The awakening was slower than my last few, but more gradual, as the wizarding group was in no hurry. I slid off my bed to put my clothing back on, to find Xaaven was still there, barely awake at all. Beatrice and Quintvere had left the room, as did I a minute or two later. The main floor was mostly empty, being much more popular in the evenings. Five practitioners of magic were sitting around the table, plates of food in front of them. Beatrice, who sat opposite to an empty seat, waved. A plate of meat was slid towards me, though I was too hungry to care what I ate. My fork, knife, and jaw made quick work of it. Finishing my plate, I attempted to strike up a conversation, though fatigue had caused those around me not to be very talkative.
"Where is Niko?" I asked when I saw one get particularly attentive.
"He left for the fields outside town. I heard he was practising for today." one replied.
"I heard he's scared of something!" another joked, "though it was most likely just a rumour."
"Can one of you show me where he went?" I asked. No one said anything. "Goodbye then. I'll find my own way out." I rose from my seat, leaving the tavern. Immediately as I turned the corner, I knew where to go. I walked along the road, sights already set on the large stone building I came from. Because if anyone would know, it would be Tenka. The building was only a short walk away, having not moved at all since I arrived there.
It had a doorway but no door, allowing me to walk in. A healer, in the same clothing as Tenka, passed by. His hood was down, allowing me to see his face. "Excuse me?" I asked, having no concern to where a healer was going. "Do you know where Tenka is?"
"Yes, she just went out." he said quickly before turning around. "You're free to wait for her here, if you want." I walked between rows of healing beds until I found what I guessed to be a room where healers sat, if not needed at the minute. Wooden benches lined the outside walls save for the doorway's opening, and a large book sat on the table. It was bound in light brown leather, almost a golden colour, three orbs of glass set into its cover. Just the same yellow, white, and cyan as Tenka's staff. I took the book up in my hands, sitting back down across from the door so I could see who entered and left. Curious, I waded through its pages. Where I expected arcane symbols I couldn't understand, I instead saw plain language. Gestures of how and where to heal, diagrams to match the instructional messages, and a few words of magic were printed.
I tried one out. "Sano." It rolled through my mouth like syrup, causing my hands to feel relaxed, warm even, as a soft green light weaved through my fingers like an agile snake. I reached into my backpack. While pulling my rapier out, I grabbed it part of the way down the blade, making a single jab at the back of my forearm. A small amount of blood leaked out, and I had to be careful not to get it on the seat. My face wore a look of pain, and I incanted the spell again. The same snake of green light weaved over my skin, towards the stab, and then my pinprick of a wound closed. "It works!" I thought. Not willing to test it again, I put the book back. A noble-looking human in red leather armor entered, making brief conversation with another healer. His allies filed through, in much worse condition than he, going to healing beds of their own. "Who is he?" I thought, as the red-armored man entered the room and spoke.
"My name is Bramwell." He wore no crown, and was clothed in no gold or silver, but the words out of his mouth were spoken like a noble. His hair was brown, and while short, had an otherworldly flowing motion to it. The curved sword on his side felt like it was ceremonial in comparison, as his voice caused me to question myself. The words were spoken from such a common mouth, but in such a delivery that would easily cause one to listen. "What brings you here?"
I focused, strengthening my will and speaking. "I'm waiting for a healer named Tenka. She knows the outside of town where the wizard, Niko, invited me to prove my magic." All the while, I could feel my sense of logic leave the room. I had just told a stranger my plans, an influential-sounding one at that.
"Then I request to spectate. Don't worry, I have no magic of my own." I nodded in agreement, having little to say. A few minutes later, I saw Tenka walk back in, towards a bed near me. I made my move. I got up, breaking into a quick pace after her.
"Tenka?" I managed to catch her with my voice before she went to a bed to heal someone.
She stumbled forward, and I was thankful she wasn't carrying anything.
"Sorry, I-" I cut off her words, as she had no need to apologize.
"You know the area outside of town?" Tenka nodded. "You think you could take me to the forest right there? I wouldn't want to get lost when someone's waiting for me." Tenka looked nervous.
"I guess I could spend a few more minutes outside..." She walked out, trying to avoid any strangely placed glances. The two of us followed the road's side, past some housing, in the opposite direction of the tavern. She pointed down to a corner, where the trees were thickening. "It should be just down there. And whatever you're doing? Good luck, Vienna." That was the most caring comment that had entered my ears all day. I walked, straight forward, no disruption from passersby, nor companions to walk with, until I saw two stone pillars.
"Must be the limits of the city." I walked through them, looking to either side. It was forest, but a thinner one than the one just outside my own Kingdom, letting me see farther, before being blocked by trees. With this sight, I located a more open area, curiosity drawing me to it. Bramwell's red armor could be seen behind me, and I knew I had an audience. I could see the blue robes of Niko, lined in silver. He was sitting on the ground, facing away, a faint blue glow around him.
