《The Loremaster》 Prelude The technician looked down at the two frail bodies, each resting inside a cylindrical capsule, dozens of cables jutting out and connected to a myriad of plugs in the wall. On the left, a young woman, laying so still as to appear comatose, her skin burnt and cracked from weeks in the sun. On the right, a boy, also in poor condition, but breathing more steadily. The mother sacrificed her needs to keep him alive, the technician speculated, shaking his head in pity. Still, he felt a kernel of hope as he began the task ahead of him. An hour ago, the technician had been driving along a remote country road, the two capsules in tow. With another half-day¡¯s journey ahead of him, he decided to stop in a seaside village for lunch. Reaching to pay the bill, he heard a crash of voices outside the restaurant and looked up just as a group of people burst through the doorway. In front was a woman wearing a doctor¡¯s coat, her expression betraying intense worry. She scanned the room before spotting him and quickly approaching. ¡°Are you the driver of the Arcadia truck parked outside? We have a serious situation on our hands and are desperate for your assistance.¡± The technician¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me. What do you need?¡± The doctor took a deep breath. ¡°I have a mother and son at my practice who are, to be frank, on death¡¯s door. A fisherman found them in a boat washed up on shore. The nearest hospital is more than an hour away and there¡¯s no way they¡¯d survive the trip. Please, you are their only hope.¡± A moment or two passed by before the technician grasped her meaning. She was asking him to use the capsules to transfer the pair to Arcadia. Launched a year ago, Arcadia had been the latest in a series of fully immersive virtual reality worlds, but one that took the concept in a radical direction. In order to join, one gave up their body on Earth altogether and lived permanently within the virtual world. Not surprisingly, people were shocked at the notion, and a firestorm of controversy erupted. Debate centered on whether a virtual existence truly constituted being alive, and what moral implications this had for society. Many considered the idea of severing ties with one¡¯s life on Earth to be outlandish and against the laws of nature. Mass protests broke out and governments passed laws forbidding ¡°transferring¡±.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Just as the matter appeared to be put to rest, a young mother and father appeared in a television interview. They pled to make an exception for their daughter, about to succumb to injuries from a car accident. Almost overnight, public opinion coalesced around the idea that Arcadia be used for those who suffered from fatal diseases or injuries. A compromise was struck, and transferring stations began to be built as annexes within hospitals and hospices. With time, Arcadia began to be seen as a natural extension of the human experience. The technician knew he was certain to be disciplined for initiating an unapproved transfer. Nonetheless, he felt his resolve firm. ¡°I will help.¡± ¡­ As the doctor finished administering the sedatives, the technician finished his own preparations and stepped over to the monitor near the boy¡¯s capsule. The doctor positioned herself on the other side of the room and watched closely, her face full of apprehension. The technician checked to confirm all was set and raised his hand in the air. After a second of hesitation, he initiated the transfer. The module lit up and whirred softly. The boy¡¯s body stiffened. A minute passed by. The boy¡¯s breathing became shallower, then stopped altogether. The monitor let out a cheerful ding, and the technician exhaled his pent-up breath. He gave the doctor a nod of reassurance. Moving over to the capsule of the woman, the technician felt himself tense. The procedure could be taxing, and as close to death as she was, the chances of success were low. Transfer centers usually had teams in place to make the call on whether to proceed. Here, right now, the decision fell solely on him. He reflected that the woman would want any chance to stay with her son. I hope I¡¯m doing the right thing. He raised his hand again and pushed the button to start the procedure. Halfway through, the woman¡¯s hand twitched and the movement traveled along her whole body. The technician¡¯s stomach dropped, and he heard the doctor gasp in alarm. He rapidly typed the keys to run a diagnostic, then to halt the procedure altogether, as alerts started to cascade on the screen. The capsule let out a low-pitched moan and the whirring ratcheted up to a furious pace. The woman screamed. Chapter 1: Tidings 15 years later¡­ Samer¡¯s hand rested on the chalk as he put the final period on his paragraph. He turned around, ready to answer questions, but was stunned as he saw that all his students had been replaced by¡­slices of chocolate cake. He blushed as his stomach grumbled loudly. ¡°You know what, I think that will conclude our class for today. We¡¯ll pick up discussion tomorrow.¡± A shuffle of tomes into weightless backpacks preceded an exodus out of the classroom. Picking up his papers, Samer wondered how lunch had become his favorite part of the day. He enjoyed teaching, but recently it felt like his classes had begun to flow into each other without end. Plus, it had been months since he had practiced a new, exciting spell or devoured a book on Arcadian lore. His apprentice Roisin was locked away preparing for the Mage Trials and only rarely needed his guidance anymore. I think I might be in a rut. A discreet cough rang out. Samer spun around, hoping a student hadn¡¯t caught him during his moment of introspection. He relaxed upon seeing his friend Dayo slouching in the doorway. ¡°Did I interrupt your reverie, Professor?¡± She flashed him a mischievous grin. Although Dayo was small and lithe, her personality could easily fill up a room. Samer sensed her barely restrained eagerness to share news with him. He said with a hint of reproach, ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t going to town until later. I still have two classes to teach.¡± Dayo waved his point away. ¡°Check your schedule. Everybody¡¯s off for the rest of the day. The Council of Elders is making a system-wide announcement. Word is it¡¯s going to be something big!¡± Her eyes brimmed with glee. Samer raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s surprising. Amara hasn¡¯t mentioned anything.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Dayo suddenly gave a startled cry, before quickly composing herself. She said dryly, ¡°Well here¡¯s her assistant to answer your very question. I see that she still hasn¡¯t learned the concept of personal space.¡± She flattened herself against the doorframe, revealing a tall, reed-thin woman attempting to peek into the classroom. Seeing Samer, the woman twisted herself around Dayo and cautiously stepped inside. Samer smiled at her encouragingly. ¡°Hi Tal, please come in. What can I help you with?¡± Tal glanced around, her discomfort palpable, and Samer did his best to restrain a chuckle. Assistant to the famously fiery and fearless Headmaster Amara, Tal had proven immune to adopting any of her boss¡¯s qualities. ¡°Mage Samer.¡± Tal bowed briefly. ¡°An important matter has arisen, and Headmaster Amara requests your presence in her office. Please come right away. Apprentice Roisin has already been summoned.¡± She hesitated a moment. ¡°Also, the Ranger Dayo is requested to attend as well.¡± Samer exchanged a surprised glance with Dayo. Amara and Dayo were well-acquainted with each other, stemming from the time Samer had served as Amara¡¯s apprentice. Still, it was very odd for Amara to involve Dayo in Academy business. Adding more mystery, Amara had summoned Roisin directly instead of relying on Samer to do so. ¡°Sure, Tal. We¡¯ll be there right away.¡± Tal bowed again and darted out of the classroom. Dayo¡¯s face lit up in excitement. ¡°Me too? You know what this means, right Samer? The announcement must be about opening up Kalasin, the new continent. The Council will be sending an expedition and I bet they¡¯re appointing you to lead it. And in their infinite wisdom, they know you¡¯ll fail miserably without me alongside you.¡± She smirked at him, clearly pleased with herself. Samer frowned, ignoring the taunt. ¡°Nobody expected Kalasin to be opened up so soon. What¡¯s changed?¡± Amara had been hinting that he might be chosen to lead the expedition, but Samer had refused to give the possibility any serious consideration, thinking it months or even a year away. Now, it might happen as soon as tomorrow. Dayo scoffed. ¡°They opened up Caldas, what, five years ago? It¡¯s about time Arcadia had something new and exciting happen. Besides, this could be huge for us! We¡¯ll go from never having left Astros to leaders of a Council-sponsored expedition. Come on, let¡¯s go and find out officially.