Sword of Draskara: Casters of Syndrial, #2

By Rain Oxford

Nathan is settling back into his old life as best as he can. His mysterious girlfriend and new writing career do not dampen his determination to get his brother back. When Thoth summons him and tells him to retrieve a magical weapon that can kill a god, Nathan has a condition. Despite Thoth's warnings, Anubis agrees to bring back Luca, but there is a price for magic, and Nathan may not be willing to pay it when the time comes.

Nathan and Luca are back on Syndrial for another dangerous adventure. Getting the sword of Draskara will be a perilous challenge as they face the god of Kradga. Even with their combined skills, they will need the help of powerful allies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rain Oxford
• Release date: Oct 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386712985

Rain Oxford

Rain Oxford is a retired teacher who has been writing stories since she was twelve. She attended Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. Some of her interests include magic, psychology, and ancient history. She has four children: a Maltese, a Chihuahua, a Great Pyrenees puppy, and a Golden Retriever puppy. The only thing missing in her family is a dragon. When she’s not creating worlds, she enjoys reading, playing the piano, or photographing exotic wildlife.

Book preview

Previously, in Casters of Syndrial...

I was a completely normal guy. I worked at a used bookstore while getting a degree in literature. In my free time, I mastered escape rooms, played strategy games, read, wrote crime fiction, and enjoyed a healthy coffee addiction. I was also cursed; everyone I cared about got hurt.

My brother, Luca, was my best friend and a huge pain in the ass. He was brilliant, loved everything about ancient history, and stuck by me when everyone else was scared off by my curse. We could solve any problem together.

Then, on my twenty-fourth birthday, we fell through a portal and landed on a world called Syndrial. Syndrial was full of magic and monsters, ruled by multiple gods. Ancient Egypt originated from the culture of this world. People who did magic were called casters and everyone knew about the gods. Most people lived in cities called kingdoms, and each kingdom had a temple filled with priests and a pyramid the temple wrapped around.

Every child on Syndrial was tested for magic on their birthdays between five and ten. Boys found with strong enough magic were admitted to the temple to be trained. Girls with magic were exiled to the desert. When an apprentice was ready, he went through a series of trials that tested his mind and magic. The purpose of these trials was to win over one of the gods, who would then give him a special ability in exchange for loyalty. The boy would become a priest and be called by his title, which was based on his ability.

Since Luca and I appeared in the middle of one of the cities, we were taken to the priests and tested. I had magic, while Luca didn’t. Their first response was to kill Luca, which I wasn’t okay with. Thus, they decided to kill us both, but before they could, the goddess Isis appeared and told us she and the other gods needed our help. I was skeptical.

Isis wrote down the true names of every person and god of Syndrial. On Syndrial, names were power, and even a lousy caster could kill someone with that person’s name. A powerful one could control the gods. Thus, Syndrial natives were all given false names when they were born and their true names were kept secret.

It turns out I was born on Syndrial, but I was sent away on the day I was born and so my name wasn’t included in the book. That meant the book couldn’t be used against me, and when it was stolen, the gods wanted me to recover it. The one they believe stole it was a demigod called the Painter.

I reluctantly agreed to help in order to get myself and Luca home alive. I started studying magic, and along the way, I met some strange people, including Keira, who I later learned was the cat goddess, Bast. She helped me a few times in her feline form, which was a large black jaguar. Unlike the other gods who took vessels, she created her own body. With it, she could shapeshift, but she couldn’t live with the other gods in their realm.

Every temple surrounded a pyramid. Each temple worshiped one particular god, except for the High Temple (where the apprentices were trained). Excluding Bast, every god had a mortal vessel. These vessels were Syndrial natives who lived alone in the pyramids, only ever seeing the one priest who took care of them. When the gods wanted to visit Syndrial, they possessed their vessel. The High Temple and High Pyramid were neutral ground. The vessels were kept entirely pure, never allowed to leave their pyramids without the gods inside them.

Luca and I accidentally rescued a trapped wizard from another world, who offered me a magic ring and a magic book in gratitude. The ring could transport me to the last world and time I was on as long as I was wearing it. The book could hide or change my spells in it in case someone else ever got their hands on it.

With Luca’s help, I discovered my mother had been the vessel of Isis. I also learned that several of the priests were killing children for their power rather than exiling them. I met the Painter and he wasn’t particularly vicious, so when one of the renegade priests took Luca, I immediately went to Painter for help in defeating them.

His advice was to take the trials, which I did. In fact, I impressed enough gods in my trials that I had a choice in who I wanted. I chose Thoth, and the ability I was given was writing. Anything that I wrote would come true, as long as I was strong enough and determined enough. I became the Writer.

