The Burning Flowers

Chapter IX

As Abi listened to Faye and Jessi’s retelling of the match against Rennigan, she and Album could only exchange pitiful glances with one another. The four women were gathered at one of the tables on the third floor of the Academy library, having been invited by Faye that morning before class. It had been clear from the moment Abi saw her that something was bothering her, and when she asked for some advice, her concerns had only grown worse. Given the fact that Abi already considered the rock mage a good friend, she was quick to accept, and upon meeting up, Faye and Jessi told them everything that had happened the previous morning out in the training grounds, as well as the details of Hiro’s initial challenge to Rennigan.

“And so that’s that,” Faye muttered with a sigh. “We issued a challenge and we completely and utterly lost.”

Jessi shook her head and scoffed. “I just can’t believe I let him get the better of me like that! When the steam went up, I was certain he was going after Hiro, so I wasn’t ready for him to suddenly appear in front of me. It was so stupid!”

“Don’t beat yourself up,” Album comforted. “Rennigan is a strong mage, you know? And despite how it might seem, he’s clever and determined. You gave it your all and that’s all you can really do.”

“But we had him outnumbered!” the girl exclaimed with frustration. “We had him two-to-one and we couldn’t even last three minutes! It’s exactly like what happened with Caeli expect it was somehow more embarrassing! I mean, I thought Hiro and I were really good, but maybe…” Jessi’s features then tensed up as her tone lost its fervor. “ Maybe we’re just not cut out for this. I mean—”

“Jessi,” Abi interrupted firmly, causing the girl to go silent and turn her pink eyes back toward her. “Don’t say that. You’ve just had two really bad hands, that’s all. Rennigan’s tough and so is Ryokumo. All you have to do is just keep training and learn to adapt. After all, if you weren’t cut out for this, you wouldn’t have been accepted in the first place.”

Faye nodded her agreement. “She’s right, Jess’. Don’t let it get to you. We’ll figure something out, one way or another.”

Despite the fact that Faye was clearly disheartened by the events of her first week at the Academy, Abi found herself strongly respecting the resolve and confidence she still displayed. She had already hit a bump in the road, but she wasn’t letting it break her determination. Abi wasn’t so sure she could have done the same in her position.

“So how’s Hiro holding up?” Abi inquired. “I don’t imagine living with the problem is all that good for his mental health.”

Jessi shrugged miserably. “Well, he’s kinda lucky that all Glaus does in the dorm room is sleep. The silver fucker spends most of his time out studying or training or whatever. So at least there’s that. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was somewhere around here right now!”

She glanced over her shoulder and scanned the library, but at the moment, there was no sign of Rennigan at any of the tables. This seemed to ease Jessi’s anxiety as she leaned forward and began absently fidgeting with her pen.

“Well anyway, I guess the reason I asked you guys to stop by,” Faye began, “was that I wanted to know what you think we should do about this? I mean, I talked to Noctis the other day, and all he said was that we should try to convince him that he needs us to impress Master Rana. The problem is, I think he already knows that, but he’s too preoccupied with his own vision of how we should be. He thinks we need fixing.”

Album shook her head with exasperation. “That…sounds insufferable, to be honest. And unfortunately, I don’t think Abi or I could really tell you anything that Nigreos couldn’t. He’s the only one somewhat familiar with Rennigan, after all. I mean…” She then glanced sidelong at Abi, as if seeking her opinion. “What do you think? Anything come to mind?”

Abi stopped and considered the question for a moment. There was, in fact, one thing that she might be able to offer Faye that Nigreos wouldn’t have, but telling them would require her to reveal a secret she had never disclosed to anybody, not even Master Grunly. Although, it wasn’t that she wanted to keep it secret, but she wasn’t sure if anybody would even take her seriously given how little she actually understood about it.

Then again, I guess my sense has already made it clear I can trust these three, so if I can trust them, then I can probably tell them, right?

“Well, there is one thing,” Abi finally admitted. “But I need the three of you to keep it to yourselves. I don’t really want everybody else to know, okay?”

At her rather vague response, Faye, Jessi, and Album all looked rather concerned, but each one gave her their word that they wouldn’t allow whatever she said to leave that table, so feeling comfortable enough to confide in them, Abi went on.

