Shaman Chronicles Ch. 03

"Thank you, but by the way I wouldn't have been shielded. What happened?"

"I lost control of it." Jarko said, standing up ,cleaning his clothes from the sand.

'Thank you!' Jarko thought to the voice, being actually grateful.

"Well give me your hands and do it again." Zodus said.

Jarko complied and again tapped into his magical energy.

"Holy shit!" Zodus said. "that's a lot of magic." he laughed.

'At least he can still laugh' Jarko thought to himself.

Then he concentrated again on the vortex of magical energy he carried with himself. Just like the first times some of his energy tried to get out. Zodus felt it too.

"Calm down boy, you're becoming nervous I can feel it. If you're nervous it will surely happen again I promise you."

'Damnit!' Jarko thought. He felt how he was loosing control over it again.

"Let me help"the voice said and with that he felt his nervousness being washed away, replaced by a feeling of relaxation. He also had complete control over his magic. The young Magus sighed in relief.

"Whew. That was close" Zodus said and with that the Headmaster let go of his hands.

"Now you're ready to start with the basic spells." He said turning to Jarko.

"No rest for the living." the voice joked in Jarkos head.

"Of course it's not easy to wield magic. Otherwise you wouldn't need an Academy for it."

Zodus said laughing, starting Jarkos very first lesson in the basics of magic. "The usual process for casting a spell starts with the Magus or the Magae tapping into his or her magical power. You have already learned how to do that. And you also cast your first offensive spell. A magical blast, pure magical energy, which is the most rudimentary form of magic. It's easily done and it won't do any damage to the weakest shield, only if you use a shit load of energy. The second step to an effective spell if giving form to the magical energy. There are two ways to accomplish that. First one is by using yourWill.You crate the form of the spell with your mind before setting it free.But this is very dangerous for unexperienced Magi since you need to concentrate on the exact form . The second one is by saying or writing down exactly what you want, but for this you need yourAlphabetof course."

"My...Alphabet?" Jarko asked hesitantly, not sure what the headmaster meant with that. He already knew how to read if he meant that...

"Of course he doesn't you little fool!"

'Shut up!'

"Well its easier to show you." Zodus said oblivious to Jarkos inner dialogue. He knelt down and put his hand flat down in the sand. Golden glowing letters, like none Jarko had seen before, suddenly appeared in the sand.

"This is myAlphabet.Every Magus has a different looking one. Only he can read and write it. If you have written down the spell you want to use, you let your magic flow through it and you cast it."

"And when do I get my Alphabet?"

"The first time you attend a lesson in Demonology."

"Why then?"

"Because only then you will be shown how to gain it."

"Why?"

"Well otherwise you would rely only on your Alphabet. The drawback to spells you cast using your Alphabet is that you need time. You don't have the time in a fight to sit down and contemplate how you phrase your spell. Sometimes seconds are the only time you'll get. Trust me I am talking from experience. Of course you can try to prepare your spells, but most of the time the situation isn't what you thought it is. And that's why you'll have to learn how to cast spells using only your willpower, because younglings like you tend to go the save and easy way and that will be their end one fateful day. Now let's start. I want you to imagine a fireball."

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After two hours of training magic Jarko was completely exhausted. Not only physically but mentally as well. He practiced forming basic offensive spells and shields with his mind countless times. Right now he just wanted to sleep a little bit . He went to the sleeping halls and got himself a room. Luckily he got an single room, since he wanted to sleep alone. He just fell down on the bed and slept.

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It was early evening when he woke up and remembered his daily training session with Thorus. He sprinted out of the room past several other students, who could just look after him in confusion. Jarko finally reached the gates passing through them nearly colliding with another student. Eventually the little boy reached the house, but Thorus was nowhere in sight. Jarko frowned, completely out of breath. He stepped on the porch knocking on the door.

"Thorus are you there?" he yelled. But instead of the big man his wife stepped through the door cursing like Jarko had never heard a woman before.

