The Complete Seven Sorcerers Trilogy

by Julius St. Clair

  “How can I trust you?”

  “I never betrayed Olivia, even though she did me wrong twice.”

  “Perhaps you’re just dumb.”

  “All the more reason to keep me.”

  “You won’t allow me to become a god,” Ember said. “I know that much.”

  “It’s true, I won’t. But let’s call this for what it is: an unholy alliance. I need you, and you need me. There are currently seven Sorcerers in play. How about we start betraying each other at three?”

  Remi studied Ember’s face carefully. She said the number three because it sounded like a good number, but in order to have any kind of chance, she knew that she would have to let go of Ember at four. She was sure the Sorceress was thinking of something similar so basically, after they defeat even one together, Remi realized that she would have to start watching her own back.

  “But in order to accomplish anything,” Remi continued. “You have to teach me things.”

  “And what do I get in return? You haven’t shown your worth yet.”

  “Teach me until I feel that I’ve acquired enough strength and technique, and I will tell you where Alicia is.”

  Ember’s eyes went wide. “You wouldn’t.”

  “I’m being honest,” Remi said adamantly. “If I wouldn’t tell you after the torture you put me through, then you know I’m strong willed. And I’m telling you, that if you give me what I need, I’ll tell you where she is.”

  “So you do know where she is.”

  “I know her, and that’s enough.”

  “So you would betray your friend?”

  “Give me what I need, and I’ll convince her to work for you too.”

  “Well,” Ember said, with a big smile. “This is interesting. Perhaps you’re not as worthless as I thought. You know what? Fine. I will train you, but when you need your breaks to recover, I will continue to search for Alicia. If I find her, the training ends immediately. Deal?”

  “Sure,” Remi said. “But I’m confident you won’t find her without me. If you want to hurry this up, then we better get going.”

  “Yes,” Ember said, folding her hands behind her back. “Before we begin—since we’re being so friendly—I might as well tell you a little more about the Sorcerers. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this. Do you know our greatest strength? Tell me, using that quick mind of yours…what do you think makes us so powerful?”

  “Time,” Remi said. “That’s the only thing it could be. Casimir looked like a kid, and yet he’s a Sorcerer? How could he accomplish a title and level of power that quickly? I know there are phenomenon like Bastion, but he’s not even close to what Casimir can do. He’s older than he looks, so…the Sorcerers must have a way to be outside of time and space.”

  “Correct,” Ember said, staring directly into Remi’s eyes. “Some of us are so old that we’ve forgotten our age in years. There’s no need. Time affects us differently than it does you.”

  “But it does affect you.”

  “It is not we who are immortal, it is the places in which we reside. Time moves slower in certain places, like this island. It is not of the three worlds. It is elsewhere.”

  “Where?”

  “Your mind’s not ready for such things. It will be a distraction.”

  “I can handle it.”

  “There are only three worlds as you know it. But in reality, there are many. The problem is that there is no way to reach the others. Not even a Sorcerer has the power, however, it is one thing we are trying to solve.”

  “That’s why you want to become a god. Because that one Sorcerer might have the ability to reach the other worlds?”

  “Exactly. And on those other worlds, time may be even slower. See, we’ve found little islands and pockets of relaxed time even on Paragon and Cimmerian, but it still moves forward. We still age, and someday, we will die. The only reason we are as old as we are is because we rarely leave our time capsules, as we call them. But that’s hardly a way to rule or interact with others. It’s why we don’t bother with the affairs of Terra. It’s because by doing so, we risk aging, and getting weaker. We are in a gridlock, Remi. None of us leave because we know that as soon as one gets too weak, the others will take advantage, and then wait for the next weak Sorcerer.”

  “Can’t you work together to try to solve the time problem?”

  “We’ve done that, but if you meet the other Sorcerers, you will learn that they aren’t too keen on teamwork.”

  “So…this war between the worlds…the Sorcerers are getting involved because they’re seeing it as a way to take each other down?”

  “The three worlds are our entertainment, and each Sorcerer has a personal investment in certain groups and sects of people, similar to watching a sports game. We have our teams, so to speak. And so, with the worlds colliding, now the end is near. Even if there wasn’t a war, the atmosphere is changing in such a way that you will all be dead within a century unless there is some major evolution. As a result, the Sorcerers want to intervene and preserve their entertainment or kill each other trying. We all see it as time to try to become god.”

  “Wait, so the only reason that the Sorcerers are trying to kill each other is because they will be bored when we’re all dead?”

  “Yep.”

  “That’s sick.”

  “Living forever gets boring.”

  “Then end it.”

  “Why didn’t you end your life?”

  “Because…” Remi scowled. “This isn’t about me. It’s about you Sorcerers and your sick game. We’re just playthings to you!”

  “That’s right. But treasured playthings all the same. I’m sorry, but this is the truth. We will see this through to the end.”

  “Alright,” Remi huffed. “So the other worlds…why aren’t they reachable?”

  “We would have to learn how to manipulate time ourselves,” Ember replied. “And not just go to the places that slow it down. Technically, we don’t know anything about time at all. We merely live in a different version of it.”

