Prophesies of Light and Darkness. 1 Book III

In the magical city of Winterhaven a young boy named Zarin Testa woke up and rolled over. He stretched and glanced over at the time candle on his bedside table and jumped up. By the lines on the candle, it was almost nine in the morning. He was going to be late for his magic class if he didn't hurry. Zarin leaped out of bed and grabbed the clothes his mother had set out for him and dressed quickly. With a wave of his hand, he summoned his bag with all his school stuff and ran into the kitchen for something quick to eat. His mother had left his breakfast on the table for him with a note.
Zarin.
If I know you, you're standing here late for class. There's a roll with egg and sausage wrapped and ready for you to go. Hurry, remember your're going to the Dwarven mines today, so don't be late.
Love you. Mother.

Zarin smiled and grabbed his breakfast. With a wave of his hand, the door opened and he was gone running down the lane.
Andrake Academy was the elite school for wizards, warlocks and witches and other magical beings in all the lands. All types of kids were sent here from elves to dwarfs, vampires and humans that had the talent for magic use. Zarin happened to be one of the best students of his class since Prince Shayn. And since Shayn had accepted the dragon egg and left a few years ago, he was now the top boy in the school.
It took Zarin less than ten minutes to get to school. There he found his class waiting out by the docks for the ship to take them off to Lands End the home of the dwarven people and their mines. As Zarin walked up, he saw his best friend Dack Rainer waving him over.
"I knew you'd be late." He laughed. "I can't believe the best mage in class over sleeps almost everyday."
"I was studying." Zarin smiled. "Something you seem to know nothing about."
"Oh I study." Dack said pointing to Emrel Eventide standing talking to her brother Adanar. Both boys laughed at that. Emrel looked over at them and frowned.
"That will be enough." They heard from behind them as Professor Insa walked out into the crowd smoke trailing behind him. Professor Insa was their favorite teacher. He was a merged smoke dragon and one of the most powerful Mages in Winterhaven.
"Is everyone here?" He asked. "Zarin?"
Everyone snickered as Professor Insa looked over and saw Zarin waving at him.
"Glad you made it." He said. "As you all know we're visiting the gold mines of Lands End, the dwarven city today. Now you will all remember. I expect to have no problem today. We will be receiving samples so there will be no stealing from the mines. Do I make myself clear?"
"We'll see about that." Zarin heard Tabor Larin say with a smirk. Zarin looked over at him and frowned.
"What are you looking at?" Tabor said looking menacing at the two boys.
Zarin just ignored him and pulled Dack away to go watch for there ship. He wasn't afraid of him anymore. He knew he was just a blowhard. Tabor Larin was the school bully. For as long as he could remember he had picked on Zarin and Dack. But once Zarin had passed him in defense class, and Reno, Trip and Thalia arrived, Tabor had been less of an ass to him. But Dack was still a target for him and his friends if they could catch him alone. Zarin planned to do something about that soon. Tabor was the son of a very powerful mage of the dark persuasion. Tayor Larin, his father was a member of the council. He and Insa were in a long and constant battle for control of the council. Being a dark mage, Tayor would do anything to win. Insa had to be on constant watch for his treachery constantly. And it looked like Tabor would defiantly follow in his fathers ways.
As they waited a tall ship came floating out of the mist, It was a great galleon with four mast riding in on the waves. The ship was called the Golden Goblin. Zarin looked up to see the sails bellowing out. This had to be a magical ship. He knew that because there was no wind blowing. It pulled up to the dock and dropped its anchor. The whole class stood and watched in amazement as the gang plank came over all by itself for them to board.
"OK." Professor Insa called out." I want you all to board in a single file and take a place on the deck. It won't be long before we up anchor and depart."
One after the other the class made there way up the gang plan laughing and joking . Tabor kept grabbing kids and pushing them towards the edge scaring them. Insa had to scold him to get him to stop. Once aboard they all made there way over to the rail to watch as they made ready to begin there trip. Magically the sails dropped in place and the gang plank pulled itself up. They heard the anchor chain rattling as it pulled itself up and they begin to sail out of the harbor.
"Hey," Dack said. "This is great. I've never been on a ship before."
"Well just don't get seasick." Zarin joked with him. "If you blow chunks over the side, its going come right back in your face."
"I'll be fine."Dack said nervously. "I hope. Have you ever sailed before?"
"Once." Zarin told him. "It was horrible."
Dack looked at his friend a little afraid. His stomach was feeling a bit queasy.
"I'm joking Dack." He punched him in the arm. "You'll be fine. I'll just keep your mind off the waves."
Dack smiled a weak smile as he listened to him. Out of the corner of his eye, something caught Zarin's attention. It was Tabor and his friends pushing the way through students. Tabor whispered something to his friends then waved them towards the cabin area.
"I think somethings up with them." Zarin pointed to Tabor. Dack turned and looked as they entered the cabin. Before closing the door, Tabor looked around to be sure no one noticed them.
"Come on." Zarin pulled Dack away from the rail.
"I wonder what it is this time." Dack asked. "Think its trouble for us?"
"You mean the the guy that once changed the ingredients in my healing potion to make it a poison?" Zarin frowned. "Yes I do."
Keeping out of sight. Zarin and Dack slipped over to the door to listen. But the cabin was soundproof and they couldn't hear a thing.
"I don't hear anything." Dack said. "I wish we could be a fly on the wall in there."
"Now that's an idea." Zarin smiles.
"What?"
"Hold still." Zarin spoke a spell in words Dack couldn't hear and there was a sudden flash. Disoriented, Dack blink and realized he was seeing in multiple frames.
[What did you do?]
[We're flies.] Zarin sent to his mind. [Try your wings.]
Dack spread his wings and jumped into the air.
[Whoa!!!] He said. [This is great!]
[Come on.] Zarin took to the air. [There's a crack here. We can get in through there.]
Buzzing up to the wall they found a crack and made the way in. Inside they saw Tabor and his crew talking quietly. Flying closer they came down on a lamp and listened.

