49th of Sifdras - 7th Ivora

  Rain pelts on the windows of our Magic Studies classroom. I can tell by the small, tinkling sounds that it is a cold rain, but the fact that it is liquid and not completely frozen speaks of warmer days to come. I find myself not wanting to wait for those Verdalune days, when the sun is strong and warm on my skin. Since that is still a good month away, I will have to content myself, for now, with the fact that it is raining instead of snowing.

  My desk-mates are strangely absent today and I wonder if they maybe lost track of time in each other’s arms somewhere. I’m thankful for the reprieve of their constant displays of affection for one another, but unfortunately, have come to just accept their behavior as something almost normal. Which, surely, is not actually normal. Is it maybe a spell or a potion that they willingly use on one another to be so…infatuated with one another?

  My mind is still trying to puzzle out the motivations behind Zhenya and Mazron’s relationship when Professor Moonshadow begins class. She tells us that this week is a continuation of working with our Arcanum focuses before exam preparations begin. There are moans and groans from the scribes, but all I can feel is panic at the mention of them.

  Sure, we have been preparing for these mock exams for the past few weeks and technically all term long in most of my classes, but it is still a shock to me that there is only two weeks left of classes before we have to prove that we belong here. It makes me think of what Cira said to me; how she has known all along that I belong here. I suppose the exams will be a true test of that theory.

  I push those thoughts aside as I retrieve my beautifully ornamented, marble-sized pearl from last week. It is small enough to be hung on a chain and worn around the neck without being too gaudy. As I roll it idly in my fingers, I wonder if Cira’s amulet has similar properties. She wears hers constantly and have noticed her fidgeting with it on several occasions, usually when nervous or aggravated. It doesn’t seem that far of a stretch to assume that the blue gemstone around her neck holds certain magical properties.

  I do find it strange that these items, these Arcanum, do feel magical, but I am unable to see their magical signatures unless activated. It makes me wonder about all the items I have encountered here and in the shops in Tranmere that could be, or could have been, magical, but I just assumed they aren’t because I cannot see the mana on them.

  Has my odd extra sight been hindering me all this time? It seems entirely possible that I have been using it as a crutch since I have started working with imagery in earnest. I try to think of anything else where my ability to see the threads moving has not been particularly helpful and can only think of one. Calas.

  Despite watching him perform magic and cast spells at me nearly every week, I haven’t been able to actually see the mana until it flashes into existence. Then again, there are times when I just can’t see him at all, which is frankly, annoying! Who would have thought to use shadow magic in this way other than a thief? Vesa’s words come back to me, calling him a “prince of thugs” and I stop playing with the pearl in my hand.

  In my mind, I play back the conversation our group had in combat class, how cold and heartless he sounded then. Some of that makes more sense from this angle. Indeed, some of the comments that Fara had made make more sense now, too, from hearing his perspective on magic and combat. The more I think on it, the more I feel I came to the wrong conclusion about his motivations. It doesn’t sound like he is just protecting himself, it sounds more like survival.

  I clutch my chest at the stark realization, having known what it feels like to just try to survive through a dangerous or even life threatening event. I think of my most recent encounter with the Beast of the Eldwood and how Cira was beyond worried for my safety when I told her of it. Thankfully, I had been practicing that shield he taught me for days before hand and the thought of Calas brings another epiphany. Suddenly, I can see where having a skill that makes one invisible to an enemy would be extremely useful in a world full of thugs, or in my case, misfortune. Was it really misfortune, though?

  I yawn, a mental form of ennui filling me at the thought of all the questions that have been plaguing me, keeping me awake at night, since Professor Elandria told me that I am likely a Pactbearer. There are still two days before my appointment with Mistress Yevvena, but I’m already exhausted with wondering, or rather, agonizing over the conclusions that I have somehow, at some time, made a pact with a god.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Are you going to just sit there like a lump all class, Miss Crowfoot?” I am startled awake from Professor Moonshadow at my desk, a perturbed scowl on her face as she chides me.

  A blush comes to my cheeks for the reprimand, but I push down the emotion that is stuck in my throat. “No, Professor.” I intone dully, still feeling drowsy, but also feeling the frustration build within.

