ARYSARNIA

THE QUEEN'S WIZARD

DECADES AGO

On the day of the final evaluation at the monastery where Crystalia trained its wizards, Tikan had decided with Spike to teach his arrogant brother a lesson. They were in divisions and like always, he had to work with Spike giving the perfect advantage to this formidable team.

They had the last bundle of misery for Genffaine before taking their final vows to graduate into their respectable orders. In the week of their revision and last minute practice towards their final evaluation, Spike saw Genffaine secretly practicing his magic among the shelves of the gigantic library. There was an opened book in his hand he was brimming with incantations. Realising he was being watched by Spike; he slammed the book shut and douched the flame in his hand.

"What do you want?"Genffaine asked.

"You are so uptight Genny, relax or you'll burry us in lumps of thunder bolts at the exam if you go on like this" Spike said and with a playful push shoved him into the shelves. A miniature flat book fell out of Genffaine's sleeve and skidded to Spike's feet.
The young apprentice floated it up to his hand and read the cover; "Magic for sleight and entertainment"
"Are you training to be a jester Genny?"

"You think you're funny," said Genffaine .

"Apparently you are" said Spike; like Genffain he was in his early twenties,  tall and with the face of an archangel and with auburn wavy hair that sprawled all over his shoulder.

"He's so funny, he can make a corpse smile," Tikan said coming into view from behind a stack of books, an average height red haired stocky teenager, with all the features typical of the dwarves with whom he derived his blood; bushy eyebrows, a fast growing long beard and noticable physical strength.

"Stay out of my affairs" said Genffaine.

"Of course" Tikan replied. As the wizard in charge approached their section of the enormous library, Spike pulled towards Tikan and drew closer saying he had something to show him for the exam, just loud enough for Genffaine to overhear them and left the library. Genffaine took the cue, cloaked himself, and stealthily followed them.

Spike stopped in the dark corner of the staircase that led up to the tower where they slept, handed a sealed sack to Tikan, and said, "This is it, go and hide it in my camouflage drawer we'll get rid of it after the contest. If the order finds it on us we're doomed.  It will help to jinx the challenge spells and make things easier. Do not open until our performance"

On the night of the contest, Genffaine strutted with his trainers from the Owl sect to the stage just before the magical display of Tikan and his group.

"I believe based on Genffaine's testimony and something I have uncovered in the dormitories we need to interrogate two o fyour clerics" one of the trainers said to the trainers of the Eagle sect to which Tikan and Spike belonged.

"Which clerics are those?" the trainer of the Eagle sect asked. Genffaine proceeded with confidence, when he realised he had captured everybody's attention, "These two apprentices have been cheating on their tests with dark magic, voodoo precisely" Genffaine said pointing out Spike and Tikan.

" Can you demonstrate how?" The Eagle sect leader asked.

Genffaine went to take the sack Tikan had hidden for Spike that he had led the Owls to uncover and  raised it "As you can see , it is confined in this"

Spike and Tikan looked nervous, urging Genffaine on. The Owls and the other apprentices stared on.

Genffaine broke the seal of the sack and poured out its contents which immediately burst out a dust that gave out a steong effervescence of incense and smoke that engulfed Genffaine, he was paralysed unti it cleared, and he stood there; a ghastly white-when he realised he had been disrobed and was suddenly naked, wearing only a woman's corset.