by Eric Vall
Right as we were about to leave for the ship, a voice called us back. We turned and found Renuad jogging toward us.
“Gonna leave without saying goodbye?” he asked with a playful grin.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied.
We shook hands, and he even brought me into a tight hug. “It was an honor fighting alongside you, Gryff of Varle.”
“Likewise, Renuad Porter of Bedima.”
He smirked, and then hugged Nia, who surprisingly looked genuinely sad to see him go. “You fought well, augmenter. The enclave should feel safe knowing that you are here for them.” A big compliment, coming from her.
“Thank you for your kind words, Lady Kenefick,” Renuad said, clearly flushed from her words. He then gave the same farewell to Varleth, though it didn’t take an observant person to know that Varleth didn’t like hugs, he endured it for the time being if begrudgingly.
“Okay, Porter, that’s enough of that,” Varleth said and pried himself free of Renuad’s affection.
Renuad grinned. “Sorry,” he said. Then he bowed his head to us. “Thank you, for all the help you gave to this enclave.”
“Don’t mention it,” I said.
“You will always be welcome here.” Renuad stood up straight and gave us a curt nod before he finally turned on his heel and strode away to go do whatever work he had to do.
I liked Renuad. I hoped we would be able to meet again under less serious circumstances.
When we finally returned to the square where the ruined train station was, and our ship home, we found that most of the crowd had been put into orderly lines that ran from one side of the square to the other where tents had been set up. Soldiers moved about and passed out supplies to those in line. It was well ordered and efficient as I expected the military’s response to be.
Arwyn was speaking with the mayor and his attendants. I didn’t spy any of the officers that had come with the airship, but I had a feeling that they were nearby. Arwyn waved us over when she caught sight of us.
“Ready to go, I assume?”she asked.
We nodded.
“We most certainly are,” Nia said.
I sighed. “I can’t wait to have a large meal and sleep in my own bed tonight.”
“I’m sure.” Arwyn chuckled. “You three have had a long and trying few days. You’ll get some well-deserved rest.” I nodded. Thankfully, the weekend was tomorrow, so we would have the time to sleep as much as we wanted. I intended to do just that.
The mayor shook our hands vigorously and gave us the same array of thanks that we’d all heard from dozens of other people already. It was well appreciated, but I was ready to go. However, he ended it with a promise that piqued my interest.
“Come, find me the next time your team is in town and I will have that special reward ready.” He smiled warmly.
“W-we do not require a reward, sir,” Nia tried to counter, but the mayor waved her off.
“Nonsense. Heroic deeds should not go unrewarded.”
“That’s very generous of you, Mayor Franken,” Arwyn added as she spoke for all of us. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” he replied with a nod of his head. “I must be off. I wish you three a safe journey home.” Then he and his entourage were back at it, talking to people and doing their jobs.
Arwyn put her fists on her hips. “Well, it’s time then.” She patted me on the shoulder and gave it a tender squeeze. “I’ll see you three back at the Academy in a few days. Maybe even tomorrow, depending on how much I’m needed here.”
I nodded. “We’ll see you back there.”
Then we boarded the airship in a hurry and took our seats and strapped in, all of us eager to be home. After a few minutes, the ship began to hum to life as the engine purred behind us, making the whole ship vibrate. Finally, we began to ascend until we were high over the enclave.
With a jolt, we launched forward at a speed faster than I thought this hulking ship to be capable of. And we were off, racing to Varle and the Academy, to safety, and to our friends. To home.
Chapter 10
The ride back to the Enclave was quiet, something that I was thankful for. It would be a nice respite to what would later be a gauntlet of friends welcoming us home though I knew it wouldn’t be for long. I knew a serious conversation would need to be held with the headmaster to inform him of the talking angelic monster. While Varleth and Nia sat opposite one another to watch the scenery out the window, I took the opportunity to close my eyes. Despite feeling better after Arwyn’s treatment, I was still so tired that I drifted in and out of consciousness with the rocking of the old airship.
