Last Quest

Chapter 5: The Witch

It was a peaceful morning in the swamp. The sun basked the towers of Mantriol in a golden hue. Students rushed through the hallways; they were many different ages and from many different origins, carrying countless scrolls and books, packed in elegant blue leather bags provided by the academy. Not many outsiders knew of Mantriol; it was a large castle, surrounded by the town bearing the same name. Located in the densest part of the swamp, hidden by the tall trees and covered in the mist, guarded from the outside world by the dangers of the swamp. The magic casters who were brave enough to seek it would be rewarded by immense knowledge of magic and science. Mantriol Academy of Witchcraft and Common Magic was founded long before the war. It was one of the most known academies in Vorhlom in the Old Age. The Witches and Warlocks were seen as powerful casters, respected and appreciated across the land. When the war ended, the fear of magic was heightened. Only the sorcerers schooled in Lanmort, like Maldric, and their students were allowed the use of magic; every other magical act was forbidden and seen as witchcraft.

"Miss Liora Vender!" a voice echoed through the hall. "Please proceed inside."

Liora got up, tying her light brown hair, picking up her bag from the floor and swiftly putting it over her shoulder, ignoring the looks she received from the students passing by. She arrived at the academy with a friend when she was twenty two, and in the short three years they were there, she made quite an impression. Liora walked into the room; it was well lit, the walls were barely visible between the bookshelves and maps. In the middle of the room, behind a well-polished, grey wooden table sat an older woman. The academy Sovereign, Heila Duen, wore a graceful royal blue robe; her hair was grey and tied in an elegant bun on the top of her head. Liora pulled back the chair to sit in; it made an unpleasant screeching sound as it scraped the floor. "Miss Liora," the Sovereign said in a disapproving tone. "I must admit, I am not very pleased to see you once more."

"I admit the same, Sovereign," Liora responded.

"Liora!" the Sovereign snapped back, raising her voice. "Must we continue to have the same conversation over and over again?"

"Yes! Until you or anyone else takes this threat seriously."

"I assure you, we have had many great minds monitoring Forsaken Magic long before you were even born. If it represents any serious threat, they are surely aware of it and pushing against it as we speak. There will never be a reason a student, especially one of only three years, should be in any way involved in such a situation."

"Maybe the Forsaken Magic would not be as dangerous if we sought knowledge about it."

The Sovereign looked at her, surprised by the statement. "Be careful, Miss Vender; you might have proven yourself capable, but you are not above this academy. The knowledge that you think you have about magic is dwarfed by its true complexity. Now, please proceed to your lecture; your penalty for yesterday's events will be discussed in tonight's meeting."

Liora walked out of the room, trying to contain her frustration as best as she could. She headed down to the courtyard, trying to find her friend, Lucius. Not long after, she spotted him lying on a bench, reading an overwhelmingly thick book. He was a tall Elf with long and wavy blonde hair. He and Liora met in his hometown, Botry, four years ago, and decided to find the academy together. She studied magic, while he was more interested in the science of the world. He looked over his book, making sure to mark the page before closing it and sitting up to make space for Liora. "So, is she going to hang you this time?" he asked sarcastically.

She chuckled as she sat down. "I'm guessing they will probably just take off some points again," she said with a sigh. "Also, being the friend I am, I did not mention you. But you do owe me again."

"Well, she probably would hang me, so thank you. What did she say anyway?"

"Same as before. They are monitoring it, and they are ready for whatever could happen... I mean she has to feel how heightened it has become in the past weeks, right? If I can, then she definitely does, probably even more so."

"I think so, but I do not understand why they refuse to do something about it. Doesn't more..." He stopped himself to look around, continuing in a whisper. "Doesn't more forsaken magic mean more... of them? Maybe even in the swamp?"

"Yes. That is why I think that we should go back to the inscription," Liora responded.

"Absolutely not! If they catch you there again, you would be cast out of the academy, and more importantly, I would be too."

"Then don't come with me," she suggested. "I will be here at nightfall with the book; if you want to join me, be here." She walked back to the castle, making her way through the huge empty dining hall and climbing up to her living quarters. The quarters were small and cozy, with a window looking out into the town. She locked the door behind her, pulled down the curtains, and threw her bag in the corner. Lifting her bedcovers, she reached for something under the bed, a book. It was a Cranonian dictionary, with translations to the common language. They were not too rare but usually expensive. It was an old book; the corners were torn off and some pages were ripped or missing, but it served its purpose.

What Liora and Lucius found earlier that week was an inscription. Carved into a tall rock, resembling a large memorial plaque, it stood in a clearing, only a short walk from the academy. It was written in Cranonian, and what made it weird is the fact that before this week, there were no symbols on it. Most students have been already feeling the Forsaken Magic from the rift for a couple of weeks. But when the symbols appeared, it became imposibble to ignore. Liora and Lucius tried to translate the symbols, but were caught. What they did manage to translate read, "May he who rests see."

Liora was fascinated by the Forsaken Magic, even though she could not say it out loud. The city she was born in, Henver, was a modest and religious western city. She always had the gift, but like so many others, she was prohibited from learning or using magic. It represented freedom for her, living life the way that you need to instead of the way you should. The exclusion of the Forsaken Magic felt wrong to her; even if it was an inherently malevolent force, should it not still be studied and understood? She wanted to know everything about it. How is it connected to the Trosun? How did the rift open, or how did they close it? But most importantly, why is its strength growing now, after two centuries? Liora asked herself these questions, looking through the old book on her bedside. Some of the words and phrases were familiar to her. Trosun means fire, flame, burn, or burnt, depending on which letter you emphasize. The other common ones she recognized were dov, meaning god; varat, meaning dragon; and eldro, meaning son. She continued studying, and before she knew it, the day was coming to an end. As the sun set, Liora packed her bag, bringing with her the book, a lantern, and a small knife. Most importantly, she brought with her two golden channeling rings. These items contained etiral, a translucent crystal used by the witches and sorcerers to better contain and direct their magic, while most witches and Warlocks used small amounts; sorcerers like Maldric used significantly more in their staffs. She grabbed her blue robe and left her quarters, making sure to, again, lock the door. Making her way down the stairs, she passed students walking back from the lectures she did not attend today. As soon as she made it out of the castle, she saw Lucius sitting on the bench, annoyed. "Of course you are late."

"I knew you would come!" she said mockingly. The two walked through the town, making their way into the darkness of the swamp.