¡± She bounded out of the room and down the hallway. In a daze, Samer trailed after her. I suppose this is one way to escape a rut. Chapter 2: Quest Received Entering her carefully appointed office, Samer could see Amara peering through a grand window, opening out over the cityscape. He immediately suffered a spike of nervousness; he had never seen a pensive Amara before. Even so, powerfully built and dressed in decorated robes, she exuded a majesty suited to her position as Headmaster of the Academy of Magic and member of the Council of Elders, the group of faction leaders who oversaw Arcadia. On top of that, she was one of the few to earn the rank of Archmage, the highest possible peak of power for a mage. Although he had grown to see her as a maternal figure, Samer still felt the same awe in her presence that he had as a teenager under her tutelage. He gestured to Dayo to stand next to him in front of Amara¡¯s desk, knowing that no matter what her mood, Amara would always insist on protocol. A minute later, a figure quietly crept in and took the place on his other side. Samer smiled to himself and glanced over to confirm it was his apprentice, Roisin. Seeing her stand roughly shoulder to shoulder with him, he grimaced, to which she gave a playful wink. A few years ago, she had bet Samer that she would one day be taller than him. It won¡¯t be long before I have to add that to the long list of bets I¡¯ve lost. Amara took up behind her desk, managing only a wan smile. ¡°Mage Samer, thank you for coming on such short notice. Apprentice Roisin and Ranger Dayo, I appreciate it as well. We¡¯re still waiting for a couple more guests and then we¡¯ll get started.¡± A few minutes passed and Samer considered breaking the silence by asking what the meeting was about, but at that moment the door swung open and two men strode into the room. The first, easily recognizable even when not wearing his uniform, was the grizzled, etched-in-stone General Mateo, head of the Warrior Faction and so also a member of the Council of Elders. Samer was surprised, given that Mateo was known to be in Caldas leading the Goblin Campaign. His grim demeanor matched Amara¡¯s. Samer¡¯s eyes fell on the other man, and his mouth immediately went dry. Slender with shortly-cropped black hair, Jie was dressed in his distinctive ¡°mage armor¡±, as he called it, having eschewed the standard mage robes after he joined the Warrior Faction. He briefly looked startled upon seeing Samer, before his face quickly smoothed over into a neutral expression. Samer shifted his line of sight away, suddenly finding a painting very interesting. Amara took a deep breath, and all eyes focused on her. ¡°General Mateo, Lieutenant Jie, welcome. First, some precautions.¡± With a flick of her wrist, all outside sounds deadened. Samer recognized it as the Sound Barrier spell, used to deflect potential eavesdroppers. Amara resumed, ¡°As you are all aware by now, Mateo and I will be joining the other Elders later today to announce a significant new development for Arcadia. Samer, Jie, Dayo, Roisin, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the rumors and have guessed what the news will be.¡± She looked to Samer, who nodded slightly. ¡°As I thought. Then you¡¯re probably curious as to the timing, given that opening Kalasin was expected to be months away. Well, this is where it gets interesting. What I am about to tell you must stay between us. Do you assent to Vow?¡± The four agreed and Amara let her hand rest momentarily on each of their hands. Samer briefly felt as if weighed down by a hundred bricks, indicating that the vow was made. Should he break it, Amara would instantly know. ¡°Thank you. As you know, the Council has direct input into the computer script that runs Arcadia. Though this function, we have input into all major decisions that determine the course of our world. So, you can imagine our astonishment this morning when we noticed that the Council¡¯s Map of the World had doubled in size overnight. To the west of Astros, across the Sea of Mistras, was a new, completely obscured continent, twice the size of all discovered land so far. Smack dab in the middle of this new gigantic land mass was one word: Kalasin.¡± Amara¡¯s knuckles whitened as she gripped her chair. ¡°Every Council member was subject to the highest levels of truth divination spells. Nobody knew anything about it or could guess what might have happened. Somebody, or something, bypassed us.¡± Unease invaded Samer¡¯s body and he felt Dayo grab his hand. Roisin let out a small gasp and even Jie paled. The implications were staggering. Since its start, Arcadia had proven to be a remarkably safe and stable realm, and this reputation continued to attract tens of thousands of new souls each year. Applicants were screened before being allowed to transfer, ensuring an absence of any potential troublemakers. Now, a potential menace had not only gone undetected but had acted in dramatic fashion. ¡°Right, so I can see that the four of you feel just about how we did. I don¡¯t share this information with you lightly, but you need to know in order to understand the full context behind the assignment Mateo and I are about to give you. If there is any chance that whatever did this originated from Kalasin itself, we need people there to investigate as soon as possible. People we can trust, who will get to the root of the mystery and then report what they find back to us.¡± She drew herself up and looked directly into Samer¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why we chose you, Samer, to lead our expedition.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. An awareness flooded Samer¡¯s mind, ready to either sink in deeply or be forgotten, as if never known. His mind filled with words. Quest Received: Lead Expedition to Kalasin Be the first to step foot on the dark continent of Kalasin. This is a land of extremes, hidden dangers and complex mystery. You will be sorely tested. Demonstrate bravery, cunning and fortitude and you might not only survive, but earn a place in history as one of Arcadia¡¯s greatest heroes. Fail, and your name will be remembered in infamy as the one who hastened Arcadia¡¯s doom. First Task: Build a campus of the Academy of Magic and raise it to Level 5. Second Task (Hidden): Investigate what is interfering with Council affairs. Samer¡¯s heart pounded, and he barely kept a sense of panic at bay. How can they choose me? I¡¯ve never led anything this important before. Trying his best to appear calm, he stammered, ¡°Of course that would be an incredible privilege, but given the circumstances, shouldn¡¯t one of you two be in charge?¡± Mateo replied this time, shaking his head. ¡°I am required in Caldas. We¡¯re at a crucial point in the Goblin Campaign and my absence would be too risky to our success. Amara is needed here in Astros so she can quickly marshal the Council should decisive action be required. Besides which, having a Council member lead the expedition would cause a stir and the last thing we need is people talking. If word got out about what¡¯s happened, our whole political system could collapse.¡± ¡°Thank you General Mateo, that¡¯s a good point, but¡ª" ¡°Samer, the Council has thought this through fully. Our decision is final. You leave at the end of the week,¡± Amara broke in. Upon seeing Samer¡¯s dismay, her expression softened, and she reached across the desk to gently grasp his shoulder. ¡°I know this is a lot to take in. But please know that the Council has full faith in you. You¡¯re the youngest to ever reach Mage rank, in the Sage class no less. You know Arcadian lore like the back of your hand. Most importantly, you care about this world as much as anybody I know. This is your chance to prove your mettle.¡± Taking in her words, Samer felt his fear dissipate somewhat, if not completely. True, most of his life had been spent in libraries or classrooms, idly soaking up knowledge, and no number of books read could adequately prepare him to face the kinds of danger that awaited him in Kalasin. However, the idea of something threatening Arcadia deeply angered him. This was his adopted home, the only one he knew since transferring here as a child. He would gladly do everything he could to protect it. He took a deep breath and gave a mental nod of acceptance to the quest, allowing it to permanently sink into his consciousness. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll do it. Especially since I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re planning on letting me bring Dayo,¡± Samer felt her give a silent fist pump, ¡°But I don¡¯t understand why Roisin is here. She hasn¡¯t taken the Mage Trials yet and you have to be Adept rank or higher to go to questing areas.¡± ¡°Good. Thank you. Yes, Dayo can go. Expedition leaders are allowed to pick their deputy and it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess you¡¯d choose Dayo. As for Roisin, I spoke with her already and she¡¯s agreed to take the Trials tomorrow.¡± Samer began to interrupt, bur Amara held up a hand. ¡°She¡¯s ready Samer. Right, Roisin?