The Schooling of the Spell Caster

"And then what?"

"I know not, big sister. Mother cannot see any further. Her visions are blocked."

"Blocked? By what?"

"She says she doesn't know, but you know her. I suspect she knows but won't say. She said to tell you she sees you standing tall with a large muscular human male beside you. He reeks of magic, she says. Does this sound like your Daniel Davies?"

Grace grimaced. "Yes. Yes, it does."

⭐

Grace peered down into the massive crater that had once been Yanwey. The crater was five miles in diameter and was clear of all debris. The centre was devoid of a central peak other than a small, raised area. The surrounding walls were steep and sloped down to an almost level floor. She could see from the rim that the very rock of the crater had been scorched black. The middle of the crater reflected the sunlight like black glass, and surrounding it was a small lake of brackish water, likely bubbling up from the water table.

The region surrounding the crater was devoid of all life and plant for another five or six miles around it. Ejecta was not in evidence, and Grace knew the entire city had been vaporised by the death of the male Phoenix. Phoenixes don't just burn when they die, they erupt in a sudden burst of heat equal to the internal fire of the sun. It is over in a flash of intense white light.

Grace was certain and hopeful the citizens of Yanwey had felt nothing.

Knowledge of the loss of Yanwey was being tightly controlled, despite the rumours, and now all the roads leading to the remains of the city were blocked by platoons of Arbuckle army regulars. They allowed no one to pass from the human lands or the Fae. Grace had glared at them until they allowed her passage.

No one blocks a Night Fae Princess, she snorted.

She slowly started down the steep incline of the crater. Dirt and rocks broke free under her feet and slid down the crater wall, building up content until minor avalanches proceeded her. She angled her descent and kept her eyes glued to the terrain above and below her.

There was a horrible smell in the area. Like the smell of air after a lightning strike mixed with the smoke of a campfire burning out of control, but it was far richer and acrid. It stuck to the back of her throat, and she had to hack and spit black phlegm to clear it. The worst part was Grace was certain she could also faintly taste roasted chicken and thought of the Phoenix.

Nothing remained of the city. Yanwey had always been the neutral city of the combined Fae. It sat between the mountain ranges to the West, where the Night Fae dug deep and built their underground cities in darkness, and the Light Fae to the East, living high in massive trees, always seeking to get closer to the heat and light of the sun. Yanwey sat smack dab between to the two races and was occupied by an equal measure of both the Night and Light Fae. It was the one place where they could both meet to settle disputes. With it gone, Grace feared for the worst.

Mother said war was coming early. This is likely a large part of the why.

After two hours, Grace finally found her way to the centre of the crater. She squatted and closed her eyes. She reached out with her mana and tried to detect magic. She was sensitive enough that if a male Phoenix egg had appeared here, as it should have done when the Phoenix perished, she would sense it. Even a trace remnant would be sensitive to her like a candle in the night.

She opened her eyes. She felt nothing. Nothing at all. No magic anywhere near for miles.

"Fuck me sideways," she said. "There should have been a male egg here. Where did the male Phoenix go if not into his egg at rebirth? He was destroyed on his death, that's clear." She looked around the crater. "This is all perfectly normal. So where is his egg? And why is there still a female egg?"

She had held the female egg once Daniel had given it to her. She had felt the female Phoenix inside, deep in slumber. She now wondered if it knew what the male Phoenix had done to Yanwey.

Daniel could have ransomed the egg to the King for a dukedom. She had never told him, her oath pulling at her to fulfil it.

She looked north. She had to find her party and send them to Whitehaven to meet with her. Daniel would be tested soon, and she had to be there to watch it. He was a focal point and her visions showed him to be a powerful player. She had to remain close to him. Secretly, her heart was thrilled at the thought. Daniel stirred something deep within her. He sang to her in a way she had never felt before. She would happily fuck him until she died of happiness.

No Fae had ever affected her this way. She couldn't imagine how a human was doing it to her. She was still as hungry for sex as she always was, but lately, she only considered sex with Daniel. It was pissing her off. She could feel his pull, always tugging at her heart.

Once in Whitehaven, she could look to the King and recover the egg. Somehow. Her mother's orders had to be followed. Her younger sister, who would be Queen over her someday, had made their mother's wishes clear. Half-breeds like her could never take the crown. She could only obey. It was her duty.

