The Tears of Unicorns

by Victoria Mercier

  ​“Rust, how can I help?”

  ​For a moment, I thought the answer was not coming, then his sigh almost indistinguishable from the flutter of a butterfly’s wings fled his mouth. “Simona plans to challenge Fargo, but I’m afraid she’ll lose to him. I can’t read people’s power levels though. Just a hunch.”

  ​Tristran Fargo was stronger than Simona. No doubt there. His level was around four or almost five, while Simona has reached third. She must have known this, and still, she decided to fight. Her challenge was doomed from the start. And she’d said I was stubborn.

  ​“Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

  Chapter 14

  Selene

  Cold ashes in Esiane’s black eyes stirred for the briefest of moments. She looked arresting to weaker individuals. I could detect her charms though they didn’t possess any influence over me. Her silver hair returned to normalcy. No longer shaved in some long-forgotten trend. She’s watched me the entire evening, while our mother spoke of Flare.

  ​That red-haired girl has bothered her and my actions closed the official doors. Would Mirenne attempt to drag her here or interrogate Flare on the spot, demi-dragons were sure to oppose my mother. Not that they could much. Mirenne was a pure unicorn. Stronger than all demi-dragons combined. Unfortunately for her, the other end of the stick was in hands of a pure dragon. He could stop her and I had no longer doubts – he would. My spies confirmed his agitation with the entire situation in the Academy. His official doors were closed by my hand too. If they wanted Flare, then only the hard way remained.

  ​“You look too calm,” said Esiane over the cooling meal. She hasn’t touched it since the supper started. “The board is concerned about the investigation. A lack of results is a bad sign for the Academy.” She left out the more important part. It was a bad sign for me. I wouldn’t be surprised if the board used this as an excuse to get rid of me so they could plant their puppet. Many have said that unicorns didn’t possess a sense of humor, but it wasn’t exactly true. The board behaved like one faction, but it wasn’t. True, they had some overlapping interest, but beyond that, there was nothing to make them loyal to each other. No matter who they install in my place, the person would never be trusted.

  ​This was funny.

  ​“Isn’t the domain of unicorns a stillness of a mind?”

  ​Esiane already looked like a statue, but my comment caused her to froze completely. Esiane was a very prideful unicorn. Even hinting negatives about the nature of our race was met with absolute hostility on her part.

  ​You’d better prepare for the consequences, sister. You’ve had this annoying brat in your clutches several times.

  ​I could say the same about our mother, Esiane. She spoke to her one on one after Flare and Saaron destroyed a room. Why didn’t our mother investigate her back then? By now, we understood that Flare hadn’t been a priority and Mirenne simply had underestimated the girl. Time has shown how badly. My mother’s error worked in my favor.

  ​The prophecy of Trinity sounded too disruptive and dangerous to consider its fulfillment. Even if Flare wasn’t in any way connected to this prophecy, someone out there was going to be one day.

  ​Mother made a mistake, Selene. But she has learned. You on the other hand…

  ​ Our mother raised her hand as if she knew we were talking about her. The main course disappeared. Expected desserts didn’t replace it. I grabbed a wine glass in case she sent it away as well. One of the last French wines available on Earth.

  ​During our meetings, every door and window had been sealed by potent spells and yet my mother didn’t risk being overheard. She switched to telepathy.

  ​We have to deal with Flare. No more half measures. If we can’t test her without inciting a war with dragons, then she must be removed. I will not risk the higherups learning about her.

  ​So, that was it then. If Mirenne couldn’t have here, no one could. Without titans at our gates, the alliance has deteriorated. My own family didn’t seem far from cutting blood ties with me. Their apparent lack of reaction concerning the voting about Flare meant nothing. They were biding their time.

  ​Leave it with me, mother, Esiane answered talking a sip of wine. Her black eyes stayed on me. I’ll make sure that not a single trace points in our direction.

  ​Use Children of Entropy, my mother said for some reason. They knew better than trust me. Was it misdirection or something else? Their time is due. And you, Selene, make sure that the Shard of Delirium is linked to them. You are dismissed, my daughters.

