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[Alexander the Elf]

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After wandering for many weeks, Alexander still hadn't found the thing he had been looking for. It really didn't help that he wasn't exactly sure what- he was looking for, but he tried to put these thoughts aside in his head. He knew that something was missing, and that he would be able to find it if he looked hard enough. This was the reason he continued his less than fruitful traipsing.

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Before the beginning of his absence, he had started some training with an acquaintance whom he had known for quite awhile. Draven was his name. The training had actually started the questioning of what exactly Alexander thought was missing inside himself. Granted, he hadn't gotten as far along as he would have liked in that specific endeavor, but it had at least brought about many different things to think about.

The first thing he remembered learning from the training was that things were not, in reality, the way that most people looked at them. This concept was soon grasped after Draven had showed him the feat of holding his hand steadily over an open flame. Obviously, in the reality of nearly everyone else, this should not be possible without receiving a rather nasty burn. Draven, however, had managed to attain nothing but a smirk after lifting his hand away from the flame and seeing Alexander's look of disbelief.

After being told to attempt the candle and hand practice many times, with less than desirable results, Alexander had decided he should practice quite a bit more. Thinking back later on, he would probably realize that this was the beginning of his journeying.

He had wanted to master the trick as best he could, but he didn't seem to be able to do it at all. Sure, he could hold his hand over the flame, but after awhile it got rather red, hot, and very uncomfortable due to the burns his skin was being forced to take. This is when he decided to try some new exercises involving many sorts of fires.

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His first trip was to a place that seemed to be named, simply, Fire. What better place to train something dealing with fire than a place called Fire? Finding the entrance to the place, and relieved upon entering that he was not actually engulfed in fire, he tried to begin a new sort of exercise. He had wandered the caverns of Fire for just a little while when he happened upon a blue robed mage.

"Suilad!", Alexander had exclaimed to the mage.

"Hello...", replied the magically talented man.

"You um... well sorry for being frank, because I'm really Alexander, but uh... you wouldn't happen to know anything about fire, would you?"

The wizard chuckled briefly, "You did get right to the point there, didn't you? No, how are you's or, what lovely weather we're having recently's, eh? I do like how you didn't waste my time or your's by beating around the bush, though, so I shall answer. Yes, I do know many things about varying forms of fire."

"Oh... great! How are you, by the way? I didn't see the bush, so I'm glad I didn't beat it, that would have been sad."

Raising an eyebrow and laughing, the blue clad man spoke again, "I'm fine, just dandy. Don't you worry about the bush. Now what did you want to know about fire? The place we are in or the element?"

"The element, if you don't mind. The place we are in is nice and all... but it's just a cave."

"And that, my friend Alexander, is where everyone makes a mistake. Yes, this -is- a cave, but it's not -just- a cave."

The mage then began to explain many informative things to the wandering elf. It was explained that although Fire was a cave, it was also a place containing numerous outlets of energy that were easily manipulated into what would commonly be seen as fiery type objects. The lava was a prime example of this, the mage had stated to him. Something so hot would have surely melted the ground if it had come through- it, so it couldn't possibly have done that or none of the area would still exist. The ground had used it's own sort of magicks to manipulate the surrounding energies into a ward against the lava, and then to make the lava as well. This had seemed like a good enough explanation, and Alexander had continued to listen eagerly afterwards.

Explaining thoroughly about the energy and the different ways that the natural objects in the area had manipulated it, the firewise man then began explaining how others, and himself, used this energy. It was then revealed that years of practice manifesting fire spells around this energy had given the man, and some colleagues whom he had known for quite awhile, a more precise use of the specific spell. This had intrigued Alexander greatly, and this was also when he had taken a more active role in the conversation.

"So... you're saying that you are good with fire specific spells then, right?", he had asked.

"Yes, to put it bluntly", the mage had simply answered.

"You know.. I've been practicing some fire trick that I am told will help me with other things?"

"No, I really didn't know that."