¡± Roisin¡¯s voice rang with certainty as she said, ¡°Master Samer, there¡¯s nothing further I can do to prepare. Also, you need me. We all know combat magic isn¡¯t exactly your specialty.¡± Samer pursed his lips. She had a point, plus having Roisin on the expedition would give Samer an extra boost of reassurance. Over the past few years of her apprenticeship, the two had developed an easy familiarity and he now thought of her as close to a younger sister. It would have been tough to leave her behind, especially just as she was coming into her own as a mage. ¡°Roisin, you¡¯re right, I do need you. It would be an honor to have you on the expedition. And I know you¡¯re going to ace the Trials.¡± Roisin beamed at him and his heart swelled with pride. Unfortunately, that still one person in the room left to discuss. ¡°So I guess that¡¯s everybody, right?¡±, Samer asked, and turned as if ready to leave. Amara and Mateo shared an amused glance, while Jie¡¯s ears turned red and he stared ahead, stony-faced. Mateo coughed, ¡°Lieutenant Jie will be going too. The Warrior Faction would like to send a representative and as an Abjurer, Jie will round out your group well. Plus, the two of you are already familiar with each other.¡± Samer pushed down a scowl threatening to emerge. Here I was thinking this whole leading an expedition thing might not be so bad. Not with Jie around to boss me around and constantly remind me how little I know about things work in the ¡°real world¡±. He did his best to smile sweetly and asked, ¡°Headmaster Amara, are you sure this is the wisest choice? When we¡¯ve worked together in the past, it hasn¡¯t exactly gone well.¡± ¡°As I recall, the two of you once blew up half the Alchemy Lab and then each sat in my office and blamed the other for an entire day.¡± Amara chuckled at the memory before abruptly giving them a look equivalent to a smack on the head. ¡°How long as it been? A few years? More than enough time to move past the follies of adolescence and start acting like adults. While in Caldas, Jie has proven himself to be exceptionally competent. You¡¯re two of your generation¡¯s brightest stars. It¡¯s time to let bygones be bygones and work together on behalf of Arcadia. Am I clear?¡± Knowing there was no way out, Samer nodded reluctantly. "And you Jie?¡± Mateo asked. Jie squared his shoulders up and stated, ¡°Yes, General. I will do whatever I must to ensure that the mission is successful.¡± Samer rolled his eyes. Man, that guy sucks. Chapter 3: Books and a Boon An hour later, sweating underneath a late afternoon sun barely obscured by a few puffy clouds, Samer marveled at the bustle of the central market complex. The market had been always been the center of life in Astros, but lately it seemed to be bursting at the seams. Climbing the stairs to the third floor, home to the more expensive stalls, did little to quell the tide of people swarming around him. Still, Samer found it heartening to see so many of his fellow Arcadians successfully plying their trade. While mages, warriors and the other combat factions played a vital role in growing their world by questing and fighting in campaigns, Arcadia¡¯s future depended just as much on establishing a successful economy. Fortunately, as evidenced by the scene in front of him, the professional factions had proven highly popular. Samer caught a glimpse of Dayo¡¯s dark braids and absentmindedly wandered over to join her at the stall she was browsing. Upon seeing him, the stall¡¯s merchant brightened and began purposefully making her way over to them. Dayo gave Samer a pointed look, the signal that he should make himself scarce. In Dayo¡¯s words, he was ¡°bargaining poison¡±, due to his inability to mask his facial expressions. Samer had at first refused to believe her, until the two tried competing over who could get the lowest prices for the same items. Dayo laughed uproariously each time somebody brought up the results of the ensuing debacle. Taking his dismissal in stride, he made his way over to his favorite stall, Sara¡¯s Tomes. He sighed in pleasure as he stepped inside, comforted by the sight of so many overflowing bins of books. He excitedly moved to the shelf holding new arrivals and started reading the titles to himself. Goblin Culture and Society. Caldian Rare Ingredients. The Legend of King Mordark. Apparently, Mateo¡¯s soldiers had brought a few items back from Caldas. He heard the stall¡¯s back flap pulled open, and turned to greet the stall owner, the eponymous Sara. Grey-haired and sharp-eyed, she gave him a warm smile. ¡°Samer! It¡¯s been a while. How have you been?¡± Samer returned her smile, feeling pleased to see her familiar face. The two shared a deep love of lore and knowledge. Growing up, he would alternate between asking her endless questions or sitting in the back room, spending hours reading books from her personal collection. Sara would remind him that she was running a store, not a library, but tea and cookies were known appear on the days he came by. ¡°Hi Sara, I¡¯m doing well. Mostly busy with teaching. Finals are this week.¡± ¡°Manage to conscript any new Sages yet?¡± she asked. Samer chuckled. Samer¡¯s status as only Arcadia¡¯s Sage had been a running joke between them, with Sara hoping more people taking up the class would expand her customer base. ¡°No luck. Trying to give my students a lust for knowledge isn¡¯t easy when the dueling arena beckons.¡± Sara nodded in understanding. ¡°You¡¯ll find a like-minded soul one day.¡± Samer felt his cheeks redden at Sara¡¯s double meaning. His romantic life, or lack thereof, was also a favorite subject of hers. ¡°Err, right, we¡¯ll see,¡± he stammered. Time to change topics. ¡°Actually, Sara, I¡¯ll be away from Astros for a while and I need to look over your spellbook selection. I had planned to start studying offensive spells eventually, but I¡¯m now leaving in a few days, so eventually isn¡¯t going to cut it.¡± Spellbooks could allow mages to instantly learn how to perform a spell, but what one saved in time, they sacrificed in power. By taking the proper time to understand a spell¡¯s underlying properties, a mage could exert a much greater degree of control while casting, such as adjusting the size and heat of a fireball. ¡°You¡¯re kidding! Going to the frontlines in Caldas, eh? That will be an interesting change of pace. Or is it Singida? I¡¯ve heard the truce with the elves has been going well. Maybe you can visit that renowned Treetop Library of theirs and discreetly grab a few tomes. Preferably a rare one or two.¡± Samer¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Sara, the Council would kill me if I were caught stealing from the elves.¡± Sara shrugged. ¡°Then don¡¯t get caught. Ok, fine, fine. I have different proposal for you actually. Keep an eye out for anything you can find on the origins of monsters. I have a customer who is willing to pay a small fortune for the right book. I¡¯d split the commission with you, let¡¯s say 80/20.¡± She looked at him, a glint in her eyes. Samer blinked, uncomfortable with being subject to Sara¡¯s business side. ¡°Uh, sure. About those spellbooks?¡± Sara grinned in satisfaction and pointed to a bin in the corner.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The bin contained about fifty books, with some from each of the ten different magic schools. Most mages chose a class tied to a single school, allowing for quicker mastery and gaining access to the most powerful spells. Other classes could cast from multiple schools but this came at a price. Sages were the only class that could cast from any of the schools, but learning offensive spells would take twice as long to learn. So far Samer had avoided that problem by focusing on utility spells, with a few defensive spells thrown in the mix. Samer leafed through the spellbooks, putting most of them aside. Firestorm--Nope, too destructive. Tornado--No way, too unpredictable. Mass Growth--Huh? Something plant-related I guess. Feeling a bit exasperated, he flipped through he until finally came across a couple that caught his eye; Hypnosis, a Life spell, and Shock, an Air one. Both offered the ability to incapacitate enemies rather than kill them, which appealed to him greatly. Samer made his purchase and promised Sara again that he would act on their deal. He went back to check on Dayo but upon seeing bouts of angry gesticulating, turned around. Must be something crazy good. Leaving the market altogether, Samer began wandering down a narrow road. It weaved through some of the oldest homes of Astros, humble in size but clearly well-cared for, before climbing up a hill that loomed above. Samer sighed, not surprised his legs had taken him this way. Reaching the hill¡¯s crescent, he strolled over to a tree, perched alone on a ledge that overlooked the city. The tree sparkled as if lit inside by an emerald fire, contrasting with the warm glow of the sun setting behind it. To Samer, the tree was beauty incarnate. Nestled under the tree rested a small, obsidian