by Sever Bronny
“What element is that, Mrs. Stone?” Bridget asked.
“Healing, 4th degree.” She gave a small smile. “When I was younger, I accidentally set a boy’s tunic on fire. I discovered I had dual arcane inclinations, which later turned into multiple. I can selectively, though in a limited way, cast spells from some of the other elements. It takes a tremendous amount of practice and patience, for learning outside your primary element is very difficult, as it goes against the grain, if you will. Nonetheless, it is possible. I believe any warlock has the ability to do it, all they need is grit and a predisposition toward that element.”
“Motivation … so you’re saying I can develop certain spells in the healing element?”
“Perhaps, yes, though not likely.”
This was momentous news. What if he could heal their wounds when Mrs. Stone wasn’t around? How amazing would that be! What else was he capable of—what else were they all capable of! The blood in his veins raced at the seemingly infinite prospects.
“I want to cast other elements too,” Leera mumbled.
“Mrs. Stone, how is Haylee?” Bridget asked.
“She is resting. She has been through a lot in a short period of time. We must be patient and compassionate.”
“Of course, Mrs. Stone.”
“Now I must ask for your concentration.” Mrs. Stone looked around at the bleak landscape. “It has been sixteen years since I came here last. Let us prepare.” She let go of her staff. It stood straight, supported arcanely, while she stretched as if readying to exercise. First, her neck, then hands, arms, torso, and finally legs.
The trio followed her example. Augum wondered what they were going to do that required warming up like this.
“It was always my practice—excuse me, the practice of my mentors—to stretch before a Trainer session.” She curled all the fingers in her hands.” Ah, it is good to be back. All right, let us begin. Have you guessed what it is you are about to go through?”
The trio shook their heads. “No, Mrs. Stone.”
She paced to the far edge and turned back around, watching them. Her staff stood in place where she had left it, like a spear jammed into the ground.
“What’s going on?” Leera whispered to Augum.
“No idea …”
“There will be no idle talk from now on. Failure to follow my instructions will result in automatic disqualification. Nod if you understand.”
The trio nodded, exchanging wild looks of excitement and fear. Augum now got what was going on—they were about to be officially tested for the 2nd degree!
“Please spread out.”
As soon as they got into position, Mrs. Stone gestured at a rock—it hurled itself at Augum. He instinctively raised his left arm and summoned his lightning shield. The rock bounced off harmlessly, the shield disappearing before the rock even hit the ground.
“Bridget, return that rock to me using Telekinesis.”
Bridget raised her arm, brows knotting in concentration. The rock picked itself up and floated over to Mrs. Stone. She snatched it out of the air before letting it drop from her hand. She withdrew a pottery cup from within her robes and tossed it at their feet, where it smashed.
“Leera, repair the cup then return it to my hand, all without touching it.”
Leera swallowed hard before crouching. Her hands shook as she splayed them over the pieces. “Apreyo.” At first, nothing happened and Augum was afraid she had failed, but then the pieces began to move, the cup reforming with an arcane glow. She took a deep breath, poised her hand over it, and guided it back to Mrs. Stone using Telekinesis.
Mrs. Stone caught it, making a quick gesture with her other hand. A rock hurtled at Bridget, who just barely blocked it by spawning a shield made of twigs and leaves. Mrs. Stone flicked her wrist again, hurling one at Leera, who also just managed to block it with her shield, made of pond leaves and water.
Mrs. Stone gestured at her staff and it shot into her hand. She held it out. “Augum Stone—Disarm.”
It was strange hearing her address him by his full name. His heart thundered—this was the spell he’d been having trouble with. He shook out his hand before raising his arm, visualizing the staff flying from his great-grandmother’s grip. “Disablo!” and he yanked arcanely—the staff twirled in the air and came clanging to the ground.
Mrs. Stone returned the staff to her hand telekinetically and repeated the test for Bridget and Leera, both of whom passed.
“Raise your primary hands please.” They did so. “Now cast Shine.”
