Water (The Six Elements Book 3) Read online

  The Six Elements

  WATER

  Rosie Scott

  Copyright, 2017

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except for use in any review. This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locales, and events are pure invention, and all incidents come from the author's imagination alone.

  Cover design by Jes Richardson.

  Map design by Rosie Scott.

  Dedication

  To Tim. I am privileged to be your favorite author. You are my favorite fan.

  Also to my mother: you don't enjoy the fantasy genre in the slightest, but you eagerly await each of these books anyway. I promise to write more dystopian and science fiction for you in the future!

  Other Books by Rosie Scott:

  Dystopian

  The New World series (complete):

  The Resistance

  The Betrayal

  The Acquisition

  The Insurrection

  The Calamity

  Fantasy

  The Six Elements series (in progress):

  Fire

  Earth

  Water

  Air

  Life

  Death

  For More Information:

  Publisher's Website:

  www.amazon.com/author/rosiescott

  Author Blog:

  www.rosiescottbooks.wordpress.com

  Maps, timelines, and additional info about books can be found here!

  Business Inquiry Contact:

  [email protected]

  Important Terms and Characters

  Alderi – Casually referred to as dark elves. Blue, purple, or blackish in color with black or red eyes. A brutal and crude race suited to the underground and sly dealings.

  Aleyah – The goddess of communication and travel.

  Alteration magic – A school of magic dealing in the altering of material objects. Used for practical purposes and for battle support. Includes spells like telekinesis, detect life, and shape shifting.

  Ancients – An ancient race of beings that not much is known about. Accredited with the creation of the gods, among other things. Said to have existed during the beginning of the Golden Era.

  Anto Erikur – Former gladiator of T'ahal. Dual-wielding warrior. Member of the Seran Renegades. Half-breed of orc and Celdic blood.

  Arrayis – The world, consisting of all continents and oceans.

  Arturian Kilgor – Kai Sera's biological father, and a magical scientist. The discoverer of the Kilgorian Law, and founder of the village of Kilgor.

  Azazel Beriah – “The best archer of Hazarmaveth.” Wielder of karambits and alteration magic. Current slave of the underground.

  Battle of the Dead – The battle between Chairel and the Seran Renegades/Naharan Army just north of T'ahal in the year 418. Catalyst for the War of Necromancers.

  Beastmen – A term to describe the tribe of people who live in the untamed wildlands and can transform into beasts by will. The term can be used interchangeably with shapeshifter.

  Bjorn Berg – The late general of the Seran Army, and the only positive father figure Kai has ever met. Executed by Sirius Sera in the year 417 for his assistance in Cerin Heliot's escape from Sera's dungeons.

  Blades of Meir – A cult of cannibals which worship the second moon of Meir. Reside in the deserts of Nahara.

  Blood-kin – Used to describe the animal beastmen have chosen to mix blood with. (i.e. wolf-kin may describe a werewolf)

  Blood mixing – A term to describe the process of becoming a beastman by mixing blood with a chosen animal.

  Calder Cerberius – Mysterious mercenary captain of the ship Galleon Stallion. Does not wield weapons. Possible mage. Escaped slave of the underground. Full-blooded Alderi.

  Celdic – Casually referred to as wood elves. A peace-seeking race not prone to battle. Most have light complexions and stand slightly taller than humans. Most reside in the tree city of Celendar.

  Celendar – One of Chairel's four major cities. Home to the Celdic elves and the Knights of Celendar.

  Cerin Heliot – Kai Sera's lover. Dual caster of life and death magic. Wielder of scythe. Member of the Seran Renegades. Half-breed of Icilic and human blood.

  Chairel – A rich country mostly known for its four major cities of Sera, Comercio, Celendar, and Narangar. A land of forests, grasslands, and mountains.

  Comercio – One of Chairel's major cities and its central trade hub. A city of merchants and fortune seekers.

  Cyrene Chase – Beastman who is blood-kin with a jaguar. Native of Eteri. Full-blooded Vhiri.