  “And that’s why the Sorcerers are so powerful,” Remi said, shaking her head. “You weren’t born with it. You didn’t necessarily earn the title. It’s because you stood in the right spot in the right time.”

  “Nice pun.”

  “This isn’t funny,” Remi said, closing her eyes. “So, what’s the ratio? I’ve been here for a month. What’s that time on Terra?”

  “About an hour.”

  “You’re kidding!”

  “I’m not.”

  “So…” Remi’s voice trailed off as she began pacing in the sand. “We can be here for years before anything serious even happens. I can become super strong and then go down there and save everyone!”

  “Well, not exactly,” Ember said, folding her arms. “Part of the problem is that your body starts adjusting under the new atmosphere. Kind of like the difference for you being in Paragon and Terra. With us, it’s a lot more extreme, and it’s the reason I can only be there for so long before I come back here. It’s a depressurization of sorts. My body starts trying to catch up with my actual age, although it’s a gradual race. If I spend on a day on Terra, for example, in my current state, I will have aged a few months.”

  “That’s not terrible.”

  “It’s not instant because my body still has residuals from this area, but that wears off. Give me a little more time on Terra, and suddenly the day becomes a few years. The longer I stay out of my bubble, so to speak, the quicker the effects overtake me. By my calculations, if I stayed on Terra for roughly a year, I would die of old age. For you, it’s different. As of right now, since you’ve only begun to gain the effects from this island, if you go back to earth and stay a day, you will only age an hour and a day. Nothing big. But the longer you stay, the worse it will get. You don’t want to be here too long. Just like how the effects increase the longer I stay on Terra, the effects will do the same the longer you’re here.”

  “So how long should I stay on
this island? How long do we have?”

  “Depends. How much time do you want to have passed on Terra?”

  “It depends on the war, I guess…”

  “Then I can keep you updated. And you can tell me when it’s time to go back.”

  “I don’t feel any different here. I mean, a little. But nothing serious.”

  “You’ll see,” Ember laughed. “Once you get back, you’ll see.”

  “So looking for those other worlds…the point is to find a place in which you can live on an entire planet that has the same time effects as this island? So that you’re not so isolated?”

  “It would be nice to meet others, and for aging slowly to be…normal. I would love to experience things and not observe them.”

  “How did you all get in this predicament anyways? Were you all from Terra originally?”

  Ember glared at Remi with quivering lips.

  “If you want to train, then let’s train,” she said. Remi nodded. She had enough information for now. But she would get it out of Ember eventually.

  She had the time.

  ***

  “Not bad, not bad,” Ember said as she paced around Remi in the sand. “You’re far away from defeating a Sorcerer, but you’ve improved even beyond my expectations. It’s the only reason I’ve stayed here for so long.”

  “How long has it been?” Remi huffed as Ember closed her eyes.

  “We’ve been here a few years.”

  “You’re kidding! What’s that on Terra?”

  “Not even a few days. But like I said, time has sped up here because you’ve been here for a while. So the ratio…ugh, well, you get the picture.”

  “I know we’ve been here a long time…I’ve stopped counting and focusing only on my training. I…” Remi’s voice trailed off. She already felt so different, and not just physically. It was like she had been changed from the inside out. Without having to worry about her health going into a relapse, or the war around her, she was able to focus on her training alone. It was refreshing in a sense, in that it had become her life.

  Ember was a harsh and brutal teacher, performing blows that would kill most people if unattended, but then she would step back and allow Remi to heal herself. They talked of techniques and possibilities. They went over battle strategies, but they never talked about the Sorcerers and their strength in time. Ember refused and thought of it as one big distraction. It was only about preparing for the upcoming war.

  And in that time, it was like her life had become a blur. She had no time to dwell on the specifics of a technique. She was simply asked to perform it, without any knowledge as to where it had originated from. Now, her mind was beginning to race, to think about the days that had blurred together and condensed down into a couple Terra days.

  “Do you remember—” Remi began, but Ember slapped her hard across the face. Remi winced, but it didn’t hurt like it used to.

  “Do that on your own time. You’ll have plenty of it.”

  “The training continues?” Remi asked. “Shouldn’t we see what’s going on Terra? A lot could have happened in a couple days.”

  “I’ll go,” Ember replied, her eyes unwavering. “You stay here and rest. Your body will need it. I won’t be gone long.”

  “I can still train,” Remi said adamantly.

  “No, rest sometimes is just as important. Trust me. Milo,” she said turning to the young man sitting cross-legged in the sand, surrounding by a pile of scattered parts and plates of steel. A couple large diamonds shimmered from beneath a small sand mound.

  “Yes?” he asked. Even he had gotten used to Ember’s presence.

  “Take care of Remi, will you?”

  “You sound like you’re going off to die.”

  “Not yet,” she said with a smile. “I was more referring to this.”

  Before Remi could see her movements, Ember grabbed one of her arms and smashed it with her powerful grip. Remi stared at her in shock as Ember placed her hand on her left wooden arm.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to hurt you. You trust me?”

