When Wizards Dream

A mini story by S.E.Estes
Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Final

He'd grown tired from study and fell asleep to dreams of time gone by.

The Final Exam

Relg didn't feel very confident despite his professor's assurances. He didn't know why Professor Grinaar was being so helpful, they'd never seen eye to eye. It wasn't his unauthorized experiments that were the source of the conflict between them, it was the choice of discipline Relg made. The problem was, he didn't choose a discipline, he chose them all. "Focus, Relg. If you can't focus your energies you'll never be the kind of wizard you should be.", the professor's warnings were testimony to Relg's prodigious talent, they both knew very well Relg would be among the best. But that wouldn't happen if he didn't pass his test.

It was his greatest weakness being examined, the one area he han't mastered. He was first in study, learning early to do without sleep altogether. He learned many things, light and dark arts alike, he was well on his way to becoming a master wizard, holder of all the arts. It was ironic, if he'd heeded his professor he'd have been assured of passing but there was one thing he hadn't learned. Relg's lack of focus would be his downfall.

He paced his room, fearful of the coming day, fearful for the first time in his life. Failure was not an option for him, he couldn't live with the shame of failure, the stigma of being a half-wizard. He wouldn't live with it and had already planned his death if he did fail. He stopped pacing and stared moodily up at the moon. She'd been a true friend to him, a source of much of his power but it didn't matter, a key element in him was missing and until he found it he would never be what he truly was.

"You'll find no answers there, tonight, Relg." he heard from his open doorway, it was Professor Grinaar. Relg turned, a little angry at the intrusion and was about to ask why the professor was there when the old wizard interrupted, "Precisely your problem." Relg was taken off guard, "What?" "You're an angry man, you'll never find what you're missing within your anger.", his teacher smiled a little, he knew Relg didn't understand and the student's reply proved it, "Many wizards are angry." The professor shook his head, "Wizards don't get angry." Now Relg was getting angry, "I've seen their anger. I've seen yours." "No Relg," the professor smiled again, "you've seen me use anger, it wasn't mine."