Inassea Chronicles: The Blighted Flame

by P. A. Peña

  Virgil flashed a smile. “Something like that. Really, though, I’ve been engrossed in your conversations. It sounds like you guys lead quite interesting lives.”

  “Don’t let him fool you,” Chad said as he cut into his steak. “Most of the time, Lucious just likes to hear himself talk.”

  “I do not.”

  “You kind of do,” Fynn joined in. He took a sip of wine, only to shudder at the taste.

  Lucious grumbled. “I do not. But even if that’s true, and that is a big if, I assure you, it only means I have truly important things to say.” Virgil couldn’t help but chuckle as he reached for his glass. “At any rate,” Lucious continued, “I’ll have many more stories to tell once I become a Crusader.”

  Virgil nearly choked on his wine; half because of the sour taste, and half from shock. “You’re taking the exam?”

  Lucious took his dinner cloth and blotted a splash of wine on the tablecloth. “We all are,” he replied.

  “I’m sorry,” Virgil said his cheeks beginning to flush. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just, you guys don’t strike me as the type who would be taking the exam.”

  “Oh, you’re quite wrong about that. There are tons of noble families within the ranks of the Crusaders. After all, there isn’t a more noble profession in the world. The men in my family have been Crusaders for generations.”

  “My family doesn’t go as far back as Lucious’s,” Chad said. “But the Willinghams have served the Alliance for multiple generations as well. It’s basically a rite of passage.”

  “Yes,” Lucious said. “Our red-haired lummox here is the only one of us who comes from a family without Crusader lineage.”

  “Hey!” Fynn exclaimed. “I’ll be starting my family’s service this year. And I told you not to call me that.”

  “Oh, stop it,” Lucious replied. “You don’t even know what that word means.”

  Chad began laughing, however, Fynn pouted. “I may not know what it means,” he replied. “But I know it isn’t good.”

  “Whatever.” Lucious turned his attention back to Virgil. “There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about concerning the Crusader’s Exam. I have a proposition for you.”

  “No, thank you,” Virgil said, signaling the waiter for his check.

  “You haven’t even heard what I have to say.” Lucious set his silverware on the table. “Hear me out before you turn me down so hastily. The Crusader’s Exam is, no doubt, going to be a challenge for everyone. I’m not saying any of us can’t handle it, but it would be more beneficial if we all, say, watch each other’s backs.”

  “And what makes you think I’m even taking the exam?”

  “Don’t deny it,” Chad said. “I read your aura. Under normal circumstances, anyone with your levels of mana being here wouldn’t be too suspicious. However, given the registration site is in Ekrham this year and the exam is tomorrow, there’s no way someone of your caliber is here coincidently. I’m willing to bet my trust fund you’re a last-minute applicant.”

  “That’s very perceptive of you,” Virgil said, nearly impressed. “But if you couldn’t tell, I prefer to work alone.”

  “I’m not saying we work together per se,” Lucious said. “I’m just saying maybe we don’t work against each other. And who knows? Perhaps once we get into the thick of things, you might find you could use some support.”

  The waiter came around and dropped off Virgil’s check. He promptly pulled out cash, leaving his payment and tip. “The answer is still no.” He stood. “I do appreciate you helping me out, though.”

  Lucious stood up to meet Virgil eye-to-eye. “Are you sure you about this? I can be a powerful ally, but an even more formidable adversary.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure.”

  Chapter 6

  Virgil awoke the following day, eagerly awaiting the teleportation crystal’s activation. At the stroke of noon, the gem began to radiate in a twinkling blue glow. Virgil squeezed it and declared his intentions in his mind. A blue light began to envelop his body. It grew brighter until the light became blinding.

  The ocean in the distance and the sand beneath his feet when the world reformed around him indicated he was far from Ekrham. Numerous people began to appear around him. Each of them varied in size, appearance, race, and species, but one thing was abundantly clear. Virgil was woefully underprepared. Many of the applicants had an assortment of bags, no doubt filled with potions, tools, or whatever else might come in handy.

