Flora and Inferno
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							<h1 class="p-title-value">Flora and Inferno
	
	

	

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					<div class="bbWrapper">Elaina breath in deeply, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the floor of her chambers. The morning was crisp, and through her window she had seen the sun starting to shed light on the university’s great courtyard a story below.<br>
She focused her thoughts, letting the chilly air sooth her skin as she sat in her undergarments. Her hair was drawn out of her face into an ornate braid that just grazed the rug she sat on.<br>
<i>Control</i>. She repeated her mantra in her head. <i>Dig deep</i>.<br>
She felt a soft warmth stir in the pit of her stomach, a butterfly feeling that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.<br>
<i>No</i>. She warned. <i>Stay down</i>. Her thoughts scolded the fire. But the warmth grew. Elaina started to shake with concentration.<br>
<i>Control</i>. <i>Dig deep. Control</i>. Elaina opened one of her eyes and turned her head slightly toward the door to ensure she was alone. Hera, the young girl Elaina shared her chambers with, was already gone for the morning, out delivering food before her classes started. Elaine turned back to look at her hands. She relinquished control and felt a few wisps of periwinkle flame engulf her fingers. The sensation was exquisite. Letting that lilac fire burn was like finally falling into bed after a long and brutal day. She never realized how tiring it was keeping it down until she finally let it out.<br>
She sighed in relief as the strenuous magic had an outlet. Meditating in the morning usually helped, but today the fire seemed particularly vivacious. She might have to take a walk in the forest later… a long walk.<br>
The door behind Elaina burst open. Her whole body shook in terror as Hera stumbled in with an loud giggle.<br>
“Damn it Hera!” Elaina shouted, looking at her fingers, where the fire had been just seconds before. “You scared me to death!”<br>
“Oops!” Hera said in her usual ditsy tone. Elaina whirled around to look at her. The cause for Hera’s loud giggling was standing next to her, Erik of Tomlin, another student and Hera’s equally ditsy boyfriend.<br>
“I’m sorry, you said you were going to the library this morning!” Hera said. Elaina scrambled to her feet, snatching her robe off her bed to throw on as an embarrassed Erik pretended he hadn’t seen anything.<br>
“Yeah after breakfast!” Elaina mumbled.<br>
“Oh… sorry… Well do you think you could um…” She trailed off, looking at Erik clearly wanting Elaina to leave.<br>
The two young lovers waited just outside the door while Elaina got dressed in a gray tunic and brown trousers, a belt hugging her waist. She gathered her things and yanked the door open to the couple aggressively embracing against the wall. Elaina hurried along to the stairs, “Thank you!” Hera called after her. Elaina waved her hand above her head and didn’t bother to look back as the door slammed shut.<br>
Elaina wandered through the campus, its streets not quite busy with the morning rush. Her morning concentration had been cut abruptly short, leaving her with a queasy feeling in her stomach. She had been sure that the door to her room had burst open because she had finally been caught. Fury at her own carelessness bubbled up in her gut, and self loathing writhed like a snake in her mind.<br>
***<br>
Elaina’s swathed fist collided with the dummy on the training grounds. It was a relief to punch out her fears and aggressions. Each blow she landed sent the fire within her whirling, pleading to be released. Elaina groaned in frustration, ignoring its pleas, frustrated with its constant pestering for freedom.<br>
“Elaina Jaconelli?” A voice demanded behind her. She jumped slightly, breaking her concentration on her fictitious opponent. Behind her stood a royal guard, dressed in a deep red that matched the Kingdom’s flags and emblems. She didn’t recognize his face, but he held a rolled up parchment in his hand, waiting for her response.<br>
She wiped the sweat from her brow, nodding to affirm his question. He handed her the parchment and gave a curt bow before stalking off out of the grounds. Watched him leave, slightly shocked at his abruptness. The scroll in her hand was marked with the royal seal and tied with fine ribbon that her sweaty hands were now soiling.<br>
She broke the seal and unrolled the heavy paper to reveal calligraphy etched in a brief note.<br>
<br>
<i>You, Elaina Jaconelli, are summoned to the palace, the Jade Hall, by her Royal Majesty, Imperata Yasmin Heath Jerabella Erasabeth Jule, today at 5 in the evening. Do not concern yourself with attire, do not bring weapons, do not inform anyone of this invitation.<br>
Signed,<br>
Mann Killgrow, Her Majesty’s General Marine</i><br>
<br>
Elaina read it three times, trying to make sense of the little note, but thinking of no reason why she would be summoned to the palace. Fear rippled through her as she thought somehow these people knew of her abilities and that this was all a rouse to arrest her. Or maybe she had done something to displease the university, and the Imperata was sending her home? Whatever the reason, she could not think of anything positive to calm her nerves.<br>
Then she saw him. Leaning on a post that fenced in the training circle, was Ray, suave and silent, he watched her as if reading her thoughts of panic in slight amusement. Dangling at his left hip, held in a lazy hand, was an identical scroll of parchment and a drooping red ribbon.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Ray saw it in her eyes, the one question rooted in both of their fears for much of their entire lives. There was a moment of naked emotion - fear, panic, sorrow - etched across her face, before Elaina looked up from the parchment and noticed him. The expression faded but Ray still felt it in the way she blinked nervously, the way she clutched too tightly at her scroll. It was a side effect of living your entire life with someone. Approaching her, he placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping she would find comfort in it. They couldn’t have been found out, Ray had been so careful, or at least that’s what he told himself. If the secret had gone loose, he didn’t know what he would do. He took a deep breath and tried not to let it show.<br>
<br>
“I was reading more into the history of the academy. Did you know that it was founded by the Imperator himself decades ago?” he started lightly.<br>
<br>
“What-” she started to mumble, but he interrupted her with a squeeze of her shoulder. It was too dangerous to delve into the topic. Any moment the other students would come wandering in, making Ray feel on edge. Any ears could be listening.<br>
<br>
“He made it in celebration of his firstborn and wanted the best education for his future successor. His son attended here himself, and since then it’s evolved into what you see today, after generations of new Imperators. Fascinating, isn’t it? If his son hadn’t existed, none of this would be here today. ” He gestured around himself. Ray doubted the same for his sister, but the small talk calmed his nerves while he rambled.<br>
<br>
“Meet me in the library, we can discuss this later,” he said, his tone growing more serious.<br>
<br>
With that, Ray withdrew from the training grounds and sank back into his usual routine of classes; science, arithmetics, combat, botany. Ray found he had difficulty concentrating, even in the ones he enjoyed. His mind kept wandering back to the scroll sitting back in his chamber. He had a few theories, none of which he liked. Ray knew the Imperata Yasmin through books and scrolls he’d read, and one brief glimpse of her when she visited the academy ages ago. He’d noted the way she carried herself, graceful and confident, like a serpent. Something about her rubbed him the wrong way, yet he couldn’t put a finger on it.<br>
<br>
After an eternity, he was free to leave. Ray didn’t hesitate, only pausing to collect the few things he needed, and entered the library, the air cool and quiet, few students present. Ray found he arrived first, so he retreated to an empty corner and went over his studies, as he’d done many times before. As he flipped absentmindedly through the pages, a pair of footsteps disturbed his thoughts. Elaina stood over him. He offered a chair, and she sat at the table beside him.<br>
<br>
“Relax,” he said, checking over his shoulder to see if they were alone. He continued by repeating the words they both heard thousands of times from their parents, “Don’t let your emotions get the best of you, or we’ll be in trouble. Close your eyes and meditate if you have to. I’ll do the same, alright?”<br>
<br>
“Look, it’s not unheard of the Imperata to pull out students. Quintus is considered one of the best for a reason.” That was an utter lie, but Ray carried it smoothly. He’d grown used to lying over the years.<br>
<br>
He glanced around him, at the towering bookcases, the dim, candle-lit walls that made it difficult to tell time here. Ray believed their meeting was approaching at an alarming speed. He tapped the wood in front of him restlessly and studied his sister.<br>
<br>
“We should consider leaving soon, I doubt the Imperata would appreciate us being late.”</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Elaina watched Ray walk from the training grounds, worry still sewing in her chest.<br>
She unravelled the bindings from her hand and tried to catch her breath, gently folding the fine parchment and tucking it into her satchel. She stopped by the women’s bath house to wash off the sweat she’d worked up, pulling her red hair into a braid before pinning it up in a heavy bun.<br>
Working her way through her classes was difficult, her mind constantly wandering, her leg never seemed to stop bouncing. The minutes ticked by rather slowly as she waited to meet Ray. She made her way toward the library with just under an hour until they had to be at the palace.<br>
The library was Quintus’ crowning jewel. The shelves stacked nearly forty feet tall, the building was nearly a square mile. Elaina spent much time in here, reading books that had nothing to do with her subjects of study, but that fascinated her all the same. Histories of the other kingdoms, sometimes with full chapters redacted that regarded their magic and superstitious beliefs. Some books were about the body, the brain, the heart, the nerves. Books on meditation techniques, the proper way to pick-pocket, the lineage of the Imperators. The Imperator Killian nearly emptied the royal coffer to build and stock the grand library, and it was no surprise that it was the envy of all the other kingdoms. <br>
Elaina walked through the rows before spotting Ray at a lonely table between two towering book shelves. Elaina pulled out a chair, cautious not to scrape the floor and make noise. She sat down opposite her brother, meeting his gaze. <br>
“Relax.” He said, his voice barely a whisper. He repeated the age old advice from their parents, not to let her emotions get the better of her, to retreat into meditation if she had to, though he knew perfectly well that she struggled to keep the force within her down. He had always been more adept at mastering his emotions. Even now, she could feel the fire nagging to burn through her fingertips, her chest, her hair, her feet. It was like the relentless energy one feels as a child.<br>
Elaina felt nauseous and didn’t reply to Ray, her leg bouncing again. <br>
“Look, it’s not unheard of the Imperata to pull out students. Quintus is considered one of the best for a reason.” Ray whispered to her. This calmed her a bit, his ever rational presence had a way of steadying her, and she gave a little nod. <br>
They left the library side by side, evidently running out of time to talk as the meeting approached steadily. The streets of the city were bustling with crowds as they passed vendors, shops, inns, taverns, houses stacked sky high. They knew the city well, navigating the route to the palace was second nature, walking up and down the steep hills that the streets had been built over, cutting through alleyways and descending narrow flights of stairs, over which laundry hung and steam poured. They had been in Braverny for just over a year, and the city had become something of a home to them.<br>
