Magic is the aprinting will onto reality. In the same way an artist draainting, a mage will draw the elements. The theory of elemental mages is fually fwed, there is no innate imprint on a soul that will predict what, if any, element, a person will be capable of. The existence of the great aristocrat families does not teract my thinking. If anything, it proves it. Does the children of musis not bee talented in music themselves? The desdants of bcksmiths bee smiths themselves. To pretend that a learned art is in the blood is as farcical as saying that farmers are naturally attuo ploughing the nd.

  I have proved this theory in life. I already know how to work fme, water, winds and the earth. Supposedly, this is a feat. I do not think it. I am simply following the theories of magis who have already written on this art. I am indistinguishable from an artist who paint in a thousand styles, eae traced from a master. Fually, the feat of mastering four elements is rare because the skills and thinking are not transferable. A magi will have to work from the ground up once again, train differehods of thinking, to learn new elements. Past a certain age, I am sure this is impossible, but I am still young, so I have do.

  However, I am still not happy with it. We read stories of tyrant-magis from eras prior, who could turn day into night, night into day, os into deserts and vice versa. No magi is capable of su ao one is able to paint the moon as they once did, no one force the seasons to move either. Why? I have e to a clusion, magical theory is fwed in itself. The repetition builds up patterns within our mind that we subsciously rely on. But is not magic simple thoughts in the first pce? Why must the thoughts make sense? If it is the strength of the thought, why does it o be rational? All magical theory is ultimately a crutch, to vince ourselves of new realities which we thee.

  Thus, my proposition is simple: A mind utterly certain even in the face of reality will make reality crack first. If all it takes to achieve victory is fidehen delusion is all it takes.

  I will embrasanity.

  Written by Aggriyana. Work preserved by Goddess Essa, of Magic. Kept within the Divine Library of Arcadia.

  Neneria watched Helenna go out to meet her at the airport. The Goddess of Love was ing in a bck suit, although that was on at this point. The only markings she had of her own demesne in her clothes was the burni of passion on her belt, the same emblem on her high cap. Today, her hair was bright red, so she was feeling good aed. Neneria sighed, she had nothing against Helenna. She supposed she liked the woman, but she would have preferred not to need a procession back to Arascus’ new Imperial Governance tre. It was simply the National Assembly, repaired from the damages of the fire of the coup, with fgs repced, but it would do.

  Helenna had e with a full ptoon of Kassandora’s soldiers, with a rge bus that would transport them from the airport and to the IGeneria thought little of it, frankly, she didn’t care. It was basically a modern carriage. “Hi!” Helenna shouted and waved as Neneria closed the distance. Olephia had goo Nanbasa yesterday, with Iniri, but Neneria had waited until the day of the meeting. Frankly, she enjoyed going through Alsaria’s various writings. Most of them weren’t important informatiely it was just talk about various miseous world events and Alsaria’s various schemes to deal with the Epan eic crisis.

  But for every three pieces that were simply b bureaucracy, there was a of gold in there. Parts were Alsaria pined about Maisara and Fortia, where she talked about the distrust of Kavaa, Helenna and Iniri, were she wrote them off as mere followers and rgely irrelevant. Kassandora’s best-case sario had not reared its head though, Alsaria did not write anything about the locations of potential allies to Arascus’ cause. “I wouldn’t have e if Arascus didn’t ask.” Neneria said ftly as she looked at the huge bus. It ainted bck, the windows as dark as the metal. “Why did you pick me up?”

  “He wanted me to fill you in on what’s happening.” Helenna said, her hair ging to pink. Neneria had no clue what that emotion could be.

  “So?” Neneria said as she stood. Raptor Two turs jets off and started to drive off towards one of the hangers in the distance. KAF pnes were taking off from here, headi and south. Helenna raised an eyebrow.

  “That’s it?” She asked. Neneria sighed and rolled her eyes. She wao return to her job. It wasn’t even that enjoyable, but it was better than this.

  “That’s it.” Neneria replied as they started walking towards the huge bus.

