052¹THE SEVEN
2¹CRYSTAL BALLS
15            by Merlyn/TMG

±a131The first rays of sun slid through the
broken  windows, followed a wide crack
in the stone-floor and finally came to
rest on the visage of the old wizard.

Halfchoked  snores, an ominious rumble
from the nether regions of his body, a
twitching  of the snow-white beard and
suddenly  darkgreen eyes flashed open;
casting  fierce  glances all round the
vast   hall.    The   overall   effect
slightly  marred  by  his  tendency to
squint myopically.

A   half-empty   bottle   of   dubious
contents was swept to the stone-floor,
as  the  wizard  rose  to his feet and
with  a  majestic  gesture  flung  his
wine-red cloak about him.

The   following  crash  woke  another,
younger wizard, who'd been sleeping at
the other end of the table.

Rising  his head too suddenly, causing
his  tall,  pointed  hat  to slid down
over his eyes.

"Isn't it morning yet?", he grumbled.

"Cor blimey!", muttered Merlyn, moving
erratically over to his fellow-wizard.
Unsermonically  he  yanked the hat off
and  turning on his heel strode out of
the hall.

Miraculix  dragged a gnarled hand down
his  face and promptly entangled it in
his flowing beard.  "Damn & blast", he
exclaimed,  tugging and heaving to get
his  hand free.  All the while casting
embarrassed looks around him.

Merlyn,  wandering aimlessly around in
the  courtyard,  collected  his mental
powers and cast an intricate time/mind
spell.   Thus  projecting  images from
the  night's events onto the retina of
his mind's eye.

"The celebrations lasted long into the
night.  But gradually fatigue, lack of
sleep, excess of spirituosa and simply
old  age  laid the wizards low, not to
say    sprawled    them   ungraciously
throughout  the grandious throne-hall.
Soon  Meegosh, the apprentice, was the
only  one  left  (more or less) on his
feet.   Eyeing  his elders wearily, he
pushed  a  couple  of  bottles  out of
harm's  way and curled up on the broad
bench.   A  huge variety of snores, as
to  volume,  minor and major keys etc.
soon   vibrated   through   the   old,
derelict castle."

As the morning wore on, wizards popped
up  from  the  most  unlikely  places.
Finally all eleven were gathered round
the  tragic  remains  of  the  night's
celebrations.

"I see Oz & GreyStar.  I see Dark Lord
&   the  apprentice  Meegosh.   I  see
Gandalv the White & Miraculix.  I even
see   The  Fearsome  Four;  Rincewind,
Raistlin,  Sparrowhawk  and Miliamber.
But I don't see Merlyn!"

King  Diamond  more grumpy than usual,
but  just as sharpwitted, let his eyes
rove over the gathering.
"Where  has  the  diddering  old  fool
wandered off to now?!", he demanded.

Merlyn  was  rudely interrupted in his
reveries  by  a summoning spell, which
effectively   shattered  the  peaceful
scene in his mind and replaced it with
King Diamond's glowering eyes.

"Are  you  coming  or not!?" The harsh
words  literally  vibrated in Merlyn's
skull.   Pulling up his flowing cloak,
he re-entered the throne-hall.

"Now  that  we're  all  here", intoned
Dark  Lord,  "I'd like to proceed with
our  main  reason  for  being gathered
here.   As  you  all  know (raising an
inquiring  eyebrow  at  Meegosh)  this
castle  was  once  the king-pin in the
great  Nickodemus' Domain.  One of our
grandious  ancestors  in  the  ways of
Magic.   His  heritage  to any magical
conclave  as  set  down  in The Secret
Scrolls, is the seven crystal balls of
unsurpassed knowledge & foresight."

Dark  Lord paused & eyed the gathering
solemnly.

"Let's  get  to  work,  gentlemen", he
continued, "and see whether our mental
powers  and  magical  skills are up to
the awesome task before us!".

Thus duly chastened the eleven wizards
and the young apprentice took up their
respective  places on a clear patch of
the  vast stone-floor.  Each set about
drawing   pentagrams  on  the  stones,
invoking   their  individual  deities,
mumbling strange, arcane formulaes and
generally   presenting  a  tableau  of
half-witted,    tottering    imbeciles
drawing  nonsensical  doodles  on  the
floor.

No-one  being  aware  of  the  hulking
figure  lurking  in  the  furthermost,
darkest corner of the hall.

Apparently   passably  satisfied  with
their  doings,  the  wizards  shuffled
together  and  joining  hands,  raised
their   eyes   to  the  smoke-darkened
roofbeams   far  above  their  pointed
hats.

A  sudden,  eerie stillness crept over
the    gathering.    Several   eternal
seconds   dragged   by.   A  gradually
growing,   bluish   light  spread  its
tentative tendrils over the wizards.

Slowly expressions of pure contentment
appeared   on   the   visages  of  the
wizards,  smoothing  out deep wrinkles
and  making the timeworn faces appear,
if not youthful, at least middle-aged.