"I know." Tabor said. "My father thinks Winterhaven could do better under his control and he's found a way to gain control of the city."
"It won't be an easy task defeating the Professor." Aron Neveral said. Tabor looked to the other two boys for there opinion. Elan, Aron and Craven. Elan, a dark elf from the southern regions and Aron his lighter best friend. Craven, newest to their group was surprised to hear what he had to say.
"You know we're with you." Elan Darkshade gave him a crooked grin. "What's the plan?"
"Somewhere in the Gold caves." Tabor told them. "There's and gold ring called the Gold Ring of Endrin. It has the power to steal power and knowledge from your enemies. My father wants to rip Insa from his place as the head of the council and take Winterhaven to a dark future. If we help, he promise to put some of the councils knowledge in our heads. Think about it. We could run the Academy ourselves."
"No more studying from those stupid scrolls!" Craven Tasco smiled.
"My mother would ally herself with your father if this works." Elan told him. Aron know what he said was true. "Many dark elves will."
"There's only one problem." Tabor held up his hand. "Zarin. He's always getting in the way. Somehow he finds out what we're doing and stops us. Father wants him taken care of."
"You mean dead?" Craven asked. He didn't feel right about that. Deep down, he felt something wasn't right..
"Only as a last resort." Tabor said. "We have plans for him. I want his knowledge myself. I want you on him and making sure he doesn't interfere."
"Once we get in the gold cave." Craven said. "I'll trap him somehow. Then we'll be free to search."
"What about the professor?" Elan asked.
"Fathers going to find a reason to call him back to Winterhaven." Tabor said. "Some kind of emergency. We can do this. My father is counting on us."
"I'm not sure this is a good idea." Aron stood.
"Either your with me." Tabor said. "Or your not and I'll have to deal with you myself."
"Don't worry Tabor." Elan said as he pulled Aron behind him. "Aron is with us."
"Lets get back out on deck. We should keep our eyes on Zarin."
With that the boys got up and left the cabin. Zarin and Dack flew down and perched on the couch and changed back.
"What are we going to do?" Dack said worried.
"Stop them." Zarin said. "We can't allow Tabor and his father to take control of Winterhaven. We have to find that ring first."
"Craven's going to be on us the minute we walk back out on deck." Dack stood up and paced the cabin. "I have an idea how to deal with him. I know a spell that might work."
"You do?" Zarin looked at his friend shocked.
"Hey." He said. "I study you know and I'm passing in my classes. Checking out girls is not all I do. I'm not stupid."
"I know." Zarin told his friend. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that."
"Let me take care of Craven." Dack smiled. "He won't know what's going on."
"We can get Reno, Thalia and Trip to help us with this." Zarin look over and saw Reno and Thalia talked to Trip. He waved them over to them. The three walked over laughing at something. Thalia looked up at Zarin and stopped laughing.
"I know that look." She said elbowing Reno. "You're about to get us all into something again."
"It's them isn't it?" Reno nodded towards Tabor and his friends. "They're up to something."
"Oh no!" Trip moaned."How serious is it?"
"Shh!!!" Dack quieted them. "They're trying to overthrow the council."
"Those four?" Thalia smirked putting her hands on her hips.
"And Tabor's father." Zarin whispered.
"That I believe." Reno said. "He's an evil creep. What do you have?"
Zarin explained what they had heard in the cabin. He told them about Tayor Larins plan to gain the Gold ring and use it to turn the council and steal their powers. Lastly Zarin told them how they planned to steal Professor Insa's magic and Zarin's.
"Can that even be done to a dragon?" Trip asked. "Their powers are more apart of them then learned magic."
"Do you want to find out?" Reno turned and looked toward Tabor who was whispering in Craven's ear.
"What do you what to do?" Thalia asked. "We're in."
"We have to find that ring before they do." Zarin said. "And we can't let them know we're on to them. Trip, I want you and Thalia following them once we're in the cave. You're the best at shifting into small things, Dack, Reno and I will search for the ring."
"What happens if they find it?"
"Take it if you get the chance." Dack said. "But let us know so we all can figure something out."
"What about Craven?" Reno asked.
"I can take care of him." Dack smiled. "I know just what to do."
Zarin looked over the side and saw the harbor of Lands End in sight. The sails began to drop as the ship slowed down.
"We're here." Zarin told them. "You all know what to do once we get to the mine. But watch them just in case. You all ready?"
"Yeah." Dack held out his hand. The others looked at him and grinned. "Come on. We're a team."
One at a time they put their hand in.
"For Insa!"