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Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 28

The statue mentioned in Vivienne's letter was a towering, nine-foot-tall marble simulacrum of a man dressed in robes, carrying a staff in one hand and a book in the other. A whirlpool covered the lower half of his body, so realistic it seemed to move even though it was made of unmoving white stone.

Interestingly, it seemed in near-perfect condition even though the plaque set at the bottom dated back centuries. Was that due to Colkirk's innate magic, or did an earth mage Reinforce...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 27

After several hours of sleep, I threw myself back into the problem set before me. The cube's magic was opaque, more so than I would prefer, but a half-day worth of poking, prodding, testing, and theorizing gave me a few ideas of how to proceed.

The restorative effect was like a hundred threads weaving through the cube, linking each rune in an intricate web. It appeared a chaotic, jumbled mess but I knew there had to be an order to it. Magic thrived on structure, not randomness, a...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 26

I reached the meeting place mentioned in the letter within fifteen minutes. It was a wide deck suspended two stories into the air, with a bar on the opposite side of the stairs and a half-dozen servers weaving through the crowd. Vines with glowing flowers of reds and blues crawled up latticeworks along the sides, and twisting ribbons arced overhead, their surfaces covered in tiny markings that caught the sunset light.

At least thirty people, a few commoners but mostly nobles clos...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 25

Fire blasted across the surface of my shield, up, over, and around it in a blinding crimson river. I could feel its heat even through dual layers of magical protection and sensed the burning, Mist-tier mana carried in each flickering tongue that danced past my face.

I ducked and twisted my right arm, angling the shield projected from my vambrace to deflect the flames off to my side. The force was enough to push me nearly off balance, and only experience let me hold myself upright...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 24

The following day, we stood in a small shaded patch of grass, not unlike the one I had found near the inn. This one was a little larger, with a few trees, a nearby bench, and flowers growing underfoot in a dense multi-colored blanket. Petals blew in the air, and the smell was almost unpleasantly strong.

I pushed it aside and focused on Wallace, who stood facing a tree. He wore loose clothes and held an arming sword in his right hand while his left was tucked behind his back.

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 23

It took a month for me to finally track down a place to stay within Colkirk proper. I almost wished I could trust Darius and the rest of his group enough to stay at their camp, but the hard facts were I did not. They seemed nice enough but were strangers and had taken me in a little too quickly for my tastes. Even if they did not steal from me, there was no guarantee that other nearby traders and workers could be trusted.

I had briefly tried to puzzle out a spell to...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 22

We left Aresford behind, heading back towards Colkirk. It felt the best option, at least with my existing wealth and capabilities. I wanted to polish my skills a little more before trying my luck with one of the various masters across the kingdom, and the great city without winter seemed an excellent place to do that.

The journey was uneventful, though it gave me ample opportunities to think about how best to improve Force Step. It was now strong enough that it risked injury with...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 21

My first few days as a Mist felt remarkable. I tested the rest of my spells and found that each had shot forward in potency. Mana Bolt, even hastily cast, drilled a hole through solid stone. I suspected I could kill two, maybe even three, people with a single attack if they stood in front of one another.

Force Step, meanwhile, shot me forward several dozen feet with a single casting at such speeds that the world blurred. It was so fast and forceful that it became da...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 20

I was as ready as I would ever be to advance to Mist. My core, half-again as large thanks to my expansion technique, was full of brilliant, humming Aether.

During my past advancement, I had struggled in part due to the instabilities within my core. While I had not waited quite as long as I should have this time around, I knew I could handle any lingering issues just fine. My control and willpower had both grown and delaying any longer would hinder my growth more tha...

Book 2, Chapter 19

My core expansion "technique," crude and wasteful though it was, worked better than I could have imagined. Each session was unpleasant and earned only marginal improvements, but the side effects proved far less debilitating than expected.

Though I was first limited to one session a day, that grew to at least two as I gained experience. The pain proved less debilitating than expected, and I learned to smooth out the worst of the instabilities the process introduced to my core.

