Death

by Rosie Scott

  Deplet le toxin de material – Remove solid/liquid toxin (bleed through skin)

  Bind y flud toxin de viral – Flush viral toxin (excreted through respiratory tract as phlegm)

  Death

  Corpa te risa – Raise corpse (singular)

  Corpa te risa a multipla – Raise corpses (area-of-effect)

  Enervat – Mass leech/death bomb (area-of-effect)

  Famiin – Famine bomb (area-of-effect)

  Combination (Dual Elements)

  Summun te golum – Summon golem (death/material element)

  Summun te finess – Summon phoenix (requires ashes of deceased to perform, death/fire)

  Creatius el mist – Create fog (water/fire)

  Creatius la magma – Create magma (earth/fire)

  Creatius la magma projectille a multipla – Create multiple magma projectiles

  Creatius el mude – Create mud (water/earth)

  Generat le shouer del bind y flud toxin de viral – Generate cleansing rains (i.e. remove toxins out of atmosphere, water/life)

  Illusion Spells

  Muta te sensa – Dull senses

  Persuadua – Charm

  Desoriencia – Confuse

  Seriin – Calm

  Bilda te fasad – Invisibility (translates to “build facade”)

  Bilda te miir del vicin – Camouflage (translates to “build mirror image of environment”)

  Alteration Spells

  Parliz – Paralyze

  Parliz a multipla – Mass paralyze (area-of-effect)

  Absort la mana de spula – Absorb offensive spell energy (shield)

  Resist a mana – Resist magic/energy (shield)

  Willin el material a nienda – Telekinesis (push or pull object from a distance)

  Tranferra la mana del electro rys – Create light (translates to “transfer energy into electromagnetic rays”)

  Sik le life – Detect life

  Sik le toxin – Detect poison

  Tranferra sel ti kin a blud – Transform into blood-kin

  Alliv material in masse – Alleviate (translates to “relieve object of weight”)

  Ades material in masse – Burden (translates to “imbue object with weight”)

  Disentegrat el material – Disintegrate object

  Mel y prugres material del compat – Meld and evolve two compatible substances (i.e. humanoid/animal blood during blood mixing process)

  One

  60th of High Star, 409

  The city of Sera bustled with life. Tourists, civilians, and soldiers alike hurried back and forth over cobblestone streets that sparkled in the direct sunlight. The merry music of Sera's famous High Star festivities filtered through groups of people of various races. My hand looked so small and pale in Bjorn's as he gently pulled my arm up onto the counter of a street vendor. I smiled up at him as he asked the jeweler if they had any rings in my size.

  Bjorn often took me out for my birthday if he was in town. Because my birthday fell amid the hot weather festivities, we'd often make a day of it. Once or twice, Sirius had required him elsewhere, but mostly, he allowed Bjorn the day off to spend time with me. My father didn't spend more time with me than he had to. Bjorn's insistence on doing things for me gave Sirius the excuse to ignore my special day.

  “Her fingers are too tiny.” The jeweler chuckled as she pulled a ring back from my finger. “I have more rings at my shop, but I can't take time away from my stall right now.” Her eyebrows raised at the crowded streets.

  “Ah, no matter. Thank you for looking.” Sweat beaded Bjorn's tan face. “Stay cool in this ghastly weather, ey?”

  Bjorn led me away from the stall, winking over at me as we walked through crowds of tourists. “Don't ya worry about a thing, my girl. We'll get you that ring. A promise is a promise.”

  “I don't need a ring,” I told him. “Being out here with you is enough.”

  Bjorn chuckled. “Drop the humble act, love. You like it when I spoil you.”

  “Yes,” I admitted, to which he laughed. “But why are you so insistent on buying me a ring? We went out together last year, and you bought me nothing.”

  Bjorn chortled at that, squeezing me close to his side. “Aye! So that's the problem, huh? Here I thought you were being sweet, and you wanna complain about last year!”

  I snorted a laugh. “That's not what I meant.”

  “Look at you, my girl.” Bjorn pulled me to the side of the street, holding me at arm's length. “You are growing up to be an intelligent and beautiful woman. Before long, your father will put you through classes. You'll be in his armies years from now. When you're burning people to a crisp with fireballs, I want you to think of me.”

  I huffed. “You sure know how to turn a good moment into an odd one, Bjorn.”

