Chaper 4: Waiting for Smoke

Calenon taped his foot repeatedly upon the stone he was standing on. Sionaas was late, as usual, but not his regular late. This was late of profound proportions that bordered on just plain insulting.

Calenon brushed back his silver hair from his amber eyes as he watched Richard come towards him from his mountain perch. A Obviously that meant that the Caravan was coming into town. Good thing too because he had been waiting all day for it’s arrival. However Calenon was under the impression that he was to be waiting all day with Sionaas. Obviously this was not the case as Sionaas had failed to show up “yet,” which very soon was to become “at all.”

Calenon swore in elvin to himself and wondered if apprenticing Sionaas was really worth all this. It had been a long two years of cleaning up after him when he made his countless mistakes, Helping him do his pointless and obsessive research, and, of course, waiting for him. Every day. Sometimes for hours at a time. And all Calenon had to show for it was a mediocre spell book and an exhaustive knowledge of “The Windswept Wall.”

But then he looked back to the day he had escaped from that prison, he used to call “Home.” He remembered how he had mislead his brothers and escaped into the wood. And he remembered the horrible grey beast with tremendous claws that could cleave trees in twain that had found him half starved in those woods and had tried to rend him limb from limb. And finally he remembered how Sionaas had appeared from no where, dispatched the creature with the wave of his hand, and took him on as an apprentice.

Such enormous power he had shone then, power that Handir wanted. Power that the Elven Elite wouldn’t give him. Power that his family’s patriarch denied him. Power that he so desperately wanted he left his home to find it. And so Calenon of the Handir clan would stay another day with Sionaas. Becides he did owe him his life.

Richard arrived at the little outcropping of rock where Calenon waited. “It’s coming” he said simply. Calenon wasn’t sure he liked Richard. He naturally disliked all other races due to his upbringing, but had learned to control such impulses. With Richard, however, the impulse had been harder. The man always wore black, had Long, pitch black, grody looking hair that partially obscured his face, a very unpleasant looking demeanor, and a scar across one cheek. And, quite honestly, always looked like he was up to something. He had questioned Sionaas’s judgment when choosing him as the town’s liaison, to which Sionaas had replied, “Why? He’s right here! Why go looking for someone else?” Well at least he didn’t talk much and had done his job well

They stood in Silence as they watched the caravan slowly work it’s way up the last hill before they reached Mubam’we. The whole town came out to see the caravan roll into town and set up their camp in a clearing just outside of town. People started unpacking their wares immediately and setting up their little camps. It wasn’t long before the area was turned into a mini market, but that wasn’t what the men on the hill were concerned with. They were much more concerned with the two men coming toward them.

“I thought there would be more.” Muttered Calenon

Silence was his response.

“At least the paladin on the left seams formidable, though I wish you could have done better
than that peasant on the right.

Silence seemed to be the trend.

Calenon looked at Richard. “I do love our conversations.”

Thomas was the first to arrive at the spot. “You must be Sionaas” he said extending his hand in the entmarkian gesture of greeting.

Calenon had always been aware of how much he stood out among the people of entmark. An elf was almost unheard of here. So between the pointed ears, hollow features, silver hair, and amber eyes people just seemed to assume the rumors of the great and powerful wizard in town belonged to him. Not to mention the constant prejudice and ignorance of the townfolk. Therefore this was something that Calenon had encountered before. He did not return the gesture.

“No I must not be.” Calenon said as Thomas dropped his hand. “ I’m afraid that the great and mighty Sionaas is late, or, is simply going to fail to ariv..”

Suddenly a great puff of purple smoke writhed in red fire burst forth from the ground right in the middle of the gathering. Visages of dragons and snakes danced and fought among the clouds as it slowly swirled. Aurelious jumped back and drew Alexander sending a spray of sparks through the air as the magical sword left it’s sheath. Thomas stood dumbfounded by the sudden appearance of the smoke and the dancing dragons, unable to take his eyes off the person that, with a loud yep, fell forward ontop of himself dissipating smoke. Calenon stood and watched the wizard proceed to get wrapped up in his robes in his attempt to get up, wondering exactly what he could learn from this man. Richard, used to this, did nothing at all.

“well, don’t just stand there Calenon! Help me to my feet.”

Calenon rolled his eyes and proceeded to help Sionaas to his feet. For Sionaas it was. He stood about 5’ 4” off the ground. He was covered in dust and was dressed in an elaborate cloak, in which he was horribly tangled. He had a short white beard and white hair which he kept covered with a wide brimmed, tall pointed hat made of a yellow fabric and carries an ordinary quarterstaff of no particular distinction.

Finnaly, after much tribulation, Calenon managed to right Sionaas’s wronged cloak and get him on his feet.

“Oh that flee bitten spell! I can never get the landing right. Always two feet above the ground… mabey if I…No. Hmmmm” Sionaas sputtered.

Aurelious sheathed Alexander, this man didn’t seem to be much of a threat. He had his back turned to a man with a drawn sword.

Thomas stepped forward. “excuse me, but are you…”

“Sionaas, yes. But no time for introductions. We must be off for the cave immediately. I will explain on the way. Lorem Ipsum already waits!” The elderly man scurried off up the mountain side. The strangers just looked at each other, until all eyes turned to Calenon.

“Well don’t look at me, I always thought he was crazy.” Calenon sighed and hurried after him.

The others, given no other choice, followed