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chapter 1

The castle was abuzz with activity, knights training in the training yard, maids running around different rooms cleaning, making beds, and emptying chamber pots. In the kitchen cooks are cleaning up after breakfast.

An older maid comes to a room and knocks on the door. The knock echoes through the room before she enters, inside on the bed was the apprentice mage Amelia. Her long blonde hair sprawled on the bed as she laid there still asleep as the older maid approached the bed.

“Miss Amelia! It's time to get up!” the older maid said in a loud tone.

“Oh crap!” shouted Amelia as she scrambled and fell out of bed in shock.

Amelia quickly scrambled to her feet, standing in front of the maid in her nightgown she smiled.

“I'm sorry Miss Angie, I must have overslept again.” Amelia laughed scratching the back of her head.

“Well you better hurry, your grandfather is starting to run out of patience.” said Miss Angie.

Amelia's eyes widened, she quickly rushed behind her dressing screen and got changed into her mages robes, blue and black robes and a large hat. She quickly rushed out of her room and down the hall and through the kitchen grabbing an apple on her way.

She finally came to the door of the royal mages tower, she opened the old wooden door and it led to a long stone spiral staircase up to the mages workshop. She then walked to the center of the spiral staircase and looked up to the top of the tower and then pointed her hands to the ground.

“Let's do this!” Amelia smiled “Oh great spirit of the wind, grant me your power and strike down my enemy and send them flying!”

Suddenly a tornado funnel sprang from her hands and lifted her up, sending her up the tower, her robes fluttering, and as she approached the top of the tower she released the spell, landing safely on the floor.

She lifted her head, books and scrolls floating around the room, in the middle was the royal mage and her grandfather Helmut the grand royal mage. He turned around to face Amelia. He had the look of a wise man who had spent so much time reading and learning his hair was white and his robes were ornate with gold and red. He stroked his long beard.

“Hello grandfather.” Amelia said cheerfully.

“Ahh there you are Amelia.” Helmut smiled at his grand-daughter. “I was afraid you were going to miss your mage test today.”

“Sorry grandfather, I accidentally overslept.” she smiled sheepishly.

“Well it's of no big consequence.” he chuckled. “Well then let's get out to the training yard shall we?”

Helmut led Amelia back down the stairs and through the castle to the training yard, a few knights who had still been training moved to walls away from the two as they entered the yard. They came to the middle of the yard and Helmut smiled.

“Sir knights, could you please set up four straw dummies for us?” Helmut asked, and four knights picked up four dummies and set them up.

“Ok grandfather, what is this test?” guyAmeila asked.

“This test is to see your power and control of your magic.” Helmut explained You will perform four spells, a fire spell, a water spell, a wind spell and an earth spell. These will be incantation spells as I already know how proficient you are in rune spells.”

“Ok, this sounds pretty simple.” Amelia said confidently

“Then let's begin, please turn your attention to the first dummy and prepare a fire spell.” said Helmut.

Amelia stepped forward to the first dummy. She smiled and lifted her hand.

“I call on you all mighty flames, burn all to ash and drag my enemies to the burning pits of hell! Hell's gate!” Amelia yelled and a burning gate appeared behind the dummy and multiple burning skeletal hands grab and pull the dummy into the gate before the spell disappears. She looks over to Helmut.

“ That was wonderful my dear,” Helmut praised. "Now please turn your attention to the second target and prepare a wind spell.”

Amelia once again lifted her hands.

“Oh great spirit of the wind, grant me your power and strike down my enemy and send them flying!” she shouted as a tornado funnel sprang from her hands and slammed into the dummy ripping it apart.

“Marvolous, now on to the third, go for an earth spell” said helmut.

Amelia lifted her arms slowly and aimed at the dummy taking another deep breath. She began to concentrate.

“Oh great mother of the earth, grant me your power and destroy my enemy! piercing earth!” she shouted the spell and multiple sharp spikes came from the ground and went into the dummy ripping it apart. Amelia smiled and looked back at Helmut.

“Perfect my dear and now for the final dummy and it must be a water spell.” said Helmut.

Amelia once again raised her hands and focused on the final dummy.

