by Shanon Chong
A framed image had been placed to the side, in front of all the books and quills on his desk. Holding the picture by the frame, I lifted it carefully with both hands and turned the golden bevelled frame toward me.
“Mum?” I grasped the frame tightly. Small tears dripped down my cheeks. It was a picture of my mother standing in a forest, my young, small figure rushing into her arms. Back in our old home, my father had removed every single picture of my mother after she had died.
“Theodore?” Mr Rhimmage’s voice echoed from behind me. “Are you crying?” he asked in disbelief.
“No,” I replied quickly, wiping away the tears before discretely returning the photo to the desk.
“I won’t pry, but if you want to talk, I’m always free,” Mr Rhimmage stated considerately.
“Thanks…” I murmured, reluctantly following him as he exited the office. “You get what you wanted?”
“Yeah, here,” he said, handing me a wooden case. I recognised this wood. Outside of my village, this type of wood grew in abundance.
“What’s this?” I asked, quickly taking the case within my arms and unlatching the metal clasps at the front.
“A tome. I doubt you’ll end up using it, though.” Mr Rhimmage sighed as he looked at the case. “It’s a shame, too. That tome is of extremely high quality.”
“What do I need it for, then?”
“It might prove useful…” Mr Rhimmage said before breaking into a groan. “I don’t know! I honestly don’t know what you’ll do with it.” He spoke rapidly, finishing his sentence within the span of a few seconds.
“You want to continue our conversation another time? The other students will get lectured if you don’t escort them back.”
“It’s fine. I made sure every teacher got the memo not to mess with my students.” Mr Rhimmage smiled menacingly as we exited the house. “Want to talk in your lodging’s library?”
“I don’t think Mrs Indallias would allow that, it’s well past curfew,” I replied hesitantly.
“Steph?” He paused, staring at me as though I’d said something ridiculous. “She’ll be fine with it!” he bellowed loudly as we walked the cold streets of Arcana toward the Bunker’s Entrance. The streetlights kept the city lit and safe even for those who didn’t adhere to the curfew… Or maybe it was just for the guards. The Bunker’s Entrance approached as Mr Rhimmage decided to walk ahead of me. Taking large strides, he reached the door, shoved it open, and courteously held it wide for me to proceed through.
“You here for the students?” Jayden clambered to the bar and stared Mr Rhimmage down. “Please say you are. That Vin of yours has been bothering me the entire time!”
Faint laughter could be heard from the floor below us. Mr Rhimmage looked at Jayden as though concerned for his sanity.
“I’ll go collect them. What do I owe you?” Mr Rhimmage asked as he started for the stairwell.
“You’re looking at maybe five gold pieces,” Jayden estimated as he tallied the costs together, creating a long list for Mr Rhimmage to scrutinise in his spare time.
“How much did they eat…” Mr Rhimmage muttered in disbelief as he slowly hobbled down the stairs. “It’s fine… I’ll pay you tomorrow.”
“Not many actually ate much…” Jayden called after Mr Rhimmage once he’d completely disappeared from view. “You want anything?” he asked me, pointing at the kitchen behind him. “I’ll just charge it to Bill.” Jayden chuckled as if his sentence had been particularly witty.
“Do you have anything small?” I submitted to my body’s needs and approached the counter.
“I’ll make you something with the scraps. I won’t even charge you a single cent,” Jayden said graciously as he slid into the kitchen, performing a dance move before turning on a grill within the small kitchen’s embrace.
“Is there anywhere I could get a glass of water?” I asked politely. “My throat is slightly parched.”
“If you go into the cooler room, there should be some apple cider in a glass bottle,” Jayden replied quickly. “Just take one. I’ll charge Bill the price of the drink.” He wrote a note on the side of the kitchen’s wall as he carried a leaf package that contained the food he had offered for free.
“Thank you!” I bowed as I walked behind the counter into the cooler room. Opening the tightly closed cooler room door, I walked inside, leaving the door open as I looked around. A sheathed blade leaned against the wall. The intricate scabbard and hilt gave me little information about the weapon itself. In my peripheral vision, I saw the bottled apple cider. Deciding against prying into Jayden’s belongings, I grabbed the bottle and left the room, closing the door behind me.