  There was a vast structure a few hundred feet away. The building looked to be made of ash wood and contained a hand full of windows. The entrance was propped open, and a table with a seated attendant was set up in front of it. A box filled with white envelopes lay on the table, and next to that was a set of three clipboards fixed with paper.

  Virgil funneled into the line forming at the attendant’s table. A gentle tap on his shoulder alerted him to the person behind him. “Excuse me,” the woman said. “That necklace. It wouldn’t happen to be the Fang of Kayveon, would it?”

  The woman had powder blue skin with ears that came to a fine point. She wore a lavender tunic embroidered with black lace along its edges. The tunic fell just short of her knees, and she wore a pair of black tights and boots that both complimented her outfit and were suited for combat.

  “It is,” Virgil answered reluctantly.

  The elf grinned. “You must be a Truesdale then.”

  “Did you just say Truesdale?” the man in front of Virgil asked, spinning around.

  A head perked up in the line, and then another, all to the tune of chattering whispers.

  “Um,” Virgil stuttered, as he pointed forward. “I think the line is moving.”

  The man turned around and progressed further, and Virgil did the same.

  “I’m sorry,” the elf whispered, tapping Virgil’s shoulder once more. “I didn’t mean to bring any attention to you.”

  “You’re fine,” Virgil whispered back. “I’m kind of used to it.”

  “My name is Olivia. Olivia Abernathy.”

  “I’m Virgil. You kinda already know my last name.”

  Olivia smiled. “I gotta say, I’m shocked to see someone from such a well-revered hunter family taking the Crusader’s Exam. You must be the black sheep of the Truesdale clan.”

  “I could say the same thing about you. You don’t see too many full-blooded elves outside of the Emerald Garden.”

  Olivia tucked a strand of her flowing pink hair behind her ear. “You got me there. My family left our homeland generations ago. We are pretty far removed from the ancient elven traditions.”

  “Please keep the line moving,” the attendant shouted.

  Virgil turned around to find that it was his turn to approach the table. “Good luck in the exam,” Virgil said before walking away.

  “You too.”

  “Sorry about that,” Virgil said to the attendant as he walked up to the table.

  “Mmm-hmm,” she replied, her interest clearly below zero. “Place your bag on the table. Oh, and your necklace, too.”

  “The necklace stays with me.” Virgil said placing his satchel on the table.

  “Not if you want to take the exam. Catalysts are strictly forbidden during the first phase of the exam. Don’t worry. Your belongings will be returned to you upon your success or failure. Should you die, however, your items will be shipped to the next of kin listed on your application.”

  Reluctantly, Virgil removed the Fang of Kayveon from his neck and set it on the table. “So, there’s going to be multiple phases in the exam then. Just how many are there?”

  “That is classified information, Mister?”

  “Truesdale. First name Virgil.”

  The attendant took a look at one of the clipboards. She checked off Virgil’s name and waved her hand over his belongings. A black void appeared, swallowing the necklace and satchel before disappearing just as quickly as it arrived. The attendant began searching through the box of
envelopes. Once she found the package stamped with Virgil’s name, she handed it over.

  “You’re all checked in. Go ahead and enter the hall. The commencement ceremony will be starting shortly. You’re free to wander around the building all you like, but try not to stray too far. And don’t open your envelope until you’re told to.”

  Virgil nodded, and the attendant gestured him inside. “I suggest you mingle among the other applicants. You never know when you might need an ally.”

  “Thanks for the advice.” Virgil walked toward the doors. “But I’ll be fine on my own.”

  He entered the building and made his way down a long corridor. There were several doors and hallways on each side; however, he kept walking, uninterested in any particular path. That is, until he came upon a massive showroom. There were round tables spread out and decorated with blue tablecloths. Enchanted flowers glowing like fireflies sat on each of the tables and featured an assortment of colors. Like the building itself, the chairs at each table were made of ash wood. Apart from the way Virgil had come, there was only one other exit, a massive double door on the opposite side of the room.

