Zeph Malston: The Aether Mage

Bernard was in his lab with Eli and Relina. They were working on a detection system based on Zeph's ideas. The system was progressing smoothly. So far, they were able to make a system that detects spirit magic of tier one power or higher. Relina got Bernard to test the machine by trying to detect her while she went around the city with Eli. It was another excuse to go out on more dates, but it still worked. Now they were trying to fine tune the machine.

They were getting ready to quit for the night and wait for Bianca to get back and cook dinner. While they were climbing the stairs, the earth shook. It started off as a slight tremble and increased in ferocity over several seconds. Earthquakes didn't happen in Asperitus, so Bernard knew something was wrong. He ran into his study and brought up the monitor on his desk. A map of the city was displayed. Several blinking red dots were scattered around the city and there was a warning symbol flashing by each one.

Eli ran into the room soon after. "What happened?"

Bernard was looking over the information. "They've attacked, but it wasn't in a way that we were expecting. Look." He swung the display around for Eli to see.

Relina came into the room and looked at the monitor. After realizing what was on it she ran outside to get the girls. "Ivy! Lili! Get inside. A convergence is happening!"

Back in the mansion, Bernard was going through data, his mind racing. 'This shouldn't be happening. We should have wards in place! There should be fail-safes. How did they get passed them?' The monitor started beeping again. It was followed by a second alarm, this one coming from his tablet.

It was the tracker he had installed on Zeph's necklace that would warn him if the boy was in the proximity of anything life-threatening. Bernard looked at the blinking warning message and cold burning sensation spread through his mind and down his spine. Before Eli could ask what was going on, the old man ran out of the house.

Eli chased him to the yard. "Boss, what's going on?"

Bernard turned to Eli and spoke. "Make sure we have enough people dispatched to deal with these tears. Alert everyone. I'm going to get Zeph." By the time he finished his sentence, Bernard was already floating in the air. When he was done speaking, a wave of energy erupted beneath his feet and he flew into the air.

______________

More and more people were casting cantrips to light the store. Zeph heard the cracking noise get louder. Bianca and Semara went into high alert and took guarding positions around the boy. They increased the strength and size of the dome-shaped barrier around them.

Bianca shouted at some of the other customers. "Get in the barrier, we have an incoming tear!" She turned around leaned to Zeph's ear. "You remember that emotional defense thing you told us about. You know, the one that protects your mind from being overwhelmed?" She saw Zeph nod. "Make sure that's on. You may have to fight soon and there may be things you aren't ready to see yet."

Semara watched as over a dozen people grouped up near them. "Alright everyone, help me expand this barrier and strengthen it. Just pour magic into the circles." Several shining blue magic circles appeared on the floor as Semara motioned towards the ground. She would provide the spell, and they would provide extra power and magic.

The barrier grew large enough to protect everyone and Zeph was amazed by its structure and strength. He looked at Semara and Bianca in surprise, realizing how powerful they were. "What's going on?" he asked Bianca.

"A convergence is happening. From the sounds of things were at ground zero for a tear. We'll have no idea what will come out of the other side of it. Everyone is taught that to group up and form a barrier in this situation. Sometimes it's enough." Bianca was looking out into the darkness. There were no sources of light out there at the moment because everyone nearby was in the barrier dome. Suddenly, the loud cracking noise stopped. It was silent for a moment, and then a horrible ripping noise screeched into existence. Wind started whipping around in the area just beyond the light's edge.

"And when it's not?" Zeph already knew the answer, but he couldn't stop from asking.

Semara grabbed Zeph by the shoulder. "Zeph, our main priority is to keep you safe, and we'll do so no matter the cost." The wolf-kin spoke quietly so no one else could hear her except for the young lord.

Zeph looked at all the people around him and realized what that cost might be. Before the fear, doubt and worry could overtake him, he activated his emotional defense mechanism. He was expecting the ground to shake and hear deep thuds as a monstrous being approached him, but that didn't happen. The young lord looked for shadows moving, eyes glowing or something to hint at what was coming for them. Again, there was nothing. There were no footsteps, no ominous sounds of guttural cl.i.c.k.i.n.g noises. Only the sounds of the people behind the barrier breathing as quietly as possible could be heard.

Moments that felt like an eternity passed and Zeph finally felt something. Everyone did. Their hair stood on end, and a primal fear threatened to grasp at them. Zeph felt a trace of magic try to worm its way into his mind. Semara's eyes dilated for a split second before she yelled out, "Enough!" Waving her hand, a ripple of white light scattered across the dome. That gripping feeling faded and Zeph heard a few people gasp in a breath. Several people didn't even realize they stopped breathing.

Bianca held out her hands. Blue fire erupted to engulf them. "I think I know what we're going against. Zeph, do you think you can provide light?"

