by Dan Neil
Deione led her to a vault near the end of the hall; above it was a wand within a crown, beneath the number five: the Fifth Magician’s Division insignia. He tapped his wand against the metal door.
“Now here we are. Shall we take a look inside?”
Keia’s jaw dropped; this was nothing like Myrddin’s personal vault of rarities. Tables and shelves covered nearly every inch of the interior, leaving three-foot gaps between for walking. Each table had displays with spellstones of every shape and color imaginable, each capable of casting multiple spells. She giggled with childish delight. Many of these she recognized from books; others were new to her. Deione grinned as Keia explored with the wonder of a child picking out a gift.
Keia remembered many spellstones from textbooks she’d stolen in the underground, and Deione was of considerable help in naming those she didn’t know. A scholar first, his knowledge was indeed encyclopedic—Keia was unable to find one he did not immediately recognize.
She pointed to a blue, elongated stone. “What’s this one?”
Deione examined it carefully and said, “That is cut from a Cesslian sapphire; it’s for high-level water spells—very useful in certain situations. It pairs well with the Cyrenciian pearl; you can combine water and wind to cast a hurricane.”
This continued until she had questioned Deione about every stone in the vault. She decided on the Cesslian sapphire for water spells, a Casaeyrian moon shard for healing, a Phoenix pendulum for fire spells, fused Micclesian fragments for wards, the wind-based Cyrenciian pearl, the earth-based Ogleten amethyst, a broad Ma’zan shard for electromagnetic spells, a Shinestone for light spells, a fractured ruby for spatial and temporal spells, and a mental rune for mind magic. Each of her choices was capable of casting higher level spells.
I’m here for a few more months at least. May as well aspire, right?
She collected the stones in a small sack and stared at them before closing it. I’ll get out of these exactly what I put into them. Someday, I’ll be able to use these to the fullest—maybe.
Deione and Keia returned to the training pasture and set the spellstones aside.
“Any other questions?” he asked.
She smiled. “No; I think you’ve answered all of them.”
Oliver approached, hands clasped behind his back.
“I see you and Deione had fun. Now, Keia, if you would come with me, we can find a suitable material for your conduit.”
“It was an honor, young Atlos.” Deione bowed his head. “I must go assist the others with their weapons now. Best of luck.”
“Thank you for everything,” she said. Then she turned to Oliver. “Where to now?”
“First, you must decide what kind of weapon you wish to wield. A wand is recommended—light, easy to hide, easy to draw—and it has seven subsets of positioning and footwork. Of course, others elect to choose rings, necklaces, bracelets, or pieces of armor for their first conduits.”
Keia nodded. “I’d like a shield.”
“A—I am sorry, a what?”
“A shield—like my mother had.”
Oliver’s brow furrowed. “What kind of shield?”
Tilting her head, she replied, “Nothing too big. Something like a buckler, maybe.”
“It still seems cumbersome.” He shook his head. “Hard to draw and aim—and a whole different set of footwork. Are you sure? There are plenty of other options.”
She gave a defiant smirk. “I’m not going to stop being difficult now.”
He smiled and flicked his wrist. A dense, swirling portal appeared at the tip of his wand. “Of all the recruits I have trained, you are the first to ask for a shield. Swords, spears, bows—daggers, even—but never a shield. Very well, then. Follow me.”
Keia stepped through the portal and into a forest. Oliver smiled and cast a second portal, then a third. Finally, they arrived in hill-covered country. A verdant sea extending past the horizon opened before them. The hills were filled with radiant ferns, grasses, and trees. Shops and homes of stone and wood were built into the hillsides. The aromas of fire, metal, sweat, and home cooking filled the air.
Turning, Oliver spread his arms and said, “Welcome to Ironstead, the biggest settlement outside of Magnus in Forge Valley.”
“Forge Valley?” Keia recognized the name. It was a famed stretch of land cupped by the Argus Mountains in Opanira. Oliver had taken her across the continent with three portals. Keia’s jaw dropped as she stared at her captain.
