sample - altor: the shadow rebellion (the chronicles of ageron)

8/22/2019 SAMPLE - ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion (The Chronicles of Ageron)

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ALTOR:The Shadow Rebellion

For information about The Chronicles of Ageron, or to

contact the author, please visit:

www.ljdevet.com


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The Chronicles of Ageron

ALTOR:

The Shadow Rebellion

L. J. deVet


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Copyright Notice:

The Chronicles of Ageron

ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion

Paperback Edition

978 0 9873686 2 1

L. J. deVethttp://www.ljdevet.com

All rights reserved.

This publication contains material protected by Copyright

Laws. Any unauthorised reprint or use of this material is

prohibited. No part of this publication may be reproduced or

transmitted by any means, electronic or mechanical,

photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior

permission of the author and publisher.

Copyright L. J. deVet, 2012.


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Dedication:

For the three who inspire me,Khye, Halli and Avhaya,

and for John, the one who is forever.


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ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion (The Chronicles of Ageron)

!

5"

!PROLOGUE "

Fear is not an emotion I feel very often. Not at all, really. I guess asituation in which it has proved necessary has never presented

itself. Until now.

I cant help but feel it surge through me as I stare helplessly

into the ominous darkness that has engulfed me. Every part of my

body, both inside and out, is beginning to feel as empty and

lifeless as the endless shadow I now find myself a part. I feel nomore than an empty nothingness; unable to see, hear or feel

anything but the emptiness that surrounds me. I might as well be a

lonesome star, burning vibrantly in its dedicated place in the vast,

endless universe, as though possessing some form of purpose

within it, but illuminating absolutely nothing around me because I

am surrounded by nothing but darkness. Alone.The idea of the darkness alone is not what causes me alarm.

What type of Guardian would I be if that were the case? Instead,

its unfamiliarity and apparent endlessness cause a sense of panic to

surge through me; one I want nothing more than to disappear. I


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can feel no greater urge than to free myself from that which has me

so involuntarily helpless, but I am able to do nothing. I have

become nothing.

Unable to make any practical movement, and remaining at

the absolute control of the lifeless atmosphere around me, I cease

any further effort to free myself, knowing perfectly well that any

such attempt would be futile at best, and allow for the darkness to

consume me entirely. I release my mind from any further thought,

and force my mind, body and soul to relax at my will, ready for

the emptiness to take the control over me that it so desperately

wants. Ready for my insides to fall into a similar abyss of

emptiness to that which surrounds me.

Somewhere within my increasingly hollow being, I can sense

the panic growing uncontrollably; a sensation of which I am not

too familiar with. I have never before had reason to feel fear, andthe onset of this new and unfamiliar feeling is beginning to

frighten me more so than the darkness itself. I can sense the panic

growing uncontrollably, prompting my breathing to assume a wild

and irregular pattern. My heart is thumping erratically, and each

beat sounds as though my heart is preparing to leap out from my

chest, sick of ever having been contained within it. With each andevery breath that I draw, a short, sharp pain manifests within my

lungs. Its like my body is trying to tell me something. To warn

me of an imminent danger.

As I am forced to stare helplessly into the endless darkness

before me, my interest is captured by the most unexpected of

flashes of tiny, almost indistinguishable light in the distance. Thesudden flash quickly subsides, revealing behind it two similarly

tiny lights, but of differing colour; one blue, and the other red.

Although only small in stature, their vibrancy is made more

distinct due to the fact that they are surrounded by nothing but


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complete darkness, forcing their emanating glow to multiply

dramatically.

Drawn into a trance of admiration at the new sources of light,

I cant help but watch them. They posses an appeal that is almost

hypnotising. As my gaze deepens, I notice that the lights are

progressively growing in size, offering the impression that they are

gradually advancing towards me. After only seconds, they double

in size, and are continuing to grow with each passing moment.

Watching them progress towards me, my one thought is that the

glows are the oddly discoloured headlights of a car, travelling

towards me with great speed; oblivious to the empty darkness

before it, and unaware of my being in its immediate path.

With each second that lapses, the lights continue to grow. I

know full well they are gaining momentum, and within a matter

of moments I will be met face to face with what unknownphenomenon is approaching me. Whatever its source may be it is

headed in my very direction, increasing in velocity to now

resemble the headlights of a bullet train, more so than a car. This

is it, I cant help but convince myself.

Within only seconds, less time than I am awarded to draw a

final breath, the darkness surrounding me disappears. In its place,a bright, golden light appears, swallowing behind it the blue and

red lights that had me transfixed only seconds before. Its vibrancy

forces my eyes closed, and I raise my arm to protect my eyes. In

one, instantaneous moment, the golden light has taken over.

My one and only thought is that this is death, and I am its

next victim.


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!CHAPTER ONE "The Worst Day

I spring upright, drenched in the flood of sweat that coats my bed.

All other sounds are drowned out by the loud drum of my

erratically beating heart, each beat resembling what sound you

would expect a giants footsteps to produce.

The world around me, consisting only of the contents of my

bedroom at this point, is moving as I do. Everything thatsurrounds me rises and falls with each and every breath I draw. Up

and down. Up and down. I know full well that my bedroom

contents are not in fact moving, but they most certainly appear it

from where I sit.

With each breath comes an unbearably sharp burn that

sprouts within my chest, feeling as though it is eating my lungs bitby bit. I can do nothing but sit and make every possible attempt to

correct my breathing, hoping desperately that everything else will

sort itself out.

It takes only a matter of seconds for me to begin hearing the


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thumping of my heart subside, eventually slowing to its almost

regular rhythm. As the beating of my heart weakens, so too does

the urgency for breath, allowing me to regain some control over

my breathing, but not all.

I cant help but notice my chest, which until this point had

been bounding up and down, rising and falling at the command of

each breath, now settling to a regular rhythm and movement.

Whatever it is that is happening to me, it is beginning to correct

itself, much to my relief.

I can feel as my senses become my own again, my vision

steadying and the drone of my heart reducing to a standard level.

