Jason had just returned from his swords training. It was seventh day. He had just finished showering and opened his door. It was like his and Alex’s middle room had become a common room. Not only was Sophie, Eloise and Kyler there, so was Leo. It seemed like he had become a regular. Standing in the doorway, feeling their eyes on him, he became aware of his state of undress. He was naked from the waist up, thankfully his bottom half was covered. He dashed into his room and slammed the door shut. He could hear the laughter behind him.

Now fully dressed he come into full room. Seeing him come out they burst into laughter again. Alex could barely talk. “Giving us a show, huh”. Jason gave him a light smack on the head for that. He sat down, somehow there was a free chair. The girls were opposite him and blushed remembering his display.

“So, why is everyone in here?”. He was curious to know. Leo waved his hand in the direction of the girls. “They gathered up here, ask them”.

Jason turned back to the girls and raised an eyebrow. They giggled. Kyler pulled out some letters and through them on the table. Jason reached forward and grabbed the one with his name on it.

“I’ll save you the trouble of reading it”, Kyler’s soft voice told him. He took the letter anyway. “So?” he inquired. She cleared he throat. “My parents are having a party, and I get too choose some people I wish to bring”. Jason was confused, “A party, what for?”. Alex snorted, “A party for mages and people of importance”. Jason’s stomach sunk; he was terrible with Nobles. Lucas was an example. But his friends would be there.

“When is it?”. He saw the others sigh, “What, why are you sighing”. Alex grinned again. “Well, we know you are”, he licked his lips, “a bit bad with Nobles and alike”. Jason sunk into his chair; he couldn’t deny the accusations.

“And you may not have the right clothes”. Sophie added. Jason frowned; he was being attacked from all sides. “I can dress just fine” he snapped. They all snickered. “For a Noble party? I think not”. Leo added. Eloise took pity on him, “Come on let’s go, that is why we are here”. Jason sprang up, “To make sure I dress nice at a party, and again when is it”. Kyler shook her head, “Not just that, the rest of us as well, and next week”. So, week nine Jason made a mental note. Then they were off the merchant district.

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The Nobles of the kingdom were rich, and they needed a way to spend their money and show off their status. So, the Nova kingdom had a great many shops. This included clothes. Jason stood surrounded by clothes. Clothes for everyday life, clothes for dinner, for formal occasions and most importantly for him, clothes for parties.

The girls had broken off from them and went to a different section of the shop aimed at females. They boys played around while they waited for a helper.

“What do you think of Kyler, Jason?”. Alex asked the question with a devilish smile on his face. Jason choked. “What?”. Alex repeated the question. Jason thought of what he did think of Kyler. She was good-looking, he liked her light violet hair and her slightly pointed ears, which stemmed from her Elf heritage. He knew she used the nature element; she was a nice person who had a beautiful voice. One which he could listen to all day.

“mmm, she’s nice”, he purposely left the answer vague. Then the helper came, taking Alex away and letting Jason off.

Jason stared at himself in the mirror. He looked good. At first the helper had given some traditional mage garbs, but they were just not right for Jason. Robes didn’t go well with him. He had then been given some electric blue shirt with a charcoal grey jacket. His pants were also grey. The helper had given him a black cape as well, which Jason hesitantly took. It would not be the best outfit to fight in, but hopefully he wouldn’t be doing much of that.

He put his normal clothes back on and placed his cloths into a bag. Going to the front of the shop he saw the rest with similar bags. The helper methodically took each bag and counted.

“Six gold and eleven silver please”. Jason eyes bulged at the amount; he wasn’t sure he could pay for his cloths.

But Kyler stepped up and pulled the amount from a wallet. She took it without a blink of an eye. As if it was normal it pay the cost of a room for a year for fancy clothes. She also paid some people to take it back to the tower.

Jason had reached into his pocket and started pulling out silver. Trying to pay her, he stuttered, “I have some more”. She flashed him a smile and shook her head. “It’s alright, I brought this so you could come after all”. Jason took this, but still thought of ways to repay her.

