Sordid Sorcery: A Harem Fantasy, page 1
Sordid Sorcery
a harem fantasy
Scot C Morgan
Copyright © Scot C. Morgan (2019).
All rights reserved.
https://scotcmorgan.com
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Cover illustration by Artur Nakhodkin.
https://www.artstation.com/artur_nakhodkin
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Thank you for reading
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Other Books By Scot C Morgan
Chapter 1
Tal flipped through the pages of his favorite book for the forty-seventh time. He had read it once every couple of weeks since his grandfather gave it to him nearly two years ago, before the fellow magic lore enthusiast—the only father Tal had known—passed on to the Other. Tal's grandmother—Gram to him—didn't quite understand their fascination with something reserved for the people in the towers, but remained supportive of Tal's interest, nonetheless.
Tal heard a knock on his bedroom door.
"Yes?" He turned his black-haired head a little as he answered, but his eyes stayed on the page he'd been reading—an entry on the lost magical artifact known as the Staff of Five Pieces.
"You have a letter." His Gram sounded excited.
Could it be, after writing them so many times?
One letter of application per month for two years, and he'd never gotten a reply.
Gram got at least one letter every week, always from her sister in Crowsgate, a town sixty miles away and slightly larger than the one Gram and Tal called home, living in the house his grandfather built. Gram and her sister, Esmer, wrote each other to catch up on what was happening, to share recipes, and to talk about the weather. But this was Tal's first letter, and he knew it wasn't about the weather.
He nearly knocked his chair over when he got up to rush to the door. Swinging it open, he saw Gram holding the letter in front of her. She smiled at him.
He stared at the unexpected missal for a moment before taking it from her. "Thanks, Gram. Do you think it's?"
She nodded toward the envelope. "Look on the other side."
He turned it over. On the back side of the otherwise plain beige envelope was a gold pattern of concentric circles, each partially incomplete, all of it moving, as if the lines were continuously flowing over the paper to form the seal.
He touched the lines and felt them move, unaltered by his fingertips.
Gram cleared her throat. "You going to open it?"
He glanced at her, then grinned. "Yes."
"I tried, of course," she said. "Couldn't pry it open, though. Not a normal envelope, I suppose."
He grinned and shook his head at her.
Nodding toward the sealed letter, she said, "You give it a try."
He worked his thumbnail under the small portion near the edge of the folded piece, easily peeling the paper back until the envelope was open.
"They closed it up with magic," Gram said. "I'm sure you'll learn to do that one day."
Tal wasn't convinced she had actually tried to open it, but he appreciated her theatrics, if that's what they were. He removed the letter, unfolded it, and read it aloud.
Tal Truswell of the town of Pole,
Your persistence has paid off. The numerous references you've made in your many letters made clear to us your enthusiasm and interest in the magical world and its history.
However, it is also clear to us you are currently or have been in possession of an early edition of Magic Lore and Legends Down Through the Ages. Reading your past letters, we can tell the book is a rare edition which our library does not possess, and which does not belong outside the walls of the Guild.
If you still possess or have access to this book, you will present it when you arrive at the gate to the Guild tower in Wooddale by sunset on this week's coming day of repose. At such time, you will be accepted into the Guild as an aspirant, as you have persistently requested. Whether you rise above that position or are dismissed from the Guild before the new year will depend on your conduct while you are with us to train in magic.
Bring this letter—and the book, if you still have it—and be on time or this offer is withdrawn. This is the only letter you will receive from us on this matter.
Headmaster Zardmel
The Guild, Magical Authority and Keeper of the Realm
As soon as Tal had read aloud the last word, the letter slipped from his hands and folded itself before flying back into the envelope, which then closed. The magical seal glowed for a few seconds until the moving pattern stopped, losing its luster at the same time.
Tal looked at his grandmother. "Repose is in two days. The letter must've been delayed somehow."
"You have time. If you leave in the morning, you'll make it to Wooddale well before sunset the day after tomorrow. The roads will be quiet going into the end of the week. No chance to catch a ride with the merchants. Everyone will be at home. You'll have to walk."
He felt an urge to rush out the door and run to Wooddale that very moment. "Maybe I should leave tonight."
"And risk the shadow dwellers outside city walls? You know they prey at night."
Tal nodded. "Yes. You're right. First thing in the morning then."
"You're finally getting what you've always wanted."
He stared at his Gram's face. "You'll be alone when I go."
