Cassian and Light stepped out of the forest and into the shadow of the stone behemoth that was the Blue Tower. The prince looked up and his jaw dropped when he realized he couldn’t see the top of the spire, it seemed to ascend forever before disappearing into the clouds. Eyes wide, Cassian glanced down at his feline friend who couldn’t care less about the architectural wonder. Light’s eyes were locked on the lush orange trees that formed rings around the base of the tower. Warm drool dripped from the big cat’s mouth and melted the snow that covered the ground beneath him. Wow, just like the gardens around the palace. Maybe one day I’ll learn how they manage to keep the gardens flourishing like this through the winter.
Cassian looked over at Light, rolling his eyes and grinning. “Do leopards even eat oranges?” He brought his index finger and thumb to his chin and considered it, “You sure are full of surprises, aren’t you, buddy?”
The strange pair walked side-by-side down the winding cobblestone path that snaked through the trees. With the exception of birds singing, the area around the tower was completely void of humans. Spending so much time in nature lately had gotten him more accustomed to it, but the emptiness still felt surreal after growing up in the bustling capital city. With a mischievous glance left then right, Cassian reached up and plucked an orange from a nearby tree. He peeled the skin from the fruit and tossed the edible part over to Light. The excited cat's tongue hung out of his mouth and he caught the orange gracefully, swallowing it in one quick gulp.
A single eyebrow raised and Cassian watched, tapping his toes on the cobblestone. “Did you even taste it, you goof?” Light just looked over at him, sneezed, then purred loudly. “Fair enough, just try and chew your food next time like a proper civilized purple horned snow leopard.” Cassian said, tongue in cheek.
The absurdity of what Cassian had just said struck him and he chuckled. Boy, we must look like we broke out of an insane asylum.
Together they made their way to the oversized platinum doors at the end of the path. The cobalt tinted stones that the tower was built out of were gigantic when viewed up close.
Cassian tried his best to consider what the construction process for a structure like this must have been like and his jaw dropped. Standing at the entrance to the legendary spire, Cassian saw his reflection in the metallic door and sighed. He leaned in closer to get a better look and massaged his eyelids before holding his eyelids open with his fingers. His freaky black eyes stared back at him like a well of ink and his posture slouched. Stars, I guess I had forgotten what a freak I look like. It’s almost as if I’m looking at a complete stranger. Cassian leaned in again to take a closer look and after a moment he pursed his lower lip out and pouted.
The gigantic doors suddenly rumbled then quickly opened inwards. A confused woman in a blue and white robe with a single stripe down the center stared out at Cassian bewildered. Cassian stepped back quickly, attempting to cover his face with his palm. His cheeks flushed red and the immense awkwardness he felt made him want to disappear back into the forest. Terrific, another awesome first impression! Is it even possible for me to be any more awkward?
With a puzzled look at Cassian, then at Light, the robed woman appeared stumped by the bizarre duo on the doorstep of the magi. She lifted a single finger up in front of her face, attempting to speak, but words eluded her. Her forest green eyes narrowed while she made a curious, quiet sound before addressing the visitors. “Welcome…to the…Blue Tower, most unusual guests. I am Melliosa…a magister in training. What is…your business with the magi?”
“Unfortunate circumstances have brought me to the tower. We have come far to request a meeting with Lord Magister Njal.” Cassian said.
With a look up and down at the dirty, black-eyed, and blood stained prince Melliosa scratched her head. “Unfortunate does seem to be an appropriate description.” With a hesitant expression the magister in training added, “However, the Lord Magister is a very busy man. I’m not sure an audience can be arranged for you at this time. Perhaps I can book you an appointment?”
Cassian narrowed his eyes and shifted side to side. “The matters I need to discuss with the Lord Magister are most urgent. When is the next available appointment?”
Melliosa pulled a small leather-bound journal with a moon charm dangling off of it from her robe and opened it. “Hmmm…well, it appears the next appointment available is the sixth of Caledar.”
“The sixth of Caledar! I don’t have time to wait that long!” Cassian exclaimed, trying his best not to become agitated, but not every attempt is met with success. “Please, I know that my current appearance is far from befitting a prince, but I assure you that I am Prince Cassian of Enthamere! I require an audience with Njal immediately!”
With a slight tilt of her head, Melliosa narrowed her eyes and looked at Cassian. “I….don’t know. You seem to resemble the prince…but…why would Prince Cassian be…dressed in rags and…honestly, I’m sorry but your eyes have me utterly unsettled.”
Cassian felt his blood starting to boil. “I haven’t the time for this. Events have been set into motion that require the attention of the Lord Magister! Please, he will be able to confirm my identity!”
Melliosa tapped her foot with an erratic energy and twirled a lock of her long red hair. “Well…I suppose if you are who you say you are, I would be in a heap of trouble for turning you away.” Melliosa inhaled a long breath through her nose, making a soft whistling sound. “Okay, I’ve come to a decision, my lord. Follow me, I will take you to see the Lord Magister.”
The crimson haired magister in training spun around quickly and beckoned for the pair to follow her into the tower. Cassian looked down at Light and winked. They accompanied Melliosa into a grand chamber packed with shelves overflowing with dusty tomes. The room had tall ceilings with extravagant hanging candelabras. Robed men and women sat at long tables with noses buried in ancient tomes that looked ready to fall apart at any moment. Whatever is in those books must be pretty fascinating because they don’t seem to be interested in me or Light in the slightest. Humongous tapestries decorated with monotone tessellating geometric patterns adorned the walls.
As they made their way through the center of the chamber, Cassian looked up and sniffed the air once then thrice more. Thick smoke wafted up from ornate copper incense holders all over the library. The pungent scent of mahogany filled his nostrils and he sneezed three times in rapid succession. “Think you guys might be overdoing it a touch with the incense?” The prince asked.
