The Iron Gate Read online

  The Iron Gate

  Book Two of the Iron Soul Series

  J.M. Briggs

  © 2014 by J. M. Briggs

  All rights reserved. No unauthorized reproductions permitted except for review purposes.

  Published by J.M. Briggs

  www.authorjmbriggs.com

  Printed in the United State of America

  Fourth Printing 2019

  ISBN 978-0-9967826-3-0

  For Aunt Janice and Uncle Hartwig. I am so grateful for all your love and support over the years. You have been an amazing part of my life, and I wish I had the words to express how much you mean to me.

  1: Magic Spark

  2: Healing a Wound

  3: Leaving Home

  4: Truth and Myth

  5: Ill Thoughts

  6: Magic Protectors

  7: Sídhe Hill

  8: Study Night

  9: The Test

  10: Instructing Magic

  11: Seen and Heard

  12: Battle in the Gorge

  13: Merlin’s Smithy

  14: Broken Circle

  15: Broken Symbol

  16: Confrontation

  17: Archetype

  18: The Return

  19: In the Furnace

  20: In Passing

  21: Blood Spilt

  22: Beltane Begins

  23: In the Lights

  24: Tears

  25: The Defender

  26: Out of the Woods

  27: Changeling Made

  28: Waking Up at Morgana’s Again

  29: Conversations

  30: March of Warriors

  31: Monday

  32: Gathering of Mages

  33: The First Gate

  34: Finals Weekend

  35: A New Iron Gate

  1

  Magic Spark

  Magic sparked in Alex’s hand, tiny flickers of dark silver jumping between her fingers as she turned her palm upward slowly. She could feel her connection to the earth pulsing deep in her chest, feeding her the energy of the realm and merging with her life force to power the sparks. After weeks of frustration and being unable to use magic, Alex felt awe as she forced more sparks of magic into being. Smiling, she ignored the fatigue that was beginning to creep through her system as she mentally commanded the sparks together, imagining an orb like the one she’d created in the dark tunnels of the Sídhe. In a rush of color as the sparks came together, an orb appeared in her hand, and Alex nearly shivered at the thrum of energy.

  She was fascinated by the pulse of the magic in her palm, remembering how only five days ago she had first used her magic to fight back the Sídhe. Alex had to contain a shiver at the memory of her capture by the Sídhe Riders and waking up in the underground tunnels that they used to enter Earth from their own world. It was nothing like the fairies that her five-year-old self ever would have imagined, but Alex was quickly learning that fairy tales had almost nothing to do with the reality she now found herself in.

  “Good,” Morgana’s voice said, jarring Alex from her thoughts.

  Alex looked up to find the dark-haired college professor Morgana Cornwall, also known as Morgana le Fey watching her with a small pleased smile. It was a rare expression on the usually stoic woman, but Alex saw genuine pleasure in Morgana’s dark green eyes that boosted her confidence. They were both sitting on the floor in a small classroom in the Kittell building, just down the hall from the others and Merlin. So far the private magic lesson and assessment of her magical powers seemed to be going well, and Morgana’s praise allowed Alex to relax a little.

  “Your control is remarkably good,” Morgana said as Alex shifted out of the meditative position they’d settled into. “Especially given how difficult your form of magic is to visualize.”

  “What exactly is my form of magic?” Alex asked, her eyes dropping back to the orb resting in her palm.

  Morgana raised an eyebrow in surprise, but answered the question calmly, “Energy, Alex, you are controlling your magic as pure energy rather than giving it an elemental form or just willing an effect. It is a bit unusual.”

  “But your magic looks a lot like this.” Alex raised the orb in a gesture towards Morgana.

  “I visualize my magic as light,” Morgana explained. “Merlin and I can both use magic as raw energy, but we both started with a more… understandable form.” Morgana smiled, and her eyes moved to the orb. “Judging from your description of the fight in the tunnels if sounds like you even can influence energy released by others. That is something I have not seen before, and it could be advantageous.”

  “Oh,” Alex replied slowly, not fully understanding as her eyes dropped to the orb. It was becoming uncomfortable in her hand, the thrum giving her goosebumps up her right arm.

  “Disperse the energy,” Morgana instructed, “without unleashing it.”

  “What do you mean?” Alex questioned with a frown.

  “Allow it to seep back into the world,” Morgana explained patiently. “Don’t use it to attack, just let it go. It is important that you can not only gather the energy but also release it if you no longer need it.”

  Alex nodded her understanding and looked back to the orb. While she understood what Morgana was saying, she’d only ever thrown her magic at the Sídhe. Closing her eyes, Alex felt the tug of her magic and felt the sparks in the orb pulsing with power. She tried to imagine it seeping away like water, but the energy just seemed to become fluid. Opening her eyes, she found the orb melting into a pool of dark silver in her hand. In front of her, Morgana chuckled but said nothing. Alex closed her eyes and visualized the orb once again, trying to bring the energy back into a form she was familiar with. A strand of her long blonde hair escaped her braid and fell into her face, but Alex ignored the urge to push it back.

