The Path of Wands

zerohour

Well-Known Member
#1
Ace of Wands

It was the Festival of Lights. One of the yearly ceremonies meant to acknowledge the blessing of the Shepherds, the mages who protected them and a number of other villages who lived outside the purview of the surrounding kingdoms. They lived in poor land, and it was only thanks to the blessings of the Shepherds that the land was fertile enough to support them. In exchange for their benevolence, the Shepherds only required that they follow the rituals they had ordained, particularly the festivals.

Many of their festivals were centered around the stages of the crops' development, each serving to create a beacon and focal point for the rest of the order to direct their power, ensuring that the soil would be rich, the crops protected from scavengers and pests, and the harvest would be bountiful as possible in this rugged land. However, beyond any of these, the Festival of Lights was the most important of them all, for it was during this festival that the Shepherds chose those who could wield their power.

The Festival of Lights took place in the dead of winter, during the longest night of the year. The entire night was wreathed in fires and the people celebrated from dusk until dawn, and with the breaking of day, the Shepherd presiding over the festival passed around one of his orders' artifacts. An orb of pure crystal, that shone with an inner brilliance in the presence of those with the gift.

Some were chosen from a young age, others in their twilight years. Even if one had the gift, they were not obligated to join the Shepherds, but many of them did. The chance to experience power over the earth, to be known and honored beyond their tiny village was something few people would be willing to ignore.

Of course, some were not ready. They had duties to the village, or other dreams to fulfill first, and the Shepherds did not care. So long as they possessed the gift, they would be accepted with open arms.

Of course, having the gift one year did not ensure that it would remain by the next festival. Some had been reduced to tears when the Shepherd apologetically told them their gift had vanished, lost due to atrophy and neglect. Still, they were among the rarest of people, and their gift was likely weak to begin with, but it made it difficult to deny the Shepherd when one was chosen.

Jacob didn't let that concern him. He was nineteen, and had never shown any signs of having the potential. He was perfectly happy with his life in the village, working at his father's forge. While the wonder of wielding the power of magic was intriguing, he had never displayed even the faintest sign of having the gift. Still, the idea of being able to use magic was an interesting one. For a moment, Jacob considered what he would do with that sort of power.

Jacob jumped as an angry shout filled the forge area, his father apparently tired of his daydreaming. “Sorry father!” he said, shaking his head as he refocused himself on the project before him. As powerful as the Shepherds were, without working the fields, there wasn't much that could be done. Without the proper tools, it would be even more difficult.

It didn't matter that he had done this a hundred times before, or that he would do them a hundred times again. Each aspect of the work had to be given the utmost attention lest it be ruined by a single moment of carelessness. While the metal could be melted down and used again, it would waste precious time, that was something he didn't want, especially on such an auspicious day. He calmed himself, and moved through the final motions, before plunging his project into the ice cold water. He pulled it out, studying it for any hidden flaws, before putting it aside, satisfied. His work completed, Jacob began gathering his things, ready to join the rest of the village at the festival.

He shivered as he stepped out into the falling snow, the abrupt change from the heated forge passing through his body. He took a moment to adjust, before locking the forge behind him, and heading towards the center of the village.

It wasn't a long trip, but the sun had already set, and the darkness concealed the path, making it difficult to walk. The only guide he had through the falling flakes of snow was the distant bonfire at the center of the village.

Eventually, he made his way to the village, where smaller fires were scattered about, making navigation easier. He sped up a bit, hoping to

“Ingrid!” Jacob shouted, waving frantically at his friend from across the crowd. She glanced up quizzically, before returning the gesture to him. He quickly made his way through the crowds to his blonde haired friend, sharing a grin with her.

“I thought you were going to get stuck working at the forge all night!” She said with a smile, giving him a brief hug.

“I managed to get everything done a bit sooner than expected, though given how cold it is out here, maybe I should have slowed down a bit.” He replied.

“Would you really have missed spending the longest night with me?” She asked him teasingly.

“If it kept me from getting frostbite, I might have.”

“Never mind that, let's get something to eat!” she said, dragging him behind her towards the fire.

The hunters had been quite successful over the last few days in preparation for the festival, which was a surprise, though a welcome one. Their stores of vegetables and dried meat were supplemented by fresh goat meat, cooked over a roaring bonfire at the center of the village. They quickly seized a share of the feast, before moving away from the center of activity, staying near the numerous fires surrounding them. They listened as music filled the air, as the festival truly began. The longest night had begun, and they would stand vigil until the dawn came.

“Settle down, damn you!” The town elder shouted boisterously. Despite his age, he was still hale and hearty, and his voice echoed through the village square. While it took several seconds, the celebrating crowd quickly quieted itself, well aware what was coming next.

The Shepherd stepped forward, clad in the brown robes they were always wearing. In his hand, he held a gnarled, wooden staff that towered over him, the gem entangled with the wood glowing brightly.

“On this, the darkest of days, let a light shine forth, and show us those who bear the gift.” the Shepherd intoned, before murmuring a series of words that no one could here. Immediately, the gem went dark, and he began to walk among the assembled villagers. For the majority of villagers, he merely passed them by. For a few of them, he hesitated for a few moments, and a few faint sparks ignited in the stave, before fading out, and he moved on. Only on the rarest occasions would


Ingrid grinned as he walked by them, huddling against Jacob for additional warmth. The grin began to fade as the Shepherd paused, and gently moved them apart. For a second nothing happened, and they glanced uneasily at each other, before a brilliant light nearly blinded them,
.
Jacob stared in disbelief at the glowing orb before him, a sure indicator that he possessed the gift of magic. He looked up at the aged face of the Shepherd, who smiled at him. The rest of the village once again erupted in cheers, as he was pushed forward to join the ranks of the potential Shepherds.


Two

Jacob was in shock, to say the least. He only recalled the rest of the festival in a blurry haze. The first clear memory after being pushed forwards was walking in the door of his home, and collapsing in his bed.

The Shepherds who had facilitated the ceremonies were staying in the village for a few days, so Jacob didn't have to rush his decision, but the weight of the choice before him was a heavy one. This was a decision that could affect his entire life.

As almost everyone did after the festival, he slept through most of the day, regaining sleep lost over the course of the long night. His sleep was undisturbed, but when he woke, he felt even more exhausted than when he had gone to sleep.

Jacob struggled out of bed, and slowly made his way into the kitchen. He could hear the clanging of pots and pans as his mother busied herself with preparing the evening meal. Jacob briefly considered returning to his room, but from the way she held herself, she already knew he was there.

“Hi, Mom.” He said quietly, moving to help her, only to be pushed away.

“Stay out of the kitchen. You'll just ruin my cooking.” she said sharply. Jacob quickly moved out of her path, shifting uncomfortably in the awkward silence, only emphasized by the sounds of her cooking.

“Mom-”

“I just don't see why you need to go and join the Shepherds. They have plenty of members already!” Jacob's mother ranted, even as she continued to make dinner.

“Mom-”

“Besides, who else would take over your father's forge? He's been training you on that since you could walk, and do you think he has enough time to start all over with a new apprentice? Of course not.”

“But mom-”

“Don't 'but' me! You have too many responsibilities here!” She said, eyes shining brightly. Jacob didn't know what to say, and was saved form the dilemma as his father walked into the room, and wrapped his arms around his wife.

“Sweetheart-”

“You too!” She said, pushing her husband away as she resumed her frantic cooking.

“Of course, dear.” Jacob heard his father say easily. Both of them had learned long ago to avoid provoking her when she got like this. It still amused Jacob that his father, who was such a slave driver at the forge, turned into such a genial man outside of it. He always wondered if he was always like that, or if years of marriage had made him that way. The two of them sat back quietly for a moment as Jacob's mother bustled in the kitchen. Once he was sure that she was well involved with her work, Jacob's father gestured towards his son.

“Take a walk with me son.” he said, easily rising from the table in the wake of his wife's work. Jacob quickly followed his father out. The sun had already set, and the sky was quickly fading to darkness. The two men walked a short distance to the fence, and relaxed, looking over the darkening landscape.

“You know your mother is only concerned about you. She's always expected you would be around helping me with the forge, and she's not ready to have you leave the nest.”

“I know, and to be honest, I'm not sure if I'm ready for this either.” Jacob replied

“This is the sort of thing no one can be ready for. There are some who dream their entire lives of joining the Shepherds and never get the chance. It's entirely in the hands of fate.”

“I just wonder, should I go with the Shepherd now, or wait until next year?” Jacob said, looking out at the mountain range surrounding the village. The storm had lightened, but the snow continued to fall.

“Will there be a next year? You can always leave the Shepherds, should you find the magic is not to your liking, but if you stay here for a year, what if the magic should leave you? The rest of your life, you'll wonder about what could have been, what you could have accomplished.”

“But what about Ingrid?”

“Ingrid is a young girl, just as you are a young man.” his father told him with a grin, “There is plenty of time for the two of you to grow closer in the future. If she should find another while you're away, who is to say you won't do the same?”

“Dad!”

“She cares for you, so I doubt that would happen.” Jacob grimaced at his father's teasing, “I know that losing her seems like the end of the world, but there is so much more out there to see. I don't want you to live with might have beens.”

“Still...”

“You can always come back. A good number of Shepherds do. It's not a lifelong commitment unless you want it to be.”

“I know.”

“The real question you need to ask yourself is if you'll regret not going.”

Jacob closed his eyes in thought at his father's words. He still wasn't sure how he felt about the whole thing, but talking with his father, as always, helped bring some form of clarity to him. Even if he was still unsure, he felt calmer, more ready to deal with the decision.

“Dear! Get back in here! Dinner's ready, and I won't have it get cold because of you!” Both men winced as the voice of Jacob's mother rang out into the night.

“Coming sweetheart!” Jacob's father replied, before sharing a grin with his son, “Besides, there's plenty of time before you end up like me.”

Laughing, the two men returned to the house.

Dinner proceeded sedately. While his mother remained agitated, both Jacob and his father managed to calm her somewhat, enough that the meal progressed without incident. The first and only meal of the day concluded, they quickly cleaned up the table, his parents retiring to their room, while Jacob left the house again, hoping the cold air of winter would clear his head and help him make a decision. It didn't.

The next day, Jacob woke with the rising sun, and immediately gathered his clothes. The few hours awake yesterday had made his mother's opinions abundantly clear, and he didn't need to hear them again today. Instead, he left the house, taking a brisk pace down to the village.

As he wandered through the frozen paths between homes, he saw the other who had been chosen. Some of them were chattering excitedly with their friends, relishing the anticipation of learning to wield magic. Others were far more subdued, much like himself. While he couldn't be sure, some of them were missing entirely, perhaps locking themselves away until the Shepherd left.

“There you are.” Jacob jerked in surprise, before turning around to face Ingrid.

“Don't scare me like that!” he said, earning a light giggle from her.

“So, are you leaving?” Ingrid asked, nervously playing with her hair.

Jacob sighed, beginning to walk again.“I'm not sure if I am yet, to be honest.”

Ingrid matched his pace, “Why not?”

“There's a lot for me to think about. Leaving my father alone with the forge, leaving behind everyone I've ever known...”

“Us?” She asked, locking her piercing blue eyes with his.

“...Yes.” Jacob replied, averting his eyes from her probing gaze.

Ingrid sighed, “Those are all important things to think about, but you're forgetting the most important one.”

“And what is that?”

“What do you want to do? Isn't it obvious?”

Jacob chuckled, “I suppose it is...”

“So, Jacob, do you want to be a Shepherd?” she asked him. Jacob remained silent, lost in thought at her direct question. Ingrid stood there for a moment, waiting for a reply, but when she saw that none was forthcoming, she walked off, leaving him to discover the answer for himself.

As night fell, Jacob continued to wander. The snow that had been falling for the last few days had lifted, and the stars could be seen faintly through the clearly skies. While by no means bright, it was enough to see by, and Jacob continued to walk, the movement helping his thoughts. He soon found himself far beyond the outskirts of the village, making his way into the mountain paths. The difficulty of the obstacles didn't deter him, he simply needed to keep moving, and wouldn't let something so simple stop him. He continued on, despite the darkness, wandering aimlessly through the paths as if they held the answer he was looking for.

As he walked, the world seemed to fade. Familiarity with the paths allowed them to fade from his consciousness, leaving him alone with his thoughts. What did he truly want? What was the path he should choose? Abruptly, he stopped, and noticed he had reached the peak. While certainly far from the tallest mountain in the range, barely a hundred feet above the village itself, it did have a spectacular view, at least, during the day. Jacob sat down, suddenly feeling the ache in his legs. He didn't have anywhere else he could run to or hide. It was time to make a decision.

Did he want to stay here, take over his father's forge, and live his life in the village? It was what he always assumed his life would be, and it still had its appeals. He would be a respected member of the community, perhaps even becoming the Elder in time. He would get married, to Ingrid if he was lucky, or perhaps a girl from one of the other towns, have children a live his life. While no means exciting, it was what he had always expected, and to choose to leave it behind... he didn't know if he could do that.

Did he want to leave everything behind? Abandon the life he had lived for something different? The skills he had developed as a blacksmith would likely be useless to the Shepherds. His strength from working the forge would be useless for working magic. Casting aside everything in his life for the unknown, could he really do that? Even as the fear of losing everything filled him, a small part of him whispered, think of what you could learn, what you could accomplish. You could be so much more than what you are, if only you take the chance.

Jacob stared at the blackened landscape before him, watching the faint details emerge as the last trances of the storm were blown away by the wind, revealing the glimmering stars above. Even with the dim lighting, he could pick out each and every aspect of what he saw, their locations engraved in his very soul from years of living here.

He didn't know how long he sat there staring into the void, but as he looked into the ever deepening darkness, the path he was meant to take slowly became clear to him. In the darkness, where nothing existed but him, the truth he would grasp became blindingly obvious.

Jacob carefully picked his way down the mountain, back to the village. With instinct born of years of walking the same path, he made his way back to his home. When he finally arrived, it was likely past midnight, though he had never studied the stars enough to be sure. Jacob crept into his home, careful to avoid making any sound, lest he wake his mother. He quietly made his way into his room, put everything away in their proper place, and climbed into bed.

The day dawned, the third since the festival of Lights. Jacob rose with the sun, the long night of wrestling with his choices finally over. He had expected to feel some vestiges of nervousness, but that was all in the past now. He felt... strangely at peace. Again, he walked towards the village, though without the strained energy of yesterday. The stress of indecision was gone, replaced with resolve.

“So, have you made a decision?” the Shepherd asked. The other chosen looked at him, though a good number of them were absent, either to frightened to show, or had already given their answer, and returned home.

“I have.” Jacob replied, his voice steady.

“Are you ready?”

“I'm ready.” Jacob said, and grinned.
 

zerohour

Well-Known Member
#2
Chapter Two: Only fifteen days late.

Three

It took nearly a month for them to reach the Tower. While the distance wasn't too great, the terrain was treacherous. Most paths were simply narrow dirt trails that twisted and meandered through the mountains. Snow covered hidden holes, gnarled roots, and other assorted hazards that slowed their pace even more.

It was one of the reasons that Jacob's role as a blacksmith had been so important. Trade was uncommon here in the mountains, and if something that needed to be traded for was lost, it could take weeks or months to replace. During planting season, lacking the proper tools could slow to process by days or weeks, and in the harsh climate, that could make winters significantly more difficult. While there was plenty of game to be found, even in the coldest winter, it was always better to have something stored than to rely on the capriciousness of nature.

As they drew closer, they were joined by more Shepherds and recruits. While silence reigned early on, curiosity quickly overcame the majority of them, and they began to converse, exchanging stories and experiences, hopes and dreams. Travel between the mountain villages was rare enough that such a gathering almost became a celebration in of itself.

