Mark of the Ranger

XI. News of a Ball

          Maddie ran through the senseless ingredients one more time. She had been at the Wizarding Guild for weeks now, and the potion ingredients never failed to be absurd. Minnie had told her that they were going to make a Frogstomp potion today. The ingredients were as follows: leg of toad, leg of frog, wing of bat, a falcon's feather, and a little bit of wind magic. Mix that in hot water, let it cool, and pow--shiny new Frogstomp potion. Maddie asked Minnie what exactly a Frogstomp potion did. "Well, it makes you jump really high. You can also make yourself careen towards the ground at horrifying speeds. Just make sure to land on your feet, though, or else landing will hurt," she told her.

          They had practiced many more potions. One that would give a person the strength of ten men, One that would increase speed, and one that would make a person go to sleep. There were many more, but Maddie's head hurt trying to think of all the potions whose recipes she had memorized. They had also gone over enchantments, too. Maddie's favorite was the one that made her look like whoever she wanted. She was tempted to use the potion to get into places that she wasn't supposed to, like being the Grand Wizardess to go into the Grand Wizardess' office.

          The Wizarding Guild was, of course, very large. Isabel had told her that this was the Guild in the Outlands, so only magicians from the Outlands lived there. Since plenty of magicians died each year, they never ran out of room. It was sad, really, but at least it wasn't horribly crowded.

          At lunch, Maddie sat down at a table where Isabel and Minnie were sitting. Though Isabel was absolutely insane, she and Minnie were still Maddie's best friends at the Guild. Maddie was friends with quite a few people, but Isabel and Minnie really stuck for her. When Maddie reached the table, her two best friends looked quite excited.

          "What is it?" Maddie asked them, more than a little frightened by their ecstatic grins. Isabel spoke up eagerly. "Don't you know? There's going to be a ball soon! The Outland Rangers and our Wizarding Guild will be joining together for the Grand Warlock's sixtieth birthday! Isn't it wonderful?"

         Now Maddie was intrigued. "That does sound exciting. It's been a while since I've danced," she responded, reminiscing of when she was a normal girl in a normal world, as opposed to the five lands. Minnie clapped excitedly. "I can't wait to dance with the handsome and strong Rangers. They're always so dashing, you know?"

          "I do know. And I remember I told one of the new recruits that I'd tell him what it was like at the Wizarding Guild. He'll be pleased to know, I assume," Isabel remembered. Maddie shrugged. "I don't really know that much about the Rangers. The only Ranger I had ever met was one named Commander Tallen van Rook. He sure was powerful, I know that much, but his face was obscured by a crow's head mask. " The two girls gazed at Maddie in bewilderment. "What?" Maddie asked.

          "You met Tallen van Rook? He's the greatest Outland Ranger ever!" Minnie cried out. The thought sank in. Maddie had been rescued by the greatest Outland Ranger ever? He didn't even make a big deal out of that, or even mention it! Maybe it was an opinion? "What do you mean, greatest?" Maddie asked. Minnie explained. "There has been no Ranger who has succeeded in more missions, no Ranger who has killed more matadors, and no Ranger who has wielded the Marks as well as Tallen van Rook! I'd love to dance with him!" Minnie practically swooned.

          Maddie focused on the alien part of that statement. "A matador? Like a Spanish bull fighter?" she asked. Isabel shook her head. "Whatever Spanish is, the matadors are not it." Her voice grew deadly serious. "The matadors are a race of people. They're taller than a man, wear a full suit of strange metal armor, and they ride bulls. They somehow know how to tame bulls perfectly! And their jewel lances make them even more powerful. Only experienced Rangers and magicians should even consider going against them."

          Maddie blinked and gulped. "Where are they? Do they usually attack places like here?" Isabel shook her head. "They only attack if you enter their territory or if you attacked first. That's the only merciful rule, aside from the fact that no more than two matadors at a time can leave their city, that they have." She immediately cheered up, most likely to change the subject. "Well, since the ball is in a few days, I should show you a beautiful enchantment."

          Isabel had led her to one of the practice rooms. "Now look at this." She pulled out her staff. "Pulcra!" she said. With a glow of her staff, Isabel had changed. By the magic of her enchantment, she had become much more beautiful. All her freckles had disappeared, and she had grown an inch or two, along with some other changes.

          "That's amazing. You look like almost a new person," Maddie told her. Isabel shrugged, returning to her original state and not that of pulcritude. "I don't like it that much. For me, it feels weird, like I'm wearing someone else's skin, but it doesn't really bother some other magicians I know."

          As soon as Isabel finished her sentence, the door burst open. A young man, who wore wings on his back--real wings and not fake costume ones--ran in. "News! There is bad news!" he cried out, then stopped running, trying to catch his breath. Obviously, he must have been running or flying for quite a while. Isabel ran up to him. "What news?" she asked frantically. "Spit it out, man!" The young man rose up.

          "It's the Grand Wizardess!" he spat out. By the look of distress on his face, Maddie prepared for the worst. "The Grand Wizardess is dead!" the young man finished.