Embers of the Past

by Bethany Atwood

  “As we began to near the water the light faded, and in it’s place was a person, a man, who fell from the sky and landed in the waters below. We discovered two fourth year students out past curfew at the scene and sent them away, then we captured the man and brought him into the school for questioning.” She says, the council beginning to talk amongst themselves for a few moments.

  “And what was it that this Earthener said? Did they reveal anything about how they were able to locate Sanctus’s hiding spot?” Asks Samuel Merryweather, the human leader of Homenia seeming rather curious to hear what they’ve learned.

  “At first, he just laughed, he was going on about how they found us, that they did it, and that if we thought ourselves safe we aren’t anymore. Once we got him into my office and I bound him to a chair, we began to question him, and he elaborated with a perplexing joy to his tone that they learned to teleport, and they know how to get here. He kept saying our time would come soon, that we cannot run, we cannot hide… And then he proceeded to utter a few profane names some Eartherners use towards demons, elves, and angels.” Amethyst brushes back a few strands of hair once done speaking, the fingers of her other hand idly tensing and relaxing against the wood of her staff.

  “It seems… With the arrival of that first Earthener, and today’s mass arrivals of them, he was not wrong. Whether or not they intend to start a war, we must prepare. As it stands, they have no knowledge of Sanctus and it’s nations, so our best course of action at present is to watch out for any more arriving Eartheners. The mage police will continue to round them up, and they will be sent back to Earth as soon as is possible, though I highly doubt that will be any sort of deterrent. What say you, Claude?” Ver’ena says, looking to the grizzled human leader of the were-people as he closes his eyes in thought.

  “I feel that is a wise course of action. It is only a matter of time until they refine their teleportation magic and can better send mages here, but until then it is best to remain pro-active. I’ll ask the Sanctus Criminal Authority to send a regiment of mages down to the Dragon Lands, our friends there are likely curious as to why there are strange mages suddenly teleporting in, it would be best to keep them informed and round up the intruders.” Stroking along his beard for a few moments, he frowns and looks between the other members of the council before looking to the professors and headmistress.

  “I would advise you all to remain cautious. You all fought in the war, you know what the Eartherners are capable of, the lengths they will go to to ensure victory in whatever ill-fated plans they have. If it is a war they wish to start, we must all be prepared to fight, to protect our homes, our peoples, those depending on us. And this time… They’re bringing the fight to us. That is the last mistake they will get to make.” The rest of the councilmembers nod in agreement before one speaks up, the leader of the angel nation of Gavreel, Lady Ariel.

  “I will call upon our brightest minds, and together we will learn how it is exactly that they know where Sanctus is hidden. We’ve had peace through our nations for many years, I will not stand to let invaders have their way and bring another war to our doorsteps.”

  ~

  “Ghh… Oh… My head…” Kagura attempts to open her eyes as a loud, pained groan echoes forth, only to immediately recoil in pain and clench them shut the moment light floods in. A familiar, nearby voice draws her attention almost immediately, and she promptly latches onto them for comfort, despite not yet able to see them.

  “Shh… Shh… Take it easy shortpuff… You hit your head pretty hard when you fell, though it doesn’t look like there’s any lasting damage…” Nev’aran softly says, clutching Kagura tightly to her chest as she speaks. “Just relax… I know the news really got to you, but everything is alright…”

  “Is… Mama here?” Kagura quietly asks before again opening her eyes, though this time she is more careful and lets light in gradually, Nev’aran giving a slow shake of her head before sighing.

  “She had to go to an important meeting with some of the teachers from your school and the headmistress, but she should be back any time now.” Moving slowly, the demoness gradually relinquishes her grip on Kagura, though the teen is reluctant to let go in kind, carefully scooting her so that she’s seated on the couch before bundling her up in the soft blanket she had with her. “Just rest easy kiddo, I’ll get you some hot chocolate, and we’ll wait for you mother together.”