"Oh it's you." Bella said, the angry expression quickly vanishing replaced by a smile.

"Yeah good evening, is Thorus here?"

"Oh no he isn't. That big fucker vanishes in a cloud of dust, comes back two weeks later to stay one day and vanish all over again. But he left a message for you. Of course he didn't leave anything for me dense idiot that he is." She said, still smiling revealing that nothing she said was even remotely serious.

'Wow that woman really has a foulmouth.' Jarko thought to himself.

When she came back she gave Jarko a small note:

Jarko,

I was ordered by the head of the Academy's guard to go to the city of Rolyaris, to accompany the king's guard which is bringing the crown prince here. I don't know when I am going to come back and I am sorry for that. I know already that you've been accepted as a apprentice at the Academy. Congratulations for that one! Anyway we'll continue our training when I'm back again. Until then you concentrate on your magical training and find yourself some friends god damnit! Of course you'll have to practice what we've been doing until now.

Thorus.

Jarko read the note multiple times. He was all alone until Thorus came back or he'd find some friends. In the end he realized that he'd really miss the big man. He thanked Bella and made his way back to the Academy by walking up the hill. Thorus wasn't coming back for a week at least. And he would miss a lot of his training. Of course he couldn't make Thorus come back, but could he somehow continue training?

"I know a way"

Jarko stopped dead in his tracks again he wondered if he was going crazy for hearing this voice. Jarko quickly decided that he wasn't crazy. Yet.

'And which way would that be?' He asked the voice, continuing to got up the hill.

"Well"the voice started"I am not going to tell you. Not until you agreed on doing whatever I say. At least concerning this matter. And be warned if somebody found out you will probably loose your place as a apprentice."

'You mean that one I got today?!' Jarko thought back angrily.

"Yes. But I promise you, you won't regret it."

'And why would I trust the voice in my head?'

"Have I done anything to hurt you, in any way?"

Of course it hadn't. Jarko knew that. But he also knew he shouldn't trust it more than he could throw Thorus.

'I am going to think about it' Jarko told the voice and continued walking towards the Academy walls.

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Jarko sat at one of the long tables in the dining hall, which was completely out of stone and in the same building as all sleeping rooms. At least the ones for boys. He looked down into his bowl of stew. The boy wasn't hungry at all, still chewing on what the voice said about his weapon training. (pun intended).

"Sorry is this place free?" a raspy voice said.

Jarko looked up. In front of him was a boy who couldn't be two years older than him with short brown hair, green eyes and a thin angular face . He wasn't what anybody would ever call handsome ( not ugly either), but he wore a friendly smile. Jarko just nodded and continued looking down into his bowl.

"Which family?" the other boy asked again.

Jarko looked up with a quizzical face.

"What do you mean?" He asked back.

"Which noble family do you belong to?" the boy said explaining what he meant.

"Oh. None" Jarko said.

"What do you mean 'none'?"

"I am not noble. I used to be a farm boy."

The boy just looked at him visibly trying to find out if Jarko was kidding him.

"You're serious aren't you?" he finally said.

"Yeees?"

"Then... What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I want to learn magic of course."

"You? A farm-boy? Want to learn magic? That's ridiculous, I mean do you even have magical talent?"

Now Jarko knew what Thorus meant when he said that the other students wouldn't accept him. Jarko felt seriously insulted. He put down his spoon and lifted both of his hands. Tapping into his magic, he willed into the form he desired. Two flames appeared in his palms ready to form a fireball at any second.

"I don't know. You tell me." he answered dryly. He hoped to see fear in the other boys eyes. But he only saw a smug smile.

"Do you think I am scared by that little trick?"

"No" Jarko answered with similar smug grin "But I didn't think you were smart anyway."

The other boy broke out laughing.

"I like you. You have balls." He put out his hand. "I'm Broth from the house of Ardour." he said like Jarko knew what that meant.

Jarko hesitantly stretched out his hand.

"Jarko." he said, the two of them shaking hands.

