Fallow’s Skull. Jennifer found out about the little black market in Lienmont yesterday as she’d been going through the spell archives in the public library. The area was governed by the thieves guild, but it primarily functioned as an independent market for the illegal trade of Heaven’s Dream and other similar drugs. It was built in an upper part of the sewers, and technically inside the dungeon. Not a place Jennifer would visit on her own if she could help it.

Jennifer made her way through the murky streets covered with filthy water. Her hand kept a tight grip on her money pouch, the other pulling the hood she wore low to cover her face, and she kept a few mana bolts ready just in case a [Thief] got any ideas. Fixing Kariss' enchantment again had gotten her a quick pair of gold coins as the [Sweets Chef] insisted on paying her more than what she’d asked.

The last few days had been busy for Jennifer. Her time had mostly been spent buried in books and records of trade routes from the Ostiri to Lienmont along with any history of skirmishes and battles. She'd tried to find more information on the demons, yet aside from the text proclaiming Sera’s goals she could barely find any mention of their abilities and capabilities. Some texts even conflicted with others in what the demons may live like and whether they could cast magic.

There were a few mentions of some demons using Skills, yet the texts were old and extremely difficult to decipher. The more modern books she perused maintained that neither monsters nor demons were capable of using the system. There was even a proclamation of such by the church, backed to some extent by the Alliance as well.

Yet Xar could level. He never said it outright, probably unfamiliar with the concept. But I’m certain he was using Skills as he messaged me through the link.

The stench of filth and blood tinged her nose as Jennifer passed by debris piled on both sides of the path, probably from the Dungeon shift yesterday. The area ahead expanded into a row of merchants hawking bloodied monster parts and weapons. Many hooded and cloaked figures moved through, quite a few wearing adventurer gear of a decent level. Yet instead of the noise one would expect from a bustling marketplace, the area was filled with a series of silent whispers and grunts. The mixed noises remained hushed as wary eyes scanned their surroundings.

A boy wearing tattered rags suddenly ran towards Jennifer, stumbling as if trying to bump into her, and she swiftly stepped to the side. The boy’s hands shot towards her pockets. Jennifer summoned a blood glass shard near her hand, grabbing the boy’s hand as she placed the glass-dagger next to his abdomen.

A few muttered curses and the kid quickly pulled his arm back, running away as Jennifer let out a sigh. Turning around, she continued making her way ahead.

The faster I’m out of here, the better.

Jennifer quickly made her way through the droves of people. No one stopped her to sell their wares. Anyone visiting this place would know what they were looking for. Ahead of her, a small gap in the market opened up, a battered sign hanging in place above. Nothing was written on the wood. At least, if something had been then it was covered with filth and was illegible now.

Jennifer walked up to the area, stepping around the vases and other similarly gimmicky and clearly magical items lying in front of it. The guy behind the counter grunted, eyeing her as he did. His beard was unkempt and his skin had a light green tint to it. She noticed the clipped ears hidden by his unkempt hair.

An elf... orc half breed? An Elc in Lienmont? That's rare, I’ve never seen one before. An outcast from the looks of those ears.

The guy noticed her stare, looking back and Jennifer quickly averted her eyes. Silently she took out a slip of parchment along with a single gold coin and handed it to the guy. The Elc swiftly pocketed the coin, glancing at the contents of the parchment before he looked back at her, his eyebrows raised in surprise. His expression recovered as the guy walked around his shop, motioning for her to follow.

There were no questions, as would’ve been the case in any legal, or even remotely legal establishment. What she'd written on the paper was a [Flesh Mage]’s spell. A commonly known spell to kill off prisoners too dangerous to be executed in public and with traditional methods. There were worse spells she’d found that bordered on torture, and this was one of the few that had been phrased as a merciful end.

Jennifer followed the Elc man into a tiny workshop, the area sealed off with flimsy magic. She doubted they'd actually prevent anyone from breaking in if they really wanted to. But the spell would keep monsters and regular people who couldn’t use magic outside well enough.

