The Trials of a Red Mage

Prologue

As the two men walked down the path, a light breeze played with Umar's robes, and and ruffled the feathers on his friend's wings.  Umar and Cael were the best of friends, and that was saying a lot.  Cael was the first person to get Umar to open up.  Umar's childhood had been a harsh one, and had left him scarred.  He had become shy and antisocial, due to the bullying he received as a child.

"Do you think that the new technology will help?"  Cael asked, Without turning his head, Umar new that he was looking at his ruined arm.  Cael had lost his right arm in a fierce battle with a gang.  He was a brilliant scientist, with a focus on robotics and cybertronics.  He was also, what most people considered, a freak living in the wrong world.  As a young boy, Cael had sprouted wings, and had the ability to fly.  No one could explain this phenomenon.  Perhaps that's why Umar was able to open his defenses to him.

Compassion mirrored in Umar's eyes as he looked up at his friend.  "I really couldn't say. You know I'm not good with technology.  I can barely operate this flashlight you gave me.  I would much prefer to stick with the light spell."  He couldn't help chuckling at this.  Cael was so different from him.  No matter what happened to him, he always found the silver lining.  Nothing could get him down.
Cael laughed, and turned his cobalt blue eyes to his friend.  "No, I guess you can't say, can you?"  He turned away, laughing still, and looked up into the sky.  Umar followed his gaze, seeing the constellation Orion.  A silence prevailed between the two for a while, and they walked.  "How long has it been?"

Umar turned his head, confused by the sudden question.  "Huh?"

Cael stopped walking and turned to face Umar.  "How long has it been since you saw your family?  How long has it been since you sent them a letter?  How long has it been since you let them know that you were alive?"

Umar was taken aback at the sudden barrage of questions.  He wasn't quite sure what to say, especially since he hadn't thought of his family in years.  "I really don't know Cael.  I haven't exactly been excited to go home again.  Too many bad memories come back when I think about home."  Umar shivered as memories long buried began surfacing.

"That's just my point.  Look Umar, you've been all over the world.  You've sailed on a pirate ship for two years, lived with monks and wizards for one, and wandered the world for more than both combined.  You've found friends in all the places you've been, and you've come a long way since I met you, but there's only so much you can do without going back to the root of your problem.  I've helped you in all the ways I know how, and I've given you knowledge and skills that you will need, but I don't think that anyone else can help you.  No one, except the people you new as a child."  He lifted his good arm and placed his hand on Umar's shoulder.  "Umar, I think this is good-bye."

"What?!?!  But I can't leave!  I want to see how your new invention comes out!  I want to see you... fix your arm."  Tears started forming in both friends eyes.  "I don't want to leave yet.  You know I don't like change very much."

"I know.  I know.  But like I said, you can't grow anymore, unless you face your problem."  Cael's eyes began to tear, and small droplets of sorrow slid down his cheeks.  "You have to go.  There's nothing else for you here."

"But..."  Umar lost finally lost his composure, and fell on his friend's shoulder, crying.  "I can't leave."  He choked out.  "I... can't."

Cael let Umar stay there, as silver streams trickled down his face.  "I know, but you have to.  There's nothing else to it."  He pushed Umar to his feet, and looked his best friend in the eye.  "I'm really gonna miss you, but it's not like we're never gonna see each other again, right?"

Umar took some deep breaths, and managed to get his breathing under control.  He wiped his eyes and looked back at his friend.  "You're right.  I think you're right.  I really don't want to go home, but I think that it may help.  I'll catch the next ship out, and be gone in the morning."  He looked down at the ground.  "Could you say good-bye to everyone for me?"

"Yeah, I will.  Look, I need to leave you to prepare yourself.  I'll see you in the morning at the docks."  He smiled, then flapped his wings, and flew into the sky.  Umar watched him go and finally dropped to the ground, and cried.  His whole world was falling apart, again.  He was asked to leave the one place that felt safe to him, only to go to the place that scared him as a child.  He couldn't handle it, not all at once.  But that was his only option.  He wiped his eyes, and looked up at the sky.  He thought for a time, and one thought kept coming to his mind.  There is one star for every person.  He looked around, hoping to somehow find his, but he saw nothing.  He laid back, taking deep breaths to calm himself, when something caught his eye.  A winking star.

He sat up, keeping his eye on the star, not sure what it was form.  Low and behold, it was the star at the point of Orion's bow.  Hope flooded him as he realized that it meant good things would come soon.  His tears stopped, and he stood.  He turned and faced the city of lights, and wiped his eyes.  "I'll do it Cael.  I'll beat my problem, just like you'll beat yours."  A gust of wind caught his cape and hood, and tossed them about as he headed for his house.


Chapter 1

"So, where's the next destination?"

"Huh?"  Umar looked up from his instrument panel.

"I said, where's the next destination?"

"Oh, um.  Let me see,"  Umar's hands fly across the keys in front of him.  Lists began appearing on the screen, then disappearing.  Soon, only a few were left.  "Looks like Dutralis is next captain."

The captain nodded, and turned to his crew.  The gold of his uniform glinting from the lights, showed that he was from the Wlfgng Shipping Yards.  "You heard him men, Dutralis port is up next.  I want this ship under way now."

"Yes sir!" the crew snapped in unison.  The trading ship Winston was run more like a frigate of the Royal Armada.  From bow to stern, everything was run in tip top shape.  Nothing was out of place, and everything had a place.  Even Umar, a Red Mage class wizard.  His place was in front of an instrument panel, keeping track of the delivery lists.  He had been on that ship for only two weeks, and already he had a bridge position.  How that had happened, he would never know. 

The captain turned to Umar, and looked at him with his deep blue eyes.  The young man looked to his superior, waiting for what the commander needed.  "Umar, I need you to go to the engine room and deliver a message for me."

The young man stared at him in disbelief.  The captain had never trusted him with anything like this.  At least, not often.  He wondered what had brought this assignment on, but didn't say anything.  He reached out, his sleeve sliding up his arm as he did so.  The message package was heavier than he had expected.  What could it contain?  He saluted to the commander, and proceeded aft.  Nothing was going to interrupt his assignment.  He smiled, remembering the last time he was trusted with something like this.