Chapter 11: Trial by Fire

Chapter 10

Trial by Fire

June gathered her books and headed down the hall to her room. June entered the room and shut the door behind her. Sealing it with a pulse of her mana, she sat down on the cold floor, spell books open ahead of her. Her sword sat in its scabbard on the bed.

So many questions, and too much uncertainty, still rang in her head. “It’s been what, five days? What am I doing here?” she questioned to no one, as she thought over the events of the past few days. Learning about this world was frustratingly slow, and Bullin had intentionally been lying to her, that much she could see.

Resolute, June committed to finding a path out of this mess, even if just out of spite.

She perused the larger of the spell tombs for a bit, before choosing a few Death spells to study more in-depth. With a practiced hand, she inscribed the complex mix of lines, boxes and spirals. Thick and thin strokes alike mixed into a tapestry of magic. The gentle steadiness of charcoal scratching onto parchment was pleasantly distracting, helping to keep doubts from festering in her mind.

As June studied her gathered texts, she learned two new spells: Hex and Shadow Spear. Shadow Spear was the basic Tier 1 Death Mana equivalent to her Fire Bolt. Hex was a bit more unique. The spell enveloped the target in necromantic bindings, sapping their life force. June wanted to try out her new spells, but she didn’t have a target. Several experimental casts left scorch marks and latent Death Mana around her room.

After repeated casting attempts, June’s movements and thoughts were sluggish. She retrieved the small vial of a mysterious cerulean concoction in her desk. Before uncorking it, she flared Mana Sense to get some details. 

 

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