  He chuckled. “Aye.”

  “We don't even know yet if I'll be magically literate.”

  Bjorn scoffed playfully and tugged at a lock of my hair. “Look at that fiery red hair, love. You'll be a fire mage. I'd bet all my gold on it. You'll be kickin' ass on the battlefield before long.” He wrinkled up his nose. “Actually, why don't we make it a bet? You go into training this Red Moon. One of the first things they do is figure out what elements you'll wield. I'll bet you ten gold you learn fire.”

  “I don't have ten gold,” I told him. “Terran gets an allowance. I don't.”

  Bjorn shrugged. “Ah, well, pay me back when you're making a soldier's wages, then.” At my raised eyebrow, he laughed. “Don't worry about the gold. I'm just teasing you. I want to buy you a ring, Kai, because you'll be going places. Whether or not you learn magic, you've got too much drive and too many ideas up here—” he tapped on my forehead with a finger “—to stay stagnant. You'll be makin' a name for yourself. Maybe as a soldier, maybe as a mercenary. Regardless, one of these days, you'll be traveling Arrayis and movin' up the ranks of the army. When that happens, and it will, I want you to remember me. I love you to pieces, my girl. I'm just an old, stinky blacksmith from Sera, but remember that you mean the world to me.”

  I looked away from his intense gaze, embarrassed. “You are the exact opposite of father,” I mumbled. “He doesn't think I'll amount to anything, and here you are, making it seem like if I don't I'll disappoint you.”

  “You couldn't disappoint me if ya tried, child.” Bjorn pulled me close, kissing me on the cheek as I grimaced. He chuckled at my antics as he moved away. “Let's say you never amount to anything. So what? You'll still be my Kai. When I'm old and feeble, we'll drink together and talk history and politics like we always do. Nothing has to change.”

  “If father knew you were talking about drinking with me...” I trailed off, before chuckling softly. “I'm fourteen, Bjorn.”

  “Yeah, well, you were thirteen last year, but you sure seemed to like that sip of ale I gave ya from Sirius's special royal stash, didn't ya?” I laughed, and Bjorn smiled before he continued, “You won't be fourteen forever, which brings me back to the ring. Jewelry is a unique gift. Mages like it because it's metal, but I like jewelry because it sticks with you. No matter where you go or what you do, I want you to take a piece of me with you. If I buy you a ring, you can.”

  “I'll take a piece of you with me regardless,” I retorted lightly. “Get me a knife, and I'll take a finger.”

  Bjorn chortled and shook my shoulder lovingly. “I need all ten of 'em for my job, girl, or you know I'd let ya.” He stood up straight again to lead me through the crowds. “And besides, one of these days, you'll find yourself someone who will want to buy you a ring for very different reasons. I'm a jealous man, love. I wanna be the first.”

  I laughed softly, and my cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

  “Uh-oh. I notice ya didn't say anything.” Bjorn glanced over at me knowingly. “Lots of new students have been flooding into the university over these past few years. Any of 'em strike your fancy?”

  My mind immediately snapped to the few memories I had of one. He was taller than me, with skin eve
n paler than mine and a head full of beautiful, long black hair that hid mysterious piercing silver eyes from view. I didn't yet know his name, but something about him called to me. He'd seemed so lonely. I often felt similarly lonely in the university although my father ran it.

  “There's this boy...” I trailed off, before I stopped with embarrassment.

  Bjorn huffed. “Be careful, love. Some of the craziest stories start out with those words.”

  “Or the most boring ones,” I commented.

  Bjorn chortled. “You never were one for romance, were ya?”

  “It bores me. There's more to life than love.”

  “Yes, but it can be nice, can't it?” Bjorn tickled my side lovingly. “Besides, you're open to it if you're already ogling boys.”

  “I'm fourteen,” I protested, before motioning toward my gut. “Things are happening to my body, Bjorn.”

  “Agh!” Bjorn covered his ears in faux disgust. “Go no further!”

  I only laughed.

  Hours later, Bjorn and I stood on Sera's northernmost wall as the sun set in the west, leaving the Servis Ocean far ahead shimmering gold to the right of the Seran Peaks. Mages and archers walked along the wall, and a few of them said familiar greetings to Bjorn as they passed. The stone of the wall's battlement was cool on my arms as I leaned onto it to watch the ocean from across the northern fields of Chairel.

