by Pirateaba
Cognita’s voice rang out again, and Ceria saw students and mages appearing on the stairwells and bridges above the entrance hall. They stared down at her as the Golem kept speaking, stared at her and Pisces.
“I am Cognita, greatest of Archmage Zelkyr’s creations. Though I am no mage, I hold his authority, which supersedes all others so long as I remain. Thus, it is within my power to graduate you two on this day. Ceria Springwalker, Pisces, you have shown the qualities of a true mage of Wistram, both of you. Neither of you will fall behind any other mage nor disgrace Wistram’s name. I hereby name both of you full mages of the academy.”
Ceria stared up at the Golem, barely able to comprehend what was happening. Pisces’ face was pale as he looked up at the Golem. Cognita smiled slightly, and motioned them forwards.
It was a dream. Ceria slowly began walking down the steps, Pisces at her side. She looked at the rows of impassive Golem faces, and saw how they were turned towards her. Watching her. As if they were alive.
“Golems of Wistram! Salute these young mages as they go forth into the world! Though they may leave these shores, they pass from here not as students, but as true mages!”
Step by step, the two descended. Ceria’s ears were roaring, and she saw the ship ahead of her, drawing closer. She stopped with Pisces only once and looked back towards the citadel. The doors were thrown open and a tall woman made of stone stood there. She raised her hand and her voice carried clearly to the two down below.
“Go, Ceria Springwalker and Pisces. Walk proudly as true mages of Wistram.”
Then she turned and the Golems began to file back into the academy or walked into the sea. Ceria turned and caught Pisces’ eye for a brief moment. Then she turned and boarded the ship and sailed away from Wistram.
—-
This is how the story ended. Ceria and Pisces took the ship for several days to Izril, seldom speaking, and not at all to each other. For their part, the [Captain] and [Sailors] treated the two mages with great respect. They had seen the Golems lining the stairs for the two mages—they were surely some of Wistram’s best.
The irony was not lost on Ceria, but she could only think about Illphres, about Calvaron, and felt the emptiness in her vanishing day by day. Not because she wanted to feel again, but because life was going on. It was as if she left that part of her with Wistram.
She knocked on Pisces’ door on the last day of their voyage, when land had been spotted. He let her in and she sat on a chair while he sat on the bed.
“I’m sorry.”
He said that at last, looking up at her. Ceria just stared back until he looked down again. There was nothing he could say, and nothing she wanted to hear. She eventually said what was on her mind.
“Once we reach the shore, we’ll part ways. I never want to see your face again, understand?”
“Yes.”
They heard sailors calling out overhead, guiding the ship in to dock. Pisces shifted, wiped at his eyes. Ceria saw tears. She had none herself.
“It truly—it truly was a wonderful place, wasn’t it?”
She looked at him. Pisces was crying.
“It was just like my dream at first. It was everything I had hoped for. It was the place where I wanted to be forever. It was worth waiting for. Worth giving everything up for.”
Slowly, Ceria nodded. She stared past Pisces, seeing friends and memory, stone corridors, magic and sadness and happiness in the moment before she blinked. Then she did and it was gone.
“It really was.”
They sat in silence as the rocking ship slowed and they felt it stop. Ceria stood up and looked down at Pisces.
“Goodbye.”
She walked away, carrying the rucksack filled with the few things she had to her name. Ceria walked away from the ship that had taken her from her hopes and dreams, away from the young man who had once been her best friend.
But never would Ceria forget. In her dark dreams, in the moments when she sat around campfires with the new friends she made, in the days spent walking, footsore and tired, searching for a place to rest, she’d always think back on it.
An isle in the sea. A citadel of dark stone, standing in a bubble of calm while storms raged around it. Hallways full of magic, impassive stone golems, students and mages of every race. A place of wonder, of magic.
The place where mages gather. The home of sorcery.
Wistram.
