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Mirage Faction Vendors

Perhaps one of the most confusing additions included in the November 2016 update is the idea of Mirage Faction Vendors. This name is actually a little misleading. The ‘Faction’ Vendors aren’t actually much different than the vendors you’ve already encountered in every other world. To start, let’s take a look at which NPCs classify as Faction Vendors.

There are at least 3 known so far in the first half of Mirage: 

1. Guillermel (Camel near the Spiral Door in Caravan)
2. Robin (‘The Hoods’, near the Sultana’s place in Aggrobah)
3.  Captain Kettay (Near the House Purrzian Assailants in Caterwaul Canyon)

The example we’re going to use in this article is Captain Kettay, the Tabbi Faction Vendor.

Captain Kettay serves as the House Tabbi Faction Vendor, though you wouldn’t really know it based on her appearance and what she’s selling. Captain Kettay, like all of the Faction Vendors, serve as both a Housing and an Equipment Vendor. Don’t get too excited; The gear they sell (one hat, robe, boots without any stats) is merely for cosmetic purposes. The only ‘Equipment’ of interest is their respective faction’s Magic Carpet Mount (sold for 75,000 gold on Test). The Tabbi Magical Carpet is the blue-colored variant located below. [This is unlocked through only the Tabbi General badge]

And of course, you’ll also be able to buy other Housing goods from each. Items include 2 Mirage-themed Housing NPCs, a Faction Banner (Wall Hanging Item), and a respective Tapestry. All four of the Tabbi Faction’s items are shown in this picture below.

You’ll note that upon first meeting each of these vendors, you won’t be able to buy anything from them. This is where the ‘Faction’ part of Faction Vendor comes in. While you can see all of the items available to you, the ‘Buy’ button will be greyed out until you obtain certain badges. Which badges? Well, they’re actually ones we’ve been getting all along. Do you remember the badges you’ve been getting for killing 50/100/150/250/500 of certain species of enemies? For example, in Zafaria, you get badges for killing 50 Lions and 50 Elephants. This is exactly how you earn Faction respect with these vendors. All of these vendors will require you to obtain the Kill 50/100 badges of certain mob species in Mirage (in addition to potential other side quest badges). Looking at the Tabbi Vendor specifically, she states that you need to kill Sand Wurms and House Purrzian Assailants in order to purchase from her. The badges below are named when you try to hover over certain items in Kettay’s shop. (Not Listed: Tabbi General: Kill 100 House Purrzian Assailants)

 

 

 

 

Upon unlocking these badges, you’ll be able to buy items from this vendor. To unlock the House Tabbi Apartment, you’ll need both the Wurmslayer and Tabbi General badges. This means that you’ll have to sit there and kill both 100 Wurms (Wurmslayer badge) AND 100 House Purrzian Assailants (Tabbi General badge) before you can gain the ability to buy the apartment. The apartment itself is a one-room, very open concept living space that takes up one housing slot. If you’re maxed out on houses, you will have to buy a Castle Elixir in order to purchase each of the apartments. Each of the Faction Apartment’s doors leads to their specific area. For example, the Wizard City Dorm Room deposits your character in Ravenwood. The Tabbi Apartment drops your Wizard in Caterwaul Canyon, the Aggrobah Apartment drops you in Aggrobah etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

Faction Vendors Summarized

Basically, this type of vendor rewards Badge Collectors. Some people were already interested in collecting all the Defeat X Mob badges. In Mirage, it seems as though the highest badges are only for 100 Defeats of each mob, a noticeably reduced number compared to the 250 and 500 in other worlds. If you pursue a badge, you get rewarded with the ability to purchase a recolored carpet mount, housing NPCs, a tapestry, and even a little one-room apartment. These are completely optional to collect, and the gear itself provides no stat benefits. These are all merely for your enjoyment and collection purposes. 

Personally, I wouldn’t stress about having to kill 200 mobs for a house, but getting a very large open-concept area may prove helpful if you’re creating a maze or puzzle room. The Mirage-themed Tapestries and NPCs are also extremely worthwhile and gorgeous. I would recommend at least trying to get your hands on one of them to see for yourself.

One Question to Address

“But Shadowfishy, the Patch Notes say there’s a quest given by each Faction Vendor.”

This is correct. However, the quest isn’t all that exciting. Once you reach a certain main quest, the vendors mentioned above will give you a side quest worth a little gold (no xp currently) to defeat 5 of a certain mob. This is the entirety of the quest. You are simply accepting the quest that points you to the right direction of what you’re supposed to be killing for badge credit. There’s nothing exciting about it, unfortunately.

What do you guys think about Faction Vendors? Are the houses worth the trouble of fighting so many mob battles? Is this sort of shopkeeper unhealthy for the game itself? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Lvl 120 PvP Gear

 

Brandon Mistborn has new tiers of gear for lvl 120 PvPers in Wizard 101’s Test Realm. Let’s take a look!

Hat

Robes

Boots

Wand

Athame

Amulet

Ring

Deck

 

What do you Think of The Lvl 120 PvP Gear?

The post New LvL 120 PvP Gear appeared first on Duelist101.

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Legendary Crafted Weapons!

In Wizard 101, new Legendary Weapons are available to craft for the worthy. Each school now has a wand which adds to the new pip conversion stat along with giving damage and pierce! Each of these weapons requires a new reagent pictured below!

Note: None of these new weapons have images as of this posting

Fire

Storm

Ice

Myth

Balance

Life

Death

What do you think of the new Legendary Crafted Weapons?

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from Duelist101 http://www.duelist101.com/news/updates/new-legendary-weapons/

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Reshuffle Changes

With the addition of the amazing brand new world of Mirage. Kingsisle decide to jump on board the Anti-Jade Juju train. A brand new change has been made to how the spell “Reshuffle” works. 

How it use to work:

When you would “enchant” (sun spell buff e.g. Colossal) a spell then use/discard it, it would become an individual spell when you reshuffle. For example: if I were to use an Epic enchant on a Luminous Weaver then discard/cast it, the spell would be added to my total spells next reshuffle as an already pre-enchanted Luminous Weaver. This is why Jade Juju’s were able to duplicate multiple copies of Juju with Cloak. 

How it NOW works:

“Enchanted spells no longer return to your deck after reshuffle so that you are no longer able to multiply your spells.”

This means if you cloak or enchant any spell it will no longer add the new enchanted copy as a permanent addition to your deck and pop up when you reshuffle.

How will this affect PvP?

This is probably the most important and impacting change we will see to Wizard101 pvp for awhile. This mechanic has been a part of the game ever since Sun Spell were added all the way back when Celestia was added into the game (October 2010!). With this change being made now after 6 years, pvp will not EVER be the same again.  

Cloak

The infamous spell, Cloak. It had a good run but now it will forever fade away into the history of pvp going from one of the most broken spells in the game allowing you to duplicate anything and almost everything to the most useless spell in the game. 

Jade Juju

On the bright side, or dark side depending on your status on this subject… Jade Juju got a huge nerf(indirectly). Jade Juju may find a way to thrive still in the upcoming age but they will no longer be able to abuse the brand new enchant(Indemnity) that stops a single removal of it or Cloak to duplicate a great amount of Juju’s.

