Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn

Chapter 31

Please note: I am updating this draft of The Prisoner of Arlunn. The most important change is that the main character's name has been changed from Philip to Rian.

31

The light had already begun to wane on Arlunn when Barris arrived there in the early evening, with Azure in tow. Of course, Azure was the princess of Doona, and not someone that Barris could order to do anything. In fact, Barris was no one. A fact that he was convinced that everyone on the Seven Worlds of Cathal already knew.

His connection to the wizarding families of Chuness was very slight. Enough to get him into the games without killing him in the Test, but no more. His ability with a paravescea was nearly non-existent. He wasn't even very good at sword-fighting—not that you had to be.

But he was a genius. He remembered everything he'd ever read and everything he'd ever heard, unless he decided it was unimportant information, mundane, then he forgot it almost instantly: things like names, faces, navigation, how to cook, birthdays—things like that.

He had memorized every spell he'd ever laid eyes on. But, of course, some he could do more easily than others. Any straightforward spell, he could do. Anything that require intensive and constant concentration, he could master. The spells he had difficulty with were the less defined ones, mind-linking, illusions, summoning. These he found more difficult.

Even the spells that simply required more will power, such as fireball, wall of fire, lightening—these he found more difficult. He liked things to be defined and explained in definite terms.

Still, Azure humored him in his quest to understand the latest enigma: just what was a living magic-spawn like? She probably knew that he would keep pestering her until she did it. He wasn't very good at letting things go. He was stubborn and would stick to a subject until he understood it.

Like the magic-spawn.

As they walked down the lane from the college, past the lake, the Tower came into view. He felt a tingling of anticipation. Obscure knowledge always fascinated him. And very few people had ever met a real magic-spawn. Well, not ones that had lived to tell the tale.

They arrived at the tower and a guard stopped them. This was one of the city guards.

"We've come to see the magic-spawn," he said, trying to draw himself up to be taller, but that was a useless gesture. He was only 10, in Chuness years, and still growing.

"Sorry, it's not allowed," said the man.

"I have a letter of permission but I'm to give it to Ehina. Is she here?"

The man grumbled and vanished inside a doorway. They waited several minutes until Ehina emerged.

"I have this letter of permission," he said, trying to hide the fact that his hands were shaking. He handed it to Ehina. She open it and read it.

"Very well," she said. "I'll let you enter."

Barris smiled and nodded to Azure.

"Oh, you're going in alone," she said, hanging back.

"But, Azure," he pled.

"No. There is no way I'm going in there with you." Her stance indicated her determination. He sighed.

"Fine." He went in alone.

The tower was dim inside but there were several lights. The furniture and decorations were sparse. And there, in the center of the tower, sat a young boy at a desk. He looked to be maybe 6 or 7 Chuness years of age. His hair was completely white. His eyes were grey and they looked up at Barris as he entered.