Just like earlier the odd hallway had wood paneling with a green fur in the middle. Although the design of the whole place was questionable, it was consistent in its inconsistency. Differing from the entrance this hallway had an upward curve that brought me to another stone room, with doors opposite of me.

Looks exactly like the one from before…

Stepping out of the hallway it closed immediately. Now, for the second time in a day I was stuck in a cold, dark, stone room. However, instead of being forced to wait I had the feeling all I needed to do was open the door.

So, grimoire clutched to my chest, I grabbed a handle and pulled.

Instead of being greeted by the afternoon sun, I was surprised to see the sky was dark. Somehow, through the magic of the Repository I was back at the front entrance. But instead of apprehensively loud festivities, the area around the Repository was empty. No tents, streamers, or expectant townspeople. Instead, a single mage sitting on a horse awaited me.

Barden?

His eyebrows were furrowed and his beard looked like it had weathered much wind. He stared at the top of the repository still as a statue. His mouth pinched tight only furthered the confusion within me.

“Hello?” I asked cautiously.

Barden’s eyes were snapped from whatever trance he was in and flicked in my direction.

“Boy… Do you know how long you were in there?” He muttered both to himself and to me.

“I guess about an hour?”

“Three days.” Came his swift reply, eyes once again drifting off.

“No no, that’s not possible I’ve just seen you and all the others at most an hour ago…”

“Don’t waste my patience boy. I’ve only waited here because nobody is ever in a Repository that long.”

“O-okay.”

Not sure what to say next I waited for Barden to do something.

Looking around I realized the scene was quite ominous. It was late enough that no light came from the town and the Repository torches were out. The only thing illuminating the sky was the moon, casting silver rays down on Barden and I. Silver rays that made Barden’s figure cast in shadows.

“Show me the Grimoire.”

Gone was the annoyed and drunken tone I had heard an hour ago. Now his voice was that of steel, cold and unmoving.

“Tell me why I s-should.” I never liked confrontation… but when it mattered, I would stand up for myself.

“I am not trying to steal your grimoire!” He bellowed. “I am trying to help you. What you hold could very well change many fates.” He ended, face and tone softening.

Barden gently spurred his horse forward and reached out a hand.

I reluctantly handed over the Grimoire.

Barden raised it up to the moonlight and silently read the title. His pensive face went from serious to scared in a split second.

“No… This… No. Now?”

“What do you mean no?”

“Here? Him… Hm.” Barden gave no response for his rambling and just shook his head.

“What is your name?” He asked, finally looking at me.

“My name is Hurley, sir.”

“Well, Hurley, you’re coming with me. We have no time to waste so let’s get going.”

“What? No. What?” Came my shocked reply.

“Yes. Yes. Yes. Hopefully we can avoid the serpent seer in time...” Barden’s sarcastic voice was back already with his insistent pestering.

“What serpent seer? What is a serpent seer?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.”

“Way where?! I am going home not with you.”

“Home is no place for you to be anymore, Hurley.”

Before I could respond heatedly a sudden migraine throbbed within my head. Waves of pressure bounced around my mind but never seemed to find an escape.

“Barden what is this? Please make it stop…”

I felt dripping on my shirt and reached up to feel rivulets of blood flowing from my nose…

I looked up at Barden to see he looked equally in pain, features pinched as he held tightly to his horse’s reigns.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Identify (basic) skill has been used.

Spell: Increased Scrying Sight

The words flashed through my mind like a banner we would put up for the festivals, fluttering away.

What. Is. Happening.

My breathing accelerated as I fell to the ground. So much was happening around me. Minutes ago, I had been celebrating euphorically at the success of achieving a grimoire. Now I writhed on the ground as words flashed in my mind.

Dark blue threads whipped around me in a cris-crossing pattern. They wove around one another like pie crusts before expanding outward. As they finished lacing around each other I found the pain in my mind had dispersed.

Barden and his horse were also encompassed within the small bubble of magic he had apparently created. His grimoire looked like a glowing spiderweb with hundreds of blue threads fountaining out of it.

“Thought we would have more time than that. Guess it’s just your luck Hurley. I haven’t had to use this spell in a long time.”

“What…” I took a deep breath, “Was that.”

“That my young mage, was the Scrying Serpent.”

“And what is the Scrying Serpent?”

“Not what but who. The Scrying Serpent is a general to the great and powerful Beltar!” Barden said sarcastically, adding a less than appropriate gesture.

“Who in the six nations is Beltar?” I asked as my confusion multiplied by the minute.

Barden looked at me, paused, and looked at me again.

“I cannot tell if you are playing at being a comedian, or if you truly do not know?”

“Please, educate me.”

