Inassea Chronicles: The Blighted Flame

by P. A. Peña

  “Oh really. See, I was gonna say you have to let me make you dinner sometime, but now I think you don’t deserve to eat my cooking.”

  Roxanne, Clayton, and Cordellia entered the banquet hall. To Virgil’s surprise, Clayton was leading the charge. Several additional people accompanied the kings.

  “Good morning,” Clayton said, greeting the crowd. “I trust you all are eager to meet your new mentors.” The crowd remained silent, unsure of just how they should respond. “If you have formed your groups, go ahead and gather up now. On the other hand, if you would like us to assign you to a group, then come up to the front, and we will sort you accordingly.”

  Virgil stood up. Shock washed over Logan’s face when Aurelia stood up as well.

  “What are you doing?” Logan asked, his voice stern.

  “I don’t want you to be upset,” Aurelia said. “But I’m going to have the kings assign me to a team.”

  “That wasn’t the plan, Aurelia. We were supposed to work together.”

  “I know, but . . .”

  Virgil walked closer to Aurelia. He took her by the hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Aurelia turned towards Virgil, and their eyes met.

  Logan stood up, his fists tightly woven into balls. “And just what exactly is this?”

  “I think we should spend some time apart,” Aurelia said, her voice emboldened as she turned back towards her brother.

  “So, what? Are you telling me you’re ditching me to party up with him?”

  Aurelia huffed. “No. If you were actually listening to me, you would have heard I’m going to have the kings assign me to a team.”

  Logan shot Virgil an angry look. His brow was furrowed, and his nostrils flared. “You—”

  “I’m glad you’re all together,” Roxanne said as she approached the group.

  “Oh, Roxanne,” Aurelia said as she spun around. “I was just about to go see Clayton.”

  “Don’t bother. I actually need to speak to the three of you.” Roxanne walked away, gesturing the trio to follow her. “Let’s find a quiet place to talk.”

  No one said a word. Virgil tried his best to ignore it, but Logan was staring holes through him. Aurelia looked nervous, as if she expected to be thrown off the island at any moment. The four of them reached an empty corridor, and Roxanne gestured the trio to sit down on a hallway bench.

  “All right,” Roxanne began. “There isn’t any easy way to say this, so I’ll just come out and say it. The Alliance is very hesitant about your presence here, Aurelia.”

  Aurelia looked down, tensing. It was clear she was holding back her tears. “I understand. I’ll leave immediately. If you could just send me to the nearest city—”

  Roxanne raised her hand. “Just hold on a minute. Nobody’s kicking you out.”

  Aurelia perked up. “I can stay?”

  “You can, but there are conditions.”

  “What kind of conditions?” Logan asked.

  “For starters, I will be mentoring her.”

  “Are you serious? Surely you must have more important things to do.”

  “Everything we Crusaders do is important work, but at any rate, this is what we agreed upon as the best course of action. It was a tough decision, but we agreed it would be best if I take on the responsibility, given that Aurelia is already so proficient in aquamancy and Clayton isn’t exactly the mentoring type. And then there is the other condition as well.”

  “What’s the other condition?” Aurelia asked.

  Roxanne paused for a moment as she looked Aurelia in her eyes. “If you ever lose control like that again, I will kill you on the spot.”

  The trio fell silent as Roxanne’s words hung in the air. Virgil swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at Roxanne. He studied her face, checking for the slightest hint that she may have been bluffing. He found nothing but conviction.

  Roxanne turned to Logan and Virgil. “That goes for both of you as well. I know you are a tightly-knit group. I’ve seen you bond quite a bit throughout the exam thus far. But if things go off the rails and you stand in my way, then I will not hesitate to put each of you down.”

  Again, the group fell silent, the magnitude of the situation overwhelming. “Of course, you don’t have to agree to this, Aurelia,” Roxanne continued. “We understand that we are asking you to place yourself under a tremendous amount of pressure. If you think it is too much to handle, then you are free to leave the Alliance now. However, if you decide to stay, you will have the kings’ full support. I won’t lie to you. It’s going to be hard. You saw how people responded yesterday, and I’ve seen the looks you’ve garnered today. It’s going to take time to win over their hearts and minds, but it can be done.”