As they continued, and the initial excitement began to dwindle, Jacob idly found himself wishing that Shepherds could fly. It certainly would have made the journey far shorter and much more interesting. Still, the first sigh of the Tower was all it took for the effort to be made worthwhile.

The Tower was enormous, far taller than anything Jacob had seen in his life. It rose up, thousands of feet in the air, and he had difficulty finding the top of it against the brilliant blue of the sky. The walls were decorated with murals and symbols he couldn't recognize. As he stared at the ascending work or art, he felt... something. He couldn't place what it was, but there was something more to the tower than it's imposing architecture. Before he could ponder the source any further, he and the rest of the recruits were escorted inside.

The Tower was just as impressive on the inside as it was outside. The flowing murals continued, illuminated by the large number of lanterns. Numerous alcoves contained statues, probably of Shepherds long past, if Jacob had to hazard a guess. The Tower was mostly hollow, the vast shaft leading upwards occasionally crisscrossed by walkways. The dim lighting provided by the lanterns was insufficient to fully illuminate it's splendor, giving it an air of mystery as they attempted to peer into the shifting shadows. They were quickly escorted up a pair of stairways, and shown into a collection of small rooms.

“These are your quarters. The High Shepherd is currently away, but should return within a few days. Make yourselves comfortable until then.” Was the short explanation given by their guide. Jacob sighed in minor but well practiced irritation. He had been just as taciturn and stoic during the journey to the Tower, and despite constant inquiries by Jacob and the others, refused to say anything regard the order or the magic they practiced.

Jacob shook his head, and quickly moved to claim one of the rooms as his own. While magic remained as mysterious as it had in his village, at least he knew that answers were just a few days away.

As the days waiting for the High Shepherd passed, Jacob watched the Shepherds go abut their daily business. It was surprising to see how different the Shepherds were within the Tower. Outside, they all wore the same robes, carried the same staff, and even said the same things. It was difficult to tell if the Shepherd was the same person, or differed from year to year. Inside, it was far more diverse. Some of them wore the robes he was accustomed to, but just as many wore something more comfortable. They chatted, joked, laughed, all things they hid beneath the mask of their station while visiting the countless villages dotting the mountainside. Jacob was surprised at how easily he and the other recruits began to slip into their society. While a number of the older Shepherds maintained a polite distance, others were more than happy to strike up a conversation, and explain about the order and their way of life.

The one subject they remained completely silent on was magic. Clearly, instruction on it was the domain of the High Shepherd, and no one else. Until he returned, Jacob and the others had no choice but to wait.

They didn't have to wait long.

As dawn broke, Jacob and the other recruits were rudely awakened and dragged out of bed. Only the sheer surprise of the act and the sleepiness pervading them prevented serious protest, and as they began to fully wake up, they realized what this most likely meant. They stopped fighting, and eagerly moved forward, moving downwards. Down the stairs to the ground floor, then deeper still. The lanterns grew less frequent as the delved deeper, far beneath the foundations of the tower. The wall grew rougher, less finished, as the worked tunnels were left behind, replaced with natural, unworked stone. Jacob couldn't say how long they continued walking, but it seem like an eternity. Finally, they stopped, a great stone door before them, the only sign of human habitation.

They flinched away from the sudden light. Great bonfires ringed the vast cavern, reflected by crystals growing from the walls. In the center of the cave, a lone figure stood, surrounded by an unnaturally smooth circle of stone, engraved with arcane symbols Jacob couldn't recognize.

“Welcome, you initiates. I am the High Shepherd, and I will be instructing you on the basics of our magic.” the figure spoke, giving them a kind smile.

He was old, but by no means weak. His features had the well weathered look of someone who had worked every day of his life, without regard to sun, storm, or even his own health. His hands were covered with thick callouses and scars, earned through a lifetime of hard work. His robes were worn but well cared for, the beauty of their form completely discarded for the sake of practical function. A brief gesture sent the other Shepherds away, and a second brought the recruits closer to him. With a subtle movement of his hands, a brilliant light flared up, and the cavern began to shift, stone rising up and warping its shape, twisting into rough, but recognizable chairs. Speechless, Jacob and the others took a seat on the recently crafted chairs, and listened raptly as he began to speak once more.

“Our magic is the magic of Earth. Earth is the most stable of the four elements, lacking the chaos and fluidity of Air, Fire, and Water. It is because of this absolute order that we are able to safely manipulate the energies of Earth. While it is by far the most resistive element, the effort required only serves to strengthen us, making our magic all the more potent from the hard work we put into it.”

“All of you possess the spark of magic within you. Some are greater than others, others have only the barest of talent. The first step in mastering magic is learning how to use it, and strengthening your connection to it. While in days long passed, and in more experienced Shepherds, strength of will is sufficient to craft a spell, we have discovered it is far easier and more practical to use runes to create a spell, giving it a form so that our will is only necessary to draw up the magic to cast it.”

“Runes, sir?” A voice interrupted the High Shepard. He paused

“Yes, runes. “You could think of runes as the language of the world. When energy is channeled through them, their instructions are relayed to the world at large. Without runes, a Shepherd would need to hold an image of the spell in his mind, while simultaneously calling up the magic and forcing it to take that form. While possible, it is extremely difficult. The mind can only contain so much information at once. Runes give voice to the countless existences of our world, laying them out in the Divine Language whose origin and voice has been lost to history.”

“Rune can be combined into arrays, which are the foundation of our greater magic. Arrays can contain dozens, hundreds, thousands, or even more runes, describing spells of immense complexity beyond the reach of any one Shepherd.”

“But I've never seen a Shepherd use one of these arrays.” Jacob said, a number of his fellows nodding in agreement..

“An array is an immensely complicated and time consuming working necessary for all but the most basic of spells. Most Shepherds inscribe arrays into their staves. This allows them to access a limited number of spells quickly, without needing to create a new array each time. While the scope of its power is significantly limited, it significantly alleviates the effort necessary to practice rituals that have persisted for decades. This is especially useful as creating an array of any real complexity requires days at a minimum. Some of the more powerful arrays took years or even decades of Shepherds working tirelessly to make sure everything aligned perfectly, allowing us to create wonders beyond anything else the world has seen.”

“You're standing inside of it right now.” he replied, silencing the assembled initiates. “The Tower was the greatest product of our magic, designed to withstand any disaster, repair itself of any damage, and expand itself if our order ever had the need. It took the combined effort of hundreds of Shepherds over decades to create the array, but the results are far beyond what any of them could have accomplished alone.”

The High Shepherd smiled at the stunned audience before him, before moving on to explain the basics of manipulating the energy within themselves, and the energy in the world around them. Hours passed, and when the emerged from the depths of the Tower, ready for their first forays into the world of magic.

Surprisingly, most of the next week was spent reading. While the High Shepherd had explained the core philosophies of magic, it was not enough to begin casting spells. They still had to learn the runes used to shape the magic. Each rune had a specific meaning, which could be altered depending on what other runes were used along with it, as well as their relative positions in the array. While a single rune could be used to express the fundamental core of its existence, that was only true for some of the most obvious ones. Runes embodying the concept of “movement,” or “peace” were too esoteric to be used singly. Even the most basic of runes, such as “Earth” and “Water” could not function outside of an array. Without some form of context, there were no instructions to guide the magic. They all needed several additional runes, which needed to be laid out just so, in order to function.

He could use his will to supplement his attempts at spell craft, but his lack of experience made it difficult. His attempts to tap into the primal energy of the world were lackluster at best, like blindly reaching out for a strand of spider's silk. Despite repeated reassurances that the initial difficulties would be surmounted in time, his constant failure to produce anything wore at his patience.

Jacob sighed, before lighting a few candles in his room, hoping to offset the approaching darkness of dusk. It looked like he was in for another long night of studying. Idly, he traced a small rune on the table, and tried to pour energy into it. He tried to tap into the raw energy of the earth, channeling its power, tempering it into a form of his choosing, bending it to his will to accomplish his desires.

Jacob sighed, before inscribing another rune. It was not one related to earth, but one of the other elements. Despite the warnings imparted by the Shepherds, surely something so small and simple couldn't be a danger, right?

It lacked sophistication, lacked anything other than what it was, but in that simplicity, a single engraving could bring it into being, as long as he willed it to be so. He closed his eyes, and forced all of his being to focus on the rune, trying to direct forces he was barely aware of into something he had only a rudimentary understanding of, in the hopes that something, anything would happen

Jacob opened his eyes, and grinned as a small fire burst into existence for a split second, before dying out leaving only a faint scorch mark behind. He turned back to the book before him, studying it with renewed resolve.

At least it was paying off.






Four

The days began to blur together, as Jacob lost himself in his studies. While the subject was fascinating, his lack of progress beyond the barest minimum of competence wore at him, though he could see at least a modicum of progress and time continued onward.

The hardest part was learning the basics. It was akin to learning how to speak again, trying to communicate with a foreign stranger. No, that was inaccurate. It was like trying to talk to a fish, a bird, or some other species.

Jacob wondered how the first Shepherds had derived the working of magic. It was difficult enough with the notes and instructions in the books. Without them, it would have taken, years, decades, or even centuries to learn even the basics he was struggling with, let alone building wonders like the Tower.

Still, the more time he invested, and the more progress he made, the easier it became, as a greater understanding of the underlying principles made the connections and relations between the various runes clearer to him. Every day showed a little improvement, either learning a new rune, crafting a crude array, or being taught more about the flow of energy and how to manipulate it. While he had a long way ago to get anywhere close to mastery, Jacob had displayed a marked improvement from his first few days.

Soon, he was confident enough to craft simple arrays without books. The product of such spells were far from impressive, normally something small, oddly shaped, or poorly constructed, if not all three. After every attempt, he reminded himself that each failure was another step towards getting it right, and while it was scant comfort, it let him keep working. While still far short of what his criticizing mind demanded, there was a marked, though minor improvement as he practiced.

While he was still mastering the basics, he knew enough to move on to more advanced arrays and runes. It would take months longer before he was qualified to do more than minor magic outside of closely supervised situations, but his confidence grew along with his skill. It was after several weeks of constant improvement that he and the other apprentices were summoned.

It seemed that it was time to put what he had learned to the test.

Jacob and his fellow apprentices were escorted to one of the higher levels of the tower, to demonstrate what they had learned so far to the more experienced practitioners. The nervous anticipation coursing through him only intensified as he noticed the number of Shepherds in attendance. While the floor was empty, save for the provided materials, the upper echelons were filled with observers. The majority of them were their fellow students, eager to see the results of their efforts, but a number of full Shepherds were in attendance as well.

He took a moment to look over what was provided to them. All there was were a few pieces of chalk to draw the array, a small bookshelf containing runic tomes,. and the empty room itself. While not much to work with, it was more than enough for their limited understanding of magic.

Jacob picked up a piece of chalk, letting his hands toy with it as his mind worked out what type of magic to attempt. The lack of material besides the smooth stone of the floor limited his options, but given the focus of the Shepherds on the earth, it wouldn't be more than a minor stumbling block at worst. For several long minutes, he didn't move, simply considering which of the simple spells he had practiced would be most appropriate.

Jacob seized one of the books from the shelf, and moved forward, the world around him fading into the background as he began to craft his spell. He crouched down, and began to draw. First, a circle at the center, meant to serve as a focal point for the rest of the array. This was where his spell would take form, where all of the energy of the spell would be directed.

Next, he began to inscribe the core runes, the very essence of the spell he wanted to create. There was nothing complicated about this, as the first step was quite simple, but he took extra care to avoid making a simple mistake. An error in the early part of the spell would only compound itself, most likely ruining his efforts completely.

As he moved on to the second ring of runes, he slowed his pace, as this would be a great deal more complicated than He eschewed the more complex and nuanced runes that would give his spell the elegance the Shepherds displayed, instead focusing on the core of it. Better to do a passable job he was confident was possible than to try and impress the observers and humiliate himself. Even using the simplest arrangements he knew, he found himself constantly referencing the book, assuring himself that he was inscribing the runes in their appropriate location.

An outer circle was the penultimate step, separating the array from the outside world, preventing interference from the others, and allowing the magic to be shaped more easily, away from the influences of the world at large. While unlikely to be a significant factor in such an isolated and controlled environment, taking needless chances wasn't something that interested him.

Jacob paused. The array was completed, but he took the time to walk over it, his eyes alert for any deviance in the runes or the array.

Finally, will. The all important factor of his desires. Jacob reached into himself, drawing on the innate magic he had spent weeks cultivating, and brought it to the forefront of his mind. He didn't visualize the array before him, but the final product, the subtle nuances that would take hundreds of runes to replicate were forced into the spell, shaping it ever so slightly from the generic form the array would give it. Once he was satisfied, he placed his hands on the outer circle, and began to cast.

A ripple of power flowed around him, before pouring itself into the outer ring. Light began to shine dimly as energy filled the outer edge of the array, before slowly moving closer to the center. As the central circle began to glow, Jacob drew in a breath of anticipation.

The floor began to shift, as the orders encoded in the runes were enacted. Jacob watched in rapt attention as the smooth stone within the circle began to rise up, forming a pillar of solid earth. His attention didn't waver, as that was only the first stage of the spell.

The second ring of runic language lit up, and the column began to fall apart, as unnecessary parts were excised. Magic cut away at the pillar, and the discarded stone was absorbed back into the floor. Slowly, a rough shape began to reveal itself. As more and more excess stone fell away, the vague shape of a humanoid became more and more apparent. It lacked anything resembling detail. Its limbs were solid and lacked joints and digits, while its head was nothing more than an ovoid sphere.

Now for the most difficult part. He hadn't bothered to encode anything beyond the basic humanoid shape. Such nuance eluded him at this point. Instead, he used his will, honed through countless hours of study, practice, and focus, and attempted to impose his will onto the still unfinished spell, He envisioned the figure with features, trying to hold the image of a face in his mind, he tried to bring the though of fingers and toes into his thoughts, while not letting the facial features fade. He envisioned corded muscles, knees and elbows, constantly trying to add more details, more refinement, without letting go of a single image.

Jacob felt his head began to ache with the effort he was putting forth, but desperately tried to maintain the countless details at the forefront of his mind. The brief seconds stretched on to an eternity, until finally, he let go, unable to maintain the innumerable details any longer.

The end result was not as refined as he had hoped. While the features of a man were present, they were muted, as if an apprentice had left them unfinished for the master artisan to complete. Briefly, Jacob considered redoubling his efforts, forcing the unfinished work into the vision he desired, but decided against it. Letting out his held breath with a resigned sigh, he stepped back, and looked around him

He wasn't the first one to complete his spell, nor was he the last. Those who had finished before him had gone with simpler spells, or simply had a greater understanding than himself. Their efforts ranged from a simple, short pillar mean to be used as a table, to crafting a mural that ran along the wall.

As the final student empowered his spell, Jacob watched as the solid stone within the array began to shift, as a staff began to rise from the floor. While it did not look especially impressive, Jacob watched in shock as she took the staff, and immediately began casting a second spell. The stone surrounding her began to decay, shifting into fertile soil.

A burst of applause from the gallery above them filled the air at the advanced display, and a number of Shepherds made their way down to offer their congratulations. While a large number of them surrounded the young girl who had managed the impressive display, a significant portion moved to the other apprentices to offer their counsel.

“An impressive statue” a Shepherd said, studying the stone form Jacob had created.

“It's wasn't as refined as I wanted it to be, and even if it was, it was nowhere near as impressive as hers was.” Jacob said, with a glance at the sizable crowd surrounding the center of attention.

“Cheer up, apprentice. While you may not be the prodigy young Sophia is, your own working was impressive for the short time you've been studying.”

“Thank you, sir.” Jacob responded, his melancholy alleviated slightly by his praise.

“With this, you're an official Shepherd, so you don't have a reason to look so depressed. It's time to celebrate!” the Shepherd laughed with a hearty slap to Jacob's back. Jacob grinned weakly, before following the crowd towards the Great Hall.

