#Anya Silverblood

[kimberly-earthfriend]

The boys take on Darkmoor. I know you can only have four wizards to a dungeon but I promise there being five of them makes sense in my wider canon. I promise. Also this took me 13 hours so there’s no going back now. Loosely inspired by the Night Falls dance number from descendants 3

[kimberly-earthfriend-archive]

These wizards are. So dear to me,, let me tell you a little about them

1. Micah Skyweaver. As a young boy he lived with his parents and elder brother in Celestia. His brother was sent to Ravenwood and became a student of storm. One summer when he came home, there was an accident in which Micah was struck by lightning. Now terrified of this power that belonged to the sky, he became determined to learn everything about it, collecting books from the spiral over about the magic of the heavens. But instead of leading him down the path of storm like his brother, it led him to Astral magic. The sun, moon and stars were his domain, and when he wasn’t standing at the window of the Celestial Observatory, watching the skies, he was in the Astral Archives, learning to become a scholar of magic. It was here that he learned about Empyrea, the world at the heart of the spiral, and vowed that one day he would see it for himself.

2. Anya Silverblood. Anya is an Ice Wizard from Polaris. She ran away from home at the tender age of 17, as she was lonely and felt neglected by her family, feeling like little more than a ghost that wandered desolate tundaria. Between her family’s inattentive nature and the constant threat of violence and revolution, Anya had no choice but to take her leave of that wretched world. Eventually she found her way to dragonspyre, where she was adopted by a pair of musicologists, who use their songs to influence the narratives of the spiral. One, a resident of Darkmoor who had been forced to flee after a quarrel with her lover, and the other a pirate from Cool Ranch. Over time, she and the musicologists found more people just like them from across the spiral: a metallic construct from Avalon who had been accused of magic before it was made legal there and tossed into the Nothing; a pair of soldiers from Marleybone, who swear they’ve fought legions from the moon (but were probably just celestians that they didn’t yet understand). One, a wooden construct, like the haunted minions, who had been built for war and saw the universe a little differently than it’s companions. The other, a young man with keen eyes and a tendency to fly into an Achillean rage if those he held dear were hurt; a scholar from the Arcanum who lost her memory when the first Ark crashed; the daughter of an Aquilan inventor who flew too close to the sun; a pyromancer from a world long lost who grew tired of the constant fighting and set it all ablaze; and a celestian man from the era of war between man and machine, who is neither a baron nor a doctor. (They’re the mechanisms. I’m making the mechanisms in wizard101. If anyone else out there is also interested in both media please talk to me, I’m very normal about them I promise). But Anya drifted apart from the other musicologists, and cast herself out of their vessel, into the skyways, where she drifted in the dark for a very long time. The metallic blood that flowed through her veins kept her alive against all odds as she lost consciousness in the void. She hoped she would not mind it when she eventually woke up, and indeed found herself back in dragonspyre, where she had initially been adopted by that darkmoorian vampire so long ago, and was found again by a new group of adventurers that needed her help.

3. Tatiana Starwalker. I cannot do Tatiana’s intricate story justice myself, as they’re not my character. Here’s a link to @tatiana-starwalker’s post on the matter

I think we’ve established since this was posted that Tatiana is closer with Kimberly than Rowan, and did not attend ravenwood at the same time as our plucky protagonist, as they’ve got their own band of wizards to look after now, but you’ll have to correct me if I’m wrong <3

4. Rowan Drake Duskhaven. Ah yes, the young wizard themself. Rowan is originally from Dragonspyre but they don’t remember a life there. Instead they grew up on the streets of wizard city, chasing the firecats and feeding the unicorns. They were whisked off to Ravenwood as soon as Merle got wind of a prophecy concerning Rowan and their family, and since then they’ve studied necromancy and journeyed across the spiral, defeating threats as they rise and finding themself in the process. When Malistaire was defeated and Sylvia came around from the astral plane to tell him it’s time to rest, they discovered the true nature of their birth - a child of the Drake Family. When Ambrose’s prophecy told him that a dragonspyrian necromancer will either save or doom the spiral, he rounded up the last of the Drakes, and had Rowan adopted by a member of the Wizard City guard, hoping that this fate could be avoided. But Rowan cannot help their magical proficiency any more than they can disobey the prophecy. And so, the young wizard is what they became. The Great Prophecy regarding Morganthe is widely interpreted to be about a different wizard, however, as Rowan is from the spiral and therefore never “sailed the shadow sea,” meaning they never crossed the Nothing between the spiral and the outer universe. But in this story, the child never came, and so Rowan did their utmost to save the spiral each time it began to fall, despite knowing that they were not the one the Elders intended. It’s difficult to be the chosen one when you were never actually chosen, but they’re too compassionate to allow the worlds to shatter. They cannot let the worlds they love be destroyed no matter what.