Knowing now that Daniel's parents had been instrumental in capturing the female Phoenix egg, then losing it, only for their son to recover it, set alarm bells off in Grace's head. She hated coincidence. It always led to more coincidence. And then bad things happened.

"Just who is Daniel Davies?" she wondered out loud.

F ive

SITTING AT THE dinner table, Daniel and the ladies shared a common breakfast prepared by Bitty. Daniel hugged her afterward and told her she was a brilliant cook. The size of her smile matched her large eyes. He gave her a sausage-greased kiss and told the others he needed to get out and walk about before they met Gwydion.

Amy bounced up beside him and insisted they go together. He smiled at her and thanked her, and they left the suite hand-in-hand. Jasmine watched them go and sighed. Amber was helping herself to another plateful of scrambled eggs.

The outside corridor was lit by magical lamps. It gave everything a yellowish glow. The area they were in was empty, likely due to it being the area reserved for the more important people who came to visit. They walked past the registration desk and saw Johnson in his office, working on something.

They headed outside and walked the path that would take them around the Testing building. They soon found themselves walking in an expansive inner courtyard with paths crisscrossing the area to lead to other buildings and structures. Clusters of trees dotted the area, providing shade. Flower beds were scattered at random, with park benches placed nearby. A large fountain, easily twenty feet high, sprayed water in elegant shapes formed by magic. It was very serene, and Daniel and Amy took a moment to appreciate it. Daniel missed the forest back in Acron. He even missed his farm and the simple pleasure of working the land.

In moments, doors all around the courtyard burst open and students poured out of buildings to walk the pathways. Daniel pulled Amy a little closer and kept his hand firmly on hers. She squeezed him back.

Daniel looked over at Amy and watched her looking off into the distance toward the King's Castle, lit with the morning sun. A small smile tugged her features and for a moment Daniel was lost in her beauty.

"You're beautiful, Amy," he said, the words slipping out with ease.

She turned to look at him and they stopped in the middle of the path. She stepped closer and Daniel leaned down and gave her a sensual kiss.

"Seriously, you all are becoming more and more radiant," he whispered into her mouth and ran a tongue over her lips.

Amy sighed contentedly. "It's the effect of the circle, Daniel."

"What do you mean?"

"Something Amber said once. She said that a spell caster reinforces the circle and strengthens it. Together, our magic is more powerful. It's why witches look for spell casters to join them. A side effect is we tend to glow a little for those people who can see and sense it."

"That makes no sense at all."

"I know. I don't understand it either. But look at Jasmine and I. Look at your cock and the amount of cum! Explain that! My hair has never been fuller. My breasts..." she leaned closer to whisper. "Have you noticed they're a little larger? More sensitive. And these days, I swear I could drown you with my pussy!"

Daniel grew thoughtful. "Yes, my cock is larger somehow." Suddenly Daniel remembered the strange presence at the ritual. He had meant to say something about it. "Hey, Amy, did you notice..."

"Get off the path, you idiots!" cursed a woman, interrupting what Daniel was about to ask Amy. The woman was dressed as a fighter in fine ring mail. She brushed past them on the walkway, holding a sword in its scabbard in her hand to steady it.

Daniel watched her go and admired her tone ass.

"Hey! Eyes down here, mister!" chided Amy.

Daniel looked at her and saw the humour in her eyes. "What? I can't look?"

Amy pouted, exaggerating the look. "Look, maybe. It's the drool coming out of your mouth I can't stand to see."

Daniel forced some spit out of his mouth and allowed it to run down his chin.

Amy surprised him by sticking out her tongue, licking up the spit and plunging her tongue into his mouth.

"By the Gods!" someone exclaimed. "Have some decency! That was disgusting! My old gaffer would give you words!"

They looked up and saw a male halfling hurrying past, shooting them a look of disgust. He wore brown and green wools and sported a leather backpack festooned with all sorts of equipment, but mostly pots and pans. He clanked as he went past them, walking on the grass to avoid them on the pathway. "One more step and this will be the furthest..."

"Amy?"

"Yes, love?"

"He's almost as tall as you."

Amy smacked his ass and then pulled herself closer. "The only thing that's important is the distance between my pussy and your mouth."