“Ah, you found it,” Jayden said cheerfully. “Anything else you want to ask before Bill convinces them to leave the heated room?”
“It has a heater?” I said, realising that my entire class had been taking their sweet time on the return back to the school.
“Yeah, I make sure to make my facilities the best in Arcana” Jayden said with pride as he pointed to the wall to the right of the counter.
“Actually, I do have a question.” I remembered the sheathed sword. “I saw a sword in the cooler room. What’s that?”
“The sword?” Jayden said, surprised. “I used to use that back when I wanted to be a freelance mercenary. I actually managed to get a few jobs before deciding to open the Bunker’s Entrance.”
“Come on… Let’s move!” Mr Rhimmage’s shout echoed up the stairs.
“It’s time for you to leave, I guess.” Jayden smiled kindly. “Feel free to visit again. I’ll always have an open room for one of Bill’s students,” he said in a businesslike fashion.
“Thank you. I’ll think upon that offer,” I replied maturely, hoping not to embarrass myself. However, I knew whatever shame I would feel if I replied wrongly would be outdone by Vin. He was currently following Mr Rhimmage, who had a grasp on his ear.
“Theo, you okay?” Rachel asked, approaching me. “You’re quite pale… Your eyes are swollen. What happened? You should wash your face when we return to our room.”
“I’m fine. I’m feeling a little…” I thought for a second before finishing my thought, “Nostalgic.”
Mr Rhimmage heard my response as he herded students into the night. “Nostalgic? Aren’t you a little young to use that word?” he joked.
We followed him out into the darkness, and he guided us through the streets, leading us to the school. As our group reached it, he dismissed the class swiftly, sending everyone off to rest for the night.
“I’ll meet you at your room; I need to have a quick chat with Steph,” Mr Rhimmage said quickly.
“Sure, we’ll meet you there,” Rachel replied protectively, grabbing my hands and rushing us to our room.
“You have your shower first. I’ll be in bed when you’re done talking to Mr Rhimmage,” she whispered as we moved up the stairs. Upon reaching the room, she unlocked the door and shoved me in.
“O-okay,” I stuttered as I grabbed a set of casual clothes from the closet. Entering the shower, I closed the door and removed my clothes. The shower screen remained open from the previous night. After rinsing myself off under the faucet, I exited, quickly dried myself, and threw on some casual wear before opening the door to find Rachel standing patiently.
She waved for me to move aside. Complying quickly, I exited the shower.
There was a light knock on our door. Expecting Mr Rhimmage, I opened it without any hesitation. Vin stared me in the eyes as I swung the door open in a welcoming manner
“Do you want to know the truth, Theo?” he whispered into my ear. My confused expression brought a realisation to his face. “Oh…you haven’t had your chat yet. I’ll ask again when the time is fitting,” he said awkwardly, and then he dashed down the hall to his own room.
Mr Rhimmage passed Vin, who ignored him entirely.
“What was that about?” Mr Rhimmage asked, looking back down the hall where Vin had been.
“If you’re okay with it,” Mr Rhimmage replied calmly.
“Of course.” I unlocked the door to the library. The room had an air of privacy that remained with the entry of Mr Rhimmage. “Come on in.” I invited him in, allowing a certain degree of trust. A small magical breeze dusted off the shelves as I seated myself in one of the four chairs arranged around the centre work desk.
“Where do I start…”
“Where do I start?” he muttered to himself quietly. “Right, the case I gave you earlier; you have it?”
“Theo! Where do you want me to place the case?” Rachel conveniently shouted. “Is Mr Rhimmage there yet?”
“Mr Rhimmage is with me in the library. Can you bring the case with you?” I replied, quickly remembering the fact that I had absentmindedly left the case next to the door.
Rachel came in. “Is this wood from Degiri?”
“Is that what you guys in the Capital call it?”