How the bloody hell—
Oliver smiled. “This is where I was born—my father owns a farm outside of here. Most of these shops are attached to mines, where we find the metals the valley is known for. I have a lead on a material that will suit your needs perfectly.”
They walked past small shops with goods fashioned from regional metals—an Opaniran Greensteel breastplate of stunning green hue caught Keia’s eye, though it was twice her size—and it took all their combined willpower not to stop at one of the aromatic food carts for an early lunch of handmade bread topped with a seafood garlic sauce, the local specialty referred to as bikalan.
They made their way to a small cabin at the base of a hill where metalworking spell-machines whirred and hummed in the background. In the back of the shop was an entrance into the mine beneath the hill.
“The miner here, Refugi, is an old friend of mine,” Oliver explained. “I have been writing to him ever since I left for Genievon. He has a collection of rare metals. That”—he pointed to the shopkeeper—“is his brother, Fana. Notoriously shrewd, that one.”
Oliver approached the shopkeeper and addressed him in Old Opaniran. Keia only spoke the Common Tongue of Gaddeaux; so, she kept her silence. Oliver frantically gesticulated as he spoke: he waved his hands about and slapped a clenched fist into his open palm for emphasis every few sentences. The shopkeeper gesticulated just as wildly, as if it were part of the language. They bickered for three minutes before the shopkeeper retrieved his brother, who was much more accommodating, from the mine.
Barely following, Keia thought, That must be Refugi, his friend. Oliver and Fana don’t like each other, do they?
Refugi shook Oliver’s hand and spoke softly. Oliver explained something, pointing to Keia, and Refugi nodded. He went to the back of his shop and grabbed a hunk of scrap metal. Oliver gave his friend a handful of spellstones for explosives, food, and water and pointed his wand at the scraps outside. The pile turned into glowing gold. Fana ran outside and dragged the gold inside the shop. Refugi chided him, and Oliver shared a laugh with the burly man before reminding him of something. Refugi produced glowing metal of a pure black hue and handed it over. Oliver said goodbye and wished his fellows well before casting a portal to take Keia and himself back to Genievon.
Keia asked as they departed, “What kind of metal is that?”
“Valkyrium,” Oliver said. “Refugi told me in a letter that he had found some deep within his mine. It is very light and can only be shaped with magnet magic. Erisim will show you how; she loved magnet spells. The metal is very durable—almost unbreakable when formed. It amplifies magic well. Very rare indeed.”
He handed Keia the Valkyrium; it was light and pleasantly warm, as if it had been bathed in the sun instead of entombed underground. Despite being an onyx color, it emitted a faint but unwavering glow, and the metal hummed as though it were alive. She already loved it.
“Thank you so much,” Keia said. “It’s perfect. You didn’t trade too much for it, did you?”
Oliver smiled. “Some rations—and I turned something he already had into something more precious. We are allowed certain liberties in creating conduits. I make sure my soldiers are equipped properly.”
“So everyone else will get weapons of the same quality?”
“Very much so,” Oliver said. “I have a lead on Dragonwood and wood of the First Tree for wands
, Opaniran Greensteel and Nar’ith Violetsteel for rings or armor, and something special if someone asks for a staff. Speaking of which, it seems that Erisim is ready for you, and Devin for me.”
Erisim awaited with her hands clasped, fidgeting nervously.
“I’m going to help you assemble your conduit,” Erisim said sweetly, enunciating each syllable carefully. “First, we need to shape the raw material. Is that it?” She motioned toward the Valkyrium.
Keia nodded.
“Very good. So, we will use a heating spell and a magnet spell to shape it. Have you used either before?”
“No.” Keia gulped, wondering if she could cast the spells at all.
Erisim grinned at her and raised her wand. “It’s easier than you think. Here, I’ll show you.”
She lifted the Valkyrium with telekinesis and cast a heating spell. After a minute, the metal shone a fierce scarlet.
