The Mistakes Of Misfits

I woke up in what looked like a storage room. It was almost pitch black but I saw a crate of some kind that we would normally store spellbinding tools in. I threw up a magelight to illuminate the room.

I was back in the real world. A few mages were still in catatonic sleep. They were scattered about the room. It seemed like about twenty or so were left. I stood up and stepped around the mages on the floor. They wouldn't have woken up even if I stepped on them but it just felt wrong to disturb them.

I felt amazing, unable to keep the smile from my face. I had passed the trial of the mind. I had done it! Death itself couldn't wipe the smile off of my face as I opened the door to the store room.

I saw a very unexpected sight. Orthis was leaned against the wall across from the door. He looked relieved to see me and he rushed forward. In a very uncharacteristic move for the high mage he gripped my shoulders. "You're alive." He said it as a sigh of relief. He held my shoulders tight and examined me.

I had never seen Orthis this concerned about me. "I'm fine, Orthis." I told him, pulling away from his grip. "I've made it past my first trial. I had proved everyone wrong. Most probably assumed I would never wake from my magic sleep.

Orthis nodded. His shoulders relaxed a bit. "You woke up very late in the process. I thought you were..." he lowered his head. How long was I asleep? If I was then... I tried not to think about the apprentices that were still laying in that room.

Orthis smiled. I swear I saw a bit of pride cross that face. That couldn't be right though. He couldn't be proud of me. Orthis nodded. "Nice work Varrin. Only one step remains.

I looked to the right and saw the long hallway with a light piercing through at the end. That was the arena. That was the trial of the body. My heart sank. The trial of the mind had almost claimed me and my mind was not the part of magic that I struggled with.

Orthis must have seen my face because he straightened up and turned me back towards him. " You are a Stormviel." He told me in a cold calculating voice. He pulled me into a hug and felt that warmth of the father I had needed all of these years for that one brief moment. "You are my son. You will make me proud." It was less of encouragement and more of an order, but I appreciated it nonetheless.

Orthis backed away from me and the cold, calculating high mage of Alexandria returned. "Welcome initiate, you have successfully completed the trial of the mind. The trial of the body lies ahead, you will enter when the trumpets sound. Is this understood?"

I bowed back to him. "Yes sir." I responded. His eyes were full with worries and advice he wanted to share with me. Before he could tell me anything he wasn't allowed he did a flourish of the wrist and teleported away. I felt every moment in those few minutes move like an eternity each. I finally heard the trumpets and I let out a sigh. "Now or never." I Muttered and walked into the light.

I felt that familiar electric air as I entered the light. Cheers of mages from every quadrant of the city sounded as I entered. The light blinded me for only a moment before I saw the source of those cheers myself. I looked up to see a small section where all the initiates who made it through the trials. Only two faces stood out to me. One was the cocky devilish grin of Callisk, as if he was happy I had made it this far. It was probably because he assumed I would die where he could see it happen. The other was Rylie. She smiled like a little child when she saw me. The promise almost seemed to be contagious because my chin raised a little higher seeing her.

I looked to the arena and that pride almost immediately vanished. There were bodies. At least thirty of them. The first one I saw was from a shy kid in our class. I think his name was Sylas. Almost every body I saw sent a rush of memories and emotions up my spine. One in particular made my heart sink.

I saw a familiar blond laying in the mud of the arena. Her long angular face was laying on its side lifeless. The crowd went silent for a moment as I knelt down to her. It had only been a bit of time since we had connected with each other. A few weeks at most. It wasn't love. I wouldn't let myself say that, but she was a good person. A lovely bright woman who had made me smile. She didn't deserve this. I didn't dare look at the bloody bruised body that I knew was how she died. I had to close my heart. I had to pull myself together. I pulled off a small beaded bracelet off of her wrist. She loved making them in her spare time. I wrapped it around my own wrist. I wanted to have something to remember her by.

I stood tall and faced the Magistrate. She had patiently waited for me to finish my mourning. I forced my face into a calm indifferent scowl. I bowed to the Magistrate, a silent invitation to continue with the ceremony.

The Magistrate nodded. "Varrin Stormviel! You have proven yourself an intelligent initiate, one worthy of learning magics... but in order to be a mage you must be able to wield that magic effectively. You must be able to put those spells into action." She gestured down to a large set of iron doors leading to a dark deep prison. "You will face beasts that will test you. You will vanquish them... or this arena will be your tomb." I couldn't help but direct my attention to the bodies... to Ria. Fear crawled its way up my throat and I quickly shoved it back down. I didn't have time to let that fear take over me.

"I am ready." I told the Magistrate in a voice that was much braver than I felt. I will not die. I told myself. I will become a mage. I turned my body and pulled my staff off of my back. I turned and faced the door.

The Magistrate sat back in a large ornate golden throne. "May Rasha watch over you child." She told me. She almost sounded bored as she flicked her wrist and the iron gates swung open. Rasha, the god of luck and fortune. I would definitely need the gods help here. There were a few anxious, painful moments as I waited for my opponent.