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Melliosa shook her head and kept walking as if it was an entirely unreasonable question that deserved no answer. After a moment she decided to respond anyway, “The Lord Magister has found the scent of mahogany enhances focus.” Cassian coughed then shrugged as if to say fair enough.
On the far end of the cavernous hall was a marble stairway that seemed to go on forever. “Hold on a moment. You mean to tell me that the Blue Tower, one of the most legendary structures in Enthamere, likely the whole world, doesn’t have a lift with a pulley system?” Asked Cassian.
Melliosa stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked back over her shoulder at Cassian. Knowing full well what came next, she smirked devilishly before answering, “The Lord Magister believes that a magister must not only sharpen one's mind, but also their body.”
Well of course he believes that…Between the incense and the stairs Njal is very well going to be the death of me. Cassian massaged his bruised and aching ribs. With a deep sigh, he patted Light on the head and they started up the stairs. Bloody hell….I guess here’s to sharpening our bodies…
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When they finally reached the twenty-eighth floor, Cassian was huffing and puffing more vigorously than ten years prior, when his father discovered that the prince was feeding all the stray animals in Cloudreach. While Cassian and Light were exhausted by the climb, Melliosa was barely breathing heavily. Still gasping for air, Cassian rubbed his burning midsection and scowled at her. Lets see her make that climb with broken ribs and an injured leg.
Melliosa opened an oversized wardrobe and handed Cassian a fine tunic the color of obsidian and a navy blue cloak with a diamond pattern embroidered across it in silver twine. Cassian looked down at the clothing and then looked back at her with a puzzled look on his face. “I know I look bad, but can’t this wait until after I speak with Njal?” He said.
Melliosa placed one hand on her hip and pinched her nose with her other hand. “With all due respect, you smell like a pig that rolled in its own waste, your highness.” She curtsied when she spoke the last two words. “Anyways, it’s better for everyone if you get washed up and change as soon as possible. There is a washroom just behind that door behind you.”
Cassian narrowed his eyes then sighed, turning and conceding that he looked and smelled awful. When he returned a short while later wearing the new clothes and not caked in mud Melliosa nodded at him and she breathed in deeply. “Ah, much better. Now that being near you is tolerable, I can take you in to see the lord magister.”
Magister in training Melliosa pushed open a gray oak double door and gestured for the pair to follow her. The maze of rooms they moved through next looked to Cassian like some manner of infirmary. Rows of beds full of noticeably ill men and women filled the area. There wasn’t a single vacant bed.
Cassian furrowed his brow and made a sour expression as the odor of medicinal herbs he didn’t recognize melded tragically with the depressing scent of the terminally ill. The coughing and moans of the sick individuals painted the room with an overwhelming and undeniably heartbreaking ambience. After passing through a fourth consecutive corridor full to the brim with down-trodden patients, Cassian felt his spirits breaking, he could no longer bear to look at them. He fixed his eyes on the floor as they moved through three more rooms.
Eventually they came to a chamber packed with all manner of scientific apparatus and Melliosa knocked gently on the open door. “My lord, I know you have matters that require your utmost attention, but I have two very peculiar and unexpected guests I thought you may want to speak with.” Melliosa gestured to Cassian and Light, who stood awkwardly in the doorway. “This is Prince Cassian of Enthamere and his bizarre leopard pet.”
Cassian wagged a finger in front of Melliosa’ face, then cast an apologetic look towards Light. “Light is my friend, he’s no one's pet.”
Melliosa narrowed her eyes at the prince and sighed. With a half-hearted shrug, Melliosa opened her mouth to speak, but Lord Magister Njal cut her off, “Mmm…unexpected guests indeed. Thank you, Melliosa. You may leave us.”
The red-haired magister in training didn’t need to be told twice. She offered a stiff nod of acknowledgement, then disappeared from the room. Njal swirled an elongated vial of fluorescent green liquid. Taking his precious time, he held the vial over the flame of a long candle. He observed it with a seriousness that made Cassian’s palms sweat. Cassian watched as the green liquid began to boil then shifted through a gradient of hues before settling on pink.
Placing the vial on a crowded table and jotting down a messy note on a long parchment scroll, the Lord Magister ambled over to Cassian. Njal moved closer until he was face to face with the mud-covered prince. Cassian felt anxious being observed point blank like a test subject, but he figured that he was likely safer in the Blue Tower than at any point in time since he was back home. Njal reached out, moving his wrinkled fingers around Cassian’s face, taking his time and wallowing in an uncomfortable silence that allowed the cries of the sick patients to spill into the room.
Light didn’t seem to appreciate the old man with the braided beard putting his hands on Cassian. The snow leopard growled and flashed his razor-sharp teeth. Cassian glanced towards the massive leopard and patted him between his eyes as if to say, everything is okay buddy, we’re going to be alright.
Njal continued gazing into Cassian’s black eyes for a moment before peeking over at Light. “Oh, I see you’ve made a rather unusual new friend, young prince,” Said Njal with a gentle smile that reassured Cassian about his decision to seek out the magi.
Cassian wrapped his arms around Light and scratched behind his ears. Light purred then licked Cassian’s face causing the prince to let out a raucous laugh. “Have you ever seen anything so wonderful?”
“I’ve seen many wondrous things in my long life,” Replied Njal, leaning in to get a closer look at Light’s crystalline antlers. “This however, is quite remarkable. There is not a single doubt in my mind about that.” The Lord Magister shifted his attention back to the gloomy black globes that were Cassian’s eyes, “But before we discuss Light, tell me about the circumstances that led to your…affliction.”