Quill

185. It's a Trap

Several things took place at once. A rope came flying through the air, coiled itself around Kerra's ankle where she did not wear any gold, and dragged her backwards and away from the rest of the group. As soon as any distance had been created, a wall of earth rose straight up to block the entire street, separating Kerra from the others and preventing them from going back.

"Kill them, the boy first!"

Martel stared at where Kerra had stood. As he turned towards the voice, recognisin...

184. His Day in Court

As Tibert's words rang across the clearing, demanding Martel's head on a stake, Kerra's laughter came in response. Heart beating in his chest like a drum, Martel did not find anything amusing about this, but he hoped Kerra's response indicated how he should feel about this demand.

"Allow me to reply," the Copper Lady said, stepping forward to approach the middle. Tibert remained where he was, staring down at her. "I freely admit that a mage of my acquaintance entered the fights at The B...

183. The Nine Lords

Martel glanced around at the gathering place of the Nine Lords. It looked like an ordinary town square, except placed in an eerie city that felt like a crypt. In the middle stood a pedestal that might once have held a statue or something like it; now, it was empty. Not even shards nearby gave any sign of what might have once adorned the spot, nor did Martel see any inscription. A pity; he would have been curious as to the language and alphabet of such letters, even if foreign to him.

Th...

182. The Undercroft

They walked down a narrow staircase into the dark. One guard in front held a torch, as did Kerra walking in the middle. Sigrid brought up the rear and had one as well. Although unnecessary, Martel had ignited magelight around the tip of his staff, mostly as a statement of his powers and that he did not require light from anyone else.

The stairway itself was curious, hewn rather than built. It was also narrow, allowing only one person at a time, and Martel had to angle his staff rather t...

181. Delving into the Old

Martel liked knowledge, and he liked acquiring it. Some of his best memories of childhood had been at the small temple in Engby, learning from Father Julius. Only when he came to the Lyceum and encountered teachers of different mettle had Martel understood that much of his enjoyment of learning was owed to the young priest back home, patient with questions and always quick with a kind word.

Father Andrew bore little resemblance to Father Julius, whether in appearance, age, or dispositio...

180. On Quiet Feet

Martel could think of several things that Julia needed. First on that list would be a home above ground. While Martel did not have one of those available, the solution seemed simple enough. Weasel and his gang should have room; considering everything Martel had done for them, including inadvertently getting them the house where they now lived, he expected they would accept his request to let Julia live with them.

It might still be a hard sell though given her current state. Not just her...

179. Unexpected Encounters

Solday morning, Martel made his way to the workshops as usual. He stood with the other novices on the main floor, waiting for Master Jerome to appear and give them their assignments. When the artificer finally arrived, he looked frustrated rather than his usual jovial self. He muttered some quick instructions to the others but gestured for Martel to stay. "You've been with Mistress Vana around the castle, yeah? She took you to the sewers below."

Martel did not have fond memories of the ...

178. Pawns in Play

"There you are." Eleanor approached Martel at the breakfast table, giving Maximilian on the other side a nod. "I went through all of the symbols." She placed the rune token in the table next to Martel's meal.

"Any luck?" asked the novice, pushing his bowl of porridge a bit to the side to better look at the pebble.

"A little, though I cannot say much. Since the Tyrians do not view magic or humans the way we do, I worry that the explanation in the book might not accurately translate...

177. Lessons Outside of School

Despite their recent interactions, it appeared to Martel that his friendship with Eleanor remained buried. They had helped each other a few times, but that was it. She held firm to her decision, it seemed, disappointed with him over his reckless behaviour. Martel knew the sensible thing would be to simply accept this and move on; trying to force friendship upon an unwilling recipient was hardly a winning strategy.

Yet he could not help but think of ways to mend fences between them, espe...

176. Passive Relations

Martel did not know what to expect for his first lesson with Father Andrew. But since it did not involve magic, he did not feel too concerned. Even if he did poorly, this could hardly influence his examination or future studies at the Lyceum. And he had enjoyed himself back in Engby, learning his letters with Father Julius. Perhaps this would prove to keep a pleasant break from his more challenging classes.

Martel entered classroom to find an old man wearing the white robe of the clergy...

