“Oh, come on! Why?” the boy exclaimed indignantly.
“Because you can’t use potions you make inside the academy,” Forian said as if reading his student’s mind. “Pick her up carefully, and let’s go. I’ll grab her things.”
“Go where?”
“There’s a wagon by the main gate. Enough questions — we’re wasting time.”
Forian’s expression booked neither further inquiries nor argument. Tailyn lifted Valia gently, finding the girl weighed little more than a feather pillow. But just then, the door opened, Sadil appeared in it, and Tailyn stopped to feel his stomach sink. The expression on the face of the academy’s head of internal security couldn’t have looked more threatening.
“Why are you still here?” he practically shouted. “You only have ten minutes left!”
“The dean just left the provost’s office a minute ago,” Forian replied.
“Tailyn, give Valia to me — you’re going to be carrying her for a couple days. One, give the kid three level three investigator kits. Hurry! I want him loaded down a minute from now. Do you need anything?”
That last question was directed at Forian. The mage thought for a few moments.
“I have cards. The dean gave me coins. If we need something else, Tailyn has the store, so I guess that just leaves textbooks. But where would you get them? No, we’re fine.”
“Excellent, then let’s get to the wagon. We won’t be able to hold them back for long.”
If Tailyn had had just a couple seconds to stop and think about what was going on, he would have been stunned. The head of security, one of the most terrifying mages at the academy, was running off with Valia in his arms, taking so much care it looked like she was the most valuable of treasures to him. Sadil’s deputy ran in front of him to clear the way for the odd procession. Dashing out onto the street, Tailyn saw a covered wagon or cart — he wasn’t sure what the difference was. Valanil was already sitting there ready to go, the reins in her hands.
The man Sadil had called One caught up to Tailyn.
“This is for you, Valia, and Valanil,” he said, materializing three heavy boxes. “Cards, armor, and some other essentials.”
“Load up! Forian will explain everything on the road — get out of the academy!”
Tailyn grabbed the boxes, dropped them into his inventory, and leaped onto the wagon. Valia was lying there unconscious.
“Let’s go!” Forian barked as he sat down next to Valanil. “We’ll take turns — we have to get as far away from the capital as possible.”
“Open the gate!” Sadil called, and Tailyn was once more surprised by how highly ranking the people trying to get Forian and his students out of the academy were. But what was the point?
The wagon rattled down the cobblestone streets of the city bathed in darkness. Just then, Tailyn noticed it was eleven o’clock at night — he’d been unconscious for almost six hours. And that was quite a bit considering his regeneration. Had his wounds really been that serious? Or had he given Valia too much?
Speaking of which, it also occurred to him that they’d left the academy.
“We made it.” Tailyn overheard his mentor’s relieved whisper as he ducked into his alchemy lab, leaving part of his consciousness outside to hear what was going on. The wagon had just whirled around a corner when there was a clatter of hoofs behind them, and Tailyn heard a voice he recognized as belonging to the viceroy.
“Open up in the name of the emperor! I have orders to investigate the explosion. If you don’t comply, the emperor will send a destroyer!”
“So, what’s the hurry?” Valanil asked. “Were the kids involved in the explosion?”
“It was an attempt to kill them,” Forian said. “They’re investigating it now.”
“And we ran to make sure the Carlians don’t get another shot?”
“No, it wasn’t them. Of course, the duke is dangerous, but he wouldn’t risk his daughter’s life even after she renounced him. He swore an oath to the god in front of the dean that the Carlian clan wasn’t involved in the attack.”
“Well, that’s news. And... Wait, then who did it?”
“Sadil said pretty much the same thing. Nobody knows.”
“Halt! Where are you off to tonight, master mages?” an unfamiliar voice asked as Tailyn finished up with his elixirs. Two for Valia, two in reserve. He wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. Returning his consciousness to the wagon, Tailyn was in time to notice a piece of paper decorated with the academy’s stamp flash in his mentor’s hand.
“A permit from the provost,” Forian said. “Open the gate.”
“Two mages, two students,” the captain of the guard said. Throwing back the covering, his lips moved as he activated a scan card. “Exactly, no extras... Open the gate! Have a safe journey, master mages. Just be careful — the nights are dangerous these days. Something’s out there in the woods.”
“Thank you for the warning.” Forian motioned, and a coin worth a thousand gold appeared in the guard’s hand. That was a week’s salary for him. “May the god be with you.”
The horses trotted off, leaving the capital behind them.
“Okay, so there was an attempt on the kids’ lives. And judging by the fact that Valia is still unconscious, it was almost successful. But why are we running off into the night? Don’t they have secure facilities at the academy? Just stick them in there and let them keep going with their studies.”
