Legon Awakening: Book One in the Legon Series (42 page)

“She’s a familiar, not a cat,” Arkin asserted.

“She’s in a cat form right now, so…”

“I’m sorry, but I’m confused,” Sasha said.

Iselin answered. “Oh, sorry. Cat is a familiar. She’s
made of magic, as you can see. This light in the center is where
the crystal that powers her is. Familiars are very handy but take a
class five to make and they’re hard to do. you will learn more
about them. If you see Cat and need my assistance, you can ask her
and if she is in range she will contact me.”

“Thank you,” Sasha said.

“You’re welcome. Now let’s go.”

* * * * *

Iselin turned and started to walk off, her cat close
behind. Sasha liked Iselin so far, but she was also overwhelmed by
this place. Everything about it was alien to her. They walked
through passage after passage passing other Elves, all just as
gorgeous as Mantic, or “delicious,” as Sara was thinking, but no
humans. Finally Iselin spoke to Arkin.

“Will you be a dear and show Legon and Keither to
their rooms and give them the tour? I will tend to Sasha and
Sara.”

Arkin must have known where they were going because
he nodded and turned down a hall with Legon and Keither. Sasha and
Sara continued to follow Iselin, but something was bothering
Sasha.

“Dang it!” she said.

“What is it?” Iselin asked.

“I forgot our things. I’m sorry, Iselin can you tell
me how to get back in here and I can go get our stuff?”

Iselin smiled. “You don’t think that we have things
for you?”

“Well I don’t…”

“When Mantic said that you were being offered our
hospitality it didn’t just mean a room. He did offer, didn’t
he?”

“Well yes, but…”

“We will have someone bring your things in, don’t
worry about that. But all of your clothes are for colder areas; you
must be hot,” Iselin said.

“We are,” Sasha replied .

“Good, then you will like the clothes we give you.
They’re much lighter. I and another Ascended picked them out for
you.”

“Oh, you did? Thank you. And Iselin?”

“Yes?”

“What’s an Ascended?” Sasha asked.

“Sorry, a dragon. You can use either term, but with
the Elves you will mostly hear Ascended, as it’s the correct
term.”

Sasha nodded and wondered: had Arkin given their
measurements in his reports as well? She decided not to ask. They
stopped at a plain looking door.

“This is your apartment while here. I will show you
around,” Iselin said.

Iselin opened the door and Cat darted in like all
cats do when doors are opened. So far she had been impressed by the
dragon dome, but her quarters topped it all. There was a large
living space with two white couches and a divan. The room was all
wood with dark beam-like ribs running up the walls, meeting in the
middle of the ceiling, which was about ten feet high with a large
dome shaped light at the top. She noticed that the beams had
intricate leaves carved, or rather grown, in them. The floor was
the same dark color as the beams. To her right was a small sink
that had a funny looking pipe coming out its back, and to her left
a closet. On the floor was large rug. Separating the couches was a
table not more than two feet from the ground. She walked to the
couches, examining the intricate woodwork. Sara sat on down on
one.

“Even when I was sent to a rich man’s house I never
saw luxury such as this.”

Iselin started apologetically “I am sorry for the
meager apartment. As a lady of one of the great houses you should
have more, but unfortunately space does not permit.”

“This is normal?” Sasha asked.

“Of course. You must remember we come from different
worlds. To Elves this is average at best. When you go home you will
see real luxury. Now come, I will show you how everything here
works and where your chambers are.”

Iselin took them on a tour of the apartment, starting
first with the sink and the funny pipe, which was called a faucet.
It was astounding. Next she walked them into a bedroom. They were
met by a bed the likes of which Sasha had never seen. It was much
larger than any she had ever slept in. She pressed down on the soft
silky sheets. It was squishy. Iselin smiled at them and showed them
the bathroom, as it was called.

Their amazement didn’t seem to end. There was a round
thing you sat on and did your business like an outhouse, and Iselin
said that the waste was taken by the dome. Then there was the
‘shower,’ which consisted of a space you stood in naked and an
odd-looking set of hollow tubes close together coming from the top
of the wall sprayed water on you. Against the wall was a ridge that
you moved your hand along until the water was a temperature that
you liked. There was a sponge and a liquid soap for your body and
another for your hair.

