by Eric Vall
In the distance, I was able to spot several large buildings that almost seemed to be made of crystal, but that was silly. Though, I did wonder what the material was. As someone who came from a background of building and hard labor, I was naturally curious. It was grand to say the least, and I’d be shocked if the building itself wasn’t a government building. It certainly gave off that kind of vibe with its angular architecture.
Having seen just a glimpse, I wanted to see more of the Enclave. It was a shame the only parts I were likely to see were the dungeons and maybe the inside of a courtroom of some kind.
Nia lived here most of the time. To me, that was almost as amazing as the Enclave itself. She got to live this life when she wasn’t at school. It was no wonder she was so full of pride, sans her father being the General of the military and one of the strongest mages in the world. Hartmire practically demanded excellence just to set foot within its confines.
Before I could do anymore sightseeing, the soldiers led us to a small trolley service station located around the side of the aerodrome. Several small cars that fit maybe ten people at the most lined the rails, all with different destinations. I noted a few as we passed by them: Business, Theatre, and Giant’s Gate. There were others, but none I could make out from where we were.
All of the trolleys were the same sky blue with gold trim as most of the other important government run things in Hartmire it seemed, save for the one that we stopped for. This trolley was nearly all gold with ivory accents and lavish seats.
This couldn’t be for us, could it? It was awful grand for prisoners, I thought, but the soldiers led us inside. This must have been the private coach for the council to use.
There were two long seats on the left and right, and a shorter bench seat in the back that could sit one, maybe two people if they really liked one another. Only two soldiers, however, escorted us. They took seats on the right, and the rest of us were lined up on the left side of the trolley, squished together like fish in a can. Even though we were all fairly trim individuals, we barely fit together on the seat. Somehow, we made it work, and I was pressed between two of my lovers, both with very different outlooks on the situation at hand.
Before we set off, Capricorn, flanked by Prestonniel and Miriam, straightened his collar.
“We’ve other matters to tend to whilst you receive your medical exams,” he told us. “Assuming all of you check out, you’ll then be escorted to your holding cells by Prestonniel.”
He stood there and waited for one of us to respond, but none of us even acknowledged he’d spoken. Grand Mage or not, he didn’t deserve that kind of respect. Or maybe he did, and he was simply being manipulated.
Either way, I wasn’t going to give him the benefit of the doubt while I was chained to my friends.
Capricorn awkwardly shifted from one leg to the other, and then he took his leave of us with his entourage in tow. I was certain they would be on another trolley elsewhere doing whatever business it was that the council did.
The trolley rumbled, and the airbrakes hissed as they released. Once again, we were off, this time to the hospital, presumably. I didn’t know where else they would send the wounded, unless there was some special facility that tended to criminals.
I looked over to the left and peered out the window of the trolley as the Enclave sights passed by. I had a million and one questions, and I wanted to know everything there was to know about Hartmire, but I didn’t have the heart to break the silence with my idle musings and curiosity. It wasn’t until Arwyn stifled a laugh that I got up the nerve.
“What’s so funny?” I questioned as I turned my eyes toward her.
“Even in the most serious of situations, you somehow manage to keep that mind of yours going,” she commented.
“I guess I can’t help it,” I chuckled sheepishly, then motioned to the window. “Have you been to Hartmire before?”
“A handful of times,” she admitted, “but all of it was on official business. I haven’t had the pleasure of getting to explore nearly as much of the Enclave as I’d like to, though there are plenty of other things to do just inside of Cottington Hall.”
“Cottington Hall?” I asked, though I was sure I’d heard the name before. I dug through my memory and then sat up properly at the realization.
“Yes--”
“Oh! That’s where the council resides!” I cut in, proud that I remembered, although it should have been easy enough to recall. Maelor had mentioned it several times throughout our years of travels, having served his time in the military years prior to taking me in and raising me as his own son.
“Right you are,” Arwyn complimented.
“It’s a bit of a strange name though, isn’t it?” I questioned. “I mean, Cottington kind of gives off a cottage vibe, and Hartmire is a far cry from that.”
“It’s true that the name of the Hall doesn’t reflect the Enclave life within the walls,” she started, “however, it’s a traditional name that is carried through time and mage lore.”
“Pavi Cottington was the first Grand Mage,” Almasy chimed in, “and he was grand for a reason.”
“Which is … ?” I trailed off expectantly.
“Grand Mage Cottington was rumored to be able to master all of the types of magic,” Gawain muttered from the other side of Nia.
My eyes went wide, and I whirled back to face Arwyn for confirmation.
“Records show he was able to use more than one type of magic,” Arwyn agreed, “but all of the accounts are different.”
“That’s amazing!” I gasped. I imagined a being so powerful he could master all types of magic. The power he must have held in his very hands was inconceivable.
“It was.” Almasy nodded and then sighed. “It’s a shame the position of Grand Mage was reduced to nothing more than a glorified politician over the years.”
