NBA Dramatique: Turn the Page

With the pages of the open book lit by a flickering candle, Arenas read and reread the words of the spell, trying to commit it to memory. He had taken Grand Mage Edd at his word, and had been taking as much time as he felt necessary to prepare for the war. He knew it had already started and he knew that his fellow Sorcerers were not faring well, but he was not overly concerned. The war was young. Sorcery was a deliberate process. The Sorcerers never made a ferocious statement to open a war because the spells became more potent and impressive as they became cumulative. All would turn out well in the end, Arenas thought. When he was ready, all would be well.

Arenas was rarely alone in the Chamber library any more. In the past several weeks he had seen more and more of Brendan and Daniels. He took this to mean that his own desire to fully prepare himself was not only being encouraged, but emulated. Arenas looked over the top of his book at the other two Sorcerers and felt proud of the example he was setting as their leader. With that feeling of satisfaction signalling a good reason to end the day, Arenas closed his book and returned it to the library shelf.

"I'm calling it a day, guys."

Brendan and Daniels barely looked up from their own studies to acknowledge his departure, but grunted in understanding. Arenas picked up his candle and left the library in the hands of his fellow Sorcerers. He stepped out of the door, closing it behind him.

Arenas began to daydream as he walked along the corridor in the low levels of the Chamber. His life was idyllic. He was free to follow his interests every day. He was on no one's clock. His membership in the Sorcerer's guild kept him well-paid. There was also, of course, the fame. He enjoyed the recognition that came with spell-casting. It afforded him opportunities for pleasure that might otherwise not materialize. Before that topic of his daydream could develop, Arenas was stopped in his tracks by a firm hand against his chest.

"What is your problem, man?" It was Antawn. In Arenas's absence from the battlefield, he had heard that Antawn was really asserting himself as the lead Sorcerer. So far, it hadn't meant much.

"Hey, Antawn." said Arenas, removing the hand from his chest. "What are you talking about?"

"You are hanging us out to dry, man! There is a war going on! We need you if we're going to get to the Prize, and you're hanging back studying all day. Why are you doing that to us?"

"Antawn, I've explained all of this before. I've talked to the Grand Mage about it. I'm not ready. I'm not the Sorcerer you need me to be at this point, whether I'm out in the fields or not. If I go out there, my spells are going to be half-assed and low-energy. I won't be able to go the duration of the war. As hard as it is to do it without me, I'd prefer to be absent at the outbreak of war than the late days of it, when my efforts might make a greater difference."

"But it's not just you. We don't have Daniels. We don't have Brendan. It's affecting the younger mages. They don't believe they can win so they barely put forth the effort. I'm trying as hard as I can to get them motivated, but they just seem to be on stand-by, waiting for everyone to return."

Arenas sighed and looked down at his shoes. "I'll talk to the Grand Mage. Maybe we can cook up something small, some cantrip or maybe a hypno that will get things moving a little better. I think I'd be up to that." Antawn gave Arenas a disappointed stare. He nodded sarcastically and turned away from Arenas.

"Sounds great. Don't hurt yourself."

Arenas laughed at Antawn's joke. He did need to speak with Grand Mage Edd, and this would just give him one more thing to talk about. It wouldn't put too much of a strain on his preparations to simply work on a mood-altering spell for the younger guys - give them a confidence boost.

The Chamber had a grand spiral staircase that carried Arenas from the study levels, past the open range, past the living quarters, past the observation decks, all the way to the rooms of the Grand Mage in the upper tower. The High Council of Sorcery maintained offices that floated above the Chamber, tethered and camouflaged as clouds by non-expiring spells, but for all his wisdom, the Grand Mage was not a part of the High Council. His study and office were still tied to the structures of the earth. Arenas reached the door to the office and spoke a knocking spell upon the door.

"Enter, Arenas." came the call from the other side. He opened the door and found the Grand Mage seated at his desk. Edd looked haggard, tired. He was in a simple robe without the hood and heavy cloak that Arenas usually saw him wearing. With his entire face revealed, the Grand Mage's deep stress lines and weary eyes were surprisingly apparent. He did not look up from his work as Arenas entered, continuing to read and transcribe from an unfurled scroll. "To what do I ascribe the reason of your visit?"

"I had intended to update you on my progress. On my way here, I was stopped by Antawn, who expressed serious concerns over my continued absence from the field of battle. I was hoping to renew my confidence that you supported my continued study."

"Arenas, we have discussed your absence enough, I think. The only debate on that topic as far as I was concerned was whether or not you could have been preparing earlier. The time for that debate has passed. Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me?"

"No, Grand Mage. I guess there isn't. I'll just report that, with luck, I'll be ready within a month."

"Well, then," answered Edd, looking up at Arenas for the first time, "let us hope for luck."

*****

Arenas had an unsatisfactory night. After his brief meeting with the Grand Mage, he had the feeling that something was amiss. Running through a mental checklist, he could not identify any possession or process that he had neglected. He slept, but was troubled by unpleasant dreams. Even the temperature was cold enough to wake him early and abruptly the next morning. Typically, Arenas took advantage of his open schedule by sleeping late. This meant that he would have the living quarters to himself since all of the other Sorcerers had gone to the open floor to prepare the day's spells. Today though, the other Sorcerer's were all still standing around, whispering to each other, and looking generally worried. Arenas stood from his bed and sleepily shambled over to Caron.

"What's up?" he asked.

Caron looked him up and down and did not seem friendly. "Talk to Antawn" he said.

Arenas looked around and was surprised to find Antawn already glaring in his direction. "What's the problem?" he asked.

Antawn stepped forward angrily. "The Grand Mage is gone. Not gone on a walk. Not gone on vacation. Gone for good. Cast out by the High Council."

"What? I talked to him last night!"

"Yeah. I know. You were the last one. What did he refuse you?"

Arenas was shocked at the implication. "What are you...are you serious? You think I wanted him out?" Arenas realized that Antawn was probably putting on a show for the benefit of the younger mages, but he couldn't be sure.

"You spoke to him. You aren't contributing. He needed you. Now he's gone. Connect the dots."

Arenas replied with unintended irony.

"You can't put this on me. I wasn't with him when he left."