If you have to fight a mage make sure they are isolated from their element, for if they are in their element, they will have a seemingly endless supply of magic and even the weakest will overwhelm you. A quick and cunning warrior can kill even powerful mages as long as they are caught outside of their element. But if you ever meet a Favoured on the field of battle, you should either make peace or run.

Excerpt from A soldier’s guide by Artour Quick-draw

Umbra was ripped from reality into a state of euphoric bliss. Death flowed into her, it wasn’t like anything she had previously experienced, channelling in Nyx’s shrine didn’t even come close to this. It was what she had been missing her entire life and she didn’t even know. Her being expanded rapidly, even this small amount increased her magic more than the darkness had in two months.

The sensation stopped far too suddenly and Umbra was forced back to reality, she groaned, then the smell hit her and she vomited. The body she had fallen near had doubled in size, bloated. Foamy liquid leaked from every orifice, flowing out of eye sockets, ears, and nose. Maggots crawled over the decomposing tissue feasting. And the smell, of meat left in the heat for days mixed with the distinct smell of feces.

Umbra ran from the house, and out on to the street but the smell followed her. She vomited again on the dirt street, it was evening and people were heading back to their houses, they all stopped to stare at her. She didn’t care. She just had to get away from the body and smell. Umbra made it out of the city, but she could still smell the body. There was a river between the estate and the city and she ran for it, she needed to wash the smell of the rotting corpse off her.

The river was clear and slow moving. Umbra took off her clothes, it was far enough from the city that no one would be around. She waded into the river it was freezing cold, but she needed to wash away that putrid smell that clung to her. She ducked under the water, and scrubbed herself viciously, trying to force the memory of the corpse from her mind and the smell from her skin.

Once Umbra had scrubbed herself raw, she relaxed in the river it was quite pleasant now that she had gotten used to the cold. Her being had swelled in size, almost double what it was before Umbra noted. Two months channeling dark in Nyx’s shrine and she had just taken at least as much magic from death in what Umbra guessed was around three days. It was far more potent.

The thought of channelling death magic sent shivers through her. How it had lifted her to the heights of bliss then unceremoniously dumped her back to reality and all its mediocrity. She just wanted to experience the high of death magic again, the need for it was physical, her body seemed to ache for it. Umbra didn’t want to kill anyone though and the chances of finding another dead body were low. Animals I could kill animals, their deaths are the same as humans and I wouldn’t be hurting anyone, Umbra was surprised she hadn’t thought of this before. I’ll head back to the estate for new clothes then go hunting.

Umbra loathed to put back on her clothes, they were splattered with vomit and still smelt ever so slightly of that putrid rotting smell. But she couldn’t just wander back to the estate butt naked. She put them back on with a grimace and made her way to the estate.

The walk only increased Umbra’s craving for death magic, with nothing to take her mind off it except for pushing her shadows frantically around her body. It grew to the point where she was considering just going in these clothes. But the thought of spending any more time in these clothes was rancid enough to make her continue in the direction of the estate.

Umbra slowed when she got sight of the courtyard, Apithe sat leaning against the dead tree her distinctive red eyes shining in the night, and the ice pendant Dovrag had mentioned sitting on her chest freezing the skin around it. It looked like Apithe was trying to shape the ice that rose up from her palm into a sword. She is a lot further ahead then I am if she has enough control to do that. I can’t even summon my element except for in uncontrolled bursts.

When Umbra reached the outer edge of the courtyard Apithe whirled around to stare at Umbra her ice sword shattering with a loud crack, her red eyes were unsettling. Umbra kept walking. “You stink of death,” Apithe said accusingly, her nose wrinkled.

“Leave me alone,” Umbra said, why is she bothering me, I don’t have time for this. Her entire body ached for the magic

“You think you are special don’t you, the first true death mage, and with a gift from a deity in your first two months.” Umbra ignored her and walked towards the entrance to the estate. Frigid air swept past Umbra and Apithe stood in front of her. “Don’t ignore me,” Apithe spat. The only thing Umbra wanted at this point was to channel, and she tried to push past Apithe, and was shoved viciously to the ground. Umbra hit the ground hard, she saw red, and her being snapped open filling her with pain and hate. fine if she wants to get in my way I’ll just kill her, instead of the animals.

Umbra could feel the shadows stir into a frenzy on her skin and the circlet ripped through the top of her head crowning her in tall black spikes. Umbra could barely feel it as the blood trickled down her face. She saw inklings of fear in Apithe’s face and grinned viciously. Umbra leaped at Apithe with a snarl. Apithe was fast though and she managed to dodge aside but not before Umbra drew her nails across the other girl’s cheek drawing blood. Umbra was off balance when she landed and Apithe flung a fist at Umbra’s head hitting her and knocking Umbra back stunned, Apithe pressed her advantage following up with her other fist, which Umbra barely dodged. Umbra took the initiative now, the magic flowing through her and she lashed out with an impossible fast punch that Apithe couldn’t dodge, it hit her square in the face and she went down. Umbra jumped on top of Apithe, and landed another solid hit to her stunned face, it made a satisfying crunch noise, and Umbra hit her again, Umbra’s fury was in full swing at this point. And she rained punches down on Apithe’s face. Apithe fell unconscious at some point and Umbra’s craving for death was forcing its way back through her fury, she drew Carn, and pushed Apithe’s head back exposing her throat. And suddenly she was flying backward knife in hand.

Umbra had been thrown back to the other side of the courtyard the air around her as solid as stone. Master Otaro strode from the entrance of the estate, his presence unrestrained it was like standing in a tornado. “You have gone too far, Umbra.” Even with the distance between them, she could hear his deathly quiet voice as if it was beside her. And he walked over to Apithe before picking her up with air and walking into the estate with her, leaving Umbra restrained by the solid air.

What Umbra had done hit her, she had been going to kill that girl, just for pushing her over. It seemed like such a reasonable thought at the time though what is going on with me. She would be kicked out for this, she almost killed one of Master Otaro’s students. There is no way he would let her stay here after this.

Master Otaro let Umbra stew, long enough that the craving started reasserting itself and she raged against the bonds. “Stop,” Master Otaro had appeared before her and she stopped immediately. A rush of air sped past her and suddenly they were high enough into the sky that she could see the entire island, the lights of the town, the immense mountains, the forest and the estate directly below. Master Otaro stood on the air as if it were solid ground. “I know I never said killing each other was against the rules, but that was because I thought it didn’t need to be said.” Master Otaro said shaking his head. “I do not mind the occasional brawl, it helps develop spells, but this. This can not go unpunished, in the past I would have expelled you from this world. But, I can not afford to do that with you, you are too far along and would pose a considerable danger to the Fabric if I let you go now.” Umbra gave a sigh of relief. “But I will take your ability to channel, you have no self-control Umbra, you can not face the addiction that magic infects the user with. Your complete lack of control over your magic is evidence of this. When you prove to me that you have the self-control to cast spells, I will return your ability to channel.” And with that Umbra was on the ground again. “Remember Umbra I am letting you off easy, if you harm another of my students again I will block your magic so completely you will not be able to use it for the rest of your short mortal life.”