The Meta

The greatest change this will create is the brand new “Pure Aggro” meta. For some, a fast paced full throttle battle at each other’s throats sounds pretty good to you. While for others (like myself) this will be a disaster to some states in the meta. Due to spells like Primordial, shield duplication ability, etc getting indirectly nerfed we can no longer stall out the matches as successfully as we did before. The meta is going to take a more aggressive push as it’s much easier to throw a load of attacks at the enemy and buff them as you go then it is to buff heals while keeping a supplement supply of debuffs up to avoid death. 

An Old Strategy Returns?

The final breakdown we can discuss is, will this new change return the “Fast Shuffle” strategy? If any of you are not familiar with this old strategy: It was most prominent during the early Celestia days towards around the late days of Avalon. It fell off in popularity during the Promethean era and faded away into history since then.  The idea behind the Fast Shuffle strategy was to create a small deck and aggressively cycle through everything. This meant discarding all of your hand besides what you were casting that turn or planned to cast at most 1 turn ahead of time. Originally the idea of this strategy was to quickly duplicate cards and skip the slow building tempo phase of matches but with this new aggressive meta making our hits almost always needing an enchant forces us to go back to a small deck and focusing on simply enchanting and hitting? Will the Balance Mastery return to the front stage as the best amulet to allow us to keep up with an aggressive approach? We’ll have to wait and see.

 

What are your thoughts on the changes to Reshuffle? 

The post Reshuffle Changes – RIP Jade Juju appeared first on Duelist101.

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The latest test realm for Fall is here.. and Mirage is here! Along with Pip Conversion, Legendary Weapons, and more! Come take a look at what is in store! Patch notes can be located HERE

MIRAGE

Come explore the sands of Mirage – the next main content world! Wizards can level to 120, and achieve the title of Champion! Walk the streets of Aggrobah, and explore the deserts, helping the Qhats! (The ending of Mirage isn’t available with the release of test, just like Valencia Part 2 in Pirate101, it will probably be put in at a later update to Test.)

Players who have reached level 110 and have completed the Polaris quest “Back to the Arcanum” need to visit Librarian Fitzhume to take on the quest “Post-Polaris Prognosis.”

• As always, there will be training points, at 115, 120, and through additional quests in Mirage.
• The gold cap for 120 is now 475,000.
• There are new Grandmaster Socket Wrenches for the new items that are to come in Mirage.
• Brandon MistBorn will offer new level 120 PvP gear and jewels!
• Players who complete the quest “Trial of the Understudy” will also find they have a brand new apartment in the Arcanum! You will automatically get an additional house elixir when you complete the quest.

NEW SPELLS

The new level 118 spells have a new mechanic! As taken from the KI test realm notes:

“All of these Level 118 spells feature a new mechanic where you “divide” your damage among the number of targets you chose. After selecting the spell, you then select each target you would like the spell to hit. Your choice: 1, 2, 3, or 4 targets!”

Your Arcanum professors will have a new quest for you once you hit 118 and complete the quest “History of the Cabal.”

LEGENDARY WEAPONS

If you’re a Promethean Crafter, and have completed the quest “Gemstone Secrets” from Polaris and “Stop! HammerTail” from Khrysalis, Librarian Fitzhume will have a new quest for you to explore the Forge of Legends. After you complete the quest, you can get recipes for Legendary Weapons!

FACTION VENDORS

Another new function introduced to Wizard101. As taken from the patch notes, again:

“This is a new type of vendor who only sells you items when you unlock a special badge associated with them. When you encounter these vendors throughout Mirage, do not be surprised when they offer you a quest to get you started. Unique (and hard-earned) treasures can be purchased from them when you earn a faction vendor’s respect! You can even purchase a new apartment from a faction vendor.”

(Not sure if you can be part of only one faction or multiple, but will update when we know!)

CASTLE MAGIC

Castles have now gotten more interactive! Go visit Babbage Basset in Regent’s Square in Marleybone to get started on several new updates to castles – items can now move, animate, and react to your visitors’ actions. You’ll even be able to create puzzles based off the puzzles of earlier worlds in Wizard101!

PIP CONVERSION

It’s the patch of new mechanics – and here we go with another one! Pip Conversion can be found on Decks, Amulets, and Wands in Mirage. When you cast a spell that you have more pips for (for example, a Phoenix when having 3 power pips), this stat will now give you a chance to refund that extra pip back. Secondly, when you have full pips, and some are white, this stat will occasionally turn those white pips into power pips. The higher your pip conversion stat, the higher chance you have at both of these happening.

OTHER UPDATES

• Enchanted cards no longer will return when you reshuffle, which means you will have to re-enchant every reshuffle.
• A new Daily Assignments lore quest has been added – Check in with Aegon Statz to continue hunting down pekron readings.
• Several bug fixes and sound fixes.
• For all the updates, check the patch notes.

The post Wizard101 Fall Test Realm – MIRAGE, Pip Conversion, and more! appeared first on Duelist101.

from Duelist101 http://www.duelist101.com/news/updates/wizard101-fall-test-realm-mirage-pip-conversion/

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Mirage Raider’s Bundle

Earlier today, KI started sending out the Extra Life rewards from last Saturday! And, those that successfully managed to raise a $100 or more on their live stream received the brand new Mirage Raider’s Bundle! Since the test realm doors are still shut, I find this bundle quite the teaser! No more wasting time! Here is what you want to know about it:

(Credit to @man0fbass for giving us an in depth look into the bundle)

The Gear

Again, we have that level 120 gear sticking out from the other sets. Can’t wait!

 

The Weapon

The thing that caught my eye most is that flashy shift spell that is guaranteed to do some damage. 

The mount and pet

The Desert Racer mount is very appealing, makes you wonder what sort of creatures will be encountered in Mirage. It is definitely the perfect mount to ‘raid’ Mirage in, with its pip boosting help. And, the pets is cute as a button. The never seen before Sultan’s Monkey will surely entertain you (wait till you see the sweet dance moves).

 

Nomad’s Camp

Definitely one of the best featured items in this bundle! The Nomad’s Camp offers a breathtaking view of, what’s to be assumed, a sunset in Mirage. Don’t miss out the chance to visit this amazing new house and what lies inside! The pvp arena with Mirage themed music and a neat fishing area. Also go look for the merchants from Mirage that grant you a random daily gift, some including plants, snacks and more!

The Mirage Raider’s bundle also includes an additional castle elixir for the house and a choice between a Wizard101 or Pirate101 one month membership or 5000 crowns to spend as you like!

Soon to be available for purchase!

What are you looking forward to most? Let us know below!

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If you ever wanted a Celestial Carpet mount in Wizard101… your wish has come true!

With the release of Mirage coming to a test realm near you soon(tm), Wizard101 has come out with a new mount, and the way to get it is similiar to that of the Pirate101 Book 15 release! Here’s how you can get your hands on the Celestial Carpet Mount!

To qualify to get your hands on this dashing carpet, you must meet one of the following criteria.

• If you have an active Wizard101 Membership on November 29th, 2016 @ 11:59PM CT
• If you buy Crowns between November 1st, 2016 and November 29th, 2016 @ 11:59PM CT

The mount will then be sent out into your gift window, and you should expect it by early December.

