5 AS

The teleportation courtyard beside the Terrace Mage Academy was buzzing with an energy beyond magical. Scarlet robed mages moved about, checking the spellwork inlaid in silver into tall pillars of magicite, or going over the inscriptions set into the magically smooth courtyard itself.

Typhonus stood with the group around the centerpiece, the massive red crystal that had been brought fourteen feverish months ago. The crystal had been carefully carved, each surface meticulously tested. This was to be the main node for Eastern Ryode and was the first node created in centuries.

Looking down at the tome floating in front of him, Typhonus nodded in satisfaction. Everything seemed to be ready. All those sleepless nights studying and testing, even creating tiny personal nodes. All that sacrifice was about to pay off. Long distance teleportation would allow the various city states and settlements to connect again, once they were hooked into the new node. Specialty goods, at least small ones, could be easily and quickly transported. Bigger shipments would have to wait until they could assure the load on the node.

Waving everyone back from the crystal, he gave it a fond pat before joining the group. Concentrating for a moment, he summoned a signal flare, the light popping into place before him, hovered for a moment, then streaked overhead.

The flare burst and chanting filled the air. Each mage was surrounded by rings of energy, spells woven on the air that slowly settled to their feet. Many rings combined, weaving themselves into complex shapes that reached out to the pillars and crystal.

Light flooded the courtyard as the spellwork on the pillars ignited a luminous blue. A moment later the crystal bloomed with inner fire, cascading red light until the courtyard seemed bathed in purple light.

Typhonus continued to chant, guiding the magic of two dozen mages, feeling that power pouring into the crystal, having already filled the pillars. Sweat beaded on his brow, long hair sticking to his forehead. With a grown he directed the final portion of the spell.

A deep hum thrummed in the air, mixed with the panting of mages as they ceased their chanting. The crystal began to pulse with light, each pulse releasing a ring of magical energy made of intricate spellwork, rotating in opposite circles from each other.

Soon the circles grew to envelop the pillars then the courtyard, shining brighter with each pulse. Typhonus squeezed his eyes shut, then had to shield them with his hand. It was almost painful.

Suddenly the light seemed to shatter into a shower made of lines of magic that settled onto the matching carvings in the courtyard. The tolling of a heavy bell hung in the air until the last bit of light faded.

For a moment all was still, a pregnant silence hanging over everyone. Typhonus cracked his eyes open, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw the teleportation crystal gently glowing a rich crimson. He let out a whoop, quickly followed by cheers from the surrounding mages.

Turning to his fellows, he clapped shoulders and clasped forearms. All those years of work, finally realized. A tear trailed down his cheek as he smiled. This would be a fitting memorial for his friends.

A ringing chime cut through the air. Typhonus whipped his head back to the crystal. An incoming teleportation? How? No one was scheduled to test the matrix until tomorrow!

Light coalesced into a pillar that pierced to the sky, only a few feet wide. Seconds later the light collapsed, revealing a staggering man with short hair and scarlet robes. One of the nearby mages stepped forward to help the man, only for him to straighten and grab the mage’s robes with both hands.

“We need to get to Central! We have to bring them aid before it’s too late!”

Most of the mages looked at the man with wide eyes. The man shook the mage he held, repeating himself before collapsing in a coughing fit, held up only by his grip.

Typhonus hurried over, wrapping an arm around the man. “Easy man, easy. I’m afraid it’s far too late for Central. It sank over five years ago.”

The man looked up into Typhonus’s eyes, drawing a gasp from the mage. “But… I was just there! What do you mean 5 years, Ty?”

Typhonus couldn’t speak for a second. When he finally pulled himself together, he pulled the man into a tight hug.

“Ty, what’s going on?”

Pulling himself back to look at the man who had suddenly returned from the dead, Typhonus replied, “I’m not sure, but it looks like we’ve got a lot to talk about, Marcus.”

***

“That’s a lot to take in, Ty.”

The two sat in Typhonus’s study, which was a bit more crowded than Marcus remembered. The Academy too, given how many had been lost to the Leyline Project. Or The Sundering, as it seemed to be called. He expected the place to be almost empty, even with five years having gone by. Even with the explanation of how the recruiting had gone it was a bit much to take in.