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 18

Weeks of near-constant failures passed as I tried again and again to work out the trick to my hypothetical technique. I altered my breathing pattern and attempted it near the Aether pool, hoping that higher mana density might change the result, yet success eluded me.

While I fully intended to crack the problem before I left Aresford for my next destination, I had to remain pragmatic. There were too many tasks to do, and slamming my head against a wall wasted time more than anythi...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 17

A month passed in the blink of an eye as Cat and I settled into our new home. Rowen had more than delivered, putting me to work as a laborer at the mines. I had thought a year of consistent exercise and training would give me enough strength and endurance to keep up with the other workers.

I was wrong.

Sweat poured down my face as I levered a box filled with unrefined iron ore into the back of a waiting cart. My arms and legs shook, my chest burned, my abdomen scream...

Book 2, Chapter 16

It took us weeks longer to reach our next destination, which gave me ample time to ponder what I learned from the tree. There was something there, a trick that might hold the secrets to improving my magic, but I could not crack it without more information.

Soon, a city loomed on the horizon.

Aresford was warmer than the last time I had visited, but "warm" so far north was a relative term. Even a hot day would feel brisk back in the capital.

Rise of the Archon: Book 2, Chapter 15

Setting off alone was at once terrifying and liberating. I had never in my life felt anything comparable.

There was a looming deadline and an unbeatable threat. My friends, home, and life as I knew it lay behind me and the path in front of me was opaque. Yet it felt like I had removed water-soaked clothes after a storm. An unexplored world of magic and mysteries lay before me, and I was ready to explore it all alone.

A paw flicked the edge of my ear, and I revised my...

Rise of the Archon: Book 2, Chapter 14

I did not sleep that night. Instead, I tossed and turned, repeating the conversation with my friends—former friends, most likely, over in my head.

Their responses made sense. Why would they believe such a tall tale? I would not have if I were in their shoes, even if I would like to pretend otherwise. I was just a first-year apprentice, a nobody with no grand heritage or unusual talents. Yet I had claimed I would grow to become the strongest mage alive, battle inva...

Rise of the Archon: Book 2, Chapter 13

I rolled my shoulders, tightening the fittings of my vambrace and checking the runes for any damage. While I had not used it yet, there was a possibility I had made a mistake in the enchanting process that would cause strain.

When I felt content, I nodded to Neil. The guard stood a few steps away, holding his spear in one hand and a shield in the other.

It had taken me several minutes to assure him that no, I had not misspoken, and yes, I knew what I wa...

Book 2, Chapter 12

The Estton holdings comprised miles of sweeping grasslands and plains. Farms, towns, and villages broke up the near-endless stretch of greens, with a few twisting streams cutting through here and there. Wildlife was common, both magical and mundane, though they tended to be passive and herbivorous rather than dangerous predators.

It was an idyllic stretch of land guarded by volunteer forces from the various settlements under the Duke's control. These men and women patrolled his l...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 11

Conversation was non-existent across the next few days. No one seemed eager to bring up our failed hunt or the tragedy that had resulted. Instead, we each withdrew inward, staying busy however we could.

Sophia threw herself into training, often pushing her body past the point where it was safe. She would practice weaving and controlling lightning mana as we walked down the road, only stopping long enough to set up camp before vanishing for private training.

Simon stu...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 10

The drake spotted me within seconds. Its coal-black eyes fixed on me, and its mouth opened as it let out a low, sibilant hiss. I adjusted my grip on my dagger, wishing I had brought along a spear, even though both would be equally useless against the beast's scales and dense, magically enhanced flesh.

We stood for several seconds, the beast hissing as I dwelled on mistakes. I pushed those aside, pulling on my core and threading Aether through my body. Muscles twitched, strenghten...

Rise of the Archon-Book 2, Chapter 9

Leon and the hunters had dug their pit trap less than a mile from the drake's location, close enough to catch the scent of fresh blood and meat but far enough that it would take time to reach us. They had dug the rectangular hole ten feet deep and thirty feet long with steep sides reinforced with wood. While the beast could dig out given time, it would be challenging.

Wooden spikes lined the bottom, each three to four feet long and about as thick as my fist, with brutall...

