Paragon

by Rowan Rook

  "The Butterfly is a religious cult with both Human and Lyrum divisions."

  He startled, spinning to see Shakaya standing behind him. How long had she been there?

  Her stony features didn't offer any clues. "Its followers claim to know the will of the Author and say they act on its behalf, but their behavior is erratic. They're considered dangerous."

  He blinked. Shakaya had been there when he'd drifted off to sleep, but he'd woken up alone. She'd simply reappeared, like always. He wasn't sure why it still surprised him. She came and went as silently as a noon shadow.

  "You truly hadn't heard of them?" Ryn blinked. "You do need to get out more. The Butterflies threw a protest at the capital just a few weeks ago—turned pretty ugly."

  Ah. Amaranth scratched his neck. That's right—he'd come across the name in a couple of books but had never thought of it as anything but an old reference. A group with both Humans and Lyrum... How unusual. Perhaps the Human influence explained the oil usage. Still, when it came to life beyond the walls of the Academy, he was dead to the world.

  Ryn frowned, "It's strange, though... The Butterflies don't typically associate with troops on either the Lyrum or Human sides."

  Shakaya's body stiffened beside his, but she didn't say anything. He could guess what she was biting back—the Lyrum who'd targeted him had indeed claimed to be a Butterfly.

  He chewed his bottom lip. "What does the note say?"

  The woman holding it passed it to him. "It's calling out someone named Anny, but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense."

  ...Anny?

  His heart climbed into his throat and left a dull, unpleasant pounding.

  It...couldn't be, could it...?

  His stiff fingers unfolded the note. Shakaya leaned over his shoulder to read it.

  Dear darling Anny,

  Do you remember the games we used to play as children?

  I do, and it's your turn to find me.

  You're running out of time. Your madness won't lead you anywhere, but I know what will. I can help you walk the path you've chosen. You can still reach your destination before it's too late.

  Find me, or I'll return for you.

  Sincerely, an ally

  Amaranth swallowed, staring at the letter for far longer than it should have taken to read it.

  The woman who'd handed it to him seemed to notice. "You two know anyone named Anny?"

  "No." He passed back the page.

  He received a few suspicious looks, but nothing came of it.

  Ryn sighed. "I suppose we should give it to Rickard... Maybe she'll know what it means. She is the Head Scientist, after all. If it's meant for anyone, it's probably her."

  Amaranth nodded.

  Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

  Amaranth paced the corridor, passing rows of locked soldiers' dorms.

  Was this really the right decision?

  As far as he knew, there were no scientists named Anny nor any longer version of the name, but perhaps it referred to someone's wife or daughter, or perhaps it was simply a metaphor. He paused, wondering whether it could be used as an acronym. The name and letter were so vague that any number of coincidences could be at play.

  Still...

  Amaranth swallowed, shaking his head to no one.

  He went over the letter again in his mind. Every word, exactly as it was. He mouthed the phrases, as if it would help him sort through them, "The games we used to play as children. Running out of time. Help you walk the path you've chosen. An ally..."

  If he didn't know better...

  Amaranth let out a long breath. None of this made any sense, yet he couldn't shake the dread from his stomach.

  "Find me."

  Find them where? He didn't even know what kind of person to look for.

  But there was one place...

  His nails dug into his palms as he made his decision.

  Yesterday evening, Edgard Verox had gathered the Academy's soldiers at the city center for a public report, and Shakaya had caught him up on the results. The school had sent a patrol around Elavadin and its outskirts to investigate how the troop had slipped into the city, but so far, hadn't turned up many answers. It was difficult... Humans and Lyrum weren't easily distinguishable by sight alone. Civilians had apparently seen strangers but hadn't suspected anything, assuming they were just more herds of tourists. The Lyrum had been wise enough to conceal their weapons and armor and travel in small groups.