A dirty dust covered shelf with an assortment of scrolls lying on them dominated the far wall. The Elc walked around, going back into a side corner hidden out of sight retrieving a tattered sheet of paper. Jennifer eyed the contents of the scroll, quickly using her [Lesser Arcane Analysis] to check if it was legitimate or not.

The skill thrummed in her mind as she studied the scroll. The spell components weren't all in perfect alignment, but they were functional.

“I need it modified to work instantly,” Jennifer said quietly. The man rubbed his chin without replying as he sat down on a side counter, spreading the scroll in front of him.

“Will cost more,” the Elc said in a raspy voice. Jennifer dug out a few silver coins, placing them near the man as he continued to work.

The man muttered something under his breath and she felt his skill activate. A layer of flesh peeled off the parchment, rising like lines of thread as they began to stitch themselves into the scroll. The tatters were filled in as the spell matrix shifted, repairing itself. The man made a cut along the top of the scroll as the skin-covered-paper bled from the edges as if it were part of something alive.

Jennifer held back her nausea, looking away as the man continued to work. The sizzling smell of burning flesh wafted over as mana flowed through the scroll. She turned back and the parchment now looked like a smooth patch of skin, with a light scar formed into a spell circle.

The Elc placed the spell in her hand, as he walked back to his stool. Jennifer hurried out, striding away from the shop as she stuffed the spell in her pocket. When she felt that she was sufficiently outside the black market, she took the scroll out.

Jennifer stared at the scroll. The bumps and the way it felt just like skin made a sickening feeling rise in her gut. Hesitation filled her as she stared at the scroll and Jennifer let out a deep breath.

I need this. I’ll get used to it. And this is better than having no control over when I return.

Her mind made up, she placed the small patch near her neck, a light application of mana had it begin blending in with her skin. But she wasn't prepared for the searing pain of the matrix burning through the area as the spell embedded itself onto her skin. Jennifer clenched her teeth, fighting through the pain with her hand against the wall. Soon the integration was complete as a simple trigger formed in her mind.

She could feel the spell construct attached to her body. With a single mana pulse, she could activate it and the spell would stop her mind and heart, instantly killing her.

Cold sweat dripped down Jennifer’s back as she turned around, walking out of the sewers. She couldn't fixate on this. There were other places she had to be.

❖❖❖

Jennifer dusted her clothes, checking her card once more. The academy had sent her an identification letter along with her acceptance, denoting her as a First year student in the Mage’s branch. Technically also the Enchanter’s branch, and some Seer’s and other similar classes but people liked to bundle all of them up as Mage. Jennifer checked her card once more, making sure it sat safely in her pocket. Trying to dredge up the memory of where she'd put said card had been a challenge after almost two months of looped time in between.

It’s strange how events can change your perspective on things. The academy was such a huge milestone for me. I suppose, it still is in some ways. Yet, I doubt I'll ever be as excited as I was the first time.

Jennifer walked up the hill, following the neatly paved brick road that led to the Academy’s grounds. The Academy had a name, unlike what many in the city would believe. It was not, in fact, named ‘The Academy’, but was instead called Lienmont’s Central Mage Academy. Yet, given the fact it was Lienmont's only Academy for any type of learning, mage or otherwise, it had quickly lost all parts of it’s name besides the 'Academy'.

“Hey, hey you! Stop for a moment please!” a voice shouted from behind. A boy ran up the path, wearing a simple white robe clearing marking him as a senior at the academy.

“Do you know where they’re taking the combat application tests? In fact, don’t you have one right now? What year are you?” the older boy asked, as he panted.

“I don’t know where the tests are. I’m a first year,” Jennifer replied, eyeing the strange boy as he stared at her, his brows furrowed.

“Wasn’t the entrance delayed for all of you? Here to check out the academy or something?”

“Yes, it was. Aren’t you late for your test?” Jennifer said and the boy’s eyes widened.

“Right. Sorry, I need to run. If you're looking for directions head for the central hall. Straight and then...” the boy shouted as he shot off, the last of his words lost.

