Trey looked around the cell block, his eyebrows stitched together as he tried to make sense of it. “Where did his Mindguard go?”


    Marvin paused as the unexpected question caught him mid-thought. Then his face lit up. “Ah, it should be out here.”


    They left the cell block and walked into the room with the dead guards. Marvin headed for a desk in the corner, opening up a drawer. The frown on his face told Trey all he needed to know.


    “So, Mako has a Mindguard now?” Trey asked.


    “Maybe,” Marvin answered, his finger tracing what looked suspiciously like a scorch mark on the desk. “Or maybe someone else snuck in during the chaos of the battle. Either way, we need to get out of here. I don’t want to get caught down here like this. Can you see if… uh… you can get Nora to leave?”


    Nora was still in the cell block, staring at her father’s mutilated form. Trey approached her slowly, his arm wrapping around her shoulder when he reached her side. Her body didn’t react, feeling almost cold to his touch.


    “How are you doing?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.


    No response.


    Movement caught Trey’s eyes. He looked over to see Marvin trying to get his attention, his finger pointing dramatically at his forehead and then pointing at Nora. Trey replied by subtly shaking his head.


    “Nora,” Trey tried again. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”


    Her head turned slowly to him. “This whole time, I’ve been trying to save him. Now, all I’m left with is this…”


    Trey felt a weight settle in his chest as he watched the turmoil flickering across Nora’s face. He couldn’t begin to fathom the depth of her grief, knowing she lost not only a father but the image of the man she thought she knew. Tenderly, he squeezed her shoulder, hoping to provide some small comfort.


    “It’s not fair how he left you,” he said. “I can’t imagine the burden you must be feeling right now. But you''re strong, Nora. I know you’ll find a way forward. Even with everything you’ve learned, you can still miss the man you knew. This version of your dad? We’re going to leave him behind, okay? Let’s get you out of here.”


    Trey gently guided the catatonic girl out of the cell block, much to Marvin’s relief. The group of four exited the Arc and headed for the front gate—or, what was left of the front gate.


    The skirmish was over, and the defenders were left with the cleanup. “I’m going to find Jeffers and alert him to the prisoner massacre,” Marvin said.


    Trey nodded. “I should go make sure Eva is alive,” he replied, grabbing Nora’s hand and pulling her back toward the Riv. He was going to do his best to keep her mind occupied.


    They found Eva and Skye by a pond, working diligently to heal the large queue of wounded. Trey organized the effort, clearing away debris and setting aside an area of the field for others to rest. He sent Nora running around campus to collect those who needed Eva’s expertise. For many hours they worked, healing as many as they could and identifying those who had fallen.


    The sun was just about to break into a new dawn when Marvin approached Trey with a purposeful stride.


    “Is everything—”


    “Here’s some money,” Marvin interjected, handing him some blue coins. “I want you to take Nora to Goltenberg. Let her be with her family for a couple of days.”


    Trey eyed the fist full of coins with confusion. “Are you… showing compassion?”


    Marvin snorted. “News of your exploits has reached the Grand Oracle. He is requesting to meet with you. So, you have to be gone—now. Plus, I want you to be there when the family goes through Darius’ belongings.”


    Trey rolled his eyes. “There’s the Marvin I know.”


    “Hurry,” Marvin said, gesturing across the field. “Grab Nora and go. I’ll stay and try my best at damage control.”


    Not given any time to pack, Trey and Nora rushed over to the Riv’s public entrance. A fresh shift of guards had been posted, but Trey’s mind magic got them through with relative ease. Nora was too distracted to be suspicious.


    They reached the teleporter, where the light mage did a double take when he saw them. “Are you two Windrakers? What in the Archmage’s name happened? Those explosions woke the whole city up.”


    Groaning, Trey once again relied on his mind powers to get them out of Greshelm. The added mental exertion of his magic contributed to the splitting headache beginning to take shape, exacerbating his already fatigued state.


    Morning rays were shooting across the sky when Nora knocked on her door, preparing to deliver news that a daughter should never have to deliver.


    Nora spent the next few hours mourning with her mother and sister. After shedding many tears, she retreated to her room, dragging Trey with her. The pair undressed and collapsed on her bed. They fell asleep quickly, with Trey holding her tightly in his arms.


    They slept the rest of the day and through the night, waking up early the next morning.


    “Do you think Marvin killed my father?” Nora asked the moment she saw Trey open his eyes.


    Trey played up his grogginess, buying him time to understand what Nora was after. “Huh?”


    “Do you think Marvin killed my father?” she repeated, her eyes boring into him.


    Still, he hesitated, having not even considered the possibility. “I don’t,” he answered slowly. “He would want a mind mage to examine him. I believe Marvin felt that he would be more useful alive.”