The Palace came into view as they walked down yet another slope, their angle affording them a stunning view of the enormous structure. Technically, they were seeing the back of the design, the front of which overlooked the ocean atop an enormous cliff and could be admired from the harbors and ports below. Nearly symmetrical, its design was wide, rather than tall. A few towers topping off in complementing points and domes to give the architecture a modern look. Its stones varied from light to dark, making it both elegant and intimidating, though Elaina felt more of the latter.<br>
She and Ray approached the gate guarding the palace, and they presented their scrolls of invitation. The guard had them follow a slave boy who would take them to their destination. They walked down a long bridge leading to ornate doors that were wide open for the usual traffic in and out of the palace. Elaina had never been in the palace, and while she could have done without the fear attached, it was a spectacular sight. <br>
The entrance hall had a maroon tree growing in its center, a glass roof feeding it the evening sunlight. They were led down enormous embroidered hallways; the decorations lining them were exquisite and incredibly detailed. Finally, they reached a pair of doors with turquoise handles where the slave boy handed over Ray and Elaina’s invitations to the guard posted at the door, then bowed at them before slinking away.<br>
Tucking their invitations away, the guard opened the door for them.<br>
Elaina sucked in a breath as she walked forward, Ray at her back. The first thing she noticed was the floor was a deep green, most likely where the Jade Hall got its name. It was a relatively small room, with four pillars on each side, leading up to a dais. The queen sat on a modest throne, her ear listening intently to whatever the man to her right was saying. A glorious woman of maybe thirty-five whose deep red hair sat atop her head like a crown. Her red wine dress was tight, contrasting beautifully with her moon pale skin.<br>
Elaina looked around the room to see twenty or so others, many of them fellow students she recognized from the university, slaves carried trays of fruits, cheese, and refreshments. It looked rather like they had stumbled into a very somber party. No one paid much attention to them as the came in, and it soon became evident that they were not the last to show. Nearly a dozen more stragglers came through the doors looking just as confused, but soon settling into hushed conversations with friends from school. <br>
“Well, I don’t think we’ve been summoned here for <i>that </i>reason.” Ray whispered to her. Her heart lifted. She agreed. There was no way so many of their classmates were also mages in hiding. Magic was rare, and often difficult to keep hidden. But Elaina and Ray had been trained well.<br>
Elaina looked at the queen, still deep in conversation to the man at her right who was clearly a warrior. Movement behind the queen caught Elaina’s attention, a back door at the corner of the room opened, and in stepped a familiar face. Despite herself, her stomach whirled a little when she saw him, though she forced her face to remain impassive.<br>
“Why would Kenwrec be here?” Elaina whispered to her brother.<br>
“Don’t you train with him?” Ray whispered back. Before she could answer, the man to the queen’s right addressed the room in a booming voice.<br>
“If you are not a student at Quintus, leave the room now.” He with a bit more bite than necessary. The slaves in the room quickly departed, leaving around thirty people, the heavy doors thundering behind their exit.<br>
“Students, you will form a line in the center of the room so that you may pay your respects, and be introduced to your queen.” <br>
All the bodies on the jade floor immediately obeyed, some clamoring for the front of the line, others avoiding it at all costs. Elaina and Ray were closer to the back, but not dead last. Elaina silently prayed they would be allowed to approach together since they were blood.<br>
Slowly but surely, the line progressed, the queen asking some inaudible questions of each participant before they stepped aside. Before long, Elaina and Ray were only five people from the front. Elaina’s heart wanting to beat out of her chest, and the fire so rampant within her, a pain started ripping through her stomach.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Without all the other people to fill it, the room loomed immensely. Even the Great Library didn’t have this effect on him, with all of its closed-off walls and shelves.  Ray disliked the way it made him feel insignificant.  Much like a deer caught out in an open meadow.<br>
<br>
Eyes concentrated on the Queen, Ray rubbed his arm as the tension of the wait rose inside him. He cursed himself and his self-effacingness for standing so far back in the room; he wanted to get over with this, whatever this was, as soon as he could, and retreat to his ordinary routine. Whittling down, the line was at two, then only one person away. Wanting to be prepared, he strained his ears to overhear the conversation, but they stood just far enough away that he couldn’t catch the muffled words. He sighed in frustration.<br>
<br>
For a split second, the Queen glanced in his direction and her eyes raked into him. It suddenly made him self-aware. Was he standing all right? Were his heels too close together? Without a doubt, they were. He felt stiff. Should he loosen up or stay still? Maybe he should unclench his fists…<br>
<br>
The last student got dismissed, and it was Ray’s turn to move. He glanced back, remembering Elaina. She looked frankly dreadful, with a hand gripping her heart and her face drained of all color. Ray wondered if he looked equally shaken and presumed he did. He hesitated before stepping, his thoughts in conflict with one another. He should go alone, shouldn’t he? Everyone else in the room had.<br>
<br>
Against Ray’s better judgment, he pulled his sister forward. She stumbled, looking surprised, but followed close behind him without argument. Her fingers gripped his wrist tight enough to leave a mark through his sleeves. An unnatural heat emanated from them, and only grew as the room went silent to watch them walk. He straightened his face and attempted not to flinch away.<br>
<br>
“Your majesty,” Ray said with all the respect he could summon within him and kneeled down. Elaina echoed his movements, bringing him a moment of relief when her hand fell to her side. All of his actions felt slow and graceless, but it was only his imagination, he hoped. They continued by speaking the customary respects, as tradition expected, but his mind strayed so far away that Ray barely noticed that he was saying them.<br>
<br>
The man to the Queen’s right narrowed his eyes at the pair, clearly not expecting them both to arrive at once. The Queen’s face itself was an impassable wall, no matter how hard he tried to read it. Ray already regretted his poor decision. He wished she would note how similar they looked and pardon them. Actually, now that he thought about it, Ray’s hair was closer to a brown than his sisters and their eyes didn’t match in the slightest, his being blue and all, but their face and features were comparable enough, right? Ray bit his lip. To be honest, he wasn’t sure.<br>
<br>
Now that he was close enough to see them, the Queen’s eyes jumped into his attention. The harsh shade of green, contrasted violently with all the reds. A pang of immense guilt welled up inside like she could peer into his mind and expose all of his secrets, one by one. <i>That’s ridiculous,</i> he chided himself, finding his fingers at his arm again. He forced himself to look away, anywhere, and stared at the floor.<br>
<br>
“Names?” the unfamiliar man boomed after Ray lost his words.<br>
<br>
“Ray. Jaconelli. We’re enrolled in Quintus Academy,” he sputtered, feeling dumb.<br>
<br>
“As are every one of you in this room. And the young woman?” the Queen spoke without warning, her voice honey to his ears. That surprised him. He didn’t know what he’d expected, something harsher? A voice that resembled the imperious aura she gave off?<br>
<br>
“Ela-” he struggled to say, but the Queen interrupted him with a dismissive flick of her hand.<br>
<br>
“The girl can speak for herself,” the Queen said, her tone warping into a bee’s sting. She sat up straighter and focused all of her attention on Elaina, one fingernail scraping the armrest beside her. “Girl. Your name?”<br>
<br>
Ray cringed and wished to turn invisible. Which was… quite possible, but Ray didn’t want to make things worse than they already were. He exchanged eye contact with Elaina. Ray didn’t know what she saw, but he hoped she was ready to handle the situation. Her expression almost as hard to read as the Queen’s.<br>
<br>
“<i>Your name</i>?”</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">“Your name?” The Queen demanded. Her gaze felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. <br>
Elaina pitifully cleared her throat, sending a sharp pain through her abdomen. “I am Elaina Jaconelli.”<br>
“Elaina?” The Queen repeated as though she had heard the name before. Elaina did not miss the glance she made to Kenwrec who stood in a group of six others in the corner of the dais.<br>
“What do you study?” Yasmin asked, looking between the two of them.<br>
“Medicine mostly, your grace, but I have an interest in chemistry and combat as well.” Elaina stumbled over her words, trying to cope with the pain ripping through her gut.<br>
“Botany.” Ray answered as the Queen’s eyes shifted to him, “Studying plants and their places in medicine, chemistry, and the culinary arts.”<br>
“You’re a cook?” The Queen looked oddly impressed, as if this were useful information.<br>
“You could say that, your grace.” said Ray. The Queen flashed a dazzling smile.<br>
“Excellent.” The Queen said mysterious. She looked to the man to her right to indicate she was done talking with them. The man waved them aside and Ray and Elaina went to take their places beside their classmates.<br>
The last to approach the Queen was a woman no older than Ray or Elaina. Her blonde hair was clipped above her ears in what Elaina thought to be an edgy and stylish cut that showed over her sharp jawline and long neck. The young woman looked incredibly self possessed and confident as she approached the queen, her attire being somewhat less than formal, it looked more like what a ranger would wear; sensible and leather clad.<br>
She made all the proper addressed to the Queen, no fear like what Elaina had felt. The more Elaina looked at the woman, the more beautiful she was. A natural beauty, nothing like one would see in a fine lady, but she was like looking at a mountain landscape, rather than a skilled painting.<br>
“Cora Sazaric, your majesty.” She responded when asked her name, loud enough that Elaina could hear her response. The Queen asked another question.<br>
“You are correct, your grace. I am Hiegardian, from a village called Pruno, near Genway. I  came to Edisland to study at the renowned Quintus Academy.”<br>
“Your father is a farmer?” Yasmin asked in surprise, her perfectly manicured eyebrow raised.<br>
“Yes, your grace. I am your most humble servant.”<br>
The Queen asked her something about studying, too quiet to be fully heard.<br>
“Tracking, combat, swordsmanship, the social sciences and Falconry.” Cora said proudly. The Queen made yet another inaudible comment which Cora thanked her for with a bow, and evidently knew her time before the Queen was over as she moved to the other side of the room, parallel to Elaina and Ray.<br>
The Imperata rose from her seat, gesturing for the students to gather before her. Everyone filled the space in front of her where the line had just been and waited expectantly. Yasmin had a queer look on her face, like that of excitement and anger.<br>
