Chapter 30 - Out of Hiding

788 I.C, March 8, Outside of Cromwell's Mansion, Night

I opened my eyes and glanced to the side. Talwin was crouched beside me and his eyes were closed while focusing on the aether. Clyde sat next to him and rotated a gun in the moonlight shining through the bushes.

"I've never seen something like this before. I understand the principle, but..." Clyde whispered.

"Magic renders bullets useless, but in a fight between those not gifted with the art it could easily become a bloodbath," I said.

Clyde looked over at me, "This 'gun' can only fire a single bullet at a time, if one could hook it up to some kind of rotary system, and an automatic loader, then-"

I interrupted, "I know, and for all we know such weapons could already exist in Antaloria where the Temple rules."

Talwin opened his eyes and looked at me, "While interesting, shouldn't we focus on this?"

I nodded, turned around, and glanced through the bushes. In front of me was the mansion Gus had told us of. Its roof was covered by black shingles, the walls were made of dark oak, and in the center of it all was a tall tower that seemed to pull on the other structures.

We had settled inside the mansion's garden, at the very edge of an aetheric sensing field. I couldn't tell whether the field was generated by mages or the city's energy grid, but my approach was the same and I had painstakingly subverted a passage for us. While nothing could be seen with the naked eye, there was now a small gap in the sensing field that would serve as out entrance.

"Follow in my footsteps up to the window, and don't step out of line since the sensing field is still active. Understand?" I asked.

"We understand, lead the way," Talwin answered while Clyde watched.

I eased my way out of the bushes, and began to traverse the well trimmed grass. The others followed in my wake until we reached the window. With both hands I touched the window, and eased a few aetheric threads through the gaps. With a simple click the latch was unlocked and I eased the window open. I then reached inside, felt the curtains, gently eased them aside, and glimpsed into the dark room.

It looked like a reading room with a fer couches, and small tables surrounded by bookshelves. I leaned forward, eased my head through, angled my shoulders, squeezed and-

Bump!

I felt my behind wedge itself against the window frame and I heard Talwin snicker behind me. Warmth rushed to my face while I angled myself to the side, and used the aether to help lift my body. Moments later I floated sideways, rotated to better fit my hips, and eased into the room. Talwin climbed in without problem and joined my side within moments.

Clyde stuck his head through the window, stared at us, and lifted his brow, "Seriously?"

I raised my hand and pointed at him, "Relax, straighten your body, and I'll lift you through."

Clyde inched back, "You know I hate floating... It makes me feel sick."

"Tough luck," I mused and let the threads seize his body.

Clyde's eyes flared, and he muttered under his breath, but after a few moments he was through. He then rose on two legs once more, threw me a moment's glare, and slowly exhaled from relief.

Talwin closed the window, and resettled the curtains, "What do we do now?"

I stepped up to the door, closed my eyes, and focused my senses, "It's strange, but the sensing field only covers the garden and outer edges of the mansion. Past this point there's no security to mention, apart from a few aetheric signatures on the first floor."

Talwin whispered, "Most beings don't like surveillance, even by their own magic."

I nodded, "True, but give me a moment to scout the second floor, where Cromwell is supposed to have his office."

With my eyes closed I reached out to the aether and ordered the threads to start exploring. Within a minute the threads had mapped a long corridor, found stairs leading to the upper floor, and tracked down what seemed to be a kitchen with two aetheric signatures.

"There are people in what seems to be a kitchen, but why would they be up so late?" I whispered.

Talwin leaned closer, "Cromwell's rich, do you think he eats bread and cheese for breakfast?"

Clyde snickered and leaned in, "Apparently wulfkins aren't the only ones living a life of decadence. What do rich and influential people eat here in Agron?"

"I'm not sure actually, I've never been a fan of fancy food," Talwin said with a simple shrug.

Clyde kept staring at Talwin, "How about some fresh rabbit? Still warm from running for its life?"