  “No hello? No I missed you Helenna?” Neneria rolled her eyes as she looked at the door. Did this require a button or what?

  “Hello, I missed you Helenna.” Neneria said dryly. “ you fill me in now?” She didn’t even bother pulling a too hide the sarcasm.

  “I wouldn’t mind if you even got mad.” Helenna replied.

  “Why would I get angry?” Neneria asked. This was merely annoying, but it wasn’t Helenna’s fault, so there was no reason to take it out on her. Frankly, Arascus wouldn’t have called her if this wasn’t important.

  “I meant if you had more…” Helenna said and stopped. “You press the button underh the handle.” She said. Neneria looked over the bck door. There was supposed to be handle somewhere here?

  “It’s here.” Helenna reached past Neneria’s waist, her fingers pressed a panel, it flipped, she pressed a button with her thumb. The door started to move. Neneria merely sighed. Whatever. “Well, for one, we’re moving south.”

  “It’s definite?”

  “It’s definite now. Kass made the pns.” Helenna said. Well, at least they would work then.

  “Am I needed?” Neneria asked as she stepped into the bus. It was tall on the inside, Fer and Arascus both could fit fortably in here. There were couches oher side, a table. Neneria looked around to find a et. Work-bus then, there was no alcohol in easy reach. She sighed again.

  “Not for the southern expedition.

  “So I am needed somewhere then.” Neneria said dryly as she sat down. Helenna sat oher side.

  “Kass wants you to stay on the ready. In CR, but you’ll have Raptor Two assigned permaly to you in case you’re needed.”

  “Ah.” Neneria said. “So no drinking.” Helenna smiled.

  “Well you ’t hold it, you?” Neneria let the ent slide, she merely turned and looked out the window as they left the airport through a back road. It was a quick trip to Nanbasa’s northerion from here. The Goddess of Love sighed from the other side of the bus. “You ent on me you know.”

  “There’s nothing to ent on.” Neneria replied. “I know you’re simply trying to annoy me.”

  “Did it work?”

  “No.” Neneria replied. “I’m sisters with Fer and Anassa and Baalka, trust me, you don’t know what annoying is.” Neneria replied, her dark eyes caught a gnce of Helenna’s dismal expression and Neneria allowed herself a smile. Here Helenna thought she could be annoying? She didn’t know a sihing about pushing buttons. Neneria was the worst of them all when it came to being annoying. “You tinue. What is Essa and Anassa doing?”

  “Arascus wants to start an Imperial School of Magi Kirinyaa but Essa doesn’t know about that yet.”

  “Will Essa be at the meeting?”

  “No.”

  “Anassa won’t be there either then.”

  “She won’t.” Helenna replied, again ahat Neneria had worked it out. There we go Helenna, watd learn what a Goddess older than the dar could do. The tips of her hair started to a dark red. Neneria didn’t bother to hide the smile. Frankly, with that hair, Helenna made an easy target.

  “Anything else?”

  “Iliyal’s reports on the five Goddesses will be covered. He sent a letter that Fer found an open hold. They should be ioday.”

  “Will we do anything about it?”

  “Apparently he’s taking the five in.” Helenna said, some curious emotion in that as if Neneria was supposed to have any knowledge, or any statement about what Iliyal was doing. Neneria let the silence hang and Helenna ged her posture. “Are you not going to say anything?”

  “Should I?”

  “Well, do you think they’ll find anything?”

  “They have Fer with them. I assume they’re in no danger. Kavaa is there too, Iliyal himself is intelligent. Uhey e up against a threat akin to the Jungle, nothing will happen. If there was a threat akin to the Juhere, then it would be publiowledge already. I assume there’ll be some enemy, or maybe the dwarves have simply turned.” Neneria finished her expnation in one breath and took a sigh. She purposefully made it as dry and unimpressive as possible. Slowly, the red tips of Helenna’s hair coloured her locks to the roots.

  “Are you ever not this?” She said dryly.

  “Not what?” Neneria asked ily.

  “Not annoying.” Helenna said.