“I suppose you’re all wondering why you’re here.” She addressed them. No one said a word, the silence nearly palpable. Elaina dug her fingernails into her palms to distract her from the pain growing from her stomach to her chest. She prayed this meeting would adjourn soon.<br>
“I see a world,” Yasmin began, “A world free of tyranny and suffering.” She looked from face to face, each listener entranced.<br>
“But it is just beyond our grasp. Do you know why?” The question was rhetorical, and everyone remained silent as the grave. The Queen looked into the distance, as if talking about this was difficult for her. “Magic.” She seethed. There was stirring in the small crowd but still no one spoke. Elaina’s writhing stomach sank, and she felt her heart beat harder than it had all that day. Why was she there? She felt Ray stiffen at her side, knowing he was thinking the same question.<br>
“I have a vision, my children.” She said, her words growing in ferocity and elation. “With the help of my trusted General Killgrow,” she motioned to the warrior at her right, “we have created a plan to resolve this injustice. It involves each of you. I want to commission our brightest students to be a task force for good, not just in this Kingdom, but in the world. I invite each of you to work for me, ridding the Kingdoms of the wretched force that is Magic! Disabling the mages in hiding, bringing them to justice, and taking this threat down once and for all!” The Imperata finished with a shout, her voice outstandingly commanding and strong. Again the crowd shifted, emboldened or terrified by the Queen’s words, Elaina could not tell.<br>
“You will be asked to leave Braverny, and journey to the far corners of the earth, potentially risking your lives in order to track our enemies who practice the unspeakable craft of magic and take them out!” Yasmin ripped at the air in front of her as if snatching a heart from someone’s chest.<br>
“Take them out?” A brave soul asked. “Your grace, are you recruiting us to execute mages?” The question was posed more with curiosity than shock. The Queen looked more thrilled that someone showed interest than annoyed at the interruption. <br>
“No.” She whispered loudly, a smile twisting on her lovely mouth. “I am a gracious Imperata, and I recognize that magic has taken too many lives already, we will not add to the numbers.” She turned to the side, to look at the group where Kenwrec stood. One of his companions came forward with a bejeweled box in his hand and opened it before the Queen. She gingerly look out its contents, an ornate glass bottle containing a gray liquid that swirled and coiled like fluid metal.<br>
“This, is Tacitus Telum.” She eyed it hungrily, almost stroking it. “We call it, the Potion.” It has taken years to perfect, but it is finally ready for distribution.” Yasmin said. She turned to the man at her left, “Bring him in.” Killgrow immediately left through the back door, leaving a smile on the Queen’s face that Elaina was beginning to find disturbing.<br>
“The Potion was brought up from science, through a great deal of trial and error, our most brilliant minds have used chemistry and biology to make what can be considered Magic’s Bane!” She said proudly. As she finished the back door reopened, and Killgrow yanked in a man by the chain latched around his neck. Elaina’s aching gut twisted all the more at the sight. The prisoner was nearly naked, but for a loin cloth. His hands were bound, his skin covered in blotches of red. His eyes were bloodshot, his nose pouring out mucus mixed with blood. His left eye was black, his lip split. Killgrow forced him to his knees before the Queen.<br>
“Tell the people your name.” She mused to the man.<br>
“Rossier.” he replied, sounding completely defeated.<br>
“And how, Rossier, did you come to be under my guard?” she asked sweetly. Rossier sucked in a breath, clearly terrified.<br>
“I am a thief.” he whimpered. The Queen chuckled.<br>
“You’re not a thief.” Yasmin spat. “You are the lowest form of scum bandit to walk the earth!” She bit. “Rossier here used to run around with his gang of criminals, terrorizing the people of Edisland, stealing their livelihoods, the coin from their pockets that sustained them, the bread from their mouths. He would have the children of this kingdom starve in order to buy himself a villa in the Gryphon Isles! He preyed on the weak, he and his friends destroyed the lives of thousands of innocent people.” she stared down at him in a rage. “Do you know how he did it?” She asked the crowd of students. “Tell them Rossier.” she nudged him. He waited to respond, evidently disgusted with himself.<br>
“I would… transform into their loved ones.” he choked. “I would take the likeness of a family or friend and manipulate them into giving me all their goods to pay off a mysterious debt, then leave with the payment.” he finished with a sob. Yasmin shook her head, then took the bottle in her hand and caressed his cheek with it.<br>
“Do you know what this is, Rossier?” She asked as he recoiled from it.<br>
“It is the Potion.”<br>
“And what did it do for you?” She asked, more sweetly than ever. Again Rossier hesitated, pained by the words he was saying.<br>
“It cured me of my magic, taking away my ability to shift into anothers’ likeness.” This time there was a hushed whisper among the students, Elaina feeling an entirely new sickness within her as she stared at the Potion. Yasmin commanded Rossier be taken away and Killgrow obeyed.<br>
“Rossier’s mage status was redacted, and he is now serving his sentence for the crimes he has committed against the people.” The Queen said triumphantly. There was a scattered applause among the students, that steadily grew with enthusiasm. Elaina realize, they were impressed. Not just impressed, but actually amazed at the Queen’s discovery and ambitions. The applause carried on for some time, Elaina’s hands coming together only in an attempt to blend in, Ray following the same pattern.<br>
“These are the leaders I have hand picked to be the leaders of this great and terrible responsibility.” Yasmin said after the applause began to die down. She gestured to the group where Kenwrec stood. The six of them came forward and presented like soldiers to the crowd.<br>
“I have asked each one of them to choose their teams, and that is why you each are here. You are the pool of candidates for this momentous task. Tomorrow, these fine agents will select their teams from this pool of students, and you will embark on your quest to track and capture mages, to administer the Potion to them, and eliminate threats to the empire! Each of these recruits has sworn to give and take life if necessary. They will be your guide and your protector!”<br>
“You will have the night to make your decision, but tomorrow, if you should choose to do so, you will kneel before this throne and make the pledge, the solemn oath to obey my commands, to fight for this Kingdom and the world, and to be my soldiers! This commitment will last for a full year, starting in a week’s time, on the Festival of Juniper. I cannot promise you that you each will make it that full year. You will be in life and death situations, hunting mages, fighting magic itself! But should you return, you will be heroes! I will declare The Festival of Juniper will forevermore be Festival of the Mage Hunters, you will each be honored, and on that day I will reward every last one of you with ten thousand tokens a piece!” The Queen’s voice continued to rise in excitement with each of her words, the excitement of the crowd growing with it. <br>
“Your Majesty!” One voice rose over the din. She looked down with excitement at the voice from another student. “What will we do at the end of the year? Continue in this service?”<br>
The Queen smiled sweetly, her beauty almost becoming more intense.<br>
“You may continue in your work as a mage hunter, if you like. You may continue your education, free of charge at the Academy. You may return home with your tokens, with the Crown’s blessing.”<br>
There were several more questions which resulted in learning that the ten thousand tokens would be given to one’s family upon death, that each of the groups would be distributed to different locations which would be learned upon taking the oath, that the oath would indeed involved promising to kill for Edisland. There were a few others but Elaina had begun to zone out; both the sharp pain growing within her and the gravitas of the situation had made her mind start to cloud.<br>
“My children.” The Queen addressed them with dignity. “You will have the night to think about it; but tomorrow, at the same time and in this same hall, you will make the oath. If you decide against it, there is no shame. Continue in your studies, and forget about the Mage Hunters again. But if this operation is a success, I will recruit hundreds, if not thousands more like you to root out this evil once and for all, and you will be legends that will go down in history as the greatest heroes of the age!” Yasmin finished on the greatest triumphant note yet, to a resounding applause of passion.<br>
Elaina looked around at the crowd she was in, their jubilant smiles and their fierce determination to join in this mission. But then her eyes landed on the Queen, who’s expression was nearly hysteric, and whose eyes bore a frenzy in them that made Elaina realize with clear certainty, the Imperata was deranged.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">The Queen conquered the room, every word she spoke holding weight and meticulously crafted together. She was admirable, it perplexed him to find out, and an influential speaker, able to catch the audience’s absolute attention. Even Ray’s greatest teachers, all from the best university in Edisland, didn’t hold a candle to what Ray witnessed now. Immured, Ray behaved appropriately, observing the crowd around him and impersonating their movements and emotions, even if it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Reminding himself several times that no one else besides them had the same perspective. Ray wondered if he’d be the same, so eager and obliging, if not for his mage-blood. He wouldn’t be, right?<br>
<br>
When Rossier was presented to them a hiss of air escaped his teeth, the prisoner a severe reminder of what he, or his sister, might become; Riddled in chains and dragged around like a dog, all past power tore out of his bones. A fate like that has haunted him since he was a child and now it cowered right in front of his face.<br>
<br>
As the speech continued, Ray struggled to focus, overwhelmed by all the information being thrown at him. When she mentioned the reward, he would be lying if he said it didn’t interest him, nevertheless he could never admit it. Ten thousand tokens, and he, Elaina, and their parents could retreat somewhere quiet and live without fear. Or they could leave Edisland and explore the continent, maybe finding other mages along the way and living among them, no longer having to hideaway. Ray could test the full extent of his powers, finally. But then reality came back to bite at his thoughts. It was an impossible fantasy, and Ray had to remind himself what he’d have to do to get there.<br>
<br>
The Imperata concluded and the applause that followed it became so thunderous that he swore it shook the room. While it died down the prisoner was escorted out of the room, his back hunched over and nose to the floor. Soon after, the Imperata followed, lost in conversation with Killgrow. Students lingered excitedly in the Hall, forming into groups and chatting with another. Ray found himself pulled into one of these groups and before he knew it he was separated from his sister. He strained his neck around but no matter how hard he searched he couldn’t see her in the crowd. Ray only half-listened to the students he was chatting with, rarely offering his thoughts and only agreeing to their statements. One of them noticed his half-heartedness and asked, <i>Are you feeling alright?</i> Ray dismissed the question and muttered an excuse. That answer seemed to reassure them and they turned their concern aside from him once again.<br>
<br>