Talwin crossed his arms, and glanced back at Clyde, "Sounds good to me."

I shook my head at their playful bickering and focused on the floor upstairs. Most of the rooms were closed and the people inside seemed to be deep asleep. The strange thing was that none of them seemed to have any aetheric affinity, nor were there any defenses to speak of.

Cromwell isn't a mage... But from what I've heard he makes good use of them...

So why aren't they here? And why wouldn't he ward his personal quarters?

Either Gus was wrong... Or he missed something? Perhaps we're even walking into a trap...

I stopped for a moment, altered my strategy, and let the threads become like a huge aetheric antenna. The interior of the building hummed with the natural presence of the aether, while the garden had a more structured sensation due to the sensory web, and the ground itself was... silent?

The earth is never silent... It should hum with the aether just like everything else...

I crouched down, placed my hands on the floor, and heard Clyde whisper, "What are you doing?"

"Shh," I whispered and let the threads sneak through the floorboards.

In moments they dug deeper, moved through the foundation of the mansion, and hit something strange: A powerful shield that prevented anything from entering, and escaping.

"Gus was wrong. Cromwell probably has public meetings upstairs, but his actual lair is hidden underneath us," I said.

"So, where do we go? Upstairs or underground?" Clyde asked.

Talwin spoke up, "I know where to go. Out this door, to the right, down the hall, and open a door to the left. It will lead downstairs to what feels like a warded vault."

"Doing some recon of your own," I asked and glanced over at Talwin.

"Just want to be of use," Talwin answered and glanced over at Clyde with a cheeky smile.

A low growl could be heard from Clyde while I rose and began to open the door, "Hush, and follow."

I sneaked out while looking side to side. The floor consisted of fine marble with a carpet running in the center, the lower sections of the walls were covered in decorative wood while the rest consisted of textured dark blue wallpaper.

It looked like a mansion of wealth and the others seemed taken by surprise as they looked around. In silence we started walking and I let the threads scout ahead.

To the right... Down the hall... Open the door to the left...

I opened the door Talwin spoke of, and glanced down. The stairs and passage were dark, the air musty, and a cold draft brushed across my nose. One by one we descended until we came upon a large metal door.

"Look, it's like the metal was melted into the concrete," Talwin said and pointed at the wall which seemed have fused with the door.

I nodded, "Done by magic no doubt. Whatever this place is, it's probably something new."

"Can you open it up without them realizing?" Talwin asked.

I raised my hand and aimed at the metal door, "I can try."

The threads reached out and sensed the edge of the shield which separated the basement from the rest of the house. Step by step I peeled away the layers like you would an onion. It took patience, but one by one the nodes gave way like the outer shield of the mansion.

"It has to be a construct generating this, not a mage, right?" Talwin asked.

I nodded, "A mage would be far more unpredictable. He'd pulse the shield, reform it, actively probe the environment. This is easy compared to the wulfkin camp."

"Which means they're either sleeping, lazy, or overconfident," Talwin said.

"Or it's a trap," Clyde added.

"... Or it's a trap," I whispered.

A light shimmer could be seen in the air as the shield was wedged open and provided an unobstructed path to the door itself.

"Should I open it?" Talwin asked.

"Go ahead," I answered.

Talwin stepped up to the door, crouched by the lock, and held his hand near it. He bit his lip, tipped his head a little, and nudged his hand along to help him visualize the lock. Within a few moments a click was heard, and the hefty door eased up.

"Simple," Talwin mused with a grin while he glanced back.

We stepped through the door and found ourselves inside a corridor of shaped concrete. Along the ceiling there were several pipes including an aetheric conduit that gently glowed with a purple hue.

Talwin raised his hand and held it by the aetheric conduit, "There's a lot of magic in there, is this some kind of lab?"

"Probably, and it's being fed by the city itself. So the question is, what would Cromwell need a lab for?"

