[color=6AB1D3][b]Zahra[/b][/color]

As easily distracted as any child at a festival would be, it didn't take long for Zahra to stray off course from the order her brother had given her to rejoin her parents. She had been distracted by a particularly vibrant display of telekinetic juggling when she collided with the knees of a man that had turned his seat out from his table.

"[color=fdc68a]Tsk tsk, oh dear, are you alright, love?[/color]" The man tittered in concern as he helped Zahra back onto her feet. "[color=fdc68a]There we are, straight as an arrow.[/color]"

The man smiled at Zahra, leaning down in his seat so that he was closer to her eye level. He was an older man, handsome in a distinguished sort of way, with his grey hair cropped to just hang about his ears. His clothing was exceptionally flamboyant, bordering on garish, as he seemed to be wearing a tapestry of vibrantly dyed silks and other fine fabrics. His head was wreathed by a collar of woven peacock feathers, giving him much the same impression as the same sort of bird. The [i]least[/i] colorful thing he wore was his cloak, the black seeming almost flat if it were not for the red trim about its edges. He wore no jewelry, save for the golden brooch clasping his cloak, which was adorned with the image of a triumphant phoenix picked out in gemstones that denoted its rainbow of colorful feathers.

"[color=fdc68a]My, that is a fearsome serpent you carry.[/color]" He said genially, pointing to Toruk. "[color=fdc68a]You must be very brave to command such a powerful spirit. Are you a Sorcerer, my good lady?[/color]"

[hr]

[color=DECAB0][b]Magus Dagon[/b][/color]

Amon turned at Dagon's voice, before responding, "[color=f6989d]Yes, of course.[/color]" He turned back away momentarily to nod politely to the Sorcerers he had just been speaking to, who nodded back and shuffled away obediently.

"[color=DECAB0]I wanted to appraise you of the current plans for the Equinox seance. We have the astrological projections drawn up if you'd like to review them.[/color]" It sounded, not to put too fine a point on it, like any other bureaucratic conversation between coworkers.

"[color=f6989d]Now?[/color]" Amon sounded mildly surprised. "[color=f6989d]Aren't there still three rotations until the Equinox?[/color]"

"[color=DECAB0]Two.[/color]"

"[color=f6989d]Two then. Still plenty of time.[/color]"

"[color=DECAB0]Frankly, Magistrate, I wasn't sure if I'd get a chance to speak to you in that time.[/color]" A forced smile made its way onto his weary face.

Amon shrugged. "[color=f6989d]Fine, then. Hand them off to Sojek and he'll ensure that I see them.[/color]"

Dagon nodded gratefully. "[color=DECAB0]It's almost lucky that you're present. If he were not-[/color]"

"[color=f6989d]Watch your tongue, Callis.[/color]" Amon interjected sharply.

Bowing slightly to indicate respect and submission toward his superior, Dagon carried on, "[color=DECAB0]If the Crimson King were not preoccupied, I might not have been able to speak to you at all.[/color]" He moved in closer toward Amon, dropping his voice slightly. "[color=DECAB0]Have they returned?[/color]"

Amon quirked an eyebrow at Dagon's question, but in a cool tone answered, "[color=f6989d]No. If they had, even [i]I[/i] would not be present.[/color]" Dagon nodded appreciatively at this information. "[color=f6989d]Whatever diverts the Crimson King away from this ceremony, he did not deign to share with me. It is not for us to know, it would seem.[/color]"

"[color=DECAB0]So it isn't.[/color]" Dagon acquiesced. "[color=DECAB0]You know better than anyone else, Magistrate.[/color]"

Before Ishara could listen in on any more of their conversation, a hand on her shoulder followed by an accompanying voice broke her away from her eavesdropping.

"[color=aba000]Pardon me for bothering you, but you are Novitiate Thumotep, are you not?[/color]" Said the voice in a regal, masculine tone.

Turning about, Ishara was greeted by the sight of a tall and impressive figure. Tanned skin, tasteful golden jewelry, and a shining white cloak were the first things she noticed about him. Her eyes met his, flashing gold like a cat's, before looking to the brooch clasping his cloak. It wasn't bare, like hers, but had the engraved image of a crow set into it.

Just as she was realizing who this was, he introduced himself, "[color=aba000]I am Sekhandur, of the House of Khain.[/color]" He bowed to her, a grandiose gesture that befitted his reputation. He was something of a living legend within the halls of the Pesedjet, his wealth, pedigree, and good looks spoken of as much as his astounding talent for magic. Sekhandur had graduated the year before Ishara had, and became a Novitiate at last year's commencement. Rumor held that there was some conflict among Magi regarding who would be his sponsor into the Heka, leading to his mentor being none other than the famed Sorcerer-Magus Ashur Kai, known to many as the White Seer.