“Ok, I’ll teat you all to some drinks then”. They others looked happy at this.

The owner of the inn was happy to see him. They were escorted to the best seats and drinks flowed freely. The talked and chatted for a while and the midday sun, quickly travelled across the sky. Jason, following Alex’s question paid Kyler more attention. She in turn gave talked to him more. The others looked on, with smug looks on their faces.

The rest of the week passed quickly and then suddenly it was sixth day, and the day of the party. Jason donned his clothes and joined up with Alex and Leo, they made their way to Kyler’s house. Jason knew that Nobles had large houses, but he had never seen one up close. The size dwarfed his and his father’s house. The house had a small area for carriages to drop off their occupants. A servant took them through several halls, filled with paintings and podiums covered in medals and trophies.

Another man took their names and they were instructed to wait behind some other guest as the announcer yelled out names. It was their turn and Jason learned Leo’s last name.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Leo Vinesh second year mage, Alex Flameweaver and Jason Blackwood first year mages”. They were then pushed out into the main area. It was filled with people. Tables straining with food, lined the walls. Jason could see some guards dotted around the walls, but not much security that he could see. Some of the guest had looked at them when they entered, but their gaze had not lingered.

“Jason, you’re here”. Kyler’s familiar voice called through the general chatter of the room. Jason looked at her and his breath was lost. She had a deep violet dress to match her hair and eyes, her short hair was curled. Two sparkling earrings could be seen. Drifting in and out of her hair.

“Kyler”. He sputtered he didn’t know what to say. He looked at Alex for help who gladly took the conversation. They made their way over to the tables, Jason looked at the numerous arrays of drinking choose and grabbed one at random. It looked the most like wine at of the dizzying bright colours.

Several people made walked over to them, after all, they wanted to meet the host’s daughter and her friends. One in particular was different.

“Greetings, how are you?”. The woman was thin and short. Her short dress and great number of gems glittering on her made her look important to Jason, or at least rich, which was close to the same thing. Kyler answered for them, after a quick moment of silence.

“Good and you?”. The lady smiles and waved her hands back and forth. “Oh, you know how it is, all this talk of monsters and bandits, how dreary”. Her eyes surveyed the room and fell on Jason. “Oh, what a wonderful young man you are”. Jason nodded and smiled.

“A man of few words, what a wonder in this room”. He grinned. “Sometimes it’s best just to listen, my lady”. She nodded, “indeed, but I have come over here not just to meet such a wonder, the hosts would like to meet all off you”. She gestured over to a pair of people, with several around them.

Jason gulped, he was nervous about meeting Kyler’s parents, but he didn’t know why. He started walking with Alex and Leo, but the woman stopped them. “Only Jason”. They all frowned, and Jason made his way over to the parents of his friend.

He was noticed quickly, and a gap was made in the circle. Looking at the he could see that Kyler’s father was clearly half Elf. They greeted and introduced themselves.

“Hello, I have heard so much about you”. Kyler’s mother gushed. She was a beautiful woman; Jason could see were Kyler got it. She had brown hair, a smooth complexion and was covered in a red dress.

“My names is Mort Foresteye and this is my wife, Rikki, as she has said our daughter has told us much about you, Jason”. He wished he could melt into the ground as the group of Nobles focused on him.

“Only good things I hope sir”. He wasn’t sure how to address the man, so he went to what his father had told him. Mort, drew his head back and laughed, oddly the Nobles quickly joined in, and he stopped. His face turning back to stone.

“Oh yes. Only the best. I hear you have two elements?”. The Nobles, who had dismissed him looked back. Jason nodded, “Yes, lighting and darkness sir”. Mort nodded. Like it was the most normal thing in the world, the Nobles had eyebrows high on their faces.

