Mark of the Fool

Chapter 661: Fifth

While contemplating his rapid descent into old age, Alex walked downstairs, on his way to the Cells.

All around, first year students scurried about, searching for Cells theyd been assignedto for first semester lab work.

By the Traveller, I still cant believe how young they look, he thought, shaking his head as he reached the administration desk at the bottom of the building.

Waving to the administrator sitting there, he greeted her. Hi there, would I be able to use one of the summoning Cells please?

Ah yes, Mr. Roth, welcome back, said the administrator. How long will you need the Cell for?

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Im sorry, have we met?

Not officially, she said, drawing a schedule from her desk. But, I did see you compete at the Games of Roal, but more importantly, your bakery has been responsible for destroying my waistline. She laughed easily, patting her stomach.

Oh, uh, sorry? Alex offered.

Dont be, it was worth it, she said, looking down at the schedule. Would Cell 314 work for you?

Absolutely, Alex said. Ive got my student card to unlock the door right here in my bag.

Good, oh, and I just wanted to thank you for everything you did last year, it wont be forgotten.

Pardon? he said.

My younger brother competed in last year's Games, she explained. If it wasnt for you brave people on the beach, he would have died; hes no combat mage, he just entered for fun. So, thank you, Mr. Roth. You kept our family from suffering a loss like so many others did that day.

We all did what we had to do, but thank you for your kind words. Hearing them means a lot; Ill be sure to pass them along to my friends. Whats your name? he asked.

Carmen.

Well, Ill tell them, Carmen, and thanks again.

He gave her a little wave as he teleported back to the stairs, and up to Cell 314.

Alex swiped his card above the door lock and entered the room. He locked the door behind him and dropped his satchel on the floor near a desk. Time to get to work. The aeld staff gave off little waves of curiosity as he leaned it against a wall and took a pair of spell-guides from his bag.

Wondering what Im doing? He said to the staff. Well, Ill be trying to summon more companions like Bubbles and our foxy friend. Sometime soon, well be heading to a landthat could be pretty dangerous, especially since well be far away from everyone we know, except for Claygon.

Alex summoned Bubbles. We dont want to risk getting caught there by something nasty without any backup.

The aeld staff gave off another wave of curiosity before its attention turned to Bubbles who was, well, bubbling at it.

Smiling, Alex went to the summoning circle in the centre of the room and laid the two spell-guides before him. The first one contained a fifth-tier summoning spell that conjured an evil spirit called a hellchainera monstrous creature that drew energy from pain, pleasure and mania. Creatures like those were favourites of evil wizards, and theyd use them to interrogate and torture their enemies.

The problem was that they tended to delight more in the suffering itself, than in actually extractingany practical information from their victims.

Of course, Alex had no interest in torturing peopleprobably.

Truth is, if I got my hands on that First Apostle, I dont think letting a hellchainer have a few hours alone with him would be such a bad idea, the young wizard thought. But, Id be more summoning one of them for the challenge, than anything elsetheyre tricky spirits to call. Option twos even more challenging though, but lessdangerous.

Alex looked at the second spell-guide in front of him, one meant to summon an Astlanti celestial.

According to the books on lore, they were a prideful celestial race that wielded great magical might, and only worked with the most driven of mages. Legends even said that they were once a race of mortals who escaped some long ago catastrophe by ascending to a higher plane.

Of course, the Astlanti refused to answer questions about their peoples past, and no history book ever recorded any kingdom of a similar name that once existed.

After what hed learned from Baelin about other planets, Alex was convinced they were from another world altogether.

I wonder if Ill find out. He cracked his knuckles, picking up the hellchainer spell-guide. But lets deal with the evil one first.

Alex looked over the spell-array carefully; it was an intimidating thing, requiring five conjoined magic circuits all functioning in tandem.

I can see why most wizards never reach fifth-tier, he murmured, admiring the diagram. I assumed this would be a challenge; it seems I was right. He touched his midriff. My mana pool should be more than big enough to contain the magic circuitry, now its just a matter of not making any mistakes. At fifth-tier, if I screw up the summoning, Ill conjure something awful.

His mind ran free for a while, imagining some tentacled horror breaking out of the protective circle in the centre of the floordragging him, Bubbles and his staff into eternal doomhe shuddered, quickly shaking away the image.

Hed been doing this long enough to avoid catastropheshe hoped.

Alex studied the spell array carefully, making note of individual parts of the magic circuitry that were familiar to him, then nodded, satisfied. He conjured a Wizards Hand.

The Marks interference hit hard, shaking him to the core as he fought to guide himself through it, frustration quickly rising.As the crimson Hand appeared, Alex frowned, remembering the Mark of the General in Uldars sanctum.

If that Mark is just the Fool but without the interference, Im going to be so damned mad, he scowled. And since thats probably what it is? Im already mad just thinking about it. Here I am, about to try casting a fifth-tier spell and I still have to wrestle with the Mark of the Fool just to conjure some first-tier Wizards Hand spell.

He thought about what had happened when hed relieved the First Apostle of his arm. Hed ended up on the ground, helpless, hammered and punished by a Mark from a dead god. Punished for wanting to avenge his friend. For wanting to save his other friends.

For wanting to stand against a monster.

Alexs jaw clenched and unclenched as a surge of anger dropped on him with a weight it hadnt in a long time, not since his early struggles with the Mark in Rams force magic class.

He took some deep breaths, making himself calm down, using his grounding techniques, letting go of his rage with each breath.

If only I could change this Mark right now, he whispered, returning his focus to the spell array.

There was nothing to be done about that right now.

For the time being, hed work and prepare for the day he could change it.

