"Refugee"

{Note from the author: Baen is a scholar and a very powerful arcanist. Originally from the now-fallen magocracy Bedune, he becomes fast friends with Ieh'son. This short details their first meeting after the tragic Grand Deception, a betrayal that led to the downfall of the mage nation Bedune.}

It had been a very long time since Baen had felt the pull of magic as much as he had now. He was in his study, looking through some arcane tomes by the Six Authors, convinced that the Fall had been professed before and he had simply missed it. He had flipped through hundreds of old books, reading through the archaic languages as though he was born speaking them. Years of study, decades of patience in the lost arts and he had somehow missed this? The Gods had some sense of humor about them.

The mage was still grieving the loss of his home nation by that impudent, weak little arcanist when the power flew through him quickly. He attempted to latch onto it with his mind but could not prevent the power from slipping from him. He moved quickly then, closing the tome and throwing it on a small bench near the walls covered in books. He hurried down the stairs quickly, his brown robe flowing across his body. Entering the long hallway connecting his personal library to the rest of the fortress, he waved to the guards as they stood away from the door entering the Grand Throne Room. Saishi stood there, a thousand worried looks glancing across his face. His smiled a little upon seeing his friend and advisor enter the room.

"Baen Ti'ren, how did you know that I needed some comfort?" Baen half-bowed in front of his Emperor and long-time friend. Saishi looked at his friend and was troubled once more, "You feel something, don't you?"

"There was an immense amount of magic that flowed through this place just now," Baen said, his concern very obvious on his face, "did that scoundrel Cre'dalin make his way in somehow?" Saishi shook his head.

"No, I'm happy to say that is indeed not the case. However, a band of refugees from Bedune arrived a few minutes ago. With them was a young monk from the Blue Phoenix monastery. Although he claims to be from the northern wastes, his skin tone is very light and his hair a sapphire blue, nothing like the barbarians that we have had to fight off in the past." With a sudden bang, the doors to the Throne Room opened and the very same person Saishi had just spoke of entered the room. Guards ran after him to stop his unauthorized entry, but Baen quickly raised his hands to stop them. The magic had suddenly resumed its tremulous crescendo. The blue-haired monk walked halfway into the Throne Room and knelt down, blue wavy hair falling over his face and concealing his eyes.

"Your name, Monk?" Saishi said loudly. The young boy looked up then and matched the Emperor's gaze, his blue eyes blazing in the light of the day.

"Ieh'son."