That night, the evening meal was a massive celebration. The stores had been broken open, and everyone feasted to their heart's content. The apprentices spent the early part of the evening talking about their spells and asking how to improve them, but as more wine was consumed less thought was directed towards magic, and they simply reveled

Jacob's poor mood vanished as the night wore on. Numerous apprentices asked how he had managed to create the statue so well, while several Shepherds offering their congratulations, as well as advice on how to go about improving the array he had used.

The celebration lasted long into the night, and the faint rays of dawn began to appear on the horizon before Jacob decided to return to his room. While a number of apprentices were still going, he could feel exhaustion creeping up on him, and thought a few hours of sleep would be a better use of his time than continued drinking. A distant part of his mind thought back to how his father would always wake him loudly and boisterously after a night drinking and feared a similar response from the Shepherds.

Jacob slowly made his way back to his room, stumbling from inebriation as much as exhaustion. He struggled for a moment with the door, and lurched across the room, using the wall to steady himself. Jacob fell into bed, and immediately fell asleep, a satisfied, drunken grin across his face.
 

zerohour

Well-Known Member
#3
I AM GOING TO FINISH THIS!!!



Five

Months passed, spent studying and refining arrays. Jacob and the other former apprentices had been moved out of their rooms into slightly larger accommidations. While the extra space was not excessive, barely enough for an additional pair of bookshelves, it was appreciated, and more importantly, it showed that they were making progress, moving up the ladder to become full fledged Shepherds.

In addition to the more spacious room, Jacob and the other new initiates had received the robes of the order, marking their full acceptance among the Shepherds. While a number of them chose to wear them at all hours of the day, Jacob found his regular clothing to be far more comfortable, especially as the blazing heat of summer fell upon them.

Still, they may be Shepherds, but they still had a far way to go to attain mastery. Among them, only Sophia had been granted a stave, allow to inscribe it with spells she found most suitable. It lacked the grandeur and sophistication displayed in the stave of higher ranking Shepherds, but it set her above and apart from the rest of them. While it was trivially easy to find or make an equivalent, it lacked the social status of being granted one. More than a few apprenticed tried to craft a facsimile of the symbol of the Order, but without the advanced knowledge garnered through study and experience, the final result fell far short of their dreams, barely more than pieces of wood. It reminded Jacob of when he used to play at being knights with the other villagers. Of course, the memories didn't keep him from making his own attempt, though at least he had the grace to keep it concealed.

Research into the deeper mysteries progressed without any great excitement. The basics had been mastered, and the senior Shepherds told them it was up to them to find their own truths for shaping the earth. The diversity of thought was what gave them their power, and soon enough, they would be called upon to demonstrate that strength.

Jacob was surprised to find he and a number of other initiates had been assigned to work on a project together, but all it served to do was renew his vigor and drive him to study and practice all the harder.

“The Shepherds are a harmonious organization. The strength of one is far less than the strength of many, and a force bound together by purpose far surpasses an unorganized mob. By combining your talents together, you can craft an array surpassing your individual skills” Was the explanation given by one of the senior Shepherds. “If you desire to move beyond the basics you have so recently begun to grasp, then it follows that you must learn to combine your disparate skills into something greater than the sum of its parts. I will leave the details for you to determine on your own, but I hope your choice will be suitably impressive.”

Uncertain glances were exchanged, the newly initiated once again cast into a situation rife with uncertainty. The only comfort they had at that moment was that they wouldn't be alone. The Shepherd left, and an awkward silence filled the room.

“So... where should we begin?” One of the other apprentices spoke up, drawing some nervous chuckles form the rest of them. It wasn't much but it was enough o get them started.

They quickly requisitioned a room for research and experimenting with their basic rune combinations. The first few days of the project were spent ascertaining their varying levels of competence and expertise, as well as arguing over what would make for a suitably impressive collaboration. Very little spellwork was performed, mainly the various apprentices, Jacob included, arguing and posturing to establish a pecking order. After the first few awkward days, they began to fall into a somewhat comfortable status quo. While not entirely used to working with one another, they managed it quite well, comparing notes and techniques as they debated the purpose and properties of their array, debating what their project would be.

All progressed well, but soon, issues began to arise. They tended to be minor, a quick argument over the layout of a minor array, or a snide comment about punctuality

Each of them had their own philosophies, their own perspective on magic and how it should work. It was only a matter of time before they began to grate on each other, and once that happened, escalation would be inevitable.

The breaking point came after nearly a month of work. The initial designs had be discussed and decided upon, and they had begun to craft the array in earnest. Jacob carefully inscribed a few runes, most notably the sigil for Fire. He quickly sketched a complimentary array, and began to channel power into it, testing the design before integrating it into the slowly emerging pattern.

“What do you think you're doing?!” One of them shouted once they saw what he had done.

“The animating power of Fire will let the stone work with us instead of fighting it the entire time.” Jacob replied.

“Assuming you don't set the entire room ablaze!” Another initiate spoke up. Jacob turned to face him and recognized him. What was his name again? Alexander? Adaloi? No, it was Adam.

“I know what I'm doing.” Jacob answered again, his temper beginning to rise.

“You think you know better that the masters who came before us?! The element of Fire is one of the most corrosive and destructive forces we can access, and you want to use it in an array?”

“I said I know what I'm doing!” Jacob nearly snarled. Angrily, he placed his hand upon the sketched array, and channeled power into it.

Magic was a tempramental and fickle power, made moreso without the proper focus and using an element of such mercurial nature. The results were predictable, and the array was engulfed in flames. The apprentices moved back in surprise and fear. Jacob grinned at first, but it fell away as the fires grew more intense, beyond his ability to control them. As the fires burned, a short column of stone rose up and began to melt, warping and shifting from the intense heat. It shifted without rhyme or reason, shifting through countless permutations as the spell raged out of control, confined only by the utmost exertion of will.

Abruptly, it stopped, and Jacob collapsed to his knees, completely drained, gasping for air.

“What were you thinking!?” Adam demanded, “We're Shepherds of the Earth! There's a reason we don't use any other elements!”

“There's more to magic than Earth!” Jacob protested, struggling back to his feet.

“That is true, but the other elements are too tempramental to use! Earth is the only one that isn't inherently active, and can be manipulated safely without risk!” Sophia exclaimed with a glare.

“That doesn't mean we should ignore the others! It may be more difficult, but think of the potential spells that could be created with the other elements! Why else would we have the runes for Air, Fire, and Water?”

“As a learning exercise! We only have the most basic runes for those elements because they were too dangerous to use in anything more advanced! Just look at the damage you caused, that should be evidence enough!” Adam rebutted, his face enflamed with indignation.

“I've used them in spells before!” Jacob returned, his voice gaining strength.

“And just how did they turn out?!”

Jacob glared at him, but restrained himself from answering. His attempts had been less successful than he had wanted, and mentioning them now would do nothing to help his position.

“I thought so.” Adam sneered. “The time for experimenting is gone now. We don't have time to try new things right now. We need to use what we have already mastered to create something to impress the Master Shepherds. If you don't stop your experiments, then you had best leave now before you kill yourself and us along with you.”

Others began to voice their opinions as well, each with their own perspectives and thoughts. While most of them supported Adam's position, there were subtle differences that turned them on each other. One or two even endorsed Jacob's perspective of using the other elements, though they had not attempted such a feat on their own. Soon, the room was filled with the echoes of shouts, and it began to tremble. Ranging tempers began to tap into their magical potential, no longer controlled by discipline. Soon, it would begin to reshape the world around them. Without any runes or arrays to dictate its path or purpose, it simply rampaged, growing stronger with each exchanged insult, more potent with every shout. It was only a matter of time before some critical point was reached, and the power coursing through them vented the fury within their hearts on the Tower itself.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!” A petite figure shouted from the doorway, a gnarled oaken staff slung over its feminine form.

Everything stopped, all of the apprentices unwilling to say anything before a senior Shepherd. The arguments and bickering simply ceased to be, as everyone attempted to escape his notice. The small pebbles and loose bits of earth floating around them abruptly fell back to the ground, as each of them was cowed into submission.

“I expected there to be some strain from working together, but this is beyond anything I've seen from apprentices! You are supposed to be working as a team, not arguing about semantics!” The Shepherd nearly screamed, her hood falling back to reveal eyes flashing with rage and power.

“It's not semantics!” Adam protested.

“It is!!! You have been fighting since this project was conceived! Each of you have a skill none of the others possess, and that was why you were joined together! The differences between you are what give it power!” The Shepherd ranted, “The result is greater than the sum of the parts, that is one of the values the Shepherds have practiced since their founding. If your forsake this fundamental truth, then you have no place among our ranks!!!”

“But sir!”

“But nothing!!! You need to understand what the Shepherds represent if you are to be one of us! You need to learn that each of you is insignificant! The whole exceeds the compilation of the parts! You need to work together, joining your skills together. Fighting amongst yourselves will only weaken us, and that, we cannot allow. If you want to be Shepherds, then you must put your brothers and sisters first, so something greater than yourself can be built! The wonders and powers of the Shepherds is drawn from the strength of unity, and to forsake that goes against everything our Order stands for! You are all dismissed for the day. I hope some time apart will cool your tempers and keep this from happening again!”

Jacob stormed out without another word, and a number of his fellow apprentices did the same. Upon reaching his quarters, he locked the door behind him, and pulled out the notes had had been laboring over since he was first introduced to magic. While Earth Magic was powerful, and the focus of the Shepherds, Jacob had continued to look into the three remaining elements. He scribbled a brief note about his most recent attempt, before tossing them onto the desk and glowering at them, silently demanding that they reveal their secrets to him.

A knock broke him out of his brooding. Jacob glanced at the door, then turned away,remaining silent. Hopefully they would just go away and leave him to his work.

Whoever it was knocked a second time. Jacob resisted the urge to shout, sigh or give any sign that he was there.

The lock opened, and a Shepherd walked in.

“How did you-”

“Metal comes from the earth, does it not? Is it so surprising?” The Shepherd asked with a slight smile.

Jacob scowled, but made no other sign of his displeasure. The Shepherd leaned against the open doorway, dropping his hood and locking eyes with the irate apprentice.

“Shepherd Lilica informed me of the... encounter between you and your fellow apprentices. She though ti wold be good for each of you to speak with an experienced Shepherd about the...difficulties you have been experiencing with one another.”

Jacob let out a frustrated sigh, “You can spare me the lecture.”

“More than one Shepherd has explored the potential of the other three elements. Have you ever wondered why they remain forbidden?”

“I can guess.” the younger man answered, with a sigh.

“Because it was determined that the were too dangerous.”

Jacob glared at him for a moment, before nearly shouting a reply, “Yes, fire is dangerous, but I've worked with it in the forge for all my life. As long as you take the proper precautions, it's no different than walking down the street! Just because it's magic doesn't change what it is. As long as you use caution, there's no reason it cannot be used!”

The Shepherd sighed, “Jacob, your personal beliefs aside, the Shepherds have existed for hundreds of years. As I said, there have been many attempts to tame Fire, and the other elements. We have tried to bend and shape them into something we can use, and every attempt has ended in failure or disaster. Please, for the safety of the Shepherds, and yourself. If it were merely between failure and success, I would encourage you, but there is a chance you could destroy the Tower and everything associated with the order if you persist.”

A scowl crossed Jacob's face, but he nodded. The Shepherd offered a brief smile, before quietly leaving, shutting the door behind him.

Jacob waited a few minutes to ensure he was really gone, then sat down at his desk, tucking away his private research for another time, resolving to be more cautious for the next attempt. His mind somewhat clearer than it had been, he resumed studying his notes with renewed vigor. They made not approve of his ideas, but he was on to something, and he wasn't going to stop until he discovered just what it was.





Six

The project assigned to them continued, though as before, there was conflict. Jacob had stopped sharing his heretical position, but its influence was still present, altering, even corrupting their arrays in the minds of some.

Crafting an array with others was different than making one on his own. He had to take into account not only the runes they were inscribing, but their personalities as well. Each had a particular way of scribing a rune, each had a particular interpretation about what exactly each symbol meant. Just as everyone's writing was different, so too were the runes. The differences had to be harnessed, channeled, so they enhanced the final product, instead of ruining it.

Jacob refrained from bringing up he subject of the other elements beyond passing mention, or proposing a way to utilized their principles with the element of Earth. While the majority of them went ignored and unanswered, more than one made their way into the array, in one form or another.

Still, progress was slow. All of the apprentices had their own thoughts and beliefs, and those each affected the array, changing it ever so slightly, each alteration triggers a dozen other changes. Any time it rose above the most simplistic of designs, it inevitably became corrupted and failed to function in the best of cases, or warped the spell into something deadly. More than one session had ended with a rain of stone shards cutting through the apprentices, laying them up for days or weeks. Needless to say,more often than not, Jacob was the source, but each and every one of them had triggered an event such as that during the project.

In theory, the array had been completed, but applying it in practice had proven much more difficult.

Until finally, Jacob had had enough.

“I hate to say it, but right now our beliefs don't matter. All they're doing is getting in our way, and keeping us from working on the project.”

“You're right, at least in this case.” Adam admitted. “As long as you can keep your experiments to yourself and out of our project, I can let it go for now.”

“...Fine.” Jacob reluctantly accepted the proposal, before turning back to the incomplete array. He closed his eyes, and drew in a deep breath, and released it, trying to release the frustration and tension that had built up over the course of the collaboration. His eyes locked on to the wall beside him, and in a moment of madness, slammed his skull against it. Stars flashed before his eyes, and when his vision cleared, he felt calmer. The irritation was still present, but it had faded into the background, clearing his head to focus on the matter at hand.

The problem wasn't the runes, it was the people scribing them and channeling the power into them. It was a simple problem, but easily overlooked. All of their own arrays had been crafted by their hands alone, so it never arose as a problem, but when they combined their disparate understandings it created conflict.

“I think I understand what the problem is.”

“We all know what the problem is.” Adam sighed, “The arrays don't interact with each other properly.”

“But we haven't been thinking the right way to find the solution.” Jacobs continued, excitement building in his voice. “Instead of changing the array, we need to change the casters!”

“What in the world are you talking about?”

“Each of us is an individual, with our own thoughts, dreams and perceptions. It stands to reason that our understanding of magic would likewise be different.” Jacob began to explain, manic energy mounting as his continued, “We need a way to eliminate those differences, at least, for a time. If our thoughts are unified, then the conflict shouldn't occur, and the array should function properly when it shapes the spell!”

The others exchanged looks. Some were fearful, others filled with derision, but most were directed towards Adam, who looked at Jacob thoughtfully, considering his proposal.

“...Alright, let's give it a shot” Adam said, a small smirk on his face.

Long weeks passed, and though some tension and anger remained, it lay far beneath the surface, long hours working together had taken its fangs and it was content to release only an occasional growl when an opportunity presented itself. Even those events became rarer, as they finally passed the hurdle holding them back, and the final array began to take shape.

The difficult part was finding a way to synchronize their minds. The best method proved to be repetition, and their days became closely regulated They all rose at the same time, ate at the same time, worked at the same time, and slept at the same time. Each followed the ritualistic patterns without fail, and slowly the conflicts and failures in the arrays began to fade.

Adam had been elected as their leader. He was one of the more skilled casters, and more importantly, he had the charisma to quiet the subconscious complaints of others. For a time, Jacob had been in consideration, but while he had many inspired ideas, his mindset was too different from the majority of them to regulate the flow of power between them. Adam proved capable of controlling it to a better degree, and more importantly, didn't let his position go to his head. He listened to the ideas and suggestions made by each of them equally, and implemented those with merit without hesitation.

Weeks passed, hours each day were spent drawing and redrawing lines of power between runes, combining them in different ways to create something more than the sum of its parts. Countless nights were spent laboring by candlelight, struggling to bring it to completion.

