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

earth was he on about vibes.

“Arrrr,” he groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead, “I’m such a Doofus.”

“Ah, no. No you’re not,” Brooke protested.

“Yes I am. I’m an idiot,” he said mournfully, “is there someone else?”

Arantay immediately popped into her head.

“No,” she lied. “It’s just I’m still pretty new here, and I haven’t taken everything in yet. The last thing I’m thinking about is boys.”

“Oh, okay,” Elijah cheered up somewhat. “Wow, I’m sorry, it just felt like the right time, the perfect place.”

Brooke suspected the real reason for Elijah bringing her here and she thought it wasn’t just for the view.

“Look,” he braced himself. “Do you reckon, I mean… can we just forget this? I-er- wasn’t thinking straight.”

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She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring way. “It’s already forgotten.”

He let out a sigh of relief and shook his head, laughing at himself.

“C’mon,” she changed the subject, “we better bubble back to the others.”

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Chapter 13- Brawling with Goblins

They collapsed outside Cera’s house, shaking with laughter.

“You idiots,” Cera giggled.

Evan recovered himself. “What were you doing, rubbing my leg like that?”

“Well I had to make it convincing didn’t I!” Jed said. “It worked too.”

“Yeah I think it did,” said Cera. “C’mon let’s get out of here before he hears us.”

Still laughing, the three of them ran down the winding path and back into the busy city streets.

“I guess we should go to that inn,” Jed said.

Soon, they found themselves in another plaza, this one distinguished by a water fountain gushing acid-green water. Jed went up to the fountain to inspect it. He stupidly plunged his hand into the bright green liquid to see if it burned like the acid it resembled. Luckily for him, it didn’t.

Abruptly, a goblin barged past Cera, almost knocking her to the ground.

“Watch where you’re going, wench,” the goblin shrieked. A second goblin beside him guffawed idiotically.

“Say you’re sorry,” the first goblin demanded, shoving her again.

Evan’s temper flared, he jumped between them as the goblin went to manhandle her again.

“What the hell are you doing, pushing a girl?”

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The goblin glared back, his dirty yellow eyes too large for its peanut head. His skin was a grey-green colour and his bald head reached the height of Evan’s chin.

“What are you going to do about it? You Glarqing Ushk faced Glarquer,” the goblin spat between rotted black stumps for teeth.

Both goblins laughed, “Silly Venator,” the second cooed.

Evan was about to retort but then the goblin’s fist connected with the side of his head and he stumbled to the floor.

“OI!” Jed roared, running up from the fountain and pouncing on the goblin from behind. Teenager and goblin alike fell to the floor in a tangle of flailing limbs as the crowd around them dispersed.

The second goblin bounded forward but Evan met him head on. Magic was forgotten in the desperate scramble that ensued.

The goblin shrieked hideously as his scabby hand groped for Evan’s neck. Evan punched his craggy head hard and the goblin screamed in rage. Both of them rolled about on the city street, each fighting to pin the other beneath them.

Evan scrambled to his feet and pulled back for a vicious blow. The goblin ducked his punch however, then jumped up, his knee ploughing into Evan’s stomach. He gasped for air like a fish out of water as the wind rushed out of him. The goblin seized him by the collar and charged Evan towards the fountain. His back hit the side of the fountain but the goblin kept pushing, trying to dunk Evan’s head in the water. With one of his free hands Evan searched desperately for a weapon in the fountain’s emerald depths, with the other he beat futilely at the goblin’s back. The goblin’s eyes bulged as his hand wrapped round Evan’s neck again. This time it found flesh and squeezed tight.

Evan started to choke and his vision blurred.

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Suddenly Cera hit the goblin from behind, driving her foot into his back. The goblin swatted her away, but as he did so his grip lightened around Evan’s throat and that distraction was enough.

Evan seized a rock from the fountain and flung it with all his strength. The rock flew out of the water and smashed straight into the goblin’s long crooked nose. The bone shattered and the goblin fell back, splattering blood as he hit the ground.

Evan leapt back to his feet and ran to Cera, the goblin had only got in a glancing blow and she was relatively unhurt.

Jed and the other goblin were still fighting. Jed had him in a headlock and was dancing about the cobbled path with the goblin in toe. The sight would have been comical if Evan wasn’t aware how vicious the goblins could be.

He ran forwards before Cera could stop him and aimed a kick at the goblin’s abdomen. The goblin fell to the ground with a wail.

Suddenly, a shrill siren broke out over the city.

“For Rueda's sake,” Cera snarled. “It’s the guards.”

“Run for it,” Jed advised.

Panic hounding them, they dived into the multi-race mass and back into the worm twisted alleys, praying the guards didn’t catch up.

As they hurtled round one corner Jed stopped abruptly and Evan ran straight into him, shoving him forwards accidentally.

“Glarqing hell,” Jed swore.

A purple clad Paladin wheeled about the street opposite, unsheathing his enchanted blade. Without a word, they turned straight around and ran back down the alley, past several gnomes who were spraying enchanted graffiti that changed colour continuously.

