The Captain (The Last Horizon, #1)

by Will Wight

“Don’t think about the money, Dad. Think about the magic!” Between my fingers, I gazed up at the sun. “Even if we don’t make a profit, we’re going to make history.” “It’s all about the money. That’s our family motto.”

By the way, spells aren’t conscious. I just like to imagine they are. Maybe I’ve been working alone too long.

“To survive in this galaxy, you need a wand in one hand and a gun in the other.”

The only thing inside was my staff. Using that to clear out the native wildlife would be like using a starship’s cannon to start a campfire. But as the saying goes: “Someone has the biggest gun on the planet. It might as well be you.”

verdant power gushed out from my staff. Eurias, the Life-Giver, was perhaps the most powerful magical focus in the galaxy. It was a length of smooth, pale wood as tall as I was, with a blue crystal orb on the top that seemed to contain an entire world’s oceans. In reality, it contained the spirit of an ocean world. Magically speaking, that’s roughly the same thing.

I felt power, and there was no mystical sense involved. The Last Horizon radiated authority, like it was the king of all starships. The first, greatest ship ever built.

“If this will put you more at ease, any…eagerness for violence…you may have sensed in my bearing was not directed to you. If anything, it is toward everyone else.” She drifted along as though she hadn’t said anything strange, but I missed a step. For a second, I considered turning around. The big red warning light wasn’t flashing anymore, but that was at least a small orange one. But in the end, I continued walking up the ramp. I wasn’t willing to ignore a huge warning for the sake of a new ship, but I could ignore a tiny one. It was a very nice ship.

All except the little girl, who hesitantly stuck close to Sola. Good instincts, Sola thought. The girl should learn early not to trust strangers. Only trust those who had proven themselves to be on your side.

“No need for coordinates. Just take my hand.” She eyed my hand, but I gave her the confident and mysterious expression that every Archmage is required by law to practice.

weapon, I use magic as a weapon a lot. But not only are guns more efficient, there’s only one thing a gun can do. Magic can do anything.

I spoke to her. “He’s not going to listen.” “Oh, I know. But I have given him the chance not to die a fool.” “…Last Horizon, did you intend to send that transmission? Because you have threatened a military officer and Galactic Union representative.” “It is a stubborn beast of labor that must be whipped until it listens,” Horizon continued. “Oh, I’m sorry, did I send that too?”

Then his knees buckled. He caught himself on the edge of a console. Sola’s stare was so pointed that I could feel it from behind her helmet. “Don’t worry about that!” Raion said. “It’s just my knees. Who needs ‘em?”

The ritual hadn’t just made me a Sevenfold Archmage. It had prepared me to become the Captain of The Last Horizon.