Chapter 29
Maybe it was Craig’s ultimatum, no Condensation of the Primal Core, no trip, that lit a fire under him.
Rafael knew he’d be stuck otherwise, so he hunkered down over the next two weeks and finally formed his core, just four days before departure.
The Storm Trial struck the Apprentices‘ Quarters without warning.
It took Laurence, Kermit, and the other elders totally by surprise.
“Another Condensation of the Primal Core, eh?”
“Awesome., this batch of kids is really pulling their weight.”
But unlike Linda, who had Mack mentoring her every step of the way, Rafael was basically a patchwork apprentice, piecing together advice from whoever he could. His trial ended up being a brutal slog, and utterly humiliating.
Amid the thunderbolts, he was yelping and scrambling, darting this way and that, dodging for dear life.
A few bolts didn’t just demolish a couple of buildings on the peak. They also wrecked the Mystic Silver–Leaves in the yards. By the time Byron and Craig arrived, Rafael was clinging to his magic Relics to survive the fifth strike.
Byron later roped in Alphonso Mckay, an Enchantment specialist, to help him push through the rest. Rumor had it Byron blew up big time afterward.
Linda asked, “What for?”
“Because Rafael dove in with zero preparation, headfirst into the trial. If Craig hadn’t picked up on the weird vibes and checked it out, he could’ve been the first First Unity Coven student fried by a basic thunder trial.”
Even Laura flashed a thumbs–up. “Bold as hell.”
Rafael shot up in bed. “It was just inexperience! Pure inexperience! How could I know the thunder would crash down mid–cultivation? I had no idea!”
Craig stuffed an orange slice into his mouth. “Chow down. You’ll be wiser next time.”
Thanks to Rafael’s recovery time, they delayed three extra days, leaving First Unity Coven only three days before the Veil opened.
Of the four, everyone except Craig flew solo on their swords, Linda, Laura, and Rafael. Craig rode shotgun with Rafael this time.
Rafael stuck his chest out. “See, Craig? You do need me after all.”
Craig clamped both hands on his shoulders, looking pale as a ghost. “Listen to me. Hop off. I’ll take the reins.”
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“Craig, it’s my sword. You couldn’t steer it anyway. Trust me, I’ll get you to Somnambulist Highlands in one piece,” Rafael boasted.
“Nope. I’m afraid I’ll bite the dust before we arrive.”
Rafael’s Ethereal Blade was brand–new from the Sepulcher of Lost Steel, and he wasn’t quite attuned to it yet.
The Spell–Bladed Flight turned into a nightmare for Craig, worse than a brush with death. When the group finally landed and approached the closest city to Somnambulist Highlands…
Craig was propped against a tree, puking his guts out harder than Rafael had during his first–ever sword flight.
Rafael patted his back with a sullen look. “Really? That bad? I didn’t even hurl.”
Craig jabbed a shaky finger at him. “This… this has to be… payback on purpose.”
Rafael shot it down, all wide–eyed innocence. “What? No way! I’d never pull that. I’m your adorable little junior.”
Craig was speechless, thinking, ‘Definitely on purpose.
Linda glanced up at the city gates looming ahead. Mist–Haven Borough.
Once Craig shook it off, the four of them stepped inside. But right away, the vibe felt off.
Even Craig, who’d been hiccuping and retching nonstop, snapped silent and alert. No one said a word. They just took in the street ahead.
It was strangely hushed, with people shuffling by. Not that the place was empty.
As a rare metropolis with over a hundred thousand souls, even on a quiet day, you’d see dozens or hundreds out and about. But these people’s expressions were eerily vacant, numb.
The aura hanging over the people around them was drained, lifeless, completely void of any spark.
“Sense of death.” Linda said it out of nowhere.
Rafael’s joking vibe vanished as he sidled up to Craig. He wasn’t clueless. He got what Linda was implying, but part of him hoped he’d heard wrong. “Linda, what did you just say? Sense of death?”
Laura and Craig turned to her too.
Linda kept her eyes on the folks in the street, skipping the scary repeat. Instead, she asked Craig, “Craig, where’s the rendezvous point the sects settled on?”
This Veil gig wasn’t exclusive to First Unity Coven. It came via an invite from the Abyssal Coven.
Back before they headed out, Kermit had tapped Craig to lead the group and manage any outreach.
Craig answered, “Nille, Seventh Meridian Alley, the Wayfarer’s Inn.”
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Linda gave a quick nod. “Let’s move.”
“Let’s go.” Craig and Laura took the lead, and the group flew into the realm. Something nagged at Linda, and she glanced over her shoulder. Claudio trailed casually, keeping exactly five paces behind.
She led the way, Laura right beside her. Craig and Rafael hung back behind the two girls. Rafael nearly piped up to suggest they take point instead.
But then he thought about how strong Linda and Laura actually were.
He thought, ‘Eh, forget it. It is sect tradition anyway.’
The junior sisters always spearheaded things, and the guys just needed to avoid being dead weight.
So the two of them tagged along as Linda’s crew wound through one street after another. They spotted plenty of locals en route.
But each one had that same blank stare. Like the group was invisible to them.
Even the rare times someone glanced up to talk to a buddy, their expressions came off stiff and forced.
Rafael, being the gutsy type, figured he’d check things out, maybe flag down someone who looked halfway normal for some intel. But whenever he tried to speak up, the person’s vacant, dead–fish eyes would lock on, and he’d clam up instantly.
After a handful of those zombie–like stares, Rafael quit trying altogether.
They made it to Nille and spotted the Wayfarer’s Inn.
All four exhaled in quiet relief.
Craig muttered, “This whole Veil invite smells fishy. Stay on your toes, everyone.”
Linda didn’t respond, just kept staring at the inn’s front door.
“Why’s an inn bolted shut in the middle of the day?” Rafael wondered out loud.
That only ramped up Craig’s bad feeling.
As Laura and Linda moved to step up, Craig jumped in. “I’ll take care of it.”
Linda shot him a look but didn’t argue.
Laura was on the verge of blurting, “What are you gonna do?” but when she saw Linda ease back, she followed suit, positioning herself next to the girl while Craig stepped forward.
Craig braced himself and rapped on the door.
Knock, knock.
It was broad daylight, but to him, it felt pitch–black, deeper than any night. Folks were strolling the nearby
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He could hear snippets of conversation.
Yet in that split second, Craig felt utterly alone in the world.
The door gaped like the jaws of some colossal monster. Push it open, and it’d devour them all.
The dread built, sweat trickling cold down his back. But with a deep breath, he shoved the door wide.
He bellowed, “Innkeeper? Anybody home? We’re here to meet someone.”
His shout bounced around the inn’s interior.
The moment the door flew open, heads inside swiveled their way.
And just like that, the creepy street atmosphere evaporated. The area sprang back to normal, full of chatter, bustle, and real energy.
Craig stared, baffled.
Laura and Rafael looked over their shoulders, confused, knowing something was still off.
Linda’s face stayed neutral as laughter erupted from within. “Another fool bought my illusion hook, line, and sinker.”
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