“You two look a little overwhelmed,” Iselin said

“That’s a good way to say it,” Sara said.

“Well, I’ll tell you what: Sasha, you can stay in
this room, and Sara, you can stay in the one across the living
space. It’s set up the same. Take a nice, long, hot shower. Trust
me, you will feel better and I wi…”

Sasha didn’t hear anything else. The episode came on
fast and unexpected.

* * * * *

Sara waited next to Sasha for her to wake up. She
would only be out for a few minutes. Iselin had moved quickly when
Sasha fell. She didn’t even make if half way to the ground before
Iselin swept her up with surprising speed and strength. She took
her effortlessly to the bed and laid her down. Sara needed to
remember that despite looking beautiful and fragile, Elves were far
from it, and dragons doubly so.

“Does this happen often?” Iselin asked.

“A few times a week, but they’re better when Legon is
around.”

Iselin was sitting on the bed next to Sasha, holding
her hand. She saw that the Elf was bothered by this and she
wondered why.

“Back home people said that she was possessed with
devils. Legon and his friends got in a lot of fights defending her.
That’s why she came with him. It wasn’t safe for her in Salmont
with him gone.”

“I see,” Iselin said.

“Is everything all right Iselin? I promise Sasha will
wake up and she isn’t possessed with anything. She’s the best
person I know. Nothing evil could live in her.”

Iselin looked at her. “I know she’s not possessed. I
was allowing a healer to look through my eyes to figure out what
Sasha has.”

“Do you think you might know what it is?” Sara
asked.

“Yes, and the Iumenta would have known as well. Sasha
would have had a very different life if people knew what was wrong
with her physically and not treated her so horribly.” Iselin gave a
deep sigh.

Sasha began to stir. She looked up. “Wha…?”

“You had an episode,” Sara supplied.

“No, you had a seizure,” Iselin said.

“What’s that?” Sara asked for Sasha.

“It’s what you’ve been having your whole life. I have
sent your information to the head of our medical staff. He says
that you have something called epilepsy. It’s a medical problem.
You’re not possessed.”

Sara looked intently at Iselin. “Did Arkin know about
it?”

Iselin looked at Sara. “No, he didn’t. He’s been
trying to figure it out for years but he has had limited contact
with us, and truth be told, his handlers cared a lot more about
their schooling than medical problems. We needed more information.
She needed to be around a very learned healer or someone that could
send the healer information while it was happening.”

Iselin placed her hand on Sasha’s chest right below
her neck and Sara saw a pink glow from under the hand. Sasha gasped
sharply and her eyes widened. Iselin took her hand away.
“Better?”

“Yes, thank you. It should take me a few hours to
recover from that. Are you sure it hasn’t…?”

Iselin laughed. “You two need to remember that I’m a
dragon. I have more than enough strength. Now take your showers,
and trust me, you will feel wonderful afterwards. I will bring you
clothes to wear. I am leaving Cat here if you need anything else
while I’m gone.”

* * * * *

Arkin walked down the hall to the approaching Iselin.
She looked concerned. “What is it?” he asked

“Sasha had a seizure. We think its epilepsy. I can
explain later. How are Legon and Keither settling in?”

“They’re fine. Both are still shell shocked with this
place. I’m getting them something to wear now. The girls?”

“They’re fine. I like them both. You did well.”

“A compliment?”

She was alongside him now. They turned down a
corridor. She placed her arm around his shoulder. “Tell anyone and
I’ll eat you.”

He laughed. She had been this way since they were
young. They continued along until they came to a shop that was
inside the dome that sold men’s and women’s apparel. They both got
what they needed, Iselin picking up four or five dresses for both
girls, as well as shoes and everything else needed.