A large sun kissed hand gripped the side of the door. The hand was the size of me alone. The hand turned as the creature pulled itself into the light. Its skin was a dark sun kissed brown. It stood on two legs and its body was gluttonous . The creature must have been at least ten or eleven feet tall and held a massive club that was wider than my shoulders.

My mind raced as I saw the one eye. Taking over a majority of his face. "Cyclops." I muttered. I saw the cyclops turn its gaze to me. I could feel the venom in its stare as it prepared its club for a strike. I dodged back avoiding the massive swing of the creature. I felt the wind off the strike as it narrowly missed me. I jumped backwards. I had to be nimble. This thing was strong but it was slow. I needed to use that to my advantage. I shot a bolt of lightning at the knee of the cyclops hoping to send it to the ground.

The cyclops stumbled a bit but continued its charge at me. I would need to use something stronger. The cyclops swung at me again but I dodged under its swing. I spun around, planting my knee and pulling my arm back like an archer. I said a few magical words and my staff turned into a large beautiful bow made out of magic. I felt the hum of the power as I released three bright purple arrows made of arcane energy.

The first shot impacted the cyclops's chest. The arrow exploded in bright arcane energy. The second went to the eye of the cyclops but was blocked by the beast's massive arm. The third arrow hit the cyclops in the knee, this time sending the beast to the ground. I smirked in pride seeing the beast fall. So much pride I didn't notice the cyclops swinging its massive club as it fell.

The swing hit me and I was able to put up a small shield made out of magic to lessen the impact. The force of the hit still sent me flying backward and my back slammed into the wall. I heard the crack of a bone, I assumed from my ribs from the warm pain that started to form on my abdomen. I couldn't take another hit like that. This thing was strong enough that one more hit might kill me. I needed to stay away and prepare something. There was no way I would get that time... unless.

Before I could tell myself no, I charged forward at the cyclops. Everyone watching must have thought I was crazy but they cheered all the same. Maybe I was crazy. I needed this to work. The cyclops swung its club at me in a wide sideways motion. I dropped down and slid through the cyclops's legs. I felt mud and grime cover my clothes. I used my staff and channeled my magic into it making it big enough to to trip the cyclops.

The cyclops fell to the ground and mud splashed on me. I didn't pay attention to it though as I raised my arms to the air and two massive skeletal hands rose from the ground and clamped around the cyclops. I knew it wouldn't hold it long. I needed to move. I ran to the front of the beast and I started to channel a spell.

I felt the arcane energy flow through me and my hand started to heat. I could hear the cyclops break through the bones and I opened my eyes. The cyclops stared at me with pure unadulterated rage. Blood ran down its shoulders from where the skeletal hands had clasped.

I let the energy in me flow out, but instead of a massive tornado of fire I closed my channel and the massive power flew out in a concentrated stream of fire. The fire struck through the cyclops's head like a javelin. It stood for a moment, the massive hole in its head burning. The cyclops fell to the ground with a thunderous thud.

I let out a sigh of relief and raised my muddy messy body to face the Magistrate. I felt a rush of pride and adrenaline take over the pain. I did it. I fucking did it! "Is that all?" I quipped. That confidence flowed through me like a burning fire making its way up to my raised chin.

The Magistrate chuckled. "Actually no, I have plenty more." She gestured to the gate and a portal opened up. I faced the gate. I had already killed a cyclops, what could she possibly throw at me? Through the portal I saw two massive red eyes open. Then four were open, then six. I took a step back. It couldn't be what I thought it was.

Three canine-like heads emerged from the portal. Their mouths dripped with molten rock as they emerged. The three heads were supported by four massive tree trunks for legs and a long bladed tail. This was a Cerberus. Canine protector of the hells. They were a lesser demon but they were still a challenge for an actual mage, let alone an apprentice.

I didn't have time to think about how outmatched I was. No one was coming to save me and I had to move quickly. The Cerberus snarled at me but it wasn't a rageful animalistic hate like the Cyclops. This beast had an intelligence to it. I could see the calculation in those red eyes.

The Cerberus spit a few molten rocks at me from its middle mouth. I dodged to the side. I stomped my foot into the ground causing ice to burst from the ground around the Cerberus. The Cerberus roared in pain and frustration. I made a blade of stone and ran behind the Cerberus, hoping to slice that blade for a tail off.

The Cerberus was stronger than I expected. The beast broke out from the ice and swung its back claw at me. I felt a sharp slice hit me and my swing missed as I reeled from the pain. I spun around and got a good distance from the beast. The Cerberus spewed a massive torrent of flame at me. I put up a ward shield to hold back the molten heat. Before I could strike back the second head spewed flame, then the third each head taking shifts, keeping the pressure on me.

The damn beast had me pinned. I looked around for a way out as I felt my shield strain. There had to be a way. I would not die here. I refused for this to be it. I searched the Cerberus through the small bits of vision I could muster through the flame. I saw it. There was a large scar behind the third head. I needed to strike it. It would give me a moment. I held my right hand back, taking a bit of power away from my shield. This would have to be precise, it would have to be perfect.

Before I could strike a large shadow flew over my head. I wouldn't have paid it any mind normally but I could hear the cheers of the crowd go silent, then the sound of flesh being pierced as Dimitri, the high mage of rejuvenation magic was struck with a spear.