The morning was clear. Sypha smiled as she walked up the path to the small cabin on the edge of forest. Celia was sitting outside, holding up her hand. A bird was sitting on it, and it looked like she was talking to it... Sypha watched her for some time.
Celia noticed her and smiled. She swung her hand gently, and the bird flew away. "Good morning, spirit of the great one."
"Er... What?" Sypha looked puzzled.
"You'll find out soon enough. Good to see your father decided to send you here. Go on inside, Diralar is waiting."
Sypha looked at her, then went inside the cabin. Simon Blackwood sat on the bed, reading a book.
"Mr. Mage?"
"Ah, there you are..." he said, not raising his head from his book.
"You... told father you would teach me some things? Languages or something..."
"I sure did." He smiled and put the book down. "Now... sit down, girl, so we can begin."
Sypha sat on the floor. She smiled nervously, then looked around.
"Father said you have a student..."
"Did I tell him that? I have, she's sitting in front of me. Now, first you need to learn about... yourself..."
"Mr. Mage... I don't understand a thing."
"Oh, I guess I told him I have a mage student. I have, she's sitting in front of me. This may sound a bit complicated, but just listen to me and you'll understand it all..."
"Okay... I guess..." she said, and thought "What on earth did he mean by that?"
"Celia told me how you killed a spear knight with the spell of fire earlier..."
Sypha gulped. "Er... yeah."
"I'll tell you a story. You remember Meranalar, the greatest of all wizards Celia told you about? Good. It says here..." He picked up the book he had been reading earlier and looked up something.
"Here it is. From chapter of prophecies: 'Dark times have come when a gray-eyed child is born on a stormy night, when the moon is full. That is because this child has joined with the spirit of a greatest magic power, and the darkness wishes to destroy the power that threatens its own dark power.
Soon after, it shall begin. First there are the signs that only the ancients can read. And then... Then, the forces of darkness will rise from the depths, bringing havoc and despair to the land that fears the evil but cannot fight back.
But when it's time... The time when the real evil is to awaken... when it's time, the child, born on that night, with
the eyes of the great one, will once join in the battle, as the hero with a pure heart will stop the forces of evil.
That time, the hero will come, the one who will bring the light to the land swallowed by the darkness...'
It goes on, but I think that's enough for now."
Sypha was listening carefully. "Oh... right. And...?"
"Well. The spirit of a greatest magic power... that's Meranalar. And you, my girl, are his spirit."
"The child born on a stormy night? Father once told me that I was... but... you mean...?" Sypha looked pale. "Darkness will rise...? I'm... scared..."
Mr. Mage got up and sat down next to her. He touched her face softly.
"No. Don't be scared. You must understand."
"Understand... what?" She looked down, shivering.
"As I said... You're my student. You're Mevalar, the holy wizard."
"I'm... a... wizard?"
"Yes, you're a wizard. Like me. Now, this is why you must not show your fear. The darkness will soon awaken... That's in the chapter of prophecies... if you believe it, of course."
Sypha looked at him. "Are we all going to die?"
"No! Just listen. The book... I want to believe. Spirit of Meranalar... But... I know. The other things... It's scary."
"But what if... it's true?"
"That's why you're here."
Sypha got up. She walked around in the small cabin. Finally she stopped by the window and looked out. Celia was still sitting there, meditating or something.
"The wizards... Spirits... What does this all have to do with those prophecies?"
Mr. Mage walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Alright, I'll explain. Let's start with the wizards. There are two kinds of wizards - ones that are able to cast low level spells, the ones that are limited in their power - and the ones like us, those who have inherited powers of another wizard who lived years... maybe decades, or centuries, before them. The powerful wizards."
Sypha blinked. "Interesting... but...?"
"You have inherited the powers of the great wizard Meranalar. Or, in other words, you're his spirit. That's how someone inherits magic powers. The spirit returns in this worlds, to become one with the soul of the chosen spirit. In this case, you."
Sypha got up. "My spirit...?"
"Is one with his. Your soul is Meranalar."
Sypha took a deep breath. "But... Why? And... what will happen?"
"The darkness. That... That may be Castlevania. Count Dracula. But don't worry, the prophecies say that there will be someone who will destroy him. And you... are destined to join him in the battle."
"Should I believe that?"
"That's up to you. But when you do, come back here and tell me. I am the spirit of Diralar. The great red wizard, the teacher of Meranalar. So, if anything does happen, you'll be well prepared."
Sypha turned around and raised her face.
"What happens now?"
Mr. Mage smiled.
"You decide, spirit of Meranalar. When the time comes, you should be prepared... if that is what you want. If not, then the prophecies... Well, they are just prophecies. Then you can forget them. But I'm afraid that then something bad will happen..."
Sypha looked at him skeptically.
"So... it's destined or something? It's my destiny to... fight the evil?"
"Well, yes."
"But I don't want to!"
"I know you must be scared right now. Think of it, Mevalar. You must be prepared... If something bad happens."
Sypha sat on the floor again. "I... I will think about it. But I don't want to do that right now. Hey, I'm just... a ten-year old girl. I don't want to think about things like this."
"I know. And that'd fine. But, I still have to teach you some mathematics today. I promised your father. Shall we?"
"You're not... going to make me accept my... fate?"
"It's up to you, Mevalar. Everything will be alright. You know, I didn't choose to be a wizard either. But... my father was one... he taught me all I know. I didn't know why. Until now..."
"Until you found... Meranalar?"
"I guess so."
"But is that what you want? To teach me now?"
"I don't know. But I know one thing. I like you, my girl. And I like your father, he's one of the few that consider me as a friend. One of those that will not judge me for I am different from everyone else. I promised him I will teach you, and I will."
Sypha looked at him and smiled a little. "Then let's get started."
Celia opened the door. She looked at the two and smiled enigmatically.
"As the Forbidden book of Knowledge says..."
Her brother raised his head. "I'm only teaching her mathematics."
"Yes, it's in that book. You shall see."
"What is? Wait... and how exactly do you know what's written in that book? No one even knows where it is... It's lost."
"I just know. I'll tell you. One day."
To be continued.