by Ben Hale
She blinked as she realized that the fountain adjacent to it was actually an office, and that its walls were made of streaming water. Rather than translucent, the water building displayed vibrant colors as the light struck its curving surface.
After a short way they entered the shadow of the enormous tower, and Tess raised her eyes to get a closer look. Standing in the exact center of the city, the Spirus pierced the sky. The base was an enormous octagon, but the lines soon smoothed out on its way to the clouds. Like rivers of light, streams of glass flowed through the white granite. Aside from a few dozen balconies, the entire structure appeared sheer.
"How many levels are in the tower?" Tess asked, interrupting Rox's description of how to perform a flip.
Rox laughed in chagrin. "I forgot you've never been outside of Tryton’s. The Spirus has sixty-three floors above ground, and contains most of the governing bodies of the Magtherian. The council itself convenes near the top. The rest of it houses the various departments. Only the first two floors are open to the public, and represent the greatest collection of artifacts from our history. Beneath the surface, battlemages guard the caverns. I have no idea what's down there."
"Six floors are underground," Iris said matter of factly.
"Do you know what they contain?"
"I wish," Iris said with a snort. "What I wouldn't give to get an eye down there."
"Just how big is the city?" Tess asked, realizing they had been walking for several minutes but had yet to see an end to the treeways.
"I believe the entire city is over twenty square miles," Rox said.
"Is it always so high?" Tess asked. For a minute she had forgotten that they were in the clouds.
"It varies," Iris replied. "But most of the time we hover around twenty thousand feet."
Tess's lips twitched as she realized that it no longer elicited fear within her. Then she recalled how thin the air was at that height. She had gone on a hike when she was younger and the higher altitude had wreaked havoc on her breathing.
"How are we breathing normally when we’re so high?" she asked.
Rox swept a hand at the cloud that surrounded the city. "The cloudwall does a number of things. First, of course, it protects us from being seen, but it also keeps the air within the city more akin to a lower altitude. The city is always moving as well, but typically flies over North America."
She smirked and added. "You've probably seen the city without realizing it," she said. "Or haven't you ever looked at a particularly dense cloud and wondered what lay inside it?"
Tess fell silent. Over the last few weeks she'd gotten so focused on her studies that she'd all but forgotten how much she did not know. How could this have existed without discovery? It seemed impossible, and yet the way her friends talked it sounded . . . plausible.
"Do any aurens know about us?" Tess asked.
"Of course," Iris said. "But not very many outside of high ranking government officials. There is even a detachment of the Mage Security Bureau that protects a few of them."
"Really?" Rox asked. "I didn't realize there were so many that knew."
"Didn't your father work with the Auren Security Squad for a while?" Iris asked Rox.
"I . . . didn't know that," Rox said, and looked away.
"You too, huh?" Tess said with a grunt.
"What do you mean?" Rox asked.
"My dad has worked for the government for my entire life," Tess said, "but I have no idea what he does."
Her comment seemed to cheer Rox up, and the conversation shifted. The moment reminded Tess that although she counted Iris, Rox and Derek as close friends, she had shared little about her life prior to Tryton’s. For the next few minutes she tried to decide if it was due to her overestimating their friendship . . . or because she still hadn't accepted that her parents were not hers.
On impulse she decided to voice her thoughts. "Iris, do you remember how I said that I was mage born, but auren raised?"
Iris nodded as Rox turned to face her. "Really?" Rox asked. "I guess I just assumed you were mage born."
"I found out about all of this shortly before I came to Tryton’s."
Rox frowned. "You kind of made it sound like you had been doing magic for a while."
"I know," Tess said, "and I am sorry about that. I broke my binding and nearly torched a building. I guess I was afraid of what people would expect from me."
Iris began to laugh. "I know what that's like—the torching a building part anyway."
Rox shrugged. "So, why tell us now?"
Tess hesitated, and then said, "I guess I don't want you to think I'm someone I'm not—especially since that's not everything I've held back." She wiped her forehead, feeling like it had suddenly gotten very warm. "I just need you guys to trust me, that's all."
Rox appeared confused, but Iris's expression was piercing. "Can you do that for me?" Tess asked.
After a moment both girls agreed, but Tess didn't like the look in Iris's eyes. It was the same look she had when she was about to hack into someone's private messages. For a long moment she met her roommate's gaze, and hoped she didn't look too suspicious. She already regretted saying anything.
"So if you were mage born," Iris asked slowly, "then who were your parents?"
Chapter 20: The High Council
Tess was saved from answering as Director Grayson called for them to board a river train. Flat-bottomed and sleek, the vessel rested on a wide, curving river. It bore no roof, but it was well shaded beneath the tree canopies. Its hull was veined with the faint purple lines that Tess had come to recognize as an indication of gravity magic.
Once they were aboard, the long boat rose into the air and whisked them along the river's surface. Tess pretended to be fascinated with the boat, and her friends let the subject drop. As with the terra train, this one went much faster than she would have expected. Water sprayed into the air at their passage, and in minutes they reached their destination.