“I have this ability,” she explained. “I’m not really sure where it came from, but ever since I was young, I was able to just look at somebody and instinctively know whether they could be trusted or not. I’ve always considered it to be like a sixth sense. It lets me figure out who the good people are, who the bad people are, and even sometimes just gives me a neutral feeling, which I’ve always interpreted as meaning that they could be either depending on the situation.”

“Wait, hold on,” Faye interjected. “So you’re saying you just feel if you can trust someone?”

Abi nodded. “Pretty much. I don’t really know how to explain it other than that. It’s not even all that conscious.”

Both Faye and Jessi stared at her with awe, and she couldn’t help feeling a little uncomfortable. Album, however, was already seeming to be taking the information in and attempting to make sense of it.

“I’ve read about oddities like that,” she murmured, running her fingers through her hair as she spoke. “There have been accounts of strange powers that manifest in certain individuals due to mutations in their genetic makeup. Some of them are harmful and just wind up killing the person, but others can be beneficial, like what you describe. And if they are, most of the time, they’ll wind up getting passed down the generations. Some scientists have theorized that this magic-based evolution might even be the origin of magic itself—that some of our ancient ancestors mutated the ability to create mana and that the presence of that mutation was the Origin Shift that created non-magic and magic realms.” Album furrowed her brow. “It’s just a theory, of course, but…

“So you’re saying that if it didn’t mutate in my body,” Abi said, “then I probably inherited it from one of my parents?”

“Yeah, pretty much. That’s my understanding, at least.”

Abi frowned, giving the explanation some thought. She’d never really bothered to research what the origin of her sense might be, but it was oddly comforting to think it may have been a genetic gift from her mother or father. She never really knew either of them, so she liked the thought that one of them may have also had the ability. It gave her a sense of connection with them that she wouldn’t have otherwise had.

“Wait, hold on though!” Jessi quickly exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with intense excitement. “So if you have this power, then you must have used it on us, right?! Spill it, Abigail! What did your sense tell you?!”

Abi chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Well, I wouldn’t be telling you about this if I didn’t trust you, right?”

“Oh…” Jessi considered her point for a second from grinning widely. “Yup! That adds up! And of course your sense would like me! I’m awesome!”

“Yes, you are, Jessi, but back on topic…” Faye turned back to Abi and regarded her curiously. “How does this relate to Rennigan? Did you have him sensed as untrustworthy or…?”

But Faye trailed off as Abi shook her head. “No, the opposite, actually. Even I was surprised by it, but my sense is comfortable around Rennigan. I would have at least expected a neutral reaction, but…”

“And what does a positive reaction mean, though?” Album inquired. “Like, is he trustworthy then, or does it just mean he’s just not going to try and kill you?”

“Well, like I said, even I don’t know all the in’s and out’s of the ability,” she reminded them. “But in my experience, it usually means that the person has a pure heart. That’s how I like to interpret it, anyway. And that…well to be perfectly blunt, it just doesn’t fit the Rennigan that we’re seeing. Most of the time when I’ve met people like him, my sense urges me to get away as quickly as I can, but with Rennigan, it just doesn't bother me.”

At that, understanding seemed to cross Faye’s features as she picked up on what Abi was attempting to say. “So do you think that the way Rennigan behaves isn’t who he really is inside—that he’s putting on a mask for some reason?”

“Yeah, that’s my interpretation,” Abi confirmed. “Rennigan is acting that way for a reason, and it might even be a mask he, himself, doesn’t realize he’s wearing. But somewhere in there is a good and reasonable person, and my sense can feel it. Which means…”

“If we can somehow reach that part of him, we might be able to work together,” Faye finished, her lips tightening in determination. “Perfect. Thank you, Abi.”

The nature mage smiled back at her, unsure of how that information could help, but grateful that Faye seemed satisfied with her answer. Her sense had only ever been beneficial to her, and it had both saved her numerous times and even led her toward people she might have not met otherwise. It was her secret weapon, and after so long, it felt good to share it with people she could trust and know that it might help them, as well.