“Spirits of the boundless tide, flow unseen yet ever strong from silent depths to crashing wrath, answer now my call! Shape the current into blade, let it cut as steel made pure Through flesh, through bone, through all that stands Water Slicer!”

water slowly pools into orbs around amelia and then turning into sharp blades and then cutting through the air and striking the dummy cutting it into little pieces.

“congragulations Amelia, you have done it. you have destroyed all of the dummies, now you have one final challenge and that is a healing spell.” said Helmut.

“Grandfather, you know my healing magic sucks,” she said worry in her voice.

“That's the point, Amelia, you can't get better at anything if you don't practice. Healing magic is important if you didn't have the ability you would be less effective as both a mage and as a member of court.” Helmut said he takes a small blade out of his cloak and cuts his hand. “Now heal this cut.”

“By grace of the light the healing force and the tree of life that connects all healing light” amelia said her voice shaking a green light covering their hands, the cut on helmut’s hand slowly the cut started to kitted back together the light grew brighter and the healing went faster. She looked up at her grandfather and he looked back at her and smiled.

“Amelia I think it's time for you to go and see the world and learn magic from across the the spectrum and you'll come home and be the most powerful mage.” Helmut smiled and pulled a small metal plate out of his robe. It was small and made of copper with a small engraving on it.

Amelia the mage and beloved grand-daughter

Amelia took the plate into her hands. She looked at it, the shiny metal reflecting her face to her. She looked up at her grandfather with tears in her eyes and jumped into his arms.

“grandfather this is amazing,” she cried into his robe still holding the metal plate in her hand. “I'm going to go out into the world!

“yes, but I do have a condition,” Helmut looked down at his grand-daughter as she looked up at him. “you will have a party to go with you, and his majesty the king has requested an audience with you before you head out into the world.”

(Please read prologue before reading chapter 1)

chapter 1

The castle was abuzz with activity, knights training in the training yard, maids running around different rooms cleaning, making beds, and emptying chamber pots. In the kitchen cooks are cleaning up after breakfast.

An older maid comes to a room and knocks on the door.  The knock echoes through the room before she enters, inside on the bed was the apprentice mage Amelia. Her long blonde hair sprawled on the bed as she laid there still asleep as the older maid approached the  bed.

“Miss Amelia! It's time to get up!” the older maid said in a loud tone.

“Oh crap!” shouted Amelia as she scrambled and fell out of bed in shock.

Amelia quickly scrambled to her feet, standing in front of the maid in her nightgown she smiled.

“I'm sorry Miss Angie, I must have overslept again.” Amelia laughed scratching the back of her head. 

“Well you better hurry, your grandfather is starting to run out of patience.” said Miss Angie.

Amelia's eyes widened, she quickly rushed behind her dressing screen and got changed into her mages robes, blue and black robes and a large hat. She quickly rushed out of her room and down the hall and through the kitchen grabbing an apple on her way.

She finally came to the door of the royal mages tower, she opened the old wooden door and it led to a long stone spiral staircase up to the mages workshop. She then walked to the center of the spiral staircase and looked up  to the top of the tower and then pointed her hands to the ground.

“Let's do this!”  Amelia smiled “Oh great spirit of the wind, grant me your power and strike down my enemy and send them flying!”

Suddenly a tornado funnel sprang from her hands and lifted her up, sending her up the tower, her robes fluttering, and as she approached the top of the tower she released the spell, landing safely on the floor. 

She lifted her head, books and scrolls floating around the room, in the middle was the royal mage and her grandfather Helmut the grand royal mage. He turned around to face Amelia. He had the look of a wise man who had spent so much time reading and learning his hair was white and his robes were ornate with gold and red. He stroked his long beard. 

“Hello grandfather.” Amelia said cheerfully.

“Ahh there you are Amelia.” Helmut smiled at his grand-daughter. “I was afraid you were going to miss your mage test today.”

“Sorry grandfather, I accidentally overslept.” she smiled sheepishly.

“Well it's of no big consequence.” he chuckled. “Well then let's get out to the training yard shall we?”

Helmut led Amelia back down the stairs and through the castle to the training yard, a few knights who had still been training moved to walls away from the two as they entered the yard. They came to the middle of the yard and Helmut smiled.

“Sir knights, could you please set up four straw dummies for us?” Helmut asked, and four knights picked up four dummies and set them up.

