The Supreme Guardian

The Supreme Guardian
Dmitry Chernykh

For ages, a mage order shielded ancestral wisdom and humanity from otherworldly dangers. Now, with the Guardians gone, magic’s flow has altered, endangering the hidden world of witchcraft and darkness. As the boundary between realms weakens, an ancient evil emerges. Will the last Guardian avert the looming apocalypse?

The Supreme Guardian

Dmitry Chernykh

© Dmitry Chernykh, 2023

ISBN 978-5-0060-8545-9

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Part 1: In Search of Self

Chapter 1: Signs of Fate

I clutched a yellowish sheet of paper in my hands and laughed. An owl had brought me a letter! A real one! In our world of messengers and email, wizards still prefer to use birds. Such folly! It would have been better if they used pigeons, at least those don’t draw attention. And then, they finally decided to inform me that I am a mage. Me! The Guardian of Secret Knowledge! I might be the most powerful sorcerer of the past decade, yet they invite me to a school!

Opening the window, I let in the fresh air and looked outside. Silence and peace. As always. The windows of my five-story building overlooked an old overgrown park. Few people ever walked there, fearing ticks, stray dogs, or maniacs. The wind gently swayed the mighty branches of an ancient oak tree, towering amidst the unkempt undergrowth. How old might it be? Surely no less than three hundred years. With each year, it grows bigger, stronger. Yet here I am, seemingly starting to weaken. Otherwise, how could a local group of mages sense me, find me? Or perhaps it’s fate? A sign that I should find a successor? Nonsense. I’m in the prime of my life! Nevertheless, they’ve somehow discovered me, and I decidedly don’t like it.

I closed my eyes and focused. The house was still shrouded in a network of magical weavings, securely hiding me from the outside world. A beautiful pattern of shimmering lines enveloped the building in a thin web, invisible to the naked eye, but the glow was clearly dimmer. The energy supply from the source had weakened. But why?

Opening my eyes, I turned around, walked to the peeling cupboard, and pulled out a tattered world map. On the old faded paper, glowing lines began to appear over the continents, intersecting in a chaotic manner.

– This can’t be… – I breathed in surprise.

For the first time in my life, I saw something like this. The ley lines had shifted their historical location, intertwining into an unfamiliar, unusual pattern. And these changes were clearly not for the better. The scale of the impending, dare I say, catastrophe was hard for me to even imagine. My gaze returned to the crumpled letter brought by the owl. Well, nothing happens by chance, and if fate leads me to the academy of magic, so be it.

The sun had already set below the horizon, plunging the small provincial town into gentle twilight. In the week since receiving the letter from the academy, I had to do colossal work. I handed over all my duties to fellow Guardians, checked the safety of the artifacts under my control hidden around the world, and arranged for a few months’ leave with my superiors. Only a couple of trifles remained before heading to school: buying school supplies and changing my appearance. While the first task posed no problems, as all items on the attached list would be delivered directly to the academy, changing my appearance would require more effort. Approaching the mirror, I paused for a moment, staring at the reflection. A tall man with regular features, a neat beard, and nondescript gray eyes. A typical Guardian. Sighing, I ran my hand over my stomach, where a six-pack was once visible. Once this is all over, I need to hit the gym again; I’ve completely lost shape.

Having admired my reflection enough and acquiring a few new complexes, I pondered. Spells for changing appearance are quite complex and energy-consuming. Moreover, they’re rather pointless. The simplest anti-illusion charms can shatter any level of deception. However, this rule only applies to ordinary mages, unable to discern the true essence of things. Closing my eyes, I focused on weaving a delicate web of energy strands, tightly enveloping my body. A basic connection to the internal magical core was all it took. No artifacts or enchantments could break through this sealed illusion. And why doesn’t everyone do this?

Opening my eyes, I peered intently into my reflection. There, on the other side of the mirror, a seventeen-year-old boy gazed back. Average in height, with a thick mane of chestnut hair and striking green eyes. The rest of his face was nondescript, unremarkable, just as I had imagined.

***

At the train platform, people milled about, stumbling underfoot and being frankly irritating. Why must the journey to school necessarily be by train? Such a ridiculous tradition! At least I didn’t have to run into a wall.

The school train was, to put it mildly, unremarkable. A standard suburban electric train. What else could one expect from Russian Railways? Securing a vacant seat in the middle of the carriage and leaning back, I promptly fell asleep. My ability to sleep anywhere, under any conditions, I consider the most valuable of my magical arsenal. It saved my life more than once during my student years, letting me rest peacefully amidst endless senior parties in the adjacent dorm room.

I was awakened by loud conversations. Surprisingly, I found myself already lying on a soft, rather wide bed. But then again, what’s so surprising about that? We are, after all, in a magic academy. They must have transported us somehow. Thankfully, they didn’t change my clothes in my sleep.

– Oh, you’re awake! Someone shouted from my right. You really can sleep! I didn’t like this guy at all. In general, I dislike people speaking to me when I’m groggy, but this dark-haired, bespectacled kid was particularly annoying. No one should be so boisterous. I could turn him into a statue for a few centuries, but… that would reveal me. I’d better save that idea for later.

– Get dressed quickly! Dinner will be soon, and then the freshman initiation! he continued, oblivious to my scornful glance. By the way, what’s your name? – Seva, I replied curtly, rising from the bed. – I’m Zheka! We’re going to be roommates! – I gathered… I muttered gloomily, inspecting the items delivered from the online store.

In a large cardboard box, notebooks, textbooks, and stationery items were neatly arranged. Fortunately, they didn’t force us to write with quills. However, robes were still in vogue, unfortunately. Delivery was efficient, but they had forgotten one thing – they didn’t send a staff.