And for the next half hour, he studied the spell in minute detail, tracing diagrams hed made of the array, using the Mark, correcting even the slightest mistake hed made in his drawings. Then, he said each syllable of the incantation aloud, sounding them out, making sure his pronunciation was flawless.

When it was time to make notes, he flipped open his notebook and began:

Summon Hellchainer. 1st attempt. Progress:

The level of progress was left blank for now as he began spell casting, at the same time, calling on the Travellers power.

This spell was a new one, but at this point, hed had a lot of experience with fourth-tier summoning magic; his goal was ambitious, he was hoping to have 30% of the spell array mastered by the time he finished practising for the day.

Alex closed his eyes, feeling the Travellers power as he slowly spoke the incantation. It joined with his mana, pushing against the Marks interference.

He felt the conjoined magic circuit manifesting, unfolding like a bloom and as he began losing himself, caught between the roaring seas that were the Mark of the Fool, and the power of the Traveller. One tried to steer him off course, dragging him down. The other held him gently like a ray of sunlight,guiding him through the spell, keeping him on track.

He let both flow, focusing on saying those precious syllables precisely.

A circuit formed.

Then another.

Then a third.

A fourth.

Before he realised what was happening, the Travellers power was guiding his mana into a fifth circuit that linked with the others. The entire spell flared to life.

Alexs eyes flew wide as he felt a connection form with the lower planes.

The groan of chains, the sound of screams, and of dripping liquid seemed to echo through his ears as something otherwordly was pulled across the planes.

Air shimmered within the summoning circle.

Chains clinked.

Space tore apart.

And something humanoidshort and gauntstepped through, appearing in the material world. It might have chilled the blood of even the bravest soul, with its six fingers, two pairs of elbow and knee joints, and spear-shaped ears. The creature was a thing of nightmares; yet, it almost looked human.

Almost human.

Piercing its pale grey flesh were scores of hooks, iron rings and long nails. Spiked chains wrapped its entire body in an unnerving parody of a robe, wound tightly enough to squeeze every angle on its emaciated form.

A dark fluid ran from the corners of lips that snarled in what seemed a hideous grin.

Its eyes were stitched shut, but it faced Alex, seeming to watch him nonetheless.

An aura of palpable pain and menace surrounded the hellchainer.

We have such sights to show you, the creature croaked suddenly, its voice gurgling.

The aeld staff gave off waves of terror.

Bubbles bubbled in fright.

And Alexs jaw dropped, his mind whirling.

Hed hit fifth-tier.

On his first try with a new spell.

It was stunning.

Numbly, he wrote a number in the notebook:

Summon Hellchainer. 1st attempt. Progress: 100%.

What agonies do you wish for me to bestow, oh pained one? the creature gurgled. This one desires flesh.

Not right now. I wished to simply greet you, Alex said carefully, using the Mark to alter his voice. He made it higher. Cold. Infused with a note of indifference, sounding every inch the cruel wizard ready to unleash his demon armies on the unsuspecting.

In the future, there will be much pain for us to inflict, Alex said, thinking of the hidden church of Uldar. For now, though. A gift.

With that, Alex looked at Bubbles. Could you do me a favour He paused, eyeing the innocent water elemental, then grabbed his staff. On second thought, never mind.

Raising the nervous aeld branch high, he conjured a hellhound near the summoning circle.

The hound appeared, panting brimstone as it looked up at Alex, recognising him.

Could you do me a favour and bite him please? The young wizard raised his chin toward the hellchainer. There. On his leg, where there arent any nails or spikes sticking out.

The hound cocked his head momentarily before bounding to the hellchainer and clamping its jaws on its flesh.

Writhing in ecstasy, the evil spirit released an unsavoury moan. Yessss, sweet pain! A reward, but no labour. Master is kind.

Master is also cruel, Alex said. I will call you again.

Goood, this one will be waiting the monster moaned.

With a shudder, Alex dismissed both the hellchainer and the hellhound.

Bubbles burbled nervously.

Yeah, I dont think Ill be summoning that thing too often, Alex leaned the staff against the wall then took a look at the second spell-guide.

Was that a fluke, I wonder? Only one way to find out

For another half hour, he studied the spell-guide for Summon Astlanti Celestial before trying the spell.

Again the Mark interfered.

Again the Travellers power helped him.

And again, he completed the spell on his first try.

A tall, imperious looking malewith skin like shining pearlstood before him, dressed in robes of flowing mist. He stared at Alex with clear, grey eyes.

I see thee, sorcerer, as one who wields great power. Thou art wise to summon me, though thou shall need to prove thyself, the celestials voice echoed. Art thou worthy?

I am, Alex said, his voice ringing with confidence. Arrogance, even. You will serve me because I possess power grand enough to stand beside you as a fellow master of arcane might.

And how shall you prove this to me? the celestial asked.

Alex swallowed. Cold sweat rose on his skin as his mind tried piecing together what was happening.

Okay, the Traveller's powerIve been using it, he thought. As it grows stronger in me, its offering me more support for summoning spells. Which means Its time to get greedy.

Alex looked into the Astlantis eyes. I will prove it by showing you that I can call one greater than you. I will show you by conjuring you again andright in front of your eyesI will show you the kind of magic that will surprise even you.

The Astlanti smiled. I look forward to it.

Until then, Alex dismissed the celestial.

He looked at Bubbles. Guard my things for a minute, Bubbles.

The water elemental gurgled in reply, moving beside Alexs bag.

Then, teleporting out of the Cell and up to the halfway in front of Professor Mangals office, the young wizard rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

Alright, Roth, he said to himself. Time to push your luck.

He knocked on the door.