Painter and I banished the murderous priests to Kradga— Syndrial’s version of Hell. It wasn’t actually that hard since we worked great together. The Painter also had a magic ring that made him immortal and magic art supplies that made his magic ridiculously efficient. Immediately afterwards, Painter’s disguise fell and I learned that he was my identical twin brother. I was understandably freaked, but he explained everything that led up to his psycho-killer tendencies.

Set had forced our mother to produce an heir who could get the Book of Names, which Isis had entrusted to her vessel. Our mother sent us away to different worlds to protect us from the priest who attacked her immediately after our birth. The Painter knew this because he was there... twice.

He had been abused by everyone who was supposed to take care of him and love him, including our father. When Set sent him back in time to be trained by the priests, Painter was a prodigy. Set was proud and as soon as Painter passed his trials, Set welcomed him. Then Painter was supposed to get the book from our mother, but he ended up saving her and us instead. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to stop the priest from stabbing our mother in the chest and pushing her through the portal.

After hearing this story, we went after the priest who killed her and took the Book of Names. It had been the one who was supposed to take care of her. We were so angry that we had Isis take him away to be dealt with later. We never learned his name or power. We did, however, recover the book.

Then I learned that the Painter’s lies were much deeper than I had feared. I remembered growing up with Luca, but all those memories had been fabricated by the Painter, who became Luca whenever he put on the amulet he got from our mother. That wasn’t the worst of it, though. He had only been with me for a short time. When he was Luca, he was powerless and had all the memories and weaknesses that he gave himself.

I could have forgiven all of that. I could have accepted and loved my brother. I could have healed the emotional wounds inflicted on him by everyone else. But he had also killed my adoptive parents and my first girlfriend. He was the curse that hurt everyone I cared about.

So I trapped him in a book. It was like a fantasy world where he could do anything he could want, except it wouldn’t affect anyone in the real world. I swore to myself that I would become powerful enough to save him from himself before I released him from the book.

Chapter 1

Did you shoot him?

Twelve times, Keira answered.

Good, I said. I got Amanda. Were you shot?

No. You?

No. I heard a shout of triumph on another floor, but I wouldn’t risk emerging from my hiding spot until Keira and I were better aware of the situation. I tried to get Eli, but he found a shield. Have you seen any pods?

The dimly lit maze was hard enough to get through without enemy fire. Keira and I wore dark clothes and boots so that the black light didn’t make our position obvious. Nevertheless, searching laser lights in the ceiling, glowing paint, and colorful, glowing posts everywhere was disorienting.

There’s one at the end of that hall. Do you think it’s worth going for?

There are three trap pods and six good ones. Eli found a shield, Amanda got rapid-fire upgrade, and Megan got invisibility. Odds are fifty-fifty that it’s a trap pod. My dad taught me that it’s better to take a chance and wish you hadn’t, than do nothing and wish you had. I’m going for it. Cover me.

I’m on it.

I peeked around the corner and saw that the coast was clear. Hugging the wall, I crept down the passageway of the maze until I reached a shelf in the wall, upon which was a glowing red button. You’d better not be a trap. I pressed the button.

Player has achieved invincibility. Player will not be disabled after a hit, said my flashing blue vest.

Sweet. I snuck back to Keira and told her what I got.

Red team’s base has been destroyed, came the game master’s voice from the speakers in the ceiling.

Shit. That means Megan and Jim are in the lead, I said.

We can still take out their base.

Alright. Here’s the plan. Green will be after our base next. Find Amanda and Eli. They’re way down in points; they can’t win. Help them take out Green base. We don’t need the points, we just need Green to lose them. I’ll draw attention to myself and lead them away from our base. I’ll be hit a few times, but we can take it if you can kill their base. Especially if we get the points for it. They don’t know I can’t be disabled, and they can be, so when one of them hits, I’ll rapid-fire back.

There are two of them and one of you.

If I can get them both disabled, I can rapid-fire them both until you and Red team take out Green base. Remember; it’s not about us winning, it’s about making sure Green team loses.

She nodded and kissed me. Even a chaste kiss from her was breathtaking. Her long black hair was tied back for battle, but her emerald green eyes were almost luminous in the dark. Her skin was flawless, and her facial features were symmetrical and pleasing. She had pride in her appearance, which she had designed herself, yet she wasn’t arrogant.

Be safe. She disappeared down the hall towards the Green team’s base. I went in the opposite direction, towards the Red base. Despite what I said about drawing attention, I was quiet and stayed hidden, looking for anyone.

To my surprise, I nearly ran right into them. They couldn’t see the corner from where they were standing. Megan was preparing to hit a powerpod while Jim stood on top of a post to watch for anyone going after their base. I was about to shoot Megan, not wanting to give her the chance to get any kind of advantage, when Jim aimed his gun. I couldn’t let him hit Keira and make her vulnerable to Amanda and Eli, so I shot him. He turned and shouted for Megan, his vest flashing to signal that he was disabled, but Megan had already hit the powerpod.