“A demonstration then Jason if you will?”. Mort asked him. Jason could hardly refuse and raised his hand. Sparks arced off it. He then bent over and pulled at the shadows on the ground. Raising it up he created a pillar of shadows and then let it go. The shadows sunk back down, slowly. Mort clapped, so did the Nobles.

“They have no idea of what you did”. The ring said. Jason started. He had nearly forgotten of the ring, it usually said little when other people were around. Rikki pattered his shoulder, “What a wonderful display, thank you”. He nodded. Mort seeing his discomfit let him free, “Go” he pointed over to a distressed Kyler, clearly anxious. She wanted to know what her parents wanted with Jason. “My daughter seems worried”. As Jason turned to leave Mort leaned over and whispered in his ear

“I expect great things from you, Jason Blackwood”. He then leant back and started conversion with the other Nobles. Sweating Jason returned to the other. Kyler talked first.

“I am so sorry; I didn’t think my parents would interrogate you”. Jason waved her off and grabbing random drink, started chugging it. Placing the empty glass down he replied.

“Nar, it’s fine”. Kyler didn’t think so, but before she could voice her thoughts someone joined them. Lucas WhiteSage. Jason’s mood went from bad to worse. He remembered the last time he had talked to Lucas. How it had nearly killed him. Lucas looked over and saw them. A sneer filed his face as he meet Jason’s eyes. Lucas started coming over to them. Jason knew something would happen and started gathering his mana. His ring warmed.

“How did a filthy commoner like you get in here, snuck in did you”. Lucas went full on, right off the bat. Jason tried to keep himself calm. “I got an invitation, like everyone else”. Lucas snorted, his white hair shifting.

“Yeah right, did you bribe your way in, no you wouldn’t have the money”. A vein bulged on Jason’s face. Soon his fist would smack into Lucas’ face.

“Did you mother seduce a lord”. That was the last straw. Jason could barely take insults to himself, but his mother was off limits.

Taking the shadow from inside his clothes, he opened his fist. A blade made from shadow whirled around, like a razor. It was a new trick; Jason had learned while practising. In truth it did very little, it just looked intimidating. Lucas smiled like a shark.

“You want a repeat of last time commoner?”. People were starting to notice the two boys facing off. Those with mana, could feel the boy readying.

They both starting chanting at the same time, their yelling voices drawing all those who hadn’t noticed. The ground rippled and something, someone rose from the ground. A hand shot out and grabbed Jason’s wrist. His spell destroyed. He looked and saw a similar thing happen to Lucas.

Jason then recognised the man who popped up from the ground. It was the Arch Mage. He was wearing oddly brown robes. Jason looked at his face. The Arch Mages eyes had turned molten, filled with mana.

“Enough, this is not a place to fight, boys”. They both knew they stood no chance and submitted to the Arch Mage. The crowd that had gathered started talking among themselves. They too had recognized the Arch Mage. The Man nodded his head to the host and looked back at the boys.

“Now you shouldn’t use such spells here, ok?”. He frowned at them both and they nodded. “Well, thanks for making me drop by. Time for these boys to go home, I think”. No-one voiced any complaints. The ground rippled again and swallowed the three of them.

Jason gasped as he popped into his room. He head thumping. A moment ago, he had been at the party and now he was back at the tower. He staggered into the washroom, trying to understand what had happened.

“You are lucky to be alive, Jason”. It was the first time the ring used his actual name. Jason didn’t notice. His head was filled with pain. He had only made it back to his room when he collapsed. The ring screaming at him to get back up.

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The world burned; it was destroyed. Where a forest once filled the land. A wasteland corrupted the landscape. Army’s battled each other. Jason couldn’t make out the banners the armies had. Strange creatures sent blasts of magic down laying waste to a mountain range.

Strangest of all was a single man standing in front of a massive army. They charged at the man. He disappeared. A great dark portal opened under the army; they were swallowed by the hungry eyes that looked for more.

The land swirled and his vison changed. It was the man again, this time fighting another man. They yelled at each other and the storm above them broke as they clashed. Rain and lighting filled his vison and he knew no more.