make a fool of me for your amusement . " Carey said in a shaking voice and he balled his fist , " I should have known what I would have to suffer when I came . A new form of cruelty ... Maybe I should have stayed with my old master and di- "
" That is enough . " Trega said as he closed Carey's mouth with his hand . He had an angry scowl on his face that made Carey stay quiet .
" I believe decorum should fall into place here and the servant should listen to the master . " Trega said softly , " I think you are noticably aware that there are not as many mages as are rumored to roam these sacred walls and there is a reason behind this . The tower of Babylon was created to reach the heavens where the gods recide but unfortunately the humans were discouraged by the gods and stopped before it's completion .
But what the tower was still close to the gates of the home of gods and their energy fell into the tower and it became an enchanted place that most humans could not fully understand . It is said a god came and decided that the Tower would be the center point between the heavens and earth . He appointed twelve humans to reside in the Tower , to absorb it's energies and learn of the true purpose of humans and gods . "
" True purpose ? " Carey whispered under his breath but still listened as Trega continued talking .
" Since then , the twelve mages or twelve guardians of the Tower to heaven were born . We guide and regulate all magic used by mortals and the will of the gods if they speak to us . That is the reason we oversee the Tower . Do you have something to say ? "
" You are short . " Carey said instantly and Trega smiled amused , " Not in height or stature . I meant in numbers . There are only eleven mages , correct ? "
" Yes , very wise is my little sprite indeed . Yes , you met nine mages in the Circle of flames and me the tenth mage . Then there is our eleventh mage , who is also our librarian . His name is Brir , called Agate amongst us . Those are the present mages left , since our brother Lazuli was killed . "
" I'm sorry master . " Carey said out of kindness and Trega smiled at the show of compassion .
" It was during the wildest part of the civil wars . The wealthy families were gathering and killing allies left and right . Our order does not say not to get too involved in human affairs . But we still knew that entering the fued would be pointless and so kept our distance .
But unfortunately not all of us . " Trega gave a deep sigh , " Lazuli was very impulsive sometimes and did what he felt was right . One of the families got to him and used him . Eventually he was murdered and we became one mage short .
But , hope is not lost . "
Trega smiled at Carey warmly and Carey felt a small wartmth in his chest . A warmth that died as soon as Trega spoke again .
" You will be our new twelfth mage . You Careius , are the new Lapis Lazuli mage ." Tragis said and Carey felt his world shift .
Literally .
One moment he was standing and the next , he fell limp into Trega's arms . There the old mage rubbed his back with a warm smile on his face .