Role

Chapter 1

Ara'Khree was not only an outpost among the arial people, but one that
stood out among the lands for the magical accomplishment of the Ara'Khree
family and famous wizarding couple who helped found its creation. In fact,
outpost was not the correct term. It truly was a village of magical splendor
and progress. For any arial adventurer with a mixed spirit of exploration and
magical affinity, it was a perfect choice for a community or mage schooling
far from their major city.

For Ziv Ara'Khree there was no choice. Her parents were the famous couple
whose magical accomplishments everyone revered. Expectations were high.

As magical couriers wizzed by, Ziv gave a mischievous grin to the laborer
Korok, revealing that again he had chosen wrong in his guess of which three
shells the marker was under. "Wrong again, Korok! Another TWO silver!"
The old laborer and fellow arial grumbled as once again his purse was
lightened by a bet gone wrong on his way to work. Ziv Ara'Khree did not
need the money, but there was something exciting about the textile feel of
silver coins, coins she had earned, by a talent she was adept in. Sleight of
hand.

Chimes. Magical chimes. She sighed, she must not be late for schooling. She
had enough going against her as it was.

She stepped into her class. Day one of year two had arrived. She was past the
first year of purely history and theory. Year two brought experiments and
basic spellcasting. Talents she had long discovered no affinity or ability to
accomplish.

The lesson consisted of conjuring a ball of light. While most of the students
produced only feeble balls that winked out of existence, her nemesis Sazel of
course produced a thing of radiant beauty. Sazel was equal parts popular,
magically gifted, beautiful and definitely frustrating. Since Ziv was the
only arial in the village more beautiful than Sazel, she always made sure to
remind Ziv of the fact that Sazel was her superior in the other three traits.
This was done always surrounded by a mean group of arial girls of course.

When no one was looking, Ziv slipped out the flash powder and phosphorous,
sputtered out the words of the spell... maybe... and used her non-magical
skills to enact the experiment. The results were interesting to say the
least. They definitely sparked and sputtered, but her mission was
accomplished as their teacher Mrs. Screech, as they liked to call her behind
her back, came over and sighed at Zivs failed attempt. It was embarrassing
to be the worse magical student in class, but at least they thought she had
magic. Ziv stormed out of the class with talons and fists clenched as the
mocking twittering and chirping from Sazel and her cohorts played out behind
her back.