“How can that be?” Raine looked up from her notebook. “How could we know more about what went on here on Earth that long ago than what we do about Oriceran when they’ve had powerful magic and civilization longer?”
“Another good question, Raine, and a source of some mild irony. On Earth, history and archaeology are a combination of scouring records and finding artifacts or remains.” The professor summoned an image of the pyramids. “But many scientific techniques are far less reliable when applied to magical artifacts, ruins, or even remains affected by magic, which is why human scholars are still learning to reconstruct many aspects of their past in combination with Oriceran records. But unlike Earth, Oriceran’s always been a planet of inherent magic and with different physical conditions, which means many of the scientific tests are useless. The Great War itself altered the landscape and changed the planet in many ways that linger to this very day.”
It was Adrien, this time, who raised his hand. “What about magic, then? Spells to peer into the past?”
“A good thought, and one that’s been considered by Oriceran scholars. Such spells have their own limitations, however.” She pointed her wand at each wall of the room. “In a way, it’s a similar problem to the human scientific methods. Magical interference. We can see snatches of the distant past, but as we go farther back, even those spells fail despite great effort. The kind of paleontology seen on Earth is less useful because it’s harder to collate found artifacts with dates. A found artifact might be ten thousand years old, or it might be five hundred thousand years old. We simply can’t be sure.”
Raine stared at her professor, wide-eyed. “You’re saying it’s simply a mystery then? No one really knows what happened on Oriceran in the distant past?”
Several students murmured their agreement, shocked that even the most powerful of magicals on Oriceran didn’t know more.
Professor Hudson shrugged but a smile still played on her lips. “Know? I’d say not. But there are many different theories based on evidence. The living state of magic and the huge species diversity on Oriceran has made the planet perhaps less interested in certain aspects of the past as you see on Earth, but that doesn’t mean no one’s considering it.”
She raised a finger. “One popular theory is that there’s nothing. That history on Oriceran simply began fifty thousand years ago.” She raised another finger. “Another theory suggests a cataclysm, something like the Great War, but worse. The so-called adherents of the Cyclic Doom school of thought suggest that beyond the cycles of Earth and Oriceran, there are cycles of destruction and rebirth out of the ashes of war on Oriceran.”
Several students shuddered at the thought, including several of Raine’s friends. Still, Adrien, Raine, and Cameron all found the idea more fascinating than frightening.
A third finger rose. “A less dramatic theory suggests that Oriceran history was very similar to early human history in that the magicals there lived in smaller groups and used magic extensively enough that they didn’t need to travel much. Having access to magic freed many of them from some of the survival concerns ancient humans had to deal with, and the long-lived nature and reproductive cycles of many species helped result in a greater natural balance. The scholars of the Simple Past school of thought insist that there are no great mysteries there and no grand civilization to find.”
Cameron cleared his throat and raised his hand. He waited to be called on before speaking. “What’s the craziest theory out there?”
Professor Hudson laughed, delighted by the question. Raine grinned over her shoulder at her boyfriend.
“Craziest?” the professor mused. “That’s a matter of perspective, but I’ll give you two that I find intriguing in an amusing way, even if the collected evidence doesn’t support them at all.”
The students who’d looked bored earlier sat up to pay attention. Everyone liked a good out-there theory.
Professor Hudson flicked her wand and generated an image of calendars from different cultures. “One of the more outlandish ideas is the so-called Third Gate theory. In this, the gates between Earth and Oriceran aren’t the only ones. There might be even more disruptive gates connecting Oriceran to other planets, and these gates only open on time scales that even the longest-lived Oriceran finds challenging to conceive of. The idea behind the Third Gate theory is that Oricean civilization is destroyed during these cycles, so it’s really related to the Cyclic Doom theory. The proponents of the latter have pointed out—and rightly so—that there’s no evidence of other planets with powerful magic that might disrupt Oriceran in such a way.”
Relief swept through the students. Raine didn’t believe it at all. She didn’t care how much magical disruption there was, if some ancient gate had opened in the past, there’d be someone who would find evidence, especially with so many clever species like gnomes on Oriceran.
“We could go on all day with strange theories,” the professor continued, “so I’ll share only one more. It goes by many names, but it’s sometimes called the Omnipotent Child’s Toy.”
Several students laughed at the odd name. Raine wrote it down and underlined it twice.
“Under this theory, Oriceran and Earth aren’t real. They’re magical simulations, as are the beings on them.” Professor Hudson chuckled and pointed with her wand at a pair of Arc Eighty-Eight glasses that jutted from a boy’s pocket. “Something like your game rather than like Louper. We’re all simply magical puppets for someone’s entertainment—perhaps some vastly powerful child who is bored and doesn’t want to do his homework from his planet-making lesson.”
The entire class laughed.
Professor Hudson waited for the laughter to die down. “Of course, human philosophers have similar theories about the world being a simulation of an advanced computer and that sort of thing.”