As time passed the excitement started to dwindle down and the number of people still in the room diminished. Ray excused himself from his friends and spotted Elaina, being much easier now that everyone wasn’t so cramped. Before he even got close a familiar man near to his own age stepped out in front of him to stop him in his tracks.<br>
<br>
“Ray,” Kenwrec greeted, Ray recognizing him as Elaina’s friend. Kenwrec was much taller than him except noticeably slimmer, more well-groomed, as expected of a noble, with a dark brown ponytail and matching eyes.<br>
<br>
Taken aback, Ray froze. “I didn’t know you were involved in this,” Ray said, recalling the moment Kenwrec stood in front of the audience with the rest of his group. “How long?”<br>
<br>
“The same as you. They only told me today,” Kenwrec admitted with surprising sincerity. “Are you - you two - going to do it. Swear by oath?“<br>
<br>
“We’re still deciding, “ Ray blurted, growing restless. “I have to go.“ He pushed past Kenwrec, perhaps a little rudely than he meant.<br>
<br>
“If you’re worried about it, I can make sure you’re picked together. I know you hate being separated, “ Kenwrec called over his shoulder.<br>
<br>
Ray paused his step for a second, trying to decide why Kenwrec would offer that, but not coming up with anything. He caught up with Elaina and tapped her shoulder. “Let’s go,” he said, his tone betraying urgency. They began walking back the way they came. Students still lingered around the halls, some of them gawking at the fineries while the guards watched suspiciously.  Even if they were left unattended, Ray doubted any of them would have the audacity to steal from the Imperata in the first place.<br>
<br>
For a moment Ray was at a casualty of words, then he said delicately, “Kenwrec spoke to me earlier. I think, he offered to choose us.“ <br>
<br>
“We may need to go back to the library again,” he finished.<br>
<br>
They were at the gates by now, and the sentinels let them past, along with some other groups of pupils. Ray watched the blackened sky, the stars beginning the faintly form, with patches of dark clouds obscuring them. The moon wasn’t visible yet, and there was still a sliver of orange light left over from the sunset. Ray let out a lengthy and tired sigh.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Elaina wondered if Ray noticed just how much she was leaning on his arm for support. <br>
“We may need to go back to the library again,” he said, gazing at the sky. She knew he was desperate to discuss the last hour they had just encountered, and she was too, but she could hardly think at the moment, at least not of anything but the pain that seemed to radiate from within. <br>
“I can’t go to the library.” Elaina managed to say. Ray turned to look at her, obviously noticing her pained expression which told him everything.<br>
“Can you make it to the forest?” He asked, alert now flooding his eyes.<br>
“I don’t know.” She whispered back, looking at the crowds flooding the evening streets. The forest was nearly a three mile walk on the outskirts of the city. He too looked around, seemingly seeking out an escape. <br>
“Come on.” He said, taking her hand, “I know a place.” He guided her through the streets, weaving in and out of traffic. Walking distracted her, though her heart began to beat faster and keeping the fire down became a more dangerous game of concentration. They walked through many of the streets they had come in through, down dank alleys and across cobbled streets, avoiding vendors and the occasional beggar, Elaina clinging to Ray’s hand for dear life. <br>
Ray led her back to the university grounds, though they went an atypical way toward the North end of the campus. There were several outdated buildings there, many of which were no longer in use. The crowds had thinned considerably, the increasing darkness hiding their movements. Elaina was surprised when Ray opened a back door the the most dilapidated looking building of the bunch. It wasn’t locked, and given the condition of the wood it would have been easy to break through even if it had been.<br>
Ray released Elaina’s sweating hand when they slipped through the doorway. The building was decaying in all sorts of ways. The rooms were abandoned, crumbling, with scattered tables or chairs, everything overgrown with cobwebs.<br>
“This way.” Ray whispered, though his echo still reverberated off the stone walls. It was terribly dark, the temptation to light their way was almost overwhelming. Ray took Elaina down corridors and across rooms in a dizzying maze. <br>
They reached a long and winding staircase that plunged into a deep abyss, Ray taking two stairs at a time with Elaina close behind. When they reached the bottom it was nearly pitch black, but Ray seemed to know exactly where he was going, having taken her hand again he led her to a room as he felt along the wall. He tugged her arm so she went through the doorway.<br>
“Now!” He said. As if his word had given the fire permission, brilliant blue flames burst from Elaina. It engulfed her hands, her feet. Her eyes shone with a terrifying cerulean that made her look nearly celestial. And finally, as if a thousand tiny fingers were caressing her scalp, the azure fire crept down her hair, as if burning upside down, until there was nothing left but the periwinkle fire. <br>
In the darkness of the room Elaina burned. The flares of her magic pulsing between a blazing blue and a light lavender, giving it an almost cool appearance, and a dazzling mixture of color, illuminating the room in a terrifying brightness.<br>
Elaina was so enraptured with the feeling of freedom and relief she nearly forgot where she was, letting the force within her take over and consume her flesh.<br>
“Elaina!” said a voice in the distance. Still the fire raged on, whispering flutters of gratification down her neck and spine. She took in a deep breath and when she exhaled the fire burned brighter, reveling in its freedom.<br>
“Elaina!” The voice called again. She turned to face it, her fiery eyes giving her enhanced vision to see her brother backing out of the doorway and shielding his eyes and face to shun the heat she was putting off. Though she was hesitant to do it, the initial urgency to release the fire had quickly burned off, and she retreated the fire to where it wasn’t so hot or bright. Her hair, hands, and eyes still flared, but at a much calmer pace. The fire still purred to have an outlet, even if it wasn’t so grand. Ray stepped back into the room slowly, looking at her with trepidation. <br>
“Are you alright?” he asked, concern etching his face. She sighed with a small nod, feeling as if she had come up for air after having forgotten she was underwater. She looked around the room, realizing with the light that it must have been a distillery, oenology being one of the many subjects at Quintus. She realized with more curiosity however that there was greenery nearly everywhere. A small tree in every corner, grass sprouting in patches of cracked stone, hundreds of flowers potted in forgotten wine barrels and bottles, and ivy clutching nearly every inch of the walls, all of which were now charred or blackened.<br>
“Ray…” Elaina looked at him. He had an expression of shame or embarrassment on his features, as if he had just been caught in a lie. Elaina suddenly felt incredibly rude, having intruded on what Ray must have considered a small, private sanctuary. His gifts were not as demanding as Elaina’s, but she could sympathize entirely with the urge to use them. She looked at the wilted plants and felt all the more guilty for having spoiled his creations.<br>
“I’m sorry I -” <br>
“Don’t be.” He interrupted. “It was a moment of weakness.” Elaina had a sinking feeling as she looked at her brother. She extinguished the fire on her right hand, returning to its normal state, and she put it on his shoulder, letting it express what words could not. The last hour of fear, discomfort, and the disturbing invitation from the Imperata seemed to catch up with them in that moment.<br>
“Elaina.” He began, looking into her fiercely glowing eyes. “We need to talk.”</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Warmth radiated from Elaina’s hand. Unlike the blistering heat moments before, it was now the contrary, more of a comforting heat that reminded Ray of old memories, he became lost in his surroundings. In its former glory the room was so overgrown with plants you couldn’t see the walls. Now, black and peeling, the vines revealed a ragged cobblestone the color of ash. The pungent smell of burning in the room made Ray cover his nose with his sleeves. Luckily, the building was so poorly kept together there was a gaping hole in the ceiling that blew cool air onto his face, and did away with the worst of the odor. Ray thanked the gods for the darkness, all the sudden smoke billowing outside would have attracted a crowd. He didn’t know what he’d expected when he brought Elaina here, it was a moment of desperation and in his panic he could only think of this one place. A strange annoyance towards Elaina came without warning for not being able to control her power, but it was so insignificant compared to their situation that he bottled it up mentally and focused.<br>
<br>
“Do you remember, when we were children and lived in the forest? The cabin? I remember the place clearly, actually. It was small and shabby, with that one side completely covered in moss, yet it felt a lot bigger when we were kids. Inside was modest and a little bare, with aging furniture, but it was quite cozy, and it was home.<br>
<br>
One day I heard a knock on our door and I opened it to a stranger so tall he might as well have been a bear, and when I looked at him I slammed the door in fright. I think I did think he was a bear at first. Mother heard the noise and questioned me, then scolded me for turning him away. He was an old friend of hers’ and ended up speaking over dinner for hours, but I didn’t really pay attention. I wish I did. On his way out he just smiled at me, it wasn’t much but it made me like him. I think... he was a nice person.<br>
<br>
Years later I asked mother what had happened to him since he didn’t visit since. She never answered but her eyes became so sad that I knew what had happened. He was a mage - Elaina, but one that was discovered and captured - and probably executed.<br>
<br>
Do you think… more people will end up like him, at the hands of the Queen’s mage hunters, if nothing stops this. Hell - what if they find us?” A hopeless feeling sunk into his chest.<br>
<br>
“Ten thousand tokens.” Ray started pacing around the room, the crunch under his footsteps sounded similar to stepping on dried up leaves. “...For everyone who embarks on the Queen’s journey and comes back alive. Denying the Queen would be foolish, or cowardly, and suspicious. You don’t think… she’s doing this to weed out any mages?” Those words felt as foolish to him as they sounded, but he couldn’t help his rising caution. “But if we go, we’ll have to capture mages on the Queen’s orders. Unless we… Wait. Elaina.” His features hardened, but he hesitated at the weight of his idea. “It’s a stupid idea but I think we could -”<br>
<br>
“Warn them,” Elaina dared to utter, realization spreading across her face at the same time as Ray.<br>
<br>
“It’s unsafe,” he argued, despite coming up with the idea. “Double-crossing the Imperata. And if we’re caught we will be thrown into the cellars and punished severely.<br>
<br>
But we’re in as much danger if we stay here,” he realized out loud.<br>
<br>
“We can go to the forest first, if you’d prefer. To clear our minds,” Ray offered but to be honest it was something he ached to do instead of her. He felt a desire to be surrounded by lush plant life, alive plant life, and to be concealed within the shadowy trees. Here, had once been his haven, but it was virtually unrecognizable to him now. What formerly had been various herbs, flowers, and other flora, was now dead and empty and enveloped by cold rock. It left a barren space in his heart.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Ray seemed to be thinking out loud as much as talking to Elaina. She watched him pace back and forth, working through his thoughts as he crunched over the dead leaves under his feet. Her mind was spinning too, much clearer now that she didn’t feel the fire’s demands to escape.<br>
