The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows on the ranks of students that stood ready for battle. No one was allowed to leave, but there was a choice offered to each student: fight alongside the professors or hunker down in the Arcane Citadel. Nearly half of the students had signed up to defend their school.
The city guard had lent extra patrols around the academy but stopped short of sending requests for reinforcements to neighboring towns. The threat remained unconfirmed—and unknown.
They needed intel.
Trey wished Marvin would return. Both because Jeffers was keen on having his legendary dark magic in their arsenal and because they needed access to what was in Darius’ head.
Skye had ignored Trey’s suggestion to remain in the Arc, refusing to leave his side. Trey knew there wasn’t much hope in changing her mind, and figured the next best place for her was by his side where he could keep an eye on her.
Nora was also close by, a celestial steel sword in her hands. They had convinced a confused Karl—with an extra mental push from Trey—to let her fight with it for the night.
Trey still wore his onyx steel armor, but there was a familiar wand in his grip. The fire magic teacher, who had lent him the wand, stood in front of him.
The professors were dividing up the students into squads, and Bree had immediately snagged the one student she had to have on her team. She was looking around the rest of the crowd, deciding who to recruit next. “Where’s Dana?” she asked.
“I haven’t seen her,” Trey answered, also searching through the sea of faces. He was surprised to see Jeffers marching in their direction with Eva following closely behind.
“Orders straight from Grand Oracle,” Jeffers announced when he reached Trey. “Trey is to be responsible for guarding the healer.” The head guardian’s head cocked to the side at the sight of a wand in Trey’s hand. He held back his comment, though, and instead transferred Eva over to Trey’s care. With one last glance at the wand-wielding guardian, he ran off to another errand.
“I didn’t know you made such an impression on the headmaster,” Bree commented, looking at him with raised eyebrows.
“The Grand Oracle is a divination mage,” Eva chimed in, only adding to Trey’s curiosity, “and I may have influenced his decision.”
“How is the headmaster doing?” Trey asked.
“He looked about ready to step into his own grave when I first got to him,” Eva said, “but he’ll recover. He’s got a Helios potion that I’ve instructed him to take in small doses. If we’re lucky, he might make an appearance in a couple of hours.”
From beyond the academy walls, the sounds of distant crashes and shouts carried through the air, as if the universe was declaring they did not have a couple of hours. The squads of defenders spread out, with a higher concentration near the entrance. Trey’s small group of five took their position closer to the Spire.
As they waited, Trey couldn’t help but wonder how the city guard was faring against the assault. His question was soon answered when a haggard band of city guards burst through the gate, fleeing from the battle. As they retreated past the first line of students, heading toward Eva, Trey caught a glimpse of their bewildered expressions, the terror in their eyes sending a shiver through his body. What he had seen were the faces of men who had just witnessed real combat for the first time.
The fighting outside died down, almost to an eerie stillness… then the world around them erupted.
Several ground-shaking explosions rippled through the defenders, shaking everyone to the core and knocking more than a few to the ground. Despite the ringing in his ears, Trey remained alert, watching as the gatehouse guarding the academy was blown apart. His head swiveled to check his rear, where another explosion had created a small breach in the wall, far from the main entrance.
Bree frowned as enemies began streaming in through both gaps, the rubble only proving to be a minor obstacle. “What in the Archmage’s name was that? There’s no artificer I know that could’ve done that.” Her eyes widened as the meaning of her own words registered in her mind. Debris still floated down from what Trey assumed to be the harbinger of Grimstone’s return.
Trey led his group of girls over to the smaller breach to support Professor Mullens and her squad of students. Nora rushed forward, swinging her sword as she unleashed a Light Arc.
Skye paused mid-spell, shooting a puzzled look at Nora. “Do you and Trey have a ‘secret mage club’ or something?”
Nora flashed her a smile. “Jealous?”
Skye rolled her eyes and sent an ice javelin soaring toward the nearest foe. Trey thought about stepping in, but thought maybe the banter would help take the edge off the brutal nightmare playing out in front of them. Proving to be nothing more than cannon fodder, the first wave of invaders fell to the defender’s lethal magic.
“Whoever takes down the most opponents gets first dibs on Trey when this is all settled,” Nora said, her competitive nature unbridled even in extreme circumstances. Trey only barely detected the shakiness in her voice.