“And what do you believe?” Raine asked quietly.
“I believe that sometimes, a little mystery is fun,” the older witch replied, a soft smile on her face.
Chapter Fourteen
Raine spread the five books out in front of her, all books on Oriceran history—The Question of the Far Past, Third Gate, and Other Controversies, Quatrains and Cycles, A Critical History of the Great War and Oriceran: Past, Present, and Future.
Librarian Decker wandered past and quirked a brow at the collection. “That’s an interesting collection of books, Raine.”
“It’s something we talked about in class the other day—how people don’t know for sure what happened in the distant past on Oriceran.” She ran her hands lovingly over one of the books. There was nothing like learning something new.
“That’s true.” The gnome tapped Third Gate. “You have a quick and clever mind but be careful what you believe. It’s as you said. People don’t know, but some want to convince you that they do. Passion isn’t the same thing as truth.”
“What do you believe?”
“I believe if the past is so distant that we don’t even know it, I don’t know how much I should worry about it.” Librarian Decker grinned. “I’ve found that the longer that I’ve lived, the more I appreciate each moment, rather than worrying about the past or future as much.”
Raine sighed and nodded. “Maybe that’s why I’m so interested in this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Witches can live longer than normal humans, but they don’t live as long as gnomes.”
“Very few species do.” He shrugged, an apologetic look on his face.
She glanced at the head librarian and then off in the distance at Joe. “I’m only a teenager. It’s hard to wrap my head around how there are people who are hundreds of years old. Thousands of years old.” She shook her head. “Even graduation seems way off to me, and that’s only a couple years away.”
Librarian Decker pulled up a chair and took a seat. “You’ll find, Raine, as you get older, that time seems to speed up in its own way. The days start to blur together, then the weeks, then the years. In my case, even the deca
des and centuries. It doesn’t matter how old you’ll be in the end.”
“How can you say that, though?” Raine stared at him. “You’re older than my country. Probably most countries on Earth.”
The gnome folded his hands in front of him and studied her for a moment. He could see the desperation in her eyes and wanted to do his part to calm the curious and thoughtful girl. With her parents dead, mortality weighed heavier on her than some of her fellow students.
“Because it doesn’t matter in the end,” he said softly. “How long you live doesn’t matter in the end. Even gnomes eventually die. The most important thing, regardless of lifespan, is how you spend that time.”
“How you spend that time?”
“Yes.” Librarian Decker picked up A Critical History of the Great War. “We had a lasting peace on Oriceran, but we also had a terrible war that threatened everything. Magic and longer lives didn’t keep us from that foolishness. Even setting the war aside, I’ve known Oricerans who did nothing but wallow in decadence or cause trouble for centuries, and others who spent centuries devoted to selfless service. While not all Light Elves are perfect, many are paragons of service and put their own needs aside to help not only others of their kind, but others in general. This is why the Fixer is always a Light Elf.”
Raine nodded slowly as she soaked in all the information.
“But many of the witch clans got into trouble when left idle and unwatched.” The gnome shook his head, faint irritation on his face. “Magic, power, and long life don’t guarantee anything but greater possibilities for both good and evil. Yes, long-lived beings can take the time to appreciate and do something well.” He set down A Critical History and picked up Oriceran: Past, Present, and Future. “But maybe because the average human doesn’t live so long, they were more motivated. The occasional push from an Oriceran was there throughout history, but human civilization is still mostly a product of human ingenuity. From spears to the moon. Oriceran advances occurred far less rapidly.” He set the book down.
“And now we have technology and magic,” Raine all but whispered as she started to consider the implications.
Librarian Decker nodded. “Exactly. The last time the gates were open, you couldn’t compete with magic at all, but now, technology is here and is even mixed with magic, like it is in the Entrepreneurs Club. In a few hundred years, we’ll find out if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.” He turned his head and frowned.
Raine followed his new focus. A student had stepped into the library in Arc Eighty-Eight glasses, but the headmistress had banned them from both classes and the library.
Joe headed over to the student to explain the error of his ways.
“Do you think it’s a good thing that the headmistress banned the game from the library?” Raine asked and turned back toward the head librarian.
“It’s good that she did it. To be honest, I planned to do it myself. I find it…disrespectful to the books.” His poppy blew a raspberry.
“I tried it.” Raine watched as the boy turned and left the library. “It’s strange how realistic the NPCs are.”
“NPCs?”
“Non-player characters.” She shrugged. “At least that’s what they call them in human non-magical video games. Characters that aren’t real. I’d say ‘computer-controlled,’ but I don’t think that’s what happens in this game.”
“Ah.” The gnome pursed his lips. “This is one time where age brings perspective.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
He nodded in the direction the boy had gone. “This kind of thing comes around every few hundred years in one form or another, at least as a fad. There are always people who want to escape reality into a fake one. It’s usually harmless—a way to relax, and not that widespread—but occasionally, it gets very popular. Sometimes, that’s a good thing and sometimes, that’s a bad thing.”
