Peel, Blake Arthur - Arc of RadianceFall of Radiance 05 - Prince of Darkness by Peel Blake Arthur

Author:Peel, Blake Arthur [Peel, Blake Arthur]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blake Arthur Peel
Published: 2018-11-30T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

Elias

The rising sun looks like a ball of red flame, painting the land in violent crimson as it inches its way above the horizon. To the east the clouds have parted ever so slightly, allowing the radiance of the sun to break through – a good omen, if such things are to be believed, even if the land surrounding the City of Mages is now bathed in a color like blood.

Standing on the balcony of my Academy rooms, I watch silently as the clouds slowly overtake the space previously carved out by the sun. The crimson slowly fades to a dull orange before eventually being swallowed up by the monochromatic grey that we have all grown accustomed to.

Another sign, perhaps? I shake the thought away as soon as it enters my mind, turning to enter my sleeping chambers and not looking back.

The domicile is open and well-furnished, no doubt reserved for some tenured professor of magic now conscripted into the army. My bare feet tread upon a finely-woven rug as I pass the enormous plush bed, ruffled for me having slept in it the night before. It wasn't a restful sleep – I haven't had one of those in years – but it gave me plenty of time to think about the upcoming battle, and what I must do to hold back the tide.

I reach the armoire holding my clothes and pull open the door, reaching for a tunic and some breeches to cover my nakedness. Under normal circumstances, it should be the dead of winter. Now, it feels like midsummer, stiflingly hot and muggy from the clouds.

Resting at the bottom of the armoire is my battle armor, well-oiled and cared for despite having not been worn in more than a decade. The boiled leather, plain but extremely well-made, reminds me of a time long gone, when fighting meant protecting the realm from other humans, not demons out of storybook legends. In truth, I would have liked to have worn the armor at the siege of Dunmar City, but it remained in a footlocker at the Grand Lodge. When I returned from my hearing with Tamara and the other Wardens, I was sure to bring it with me.

Taking a deep breath, I reach for the armor and begin putting it on. The shin guards and thigh protectors go on easy enough, the leather straps tightening securely against my legs. The brigandine proves a little more difficult, the chest armor difficult to cinch on the back and sides. Fortunately, age does not prevent me from twisting my body and I manage to secure it well enough. The arm guards come next, hardened leather vambraces and heavy, studded gloves. On the right hand, the middle finger, forefinger and thumb remains uncovered to make it easier for me to fire arrows. Finally, I reach for my boots, the worn footwear protecting my feet and matching the rest of the armor perfectly.

I pull the ranger cloak over my shoulders and turn to look

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