Mage Mangler -(Crucible of Ascension)

I said my goodbyes to Oro and Enil again, and then had to hurry at the clerk's insistence.

We returned to the front of the building where Warden Anso and Augur Garazal waited with Artis. I groaned at the sight of the Private from the 4th, but pushed the emotions tied to him down. He didn't matter. The Chancellor had seen to that.

"Welcome back Adam!" Anso said with a broad smile for me. "I won't lie, we thought you dead. I can't tell you how much of a relief it is to have you back where you belong. The Prime is very keen to see you, so come, it won't do to keep him waiting."

"Of course, Warden," I said maintaining my pace until I reached them.

He eyed me with curiosity. "My, my. You have been busy. Level 25 and an new Title I see."

"Honor Sworn?" I asked and shook my head. "Yes, I don't know why they gave me that. All I did was survive."

"Indeed. Yet I think we are all suitably impressed with both yours and Artis's achievements. I do wonder why Artis wasn't given the same honor."

I shrugged. "Maybe it's because he's a private and I'm just a Squire?"

"Maybe," he replied, the wry twist of his mouth showing he wasn't buying what I was selling. Thankfully, he didn't push it and gestured for Augur Garazal to open a portal for us.

When we stepped through to Jolata, in the courtyard of the looming palace, I felt a great wet blanket of doom settle over me.

Anso spoke to Artis first. "The fifth have space. Take tomorrow off and report for duty on Lei day."

Artis bowed. "Thank you, Warden."

Anso ignored him, to speak to me. "Come. Prime Garazal is waiting."

It felt like I was walking to the gallows, and I genuinely had no idea how this would unfold.

Anso opened the door for me but when I entered he closed it again, leaving only myself and the waiting Prime.

Much like our first meeting he was entrenched in paper work, though he looked up and smiled. "Here he is! Hale and whole after thirteen cycles with only Xeo as company. Incredible!"

"It certainly didn't feel incredible, my lord."

"Well it is. And I see the High Council deigned to give you an honorary title. How very underwhelming. Such a feat deserves far a greater reward! Little voices tell me your importance in destroying the Rift was not to be understated either, but I know the Union council are reluctant to celebrate any wins from an Archon."

I found being referred to as an Archon as the worst of insults, but I swallowed down everything I wanted to spit at him.

"If I could give you another honor pin, I would. But you will have to suffice with the one you've already earned." He slid the old pin back over the table.

Oh joy! The tracking and listening pin. Even though I wasn't supposed to be under constant surveillance in the second year.

"Surviving is enough, my lord."

"Indeed. Almost a whole Cohort gone in one battle and a severely diminished fifth too. Truly a calamitous expedition." He sighed looking tired from the memory. "But not to worry. You are home. There is no 4th to reintroduce you too, but then your return to the academy is long overdue. The academy year started eight cycles ago and you must not fall behind."

His eyes glinted in the lamp glow. "In fact, I intend to see you excel. To stretch ahead of the others now. I see your level has benefited from your ordeal. A boon in the dark is it not?"

"It is my lord."

"What are your stats now? And by that I mean to know each and every stat, skill and boon choice. While I doubt you have reason to lie, remember I will know if you do."

I nodded, not knowing what else to say. Then I reeled off my stats without deception:

Name: Adam Henshaw

Title: Squire of House Garazal

Level: 25

Class: Warrior/Mage

Stats:

Toughness: 28 + 5 Durability

Mental Acuity: 22: +5 Reaction Speed

Harmony: 26 +5 Aetheric Connection +

Total: 76

Progress in Class:

Warrior, Level 25: 90/250

Level 10 Boon: +5 in Durability - Toughness.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Level 20 Boon: +5 in Reaction speed - Mental Acuity.

Tradesman, Level 0: 0/10

Mage, Level 20: 10/200

Level 10 Boon: +5 in Aetheric Connection - Harmony.

Level 20 Boon: 10% Increase to Mana Regeneration.

Mage Skills:

Enchant Item Level: 4

Regenerate (Personal) Level: 3

Spirit Burst (AoE) Level: 3

Spirit Blast (Projectile) Level: 4

Spirit Hand (Levitation) Level: 2

Spirit Strike (Melee) Level: 2 (Tier 2)

Spirit Fortification (Buff) Level 1 (Tier 2)

Flame Blast (Projectile) Level: 3

Flame Burst (AoE) Level 2

Water Blast (Projectile): Level 2

Water Burst (AoE): Level 1

"Impressive growth! I take it you noticed that Aetheric magic is our most potent weapon against the Xeo?"

"I did sir. It's very effective."

"Did you know I fought int the first Xeo Wars?"

"I had heard, my lord."

"I was young at the time. Not much older than you and when I started out, not much stronger either. Though that changed over the course of the war."

I nodded, not really giving a shit about his trip down memory lane.

"I was limited in my Aetheric affinity as most Archons are, but that is something that we will be pushing in all of the academies over the coming years. Just because it doesn't come easy, doesn't mean it doesn't come with hard work and diligence."

He raised his hand and it coated in a black swirling energy. He crumpled a piece of paper and tossed it in the air before hitting it with his ball of black energy. I assumed Dark Elemental energy.

