Twisted Magics (Terra Chronicles Book 1)

by J. C. Jackson

  “I just reacted. I thought it was in my file, ma’am, I’m sorry. I trained with…”

  Savanas cut me off, “I read your file. You also trained at the EAC after coming to the TIO and Lockonis has been working with you. What you may not realize is that since I used to be partnered with Lockonis, I know how fast a highly-trained Warmage can cast in the heat of the moment. This exceeds even her speed.” She leaned forward, looking me directly in the eye. “Ketayl, I need to understand the people I work with.”

  Apparently not everything was in my file. I looked over at Rathal who was patiently waiting for an answer. Well, it was going to come out sooner or later. “I’m an Arcanist.”

  “Arcanist?” Savanas looked to Rathal who turned to watch the screen.

  Rathal looked back at me for a moment, thinking about the latest information. “That makes sense now. I heard of Arcanists from Maewon thanks to that case we had a few years ago. The simplest explanation is they are so tightly connected to the arcane that it takes only thought to use it. Genetic I believe. That would explain why I don’t remember hearing an incantation or seeing any gestures.”

  Raising an eyebrow, Savanas then cut the feed on the screen. “Damn good reaction then. What I can’t figure out is how this guy got in and out.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that.” Her surprised look told me she had not been expecting me to say anything. “I think he sent what amounts to a puppet. I’m not sure how far away he would have been.”

  Do I tell them that I had not been able to reconcile the amount of energy required for everything we had seen thus far? It did not seem like a good idea without a different theory to give a reason for the discrepancy.

  Savanas did not seem eager to accept my theory and even in the position I was in, I was not sure I could accept it either. “Fine. Work on what angles you can. You can work over there.” She pointed at the desk I sat at yesterday.

  I was back to not being sure where I stood with people. Though I found it curious that Rathal knew so much. When I had time, I would have to look into the case he referenced.

  ~*~

  Time was lost to me as I dug through the new information that Lockonis found.

  We had taken to simply adding to the copy of the Arcane College’s library I brought with me when I was transferred to the TIO. It seemed counterintuitive to have multiple databases.

  The new information was mostly news reports and what little I could cross-reference with the Arcane College’s library did not give me much information. Though it was all worded differently, from what I could tell it was all repeating itself.

  I wondered if I should stop looking at the descriptions and start looking at the events surrounding them. There always seemed to be at least one dead body tied to it.

  I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands - I had been staring at the screen for a while. I knew better than to sit in front of a screen for any length of time without a visual break, but I had to try to come up with something.

  It felt like I was going in circles. All I kept finding was that it was a random occurrence with no known origin. There had to be a way to nullify the effect so that it was not so dangerous to those of us trying to investigate, but I needed a point of reference to begin trying to figure that out.

  “Take a break.” Retanei stood in front of me. When did she get here? I glanced around the office. When did Savanas and Rathal leave?

  Blowing a stray lock of hair out of my face, I knew my exasperation showed. “I don’t understand why I can’t find any specific information on this. I don’t know where to start to try and figure out what kind of mage we’re dealing with.” Finding out the mage’s specialty would at least narrow the field.

  “A demented one. That’s all I need.”

  I rolled my eyes before I said, “It’s too dangerous not to have more information. I just wish I hadn’t been so tired when we got to the crime scene yesterday.”

  “We can go back over to the Waking Dawn after lunch,” Retanei said, leaning against the filing cabinet next to the desk I was working at.

  Darius’ voice came from above me. He said, “Have you checked with the EAC branch here? They aren’t as big as the main campus in Great Tree, but they have a decent-sized library.”

  Looking up, Darius rested his arms on the railing above my desk, looking down. I did not even know he was here. Or what was up on that floor, but that mattered little.

  I felt like an idiot. “No, I hadn’t even thought about trying them.”

  Darius made his way down the stairs. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt, but I was taking a break from reviewing the security footage we were able to recover. It’s worth a shot - they’ve been helpful when we need to research something.”

  Retanei reached over and pushed the button on the computer screen. “You need to have lunch.”

  I turned it back on and swatted her hand away. “At least let me save what I’m working on.”

  “Tell me again how you’re an Arcane College mage?” Savanas said and her sudden reappearance made me jump. She strolled by with Rathal, looking to be at the end of her patience. “I really don’t see it. Not compared to that pompous ass we just tried talking to.”

  I already knew the attitude she was talking about. The one that is always looking down at you, truly believing that they are far superior to you. Telling you that you are wasting their precious time with things that do not concern them. That you should have been able to produce their requested information far faster than you did.

  It was the problem I generally faced. People expected that behavior. I said, “Try having hundreds of them around.”

  “No, thank you, my blood pressure is high enough as it is,” Savanas said and collapsed in her chair. “I probably should have brought you with me. Rathal had to keep me from ringing his neck, which is rare. Usually I’m reigning in his leash.”

  “Hey!” Rathal’s face flushed for a second.

  Darius laughed at the exchange. He said, “I should get back to the footage. I’ve almost got the three nailed down that carried the arcane bombs in.” He did not wait for a response and went back upstairs.