Skye frowned, unsure if she wanted to gamble away her time with Trey, but not wanting Nora to go unchallenged. “Trey will decide—”
“Deal!” Bree exclaimed, injecting herself into the conversation while she casually roasted an enemy mage alive.
Nora scowled at the new contender. “You’re a professor!”
“Can we stop flirting with Trey and focus on the battle?!” Eva shouted. Her glare was directed at Trey even though he hadn’t said anything.
Bree flicked her wand, shooting a Fire Plume directly into the dwarf that was charging her. “That’s three!” she exclaimed, gleefully ignoring the elf. The fire magic professor winked at Nora. “Do you need any more instructor-led learning or do you think you got it?”
Trey expected a retort from Nora, but the light mage instead lunged forward, casting a series of spells in a gambit to catch up. Trey, meanwhile, was holding back his visible magic, choosing instead to weave confusion into the minds of their attackers. It proved to be an effective strategy; capitalizing on the natural panic that gripped them as they burst through the narrow opening in the wall only to come face-to-face with Bree''s fire magic. Grabbing hold of their innate instinct to flee, Trey created enough hesitation to slow down the tide of attackers to a manageable rate.
Their defense continued to hold strong, allowing Trey a moment to peek at the shattered entrance. He was relieved to see the lines holding strong over there as well. A concern did flash in his mind, though. From what he could tell, neither Harold nor Aribelle had made an appearance.
Looking around, Trey spotted a figure waving wildly at them from a distance. He recognized Kayla as she came running closer. “They’ve broken through in the Riv! We need a healer! We need reinforcements!”
Before Trey could respond, Eva broke into a sprint toward the domed arena. Not wanting to waste time lecturing her on safety, he quickly fell into step beside her, matching her pace. With blind haste, they rushed through the entrance and were greeted by the sounds of a raging battle echoing through the concourse. The sickening smell of burning flesh was already prevalent in the air.
“Don’t leave my side until I figure out what''s going on,” Trey said to the healer with an edge of sternness, grabbing her shoulder. He knew her natural inclination would be to dart to the nearest person in need, which could place her in harm’s way.
Bree, Nora, and Skye caught up and Trey pressed forward, bolstered by the additional presence. The five of them hustled onto the arena field, a place typically reserved for thrilling, but non-lethal competitions. That night, however, it was a battlefield, destined to become the final resting place of many combatants.
As Trey took in the scene, he quickly recognized that the situation in front of him was far more dire. The defense had collapsed. Students were dead. The attacking forces held better positions. And both Harold and Aribelle were there, leading the assault.
Trey wasted no time, brandishing his wand and unleashing a torrent of fire magic. He obliterated his first opponent with an Infernal Vortex while dodging a barrage of spells coming from all sides. He frowned, noticing for the first time that enemy mages had taken to the stands and were moving to surround them. Bree was fighting like a roaring wildfire, but he could tell even she was worried.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
With a sigh, he glanced at the other girls, who were doing their best to fend off the relentless onslaught. He knew the moment had arrived. He knew what was needed. Side-stepping a fireball, he raised his wand and invoked Shadow Legion.
A dozen dark wraiths rose from the ground, their shadowy forms writhing with ferocious energy. Two opposing mages were swiftly taken down and two others were forced to retreat.
There was a brief lull in the battle as the opposition tried to cope with the powerful dark magic. Bree looked around in confusion before the realization hit her. Her eyes snapped onto Trey. “Are you fucking kidding me?!”
Without missing a beat, Trey spun around and hit one of the encircling mages with a Shadow Missile. Skye still hadn’t recovered from the revelation, her expression mostly one of shock, though there was a tinge of hurt hiding underneath.
“A dark mage, too?” he heard Nora exclaim from behind him. “It’s official—you’re better at keeping secrets than me. Is there anything else you’re holding back?”
Trey turned and sent fire magic over her shoulder. “Yeah,” he admitted with a sheepish grin. “Let’s talk after this is over.”
Eva remained focused on the fight, seemingly unfazed by Trey’s display of dark magic. She shot him a quick look. “I’m just assuming you have all of the affinities at this point. All of the girls, though? Yeah, we’re gonna have a talk later, too.”
Trey felt a sudden urge to be somewhere else. “Let’s get to a fortress,” he commanded.