Clyde inched closer, "Maybe he's not the one who needs it. After all, Gus said that this mansion is registered in the name of someone else. Thus, why we couldn't find him."

"Either way, this passage will lead to answers," I said.

We resumed walking until we reached a crossroad. One passage loudly hummed with the presence of machinery while the other curved and echoed with voices. My ears perked as I followed the curved passage and listened.

"Any messages?" A human voice asked with an irritated tone.

"That sounds like Cromwell," Talwin whispered.

Another voice answered, and this one was gentler though carried the tone of a fur, "No, and would you please stop asking? I'll tell you if there are."

I sent out of a few threads but felt something odd in the air. It fluctuated, shifted, as if probing the area. It made things dangerous and I shifted my focus to hide the presence of myself and the others.

Cromwell snapped with a sneering tone, "Watch your tone, or you know what happens."

I walked closer, glanced along the curved passage, and froze in place when I saw someone's back blocking my path. In an instant I leaned back and raised my hand to signal for the others to stop.

"I'm not the only one losing my head if this goes off the rails, you know that," The fur retorted.

The one around the corner seemed oblivious to our presence so I approached once more. Step by step I eased forward and focused on what looked like a human guard in leather armor. I gently listened to the aether, and felt the man's presence. The man had magic in his blood, but also carried a sword and armor.

A battlemage...

Cromwell's sneering voice returned, "Oh, that's where you're mistaken, cat. My reputation may take a hit, but what do you think happens when they find out that you're the one who disrupted the communications net, not Everwinter?"

The fur snapped back, "You're pretty damn stupid if you think you'll be able to escape his grasp just like that. He's got connections all over Agron, and your beloved Karashak."

They're scared of someone... But we can't stay here forever...

Time to act before we lose the element of surprise...

I focused on the mage in front of me, hardened tendrils of aetheric energy, and prepared to enclose him in a shielded bubble that would hopefully keep us hidden a few moments longer. Within moments it hummed and I could feel the tickling sensation of flux beginning to grow around us.

One strike... Silent and deadly...

I siphoned the flux into a small orb in my hand, and grew it to the point where it would shatter the unconscious shield of a person, and wreak havoc on the insides. Once it hummed in my hand like a heated iron ingot I rose and made my move.

The shielded bubble swallowed him whole while the tendrils wrapped around him like snakes. As the man began to move I reached out and touched the man's neck.

The energetic bullet was unleashed, and with a gentle flicker the man's shield collapsed. The flux surged into his head, and his mind fizzled like a candle in the wind. Flux began to seep out of his corpse but the tendrils held him in place as a dummy. I stepped up behind the now lifeless body, and glanced into the room.

In the center of the room was a large transporter assembly that glowed with the presence of crystals. Aetheric conduits ran along the ceiling and connected to the transporter array before continuing toward the wall.

A strange and massive machine covered most of the wall and it had hundreds of small stones connected with a crisscross of wires. Hovering in the air was what could only be described as a giant aetheric control panel. It showed strings of shifting aetheric symbols, and revealed a large grid of dots spread across a map of the continent.

On the right side of the device were several guards in leather armor with socketed crystals. By the left side were Cromwell and a feline I recognized. It was Cyrus, the feline mage that was part of Fletcher's team.

If Cyrus is here, does that mean Fletcher is in on it as well?

The two were still squabbling but my gaze was drawn to something in Cyrus hands. It was a large crystal with a myriad of colors that seemed to pulse in and out of existence.

What on earth is that?

While watching them I could sense their presence in the aether. Cromwell was a plain human without any magic potential, just as expected. Cyrus presence was more difficult to pin down, it was weak in nature but seemed linked to that strange crystal in his hands.

I can't see Fletcher or Amari... Maybe the others distrust in Cyrus was warranted?

Cyrus glared at Cromwell, hissed in frustration, and turned his back toward the human with a huff. As he did his focus came to rest on the dead guard I stood behind. I tried to stay still in hope that he wouldn't notice, but the growing horror on the Cyrus face said otherwise.

