The Burning Flowers

Chapter VI

Ryokumo Caeli?

Nigreos silently repeated the name of the young man who was now his teammate, feeling a chilling sense of dread. So much of his future rode on the shoulders of this individual, and with only a little over twenty-four hours before the orientation duels, he knew there wasn’t a lot of time to properly get to know him. Whether Ryokumo Caeli would be of use or would bring everything crashing down around them would probably not be known until orientation began, and that realization utterly terrified Nigreos. With Ilirianna Iiji’s choice of her team now looming over his head, he would not only be tasked with proving his and Album’s worth, but now he would have to ensure that she saw the value of this stranger and potential foreigner. He didn’t recognize the surname “Caeli”, furthering his belief that this man wasn’t actually from Ijiria, and that alone could destroy their chances.

But don’t get too worked up yet. If he really is from Sukon then that means he had to do a hell of a lot more to prove himself than the average Ijirian. Mages and nobility don’t just hand letters out to the Sukonese on whims, so there has to be something about this Caeli guy that would warrant his acceptance into the Academy. I first need to get my bearings and find out just who he is.

“Caeli, huh?” Nigreos said, once again smoothing out his suit as he gently closed the door behind him. He then stepped forward and firmly shook his partner’s offered hand, putting on as pleasant of a smile as he could in the hopes of concealing the stress that was now bombarding his mind even harder than before. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, as well. My name is Nigreos Noctis and my affinity is darkness.”

To start the conversation off, Nigreos was first interested to see how Ryokumo would react to his family name, as well as his rather rare affinity. Would this man know anything about the families of Noctalus, he wondered. He wasn’t sure how the few independent countries of the continent saw the Noctis and the Luz, so not only did he want to determine how familiar Ryokumo was with the name, but he was also curious to see what his impression of Noctalus was. Keeping his features neutral so that the other man wouldn't realize he was already being judged, Nigreos kept a close watch on his facial expression, and sure enough, Ryokumo’s eyes went wide and immediately seemed to regard him in a new light.

“Noctis, eh? Nigreos Noctis?” he parroted, a broad smile suddenly forming on his face. “Well, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner then, now could I? To think I’d be lucky enough to get paired up with a man of your stature!”

Releasing Ryokumo’s hand, Nigreos moved further into the room, briefly surveying the relatively small sitting area, before turning back to regard his new partner. “So you’ve heard of me,” he stated simply.

“Heard of you?!” Ryokumo exclaimed incredulously. “Of course I’ve heard of you, Noctis. What kind of rock do you think I’ve been living under to not recognize the name of a Noctalus? Your family is famous all across the continent and beyond, after all.”

The way he spoke was oddly bouncy, as he was having fun just listening to the sound of his own voice. There was certainly a confidence in him that wasn’t present in the average person, and Nigreos couldn’t help but internally remark that, while he seemed shocked to realize who Nigreos was, he didn’t appear intimidated in the least. On the contrary, Ryokumo was clearly excited to be working beside him, as if he had hoped for something like this to occur. It was completely different from how most others reacted to Nigreos’s lineage. More often than not, people he met would go quiet for fear of offending him, so in a strange way, he couldn’t help but find it refreshing that Ryokumo didn’t seem to mind and only continued to ramble on.

“Yes, I couldn’t have asked for a better pairing,” Ryokumo laughed, already beginning to pace around the room. “And you have my word that I won’t drag you down in the least. I am quite trained in the art of wind magic. There is no doubt in my mind that together, you and I can achieve first rank with ease!”

“Is that so?” Nigreos replied with a cocked eyebrow. “Well you’re certainly confident given that we haven’t even chosen the other half of our team.”

“Well, call me an optimist,” the other man said with a grin, stopping his pacing as he spun around to face Nigreos. “I prefer looking on the bright side of things, and I see the fact that I have somebody as skilled as a Noctalus at my side as an omen of good things to come. Now tell me, you know more about the people of this city than I do. Who do you have in mind for us to seek out and join?”