"By the Gods! You two need a room!"

Daniel looked around and saw the pathway was now crowded with people of all shapes, races, and colours. Most wore adventurer clothing and armour, with a myriad of backpack types and weapons hanging off them. Adventurers went nowhere without being ready for anything.

People swarmed past them like a river around a rock. Daniel held Amy closer, and they watched the flood. Daniel was sure he could determine what kind of adventurer most people were by their looks.

A man in a brown cloak, the sleeves hanging past his hands, walked past. A brown cord wrapped around his waist and hung with tassels. His feet were bare.

Surely a monk or cleric, he thought.

Next came two men, wearing studded leather armour, and silver bracers that gleamed with magic. Swords in scabbards swung freely at their waists. They were in deep conversation and only just avoided running into Daniel and Amy.

"Get off the path, you idiots!" one hissed at them and then resumed his conversation. "I tell you, Adam. She's a brilliant cleric. You know how hard it is to find a cleric these days! We'll need healing, and good healing..." His voice faded as they walked away.

A light fae, standing a head above everyone else, was next. His skin, darkened almost black by the sun, glistened as only the fae could glisten. His hair was yellow like most light fae and was arranged in cornrows that ran down past his shoulder blades. He wore green leathers that looked almost painted on. He moved with the natural grace of the fae, and people automatically moved out of his way. He stopped before Daniel and Amy and gazed at them with one blond eyebrow raised.

Daniel stared back at him. "Can I help you?"

The fae's eyes narrowed. "Get off the path, you imbeciles. You are blocking everyone." His voice was melodic, his fae accent strong. Daniel immediately disliked him but didn't know why.

Daniel frowned and then squawked. He and Amy were levitated a foot off the ground. They were moved sideways off the path. And then the levitation disappeared, and they dropped to the ground. Daniel landed easily but caught Amy as she fell back.

"Hey!" he yelled and looked at the fae, but only saw his back as he continued down the path and away.

"Serves you right, you orc dick," said a male voice, overly loud. Snickers erupted from the other adventurers walking quickly past them. Daniel turned his head to the voice and saw two slim men, dressed in spell caster robes, standing near them and sneering.

The one on the right, wearing an expensive light blue robe with a red sash around his waist, had been the one to speak. His companion, dressed in a similar blue robe, was grinning but with malicious delight shining from his eyes.

The one on the left looked Daniel and Amy up and down. "And just who the fuck are you two?"

Daniel glanced at Amy. She looked worried. He turned toward the two spell casters and put Amy slightly behind him. "That's none of your business."

The one on the right glared at him. "We decide what is our business. Answer Denal. Who are you two?"

Daniel looked at Denal and could see he had his hands in front of him, cocked strangely. "Again, that is none of your business."

The one on the right actually hissed. It was almost comic to Daniel. He took a step forward. "Do you know who I am? Who we are?"

Daniel could feel magic gathering. "I have no idea and frankly, I don't care. Manners go a long way in this world. I suggest you gain some."

Denal actually smiled then and Daniel felt a twinge of trepidation. "Maron, let's deal with this upstart. We can use spells outside the classroom now."

Maron grinned and then made a gesture. Daniel had barely a chance to register that Maron had moved his hands when magic hit him and ran scorching along his nerves. His muscles clenched against his will and the need to scream was denied to him as the muscles controlling his diaphragm and voice were stolen from him. He fell, losing balance, rigid as a stone. He felt Amy trying to grab him, but he was too heavy, and he fell sideways, like a tree, to the ground. His nerves were on fire and his need to scream was bottled up and made it all the worse.

He could faintly hear Amy screaming, and he fought to gain control of himself. The pain was agonising. His vision darkened. He couldn't breathe. Just when he thought he was going to die, the pain vanished, and Daniel could move freely. He lay on his side, his face pressed into the grass, panting. Memories of the pain kept him lying there. He waited for it to return and knew this time it would end him. He heard laughing all around and he turned his head just as Amy pushed him onto his back. She leaned over his face.

"Daniel! Daniel! Are you okay?"

He looked around and saw the two spell casters still standing nearby. Several adventurers leered at him on the ground and laughed. Many people walking past high-fived the spell casters.

"Daniel! Speak to me!"