"We're not alone," Cyrus said with a visible gulp.

I heard Clyde whisper by my ear, "We'll take care of the ones to the right, focus on Cromwell and his lackey."

"Sure thing," I nodded, and urged the aether to flare within me.

"Cromwell!" Cyrus screamed while staring in my direction.

I dropped the shield hiding our presence, forcefully vented the flux that had gathered, andlet the energy surge inside me. Such a sudden growth in power made the surrounding air tingle with motes of magic.

"They're here! Stop them!" Cromwell screamed.

I stepped forward with the corpse to shield me. Clyde rushed past me and headed toward the human guards while I summoned spells. Shields formed in layers and began to quickly divide the room while Cyrus lifted his hands.

The crystal in Cyrus hands surged with a sudden flare of energy and I watched as the worktables in the room lifted. A moment later one of the heavy workbenches hurled toward me. With one hand I strengthened the shields in its path.

With a blast of energy the worktable was torn asunder and left a cloud of wooden debris that floated between shields. In mere moments the attack picked up strength and began to rip and tear at my shields.

I pushed harder as a result, but found that there was something strange about the magic he used. It was diffuse, and the natural energies of the aether twisted to shift the battlefield in his favor. Even worse was a sudden influx of energy that he pulled from the roof's aetheric conduits.

"Do it!" Cromwell snapped at Cyrus.

788 I.C, March 8, Cromwell's Mansion, Night

Talwin watched as Avery divided the room in two. On one end was Cromwell and Cyrus, while the other was occupied by himself, Clyde, and the human guards. The surge of energy between the two mages made him realize it was already out of his league, and he thus turned his attention to Clyde and the guards.

The human guards pulled their swords when Clyde rushed forward. To their surprise he leaped side to side like a cat, followed by circling them in haste. The guards turned, and almost stumbled over one another.

Clyde threw Talwin a glance and snapped, "Mage!"

Oh, right!

Talwin raised his hand while Clyde lunged toward the guards. In that instant he channeled energy to be used, created a conduit across the room, and funneled it straight at Clyde. Several spots in the air that surrounded Clyde began to shimmer while he raised his sword high in the air.

The guard in front raised his sword to block and stepped back, in doing so he stumbled into the partner behind him. That small moment of distraction and the imbalance it brought was all that Clyde needed, and he swung his sword like a battleaxe.

A loud crackle was heard as Clyde's shield hit the one generated by the guard's armor. With a loud clap and several puffs of smoke the glowing crystals shattered. It paved the way for the swords to hit one another and Clyde's strength came into play.

The guard crumbled from the force, and fell backwards while clutching the sword in both hands. It made the second guard stumble to the side while Clyde changed direction and lunged at him. A pained cry was heard, followed by a sudden wet gurgle.

Clyde hopped back in an instant and let Talwin see what had happened. The second guard dropped his sword with a clatter, gripped his throat with both hands, while blood gushed out from a now torn throat.

The first guard was already rising while Clyde turned his attention to him, gripped his sword in both hands, and moved in for the kill. Fear gripped the second guard's face while Clyde swung his sword in a great arc.

In desperation the guard angled his sword to block along the side. With a loud growl Clyde gave it his all, and the swords collided once more. The forced but awkward pose of the guard crumbled, a snap was heard when his arm twisted, and the heavy sword lodged itself deep inside his chest.

A wheeze was followed by a gurgle and Clyde pulled back. The sword left with a wet but grinding noise, while the guard fell to the ground.

Clyde panted from exertion, watched the two guards draw their last breaths, and turned to focus on Talwin with a stoic glance. To Talwin's surprise he could see the white wulfkin's tail wag ever so slightly.

Are you happy because you enjoyed killing them? Or because you were of use?

Either way... That was impressive...

