by Eric Vall
“Yes, and it’s about to start,” Lle’shenne answered grimly. “You better finish breakfast right now and get over there. Braden, you can attend to, though you’ll likely stay here.”
“Got it,” Braden answered seriously.
“We’ll be there right away,” I assured her.
Lle’shenne hurried away again, and we gave each other worried glances as we considered what the new reports would mean.
“At least we have a lead now, right?” Layla asked.
“I’m not sure if this is better than no news at all,” Nia hummed as her mouth twisted in concern.
“I want to come to the meeting and listen in,” Braden put in.
“That’s a good idea,” I agreed with a nod. “I wonder if Gawain and Orenn will be there?”
“Probably,” Layla guessed as she gulped down hash browns.
“Let’s get moving,” Varleth added. “I want to hear what exactly happened.”
I stuffed my mouth with pancakes and sausage before I grabbed my plate. My friends followed as I scraped my plate into the trash and set my utensils in the cafeteria bin, and we cleaned up in record time.
Then we took the short trip to the secret staircase that led to the meeting room. We waited until there were no students in our immediate line of sight before we ducked down the stairs and through the door.
It was odd to use the cafeteria hallway to go straight to a clandestine gathering, but if Sleet trusted it, it was good enough for me. I didn’t blame him for not using an official office anymore. Antoine of the animandu nearly killed the Headmaster in Sleet’s own office not too long ago, so it was good for us to take more precautions, now.
When we walked through the final door, I spotted Sleet already in his chair as he rested a hand on his staff.
Ashla, Arwyn, Cyra, Erin, Gawain, and Orenn were already there when we arrived, and Lle’shenne took her seat just as we walked in.
“Ah, we’re all here,” Sleet greeted us. “I’m afraid Grand Mage Kenefick could not join us today, nor could councilman Goredrin Madox. They have their hands full trying to fill the council with new, qualified members.”
“Not an easy task,” Arwyn commented. “I don’t envy them.”
“Nor do I,” Headmaster Sleet agreed, “though I’ve helped out by sharing my connections where I can. Anyway, the reason you’re all here is because of a new report we’ve just gotten in from a small village.”
“What does the report say?” Nia asked as her blue eyes narrowed in concentration.
“Locals say they’ve seen a woman or a little girl with blue skin in the nearby woods. Nobody has made contact with her, since she vanishes quickly whenever she’s spotted, but one lumberjack has gone missing.”
The implication was clear. Perhaps that one lumberjack got more than a glimpse, and Phi took the time to kill him instead of just moving on.
“Why would she be sighted in this particular forest?” Cyra asked with a frown. “Are we sure this is a reliable report?”
“I’m not sure why she would appear there,” the Headmaster admitted. “I can’t begin to understand her motives.”
“It does sound a lot like Phi, though,” Gawain muttered. “I mean, a little girl with blue skin? Country hicks aren’t going to come up with something that matches so specifically, not by accident.”
“Do you have any idea what Phi might be doing?” Sleet asked the fire mage.
Gawain chewed his lip as he tilted his head in thought.
“I’m not sure,” he answered hesitantly. “I know she wants Sera dealt with, and I know she wants to open a permanent rift. I don’t know why wandering around in a random forest would help with either of those, though.”
“Perhaps there’s something significant in the forest,” I suggested.
“That was my thought,” Lle’shenne spoke up, and she brushed her coils of dark hair over her shoulder. “I think there’s a chance she may be trying to open a permanent rift nearby.”
“A permanent rift,” Varleth hummed thoughtfully to himself.
Was she targeting the same location she’d almost opened a rift at last time? Could she actually do it without overpowering Sera?
“Is this town anywhere near Ortych Sands?” I asked with a frown.
“I’m afraid not,” Sleet said with a solemn shake of his head. “You actually know this village quite well, Gryff.”
My throat grew tight as I stared at Sleet’s grim expression.
“Ralor’s Stead?” I asked, but I knew as I said it that it probably wasn’t the place in question.
