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Rise of the Archon-Chapter 85

The Academy transformed as finals crept ever closer. Every apprentice, from the hardest working and most ambitious to the laziest and least motivated, threw themselves into training. The Archives grew busier than usual, the halls fell silent, and dinner halls became filled with groups studying and quizzing one another on magical topics.

Even I was not immune to the prevailing mood, though I did not personally worry much about failing any one class. Forging was the only one that m...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 84

As the weeks passed, the cat and I established a tense agreement. I fed and housed it, and in return, I received clear annoyance and hostility intermixed with guarded neutrality.

Unfortunately, the little terror also cost a good sum to feed. I could not afford to keep using up my supplies of Aether-infused water, but the creature required the same energy as I did.

I had hoped I could begin to save gold now that I had squared my debt with Master Julian, but man plans ...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 83

The cat drifted between awake and unconscious over the next several days, never rising for longer than it took to drink his fill before falling asleep again. His mana signature stabilized enough after the first day that he would likely survive, but I made sure to have enough Aether-infused water on hand to hasten his recovery.

Truthfully, it was not solely out of kindness. So far, I only had myself as a "test subject" for the water's effects, and the cat provided the opportunity ...

Rise of the Archon- Chapter 82

Julian's face shifted again, turning stony. I once more stood before a true master and an unhappy one at that. For a moment, I wondered if I had made a mistake.

"Choose something else," Julian said, in a voice that was less request and more command.

I met the man's eyes, cast aside my second thoughts, and shook my head.

"No," I said, "With all due respect, I need to know this. Only two Aether mages have ever become exceptional, and one is a Founder. If I...

Rise of the Archon- Chapter 81

A part of me had thought I had caught on to a spy sent by a noble or maybe a would-be rival seeking information before they challenged me to a duel. Both were, in hindsight, fantasies conjured up by an overactive imagination and an inflated ego, but I could not help the flicker of disappointment that shot through me.  

I had spent weeks worrying about a cat and a near-dead one based on its size, apparent age, and mana signature.

Rather than dw...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 80

"So, this is a natural elixir, then?" the alchemist said, holding the glowing water vial and swirling it before her eyes.

The alchemist, a woman in her mid-twenties, was the fourth I had visited today. Judging by the state of her shop, a dark, mostly empty place on a side street with half-filled, dusty shelves, she was also the least well-off of the lot. Or the least prideful.

I hoped that combination would make her more willing to take a gamble. If nothing else, she...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 79

Accept or refuse?

Helton's offer felt closer to theft than a genuine, even trade. I might lack the status for a truly equal partnership, but their offer bordered on insulting. I would gain a paltry sum of gold and knowledge but lose the pool in exchange.

The choice felt obvious. Refusing would yield less knowledge, but the sacrifice was too great. No, it was best to study the water myself, learn what I could, and retain the pool rather than take such a gamble.

...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 78

Two more afternoons worth of researching into the Archmagi's battle, and I had found nothing. Or at least, nothing worth a damn.

I could confirm that both had been sent into a battle against an unknown opponent by the queen. Based on several clues, their clash had occurred in the east, near the very edge of Ferren territory. A few other, weaker mages had accompanied the two, and none of these followers survived.

Finally, on the third day, I found something.<...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 77

Weeks passed, and winter began to fade. The days grew longer and the nights warmer, though snow still fell and trees remained bare.

I noticed those changes from a distance as my days became a haze of training and studying, only broken up by moments of respite with Amelia and the others or by unwelcome interruptions.

Twice more nobles approached me about a duel, and twice more, I refused, though out of practical objection rather than a moral or social one. Both had be...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 76

I was in love. Although I had done my best to deny it, there was no point in ignoring my feelings. The way my heart pounded or a smile came to my face without meaning all told the truth.

After all, the swordstaff was a thing of beauty.