  To head off future attacks, Verox had decided that uncovering the Lyrum's base of operations should be their first priority. The soldiers knew that there had to be a major Lyrum colony somewhere in Lusanthine, but they had yet to discover where, even as the hidden threat's hostility increased. They needed to go on the offensive, the Head General had said. They'd be sending out as many scouts as they could afford. Some would search the northwest, some the midwest, and most, the southwest. Shakaya would board a southbound train the next morning.

  ...The southwest, huh?

  Amaranth finally knocked on the door to Shakaya's dorm.

  There weren't many women in the army. Her dorm, tucked into the back of the hall, was one of only three that housed female soldiers. In all the years he'd lived at the Academy, he'd been there just a handful of times.

  The door opened, and the tall, dark-haired woman on the other side groaned when she saw him, "Oh...it's you."

  "Pleasure to see you too, Marielle." He'd met Shakaya's roommates enough times to recognize them, but not enough times to know any of them personally. Like the majority of the Academy's residents, they never seemed particularly happy to see him. He suppressed a scowl. "I need to speak with Shakaya."

  "Guess she's popular tonight." The soldier crossed her arms. "Rickard was just here."

  Amaranth blinked. "She was?"

  Marielle nodded, "Called Shakaya off somewhere. She just got back, in fact."

  Amaranth was quiet for a while, but shook his head. "No matter. Can you call her for me?"

  Mariel shouted Shakaya's name over her shoulder. A few moments later, she stepped aside and Shakaya appeared in her place.

  "Ama?" the soldier didn't hide her confusion.

  Amaranth lowered his voice, "You're leaving tomorrow for the southwest, correct? Would you...mind if I come with you?"

  Shakaya's eyes widened. It seemed he'd surprised her, for once. "What?"

  He showed her a level gaze that he hoped proved he was serious. "Please. I've given it a lot of thought."

  Something flashed across Shakaya's face, so quickly he couldn't tell what it was. "Why? We're looking for the Lyrum colony. The search itself will be dangerous, and if we actually find it..." She hesitated, "You're..."

  She didn't finish, but he knew what she wanted to say. He wasn't even close to cut out for a soldier's line of work. He'd be a burden. He'd also be at great risk.

  "I can only do so much to protect you," she compromised.

  He raised his cuffed arm. "I can protect myself."

  She eyed the Not suspiciously. Considering its use had left him in the hospital earlier, she clearly wasn't convinced. "You said it wasn't stable."

  "It's not," he admitted. "But it's a fine last resort. If nothing else, this outing might help me gather the data and experience I need to improve it."

  She shuffled indecisively. "You never answered my first question: Why? You've never shown interest in my work before."

  He stammered, looking at his shoes. For a fleeting moment, he thought about telling her the truth. Lord, no. It was funny, in a way. He and Shakaya held the pretense of telling each other everything, but there was so much she didn't know...so much he prayed she never would. "Seeing the Lyrum colony would be the chance of a lifetime! Imagine the research—"

  "We don't know if we'll find it," she reminded flatly, her gaze still skeptical. "Chances are, we won't."

  Amaranth bit his lip and swallowed his pride. "You could be gone for several weeks, couldn't you?" He forced a worried frown, "Being here alone wou
ld be far too miserable. I'd rather travel with you."

  Shakaya was quiet for a while. That had to be the first time he'd ever said anything like that to her. She looked away. "Are you sure?"

  He nodded, guilt tightening his throat. "Dangerous or not, it can't be worse than dealing with Lucillo and a grieving dorm."

  A smile escaped onto her stoic face. "If you're certain, then it's fine. On my honor as a soldier, I'll do my best to keep you safe."

  Amaranth held in a dark-humored chuckle—did she really have much honor? "Thank you," he managed, trying not to stutter or sound afraid. He couldn't quite meet her brightened blue eyes. "Do you need to speak with Verox first?"

  "No." Her lips defaulted to their familiar flat line, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her coat. "He won't care."

  Amaranth blinked, "Really?"

  Verox didn't like to involve civilians in the affairs of his soldiers, and it was no secret that he wasn't particularly fond of the scientist. What was it he'd heard overheard the general call him? A snake? He'd expected Verox to be his biggest obstacle.

