Corin Cadence

Corin Cadence is the point of view character for the Arcane Ascension series of books.

## Physical Description

Corin has wavy black hair and gray eyes like his sister Sera. He notes that both he and Sera are "Not as skinny as Marissa but in a good shape.".

## Personality

Corin is very introverted and socially inept. He shows aversion to touch, which is implied to be due to his father's strict upbringing/abuse. He is very loyal and goes to great lengths to help his friends even thoughtlessly. He prefers the analytical approach to problems over violence, which can be seen in his preference of puzzle rooms over monster rooms inside the Serpent Spire. He also frequently states his absolute dislike of colored tile puzzles, which is a hidden reference to the author, who is color-blind. He seems to be asexual, but biromantic.

## History

### Early Life

Corin was born to Magnus Cadence and Laura Lyran and is the second son of the house of Cadence. He was very close with his brother and attended school with many of his friends like Sera and Patrick. This changed after Tristan's disappearance as his mother took Sera's family when she left and Corin's father started homeschooling him to prepare him for his Judgement. Magnus would hit Corin to the point of scarring in private. He and Corin are shown to have quite a poor relationship and many of Corin's emotional problems seem to be due to this.

### Sufficiently Advanced Magic

Corin's story starts when he takes his Judgement in the Serpent Spire, in which he gains the Book Trials of Judgment, which is a communication journal linked to The Voice of the Tower. During his judgment, he discovers a prison containing Echion Valden, Vera Corrington, and Keras Selyrian, who he releases. Katashi attacks the group after the prison break, clashing with Keras, while Vera and Corin escape with Echion. After leading Corin to a pool where he gains the Enchanter attunement, The Voice of the Tower asks Corin to tell Lyras Orden what happened. Soon after, Corin is reacquainted with Sera Cadence, who Corin's father, has just legitimized. Corin then goes to [[Lorian Heights Academy, where he is reacquainted with Patrick Wayland and Roland Royce. At school he enchants various things for Jin Dalen, befriends Marissa Callahan, and forms a apprentice-mentor relationship with Professor Orden and Professor Vellum. Additionally, he makes Patrick his retainer in order for Patrick to be able to ask Sera to the midwinter ball.
While Corin is helping to defend against a monster attack on Beaufort, He meets Katashi again. Katashi tasks Corin with bringing Vera to the Serpent Spire to judge her for the kidnapping of his brother, Visage Tenjin. Corin heads to the tower with Jin Dalen, Sera Cadence, Professor Orden, Derek Hartigan, and Vera Corrington. Professor Orden betrays the group and reveals that she and Tristan were involved with the kidnapping of Tenjin. After Corin, Jin, and a power-boosted Sera defeat a mind-controlled Derek and Professor Orden, Jin betrays the group and attempts to kill Vera for her role in the Artificial God-Beast attunement project. After Corin stops Jin from killing Vera and stabilizes her, he uses the Jaden Box to summon Katashi. As thanks for successfully completing the mission of bringing Vera to the Spire, Katashi gives Corin an Arbiter attunement on his right hand.

## Relations

### Familial Relationships

Magnus Cadence
Father with whom he has an antagonistic relationship. Corin likens conversations with his father to duels in his mind, keeping track of the current power dynamic meticulously.
Laura Lyran
Mother he has not seen for at least four years.
Tristan Cadence
Older brother. Disappeared into the Serpent Tower during his Judgment. Presumed deceased. Corin remembers his brother as being self-sacrificing, 'lifting [Corin] up, even at his own expense'.
Sera Cadence
Younger sister through Magnus Cadence. It is hinted at by Thorn that Sera is actually Corin's twin.
### Friends and Associates

Patrick Wayland
One of Corin's childhood friends, now his first retainer. An Elementalist and magical weapon enthusiast.
Marissa Callahan
Corin's friend, teammate, and frequent sparring partner.
Jin Dalen
A mysterious foreign student from East Edria with a Sunstone level Mesmer attunement. His family is sworn to House Dalen, the former ruling house of East Edria from the days before it was under Edrian rule. He was badly injured after fighting against Corin in the Serpent Spire, but escaped using Corin's return bell. They currently have a strained relationship.
Cecily Lambert
One of Corin's closest childhood companions. Corin was possibly supposed to become engaged to Cecily. She is now a partner in his enchanting endeavors.
Keras Selyrian
Mysterious foreign swordsman currently serving as Corin's bodyguard in order to get into the good graces of Katashi, the Visage of Valor. He has taken to training Corin and Mara in his fighting style.
Derek Hartigan
Heir to House Hartigan, an ancient noble house. Has an Emerald level Soulblade attunement. Corin, Sera, and their friends excluding Jin), spent the second half of the school year living at his place.
Elora Theas
Heir to House Theas, an ancient noble house. She's an Emerald level Summoner, Derek's former (current?) paramour, and has a contract with the God Phoenix. She's also heavily involved with the same conspiracy that as Tristan and Lyras, but her real goals are unknown.
Sheridan Theas
Elora Theas' sibling, and a follower of Wydd. Wields the restricted Necromancer attunement, but specializes in healing. Derek usually refers to them by the nickname "Deni”.
Vera Corrington
Tower explorer that Corin first encountered during his Judgment. HE broke her out of a cell, then she stabbed him in the back. Eventually, he found her and escorted her back to the tower, where she turned herself in to Katashi to help prevent collateral damage from some of her actions related to ambushing Tenjin, one of the visages.
### Professors

