The temple complex that Amari led them to was different than others that the church had. Sabina had heard of the Astral Monastery, of course, but seeing it was another story. It was a large and imposing structure made of dark grey stone. The architecture was unlike anything else she’d seen. Filled with pointed arches, flying buttresses, and chaos. While elaborate tracery and stained glass defined the tall windows. The complex was set inside a large wall with black-cloaked guards that wore a mask to hide their features.
The guards stood or patrolled quietly. But instead of stoically ignoring any that passed them, each one they passed silently stared at Sabina as if judging her soul.
It made her nervous.
The Monastic Order of the Umbra.
Monks who followed Tenera, the goddess of night. Of vengeance. The same ones who would determine if she was evil if the Church came down on House Reinhart.
I have to get this right. I cannot fail the princess.
Why would Amari bring me here?
The paladin had not spoken since arriving on the grounds and soon they were being led through the monastery by a priestess and two monks. She couldn’t help but look around in wonder at the rib vaulting that was the primary feature of the nave they walked down.
Everywhere she looked it appeared as if the Umbral Monks wished to express their dark and gothic nature.
The two monks split to stand at either side of a door that appeared between two pillars. The priestess nodded to Amari and gestured the two women inside.
As Sabina walked in behind Amari, her eyes widened as she found herself in a child’s room.
The priestess smiled at a young boy. “Hello, Ethan. How are you today?”
A child no more than seven or eight was playing with some small blocks that he was using to build a castle. His focus was intense as he set cube after cube on top of each other, forming a wall surrounding his structure.
The priestess turned toward them as they patiently waited on the boy.
“Ethan has an illness of the mind that affects his ability to think or make decisions. He has become a ward of the church where we care for him,” the woman explained.
Sabina’s eyes narrowed and she glanced at Amari questioningly. The paladin stepped closer and lowered her voice.
“Ethan is from a noble family that was judged by one of my brothers in Alos. A local priest in Aldon became aware of his condition and circumstances before he reported it to the town temple’s paladin.”
She closed her eyes as she took a deep, calming breath. When she opened them, Sabina could see the slight glistening that was forming. “Lady Osland had complications during childbirth with Ethan. Because of this, she was left barren. Ethan developed a bit slower than his peers, and because of this, his father believed him unfit to be the family’s heir.”
Sabina turned toward the boy and pulled mana into herself, using [Detect Emotions]. She could feel Amari’s sadness and attention on her. The boy felt focused…mostly. However, his mind was a whirlwind of various feelings and thoughts. It was as if he could not settle on just one thing like he was constantly being pulled in every direction at once.
His preternatural focus was being held by an iron will brought by the pure fascination of something he loved.
“...That poor boy,” Sabina whispered.
Amari nodded. “I wish that was all to the tale. His parents, filled with contempt and scorn, would quickly resort to anger and violence when dealing with him. Years of abuse, beatings, or simply not being fed have left him quite… traumatized. Despite it all, he has a tenacious spirit. Even when his parents left on extended travels–leaving him alone in their manor–he did not give up. I do not know the exact details of how he was found, but when he was, the priest said the poor boy was on the verge of death from a lack of water and food. His parents had been gone for… for nearly an entire season.”
The woman hiccuped as she tried to hold back her emotions. Sabina placed a hand on her arm. “It’s alright. I understand…”
With a shake of her head, the woman continued. “When the paladin found all of this out, and the… conditions in which he was living, he passed his judgment and brought the boy here. The paladin sent out a call for action and I was one of those who responded. When we found the boy’s parents… they were feasting and spending coin as if it was nothing. When confronted, they even claimed they had no child. They were found guilty of breaking the Decrees and brought in front of the local temple. I personally executed the mother while the leader of our squad handled the father’s. That was my last mission before being transferred to Strathmore.”
That was a lot. The emotions coming from the woman explained so much. The stoic exterior the paladin normally held was gone. What remained was someone who held such compassion for an innocent mixed with anger at what had befallen the boy.
The story brought tears to Sabina’s eyes. It also made her angry. How could a parent fail their child in such a way? What would drive them to such madness? She steadied herself as she was distracted by Amari.
The paladin next to her was whispering. Repeating the applicable Decree by rote.
“Children are sacred.
“It is the responsibility of all to provide protection for every child. And the Church shall provide strong leadership on this issue, and it will hold a determined commitment to place children’s interests at the forefront in all decision-making, particularly the physical and emotional well-being of children.
“No matter their origin or background, they shall be given succor in their hour of need.
“Those who would abuse a child are not sons or daughters of Eona. They shall be relinquished to Relena so that their acts may be given Final Judgement. May Alos’s own deliver those found guilty to the goddess after first ensuring the safety of the child.”
The woman bowed her head and sniffed as she lapsed into prayer.
Sabina took a deep breath. “What would you have me do?”
Evocati Amari opened her eyes and looked into Sabina’s own. The woman’s burnt orange eyes filled with wary dedication.
“I want you to help him. Aid him as you did Nasha. But–” she said.
Sabina’s head jerked back in surprise.
She knows. How?
“It was obvious you did something. The woman had an addiction and had been struggling. Since you met with her, she has been better and one of the top performers during training. I know you did something, tell me, did she consent?” Amari asked.
The mind mage nodded quickly. “Yes. She requested help, and I ensured she knew everything that was going to happen and would not have done anything without her agreement.”
“Good. Come. Allow me to introduce you properly.”
The paladin grabbed Sabina’s wrist and gently guided her to the young high elf boy. As they crouched down in front of him, the boy finally looked up. Confusion on his face as he struggled to come up with how he missed their presence.
“Mari? Mari!” the boy said as he rushed the sun elf.
Amari chuckled as Ethan gave her a big hug. “Hello, little one. I want you to meet a friend of mine.” She leaned in close and whispered to the boy. “She’s a healer, and I think she can help make the nightmares go away, but only if you agree.”
The boy’s eyes were as round as saucers when he turned and looked at her.
Sabina steeled herself. “Hello, Ethan. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Ser Sabina.”
His eyes welled up.
“You can help me?” he asked quietly.
The knight glanced over at the paladin, the woman stared intently back at her, a face filled with hope and tension.
She is scared. Worried I will do something wrong.
Sabina looked into that little boy’s eyes and gave him a sad smile.
“I can try. Let me tell you a secret,” she said as she leaned closer and the boy quickly rushed toward her.
“I have magic.” She couldn’t help but smile at the little gasp that came from him. “I would like to try and help you. To scare all those nightmares away and help you… forget about all the bad things. To help you remember all the good times with Amari. I will be as careful as I can, but I have to be able to see it. Do you understand?”
