Guild Mage: Apprentice-Chapter 116. Nightmares

The bell was still ringing when a luminescent bubble of blue light crept down from the top of the belltower, sliding through the night sky like a soft wave, until it touched the broken stone wall that surrounded the main campus. Liv held her breath for a moment, wondering whether the enchantment she’d helped to prepare would actually work on the first attempt, but when it stopped moving and remained until the last peel of the last bell faded away, she finally exhaled. If the magic was going to fall apart, it would have happened right away. Now that the barrier was up, it would last until there was no mana left in the casque to fuel it.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Teph observed, her voice quiet and tinged with a bit of awe, and despite the shock of the situation, Liv had to agree. The bubble obscured the evening sky: only the setting sun, out over the bay, the column of light rising from the shore, and the bright ring overhead could be seen through it. The four halls of the college stood out against the vibrant, shining blue bubble in dark silhouette. Ribbons of gold moved beneath the surface of the mana-shield, just like the spell so many of the students learned first, only much, much larger.

Footsteps hurried up the stairs, and Liv turned to see Genne rushing up onto the second floor landing. “Everyone’s to go to Blackstone Hall,” she said. “I’ve been told to fetch you all there immediately.”

“I just need a few things from my room,” Liv began, but paused when Thora came out with not only the leather armor gathered in her arms, but the jewelry box that held Liv’s set of gold rings and bracelet, as well.

The journeyman narrowed her eyes. “You won’t need that,” she said. “You’re all staying behind the shield. Come along, now.” She turned back toward the stairwell.

“Bring it anyway,” Liv told Thora, quietly, and then all of them followed Genne down. The first floor had already been emptied by the coronation, and when they got out into the courtyard, Liv could see the kitchen servants, led by Lambert, merging with a small crowd of other students and staff, all on their way into the central hall that had once been the manor of House Blackstone.

After living in Castle Whitehill for her entire life, Liv could picture how things would have looked during eruptions, before the college was founded. The walls would have been well maintained, then, and soldiers with crossbows or, before that, longbows, would have stood watch there for the coming tide of mana-beasts. Ironically, though the wall had mostly fallen, the campus was more secure now than ever. Not even a stone-bat would be able to batter its way through the mana-shield that surrounded the college, and if it did, Liv could imagine a wave of spells rising to meet the threat.

The students who’d remained at Coral Bay, along with the staff that cooked their meals, cleaned the halls, and laundered their clothes, were all ushered into the great hall where dinner was served. Professor Blackwood waited for them there, urging everyone to come in and find a seat. Liv recognized many of the frightened faces: Hubert Carver, the first year from the Drover’s Guild, and Gamel, the journeyman who taught the Basic Armed Combat class. Barnabas was there, as well, gathered in a small circle of journeymen with Genne and Mayard, who’d greeted Liv on her arrival. Every one of them carried a weapon, a wand or staff, or both.

“Help me get the armor on,” Liv asked Thora, once they’d found space at an open table. With so many noble-born students at Freeport, there was plenty of room. Teph and Arjun sat nearby, next to each other on the bench, turned so that they could keep an eye on the entrance. Thora had just finished securing Liv’s pauldrons when Archmagus Jurian and Professor Blackwood strode into the hall, side by side. Blackwood peeled off from the doorway and followed them to the front of the room, where Liv watched Genne step away from the other journeymen to show them all a slate.

“Listen up!” Jurian shouted, and the hall quieted. In the past, he’d always used that booming voice to get attention for Archmagus Loredan, but now half the professors were at the capitol, and he seemed to take charge without any trace of hesitation. Thora offered Liv her leather helm, but Liv shook her head, and the maid set it aside on top of the table. She did reach out for her jewelry box, open it, and begin putting the bracelet and rings on her left hand.

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“First of all, there is no eruption,” Jurian told the assembled students and staff. “We can confirm that. The flare of light you saw is not coming from the Tidal Rift, but from the waystone.” Murmurs broke out around the room, but Liv ignored them: her mind was already racing.

“It’s like what happened at Soltheris,” she said, talking more to herself than anyone else, and recalling Wren’s story. “Not a single activation, but a connection that lasts, between two waystones.” Liv looked around for the huntress, but didn’t see her. Surely she should have returned from the warehouse by now, whether something was happening or not? But then, she wouldn’t be able to fly through the barrier, would she?

“Secondly, you are all safe,” Jurian said. “The college has prepared for emergencies such as this. In fact, Professor Norris and his students have just finished upgrading our defenses - but even if they hadn’t, it takes quite a lot to breach this hall. Now, some students - certain journeymen and those in the advanced Armed Combat or Magical Combat courses - will be called up to meet with me in a moment. Another list of students, those who work in the infirmary, will be meeting at the entranceway with Professor Blackwood. If your name is not called, you will remain here in this hall until further notice.”