There was a bitterness to his words that made me cringe, even though I was positive there was more than a plentiful amount of truth to them. I couldn’t help but wonder what happened between then and now that drastically changed the position of Grand Mage from something earned versus something politically charged and based on lies and deceit. The more I learned about the council, the more I came to know there was corruption at every turn, and I was sure there was still a bunch of things I’d yet to discover.
Before we could fall into silence again and leave ourselves to our own thoughts, whatever those might have been, I eyed Arwyn.
“You said there were other things to do inside Cottington Hall?” I asked.
“Yes,” Arwyn nodded, “though it depends on what an individual considers entertaining.”
“Knowing you, there’s some extensive library and research lab or something,” I snorted.
Arwyn laughed softly, and there was more mirth to the sound than there had been out of any of us in hours.
“You would be correct, Gryff.” Arwyn sat back as far as she could, which wasn’t far, but it was enough that I had to crane my neck a little to see her face properly. “Hartmire is rich with history, though these days they keep the libraries under lock and key from what I’m told. I wish I’d had the foresight to do more reading on my last visit here.”
“Why couldn’t you before?” I questioned. Arwyn hardly seemed the type to give up the chance to learn something new.
“Military matters, of course,” Arwyn replied simply. “My mission wasn’t to spend hours in the Hall Library. It was a simple rendezvous point between missions. I only had a few hours of time between my arrival and my departure.”
“But I bet you were still in the library,” I teased.
“He’s got you pegged,” Almasy snorted.
“Guilty as charged, I suppose.” Arwyn smirked. “At least one person here has their facts in order.”
I didn’t miss the connotation in her tone, and I didn’t try to hide my amusement as the soldiers across from us, who had remained entirely silent throughout the trip, shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Cu
rious, I leaned forward on my elbows and eyed them up.
“You don’t seriously believe Capricorn has any good intentions, do you?” I questioned them. “I know you guys are typically on the outside of things, but you’re the first responders when there’s a monster attack. Surely you know there’s something amiss?”
Neither of them spoke, and it was then I took note of the masks that covered their faces. To some extent, what they wore resembled something you’d see at a fancy dance, a masquerade. It only covered their eyes, but the masks were ornate in design, like they were made of iron as opposed to the feathers and sparkles that one would wear to such an extravagant event. The bottom halves of their faces were covered in a purple silk cloth, and black hoods sat atop their heads.
I sighed and shook my head. Why was I even trying? I would have been able to get more information out of a brick wall. It might have even been more fun to talk to at that point.
Within minutes, however, the trolley stopped in front of a white and blue building that appeared to be tucked away from much of the hustle and bustle of the Enclave. A cement sign out front was etched with ‘Hartmire Medic Ward.’
The door hissed as it opened, and one soldier stepped out before he motioned for us to follow. Again, one-by-one, Gawain leading now, we filed out of the trolley, and the remaining soldier took up the rear. The building seemed out of place amongst all of the other more sculpted ones. It was made of stone, unpolished in any way, and it felt cold and unwelcoming.
We were led down a set of white and grey stone steps before the soldier at the head of the line put his hand up to what looked like a clear panel beside a concrete door. A blue light flashed, and a whirring sound came from the panel before the door clicked open.
I gawked in complete shock. Had that device, or whatever it was, scanned the soldier’s hand to open the door? What kind of magic was that? I continued to follow along, and I tried to get a better look at the panel as we walked by, but there was nothing distinguishable that made the panel look like anything more than a glass slab. Disappointed, I trudged along behind Nia, who seemed to have perked up a little as we traversed down the halls made of white concrete.
The walls, I noticed, had frames with certifications for what I could only assume were the doctors in this facility, and I was thankful for the décor, because the stark white of everything inside was jarring. I could feel my head start to swell and pound being surrounded by them on all sides.
“This place is so cheery,” I commented sarcastically, and I heard a snort from both Gawain and Almasy. At least the men found humor in my jokes.
“What do you think their favorite color is?” I heard Almasy ask from behind me.
“Probably a hot, vibrant shade of pink,” Gawain retorted, and the three of us snickered at ourselves.
Eventually, about three doors from the end of the hall, we turned left, and then made an almost immediate right, as we came upon an open room filled with light. This room had more character than the entire Medic Ward thus far. Plants of various kinds that I assumed were cultivated for medicinal herbs lined the window sills, and a number of small bookcases sat against the wall between the lines of hospital beds. Each one was donned with a lantern and a small little fish bowl with a colorful fish inside.
It also had several people, nurses and doctors to be exact. All of them wore light blue robes with long, flared out sleeves and gold accents.
“These are the ones we were told of?” a woman with long, curly blonde hair and a thin face asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” the head soldier confirmed.
“Leave them to us,” she told him gently. “We will send for Prestonniel once they are properly treated.”
“Of course.” The soldier saluted her before he turned to face us again. Then he relinquished a key from the breast pocket on his coat and unlocked each of our bindings.
There were audible sighs of relief as the weight was lifted from our wrists, and we simultaneously rubbed them as they were freed of their confines. The chains rattled as he collected them and gathered them in his arms, and he bowed his head before he made to leave us without another word.
“Sure you don’t want to make sure we won’t try anything funny?” I asked, though it was more to myself than anyone else.
