by Jillian Keep
She patted the fox’s head with a smile. “You did good.” She purred happily as she felt out that small marking.
“Now… to figure out how to get in…”
Mae’lin and she both studied the faint markings for some time. Though with the sun gone down, they had a great deal of trouble seeing what they were doing.
An idea struck her then, and she remembered her training with Varuj. “Luka?” she said, “ignae.” The familiar lowered his head, and his body glowed brighter, illuminating the wall and making the faint tracing stand out all the more. In fact, it was almost as if the markings twinkled in their own right, and she could see the swirls and swoops, as if someone had drawn on the wall.
She was right!
Even through all her search there was a bit of fear that she’d look the fool, that she should just have sat idly by like the elf on the roof. But here she was, looking at proof of her cleverness, and she smiled brightly. Her fingers followed the symbols, licking her lips curiously.
The annoying part settled in shortly thereafter: she had no idea what it meant. “What do you make of it?” she asked Mae’lin.
The tall elf took her hand and gently and guided her away from the wall. It was then he seemed to realize he was holding her fingers and released them apologetically. “Sorry,” he murmured, his blush visible in the light of her familiar. “I think it’s text of some sort.”
“I can’t read it, though,” she said, her lips pursed to the side.
Why did she feel so warm? She looked up at him for a moment and instantly knew. He was being way too nice to her.
Mae’lin studied the wall a while. “It’s arcane script,” he said then cleared his throat. “Something old elvish sorcerers used in times past. I hear tell the more affluent families hire tutors to instruct their kids in it before going to the academies. But… I don’t know much of it myself,” he admitted with some embarrassment.
She sighed.
“Elf on the roof! Guess who needs your help.” Embarrassment wasn’t the word for it, but he seemed stuck up enough that he’d know it.
It took a while, but eventually she heard him treading across the roof slowly, maintaining his balance expertly with that natural elven grace. “What is it?” he said with some distaste.
“Can you read this script?” asked Mae’lin, pointing to the wall.
The elf bent down, clung to the edge of the building and dipped his head over. His long white hair dangled down as he took a moment. With a snort he said, “Oh gimme a break. You can’t even make out that word?” his voice full of derision.
“Can you just tell us what it says, please?” pleaded Mae’lin without delay, perhaps trying to spare her the shame, or perhaps just eager.
With a sigh he rose back up and started walking around the building again. “You already know what it says, fools,” he remarked as he vanished around the side to the front again. “It says ‘read’!”
She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, “He’s a charmer.” She pulled her sack around and opened the top, reaching in for the scroll. “Guess it’s time.”
Mae’lin smiled, “Of course!” He pulled out his own scroll as well.
Immediately she saw that the scroll too was written in that same script, and her heart began to sink. Though before she could relent to despair she heard a voice – his voice, Varuj’s – waft into her mind. You don’t need to read it. Just focus your will upon the scroll.
It was the sort of simple thing she’d seen written in the texts she’d studied for so many years, and it came natural to her. Almost as soon as she did, the scroll began to dissipate, fading from existence into nothingness.
“What the –” Mae’lin began, expressing her own feelings well.
Though quickly thereafter she saw it: the script vanished and before her in the white stone a doorway appeared. Narrow and just above her height, as if it were made for her. It would’ve been an uncomfortable fit for Mae’lin by her side, by comparison.
“See you on the other side?” she asked as she recalled her familiar back into her. “Focus your will upon it.” She took such pleasure in repeating the demon’s words to him, her heart swelling with pride and excitement.
She didn’t even think to take a last look around her, her home nearly forgotten already. Though she had no way of preparing herself for what lay ahead.
Chapter 16
The rush of portal travel was something completely new to her. It was as if every part of her was broken down to its infinitely small portions, then rocketed through a needle-sized hole only to splatter against some matter on the other side and reform.
She gasped, every nerve, every sense receptor in her body lit up with colour as she returned to normal.
She’d have compared it to dying then being reborn, not that she knew what dying was like. Though once the buzz of sensation died back down she realized she was in a place like nothing she’d ever known.
The stars sparkled. All about her. Not merely in the sky, but to her sides, even below her. It was then she thought to look down and realized she was suspended on a small tendril of some crystalline branch that wound up from some spec of existence below. Her heart panged with familiarity, and something within her – either Varuj or her own instinct – told her that was home, so far below.
There was no time to make sense of it before she noticed one of the stars seemed to grow larger, its glow growing brighter. It made her squint until it flashed and took the form of a person before her.
Neither a human, nor an elf. She couldn’t even peg a gender to the unknown being before her, she could only say they were beautiful and luminescent. “Where are you going?” came their voice, so even yet somehow melodious.
“Oh… Gaul’di-mere Academy?” she said, still lost to the wonder of everything around her. She was surprised by that loneliness, though, that battled with her enthusiasm and curiosity. There was nothing there for her but her father…
She had to shoo the thought aside, for it suddenly hit her how lonely he would be without her.