  Aurelia nodded, a fierce determination in her eyes. “I’m going to stay, and I would be honored if you taught me everything you know.”

  Roxanne smiled. “I figured you’d say that.” She turned her attention to Virgil. “Again, there’s no easy way to say this, so here it goes. You’re coming with me as well.”

  “What?” Virgil asked, befuddled. “I thought as a rook, I’d be able to work on my own.”

  “Normally, yes. But as the kings discussed things yesterday, we came to the realization that you will, let’s say, require greater supervision.”

  “And why is that?” Virgil sneered as he tightened his fists. “You think I’m not capable of working on my own?”

  “Quite the contrary, but given the current state of affairs, it will be foolish to leave you to your own devices, trusting you to simply check in with your superiors.”

  Virgil paused as he ground his teeth, searching for the proper words to vent his frustrations. “In that case—”

  “Let me finish before you shoot yourself in the foot. Aiden and I are the heads of a joint task force in charge of capturing the Scarlet Mage. In fact, Aiden’s absences throughout the exam are due to the work he’s been putting into this operation. Based on recent revelations, we’re expanding the scope of our forces to include Cecelia and her organization. I want you on my team for two reasons, Virgil: to help us put an end to Nobody, and to help you reach your fullest potential as a sorcerer. Your abilities are unlike anything we’ve seen before, and it would be a crime if we didn’t develop them into everything they could be.”

  Virgil was floored, his mouth hanging open. “Well, I-I suppose that would be all right,” he stuttered. “Thank you for the opportunity.”

  Again, Roxanne smiled. “Don’t make me regret it.” Finally, she turned to Logan. “That just leaves you. Honestly, we don’t have any qualms with you. You are free to work alone or join a team. We are confident that no matter which path you choose, you will excel. However, we also know about the bond you share with Virgil and your sister. Thus, I’d be more than willing to take you on as well. The choice is yours.”

  Logan looked over at Virgil, locking eyes with him. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Chapter 40

  After their discussion, Virgil, Logan, and Aurelia went their separate ways to gather their things. As Virgil walked through the hallway, he stopped to the sound of a familiar voice.

  “Ummm, Virgil,” Paisley said. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  Reluctantly, Virgil stopped and turned around. “What do you want?”

  Paisley was clearly nervous. She kept her eyes low, and twirled her hair between her fingers. “I just wanted to thank you. You know, for what you said last night. The kings are going to let me stay and, well, I know we haven’t exactly seen eye to eye, but thank you.”

  Virgil scoffed. “If you want to thank someone, then go thank Aurelia. I only said no one should be expelled because that’s what she wanted. I honestly don’t care what they do to you.” Paisley, obviously shocked, said nothing. “But let me make one thing perfectly clear,” Virgil continued, his tone turning stern as he stared Paisley in her eyes. “If you ever so much as look at Aurelia the wrong way again, there won’t be a healer in this world capab
le of fixing what I’ll do to you.”

  He turned and walked away, not bothering to wait for a response. When he finally made it to his room, he quickly packed his things and made his way back to Roxanne. Once everyone had arrived, Roxanne summoned a void, and they stepped through it.

  The group reappeared in front of a colossal brick house. Two massive pillars holding up a stone awning adorned the front door. There were numerous windows, although it was impossible to see through the black drapes hanging on the other side of the glass. The lawn was manicured to perfection, not a single blade of grass out of line. Rows of bushes lined the path leading up to the house, and there was a single oak tree equipped with a tire swing on the front lawn. The tree stood just as tall as the house. A massive fence surrounded the house on all sides, and the nearest house was acres away.

  “My apologies,” Roxanne said as she walked up the path. “But my wife gets quite annoyed with me when I void into our home.”

  “This is your house?” Virgil said, unable to conceal the awe he felt. “This is amazing.”

  Roxanne slid her key into the door. “Thank you. This is my sanctuary. The one place nothing in the world can bother me.”

  Roxanne opened the door and entered. “Riley! Peyton! I’m home!”

