ALTOR:

The Shadow Rebellion

For information about The Chronicles of Ageron, or to contact the author, please visit: www.ljdevet.com

The Chronicles of Ageron ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion

L. J. deVet

Copyright Notice:

The Chronicles of Ageron ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion

Paperback Edition 978 0 9873686 2 1 L. J. deVet http://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.

Dedication:

For the three who inspire me, Khye, Halli and Avhaya, and for John, the one who is forever.

ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion (The Chronicles of Ageron)

! PROLOGUE "

Fear is not an emotion I feel very often. Not at all, really. I guess a situation 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 no more 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, and the 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 and every 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. The sudden 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 unknown phenomenon 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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ALTOR: The Shadow Rebellion (The Chronicles of Ageron)

! CH APTER ON E "
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 that surrounds 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 bit by 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 to shake 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 every ounce 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 my telekinesis 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 the curtains, 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 required to 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 since then 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, my grandfather, 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 my power 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, and as 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 every visible 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, hiding behind 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 light streaming 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 is the 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 I question 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 moment longer, 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 as Ajay; 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 The Golden 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 than I, 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 smiles appreciatively. 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 is reading 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 think than 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 dining room. 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 its own 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 find absolutely 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. All Sorcerers 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 sized window 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 deep blue. 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 them as 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 a strong 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 cant help 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 and hoping 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 and fear. 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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! CH APTER TW O "
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 feel myself 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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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 Consors together 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 still plastered 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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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 we train. 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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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 before me. 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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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 in effect 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 an entirely 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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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 single mass 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, allowing only 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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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 an enormous 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 have only 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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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 its full 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 and battered 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 he was 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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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 moving around 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 metres in 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, I too 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 hands to 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 to him, 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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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 a backward 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 away from 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 the hand-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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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 the clouds 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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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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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 concentrate harder 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 with the 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.

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