“Ok grandfather, what is this test?” guyAmeila asked.

“This test is to see your power and control of your magic.” Helmut explained You will perform four spells, a fire spell, a water spell, a wind spell and an earth spell. These will be incantation spells as I already know how proficient you are in rune spells.” 

“Ok, this sounds pretty simple.” Amelia said confidently

“Then let's begin, please turn your attention to the first dummy and prepare a fire spell.” said Helmut.

Amelia stepped forward to the first dummy. She smiled and lifted her hand.

“I call on you all mighty flames, burn all to ash and drag my enemies to the burning pits of hell! Hell's gate!” Amelia yelled  and a burning gate appeared behind the dummy and multiple burning skeletal hands grab and pull the dummy into the gate before the spell disappears. She looks over to Helmut. 

“ That was wonderful my dear,” Helmut praised. "Now please turn your attention to the second target and prepare a wind spell.”  

Amelia once again lifted her hands.

 “Oh great spirit of the wind, grant me your power and strike down my enemy and send them flying!” she shouted as a tornado funnel sprang from her hands and slammed into the dummy ripping it apart.

“Marvolous, now on to the third, go for an earth spell” said helmut.

Amelia lifted her arms slowly and aimed at the dummy taking another deep breath. She began to concentrate.

“Oh great mother of the earth, grant me your power and destroy my enemy! piercing earth!” she shouted the spell and multiple sharp spikes came from the ground and went into the dummy ripping it apart. Amelia smiled and looked back at Helmut.

“Perfect my dear and now for the final dummy and it must be a water spell.” said Helmut.

Amelia once again raised her hands and focused on the final dummy.

 “Spirits of the boundless tide, flow unseen yet ever strong from silent depths to crashing wrath, answer now my call! Shape the current into blade, let it cut as steel made pure Through flesh, through bone, through all that stands Water Slicer!”

water slowly pools into orbs around amelia and then turning into sharp blades and then cutting through the air and striking the dummy cutting it into little pieces.

“congragulations Amelia, you have done it. you have destroyed all of the dummies, now you have one final challenge and that is a healing spell.” said Helmut. 

“Grandfather, you know my healing magic sucks,” she said worry in her voice.

“That's the point, Amelia, you can't get better at anything if you don't practice. Healing magic is important if you didn't have the ability you would be less effective as both a mage and as a member of court.” Helmut said he takes a small blade out of his cloak and cuts his hand. “Now heal this cut.”

“By grace of the light the healing force and the tree of life that connects all healing light” amelia said her voice shaking a green light covering their hands, the cut on helmut’s hand slowly the cut started to kitted back together the light grew brighter and the healing went faster. She looked up at her grandfather and he looked back at her and smiled.

“Amelia I think it's time for you to go and see the world and learn magic from across the the spectrum and you'll come home and be the most powerful mage.” Helmut smiled and pulled a small metal plate out of his robe. It was small and made of copper with a small engraving on it.

Amelia the mage and beloved grand-daughter 

Amelia took the plate into her hands. She looked at it, the shiny metal reflecting her face to her. She looked up at her grandfather with tears in her eyes and jumped into his arms.

“Grandfather this is amazing,” she cried into his robe still holding the metal plate in her hand. “I'm going to go out into the world!

“Yes, but I do have a condition,” Helmut looked down at his grand-daughter as she looked up at him. “You will have a party to go with you, and his majesty the king has requested an audience with you before you head out into the world.”

(Please read prologue before chapter 1)

chapter 1

The castle was abuzz with activity, knights training in the training yard, maids running around different rooms cleaning, making beds, and emptying chamber pots. In the kitchen cooks are cleaning up after breakfast.

An older maid comes to a room and knocks on the door. The knock echoes through the room before she enters, inside on the bed was the apprentice mage Amelia. Her long blonde hair sprawled on the bed as she laid there still asleep as the older maid approached the bed.

“Miss Amelia! It's time to get up!” the older maid said in a loud tone.

“Oh crap!” shouted Amelia as she scrambled and fell out of bed in shock.

Amelia quickly scrambled to her feet, standing in front of the maid in her nightgown she smiled.

“I'm sorry Miss Angie, I must have overslept again.” Amelia laughed scratching the back of her head.

