produce a spark for your first time trying to use magic.”
“Well, is that bad then? And I did it by accident in Salez. I mean, is there something wrong?”
“There’s nothing wrong with you, but you must be a powerful Venefica,” Sara said. “I would think at least a class four… but wait, you’re human.” Sara turned to Arkin, looking concerned.
“A class what?” Sasha asked.
“Arkin is he part—”
“Elf? Yes, I am.” Legon filled in the gaps. Sara’s forehead knitted together and then a look of incredulity and joy crossed her face.
“You mean the Everser Vald?” Her voice was almost a whisper. The start of a tear formed in her eye.
“What di-” Legon began.
“Nothing. She said nothing,” Arkin started hurriedly. “I will explain classes to you.”
“He doesn’t know?” Sara said with hurt and anger in her voice.
“Don’t know what?” Legon asked.
“Wh-” Sara began.
“Nothing, Sara.” Arkin went from impatient to angry. Sara opened her mouth but fell silent at a murderous glance from Arkin.
“Arkin don’t you stop her, what was she saying to me?” Anger was flooding Legon as he turned to the carpenter. What was he not being told? “Tell me, I want to know!”
“You aren’t ready to know, and even if you were I cannot permit it!”
“What you can do is tell me what you’re hiding!” Legon stood and started toward Arkin slowly. He noticed Kovos by his side. Sasha reached up and grabbed his shoulder. He tried to shake it off but couldn’t.
“Legon, no. This is not the answer.”
It wasn’t the words that stopped him, but the emotions. He turned to look straight into Sasha’s glassy blue eyes. He could feel her overwhelming desire for no more violence. His anger left almost as fast as had come, and then the connection to Sasha stopped. He turned slowly to Arkin, who no longer looked angry, but rather sad.
“Arkin, what is happening?” There was fear in Legon’s voice; more than he knew he was feeling.
“I want to tell you, but I don’t. It’s a great and terrible thing. Please, I have made many vows to keep this secret. Don’t break them for me. Not yet, not now.”
“We won’t.” It was Sasha who spoke. “But please tell us what you can.”
“Sit down and I will relight the fire.”
They sat in a circle around the pit and Arkin placed a trembling hand over the pit and muttered, “Flamma.” A merry fire instantly began to crackle in the pit.
“Magic is an amazing thing. With it you can control the elements, make things grow, heal wounds, and so much more.” He paused. “You see, magic is like a muscle. You can train it and make it stronger, but like a muscle it can become worn out. You can cast a spell and feel no tiring effect on your body, but if that spell is too strong for you, then energy is pulled from your body.”
“So can you die from a spell then?” Legon asked.
Arkin looked relieved to hear the question. “No, you can’t. You can pass out but you can’t die. Once your mind loses consciousness it can’t sustain the spell. However, it can take some time to recover. Once again, think of this as a muscle. Now, there are what are called ‘classes’ to Venefica, Sara, do you know them?”
“Yes, my owner is Iumenta and a Venefica, so I learned a lot just being around him. There are eight classes. A class refers to the amount of power a Venefica has, regardless of skill.”
“Meaning what?” Keither asked.
“Meaning your class has nothing to do with your ability. You can be a class five and not know what magic is,” continued Sara. “Classes one and two humans can attain, usually just one. Next, Iumenta and Elves can reach up to class five, and I know dragons are higher, but that’s it.”
Arkin looked pleased. “Very good. To ‘Ascend’ is to become a dragon. Only a class five can do this, and even then only a rare few. When someone ‘Ascends’ they will be classes six through eight. Now, the difference in each class is large. There is a gap between them as far as power goes; meaning that if you are a strong class two you are still relatively weak to a class three. The same is more so for Ascending. The difference between classes five and six is like comparing a mountain lion to a kitten. Class sevens are extremely strong and class sixes are closer to them, relatively speaking, but class eight…” Arkin shook his head.