  It didn’t take long for Virgil to find a spot along the wall. He placed his back to it and began observing the crowd. He tried his best to stay focused on identifying potential threats, but that proved to be a futile endeavor. Before Virgil knew it, a group had surrounded him, each of them enamored by the fact that he had been raised by the infamous Danté Truesdale.

  “What was he like?” someone in the crowd asked.

  “He was normal, I guess,” Virgil stammered.

  “Really?” someone else chimed in. “I would have thought he’d be like super strict. Was he your master? I bet you trained with him every day.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t exactly say it was every day.”

  “Is it true your dad took out an entire demon’s nest with a single blast?” a third person called out.

  This went on for what felt like eons, testing the very limit of Virgil’s patience. Finally, a dimming of the lights ushered in silence, and a wave of relief washed over him. A woman of average height phased into the room through a white void that appeared from thin air. Everyone’s eyes fixed on her.

  A pair of silver eyes blinked behind her thick rounded glasses, and she wore a white collared shirt, black slacks, and a charcoal gray trench coat buckled at the waste. Her gray hair was reminiscent of polished steel, and her skin was a dark brown. Had it not been for the band holding her hair, it would have certainly cascaded down her back in rippling waves.

  From the moment she entered the room, the atmosphere had shifted. The air had become thick, nearly tangible. Virgil swallowed hard, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Her aura was overflowing. It was something he had never encountered before. And yet, there was no doubt in his mind. He knew exactly what she was.

  “Welcome to Akata Island,” the woman said, her tone poignant and dignified. “My name is Roxanne Fullbright, but I’m better known as The Silver Sabre. For those of you who don’t know, I am one of the kings of the Crusader’s Alliance as well as royal advisor to the Diamond Nation.”

  For a moment, the room erupted into clusters of whispers. With one stern look from Roxanne, silence overtook the room once more. “The role of a licensed Crusader is not to be trifled with. It is not a job. It is not a profession. Taking on this mantle means taking on a duty more significant than any other oath, commitment, or responsibility you could possibly imagine. We Crusaders shoulder the weight of the world, facing the terrors that seek to plunge our existence into calamity. We battle the darkness so that the innocent may cherish the light.”

  The crowd hung in awe of Roxanne’s every word. Except for Virgil, who stood, patiently waiting for the speech’s end.

  “Over the coming weeks, you will be challenged in ways you never dreamed possible. We are going to push you to the absolute brink, and just when you think you’ve gotten your bearings, we are going to throw you over the edge. There are over two hundred applicants this year, each endorsed as being the best our nations have to offer. While there is no limit to how many of you will be accepted, make no mistake. The competition will be fierce, and I assure you that no amount of training you have done will have prepared you for what you are about to face.”

  Roxanne paused as she scanned the room, sizing up the applicants in a broad sweep. “The exam is broken up into multiple phases. As you are already aware, the use of catalysts, charms, et cetera, is strictly forbidden during the first phase of the exam. We have set this restriction so we can gauge your abilities without any enhancements or alterations. Anyone caught using a restricted item will be expelled from the exam and prohibited from ever retaking it. Each of you has been given an envelope detailing your starting position on the island. At that location, you’ll find an additional envelope detailing a specific item you are tasked with hunting down. You have until sundown to acquire it and reach Akata Castle, located in the northern quadrant of the island.”

  Sounds simple enough, Virgil thought, as a smile crept onto his lips.

  “One last thing. Everyone here has at least one other person after the same item. I want to make it perfectly clear. It is entirely within the parameters of the exam to appropriate another examinee’s item. It should go without saying, but let me remind you that you all have signed waivers acknowledging the danger present in taking the exam. Be prepared to guard your life at all times during active phases of the exam.”