The boat followed the river directly into the lowest level of the Spirus. It slowed as it went under a massive arch and came to a halt next to a glittering gold dock. The moment it stopped the students excitedly disembarked. As Tess stepped off she lifted her gaze to the enormous chamber.
Well over fifty feet high, the first level of the Spirus was massive. Curving supports arched gracefully to the high ceiling, allowing for an almost uninterrupted view of the surrounding treescape. Ringing the space, a terrace overlooked the ground. Stone flowed like water to embrace it. Both the arches and the pillars glowed with luminescence.
Aside from the river that had brought them into it, both levels of the chamber were filled with objects. Without exception all of them bore the marking of age, and varied greatly in size and shape. The largest was a statue of a hulking warrior that reached almost to the ceiling, while the smallest was a simple orb of glass. As the crowd moved between the glowing displays, Director Grayson began a running commentary.
"For those that are new to the Spirus, I'll give you some background." He raised his voice to be heard. "These first two levels are called the Recollection, and contain artifacts and items from throughout our history. Some you may recognize from your History of Magic studies."
He gestured to items as he passed, identifying them for the students. Tess was surprised at the sheer number of artifacts. Although many were weapons, some were just stones, remnants of buildings, wars, and heroic individuals. Others’ purpose she could not discern. One was even an ancient ship, complete with a giant mast and sails.
The group came to a halt at the exact center of the chamber, where a small section of stone looked like it had been scooped from a plateau. A black obelisk stood on one end. Its surface was polished to the point of reflection, marred only by a slanted hole that pierced it near the top. Sunlight had been reflected to pass through it, creating a beam of light that came to rest a few inches from the largest sword that Tess had ever seen. Even with only half the blade visible, it still caused her to shudder
. Who could have wielded such a thing?
"The Second Draeken War Monument," Director Grayson said, his voice reverent. "It was erected by our school's founder, Siarra Elseerian, and the legendary Commander Braon after their victory over Draeken's fiends. When it was moved to this location the council ensured that once a year a light would shine through, as was intended. With the anniversary coming up in a few months, you will be learning much more about the conflict. For now, we should continue to our destination."
With that he turned and strode away. The group of students followed, but many paused as they walked between the sword and the obelisk. In a hush, some touched the sword, others the obelisk, but most paused to read the inscription on the dark surface. Tess peered through a gap in the students and read it.
For seven days, the gathered races fought the endless night.
United, we prevailed.
It felt like the words spoke to Tess more than the others, and she stared at them until all of the other students had moved on. Director Grayson's words about the ancient triumph didn't seem to inspire the same feeling in her as it did the other students. Worry laced with fear trickled through her, holding her fast until Rox called to her.
Realizing she had fallen behind, she leapt into the air and soared to meet her classmates. She landed next to her friends just as Director Grayson came to a halt and turned to face them. Then he gestured to a series of holes in the ground.
"Use the ascenders one at a time please," he said.
Taking the lead, he stepped into one of the holes. Rather than fall, he hovered as if he stood on solid ground. "Council Chambers," he said in a clear voice. In response to his words there was a flicker of purple light. Barely visible, it resembled a tube between the director and the ceiling. An instant later the mage soared upward and disappeared through a hole in the ceiling.
One by one the crowd of students stepped onto the collection of holes and said the same. Each rose into the ceiling. After a few students it became obvious which were auren born. Tess wondered if her hesitation would betray her as well.
When it was her turn Tess stepped onto the hole with only a flash of worry. She couldn't imagine doing it so easily if she wasn't a flyer. She announced her destination, but was distracted as Iris slapped the wall nearby. A moment later she saw the flicker of purple light and her body felt an incredible sensation of lightness. It reminded her of the moment on a trampoline when she'd reached the highest point of a jump.
Then she accelerated upward. Floor after floor passed in a blur of lines. She gathered the courage to reach out as she ascended, but found an invisible barrier at the end of her reach. At her touch it glowed purple, reassuring her that she couldn't accidentally fall out. Then the ascender began to slow, and a moment later came to a stop in a very different chamber.
She stepped off the black hole at her feet and joined the group of students that stood facing a wide, shallow bowl. Hundreds of seats filled the ring, and looked down onto a large white table. Five ornate chairs sat around it as beams of light shone onto them.
The room felt old, as if it had been built elsewhere and then moved to this location. The walls were of worn stone, and carried a reddish hue. The council's chairs were fashioned of polished darkwood, and appeared to be crafted with runes and symbols across their backs. The ceiling was an enormous dome that looked similar to the Star Hall at Tryton’s. This one reflected a light blue, making the room feel like it was open to the sky.
Pillars wrapped around the room, and between them a corridor was visible that similarly circled the chamber. Outside the chamber a more modern wall had doors leading to offices. Tess was pulled from her examination as a voice spoke from the side.
"Welcome, students of Tryton’s, to the high council chamber."