Raine started stacking her books. “There was a game like Arc Eighty-Eight before?”
“A different form but the same idea. For example, there was a painting diving craze on Oriceran about five hundred years back.”
“Painting diving?” Raine stared at him as she tried to understand what the phrase even meant.
“Yes. It’s much like it sounds. You used magic to enter a painting like they were a separate world. It was all the rage for a while. Artists were sought after to make the most elaborate paintings, and more and more magic was experimented with to improve the whole experience.” Librarian Decker shook his head as he remembered the foolishness that accompanied much of the fad. “It finally grew a little dangerous and people were hurt, so it became less popular. I’m sure there are still people who do painting diving today, but it’s a niche interest.”
“Woah.”
The gnome grinned and winked. “It could have been worse. We didn’t have cubists and surrealists on Oriceran at the time.”
Chapter Fifteen
Agent Connor smiled warmly at the gathered students. “Thank you for attending this guest lecture on magicals in government service. Please keep an open mind and remember, it’s not only about the PDA anymore. Also, keep in mind what I said. If you’re not interested in law enforcement or intelligence, there are numerous agencies out there who are interested in expanding their magic capabilities. The FDA, for example, has hired wizards and witches as part of their new mandate to verify the safety of magically modified foods. If you have any questions, you know where to find me.”
The students all stood and shuffled toward the door. The agent was a little disappointed that almost no one asked questions, but he would have to keep at it if he wanted to be a resource for them. A lecture at least once a semester until Raine graduated wouldn’t be too much of a trial.
Raine lingered at the front table, her brow furrowed in deep thought as she considered everything he’d mentioned during the lecture.
Bruce wandered over to her table. “That goes even more so for you, Raine. You’ve barely come to see me since the semester began.”
“I…I’m sorry.” She looked away and blushed. “There’s been so much going on.”
“I understand that, but you have a clear goal to join the FBI.”
“I know.” She looked up. “And that’s what I was just thinking about.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. It’s hard.” Raine considered what she would say before she continued. “There’s so much I want to learn here. So much I didn’t know about before.”
Agent Connor nodded slowly. “That’s not a bad thing.”
“But I realize I have to make choices. One of those is that I don’t want to sacrifice time with my friends. They’re too important.”
“And what else have you thought about?” He stared at her for a moment and wondered if the girl’s determination to join the FBI had faltered. He’d be disappointed if she decided she didn’t want to join the bureau, but he also wanted her to do what was best for her.
“I want to join the FBI,” she insisted, determination in her eyes. “I want to follow in my father’s footsteps.”
The agent folded his arms. “I can help make that happen, but it means you’ll probably have to make more choices, as you yourself said. You only have so much time in the day.”
“I know. I’ve already decided to leave the Student Council after this year. I’d quit earlier, but that wouldn’t be fair to the others.” Raine groaned. “And I’ll spend less time in the library. Not no time, but less.”
“A true sacrifice.” He gave her a playful grin.
“I won’t sacrifice my magic or my friends, but I do want to spend more time doing FBI training. I want to learn how to be a good investigator. If I know more about what the bureau needs, I can give more informed thought to how to make my magic work better for investigations.”
“That sounds like a good plan, and you have a good, realistic view of what the FBI is. We’re investigators, first and foremost. Obviously, with everything you have going on, it’s not exactly like I can put
you through a full Quantico experience, but at least some basic investigation training will help.” Agent Connor scratched his chin as he considered the possibilities. “How does this sound? I can grab and print out some older closed-case information files next time I leave the school. You can look through some of them to get a better idea of the scope of investigations. Once you familiarize yourself with those, we can talk more about actual investigations.”
“Thanks, Agent Connor. I feel better about the whole situation.”
“See? All you need to do is talk to me.”
Chapter Sixteen
Raine settled in beside Cameron on the couch, a small bowl of popcorn in her lap and an open package of Twizzlers on the armrest of the couch. For their previous movie night, she’d brought Death of the Last Watchmen, a recently made Oscar-award-winning drama about the destruction of the Silver Griffins, a pre-gate opening society that helped keep magic on Earth under control. Before that, Adrien had brought a classic movie about French parkour cops and government conspiracy, District 13.
Tonight was Sara’s turn, and everyone was curious about what she’d bring. When Raine asked her, she’d insisted she wanted it kept secret because she wanted everyone to be surprised.
Sara pulled out her unmarked DVD case with a mischievous grin and made her way to the DVD player.
“So, what do you have?” Philip asked and shifted in his armchair. “More action? Another historical drama? A historical drama with action?”
The kitsune slipped the DVD into the player and actually cackled in anticipation. The boys wouldn’t know what had hit them.
The DVD menu popped up with an image of a rain-soaked couple about to kiss.
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