"Jarko the farm-boy. How come you are here?" Broth asked.

Jarko smiled.

"Well how much time do you have."

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Jarko stood and shook Broth's hand when he departed. He made his way outside of the dining hall.

"Have you decided yet?"

Jarko had nearly forgotten about the voices proposal.

'Yes I have.'

"So what's your answer?"

'What do you want me to do?'

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"Jarko wake up. It's time."

Jarko opened his eyes. It was the same night he had agreed to do whatever the voices plan was. Outside it was as dark as it could ever be, no moon was shining dipping the whole Academy in pitch -black.

'Now comes the hard part.' Jarko thought to himself. Since whatever the voice wanted him to do couldn't be done on the Academy's ground. Or wasn't allowed on it. Or both. Anyway Jarko's job was to get out of the Academy, get his horse and to ride somewhere in the woods plus being back when the sun was rising again. He carefully opened the door to his room. No one was in the hallway. He wanted to run to the stairs when the vioce stopped him.

"You fool! Of course it's not that easy. There are magical alarms all over the place I bet."

'What do you want me to do?'

"Be patient I am trying to find a way."

Jarko waited. Although he considered himself rather patient he spurred the voice on to hurry up.

"Calm down and close your eyes."the voice said and Jarko complied. Than he opened them again nearly crying out in pain due to the burning sensation he felt in hs eyeballs.

"You can open them again."

'Very funny you jerk. What did you do?' Jarko thought back.

"Well watch for yourself."

Jarko looked around. His vision was painted in different shades of blue, except for some red strings shortly above the ground of the hallway.

'What the hell did you do to me?' Jarko thought to the voice.

"Well I gave you the sight."

Jarko looked around confused. Still not able to grasp what was happening to him.

'And what is thesight?'

"I'll tell you later, right now you see every magical object or aura in red colour. Do you understand now why I did this to you?"
Jarko did indeed understand it. He quickly rushed down the hallway avoiding the red strings, which were obviously magical alarm-systems. Finally he reached the exit of the building. Looking outside on the yard of the Academy, he saw several patrols of three men each with torches. Luckily there was no red in sight.

'And what do we do now?'

"Right now I am only in your mind I can do nothing."

Jarko frowned.

'Turn that sight-thingy off. I need my own eyesight.'

"Do it yourself."

'You mean I can conrol it myself?'

"Of course. Like I said I don't intend to hurt you."

Jarko frowned again and turned his sight off. It was easier then he thought it was, although he couldn't see anything, but the torches of the guards. Suddenly he had an idea.

'Can mysightgive me the ability to see in the dark?'

"Well of course."the voice answered and Jarkos vision became completely red. But he could see everything.
'That's neat!' Jarko thought already sneaking towards the gates. He hid behind several trees, avoiding the light of the torches. Luckily the patrols were blinded by looking into their bright torches for too long, otherwise Jarko might have been discovered. Finally he reached the last tree before the gate. But there were two guards sentinelling it. Surprisingly the portcullis was up elsewise their was no way he was getting outside.

"Do you have a plan?"

Jarko thought about the idea that jumped to his mind. Then he nodded grimly. If this went wrong Thorus would beat him into a pulp for sure.

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John really hated the night shifts at the gate. It was dark, he was tired and he wasn't allowed to move at all, only if he had to pee. The worst was the other guard he was assigned with. The newbie. John sighed like he had many times before on this shift. The new one wouldn't even talk to him because he didn't want to do anything wrong. Not like anything happened on the nightshifts anyw...

"What was that?!" John heard the newbie say. He sounded actually scared.

"What do you mean." John sighed.

"That noise..."

"Which noice?"

Then John heard it too. It was like a knocking sound.

"Wait here I'll take a look at that, alright?" John said to the newbie and took a torch from the stone wall. He walked away from the gate and further inside of the Academy. He looked around and wanted to turn back when he heard the noise again.

"Hello?" he shouted into the darkness. "Anyone there?"

"No."