I moved back and forth across my room, twirling my weapon around my body in a dizzying pattern. It slid through my fingers with a grace that might have been impossible just months earlier. I slipped it under one arm, thrust it out, and...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 75

When I first entered the Academy, I had little interest in reading up on the Archmagi of old. They were the strongest, the most skilled, and the most important mages in our history, so studying them had merit. However, three things had dissuaded me.

First, I was a complete and utter novice. When learning mathematics, you start with basic numbers, after all. Studying the Archmagi and their magic was akin to introducing a child to complex equations.

Second, mo...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 74

The next day, I finally had a chance to meet with Master Barlow to discuss my future as a mage. The older woman had agreed to a single, one-hour training session, and I intended to eke out every second of instruction from her.

"You've been holding back in class," Master Barlow said as she stood before me, "Smart if you're planning to repeat your little skirmish with Sion's brat. Stupid if you want my held. Show me everything you've got, and we'll go from there."

"Sho...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 73

I detected that strange mana signature again two days after the previous incident. It appeared as I walked the grounds of the Academy, testing my ability to draw in Aether while keeping my senses fully extended. It felt like trying to look in two directions, and while I doubted I could manage it any time within the next few years, it was a start.

When I sensed my strange shadow again, I dropped all thoughts of practice and focused entirely on it. There was a brief flicker of mana...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 72

A part of me had looked forward to classes resuming. I had believed it would help guide my training, but soon I realized my mistake.

There was no guidance or limitations during winter break on what I could study or when. If I found something interesting, the only things stopping me from pursuing that particular subject were time and patience.

Now, I had to bend to the demands of classes rather than my whims. I had to attend regular lessons, follow instructions, and r...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 71

Gathering mana while moving is a trick few mages ever truly perfect. While it can eventually match immobile meditation, getting there is a process measured in months, if not years. However, all the strongest mages could do it to some extent, and if I wanted to keep improving, I would too.

Of course, practicing it also helped calm my mind and quiet the racing thoughts.

Amelia clung to my arm and gestured to the various shops and businesses we passed. She aske...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 70

As a child, I once dreamed of becoming a master swordsman. Nothing quite struck as heroic an image as a warrior, blade in hand, dancing between foes with impossible grace and skill.

If I ever gained the ability to manipulate time as my future self had, I might use that talent to travel back and discourage those youthful delusions.

Sig's mentoring had always tread the line between brutal and cruel. He had favored uncompromising standards, and my swordsmanship was so p...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 69

I stared at my mentor for a few seconds, then pushed myself up and brushed sand from my clothes, "I learned you have been holding back quite a bit."

Sig's stern look turned into a glare, "Try again."

"Sorry," I cleared my throat, "I...ah, well, I learned plenty, sir. I need more training to start. My spear techniques need work, and I have ideas to improve my magic as well, though I need to know how you nullified my-"

"No!" Sig roared as he stepped forwar...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 68

Sig's home was a long, two-story rectangle with stone walls, a low fence, and a slanted roof. Snow fluttered down, sliding across the invisible Traveler's Shield I had conjured on the way.

My martial mentor greeted me at his door, ushering me in with a skyward glare as if the weather had personally offended him. The inside was a single open space divided into sub-sections with half-walls. A large sitting area dominated the first floor, with plush chairs and couches surrounding a ...

Rise of the Archon: Chapter 67

That night was the first decent night's rest I had in weeks. I had a chance to rest and relax, barely but more than my trip north had allowed. The following day, I woke with dulled annoyance and strengthened resolve.

At its heart, my trip north was a failure. My successes came down to luck and the machinations of others, not my talent, hard work, or skill. I had been pulled around and thrown onto the mercy of others, having to hope that they would not simply crush me.

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 66

If I had a choice, I would have left Aresford the following morning, but after everything that had transpired, haste seemed vital. I pushed my mount hard, moving south along the road. As I went, I kept my senses stretched as far in each direction as possible, trying to detect any hints of hostile magic or ambushes.