“So, refusing would not be wise,” Elaina began pacing in the opposite direction of Ray, trying to weigh their options, “It will likely cast suspicion on us, either as mages or mage-sympathizers. We’re elite students who don’t just turn down an ‘opportunity’ like this because we want to finish our education. Our superiors consider this real world experience, likely thinking it will be better than anything we could learn in a classroom.”<br>
“Not to mention the entire establishment of Quintus has morphed into a research ground for eliminating magic, so this was always meant to be our true calling in their eyes.” Ray added with a humorless chuckle.<br>
“And by declining it means we threw away the chance to save any number of lives.” Elaina, wrang her flaming hands.<br>
“And the possibility of twenty thousand tokens between us. We could take care of mother and father in a real way. Not just giving them scraps of a monthly wage.” Ray said, giving her a look as they passed one another. <br>
“It could also mean living in security, living without fear of discovery, somewhere secluded or even in a kingdom where magic is accepted!” Elaina couldn’t resist a sliver of hope slipping into her voice. “But accepting will likely get us killed.” Her words landed heavy between them. They both stopped pacing abruptly and looked at each other in the cool glow of Elaina’s fire.<br>
“What do you want to do?” Ray asked. The question completely stumped Elaina. She wished she had never been asked to participate in such a quest. <br>
“I want to stay with you, whatever we do. If we go, we could protect each other, maybe even better than we can here with so many eyes watching.” She shrugged sadly, fear gripping her as she reflected on the dangers. Ray nodded in agreement.<br>
“There is another option we haven’t really considered.” Elaina said darkly, her eyes drifting to the charred floor.<br>
Ray’s eyebrows knit together, evidently searching for Elaina’s meaning.<br>
“We could… I mean it’s possible that we take it ourselves.” As soon as the words came out Elaina felt a queasy feeling in her stomach, yet somehow she didn’t regret it.<br>
“What?” Ray asked, and Elaina couldn’t tell if he misunderstood her meaning or if he was in a calm but disgusted rage.<br>
“The Potion. Think about it Ray, it would mean that we would never have to live in fear again! It would mean we wouldn’t ache to exercise our magic, it would mean I would stop getting sick and you would never have to wonder if you were going to be discovered at any moment!” Elaina blurted out, though she could tell each word was like a dagger in Ray’s ears.<br>
“I can’t believe you’re even suggesting this!” Ray said taking a step away from her, though they were already some distance apart. “Elaina, there’s nothing wrong with us! Didn’t you hear how they brainwashed Rossier? He said they “cured” him of his magic and he looked like he was about to be sick because of it!”<br>
“You’ve always had a closer affinity to your magic than I have, Ray. This force inside me is all I can think about every minute of the day!”<br>
“And you think my abilities aren’t on my mind too?” Ray raised his tensioned hands in frustration.<br>
“It’s different for you! This fire is like an animal I can’t cage!” Elaina’s fiery eyes began to fill with tears, but she dared not let them spill. “Every day I feel a constant pressure inside me that’s ready to burst at any moment and it’s all I can do to keep it down! I’ve bargained with it, begged, threatened, but it has a mind of its own and I feel like I’m losing my grip! I could let it burn forever and it wouldn’t be enough!” Elaina’s voice had begun to shout, quavering a bit with her words. “I’ve prayed to Rapha for years to take this burden from me and what if this is his answer?” <br>
“And what if your god is deaf to your pleas?” Ray growled. She knew Ray did not submit to her god, but the words still hurt. “Take the Potion then, if you’re so eager to get rid of your gifts, but I won’t touch it. I’m going to the forest.” He said, sweeping past her. “And consider this, Elaina” he said once he’d reached the door “You believe Rapha sat amongst the stars and stitched you together at the beginning of time, or so say the traditions. Maybe he was the one who put magic in your veins in the first place.” Ray stormed through the door.<br>
She was surprised to see him in such anger. He was usually the level headed one. A heaviness clouded her heart as she suddenly reflected on times past when they were children, in the cabin and woods when they would discuss their magic openly, give each other tips on how to control it, practice it, hide it. Now it seemed they had drifted apart and their magic was something they shouldn’t bring up in front of the other, like mentioning a dead relative or past wrong.<br>
She gave Ray a good head start before she decided to follow. She too wanted a walk in the woods, and a small part of her was greatly anticipating what she would do when she was alone. She reigned the fire back into herself and felt along the walls for the stairs she and Ray had descended. The few miles it took to get to the forest passed in a haze, Elaina’s mind lost in thought. She couldn’t remember the last time she had fought with her brother, but the queasy feeling she had developed still lingered.<br>
The entrance to the forest was the beginning of a long trade route that passed to Pearl City and Adele. She walked a half mile along the trail, even passing a horseman and a couple of carts going to and from the city, but when she was alone, she turned her gaze to the threatening, yet inexplicably welcoming forest, and took off in a sprint. She loved running. It stretched her dormant lungs in a brilliant agony, and her heart pumped hard to keep up.<br>
She ran deeper and deeper into the forest. The trees engulfed her in even darker shadow as the sun had long since abandoned the sky. It felt as though she had run nearly two miles from the city when the power in her became almost overwhelming. She shot her hands down mid stride, hot mauve fire blasting from the ends of them and sent her hurtling through the air.<br>
Exhilarating was a weak word for how it felt. Months of pent up fire, filled to the bursting point underneath her skin was finally released in all its glory. The show she had put on in the cellar with Ray was a joke, but this was where she could let that rage out without fear of retribution. She pulled back just as her head was about to breach the tops of the trees, and slowly lowered herself back toward the ground. She took off in a run again as soon as her feet hit the earth. She fixed her eyes on a tree ahead, and blew raging torrents of flame at it. The fire licked up the trunk and into the branches. As it engulfed the aged oak, the purple and blue flames morphed into orange, consuming it with the fire familiar to man. She ignored the burning and grabbed one of the blazing branches, climbing it higher and higher until she had nearly reached the top, letting the flares brush her skin.<br>
Once at the top, she sent more fire down the trunk in a spectacular display of battling red and blue flames. The tree’s integrity weakened, and the branch she was perched on began to give way. She jumped from the branch, swooping toward the ground before catching herself again and landing softly. She turned to watch the tree’s destruction, the fire once again cascading down her hair until none of her auburn sheen was left.<br>
She sent fireballs hurtling like spears in every direction, lighting up a few bushes, smoking piles of dried leaves, and frightening a confused squirrel. Once she decided the tree had had enough, she lifted her hands almost as if in a dance, commanding the flames to stillness. Slowly, the fire faded, as if someone was was sucking the oxygen from the air. Until the tree was just dull embers, leaking smoke and crackles.<br>
She focused on the earth beneath her feet, and sent out ten different streams of fire running in different directions. They twisted and turned as she commanded them, creating a design not unlike a spiderweb, burning the forest floor in a destructive design. She weaved the threads of fire in and out of each other, closing her eyes to savor the feeling of surrender and the delight of creating a fearsome art. She lifted fallen tree trunks high in the air before throwing them to a new location and yanked heavy branches down to the forest floor, leaving the air dense with smoke and cinders. She continued like this for another half an hour; lighting huge fires then putting them out again until she felt totally relieved of her burden.<br>
She leaned against a tree, out of breath but fully contented. Despite everything, she smiled. She would miss this feeling if she ever decided to drink the Potion. The thought of giving up this euphoria almost seemed silly now...<br>
She walked back toward civilization, careful to assess the stars for her direction. Her mind was not eased long before thoughts of Ray and the Imperata krept back. She felt stronger, but the pain and fear were still poignant. <br>
Elaina suddenly came to a clearing in the trees. The stars and bright crescent moon looked down on her in shocking brilliance, making the whole grove seem holy. She stared at them in admiration and slowly came to her knees. She held out her hands to the night sky as if to give and receive from it.<br>
“Mi cgha mo cgha beh elim adonai.” Ancient words. Words her family had spoken for generations in greeting to their god. They had since lost their meaning and significance to anyone did not share in the religion, but to Elaina, they were sacred. <br>
A cool shiver went down her spine. Not unpleasant, but certainly not ordinary. And she knew Rapha was listening.<br>
“I am your servant. I am afraid, Rapha. I don’t know where to go or what to do. Everywhere I go there seems to be danger. Is Ray right? Were you truly the one who gave me this magic? Why would you put me at such risk? I feel lost… Please, tell me what to do…” She whispered. She wished it had been her first thought to ask her deity for guidance, but she hoped he would answer all the same. She listened in the grove, the soft breeze stroking her face, hearing the distant sounds of a nightingale and singing insects. Then, a tiny whisper sounded, as if the air had brought it, so quiet that Elaina wasn’t sure she had really heard it.<br>
I will give you the strength you seek. Go and Deliver.<br>
Elaina’s eyes shot back to the stars, still twinkling down at her. She couldn’t help the hair on the back of her neck rise at the words. She bowed her face to the earth in thanks, taking in its sweet aroma, suddenly sure of what she had to do.<br>
<br>
The city had gone quieter with the deepening night. The day’s events were beginning to wear on Elaina and she could feel her body tiring, but there was something she had to do before she slept. It was lucky she knew where he lived, not really caring about propriety at the moment. She crossed the deserted street to rap loudly on the oak door. The silence that followed was unbearably awkward, though a cat decided to fall from its perch and shriek loudly.<br>
The door swung open, Kenwrec’s face illuminated by a candle in his right hand. <br>
“Elaina?” the look of annoyance melted from his face to give way to confusion.<br>
“The conversation you had with Ray, that was you saying that we would be together, yes?”<br>
Kenwrec looked at her blankly then blinked rapidly while trying to make sense of her question.<br>
“Umm…. Yes, I was trying to ease his mind about accepting the Imperata.” Kenwrec said.<br>
Elaina looked at him, hoping he was awake enough to be aware of the gravity of her request.<br>
“You swear that we won’t be placed into different troupes? Because once we make the vow there won’t be any turning back.” Elaina nodded as she spoke, trying to get him to affirm what she was saying.<br>
“Yes.” Kenwrec answered, a little concern etching into his features. <br>
