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The Black Adept Chapter 8: A Time For Change By Matt
Terit's POV
I have never once wished I had been denied the honour of being Lord Adept but now I am beginning to wish I had. I have barely slept now for days and it seems like everything I believed was falling apart. Why did it have to be me that led the third Academy through what could be its greatest test. I stood before all the mages from the Academy and the nearest towns. They had waited hours to let the last of the nearby mages to gather. Now all I have to do was figure out what I am going to tell them. The events of the last few days had shook the very foundation of the Academy how could anyone expect me to have any answers? They did though, and I have to find something to tell them.
In the arena sat over a thousand mages maybe even one and a half thousand all looking at me. Then I saw something I never expected to see in the Academy, terror, it was well hidden but I could see it in every movement and nervous whisper. It was in the moment I found the strength to address the Aurostemptus. I was no longer Terit Aubrey or even the Lord Adept, I was the voice of the Academy and I needed to give them reassurance. So I stepped up to the dais which was enchanted to amplify the voice of the speaker. I added another charm quickly and quietly to make my voice even louder then the one already there and another to make it sound like it was coming from all directions at once. I knew they would all recognize what I did, something normally done only to impress regular people, but I thought the extra display would help remind everyone who we were.
"I, Terit Aubrey Lord Adept of the Academy of Magic have called the Aurostemptus to session to deal with recent events of grave importance. In the last few days alone our very way of life has begun to change. First there was the energy burst near Hiron caused by a battle between black mages. This triggered the sudden increase in the population of the Academy. Last though was the great shock we have ever faced, a demon summoned into the very heart of the Academy itself. Finally there is the appearance of a void mage within the Academy as well. These are unusual times and potentially dangerous ones but we are the mages of the Academy so we will prevail no matter the threat." This caused a cheer from the assembled mages and I could see a little of the arrogance we were known for replacing the fear.
"I will deal with all these but in order of how they happened. If anyone has any comments or suggestions they will be given a chance to speak after each issue is addressed." I knew we were in for a long day if not several days before the Aurostemptus was complete. Addressing this many issues with well over a thousand mages here could easily take longer then a day for each issue unless they surprise me and behave. I have barely slept in several days and now I will have to go a few more, since no one will leave or sleep until this is done. Everyone will just have to expand a little energy to keep themselves alert.
"The first issue is the burst of energy that took place near Hiron, which was a battle for those of you who haven't heard yet." This caused a burst of whispers, so I figured the gossip leaks hadn't spread as far as I thought. "The results that the investigation team brought back are not what many of you might have thought they would be. I admit it took me completely by surprise as well since it seems beyond the realm of possibility. It was not an invasion of mages or the wrath of the gods. It was a battle between black mages, two of them apparently no matter how hard it is to believe." What followed that statement was the sound of around a thousand mages gasping at the same time. That was quickly followed by yelling and protests saying how impossible such a thing was.
I gave them a minute to argue before I started to talk increasing the power of my spell so I was overpowering the voices of the mass of mages. "I doubted this myself but I wouldn't being telling you this if I didn't accept it as truth now. So if you want to degenerate into screaming novices you can or we can move on." That shut them up pretty nicely, some didn't look happy, but they had shut up so that's what was important now. "One of the mages involved seems to have been a demon mage most likely bonded to one of the levels of demonlords. The evidence to support this is that Hiron had several brutal murders for a few weeks before hand, which we believe was a demon mage on the hunt." Everyone was deathly quiet while absorbing this piece of news. The Academy liked to deny that there were any demon mages left in the realm but they had always believed that no mortal could bond a demonlord no matter what. That meant this was quite the revelation for everyone.
"The other mage, we believe, was a void mage." This again left everyone stunned since they were all probably making the connection to the void mage that had battled the demon here just last night. "The evidence for this is less reliable considering what happened last night I believe we can assume we are probably right to assume it. Also, following the assumption I am sure many of you are probably making now, it appears the void mage won the battle. Evidence makes us think that he laid a trap for the demon mage and lured them into it. What type of trap we cannot know since the scene of the battle was badly disrupted by civilians and the Hiron guard. The only thing else of note is that there were several strange symbols on the ground that Adept Falhom believes may have been part of the void mage's trap don't is not sure. Now if anyone has any ideas on this they can speak them now but I remind you this is done and there are more pressing matters so lets not get any more caught up on this then we have to." They actually listened; we only wasted three hours in useless debate before I could move things on.
The debate over how to handle all the new students was much longer. It took almost a day and half before everyone who felt they had something to say had contributed it and a decision was made. We decided on doing three things: First, since we didn't have the resources to teach all the new students without having to recall mages from all across the realm we would allow the more advanced novices to help in the training of new students. Second we would initiate a trial program to begin looking for those with potential in other cities by creating bursts of magic and seeing if anyone responds to them. Thirdly if we found that there was as large a number of mages with untapped potential we would initiate construction of additional Academy buildings and slowly begin to increase the population capacity of the Academy as well as its teaching facilities. I was surprised that most mages agreed to this easily but I guess the possibility of a new threat made room in their arrogant heads for the idea of encouraging non noble students into the Academy.
"Now on to the most upsetting issue. Many of us were present when the demon was summoned into the Academy and some here helped to defeat it. We also need to address the issue of the void mage in our midst as well since the issues are related. For those who have yet to hear all the facts I will tell you. Novice Tila Veticso, Novice Rel Shar, and Novice Harintar Liegh summoned the demon that attacked the Academy. It was apparently a twelfth form evolution demon from what our librarians have been able to determine from the few writings we have on the subject. The attacked left some of the Academy damaged but surprisingly little considering scale of the battle. The real loss has been in lives; one Adept, three Archmages, twenty eights masters, fifty four novices, and we aren't even sure how many of those who have came to the Academy in this recent wave of initiates, since we were unable to begin cataloging all their names, but we assume at least fifty to as high as seventy died in the demon attack." I proceeded to read off the names of the mages and students that we could confirm missing most likely dead and the few names of the newcomers we could verify.
