The Oyxia Chronicles: Shadow of Lorian

I’m going to live here! It’s modest, sure,but tasteful, Elissa thought, feeling a slight disappointment.Life in her family’s house had been much more comfortable.

But at least no parents — you’re on yourown now! a mischievous thought flashed through her mind.

The mages’ quarters were on the second floor ofthe fortress, from where one could see the vast inner courtyards.Training sessions often took place there; the ringing of smiths’hammers could be heard, and the walls, seemingly saturated withancient magic, recalled the time when this fortress had been built. Afew steps led into spacious rooms, yet there was no sense of “home”here — it was rather a place for study and focused work. The wallswere adorned with magical runes that came alive at night, glowingsoftly and lighting the way.

A quiet fire in the hearth warmed the room,creating a cozy atmosphere. The flame was no ordinary fire — itpulsed like a living creature, responding to the presence of people.The fire in the fireplace didn’t just heat the air, it grantedstrength, as if guarding its guests. Elissa felt its warmth gentlydrawing her in, filling the space with gentle light, and her innerturmoil began to subside under its influence.

Everything in this space was harmonious: stonefireplaces with magical fire stood in the corners, gently heating theroom, and the walls were decorated with runes that glowed in thedark. Personal magical lights, responsive to emotions, changed theirbrightness and color, giving the room a special mood depending on thetime of day or the state of its inhabitants. In the corners stoodsmall magical “umbrellas” that created an aura of calm andshielded from external magical influences. Everything was infusedwith magic; every element had been carefully designed to providecomfort and protection in this magical place.

The room was full of life.

Students sat in the corners, absorbed in theiractivities. Some laughed, animatedly discussing something, swappingjokes and stories about their first successes in magic.

Nearby, several students sat at a table, intentlyturning the pages of ancient books, their eyes burning with thedesire to learn more about their craft. A few boys and girls stood bythe window trying to create sparks of fire, shouting spells andwatching magic crackle in their hands.

One boy, a concentrated expression on his face,tried to release flame from his palms, but so far his effortsproduced only thin streams of fire that quickly vanished in the air.

Wow! So many kids here and they’re allstudying magic! Soon I will be too! Leonard thought joyfully,looking around the hall.

A group of students walked up to another wall, andone of them, cupping his hands, slowly brought them toward a kettlestanding on the table. His hands radiated a soft flame, and he easilyheated the water, using his magic. His friends watched the processwith interest, as the fire flowed effortlessly from his palms.

In the corner of the room near the fireplace, asmall group of students sat together. They drank warm mulled wine,which gave off a pleasant aroma of cinnamon and oranges, warming themafter a long day. Their laughter and conversation sounded cheerfuland confident, creating an atmosphere of belonging.

Elissa, watching them, felt a twinge of envy. Itseemed they had already found their place here, had already becomepart of something she did not yet fully understand. Confidence shonein their eyes, and their voices carried that same magical energy thatfilled the castle.

Yet despite this outward atmosphere of joy andfreedom, Elissa felt a faint unease. There was still somethinguncertain in her soul. This place gave her a sense of strength,knowledge, and assurance, but she still couldn’t shake the thoughtthat she wasn’t prepared enough for this world. The fear of theunknown continued to haunt her, though she tried not to show it.Here, among these people, she was supposed to become part ofsomething great.

Leonard, on the other hand, felt more detached.All of this was something enormous and incomprehensible to him. Hewatched the other students, the ease with which they used theirmagic, how simply they created sparks or manipulated fire, and knewthat he would have to work long and hard to reach their level. Afeeling of insecurity grew in his heart. Here he was an outsider, andthat thought wouldn’t leave him.

He did feel a slight sense of calm, however, atElissa’s side. Her confidence and composure were like a solidsupport, allowing him not to get lost in this universe of magic andpower. His eyes unconsciously returned to her, and he felt her calmslowly spreading to him. It was a small spark, but in that moment itwarmed him.

When the guide pointed out the free spots preparedfor them and said goodbye, they were left alone, as if beginning anew stage of their lives.

Elissa quietly sat down on one of the beds,feeling a slight fatigue, and at the same time the thrill of knowingthis was not just a new stage in their travels, but a new step intheir lives as mages. She looked at the bed, tested the softness ofthe blanket, and relaxed a little, settling down and sinking intothought.