Only then do I allow myself to feel even remotely relieved. As

much as I would love to feel entirely relieved, I cannot help but

feel apprehensive about the entire ordeal. It was nothing, I try to

convince myself. It was just a dream.A nightmare.Looking up from my sweat-drenched bed, I know that isnt

quite the case. I am all too familiar with experiences beyond the

ordinary, but never have I experienced a dream so vivid; so real.

Even my strongest of premonitions has never been so detailed and

lifelike. Thinking about the mysterious events of the dream only

compounds what confusion I already feel. One that I cant seem toshake off, regardless of how hard I try. It was a dream, I further

persuade myself. Nothing more.

In an effort to distract myself from further thought, I decide

its best to withdraw myself from the place in which the strange

dream took place. I quickly leave what thoughts remain of my

dream at bay, and twist my legs over the beds edge, using everyounce of strength that remains at my disposal to heave myself up

and out of it.

Every muscle within me aches, searing with intense pain as I

rise. My joints and muscles feel as though they have just


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undergone several hours of intense training, or at the very least,

that they have been exposed to the torment of an unending

marathon.

Pushing through the sharp pain haunting every muscle of my

body, I trudge dawdlingly towards my bedroom door. As I

approach it, the periphery of my vision reveals that I have

neglected to open my bedroom curtains and window. I first

consider leaving them untouched, but know all too well that is a

thought my grandmother would strongly disapprove of.

As I motion to alter my direction, a severing pain sprouts in

my legs, which then progresses violently to reach every other

muscle in my body. The thought of causing any further pain by

walking to the window is one that holds little appeal. The thought

alone of doing so causes more pain than its worth.

Instead, I choose the path of laziness and decide to use mytelekinesis to open them. I know I shouldnt, but what good is

having all of this power and never being given the opportunity to

use them at all? In a slow and steady motion, I raise my right arm

and stretch it out in front of me. I open my palm, and turn it

vertically so it now lines parallel to the divide in the centre of the

curtains two halves. Whilst standing several metres away from thecurtains, I slowly slide my outstretched hand to the left, the very

direction my palm is facing, and force the left half of the curtain to

open steadily without ever touching it. As though an invisible

force is causing it, the left curtain is drawn open entirely, allowing

what light lies beyond the window to stream through it

effortlessly.I repeat the very same for the opposite half of the curtain, and

within seconds my entire bedroom is illuminated by the suns

radiant light, changing in colour as it passes through the different

colours of the ornately stained glass.


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Staring at the lock that secures the window, I concentrate

with all my might, carefully imagining my opening it by hand. As

though knowing exactly what I am hoping to achieve, the lock

snaps open with a reasonably loud click, allowing for me to levitate

open the window using a similar technique I did the curtains.

The very moment the window opens, I can feel the gentle

breeze that forces itself inside, delicately whisking across my face,

bringing with it the scent of freshly cut grass from outside. As I

stand admiring both the scent of the grass and the result of my

telekinetic ability, I cant help but feel smug with myself. Practice

really does make perfect, I cant help but think.

Practice is something of which I am all too familiar. In fact,

much of my life has been spent practising. Not so much

practising, but training. As a Sorcerer, particularly one assigned the

role of protecting the rest of my kind as a Guardian, I am requiredto train endlessly in order to gain complete control over the three

abilities I have developed to date; my telekinesis, premonitions and

envelishment, the ability for us to teleport instantly to any desired

location. Although seemingly impressive, I should have developed

further abilities by now. I can only hope that they will present

themselves soon.My favourite ability is my telekinesis. It is also one of my

more useful powers. Not that that means much, considering

theres never really been reason to use it. The only reason I am

given to use it is for the smallest, petty things, like opening

windows and doors. I am still developing my telekinesis. At first I

was only able to lift that which I could physically carry, but sincethen my strength has improved, and I am now able to levitate far

heavier objects, such as people and cars.

My kind, Sorcerers, particularly those who are Guardians like

myself, are not exactly supposed to use our powers for personal


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gain. The use of our power is intended only for fulfilling our

obligations to our people, and protecting all others within our

world, Ageron, and those on Earth, who we call the Earthly.

Such opportunity, however, has never presented itself. For as

long as I can remember, all those who dwell within Ageron and on

Earth have lived harmoniously, with not much excuse for us to put

our power into practice. Of course, there have been occasions in

our history where great evil has dwelled alongside us and

threatened to take over our land, but I have never been told of all

the details. Its as though everybody has chosen to put it behind

them, and that nobody ever considers future threats a possibility.

At times, I actually hope for something to happen. That way, I

would be able to use my powers for something other than just

training, for once.

As much as I would love to use my power for everything, mygrandfather, Cassaius, constantly reminds me of my greater duty;

all great strength and power can be attributed to an even greater

cause. As much as I dislike hearing of it, I know it is true. Using

my abilities for my own benefit is something I dont particularly

enjoy doing, simply because I know its not really the right thing

to do, but at the very same time I cant help myself. Not using mypower would mean that my abilities are going to waste completely.

Something I never want to see happen. Ever.

I know I was given my power for a greater purpose than to

open curtains, but I cant live my life knowing I have such great

power and will never see an opportunity to use them for anything.

My destiny has provided me with power to protect my people, andas much as I dont want to take advantage of that, I cant sit by

and allow for my power to weaken and remain undeveloped.

With that thought, I use my telekinesis to open my bedroom

door with a wave of my hand. It opens immediately, revealing


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behind it the previously darkened hallway that is now illuminated

by the light streaming through my bedroom window.

As I leave my bedroom and enter the hallway, all the while

feeling my muscles as they adapt to the pain of each progressive

step, I cant help but notice the photographs that adorn the wall to

my right. Normally I would continue down the corridor without

ever having paid attention to them. The pain they cause every time

I look is all too much to bear. Im not sure exactly what makes me

look on this occasion, but the very moment my eyes meet them, I

cant bear the thought of looking away. Its as though, for some

peculiar reason, I am particularly drawn to them.