  The crowd erupted into a flurry of whispers once again. Only this time, they were much more rambunctious.

  “Preparations for the first phase are nearly finished. Once they are complete, a siren will ring on the island. At that moment, you are to open your envelopes and report to your designated starting position. If you are not there when the siren rings again, you will be disqualified from the exam. No exceptions. Good luck, everyone, and may the Great Deities illuminate your path.”

  Chapter 7

  Roxanne turned to leave. Despite the applicants clamoring to ask her follow-up questions, she conjured another void and stepped through it. A number of Virgil’s admirers left, obviously shaken by the revelation of the exam’s first phase. Unfortunately, only the most intrigued and callously annoying remained. Virgil excused himself under the guise of needing to find a restroom.

  He walked through the halls of the building, tuning his aura perception to find an area to be alone and clear his mind. He rounded corner after corner, finally coming to a halt. There were several distinct auras present in each room, but one of the two auras in the room at the end of the hall ignited Virgil’s nerves.

  The aura felt anxious and turbulent. He could sense it was human, just like he could sense something was amiss. He took a deep breath as his brows drew closer together. Making matters worse, three men were on guard outside the door—three men Virgil already had the misfortune of meeting. Uncertain, Virgil pressed forward anyway, determined to aid whoever was inside the room. After all, he was his father’s son.

  As he drew closer to the door, Lucious, Chad, and Fynn turned to greet him.

  “Just what are you doing here?” Lucious asked, his tone as frigid as his eyes.

  “I’m only going to say this once,” Virgil said. “Step aside.”

  “And if we refuse?”

  Virgil tightened his fists. “Then I’ll have no choice but to make you.”

  “You’re quite the tough guy,” Chad said with a snicker.

  Fynn scoffed as he cracked his knuckles. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure Paisley isn’t interrupted.”

  Chad slugged Fynn in the arm. “You just don’t know when to stay quiet, do you, dumbass?”

  “Don’t call me a dumbass,” Fynn said, rubbing his shoulder, his wind ripped from his sail.

  “Then stop acting like a dumbass.”

  Lucious stepped forward and locked gazes with Virgil. “It doesn’t matter. Virgil is going to walk away and go about his day. After all, he has an
exam to prepare for.”

  Virgil heard rumbling in the room behind Lucious, followed by faint crying. “Is everything all right in there?” he shouted.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” a woman called out. “Please. Just go away.”

  “See,” Lucious said. “Nothing’s wrong.”

  Virgil lit his fists ablaze. “Open the door, Lucious.”

  Fynn grinned. “I can take care of this.” He stepped forward.

  Lucious raised his hand, halting his friend. “Listen to me. I want to make one thing perfectly clear. The only reason we invited hunter filth to dine with us is because of that fang hanging around your neck.”

  Virgil ground his teeth, balling his fist even further. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lucious cut him off. “It’s my fault, really. I should have known a hunter wouldn’t have been smart enough to recognize a golden opportunity to escape the worthlessness of their existence. Nevertheless, your time will come soon enough. For now, I suggest you walk away, and relish the fact that you’re actually allowed to take the exam.”

  Virgil took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. “I can either put you all down, or you can leave willingly. What’s it gonna be?”

  The hallway fell silent as Virgil and Lucious glared at each other. Lucious smiled, flashing a set of pearly teeth. His eyes still fixed on Virgil, he knocked on the door. “We’re leaving, Paisley.”

  Virgil recalled his flames as a woman burst through the door. She narrowed her dark blue eyes as she sneered at Lucious. The anger within her was unmistakable. Even her white skin was tinged with shades of red.

  “Are you serious?” Paisley said, the frills of her black dress and long chestnut hair bouncing with each dramatic motion. “We’re really just going to—”

  “We are,” Lucious interrupted as he walked away.

  Paisley stood firm, planting her boots on the floor. “I’m not leaving,” she said.