There’s a FAQ at the page for this mount HERE, but here’s a few points that we’ll go over real quickly as well:

• Any crown amount will get you this mount (even a $5 purchase)
• Codes for crowns you get from contests will NOT qualify, you have to PURCHASE crowns.
• Sending gift certificates will not get you this, but receiving and redeeming them before the date will.

Mirage is near wizards, ride in style when it comes with this Celestial Carpet mount! 

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Lost Stories of The Spiral: Shadows of a Dream

Written by Avery

Lost Stories of The Spiral: Halloween Edition 1st Place Winner

It wasn’t that Kane Dragonblood believed in Pekrons, or rather Aegon’s understanding of them, but after learning much from Aegon Statz, about pekuliarities and how to detect them he had begun to realize something that even Aegon could never have dreamed of; but then, the poor scientist was not trained in Shadow Magic as Kane was. That secret was that Aegon was, in truth, detecting traces of Shadow Magic. When Kane made that realization, he suddenly gained a new interest in how to detect pekuliarities, and thankfully Aegon shared with him his methods. 

Kane had a purpose, however, different than Aegon’s scientific studies. After Khrysalis, Kane had felt the stirrings of hunger within him, a yearning to learn more of Shadow Magic. Headmaster Merle Ambrose had warned him upon returning from Khrysalis of the dangers of Shadow Magic and how he, as a young and powerful wizard, needed to be wary lest the dangerous lures of that dark magic twist his very soul as it had Morganthe’s.

Kane would originally heed his old Headmaster’s warning, but he realized that, in the end, it had been his newfound knowledge of Shadow Magic which had made it possible for him to defeat Morganthe. And then there was Old Cob, a creature with amazing control over Shadow Magic –what was he up to? Where had he disappeared to?

Kane was greatly intrigued by the old immortal creature. It had lived since the beginning, battling Grandmother Raven, and its power was unimaginable. But, where Bartleby the World Tree and Grandmother Raven rooted their magic in the light, Old Cob seemed to be a source of Shadow Magic… perhaps he was even the source. So, who else better to learn more of the dark magic than Old Cob himself. Problem was, where did he go after Khyrsalis?

And that is how Aegon’s studies had brought Kane here, to the lonely, forbidding, and frozen mountain peaks of the Himoolayas. A monk from the monastery of Shangri-Baa had arrived via airship at Wizard City, half alive and near frozen, crying for the aid of the wizards who once helped them against the dark evil of Hamakala. The airship had suffered damage from being caught in one of the fierce blizzards common to the mountains, and the monk and his crew had barely survived. 

“On a nest of skulls, in a web of pain, I sat in the Spider’s Web. What was once wrapped in darkness, will be again. What is, will be destroyed. Now is the final night.”

The monk had recited this dire divination before collapsing. It was a variation of Hamakala’s curse, which Kane knew too well. He had always wondered if there some elemental connection between Aegon’s pekuliarities, or rather what caused them, and the dark spirit of Hamakala. That suspicion was made stronger after hearing the monk’s words. Headmaster Ambrose had summoned Kane immediately to travel to the Himoolayas and get to the bottom of this situation – obviously, he too felt a cold shiver of fear at hearing Hamakala’s curse changed to include language so similar to Old Cob’s new prophecy.

And now, Kane stood upon an icy promontory high up on a mountain in the Himoolayas. An icy wind howled over the rocks and peaks and whipped at his robes while icy crystals caught in the wind stung his face like tiny needles. He held in his hand a very peculiar device created by Aegon to detect pekuliarities, and the device was acting as if crazed – that could only mean that it had led him to a location of powerful Pekron readings.

If Kane’s theory was correct, then somewhere on this mountain was a powerful source of Shadow magic, and perhaps an answer to what now distressed the monks of Shangri-Baa. The device’s madness intensified until tiny sparks flew from its casing and the handle grew hot in Kane’s hand. Then it suddenly went dead. Whatever it had been registering – pekuliariaties or Shadow Magic, take your pick – had been so intense it overloaded the device. Kane tossed it away; he was going to have rely on his own senses. He had recently discovered that he could sense Shadow Magic, like the electrical tingle in the air before an oncoming storm. He certainly felt that now as he closed his eyes, calmed himself, and reached out with his spiritual senses. Yes, he could feel the Shadow Magic on this mountain. It was powerful, and he could follow it like a trail of breadcrumbs.

Kane Dragonblood continued on. He climbed over boulders, up cliff faces, over ice bridges that spanned impossibly deep gorges, all the while the cold continued to work past the magical ward for warmth to numb his face, hands and feet, and all the while the fierce wind howled at him and threatened to tear him away from the mountainside like a leaf. As he clung tenaciously to a rock face, catching his breath, he thought he heard voices on the wind. He focused, yes, he did hear voices on the wind. Wait, no, the voices were in the wind. The light was failing, darkness was setting in, he squinted as he looked into the howling wind and he could just barely see spirits dancing in the wild snowflakes. But their dance was not one of joy, it was one of anguish and sorrow. 

Their voices seemed to intensify – “Turn back, turn back, turn back…” they wailed. “Death waits for you, waits for us all…” they cried and moaned.

Kane shook his head, turning away. He had seen spirits before, even fought them, but the sorrow and fear in their disembodied voices was almost tangible. Their words almost shattered his own courage, fear spiked in his heart and for a few seconds, he clung to the rock against the driving wind and the spirits’ icy touch of death. Right then he wanted nothing more than to go back; and, if he could not go back, then let go and fall into the abyss. Death would come as a comfort compared to the horror of waited for him. He knew this. How, he could not rightly tell, but he could only guess that the spirits madly whirling about had planted the thought into his head. 

“Jump… let go… it is so easy… join us, and you will be safe until the Spiral falls into darkness…”

How could the spirits fear death a second time? What power did the Shadow hold over even death itself? Kane wondered. He pushed these thoughts aside and forced himself to take another hand hold, another foothold, and crawl up the cliff to the ledge above. There, he collapsed into the snow, breathing hard from both physical exertion and the supreme effort of willpower needed to not let go and join the dead.

After he had recovered, he saw the opening maw of a cave almost hidden in the rock face. He could easily reach it now. He once again reached out to sense the Shadow Magic. Yes, it was incredibly strong here, more so than before. That cave might lead him to an answer.

Kane entered the cave – with the stalactites and stalagmites, it resembled the mouth of a great beast. And the smell of the cave only added to that impression, as if he was going down the throat and into the stomach filled with decay and rot. He had brought with him, strapped to his backpack, the Staff of Malador, a very powerful magical staff for a Myth Wizard. He removed it from the straps, held it in his left hand, and sent forth illumination from its stylized dragon head.

He continued deeper into the cave and its stench. Soon there was natural light and a breeze. The cave snaked deeper into the mountain and the light grew until Kane darkened his staff and continued without the need for his own light. The cave finally opened into a vast chamber. Where the light originated he could not tell save perhaps crags in the ceiling of the chamber which let in the last of the day’s poor light. There were plants on the chamber floor, or, there had been, as they were all rotted and decayed. And then Kane spotted it – the Temple of Discord.

