Magika [Completed]

Happy One Millenia [Epilogue]

The Great Hall of the Aiisha Bastion was probably the most extravagant thing Aldeheid had ever seen. A chandelier the size of a small home hung in the center of the ceiling, alight with thousands upon thousands of glowing beads. He was cautious walking under it, for fear it my fall and crush him.

Pillars and arches lined the room's perimeter, stung with fragrant flowers of yellow and white and silken drapery. The floors had been polished to a high shine and could double as a mirror for those who needed it. 

All for Kitaya's one millennia party. Aldeheid had wanted to take more time to appreciate the beauty around him, but as soon as he walked in, he'd been bombarded by two of Kitaya's friends.

One was a burly brute, wielding a sword that was as tall as he was. He referred to everyone as something other than their actual name. He'd called Leandyr "Swordmaster" and Lady Hiroh "Disciple."

The other was much shorter – even shorter than Kitaya, lithe and wiry, and sat atop a bag that floated upon the air. He was more polite than the brute, quiet, inquisitive but not overbearing. Neither had introduced themselves, but both demanded to see his "magic leeching thing."

And so Aldeheid was seated at one of the many arrangements set up around the hall, brows furrowed, mouth set into a thin line as he tried to leech some of Kitaya's magic from across the room.

This little trick of his was always hit and miss, but he found that if he focused on the capes around him, he could take a little of their magic. Kitaya had been working with him to perfect it, but progress was slow and frustrating.

Aldeheid sucked in a breath and ignored the cacophony coming from the guests. He could sense Kitaya's magic, like a pinprick of light in the darkness. He reached out to it, enveloped it with his will, and a single ether stone materialized in his palm.

"Hmm, well, that is... something," the short one said with a frown.

"That it?" the brute quipped, wrinkling his nose. "Warrior maiden. You said you were molding him into a force to be reckoned with. I do not reckon what I see." He pointed to Aldeheid like he was an unimpressive roadside attraction.

Aldeheid wondered if the twitching in his eye was out of irritation, or if he was slowly losing his mind. Probably both.

"Enough, Siegfried." Kitaya was seated at the head of the room, atop a flower adorned throne. She looked absolutely regal in her gold dress, like a Queen in waiting. He braids were piled atop her head, strung through with gold threads and adorned with jewels. "I know Aldeheid is the shiny new thing but leave him be."

Seigfried held his hands up in a gesture of surrender and walked away, joining Lady Hiroh and Leandyr on the other side of the hall.

Kitaya gave Aldeheid an apologetic look before shifting her gaze to the short one. "A word, please."

With a nod, he floated across the room, nearly crashing into a woman who'd bustled in from the antechamber.

"Oh, sorry, Fukami. I didn't see you there," she said with a sheepish grin. She looked a lot like Kitaya, except her hair was stark white and her skin a shade lighter. A wooden box was balanced in one hand and a silver staff in the other.

"Happy one millennia!" She offered Kitaya the box before peeking at Aldeheid. "Is that him?" At Kitaya's nod, she looked at him with the biggest grin.

Aldeheid steeled himself as the woman approached, feeling like a cornered rat who was about to be smashed by a broom. He wasn't sure what to expect after his encounters with Kitaya's other friends.

"Hi there!" she greeted. "I'm Nylarah. Kitaya's sister. It's so nice to finally meet you." She threw her arms around him, and hugged him tight, like he was her long lost friend.