Two reached the citadel as the midday sun trended towards evening. The Towering structure was as worn as its surroundings. Scars and patches of what might’ve been pristine walls, but even that was in doubt. Stone of different types and colours had been used in its construction. The years and many repairs had enmeshed them so messily Two couldn’t tell if the citadel had ever had beauty. Perhaps it had been built scarred.

The crowd of students in front of its wrought iron gate, composed of those in colourful garbs, whether standing proudly or resting from the trek, was a sharp contrast. A disrespectful one. Two noticed a small group bearing the Salen’s emblem lounging on a mat.

Then she was hit by a sudden smell.

Two hid herself and Abery away at the crowd’s edges and tried to ignore the overhearing sense of attention she felt as she crested. She didn’t know how or why she was tasting such a thing but she was and she seemed to be the only one who felt it to any degree. She couldn’t fathom how the others could chatter and posture otherwise.

“What’s wrong Ma’am.” Two jerked at Abery’s voice.

“Can you feel it too.?” she all but spat the words.

“Feel what,” fear and worry clouded his features.

“It’s-“it’s watching us! I can feel it smell it almost see it. Watching us judging us disapproving and annoyed. Like a mountain that doesn’t like you. A flood that you’re in the way of. Two caught before she spilt into rambling hysterics. She took a slow and tried to reason her way out of panic.

People came from all over the empire for the academy. The talented, the connected the favoured scions of nepotism. People wouldn’t allow anything bad to happen to them. Verder was coming up the mountain, the angels were here. She calmed “There’s something here and it’s watching us. It spooked me for a bit, but I don’t think we need to worry too much.” Putting it into words eased her further. She pretended herself believe it was one of the numerous background scents and flavours she ignored in her day to day. Grating but tolerable.

Abery gaped and his trepidation was instantly swapped for excitement. “So you think It’s one of the teachers? Maybe there looking for anyone exceptionable. This is so exciting.” He whispered but the words couldn’t have been peppier if her screamed.

Two didn’t have the heart to tell that if anything the presence viewed them as a bunch of kids playing on their lawn. Bemusement at their antics and annoyance when they kicked the decorations. “Maybe,”

“It’s a valid theory but I think it’s incorrect.” Two spun and found Igni standing behind her.

She hissed a relieved breath that quickly turned to a glare. “Can you not sneak up on me.”

“I tried but you were very focused.” He smiled lightly, and two grew more annoyed as her glare wilted under his honest expression.

“What do you think it is Mr Perdita?” Igni and Two turned to Abery. Two for two reasons. Firstly in surprise, Abery had always been too nervous to address Igni in direct conversation. The other source of her befuddlement was the name he used. Two realized she didn’t know Igni’s full name! She knew his brother’s and the guardian but not his.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“You can call me Igni Abery, and Perdita isn’t my last name, Angels use a different naming system. As for your question I believe that Two is feeling the academy.” Tow shelved the question for a not too distant later date and returned her attention to the present.

Abery’s mouth had widened to become a wonderful landing space for any fly and his eyes sparked with wonder as he turned to her. She edged ever so carefully away. “You can sense the academy, what does it feel like? What’s it looking at is it looking at me.” He rattled through questions faster than Two could hope to answer. He pressed a step closer with each one

Until a thought rippled through visibly rippled through him. Wonder twisted to worship as he leaned back then bounced forward. His voice lowered into a whisper. “Could you feel Spes Nova?”

Two was reminded that Abery gave reverence to the city itself. She’d expected that meant respect, an assumption that now proved exceptionally wrong. Thankfully she had an honest answer because as he was; large ears perked in maximum alertness, eyes wide and searching. She couldn’t fathom how a lie would slip past him. “No,”

“How!”

To smothered a wince as quite a few eyes were added to those that usually followed Igni. She shushed Abery with a stare.

He wilted but quickly rebounded, though he restrained his volume. “But how? If you can feel the academy you should be able to feel Spes Nova. It’s much better than this place. “ Indignation twisted his features, his ears twitched at the thought.

Two was in a position. On the one hand, she had no explanation, on the other hand, The fanatic gleam in Abery’s eyes said he wouldn’t accept any explanation that made the city look bad. Thankfully she was well-practised in scrambling for convincing arguments. “If I had to guess I’d say that the city is too powerful. If the river’s too wide you might not notice the current and all.”

“The fact she was born there might also play a part, it’s hard to notice something that’s always been there.” Igni chimed in.

Abery’s tense ears relaxed and signalled the end to his brief bout boldness. He looked down quietly poking the rock with his feet. “That makes sense.” He whispered and Two sighed in relief as he returned to his usual self.

A sudden distant scream broke the chatter. As one every head turned in its direction. To find a man hurtling up the mountain path. He flew a good few metres above the ground and at a velocity that was terminal in multiple senses.

A surge of fog spread bloomed from Igni as they neared. The vaporous tendrils spread in a misty net, to catch him. He needn’t have bothered. The moment the projectile crested the mountain they froze as if caught in glue.

They stared at the hovering man, he stared back eyes wide as saucers. Around him mist quietly fell to the rocky floor. Then he fell, hitting the ground with a final yelp.

They lurched to their feet and made a futile attempt to straighten their rumpled clothes. He straightened though he swayed heavily. “The- The teacher’s coming up, their helping students who need it.” He said feigned calm heavy in his voice. There was no doubt what ‘help’ implied.

He took a step to conclude his sudden presentation and likely have a lie down. Two took a moment to appreciate his composure, she wasn’t sure she could do better. She’d likely have vomited.

On his second step he did just that, and would have tipped into his sick if Igni’s mist hadn’t caught him.

Another scream echoed up the mountain it was far from the last.

Abery was quite delighted with the affair. He was transfixed with the drama of it all. He met every high velocity traveler who collapsed into tears with a gasp and bated breath. He seemed uniquely enthralled with the man who kissed the ground and promised to always appreciate the spirits of the earth.

Igni caught those in need of catching and she suspected he cleaned those that soiled themselves on their trip up. He maintained his light smile throughout.

Two, unfortunately, shared neither of her companion’s good moods. She could only think of what the first voyager had said. ‘The teacher’s coming up’.

Verder was a teacher. She was attending this school. Verder could be her teacher.

She slowly blinked at another rapid ascender. This one screamed in a high pitched wine that quite matched the general theme running in her thoughts.

She just hoped her brown nosing was up to snuff.