"Oh, uh... well I know you didn't, erm... anyways! The trick is to try to withstand holding my hand over the flame of a candle."

"Ah, I see.. and?"

"That's about it. I'm not doing too well with it. Do you think you may be able to help?"

"You want my help learning how to withstand fire? How would you propose I do that?"

"Throw a fireball at me? That's what I was thinking but I was also thinking it may hurt.."

"Oh no, it definitely will hurt, but I also think that if you can withstand that, then you could easily withstand a small candle flame."

"Ok then! It's a deal!"

Having had a good laugh at the elves enthusiasm to have pain inflicted upon him, the pair had squared off and the then the fiery practice had begun.

During this time, Alexander gained quite a few more injuries than he had come with. After time, he also began to become increasingly better at reducing the pain he received. His clothes still seemed to burn pretty well, but his body was getting used to reducing the flame's damage, so as to minimize actual harm. These sessions had lasted for many weeks before Alexander thought he was ready for the simplified version involving the candle. He had also managed to outlast the original wizard's stamina, as well. By the end of the training, the wizard and his three comrades were taking turns reducing their stock of mentally powered fireballs upon the elven mage. This had impressed them to no ends, to say the least.

After the conclusion of the final flame filled session, the four mages gathered briefly with Alexander to discuss some things.

"We are very impressed with your diligence and improvement these past few weeks, Alexander", the arch mage stated.

"Diola lle! I tried as hard as I could, I hope I did well", Alexander humbly replied.

"You did great, I believe most would have given up. Myself and your other tutors agreed that you showed a great deal of initiative throughout all this, which is why we wanted you to have these."

The wizard had then held his hand out, open and upward, to give Alexander a present. Alexander took it, showing much gratitude, and then looked at it closely. The gift consisted of a bag containing five shining rubies.

"Ooh... they are pretty!", Alexander exclaimed with glee.

"Indeed, they are. It is a symbol from us to show that we acknowledge your hard work in achieving your goal."

"Diola lle, I shall keep them forever, it really does mean a lot to me"

The group of wizards just smiled, then. Farewells were said and
Alexander parted ways with the experienced magic users.

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A few days later, Alexander had shown Draven how his practicing had went. He had not explained how he had gone about it, just that he had done it. Draven seemed impressed that the elf had acquired this amount of skill, even so much as to give a rare smile.

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All these things had been the start of his wandering. The wandering which hadn't finished, and would probably not for quite some time.

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For some reason, he now had somehow managed to travel to the old
lands of Moonglow, many weeks after his trial with Draven. This may have had something to do with his old studying place, or it may have had to do with something else, he was unsure. He decided to enjoy a walk around the island, though. His prior visits had mostly been to the area by the Lycaeum, as it was the best studying place to his knowledge. On this visit, he decided to stay away from that area and venture towards less familiar spots.

Trotting with his horse down a road that he vaguely remembered, he found a building that looked out of place in it's surrounding environment. The structure was like that of the Lycaeum, but it lacked the reddish walkways that existed inside of there. A simple dirt road had led to and away from it. It was interesting enough to visit, Alexander had decided, and so he did.

A few kind men greeted his entry, and he soon found out that he was in a building dedicated to illusionary magicks. Walking around, taking in the atmosphere, and learning the surroundings, Alexander decided he liked it very much here. He entered a quaint room that was set off to the side. It contained a good amount of books located on shelves, and a main book situated on a table in the middle. It looked like a great place to study.

If some place looks good enough to study at, then it normally is, and Alexander ended up doing just that. Sitting down in front of the main book, he began reading through the pages and learning many different things.

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He would never have guessed that his relaxing walk would have brought him here. He never would have guessed he would have learned how to withstand the fire element, to a degree, either. Throughout his life, he never would have guessed that a lot of the things that happened, would have, but they did. He didn't realize it yet, but this is how journeys went. This is where wandering led. This is what made life's little journeys interesting. It wasn't the beginning or the start, it was what happened in between. And with that, he read.