The city of Farth was the fourth largest city in the New World; with nearly five hundred thousand people, the city spread from the Long river to the Ever Wood Forest in the east. 

The Ever Wood Forest is where all hunting and logging is done for Farth.  At the heart of the forest is a place where most do not go, called the Lost Soul of the forest.  A place where shades and spirits roam, and at its center is a large clearing where no trees will grow.

It is here that Lady Flower finds herself going on a night stroll with her three bonded guard.  These men have been trained to fight in secret and have given blood oaths to the Lady Flower in a ceremony unseen in three hundred cycles.

Coming here to meet with the other Mages of their beliefs, Flower knew that it was urgent for her to be prompt, but also to be cautious.  With a limited number of spots open for acolyte Mages, it opened the door for 'accidents' to occur among the acolytes often.

A rumbling growl broke her train of thoughts.  From a near bush a dire wolf strode out, with its hackles up and head low.  Two more, smaller ones came out ahead of the group surrounding them.

The guard drew their weapons and readied themselves for a fight.  Flower tisked loudly and concentrated on the two smaller animals.  In a whimper and a yelp they fell dead, their life energy added to Flower's power. 

Turning to the big gray dire wolf, she went to siphon it as well when the animal did something odd.  It bowed to her.  It bent it's front legs and laid it's shaggy head on the ground.

"If you want to live, beasty, you'll go away now."  Flower said aloud to it.
Instead it got on its belly and crawled to her.  Looking upon it with pity she motioned for it to follow with them.

A way trail had been made to go Lost Souls area, but only one trained to find it was able to do so.  For most it was the first real test to see if you were worthy to become one of the closed order.  The untrained or unwanted will be turned away by the magic way, or made to feel confusion as they tried to travel it.

Training had been done very differently for Flower.  Her first test had been to kill her abusive father and turn his still beating heart into a power holder for her Hearts Core.

The Hearts Core, is the very essence of the former hearts owner, trapped inside it's own ever beating heart and kept inside a glass lined box. 

For a Mage trained to steal others power and essence the Hearts Core could store enough magic to make a weak magic user like Flower into a much more powerful Mage.

Flower knew that she could not win a outright fight with a real Mage, or even against Lynn.  For this she would have to gather another Hearts Core and more blood bound. 

Her guardsmen were such bound, along with three maids and one handmaiden.  The last made her smile to herself for the child was the perfect tool.  Dumb and loyal, the handmaiden was perfectly positioned within the House to cause the most potential damage.

Closer to the Lost Souls clearing Flower  began to feel the thrumming of power from Master Mages within.  At the edge of mossy covered clearing Flower stopped her procession to await the Master Mages signal.

The acolytes knew better than to enter fully into the Lost Souls.  Well, most did.  Flower watched as a male, she had never seen before, walked boldly out of the woods and onto the mossy ground.

His death was terrible to behold.  By his second step a mist engulfed him.  On his third step every drop of blood in his body began spurting toward the center of the clearing. 

By the time his fourth step was complete his blood drained body fell onto the red, green, and purple moss covered ground.  His screams filled the air long after his horrific death.

Flower shivered slightly but quickly hid her true thoughts.  She loved the prime magics coursing through her vains, just not what she had to do to achieve them.

The blood from the foolish acolyte swirled in the air above the circle of Master Mages.  In a pop the blood fell and extinguished the fire that had been burning in the middle of the ring.

Normally the fire going out was a signal for them all to approach the ring.  Only if they dared.  For these Mages everything was a test of your will and strength.

Pulling a little life essence from her three bound guard, Lady Flower began to head to the center of the Lost Souls clearing.

Some reason the dire wolf followed her.  It was too late to do much so Flower ignored the animal.  She figured that it would meet the same fate as the foolish man.

Using magic to heighten her eyesight Flower was able to approach the dull glow of the fire.  Before her stood one of the Master Mages.  It was a women and she had a mask over her mouth and nose.

"Child of Magic, have you come to me seeking the truth of life?"  The women said to Flower.

