ASHENN

  The golden sunlight of the morning washes over me through the windows on the far wall of the infirmary as I get my arm cleaned up by the warden. It all happened last night in a blur. I am still confused about what it was, but something was getting dragged along the floor, a heavy body. That's when I was attacked by a creature, something like a wild werewolf. It had lunged on me before I had the time to process what was happening. Thankfully, the onyx sanctum leader, Callius Xanthara, happened to be walking down the path. He had killed it in a heartbeat. He had not even so much as touched it before the werewolf had shrieked and burnt down in the air.

  I had managed to get some some few stabs on it myself but it was too durable, like it wasn't meant to die at all. Every concept around me has changed dramatically in only one night. A brutal present covering the entirety of the world within the next dawn. A war institution appearing out of nowhere but still instead of questioning it, everyone just accepts it because of desperation, and the blood of people they once knew, a collapse of the stability of what the web of realms used to be, the things which hunt and feed on bloods of the sane beings. This is a nightmare, and I hope I wake up soon. But I never wake up...my whole life has been a nightmare.

  The warden finishes up bandaging my arm up again where the wolf had tore through the flesh by its claw. I take a look around the space where we are sitting, and some other cadets who seems to be seniors...why are they groaning in pain?

  "What happened to them, if you don't mind me asking?" I quietly ask the warden who is now very intentionally lighting a cigarette. She seems young, unlike the other wardens here. Maybe she is still an apprentice? She doesn't look like she has graduated and mastered in medics and healing yet.

  She doesn't say anything for a good whole minute, saving it to take in a blow instead. Then the skin between her brows creases as she lowers the joint from her lips, smoke escaping and curling up right on my face that I cough slightly.

  "Last night the eastern outpost of waera of the third was attacked by cryptids. These were the cadets who were stationed at there. They are the ones who survived....barely."

  "So there were some killed too?"

  " yes. Not some, many. Many of the lieutenants." She looks straight at me as if expecting me to ask the digits.

  "So..do these things happen often or..." I start but can't finish the sentence because of the sounds of footsteps getting louder as it gets closer.

  Callius stops inches away from the entrance door to the infirmary ward. He is dressed up in the usual exorcant colours, which are black most of time and sometimes grey too. He has a muscular and tall figure, dark hair and brown skin with hazel eyes. He is in his eight year, which means he will graduate next year and get permanently stationed becoming the part of one of the three system of horizontal military. He had explained all of the hierarchy system of Ayaerath to me last night while I was getting stitched up.

  I still don't know what he is supposed to be though. What species he is. He looks mortal to me, different realm but still a mortal. But I doubt he would be that. I don't know why, but whenever I look at him, something in his eyes shifts unearthly.

  A group of cadets, across from the wing i am in, emerge from the archway of the tunnel leading to the tableland of dormitory buildings. At the end of this wing is the tunnel leading to the tower of archives, the library. I have plans to visit it today since right now I don't have the books I need to learn the basics of whatever this academy teach. Aside from war briefings and strategy, it's the history and defence that concerns me the most. They might not be the same as what I have learned all my life. Combact is the least of my concerns.

  Callius doesn’t glance at my direction as his eyes are fixed on the warden and he seems to be in a hurry

  “Melvy. You are needed right now.” he says but Melvy doesn’t acknowledge him at all. In fact, she proceeds to glance at the direction of the window completely opposite to the entrance door. There is a pause long enough that I wonder if Callius will eventually call her out again. But then she finally answers.

  “You know that I can’t bring dead people back to life, right xanthara?” Her voice is nonchalant, like she doesn’t care at all about what she is needed for. If Callius seems to in such a hurry, it must be something serious, that’s for sure.

  “Of course I know you can’t bring dead people back into life, but I also know exactly what you can do.” His voice was sharp. Clearly, he isn’t mood for bullshit right now but then again, even though I have known him since only last night, it is pretty much crystal clear that this man is never in the mood for bullshit.

  At last, seeming to have understood the situation, Melvy sighs. “Where?”

  “Strategy section. The usual office.” he declares but doesn’t leave. Shifting his gaze upon me, I feel the hair at the back of my next stick up. He sure has an unusual aura that seems to discomfort me almost each time he settles his gaze upon me.