  “Okay, mom…” Sighing again, something she found herself doing a lot when stressed, Kagura slumps back into the couch’s cushions and brushes stray strands of hair out of her face, silently reflecting on the earlier events and how easily things went from great to awful. Before long Nev’aran returns and holds out a mug to Kagura, this favored mug being dark green with cat paw prints all over, Kagura taking it while a weak smile forms.

  “Thanks mom…” Nev’aran smiles softly and settles beside Kagura before wrapping an arm around her shoulders, watching as the brunette closes her eyes and sips at the mug. With everything going all, she feels it’s all she can do to keep her daughter comfortable and safe, fearing what may come next from these events. Before long, while the two continue resting in silence, the sound of the front door unlocking becomes noticeable, both turning their attention to it just as it opens and Rebecca steps in.

  Without saying anything, Kagura immediately sets the mug down and pushes herself to her feet, though right as she takes a step and attempts to rush over to Rebecca she loses her footing and falls forward, Rebecca managing to catch her before she could get hurt again.

  “Whoa there Kagura! You really need to be careful, darling, I know Nev has been keeping you comfortable but you did hit your head, you likely won’t be feeling right for a bit.” Rebecca lifts Kagura into her arms and hugs her close, a gesture immediately reciprocated, Kagura burying her cheek against her mother’s shoulder before sighing.

  “I’m sorry mama… I was just worried… What was… The meeting about, that you had to go to?” Kagura’s question is met with a reassuring smile from Rebecca, who carries her to the couch and seats her between herself and Nev’aran.

  “It was about the news from earlier, but there’s no need to worry. Everything is being handled, the Eartheners are being rounded up and returned back to where they came, it’s likely we’ll continue to see them appear for some time, but there isn’t anything they can do, their teleportation isn’t truly instantaneous yet, so while they’re awaiting to arrive here fully a tell-tale light is left, so we will know where they are and can catch them when they appear.” Kagura sighs softly before nodding, remembering back to a lesson about teleportation’s history, and how when it was first developed it wasn’t truly instantaneous and that it left visible signs.

  “Alright… I… I don’t think I’m going to stop being worried anytime soon, with everything going on… But I can try to worry less…” She murmurs, both her parents smiling down at her before simultaneously kissing the sides of her head.

  “That’s our girl… I know things are scary right now, we can’t ask you to not be worried, I hardly think there’s anyone out there who isn’t at least a little worried, but you’re strong, trying to worry less shows that.” Nev’aran softly says, giving Kagura a light squeeze around her waist while Rebecca nods.

  “That’s right, darling. You’ve been through a lot growing up, just trying to not worry so much shows your inner strength. Now… I think we could all use a nice distraction from this tension. Me and your mother are gonna go change into pajamas, then she can help tend to your scar, and we’ll all watch a movie together, how does that sound?” Rebecca’s offer is met with a small smile from Kagura, who nods and gently picks up her mug again.

  “I… I’d like that, mama, please…” Nev’aran chuckles at how meek Kagura seems to have become, ruffling her hair for a few moments before standing up and departing upstairs with Rebecca. Kagura sips at her mug while remaining comfortably enshrouded in that fluffy crimson blanket, having remained in her pajamas since the mor
ning, leaving her better able to relax. Before long the two adults make their return, the demoness dressed in a matching set of black pajama pants and a button down shirt lined with bunnies bearing demon horns, while Rebecca is dressed in a long grey-blue nightgown.

  “Alright shortpuff, sleeve up please. I know this is gonna feel a little cold, but it helps.” Settling at Kagura’s side Nev’aran clutches a small jar of medicated ointment in her hand, imbued with magical herbs to encourage scar health and keep the surrounding skin pristine. Kagura nods and gently tugs up her gown’s left sleeve, revealing the slightly jagged scar running from the outside edge of her shoulder down to just above her elbow, the disfiguring mark often hidden by her clothes when she’s at school.