However, before anybody could say anything else, a soft melody suddenly sounded throughout the room—a noise that Abi had only heard a handful of times since arriving at the school. All across the Academy of Erika were little talismans that served to project the voice of the headmaster for school-wide announcements to every student on the campus, and whenever an announcement had to be made, that melody would precede it. Curious, all four of them glanced over to the library’s far right wall where a small gray box was placed up at the top—the very talisman that the announcement would come from. And as usual, when the melody went silent, they all heard the voice of Headmaster Tykon.

“Good morning, students,” he greeted. “This is just a quick announcement to request the presence of Nigreos Noctis, Album Luz, Ryokumo Caeli, and Abigail in my office immediately. Thank you.”

The announcement was over as quickly as it began, but it was more than enough for Abi’s stomach to churn, and when she looked at Album, she found her roommate’s features tense with anxiety.

“Um, what did you guys do?” Jessi asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Abi slowly shook her head, still trying to figure out why the headmaster would suddenly need them. “I don’t…er, nothing! Album, do you have any idea?”

“Not really, no,” she murmured. “But I guess we should hurry up and go. Don’t want to keep him waiting.”

Her body clearly shaking, Album slowly got up from her seat, grabbed her bag, and waited for Abi to do the same.

“Er, right, okay,” Abigail stuttered, her mind racing with various possibilities as to what this summons could be in relation to. As far as she knew, the team hadn’t done anything that would get them in trouble, but at the same time, she couldn’t think of any positive reason Tykon would need them either. Aside from Nigreos and Album being from powerful families, there wasn’t much about them that would cause them to stick out.

So what the heck does he need us for?!

“Good luck, I guess,” Faye said with a soft wave. “Make sure to tell us all about it later, okay?”

“Will do. See you later, guys,” Abi called back as she and Album hurried to depart the library, neither of them speaking as they rode the lift back down to the first floor.

By the time they were outside, Album’s pace had increased to the point that Abi was practically jogging to keep up with her, and the few times she caught a glimpse of the light mage’s expression, she found that it was a jumble of fear, anticipation, and even some excitement, and it only made her wonder if Album did have some idea of what Tykon wanted and had just opted to keep it to herself. However, it was clear that Album was on edge so Abi decided not to pry. The trip to the Administration Offices in the center of the campus wasn’t long, and by the time they arrived at the two story structure, they found Nigreos and Ryokumo waiting for them.

“There you guys are!” Ryokumo called out upon noticing their approach. “Any idea what the hell is going on?”

Abi grimaced, glancing briefly at Nigreos’s calm and collected features before turning back to Ryokumo. “Not a clue. I was hoping either of you might have an idea, but…I guess not?”

The wind mage sighed. “Nope. Just as surprised as you are. Oh well! In that case, let’s head on up and find out!”

At that, Ryokumo didn’t waste any time before turning and stalking through the double liquet doors with an excited grin on his face, as if for whatever reason, he was expecting something good out of the summons. Abigail followed after him and Nigreos and Album took up the rear as they walked into a small anteroom where they were greeted by a waiting area and a desk at which a young man was sitting, scribbling on some parchment. Before any of them could speak, the man briefly looked at them then grunted, “Second floor, take a right and go down the hall. You won’t miss it”.

“Oh, uh, thanks,” Abi muttered, surprised by the swift order and seeming disinterest in them, but Ryokumo was clearly unbothered and hardly broke stride as he moved past the desk and toward the hallway in the back, the other three once again trailing behind.

The lift wasn’t too far inside the corridor and they had all barely stepped on before Ryokumo cast Ortumo and began their accent, and while his face made him look excited, Abi couldn’t help but notice the tapping of his foot, indicating that even he was a bit nervous. At first, Abi was a little concerned that the secretary’s directions were too vague, but as the man had said, they couldn’t have missed it. The doors to the headmaster’s office were roughly eight feet tall, made of a dark oak with intricate designs carved into every square inch of the surface. There was so much artistic detail to take in, but with her nerves so on edge, she couldn’t bring herself to focus on the beautiful design as Ryokumo knocked. When they heard the call to enter, the wind mage pushed open the door and the four of them headed in.

