Page 99 of Magic in My Bones

Dorian's brow furrowed in thought. “We'll need to find a way to release them properly, to guide them to the afterlife they deserve. It will take time and care, but it's the right thing to do.”

Rowan nodded in agreement, their eyes soft with compassion. “They've suffered enough. We'll make sure they find peace.”

I clutched the Chain to my chest, a fierce protectiveness welling up inside me. “I want to help,” I said firmly.

Dorian put a gentle hand on my shoulder. “And you will, Ren.”

I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. The weight of what we had just faced settled heavily upon me, but beneath it, a flicker of pride sparked to life. I had faced my demons—both literal and metaphorical—and emerged on the other side. Battered, bruised, but unbroken.

Dorian's arms tightened around me, his lips brushing the top of my head in a gesture of comfort and affection. “Rowan, will your spell hold on him long enough to get us back to the academy?”

Rowan considered for a moment before nodding. “I’ll have to hold on to him, but yes. I can hold him as long as you need.”

“Then let's go home,” Dorian said softly, his fingers intertwining with mine. His use ofhome—not back to the academy or to my cottage, but simplyhome—made my heart swell. After everything we'd faced, that's what we'd builttogether: a home. “I think we could both use a quiet evening with tea and each other.”

I couldn't agree more.

33

Breaking the Chain

Dorian

The necropolis was alightin the glow of a thousand candles, casting long shadows. Teachers and students alike had gathered to witness the once in a lifetime event.

I stood at the heart of the crowd, the weight of my black robes a steady, familiar presence, grounding me in the sacred ritual. Ren’s fingers slipped into mine and he looked up at me with a confident smile.

Pride filled my chest as I looked at Ren. Even in this solemn moment, his touch grounded me, reminding me of everything we'd overcome together. This remarkable young man had overcome so much. In the soft, flickering candlelight, his dark eyes gleamed with a quiet strength, reflecting the courage and resilience that had carried him to this pivotal moment. I thought back to the shy, uncertain boy I had first met, and marveled at how far he had come. Now, standing tall and confident, he was no longer just a student; he was a necromancer in his own right, a force to be reckoned with.

As we stood together, hands clasped, I couldn’t help but marvel at the bond between us. It was a connection forged in the crucible of shared trials, shaped by mutual understanding and unspoken trust. Ren had become more than a pupil; he was my partner, my confidant, my kindred spirit. In his presence, I had discovered a depth of connection I had never imagined possible.

In the warmth of his smile, I saw a future unfolding before us, and it was one filled with love, hope, and endless possibilities. A future that we would walk together, side by side, as equals, as companions, and as something even more.

The murmur of the crowd faded into a reverent hush as Dean Blackwood stepped forward, her austere features softened by the gentle glow of the candles. She surveyed the assembled throng, her gaze lingering on each face, as if to impress upon us the gravity of the moment.

“We gather here tonight,” she began, her voice a rich, sonorous alto that carried across the necropolis, “to bear witness to the end of an era, and the dawn of a new age. The Chain of Echoes, an artifact of immense power and terrible consequence, has long cast a shadow over our hallowed halls. Its whispers have haunted the dreams of the unwary, its promises have tempted the ambitious, and its curse has claimed the lives of the innocent.”

“But tonight,” Dean Blackwood’s voice grew stronger, imbued with a quiet but undeniable power, “we come together not only to honor those who came before us, but to end this cycle of darkness. As mages, we do not just wield power. We carry the weight of responsibility. It is not enough to possess magic; we must guard it with unwavering resolve. We must ensure that it is never used for destruction, but for healing, for protection, and to preserve the delicate balance of life itself.”

She raised her hands, her words carrying an unspoken intensity. “In the face of darkness, it is easy to turn away, toblind ourselves to the suffering and corruption that lingers in the world. It is even easier to convince ourselves that evil is someone else’s burden, something distant and out of reach. But to ignore it, to turn our backs on the truth, is to give it power, to let it grow unchecked. As mages, we are called not only to wield our magic, but to stand resolute against the forces that seek to tear us apart. We are not here for selfish gain or fleeting glory. We are here to protect the vulnerable, to safeguard the sanctity of life and death, and to honor the natural order that binds us all. This is why the first tenet of magic is: do no harm. And why the second is: power exists to protect the many, not serve the needs of the few.”

Her words struck a deep chord within me, reverberating through my very soul. I thought of the countless souls I had crossed paths with over the years. Restless spirits yearning for peace, for justice, for release. I thought of the weeping widows, the grieving parents, the lost and broken hearts searching for solace in the voices of the departed. And in that moment, a quiet certainty settled in my core: this was my calling, my sacred duty.

Dean Blackwood's eyes sparkled with a glimmer of warmth, a flicker of hope that danced like the candlelight around us. “Yet, in our steadfast pursuit of justice, we must never lose sight of the joy that life brings, the beauty that exists in the world around us. It is in the laughter of a child, the blossoming of spring flowers, the tender embrace of a loved one. These are the moments that remind us of what we fight for, the precious gift of life itself.”

As Dean Blackwood spoke, I felt Ren's hand tighten in mine, a silent affirmation of the truth in her words. I glanced at him, my heart swelling with a fierce, protective love. In Ren, I saw the embodiment of everything we stood for—courage in the face of adversity, compassion in the midst of suffering, and an unshakable determination to make the world a better place.

Dean Blackwood's voice softened, taking on a more intimate tone. “And so, as we gather here tonight, let us remember the lessons of the past, the sacrifices of those who came before us. Let us honor their memory not with sorrow, but with a renewed commitment to the values they held dear. Let us stand together, united in our purpose, and let our magic be a beacon of hope in the darkness.”

With a graceful motion, Dean Blackwood lifted the Chain of Echoes from its resting place. The silver links glimmered in the candlelight, the arcane runes etched upon its surface pulsing with an eerie, otherworldly glow. A hush fell over the crowd as she began to chant, her voice rising and falling in an ancient, haunting melody.

I watched in awe as tendrils of silvery light began to emanate from the chain, twisting and curling like ethereal smoke. They danced and swirled, growing in size and brilliance until they filled the necropolis with an unearthly glow. The light was so pure, so radiant, that it seemed to wash away the shadows, banishing the darkness that had long haunted these hallowed grounds.

And then, one by one, the spirits began to emerge. They rose from the chain like stars breaking free from the confines of a celestial jar, their luminous forms shimmering with an iridescent beauty that took my breath away. Some were no more than wisps of light, delicate and ephemeral, while others took on more distinct shapes.

As they drifted upwards, the spirits began to sing a melody so hauntingly beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes. Their voices blended in a symphony of joy and sorrow, love and loss, hope and remembrance. A song of freedom and celebration.

As I watched them ascend, their luminous forms growing ever more distant, a profound sense of peace settled over me. It was as if, in this moment, all the pain and suffering they hadendured, all the unfinished business and lingering regrets that had tethered them to this world, were finally being laid to rest.

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