Before the third day's parade had even begun, just as the sun was rising, a small funeral was being held in the cemetery on Mount Morn, north of Blackport City.
The cemetery was quiet in the morning, with the cool air leaving beads of dew upon the leaves.
Rows of white headstones stood throughout the grounds, each marking someone who had passed from this world.
Kozmo Enwey's obituary had been posted outside Saint Denis Church the day before. Now, before the parade began, Kozmo's family and friends had gathered to bid him a formal farewell.
According to the teachings of the Church of Radiant Prayer, everyone must die. After death, believers would be bathed in the light of the Lord of the Eternal Sun and cleansed of all the suffering they had endured in the mortal world.
A funeral should therefore remain solemn, but its mourners should not grieve excessively.
The coffin was lowered into the grave, and the choir began to sing Hymn 302, “Burial.”
Kozmo Enwey's older brother, Koliver Enwey, was a young acolyte of the Church of Radiant Prayer. He presided over the entire funeral.
The Military Academy had sent Major Willy Belloc as its representative. Kozmo's roommates, Leo and Brad Baker, were also expected to attend.
Leo had wanted nothing more to do with Kozmo, but his absence would have looked suspicious.
Acolyte Koliver Enwey watched as shovelful after shovelful of yellow earth covered the coffin. At last, he said, “My poor brother. You died so tragically in the darkness before dawn...”
The funeral ended, and the mourners dispersed. They still had to enter the city for the parade honoring holy Archmage Hilquins.
This was its final day, and rumor had it that the grandest bonfire memorial ceremony of all would be held that night.
Leo and Brad Baker were walking down the mountain together when someone suddenly called out behind them.
“Mr. Leo East, please wait!”
Acolyte Koliver Enwey had called Leo to a halt.
Brad Baker merely looked in puzzlement at the approaching acolyte, but Leo's heart began to pound.
An acolyte of the Church of Radiant Prayer had to be a Soul Mage...
By then, Acolyte Koliver had reached them.
“Forgive me for imposing. Seeing the two of you reminds me of my poor brother. He used to be every bit as full of life as you are...”
Acolyte Koliver tapped his chest four times, tracing the shape of a gallows. It was the prayer gesture of the Church of Radiant Prayer, commemorating how the Sufferer had ultimately been hanged.
“You are both fine young men. I am glad you came to see Kozmo off on his final journey. As Kozmo's brother, I offer you my heartfelt thanks...”
As he spoke these words of gratitude, Acolyte Koliver naturally spread his hands and reached toward each young man's shoulder.
The gesture seemed perfectly natural, like an elder expressing affection for two juniors.
Leo's gaze dropped at once, his pupils contracting.
...
The First Law of Order Superstring Mages: the Principle of Mandatory Contact.
The body is both the prison of the soul and its armor.
A spell may target only matter in physical contact with the caster.
Once outside the body, the soul will be torn apart by the mighty forces of nature, leaving the mage's soul incomplete and causing mental derangement or even the loss of personality.
Remember: mandatory contact when casting spells protects a mage's soul.
...
Leo could not allow a Soul Mage to touch him.
The spire and its evening bell lay within his Soul Sea, and he had used an Intimidation Scroll created by the Disciples of Desire!
Even now, countless clouds of pitch-black vapor drifted through his Soul Sea. That was obviously not normal.
Leo took a long step backward and bowed deeply to Acolyte Koliver.
“I'm sorry, Acolyte Koliver! I don't deserve your gratitude! I was right there when Kozmo fell into the river, but I couldn't save him!”
Leo's reaction was exactly what one would expect from a guilt-ridden classmate.
Regret. Grief...
Brad Baker greatly envied Leo for avoiding Acolyte Koliver's hand.
Acolyte Koliver's hand was so pale and soft that it could almost have belonged to a woman. Yet it was also extraordinarily strong. For a moment, his grip actually made Brad's shoulder hurt.
Acolyte Koliver withdrew the hand resting upon Brad Baker's shoulder. Brad could not help rolling his shoulder to ease the pain.