Well he’s certainly one to get right to the point. But at least if he’s wanting my opinion, he probably won’t be opposed to joining Album and her partner. If this confidence of his can be backed up with action, maybe I don’t have anything to worry about.

“Well, as it so happens, we unfortunately don’t have much of a choice in the matter,” Nigreos explained. “You see, I’m not the only Noctalus child in the first year class. Master Acostav Luz’s daughter is also attending this year, and I am expected to join up with her or else I risk angering my father.”

Ryokumo’s eyes briefly lit up with excitement, and even before Nigreos had finished laying the situation out, he was already enthusiastically nodding. “Well you’ll hear no complaints from me, my friend! You’re telling me I get to work alongside both a Noctis and a Luz? Truly, it seems fate holds me in its favor today. Yes!” He snapped his fingers and flashed Nigreos a toothy smile. “Album Luz it is!”

Nigreos was left dumbstruck at how simple that was, for he had already prepared numerous arguments on the way to the capital that he could use to sway his roommate to do what he needed, but Ryokumo conceded instantly and was already moving back to take his seat on the couch to relax, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. One look at him was enough to give the impression that he wasn’t stressed for orientation and was simply along for the ride, but there was something about the man that told Nigreos it wasn’t as simple as that.

He must have some goal in mind. Nobody goes through the trouble of attending this Academy if they aren’t aiming for something. So what is Caeli’s purpose? He’s clearly ecstatic to have Album and I on his side, so he obviously sees us as useful. But to what end? What does he think he can use us for? Who is this carefree bastard anyway?

“With all due respect, Caeli,” Nigreos began, debating whether he should stick his nose in the man’s business, but in the end, his curiosity won out and he couldn’t help but voice his question. “I was expecting more opposition to my decision for our team. After all, who we choose will be our partners for the rest of our time here. Most would be offended at being left out of such an important decision, and yet you don’t seem to mind at all. Why is that?”

Ryokumo instantly broke out laughing as if Nigreos had told some sort of amusing joke then fixed him with a wry expression. “And for what reason would I oppose having individuals as influential as Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz on my team? Many people go their whole lives without ever meeting anybody with darkness and light affinities, and you’re telling me that I get to partner with one of each?. Anybody who would argue against that is a fool in my eyes.”

“I suppose so,” Nigreos murmured, still failing to figure out how to interact with such an odd individual. “But then I must ask, who are you? Your attire leads me to believe you’re from Sukon, but—”

“Oh I am,” Ryokumo answered before Nigreos finished his thought. “And I apologize if that bothers you, but I only came to Ijiria a few years ago. Before that, I lived with my family down south in Sukon. And yet, here I am, attending a magical Academy that has no equal in this world. So take that as you will, my friend. I’ve earned my place here, and tomorrow, I will prove it.”

He continued to speak in a lighthearted manner, but somewhere within his response, Nigreos sensed an undertone of determination, as if he was already prepared for his Sukonese heritage to work against him. Nigreos, himself, didn’t give much of a damn where he was from as long as he could be of use, but he feared that Ilirianna Iiji might care, and for that reason, he hoped that Ryokumo’s confidence wasn’t unfounded.

“I believe you,” Nigreos said simply, and despite having just met him, he realized that he did mean it. “And I think you and I will get along quite well.”

Ryokumo’s eyes flickered his way, and Nigreos could tell that he was trying to deduce whether his words were truthful. It seemed he concluded that they were, for the young man’s smile quickly returned.

“I certainly hope so,” he responded, then motioned toward the hallway across the room from where he sat. “The bedroom is just down there, so why don’t you get settled in and we can discuss strategy for tomorrow?”

Pleased that Ryokumo was already prepared to get to work, Nigreos returned the smile and shook his head. “We can certainly discuss strategy, but I have a better idea.”