“Very well,” came the being’s voice. “It shall be a quick and easy journey there. The vines grow strong in that region.”
It was as simple as that. Firia had no more time to respond before the crystalline branch grew shoots that coiled up around her ankles and over her calves, writhing up until they coated her entirely.
Suffocation!
The worry hit her suddenly, and she felt a strange sense of vertigo as she struggled to get some air but failed. The vines were smothering her! Yet the feeling of displacement was so strong until…
She went tumbling from her crystal prison and landed upon a smooth stone surface, gasping for breath.
In retrospect, as air flooded back in, she realized she must not have been choked off for more than seconds, but the fright of it and the lack of preparation had made it seem far more.
Once again however, her thoughts were stolen from her as she clutched her satchel and looked up. The sight before her was gorgeous.
A smooth, shimmering crystal walkway led up to a great tree that grew out of the side of a cliff face. That tree formed a path to what was an unbelievably large castle, suspended in the air over a circular chasm. None of it made a lick of sense without the use of magic, for the tree, though immense, did not seem nearly strong enough to hold up so large a structure over such a gaping void.
As Firia stood, she saw that most of the circular chasm bordered the ocean. Rocks lined the other side, where waves crashed before filtering over and flooding down into that pit. The sheer magnificence of the sight illuminated by moon and stars was breathtaking, almost as much as the literal act of having her breath stolen earlier.
She was carried forward on sheer wonder alone, and she noticed the curious trees on her side of the chasm. They were bent in an odd shape. The moment they left the ground they curved towards the chasm, so that they looked almost like thousands of J’s on the landscape that blossomed into green leaves and
luminescent silver and purple flowers that bloomed fully in the night.
It was all so stunning that she almost didn’t notice the sound of Mae’lin crashing to the crystal platform behind her just as she had, sputtering for air in much the same way. “By the weave!” he choked out.
Chapter 17
Once more she forgot her loneliness, her worries for her father. All that there was, all that surrounded her and flowed in her veins was wonder and awe. It didn’t even register to her, completely, where they were. Just that she was in the most spectacular place she could ever dream of.
Such warmth and amazement flooded her body as she spun about. “Wow…” she muttered under her breath.
Shortly thereafter, Mae’lin echoed her own sentiment, the tall elf rising up and moving closer to her as he gazed all around.
The sight was so breathtaking that she hadn’t even really noticed anything about the great castle itself at first. Its sheer white-stone walls rising to such high pinnacles and peaks, so many towers probing into the heavens all about. It was like chaos, but a beautiful chaos. There was artistry to its creation, rather than the rigid science of measured angles that dictated the peasant homes of her village. Sorcery could defy the need for proper supporting arches and sensical angles, was all she could surmise.
The crystal vine behind them spat out another, though he landed so much more gracefully, his nimble feet catching him so that he never even fell. It was obvious he must’ve had practice at it, his cloak twirling as he smiled.
She recognized him instantly as the annoying elf upon the roof.
“You made it, huh?” he remarked.
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Yes, and all in one piece, it would seem.” She wasn’t sure if she was more bitter at his help or his attitude, but it was likely equal.
With a bit of a twirl he dove in rather close to her – borderline inappropriately so – flashed her a wink and then reached back over his head. It looked like he was about to rip his own hair out, but then she saw a curious transformation take place.
He was no longer the rude elven youth from the roof, but the messenger who had first delivered her the scroll. “You passed the test,” he said. “Not with flying colours, but, well…” he shrugged and smiled, “few do.”
Her nose twitched as she stared at him.
Definitely being deceived. That was what made her most bitter.
“Yes, well. Give me a year or two in this place,” she responded tartly but with a confident smile. Her back straightened as she glanced about them once more. “I’m sure there will be colours.”
The impish elf clapped his hands and laughed: “Welcome to Gaul’di-mere Academy! It’s a long road ahead,” and he gave a politely deferential nod to Firia, “especially for some, but your new life starts right now. I hope you have said goodbye to all you knew, for you shall not have the ability to see your old life again for a very long time. And I wager by the time you do, you shan’t much care to any longer!”
He gave a somber smile and lowered his hands. “The road of sorcery has a way of changing you. And you find in the end you have new dreams and aspirations. But don’t fear that! It’s part of growing up as well.”
He certainly wasn’t this perky earlier, and it made Firia cross her arms and stare at him suspiciously. With a raised brow she looked to Mae’lin, then back to the messenger. “I didn’t have much to say goodbye to, honestly.” Except her father. She tried to push the thought away once more. This is what children do, they grow up… and follow in their family’s footsteps.
Yet she had to be persistent and escape that lot. He’d been so happy, but what would happen to him now?
She felt herself start to well up and forced her gaze away. “Yes, well. Thanks for the help getting here.”