Player has been struck with a power shortage. Player will now only be able to shoot once every ten seconds.

Fuck! she screeched. She turned to me and shot me, but I took it, then immediately shot her back. The fuck!

I’m invincible. I shot Jim again to keep him disabled.

These trap pods suck, Megan bitched.

I didn’t let her distract me. I kept hitting her and Jim every few seconds. I knew my gun would need to recharge soon, but I trusted Keira to take down the base by then. Unfortunately, what felt like ten minutes passed without any announcements.

My gun powered down.

Shit. I took off running, knowing I’d only have a ten-second head start before they could fire back. Jim gave chase. I was lucky Megan wore her stripper shoes. Jim was just as unprepared, as he wore a white and red shirt that glowed brightly in the black light. I ran into a dead end, where there were only a low post and a powerpod. I couldn’t risk a disadvantage, so I didn’t bother with the powerpod. Instead, I used the post to hop over the wall, ignoring the fact that it was an illegal move.

I hit the ground and rolled, halting at Eli’s feet. Instead of firing on me, he aimed the gun at Jim and fired. Jim was disabled again. Behind Eli, Keira and Amanda were going to town on the Green base, which was just a green lit box in the ceiling. I stood. Thanks, man.

The enemy of my enemy and all that, Eli said. Amanda and I are so far behind that we’re definitely buying lunch. We’d rather buy you and Keira lunch than twit and twat.

You’re not supposed to be teaming up against us, Jim lectured. You’re jealous of our skills.

Yes, you and Megan are good, I said. You’ve had years of practice. You’re also both bad winners, and that’s why no one wants to play with you. While I tried to make a joke about it to sooth his brittle ego, it was actually the truth. Keira and I had planned on playing with Amanda and Eli. Jim and Megan found out about it and invited themselves, even making Eli pay their way because they were so-called experts and thus, shouldn’t have to pay.

Green team’s base has been destroyed. Game over.

The lights came on and our vests and guns powered down. Amanda and Eli embraced, excited that they got to play rather than sour that they lost. Keira, less inclined to be publicly intimate, merely slipped her hand into mine as we headed out. The floor was now lit with arrows telling us how to escape.

The game master met us in the gear room as we put up our vests and guns. Did you all have fun?

No, Megan said bitterly.

Shut up, Sissy, Amanda said.

Megan sneered, but kept her mouth shut. If anyone else in the world called Megan that, they would get their lights knocked out. Since Megan was actually Amanda’s sister, however, she got away with it. It was surprising how far the apple sometimes could fall from the tree.

The game master read from his iPad. Red team is in third place with twelve points. You two suck. Green team, you won twenty-five points by destroying Red team’s base, and then you lost twenty-five when your own was destroyed. You have fifty-three points. Blue team, you’re base is the only one that survived, and you gained twenty-five points by taking out Green team’s base."

We had been in middle-place through most of the game, because we stayed hidden rather than firing or being hit. However, I got several dozen points on Megan and Jim in the end, which lowered their score in addition to raising ours.

You have sixty-five points, the game master announced.

Keira and I were humble about our victory while Amanda and Eli cheered. Despite having lost, Megan and Jim demanded that Amanda and Eli pay for their lunches. Keira and I stayed out of it, knowing that Eli could stick up for himself and his girlfriend even if Amanda was gullible.

We didn’t want to have lunch with you, anyway, Jim said. Now Luca, he was cool. Is he still digging up bones in Egypt?

Research. He’s doing research in Egypt, not paleontology, I lied for the hundredth time. Everyone wanted to know where he was in Egypt, but I just told them it was a secret.

You’re pretty good in combat, Keira said as we left.

Beginner’s luck. Luca and I are used to games involving using our brains, not guns. Laser tag is cool, but it wasn’t our thing.

Good, Keira said, kissing me. Then this can be our thing.

A quiet crackling sound told me my phone was fried. Again.

* * *

After lunch with Amanda and Eli, Keira and I got home to find an email on my laptop that my crime-fiction novel was making big waves. I was flattered, though not surprised, because I had based it on my brother. I kind of hoped he would never read it.

In my book, the main character was a cop after a serial killer, but it turned out the serial killer was protecting the cop all along. He was a killer, but he ended up the hero in the end when he took a bullet for the cop. Only afterwards did the cop learn that the killer was the brother he had been separated from as a child.

If the Painter and I were human and magic didn’t exist, we still would have some sort of obstacle keeping us apart.

Readers love your writing style, Keira said, reading the email over my shoulder. She could always sense when I was upset over my brother.