The half-Elf walked away, and was lost in the night. And after a moment, the young man, the necromancer, stepped off the ship. He looked back once, and then he was gone too.
3.32
The half-Elf walked off into the darkness, leaving Wistram behind. After a moment, Pisces stepped off the ship as well. He looked back towards the ocean where Wistram could no longer be seen, but where he knew it lay. Then he turned and was gone too.
The story ended. Ceria looked up from the depths of her mug and saw two watery eyes staring back at her. She blinked and leaned back a bit. There was a bit of snot mixed with the tears.
“Um, Erin? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine! I’m fine, it’s just—”
Erin reached for a handkerchief and wiped at her eyes. She had another one for her nose. Three, actually.
“And you never went back? Ever? You never heard from any of your friends, or—or sent a letter?”
“Never.”
Ceria shook her head, feeling the small gap in her heart aching a bit. But it was only a small rift, a faded scar that time had patched over. It had been a long time since she’d dared think about the past, but it had helped to tell someone at last.
“And so that Golem—Cognita is still in Wistram? And your friend Beatrice is all alone, and Montressa too? That’s so…sad.”
Erin blew her nose again and Ceria smiled crookedly. It wasn’t really a smile.
“That’s life. I wouldn’t be surprised if Montressa is a fully-fledged mage by now and far more experienced than both me and Pisces combined. But I don’t know. I never heard from them.”
“But it’s not fair! You weren’t the one who killed Calvaron! And neither was Pisces! I mean, it was his fault, but he couldn’t have known about the trap spell! And it sounds like the other mages treated him horribly!”
“He did practice necromancy.”
“Yeah, but still—he only became a jerk after everyone started being a jerk to him, right? I understand so much more about him now!”
“I—wouldn’t take all of what I said to heart, Erin. Pisces did change thanks to how people treated him later on, but he was always a necromancer. He always kept secrets. Even from me.”
“I get it. But it’s still so tragic. It hurts just to hear it.”
Erin put down the soggy handkerchief and Ceria drank down the last dregs in her mug. Around them, a few late-night drinkers were being shepherded out of the inn by Maran, but Erin and Ceria were safe at their table in the corner. After all, Erin practically ran the inn even when Miss Agnes was around and Ceria didn’t have anywhere to be.
Of course, many miles away a lonely cart was rumbling down the road where three other adventurers were probably trying to sleep, but Ceria didn’t have to join them. Not tonight.
It had been Pisces’ idea. Fed up by sleeping on the wagon each night, despite the hand-delivered food and copious amounts of blankets and pillows, the mage had demanded one member of the group be allowed to sleep in the Frenzied Hare each night.
Ksmvr hadn’t cared, but Ceria and Yvlon weren’t entirely immune to the allure of the idea themselves. So the three of them had drawn straws to see who would go back the first night.
It had been Ceria who’d won the straw pick. She’d come back and been feasted by Erin while she watched a new play—something about a girl with a thick accent learning to speak correctly—being put on.
But that wasn’t the important part of the night. The important part had come when Erin sat with Ceria and they had talked about the incredible mage they’d met. Ceria had asked E
rin how she knew him, or rather how Ryoka knew him, and somehow that conversation had led back to the past.
To the past, and a story Ceria had never told anyone. How she and Pisces had first met, how they had become friends—
And how they had lost that and left Wistram. Now, in the quietest hour of the day, just past midnight, Ceria listened to Erin snuffling.
“It’s history now. If I could go back I’d do everything differently. But time travel is one of the things even the greatest of mages can’t do. My master, Illphres, died in the academy. I left because all that I respected and aspired towards died with her.”
“You didn’t want to stay? Even though…”
“Maybe.”
Ceria stared into the embers of the fire.
“Yes. I did. I regretted saying what I did to the Council. But—I still left because of what she said before she challenged Cognita.”
“What?”
The half-Elf shrugged, uncomfortably.