  Alex was still as she pondered the problem. Nicki used water that was around her and didn’t have to release it. Aiden simply had to will the fire to go out, and Bran just stopped moving whatever he’d been using his magic on. Looking down at the orb, Alex nibbled at her bottom lip and tried to ignore the gaze of Professor Cornwall as she considered the problem. She didn’t want to risk doing the lightning bolt thing, as cool as it was to see, it could hurt anyone around her. Thinking of it like water had only turned the orb into water. Her mind went back to watching the Sídhe and Hounds die, the way they just dissolved. Focusing on the orb, Alex did her best to imagine it slowly falling apart and blowing away like a Síd. There was a moment of resistance as the magic pulsed, but slowly the orb began to dissolve in specks of dark silver that faded into the air.

  Releasing a slow breath, Alex lowered her hand once the last of the orb had faded. She felt exhausted, and the muscles in her back were now tense despite the mediation at the beginning of the magic lesson. Her leg was beginning to ache from sitting on the floor and now that she wasn’t so focused on using her magic, Alex had to resist the urge to scratch at the itchy stitches.

  “Good,” Morgana said. The professor stood up and held down a hand to help Alex to her feet. “You’ll need to practice that; otherwise there is too much of a risk of you harming your allies. Remember that offensive magic is not just a danger due to the form it takes, but the mere collision of one being’s energy with another being.”

  “What about controlling other energy?” Alex asked as she leaned over to grab her bag from a nearby desk. “How did I do that in the tunnels?”

  She had been wondering that for days when the Sídhe attacked she’d been able to stop their magical attacks and turn them back on the casters. Alex had no doubt it was the reason she was still alive.

  “I suspect that was largely survival instinct kicking in,” Morgana told her. “Focus on controlling your energy first and dispersing it safely. Then we w
ill start experimenting to see what limitations you have on controlling energy.”

  “So it might just be Sídhe energy I can control?”

  “I doubt that. I haven’t seen magic take this form before Alex, but I highly doubt that you are limited in that fashion.”

  That confession made Alex’s stomach turn with nerves. She’d been afraid that Morgana would say something like that after the strange expression her first demonstration had gotten. Morgana said something else that Alex missed, and she blinked at the professor.

  “I’m sorry what?” Alex asked sheepishly.

  “I said sit down, and I’ll check the stitches in your leg,” Morgana repeated.

  Nodding, Alex sat down on top of the nearby table and shifted so she could pull her up the leg of her jeans. She maneuvered it carefully, trying to avoid dragging the denim over the stitches. Looking away when the red curve of stitches came into view, Alex focused on the notes written on the room’s whiteboard. Morgana set a hand on Alex’s ankle and made a small sound of consideration. It had only been five days since she fought her way out of the tunnels and Morgana had tended to her injuries, but it already felt to Alex that she’d been hiding the injury from Jenny for weeks. She did her best to stay still and hoped for some good news.

  “It’s healing nicely,” Morgana remarked with a nod. “On Saturday I want to you to come to my house to have them removed.” Giving Alex a small smile, Morgana told her, “I’ll even use a little magic to help prevent a scar.”

  “I thought you said you only used it in the most desperate of situations?” Alex questioned.

  “Usually,” Morgana confessed with a chuckle. “But the ebb of magic is high, and I used medicine to heal the worst of the damage. I can spare a little magical energy. Besides, you earned it.” The older mage fiddled with her triskele pendant as she stepped away from Alex.

  Nodding in relief, Alex pulled her jeans back down to cover the injury carefully. Morgana’s tone rang with gratitude and relief. Alex knew that the professor was thinking of the children that she’d rescued from the tunnels during Imbolc. She’d saved them from becoming slaves to the Sídhe like Morgana had been during her youth almost three thousand years ago.

  Morgana waited for her to climb off the table before she turned and strode towards the door with Alex following. Walking in silence, they returned to the door of the primary classroom they used for magic lessons. Alex could barely believe that it had only been three months since she’d found out that magic was real and she was a part of a war across magical realms. When she’d started her freshman year of college she’d expected some changes and new challenges, but nothing like this.

  Morgana paused in front of the door and waved her hand, releasing the protective spell that Merlin had placed on it. The door swung open without Morgana touching it. Looking inside, Alex could see the others practicing their magic and Merlin watching with a smile as he sat on top of the teacher’s desk. Morgana moved inside, but Alex paused to watch Aiden shape a small ball of fire in his hands into a rough looking horse. The fire highlighted his dark hair and his brown eyes were glowing with glee as he played with the flames. Nearby, Nicki was swaying with large bubbles of water floating around her and following the movements of her hands. Her friend’s auburn braids were moist from where her twirling had crashed with the bubbles, but Nicki didn’t seem concerned.