“No, Gryff,” Sleet clarified. “I’m afraid it’s your hometown, actually. Phi has been sighted near Njordenfalls.”
Chapter 7
“Njordenfalls?” I asked as my stomach dropped.
Maelor had raised me in Njordenfalls. Though I knew logically that monster attacks could happen anywhere, it was still a shock to hear Phi might be targeting the place where I grew up. It was the closest place to home I had, and I even took it as my surname when people asked what to call me.
Suddenly, I understood better how Orenn must have felt when Balvaan came under attack, or how Nia felt when Hartmire Enclave was destroyed.
“I’m afraid so,” Sleet said as he interrupted my thoughts. “However, we cannot be certain these reports are accurate. They’re hearsay, at best, and nothing has happened yet to the village.”
“This is just too much of a coincidence,” Orenn cut in with a frown as his voice rose. “We should check this out, at the very least. Gryff deserves to see his hometown and know it’s safe.”
“I’m glad to hear you stick up for your friend,” Sleet told the metallogue with a kind smile. “However, you don’t have to worry.”
“Sorry,” Orenn apologized as he flushed and looked away.
“No need,” Sleet assured him. “Your concern was valid. I’m not going to send out the full group of you, just in case this report is a distraction from a real threat. However, a small team led by Gryff should suffice to check out Phi’s potential activity in the area.”
“Thank you, sir,” I said gratefully as I relaxed slightly in my seat.
“Who’s the team?” Ashla asked as she tilted her head.
“Gryff as leader, Cyra and Layla as combat support, Erin for piloting, and Ashla as scholar,” Sleet listed off. “Of course, all of you will fight if the need arises.”
“Sounds pretty good,” I mused as I turned over the team setup in my head. “What about a banisher?”
“Unfortunately,” Sleet admitted, “I need Varleth to close rifts while you five are away. We’re terribly shorthanded on monster response teams right now, since the rate of opening rifts is increasing. If you encounter a rift in Njordenfalls, send a message back to Varle Enclave for backup.”
“Got it,” I said. “Make sure Varleth is on a good team, though. I don’t want his life at risk with a new group.”
Sleet smiled and shifted his grip on his staff.
“He’ll be with Arwyn and Nia, at the very least,” the Headmaster assured me. “Don’t worry about your friends in your absence. They’re strong men and women, and they’ll do fine even in less than ideal circumstances.”
“Thanks,” I said with a warm smile as I looked at my friends. “I trust them to come back safely.”
“With that,” Sleet announced, “I believe the discussion is adjourned. You have two hours to get ready for the airship ride with Erin. Njordenfalls is a bit distant, so pack well.”
“I’ll be prepped and ready for mission time,” Erin piped up with a determined nod.
With that, we filed out of the meeting room and back into the corridor. Nia, Arwyn, Varleth, Orenn, and Braden wished us good luck on our mission.
“Don’t get killed, out there,” Gawain requested in a drawl. “I need other students to practice duel with when I’m healed up.”
“You may have to shoot me so we’re more even,” I joked.
“In your dreams, cou
ntry boy,” Gawain sneered.
“Have fun relaxing while the rest of us do the hard work,” I mocked as I gestured at his leg.
“I’m just matching your level of effort,” the fire mage sniped back.
I laughed as Gawain rolled his eyes and turned to walk away.
Orenn hurried after him as his crutches worked frantically, and we waved goodbye to the metallogue as he left.
“You and Gawain have a weird relationship,” Braden commented in a considerate rumble. “But I guess it’s better than you two being at each others’ throats for real.”
“I think it’s cute,” Ashla commented with a grin. “Like two little dogs yapping at each others’ heels.”
“If anything,” I said defensively, “it’s weirder how Orenn genuinely likes the guy without even making fun of him.”
“He’s a pure soul,” Erin agreed.
“Suspiciously pure,” Layla murmured in a dramatic voice. “Maybe he’s got a dark, dangerous secret.”
“Enough with the conspiracy theories,” I said with a grin as I reached over to ruffle Layla’s auburn hair. “Let’s get ready for the mission.”
