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

game of Ogre-eye, whilst Xavier was on one of the computers, watching funny videos of cats on a website named Realmtube, where videos from hundreds of realms were uploaded by users.

The TV aired a music video for Yaranus the Yeti rock star, whilst Adara, the chosen one, was expounding on one of his legendary feats to a group of adoring Apprentices.

“…of course Lok's been up to no good,” Elijah continued, “rumour is he’s dated half the girls in the Fortress.”

“He is pretty fit though.” Emillia acknowledged with a grin.

“Considering half the Venators here actually are girls, I’d say he’s doing pretty well for himself,” Xavier chipped in.

“Here, here,” Jed agreed between mouthfuls of spectre-spaghetti he'd brought from the Banquet chamber.

“And Bane Madagant has been fending off all the girls with a stick,” Elijah said.

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“Bane Madagant?” Jed asked.

“He's a High-Realmer as hot as Lok or Arantay,” said Xavier, “but with a personality worse than both Stray brothers. Well, maybe not as bad as Sypher Stray.”

Zeke shuddered in disgust and Evan wondered how one person could be worse than Sintian, let alone two. He hoped he never had the misfortune to meet this Bane, or Sintian's brother.

“Well I think Bane's the second hottest guy in this place,” said Emillia. “Joelle would skin me alive for saying that. She loathes Bane with a passion.”

“I suppose you’re referring to Arantay as being the best looking,” Elijah said, with a hint of jealousy.

“Well, he is gorgeous,” Emi replied.

Jed, who’d been about to shovel more food down his mouth, smeared it all over his cheek as he lost focus; he didn’t have a very good attention span did Jed. “Who is this Arantay character? Swear I heard Brooke mention ‘im before.”

“Brooke would mention him, I reckon she has a thing for him you know,” said Emi excitedly.

“Did she say that?” Elijah definitely had more than a hint of jealousy in his voice now.

“Not in as many words, but it’s pretty obvious,” Emillia replied. “Mind you, Arantay is pretty irresistible.”

Elijah snorted loudly. “Not to me he isn’t.”

Evan smiled, he'd bet that Elijah and Emillia could gossip for days on end.

“What about you and Brooke, I thought you liked her,” Xavier interjected, to Elijah’s horror.

Emillia squealed, “Oooh, really Elijah?”

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“No, not at all,” he denied hastily, “you must have got it wrong, Xavier, and stop grinning, Jed.”

Jed didn’t do as he was told. “Can’t blame you, mate. Brooke ain’t bad to look at.”

“I don't like her, are we clear?” Elijah glared.

“Whatever you say, dude.” Evan laughed.

“Tell you who is gonna get together,” Jed said knowledgably.

“Who?” Both Elijah and Emi leaned forward.

“Evan and Cera, he can’t get enough of her,” Jed proclaimed.

Evan snapped round to look at him. “That’s a lie.”

“I knew it.” Elijah grinned.

Jed wolf whistled.

“Shut it.” Evan laughed it off.

“Do you want me to put in a good word Evan?” Emillia asked.

“No,” he panicked. “Jed’s just messing about.”

“Tut Tut. So much denial around here,” said Jed, mock-solemnly.

“How about you then Jed?” Emi asked, batting her eyelashes.

Jed looked about the chamber smugly. “I can’t limit myself to just one girl, I’m afraid. There are many around the Fortress I see myself procreating with.”

Emillia's eyebrows shot so far up they disappeared into her hairline.

“Yeah, right.” Evan snorted.

“I'll have you know that in many parts of the world I'm known as quite the sexual intellectual.” Jed smirked.

“About as intellectual as a fish,” Evan returned.

They used their time before their next lesson hanging out in a rec room. There were a variety of games in the rec rooms, as well as vending machines full of magical

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sweets. There was also virtual reality devices for them to practice being in different realms. “Which realm will you get?” A sign above the machine read.

He and Jed tried on a pair of the strange goggles and were instantly transported to a spaceship. The window next to Evan showed a universe with two dozen planets and three dozen moons. A second later they were promptly killed by aliens that resembled fluorescent green ostriches. Then they had to get off because Seth and Blake were waiting for a go.

“It doesn't actually transport you to the realm.” Elijah said, looking pleased to have more knowledge than everyone else once again.

“But those realms really exist. You never know, you might be playing on a realm where you'll have a mission one day.”

Jed wanted another virtual game, but Evan clapped him round the head.

“C’mon, we’ll be late for Anatomy.”

They left the recreation room and proceeded through the winding corridors.

Although Evan and Jed knew the routes to their training rooms by now, they still stumbled across new passageways daily. Evan doubted whether anyone knew all of the Fortress’s secrets, except maybe Vanderain, the guy who’d supposedly created it all.

BANG!

He whirled rapidly; power surging to his fingertips, looking for the demon.

“Whoa dude, relax,” Jed cried.

Evan realised the noise had just been Tristan and Nena messing around with magic behind them.

