An exercise in differing characters

I've been practicing writing from different characters points of views, been focussing on two of my main characters for such a long time that last night's experiment in finally writing as another was almost relieving... just wanted to share a bit of it.

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The vortex of the Aethya was more evident to the denizens of the castle in the sky than to the people of mainland Fandriel. Leaning her elbows against the window sill, High Magister Xelcia smiled softly to herself as she stared into the forever-shifting kaleidoscope of colours that separated her and her people from the Gods who had blessed them with these amazing gifts. She was one of the First, a privilege beyond words, and she fully embraced the blessing that she had been born with, honoured that the Gods had specifically chosen her to reside over this magnificent castle of Esraelle’s creation.

A glittering jewel that sat neatly on the largest of the sky islands, its towers spiralled ever upward to nearly touch the Aethya itself. She stood in one of these towers now, the room carpeted in crimson fabric and furnished with wooden fittings as dark as the night itself, black tapestries fluttered on the walls though she was yet to design an emblem for them quite yet. In time.

The soft rustle of footsteps outside the door brought her from her musings, Brell must have found a suitable candidate for this next scrying attempt. She glided across the floor, her black robes forming a small train behind her, her blonde curls bouncing lightly at her back, and opened the door before a knock could form.

“M-milady?” A young girl of no more than seven, black-haired and doe-eyed, she was one of the more recent arrivals to the castle; probably a product from the Gods last traverse to the lands judging by her age. That would be about seven years ago now, after that nasty business with the mainland Queen. That was a terrible day, the day the mainlanders began to treat the mages with suspicion rather than respect. Perhaps fear was required.

High Magister Xelcia smiled down at the young girl, allowing a kindly radiance to emanate from her body and speaking softly she asked. “Young Alysse… did Lord Magister Brell send you?”

The young girl nodded slowly, the worried look in her eyes began to disappear as the aura started to affect her, and she spoke with an accented tilt to her voice. Interesting, she must have arrived from further South than the other candidates. “Yes milady, I haven’t done anything wrong have I?”

Laughing softly, Xelcia shook her head. “Oh no, dear child.” With a nod of her head, she gestured for the girl to come stand with her by the window, and after motioning to the iridescent maelstrom in the sky she spoke quietly with no hint of malice. “Brell sent you to me because he believes that you’ll be able to assist me. You would like to help your High Magister, yes?” As the girl nodded her head once more, Xelcia sent her a reassuring smile. “Good, good. But first, tell me, have you chosen one of our Gods for your own yet?”

A small pride caused the child’s face to flush happily, seeming to completely lose her apprehension she skipped over to the High Magister and in a clear voice she said. “Oh, yes milady! My mama spoke often of the Gods!” She gazed up at the Aethya in wonder as Xelcia admired the young girl’s youthful innocence, a pity that she would soon be broken. “Mama said that my papa was Esraelle, and I’ve chosen him. I know he’ll look out for me!”

The smile on Xelcia’s face remained as she watched the carefree girl. “I’m sure that he will… as we choose them, we are as much their own chosen.”

She walked across the crimson carpet towards a small cabinet and unlocked it carefully with her golden touch, finding a quartz decanter within she quickly poured herself a small concoction of various herbs infused with a mild spirit and a smaller glass for the child. With good fortune the child would survive, but it was best to be realistic; after all, the others had not. “Now, young Alysse, this will not taste pleasant. But if you swallow it swiftly you won’t notice as much. I would like you to drink this and to sit with me… you may envision things, but do not be afraid.”

Alysse nodded silently, a solemnity seeming to settle across her shoulders much to Xelcia’s well-hidden surprise, the girl had managed to separate herself from the aura! Amazing, indeed. Still she obediently sat beside Xelcia on the soft carpet, holding the glass tentatively between a thumb and finger, and with a small shudder she quietly asked. “Is this the dream potion?”

Xelcia laughed unexpectedly, her musical voice lingering lightly in the air. Well, well. Brell had found a positively enlightened child for this experiment after all, much more impressive than the last one. “Dream potion? I admit… that is an adequate term for the mixture. We shall drink and we shall be connected, and we both shall see possible events of the past of the present and of the future…” An unconcealed hunger in her eyes as she suddenly felt the need to ask the girl. “Do inform me, have you seen this before?”