“Fine,” she agreed before she giggled and shook my hand off the top of her head.
The big group of us parted ways, and I went back to my dorm to gather my equipment for any potential fights ahead of us. We didn’t know for sure we’d find anything, but I was a big believer in being over prepared. I had saved my own ass more than a few times just by walking around everywhere with my bandolier and essence crystal pouches on me.
The two hours flew past, and before I knew it, I was leaving my dorm room for yet another journey.
This time, I caught Cyra, Layla, and Ashla in the lobby just as they were leaving. Kalon was also there, and the little silver dragon perched on Cyra’s shoulder as her scaled snout poked out from the summoner’s dark hair.
Ashla was a mercenary volunteer and not an Academy student anymore, so her custom outfit really stood out among our group. White stockings traveled up her legs and stopped in two bands of delicate lace as they reached halfway along her thighs. Over the stockings, she wore armored boots constructed with pale metal and dark fabric, and they flexed smoothly along her knees. The ice mage also wore a dark gray halter-top decorated with more pale metal that curved like abstract hands around the shape of her breasts.
Her stomach was exposed through a central cutout in the dark leotard she wore underneath it all, and I could see the play of muscle under her abdomen and along the dip of her hips. On her shoulders, she had more matching metal plate armor, and her arms were covered in dark gloves. Behind the rest of her armor, a white and blue cape swished down from her shoulders and brushed the backs of her knees. When she moved, the fabric revealed the tantalizing curve of her ass, and I fought to keep my gaze directed up at her face.
Layla and Cyra looked extremely good as well, though the effect was offset slightly by their school-issued colored cloaks. Layla looked adorable in a dark, low-slung miniskirt and a pleated crop top that revealed most of her stomach and hips. Cyra cut a striking figure with a tight, stretchy one piece, and the vibrant orange color of it went well with her darker skin. The lower portion of the one piece was just thin shorts that only covered half of her butt, and the school cloak was the only thing that saved her modesty.
“Great, you’re all ready,” I noticed with a pleased smile.
“Ready to kick some Archon ass,” Layla quipped.
“Do any of you know where Erin is?” I asked.
“She’s already with her ship, I think,” Cyra replied.
“Sounds like her,” I chuckled out. “She might love Diomesia more than life itself.”
“I wouldn’t put it past her,” Ashla agreed. “Alright, hurry up, my Bessie thirsts for monster blood.”
I laughed and bumped shoulders with the ice mage as we went through the main academy doors.
“You’ve got as much attachment to that axe as she does to her ship,” I pointed out in an accusatory tone.
“It’s true,” Ashla agreed mournfully. “I’d let all of you die for the sake of my Bessie.”
“That’s fair,” Cyra agreed with a serious nod. “She has a much longer potential lifespan than we do.”
“Yeah,” Layla snorted, “because she’s just metal.”
We chattered back and forth all the way to the airship, but when we got there, the ship was closed up.
I craned my neck back and spotted Erin on one of Diomesia’s metal balconies. She scrubbed furiously at the hull of the ship as she worked away at a scuff mark.
“Hey,” I called up to the orange-haired pilot, “we’re ready to go when you are!”
Erin turned around, and realization dawned on her face as she peered down at us.
“I’ll be right there!” the mimic promised with a yell. “Just wait for me.”
Erin didn’t wait for our reply, and she disappeared through the emergency exit that let into the ship’s cabin.
Cyra and I exchanged bewildered glances, but we didn’t have to wait long. After a couple minutes, the ramp into the main cabin lowered to allow us inside.
“Come on in,” Erin spoke up in an echoing voice that emerged from the interior of the airship.
We filed in dutifully and took our seats. Layla ended up on my immediate left, and Ashla sat on my right.
I watched with interest as Erin rushed around with a pad of paper while she checked things off a list.
“Is that a safety check?” I asked curiously.
“Naw, just for fun,” Erin replied without looking up. “I’m playing a scavenger hunt I set up for myself in my own ship.”