Staring vacantly back towards me is my father, Lucillius, but

whom everybody called Lucas for short. Judging by the

photograph, he looks to be quite different in appearance to myself.

His thick, dark hair is neatly parted to one side, allowing for everyvisible part of his scalp to remain adequately covered. Although he

has similarly piercing eyes as I, his are a slightly softer tone. They

are not necessarily a lighter colour, but are not quite as vibrant as

my own. Like in every other photograph I have seen of him, his

square-shaped face, which features a strong, slightly hooked nose

at its centre, is covered generously with facial stubble, hidingbehind it the faint skin that is universal amongst our kind.

Although his skin appears slightly darker than my own, it remains

very pale nonetheless.

As I stare carefully at the photograph, I notice my own

reflection on the glass panel of the photo frame, made possible by

the background light that enters the corridor via the lightstreaming violently through my bedroom door. My every feature,

with the few exceptions of my skin and eyes, is completely

opposite to that of my father. My eyes are a more vibrant blue

than my fathers, and are more piercing than any others I have


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seen, made to look even more that way due to my pale, almost

glowing skin. Although my hair matches my fathers in colour,

mine is not quite as thick, and is far scruffier, made worse by the

fact that I have only just woken up. My face is relatively long and

defined, and adorns a small button-like nose in the centre. I really

couldnt look any more different to the man staring at me in the

photograph.

Stealing what attention Id been giving my own reflection is a

beautiful woman standing directly beside my father; my mother.

Long, dark hair, not quite as dark as my own, dangles graciously

from her head and almost reaches her waist. Like my father and I,

her eyes are a sapphire-like blue; not quite as piercing as my own.

In the centre of her perfectly symmetrical face sits the most

elegant, straight-edged nose I have seen before, which only adds to

her beauty and makes her even more deserving of her name,Mirabelle.

As my eyes move towards the final figure of the photograph, I

cant help but flinch, knowing full well whom my eyes will last

gaze upon. My baby sister, Anabelle, the only one of us I would

have considered to have a remotely normal name, lay peacefully in

her gleaming mothers arms. My gleaming mothers arms. She isthe only one I barely had a chance to meet. I have often overheard

people commenting that she looked exactly like my mother, but

how anybody can draw similarities in appearance between a baby

and a full grown adult, I will never understand. Whatever

comparisons people might make, she looks nothing but beautiful

and content in the photograph.The gaze I have been offering to the photograph of my family

is abruptly interrupted by a slight tickle racing down the side of

my face. As I motion to flick whatever its cause away, I feel the

warmth of a moist drizzle, only then realising that I have been


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crying. For how long I cannot say, but I most certainly know the

cause.

My parents and sister died in a fatal accident when I was only

five years old. On my fifth birthday to be precise. My parents were

both twenty-six when they died, and Anabelle only six months old.

Their lives had been prematurely stripped away from them. From

me.

Id always thought of my parents as invincible, a thought I

know perfectly well is impossible, but its how I considered them

nonetheless. I dont remember much at all about that night.

Instead I must rely on what information I am told. The story I

have always been provided is that there was an explosion caused by

a gas leak, but Ive never believed that for a second. No gas leak

could have killed my parents. Of that, Im sure.

My grandparents raised me from that night, and every time Iquestion them about what happened they either repeat the same

story, or refuse to explain it again. It has become quite the touchy

subject, as any topic involving lost loved ones is. But I have

promised myself I will find the answers to the questions that haunt

me. One way or another.

Unable to bear looking at their smiling faces a momentlonger, I begin to move off. As I walk away, I turn around a final

time and take one last glimpse of the family I once belonged. The

moment I do, a crushing thought strikes me. Today is my

birthday. My fifteenth birthday. Ten years to the day my family

was so undeservedly taken from me. A once happy occasion, now

overcome by sadness and loss. A day I have grown to hate.As I distance myself from the photographs, I straighten one of

the crooked frames using my telekinesis, before turning right way

round and bowing my head, allowing the tears to fall freely down

my face. I dont look up until I can feel the tears disappearing, and


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when I do I find myself standing at the bottom of the grand

staircase, not noticing I had walked down it.

I continue down the hallway that leads off the staircase,

relieved that the pain that had been haunting my muscles has now

almost disappeared completely.

Aurellius, I hear the familiar voice of my grandmother

emerge from the dining room Id just passed.

I carefully backtrack the few steps Id overshot the dining

room, and turn into it, where I find my grandparents sitting at the

table, sharing a pot of their daily morning tea.

Ajay, Gran, I correct her.

Only my grandparents ever refer to me by my birth name,

despite my making it perfectly clear how much I hate it being

used. My full name is Aurellius Jay Samuels. Who has a name that

bad? I do. Everybody who is not my grandparents knows me asAjay; a name I much prefer.

My birth name isnt exactly something Im entirely proud of.

That being said, it does hold meaning, as do all other names for

Guardians. A meaningful name is said to set us apart from those

Sorcerers who do not bear the added responsibility of protecting

our people. According to my grandparents, my name means TheGolden One. Something I am yet to see for myself.

We thought youd never wake up, my smiling grandfather

says sarcastically.

I look a lot more like my grandfather, and even my

grandmother for that matter, than I do my parents. Judging by the

photographs, at least. Although he only stands slightly taller thanI, he has a presence about him that makes him appear ten times

larger than he actually is. As with any other Sorcerer, he has

piercing, almost glowing eyes; his a vibrant shade of blue like

mine.


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Although the colour varies between each of us, we all share a

similar piercing-quality to our eyes. Much like humans, though,

our eyes are entirely unique to us. No two Sorcerers have identical

eyes, no matter how similar they may appear, and our eyes, as well

as the paleness of our skin, clearly set us apart from the Earthly.

Happy birthday, my grandmother interrupts the silence I

hadnt realised developed.

However greatly I despise being wished a happy birthday,

purely because I could never be happy on such a day, I force a

smile to show at least some gratitude. No matter how obvious I

make my displeasure of my birthday, my grandparents never allow

it to stop them from doing the one thing I wish they wouldnt.