Before I gained my Writer power, I would get lost in my writing, but instead of following the plot, I would write strange scenes, usually involving magic or monsters. With my power, I had to be careful not to get lost in the story, because I didn’t want to accidentally create a villain in real life.

Some of my book ideas I got from Painter. We shared dreams sometimes when we were children, before we knew each other. It was how I learned our true names, which he used to give me false memories and I used to trap him. While he was in the book, he could have any adventure he wanted. Usually, he imagined having those adventures with me. When we shared dreams, I could give him that.

They want you to do a book signing? Keira asked. What’s that?

It’s when the readers meet the author and the author signs the book.

So that they can have power over you? she asked, immediately suspicious.

Her concern lightened my mood. No. You know humans don’t use names like that. Besides, I would sign my pen name.

Keira and I both had extremely protective natures. Unfortunately, I was still cautious with her because I had grown up thinking I was cursed. Electronics still reacted negatively to my magic, but since learning to control it, it was easy to blend into society. I learned shortly after my brother’s imprisonment that he wasn’t entirely to blame for the weird shit that happened around me.

When I got angry with someone, I had to control myself or my magic would cause objects to explode and electronics to fry. It was only the people I cared about that Painter drove away; those I hated were hurt by my own magic. As my family and friends had suggested to my parents, I was a freak.

Fortunately, because I knew about it, I could control it. I still didn’t feel confident in it enough to make close friends, but that might have had more to do with knowing that I wasn’t human.

I was even able to graduate from the university, which was kind of bittersweet. I would get out of my classes and expect to see Luca there, waiting for me, and then I would remember why he wasn’t. The first thing I did when I returned to Earth was tell the university that there was a family emergency and that Luca would return as soon as he could. They froze his classes.

I practiced magic at least a few hours a day, especially since graduating. Of course, I knew this wasn’t enough. Apprentices on Syndrial practiced and studied all day every day from the time their magic is discovered until they become priests, at which point, they study and practice even more. It wasn’t that I was lazy or that I still denied the existence of magic. I just felt it was part of another life. I could either be human or caster, and although I was a caster whether I liked it or not, I wasn’t quite ready to give up my humanity.

I did make some improvements to myself and my supplies while testing my limits. Not wanting to be rendered powerless if I broke my right hand, I made myself ambidextrous. With my true name, I acknowledged that my powers were possibly limitless with enough practice. I could increase my I.Q., improve my physique, and enhance my stamina for all things.

But I didn’t. I knew enough about magic to know that I could seriously fuck myself up. There were consequences for my actions. Giving myself an unstoppable heart would just leave something else vulnerable.

Painter had magical supplies that enhanced his skills. With much less experience, I had to modify what I had and make due. In addition to my magic book and my portal-ring, I had a fountain pen, which was a gift from my brother. While it contained no magic originally, I enchanted it to never run out of ink. I also fixed a small needle in the cap in case I ever needed to write in blood... again.

In my opinion, my life wasn’t as crazy as it could have been. I was settled. Yet something was missing.

I was constantly aware that one of the gods could attack me for the Book of Names. At the same time, every night, I would go to bed feeling disappointed that it didn’t happen. I missed Syndrial, my brother, and adventure.

Keira sunk her fingers in my hair and straightened. Isis is trying to call you. Do you want to speak to her?

No. I took her hand. Let’s go do something.

We just did something. I have to settle a dispute on Syndrial, but I’ll wait until Isis gives up on bothering you.

I appreciate that.

Well, until then, let’s go celebrate our victory.

What did you have in mind?

Give me five minutes, then come into the bedroom. I’m pretty sure you’ll get the idea. She walked out of the room.

Since Keira didn’t live in the realm of the gods with her brethren, she was the most like a human. Keira was a protector, especially of children. She was a goddess, so her morality was quite different from mine, but she was kind and loving. She picked up on human culture quickly and also brought home stray animals every time she walked out the door. The manager wouldn’t let us have pets. This was unfortunate when it came to taking a sweet kitten to the pound... less unfortunate when it came to the skunk she wanted to keep.

She also purred, which was an adorable plus.

Keira always knew what mood I was in and how to handle me, whether I was stressed from my classes and wanted a quiet night in, or upset over my brother and wanted to get out of the house. While she was the most accommodating woman I’d ever known, happy to do whatever I felt up to, she was completely independent.

I could text her that I was coming home for lunch and she’d be there with lunch ready, or if I had to miss dinner, she was happy to make her own plans. If I could get away for a few days, we’d go camping so that she could shift into her jaguar form. If I couldn’t, she would pop off to Syndrial where she fit in. One time, when I hadn’t seen her for a week, she showed up at the bookshop I worked in and we had a picnic.

She shared her issues at work which usually consisted of children being in terrible situations on Syndrial, and she showed appreciation for my advice. I liked to fix problems; that was how I connected with people. She understood