Finally, the Gryphon rider returned, confirming to Leonario and Cecello what I had said. The rider also reported of spotting one particular naga, a female one. She had an ornate staff with an emerald orb that crackled with green lightning. According to the rider, she was using it to play around with the waves.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mXEfjleah
I suspected that was their superweapon, that staff. It had to be. 832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTK0cbucgIn
My first order of business was to meet with Cicero, the leader of the Order of Whispers. The mages of Alderas would have a vital role in the defense of the city, there was no doubt about that. Leonario went to assemble the rest of the Gryphon Riders and call back the forces of Alderas from surrounding territories, while Cecello worked on preparing the harbor for what was to come, and to issue evacuations.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6xKIi6t6v
I stood before their tower, right next to the palace. It was another one of the tallest points of the city. I had never been in it, but from those who had been in it before, I heard that it bent the laws of reality on the inside. It was larger, and much more strange than what it appeared to be to outsiders.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4f8GNp0hfW
I stood before the stone door, where a face was carved into it. To my surprise, the face abruptly scrunched his face up once I was close enough. Then, his eyes opened wide. In his eye sockets, two orbs of brilliant violet light flickered into existence.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOPyqnONWg
"Ah, a son of Eion stands before me."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMimSSNlTct
My heart sped up. "How would you know that?" If this stone door knew, then how many of the Order knew? How did they find out? 832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCkEa9qbJI
"None may hide their true nature before me. No dragon, no god, no demon, and certainly not a mortal such as yourself."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVQbzNcrcc
"Don't go telling anyone yet, will you?"832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiA8Pj8Htk
"Yet? Should I keep my eyes open for a big announcement by the end of the week?" The stone door raised an inquisitive eyebrow.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubZWFkiX51
"No, no. Look. I'm here to see the Archmage of the Order of Whispers. Will you let me pass?"832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfk40hLbi7
"Why are you here to see him?"832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyBLhuqCYm
"The whole city is at peril. The naga are going to summon a tsunami to crush the city. We're going to need the Order of Whispers' help if we're going to have any hope of survival."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2P7GCHXM1i
"Oh my. That is quite the conundrum. I will allow you inside. Speak to the girl at the front desk. She will take you to the Archmage." The eyes of the stone face flickered out, and his face stilled. A moment passed, before the double doors creaked open, revealing an interior lit by light blue lights scattered around the walls.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckLBwb9htd
I cautiously entered. Dead ahead, there was indeed a girl sitting a front desk, carefully inscribing something into a scroll. Her hair was brown, and she was pudgy. She looked up, and gave me a cheerful smile.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLseJna2OEW
"Hello, sir! Can I help you find anything?"832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJw7liS578
"Yes. Take me to the Archmage, if you would be so kind."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOeFWWF2eH
Her smile fell for a brief moment, before it returned. "Oh Alright. Follow me." 832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vQcMlQh5N
She led me up a ramp, which came to a hallway. I squinted at the lights. They were little turquoise balls of light held within a to confines of a spiraling spherical cage welded to the wall. Elegant, and a bit eerie, really. 832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoX5UnZWcX
Ahead, the hall split two ways. The woman abruptly halted and shouted a strange word that sounded quite like gibberish to me. I looked at her, and wondered why in the world had we stopped.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTd9Tt0bgC
I didn't wonder for long, though. The sound of stone grinding against stone could be heard ahead. In awe, I watched as the hallway twisted and morphed, until there was no more split hallway. Now, it simply led dead ahead to a door decorated with blooming and colorful flowers.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRVvnw7zdb
She led me to the door, opening it and holding it open for me. Bright light shone through the doorway. I stepped through, and a wave of warmth washed over me. I blinked, looking around. We were outside. Definitely not anywhere In Alderas though. Rolling hills of emerald green surrounded us, reminding me of the lands north of the Weygate Mountains. Strange and mystical plants surrounded us.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFLgBpLXfw
I looked back, to see the woman shutting the door. There was nothing but the door there. Just more fields and flowers. The woman then led me along a cobblestone path that wove in between the hills, and led into a forest of sort. Colorful birds darted through the trees above us, and the familiar ambience of the forest could be heard. Somewhere, I could even hear a babbling brook.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDnhpJFipa
I heard foot steps approach from behind, and to my shock, I saw a pristine white lion walking alongside us. It didn't seem hostile, though.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3zj6PGVtE
"That is Ashmane, one of the Archmage's pets. He is docile, if you wish to pet him," my pudgy tour guide informed me. No matter how friendly he looked, I wasn't keen on trusting her word. A lion was still a lion, and I wasn't looking to have my hand mangled simply because I pet it the wrong way. A lion was a feline afterall, and lions were fickle creatures.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEXpgSOW6t
