The Mage Wars

The Fight for Seraphina

Kaelen points up at the castle wall.

15 feet in the air is a doorknob. If it weren't for our eyes, we never would have seen it. The nob is hidden by dark moss and vines.

"Holy gods," Altair swears. "When your Uncle said we had a climb ahead of us, he meant it."

He sure did.

I grab the first rock that is jutted out and pull myself up. We find our footing, and we take off up the castle wall. Up, up, up we go. It's not an easy climb, especially in the dark. Not being able to light a flame makes it worse.

Altair. Spirits, how he made it, I don't know. It's a miracle. I swore I heard him praying to Phoroneus, the goddess of air.

Kaelen wraps his arm around my waist and holds me to the wall. He tells me to open the door. I place my hand over the doorknob and mutter the small spell. "In thy light, unlock thee before me,"

A small light peeks through the keyhole.

The door swings open. I step through the door and into the chamber. The room is round, like a tower. We're not in a tower. This is the main section of the castle.

On the floor is a large protective circle, with numerous runes and dividing lines. This room...it...it thrums with magic. The air is thick with it. It must be residue from spells Korbin has used in the past. It's an eerie feeling.

"Eve, your ears."

I reach up, and sure enough, they've changed back.

"We don't have much time," Galen says, tossing me the book. I almost drop it. Tired arms from all the climbing. Galen cringes at the sight.

I walk to the centre of the room and kneel in the protection circle. I place the book in front of me and flip to the right page. I take a deep breath. My hands move as I create each corresponding circle.

"I call upon thy spirits of Kaladrielion. Guide my hands in the creation of the spell. Shake the foundation of our world. Bring forth the siblings of old. Guide them to decide our fate,"

When I finish speaking the circles blaze with light. When it fades my father and uncles are slumped in their circles. They look dazed. There are seven circles. We need seven people. Not six.

Panic sets in as I remember Elysia isn't alive. There is no way to finish the spell. We are lambs in the lion's den.

"Will it work without the seventh?"

"I don't know!"

Uncle Carys unsteadily stands. His gaze fixated on me. His eyes remain calm and clear. His shoulder and head press against the confines of his circle's column.

"Everest! Listen to me through each line of Kings from Vanora, there's one female who lays claim to Vanora," What does that have to do with this? It's Elysia's spell. It's her magic that created it. Her magic is needed...Would mine work? "You're a part of that same bloodline. You need to be in that circle."

Would that work?

"Go, I can finish here," Kaelen holds his hand out. 

As I grab it an unsettling sensation runs down my arm. I turn my head to look at Korbin's circle. It's empty. Another sensation runs down my spine. I wench my arm out of Kaelen's grip and turn, just in time to throw up a shield. A blast of white fire hits the shield. It's a powerful blast.

Uncle Carys was right. Korbin is strong.

Kaelen and I are launched back. We twist midair and land on our feet. We skid to a stop just in time to catch Galen and Altair. I throw a shield up behind Galen's. The general's shield shatters the second Korbins secondary attack hit it.