MagiStream

Jax came to the Keep just a little over a month ago. He lost both his parents when he was very young. He had been living in Synara City until Lotherian found him and brought him to the Keep. Lotherian is a Master at the Keep and until he found Jax he had never had a trainee. Like others from Synara City Jax was tall and thin. He had red-gold hair with haunting green eyes. Jax tended to keep to himself only talking when asked a direct question. He had no friends and as yet no creatures to call his own. It was okay with him he was used to being alone. Jax often wondered what it would be like to have a friend.

Because Jax is so quiet and strange many of the other Magi in training teased him. This is why Jax spent most of his time when not in class exploring the Keep and the surrounding grounds. Jax’s favorite thing to do was go and play with the many creatures that the other Magi had as friends. He played games and talked to them for hours.

One day Lotherian went looking for Jax as it was time for his lesson. What he found was not a happy scene. Jax was backed into a corner and several trainees were taunting him.

“You’re a loser who would want to be your friend,” a big, stocky trainee sneered
“Yeah you are strange why would anyone want to be your friend,” another trainee said.

A tall and gangly trainee spoke as well, “I bet your parents aren’t even dead. I bet they ran away cause you’re a horrible person.” At that the other trainees started laughing cruelly.

“That is entirely enough,” boomed Lotherian in his deep voice. The trainees all flinched.
“I believe it is time you all went back to your rooms. Be assured that I will be talking to all of your Master’s about this incident”

Lotherian turned to face Jax noticing the tears streaming down his face.

“Jax, ignore those trainees they are scared of you and are not used to others being as quiet and reserved as you,” Lotherian said gently. He went to lay his hand on Jax’s shoulder but Jax suddenly, violently pulled away.

“I don’t care,” he yelled at Lotherian. “I hate it here the only time I am happy is when I am out with all the creatures.” Jax ran down the dim hallway as fast as his legs could take him.

Jax went to his rooms and started throwing clothes and food into his pack. He was leaving this hateful place. He would go back to Synara city or maybe he would go somewhere else. The only thing he was sad about was leaving Lotherian. He was almost like a father to him. They traveled from Synara City and it Lotherian took th time to understand him. Slipping out of the Keep he took off down the path that leads to Synara City.

Lotherian knew Jax was upset but decided to give the kid some space he remembered how hard it was for him to adjust to his new surroundings unlike Jax he had the support of friends and family. The dinner bell rang, Lotherian went to Jax’s rooms and knocked on the door. There was no answer so he knocked a few more times and still no answer. Quietly opening the door Lotherian called softly. Stepping into the rooms he looked around but he didn’t see the boy. As his eyes roamed the room he noticed a square of white paper on the desk. Picking it up and reading it he ran out of the room and went to see the Elders.

The Grand Room was a very large room covered in multicolored tapestries on the walls and the floor was covered with the softest rugs ever made. Lotherian stepped up to the dais where the Elders sat.

“Jax has run away, this is in direct response to some trainees teasing him today” Lotherian quickly explained to the Elders.

“I am worried he may get hurt as I believe he will try to use a portal spell” Lotherian went on.

“Why would you say that Lotherian?” said an Elder dressed in rich green and gold robes.

“Because we had been discussing it during his lesson earlier and he was very interested and expressed how much he wanted to try one” Lotherian explained.

An Elder dressed in blues and greys with a long beard that seemed to match his robes demanded that the trainees that caused the issue to be brought forth.

Once the trainees were present the Elders began their questioning.

“Why would you take it upon yourselves to do such a cruel thing?” ask the Elder in purple robes with bushy black eyebrows.

The stocky trainee who had been the leader in the teasing answered in a shaky voice, “Because he never talks to anyone and he is so very strange”

“Do you realize how hurtful that is to someone who has no family?” asked the Grand Elder.

“Do you know that Jax’s parents were killed when he was very young? He doesn’t even remember them. How could you do and say these things to a fellow trainee.”

“Good and upstanding Magi take everyone’s feelings into account, they do their best to never hurt another person for any reason.”

“Because of your foolish and hurtful actions Jax has run away and could be in danger or even seriously hurt.” continued the Grand Elder

In unison the trainees all apologized.

“We never meant to make him run away. May we help look for him Grand Elder?” the stocky trainee asked.

“I think that would be a very good thing to do. Go with Lotherian and gather other Masters and trainees to arrange search parties,” the Grand Elder said.