Before I knew it, we were docked at the station and marching back to the doors of the dining hall within minutes of dinner starting. Without a word, Varleth left our sides. Probably for the best since I had a tendency to attract attention, and something told me he was about out of capacity for such things.
No sooner had Varleth left than Nia and I were ambushed.
“Gryffie!” I heard Layla’s voice first. I saw a flash of her before my eyes and then she was clinging to me. For such a tiny girl, she had the ferocity of a wild beast and the impact of one, too. I nearly had the wind knocked out of me as she hugged me. Still, I couldn’t help but chuckle as I wrapped my arms around her slender body.
“Miss me?” I asked with a smile.
“Shut up.” Her voice was muffled into the side of my neck as she punched my arm. I looked at Nia, whom to my slight shock watched Layla in amusement. “Don’t ever do that to me again, you hear me?”
“Yeah. Loud and clear.” I snickered and kissed her temple. Of course, I couldn’t make any promises. Being part of a response squad had its perks but also its dangers. I knew that. We all did. The words were still nice to hear though even if they were only words.
“We were worried about you, Gryff.” I heard Braden’s voice from beside me and grinned.
“Don’t tell me you missed me, too?” I asked as Braden clapped a hand on my back and hugged both Layla and me.
“Not as much as Layla did. I’ll miss having the room to myself again.”
I laughed, then acted offended. “My presence is a joy and a blessing from the Maker. You should be grateful to share a room with me,” I joked, but the grin didn’t immediately cross Braden’s face.
Instead, he stared at me hard. There was a stretch of seconds that felt like hours, and I thought maybe now would be a good time to panic. I started to think of ways to backtrack my joke when Braden roared out a laugh.
“Yeah buddy, I missed you too.”
We laughed together this time, and I felt Layla try to stifle a fit of giggles against my neck. I glanced to Nia, then. She shifted from one foot to the other, obviously uncomfortable. I felt bad for leaving her out. Layla must have sensed this because she suddenly leapt from my arms and stepped in front of Nia. I watched Layla look over her as if she were examining the best approach.
I didn’t know what I expected, but somewhere in my mind, I thought she was going to attack Nia the same way she had me. What actually happened was completely different.
Layla smiled at Nia. It wasn’t one of her fake or mischievous smiles either. Then Layla took Nia’s hands in her own and clasped them tightly. I wasn’t sure if Nia’s blush was because of the generally close proximity of another person or if she was going to snap her hands away, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that she mirrored Layla’s smile.
Layla and Nia. Together. That was certainly something.
“I’m glad you’re safe, too, the world is better with you here, Nia,” Layla told her, then she bounded off toward an empty table before the taller woman could respond. “Come on over.”
“What… just happened?” Braden asked, dumbfounded. I looked back at Nia. Her smile was still in place, but she looked unsure of herself as she stared after Layla.
“I think Kenefick made a new friend.” The words were directed at Braden, but I said them loud enough for Nia to
hear. Then I rested my hand on the small of her back, and she shivered. “Well, go on. We’re right behind you.”
Nia huffed. Her cheeks puffed out indignantly. Cute. “I’ll have you know that I don’t take orders from farm boys.” Ooh, we were back to the farm boy routine.
I put my hands up. “Fair enough. I simply figured you wouldn’t want to sit alone after everything we went through the last few days.” Nia bristled at that, but her sharp blue eyes softened as she turned to face me.
“I can’t argue with that logic when you put it that way.” She sighed and crossed her arms. “Very well then. I’ll join you for dinner.” She allowed her gaze to linger as she walked toward the table that Layla was still beckoning us to. “This time.”
I stifled a laugh and shared an amused glance with Braden.
“I still don’t know how you do it, Gryff,” he whispered as he stepped close, shook his head, and put a hand on my shoulder as if he intended to guide me to the table.
I shrugged as we fell in step. “Don’t think about it too hard.”