5. Kimberly Earthfriend. The first wizard I ever created, she’s been with me since 2011. Kimberly was born and raised in Avalon, a healer to knights from across the realms and a friend to the fair folk and all the plants of the forest, which is where she gets her name. She was frequently found as a child wandering the woodland paths of Dun Dara, and was casting life magic almost before she could talk. At a very young age she showed a proficiency for magic the likes of which hadn’t been seen in a long while, and so was summoned to Ravenwood just in case she was the prophecy child, the child who shall sail the shadow sea. She was not, but she found great joy in Ravenwood, especially in magical duels. Since then she has competed in spiral cups and immortal games alike, travelling the spiral to spar with new and exciting opponents, and to search for interesting plants to journal about. She also loves gardening. She became close friends with Tatiana Starwalker in Wysteria, when Tatiana was competing in the Spiral Cup, as Kimberly spends a lot of time in Pigswick Academy during tournament season, tutoring young duellists for the cup and healing them up after battle. Now, she travels with the Young Wizard, acting as a strategist and healer for their quest.

6. Alexandra Goldeneyes. Alex is not really a bee, but the hive is the only home she’s ever known. She was abandoned in Khrysalis shortly before contact was lost with the rest of the Spiral, and was raised by Ezzric at the moon cliffs. When the Umbra Queen came knocking, she began to learn shadow magic, hoping to become one of the most powerful assets the Umbra Legion would ever know. But all that changed when Zaltanna rebelled. Alex and Zaltanna had been close as youngsters, and it didn’t take much convincing from her childhood friend to get Alex to join the fifth column instead. When the spellbinder tumbled through the ruined spiral door, Alex was sent as a guide, a liaison of sorts, to help the adventuring party get around Khrysalis, and to begin to teach Rowan the ways of shadow magic.

7. Cassandra Djeserit Lotusflower. Cassie was born and raised in Krokotopia, but taught herself moon magic at a young age so that she could disguise herself as human. She hated everything about the tomb of storms, where she attended her deceased family and helped them on their journeys through the duat. She wanted nothing to do with the Djeserits and despised the way that the manders were treated, often helping them to flee the tombs where she could get away with it. The order of the fang caught wind of her teaching herself the magic of the moon and called her to aid them when the kroks rose again. She jumped at the chance to get away, and was later trained in balance magic by Alhazred. She acts as a sort of mission control for Rowan’s group, staying behind in Krokotopia and keeping them informed whenever a new crisis rises so that they can attend to it ASAP.

By the time they reach the Arcanum, near the beginning of arc 3, the party looks more like this. Still led by Rowan, but a lot has changed. For a start, they’ve got a new member! Mellori is now a proud part of the team, though only until she’s sent to Ravenwood right before they go to Mirage. Alex decided to stay behind in Khrysalis, helping the bees and mantises to rebuild their lives. Anya was reunited with her family in Polaris, and decided to give things in her homeworld a second chance. Cassandra still remains in Krokotopia, and will send messages to the squad when they need to be informed of an upcoming disaster. Micah, Tatiana and Kimberly decided to stay with her young wizard, however. Micah has been scouted by the Arcanum to help out in the upcoming mission to Empyrea, as he knows so much about it already and has been preparing for this moment his whole life. He works closely with Ione, who hails from Empyrea and is teaching him to be less frightened of storms, and Qyburn, with whom he shares a great passion for astral magic. Kimberly is looking to eventually visit Wallaru, as Zander, her new lecturer, hails from this world, and he has much to teach her. She has signed up as an Arcanum initiate and will stay here throughout this part of the story, training with Zander. Tatiana is researching the Cabal, the Old One and the Firstworld, and looks forward to travelling to Lemuria to survey the Old One’s work. And Rowan, of course, is still saving the Spiral. Since grandfather spider was released, they have a lot of work to do.

[kimberly-earthfriend]

MEET THE WIZARDS: Anya Silverblood

Anya was a Duchess of Polaris, back before the Pingouins started to revolt. She was badly injured in one of their attacks, and fled to the Kataba ice block to escape the torrent of violence. Here, she encountered the Borealis crystals for the first time. She observed the patterns within them and began to trace them with her own mind. And as she did so, she felt a new strength course through her. Her blood turned to silvery ice, she was hardened and protected from the outside world. At night, she watched the moon, and learned to change her shape as it changed the tides. Never again would she associate herself with the Walrusks that she had called family. They had done terrible things to her world, and she would stand for it no longer. Like a selkie, she shed her seal skin, and she promised never to let another control it again.

