(Asher)
Jakob reported the cerberus wolf attack to the guild leaders, and Varis returned to Castle Setric. Iliastyr, Kylie, and Asher watched the sun fall on a horrifying day with a recovering Safreya at their side. The strange girl tossed and turned half-consciously, holding Iliastyr's hand all the while. Iliastyr still couldn't quite grasp their bond, but it was clear they'd met before his amnesia.
“Can the three of you join me in an investigation?” Iliastyr asked his small group. “There’s something I want to look into.”
“Fine. You never were one to leave things to the big wigs,” said the sitting Kylie, accepting Asher's hand as she began to walk with Iliastyr.
Iliastyr carried the exhausted Safreya on his back, leading the way for the trailing warrior duo. “Once again, you're both excellent side characters, Kylie and Asher."
Asher and Kylie looked at one another and shrugged. Many would have been offended, but there was a certain charm to how Iliastyr referred to them. Besides, they were just as curious as their leader. Safreya and Jakob's analysis was accurate: the frequent attacks in Solluna's forests were by typically peaceful animals. But why? Wondered Asher. What could be making these animals attack humans?
“If anyone knows what’s wrong, it’s her. Zaruka Munnan, the diamond claw. She’s the leader of the Zoologist Guild,” Iliastyr said.
Following Iliastyr’s lead, the group of four made for the scholar’s college. Asher felt Kylie’s hand brush up against his own. Neither had realized they were practically walking shoulder-to-shoulder. Kylie and Asher both turned their heads, realizing their noses were hardly an adolescent dragon scale’s length apart. Their pace slowed until they reached a total halt. Asher was frozen still as Kylie slowly raised her hand to his face and-
-tapped his nose with a playful giggle. “Come on, silly. We’re lagging behind,” Kylie said.
Damn this, Asher thought. Just give me an honest, tangible sign already, Kylie. This teasing is going to drive me mad.
After a short jog, Kylie and Asher caught up with Iliastyr. They'd arrived at their destination: the Zoologist’s Guild. It sat next to the Sollunan Zoo, which Safreya had desperately wanted to visit. Asher made a mental note to return with her someday.
Asher considered the inside of the Zoologist’s Guild nothing special, just a series of empty halls and rooms. At the very end of the building were two guards standing watch over a door with the words Diamond Quarters carved into it.
“Violets and above only,” the first guard said. “I don’t need annoying teens trying to see the master.”
Iliastyr referenced the violet violin badge on his chest, glaring quizzically at the surprised guard. The second guard's eyes shifted to the famous unkempt purple hair before him. Immediately, he bowed to his superior and admonished his partner with a slap on the head.
“You idiot, that’s Iliastyr Dusk!” The second guard told the first. “Right this way, sir.”
The guards obsequiously opened the door for Iliastyr’s group. "Very good," Iliastyr praised, "make way for the protagonist, you pitiful extras," he said with an arrogant chuckle.
The rest of the Zoologist Guild had bored Asher, but he was mystified by the diamond claw's quarters. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a handful of birds darted around the room freely. Strangely, they roamed unafraid of the eastern fire lynx purring on a wide wooden desk.
An elderly woman with dark brown skin gently stroked the feline’s red fur. On her collarbone was a diamond claw badge that shone brilliantly against the lamplight at her back. Asher had heard stories of Zaruka Munnan, but she was even more intimidating in person.
“Iliastyr Dusk,” the woman said in a raspy alto tone, “to what do I owe a meeting with our kingdom’s greatest prodigy?”
“Hello, Miss Zaruka,” IIliastyr said with rare humility, shaking the woman’s hand. “My archery group and I have noticed some… abnormally aggressive wildlife outside Solluna. We were wondering if you knew anything.”
Zaruka silently opened a drawer underneath her desk. She pulled a thick cigar out and held it to the fire lynx’s nose. After two gentle taps to the paw, the lynx let loose a short burst of fire to light the cigar.
“We’re only supposed to tell this stuff to black and diamond rankers, ya know,” she said, puffing smoke into Iliastyr’s face.
Iliastyr coughed and brushed the smoke away as respectfully as he could. He didn’t want to upset the diamond claw.
“Please, ma’am,” Asher interjected, “even a hint would be-"
“-But, I suppose Iliastyr’s three blues combined with his violet can equal a black badge,” Zaruka said playfully as she exhaled rings of smoke. “So we’ll just say I told him, and then he happened to tell his archery pals. Sound good?”
The archery group all bowed their heads in appreciation of the diamond claw. “Yes, ma’am,” Iliastyr said, forcing Asher and Kylie’s half-hearted bows down further.
Zaruka emerged from her chair, still puffing her cigar as she limped to a wooden bookcase. The tome she grabbed, A History Of Diamond Ranked Species, had a more ornate cover than any Asher had ever seen in Mazgrove.
“Solluna ranks magical species the same way they rank guild members, on a scale of red to diamond,” explained Zaruka. “Young Mittens here is a fire lynx. They only place orange. Sure are cute, though.”
