The Book of Magic Read Free Page A

powerful way—not with his eyes, but with his heart.
    Later, when Merlin's magical seed gave birth to the world of Avalon, Elen and her daughter, Rhia , founded a new spiritual order: the Society of the Whole , dedicated to promoting harmony among all living creatures and to protecting the Great Tree that sustains all life. This new faith, which began as just a gleam in its founder's sapphire eyes, spread rapidly across Avalon. It paid close attention to the seven sacred Elements —Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Life, LightDark, and Mystery—which together constitute the Whole. Elen and her followers (including Rhia, Lleu of the One Ear , and Babd Catha) built their sacred compound in Stoneroot . And in the compound's very center stood a Great Temple that was, in fact, the circle of stones from Lost Fincayra known as the Dance of the Giants .
    When Elen died, in the Year of Avalon 37, creatures everywhere grieved. People of all kinds wore sapphires in her honor. And the great spirit Dagda personally guided her spirit all the way to the Otherworld . There she could, at last, rejoin her life's greatest love, the bard Cairpré.
    Eremon
    When young Merlin saved a pair of deer—a doe and a stag—from huntsmen's arrows, he met two great friends. For they turned out to be deer people of Fincayra 's Mellwyn-bri-Meath clan: Hallia , who would become Merlin's lover and lifelong companion, and Eremon, her true hearted brother. Eremon was the first to trust the young man—and the first to call him Young Hawk. When in human form, Eremon walked with long, loping strides. His feet were bare. Like his sister, he possessed rich brown eyes and the strong chin of the deer people. And like his sister, he knew that the best way to come to know each other was "to circle a story," one of the deer people's oldest traditions.
    In time, Eremon saw much of himself in Merlin. That commonality deepened when he asked, "How do you know so much about your faults?"—to which Merlin replied, "That's easy. I have a sister." Finally, Eremon vowed to help Merlin on his quest to save the island from the dragon Valdearg —even if Eremon himself did not survive. As the deer man declared, "It is right to help another creature, no matter the shape of his track."
    Galator
    When young Merlin first saw the Galator one night early in his Lost Years , the pendant seemed to shine with its own light, not just the moon's. Right away, he noticed that the crystal was deep green, with rivers of violet and blue flowing beneath its surface and glints of red that pulsed with life. Truly, it looked almost like a living eye.
    This pendant, once believed to be the last of the fabled Treasures of Fincayra , had a long history linking Fincayra with Avalon . Its journey connected many key people of both worlds. Worn by Elen of the Sapphire Eyes , given to Merlin, prized by Cairpré , stolen by Domnu , buried in lava during a battle with kreelixes , rescued by the great spirit Dagda , and carried to Avalon by Rhia , this deep green pendant ultimately belonged to the Lady of the Lake , her friend Nuic , and the young priestess Elli . Yet despite its many bearers, only Elli managed to tap its greatest power: to speak with the person she loved, across distances as vast as the sky itself. For the Galator's deepest magic enabled loved ones to see and hear each other beyond any limits of space and time.
    Gobsken
    … Vicious fighters who respond to fear, lust, and greed.
    Looking for exceptionally good warriors who are also exceptionally bad company? Gobsken are your answer—unless you don't enjoy smelling breath so terrible it could fell an ogre. Gobsken have broad chests, burly limbs, greenish gray skin, and eyes as thin as slits. Their three-fingered hands curl naturally into fists. And they are swift to anger.
    Like their ancient king Harshna , gobsken are vicious fighters who respond to fear, lust, and greed. While they are invariably rude, they are often quite clever, as well as