A staff is the primary conduit for magic in this world. For me, it was somewhat redundant, as I had become accustomed to manipulating magical flows without external artifacts. However, its absence would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention, which I preferred to avoid. So, I had to adapt.

Hiding from my pesky roommate in the restroom, I transported myself back to my apartment. Don’t think that all mages can use spatial transitions; it’s a rare ability, mastered by only a select few after years of training. I rummaged through the closet, the storeroom, even checked the balcony. Unfortunately, no suitable artifacts were found in the apartment, but nothing stopped me from crafting a staff myself.

Peering out the window, the old oak tree majestically stood at the center of the abandoned park, beckoning me with its mighty branches. The hint was clear. Weaving another spatial transition spell, I teleported right to the tree and gently landed, leaning against its rough trunk. Why do people consider trees inanimate? Trees are remarkable beings, capable of conducting magic. And you can even talk to them, if you know how.

Sensing the flow of magic within the old tree, I sent a light mental impulse and… the oak responded. Understood. With a loud crack, a long dry branch fell to the ground. Just what I needed. I tenderly stroked the thick bark, expressing my gratitude, and got to work. Picking up the stick, I closed my eyes, concentrated, and began methodically wrapping the future staff in a web of spells, turning an ordinary dry branch into a fine conduit of magic.

– What were you doing in there for so long? my roommate suspiciously eyed me as I finally returned from the restroom. And why did you need a staff in there? – The more you know, the sooner you age, I said instructively, carefully placing the staff on the bed. Oak, covered with intertwining runes… I had created a splendid artifact. And judging by Zheka’s envious gaze, he liked it too. Well, let him be jealous. By the way, didn’t he mention something about dinner?

The banquet hall’s tables were groaning under the weight of food. What a spread! No coffee, no desserts, no pastries, not even meat. Just porridge and fish. But in such quantities! Enough to feast on! And ribbons hung over the tables, creating a festive atmosphere. Well, I’ve seen worse.

The hall was filled with a crowd of chattering students. The division was simple – each year had its own long table. I didn’t know any of my fellow first-years, having slept through the entire journey to the school, but my annoying roommate was actively greeting everyone he saw. I guess I won’t judge him.

– Welcome all old and new students to the State Academy of Magic, Sorcery, and Witchcraft! Oh my! It was none other than Kazimir Vseslavsky, the famed director and, coincidentally, the most talentless mage of all times! How did I not recognize him at once! – Welcome to our alma mater! Eat, drink, rest! But remember, tomorrow we start our studies! continued the director. And not a single word about the impending planetary-scale catastrophe? Seriously? Though what else should I expect from Vseslavsky? Incompetence! A slight mental impulse – and the unfortunate director, hurrying to his table, finds his pants dropping. Oops! No underwear? How embarrassing… Wait. I caught the gaze of a stern old man at the teachers’ table. Did he notice the weaving? Impossible. Too subtle a stream of magic. Not every Guardian would discern it.

– Zheka, do you know who that teacher sitting to the right of the director is? I casually inquired of my noisy roommate.

– He’s a sorcery professor, I think, – my roommate replied cheerily, not stopping his enthusiastic consumption of rice porridge. – Why? Got an eye on him?

I snorted like a horse at my own joke, but the guy immediately received a not-so-gentle smack on the back of his head from the girl sitting next to him.

– Idiot, – she commented calmly. – Don’t mind him, he just doesn’t know how to behave properly…

Was she talking to me? Why was this girl standing up for me?

– I’m Asya, this goofball’s sister, – she continued. – And what’s your name? You’re his roommate, right?

– Seva, – I introduced myself modestly. – Yes, we’ll be sharing a room. And don’t worry, I’m not easily offended.

And I’m not one to hold grudges. I’ll get even and forget. A tiny weave of magic slipped unnoticed from the tip of my finger, hitting Zheka squarely in the forehead. Nothing serious, just a simple hairdressing charm with a delayed effect. He’ll learn not to laugh at me.

Asya, my roommate’s sister, was quite attractive. Long dark hair, a small nose, straight teeth… What was her name again? Asya, right? I should remember that. But what am I thinking? We’re on the brink of a global catastrophe, and I’m admiring girls. Still, there are quite a few attractive ones here. Especially in the senior years… Magic really does wonders!

But I didn’t like that sorcery professor one bit. He spent the whole evening trying to bore holes into me with his gaze. He should have been looking at his plate instead. Hanging his huge nose over the table and staring at the top of my head. No, this won’t do.

A few thin weavings, tied to a source and… nothing? What do you mean, nothing? For a moment, I stared in disbelief at the strange professor, and that was enough to catch his fleeting smirk. He had destroyed my spells! The nerve! Who was this guy?

Unfortunately, no answer came to my mental exclamation…

Chapter 2: Locked Away

As the first rays of the sun appeared over the horizon, I was awakened by a scream of despair. Opening my eyes reflexively, I rolled off the bed and pointed my staff ahead, ready to deflect the spells of an unknown enemy. However, the reality was more mundane, though no less amusing. My hairdressing spell from yesterday, with its delayed effect, had finally worked, turning my roommate’s thick hair into a green mohawk half a meter tall.

– Punk’s not dead! I cried out, unable to contain my laughter.

The funniest part about this spell was that it wasn’t so easy to remove. Even if you shaved off all the hair, the hairstyle would restore itself in about thirty minutes. Well, he wanted to be the center of attention, so I helped him!

– Did you do this? – Zheka roared. – How do I get rid of it?