“Doesn’t matter how small a town is they still should have basic news of Eldoria… Well listen because I’ll have to give you the short version. Why? I have little time or energy to spend educating you. Beltar was once a powerful, powerful, mage who was cousin to the king. For many years Beltar was thought to be a simple mage who kept to himself and his interests. His Grimoire was that of infection, opposite to healing. This magic type, considered one of the uglier ones, provided an easy excuse for his introverted self. As royalty Beltar had access to a plethora of resources that, unbeknownst to all, fueled his magic…”

Barden paused for a moment and looked down, eyes appearing watery underneath the blue light.

“Seven months ago a black explosion took the west wing of the castle. An entire battalion’s worth of healers and knights rushed to the scene only to realize it wasn’t an explosion, it was an infection. By then it was too late and those close by were consumed. Commoners simply melted into the spreading chaos, adding to Beltars power. But mages? Those who were caught in the grip of Beltar’s magic were changed… Their flesh dispersed from their bodies, and the skeletons left behind began fighting against those still alive. We call them The Changed. In the aftermath of chaos Beltar attempted to strike at the royal family. The King’s royal guard defended him well, but his daughter, little Cassidy, was murdered. Through the pain and loss our great king rallied the remaining mages and pushed Beltar from the city. Since then, he has taken root in the Northeastern mountains, growing his army and infecting the lands. Got all that?”

Barden raised the hem of his sleeve and rubbed it across his face, brushing his hair back and simultaneously drying his tears.

“So, you mean to tell me that a powerful and evil mage has taken part of the Northeast and nobody can stop him?”

“I didn’t say nobody could stop him, boy. I said he was gathering power. But you needn’t stress about such things as the king has began halting his progress with earth, healing, and light mages.”

“Where does the Serpent Scryer come into this?”

“Yes, the reason for all this” he said waving his hand at the cocoon of dark colored magic.

“In the initial attack Beltar changed one of the king’s scrying men, Jonathan All-sight. After making him into one of The Changed Beltar has used Jonathan’s new form to spy on many Acceptances throughout the lands. Specifically looking for any magic type who could challenge Beltar. His Surveillance Grimoire is potent in it’s combination of both mind and vision magic, allowing him to quickly browse over those who appear interesting or not. What we have just experienced was one of his spells “Increased Scrying Sight”. At his power level it allows him to view into your very mind. Thankfully I am here and prevented it by pure concentration of my mana.”

“That’s… a lot. So I’m a threat to Beltar?”

“Yes, it is a lot. And no, you are not a threat but your magic type is. I shouldn’t have had to explain all of that to you but your bumpkin of a self is clearly not educated on current times.”

Ignoring the use of bumpkin, I thought back to when the title of the spell had flashed across my mind.

“Barden?”

“Hm?”

“When the Scrying Serpent Jonathan man was using that spell… I saw it in my mind. Do you know why that is?”

“It is probably a passive skill of yours. Check the back of your grimoire.” He handed me my Grimoire and watched as I opened it to the very back. There was another page I had missed before.

Passive Skills:

Identify (basic): Due to the user’s curiosity, this skill allows one to understand any spell they desire at a basic level.

“So, I just cast my first spell!”

“No, a passive skill means you don’t do really do anything, it just happens. It was probably activated because you had a desire to know what was going on.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, Oh. Now let’s see if that Serpent is still here…” Barden flipped to another page in his grimoire, somehow not disturbing the web of glowing lines.

Clasping his hands together, he murmured something before pulling them apart as if they’d been glued together. In between his hands a small blue speck began growing. At first it looked like a diamond. But as Barden pulled his hands further apart, the small crystal grew to be a hands length in size.

After a few moments of it hovering in front of him, Barden plucked it out of the air.

Now reaching above him he flicked his index finger to the right, causing a small patch of interwoven magic strands to move. He slipped the crystal out and then pulled his fist down.

A small pulse went out from the crystal in a spherical manner.

I focused on the crystal and attempted to activate the skill.

Spell: Sensing Mana Crystal

That wasn’t very helpful…

After minutes of waiting Barden clapped his hands together.

“Perfect, his magic is nowhere in the surrounding area. Time to go!”

“Barden I can’t just leave! I have to see my mom and tell Mr.Tucker I won’t be able to work for him.”

“We are not going on some childish adventure Hurley. Those people you just mentioned you love them, right?” I nodded. “What you and I just experienced is a fraction of the pain that would be inflicted upon them were we to stay. Imagine it, undead mages flooding this small town and slaughtering any and all signs of life. But if you manage to gather a single smidgen of courage, then we can get out of here and not inadvertently kill everyone. Sound acceptable to you?”

“O-okay. Yes. I’ll go with you but we need to stop my mother’s. She’s on the way out of here.”

For the first time a genuine smile appeared on Barden’s face.

“Sounds good, let’s do that.”

With a snap Barden closed his grimoire, eliminating his magic and plunging us back into inky darkness.

Extending his hand to me I got pulled up behind him, riding at full speed towards the Black Burn mountains. Soon I was going to leave home for the first time, now with an eccentric wizard and Grimoire that threatened one of the most powerful mages in the kingdom.