  “Mama,” a young voice called out from the other room. “Is that really you?”

  Before Roxanne could answer, a small boy peered into the room. He wore a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt, and was the spitting image of Roxanne. Upon seeing her, his face lit up with joy.

  “Mama!” he exclaimed as he ran up to Roxanne.

  The boy tripped, but as he fell to the floor, Roxanne summoned a void under his body. The boy disappeared and then reappeared in the air in front of Roxanne. “You have to be more careful, Peyton,” Roxanne said as she reached out and caught her son.

  Peyton reached out and gave Roxanne a firm hug. “I’m sorry, Mama. I just missed you so much.”

  Roxanne grinned. “And how much is that?”

  Peyton pulled back and extended his arms out. “It’s thiiiiiis much. That’s a whole lot. Isn’t it, Mama?”

  Roxanne lowered her son to the floor. “It sure is, and I missed you too. Where’s mommy?”

  “In the kitchen.” Peyton looked past Roxanne, finally noticing the extra people accompanying his mother. Slowly he inched closer to his mom.

  Roxanne laughed. “It’s okay, pumpkin. These are a few of my subordinates. They’re going to be staying with us for a few months or so.”

  Peyton’s eyes lit up even more intensely than they had before. “You mean you’re gonna stay?”

  “Yeah,” Roxanne nodded. “I’m going to be working from time to time, but I’ll be here with you and mommy.”

  Peyton erupted in excitement. He jetted down the hall towards the kitchen. “Mommy!” he called out. “Mama’s home!”

  “I heard, pumpkin,” another woman said, rounding the corner.

  Riley stood in the hallway, her jet-black hair tied up in a loose ponytail. She wore a casual orange dress fastened with a wide belt around her stomach. She had an apron tied around her waist, and while it was clear she had washed her hands, she still had some flour sprinkled across her sand-colored skin. “Welcome home, babe.”

  Riley walked over to Roxanne, and they took each other in their arms. Their lips touched. For a moment, they stood there, reveling in each other’s embrace, as if they might never get the chance again. Riley pulled back and gently slapped Roxanne on the arm.

  “What?” Roxanne said.

  “You didn’t tell me you were coming home, and on top of that you brought guests.”

  Roxanne blushed. “Well, it all kind of happened suddenly. We only just decided on things early this morning. At least I didn’t void into the house this time. Right?”

  Riley looked Roxanne in her eyes, which only served to make her blush more. “I suppose that is an improvement,” Riley said, smirking. “Well, don’t just stand there. Introduce me.”

  “Y-yeah, sure,” Roxanne said as she turned to Virgil, Logan, and Aurelia. “This is Virgil Truesdale, and Logan and Aurelia Bryant. They’re probationary Crusaders, and I’ll be mentoring them for the next few months.”

  “Forgive us for dropping in like this,” Logan began. “If it’s any trouble—”

  “Oh, it’s no trouble at all,” Riley replied. “I’m just starting to prep dinner, and it would have been nice to know we were going to have company. I’m afraid I don’t have enough ingredients to serve everyone, but that’s nothing a trip to the store can’t fix.” Riley turned to her wife. “Go ahead and get our guests settled in upstairs. When you’re finished, I want all of you to report to the kitchen.”

  Roxanne nodded and planted a kiss on Riley’s cheek. “All right,” Roxanne said as she walked towards the stairs. “Follow me, and I’ll show you where you’ll be rooming while you’re with me. While we’re at it, you can all change out of those tracksuits. I’m sure you’re probably sick of them by now.”

  The group headed upstairs. Roxanne’s home was just as magnificent on the inside as it was on the outside. The floors were all covered with plush dark blue carpet, and the walls were painted in comforting earthy tones. Beautiful crystalized lights hung from the ceiling, and the decor had a modern, yet homey feel to it.

  Each of the trio was given their own room: Logan on one end, Aurelia in the middle, and Virgil on the other side. Virgil opened the door to his room. It was huge, equipped with a queen-sized bed, two dressers, a vanity mirror, a TV, and a desk.