The other man cocked an eyebrow and fixed him with an intrigued look, silently beckoning him to elaborate.

“Later tonight, the first years gather down in the training grounds just behind the dorms for a little celebration of the beginning of their school lives, and more often than not, there’s plenty of opportunities to spar. From what older friends of mine have told me, it’s a good opportunity for newly formed partnerships to get acquainted with each others’ abilities.”

He could see the understanding dawning in Ryokumo’s eyes, and already, it was clear the young man was more than ready to take him up on his suggestion.

“So, Caeli, why don’t you and I show each other just what we can do in a little friendly competition?”

Ryokumo chuckled softly then spread his arms and nodded. “Yes. I like that idea very much.”

***

After her painfully awkward introduction to Album Luz, Abi was quick to register her magic with the dorm room’s lock before excusing herself so she could go take care of a few other registration requirements. Not only did she have to go to the identification office to get her ID card handled, but she also had to track down the Academy’s tailor so she could acquire a uniform for the following morning’s orientation. When she had first been informed of all she still had to do, she was overwhelmed, but after interacting with Album, she was more than happy to have an excuse to avoid the dorm for a little while.

Gosh, I made such a fool of myself! How could I have forgotten how significant the Luz family is?! They’re the frickin’ Masters of Light, the erasers, and some of the overseers of Noctalus! Album probably thinks I’m just the biggest idiot she’s ever met and now she’s going to be stuck with me for four years! I don’t think I could have made a worse first impression!

So much of her life in Erika would be determined based on whether or not she could prove herself as somebody who could stand among the best of the best, so starting it out by showing just how much of a country dweller she was certainly didn’t take her in the right direction.

I’m just lucky Album treated me relatively nicely, though she was definitely scoffing at me after I left! Ah, come on, Abi, you’re better than this! Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself down, reminding herself that she still had plenty of other chances. The orientation duels are tomorrow, so at the very least, if I can show Album that I know what I’m doing during the fight, maybe we can just brush this little blunder under the rug!

She knew she was being a little too optimistic, but at that point, she didn’t have much of an option. Therefore, she pushed Album Luz from her thoughts for the moment and turned her attention to getting settled in. Due to the fact that her tattered clothing was drawing far too many suspicious stares for her liking, Abi decided it would be best to start at the tailor so she could change into her uniform. Similarly to the woman in the admissions office, when she entered the establishment, she was immediately greeted with a condescending and hesitant look from the man at the front desk. It was clear to her that he had already assumed she wasn’t supposed to be there, so after a few minutes of taking all of her stuff out of her folder to prove that she was, in fact, a student and not some beggar who wandered in, she managed to get the service she needed.

Unlike what she had heard about many other schools in the southern cities, the Academy of Erika didn’t have different uniforms between the men and the women. Both sexes were required to wear a green blazer over a white button-up and a gold tie, with pants the same emerald color as the blazer. While she was sure there would be some noblewomen who weren’t thrilled with the uniform choices, Abi had never been one to care about her attire, and since the uniform was by far the fanciest thing she had ever owned, she was just happy to be clothed in something that wasn’t falling apart. Once she was fitted, she left with the uniform on and hurried off to the identification office.

Immediately, she could tell how much her appearance made a difference. Nobody really paid her any attention now that she was walking around in the uniform, and while her hair still could have been better cared for, it wasn’t enough to make her commoner history too obvious.

Though, while those out around campus no longer paid her any mind, getting her ID handled was still quite troublesome when she was forced to tell the man at the front desk that she didn’t have a last name. She had to yet again explain her situation and was lucky that she got out of there relatively fast, all things considered. She wasn’t really sure what they did, though. All they had her do was press her thumb against the card, then they uttered a few spells over her and sent her on her way. She assumed her card was situated but it didn’t look any different than before, so she just trusted that everything was fine before placing it in the inner pocket of her blazer.