  Bjorn tapped on my arm. I looked over, seeing he was offering me a bottle of ale. I smirked and raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Just a sip, my girl. It's your birthday.”

  I took the bottle, pulling up the cork Bjorn had left loose for me before taking a careful sip. The sweet taste of honeyed ale slipped down my throat like syrup. I grinned at Bjorn from around the bottle before I took another drink.

  Bjorn laughed and pulled the bottle away from me. “That's enough for now. You're human, love. You ain't got the stomach for it like the dwarves do.”

  “You're human too,” I protested. “Yet you keep a keg right inside the door of your smithy.”

  Bjorn grinned and gazed over the ocean with his big hazel eyes. “Noticed that, did ya?”

  “Sure did.”

  “Between you and me?” Bjorn wrinkled his nose. “I need that keg, or else your father would drive me crazy.”

  “Then put one in my room if you understand my pain.”

  Bjorn chuckled. “Ah, don't turn to drinkin' for your troubles, Kai. It solves nothing. Alcohol is a depressant, ya know. It'll just quell that drive you have in you. Funnel that pain you feel into motivation.”

  “For what? No matter what I do, father will never approve of it.”

  “So succeed marvelously at something he wouldn't approve of,” Bjorn retorted lightly. “You spend too much time worrying about the approval of one man, Kai. Trust me: Sirius is a miserable person. I'm sure he loves you in his own way. He just doesn't know how to show it.”

  “I'm his daughter,” I said. “I have to be here. I have to worry about his approval. You're not related to him. You could leave at any time, Bjorn.”

  “You know how many times I've thought about that?” Bjorn questioned, finding my eyes again. “Every day I wake up lamenting my choice to move here to serve him. But I stay anyway.”

  “Why?”

  “Why do ya think, Kai?” Nothing but love and adoration flowed from his gaze as he looked over at me. “That miserable man has a daughter who I couldn't love more if I tried. All the bullshit is worth it because I have you.”

  My heart ached with his frankness. Bjorn's loving words could sometimes make me forget about the coldness that came from my father. “I am just a girl.”

  “You are just a girl, Kai,” Bjorn agreed. “I always wanted to have children, ya know? Never got around to it. But now I feel like if I did, my own kids would be disappointments. You're special. Can't explain it. Normally, kids are cute, stupidly innocent, and bound around the place touchin' things they shouldn't. And you were cute, too. You were an adorable little girl. Used to get so happy and bubbly before Sirius wore down your spirit. But dammit, were you smart.”

  I chuckled softly. “You're just saying that because I'm into the same things you are.”

  Bjorn huffed, but he argued, “No. You were so smart from even the earliest ages. Learned to talk before most kids. Read history books back when you should've been reading about ponies and griffons. You probably don't remember this, but you and I had a long talk about the Metal Conflict years ago. You asked me all these questions about the war like why people were killin' each other over some mountains. Thought you were just babbling, but you retained what I told you and kept asking me questions based on my answers.”

  I shrugged. “War is interesting to me.”

  “You were eight, Kai. You should've been pickin' your nose, not figuring out the politics of some war that happened generations ago.” Bjorn chuckled in disbelief. “You're not just like a daughter to me. You're one of the few kids I ever learned anything from. I can talk to ya like an adult. You're incessantly curious. Most people just accept that things are the way they are. You don't. I can already see you'll be a problem child for your father over the next few years. He's a strictly by-the-rules kind of guy.”

  “If the rules don't work, why abide by them?”

  Bjorn huffed. “Exactly. Oh, for sure, you'll be an unruly teenager.”

  “I'm already a teenager.”

  “Gah, you are, aren't ya?” Bjorn squeezed me close to his side. “Stop growing up. Stay little and cute forever.”

  “I've already gone through a growth spurt,” I told him. “I'm still this tiny.”

  “Tiny but mighty,” Bjorn teased, to which I laughed. One thick tan finger pointed to the east. Past the edge of the Seran Forest, the Servis Ocean continued to stretch into the horizon as the sky darkened with evening. “I was right there on a boat when I got my first view of Sera. The city is beautiful from the ocean. Of course, it looks beautiful from any angle.”

  “Is that the direction of Oeric?” I asked him, remembering the stories he'd told me of his upbringing.