  “I have no clue what you’re talking about.” Neneria replied. There it was. The game was won, now that someone’s day had been made worse, hers had gotten immediately better.

  But Helenna did not stop. “You kly what I mean.”

  “I have no clue.”

  “You’re too old to not know.” Helenna said and Neneria raised an eyebrow. Well, that was one way of speaking to the Goddess of Death.

  “I think you’ll have to enlighten me.”

  “If you’re truly this stupid, I’m not going to humiliate myself by expining it.” Helenna said. Her hair had ged to bow. It fit the suit. And it annoyed Neneria that she was getting more fident. The words weren’t even hurtful or annoying, it was the fact that Helenna had mao put Neneria on the back foot in this game of words.

  “I thought you were the Goddess of Love, I assume you would be good at w me out.”

  “I know you’re not as cold as you say you are Nene.” Helenna said and Neneria felt her eyebrow jump. It was ohing to call her stupid, it was another eo use Fer’s horrendous niame.

  “Helenna.” Neneria said. “Don’t use that name.”

  “Why not?” Helenna said. And Neneria blinked.

  This woman… She… Neneria stood there. She had never sidered herself weak in wames. She lost to Fer all the time true, and to Kassandora, but those were the exceptions. Frankly, outwitting Fer and Kassandora in a debate was an achievement worthy of praise. But Helenna? Puny little woddess of something as tiny as Love? What did she even do? Read emotions? Just be naturally alluring? That wasn’t even a power, that was called beiiful, Neneria could do that if she wao. “Why not?” Neneria asked. “Why should I even expin that to you?”

  “Why shouldn’t you? I’m too young to know better.” Helenna said slyly. And Neneria felt a wall crash behind her.

  “Well I’m to old to care teag this lesson.” Neneria replied.

  “Ah.” Helenna said. “So we have a drum then.”

  “I don’t think we do.”

  “I think we do.” Helenna tinued. “One is too old to care, and one is so young she cares so much.”

  “You’re not that young.” Neneria replied.

  “And you’re not that old.” Helenna replied.

  “I’m quite possibly one of the oldest living beings on this world.” Neneria replied.

  “Older tharees? The Titans too?”

  “Things with ition.”

  “The titans have them.”

  “You know it’s different.” Neneria felt another wall close around her as Helenna smiled.

  “You just not be annoying.” Helenna replied.

  “I don’t mean to be.” Neneria lied through her teeth.

  “I don’t believe you.” Helenna replied so smoothly Neneria was at a loss for words. “But you’re not so bad Nene.”

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “You think up of a stupid niame for me too.”

  “I’m not that creative.” Neneria replied quietly.

  “Then ask Fer.” Helenna said. And she switched topics. Just as smoothly as Kassandora would order an assault from the rear, or as Fer would go for the throat, Helenna simply went and just ged the topic. “How’s your day been?”

  “I was just reading.” Neneria replied.

  “Anything else?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well did you read anything iing?” Helenna asked and Neneria thought of something.

  “Alsaria just wrote about how much Fortia annoys her. This was before the preparation.” Helenna rolled her eyes.

  “B!” She said. “Did she write anything about me?”

  “She wrote that you think you’re smarter than you actually are.” Neneria replied dryly. That was true, Alsaria really did write that. Helenna burst out in ughter.

  “Well what does that make Al then?” Neneria didn’t know why, but she found it funny. She recalled another meaningless bit from Alsaria’s diaries. Just a ent on how healing wasn’t as impressive, and how Kavaa was annoying. Kassandora would try to read into it no doubt, but to Neneria… well, she just took it at face value. The pints of the Goddess of Light and the childish remarks she made.

  And Helenna ughed this time. And so Neneria recalled another sliver of gold she had found in the diaries. Utterly nothing important, just a ent on how Alsaria would pin about Iion Divines. And the both of them ughed.

  Neneria did know how Helenna did, but she didn’t look out the window at Nanbasa ohroughout that entire drive. She simply decided to sit and talk with the Goddess of Love. Frankly, Helenna wasn’t so bad after all.