“Swear it.” Elaina said, wondering if such a bold statement would make him reconsider recruiting them in the first place.<br>
“I swear it.” Kenwrec replied softly. His expression was unreadable as he spoke. Was he trying to ease her mind? Was he angered she had spoken out in the first place? Was he baffled by the triviality of it all?<br>
Elaina nodded in satisfaction. She murmured a quick thank you, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that Kenwrec’s parted robe revealed a surprisingly muscular torso and chest. She turned on her heel, the gravel shifting beneath her feet. She didn’t want to look back, in case he was still standing there. Strangely, her ears started to burn, even though she never overheated.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Ray hadn’t expected things to go downhill as fast as they did but here he was, half-sprinting through the hallways, a angry electricity tingling throughout his body. Hands shaking, he glanced down at them, but they weren’t there, along with the rest of him. He had turned invisible without meaning to, but was too upset to care about how dangerous it was to use magic in the heart of the city like this. Reaching the forest without paying much attention to his surroundings, he slipped off the main road, a torch in hand, the only part of him that was visible. The torchlight barely let him see in front of his face, but he snaked through the thorny undergrowth and protruding roots with ease, able to sense each and every living plant around him, and trusting his legs guide him through them. Every one of them gave off a beat, much alike a heartbeat, and all of them together sounded like a thousand butterflies beating their wings at the same time. It was overwhelming, but he couldn’t describe it as annoying, it was a soothing noise, like rain. He wondered what Elaina felt with her fire. Was it like his, or more similar to her smoke and sparks?<br>
<br>
Elaina. After a brief forgotten moment his mind returned to what had just happened. She was irrational, he told himself, the stress gone to her head. But she wouldn’t say it for no reason. Why had she? Ray began to suspect Elaina wasn’t in as control as he thought. Sure, he always knew she struggled to keep it at bay as a child, but he thought it wore off with age. His brow furrowed with guilt, maybe he should have paid more attention to her instead of focusing so heavily on his studies. He guessed he wasn’t the only one in the family guilty of hiding their emotions.<br>
<br>
What did he want to do? That question should have stumped him, but he felt very strongly in his soul that he should go, no matter how bad of an idea it was. He took a deep breath and listened to the night sounds around him; the wind breezing through the leaves, and the eternal buzzing of insects. The air was cold and so moist he could feel it bead up on his exposed skin. He shivered and put his hood up, clinging to the little warmth the fabric could give him.<br>
<br>
Slowly, Ray realized the real reason he felt the need to go, and it wasn’t to help other mages, get ahold of the Queen’s potion, or even because of the wealth, though they all clung to the back of his mind. He was ashamed. He was ashamed to say no to a responsibility another student at Quintus would take on with ease, and he had no doubt that all the eager and excited faces he saw around him would swear by oath tomorrow. He was ashamed the same way at the thought of taking the potion, erasing the gift both of his parents had given him, and expected him to harness and grow throughout his life. He wanted to speak to Elaina, let her know his decision, and she could decide on her own if she would follow him. He didn’t know how, after the embarrassment of their outburst, but he’ll figure it out when he sees her.<br>
<br>
But for now, he trekked deeper into the forest, running into a bubbling stream, and finding a fallen log to help him across. He crossed it more carefully than needed, muttering to himself words of encouragement. Low voices carried to him over the wind and Ray startled, his torch tumbling out of his hands and landing in the water with a sizzle. Hopping off the log, he approached the voices, feeling unnaturally confident in his invisibility. Two hooded strangers were standing in the shadows, a small light being held by only one of them. A shiver went up his spine when he realized they were looking dead at him, but then he realized they were looking through him, at the racket he made at the river. He couldn’t guess why two strangers would be holding a secret conference in the woods, but he doubted it was anything innocent.<br>
<br>
“...an animal I suppose?” a gruff voice said to the other, who grunted with skepticism. “The Imperata...”<br>
<br>
“Not another word,” the second one hissed, glancing around. “It’s not safe here, don’t forget your mission.”<br>
<br>
‘The Imperata’. Ray’s heart caught in his throat, watching as the strangers scattered away from each other. What did they have to do with the Queen? One of them stumbled on the way out, hitting a root that vibrated throughout the entire tree. Something clinked as it hit the root, but the hooded stranger didn’t slow down to retrieve it. Ray waited until he was left in darkness then approached the tree, feeling the rough bark under his fingers as the energy settled down, and followed them to the root. He fumbled in the dark for the thing he’d heard fall and his hand hit something metallic. He rolled it around in his hand, feeling something small that fit in his palm, but in the pitch black he had no hope of telling what it was. Ray pocketed the item and turned back the way he came.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Back in the library, Ray was beginning to feel the toll of using his powers so late into the hours. His eyes drooped shut for the fifth time, so he slammed the book he was reading closed in resentment. He’d finally gotten a good look at the item, and he guessed it was an emblem of some sorts. It looked to be part of a necklace once, but the part that attached to the sting rusted off. The symbol carved into it was a complex set of geometric shapes with lines running up and down, but Ray had never seen an image like it in his life. Naturally he brought it here, but he didn’t have any luck skimming through the books. Yawning, he gave up for the night and headed out of the library. He had something he wanted to do.<br>
<br>
He crossed the empty campus and headed into a squarish building. These were the dormitories, but not the ones he stayed in, this was where Elaina’s chambers were located. He wandered through the hallways, squinting as he used his candle-light to look at the room numbers. Finally he found Elaina’s and knocked, hesitant to make much noise. A long heartbeat passed, until Ray realized that no one would be answering. Of course Elaina wasn’t here, she was probably still wandering in the forest. He tried the knob and it was surprisingly unlocked. He peeked inside but the room was empty, even Elaina’s roommate was missing. Sleep tempted him to retreat and wait until morning, but he wanted to talk right now and get things over with. He leaned back onto the door for support, deciding to rest his eyes, and fell asleep.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Elaina walked slowly back to her chambers, taking in the coolness of the evening, and contemplating the days’ events with a much clearer mind. Having unburdened herself of the torrents inside her, with the blessing of her god, and with the assurances of her troupe leader, she felt a peaceful confidence cut through her fatigue. She smiled to herself as she looked up at the stars. The fire fluttered in her stomach, warming her with a giddy feeling at the realization that tomorrow she would embark on an adventure. <br>
She suddenly understood just how stifled she felt in her fear. She looked around at the buildings that she had considered her home for nearly a year, and was torn with the fact that Quinitus had challenged her mind and provided her with knowledge, yet at the same time held a looming threat over her head ever since she had stepped foot in the city. Her mind suddenly flashed back to Phidel, her home. Her parents. Her betrothed.<br>
The giddy fire suddenly turned sour, writhing sickly within her at the though of him. She had not really considered Hector’s reaction once he discovered she and Ray had left the city. Hector had assured her that he would be keeping an eye on her. He had an informant who would be giving him updates on her movements, and that things would not go well for her, or Ray, if she stepped out of line. Elaina had no idea who the informant was, or how often they sent updates to the magistrate, but it added an entirely new layer of fear to her in regards to her secret. She thought she had spotted someone watching her a few times, but had never been able to get a good look at them, not even enough to know if she had been imagining things. She had no desire to test the theory and see if she truly was being watched, for the magistrate had a reputation for being a temperamental man. She had very little doubt that he was telling the truth, and thus she believed it was not a question of if he would discover her departure from Braverny, but when. With the amount of secrecy and discretion the Imperata put over this quest, however, she doubted the informant knew what Elaina and Ray had been chosen for, or even that they had been chosen at all.<br>
But the idea came to her that if she and Ray were to make it back alive and receive their reward from the Imperata, she would have ample funds to repay the magistrate for his patronage. She could pay off hers and Ray’s debt, and in doing so, her obligations to him would be filled. Somehow, the stakes to return seemed higher, but the prospect of no longer being tethered to Hector almost made Elaina squeal with joy in the middle of the dorm square. She ran up the stairs to her room, both full of energy yet eager to sleep, instead, finding her sleeping brother at her door.<br>
She felt a rush of relief that he had come to see her, and she knelt down beside him to gently nudge him awake. He woke up with a start, momentarily confused by his surroundings. <br>
“Elaina.” he said, coming out of his daze. She gave him a comforting smile and helped him to his feet. She ushered him into the room and sat him in a chair, closing the door firmly behind her. She drew the curtains and attempted to light a candle with some flint. Minutes passed while she tried to bring light to the room and her frustration with the little piece of rock was mounting. Warm fire filled her finger tip, tempting her to release it onto the wick. As if reading her thoughts, Ray spoke.<br>
“Don’t do it.” he said, and she let out a little sigh of surprise. He crossed the little space that was between them and took the flint from her hands. He lit the little candle in seconds, only setting Elaina’s teeth on edge. Still, she was happy to be able to see him. They stared at one another for a moment, each clearly hoping the other would start. <br>
“I’m sorry.” they managed to say together, bringing a smirk to both their faces and tempering the awkwardness. Ray held out a hand to concede the conversation to her. She wrang her hands, wishing she had prepared what she was going to say before hand. <br>
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking… in the passed few hours… and I think we should accept the Imperata’s offer. I was being rash earlier when I talked about the potion, and I think we could really do some good.” She met his eyes to see him smiling.<br>
“Really?” he asked unbelievingly after a moment. She nodded, a little more profusely than intended. “This is going to be dangerous, Elaina. More dangerous than anything we’ve ever had to face.” <br>
“I know.” She whispered. “But we’ll have each other, and something tells me maybe we’ll have help in unexpected places too. It’s only a year, afterall.” <br>
“A lot can happen in a year.” Ray said, but it seemed more out of fear than warning. “What if we’re not placed together?” he asked.<br>