"[color=aba000]I've heard much about you,[/color]" he said genially, though his height and posture made everything that came out of his mouth sound aristocratic. "[color=aba000]It's quite a stroke of good luck that we're now in the same Cult. You're the only person in the last fifteen years to test within ten points of me at the Pesedjet. I respect your talent as a Sorcerer immensely. I wanted to congratulate you on your commencement personally, and extend an invitation into our Cabal.[/color]" Seeing the confusion dawn on her face, he smiled and explained, "[color=aba000]Sorcerers don't form into Fellowships, but they do unite informally to share research and work together on advanced projects. Myself and a few others formed a Cabal earlier this year, and we hope to be promoted to Acolytes together. I'd be honored if you'd consider joining us.[/color]"

[hr]

[b][color=black]Magus Nevrakis[/color][/b]

As they stepped into the blissfully cool shade of the pyramid's entry hall, Nevrakis laughed aloud at Sarahi bitter remarks. The sound of her laugh was high, clear, and surprisingly girlish for a woman of her advanced position (as well as age, surely). "[color=black]About time you stood up for yourself,[/color]" she said, without turning back around to look at the Novitiates, "[color=black]You're not my servant, my underling, or even my apprentice. My purpose is to put you on the right track to make sure you aren't stuck wearing that white cloak for the rest of your life.[/color]"

As she mentioned white cloaks, they encountered the true entrance to the pyramid. It was an imposing stone doorway, covered with carved runes and embedded gemstones, set some ways into the pyramid, flanked by a pair of bored-looking guards. They weren't much older than the Novitiates themselves, but wore the brilliant saffron cloaks of Sorcerer-Acolytes. They were the rank directly above Novitiates, who were authorized to use magic at their own discretion, without requiring the supervision of a Magus.

One of them straightened out and stood up from where he was leaning against the wall, and called out to Nevrakis as she approached. "[color=fff79a]Back so soon, Magus? Not enjoying the festivities?[/color]"

Nevrakis didn't slow down, and merely barked at them, "[color=black]The [i]door[/i], Acolyte.[/color]"

The two Acolytes shared an annoyed glance at each other before assuming their positions at either end of the entrance. The placed their hands in depressions at the doors' edges, and Nevrakis stepped forward to place her hand in a similar niche at the point where the doors met. The stone shifted in color from soapstone-green to bloodstone-black in lined patterns that flowed along the doors' carved designs. When the black color had spread to encompass the entire door, the doors shifted, seemingly melting directly into the walls on either side. Nevrakis stepped through, her pace not slowing even slightly, and as the last Novitiate followed her, the doors closed behind them.

The four of them stepped into the true interior of the pyramid of the Cult of the Serpent. It was luxuriously cool within the chamber they had stepped into, though it seemed just as bright as it was outside, and so their eyes took a moment to adjust from the shadowed entry corridor. When their visions cleared, it became apparent that the central foyer was a spectacle of pure white and vibrant green. The floors, walls, and support columns were all carved from polished, pure-white marble. Sunlight shone into the chamber from transparent panes overhead, and they could see the sky through what must have been an enormous one-way mirror that prevented the pyramid from being peered into, even as it let in the natural light. What's more, the chamber seemed to be a luxurious indoor garden, with rows of exotic plants and flowers lining the walls, vines creeping up the walls, and even more plants looming overhead, suspended in the air by unseen magical structures. A waterfall ran down the wall furthest from the doorway, crashing into a crystal-clear pond filled with lotus flowers and lily pads. The spray of fresh water kept the air in the foyer deliciously moist, and the sound of it was broken only by the buzz of jewel-colored dragonflies and the croaking of frogs in the pond.

The foyer was basically bereft of human life, as nearly everyone was at the ceremony outside, save for a few fleeting glances of yellow-cloaked Acolytes too busy with some other work to attend. Nevrakis kept up her swift pace, marching through the wondrous gardens with barely an askew glance. She led them through an archway into the adjoining chamber. This one was not lit by the sun, instead by an abundance of wall-mounted lanterns and hanging braziers, but was no less opulent in terms of construction. However, where the last chamber was overflowing with life, this chamber was filled only with death. Sand-scoured skeletons stood atop plinths, their bones suspended by magic into the shape they held in life, making them into gruesome trophies. Some of the skeletons were from animals that were fairly easily recognized, such as the claws, horns, and three-eyed skull of the Mindstealer Sphinx. The dead animal was posed mid-pounce, its claws still looking dangerously sharp. Other animals were so esoteric that none of the Novitiates could name them, such as the towering skeleton of some massive, predatory lizard-bird, its remains frozen in a triumphant roar. Hanging overhead and spanning the length of the entire chamber was the most bizarre display of all: some huge, finned, aquatic animal, larger than any of the Novitiates could have believed an animal could possibly grow. Its ribs and spine were as thick as architectural columns, and its toothless skull was seemed almost not of this world. Like the plants in the garden chamber, this hung on invisible supports, as though it was swimming through the air even in death.

