Crude Magic_The Hunger) by Michael D. Young

Author:Michael D. Young [Young, Michael D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-11-06T00:00:00+00:00

What unfortunate tidings,

What unbearable fright,

Have we all to witness

This abominable night.

Though I’m saddened to hear

Of this calamitous thing,

Do be sure, in my mind,

This does not change a thing.

Meckule crumpled the parchment and threw it across the room, hard. How could this not change a thing? His task would have been monumental to complete even with his resources. Now, the task was almost impossible.

He looked back at his desk and, with a start, realized he had not found everything. Another piece of parchment lay next the knife.

He could see right away that this note was not like the others. Instead of scrawled handwriting, the note contained a formula, a diagram after the fashion alchemists used to document their creations. Meckule was no alchemy expert, but he knew enough to decipher such a formula. This particular preparation required the combination of various forms of Essence, including—his breath caught. Life Essence. Blood.

Meckule dropped the paper and backed away. This was the most abominable form of magic; his clan had signed a treaty against its use long ago. Though blood was most powerful while it flowed through the veins, as long as the body was alive, its spirit would use up the blood’s Essence. Thus it was best to separate the spirit from the body, extracting Essence from the blood before it dissipated.

Despite its macabre nature, blood Essence was enticingly powerful, the most powerful. With the main Essence refinery destroyed, and Tailon’s reserves depleted, this could perhaps be the only way to complete his task within the time allotted. But could he do such a thing? And, even if he could do it, could he do it without being seen?

Meckule sat back in his chair, clutching his throbbing head. Perhaps he could petition the clan. Surely they had prisoners they were going to execute anyway. At least this way their deaths would serve a greater purpose.

But there was still the treaty. If Meckule were to use blood magic in the open, he would have to convince all the clans he was doing the right thing. Convincing the clans of anything, even when they weren’t on the brink of war, was a near-impossible task. Rahim himself would have to swoop down from his throne and make a decree.

Well, thought Meckule, closing his eyes, If Rahim’s going to swoop down and intervene, maybe I can ask him to get the dragon out while he’s at it.

* * *

The chamber’s lamps did not need to be lit. Trace amounts of Essence seeped from the dragon’s carcass, illuminating the crystal in which it rested.

The air felt heavy, much as it had at the World Fissure. Each breath intoxicated Meckule, filling him with the feeling of absolute dominion. He took each step as if he were a conqueror, treading on lesser beings beneath him. As he approached the center of the crystalline floor, he sank to his knees, gazing downward at the once mighty creature.

“How did you fall?” he whispered, not taking his eyes away for an instant. “You must have been great once … a being to be feared, respected, admired.

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