"This leads us to the fact of the void mage who participated in the battle. Accounts indicate that he apparently appeared outside the south alchemy labs as if releasing an invisibility spell and took off at a run until he came to the north courtyard where witness report starting looking around for something. That was when the demon appeared and the battle began. During the battle he raised a golem that kept the demon occupied long enough for some of us to rally and start to fight back. Then he apparently sealed the demon's point of entry into our realm which is, as the librarians tell me is the only way it could return to our realm. That is when he unleashed his full power, or least what we believe was his full power, and destroyed the demon. Even after the energies he used in the battle I could sense and I am sure many of you could as well that he still had as much power as ten mages easily if not more. That was when he vanished and none of our detection spells could locate him."
"This leads to many interesting questions that need to be examined. The first question we need to ask ourselves is how three novices learned how to summon a demon? Second, why they would try to? Third, who is this void mage that walks our halls as if he has a right to them? Fourth, why did he help us? Lastly, is he a friend or foe?" This last question led to an outburst among the assembled mages some saying how I could even think a void mage a potential friend and some saying who ever he was he had helped us twice we can assume so he deserves some credit. I got tired of this screaming match that was starting so I called the mages to order and then spoke, "If you have anything to say on this matter that is relevant then come up to the dais and announce your name, your rank, your seniority within the Academy, and all positions you have held so all will know with what authority you speak. The right to speak first will be granted to the one with the most seniority, who wishes to speak?" My announcement was of course followed by a very sophisticated and dignified, as befitting mages of the Academy, childish screaming match over who should go first. I knew it would likely take hours before everyone who wanted a say had one. That was until everyone went quiet, not even a whisper; it didn't even sound like anyone was breathing. That was when I realized I was no longer alone beside the dais and then a voice filled the entire arena not even using the magic in the dais.
"My name is Truin, my rank is Black Adept of the Academy, and I have served as novice, apprentice to the Black Adept, and as Black Adept for the last two hundred and ninety three years. Lord Adept, do I have permission to speak?"
Terit was stunned, of course he knew that the title Black Adept had existed in the second Academy, but he thought they were long gone. Now he knew otherwise since he could feel in his heart that this man was telling the truth. The Black Adept wore black robes that seemed to devour the light around him and shadowed his face so you could only see the vaguest impression of it. The name Truin also stunned him since he knew the story of the boy from his grandfather's story who had mysteriously vanished. Now he had the answer to that mystery.
Before he had a chance to allow Truin to speak about what he wanted an outcry from the assembly halted him. Adept Talis one of the members of his own council yelled, "You cannot allow this black mage to speak, we should destroy him now for the crime of black magic not listen to him try to pervert our minds."
With that many mages seemed in agreement and some were beginning to stand up and chant. Terit had to react quickly or this could become catastrophic. Weaving more of his own magics into the spell to amplify his voice he spoke, his voice almost deafening now. "STOP THIS!!! I AM THE LORD ADEPT BY YOUR OWN CHOICE AND I GET TO DECIDE WHAT THE BEST FOR THE ACADEMY. I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS." At a more manageable volume he finished, "He has asked formally for permission to speak and I will grant it and anyone who disapproves can leave now. Anyone who tries to strike him will face punishment" Almost all the mages standing or chanting had stopped when he started speaking. Almost all of them don't mean that much when there are well over a thousand mages present. Almost at once almost a hundred spells of terrible force came flying from the surrounding mages heading straight for Truin, and incidentally towards Lord Terit as well since he was so close to Truin.
Almost as soon as the spells came flying Truin's voice rose in a chant. His voice was still amplified by whatever spell he had used to make himself heard and was booming with horrible strength and furry. To the Lord Adept he felt like the horrible sound of it was ripping at his very soul. Suddenly a wall of force appeared around of such strength that it defied all belief. The spells struck like flies against glass. No shield should have been able to block the amount of force that had been thrown at it yet it didn't even look damaged. A few mages sent a second spell but now almost all of them were stunned by the sheer power they could feel coming from the shield. Lord Terit turned to look at Truin and he stood unphased and seemingly unaffected by the release of such a huge amount of power. He actually looked like he was fighting back laughter.
"Again I, Truin, Black Adept of the Third Academy requests permission to address the Aurostemptus." In all my years as Lord Adept I have never seen someone say something so simple and have such hidden meaning in it. Everyone hear could hear what he was saying. This is the last time I will ask before I make you listen.
Terit couldn't help but wish someone else was Lord Adept right now but he knew he had to deal with this quickly. "I, Terit Aubrey, Lord Adept of the Third Academy grant you permission to speak." This time no one said anything or looked to be protesting. I think everyone was still stunned by how much power he so casually commanded.
"I have come to give an account of a history hidden from you all, the secret history of the Academy and the secret war you are only now becoming aware of." With that Truin began a story of the history of the Black Adepts and the war they had been fighting with demon magic. He explained how it had been escalating in recent years until it is becoming something even outside his powers to hold back. "If they are willing to send a mage bonded to one of the higher demons this war is about to get a whole lot more intense. I propose that it is time to change the way things are done, it is time the Black Adept no longer works from the shadows, it is time Void magic is no longer something shunned, it is time the Academy learns from its past. Necromancers were once banned from the Academy now I propose void magic become welcome too for if I am right the Academy will need all the help it can get to face this storm."
To be continued...
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