She chuckled. "Don't be ridiculous, Tal. I'm hardly alone. I'm not the one who spends half of everyday shut away in my room." She paused, and the change in her expression made it clear she regretted the unintended harshness of her words. "Don't get me wrong. Your dedication to this dream and those books Grandpa gave you are why it's finally paying off for you. But don't worry about leaving me here. I'll be plenty busy enough at the bakery, and you know one of my friends is over nearly every other day." She tilted her head a little and looked kindly at Tal. "And my sister isn't too far. It'd be a shame if you backed out on your lifelong dream because of me. I don't think I could live with myself if you did."
"Okay. Okay." Tal laughed and shook his head. "Wow. I can tell you're ready to get rid me. Alright. I'll go."
"Tal." She looked him square in the eye. "You know I'll miss you, but this is your chance. You and Grandpa always talked about this day."
Tal smiled and nodded. "Yes. I wish he were here to see me off."
"He knew what I know. You'll become a great sorcerer, like Fizda."
"Thanks, Gram. Though I don't know if Fizda would be considered a great sorcerer."
She gently smacked his shoulder. "Don't be disrespectful."
"Sorry, Gram. He's good, I'm sure. It's just that I've never seen him do anything. That's all." Tal looked past her toward his room, which had a view of Fizda's tower. "I also wish he would take visitors."
"Pole hasn't had any trouble like Crowsgate? Fizda must be better than whoever watches over Crowsgate."
"Dergal," Tal said.
"Right."
"I suppose we've been lucky."
"We have been lucky to have such a dedicated sorcerer watch over our town. Just because you don't see his magic doesn't mean he isn't doing it to keep us safe. There are real dangers in the realm." She looked out the kitchen window and shook her head. "And outside the realm." Turning back to face him, she said, "I'm just thankful the Guild exists."
"So am I."
She smiled, reaching up and rubbing both his shoulders with her hands. "And soon you'll be one of them." She sighed. "Your Grandpa would be so proud."
"I'll learn every ounce of magic the realm has ever known."
"Just do your best. I hear they only take up to ten aspirants each year. Less if there aren't enough towns with an open post. They must've seen something in your letters which showed them how special you are."
"They want one of Grandpa's books."
"Oh." Gram tried to hide her surprise from her face by rubbing the side of her nose for a moment. "How did they-"
"Must've been some of the things I mentioned in my letters."
"Just one?"
"Lore and Legends." He saw her brow furrow a little. "It's okay. I've read it so many times, i
"What about the other books?"
Tal shrugged. "They only mentioned the one. So, I'll bring them, but keep them tucked inside my bag." His gaze drifted for a second. "I'm sure there will be many more books in the Guild tower to keep me busy, though."
"Well," Gram said, the concern fading from her forehead, "make sure you hang on to the rest of those books. Especially that little one. Grandpa went through a lot to get it. And he wanted you to keep that one for sure, as you know."
"I know. I promise. I will."
Tal woke the next morning as the sun's rays shone through the woods at the edge of town, bringing a golden dappled light into his room. He got out of bed and walked to the window to take in the view of the town, which mostly sat lower than the cobblestone home he shared with Gram, which, along with a few other houses, took up one of only two hilltops in Pole.
He leaned to his left to get a view of Fizda's tower, which stood four times higher than any other building in the valley of the town, but only slightly higher than Tal's window, due to the hill. He'd never spoken to Fizda, nor had he seen the inside of the tower. Few had. Sorcerers were known to be reclusive, assumed to be too busy with matters of extraordinary importance to spend time socializing.
But Tal had seen a few people coming and going from the tower on several of his daily walks down the street which passed in front of its gated courtyard. He tried to speak with one of the visitors once, but the man either didn't hear him or ignored him as he walked off. He'd even once attempted to open the gate to the wall around the tower courtyard, thinking he'd knock on the door and ask to speak to Fizda, or maybe one of the people who worked with him. But the gate was locked—likely magically, as it was known the wall itself had an impenetrable magical barrier extending high above it, all the way around the tower courtyard.
Tal smiled at catching the smell of cooked eggs wafting in from the kitchen on the other side of the cottage. He usually helped Gram make breakfast, but she evidently had awoken before her usual time to make sure he got an early start on his journey to Wooddale. He got dressed, putting on his pants, boots, and long-sleeve shirt. He donned his blue vest too, knowing the walk to Wooddale would be chilly, at least the first half of each morning. Besides, it was his favorite thing to wear, so he had to make sure he brought it to the Guild tower—unsure how long it would be before he could return to Pole for a visit. He stepped into the back room to wet the bucket of cedar shavings before topping it off with another handful, splashed some water on his face from the basin, and went to the kitchen.