Book 2, Chapter 8

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"We need to talk," Leon replied, his voice hard as stone.

I stared for a few seconds, then nodded and stepped to one side, "Yes, I suppose we do."

Leon walked into my room, glancing over at the animal who had taken over my bed before turning back to me, "We have not spoken about Colkirk yet."

"What is there to say?"

"Plenty," Leon sighed, "But I want an answer to something first. If you had not known m...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 7

Leon's eyebrows shot towards his hairline, and I heard Simon inhale sharply. Amelia leaned forward in her chair, one foot tapping on the floor, and Sophia's eyes focused on the mayor.

I folded my arms across my chest, trying not to let my skepticism show.

Leon regained his composure after a second and asked, "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

"Right," the mayor nodded, "Right, of course. A half-year ago, a hunter disappeared out in the forest. Not...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 6

We were back on the road the following morning, leaving Colkirk behind. If it was my decision, we would have remained in the city for a few more days. Though Elvor was a water mage, I would still prefer to take a closer look at his magic. And even if I did not learn anything, Simon might.

Instead, we left at sunrise and continued our journey, angling northeast. Again, this was not what I would have done if I had my way. I had noted a half-dozen places to visit, including a famous...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 5

I did not stop at our table. Instead, I walked past my friends and made for the exit. A weight settled onto my back as I felt gazes, both familiar and unknown, follow me. I ignored them, along with the murmuring, and stepped outside and onto a busy Colkirk street.

Anger simmered in my chest as I walked to the edge of the street before leaning against the front of a now-closed store. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply and wishing for a chilly evening breeze. Still, as I forced out ...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 4

Night had fallen onto the city proper, settling over the streets like a blanket. Despite that, laughter, music, cheering, and the clinking of glasses filled the air, mixing with scents of alcohol, fire, and perfume into a chaotic mess that overwhelmed my senses.

Leon seemed to ignore it all as he turned towards the rest of us with hands on his hips, "So, food or exploring? Which should we do first?"

"Food?" Simon asked an instant before Amelia replied, "Exploring, ob...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 3

Colkirk was once a town and not a particularly unique one at that. It was of middling size, built beside a lake, and the villagers there lived and died through fishing. Its sole claim to fame was its lord, the youngest son of a minor noble.

This lord was a pitiful mage, sent to the town to "protect" it rather than embarrass his family further with his failings. He married and had a child, putting aside any notions of returning home to raise his son, Elvor.

Elvor grew...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 2

We stopped just as the sun began to creep toward the horizon. I would have kept going if it was my choice, but that was my impatience and selfishness overruling common sense. My companions and our mounts seemed exhausted and eager to stop for the night.

Leon led us several hundred feet off the road, picking a spot not far from a thin collection of trees that might barely qualify as a forest. It took us about ten minutes to tie our horses to the trees, set up our tents, and unload...

Rise of the Archon- Book 2, Chapter 1

Our journey started with an argument.

"You have a cat, and you never told me?" Amelia demanded, alternating between trying to approach the feline and glaring at me. She had noticed my new friend the moment I stepped outside the Academy and pounced on us like, well, a cat.

Cat hissed at the sudden approach, twisting out of my arms and leaving a few scratches on my skin before darting behind my legs. Apparently, he was fond of me only when I protected him from...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 87

There was no truly impenetrable place. The Wandering Cites possessed defenses robust enough to weather almost anything but would fail given enough time. Elder dragons often built their homes within inhospitable locations, such as active volcanoes or caves deep within the Azure Expanse. Yet a rival could drive them from their homes. The Ferren royal palace employed an entire regiment of mages whose sole duty was casting synchronized protective spells that could stymie sieges for weeks, even mo...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 86

Leon had given us two days to prepare for our journey, giving me ample time for final goodbyes. And a few last-minute magical tasks while I still had access to the Academy.

I could not bring the remaining samples from the Aresford monster with me, so examining them was my top priority. I had put it off as long as possible, partially to learn more about magical beasts and their ability to strengthen themselves but also out of fear. My blackened channels and core seemed&nb...