  “Sure is. Long way away, but if you follow the northern coast, you'd eventually find it hidden in the Quakes of Hammerton. Humble little village. The mountain facing the coast is really vertical. They got it set up like a tall building, Kai. Windows peeking out of the rock. I heard it's like the giant tall buildings of Al Nazir, but I've never been there. The only difference is that these floors are in the mountain.”

  “That sounds really beautiful.”

  Bjorn grinned over at me. “Thought you'd say that. You've always loved architecture.”

  “I get it from you.”

  “And I get it from the dwarves,” Bjorn mused. “Anyway, the forge I trained at was a few stories up in that first mountain. Could look out and watch the ocean while I worked. On the clearest days, sometimes I could see ships going by in the distance. Trading vessels, mostly, delivering goods from Thornwell to Oeric or Boreas in the east. Occasionally some Icilic traders would come through. Sometimes they'd bring healers who would aid the dwarves for metal they couldn't get from their glacier.”

  “That's illegal,” I said. “The Icilic don't train at our university. I doubt they have magic licenses.”

  “No,” Bjorn agreed. “But you're not gonna tell your father that, are ya?” He winked at me. “There are always ways to get around the law, Kai.”

  “I'm surprised the Icilic offered the dwarves anything at all. I've heard nothing nice about them.”

  “The Icilic are a selfish and racist people. They didn't offer magic to the dwarves to help them. They offered it for their own benefits. Like I said, they traded their skills for product, and the dwarves often got the bad end of the deal. Healers from Sera are expensive, and Oeric's not the richest settlement.”

  “We should go there someday,” I told him.

  Bjorn smiled. “You think? I might have talked it up to ya, my girl. Oeric's nothing special, really. Interesting arch
itecture, nice people, but nothing special at all.”

  “It's special to you,” I argued, to which he shrugged. “If anything, I'll want to scold them for making you talk funny. You're human, but you talk like a dwarf.”

  Bjorn huffed in amusement. “I'm not nearly as bad as the dwarves, love. Even though I grew up around them, sometimes I'd just nod and act like I understood a damn word they said.” When I laughed, he pulled me close to him again. “But I can't say no to you.” His large hand moved over the battlement, and two of his thick fingers twisted the silver ring he'd bought for me hours earlier over my thumb. It had been the only finger large enough to put a ring on, and even still, it was loose as he played with it.

  “We'll go to Oeric together,” he promised me. “It's not much of a place to take ya to. You might grow too busy for this stinky ol' blacksmith once you start makin' a name for yourself.”

  “I'm a jealous girl,” I told him, mimicking his similar words from earlier in the day. “You're my stinky ol' blacksmith. We'll be going to Oeric if it's the last thing I do.”

  Bjorn chuckled. “I'll look forward to it, my girl.”

  *

  35th of Red Moon, 429

  Beneath the foggy muted light of early dawn, Oeric was waking. The mountain farthest northwest in all of Fremont contained Bjorn's hometown. Like he'd once told me, the face of it was vertical gray rock as if someone had carved it into a wall. Dozens of windows dotted the stone overlooking the ocean. Some of them glowed orange with firelight, but many of them were dark. The casualties of Oeric's takeover had been low, but we were arriving at the town's shores so early that many of the dwarves were still asleep.

  Between the mountain and the Servis Ocean, a cluster of stone buildings sprinkled over hard earth made of stone and sparse grass. Oeric did not have an entire harbor. It was such a tiny town that it only had rundown piers that stuck out over the calm ocean, many of the boards of wood warped and misshapen with time. A few fishing boats rocked over the northern waters, barely visible through the dewy fog that rose from the cold waters and glistened in the orange sunrise.

  Cerin stood beside me, his arm around my waist as we looked upon Oeric together for the first time. I shivered in the morning's chill, but Cerin was still, his Icilic blood giving him a natural buffer against the cold. Both of my hands held the railing of the dwarven galleon we traveled on. The steel of the ring Bjorn had bought me for my fourteenth birthday warmed my pinkie as I twirled it around with my other hand. No matter how much I'd grown, I refused to get rid of the ring. I was grateful it still fit on any of my fingers at all. If I ever grew further, I planned to put it on a chain around my neck so it could hang beside the bottle holding the hair of Jakan and Anto.