The arrival of the High Council and arrest of the Sorceress Astasha might have kept the angry mob from tearing apart the castle to find her, but it didn’t stop the people from demanding answers and retribution. A multitude of folk had gathered at the palace entrance, some curious, others furious, and all had been promised by the recently arrived High Sorcerer that they would be appeased soon enough. If the War Room had been deafening the previous evening, it was the exact opposite in the Magical Archives Library, where the High Council had designated their occupancy. Not a soul dared to speak unless asked. The King and Calder were present, as well as the entirety of the Advisory (save Astasha of course, who was locked away in a cell up in the tower under the watchful eye of the High Council’s Water Sorcerer). Talib had been there, but Josnen had sent him away when he was unable to contain his loathing for Sorcerer Terrin. He had continued to swear vengeance upon the Earth Sorcerer

Astasha could feel the chaos before she heard it. Something was happening. A commotion began outside the tower doors and she could hear voices shouting and armor clattering. The Water Sorcerer and the guards set to watch her, exchanged worried glances. The soldiers took up their arms as the High Council member strode to the door and pulled it open. A blast of fire met him, and though he was able to protect himself from the flames for the most part, he was thrown back. Astasha used the moment to unleash her own magic, quickly subduing the knights who seemed to have no clue what was happening, and catching the Water Sorcerer off guard again. She was supposed to be bound, and from the look on his face, he hadn’t suspected for a second that she wasn’t. As he tried to recover, through the door strode Helia, her powers in full force, and the two worked together to overpower him. Astasha had no desire to do the mage any harm, but as he slumped against the wall and slid to the fl

Once the two sorceresses had confirmed that the Guard post was indeed abandoned, they went to work placing as many protective spells and barriers as they could around it. The horses were allowed to drink from the river before being tethered near the entrance to graze and rest. It was decided that one of them would always be awake and on guard, Helia offering to take the first shift so that Astasha could finally sleep. After they had both rested, they would determine their route from there, and continue on. The stone tower was dark and dank, covered in cobwebs and dust. There was an old wooden table and a cot, a couple of broken chairs and an empty hearth. There was debate about whether or not the person on watch should go up to the lookout, but in the dark they would sense someone before they would see them, and it seemed more important to make a quick escape from the ground. Even with the deep black of night outside, they dared not risk the smoke of a fire being seen or smelled,

Over the next couple of nights, Astasha had begun mastering her ability to draw out the power of light within her, learning to harness it and manipulate it into many forms. They had tested it as much as they could, but it never seemed to have an effect on its target, spurring Helia’s conclusion that it would only do damage to that which harbored evil within. Astasha had been secretly hoping that their delay in the cavern would give Calder time to catch up to them had his plan been successful. But as the sun set on what they had decided would be their last day in the cave, that hope faded with the light. Since she had sent the little ball of fire and light to him, she thought perhaps their connection would rekindle, but alas, it still felt distant, and the tether frailer by the day. Tasha stood at the mouth of the rock formation and looked out into the dying light. He wasn’t coming. Something must have happened. She knew Calder would have done everything in his power to keep h

Astasha and Calder were just about to try to find their way back to the cavern to get Helia, when they heard footsteps. Pulling his sword, Cal stepped in front of Tasha, ready to protect his love. But a small torch came into view, followed by none other than the older Fire Sorceress. “Helia!” Said Astasha, stepping around the Prince. The woman breathed in relief. “Thank the Goddess.” Her eyes moved to Calder. “Your Highness!” She bowed before returning her attention to Tasha. “What happened? I woke to what felt like a tidal wave of energy and a blinding light, and then I realized you were gone!” “I’m fine. We’re both… there was no danger.” She couldn’t help but blush. Helia looked between the two and a sly grin appeared on her face. “Love and light indeed.” Hoping to avoid further embarrassing discussion, Calder stepped forward. “Sorceress, I believe I owe you a debt of gratitude. You kept your word, and in return I give mine… whatever favor you should ask of me, if it’