Braden squeezed my shoulder before dropping his arm at his side. “It’s good to have you back.”
“It’s good to be back,” I echoed.
Dinner was a feast that my stomach more than welcomed. Roasted lamb, perfectly steamed vegetables, fresh bread with just the right amount of butter to fluff ratio, all made it to my plate and then some. I hadn’t realized how hungry I really was until the food was in front of me.
Nia and I recounted the events of what had happened in Harrow’s Gullet and Bedima. We didn’t tell Layla and Braden about the flying monsters that were still loose. We also didn’t tell them about the angelic creature that spoke to us in the Shadowscape. I didn’t want them to panic or start any rumors. Not that they would have started rumors, but anyone with an adept enough ear could have overheard our conversation. Either way, I didn’t want anyone to know the full details until we spoke to the Headmaster.
“You guys literally walked through hell and lived to tell the tale.” Braden’s eyes were wide. “It’s almost too unreal to believe.”
I nodded, but it was more solemn than I had intended it to be. “It’s real. Trust me.”
Braden took a sip of red wine. “Oh, I believe you, Gryff. It’s just hard to wrap my head around.”
I snorted. “Tell me about it.”
“What about the people of Bedima?” Layla asked. She rolled a corn kernel across her plate with her fork. “Will they be okay?”
Nia nodded. “They will rebuild. When we left, there were many already on the mend. Others already had temporary shops built up around the rubble of their previous storefronts.”
“What she’s trying to say is they’re a strong bunch.” I chimed in between bites of wild rice soup. “They’ll be okay.”
“I know what she was trying to say, Gryff,” Layla laughed, and I blinked several times to get my bearings straight. “Just because you’ve spent so much time with her doesn’t mean you need to translate everything she says. She has her own mind and voice.”
“Whoa!” I laughed and put my hands up and looked between Layla and Nia.
“It’s okay,” they replied in unison. It must not have been intentional because their gazes snapped to one another before they averted their eyes elsewhere. There were obvious blushes on their cheeks from embarrassment.
The sound of silverware clinking against crystal echoed over the dining hall, which effectively drew our attention. Headmaster Marangur Sleet stood above us as he overlooked the crowd of students.
“If I may interrupt for a moment,” he began as if he needed to ask our permission to speak. Silence hung in the air, and I hoped that the foreboding drop in my stomach was only my imagination. “I’m sorry to inform you all of this, but I think it best to simply rip off the bandage, as it were.”
I looked to Nia, then Layla and Braden. We all shared a similar expression, one that was wrought with worry. I found myself seeking Nia’s hand under the table once again.
“A rift opened up in Bedima Enclave a few days ago,” he stated plainly. Perhaps it was a little too plain. “We do not know of how or why, but rest assured that we are working to get to the bottom of this.”
Until I arrived at the Academy, the thought of a rift opening up inside of an Enclave was preposterous. The xanyarstone that the walls were built of were supposed to protect and prevent such tragedies from happening. At least, that was what we had been told. It wasn’t so much that I was doubting what I had been told, more like I was trying to put the pieces together and take some kind of initiative to get to the bottom of things before they got out of hand. As it was, things were already starting to go in that direction.
I closed my eyes and centered myself. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Soon, but not now. I would listen to whatever else the Headmaster would have to say and enjoy the company of my friends and being at home again tonight. Tomorrow was a new day. Tomorrow, Varleth, Nia, and I would make our reports and speak to the Headmaster.
“However, there is no need for fear or panic just yet,” Sleet continued. “It is with great pleasure that I’ve received word that the rift is already closed and that the people of Bedima are already in the process of rebuilding. For that is the nature of humanity: to overcome, conquer, and to succeed.” There was a small round of cheers and applause at that, but the Headmaster wasn’t finished. “Varleth Prost, Nia Kenefick, and Gryff of Varle, please rise.”