"Sure." Zeph reached into the shoulder holster under his jacket and pulled out the gun Bernard gave him. He switched the clip in it with another. Shooting in different directions, Zeph sent out bright orbs of white light into the surrounding areas. He then activated a mechanism in the grip that would constantly leech magic from his body to provide power for the spells. This way, he could cast other spells without having to worry about losing concentration on the lights.

Once all the lights went out far enough, they revealed the creatures that came through the tear. Several of the people in the dome recoiled in terror and one almost screamed. Strangely, there was no sound. Bianca eyed the horrendous several beings as they walked around the barrier.

They were hideous and looked like a ghostly dried and withered corpse wrapped in grey rags that formed a hooded cloak around their semi-transparent bodies. No one heard any footsteps because the creatures floated around the room. Zeph tried to remember any information on these things in his learning gems. It took a moment but he found some.

Phantoms, that's what they were. These were spirits manifested from fear and hate. They used a form of mind magic to induce paralyzing fear into their victims, making them defenseless before violently ending them.

Semara felt a little relieved. These creatures weren't a threat to her and Bianca. Zeph should be able to handle one as well. The problem lied in their numbers. Their greatest weapon was the aura of fear the sent out. While she was thinking about what to do, Bianca started walking through the barrier.

The fox woman flared up her magic power, attracting the eight phantoms toward her. They didn't screech or roar as they sped towards on his surrogate sister. Instead, they let out a low rumbling *vwumf* as they made quick and staggered movements. It reminded Zeph of the odd way ghost walked in horror films.

Not waiting for the enemies to come to her, Bianca swung her hand out in an arc and sent a spread of blue fire into three phantoms. Again, they didn't screech. Zeph was beginning to think they were mute, but that thought was stopped as soon as one of the burning phantoms opened its mouth. A deep silent roar echoed. The people heard it in their minds instead of with their ears. Several winced, but Zeph, Semara, and Bianca were unaffected.

Bianca continued to cast blue flames out at the phantoms dodging as they tried to grab her. A few tried to use their fear ability, but it was useless. The fox girl was more comfortable in melee and started to weave her way between the assailants. She lashed out with a burning blue fist to counter-attack any that tried to grab her.

Zeph and the bystanders watched, marveled by her performance. It was almost a dance as she would pivot at the last second to duck under an outstretched ghostly arm, and then brutally hit the attacking creature in the face.

"Aren't you going to help her?" Zeph whispered to Semara.

"No, she's fine. Watch, she's actually making a trap. Notice how she's flaring her magic power up and down?" Semara smiled because she knew what the fox was planning.

"Yeah," Zeph replied

"She's making a trap. The other phantoms will be lured by her magic power. She wants them all in one place."

Zeph looked back at his martial master and realized she was leading the group of phantoms away from the barrier. As the creatures followed her, Zeph noticed burning blue marks on each of the phantoms she hit. When Bianca got far enough from the phantoms, she flared her magic power one final time to make sure she got all of their attention. Then she made a small barrier dome for herself.

Everyone watched from the distance, afraid for the fox girl, as she was slowly being surrounded by over two dozen phantoms. Suddenly one of the burning marks on a phantom erupted creating an explosion that took out the ones directly next to it. A chain reaction started as more phantoms started to explode into blue flames. It looked like morbid fireworks as the creatures were destroyed in a storm of blue flames.

Once the last phantom dies, it was like sound was introduced back into the world. The sound of crumbling stone and wind reached their ears. Zeph realized that these creatures had the ability to create an area of silence.

Zeph ran forward to see if he could spot Bianca, but a hand grabbed him by the shoulder. He turned around to see the smiling face of his favorite fox girl. "Bianca!" he hugged her. "I was so worried. How did you get back here?"

Bianca patted the boys back as she returned the hug. "Remember, I use illusion magic. After I led them away I just tricked them into following an illusory clone and ran back here while I was invisible."

Zeph released the hug. "Wait, you can turn invisible?"

"Yeah, I use it sometimes when I want to pull a prank, but it takes a lot of concentration. It was pretty easy this time, because phantoms have crappy magic sense. They can't get a detailed read on magic signatures, so they never knew I made an illusion."

The other shoppers that were near them sighed in relief and started thanking Bianca and Semara. They were interrupted by the sound of a barrier-shattering followed by screaming. Semara looked at them, "I think we should get out of here."

"Before we start moving, does anyone have an injury and need help?" Zeph asked the group.

A man in a grey shirt and jeans raised his hand. "I think I hurt my ankle, but it shouldn't slow me down too much."

Zeph pointed his gun at the man. Everyone looked in surprise and horror that a child would aim his weapon at an innocent person. The barrel started to emit a soft green glow, and Zeph pulled the trigger before anyone could react. The man closed his eyes expecting to get injured. Instead, he felt a soothing gentle calming wave wash over him. He opened his eyes and looked at Zeph questioningly.

"That was a heal spell, better safe than sorry. Anybody else? I can only take care of minor injuries at the moment but every little bit helps." Zeph looked and saw that no one else was injured. "Alright let's get out of here."