“Well, that actually is because of the Carlians. The viceroy Valia turned down is a vindictive character — his son apparently took a liking to her. And so, the provost decided to temporarily remove my two students from the academy as a gesture of his loyalty to the emperor. The dean put together a plan for three days that would get them caught up and unlock all the attributes and skills they need, but then all this happened. That idiotic explosion... And we don’t even know who benefits from it... But anyway, we got news that the viceroy was on his way to the academy with a long list of authorizations. His plan was to name Tailyn and Valia witnesses, participants, or really anything, and even the provost wouldn’t have been able to do anything. They would have been delivered to the torture chambers at the city prison — the viceroy’s power is unlimited there. That’s why the dean decided it was time for us to run. And we made it. Sadil will buy us as much time as possible, and our tracks will be cold by the time they figure out what’s going on.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the Gray Lands to hunt Berad Gor.” Forian chuckled when he saw the look on Valanil’s face. “Head for Culmart — the viceroy won’t expect us there. In the meantime, I’m going to rest after this crazy day. We’ll trade places at five. Student, what are you just eavesdropping for? Why is Valia still unconscious?”
“Drink this,” Tailyn whispered as he poured the potions down Valia’s throat. Then, he looked back over at Forian. “Mentor, you’re really tired, aren’t you?”
Forian just sighed. All he wanted to do was tell the boy to shut up, but he didn’t.
“Ask your questions. Although, I can guess what you have on your mind. After the explosion, we ran out of Magistrate Varin’s office to see a body somehow still alive right where the blast had occurred. The dean used the provost’s gift — a regeneration potion. We were assuming he was the victim rather than the perpetrator, which is why Shorty survived. Of course, it won’t be for long. He’ll have his day in court, and then Magistrate Sadil will tear him to pieces to find the truth. And I have a bone to pick with you, Student. If Valia had died, I would have had to get rid of you, too — mages should be prepared for any eventuality, and you didn’t have any spare potions.”
“You’re on his case again? Where was he supposed to make them?” Valanil asked. “The potions you make in the arena can only be used there.”
“What are you talking about? What about the track? I made — ”
“That’s part of the arena.” Forian was getting annoyed with the way Valanil constantly
stuck up for Tailyn. “The academy has a strict rule about potions. The only place you can make them is the arena since it’s impossible to die there. And even the ones you make can only be used there. When students enter the academy, they’re scanned for all kinds of flasks, even including their personal inventory. Any potion they find, even a mana restoration potion, is confiscated and destroyed. Otherwise, the student just won’t be let in. It’s the same with professors. Even the healers who took care of the students after the blast had to spend part of themselves when their mana ran out — you saw Madam Eigan, and she’s just a little older than Valanil. If you want potions to use at the academy, you have to buy them at the store, and students don’t have access to it. Now do you get why Sadil was so interested in you? You’re the only first-year student who has access to the store. You could have bought the Alron...”
Forian stopped so suddenly that Tailyn turned around to make sure nothing had happened to him. The mage was sitting there wide-eyed, the expression on his face telling the boy he’d just had a moment of revelation.
“Mentor, don’t you think it’s interesting that Alron potions and the tears of Alron have such similar names?” Valia asked weakly.
“You’re awake!” Tailyn shouted, though that was when it occurred to him, too. “So, the same person invented the grenades and the tears? Someone named Alron?”
“How did I not think of that?” Forian muttered. “So much time lost... Welcome back to the land of the living, Student. We’re on our way to the Gray Lands — Tailyn will explain what’s going on. Okay, leave me alone. I need to think.”
Forian Tarn invited you to join Search party.
“Look at those parameters!” Valanil said with an envious whistle. “What’s with the trust all of a sudden? I’ve never seen a mage open up like that.”
The woman’s reaction was understandable. Tailyn had always considered Valia advanced at level thirty, capable of standing up to quite a few mages, though she had nothing on their mentor. Up at level forty-four, Forian more resembled a level one hundred monster capable of taking out small cities on his own.
But Forian said nothing, just lying down on the wagon bed. He wasn’t sleeping. Instead, he needed time to figure out their next move. Too much had happened that he hadn’t been prepared for, the explosion ruining his plans as well as the children’s. After taking care of the dean’s assignment, he’d been looking to catch up on his sleep and finally spend a few days with Finiel, but the god had put paid to that idea. And there was that strange phrase: it’s about Forian Tarn. How had a third-year herbalist known that the pair of first-year students belonged to him? There had been no rumors going around the academy — Sadil had checked. And that meant the information, just like the grenades, had come from outside. Alron potions... Who was the mysterious alchemist who’d invented two recipes? Forian knew something about alchemy, and so he was familiar with how difficult it was to come up with something from scratch. It was an order of magnitude harder than inventing cards... Suddenly, it hit him that he was going to have to teach the pair of children the latter art. Why was everything dropping on him all at once?
