Chapter 1 - The Castle On The Cliffs
The storm arrived before the carriage did.
Thunder rolled across the cliffs like a warning as waves crashed violently against the jagged rocks below. Wind whipped through the tall grass and bent the old pine trees that lined the narrow road climbing toward the castle.
Arlen Veyra gripped the side of the carriage window as lightning tore across the sky.
For a brief moment, the entire horizon lit up.
And there it was.
The castle.
Stormfall Castle stood like a shadow against the clouds, its tall towers cutting through the stormy sky. Ancient stone walls wrapped around the cliff’s edge, and iron gates guarded the winding road that led to its entrance. Ever since the war of 5132, Stormfall has been rebuilt and made into a haven and school for those with abilities, those hated for what they can do. The headmaster renamed it Tempest Arcanum to avoid remembering the times of destruction, but everyone here knew that it didn’t matter if it was over 500 years ago; everyone had learned the history…
Another flash of lightning struck somewhere nearby.
Arlen felt something strange ripple through his hands.
A faint spark jumped between his fingers.
He quickly clenched his fists.
“Not now,” he muttered.
The carriage slowed as it approached the gate. The driver didn’t say a word, but Arlen could feel the tension in the air. Everyone who came to Tempest Arcanum felt it.
The place was different.
Charged.
The gates creaked open slowly as the carriage rolled forward.
Inside the courtyard, students were already gathering beneath the towering stone arches. Some carried small bags. Others stood in groups whispering nervously to each other.
Arlen stepped out of the carriage and pulled his coat tighter against the wind.
Lightning flashed again.
And again his fingers sparked.
He looked down quickly.
A thin thread of electricity flickered across his knuckles before disappearing.
Arlen sighed.
“Great,” he whispered.
A tall woman in dark robes stood near the castle doors, watching the arriving students carefully.
“Welcome to Tempest Arcanum,” she announced. “The academy for elemental discipline.”
Her voice echoed across the courtyard.
“If you are here, it means you possess a power few in the world understand. Fire. Smoke. Air… or Lightning.”
Arlen shifted uncomfortably.
Lightning.
That word seemed heavier than the others.
The woman continued.
“Inside these walls, you will learn to control your abilities. Without control, power becomes destruction.”
Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky.
Arlen couldn’t tell if the storm outside was getting stronger…
or if something inside him was responding to it.
The great doors of the old Stormfall Castle opened slowly.
As the students stepped inside, Arlen felt like he had just walked into the center of a storm, and there was no coming back from it.