The fire lynx purred as its human companion scratched its ears. Safreya squealed, overtaken by the creature’s cuteness. Suddenly made aware of Safreya’s presence, the lazy fire lynx turned and looked at her with curiosity. With a stealthy leap, it hopped into the surprised Safreya’s arms.
“Huh, he’s never done that with anyone but me,” the perplexed Zaruka said, “you’re from my guild, I see. A red claw.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Safreya said, cuddling the lynx. “I hope to be a revered protector of magical creatures like you someday.”
Zaruka curtly nodded, impressed by the young student. Returning to her lecture, she flipped open the book on her desk. Every few pages had an illustration of a magical species followed by crucial information on the creature.
“There are very few species in this world worthy of diamond rank. Elder dragons, alucards, and phoenixes are a few well-known species. However, the beings I want you to focus on are these: faellarin.”
The illustration on the page showed a male and female bipedal creature that resembled a human. Both had multi-colored hair, eyes, skin, and beautiful butterfly-like wings. Iliastyr leaned in closer; his curiosity peaked.
“Faellarin have magical talent on the level of elder dragons. They’re also the most intelligent species on earth, including humans and merfolk,” said Zaruka. “They live in small, peaceful communities. The colony living in the forests outside the capital recently went missing, except for one. He's a young teenage male. Only a few years older than Iliastyr and the exiled Setric boy.”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Do you know why they went missing?” Safreya asked, anxiously pushing up her glasses.
Zaruka shook her head. “If I did, I would tell you. It’s possible that some awful humans hunted them, but it would take an army of thousands of humans to kill a small community of faellarin.”
“The aggravated creatures are tied to this faellarin?” Iliastyr asked.
“They call him Rylarleo... He’s the only faellarin we’ve seen in the last three years. I believe he's using his magic to make other magical animals attack humans. Sorry that I don’t have more for you. You weren’t the first to notice, but this hasn’t been going on for long.”
Zaruka, her information exhausted, let out a final puff of smoke. Asher understood that there was nothing more to say. He nudged Safrya, motioning for her to put down the lynx. Safreya whispered something to the lynx and scratched its ears one last time. The young woman waved goodbye to her guild head after setting the feline back on the table, and the group exited.
“Crazy stuff,” said Kylie, twirling a cigar she’d taken from Zaruka’s desk. Asher couldn’t tell if it had been taken with the diamond claw’s consent, and he didn’t dare ask. Kylie had always gotten herself into trouble since they were children.
“We’re gonna have to tell Mallea about this, Saf,” Asher said. “Saf? You okay?”
Iliastyr rushed toward the wobbling Safreya, catching her before her head hit the floor.
"Too... Much... Magic," Safreya whispered. Her hypersensitivity to magic was starting to worry Asher. "Nii'B- Iliastyr. Get me home."
(Mallea)
“A warrior and a magic weapon are a marriage,” said Mallea’s instructor, a grey-haired woman in a thick winter coat. “Which means that us smiths… are the priest.”
Assorted giggles emerged from the students. Mallea’s first day of smithing instruction was with a violet hammer named Mrs. Ansom. The class had been introduced to one another, but Mallea hadn't bothered to remember any of her classmates' names. She's made enough friends in the last week to last a lifetime.
Mallea was excited to learn but was more than ready to get to work. While young guild members were educated, it wasn’t traditional schooling. They were paid like workers and were expected to contribute to the guild while they learned.
“Of course, magical smiths have our own marriage to worry about,” Mrs. Ansom instructed. “The marriage of technique and creativity.”
Mallea’s fingers anxiously tapped the leather satchel that she’d brought to class. Inside were the two flying serpent fangs that Asher had given her, the first symbol of their teamwork. Technique and creativity, Mallea thought, how can I best use these fangs?
“Your first assignment is to build me a traditional, non-magic weapon,” said Mrs. Ansom. “However, here’s where the creativity comes in: you must show me how you’d implement magic into the weapon. Make sure it’s a realistic goal. You’ll receive point deductions for including extremely rare or expensive materials like elder dragon scales or unicorn hairs. This is supposed to be a realistic weapon for you to make at your current level."
This is my chance, Mallea thought. Flying serpent fangs aren’t so rare or expensive that they’d be an unrealistic first magic weapon.
The second that Mrs. Ansom released the class, Mallea wasted no time. Thankfully, the Smith’s Guild had everything that Mallea needed. With a long pair of tongs, Mallea grabbed a thick piece of steel to forge into the start of a dagger.
Mallea began to brainstorm. While she could make a dagger worthy of any battlefield, she couldn’t envision how to incorporate the snake’s fang. If I use two thinner pieces, I can mold them around the fang and use it as the tip, but that would weaken the structure, and the fang would constantly be chipped in battle. The dagger would have no longevity, thought Mallea. There has to be a better way to incorporate it.