  Dark Star – The season of winter.

  Dual Caster – A mage capable of wielding two elements.

  Elemental magic – Sometimes referred to as destruction magic. The hardest school of magic to wield. Deals in the elements of fire, earth, water, air, life, and death.

  Eran – The first, smaller moon of Arrayis. Shows itself in the sky all year round.

  Eteri – A mostly isolated country to the north of the wildlands. A nation of highlands and vast plains. Home of the Vhiri elves. Currently not involved with the war.

  Ferris – An herbal drug often smoked rolled in paper. Grown in the wildlands. Said to have pain relieving properties.

  Fortnight – A period of two weeks.

  Gods – A powerful race of beings said to have been created by the Ancients. The source of most religions on Arrayis. A vengeful and arrogant race.

  Golden Era – An era spanning 5782 years before the current Mortal Era, said to be a time of discovery, including the forming of most major nations of Arrayis. An era of which little is known for sure, given the mix of myth and history passed through the generations.

  Glacia – A continent that also serves as its own country, home to the Icilic elves, at the northern most point of Arrayis.

  Hades – The god of the dead.

  Half-breed – A person who carries the blood of two separate races and contains traits from both.

  Hammerton – A country to the east of Chairel. A nation of forests and mountains. Home of the dwarves. Ally to Chairel in the war.

  Hasani Samara – The prince of Nahara, and an ally to the Seran Renegades. A fantastic fighter and war general. Full-blooded human.

  High Star – The season of summer.

  Human – The weakest of the mortal races, and the most common race to populate Chairel.

  Icilic – Casually referred to as snow elves. The oldest lineage of elves in all of Arrayis, known for their magical abilities and disdain for other races. Extreme isolationists.

  Illusion magic – A school of magic dealing in the creation of illusions for entertainment or nefarious purposes. Includes spells such as charm, frenzy, or invisibility.

  Jakan Yair – Former thief. Wields a crossbow, scimitar, and illusion magic. Member of the Seran Renegades. Full-blooded Vhiri.

  Jayce Helaku – Beastman who is blood-kin with a crocodile. Sister of Vallen. Native of Eteri. Full-blooded Vhiri.

  Judai – The goddess of lies and deception.

  Kai Sera – Wielder of the six elements and the lesser schools of magic. Adopted daughter of Sirius Sera. Leader of the Seran Renegades. Half-breed of god and human blood.

  Kilgorian Law – Named after its discoverer, Arturian Kilgor, it is a scientific law which states a mage's magic energy is pulled from reserves in a natural order: environment, weather, self.

  Killick – A tropical island just south of Nahara. Part of the country's rule, but mostly lawless. A hub for mercenary ship trading.

  King Adar – The king of Nahara. Resides in T'
ahal. Full-blooded human.

  Koby Bacia – Mysterious mercenary quartermaster and navigator of the ship Galleon Stallion. Best friend of its captain, Calder Cerberius. Escaped slave of the underground. Full-blooded Alderi.

  Malgor – The god of war, worshiped by most orcs.

  Mantus – A giant beast slain by the Seran Renegades and the Naharan Army in the year 418.

  Material element – Another way to describe the elements of fire, earth, water, and air.

  Meir – Arrayis's second moon, and the largest. Only appears twice a year, and for weeks at a time.

  Moons – Another word for seasons, as in, there are four moons in a year.

  Mortal Era – The current era, directly following the Golden Era. Any dates referred to in The Six Elements are of the Mortal Era, unless otherwise specified.

  Nahara – A country known for its giant beasts and vast deserts. Ally of the Seran Renegades.

  Nanya – The goddess of lust, and Kai's mother.

  Narangar – The dwarven capital in southwest Chairel, nestled deep in the Golden Peaks just above the Chairel/Nahara Border.

  Necromancy – Another term for death magic, and the only element that is banned across Chairel. Deals in the reanimation of the dead, the leeching of energy from life, and the decomposition or plague of living forms.