  The thought of facing the Magister was not one I wanted. Anyone higher ranked always liked to push around those lower - it was how the Arcane College was. Being on the bottom of the ladder, I was often a target. I would be set with the mundane or difficult tasks they could not be bothered with. Constantly reminded I was so bad at handling the arcane that I was just a Researcher. Harassed without end for being Elven.

  A few times they had dangled a possible promotion in front of me, but it was hard not to see the pattern of only Humans holding rank.

  But here I seemed to actually be able to contribute so I asked, “Who is he?” My fingers were already dancing across the keyboard, bringing up the Arcane College’s administrative records.

  Savanas held up the notepad she read off of, “Magister Bernard Browne. Browne with an ‘E’ at the end. He seemed rather concerned that our misspelling his name in our reports would cause him grief. Why? Do you know him?” That seemed to perk her up a bit.

  I shook my head and replied, “Not off-hand. I’m trying to find any information I have on him. Too bad it’s such a common last name.” Even as busy as I was, I did not miss Retanei’s glare at Savanas. “This won’t take long. Lockonis built a good search algorithm into the library.”

  “Wait, you have access to Arcane College records?” That had both Savanas and Rathal coming around the desk to look at my screen.

  It was not going to do them much good at this stage so I told them, “We haven’t built in a translator yet.” Everything was in arcane text. The runes usually meant nothing to people outside of arcane casters. “This copy is a couple of years old. I haven’t been back to the Arcane College to try and update it.”

  This was quickly becoming frustrating as I hit one dead end after another.

  “And you, what was so damn important that you went hunting last night?
” Savanas was now speaking to Retanei and I really wish they would pick somewhere other than directly behind me to have that conversation. Rathal hung by my shoulder.

  “I needed to get on the trail while it was still relatively fresh. A report came in from a farmer outside the city with signs of an encampment. It was already a couple days old. Their tracks disappeared with the fresh snowfall.”

  “Is this it?” Rathal asked and pointed at a name on the screen. That he could read it made me pause to look at him. “I studied for a bit at the EAC,” he explained, “I’m afraid I have no talent for it though.”

  Reading what he pointed at, I said, “I’m grateful for the second set of eyes. That’s close, but…”

  “But?” Rathal waited for me to explain why I wanted to dismiss the record.

  Retanei and Savanas decided to move their conversation elsewhere, thankfully.

  I caught myself chewing on my lower lip as I sometimes did when I had a confusing puzzle before me. “He specified the E at the end of his last name. That would have changed the last letter to this one.” I pointed at the rune elsewhere on the screen. “As for the different first name, I’ve seen others prefer their middle name, though more often, they will use their full name or at least give their initial. Not to mention that this person was awarded the rank of Magister well over a decade ago and is currently an Archmage. People don’t stay at the lower ranks for that long and remain in the Arcane College.”

  “Weren’t you a Researcher?”

  Rathal seemed to have a better understanding of the Arcane College and the world of arcana in general than I realized, but I could see where he was confused.

  I tried to clarify, “Researchers are tolerated for the labor provided to the ranked mages. Human Researchers rarely make it to being a ranked mage, but it has happened. Most leave the Arcane College after a few years.”

  “Do you still consider yourself a part of the Arcane College?” Rathal’s question caught me off-guard.

  It was a fine line to walk to explain where I felt I landed in the grand scheme of things. “I’m supposed to be their liaison, but I’m not sure anymore. I was transferred without warning and I haven’t had any contact since. The TIO has become my home… my family.” I paused, replaying what I said in my mind, cringing. “That sounded sappy, didn’t it?”

  “It did, but I think I could use a little sappy right now.” Rathal stood up to his full height, stretching. “But this Magister could still order you around?”

  I rubbed the bridge of my nose. It was not a conversation I wanted to have, but I understood the need for it. “Technically, yes. It’s a gray area. There were never any boundaries set, and previously, there was never been a need for them. This is a TIO investigation. If I get in trouble for it later, well, I guess I’ll have to deal with it then.”

  Savanas yelled at him from across the room, “Rathal, quit interrogating her. Vince wouldn’t have sent Ketayl if she was going to pose a problem. We’ll handle the Magister if he decides to make one of himself.”

  I had a feeling that Savanas was hoping that Browne would. It was a feeling I could relate to - I wanted to vent my frustration on a number of them over the years.

  Shrugging, Rathal leaned back down with a mischievous smirk on his face, his eyes still on the screen as he asked me, “So, want to go get dinner with me sometime?”

  Savanas’ voice rang out with a sharp warning, “Rathal!”

  Chapter 6

  I pulled my TIO coat closer around me, my hat and hood did little to protect me from the cold. I stared at the remains of the Waking Dawn from what Retanei deemed a “safe distance.” I had more questions than answers.

  There remained the three arcane remnants, stronger than when we arrived yesterday afternoon. Even where the outer wall of the building once stood, I was getting buffeted by the emotional energy. It was not too bad out here, but I could only imagine how much more intense it was closer to each point of origin.

