The Final Lesson, page 1
part #1 of The Final Lesson Series
Copyright © 2018 by Shakyra Dunn
All rights reserved.
This e-book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Design by GermanCreative
Interior Design by Lee Ching with Under Cover Designs
Published in the United States of America.
First Electronic Edition: May, 2018
CONTENTS
A Little Lore!
I. Part One: The World Beyond
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
II. Part Two: Unchained Heights
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Throughout the story, there are phrases that the main character Leilana uses, known as Minsura (Mihn-soo-ruh), a dead language. Before you dive in, I offer to you a handy-dandy translation guide!
A= An (Pronounced “ahn”)
B= Bie (Pronounced “be”)
C= Ca (Pronounced “kaa”)
D= Di (Pronounced “die”)
E= En (Pronounced “ehn”)
F= Fe (Pronounced “fee”)
G= Go (Pronounced “goh”)
H= Hie (Pronounced “hey”)
I= Ie (Pronounced “ee/eh,” depending on the nature of the word)
J= Ju (Pronounced “jew”)
K= Kir (Pronounced “keer”)
L= Lien (Pronounced “lane”)
M= Mal (Pronounced “mall”)
N= Ne (Pronounced “nay”)
O= On (Pronounced “on”)
P= Pe (Pronounced “peh”)
Q= Qin (Pronounced “kin”)
R= Re (Pronounced “ray”)
S= So (Pronounced “soh”)
T= Te (Pronounced “the”)
U= Un (Pronounced “uhn”)
V= Ver (Pronounced “veer”)
W= Wein (Pronounced “wayne”)
X= Xun (Pronounced “soon”)
Y= Ye (Pronounced “yay”)
Z= Zel (Pronounced “zell”)
The cinders crackled over the singed wood, rising through midnight’s earthy air. Gusts of wind drifted through the dry oak trees, the shades of early winter teeming from the branches in the form of cracked leaves. The stars were absent from the sky, yet a faint glimmer hovered above. The still night of a new moon; such times were hard to fall upon.
“You feel it, don’t you?” A gravelly voice cut through the silence. “This air is thick. The stigma of the wind besieges lost souls, carrying them beyond the boundaries of time.”
“Master Hinju, you always make things more dramatic,” a girl with shoulder-length black hair proclaimed, rocking back and forth in her spot.
Any means of a rebuttal were replaced by extended straight-laced humming before finally, “Now is not the time for remarks.” Copper eyes opened to the sound of distant laughter caught in the indistinct gales, and a single glance at the source drew bitter silence. A stern expression coated his features as he gazed upon the group of fourteen seated around the open fire; no disturbances occurred, and he once more cleared his throat, running his fingers through the curly brown mop on his head.
“I have summoned you here today for your final examination.” For a moment, chatter progressed among the group, some questioning what he meant by a ‘final examination,’ and after a second glance, silence took over again. “Moving on. The fourteen of you have advanced through your courses with ease, rising through the ranks of your respective classes. You were hand-chosen by your mentors to reach this stage in your lives.”
“Master Hinju, what is the meaning of this?” One student piped up, a stalwart expression coating her pale features. “We’ve had plenty of tests, but an outdoor examination is rare.”
“Curious as always, Leilana,” Hinju replied, nodding. “That is correct—you have had many of these examinations, using your time to study magic and overcome obstacles placed before you. But how often does the Headmaster orchestrate your work?” Leilana grew silent, tucking a loose strand of her shoulder-length dark hair behind her ear.
“Master Hinju has a point,” A boy with short blonde hair piped up from across Leilana, seated on a fallen tree trunk.
“This is the first time we’ve had someone like Master Hinju teach us,” the beret-wearing boy with neck-length dark brown hair next to Leilana mumbled, laying a hand on his chin, amber eyes reflecting his uncertainty.
“Your examination on the night of emptiness will be a test of your overall skill level and valor.” Hinju rose to a stand, extending his hand up towards the evening sky. “As Maesters and Arcana, under the blessing of an innovative and invisible moon, you will be guided by none other than yourself. I chose this night specifically for you to give your all.” The students turned to one another in silence before continuing to listen to their Headmaster’s words. “Two at a time, you will duel. The winners of each respective battle will progress towards the title that you each so crave—a chance to grow closer to becoming a Warlord.”
Leilana’s eyes widened at the statement, and she clutched the golden-encrusted grimoire in her arms closer to her chest, the metal vines lining the book pricking her fingers. So, that was the prize for winning a duel. Seemed simple enough.
“Would anyone like to volunteer for the first battle?”
From the group of fourteen, the boy with neck-length dark brown hair tipped his beret and rose to a stand, confidence clear in his amber eyes. “I will.”
“Ah, so the mighty Lancett Lune is our first up for battle.” Hinju nodded in approval. “I expected no less. Do you wish to choose an opponent, or shall I have the stars choose for you?” Lancett briefly turned any signs of contempt on Leilana after looking at all his possible choices at least once, and the girl met his gaze before returning a small smirk. Lancett turned to Hinju once more, crossing his arms.