Inside  the  now  near  radient light,
small  crystal  balls  could  be dimly
seen.    The   images   growing   more
substansial  by  each  passing second.
Finally   crystallizing   into   seven
individual  balls,  floating  directly
above    the    spellbound    wizards.
Tentatively   the  mages  reached  out
their  left,  open  palms  towards the
floating treasures.

After    agonizing,    nervestretching
seconds the crystal balls floated down
into  seven  sweaty,  slightly shaking
palms.    Leaving   five   frustrated,
suddenly ice-cold hands empty.

The  chosen wizards backed slowly away
from  each  other, leaving the rejects
in  a  tight knot in the middle of the
gathering.

Raising  his  wide,  disbelieving eyes
from the magical treasure in his palm,
Greystar  cast  furtive glances at the
other    custodians.     Dark   Lord's
sardonical   eyes   met   his,  before
lowering  to  his  own  crystal  ball.
While  Merlyn's  baffled  face left no
doubt  in GreyStar's mind that the old
wizard   had  got  a  longed-for,  but
hither  to  denied  dream  come  true.
King  Diamond,  for  once tongue-tied,
stared  consternatiously  at  his  own
crystal ball.

"By  Zohra!",  Gandalv's  harsh  voice
broke  the utter silence.  His fingers
clasping  his  magical ball fervently.
The  sixth  ball  rested peacefully in
Oz'   slender   hand.    Casting  tiny
sparkles,   reflecting  the  sun-rays,
into his wide-open, unblinking eyes.

A surpressed cough from an ebonyblack,
shadowy  corner, caused the wizards to
jerk   round  towards  the  unexpected
sound!   Sharp  glances penetrated the
murky  corner,  revealing  a cringing,
unmistakeable    form.     Rincewind's
infamous suitcase!

Rincewind nearly dropped his entrusted
treasure  as  he  rushed  over  to his
beloved    follower.    Stuffing   his
crystal  ball  unsermonically  into an
inner  pocket of his voluminous cloak,
he lovingly patted the suitcase on its
scarred lid.

The enchantment broken, the wizards (&
the  apprentice)  slowly re-assembled.
Modestly   embarrassed,  but  secretly
jubilant,   the   trustees   met   the
furtive, envious glances from the five
rejects.

Clearing  his throat noisily Dark Lord
stepped   into   the   middle  of  the
gathering & after a moment`s pause, he
looked each of his fellow-wizards deep
in the eyes.

"We  all  knew  the  exact  number  of
crystal balls", he began, "seven balls
and  twelve of us.  Naturally five had
to stand down."

"Yeah, you're right!", Raistlin chimed
in,  "anyway  the  crystal balls chose
their  new  custodians  as surely as a
sow  picks out her particular patch in
the pigsty!"

"A  rather unfortunate metaphore, if I
may  say  so", intoned Oz, "but we all
know this is so.  We cant decide who`s
to  be  the  crystal-bearers.   We can
only  hope  and  pray,  and  thank our
deities for the tremendous honour."

Sparrowhawk   swallowed  his  pride  &
nodded   his  agreement.   Slowly  and
reclutantly  the  other  three rejects
followed    suit.     Meegosh   hadn't
expected to become a custodian anyway.
He  was  an  apprentice, after all and
deeply  honoured  by being accepted by
his exalted peers.

Always  the  practical-minded Raistlin
cleared  the table of the worst debris
and arranged his fellow-wizards around
the  tableau.   "Now",  he proclaimed,
"down  to  brass  tacks!Where do we go
from   here?    you   may   take  that
literally, all of U!!Our objective has
met  with  a  singular success, so now
what?!"

"I say", GreyStar's throaty voice rose
to  the  occasion,  "I  say  we decide
what's  to  be  done about this castle
and whether the crystal balls can tell
us about our immidiate futures.  I say
we  consult  the  crystals first!" The
others      concurred      and     the
crystal-bearers retired to contemplate
and  open their minds to the crystals'
revelations.

Miraculix,  Raistlin  and  Sparrowhawk
remained  in  the throne-hall, tidying
up after the night's party.

The    apprentice   Meegosh   wandered
wide-eyed   among   Merlyn's   magical
parnepharlia,   tentatively   touching
mysterious   artifacts  and  carefully
lifting cobweb-covered jars to inspect
their  obsure  contents  more closely.
Rincewind's  suitcase trampled closely
on   Meegosh'  heels,  finally  having
found  another being as inquisitive as
itself.

Whenever  an  object  escaped Meegosh'
scrutiny,   the   suitcase   instantly
corrected      the     omission     by
alternatively  kicking  Meegosh' shins
or    snapping    its   fearsome   lid
impatiently.

Miliamber  soon  left  the  labours of
cleaning up to the other three wizards
and  wandered off to the castle's vast
library,    his   brow   furrowed   in
thoughts.

Some  considerable  time  later a bell
chimed  in  Castle  Blackmoor, calling
the wizards to gather once more in the
throne-hall.     After    the   twelve
participants  had  settled  down round
the  table  and Rince- wind's suitcase
was  tucked  away  out  of harm's way,
Merlyn  rose  to his feet and adressed
the assembly.