“Well you better hurry, your grandfather is starting to run out of patience.” said Miss Angie.

Amelia's eyes widened, she quickly rushed behind her dressing screen and got changed into her mages robes, blue and black robes and a large hat. She quickly rushed out of her room and down the hall and through the kitchen grabbing an apple on her way.

She finally came to the door of the royal mages tower, she opened the old wooden door and it led to a long stone spiral staircase up to the mages workshop. She then walked to the center of the spiral staircase and looked up to the top of the tower and then pointed her hands to the ground.

“Let's do this!” Amelia smiled “Oh great spirit of the wind, grant me your power and strike down my enemy and send them flying!”

Suddenly a tornado funnel sprang from her hands and lifted her up, sending her up the tower, her robes fluttering, and as she approached the top of the tower she released the spell, landing safely on the floor.

She lifted her head, books and scrolls floating around the room, in the middle was the royal mage and her grandfather Helmut the grand royal mage. He turned around to face Amelia. He had the look of a wise man who had spent so much time reading and learning his hair was white and his robes were ornate with gold and red. He stroked his long beard.

“Hello grandfather.” Amelia said cheerfully.

“Ahh there you are Amelia.” Helmut smiled at his grand-daughter. “I was afraid you were going to miss your mage test today.”

“Sorry grandfather, I accidentally overslept.” she smiled sheepishly.

“Well it's of no big consequence.” he chuckled. “Well then let's get out to the training yard shall we?”

Helmut led Amelia back down the stairs and through the castle to the training yard, a few knights who had still been training moved to walls away from the two as they entered the yard. They came to the middle of the yard and Helmut smiled.

“Sir knights, could you please set up four straw dummies for us?” Helmut asked, and four knights picked up four dummies and set them up.

“Ok grandfather, what is this test?” guyAmeila asked.

“This test is to see your power and control of your magic.” Helmut explained You will perform four spells, a fire spell, a water spell, a wind spell and an earth spell. These will be incantation spells as I already know how proficient you are in rune spells.”

“Ok, this sounds pretty simple.” Amelia said confidently

“Then let's begin, please turn your attention to the first dummy and prepare a fire spell.” said Helmut.

Amelia stepped forward to the first dummy. She smiled and lifted her hand.

“I call on you all mighty flames, burn all to ash and drag my enemies to the burning pits of hell! Hell's gate!” Amelia yelled and a burning gate appeared behind the dummy and multiple burning skeletal hands grab and pull the dummy into the gate before the spell disappears. She looks over to Helmut.

“ That was wonderful my dear,” Helmut praised. "Now please turn your attention to the second target and prepare a wind spell.”

Amelia once again lifted her hands.

“Oh great spirit of the wind, grant me your power and strike down my enemy and send them flying!” she shouted as a tornado funnel sprang from her hands and slammed into the dummy ripping it apart.

“Marvolous, now on to the third, go for an earth spell” said helmut.

Amelia lifted her arms slowly and aimed at the dummy taking another deep breath. She began to concentrate.

“Oh great mother of the earth, grant me your power and destroy my enemy! piercing earth!” she shouted the spell and multiple sharp spikes came from the ground and went into the dummy ripping it apart. Amelia smiled and looked back at Helmut.

“Perfect my dear and now for the final dummy and it must be a water spell.” said Helmut.

Amelia once again raised her hands and focused on the final dummy.

“Spirits of the boundless tide, flow unseen yet ever strong from silent depths to crashing wrath, answer now my call! Shape the current into blade, let it cut as steel made pure Through flesh, through bone, through all that stands Water Slicer!”

water slowly pools into orbs around amelia and then turning into sharp blades and then cutting through the air and striking the dummy cutting it into little pieces.

“congragulations Amelia, you have done it. you have destroyed all of the dummies, now you have one final challenge and that is a healing spell.” said Helmut.

“Grandfather, you know my healing magic sucks,” she said worry in her voice.

“That's the point, Amelia, you can't get better at anything if you don't practice. Healing magic is important if you didn't have the ability you would be less effective as both a mage and as a member of court.” Helmut said he takes a small blade out of his cloak and cuts his hand. “Now heal this cut.”