  “Ashenn, the classes for today will start late, until then you can do whatever you like, Kael here can show you around if you would like.” another boy, almost as same as my height enters the infirmary. He has got red hair and dark eyes. He doesn’t look as old as Callius, maybe a second year?

  Callius leaves with Melvy and I glance at ….what did Callius call him again? Oh right, Kael. I stand up and he extends his arm towards me. I shake it, feeling his calloused hands, although they are not as rough as my own.

  “ Kael Ghoulseer.”

  “Ashenn varynthorne.” I let my arm back down to my side as I watch him grin. He has an eyebrow pierced as well as his left ear lobe in which he is wearing a red rectangular piece, some symbols and strokes carved on it in a way which resembles a language. Why is only one of his ears pierced?

  “Lets walk outside, since the classes will start late today, which is like super rare here in Ayaerath because the second commandant is always so rigid about the timetables.” he says as we start to walk and out of the infirmary wing. The courtyard is vast, surrounded by three wings and tall walls at either side of the entrance, separating out the climbing ridge. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone says that this building, earlier, used to be a Deryver’s castle.

  “Why are classes going be late today?” I ask Kael, he doesn’t seem to know the answer or maybe he does, I might as well just test that theory.

  “I do not know. Things like this, if it ever happens, is mostly when the second commander and the sergeants and sometimes even the generals are engaged in a serious meeting. Although I heard Callius talking to the Strategium sergeant about something like, unleashed blood moon werewolves.” he pauses, looks forward, widen his eyes and then look at me again. “Don’t tell Callius that I told you though, I…..don’t wanna get my ass kicked, really.”

  I snort despite myself, when was the last time I truly laughed?

  “Want me to show you around here? It would take you months to actually explore the whole of this shithole if you wholly rely on routines only.”

  I consider his invitation for a moment. I have got to go to the archives, that’s the most important work for now. “I have to go to the archives.”

  We pass the tunnel of the scholarium wing and the bridge which leads to the the most highest and vast building of the academy. A broken statue of the maiden of sorrow in the middle of the burnt tableland. Why is this land burnt? It seems unusual. What could possibly have happened here that started a fire?

  “What is this building?” I ask Kael who is now grinning once again. Cool air caresses our skin. Clouds have started to cover the sun, bestowing a gray-ish light over the endless mountain tops and deep valleys no one has seen the end of.

  “This is the hall of Deryver’s roses. This is said to be the one hall that took the most time to construct. The cadets are allowed inside only once a year during annual balls.” he says and then lifts his head up. I follow his gaze to see where this structure ends. I can’t see it because it goes beyond where the clouds have now gathered.

  I suddenly feel an exceptionally cold wind, colder than what was slapping my skin until now. I feel like something is watching me. Something is definitely standing behind me. I snap my gaze behind me only to find that there is nothing. Except for an…ornament on the ground. Was it here all along?

  “Something’s wrong?” Kael asks and turns towards me.

  “It’s nothing, I was just…..what is that?” I point towards where the ornament is lying on the ground. Kael squint and walks closer to it.

  “First rule for surviving in Ayaerath, don’t touch anything, especially if it is laying on the ground. I learned this lesson the hard way.”

  “How long have you been in here?” now I am actually curious about which year he is. And also, what is he? I know it is not weird to ask everyone what they are because, come on, that bitch had totally black eye balls. Being a mortal here is more rare.

  “I am a third year.” he says, seemingly very proud of himself, I don’t know whether it is for having survived three years or having learned many things over the course.

  “And what are you?”

  “That is actually a very rude way of asking which species I am.” he says, trying to sound offended but just ends up sounding stupid to me.

  “That is actually a very reasonable way of asking what you are.”

  “I am an umbryx, I can turn into a ghost and slip into your room and haunt the fuck out of you all night.” Kael says. So umbryx is a species that can turn into a ghost, that’s actually cool.

  “Can you get stabbed too?” I ask.

  “Yes…? You sure ask some of the weirdest questions.”

  “So you can get stabbed. Better now slip into my room, yeah?”

  “You are scary for a fucking rookie.” Kael says and then laugh which makes me laugh too.

  “So, Ashenn, can you do some magic?”

