The black void formed into two figures, one was unmistakably Nyx, she sat and watched Umbra. The second figure stood behind Nyx, a man with great black bird wings, his face hidden by an intricately carved mask. They watched her intently, and Umbra could do nothing but weather their intense gaze.

Umbra came awake in the light of the sun and shivered. That was an unsettling dream. She looked around, she was still at the same tree where she had fallen unconscious, Carn lay at her side, “how am I alive.” She reached around to feel the extent of the damage left by the beast. There was no open wound only dried blood and the small raised bumps on her skin; the scars of the Duchess’s whipping. There was no pain either, had she dreamed of the confrontation with the beast. No that can’t be right, she knew how to cast her first spell, although she would not be able to explain how it worked if someone asked.

Something moved out of the corner of her eye, she grabbed Carn and tried to stand, almost fainting from the effort. There was no open wound on her back, but she was extremely weak. “Umbra, I was wondering when you were going to awake,” Jeeani’s voice called as she walked into view, carrying the odd fruits Umbra had seen laid on the dining table. Umbra relaxed.

“Did you save me?” Umbra asked.

“Who else but me,” Jeeani said letting out her distinctive musical laugh.

“How did you?”

“That is what my magic is for,” Jeeani replied. And Umbra felt an ugly flush of envy, to be able to heal and sustain life, instead of taking it away. “What are you doing out here anyway, it is a far way from the estate.”

“Trying to find something dangerous,” Umbra said and grimaced.

“I’d guess by your wound you managed to annoy the snarlark, that is probably the most dangerous thing on the island,” Jeeani said, handing Umbra one of the fruits she held.

“Oh, well maybe I should’ve been a bit more careful.”

“I assume this danger seeking was for a spell; did you manage to get it before you got mauled.”

“Yes,” and Umbra smiled a proper smile, at least something of worth had come from this. Jeeani patted her hand.

“You lost a lot of blood, you should probably rest before leaving,” Jeeani said and left. Umbra finished the fruit Jeeani had left behind and fell into a contented nap.

Jeeani was gone when Umbra woke. Did Jeeani live in the forest now, it was full of life just like her, the trees were green, the vegetation dense, birds sang and Umbra lay in the long soft grass. She felt better than she had in a long time. She had a spell now, Master Otaro would unblock her channel.

Umbra stood and stretched it was noon and the shadows cast by the trees darkened the forest. Umbra set off back to the estate, time to find Master Otaro.

Umbra had been walking for close to an hour and was irritated at how long it was taking her when she came to the realisation that she didn’t need to walk, she had her spell. The forest was dark but only the shadows of the trees were dark enough for Umbra to move to. It was surprisingly simple, all darkness was connected, as long as she was in the darkness she could move through it.

Umbra focused on a distant shadow and instinctively released some magic, controlling the rest as best she could. The feeling of travelling through the darkness was gross like sliding through mud, but it only lasted a second. She reoriented herself, it was exhilarating to travel so quickly and easily. Umbra could feel the darkness in a web around her and it was so easy to jump between their connecting strings travelling rapidly towards the estate, the longer the jump the more magic it took, but as long as she kept them small they took an unnoticeable amount of magic.

She arrived back at the estate in under an hour, far shorter than the hours of walking she had done to get that far into the forest. Nora and Hayao were outside in the courtyard, Nora – Umbra was surprised to see – was standing on the highest branch of the tall dead tree, short fair hair in disarray, wind whipping around her, and flapping out her too big shirt she was laughing, And Hayao stood on the ground beneath the tree wondrous eyes and a happy smile on his face.

Nora jumped and instead of plummeting to the ground, she floated down like a feather, spinning, her happy laughter filled the courtyard, and Umbra was reminded of the aurai at the festival, so long ago. It would be nice to have fun with magic like that, thought Umbra glumly.

Umbra used her spell to bypass the courtyard jumping to the shadow of the entrance. She stepped into the building and suddenly Master Otaro was before her. “I see you have learnt a spell. Come with me.” Umbra followed him wondering how he always seemed to know what was going on in his estate.

Master Otaro led Umbra a short way through the estate, and stopped at a small door, he pushed it open revealing a cozy room containing two chairs facing each other over a table. He sat in the chair facing the doorway and pointed at the other chair, Umbra took a seat. “This is probably one of my favourite rooms, small and private, it is the perfect place for a civil conversation, don’t you think?” Umbra looked around and shrugged.

“I suppose.”

“Might I ask what spell you learnt,” Master Otaro asked.

“It is hard to explain, but basically I can move to shadows instantly if I stand in one.”

“Ahh, shadow jumping,” Master Otaro said. “Dark orientated, uncommon and exceptionally valuable, a lucky acquisition.” Umbra just nodded, she didn’t feel that lucky.

“Can I have my channelling back now,” Umbra asked.

“I am not sure you are ready for it yet.”

“You said I could have it back after I got a spell,” Umbra said, the shadows under her skin whipping into a frenzy.

“Calm yourself, you are not aiding your cause. I will return your channelling as I said I would, but that does not mean you are ready.” Umbra relaxed, the shadows on her skin quietening. “I suggest the block stay in place until I think you ready, but it is up to you.” Umbra shook her head.

“No I want it back,” Umbra said trying to keep her voice calm, but some of the need broke into her voice.

“Then you will, but remember, if you bring any harm to your fellow students again, far worse consequences will follow.” Umbra nodded, and she breathed a sigh of relief when the block was removed. “You may go now,” Master Otaro said, he seemed almost disappointed.

