The Staff of Water: A Part of the Aryla’S Chosen Series.

By M.J. Smith

All Kyla Thalius ever wanted was to escape from the dull and predictable life of a seventeen-year-old girl of nobility. As she desperately seeks a way to refuse an impending marriage proposal from her childhood friend, her kingdom comes under attack from an army of fierce monsters, devious wizards, and bloodthirsty soldiers. When Kyla uses her special powers to protect those she cares for, she is banished from her home as a witch. Despite that, Kyla embarks on an adventure at the request of her king. To prove herself as the heir to a legendary magic, Kyla must travel far from her sheltered and monotonous life to quest for the sacred symbol of her power The legendary Staff of Water.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 14, 2006
• ISBN: 9781456725518

M.J. Smith

M.J. Smith is a former sports and opinion columnist and short story writer. He live in Jupiter, Florida with his wife.

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Contents

Prologue: the Festival of Light

Prelude: A history of this world

The Sages of Light

Chapter 1: A girl of nobility

Chapter 2: A selfish wish granted

Chapter 3: The adventure begins.

Chapter 4: A tale of tragic lovers.

Chapter 5: An unlikely alliance.

Chapter 6: An unusual orphan.

Chapter 7: Kyla’s vow.

Chapter 8: The final test.

Chapter 9: The Sage of Water.

Chapter 10: The darkest hour before the dawn.

About the Author

Prologue: the Festival of Light

The day she had been looking forward to for months had finally arrived. She had heard the story before, but she knew that this time, it would be different. Even it was the same story. He had decided to come all the way from Bovega City to celebrate the festival. No one knew why he had come. He had performed the storytelling in his home city ever since the ritual was added to the festival. Just a few short months prior he sent word that this year, for personal reasons, he wished to perform here. Here, in my hometown! she beamed as she raced towards the fountain square. The storytelling would not begin for some time, yet she did not want to have to stand with a large crowd between herself and the storyteller. She wanted to sit right before him and hear the story.

She arrived at the square and to both her relief and delight, there were only a few other children. She sat in front of the fountain, and patiently waited for the storyteller to emerge. She had so many questions for him, although she knew she could not ask them. It was not a discussion after all. As she was waiting, the young lady heard two boys around her age talking. Feh! So what if it’s true. Doesn’t make the story true. she heard a cynical boy say. Well, if it is true, he’s probably the only one left alive that’s old enough to have been there another boy said. Come on, this is just a story. Magic, monsters, gods. It’s all just a fairy tale. the first said.

This saddened the young girl, for she believed in the legend so very much. Sure, it was far-fetched, but so much of why magic no longer existed was explained so well, as the disappearance of the monstrous fiends that were said to populate the very realm in which she lived less than a century prior. She knew the story all too well. Almost entirely by memory, in fact. They all suffered so much... she thought. She thought of those heroic figures and all that they did, all they suffered, and all they sacrificed to make this day, and all of those peaceful days that were to follow, possible. If not for them, the very world would have been destroyed.

She thought of all this and was saddened. They should never be forgotten. People should remember them and be grateful to them always. That’s what the Festival of Light was for, after all. A six day celebration of the events leading up to the day that changed the world forever, the Grand Illumination. If the legend was true, it was a very different world that the girl knew. In the ninety years since that day, there has been peace between the realms. New levels of understanding and tolerance were achieved between nations, bringing with them prosperity, trade, and exchanging of knowledge.

The world in the legend, however, was bitter, divided. Countries squabbled among themselves over trivial matters. The fact that monsters created by dark magic plagued all people was no help, as leaders thought only of their own realms. Life must have been so much harder the girl thought to herself. Since that day, when magic was taken from the world, the gods, and the monsters with it, people were left with only their free will to guide them. For the most part, they seized the opportunity to lead a peaceful and happy existence. Yet, recently, as last survivors of the time of magic were dying off, people began to forget the legends, and take for granted the marvelous gift they were given. A life. A life free from the constant battle between light and darkness. A battle that finally ended for their world. At least as they knew it.