Jennifer watched the boy run off before she shrugged and continued on her way. It was nice of him to offer directions, but she didn't need them. The Academy buildings grew taller as she came closer. Rather than expanding vertically, like a regular mage tower would, the academy spread out horizontally, covering a large amount of space inside the city. The buildings were old, possibly some of the oldest in the city. The academy had been founded a few centuries ago, alongside the city itself.

Jennifer followed the path the boy had likely intended to tell her about and soon found herself inside a reception hall. The tinge of mana touched her nose pleasantly, her eyes wandering across the statues and paintings lining the walls, alongside other decorations in the large hall-like area.

Jennifer walked up to the counter, finding it empty. She looked around, trying to find where the attendent might be when a sharp voice made her jump.

“What do you need?” a woman asked, as she placed a tiny platform on the floor before climbing onto the desk while muttering. Jennifer had never heard such an interesting assortment of curses for furniture in her life.

Jennifer took out her card, placing it on the desk. The short, and obviously gnomish, woman put on a pair of comically large glasses as she inspected the card.

“First year? You didn’t get the notice? First years will join late this year,” the woman said returning her card.

“Umm, actually. I wanted to apply for the position of certified apprentice Mage,” Jennifer said to the woman who looked up from the card, giving her a second glance. The gnome readjusted her glasses as she continued.

“Jennifer Laine, 17 years old. No special background,” the woman flipped the card over, before looking back at her as she added. “Confident are we?"

Jenn nodded.

"Well, follow along then,” the woman said, climbing back down as she jumped off the reception desk.

Jennifer followed the woman, her nervousness building. After a while of thinking, she'd decided the academy was her best bet to upgrade her spell set. And it would allow her to find information more easily, using the mage’s network and the easy access of message spells.

Jennifer followed the gnome woman into an open chamber, quite similar to the one she'd used for training in the guild. Although the walls weren't as strongly enchanted.

“Beritross! There’s an apprentice mage test taker here. First year, deal with it,” the gnome woman said as she stood on her tiptoes, thrusting her card into Jenn's hands before walking out of the chamber.

A group of about two dozen students stood in front of her, a quiet whisper going through them as the Mage sighed, motioning her to come forward.

Jennifer stared at the students, her eyes meeting the strange boy she had met outside, who stared back at her. Jennifer turned away, looking at the Mage as he extended his hand at her in silence.

Jennifer stared at his outstretched hand, not sure of what he meant, when he asked in a rather sweet tone for the scowl that adorned his face,“Your card, give it here.”

Jennifer handed him her card, turning away from the other students.

“Low mana threshold, decent level, basic spell base, but an enchanting class?” the mage raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at her.

“Did you lose some kind of bet?” the mage asked and she heard some giggles sound out from the group of students behind her.

Jennifer barely restrained herself from sighing, as she looked at the mage with a serious expression. “I did not. I am quite certain about taking this test.”

The mage returned her card, as he continued, “That confident are you? Very well. As long as you know that you only get a limited number of attempts at the position, I have no issues.” The mage turned towards the group of students, as he paused, scratching the stubble on his chin before he spoke once more.

“In fact, I have a class exercise in mind. The test rules have changed. We won’t be doing the structural reinforcement of Guard anymore. I've seen quite enough of that. Instead, you'll all be linking your spells, to form a chain Guard spell. Stretch it out over the entire group. Don't use more than five crystal cores’ worth of mana. You’re allowed to use basic spells to strike back at the interloper. But only as long as those attacks are reactive and in Tier-1. No skills. If the shield breaks, the entire class will retake the test, and the girl here will be an Apprentice mage before all of you.”

A wave spread through the students, some groaning and others muttering excitedly as they looked at her. Jennifer evaluated the body of students eyeing her, the nervous anxiety from before rising. Yet, she didn't feel the crushing pressure she would’ve just a while back. These were second years, yes. Quite a few of them were from families with magical backgrounds, also yes. Yet, all she could see now were kids, free from the worries or knowledge of the oncoming disasters the city faced. Unaware of the monsters that lurked.