She watched as the girl swallowed heavily and licked her lips. “Y-yes milady… I had a dream…”

A dream, indeed; clairvoyance was so far a rare trait amongst those blessed by the Gods. She squashed down the small feeling of guilt that was arising within and smiled once more at the girl, bringing out a small silver bowl from the folds of her robe and placing it between them. She waved a hand across the top and a rush of clear water quickly bubbled into view. “Dear child, if I may advise you, this will be a lot more agreeable for the both of us if you weren’t to panic. Remember that they are just images, pictures, they can’t touch you. Now, if you could drink that mixture and then gaze into the waters, I would be greatly pleased.”

The girl gave Xelcia an anxious smile and did as she was bade, a very good girl. The High Magister smiled, satisfied, and quickly quaffed the questionable mixture herself. No evidence of distaste, a small sympathy rising within as she saw the disgusted look on the child’s face, to the young girl’s credit though she was able to hold the concoction well. A rush of warmth began to fill Xelcia’s body, her fingertips tingling, her hair follicles prickling, her hunger for knowledge increasing as she watched the child stare into the bowl’s waters.

The usual images began to form in her mind, they always seemed to envision their families before all else. The rainbow of the Aethya flooding each and every sense, radiating warmth and mild euphoria as they stared into the vortex, spinning rapidly round and round. And it begins, success! An image of a young lady appeared, rocking back and forth on her knees beside a bloodied corpse of a woman. The soft cries of the young child as she began to focus on the blood. Blood, everywhere. A wave of despair as the cries of a thousand people in mourning permeated her being. A new King, a new Queen. Well, now, isn’t that interesting! The new Queen, clearly a mage. Times would be changing. A dark silhouette of a woman forming behind the royal pair, shrouded in blackness, surrounded by decomposing corpses. The sobs of the young child growing louder at the sight. An older version of the child bathing in the blue fire, the very essence of what it meant to be a Magister. Flawless. You are doing well, child. A dizzying array of unintelligible images blinking before her eyes before she could focus on them, ending with a flash of light! A young lady with flowing red hair collapsing onto the ground.

Her mind’s eye started to fade to black and she quickly snapped herself from the gaping maw of darkness, the child before her still staring at the waters with awe in her eyes and tears rolling down her cheeks. Utterly intriguing. “Close your eyes, my dear.” She softly purred to the child and waved a hand over the girl’s tear-stained face, watching with small amazement as she fell asleep instantly.

Time would tell if the child was broken though the image in the vision seemed to suggest otherwise. A fine young Magister indeed if she was able to keep her mind from shattering, definitely worthy of the designation, in fact, she would train her personally.

Xelcia clicked her fingers sharply and a male servant promptly appeared at the door, bowing silently. “Please return this child to Lord Magister Brell’s flock, and inform him that I would speak with him within the hour.”

“Yes milady.” The servant bowed once more and carefully lifted the child from the floor, taking her from the room.

Yes, she would undeniably make for a fine apprentice if her mind remained her own. Those other images however, she would need to meditate on them, and on that bloodied woman’s image in particular… she looked familiar and the image brought a rare unease flittering through the High Magister’s body. It was most unseemly and unsettling, and she shivered slightly despite herself.

Making her way back to the tower’s window she once more gazed out into the Aethya, losing herself in the vivid expanse as she waited for her Lord Magister’s presence.

a reply to: kaelci

Wow I like the style. I am still reading. That is amazing.

a reply to: Quantum12

Thank you! I'm glad you like it! I'm trying to write a fantasy novel, and this is only part of my first draft, still on-going, have done about 34000 words and have another 34000 odd to go, haha. But I'll get there one day But thank you for your words! So happy that someone commented on it and likes it!

a reply to: kaelci

Your story and style are truly amazing. Your Novel needs to go to iBooks for sure.
How did you dome up with this?

a reply to: Quantum12

It's evolved over a period of time haha... when I was a 10 or so, I was in love with Louise Cooper's Star Ascendant, and I loved the First Magus, even though he was supposed to be the villain of the story technically. And I wrote a silly pre-pubescent little fan fiction involving someone (myself haha!) from our real world discovering magic and entering the story and joining the First Magus and inflicting terribleness over the lands!

Over 20 odd years that has since evolved and I have my own characters and my own land and lore, but still thanks to Louise Cooper and her Gods of Chaos and the Magi of her story (Which I highly recommend reading if you haven't, Louise Cooper - Star Ascendant, it's truly amazing!)

a reply to: kaelci

The way you use words and put your story together is amazing.