Erisim then cast a magnetic spell. The metal flattened slightly under the increasing magnetic force. The Valkyrium hummed furiously as it settled into a raw shape, still glowing.
Keia looked on, eyes wide. Her mouth opened. Is she casting three spells at once?
Erisim handed her wand to Keia. “You take it from here.”
Clutching the wand close to her chest, Keia stammered, “I-I don’t know if I can. That sounds like a high-level spell, and I…”
“You can.” Erisim smiled. “I’ll help you learn it. And I’ll keep it hot and in the air for you.”
It took Keia an hour to learn the magnet spell and another half before she cast it.
The first time she cast the spell, the effort had sucked the energy from her body so quickly that it nearly brought the contents of her stomach up with it. She’d heaved, bile burning the back of her throat as her arms grew heavier. After two spells, every muscle in her body ached, and her ears were filled with a deafening ring. Black spots danced across her vision as it blurred in and out of focus.
Erisim, a patient teacher, clapped her hands together in excitement. “All right! Now we can begin.”
Keia was breathing heavily, and a layer of sweat caked her skin. Between wheezes, she managed to say, “Oh, now we’re starting? All right—great.”
Erisim giggled. “Remember, it’s all right to take your time; I’m with you.”
Erisim kept the metal afloat and red-hot as Keia manipulated the magnetic field around it, pushing and pulling it into shape. The shield was forming amid the intense heat, but it was a slow and grueling process. After every two magnet spells, she either vomited or collapsed. Her muscles tensed in pain as she and Erisim sweated profusely from the heat. Sips of water helped immensely but not nearly enough.
Keia’s hand was shaking as she struggled to raise her wand. A numb sensation shot up her arm as she cast the next spell, and shadow overtook her vision for a moment as she fell to one knee; her body was weightless, floating away in the wind. The pain searing her body was dimmed, and she was at peace for an instant. Then, she was ripped from the soaring darkness and plunged back into agony, gasping for air.
After a few heaving breaths, Keia stared again at the unfinished shield and shuddered. She recognized the ice clutching her veins, something she’d experienced in different forms at various points in her life.
I’m afraid—I should be afraid; this was a stupid idea. I never should’ve asked for a shield. Twenty more might actually kill me. I’m—I’m not good enough.
“I—I want to stop; I can’t do this.”
For the first time, annoyance flashed in Erisim’s eyes. “You want to stop? What?”
Keia’s eyes fell to the ground. “I—I can’t do this, Erisim. I’m not like everyone else.”
Erisim raised her voice, “Horse shite you can’t do this! I’ve been watching you do it for hours now!”
Recoiling, Keia said, “That’s not what I—I can’t go on; I don’t have anything left.”
Erisim’s eyes narrowed. A chill ran up Keia’s spine—Erisim seemed sweet, almost incapable of anger. Here she was, glaring. “Is that what you’re going to say when a comrade needs your help? That you don’t have anything left?” She jammed a finger in Keia’s face. “We all have our battles to fight, Keia—all of us. Some people can turn their backs on danger—but not us. We’re soldiers; even if there’s no hope, even if there’s nothing left—we have to keep going.”
Breathing heavily, Keia took all of this in. As much as she hated being admonished, Erisim was right. ‘We all have our battles to fight.’
Keia’s eyes fell closed. Her hands curled into fists.
Aliya and Carter are out there fighting a battle for their lives right now, and here I am, about to give up because I’m tired?
After another moment of silence, Erisim’s tone softened. “Since your first day, everyone talks about how little you can do—and yet, you’re still here; things that were unimaginable to you months ago are now at your fingertips. You can do it. We aren’t going to stop now.”
Keia nodded and struggled to stand on wobbly knees. “You’re right. Yeah, you’re—you’re right.”
Raising her wand to renew the cycle of pain, she pushed herself further. The shield was being given shape with each contraction and release, and each spell took its toll. Her skin was alight with a burning sensation, and sweat dripped off every inch of her body. She cast another magnet pulse, ever-so-slightly curving the outer edges of the flattened Valkyrium; then, her vision went blank as she fell backward and landed softly against the grassy turf.