Umbra headed to her room immediately there was darkness to channel there, and she really wanted to channel.

Channelling darkness did not bring any sort of euphoria, only a slight soothing sensation. Umbra was getting barely any magic from it even with her channels as open as wide as they would go. It only made her want to channel death magic increase. She couldn’t do this.

Umbra shadow jumped through the estate and out into the courtyard. It was night now and she was no longer refrained to the shadows of the trees, Umbra shot towards the forest, it was time to test a theory.

Umbra found a young buck and drew Carn, it was a simple matter to kill it. Umbra simply stepped into being beside it and thrust her dagger into its head, killing it instantly. She felt the magic of death and opened her channels to it and was disappointed immediately, it was better than the darkness by a wide margin but it did not come close to her time with the dead body. Not only did an animals death attract far less magic, but it also lacked the potency, complexity, and depth of the magic she had channelled from the sentient being’s death. She groaned in frustration, and hunted down more animals, Umbra knew she could go to the city, but it didn’t feel right to kill a person just so she could channel magic, even though she wanted to desperately, she would control herself.

Each animal only gave her about an hour of subpar channelling, and stoked her frustration.

Umbra travelled through the night incredibly fast, appearing for a split second before disappearing again. She had given up on the animals, they only frustrated her. Umbra wanted nothing more than to turn around and head towards the city. Maybe she wasn’t ready for this like Master Otaro had said. Even with all that time spent controlling her magic she was still mentally weak. It had only taken a matter of hours before she was desperate for death magic again.

Umbra was now further away from the estate then she had ever been. She didn’t know how far she had travelled – it was different now she moved so fast – but judging from the open expanse of land and nothing distinctive in sight behind her she was a fair distance from the estate. There was something in front though, far off in the distance. It looked like tents, maybe two dozen set up in a circular formation.

Umbra jumped closer, she could make out odd creatures, they stood on two feet, had green scales and long tails. They looked like lizards walking on two feet, Umbra thought.

Umbra watched the lizard people, they appeared partially civilized, if a bit savage. Most were naked, but some wore animal skins, Umbra spotted a couple with a child between them. They seemed sentient, and Umbra couldn’t help but wonder if they died like animals or people. She only needed to kill one to see.

Umbra drew Carn, she could see a lone lizard-person on a far ridge he carried a spear and seemed to be coming back from some distant place, probably scouting. He was the perfect target and Umbra pushed her shadows out her skin, making her effectively invisible in the night and shadow-jumped towards him.

Umbra jumped one last time her, dagger prepared to plunge into the lizard-things neck. But as soon as she appeared next to the lizard it reacted faster than Umbra thought possible. It whipped the butt of its spear around and into Umbra’s face stunning her and sending her reeling back. She held her hand to her face she was bleeding from a wound to her head, it stung but adrenaline was masking the pain.

“You reek of death,” The lizard hissed in barely recognisable common. Umbra snarled, her head hurt and she didn’t want to talk. She shadow-jumped behind him thrusting Carn into his side, she felt him moving as the knife ripped through his side, and desperately jumped again. And stumbled when she reappeared, she felt weak, her magic was depleted, Umbra didn’t have proper control over her spell when she casted it in a rush and it had sapped far too much magic. “Trickster, fight me,” It hissed in annoyance, it was wounded blueish blood leaked from the hole in his side, which covered with a clawed hand. Umbra was weak but she knew she only needed to wait for it to bleed out, the fight was over.

It seemed to know that as well, it looked at her carefully revealing a level of intelligence Umbra hadn’t expected in these creatures. Umbra saw its body tense and she readied herself. It threw her spear at her and Umbra desperately flung herself away too scared to use her magic in fear of depleting the small reserves left.

The lizard was stumbling towards the tents as fast as it could, which wasn’t very fast as it cradled its wound. Umbra smiled she knew she had won and using some of her precious remaining magic she shadow-jumped directly behind the lizard-thing and stuck her knife into its head, it crumpled to the floor dead and Carn thrummed in satisfaction. And Umbra couldn’t help but agree with the knife, there was something intoxicating about defeating an opponent, proving that she was stronger, that she was better.

His death was like that man’s and she was itching to channel, but worry that the other lizard people might see her come morning was scary, given that one was a match for her during the night. She dragged his heavy body over the ridge, aided by the magic flowing through her. As soon as she was out of sight she opened her channels and collapsed next to him.

His death was almost as good as the man's, almost. It lacked complexity and fell behind slightly in potency but there was a great deal of it and it felt fantastic.

She came out of her trance as night fell once again, judging by the body it had only been a day, it was nowhere near as far gone as that disgusting rotted corpse she awakened to the first time. She smiled she felt better than she had in months, that euphoric feeling suffused her and she stretched out with her magic feeling the darkness and the remnants of death. The magic she had gained from this lizard thing was slightly less than from the man but it still added a sizable amount to her growing reserves.

Animals were a sad pale image of this. And channelling darkness even more so. There wasn’t much of a difference between killing these people than the ones in the city she knew that but at least these were warriors and fighters, not defenceless innocent people who she could kill in one blow. And the fight and victory was an intoxicating feeling, that added to the allure.

Umbra walked up to the ridge to watch the lizard people below, maybe she would stay awhile, she would pay back Dovrag for all the missed lessons, but this was a temptation she couldn’t ignore, there had to be at least fifty people in those tents, more magic than Umbra could fathom.

She watched from the ridge, thinking.