Ahead of us, the road split into three different roads. We took the one on the left, and came to six doors. Like the last door, these simply stood in empty space. Ashmane sat on his haunches, and watched us as the woman led me to the fourth door. 832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiJiCKOqLV
"It is just through this door. I will leave you two to talk alone," she said as she held the door open for me once again.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMwMHQKS6l
"Thank you," I told her, as I stepped inside. Like the room at the entrance and the halls, this one was also lit by the turquoise orbs of light entrapped in spiraling spherical cages. Straight in front of me was a large circular planter with a tree in the middle. All sorts of strange plants grew at the base of the tree. Butterflies fluttered over the planter. It reminded me of Morganna's tower in a way. 832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzN5MO1nCQ4
Two ramps started on either side of the circular planter, and led up to an upper floor that was shrouded by the leaves of the tree. I decided to go up the ramp. I came to another door, a simple wooden one this time. I figured my best bet would be to knock, so I did.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOuqIgGDSk
A few moments passed, before the door opened. A thin man with dark hair and bags under his eyes stood there, eyeing me. He pursed his lips.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFntLPNY9r5
"Ah, General Marius. What a surprise."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBX6qGCsal
"Is it really? Your talking door doesn't warn you of people coming into your tower?" I asked, arching a brow.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSxZxCZnit
"Erlgas is meant to bar potentially dangerous individuals from entering the tower. Or... At least individuals who would pose a threat to us. Anyhow, do come in. I'm anxious to hear what you want from me." He stepped away from the door, and moved over to sit behind a desk littered with books and papers. A floating globe sat over a small metallic disk on his desk, depicting all of Elleria and the Western Isles. Except the map on this one stopped at the Weygate Mountains. I stepped into the room, and sat at the chair on the other side of the desk from where he sat.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsz7dN6xSdq
"I come to you to ask for the aid of your order against the naga." I explained the situation to the Archmage. I left out no detail, including the report of the naga with the mystical staff that the Gryphon Rider had reported seeing.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEANCCnf19a
When I mentioned the staff, blatant interest flickered across the Archmage's face.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HJ0dPcsuJ
"A staff... With green lightning coming from the head, you say? I have heard of an artifact like this... The name is just on the tip of my tongue." He stroked his chin between his forefinger and thumb. He stared off into space, disappearing into the realms of his thoughts for a moment. I stayed silent, giving him time to ponder. I was rather curious to hear what he might have to say about the staff.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTjVUpe6mt
"Bah, curses. I'm going to have to do some research on it," The Archmage waved his hand dismissively, turning his full attention to me. "Nevertheless. Of course you will have our help. Alderas is just as much our home as it is yours. We would stand by you. Simply tell us what you would have us do."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSg1FijXst
"Splendid." I leaned forward in the chair somewhat. "How many mages do you have at your disposal."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYG1lUmgrpU
"Two hundred. Only about thirty are currently residing in the tower. There are also twenty apprentices currently undergoing training here. It will not take me long to gather the rest of my Order."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhmsSffQaY9
"Right. Do you think your mages, if they combined forces, would be able to hold back a tsunami?"832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYFvc21UYv
"Most certainly. Perhaps we might even be able to vanquish it. Or, at the very least, redirect it. Maybe send it off the other way."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wGd18QnHm
"That's perfect. If you find anything out about the staff though, I ask of you to come and inform me immediately. It could play a vital role in the fight to come."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqgtMBPL6D
"Of course, General," the Archmage replied. He leaned back in his chair, intertwining his fingers together. "I and a hand full of other qualified individuals will get to work on our search immediately. I'll also summon the rest of the order."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcFNxDK7hN
I stood, offering the Archmage a respectful bow. "Thank you, Archmage. I wish you luck on your research."832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCW8RIIxKU
"And I would wish us all luck. It seems like our continued survival depends on it." 832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI207sTit4J
I then turned and left. A small part of me hoped that I wouldn't have too much difficulty getting back out of here. I hoped that one hallway wasn't turned back around.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPQyQWESI6
Thankfully, however, the pudgy desk woman had waited on me. She smiled at me as I stepped out from the Archmage's quarters.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1mM6BVc1L
"Everything go as you hoped?"832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDpvDfBJBC
"Yes. So far, so good." A small bit of hope blossomed within me. Maybe our chances of annihilation weren't as high as I had originally thought.832Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOPWi1HOoA