A few moments later, a concerned Erisim was leaning over her, saying, “Keia? Keia? Are you all right? Keia?”
The world and words were blurry at first, but after blinking and shaking her head, Keia was able to see straight. She grabbed her wand and grunted as she struggled to her feet.
Gritting her teeth, she said, “Let’s go.”
Erisim smiled. “That’s a soldier.”
For the next two hours, she molded her weapon ever more precisely, closing in on the finished shield. She paced her casting to maximize her effectiveness, and Erisim was by her side every step of the way. The process was agonizing: Keia taxed herself to the limit of exhaustion again and again. Her head was throbbing in searing pain, but she persevered.
Finally, it was completed, and the shape was perfect. The shield was circular and had a reinforced center. There was a mysterious beauty about it, as if it held secrets—even from its creator.
Despite her complete and total physical exhaustion, Keia held her head high. Her gasps of the now-cool air were immensely satisfying, and she failed to contain a few bouts of manic laughter once she held the finished product in her hands.
I did it. I really did it. Holy shite! I never thought I’d be able to do anything like this.
Erisim, standing off to the side, giggled at Keia’s excitement. “Are you ready to finish? There’s a bit more we have to do yet.”
Keia took a few more deep breaths and then nodded and jumped to her feet, nearly falling over.
Once the shield was cool enough, Erisim showed Keia how to warp space to insert the spellstones, which were placed in a ring around the center. All the necessary bracings, cast from a blend of enchanted metals, to make it a usable shield were provided by Oliver. When it was done, the day was over.
“Everyone else is already done?” Keia panted, with her hands on her knees. Her entire body felt heavy, and her muscles ached in soreness and pain.
Erisim was sweaty and breathless as well. “It looks like it.”
Heat flushed Keia’s cheeks, and she averted her eyes. “I-I’m sorry. I kept you from helping the others—”
“No—no; don’t be sorry! Captain Alrick and Deione surely helped them. There’s no need to apologize if the time spent was worth it.”
Keia held up the molded metal, which was black, circular, and warm to the touch.
“Well, was it?”
Erisim looked surprised for a second, then smiled. “Of course it was! But it’s not over yet; I’ve got something special to finish it.”
She produced a Brightsteel wrist-brace with an embedded gray spellstone and handed it to Keia.
“What is this?”
“Put it on and see!”
Keia slipped it on. The brace tightened comfortably around her wrist, and the spellstone glowed. The shield flew out of her hands and attached, dead center, to the brace.
“Mother of shite!” After a jump, Keia smiled. “Now that’s pretty cool.”
Erisim covered her mouth to stave off laughter. “It’s an automatic strap—and strong, so nothing should be able to rip it off. Activate the stone to detach and again to bring it back; it’ll help if you ever lose it. And the magnetic pull is locked to only your shield. I love magnets.”
Swelling with warmth, Keia said, “I love it! Thank you so much; I couldn’t have made this without your help.”
Erisim flashed a smile. “Not a problem at all—it was actually pretty fun. And look at it! It looks amazing.”
Keia twirled her hair and blushed. “I’m still sorry I took up your whole day.”
“Like I said, there’s no need to apologize. You’ve been working your tail off whenever I’ve seen you. For once, you deserve a win, I’d say—and a well-earned one at that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to get some dinner and then some sleep.”
Keia laughed, her chest flooding with pride. “I’m with you there.”
Keia and Erisim walked over to where Devin, Oliver, and Myrddin were waiting.
“Look, Keia!” Devin shoved a crooked, white wand with several spellstones in her face. “It’s Dragonwood, real Dragonwood! Can you believe it?”
“You should give it a name,” Keia suggested. “It looks like it deserves one.”
“I’ll name it Thorn.” Devin’s eyes fell to Keia’s hands. “What did you make?”
Keia held up her shield.
“That’s interesting.” Devin smiled. “You always have to be unorthodox, don’t you?”