However, the Festival of Light was a gentle reminder of the world that once was. No matter how badly relations between realms became, all hostilities were put aside during the festival. The girl sighed. The free Republic of Grannon, her home, had been on the doorstep of war with the Kingdom of Bovega for months. Yet the festival came without war breaking out, so for now there would be peace, and hope for a peaceful resolution. For no nation, no matter how ambitious, bloodthirsty, or greedy would even contemplate attacking another during the Festival of Light. The girl smiled, putting aside her fears of war and focusing her attention on the tale soon to be told. The storyteller would begin soon. Someone who was actually alive when it happened! This is so exciting! she beamed.

Just then, a door opened in the small building behind the fountain. From that door stepped a meager old man. His steps were slow, short, and hesitant. One hand grasped an odd looking staff, the other was being held by a young man, who was helping the old one to walk to a chair placed upon a platform erected during the festival preparation. The original storyteller! she piped. The old man was greeted with applause from the sizable crowd that had gathered at the fountain. His escort helped him up the platform’s wooden steps, and then into his seat. The old man took a moment to catch his breath. He then addressed the crowd. Age catches up with all. Even a small climb takes all the wind out of me these days he said with a small chuckle, getting scattered laughter from his audience.

The old man then looked at the young girl sitting in the front. You there. What is your name? he asked. The girl was frozen in shock. The original storyteller was actually talking to her. She shuddered for a moment before finally collecting her wits. Kyla...my name is Kyla she softly said. A beaming smile then appeared on the old man’s face. Kyla, you say? Young lady, you must be very honored to bear such a name. he said. Y...yes, sir she said. Today is my birthday. When I was born, my parents thought it would be fitting to name me after Kyla Thalius. she explained.

Ahh, then happy birthday to you, Kyla. the old man said. Indeed it is appropriate, for on this, the first day of the Festival of Light, the Day of Water, we shall hear the adventurous tale of Kyla Thalius, the Sage of Water. Young woman, if you are anything at all like the lady you are named for, you’re a bit of a dreamer, are you not? The young Kyla blushed. It was true, she often imagined having grand adventures like the ones she heard about the heroine she was named after experienced. Kyla Thalius was just seventeen when she played a vital role in saving all that there was. A mere two years older than she was.

You’re also very sweet, kind, and would do anything to save those you love. the storyteller said. You sound like you actually knew her, old man the cynical boy from before said. this drew gasps from the crowd. The old storyteller just smiled. I have had the honor of both meeting and knowing Kyla Thalius, lad. he announced. Ha, she might have been an actual person...but a sorceress who saved us all from a ‘dark god’?, please... the boy snidely said. Hey! If Kyla Thalius were here, you wouldn’t talk to her like that the young Kyla blurted. The old man just smiled to himself. Young lady, if Kyla were still with us, she’d laugh. he explained. Kyla did not understand why he had said that. The old man then again regarded the upstart boy. Believe the story, boy. Or do not believe, as you will. It is your choice. It is that very ability to choose that Kyla, and her compatriots fought so hard for, some of them dying for, wished to give the whole world. A choice.

Even if it was true, so what? Why should we care if a group of wizards defeated Krognar ninety years ago? If the battle of the gods really is over, then why do we need to know about it? the boy asked. I told you...it is a choice. We did not always have this choice to recognize the existence of gods and magic. It was there whether you liked it or not, or even defined your life if you were one of the chosen. This is the story of those who defied destiny, fate, and the will of the gods themselves. the old man said. These four could have easily accepted their roles in the latest round of the battle of the gods, and perpetuated the cycle. Yet, they chose another path, and we are free forever of those horrible wars because of it. So, if you choose to not believe it ever happened, boy, go right ahead...sometimes I think that Kyla and her friends may have even preferred it that way, to leave those painful times forgotten...

Why, then? Why tell the story every year? young Kyla asked. Because it is important to remember, that we were not always free to choose. the storyteller replied. There is unrivaled cooperation between all people in the days since the Grand Illumination. There needs to be a reminder of what the world was like, when it was every nation for itself; he concluded. The old man then collected himself. He took several deep breaths. He looks so weak, but he can make himself heard by everyone..." young Kyla thought. When he was ready, the old man spoke again. He began telling the story of those brave heroes who redefined the world, a world that was theirs, free from the wants of the gods.