Jennifer let out a breath. She missed Xar, the spider’s constant presence had grown on her much more than she expected. She shook her head, shaking the thoughts off.

I’m gonna find him. I just need to get this done first.

“Alright! Start conjuring the spell,” the mage clapped his hands and Jennifer saw the kids stand still, their hands extended as mana began to swirl. She felt the spell forming, a glimmering barrier forming around the students. Jennifer took a deep breath. She wouldn't underestimate these students. They had many advantages she did not.

The barrier flickered for a moment, before the chained spell stabilized. The mage gave her a nod and Jennifer shot towards the shield with her Agile Wind.

Jennifer manifested five glass mana bolts, shooting them at the shield in a coordinated volley. In her hand she summoned a Blood-Glass dagger, slamming into the barrier with her body as she let her mana flow through the blood-glass at the same time as the bolts hit it. The students took a step back from the impact as the barrier shuddered, but it was far from broken.

A few students broke off, as she saw a ball of fire form outside the barrier and shoot at her. A few other attacks followed behind.

Jennifer dodged to the side, swiftly turning around as she prepared a few more mana bolts. The students shifted as one, as did the structure of the shield, a second layer forming as it started to thicken in the direction she was in.

I need to find a weak spot and slam it. Hard.

Jennifer charged a mana bolt, pouring as much mana as she could into it while continuing to dodge. The bolt began to glow with a bright light, almost blinding her as it shot off towards the students like a lightning strike. Yet instead of touching the shield, the bolt shattered mid air, scattering into multiple shards that pummeled the shield from multiple directions.

Jennifer saw the shield flicker to the left, a small dent in the spell matrix. She weaved a glass Wind blade, letting the magic flow through her with as much power as it could. Then, she layered another Glass blade spell into it, letting the two feed on each other. A pair of blades manifested on her hand with the sound of howling wind. A whirlwind of glass spread around her as glass shards grew from the ground where she stood. Jennifer let the spell loose, her hand starting to numb from the magic flowing through.

The glass blades shot off, howling with the promise of destruction as a frenzy of glass shards trailed behind them. The tiles cracked from the cutting edge, a smooth line running through the stone as the shield cracked. A portion of it crumbled as the students within cried out. Jennifer stumbled as her mana buzzed through her body. Her eyes widened in mute surprise as she saw a large bolt of lightning rushing straight at her face.

“[Lune stone: Gu—”

“Enough,” A sharp clap sounded out as the mage spoke, the lighting bolt dissipating mid air.

“That went over your mana limit. Far over your limit. All of you lose,” the mage declared with a smirk and the students started shouting in protest.

“Hold on, hold on. It seems I underestimated our participants,” the mage said, eyeing her before he turned back towards his students.

“All of you will write a report on why a linked guard didn’t hold against a single mage, a young one as well. And what you could’ve done better." The students groaned and glared at Jenn, but the mage held up his hand, cutting them off. "But, you won’t have to re-take your tests,” the mage added and the students let out a collective relieved sigh.

Jennifer crouched on the floor, a throbbing pain coursing through her hand. A pair of boots entered her sight and Jennifer looked up to see the mage standing over her, a slight scowl on his face.

“I’ve half a mind to cancel your test with how recklessly you blasted off that last spell. But you did beat a second year classroom as a freshman. And as a non-mage, it would be a waste to not have you,” the mage said, eyeing her as he grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

“Come to my office, I’ll check to make sure there’s no lasting pain. You didn’t overdraw though, so you should be fine,” he said, to which Jennifer simply nodded.

She turned back to see the boy from before standing in the group, glancing at her. She saw more than a few of them scowl at her, although a few also waved. Jennifer let out a sigh, as she followed the mage out, a quiet smile decorating her lips. The tension in her body seemed to loosen as Jennifer felt her body turn heavy, her eyelids drooping.

Hands grabbed her as the world spun around Jennifer. The quiet thrumming of mana pulsing between her ears as comforting darkness took over.