“Shyneo!” Their hands lit up instantly—it was their most often-used spell, and the one they were best at.
“Extinguish.” Mrs. Stone then tossed the cup at Bridget’s feet where it smashed. When Bridget repaired it, she threw it at Augum’s feet. He also repaired it. She then paced forward, again leaving her staff to stand perfectly balanced.
“Bridget Jones—Push.”
Bridget looked beyond Mrs. Stone at the great drop and hesitated before making the shoving gesture. “Baka!”
Mrs. Stone stumbled a few steps and returned. “Leera Jones—Push.”
Leera didn’t hesitate and Mrs. Stone had to catch herself, else she would have fallen. “Augum Stone—Push.”
He glanced past her to the great fall that awaited if he did it too well. “Baka!” He made the gesture but nothing happened. His stomach plummeted. Did he just fail?
“You have one more opportunity. Failure to perform will result in disqualification. Augum Stone—Push.”
He was conscious of Bridget and Leera staring, but he wasn’t about to let his fear get the better of him. “Baka!” and arcanely shoved Mrs. Stone. She stumbled right to the edge, but held firm without falling. A headache began to throb as he sighed in relief.
“Please turn around.”
They faced the great expanse, wind clawing at their hair, while Mrs. Stone took her time walking behind them.
“You may turn back around now. I have hidden three objects amongst the rubble. Augum Stone—Unconceal.”
He put out his shaking hand. The spells seemed that much more difficult under the pressure of a test. “Un vun deo.” He waited to feel the arcane ether. Nothing happened. He felt his brow sweat.
“You have one more opportunity,” Mrs. Stone said after a time. “Failure to perform will result in disqualification.”
Augum felt short of breath upon hearing those words again, but forced himself to calm down and breathe. He closed his eyes and listened to the wind, feeling for that subtle pull, for that intent to obscure.
“Un vun deo.” At last, it came, and he dared not let it go, nor did he dare think on anything else but where it led. At the end of that invisible rope, he found a sunflower seed hidden underneath a rock.
“Leera Jones—Unconceal,” Mrs. Stone said as Augum resumed his place, silently thanking the Unnameables.
“You have one more opportunity. Failure to perform will result in disqualification,” Mrs. Stone said when Leera hadn’t moved for a time. Leera reddened. Augum stared at her, willing her to succeed. “You can do it,” he mouthed. She saw him say it and made a thankful face. Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, palm outstretched.
“Un vun deo,” she said, and stood for too long a time. Surely she’d be disqualified any moment now, Augum thought. Just as Mrs. Stone opened her mouth to speak, Leera began slowly moving forward, eventually finding a coat button. She squealed in delight and resumed her place.
“Bridget Jones—Unconceal.”
“Un vun deo,” Bridget said, finding a copper coin in moments.
“And now for your final test. Bridget Jones—Slam.”
Bridget inhaled deeply before closing her eyes. Suddenly she gestured as if throwing something to the ground. “Grau!” she cried in an animalistic fashion. There was the splintering sound of a tree cracking in half. It was so real and loud Augum and Leera flinched. When the sound dissipated, Bridget was biting her lip and smiling, proba
bly because she knew she had passed.
“Leera Jones—Slam.”
Leera took a series of deep breaths. “Grau!” making the throwing gesture. The sound of a great volume of water crashing filled the air. When it concluded, she was grinning.
Mrs. Stone’s eyes settled on him next. “Augum Stone—Slam.”
This was it. He had to get it right. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, focusing on the intricacies needed to perform the spell. He made a whipping gesture. “Grau!” The air split with a crack of thunder, so loud the girls covered their ears. It wasn’t his most successful casting of the spell, but it was enough.
“I shall return in but a moment,” Mrs. Stone said, face impassive. She disappeared with an implosive crunch.
The trio exchanged looks, not daring to speak. Was there one final test? What was going on? They waited and waited, until there came another implosive crunch.
Mrs. Stone reached out. “Join hands. We now return.”