Piece by piece, Mallea examined her metalworking options for the dagger. Mrs. Ansoms words from earlier in the day resonated in her head: a warrior and a magic weapon are a marriage.
That’s it! It isn’t just about the dagger but about the person controlling it, Mallea thought. I don’t need to fang to be on the dagger's tip. It can be on the inside. It’ll be up to the warrior’s magic to draw out the venom. I’ll make the dagger hollow enough to fit the fang, using a metal that conducts magic well. If the magic hits the fang, it will ooze venom through the edges of the dagger. This weapon itself will become a snake fang.
Her thought process complete, Mallea began work on the dagger. She lacked the resources to make the finished product but could show Mrs. Ansom that her idea was structurally sound. The blueprint for her proof of concept was constructing itself piece by piece in her mind's eye.
Mallea lost herself in the hours of hammering away at glowing metal. The furnace, the anvil, and her hammers swept her away. She’d never had access to such facilities before. Even without arcane materials, the capital’s smithing facilities felt magical to Mallea.
Long after the sunset, Mallea had her dagger. The blade was sharp; the concept was strong. She just needed her instructor’s approval to forge a copy with the necessary arcane metals. Once she’d arrived home, Mallea was greeted by more than her bunkmate. Asher and Iliastyr, covered in sweat, knelt on the floor beside the exhausted Safreya’s bed. They rotated between two bowls of water on Safreya’s nightstand. The first was drinking water that Asher poured into her mouth; the second was for a rag Iliastyr used to wipe Safreya's forehead.
“Hey, Mallea. This little angel overworked herself, so we carried her home,” Asher chuckled.
Safreya mustered a weak tap on Asher’s shoulder. He gently pressed the drinking water to her lips. “Little angel?” Safreya asked, her face red with embarrassment. “What am I? Your daughter? You’re what, a year and a half older?! Why did you two even go to this much trouble?”
“Sorry, I guess I’ve developed a bit of a paternal instinct,” Asher admitted, “and it’s gut-wrenching how much I miss my siblings, so it helps to have someone to take care of.”
“I don’t know about all that,” Iliastyr said, applying a cold rag to Safreya’s brow, “I just think… there’s something special about this girl. Honestly, what sort of relationship did we have before my amnesia?”
Safreya’s soft half-smirk told Mallea everything she needed to know. Neither Safreya’s embarrassment nor joy stemmed from any romantic affection, but her admiration for the boys was apparent. Mallea couldn’t blame her; she felt the same way.
"That's my secret to keep, N- no, Iliastyr," Safreya said with a wink. "I'll let you know when I know that you are who I think you are."
"And how sure are you?" Asher asked.
Safreya put her finger to her lips. "Hmmm... eighty percent. Now give me more water. I'm thirsty."
She should consider herself lucky, Mallea thought. There’s not a girl in the kingdom who wouldn’t kill to be in her position. Worst of all is that she can’t even properly appreciate it... the feeling of being coddled by two of the most handsome men in Solluna. Damn you, Safreya.
“Um, we have class together in the Luthier’s Guild; my name is Mallea Thorgil,” Mallea said to Iliastyr. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Of course he recognizes you, stupid Mallea, Mallea told herself. You’re the only easterner in the guild. You should be in the bard’s college, Mallea; you’d make a great fool. Stupid. Lord, he's intimidating up close. That hair, those eyes, that unbelievable magic factor. It's more like I'm talking to a dragon than a boy.
“That’s right, the easterner. Nice to meet you, Mallea. I'm Iliastyr Dusk. Enchanted, I’m sure.”
Iliastyr held out his hand. Mallea accepted as Iliastyr brought her hand to his lips. It wasn’t an atypical greeting in Solluna, but he nearly made Mallea’s knees buckle in awe. His magic factor alone shifted the gravity in the room, but Mallea wasn't totally sure that Iliastyr's magic factor was the reason for her weak knees.
“So, Mal,” Asher said, content that the little angel was safe and healthy, “how was day one of smithing?”
Still recovering from her introduction with Iliastyr, Mallea pulled her prototype magical poison dagger from her bag. “I made this for those fangs you gave me. If it gets approved, I can make my first magic weapons. If I can sell two magic daggers, we’ll make enough to really help our families in Mazgrove.”
“Safreya and I got to see magic weapons at work today,” Asher told his friend. “We have our magical aptitude test tomorrow, so I’m nervous. I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of Kylie.” The exhausted Asher crashed to the floor, using the foot of Safreya’s bed as a backrest.
Mallea would also be watching the arcane aptitude test. At the start of the year in the capital, all warrior’s college members took an aptitude test to measure their current level of magical talent.
“Don’t be; you’re plenty magical already. I’m sure your childhood friend thinks so, too,” Mallea said with a wink. She was still rooting for Asher and Kylie, even if she hadn’t met the young woman yet. “Also, you need to tell me how your first day as a guild member went,” she added.
“Right,” Asher replied. “Well, there's a lot Iliastyr and I need to tell you. It started how all my days do: with a nice, long bath…”