hurried through the sprawling Academy o

premises. Passing the soaring lecture halls, he spotted othe

s between mages - beyond that lay only hostility and

h a murky grove of white cedar

ng him was

k was right! You're half dead on your f

slow demise, let me

wearing a white mask sprang abruptly f

had mottled grey hair contrasting

h abducted as children into the lightless realms. Back then, a starving young Alberic had once batter

uth was none other tha

arrived in the lightless realms, those survivin

emy's recruiters arrived - his strength sapped b

rvation, his chances wo

d full blame onto Alb

vengeance then... Perhaps young Alberi

hes left both enemies gravely wounded - eac

return. Such bitter bloodshed between apprentic

r struggles. If anything, they spectated with amusement, watching fledglings

these were experiment

officers of the academy intervened, Yrqu

rologic sorcery, Yrque spec

ical gardens had earned him that ghostly pallid mask -

strength, he hardly dese

hot forth - whereas the common variant of this spell only formed two. Thi

peril targeted at his head, heart and nethers respec

e currently lacked the mental focus and magical res

c's injuries prevented evad

e's lips curled into a smile,

nleash only sparse spells before exhaustion. At peak form, neith

d his utmost. Smug confidence seemed warra

ced to puncture Alberic's skull

eroded into incredulity at the sight of the

will powered the stave. The engraved acid payload

. Despite being casually brewed amidst alchemical trials, this enchanted st

its bearer's magic and mental reserves. Alberic had kept firm hold ever since departing his p

and junior Thorns - ha

recision, Mossitore's dreadful concoct

lted into teal vapor beneath

g draught engulfed Yrque - too swif

rupted amidst insidious sizz

s cries fade

oe's head remained largely intac

tench perfu

barely registered o

outwards - apprentices or academy g

eric calmly knelt to cla

first item stripped from t

sk bore only a single etched spell - Nigh

puissant stave Alberic carried,