"Niko?" I stepped out from the clumped trees. "I've arrived."
His eyes snapped open, as if just coming back from a dream. "Vienna, was it?" He swept his hand alongside him, around belt-level, a black Y shape in it. A red gem was set into the center, looking like a piercing eye. "I'm here to test you. You've cast a single bolt of ice, have you not? But I've hardly seen your real power. I've seen potential in you, a desire for magic. Are you fit to withstand its force?"
"Yes I am." I felt my hand chill to the bone, determined by the force of the challenge set before me. I pointed my hand and opened my fingers. A bolt of frozen hydration sailed towards my challenger, three smaller ones circling it like moons. Niko, made a quick gesture; a flame erupted right in front of him, ice losing its point and turning into a blunt force. An orb of flame sailed towards me, my rapier striking it off to the side. I cursed as it struck me, feeling like it had mass as well as fire. No burn was left on my clothing, and I had no idea whether my flesh was affected. I focused my power at the ground, the very thought of magic this critical causing it to freeze. I jumped, sliding along the ice, casting again once I reached my opponent. He cast a defensive shield of fire from his catalyst, thinking this was an attack, when his balance betrayed him. Niko went sliding back, another mere thought from me causing a shotgun blast of projectiles from my open hand. They pelted him like hail, leaving small rips in his clothing. I stood over him, laughing. "Just what can you do against that?" Niko lashed out with his arm. I fell to one side, my leg cut by his dagger. I felt my magical powers drained by the grey blade, Niko and I rolling away from each other. We rose as one, I in the same motion drawing my rapier. I thrust once, poking through his attempted block, the second time bouncing off a summoned shield. In my second of weakness, he struck. I felt my stomach being slashed across once, then again, a third strike going upwards to near my throat. "If you want to play this way, I'll have no choice but to end you."
Niko was cut off by a simple healing spell. "Sano," I coughed out, wounds looking a little smaller. "Sano!" I incanted more clearly, a green snake of light weaving around me. I tried something I had learned right after "Sano", confident I could speak it more clearly. "Cusano!" Three green snakes of light emerged from my hand, spiraling around my fingers before jumping at my stomach wounds.
Niko's eyes were wide in awe. "Incredible..." I heard him say under his breath. "I've never seen any of my mages do that."
With newfound strength, I pounced with my rapier. The result was enough to catch Niko off guard, knocking him over. I held my rapier right over his heart, looking right into his eyes.
"That will be enough, thank you." Bramwell stepped into view, and I stepped off my opponent, allowing me to sheath my rapier.
Niko arose, still shocked by my actions, leaving his dagger behind. "Keep it." His voice was a mixture of awe and scorn. I picked up the grey blade, seeing it wave slightly as if a ritual dagger.
"Does this blade have a name?" I asked, admiring my new find.
"Magicbane." Niko adjusted his robes, speaking into his clothing. "I'll need to fix these."
He turned his head back up to me, a conflicted expression on his face. "You're part of the Wizards now, even if your power is far from standard. Normally, I'd give you a mission to get a better catalyst, but your lack of need confuses me. However, another Wizard named Vylath is disrupting our travels. He's been sending his various magical creations at us with intent to kill. With your proven ability, I think you'd be able to do the mission."
"And that is?" I asked, intrigued. Niko's voice grew more intense.
"Steal his catalyst. Kill what you need to. Rob him of his power." Niko's dedication took me by surprise. "My Wizards and I will be traveling south tomorrow, making a turn near his lands. We'll let you off at the halfway mark. From there, go further south, to his obsidian tower in the Dead Lands."
From Bramwell's side, I saw a grey cat walk out. She looked right up at me, green eyes focused. "Good job, human! You're learning to control your magic!" Mimi the magical cat thought into my mind. She mewed, rubbing against my leg. The others didn't seem to notice or simply didn't care.
Niko, Bramwell, and I walked back towards the tavern, leaving Mimi behind, Niko leading, with Bramwell at his side. I heard them talk of ruling, though details faded as I slowed down to avoid his commanding voice. The sound of it made me feel bent to obey him. As Niko and Bramwell passed the stone building, Tenka walked out of the doorway. "Who are they?" she asked, as I entered her range of hearing.
"A Wizard and... I'm not sure exactly what he is," I gestured to Bramwell. Curious, Tenka followed beside me. "Niko summoned me out to the woods to prove myself. Your book of healing magic was most useful in my endeavors."
"And why did he want--" Tenka froze. "You read the book? How are you okay? That magic has fried our new members."