“It was just a comment. If she had been an adventurer, perhaps she would have known the danger she was walking into. That’s…one of the reasons I decided to become an adventurer. Illphres was far more powerful than most mages, far more powerful than I can dream of right now. But she died because she wasn’t used to fighting, not like adventurers are. We fight dirty and learn to run away. She and the other mages were proud. Too proud. I see that now.”
“But they sounded amazing.”
A sigh escaped Ceria’s lips.
“They were. I wish you could have met them.”
“But it sounds like Pisces was incredible too, wasn’t he? Before people knew he was a [Necromancer]—they really liked him, didn’t they?”
“Yes. They did.”
“I can’t really imagine that.”
Something like a laugh escaped Ceria’s lips. She turned to Erin, smiling in the dim light.
“It is hard to see, isn’t it? But just imagine Pisces without the sneer. Without any rude comments or—or his dirty robes. He is a genius at magic and Cognita herself acknowledged his skill. If we hadn’t fought those pirates at sea, if he had never been found out, he might be a powerful mage rising higher in Wistram right now.”
“Wow.”
More silence. Ceria saw the light in the room dim further, until Erin was just a dark silhouette in front of her. She could have cast a spell to light up the room, but this suited their conversation. After a while, she spoke out loud, confessing one last thing to Erin.
“That day, I think Cognita was speaking to Pisces, not me. He was the one who truly deserved to graduate from Wistram like that. I—I’m just a dropout. A failure. But I used the name of Wistram because it meant I could get work and it opened doors for me.”
“You’re not.”
Ceria shook her head.
“I am. A true acreddited Wistram mage is a rare thing, with far more experience and a deeper understanding of magic. What that old mage said—you saw him trash us in moments. Regardless of whether the quality of mages has declined since Archmage Zelkyr, we’re still far below that standard. I am.”
Something touched Ceria’s hand. She jerked, but it was Erin’s hand. The girl squeezed Ceria’s hand gently. Her good hand.
“I don’t think you’re a failure. You went into Albez, didn’t you? And you came out.”
“Huh. I guess we did.”
Ceria smiled as the last light disappeared. She couldn’t see Erin’s face, but she knew the other girl was smiling too.
—-
The next day, Erin treated Ceria to a huge breakfast. Not the usual kind either—she’d made spiced porridge seasoned with a bit of fruit to go with mulled wine. It was hot, filling, and it made Pisces stop complaining when they brought it to the cart to be eaten on the road.
Erin sat next to Ceria as they ate from bowls on the bouncing wagon. Pisces and Yvlon looked cold but awake and Ksmvr seemed happy to wolf down the gluten-rich food with no side effects.
“I appreciate the effects of this magical charm. I wonder if it may be duplicated?”
“Probably. It’s such a low-grade enchantment even Springwalker could do it.”
Pisces remarked testily and got a kick and a glare for it. He rubbed his leg as he continued.
“It is possible, but why would you need a second artifact, Ksmvr? My understanding is that you are exiled from your Hive. Unless you have plans to join one of the Antinium Hives in the south?”
Ksmvr went very still as Ceria glared at Pisces. He shrugged insolently. At last, the Antinium spoke quietly.
“It is true that I have been removed from my position due to my incompetence. But I would never join another Hive. My true place—and my Queen—is in Liscor. I hope to return some day, bringing gifts such as this charm to prove my worth. But until I can prove myself useful, I will adventure with you. If I may.”
Ceria nodded.
“Of course, Ksmvr. You’re a valuable member of The Horns of Hammerad.”
“And far better company than Pisces.”
“Hah. While Ksmvr’s presence may be more appealing, may I remind you that my abilities are unique within this group? No one can provide the unique skills and insights that I have at my—”
“Shut up, Pisces.”
“Yeah, shut up, Pisces! You were nicer back when you were in Wistram.”
“What?”
Pisces blinked. He stared at Erin as she frowned at him. Ceria sighed. She didn’t quite meet Pisces’ eyes.
