Circle of Six Mages Book One: Yin and Yang

Chapter Seven: The Eleporter

Before I get a bunch of people saying "it's teleporter!", I meant to say eleporter. Just keep reading :).

Aria's eyes fluttered open at sunrise. She'd always been an early bird, so waking up wasn't a very difficult process for her.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, finally daring to look around the room.

The walls were bright white, stained pink and orange by the rising sun. Lavish tapestries were draped on the walls. Aria tried to look at them in order, to figure out what story they told, and it seemed to be the birth of Amasuru, the Goddess of Light.

White carpet with gold swirling patterns had turned a warm peach color, and the outside light was barely blocked by soft, fluttering white curtains.

On either side of the bed Aria now sat on were two white bedside tables. They appeared not to be painted; it seemed that the furnisher of the hotel had found the elusive Silverwood Tree, the only tree known to Rashiviio that had white wood. It was extremely rare and the price of its wood was only outclassed by that of its leaves; they were used as a cure-all for illness, poisons, and venoms.

Upon both the tables sat an oil lamp, made of white metal and gold detailing. On one table sat sparkrocks to light them, and on the other was Aria's ruby.

The bedspread was also white, with gold detailing in a metallic thread. The pillowcases matched it, and the pillows themselves seemed to be stuffed with down because of their softness.

Aria sat in her bed, her jaw hanging open. How in the name of the Three Sun Gods had they managed to get this suite for free?!

Aria shook her head. There was too much to do today to worry about that.

Hopping out of bed, she avoided her boots which she'd left by her bedside the previous evening. She removed her clothes which she had been too tired to change out of the night before, double checking the pockets before dumping them down a chute labelled laundry.

She grabbed one of the only changes of clothes she had, relishing in the feeling of the clean fabric that she used to take for granted. She and Lyla had agreed that it was useless to change out in the middle of the woods. They would just dirty all of their clothes unnecessarily, and when they finally got to town they wouldn't have anything presentable to wear, jeopardizing their chances of getting a job.

If they had come to a stream, it would have been different. They could have changed their clothes and washed the dirty ones.

But they hadn't, so they stayed in their dirty clothes, drinking the water they'd brought with them.

Finally done changing, Aria slid on her boots before grabbing her cloak where she'd left it hanging on the closet door knob (also made of white metal, she observed now) and made her way out to the main area.

She had expected to see Lyla out there; they'd agreed to meet in the main area at 8, but it was already 8:30, according to the many-handed clock on one of the walls.

Aria shook her head.  “Night owl.” She muttered under her breath before walking into the room Lyla had chosen.

As soon as she walked onto the room, she was engulfed in blackness. Unable to see, she carefully produced one of her light balls.

She saw that the rising sunlight was blocked by thick, black, velvety curtains. She made her way over to them, let her light ball dissipate, and flung them wide.

Light flooded the room, illuminating everything. Barely paying attention to the décor, Aria walked over and gently shook Lyla. “Come on, Lyla, time to wake up.”