Equally uninterested in these exotic displays, Nevrakis carried on without pause. She turned sharply into an adjoining side-chamber, and from there her path wound through many antechambers, corridors, and stairwells. The walls were no longer pure marble, instead being carved from smooth stone, sometimes painted in glyphs or adorned with ceramic mosaics. As she carried on, these adornments became sparse, and the walls were instead raw stone. She plunged further and further into the pyramid's depths, until the ceilings would rain dust on them as they moved past, and the floors were merely lined with sand and earth. Eventually the halls they traversed weren't even lit, and she conjured an orange ball of flame that hovered by her head to light their path. It felt like the inside of a termite mound, with how far down they seemed to be going, as it was almost impossible to keep track of how many levels down they had gone. It seemed impossible that all of this complex structure was contained by the footprint of the pyramid they were currently under. Nevrakis stayed silent all this time, the only sounds from her being her quiet breaths, the rustling of her clothes, and the steady crackle of her witch-fire torch. The shadows from her magic flame loomed large and sinister against the walls, and at times the Novitiates could swear they saw faces lurking in the darkness.

Just as the tension from the silence and the shadows was becoming unbearable, Nevrakis led them to their ultimate desination: a tiny chamber deep underground. A solid wooden door was all that kept it secure, and she shut it behind them. Like the hall they had just been in, the chamber was small, dark, its walls were unadorned, and the floors were loose clay, though cool and slightly damp. Nevrakis used her levitating flame to light old, rusty braziers at the room's far corners, which due to the room's poor ventilation quickly made the chamber stiflingly hot and the air became hazy with smoke.

Content to begin the training, Nevrakis turned to address the Novitiates for the first time since they set out toward the pyramid. "[color=black]As I said, it's my purpose to ensure your path as a Sorcerer is a correct one. You have much to learn, not least of all how to survive as a Sorcerer, and not be undone by your peers. Better you learn these lessons now, from me, than someone that truly intends to take advantage of you. I have a vested interest in your success, some boorish Lector that fancies to make a plaything out of one of you pretty young Novitiates does not. I've staked my reputation on you by sponsoring your induction. Don't make me regret it.[/color]"

Nevrakis brushed a loose lock of hair out from in front of her face. If the heat and the smoke were bothering her, she didn't show it. "[color=black]Before you can begin to understand any higher knowledge of magic, you must first understand what it is we do here. You very probably have a distorted perception of Sorcerers and their work from what you've seen in public, what your dilettante professors at the Pesedjet told you, or from hearing about,[/color]" she seemed to spit out the next word with absolute disgust, "[color=black][i]Celebrity[/i] Sorcerers like Hastur Maat.[/color]" She took a moment after mentioning the Magistrate of the Cult of the Serpent to compose herself, before continuing soberly, "[color=black]The duty of a Sorcerer is to uncover the truth. There are truths so intrinsic to this world that they extend beyond it. To understand them is to become them, and allow them to become you.[/color]" Her tone changed, sounding less reverent and perhaps slightly exasperated. "[color=black]Don't take me for some doddering old Magus that talks in riddles, now. What I'm trying to describe goes past words, so I won't attempt to use them to explain it to you. In fact, I won't even be your teacher for this first lesson.[/color]"

She stepped back to the far wall of the chamber, and focused on the floor between herself and where the Novitiates stood. With sweeping motions of her hands, the floor shifted, the dusty clay falling away, and a small structure emerging from the ground. It was a hollow plinth filled with potting soil, and in its center was a single, smallish mushroom. It was round, about the size of a man's thumb, and had a green cap patterned with white dots. It looked comically small by itself in the middle of the plinth it stood on, but there it stood, looking as proud and healthy as a mushroom probably could.

"[color=black]Meditate on this,[/color]" Nevrakis said, gesturing to the small fungus. "[color=black]It will teach you more than you could ever imagine. I'll return when you're done.[/color]" With that, she departed the chamber, not allowing a single question or comment, and shut the door firmly behind her.