Finally the day arrived.

As one, they entered the chamber where the spell would be cast. Each of them silently took their position around the massive array they had spent weeks crafgting. Some eyed it for hidden flaws, others drew in deep breaths to calm themselves, but in all of them, there was a unity of purpose.

Jacob paused for a moment, exchanging glances with his partners. Then, as one, they began to chant.

Chanting was unnecessary to most magics, even for a ritual like this. However, when multiple casters were involved, a level of synchronity was necessary. They chanting helped to harmonize their mindsets, minimizing the disruptions caused by their individual thoughts, enhancing the synergy crafted from long weeks of repetition. True masters could manage it with nothing but a passing glance, but they were far from masters, and to risk the project for pride would be the height of foolishness.

Energy began to flow. At first, from one caster to the next, slowly creating a massive circle layered with lines of pure force. As the basic array was completed, it exploded in a whirlwind of power, intricate lines igniting as power flooded into them, slowly giving definition to the final product they had envisioned.

The stone floor beneath them began to tremble, then began to crack. Slowly the ground began to tear itself apart, a central core emerging from the

The array governing it's development had been sundered, broken into thousands of useless fragments, but the power remained, creating an array of pure power, unconstrained by mere stone. Without a physical component, it was more potent, but also more prone to corruption and disruption. Now the real work began. In tense silence, they focused on the forces they were channeling, willing each and every detail into perfect alignment. A single misstep could easily cascade into an unmitigated disaster so the utmost attention was a necessity.

The ground warped once more, flowing into the countless cracks, and repairing the massive hole that had birthed their creation. The brilliant light flooding the room began to fade as the spell neared its completion, the pure white replaced with the flickering red, yellow, and orange of the torches lining the walls.

A stone avatar fell to the newly constructed floor with a resounding crash.

The array worked perfectly. Better than they had expected, in actuality. All of their efforts had coalesced into something greater than anything they could have accomplished on their own. The statue was a marvel of architecture, but that was only the beginning of it. It's entire body was covered with runes, joining together into a vast array, capable of commanding it's every action. With the array, a Shepherd would be able to channel their power and control it like a puppet, moving it about as a mighty titan, capable of feats beyond the ability of mere men.

Additional arrays beyond the dominant one gave it supernatural durability, and enabled it to be repaired should it suffer any damage. It would even be possible to imbue it with a message, which it could speak once arriving at its destination.

Of course, despite the success, Jacob found himself turning a critical eyes upon their creation, noting minute flaws that only revealed themselves after it was fully realized. It's movement could be a bit smoother, and the features were rougher than anticipated, but the core purpose behind the array was fully realized. It was only after he allowed his absolute focus to lapse that he noticed how utterly drained he was. His knees began to shake, and he only barely managed to lower himself to the ground before they gave out completely.

A quick glance around showed that Adam was the only one among them still standing, and for good reason. He had been given the dubious honor of leading the ritual. As the leader his duty was to smooth out and control the dissonance between the other casters. While it left his mystical powers mostly intact, the mental strain was far worse than that on any of the other participants. While he was able to remain standing, Jacob could see a faint trickle of blood dripping from his nose.

Adam paused for a moment to wipe away the trace of weakness, before turning to address the senior Shepherds assembled above them. He explained the reasons for the long delays in the completion of their project, before explaining the solution they had determined, and how they executed it, before moving on to discussing the final array an its result.

Jacob let him lecture and explain their project. Just as long as he gave proper credit to all of them, he would be content.

Days laters, Jacob, Adam, and the other participants were called to assemble. They found themselves in a dimly lit room.

A Shepherd stood before them, bent with age and the weight of the ornaments of office. Jacob heard a few gasps of shock as recognition of who it was flashed into their minds. This was the leader of the Order, the Shepherd more experienced than any other, capable of magic they could only cream of.

She opened he mouth, and spoke a single word.

“Kneel.”

Jacob and the others immediately fell to the ground. The Shepherd before them walked up to each of them in turn, wrapping an earthen brown cloak around each of them, and presenting them with an uncarved, wooden stave. No words were exchanged during this, each of them silently accepting what was given to them with reverence. After presently the last stave, the Shepherd returned to the front of the chamber, and began to speak.

“You have proven yourselves greater than the sum of your parts. You have overcome your differences to make something beyond the scope of any of your individual abilities. That is the way of the Shepherds, banding together to accomplish wonders. It is through that unity that the mountain villages and tribes can survive. Without joining together, the ways of magic would be lost, reducing us to mere mystics and con men. In recognition of that, you have all been presented with the symbols of our station.”

She allowed herself a faint smile. “You are all now Shepherds of the Order. Congratulations.”

Jacob stared in awe at the piece of wood before him. It was far from impressive, lacking the opulent decorations some of the Shepherds favored, but it was a genuine Shepherd's staff, infused with the mystic energies that he could only barely touch. Limitless potential that was his to shape.

He didn't start. Not just yet. For the moment, he simply examined the staff before him, studying its each and every detail, engraving it into his mind. This was his, the first step towards truly mastering the arcane arts. More than simply becoming a Shepherd, this showed that he had potential, that he could command the forces of the world. His skill limited his ability, but it was always improving, giving him greater and greater control over the forces that pervaded the world. Soon enough he would master them, and exceed his current abilities, becoming something greater.

A clap on his back startled him back to the world around him. He glanced up, and saw Adam's grinning face before him. Jacob grinned back at him, and almost at once, the rest of the newly minted Shepherd burst into cheers at their accomplishment.

The night passed in a blur of celebration, much like the one after crafting his first array. Jacob laughed along with his compatriots, joking about the difficulties they had face, and exchanging suggestions on how to improve on their design, and making plans to start anew.

However, knowing what was to come next, Jacob restrained himself to a degree. When the opportunity presented itself, he slipped away, quietly returning to his room.

Jacob pulled out parchment, before laying it out on his desk, and began to scribble furiously, writing down countless permutations of runes, altering, discarding, and starting over again. The staff was the first real mark of his skill and progress, and he was going to extract every ounce of power he could out of it.

He stopped for a moment, before surreptiously scribing a single rune beneath one of the gnarls at the top. It was small, almost unnoticible, especially given its position. The reason for that could be found in the rune's meaning.

Fire

He had been lectured countless times about the dangers of using other elements, fire in particular, but it had never stopped him before. If anything, it had only inspired him to explore it more, to understand why it was forbidden. Even now, as a fully recognized Shepherd, he could not let this mystery go unsolved.

Another step along the path laid out before him, but he wasn't giving up the one he chose for himself. He would walk down it without any regrets

Jacob returned to the now scattered papers on his desk, carefully examining each of them for a way to contain, control, and above all, master the power he had seated in his stave.

The time for playing around had passed.
[hr]
I AM GOING TO FINISH THIS!!!



Five

Months passed, spent studying and refining arrays. Jacob and the other former apprentices had been moved out of their rooms into slightly larger accommidations. While the extra space was not excessive, barely enough for an additional pair of bookshelves, it was appreciated, and more importantly, it showed that they were making progress, moving up the ladder to become full fledged Shepherds.

In addition to the more spacious room, Jacob and the other new initiates had received the robes of the order, marking their full acceptance among the Shepherds. While a number of them chose to wear them at all hours of the day, Jacob found his regular clothing to be far more comfortable, especially as the blazing heat of summer fell upon them.

Still, they may be Shepherds, but they still had a far way to go to attain mastery. Among them, only Sophia had been granted a stave, allow to inscribe it with spells she found most suitable. It lacked the grandeur and sophistication displayed in the stave of higher ranking Shepherds, but it set her above and apart from the rest of them. While it was trivially easy to find or make an equivalent, it lacked the social status of being granted one. More than a few apprenticed tried to craft a facsimile of the symbol of the Order, but without the advanced knowledge garnered through study and experience, the final result fell far short of their dreams, barely more than pieces of wood. It reminded Jacob of when he used to play at being knights with the other villagers. Of course, the memories didn't keep him from making his own attempt, though at least he had the grace to keep it concealed.

Research into the deeper mysteries progressed without any great excitement. The basics had been mastered, and the senior Shepherds told them it was up to them to find their own truths for shaping the earth. The diversity of thought was what gave them their power, and soon enough, they would be called upon to demonstrate that strength.

Jacob was surprised to find he and a number of other initiates had been assigned to work on a project together, but all it served to do was renew his vigor and drive him to study and practice all the harder.

“The Shepherds are a harmonious organization. The strength of one is far less than the strength of many, and a force bound together by purpose far surpasses an unorganized mob. By combining your talents together, you can craft an array surpassing your individual skills” Was the explanation given by one of the senior Shepherds. “If you desire to move beyond the basics you have so recently begun to grasp, then it follows that you must learn to combine your disparate skills into something greater than the sum of its parts. I will leave the details for you to determine on your own, but I hope your choice will be suitably impressive.”

Uncertain glances were exchanged, the newly initiated once again cast into a situation rife with uncertainty. The only comfort they had at that moment was that they wouldn't be alone. The Shepherd left, and an awkward silence filled the room.

“So... where should we begin?” One of the other apprentices spoke up, drawing some nervous chuckles form the rest of them. It wasn't much but it was enough o get them started.

They quickly requisitioned a room for research and experimenting with their basic rune combinations. The first few days of the project were spent ascertaining their varying levels of competence and expertise, as well as arguing over what would make for a suitably impressive collaboration. Very little spellwork was performed, mainly the various apprentices, Jacob included, arguing and posturing to establish a pecking order. After the first few awkward days, they began to fall into a somewhat comfortable status quo. While not entirely used to working with one another, they managed it quite well, comparing notes and techniques as they debated the purpose and properties of their array, debating what their project would be.

All progressed well, but soon, issues began to arise. They tended to be minor, a quick argument over the layout of a minor array, or a snide comment about punctuality

Each of them had their own philosophies, their own perspective on magic and how it should work. It was only a matter of time before they began to grate on each other, and once that happened, escalation would be inevitable.

The breaking point came after nearly a month of work. The initial designs had be discussed and decided upon, and they had begun to craft the array in earnest. Jacob carefully inscribed a few runes, most notably the sigil for Fire. He quickly sketched a complimentary array, and began to channel power into it, testing the design before integrating it into the slowly emerging pattern.

“What do you think you're doing?!” One of them shouted once they saw what he had done.

“The animating power of Fire will let the stone work with us instead of fighting it the entire time.” Jacob replied.

“Assuming you don't set the entire room ablaze!” Another initiate spoke up. Jacob turned to face him and recognized him. What was his name again? Alexander? Adaloi? No, it was Adam.

“I know what I'm doing.” Jacob answered again, his temper beginning to rise.

“You think you know better that the masters who came before us?! The element of Fire is one of the most corrosive and destructive forces we can access, and you want to use it in an array?”

“I said I know what I'm doing!” Jacob nearly snarled. Angrily, he placed his hand upon the sketched array, and channeled power into it.

Magic was a tempramental and fickle power, made moreso without the proper focus and using an element of such mercurial nature. The results were predictable, and the array was engulfed in flames. The apprentices moved back in surprise and fear. Jacob grinned at first, but it fell away as the fires grew more intense, beyond his ability to control them. As the fires burned, a short column of stone rose up and began to melt, warping and shifting from the intense heat. It shifted without rhyme or reason, shifting through countless permutations as the spell raged out of control, confined only by the utmost exertion of will.

Abruptly, it stopped, and Jacob collapsed to his knees, completely drained, gasping for air.

“What were you thinking!?” Adam demanded, “We're Shepherds of the Earth! There's a reason we don't use any other elements!”

“There's more to magic than Earth!” Jacob protested, struggling back to his feet.

“That is true, but the other elements are too tempramental to use! Earth is the only one that isn't inherently active, and can be manipulated safely without risk!” Sophia exclaimed with a glare.

“That doesn't mean we should ignore the others! It may be more difficult, but think of the potential spells that could be created with the other elements! Why else would we have the runes for Air, Fire, and Water?”

“As a learning exercise! We only have the most basic runes for those elements because they were too dangerous to use in anything more advanced! Just look at the damage you caused, that should be evidence enough!” Adam rebutted, his face enflamed with indignation.

“I've used them in spells before!” Jacob returned, his voice gaining strength.

“And just how did they turn out?!”

Jacob glared at him, but restrained himself from answering. His attempts had been less successful than he had wanted, and mentioning them now would do nothing to help his position.

“I thought so.” Adam sneered. “The time for experimenting is gone now. We don't have time to try new things right now. We need to use what we have already mastered to create something to impress the Master Shepherds. If you don't stop your experiments, then you had best leave now before you kill yourself and us along with you.”

Others began to voice their opinions as well, each with their own perspectives and thoughts. While most of them supported Adam's position, there were subtle differences that turned them on each other. One or two even endorsed Jacob's perspective of using the other elements, though they had not attempted such a feat on their own. Soon, the room was filled with the echoes of shouts, and it began to tremble. Ranging tempers began to tap into their magical potential, no longer controlled by discipline. Soon, it would begin to reshape the world around them. Without any runes or arrays to dictate its path or purpose, it simply rampaged, growing stronger with each exchanged insult, more potent with every shout. It was only a matter of time before some critical point was reached, and the power coursing through them vented the fury within their hearts on the Tower itself.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!” A petite figure shouted from the doorway, a gnarled oaken staff slung over its feminine form.

Everything stopped, all of the apprentices unwilling to say anything before a senior Shepherd. The arguments and bickering simply ceased to be, as everyone attempted to escape his notice. The small pebbles and loose bits of earth floating around them abruptly fell back to the ground, as each of them was cowed into submission.

“I expected there to be some strain from working together, but this is beyond anything I've seen from apprentices! You are supposed to be working as a team, not arguing about semantics!” The Shepherd nearly screamed, her hood falling back to reveal eyes flashing with rage and power.

“It's not semantics!” Adam protested.

“It is!!! You have been fighting since this project was conceived! Each of you have a skill none of the others possess, and that was why you were joined together! The differences between you are what give it power!” The Shepherd ranted, “The result is greater than the sum of the parts, that is one of the values the Shepherds have practiced since their founding. If your forsake this fundamental truth, then you have no place among our ranks!!!”

“But sir!”

“But nothing!!! You need to understand what the Shepherds represent if you are to be one of us! You need to learn that each of you is insignificant! The whole exceeds the compilation of the parts! You need to work together, joining your skills together. Fighting amongst yourselves will only weaken us, and that, we cannot allow. If you want to be Shepherds, then you must put your brothers and sisters first, so something greater than yourself can be built! The wonders and powers of the Shepherds is drawn from the strength of unity, and to forsake that goes against everything our Order stands for! You are all dismissed for the day. I hope some time apart will cool your tempers and keep this from happening again!”

Jacob stormed out without another word, and a number of his fellow apprentices did the same. Upon reaching his quarters, he locked the door behind him, and pulled out the notes had had been laboring over since he was first introduced to magic. While Earth Magic was powerful, and the focus of the Shepherds, Jacob had continued to look into the three remaining elements. He scribbled a brief note about his most recent attempt, before tossing them onto the desk and glowering at them, silently demanding that they reveal their secrets to him.

A knock broke him out of his brooding. Jacob glanced at the door, then turned away,remaining silent. Hopefully they would just go away and leave him to his work.

Whoever it was knocked a second time. Jacob resisted the urge to shout, sigh or give any sign that he was there.

The lock opened, and a Shepherd walked in.

“How did you-”

“Metal comes from the earth, does it not? Is it so surprising?” The Shepherd asked with a slight smile.

Jacob scowled, but made no other sign of his displeasure. The Shepherd leaned against the open doorway, dropping his hood and locking eyes with the irate apprentice.

“Shepherd Lilica informed me of the... encounter between you and your fellow apprentices. She though ti wold be good for each of you to speak with an experienced Shepherd about the...difficulties you have been experiencing with one another.”

