A Darker Shade of Sorcery - - (leveled readers .txt) 📗

knowing she could one day save lives using her talents. Besides, this place looked amazing and she'd still get to see her family a month of every year.

The first thing to do now she’d chosen to be a Venator was to choose a weapon.

After an age of marvelling over the incredible weapons, from a bow that shot arrows carved out of sunlight to a gun that fired off swarms of bees, Brooke chose a beautiful amethyst short-sword.

By month’s end, her magic could heal small cuts, transform her fingers into needles and even produce a mild shock of lightning with her hands. However, she couldn’t perform Earth or fire magic at all.

Brooke was even getting accustomed to the magical creatures everywhere. That was, until she saw him, again.

She was with Elijah and Emillia, walking through the chessboard courtyard as Elijah rambled on. Emillia had her hand stuffed in a bag of jellies which glowed brilliantly as she popped them into her mouth.

“Durshe Jelly,” she replied to Brooke's confused expression. “They come from the djinn. Eating them keeps you cool in hot weather. There's other jellies that warm you up in winter. Although, if you eat too much it'll make you colour blind.”

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“In the city, there’s like a thousand shops that sell stuff like this,” said Elijah.

“There’s soap that'll keep you clean for a week after you use it and liquorice which makes you invisible.”

As Elijah continued speaking, Brooke froze. Leaning against the wall was none other than Arantay.

She'd forgotten how astonishing he looked. His blood-red mane was pulled into a ponytail by a leather cord, showing his angelic face in sharper contrast. His eyes gleamed like precious rubies, but he wasn't looking at her.

He was masked in the shadow of the looming castle and too far away for Brooke to make him out in fine detail, but she would've known if he was staring at her. A knot of girls squawked around him like a flock of hungry pigeons.

A pang of jealousy shot through her. Wait, why am I jealous? He’s just the guy who brought me here, nothing else.

Emillia stopped walking too and with another pang Brooke saw Emi staring at Arantay just like the group of other girls were.

“… and drinking troll blood makes you unbelievably strong, but it causes anger issues and…” Elijah cut off, annoyed when he noticed what had distracted them.

“Yeah, yeah, Arantay’s cool, sexy, mysterious and everything, but do you have to completely forget to function whenever you see him?”

Brooke snapped out of it. “No, I, er, it was a shock seeing him again that’s all. He took me here, remember.”

“I was only looking to see what Brooke was staring at,” Emillia mumbled, although a smile tugged her lips.

“Well, get over it,” Elijah chuckled.

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As they walked on Brooke asked, “How come I never see Arantay around the Fortress? That’s only the second time in a month?”

“It’s a big place,” Elijah replied dryly.

“He doesn’t live in any of the castles,” Emillia said. “He lives in the forest, and he’s almost always away on missions. I’ve heard he’s the best Arch-Realmer there is.”

Brooke couldn’t help glancing back at Arantay as she left. Although he stood in shadow, his skin was so pale it seemed to glow.

Since she'd arrived at Veneseron, Brooke often found Tay bursting into her thoughts. Everything about him was just so intriguing. She could still remember vividly how he'd climbed atop a dragon and took to the skies.

Her last training session of the day drove Arantay out of her mind, however. At the start of the lesson Padrake addressed them all.

“Many of the missions you will one day embark upon will lead you to fantastic and terrible realms. A big part of illusion training is preparing you for these realms. Please try not to lose your heads. Remember, this is only an illusion.”

Suddenly the training chamber evaporated, replaced by a barren wasteland of rotting earth.

For a moment no one moved, no one even breathed, and then huge twisted shapes burst through the earth. Demons of all shape and size, many indescribably grotesque, others terrifyingly bearing animal or human features, raced towards them.

Brooke screamed in horror, not summoning magic fast enough before two of the creatures were on her.

“Dear oh dear,” Padrake sighed.

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They were back in the training chamber. Padrake was the only one standing, everyone else was on the floor shuddering. “This is going to take some work.”

*

“I don’t think I’ll be able to face proper demons,” Brooke told Elijah across the table in Ethanc’s bar, “just the illusion of them terrifies me.”

“Yeah, me too,” Emillia added, shivering despite the tower’s warmth.

“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” said Elijah, “by the time you’re ready for missions you’ll be way more powerful. Besides, everyone’s first mission is always with an Arch-Realmer companion, mainly to make sure you don’t get yourself killed.”

“So we go on missions in pairs?” she asked, feeling a jolt of relief.

“Groups usually, pairs if it’s a small mission,” said Xavier, sitting beside Emillia.

“Oh, that’s better. I thought we had to go out by ourselves. Even with all the Masters training us, there’s still so much to learn,” Emillia said.

“So we’re always put with an Arch-Realmer our first time?” Brooke asked.

“Yep,” Elijah replied after a swig of his Mavla.

“Oooh, I hope I get put with Arantay.” Emillia giggled.

Brooke felt another inexplicable twinge of jealousy. I’ve only met the boy once, for god sake.

“I mean, they say he’s the best don’t they? I wouldn’t feel in danger at all if he was protecting me,” Emillia continued.

“He can’t be the best,” Elijah argued. “I heard he doesn’t actually have magic.”