  New Moon – The season of spring.

  Nirit – The goddess of nature, worshiped by many Celdic elves.

  Nyx Sephtis – Kai Sera's best friend. Former assassin. Wielder of dual daggers, throwing stars, and illusion magic. Member of the Seran Renegades. Full-blooded Alderi.

  Queen Achlys – Queen of the underground. Wielder of dual daggers and alteration magic. Full-blooded Alderi.

  Queen Edrys – The ruler of Chairel. Has a regent in each of the four major cities. Resides in Comercio. Full-blooded human.

  Red Moon – The season of autumn.

  Ricco Mara – Beastman who is blood-kin with a rat. Escaped slave of the underground. Full-blooded Alderi.

  Sera – A rich, mostly human city, built on the edge of a mountain. Attracts tourists and seekers of magic services. Ruled by Sirius Sera, who also serves as headmaster to the Seran University.

  Seran Renegades – Group of rebels started by Kai Sera in the year 418 with the goal of taking over Sera and, by extension, all of Chairel.

  Seran University – The only place in Chairel that officially teaches magic and grants magic licenses to prospective mages.

  Servis Ocean – The ocean which separates the continents of Arrayis.

  Silas Galan – Kai Sera's former lover and bodyguard. A Celdic elf of royalty from Celendar. Abandoned the group at the end of Fire for his refusal to follow Kai into illegal activities.

  Sirius Sera – Headmaster of the Seran University and regent of Sera. Wielder of air and life magic. Full-blooded human.

  T'ahal – The capital city of Nahara.

  Terran Sera – Biological son of Sirius Sera, and heir to the Seran throne. Wielder of earth magic. Full-blooded human.

  Theron Boa – The late friend of Kai Sera, killed during the Battle of the Dead in the year 418. Former member of the Seran Renegades. Full-blooded human.

  Vallen Helaku – Beastman who is blood-kin with a bear. Brother of Jayce. Native of Eteri. Full-blooded Vhiri.

  Vertun – The god of weather and seasons.

  Vhiri – Casually referred to as high elves. A highly magical race of elves known for their arrogance and hatred of the politics of Chairel. Most have bronzed or deep brown skin.

  War of Necromancers – The war started by Kai Sera and the Seran Renegades after her refusal to surrender to Chairel during the Battle of the Dead. Nations currently involved: Chairel, Hammerton, and Nahara.

  Western Isles – A group of tropical islands spotted along the lower eastern coast of the wildlands.

  Wildlands – A so-called untamed land of swamps, tropical forests, and wild beasts.

  Relevant Spells and Translations

  Fire

  Creatius les fiers – Create fire

  Creatius les fiers a nienda de material – Create fire that sticks to a surface/material (i.e. to create a fire wall)

  Ades in fiers – Imbue object (i.e. weapon) with fire

  Earth

  Tranferra la terra ti ___ - Transform earth into (sand/metal/stone)

  Tranferra la meta ti ___ - Transform metal into (sand/earth/stone)

  La terra te risa – Raise earth

  Air

  Creatius la bolta a multipla – Create chain lightning bolts (wielded by hand)

  Creatius le funel – Create tornado (wielded by hand)

  Water

  Creatius a friz projectille – Create ice shard

  Creatius la wava a tyda – Create tidal wave

  Tranferra la agua ti ___ - Transform water into (ice/steam)

  Explodis a friz – Ice bomb (area of effect)

  Life

  Givara le life – Heal

  Givara la mana – Give energy

  Promotus le imun – Promote immunity

  Sheel a phisica – Shield for physical damage

  Sheel a mana – Shield for energy damage (ward)

  Sik la trama – Seek injury

  Death

  Enflic le plague – Inflict plague

  Corpa te risa – Raise corpse (singular)

  Corpa te risa a multipla – Raise corpses (area of effect)

  Absort la mana del life – Leech (translates to “absorb energy from life”)

  Combination (Dual Elements)