She could tell that he didn’t in the way his face scrunched up. Not really. But he was determined.
He was also refreshingly honest.
“No, Miss Sabina. I don’t.”
A sad smile formed on her face. “My magic lets me see your memories. To let me make them all blurry so that you cannot remember them. I can make sure the good memories are bright and easily remembered. I will warn you, it might hurt a teensy bit. I will be gentle. I’ve done this before, so I know what to expect. You can say stop at any time. I don’t want to do anything without your express permission. Alright?”
His head nodded. “I understand. Please, help.”
Sabina looked up at the two others in the room with her. The priestess looked concerned but seemed resigned to letting the paladin handle it.
The paladin in question seemed ready.
“We need to move him to his bed. Let him lie down and get comfortable. I am unsure of how long this will take.”
She would need to change her spell. Simply using her [Pull Memories] would not be enough. The spell had two functions, it allowed her to read memories, then it would allow her to snatch them from her target’s mind.
This required her to not just remove them, but to modify them in a way that would make the good times more apparent. She wanted to muffle some of the bad memories and remove others. However, removing too much would be damaging. Especially with the number of memories that she suspected would be required to go through. It was dangerous because she could easily change the memory, introduce new elements, and that wasn’t what she wanted.
Down that path lay evil.
As the boy lay down, the priest handed her a pillow that she set down on the floor before lowering herself to her knees.
She placed her hands on either side of the boy’s head. “Are you ready, Ethan? And are you absolutely sure this is what you want? And not just because we’re here?”
The high elf boy nodded resolutely. “I am ready, Miss Sabina.”
Sabina took a deep breath and glanced at the paladin one last time.
Then she pulled at the black mana and dove into the boy’s mind.
It wasn’t long before she found the first memory filled with pain.
Her resolve strengthened to help the child, even as she felt tears streaming down her face.
Amari watched as the woman worked her magic. Her own [Detect Magic] allowed her to keep track of the effort Sabina was putting into this. And she was a bit surprised at how much mana and magic were flowing through her.
Even if, outwardly, it appeared the woman was simply sitting there with her eyes closed, tears fell down her cheeks like a waterfall, and Amari could only imagine what she was experiencing at that moment.
To not just see, but potentially feel what Ethan had felt… Amari would have wanted to bring the boy’s parents back to life just so she could remove their heads again.
Since they had entered the grounds, Amari had kept her [Discern Lies] spell active the entire time. While she was still tense, the woman hadn’t lied even a little.
It made her confident that the woman truly meant well.
Still, she had her sword close at hand in case anything went awry.
As the woman worked it quickly became apparent that the process would take some time. Quickly regretting not eating before leaving the townhouse, Amari asked the priestess to grab water and cheeses so that she could stay close at hand.
She settled into a chair and waited.
The priestess soon returned with the requested items and she too sat down to wait. Her eyes met Amari’s.
“Are you sure this will work, Evocati?” she asked.
Amari shrugged. She couldn’t help it. While she had hope… she really had no way to be sure.
“I hope so, priestess. I don’t know what else to do if it doesn’t,” she said. The paladin looked over at the raven-haired high elf. The woman had that boy’s future in her hands. “The Umbral Seers can only gain sights of people, look into people’s minds, or show such sights to others. This woman can delve into a mind as if it were a tapestry that she can change on a whim. She is filled with both dangerous and great potential. The Archpriestess and my charge trust her. If this works? I will as well,” Amari explained.
The priestess took a deep breath and returned to watching the scene.
Alos, give her strength enough to help that poor boy.
Sense of time was the first to go when delving into someone’s memories. It was something expected. Experiencing someone’s memories wasn’t like watching them do it. No, it meant being the person as if you were living through it when they did. Every thought yours. Each emotion yours.
All the pain… yours.
Sabina had never sifted through memories as deeply as she had with Ethan. She’d never had to search for every last drop of remembrance the boy had of everything his parents had done to him.
After an unknown amount of time, the boy had started whimpering due to the specific memories she’d been going through and numbing, with key parts being removed. It got to the point where she’d deliberately used Sleep on the young child.
It did make her job significantly more difficult, but a healthy dose of determination and desire to help Ethan had pushed her on.
When Sabina opened her eyes, the only light in the room was a dim flicker of a lamp. The priestess was sleeping in a chair at the foot of the boy’s bed, the woman’s hand resting on Ethan’s shin.
“Is he–”
Sabina nodded. “It’s done.” She turned and saw Amari sitting there, a plate of half-eaten cheese and an empty glass of water next to her. “How long did it take?” she asked.
“The night bell rang a while ago. We’re about halfway to morning,” the paladin answered.
Over eight bells–or hours as Gwyn calls it…
“That–”
The woman pulled herself out of her chair, relief flooding her features. “He’s alright? You swear it?” Amari asked, trying in vain to hold back her excitement.
Sabina nodded as she staggered to her feet, discomfort and aches spread throughout her legs. “Yes. I believe I got everything.”
She paused.
The paladin's face turned to concern. “What is it?”
Sneaking a glance at the sleeping boy, she said, “I know why his development was slowed. It was something… his mother did to him when he was an infant. A moment of rage and grief over the thought of having no more children…"
Sabina closed her hand into a fist as she recalled the memory that had been buried deep in Ethan's mind. One that had been difficult to experience in multiple ways. The memories of an infant were simply… different. The confusion and fear of what the sensation of pain was. The sight of their mother with the terrifying expression that was seared into the memory, blurred by the passing of time.
"I think… think what I did may have corrected it,” she said.
The paladin’s breath hitched and Sabina could just make out her eyes widening in the dim light. “Truly?”
“Truly. It may take time, and he will need aid… but yes. I believe he will live a long and healthy life free of the pain.” Her voice lowered as her eyes fell. “So much pain…”
Sabina didn’t even realize she’d started crying or fallen to her knees until Amari handed her a cloth even as the woman held her.
“Why?” was all she managed to ask.
“Because there is great evil in our world. It is why the paladins and the monks exist. To root it out. Crush it before it spreads and corrupts. It festers in the dark and hides. In between the cracks of society,” the woman said.
The shadows played off of the paladin’s face and the resolve in the woman’s voice made Sabina shiver. This was someone who knew they were following a more righteous path and that their mission, their very being was just.
Sabina’s own fears played against her as she looked into those orange eyes. Would her magic take control of her and push her until there was no turning back? Would she find herself hunted by this woman one day?
She glanced back at the sleeping form of the child she’d just healed. His pain and trauma were now a fuzzy memory that he should never have experienced. Nor will he experience it again.
