The Staff of Water

It was another typical day in the valley of Bovega. The sun was shining, children were playing in the streets, and the townsfolk peacefully went about their daily duties and Kyla Thalius couldn't be more depressed. For as long as she could remember, everyday in her world had been the same. Her father, Lord Thalius went to the castle to attend his duties on the Imperial court, her servants helped her dress, and gave her lessons, and her "gentleman caller" made another attempt to win her heart. She would have been quite content to stay in bed that morning, but was roused from sleep by a loud, piercing voice calling to her. "Hey! You going to sleep all day, you spoiled rich girl?!” a familiar voice shouted from outside her window. Groggy, and irritable, she went to the window and called to her friend. "What do you want, Lyssa?” she asked. Lyssa smiled and yelled back "Sorry if I disturbed her majesty's slumber! But Mother and Father are out in the fields, so let's go the Training Grounds! Kyla shuddered at that thought; she knew who would be there. "You go. I'm not interested in seeing those brutes beating each other senseless". Just then there was a knock at the door that made Kyla jump. "Are you all right in there, m' lady?” "Yes, I'm fine", Kyla said. She returned to the window. "You better go, Lyssa. You know father doesn't want me to talk with...uh, with." She wanted to say it much less demeaning than her father had. Lyssa finished her statement for her. "That poor girl, I know. Just promise me you won't be like that when you marry one of those rich lords in the Imperial Court." Lyssa waved and hurried off just as one of Kyla's servants came in her room. Kyla went to her mirror to prepare herself to be dressed by her servants as she had done every morning since she could remember. "What does my father have planned for me today?" she asked. In an excited tone the handmaiden replied "You're father wishes you to come to the Palace tonight!" she beamed. Kyla couldn't believe it. She had just turned seventeen, and usually ladies were never permitted to come to the Palace without an escort. "And who should be escorting me?" Kyla asked. "Your father, m' lady. He intends to present you to young Lord Devonshire". Kyla swallowed at the sound of that name. "I've known him since I was a child, why do I need to be presented to him?" she asked. The servant sighed with dissent "You should be happy that Lord Devonshire has sought your hand, m' lady. His father holds so much prestige in the Imperial Court, stands to inherit all the fortunes of the Devonshire estate, and I even heard that he’s the greatest warrior among the Knights in training. Why, the he even gained the King's favor." Kyla interrupted and finished "and is sure to be a general in the royal army someday. Yes, I know, I've heard it a hundred times!” The servant sighed again. "Your bath is ready m'lady. Come along" Kyla soared with confidence, she could feel the power of Water searing through her veins. So powerful was the energy flowing inside of her, Kyla thought she could challenge the entire Black Army herself. "Perhaps I could return home, then" she thought. She had lost so much in such a short time. The thought of being able to return home to lead a reasonably normal life seemed heavenly at this point. However, her happy daydreams came to a sudden end when she reached the entrance to the Ice cavern. There, levitating amongst the falling snow, was the shadow wizard Taloss, wearing his confident smirk. The shadow wizard began laughing at Kyla as she emerged from the cavern. "Well, well" Taloss said after his laughter subsided. "If it isn't the little girl from Bovega" Without hesitation, Kyla withdrew the Staff of Water and aimed it at Taloss. "Ice Beam!" she cried, as a ray of freezing water rocketed from the staff, streaking towards Taloss. Without as much as a flinch, Taloss disappeared from view just as the ice shot passed where he stood. Taloss' laughter echoed through the air. "I see the little girl's got a new toy.” Taloss said. Kyla was outraged. "I have a name!" she screamed. Taloss was intrigued at Kyla's new self-assurance. Although, he knew the answer to his next question, he decided to indulge his flair for the dramatic. "Really? What is it?" he asked. Kyla again spoke without fear or hesitation. "Kyla Thalius...Sage of Water!" This only served to heighten Taloss' maniacal laughter. "Am I supposed to be impressed?" he asked, reappearing behind Kyla. Kyla didn't offer a response, unless a second ice blast could be considered a response. The sudden ice beam caught Taloss of guard. Striking his chest, the shadow wizard was sent flying backwards, landing some 20 yards from where he was floating. The ice had seized his upper body. He could not expand his chest to breathe, so he could not speak...and that meant he could not use his spells to attack Kyla. Kyla approached Taloss. She looked at him, struggling with his body trapped in ice; she pointed the staff of Water at his head, intending to bring about the deathblow. However, she stopped. Though her hands were trembling, though she knew she had to do it, though every fiber of her being was screaming "Kill him now!" She could not. Suddenly, Taloss disappeared. That's when it hit Kyla. "He doesn't need to speak to disappear into the shadows,” she thought to herself. Indeed the ice that had been wrapped around him was still there, though his body was not. Then something else hit Kyla. Taloss' voice calling "Shadow Bolt!" was the last thing she remembered before finding herself face-down in the snow. She tried to get up, but when she did, she felt a tremendous burning pain in her back. Taloss approached her. "It appears as though I may have to take you seriously!" he hissed. Kyla reached out towards Taloss. "Hail!" she cried as large, fist-sized balls of ice began raining down on Taloss.