The doctor, however, must have heard me, because she laughed softly as she graced my cheek with the touch of her hand.
“They needn’t worry,” she assured me. “We have our own methods of security here.”
There was something mischievous and daring in her bright green eyes, but I didn’t dare question what methods they had in place. Instead, I swallowed down whatever I was about to say and simply nodded.
“My name is Jeddy,” the doctor introduced herself. “I’m the head healer of this Medic Ward.”
She flourished her hands, and my eyes, along with my friends’, saw that the others had lined up beside the beds.
“We are-– “
“Diabolus Angelus,” Nia muttered as she cut Jeddy off.
Everyone’s eyes turned to Nia then, but she stared at the white marble floor as though it were the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen in her life.
“I’ve heard of them,” Arwyn chimed in. “They’re the most prestigious healers in the world. Their healing powers are so potent they can cure almost anything, and they work with the apothecary to create the best potions and tonics in Mistral.”
I nodded slowly. While that news in itself was rather amazing, and I suddenly wanted to know more, something was sticking out in the back of my mind. Of course, it wouldn’t be strange for Nia to know something about Diabolus Angelus. After all, she lived in Hartmire most of the time, when she wasn’t at the Academy or in one of her other homes, but there was more to it than that, I felt.
Before I could come to any conclusions, though, quick footfalls echoed down the hallway behind us. We turned quickly just in time to see a tall girl rush into the room. She was wearing a tight gold skirt trimmed with red lace and a halter top that left her stomach bare. Her ashen blond hair was braided along the sides and pulled back into a tight ponytail. Small glasses fit her petite face, and I felt like I’d seen her somewhere before.
“Nia!” the woman cried as she threw her arms around her.
Nia looked shocked initially, but she almost instantly relaxed against the other girl with a relieved smile that brightened her face as she held the mysterious woman back just as tightly.
“Nehra,” Nia sniffled. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“I’m glad to see you, too!” Nehra exclaimed. “We thought you were dead!”
Nehra pulled away and cupped Nia’s face as she wiped her tears. Seconds later, she moved to Gawain.
“Your cousin has been worried sick about you,” she told him as she pulled him into a fierce hug.
“Thank you, Nehra. We’re alright.” Gawain, too, relaxed in her arms, and he offered her a sincere smile as he awkwardly hugged her back.
I watched the exchange carefully as I put the pieces together. Nia had a sister, who worked in the apothecary, and she had married Gawain’s cousin, if I remembered correctly. She was world-renowned for her work, too.
It was amazing how similar the two of them looked. Nehra’s eyes were a slightly brighter shade of blue, and her cheeks were only a little more defined than Nia’s. She was an inch or two taller than Nia as well, but there was simply no denying they were in fact sisters.
Jeddy cleared her throat politely, and Nehra stepped back.
“I’m down in the lab today, but I heard you’d arrived, and I had to see for myself,” she told Nia. “Father has been up at all hours worrying.”
“Yeah right,” I slipped out under my breath, but it was enough to draw Nehra’s attention.
She looked me up and down as she sauntered over to me. Her eyes were just as piercing as Nia’s, even behind the thick-rimmed glasses, and she clicked her tongue as she appraised me.
“I know who you are, Gryff of Njorden
falls,” she huffed, “and I’m grateful for everything you have done for my baby sister, but do not take my acknowledgement of your achievements as an indicator that I think you anything more than a moron.”
“Nehra!” Nia hissed as she grabbed her sister’s forearm, and I thought I heard Gawain stifle a laugh.
“I don’t pretend to be anything more than a moron,” I retaliated, “though at the very least you could refer to me as a moronic genius, as that seems to be the case in most instances.”
Nehra folded her arms in front of her, and a tiny smirk turned up the corners of her lips. “We’ll see about that when the time comes.”
“What does that mean?” I smirked back, but I was promptly ignored as she turned her attention back to Nia and Gawain.
“I’ll leave you to be tended to. Please try not to worry too much.” Nerha placed her hands over their chests and bowed her head before she turned to Jeddy. “Pardon my intrusion.”
“Not at all, Lady Madox.” Jeddy smiled and bowed her head in what I could only assume was respect.
With that, Nehra was gone almost as quickly as she had come, and Jeddy started to usher us to different beds for a consultation and to check us out. We were each assigned a bed and a healer who had their own assistants. I sat on the far end on the right with Jeddy, who quickly set to work.
“You are Gryff, yes?” she clarified.
“Yes.” I nodded, and then I looked to a shorter woman who was maybe closer in age with Arwyn and had bobbed hair colored an unnatural greenish blue. Her eyes were a vibrant shade of violet, also not natural, I assumed.
“This is Tira,” Jeddy introduced. “She’s mute, but she’s the best assistant I could ask for.”
I managed a smile through all of the bullshit going through my mind. A mute healer was certainly a marvel. To my knowledge, a healer needed to be able to recite incantations and spells to increase their potency, or something like that. I never really paid much attention to Meriden as she worked on me, aside from the potions and concoctions she shoved down my throat.