Nasha, her guard, a woman filled with regrets and guilt. Beholden by addiction and grief.
Sabina helped them. Gave them their lives back. One filled with hope and potential.
A smile spread across her face. Pride filled her.
The paladin squeezed her shoulder.
“Come, let’s give them some sleep. I already told the priestess we would leave when you were done. I have one more thing I’d like for us to do together,” she said.
Sabina nodded. Filled with a newfound resolve, she stood up and followed the paladin.
She gave one last glance at the boy whose life she had pulled back from the brink. He’d been so close to just giving up. A young life should never have to go through such things.
Her thoughts fell to Gwyn as she followed the woman through the darkened halls. The princess had been through so much, how was she truly handling it? Sabina had seen firsthand how the terran girl had relied on her spell that numbed all her emotions.
Was it affecting her? Changing her?
How far would the girl go before she changed completely? How long until Gwyn snapped?
Would anyone survive such a disaster?
Sabina knew she had to help the girl. She just wasn’t sure how to approach it. she wasn’t her mother, she wasn’t a mother at all. That motherly instinct had never graced Sabina with its presence.
The mind mage had no desire to have children. Who would want to have children when you held such potential for evil? It would be the height of folly to subject them to such an upbringing.
No, one such as she didn’t deserve them.
She would continue doing all she could to convince herself and others that her magic could be used for good. Just like Gwyn had told her.
“I shouldn’t pretend that I am good…” she whispered to herself.
“Sabina?”
She looked up. “Yes?”
The woman stopped and searched her face. “What did you whisper to yourself?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Whatever it was, you were lying. It’s the first time you’ve lied since being here,” the woman said.
Sabina tilted her head. I… lied?
“It’s nothing…”
Amari shook her head. “Fine. We’re here anyway. In here, please.”
Sabina blinked.
She found herself looking at an elaborately decorated door set into the wall under a pointed arch. A single monk guarded the entrance, his sight focused on the two women. He stood quietly, his face hidden by the hood of his cloak. With a precise, practiced movement, the man opened the door as Amari approached.
Inside was what appeared to be a small chapel. However, the only thing that lay within was a pedestal with a large orb sitting on it. The orb glowed yellow which betrayed its status as a core.
A monk was there, patiently waiting for the women while two more stood at the sides.
How long have they been waiting for us?
As they entered the chapel fully, the monk in the center of the room bowed toward them.
“Evocati Amari, was it successful?” the man asked.
Sabina furrowed her brows as she looked at the sun elf woman.
“It was. Allow me to introduce Ser Sabina Dominis. She was able to help Ethan Osland. Are you prepared for the two of us to take the Ceremony of Paths?” the paladin asked.
“We are. Who would like to go first?”
Sabina glanced between the two. “Go first with what? What is this?”
The man chuckled. “Ah, it seems the knight has volunteered. Please, step up to the pedestal and I will explain.”
“That wasn’t me volunteering,” she mumbled under her breath, stepping forward to the pedestal.
“You’ll be fine, Sabina,” Amari assured her.
She rolled her eyes.
Standing at the pedestal, she looked down at the core. It was quite large and she was immediately interested in where it had come from. It was about two fists in width which was about the same size as the red core that Taenya had retrieved from the drake.
Did they find another one?
The monk let out another breathy chuckle. “This core allows me to focus and enhance my magic. It will allow me to view the Excerpt of your Path.” He inclined his head toward one of the other monks, who stepped forward. “I will be in a sort of trance as I perform my magic. Your Excerpt will be written down by my attendant, and you may take it with you. All of the Umbral Seers have taken an oath that anything we hear from this Ceremony shall be kept in confidence.”
She narrowed her eyes. “How long have you been doing this?”
He shrugged. “Not long. A high priest from the Sovereign Cities discovered and established the protocols for the ceremony. Her Holiness was made aware of the process and she penned the Decree that established the Umbral Seers. It will be our responsibility to propagate the Ceremony throughout the land. While we have roots as Monks, not all who may eventually perform the Ceremony will be. We will be a separate organization that strives to be even more impartial and withdrawn from an already neutral Church.”
Sabina tilted her head. It made sense. If they were going to be gaining information of any type about someone, it could be used against that individual. Remaining impartial and incorruptible would ensure its ability to spread throughout society.
“So, you can see information about me?” she asked.
The man nodded. “Yes, the gods have imparted much on us through what is called mana. A discovery by individuals out west. Through this ceremony, we are able to glean a snapshot of your journey and in time, we will use this to help guide individuals on paths most suited to them. For now, we seek to simply learn and see how people grow on their own. This way, we may gain as much knowledge as possible with which to teach future generations.”
Which meant they were trying to make people even more reliant on the Church. To become the so-called impartial source of guidance that would inevitably dictate someone’s future.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
Although, it wouldn’t hurt to see for herself. Perhaps she could discern the method of the ceremony and perform it for her House.
She looked around, seeing four elaborately painted designs on the core. “So, what do I do?”
“Place your hands on the bottom two markings, I will place mine on the top. In time we may find a better way to do this so that we aren’t standing here awkwardly holding hands,” he said with a laugh.
Sabina could appreciate that the man was attempting to keep her at ease. Although, he sure laughed a lot.
She placed her hands at the indicated positions and he quickly set his down on the other two spots, their hands overlapping slightly due to the size of the core.
“Now, we have been able to learn a bit more since first performing the Ceremony, so this will take a bit more time.” He looked to his left, where an attendant stood to write. “Please, transcribe the Excerpt,” the man said and the attendant lifted the board and his pen.
A rush of mana surged from the monk and into the core where it then shot through her and spread throughout her body. The man’s irises were ringed in yellow as he focused on the core.
Sabina gasped as she felt the mana pervade her core and channels.
The man spoke as if reading an Excerpt from a book, the voice sounding almost distant and void of emotion.
Sabina Dominis
“The Shadow”
High Elf
Path: Mentalist (Mage)
Steps: 40
Core Quality: Remarkable
Affinity: Mind, (Unknown)
Attunement: Black
Alignment: Magical
Primary Attribute: Capability
Secondary Attribute: Control
Traits: Telepathy, Mana Sense
Passive Spells/Abilities: Alter Perception, Detect Emotions, Hear Thoughts, Mental Fortress
Active Spells/Abilities: Suggestion, Pull Memories, Sleep, Conjure Hallucinations, Obfuscating Mist, Calm Emotions
As the man finished, the glow within his eyes vanished and he forced out a large breath of air. He seemed tired, but he quickly asked the attendant to read out what they had written.