I realized I had no explanation. "It seemed safe to me," I shrugged as we walked. Tenka and I entered the tavern shortly after Niko and Bramwell. Had this been the tavern during its peak of hours, she would have been nervous, scared even, but judging by her expression, afternoon was fine. Wizards were gathered around the table, Bramwell sitting at its very head. Niko was on one side, other wizards gathered below as if in ranks.
"Niko?" I asked, walking up beside him. "Now, what about that sage?" Niko made a quiet, breathy noise of surprise.
"Excuse us a minute. Bramwell, lead them well." He followed me out, past the door guard and through the wooden door of the tavern. We weaved past houses, making turns so roundabout that no logical King would have approved of them.
"What is this place, hidden by magic?" I asked in impatience.
"Something like that. The house is protected by a password, entered by the direction you walk from. The house can only be found by drunken fools and people who know what they're doing. I've barely remembered it, but I have a strong enough memory to let you in." Niko and I took a few more paths, coming to a badly-kept part of Silverglint. The houses were bare, some of them having holes, save for an out-of-place looking house in the back corner. A glow came from inside, indication of our findings.
"He's right in there. I don't think Sage Vuldeem would take kindly to me." Niko left with no explanation.
This was it, what I had left the forest village for. My capture by bandits, falling off their vehicle, and the duel with Niko? I knew these setbacks were worth whatever lay beyond this door. I carefully turned the handle. A dreamlike glow filled the building, shining into my eyes. It looked like a standard house, though larger than I had thought, the front room leading into a dining room. Pipes, like the ones in Selaria's house, ran along the ceiling, some branching off into various parts of the house. A large metal box with a door on its front was the first thing I could see, and I could feel a cold generated by this construction.
"Well, another visitor?" a friendly voice said from the next room. The voice sounded old, but caring, inspiring me to walk through the doorway. I had expected Vuldeem to be more animal-ish, from what little I had seen of Selaria being any indication. All I saw now was an old-looking human, sitting and gazing out the window that looked out into a well-lit city, directly contrasting the barren slum I had just left.
I turned back around to respond, when I saw an odd creature floating around him. It was a purple orb of what looked like smooth skin, a single giant eye at the centerpiece. Eight paper-thin tentacles extended from its sides, ending in yellow circles branching off to smaller ones that looked slightly fuzzy, as if not seen clearly. "What is THAT?" I asked, backing up slightly.
"Don't worry.This one isn't too violent," Vuldeem responded. My expression told him he was dodging the question. "This is a Beholder, one of the creations of the Knight of Void. No idea how it ended up here, though." I decided not to let him talk too long.
"Selaria sent me here, as I had demonstrated magical aptitude. What can you inform me of?"
Vuldeem's face was bent between happiness and sadness. "Ah yes, her! It's been a long time..." He regained focus. "Come downstairs. I'm sure you can learn something from what I've built." Down a flight of stairs, it was like Selaria's basement, but intensified. Even more magical devices lined the walls, pipes for the same blue liquid flowing through each.
I stood over a wooden box with two gold panels on the sides, opening and closing as if breathing. "Just what are all those?" I asked, looking around.
"Just various machines, used to do simple work. But the real question." Vuldeem said as he walked towards a large glass tank of blue liquid, large enough to swim in, "is mana. It floats through the air and acts as a fuel for any spellcaster. These machines make use of it, using mana to accomplish tasks." Vuldeem gestured to the gold-paneled device. "This one makes one thing into two, though costly. This one moves around, mining out things from the earth! It's how I made my basement." His excited voice was directed at what looked like a wand, mounted on a set of metal spider legs. "I haven't had much contact with Selaria, though I do know she likes to use the enchanting table for infusing mana into items."
I struggled to take in all this information at once, though I snapped back into focus on hearing a familiar name. "Selaria seems to be doing adequately. She sent me here upon gaining knowledge of my magic."
This seemed to stop Vuldeem in his tracks. "You know how to cast magic? Without need of a book?"
I nodded. "I merely need someone to guide me."
Vuldeem looked deep in thought. A minute later, his eyes opened wide in realization. "How do you cast magic?"
"With my hand, of course." I held it out, in the open-claw position of casting.
Vuldeem shook his head. "What causes the spell to jump to your hand?"
I realized what he meant. "Intense emotion. Elation brings about ice, enragement conjures force."
"And what of sadness?" Vuldeem's next words were like ice, in how cold they felt and their way of slowing me down.
"I... haven't found that yet." My voice sped up, realizing none of my memories were sad enough to fill this request.
"Knowing how you act, I'm sure it's something. With happiness as ice, I wouldn't be surprised if your tears caused the ground to ignite. Now, what shape do you cast magic in?"
I tilted my head to one side. "Originally it was a bolt of ice. In a duel, I focused on the ground and caused it to freeze."
At the word "focus," Vuldeem opened his mouth to speak. "Exactly. Unlike the coldly defined wizards, this magic is far more freeform. Sorcery is ruled by force of personality, not raw knowledge. Come to the cave under my house, and I'll teach you the ways of this dying magic."