  Shakaya, however, only nodded. "Meet me by the station at dawn tomorrow."

  Amaranth offered a final nod in return as reality sunk in. He needed to hurry and prepare. There were supplies and clothes in his dorm that he ought to pack. Rune, too—he made good money, and perhaps he'd finally have the chance to spend it. He needed to check on his storage box and make sure his surviving research was in order before he left. He also desperately craved a full night's sleep, but...he wasn't sure how much rest he'd actually salvage that night.

  What had he just signed himself up for?

  Chapter Five: Amaranth and Shakaya, part I

  The boy lingered outside a beautiful brick building larger and grander than any he'd seen before. He gawked up at the proud nameplate stretched across the doorway in silver: Elavadin Academy.

  He swallowed, stealing himself. The days shortened with each passing night and each breath hung in the air. Winter loomed just over the horizon. From what he'd gathered in the city, the Academy was just about to stop accepting applicants for the season—he couldn't put this off any longer. He had to do this. A new name. New dreams. The new knowledge he'd learned over the past months to survive. He could do this, he told himself again and again. There was nothing left connecting him to his old life. They wouldn't be able to tell, he tried to convince himself. There was no way they'd be able to tell!

  Closing his eyes, he summoned up all of his courage and knocked on the doors.

  Their hinges rumbled as they opened.

  The boy staggered backward, his heart lurching as light spilled onto the stairs.

  A man dressed in black and white appeared in the entryway. "What is it? The Academy's open. If you have business or want to apply, just come in..."

  The boy sucked in air. The stranger's voice had trailed off as soon as their eyes met. Was it his skinny frame? His worn clothes? His nervous stance? Perhaps he looked more beggar than applicant. He moved his tongue, but no sound came out. All of the careful words he'd planned to say dried up.

  The employee crossed his arms. "I'm sorry. We can't help you here." He turned to close the door.

  "No, wait!" The boy stumbled forward. "Please...I would like to request an application!"

  The employee raised an eyebrow. "Do you have enough Rune for the application fee, much less the tuition?"

  The boy blinked. "Tuition?"

  The employee stifled a chuckle with the back of his hand.

  Another employee approached the doorway, head tilted. The discussion must have bled into the lobby. "What seems to be the problem here? We pay you to tend the front desk, not guard the door like a dog." She was tall, with sharp, pale features, graying black hair, and a much grander uniform. A young girl with sandy hair and dull blue eyes peered through her legs. The girl stared at the boy before looking away, her face the embodiment of disinterest.

  "Ms. Rickard?" The man blinked in surprise, then a wry smile creased his cheeks. "This fellow wants into the school but can't pay tuition."

  "I see..." Rickard's lips tilted at the edges as if she were concealing a grin of her own.

  The boy met the woman's gray eyes as confidently as he could and stood tall, resisting the shiver creeping along his spine. He swore the stranger was staring straight through him.

  Rickard smiled just slightly. "What's your name, boy? How old are you?"

  "It's Amaranth." The name felt foreign on his tongue. He'd decided on it a while back, but this was the first time he'd used it. "I'm sixteen...that's old enough for the program, is it not?"

  The clerk visibly swallowed another chuckle.

  "No last name, then?" Rickard twirled a strand of hair between thin fingers.

  Amaranth only shook his head. At least it was one name they couldn't background check.

  "You look less like a teenager and more like a grown man," the clerk complained. "And I'm already being generous by calling you a man, at all. If you're lying to try to get sympathy, it won't work."

  Amaranth flushed. Truly? Had he not picked a convincing age? "I can't help how I look."

  "I suppose that's right," Rickard laughed, her gray eyes glowing with amusement. "So, tell me then, Amaranth. With no Rune, and not even a full name, why should we let you in?"

  "I want to be a scientist," Amaranth answered with every bit of tenacity he had. "I'm a quick learner and I'll study hard. I've already been studying! Please, I'll learn everything you can teach me."

