This is the first chapter. Again, critique is welcome, not plain negative comments. I hope you guys enjoy the story :D

Volume 1-Memories

Chapter 1-Rules of Power:

Freya watched as the lamia injected her venom into the young girl. The venom wouldn’t kill Lila, no, her master didn’t wish for the pretty girl to die. Vena was a lamia queen, the highest tier of her species; as such Vena was able to inject her victims with different kinds of venoms. Seeing as master had said he wanted Lila as a pet, Vena would have definitely injected Lila with a particular brand of venom, Freya recalled it was called “Lover’s Dream”. The venom would course through its victim’s veins until it reached the head, at which point it would begin to infect the brain. If left untreated the victim’s mind would become permanently addled and susceptible to training, making them into practically mindless puppets.

            “I warned the old man, but he simply did not listen.” Freya spoke as she looked at Graham’ corpse lying on the ground.

            “It’d make no difference, if master hadn’t killed him, I would have blown that fool’s head off myself,” said another of the five women who stood by the throne. She had olive skin, with crimson hair and eyes. Of the five, she had the largest breasts and she made sure they all knew it.

            “What if master had wanted him alive, but you had killed him anyway? What would you have done then, Inari?” Freya replied.

            Inari made a slight grimace, but before she could reply Valaera, another of the five, spoke.       

            “Master would have punished her of course and wouldn’t that be a sight to see,” Valaera said happily.

“You bitch,” Inari snarled. Crimson flames began to surround Inari as she prepared to attack Valaera.

            “Stop it, Inari.” Sorin said without even looking at her.

Inari’s flames were extinguished immediately and Inari bowed, “Please, forgive me for my insolence. I acted without thinking.”

            Sorin looked at her, “Pain.”

The golden chain tattoo on Inari’s neck, flared, and Inari was hit with an intense wave of pain. She fell to the ground in sudden agony. Sorin walked by her and sat on his throne.

            Valaera laughed, “It’s always funny seeing you squirm in pain.”

Sorin turned to Valaera, “Pain.”

            Valaera’s tattoo flared and she dropped to the ground as well, her pain too great to withstand.

            Shana, the first of the five, sat at the base of the throne, and laid her head on Sorin’s knee. “Those girls. Always, thinking of themselves first, instead of master.”

            “Indeed, that seems to be the case,” Freya said as she watched Vena, the lamia queen, slowly release Lila. Freya watched as Lila’s eyes began to lose their light; the venom had made its way to the brain. It would only take a few hours for the venom to completely corrode her mind. And then her “pet” training would begin. Each of Sorin’s five Valkyries-the five who stood by Sorin’s throne-Freya included, took turns in training Sorin’s pets.

            “Vena, take Lila away and have her prepared for the training room,” said Freya.

            “If that isss what the massster wishesss.” Vena looked at Sorin for confirmation.

            Sorin simply nodded, his mind preoccupied somewhere else. Vena bowed low and carried Lila away.

            “And someone clean this old fool’s corpse up, before he starts to smell!” Freya commanded.

            Dark elf, wood elf, and high elf maids quickly came into the room and began to clean the corpse. Kleo, last of the five Valkyries, sat on Sorin’s lap.

            “Master, what troubles you?” Kleo asked, ignoring the moans of pain from the two Valkyries on the ground.

            Sorin looked at Kleo, “Nothing, I’m just thinking of the last time someone called me a coward.”

Sorin recalled the memory. It had been years, so many years ago. He was but a child, who knew nothing of the dangerous world he would step into, the world he would help create. He made a halfhearted smile, things were so different back then, they were, he looked for the word. Ah, yes. Simple.  Everything was so simple.

*************************

“Jump!” They shouted. Sorin looked down, the drop was over thirty feet. He had never jumped into the pool from so high. Who’s idea was it to jump from old man Hugh’s house anyway? Ah yes, it was his best friend Matt’s. Sorin looked at Matt, who was behind him silently cheering him on.

            “Dumbass,” Sorin said under his breath.

“Hey, are you going to jump or what?” Jake shouted from the pool. All the kids were down there, swimming without a care. Of course they were! None of them had to jump.

            “Sorin, you can do it!” Matt cheered.

Jake turned to one of the girls and said, “I don’t think he’ll do it. He’s a coward.” The girl looked up at Sorin and considered Jake’s comment.

            Sorin had to jump now. He couldn’t be seen as a coward. It was one of the ten rules his grandmother had taught him. He looked down again and saw how high he really was.

            “I’m a dumbass,” and then he jumped.

As he neared the water he panicked and flailed, and crashed into the pool. His vision went red and he lost consciousness.

***************

Sorin woke up in his bed; his mother was beside him, with a worried look.

“M-mom, what happened.” Sorin asked weakly.

“You jumped off a house you idiot, that’s what happed.” Sorin’s grandmother said as she walked in.

“What were you thinking Sorin?! You could have gotten yourself killed! If it wasn’t for your grandmother, Sola, you’d be in a coma!” Sorin’s mother reprimanded him.