Clyde turned his attention to Avery and Talwin did the same. As they did they noticed something odd, the scene of battle had changed. Avery was pushing closer to the two and slowly forged a path, but while doing so he was losing ground everywhere else. Strange runes and ripples of magic were invading the room and had started to appear within Avery's area of influence. Like an infection spreading through the room.

"This is strange," Clyde said as he joined Talwin's side.

Talwin focused on one of the growing aberrations within the room and focused on the aether. It felt like a distortion in the aether, not an absence of magic like the Master's blessing created, but something strange and alien. For a moment he raised his hands with the aim of correcting it, only to realize he had no idea how to do it.

Add energy? Enclose it? Could it be that Avery doesn't know either?

Talwin walked closer to Avery and caught a glimpse of his expression. Bared teeth, anger, and a scent of fear mixed into the air.

He doesn't know...

Talwin looked ahead and focused on the other side of the aetheric shields that shimmered in the air. To his surprise Cromwell was smiling with the grin of someone who was about to win.

"Avery, orders!?" Clyde snapped.

"Stay close!" Avery screamed back.

Clyde pulled the gun from his holster and held it up, "Want me to shoot him?"

Avery snapped back in an instant, "No! You'll rip a hole in my shield!"

Clyde's ears folded back in an instant while he lowered his gun.

Cromwell put his hands behind his back and sneered, "It's too late, you've already lost."

Talwin stepped closer to Avery, held out his hand and gently touched his shoulders.

It might not be much... But I'll give him what I have...

With a deep breath he focused once more, and let energy flow from one body to the other. Like a sponge Avery soaked it up, and glanced back, "Thanks."

"What's going on?" Talwin asked while looking into the red eyes.

"I don't know, that crystal is like the core of a giant transporter. He's trying to... Dump us into the aether without a destination."

The cancerous growths across the room swelled without warning, linked up with one another, and began to shape a bubble that threatened to enclose them all.

"Not yet!" Avery snarled and moved one hand to clutch his chest.

A sudden aura of red flared from Avery's chest and began to lick at the air like fire. It made the growing bubble of black growths twist and shudder and the whole world seemed to twist as if looking through a distorted window.

"Stop, what are you doing!?" Cyrus voice cried out without warning.

A sudden shudder shook the world, a crack of thunder could be heard, and Talwin felt a tingle in every nerve. With a pop, the world turned inside out, and everything went black.

Unknown

Something happened... A blast... The aether screaming in pain...

Talwin awoke with a shudder that sent him scrambling back in fright. A moment later he stopped with his heart thumping in his throat while clutching the ground. The stone floor he lay on had cracks that spread outward as if he was in the center of an explosion.

A scorched ring surrounded him and the room he found himself in seemed thrashed. To his right were bookshelves that had been shifted so violently that most of the books were now scattered on the ground. Behind him were the remains of a desk that had been split in two. To the left was a bed with a torn blanket and a scorched edge.

Straight ahead there was a door and a sturdy closet that seemed unharmed, while magic lights along the ceiling illuminated the room.

Where am I? How long have I been here? Do I need to run? Where are the others?

Talwin rose on his knees, settled back, and held his head.

We were fighting... Cyrus and Cromwell were there... Cyrus screamed, Avery did something...

While still clutching his head he started to look around and focused on his senses. His ears perked but the room was silent to the point it made his own breathing seem loud. He then sniffed the air and caught the scent of burned fabric mixed with something else.

The scent of the explosion is overpowering... But I think someone lived here...

A fur? Common canine of some sort?

Talwin stopped for a moment and realized that something else felt amiss.

The aether... It almost feels like its tickling my skin... Seeping inside...

It feels like when Avery used to funnel energy to me...

He pushed himself onto two legs and drew a deep breath. It felt odd in a way, simpler to move, a rush of energy upon drawing breath, the exact opposite of being affected by flux.

Where am I?