plaque, etched with letters. Following his usual ritual, Samer gently sat down next to it, and softly read out loud, ¡°In the memory of a loving mother, may you rest in eternal peace and serenity¡±. He cast Illusory Script and additional, ghostly words swirled into place, which he also read aloud. ¡°Every day, I will honor your sacrifice through the actions I take. Your son, Samer¡±. He plucked a branch off the tree, fastening it into a wreath that he lay over the plaque. Then he leaned against the tree and closed his eyes, easing into a peaceful rest. A small thud startled him awake. A few feet in front of him, perilously close to the edge of the ledge, sat a small wooden box. Samer grew puzzled, before remembering others had similarly witnessed unexpected objects appearing out of thin air. The Council had investigated, but since the objects typically caused no harm and sometimes even proved highly useful to the person that found them, let the matter go as just a quirk of the system. Still, Samer warily circled the box, knowing from previous experience the importance of treating potential magic objects with care. A few months ago, he had reached to grab a book sitting rather innocuously on a shelf in the deep recesses of the Academy library, only to be teleported to another dimension. It was terrifying, worse than any nightmare his mind could conjure. Black storm clouds infested the entire sky, and every few seconds would throw bolts of lightning at a huge field of inward facing crystalline mirrors. The bolts would reflect from the mirrors into a central machine, which slowly charged up before unleashing a massive of beam of energy back into the sky. This then would revitalize the storms, starting the process anew. A few harrowing hours later, a badly burned Samer dove through a mirror reflecting an image that closely resembled Amara¡¯s office. He tried to throw the book into the fireplace, but promptly passed out. Later he learned that the crystal mirrors had tremendous magical properties and could be sold for a hefty sum of money. This did not entice him to return. Samer cast Inspect Item, but his mind filled with a short buzzing noise, indicating that the previous owner of the box had gone to great lengths to obscure its origins. He considered going to get Dayo, but decided it wasn¡¯t worth the price of her teasing him for leaving an item of unknown value out in the open. Well, here goes nothing. He bent over and poked the box with his right index finger, ready to jump back in an instant. Instead, he found himself staring in fascination as the box dissolved away, leaving what appeared to be a pendant resting on top of a piece of paper with writing on it. He picked up and examined the pendant, which consisted of a silver chain looped through a coin-size ice blue crescent moon. Although carved from stone, the moon exuded an aura of intense coldness and he immediately felt his hand begin to grow numb. He juggled the pendant between his hands before it occurred to him to hold the chain instead. His hands tingling from regaining warmth, he shifted his attention to the note and read: Wear this, bestowed by a queen Hide in plain sight, to avoid certain wrath Don¡¯t be frightened, answers await After a moment of staring at the words and feeling completely mystified, Samer began rereading them repeatedly, trying to compare the contents with the encyclopedia of Arcadian lore stored away in his mind. He could make no immediate connections, which both annoyed him and proved tantalizing, representing the possibility of knowledge that had so far eluded him. Just at that moment, a loud chime sounded out and he could see all movement within the city immediately come to a stop. A large, transparent frame shimmed into view, high up in the sky for all could see, within which materialized the faces of the entire Council. Sitting in front, Amara smiled warmly and began speaking. She appeared confident and reassuring, not betraying even the slightest hint of concern. Samer couldn¡¯t help but admire her steadfastness, but his shoulders dropped a bit as he considered the extent to which she and the rest of the Council depended on him to succeed. Chapter 4: The Trial Begins Roisin woke up to the sound of a light knock, black half-moons under her eyes. Even with all the preparation she had done, nerves had kept her awake most of the night. Yesterday, it had been an easy decision to move up her Trials date so that she could go on the expedition. Today, she hated her yesterday self. There was only one likely candidate to be here so early. ¡°Yes, Master Samer?¡± She asked groggily. Samer entered her dorm room, looking apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought you would be awake by now. You¡¯re uh, not looking so great.¡± Roisin groaned. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Let me treat you to breakfast and let¡¯s talk strategy one more time.¡± Roisin quickly changed into her robes and ran a brush through her unruly red hair, and the two made their way to the cafeteria. Roisin loaded up her tray with everything she could find; French toast, congee, an omelet, you name it. It was one of the biggest days her in life, she might as well eat to her heart¡¯s desire. Samer smirked but knew better than to comment. ¡°So, I realize you already know this backwards and forwards, but it can¡¯t hurt to review again, right?¡± Roisin gave a nod of encouragement in between two huge bites. ¡°You¡¯ll be scored on three qualities: power, resourcefulness and wisdom. The last is the most important. It doesn¡¯t matter how much power you can tap into, or how many spells you¡¯ve mastered, the biggest challenge is knowing to how to apply your magic in a way that best fits the situation. When you¡¯re on a quest, you¡¯ll need to make split-second decisions, all while you¡¯re being pulled in a multitude of different directions. You have limited stamina, your friends will be fighting alongside you and will need your help, you¡¯re trying to fulfill the objectives of the quest and hey, it¡¯d be nice to stay alive. Choosing the right spells and applying the appropriate level of power can make all the difference.¡± Roisin nodded slowly. Samer had a certain way with words that helped clarify her thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ll also need to show mastery of your chosen class. For most, this involves showing off some powerful spells in a particularly creative way. But as an Evoker, you¡¯ll have your work cut out for you. You¡¯ll need to use a variety of spells from each of the elemental schools.¡± Roisin nodded, her excitement rising at the possibility of soon being able to officially call herself an Evoker. In her opinion, Evokers kicked butt. They had access to all four elemental schools, Water, Fire, Earth and Air, which provided an incredible number of spells to choose from and a high ceiling on the level of power she could one day attain. In addition, Evokers could channel their emotions to supercharge their spells. Each element had a corresponding emotion that one could use to augment it; it was passion for fire, determination for water, compassion for earth, and detachment for air. The downside of the class though, was that the opposite emotions would diminish the potency of her spells or keep her from casting them altogether. In that sense, Evokers¡¯ power was less limited by skill or knowledge than mastering control of one¡¯s feelings. For Roisin, this once would have been an insurmountable challenge. The circumstances of her life back on Earth had been bleak. Diagnosed with a particularly grim form of childhood cancer just as she entered her teenage years, her family had moved her from hospital to hospital, desperate to find a cure. Spending her life being shuttled around, confined to beds, or receiving radiation treatment gave Roisin seemingly endless time to consider the circumstances of her life. At first, she felt only fear, knowing that death was an ever-present threat. But as the shock of her prognosis wore off, fear was soon superseded by confusion. She asked her nurses dozens of questions: What caused cancer? Why her? Why are some people cured and not others? The nurses smiled patiently and offered timeworn platitudes. Roisin moved on to interrogating her fellow patients, attempting to detect any type of pattern in their responses that would explain their collective stroke of terrible luck. Unable to come to any satisfying conclusions, she grew depressed and withdrawn. The circumstances of her life made no sense, she could detect neither rhyme nor reason, and worst of all, she was completely powerless to change it.