Making a fuss.

Thanks Gran.

I walk over and offer her a hug, at which she smilesappreciatively. My grandmother, Mildred, is always smiling. I refer

to it as her trademark feature. Her eyes are also unique, even as far

as our own kind is concerned. They are an emerald-like green;

deep and mesmerising, unlike any others I have seen. As they gaze

into your own, you can sense that she doesnt just see into your

eyes; she sees what lies behind them. It feels as though she isreading your every thought, which proves difficult to hide

anything from her.

Everything else about her is not quite so unique. Her dark

hair, which is a few shades lighter than my own, is always held in a

neat bun at the rear of her head, revealing a youthful looking face

as pale as my very own, appearing only forty, although aged sixty.Both my grandparents look much younger than they really are. Its

a quality our kind possesses. Our life span extends to one hundred

and fifty, and at our eldest we can appear as young as fifty to those

who wouldnt know any better.


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How are you holding up, kiddo? my grandfather asks

concernedly, and the very moment the words leave his lips, I know

exactly what he is referring to.

Im fine, I lie. As good as I could be, I suppose.

A short silence fills the room. A silence I wish would

disappear immediately. I despise silences on days like today,

regardless of how brief they may be. They allow for nothing more

than the one thing I am so desperately seeking to avoid today;

time. Time to think and remember about what it is that I lost. Its

not at all that I want to forget my family. That is something I

would never allow myself. Its that I want to forget the fact that I

ever lost them.

So, whats on the agenda for today? my grandfather asks,

clearly understanding my uneasiness based on the expression Id

produced.Uh, I guess Ill invite some friends over?

The way I say it sounds as though I am answering, and asking

permission at the same time.

Just as well we wont be here to get in your way, then, my

grandmother says.

Why? I ask. Where are you going?Some of the other Altor have decided to call a meeting about

new Ageronian Legislation they are wanting to introduce, so were

needed at Sgon, my grandfather answers.

My initial reaction leaves me wanting to join them, but at the

same time Im not quite fond of the idea of attending a meeting

today. Sitting in silence will provide far too much time to thinkthan Id like.

Sgon is a building within Ageron that is used as the base for

governing our land, almost like a house of parliament. A place so

dull and uneventful would surely leave me with more thinking


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time than Id like.

The rulers of our land are given the name Altor, and consist

of all members of seven separate family groups that are direct

descendents of the very first Altor elected to govern our land. Its

much like a royal family, only there are seven of them.

My family is one of those seven. I am an Altor. Not only do I

possess the responsibility of protecting my people, I have the

added responsibility of governing them when I become of age. In

three years to this very day, on my eighteenth birthday, I will

become an active member of the Altor, and will be required to

attend these boring meetings my grandparents so often visit Sgon

for.

As an Altor, I will be responsible to make sure all Guardians

are fulfilling their obligations, and will be required to uphold the

law of our land; the many laws my ancestors had helped to create.Although a daunting prospect, there is comfort in knowing that

Altor are said to be amongst the most powerful of our kind.

Something I am yet to see for myself.

Dont let me stand in the way of your fun, I say sarcastically.

Try and stop us, my grandfather says, prompting a slight

pause. No, seriously. Please stop us.I cant help but laugh. I know the meetings are dull, and I

know my grandparents would rather be at home with me today,

but we all know how important they are to all of Ageron.

My grandparents stand, and leave the dining room for the

kitchen with their empty teacups. I am left alone for a few short

moments, but am joined once more as they return to the diningroom. As they return, they both approach me and offer a hug,

before whispering a final happy birthday in my ear, and walking

to the opposite side of the room, where they turn and face me.

Dont you have too much fun while were gone, my


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grandmother says with her trademark smile.

Ill try, I add jokingly.

Before I have a chance to do or say anything more, a gentle

breeze fills the room, and my grandfather offers a wink before his

entire body is replaced with nothing more than a bright, blue

light; one that complements the colour of his eyes, and illuminates

every corner of the dining room we stand. The shape of the light

still matches that of his body, but it is beginning to reduce in size,

as though sucking itself in at his chest.

With each progressing moment the light is drawing itself

inward, now becoming no more than a diminishing glow of light

hovering unaided in the air, continuing to decrease in size as it

progresses inward. In less time than I have to realise what is

happening, the entire glow that has replaced my grandfather has

become nothing more than a ball of blue light, still hovering of itsown accord in the air. With a soft slurping sound, the light is

sucked out of the air, removed from it as though being sucked in

by a vacuum cleaner, leaving nothing behind but the empty space

my grandfather had stood only seconds before.

Although Ive witnessed an envelishment many times before,

and perform it almost daily myself, it is still a concept that I findabsolutely remarkable. Not all of my kind has the ability to

envelish, but those of us who do are able to roam freely between

both Ageron and Earth. Those who lack the ability to envelish are

unable to leave Ageron, and are forced to remain within it for life.

Our envelished form, or how our envelishment looks from

the outside, depends on what Ageronian species we are. AllSorcerers take form of light, one that complements the colour of

our eyes, but other species can simply vanish, or are replaced with

a shadow. This makes it easy for us to identify who it is that is

envelishing.


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Although not an entirely pleasant experience, having your

body break down into tiny pieces of light just to have it sucked out

of the air and be reassembled moments later, it is one of our most

vital. I have grown used to it with more use of it, and it has now

become second nature.

Just as the glow of blue within the room vanishes, it is

replaced by a bright, green light that begins to swallow my

grandmother behind it, bringing with it the familiar gentle breeze

that whisks through the air. Within seconds, my grandmother is

replaced entirely by her blindingly green light, which then begins

to reduce in size, eventually becoming no more than a ball of light,

just as had been the case with my grandfather. A fraction of a

second later, the ball of light is sucked out of the air, and I am left

alone in the room that had seconds before been occupied by three

people.The very moment I know I have been left alone, rather than

stand in absolute silence, I leave the dining room in search of a

suitable distraction. The only place I can think of that could offer

such a distraction is the living room, which I find myself entering

only a few moments later.