With everything wrapped up and Abi still wanting to avoid Album, she decided to wander around the campus rather than going back to the dorm. With so much time to kill, she headed to the eastern side to go and see the nature department’s building where the majority of her classes would probably be. It didn't take long for her to find and when she arrived at her destination, she realized just how easy it was to distinguish the department buildings. Overall, there were five core affinities, those being wind, nature, rock, water, and fire, and each building was constructed to resemble their respective affinities both in color and in appearance. So when she noticed the giant oak tree looming overhead, she knew she was at the right place.

The trunk of the tree was what made up the actual building and she could tell that there were roughly four stories of classrooms based on the number of rows of windows that she could see from her spot at the base. There were large, double doors just ahead of where she stood, leading into the trunk, and part of her wanted to go and see if they were unlocked, but for the moment, she refrained, instead just choosing to gaze up at the goliath and its multicolored leaves that provided shade for the pathway. Abi smiled to herself, for even though she had been opposed to coming to the Academy in the first place, now that she was there, she realized that Grunly was right. If she wanted to help people then there was no better place to learn how than the Academy of Erika, and this giant tree was where that learning would take place.

I’m here now, so I’ve got to make the most of it. Album and I will claim first rank tomorrow and I’ll make Grunly proud. Then I’ll go back and help people in any way I can.

Feeling her determination and confidence returning, she pulled herself away from the nature department and decided to go looking at the others. The water department was just an average four-story building, except it was made entirely out of ice. The fire department was painted a dark red color and was circular, making it seem more like a tower than the other buildings, and at the top of that tower was a giant blaze, giving it the appearance of a massive torch. The wind department was constructed the same as the water building, except it was made of typical stone rather than ice. Instead, what set it apart was that it was floating about three stories in the air, seemingly by itself, and had one of the circular lifts at its base to take students up to the door. The only place she struggled to find was the rock department, but after a while spent searching, she realized that was because the entrance was a fancy metal hatch in the ground, with nothing surrounding it. This indicated to her that the department was constructed underground.

Gosh, it almost seems like they built them all this way just for the sake of appearances, she mused to herself. Not sure what there is to gain by charming a building to float in the sky.

However, she quickly realized that it probably was just for appearances. The Ijirian nobility was famous for loving everything lavish, extravagant, and unique, and the department buildings were the epitome of that.

Though, I can’t argue that it isn’t cool to attend class in a giant tree.

Smiling to herself and realizing that the sun was getting a little low in the sky, Abi decided to start heading back to the dorm to see if she could try and make a better impression on Album. Putting the classes behind her, she slowly made her way in the direction of the dormitories, but after crossing over to the western side of the campus, she noticed that there were large groups of students heading not toward the towers, but around the back of the dorm buildings. Curious to know what was happening, and deciding it was a good excuse to keep avoiding her roommate, Abi decided to follow after the students to see what was going on.

It wasn’t long after she fell into line that she found herself back behind the first year’s tower where a large training ground was located. There were three arenas constructed all within fifty yards of one another, and were just big enough for one duel at a time. They descended into the ground, with iron fences all around the top, allowing spectators to have a clear view of the battles taking place below. In addition, there were wooden tables set up around the lawn with food and drinks, indicating that this was some sort of celebration or perhaps even an organized event. Students were crowded around both the snacks and the arenas, and the shouting of incantations told her that matches were already taking place.

Curious to see a proper mage duel in person, Abi wandered over toward the closest of the three arenas, only to quickly come to a stop as she recognized one of the individuals leaning against the railing and observing the combat below.

Ah, so Album came out here, too.

Abi briefly debated fleeing back to the dorms instead, but knowing that it would be foolish of her to avoid Album any longer than she already had, she took a deep breath and moved to stand in the spot against the railing just beside her partner. The moment she did, Album glanced sidelong at her and, wanting to try and make a better impression than she had that morning, Abi smiled warmly and raised a hand in greeting.