“I’m also curious about the events that led up to this moment,” Sola pitched in.

Sorin looked at his family and responded with dignity, or at least as much as he could muster, “Well, we were at Jake’s grandfather, Hugh’s house. And well the house was looking out onto their large pool and Matt said I could probably dive from the top of the house without getting a scratch, seeing as I’m a spell caster and all.”

“And you went along with that commoner’s idea?” Sola asked with an arched eyebrow.

“At first I did, but then I thought better of it. But, then Jake called me a coward and well, you know.”

“The third rule of power. Never let anyone think you’re a coward. I see,” Sola nodded.

Sorin sighed in relief.

“But! You should have never have gotten yourself in that situation in the first place, and you aren’t even a spell caster yet. Why on earth would you even try to jump?” Sola said in irritation.

Sorin bowed his head in shame. She was right, though he had mana coursing through him, Sorin was nowhere near being a spell caster. But that would change, it would change very soon.

“Grandmother, how long have I been asleep?” Sorin asked with slight worry.

“Not long enough,” Sorin’s mother said as she pushed him back unto the bed.

“Don’t worry boy, it’s only been a few hours. The Caravan arrives tomorrow. You’ll make it in time.” Sola reassured him.

“Sleep my son, we can talk tomorrow.”

“But, mom.”

“Sorin, listen to Dela, sleep. I’ll see you in the morning,” Sola said as she walked out of the room.

Sorin listened and watched Sola and Dela leave the room. He looked up and thought of tomorrow, everything would change tomorrow. He had turned sixteen this year and he was finally old enough to enter the Black Tower of Zance. There he’d be able to train to become a powerful spell caster.

            Sorin smiled as he felt the strands of mana coursing through his veins. The reason the Black Tower accepted students at the age of sixteen and not younger was because mana didn’t appear in people until they were sixteen and even then only a few possessed mana. But there were exceptions, some people had mana since they were children, this denoted a sign of great potential.

            Sorin had shown signs of mana from the age of eight. And though he hadn’t been trained yet he would certainly become a powerful spell caster. Maybe even become a high mage like his grandmother.

He fell asleep imagining himself slinging bolts of lightning at Vitru soldiers, capturing princesses and flying in the sky with dragons.

**************************

Sorin was awakened by one of Sola’s butlers. Sorin couldn’t remember the man’s name, the steel choker on the butler’s neck meant that he was a slave. Sola had many slaves, and switched through them frequently. As such Sorin didn’t bother to learn any of their names.

“Young master Sorin, mistress Sola requests your presence in the gardens,” the butler said.

Sorin simply nodded, got up and went to wash himself up. Afterwards he went to the gardens to meet his grandmother. When he walked outside he noted that dawn was only just arriving, he had a few hours for the Black Tower’s caravan to come into town.

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As Sorin entered the gardens he saw Sola making out with one of her slaves. Sorin coughed to let them know of his presence.

            Sola separated from her slave and glanced at Sorin, “Leave us slave, I need to speak to my grandson.”

            “As you wish mistress,” the man said as he left.

Once he left, Sola sat down on one of the stone benches, she patted the seat next to her. Sorin obeyed and sat down.

            “Grandmother what did you wish to speak to me about?”

Sola looked out at the garden, she glanced at all the different flowers before she answered. “My grandfather made the ten rules of power. Do you know why, Sorin?”

            Sola was always like this, she’d ask a question that Sorin did not know the answer to and then she would proceed to explain it to him.

“No, grandmother I do not know why,” he played along.

“My grandfather made the ten rules of power by observing the world around him. You see, my grandfather was born when the kingdoms of Vitru and Zance were one. He became a spell caster in the midst of the civil war that created both kingdoms. As he was training to fight the Vitru spell casters he learned many things. And though he only ever achieved the rank of mage, he was so cunning and shrewd that he obtained a place on the Obsidian Council.”

            Sorin was surprised. He had of course heard of the exploits of his great great grandfather but, he hadn’t known that the man had been on the Obsidian Council.

            “You see, Sorin, my grandfather accomplished such incredible feats because he abided by certain rules.”

            “The ten rules of power,” Sorin said in understanding.

Sola smiled, “He would later name them this, yes. The rules of power are meant to help us achieve greatness no matter the costs. For example, do you know why the third rule is to never show cowardice?”

            “Because you don’t wish to look like a fool?” Sorin answered uncertainly.

            “No, because cowardice shows others an image of weakness. And if people think you have a weak spot then their willing to plot against you to exploit that weakness and with enough plotters, anyone can be backstabbed and killed.”

Sorin looked down in understanding, “I see.”

            “You must always obey these rules, Sorin. I know I may have not taught you enough about them but, there is no more time.”

Sola grabbed Sorin’s shoulder, “In a few hours you will be heading to the Black Tower and by nightfall you will have arrived. There is no turning back once you enter that school. It will be life and death there, the strong and the weak.”

            “I know grandmother, but I’m prepared for whatever comes my way,” Sorin said in confidence.