Fool! Kane cursed himself. He had allowed himself to become lost or turned about in the wilds of the mountains. He had been on the opposite side of the mountain from Shangri-Baa itself, and had stumbled down another cave that led to the Temple of Discord. It was just as well, he soothed himself; where else would there be such trouble that might include Hamakala than this place? Kane climbed down to the cavern floor, then up the steps of the Temple. The Temple’s guardian Oni Spirit was not present. Kane sent a fiery blast of Myth magic from his staff into the temple’s doors and they exploded open. The guardian hoof ninjas were nowhere to be seen either. The temple appeared to be abandoned, but Kane’s gut told him to not assume.

Having no other choice, Kane made his way to the temple’s final chamber where the statue of Hamakala still stood. Just as Kane began to wonder if he was on a wild goose chase he felt a cold, gut-churning sensation. As pain stabbed at him and he doubled over, a dark veil of black energy swirled before him, and suddenly there stood Old Cob.

The sensation passed, and Kane was able to stand erect again. Old Cob said nothing, made no move. He simply stood a short distance from Kane, his glowing eyes staring at Kane as he seemed to take the measure of the young wizard before him. Finally, he spoke, his dark, gravelly voice grating in Kane’s ears, “Foolish child. Come to learn of the Shadow; consumed by it you will be. Already touched by it, to join it, you have been.”

“What are you doing here?” Kane said, summoning his courage and swallowing against a dry throat.

“Waiting for you,” Old Cob growled, somehow sounding pleased.

“Me? Why?”

“Hamakala would make a useful servant, but a body he needs. Yours will do nicely.”

Kane felt a sudden, terrible dread. But before he could speak, Old Cob laughed. It sounded like an avalanche which came to a splashing end in a river of lava. “Yes,” he began as he confirmed Kane’s very thoughts. “That monk was under my dark influence. A puppet sent to draw out the best and most promising student of Ambrose’s, a perfect vessel for my new servant. My lure has worked well, bringing you, tasty morsel, into my web. But, as you know, all of the Spiral is in my web. It is quite fitting that you should have been the one sent, as you defeated my children, the Rat, the Scorpion, the Bat. I bore them of my dreams while I slept in Raven’s prison, and you defeated them. So very fitting that you now replace them.”

Kane instinctively backed away. Doubt ate at him; was he ready to face Old Cob? He did not think so. He would be foolish to believe it, and yet he might very well have no other choice.

He was spared a moment longer as Old Cob seemed to fall into memory; perhaps that was the consequence of being so ancient with so many memories in one’s mind.

His voice was like a glacier grinding down mountains, gravel washing down a riverbed to fill the sea, rust eating iron to dust… it was a voice ancient and horrible. “I dreamed a dream of lies. As night is to day, chaos to order, so are lies to truth. Without the solidity of truth, no one can stand. Lies are weakness, a disease to destroy the strength of a person’s soul and all that they cherish. And the lies I dreamed took form and became a creature who knows corruption, who spreads disease, who knows how to gnaw away at a thing until it is destroyed. My dream of lies became the Rat.”

“You are already familiar with lies, wizard Kane Dragonblood. Your headmaster warned you of Shadow Magic. You told him you would be cautious. You told yourself that you only wanted to know more so that you could better fight it. All lies. You hunger, you yearn, for the power of Shadow Magic, like Morganthe before you. Despite your words, here you stand having searched me out while I rest here in the temple of my new servant. Look at where your lies have led you.”

Kane suddenly could not move. The image of a fly caught in a spider’s web flashed across his mind. Old Cob’s power was holding his body in place, preventing him from conjuring magic to protect himself. Old Cob continued while Kane vainly struggled to free himself from the invisible magical bonds that locked him into place.

“I dreamed a dream of hatred. It is a poison, invisible and yet so real which destroys better than any acid or disease, and always exquisitely slow. Hatred can only be held in the heart, the one place where Love is held. As there is no room for light in the darkness, nor darkness in the day, there can be only room for one or the other in the heart. Even a seed of Hatred is enough to drive out Love and work its perfect destruction, first of the one who carries it, then all others who would have held Love for the carrier. And the Hatred I dreamed of took form and became a creature of poison, one which only knows only how to strike out at others and spread poison. My dream took form as a Scorpion.”

“You know Hatred; yes, I can see it in your heart now. I know my web, young wizard, and every point on it, and every insect that crawls in it. I can see your beginning and end. You are alone, the consequence of Hatred in your life. Your love, your friends, your classmates, all have been sacrificed because of the Hatred in your heart, placed there by your struggles against your enemies. They left their scars and you, rather than healing, thought those scars made you stronger.”

Kane wanted to scream against Old Cob’s accusations. He wanted to deny it all. But there was pain in his heart, and the pain bore truth, and the truth would not let him make a sound. He knew that Old Cob’s words, meant to inflict hurt and rob him of his strength, were indeed true.

“I dreamed a dream of fear. Of things unknown in the darkness of ignorance, avoiding the light of understanding, avoiding exposure to acceptance. And the fear I dreamed took form into the Bat, a creature of the night, a creature who is at one with the darkness and navigates it like no other.”

“There are things you cannot see but know are there, young Kane Dragonblood,” Old Cob accused. Old Cob had stepped closer to Kane, his glowing purple eyes malevolent and seemingly soulless. While Kane could read nothing human, nothing familiar in those eyes, he could feel them boring into his soul and he could feel the oily taint they left behind. If he could, he would vomit from the feeling of it in his mind and heart. He was being slowly laid bare, stripped of his mental and emotional armor, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. One of Old Cob’s spidery appendages reached out and brushed against his cheek. Under his dark cowl, Kane could just make out Old Cob’s large, spidery mandibles.

“You know that the Shadow has many servants. You have bravely fought against so many of them. But the Shadow is something you cannot find, cannot touch, and yet you can sense it. That is how you came here, feeling the intangible Shadow, as elusive as mercury, as fog, as the wind and yet you can do nothing against it. You feel helpless. You cannot fully understand your enemy and that makes you fear. But, you do not like to feel afraid or helpless so you work to change that fear into hatred, to motivate yourself into battle, to never give up; you lie to yourself, saying that if you only knew more about it, you could overcome it.”

Hamakala’s statue began to glow, the dark spirit of Hamakala began to awaken. “Death is but a door, time but a window, I am returned. You shall be my vessel by the Shadow’s granting, and I shall sit upon my throne of skulls once again!”

Kane struggled, but Old Cob’s magic still held him in place. All of his training, all of his adventures and journeys and magic which he had learned over the years were useless to him against Old Cob. How could he have been so naïve to believe that he could seek out Old Cob and come away unharmed? He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry out for mercy. But, he could do nothing. His staff clattered uselessly like a stick to the floor, falling from his lifeless hand.

Hamakala’s statue glowed bright, and then a phantom, sickly green in color emerged and moved toward Kane. Unnatural lightning arced out and stabbed into him causing a horrific pain unlike anything he had felt before. His whole body and every nerve ending was a live electrical wire and all Kane knew was pain.

“You have known Lies. You have known Hatred. You have known Fear. Young wizard, you have dispelled my dreams, and the creatures borne of them. But since you know my dreams so well, it is fitting that you should take their place. And you will not be the last. As the lost souls who tried to warn you away know, as so many puppets on the end of my strings, you shall be just like them. Your body shall house Hamakala, and your soul shall feed him until it is consumed. You shall know such great suffering within the prison of your own body that you will wish for the sweet release of Death.”