Antonia Meltlake
Teaches "General Magic Theory" class, and test proctor. Climbs the Tiger Spire with Corin and his companions.
Lord Jonathan Teft
A Citrine level Shaper and Lord in Valia. In charge of Hydra Class. Teaches dueling.
Lyras Orden
A Wayfarer and Enchanter of unknown levels. In charge of Serpent Division and member of the Whispers, an organization that secretly serves the visages. Orden was involved with a conspiracy to kidnap the visage Tenjin, and she betrayed the team during a spire expedition in the middle of the first year.
Professor Vellum
An Enchanter and Abjurer of unknown level. Teaches classes on permanent enchantments. Served as Corin's mentor for most enchanting-related studies during the first year. She severely hurt herself rescuing Corin and other students from Mizuchi during the winter ball.
## Magic

Some of the known magic and abilities available to Corin.

### Abilities

#### Enchanter Attunement

Corin is able to create permanent magic items. He is best known for making items that give him an advantage in combat against others, even to the point of "cheating". Enchanting works through embedding runes onto materials to create effects. Corin's Enchanter attunement is on his head which means he can cast spells with just mental concentration as long as the spells only effect himself. Corin has a shroud, a magical aura that slows down or stops attacks, from his attunement. Corin's Enchanter attunement is Carnelian level.

##### Transference Mana

Transference mana helps Corin build up speed.

**Transference Burst**

Corin can convert the grey mana in his hand to transference mana. He then holds this for several seconds before releasing it creating a shockwave. He can also charge transference mana in his forehead to cause devastating headbutts.

**Haste**

Corin has demonstrated the ability to use transference mana to cast a Haste spell to increase his speed. He has trouble controlling his movements due to his lack of perception mana. Haste spells add extra force to every action but do not compensate for the extra speed resulting in long acclimation periods needed every time a higher level spell is used.

**Mana Threads**

Corin can create threads of mana that he can use to connect to items. Corin can sense and manipulate auras from items the threads connect to. Corin can recharge items through mana threads. Mana threads can serve as conduits for Corin's magic.

**Shroud Manipulation**

Corin can reshape his shrouds to his needs. He has demonstrated the ability to create daggers and swords from his shrouds. The shroud blades are a mix of grey and transference mana that cause anything that contacts the blade to be cut or deflected.

**Transference Blasts**

Corin can launch blasts of transference mana. Transference mana can be used to push things around. He can also release waves of transference mana. Corin can use these bursts to move himself by blasting himself in the direction he needs.

**Blade Encircling**

Corin can create a thin layer of transference mana that flows from his hand and encircles a sword he holds.

**Aura Manipulation**

Corin has the ability to link to an enchanted item's aura and manipulate it in various ways. He has used it to project the aura as a ranged attack.

**Mass Haste**

Corin casts the 'Mass Haste' spell verbally, releasing transference mana into the air as he casts it. This is a haste spell that effects him and his allies.

**Mana Transfer**

Corin can easily move mana from items to other items. He can also very quickly transfer mana from himself into an item because both of his attunements give him transference mana.

**Light Wave Fist**

'Light Wave Fist' generates light, transference and transcendence mana around Corin's hand. When he punches the air, a fist sized burst of light shoots out. This attack moves the fastest out of any Corin has ever used.

##### Mental Mana

Mental mana helps increase Corin's mental processing and his memory. The increasing amount of mental mana means Corin rarely misses when he uses ranged weapons or throws swords because his mental calculations are improving.

**Compulsion Resistance**

Corin can resist magical compulsions by converting his grey mana to mental and cycling through his mind.

**Lesser Identify**

'Lesser Identify' is a spell that creates auras around magical items. The auras can only be seen by Corin and they glow the colour that matches the mana type with the highest concentration.