  ​Gracefully, in the flowing silks, my mother rose. Tattoos on her face gleamed gently, even in the light of the chandelier under the absurdly high ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows that reached at least a hundred feet high.

  ​Her nimble form glided away soundlessly. The air shivered as she unlocked the seals and a half moment later my mother was gone from the dining hall.

  ​“The board awaits your report.”

  ​“Do you understand that some lesser unicorns belong to Children of Entropy? Our reputation can be strained in the eyes of dragons.”

  ​Esiane climbed up, which looked much like an iceberg slowly rising from depths. Her pure white dress had an incredible number of defensive enchantments. Was she afraid of her own sister?

  ​“I hope you know where your fiancé has gone. His sudden disappearance is bothersome. One may think that your marriage after this academic year ends, may not happen.”

  ​Content with the poison in her words, Esiane teleported out, leaving ephemeral flower pedals in her stead.

  *

  With the new order, I expected things to progress quickly. Esiane was not going to waste time.

  ​Faculty rooms were moved above the ground after Saarona and Dramer had wreaked havoc. Ignelions’ sleeping quarter was an exception. His deep dislike has put him at odds with my mother and the board many times. Ignelion’s philosophies weren’t compatible with the current academic program. While he’d maneuvered outside of the rules before Elleria turned a fanatic, now his position was difficult. Increased pressure from other Heads and the board might get him in line.

  ​Just by finding his stupid room, I’ve lost enough time. Fairies were the strangest of the Prime Power. The library at night possessed the charm of a sepulcher. Ghastly forms of bookshelves stood in even rows.

  ​No one in sight, not a living thing around. My senses brushed the entire level of the library. Each section and the commons. Somewhere here among this vastness of knowledge existed an entrance to Ignelion’s abode.

  ​My naked feet scuffed the tiled floor. I closed my eyes as there was no need for them in the darkness. Senses more powerful than sight expanded out of me. They were searching for the slightest traces of active spells. This was difficult in a place like this where each book and shelf have been enchanted. A bit of like looking for a specific tree in a forest.

  ​It only proved how cunning he was.

  ​None the less, even Ignelion has made mistakes. Otherwise, he wouldn’t find himself in such a position. The air stirred and a wisp of light burst to life.

  ​Then another one.

  ​And another.

  ​I followed their ghostly projections until they coalesced into an insubstantial frame. Senses of any lesser beings wouldn’t pick the trail up. Spells were useless. Ignelion created a pocket dimension within a fabric of reality. It differed from dimensional expansions used by the dormitory rooms and other pocket dimensions all over the Academy. His creation wasn’t attached to anything. It alone revealed how advanced and complex magic he’d used in this place.

  ​I have to admit, Ignelion. This is impressive.

  ​When the first combination of spells touched the frame, nothing happened. This was expected. It wouldn’t do Ignelion any good if any good fifth-year could find and open his quarters. I was a demi-unicorn and many of my innate abilities were heightened.

  ​Magic could be explained like a spectrum of light. Each being wh
o wielded magic had access to a slice of it. Some very narrow, others very wide. Most in the middle and that was why most spells overlapped. Unicorns possessed the most developed psychic sorcery among all Prime Powers. Not even vampires could impress us. Their compulsion was a weak substitute for full mind control. Not that we practiced it. At the moment, except for military purposes, mind control was illegal.

  ​As the second volley of spells passed through, I concentrated the essence of unicornic magic. It possessed a life of its own and the first thing it did, was morphing into a translucent eel that glided through the air. It reached the door frame between bookshelves and immediately started to cling to it. My essence was attracted by the fairy’s magic as my father had a drop of their blood.

  ​Sometimes, the solution resided in details invisible to others.

  ​The eel grew consuming the energy emanating from within the pocket dimension. The door came to life the same moment the eel materialized. I gestured the spirit away out of existence.

  ​Before I touched the handle, I let my mirror image to grab it first. Nothing happened. I moved into a place of the mirror image dissipating it. The door opened without the slightest sound or resistance.