Tears rolled down Kane’s cheeks as he convulsed in the painful lightning of Hamakala. The pain was so intense, and very soon he was going to suffer a fate worse than death. And then a thought, cutting through the pain, occurred. Old Cob, in order to not interfere with Hamakala’s possessing his body, had withdrawn his own magic from controlling Kane. If it were not for the electricity coursing through his body, he would once again have control. Perhaps he could save himself.

While less than heroic, and less than a noble fight, Kane had set a marker stone at the beginning of his journey so that he could quickly port back rather than hike the long, cold distances. Porting was a very simple act for a wizard, one which he might be able to do in his current state. Kane had no other choice to save himself. Old Cob’s magic was too great; Hamakala had him in his clutches, and even if he defeated the dark spirit, would Old Cob just let him go? No, he doubted that.

Hamakala’s green spiritual form drew close for the final seconds before entering Kane’s body. Kane was now moments away from a terrible end. Old Cob stood close by, malevolently watching. Kane gasped, and snapped his fingers, focusing on the marker stone and its magic. In a brilliant flash, Kane was pulled away, instantly traveling many miles to where he had begun his trek at first light. He collapsed into the snow, not caring how cold it was, too physically weak to even lift himself. Smoke rose up from his body, and he shivered, but not from the cold.

Having no body to enter, Hamakala fled back into his statue with an angry howl. Old Cob chuckled in amusement: he had not expected that; he had not expected such a simple twist which would save that tasty morsel from his web. But, it did not matter, for soon he would see that particular wizard again, he was certain of it. After all, he had had a dream, and in that dream, the Rat, the Scorpion, and the Bat, rose from defeat and consumed all.

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Lost Stories of The Spiral: Song of Lightning, Dance of Rain

Written by Taryn Spiritsmith

Lost Stories of The Spiral: Halloween Edition 2nd Place Winner

I’m not… afraid. I’m… not… afraid.

           The phrase was simple—three words, eleven letters, repeating; on their own, free of emotion, and liberating of fear. Upon first glance, it was difficult to pick out any uncertainty, any gray area. I’m not afraid. I have no fear. There seemed to be nothing more straightforward than that.

           The phrase should have been simple, that is.

           Simple as it may have been, the three words echoed endlessly through his brain, taking on new emotions and new meanings with each lurch toward the wide chasm of faces and laughs and noise, awash in a sea of sound that threatened to send them flying from his grasp. Dark scales and bright patterns swam about in the chaos, heads thrown back in laughter and heads tipped down to give him the same knowing, condescending look as all the rest. You are not like the rest of us. You are afraid of your own shadow, hijo, the darkness of your own scales—how will you ever be brave enough to join us in the light? They all said the same thing, in different ways, in different voices, but to Zazu, their voices were all the same, merged together in one voice, one Smoking Mirror that frowned upon him.

           He gritted his teeth. I am not a coward.

           Zazu turned his head and shot a glance behind him. The soft glow of his pastel blue eyes cast a faint aura over the glittering black scales of his snout as they scanned the narrow sliver of pale moonlight that streamed down from the mine entrance. Fog swirled lazily around the carved stone staircase, thin silver strands of mist that glided slowly through the air as if strung up by master puppeteers. There was no one behind him. The corner of his mouth turned down.

           The Smoking Mirror shouldered his satchel, feeling the worn leather slide over his scales and the shifting weight of the objects inside. It isn’t like I was expecting them to send someone, Zazu thought, unhappy with the hint of dejection he found in his tone.

He wouldn’t have been surprised, if someone from his village (The village, he corrected himself bitterly, not mine) had noticed his absence and sent someone after him, not believing for half a second that he would be able to handle being out by himself at this time of night, knowing he would be too afraid—but on the other hand, he didn’t think it was completely out of the question for them not to have noticed at all, or to have decided to let him go and have him come running back, tail shaking and eyes brimming over with fright. Zazu knew that no one in the village apart from his mother thought very highly of him, and he sometimes wondered if she was just pretending for his sake.

Zazu flexed his claws to steady them against the rising clamor of his heartbeat, and lifted his head slowly to sniff the air. It was stale, aged by the lack of wind in the underground tunnels, and smelled of rain, thick and heavy, he guessed from the river that weaved its way around the golden pyramids and pathways. Just beneath the overpowering scent of rain lay a faint hint of something floral; he hadn’t been back by the tombs before, that he could recall, but if he remembered correctly, many of the Moon Skulls that lived in the underground village would leave flowers and candles for the dead.

Despite the Moon Skull village only a short walk away, all was quiet, save for the murmuring of the river. It was almost too quiet, Zazu thought, but it had been close to midnight upon his descent into the Cenote, and considering it he realized that it would be more unsettling if there was noise.

The paths here were narrow, and twisted and turned like the river beneath the rocks, and were carved from smooth stone cast in deep shades of brown by the shadows that curled like smoke at their edges. As far as Zazu could see, the only natural light that seeped into the underground was the lone moonbeam that shone dimly from Three Points, the city above. Candles lay scattered about the golden paths, their flames soft and yellow as the ground they rested upon, and dim, flickering torches with fires dark but steady left their reddish-orange glows to fall like dying sunbeams onto the damp, dusty floor. The frosted blue eyes of the Smoking Mirror couldn’t help but trace along the trail of dotted lights and up the side of one of the pyramids to the gold-rimmed doors that shimmered at the summit. He swallowed heavily.

He can’t hurt me. The king isn’t here anymore. The dead can’t hurt me. Zazu took a breath. I’m not afraid.

Zazu reached up and checked the strap of his satchel again, to make certain that it was still secure over his shoulder, and exhaled. Flinching, he forced a single foot forward, telling himself to step away from the roses and leave their scent behind, to continue on his path. Standing still wasn’t going to get him the respect that he so desired, nor the reprieve from his reputation as a coward.

He glanced to the left, to the path glowing red with torchlights that he understood led to the Moon Skull village, and with a slight shake of his head darted right and scurried down the opposite path.

Village, he spat, the silent word bitter on his tongue. If he were half as brave as they wanted him to be, as they expected him to be, he might have the courage to ask what village, and go find a new one, or better yet leave for good and live on his own somewhere. That would show them. I’m not a coward.

I’m not afraid.

In Zazu’s village, he was held with all the rest of the Smoking Mirrors to a certain standard—they expected your eyes to blaze golden with the light of courage, your talons to be quick like lightning and strong like the storm. Smoking Mirrors were fierce, made to be warriors; not little snakes who could barely make use of their limbs for anything beyond scuttling about like insects. Zazu’s mother had given him a strong name in hopes that he would grow up to become strong—Zazu Rain Dance, whose name fell off the tongue like rain, whose words resonated like thunder—the same hopes that each of the Smoking Mirrors had for their children, and it had become hard to tell who was more disappointed: the village in Zazu, for being a let-down, or Zazu in his mother, for her false promises?

Zazu, last he checked, did not have eyes that blazed, nor talons like lightning. His feet struck the ground not with pride, but with a constant skittering that echoed through the caves as the points of his claws scratched the rocks. The sound reminded him of beetles, hissing and darting about the kitchen tiles as his mother tried to beat them back with a broom, not warriors with their heads held high and the sun reflected in their gaze. And that was what they thought of him: his village thought he was worth little more than a beetle, he knew, and only kept him because he was a Raptor, and that knowledge forced them to keep him.