"Now, my esteemed brethren", he began,
"let  the fellowship know what destin-
ies  and revelations the crystal balls
have given thee.  " Having started the
important,  final  gathering in Castle
Blackmoor,  Merlyn slumped down in his
chair.

Greystar,  in  evident  mental  agony,
arose.

"I've got a fatal mission entrusted to
me", he stated.
"A dire situation has developed in the
Central    Isles!!An   ancient   kult,
presumed  dead  and  burried, has once
more  risen its evil head, threatening
to  encompass the entire Central Isles
with    its    horrendous,   malignant
powers!"

The  other  wizards  regarded GreyStar
with  a  mixture  of hope and grudging
respect.   Memories  and  tales of all
but   forgotten  days  flooding  their
minds.   Could  it  be  they were once
more  to  be  the front figures in the
eternal   battles   against  the  Dark
Forces?!

"The  centre  of  the  kult  has taken
possession  of an ancient tower in the
Southern  Realm of the Central Isles",
GreyStar  continued  hoarsely, "as far
as  I  could  discern the tower is the
one  once  known  as  The Tower of The
Five Orders!"

A deadly hush fell over the company as
memory  flashes crossed and re-crossed
in their minds.  The Five Orders!  The
infamous,    magical    kult,    which
encompassed    several    orders    of
magic-users.     Making    the    kult
many-facetted   and   thus  harder  to
control.  Not to say shatter!

"I'm  afraid  I've  got  bad  tidings,
too", commented Oz laconically.  "I'll
have    to   return   to   my   Domain
immidiately.  There's been an outbreak
of wild magic in The Forgotten Realms.
Every wizard in the realm is needed to
clear  up  the  mess, before it causes
too much havoc and destruction.  "

Lengthy  discussions as to the gravity
and   desperate   needs   of  the  two
afflict-  ed Realms followed.  Closely
attended,    if   not   verbally,   by
Rincewind's   suit-   case.   Its  lid
snapping irritably at the magic bonds,
which    held    it   firmly   in   an
unobstrusive corner of the hall.

"We've   agreed  to  join  Oz  in  his
quest",  Raistlin  proclaimed  and put
his   hand   on   Sparrowhawk's   thin
shoulder.    The   latter  nodded  his
consent.   Oz looked gratefully at his
two compatriots.

"Well,  Im  feeling  a  distinct  pull
towards   my  beloved  Crystal  Cave",
Merlyn  announced,  "  and  if  he  so
desires  Id  like  to further Meegosh'
education.  I'll have to visit Camelot
too,   for   that  matter.   Resolving
whatever  new  cock-ups  King Arthur's
been hatching while Ive been gone!"

"What'll  it  be,  young man?", Merlyn
turned to Meegosh.

"Will  you  be  travelling  with me or
doth  your  desires  lay in one of the
quests?   I'll  need  a steady hand to
pack  my treasures here and leave this
abode   forever.    I've  stayed  here
overlong, me bethinks!"

"I'm  hardly  up  to  the  demands the
quests   will   surely  set",  Meegosh
answered,  "so  I'll  hopefully profit
more  from  travelling  to The Crystal
Cave.   I  thank  you, noble mage, for
this  unique  chance  to study at your
feet!!"

"I'd   watch   out  if  I  were  you",
Miraculix  commented  drily, "he's got
ingrown toe-nails, you know!!"

"A   most   recommendable,  respectful
young  man", Merlyn muttered, stroking
his  snow-white  beard,  evidently not
heeding Miraculix' ungracious aside.

"I  for  one  think  Castle  Blackmoor
ought  to  have  a custodian", intoned
Miliamber, "so Ive decided to stay and
catch up on my reading.  Its not often
one  may borrow others' books, without
having  the  bother of delivering them
again."

"If  you all have a quest of your own,
that  leaves  me  rather shorthanded",
com-  plained  Greystar, looking a bit
forlorn.

"Well  I  got  no  specific message or
revelation",  commented  Gandalv,  "so
I'll  be more than willing to join you
in your noble quest!"

"Count  me  in, too!!", exclaimed King
Diamond,   "anyone   else   wants   to
accompany   us  on  this  most  daring
Quest?!!"

Slowly  Miraculix and Dark Lord raised
their  hands,  thus  consenting  to be
part  of  the  Brotherhood against the
Evil Powers.

Rincewind      hesitated,      casting
apprehensive   glances   towards   his
familiar; the suitcase.

"Yes,  yes,  Yes!", cried King Diamond
testily,     "bring     the    blasted
contraption if you want to join us!"

Evidently  relieved  Rincewind  rushed
over to his trusted companion, quickly
unlocking     the     magical    rings
surrounding    it.     The    suitcase
performed  a  few  carefully  executed
knee-bends,    before   rushing   off,
presumably in search of shelter in the
court-yard.

Laying down my quill for now...
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