  “No,” Remi replied. “But I know what you’re doing. Go ahead.”

  “Hmm,” Ember mused as she smashed the left arm. Remi sat down in the sand and allowed Ember to crush her legs one at a time under her feet. Milo rushed to Remi’s side and began inspecting the damage, taking measurements for the new arms and legs that she would receive.

  “I’ll tell you where Alicia is when you get back,” Remi said with a wink.

  Ember chuckled under her breath and disappeared as Remi laid back in the sand, enjoying the relaxation. Her mind numbed as she allowed herself to listen to the lapping of the waves and the breeze wiping away the granules of sand from her face.

  “How long will this take?” she whispered as she closed her eyes.

  “This is supposed to be the final models,” Milo said. “So I’m going to take my time.”

  “So that training’s done?” she asked with a frown. “Ember asked you to do this?”

  “She did.”

  “She was acting a little strange,” Remi said. “I wonder why. It’s not like she knows what’s going on down there until she sees it for herself.”

  “I don’t know,” Milo said. “There’s a lot she wouldn’t tell us. She did say that the Sorcerers were observers. That means she has to have ways to watch from afar.”

  “That’s true,” she replied. “By the way, thank you for being here. You’ve made it easier.”

  “I’ve hardly said a word,” he laughed. “And I’ve enjoyed the quiet. I’ve made some great improvements with the time provided. You’ll be able to activate your new abilities easily.”

  “It was hard only being able to do things through my right arm.”

  “Remi, do you think we could ever belong?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The world has barely changed, but we have a bit. Not much, but enough to notice the difference. And yet, people will treat us the same.”

  “Is that so bad?”

  “In Paragon, the shop did well enough, but I was still looked down upon. With the time being different here, I was able to make strides that—well, I think I could even surpass some of the best in Paragon now. There was no need to worry about gossip or drama. Heck, I didn’t even have to hear my annoying sister. I could just concentrate on one task, and one task alone. I wonder…goodness, I didn’t think I’d ever miss her.”

  Tears began to stream down his face and Remi tried to reach up and comfort him, but she forgot that she was now limbless.

  “She’ll be happy to see you,” Remi smiled as she opened her eyes. “They all will.”

  “But I’m not the old me.”

  “We’ve changed for the better. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “But—”

  “Hey,” Remi said. “Yeah, to us years have passed while to them, it’s only been a couple days. People in Paragon will still look down upon you while others will think I’m weak. But here’s our chance to shine. They’ll be surprised by what we can do.”

  “I can’t wait to show them,” Milo said, his lips curling into a smirk.

  Chapter 48 – Mountains Before Us

  “I wish I had a mirror,” Remi said, as she stood up on her new legs. She could tell that they were stronger than before. Her balance was steady and she felt like she could kick Ember to the moon if she had to. She could see that it was a mix of steel, diamond and other substances that Ember talked to Milo in private about. Remi had heard the specifics of the conversation, but she didn’t understand a word that was said. It was a bunch of jargon that was beyond her comprehension.

  “You don’t need a mirror to tell you who you are,” Milo said. “What’s with you girls?”

  “That’s not why I want one.”

  “Then why?”

  “Because I want to see how cool I look.”

  “I don’t understand the difference.”

  “You boys wouldn’t.”


  “Whatever,” he replied, as he began sifting through the sand, cleaning up the precious ore and tools.

  “The arms are made the same?” Remi asked.

  “Yep,” he said, “but they are little more durable. To weather the shock of the blows you’ll be receiving. The legs are lighter for speed. They’re also pretty strong, but I wouldn’t go around blocking sword swings with it.”

  “And I can summon an eidolon from any part of my body now?”

  “Pretty much. If you’re trying to turn your whole body into an eidolon, it won’t work, but if you just need to use your abilities, sure.”

  “Alright, one more question, and I want you to be honest with me.”

  “Okay,” he said, turning his attention completely to her.

  “How easy will Ember be able to break these limbs?”

  “I knew that was coming,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, I’m only human. I mean, it’s not like she’s been crushing prototypes and I’ve been able to analyze the data to come up with—”

  “I’ll take the short version,” Remi said, already afraid to hear the answer.

  “It will take a few direct blows,” he winced. “I think. It’s not like she’s ever fought you seriously.”

  “I would be killed in seconds, huh?”

  “From the little bit I’ve seen, I would say it’s a safe bet.”

  “Well, a few seconds is a lot better than none. Maybe a few seconds is all I need. Milo, do you think you’ll ever be able to create limbs that could match a Sorcerer’s power?”

  “I doubt it,” Milo said. “But if we have the time…maybe.”

  “Then…I was wondering if you could do me a favor. I…it’s a terrible request.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Would you stay here a little while longer?”

  Milo’s face nearly crumbled, and she didn’t want to pursue the topic any further.

  “I’ll do it,” he said with a sigh.

  “No, of course you can’t. I don’t want you to. That was stupid of me.”

  “You’re thinking of the bigger picture. I like that. Yeah, it will suck staying here, but I could get us closer to our goal.”