  “Please make yourself at home,” Roxanne said as Virgil stepped through the doorway.

  Virgil turned back towards Roxanne. “I will. Thank you for your hospitality.”

  “You’re welcome,” Roxanne replied as she began to close the door. “Don’t be long now. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, my wife isn’t the type to keep waiting.”

  Virgil walked over to the bed and laid down his bag. He rummaged through its contents, eager to finally be rid of that horrid tracksuit. He stripped down and tossed the clothes off to the side before slipping on a pair of black jeans and a light gray t-shirt. As Virgil looked in the mirror, a frown crept onto his face. The Fang of Kayveon had always accentuated this outfit so well. He sighed and left the room to walk downstairs to the kitchen.

  “There you are,” Riley said. “Come on over here and lend me a hand.”

  “O-okay,” Virgil stuttered. “But I have to warn you. Cooking isn’t really my thing.”

  “Nonsense. How many times have you cooked before?”

  “Never. Unless you consider roasting meat with my hands cooking.”

  “You’ll be fine. By the time you leave my home, you’ll be a master chef.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to do something else? I’d hate to burn dinner, or get anyone sick.”

  “I’ve already sent Logan and Roxanne off to the store for extra ingredients. That leaves you and Aurelia to help me prepare dinner.” Riley pointed over to the sink. “Go ahead and wash your hands, and start with dicing up those tomatoes.”

  Virgil complied with Riley’s request. As he stood over the cutting board, he reluctantly picked up a tomato along with a large kitchen knife. He was more than willing to help, but this was far beyond his comfort zone. He laid the tomato on the board and began cutting. Juice oozed from the fruit as Virgil pressed the blade into its flesh.

  “And there’s Aurelia,” Riley said.

  Virgil looked up at the kitchen doorway to find Aurelia standing there. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a baby blue blouse. Her hair was tied up in a long ribbon that matched the color of her jeans. “Is there anything you need me to do?” she asked.

  “Why, thank you, dear. I was just about to ask you to dice up that onion over there.”

  “I’ll get right to it.” After washing up, Aurelia walked over and stood next to Virgil. “I guess you get to see me cook after all.”

  Virgil continued cutting his tomato.
“I guess so. Are you sure you got the skills for it?”

  “I don’t know. You tell me.”

  Aurelia grabbed the onion and a knife and quickly skinned it. First, she cut it in half straight down the middle. Then she cut along the onion halves in a crisscross pattern, taking great care not to slice all the way through on the far side. Aurelia took one of the halves and held it firmly against the cutting board. Her blade rocked back and forth with swiftness in an almost rhythmic fashion. When she finished, she grabbed the other half and cut through it just as gracefully as she had the first.

  Aurelia turned to Virgil, her eyes beginning to water. “What do you think of that?”

  “I’ll admit. I’m impressed, but this is nothing you should cry over.”

  Aurelia rolled her eyes. “I’m not crying. It’s the onions.” She picked up a towel off the countertop and carefully wiped her eyes. When she opened them again, she gasped. “What have you done to that tomato?”

  Riley rushed over and peered around Virgil’s shoulder. “You weren’t kidding when you said you were no good at cooking.”

  Virgil looked down at the cutting board. The tomato looked more mashed than cut.

  Aurelia moved in closer to Virgil. “You’re pressing too hard. Here. Let me help you.” Aurelia reached over and placed her hands over Virgil’s. “The trick to cutting a tomato is to be firm, but gentle. Let the knife do the work.” Together they rocked the knife back and forth, gently caressing the tomato’s flesh with the blade. “See,” Aurelia said as she pulled back. “That wasn’t too hard, was it?”

  Riley, Aurelia, and Virgil worked harmoniously in the kitchen while Peyton sat at the table, his nose deep in the pages of a coloring book. Virgil and Aurelia focused their efforts on making pasta. Riley worked on the other dishes to be served. It didn’t take long for the kitchen to be overrun with smells. The sweet and savory scent of simmering spaghetti sauce danced around the air. Fresh biscuits baked in the oven, and the crisp popping of pork chops hitting hot oil echoed throughout the room.