The Mage Wars

The Library

Everest's Pov

From the floor, I watch Galen wake Kaelen, for the second time this morning. My brother isn't having any of it. For the first time in days, we slept in a bed. It was glorious.

"Come on, up you get. We need as much time on the road as the sun will allow,"

Galen shoves Kaelen's things into his bag. Clothes, a spellbook, his brush and surprisingly, a small dagger.

If we are to have an hour in the library, we need to go now. Light is wasting, and Galen's right. We need as much time on the road as possible. Kaelen's stalling isn't helping.

"Where are we going?" Kaelen rolls over and looks up at Galen. Galen throws my brother's bag at his head. The bag hits Kaelen flat in the face. A book must have hit him as it makes a dull thunk. My brother groans. He rubs his face.

Before I mentioned wanting to go to the library, Altair woke me and Kaelen. I got up. Kaelen didn't. Apparently, falling asleep fast wasn't enough for my twin. Then while I finished up my breakfast, Galen woke Kaelen again. And now we're here. Wake up call number three.

"Get up, Kael, and we're going to the library."

Kaelen rolls over, but he rolls too far and falls off the bed. Serves him right. Not getting up when Altair came knocking.

I finish packing and wait with Galen outside the Inn. Galen pays the stable hands to tack up our horses. A good precaution.

We wait for a good 15 minutes before Altair drags Kaelen out.

It's a sight to see.

Kaelen, like me, is a morning person but as of late, not so much. It may be the early mornings and late nights we've been having. Mother, on the other hand, could sleep all day. She and Liron are horrible to wake up for early morning events. Liron more so.

Once together we walk to the library in the centre of Belshire.

The library is a decent size. The exterior is a light grey stone with moss growing up the north side. Turns out the myth of moss growing on the northside is true. Take that, Uncle Ignatius.

Inside we break into pairs. I take Altair, and Galen takes Kaelen.

Altair is not just a Captain in Father's guard. He's intelligent and overall a nice guy. And on top of that has a royal education thanks to Father. Sure, he doesn't remember his birth parents, but he does know their names.

And that counts for something.

Galen heads for the south side of the library. Kaelen pauses before scurrying after the general. Hopefully, they will find what they're looking for. Altair and I head for the catalogue. Most libraries have them, or they have people who code and catalogue the library, and they know where to find books. They are brilliant.

"What are you looking for?" Altair asks, running his fingers along book spines.

My fingers flip through the pages until the page depicting mages and magic appears. I'm hoping to find a book that can help me with my spell. At this point, it may be me. And that is not good. Especially this young. I'm only seventeen. This usually happens to mages over the age of thirty.

"Something to help with my spell. I can't seem to get it right,"

"Oh,"

"Yeah." Isle 7 third shelve from the bottom.
_____

Oh.

What's this? It's not the book I want, but it seems interesting.

I pick up the book with a dark green cover from the floor. I hold the original book I was looking for out for Altair to take. He seems startled and fumbles to take it...so much for having the best hands.

Magic Energy of Mages. Huh. Who knew there was a book about it? I just thought the knowledge was handed down through generations. Guess not.

"What does it say?"

Huh?

Altair gives me a look. I glimpse the title. Oh, It's in ancient fae. Right, he can't read ancient fae. Altair and Kaelen had a hard time learning, so they quit. Galen, on the other hand, got bored. But I knew it would help with spells, so I continued.

"Magic Energy of Mages,"

"Self-explanatory,"

"Should be," I take a seat on the cold floor. Altair takes a seat beside me. His legs stretch farther than my own. I decide to sit with my legs crossed.

With the book resting on my legs, I open the cover. On the inside is a bunch of runes. I am able to decipher most of them. The rest aren't needed for me to get the gist. The pages are in ancient fae. Thank the spirits, runes can make my head hurt from trying to read them.

Altair quickly tires of seeing the same letters over and over again. He stands up and begins browsing the shelves across from us.

At different points in a mage's life, they may experience a blockage, meaning their magical energy becomes so volatile and turbulent that the mage's body rejects the usage of magic and advanced spells are rendered inert. Blockages only happen when a mage progresses too fast and too far. Most mages come across this problem when they stop aging. If fae, the normal age is twenty-five. If human, the normal age is thirty.

"What do you know? It may actually be me,"

"What?" Altair looks over his shoulder with furrowed brows.

"It says here some mages reach a point where their magic or magical energy becomes blocked. Meaning they can't progress any further until they unblock themselves,"

Altair still looks confused. I don't blame him. "Sorta like walking down a hall and coming upon a dead end. Only you've now trapped yourself and need to find a way out,"

"You've reached that point?"

"Apparently," I flip to the page that corresponds with this one. On this page is a list of exercises I can do to unblock myself. I grab a piece of paper and write it down. If I'm blocked, I need to unblock myself on my own. 

"Altair! Everest! It's time to go!" Galen's strong voice echoes through the open room. He runs into our aisle and nearly trips over me.

"What? It's barely been half an hour,"

Galen takes me by my arm and helps me stand. He takes my book and places it back on the shelf. Altair does the same with the book he has. "King Korbin's caught up,"

"How?" I ask. "Baren said the armies took care of the men who slipped past the front lines,"

"Does it look like I'm at the front lines?" Galen groans.

"Sorry." I raise my hands in surrender.

Galen deeply sighs and pats my shoulder. He makes me leave the aisle.

We regroup with Kaelen and head for the Inn. On our way, the men from Korbin's army catch sight of us. We break into a sprint.
_____

Running.

I hate running. Correction, I don't hate it. I despise it. Why run a mile when you can ride a horse? On that thought, why did we leave our horses back at the Inn? Altair's gods.

Spirits of souls,
Grant me the energy,
For if you do not,
Your faithful servant shall perish

My limbs jump with energy. Thank the spirits! I run faster and beat Galen to the stables. We hop onto our respective horses and hastily leave.

We pass through the gate and enter the forest.
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3rd Pov

"No, not that one, the other one," Korbin points to a book beside the book his high mage is reaching for. The high mage corrects his hand and takes the book from its place on the shelf. "Bring it here,"

Korbin takes the book. He flips to the third page and begins an incantation.

In the center of his protection circle, a male begins to take shape. As the male takes his final form, a ring of white fire erupts from him. After the fire fades, a male with tawny skin and long dark hair remains.

The male smiles. "Korbin,"

Korbin greets his long-time friend. "Wyn, we have a problem."