Page 160 of A Tower of Half-Truths
“The majority of it will be Ellice’s doing,” Alain said. “You’ll simply need to maintain physical contact with her for the full duration of the spell.”
“You say that like it’ll be a challenge.” Neldren smirked as he placed a hand on Ellice’s knee. Mavery fought the urge to vomit again.
“Ellice, you’ll need to focus on drawing from his arcana. Imagine illuminating a lamp, but in reverse. It’s an advanced technique, so don’t be disappointed if you’re not successful—”
The scent of saltwater filled the air so strongly, Mavery thought for a second that she’d been transported to the sea. A section of ground directly in front of Ellice fissured, then rose in the air and landed off to the side with a soft thud.
“On the first try,” Alain finished flatly. He looked to Mavery. “Well, it seems you’re not the only fast learner around here.”
Ellice continued to clear away the dirt, one square foot at a time. Sweat beaded across her forehead, her cheeks turned the same color as her hair. Neldren wavered slightly as Ellice’s arcana began to feed off his, but never once did he let go of Ellice’s knee. He even placed his other hand on her lower back as he muttered something beneath his breath. Rare words of encouragement, Mavery assumed.
Before long, there was a deep hole in the ground and a towering pile of dirt beside it. Ellice raised her hands, and the anchor was lifted from its resting place. Mavery gasped. It was the largest slabof copper she’d ever seen, roughly the size of a coffin. Blinding silver light flooded the immediate area.
With a groan, Ellice lowered her hands and ended the spell. The anchor plummeted to the ground with enough force to rattle the cabin’s remaining walls. Neldren and Ellice collapsed backward in unison. If her spellcasting hadn’t completely drained the arcana from both of them, it had certainly come close. They lay in the weeds, breathing heavily, as Alain began examining the anchor.
Once Mavery’s eyes adjusted to the light, the ley line itself came into focus. Whereas most were threadlike, this one was as thick as rope. It fizzled with wild energy, much like the magic that shrouded the temple. Alain closed his eyes as he hovered his hands above it.
“Odd,” he said. “I can feel the Ether…and something else.”
“Necromancy?” Mavery asked.
He shook his head. “No, even the most heinous forms of Necromancy are Ethereal in nature.Thismagic is from no School I’m familiar with.”
Mavery came to his side, closed her eyes, and focused her Senses. At once, she recognized the Ether caressing her like a soft breeze. But as she continued to focus, she detected another force that was chaotic, yet solid. Like a wild animal tugging on a leash, it reminded her of how her own arcana felt just before a magic surge. She breathed deeply, filling her lungs with an aroma that she’d mistaken as coming from her physical surroundings. Now, she realized that she’d been Sensing this strange magic ever since arriving at the cabin.
When she opened her eyes, Alain was holding a book she assumed he’d retrieved from the small library in his satchel.
“Could you Sense it?” he asked.
“Yes, it smells like a forest fire and…” She paused to attune her Senses again. “And soil after a rainstorm, strangely enough.”
“Petrichor.”
She nodded. “I’ve never Sensed anything quite like this. What do you think? Can you work with it?”
“Only the part that is undoubtedly Gardemancy. As for this other magic, I’m not sure.” He scratched his chin for a moment,then shrugged. “I think the most straightforward solution is to destroy the anchor.”
Neldren sat up. “Hold on. That amount of copper is worth a small fortune! You’re not actually going to destroy it?”
“It’s either that, or we camp out here until I can fully study this magic and determine which School it’s from. And even then, I’m not entirely certain I’ll be able to disable the spell itself.”
Neldren and Ellice exchanged a look. Mavery could see their collective wheels turning, calculating exactly how much the anchor was worth, and dreaming of the luxuries they could afford with such a score.
“Ifyouwould like to take a stab at the strange, all-powerful magic, be my guest,” Mavery said.
She stepped aside and gestured at the anchor. As she suspected, Neldren remained seated. Even if his arcana had been at its full capacity, she doubted he would be that reckless.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “Just seems like a waste…”
“All right,” Alain said, clearing his throat. “Mavery, you’ll want to take a step back.”
She did so, and he kneeled beside the copper slab. He placed the pad of his index finger against a tiny section that the ley line didn’t touch, then rattled off a long incantation. Mavery shivered as the Ether brushed against her skin; Alain’s spell contained no trace of that dark, wild magic. The copper glowed, then an acrid stench filled the air as it transmutated into gray stone. The ley line dissipated, taking the silver light along with it. The world grew suddenly dim, the scent of burning wood and petrichor faded to the aroma of pine.
Alain swayed on the spot, clutching his stomach, but the sensation seemed to pass quickly. Taking Mavery’s hand, he rose to his feet and brushed the dirt from his knees.
Neldren sighed with the melancholy of watching a loved one pass away.
“Don’t worry,” Ellice said, patting his knee. “With any luck, whatever’s inside the temple will be just as valuable.”