“Hey,” she chirped. “Sorry I’ve been gone all day. I had a lot to take care of.”

Album regarded her for another second, though Abi was surprised to once again find a complete absence of any hostility or annoyance. Instead, the girl simply seemed unsure of how to interact with her, and Album’s features tensed a bit.

“Er, no problem,” she replied softly, turning her blue eyes back down to the arena. “I imagine you had a lot to take care of given your situation. Is everything in order now?”

Abi nodded. “Yup. Got it all taken care of.”

“That’s good.”

With that, the meager conversation petered out, leaving Abi once again in an awkward silence, so instead of forcing any further interaction, she turned to gaze down into the arena below to find a battle between two young men taking place. One of them was clearly of wind affinity with the way he was swiftly bouncing between the walls, and Abi was surprised to find him dressed in what she recalled was a traditional Sukonese gown rather than the school uniform that everybody else already wore. He was clearly quite talented, and with each casting of Proto, he darted around the arena, sending bursts of wind through his hands and toward where his opponent stood. However, Abi was only watching his graceful moves for a moment before her attention was torn away by the other man.

With the sun to the other combatant's back, his side of the arena was quite dark, with shadows all around him that, to Abi’s shock, seemed to peel themselves off of the walls and ground, forming into roiling masses of black before bursting straight at the wind mage. It was as if the darkness had become solid, forming into a sharpened state that almost appeared as if it could actually cut the man.

“Woah…” she uttered, startled by what she was witnessing.

To his credit, the wind mage immediately reacted, snarling “proto” as he pressed his feet against the vertical wall of the arena and used it as a launchpad to propel himself away from the oncoming shadows.

That’s…dark magic, Abi realized as she watched the other mage subtly move his left hand, causing the shadows to slash towards where the wind mage was dodging, just barely missing him. But…from what I know, dark magic is only really used by…

“Luz,” she began, never once taking her eyes away from the men below. “He’s using dark magic, so…is he a Noctis?”

Album leaned forward and rested her elbows on the fence as she, too, observed the fight. “So you know Noctis, but not Luz? That’s kinda hurtful, you know?”

“Oh! No, I didn’t mean…”

But as Abi rushed to defend herself, she managed to turn away from the battle to face Album, only to find the young woman looking back at her with a subtle sly smile, as if she just couldn’t avoid taking a shot at her. Abi was pleased to find that the look on her face was teasing, communicating that she wasn’t actually all that offended and was merely giving her a hard time. In a way, it was comforting to know that Album was willing to tease her at all despite Abi’s blunder in the dorms.

Abi sighed and rested her own elbows against the railing, feeling her cheeks turning slightly red with embarrassment. “Er, well, I knew of the Masters of Light, it’s just that the name slipped my mind.”

Album giggled softly, as if finding the situation amusing. “Well, anyway, yes, that man down there is Nigreos Noctis. He’s Master Viiro’s eldest son and primed to become the Master of Darkness someday.”

Nigreos Noctis…

Now that the name was spoken, Abi recalled that she had certainly heard it once or twice over her many years of traveling, though she hadn’t realized that there was a Noctis and a Luz at the same age. She turned her gaze toward Nigreos down below. He still hadn’t moved from his position off to her left, seemingly on the offensive against his Sukonese opponent. He possessed a powerful presence with his shadows bursting up around his body to attack the man. Nigreos had a strong build and his features were stern with determination, and perhaps even a little frustration at how his attacks were being so swiftly avoided. It was both an ominous image and an awe-inspiring one, and for a moment, Abi was hypnotized by the duel.

“Truly, you are a powerful one, Noctis!” came the rather excited voice of the wind mage as he smoothly slid under an attacking shadow. “But you’re a little slow! Are those shadows really so cumbersome?”

“Do not think I’m going all out!” Nigreos retorted to the taunt. “We have quite an audience here with us, Caeli, and with orientation just tomorrow, I would prefer not to unveil all of my tricks! I would urge you to do the same!”