**Identify**

'Identify' is an upgrade on the 'Lesser Identify' spell. This spell provides details about functions of items Corin uses the spell on.

**Analyze Attunement Composition**

'Analyze Attunement Composition' is spell that allows Corin to view and edit sub-glyphs. To Corin the sub-glyphs appear on paper sorted by what they do. For example the sub-glyphs relating to transference mana are sorted together. Corin is able to, briefly, enhance the level of an attunement by overwriting the safety functions.

**Accelerated Computation**

'Accelerated Computation' massively increases Corin's processing abilities. He uses this spell to calculate where to move in advance when he uses his Haste spell. He also uses it in combat to work out how long until he manages to strike or is struck. He also uses it to sort sub-glyphs faster when using 'Analyze Attunement Composition'.

**Detect Aura**

'Detect Aura' allows Corin to view the shroud of a person or the mana of items in his view. As his attunement level has increased, his ability to discern specifics with this spell has as well.

**Analytical Arrow of Direction**

'Analytical Arrow of Direction' shows the distance from a target Corin seeks.

**Spirit Tracking Analytical Arrow**

'Spirit Tracking Analytical Arrow' is a spirit based version of 'Analytical Arrow of Direction'. It creates a gleaming arrow in Corin's vision. This spell traces the spirit signature of whatever Corin uses as a focus.

##### Spessartine

Spessartine is an artificial attunement level created by Constantine. It is an intervening level between Sunstone and Citrine. Corin built this level into his Enchanter attunement. Corin can activate this level at will with the mentally activated command "Activate Spessartine". This grants Corin access to light mana. The Spessartine level lasts for 5 minutes after activation.

##### Light Mana

Corin can only access light mana when he activates Spessartine.

**Lesser Light**

Corin can cast the 'Lesser Light' spell which forms a sphere of light over his hand.

**Light Wave Fist**

'Light Wave Fist' generates light, transference and transcendence mana around Corin's hand. When he punches the air, a fist sized burst of light shoots out. This attack moves the fastest out of any Corin has ever used.

##### Radiance Mana

Tavare tries to teach Corin to form radiance mana. Radiance mana is a combination of light and transference.

**Corkscrew Mana**

Corin failed to produce the same type of mana that Tavare uses but instead formed a twisting corkscrew burst of light and transference. This corkscrew mana moves very quickly.

**Shivering Shroud**

'Shivering Shroud' is a defensive technique formed from the ice of Selys-Lyann and his twisting light, transference combination. It creates a brilliant frost in Corin's aura that can reflect attacks.

##### Peridot

A second artificial level made by Constantine. It is an interval level between Citrine and Emerald. Corin built this level into his Enchanter attunement.

#### Arbiter Attunement

The Arbiter attunement focuses on giving purified mana into others to increase, or replenish, their mana. The attunement purifies all of Corin's mana. This attunement gives him a second shroud. Corin's Arbiter attunement is Carnelian level.

##### Transference Mana

Transference mana helps Corin build up speed.

**Transference Burst**

Corin can convert the grey mana in his hand to transference mana. He then holds this for several seconds before releasing it creating a shockwave. He can also charge transference mana in his forehead to cause devastating headbutts.

**Haste**

Corin has demonstrated the ability to use transference mana to cast a Haste spell to increase his speed. He has trouble controlling his movements due to his lack of perception mana. Haste spells add extra force to every action but do not compensate for the extra speed resulting in long acclimation periods needed every time a higher level spell is used.

**Mana Threads**

Corin can create threads of mana that he can use to connect to items. Corin can sense and manipulate auras from items the threads connect to. Corin can recharge items through mana threads. Mana threads can serve as conduits for Corin's magic.

**Shroud Manipulation**

Corin can reshape his shrouds to his needs. He has demonstrated the ability to create daggers and swords from his shrouds. The shroud blades are a mix of grey and transference mana that cause anything that contacts the blade to be cut or deflected.

**Transference Blasts**

Corin can launch blasts of transference mana. Transference mana can be used to push things around. He can also release waves of transference mana. Corin can use these bursts to move himself by blasting himself in the direction he needs.

**Blade Encircling**

Corin can create a thin layer of transference mana that flows from his hand and encircles a sword he holds.

**Aura Manipulation**

Corin has the ability to link to an enchanted item's aura and manipulate it in various ways. He has used it to project the aura as a ranged attack.

**Mass Haste**

Corin casts the 'Mass Haste' spell verbally, releasing transference mana into the air as he casts it. This is a haste spell that effects him and his allies.