"I have."  She responded simply.  The phrase was used by more experienced Mages to see if you had been trained in the ways of power.

"Then join us in the circle."  The women said and turned around.

Flower moved next to her and the dire wolf laid down behind her.  For some reason she could sense the animals every move.  It was beginning to annoy her.

The ceremony continued and when it was over several that had walked into the clearing this night would never return to the world of the living.

For those deemed worthy to continue they found themselves standing in a circle with Master Mages and their new family.

Master Mage Festus raised his hands and the fire blazed back into life.  Then he began to speak,

"For cycles untold we of this order have been building our power and trying to undo the damage that those Mages of the other belief have done!  Now, this night you live to move further down the ways of true power!  Each of you have proven by your souls intent your willingness to continue.  Those that were weak fell so that we all could take their essence."

Flower did feel stronger now that she thought about it.  Some of the history of their order she knew already but what her mentor said next she did not know.

"When man landed in the New World he was lost and confused.  It did not take long for them to find the prime magic of this land.  Using the energy flowing in the Lay Lines they forged a reinvented home where power was for those who could tap it.  Then the cult of the truth came along and ruined it for all Mages.  We are the power welders, we use the magic how it was supposed to be used, and we are the power here in the New World!"

To Flower it sounded like the same rhetoric that the Mage council had been saying for cycles.  To her it was about power and control.  If she had to rip it from others, then that was what she would have to do.

Around Flower people were chanting "We are the power here in the New World!"  She did not join in.  Neither did the male to her left.  Taking her hand he turned her to him.

In the fire light she was surprised to see just who it was.  Never would she have thought that he was one of them.  One of the unnamed Mages who used blood magic.

"Say nothing, know that we are in this together, but we will never be together!"  He said with heat.  "Your a puppet of theirs and I'm not.  That's all you need to know.  Never forget what they do with a life that has served it's usefulness."

Then he turned back to Festus and ignored her.  Flower was stunned.  She had expected animosity but not a word of good advice and then being ignored.

The chanting died and the group was disbanded by Festus himself.  Flower turned to leave but was stopped by Line.

"I see you and my top student had a nice conversation, hmm?"

"He gave me some solid advice that I think I may heed."  Flower responded with a nod of her head.

Behind her the dire wolf began growling loudly.  Saying nothing more, Flower waited for him to do something.

Instead he walked away.  Master Mage Festus took his place as if nothing had happened.  He came across as a lost old man but she knew just how intelligent and dangerous he really was.

"You have been accepted, child.  Does that please you?"  He asked.

"I will not be pleased until I have all the power I can wield, Master." 

"Of course, of course.  Now how about that fine animal?"

Confused she glance at the dire wolf.  It moved around her and went straight to Festus.  She half expected him to kill the animal.

"Did you know, child, that such as these are not native to this land?"  Festus spoke and petted the huge dire wolf calmly.  "We brought their sires over with us but as soon as they hit the shore they went wild.  Not really sure why.  Took to this place as if they belonged."

Unsure what he was getting at, but knowing any lesson from him was a good one she remained silent.

"At first they were just wolves.  Used to hunt and protect.  These dire wolves appeared from these deep forests one day and began attacking the very men they once lived with.  Whole legends began and stories of evil followed."

Getting impatient she shifted her weight some.  This made Festus frown.  "I see your ready to leap as always.  So like the wolf you are.  Running off to see the new land but always coming back to the ones that hate you the most.  Your a new creature yourself, child.  So why not go deeper into the woods to be away from those that hate you?"

"Because I need more."

"So too does the dire wolf want more.  Not knowing what that something truly is, it comes back and attacks those it thinks has the power and answers."  Magic flowed out of the Master and into the animal.  "You have more power than the common creatures that walk.  Never forget that, child, and one day you will be a Master Mage."

Hope this chapter was much more fun to read than to write.  Was nearly the hardest thing that I've written to-date.  Balance between keeping Flower human but showing that she's willing to do anything to achieve that power.

Have you had a hard time with a section because you disliked the character but knew it's a nesscisary plot move?
1)Why=
2)Did it work=
3)How did you feel=