“I leave my fate in your hands, Master.”
“Very well.” Hinju closed his eyes and ran his fingers along the silver crystal at the tip of his wooden staff, the jewel illuminating a smoky gloom. The students never averted their eyes from the man, watching as the crystal’s haze began to flow over the boy seated on the tree trunk. Once he caught notice of the beam above him, a grin upturned on his face, his blonde hair bouncing as he stood up.
“Yes!” he exclaimed gleefully before brandishing what appeared to be a rapier from the sheath at his side, twirling the hilt between his fingers. “I’ve always wanted to try my hand at fighting you, Lance! The day has come! I will bring your reckoning!”
Lancett laughed at the comment before he took hold of the sword at his side, pointing it at his opponent. “Take it easy there, Kindall. I will never become a villain. One day, I’ll be a Warlord. But right now, we’re both amateurs in the field of magic.”
“Begin!” Hinju commenced.
The two boys charged for one another at the call to battle, rapier and sword interlocking, the clashing metal harmoniously in sync. Lancett shoved Kindall back with his hand, causing him to stumble before regaining his stance in time to block an oncoming strike. Kindall thrust his hand out, minuscule shards of ice rushing through his palm, cutting into Lancett’s skin before melting. Lancett’s body became shrouded in flames faster than Kindall could process, the heat and cinders hazing his vision.
Kindall leaped from the line of fire and swung his rapier, sharper icicles accelerating from the tip of the blade. Lancett cut through the shards with his sword as he boosted himself forward off his right foot, ducking under another shard before slamming his sword onto the ground. Kindall barely had the time to react when a cataclysm of earth sent him off his feet and up into the air. He gripped to a tree branch and pulled himself up, anxiously bouncing on his feet.
“What in the world is he doing?” A male student with long black hair and red streaks pulled into a shaggy ponytail mumbled. Leilana’s eyes narrowed as she kept her focus on the noble battle before her. Something about their method was a little profound. It was as though they were slowly beginning to seep into a fractured state of bloodlust.
Kindall held up his rapier with both hands and cast down a streak of lightning. Lancett cringed, the narrow impact sending quivers down his back. Once he had found an opportunity to strike, Kindall swung from the branch and pierced through Lancett’s defenses, knocking him to the ground. He quickly regained his footing afterward and extended his sword forward as Kindall was rushing to him again, a swell of dark energy ensnaring the boy and locking him in place, hovering above the ground in a magenta-shaded bubble.
“Hey!” Kindall tried to slice through the bubble, to no avail. When that failed, he attempted to kick and punch it, and when his efforts came to not
Lancett sighed of relief, falling to the ground, hand over his pounding heart. “That was close. I was afraid I was gonna run out of stamina…”
“Excellent work, Maester Lune. Victory is yours,” Hinju stated, laying a hand on Lancett’s shoulder. Within seconds, the torn flesh on his face and body began to mend and close as though the marks were never there.
“Thank you, Master,” Lancett replied, grinning.
A girl with long lavender-shaded hair jumped to her feet, her hands curled into confident fists. “That was awesome, Lance! You’re so strong!”
“That was impressive,” Leilana agreed.
Kindall grit his teeth, anxiously rocking his right leg up and down. “There he goes again, winning the hearts of all the girls. Why can’t I ever get that lucky? I’m handsome enough, I’m strong, and I’m fun and I’m confident too, just like him. Maybe I should change my hair or something…”
Hinju stepped up towards Kindall’s little prison and patted it a few times with his staff, the bubble bursting and causing the boy to hit the ground face-first. Kindall sat up, nearly glaring at the man while tapping his finger against the dirt, his free hand still pressed against the ground.
“Vanity does not win hearts. Nor does it appeal to those that you do seek out for guidance—it shows that you have some weakness in yourself.” He rested a hand atop the boy’s head, and a warm light washed over Kindall’s body, healing the wounds that he sustained during his duel. “But those flaws light a fire in your soul and force you to improve.” Hinju extended a hand to the boy and once Kindall had a solid grip, he pulled him to his feet. “You did admirably yourself, Mr. Mandrison. Do not take this as a loss, rather as an experience.”
“T-Thank you, Master. I will, definitely.”
“That goes for all of you,” Master Hinju continued, “Certain obstacles that you must face are not to be taken with a heavy heart. Every step forward is something that you are meant to grow from. Now, who would like to go next?”
One by one, the remaining students began to pair up with others or allowed themselves to be paired with someone based on the guidance of the fates drawn forth by Master Hinju’s high prowess. Leilana felt satisfied watching the excitement of her classmates, knowing that the duel between Lancett and Kindall fueled their momentum. She wasn’t much different in her emotions—seeing the strength and determination in every student that came before her only made her more anxious about who among them could stand as a Warlord. She flipped through the pages of her grimoire, resting a hand on a page.