  “Nh… Cold…” Kagura whimpers softly as the soothing cream begins to be rubbed into the scar, it immediately chilling her arm before gradually fading to a slight warmth. Once the scar and surrounding skin is adequately tended to Nev kisses Kagura’s forehead again, then gets up and slips upstairs to stow the jar away, Rebecca settling at her daughter’s side and hugging her close.

  “I know it’s cold, I’ve never liked using that myself, though your mother insists I do.” She chuckles out, Kagura beginning to grin a little while returning the embrace. “It’s hard to get past her stubborn nature, though I suppose it is for the best. She even calls me in the evenings while we’re at school and makes sure that I’ve done my weekly scar care.”

  “She’s just… Looking out for you, mama, for both of us. That’s something I love about her… She always cares about us, and knows how to help us feel better.” Once she parts from the hug Kagura tugs her sleeve back down, then adjusts her blanket around herself, just as Nev’aran settles back in at her side.

  “Alright shortpuff, what movie do you think we should all watch? Any movie you’d like.” The demoness asks while smiling down to her daughter, Kagura thinking for a few moments before suddenly brightening as she comes to a decision.

  “Oh, the Grinch! I love that one!”

  Chapter 8: Badly Kept Secrets

  “Hey Kagura? Are you alright?”

  Listening to Demetri speak, Kagura shakes her head slowly, gaze remaining fixated out the window of the train as it speeds along the tracks. Silence takes over for all of a few moments before she finally responds, a sigh escaping before the first word trails out.

  “No, Demetri, I’m not… I can’t imagine any of us are, with all of this happening… The Eartheners stopped showing up, but it’s only a matter of time before something worse happens…” She huffs out, her less than happy expression betraying her mood. Malchion and Esmerelda look towards each other for a few moments, then look over to Demetri and Kagura before Malchion joins in.

  “Our parents… They weren’t sure about us returning to Solenim for the rest of the term. They see the threat just as much as anyone else, what could happen if the Eartheners strike… The only reason they let us come back is because they trust the professors of the school.” He explains, a hand lightly trailing through his blonde locks, “Many of them fought in the war, they know what’s at stake, they can keep us safe.”

  “My folks are the same, I figure most others are… No one expected this, dad said it feels like when the first war started, just… Different.” Kagura glance over at Demetri before raising an eyebrow, her lips remaining curled downward in a frown.

  “Different how?” She questions, her expression deepening when he chuckles dryly before responding.

  “Dad said it feels like this time we could win, that if the Eartheners do start a war here, we could defeat them. They know nothing about Sanctus, they’re coming here blind, so we have an advantage. Dad just hopes they aren’t foolish enough to try starting a war, though secretly, I think he knows they are just that stupid.”

  “I… I don’t know, Demetri… A few days ago, mama said this feels off… She told me that the whole time the war raged on, the Eartheners knew what they were doing, they struck where they’d get the biggest impact, they never hesitated to fight if they felt they could win… She was there on the frontlines, she fought, pushed them back, she… She even fought during the final battle…” Kagura says with a slight pain to her voice, her familiar curling up atop her lap in an attempt at providing comfort.

  “She thinks they’re just gathering information right now, that they’ve stopped sending people because they’re piecing together what they’ve learned… If that’s true, then they won’t stop, they’ll come back, and they’ll at least have a good idea about what they’re up against.”

  “But what about the dragons, though? I hardly think they’d be any match against the dragons, they’re allies of our people, friends even.” Esmerelda muses, Kagura giving a shrug before looking between her friends.

  “You can’t tell anyone I told you this, honestly mama wasn’t supposed to tell me but she did anyway. The Eartheners that were rounded up in the Dragon Lands were terrified, like, extremely. All of Earth’s dragons elected to move here, where they could live free, so Earth hasn’t had dragons on it for many years. Mama said this is likely the first time many of them have actually seen a dragon alive, and not just heard of them from stories.” She quietly says, looking towards the cabin door as if someone might be listening in.