    “Are you absolutely sure?”


    Trey gulped. “No. But it’s my gut feeling.”


    Nora averted her eyes. “Either way, the killer remains on campus.”


    Trey nodded along. “Likely.”


    “We should go back.”


    Trey shook his head. “Nora, you just lost your father. Your mind probably hasn’t even caught up with everything that’s happened.”


    “I’ve been up for an hour,” Nora admitted, “and I’ve already thought too much about it. I can’t stay here and do nothing.”


    “Your family needs you. You’re not doing nothing here.”


    Nora propped her chin in her hands and let out a deep sigh. “Do you have anything to distract me?”


    Trey might have considered their usual favorite pastime, but decided it wouldn’t have been appropriate. Instead, something else came to mind.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    “There is a conversation we should have,” Trey said.


    Nora cocked an eyebrow at Trey. “Ooo, this sounds good.”


    “So, you found out that I’m a dark mage.”


    She snorted. “Yeah. You just happened to cast one of the most complicated dark magic spells in front of everyone. Drama queen.”


    “I was raised by the dark magic professor,” Trey said defensively, “and I had good reason to use it.”


    “Do you want to talk about your dark magic?”


    “Well…” Trey tilted his head to the side. “I wanted to talk about a different type of magic.”


    Nora’s eyes widened. “There’s no way. What do you have to tell me?”


    “I’m a mind mage,” Trey revealed without any gusto.


    Nora let out a nervous laugh. “That makes so much sense actually.” Then her face sobered up. “Have you… made me do… you know?”


    Relieved at the lack of shouting, Trey shook his head. “I’ve never influenced your behavior in any way. I have looked at your thoughts, but haven’t done it recently. Maybe the situation I was in justified it, but this still must be very uncomfortable for you. I’m sorry. Know that I’ve come to trust you and promise I won’t do it again.”


    Nora looked at him with an inscrutable expression that made Trey’s mouth go dry. Then a smile formed on her face. “You sure know how to distract a girl. I thought you were going to whip out your dick.”


    Trey bit his lip. “If you want—”


    “Wait,” Nora said, her eyes lighting up. “Maybe I can help from here. My divination magic might uncover something. Don’t need to be on campus to try that.”


    Trey scratched the bridge of his nose, unsure how to help his friend. “If that’ll make you feel better.”


    “It will,” Nora assured him. “I just need some time to meditate and get my divination magic to cooperate.”


    Trey nodded. “I’ll leave you to it. Would you mind if I looked through your father’s artifacts?”


    Nora thought about it for a second and then shrugged. “Go for it. His shop is in the center of town—not too far.”


    Trey stepped out of the room, leaving Nora to meditate. He never knew what to expect from her, but he felt like their mind mage chat had gone as well as it could have. Heading for the door, he caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. Nora’s mother was standing in the kitchen, staring absently at the counter. He reached for the door handle, but the tugging at his heartstrings turned him around before he made it any further.


    “Let me help make some breakfast,” Trey said, snapping the woman out of her trance.


    “Oh, no. I have it handled—”


    “It’s no bother,” Trey said, “but in return, you have to tell me your embarrassing Nora stories.”


    Nora’s mother gave him a weak smile. “She has too many—you’ll be here until tomorrow''s breakfast.”


    After an hour, Nora emerged from her room. Beckoning him with her finger, she pulled him to the side. “Do you know about Mako?”


    Trey was taken aback. “Yeah, I know about Mako. What do you know about Mako?”


    Nora gave him a sullen look. “Enough. I’ve had a vision. We need to get back.”


    ***


    Trey had tried to convince her to spend more time in Goltenberg. He didn’t want her to push too hard after losing her father and wasn’t sure they should be going back to Windrake so soon. In the end, though, it was Nora’s persuasion that had won out.


    “This is what I need to be doing,” she explained again to Trey as they stepped off the teleporting platform in Greshelm. “I’ll be solving my father’s murder while cleaning up his mess at the same time. Rather than moping around, I’ll have something to keep me busy. I’ll feel so much better about myself in the long run.”


    “You barely spent any time with your family,” Trey countered. “You need time to recover.”


    “We don’t have time,” Nora replied. “Jeffers needs us now.”


    “Maybe,” Trey offered, “but you said your vision didn’t include any clues on a timeframe.”


    Nora frowned. “I wish I knew more about divination magic. The visions regarding my dad happened, but the attackers didn’t take Guardian’s Keep. And you didn’t take it back single-handedly. Though saying it out loud makes it sound even more ridiculous.”


    They reached the academy, with Nora in her armor from the battle, and Trey in plain clothes. The walls at the front entrance had been rebuilt, but there was no gate, rather, just a gap in the wall.