When they spoke about Sabina’s ‘steps’ he gasped.
Then the monk got even more and more excited as it went.
None of those present knew what it meant to have an unknown affinity, but the man seemed determined to research it further.
“That’s the highest we’ve seen yet! By far! We must see what the differences are. Surely there must be multiple means to advance the steps of one's path,” he said, the man becoming more and more lost in his thoughts.
Sabina wasn’t sure what to make of it all, but when the attendant handed her the scroll, she knew the person to speak with was Maya Rolfe.
She glanced at the sun elf that patiently waited behind her. “Your turn?”
The woman nodded, excitement clear in her eyes.
“Absolutely.”
Sabina stepped off to the side to wait, and soon enough the ceremony had begun. She anticipated that it would have more pomp and circumstance in the future, especially if they expected everyone to undergo such a thing. For now, it seemed that they simply wanted to perfect the process and learn as much as they could.
As the man finished with the paladin, Sabina couldn’t help but smile. Her steps were seven higher than the sun elf’s. Although they both sported what was called a remarkable core.
The woman had a few spells that seemed interesting, such as Detect Magic and Discern Lies. Sabina suspected that she could figure out something similar. At least as far as the lies went.
As the two walked out of the monastery and started making their way back to the townhouse. The night air was brisk and the street lamps were only giving partial light along their path, Sabina glanced up at the sister moons. They were both just slivers in the sky.
She wouldn’t get to speak with Taenya or Maya this night. One thing Sabina knew for certain, though…
She really wanted to see what Gwyn’s Excerpt was like.
That girl’s probably higher than us all.
The Tiloral training yard was filled with excitement and noise even in the early morning light. The sun had only recently risen, and while most children would be either sleeping or doing morning chores elsewhere, a group of girls were hard at work.
Magic was at stake.
Already the various Guardsmen and Knights were enamored with the young orkun girl who could heal their wounds from their spars. An excited high elf scholar stood nearby dutifully taking notes on the girl’s capabilities while a nervous mind mage spoke to her of ceremonies and revelation.
A dedicated high elf teenager in form-fitting armor that allowed ample mobility trained with two short swords. The girl danced and bounced around as she used her abilities to spar with one of the House senior guardsmen.
Meanwhile, Gwyn stood with Roslyn as she strove to help her best friend learn magic. The girl could touch the mana around them and pull it into herself, but she was struggling to create a spell.
It baffled Gwyn.
“Okay, so. You can feel the mana, and you’re able to pull it in. Now you need to know what a spell is. Magic is about making the world do what you want. Exerting your desires on everything around you and bringing them to life,” she explained.
The high elf stood there, a face of concentration so deep that Gwyn thought the girl may pop a vein.
“Try to pull the mana into your eyes and–”
“I am!” the girl growled. “I just cannot get it. This is so tough. I hate it! Why won’t it–”
Her eyes shimmered and Roslyn gasped as her eyes widened. She looked around in excitement and a massive smile grew on her face.
“Oh. Oh wow. Gwyn! I got it! Oh my! This is beautiful!”
Gwyn laughed.
“You got [Mana Sight]?”
Her best friend nodded absently, the wonderment of the moment having rendered her speechless.
Gwyn shook her head as Miss Rolfe approached the two girls, her face adorned with an expression of curiosity.
“She made her first spell?” the woman asked.
“She did. A passive one,” Gwyn said.
The woman nodded as she wrote in her journal. “I believe we determined [Mana Sight] is a sustained passive, correct?”
“Yes, Miss Rolfe. It works like a toggle. Turn it on and it slowly drains you until you turn it off, but it just works until then.”
Maya nodded again, as she wrote down more notes. She looked up. “Good. Are you going to make a new spell today?”
That made Gwyn smile. She loved making new magic and she hadn’t made a new spell in some time. Most of her practice for the last season had been dedicated to making her current spells better and more efficient. She and Miss Rolfe's focus was on determining exactly how many of each spell she could cast before exhaustion took over.
“Okay. Let’s do it. Any idea of what I should make? Something big and flashy? Or something simple,” she asked the scholar.
Roslyn focused on her as she finally regained herself. “Something flashy, but not big,” her friend suggested.
Gwyn nodded. “Sounds good! Let me think…”
She wanted something that worked well with her other spells. Something that could fill the gaps. She had six spells right now. Her signature spell, as Miss Rolfe called it, was [Fireball]. It was her bread and butter. The main spell of her spellbook–not that she had an actual book. It was also the one she was most efficient in.
She had a bunch of fire-based spells and only two active ice ones: [Ice Wall] and [Wave of Frost].
In fact, all of her magic was either ice or fire-based other than her [Telekinesis].
Which gave her an idea.
That trait–as it felt different than other magic–was something that acted as if it were a normal part of her. Like another sense.
But it gave her an idea.
It allowed her to move objects with a thought. It even allowed her to catch Roslyn when she fell. The mana it used felt colorless.
One thing she’d always wanted to do on Earth was fly… or teleport like the superheroes.
What if she could do that too?
Gwyn felt at her ring and pulled. Mana filled her, not any of the colors, but white mana. In her peripherals, she saw Miss Rolfe and Roslyn back away.
Gwyn didn’t want to simply fly. Why stop there? She wanted to be there.
A surge of mana surrounded her and she used her [Mana Sight] to see it. She focused on a point on the other side of the field. The mana sang around her and her core sang back as if they were locked in a beautiful duet. It reached out to her, and she knew that with mana, anything could be done.
Mana had allowed her to do the impossible countless times now. And now she wanted it to help her to be… right… there.
She pulled more mana.
Move me there!
A tide of power filled her and for a moment, it felt as if the spell would click in her mind as it usually did.
It didn't.
Wha–
Her core heaved.
Everything felt as if it was bending. The world changed. Nausea instantly filled her and she felt an overwhelming urge to retch as her sight could see both from where she was and where she wanted to be.
A big flash of light filled her eyesight. She readied herself to move to the new location.
Then–PAIN.
Searing heat surged through Gwyn’s core and into the conduits that spread throughout her body.
Her very existence became pain.
Her mouth opened and her face contorted.
She felt herself screaming but no sound reached her ears.
Then with what felt like getting hit by a hammer, her core seemed to contract.
She lurched and struggled to stay on her feet.
My–my nose is running.
Her hand moved on its own and wiped at it. Her eyes stared at her hand.
Why is it red?
Her brain tried to restart. More pain shot through her.
The world started spinning–Gwyn was falling.
Everything started turning black.
The last thing Gwyn noticed before crashing into the ground… was that she wasn’t where she had started casting from.