Taking a deep breath, Forian calmed down. The god would never send more than he could handle. If it had decided he could cope with two students, that was the way it was supposed to be. It wasn’t for Forian to argue. On that happy note, Forian closed his eyes to drift off to sleep, only that was when he heard his students talking.
“You know, Tailyn, I remember him,” Valia whispered. “That wasn’t the first time we saw each other.”
“Where? When?” Forian sat up suddenly.
“When we teleported to your house, right after the Forest of Desire, there were some other kids there. While I was waiting for my father to show up, I met them and...” Valia glanced over at Tailyn, suddenly unsure if she should proceed. But Forian was having none of that.
“Student, out with it, straight and to the point. What happened?”
“I know boys like me, and I’m used to always having someone around trying to get my attention. That happened then, too — three of the boys were doing their best to get my attention, only Shorty stayed sitting on a bench. That’s why I remember him. He stuck out, and he was also looking over at your house, almost as though he was expecting to see someone.”
Once she finished, Valia did her best not to look at Tailyn. She was embarrassed she’d been forced into a confession by their mentor rather than telling her betrothed herself.
“So, you like having boys around?” Tailyn felt a pang of jealousy. Valia blushed, though she said nothing.
“What are you getting on her about?” Valanil asked. “Did you forget who she is? Not only is she an aristocrat; she’s beautiful, too. She’s supposed to flirt, so swallow your pride and be happy your girl is so popular. Can you imagine how jealous other boys are? And Tailyn, that’s one of the most important feelings you can elicit in other people. It makes them weak, easy to manipulate.”
If Valanil had been looking to make Tailyn feel better, she’d gone about it all wrong. Suddenly, it hit the boy that he wasn’t the only one who liked Valia. And the worst part was that she might like them, too, and there was nothing he could do about that. Valia really was beautiful. His good mood was gone in a flash. It wasn’t in any hurry to return, either.
Forian couldn’t have cared less about the crisis the boy was going through. He was staring off into space trying to think of any reason not to let Sadil know what he’d found out, only he couldn’t think of one. There was no reason to doubt Valia. Even if there had been, he could have just asked to see her logs. Pulling out his intercom, he put off contacting his boss as long as he could. Sadil could unravel any knot so long as you gave him a thread, but was that what Forian wanted? Was he ready for what might be on the other end?
“What’s going on? Make it quick — the viceroy is all over the place trying to find your students. The dean already got an earful.”
“A week ago, Valia saw Shorty at my house. He didn’t pay any attention to her, and I suspect he had a crush on my wife. Look into Finiel. She had a motive.”
“Got it,” Sadil replied after a long pause. “But you do realize — ”
“Of course, I realize!” Forian burst out. “If she had anything at all to do with the deaths of twelve students, follow the law to the letter. Justice is blind, Sadil. Especially in this case.”
“I’ll check it out. Take care of yourself,” Sadil said before disconnecting.
“You certainly have an interesting relationship with someone practically the whole continent is afraid of,” Valanil said.
“Head into the forest. We need to wait and see what the investigation turns up,” Forian said, once again ignoring the woman.
“So, it didn’t bother you what the guard said?” Valanil’s voice didn’t sound nervous, though Culmart’s former herbalist certainly was. She knew all too well what monsters lurked in the dark. And if they worried even the guards standing watch over the capital and its academy... Of course, mages didn’t care about worldly problems, and so none of them would lift a finger to help the empire without a contract and payment ahead of time, but it was still scary.
“How are you planning on training my students if you’re afraid of a few wolves? There, I like the look of that field. Tailyn, set up your tent — we’re going to live with you. And both of you kids figure out the investigator kits and update your cards. The horses are your responsibility, Valanil. Unharness them, tie them up, and get them fed. Once you’re done with that, figure out who the wagon belongs to so we can send money to the owner. The dean told me to just grab the first one in the garage. What are you standing there looking at me for? Hop to it!”
“And what will you be doing?” Valanil didn’t like taking orders from Forian.
“What mages are supposed to do when they’re on a campaign with students and their servants. I’m going to rest. Tailyn, don’t forget about food — make sure everyone has enough for a week.”
<
br /> “Oh, wow!” Valia’s eyes lit up when she saw where they were going to be staying. The dean’s gift instantly adapted to fit the scenery, turning the color of the forest and covering itself with a force field.
“Not bad,” Valanil said with a twinge of envy. The kids had all the best toys. Suppressing the urge to fight for leadership, the woman headed over to the horses. She’d always gotten along well with animals. They were much better than people, especially ones like the mage smoking his pipe in a rocking chair as he watched everyone else work, a look of satisfaction on his face.
Tailyn opened his investigator’s box and peered inside.
Tears of Alron (The Alchemist Book #3): LitRPG Series Page 7