  I don’t answer for some seconds. The answer is simple, no one in my realm can do magic even though elemental magic existed ages ago. But that doesn’t justify the fact that I carry the curse of verrathi given to the bloodline of varynthorne ages ago……all because of those Mysts. As Verrath put his words, “The hundredth heir to the varynthorne will carry the curse” I still don’t know what the curse actually does, but I suppose it will show me someday.

  "I can't use magic. But magic existed in our world, but something happened that sucked all the magic out of our realm long ago making our land magic-less."

  "That is horrible. What happened?"

  "I don't know. Nobody does. Everybody just accepted that the gods have stripped us of our magic because we didn't deserve it anymore, although I doubt tents the case, but then again who am I to question the beliefs."

  Clouds start to rumble overhead and we start walking down the tunnel back to the courtyard. I feel like I am forgetting something....Fuck i had to visit the archives. This bastard made me forget all about it.

  "Archives are closed so do my plan my murder." Kael says, putting his hands up.

  "What?"

  "Archives are closed, Rookie."

  "I mean how did you know what I was thinking?"

  He stops dead in his tracks, I do too. I swear to god if he sprints I am going to catch him and plunge my dagger deep into his throat.

  And then he sprints. Fuck him.

  "sorry for slipping into your mind! And you called me bastard!" He called over his shoulder.

  "I am going to kill you!" I call back.

  Although, to be honest, it's been so long since I had this much fun with somebody. I feel like I am feeling enjoyment for the first time in my life. So long since I have been this happy.

  He stops to catch a breath when we reach the middle of the courtyard. Just as i am about put my hands on his shoulder, thunder cracks overhead. It was close, too close and too loud and he and I both him in surprise.

  I look back only to see lightning crackling only around where the tower's head which pierce through the clouds. Is that normal? Why isn't this tower falling?

  "That is normal, don't worry." Kael says, now straightening up.

  "If you slip into my mind once again, I will actually pull your guts out." I say, and kael looks and me and just grins. Looks like he has no idea how serious i am about gutting him. This guy is actually stupid. But at least I am having a nice time. "And how is this normal?"

  "It just happens, rookie. There are a lots of things I don't know yet or maybe no body does. And I am saying that as a umbryx who hates secrets."

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  I just blink up at him, "Why are the archives closed?"

  "Someone, I don't know who, performed a pacifying ritual on the restricted section of the archives last night and it made a whole mess, like there were guts and organs of an angel spread around as well as the blood of the victims."

  Why is everything that happens around here so messed up that it ends up with me question how these people are even sane. The visualisation itself makes my throat tighten.

  "And then what happened?"

  "If I tell you, promise me you wouldn't breathe a word of it outside us."

  "Promise."

  Kael looks around us to see if so anyone is present around that they can hear us. He looks genuinely scared now. I shouldn't have asked that question.

  "It....cracked Detra's seal. Rituals like this have been happening for a while now. And the leadership still hasn't managed to find who is doing it all. Umbryxs and Wraiths are the most suspicious right now. I am innocent, I swear."

  "What...is Detra?"

  "Gods please don't make me regret telling you this, but detra was the first to turn into a corrupted."

  ~☆~

  ARIYENE

  I hear the clouds rumble, the comforting sound is not helping with anything anymore as I sit on a chair with the formation leadership around me, the all four sanctum leaders. There are not questioning me, but rather one sanctum leader seems so pissed by me I am sure she wants me dead because she thinks I am the reason her sister ended up like this.

  A healer, or whatever she is, is right now running her hands through the girls body which is covered with a white blanket.

  A man, which I close is the onyx sanctum leader, is flipping through some pages of a time with increased urgency.

  "No information about anything. Do you think she is a victim of last night's ritual, Melvy?" He asks the woman who is now dragging the blanket down to reveal the girls face. I look away. It makes me remember last night's dream. I feel like I am going insane.

  "Nothing can be said. She got corrupted from inside out. A creature able to do such harm would not be able to get through Ayaerath's wards. It is either something spawned inside or was brought in."

  "Just do your work, crestant. Tell us what happened to my sister." The elder sister of the girl says to the healer. So the healer's name is Melvy crestant.

  She closes her eyes and puts her palm flat on the girls temple. What is she going to do?

  And then it appears, a dim light forming between Melvy's palm and the girl's temple. Everyone seems to be holding their breaths as if breathing too loudly would disrupt Melvy's concentration on whatever she is doing.