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The temple complex that Amari led them to was different than others that the church had. Sabina had heard of the Astral Monastery, of course, but seeing it was another story. It was a large and imposing structure made of dark grey stone. The architecture was unlike anything else she’d seen. Filled with pointed arches, flying buttresses, and chaos. While elaborate tracery and stained glass defined the tall windows. The complex was set inside a large wall with black-cloaked guards that wore a mask to hide their features.
The guards stood or patrolled quietly. But instead of stoically ignoring any that passed them, each one they passed silently stared at Sabina as if judging her soul.
It made her nervous.
The Monastic Order of the Umbra.
Monks who followed Tenera, the goddess of night. Of vengeance. The same ones who would determine if she was evil if the Church came down on House Reinhart.
I have to get this right. I cannot fail the princess.
Why would Amari bring me here?
The paladin had not spoken since arriving on the grounds and soon they were being led through the monastery by a priestess and two monks. She couldn’t help but look around in wonder at the rib vaulting that was the primary feature of the nave they walked down.
Everywhere she looked it appeared as if the Umbral Monks wished to express their dark and gothic nature.
The two monks split to stand at either side of a door that appeared between two pillars. The priestess nodded to Amari and gestured the two women inside.
As Sabina walked in behind Amari, her eyes widened as she found herself in a child’s room.
The priestess smiled at a young boy. “Hello, Ethan. How are you today?”
A child no more than seven or eight was playing with some small blocks that he was using to build a castle. His focus was intense as he set cube after cube on top of each other, forming a wall surrounding his structure.
The priestess turned toward them as they patiently waited on the boy.
“Ethan has an illness of the mind that affects his ability to think or make decisions. He has become a ward of the church where we care for him,” the woman explained.
Sabina’s eyes narrowed and she glanced at Amari questioningly. The paladin stepped closer and lowered her voice.
“Ethan is from a noble family that was judged by one of my brothers in Alos. A local priest in Aldon became aware of his condition and circumstances before he reported it to the town temple’s paladin.”
She closed her eyes as she took a deep, calming breath. When she opened them, Sabina could see the slight glistening that was forming. “Lady Osland had complications during childbirth with Ethan. Because of this, she was left barren. Ethan developed a bit slower than his peers, and because of this, his father believed him unfit to be the family’s heir.”
Sabina turned toward the boy and pulled mana into herself, using [Detect Emotions]. She could feel Amari’s sadness and attention on her. The boy felt focused…mostly. However, his mind was a whirlwind of various feelings and thoughts. It was as if he could not settle on just one thing like he was constantly being pulled in every direction at once.
His preternatural focus was being held by an iron will brought by the pure fascination of something he loved.
“...That poor boy,” Sabina whispered.
Amari nodded. “I wish that was all to the tale. His parents, filled with contempt and scorn, would quickly resort to anger and violence when dealing with him. Years of abuse, beatings, or simply not being fed have left him quite… traumatized. Despite it all, he has a tenacious spirit. Even when his parents left on extended travels–leaving him alone in their manor–he did not give up. I do not know the exact details of how he was found, but when he was, the priest said the poor boy was on the verge of death from a lack of water and food. His parents had been gone for… for nearly an entire season.”
The woman hiccuped as she tried to hold back her emotions. Sabina placed a hand on her arm. “It’s alright. I understand…”
With a shake of her head, the woman continued. “When the paladin found all of this out, and the… conditions in which he was living, he passed his judgment and brought the boy here. The paladin sent out a call for action and I was one of those who responded. When we found the boy’s parents… they were feasting and spending coin as if it was nothing. When confronted, they even claimed they had no child. They were found guilty of breaking the Decrees and brought in front of the local temple. I personally executed the mother while the leader of our squad handled the father’s. That was my last mission before being transferred to Strathmore.”
That was a lot. The emotions coming from the woman explained so much. The stoic exterior the paladin normally held was gone. What remained was someone who held such compassion for an innocent mixed with anger at what had befallen the boy.
The story brought tears to Sabina’s eyes. It also made her angry. How could a parent fail their child in such a way? What would drive them to such madness? She steadied herself as she was distracted by Amari.
The paladin next to her was whispering. Repeating the applicable Decree by rote.
“Children are sacred.
“It is the responsibility of all to provide protection for every child. And the Church shall provide strong leadership on this issue, and it will hold a determined commitment to place children’s interests at the forefront in all decision-making, particularly the physical and emotional well-being of children.
“No matter their origin or background, they shall be given succor in their hour of need.
“Those who would abuse a child are not sons or daughters of Eona. They shall be relinquished to Relena so that their acts may be given Final Judgement. May Alos’s own deliver those found guilty to the goddess after first ensuring the safety of the child.”
The woman bowed her head and sniffed as she lapsed into prayer.
Sabina took a deep breath. “What would you have me do?”
Evocati Amari opened her eyes and looked into Sabina’s own. The woman’s burnt orange eyes filled with wary dedication.
“I want you to help him. Aid him as you did Nasha. But–” she said.
Sabina’s head jerked back in surprise.
She knows. How?
“It was obvious you did something. The woman had an addiction and had been struggling. Since you met with her, she has been better and one of the top performers during training. I know you did something, tell me, did she consent?” Amari asked.
The mind mage nodded quickly. “Yes. She requested help, and I ensured she knew everything that was going to happen and would not have done anything without her agreement.”
“Good. Come. Allow me to introduce you properly.”
The paladin grabbed Sabina’s wrist and gently guided her to the young high elf boy. As they crouched down in front of him, the boy finally looked up. Confusion on his face as he struggled to come up with how he missed their presence.
“Mari? Mari!” the boy said as he rushed the sun elf.
Amari chuckled as Ethan gave her a big hug. “Hello, little one. I want you to meet a friend of mine.” She leaned in close and whispered to the boy. “She’s a healer, and I think she can help make the nightmares go away, but only if you agree.”
The boy’s eyes were as round as saucers when he turned and looked at her.
Sabina steeled herself. “Hello, Ethan. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Ser Sabina.”
His eyes welled up.
“You can help me?” he asked quietly.
The knight glanced over at the paladin, the woman stared intently back at her, a face filled with hope and tension.
She is scared. Worried I will do something wrong.
Sabina looked into that little boy’s eyes and gave him a sad smile.
“I can try. Let me tell you a secret,” she said as she leaned closer and the boy quickly rushed toward her.
“I have magic.” She couldn’t help but smile at the little gasp that came from him. “I would like to try and help you. To scare all those nightmares away and help you… forget about all the bad things. To help you remember all the good times with Amari. I will be as careful as I can, but I have to be able to see it. Do you understand?”