I blinked in surprise and stared at her as she rushed off again. It certainly wasn’t the answer I expected, and it seemed a little weird to do right before a mission.
Layla snickered and leaned over to whisper in my ear.
“It’s sarcasm, Gryff,” she explained with a secretive wiggle of her eyebrows.
“I knew that!” I protested in an exasperated huff, but it convinced nobody.
The whole group of girls erupted into snickers and giggles at my expense, and eventually I joined in with my own rueful chuckle.
Erin told us to strap in before she vanished into the pilot’s hold. Everybody checked their safety harnesses, and we looked around expectantly as bits of machinery began to hum and vibrate.
Then the ship took off with a buzz of noise and a mechanical clank.
Our chatter died down as we waited out the nerve-wracking rise of Diomesia. The air buffeted us as we traveled through different eddies of wind, and the ship swayed and rocked as it rose.
Finally, we began to level out, and the four of us released silent breaths of relief.
“Gryff, can you tell us about Njordenfalls?” Ashla asked, and her voice split the silence like a woodcutter’s axe.
“Sure,” I said after I got over my initial surprise, “but I don’t think there’s much to tell.”
“That’s fine,” Ashla assured me. “I’m just curious.”
“Well,” I began thoughtfully as I ran one hand along my safety harness, “it’s small, of course. The people are friendly and close, and everybody knows a little bit about everyone.”
“People will recognize you, then?” Cyra asked.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted with a shrug. “Maelor and I started traveling around when I was fourteen. I don’t think I’ve changed that much since then, but it’s true I’m no longer the child they probably remember.”
“Is it pretty?” Layla questioned me with an eager expression.
“What, the village?” I asked.
“Yeah,” the petite summoner said insistently.
“I think so,” I replied with a growing smile. “Of course, I’m biased. But there’s this cute little waterfall, a nice stream, and a lumber mill right on the river. Maelor did a lot of lumbering work to make ends meet when I was young, and I remember he taught me to summon axe goblins rig
ht in the forest there. The tree leaves turn red and yellow in the fall, and the stream gets frosty around the edges. I used to jump around the banks and crack all the thin ice I could find.”
“It sounds nice,” Layla said with a wistful voice. “I wish I grew up in a place like that.”
In a guilty instant, I became acutely aware of Layla’s past. She grew up in the slums of Varle Enclave, and she’d never even been out in the Wilds before she became an Academy mage. It was easy for me to forget that even my strange, orphaned childhood was filled with more beauty and kindness than some of my friends had seen through their entire youth.
“At least we can all experience it now,” Cyra put in as she comforted Layla with a kind smile. “Fighting monsters is dangerous and difficult, but it pays off with this sort of experience. I’m glad you’re here with us.”
“Me too,” Layla agreed, and her anxious expression melted into a smile. “I’m even happier to have you guys with me than I am to be able to travel, honestly.”
We were cheered by her words, and we spent the long flight in relaxation. I rifled through my travel pack and read over Arwyn’s guide of notes for our second year. There were some parts I already knew, like some of the history that didn’t deal directly with Enclave technology, and I took out a spare pen to cross those off.
Cyra pulled out a thin stick of vine charcoal, and she used it to draw idly in her sketchbook. Ashla read through some old journals that contained strange writing I assumed had to do with research. Layla fell asleep in an instant, and I could hear her slow, heavy breathing from the seat next to me.
Hours later, Erin poked her head out to tell us we were about to land. In just a few minutes, the airship lowered down and settled into a resting position.
“That’s it,” Ashla announced as she stretched her arms above her head. “Finally, we’re here.”
“Home sweet home,” I added softly.
On my other side, Layla yawned sleepily and undid her harness with clumsy hands.
“What time is it?” the petite summoner asked as she fixed a few stray strands of her auburn hair.
“It should be about five in the afternoon,” I said after some quick math in my head. Erin had mentioned the estimated travel time before we started, so I couldn’t be certain of my guess, but it was probably close.
