animals. Races as different from humans as the magical animals were from the animals of Earth. Fairy, warlock, goblin, troll, and many variations in between, each with different capabilities to control magic. Most amazing of all, I met the Fairimentals. They told me about the magic web, and that it was growing weak. If Avalon, the source of all magic, could not be found, it would get worse and eventually fade away along with the magic. They said that of all magic users, none were as powerful as a human bonded with animals. My mission was to find three mages: a healer, a warrior, and a blazing star. Together with the animals, they would open the Gates of Avalon—and save the magic web.”
“The Fairimentals sent Ozzie to find us,” Emily said suddenly, looking at Gardener. “Just like they sent you to find three mages.”
“The more I learned about mage magic, the more I wanted to bond with an animal. But that was not to be. Instead I studied jewel crafting with a warlock master.”
“That’s why you had all those crystals in your secret workshop at Ravenswood,” Adriane said, drawing the wizard’s attention. “We found the data crystal with the recordings of Stormbringer.”
“You know her?” Gardener asked eagerly.
“She is my paladin,” the warrior replied, holding her silver jewel in the light. “And the spirit protector of Ravenswood.”
“I knew she was special,” the wizard murmured.
“I thought the Ravenswood portal opened right before we got there,” Emily said.
“The portal is immensely powerful. I didn’t know how to open it. But the animals could. Many crossed back and forth for years.”
“More than likely starting a few legends about the haunted woods,” Kara speculated.
“Did the sorceress and the Spider Witch live near Ravenswood too?” Kara asked.
“I met Miranda and her sister, Lucinda, on Aldenmor. Their grandparents were mages who traveled back and forth between Aldenmor and Earth. Miranda was headstrong, sharp-tongued, a warrior. She was clever, eager to acquire magic any way she could. Her sister Lucinda was different; she was a visionary who saw great goodness and hope in the magic. She had made her home in the Fairy Realms, which at the time was nothing but separate races all squabbling and fighting. Lucinda helped build the realms into the Five Kingdoms. She was honored with the title of Fairy Queen, and was loved by many as the blazing star.”
Gardener’s eyes gleamed in the firelight as he recalled his old friends.
“I discovered Sylvan in Virginia when I heard about the girl who could read people’s minds and miraculously heal the sick. I knew I’d found my three mages, and I brought them to the Fairimentals.”
Adriane stoked the fire. “How many mages came before us?”
Gardener shook his head. “I don’t really know. No one before us had succeeded in opening the Gates of Avalon. But we had to try.”
“So you made the nine power crystals,” Kara prompted.
“The key.” Gardener nodded. “I had the idea of combining the magic of the animals with jewels. And that’s when Miranda started to change. She had bonded with a very powerful cat, named Faylinn. They were always fighting for control of their magic. I should have seen it coming…”
Emily spoke quietly, “The Dark Sorceress said only a dark mage could enter Avalon.”
“Miranda had a talent for finding less than reputable magic masters in places like Port Tuga. It was there she uncovered the dark prophecy. Of all those who tried before us, one mage had always turned dark. She never understood that the dark mages made the other quests fail.”
“But some of the power crystals were dark,” Adriane pointed out, regarding the wizard suspiciously.
“Believe me, they were not intended to be dark crystals,” Gardener assured her. “On the day we tried to open the gates, Miranda sealed her fate as the dark mage.”
“She killed her own bonded,” Emily whispered.
Gardener closed
“The Fairimentals sent Ozzie to find us,” Emily said suddenly, looking at Gardener. “Just like they sent you to find three mages.”
“The more I learned about mage magic, the more I wanted to bond with an animal. But that was not to be. Instead I studied jewel crafting with a warlock master.”
“That’s why you had all those crystals in your secret workshop at Ravenswood,” Adriane said, drawing the wizard’s attention. “We found the data crystal with the recordings of Stormbringer.”
“You know her?” Gardener asked eagerly.
“She is my paladin,” the warrior replied, holding her silver jewel in the light. “And the spirit protector of Ravenswood.”
“I knew she was special,” the wizard murmured.
“I thought the Ravenswood portal opened right before we got there,” Emily said.
“The portal is immensely powerful. I didn’t know how to open it. But the animals could. Many crossed back and forth for years.”
“More than likely starting a few legends about the haunted woods,” Kara speculated.
“Did the sorceress and the Spider Witch live near Ravenswood too?” Kara asked.
“I met Miranda and her sister, Lucinda, on Aldenmor. Their grandparents were mages who traveled back and forth between Aldenmor and Earth. Miranda was headstrong, sharp-tongued, a warrior. She was clever, eager to acquire magic any way she could. Her sister Lucinda was different; she was a visionary who saw great goodness and hope in the magic. She had made her home in the Fairy Realms, which at the time was nothing but separate races all squabbling and fighting. Lucinda helped build the realms into the Five Kingdoms. She was honored with the title of Fairy Queen, and was loved by many as the blazing star.”
Gardener’s eyes gleamed in the firelight as he recalled his old friends.
“I discovered Sylvan in Virginia when I heard about the girl who could read people’s minds and miraculously heal the sick. I knew I’d found my three mages, and I brought them to the Fairimentals.”
Adriane stoked the fire. “How many mages came before us?”
Gardener shook his head. “I don’t really know. No one before us had succeeded in opening the Gates of Avalon. But we had to try.”
“So you made the nine power crystals,” Kara prompted.
“The key.” Gardener nodded. “I had the idea of combining the magic of the animals with jewels. And that’s when Miranda started to change. She had bonded with a very powerful cat, named Faylinn. They were always fighting for control of their magic. I should have seen it coming…”
Emily spoke quietly, “The Dark Sorceress said only a dark mage could enter Avalon.”
“Miranda had a talent for finding less than reputable magic masters in places like Port Tuga. It was there she uncovered the dark prophecy. Of all those who tried before us, one mage had always turned dark. She never understood that the dark mages made the other quests fail.”
“But some of the power crystals were dark,” Adriane pointed out, regarding the wizard suspiciously.
“Believe me, they were not intended to be dark crystals,” Gardener assured her. “On the day we tried to open the gates, Miranda sealed her fate as the dark mage.”
“She killed her own bonded,” Emily whispered.
Gardener closed
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