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Eventually, Roisin¡¯s disease progressed to the point of no return. She was placed on the list to transfer to Arcadia, and her parents pulled as many strings as they could and managed to secure her a capsule. Roisin, not only deathly sick but devoid of thought or emotion, made no protest. She barely noticed as she was gently laid down inside the capsule and a soft whirr started up underneath her. The faces of her parents swam above before slowly fading away. Then, she woke up. Gone was the ever-present hospital white. The people greeting her betrayed no anxiety or exhaustion; instead, they were smiling joyfully and welcoming. And for the first time in as long as she could remember, she did not suffer from throbbing pain, headaches or nausea. A wave of exhilaration washed over her. Roisin¡¯s early years in Arcadia had been a blur of discovery and wonder, as she explored new interests seemingly daily. From rediscovering the taste of food to throwing herself in her studies at the Academy, she welcomed all that life in Arcadia had to offer. When considering which class to pick, Evoker had seemed a natural fit. With her newfound power, she would never again be subject to the whims of outside forces. The two chatted a bit longer before finishing their meals. Roisin gave Samer a quick hug and began the trek over to the Trials room, housed at the end of a hallway deep within the Academy. As she approached, the lights flickered on and off, and she noticed at least three spiderwebs, unheard of in the normally immaculate Academy. Reaching the room, she tried to open it, but found it lodged in place. She pulled and pulled and nothing happened. There was no lock, and the hinges weren¡¯t rusted. She stared at the door dubiously, hands on her hips. I need to let Tal know this area requires some maintenance. Bewildered but growing impatient, she cast a Gust spell and managed to yank the door open with a loud whomp. Stepping inside, Roisin was surprised to see how small the room was, occupied by only a marble pedestal standing in the center and a chair beside it. The logical part of her brain reminded her that the Trial would take place fully within her in mind, while she was temporarily transferred to a sandbox system outside of the main Arcadia server. Still, she had been picturing something grander. At the very least, there would be a viewing box of some sort, where Samer and Dayo could witness her feats and cheer her on. She tried not to sulk and hurriedly walked up to the pedestal, on which sat an object. She cautiously picked it up and recognizing it as a scroll, unfolded it. Mage Trials Subject: Roisin Quinn Class: Evoker Scenario: A terrible dictator has consolidated power, laying waste to all those who oppose him. His country is in ruins, as famine and disease run rampant. Driven to desperation, the people make plans to take to the streets and depose him. In response, the dictator will deploy his army and give them only one instruction: take no prisoners. To prevent this brewing atrocity requires a woman of unique capabilities. You wait in the wings, ready to spring to action. Your mission: infiltrate the dictator¡¯s palace and put an end to the situation, one way or another. Roisin stared at the scroll, her mouth agape. Rather than the stock fantasy scenario she had been told to expect, rescue the princess and so forth, this one seemed more in line with some sort of crazy spy thriller movie. Yet, there was no way Amara or Samer wouldn¡¯t have mentioned that new potential scenarios had been introduced, especially one that was so reminiscent of Earth and its penchant for high-tech violence. Something is definitely off. Roisin turned to leave but found the door fusing into the wall. She contemplated blasting her way through before remembering the Academy walls were close to indestructible. Also, Headmaster Amara was terrifying, and she had no desire to attract her ire. Sighing in resignation, she sat down in the chair and scrunched up her eyes. At least this won¡¯t be real. Except what exactly is the definition of real when you live in a virtual world? Her mind preoccupied by metaphysical musings, she barely noticed a soft tug on the edge of her consciousness. The world around her dissolved. Chapter 5: Desert Spy A breeze whipped by and Roisin came to with a start. She was standing outside, in the midst of inky black night. Barely able to see two feet in front of her, she tapped the side of her head and cast Night Vision. Images blossomed around her; shrubs with sharp, spiny leaves, a loose field of coarse rocks, and a jagged, undulating horizon. If she had to guess, she was in a desert. She had no memories of visiting one on Earth and Astros was nestled within a green, temperate archipelago, so she had little to go off. But the pervasive scent of dirt and dust strongly suggested she might be right. Her robes had been exchanged for a dark-colored jumpsuit and she blended into the environment so well that she could barely see how own shape. Roisin marveled at how light and agile she felt. Jie, I get it now. Thinking of Jie reminded her of Samer¡¯s grouchy face after finding out about his attendance on the expedition. She almost laughed out loud as she thought about Samer¡¯s face permanently plastered in a look of crabbiness throughout the course of the expedition. The momentary spark of joy helped lift the anxiety regarding her current situation just a bit. The faint outline of a path led to a hulking structure in the distance, likely the palace grounds. Eager to get off to a fast start, she cast Haste, a fire-based spell. She concentrated on her overwhelming desire to complete the Trials with aplomb and show herself worthy of becoming an official mage. A warmth spread throughout her body and her pace doubled. After a few minutes she skid to a stop and squatted behind a large boulder. Large walls materialized in front of her, broken up only by a dimly lit iron gate. Roisin contemplated her options. The easiest solution would be to use an air spell to leap over the walls, but given their height, she would need to user her Evoker power to have any chance of making it over. This came with a small problem. For air, the required emotion was detachment, by far the most difficult of the elements for her to tap into. To her, detachment translated to emptiness, which summoned the ghosts of her past in a very unpleasant way. Samer had counseled her that she should instead focus on cultivating inner peace and allowing herself to let go of earthly desires. Grumbling about being subject to silly mumbo jumbo talk, Roisin grudgingly acceded and attempted to meditate. After a few seconds of stillness, a yawning horror began to claw at her gut. That was enough of that. She dismissed melting her way through the gate as too likely to attract attention. That left only the down and dirty option. As in literally down and dirty. She was going underneath the walls. Fifteen minutes later, moonlight filtered through an opening at the end of a small, barely human-size tunnel she had created. She cast a final Dig spell and the last dirt crumbled away, leaving an opening wide enough for her to poke her head through. Seeing that her excavation had gone unnoticed, she cautiously lifted herself out and then scampered over to the nearest building, crouching behind it. Hey, I¡¯m no slouch at this sneaking around stuff. Taking a few extracurricular classes with the Rogues Faction paid off. She took a moment to survey her surroundings. She was in a deserted courtyard, occupied by a decrepit fountain and a few scattered concrete buildings. The buildings were dark and appeared empty, lending the complex a sense of abandonment and decay. Is the power off? Or maybe they forgot to populate the NPCs? Roisin stifled a chuckle as she pictured the dictator wandering the halls, desperately searching for his guards and attendants. The courtyard abutted a squat, bulky building that when she squinted, appeared to be covered in smooth limestone. More examination yielded decorations of archways and columns, signifying that it was likely the residence. Again, she could no see no lit rooms and wondered if anybody was home. Only one way to find out. She caste Haste again and charted out her path. She¡¯d run over to the palace wall and try out the one door she could identify. If locked, she¡¯d bust out her rudimentary lockpicking skills and hope for the best. She took a breath and stepped into the darkness. Halfway there, she heard a scraping sound from the residence¡¯s second floor and saw a glint of metal. Panic seized her and she blindly poured her emotions into the Haste spell, pushing herself to move as fast as she could. Then, an earsplitting bang rang out and a small object whistled past her shoulder swifter than she had ever seen anything move before. The ground reverberated with its impact and a cloud of dust kicked up and coated her ankles. Time slowed and she stretched her arms out, catapulting forward. She tumbled smack into the wall, her limbs a tangled mess. Her heart pounded wildly and she gasped for air as she tried to get her bearings. Opening her eyes, relief flooded her. Thank my lucky stars. She was concealed underneath an overhang. Immediately though a debilitating fear began to take over her mind. Holy crap, I almost died. Although death here wouldn¡¯t be permanent, this