  Retanei stood alongside me, staring in the same direction, and said, “I don’t like that look on your face.”

  I briefly wondered what my face looked like to get that kind of comment. I said, “It’s getting worse. No degradation - the emotional responses are getting stronger. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if it will even stop growing. If it doesn’t, it’ll eventually spread far beyond this building.” And in a city of primarily Elves, that spoke of further chaos. So many would naturally be arcane sensitive.

  She rubbed Artemis’ head. The wolf seemed confused by the scene before us. I wondered if she could also sense the emotions in the arcane remnants. “So you think the whole package was deliberate?”

  “There’s no way for it to have occurred naturally. I still want to see if the EAC branch here has anything in their library that might be of help. I’d hate to be wrong.” It was a long shot, I knew, but one I had to explore. “I just wish I could figure out what was powering this.”

  Retanei was silent for a moment. She looked around the wreckage as if she could see something I could not. I knew she had limited divine abilities. I came to realize that while many casters have developed some kind of sixth sense, the ability to actually see was limited.

  “Can the magics mix?” she asked.

  It was a question I had not been prepared for. Chewing on my lower lip for a moment, I considered the possibility. I knew of a Researcher that had been trying, but I had been away for a couple of years. I then questioned if our mystery mage could be him and quickly dismissed it. He had a difficult time casting even the simplest of arcane spells. To progress that far in only a couple of years would be impossible.

  “Theoretically it would be possible to combine the arcane and the divine. There was another Researcher at the Arcane College who dabbled in the divine and trying to merge spells, but he hadn’t gotten anywhere with it. Why?” I said.

  “I’m wondering if the power source might be divine, given your ability to see the arcane. Divine energy would provide a longer supply of power than what you’ve described of arcane energy. Granted, my knowledge in the field is limited,” Retanei said.

  Her statement made it seem so simple. But would it work outside of theory? The types of energy were so vastly different, but I suppose there had to be some common trait between them that could be exploited.

  I started to make my way back to the truck. I had stood in the cold for long enough. I asked, “What do you have in mind?”

  Retanei looked back at the blown-out building. “I’m going to run it by Savanas and see if I can get someone over here that is more in tune with the divine than I am. It’ll give you some time to see if you can find more information.”

  ~*~

  There was a bustle of activity at the EAC branch that was similar to the one at the main campus. Students were milling about the hallways with a few here and there entering a classroom. While most of the students were Elven, there were a few of the other races as well, predominantly Human.

  The tone was solemn overall. There was the occasional student that was trying to liven people up, but given recent events it was easily understood.

  I started to wish I wore my other coat. The long, black leather duster that my sister had insisted on buying for me was soft and covered more, but had less padding to help keep me warm. With the large white TIO letters on the back of this coat, I felt like a target.

  The person that greeted me at the entrance said the library was in the center of the school. The directions I got were for someone that was familiar with the layout. I stopped at a directory along the wall to try and get my bearings.

  “You’re that mage from last night.” Those words cut through the murmur of the crowd that moved around me.

  The Elf who spoke looked familiar. He was the mage that had been sent over to put up the shield.

  I had not paid much attention to him then, which I felt slightly guilty about. He had shoulder-length blond hair that hung with a life of its own and he dressed like many of the stud
ents did, which was not much different from my casual shirt and jeans.

  “Ketayl,” I said and offered a more traditional Elven greeting. I really was not sure what kind of etiquette was required in situations like this, but it seemed logical.

  “Angolon. My apologies I haven’t thanked you sooner,” he returned the greeting, which was a mental sigh of relief for me. I was still rather far behind on social norms.

  “It isn’t necessary. I’m still unsure what exactly happened to be honest with you,” I said. How the figure appeared and disappeared and why, that I was pretty sure I knew. How I reacted - that was what I did not understand. I was not effectively trained for combat, despite Lockonis’ attempts otherwise, and strong emotional responses strained my control. I had not acted on instinct since I was a small child - it could produce disastrous results.

  “So, what brings you to our humble school?” Angolon asked and adjusted the books under his arm.

  The actual reason seemed so silly all of a sudden - at least from where I was standing. “I’m trying to find the library. I was hoping to research something pertaining to a case.”

  “Is that all? I would be more than happy to escort you. The next class I’m teaching is in the same direction.” Angolon smiled at me and signaled with his free hand for me to follow.

  He piqued my curiosity so I asked, “What are you teaching?”

  Angolon laughed lightly for a moment. “I’m teaching first year classes. I have a bit of a passion for them. Having a solid understanding of basic arcane theory will become a good foundation for my students.”

  “Actually, going back to basic arcane theory has helped me solve many a puzzle.” While I usually worked with much more advanced arcane theory, it was nice to return to the basics.

  Angolon laughed and joked, “A woman after my own heart.” He reached for the door. “Well, here you are. I’m sorry we can’t speak further right now.”

  “I understand. And thank you for the escort.” Letting him hold the door open for me, I bowed and headed in. It did not hit me until the door closed that I had spoken with a higher ranked mage with such informality. I was not sure what to make of it since he seemed not to mind.