Unsurprisingly after seeing the lavish door, the office of Headmaster Tykon was massive, with probably quadruple the space that her dorm room had. The ceiling stretched up about twelve feet high, and there was a large skylight directly in the center, allowing rays of warm sun to stream into the dark-painted room. Bookshelves spanned the entire length and height of the left and right walls, without even a single spot unfilled. Directly ahead was the headmaster’s desk, placed just before a liquet window, with a mahogany grandfather clock to its right, which emitted a rather ominous ticking sound that echoed throughout the office.

“Welcome, Students,” Headmaster Tykon greeted from his spot behind the desk, his hands folded as he regarded the four of them, and the look in his amber eyes gave Abi the impression that he was appraising them like one would a rare talisman. “I apologize for the suddenness, but I think you will be quite pleased when you learn just why I have called you here.” Smiling, Tykon stood from his seat and walked around the side of the desk, motioning for them to approach. “Please, come further inside. No need to linger in the doorway.”

Despite his rather calm attitude, Abi still felt apprehensive, but when Nigreos and Ryokumo both did as they were asked without hesitation, Abi stepped forward as well with Album at her side.

“You know, I must admit,” Tykon went on. “I’ve been quite intrigued to properly meet the four of you ever since orientation. Of course, I’ve heard plenty of tales about the Noctalus, but you, Abigail, Caeli… Well, let’s just say you were both an unexpected and welcome surprise.”

Ryokumo, true to his confident nature, bowed his head before the headmaster and grinned. “Thank you, Headmaster. That means a lot coming from the leader of this fine school. I’m flattered.”

“Of course.” Tykon’s eyes then shifted to where Abi was standing, and once again, she felt like the man was carefully analyzing her. “And you, Abigail… Master Grunly sent me many a letter practically begging me to admit you to this Academy, and I can say with confidence that his faith was not misplaced. I do not think I made a mistake listening to him. You should be proud.”

“Uh, yes, I am,” she stuttered, unsure of how she should be addressing a man like Reddick Tykon. So she simply followed Ryokumo’s lead and bowed. “Thank you, Sir.”

“Well, anyway, I’m sure the four of you are just waiting for me to tell you why I called you here, and I will start by assuring you that you are not in trouble,” he told them. “On the contrary, this summons is for one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon students of my school.”

The highest honor? Abi repeated internally. What does he mean by that? What could we have done in just one week to earn such a thing?

“That being said, it is not me bestowing said honor,” Tykon continued as he turned not to address the four of them, but to stare at an empty spot just to his right . “If you would…”

And with his prompting, a distortion spell that Abi hadn’t sensed when she entered suddenly dropped, revealing two individuals that had been concealed. The one on the right was a rather tall man with dark crimson hair combed neatly and a cleanly-shaven face. His eyes were the same color as his hair, as were the robes he wore. He was clearly an older man, perhaps somewhere in his late forties, and his features were somewhere between stern and comforting, as if he could shift his demeanor without issue.

On the left was a young woman perhaps barely older than Abi was, dressed in a green and gold velvet tunic and skirt, as well as finely-crafted boots that rose up to just below her knees. She held herself with a confidence that was immediately awe-inspiring, and her youthful features failed to take away from the air of maturity that showed in her dark blue eyes. However, what quickly caught Abi’s attention was her emerald-green hair that fell freely down to her back, well-tended, silky, and beautiful.

Abi’s eyes went wide. Green hair? But…?

Green was not natural and therefore, one could only have hair of that color if they had it magically altered, but in the Ijirian Empire, it was illegal for one to turn their hair green, for it was an appearance reserved for a singular family as a way for anybody to identify them.

And that family…is the Iijis. The royal family… If that’s the case, then this woman is…?

The Iiji woman immediately stepped forward, her arms folded behind her back as she looked to each one of them in turn, and within a second, Abi realized that both Nigreos and Album had their backs bent all the way forward as they bowed before the princess of Ijiria. Realizing their mistake, both Abi and Ryokumo followed suit and for a few seconds, the office was silent before the Iiji finally spoke.

“Rise, all four of you.”