Marcus watched his friend swirl a glass of wine. The man never seemed to actually drink but always poured himself a glass when entertaining. Marcus took a sip from his own glass before putting it down on a side table, although he had to move a few things first to make room for it.

Looking over at him from over his glass, Typhonus replied, “It’s not as bad as it sounds, given the five years that it all took place in. I’m sure you’ll fit right back in here at the Academy.”

Leaning back in the chair, Marcus nodded. “That’s not what worried me, Ty. The Academy is the Academy. It’s what you’ve told me about the city that concerns me.”

“Which part?”

“All the recruitment, for one. The blaming of the Majestix for everything for the other.” Marcus shook his head. “I doubt the Majestix had anything to do with it, at least from what I could see while I was there. I know there were many killed by the rupturing Leylines. Seems stupid and if there was one thing that can be said about the cats is that they’re anything but.”

Typhonus lowered his wine glass to his lap, holding it with both hands. “We both know that. I bet most mages know that. But the people are convinced. Not that it really matters. The only Majestix left on Eastern Ryode are in their settlement to the south, near the swamps of the Ra’shan.” He sighed. “We haven’t had any contact with them for years either.”

Marcus shook his head, absently reaching out to sense if anyone was nearby. Finding them all alone, he said, “I don’t know, Ty. Something just feels off…” He trailed away with another shake of his head, then reached for his glass, finishing it off with a gulp.

“Well, enough of that. Let’s go see if I still have quarters or if I’ll be sleeping at your place tonight!”

***

“Get back here and take your beating!”

Marcus and Typhonus paused as the shout echoed down the corridor. While the Academy had become much livelier over the past year, yelling in the hall wasn’t exactly common.

Two bodies hurtled around a corner, shadows flaring wildly around them. Marcus had enough time to recognize the two boys who seemed to visit Ty on a regular basis, before they sped past with breathless apologies and expressions of terror. He had just turned to watch them when another body thundered into the corridor.

Several large stones roasted around the girl’s head and a coating of rock seemed to be encasing her hands. Her scarlet robes also appeared to be covered in a buffet of foodstuffs.

With another yell, she flung her hands forward, sending the stones racing down the hall at the retreating boys. Boys on the other side of one Marcus.

Marcus’s eyes went wide before he had the thought to teleport out of the way of the rocks. This unfortunately put him into the path of the girl, the two crashing to the floor in a tangle of robs and limbs. There was a squeak from the girl as she landed atop him, his own response cut off for lack of air.

It took a moment to disentangle themselves, the girl sputtering apologies the entire time. Marcus tried to reassure her while checking to make sure she wasn’t hurt. He was pretty sure he was going to be bruised from the girl’s hands. Glancing over, he caught his so-called friend struggling not to laugh.

“Young lady, peace. Accidents happen, especially when magic is involved.” Brushing off his robes, he noticed that some of the food had managed to transfer from one mage to another. Extending his hand, he recalled one of his favorite spells with a snap of his fingers.

Rings of magic spread from his robes, hanging in the air for a moment before fading into sparkles of light, revealing newly cleaned robes. He smiled to himself, then turned to see the girl looking at him with wide blue eyes.

“How’d you do that?”

Marcus looked down at his robes, then back up at the girl. “Well, it’s just a matter of making the robes remember what it’s like to be clean and giving it the magic to do so. Simple really.”

Typhonus grunted. “Simple for you maybe.”

Marcus looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow, then turned to see the girl gazing down at her robes, trying to snap her rock covered fingers, a scowl on her lips.

“Perhaps there is a bit more to it.” Marcus shook his head, then concentrated a moment, focusing on the sympathy between his robes and hers. Drawing on that similarity, he did a quick mental calculation, tweaked the spell slightly, then snapped his fingers.

The foodstuff seemed to jump from her robes, vanishing in mid flight. A squeal escaped the girl, who spun around clapping with a thunk thunk, her braid swinging free. “You are so teaching me that spell!”

