Mark of the Fool

Chapter 391: A Rude Breakthrough

Alex Roth broke through to third-tier summoning spells the very next day.

The day before had been a long, full one with revelations, feasting and new friendships formed.

When they got to the apartment that night, he and Theresa had unpacked their gear, cleaned up and collapsed into his bed, exhausted. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, theyd laid awake even though they were dead tired, spooned together until finally falling asleep to the sound of the timekeeper in his room. Two hours later, Alex was well rested, while Theresa was still sound asleep, but both were up and heading to Selinas friend, Abelas house when daylight came.

On the way back to the apartment, Selina had been talking non-stop, peppering them with questions about Crymlyn swamp and the witches when Alex unlocked their apartment door and her eyes fell on Claygon. Her jaw had dropped and her anguished cry trailed her from the door, as she ran to the damaged golem and threw her arms around his neck sobbing. Her fingers gently touched the gouges on his chest.

Alex and Theresa had looked at each other, tears glistened in the huntress eyes, and hed gone to his little sister and wrapped his arms around her. Brutus came up and licked everyone after being shocked from a deep sleep.

What happened? Shed asked.

And theyd told her about Zonon-In, and with each word, her grief had turned to anger. I hate monsters. her voice was low. They hurt Claygon, they always hurt everyone, but look at what Mr. Hobb did to them, they cant hurt people forever. Her words were like a promise as she wiped her tears away.

Alex listened to her, trying to soothe her, and not knowing whether to be worried, to approve of her resolve, or both. In the end, shed only calmed down when he said hed be going to repair Claygon as soon as he saw her off to schoolright after his early morning class.

On their way to the junior school, she tried convincing him to let her help him since he might make strange design changes to Claygonlike hed do something like thatbut hed promised he wouldnt do anything to embarrass Claygon or her, and that made the dark cloud hanging over her face lift. Shed remembered she had something to tell him when they got near the school entrancesomething hed actually forgotten about with all that had been going on lately.

Im just glad Claygons core wasnt damaged, its like his heart... I wonder if you can honour golems at the Festival of Ghosts, but I hope we never have to find out. Shed said.

The part about the Festival had caught Alex completely off guard.

Wait, is that coming up soon?

Yeah, Abelas familys going to an event on Orecas Fall, shed said. Its with a bunch of other families. We probably got an invitation too. Did you check our mailbox?

Alex, during the mind-melting morning where hed been thinking about the very real possibility that heand his entire kingdomhad been betrayed by their own god had not, in fact, checked their mail yet.

N-no, he said.

Well, check it, shed said. And talk to Thundar. He said he wanted to do something for it this year.

Yes, captain, hed saluted her.

For more times than he could count, shed rolled her eyes and walked away.

And that was how hed been reminded that the festival was coming soon. He would have talked to Theresa about it, but by the time hed seen Selina off, the huntress had already left for sword practise with the Watchers.

Hed talk to her later, but he had to get to class then head into the city to repair Claygon.

On the way to Shales, Alex had seen mask sellers everywhere, displaying their wares on every street corner, and in every shop window. Decorations of all colours adorned front doors and townhouses, elaborate costumes crafted of everything from animal skins to gossamer, hung on rows of racks inside, and merchants called out to passersby, inviting them to come in and, find something nice for the family.Illusions of frightful spirits swooped high above a wooden wagon then dropped down at shoppers. The merchant grinning beside it abruptly stopped grinning when a frightened lad kicked at the illusion, his shoe landing on the merchants shin. Alex stifled a laugh. Bannersemblazoned withgrape vines and wreaths streamed above every door and on every lamp post. The sights had brought back memories of their first Festival of Ghosts last year with its warm nostalgic atmosphere. Friendships were being forged then. Hed looked across the street and noticed the only door free of decorations on the entire street was the bakery across the way from Shales. Lately, it hadnt been open more than a few times a week, and cobwebs were a permanent fixture on the eaves.

As he opened the door to the Workshop, hed wondered how much longer it would be before the little shop would have to shut its door for good. Inside Shales, Alex was greeted by a bit of a stir when his coworkers caught sight of Claygon.

Sim had nearly dropped his tools, gaping at the damage.