Her voice was feminine and soft, but there was no mistaking the commanding aura in her tone, causing them to do as ordered and rise back to full height, only for Abi to find the woman looking straight at her with a subtle smile.

“Apologies for distorting ourselves,” she said, “but we didn’t want to intimidate you the moment you entered so we thought it would be a good idea for Headmaster Tykon to speak first. That being said, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Princess Ilirianna Iiji, the heir to the Ijirian throne.”

Ilirianna Iiji…

Of course, Abi had heard that name numerous times over the course of her life, but even after having visited the Citadel and interacted with some Masters, she still never even considered the thought that she could ever be in the same room as an Iiji, let alone the heir.

Oh my gosh… What’s going on?! Why is the princess here? What could she want with us?

Abi desperately waited for one of the others to respond, but a quick look at each of them proved that they were just as intimidated as she was. Even Nigreos and Album appeared unsure of whether they should respond and introduce themselves as well, but when nobody did so, Ilirianna laughed softly and shook her head.

“There’s no need to be so anxious,” she assured them. “Like the headmaster said, you’re not in trouble.”

“Then…” The first one to find their voice was Ryokumo, who seemed to have recovered from the shock enough to address the princess. “With all due respect, why did you summon us? I mean, we’ll be glad to do whatever it is you need, but I…am just a tad confused.”

Ilirianna didn’t answer him right away, instead taking a few steps toward Ryokumo, who Abi had to give credit to for not flinching away. “Ryokumo Caeli is your name, right?”

“Uh, yes, My Princess! Ryokumo Caeli, at your service!”

The wind mage bowed a second time, but this time, some of his natural over-the-top demeanor poked through, which seemed to amuse Ilirianna, if only a little.

“I was at the orientation, you know?” she went on. “I believe you were all informed of that, so you would know I got to watch your match, and I must say, it was impressive. You especially, Caeli, showed magnificent talent when you pulled off an upset that both myself and the present Masters hadn’t expected.”

Ryokumo’s mouth opened and closed a few times, and Abi could only marvel at the rare instance where the young man was left speechless. “I, er, uh, thank you. Yes, I was happy with how I pulled that off. Um, yes…” Recovering himself, Ryokumo smiled broadly. “I’m glad I could impress you, My Princess.”

Seeming satisfied, Ilirianna then turned and moved toward Abigail, who stiffened up and tried to stand as tall and confident as she could.

“And you, Abigail. Your trick against Rennigan Glaus was a smart one. As the headmaster said a moment ago, you surpassed what many expected of you. Of course, we had faith in Master Grunly, but one can’t help but be skeptical when a nameless mage enters the scene. You did well.”

“Thank you,” she managed to force out despite her brain failing to work properly.

Abi expected she would move on to address Nigreos and Album, but to her surprise, Ilirianna returned to where the man in red still waited silently, then motioned toward him.

“This is the Master of Fire, Nakoma Taurus, by the way,” she introduced casually, upon which Nakoma nodded.

“A pleasure,” he muttered, then went silent again.

A Master? So it’s not just the princess, but the Master of Fire, too?! I just don’t get it!

So, as her anxiety started to get the best of her, Abi did what she always did when she needed to calm her mind in the presence of somebody new—she activated her sense and tried to get a read on both Ilirianna Iiji and Nakoma Taurus. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting out of individuals like them, but she was nevertheless surprised by the results. Similar to her read on Master Koroha Rihtta, Nakoma was neutral, leaving her still somewhat weary of him. Ilirianna, however, came across as pure and trustworthy, and despite her being a princess, Abi found that just knowing this woman was pure made her nervousness ease a bit.

“Anyway,” Ilirianna began. “We don’t have a lot of time so I think it’s best to get right to the point. I’m positive that Nigreos and Album are already aware, but what do the two of you, Abigail and Caeli, know about the Ijirian royal team?”

The Ijirian royal team? Wait, really?

“Yes, I know it,” Abi answered hesitantly. “The royal team is made up of a freshman group from the Academy of Erika, hand-selected by the heir to the throne. It essentially means that, unlike the rest of the student-body, their school assignments will be decided by the heir, and that they work alongside them.” The nature mage paused, her breathing shaky as she spoke. “Princess, are you saying…?”