“By grace of the light the healing force and the tree of life that connects all healing light” amelia said her voice shaking a green light covering their hands, the cut on helmut’s hand slowly the cut started to kitted back together the light grew brighter and the healing went faster. She looked up at her grandfather and he looked back at her and smiled.

“Amelia I think it's time for you to go and see the world and learn magic from across the the spectrum and you'll come home and be the most powerful mage.” Helmut smiled and pulled a small metal plate out of his robe. It was small and made of copper with a small engraving on it.

Amelia the mage and beloved grand-daughter

Amelia took the plate into her hands. She looked at it, the shiny metal reflecting her face to her. She looked up at her grandfather with tears in her eyes and jumped into his arms.

“Grandfather this is amazing,” she cried into his robe still holding the metal plate in her hand. “I'm going to go out into the world!

“Yes, but I do have a condition,” Helmut looked down at his grand-daughter as she looked up at him. “you will have a party to go with you, and his majesty the king has requested an audience with you before you head out into the world.”

prologue

The ground was littered with the remains of the undead and fallen demons in the front of the ancient stronghold ruins. The man stood his heavy plate mail splattered with blood and dented, it clanged and shuttered as he moved toward the old walls.

as he approached the gates they opened as if welcoming him inside. The smell of death hung in the air as with the tinge of blood he could taste. had his armor been broken? He checked the plate mail and nothing seemed to have broken through. Maybe it was the miasma that hung in the air around the old fortress as it had been taken over by an old demon, one with great power.

The man came to the doors of the fortress and they opened again beckoning him inside. The flickering of torches that hung on the walls barely illuminated the darkness as he made his way through the twisted and winding corridors. When he had made it through to the end of the chamber he pierced his sword into the ground and the doors opened.

The man looked up to where a stone throne sat, on either side a demon was standing. On the left a minotaur demon of a bull and a man and on the right stood a demon covered by black armor. On the throne sat what appeared to be a young man. His hair was medium length golden blonde, with fair white skin, he wore a toga and a tight black top underneath. A golden leaf crown sat atop his head. To many they would think him as an angel if it hadn't been for his eyes, where the whites of his eyes should be there was only black and his irises were a vibrant glowing red.

“please come in!” said the young man on the throne beckoning him inside, “you came all this way for me and so i'm happy to hear out your request”

The man walked into the room standing in front of the young man.

”Are you the demon known as the deal maker?” the man asked in a serious tone

“why yes that would be me, now what would you like from me?” the Deal maker gained a sinister grin on his face “but remember do be warned for every deal has a price.”

The man dropped to his knees, and the Deal maker took in the feeling of the man's desperation. the man took in a long shaking breath.

“In the last battle with the demon king's army my wife and child were killed. I wish for them to be resurrected to hold my family in my arms again, that is what I have come here for!” The man's head fell as tears came from his eyes.

“That is but a simple matter good sir,” The Deal maker said his voice sounding sweet like honey, “but for every deal comes a cost and the resurrection of two people is steep price”

The Dealmakers' words stung the man like a thousand hornets, he thought about what he would ask for, his soul, all his land, all his gold. The man sat there pondering on what the demon could ever want or need.

“What I want is a favor from you” The Dealmaker said, his smile growing on his face.

the man looked up in shock. “a simple favor, I'd do anything for my family” the man said confidence in his voice

“good, the favor could be anything at any time, just be ready,” the dealmaker held out his hand and the man took it, “the deal has been sealed and your wife and child have been returned to life.”

prologue

The ground was littered with the remains of the undead and fallen demons in the front of the ancient stronghold ruins. The man stood his heavy plate mail splattered with blood and dented, it clanged and shuttered as he moved toward the old walls.

as he approached the gates they opened as if welcoming him inside. The smell of death hung in the air as with the tinge of blood he could taste. had his armor been broken? He checked the plate mail and nothing seemed to have broken through. Maybe it was the miasma that hung in the air around the old fortress as it had been taken over by an old demon, one with great power.

The man came to the doors of the fortress and they opened again beckoning him inside. The flickering of torches that hung on the walls barely illuminated the darkness as he made his way through the twisted and winding corridors. When he had made it through to the end of the chamber he pierced his sword into the ground and the doors opened.