  “Good. I’m still quite worried about your performance in this class so please use this time wisely.” Her tones are smooth and confident, ignoring any of the dissonance in my response. My eyes follow the back of her swishing skirts with vexation as the sharp clicks of her heels retreat from me.

  I turn my focus back to the pearl, a hand propping up my chin. Her words agitate me as I actually feel confident in the use of Arcanum after practicing with it last class. Just despite her, instead of using my class time for this designated purpose, I use the rest of class to try and decipher the inner workings of the pearl as I have done in my Relics class with the stupid beetle.

  50th of Sifdras - Last Emder

  In Relics, I am eager to dive back into the mysteries of the stupid, maybe not so stupid, beetle. The last session I had here has given me a kind of confidence in my abilities, but now with added understanding of yesterday’s experiments with the pearl focus, I am starting to feel like there is a kind of pattern to enchantment. I set up my work space with a bit of excitement that I will, finally, be able to map out the beetle’s intended purpose.

  Not long after I start my work, I am stopped by Professor Lighthammer visiting my workstation. “Good morning, Serea. How are you fairing this morning?”

  “Doing well.” I reply despite the tightness I can feel in my eyes. Even Cira has remarked on the bags that have formed there.

  “Good, good.” The professor remarks jovially, paying no mind to my lie. “I wanted to commend you on the progress you are making with the special project I gave you this term. I know you had some reservations about this project when I assigned it to you, so I wanted to check in with you on how you feel it is going.”

  I nod at the compliment as a sense of real respect for Professor Lighthammer washes over me. I am truly touched that he is invested enough in my project to check in on me, not just for the sake of progress, but to understand how I feel about it. I fight a stray emotion from overwhelming me and stop a tear from forming in my tired eyes.

  “I think I’ve just about figured it all out. I should be ready to give you a final report on the purpose of the enchantment by the end of the week.”

  “That’s wonderful news, Serea. I cannot tell you how impressive a gift you have for understanding these ancient relics.”

  I blink in confusion. “Ancient?”

  “Oh yes, this beetle has been quite a piece of contention among many prominent scholars on both continents. It dates back to the time before the sundering as best we can tell. Since very few relics from this period remain, and the very nature of magic has changed drastically since that time, it is a wonder, the progress you have made.”

  I knew upon receiving it that the beetle was old. I had no idea it was that old! I gape at him, trying to fathom that the thing in my hand has to be more than two millennia old and he just…handed it to me on a whim.

  “That being said,” he continues in a more solemn tone, “I don’t want this project to consume you so completely. Your mock exams are coming up and I want to make sure that you can advance to the advanced class next term.”

  It takes me only a moment to decipher the unspoken meaning in his statement. He worries that I might fail my exams, just like Professor Moonshadow yesterday. Am I really such a bad student as to have not one, but two professors concerned about how I am going to do on my exams? I sigh, unable to keep the discouraged expression off my face as I feel like the wind has died on my sail quite suddenly.

  “Oh, Serea,” He puts a light hand on my shoulder, a comforting gesture, “Please don’t take this the wrong way. I have read your notes thus far and I am still impressed with your progress. I just feel that the rest of your time would be better spent on duplicating the enchantment rather than going into the finer details you have outlined. I want to make sure that you feel confident in the process of enchanting for the exam. Can you do that?”

  I take a few calming breaths to keep my panic and heartbeat from running away before nodding to him solemnly.

  “Keep up the amazing work, Serea.” He gives me a final nod before moving on to other scribes, checking their progress as he did mine.

  Looking back, I hadn’t realized that I have had this beetle for most of the term now. While I hear his praise for my breakthrough on a largely unknown piece of Arcanum, I also hear a softer doubt that this is too much for me. The unspoken lack of confidence conflicts directly with the spoken words of praise and I suddenly don’t know how to feel about the exchange.

  I am now faced with a decision about how to spend my last few, precious hours with this beetle from antiquity. I think of my progress with the pearl focus that I haven’t yet reported and still feel like there is a way to better understand the true nature of the beetle; its purpose that it was given over two millennia ago. Because, really, how am I supposed to replicate the enchantment if I don’t know what its purpose is?

  I work furiously, with few breaks for the rest of the day.