Warriors didn’t leave other warriors behind, but clearly, they didn’t find anything wrong with holding their golden eyes above them and ignoring them.

In the nearly empty tunnels, with the only sound surrounding him being the faint crackling of the torchlights, the noise made by his own clawed feet caused his heart to hop around in his chest, anxiety cranking the tempo higher and higher each second.

I’m not afraid, Zazu repeated firmly. He wished that he were telling the truth, infuriatingly able to see past his own lie—in reality it was taking every ounce of willpower he could find to hold himself back from freezing in place and winding his thick, scaly tail around his legs in fear.

He wondered why, exactly, his first thoughts concerning his cowardice (or rather, his mission to prove his lack thereof) had led him to the mines. Maybe it was because the Cenote held so many things he was afraid of—the dark, the silence, confinement, the idea of the dead rising that he had harbored from a young age—and he thought that if he could conquer these things, just for a night or two, he would convince them that he wasn’t dead weight, that he was good for something. Maybe it was because he didn’t want anyone to follow him, or if secretly they did, they would be impressed at his sudden daringness. Maybe he wasn’t thinking at all.

Zazu forced himself to keep pace with the pounding of his heart, fueled by his anger at the faces that laughed inside his mind, and held tight to his satchel as it bounced around beside him.

Afraid of your own shadow, they chanted, afraid of the darkness of your own scales.

I’m… not… afraid.

He jogged faster, torch flames flickering madly in the wind in his wake as he whizzed past, repeating his three little words over and over again in the silence.

How will you ever be brave enough to join us in the light? they taunted.

I’m… not… a coward. I’m not… afraid.

The Smoking Mirror rounded a corner, turning so sharply that if he had been half a second too late he might have crashed into a wall or lost a few scales on a section of rock that jutted precariously from the side of the tunnel—but just a moment after that it didn’t matter whether he crashed into something, because he stopped so abruptly that he nearly tripped over his own feet, and narrowly avoided falling flat on his face. His bright eyes widened, and once he’d caught himself he froze in place, so still and so quiet that he could feel his rapid pulse threatening to burst. Apparently, the silence wasn’t quite so silent after all.

Scritch scritch scratch.

These new sounds drowned out his three little words, and if the color could have flushed from his scales, Zazu imagined he would be pale gray, with the original black melted into an inky, bubbling mess around him. He began to shake, like a tree rustling in the wind, and focused harder on keeping his tail behind him.

Scritch scritch scratch.

He thought of his own talons, scraping the ground as he ran down the paths and past the torches. The scratching reminded him of his claws, of the insects darting about the kitchen. Zazu, eyes flicking rapidly back and forth around the tunnel, questioned, How far am I from the miner village?

Not too far, he answered himself nervously, unsure whether his guess was accurate. He didn’t think, after what felt like such a long time running further and further from the mine entrance, that he could possibly be so close to where he had started. I don’t know why they would draw out the paths so far from the mines themselves, he added to try and comfort himself, and besides, what other than a Moon Skull would be out here, anyway?

More tombs? Zazu tried.

But nothing inside of those tombs should be able to make noise… right?

The Smoking Mirror strained his ears, listening. Maybe he was hearing things. Maybe his mind was tired, and in its sleepy confusion had conjured up an extra skip to his step.

Scritch scritch scratch.

Zazu jumped, and felt his heart do the same.

Scritch scritch scratch.

The sounds were faster this time, less separated by time and quicker paced. Whatever was making them seemed to be growing agitated, impatient. Zazu did the one thing he had told himself he wouldn’t do—he panicked, and began to run back the way he came.

Whether or not he was considered a true Smoking Mirror by his village, Zazu possessed the grace and agility of his tribe, able to run far and fast and stand steady on his own two feet—but it seemed now that nearly all of this skill had left his body, drained out with the melting colors of his scales, and it became a miracle at all that he could even stand. Zazu’s legs grew weak and wobbly, tired out from running and fraught with swelling fear at the noises around him, and his knees shook as his legs strained to propel him forward. His talons scratched against the rocks with the same insect sounds, loud and echoing and painfully quiet against the rising tempo of the scratching around him. Was it his imagination, or were the sounds growing louder? Faster? Closer?

Zazu bolted weakly around the corner, panting for breath, tail smacking into the wall behind him—he hadn’t turned quite in time for the motion to be smooth and uninterrupted—and when his eyes met the path before him he stopped once again. He sucked in a breath as his claws scraped the dirt, and leaned backward, stepping back a few paces.

Their scales were dark, the colors dulled to deep pastels, magentas and violets and greens, the patterns radiating blue and casting an eerie light over the now lightless hall; the torches had been snuffed out. Some of their heads lolled to the side, tongues hanging from their wide-open jaws, and their arms hung loosely at their sides, nothing more than dead weight. Some stood with their tails waving passively behind them, disregarding anyone who might have been behind them as the thick masses struck the legs of the rest of the horde. Their jewels hung from their necks and wrists royally, glittering with a bluish-green tint against their scales, clinking together like ice in a glass as they ambled slowly forward. Zazu could hear the shuffling sounds as they dragged their legs forward along the ground, much slower, much larger beetles heading for a small, frail ladybug. A bright, swirling emerald color glowed in their eyes, brighter than the sun, and coated them like an additional eyelid. They didn’t appear at first glance to be focusing on any one thing, but as Zazu looked closer in his frozen state, he realized something.

They were all Aztecosaurs.

And they were all dead.

Scritch scritch scratch.

Their talons dug at the walls of the cavern rapidly—whether this noise had a purpose, Zazu didn’t know—but none of them that he could see were looking at the rocks as they scooted forward ever so slightly.

You said they couldn’t hurt you, he thought to himself, wide-eyed in disbelief, you said the dead couldn’t hurt you, and look now, they’re heading right for you.

I thought they couldn’t hurt me, Zazu argued, shaking his head. They shouldn’t be able to; they’re dead.

Shouldn’t, Zazu. Shouldn’t. They shouldn’t, yet here they are.

But—

Why are you still standing here? Go, run!

Zazu spun on his heel, heart beating wildly in time with the scratching of the reanimated Aztecosaurs behind him, and didn’t bother to check his satchel this time as he shot forward down the tunnel. He became an insect riding the wind, soaring on gauzy white wings atop the breeze and past the dull sunbeams of the torches, and the scuttling of his claws became white noise to the clawing and scraping emitted by the tunnels he had left. He had no choice now but to keep on his path, unsure where he was going and unsure of what he would find when he got there.

He darted down corner after corner, corridor after corridor, feeling the adrenaline spill quickly into his veins like a gushing waterfall, leaping over this rock and that, just to get away. Zazu heard the voices ringing through his mind yet again, screaming this time over the wild pulse in his chest.

Afraid of your own shadow, they shouted, afraid of the darkness of your own scales!

Scritch scritch scratch, came the sound of the reanimated Aztecosaurs.

Afraid of your own shadow! the voices cried, louder than before.

Scritch scritch scratch.

