Markham I
(One day after the fall of the Trevelyan line.)
"This is an absolute travesty." Markham held his forehead in disbelief then massaged his temples.
"I'm so sorry, Master." A young Half-Elf, petite, with strong, but soft Terra Cotta skin, held Markham's free hand. Her ice blue eyes were terribly sad and she squeezed Markham's hand lightly as a form of comfort.
"I knew he was a bastard, but what could he have done to bring such tragedy?" Tears rolled down his greying, black bearded face. "The children? They killed his children?"
"I'm afraid so, Master. No amount of sorry can fix this but I am so, all the same." She gripped Markham hand tighter.
Markham wiped away the tears from his russet, reddish-brown cheeks. Then with a raise of his head his long greying-charcoal hair left his face and fell back behind his head. He looked up to his student, Amara, with his deep brown eyes and gripped her hand again, tightly. But after a moment he released.
"I'm sorry, Amara. You shouldn't be comforting me. I'm the one who does the consoling." Markham raised from his long rich mahogany desk and folded up the letter. "I will mourn in private, when I am afforded the time." He then stuffed the letter into his robes.
"Master, you don't need to go about this alone." She placed her hand back upon his.
"I will be alright, my dear. I need time to think and consider things. To grieve and to be angry. I will get my time." He squeezed her hand once more then gently released it.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Just then a knock came about the door, hurried and hard. Markham and Amara exchanged glances then Markham stood straight and called out to the visitor.
"Yes who is it?" He shouted.
"Master Trevelyan? I'm apprentice Wesley. Master Elandra has requested your presence in the academy's lecture hall! She says it's urgent!"
"Come in, apprentice!" Markham and Amara exchanged glances again.
The young apprentice entered the office and bowed deeply. He held a scroll tightly in his hands. Markham could see from a foot away that the scroll bore the seal of Master Elandra after all. Wesley then extended his hand with the scroll to Markham.
"Thank you, Apprentice Wesley. You were exceptional in your haste. Return to your master and confirm the delivery. I shall read the scroll and join her in the academy's lecture hall. As she asked." He gave the young boy a nod.
"Yes, Master Trevelyan!" The boy bowed again and jogged out of the room back to Master Elandra.
Markham turned the scroll over in his hand to double-check the symbol on the wax seal. Yes, this was indeed Master Elandra's seal. Strange that she wouldn't just come to him in his office. They had known each other for some twenty years now, since they were apprentice's. And in that time they have grown quite fond of one another, leading to many late night study sessions and to this day, as masters of the academy, many nights of helping each other "prepare for lectures." This of course resulted in a child. Together they shared a beautiful young Half-Elven daughter, Amara. She was nineteen now and an excellent apprentice. Markham broke the seal on the scroll and let it unravel. It wasn't terribly wrong as the scrolls size would have you belive. He then began to read silently to himself.
"Markham, darling,
Something terrible is happening. Meet me in the academy lecture hall IMMEDIATELY. I wish to discuss this with you privately before the rest of the masters call us to council. Leave Amara behind for now. Trust me.
Elandra"
Markham's face returned to one of dread. He then rolled the scroll up as tightly as he could then stuffed it into his robes alongside the previous letter.
"Amara, go about your night. I may call you in the middle of it, so enjoy what time you have." Markham began rushing out the door.
Before Amara could answer Markham was already out of his office. He sped down the halls as fast as someone can when not trying to appear suspicious. Apprentice's of all ages waved or called to him as he went by. Here and there came a "Good Evening, Master", "Hello, sir", "lovely night, Master Markham". All of his replies were kind but rushed as he continued down the halls. Every step on the cobblestone floor reverberated through the halls and bounced off of each other. It did that during the night when the crowds were mostly returning to their beds. Luckily the torches along the halls were always lit to guide the way. Lest Markham be running about an academy the size of a castle in sheer darkness. Magic is a wonderful thing. Markham began to sweat and dabbed his forehead with his sleeve. Just ahead was the academy lecture hall, only a few more steps. He reached the door and straightened himself out, dabbed his forehead again and took a deep breathe. Then with both hands he pushed in the grand wooden doors, quickly sliding in then shutting them behind him. The hall was truly incredible. It was large enough to fit every student in the academy and there were well over three hundred of them at this time. It was built in the shape of a coliseum. Seats wrapped around the walls in a giant circle and we're layered all the way down to the floor. But the floor portion was open and vast with a podium directly in the middle for whoever was giving today's lecture to be seen and heard. That was exactly where Elandra was. Smack dab in the middle of this coliseum of learning.
"Elandra!" Markham whisper-shouted.
She turned and motioned for him to join her. Markham complied, lightly jogging over as to not make too much noise in this echo chamber. Even in all of this panic and secrecy she was beautiful. Elandra was an older woman, older then Markham who had just celebrated his fifty second birthday only weeks before. She was sixty five now, but you would never be able to tell. Her hair was a dark rich brown and her pale, freckled skin was tight, not a single wrinkle. Her breast remained heavy and perked and the rest of her body remained as curvy and supple as when they first met. Of course this was because she was an elf. They lived long lives untroubled by aging and the changes that came along with it.
"What's going on? What happening?" Markham questioned.
"Something terrible, Markham."
"Yes, I figured that out from your letter. As I recall it read. 'Something terrible is happening' if I recall correctly."
Elandra stared at Markham with daggers eyes. And he raised his hands slightly to signal that he did not want to invoke her wrath.
"The council of Masters has been convening, Markham."
"Without me?" He looked hurt.
"Don't feel so special, darling. Without many of us." She paused for a moment, thinking to herself then continued. "The head Master has been convening only with the oldest and longest tenured masters. But, I was able to overhear some words from one of their meetings. My old master had me listen in through a charmed necklace he wore. Apparently something is headed this way and it's coming fast."
"Is Zandrinia invading? One of the other kingdoms?"
"No, I'm afraid it's much worse then that, darling. They speak of a... thing? A source of magic of some kind coming from the sky. Large balls of blue fire are barreling down from the heavens towards the south. It will be only hours before it impacts. Some small settlements will be completely eviscerated!"
"Zandrine's Ass! There's got to be something we can do! And on top of that, what in the blazes could cast a spell this strong? This big? This shouldn't be possible Elandra!" Markham held his forehead in disbelief.
"No, it shouldn't be. I don't understand either, darling." She grabbed at his hand and he connected with her, holding her tightly. "Whatever this is, it's the start of something absolutely terrible. Unprecedented times are ahead of us, my love."
"We must approach the council at once! This is madness! How could they keep this from us? And- and how am I expected to stay silent about this!?" He caught himself raising his voice then indeed, fell silent.