Circle of Arcane: The Acolyte

♚Chapter Seven♚

He stumbled upon a hidden monastery in the Wilbur Mountains and discovered that these monks did have knowledge about the Arcane Energy. This is also where he met Veronica Darkholme, a young orphaned woman who also had a strong Arcane Energy inside her. After his stay on the monastery, he offered Veronica to accompany him in his adventures.

All the books were just about Ilathadent's life and journeys. I knew that in the ancient times, he along the six heroes who accompanied him in the Ancient Kingdom's legendary battle. Thevaneath Mirage of Paladia, Eluna Mirabell of Alorecia, Godfrid of Reginbrand Clan, Tanni Harekson of Archenland, Syrenka of Brek and Waelkyrige Morgernstern of Shadowkissed Lands. The seven of them reached the Dark Abyss and located the Archangels prison and defeated them.

But I couldn't find enough information about Veronica Darkholme, she was a fire weilder. Ilathadent and Veronica shared a close relationship and she was his first companion to have and been with him for 20 years. She was one of the most influential person in his life and the two shared a connection, a bond when young Veronica saved his life once which made them connected through the arcane, they might as well be lovers at one point but I have never read any books confirming it to be true. Veronica was never mentioned again. It was speculated that she might have died during in the battle Fallen's Slumber , the deepest part of the Dark Abyss where the three fallen Archangels were supposed to be dwelling.

Suddenly, I remember the book Archmage Vidui gave me. Codex of Ilathadent. How stupid of me not to realize I had it all this time. There's got to be information somewhere there. I hurried back to my quarters and rummaged the pile of books I have.

I blew the dusts away. I had them under my bed. This book is almost 10,000 years old. I tried to open the book but it won't budge. A huge amount of arcane energy was forbidding me to do so. No way, this book has a protective enchantment spell? Then why would the Archmage give me this anyway? I don't get the point.

I decided to stick with the books from the Archive, there's got to be something there, a hint, a clue or anything. I took my classes regularly and make sure I could still catch up while I am also up on my research. Whenever I have a free time, I would flip the pages and scan its contents desperate for leads. I would always end up carrying a tower of books that I could hardly balance.

"You okay?" Sunry asked as she helped me pick it all up.

"Of course." I lied to her and I walked through the next class.

"You sure love reading.." She pointed out.

"What are you reading about?" Friedrich asked.

"Just history.." I answered.

"You like History? That's the most uninteresting subject of all." Sunry declared and I agreed.

Basic Enchantment and Charms couldn't be more interesting. I also spent time advance studying about it. It takes imagination and a little bit of arcane to make a simple object become magical. Today, we are doing a simple lighting spell to put on a null crystal to make it emit different colors of light. I pointed my index finger on the white crystal and within a blink, it glowed brightly.

"Excellent work, Avery." Master Serena said.

I watched the other Acolytes struggle as they charged it with their own energy and failed spectacularly as some made it shatter, float on its own or make the arcane bounce all over the room.

I ducked to avoid being hit.

"Watch out!" Kylie warned to the others.

"Ahhh!" Sunry screamed. She stood from her seat as the arcane energy caught up with her. A blinding flash of light temporarily blinded us.

"Noo!!" Sunry cried.

Everyone laughed as Sunry's complexion changed in to dark blue, she looked like a creature from another dimension.

"No, get it off! Get it off me.." Sunry was crying hysterically.

"Shh, Acolytes get back to work." Master Serena ordered. "Now, Calm down and stood still."

She uttered an indecipherable language which sounded somehow familiar to me. She wavered her hand as it gathered more energy and concentrated it to Sunry, she was back again to her normal skin color. A reversing spell. I have memorized her words in my mind, maybe it could be useful and might come in handy anytime.

"Are you alright?" I walked towards Sunry.

"Definitely not, having blue skin isn't fun." Sunry complained. "It was so humiliating!"

"You'll be fine.." I put her hand on her shoulder.

The Elemental Class was held outside the Academy's premises. We all settled on the eastern side of the Academy just right next to the forest.

"Water is graceful, it goes with the flow. Do not move like that. Keep your arms above your shoulder.." Master Sheena was our Basic Elements Master. She is pretty young compared to the other Masters in the Academy. Probably in her late twenties and I think she's the Master I liked the best, she had a youthful glow in her face, framed with sunshine gold locks in her face and a pair of twinkling blue eyes. We all gathered outside nearby the fountains and pools where a huge amount of water is present.

To be honest, this subject was the easiest one for me for my days spent with the travels with Archmage Vidui, we did nothing but to practice on the elements and I am pretty much ahead of the other Acolytes here.

Master Serena told me it wasn't necessary for me to take it but Overseer Marcus said that for the sake of formality, I should take it anyway since all mages take them.

"That's lovely, Acolyte." Master Sheena put her hands on my shoulder smiled. Finally, someone appreciates my obvious talents. I continued on making the water flow encircle me. Water manipulation looked more like dancing to me, the waters coordinated with you whichever way you go.

"Just like this one, Acolytes." She said.

"How come this is easy for you?" Sunry whispered. "I could hardly even lift it."

"It's because this is your opposing element." Arabelle answered her. She's doing a great job more than I can.  Well, that's because she's a natural water specialized. She was confident and cool as she glide, it looks as if she was dancing. Once again, her creativeness sparked as the waters split in to tiny amounts and froze in to ice, then she let it encircled her like hundreds of little diamonds.

"Beautiful work, Arabelle." Master Sheena said.

"Show off." Sunry whispered to me.

"Ugh, I hate this element." Sunry silently complained.

I could have chosen to become water specialize. The sub-element ice could be quite powerful and destructive too plus the benefits of having the ability to heal but water wielders were graceful and gentle and I am certainly not graceful nor gentle. The element you specialize tells something about your personality. When I was younger, Bremas said I have a temper and I am easily irritated. Simple things could quickly get me exploding,  just like a raging fire. Even when I was a baby, my cries were lion's roar and it would rock the whole castle awake.