The man looked up to where a stone throne sat, on either side a demon was standing. On the left a minotaur demon of a bull and a man and on the right stood a demon covered by black armor. On the throne sat what appeared to be a young man. His hair was medium length golden blonde, with fair white skin, he wore a toga and a tight black top underneath. A golden leaf crown sat atop his head. To many they would think him as an angel if it hadn't been for his eyes, where the whites of his eyes should be there was only black and his irises were a vibrant glowing red.

“please come in!” said the young man on the throne beckoning him inside, “you came all this way for me and so i'm happy to hear out your request”

The man walked into the room standing in front of the young man.

”Are you the demon known as the deal maker?” the man asked in a serious tone

“why yes that would be me, now what would you like from me?” the Deal maker gained a sinister grin on his face “but remember do be warned for every deal has a price.”

The man dropped to his knees, and the Deal maker took in the feeling of the man's desperation. the man took in a long shaking breath.

“In the last battle with the demon king's army my wife and child were killed. I wish for them to be resurrected to hold my family in my arms again, that is what I have come here for!” The man's head fell as tears came from his eyes.

“That is but a simple matter good sir,” The Deal maker said his voice sounding sweet like honey, “but for every deal comes a cost and the resurrection of two people is steep price”

The Dealmakers' words stung the man like a thousand hornets, he thought about what he would ask for, his soul, all his land, all his gold. The man sat there pondering on what the demon could ever want or need.

“What I want is a favor from you” The Dealmaker said, his smile growing on his face.

the man looked up in shock. “a simple favor, I'd do anything for my family” the man said confidence in his voice

“good, the favor could be anything at any time, just be ready,” the dealmaker held out his hand and the man took it, “the deal has been sealed and your wife and child have been returned to life.”

prologue 

The ground was littered with the remains of the undead and fallen demons in the front of the ancient stronghold ruins. The man stood his heavy plate mail splattered with blood and dented, it clanged and shuttered as he moved toward the old walls.

as he approached the gates they opened as if welcoming him inside. The smell of death hung in the air as with the tinge of blood he could taste. had his armor been broken? He checked the plate mail and nothing seemed to have broken through. Maybe it was the miasma that hung in the air around the old fortress as it had been taken over by an old demon, one with great power.

The man came to the doors of the fortress and they opened again beckoning him inside. The flickering of torches that hung on the walls barely illuminated the darkness as he made his way through the twisted and winding corridors. When he had made it through to the end of the chamber he pierced his sword into the ground and the doors opened.

The man looked up to where a stone throne sat, on either side a demon was standing. On the left a minotaur demon of a bull and a man and on the right stood a demon covered by black armor. On the throne sat what appeared to be a young man. His hair was medium length golden blonde, with fair white skin, he wore a toga and a tight black top underneath. A golden leaf crown sat atop his head. To many they would think him as an angel if it hadn't been for his eyes, where the whites of his eyes should be there was only black and his irises were a vibrant glowing red.

“please come in!” said the young man on the throne beckoning him inside, “you came all this way for me and so i'm happy to hear out your request”

The man walked into the room standing in front of the young man.

”Are you the demon known as the deal maker?” the man asked in a serious tone

“why yes that would be me, now what would you like from me?” the Deal maker gained a sinister grin on his face “but remember do be warned for every deal has a price.”

The man dropped to his knees, and the Deal maker took in the feeling of the man's desperation. the man took in a long shaking breath.

“In the last battle  with the demon king's army my wife and child were killed. I wish for them to be resurrected to hold my family in my arms again, that is what I have come here for!” The man's head fell as tears came from his eyes. 

“That is but a simple matter good sir,” The Deal maker said his voice sounding sweet like honey, “but for every deal comes a cost and the resurrection of two people is steep price”

The Dealmakers' words stung the man like a thousand hornets, he thought about what he would ask for, his soul, all his land, all his gold. The man sat there pondering on what the demon could ever want or need. 

“What I want is a favor from you” The Dealmaker said, his smile growing on his face.

the man looked up in shock. “a simple favor, I'd do anything for my family” the man said confidence in his voice

“good, the favor could be anything at any time, just be ready,” the dealmaker held out his hand and the man took it, “the deal has been sealed and your wife and child have been returned to life.”