175. Expanded Curriculum

In the afternoon, as Martel check for messages, his diligence was rewarded. He felt a flash of discomfort as the short missive was put into his hand, thinking it came from Kerra who might be demanding a reply already. Quickly, he let his eyes glance over the text.

Martel,

Please see me sometime today.

Mistress Juliana

A message from the overseer always felt a little ominous, but Martel could not think of any reason to feel worried. Having a s...

174. Bitter Winds Blowing

Martel had a meeting on Solday as well, and unlike yesterday, he looked forward to it; spending an afternoon with Shadi would be a welcome reprieve from inquisitors and crime lords. While they had spent the harvest festival together, it had happened without her father's knowledge. Today, they would not have to worry about that; Master Farhad had given up his reservations. The riots of the summer seemed distant with the war going into hibernation for winter, reducing tensions between Asterians...

173. Court Summons

Still unsure what to think of the inquisitors in light of what he had learned, Martel decided to ask someone else. Manday gave him the chance to solicit one such often source of knowledge. "Master Fenrick, are the inquisitors our friends or enemies?"

The other novices glanced at him, some of them looking disturbed by the question.

"That depends on your viewpoint," the teacher replied. "Do you believe the threat from maleficars and the abominations spawned by necromancy matter more...

172. The Iron Coin

Eleanor's words about the executed alchemist rumbled around Martel's mind for the rest of the day. When he woke the next morning, the thought soon returned. Given that he studied alchemy himself, everything about it felt disconcerting. Hoping to learn more, he took the opportunity to make inquiries during his first lesson. "Master Alastair, is it true the inquisitors executed an alchemist?"

His teacher regarded him carefully. "That is the short of it, though there is more to the story. ...

171. Hung Up

Over the next days, inquisitors in the hallways of the Lyceum became more common. Plenty of rumours accompanied them, especially if someone disliked was pulled in for interrogation by them. Someone could usually be found willing to speculate and cast aspersions on the person being questioned; so far, nothing actually seemed to come of it. The inquisitors never seemed to go beyond making interrogations. As time went on, Martel grew accustomed to the sight of their blue uniforms and stopped pay...

170. Sight in the Dark

After the other night's excitement, or lack thereof, class with Master Basil felt like the complete opposite. At least, Martel could not think of anything that induced less emotions in him. He made his way towards the northern corridor, around which the different elemental chambers lay. A handful of novices came up the stairs from the Chamber of Earth, having finished their lesson. Martel also spotted the three novices with whom he had class, waiting by the top of staircase. Even as the hallw...

169. Wasted Hours

Hours later, with sunrise not far off, two young mages staggered towards the Lyceum. Their gait came mostly from feeling drowsy; Maximilian had shown uncharacteristic restraint, and neither of them had been drinking much.

"I can't believe nothing happened," the novice muttered as they approached the castle. He should perhaps be happy that they had avoided danger and nobody had been hurt, yet he felt disappointed all the same.

"Honestly, Martel, the copper lanes are huge. Thousands...

168. Friendly Secrets

By now, Martel was no stranger to waking up with anxious excitement, or perhaps excited anxiety. He had felt it on every morning of a fight night in The Broken Crown, and on the days of going to the Imperial palace. He wondered if today would also be memorable. If so, hopefully for a benign reason; considering what had happened a month ago at the last full moon, a malign reason was certainly possible.

He looked over at his drawer, where the Khivan clock happily ticked away. He had never...

167. Keeping Time with Friends

"Max, I have an opportunity for you." It was only breakfast, but Martel did not wish to delay. In part because Maximilian might make other arrangements; in part because lunch was usually crowded, and he preferred if others did not overhear.

The mageknight raised his eyes from his porridge to give the novice a tired look. "Again? What is it this time?"

"An opportunity for glory. To be the knight who captured the maleficar that has terrorised Morcaster," Martel explained.

Maxi...

166. Safety in Numbers

After visiting his young friends, Martel trained the guards at The Copper Drum as usual and returned home. It already felt like a routine, even though he knew it would be at an end soon. The full moon approached, and with it the opportunity to stop the maleficar. Whether that succeeded or not, Martel did not intend to continue drilling Kerra's people past that point. It was ineffective, him being the sole mage practising with them one at a time, and he could feel the toll on his nightly rest,...