**Mana Transfer**

Corin can easily move mana from items to other items. He can also very quickly transfer mana from himself into an item because both of his attunements give him transference mana.

**Light Wave Fist**

'Light Wave Fist' generates light, transference and transcendence mana around Corin's hand. When he punches the air, a fist sized burst of light shoots out. This attack moves the fastest out of any Corin has ever used.

##### Life Mana

Corin is not a trained healer but he can use regeneration spells.

**Lesser Regeneration**

'Lesser Regeneration' is a basic spell that helps heal a bit faster.

**Regeneration**

Corin can cast a Sunstone level 'Regeneration' spell but it requires mana from both of his mana pools.

#### Transcendence Crystal Mark

Corin has a crystal mark from the Transcendence Gateway Crystal. A crystal mark is in between Dominion Sorcery and Attunements. This mark gives him access to transcendence mana. It started with a small pool of 10 mana and has an efficiency ratio of 3 to 1. Corin can mentally activate the transcendence spells he knows. This mark is on his left hand.

##### Transcendence Mana

Transcendence mana is made from mental mana and life mana meaning it will help boost Corin's mental abilities.

**Transcendent Detect Aura**

'Transcendent Detect Aura' is an improved 'Detect Aura' spell. This spell allows Corin to see what mana types a person has access to. This spell works by bypassing the body's natural defenses to view the mana types.

**Transcendent Regeneration**

'Transcendent Regeneration' is a 'Regeneration' spell improved with transcendence mana.

**Transcendent Haste**

'Transcendent Haste' increases his speed like a 'Haste' spell and it is further increasing his speed while offsetting the "clumsiness" it causes. This adjusts the speed boost while he's using it to make it less likely to cause him to fall over or run straight into a wall.

**Light Wave Fist**

'Light Wave Fist' generates light, transference and transcendence mana around Corin's hand. When he punches the air, a fist sized burst of light shoots out. This attack moves the fastest out of any Corin has ever used.

#### Selys-Lyann Bond

Corin made a spirit bond with Therin Thorn, the spirit that resides within Selys-Lyann. Therin Thorn is an amalgamation of spirit fragments from past wielders of the blade with a fraction of Vae’lien (The Tyrant in Gold) being the dominant personality. Thorn can talk to Corin mentally when Thorn is in the sword. The mental communication from Thorn is written out with outwards facing curly brackets at the beginning and end, like this: }You were a fool to overextend yourself like that. Casting a spell like that over and over, far beyond the point when...{

##### Spirit Mana

Therin Thorn has given Corin access to spirit mana.

##### Body Lending

Corin can lend his body to Therin Thorn. Thorn usually stays within a spiritual space within the sword which they designed, however, Corin can switch places so Thorn gets his body and Corin stays in spiritual space. Thorn can then utilise his spirit arts and use Corin's magic.

###### Spirit Arts

Therin Thorn can utilise spirit arts when in control of Corin's body.

**Spirit Art: Rapid Recovery**

'Spirit Art: Rapid Recovery' flows spirit essence through the body repairing star veins and Dianis Points rapidly.

**Spirit Art: Body of the Transient Immortal**

'Spirit Art: Body of the Transient Immortal' was described as giving Thorn "new strength and speed" through his limbs.

**Spirit Art: Dance of the Wicked Vine**

'Spirit Art: Dance of the Wicked Vine' causes glowing white vines to burst from the floor which the Vae'kes Saffron had to dodge.

### Magic Items

#### Selys-Lyann

The greatest, and most dangerous, of Corin's magical items, Selys Lyan is a sabre of unknown origin that has the ability to project ice in various ways, given to him by the Voice of the Tower. There is supposedly a curse on the sword that dooms the wielder to be betrayed by the one closest to them. The sword appears to be semi-sentient and responds to Corin's mental commands and desires. Corin later learns that a piece of the broken Sacred Sword Flowbreaker is contained within. Corin later makes a contract with the spirit residing within Selys-Lyann: Therin Thorn. This contract gives Corin access to spirit mana. Selys-Lyann has a number of abilities.

**Living Frost**

The ice created by Selys-Lyann grows indefinitely until melted by powerful flames or willed to cease.

**Ice Wave**

Corin is able to launch a wave of ice when he slashed the Selys-Lyann. Through practice, Corin is able to interface with the sword using his mana-threads to redirect the ice wave mid-flight.

**Ice Armour**

Selys-Lyann can form a suit of armour around Corin made from it's ice.

**Passive Cold Resistance**

Corin is gaining a cold resistance from Selys-Lyann.