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It was anarchy trying to race through the crowd, trying not to squash sprites, bowl over Halflings, or slam into the solid brick walls that would be trolls. As they ran through one street, Jed collided with a kobold, knocking him over and sending his shopping bags flying through the air.

“Oops,” Jed exclaimed, hopping over the fallen kobold, “sorry mate.”

Minutes later two more Paladins joined the chase. Their capture appeared imminent.

“Faster,” Cera roared.

Evan was already sprinting as fast as he could, a stitch knifed into his side and his breath came out ragged.

He leaped over a clockwork cat and ducked under a hover-craft. As they flew around a bend in the street, they bumped straight into Brooke and Elijah.

“Where did you guys get to-” Elijah was cut off as Jed grabbed his shoulders and spun him in the opposite direction.

“No time. Run!” Evan ordered.

Brooke and Elijah took one look behind them at the three Paladin’s brandishing their weapons then turned tail and followed him.

The five Venators ran for the looming Fortress ahead feverishly, Evan urging the five castles to come closer as they charged forward.

Eventually the city walls receded and they were climbing the sloping valley back to the Fortress.

“The guards won’t follow now we’re out of the city will they?” Evan panted.

“No.” Elijah bent down low, gasping for breath. “We made it.”

Evan looked back down the valley behind them fearfully, it was clear.

“What a rush,” said Jed. “Pretty great city.”

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“Well I’d say that was an eventful day,” Elijah smirked as they trudged back to the stronghold, Evan and Jed sporting a few nasty bruises from the goblins.

“Trust you two to get in trouble on your first visit,” Cera said.

“Ha, yeah and have to pretend we’re gay,” Jed added.

“You what?” said Brooke.

“We’ll tell you about it later,” Evan laughed.

*

As she lay awake that night, she distracted herself from the pain her borrowed magic brought her by focusing on Veneseron. She’d do anything to stay here, to wield sorcery like all the other Venators. The price was high, but it was worth it.

The demon had failed, even though it had been given access directly to Evan’s bedroom.

She knew what she had to do now. If the demons couldn’t do it, she’d have to bring him to Lord Kurrlan herself.

Chapter 14- A Traitor's Grasp

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The twin suns of Veneseron had vanished behind thick layers of cloud in the early evening. Tired as she was from visiting the city, Brooke still had weapon training to attend. Not that she begrudged it, considering who her training partner was.

The early evening shadows played across Arantay's sleek, powerful body as they sparred. The training courtyard was as empty as she'd ever seen it.

Brooke was getting used to swordcraft, the weapons no longer felt so heavy and obtrusive at least. She was far from adept, but a lot less clumsy.

“Much better.” Arantay flashed her his incredible smile after a rally of exchanges.

Her cheeks flushed.

“Now,” he continued, dropping his sword arm. “You’ve learned the sword, but I need to teach you simple hand to hand combat before we move on.”

Excitement rushed through her in a torrent. This meant he’d be touching her again, and she’d be touching him.

They discarded their swords and his eyes found hers. His cat-like pupils were big tonight, adding an extra gleam to the blood-red pools around them.

“Hit me,” he said simply.

“W-what?”

“Hit me.”

She pivoted forward and thrust her fist at his forehead.

She had expected him to move, but he didn’t. Her fist smashed straight into Arantay’s skull instead.

His head didn’t move an inch. Brooke’s fingers however, felt as if they’d been snapped in half, like she’d punched a brick wall.

“Good.” He chuckled.

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Brooke held her fist in her other hand, biting her bottom lip from the pain. “Why didn’t you move?”

“I wanted to see how you threw a punch, that’s all. You had the right positioning and used all your weight behind it.”

Brooke glared at him, wanting to punch him again, just a little.

“Ooh sorry.” Tay’s expression twisted to concern when he realised she was in pain.

“I forgot it might hurt, can you heal?”

She nodded, placing her good hand on her fist and eradicating the pain.

“My turn. Raise your fists,” said Arantay, “and try to block.”

She raised both her hands slowly, not knowing where to hold them.

Arantay surged forwards, both arms shooting out like pistons.

Brooke yelped, instinctively ducking low, leaping back and shielding her face and stomach with each hand.

Arantay’s left fist stopped a millimetre away from the tip of her nose while his right an inch from her stomach.

“Excellent stance Brooke, you’re a natural.”

Although she'd protected herself correctly, Brooke knew Arantay could’ve smashed her defences and sent her sprawling to the floor, but she smiled all the same at his compliment.

“On missions you’d need hand to hand combat if you lose your weapon and were also drained of magic. But that’s known to happen, so this is vital.”

Brooke nodded, trying to take it all in.

“Now we move onto feet.” Arantay stared down at her legs, then moved into position, beckoning her forwards.

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She kicked hard, sweeping her leg and aiming for Arantay’s waist. His hand shot out, whipcord fast. Suddenly she was standing on one leg, his hand resting on her thigh.