Jurian began reading off names, and Liv was not surprised that Arjun was directed to go with Blackwood, nor that she’d been called to join Jurian. She grabbed her helm off the table, and tucked it under one arm.

“I feel useless again,” Tephania admitted.

“Don’t feel like that,” Liv told her, kneeling down to face both Teph and Thora, who were seated on the bench near each other. “Look. If there’s going to be fighting - and I’m not saying there is,” she told them, even if she was nearly certain of it, “one of the most important things is for those in front to know the people they’re protecting are safe, behind nice, solid walls like these.” Liv made herself smile. “So. Keep an eye on each other, and the people around you. Stay safe. I’ll be back in just a bit.”

Liv stood up, snatched her helm off the long table, and joined a small group of students clustering around Professor Norris and Archmagus Jurian. Jurian looked around, as if counting them, and then nodded his head.

“Those of you without words of power,” he said, “will go with Professor Norris to the armory. Get yourselves crossbows and whatever else you’re comfortable using, and then get back up here. That goes for any of you with a word of power who wants a sword or something, also. If you fight with magic alone, remain here with me.”

A bustle of noise came from the door, and Liv turned to see that Professor Blackwood was leading out Arjun and a group of other students.

“Don’t worry about that,” Jurian said. “They’re going to be moving medical supplies over from the infirmary. Focus on what you’re doing. Now, if you need equipment, go with Professor Norris.”

Most of the students, including Journeyman Gamel, left for the armory. Liv remained with Barnabas and a few others. “Could I speak with you a moment, Archmagus?” she asked.

Jurian looked her over, considered for just a moment, and then gave Liv a sharp nod. “Quickly,” he said, and led her off past the high table where the professors normally sat during meals. It was far enough to be just out of easy hearing from anyone else.

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“What is it, Liv?”

“The waystone,” she began. “It’s not a simple transfer, is it? The light isn’t going away. That means it’s a lasting connection.”

“Yes.” Jurian nodded. “Like Soltheris. I know more about it than you might think - Wren and I have been practicing near every morning for months now, and she’s told me a bit. Where is she, by the way? I don’t see her here.”

“She flew over to the warehouse to take a look, earlier tonight,” Liv said. “She’s probably trapped outside the mana-shield, now.” She hesitated to consider what other reasons might have kept the huntress from returning.

Jurian frowned. “That’s unfortunate. I could have used her here.”

“What are we going to do?” Liv asked.

“We?” Jurian repeated, and put a hand on her shoulder. “We’ are not going to do anything, Apprentice. You are going to prepare to defend this hall, along with the other students, under Professor Norris. What happens outside the mana-shield is not your concern.”

“If it’s the same kind of connection as at Soltheris,” Liv pointed out, “there’s going to be eruptions all throughout Lucania. And if the cult is sending people through the waystone, the people in town will be in danger.”

“The safety of our students is our first priority,” Jurian said. “Once things are secure here, I will go and see what’s happening.”

“Alone?” Liv pressed.

“Think that an archmage can’t handle it?” Jurian asked her, with a grin.

“I think that from what Wren said about the attack on Soltheris, there may be a lot of dangerous people out there,” Liv said. “They killed my grandfather. Don’t underestimate them.”

“Your concern is noted and appreciated,” Jurian said. “And if we were in your family’s lands, or even in Whitehill, you might be coming with me. But here you are a student. You are my responsibility. This isn’t like shifts during a king tide. I won’t put you into danger if I can at all help it. Come along.” He took Liv by the shoulder and steered her back toward the waiting group of journeymen.

Liv fretted silently while she waited for Professors Norris and Blackwood to return with their respective groups of students. The Eld had been caught unprepared twice, and while it was clear the college hadn’t exactly been taken by surprise, she worried that things could get far worse than they were expecting, very quickly. None of them had felt the crushing weight of Ractia’s presence, not like she had.

Norris and his students returned from the armory first, carrying crossbows, rapiers, and bucklers. A few of the journeymen were even wearing jack of plate, like Baron Henry’s guards would. Liv wondered whether any of that armor was enchanted: given how active the enchanting workshops were, it wouldn’t have surprised her in the slightest. Archmagus Jurian waited until the other group returned from the infirmary, as well, carrying medical supplies. She watched as Arjun helped the others take over one long table, where they began sorting what they’d carried over.

Jurian put a hand on Professor Norris’ shoulder. “You have command here. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Then, staff in hand, Jurian strode down the center aisle toward the doorway.

“Alright,” Norris said, catching Liv’s attention. “All of you are coming with me, up to the towers and battlements. You’ll watch in groups, and send a runner in the event something breaches the barrier. With me.”

Liv settled her helm on, then allowed the others to walk in front of her, so that she was last in the group. Then, as Professor Norris led the other students to the grand staircase, she turned left and slipped out the door into the courtyard, where Archmagus Jurian had gone. Liv ran across the cobblestones and toward the road that passed through the old stone wall, then down to the town of Coral Bay itself. As she approached, she saw Jurian raise his staff to touch the barrier, and speak an incantation.