Jax had been traveling for several hours he thought that maybe he shouldn’t have used that portal spell. He wasn’t quite sure he said it correctly and now it looks as if he was right. He was lost as having spelled himself in a land that was covered in thick, white snow. Cold, wet and getting tired, he knew that if he were to fall asleep now it may be his last day on this world. Somewhere along the time he went through the portal and here he had lost his pack. Hoping he would find some shelter or food soon, he kept walking suddenly he thought he saw something white and red run past him. Looking towards the frozen land where he thought he saw it and sure enough he saw a flash of red again. He started to walk towards it when he ran into something very large and very white with red stripes. He jumped back startled and looked up and up and up. The creature was huge and beautiful it reminded Jax of a peppermint stick. The creature bent its down head down and looked at him, it seemed to Jax that the creature understood that he was lost, scared and wishing he never left the keep.

Jax started to cry he realized now that what Lotherian said was true that the trainees didn’t understand him. He also realized that some of the misunderstanding was his fault as he never tried to get to know anyone. All he wanted was to go home to the Keep and Lotherian and start over. The creature kept watching him then suddenly and quickly picked Jax up with its mouth and lightly tossed him onto its back. Jax was stunned when the creature took off at a very fast pace. It seemed like moments later they were in front of an ice cave. The creature shook gently and Jax slid off. As he stood there the creature gently pushed him inside the cave.

“You don’t want to hurt me do you?” Jax asked the creature. “You really want to help and protect me.” The creature just looked at him and then gently pushed him again.
Laughing a bit Jax said “ok, ok I’m going.”

Entering the cave, he turned around to see if the creature had followed him but it had left. Sitting on the cave floor he was making himself comfortable then looked around the cave. It was entirely made of ice. He saw a groove on the floor and figured this was where the creature slept. Jax saw the beauty of this cave as it sparkled in what light was let in. The entrance to the cave darkened and Jax looked up, the creature had returned. Walking toward him the creature laid down some sweet berries and a few icicles. Jax realized it had gone to find him something to eat and drink, this creature was amazing and extremely intelligent. Jax ate all the berries and sucked on the icicles then stretched and yawned. The creature (Jax decided it was female) curled up around him and they fell asleep.

Lotherian tracked Jax through a tracking spell to Arkene. Arkene was a very harsh place especially if you weren’t prepared for it. He had brought along his albino dire wolf Trace and his albino Nandi bear Kane as he knew they were the most familiar with Jax’s scent. Trace was a few paces ahead of him when he started to howl and run. Lotherian and Kane started to run after Trace when he saw a huge creature step out of a cave.

Lotherian had heard of these creatures before but never thought he would ever seen one. It was a Prasinis Wyrm Kane slowed down and made a small rumbling noise in his throat. The Praisinis Wyrm just looked at the human, bear and wolf then slowly approached. Lotherian slid off of Kane’s back and watched the beautiful creature. The Praisinis wyrm a female Lotherian noticed seemed to know why he was there. As she came up to Lotherian she gently took his cloak in her teeth and pulled him towards the cave. Lotherian understanding that she wanted to show him something he started to walk on his own. She let go and continued to walk right into the cave. Lotherian followed her and saw Jax.

Jax was asleep and several baby Prasinis wyrms curled around and on top of him. Lotherian ran over to Jax, the baby wyrms scuttled away. “Sorry little ones. I didn’t mean to startle you,” Lotherian apologized. He reached out to touch Jax but when his hand made contact with Jax’s skin he felt as if he had been burned. Jax was running a fever, Lotherian quickly gathered up the child and started to make his way out of the cave. Lotherian turned and walked back to the female praisinis wrym “Thank you for looking out for the boy. He is very special to me I will forever be grateful for your help.” At that Lotherian turned and headed out to prepare the place for the portal.

He made a portal back to the Keep and he with a feverish Jax, Trace and Kane stepped through and stood in front of the Keep. Hurrying to Jax’s chambers he barked orders to a trainee to get the healer. When the healer came she had a trail of trainees, they had heard about Jax and the praisinis wyrms they also knew that Jax wasn’t doing very good.

The healer, an older gentle woman, turned to the trainees that were trailing behind them.
“Please children stay here. There is much to do and it won’t be easy if you all are bustling in and around the room getting in the way,” she gave them a sweet smile to lessen the sting of her words.

“Lotherian, this is all I can do for Jax. It is now up to him to decide if he wishes to come back to us. We will know something in a few days,” she patted Lotherian on his shoulder as she left the boy’s room.

