The Last Pendragon

Chapter 1

Three years earlier...

Lyza rapped the bottom of her pencil against the table, glaring at the empty sheet of paper in front of her with a sigh.

“Still stuck?”

Glancing up, Lyza met the gaze of her best friend, Eira. “Yeah. I mean, typing on a computer is way easier than trying to write the runes from scratch. Why do they make us write it on parchment anyway? Haven’t they noticed that we’re in the 21st century and not back in the Dark Ages anymore?”

Eira rolled her eyes with a laugh. “Automated runes on the computers don’t actually produce magic. You can type them on a keyboard until your fingers bleed, but it won’t help you learn the more advanced spells. Parchment, as Dark Ages as it seems, is the only way. We’re in college; not high school anymore, Lyza. It’s time for us to move on beyond Fireballs and charm spells.”

Lyza opened her mouth to respond, but before she had a chance, hands came over her eyes, blocking her vision. “Let me guess… My handsome fiancé has come to rescue me from the bores of Traditional Spellcasting?”

The hands slid off her eyes as Norak expertly slid onto the seat on her right side. “Yes, and I have the perfect date planned. How does a picnic under the Lyric Tree sound?”

Chuckling, Lyza bit on the end of her pencil, ignoring the rubbery taste of the eraser. “I would say that you’re not normally so romantic.”

Norak smiled and leaned in closer to her so close she could feel his hot breath on her skin, making her shiver. “I’ve already proposed to you. Whatever could I be up to?”

Lyza brushed her lips against his and simultaneously, their mouths opened, deepening the kiss. Her whole life, she had bounced from one Mage family to the next, never being wanted. Norak loved her, made her feel like someone actually cared for once. Unlike everyone else in her life, he stayed. She had no idea what she would do without him.

Eira cleared her throat. “Guys, seriously, no PDA. Get a room!”

Norak and Lyza both grinned and walked out of the Mage Tower Library, hand-in-hand.

*****

“So what’s the story behind this tree again?” Lyza chewed on a bite of cheese, glancing at Norak who sat on a blanket beside her.

Above them, the Lyric Tree casted a shadow over the two lovers, aided by glowing violet energy flowing around it.

“Many years ago,” Norak began, “a young male mage took his girlfriend here to propose to her. He sang a song of lightness, freedom, and the sky. It ended with how she made him feel free, as light as air. When she said yes, they were both so happy and elated that their magic bled into the tree. It began to float above them and it’s been that way ever since. Some say if you’re quiet, you can even hear the young man’s voice, still singing to his soon to be bride.”

Lyza chuckled, shaking her head. “Maybe we should be quiet. I hope he sings better than you though.”

Norak poked her. “Ha-ha, very funny. I didn’t take Charm Singing like you did in high school. Keep up with this sarcastic attitude and I just might have to do something about it.”

Lyza lifted a smooth eyebrow. “Oh? Like…?” She leaned back, eyeing him seductively.

Sliding his arm around her waist, Norak planted a kiss on her cheek and then moved to kiss her lips. As she closed her eyes and pressed closer to him, Norak’s fingers began tickling her sides.

The insane feeling of fingertips brushing her skin overcame her and she laughed, despite how hard she squirmed to escape him. Norak’s arms were firm on her own, however, leaving her in the torturous agony of being at his mercy. “Okay, okay… Norak, stop! I can’t breathe, Nor - Norak!”

Norak finally released her as Lyza took a deep breath, lying back on the blanket. He laid back and rolled over to face her. Their eyes met. His were a soft blue, almost glowing in the shadows cast from the Lyric Tree. Black, sleek hair fell into his eyes, his lips turned up into a wide smile, revealing rows of white teeth. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered, brushing a strand of her straight crimson hair behind her ear. His tanned skin traced over her own - quite the opposite, because of how pale her complexion was.

Butterflies danced and fluttered in her stomach and Lyza couldn’t help the huge grin that took over her expression. Joy filled her as her calm, gray eyes held his. “I can’t wait to marry you, Norak Morbrook.”

Norak’s half-lidded eyes closed. “Two months to go, my future wife. Two months to go.”

*****

That night, Lyza turned on her computer, which popped on to a screen featuring all sorts of magical runes. “It’s way easier on here,” she muttered to herself, gazing at a few she needed.