He released the bubbling power inside of him, his heart hammering fast. He’d been sure the sudden sound would be another demon trying to attack him, or the hooded

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figure again. Ever since the demon attack, he'd been looking round his shoulder wherever he went, now it was even worse. As much as he tried to push it from his mind the paranoia would surge right back, but perhaps paranoia would save his life if it happened again.

Jed appeared to have read his mind. “Don’t worry mate. I don’t think a demon will be able to break in again. Tarensen will make sure of it. He'll find whoever attacked you too.”

“Yeah,” Evan said, although he didn’t believe it. If he let his guard down just once it could be the end of him.

He’d taken to having Ruaden on his person at all times. He’d used the transmutation switch to make Ruaden shrink into a dagger and found himself clutching it as he walked around corners.

“Hey, do you reckon the white robe dude was Sintian?” said Jed. “It could be his idea of a sick joke, or he may really be working with demons.”

Evan shrugged, he’d agonized over the identity of the hooded stranger, but he didn’t have a clue to who it was. It could've been anyone, and that made it all the more terrifying.

“I’ve also thought Sintian looks like a constipated monkey when he’s angry,” Jed remarked.

As they walked, Evan couldn’t help looking behind him, his hand straying to Ruaden’s hilt.

As he and Jed passed through the Archives, they found Tarensen and Taretta in a secluded corner, deep in conversation. Gettelung hung on the periphery, listening intently.

Jed signalled for Evan to follow as he crept forwards to listen.

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“A demon portal was summoned by Dark-Realmers in Germany and a pack of demons have found a way into Japan, with another horde sighted in the Amazon rainforest,” said Taretta.

Evan and Jed ducked down behind the immense shelf of books nearest to the Masters, peering through the tiny gaps the ancient tomes afforded.

“Li-Azar already informed me,” Tarensen said, “he has departed for Tokyo and I’ve sent Arch-Realmers to Germany and Brazil.”

“There are rumours the Dark-Venators are planning to release outbreaks of demons in London, Chicago and Cairo.”

Tarensen nodded. “I'll put a full task force on it and lead the eradications myself.”

“Who’s Li’Azar?” Evan whispered to Jed.

“The Master of Dreamwielding, I think,” said Jed. “We don’t get that training until we’re Apprentices.”

Evan nodded, turning back to the Masters.

“They're getting stronger,” Gettelung muttered, “their attacks more frequent. We need Vanderain.”

“I have no idea where he is.” Tarensen rubbed his temples. “The last time he spoke with Li-Azar in the dream realm was months ago. Has he been in contact with you?”

“No,” Taretta said. “Last I heard he was tracking down one of the Demon Disciples, maybe even Akirandon herself.”

Tarensen nodded, worry creasing his brow. “He needs to know our barriers were breached, there could be a turncoat among us. Only Vanderain knows all the entrances to this world, if he were here, he could make sure it never happens again.”

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“Perhaps Vanderain’s already dealing with this on the other side,” Gettelung said.

“He may know who masterminded this attack. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Maybe,” Tarensen amended, his voice dripping with doubt.

Tarensen and Taretta stood in strained silence for a moment. Evan had never noticed before that their eyes were the same pale grey, almost silver.

“You don’t think anything could’ve happened to him, do you?” Taretta whispered.

“No,” Tarensen replied, “he’s been alive and well for millennia. Not even the Disciples can kill him, not unless they form an alliance, and we know that’ll never happen. Alert me immediately if you do make contact.”

Taretta promised she would and Tarensen took his leave.

Jed turned to Evan. “I take it they were talking about that Master Eternal. He must be a real powerful dude.”

“I wish he was here too,” Evan muttered. “I wouldn’t have to keep looking out for demons wherever I go.”

“You shouldn’t have to. I mean, you’ve seen Tarensen in action, he’s no push over, and the other instructors are around too.”

“Yeah, if it wasn’t for Tarensen I’d have been dead when the first demon attacked, none of them were around when the second got me though, were they? If it hadn’t been for Brooke, I’d have been dead then too. I'd probably be dead if that group of Apprentices hadn't been making a racket at that precise moment last night.”

“Hey, how'd you know this hooded bloke wanted to kill you? He might’ve just wanted to knock you out before taking you to his Master's realm. Anyway, you killed the demon in your bedroom yourself,” Jed argued. “You could do it again if it came to it.”

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“I got lucky. I’ve never conjured magic so powerful before, and haven’t done it since. There’s a good chance that when the next demon comes, it’ll finally get me.

And if whoever’s sending them sends more than one, there’s no way I’ll survive.”

“Think positive, mate.” Jed punched him on the shoulder jovially, trying to lighten the mood. “There probably won’t be another attack, they might’ve given up, or Tarensen will find a way to stop them.”

“Maybe.” Evan sighed.

Evan tried with all his might to push demons and traitors from his mind, but inevitably, they kept rushing back.

PART THREE

TAINTED BLOOD

“Every realm in existence shall be enslaved by our one true god, or

every realm shall burn.”

--Queen Akirandon’s proclamation.

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Chapter 16- Falawn

The giant crab scuttled towards him rapidly. Before Evan could dodge, the demon was on top of him and he was forced to wriggle madly as he held the pincers at bay.

The crab's frantic clicking