“Part of my duties!” he said with a flick of his wrist. “I’m your senior-student advisor for the next while. So if you two have any questions, you can take them to me.” He turned and began to walk, calling out behind his shoulder as he traversed the crystal pathway, “Preferably as we walk!”
Mae’lin’s eyes widened, and he looked to her then went off after the other elf. “So you’re like… a high ranking student or some such?” he asked.
Firia rolled her eyes behind the other man as she straightened her sac on her back. Still, she was here, and not even a trickster could make her forget that as she quickly trailed after him.
“I’m an assistant professor in fact,” the dashing elf said with a smile over his shoulder as they set off across that massive tree-bridge, the wood creaking and groaning beneath her feet, giving her the distinct impression it was less sound than was safe. “I’ll officially become a professor in my own right soon in fact,” he said with a dashing smile and cursory gaze towards Firia that held a certain curious feel.
She crinkled her nose at it, but tried to relax. Seeing her house from so high had affected her more than she could admit. It was as though she realized just how far away she’d be, the reality of it sinking in, and it was marring the amazement and joy of the moment. She felt like running to her room and hiding in her corner, and she hadn’t done that since she was a toddler.
She reached inside herself, searching for some reassurement. Some warmth.
It was faint, so very faint, but she felt the tiniest of responses inside herself. So vague, but yet so familiar. Despite how new Varuj and she were to one another, she couldn’t mistake that feeling for anything else.
The chatty guide led them to the immense front gates and before them they swung slowly open, revealing a great courtyard within. The sight of the beautiful trees and flowers, the intricate carvings of the pillars and archways, then the doors to the various sections of the magical academy were all so much to soak in at once.
There seemed no end to the wonders Firia faced in her new life.
A flock of curious birds, with long legs and magnificent beaks fluttered past and out the gates, leaving a wake of glittering powder in their wake.
“You two aren’t carrying much,” came the voice of their guide again, breaking her enthrallment with the place. “So if you care to I can show you around a bit before taking you to your rooms. Most of the new arrivals are carrying so many bags it’s obscene,” he said with some amusement.
“Benefits of getting stuck with the poor kids, I guess,” Firia replied sardonically, winking at Mae’lin. “I’m up for sight-seeing, I suppose.” She wasn’t, but at the same time, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone, either.
Mae’lin hesitated, but when he did smile back it was a warm, tender one.
Their guide carried on, waving them ahead in his finery. “We’ll just make a quick trip around to some of the places you’ll need to be familiar with in your first semester here,” he declared cheerfully, a bit of a hop to his step.
Leading them to a pair of large double-doors that once-again opened without his touching them, he declared, “Here is the most important place of all: the food-a-torium!” A strange name for so magnificent a hall, as the beautiful marble floor was simply stunning, with its seemingly endless pictographed story of ancient magical accomplishments and its great columns of ancient wood, carved into magnificent shapes and arches that she’d never seen done with wood crafting before.
The tables, seemingly endless, in so many different sizes and with seats all about, and booths to the side, seemed ready to seat hundreds.
She was beginning to feel more and more out of place surrounded by such opulence. For so long she’d dreamed of this, envisioned it, but it was never really a place. It was a library, a classroom at times, but it was never so cohesive and amazing as all this.
“Food-a-torium?” she asked after a moment.
“That’s right!” he declared with a smile.
Mae’lin broke in with uncharacteristic forcefulness, “You’re just trying to make us look silly when we say that to someone.”
He looked about to argue but then waved a hand. “You got me!” He rolled his
eyes and sighed, “Moving on then!” he declared as he began to turn and take them to the next building.
Firia grinned at Mae’lin, and felt a genuine sort of affection for the man. He’d been so decent to her, not like the other elves. It was a nice change of pace.
She got a bit of a bashful look in response from the lanky elf, but he smiled sheepishly as they were taken into the next grand segment of the academy.
It was less impressive than the rest, but it was still beyond anything she’d known before that day. It was a massive hallway, with stairways leading up and up. At the center there was just a big ovular opening that showed the numerous levels and doorways.
“This is the introductory spell hall. This is where you’ll be going for the bulk of your studies for some time to come,” he said plainly, looking back at them. “Make sure you remember your way here, because the real challenge will be finding the particular room you’re after!” He crooked a corner of his lips up in a mischievous manner.
No matter how much she liked magic, she still had a distaste for pranksters. She took her craft – and herself – quite seriously, and endeavoured never to lose her way. She looked around with revived interest, trying to commit it all to memory.
From there he led them down a narrow pathway and out into a lovely garden area, “And just through here,” he stated as she was mesmerized by the cat-sized dragonfly that slowly hovered on by, “we have… the library.”
At that she couldn’t help but tear her gaze away from the startling beauty of the many exotic flowers, oversized yet harmless insects, and fluttering birds to see the great gates open and reveal something much closer to what she’d dreamt of.
The Academy library was bigger than even the dining hall, so very large and reaching up immensely high, such that it had to be one of the tallest portions of the whole castle structure itself, if not the tallest.