“You don’t know the name of the town you lived in?”
“Well, I vaguely remember it being used when a trader from the north came.” I grabbed the case from her outstretched arms. “Are you going to sleep soon?”
“Yeah. Want me to wake you up tomorrow?”
“Yes, please,” I replied, happily accepting her offer.
“Tell me when your conversation is over. I’m teaching a third-year class tomorrow,” Mr Rhimmage interjected.
“Ah, sorry!” I apologised quickly as Rachel left the room.
“Since we’ve already had a look at the tome, we can move on to the more important stuff.” Mr Rhimmage eyed the case on the floor. “Anyway, is there anything you desperately want to know about your father?” He grabbed a book off the topmost shelf. “I mean, your father even left a diary tracking his progress on the shelf of his old room.”
“We can talk about the Old God, right?”
“Sure, if that’s what you want to talk about, I’ll tell you all I know,” Mr Rhimmage declared. “Well, the current Old God was your father’s apprentice.”
“Does he have white hair, red eyes, and olive skin?”
“You know what he looks like?” Mr Rhimmage inquired shocked by the sudden revelation, and had to collect himself before he went to continue. “Anyway, your father’s apprentice wasn’t exactly mentally stable before he had the Old God possess him. Now he’s even worse.”
“The old god was just a serial killer, right?”
“Well, the problems started after he’d received his punishment for his crimes. Anyway, the real trouble began after his execution. He could possess others using his sealed body parts.”
“Didn’t they seal him properly?”
“His soul was split into six parts, along with his dismembered corpse.” He paused. “The first time the issue arose, he was too weak; however, subsequent possessions made us realise that he’d grown after each one… We have reason to believe he consumes his victim’s souls afterwards.”
“What else can you tell me about the current Old God?”
“It’s the worst possible situation this time. None have willingly given him their body.”
The room was silent for a few minutes. Finally, Mr Rhimmage said, “Your father’s apprentice gave his body and soul to the Old God… However, what his apprentice received wasn’t death. It was the untapped power of the Old God.”
“So, he killed the Old God?”
“That’s one way to explain it. Well, previously, the Old God only thirsted for blood; with your father’s apprentice at the head of the operation, the Old God now seeks the destruction of Arcana.”
Chapter 9: Nation’s Enemy
As the sound of footsteps grew louder; I turned to face Mr Rhimmage, who looked equally confused. A hand rapped at the door. Rising to my feet, I watched Mr Rhimmage go to do the same. I stretched my arm back, my palm open. Mr Rhimmage noticed and sat back down. His chair squeaked as he shifted around for a good position.
Grasping the door handle, I left my hand there. The knocking grew louder. I twisted the handle and opened the door. Standing in front of me, a tall figure looked at me, easily towering over my nearly 6 feet of height. His back was slightly bent forward in his long dark robes. The insignia of the Mage Association was embroidered on the chest. His dark brown hair was cropped into a short, military cut. He looked at me with purple eyes for a second before they shifted to Mr Rhimmage and widened.
“Bill!” he greeted the now-standing Mr Rhimmage.
“Alista, why are you here?” Mr Rhimmage replied, walking forward to return his greeting.
“Ah, right. Excuse me.” Alista bowed politely to Mr Rhimmage before turning to me. “Theodore Chrono, you have to be questioned by the Mage Association.”
“What?” Mr Rhimmage looked at Alista incredulously. “What reason would the Association have to interrogate Theodore?”
“He has to be taken in for a witness interrogation,” Alista said, remaining in the hallway. “I’ve already spoke with Mrs Indallias, one of the eight generals of the kingdom and the principal of the Royal Academy of Magic and Arcane Arts.”
“I work for her. I know her title…” Mr Rhimmage paused. “Bring her up here; I want to hear it from her.”
“Let’s head down to her office, shall we?” Alista proposed.
“Sure. I want her say on the topic,” Mr Rhimmage said stubbornly.
