Infestation: The Jackson Wood Saga, #1

By F.E. Wollenbecker

Despite his attendance at the Ivory Tower Academy for the Magically Gifted, fifteen-year-old Jackson Wood has no interest in pursuing any type of magical career. He rejects the insistence of his mentors and peers that he must put his inherently rare powers to use for the greater good. Jackson only wishes for a successful, mundane life in a practical trade, but he cannot just walk away.

Jackson owes the school a massive debt. To pay it back, he is strong-armed into missions to benefit the academy. His first seems simple enough: rid the Lewis family home of ghosts. However, the entities dwelling with the Lewis's are far more dangerous than anyone expected.

Jackson soon realizes that his natural talent is no match for the training he's consistently neglected—and he may never have the chance to correct this foolish and deadly mistake.

• Language: English
• Publisher: F.E. Wollenbecker
• Release date: Apr 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215576328

F.E. Wollenbecker

Frank Wollenbecker Jr. was born and raised on the East side Toledo Ohio. He fell in love with fantasy stories by watching movies in the sword and sorcery genre. His two greatest influences are. Robert Jordan and Robert E. Howard.

Book preview

1

On Halloween in the year two thousand, the magi announced their existence to the world and opened schools all over the Globe to teach all who had the inborn ability to learn.

There were four such schools on the main land of the united states.

California had El Dorado who catered to Aeromancers, elementals who manipulated the atmosphere and pyromancers, manipulators of thermal energy.

Magier, in the swamps of Louisiana trained the Aquamancers, Benders of water and vapor and Geomancers who whispered to the land and listened to the stones.

In Boston, Mount Olympus trained sorcerers, Masters of all that was invisible and intangible.

These three schools taught those who could afford a proper magical education.

Few people ever mentioned the fourth school.

Ivory tower academy housed the unloved, unwanted and those who had too much power to be considered safe.

It was here that Jackson Wood made his home.

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Armaros’ blunted sword struck Jackson Wood hard across the head.

The blow would have killed Jack had he actually been inside his body instead of astral projecting.

Luckily for him, one left their bones and vital organs behind when they left their bodies.

Armaros, a tall broad man dark of hair, skin and eyes and covered in scars, held his red aura wrought round shield and short sword at the ready.

He bounced on his toes with a cocky grin on his face. Ninety-nine to twelve Jack. Honestly, are you even trying?

Armaros’ smile often disturbed Jack due to the scar at the corner of his mouth which gave him a permanent sneer.

I keep telling you kid, Armaros lectured, trust your training and let your body react.

Jack massaged the afflicted spot on his head, taking a minute to look around the gymnasium which had the look of a basketball court, except for the variety of protective circles that allowed the elementals to work in relative safety.

He watched an Aeromancer use a vortex to lift a large bolder, while an aquamancer and a pyromancer worked together on either side of a baby pool.

The aquamancer, a chubby Mexican girl in black jeans and a hot pink t-shirt shaped the water into a ten-foot dragon, while the pyromancer, a black boy who could pass for a young Bob Marley froze it into a solid sculpture.

Armaros snapped his fingers. Earth to Jackson. You’re stalling

Jack looked up, Armaros’ fiery red auric sword and shield had become a quarter staff.

Jack matched him, allowing his own armaments to transform into one of icy blue.

It was a common misconception among laymen that a sorcerer couldn’t see their own aura,

The truth was that Sorcerers could see their energy as well as anything else in the fourth dimension.

A person's auric color reflected their mentality but could also change to reflect their disposition.

Jack's aura seldom changed; his natural color was a stoic blue.

Armaros normally maintained a pale yellow, due to his generally positive attitude, yet his amorality robbed it of most of the color, yet it always turned red when it was time to fight.

Armaros’ eyes