WELCOME TO CHAPTER ONE OF WIZARD'S PATH!

The day was grey and threatening rain on the city of Mor Aldenn. The thought of rain did not worry young Cellian Varr, she had a spell in mind should the rain fall. As an apprentice of the Tower of Abjuration, the magic of protection, one of the first things she learned was how to create a magical umbrella. Even the wizards of Mor Aldenn were wise enough not to tamper with the weather, well, not much in any case. Still, it was not a bad day for shopping.
She started as she caught a pair of eyes looking at her but then laughed as it was just a mirror. Cellian patted her hair making sure that the combs were keeping it snugly in place. Her long hair was dark where her mother's was honey blond. Cellian tilted her head right and then left, comparing her features to those of her elven mother and wondering for the thousandth thousandth time what her father had looked like.
“I wish I had her fine features,” she lamented quietly. “At least my eyes are those of the elves.” She smiled sadly meeting her own violet eyes in the looking glass.
“Can I help you, young lady?” asked Kol Woodwright, the gnomish proprietor of the store, as he peered around a wardrobe.
“Just admiring the mirror,” she replied with a blush. “Perhaps when I am a master, I can afford it.”
“I cannot hold it that long,” the gnome smiled.
“There will be other mirrors.”
“As long as you purchase from me, young lady, I will be happy.”
She waved and headed on. “I will not forget, Master Woodwright.”
“Take care, young woman.” The gnome moved to polish the mirror. “And be careful, there have been a rash of accidents. Be wary for I fear there are some spirits of ill-fortune about.”
Cellian reached up to check the protective amulets around her neck. “Thank you, sir, I will be!”

This is chapter one of the Mor Aldenn online serial.... the illustrated and expanded pdf version. You can, of course, always just head on over to http://cityofmages.wordpress.com and read the first chapter, completely free of charge, or you can buy this pdf and get the following:

• A full-page illustration by Gary Dupuis
• Statistics of the four main characters
• A new spell called Umbrella
• A new monster called the Puppet Imp