  The same suppressed smirk played with Rickard's lips. "We are rather short on science students this year and even shorter on students with talent...perhaps we should give you a chance. A test of sorts. If you've been studying, that shouldn't be a problem, right?"

  "Ms. Rickard..." The clerk shot an incredulous glance toward his superior. "You can't honestly—"

  Rickard narrowed her eyes at the clerk without moving her head, "We don't pay you for your opinions, either."

  The clerk silently licked his lips, all traces of humor gone from his face.

  Rickard looked back to the boy."As the Head Scientist, I'll provide you with a copy of the assignment recently given to last spring's freshmen. If you can complete it, we'll waive your tuition and let you in—a promising student is more valuable than Rune, after all. How does that sound?"

  "I'll do it," Amaranth agreed without hesitation.

  "Perfect." Rickard gestured for the boy who'd named himself after a flower to come inside.

  The girl stepped away when Amaranth approached. Rickard placed a hand at her back to stop her. "Mind your manners and say Hello, Shakaya."

  She gazed up at the woman, frowning, before looking at the boy. "...Hello," her voice was as apathetic as her face.

  Amaranth didn't get a chance to answer before Rickard prompted him along and led him through the lobby.

  The school was as grand on the inside as its outsides promised—a palace of silver and white. The boy's eyes stretched too wide for his skull, his heart pounding each time his dirty leather shoes tapped the tile. Students chatted and chuckled in clusters throughout the lobby. The sounds of pages turning and keyboards clacking seeped out from the library. Fluorescent bulbs bathed the school in bleached light. It was a maze of sights and smells and noise, all impossibly unfamiliar. Could he really live in such a place? Someone like him?

  After a few minutes of walking, Rickard stopped and stared down at the boy who might be her student. "This dorm here has a few empty beds. You can stay while you perform the assignment as long as you follow school policy." She grinned openly, "You have a week."

  Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

  Amaranth leaned over the desk. The only sound was the relentless ticking of the clock as he shoved yet another book aside. He stared at the hopeless mess of wires spread in front of him and let out a sigh.

  He only had two days left to finish the assignment or he'd be forced to leave the Academy.

  Why did the project have to be something el
ectronic? He had no experience whatsoever in that area of study. Why couldn't it involve biology or chemistry? If it had, he was sure he would've been done by then!

  He noticed another noise while he rested his head on his arms—light, fidgeting footsteps. He didn't have to look to know who they belonged to.

  The girl—the same girl he'd seen with Rickard at the door—had hovered near the study for over an hour. She'd spent most of her time leaning against the wall outside, occasionally daring a cautious peek into the open room. She'd actually stepped inside once or twice before frowning nervously and scurrying back into the hall.

  Amaranth pretended not to notice. What she wanted, he wasn't sure—she hadn't seemed curious at all those few days ago—but he wanted to be left alone. Maybe if he ignored her long enough, she'd simply grow bored and go away.

  Besides, his deadline didn't allow the luxury of distractions. He grabbed a couple of wires, and trying to recall what he'd just read, twined them together with careful fingers.

  "Ugh!" A spark ignited and summoned a yelp. Thankfully, the power for the strange device—he wasn't even quite sure what it was supposed to do—wasn't strong enough to cause any real damage, but it left a mark on his thumb. It wasn't the first, either.

  His head sunk back into his arms.

  "You're not doing it right. You can't just touch it like that!"

  He blinked, raising his gaze to find the girl standing nearby.

  When he didn't say anything, she stepped closer and plucked a wire from the breadboard. "At least disconnect the battery first." The warning light went off, and she took the other two wires he'd struggled with and spliced them together with little difficulty.

  Amaranth flushed, looking her over in more detail. She wore a mid-length white dress—not a student uniform—and was at least a couple of years younger than he was.

  "Now you just need to get the switches working." Her face stayed firm despite the satisfaction in her voice.

  He stared, not understanding how the child had done it so fast. He opened his mouth, feeling like he should thank her, but couldn't quite manage the words.

  She scanned the numerous textbooks piled at the edge of the table. "Did you really read all those? How could you still not know what you're doing?"