He took a seat and Gram placed a plate of eggs paired with hashed and buttered potatoes in front of him. Then she set her own plate down on the table and took her seat.
"Thanks, Gram."
She smiled. "I knew you'd be wanting to head out first thing, but I didn't want you to go on an empty stomach."
He nodded and began eating. "Yes," he said as he chewed. "I want to head out soon."
She nodded.
Tal swallowed the bite he was working on and put his fork down. "You know I'll come back to see you as soon as I can."
Gram smiled and reached over to pat his hand. "Don't you worry about me. Focus on your studies. Only a select group of aspirants each year. You're probably the only one of the five hundred people in Pole. Remember that. I know you'll do well. I'll see you when you have time, but I'll be fine until then." She smiled at him. "I want to give you something." She stood up. "I've been keeping this a secret for a long time. I had it made over a year ago. I knew this day would come."
"What is it?"
Gram held out her forefinger. "Wait here and finish your breakfast. It'll take me a minute to dig it out." She took a few steps away from the table, then turned back with a grin. "I hid it really good, so it would be a surprise when you were ready for it."
"Well, go get it already." Tal chuckled.
He tried to imagine what it could be as she disappeared into her room for a minute.
More Books?
He glanced across the table to the sitting room. He could see the two blankets draped over the couch. Gram made them both, working on them here and there in her spare time in the evenings. A blanket? They were well crafted, but patterned with flowers and birds. He had nothing against flowers or birds, but he hoped whatever she had for him wasn't a blanket.
He finished his breakfast while glancing repeatedly toward her room, waiting for her to come out.
As he swallowed the last bite of his potatoes, she returned to the kitchen. Approaching the table, she held up her gift for him—a thick brown leather apron with an attached belt and pouches, also leather. In one hand she held the single wide leather strap it had, meant to go over the shoulder. Tal recognized the design from one of the books on magic his Grandpa had given him. The middle portion of the magic practitioner's apron—on a large piece of well-tanned hide designed to cover the wearer's torso—had a row of seven small leather loops, which Tal knew were there to hold small vials or flasks containing potions. There were no vials, of course, and Tal guessed the several lesser pouches running the length of the belt were empty too, along with the two larger pouches hanging down from either side of the belt—though he couldn't see inside any of them, since they all had closing flaps of leather with clasps.
It was perfect, he thought. His eyes were wide. A feeling of warmth and appreciation welled up from deep inside him.
Gram held it before him, a huge grin on her face.
Tal stood up. "How?"
She tilted her head a little and shrugged. "I had to have something to spend my money from the bakery on."
He stepped closer to the sorcerer's apron, still running his eyes over all the details. "Thank you, Gram. It's absolutely perfect."
She handed it to him. "Put it on. Let me see if it fits."
He did, first slipping off his blue vest, so he could put the apron's strap over his shirt directly, across his left side. He ran the belt around his waist and buckled it, then put his favorite blue vest back on. He looked down at the apron and ran his fingers over the pouches, unclasping one and lifting the cover. The pouch was empty, but he was already imagining the sort of things he'd fill it with—spell ingredients, once he knew what those should be, a jar of healing salve, maybe a few coins too. He thought he might get a small enough familiar that it could hang out in one of the pouches, always there to help him when needed.
He nodded with satisfaction, then looked at Gram again. "It's exactly right." He knew such a garment was less common among magic users nowadays, but so many of the great ones he'd read about wore such an apron. Wearing it, he somehow already felt more capable of magic, though he had little idea how to actually do magic—a closely-guarded secret by the Guild.
"I'm glad," Gram said. She glanced around him to the table. "Good. You had time to eat."
"Oh!" Tal looked out the window behind him. The morning light had come over the trees to paint a golden glow across the dirt and pebbles of the road beyond the small patch of green in front of their house. "I need to get going."
Gram sighed before stepping up to Tal and hugging him. She released him and looked him in the eye. "This is your time now. Go and do your best."
"I will, Gram. I'll become the greatest sorcerer the realm has ever known."
She pressed her lips and rolled them inward as she nodded. "Just be yourself and work hard. You don't need to be the greatest. Just be good. Enjoy it and do your best, and all will be fine."
"Thanks, Gram. But I've wanted this all my life. I plan to learn and master everything about magic I can."