They did as she asked, soon appearing back at the Okeke home. When the teleportation sickness wore off, they found Jengo, Priya, Mr. Okeke, Mr. Goss, Leland, and even Haylee standing together, clapping.
The trio exchanged wild looks of excitement—they had passed their 2nd degree test!
Mrs. Stone set herself apart and cleared her throat. “Leera Jones, please step forward.” Leera did so and Mrs. Stone raised her chin. “In accordance with the ancient traditions of the Founding, I, Anna Atticus Stone, having achieved mastery in the element of lightning, before these witnesses, hereby bestow upon you, Leera Jones, daughter of Matilda and Oscar Jones, the 2nd arcane degree. Please give me your arm.”
Leera pushed back her sleeve and proudly extended her arm. Mrs. Stone’s hand began to crackle and shine electrically as she touched Leera’s wrist. The light moved from mentor to apprentice, spiraling around Leera’s arm, before settling in a second glowing watery ring.
“Congratulations on achieving your 2nd degree. You may now step back in line.”
“Thank you, thank you so very much, Mrs. Stone …”
Everyone clapped as Leera returned, marveling at her two spiraling rings.
Mrs. Stone then repeated the ceremony with Bridget and Augum. When it concluded, the trio hugged while receiving hearty rounds of applause from everyone, including Haylee.
Mr. Goss removed his new spectacles and dabbed at his face with a cloth, telling Leland, “One day, my dear son, that will be you. I just know it.”
“We’ve got our second stripe!” Leera called, showing hers off to cheers.
Everyone quickly gathered to congratulate the trio with handshakes and hugs.
“Well done,” Mr. Okeke said, clapping Augum on the back. “Well done indeed.”
“I feel so privileged to even be here,” Jengo said, squeezing Augum’s hand with both of his.
Priya gave small bows. “That was very interesting, thank you and congratulations.”
Mr. Goss took each of their hands and looked them in the eyes. “I am so very proud of you all.”
Leland only moaned and hugged each one of them in turn.
Haylee stood apart, only approaching Augum when he had a moment of freedom from the crowd. “Congratulations,” she said softly, eyes at her feet. “Just wanted to …” She looked up, unable to finish.
He smiled. “It’s all right, and thanks.”
She nodded and suddenly squeezed him in a tremendous hug. He returned it, glad she was there.
The 3rd Degree
Mrs. Stone took the trio back to the Trainer. She had given them a choice: stay and continue celebrating or train in the 3rd degree. Needless to say, it was hardly much of a choice—who’d pass up the opportunity to learn new spells under the famous Anna Atticus Stone?
“I shall return briefly,” Mrs. Stone said, and teleported away. When it was only the trio upon that towering rocky mesa, Leera turned to Augum.
“So, um, what did Haylee say?”
“Just congratulations, that kind of thing.”
“Oh, right …”
Bridget thrust her glowing arm of rings between them. “Look, we have our second stripe! Can you believe it!”
Augum and Leera promptly lit their rings up, admiring what they had achieved.
“After everything we went through,” he muttered, holding his arm up. “Who’d have thought …”
Mrs. Stone soon returned. “And now back to the business at hand. Before we begin the training, let me remind you why we are headed to Bahbell.”
The trio shifted where they stood.
“Inside is supposed to be an ancient recipe for constructing a portal to Ley without needing a scion. This recipe requires very particular ingredients, ingredients Occulus was no doubt attempting to track down. Lividius knows of the recipe’s existence and the fact Occulus had failed. What he does not know is exactly where Bahbell is. I am unaware of who among his party is looking for it, but I can assure you the castle is being searched for as we speak. Therefore, time is crucially limited—we must find Bahbell and the recipe before Lividius.
“I need not say that should he get his hands on the recipe, he will use it to open a portal to Ley and raid it with his armies on the pretext of bestowing eternal life upon all. We cannot let this happen. The guardians of knowledge must be kept safe. Their destruction would obliterate our unifying past and doom us to repeat our mistakes, something we are already beginning to suffer from due to the Leyan withdrawal from the world. They will share that knowledge of their own volition. Everyone must be allowed to benefit, not just a select few.”
