A Mage's Power (Journey to Chaos) by Brian Wilkerson Page B

looked guilty; not
“spilled milk” guilty but  “defiled a grave” guilty.
    “No, of course not,” Aio said, his voice thick with sorrow. “The
Siduban Chaos Explosion was the greatest tragedy of the modern era. Hundreds
died in the initial explosion and thousands more by the chaotic fallout and
mana mutation. The increase in the monster population pushed the death toll
even higher, all on top on a famine and civil war. By the time . . . “ He swallowed.
“S tability was restored, the death toll reached the millions.”
    “I'm so sorry, Aio . . .” Eric said, “Is that why you left?”
    Aio smiled crookedly. “Yeah.”
    In Social Studies, Eric learned that Ataidar was a
theocratic limited-monarchy that stood between the Latlis Sea and the Yacian
Mountains. It shared a border with the Absolute Monarchy of Latrot and
Theocratic Democracy of Mithra to the south, Theocratic Federation of Rlawader
to the north, Principality of Liclis to the west and the Chiefdom of Kyraa to
the east beyond the mountains. Ataidar's relationship with them had been
friendly for decades, but five years ago, it became estranged with Latrot.
    Five years ago, the capital of the Dukedom of Stratos
vanished overnight. In its place was a ruin full of monsters and the vapor form
of mana known as “Fog.” The potent mist spread across the countryside until it
encompassed the majority of the dukedom. National rescue teams combed the area
but could only find a handful of survivors. None of them knew what happened.
They could only say a horde of monsters overwhelmed their defenses. Stratos was
the southernmost district between Ataidar and Latrot; King Ataidar sent an
envoy demanding an explanation from the new king.  
    Three years earlier, Latrot had been a republic with a
ceremonial monarch, but a civil war triggered by famine elevated the monarchy
to absolute power. During the war, a research facility at Siduban blew up and
created a Chaotic Zone of monsters and Fog that was suspiciously similar to
Stratos. With the country still viewed as unstable by the international
community there were fears that this power had been weaponized. The envoy
returned singing King Latrot's praises. but this only made Ataidar more
suspicious; King Latrot studied ordercraft, the Art of Control.
    In the following years, King Ataidar, not wanting bloodshed
over a misunderstanding, stood with the dove faction. Latrot assured Ataidar
that its military had nothing to do with the Stratos Tragedy and offered to
send a regiment into Ataidar to help clean up the mess. He was graciously
turned down.
    Eric read over his notes in the hall to make sure he
understood everything . . . Famine, monster outbreaks, civil war . . .No
wonder Aio left . . . The bell rang and he dumped all his things into a bag
and rushed inside. His friends were already there and a second question drilled
in Eric's mind.
    “Annala . . .uh . . . I was curious . . .um . . .curious . .
.” He avoided looking directly at Annala and scratched the back of his neck. “About—”
    She stopped at her desk. “It's my ears, right? And my hair
color.” Eric nodded meekly. “I'm an elf, not a trickster. I am not a
manifestation of Lady Chaos' will, like the tricksters, nor like them am I made
of chaos. I just have dominant genes.”
    “Was it . . .mana mutation?”
    “Not necessarily . . .” Annala said evasively. “The first
elves descended from the Celestial Realms to bring magecraft to the mortal
world.”
    “That's the legend, anyway,” Aio added. This statement made
Annala tug her ear so Eric dropped the subject, but curiosity was his best
trait.
      The elves were a secretive race. There was little in the
school's library, the public library, and even the internet; only records of
wars and one-sided diplomatic missions. Only a handful of humans in history had
ever been to an elfin village and the elves always took precautions to make
sure their guests never learned too much. Eric grimaced at the