“I told her about our time in Wistram last night.”
“Oh.”
Ksvmr’s head swiveled from Pisces to Ceria as the young man blinked at Ceria and then went red. The Antinium opened his mandibles but Yvlon nudged him.
“Why did you nudge me, Comrade Yv—”
She sighed, pulled him over and whispered into Ksmvr’s earhole while Pisces cleared his throat a few times.
“Ah, Ceria told you about our shared history?”
“She did. She said you were a really nice guy, once. What happened?”
Pisces’ eyes flashed.
“Well, if she told you the truth, you would know that it was because of the unfounded prejudice and intolerance—”
“Because other people were jerks to you. I get it. But you still became sort of a jerk yourself, you know.”
Pisces had nothing to say to that. He just looked at Ceria, angrily, as if she’d given away a precious secret. She stared silently at him, meeting his eyes, until he remembered and looked down. Remembering the past made it harder to sit across from Pisces so easily for Ceria, though she’d made her peace with it all.
Erin glanced between the two, seeing the tension. She raised her voice.
“Um. I do have a few questions. I didn’t ask last night Ceria, but…you know, I think you made some of your story up.”
Ceria frowned at Erin.
“I did not.”
“I dunno…Pisces, you were there. Did Ceria’s master—Illphres—did she really destroy six ships all by herself? And did you and Ceria really fight two Trolls during the entrance exams?”
Pisces’ eyes flicked to Ceria. The half-Elf colored and looked over the wagon’s side.
“I…may have exaggerated some details.”
“Clearly. However, Miss…Erin, I would impress on you one thing. If, that is, Ceria told you how it ended?”
Pisces grew serious. He looked at Ceria as if to ask her what she’d told him. She raised her hand and a fiery creature drew a simple message in the air, in the code only they could read.
Everything.
“—Mages aside. Pirates aside. The Sea Serpent—assuming Springwalker told you there was only one? Yes, that might be exaggerated. But there is no description that can truly convey the power of Wistram’s true rulers. The Golems. Cognita was, and remains, the most powerful being I have ever encountered in the world.”
The wagon grew silent as everyone thought of that. Erin looked back down the frozen road.
“Eve
n that crazy old man with the iPhone?”
“Well, we saw very little of his power. But…yes. The quality of his magic is meaningless against the Golems of Archmage Zelkyr. They were built for war. Mages may cast spells of incredible destruction, but few are suited to combat.”
He met Ceria’s gaze and then looked away again. After another second, Erin piped up.
“You took the bones of the [Archmage], didn’t you? You put them in Toren.”
Yvlon’s head snapped up. Ceria winced, and Pisces drew in his breath sharply.
“I did.”
“Does that mean he was powerful as an [Archmage]?”
“Hardly. And I didn’t use many bones. I only used four.”
“Four?”
Ceria stared at Pisces. He nodded fractionally.
“Four. I carved the spell into the bones, to restore the form I gave Toren no matter how badly he might be broken. They are…what makes him unique. But they consume too much mana for him to survive without a source.”
“I get it.”
Erin sighed. She sat back down in the cart and pulled a blanket over herself. She stared at the grey sky as no one said anything for several minutes.
“You sounded really cool, you know.”
“Excuse me?”
“You. Ceria told me about how you used to duel people, and cast magic. You sounded cool.”
Pisces opened his mouth. He closed it, swallowed, opened it again, and closed it once more. He closed his eyes. Then he spoke quietly.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The cart rumbled onwards, taking the Horns of Hammerad down the road. Occasionally they passed by wagons and called out greetings or asked about dangers on the road. But the adventurers just sat in silence, mainly, along with Termin who was used to just having the company of his own head.
It was a cold day, but they were warm enough. And so Ceria and Pisces sat on opposite sides of the wagon and remembered.
—-
When the sun hit midday, the cart stopped to let the horses rest for a while.
“Even with a Skill they need a break, if only to eat.”