Prelude: A history of this world

It was a different world, a world that held a great and mysterious force. It was bestowed only to a select few, but in the hands of that few was the power to reshape the world however they saw fit. The elements were their mere playthings. The forces of the seas, winds, earth, were theirs to command. However, they did not have wills as free as they believed. For even with all their power, they were mere pawns. Their lives decided for them by the gods. What they thought were lives, were nothing but a masquerade. They were little more than puppets to be used by the gods. However, so long as the emptiness of their lives could be kept secret, those chosen to bear the power eagerly accepted it. Perhaps though, this is the wrong place to start, let us start from the beginning, at the point where the world itself was born

Long ago, the world was nothing more than a vast and empty void. There existed nothing. There was no form, no life, nothing at all. Then unto this void there appeared two all-powerful deities. There was Aryla, the goddess of Light, whose brilliance shone as a great beacon across the infinity of the void. There was also Krognar, the god of Darkness, who brought gloom and darkened form to the void. Separately, the two deities sought to make something from this void; such was the ambitions of gods. Despite all their attempts, all of their creations fell to pieces. Neither Krognar, nor Aryla, could fathom why they could not mold the void to their liking.

Then there came a time when Aryla sought out Krognar. Aryla had reasoned that because they were gods, that they needed no balance to exist, however such was not the case with their failed creations. So, Aryla proposed to Krognar that they should attempt to create something together. Krognar was intrigued by this and was anxious to try. Together, the two decided that they wanted to create an entire world, one that could sustain and refresh itself. To create such a world, it was learned that a harmonious balance of the forces of Light and Darkness was necessary to keep the new world from collapsing on itself. Thus, Aryla and Krognar took great care in the creation of everything in their world by seeing that all was in balance. For every element that was created by one god, a corresponding opposite was created by the other. This is why in this world a balance was maintained. That is why there could never be love without hate, day without night, courage without fear, or despair without hope, for all was maintained on one simple principle: Light and Darkness are forever equal; there cannot be one without the other.

The rivalry begins

It was on this foundation that Aryla and Krognar built an entire world. Aryla brought forth land, and Krognar brought the sea to balance it. Aryla used her light to bring forth the day, and Krognar brought the night to keep the balance. Such was the way in all their creations. One day, however, something had changed between them, for Aryla discovered a new creation. It was different than all others. For this creation could act on its own. Unlike the land and seas, day or night, this new creation was capable of independent action, even instincts. Aryla named this new creation life. With her compassion, Aryla created much more life and nurtured it on the newborn world. Krognar had seen this and became very jealous. For Krognar had made many wondrous things, but life was the one creation he could not achieve. Krognar felt a deep resentment of Aryla, but not so much as towards her new creation. One night, Krognar descended upon Aryla’s creation. Krognar, looked upon his victim with disgust, and with nothing more than an extension of his hate and envy, destroyed the fledgling creature Aryla had created. For a moment, Krognar looked upon the corpse of the life he had just taken. Physically, it appeared no different that it had a moment before. However, it no longer moved. That spark that made it alive was now gone...After a moment’s pondering, Krognar discovered the corresponding dark force to compliment Aryla’s latest creation...death.

Aryla, outraged at the sudden demise of her latest creation, life, went to Krognar and demanded to know why he had destroyed what she had made. Krognar, arrogant in his newly found discovery, told Aryla that what he did was necessary to sustain their world. Krognar convinced Aryla that if she were to bring life to the world that was eternal, that it would rip the world asunder, and that death was necessary to maintain the balance. Aryla, reluctantly accepted, but decided to closely observe Krognar, who had seemed to change since his latest discovery.

Aryla created more life, much, much more. All manners of creatures filled the world. Plants, animals, fish; the limits of life were only those of Aryla’s imagination. But, for everything living that she created, Krognar destroyed. Krognar brought about death to everything in his wake. Aryla saw this and was heart-broken. All the life that she had created was cut down before it barely had a chance to live. Finally, Aryla had enough, and decided to create a new life form, one that could think and reason, one that could understand the delicate balance on which the world existed, one that could maintain that balance, and so the first human was created. Aryla always knew that though the gods had created the world, they would someday have to leave, for the rivalry between the gods had festered, and they were far too powerful to keep the balance. Victory by one god would ensure the destruction of the world they had created.