The man who spoke wore a shimmering cloak of deep blue, and a regal vest of the same color. His features were wrinkled with age, but soft and kind. His hair was black but streaked with white, and trimmed well.
"I am High Chancellor Anderson." He swept his hand to the man at his side. "And this is Chancellor Ranson."
The second man couldn't have been more different. Although they appeared close to the same age, Ranson's face held no trace of kindness. His hair was white, but appeared dingy rather than pure. Glittering green eyes bored into each of the students as if he were examining them for potential threats.
"It seems that Chancellor Gerik has been detained," Anderson said with a wry smile, "so you will have to endure my ramblings until he arrives."
His expression elicited smiles from the students. Beaming at them, he launched into a description of the inner workings of the high council as he led them toward the white table at its center.
"Can anyone tell me where this table, the chairs, and everything else in this chamber are from?" he asked. He swept his hands at the space.
A girl in the front row raised her hand, and said, "It was the council chamber in Atlantis until the mages went into hiding."
Tess blinked and leaned in, surprised at the reference to the fabled city.
Anderson flashed a brilliant smile. "Excellent, and correct." He began to walk slowly around the table. "Although it existed two thousand years before his time, the auren philosopher Plato described the city best. Taking from notes and references from other historians, he said that the city's founders were half man, and half god—an obvious attempt to describe the mages who built it.
"He also said that it was a near perfect civilization with a great naval armada, again referencing the unique ships that the mages favored at that time. The ships were not built exclusively for war, but for transportation as well."
He motioned to the table, and its surface glowed to life. Lines of white swirled into place to display a glittering collection of islands. Strange ships sailed in the paths between them, and vaguely resembled the river boat that had carried the students to the Spirus.
"As you can see, Atlantis was a city of concentric islands that surrounded a large, central island. Widely known for its lush vegetation, riches, and exotic wildlife, it was a beacon of light for the world for over a thousand years. Reason, justice, and the balance of law were a staple in Atlantis, and continued until the Great Mage War.
"For ten years the conflict raged, leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of aurens and mages. Throughout most of it Atlantis went relatively untouched, but it couldn't ignore the rising tide of anger. Near the end whole nations declared war on the magical community, and the extermination began. Mages struck back, but neither side seemed to be winning. The aurens were too numerous, and the mages too powerful, so for a time the only victor was death itself.
Anderson passed a hand over his face as if the tragedy was personal. Behind him, Ranson scowled at the reference.
"In the end the downfall of the city wasn't the armies that sought to destroy it, it was the arrogance from within. Fortunately for us, there were still mages wise enough to see that the war had no victor. Gathering their support, they decided that magic needed to withdraw from the world. Feigning defeat, the mages gradually retreated to Atlantis, where a final battle was set to occur. Before it could, the city sank in a single day and night."
The story had evidently taken a darker tone than Anderson intended, because he gathered himself and smiled. "Prior to that day much effort was made to save the rare animals and artifacts; many of the latter lie in the Recollection to this day. There was also an attempt to save certain pieces of architecture. This room was one of those that survived, and now represents everything that we have sought to build. It is an example for all of us."
"An example that remains unseen," Ranson muttered, but it was audible enough for Tess to hear. Then he added in a louder voice, "With our advanced understanding, we have an obligation to uphold. The aurens suffer while we soar in the clouds. They need someone to guide them, someone to enforce law, someone to control their—ˮ
"What my colleague means is that we must seek to help the aurens, where possible,"
Anderson said. An edge had crept into his tone that caused Ranson to glower.
Anderson seemed about to say more, but decided against it. Stepping away from the white table, he changed the subject.
"Can anyone tell me how our government has changed in the last six thousand years?" he asked briskly.
A skinny boy from one of Tess's classes answered, "The role of the council shifted."
Anderson smiled as he led the way out of the bowl. "Correct again. I do believe that your teachers deserve praise. What our young friend has referred to occurred soon after the rise of the technology mages." He paused as he caught sight of a tall, thin man walking toward them.
"Ah, Keidon," he said, "your timing is flawless. I would like to introduce you to the first quads of Tryton’s . . ."
Keidon ignored him, and walked around him as if the high chancellor hadn't spoken. His face was distracted and his eyes were glazed. As he passed Tess heard him muttering under his breath.
Anderson took it in stride with a chuckle. "For those who haven't met him before, the head of the Bureau for Magical Technology is a prime example of a technology mage."
His comment elicited smothered laughter from the students. When it subsided he continued where he'd left off.
"The advent of near instant communication made it possible for us to end the antiquated system of electing officials to represent and make decisions for us. Now the council merely recommends laws, and then administrates and enforces decisions made by the general populace. Once a month the people have a vote—ˮ
For the fifth time since they had entered the room Iris slapped a wall, and this time it was close enough to Anderson that it startled him. He blinked and stared at Iris, who stared back with a vaguely curious expression.
"Er . . . where was I," Anderson said, trying to recollect his thoughts. After a moment he sighed and moved to the door next to them. "This office is for the head of the Magical Transportation Agency, who . . ."