  The skin between her eyebrow creases as she leans into her arm but suddenly the dim light which was getting formed turns black with a hiss as if vaporized. Melvy shoots her hands off the girls temple and falls to her knees. A woman, I think the silver sanctum leader quickly crossed the room in a few strides and stops between Melvy

  "What happened? Are you okay?" The woman asks, pulling Melvy up.

  "I.....I can't see anything."

  "What?" The onyx sanctum leader asks Melvy. What exactly was she doing that she can't see anything? Why am I even sitting here in the first place. If these people actually think that a first year is capable of corrupting someone from inside out, then they are stupid as fuck. My head is still, throbbing from waking up wretched from the dream.

  "The vision got distorted in the matter of seconds, something is preventing us, or anyone to get inside her last memories." Melvy says, chugging water down her throat.

  "So whatever that did this to her is shielding itself?" the onyx sanctum leader asks.

  " I don't know. But...it is a problem. You all need to find the origins of these rituals because they are slowly starting to work, I fear." Melvy answers.

  "That is bullshit. Detra's seal is hidden where no one has ever known, since the great war." The silver sanctum leader says. As much as I would like to stay oblivious from their matter, now I am getting increasingly curious. It seems like they are in a discomforting situation.

  At last the onyx sanctum leader sighs, looks like the matter is getting put to an end for now, finally. "Okay, we will talk about this matter with the leadership. They must almost be done with their meeting."

  I watch everyone leave, and when I start up from my chair, the onyx sanctums leader voice carries itself to my ears, firm and grounding, "Mysts. Is there something you have to add to this, perhaps it can help us as well as the other cadets."

  "Isn't death normal here? Then why...care So much about the others?"

  He pauses for some time. Thinking. Contemplating how much he can let me know, "do you know why Ayaerath thinks that death is a mercy around here?"

  When I say nothing, he continues, "the reason Ayaerath tends to weed out the weak, kill them before they make it to the battlefield is because that is exactly an opportunity the corruption might make them one of their own. And would you want the enemies, who are already countless, to get increased more?"

  "So.....you are not protecting the cadets but.....not letting the possibility of them getting corrupted succeed?" I say. I understand this feeling more than anybody else. If there is anything I have learned while having myself locked up in my room and in fear, it is that nobody cares for anybody.

  "There is one thing that might sound bitter, bit it is true. Nobody lives for anybody but themselves. Do what you want with this price of knowledge." He says and I notice his eyes. They are unnatural.

  Should I tell him what I read on the girls flesh? Taking matters which I have no knowledge about in my own hands is something an idiot would do. At least by telling him I would get some answers.

  "I think .....that whatever killed that girl is going to be after me....next." I tell him, slowly, and with low voice because I am uncertain of his reaction. The worst possible scenario, he will ignore me.

  " I see, well," he looks out of the window and leans against a desk. A woman, brown hair with freckles enters the room.

  "You called for me, Callius?" She says. So this man's name is Callius.

  "Ophelia. You came just in time."

  ~☆~

  I am walking down the corridor of the third floor of the scholarium wing. But of course I am not walking alone, now I have a guard dog on my ass. Captain Ophelia Braven, an eighth year and apparently the captain of the naval forces. Callius that bitch thinks that I either need security, or I am the super obvious suspects these people have.

  I glance at my side and on Ophelia. I absolutely won't like it if this bitch starts to walk with me every single fucking day. When I was at home, even servants used to irritate me because they won't just stop following me. Why did they always use to think that miss Ariyene needs help twenty four hours a day?

  "So...Captain Ophelia...Do you plan on following me all day, everyday?" I ask, no I am not ashamed of being rude.

  "Absolutely not, sweetie, do you think I have that much free time?"

  "Then why are you following me?"

  "You just seem rather interesting to me." She says. Interesting and me? This woman has gotta be high on something to say that. "Lets have a walk, the rain has stopped."

  I now and we start to walk down the stairs. Having a walk doesn't sound so bad, I needed some fresh air since this morning anyways. I still haven't walked around the whole college. How could I when I was pulled into the office the second I had managed to process that there is a body handing just in front of my room.