was little consolation given that death in this world meant failure back in Arcadia. A scuffle of movement signaled the assailant¡¯s departure from his perch. Time was ticking; it would be only a few minutes before the sniper found her and she doubted he would be by himself. She made to stand up but images of bullets speeding towards her flashed through her mind and her limbs froze in place. She grunted, dazed by her body¡¯s betrayal. Get a grip Roisin. You¡¯ve made it through worse. She lightly tapped both sides of her head and cast Clarity, clearing her mind. Her thoughts immediately sharpened, as the fear retreated and yielded to a blaze of determination. She wrenched control of her hand back from the paralysis and used it to steady herself and slowly stand up. Her Evoker power called to her, this time beckoning her to use a water spell. She waved her hands in concentric circles and cast Ring of Frost. A field of icicles formed around her and began to rotate rapidly, ready to intercept any future dangerous projectiles. Looking at the reinforced door, she reckoned that her time playing as a rogue had come to an end. Casting Ice Lance, she flattened her palms against each other and pulled them apart inch by inch, a large, sculpted javelin of ice emerging between them. She held her hands in this position for a few extra seconds, letting the ice condense and harden, then drew back her arm and heaved the spear at the door. Both ice and door shattered into dozens of pieces, leaving a gaping hole. She climbed through, taking care to avoid stepping on sharp objects.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The room was lit by bright, fluorescent overhead lights. After turning off her Night Vision, she observed a few couches and a pool table, and guessed she was in a guard recreation room. In other words, far from where she needed to be. She made her way through a few similar rooms before emerging into a large, cavernous hall, the walls adorned with rows of portraits of a uniquely ugly man, his expression idiotically pompous. She scowled, before spotting a red laser dot track its way across the nearest portrait and onto her icicle shield. A loud burst of fire rang out and icicles shattered into thousands of pieces. Instead of falling to the ground or flying into her, the icicles repulsed away from her body and quickly reformed into a highly chipped barrier in front of her. Roisin fell backwards onto the carpet, landing awkwardly on her right arm, which protested with a sharp, stabbing pain. Three figures moved swiftly into the hallway from the other end, wearing goggles and covered in black. They each held what looked like heavy-duty guns, causing Roisin to frantically try to recall faint memories of action movies she had watched years ago. Crap, crap, crap. Ring of Frost won¡¯t be able to handle this many people shooting at me and Ice Lance will be too easy for them to dodge. She¡¯d need to switch elemental schools. Given her current intimate position with the ground, earth seemed like the natural choice. She pounded her fists onto the tile floor and cast Tremor. The ground rippled away from her, gathering speed. Upon reaching the three men, they swayed and topped over each other. One pulled the trigger of his gun, spraying the wall with bullets and striking an enormous tapestry of the dictator¡¯s hideous mug, which promptly fell and covered the men completely. Seeing her good luck, she used Gust to topple a few scattered marble busts onto the corners of the tapestry, hopefully pinning the men underneath for the duration of her visit. Roisin couldn¡¯t help but grin. Please be a sign of how the rest of the night will go! Feeling that it would impede her movement, Roisin dismissed her shield of ice. She sprinted past the immobilized soldiers and into the room beyond, where a grand staircase emerged into view. Reaching the landing at the top, she was faced with a narrow hallway, lined with doors. The final door was cracked open, emitting a faint wisp of yellow light. Roisin crept along the hallway towards the light, thankful her outfit emitted no sound of movement. The house had become eerily silent, and a small burst of fear made its way back into her mind. Breathe, Roisin. She positioned herself opposite the lit doorway. She thought about readying a Fireball, but the impulse was overridden by a curiosity to find out what the room contained. Roisin, this is a mistake. Still, she felt strangely compelled and quietly stepped into the room. It appeared to be an office; plush, leather chairs arranged around a roaring fireplace on one side, a large, mahogany desk on the other. Sitting behind the desk, the man whose face she had grown quite familiar with during the course of the night. Portly but broad-shouldered, his greying black hair was slicked back, and his hawkish eyebrows obscured beady, dark eyes. He appeared to be avidly typing away on a computer, his attention fully occupied. She lifted her foot to take another step. ¡°Come in. Take a seat.¡± Roisin froze in place. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me waiting.¡± Suddenly she felt herself pulled forward, as if on a puppet string. She slammed into a chair, striking her sore arm, and let out a gasp of pain. The hidden force grew heavier until she sat down, then lifted. The chair spun around so that she was facing the dictator. He punched a few keys with emphasis and turned to face her, his face distorted with a malevolent curiosity. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. So, what did you think? I custom-built this scenario just for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what? You built this world?¡± The dictator glared at her. ¡°I just said that. Don¡¯t ask silly questions. Now, tell me what you thought.¡± Roisin felt numb. None of this makes sense. She could fathom no explanation for what the dictator had said. The dictator let out a grunt of impatience. Roisin stammered, ¡°Right, well. I didn¡¯t understand it at first. The quest description indicated I would practically need to storm the palace. Instead, it was pretty much abandoned.¡± The dictator nodded impatiently. ¡°Yes, yes, I didn¡¯t have time to create all the NPCs. That¡¯s your fault actually. I thought I had least another week to work and then bam, you¡¯re outside the gates.¡± He shrugged. ¡°How were the soldiers?¡± He leaned across the desk in anticipation. Roisin felt a bead of sweat roll down her forehead. ¡°Uhh, the sniper did surprise me, a lot actually, but I took out his squad pretty easily. It seemed like they hadn¡¯t dealt with facing magic before.¡± The dictator pressed the tips of his fingers together and leaned back again. ¡°Interesting. I still have work to do.¡± He closed his eyes and began muttering to himself. Roisin thought he heard him say something about a mathematical formula. Enough of this. She silently moved her hand away from her. She snapped her fingers and a ball of orange heatflickered into place. She reared her arm back and threw it forward at the man, then sprang up and sprinted for the door. Suddenly her legs seized up and she toppled to the floor. I¡¯m really getting sick of falling. The invisible force returned and flipped her right-side up, then pressed down to limit her movement. She could see the fireball hovering a foot in front of the dictator, stuck in place. His eyes remained closed, and he appeared to be frowning. ¡°That was foolish. This is my world, Roisin. I have complete control over everything here. Yes, that includes you.¡± Suddenly, he grinned. ¡°Actually, your early arrival may be fortuitous. I¡¯ve been meaning to practice my latest experiment and now I have a perfect testing subject.¡± Moving out from behind his desk, he grabbed a cane and hobbled his way over to her. Reaching her, he leaned over and stuck his bulbous nose into her face. She twisted her head to the side, desperate to avoid looking into the black voids that swirled within his pupils. He straightened and sneered. ¡°Based off my observations over the last few years, your greatest fear is losing your humanity. This won¡¯t be pleasant then.¡± He stretched a hand out towards her. Suddenly, a tearing noise began, as if the world was a piece of paper being ripped in half. The room around them blinked in and out of existence, and she saw streams of what looked like code behind them. The dictator closed his eyes, and the room settled back to normal, but now her body began shimmering in and out of focus. Then, there was a popping noise and she became fully transparent. Roisin yelped in surprise. She rapidly began trying to pat herself, but her hands just passed through. As far as she could tell, she was incorporeal. ***Progression Towards Metahuman: 5% ¡°What happened? Am I a ghost?¡± she asked, horrified. The dictator shook his head, his still eyes closed. ¡°Hush, we¡¯re only just getting started. Don¡¯t interrupt me or you may end up like that permanently.