What the hell did that? hed scurried up to the golem, taking in the cracks up close. Jeez, it looks like some kinda blade did it buteven though Im seeing it, I cant believe it. When Shaleleath fought this big guy, I thought nothing would get through that hard shell, protective spells or not. You got lucky that the cores not wrecked.

Ya, no kidding. Alex had patted his golems side. Just when you think youve seen all the nasty things out there, something worse comes along. Me and my friends were lucky Claygon was there to protect us, but now hes the one who needs repairing. Is there a free bay I can use?

I think therell be one in about an hour. Sim had shaken his head in amazement. Feel free to use it, and any tools you need.

Thanks, Sim, Alex had said, taking Claygon aside to wait.

The repairs went well, they were fairly simple to do, and in less than two hours, he was done. Apprenticing at Shales building golems and getting paid for it was a dream. In a little bit north of a year, hed learned everything he needed to know to fix Claygon all on his ownexcept for some help few people would ever get. Using the Mark, hed mixed clay, infused mana and bonded it with the golems body.

By the time hed finished torch-drying the clay in place, Claygon looked just like he did before theyd ever laid eyes on Zonon-In and that war-spear. Alex smiled at him, Selinall be happy, he thought.

Since his work had taken less time than hed expected, that left him with a free afternoon to practice summoning magic.

On a lark, hed gone to Professor Mangal and asked for permission to try third- tier summoning and she'd encouraged it.

You have performed very well in class, Alex. shed said, walking to a shelf of old books containing both written and practical assignments. You have a strong grasp on the aspects of relational summoning as well: your paper on it was most insightful.

Thanks. Hed used some of his experiences with Gwyllain to write that paper and in it, hed discussed certain concepts of reciprocity and how theyapplied to summoning. Hed found the concept inspired when he was researching the paper, and it seemed the professor had thought so too.

Shed brought out a spell-guide from her shelf. This is a third-tier spell meant to summon a lantern celestial. They are beings of law, kindness and curiosity, so even if you make mistakes with the spell, you are not likely to face a terrible fate. The most a rampaging lantern celestial might do if it breaks your circle, is to give you a lecturewhich, considering that youre a student, you might find an additional lecture to be a terrible fate.

Alex had laughed as hed taken the book and lowered his head. Well, Professor, Ill try to make sure I dont get a lecture from it. And you.

###

And that was how Alex Roth found himself staring at a floating orb of light in the middle of the Cells.

Areare you real? he asked, checking the summoning circle on the floor.

Greetings, mortal! a voice like tinkling bells answered him. How are you doing? Is it day? Its dark. Are we in dungeon, mortal? Are mortal going enslave me mortal? Do not do that, mortal.

Wait, what? No! Alex said quickly. Im not going to enslave you. This is a safe room. Were in a summoning room at a magic school andI just summoned you.

Good! This one likes being summoned. See lots new things! The lantern celestial said cheerily.

YeahI canshow you new thingsits justhold on one second

Whats a second?

What?

Whats a second? This one no knows that word.

Second means second, Alex translated it into a tongue of the celestials.

This one no understand.

He tried switching to a few different celestial dialects.

This one understand those words! it cried.

Ah, good.

But what you mean second? You no say what is first! You not very smart for a mortal.

Alex stared at the lantern celestial, wondering for a brief moment if hed gone insane. Okayso letsokay. Justa second is like a unit of time. Kinda like a heartbeat.

Oh, okay. Whats a heartbeat? Is that like when you beat a heart? And uhif it iswhats a heart?

are you messing with me? Alex demanded, wondering if Professor Mangal had somehow pranked him. He wouldnt put it past her.

The lantern celestial bobbed back and forth in the circle, like it was looking around the room. This one no see no mess. What to clean?

Okay, hold on, justhold on on se

Hold what? This one has no hands.

No! Alex fought the urge to scream. II mean wait for a moment while I look at this book! He held up the spell-guide.

Oh the lantern celestials voice hummed. Why you no say so and keep saying stupid things instead?

For the first time, Alex Roth considered strangling a monster hed summoned. Instead, he squinted at the book, checking the diagram for the magic circuits.

Did I miss something? he thought, his finger tracing the diagram. The problem was that he wasnt looking for what might have gone wronghe was looking for what had gone right.

Third-tier spells were no joke.