  " Do you know how to spar, Ariyene?" Ophelia asks. She is just a few inches taller than me.

  "Yeah, I do. My cousin has taught me....mostly How to handle a sword." I answer. As much as I would like to be proud of this fact too, the memories of it aren't too comforting.

  See step onto the courtyard after the stairs end and then she starts walking towards the tunnel to the tableland of the dormitory.

  "Where are we going?" I ask as we enter the tunnel.

  "You will see." She says.

  Halfway through the tunnel, the paths split. Was this here all along? We take the one other than the dormitory one, and when the tunnel opens we are standing in front of the same narrow pathway but this time it is leading massive surface, big enough to fit at least five dragons.

  We cross the pathway and across the ground. Another climbing leading down, but this one is more stable, like it is actually supposed to lead you to somewhere unlike the climbing you take to reach the entrance of Ayaerath.

  "Where does this lead?" I lean forward to take a look of how deep it goes. At least three thousand steps down, deep into the valley.

  "A city." Ophelia says and then grins, already making her way down.

  A city? That is very surprising. How can there be a city in a pocket dimension that was made solely for the war college?

  " This leads to the city which rests upon the floating land. While it doesn't necessarily have many houses, it is pretty cool with shops and taverns. I would probably call it the best part of Ayaerath."

  As we go down, the city slowly starts to take shape. Cobbelstone paths and alleyway. Old shops on the side of the road and all of it leading to a architecture that seems like a temple.

  I am in awe, this place is beautiful. Gothic. Ophelia starts to walk forward and I started to walk behind her. I am walking slowly so I can gawk at each shop properly, sighting things I have never seen before. Leather bound times and books of different techniques of sorcery. A shop that seems to sell medicines and wine.

  "Isn't it all beautiful?" Ophelia calls out from her shoulder.

  "It is. Who..established this city?"

  "The one who established Ayaerath, of course. He was said to be the most wealthy and powerful man. No body know from which realm he was. It is all a mystery."

  We pass through a tavern and another book shop. I stop in my tracks as I see a familiar figure standing inside the small library through the glass panel at its door.

  It's Kyard.

  Ophelia turns to me, "I have gotta get some things, you can walk around here but be careful of unhinged faes trying to charm you into drinking a transformation potion. I really wouldn't want to explain how you turned into a chicken to Callius."

  I now absentmindedly as I push the door to the library open. There is no one at the counter. These people sure do trust there customers a lot web it comes to not stealing. The three walls of this small room is covered with selves with three aisle in between. Kyard is standing, holding a green leather bound book in the first aisle.

  "Kyard!" I call out, and walk towards him, "What are you doing here?"

  He looks up from his book and his eyes widen when he sees me, "Ariyene, you survived."

  "What? You though I was gonna die?" I ask as if me dying is merely impossible although the recent events state otherwise.

  "No. I think that you are an immortal." He says. I am really sick of this old piece of shit outperforming my talent of sarcasm all the time. This is really unfair. "And perhaps I did mention that we would meet again."

  "You did, but I thought it was just a hearty goodbye, you know?" I say, folding my arms, "I didn't think for seriously you would actually be here."

  "How did you find out about this?"

  "Well, Ophelia Braven, the captain of the naval forces brought me up here. She is out to but something and I am wandering around."

  "I see, everything is going good, I suppose?"

  Everything is going not so good at all. The nightmares have started to get worse and worse than the last time. For two months I didn't sleep properly because I kept having same dreams but last night was something that shook me to my core completely. I can tell him that, right? If there is someone who can actually help me with wants going on its Kyard. He must knows a thousands of spell to suspend one's ability to dream even temporarily. He is a mage, after all.

  "Well?" He asks again.

  "Nothing is going good. The dreams keep getting worse. Please do something about it, it is really messing up with my head. I feel like I am going insane."

  Kyard closed the book and then his eyes as if trying to remember something calmly. This man is always calm in the worst of the situations.

  "Since you told me about those weird dreams you kept having a few months ago. I thought about what could possibly be the reason. And everything has led to a single reasonable conclusion."

  "And..What is that?"

  "You are stuck in an unseen realm, Ariyene."

  "What do you mean?"

  "You can travel between unseen realms unconsciously while being in your own space you created. A whole another realm since you, after all, are chosen of the Qelmyr."