  Sitting at a nearby desk with his wooden cane propped up next to him was Bran who was staring at dozens of small candies which were floating in the air and writing out an equation. Twitching his hand, he brought one of them towards him and into his mouth. At the front of the classroom, sitting on the edge of the large desk was Merlin also known as Professor Ambrose Yates. Merlin was humming softly to himself as he wrote in a small notebook. He was wearing his usual tweed jacket, and his triskele pin was gleaming in the light of the classroom.

  Morgana moved over to Merlin, gaining his attention with a small cough. Nicki jumped at the sound but kept the fluid masses of water in the air. Aiden waved his hand, and the fire vanished in a small puff of smoke. Glancing over at them, Bran slowly began to lower the candies in the air and held open a bag for them to slowly fly into.

  “How did it go?” Merlin asked, looking past Morgana at Alex.

  “Adequate,” Morgana replied. “It will take time, but her power has great potential once she gains more control.”

  “It went fine,” Alex answered.

  “Excellent.” Merlin winked at Alex.

  He gestured to the row of desks where Bran was seated. Alex moved over to join the others, and they sat down. Morgana crossed her arms over her chest and watched them patiently. Nicki grinned at Alex and gave her a questioning look, but Morgana cleared her throat, cutting off anything else Nicki may have said.

  “You’ve all made your connections to your magic and the power of Earth itself,” Merlin said with a beaming smile. “I know that February 2nd was an intense day for you all, especially you Alex, but you all performed beyond my expectations.” A smile tugged at Alex’s lips despite her exhaustion. “Many mages do not learn how to access their magic so quickly. Remember even when you are frustrated that you have already achieved a great feat.”

  Next to Alex, Nicki shifted in her desk and raised her hand. Merlin chuckled, and Aiden snorted, but Morgana nodded to Nicki.

  “When will the Hounds return?” Nicki asked, lowering her hand.

  “Merlin and I were able to sever the Sídhe’s connection between the tunnel entrance and our realm, but most of the tunnel’s magic is intact.” Morgana didn’t sound like she was talking about a magical invading army that had already enslaved whole worlds. “I estimate that they will repair the connection enough to send the Hounds through once again in late March. The Sídhe Riders will be able to pass through sometime in May, potentially Beltane if they devote their magic to the repairs.”

  “Beltane is May 1st,” Merlin added quickly. “The next seasonal day when their powers on Earth are at their peak.” He looked at Alex. “And remember that it starts at sundown, not at midnight.”

  Alex flushed and nodded. It had been her forgetting the sundown rule that had resulted in her being captured by the Sídhe. It wasn’t a mistake that she’d make again.

  “Is there anything else we can do to slow them down?” Aiden questioned from down the row of desks.

  “I’m afraid not,” Merlin replied with a sigh. “Once Morgana and I cut the connection we cannot affect the tunnels until the tunnel is reformed and stable. Remember that the Hounds do not need a completely stable doorway to pass through.”

  “Will it be in the same place?” Bran asked. “Can we guard the entrance on Beltane to keep the Riders from attacking any people or trying to kidnap children again?”

  “The tunnel entrance will probably be close, but I doubt it will reappear in the same location,” Morgana answered.

  Alex frowned, barely containing a shiver at the memory of the dark stone tunnels that the Sídhe used to make the transition between their world and hers. When Morgana had told that she and Merlin had severed the connection she’d thought that it might be over for a brief moment. And just yesterday, Merlin and Morgana had told her even more about the war in which she was now a warrior. Not only was Earth connected to twenty-eight other worlds via magical roads that bound them together, but there was a unique human soul that was the protector of Earth, the Iron Realm. Worse yet, it was the guy she had a crush on who was dating her roommate. She hadn’t had time to wrap her head that just yet and all the ramifications but knew she’d have to tell the others soon.

  “I think that is enough for tonight,” Merlin announced as his eyes settled on Alex who was pale from exhaustion. “Alex is still recovering from her battle in the tunnels.” He looked at the others and added, “I trust that you aren’t interrogating her. You will be told everything in due time. Morgana and I are planning to go back to the tunnel entrance and check the protections we put in place soon. When we’re ready, we would
like you four to accompany us.”

  Nodding in relief, Alex collected her coat from her desk and pulled it on without a word. She readjusted her bag and double checked that her dagger was accessible. Around her, the others were pulling on their coats and gathering their things with Nicki stealing some of Bran’s candy. Aiden and Bran were both shooting Alex curious looks, and she barely contained a sigh. They’d been very patient with her telling them about what happened in the tunnels over the last five days, but there were always more questions. Alex forced a smile and said goodbye to Morgana and Merlin before starting out of the room. Nicki half skipped to join her with the boys close behind.

  Morgana remained silent, leaning against the large teacher’s desk, as the four college students marched out of the room. She could hear voices echoing down the empty hallway as the questions began anew. Behind her, Merlin silently erased the notes he’d made on the board throughout the session. He sat down in the creaky chair behind the desk just as Morgana leaned back against the desk. They were both quiet for a long moment, gathering their thoughts before Merlin waved his hand towards the door. It closed with a soft click, and a soft blue field covered the doorway, sealing it.