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Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 31

Amelia wasn't sure why she'd come to this banquet, but she was quickly regretting it.

Well, that wasn't entirely true if she was honest with herself. She'd come for two reasons, both of which had caused her no shortage of irritation.

First, Julian had insisted she attend. He'd reiterated time and again that her attendance was all but mandatory and that skipping such an event would reflect poorly on herself, her family, and the Academy. She wasn't the strongest third-year ...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 30

We slipped past countless nobles, mages, and wealthy merchants to reach a spot near the middle of the dance floor. I took a moment to listen to the music before pulling Vesper close and moving in a simple, flowing waltz. It was a classic, easy to perform, and gave me a chance not only to get used to Vesper's skill level and rhythm, but also to talk.

"You're better than I would've expected," Vesper commented after only a few steps. She had to lean close to my ear to be heard over the mus...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 29

Vesper glanced at me, concern in her eyes as she whispered, "What is it?"

I didn't respond, keeping my eyes focused on the man descending the stairs. He didn't look hostile, but then again, looks could be deceiving.

Simon had grown taller since I last saw him, and his frame had filled out noticeably. No one would call him a giant, but he was larger than me by a notable margin. His clothes resembled the standard Academy uniform, but cleaned up and embellished with a longer...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 28

I turned my head to one side, checking my face over for any signs of errant stubble. Some nobles liked keeping a beard, but any facial hair I grew tended to be as patchy as leaves on a mid-autumn tree. Hardly the sort of thing any reputable young mage would prefer.

When I finally felt satisfied, I stepped away from the mirror enough to see the rest of my appearance.

My formal attire was almost identical to the informal sets, save for a few extra silver embroideries here and there,...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 27

Sig returned downstairs several minutes after our final match, carrying two glasses that smelled of something stronger than just water. He handed me one, then slid a chair out from near his workbenches and sat down before taking a deep pull from his own.

I took an experimental sip, coughing as it seared down my throat like fire. The taste was sharp, cold, and strangely acrid, but with an undercurrent I couldn't quite place. It reminded me of a lemon, almost, but so biting that it became...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 26

Sig's basement looked larger than I remembered. I wasn't sure when, but he'd added a second training ring, larger than the first but with the same wooden border and sandy floor.

New targets hung on the far wall, and I could sense even from a distance the mana packed into them. It was impossible to see the runes, but the feeling they gave off was like that of immovable rock. My best guess was a reinforcement enchantment, or some kind of self-repair function.

I pulled off my coat, t...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 25

Days passed quickly in Volaris as Flynn and I searched for answers to the great problem of mind magic. We worked our way through all available books twice over, even considering the more sensitive materials Flynn managed to acquire through charm and leveraging our family name.

For all the significance most mages put on formal texts and essays, most of these proved useless. In fact, the one thing that gave me the most to work with was a single, slim book belonging to a mage whose only re...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 24

I reached the Ollais home around midday, just a few minutes late for our meeting. It was rude without question, and I had to hope Vesper would take offense.

As I walked up to the home, I sensed a pulse of darkness mana. The door opened, and Vesper appeared at the top of the stairs. I took in her appearance, and it was only thanks to my trained reflexes that I managed not to stumble over my own feet.

Vesper had dressed in clothes that struck a careful balance between practical and ...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 23

Two years had passed since I stepped foot in the Academy. Two years, and the size of its entrance hall still struck me.

I stood there, looking around at the statues lining the hall. Each was a monument to a life spent pursuing the greatest heights of magic, secrets unsolved, and mysteries unknown. It was a chain stretching back centuries, one which I might someday join if I continued along this path.

Countless citizens moved between these statues, interspersed by various apprentic...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 22

I left the Ollais' home, finding myself at a loss for what to do next. Rejoining Flynn seemed the most obvious choice, but I knew there was little point. My brother would have his job well in hand, and my presence wouldn't make it easier.

Maybe I could peruse the shops and stores within the Upper District. There was no place in Ferris with as many magical artisans, and I had found plenty of inspiration in the past from examining the works of others. Then again, the real treasur...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 21

The Ollais home wasn't impressive by noble standards. In fact, if I weren't in the Upper District and didn't know it was the estate of an old, respected family, I might have assumed it was the abode of a well-off trader.

