Talyn shook her head and stood up, she needed to do this. She needed this to work.
It didn’t. The three days passed way too quickly. It wasn’t that the two friends could find no rituals or spells to imbue magic. It was not that they didn’t have the ingredients or time to perform the rituals. It was simply that they did not work. Vakko had done everything perfectly, the magic just refused to join her, and now Talyn stood outside the testing room ready to enter and...
“Well I’ve had a good life up to this point.” She said to herself as she rubbed her hands together, the corridor she stood in was freezing. “You’d have thought they’d make the weekers last sights and sensations on the planet be pleasant ones, but noooo, I get to stand in the cold looking at a badly made stone door, with nothing but really dirty stone floors to sit on.”
“To be fair though.” came a semi familiar voice from behind Talyn. She spun to find the student mage from her first morning in the academy standing there, leaning into a small alcove. “Most of us have come from the street, poverty stricken citizens of the Falorn empire seem to have an unnaturally high magical ability. Most of us find this to be luxurious, and the fact we’re indoors gives us comfort... better than on the streets.” The Mages right hand moved in front of him, rolling a small bottle around. Every couple of seconds it would hit his thumb ring and glow, but only for a moment.
Talyn smiled. She was glad she’d gotten to see the brown robed boy. This gave her a chance to learn his name and thank him before she died, his advice may not have helped, but that was her fault, not his.
“I’m sorry.” She said before she realized what she was saying. “I didn’t realize who the academy invited to their doors... I suppose it makes sense, if they were gonna let a dark beast feast upon peoples children better to be the children of peasants than the Lords, Dukes and Earls.” She said. “Can...” she paused before finishing the sentence. She bit her lip and then shook her head, she was being stupid to be embarrassed about asking. “Can I ask you your name?”
The boy smiled and nodded. “Sure you can.” he said, though he didn’t answer.
“Erm...” Talyn continued. “... What’s you’re name?” She asked.
“Mired.” He smiled. “On the street we don’t have last names but when we leave the academy we are allowed to take on one of our choosing... But I don’t have one yet.”
Talyn nodded. It was an interesting experience walking into your death. Every new piece of information you gained seemed so magical and yet so pointless. It could be the last thing you ever learnt, that made it magical. Yet you would never be able to use it, that made it pointless.
“Here.” Mired said, throwing the small bottle to Talyn. She caught it clumsily, falling a little, but catching herself again. “It’s a spell I whipped up. I heard that you were in trouble from... sources... Like I said before, I’m not good at helping, and this might not actually be a help if you are resigned to your death... but if you smash that on your skin you will glow with your magical energy. Everyone has it, even non-mages. It will get you through this test but remember... after this test you will be pitted against others, people more skilled than you, people who know magics... and you may die at their hands.”
Talyn had only taken in half of what she had been told. She had spent the entire time staring at the bottle. She had been about to die and now she was going to live. A moment passed and she realized the room was silent. She looked up to thank Mired but...
“Mired?” she muttered, looking up and down the hallway. He was gone.
Talyn stood in the darkness of the testing chamber. Her heart was racing. She was either about to use magic for the first time or she was going to die. Alone either was enough to make her pulse double in speed but together... She was a little surprised that her heart hadn’t exploded from the sheer pressure. A flame flickered into life a good forty arms lengths above her and swung down to rest just above a balcony, where the Cassodians council sat, staring down their noses at her. All of them seemed to be there in the flesh this time, though none of them seemed happy about it.
“Talyn Falorn.” the Cassodian said in his harsh voice, sneering at her. “You came to this academy with no magical talents or abilities, and after a week you have not succeeded in gaining them. This is a disgrace to our institution and to your family. You now have a choice. Will you attempt to prove us wrong, have us release the k’nar and die, or will you go the reasonable, intelligent route and forfeit your heritage to another student and leave.” the girls eyes widened. she had no idea that was an option. how many of the third daughters in the past had accepted that proposition and... who were they replaced by? |