  ​Boldened, I entered the huge living space. On the bricked side a huge fireplace held hungry flames suspended in time. So, Ignelion experiments with our sorcery. Time magic was rare amongst ordinary unicorns and even rarer in faires. My fingers snapped unlocking the flames. Heat and sound flicked to life. A human part in me found comfort in the cracking noise of the fire. Humans were a mysterious race living alone among the stars without any sorcery and yet, they had brought the Titans to their little planet. Their strangeness manifested in the fact that they could mate easily with other races, which was impossible for others. Dragons and unicorns couldn’t have offspring together. There lay a crux of the problem. Neither of the Prime Powers couldn’t mix. And even my birth was hailed as an anomaly.

  ​I picked a long and surprisingly cozy sofa that overlooked a balcony filled with a substantial number of bookshelves. Light cascaded from the ceiling in patterns trapped within hanging crystal lines. Ignelion’s lighting taste was rather off.

  ​The sofa proved to not only look good but also be very balanced. I didn’t want to be sucked into its bowels. Like most Prime Powers, unicorns had a gift of extremely good sight. Ignelion had a nice collection of books here.

  ​Revolution Hidden by Darkness.

  ​Fifth Prime Power.

  ​Unwitnessed Miracle.

  ​Trinity.

  ​The fourth position on his vast book collection already gave me pause. This book was banned from every library in the world. I’ve never gotten a chance to study it in depth. Eight years ago someone come to Earth and things have changed. His presence, while unclear even to demi-unicorns and demi-dragons has been kept in absolute secrecy outside of us. That year Atrax and Mirenne published a list of banned books and texts. It looked like Ignelion…

  ​“How should I react to a demi-unicorn invading my private space?” asked Ignelion from the far left side of the balcony. These books consumed me. He noticed my attention and I saw the blood drain out of his face.

  ​“If you’re so afraid of having them, then why not keep them somewhere safe?”

  ​Ignelion shook his head. His crimson dressing-gown tightly wrapped around his thin frame. “We both know it doesn’t work this way. Seeker spells can find the best hidden items. If Dragon Soldier appeared…”

  ​“You’re missing my point,” I explained. “Keeping it out of guests eyes should be enough.”

  ​“I don’t have guests, demi-unicorn. Elleria taught me a lesson. Why are you here? In the middle of the night.”

  ​“I need to borrow your abilities, Ignelion.”

  Chapter 15

  Writing three essays in a row should be illegal. It didn’t matter that I used an enchanted pen. My brain hurt. The extended history of the Prime Powers could be confusing. Dragons and unicorns came from their own planets while the first elementals had their DNA infected by the Titans, which subsequently had led to the emergent of the elementals we knew now. Fairies were a different story. The book Mr Raminov had asked us to read – The Spark in the Storm – spoke of the origin of fairies. I didn’t buy the narration. The book claimed that fairies as the fourth Prime Power had emerged out of nowhere during the most intense fights with the Titans. Then it proceeded at explaining theories behind their existence.

  ​“Rebecca where do fairies come from?”

  ​My personal assistant gathered its attention on me while her wings slowed down letting her fall on the commode in the bedroom. “Their origin is unknown. They appeared some years after the war had broken out…”

  ​“Okay, okay.” I had enough bullshit for one evening. “Contact Vesalius Black tell him to meet me in out of the commons.” It was late and we could only meet in a room which directly connected fairies’ and dragons’sections. Despite my best efforts to avoid him, I needed Vesalius more than ever.

  ​Rebecca didn’t like it. She scowled trying to find an argument against our meeting. My behavior points were above 70 and while I couldn’t leave dragon’s section without special permission after 6 pm, going to the common rooms was perfectly okay.

  ​“Think of it, Flare. You were targeted by some madman with the Shard of Delirium. They didn’t find who had been behind it. You should stay here.”

  ​“Call him or I’ll come up with handy torture.” I snatched a book from my bed. This one was from Lotian. It introduced techniques of learning more complex spells and enchantments. This didn’t teach any specific spells only a way to prepare a body and mind for more awesome stuff.

