Dragon's Archon - Ch. 14 - Learning Control - Alpha (Patreon)

By the time we ventured back through the arch, Ophelia was nowhere to be seen. However, another portal was lit. Curiosity took hold, and I walked through with Yda close behind. After stepping through, we found ourselves in a library.

The main floor was full of wooden tables and chairs. Inkwells and blank parchment lay on their surfaces. Several lounge chairs covered in blankets provided a cozy area for relaxation.

As we stepped inside, the musty smell of old leather scratched my nose. Dozens of floating orbs of green light that reminded me of fireflies illuminated the room.

As we stepped inside, the musty smell of old leather hung in the air. Dozens of floating orbs of green light that reminded me of fireflies illuminated the room.

The room was cylindrical, just like the main floor. Tall bookshelves sat stacked on top of one another, only accessible by ladders on rails. A spiral staircase rose five levels, each sectioned off by a metal handrail.

As I glanced about the room, I found Ophelia dangling from the side of a ladder. She pulled out a book, and it floated onto a stack behind her. After sliding down, she descended the nearby steps.

“Hey Ophelia,” I called.

“Oh good, you’re here,” the sorceress said.

“Oh good, you’re here,” Ophelia said.

“This is impressive. How many books do you have?”

“Not including scrolls, 157,221. And yes, I have them all memorized.”

“Is it all magic?”

“Oh no,” Ophelia said, shaking her head. “While the majority is academic, the remainder are stories, ballads, biographies, and history.”

“It’s a beautiful collection,” Yda said. “It makes me want to grab a book and crawl into a small nook.”

“By all means, feel free to. What’s mine is yours. You're welcome to traverse the tower as you please.”

“How would I use the portals?”

“Can you cast magic?”

Yda lowered her head and shook it. “No. Most Head Priestesses are gifted magic by their divine. But for some reason, Heluna has not done so for me.”

I patted Yda on the back. “I’m sure it will be only a matter of time. She’s probably just testing you, and she will reward you for your dedication.”

“You’re probably right, Your Holiness,” the red-eyed cutie said with conviction.

I felt a little bad knowing well that it was most likely because Heluna had given me all of her power upon my rebirth. I made a mental note to ask her about it once we’d claimed enough souls and followers for her to contact us.

As Ophelia approached us, she spun a circle with her finger, opening a portal of darkness. She pulled out a small crystal before handing it to the priestess. “This is for you.”

If you can’t cast magic then you’ll need one of these“What is it?” Yda asked, examining it.

“It’s a transportation crystal. It syncs with the ones above each arch. All you have to do is concentrate on where you want to go, and the portal will open. How about I take you both on a quick tour?”

“I’d love that.”

Before I could respond, a deep ring of bells echoed throughout the room.

“What was that?” I asked, pointing up in the air.

“It’s the alarm,” Ophelia said. “Someone is at the door.”

The sorceress reached into her pocket dimension and pulled out a crystal ball the size of a basketball. As she concentrated on the sphere, the cloudy surface cleared to reveal a group of a dozen armed men standing outside the tower door.

They all wore matching armbands of a dagger on top of a sun. An assortment of leather and cloth armor covered their bodies with some wearing none at all. A man with sharp pointed dog-like ears led them. It was he who pounded on the door with a sword drawn in the other hand.

“Looks like our arrival worked better than expected,” Ophelia said pointing to the image.

“When Yda and I went to the top of the tower, we heard them blast some kind of alarm horn,” I said. “The whole area woke up like we’d kicked a beehive.”

“The tower’s arrival makes an entrance.”

“I’m going to go down there.”

“Do you want me to be with you?”

I shook my head. “No. You two stay up here and watch. Make sure the doors close behind me. I don’t want anyone slipping in.”

“They couldn’t if they tried. But I’ll make sure the doors stay sealed.”

As I headed toward the portal, Yda shouted. “Be careful!”

I smirked as I waved and said, “I’ll think about it.”

When I stepped into the main floor, I headed for my bag. I picked up my hammer and spun in my hands. While I didn’t necessarily want for this encounter to end in bloodshed, I wanted to be prepared just in case. My goal was fear and through it, manipulation.

“Malice, can you shift my clothing again?” I asked.

“Of course, master. What do you need?”

“I want to make a presence. Give me a full suit of black armor that would strike fear into anyone who lay their eyes upon me. Make me intimidating. Make me the Blackthorn.”

Malice let out a pure, evil cackle as my clothes shifted. “Yes, Master! I will craft you a most intimidating form. You will be death incarnate. A walking mass of steel, smoke, and flame. A blackened tower that will burn fear into their hearts.”

