“Come on, Raven. Let’s head on over to my room. Will the wings interfere with you focus on magic?” I shook my head. “Good, I don’t want any out of control spells on day one.” Drake smiled, “you want to try flying? We don’t want too many people to notice you, so you could fly from the top of this tower to the top of the Mage’s tower.”
I thought about his proposal. “Why not? In my other forms, it’s been second nature on how to use the different limbs. Why would it be different now this time?”
“Alright,” he turned to Arrakis, “you can watch her fly if you would like, but you should probably get yourself over to the Council Chamber to address your post. You’re the head guard at Magnus’s trial today, aren’t you?”
Arrakis nodded. “Yeah, I am, for I am the only one who was able to take the responsibility.”
Then let’s go,” I urged them, “we all have places to be.” The boys nodded and we hurried up the stairs, trying to avoid the line of sight of the other Warriors.”
At the top of the swirling stairs, Arrakis pushed open a heavy steel door and the three of us stepped out into the moonlight.
The tower’s top was circular, and on the side closest to the courtyard there was a Warrior stand watch – looking straight at us.
“Hail, brothers and sister. What are you in such a rush for?” He paused as he seemed to notice my wings, “by Nyx,” he breathed, “are those wings?”
“Ay, sir.” I stepped forward and bowed, trying not to topple forward from my uneven weight distribution. “One of my Shifts. I intend to attempt to fly.”
He nodded, understanding me I think. “You are Raven Sera, then? The new Warrior Mage that just arrived? Feel free to use the towertop as you see fit. I’d like to see you fly, anyway. I’m curious.” He smiled, “by the way, I am Reynor Zepkak, the Captain of the Warrior Tower Guard.”
“A pleasure, Sir Reynor,” I walked to the tower’s edge, feeling some sort of new instinct as I felt the air flow through my feathers. “If you’ll excuse me,” I looked back at Arrakis and Drake, “I’ll see you soon, Master. And I’ll see you soon as well Arrakis, my love.” I let myself fall forward off the edge, wings folded in.
At some point, my wings must have snapped open because suddenly I was gliding over the courtyard – six hundred feet in the air.
I couldn’t help but smile as the bliss of flying blew through me. I laughed as I pushed myself into corkscrews and loops. Not caring, I flew straight up, then folded in my wings and plummeted. About a hundred feet from the ground, I opened my wings back up and shot straight back up, flying in the direction of the Mage’s Tower.
A small silhouette was on the top of the tower, and as I glided to a stop on the stone, the shape of Drake Zynerian came into focus. Out of breath from excitement, I looked at Drake. “Wow, how’d you get here so fast?”
He smiled. “I’ve been here for twenty minutes. You were flying for half an hour.” My eyes widened.
“Really? It felt like maybe five minutes to me.” I told him, “well, either way, let’s get going. I’m eager to learn what I can do with these shadows.”
Drake bowed. “As you wish, my Lady.” We rushed down to his room, not seeing a single other mage other than us. At the door, he pushed it open and we hurried in, closing it behind us.