¡± He closed his hand into a fist. ***Progression Towards Metahuman: 15% Roisin screamed, as a river of fire lit up the nerves of her feet and started traveling up her body. Suddenly, a large sucking sound erupted, and a whirlwind of energy appeared in the air above them. Objects began flying towards the maelstrom, and Roisin felt the invisible weight begin to lessen. The pain in her feet abruptly subsided. The dictator looked around him and growled. ¡°Your friends at the Academy have decided to save the day. But don¡¯t worry, we aren¡¯t finished here. We¡¯ll see each other again soon.¡± The weight disappeared completely and Roisin found herself rapidly floating up into the air. She tumbled straight into the middle of the storm. Chapter 6: Debrief Samer paced anxiously from one end of Roisin¡¯s room to the other. He picked up a book from her shelves, sat down in a huff, skimmed over a page, and then tossed it on the floor. He stood up and began pacing again. ¡°Samer, cut it out. You¡¯ll drive yourself crazy,¡± Amara chided. A few hours ago, Samer had been resting in his favorite comfy chair in the Academy¡¯s library, trying to keep his mind distracted from worrying about how Roisin was doing on her Trial. Then, Tal had found him and urged him to go to the Council Chambers immediately. Amara and the Council had detected that Roisin had left Arcadia¡¯s server and was nowhere to be found. He arrived at the central room of the Chambers just in time to see Roisin fly out of a whirling mass of wind and energy from high up in the air. A moment of disbelief later, he launched into a run to try and position himself beneath her. I¡¯m not going to make it! he despaired, until he saw General Mateo step into place. Mateo caught her and gently set her down. She was unconscious. In the time since, a healer had looked over and declared her in full health, to everybody¡¯s relief. Still, she had yet to wake up. ¡°What if I just Shock her a bit? I¡¯ve been meaning to try out my new spell,¡± Samer asked, his tone only half-joking. Amara glared at him. ¡°Ok, ok. But isn¡¯t there anything we can do?¡± As if his words summoned her from the depths, Roisin stirred and opened her eyes, blinking away sleep. She peered at Samer and Amara in confusion, then shot up from her bed. ¡°Am I back in Arcadia? Am I a ghost? Who was that guy? Amara, we need to talk. I am not happy with the scenario I was given. Since when do the Mage Trials include elements of torture?¡± she took a deep breath, cutting over Amara and Samer¡¯s attempts to interrupt. ¡°Wait, first you need to tell me, did I pass the Trials?¡± Amara grimaced. ¡°Let¡¯s come back to that in a minute. You need to hear what we have to say first¡±. Roisin¡¯s eyebrows rose in indignation, but she remained silent. Amara reached out to take her hand. ¡°Roisin, you never took the Mage Trials. You went missing.¡± Roisin¡¯s mouth fell and she stared at them in astonishment. ¡°I...went missing? Well I guess that explains a lot. Actually, in a way that makes me feel better. The whole time I had this feeling that something wasn¡¯t right.¡± She gave a small shudder. Amara squeezed her hand. ¡°After we detected your disappearance, we asked our Earthside connections to run a search program for you. Fortunately, they were able to locate you. They provided us the information we needed to create a portal and bring you back. I don¡¯t know more than that yet, Mateo is following up with our connections to learn more. It would help though if you could tell me everything that happened to you. Please, spare no detail.¡± Roisin launched into a thorough description of her time in the desert, focusing in particular on her interactions with the dictator. Although she seemed in relatively calm spirits, Samer could sense that she was disturbed by the experience. He felt himself growing more and more upset and by the end of the story, could feel waves of heat and anger cascading off his body.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°We need to find this¡­dictator¡­and punish him. Severely,¡± he practically snarled. Amara sighed. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy finding him. I don¡¯t think he expected us to be able bring back to Roisin so quickly. My suspicion is that he¡¯s gone into hiding.¡± ¡°So what, we just wait while he pursues whatever this nefarious plan is he¡¯s working on? No frigging way. Amara, please take me off the expedition so I can help track him down. I will not rest until we find him. And kill him, if we must.¡± Amara frowned at him, showing a mix of concern and reproach. ¡°Samer, that¡¯s not the Arcadian way. And no, I¡¯m not taking you off the expedition. We still don¡¯t know who or what is responsible for Kalasin¡¯s opening. It could be this guy or something else just as dangerous. You¡¯ll serve this matter best by going there.¡± She gave him a reassuring pat. ¡°I know this is upsetting, but we need stick to our current plan. Rest assured, I¡¯ll keep you updated on any progress we make here.¡± Samer closed his eyes in an attempt to suppress the angry words that boiled inside him. He knew Amara was right, both that he needed to rein in his reaction and on the importance of the mystery surrounding Kalasin. He also knew that if he fully gave into his anger, he¡¯d have no credibility the next time he encouraged Roisin to try meditation.He treasured his ability to serve as a role model, and that included practicing what he preached. ¡°Guys, I hate to interrupt. But there¡¯s something I¡¯ve just remembered. Near the end, when that slimeball started his experiment, I had this strange thought, something about me turning into a ¡°metahuman¡±. It happened twice, almost like I was viewing a progress bar. It reached 15% right before you brought me back. And now, well, I think I feel¡­different.¡± Amara and Samer exchanged an apprehensive glance. ¡°Ok, so that¡¯s concerning. How exactly do you feel different?¡± Amara asked. Roisin scratched her head. ¡°Well, I feel stronger overall. Less tired and less hungry than usual. I also have this instinct inside me that I can cast spells just by thinking about them, rather than using hand gestures. Here, let me try.¡± She blinked and a powerful Gust slammed her bedroom door shut. She stared at the door in disbelief, astonished at her own action. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s incredible Roisin,¡± half-whispered Samer. Instantaneous casting was thought to be possible, but yet to be achieved by anybody, even Amara, whose face he saw twist slightly in envy. ¡°If that holds true, you might have been bestowed with a priceless ability. How do we explain that though, given the dictator¡¯s conduct otherwise?¡± asked Amara. Neither Samer and Roisin could answer. Amara thought to herself for a moment before speaking. ¡°Roisin, I had already been planning to keep you on the expedition, and now I¡¯m even more certain. If you come across the dictator in Kalasin, you may find out the explanation for whatever it is he did to you. And even though you¡¯ll no longer be Samer¡¯s apprentice, I want him by your side to continue to help guide you and navigate whatever this new condition is you have.¡± ¡°Hold on, did you say I¡¯m no longer Samer¡¯s apprentice? Does that mean I am an adept now?¡± Roisin exclaimed. She sprung up from her bed and gave Amara a giant bearhug. Samer laughed as he saw Amara¡¯s horrified expression. She wasn¡¯t well-known for her love of being touched. Roisin eventually let go, gave a Samer his own bearhug, and danced a little jig of joy. Samer couldn¡¯t help but grin, amazed at how quickly she had bounced back. Teenagers. ¡°I would say you have more than earned it. We¡¯ll have your graduation ceremony the night before you all depart.¡± Amara said, having recovered from her hug and also smiling. ¡°Come, I need you to debrief the rest of the Council. We¡¯ll also do some testing to determine exactly how your spellcasting abilities have changed.