With his Shadow Legion still fighting around them, Trey barreled toward one of the fortified structures on the field. He found a trio of crossbow-wielding dwarves on top and launched a fire spell at them. Bree, Skye, and Nora joined in and they took down the dwarves while Eva found a wounded classmate who was slumped against a barrier. Still under fire, the five of them, plus the rescued student, scampered into the shelter provided by the scaled-down fortress.
While they caught their breath, Trey regenerated just enough mana to summon another Shadow Legion, which cleared the area directly around the fortress. The group spread out, with Bree and Skye climbing atop the stone walls, while Eva remained relatively sheltered, healing the injured student. Trey and Nora staged themselves in a nook—they were going hunting.
Once ready, they blitzed to the nearest barrier, which was hiding two enemy mages. Their guardian training combined with their magic proved to be lethal. Trey smashed his shield into his target and jabbed his wand into their gut, firing off a spell point blank. The mage hurled over, screaming in pain. Trey swung his shield in an uppercut that sent his foe flying back onto Nora’s sword.
With their targets silenced, the predator duo scanned the combat zone for their next prey. A light streaked toward them, catching Trey’s attention.
Across the field, he saw a student pinned down by four combatants. He looked back to ensure Bree and Skye were successfully holding down the fort. Signaling to Nora, he took off in a sprint, his path weaving back and forth to avoid magical projectiles.
He reached the first mage and summoned an Abyssal Scythe that tore through her. He swerved and charged the next closest mage with terrifying effect. After leaving his victim in a pile of ash, he jumped into the ditch where Fayette—the pinned student—was fighting for her life. Lying concealed near the bottom of the ditch was the injured light magic teacher, Professor Jiva.
Trey blew another attacker away with an Infernal Vortex only to see six more mages, all with Mindguards, rush in and surround them.
“Hellfox is cornered!” Harold shouted. “Draken Squad, take the kill!”
At least my codename is cool. So much better than Night Badger.
The magic came flying in, aimed at him. Too late, he realized he had sprung a trap, and he was the objective.
Trey was more than willing to prove that they had bitten off more than they could chew. He cast a Nightshield to provide extra cover and utilized his practiced footwork to dance around and unleash spells in all directions. His agility and instincts served him well in his efforts to dodge and deflect the onslaught targeted at him. With all attention fixed on Trey, Nora was free to light up the enemy with her magic.
“Are you… guardians?” Professor Jiva asked with as much confusion as she could muster, the flashes of battle reflecting in her eyes.
Trey found no time to answer, but what he did find was an opening. He knocked out one of the Draken Squad members with a well-placed Shadow Missile while swinging his shield around to block a spell from Harold. Fayette finally gathered enough courage to step up and support them with her light and earth affinities. The ambush began falling apart.
“We need the Onyx Ravs!” Harold shouted in frustration. “Bring both of them!”
Undeterred, Trey let loose an Infernal Vortex, knocking a foe off balance while Nora and Fayette followed up with a pair of Light Arcs. The blades of light struck true, slicing through the target’s torso.
An arrow zipped toward him with lightning speed, but Trey caught it with his shield. He responded with a Fire Bolt, but before he could cast any more magic, smoke began rising from his shield. Then it began to melt. Trey quickly threw the shield to the ground as it deteriorated.
Trey swerved to avoid a dark magic spell only to have a second arrow thud into the edge of his chestplate. As tendrils of smoke ventured out from his chest, he knew he had to get it off. He was fiddling with the buckles when a Fire Bolt came soaring in and struck him square in the chest. His degraded armor shattered and he went flying back, his helmet falling off as he rolled to the ground.
With Trey down, Fayette caught a couple of fire spells, taking her out of the fight. Nora managed to utilize her armor to avoid too much injury, but after seeing Trey’s armor fall apart, her confidence was fractured. Despite needing a moment to recover, Trey was able to continue fighting, but the shift in the fight was palpable. He was left trying to hastily piece together a plan to retreat, unsure how he was going to save Fayette and Professor Jiva.
Just as he was about to grab Nora and make a run for it, a dark claw burst from the ground and latched on to the mage that was charging forward. A Shadow Missile silently zoomed overhead, colliding with Harold. Aribelle lunged forward to engage with the new threat, while another minion pulled a crippled Harold back from the fight. Trey took the opportunity to sneak in a dark magic spell, hitting Aribelle. Another Draken Squad member fell to the overwhelming dark magic that was taking over the battlefield.