Marcus raised his eyebrow at the girl. “Oh? Your own studies have so much free time?”

She had the courtesy to blush, though she grinned impishly at him. “Maybe not yet, but I’ve only been at it for a year. Just you watch! I’ll zoom through my classes and then you’ll have to teach me because you’ll see how amazing I am!” She straightened up, planning her hands on her hips. A wince told him she’d forgotten their stone coating.

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Resisting a chuckle, Marcus nodded. “In that case, young lady, you can find me when you’re ready. My name’s Marcus.”

Stone crumbled to the floor as she released her spell, reaching out to shake his hand. “I’m Hanna!” A moment later she seemed to remember her original purpose and excused herself to dart down the hall, braid bouncing behind her.

Marcus watched her go. “Did we have that much energy at that age?”

Typhonus shook his head. “I don’t think we had that much energy together.”

***

The man looked cross-eyed down at the blades held at his throat, his own sword far out of position. He held there for a moment before letting his sword drop. THe blades released him, returning to their owner’s sheaths. With an abbreviated salute, the man took his leave, shouldering past the audience.

Palcon watched him go with a sigh. A year with few defeats had not endeared him to the other men in his training group. At least the veterans had embraced him, looking beyond his age to the skills imparted unto him by Mother and the Arms Master. Several of those veterans came over to congratulate him on his latest win, the last he needed to advance out of training.

“Good timing, Palcon. You’re mine now and we’ve got work to do. Crowd control.”

Palcon looked over at Captain Travis. The man had been practically stalking him since the first sparring match. Now it looked like he got what he wanted.

Suppressing a sigh, he followed behind the man, joining with the other men of the squad, many of whom he recognized from the crowds at his sparring matches. Exchanging nods, he settled into place.

They moved into a trot, quickly crossing the city in a clatter of spears and sheaths and the creak of leather. Soon they reached the courtyard of the palace, working their way through a crowd to the palace steps. There they joined the Palace Guard forming a cordon keeping people from entering.

As he settled into position, he watched more people join the crowd. It seemed like most of the city was turning out for whatever this was. He wondered if his family was somewhere in that pressing mass of humanity. At least no one was trying to push against the line. They all seemed to be looking at something over his head.

Wasn’t there another name for the courtyard? Audience something or other? Whatever was going to happen, he hoped it started soon.

***

Speaker Brightheart peeked through the curtains blacking the balcony, his smile wide as he took in the crowd. The other Speakers had done a wonderful job spreading the word for this audience. The reports on the readiness of the city said everything was at its peak and that today was the best time.

Pulling back from the curtain, he turned his smile to his friend, King Xius. “They are ready, my King. The people have been prepared. Our forces have doubled. We have more harvest in store than we could possibly use and more coming in every day.

“We are ready for this. The moment we dreamed of all those years ago. The next step towards greatness for mankind.”

King Xius straightened his robes one last time, nodding at his image in the mirror. “You and your fellow Speakers have done well to bring us to this point. One day, future generations will look back on this moment as one of the pivotal events in history.”

The King took a few steps over and placed his hands on Brightheart’s shoulders. A brief squeeze and a smile, then he was through the curtains.

Brightheart listened to the crowd’s roaring cheer as the King made his appearance.

All was going according to plan.

***

“Our world has changed. Five years ago, The Sundering was the most catastrophic event in history. Thousands died. Settlements were destroyed. Ryode itself rent asunder, splitting us from our friends in the west.

“And yet we of Terrace have grown stronger, emerging from the furnace of adversity to a prosperity greater than we have ever known! Our farms alone have been blessed with a fertility that surpasses all others. The granaries are full and no one goes hungry in the city.”

King Xius looked out over his people, pausing a moment to lean on the stone railing of the balcony. There was nodding heads and a general murmur of agreement. He pressed on.

“For all our fortune, we stand alone, more alone than ever before. Over the centuries, we were under the so-called guidance of the Majestix.”