By the time she finished, I was covered in a full suit of plate armor. Each step rang with hellish purpose. Black smoke and small embers radiated from me. While I couldn’t see my reflection, from what I could see put a wicked smile on my face.

As I approached the tower’s doors, they opened outward. I had to suppress my laughter as each of the men lurched back. Their eyes widened, and they cowered.

I waited until the doors sealed shut before I put on my best villain voice, deep and booming as I yelled, “Who dares approach my home?”

All the men shot glances at the leader. But no one spoke. They just stared, their eyes darting and their bodies shaking.

“Answer me!” I shouted once more.

To the leader’s credit, he swallowed hard before stammering like a lost pup. “W-we are the Duskblade.”

“And why have you come to my door?”

“Y-you’re trespassing on land owned by Liberty’s Trinity. You cannot be here.”

I took a step forward and loomed over the man. “I go where I wish.”

“Our leaders require you to pay a fee.”

“You dare come to my home, slam on my door, and then try to command me to pay some tithe? I should kill you where you stand.” The man leaned back, almost parallel to the ground. I straightened and pointed at the city. “Go back to your masters. Tell them if they wish for me to pay, then I demand an audience.”

“Go!” the thug said, backpedaling to his men. “You heard him!”

The group of men scurried back down the hill, passing a growing crowd to see what was the commotion. All it took was one step forward from me before the crowd dispersed. The growing feeling of authority and power was intoxicating.

“You should have killed one, master,” Malice whispered. “Make them witness your might. It could have led to a better deliberation with the worms that lead this worthless band of degenerates.”

“Perhaps,” I said. “But it could have also caused them to attack us immediately in force and send the settlement into chaos. We need to give Cartha time to gather information and to find the princess. I also need to increase my arsenal.”

“How so?”

“I need to become better. Grow in power. That’s why I asked for the books from Ophelia.”

“Obtaining souls is another way…”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah I know, but those are for Heluna. There are other, less violent ways of gaining power.”

“But not as fun…” Malice said, her smile clear in her voice.

I just shook my head. There wouldn’t be a way to win with Malice. Even though being feared felt good, I didn’t intend to become some evil lord. For situations like these, it was useful as a tool. I just needed to be careful not to let it go to my head as I could already feel its influence weighing on my decisions.

I turned around and walked back inside. Once the doors closed behind me, I returned to the library where Ophelia and Yda were staring at the crystal ball. Upon entering the room, they both winced and cowered.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, stepping forward.

“Stay back!” Yda cried.

I froze.

“It’s your hatred,” Ophelia said, shielding her face. “It’s… overwhelming.”

“Malice, is this your doing?”

“It’s me and you, master,” the elemental purred. “I’m feeding off of your Charisma stat and exerting it through the armor. You asked to be intimidating. You can stop it at any time.”

I looked down at my hands and concentrated. Like a key unlocking a door, the understanding of what Malice was doing flooded into my mind. A scroll of text rolled across my vision.

Perk Acquired: Aura of Malice

While wearing Malice, User may trigger an aura of hatred. Everyone in a twenty-five foot diameter must mentally resist the attack. If failed, Target becomes riddled with fear. If succeeded, Target becomes immune to the effect for one day.

With a subconscious thought, I deactivated the aura. The smoke and fire from my armor faded away. Ophelia and Yda fell to the ground panting. I sprinted over and kneeled in front of them.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I didn’t know. Are you two okay?”

Yda’s sniffling eyes looked up at me as she nodded. When I reached out to her, she pulled away from me. “I’m fine.”

When I looked up at Ophelia, she wiped the sweat from her brow. “I know you didn’t.”

“I can’t say sorry enough. I’m still getting used to how magic works. Please know I would never intentionally harm either of you.”

“I’m surprised that you, of all people, aren't in control. This is something initiates are trained in their first year. Your power is massive. It’s extremely dangerous for someone like you to be walking around if you are not in control of it.”

I hung my head before standing. “When I was with Heluna and I was reborn, my focus was on my survivability. I didn’t focus on magic.”

Ophelia cocked her brow. “But your entire body is radiating with Death and Light magic.”

“Yes, because it makes my body stronger and more resilient. I don’t actually know how to cast either. Apparently, I have access to it, but I don’t know any spells outside of what the gauntlets can do. That’s why I asked for the reading material. If I can read how to leverage it, I should be able to cast it.”