Her assignment for Traditional Spellcasting was to successfully cast a Novice level Amplified Optics spell. On the computer, all she had to do was type simple English searches in the MSE - Magical Search Engine - such as: “vision, increase, enhancement,” and then the runes would appear on screen. All she would have to do is click: SPELLCAST and it would automatically combine the runes for her into a Traditional Spellcasting rune.

On paper?

She had to figure it all out on her own; which particular Single Runes to use, how to draw them - which she was a terrible artist - and how they were supposed to properly be combined. Already she had tried four different versions and each one failed in enhancing her vision. In order to pass, the Amplified Optics spell had to be good enough that she could “visualize the molecules in the air,” according to her Traditional Spellcasting professor, Dr. Nave.

A swirl of bright energy appeared in the air in front of her - a magical instant message. The energy formed into something looking more like a young human girl and less like a random swirl of magical energy.  Despite that the energy was bright orange, Lyza could tell that she shape of the features was her friend Azame. Azame’s voice echoed from the energy version of her, stating the message in her exact voice. “There is a Magirave at Yorin’s tonight and he’s seriously invited me. I obviously cannot go without my bestie. See you there?”

Lyza closed her eyes, pulling energy out of her body, fueled by her frustration with homework and her deep desire to go party with all her friends. She imagined her own energy forming into a floating, energy-version of herself. Unlike Azame’s, which had been orange for fun - the extra burnt orange tint no doubt because Azame was drunk with Fae drinks - Lyza’s energy was a dark green. “Sorry, Azame. I can’t. I have to get this assignment done for Dr. Nave or I’m going to flunk so bad,” Lyza said into the dark green energy version of herself. It disappeared and she sat back down on her bed.

Azame and Yorin were probably back together, otherwise Azame definitely would have found a different Magirave to go to. If Lyza changed her mind, she could ask Norak to meet her. Eira would probably already be there with Azame along with their other two friends, Halri and Widdia. Ugh, they’re probably having so much fun right now, Lyza thought in frustration. Seeing her skin glow dark green with her frustrated mood only succeeded in reminding her what she was missing. With a sigh, she glanced back at the piece of parchment and continued working.

Using her pencil, she made a swirl and sharp point of a vision rune, leading it into the criss-cross of an Apprentice Level enhancement rune. Suddenly, her computer buzzed, scaring her.

The pencil had scribbled on the page, ruining what rune she had. With a frustrated groan, Lyza clicked on the notification and out popped an email.

I’ve found more information on your true heritage. You still interested? The email was written in runic and even though Lyza wasn’t very good at handwriting them, she was excellent at reading them. She instantly translated it and then thought of her reply, using the runic keyboard on her laptop, rather than the English one.

I told you, I’m done looking into it. It was a project in high school, until I figured out it was a lot more serious than that when I graduated. I’m almost finished with my Freshman year at college and I’m getting married in two months this summer. Seriously, just quit looking into it, alright? Thanks for all your help.

Lyza chewed on her lower lip worriedly. She was born an orphan and had lived in the local orphanage until she came of age. Despite her lowly origins, she made lots of friends in high school and even more in college. In 11th grade, she began researching her family bloodline for an assignment. She didn’t have to go too far back, but that’s when she found out she was related to the Pendragons.

Arthur Pendragon was her distant grandfather.

In the city of Vergis, located on the Mage island of Nithal, the Pendragons were banished. Long ago, Arthur Pendragon cast a curse on Mages that meant anytime they used magic openly in front of a non-magic user, the human would attack and try to kill them. Ever since then, Mages had hidden and only used magic in secret. They found an island in between Japan and Australia and used magic to hide it from the world. All Mages had been living there ever since and only visited the human world when they needed to. Despite being forced into hiding from humans, the Mages made it their life’s goal to break the curse, even now, generations later.

The only way to do that was to kill the entire Pendragon family line.

From what Lyza knew, there were only a few left, but they were all hiding in the human world. No one knew anything beyond that. If the Mages found out she was a Pendragon, they would execute her. She had kept this a secret for four years, but had only stopped investigating her bloodline further when she joined college and things got serious. No, Lyza just needed to forget she had ever discovered who she really was.

The direct descendant of Arthur himself.