“
Around its handles, three circles flickered to life. Their rings interlocked, forming a triangle that burned with a heat of warning. It was one part lock and another alarm, made for moments where bases had to be left empty. In trying times, that wasn''t uncommon, but the Calm Landers likely didn''t know how important the spell was. Or how easy it was to break. Aloryn pointed two fingers at the topmost circle, twisting them like a key. It came apart like a puzzle, and he pushed the doors open, bowing at his Imeri companion. Her eyebrow raised, but she entered still, taking in the room once more and the difference in the air. Aloryn followed her eyes as he returned to lock in place. The lobby was large with reflective marble floors and four pillars to either side, leading to the front desk. To his right sat the doors to the stable and artillery, and to his left was the cafeteria, and a large area where civilians might talk to Enforcers one-on-one. Neither of those would take them to the bridge gate, but just beyond the desk and a security checkpoint, he could see a flight of stairs leading up and down.
“
“
“
“
The woman nodded. “It must be a bother to keep track.”
Aloryn laughed as he started toward the checkpoint. “It’s more of a bother for them to act too loudly. Sasha isn’t like Thane or the person before him. Enforcers are terrified of her, and they haven’t found someone strong enough to take her down yet.”
Wynn nodded again. “You sound like you admire this woman. Would you say she’s someone you can generally trust?”
“
“
“
“
Aloryn stirred the air, bidding a blue trail to follow his finger. “Are you familiar with the Elven Kingdoms?” He asked.
“
Aloryn smiled. “Then this would be one of those rare moments. I think if you were Ufanyn, you’d be extra excited.”
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
So you would be a Reza then, or at least half. With that ability, all you needed to do was call the spell back and you could restructure it?”
“
“
“
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Wynn crossed her arms behind her back. “Let’s make a deal Aloryn. If you agree to let me train you, I’ll tell you why I’m here.”
The half-elf’s eyes widened. “Why would you agree to that?”
“Because of what you said about the Reza’s magic. Mana remembers the spells it has shaped through this world. It’s very interesting you say that, because you sensed my Stellar Spirit magic earlier.”
“
“
“
“
Aloryn thought back to when he first met the woman. He was fourteen at the time and had only been under Sasha for a year. The chance to meet other Councilors was often rare and finding Anai after a sparring session hadn''t occurred in even his wildest dreams. Still, there she was. She didn''t look much different back then—hair still long and white, clothes still burgundy. She was an immediately intimidating figure though, telling him with her eyes alone that he should not dream of raising a challenge.
“Stop menacing my ward, Anai.” Sasha came to his aid.
“He’s impressive. I watched his match just now and his footwork is excellent. On top of that, he has good intuition, most people this young would not have read me as a threat on first glance.”
“Most people this young would not have read you, Anai, as a threat?”
“You didn’t when we first met.”
“Fair point.”
“What is your name, young man?”
“Rien, ma’am.”
“Rien, if you ever feel up to it, you should come train with the Anders. I feel we have far more to offer you than the instructor you have here.”
“Are you trying to poach my ward?”
“No, Sasha. I was actually here to see you.”
“
“
“
“
Everyone knew the answer to that. “To set up a new line of defense for the Main Land.”
“
Times were always changing, but Aloryn could see her point. “You think the threat is Celestial?”
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
The bridge gate was up the stairs. Wynn didn’t need Aloryn to find it anymore, but he could stop her from reaching it. Should he though? Xerva played a big role in his life too, giving him the bracer to kill him if he ever lost to Danson. She felt it was absolutely necessary to take his life, and he couldn’t see why. She was willing, however, and he supposed that said a lot about who she was. Tightening his jaw, he nodded to Wynn.
“
She smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. Feel free to lead on.”
He did, taking her up the flight to a large office space above. Chairs and desks sat around, separated from each other by glass partitions. The Bridge Gate sat at the back, its magic humming softly against Aloryn’s sense. Wynn didn’t wait for him to point it out, striding forward instead as a pocket stone gave off light. A glass bottle filled her right hand, glowing itself with a purple liquid submerging a shrunken head. Aloryn froze as she pulled the stopper, repulsed by the potent magical concoction. She stopped to look at him and he shook his head.
“
“
He nodded, while he might be surprised by their ranks, he wasn''t surprised by her words. He never knew the Mainland to be a quiet place, but the past eighteen years were probably the loudest in the history books. He nodded, letting her continue, and she blew at the bottle''s rim, pushing a cloud of smoke toward the gate. The shrunken head opened its eyes as the cloud touched the magic and filled it, only to grit its teeth. It turned in the bottle to face her, and she shook her head. Aloryn did too, but for different reasons. While Wynn was confused, he knew what the problem was.
“
“
“
“
Aloryn took a deep breath. “I can feel it. Maybe if I undo it we can work your spell in.” He reached out.
“