Then again, their name had taken a hit in recent decades.

The Ollais were an older family. Not as old as the Sions or the Esttons, but one with a few centuries of respected history. They had risen to prominence thanks to the efforts of some great ancestor...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 20

I looked at myself in the mirror, turning this way and that as I tried to recognize the person staring back.

Flynn had spared no expense or effort in his preparations. Between his tutoring, my training with Della, my own studies, and the various tailors, barbers, and assorted servants, I now looked far less like an ordinary mage and far more like a young nobleman, heir to some great house.

I stood straight-backed, staring forward with a calm, confident gaze that I didn't completel...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 19

Duke Xavier Sion stood by a window within his estate, overlooking a tranquil field. Outside, a spring sun shone down upon two figures.

His son—or rather his son by birth—hovered fifteen feet above the ground, standing atop a shining platform of interlocking golden lines. Mana wove about him, manipulated by deft hand movements and twists of his wrists, like a conductor orchestrating a deadly performance. Beams as thin as a finger danced between mirrored lenses, splitting into an inca...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 18

"This isn't even close to what I imagined when you suggested preparing," I grumbled, glaring at my adopted brother.

Flynn met my glare with a wry smile, waving one hand from his seat at the far end of the room but not responding otherwise to the open complaint. He looked to be enjoying the show, if I had to put a name to his demeanor.

"Concentrate!" the woman in my arms snapped, and I dragged my attention back to her. "Focus on your partner. Always watch their face, but l...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 17

Flynn came to my room six days later, all smiles and cheer.

"Afternoon," Flynn said, waltzing into my quarters. He pulled a chair from his ring and practically collapsed into it, leaning back and kicking his feet up onto my desk for good measure.

I reached out with my Aether, pulling the energy together and trying to push his legs away with a burst of force magic. The wave crashed into Flynn's own, passive defenses and broke apart, barely ruffling his pants. For a moment, I debate...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 16

Days vanished as I dove into the notes Flynn had given me, trying to understand as much as possible about the ritual. They were...strange. Remarkably dense and revolutionary in some spots, yet sparing with details in others.

The Radiant had created the broad concept, and her theories on mana, the body, and their interactions served as the basis for the ritual. I could tell based solely on the notes and designs attributed to her that she had been brilliant, understanding the relationship...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 15

Flynn stared at me, and I saw something in his face shift. Tension I hadn't noticed lifted from his shoulders, as though a weight had shifted off him.

"Are you sure?" Flynn asked, before adding, "Not to make you second-guess yourself. I just wanted to check before you start spilling secrets. Some things can't be taken back."

"Really?" I said, making a show of glancing around the room. "I hadn't considered that."

Flynn snorted, shaking his head but not saying anything. I felt...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 14

I stared at Flynn for a few seconds, then turned my attention back to the statue of the Smith.

"I think," I said, "That I'm sick of surprises."

"Then call it another test. What do you notice?"

Anger ran through me, and I pushed it down with some difficulty. Instead of saying anything, I continued to examine the statue.

At first, I didn't notice anything remarkable. It was a beautifully crafted sculpture, the kind of work a master might labor over for months, but otherw...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 13

Flynn's idea of a journey differed sharply from mine. I hadn't realized as much until I arrived just after sunrise three days later, as we had discussed and planned.

I had prepared with the assumption we would be on the road for at least a few days. The light mage had said it would take only one to reach our destination, but plans had a way of falling apart.

My attire was thick and dark, made of sturdy, magically reinforced cloth and leather. My boots were waterproof, my ...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 12

I had faced many challenges over the last few years. My early training as a mage had been an exercise in frustration as I stumbled from idea to idea without a good idea of what might and might not work. My battle against the monster in the Aether pool had nearly claimed my life, as had that strange corruption it had gnawed into my flesh. The duel against Flynn Sion had pushed my skills to their limit, and the time since abandoning my formal education had become a mess of plodding, half-stumbl...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 11

Time passed as I continued to hone my talents in Forging. I split my focus evenly between infusing intent into materials and altering solidified Aether constructs from their rigid state into the more flexible variant.