Talwin turned to face the bookshelves, reached in, took a book at random, and flipped it open.

'Principles of Aetheric Forging - Marcus Donner'

At the bottom of the page was an aetheric signature, 'Magic Academy of Agron'

The Academy... I'm at the ACADEMY!?

Talwin eased the book down in silence while his hackles rose and his heart thumped. Fear rushed through his mind and tickled his neck while he turned his head to look at the door.

I'm in the Academy... Why were we transported here? And why haven't I been detected so far?

He closed his eyes and focused on the aether. The air hummed with power, yet as he listened it seemed the room was isolated like a shielded bubble.

This room... It's shielded somehow... Why?

Talwin walked over to the broken desk, crouched down, and dug through the remains. Within moments he found a notebook and a stack of documents.

The notebook itself was filled with notes and runic symbols, some of which were detailed, while others were merely reminders: 'Tuesday: Exam Alch-301, pages 301-345 Study!!!'

A student... At the Academy... Do they have shielded rooms? To maintain privacy?

Is that why no one detected me? But if they're shielded... How did I end up here?

While looking through the documents he walked over to the bed, crouched, put his nose against one of the pillows, and sniffed.

Canine... Scent is male... and young... Hints of a female... Guess he has a girlfriend or something?

Talwin eased the blanket back, pulled along the bedding, and gathered up several strands of fur.

Black guard hairs... Brown fur... With hints of something golden... I can replicate that easily enough...

He rose once more, looked back at the documents, and noticed something.

'Exam: Alchemical Properties'

'Name: Tipton Tremelle'

Strange name... Could he be from the south?

Talwin put the documents down, walked around the bed and stood in front of the closet. He then grabbed hold of the doors, eased them open, and felt the same scent wash over him.

Definitely canine... Keen on his own scent... This will easily hide my own scent...

He reached in, grabbed some pants, shoes, belt, vest and then set his eyes on a heavy coat in dark green with sewn patches of leather.

This is certainly the Mage Academy... Let's hope this is what they commonly wear around here...

Talwin removed his own clothes in silence, hid them in the depths of the closet, and then began to pull on the student's clothes. Within a few minutes he found himself struggling to button the pants.

Gods... This guy is either really slim... Or I'm bigger than I thought... Even the vest is tight...

Fortunately the coat ought to hide it...

He pulled his stomach in with some effort, clasped the pants shut, and then adjusted his tail.

Mirror... I need a mirror...

Talwin searched the remains of the desk, and looked under the bed before realizing something.

A mirror... I know how to make a mirror...

With one ear folding back in annoyance and just a hint of embarrassment, he lifted his hand in the air and thought back.

Spin up the frequency... Loop it... And run it through a rectangular form until it starts bouncing light...

He drew a deep breath, summoned the power within him, and felt the ease of which the energy flooded to his hands. Within a few moments the aether hummed with a spool of energy, followed by a shimmer in the air. With a small flash the air grew reflective and he saw himself standing in a well fitted coat.

I'd look good as a student... I wonder if Avery would approve?

With a gentle smile he began to tune his camouflage, and within seconds a new hue rippled across his fur. Moments later his appearance changed to something similar to a common canine. Brown fur with hints of golden, with black guard hairs along his back, neck and hands.

I need to hurry... And hope the others were as fortunate as me...

Talwin stepped up to the door, checked his shields, tuned them to better hide his presence, and then felt along his new belt. Holstered on it was and covered in thick leather was the dagger Avery had forged with one of the anti-magic bullets. As long as it stayed within such a material it was barely detectable, but plunge it into a mage's body or shield, and it'd wreak havoc.

With a deep breath, Talwin grabbed the handle, and opened the door.

Unknown

Something poked at my senses. A jabbing sensation of unease and pain, yet I couldn't pinpoint where it had struck. Even stranger was the eerie sensation of being unable to feel my own body. Instead I felt like mist lingering in a darkness.

What happened? Where am I? What am I?