Leonard, unable to find a place for himself, wentto the window. He tugged on the heavy curtain, and a breathtaking andat the same time frightening view of Lorian opened before him. Hestood in the window’s shadow and squinted, peering into thelandscape.

Castle Lorian truly was majestic, rising at thevery peak of an ancient volcano like a crown upon the fiery lands.Its walls, black as the night sky, seemed alive, as if sculpted fromflame itself, holding heat and power within. The inner lightemanating from the castle walls flowed smoothly, casting soft fieryreflections across the surroundings. These walls seemed both eternaland fragile, like the magic that fed Lorian.

The slopes of the volcano, like the castle itself,were alive. Rivers of lava spread across the searing ground, carvingnew channels only to plunge back with a bright glow into the depthsof the dark earth. Smoke rose into the sky, merging with heatedclouds and painting them in golden-red shades. Everything around wasfilled with pulsing heat that permeated the air — it felt as if thecastle and the land merged into a single untamed force.

On the distant horizon, where the earth met thesky, Lorian resembled a mighty dragon, forever hungry for fire. Thecastle towers seemed to reach into the flames, as if they were partof the volcano itself. In the very heart of the castle lay an ancientsource of magic, a flame that never went out, not even in the dead ofnight, sustaining the flow of magical energy streaming through theveins of the land.

Leonard stood at the window, feeling the fullgreatness and might of this place. It was terrifying and mesmerizingat the same time. He sighed, and his gaze couldn’t help but latchonto the lights of a distant city.

Far away, against the bright fiery glow, he couldbarely make out small lights. He knew that city. It was Pyrenholm,Elissa’s home city. His heart gave a jolt, and for a moment itseemed to him that in that light was hidden an entire life he did notknow, a life he could not understand.

Pyrenholm really is a big city, Leonardthought, his gaze still lingering on the flickering lights in thedistance. He didn’t know what to feel. On the one hand, he knewthis place was full of opportunity and strength; on the other, hecouldn’t shake the sense of alienation and separation from his ownhome.

Pyrenholm was an old and powerful city, spreadingat the foot of an even older volcano that formed the foundation ofthe castle. Its breath could be felt everywhere — in the hot caves,the warm springs, in the heated wind that wandered the streets. Thecity was alive, breathing, and in that breath one could feel not onlythe energy of magic, but also the skill of the people who livedthere.

Pyrenholm was renowned for its blacksmiths, forits ability to create magical artifacts that were then tempered infire, transforming into something more than mere objects. Houses werebuilt of stone, and their walls were decorated with patterns burneddirectly into the rock. This city was full of life, traditions, andstrength. Everything there felt almost eternal.

But Lorian — that was something else entirely.In his mind Leonard compared these two places and felt two worldsmerging inside him. The Fire magic that connected and filled themboth remained a mystery to him.

“This is where we’ll live,” he said quietly,almost to himself, “with the other students. But what if they…are better than us?”

Elissa, sitting on the bed, listened to his words,and her heart tightened slightly. She couldn’t give a clear answerto that question. On the other hand, she knew that this castle was aplace where anyone could find their destiny — if only they acceptedit.

The land outside the window was now bathed ingolden rays of sunlight, and Elissa rose and came to stand besideLeonard. Together they looked at the ancient towers and the softlyglowing runes surrounding them.

In that moment there was something magical in howeverything around them was beginning to become part of their newreality. But they still did not know what awaited them ahead.

Chapter 9. The First Lesson with Ella Vilstir

Elissa slowly opened her eyes, feeling the cool morning air slip inthrough the slightly open window. The thin light of dawn lay softlyon the wooden walls of their shared dormitory. Something twistedinside her — a strange mixture of excitement and anticipation.Today would be their first real magic lesson.

Muted voices were already drifting across theroom. Someone yawned, someone rustled with clothes. Behind the thinpartition that separated their room from the boys’ section of thedorm, footsteps sounded and Leonard’s quiet voicefollowed:“Elissa, are you up?”

She stretched, shaking off the last remnants ofsleep, and sat up in bed. Her hair spilled over her shoulders, andher cheek tingled slightly from the hard pillow.“Yes,” sheanswered, brushing away her drowsiness.

Leonard peeked around the doorframe andsmirked.“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”