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Chapter 26
While the ground floor of the Citadel’s many wings were spread in various locations and wielded different purposes, they all had one thing in common. Their vastness always managed to make the outside feel small. Such was Ezabel’s experience when she first stepped between the sparring yard and the principal keep. Her starry gaze lifted and wondered at the high ceilings that seemed impossibly far away, like the sky itself. Her lips fell partially open, just enough to make her innocent and fresh face apparent to all.
It was a place of business, that much was clear when Leonora called out to her. “Watch your step.”, the Attendant held out an arm and stopped her from crossing into what was the grand hall too soon. Ezabel’s stomach stumbled into it clumsily.
From the ceiling, ivory pillars descended and met broad bases upon an alabaster floor. Ezabel followed their form until her eyes met with a host of people that made their way between the many passages on either side. It was the Citadel’s central hub, where many Attendants worked and moved about. Their cloaks trailed brilliantly against the gleam of the floor beneath their feet. Boots clicked and bounced from wall to wall, only to mesh with the distant sound of conversation. Although, the conversations themselves were not distant at all.
As with the rest of the Citadel, there were non-Attendant personnel who served the Order in supportive and administrative roles. There were more of them present than not, and they kept just as busy as their Attendant counterparts. In fact, they were arguably busier as the selection trials had brought an influx of candidates that had much need for guidance, both in and out of the Citadel.
Upon a majority of the walls and against several tables, candidates met with the hands of the Order and spoke urgently about what Ezabel assumed to be trial matters. There was stress on their faces. That was as much as she could pull from their conversations. Though, she understood it quite well, especially now that she was in the grand hall of all places. The sparring yard may have put her in the midst of her competition, but this was another thing entirely. She was right in the middle of the Order and its storied institution.
It was clear where she was, but what she was to do in such a place was her biggest concern. It was like being lost in a forest. Or, marooned on an island with no knowledge of how to survive. The hall was magnificent in every sense of the word, but Ezabel could not help but feel adrift. - That is, until Leonora tugged at her sleeve.
“Follow me, there’s something I want to show you.”, the Attendant nodded with a smile, one that Ezabel was still getting used to seeing on her.
So, she followed with a careful step. Her hair shifted to and from as the boundaries of the grand hall began to fall behind her. Leonora led the way into one of many side passages, where the ceiling fell to a normal height and the walls closed in. Although, it was still worth noting that this particular passage was still quite spacious relative to the places Ezabel had been before.
It was made entirely of stone that sat atop one another in near perfect alignment. It branched off into other halls like a web and many people passed them by. Ezabel closed the distance between her and Leonora for fear of getting lost. Admittedly, she had already forgotten their path after several turns.
“Your brother once told me that you would never go to bed without being read a bedtime story about the Order.”, Leonora slowed her pace so that she walked beside Ezabel, whose breath immediately caught in her throat.
It was a comment that was entirely unexpected, as was evidenced by Ezabel’s startled expression. Her eyes stretched wide and her chest stopped breathing.
“W-what are you t-talking about?”, the words fumbled out of her lips. She looked desperately from wall to wall for no reason at all.
“He also mentioned that you would hide a book under your pillow and pretend to sleep.”
Whatever Leonora was talking about. (And, Ezabel knew exactly what she was talking about.) It was a long time ago. She was a child, and Xavier had no business sharing such private stories with anyone else.
It had not clicked before, not even in Angoulet. But now, in this instant, Ezabel finally felt a reconnection with her older brother. Leonora was part of his brigade, and by extension, she was a voice for him in the Citadel. Suddenly, like a deluge of water, Ezabel’s perception of Leonora had been washed away and replaced.
She no longer felt intimidated. She no longer felt afraid or lost. It was like having a small slice of home right before her. Even if it was just a proxy. For the longest time, after Xavier and Vance had left Alm, Ezabel managed things on her own. The journey she had taken all the way to Gracewind was done entirely without the guidance of her family, of which she was so often used to having. Now, it was Leonora who provided a new sense of friendly comfort.
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It was a strange feeling and it bounced around in her head without settling. But, the walls did not feel so close anymore and the lights were not as bright. The emblem on Leonora’s shoulder once again shone and called to Ezabel. It was the sigil of the Rose Brigade, one of the four original companies of the Order. For the entirety of its time, the Brigade had been home to many celebrated knights. And of course, of all people, Xavier Grover was its newest captain.
Ezabel could still remember the day she learned that her brother was assigned to the Rose. She was overjoyed. The books she had lived in for so long had become life then and there. To think that her own blood had become a part of legend was completely surreal. She was accustomed to her brother’s adept nature. So much so that it was not at all surprising anymore. However, she had never expected for him to be talented enough to become its captain.
“Are you okay?”, Leonora asked, having noticed that Ezabel was slightly lost in thought.
“Yeah, I’m sorry.”, Ezbael gathered herself. “I know I failed the assessment and I know I shouldn’t be here, but-.”
