Magus- Book 1

Prologue - Elaria

In the capital city of Kuldraan, Bhaasa, a silent and mysterious figure is moving with purpose, yet not even creating the slightest sound of a footstep.
Even though Bhaasa had been described as the City of the Night, before the usurpation, three years before, it was always utterly deserted by sundown, the few stragglers nearly running to their homes.
Such was the nature of the quiet fear and discord spread by the silent and unidentifiable usurper. Clever the usurper was, for by openly declaring themselves, they might have sown rebellious seeds, but by this mystery they inspired terror.
As the high moon shone upon the street, the cloaked figure stepped into a poorly maintained street, and after throwing a surreptitious glance behind themselves, glided agilely and swiftly into a dark and desolate alley.
The figure who was gliding as though only an accomplished mage could, reached the darkest area of the alley, and purposefully set their hand on a filthy and grubby wall to the left, and muttered several incantations. After a somewhat subdued flash of light the illusion of the wall dissapeared, to reveal a tunnel leading into the distance.
After yet again suspiciously glancing back, the figure slid into the entrance and recast the illusion with a single word. Then set off into the tunnel with haste.
With no perils in the figures journey, barring a couple of cockroaches, and monstrously large rats, the figure emerged into a clearing in the Shulti forest in Central Kuldraan, nearly a half-day walk from Bhaasa, in Southern Kuldraan.
Yet, most curiously the moon had only dipped ever-so-slightly. The clearing, was to the keen observer, placed in the deepest and most ancient part the woods, with trees wide as ten men and as tall as two giantesses, and charmed with many nature incantations, no doubt cast by the elves, as the Shulti predated every magical species but them.
But this particular clearing was imbued and charmed with many defensive measures, seemingly defending nothing, but three footpaths leading out of the clearing and in opposite directions. The figure at last finally seemed to become less tense, slowing their speed, and relaxing their body, and shedding their cloak.
The bulky, shapeless and pitch black cloak, had hidden a being of greater height than a humans, a sign of an elf, but lacked the razor sharp and wild features and moonlight-like hair. Which led to the presumption that she was a rare inter-species hybrid of a human-elf. This female was dressed in the style of a highly accomplished mage, complete with an Irvana seal tied around her temple, and was carrying a young baby, presumably human, bundled in many clothes, a little tuft of black hair poking out of the covering, and in the deepest of sleeps achieved only in the innocence of infancy.
Out of the northernmost path came a rustling and crunching sound as though someone or something heavy was coming through the path. Immediately the female tensed, crouching down and concealing the child with her right arm, she drew a wicked looking dagger from a sheath off silver leather with her left hand, and muttered several hasty incantations making the child completely invisible and making the dagger flow slightly in a ghostly and poisonous green.
Preceeding the 'someone or something's physical body came a shadow, hulking, brutal and unrefined, as a pair of horns towered from the head of the figure.
Stepping out of the shadow, and into the clearing, shaking his head like an wet and irritated dog, the minotaur shook off a few drops of dew, he squinted around the clearing with poor eyesight and did not immediately see the would-be elven assassin. When he finally saw her, he sank into a kneeling position jerkily, as if  his prime was past him.
    "Gracious lady, 'this only me, though your cautionary nature is in this instance most welcome and deserved." He said in ringing voice, of the deepest of tones, though carefully controlled as though not to be too loud.
    Calling out in a hiss of suppressed anger, the elf whispered, "Enough with your formalities, Carlisle. I have already lingered for too long. I sense my father's suspicion. Tell me not his new name, nor where his new home is," she said referring to the infant, whom she handed over to the minotaur, Carlisle, with the greatest of care. The child though he started to stir was eventually calmed and was made to drink a small bottle of liquid, royal purple in colour.
    "This should be enough to get us though Shulti without any hitches. I can't have him wailing when I'm trying to sneak past a nest of giant scorpions." said the minotaur.
    Still seething with anxiety the elf raising her voice, said, "Okay, whatever just be on your way, and I'll be on mine." With that she turned and jogged down the path she came, and the minotaur after watching her face away, turned onto another path, and set off at a brisk pace.