“Sounds like excuses to me, my friend!”

Bantering back and forth as if they were already close friends, the man named Caeli shouted out “Perkari”, sending two bursts of wind from each hand toward Nigreos’s chest, but before either could strike him, the shadows lunged off the walls on either side to defend Nigreos, preventing either from hitting the target.

“What about the other guy?” Abi asked softly. “Who’s this Caeli person?”

At that, Album shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never heard the name before, and it seems he’s Nigreos’s partner, which means…”

At that, Album trailed off, leaving Abi curious as to what else there was to say. But before she could press the matter, Album went on, though this time, there was obvious anxiety in her tone.

“Look, I hate to do this to you, and I’ve been trying to think of a way to broach the subject, but…”

“What’s the matter?”

She could sense that Album was stressing over something, so Abi once again forced herself to look away from the duel so she could regard her teammate, only to find her lips drawn tight and her hands gripping the railing so hard that her knuckles were turning white.

“Luz?” she pressed, realizing that whatever was wrong might be more serious than she initially thought, and without looking at her, Album answered the unspoken question.

“You see, Abigail, being a Luz, there are certain obligations I have to fulfill, and one of those obligations is that my father has ordered me to form a team with Nigreos, and I don’t have a choice but to do as he says. So…” After rattling everything off, Album paused and timidly bit her lip before closing her eyes, as if fearing that Abi was going to get mad at her. “...well, I hope you didn’t have anybody else in mind, because I have to work with him and this Caeli guy no matter what. I’m sorry, but that’s just how it is. I can’t anger my parents…”

It was clear in the way she spoke that Album had been stressing over this topic all day, and Abi couldn’t help but smile at the realization that her partner had actually been taking her feelings into account. If she was worried about upsetting Abi then it meant that the incident in the dorms hadn’t offended her the way Abi had feared, and that meant there was still potential for a friendship between them. Of course, she had been really excited at the prospect of working alongside Fayela, but given who Album was, it was certain that the responsibilities and expectations hoisted upon her were not something that could be so easily ignored. Album needed Nigreos Noctis, and therefore, Abi was more than willing to oblige.

“How much have you been stressing over this?” Abi inquired with a wry grin.

Having clearly not expected such a question, Album glanced sidelong at her. “Um, what?”

“How long have you been stressing over this?” she repeated. “I mean, you look like you were terrified I was going to go berserk or something! What kind of menace do you take me for, Luz?” Abi laughed cheerfully, wanting to let the girl know that everything was okay. “I’m a commoner, and until today, I’d never seen a city as grand as Erika or Noctalus with my own eyes. My life is about as far away from that of a noblewoman as you can get, so I don’t think I could understand just what pressure is on you. That being said…”

Album was just gaping back at her, seemingly struggling to process Abi’s positive reaction, as if it was baffling to her that she wasn’t angry in the slightest. When she remained quiet, Abi continued.

“If your family has expectations for you then who am I to stand in the way? You need to pair with Noctis, then we’ll pair with Noctis. And next time,” she added, clicking her tongue in a teasing fashion. “Just know that I don’t get angry easily. A partnership is built on communication, and I’m more than happy to talk. Sound good?”

For a few more seconds, Album remained speechless, leaving them both listening to the sounds of Noctis and Caeli’s duel, as well as the cheering students around them. But finally, the smallest of smiles appeared on Album’s face, and she looked away as if embarrassed.

“I…don’t really know what to say,” she murmured to herself. “Everybody is always so opinionated about teaming, so I really did think you’d be upset to be paired with me, but…well, thank you, Abigail… And just call me Album, okay?”

Abi nodded firmly. “Then call me, Abi! Let’s be the best of friends, yeah?”

As if thrown off even by Abi’s peppy and bubbly demeanor, Album regarded her for another moment, before giggling softly.

“Sounds good to me, Abi.”