How This Came Together
In Rebuke, a fantasy short story, an impossible portal opens inside Leodor’s protected Academy and brings a council Hunter into a room he does not understand. When the intruder labels Leodor and Tiatha as rogues, his confidence collides with old magic, dangerous family history, and a spell altered far beyond what its creator intended.
What begins as a quiet sibling exchange quickly becomes a confrontation in the library, where wards fail, arrogance steps through, and Tiatha reveals why some warnings should have been obeyed. This narrated fantasy tale leans into magical tension, controlled menace, and the danger of underestimating those who learned from legends.
Music Pairing
This story is paired with “Eerie Stroll,” a slow and tense blues piece that mirrors the unease of a portal opening where no portal should exist. Its creeping atmosphere follows the Hunter’s confidence as it twists into uncertainty, giving the confrontation a steady sense of dread without overpowering Tiatha and Leodor’s controlled menace.
Behind the Scenes
This story started with an exploration of DeviantArt. When I stumbled onto the source image, I immediately had the shape of the storyline in mind. The central image highlighted one of my Hunters from Morven, and weaving in both Tiatha and Leodor felt like the natural move. However, I also wanted to highlight just how powerful Tiatha is compared to almost everyone else. The setting needed to carry the weight of Leodor’s wards first, allowing his strength to set the scale before Tiatha revealed what she could really do.
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Excerpt of Rebuke
“Hello, sister,” Leodor said, sitting down beside Tiatha. “Have you been providing extra lessons?”
With a sigh, she laid the book on her chest as she leaned away from him. “Do you object to my giving certain pupils extra attention?”
“No,” Leodor said, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m simply surprised they’re willing to take on extra work from you.”
Haughty laughter bubbled out of her lips as she tossed the book onto the table. “Humiliation is a wonderful motivator.”
As Leodor’s lips twitched, blue illumination flared from the bookshelf. Tiatha’s chair skittered across the floor as she pointed at the swelling light. “Didn’t you tell me that your teachers were incapable of creating portals?”
“No one can…”
Tiatha inched closer to the expanding opening while a pale golden light wrapped around her fingers. “Then who’s forcing their way into your school?”
“I don’t know.” Leodor shook his head as blue electricity crackled across his shoulders. “My wards prevent all but the most skilled from opening a way inside the grounds.”
With a silent explosion, the light imploded into a swirling vortex as a lean man wielding a spear stepped through the maelstrom. His gaze swept across the library, stopping when he found Leodor and Tiatha. His lips curled into a predatory smile as he thumped the weapon against the ground as if driving in a nail.
“We have a Hunter,” Tiatha said, crossing her arms as she leaned against a bookshelf. “Would you like the first strike?”
“I’m surprised you haven’t dealt with him yet,” Leodor said, stepping between his sister and the intruder. “However, I’d be willing to lead our rebuttal.”
“It would appear that I have located a couple of rogues.” The intruder’s spear leapt into the air, whirling over his head. “The council will smile upon me for collecting a pair of criminals.”
“Counting your prizes is useless if you’re not alive to collect them.” Leodor shook his head as he thrust a slender finger toward the invader. “Why don’t you Hunters ever learn from your mistakes?”
The Hunter’s laughter rebounded off the bookshelves while a bolt of electricity lanced from the whirling spear. As it raced across the room, Leodor spun out of its path, letting it collide with the stone floor behind him. While debris flew about the room, a pair of bolts erupted from Leodor’s fingertip, racing toward the Hunter.
The Hunter’s wild grin intensified as his whirling spear dipped and crashed into the energy, absorbing them. With another twirl, the Hunter slammed his weapon against his shoulder as he stepped forward, baring his teeth. “Rogues such as the two of you cannot stand against the power given me by the council.”
“You would think they’d learn.” Tiatha shook her head as she pushed off the bookcase, vanishing before taking her second step.
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