The Balance of Magic in Velyn – For Good or For Bad
Kiruna left the alley and marched for the front gates, hands on her sides, commanding the air about her. Hurin stood up and watched Kiruna Del Ray construct flows of air like a gathering tornado as she conjured a mighty funnel of power. Rocks and debris joined the growing currents until Hurin’s view of Kiruna was no longer.
An archer manning the parapets of Caelos Temple cried out in alert, pointing to a lone woman approaching the front gates. They could feel the surrounding air drawing them closer to the woman like a tornado sucking in the air around it. Many fell over, unable to draw breath, desperately reaching for anything to keep them steady.
“Hold there or we will fire!” Another archer screamed for her to stop. The trample of boots against stone announced the arrival of more guards racing for the gates.
The archer shouted again. “This is your last warning!” He nocked an arrow and drew his bow, taking aim. Other men followed suit, slamming against the ledge while angling their bows down.
In one fluid motion, Kiruna clasped her hands together, smashing the powerful weaves into a single column and released. Guards atop the curtain walls gazed curiously at a wall of dust and debris, some with their jaws hanging open. The concussive blast ripped the curtain wall into pieces.
The night shuddered. Men blew apart like leaves in the wind, some taking flight clear over the temple roof and the adjacent cliffs, and the horrific shower of debris pulverized others. Large sections of stone crashed violently into the foremost columns of the temple. Beyond the chaos of flying stone shards and boiling dust, Kiruna saw glimpses of burgundy plated men racing for safety. The damaged columns soon gave way and collapsed onto the steps, producing a cloud of dust over the courtyard. More sections continued to rain down throughout the temple proper, spreading the destruction further.
“Magic can heal, and magic can destroy. How magic is employed relies solely on the person wielding it. Every magicbearer should understand the consequences of their actions, and how the smallest channeling can reverberate throughout the entire world.” – Danika Del Ray (Precipice)
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As part of my ongoing Precipice book tour, I had the pleasure of delving into the history of magic on James L. Wilber’s blog. For Robin’s amazing and fantastical blog I’m going to discuss how magic is channeled and the balance required in using it.
When Cassiel, the God of Fire, gifted the races of Velyn with magic, a violent shift in power took place. Those born with the gift rose to prominence in all avenues of society. Kings, queens, barons, marshals, chancellors all. Some used the blessing for good, others for darker deeds. Realizing the dire consequences should a conflict erupt between magicbearers and those without, the other four gods implemented a counterbalance called the Ometh-Rua.
The Ometh-Rua can be thought of as a scale. Its purpose: to support and limit the channeling of mystical energies. One side of the Ometh-Rua contained the person’s natural energy, with whatever form of magic the person carried on the other side, be it arcane or divine. The Ometh-Rua essentially prevented the person from channeling unlimited amounts of energy. The person could only expel the amount of magical energy it had on the natural side. Fatigue would set in quickly should the person expel too much magical energy too fast. Should the person overexert themselves through physical activity, like fighting or running, they would find little in the way of magical energy to use until they recovered their strength.
Wizards and sorcerers of the ancient time realized the only way to regain a shadow of their former stature was to raise their physical endurance. This worked for a period, until the Nijelon Order’s artificers discovered a method of extending the use of magic through enchanted jewelry. A small, round disc called a glyph would contain a blood sample from the wizard, preventing anyone else from using it. When the glyph would come in contact with the person’s skin, its power would flow through the body, strengthening the magical side of the Ometh-Rua without tipping the balance. The natural way to wear a glyph was by necklace. Through iteration, glyphs became powerful enough to supplant a spellcaster’s energy pool tenfold.
Only those who dedicated their lives to the Nijelon Order and vowed to embody its principles were bestowed a glyph. But not all who are dedicated to the prestigious order carry good intentions in their hearts. Some within the order will journey down a darker path, where deadlier powers await.
About the Book
Precipice is an epic fantasy adventure revolving around Danika and Kiruna Del Ray, two sisters born with unique mystical abilities who must retrieve a stolen book of magic before its power can be harnessed for evil. Together, they must battle to overcome an array of obstacles impeding their quarry, arising not just from the enemy, but also from allies who secretly work against them. Precipice is the first thrilling act in the A Show for the Gods series.
About the Author
Anthony DeRouen was born and raised in Redwood City, California. Anthony began writing short stories and fan fiction in 2008. He has published one novel and written two others in the A Show for the Gods series: Precipice, Diviner, and End of Dreams.
A growing passion for online role-playing games introduced Anthony to the world of fan fiction where he compiled numerous stories and articles for his fellow guildmates to enjoy.
In 2009 while drafting a fantasy article for a friend’s gaming website he fell love with the concept of a battle healer who defends a country not her own against sinister forces bent on releasing a terrible power. A number of plot lines were developed along with how the world would appear at the height of its economical and political strength in the beginning, and then deteriorate as events unfolded.
When Anthony is not writing, he’s playing MMO’s such as Guild Wars 2, training for obstacle course runs, or supporting his son’s Boy Scout troop #819.