She hijacked the first Sky Ship that came by and drove herself to Dragpnspyre. Although it was a touch warmer than her home, the ice in her blood kept her cool, and the language and dress was familiar enough that she felt comfortable at least. She hid out in abandoned buildings for a while. Then the wizard found her.

Together with Rowan, Kimberly and a wandering construct by name of Tatiana, she traversed the war-riddled lands of Dragonspyre and approached Malistaire’s hideout on the great spire, bringing him down at last. She decided that she rather liked the adventure of questing with these people and stayed with them right until they returned to her homeland of Polaris. She had changed so much that the pingouins did not recognise her, and gladly took her on as an ally for the Revolution. She turned the tides against her former family and stayed in new Pinguinonia, heralded as a hero.

When the Pinguoins branched out to Novus, Anya went with them. She had always dreamed of seeing the stars up close. They travelled the skyways and journeyed to the unformed world, where they found their old friends. Kimberly, Tatiana and Micah. Together, they continued their story onwards into the future.

[kimberly-earthfriend]

MEET THE WIZARDS: Jules Sky Singer

Jules is from the world of Azteca. He is only young, yet burdened with knowledge far beyond him. He keeps fragments of the song of creation. His quetzal messenger brings him news of doom and fatality. The world is always ending. Now more than ever. So he sends out a distress call.

The Young Wizard answers the call, accompanied by Kimberly Earthfriend and Anya Silverblood. Together, the four of them quest through Azteca searching for a way to reach Xibalba and prevent the comet from destroying Jules’ home.

He is greatly affected by the fall of Azteca, and wants revenge on Morganthe for the senseless violence and suffering that she has brought to his people. So he follows the party, now prophecy-child-less, on to Khrysalis. He helps them defeat bugs and burrowers alike, making use of his proficiency in creation - a sort of myth magic.

Due to his magical skill, Kimberly asks him if he would accompany Alex to defeat Malistaire in Darkmoor. He is more than happy to oblige, given Malistaire’s role in the destruction of Azteca, and lets loose on him with a furious defiance that is reflected in his very being. He becomes corrupted, reflections of the dread comet in his eyes and a great wrath summoned from the heavens. He becomes a pivotal component in the final defeat of Morganthe, finally fulfilling the line of the prophecy that “the sky will fall.” He summons meteors from above to rain down on her the way she did to his home, and her shadowy presence over Khrysalis finally fades as she falls eternally through the skyways.

He decides not to stay on with Kimberly and defeat the Spider’s shadow-children. After all, he had a long way to go if he was going to make it to Xol Akmul and help his people rebuild.

[kimberly-earthfriend]

MEET THE WIZARDS: Alexandra the ShadowCaster

Alex isn’t really a bee. She knows that, somewhere deep in her soul, but she doesn’t care. She was abandoned in Khrysalis as a baby right before it was cut off from the rest of the spiral and raised by the hive. More specifically, by Ezzric. She wears synthetic wings, armour painted in the colours of her bee family, and a helmet with antennae. She loved the hive, and really felt like she fit in there. But when she grew up and started showing an affinity for magic, he didn’t know how to handle it. He asked one of the Mantises for help, and for a while they were able to keep her magic in check and under control. But eventually the Umbra Legion caught wind of a spellbinder living in the hive. They summoned her to Fort Rachias and began to train her as a weapon for the shadow queen.

Alex, however, did not want to be a weapon for the shadow queen. Although she attended all the classes she was put in and fought the battles she was supposed to fight, she would secretly fly home to consult with the bees and the mantises in her spare time, plotting an escape. Eventually, it arrived, in the form of Kimberly Earthfriend, Anya Silverblood and Jules Sky Singer. They brought news from Azteca, that Morganthe had made her strike against the Aztecosaurs and learned the song of creation. It was almost time for the final battle. Alex offered to help the trio fight back, acting as their guide through all of Khrysalis and sneaking them past the guards of the Umbra Legion.

She did not follow the crew when they finally left Khrysalis. She didn’t care about Old Cobb and his schemes, she just wanted her family back. So they said their farewells at the World Door, ready for the next great adventure.

[kimberly-earthfriend]

Meet the Wizards - Rowan Duskhaven

Rowan has changed a lot since the last time I shared them, so I figured I better give an update!

They’re my young wizard, saviour of the spiral, hero from Earth etc etc. Until they aren’t. They started off being kidnapped by Ambrose and told to defeat Malistaire at just 12 years old. But honestly, they didn’t mind all that much. Their home life on earth had been pretty terrible, and school? Even worse. And besides, they quite liked the idea of learning magic and fulfilling a grand destiny (what bookish 12 year old wouldn’t?)