In my confusion I felt a growing sensation of panic, and while I could not breathe I still felt the instinctive need for it. Out of desperation I tried to grasp at anything my mind could reach, and in that instant I sensed the Star's presence. I clung to it in an instant, and pleaded with it: "Help me?"

The Star stirred with a simple notion of wonder: 'With what?'

Anger flared in my chest as I cursed in fury and let it feel the fear I felt.

Once more the simple mind of the Star stirred with hunger: 'Will there be food?'

"Help me, and I'll feed you!" I snapped within the confines of my own mind.

Excitement grew within the Star and I felt something rumble in the distance. The noise grew in strength and tone, surrounded me like an encroaching avalanche, and I felt spark of tingling sensations. It was as if something had been connected, and while it was subtle I could now feel a hint of my own body. My vision began to fill with sparks and blurred shapes while a tingling sensation grew in my body. Within moments it became painful, but when I tried to move I found myself stuck, or rather, held in place.

As the pain surged I wanted to writhe in anguish and scream, yet all that happened was a sensation of something wet and hot filling my throat. An instant later the urge to cough struck hard, and my lungs flexed in panic. A sudden taste of blood filled the inside of my muzzle, and with a cough it was sent spraying outward with a splatter. Searing pain gripped my hands, aches bloomed across my body, and my mind blurred with exhaustion.

With a sudden clap I found myself snapping back to reality. It sent a tremor through my body that rippled from the top of my ears, to the very end of my tail.

"You weren't supposed to wake up. In fact, it shouldn't have been possible, but I guess regular methods won't work on a 'thing' like you ," A mysterious voice said.

My blurred vision began to clear and I found myself looking at a stone floor marked with blood. In my confusion I assumed it belonged to someone else, yet as I saw drops drip from my muzzle, I had to accept that it belonged to me. It made my heart pound, and desperation I tried to reach out to the aether. Yet as I tried nothing happened.

The aether was silent, and instead I found nothing more than my own thoughts.

I angled my head further down, and caught sight of my own body. I was held against a dark wall, and shackles made of aetheric loops held each leg in an iron grip while clutching my midsection like hooks.

This is why I can't feel the aether... I'm infested by magic belonging to someone else...

Hanging onto life by a mere thread...

I struggled to angle my head, and looked to my side in an attempt to see what was causing the pain in my hands. It made my heart skip a beat, and a sudden surge of dread made my eyes widen in shock. Blood drenched my hand, and from the center of my palm jutted a large nail. It shimmered with light and there was a large wire connected to it.

They... They fucking nailed me to the wall...

Inch by inch I lifted my head and sought to focus on the shape standing in front of me. I blinked, did my best to focus, and saw what looked like a feline with golden brown fur.

Cyrus... No... Too tall... Who the hell are you!?

The feline carefully observed me, tipped his head a little, and made a faint smile, "Just stop resisting, and you won't have to suffer, Avery."

He seems familiar for some reason...

I focused on the feline's clothes and saw a gray shirt, black pants, coupled with a patterned decorative coat in hues of white and gold.

Some kind of mage? Who knows my name?

The feline's subtle smile shifted into a sly grin that revealed sharp fangs, "Figure it out yet, Red Eye?"

I tried to swallow and speak, instead I found myself tasting blood while a wheezing whimper escaped.

"Let me give you a hint: You've met me on the field once, but I've also visited what you now consider your home," The feline mused.

My home? The guild? What did Leonard say...

There was a representative of the Academy duringthe investigation...

The same one that was at the wulfkin camp!

My eyes widened and the feline's smile twisted in amusement, "Figured it out, did you?"

Why!? I thought... I assumed... I don't understand...

The feline raised one hand and motioned toward himself, "I am Leyland, a council member of the Academy, and the role of representative was merely a suitable disguise to achieve my goals."

I gritted my teeth, struggled to speak, but found myself stuttering syllables.

