Coalesce: The Escape

The next five months went about the same. Wake up then eat, train and eat again after that sleep and repeat. I’ve been so tired and haven’t had time for anything else. Sabille and Eraleth still haven’t shown up either, I’m really worried about them. Ruby and Legend have, however and have stuck around since.

I’ve been restless every night and the light still bothers me more than it should. I can barely stand to eat anymore. I hope this is only temporary. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. At least I haven’t had to deal with Jalladias again yet. A small mercy.

“Kylon, do you notice anything different?” I ask, worried as I look into the mirror. My eyes seem to be changing color and my skin is much paler and it seems like my veins are far more prominent. Even my reflection seems off, a bit faint. Maybe it’s just the magic. I could be doing things I don’t even realize

“No, why?” He asks cautiously, like he’s about to set off a trap.

“I don’t know.. I just feel different, I’ve been getting worn out faster and I’ve had these weird cravings and I don’t know what for...” I turn and look at him, leaning against my bed. He looks me over and looks me in the eye.

“You’ll be fine. It’s probably nothing. Now come on, you have to go now.” Today is the day I choose my elemental path in magic. Magister Dalin says I’m a Mystic elf. Who would’ve guessed? He says once I find my element and mystic class, my skin will turn a bluish color and my eyes will change according to my choices. What a strange thing that will be. I’ve never heard much of the mystics, they aren’t spoken of often since they were banished. He accompanies me to the second floor. This is where all the Mystic elves that are choosing their paths have gathered, as well as the Magisters and the Arch-Mage. For another month we will learn more of our elemental magic and then move to the third floor and perfect the magic that goes with our class for about six more months then we can leave the school.

“You all know why you are here today. I won’t waste time here, so pick your class and element and go to the appropriate place.” Arch-Mage Selena says and leaves. She comes off as a very to the point sort of woman.

We all find the elements best suited to us, and the classes within the hour. I will have Water for my element and my class is a Mystic Ranger.

The Mystic Rangers are sworn to protect other Mystic elves at all costs. They learn all types of magic but Illusion magic is their base magic. They have a choice of weapons, they can have a bow, sword, staff, or mace. Each weapon has a special enchantment on it that improves the performance of the weapon using your own magic source. If one chooses they can add multiple enchantments or have multiple weapons. I’m not entirely sure what I’ll do yet.

We go and meet our new teachers for the next month. My elemental teacher is Magister Barda, a calm looking woman with aquamarine eyes and gray-blue skin. A purely water elemental Mystic. Of the other five initiates in my elemental class, one is a female and the other four males. It’s surprising, usually water magic is considered a feminine form of magic from what I’ve heard. These next few months are going to be torture. Men are insufferable creatures in this place, they all act like they’re the only true magic users. Like they have some innate right to use magic over us.The other woman seems to be nice, shy however. I haven’t bothered to ask any of their names yet.

“I’m not going to make you suffer through this class, if you have no desire to be here at any time, leave. I will not have disruptions. I assume you all know why you are here, and what you will be learning?” Magister Barda looks at the six of us with one black eyebrow raised. Her voice is calm and soft, matching her looks. Something in her tone warns not to make her mad, many of these calm types of people I’ve met are disastrous when angered. I’ll have to check myself often in this class, once classes officially start that is.

“No? Good. Each class will be two hours long, how you do in class will determine any outside work. Don’t fool around, and you will do well here. Are there any questions?” She waits, and there is more silence, she nods a little. “Then you are dismissed.” She waves a hand and turns her back on us, clearly she doesn’t want to be disturbed by us. We all get up and leave, I wander through the halls, waiting until the time of my next class introduction. I hope the instructor is kinder than the rangers I’ve heard of before. Many are hard and cold people, I’ve gathered. Hopefully my time here will change that perspective.

I am more than relieved when the time waiting is over. The silence is crushing, not what I’m used to coming from a noisy castle of courtiers. Annoying as they were, I miss the advantages of living in luxury. Nothing can change my mind on where I am now, what I’m doing. I will fight for my home, for my empire with everything I have, even my life, if necessary.

The Rangers’ room is large, spacious, a round main room with other adjoining chambers. A weapons room, a practice room, and an armory. All separate for a purpose, I assume. Two mystics stand at the center of the circular room, a man and a woman. Both are cloaked and carry weapons. This class is much larger than my last, over a dozen other students with me. We stand around the two rangers, not sure what to expect yet. Once everyone is present, the woman surveys the group then speaks.

“You will not get off here as easily as in other classes. You will work hard, or will be eliminated,” Her words bring a hushed silence to the room. Having our full attention now, she goes on. “Now, I do not mean you will be killed, that is not how a ranger works. As you will see, we do things differently here.”

“We will be your trainers for the next year. I am Ether, and this is Anneliese. We don’t use titles here. At least not yet. So for now, everyone will be called by their proper names. Understood?” He looks around the room, no one objects, or makes a sound. I am fascinated by the way they move, a lethal grace in every glance, every step, and breath. They are like wraiths, so deadly and precise.

“Each of you will receive a weapon, you get to pick your primary weapon. But you will all be trained in swordsmanship and archery by Ether. I will train you in other areas, poisons, traps, stealth. How well you perform in these areas will determine whether you stay, or whether you leave.” Her yellow eyes look at each of us in turn, her gaze lingers on me before she looks on to another student. Ether takes up speaking now. There’s such a seamless transition between them, like they know each other’s every thought and move.

“At the end of the first semester of training, the real challenge will begin. This will be the true test of what you have learned, and you’re worth to the Rangers. None of you are guaranteed a place among us. You will have to fight to find your place.” We all look around, taking in his words. “Forty of you have been accepted as trainees, half male, half female. This means nothing to us now. You will train separately by gender for this quarter. Co-ed training will be in the second quarter. Learn well during these 18 weeks.” He says, stopping in the center of the space, a lethal challenge in his eyes, already pushing us. That smirk on his lips screams lethality. A snake waiting to strike... A test of some sort, I can tell. He seems to be avoiding telling us what the challenge really is, though. Will someone dare ask about it? Maybe that’s part of it.

“Alright, ladies, come with me and you will pick your weapons.” Anneliese makes toward the weapons room, the 20 girls follow her, the boys are silent, waiting. The nervous thrum of excitement in my ears is too loud for me to hear what Ether tells them to do next.