“Yes, I am,” she confirmed. “After watching this year’s orientation, I have chosen to select the four of you to work under me as my royal team for the foreseeable future. Like the headmaster said, it is one of the highest honors. Is it something you would be interested in?”

The weight of both Ilirianna’s words hit Abi like a brick to the head and once again, it felt like her world had been turned upside down. Being at the Academy, living among nobles and speaking with Masters, had been stunning and unimaginable to her, but this was on an even higher level than what she was already experiencing. To work alongside Ilirianna Iiji was a thought that would have never crossed her mind a few months ago. Just speaking to Edwar Grunly had been surreal, but to be with the princess was another matter entirely.

“Yes, My Princess,” Nigreos responded confidently, speaking for the first time since they arrived. “Of course we would be.”

Album nodded as well, though she didn’t manage to get herself to speak, and Ryokumo echoed Nigreos’s words, leaving Abi as the only one standing silently. Ilirianna turned to stare at her, awaiting her answer, and she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t possibly turn down a request from the princess, but she felt that being on the royal team was way out of her league. She understood why Ilirianna would be interested in Nigreos and Album given who their parents were, and even Ryokumo had more than earned this proposal, but she was nothing more than a lone wanderer—a commoner without a name who until a week ago had never even seen Erika with her own eyes. The name Ilirianna Iiji may as well have been a part of another realm entirely to her.

But I can’t turn her down. I mean, one doesn’t just deny a princess, and this must be exactly what the others have dreamed of. It would give Album and Nigreos the prestige they seek to live up to their parents’ expectations, and it’s a perfect gateway to the comfortable life that Ryokumo dreams of. And I’m sure…Grunly would be very pleased if I said yes, so…

“O-of course, Princess,” she forced herself to answer. “Yeah, I’m interested.”

Ilirianna smiled warmly. “Perfect. Then it’s settled. You four will work under me, and with that now decided, you will be interested to know that your first assignment will begin at the end of this week.”

Nigreos and Album barely reacted, leading Abi to believe that their fathers might have already given them a heads-up, but she and Ryokumo could hardly contain their shock at yet another surprise.

“The end of this week?” the latter stuttered. “Like, this weekend? I was under the impression that freshmen weren’t allowed assignments until the second semester?”

“Normally, you’re right, Caeli,” Tykon chimed in, having returned to his spot at the desk sometime during their conversation. “But King Markreas has requested I bend the rules, and who am I to deny the king?”

“Yes, circumstances dictate a bit of flexibility here,” Ilirianna added. “We will give you more details in a moment, but the short of it is that the five of us, as well as Master Taurus, will be traveling to the river city of Hiriech to attend the birthday celebration of Lord Malloway’s eldest son, Aeyir, which takes place in roughly two weeks.”

“A birthday celebration?” Nigreos parroted. “I know Lord Malloway has a son coming of age, but…my father had mentioned that nobody from the Citadel was attending.”

“They weren’t,” Nakoma told him. “And as it is, the six of us are not going just for celebratory reasons. It’s a part of an unofficial investigation, of which the details are not to leave this room under any circumstances. The only ones who will be privy to this information are the Masters of Ijiria, the Iijis, Headmaster Tykon, and the four of you.”

Abi frowned, a detail poking its way into the mess of chaos that her mind was. She knew enough about Ijirian government to know that the High Council should at least be aware that the Masters were taking action, and Nakoma’s insistence upon secrecy made her believe this was being conducted behind their backs.

And we’re going to be the only ones who know this? What is going on? This is happening so fast, and I…?

“Now, we will give you more details once we depart Erika,” Nakoma added. “So until then, keep this quiet. Do not tell anybody that you’re leaving the city. The only thing you have been permitted to share is your new status as the royal team, which we will be publicly announcing tonight. Understood?”

They all managed affirmatives, which satisfied Nakoma enough for him to return the floor to Ilirianna, who was smiling.

“Good,” she said. “Then I look forward to working with you.”

Once again, the Princess of Ijiria’s eyes shifted to Abi, and the two of them stared at each other for a moment, which only served to send yet another shiver of anxiety through her body.

What…did we just get ourselves into?