Acolyte Koliver looked at the bowing Leo and sighed, as though he had confirmed something.
Then he said, “Raise your head, Kozmo's friend. Kozmo spoke of you to me countless times while he was alive. You are a good young man. He once said you were his best... friend.
“Kozmo's passing was a gift from the Lord of the Eternal Sun.
“Every one of us is a Sufferer. Only in death will we find peace.”
Leo cautiously raised his head and studied Acolyte Koliver's reaction.
Then his expression changed in an instant, his face turning stiff and stricken.
When Brad Baker noticed something wrong with Leo's face, he assumed Leo was still overwhelmed with guilt.
Koliver's gaze seemed capable of crossing an endless distance and reaching the very depths of Leo's heart.
A wave of soul energy shot from Acolyte Koliver's eyes, perceptible only to Leo himself!
It struck Leo from two meters away!
...
The First Principle of Fallen Superstring Mages: tempering the soul outside the body.
Pain is the source of the soul's power.
When casting a spell, sending the soul outside the body subjects it to the hammering of nature's mighty forces.
If the soul becomes accustomed to the most extreme pain, its power will grow stronger.
...
Koliver's soul wave had attacked without physical contact.
This was the hallmark of the Disciples of Desire!
One of the Disciples of Desire was hiding within the Church of Radiant Prayer!
The soul wave drove straight into Leo's Soul Sea. His Cipher Soul String and Haste Soul String began vibrating at superfrequency simultaneously, sending out soul waves of their own.
But the soul waves of Cipher and Haste spells were both intended to affect matter. They were plainly weaker than the soul wave of a Soul spell, which specifically targeted the soul...
After a spell of dizziness, Leo knew his resistance had been useless.
Who could have imagined that an acolyte of the Church of Radiant Prayer was one of the Disciples of Desire?
Just as Leo despaired, terrified that his secrets were about to be exposed, something seemed to provoke the Calamity Bell.
It tolled violently within his Soul Sea.
The peal reverberated throughout the Soul Sea. Koliver's soul wave instantly shattered and dispersed, vanishing without a trace.
An odd look flashed across Acolyte Koliver's face.
His soul wave had inexplicably been annihilated after entering Leo's Soul Sea. He had never encountered anything like it.
It felt as though his Soul Magic had encountered a Soul Mage of a far higher grade.
It was startling, but one look at Leo's age made it obvious that he could not possibly be a high-grade Soul Mage.
Koliver said softly, “Mr. Leo, Mr. Brad, I apologize for taking up your time.
“The parade is about to begin. Bathed in the holy light of the Lord of the Eternal Sun, Kozmo should not be lonely.
“The whole city seems to be holding a memorial for him!”
Leo and Brad bowed to Acolyte Koliver, then hurried away.
Koliver's expression had frightened Brad.
“Leo, why did that all feel so strange? There was something wrong with the way Kozmo's brother was talking...”
Leo did not know how to answer. He was still pondering the Calamity Bell's strange reaction.
Could the Calamity Bell make him immune to the soul attacks of the Disciples of Desire?
Leo hurried to catch up with Major Willy Belloc.
Smoking had not been permitted throughout the funeral, and the instructor was now puffing away contentedly.
Leo could wait no longer. He urgently lowered his voice and asked, “Major Willy, how much do you know about the Disciples of Desire?”
Instructor Willy was as listless as ever.
“Disciples of Desire? Fallen Soul Mages...
“I've never seen one. No fallen mage has appeared on the Audrian Continent for fifty years.”
Leo continued, “Could there be Disciples of Desire within the Church of Radiant Prayer?”
Major Willy broke into a violent coughing fit.
“Leo, don't say anything like that again, especially where the Church of Radiant Prayer might hear you.
“The Academy can't lose two cadets in a row. I have no desire to hear news of your death tomorrow.
“You'll be hanged from the gallows, and collecting your corpse would undoubtedly be a thoroughly nauseating task.”
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