#### The Jaden Box

A container that can store anything that can fit within its mouth and summon it back. It differs from most storage items in that it can store and retrieve items individually, as opposed to the normal everything in the same space and retrieved all at once. Additionally, it can be used to summon an individual as long as it has a full charge and the summoning individual has something linked to the individual being summoned. This item was created by the legendary pre-attunement era sorceress Wrynn Jaden, whom Keras Selyrian summoned after the box had recharged fully. The Jaden Box was returned to Wrynn before she and Keras left.

#### Shield Sigil.

The basic issued shield sigil is silver pin from Lorian Heights Academy. It is about the size of a coin and when it detects an incoming attack it produces a barrier of grey mana.

#### Phoenix Sigil.

The phoenix sigils are enchanted items made by Corin. A sigil in the shape of a phoenix about the same size of the shield sigils. The phoenix sigil is self-recharging and has a greater capacity than the regular shield sigil. It produces a barrier of grey mana much like the shield sigil. The phoenix sigil has functions for healing injuries and helping to recover mana. The phoenix sigils have teleportation functions which connect to a specific 'anchor'. This sigil has more than 4 times the capacity of the school issued sigils.

#### Transference Sword

A sabre that Corin enchanted while he was forbidden to take Selys Lyann into tests or training. In place of the ice mana and abilities of Selys Lyan, the transference sword used transference mana to enhance its cutting ability or project cutting attacks at opponents. Corin gives it away to a spirit during his trial with the Transcendence Crystal.

#### Demi Gauntlet

The demi gauntlet is a small gauntlet that Corin enchants to act similarly to a dueling cane, but in addition to the normal gray mana, it can fire transference mana, granting it some more versatility in its use.

#### Mana Watch

Due to his crippling fear of overusing the mana in his mind, Corin creates the mana watch to show a person's current mana level over their normal capacity. He makes three of these, two of which he gives to the Theas siblings, and the third he eventually gives to Cecily Lambert to prove to himself he no longer needs it to move forward.

#### Ring of Regeneration

A magic ring that rapidly heals injuries.

#### Ring of Derek Controlling

Another magic ring. This one places a compulsion on whoever wears it to obey whatever Corin says.

#### Ring of Jumping

A ring found in the Jaden Box. With the mental command *jump* it increases a jump by a great degree and Corin uses it to help with his mobility.

#### Set of Mana Batteries

Corin has a large number of mana batteries which he uses for recharging items or making enchanted items. He has batteries for the following mana types: air, earth, fire, water, shadow, light, life, death, mental, perception, transference, enhancement, spirit and grey.

#### Scald

An enchanted sword with a basic flame enchantment. Corin can manipulate the flames with his transference mana. There are also runes for sharpness, resilience, balance and anti-tampering. There are also spirit runes that enable the sword to hit incorporeal enemies.

#### Shroudstealer

Another enchanted sword Corin made. When the sword comes into contact with mana of a compatible type, the spell is pulled into the blade and charges it. This works on shrouds and shield sigils. Corin can then use the stolen mana to power his enchanted items.

#### Null-Contract Gauntlet

The Null-Contract Gauntlet is an item designed and created by Corin. It acts like a summoner contract sending mana and exchanges it for spirit mana and this increases the rate of growth for an attunement. The demi-gauntlet gives Corin access to spirit mana.

#### Teleportation Circlet

A plain metal circlet with the functions to teleport to the linked anchor Corin made. The range is about half a mile. This activates with the word "return."

#### Messaging Necklace

The communication necklace is an item created by Corin. It has a low Citrine level of air mana which allows Corin to send and receive messages from any of the other messaging necklaces he has made.

#### Defective Automatic Mana Crystal Generator

Corin has designed a device to create mana crystals by itself. However, the device does not work properly and creates an unstable crystal that vanishes after a few minutes.

#### Void Emitters

Corin has made a number a void emitters which create an area of void. This will strip away weaker magical effects. Corin made 6 Sunstone level void emitters.

#### Void Shaping Sigil

Corin built himself a void shaping sigil to help mitigate the effects of the void emitters on him when he is wearing it.

## Notes

References:

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 *Sufficiently Advanced Magic*
2. ↑ *Sufficiently Advanced Magic* Chapter 5
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 *On the Shoulders of Titans*
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 *The Torch that Ignites the Stars*
5. ↑ *On the Shoulders of Titans* Chapter 11
6. ↑ *On the Shoulders of Titans* Chapter 7
7. ↑ *The Torch that Ignites the Stars* Chapter 14
8. ↑ *On the Shoulders of Titans* Chapter 2
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 *Sufficiently Advanced Magic* Appendix 1
10. ↑ *The Torch that Ignites the Stars* Chapter 6