Alista began walking away from the room, towards the stairs to the fourth floor of the dormitory. Mr Rhimmage reluctantly followed. I closed the door before trailing a short distance behind Mr Rhimmage. Walking down the overpass on the fourth floor to the main building, Mr Rhimmage fiddled with the hem of his shirt. His previous confidence had faded slightly. Without seeking any words of comfort, I decided not to try to consult with Mr Rhimmage.
“We’re here.” Alista took a step to the side. “The honour is yours,” he said, noticing Mr Rhimmage’s state of stress.
His fingers digging into his palms, Mr Rhimmage marched forward and knocked on the door.
“Enter.” Mrs Indallias’s bored voice resonated through the door. Mr Rhimmage carefully pushed it open. “Ah, Bill, Alista, and Theo.” Mrs Indallias looked at us, giving us a greeting equivalent to the lengths of our names. “What brings you here tonight?” She fiddled with a hunting knife, tossing it back and forth.
“Are we going to give Theo to the Mage Association for questioning?” Mr Rhimmage asked, not giving Alista a single second to speak.
“Well, I want to prove Harrold’s innocence without using one of my three pleas,” Mrs Indallias replied.
“Harrold?” Mr Rhimmage didn’t take a breath before continuing. “What happened to Harrold?”
Alista replied, “Our final screening of Harrold Bloodwind has found him guilty of high treason, of letting an enemy of the nation escape our grasp.” He paused, letting us think. “We need another witness’s testimony to reach a final verdict.”
“I didn’t agree with Alista on that verdict, so I offered to have a witness testify,” Mrs Indallias said.
“Didn’t Harrold let Hans escape based on keeping the students safe?” Mr Rhimmage inquired quickly.
“The evidence provided by the Church of Nine Tails seems to state otherwise,” Alista stated flatly, reading off a large scroll.
“Of course it’s the Church,” Mr Rhimmage said spitefully. “As former colonel of the Third Brigade, I would like to request time for Theodore to collect his thoughts.”
“Overruled. Your former title won’t give you any authority,” Alista replied quickly. “Bill, just let it go.”
“Actually, I’d like to give Theo another day,” Mr Indallias piped up suddenly. “I overrule your denial of the right for an extra day to recollect his thoughts.”
“Mrs Indallias!” Alista sighed. “I’ve already given my superiors information that Theodore Arcanas will be interrogated tonight.”
“Y
ou can have him tomorrow night,” Mrs Indallias insisted. “What he knows could concern the safety of the state.”
“You’re making my job very hard, Mrs Indallias,” Alista stated reluctantly. “If my superiors complain, expect several appointments for meetings.”
“Thank you. Mr Rhimmage, I’ll be cramming a lot of information into his head tomorrow.”
“Are you asking me to make an easy lesson?” Mr Rhimmage asked.
“Yes.”
“What?” I was confused. “Is what I say that important?”
“Sleep,” she demanded. She walked over to me, grabbed me by the shoulders, and looked me in the eyes.
Our surroundings shifted; her teleportation was smooth and seamless as I watched my room appear before me, Rachel was already asleep as I turned back to face Mrs Indallias. She held her hand in front of my face, and my eyelids slowly felt slightly heavier. Blinking several times, I yawned, and then I lost my ability to remain awake and my body fell flat against the plush cushioning of the mattress.
The world that greeted me when I opened my eyes glowed a fluorescent pink; the buildings were a dull grey, and the sky was a pure white; in front of me stood a lean man fiddling with a quill. He looked me in the eyes, smiling.
“Theo, sorry for interrupting your dream.” His voice echoed slightly in the seemingly endless area.
“Dad?”
“What? Have fun trying to find me; I’m not even in Arcana right now.”
“Don’t honour yourself like that. Why are you in my dreams?”
“Well…” He paused, contemplating his next words. “Protecting you from the Church. They interfered with my life when I was a student; I’m here to repay the favour.”
“I don’t understand what you’re trying to get at.”
“It runs in our blood. You’ll have to deal with theventually.”
“Runs in our blood?”
“Your grandfather killed several corrupt high priests; and I exposed their opium usage.”
“How do they still exist?”