The Heavenly Host

It was funny; most of her classes with Elrose had been on sorcery, but he was also a Master Enchanter as well, and she often forgot this. Jenn had to admit, Lenamare’s school did have one of the most talented rosters of wizards of any school. Both Lenamare and Jehenna were Master Wizards, meaning they were certified Masters of Sorcery, Enchantment, Thaumaturgy, Pyromancy, Conjury and Rune Magic. Many schools did not have a single Master Wizard; having two was quite unusual. Hortwell was a Master of Conjury and Rune Magic, and Elrose a Master of Sorcery and Enchantment. Trisfelt, on the other hand, was officially a Master of Thaumaturgy yet also of Geomancy; however, geomancy, unlike pyromancy, was not recognized as an official school of magic. Rather, it was considered a sub-discipline of thaumaturgy.

It had always seemed odd that pyromancy would be its own school when aeromancy, geomancy and aquamancy were sub-disciplines of major schools of magic. From what Maelen had implied, animages treated all the elementalists equally: pyromastery, aquamastery, geomastery, aeromastery — and she had no idea what they called the study of the fifth element, spirit, or sometimes just man. She shook her head. Maybe if she ever became a Master Wizard, it might make sense, but she suspected it was more likely a political issue rather than any legitimate classification.

Of course, before she could become a Master Wizard — Jenn laughed a little at her own thoughts — she needed to master at least one school of magic; in her case, thaumaturgy. That was getting increasingly more difficult the way things were proceeding. She had not had a class in weeks, no learning assignments, no real education. Well, no formal education. She was getting an education in combat magic, demons and politics.

She supposed that, to be fair, very few students of wizardry ever had the opportunity to meet and be involved with the entire Council of Wizardry, or go on quests with the legendary Trevin D’Vils — a literal walking legend, the Enchantress of the Grove. And almost no human ever set foot in the Grove, let alone got to participate in a bacchanalia. Okay, almost no one would even know what that word meant, but everyone did know that the fae and in particular the satyrs, centaurs, nymphs and dryads threw incredible parties. She had been to one! That was, Jenn had to admit, a great story to tell people. Assuming, of course, that she lived through this insane quest to hunt down a defunct goddess.

They passed through the red curtains to come on board the bridge. “Permission to come on the bridge?” Gastropé asked the people already there. Gnorbert had told them that protocol dictated that one ask permission before coming up onto the bridge. The idea was that the bridge was the main control center for the ship and that if the situation was difficult, too many people on the deck of the bridge could get in the way. Thus, they stood inside the doorway at the base of stairs that led up to the bridge room.

“Permission granted,” replied Aêthêal, the Nimbus’s first mate. Aêthêal was a very striking, an amazingly tall woman aetós. They had been introduced to her topside before descending into the ship. She was standing next to Trevin and a tall rialto alfar in a long trench coat with brocaded sleeves. Maelen and Elrose were already on the bridge, as were numerous crewmembers in uniform.

Trevin stepped forward. “Gastropé, Jenn, may I introduce our captain, Xavier Ehéarellis.” She swept her arm back slightly to indicate the alfar in the trench coat.

Gastropé and Jenn both nodded their heads to the captain, who nodded politely back.

“A pleasure to welcome you aboard the Nimbus, my new friends.” The captain smiled politely at the two young wizards. As he said this, a deep bass bell sounded on the bridge.

“Excellent,” the captain said to Jenn and Gastropé. “You have arrived on the bridge just as we’ve reached sufficient altitude to clear the Rings.”

Aêthêal suddenly reached up above her head and pulled a hose out of a previously hidden compartment in the ceiling. The hose had what looked like a funnel on the lower end. The upper end was not visible, as it was somewhere in the compartment. She placed the funnel near her mouth and started speaking. “All hands!” Jenn jumped slightly as the first mate’s voice reverberated around them quite loudly. “We have reached Grove departure altitude. All stations are hereby elevated to Defensive Configuration 4. Prepare for departure!”

“Defensive Configuration 4?” Maelen asked Trevin.