After several weeks, I could reliably transform the material into something remarkably similar to leather. It remained coarse to the touch, heavier than the mundane variant, and less stable than I would prefer, but I found that it was extraordinarily mana conductive. It mi...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 10

Nearly a month had passed since I became a member of the Sion family in full. I hadn't quite gotten used to my new life, but had begun settling into a routine.

Every morning began the same way. I would rise with the dawn before setting off on a run around the family grounds. My stamina had reached a point where even intensive exercise didn't do much, but I used the opportunity to practice gathering mana while in motion.

Once I was finished, I would have breakfast with Flynn. We'd ...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 9

We left the main building behind, making our way up the slopes of the valley and towards the other buildings.

Of the six, the first two were simple, mundane constructions. One was a combined barracks and servants' quarters, while the second housed honored guests, such as other nobles when they visited the Sions.

I listened, as was polite, but the truth was I barely took in Flynn's explanations. These were mundane buildings with everyday purposes, and I was far more interested in t...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 8

Oppressive light, like a harsh summer sun at midday, surrounded me. The sheer mass of mana smothered my senses, but what was even more disconcerting was the palpable weight and pressure. It felt as though a great hand was crushing every inch of my body, such that I couldn't so much as twitch a finger.

Then, all at once, it vanished, and I found myself standing in a new room.

It looked like an office or maybe a study of respectable size. A desk sat near tall windows overlooking the...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 7

Contrary to what I expected, we didn't proceed into the mansion. Instead, Flynn led the way to one of the other buildings, a shorter and wider construction built halfway up the hilly incline. Made entirely of stone, it gave off a feeling of strength and sturdiness.

We walked through the entrance, and I followed Flynn down hallways and past doors covered in complex runic designs and circles. I couldn't tell what these markings did at a glance, but the mana coming off them told a story of...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 6

Our departure the following morning was unremarkable. Several Graythorns, most notably Kathryn and Allistair, joined us to say their goodbyes. They extracted promises from a smiling Flynn to remain in contact and, strangely enough, the young noblewoman all but demanded the same from me as well.

I agreed to write Kathryn in the future, doing my best to put out of my mind another person whom I had recently tried to contact. I had no way of knowing whether or not Amelia had received my let...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 5

Kathryn and I spent several hours wandering through the gardens, talking the entire time. Our conversation never returned to magic, at least not in any specifics, but I learned more about plants than I had since leaving the Academy. What's more, I found myself enjoying her company now that we had gotten past our initial tension.

While I doubted we would've ever interacted if not for Flynn's prodding, it still felt like a good use of my time. It was relaxing, friendly, and devoid of the ...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 4

I considered myself relatively hardened when it came to uncomfortable social situations. I didn't enjoy them by any stretch, but I had learned to 'tread water' so to speak.

Unfortunately, I was very wrong about that belief.

The Graythorns hadn't taken long to return to their prior activities. A servant hurried to get more wine, along with platters of meat, cheeses, and fruit. I accepted a glass more out of polite obligation than anything, and sipped the expensive vintage ...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 3

It took us three days to reach our next destination, time I spent well in my opinion. I divided my efforts between reading and studying, training my magic, and sparring. What occupied at least a few hours a night, however, were my attempts at learning how to act as a noble.

The family Flynn was visiting was the Graythorns, an earldom famed for not only their disproportionate strength and influence, but also their size. The current head of the family alone had five children, and...

Rise of the Archon: Book 3, Chapter 2

I sighed, shaking my head as I walked closer to Flynn.

"I learned that I've got longer to go than I thought."

Flynn laughed, and I realized it sounded just a little labored. As I came within fifteen feet of him, I realized that a faint sheen of sweat clung to his forehead. His mana signature felt unchanged, but I had pressured him. Not much, but still.

"Yes...and no. Let's talk," Flynn replied.

He waved a hand, and two chairs appeared from thin air. We sat dow...