EFate: An MMO Story Chapter 44: Magical Beginnings

Not for the first time this summer, Eric found himself holed up inside on what promised to be a wonderful summer day. Just outside, a pleasant summer breeze rustled the leaves, providing relief for those taking advantage of the wonderful weather, and taking advantage they were. Kids ran across the path, kicking a ball and screaming excitedly as they played their game while the adults watched on, too busy with their work to do anything more than admonish the children for being too loud. Throughout the village, washing could be seen draped across clotheslines, fluttering in the breeze that did not yet contain a promise of the coming autumn.

Eric however, was not partaking in any of this. While his friends were all outside, practicing their swordplay or just enjoying the day, he was curled up in a chair in the front room of Morningstar Manor with a book in hand.

To others, seeing a teenager voluntarily spending his time indoors studying during the height of summer might have seemed odd. However, Eric was no ordinary teenager, and it was no ordinary book that he was reading, but rather a book on magic.

Eric you see, was the half-elf apprentice of Lucy Morningstar, mage of Tonbura and one of the most accomplished casters of her generation. It was under her tutelage that Eric had flourished as a mage in the past few weeks, studying magic in the library as his teacher performed research several floors above. Today was no different, and so despite the lovely weather, Eric was seated once more in the manor's library with a book in hand.

He was a skinny, auburn haired man, with the look of a man who had recently been given a new purpose, but was still unsure of how to go about it. His tunic was loose on his frame, with scorch marks visible on the rolled up sleeves, while his pants were frayed near the bottom, giving evidence to his lack of concern for fashion.

Although he gave off the appearance of a scholarly youth, seated as he was with his nose in a book, his toned forearms and the large sword resting against the side of the chair told a different story. The sword lay in a rough leather sheath, with a slight curve and a hilt made of what appeared to be white bone. The guard was simple and utilitarian, with no adornments or markings. All in all an eyecatching, but not overly interesting item, at least at first glance.

Reaching the end of the book, Eric closed it, setting it aside on a nearby sidetable as he leaned back in the chair, his eyes closing as he reviewed the information he'd just read. Resting his hand on the arm of the chair, his fingers brushed lightly against the hilt of the sword as he did so. Cracking an eyelid open, Eric stared at the sword, his mind flashing back to the events of that day.

It had only been two days since the a.s.sault on the goblin bases in what had come to be known as the Battle of Lichfrost. Under the command of Lord Alistair Crowsea, the militia had launched an enormous offensive against goblins of the Ironfrost Horde who'd set up bases in the forest to the north of Nova.n.a.lba. Alongside more than two-thousand other militia fighters, Eric had set out to do battle with the goblins, ready to sweep them from Nova.n.a.lba once and for all.

Unfortunately, their platoon had been ambushed. Lead by the hobgoblin lord, Grimarok, more than seventy percent of Crowsea platoon had been wiped out, including several of Eric's companions. It was only after Eric managed to defeat Grimarok in one-on-one combat, while his allies fought and died around him to buy him time, that the platoon had gained victory over the goblins.

The sword that now lay next to Eric was Grimarok's. Technically speaking, it was actually a sabre, but that hadn't been a distinction Eric had made when he'd been attempting to avoid having it cut off his head, and it wasn't really one he cared to make now.

Resting one hand upon the pommel of the sabre, Eric fell into contemplation as he pondered the battle. Despite training as a mage under the expert tutelage of Morningstar, he'd been forced to rely heavily on close quarters combat in tense fights. Is magic really the way to go? Eric wondered, staring heavily at the sabre beside him.

Engrossed within his thoughts, Eric was startled when he looked up to see a pair of bright green eyes staring at him, catching his dark green eyes in a mesmerizing stare.

"Yes, master?" Eric asked politely. Doing his best to appear unperturbed by the sudden appearance of his teacher.

Lucy Morningstar was the mage of Tonbura Village. The apprentice to one of the kingdom's greatest mages, she had been forced to leave the capital after her fiery temper had gotten her into one too many disputes. Secretly, Eric thought that there was more to the story than she let on, but it wasn't really something he could ask about. On more than one occasion, his teacher had demonstrated why she was considered one of the brightest mages of her generation and the results were always explosive.