After that they went back to Iselin’s apartment to
get Legon’s ring and Sasha’s necklace. They were important figures
now, so certain precautions needed to be taken. For Legon it was a
ring with a large amethyst crystal on it. For Sasha, a necklace
that was made of platinum and in the center a large tear-shaped
crystal that looked like ruby. A smaller ring and necklace for
Keither and Sara were there as well. These were for protection.
yes, they looked nice, but they were laden with magic. Once on they
could only be taken off by the owner. They had wards that protected
from many things that an assassin might use, including most
poisons. Arkin figured Iselin had made them herself. She was
incredibly skilled with magic. She had only been an Ascended for
about ten years now, but she had grown in notoriety. Her charisma
and prodigy-like skills helped her outstrip all of her peers.

After Legon got dressed, Arkin explained what the
ring did and how it worked. Legon didn’t seem to mind the ring at
all, and all he wanted to know was if Sasha and the others were
getting protection as well. Arkin informed him that that they were,
but that he and Sasha were to get the most.

“We are going to go to the girls’ rooms now and then
to get dinner. I suspect that they will test your magic when we get
there,” Arkin said.

“And how do they do that?” Legon asked.

“There is a crystal you hold; it has a spell to tell
them what class you are. Be thankful—it used to be you had to
demonstrate your power. Now you simply hold a rock.”

* * * * *

Keither knew that he was now out of place with the
others. They were all Venefica. Even Kovos would have been if he
still lived, but Keither wasn’t connected when it happened. So he
was still just a regular human.

The clothes they were wearing were comfortable. They
felt soft and smooth and they breathed much better than their other
clothes. Arkin shooed them out of the door and down the hall. This
place was like a maze, and though he knew its size, the lack of
windows or other natural light made it seem small to him.

Arkin led them to a room that was presumably the
girls.’ when they entered they saw that it was an exact replica of
the one they were in. Building with consistency and precision was
rare, but apparently the Elves mastered it. The only difference in
the room was that the girls had white furniture and the men had
red.

Iselin walked into the room from the bedroom to their
left, followed by Sara and Sasha. Both looked completely different.
Their dresses were similar to Iselin’s; Sara’s was silver with a
silver necklace that looked like a diamond but that he knew was a
crystal. His heart raced a bit as she smiled at him, but Sasha, who
had always been the prettiest girl in town, looked amazing. Her
dress was red, and he realized that both dresses matched the color
of the magic of their owners. There was a giant tear-shaped
ruby-like crystal hanging on her neck and she wore shiny red
lipstick. Sara’s lips were red too. They seemed a little unsure of
their steps.

Sara caught his eye and mouthed “Fancy shoes.” He
knew what she meant. Women in the large cities would sometimes wear
shoes that elevated in the back. It was supposed to look better,
but this was his first time seeing anyone wear them. Salmont had
dirt streets, so shoes were purely functional, but large cities and
apparently dragon domes had hard floors that were even, so fancy
shoes it was.

Legon spoke. “Wow, you guys look amazing.”

“Thanks. I feel out of place,” Sasha said, looking
down at herself.

“We’re hot, what are you talking about ‘out of
place’?” Sara said jovially.

Iselin laughed. “So I did well then?”

“Very,” Keither said. But wait, he didn’t actually
say it, did he?

“Thanks, Keither. So does this mean you’re going to
ask me on a date?” Sara poked.

“Sara!” Sasha scowled at her friend. “Thank you,
Keither. That was a very sweet thing to say.”

Keither felt all of the blood from his body rushing
to his face. Legon mercifully saved him.

“Iselin, I hear there is some test I am to take?”

“Yes. All of you, in fact. Even Keither and
Arkin.”

“Why me? We know I’m a two,” Arkin protested.

“But we don’t. If Sasha and Sara can now use magic,
Legon’s transformation may have affected you as well, and Keither.
Even if it hasn’t presented yet.”

“So what do we need to do?” Keither asked.

“Just hold this.” Iselin said.

She handed Keither a clear crystal. It was cold and
that was it.

“Ok. You’re not a Venefica. No surprise. Arkin.”
Iselin moved on.

Arkin took it and the crystal lit up. He was still a
class two. Sara took it; a class one. Sasha took it and it lit
up.

“Class two…” Iselin looked at the crystal again.
“That’s not right. We need a new one; this is broken.”