Afraid of the darkness of—

I AM NOT AFRAID! Zazu shouted back, voice booming like the thunder he was named for above all the rest. I AM NOT A COWARD, AND I AM NOT AFRAID!

He felt the lightning sparking in his talons, the rain rolling off of his tongue, and turned around yet again. Zazu would find a way out, past the undead, instead of cowering before them like a child and hurrying to find another way. He would be a warrior. He would be one of the Smoking Mirrors, not just by default as a Raptor, but because he was truly like them. Zazu wanted to show them his worth, and what better way than to stand up to his fears?

Their bright green eyes were specks in the darkness they had created, glistening eerily in their blank stares and strange silence as they shambled toward him. He felt his stomach turn, feeling the weight of his cowardice settle deep inside him, but he ignored it as best he could. This wasn’t the time.

Scritch scritch scratch.

Zazu felt the noises wash over him, drenching him to the bone, but he stood his ground and began to hear a more familiar rhythm amid the scritch-scratching—those three words, those eleven letters, that repetition rising up above the sound of their claws and the thrumming of his heart.

I’m… not… afraid.

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Lost Stories of The Spiral: Transcended

Written by Ryan Mistcaster

Lost Stories of The Spiral: Halloween Edition 3rd Place Winner

“Please tell me you’re kidding,” gawked my best friend, Joshua Firecaster, “Do you have a death wish?!” His voice likely reached every classroom in Ravenwood.

“Dude, just hear me out, okay?” I replied, trying to calm him down.

“Two minutes.”

“I want you and Rose to come with me to Azteca tonight. They’re having a Day of the Dead festival for Halloween in the evening and I just happened to consider taking you and her to hang out,” I explained.

“You do realize that Azteca is classified as Archmage rank, right?” he asked, “We’re only Transcended; it’s not long before it’s Doomsday there. And don’t give me that ‘I just want to hang out with my best friends’ excuse. I know you’re just trying to get close to Rose.”

He was right. I had been friends with Roselyn Foeleaf, a Life Wizard, for nearly 16 years, practically since birth, and it was since then that I’ve had a rather hopeless crush on her. Unfortunately, like any other tragic romance, the feelings were not mutual.

I sighed. Then, like a desperate child, I begged. “Please, man? It’ll be fine. We’ll be in and out before it gets too late. Why won’t you do this for me?”

“Because I actually enjoy living, Ryan,” he snapped. “I wish to not go to a party in the middle of a soon-to-be-nothing-but-rock-and-ruin world and becoming dino dinner. Plus, everyone knows Morganthe is running around there. That world is dangerous. And even then, how do you even intend on getting there? Ambrose only gave a key to that teacher’s pet, Alden Mistcaster, to go off and attempt to save the place.”

He had a point there, too. It wasn’t long ago that we received the call for help from a world that was previously thought to be dead. Of course, it didn’t take long for Headmaster Ambrose to appoint his star pupil, Alden Mistcaster, to go off and be the single-man cavalry that’ll miraculously save the world again- just like Malistaire three years before. Though he’s in our grade, I’ve never actually seen the guy because he’s always out saving some war-torn world from destruction. From how society has spoken of him, he might as well be a celebrity in Wizard City and a very powerful Wizard. Books have been written and songs have been sung about him and his victories. I could only hope to become as strong of a Storm Wizard as him, someday.

“My dad’s a historian who recently began studying the place when it popped up,” I said. “He has a Spiral Key for when he visits to do work there. And as far as Morganthe goes, I’m sure Mistcaster is on top of that.”

After a bit of thinking, Josh sighed. “Fine. But under one condition.”

“Name it.”

“I have an essay on Celestian history due Monday,” he smirked, “and you’re one of Balestrom’s best students. Write it for me and I’ll convince Rose to go with us.”

“Done,” I quickly replied. I liked writing essays, anyways.

“Okay. Let’s meet at the World Tree this evening at six o’clock,” he took a few steps before turning. “And for the love of Bartleby, please bring your wand. Just in case.” And, with that, he walked away in the direction of the Commons.

Wand? Check. Spell deck? Check. Spiral key? Check. I went through my mental checklist as I approached Ravenwood. The sun was getting low in the sky and the cool October breeze felt good against my face. October had always been my favorite month of the year. Perhaps I should’ve been a Death Wizard. No. That wouldn’t be right. Storm Magic has always been second nature to me. At least that’s what my parents raised me thinking. A family of Storm Wizards. Why break the streak? Plus, Alden Mistcaster is a Storm Wizard. Call me a fanboy, but it gives me a little extra pride knowing that the savior of the Spiral saved it using the same magic as I do.

After emerging from the tunnel from the Commons, I immediately spotted Josh and Roselyn standing in front of the Great Tree. They turned and waved to me as I got closer.

“Hey, Ryan,” Roselyn smiled at me once I got close enough.

“Hey, Rose,” I managed to squeeze out of my throat. She wore her wavy blonde hair down with small braids around the top of her head like a crown. Her green and white Jester’s robe complimented her soft, green eyes and her fair skin. Beautiful as always. I gulped. If I was going to have any chance of being with Roselyn, I had to man up before the night ended. I mentally slapped myself for being such a wimp.

“Finally,” Josh said,  “I was beginning to think our host was gonna be a no-show.”

“I stopped by the library to check out a map of some of the main areas in Azteca,” I shrugged, “I figured they’ll come in handy.”

“So you actually have a Spiral Key leading there?” Roselyn looked at me skeptically.

I smiled and reached into my pocket, drawing out a small key the size of my palm. It was made of stone and had foreign engravings etched into the sides. The magic it held weighed it down in my hand. I held it up for my friends to see.

“That looks sick,” Josh exclaimed as he brought his head closer to it.

“It’s beautiful,” Roselyn stared at it almost as if she were in a trance.

“It’s just a Spiral Key, guys,” I nervously laughed, “It almost looks no different from the Krokotopia one.”

“Ah, but this particular one leads us to a lost world,” Roselyn shifted her eyes from the key to me.

“Shall we put it to use?” Josh finally said.

“Yes, please,” Roselyn smiled eagerly. She grabbed my wrist and hurried into the World Tree, pulling me along.

I only took a few steps through the Spiral Door before immediately feeling the humid jungle air. We stepped out onto a large stone platform surrounded by tall trees that had to have been some of the oldest in the Spiral. In front of us was a small stream leading through a narrow cave. This must be the Zocalo.

“Woah,” Josh said under his breath, staring up towards the canopy far above us.

“Amazing,” Roselyn exclaimed. She closed her eyes and smelled the air. “This place is ancient.”

I had only seen Azteca in pictures that my dad brought back to me when he’d visit. Those pictures did not do this place justice. This was most certainly a lost world. After marveling at the scenery for a while, I reached into my backpack and pulled out a map of the region.

“Okay,” I started, unfolding the map, “The festival is held at a market area not far from here called Three Points. It shouldn’t be too much of a walk.”

“Onward, then,” Josh said as he eagerly began walking towards the cave. Rose and I followed.