In the corner of the room, in front of the generously sizedwindow that dominates the front of the house, I notice a small

table adorned with several candles and gemstones, each carefully

allocated a special place of its own. Instantly, I know its the

memorial my grandparents set up every year in remembrance of

my family.

At the rear of the table stands two tall candles, both a deepblue. The candles are placed meticulously behind two beautiful

gemstones of complementing colour, the flickering flame of the

candles reflecting somewhat weakly on their surface. At their front

sits a much smaller candle and gemstone, one that is a lighter


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shade of blue than those behind it. I know straight away what the

gemstones are.

All Sorcerers, even those who are not Guardians, are each

presented a gemstone at our birth. We call this an illuminatem. It

is not known where they come from, or how they are able to

appear out of thin air as they do, but they arrive in much the same

way as we envelish at our birth.

It is said that Usellius, one of the very first Altor to have

existed, and who is allegedly one of my earliest of ancestors, saw

need for each Sorcerer to possess a symbol. A tool of guidance that

assists us in the process of developing our power. Some have even

claimed that the stones are the source of our power and that, if

destroyed, will see no possibility of any future powers presenting

themselves. To this day, no illuminatem has ever been destroyed,

so it merely remains a theory. That being said, we do guard themas though they are our most valuable of possessions.

The illuminatem themselves complement the colour of our

eyes; our most unique feature, and the feature that sets each of us

apart. The stones remain with us for life and grow as we do, not in

size, but in ability. With time, and with the bond that is formed

between each Sorcerer and their stone, it gradually develops astrong glow that illuminates whenever we touch it, and when we

are in the process of developing a new power. Its like it warns us

when we are about to develop a new ability.

Standing before the memorial my grandparents had set up, I

run my fingertips gently across the surface of each of the stones;

my fathers first, then my mothers and lastly my sisters. I canthelp but shudder at the thought that my sister never had the

opportunity to see her illuminatem, or even understand what

significant purpose it had to her. The thought is enough to

produce yet another tear to form in the edge of my eye.


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I reach up to stop it from falling down my face, but I am too

slow. It slides gently down my cheek before plummeting towards

the ground below me. I stare helplessly at the falling tear as it

approaches the ground, plummeting ever so slowly, as though

trapped in a world of slow motion.

Before the tear makes contact with the ground below me, the

entire room, and everything in it, is illuminated by an intense

green light, one that I know not to be my grandmothers. I raise

my head at the interruption, staring blankly at the wall in front of

me, and immediately a sense of panic begins to swell within me,

much like that I had experienced in my dream.

A gentle breeze whisks through the air, and I feel my hair

fluttering involuntarily, as though in its grasp. Standing still, not

wanting to turn and face whoever or whatever has invited itself

into my home, I remain facing forward, looking away from it andhoping that it is nothing to be afraid of. Whether it is from fear or

carelessness, I simply cannot bring myself to look.

Within moments, both the light and breeze subside, and I am

left exactly as I was prior to the interruption. Only this time I can

sense something. I can sense someone. A lengthy silence fills the

space around me, only this time it is a silence of uncertainty andfear. I cannot bring myself to speak. I cannot bring myself to

move.

I slowly prepare myself to turn, hoping desperately that I am

ready to face whoever is standing behind me, the fear forcing my

heart to beat so violently I can hear it in my mind.


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! 2 4"

!CHAPTER TWO "The Consor

With one fluid movement, I jump on the spot, twisting midair

and landing in the same place Id left the ground, only this time

facing the opposite direction. I throw my hand out in front ready

to use my telekinesis, only I stop as I notice the familiar face of the

figure before me. One of which I am relieved to see.

Before I have the chance to do anything more, I can feelmyself being hoisted off the ground, hovering helplessly above the

floor of my living room. Standing with one arm outstretched, the

person in front of me offers a single, undisturbed laugh, almost as

if to say is that all youve got?

I roll my eyes in my head, and steady their gaze back on the

person in front of me.Did you really think you had a chance? he says smugly.

Zaniel, if you dont let me down now Ill be sure to return

the favour next time we train, I say threateningly, although I

know it wont be enough to convince him.


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!

2 5"

Zaniel Richards is my best friend. My Consor. Each

Guardian is allocated a fellow Guardian so that the two, together,

can develop and master their abilities as they grow, and fulfil their

destiny to protect Ageron and its people. These Guardians are

referred to as a Consor. I am Zaniels Consor, and he is mine. We

will remain that way for life.

We dont get to choose who our Consor is. It is something

nobody has any control over. Much like destiny. When a

Guardian is ready to be matched with a suitable Consor, often just

before the first of their powers presents itself, their illuminatem

will begin to flash, almost like a beacon. The flashing does not

stop until the paired Consor and illuminatem is found. It is a

process that often takes months. I found Zaniel within a week.

Consors always remain the closest of friends, and sometimes

even more than that. Often the bond that ties the two Consorstogether can be so strong that they eventually wed and remain

together for life, almost like soul mates. My grandparents are one

of those couples, as too were my parents. Its for this reason that I

am glad my Consor wasnt a girl. There would have been far too

much expectation if that were to have happened. Either way we

remain paired for life; either the best of friends, or soul mates.And thats supposed to worry me how, exactly? he asks,

clearly unworried about the threat Id made.

I dont justify his question with a response. Instead, I raise my

eyebrows and stare at him, and allow for the lengthy silence to

indicate just how pathetic I think his doubt of my ability is.

Happy birthday, he breaks the silence, the smirk stillplastered across his face.

I offer him a stern look, knowing he is well aware of just how

greatly I despise my birthday.

Yeah, I know, he responds remorsefully, understanding


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! 2 6"

exactly what the look had meant. Im sorry.

With every ounce of care possible, he slowly lowers me to the

ground and releases me from his telekinetic grasp. Before a second

passes, I raise my arm and lift a nearby pillow without touching it,

hurling it towards him with the flick of my wrist. It collides

directly into his face, messing up his neat, brown hair.

