Rise of the Fifth
The Hidden College Part 1
Pages 241 to 245

The sword was smashed to the ground and a claw raked across flesh, leaving blood to drip on the floor. The Erskan city guard were no match for these creatures. They had battled into the night with little avail. The creatures had appeared as dusk set on the city, their limited numbers the only reason it had lasted this long.

Only about a hundred of the Shadow beasts had invaded the city, but they had somehow come from within and took the meagre protection force by surprise. The city centre was a mass killing-ground, bodies laying everywhere. Not just those of guards and Shadows but many of civilians, women and children. The Shadows cared not who they struck, they just wanted to rid the city.

It had taken two hours of furious fight before the guard realised the only way to stop the Shadows was by beheading them - a few had fallen in this way by then but there was not time to assess the situation. Now barely ten men stood against a wave of Shadows almost triple their number. Most people left alive had fled the city, but these courageous few had no way out.

Surrounded on all sides they had come to accept their fate, but they would not go down without a fight. As the Shadows closed in, swords flashed in the moonlight. Some managed to cut a Shadow, a few beheading. But with a hellish screech it was over, bodies hit the floor. Faces were a mess, limbs missing, the whole area covered in a thick lake of blood.

And like so many of the cities that had not heeded the warnings, Erskan fell.

~*~

In less than three hours, the five elves had given up their horses, gotten a small amount of supplies and were on a ship fast heading away from Master-infected Balaia. Truth be told, they wondered how long the sea could hold the dark virus away from Calaius. Certainly Joibri’s brief conversation with Arlen had revealed that it may not be long should his port be taken.

Joalanar had told Joibri that where he was going was rather near to where she was headed, so they had agreed to keep together for as long as possible. Though Joibri had an old friend on Calaius, back from when she had run away to learn the TaiGethen battle arts, she welcomed the male elf’s presence - he had an odd sense of mischief about him that endeared him immediately. Nevertheless, she was still reluctant to watch the shoreline of the port slip away from her grasp.

Thoughts of her forthcoming training were pushed roughly aside as it fully dawned on her what she was doing. The thought of leaving...him...swamped her mind, consuming her senses like a sweep of menthol contained in the violent sea wind. Joalanar brought an arm around her shoulders to keep them both upright, his cloak warming her as the storm rolled in. Joibri didn't notice.

"You won't die on me while I'm gone," she whispered.

"Sorry?" Joalanar asked, leaning over her shoulder.

"Nothing..."

Joalanar pretended he wasn't worried, holding onto her more tightly as the wind grew ever-stronger, carrying the vessel farther away. Pale green eyes focused on the unreachable,

"I will return to you."

~*~

The Master’s plan was working well; few cities had offered resistance. But those that had, had defeated a large part of his army. But with the main college force trapped in Julatsa and with little left in Lystern and Xetesk he had time to rebuild his forces.

He needed mana power and a lot of it, but that would not be a problem now. Victories in Pontois, Erskan and Denebre had felt good but not as sweet as this one. The city had been struggling, taken by Blackwings, rescued by the college armies but now it was his. It was all too easy - the colleges had once again played into his hands. Everyone had left it almost undefended, but the Master would not make the same mistake.

He looked down on the Heart of Dordover and laughed a sadistic laugh. He had the power, he had the forces, now he had raw mana at his disposal. He closed his eyes and felt the tendrils of mana come from the Heart. He let it pierce his body, he let it pierce his mind. With utmost control he merged it with his own mana, letting the different strands intertwine.

And with that he promised himself one thing - darkness would once again consume Balaia.

THE END
(To be continued)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This has been a fan production of six members of the James Barclay forum, comprised of posts taken and edited insomuch for grammar, spelling and continuity. All efforts have been made to maintain the original content, and when this could not be the case there were consultations with the original author(s). The novel edition was undertaken by Joibri, with the permission of fellow creators, and all fellow creators were given every right to alter as they wished.

No part of this work may be reproduced in any shape or form without the written consent of the listed creators and of James Barclay, whose world was used for the milieu and inspiration of this work. Any breach of this copywrite is respectfully reminded as illegal, and will not be condoned. All characters as to be listed below are copywrite their respective creators, and in turn this copywrite is not abused within the creators’ syndicate. Please see forthcoming list for according character copywrite.

Any resemblance to actual places or people - be they living or dead or fictional - is purely coincidence. If this is found to be debateable, then the creators’ syndicate advise that they are contacted so that the problem may be discussed. The creators’ syndicate apologises sincerely if anything found in the material is seen to be offensive in the aspect of rights, ethnicity, etcetera, and if the issue is raised the creators’ syndicate will do all they can to change the offending material within reason and their own rights of creative licence.

All rights reserved.

The Creators’ Syndicate:

Thraun (Craig Tobin) - The Master, Kane, the Shadows.
Joibri (Leslie Smith) - Joibri’dan, Talo-eran, Arithmus.
Selik (Louise Hub) - Penrold, Karil, Xithe.
Lee (?) - Delenar, Kirelle, Youlvi, Kelthan, Gailen, Kumonai, Mikadun, Veygan, the Wolves.
Duckarse (Chris Harvey) - Gasta, Korius, Benru, Kaynel.
Liv (Liv Herman) - Lena, Silt, Jonak.

~ www.jamesbarclay.com/forum ~
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Hidden College.
Part 2 - The War Of The Shadows.

The Fifth, and now Dordover, had been taken. An army of Shadows, kept rapt by the power of the Master, has invaded the Hermetic college and has begun to plague Balaia around it, from the heart of the continent’s power, Triverne Lake, outwards. Armies lay slaughtered, their colleges only just now turning to an Alliance as the crest of the dark wave approaches them.

Joibri’dan - who would have been the jewel in the dark crown the Master placed over the Hermetic college - has retreated in pain and failure to the southern continent, Calaius. Her one-time companions have regrouped at Blackthorne, preparing for the worst that is yet to come.

Yet unbeknownst to everyone - the Four-College Alliance and the Master alike - there were two entirely different dangers brooding in seclusion. They would arise with Joibri’dan’s return, eight years later…