After getting distracted more than a few times at the Zocalo, we made our way through the massive stone gates into Three Points. Upon arriving, it was easy to see that a festival was taking place. Aztecans bustled around the shops in the bazaar and the smell of foreign foods filled the evening air. Banners and other decor were strung up between the adobe buildings and the faint sounds of drums could be heard playing a distance away. The market areas were surrounding a huge pyramid at the back of Three Points. The Pyramid of the Sun in Krokotopia was no match for this thing. This place was gigantic. Undoubtedly, the Commons in Wizard City could span this place ten times before running out of room. It wasn’t long before the sun fell behind the pyramid, giving the stars and various torches throughout the place a chance to provide their light. This place was beautifully alien.

After walking around a little and finding food, Roselyn ran off to explore the shops a little more while Josh and I found a small table away from the crowds.

“And there it is,” Josh said, looking up into the night sky. I followed his eyes to a giant, dark mass in the sky that seemed to take the

moon’s place. Except, unlike the moon, this gave no light. Upon a closer look, I noticed that it seemed to be very slowly growing in size. It was getting closer.

“Xibalba,” I said, under my breath.

“This world’s undoing,” Josh nodded. “I wonder why no one’s freaking out.”

I shrugged, “The same thing happened ten years ago. I imagine they’re all used to it by now. And I’m sure Mistcaster is running around saying how he’ll fix it and stuff.”

“I guess,” Josh said, still staring at the comet. “Hey, couldn’t they technically all escape by going through the Spiral Door? Then again, I suppose some wouldn’t be able to fit through…”

I laughed, “My dad told me their society is different from ours. Most don’t believe in interworld traveling. I also heard that they’re working on some sort of portal thing to hop to a world that’s close enough to practically be Azteca’s cousin. Supposedly, the climate’s very similar to here.”

“Skull Island,” Josh said. “How in the Spiral are they gonna get along with a bunch of pirates?”

I shrugged, “I’m sure they’ll find a way. That is if they get their project working.”

Just then, Roselyn came running to the table with a large feathery hat on and what seemed to be a necklace of the same style. It didn’t look bad on her. Then again, I don’t think anything’s ever looked bad on her.

“Like it?” she asked, smiling at us. “One of the Aztecans was handing them out and-”

She was cut off by screaming. We looked towards the crowd and saw Aztecans looking on in confusion in the direction of the commotion. Then I saw it. It was an Aztecan, but this one was different. Some of its scaly flesh was missing, leaving bare bones exposed for all to see. Its eyes were glowing red.

“Is that a costume?” Josh wondered, eyes fixed on the creature.

“I don’t think so” Roselyn said uneasily, “Look.” She pointed in the direction of what looked the entrance of a tomb near the bazaar.

More of those creatures were piling out. Some were missing scales, others were completely bare-boned. They trudged toward the crowd of Aztecasaurs and when the crowd noticed, pure pandemonium fell upon Three Points. Aztecans screamed and ran in all directions, trying to escape the horde of creatures that followed in relentless pursuit. Guards from the Zocalo raced through the gates, forcing their way into the bazaar and taking up arms against the horde. Just as the last few undead were being taken down, dozens more poured through. Some were even digging their way out of the ground. These were no Wizard City ghouls.

Josh and I stood up with Roselyn, watching in horror.“We’re fighting, right?,” Josh asked, turning to me.

“Duh,” I smiled nervously. These guys were a lot stronger than us. I wondered if we could take them.

Roselyn nodded in agreement, unsheathing her Viridian Blade, “Let’s go.”

Josh and I pulled out our respective wands and, like a group of idiots, charged into the crowd. Amidst the chaos, our spells flew. Dodging and weaving, Josh threw fireball after fireball at the approaching creatures and I backed him up with a series of lightning bolts and blasts of wind. Roselyn aided those who were hurt or trampled by the mob. It wasn’t long before we realized that there were too many of them.

The Undead Aztecans began to attack the crowd and as hard as we tried to help, we were quickly overwhelmed. I admit, though I’m not proud to say, that we made a last-second decision to flee from the place. We quickly took off into the jungle, leaving Three Points to be overrun with undead.

We ran for what seemed like hours before we finally stopped to take a breather.

The darkness of the jungle surrounded us like a pack of hungry wolves. All was quiet.

Josh was the first to speak. “What in the name of Bartleby was that?”

“Undead, obviously,” Roselyn sighed. “I guess it is Day of the Dead, huh?”

“But that doesn’t mean that should’ve happened,” I said. “Something triggered it.”

“Morganthe, probably,” Josh said as he knelt down to prepare a fire. “That place could’ve been great target practice for Mistcaster.”

“Let’s not focus on that right now,” I sat across from Josh. “What matters is the fact that we’re lost,” I sighed, looking up towards the sky. The canopy completely covered the night sky, leaving Josh’s makeshift campfire as our only light source. Geez. I really got us into a mess.

“I don’t know about you guys,” Roselyn started, sitting next to me, “but I’m actually having a lot of fun. It’s an adventure. Something we aren’t able to have in Wizard City.”

I stared into the fire, laughing to myself. After all of this, she’s still as positive as always. I suppose that once you get past the idea of life and death, this all may seem sort of fun. It’s definitely a new experience, at least.

Just as we started getting comfortable, we heard the rustling of leaves close by. Then the stereotypical snap of a twig. Something was close by. Josh got up quickly and pulled out his wand, scanning the area. Then, amidst the darkness of the jungle, two red eyes could be seen, fixed on us. Before any of us had a chance to react, the creature lunged out of the darkness and onto Josh, causing him to fall backward near the fire.

Roselyn and I stood up just in time to hear an ear-splittingly loud crackle. The jungle momentarily lit up in a bright, white light. A moment ago, there was an undead Aztecan on top of Josh. Now Josh was all that laid there, covered in what looked like ashes. His face told me that he’s seen better days.

Then, out of the darkness stepped a man. No- he looked our age. He wore a Jester’s robe similar to Roselyn’s, except his bore magenta clouds and golden lightning bolts, the symbol of Storm Magic. His feathered hat and boots had the same designs and in his hand was a literal lightning bolt. It surged with magical energy, practically washing out the light from Josh’s campfire. I was staring at Alden Mistcaster.

“Wizards?” he said, craning his head to the side as if he were examining us.“What are Wizards doing here?

“That,” I croaked out, “would be a long story.”

He nodded, turning his attention to the campfire. “I imagine you guys were here for the festival?”

The three of us nodded slowly. I could almost feel his magical aura. This guy was powerful. I glanced at Josh, who was now standing, and Roselyn. They looked just as confused as I was.

“Well,” Alden said, “you can blame Malistaire for that one. He’s gotten pretty good at raising the dead.”

Josh looked confused. “But he’s-”

“Dead? Nope,” Alden cut him off. “I’d explain it to you right now but I’m in a bit of a hurry. I’m currently on my way to him and Morganthe.”

Was this guy insane? Did he actually believe he could take on an undead Malistaire and the Umbra Queen all by himself? Of course, I always end up regretting my thoughts.

“Actually, I could use your guys’ help,” he began talking faster. “I didn’t expect to find Ravenwood students all the way out here, but if we go together, we might have a fighting chance against them. I’ll explain everything on the way.”

“Um,” Roselyn chimed in, “go where, exactly?”

He looked at us as if we were supposed to know the answer. Then he pointed up.

“Xibalba, of course.”

Complete silence. All three of our jaws hit the ground as we stared at him in shock. Josh was the first to speak up.

“Please tell me you’re kidding.”

To Be Continued

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