Shouts could be heard over the skirmish. “Night Badger! Fall back!”
Someone jumped into the ditch behind Trey, startling him. He whipped around to find Eva hurrying over to Fayette. Bree was close behind, though her objective was her former fire magic professor. Aribelle had just gotten back on her feet after recovering from the earlier hit.
“Aribelle,” Marvin’s voice called out. “You don’t have to go out like this.”
The corners of Aribelle’s lips curled as she raised her wand. She didn’t make it very far before four streams of magic all combined with horrifying effect. Marvin, Bree, Trey, and Nora all stood resolute, staring at what was left of the fugitive fire mage.
Marvin jolted into action first. “Come on,” he yelled. “This is our best chance to get Harold, too.”
The four of them dashed to the other side of the field and onto the concourse that led to the Greshelm side of the Riv. They rushed onto a city plaza, where an unsettling calm hung heavily in the air. Trey observed many dead guards strewn about, but didn’t pick up any moment. They crept forward, looking for any signs of Harold.
Suddenly, fire magic erupted from three different directions.
No longer armored, Trey channeled mana and redirected the Fire Bolt aimed at him. Bree and Marvin each blasted an assailant with magic while Nora sprinted in the other direction. Boosted by her light magic, she was quickly flanking the last attacker. With a couple of jabs from her sword, the threat was neutralized, left in a pool of their own blood.
The ambush was poorly executed with not nearly enough firepower to tackle the pursuers, but it did allow enough time for Harold’s trail to vanish. Before the three enemies were defeated, Trey had successfully invaded their minds but was taken aback to discover that they believed Harold was moving in contradictory directions. It was a strategic ploy, one that especially frustrated Marvin. Scanning the area, the older dark mage gave a dissatisfied grunt.
“Let’s go see how the rest of the school is faring,” Marvin said. He turned to the Riv, leading the group back into the massive arena.
“Did you catch Darius?” Trey asked.
“Yeah,” Marvin replied. “I caught up with him. He’s in a cell beneath the Arc. We should head there.”
Nora immediately inserted herself into the conversation. “He’s alive?”
Marvin nodded.
“And you didn’t torture him?”
A crooked frown formed on Marvin’s face. “Erm… I may have had a ‘chat’ with him outside the academy walls while I waited for the right time to strike. I did leave him in one piece, though.”
If Nora was displeased by Marvin’s answer, it was overshadowed by the relief that flooded her face. “Thank you. That means a lot. I hope you know I’m not going to go easy on him.”
“Uh, Marvin…” Trey said. “It might be a little harder to pretend I’m not a mage now.”
“Ha!” Marvin’s laughter barked out. “I saw a brief portion of your performance—there’s no going back.” He turned to Trey, the events of the night weighing down his expression. “You made the right call.”
As they stepped onto the field, Skye came running over to them, bringing a whole load of concern with her. “Are you all okay? Trey, I saw you take that hit, let me take a look at you. Eva is going to be busy for a while.”
“Thanks, Skye,” Trey responded. “But I actually have to go with Marvin right now. Can you watch over Eva for me? I’m supposed to be guarding her and I’m doing a terrible job so far.”
“Are you kidding?!” Skye exclaimed. “You probably just saved all of Windrake. This was clearly the main attack and no one was prepared for it. Their numbers were at least a hundred strong. You’re a hero.”
Trey looked at the ground as he mumbled a quiet "thanks," before realizing Marvin was trudging ahead. Trey gave Skye a quick, heartfelt smile before putting an extra spring in his step to rejoin the others.
“The last I heard,” Marvin said quietly once Trey caught up, “the Grand Oracle was up and moving around. We’ve got to hurry and get to Darius—and the other prisoners—first. We’ll want that intel.”
Upon reaching the dungeon level of the Arc, Marvin, Trey, Nora, and Bree were met with a chilling scene. Two guards lay motionless on the floor, their lifeless bodies bearing the unmistakable markings of a dark magic attack. Nora’s eyes widened as she rushed forward, followed closely by the others. Inside the cell block was a morbid collection of more corpses. At the very end, Darius lay motionless in the middle of his cell, his ashen skin and twisted limbs completing the macabre scene.
Nora stood paralyzed with shock, while Marvin investigated their surroundings more carefully. After a heavy pause, he looked at the others with wary eyes. “There’s still a rogue on campus.”