¡± ¡°I think this is the happiest I¡¯ve ever been,¡± Roisin half-whispered, as she followed Amara from the room. Samer watched them go. Left alone, he felt the embers of his anger flare again. First, somebody had threatened Arcadia. Then, they had come for his apprentice. He had always been a bookish nerd, content with staying out of the limelight. Now, he could sense he was about to embark on a journey that would change him completely. Chapter 7: Bon Voyage Standing on a pier, Samer breathed in the cool ocean breeze, letting it flow over him and rumple his hair. Growing up in Astros, he had always been a stone¡¯s throw away from the sea and couldn¡¯t help but enjoy the scent of the salty air. He considered this something of a personal achievement. As a child, he had been terrified by the ocean and largely stayed confined to the safe walls of the Academy. Looking back, it was hard to figure out why. His memories of his life on Earth were blurry, especially the time before he transferred, but something about seeing the open expanse of the ocean filled him with dread. One day though, a particularly frustrating lesson drove Samer to storm his way outside. Caught up in his emotions, he hadn¡¯t paid any attention to where he was going. The ground beneath up suddenly switched to sand, and he realized he was standing on the city¡¯s main beach. Instead of immediately running away, he felt transfixed by the sight of the ocean, the sunlight glittering on the rolling, gentle waves. Something in his mind snapped, as if an all-encompassing vice of darkness unfurled from around his chest. He collapsed to the sand and began sobbing, an immense feeling of grief coursing through him. A few minutes later, he was lying spread-eagle on the sand, exhausted and desperately wanting some chocolate cake. But he when stood up, he lingered, and could feel now that the sight of the ocean brought a strange sort of comfort. The soft breeze gave him warmth, and a hint of a memory of love and compassion. His fear had lifted. He surveyed the large sailing ship that would be their home for the next couple weeks, the Espial. Since Kalasin lacked a teleportation portal, they had to rely on a good old-fashioned boat to transport them there. He spied Roisin standing on board, attempting to calm herself before practicing using Gust to fill the sails with wind. Hopefully, she¡¯d get the hang of it and this would ensure they made good time. First though, the Council had come to see them off, along with Jie¡¯s family and a few of their friends. Or so Samer thought, until he saw a large crowd of people starting to congregate in the marina. He tapped Dayo on the shoulder. ¡°Any idea what this is about?¡± Dayo grinned. ¡°What, don¡¯t you know we¡¯re kind of a big deal now?¡± Seeing Samer¡¯s skeptical look, she continued, ¡°We haven¡¯t even gotten on the boat yet and you¡¯re already acting like a wet blanket. Come on, enjoy it while it lasts. We¡¯re about to spend months away from civilization.¡± She gave Samer a playful elbow to his side and moved to greet some of her ranger friends. Still perplexed, Samer looked around for Amara, before spotting her attempting to console an anxious looking Tal. He noticed Tal was surrounded by a mountain of suitcases, in all shapes and sizes. Among the pile was a birdcage, covered by a thick sheet. Amara caught sight of him and beckoned him over. ¡°Samer, the Council has decided that Tal will join you as well as an adjunct expedition member.¡± Samer nodded slowly, trying not to show his surprise. He would have thought that an expedition was the last place Tal would be. ¡°What, uh, led the Council to this decision?¡± Amara replied, ¡°You¡¯ll need assistance with administrator duties. In order to get off to a fast start, your group will be questing almost every day. Tal will stay back and manage the new settlement while you¡¯re away.¡± She gave Tal a hearty clap on the back. ¡°You¡¯re a whiz at taking care of business, right Tal?¡± Tal bowed distractedly in response, her eyes fixated ahead on the boat. Her face was ashen. Amara sighed and pulled Samer to the side. ¡°She¡¯s terrified of sailing, so she¡¯s likely to stay below deck the entire voyage. Truth be told, even though I¡¯m going to miss her dearly, I¡¯m confident this will be good for her. She needs to get out and live a little. Case in point, I think she packed everything she owns.¡± She smiled ruefully. ¡°Also, that raven is her prized possession, so you all need to help take care of it. She¡¯ll murder you all if anything happens to it.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Dayo is a natural with animals. But are we talking about the same Tal that won¡¯t even attend a mage duel, for fear of seeing somebody get hurt?¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Amara simply shook her head and said, ¡°Pray that you never see that side of her. All right, time to give everybody what they came for.¡± She tapped the side of her throat and cast Amplify. Her voiced boomed out over the harbor. ¡°Thank you all for coming to send off our brave adventurers. The Council of Elders expresses our deep gratitude to the head of the expedition Samer, and his team members Dayo, Jie and Roisin, as well as the dozens of citizens who signed up to accompany them. With good fortune, they will successfully set up our foothold in Kalasin, so that we might continue to grow our world and bring new opportunity and excitement to all. I will now present our expedition members with their charter.¡± She waved her hand grandly, and a golden rectangle shimmered into sight. Cursive letters wrote themselves into the air. **Expedition Charter** Leader Responsibilities
  1. Found a settlement
  2. Establish campus of the Academy of Magic
  3. Establish outpost of the Arboreal Lodge
  4. Establish garrison of the Hall of Valor
  5. Establish lair of the Thieves Den
  6. Protect the town from enemies
  7. Oversee town council meetings
  8. Conduct quests to accrue questing points to be applied to expanding the settlement
  9. Delegate leadership positions.
Each of the council members stepped up and with a flourish, added their signature. After going last, Amara tapped the rectangle, which burst into a spray of sparkling dust that settled on Samer¡¯s head and shoulders. The crowd cheered, a few children excitedly pointing at him. Feeling his cheeks burns from being the center of attention, Samer attempted to duck onto the boat, but Dayo grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back onto the pier. ¡°Not so fast. Now it¡¯s my turn to add a little something to the proceedings.¡± Amara¡¯s voice boomed out. ¡°Each of the four leaders will receive a token of gratitude from the Council. Thank you Ranger Dayo for putting your expert negotiation skills to the test and securing worthy items for your team.¡± Dayo pantomimed as if opening a door, accessing her hidden inventory. She pulled out a large brown bag, full of lumps from the items inside. She spoke loudly enough for the crowd to hear. ¡°I hope these items will give us the extra edge we need to show Kalasin who¡¯s boss. Samer, I purchased you a weapon, since even though you wield a mean book, you¡¯ll need something that can survive a little dampness.¡± Samer blushed, hearing a few in the crowd chuckle. Dayo pulled out a long obsidian staff that culminated in a transparent orb. ¡°It¡¯s called the Artifact Staff. The orb detects items of historical or questing value and the staff itself can deliver a pretty good thumping. Seemed appropriate for you.¡± Despite himself, Samer was highly pleased. This will definitely come in handy. He accepted the staff and gave Dayo a quick hug of gratitude. ¡°Where¡¯s Roisin?¡± Roisin leaped from the ship to the pier, using Gust to land softly. Dayo rolled her eyes. ¡°For the show off here, I have a pair of Elemental Gloves. Each can be charged with a single spell that you can combine with any spell you cast. With your new talent for instantaneous casting, you will be a force to be reckoned with.¡± Roisin¡¯s eyes lit up as she accepted the gloves and eagerly pulled them over her hands. ¡°For you Jie, I have what¡¯s known as an Instascroll. You can use it to send messages back and forth with your family.¡± She pulled out two electric blue scrolls with digital interfaces and handed them to Jie. Tearing up, Jie¡¯s mother ran over to give Dayo a quick kiss on the cheek. Jie quietly murmured a thank you, his voice betraying a slight tremble. Samer was amazed at Dayo¡¯s thoughtfulness; she had always displayed a knack for figuring out what mattered most to people. ¡°Last but certainly not least, myself!¡± She pulled the final item from the bag, a large, mahogany bow, carved with ornate symbols. ¡°It¡¯s an Elven Bow from Singida. Now I can finally use Multishot!¡± She twirled it around in front of her, a pair of arrows appearing as if from thin air. She drew back the string and let them loose with a sharp twang, and they sailed over the ocean, disappearing over the horizon. The crowd let out another cheer, the group of rangers in attendance even letting out a few whoops. ¡°All right everybody, that concludes our goodbye. Let¡¯s get this show on the road,¡± Amara said. She tapped her throat again, canceling the spell. A quick flurry of activity and all was loaded on to the Espial, though one of Tal¡¯s suitcases rolled over and almost fell into the water. What could she possibly have in there? Samer wondered. After a few last embraces, the group assembled on the deck, standing in line to wave farewell. All told, there were over one hundred people, and Samer took a deep breath as he symbolically put on the mantle of leadership that he would need to wear from here out. He gave the signal to unfurl the sails, which cascaded down and billowed with air. The crowd let out a final, boisterous cheer as the ship began separating from the pier. Samer looked at Amara one final time, as distance started to build between them. She gave him a nod of confidence and encouragement. The city grew more and more faint, as the ship weaved its way through the many islands of the archipelago. Samer felt a surge of adrenaline. This is it, there¡¯s no going back.