Zaniel looks nothing like I do. He has the standard pale skin

and piercing eyes of any other Sorcerer, but he is tall and thin.

Everything about Zaniel is narrow; his face is relatively thin, and

he has a narrow and pointy nose that meets at its top with the ends

of his two thin eyebrows. He has an almost fragile look about him,

but I know all too well nothing could be any further from the

truth.

Dont mention it, I say in effort to make him feel less guilty.

Besides, it gives me an excuse to kick your keister next time wetrain.

A wide, arrogant grin produces across his face, one I am all

too familiar with. He does have an arrogant quality to him, but

thats just Zaniel.

Wheres Milly and Cassaius? he asks curiously.

Sgon.Another meeting? he asks, knowing perfectly well how

tedious and overbearing they can sometimes be.

I nod.

Although not an Altor himself, he knows almost as much

about it as I do. That is the one of the pros of being Consor to an

Altor, I suppose.So, what mischief are we going to get up to, then?

Zaniel always has been the more rebellious of the two of us.

Ive always gathered it is due to his arrogance.

That depends, I say. What mischief would you like to cause


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!

2 7"

today?

He takes a moment to think about it, raises his hand as

though he has an idea to share, but lowers it again, suggesting the

thought he had has passed.

The continuing silence is one that is beginning to disturb me,

and I can feel myself beginning to do the one thing I so

desperately dont wish to; think.

How about we just train? I suggest, hoping to evade any

further awkward silences.

As much as training has become more of a chore than

anything else, purely because of how frequently we actually do it

and what few abilities I have to use, I know it is the perfect

distraction for me. Training will keep my thoughts from haunting

me.

He offers a slight nod.Ill meet you there, he says approvingly.

I can tell the thought of training has him excited. Zaniel loves

training. He loves any chance to use his abilities. For some reason,

he has himself convinced that he is more powerful than I, but deep

down I know he knows that isnt the case. Im an Altor. Im far

stronger than hell ever be. I just may not appear it yet.Before I have the chance to say anything more, he is engulfed

in his green light, sucking itself in at its centre just as I had seen

my grandparents do moments before. The familiar breeze whisks

through the room, and the light quickly begins to decrease to no

larger than a ball. In an instant, following yet another gentle

slurping sound, he is gone; nothing left but the empty space beforeme.

Without a second thought, I prepare myself for my travels.

There is only one thing we really need to do when we envelish. In

order for us to reach our destination, we simply must think


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! 2 8"

carefully about where it is we are, and where it is we want to go.

Once we do this, our bodies do the rest for us.

I picture my destination in my mind, describing the location

to myself as though I am drawing a picture, and within an instant

I can feel a tingling sensation as it overwhelms every part of my

body. Everything in my presence becomes stained with a tint of

blue, matching the colour emitting from my now glowing body. I

can feel myself progressively shrinking in size, the world around

me appearing to tower around me as I shrink.

As I begin to shrink, my vision gradually widens to provide a

complete 360-degree panoramic view of the living room, nothing

within the room remaining hidden from my view. Before I am

given an opportunity to admire the view before me, a violent flash

of bright, blue light swallows everything around me. I am

simultaneously thrown forward with a forceful jolt, similar ineffect to that experienced following the slamming of a cars brakes,

and I know the air has sucked me in, and is ready to spit me back

out at a different location, just as I would if being sucked into a

small black hole.

In the instant following, the bright light that had swallowed

my every surrounding begins to subside, revealing behind it anentirely new surrounding that remains tinted with the same shade

of blue as my living room had been. I catch a brief panoramic view

of my new surroundings, before my vision begins to narrow,

gradually returning to its standard function as I feel my body

growing back to its complete form. The tingling sensation that has

remained with me during the entire process is beginning to lessen,and as the blue tint around me begins to fade I can feel myself

assuming my normal form once again. Just as quickly as the light

had appeared, it disappears entirely and I know I have been

revealed in my complete form, but this time in a completely


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!

2 9"

different location to that which I had disappeared.

Although the process feels as though it takes several moments,

it is in fact almost instantaneous, taking only a few seconds at

most. I have always considered it a useful tool in battle, but have

never really been provided an opportunity to test that theory out.

The new surroundings I now find myself are not in fact new

to me. In fact, I am very well aware of precisely where I stand.

This is the place Zaniel and I frequent whenever we choose to

train within Ageron. There are places back on Earth that we are

able to train, but the use of our abilities is limited due to the

presence of nearby Earthlies. The place I now stand is safely

tucked within Ageron, away from any prospective humans, which

is for their own safety as much as it is for our privacy and

convenience.

Earth is twice as large as the Earthly know it. An ancient,heavily enchanted barrier that stretches across half of the planet

conceals the half that forms Ageron, leaving behind it the half that

the Earthly have grown to know as Earth. At its outskirts, the

barrier meets with several separate masses of land that, as a result

of the many enchantments of the barrier, make it appear to the

Earthly as though they have been merged together to form a singlemass of land. This single landmass is what the Earthly know as the

United Kingdom.

The Earthly are unable to see, hear and feel anything within

Ageron. To them, its simply as though absolutely nothing exists

where Ageron lies.

The barrier is the only thing separating both worlds, allowingonly those who can envelish the freedom to pass through it, and

leaving those who cannot trapped within its confines. Even if an

Ageronian who cannot envelish is carried in a shared

envelishment, whereby they are piggybacked with another who can


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! 3 0"

envelish, the barrier will force anybody who cannot envelish back

into their physical form on contact with it, almost filtering them

from passing through it as though knowing they cannot leave.

Agerons protective barrier possesses a number of

enchantments, each cast upon it so that Ageron remains oblivious

to the Earthly. The most significant of these charms is that which

conceals it from view of the Earthly. It also possesses other sensory

incantations to make it feel as though nothing exists where Ageron

lies. Should an Earthly walk into the barrier, which is something

they quite frequently do, they will simply pass straight through it

with no feeling at all, and end up on the opposite side of the

barrier without ever having entered Ageron, almost as though

theyd taken a giant leap over it without ever knowing they have

left the ground.