Jacob let out a frustrated sigh, “You can spare me the lecture.”

“More than one Shepherd has explored the potential of the other three elements. Have you ever wondered why they remain forbidden?”

“I can guess.” the younger man answered, with a sigh.

“Because it was determined that the were too dangerous.”

Jacob glared at him for a moment, before nearly shouting a reply, “Yes, fire is dangerous, but I've worked with it in the forge for all my life. As long as you take the proper precautions, it's no different than walking down the street! Just because it's magic doesn't change what it is. As long as you use caution, there's no reason it cannot be used!”

The Shepherd sighed, “Jacob, your personal beliefs aside, the Shepherds have existed for hundreds of years. As I said, there have been many attempts to tame Fire, and the other elements. We have tried to bend and shape them into something we can use, and every attempt has ended in failure or disaster. Please, for the safety of the Shepherds, and yourself. If it were merely between failure and success, I would encourage you, but there is a chance you could destroy the Tower and everything associated with the order if you persist.”

A scowl crossed Jacob's face, but he nodded. The Shepherd offered a brief smile, before quietly leaving, shutting the door behind him.

Jacob waited a few minutes to ensure he was really gone, then sat down at his desk, tucking away his private research for another time, resolving to be more cautious for the next attempt. His mind somewhat clearer than it had been, he resumed studying his notes with renewed vigor. They made not approve of his ideas, but he was on to something, and he wasn't going to stop until he discovered just what it was.





Six

The project assigned to them continued, though as before, there was conflict. Jacob had stopped sharing his heretical position, but its influence was still present, altering, even corrupting their arrays in the minds of some.

Crafting an array with others was different than making one on his own. He had to take into account not only the runes they were inscribing, but their personalities as well. Each had a particular way of scribing a rune, each had a particular interpretation about what exactly each symbol meant. Just as everyone's writing was different, so too were the runes. The differences had to be harnessed, channeled, so they enhanced the final product, instead of ruining it.

Jacob refrained from bringing up he subject of the other elements beyond passing mention, or proposing a way to utilized their principles with the element of Earth. While the majority of them went ignored and unanswered, more than one made their way into the array, in one form or another.

Still, progress was slow. All of the apprentices had their own thoughts and beliefs, and those each affected the array, changing it ever so slightly, each alteration triggers a dozen other changes. Any time it rose above the most simplistic of designs, it inevitably became corrupted and failed to function in the best of cases, or warped the spell into something deadly. More than one session had ended with a rain of stone shards cutting through the apprentices, laying them up for days or weeks. Needless to say,more often than not, Jacob was the source, but each and every one of them had triggered an event such as that during the project.

In theory, the array had been completed, but applying it in practice had proven much more difficult.

Until finally, Jacob had had enough.

“I hate to say it, but right now our beliefs don't matter. All they're doing is getting in our way, and keeping us from working on the project.”

“You're right, at least in this case.” Adam admitted. “As long as you can keep your experiments to yourself and out of our project, I can let it go for now.”

“...Fine.” Jacob reluctantly accepted the proposal, before turning back to the incomplete array. He closed his eyes, and drew in a deep breath, and released it, trying to release the frustration and tension that had built up over the course of the collaboration. His eyes locked on to the wall beside him, and in a moment of madness, slammed his skull against it. Stars flashed before his eyes, and when his vision cleared, he felt calmer. The irritation was still present, but it had faded into the background, clearing his head to focus on the matter at hand.

The problem wasn't the runes, it was the people scribing them and channeling the power into them. It was a simple problem, but easily overlooked. All of their own arrays had been crafted by their hands alone, so it never arose as a problem, but when they combined their disparate understandings it created conflict.

“I think I understand what the problem is.”

“We all know what the problem is.” Adam sighed, “The arrays don't interact with each other properly.”

“But we haven't been thinking the right way to find the solution.” Jacobs continued, excitement building in his voice. “Instead of changing the array, we need to change the casters!”

“What in the world are you talking about?”

“Each of us is an individual, with our own thoughts, dreams and perceptions. It stands to reason that our understanding of magic would likewise be different.” Jacob began to explain, manic energy mounting as his continued, “We need a way to eliminate those differences, at least, for a time. If our thoughts are unified, then the conflict shouldn't occur, and the array should function properly when it shapes the spell!”

The others exchanged looks. Some were fearful, others filled with derision, but most were directed towards Adam, who looked at Jacob thoughtfully, considering his proposal.

“...Alright, let's give it a shot” Adam said, a small smirk on his face.

Long weeks passed, and though some tension and anger remained, it lay far beneath the surface, long hours working together had taken its fangs and it was content to release only an occasional growl when an opportunity presented itself. Even those events became rarer, as they finally passed the hurdle holding them back, and the final array began to take shape.

The difficult part was finding a way to synchronize their minds. The best method proved to be repetition, and their days became closely regulated They all rose at the same time, ate at the same time, worked at the same time, and slept at the same time. Each followed the ritualistic patterns without fail, and slowly the conflicts and failures in the arrays began to fade.

Adam had been elected as their leader. He was one of the more skilled casters, and more importantly, he had the charisma to quiet the subconscious complaints of others. For a time, Jacob had been in consideration, but while he had many inspired ideas, his mindset was too different from the majority of them to regulate the flow of power between them. Adam proved capable of controlling it to a better degree, and more importantly, didn't let his position go to his head. He listened to the ideas and suggestions made by each of them equally, and implemented those with merit without hesitation.

Weeks passed, hours each day were spent drawing and redrawing lines of power between runes, combining them in different ways to create something more than the sum of its parts. Countless nights were spent laboring by candlelight, struggling to bring it to completion.

Finally the day arrived.

As one, they entered the chamber where the spell would be cast. Each of them silently took their position around the massive array they had spent weeks crafgting. Some eyed it for hidden flaws, others drew in deep breaths to calm themselves, but in all of them, there was a unity of purpose.

Jacob paused for a moment, exchanging glances with his partners. Then, as one, they began to chant.

Chanting was unnecessary to most magics, even for a ritual like this. However, when multiple casters were involved, a level of synchronity was necessary. They chanting helped to harmonize their mindsets, minimizing the disruptions caused by their individual thoughts, enhancing the synergy crafted from long weeks of repetition. True masters could manage it with nothing but a passing glance, but they were far from masters, and to risk the project for pride would be the height of foolishness.

Energy began to flow. At first, from one caster to the next, slowly creating a massive circle layered with lines of pure force. As the basic array was completed, it exploded in a whirlwind of power, intricate lines igniting as power flooded into them, slowly giving definition to the final product they had envisioned.

The stone floor beneath them began to tremble, then began to crack. Slowly the ground began to tear itself apart, a central core emerging from the

The array governing it's development had been sundered, broken into thousands of useless fragments, but the power remained, creating an array of pure power, unconstrained by mere stone. Without a physical component, it was more potent, but also more prone to corruption and disruption. Now the real work began. In tense silence, they focused on the forces they were channeling, willing each and every detail into perfect alignment. A single misstep could easily cascade into an unmitigated disaster so the utmost attention was a necessity.

The ground warped once more, flowing into the countless cracks, and repairing the massive hole that had birthed their creation. The brilliant light flooding the room began to fade as the spell neared its completion, the pure white replaced with the flickering red, yellow, and orange of the torches lining the walls.

A stone avatar fell to the newly constructed floor with a resounding crash.

The array worked perfectly. Better than they had expected, in actuality. All of their efforts had coalesced into something greater than anything they could have accomplished on their own. The statue was a marvel of architecture, but that was only the beginning of it. It's entire body was covered with runes, joining together into a vast array, capable of commanding it's every action. With the array, a Shepherd would be able to channel their power and control it like a puppet, moving it about as a mighty titan, capable of feats beyond the ability of mere men.

Additional arrays beyond the dominant one gave it supernatural durability, and enabled it to be repaired should it suffer any damage. It would even be possible to imbue it with a message, which it could speak once arriving at its destination.

Of course, despite the success, Jacob found himself turning a critical eyes upon their creation, noting minute flaws that only revealed themselves after it was fully realized. It's movement could be a bit smoother, and the features were rougher than anticipated, but the core purpose behind the array was fully realized. It was only after he allowed his absolute focus to lapse that he noticed how utterly drained he was. His knees began to shake, and he only barely managed to lower himself to the ground before they gave out completely.

A quick glance around showed that Adam was the only one among them still standing, and for good reason. He had been given the dubious honor of leading the ritual. As the leader his duty was to smooth out and control the dissonance between the other casters. While it left his mystical powers mostly intact, the mental strain was far worse than that on any of the other participants. While he was able to remain standing, Jacob could see a faint trickle of blood dripping from his nose.

Adam paused for a moment to wipe away the trace of weakness, before turning to address the senior Shepherds assembled above them. He explained the reasons for the long delays in the completion of their project, before explaining the solution they had determined, and how they executed it, before moving on to discussing the final array an its result.

Jacob let him lecture and explain their project. Just as long as he gave proper credit to all of them, he would be content.

Days laters, Jacob, Adam, and the other participants were called to assemble. They found themselves in a dimly lit room.

A Shepherd stood before them, bent with age and the weight of the ornaments of office. Jacob heard a few gasps of shock as recognition of who it was flashed into their minds. This was the leader of the Order, the Shepherd more experienced than any other, capable of magic they could only cream of.

She opened he mouth, and spoke a single word.

“Kneel.”

Jacob and the others immediately fell to the ground. The Shepherd before them walked up to each of them in turn, wrapping an earthen brown cloak around each of them, and presenting them with an uncarved, wooden stave. No words were exchanged during this, each of them silently accepting what was given to them with reverence. After presently the last stave, the Shepherd returned to the front of the chamber, and began to speak.

“You have proven yourselves greater than the sum of your parts. You have overcome your differences to make something beyond the scope of any of your individual abilities. That is the way of the Shepherds, banding together to accomplish wonders. It is through that unity that the mountain villages and tribes can survive. Without joining together, the ways of magic would be lost, reducing us to mere mystics and con men. In recognition of that, you have all been presented with the symbols of our station.”

She allowed herself a faint smile. “You are all now Shepherds of the Order. Congratulations.”

Jacob stared in awe at the piece of wood before him. It was far from impressive, lacking the opulent decorations some of the Shepherds favored, but it was a genuine Shepherd's staff, infused with the mystic energies that he could only barely touch. Limitless potential that was his to shape.

He didn't start. Not just yet. For the moment, he simply examined the staff before him, studying its each and every detail, engraving it into his mind. This was his, the first step towards truly mastering the arcane arts. More than simply becoming a Shepherd, this showed that he had potential, that he could command the forces of the world. His skill limited his ability, but it was always improving, giving him greater and greater control over the forces that pervaded the world. Soon enough he would master them, and exceed his current abilities, becoming something greater.

A clap on his back startled him back to the world around him. He glanced up, and saw Adam's grinning face before him. Jacob grinned back at him, and almost at once, the rest of the newly minted Shepherd burst into cheers at their accomplishment.

The night passed in a blur of celebration, much like the one after crafting his first array. Jacob laughed along with his compatriots, joking about the difficulties they had face, and exchanging suggestions on how to improve on their design, and making plans to start anew.

However, knowing what was to come next, Jacob restrained himself to a degree. When the opportunity presented itself, he slipped away, quietly returning to his room.

Jacob pulled out parchment, before laying it out on his desk, and began to scribble furiously, writing down countless permutations of runes, altering, discarding, and starting over again. The staff was the first real mark of his skill and progress, and he was going to extract every ounce of power he could out of it.

He stopped for a moment, before surreptiously scribing a single rune beneath one of the gnarls at the top. It was small, almost unnoticible, especially given its position. The reason for that could be found in the rune's meaning.

Fire

He had been lectured countless times about the dangers of using other elements, fire in particular, but it had never stopped him before. If anything, it had only inspired him to explore it more, to understand why it was forbidden. Even now, as a fully recognized Shepherd, he could not let this mystery go unsolved.

Another step along the path laid out before him, but he wasn't giving up the one he chose for himself. He would walk down it without any regrets

Jacob returned to the now scattered papers on his desk, carefully examining each of them for a way to contain, control, and above all, master the power he had seated in his stave.

The time for playing around had passed.
 

zerohour

Well-Known Member
#4
Seven

Jacob quickly came to enjoy his new station. The nods of acknowledgment from his superiors, and the awed looks of the newest recruits. It had been just over a year since he arrived at the tower, and he had more than adjusted to the Tower. He had begun to thrive, expanding his knowledge and mastery by leaps and bounds.

Though his approach to magic was unusual, if not outright unique, it nonetheless gained significant results after the raw potential was refined from his initial experiments. It took time to reach the point of viability, but when the research was completed, it more often than not opened up new, if dangerous avenues of exploration. Those efforts had given him respect in the Tower, earning small honors and increase in standing among the other Shepherds.

But it wasn't enough. While he did enjoy his new rank, it wasn't what he truly wanted. He wanted to unlock the secrets of magic, all magic, not just the power of the Earth. The four elements that were the foundation of the world, Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. Each of these was an intrinsic quality of the world, weaving together in ways he had no hope of fully understanding, to create something so vast and intricate that it was orders of magnitude beyond his ability. Despite this, the desire to learn, to understand refused to be quenched, and even though the greater principles were beyond him, he would not be deterred in his explorations of the simpler foundations. Each day, he strove to unlock the secrets bound ion the other three elements, each day he was denied, but it only fueled his fervor.

His heretical views and experiments with the other elements were slowly but surely driving a wedge between him and the rest of the order. Each time he expressed an interest in the other three elements or proposed a new theory regarding them, more and more people looked at him with concern. He would silence himself, and least in their view, and slowly the looks would fade, only for the cycle to start anew. More and more, Jacob found himself isolated in his room, constantly manipulating the runes before him, hoping for a breakthrough.

So far, it hadn't come. In fact, it seemed as if it were farther away than ever.

It was the whispers that pushed him past the breaking point. The constant, low thrum of voices discussing him as he walked passed, how his progress in the Shepherd's ways had all but stopped, how he spent day after day writing in his room, mumbling to himself. How every time he used a room to create an array, the stone was almost always scorched black. It was these constant whispers.

There had been nothing overt yet, but locked away with his research, Jacob could see signs. Requests were forgotten or misplaced, paperwork and requests lost. A few words were all it took to correct the errors, but it didn't prevent them form happening more and more frequently. Senior Shepherds were less likely to give such a polite response, and the difficulties would only grow worse as time went on. If he wanted to avoid the slow process of isolating himself, becoming a babbling madman in the eyes of everyone else he had only one possible solution.

He had to convene an assembly.

It wasn't the smartest of actions, but it was one of the few open to him, and it was something that would trigger change. Perhaps he would be fortunate, gain some support from the upper echelons of the Order, perhaps some Shepherds would offer up their own perspectives, providing new opportunities to unlock the secrets. Perhaps he would be that lucky.

“Or maybe they'll just throw me out.” Jacob laughed to himself, shaking off before moving to execute his plan.

He grabbed his staff, still pristine save for the single sigil at it's core. He had never expanded beyond it, because he had never found an array capable of harnessing its power safely. It was something of an anomaly among the Shepherds. As he walked through the halls, he noticed most had engraved enormously complicated arrays capable of great wonders, or numerous simpler arrays for a wide variety of spells ready at a moment's notice. The only ones besides himself who had comparatively blank slates were newly initiated Shepherds, or those unfortunate enough to lose or break their staffs.

It wasn't a long walk to arrive at his destination. The Shepherds were a relatively loose organization, confining all of the bureaucracy to a single office. Should more than the handful of Shepherds present be required, it was a simple matter to send word out to call nearby Shepherds to the Tower, taking only a day or two.