“You have every right to be here.”, Leonora interjected. “You have your brother’s fortitude.”
“Then, why did Leland say that I failed?”
“You did fail, officially. But, that was not a decision of mine.”, Leonora emphasized with a sigh. “You broke the law by using a knightstone in Angoulet, I had no other choice but to listen to my superiors and reject your candidacy.”
The gravity of Ezabel’s offense sat like a rock in her stomach. By now, she had learned much of her transgression and that it warranted punishment. Knightstones were far too dangerous in the hands of those that were not sanctioned by the Citadel. That was the whole point of the selection trials. Not only could a knightstone do insurmountable harm to anything around it, it was also a hazard to inexperienced users.
“Then, you weren’t going to fail me?”
“I would never fail someone who acts selflessly in the defense of others. You stepped in the face of danger without a second thought. I know a few Attendants who could learn a thing or two from you.”, Leonora smiled. “You saved my life, Ezabel. There’s nothing I could do to repay you. - But, I wanted to try. So, I asked Leland to sponsor you.”
“You asked Leland to come?”, Ezabel asked only as a reaction. Leonora had already explained herself but her words were still on the cusp of being received.
It nearly brought a tear to Ezabel’s eyes. Leonora, an Attendant and member of the Rose Brigade had gone out of her own way to ensure that she made it to the capital in time for the trials. Perhaps, she did not have much reason to be anxious. And, maybe the Citadel was not entirely filled with strangers after all.
“Not to mention the fact that you handled that knightstone like a seasoned veteran. Auguste was witness to much of your fight that night. He never saw an amateur control its magic so well.”
In all honesty, Ezbael could only recall the events with a brief view. There were still pieces of that evening that were lost to her, and among those memories was how she managed to so easily employ the knightstone. She could only think back to the way it felt. It was a surge of vitality that flooded every part of her being, as if every bit of exhaustion was chased away and replaced with a potent power of which she had complete control over.
“Auguste!”, Ezabel suddenly realized. “Is he okay?”. The last thing she remembered of the Attendant was his form being hammered into the distance by the beast.
“He’s doing quite well, actually. Don’t worry about him. It would take far more than what happened that night for him to be put out of commission.”
The incident in Angoulet was a true mess. If it had not been for the crowd of candidates, Leonora and Auguste would have been able to manage. The creature would have been subdued and the destruction to the village held to a minimum. Instead, they were burdened with the protection of the people. And, as a result, they were stretched far too thin.
Their conversation had taken them a ways into the keep. They came upon an archway at the end of a short hall. On it was the same stonework that presented itself on most of the Citadel’s architecture; it was detailed and expertly constructed. Not even the creature she fought in Angoulet could knock a wall down in this place, Ezabel thought.
Leonora had led her to a relatively remote section of the keep. The sound of foot traffic was far off and none seemed to grow louder. It was clear that they were now alone. Ezabel halted underneath the archway while Leonora continued into the room beyond. From the hall, it opened up into a rounded space whose walls were lined with old wooden tabletops, shelves, and various utilities that an office would likely need.
Ezabel’s attention, however, fell solely on a stone dais at the center of the space. It was low in height, only managing to reach as far up as a dining table would. But, it stood out anyway by its dark, coal-like finish. More interestingly, a spell circle had been etched onto its surface like a band. Despite her inexperience, Ezabel could tell that it was far more comprehensive and elaborate than of the other circles she had seen before. Not even those in Dani’s spell book.
“I’m not your sponsor, which means I am not allowed to help you prepare for the trials. What knowledge and preparation you bring into tomorrow will depend entirely on you and Leland.”, Leonora stepped beside the dais and placed a hand on it.
“Only Leland can help me? - B-but, he’s hardly told me anything!”, Ezabel tilted her head and her long black locks drifted off her shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I was told that he was summoned to a meeting. I’m sure he’ll follow through with your preparation once he’s finished.”
There it was. Anxiety returned with a swift kick to her nerves. Was Leland supposed to have been preparing her and Dani all this time? All they did on the road was eat and sleep, mostly. How much was she supposed to know by now? How far behind the rest was she?
“In the meantime..”, Leonora smiled. “I thought I’d give you a little gift to lift your spirits. And, as a thank you for saving me.”
Leonora’s knightstone, which was embedded on her bracer, began to light. It was not as vicious as Ezabel was used to. Instead, it was a subtle activation that hummed a low chime. A pale aura twinkled like countless stars against Leonora’s eyes and she placed her palm flat atop the edge of the dais.
At once, she weaved the magic from her knightstone and guided it into the grooves of the spell circle, which soon began to glisten like a branching river of magic. Ezabel was infatuated. It came entirely to life and seemed to glow even brighter when its grooves were complete with the knightstone’s power. - Leonora turned to Ezabel with delight.
“When was the last time you spoke to Xavier?”, she asked.
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