  ​She shivered as if I brought a blizzard into the room. Obviously, I’d never use torture on her. This she didn’t need to know, to ensure that I’ve made sure to be extra careful with my thoughts.

  ​After a few seconds, she sighed, then belched. Her tiny hand shot to her tinier mouth. I liked the expression on her face. I learned this spell entirely on my own. It didn’t require much power, it was all about precision. There was another important lesson. Strength was only a part of equitation. Things like precision, timing or sensitivity played a crucial role. Magic wasn’t a contest of who could throw a rock farther away. Perhaps, it was the turning point for me, understanding this subtle distinction.

  ​A head-on confrontation might still favor brute strength, but the Academy wasn’t about the obvious confrontation as it led to losing behavior points. My enemies decided to stay in the shadow. Fargo was an exception. That idiot challenged me and my friends openly. The time to give him a lesson was approaching.

  ​“He’s on his way. I’ll show the way,” said Rebecca after a short struggle with herself.

  *

  ​The Dragon Soldier followed my steps more closely after I’ve tried to lose him a couple of times. Nothing personal.

  ​We came to a common room, which looked generic to my eyes. Vesalius Black turned. His blue kimono made no sense to my fashion instincts. His downward-pointing ears have unsettled me since our first meeting. Strange. In the Wastelands, I’ve encountered things that looked barely human. I could deal with differences.

  ​He showed me an empty flower-patterned armchair. We weren’t alone here. Two other dragon students played some magic board game I didn’t know. Their attention barely grazed us. Not even the Dragon Soldier made them twist their necks. Fucking hell. Nix caused me many issues ordering this blockhead to follow me around. I wasn’t some stuck up VIP who needed a personal guard.

  ​Just go away, Rebecca. If I need help, I can call that useless soldier or Lotian. So, see you later.

  ​She couldn’t help it. Saaron’s enchantments were too deeply ingrained inside her. She’d do everything in her might to stay with me.

  ​I sent her away.

  ​“Long time no see,” said Vesalius taking another armchair. “Your personal assistant said it was urgent… and stupid.”

>   ​That little bitch, I laughed inwardly. While her over-protective behavior has been driving me crazy, I appreciated it. Being badass was badass, but nothing could replace feelings of being cared about. Such strange paths my fate has chosen.

  ​“Yeah,” I agreed, giving a pointed look at the two dragon students. Vesalius picked it up and noted between breaths. “I can conjure a soundproof bubble around us, but I guess, it may attract their attention that way. I don’t think we interest them much.”

  ​Even though I wanted to agree with him, I couldn’t.

  ​Vesalius sighed reading my expression.

  ​“Okay, I got you.” He reached between the folds of his kimono and produced a square-like shape cut from many directions and angles. He poked it gently letting it fall onto the table. It never touched the wooden surface. Two inches from it, the thing arrested in the air and started spinning madly. “It scrambles sorcery around. They can’t use magical means to hear us… at least for a couple of minutes. It may also mess with their board game.”

  ​Sorry, boys. I can’t risk.

  ​“Ves,” I didn’t know where this came from, but it was too late to take it back. “I need your help. It’s about Simona and Tristran Fargo.”

  ​I could see the storm brewing in his eyes. I hadn’t been sure before, now I was. Simona’s feelings were mutual. It warmed me knowing that she wouldn’t suffer unless this guy was some crook. I was an idiot. I should have asked Rebecca or Lotian about his father, but I’ve been too distracted lately.

  ​“What about them?” He kept his tone calm, but I sensed his growing agitation. “I thought he was after you.”

  ​“Don’t worry, he still is.” Now I wasn’t sure if I still liked him. The way he switched his attitude bothered me. The first time we met, he posed a cool dude like Lotian. This nonchalant air was gone now. Okay, focus. You didn’t come here to make him like you, I reminded himself harshly. “I spoke to Rust the other day and he revealed to me that Simona had challenged Fargo. I don’t know the details, but she won’t beat him. He’s stronger.”