Leyland moved his hand and motioned toward me, "And you, Avery... You're as simpleminded as the rest of your species. A lumbering idiot, messing with things far beyond your comprehension, yet so eager to believe in your own superiority. Do you have any idea the chaos you've sown or how long I've been chasing you?"

Instinct made me growl as I glared back at him.

"The Academy is just like Agron. Fair and innocent at first glance, but hidden underneath is a treacherous cowardice of the worst kind. They wanted... Nay, they craved their precious crystals and minerals, but did they want to know it came from Everwinter, or the slave-mines of Karashak? Of course not! So I offered the fools what they wanted, and in doing so they gave me the freedom to pursue my own ends."

Leyland jabbed a hand at me in anger, "For decades I have sought the secrets of the necromantic wars, yet for every little discovery there was always something new to block my path. Then... One day, the fates turned to my benefit. The Master, one of the few remnants of the war had lost something precious, and he chased with a desperation not often seen. Whatever it was, I had to have it. I am the one who whispered in the ears of the spymaster and with the help of his agents and Cromwell's resources they chased after the one known as 'Red Eye'."

"You-" I managed to wheeze.

Leyland bared his sharp feline fangs while he grabbed my muzzle with a harsh grip, "Do you know how frustrating it has been to chase you? A savage who only succeeds through sheer luck and the intervention of others? The audacity to stand in the way of my fate: To see the truth of this world, just like Aeternus did."

His grip hardened and his claws extended to pierce my flesh like needles, "I was at the wulfkin camp, almost within reach of the Master's secrets, and I was forced to listen to your bullshit. Did you really believe that anyone would fall for such fantasies? A secret order to fight the necromancers!? Did you even stop to think for a moment of whom you were dealing with? The Mage Academy! One of the most powerful institutions on the continent, as ancient as the land itself!?"

Leyland's expression twisted into disgust and he pulled his hand back with enough force to leave cuts that stung, "If you had anonymously informed Dracwyn then I might not have found you. Instead your greed for money led me straight to the guild you've been hiding in, and you've been kept under surveillance ever since. Needless to say, I ordered Cromwell to instigate the investigation, and the inspectors arrive the moment you left the tower."

"Cromwell and his goons performed well as a distraction while I personally inspected your tower, and the magic you've riddled it with. Meanwhile you and your friends were lulled into the belief of having the upper hand. I later learned that you visited Bellkeep, and it would have been quite wonderful to add the Crimson Rose to my collection, if she hadn't fled by the time my agents arrived," Leyland made a quick chuckle and continued.

"At first I feared what you might have been capable of. But after inspecting your tower and that tome you carried, I came to realize that you have no in-depth knowledge of magic at all. Instead you copy the spells from that tome of 'Rastlin' and glue it all together like a true fraud. I merely had to set a trap that your massive ego couldn't resist, and you truly walked straight into it. Cyrus made for the perfect weapon since he uses such an old and outdated form of magic, one that you had likely never encountered, thus had no idea how to counter."

Leyland then reached into his pocket, and pulled out a long chain with a crimson star attached to it, "But all of this is of no longer of any concern, because now I have this, and soon I'll have the power to control it."

"You shouldn't have done that," I wheezed.

Leyland huffed, "At first I assumed it was only a trinket, but the moment I removed it from your neck it surged like a massive beacon across the deeper levels of the aether. No doubt it drew the Master's attention, and from what I've heard his army is already here. Not to worry though, by the time the Academy falls I will be long gone and have everything I want."

I stared at him in confusion while he raised his hand to point at my chest, "I doubt someone with your sophistication could be behind all this. Thus I can only assume that you're the puppet of someone's plan, perhaps this Rastlin. Which is interesting, because it makes me wonder if you even realize what you are?"

What I am?

Leyland glanced to the side, reached out, and gently picked up a scalpel from a nearby trolley, "You'll figure it out, I'm sure."