Read Shadow Mage (Blacklight Chronicles) for Free Online Page B
Authors: John Forrester
the black crystal. He despises the black crystal and the Temple of the Sun, thought Talis. But why did Master Viridian hate a temple for the Goddess Nacrea?
“Let all witnesses assembled before the Order hear the testimony of those sworn to defend and uphold the honor of Naru.” Master Viridian stared solemnly at the House Lei guardsmen. Talis recognized them from the swampland. Would these men tell the truth? Talis glanced around, trying to spot a friendly face, and found his father pressing his way through the crowd.
“Talis, you must listen to me,” Father whispered. “Speak the truth or they’ll know, and tell everything that happened. I will be right here with the other Elders.” Father gestured at the Sej Elders gathered to the right. Talis cringed under Mara’s father’s glare, feeling his hatred ooze out from his eyes.
The scribe clapped his hands and called out for the first witness to stand and present. Master Vellar Lei raised his hand and pointed at Taige, first guard to Ralakh Lei, and the guardsman lumbered over to stand before the wizards. He raised his eyes to the wizards, his face tense and fearful.
“This young royal killed my master, killed him with a strange kind of dark magic.” The room echoed with murmurs. “It was a trap I tell you.”
“It was a trap,” Mistress Cavares shouted and wove her way forward through the startled crowd. “A sanctified trap of the gods, created by myself. Who amongst the Order dares challenge the will of the gods? I bear witness that I myself crafted this trap, and summoned the gods… They heard and answered the call. Ralakh Lei was chosen to die by the gods themselves. If you are to blame anyone, blame me. I am his master of runes and teacher of ancient languages.”
Cries of protest and surprised shouts raced through the crowd, and many lifted clenched fists at her in anger.
“I tried to warn him!” Talis said. “I didn’t understand what it was all about. I never intended for the magical ward to kill anyone.”
“Magical ward?” thundered Master Viridian. “You know how to place a magical ward?” He gazed in horror at Mistress Cavares. “You dared teach him this? I asked you to teach him runes and ancient languages. But traps and wards and summoning the gods? Don’t you realize you’ve brought the dark hand of the gods upon us? Leave Zagros and the other dark gods hidden in the shadow realm!”
A loud, shrill hiss suddenly spread across the room and extinguished the candles all at once. The chamber was enveloped in pitch blackness. Terrified voices and shuffling feet told of the chaos all around.
Master Viridian illuminated the room with his hands beaming the radiance of Light Magic. His eyes were alert and flared open in alarm, scanning the room as if something horrible had arrived. Talis followed his gaze, noticing swirling clouds of darkness bubbling beneath the ceiling. What was happening?
“Begone darkness, begone dark gods!” Master Viridian shouted, beams of brilliant light shooting from his palms, attacking the dark clouds. “Let light fill this land and free our city from dark—”
But a barrage of lightning bolts amidst inky-black shadows struck Master Viridian in an instant. He cried out, his eyes flared open in terror. He moaned in pain as sickening jolts of electricity wracked his body in convulsions. Some hidden force lifted him off his esteemed position atop the seventh level, higher into the air, a burning, shining figure illuminating the dark chamber.
The vile smell of charred flesh stung Talis’s nostrils and he turned his head away from the terrible sight. He couldn’t believe this be happening, especially here in this sacred building….
“The gods! Appease the gods!” many wizards shouted in unison. Other wizards shrank back as more lightning bolts and shadow blasts slammed into those vocal wizards. Screams and shouts of terror ripped across the chamber.
Mass panic possessed the room, and the crowd
“Let all witnesses assembled before the Order hear the testimony of those sworn to defend and uphold the honor of Naru.” Master Viridian stared solemnly at the House Lei guardsmen. Talis recognized them from the swampland. Would these men tell the truth? Talis glanced around, trying to spot a friendly face, and found his father pressing his way through the crowd.
“Talis, you must listen to me,” Father whispered. “Speak the truth or they’ll know, and tell everything that happened. I will be right here with the other Elders.” Father gestured at the Sej Elders gathered to the right. Talis cringed under Mara’s father’s glare, feeling his hatred ooze out from his eyes.
The scribe clapped his hands and called out for the first witness to stand and present. Master Vellar Lei raised his hand and pointed at Taige, first guard to Ralakh Lei, and the guardsman lumbered over to stand before the wizards. He raised his eyes to the wizards, his face tense and fearful.
“This young royal killed my master, killed him with a strange kind of dark magic.” The room echoed with murmurs. “It was a trap I tell you.”
“It was a trap,” Mistress Cavares shouted and wove her way forward through the startled crowd. “A sanctified trap of the gods, created by myself. Who amongst the Order dares challenge the will of the gods? I bear witness that I myself crafted this trap, and summoned the gods… They heard and answered the call. Ralakh Lei was chosen to die by the gods themselves. If you are to blame anyone, blame me. I am his master of runes and teacher of ancient languages.”
Cries of protest and surprised shouts raced through the crowd, and many lifted clenched fists at her in anger.
“I tried to warn him!” Talis said. “I didn’t understand what it was all about. I never intended for the magical ward to kill anyone.”
“Magical ward?” thundered Master Viridian. “You know how to place a magical ward?” He gazed in horror at Mistress Cavares. “You dared teach him this? I asked you to teach him runes and ancient languages. But traps and wards and summoning the gods? Don’t you realize you’ve brought the dark hand of the gods upon us? Leave Zagros and the other dark gods hidden in the shadow realm!”
A loud, shrill hiss suddenly spread across the room and extinguished the candles all at once. The chamber was enveloped in pitch blackness. Terrified voices and shuffling feet told of the chaos all around.
Master Viridian illuminated the room with his hands beaming the radiance of Light Magic. His eyes were alert and flared open in alarm, scanning the room as if something horrible had arrived. Talis followed his gaze, noticing swirling clouds of darkness bubbling beneath the ceiling. What was happening?
“Begone darkness, begone dark gods!” Master Viridian shouted, beams of brilliant light shooting from his palms, attacking the dark clouds. “Let light fill this land and free our city from dark—”
But a barrage of lightning bolts amidst inky-black shadows struck Master Viridian in an instant. He cried out, his eyes flared open in terror. He moaned in pain as sickening jolts of electricity wracked his body in convulsions. Some hidden force lifted him off his esteemed position atop the seventh level, higher into the air, a burning, shining figure illuminating the dark chamber.
The vile smell of charred flesh stung Talis’s nostrils and he turned his head away from the terrible sight. He couldn’t believe this be happening, especially here in this sacred building….
“The gods! Appease the gods!” many wizards shouted in unison. Other wizards shrank back as more lightning bolts and shadow blasts slammed into those vocal wizards. Screams and shouts of terror ripped across the chamber.
Mass panic possessed the room, and the crowd