Its a good thing that Ageron is hidden from the Earthly.Although it appears remarkably similar to any other place on

Earth, with the exception that it is far cleaner and more appealing

than any other place Ive seen on Earth, the people that dwell

within it are far different to the Earthly that dwell outside it.

My surroundings look much like any other place Ive been,

only neater and more inviting. I am standing in the centre of anenormous field, which is lined at three of its edges with thick,

green forestry, and a line of houses across its fourth. Behind the

row of houses looks exactly like any other neighbourhood on

Earth, only there are no roads. There never really has been a need

for them within Ageron.

I now find myself standing directly beside Zaniel, who I haveonly just noticed out of the corner of my eye, on one of the

farthest outskirts of Ageron. Immediately behind us, just beyond

the forest that lines the rear of the field we now stand, is an

enormous, almost transparently glowing light that forms the


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3 1"

barrier protecting our world, wavering gracefully as though being

prompted by a gentle breeze.

From within Ageron, the faint contents of the world beyond

it can be seen through the barrier, almost like looking through a

wall of glowing, golden mist. It is particularly funny when

watching humans walk straight into the barrier, unaware of its

being there. They disappear the moment they make contact with

it, and reappear instantly on the opposite side, continuing as

though nothing ever happened.

So, are we going to do this, or are you just going to stand

there like an absolute idiot? I hear Zaniel taunt, distracting me

from my admiring trance of Agerons barrier.

Although hes a year older than I, I am far more powerful

than he, solely due to my being an Altor. That being said, he is a

very worthy opponent, even if Im not able to use my power to itsfull potential when training with him. He knows it, too. Hes

always hurling insults at me in hope that I might actually become

more of a challenge for him, but I know very well that if that were

to ever happen, it could lead to devastating results.

On very few occasions, as much as I do regret them, I have

lost my sense of better judgment and left Zaniel more bruised andbattered than I would have liked. On one occasion his relentless

insults became so much of a distraction that I raised him a few

metres from the ground using my telekinetic ability, and hurled

him towards the nearest tree. It left him with three cracked ribs, a

broken arm and a gash so deep even the most skilled of Sorcerers

with healing abilities was unable to heal it entirely. Although hewas quick to ever forget it had ever happened in fact, he was so

amazed by how much damage Id done to him he felt almost

proud of me for having done it it took some time for me to

forgive myself. His taunts have since been to no effect.


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! 3 2"

As is normal for any day of training, Zaniel makes the very

first move. He extends his arm and raises a nearby rock as though

being suspended by an invisible force.

Watch yourself, he says with a grin.

Within seconds, the generously sized rock is hurling directly

towards me. With a single fluid movement, I raise both my hands,

even though I could just as easily do it with one, and flick my

wrists in the direction of the advancing rock. Mid-flight, the rock

is redirected, sent soaring uninterruptedly towards a large boulder

to my right, where it collides and crumbles to create several smaller

rocks.

Come on, I say as I stare at the rocks that now lay crushed

beside the boulder. Youll have to do better than that!

I turn back to face Zaniel, only then realising that he is

speeding towards me at such speed, it appears the world is movingaround him. Before he comes within reach of me I jump in the air,

throwing all of my weight forward and flipping midair,

plummeting gently towards the ground once Id known Zaniel

had passed by below.

All Sorcerers possess great athletic and inter-combat abilities.

Zaniel and I have developed ours to be able to jump several metresin the air. Paranormal athletic ability is something almost all

Ageronians possess. Its the only ability that is shared amongst all

of us, regardless of what species we belong to. Zaniels combat

skills are highly developed. Even more so than mine. But knowing

so is one of his greatest weaknesses; one of which I constantly use

to my advantage.You have to be kidding me, I laugh.

I notice myself sounding as smug as Zaniel normally sounds,

but Im trying as hard as I can for him to think strategy, more so

than rely solely on his strength. As I turn to face him, I cant help


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but grin. Not in arrogance, but to show disbelief that he couldnt

have seen that coming. To my surprise, he too shares a grin,

although unlike mine, his is of overconfidence; one he shares all

too frequently.

Are you going to come and say it to my face, or are you

going to stand all the way over there and hide like the girl we both

know you really are, he says mockingly, to which I cant help but

laugh.

With a roll of my eyes, I race intrepidly towards him,

charging at him like a stampeding bull. Just as I am within arms

reach of him, he jumps swiftly into the air at a forty-five degree

angle, almost parallel to the ground, where he spins rapidly several

metres above the ground. He spins so fast he looks like a tornado,

spinning rapidly at a peculiar angle, not knowing where to go.

Having predicted he would somehow dodge my approach, Itoo jump in the air after him, grabbing him by his spinning ankles

and throwing him to the ground. The very moment I motion to

throw him to the ground, he grabs hold of my torso, and I am too

late to stop. We are both sent crashing towards the ground,

wishing we were able to fly, but knowing full well we are not.

Mere seconds from impact with the ground, I raise my handsto my chest, and outstretch my hands so that my palms face the

ground below me. Using my telekinesis, I create a force between

the ground and myself that prevents me from colliding with it,

and am stopped midair, suspended only by my telekinesis just

centimetres from the ground. The moment I come to a complete

stop, I throw my arm in Zaniels direction and do the same tohim, catching him mid-fall and only centimetres from colliding

with the ground below. He is so close to the ground, his nose is

actually touching the grass.

He turns to face me, and smiles thankfully.


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! 3 4"

I think this is the part where you release me? he asks

sarcastically.

Taking advantage of my control over Zaniel, I release myself

and allow my body to fall to the ground, colliding with it so gently

it feels as though Ive landed on a mattress, all the while focusing

on leaving Zaniel suspended helplessly in the air.

Come on, he urges me. Thats not fair!