“So you’re attuned, but have no idea how to cast it?” When I shook my head, Ophelia’s jaw dropped. “You do not know how powerful you really are, do you?”

“Physically, yeah, but magically? Not so much.”

Ophelia brought her thumb to her chin and twisted her lips. After a moment of thinking, she turned around and grabbed another book from her shelves before returning. The stacks of books she’d hand picked levitated behind her. I watched her shift the portal with a wave of her hand, turning it to deep magenta.

“Come with me,” Ophelia said waving me toward her

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You’ll see.”

I glanced back at Yda, who curled into herself at my gaze. Whatever my aura did to her left a lasting impression. I figured it would be best to give her some space.

After Ophelia and I walked through the portal, we entered an empty room. The slick black metal of the tower’s walls covered everything. Torches sitting in sconces filled the room with a deep orange light.

“What is this place?” I asked.

“This is a training room,” Ophelia said. “I brought you here because, more than anything, you must learn control. It will help prevent accidents like the one experienced just moments before.”

“Yda would barely look at me. I feel awful.”

“The head priestess is weak.” Malice taunted. “If she was stronger, she could have resisted its effects.”

“How could you say that?” Ophelia asked in disbelief. “His Holiness is a powerful being. There are few that could resist such an attack.”

“Exactly! He is powerful. He should not have to suppress himself because he is surrounded by lesser beings.”

“That’s enough, Malice,” I said sternly. “What happened was an accident. Just like I would never intentionally harm you, I did not mean harm to Yda or Ophelia.”

“You can be rough with me if you want…”

“Now is not the time for your jokes,” I stressed. “This is serious.”

“Apologies, Master,” Malice whimpered.

Ophelia gripped my arm and looked up at me with a reassuring smile. “I know you didn’t mean what happened. And I’m sure Yda knows that too. She may just need time.”

“What did I do to you both? What did the aura feel like?”

Ophelia turned away. “It would be hard for me to explain. We all feel it differently. But it feels as though you hate us and are punishing us. We perceive it as all the things we fear, with you being a catalyst for it. The unending dread of all our worries being brought to light. Anything we’ve thought of and haven’t. It was so powerful I could barely speak.”

“I’m sorry… if I’d known.”

“That’s precisely what we’re going to fix. Hopefully, after some training, you’ll have a better awareness of the power within you so that it will be easier to control and manipulate.”

“I’m ready when you are.”

Ophelia pulled on my arm and pointed to the center of the room. “I want you to kneel here.”

“Kneel?” Malice shouted. “You ask for him to kneel? The Blackthorn kneels for no one.”

Ophelia grabbed her head and let out a heavy sigh. “Not in the sense that you’re thinking, you annoying yapping hat.”

“Annoying? You’re lucky I don’t have my body, otherwise, I’d burn your spiteful tongue out of your mouth.”

“You couldn’t even if you tried.”

“Enough!” I shouted. “This is not getting us anywhere. Malice, please be silent. I need Ophelia’s help to improve my skills. And Ophelia, please do not antagonize Malice.”

“Apologies, master,” Malice mumbled.

Ophelia lowered her head and bowed briefly. “Yes. My apologies, Your Holiness.”

I kneeled to the ground and asked, “What now?”

“Please close your eyes. What we’re going to do is go through a ritual meditation. I will watch over you as we go through it and act as your guide. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now take deep breaths. Allow the air to fill your lungs fully and then exhale them slowly. Let the world around you fade. Just concentrate on my voice.”

I followed Ophelia’s advice and controlled my breathing. Each breath helped calm me after the frustration of the pair’s arguing. It took a full minute before I felt relaxed.

“We, the gifted, those who are able to touch the void, beseech the Elder Gods on this journey,” Ophelia began. “We ask for your guidance, your patience, and your wisdom in understanding, thoughtfulness, and purpose. Through your divine blessings, we are able to wield the void; the magic that surrounds all of us, seeps through us, and guides us. What mysteries we discover, we do so because of your gifts.”

After a few seconds of silence, Ophelia asked, “Now, Devon Blackthorn, are you ready to take your first step?”

“I am,” I said.

“It’s important to know where magic comes from. It is Xenith’s gift. The void that surrounds us. It inhabits every being and every form. From the rock on the shore to the insect pollinating a flower. Its form shifts from one matter to the next. It can be water, ice, snow, and fog. It can take life or heal. It is the very essence of your being. Its touch is spread through your body. Now, look deep inside of you. Seek it. When you find it, reach out your hand and touch it.”

I felt a rush of air. When I opened my eyes, I was in a dark forest. Rain poured all around me. A muddied path lay before me.

