The softest jolt stirred Tristaric from troubled dreams into unpleasant heat and humidity. Clamminess under his arms disgusted him and he touched the plates of his staff changing the environment within the cabin. It was two days since leaving the capital and the four magii should have propelled his carriage halfway across the Empire to his destination by now.
Snapping his fingers and pointing to the window, one of the six servants pulled back the curtain. Searing sunlight poured in. Recoiling, a flick of his staff propelled the servant away, rocking the carriage as it slammed into the side to fall crumpled to the floor.
The curtain fell back into place.
He pointed again.
Without hesitation, another servant moved to open the curtain. This time …show more content…
He made a bitter face, the entrance was no bigger than the one to his estate, and contemptible to the main gateway of the capital.
He cursed the Emperor again for sending him from his side to handle this mess created by the former head of Straslin’s magii shodatt. The man died casting the Rite to Rakasti – a spell taking three months to complete. The magic was imperative to begin the invasion of another land to supply new souls needed for the chambers and extract their blood under torture. It was the only way to create the yellow liquid, Yan, and stocks of the life-extending elixir were running low.
The Emperor had been irate at the delay and decreed the invasion was to restart in one month, and Tristaric was to ensure this happened. Recasting Rakasti in less than three months was impossible, so he knew he had to do something unorthodox. High-energy magic was inherently dangerous, and he would have to push the limits beyond anything he’d done before with no time for caution. It was a recipe magii’s didn’t normally survive. But the reward would be worth the risk. Once the supply of Yan from the torture of a million conquered heathens started to flow, he would win back his
Snapping his fingers and pointing to the window, one of the six servants pulled back the curtain. Searing sunlight poured in. Recoiling, a flick of his staff propelled the servant away, rocking the carriage as it slammed into the side to fall crumpled to the floor.
The curtain fell back into place.
He pointed again.
Without hesitation, another servant moved to open the curtain. This time …show more content…
He made a bitter face, the entrance was no bigger than the one to his estate, and contemptible to the main gateway of the capital.
He cursed the Emperor again for sending him from his side to handle this mess created by the former head of Straslin’s magii shodatt. The man died casting the Rite to Rakasti – a spell taking three months to complete. The magic was imperative to begin the invasion of another land to supply new souls needed for the chambers and extract their blood under torture. It was the only way to create the yellow liquid, Yan, and stocks of the life-extending elixir were running low.
The Emperor had been irate at the delay and decreed the invasion was to restart in one month, and Tristaric was to ensure this happened. Recasting Rakasti in less than three months was impossible, so he knew he had to do something unorthodox. High-energy magic was inherently dangerous, and he would have to push the limits beyond anything he’d done before with no time for caution. It was a recipe magii’s didn’t normally survive. But the reward would be worth the risk. Once the supply of Yan from the torture of a million conquered heathens started to flow, he would win back his