The Aspect of Essence (The Aelfyn Archives, #1)

by Samantha Amstutz

Serenna accessed the reservoir of her power and wrenched her entire Well toward her, letting the ravenous pull devour her. It was as if the floodgates of a dam opened, releasing the wrath of a raging river. Turning, Serenna gritted her teeth and planted her feet in the sand to brace herself. With a sweeping gesture of her other hand, she included the rest of the Alari initiates in her onslaught before they disabled her first, smothering them with a storm of rending. Everyone collapsed, contorting on the ground to join Ayla in uncontrolled writhing. Serenna clutched two fistfuls of darkness. Cyclones of twisting shadows connected her to the screaming recruits. The rampaging magic buffeted her like a squall, distorting the air. Her body vibrated as the torrent of Essence blazed through her. Chest heaving from the effort, she clenched her power with all of her strength, never before having channeled the full extent of her power. A vision unfolded in Serenna’s mind, showing her how to divide the bundles of rending. Serenna split the currents of magic into two. And separated those channels into four. And then repeatedly divided Essence, creating separate streams of magic to each of the eighteen recruits. Drowning in her outrage, she didn’t dwell on where the knowledge came from. A shard of awareness fragmented Serenna’s focus, diverting her attention away from the screaming initiates. Her magic spun around them while they flailed on the ground, trussed to pain. Scuffed boots ap...