Chapter Six
Dragonblights wind's scoured Coria's face as she and Rhonin trudged through the deep snow that covered their path. She glanced sideways at her mentor, his bright orange hair a flame against the glittering landscape that surrounded them. This is the last time I will be able to call him my teacher... she thought bitterly to herself as pain and regret welled up inside her, alongside the nodes of anger that were struck as Aethas' face blossomed in her head. She vainly tried to push the negative thoughts from her mind and focus on this last task. Her gaze slithered up to spot the white-capped waves of the frozen sea rolling back and forth on the snow covered shore. Rhonin must of noticed the waves as well as he stopped abruptly.
Coria glanced down... a decade ago, in this location, she had said the vows and performed the spell that bound her to Rhonin as his arcane apprentice. She shut her eyes, repulsed that the same oath would be broken in the same place where it was made. The rustling of pages brought her back to focus, finding Rhonin thumbing through a slim tome that was marked with golden runes and thin chains. She recognized the book as Rhonin's personal compendium of spells and notes. Pride welled up inside her as she realized her vows resided within the weathered pages of the book.
"Rhon-" "We must do this Coria." Rhonin said abruptly, cutting her off. He reached a point in his tome and took a quick glance at her, before he began inciting the incantations within the book. Instantly a violet arcane circle illuminated itself around Coria, a similar cyan one appearing around Rhonin. Runes and markings burned themselves in the snow as the spell waxed stronger with each word Rhonin spoke. A golden line shot out from his circle to hers, marking the bond between the two. It was broad and powerful initially, but with growing horror Coria watched as the line began to recede inwardly with each passing moment, signifying the connection that was being broken between the two.
But Coria could only watch as the spell prevented her from speaking nor moving. The air became alive with magic and she tasted mana on her lips as golden motes of arcane energy floated about them. The line grew smaller and smaller until it was as slim as a sword... Coria came to accept that she would only see snow.. but a blue bolt separated her feet from the ground.
Snow flew up around her and the breath was knocked from Coria's lungs as she slammed back into the ground with unexpected force. Red dots exploded within her eyesight and she briefly neared consciousness. Dazed, she glanced up to find more energy bolts striking their area, Rhonin engulfed behind a wall of snow that hissed in resistance as swirling magic slammed into it. Coria stumbled to her feet, her eyesight faltering as she tried to glance around. She barely saw shadows that flitted in and out of her vision as more spells rained down on them.
A bolt struck Coria's chest and she collapsed; the last thing in her vision was the dimly glowing gem around her neck
Authors Note:
Thoughts? Review? Is anyone still reading?..