Human beings and the war of the gods

Aryla created people to oversee all things in the world; her purpose for them was to maintain the balance of Light and Darkness in the absence of the gods. For Aryla knew that she and Krognar could only maintain the balance as long as there existed total cooperation between them, and the time for that was growing short. Krognar, on the other hand, saw something entirely different in the human race; he was delighted by their potential, their ability to reason, and their understanding of the gods and the world. They knew about him, worshiped him, and even feared him. Krognar was filled with a new sensation, for above all the things he saw in the human race, he saw subjects that he could rule. Krognar had set into motion an ingenious plan, rather than risking all-out war with Aryla by staging personal demonstrations of his power to instill fear and loyalty to him among people, he decided to impart a small portion of his infinite dark power to his most loyal followers; these people were given amazing power above ordinary humans. In exchange for these gifts, these men had agreed to serve Krognar without question. In time, these people who inspired fear and chaos in the race of humans became known as wizards, and the power of the gods they wielded became known as magic.

However, human beings are imperfect creatures and it was not long before the power that the wizards controlled had corrupted them. The wizards feuded among themselves over even the most trivial of disputes. Krognar saw this and was not swayed, for he saw life as being cheap and common. He decided that for every wizard that died, he could simply make two more to replace him. Aryla, however, saw the matter very differently. The sudden infusion of Krognar’s own power of Darkness in humanity had jeopardized the balance on which it existed. Aryla pleaded with Krognar to take the wizards" powers away before all they had worked to create would be destroyed. Krognar, however, intoxicated by the feeling of being a ruler, had turned Aryla away. Krognar had come to believe that gods should rule the mortals beneath them, and he told Aryla that if she wanted to save the world, then she should do her part to maintain the balance.

Aryla could not believe what Krognar had done. Seeing no other choice, Aryla regretfully acted on his advice. Aryla chose her followers carefully, and gave them the gift of her power. However, she did not want those she burdened with maintaining the balance to be corrupted as Krognar’s followers were, so she separated the power of Light into four weaker elements: Water, Wind, Fire, and Earth. Then, she explained to her new wizards that only by combining the four elements could the true power of Light be released, so that if any wizard became corrupted, he could not abuse the magic he was given and could easily be overcome by the other wizards. Aryla then sent her wizards of Light to do battle with Krognar’s dark wizards. Knowing her presence in the world would surely destroy it, Aryla watched the battle unfold with a heavy heart as those she created and nurtured in the world she helped create, used the powers of the gods to destroy each other in a battle that would never seem to end.

It did end one day for the humans however, and on that day it merely began for the gods. For the thousands of wizards who fought each other over years of war were nearly obliterated. On that day, on a battlefield wasted away by years of fighting, four of Aryla’s wizards stood alone, each wielding a different element. They were the only survivors of the war, and therefore had won a pyrrhic victory. Aryla, saddened by the tremendous loss of life, took one final hope of reconciliation with Krognar. She had hoped it would end, that she could strip these four wizards of their magic, and that the balance would never be jeopardized again.

Krognar killed what hope there was almost immediately. Consumed with rage that his wizards had lost the war, he himself descended upon the world again. The entire world shook at his mere presence, so much so it was nearly destroyed in a blink. Indeed it would have been, had Aryla hesitated. However, she did not; the balance was restored by her presence as she too descended upon the world. Before the very eyes of all life, Aryla and Krognar battled. For an untold time, their fighting went on, and all the while, the world they had created suffered. Then Aryla realized that the war was pointless, as a goddess of Light, she could never destroy Krognar, and vice-versa. She also knew she had to not only find a way to dispose of Krognar, but also take away the power of her wizards, who by each passing moment, drove the balance towards too much Light.

The Sages of Light

Aryla had planned from the start to entrust the balance of the world to the race of humans. She decided that now would be the perfect time for them to undertake that mission. Both she and Krognar had been nearly exhausted from fighting each other, so she had one grand hope that now it might be possible for her wizards to defeat him. So she told them Unleash the true power of Light, and use it to bind Krognar in the void. Aryla, risking all the world, gambled