I walked for hours, searching for anything. There was nothing. No animal calls, insect chirps or sounds of the trees blowing. There was only rain and the dripping sludge of each of my muddied footsteps.

I was alone with my thoughts. Trying desperately to understand the meaning of where I was. Soon the sounds faded to the thump thump of my heartbeat. The change made me feel like I was on the right path. I kept walking. But after what felt like hours, I wanted to give up.

No I can’t, I thought. My mind raced to solutions, eventually settling on the perks that I’d chosen. Arcane Infusion came to my mind, and I heard a heavy sound of wind.

The hair stood on the back of my neck and I spun around. A powerful tornado, the largest I’d ever seen, spun towards me. Sparks of yellow me from my feet and into its body. Electricity swirled around clouds of darkness. I spun. The powerful gusts pulled and twisted me in every direction. Soreness spread all over my body. I couldn’t tell which way was up or down.

When the pain grew to be too much, I shouted. “Ophelia help!”

“Hold on!” she yelled, her voice distant and muted from the thundering wind and the crackling lightning. “This is it! This is your power. You must face it and control it!”

I struggled against the behemoth. With each jerk of my arms and legs, I fought to stay vertical. But with my growing frustration the cascading darkness threw me even more violently.

“It’s too strong!” I shouted. “I can’t control it!”

“You must! Only through control can you learn to wield it. You must find your strength. Don’t forget, the power is within you. You are its source. By default it cannot exist without you. Make it work for you. You and it are both one.”

My head spun. Each rotation made me want to vomit. I closed my eyes and focused. Rather than trying to fight it, I let it flow around me.

Only then did I feel the violent winds slow. It swayed in a recognizable pattern. The same to each of my breaths. As the slowed, so too did the wind. It relaxed until it blew with a constant breeze.

When I opened my eyes, I was back inside the training room. Crackling lightning and darkness exploded into the sky like a geyser of power. I gazed at my body and smiled. It was strangely beautiful.

With my newfound understanding, each breath the darkness and lightning swirled into my nose. I concentrated on my breaths taking it all in until there was nothing left. The bolts tingled from my legs to the tips of my toes. My body pulsed with power. I could feel every grain of magic that was inside of me.

With a flick of my wrist, I summoned an orb of light, with my other hand, an orb of darkness. Both twisted effortlessly in my hands. As I released them, they dissipated.

“My gods,” Ophelia said before clearing her throat. “That was incredible. So much raw power. For a moment I thought you were going to lose it, but you didn’t. You wrangled it to your will. For that much magic, it would have taken most sorcerers decades to learn to control it.”

“Of course he did,” Malice said, confidently. “He’s the Blackthorn.”

Ophelia let out a quick breath and shook her head as if annoyed. “For a moment there I thought we were both dead.”

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Many young initiates struggle with control. If they cannot master the control over their magic, it will inevitably destroy them. I’ve… learned that lesson once before.”

“Your eyes?”

Ophelia nodded. “I was lucky they were the only things I lost that day. But how do you feel?”

“Really good, actually,” I said with a smile. “Like I have a better sense of what’s going on inside of me.”

“That’s good.” With a wave of her hand, Ophelia dropped several thick books in front of me. “If you’re confident in your skills, then it might be time for you to study. Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with light or death magic, so I don’t have many tomes over the subjects. However, I’m hopeful that these will provide you with something you can learn from. If you require more, I can reach out to my peers and attempt to acquire more. Just note that many sorcerers are touchy about loaning books. Many keep their tomes private.”

“That’s good to know, thanks.” I picked up each of the books as I read the titles. “A Mortician’s Mystical Guide To Mortality. The Art of Combat: A Treatise of Talis Expertise. The Chalice of Thorn’s Manual for Initiates. And Oath’s of the Damned. Looks like these are going to keep me busy for a while.”

“I’m happy to hear that. Shall I leave you to study?”

“Yes. I’m interested in digging into this. Just let me know if the situation outside changes or you hear from Cartha.”

“I will. Would you like me to summon a chair or something more comfortable?”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll just lean against the wall.”

“Very well, then. I’ll leave you to your studies. I’m going to go check on Yda and see if she needs any help.”

“Thanks Ophelia, I really appreciate your help.”

The sorceress gave a slight bow and smiled. “It’s my pleasure, Your Holiness.”

I watched the sway of her hips as she exited the room. After picking up the first book, I cracked open the leather binding and scoured the first page.

“Let’s see what secrets you hold.”