CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE : SPELLBOOKS

A mage's chariot rolled through the city the magically made horse's hooves clip-clopped against the stone pavement as they walked through the bustling streets. People moved out of the large chariot's way as it made it's normal route through the city and to the circle's headquarters. The sound of rain pitter-pattering against the roof of the chariot echoed throughout the cabin.

Terry sighed as they passed the Trader's Inn in the chariot. He looked over at Darryl, "Why can't we stop to eat at the Trader's Inn" Terry questioned.

Darryl sighed, "I don't know much about it but a class C died during her mission in an unexpected lich attack. I know we wouldn't need to worry about liches but it is a broad change in the system. We have to go immediately back after our mission's done."

Roger looked over at Terry who looked physically hurt after hearing Darryl's explanation, "So what's so good about the Trader's Inn Candlelight?"

Terry slowly turned his head to Roger as his face contorted to something nasty, "Why do you keep calling me that?"

Roger shrugged and smiled, "It's a habit I guess." The chariot started to slow down as it approached the circle. When the horses passed the gate they disappeared in a cloud of grey smoke. With the horses gone the chariot instantly stopped parallel with the front gate.

"Well stop," Terry said jumping out of the carriage leaving Darryl and Roger behind, "I'm going to my room just take the gold for yourself." He yelled.

Darryl watched as Terry left, "Odd," Darryl smiled and turned his head back to Roger, "Don't worry about him. He's just acting a little odd right now."

Roger shook his head, "No I get why he's acting the way he is. I've been pretty mean to him in the past. I picked on him a lot in the orphanage."

Darryl nodded his head in understanding, "I see. Well, you are a part of the circle now a companion to each other. No more picking on each other understood?"

Roger sighed looking back down to the chariot floor, "Yeah understood."

Terry entered the circle and eyed the line, 'Darryl is going to have to wait a while to get his gold. That's a long line.'

'But he'll get it. Why are you letting him have the entire reward?' Erebus questioned.

Terry shrugged his shoulders, 'I still have plenty of money so I'm not too worried about it.' He walked through the hallway that leads into his room. With a sigh, he opened the door and entered, "Home sweet home."

'At least you are relaxed here. I was surprised how much you liked the boy I could have sworn you hated a week ago.'

'I… don't want to talk about that. It was just the way he was acting when his partner took over. It was… interesting.' Terry thought to himself as he took his shirt off to get more comfortable. He laid down in the large bed looked to the ceiling. 'I'm not tired.'

'I can tell.'

'Why don't you go to the library?' Erebus questioned as he brought Terry's attention to the pamphlet that sits on his desk side.

Terry sat up and reached for the pamphlet. The map to the Circle's building was on the front the library was down the hall. 'What can we do in the library?" Terry questioned.

'You can read spells. Try to learn and prepare some new spells as long as you aren't using our real powers.' Erebus responded.

'Fine, It's not like I have anything else to do,' Terry stood up and found a lighter shirt a tanktop that the circle provide for when it was warm. Terry put it on and walked out following the pamphlet's instructions heading straight down the hallway to the library of the circle.

Terry stopped at a set of double doors on the end of the hallway, "This must be it." Terry said to himself opening the doors leading to a massive expanse of books that lined the walls and rose to the ceiling. The shelves were at least three stories high and lined with books. A large see-through glass dome was on the ceiling the rain was continuing to fall but the sound of the water hitting against the dome was hard to hear.

"There's a lot of books in here," Terry said to himself looking around but the number of mages reading spell books was surprisingly non-existent. There wasn't even a librarian anywhere to be seen. Terry walked in walking through the aisles formed by the massive bookshelves. All of the books seemed to be color-coded and numbered.

He stopped at a red book that was numbered one, "This brings back memories." Terry grabbed the book reading through it. "Fire Magic For Beginners. This was the fire magic spell book I could read."

Terry smiled as his mind went back to the time when he had to choose his attunement. Matron Maya sat five books of different colors in front of him when he was twelve years old. "Now Terry we're going to figure out what magic attunement you have. Each of these books represents different elements. Ice, Fire, Wind, Lightning, and Nature." Maya said to Terry with a wide smile on her face.

Terry nodded his head and grabbed the yellow book first and opened it up attempting to read it but it seemed blurry and unreadable, "Matron? I can't read this."

Maya smiled, "Then that means this book isn't for you. So you aren't lightning keep going. Pick another book." She said.

Terry grabbed the green book and opened it. It was unreadable at first but slowly it all came into focus and became readable in his hands. "I can read this one!" Terry said with excitement.

"Hmm, so you have an affinity to wind magic." Maya said with a smile, "Keep going through them."

Terry grabbed the blue book and couldn't read it followed by the brown book both were unreadable. Terry sighed grabbing the last book which was bright red. Just like the green book it started blurry then quickly became readable. "I can read this one too!"

"Oh interesting you have two affinities? So… choose fire magic or wind magic."

Terry smiled to himself putting the red spellbook back on the shelf. "I wonder if things would have been different if I would have chosen wind?" Terry said to himself seeing a series of blue books next to the red books.

Terry smiled to himself grabbing the blue book labeled one it instantly became clear as day, "Heh…" Terry read a few pages and smiled putting his arm out looking behind him to see if anyone was looking, "Glaciar." Terry whispered. Instantly a large spear of freezing ice rose out of the ground.

He slowly put the book back and then grabbed the yellow book it was readable as well. Terry laughed even harder as he read through the pages every spell he read he seemed to memorize instantly. Terry stuck his finger out toward the ice spear, "Jolt." The ice spear lit up in bright yellow lightning, "YES!" Terry exclaimed.

"NO YELLING IN THE LIBRARY!" A disembodied voice echoed around him yet still no librarian was in sight.

"Sorry." Terry said quietly, "Does that mean I can read all these?"

'I wasn't sure but yes it seems you can.' Erebus said.

Terry spent hours reading through each book without much time reading one spell at a time Terry memorized everyone he read on the first read. Yellow 1-8, Ice 1-8, Wind 1-8, Fire four through twelve finishing the entire series of fire spellbooks. Terry smiled to himself as he finished putting the last fire book away as he heard the door open and some footsteps a few aisles away.

Terry stood still as a familiar face appeared in his aisles, "Oh Terry. How you been this last week?" Alison the Phoenix questioned looking past Terry seeing the melting glacier of ice, "Seems one of our ice mages made a mess again huh?" She questioned, "It's like they don't care that someone can slip and fall on their mess huh?" She questioned.

Terry shrugged and nodded his head, "Yeah it was like that when I got here. I didn't see who did it."

"So what were you reading?" She questioned with a smile on her face reaching up to grab the ninth book of fire magic.

Terry smiled, "I was just brushing up on my fire magic is all."

"I see I was trying to push past mine. I thought I got a lot stronger but I still can't read fire magic nine."

Terry laughed, "You'll get there eventually. You have a lot of people rooting for you so I know you'll get there."

Alison closed her eyes and sighed closing the book putting it back, "Thanks."

Terry scratched the back of his head, "Well I gotta get back to my room. I've been reading for a while and I'm getting tired." Terry said with a wide smile.

"No worries. I'll be here. I need to read some more on book eight anyway. There has to be something I'm missing why I can't read nine yet."

Terry smiled as he began to walk away, "You'll figure it out soon." Terry left Alison behind and the library going back to his room. He locked the door behind him and sighed, "Are we really this far ahead of everyone? Our power is ridiculous." Terry said quietly heading to the bed to lay down to sleep.

'Now you are starting to notice.'

"Yeah…"