She could tell that he didn’t in the way his face scrunched up. Not really. But he was determined.
He was also refreshingly honest.
“No, Miss Sabina. I don’t.”
A sad smile formed on her face. “My magic lets me see your memories. To let me make them all blurry so that you cannot remember them. I can make sure the good memories are bright and easily remembered. I will warn you, it might hurt a teensy bit. I will be gentle. I’ve done this before, so I know what to expect. You can say stop at any time. I don’t want to do anything without your express permission. Alright?”
His head nodded. “I understand. Please, help.”
Sabina looked up at the two others in the room with her. The priestess looked concerned but seemed resigned to letting the paladin handle it.
The paladin in question seemed ready.
“We need to move him to his bed. Let him lie down and get comfortable. I am unsure of how long this will take.”
She would need to change her spell. Simply using her [Pull Memories] would not be enough. The spell had two functions, it allowed her to read memories, then it would allow her to snatch them from her target’s mind.
This required her to not just remove them, but to modify them in a way that would make the good times more apparent. She wanted to muffle some of the bad memories and remove others. However, removing too much would be damaging. Especially with the number of memories that she suspected would be required to go through. It was dangerous because she could easily change the memory, introduce new elements, and that wasn’t what she wanted.
Down that path lay evil.
As the boy lay down, the priest handed her a pillow that she set down on the floor before lowering herself to her knees.
She placed her hands on either side of the boy’s head. “Are you ready, Ethan? And are you absolutely sure this is what you want? And not just because we’re here?”
The high elf boy nodded resolutely. “I am ready, Miss Sabina.”
Sabina took a deep breath and glanced at the paladin one last time.
Then she pulled at the black mana and dove into the boy’s mind.
It wasn’t long before she found the first memory filled with pain.
Her resolve strengthened to help the child, even as she felt tears streaming down her face.
Amari watched as the woman worked her magic. Her own [Detect Magic] allowed her to keep track of the effort Sabina was putting into this. And she was a bit surprised at how much mana and magic were flowing through her.
Even if, outwardly, it appeared the woman was simply sitting there with her eyes closed, tears fell down her cheeks like a waterfall, and Amari could only imagine what she was experiencing at that moment.
To not just see, but potentially feel what Ethan had felt… Amari would have wanted to bring the boy’s parents back to life just so she could remove their heads again.
Since they had entered the grounds, Amari had kept her [Discern Lies] spell active the entire time. While she was still tense, the woman hadn’t lied even a little.
It made her confident that the woman truly meant well.
Still, she had her sword close at hand in case anything went awry.
As the woman worked it quickly became apparent that the process would take some time. Quickly regretting not eating before leaving the townhouse, Amari asked the priestess to grab water and cheeses so that she could stay close at hand.
She settled into a chair and waited.
The priestess soon returned with the requested items and she too sat down to wait. Her eyes met Amari’s.
“Are you sure this will work, Evocati?” she asked.
Amari shrugged. She couldn’t help it. While she had hope… she really had no way to be sure.
“I hope so, priestess. I don’t know what else to do if it doesn’t,” she said. The paladin looked over at the raven-haired high elf. The woman had that boy’s future in her hands. “The Umbral Seers can only gain sights of people, look into people’s minds, or show such sights to others. This woman can delve into a mind as if it were a tapestry that she can change on a whim. She is filled with both dangerous and great potential. The Archpriestess and my charge trust her. If this works? I will as well,” Amari explained.
The priestess took a deep breath and returned to watching the scene.
Alos, give her strength enough to help that poor boy.
Sense of time was the first to go when delving into someone’s memories. It was something expected. Experiencing someone’s memories wasn’t like watching them do it. No, it meant being the person as if you were living through it when they did. Every thought yours. Each emotion yours.
All the pain… yours.
Sabina had never sifted through memories as deeply as she had with Ethan. She’d never had to search for every last drop of remembrance the boy had of everything his parents had done to him.
After an unknown amount of time, the boy had started whimpering due to the specific memories she’d been going through and numbing, with key parts being removed. It got to the point where she’d deliberately used Sleep on the young child.
It did make her job significantly more difficult, but a healthy dose of determination and desire to help Ethan had pushed her on.
When Sabina opened her eyes, the only light in the room was a dim flicker of a lamp. The priestess was sleeping in a chair at the foot of the boy’s bed, the woman’s hand resting on Ethan’s shin.
“Is he–”
Sabina nodded. “It’s done.” She turned and saw Amari sitting there, a plate of half-eaten cheese and an empty glass of water next to her. “How long did it take?” she asked.
“The night bell rang a while ago. We’re about halfway to morning,” the paladin answered.
Over eight bells–or hours as Gwyn calls it…
“That–”
The woman pulled herself out of her chair, relief flooding her features. “He’s alright? You swear it?” Amari asked, trying in vain to hold back her excitement.
Sabina nodded as she staggered to her feet, discomfort and aches spread throughout her legs. “Yes. I believe I got everything.”
She paused.
The paladin's face turned to concern. “What is it?”
Sneaking a glance at the sleeping boy, she said, “I know why his development was slowed. It was something… his mother did to him when he was an infant. A moment of rage and grief over the thought of having no more children…"
Sabina closed her hand into a fist as she recalled the memory that had been buried deep in Ethan's mind. One that had been difficult to experience in multiple ways. The memories of an infant were simply… different. The confusion and fear of what the sensation of pain was. The sight of their mother with the terrifying expression that was seared into the memory, blurred by the passing of time.
"I think… think what I did may have corrected it,” she said.
The paladin’s breath hitched and Sabina could just make out her eyes widening in the dim light. “Truly?”
“Truly. It may take time, and he will need aid… but yes. I believe he will live a long and healthy life free of the pain.” Her voice lowered as her eyes fell. “So much pain…”
Sabina didn’t even realize she’d started crying or fallen to her knees until Amari handed her a cloth even as the woman held her.
“Why?” was all she managed to ask.
“Because there is great evil in our world. It is why the paladins and the monks exist. To root it out. Crush it before it spreads and corrupts. It festers in the dark and hides. In between the cracks of society,” the woman said.
The shadows played off of the paladin’s face and the resolve in the woman’s voice made Sabina shiver. This was someone who knew they were following a more righteous path and that their mission, their very being was just.
Sabina’s own fears played against her as she looked into those orange eyes. Would her magic take control of her and push her until there was no turning back? Would she find herself hunted by this woman one day?
She glanced back at the sleeping form of the child she’d just healed. His pain and trauma were now a fuzzy memory that he should never have experienced. Nor will he experience it again.