Daniel looked at Amy and saw the concern on her face. He tried to speak but couldn't seem to get his mouth and tongue to function properly.

"What did they do to you?" She looked back at the spell casters and screeched. "What the fuck did you do to him, you fucking assholes?"

Daniel saw Maron gesture and Amy's head rocked back in pain. Daniel could see all the muscles in her body rippling and contracting painfully. Maron and Denal were laughing and so were many others watching. Daniel tried to reach out to her, but the lasting effects of the spell left him too weak to move. Pain still lanced through his muscles like fire.

A professor walked by in a large dark grey robe and swatted Maron in the back of the head. "Cut it out, get to class, Maron. You'll be late and you know I can't abide tardiness in my classroom."

Maron grinned. "Yes, professor." He made a gesture and Amy collapsed onto Daniel. "Pity. This was starting to be fun."

Amy gasped and then sobbed.

Daniel looked up at Maron. He could see the malice in his eyes. Denal was no better. They had enjoyed torturing them. The entire school did based on their laughter. He glared at Maron and opened his mouth to speak.

Maron leaned forward. "Careful, noob. You don't know who I am yet. When you do, you'll realise there is nothing you can do. Stay out of my way. Don't talk to me. Or Denal. Am I clear?"

Daniel bit back the retort on his lips and then nodded once.

Maron leaned down and patted his cheek, none too lightly. "Good noob. Stay down."

Maron rose and walked away, Denal in tow and laughing.

Daniel held Amy and watched adventurer after adventurer walk past. Each of them looked down and laughed at the pair of them. Daniel felt his fury rise. He had never been so humiliated or embarrassed before.

What kind of place is this?

"You should get up. Don't show weakness here. They thrive off it."

Daniel started at the unexpected female voice. He looked over and saw a strong, striking woman standing there. She wore plain and loose cotton clothing over the smallest set of plate mail Daniel had ever seen. Her hair had the look and colour of straw and was untamed and wild. She was tanned with startling white teeth surrounded by full and luscious lips. She wasn't exactly beautiful, but she had an aura about her that excited him. Daniel could see the genuine concern in her eyes. He tried to move, but the fire in his muscles was still out of control.

Amy was still crying. The woman leaned down and said a small prayer and touched Amy and him. A sense of euphoria rushed through them, and Daniel almost peed himself. Suddenly it was gone, and he felt amazing.

"W-what was that?"

"Hi. I'm Jennifer Jousts. A senior paladin here at the Academy in, ah, training. I just laid hands on you. My Goddess saw fit to help you."

Daniel, with the help of Jennifer, got Amy and him up on their feet. They stood there a moment, looking at one another to make sure the other was okay. They were drenched in sweat and the memory of the pain they had endured was already fading. Daniel wiped away Amy's tears.

"So, yeah. My Goddess sent me to help. But my calling is not complete. Can I ask your names?"

"I'm Daniel Davies. This is Amy Albright."

A smile touched Jennifer's blue-grey eyes. "My pleasure. You are new here, I can see. Perhaps you could use some company? Guide you around the more adventurist students? Everything around here is a challenge. Now that spells are allowed outside the classrooms, many will be eager to flex their abilities. Are you in class?"

"We are here to be tested."

Jennifer's eyes went round. "You haven't been tested? You are so old! Why are you wandering the grounds, then? That is not allowed. Anyone out here is fair game."

Amy had recovered her wits and wiped her tears away. "We didn't know. We only wanted to walk around a little and get the lay of the school."

Jennifer looked at them closely. "There is something about you two. You in particular, Daniel Davies. My Goddess rarely makes me do anything specific as I am still in, ah, training. Rarer still to be coming to the aid of noobs." At Daniel's expression at being called a noob, she laughed. A clear, pleasant laugh. "My apologies. New students are called newbies around here. Noob for short. I suggest you get used to it."

"Oh look! Noobs! And talking with our resident wannabe paladin, worshiping the worst god of them all!"

The three of them turned to the unfamiliar voice. Two more spell casters stood on the path ten feet from them and were openly pointing and laughing at them. Daniel felt Jennifer bristle. Daniel took a step forward, unconsciously putting the two women behind him.

Daniel heard Jennifer mutter a prayer under her breath.