“I’ve dealt with that. Kenwrec gave me his word that we would be in his troupe. I wouldn’t go if we’re separated. I’ve never been able to control my…” she looked around the room, though she found it astronomically unlikely that anyone was listening, “temper without you.” <br>
“Maybe you won’t have to.” Ray said gently. There was a moment of silence where Elaina tried to decipher what he meant, but without luck.<br>
“Well, I came here to tell you that I wanted to accept the Imperata, but now that you’ve told me you’ll accept too, there’s no doubt for me. We’re doing this together.” He held out a hand which she promptly took, filled with the strength he seemed to emanate.<br>
“Together.” She repeated, and dropped his hand before the moment got too sappy. He turned to leave, but before he reached the door he reached into his pocket.<br>
“Oh, I meant to ask you,” he said pulling out a little token “Have you ever seen this symbol before?” She held out her hand to take it and hold it up to the light. It had the markings of geometry, but no design she was familiar with from her schooling. She shook her head slowly, saying it might have just been a family crest redesigned to incorporate more mathematical angles. Ray didn’t seem to bite on the idea, and she wondered briefly why it was important. Before she could ask he changed the subject again.<br>
“Big day tomorrow. We’ll take the oath. Better get some rest.”<br>
“Goodnight.” she said as he closed the door. It didn’t take her long to prepare for bed. She was grateful Hera had decided to spend the night with her lover, for she longed to have the room to herself. She breathed in the fresh sheets and quickly fell asleep. <br>
Elaina’s dreams were filled with purple fire. The world was burning, the sky raining ash. People screamed in the distance while an army marched up the slopes of rolling hills. Dead bodies littered the charred grass, and at the center of it all was an armor clad woman whose hair, eyes, and hands were inflamed a terrifying periwinkle.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Morning arrived fast. Ray awoke to a light pattering of rain against his window shutters and rolled out of bed, his eyes still as heavy as they were when he fell asleep. The smell of misty air drifted into his chambers. His roommate’s bed was empty, several of their belongings moved around or missing, and Ray guessed he’d meet them at the castle. Gathering a few items of his own, he slipped the mysterious crest into his pocket at the last moment. He dressed quickly in a thick, cerulean cloak, designed for travel, along with leather gloves and boots that still felt brand new. The last time he’d worn these felt like a lifetime ago, when he and Elaina departed from their home city Phidel, to journey to the capital and enroll in Quintus. Ray didn’t own any armor and weapons to carry, all of which belonged to the training grounds, but he decided the Imperata would provide for them all.<br>
<br>
Ray met Elaina and they parted from Quintus, mouthing sleepy greetings to each other, but remained quiet for most of the journey as they rushed through the rain, and made it back to Jade Hall sooner than Ray was mentally prepared. The hall was already half-filled, a stoup now in the center of the room, placed on a pedestal. Together, they joined the other students, who formed a semicircle around it. The rest of them arrived quickly, bearing the dark markings of water on their clothing. Faintly, thunder boomed as the storm outside began to pick up. The number of attendees was smaller than yesterday, Ray noted, but barely.<br>
<br>
The Queen stood upright in front of the dais, her hair now let down, long and loose but still styled in a way that incorporated several braids and ribbons. She clutched a long and thin sheath with both hands, then raised it proudly in the air for all of the room to see.<br>
<br>
"Greetings, my hunters, don't let the weather dampen your spirits it is a marvelous morning. I shall not waste my words and repeat what you’ve already heard, you all know what you have been asked to do, the responsibilities resting heavily on your shoulders. Brave ones, do any of you still wish to withdraw? My opinion is the same, I will wish no ill of those who do."<br>
<br>
When no one moved or spoke, a sickly sweet smile crept up to the Queen's lips, and she withdrew a decorated dagger from the sheath, its metal glinting maliciously. "Excellent, we may proceed. Hands outstretched," she ordered, demonstrating the motion herself. Everyone obeyed in suit.<br>
<br>
"The lands of Edisland are vast and bursting with knowledge, and over hundreds of moons we have remained this way and flourished. In a way we are exactly like the moon; ancient and eternal. Our well-deserved power is endless, but one thing ridicules our hard work, and all the things we've earned the right to. That thing is magic."<br>
<br>
"Mages. Liars. Cheaters," she spat, the ceremonial blade in her hand trembling. "We have never tolerated the darkness of magic in our borders and never will."<br>
<br>
Her voice continued to rise in intensity as she chanted the oath and approached the pedestal. <br>
<br>
"On this reborn morning, this day, the first day of Sunaru, we all stand together against magic. Against the enemies of our way of life, and together we swear to prove our loyalty to our home. To restore the balance, to protect our families, together we will sacrifice what we must and eliminate our enemies by any means we feel necessary"<br>
<br>
Eliminate our enemies, the words echoed sickeningly as Ray swallowed a lump in his throat. But he didn't have much time to dwell on it as the room erupted with a chorus of gasps. The Queen sliced her forearm cleanly through the fabric of her gown, letting the blood flow into the stoup and tainting the liquid inside scarlet. A chill went down Ray's spine.<br>
<br>
The dagger passed on to the troupe leaders first, then the rest of the students. They all repeated their oaths then copied the Queen's example, letting their blood mix with hers. By the time the dagger was passed on to Ray the water was dark red and a sweet metallic odor filled the room. The dagger was heavy and cold in his hands, he did his best to keep it steady, murmuring his lines. Steeling his nerves, he rolled up his sleeve and cut. It moved through his flesh as if it still moved through air. He held his arm outstretched as the blood swelled out, slowly dripped, then, after an eternity, fell and rippled throughout the pool. He retreated as soon as he could, eager to pass on the dagger to the person beside him. <br>
<br>
The remaining few finished and suddenly Ray realized he felt quite light-headed, then he remembered to breathe again., the stinging of his wound still heavy at the back of his mind.<br>
<br>
The Imperata regained the dagger and brandished the bloodstained blade skywards, her sleeve now a darker red than the rest of her gown. "For Edisland," she said and returned it to its sheath.<br>
<br>
"Edisland," the room repeated, and even Ray felt the rush of excitement that circulated throughout the room. Two slaves, hand and hand, hurried to the pedestal and removed it from the room delicately.<br>
<br>
"Now," the Imperata said, opening her arms wide. "I invite all of our brave heroes to a celebratory feast. May you all dine graciously in my halls before you embark on your long and hard journey."<br>
<br>
A cheer answered and they were all lead away by two of the guards. The dining hall was wide and long, leagues larger than the Jade Hall, with an elegant table stretching out most of its length. The Queen took her place at the head of the table, in front of colorful glass windows that decorated the wall behind her, lightning flashing from outside occasionally. Many pictures of past Imperatas and Imperators filled the rest of the walls, and Ray could pick out a few with similar features to the Queen.<br>
<br>
The distinct smell of different spices, garlic, onions, and many sweet and sharp aromas filled the air as the cooks arrived, and served them with what had to be the entire stock of the palace’s kitchens. Stuffed eggs, lapon pie, a freshly roasted boar, (served to the Queen first, naturally), along with various stews, vegetables, and fruits were presented to them. Ray couldn’t keep track of the endless dishes. As the banquet continued Ray’s shoulders began to relax, the warm fuzziness of food and fatigue consuming him, and soon the relaxed chatter even started to drown out the foreboding noises of the storm outside.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Cora studied herself in the looking glass, going over her appearance. She looked strapping, like she was ready for a journey. Her outfit was sensible, and practical. A sturdy dagger at her hip, a number of useful powders, salves, and drugs in tiny vials in the smalls of her belt. A few pouches containing flint, a canteen, and other necessities for travel. Her cloak flipped over her shoulders to expose her arms which bore brown vambraces and fingerless gloves.<br>
If she was being honest with herself, she thought looked like a fraud. She still could not account for why the Imperata had chosen her for this assignment, but ten thousand tokens was too good to pass up. Quinuts had begun to feel like something like a home, but there was always a part of her that was squirmed in an environment that was so tough on magic, given how extensively she had used it in the past. But no more. Magic was her enemy now, and it was her duty to eliminate it. Right?<br>
Cora tore her eyes away from the mirror to look at the messy room. Most of her possessions in the were meaningless, save the necklace around her throat, buried beneath her tunic of a tiny golden hand clutching a shimmering gray agate stone. It was the old vigil of her family house that had been updated in recent years to a hand holding a five pointed star. They looked totally unrelated, which is why she felt safe wearing it. It made her feel close to her brothers.<br>
For a brief moment, a fantasy flashed before her eyes where she could return to them, tokens in hand, a young woman who could provide for herself, as if the money would somehow keep her safe from Gaelec. She pushed the thoughts aside, feeling sadness creep up her throat, and took a deep breath of the stuffy dorm air. She had gathered everything she needed into a simply pack. The only thing left that she needed was Emrys, as it was made clear that she would not be participating in this quest without him.<br>
She took off down the steps and toward the palace, the rain coming down steadily, but she did not care. The cool air was quite refreshing, and she always enjoyed a little thunder overhead, reminding her of the twelve gods and goddesses who seemingly lived above them.<br>
The Jade Hall was already full when she got their, though she had a feeling everyone else had been early as opposed to her being late. The ceremony that passed felt a little odd in her opinion. The Imperata’s eyes seemed to grow a little more eerie each time Cora entered her presence. She gave a quick speech which was very reminiscent of her remarks the night before, and then asked them to gather in a circle. When the time came for her to slice her hand, she briefly wondered if she could mentally force her hand to apply enough pressure to intentionally hurt herself, but the dagger was so sharp in hardly brushed her skin before a bead of ruby pooled in her palm. She stared at it momentarily, pondering what that little drop of her blood meant, and the thought crossed her mind that much more blood may be spilt because of it.<br>
Before she could seem hesitant though, she thrust her hand over the basin and let her oath blend in with everyone else’s. She cleaned the dagger and passed it on, an unsure feeling weighing in the bottom of her stomach.<br>
