The Endless Solvent

The growing tension continued to linger in the air. It became painfully obvious that nobody at the Academy knew what to do with the mounting emergency. Gate sightings were popping up everywhere around the Heart, the closest being only a day’s ride from the capital’s walls. Even if he kept his distance from the Academy’s inner workings and politics, Verne knew that things were in disarray.

This culminated into the administration calling forth an Academy-wide assembly where every student and staff had to be crammed into the largest space they owned, which was the meeting hall under Headmaster Kallum’s office. Everyone had to stand and even the side stairways were spots for people to stand. The grand doors at the back were pulled wide open to allow even more people to stand out in the hall such that they could hear what the professors had to say.

They all faced the three story tall patchwork of window panes with no glass; they were enchanted to keep out the elements that came with a cliff-side view. Standing in front of the window were the dark robed figures of the professors, the center being Headmaster Kallum. Verne, Laell and the Caelisian twins had front row privileges, but Verne suspected they weren’t for entirely positive reasons.

To their right was a man dressed from head to toe in warm colors, primarily that of red. Any metal on his body looked to be made of gold. He stood firmly on a small red rug and kept giving Aris a look of utter disgust. Beside him stood several soldiers dressed in red armor, bearing arms with symbols that described them as Kuvanian soldiers. That meant the man on the rug was the Kuvanian representative.

He turned to give Ral a look, one that hopefully said “prepare yourself” to the other man. Although the Sekrelli were religious, Kuvanians were a whole other degree of devout. Furthermore, from what he’s heard about their history, Verne was quite certain the twins had less than pleasant opinions about Kuvans in general.

“Dear professors, mentors and students,” Kallum projected his voice such that it was loud and clear in the vast hall. The murmur and chatter of the huge assembly died down. “I thank you all for gathering here today. I will keep it short and simple. The situation across the Strait is worsening, Gates are encroaching upon our empire’s capital. The Academy will now be under the command of the emperor to control the situation.

“I understand this isn’t what many of us who attend the Academy were meant to do. However lives are at stake and if this continues, it may spread beyond the Heart and affect your homes and family.”

There was a murmur of activity.

“Runeology will now dedicate all research and manpower in finding an enchantment that will close Gates. Those with manus abilities will aid in assisting towns and people in need affected by the Gates and gather information on the Unseeing. The next few days will be dedicated to allocating our resources with the focus of resolving this crisis.”

“But what of our safety?” someone shouted out from the crowd. There was an outraged ripple that agreed.

“Manus students are being slaughtered left and right,” another added. “We can’t provide aid.”

“You’re asking us all to go die,” a third said in a devastated voice. “Is my tuition going towards this?”

“Correct!” The Kuvanian representative immediately spoke up in the midst of chaos, his shrill voice cutting through the chatter. “Perhaps we can all convince the administration here and now that the solution to all our problems are simple?”

Verne immediately saw Professor Camaz’s expression sour.

“How can you all forget that this Gate business only happened out east for all these years?” the representative said gleefully. “And it’s only now it’s happening right under our noses?”

“If you have something to say, Ilka, then say it,” Camaz said rather dourly.

“This has always been a Caelisian issue. Now that you’ve dragged these two here, we’re now suffering for it,” Ilka snapped. “Surely everyone sees this. The answer is quite obvious. We rid ourselves of these two half-breeds and everything goes back to normal.”

“You seem to know a lot about this subject,” Aris said from under her hood. She raised her head enough so the bandages over her eyes could be seen. “Can you enlighten us on how you’re suddenly the expert of Gates?”

“Your people flirted with blasphemy and suffered the consequences,” Ilka said. “And now it’s followed you all the way here. Any fool can see that your presence here triggered these events.”

“Aris was raised on this island for a decade,” Camaz pointed out. “Nothing has happened during that time. You need to revise your theory.”

“But now she’s here with her brother,” Ilka said. “That’s the variable. You have the two key people in Caelis’s blasphemy. Don’t deny it, they are essentially the Lunaris and Solaris of that barbaric place.”

Verne rubbed his face with a hand. Most of the island probably already knew this through the power of gossip, but now it was all but confirmed.

“And why should all of us suffer for the mistakes of a past nation?” the Kuvanian representative continued heatedly. “Their mistakes, their hubris is what led to this. It had angered the Parts and brought monsters upon the land.”

“This is a place of academics, sir,” the headmaster rumbled. “Not a place for you to fling baseless accusations like that around.”

“I had the impression the Academy would be loyal to his highness the emperor,” Ilka said. “Why does it seem like they are going against His wisdom?”

“The Academy is a place of neutrality that believes in the truth. I also like to think we are a practical sort of people.” Kallum crossed his arms. “And blaming Caelisians for our troubles isn’t fixing anything.”

“I can and will close Gates if you let me,” Ral then said in a rather exasperated voice. “I just need a chance to show you I can. Nobody else wants to deal with them, why aren’t you letting me go help?”

“You are the source of the ailment,” Ilka said. “Why in damnation would we let you have the freedom to do as you please? For all we know you’ll be the catalyst for the end of times!”

Ral rolled his eyes. “I’ve been alive for over two decades while traveling all over the empire. Why in sun’s name would I wait for now, the most inconvenient place and moment, to trigger the end of times?”

A fresh argument sprouted forth, causing more dissent from the assembly. Verne glanced over at Aris, who had been silent except for her one comment. It was impossible to read her, especially with her face covered by the shade of the hood.

There was another sound bubbling from the crowd. It was different from the chatter of debate around Ilka and Ral’s discussion. Verne turned and saw a ripple of people shifting and moving to allow a small group through. To his shock, Verne recognized a handful of those pushing their way to the front wore Sekrelli issued armor - almost identical to the one he habitually wore.

Just behind a pair of Sekrelli soldiers stood his parents: Lord and Lady Teverin of Sekrelli.