Nasha, her guard, a woman filled with regrets and guilt. Beholden by addiction and grief.
Sabina helped them. Gave them their lives back. One filled with hope and potential.
A smile spread across her face. Pride filled her.
The paladin squeezed her shoulder.
“Come, let’s give them some sleep. I already told the priestess we would leave when you were done. I have one more thing I’d like for us to do together,” she said.
Sabina nodded. Filled with a newfound resolve, she stood up and followed the paladin.
She gave one last glance at the boy whose life she had pulled back from the brink. He’d been so close to just giving up. A young life should never have to go through such things.
Her thoughts fell to Gwyn as she followed the woman through the darkened halls. The princess had been through so much, how was she truly handling it? Sabina had seen firsthand how the terran girl had relied on her spell that numbed all her emotions.
Was it affecting her? Changing her?
How far would the girl go before she changed completely? How long until Gwyn snapped?
Would anyone survive such a disaster?
Sabina knew she had to help the girl. She just wasn’t sure how to approach it. she wasn’t her mother, she wasn’t a mother at all. That motherly instinct had never graced Sabina with its presence.
The mind mage had no desire to have children. Who would want to have children when you held such potential for evil? It would be the height of folly to subject them to such an upbringing.
No, one such as she didn’t deserve them.
She would continue doing all she could to convince herself and others that her magic could be used for good. Just like Gwyn had told her.
“I shouldn’t pretend that I am good…” she whispered to herself.
“Sabina?”
She looked up. “Yes?”
The woman stopped and searched her face. “What did you whisper to yourself?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Whatever it was, you were lying. It’s the first time you’ve lied since being here,” the woman said.
Sabina tilted her head. I… lied?
“It’s nothing…”
Amari shook her head. “Fine. We’re here anyway. In here, please.”
Sabina blinked.
She found herself looking at an elaborately decorated door set into the wall under a pointed arch. A single monk guarded the entrance, his sight focused on the two women. He stood quietly, his face hidden by the hood of his cloak. With a precise, practiced movement, the man opened the door as Amari approached.
Inside was what appeared to be a small chapel. However, the only thing that lay within was a pedestal with a large orb sitting on it. The orb glowed yellow which betrayed its status as a core.
A monk was there, patiently waiting for the women while two more stood at the sides.
How long have they been waiting for us?
As they entered the chapel fully, the monk in the center of the room bowed toward them.
“Evocati Amari, was it successful?” the man asked.
Sabina furrowed her brows as she looked at the sun elf woman.
“It was. Allow me to introduce Ser Sabina Dominis. She was able to help Ethan Osland. Are you prepared for the two of us to take the Ceremony of Paths?” the paladin asked.
“We are. Who would like to go first?”
Sabina glanced between the two. “Go first with what? What is this?”
The man chuckled. “Ah, it seems the knight has volunteered. Please, step up to the pedestal and I will explain.”
“That wasn’t me volunteering,” she mumbled under her breath, stepping forward to the pedestal.
“You’ll be fine, Sabina,” Amari assured her.
She rolled her eyes.
Standing at the pedestal, she looked down at the core. It was quite large and she was immediately interested in where it had come from. It was about two fists in width which was about the same size as the red core that Taenya had retrieved from the drake.
Did they find another one?
The monk let out another breathy chuckle. “This core allows me to focus and enhance my magic. It will allow me to view the Excerpt of your Path.” He inclined his head toward one of the other monks, who stepped forward. “I will be in a sort of trance as I perform my magic. Your Excerpt will be written down by my attendant, and you may take it with you. All of the Umbral Seers have taken an oath that anything we hear from this Ceremony shall be kept in confidence.”
She narrowed her eyes. “How long have you been doing this?”
He shrugged. “Not long. A high priest from the Sovereign Cities discovered and established the protocols for the ceremony. Her Holiness was made aware of the process and she penned the Decree that established the Umbral Seers. It will be our responsibility to propagate the Ceremony throughout the land. While we have roots as Monks, not all who may eventually perform the Ceremony will be. We will be a separate organization that strives to be even more impartial and withdrawn from an already neutral Church.”
Sabina tilted her head. It made sense. If they were going to be gaining information of any type about someone, it could be used against that individual. Remaining impartial and incorruptible would ensure its ability to spread throughout society.
“So, you can see information about me?” she asked.
The man nodded. “Yes, the gods have imparted much on us through what is called mana. A discovery by individuals out west. Through this ceremony, we are able to glean a snapshot of your journey and in time, we will use this to help guide individuals on paths most suited to them. For now, we seek to simply learn and see how people grow on their own. This way, we may gain as much knowledge as possible with which to teach future generations.”
Which meant they were trying to make people even more reliant on the Church. To become the so-called impartial source of guidance that would inevitably dictate someone’s future.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
Although, it wouldn’t hurt to see for herself. Perhaps she could discern the method of the ceremony and perform it for her House.
She looked around, seeing four elaborately painted designs on the core. “So, what do I do?”
“Place your hands on the bottom two markings, I will place mine on the top. In time we may find a better way to do this so that we aren’t standing here awkwardly holding hands,” he said with a laugh.
Sabina could appreciate that the man was attempting to keep her at ease. Although, he sure laughed a lot.
She placed her hands at the indicated positions and he quickly set his down on the other two spots, their hands overlapping slightly due to the size of the core.
“Now, we have been able to learn a bit more since first performing the Ceremony, so this will take a bit more time.” He looked to his left, where an attendant stood to write. “Please, transcribe the Excerpt,” the man said and the attendant lifted the board and his pen.
A rush of mana surged from the monk and into the core where it then shot through her and spread throughout her body. The man’s irises were ringed in yellow as he focused on the core.
Sabina gasped as she felt the mana pervade her core and channels.
The man spoke as if reading an Excerpt from a book, the voice sounding almost distant and void of emotion.
Sabina Dominis
“The Shadow”
High Elf
Path: Mentalist (Mage)
Steps: 40
Core Quality: Remarkable
Affinity: Mind, (Unknown)
Attunement: Black
Alignment: Magical
Primary Attribute: Capability
Secondary Attribute: Control
Traits: Telepathy, Mana Sense
Passive Spells/Abilities: Alter Perception, Detect Emotions, Hear Thoughts, Mental Fortress
Active Spells/Abilities: Suggestion, Pull Memories, Sleep, Conjure Hallucinations, Obfuscating Mist, Calm Emotions
As the man finished, the glow within his eyes vanished and he forced out a large breath of air. He seemed tired, but he quickly asked the attendant to read out what they had written.