Emillia spoke in hushed tones and leaned towards them, “I’ve heard he isn’t human.”

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Elijah snorted, “Well that’s a bit obvious isn’t it, Emi? How many other guys do you know with natural blood-red eyes and hair?”

“I mean, well I’ve heard…” Emillia looked around the room secretively, “…he can change into a dragon,” she said half scared, half in awe.

Elijah almost spat out his Mavla. “Rubbish!”

“It’s true,” Emi insisted.

“No, he rides a dragon,” said Brooke.

“Changing into a dragon.” Elijah shook his head at Emillia in disbelief,

“honestly.”

“I heard he was an elf. He lives with them in the forest, doesn’t he?” Xavier piped up.

“Listen,” Elijah said. “I’ve been here for years and well, there've been rumours, whispers. I’ve heard things. I’ve heard he’s some sort of ancient vampire.”

Brooke’s mouth opened in a silent gasp.

After a long moment, Emillia disagreed. “But I’ve seen him in daylight. Vampires don’t like the sun.”

“Not if he's got one of those enchanted pendants,” said Xavier.

“What do you mean?” Brooke asked.

“Well, anyone can be a Venator,” Elijah said. “What we call the Moonlight races are in our ranks too. Most of us are normal teenagers, but there are werewolves, shifters and vamps here too.”

“Most use magic to control their… conditions,” Xavier put in.

“You might know a few of them,” said Elijah. “Alessia Simone and Saraya Silcorn are both vamps. David and Elizabeth too, they’re the married zombie couple who were bitten back in Victorian times.”

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“You what? Did you say zombies?” Brooke was sure Elijah was joking.

“Oh don’t worry,” Xavier replied casually. “They’re harmless, as long as they eat animal brains every day.”

“That’s whay I’m saying,” Elijah continued. “The Venators who are shifters or vamps blend in, but Arantay certainly doesn't. That’s why I think he's some super old vampire. There's loads of different types.”

“Or he's a demon,” said Xavier.

“He’s too beautiful to be a demon,” Brooke whispered, not realising she'd spoken her thoughts out loud.

Elijah suddenly looked very miffed.

“A kind, sexy demon.” Emi grinned.

“There’s something wrong with him,” Elijah stressed.

*

Veneseron was alive as ever. As Brooke walked to Healing training, she saw everything from a box of glowing green worms someone had left on a windowsill, to High-Realmers training with hi-tech pulse pistols.

As she turned a corner, a figure stepped into her path.

Lyella glared at Brooke in disgust as three more girls arrived to stand behind her.

“What do you want?” Brooke asked.

“I saw you eyeing up my Lok. If you don’t want your hair being ripped out, I suggest you back off.”

She was shocked by Lyella's belligerence. And I thought I had a jealous streak.

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“I suggest you don't talk to me like that,” Brooke returned. She'd encountered girls like Lyella in her old school.

“Look, honey,” Lyella smiled viciously, “I'm Lyella Lantley, the most popular girl in this Fortress. I hear your friends with my pathetic idiot of a sister, so I'll be nice and give you a warning. But get on my bad side and I'll make sure nobody ever talks to you again.”

Lyella's friends smiled at Brooke, baring their teeth.

“Emi’s your sister?” Brook guessed. “How can you be so horrible about her?”

“Don't talk about things you haven't got a clue about,” Lyella snarled.

“Whatever. Look, I don't have any interest in your Lok okay. Insecure much?”

Lyella's face blanched. “Think we're clever, do we? Don't worry, I’m secure. My Lok would never go for such an ugly bitch anyway.”

Lyella’s three minions giggled. Brooke's temper flared and she stepped forwards, her nose inches from Lyella's. “Call me a bitch again.”

“You b…”

“Girls!”

Mistress Taretta appeared at the end of the cloister, eyebrows raised. The Fortress resounded with a thunderous horn blast, which signalled the start of each training session.

“I don't know what's going on and I don't want to,” Taretta demanded, “just get to your next class, Lyella. Brooke, you should be in the Healing chamber already, you both heard the horn.”

Lyella stepped from Brooke begrudgingly, her lip curled. “Of course, Mistress, Brooke and I were just having a chat.” Lyella flashed a saccharine-sweet smile before stomping away, followed by her fan club.

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Brooke unclenched her fists.

*

Evan tried not to laugh as he held a gasping and spluttering Jed. “You shouldn’t be so overconfident,” he advised, helping Jed to his feet.

The Water chamber might’ve been the oddest training room, complete with a river surrounded by a glistening ice jungle. The tangled tropical plants were a crystalline blue and strangely smelled of mint. Mistress Aqenna had told them ice jungles were native to her homeland.

The Venators were attempting to stand on the river’s surface using magic, but Jed had gotten over excited and tried to walk on the water proclaiming he was Jesus.

“I was fine until…”

Evan answered for him, “Until you realised you were drowning.”

“I wasn’t drowning, I was just…”

“Splashing around underwater like an idiot?”

“Okay, that’s enough for today,” said Aqenna.

“I should try and get myself some private lessons with Aqenna,” Jed whispered as he regained his composure, gazing at their trainer. Aqenna was incredibly beautiful, even if her skin shimmered like fish scales.

“You wouldn’t stand a chance,” Evan