Not fair? I ask rhetorically. This doesnt need to be fair.

This is payback.

Payback? What for?

For charging at me when my back was turned, I answer.

I can see him close his eyes as if regretting ever having done it,

but then he produces a smile that I know means hes expecting a

challenge; a challenge Im not willing to give him.

I turn the palm controlling Zaniel towards me, and with abackward flick of my wrist, he is sent soaring across the ground,

bouncing helplessly with every moment he collides with it. He is

brought to a stop beside the boulder that had crumpled the rock

Zaniel had thrown at me earlier, and he stands slowly, dusting

himself off as he does.

Barely able to see Zaniel due to the distance he stands awayfrom me, I instantly reduce myself to my bright glow, and vanish

from my spot, reappearing instantly only a few metres in front of

where Zaniel stands. I arrive to find him leaning arrogantly against

the boulder with one leg resting on its side, his elbow resting on its

edge and supporting the weight of his head as it lay on his hand.

With a laugh, I race towards him, preparing myself for thehand-to-hand combat I am expecting to follow. Within seconds of

having begun running, Zaniel pushes himself from the boulder

and extends both hands in front of him, overturning them so his

palms face upright. With a gentle flick upwards, I begin to feel the


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!

3 5"

ground below me shake violently, trembling at the request of

Zaniel.

In the midst of trembling, the soil and grass begin leaping

violently from the ground, as though small explosions from below

are forcing it up. Before I have time to react, partly due to my

shock of witnessing Zaniels newly developed ability I had known

nothing about, I am thrown forcefully into the air, forced up by

the explosion underneath the ground below me.

Without so much as another second passing, Zaniel appears

midair, his arm raised above his head. With one sudden and fluid

movement, he slams his elbow into my stomach, and I am sent

falling to the ground once more, this time winded and unable to

stop myself from falling.

Plunging helplessly towards the ground, I can do nothing but

watch as the sky above me distances itself from me. I can see theclouds above me, which are only just visible through the wavering

barrier of light, getting smaller and smaller as I further myself from

them. As I feel myself nearing the ground, I am stopped midair

with a powerful jolt, and am lowered gently to the ground below

me. My only thought is that Zaniel has stopped me from falling,

knowing he has emerged as the winner for this training session,and not wanting to cause me any further harm. Or humiliation.

As I lay, still winded, on the ground, staring blankly through

the barrier at the sky above me, Zaniels face appears staring down

at me. At first, it looks as though his head is hovering above me,

but as I catch my breath I realise he is simply leaning over me, his

outstretched hand gesturing for me to take it.Sorry, he says as he hoists me up.

What was that? I ask enquiringly, confused at not having

known of his latest power.

My most recent ability, he responds, clearly impressed with


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! 3 6"

himself. It only arrived yesterday, but Ive already been able to

control it.

Abilities can often take weeks, or even months to master. I

have been relatively lucky with mine. The longest it has ever taken

for me to master a power was a week, and that was for

envelishment, but I have never been able to control a power within

a single day.

Why didnt you tell me?

I was going to, but I didnt think the timing was right, he

says. Besides, I wanted to surprise you by kicking your butt.

I offer a laugh, but it emerges as more of a cough than

anything else.

That you did!

You dont need to tell me that, he responds with a smile

wider than I have ever seen him produce.I cant help but laugh. Its not often that I am taken by

surprise during training, but today has most certainly been an

exception.

I really am sorry, he offers, interrupting the short silence that

had filled the space around us.

Dont mention it. Youll get yours! I say.But, I dont understand? he asks mockingly, prompting a

short-lived silence. How am I supposed to defend myself against a

girl?

I reach out to grab him and place him in a headlock, but

before my arm reaches him he reduces himself to a ball of green

light that vanishes instantly from in front of me.Just as I prepare myself to envelish and join him back home,

the hairs on the back of my neck stand suddenly, and immediately

I know I am about to have a premonition. My premonitions are

far unlike those the rest of my kind experience. I do not really see


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3 7"

anything in my premonitions. Instead, I feel it. In some ways, it is

more reliable than a vision. What can be seen may be easily

changed, but what is sensed is far more reliable and unchangeable.

Ive often found that those who have visions rely far too much on

what they see. I guess its for this reason that my premonitions are

more reliable.

Opening my mind to my imminent premonition, I close my

eyes and block out everything but the thoughts that now fill my

mind. Instantly, I am overcome with a flood of sensations that are

not my own. I have become somebody else, and am feeling his or

her every thought. I am sensing their every feeling. Emotions of

varying kind bombard my mind; fear, anxiety, relief, arrogance

and finally triumph. Alone, they are nonsensical, and I know I

must concentrate harder to make sense of it all.

Determined to further understand its meaning, I concentrateharder than ever before, releasing any other thoughts from my

mind and focusing on what sensations are to follow. The moment

I empty my mind, I can sense far more than I had been presented

before. I can sense a cold, dark atmosphere. An atmosphere filled

with emptiness and despair, much like that I had experienced in

my dream last night.Slowly, I can feel my thoughts beginning to fade, my senses

becoming less and less with each progressive moment. Knowing

my premonition has revealed very little detail of any sense at all, I

use every ounce of mental strength I have to search for one final

detail; one that might help make sense of everything. It takes a

couple of moments, but I can feel my mind become as one withthe person in my premonition. I am now thinking what they are

thinking. I am now feeling what they are feeling. I have become

them entirely.

It wont be long now, I hear their thoughts. They will be here


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soon, and when they are, nothing will stop me. I will be freed, and

once I am, I will take all that is rightfully mine. Nothing will stop

me. Nothing.

The thoughts leave me there.

I am released from the premonition, and regain control over

my thoughts. Immediately I know something is wrong; all is not

well. I know a danger is looming, and it is my responsibility to do

everything within my power to prevent it, whatever it may be,

from ever happening.

With that final thought, I reduce myself to my ball of blue

light, and depart Ageron for home quicker than I ever have before.

sample - altor: the shadow rebellion (the chronicles of ageron)

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