Many of the most iconic spells in wizardry were third-tier: Fireball, Phantom Steed, Daylight and even one of Isoldes favourite spells: lightning bolt. For many armies fortunate enough to count spellcasters among their ranks, third-tier spells were some of the greatest magics their wizards could wield.

Just one wizard possessing third-tier spells could change the direction of an entire battle, or the way of life of a whole village. They were also a major jump in complexity compared to second-tier spells: three magic circuits interlinked and firing at the same time. Hed expected thateven with the strange power he had inside lending him a hand with summoning spellsit should have taken him weeks of practice to reach third-tier.

His eyes slowly drifted to his notebook, focusing on the number of check marks hed made, one for each time hed cast Summon Lantern Celestial.

3.

It had taken him just three times to cast a third-tier summoning spell.

Holy shit.

Language, the celestial lantern chided him.

Really? he glared at it. You dont know most colloquialisms or mortal measurements of time, but you know that swearing is bad?

Of course! the celestial flared, as though offended. This one not stupid like you!

Alexs lip twitched.

He might have broken through to third-tier summoning spells, but at what cost? At what cost?

Seriously, what the hell? he wondered. Why was it so easy? I know that power did a lot of the work and Ive learned a lot about summoning spell arrays, butdamn, this is stunning news. But what do I do now?

He pulled another notebook from his bag and flipped to Operation Grand Summoning Ascension. With mixed feelings, he put a checkmark beside the step:

Learn to Cast Third-Tier Summoning Spells.

Well, congratulations to me, I guess, he murmured, tapping his pen on the page beside the next steps:

• Practice with Other Third-Tier Summoning Spells Until You Have Mastered Different Ones.
• Practice With Other Types of Spells Until You Have a Good Foundation of Third-Tier Magic.

Do I still want to do that, though? he wondered.

When hed first thought of his plan, hed expected to have to struggle to cast a third-tier summoning spell, and thats why hed decided on such a conservative strategy for his plan.

Hed thought that with time, hed learn third-tier and would then have to spend time actually mastering a numberof other spells to develop a solid grasp of it. But today, hed cast a third-tier spell in only three tries which was making him consider moving up.

Maybe I should jump right into fourth-tiersummoning, he thought. Push hard now.

Tempting.

It shouldnt be a problem for his mana pool since it had grown so much from mastering Hsiekus technique. The third-tier magic circuits had barely put a dent in his pool, so thered be more than enough space to fit a fourth-tier magic circuit in there.

Maybe even a fifth-tier one.

It made sense, if he thought about it: hed used Hsekius technique and restful slumber to continually repeat his summoning spells. After he did it once, hed repeat the process over and over, until it became natural to him in spite of, or maybe because of, the Mark. But, other students only practised their spells a handful of times because they had no need to practise them more.

Hed accumulated the equivalent of hundreds of hours of practice. And if he leapt ahead now

Anticipation ran through him: at fourth-tier spells, hed have access to the first spells that used Relational Contract and Binding Contract Summoning and with those, the types and numbers of creatures he could call from the outer planes would expand vastly both in power and in variety.

And if the situation with the Uldar mystery and more was going to be as dangerous as things were pointing to, hed need all the power and variety he could get.

Should I do it? he thought. Should I go for i

He stopped, remembering the traitor witches in Crymlyn Swamp.

They were so hellbent on ridding the Crymlyn of Uldars influence, theyd literally chosen to make a deal with demons. Zonon-In. And theyd paid for it. Hard.

He shook his head. Just because learning a third-tier summoning spell was easier than I expected, doesnt mean I should start trying to rush ahead. One mana reversal, and its all over. I should stick with the plan and explore third-tier spells first and know them like the back of my hand, then when I have a solid enough foundation, move up. Besides, theres no way Professor Mangal would give me a fourth-tier spell guide. Maybe Baelin? Ah, forget it. Lets not get greedy.

Mortal! You become so stupid you lose power of talking? the elemental suddenly demanded. This one surprised you live so long.

Alright, thats it, Im dismissing you now! Alex whirled on the glowing creature.

Wow, this one no know how stupid mortal is! the lantern celestials voice rang out like a church bell. You summon this one to not do anythi

Alex spoke a single word, sending the celestial back to its home plane.

Okay, next time, he said. Im summoning something with manners.