"Dying?" I asked. "What's killing it?"
He lowered his head. "Wizards mostly. They turn magic into a science, not an art. Ah well, to the cave." I followed Vuldeem in. The lights, originally floating orbs of yellow flame, became thinner, getting replaced with torches. "Look at that rock and think of it freezing from within." I focused my thoughts. A satisfying conversation I had with Kamon about cats, and general hope from learning magic, caused me to cast. A flat ice shard, like the point of a sword, flew through the air.
"Does this normally happen?" asked the disappointed Vuldeem.
"Not at all. I used to be getting a sharp cone, now I get the tip of a blade. This is progress." I focused again, imagining the kinds of magic I could create with his teachings. An ice spike shot up. With that realization, I stood completely still, my focus on the rock like a beam of light. It cracked, and I could see reams of frost form on its edges.
"Good!" Vuldeem called out. "You're focusing on your target, not yourself."
"I can do this. Vylath will fall." I boasted as the rock broke apart from the newly summoned ice.
"Vylath?" Vuldeem sounded lost in thought. "He was an old friend, though it seems his time has come. I wish you luck on your travels, Vienna."
I left his house, evening already approaching. I broke into a run, energized by the new discovery of power, so the way back to the tavern felt much shorter than the way there. I leaned on the door, a single turn of the knob causing it to give way, the sight before me inviting. Bramwell had taken a prestigious-looking chair, much like a wooden throne, sitting at a table's head. On one side was Niko, listening to his words. This came of little surprise to me...far less than the fact that on the other was Tenka, and from where I stood in the doorway, I could see her blushing as she leaned close to Bramwell. He turned his head to the side, somehow sensing my entrance, and spoke with his same voice of command. "The sorcerer has returned to us. How was your endeavor? Niko has told me of your goal, not of your journey."
"Educational." I replied quickly, taking a seat diagonally from Beatrice.
"Evening," Her usually happy tone was quiet. "What did you do?"
"I learned how to focus my abilities. And you?" I inquired.
Beatrice sounded guilty. "I spent most of the day listening to Bramwell talk. He has all these great ideas, and his voice is so captivating..."
"What did he speak of?" I asked. "One can only go on so long speaking about nothing."
Beatrice looked over, as if she liked watching him gesture as he spoke. "He told us that he's going to become King, and that we can help him. I never thought a commoner such as him could be so compelling, but look at him now." As time and conversation passed, people slowly filled the tavern, and my mind slowly filled with admiration.
"How can he do that?" I thought, with nobody to listen. One of the servers brought food to him. "He shouldn't be able to cause so much inspiration. The wizards had a plan to journey around and learn, and now they're bent on helping this man to power." Bramwell, whispered something into the server's ear, and he left, returning with a larger covered plate, piled much higher with meat. The rest of us were treated as if we were nobility, a step up for many of the Wizards Niko was trying to train, and a throwback to time at home for me.
For as long as I could remember, I ate like this, at a long table with my father at one end, mother at his side, and many others alongside the table. My family was a social one and a kind one, inviting many of our friends from the nobility to share meals every day. A few hungry peasants always showed up, and they too were invited to eat, so long as they kept at the far end of the table. Memories of my friends filled me, reminding me that seeing them again would be nearly impossible, and my hand felt warm. Hardly in a good way, as it felt more and more like it was over a hearth fire, slowly falling into the glow.
I could see no fire in my hand but quietly excused myself, walking outside the door. "I'll only be a minute," I said to the door guard, hoping I wouldn't be questioned. The door guard waved me through but kept an eye on me. "Probably making sure I don't burn the place down." When I walked outside, I sustained this feeling of separation. A purple-black orb, ragged at the edges, formed in my hand. Initially, it was little more in size than one's eye, but quickly grew, greater than my head. I released it, the dark orb hitting a tree with the force and trajectory of a cannonball.
The dark orb vanished, leaving a crater in the tree's side, and the door guard's face grew pale. "Is that all, sir?"
"Yes," I responded, walking back inside. "Thank you." I resumed my dinner, eating no faster nor slower than I intended. Many of us went back to the rooms upstairs after that, Bramwell making arrangements with Niko about where he could sleep. Tenka joined them a minute afterward, hand moving to Bramwell's. They walked into one of the first rooms on the hallway, Niko finding another. I walked into my own, lying down, and only bothering to ask one question to the already-present Xaaven. "What do you think of Bramwell?"
"He'll easily lead us to victory," came Xaaven's dull voice.
I lay there, lost in thought. I now seemed to know what all my emotions did, with this new addition of loneliness being dark magic that seemed to follow gravity's pull. With this change in the plans of the Wizards, I knew I would have to set out on my own to find Vylath.