I assumed wrong.

The paper just disappeared. Ceased to exist. No ash, nothing.

"Void," he said with a smug smile. "Excellent for dealing with unwanted problems."

"I can see," I said more than a little intimidated. That would be something I'd be working for a counter against. I wanted to ask him more about how it worked. What happened when it hit someone. I didn't. I decided not to ask the bastard a single question. I'd find out later from someone I could at least partially trust.

"It is good you are skilled. We need range on our armies."

"I'm glad I can be of some use."

"You can. But before you leave, I'm going to need you to answer a few questions."

"Of course, my lord," I replied with barely a tremble in my voice.

"Did the Union try to poach you?"

His words caught me off guard.

Breathe Adam!

"No sir. They expressed admiration and alluded to how I'd make a good addition to a special unit like the one they sent to close the Rift."

He nodded satisfied. "Good, and understand this. You will not be joining them. Ever. You are a tool of House Garazal and you will remain a tool of this House. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Next question. Are you happy here?"

Lying would be caught out immediately. I just wanted to go back to the academy.

Why god? Why do you do this to me?

"No sir. I am not happy."

His brow crease. "Have you not been supplied with an excellent education? Have you not been provided with incredible training, equipment and armor? Have you not been given a generous stipend, and a badge of honor?"

Thankfully, though the reality was far greater than the truth I intended to provide, I could just about answer without recrimination.

"Not one person in the 4th Cohort would speak to me. There are feral dogs shown more respect than I was for my entire stint with them. They would not let me train in unarmed combat or magic. They made me spar with the sword and only the sword, despite my ability and experience being subpar.

"They did not train me, nor did they seek to use those sparring sessions as a teaching opportunity. They used them to beat me."

He frowned, though he clearly wasn't upset. "You should have told someone."

I didn't have the truth telling ability but I knew from his expression and body language that this fucker already knew.

"Who would I tell, sir?" Sergeant Brin had direct orders from Corporal Polvar to treat me that way."

"And how exactly do you know this?"

"Sergeant Brin told me before I killed him."

That put the ancient fucker on edge. He clearly hadn't gotten that memo yet.

"And why exactly did you kill your commanding officer?"

"He was going to get us all killed by carrying out those ignorant, petty orders," I snapped. Now I knew Garazal probably had a part to play in them, I realized by proxy I was calling him ignorant and petty and in that moment I was happy to."

"So you killed him?"

"No. I challenged him after he repeatedly threatened my life and put the other survivors at risk."

"And he accepted?"

"Of course. He jumped at the chance. The prize was that the loser had to leave the sanctuary I'd discovered."

"And you killed him with swords?"

I snorted. Did all Archons think with their swords? "He assumed the same, my Lord. But I offered the challenge and didn't specify swords. As far as I was concerned it was a free for all. Whatever skills each of us had on the table.

"We agreed to vote on everything in the cave and because either option gave the other an unfair advantage we settled on fighting unarmed."

The Prime seemed genuinely intrigued by the story now, and leaned forward, chin resting on steepled fingers. "So you killed him with bare hands?"

"No. After giving him a convincing beating, he grabbed his sword and tried to kill me. So, I hit him with Spirit Strike. He died instantly."

"You've taken a great risk in telling me this, Squire."

"Artis will tell you anyway, but I have nothing to hide. It was a justified action in the circumstances."

"It sounds like it was. I will speak to Private Artis about the incident and Lieutenant Polvar will also be questioned and disciplined."

"What for? It's how everyone here feels. I'm a useful oddity and that's exactly how I feel. All I'd ask is that next time I have to do my military placement, that I'm not treated with such hostility and disdain.

"I am far from the strongest person here, but I'll do as asked and I clearly have some value."

"I assure you your next placement will be far more welcoming. Will that make you happy?"

"I doubt I'll ever be happy, but it will stop me becoming even more resentful."

He grinned. "How chilling. Never happy you say?"

"That's what I say," I replied.

"And I sense no lie. Yet you present such a peaceful young man. I would never have guessed at such depths."

I shrugged. "It is what it is. If it's any consolation I'm glad to be back from Marnis 12."

He laughed then. "Not only that, but you have a remarkable way of telling the truth." His expression changed suddenly. "I'm watching you, Adam Henshaw. The more I learn the more I see a dark shadow to you. You craft your truths with remarkable skill and while I appreciate that skill, I am no fool."

"I haven't for a second thought you were."

"Good. Keep it that way and who knows, one day you may be a leader of... someone. Maybe I will look into more humans with Aetheric power and we can build an all human Cohort for you. Though I think we'll leave your brother out of that one."

On this occasion I found my mind sidestepping automatic agreement. This would be the perfect place for Earl. It might solve two of my greatest problems within hours of him arriving. I kept the thought to myself and bobbed my head in agreement.

"Very well," he said, and I could tell from his irritated expression that he'd reached the limit of how much he could bare of my company. "There is a servant outside who will take you to get cleaned up. Wash quickly, dress and then Warden Anso will take you back to Irala Academy. There is no time to waste in regard to your development."

"Thank you, My Lord."

"Until next time, Squire."

I marched out wanting to scream.