The Shepherd at the intricately carved stone desk barely glanced up long enough to notice and recall him as Jacob entered the room, “Is there something you need?”

“I would like to convene an assembly, to discuss my research.” Jacob answered.

“Ah, you're returned to your studies?” The Shepherd replied, a note of relief in his voice.

Jacob glared at him, “No, my research has not changed.”

The Shepherd stiffened, “I see... are you certain about this?”

“I am.” Jacob answered, more tightly than necessary, “It has to be resolved sooner or later, and I would prefer not to leave it waiting.”

“Very well then. I shall see if there are enough Senior Shepherds at the Tower to convene it later tonight. If not, I shall inform you when a sufficient number have returned.”

“Thank you.” Jacob replied curtly, before turning around and heading back towards his quarters.

The rest of the day passed in terse silence. Jacob gathered his materials together, and reviewed them, ensuring that the core principles were engraved in his very soul. While he had spent months one the various arrays, he could not afford any slip ups during the assembly. He had to be completely sure of himself, especially given the sensitive nature of his research. Even the slightest hint of danger or weakness would likely destroy what little chance he had of success.

The tension only mounted when an apprentice knocked on his door, and delivered word that the assembly had been approved. Jacob had a mere two hours to finish his preparations. He spent the first hour in review, assuring himself that everything was in place and accounted for. There was no reason to give them any more ammunition against him. The subject matter would be enough for that.

During his preparations, Adam pushed the door open, not bothering to knock.

“Jacob, have you gone mad?!” he demanded. “What were you thinking, calling an assembly?!”

“It was the only option I could think of.” Jacob replied,

“This is beyond risky, it's all or nothing!” Adam protested, sparking Jacob's own temper.

“You've seen my theories at work! You know there's something there Adam!” he shouted,

“Yes, but that was always something minor, and we always adapted it to be used with Earthen magic!” Adam retorted, “This could utterly destroy your reputation and integrity in the Tower!”

“I'm aware of that!”

“You need to stop your blasphemy, abandon this reseach, and return to earth magic before you get youself exiled!”

“There's more to it!” Jacob said, glaring at his friend. “There's more to magic than the element of earth, and cutting ourselves off from the rest of it will only harm us in the long run!”

They two Shepherds glared at each other for several long moments, the air crackling with barely restrained magical potential, until at some unseen signal, the tension flooded out of them. The two young men sat down. Jacob on his bed, and Adam in the recently vacated chair.

Adam sighed,“You're a fool, Jacob.”

“I know the risks.”

“Won't you stop this? Please?”

Jacob sighed, and shook his head “We're not getting anywhere. Neither of us is willing to change our minds. Adam, we've worked together for a long time. I've always been willing to lend a hand or an eye to your arrays, and you've even benefited from my ideas. Can't you at least support me now?”

Adam shook his head,“I don't support your position, but I'll do what I can. At the very least, I can keep you from being exiled, at least not permanently.”

“Thank you.”

A ghost of a smile passed across Adam's face. “Don't thank me until after. I've seen how much of a disaster you can cause when you set your mind to it, and this is far grander than anything you've tried before.”

His friend departed, the final hour was spent in quiet reflection, preparing himself mentally for what was to come. He drew in deep, calming breaths, layering each upon the next, building a fortress of silence and peace within his mind. Time lost its meaning as the simple mental exercise consumed him, until the process was completed.

Within his mind, Jacob found himself standing upon a spire forged of clear crystal, above a rocky, desolate field. Far beneath him, surrounding the pillar, was a vast field of fire, constantly expanding and contracting, attempting to burn what could not burn, to consume what could not be consumed. Jacob gazed down for several long moments, considering what lay so far below.

“This is my conviction. No matter what else the future holds, I will now bow, I will not break. I will walk my path until its end.”

The fires surged forth, spreading across the empty field towards the horizon. Jacob stood above an endless sea of fire, though how long it could last, he did not know.

Jacob opened his eyes, his mind returning to the comparatively mundane confines of his room. He was ready. There was nothing else left to do.

Despite his conviction, Jacob couldn't help but feel nervous as he stepped forward into the meeting His research was scant. Very little of what he had tried amounted to even mediocre results, most of it varying between failure and catastrophe. Still, it was all he had, and he was putting all his faith into believing that it would be enough. Enough for what, he had no idea, but it was far too late to turn back now, and he wouldn't even if given the chance. Some time, risking everything was the only path with any hope for success.

Jacob looked upwards. Like almost all meetings, conventions, and initiations, the others in attendance stood a level above him, judging him from on high. Logically, it was a reasonable set up. Most of these were held to demonstrate a new array, and staying well clear of the caster's efforts was a prudent. Still, seeing them standing so high above him sparked a feeling of rebellion in his soul.

Jacob closed his eyes, and drew in a deep breath, preparing himself. Presentation and showmanship were just as vital as his research, perhaps even moreso given the subject matter and his poor results. He opened his eyes, and began to speak.

“Since the founding of the Tower, and the Order of the Shepherds, there has been one constant element. Earth has always been the primary focus, if not its only focus. This has served the Order well, but it has begun to stagnate. For years, if not decades, most spells that have been wrought have been variations upon previous arrays. Fewer and fewer new spells have been crafted. It's time to face the fact that we are at the limit of what Earth Magic can accomplish.” He drew in a deeop breath, “I propose we explore additional aspects of magic.”

“Earth is but a part of the whole. The three remaining elements, Air, Fire, and Water, are all just as vital to the world as Earth. Without them, the world would be an empty shell, devoid of wonder and beauty. Does not the same principle extend to magic? By limiting ourselves to only Earth magic, do we not reduce our potential? I propse we open research into the remaining elements. If we are successful unlocking the potential of even one of them, entirely new avenues of research could be opened to us. Our ability to manipulate the world around us would grow exponentially. Even understanding one of them would be more than enough justification for the risk. I ask, no, beg you to understand what we could accompliosh, and lift the restrictions on the remaining elements.”

The Shepherds remained silent for what felt like an eternity.

“We understand that you have been conducting this research already, on your own terms. Have you ever succeeded in using the other elements in an array?” One of the Shepherds above him inquired, every syllable and words carefully measured.

“Not... directly.” Jacob admitted.

“Have you attempted to use any of them as the primary aspect of any arrays?”

“Yes.”

“Were those attempts successful?”

“...No.” Jacob admitted through gritted teeth, “Howev-”

“We have heard enough, Shepherd Jacob. It is clear that you have had too much time left alone to your own devices. You understanding of magic has deviated, been corrupted by your exploration into the other elements. I think I best if your time was filled with projects under more experienced Shepherds. ”

“What?!” Jacob heard his voice burst forth, echoing through the chamber.

“You possess a sharp mind, capable of improving and innovating arrays in ways we haven't expected. If it weren't for your heretical experiments, I'm sure you would have a dedicated apprentice of your own. As it is, the damage is not irreversible. With enough time, your mistakes can be repaired, and you can move on.”

“You're the ones who need to move on!” Jacob shouted heatedly, triggering a wave of murmurs at his confrontational response.

“How dare you speak to us in that way!”

“It's the truth! You bury yourselves in the earth, and ignore everything else about the world! If you close off the paths around you, then your fate is sealed! You're condemning the Tower and the Order to a slow death!”

“Silence!”

“I've read through the histories of the Order! When it was first founded, new arrays were created one after another, new spell created without end! Now, most arrays are permutations of what has come before, and there hasn't been a new spell in decades, just improvements or modifications of tried and true spells! You need to explore the other elements or stagnate and die out!”

“You're speaking of madness boy!”

“It's not madness!” Jacob shouted.

“Your path has been walked again and again, the only things at its end are failure and ruin!”

“What about before the Tower was founded? What about when magic was all but unknown to the folk on the mountains? Was it madness to explore it then?”

The Shepherds above erupted into an incoherent roar, drowning out his very thoughts, until the Elder, silent until now, had had enough. She struck the floor with her rune wreathed staff, sending waves of force rippling through them. With a resounding crack, that echoed through his bones, she forced the Shepherds to sit, and Jacob nearly fell to his knees. Leaning heaving on his own stave to maintain his balance, he had no other option but to listen to her words.

“We have tried, time and again to tame fire, to control air, and to master water. Each one has always ended with failure. We have tolerated your experiments for now, as such curiosity is not uncommon, but if you keep walking on this path you will only bring ruin down upon us all! This assembly is over. Shepherd Jacob, you are dismissed, while we decide what to do with you.”

Jacob moved to protest, but the stone beneath his feet shifted, throwing him off balance. Before he could find his center, the ground carried him from the room, and the door slammed shut. He tried to force it open, first with his hands, and then with magic, but it was sealed, until his fate was decided.

Jacob stormed back to his room, slamming and locking the door behind him. Angrily, he drew the rune for fire, igniting a small flame he used to light the candles filling his room

“Nearly two years, and this is all I have to show for my efforts. I can light candles.”

With a roar, Jacob upturned his desk, scattering papers everywhere, and extinguishing the candles that had been sitting upon it. He sat down on his bed, hands folded as he brooded over the debacle he had brought on himself. While the end result was far from unexpected, he had hoped that it would have gone better, that they would have at least been open to the possibility and potential of the other elements. All in vain it would seem.

He didn't know how long he sat there in the dark, alone with his thoughts. It wasn't until he heard a sharp rap on his door that his reverie was broken. Jacob resisted the urge to shout at whoever disturbed him, taking a moment to regain his calm before replying.

“Go away.”

“I told you this would happen.” A voice called out form the now open doorway.

“I don't appreciate the lock picking.” Jacob growled.

“You didn't give me much choice.” Adam answered. Jacob remained silent, forcing Adam to continue.

“Jacob, I think you need some time outside of the Tower. The elders are growing frustrated with your views, and your attitude certainly isn't helping matters.”

Jacob glared at Adam for a moment, before his rage dissipated. Adam's expression was one of concern, not irritation or a mirror to his own fury.

“Jacob, please.” Adam tried again.

Jacob looked thoughtfully out of his window, perhaps some time away from the Tower might do him some good. At the very least, it wouldn't be any more difficult than things would be for the near future, and perhaps there was something out there that the Tower didn't have, something that could help him.

His thoughts flashed to him family, and he made his decision.

“Alright, Adam, I guess you're right.”














Eight


It was nearly time for the yearly festival of lights.

Jacob followed after the more experienced Shepherd, despite knowing the path better than him. While it had been nearly two years, a lifetime of walking through this area had engraved the trail into his memory. It had been a long time since he had been home, and seeing his village appear in the distance as they walked closer brought a sense of quiet joy and nostalgia to his heart.

It was good to be home. The fact that it put enough distance between him and the Tower to allow him to lick his wounds was merely an added bonus.

Walking among the crowds, waiting for the Shepherd's ritual to begin, Jacob was surprised by the villagers. Many of them stepped away from him, seeking to stay out of his path. Others moved past him, only to glance back in surprise. Jacob ignored them for the most part, until he spotted Ingrid

“Ingrid!” Jacob nearly shouted, waving frantically to catch her attention. It wasn't until he saw her confused face that he realized his hood was still up. He pulled it down, and the confusion faded, replaced with faint recognition.

“Jacob? Is that you?” Ingrid asked, walking closer to examine him more closely.

“Have I really changed so much?”

“You're different, that's for certain.” Ingrid said, studying his every feature as if she could divine just what had change about him. “You've certainly changed, but how much, I wonder?”

“Have I changed?” Jacob asked

“Yes.” Ingrid replied, circling around him. Jacob resisted the urge to turn with her, letting Ingrid finish her examination before speaking again. “You're a bit taller, and you carry yourself differently.”

“Well, I suppose you've changed as well.” He said, taking the opportunity to examine her for the first time. Her hair had grown, and was no longer tied up as she had worn throughout their childhood, instead hanging down, moving freely in the wind.

“Weren't you supposed to grow a beard? I thought all Shepherds grew great long beards to show how powerful they were.” She asked him, eying his chin critically.

“I think that's just the one who comes to visit here.” Jacob answered with a laugh. “I've asked around, and no one seems to know why he grows it so long. I guess some people are just a little bit strange.”

“True enough. We've got more than our share of strange people around here.” Ingrid sighed, ”So what brings you back home? I think you're the only Shepherd in over a decade whose done that.”

Jacob paused for a moment, trying to think of a diplomatic way of phrasing his current situation. “I've had... a bit of a disagreement with the Senior Shepherds. I thought that taking some time away from the Tower might keep either of us from doing something drastic.”

“Of course you have.” Ingrid smirked at him.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Jacob glared at her.

“I guess you haven't changed much after all.” Ingrid giggled, smiling in relief.

“What are you talking about?” Jacob asked.

“Despite all the tricks and spells you learned, you're still the same person. I guess working at your father's forge for most of your life leaves an impression on you. No matter what it is that you don't agree with, you hammer away at it until it takes the shape you want.”

“It's not that impressive...” Jacob flushed. “Most people would say it's just plain mule headedness.”

“I've seen you in the forge before. You worked with stubborn metal more than once, never stopping until it was completed.

Jacob smiled, “True enough. I've never let myself be bested by mere metal.”

“Of course, if I remember correctly, it didn't always turn out perfectly. Remember that cooking pot you made for your mother?”

Jacob had the grace to blush, “I didn't know as much about metals as I do now. I was young and inexperienced.”

“She still uses it, doesn't she?”

“Even after I made an entire set better than it, and it began to rust.” Jacob admitted.

“It just shows how much she loves you, I suppose.”

“That's what family is all about. Speaking of which, I had probably stop by home soon. Mom would never forgive me if I didn't hurry.”

“Better get going then. I'll see you soon.”

---

Jacob took a brisk pace along the familiar path leading to his home. It had been along time, but he had walked it so many times in years passed, that he doubted he would ever forget it.

As he approached the front door, he slowed, until he finally stopped, and stared at the wooden door before him. Ingrid almost hadn't recognized him at first, would the same hold true for his family? Would it be like he never left, or would they be strangers to each other?

With a deep breath, he opened the door. His mother looked up casually, before freezign, and dropping the dish she held in her hand.

“Jacob!” she nearly screamed, rushing over and engulfing him in a fierce hug.

“H-hi mom.” he managed to gasp through her

“It's so good to see you again, my son. ”

“Good to see you too.” Jacob sighed in relief as she released him, looking him over with a keen eye.

“Have you been eating well enough up there?”

“Of course I have. How have you been?”

“Fine enough, fine enough.”

“Where's dad?”

“Your father's still working at the forge. Without you there to speed up the work, he spends almost all his time there. A few times I've caught him sleeping there!”

“Sorry.”

“Don't be.” she smiled, a bit sadly, at him, “It was like this before you were old enough to help around the forge. He works hard when he doesn't have to to make sure that there's enough material stored up for when it's needed. The only reason he's working this hard now is because a mining expedition passed through and ordered a few score mining picks, along with a quite a few other odds and ends.”

“Mining picks? Maybe I could help out a bit before I head back to the Tower.”

“I'm sure your father would appreciate it. Now sit down. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes.”

“Will there be enough? I don't want to impose...”

“Nonsense. Now sit!”




“Well, I'm heading out.”

“Leaving already? But you just got back!”

“I just want to look around town for a bit. Don't worry, I'll be back soon.” Jacob assured his mother.

“And by that, you mean back before I wake up.” she replied, eying him like he was still a mischeivious child.

“Your words, not mine!” Jacob answered, exiting the house and closing the door behind him.

---

Jacob slowly wandered away from his home, meandering through the mountain paths that he had learned as a child. Time with his mother had been nice, but it wasn't enough to fully distract him from his own problems. He still needed some way to definitively prove that the other elements could be mastered. The question was how would he do it? He didn't have access to the tomes of knowledge, or even a basic laboratory. He had absolutely nothing to facilitate his research or experiments.

As he stared upon the barren rock of the mountains, he realized something. Despite the lack of resources and books, there was one thing here that the Tower lacked.