“Can the Leyans not stop him?” Bridget asked.
“He is growing more powerful by the day, aided by three scions, Dreadnoughts, his Black and Red Guard, and the undead. If he succeeds in winning Tiberra, it will be a new source of wealth and power for him. The Great Quest for the seven scions will accelerate, as will his thirst for emperorship. When he turns his sights on the other kingdoms, we may see a war unlike any seen before.”
“Is there any way of taking those scions away from him somehow, maybe destroying them?” Augum asked.
Mrs. Stone glanced at the clear orb embedded at the top of her sleek staff. As if in response, it clouded over. “The scions are indestructible Leyan artifacts. Perhaps they could be hidden or removed from the world, but that assumes much. As the Legion gains momentum, Lividius will surround himself with powerful protections, though his trust in others will be limited by his ambition.”
“Do we know where to start looking for Bahbell?”
“I have been making quiet inquiries about the Occi. It appears some of them may be warlocks. As to where they could be found, I have an idea of where to start looking, but after that, we will have to rely on luck.”
“The old Henawa man said to see him before we left,” Leera said. “He might be able to point us in the right direction.”
“Then I shall leave that to you. Now let us move on to an essential 3rd degree spell I feel may help protect you from the Occi. Would anyone like to venture a guess as to which one I am referring to?”
Bridget winced. “Mind Armor?”
“Correct. Mind Armor is a reflex spell, much like Shield, that protects warlocks from spells like Fear, Deafness, Confusion, Mute, Sleep, and so on. Without it, you are at the mercy of any warlock miscreant that crosses your path. Be warned, however, that the spell is much more difficult to perform against warlocks of higher degree. Further, as their arcane energies drain while casting an offensive spell, your energies also drain while defending. It is a rather simple spell with endless complex permutations, as you will no doubt discover. Knowing how to defend yourself against each kind of attack is key. Is everyone following me thus far?”
The trio nodded slowly.
“I would like to hear ‘Yes, Mrs. Stone’ or ‘No, Mrs. Stone’ please.”
“Yes, Mrs. Stone,” they chorused.
“Good. This is not a game. Although you have rarely come up against other warlo
cks thus far, I assure you the time will come. You will need to be prepared. In the old days of the Arcaners, duels were relatively fair, but now, a warlock might not even show his stripes before attacking. A well-timed Mute spell at an unsuspecting victim is usually more than enough to achieve victory. A thorough understanding of Mind Armor will force your opponent to fight you evenly, and vice versa, of course.”
Mrs. Stone’s chin dropped as her eyes fixed upon Augum. “Allow me to demonstrate.”
He felt a strange tingling in his throat.
“How does that feel?” she asked.
Augum opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He tried to clear his throat but that didn’t work either.
Mrs. Stone nodded and the tingling went away. “Remember that sensation. I am high enough in degree that I can cast these spells silently. Most warlocks will have a trigger word and gesture that will alert you to the attack. I shall cast the spell silently to better tune you to pay attention to what counts—the sensations. Train yourselves to block the spell, not the word. Now let us try again. This time, concentrate on shielding against the oncoming attack. Everyone’s thoughts are different, so you will have to improvise until something works. And do not forget to play to your strengths.”
Augum felt the tingling and concentrated on somehow blocking the effect. He failed.
“Again,” Mrs. Stone said, and so it went on like this for about ten consecutive tries, tiring Augum out just trying to defend himself.
“It is all right that you are unsuccessful, Great-grandson. Now take some time and focus on why you have been unsuccessful and how you can change it.” She moved on to Leera and Bridget while Augum ruminated on what she had said. The point she was making, he thought, was that the attack had an initial feeling he had to recognize immediately, before the spell took effect.
“Armor your mind,” she kept saying, “so that even when you yourself are not aware, your mind is on guard, ever watchful like an owl in the night.”
