"Some heroes have to rise from blood." Burying grief in blood and magic might not be the healthiest option, but it's the only one Master Mage Sedgewick Alverdyne can bear. When his bloodlust draws the concern of his king, however, Sedgewick is shipped off the war's front lines and sent to spy on Abreyla's enemy kingdom, Onryx. A mission gone wrong lands him captured and imprisoned in the Black Obelisk, Onryx's notorious prison tower. Cut off from his allies, Sedgewick strikes up a reluctant alliance with a fellow prisoner, the enigmatic mage, Bilara. The Black Obelisk has never been broken but a burst of magic from the inside might be just what it needs to bleed. Open Novella Contest 2020 entry Prompt: When all else fails, throw a little magic at it! Cover by mahana258