Nia dropped my hand as we stood. Across the hall and several tables closer to the front stood Varleth, who looked supremely uncomfortable with the amount of attention that was being brought upon him. He clenched his cloak close to his neck as if he hoped that he could curl in on himself enough that he would simply vanish. Poor guy. I actually felt a little sorry for him.
“These three, along with an augmenter from Bedima, were able to close the rift from inside the Shadowscape and prevent what could have been total devastation of the Enclave. Tonight, this feast is in their honor.”
Even more cheers erupted throughout the hall. Admittedly, I rather liked being praised as such. Nia smiled politely, but that was the end of her generosity. She bowed her head after a moment and took her seat once again. When I looked back at Varleth, he was already sitting so low in his seat that I almost missed him sitting there at all. I took my own seat again as well.
“But before we dig in again, I would like one final word,” Sleet continued once more. Another hush fell across the hall. “We are a strong bunch. Should we face another rift opening here in Varle, we will fight back, and we will win. We are mages, and we will not let humanity suffer to the likes of monsters.”
No sooner did the words leave the Headmaster’s mouth did there begin even more cheers and hollers. Raucous applause echoed from the walls. Yes, I was invigorated and inspired. This was exactly what I needed. I felt on top of the world all of a sudden.
After all was said and done, we would be victorious. I could feel it in my bones. My crystals thrummed with a vibrant kind of energy. They could feel it, too. I looked between my friends once more. Their faces held a vast difference in emotions.
Braden was apprehensive, and rightfully so. If the time came to fight, he might be ready, but after the incident in the wilds, I wasn’t so sure I was ready to put him through all that once again.
Nia held herself high with her chin tipped up and her shoulders squared. A passionate fire blazed in her beautiful blue eyes. She knew what her destiny as a Kenefick would bring her. Prodigy or not, she would face whatever threat humanity faced with the pride and dignity that had been passed through her family and deposited into her veins.
Layla, on the other hand, looked lost. Her eyes were dark as though she hadn’t fully heard everything that was said. They lacked the luster they usually held, and her normally bright smile waned. In fact, she looked paler than normal. I made a resolution to confront her soon, but for now, I needed a proper bath, and after we finished eating, I made my way to
the bath house to get one.
I was thankful for the quiet as I sank into the hot water. It was near scalding on my skin, but it was a welcome burn, one that would easily wash away the muck and grime from my adventures in Bedima and Harrow’s Gullet. If anyone was curious about what had happened, no one approached me. Good. I wasn’t really in the mood to rehash the events again today, at least not until we made our report to Headmaster Sleet.
The only other person to join me was Braden. He settled in across from me to give me space but didn’t offer anything else. Just as well, I had nothing else to say. I was exhausted as the last few days caught up to me in a bad way. I made quick work of washing myself before I went back to my room.
Layla was waiting for me on the edge of my bed. Her tiny legs were tucked up to her chest, and she hugged them close.
“Hey,” she greeted, but the usual cheer in her voice didn’t quite reach. Now that we were alone, I could see how much Layla wasn’t like herself. For one, she didn’t fidget. Okay, she did, but not in the usual way that was indicative of her overflowing energy. No, this was a nervous fidget. She rocked back and forth slightly, like the motion you would soothe a baby with. Her small lips were tugged into a frown that was not suited for her face at all. It looked like she was trying to smile, but the effort wasn’t enough to lift whatever it was that was weighing her down. I decidedly didn’t like this look on Layla.
“Hey yourself,” I replied and stopped in front of her. I hoped that whatever was troubling her would be willingly offered without much coaxing. Layla looked up at me with those big, beautiful eyes, then crumpled into me. I hardly had the time to catch her in my arms as the towel around my hips fell to the floor in a heap.
“I knew there was something wrong,” I whispered, more to myself than to Layla, and held her tight. It felt nice to have our bodies this close again after what seemed like an eternity. Furthermore, it was weird to be naked in front of Layla and not have her on me wanting to enjoy a passionate embrace.
“There isn’t,” she lied. “Not really.”