    “No one is allowed in,” the guard said firmly.


    “Still?” Trey questioned, making an exaggerated expression.


    The guard’s expression faltered for a split second, but then it returned to its default state.


    “Oh, there you are!” a gruff, but familiar voice called out from behind the wall. “Come on in, the Grand Oracle is expecting you.”


    The guards turned around, revealing Marvin’s unnaturally cheerful face. “Profesor Kalo,” the guard said. “The school is on lockdown, we are not to allow anyone in unless specifically ordered by the headmaster.”


    “Of course,” Marvin replied. “The headmaster has ordered me to bring them to him.”


    “But—”


    “He wants to see them without delay,” Marvin interjected. “Thank you for your cooperation.” He gestured for Trey and Nora to come forward.


    Once out of earshot, Nora skeptically looked over at Marvin. “So… Are we going to see the Grand Oracle?”


    Marvin cracked a smile. “You must be new here. No, we are not going to see the Grand Oracle. I’m sneaking you back onto campus.”


    Nora nodded approvingly. “Good, because we have to warn Jeffers.”


    “Jeffers?”


    “Yes. I had a vision of him and Mako fighting and he gets bloodied up pretty bad.”


    Marvin’s face scrunched. “When did you have this vision?”


    “This morning. Why?”


    “Because Jeffers was attacked last night,” Marvin responded. “He barely made it out alive. Last I heard, he still hasn’t woken up.”


    A confused frown crossed Nora’s face. “Jeffers was already attacked?”


    “Yeah,” Marvin answered. “That’s why the school is still on lockdown. He was trying to dig out the rogue—I guess your divination magic confirms it’s Mako. Apparently, he found her. She must have gotten the jump on him.”


    “Divination magic can’t tell the past, can it?”


    Marvin paused. “I didn’t think it could.”


    The abrupt sound of shattering glass followed by distant screams interrupted their conversation. Trey’s head angled to the top of the Elysium Spire in time to see a large plume of fire burst from a broken window.


    Marvin appeared lost for a split second, but then his finger pointed at the Spire. “She’s going for the Grand Oracle!” He lurched forward, running toward the tower.


    Trey followed behind, squinting up as another outburst of flames broke through another window. “Is Mako a fire mage, too?” he asked, though no one answered.


    They struggled to get through the frenzied mob of students as they neared the base of the Spire, but they arrived in time to see the door swing open. An armored guardian tumbled out, followed closely by Mako. Her eyes went wide when she spotted them. She conjured a Smokescreen spell, concealing her next move.


    Marvin and Trey lunged into the dark smoke, waving their wands around to dispel it. The smoke dissolved quickly, revealing Marcus, a guardian Trey had trained with, still sprawled on the ground. Trey was horrified to recognize the fresh signs of a dark magic kill.


    “Come on!” Marvin shouted, pulling Trey from his trance. Trey raced in the direction Marvin was headed.


    They chased after Mako, with Nora sprinting ahead. “Fuckin’ light mages,” Marvin mumbled.


    With Nora gaining ground, Mako spun around with her wand poised to strike. Nora swerved to avoid the Shadow Missile, losing much of her momentum. Mako, however, had to sacrifice her head start to launch the spell. Her lips tightened into a frustrated frown as Nora re-engaged in the pursuit with Trey and Marvin close behind.


    The chase continued around the Arc, with Nora once again closing the gap. Trey was getting close enough to fire off a few spells. Mako decided she had a better chance indoors, and redirected toward an open door. The two students standing in the doorway screamed and jumped to the side.


    Out of nowhere, Jeffers barreled out through the opening, with a sword in hand and clad only in his undergarments, a sight that would have been almost comical if not for the deadly intent in his eyes. He thrust his blade forward, skewering a surprised Mako through her torso. She held onto him with her last breaths, her blood gushing all over him as the fight came to a gruesome end. Her Mindguard rolled off her head when she finally slumped to the ground.


    Jeffers unsheathed his sword from the defeated dark mage and approached the group. Freed from the burden of misinterpreted divination magic, Nora let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Jeffers was relatively unscathed despite his bloody appearance. “You just had to make a mess,” she mockingly scolded him.


    A tired smile crossed his face. “Revenge is rarely clean.”


    Nora gaze lingered on Mako''s corpse, her jaw clenching. “Revenge is rarely clean,” she repeated.


    Jeffers was already looking around campus. “Have you already taken care of the accomplice?”


    “Accomplice?” Marvin questioned even as his eyes frantically checked his blindspots.


    “Yes,” Jeffers said with a grim expression. “The Verdant girl. She’s the dangerous one.”


    Trey’s jaw dropped as the world around him began spinning in disbelief. “Dana?!”