  Summun te golum – Summon golem (death/material element)

  Creatius el mist – Create fog (water/fire)

  Enflic le plague del agua – Inflict water poisoning (i.e. drowning from inside the body, death/water)

  Extrac la agua del life – Extract water from life (death/water)

  Illusion Spells

  Muta te sensa – Dull senses

  Persuadua – Charm

  Desoriencia – Confuse

  Silenci – Muffle sound

  Panique – Fear

  Seriin – Calm

  Bilda te fasad – Invisibility (translates to “build facade”)

  Creatius flectous del electroc rys – Light (translates to “create reflections of electromagnetic rays”)

  Enhaun visua – Enhance eyesight

  Alteration Spells

  Oxi del agua – Water-breathing

  Parliz – Paralyze

  Parliz a multipla – Mass paralyze (area of effect)

  Resist a mana – Resist magic/energy

  Absort la mana de spula – Absorb offensive spell energy

  Tranferra la mana del electro rys – Create light (translates to “transfer energy into electromagnetic rays”)

  Willin el material a nienda – Telekinesis (push or pull object from a distance)

  Sik le life – Detect life

  Tranferra sel ti kin a blud – Transform into blood-kin

  Ades material in masse – Burden (translates to “imbue object with weight”)

  One

  1st of High Star, 419

  Twenty trained Naharan mages stood before me, waiting for my orders. Just a year ago, they wouldn't have known who I was, or my true identity. Of course, a year ago, I hadn't even breached the Naharan border yet during my escape from Chairel. Much could happen in a year.

  “I have chosen all of you for a reason,” I explained to the mages, who all watched me with gazes of admiration and respect. The make-shift classroom we had been using out of the Naharan barracks for the past three moons was mostly quiet and bare around us, for the Naharan mages were making room for the soldiers to have the building back, and moving their magic school to a new construction down the road. “For one thing, you all signify a mixture of the elements.” I walked down the line of them, eyeing each mage as I listed their elements. “Water. Earth. Fire. Life. Air. Death.”

  I stopped at the center of the group. There were mostly humans here
, though a few elves of different races were sprinkled in. Over the past few seasons, I had worked with Hasani Samara to free some of the more talented elven gladiators from T'ahal's coliseum. Nahara was a nation of mostly humans, but humans made the weakest mages. We needed to make sure Nahara's mages were diverse and ready for battle if Chairel were to attack.

  “You are the most talented mages of those I have taught. Yesterday, I promoted ten of your peers to teach here in T'ahal, and I know many of you were disappointed.” I paused, keeping my gaze confident in theirs. “You should not have been. King Adar has plans for each of you. Your hard work and dedication has not been overlooked. I was not asked to promote ten mages, but thirty. You twenty are also going to be teachers. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you all on your promotion.”

  The mages before me were visibly relieved and overjoyed, all at once. They exchanged happy glances with one another.

  “Now...why weren't you informed yesterday?” I asked, because I knew the question would come up. “Because your promotion comes with perks the others were not granted access to. Ten of you before me today will travel to Al Nazir; the other ten of you will be sent to Llyr. King Adar plans on building schools of magic in each of his cities, not just the capital, and you all are the first to hear of this. You will be the founders of these schools, and the first teachers in their halls. Your portraits will be painted and hung on the walls for all to see for the oncoming centuries. It is a great honor, and that is why I have reserved these places for you all.”

  “Excuse me, Miss Sera...” One of the water mages spoke up, a hand raised slightly to be noticed.

  “Yes, Gabai?”

  “I am delighted with my promotion, but...” he trailed off, conflict in his deep blue eyes. “I have a home here, and my wife is with child.”

  “I'm glad you brought that up.” I refocused my attention to the group. “All of you will be compensated for your move, and there are extravagant condominiums being built for you in both cities. You do not have to live in these condominiums, but you and your immediate families may stay there free of charge. The king is aware that moving can be a burden, and wishes to make it convenient for you.”