When they spoke about Sabina’s ‘steps’ he gasped.
Then the monk got even more and more excited as it went.
None of those present knew what it meant to have an unknown affinity, but the man seemed determined to research it further.
“That’s the highest we’ve seen yet! By far! We must see what the differences are. Surely there must be multiple means to advance the steps of one's path,” he said, the man becoming more and more lost in his thoughts.
Sabina wasn’t sure what to make of it all, but when the attendant handed her the scroll, she knew the person to speak with was Maya Rolfe.
She glanced at the sun elf that patiently waited behind her. “Your turn?”
The woman nodded, excitement clear in her eyes.
“Absolutely.”
Sabina stepped off to the side to wait, and soon enough the ceremony had begun. She anticipated that it would have more pomp and circumstance in the future, especially if they expected everyone to undergo such a thing. For now, it seemed that they simply wanted to perfect the process and learn as much as they could.
As the man finished with the paladin, Sabina couldn’t help but smile. Her steps were seven higher than the sun elf’s. Although they both sported what was called a remarkable core.
The woman had a few spells that seemed interesting, such as Detect Magic and Discern Lies. Sabina suspected that she could figure out something similar. At least as far as the lies went.
As the two walked out of the monastery and started making their way back to the townhouse. The night air was brisk and the street lamps were only giving partial light along their path, Sabina glanced up at the sister moons. They were both just slivers in the sky.
She wouldn’t get to speak with Taenya or Maya this night. One thing Sabina knew for certain, though…
She really wanted to see what Gwyn’s Excerpt was like.
That girl’s probably higher than us all.
The Tiloral training yard was filled with excitement and noise even in the early morning light. The sun had only recently risen, and while most children would be either sleeping or doing morning chores elsewhere, a group of girls were hard at work.
Magic was at stake.
Already the various Guardsmen and Knights were enamored with the young orkun girl who could heal their wounds from their spars. An excited high elf scholar stood nearby dutifully taking notes on the girl’s capabilities while a nervous mind mage spoke to her of ceremonies and revelation.
A dedicated high elf teenager in form-fitting armor that allowed ample mobility trained with two short swords. The girl danced and bounced around as she used her abilities to spar with one of the House senior guardsmen.
Meanwhile, Gwyn stood with Roslyn as she strove to help her best friend learn magic. The girl could touch the mana around them and pull it into herself, but she was struggling to create a spell.
It baffled Gwyn.
“Okay, so. You can feel the mana, and you’re able to pull it in. Now you need to know what a spell is. Magic is about making the world do what you want. Exerting your desires on everything around you and bringing them to life,” she explained.
The high elf stood there, a face of concentration so deep that Gwyn thought the girl may pop a vein.
“Try to pull the mana into your eyes and–”
“I am!” the girl growled. “I just cannot get it. This is so tough. I hate it! Why won’t it–”
Her eyes shimmered and Roslyn gasped as her eyes widened. She looked around in excitement and a massive smile grew on her face.
“Oh. Oh wow. Gwyn! I got it! Oh my! This is beautiful!”
Gwyn laughed.
“You got [Mana Sight]?”
Her best friend nodded absently, the wonderment of the moment having rendered her speechless.
Gwyn shook her head as Miss Rolfe approached the two girls, her face adorned with an expression of curiosity.
“She made her first spell?” the woman asked.
“She did. A passive one,” Gwyn said.
The woman nodded as she wrote in her journal. “I believe we determined [Mana Sight] is a sustained passive, correct?”
“Yes, Miss Rolfe. It works like a toggle. Turn it on and it slowly drains you until you turn it off, but it just works until then.”
Maya nodded again, as she wrote down more notes. She looked up. “Good. Are you going to make a new spell today?”
That made Gwyn smile. She loved making new magic and she hadn’t made a new spell in some time. Most of her practice for the last season had been dedicated to making her current spells better and more efficient. She and Miss Rolfe's focus was on determining exactly how many of each spell she could cast before exhaustion took over.
“Okay. Let’s do it. Any idea of what I should make? Something big and flashy? Or something simple,” she asked the scholar.
Roslyn focused on her as she finally regained herself. “Something flashy, but not big,” her friend suggested.
Gwyn nodded. “Sounds good! Let me think…”
She wanted something that worked well with her other spells. Something that could fill the gaps. She had six spells right now. Her signature spell, as Miss Rolfe called it, was [Fireball]. It was her bread and butter. The main spell of her spellbook–not that she had an actual book. It was also the one she was most efficient in.
She had a bunch of fire-based spells and only two active ice ones: [Ice Wall] and [Wave of Frost].
In fact, all of her magic was either ice or fire-based other than her [Telekinesis].
Which gave her an idea.
That trait–as it felt different than other magic–was something that acted as if it were a normal part of her. Like another sense.
But it gave her an idea.
It allowed her to move objects with a thought. It even allowed her to catch Roslyn when she fell. The mana it used felt colorless.
One thing she’d always wanted to do on Earth was fly… or teleport like the superheroes.
What if she could do that too?
Gwyn felt at her ring and pulled. Mana filled her, not any of the colors, but white mana. In her peripherals, she saw Miss Rolfe and Roslyn back away.
Gwyn didn’t want to simply fly. Why stop there? She wanted to be there.
A surge of mana surrounded her and she used her [Mana Sight] to see it. She focused on a point on the other side of the field. The mana sang around her and her core sang back as if they were locked in a beautiful duet. It reached out to her, and she knew that with mana, anything could be done.
Mana had allowed her to do the impossible countless times now. And now she wanted it to help her to be… right… there.
She pulled more mana.
Move me there!
A tide of power filled her and for a moment, it felt as if the spell would click in her mind as it usually did.
It didn't.
Wha–
Her core heaved.
Everything felt as if it was bending. The world changed. Nausea instantly filled her and she felt an overwhelming urge to retch as her sight could see both from where she was and where she wanted to be.
A big flash of light filled her eyesight. She readied herself to move to the new location.
Then–PAIN.
Searing heat surged through Gwyn’s core and into the conduits that spread throughout her body.
Her very existence became pain.
Her mouth opened and her face contorted.
She felt herself screaming but no sound reached her ears.
Then with what felt like getting hit by a hammer, her core seemed to contract.
She lurched and struggled to stay on her feet.
My–my nose is running.
Her hand moved on its own and wiped at it. Her eyes stared at her hand.
Why is it red?
Her brain tried to restart. More pain shot through her.
The world started spinning–Gwyn was falling.
Everything started turning black.
The last thing Gwyn noticed before crashing into the ground… was that she wasn’t where she had started casting from.
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