Lotherian walked out of Jax’s rooms and saw trainees up and down the hallway with anxious looks on their faces. He also saw lots of the creatures Jax and played with. The trainee who led the others in the teasing approached Lotherian.

“Master Lotherian?” stammered the stocky trainee. “Will Jax be ok?”

“According to the healer it is up to Jax. If he wants to come back he will and if he doesn’t,” Lotherian’s voice trailed off as his throat closed up at the thought of losing this child.

The trainees all gathered in the Great Hall they felt very bad because if it hadn’t been for them and their cruelty this would never had happened.

“Hey, it’s almost Christmas,” a female trainee said.
“You’re right you know I have an idea,” the gangly trainee exclaimed. “You all know how Jax has never had a Christmas before, how about we give Jax the best Christmas ever. Then maybe he will decide life is worth sticking around for.”

Each trainee went out and found, made or bought a gift and wrapped it in pretty paper and ribbons. They went to the woods and found a small tree, cut it down and brought it into Jax’s rooms, with Lotherian’s permission of course. They all decorated the tree and placed their gifts under it. Then each trainee took a turn to tell Jax how sorry they were and that they couldn’t wait for him to wake so that they could all be friend and how they each had a gift just for him.

Three days went by and still Jax didn’t wake. On the fourth day Lotherian was called to the Elders.

“Master Lotherian, the Elders request your presence in the Grand Room,” a little servant girl quietly said.

Lotherian made his way to the Grand Room wondering why he was being summoned.

“Lotherian,” the Grand Elder spoke softly. “Would you please be so kind as to bring young Jax out to the front of the Keep?

“May I ask why, no disrespect sir but Jax still has not woken up and I am loathe to move him if it is not really necessary,” Lotherian’s voice was thick with tears.

“I understand but he has a visitor if you would just look out the window there you will see,” the Grand Elder pointed to an exquisitely carved window.

Moving towards the window he looked out. He saw was the beautiful female Prasinis wyrm standing outside. She noticed the man in the window and nudged a tiny red and white baby out from behind her. He realized that she wanted to give this tiny baby to Jax.

Lotherian went to Jax’s rooms and using the thickest, warmest fur he bundled Jax up. Carrying the sleeping boy out to the waiting female Lotherian placed Jax in folded legs so that she cradled him. There the wyrm nuzzled Jax and gave him a small kiss, Jax stirred.. His eyes fluttered open and he looked right into the warm, intelligent green eyes of the wyrm.

Jax felt weak but happy he knew he hadn’t dreamed the beautiful wyrm, then he heard Lotherian’s voice call him softly.

“Jax?”

Jax turned his head slowly and seeing Lotherian, all the trainees, and the Elders he was confused until Lotherian explained to him what had happened.

“Son, you have had a terrible bad fever and have been asleep for three days. We were all worried about you. We thought that maybe you had given up”

The trainee who had started the whole incident came forward

“Jax, we all wanted to tell you how very sorry we are. We told you while you were asleep but we were not sure if you heard us or not. We want to be your friend and get to know you. We also would like to wish you a Merry Christmas. We know that you have never had one, a Christmas that is and we all got a tree and decorated it and got you gifts.”

Jax was humbled by this show of friendship and he told the trainees this.

“I would be very happy to have you all as friends thank you.”

The female Prasinis wyrm nudged Jax and turning he looked at her. In her mouth she had picked up the baby wyrm and gently placed her in Jax’s arms.

“Thank you for the baby, I will love her always”

Then Lotherian was there picking him up. The wyrm stood up and looked down at all of the Magi’s and bowed her head. The Magi’s did the same and a new friendship with a new creature was now established.

Lotherian and all the others took Jax back to his rooms where each trainee gave Jax their gift. Jax was grateful and thanked each and every one of them for their beautiful gifts. But the trainees were not done. For each trainee that had been cruel to Jax they gave him an extra gift, a baby creature that they were the fondest of.

From that day forward Jax became a much loved Magi, he was gentle and understanding and he had helped to forge the friendship and companionship between Magi and the Praisinis wyrm. You can find Jax in the Arkene with his companion wyrm and the female who saved his life. He helps Magi befriend these wyrms so that they too can have a wonderful and rewarding friendship with them. Every Christmas he and the female wyrms go out and celebrate but Jax never forgot his very first Christmas.