            Sola smiled, “No, you’re not. But you will have an advantage over some of the students. I wasn’t able to teach you how to manipulate your mana because you were too young, but I did teach you the theory of mana and casting.”

            It was true, since Sola had found out that Sorin had mana, she had trained Sorin in the logical aspects of mana for the past eight years. He knew how mana worked, all he needed now was to put it into practice.

            Sola stood up, “Sorin, I gained this mansion, wealth, slaves, and my magical prowess from trying to gain as much power as I could, from climbing over my friends and enemies alike. And I succeeded; you would be wise to do the same.”

            Sorin looked at his grandmother. Even though she was 78 years old, thanks to her vocation in healing spells she looked to be in her mid-forties. She was a high mage and the most skilled healer in all of the kingdom of Zance. She was well respected and held great influence. She had obtained power and so would he.

            “Sorin what is the number one rule?”

“That power is never given, it must be seized for oneself and never let go,” Sorin repeated from memory.

            “Correct,” Sola nodded, “My daughter was born without any mana, but you Sorin. You were born with great potential and a cunning mind just waiting to be released. You are the protégé that I always wanted. You’ll achieve greater feats than I. Avoid weakness and focus on the growth of your power, only then will you surpass the other students of the Black Tower.”

            “I will not disappoint you grandmother,” Sorin said as he stood up.

            “Good, now let us get some breakfast and head to the Tower’s caravan.”

**************************

Low mage Arcon breathed a sigh of relief. They had arrived in the town of Toira. He wouldn’t have to sit in that blasted saddle any longer. He could relax while the rest of the caravan settled down.

            “I’m first going to get a drink and then sleep in the best inn they have,” he said happily.

            “I don’t think you’ll get the chance Arcon.”

Arcon glanced at his fellow low mage, Diana.  They had both been riding for hours and were tired.

            “What do you mean I won’t get the chance?” Arcon asked dreading the answer.

            “Well, first of all, we have been behind schedule for the last couple of towns we’ve visited and because Toira is the last town we have to visit before returning to the Tower we must make this stop quick. Not to mention the test was supposed to take place two hours ago.”

            “What, so we have to go and do the tests right now?” Arcon asked in disbelief.

            “Exactly,” Diana sighed.

*******************

They eventually came to the town hall where the test was supposed to take place. As they entered Arcon and Diana both saw dozens of children and their parents waiting. Recognizing the black robes of the Tower’s spell casters, everyone turned towards them.

            Arcon pulled out the sensor orb as Diana shouted, “Alright everyone, get in a single line. If you try to cut or create a ruckus you will automatically be rejected. If you pass please move to the left. If you fail please move to the right. If you fail and try to cause a problem you will be dealt with accordingly.” Diana lifted her arm and mist began to form around her hand.

            The crowd got in a line and the test began. The test was quite simple. The sensor orb was placed on a stand. The orb would sense the mana in a person’s hand and would glow soon after being in contact with the mana. If it glowed the person would pass and be accepted as a student into the tower. If it didn’t glow, they would fail, simple as that.

            The first person came up he placed his hand on the orb, nothing. He frowned and asked to try again, Diana lifted her hand and the man quickly moved away. The process repeated several times, most people failed. But, here and there, some of the youths were able to make the stone glow briefly. Finally a youth walked up to the stand. He had brown hair and soft, blue eyes, sweat trickled down the side of his face. He was nervous, his mother, Arcon assumed it was his mother, placed her hand on the youth’s shoulder.

            The youth swallowed, “I’m ready.” Arcon sighed inwardly; he just wanted this all to be over.

            The youth placed his hand on the orb, it stayed as dark as ever, with no light showing at all. The boy scrunched his eyebrow in concentration but, nothing happened. As Arcon was about to say that the boy had failed, the orb began to glow.

            Arcon was surprised. “You pass, please move to the left,” said Diana.

            The youth smiled in relief and hugged his mother. Arcon was happy for the boy, he had looked so nervous but he had passed in the end. As the mother pulled the youth away he looked behind and said “Sorin, I did it!”

            “Yes, well done Matt,” a soft voice spoke.

A young man walked up to the stand. He was different from the rest. His hair was so dark that Arcon thought he could see tints of blue. He had olive skin and his eyes were a dark gray. The people of Toira were of lighter features. But it was how the boy held himself that made him stand out.

            The rest of contestants had been scared, nervous, or wishful. But this one, he held a confidence in his walk, but he wasn’t cocky like some. There was no pride in his eyes, just a certainty and a look of hunger, like a wolf about to pounce.

            Sorin briefly placed his hand on the orb and then began walking towards the left.

            “H-hey, the orb didn’t glow, you didn’t pass the test,” said Arcon.

            Sorin ignored the comment and continued to walk. Diana went to stop him but then the orb suddenly flared with light.

            Arcon and Diana both stared at the orb. Sola stood by the two surprised low mages.

 “He injected mana into the orb instead of waiting for the orb to sense his mana on its own,” Sola grinned, “I didn’t know he could already do that.”