The murmurs changed tone, growing slightly darker. King Xius adopted a grave expression. “Where have they been for the past five years? Where was their guidance? Their aid? Their support? They have abandoned us and thus their self proclaimed authority over us.

“Long have they forbidden human settlements from joining together. Even those settlements nearby have been forbidden from joining our Kingdom.

“They can no longer forbid us anything!”

He thrust his arms into the air to a roar from the crowd. A smile grew on his lips. “My people, the time has come for humanity to unite. With our endless harvests we can help every other settlement on Ryode and bring them into the family. Together our wealth and fortunes, our families and industries will continue to grow. Together we will form a force unmatched in the world.

“We will drive out the monsters, making this land safe for all humans, so that no parent must fear for a child, nor child mourn a parent. We will build roads to bring settlements together, and our mages will expand our teleportation network throughout the land.

“Today, we take the first step towards a united humanity. Today, the Empire of Man is born!”

***

“That was exciting.”

Palcon looked away from the dispersing crowd, considering the Captain. The man’s smile was wide and his eyes seemed to glitter with passion. “Any idea what it means for the Guard, Captain?”

“Word is that we’ll be accompanying the Speakers as they bring the good news to the settlements and city-states. We’ll be on protection detail mostly, though there should be plenty of opportunities for monster hunting, especially as we get further from Terrance and the patrols.”

Palcon nodded, returning his gaze to the thinning crowd. Growing the new empire would make Terrace safer, and slaying monsters was the duty of any guard, one he hadn’t expected so soon. Finally a chance to put his training to proper use, rather than fighting other people. “Times are definitely changing. I wonder what Mother and Father think…”

***

Dallon sat in the study, his wife, Annamarie, seated beside him. He looked across the room at his guests, two mages from the Academy, only one of which he knew. “Typhonus, thank you for accepting my invitation. It’s been too long since we last met. Who is your friend?”

Typhonus smiled and gestured to the man next to him. “This is Marcus, magical prodigy and long time friend.”

Dallon nodded a greeting to the man, then settled back in his seat. While he’d worked with Typhonus in the past, this other mage was new to him. The name at least he recognized and from what he’d heard seemed a good enough man. For now, he would trust Typhonus’s judgment.

“Gentlemen, I trust you’ve heard the proclamation from our new Emperor? Good. I would have your thoughts before sharing my own.”

The two mages looked at each other for a moment, seemed to confer, then returned their attention forward, with Typhonus leading. “While we weren’t expecting the Empire announcement, there had been rumors of expansion. Between the extra guards and a focus on combat mages, it was originally thought to be a monster hunting expedition. A lot of the reagents used by some mages come from a variety of creatures that used to be brought in from other parts of the world. The Sundering really dealt us a blow in some areas of research as our supplies ran out.”

Marcus added, “With the restoration, or at least the beginning of a new teleportation network, we figured it was only a matter of time before teams were sent out.”

Dallon nodded. “That aligns with what we’d heard around the city. Still, I don’t think I like where this could head. What happens when one of the settlements decides to not join the Empire? Some have been around even longer than Terrace.”

Annamarie gave him a look before adding, “There are quite a few mixed settlements as well, especially along the Silverspine Mountains or down towards the swamps. The sentiment in the city has become decidedly hostile towards non-humans. Even the slavards had to be moved to patrols to prevent people getting hurt attacking them.”

Typhonus spoke up. “There isn’t anything we can do about it. The people are excited for the Empire, at least the mages we’ve spoken to are.” Marcus nodded alongside him.

Dallon shook his head with a sigh. “There is nothing to do now but watch and prepare.” He stood, taking a few hobbling steps to the bookshelf, not really seeing the books as his gaze reached mentally beyond it.

“I can’t point to anything specific, but something doesn’t feel right.” He turned to regard his guests. “My family has been protecting Terrace for hundreds of years. Typhonus, yours for almost as long. Marcus, I may not know your story, but Typhonus does and I trust him.

“Something is coming. Something dark.”

Making his way back to stand beside his wife, he rested a hand on her shoulder, where she covered it with her own calloused hand.

“We will protect Terrace, even from herself if needed.”