The Tomes Of Magic by Cody J. Sherer Page A

hours.”
    “What thing?”
    “I would describe it as being lost in your mind.”
    The Archwizard gave Septimus a troubled looked. He looked as though he didn’t want to tell the Warlock. Don’t push too hard , Septimus told himself as he watched Thanos. The two sat there for a moment, each wondering what the other was thinking. A knock on the door interrupted both of them. Talia poked her head in to see them both looking at one another out of the corner of their eyes. She didn’t wait for them to tell her to enter. Septimus watched her as she walked into the room and leaned against a bookcase in between the two of them. She cleared her throat as if to tell them to carry on with what they were doing. Thanos raised an eyebrow at the Warlock, trying to figure out if they should change the subject. Septimus nodded his head, letting the Archwizard know it was fine to discuss in front of Talia.
    “I had no idea it took that much concentration,” Thanos said.
    “Magical telepathic communication can be quite taxing,” Septimus replied.
    “It isn’t magical. Taleveth and I are connected via the dragon mindmeld. He was sharing his knowledge of the tomes with me. Though it is a touchy subject for him, his information could come in handy.”
    “I remember you mentioning the mindmeld. It is quite fascinating that a creature dead so many years can still perform such a feat. Does he have any information that might help us?”
    “He says that a gnome thief stole the Tome of Earth from one of his cousins a long time ago. We both fear that the Tome of Water will fall into Janessa’s hands. The Gloomvale Isles has produced many water magic experts, I doubt it is coincidence. He also thinks that the Tome of Light is in the hands of the Holy Order. I shall be contacting Emily and Ector about the other tomes, perhaps they can give us some insight on their whereabouts.”
    “Can they be trusted?” Talia asked.
    “While it is true that I’ve never quite seen eye to eye with either of them, the circumstances call for putting aside out difference. Hopefully they will see that I am not quite the same man I was before,” Thanos replied.
    “The ever enigmatic Thanos. You are more ruthless than before, yet you seem to have shifted your moral compass for the better,” Septimus said.
    *
    Ector pulled at his reins and stopped his horse. He turned to see who had whispered his name, but none of the others seemed to be the source. The Archwizard shook his head and spurred the horse forward. He had lost track of how long they had been in the caves. Traveling underground was unnatural to the elves and none of them could tell him how long it had been. They just continued onward, hoping to find the final spot where the dwarves were rumored to have gone. Ector shivered when he heard his name again. It was a familiar voice, but he could see no person to match it. The elves began staring at him as he frantically looked about. Keep it together , he told himself as he settled his horse back into a normal pace. The voice seemed to drift in with a small gust of wind. Ector tried to ignore it, but he could stand it no longer.
    “Show yourself!” he yelled as he raised his staff.
    “I did not mean to startle you, old friend,” Thanos appeared in front of him in ghostly form.
    “Thanos! You near scared me to death.”
    “My apologies, I have not communicated at such a distance without the assistance of a conclave.”
    “What happened?” Ector asked, noticing his half skeletal face.
    “It is a long story that I don’t have time for. I need your help finding something.”
    “What do you need?”
    “Septimus and I are searching for the Tomes of Magic. We believe it is the key to wresting control from the dragons. Do you know anything of these books?
    “The Tome of Nature lies in the hands of the Druids. That much I know, nothing more.”
    “You have been a great help, we shall meet with the Druid Council once we have secured more of the