They got selected for the spiral cup, though according to the rules they were far to young to compete. Really, it was just a guise under which they could go to wysteria to meet their new mentor - Kimberly Earthfriend - and recruit her for the fight against Malistaire. This, unfortunately, would turn out to be the worst “decision” of their life, insofar as they were allowed to decide anything as the young wizard.

Things went well for a few worlds, they defeated Malistaire, and then Morganthe showed up. Rowan did not like how uncomfortably familiar the ambitious shadow mage seemed, and began to have some doubts about the quest. They had already seen that Malistaire was just a grieving man, a man who needed therapy, not violence. And now they were beginning to see what could happen if they ever dared to rebel against their Destiny.

Avalon. It was the turning point in Rowan’s wizarding journey, even though most would call it Azteca. Together with Kimberly and Anya Silverblood, they sought out the Lady of the Lake so they might be granted the sword of kings to defeat Morganthe. Unfortunately, it would not be Rowan who was granted the sword. Nimue, furious that Merle had put the weight of the spiral on the shoulders of a child, sought out the fates and rewrote Destiny, selecting Kimberly as the bearer of the sword and allowing her to become a knight of the silver rose instead. This did not sit well with the Young Wizard, but they supposed it made enough sense. After all, Kimberly was born and raised in Avalon. Of course the stone would determine her as the rightful ruler. It was just a blip, that’s all. But deep down in their soul, resentment was beginning to grow.

The fall of Azteca was not so much the turning point as the straw that broke the camel’s back. An entire civilisation destroyed, and Rowan believed it was all their fault. If they had just been better, if they had been good enough to get the sword, they could have defeated Morganthe before it came to this. But now they were gone. And Rowan was gone too. They fled Azteca, following the resurrected Malistaire to Darkmoor and beginning to learn Shadow magic. They became obsessed with “fixing” the wrongs they had caused, and wanted to bring Azteca back to its former glory. Malistaire informed them that sadly there was no shadow magic strong enough to stop Xibalba. But he once had dealings with a group who possessed a device that might just do it: the world synthesiser.

By the time Kimberly and the others arrived in Darkmoor under the law of Kan Dvasi, Rowan was long gone. They fled back to Wizard City, cloaking themself in shadows so as not to catch the attention of Ambrose or the other professors. There, they met with Duncan Grimwater and Greta Darkkettle, and began learning of the Schism. They were quickly initiated and began working their way through the ranks, determined to get the attention of the Old One and gain access to his World Synthesiser.

On a journey to Empyrea, they reunited with Micah Stormweaver, the astral wizard they had befriended in Celestia, and sparks flew. They hit it off in no time at all, and now they had a guide to the stormy wastelands of Empyrea.

It was though him that they discovered Mellori. If they caught her and broke the paradox chains, then surely the old one would take notice. Never mind that that could destroy the entire spiral. Their obsession with fixing Azteca had blinded them to the other destruction that they wrought. They no longer cared who they hurt, who got in their way. They just had to fix the past.

As the only person who could walk the Astral plane, it wasn’t hard for Rowan to heal Mellori. The problem was finding her body. Pretending that they wanted to make up for the past and help Kimberly, they offered to walk the Reverie together. But then, while Kimberly was fighting her nightmares, Rowan slipped away, “rescuing” Mellori and carrying her off into the night. Thankfully they were caught and stopped by the Luphilim before they could break the chains, but walking the astral plane and healing the Raven child had been enough. Finally the Old One was listening.

He asked them to the summit in Karamelle, and it was here that he told them of his office in Arcanum, and of Lemuria. If they could check in on Lemuria and get to his secret lab, they would have free reign over the World Synthesiser, and could create whatever they desired, provided it worked towards the final goal of reinstating the first world. They readily agreed, calling Micah to fly them to the Arcanum and sneaking into the old one’s office under cover of night

How they managed to get into the shrunken world of Lemuria, we do not know, but I suppose if anyone can do it, it’s the Young Wizard. They made it to the lab in the centre of Telos and discovered the template for the Scion of the Old One right along with the synthesiser. They donned his armour and decided to play along with his little test, just to prove that they were still a worthy and capable wizard. They joined the team of Lemuria heroes, and when the time came, they finally faced off with Kimberly, revealing their identity in the final battle and attempting to claim the synthesiser for themself.

If they had just listened to the Old One and taken the synthesiser right at the get-go, of course, they could have achieved their goal. But they were defeated, and stayed on in Lemuria, finally seeing the error of their ways and vowing to do better by truly helping the citizens of the lost world

Eventually, Kimberly invited them on a Walkabout in Wallaru, so that they might find themself and find their peace. They departed with Dasein to the Dreaming, finally at peace.