“Aluthet Terea,” the archmagus said, and the immense mana-shield that protected the campus pulsed, then pulled back, opening a passage for him. He stepped through, and Liv thought that if she dashed forward, she could make it before the hole closed, but when she tried to run, someone grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back.

“Where are you going?” Arjun hissed.

Liv spun around to see that both he and Teph had followed her. “He shouldn’t be going alone,” she said. “You both heard my father talk about what happened in the north. If it wasn’t for my grandfather, who knows how many people would have died?”

“Maybe so,” Arjun admitted. “But if there’s anything out there an archmage can’t beat, it certainly won’t be something you can help with.”

“Maybe it won’t,” Liv said. “Maybe it will. Anyway, I can’t just stand back and let more people die, while I do nothing. I wasn’t there for my grandfather, but I’m here now. I’m going, and unless you’re going to drag me back to the hall and tie me down, you can’t stop me.” She yanked herself out of Arjun’s grasp, stormed up to the barrier, and examined it. The shell of blue and gold light had completely closed itself off once again, leaving no trace of the opening Jurian had left through.

“I don’t have to,” Arjun said. “You can’t get out anyway.”

“Come on back with us,” Tephania pleaded. “If you hurry up, Professor Norris might not even notice you’ve gone.”

Liv drew her wand and touched it to the barrier. “Aluthet Terea,” she said, using the same incantation that Jurian had. The shell shrank away from the tip of her wand, drawing back until an opening large enough for her to walk through had been made - matching her intent. “Go back to the hall,” she called to Arjun and Teph, and stepped through.

For a moment, Liv considered running to the stables and saddling Steria, but she thought it would take longer to get the horse ready than it would to just run down the bluff to the shore. Jurian was nowhere to be seen - perhaps he’d used magic. The question sparked an idea in Liv’s head.

“Aluthet Thletis,” Liv incanted, and a shining plane of blue mana rose beneath her feet, just like the ones she’d seen Jurian use to box her and Merek Sherard off when the boy had broken her arm. It wasn’t a hand, which meant she had to grip the front edge and do her best not to fall off, but it was also a good deal smaller and more maneuverable. Liv sent the platform of mana speeding downhill, keeping to the center of the street, and let herself be carried along atop it until she came in sight of the waystone.

The road to the beach was blocked off by armed and armored men, who’d brought wagons and then overturned them to form a kind of barrier. By the harsh column of light erupting from the waystone, Liv recognized Bill Skinner, his mustache visible even with a helm on his head. Whatever satisfaction she felt at being proven right that the mercenaries were up to no good was overwhelmed by the sight of a mixed group of hunters and Eld, piling out of the light and onto the beach.

Liv could see a great serpent make its way out, coiling about itself and raising its head to taste the air. There was a great deal of shouting, and already several groups of people were splashing out across the sandbars.

Of course it's low tide, Liv realized. They would have made sure of that before they came. Still, it wasn’t a king tide, which meant most of the reef would still be underwater. Perhaps so many of the students and professors leaving for Freeport had presented an opportunity to tempting to pass up, but in some ways the Cult of Ractia would have been better off waiting for the second king tide of the year. It was going to be difficult for them to get at whatever they’d come for.

No sooner had she thought that than Liv stopped herself. These people were too well prepared to come without a plan. Just because she couldn’t see how they would get into the ruins beneath the reef, didn’t mean they hadn’t made some kind of plan. She’d be foolish to assume that.

Liv slid off her platform of mana, let it dissipate, and crouched down behind the wall of a shop that sold fishing supplies. Where was Archmagus Jurian? She couldn’t have beaten him down to the beach, could she? But Liv was certain she hadn’t passed him on the way down, either.

“‌‌Æm’Ye Ceiētis,” Jurian’s voice broke over the strand from somewhere high above. Liv had just enough time to look up, and catch sight of a platform of mana, hanging above the beach, before the weight of the Archmage’s spell fell down upon not only her, but everyone who had come out of the waystone, as well.

The impact of Jurian’s authority was far greater than anything Celestria Ward had thrown at Liv, during their training sessions - but also not nearly so much as the impact of Ractia’s presence. Liv fell to her knees, thrust out one hand to grab the wall, and fought the wave of drowsiness that threatened to pull her down into sleep. Down on the beach, she could see mercenaries, Eld, and hunters dropping to the sand.

Liv was too exhausted, too distracted by her struggle to remain awake to catch the words that the Archmagus spoke next, but she recognized the results. Wisps of blue and gold mana began to rise from the slumbering invaders, coalescing into monstrosities of nightmare itself, given shape on the shore.

Jurian was using the cultists’ own terrors to destroy them.