  “That’s good news then, yeah?” Demetri asks, a confident expression forming. “The dragons have been the allies of Sanctus’ people ever since we gave them a continent to populate and let them form a nation, it’s surely more than the Eartheners would ever do. If a war did start here, I’m sure the dragons would fight alongside our combat mages and medics, to protect our home.”

  “I suppose it is good news… Whatever those monsters are planning, they won’t get away with it, any of it. Mama also said that lessons at Solenim are going forward as usual, just… That we all need to be cautious. If we see anyone strange, we are to report it, if anything odd happens we tell someone, and we don’t wander around outside alone.”

  “Yeah? Like you and Mer’ania did that one night when you got busted by your mom and the headmistress?” Comes a teasing quip from Demetri, who grins down at Kagura as she begins to pout.

  “Demetri, c’mon, it’s not funny… I’m just glad mama didn’t punish me for that stunt, and that we didn’t get detention…” The brunette whines a little as she crosses her arms over her chest, once more looking out the window while the train races along the tracks over the water.

  “Relax Grins, that’s not the worst thing you could get in trouble for doing. Honestly, getting detention because you and your girlfriend were out for a late night stroll sounds like it would be worth it.”

  “Yeah, well… I don’t like getting detention… I know Mer doesn’t either, though I don’t think she’s ever had detention, she just doesn’t like the idea of causing trouble.” Kagura lets her arms fall to her sides before a hand begins stroking down Seraphine’s back, her eyes beginning to widen as she sees Solenim’s island come into view alongside many mages marking runes in the ground around it’s edge near the water.

  “What are they doing there?” Esmerelda questions, looking a little worried as she watches the mages at work. “Those are enchantment runes… What sort of enchantments would they need to put on the edge of the island?”

  “I don’t know, but… Whatever is going on, I’m sure we’ll find out once we attend lunch and the headmistress gives her usual welcome back speech.” As Malchion speaks he and Demetri look out the window as well, the train slowing as it pulls into the station and comes to a gradual stop.

  ~

  “Good afternoon everyone!” Amethyst says as she steps out to the front of all the tables, her voice booming out loud enough to be heard by all, “Welcome back from your winter holiday. I trust that you all had a relaxing time, despite the events that have come to pass. As many of you have noticed, there are mages tirelessly working to set up runes along the island’s edge, these enchantments will erect a shield that will keep everyone here safe and protected shou
ld something arise. Alongside this, there will be a few new rule changes temporarily enacted.” The students begin to murmur amongst themselves, a mixture of curiosity and worry, though attention quickly returns to the headmistress.

  “Curfew will not be changed, all students will continue to have the same curfew they’ve had prior, however students are no longer permitted to wander the grounds unless accompanied by another student. Safety in numbers is of importance to ensure the well being of all members of our school. Lastly, students are forbidden from approaching the water surrounding the island. The enchantments being erected are for your protection, you would do well to mind them and mind the rules. Now, with that said, you all may go enjoy the rest of your day, lessons start anew tomorrow so relax, have fun, and make sure you’re all well rested.”

  With the headmistress’ welcome back speech given, students begin to file out of the grand hall and into the hallways, heading to the dormitories instead of milling about as some might otherwise do. Kagura waves bye to her friends before departing to the fourth-year girl’s side of the dorm building, tome being tapped against the lock of the proper door to grant her entry. The moment she steps inside a certain demoness descends upon her, startling her as she’s promptly pulled up off her feet and embraced tightly.

  Kagura reciprocates the embrace as best she can, despite feeling like she’s having the life squeezed out of her, Mer’ania holding her close for what feels like forever but is only a few minutes until she gently sets her back on her feet, a nervous smile forming as she does.

  “Hey, Mer- Uh… Did you dye your hair over holiday?” As Kagura looks up at Mer’ania proper, she makes note of the black color to her hair, instead of it’s usual white. She also makes note of the slightly off tone to her skin color, though doesn’t comment on it. Mer’ania glances off to the side without making any other movements, seeming as if she’s losing herself in thought.