Isolation.

Here, there were no Shepherds to tell him to stop, there were no walls to scorch or research to incinerate. Here, there was nothing but the empty mountainside, away from anything and everything that could possibly interfere or be damaged by his experiments.

Jacob picked up a broken branch, snapping off several stray twigs until it was more or less straight, and began to trace a rune that he was intimately familiar with. The sigil representing Fire in its purest form took shape on the freshly fallen snow, and he willed the power to come forth and fill it, to manifest the pure expression of fire before him. As always, it burst into existence, forming a blazing bonfire with no apparent source, fueled only by the magic permeating everything, and his will.

This was always where he stopped, for fear of irreperrably damaging the Tower, or revealing just how far his concepts for magic had deviated from what the Shepherds expected. But here, away from all of the rules and dangers, he let it run free, fully exploring its potential for the first time. He had a small array on hand in case it raged beyond his ability to control, but in such a cold and barren environment, it was unlikely to become a problem.

So Jacob let the fire run free, rampaging across the empty landscape. He shifted his will, twisting the fire into whatever shapes came to mind. Purposeless shapes, runes, even crude sculptures of the people he knew. It responded to his will, but it did not submit, shifting the features and commands as he gave them, changing itself into something similar, but wholly different from what he desired.

Jacob frowned, as he watched the ever changing flames. No matter what he tried, the fire never fully obeyed him. Increasing the size merely made it more difficult to bend to his will.

Maybe that was the point?

He fed more power into the flames, watching them grow. He hurled stone and dirt into it, extinguishing a portion, before the remaining flames engulfed the area again. He watched as it consumed everything in the area, felt the heat push him away from the growing inferno.

He envisioned runes and the lines connecting them, and forced them upon the fires before him. He left them unbound, avoiding the rigid control of Earth magic. The array, for the most part, was more of a strong suggestion than a command. It gave the variable power of the flames the leeway to shift, change and grow.

The fires warped, twisted, then began to take the shapes he had envisioned. They were not solid shapes, they moved of their own accord, but it was controlled, to a degree. There was no likelihood that they would rage out of control, there was no chance they would got out due to inviolate barriers. They would persist in this form, fed by the power he directed into them, for as long as he wanted.

It was glorious.

“So is this the magic they practice at the Tower?” Ingrid asked in awe, watching the supernatural flames coiling through the air.

“Ingrid!” Jacob nearly shouted with surprise. Immediately, the intricate designs he had wrought collapsed, his will no longer containing the flames, reducing them to a seething pool of heat and light.

“Is it so surprising that I would spot whatever you were doing? You can probably see it halfway down the mountain.”

Jacob sighed, then chuckled at his own foolishness.. “Sorry, I'm used to practicing in rooms. All you have to do is shut the door and people don't have the faintest idea what you're doing.”

“So this is what you're practicing at the Tower. It's so different than what they do for us. Here, it's always fertilizing the fields, or clearing away rocks.”

“Well, actually, the Tower is limited to Earth aspected spells. Anything else has been deemed too dangerous to use.”

“Has it now?” Ingrid asked calmly, watching the conflaguration Jacob had created begin to die down.

Jacob wisely said nothing.

“Like I said before, you really haven't changed at all.” Ingrid giggled. “Do you think you could shwo me more of this?”

“Well, perhaps just oen more...” Jacob allowed, pausing for a moment to think of something truly spectacular.to show her.

Again, he didn't draw any runes, engraving them into his mind instead. It was difficult to hold more than a few in place at once, so the spell would have to be simple. Just a simple array to give it a shape, another to give it a goal, and a central rune to give it the power needed.

Power gathered around Jacob, slowly coalescing into an unshaped pool of heat and light. Carefully, Jacob reached out to it, and began to shape it. It was a simple shape, not uncommon to see in the mountains. Songbirds generally preferred more plentiful food, but several often found their way up the mountain and made a home among the numerous villages.

The firebird flapped its wings, taking flight and leaving behind a brilliant trail of flames. The creature of fire let out a piercing cry, before exploding, illuminating the sky with a brilliant, blood red nova of fury.

“I think it would be best if we stopped now.” Jacob said, worried that any further display would attract unwanted attention.

“But Jacob!”

“I'm in enough trouble with the Shepherds already. I would rather avoid any more if I could.”

Ingrid pouted, but eventually nodded her assent. The two of them slowly began to make their way back to the village, catching up on nearly two years apart.

---

The next morning, Jacob woke up tired, but strangely invigorated. He had nearly exhausted himself yesterday,

“Why not help your old man out at the forge?”

“Well, I did tell mother I would lend a hand with the mining picks... Sorry if I'm a little rusty.”

“Nonsense. You've worked here long enough that's it's in your bones by now. A year or two drawing circles and lines can't erase that.”

Jacob settled into his familiar chair, and grabbed his hammer, reframiliarizing himself with its weight and heft. After a few practice swings to adjust himself, he settled down in earnest, and the forge was soon filled with the sound of metal on metal.

The heat of the forge was comforting. In many ways, it was more of a homecoming than returning to the village had been. Each blow of the hammer on the glowing metal before hims seemed to resonate in his soul, reminding him of everything he had accomplished before beings elected as a Shepherd. It didn't obviate the accomplishments he had earned in the Tower, but it reminded him that there was more to life than magic, that there were other skills to be honed and mastered.

Locked away in the Tower, where magic was all that mattered, it was easy to forget that.

One moment flowed into the next, each blow melding with the one before and after. The only change in the constant rhythm was quenching the red hot pick in icy water, and grabbing a new one, starting the cycle over again.

He jumped as he felt a heavy hand land on his shoulder, before realizing it was his father.

“Sun's going down.” his father said simply. Jacob looked out the window, and was shocked to see the brilliant orange of dusk.

“Sorry I couldn't help out more, but it's time for me to get going.” Jacob said, making sure to replace each and every tool in its proper location.

“Don't forget where you came from son. No matter what else, your a blacksmith. No amount of study, writing, or even magic will take that from you.”

Jacob smiled, “I know dad. I won't forget who I am.”

“Good.” his father answered, before seizing his son in one final hug before his departure.

---

“Well, let's get going.” Jacob said to his companion Shepherd, who merely grunted in response, before wordlessly commanding the newest recruits to begin walking.

“So, you're leaving us again?” Jacob turned to see Ingrid standing there. There was a look in her eyes that he couldn't place.

“I have unfinished business at the Tower. Besides, I can't just abandon my duties.”

“Who ever heard of a retired Shepherd?” Ingrid said, smirking at him.

“True enough. Hopefully I'll be able to return and visit again soon.”

“Goodbye, Jacob.”

“Goodbye, for now, Ingrid.” He smiled. Ingrid returned the smile, sadly, moved closer, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

“If you say so.”

She walked away.

She didn't look back.

---

The journey back to the Tower passed in a blur. Jacob spent most of his time revising arrays in his head, trying to find away to express the aspects of Fire without forsaking the power of Earth. Complex arrays were impossible without paper and days of uninterrupted work, so he constrained himself to the bare basics, limiting his options to only the most simplistic of designs.

Even with this limitation, the possibilities were staggering. It was like jumping from drawing a painting to sculpting and coloring a statue. While they were both art superficially, the extra dimension added to sculpting created a whole new world of possibilities. Even so, he did his best to incorporate the element of Earth into his designs, still striving to merge the two elements into a single array.

Upon their return, Jacob immediately locked himself in his room, writing down the arrays he had been working on. They were solid designs, just needing some refinement before they were ready for use. He continued to tinker and alter them, trying to align the conflicting principles.

Three days later, he was ready. Once more, he called the Senior Shepherds to order. This time, he was not armed with mere theory. He was not limited to supposition or postulates. He had proof, and he would not allow anything to stand in the way of his discovery.

The array was simple. In fact, it was the same array he had first created, almost one year ago. The same, save for some minor differences

The runes that he added and changed were unrestrained by the circles found in even the most basic arrays. It wasn't until he had studied fire in its unrestrained form that he learned the truth.

Fire couldn't be restrained, not truly. The very concept of a controlled fire was inimicable to its very nature. It could be contained, such as when building a camp fire to ward off the cold, but even then, the fire still did as it willed, twisting, turning, dancing in what space was given to it, drawing upon the wood and the wind to fuel it's existence, contained only as long as it's power remained checked.

Such a simple concept, yet so alien to the earth magic of he Shepherds. It was no wonder that it had never worked before. The design needed to be more flexible, able to adapt itself to the capricious nature of fire, in order to have a hope of containing it without extinguishing the flame. The few circles incorporated into the design had gaps in them, enough to allow the power to wax and wane as it desired, allowing the energy outside of the array to move inward, combining with the array within. Energy surged forth, coalescing into the center of the array. Slowly, the earth began to shift, forming into a humanoid shape.

It was a simple statue. Something that any apprentice could have managed with minimal effort. That wasn't the focus of the spell. It merely served as a physical shell for the core of the spell. The core of the spell was simple, lacing the elegant refinement created after constant refinement. However, without the rigid order to restrain it, the essence of Fire imbued it its core was allowed to shift, alter, and change itself, becoming more than what the array dictated itself to be.

The simplistic creation he had wrought stood up, and looked around at the stunned Shepherds.

In curiosity. Something that no creation had ever done before.

He had given it the spark of life.
 

zerohour

Well-Known Member
#5
Yes, I finally finished the first draft. Only six or seven months past the deadline.

Nine


“Seize him! Seize them both!”

Jacob jerked in surprise at the shocked command, and didn't have time to react as two Shepherds grabbed his arms and began to haul him away.

“What is the meaning of this?!” He demanded, trying to fight his way free

“Take that... thing somewhere we can contain and analyze it. Escort him to the dungeons. We'll decide his fate later.”

Jacob's struggles only intensified after hearing what they planned to do with him, but it did him little good. The Shepherds holding him were far stronger than him, and more stood by, ready to react if he attempted to channel magic of any kind. Despite the hopelessness of his current situation, he continued to fight against them, making them pay in sweat for every step they forced upon him.

It wasn't until they had secured him in the dark of his cell that he stopped, collapsing to the floor, gasping for air. Several minutes passed as he recovered from both the elaborate array he crafted, and the struggle that ensued immediately after.

As his heart slowed, Jacob tried to determine what had happened, and what to do. Clearly, the Shepherds were far more conservative than he had thought. It wasn't just the danger of Fire, but the entire concept of using an element that was Earth. It was obvious in hindsight, but he had thought, hoped, that their fears would give way when he showed them it was possible. That there could be more to the Order. Clearly, he was wrong. He doubted they would kill him, it wasn't their way. However, they could just leave him locked up down here, slowly rotting away until there was nothing left. Perhaps death would be preferable.

For the moment, there was nothing to do but rest, recover, and wait to hear what his fate was. Jacob closed his eyes, and for the first time since returning to the Tower, slept deeply.

---

“Are you awake in there?” A voice called out, jolting Jacob awake.

“What day is it?” Jacob asked blearily, staring at the blur of light at the door, before it resolved into Adam's face.

“You've been asleep for two days straight.” Adam answered his question, “Not surprising, given how you hadn't slept in at least three days, probably longer judging by how manic you were towards the end. When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?”

“Probably sometime before I left. Too busy back home, and not comfortable enough on the road.” Jacob shook his head, trying to clear away the remaining cobwebs of slumber.

“Maybe you should have gotten a bit more before your presentation. It might have kept you out of here.”

“I doubt it. The array worked perfectly. The issue was with the Senior Shepherds.”

“I told you to stop, but you just wouldn't listen.” Adam said, shaking his head in disappointment. “They plan on interrogating you, so they can figure out the source of the blasphemy you discovered. Will you at least come quietly?”

“No point in staging a dramatic escape now.” Jacob said, letting his hands be cuffed, and following behind his escort to the Tower above. “Can we at least stop for food?”

“I think we can spare a few minutes. You'll need to be in top condition for them.”

“Thanks.”

“Don't thank me. Like I said, you'll need it.”

---

Jacob sat down in the wooden chair in the middle of the empty chamber, his hands still cuffed. Before him, sat five of the Senior Shepherds, practitioners who had been part of the tower for over twenty years. They had created and mastered more arrays than he had even heard of, and their attention was solely focused upon him.

Time froze for a moment, before shattering into an inquisition.
“When did you first conceive of your experiment?”

“What was the purpose of the array?”

“Who helped you design the array?”

Question after rapid fire question was launched at Jacob, barely giving him a chance to answer before moving on to the next. He didn't know how long this continued, but when they were finished, his throat was dry and his jaw was sore. There was a knock on the door, and Adman entered, promptly taking Jacob's chains and leading him out of the chamber, and back to his cell.

The inquisition continued day after day, and Jacob's only other human contact was the brief walks with Adam, first to the kitchen, then to the chamber, and back again. Each day, again and again, the same pattern repeated itself.

Finally, after a week, something changed.

“Good night Adam, I suppose I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Same as every day.” We the answer, but something in his tone made Jacob pause. The heretical Shepherd turned to face Adam, He looked at his friend's face, watching conflicting emotions war for dominance. There was only one thing he could think of that would provoke such a response, so he took the opportunity to ask.

“So, what is it doing?”

“What is what doing?” Adam asked, attempting to feign ignorance.

“You know what I'm talking about.”

Adam sighed,”I'm not really sure, but the elder Shepherds are studying it, trying to determine what it's capable of, and if it's a threat.”

“Is it?”

“As far as we can tell, it isn't, but there's something wrong with it.”

Jacob sat up a bit, his interest piqued, “Wrong? What do you mean something's wrong with it?”

“I think... I think it's dying.”

“What do you mean?” Jacob demanded, sitting up in his lightless prison.

“It seems that it's growing weaker. Every day it reacts just a little more slowly, just a little weaker.”

Jacob sat back, and closed his eyes. “Of course it is.”

“You know what's wrong with it?”

“I can hazard a guess.”

“Care to share with an old friend?”

“I don't know. It's based off of my heretical knowledge of Fire.”

“Even heresy can have a use.” Adam answered, “Besides, maybe I can do something to help.”

Jacob sighed, “The core of its self is Fire, even if its body is made of stone. Fire expands, moves, changes. If you leave it locked up, then you're denying it's intrinsic nature, and eventually, like a flame unfed, it will stutter, and go out. The only way to keep that from happening is to free it. Give it some possibility to change, to grow, and that might be enough to stop it, or at least slow it down.”

“They won't let it go. It's too risky.”

“Then it's going to die. Nothing either of us can do about it. The best you can hope for is to slow it down by infusing it with more Fire essence, but I doubt that is going to happen.”

“You're right about that...” Adam replied, “I'm sorry it can't be saved, Jacob.”

“Nothing you can do about it.”

Adam shut and locked the door behind him, Leaving Jacob in the darkness.

Jacob waited, he waited for what felt like an eternity, until he was sure that they had dropped their guard, thinking he had gone to sleep. The cell was warded to prevent workings of stone without extreme effort, and such effort was impossible without creating an intricate array in complete darkness.

But Jacob had more than Earth available to him. He bit down on his finger, hard enough to draw blood. It was too dark to see anything, too dark to attempt an array, but he could manage a single rune. A rune he was intimately familiar with. The source of all the troubles he had brought upon himself rune of Fire.

In seconds, the rune was completed, and with it, light began to illuminate the chamber as a small flame rose up into the air. Jacob carefully controlled the flame, giving it just enough freedom to sustain itself, without raging out of control.

With the light to work restored to him, Jacob took his bloody hand, and began to trace runes and sigils upon the door. It was one of his more spectacular failures, but in this case, spectacular was the only quality he needed.

He stared at the array he had crafted, noting that the dripping of his blood had distorted a few of the runes, but not enough to disrupt its purpose. “There's no going back once I do this...”Jacob muttered to himself. He hesitated for a barest of moments, before resolving himself. He had chosen his path, and he would let nothing deter him from it.