The journey was uneventful, bordering on unsettlingly so. I had expected something- an attack by bandits or an ambush from an affronted noble seeking to teach...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 65

It took about a minute for my eyesight to return in full. That gave me ample time to smother my emotions and mentally recite congratulations to Sion. Though my pride stung, and I could not help but regret taking the duel, it was the best way to avoid insult. It was smart, though that did not make it enjoyable.

But when I turned to the noble, ready to speak, I paused. I had expected a grin or maybe a jeer.

Flynn's mouth was set in a thin line. His eyebrows we...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 64

The noble estate chosen as our "neutral" location stood out like a sore thumb among the worn and functional Aresford landscape. It was a small enough estate with raised walls, a metal gate, and guards standing outside, but it towered at least one story above other nearby structures.

As I approached, one of the guards nodded towards me and opened the gate behind him. He led me down a stone path to a space behind the mansion, where our duel would take place.

The ring w...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 63

Two more days passed before my wounds healed enough to test my third and likely final spell. I stood in the center of my cave, shaking out both hands and stretching my legs as I felt for any tightness, sore spots, or even the slightest hint of injury. When nothing protested too much, I relaxed and focused on my third and final spell.

Defeating Flynn required me to close the gap, catch him off-balance, and keep him there. As Master Barlow had once said, "A panicked mage is a dead ...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 62

I spent the rest of the day testing, refining, and retesting my spear enchantment to find glaring flaws. After nearly ten hours, the end result was...passable. It still did not focus or contain the mana as well as I would have liked, and my Aether destroyed each spear in under a minute, but it would have to do.

I would try to improve my design before the duel, but the answer was more than likely a backup spear or two.

The day's work also revealed how far my core and ...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 61

A proper mage duel was one part training and one part strategic analysis. Not every mage fought the same way, and it was crucial to approach each opponent as a unique challenge with traits in common.

Flynn Sion was a light mage, and that came with several typical spells and tendencies. Light magic tended towards destructive bolts and beams, possessing enough strength to burn through flesh, bone, and non-magical armor alike. Light mages tended to avoid rigid constructs, including ...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 60

"Fun is not the word I would choose," I replied as I relaxed, "Strange, unfamiliar, and dangerous maybe, but never fun."

"The same thing, from a certain perspective. Danger breeds opportunity. You won't be able to back out of our deal now, though. You do know that, yes?"

I nodded. Before meeting with Flynn, I had proposed a deal with Julian. It was bold, decisive, reckless, bordering on improper, and thus Julian agreed with barely any hesitation. He would al...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 59

I made it most of the way back to the mines before my body reached its limit. The potions I had imbibed bolstered my flagging stamina and took the edge off my wounds, but it was a temporary solution. The sole boon on my side was that days of constant practice had sharpened my senses. By this point, my range stretched hundreds of feet and was leagues more precise.

The miles-long distance would have taken me two hours ordinally, but in my condition, it stretched to over four. I had...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 58

It took me at least one agonizing minute to pull myself out from underneath the monster's corpse. When I finally got free, I lay on the dirt and tried to catch my breath. I could feel the Aether-infused water sending weakening ripples out from my stomach, and I had to cough up some that had gotten into my lungs.

Each wet cough sent lightning through my chest as it pulled my injured ribs. That matched the searing from the wounds to my chest and ankle and the sharp, throbbing agony...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 57

The thing stepped out of the pool, placing one bare foot on the water's edge. Steams slid down uneven shoulders, forming a shallow puddle that sunk into the dirt, turning it muddy. It looked dark, but the fading sun and glow of the waters let me make out its features.

I sincerely wished I could not.

It was a humanoid, but only in the loosest sense of the term. It had two arms, two legs, and an upright, though hunched posture, but rather than smooth, unblemished skin,...

Rise of the Archon-Chapter 56

I tugged at my lower lip as I reviewed my notes. The mystery of this forest and whatever was causing these problems had begun to resolve, but I still could not place a few things.

First, most animals within a certain radius of the mines were starving. I knew it was not universal or widespread because birds did not show signs, but it was bad enough to make the carnivorous and omnivorous creatures desperate.  

Second, something else was causing ...