165. Pillars of Sand

Master Basil collected his students from the entrance hall. "No more tours. Time to test your skill. Follow me." With slow steps, the teacher led them through the dining hall to the northern part of the castle, which held the different rooms for elemental magic teaching. They went down a staircase, not far from the one that led to the Vault of Water, moving below ground.

With only the earthmage's light hovering above to illuminate the hallway, they descended until making a sudden turn. ...

164. The Pact

Pelday morning, Martel did his work in the apothecary as usual, making ingredients ready for use and even mixing a few salves and simple remedies. He had yet to learn any actual magic involving potion-making, what could properly be termed alchemy, but Mistress Rana had promised him that she would begin teaching him once he became an acolyte. Until then, he did not mind doing the simple labour, as every hour spent in the apothecary made him better and better at all the basics. He usually worke...

163. The Copper Mage

Solday yielded another opportunity to gather information. Working to make ink, Martel waited until Master Jerome stopped by to check on his progress. "Master Jerome, are there any ways to protect yourself against hostile magic?"

"That all depends. You could dress yourself in gold from head to toe, but expenses aside, that would also make it hard for you to wield your own magic." The artificer laughed a little.

"What if you don't have any magic of your own? You're just a normal per...

162. Taking Charge

Manday provided the opportunity to ask a pertinent question. "Master Fenrick, how does a maleficar fight?"

The teacher narrowed his eyes. "That is a question for inquisitors, not for a novice."

"We won't always be novices. If you don't teach us now, who will?"

"Well, it's not a topic I am much familiar with. Maleficars use empowering magic, but in a different way than how we train you. We use it on ourselves, to be faster, stronger, and for protection, defensively." Master F...

161. Meeting the Recruits

Martel spent the walk home from the copper lanes contemplating how he would conduct the training. He had never considered how to fight a mage without any magic of his own, but perhaps he could still draw on some of his own experiences. The encounter with Leatherfist, as uncomfortable as it was to remember, served as one example of how to attack a mage when ungifted.

His lesson next morning proved an opportunity to ask someone possibly more experienced. "Master Alastair, how would you fi...

160. An Offer She Can't Refuse

"Today, we stay at the school. Study its stonework. Learn its secrets." Master Basil looked over his students in the entrance hall with such a placid expression, Martel wondered if the teacher actually registered their presence or simply assumed someone was around to attend his class. At least they were spared any slow-paced trip into the city and back again.

In fact, they barely had to move before reaching the first location for the lesson. Walking to the middle of the entrance hall, t...

159. Hangovers

Martel went to sleep the moment he returned from the Imperial palace. When he woke the next day, he felt better; apart from a strange soreness throughout his body, his symptoms from last night seemed gone. Most importantly, as he summoned a flame in his hand, it came willingly and without any nausea or the like.

Master Alastair greeted him as usual in the Hall of Elements. "You look a bit more worn than normal. Did you stay late at the feast?"

Martel shook his head. "I exhausted m...

158. Help from Above

Martel looked from the prince to Maximilian. He had sparred against the mageknight on many occasions, and he had no trouble doing that again. But he had the distinct feeling exchanging a few blows under the protection of their magical shields would not impress the prince as demanded.

"Come on. Hit me with the best you got," Maximilian told him. The mageknight raised his fists. "Think of it as a fight in the pit," he muttered.

Feeling like he had no other option, Martel gave an emp...

157. Cold Counsel and Hot Discussions

Solday morning passed like any other, with an exception towards the end. As Master Jerome dismissed him from his duty in the workshop, he passed on the message that the overseer wanted to speak with the novice. Always feeling a little uncomfortable, worrying about the reason, Martel did not delay but made his way to her chamber straightaway.

"Enter," came the reply to his knocking.

The room looked as always, and Martel took a seat. He placed one hand in his pocket, playing with th...

156. Bear Trap

Martel's first lesson of the day gave him the chance to ask a question that had been on his mind since last Manday, and which yesterday eve's conversation had reminded him of. "Master Fenrick, when you spoke of Tyrian shape changers, you mentioned they did something similar to create berserkers. But how? Berserkers don't turn into bears."

"No, they don't. This is simply my theory. The seiðr-wives guard the secrets of making berserkers, and I was only able to glean a few things in my ti...