The essence of fire, when concentrated into a small enough area, became far deadlier, exploding rather than burning. It was a dangerous option, but Jacob had very little choice in the matter. He had done his best to direct the power away from himself, but he had no way of knowing if it would be enough.

He shielded his face as best he could, and channeled his power into the array. It took only seconds, the raw, untamed power of Fire seared through the immovable Earth, raging against its confinement, lashing out against the stone until the wall could bear no more. It shattered, releasing the fury of flame into the hallway beyond. Jacob heard a brief shout of surprise, but was already in motion.

He ran. He ran as fast and hard as he could. No matter what else, he had to escape from the Tower before they could muster a response. They could use sheer numbers to stop him. His one advantage was that they never expected him to break free, but that was quickly fading. Soon, they would be upon him. They knew

Well, if they knew the Tower's passages, perhaps he should make some new ones.

Much like before, he channelled the raw fury of Fire into the wall, raising the power beyond what even the reinforced stone of the Tower could endure. It was less focused, and far more wasteful, but the target way not designed to withstand any force, merely resist the passage` of time, until it could be repaired and reinforced. A brilliant flare of heat and radiance washed over him, and makeshift door was made. Jacob stumbled through it, briefly considering trying to close it before casting the idea away and continuing his escape.

He turned round a corner, and was confronted with a Shepherd. Time seemed to freeze as they both stared at each other, sizing the other up. They lacked the accruements of a senior Shepherd, so he had a chance. As they raise dup their staff, Jacob charged at them, hurling a curtain of blazing flames at them. They shrieked, their attempted spell was disrupted, and Jacob closed the gap.

He didn't have time for a long, drawn out battle. He simply seized their staff, wrenched it from their stunned hands, and bludgeoned them with it. Once, twice, and thrice, in quick succession, not giving the chance to recover. Unable to spare the scant seconds it would take to assure himself they would stay down, Jacob began to flee once more.

It was not the last encounter with the Shepherds, but it was the easiest. Each time it took longer to escape them, each time there were more of them and they were better coordinated. Jacob could feel his strength waning after each encounter, and knew his time was limited.

He wasn't sure how long he ran and fought, but it felt like an eternity. It wasn't until the walls themselves closed off his avenue to escape that he knew it was almost over. The Senior Shepherds had finally reached his location. The Tower shifted, changing the passage into a newly formed prison. Only a small hole at the top remained, through which he heard the voice of his captors.

“Shepherd Jacob, surrender!” The walls began to close in. Soon, he would be encased in stone, unable to move, perhaps unable to breathe, left to rot inside the walls of the Tower until nothing but bones remained.

Jacob touched the wall, gasping heavily for the rapidly vanishing air. He was nearly exhausted, barely able to remain on his knees. He had only one last gambit to try, and after that, it was in the hands of fate itself.

Another simple array. Fire at the core, with tendrils connecting it to the stone surrounding them. He took all of his remaining energy, focusing it into the array with all of his might. For a moment, it seemed it wasn't enough, that his power had been exhausted, and his attempt to escape had failed.

Then everything went to Hell.

The wall, ceiling, and floor all exploded outward into shards of stone, flying everywhere. Screams of pain and agony filled the air as Shepherds were struck by the shards, or sent tumbling by the sheer force of the explosion. Jacob was fortunate that he was able to direct it outward, escaping most of the carnage, the remainder absorbed by his heavy cloak. Realizing this was his final chance, he struggled to the newly formed hole, and nearly fell through it.

A blinding light filled his vision, and it took a moment to realize that he had made it outside. He managed to grin through the burning of his muscles, but didn't stop. He struggled to his feet, and kept going, limping as fast as he could, well aware that the more distance there was between him and the Tower, the safer he would be.

As the Tower vanished form his sight, Jacob felt some of the tension leave his body, and with it, the adrenaline borne strength and stamina. His breathing grew ragged, inhaling as much oxygen as his body could handle, but falling short. As much as he wanted to simply drop, it wasn't an option. The Shepherds would be coming, so every moment spent moving was another moment to recover and figure out what his plan was.

He continued until nightfall, hoping that the darkness would conceal him from any scouts. Hopefully the damage wrought upon the Tower would delay them, but he still did his best to conceal himself before taking stock of his current situation.

At least, that was the plan. Instead, he fell into a dreamless, exhausted sleep.

---

Jacob woke with a start, cursing himself for drifting off. The burning in his body had been replaced with a dull ache, and he struggled to his feet only with the aid of his stolen staff. As he began to walk again, he took stock of what he had. The only truly useful thing was the staff seized from the unfortunate Shepherd he had met in the halls. The only other things he had was his heavy cloak and the clothes on his back.

He had enough knowledge of the mountain to forage for food, but the pickings would be slim in the depths of winter, especially in his current state. He could run, return to the village he had lived his whole life in, but that was too obvious. It wasn't difficult to discern that as his destination, and the Shepherds returned every year to search for new recruits. He could return to the Tower, in hopes of pardon, but that was a pipe dream. His escape had solidified his fate as a heretic,a nd the best he could hope for was a quick death, or life imprisoned in the deepest depths of the Tower.

His only option was to head downwards, out of the mountains. With a sigh, Jacob continued to walk.






Ten

It had been nearly a week since Jacob's dramatic escape from the Tower. In that time, his body had recovered, but not by much. He struggled to keep moving, but each day he seemed to moved a bit slower, taking longer rests, growing ever hungrier. Eventually, he would have to stop, and take time to recover.

The only blessing was that the cold was slowly beginning to break. There were signs that spring was slowly coming, and with it a source of food. While eating roots and growths was unappetizing, he did not have the luxury of choice, and it kept him fed.

So far, all he needed to do was keep moving and hope he could avoid the Shepherds. Each step he took out of the mountains was another moment of peace earned. He just had to keep moving until it was no longer feasible for them to have a chance of finding him.

As the land around him grew lusher, Jacob found himself less familiar with them. He had never ventured out of the mountains before, aside from a rare trip to villages further down. Unfortunately, the Shepherds cared for the entire area, not just the mountain villages, so they would have the advantage. His best option was to simply move as swiftly as he could to escape the Shepherds area of influence. They were bound to their flocks and their Tower too tightly to spare more than a few to pursue him. Hopefully that would be enough.

The unfamiliar terrain took its toll on his already exhausted body, and the sun had barely begun to set when he felt he could not take another step. With a groan of pain, he allowed himself to fall. Lying on the ground, struggling to draw breath, he realized he had to take a chance. If he kept pushing himself like this, it wouldn't matter if the Shepherds caught him or not, he would be dead either way.

He lay still for several long minutes, gathering his strength, then, with a grunt of effort, Jacob struggled back to his feet, and made camp for the night. While making a fire was too risky, the weather had proved to be mild, especially compared to the winter had was used to in the mountains. All he needed to concern himself with was a way to conceal his presence.

It didn't take long. Jacob managed to scrounge up enough loose material to hide himself passably, while also acting as a makeshift blanket. The sun had barely touched the horizon when darkness claimed him, and Jacob fell into the first real sleep he had had since returning to the Tower

He woke to the sight of the noonday sun, and while by no means was he fully recovered, he felt better than he had in days. He refrained from resuming the gruellign pace he had set for himself, instead, taking a more leisurely stroll. He still moved with purpose, but without the all consuming urgency.

As he walked, he considered his status. He had escaped, but after that, what was there for him? He couldn't return home, and the Tower would most likely execute him given half a chance. Whatever he was going to do, would it be worth all this hardship? Should he have just stayed locked up?

No, that wasn't the path he wanted, but what was? Did he want to continue running, hiding out as some hermit, never to see his family again? Did he want to forget all about magic, and become a blacksmith once more? Did he want to return to the Tower and forsake all he had discovered?

Jacob sighed to himself, studying his stolen staff as a means to relieve his melancholy.. It must have been taken from a newly risen Shepherd, because there was no sign of any runework at all. Idly, he traced the sigil of Fire into its surface, a brief exertion of will enough to ignite it and sear it into the staff. As the heat died away, he studied it, remembering how he had done the same with his own staff so long ago.

He stopped walking, and slowly, carefully he carved three more runes into its core,. Fire was complimented by Air, tempered by Water, and bound by Earth. The four elements, defining the world they lived in. Four simple sigils, but they contained everything that he didn't know.

The stave was all but useless now. He had only recently unlocked the basics of Fire, sand had no idea how to combine it with the power of Earth magic, let alone even begin to unlock the secrets of Air and Water. Any attempt to use it would likely result in disaster.

But someday... someday, he would know those secrets. Someday he would unlock the power of the four elements, and bind them together to make something much greater than the sum of its parts. The stave wasn't a symbol of power, like it was for so many Shepherds.

It was a promise. One he would dedicate his life to fulfilling.

Jacob knew his path.

---

Jacob arrived at a nearby trading town withotu incident, but it was there that his luck ran out.

“Shepherd Jacob.” he heard as he walked through the busy streets. He stopped, turned, and saw a trio of Shepherds.

Perhaps they had tracked him from the Tower, perhaps they had been tipped off by someone, or maybe it was merely happenstance. It didn't matter. All that did was that whatever came next would decide his fate. Either he would be dragged back to the Tower, die, or escape

“You know why we are here.”

“Of course.” Jacob answered, feeling every muscle in his body tense.

“Will you come with us to face your judgment?”

“No.”

A sigh, “Very well them.” Jacob could feel him gathering power for a spell, but held up a hand.

“Can this wait for a bit? I would hate to destroy the town along the way.”

“Of course.” The leader nodded in acceptance and relief. Jacob returned the gesture, and began walking.

---

The site of their battle was a few miles out of town. It was a fairly barren patch of land, with only a few patches of grass breaking up the plain of stone and soil. It was an ideal location to use Earth magic Plenty of earth to work with, without risking an avalanche or similar catastrophe.

Jacob stared at his opponents. The three of them looked older than him, certainly more experienced, but they lacked the symbolic decorations indicating senior Shepherds. Most likely, they were skilled, but not excessively so. If he was careful, and more importantly, lucky, he might manage to escape.

The leader spoke, “Out of respect for your gesture, I'll offer this to you one more time: Come back to the Tower.”

“Not going to happen.” Jacob said. The Shepherd shook his head in disappointment, and the battle was joined.

The Earth began to shake and shift. The staffs of the Shepherds lighting up as they tapped into the engraved arrays. Jacob had no such advantage, forced to visualize his own spells in his mind before projecting them. His only hope was to rely on simpler spells, in hopes of keeping pace with their own spell casting.

As each stone was thrown at him, Jacob raised his staff, and struck it, shattering them into dust. It was a simple spell, breaking apart the earth to form something new was essential to almost every spell the Shepherds used. It took very little energy, and the difficultly lay in trying to intercept the rocks quickly enough to prevent himself from being harmed.

Even as he fought against the constant barrage, he was forced backwards, giving ground to buy himself more time to think of something. They had the advantage of speed and numbers. Both of which were apparent as they hurled spell after spell at him, not letting up for a moment, forcing him back on the defensive, never getting a chance to strike back. His attempts to buy time grew more and more desperate as they slowly closed the gap.

With a roar, Jacob unleashed a wave of flame. While it had proved devastating in the past, they were prepared for it, and quickly raised shields of stone, scattering the blaze, before advancing on him once again.

It bought him a few seconds, but he had no idea what to do with them.

Jacob didn't have time to envision an array, and lashing out with basic spells was completely ineffective. He couldn't see a way out of his situation. It seemed his only option was to fight until he fell, and then...

As the battle raged, Jacob could feel himself slowly slipping away. He could feel the strain of battle intensifying. Each movement a bit slower, more painful. Each spell taking a bit longer to focus, and more draining than the one before it. The Shepherds closed the remaining distance and began to encircle him, like wolves surrounding their wounded prey. There was no escape, no way out for him.

Jacob fell, and the earth beneath him rose up to consume him. Stone engulfed him, locking him in a prison sustained by three experienced Shepherds. Try as he might, he could not alter the walls. He was trapped. Panic set in as the walls shifted once more, and began to squeeze.

Jacob felt the stone around him beginning to compress, preparing to crush him to death. It took everything he had to slow the progression, but it was a losing battle. It was only a matter of time before their combined might ended his life, which left him with only one option.

He added the power of Fire.

It was dangerous, nothing more than a deadly gambit. He had to put in everything he had before he was crushed. He didn't have the leeway for mistakes nor the time to ensure it functioned properly. He didn't even have time to visualize an array. It was nothing but a pure blast of power, entwined with the essence of Earth to buy it the time needed to succeed.

Jacob's prison exploded into a pillar of flames. In the center of it, desperately trying to control the raging power was Jacob, using every last ounce of his will to shape the flames, having them wrap around him instead of consuming him. For several long moments, he felt the searing agony of flame on flesh, and he screamed out in horrific pain, but he didn't stop, even as his flesh began to blacken. No matter what, he could not be distracted. Every last ounce of his self was needed to have even a hope of controlling it,

Fire filled the air around him, engulfing him in a halo of heat and flame. Jacob fought to draw breath in the face of such intense power, but remained in control, if only just. Will an effort of will, he bound the flames, taking the chaotic inferno and shaping it to his will. The wreathe of fire turned into a blazing halo of might, shining as if a star had fallen from the skies.

The inferno had been stayed, for the moment. He drew in a deep breath, strugglign not to cough at the intense heat, and opened his eyes. Before him, were the shocked Shepherds. He hesitated for a moment, assuring himself that he could control the flames and gathered his thoughts, before opening his mouth to speak.

“This is the path I have chosen. It not the one my family and village offered me, and it's not the path you laid out either. This is the path walked of my own free choosing, and I will let none deter me from walking it!” Jacob shouted, the display of power shifting with his words.

He drew in a breath, trying to center himself, before turning to face his would be captors.

“I know all of the tricks and techniques you can bring against me.” Jacob spoke calmly, shifting his gaze across the stunned Shepherds, “I am a practitioner of your arts, but I do not limit myself to them. There is more to the world than earth and stone, and that is what gives me to the power to stand against you.”

He was outmatched, he knew that. He had escaped by the skin of teeth, and couldn't survive another clash, but he had done something they thought was impossible, and it made them hesitate. That hesitation was his best chance to end this before it could no longer be salvaged. He had to convince them that not only was it not worth it to try and capture him now, but that it was too dangerous to send more Shepherds against him.

“Is there anything else you care to try?” Jacob asked, his voice far calmer than he felt. He visualized the array in his head, straining to hold each and every detail in his mind. The flames responded, shaping themselves according to his will.

None of them responded, they simply stared in awe.

“I see.” He said, “Fell free to come after me again. I'll be waiting.”

He turned and began to walk away, the fire surrounding him slowly ebbing. None of them followed.

---

Hours later, once he was sure they hadn't followed him, Jacob began to smile. Not only had he held his own against the Shepherds, hopefully, he had discouraged them from pursuing him for the foreseeable future, but he wasn't going to get his hopes up. Soon, it wouldn't matter. He would be far enough away that they wouldn't be able to track him effectively. It wasn't a perfect situation, but it was the best he was likely to get.

He stopped for a moment, reflecting on everything that he had gone through. Not too long ago, he was a simple blacksmith, then a Shepherd, a heretic, and a runaway. Now...

Now he would determine his own path. Regardless of the consequences, he would become the first to master the power if Fire.

He caressed his staff, examining the four runes he had burned into it. Without the resources and research of the Shepherds, it would be far more difficult to discover new arrays and spells, not to mention learning how to harness the power of Air and Water. The road ahead of him was far from easy, and there were bound to be many unexpected trials, threats, and hazards.

His smile widened into a grin as he stood up, and began walking.

It didn't matter.

He was ready,
 
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