John wanted to turn again , when he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. After that everything went black.

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Kirl was new at the guard of the Academy this being his first nightshfift. Although he was nervous he was happy too. His partner for this shift was John and John was very experienced. He was so reliefed when John said. "Wait here I'll take a look at that, alright?". But he wasn't anymore when John disappeared in the darkness.
'Maybe this is some kind of prank? Since I am new and all...' Kirl thought to himself. That's when he saw the stone flying towards his helmet in superspeed. Then everything went black.

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After he had knocked out the two guards through a stone hit on their helmets and set their bodies down in front of the gate so it looked like they had fallen asleep Jarko made his way to the stables. From there it was a piece of cake since the guards were only inside the walls. Of course he had to calm down his black stallion before putting his saddle on him. After that was done he led his horse a small distance before mounting it so nobody would wake from the clapping of the hooves. When he left the village behind him he got up on his horse and hurried to the forest. After some time he found a clearing. He tied his stallion to one of the trees and walked to the centre of it.

"And what now?" he asked the voice out loud.

"Sit down"

Jarko sat down indian style and awaited further instructions.

"Close your eyes. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in... Breath out."

Jarko complied and adjusted his breathing to the voices instructions. When he was relaxed the voice continued.

"I want you to picture the letters of the alphabet in your mind. I want you to see them with your inner eye. Now I want you to tap into your magic. I want you to feel how it courses through your body. Do you still see the letters?"

Jarko nodded.

"Good. Now let them disappear. You're mind is blank. You think about nothing." the voice continued the instruction with it's deep, wise sound.

"Now you see lines in your mind. They are completely random. You can't make out their shape. Do you see them?"

"Yes" Jarko answered with a slow calm voice.

"They take on form, don't they? They aren't random anymore."

It was true. Jarko saw a whole new alphabet of glyphs he had never seen before.

"Good"the voice said"now cast the spell and open your eyes."

Jarko felt a portion of his magical energy leave his body. He opened his eyes. In front of him, in the grass where blue shining letters, like the ones he had seen before his inner eye.

"Oh my god..." Jarko said out loud. He couldn't believe what he saw.

"Congratiulations boy!"the voice said cheering."You're now the proud owner of your very

ownAlphabet!"

"Yes I see that." Jarko said angrily. "but how would that help me training hand to hand combat?"

"Well because you're going to summon a demon who will train you!"

"What? You can not be serious."

"But I am. I am dead serious."

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Jarko sighed. He had followed every instruction the voice had given him in his very first Demonology-crash-course. Before him were hundreds of the blue shining glyphs of his very ownAlphabet. What they were forming ,he learned in the past twenty minutes, was called a summoning cycle. Or to be precise three of them. Jarko only needed to fuel his magic into them and they would perform his very first demon summoning. Taking out his dagger he examinded it in the blue light of the glyphs, the silver of the metal mixing with the reflected shine of the runes.

"Do it boy, we don't have all night. It's necessary and you know it."

Jarko took a deep breath cut his palm, kneeled down and touched the glyphs with it. Then he closed his eyes and tapped into his magic. He felt how it was racing outside of his body into the glyphs. They were now shining even brighter and brighter until they were completely white and glowed like lit magnesium, the blood streaming to the middle of the cicles like a snake.

"You see now why we had to do this outside?"

Suddenly the light of the glyphs faded away and smoke started to appear in the middle of the circle his blood glowing red like hot coals. It crept to the inner cycle where it stopped. From then the smoke began to rise higher and higher until it stopped. Jarko wanted to ask the voice if the spell didn't work when a blast wave knocked him back and swept him off the feet. He stood up to see what had happened. His palm burned like hell and the smoke was gone. Jarkos eyes went wide due to the sight before them.

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Thank you dear reader for reading the third installment of The "Shaman Chronicles". If you like it give me some feedback. If you didn't give me some feedback. I appreciate it either way. I also want to thank A.L. again for editing the whole chapter and for being such a good friend.