Warlords, hand-picked by another Maester or Arcana of the same level, destined to rule as a protector. Few of them existed today, but many that were gifted with the power of magic strived to become one. Anyone with magical prowess had a chance to be granted such a title.
Any of them standing in this forest could be one right now and not even know it yet.
“U-Um, Leilana?” Leilana glanced up, finding the girl with lavender hair reaching the middle of her back, her bangs covering her forehead, nearly reaching her cerulean eyes. Her cheeks were coated pink, rivaling the shade of her knee-length dress. “There aren’t, um… there’s only a few of us left. Do you want to pair up?”
“Sure thing, uh…” Leilana glanced up at the sky in thought before holding up a finger in realization. “It’s Amelia, right?”
“Amiria,” she corrected sharply, her face reddening more at the affliction of her voice. Sure, the pronunciation had its similarities, but the syllables differed. And that passion of wanting her name to stick was working its wonders in Leilana’s mind. “Amiria Farone.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Leilana interjected, waving a hand in dismissal. “Didn’t mean to upset you.”
“O-Oh!” Amiria held up both hands and took a step back from Leilana, trembling a bit. “It’s fine, you didn’t! I-I’m sorry if I made it seem like I was angry, I’m really not, I promise-”
“Hey now, Amiria, no need to be so scared.” Kindall wrapped an arm around the girl’s shoulders, smirking. “Lei doesn’t bite, not usually.” Amiria held her arms behind her back and turned her head to keep from looking him in the eye.
“It’s Leilana,” Leilana said abruptly. “Not Lei, not Leila, it is Leilana. Live it, learn it, love it.”
Kindall raised an eyebrow at her words as he set Amiria free and allowed her to run off towards Hinju to prepare for her own duel. “Geez, no need to be so crabby. It was just a little fun with friends.”
“We aren’t friends, Kindall.” He jumped back at the proclamation. “We’re students at the same school fighting for the same goal. That doesn’t make us friends, does it?”
“Well, I, uh… I guess not…? But don’t you think it’s better for everyone that we tried to get along and be friends? You’re right, we’re all fighting for the same goal. Some of us are going to be Warlords someday, and we can all support each other until we get there. Right?” Leilana pondered his words before she cleared her throat.
“…I’m sorry. I’ve got a match.” She stepped past him, and Kindall stared at her back a moment longer before sighing, reclaiming his spot on one of the logs.
“You really are just a kid after all,” Kindall mumbled.
Leilana stood opposite Amiria, revealing her grimoire for her opponent to view. Amiria clutched the silver flute in her hands for dear life but kept her attention on the girl and even managed to narrow her eyes to try and stir up some intimidation.
“Come to think of it,” Lancett whispered to Kindall, “I’ve never seen Amiria fight before. She doesn’t seem like she’d hurt a fly.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Kindall replied, retaining focus on the two. “But Amiria has skills that a lot of people don’t understand.”
“Begin!”
Leilana rapidly flipped through the pages of her grimoire and an array of fireballs shot out at the girl. Amiria put the flute up to her lips and closed her eyes, playing out a small melody on the instrument before reflecting the magic back in Leilana’s direction. Leilana side-stepped out of the way, her eyes darting between the singed grass and Amiria herself, who was starting up another melody on her flute. She scoffed before flipping through the grimoire, stopping on a page, mumbling a scripture.
From the book, a pair of teeming hands cloaked in shadows emerged, grabbing the flute from Amiria’s grasp and snapping it in half before her very eyes. Amiria blinked away the tears starting up as she stared at her destroyed instrument, collecting the fractured pieces. With each passing second, her eyes grew dark and clouded. Leilana outstretched her right palm, sending the hands propelling towards her. Before they could reach her, Amiria inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, belting out a single high note in a pitch of middle C.
The single note, prolonged over several seconds, caused the hands to shatter away. Leilana froze as the note progressed, the ground around her beginning to tremble before giving way under her. She let out a shriek as the chasm opened, reaching out a hand as she fell. Amiria gasped when she realized what was occurring, covering her mouth with both hands.
“Leilana!” Lancett raced forward, sliding on his side as he ran, grabbing her by the arm. Several other students rushed to his aide, helping the girl out of the chasm. Leilana laid a hand on her chest, finding it difficult to regain herself, her frame quivering from shock. Lancett gently placed both hands on her shoulders, forcing her to face him. “Are you all right?”
“Y-Yeah, just… just a little shaken up…”
He bowed his head, hands still on her shoulders, sighing heavily. “Good. I’m glad.” Hinju was still in a bit of shock himself, his gaze reflected on Amiria now, who continued to put the pieces together in her mind about what she had done. After coming to his senses, he held up his staff, moving stalagmites of the earth back into place to mend the open crater, sealing it shut.
“I-I… I am so sorry, Leilana!” Amiria choked out, taking one step back after another. “I-I don’t… I don’t know what happened, I just…! I’m sorry!”