Cora looked around the circle at the other students now deemed hunters, and wondered if any of them were feeling the same worm of uncertainty twisting in them. One girl, straight across from where Cora stood, looked chalky white. She stood by who Cora believed was her brother. The girl, about Cora’s age almost looked like she was going to be sick, but when the person to her right handed her the dagger, she took it without any misgivings and pressed the tip into her skin. She winced slightly, but approached the basin with confidence to let her bright dop of blood drip down her slender finger and into the murky water. She cleaned the blade and handed it to her brother. Cora wondered what could be making her so pale if she was so certain of her place there. Secretly, she hoped she would be paired up with her in order to find out.<br>
Once the dagger had been passed through and all the blood dropped, they repeated the words spoken by the Queen to complete the vow.<br>
“To live, to die, to fight, to lie, to give, to steal, to protect, to kill, for Edisland!”<br>
“For Edisland!” The Queen shouted, almost making Cora jump with its intensity.<br>
“Edisland!” the group repeated. Unexpectedly, the Queen instantly changed demeanor to warm hostess and welcomed them to dinner. Cora would have been bothered by the Imperata’s personality which seemed to change on a dime, but she was famished. After each of the hunters’ hands were bandaged by waiting attendants, they made their way to the dining hall. The smell of food made Cora’s mouth water instantly, but her training as a lady kicked in and she sat upright until the feast had officially begun. Cora cast a glance down the table at the pretty yet sickly looking redhead who was once again beside her brother. She likely knew no one else at this gathering, the same as Cora, but she suddenly wished she had thought to sit beside her.<br>
A few toasts were made before the food was served, the Imperata giving the most enthusiastic of them all, obviously incredibly excited by the life-binding oath each of them had just made. The sheer gravity of the promise Cora just made had not quite hit her yet, but she blamed that on the lack of food clouding her brain. When they finally could eat, it was a struggle to remain lady like due to how good the food was. Cora decided that she would eat as much as she could, lady like or not, as it was likely to be that last descent meal she had for awhile.<br>
“You’re the falconier?” a voice said across from her. She looked up to one of the leaders the Imperata had chosen. It struck her immediately that this was an interview of sorts, though she had no idea if she wanted to impress this young man or not. The Imperata had given no indication of just what type of people they would be serving under once they took the oath, and the choosing ceremony had yet to take place.<br>
Cora nodded, desperate to swallow the unusually large chunk of turkey she had just bitten into.<br>
“Yes sir.” She answered finally.<br>
“What made you study falcons?” he asked. He was clearly of Shangese descent, but he looked to have had some Edislandian influences in his make up.<br>
“I was drawn to the intelligence of the bird, and how much they could do for us. It became clear that I had a talent for it, and my teachers say I am even making new developments in training with my pupil, Emrys.” Cora said, hoping that last bit sounded humble.<br>
“And what are you hoping to get out of becoming a hunter?” He asked, slowly lifting a sliver of skewered roast to his lips.<br>
Ten thousand tokens. Cora thought.<br>
“There’s still much about magic that we don’t understand. How it affects people, and how it’s used to hurt others. I mean, take for instance Rossier yesterday. He went undetected for years, why? Because we have no way of tracing magic. As you may know, I am also trained in tracking, and I’m not sure how yet, but I think with the scientific principles of tracking, and with the help of Emrys, magic may leave more of trace than we think. I’m eager to see if we can develop any techniques for catching magic before it can do any serious damage.” Cora made up the lie on the spot, but she thought it sounded rather convincing. Part of it may have even been true now that she thought of it. The rush of finding clues in the dirt or seeing trails left behind, evidence of some series of events was truly fascinating to her, and she doubted the thrill of the chase would be different when it came to mages.<br>
“Very well put.” Said the woman to his right. She had fiercely blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. She was athletically built with a strong jawline and commanding features.<br>
“I’m Bianca, and this is Kenwrec.” She continued. “We’re leaders the Imperata has chosen. I’ve had my eye on you for a while. I think your record speaks for itself.” she said, taking a sip from her goblet. Cora nodded her head in thanks, though she didn’t know how she felt about someone ‘having an eye on her’.<br>
The three of them continued in casual conversation, though Cora doubted they could give anything away until the choosing ceremony, which she had learned would begin after the meal. For some reason, Cora kept glancing down the table to the redhead and her brother. Both of them looking perpetually uncomfortable, she somehow couldn’t stop wondering about them, and why they seemed so out of place.<br>
Cora forced down desert, though she felt she couldn’t take another bite, when the Imperata stood and gestured for the company to follow her. Reluctantly leaving the sweet cake behind, Cora adjourned with the crowd to yet another room. It was a drab room yet still classily structure, with a wide stage where Cora guessed small skits and performances were put on for galas or visiting aristocrats. Likely previously instructed, the six leaders made their way onto the stage, generously spaced apart.<br>
“The choosing ceremony will begin now.” The Imperata said grandly. Cora had to resist an eye roll at her flourishing hands when she indicated the leaders.<br>
“When your name is called, you will go stand beside the officer who has chosen you. You may not renegotiate your leader or refuse.” There was a titter at this, like it was an insult to be denied the choice themselves, though Cora didn’t know what they had expected, having shed their blood to swear fealty to a cause they knew very little about. The Queen gave an annoyed look at the crowd for their minor disruption and lifted her hands again in a luxurious fashion to signify the first leader could now make their choice.<br>
There were six leaders, each of them fearsome in their own right. Kenwrec and Bianca stood in the middle, looking down at man who had the first choice. He was a burly man, late twenties, with an impressive beard and shaved head save for a strip of hair down the middle  which gathered into a braid at the back.<br>
“Anston.” He said proudly. There was an applause as the student named Anston made his way up to the stage beside his new commander. A bit of panic seized Cora as she realized she may just be the last one picked. The second leader chose next, picking someone else out of the crowd Cora did not recognize.<br>
Kenwrec was up next, looking sure but stoic. “Elaina and Ray.” He said simply. The crowd looked confused.<br>
“You can only choose one!” The burly man barked, but the Imperata held up her hand.<br>
“I have allowed him this, stay silent until your next selection.”  She silenced him. The young woman Cora had been watching came forward, followed by her brother and took their place beside Kenwrec.<br>
Bianca was next, standing to Kenwrec’s right.<br>
“Cora.” Bianca stated. Cora was so distracted by Kenwrec’s selection that she almost didn’t register her own name. She made her way up to Bianca who had a tight smirk on her face, clearly confident in her decision. Cora glanced at Kenwrec, slightly confused, as she had thought he had seemed more interested in her skills at dinner than Bianca. She suddenly felt slightly nervous about serving under a woman who struck her as fiercely as Bianca.<br>
She paid close attention to the names of the students who were individually called by the other two leaders, and again as the round of selection began again. The burly man and the leader to his right made their next choices, but when it came to Kenwrec’s turn, he remained silent, looking expectantly at Bianca. As if she anticipated this, she chose again. Cora quickly did a count of the room. There were still six leaders but only twenty two students had showed up to take the oath. Kenwrec must have been afforded fewer team members and was allowed to make his choices first for compensation. Cora looked at the Queen who she now realized looked remarkably irritated, no doubt because of the eight students who decided not to show up. She kicked herself for missing such an obvious tell, and made a mental note to never piss of the Imperata.<br>
The rounds of selection continued, with half hearted applause, until Cora’s other teammates stood beside her. Ellis, who was a very handsome young man, with dark long hair and puppy brown eyes, with a look that said he’d left a river of broken hearts behind him. Then there was Cal, who was handsome in a different way, muscled and weapon clad, with two lines shaved into his neatly clipped hair.<br>
Once the selection was over, with everyone in a group, the Imperata walked out before them, flicking her skirt to the side to address them once more.<br>
“These are your families now. Guard them with your lives. I’m afraid we will not meet again until your year is up. Each of your leaders have their assignments, and you will promptly be departing from the city at their command. You will obey them at any cost, you will listen to their every order. Abandon your family, and you will have a bounty on your head. When you are caught you will pay for it with your life.” She added casually. Cora swallowed hard, the implications of her decision to pledge her allegiance becoming heavier with every word.<br>
“You are soldiers now. May the gods be with you.” The Imperata finished with her usual flare.<br>
“Long may the Imperata reign!” Proclaimed one of the leaders.<br>
“Long may the Imperata reign!” The groups echoed. It was their dismissal, but when Cora looked to Bianca for instruction, she remained still. So did Kenwrec and his group. While the others filed out, they all remained stationary, and the Imperata looked as if she anticipated it. Once the other groups had left the room, the Imperata looked to address the two remaining groups. Cora braced herself, unsure of whether she could handle another one of Yasmin’s rousing speeches.<br>
As soon as the door shut behind the exiting students, the Queen spoke.<br>
“There has been a slight change of plans.” The Imperata said, her anger rising in her voice for the first time. “Because certain cowards have decided serving their kingdom is not worth their time, rearrangements had to be made.” Yasmin’s fingers twisted around each other in frustration while she paced back and forth before the group.<br>
“In case it has escaped your notice, there were eight students that did not appear to take the oath today. This left us with an odd number of students to make up the leaders’ groups. As such, Kenwrec and Bianca offered up a solution. They would each take a smaller number of students if it meant their two teams could be paired up to make up the difference.” The students, Cora included, looked around at one another at this revelation. “Bianca is the main leader for this group,” she continued, “But the two of you,” she pointed to Elaina and Ray, “will report directly to Kenwrec. He will give you your orders and assignments, but Bianca is the officiate of the group as a whole, ultimately you defer to her judgement. This way, instead of two groups of four and three, you’re now seven.” The Imperata ended bitterly. “Kenwrec and Bianca assure me that they can handle sharing authority, so this troupe had better not mess things up!” The Imperata nearly spat the last words, and Cora didn’t think she had ever seen someone so stressed out. “I am putting my trust in this joint venture, and I need it to succeed! Understood?”<br>
“Yes ma’am!” Bianca and Kenwrec answered in unison. The Imperata nodded and swished her skirt around to walk for the door, leaving the seven of them standing there in unsure silence.</div>
				
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