The Phoenix Ring(71)

“Why would you make me do that?” Aidan asked, a tear forming in the edge of his eye.

“So that you could understand the power you wield. It’s called the death curse, and it is the second piece of black magic you have learned, the first being the morka spell. Black magic is different from most, as it always takes something from the user. At first, this spell will only take your happiness, but eventually it will take your morality. Malcommer has used this spell hundreds of times, and has almost no sense of compassion left in him.”

“But why would I need to learn something like this?” Aidan asked, his sadness slowly morphing into the rage he knew so well.

“Because when the time comes, you must be ready to kill Rickentoh,” his master said, standing and offering a hand to his apprentice. “Now come, there is far more to do and far too little time to do it.”





The plan was straightforward. Bartemus had enlisted the help of the merfolk who lived in the waters around the isle and hated any relative of the sea serpents. Aidan was no longer surprised at the existence of such magical creatures.

If the boy and his master could knock the dragons or their riders into the sea, the merfolk would do the rest. Dragons are far too heavy to fly using only their wings, and so rely on magic, similar to griffins. So while magic is unable to physically kill them, it is able to ground them, or in this case, drown them. Because of the system of leaders challenging each other, the two sorcerers would likely only have to defeat three or four dragons before Rickentoh challenged one or both of them to a duel.

Furthermore, Bartemus didn’t have the time to teach his pupil how to effectively battle a master wizard, and so instead placed a unique sort of spell on both of them that would store their power until another spell released all of it in the span of a few hours.

As a result, Aidan felt exhausted and weak. His magic was barely functioning, so his master didn’t teach him any new spells, but instead focused on the elementals he already knew.

“When you fought the dragons before,” Bartemus told him, “the beasts were on a raiding party, and killing the riders would be enough. Now, they are going to war, and they will continue to fight with or without their companions. The spells you use must not only kill the rider, but have the potential to kill their steeds. “

The dried lava was perfect for forming sharp projectiles, and the water and even air could be used as a weapon. Fire would be mostly useless, to Aidan’s disappointment, but Aidan’s master would be raining lightning from the sky. After some debate, they had decided not to teach Aidan this skill, as lightning was dangerous and hard to control, especially with a staff.

If all went well, Aidan would never be more than a power boost for his master. Once Rickentoh challenged Bartemus to a duel, Aidan would not be allowed to assist his master, but neither would the dragons be allowed to assist theirs.

Storms were brewing overhead as the sun set on the final day. Bartemus received no information from his informant, which meant that either he had been caught or all was going according to plan, and the dragons would swarm the isle in the morning.

They sat on the hill over Marcus’s cottage as the sun disappeared below the horizon.

“There is a tradition,” Bartemus said, “that if a sorcerer is going to battle for the first time, he will cast the first spell. Tomorrow, you will slay the first beast. Rest well tonight, I’ll be inside.”

Aidan’s stomach was in turmoil as he stared at the sky, the stars blocked by clouds. He closed his eyes, some inward part of him trying to speak to Marcus, but he fell asleep before he could make a true attempt. Strangely, he did not dream of his mother, or Timothy, or even the battle to come.

He dreamt of Aaliyah.



19





Whether it was the thunder, the distant roars, or the sudden rush of power that woke Aidan, he would never know.

Bartemus was standing on the edge of the isle, battle cloak swirling around his legs.

Aidan ran inside the hut, threw on his cloak, grabbed his staff, and ran back out to join his master on the shoreline.

Aidan’s hands were shaking as he instinctively pressed the button on his staff, its click calming him ever so slightly.

Even from such a distance, the dragon army was terrifyingly impressive. The beasts were all different sizes and colors, and many were covered in battle armor that glinted in the cloud-covered light.

“It’s time,” Bartemus said. “Aim for the large one, a little left of the center. I don’t want to deal with any behemoths.”

Aidan’s heart was pumping faster than it ever had as he whispered the spell, “Terrack.” At that moment, he truly felt how much power rested inside of him. His master’s spell had worked flawlessly.