“Chosen for what?” Velvet asked.

“To fulfill a prophecy.”

“What prophecy?” When Igern didn’t answer, she started nudging lighty at him.

Well, she intended to, but the glare Igern gave her took all the intentions to do so away.

“I cannot believe you are gatekeeping a prophecy from me…” Not a shy person, she turned to Dianthus, who seemed to be pretending to analyze a potted plant. “What does the prophecy say, Dianthus?”

Dianthus shrugged. “Oh, ask the Queen, she is also gatekeeping it from me.”

“She is not.” Igern said between his teeth, offended. “The prophecy is incomplete. You know that.” He raised his voice a bit, and Velvet took a few steps back, not wanting to be in the middle of the crossfire.

“What if the prophecy is about killing the Queen?” Alrai said, with a lack of both tact and room reading.

“Imagine.” Dianthus mocked, and, if Igern’s looks could kill, he’d be dead a few times already.

Some shy footsteps sounded, seemingly alerted from the conversation.

An unknown mage got close, but, finding the hallway vibes extremely hostile, didn’t dare to cross.

“Oh, we don’t bite, don’t worry!” Velvet said, with the intention of encouraging the mage to cross.

He pondered for a bit, but ended up rushing past them, towards the Mergifari.

The mood got uncomfortably silent after that. Until Alrai clicked his tongue and went back next to Velvet.

“You know, prophecies are a speciality of gamblers.”

So you want to keep provoking Igern, and want to use me as a shield? Velvet noticed his intentions, but went along with them. “I am aware of that, but don’t they have a chance to miss?”

“Eh.” Alrai made a so-so motion with his hand. “That’s why the prophecy is incomplete. You cannot change what you don’t know. If someone tells you, ‘Tomorrow you will eat an omelet’, you can very much not do it. And fuck the prophecy.”

“And…” Now, Alrai grinned. “If the full prophecy is ‘You will kill the Queen’, how do you think the knowing party would act?”

“By killing the Chosen one.” Velvet concluded.

“But he is alive. So the prophecy cannot be about killing the Queen. Shut up already.” Igern, already at his patience limit, warned them.

“Maybe the prophecy is about overthrowing the Arhontissian monarchy.” Velvet said, now standing behind Alrai, using him as a shield to poke at Igern.

“I am right here, you know.” Dianthus said, not really bothered. “Can’t you at least ask me about what I want first?”

“What do you want?” Velvet asked.

“A chair, my legs are numb from standing.”

“A simple one or cushioned?”

“Cushioned would be great.”

“Well I have none.”

Then why did you keep talking? Igern wanted to shout, even when he wasn’t part of the conversation. Luckily for him, footsteps sounded.

Unluckily for him, it was Ethra’s.

Ethra’s gaze went first to Igern, then to Velvet and Alrai, who were next to each other. He seemed to ignore Dianthus.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Alrai took an exaggerated step away from Velvet. “It’s not what it seems like!”

Ethra’s deadpan expression didn’t change a bit. “I didn’t say anything.”

“We are not friends!” Alrai kept going.

“That’s not what you said yesterday! You even gave me a friendship bracelet!” Velvet said, in a fake offended tone.

“Lies! You homewrecker! Don’t believe a word she says, Ethra!” He dashed towards him with dramatic steps, which ended with Ethra moving out of the way, and Alrai having to spin to stop sliding.

“Man, I’m kinda envious of Charlampian mages freestyle.” Dianthus said.

“Who are you?” Ethra asked, finishing his walk to the populated zone.

“He’s the Chosen one.” Velvet and Alrai said at the same time.

“I can introduce myself…”

“Sorry!” Now they spoke at the same time on purpose, watching Ethra roll his eyes.

Footsteps sounded again.

Huh, isn’t this one too fast? Ethra just came a few minutes ago.

This time it was Nereus. He seemed to be fidgeting with something.

“How did you finish the demonstration so fast?” Velvet asked when he got close.

“What demonstration?” He asked back, making Igern turn to look at him.

“The show? To make Selectors interested in you…?”

Nereus tilted his head like a dog. “Winter is my Selector.” He told Velvet with confidence, even when that wasn’t what she asked.

Dianthus turned his head to look at Igern. He was the one supposed to tell Nereus and the other Arhontissian mages about the Selection, but, since Nereus ended up going with Velvet and Gertine, he didn’t have the opportunity.

Igern knew that, refusing to make any comment. At least, there were no more mages that he disliked that could make an appearance, since all of them were currently next to him.

At least, it cannot get worse. He massaged his temples, feeling the headache.

Nereus kept on fidgeting with something, until he finally gave up. “How do I open these things?”

Oh, he means the containers. Right, his pets are inside. Velvet was going to answer, when she got interrupted.

“Smash them on the ground.” Alrai said.

Almost everyone knew how bad of an idea that was, except the only one who had to know.

And, sometimes knowing what was going to happen, how it was going to happen, and why i was going to happen, was not enough to stop something from happening.

Nereus smashed the balls on the ground, instantly. And, instantly, the contents spilled out.

Yes, it included a wolf and a rat, but also a big amount of soil, a few trees, plants and water, filling part of the corridor.

Realizing he had fucked up, Nereus had the decency to look more surprised than ashamed, while Alrai lost it, laughing so hard he bent over.

“Why?” Igern said, dragging his hand across his face. “Why can’t you think?”

Nereus turned to look at Velvet, who, unlike Alrai, was actually doing an effort to contain her laughter, covering her mouth with her hand, trembling. Then he looked at Dianthus, who had a bit more decency, just pressing his lips in a thin line.

The only ones aside from Igern that didn’t find the situation hilarious were Ethra, who was just shaking the dirt from his clothes, and Nereus’ pets, who looked more confused than anything.

And Udulluay, who appeared in that same moment, landing on a black staff. He looked at the pile of dirt and forest in silence, waiting for the others to calm down.

When they stopped laughing, he moved a wing, making the spilled contents disappear, as if an eraser had crossed over them.

“Those containers you broke were a temporary loan from Udulluay.”

Nereus flinched. “I am sorry.”

Udulluay didn’t answer his apology, continuing. “You will plant and supervise the growth for similar plants and trees in the greenhouse, until you make back what you broke.”

He nodded, and Udulluay left.

“What happened?” Gertine asked from behind Velvet, making her jump.

“Do you always walk without making noise?”

“Yes.” She looked around, and her eyes met with Ethra, but she wasn’t interested in a staring contest, looking again at Velvet.

“Well, I was waiting for you!” Velvet noticed that, tugging Gertine to move. “We can go now, let’s go.”

Nereus came back to his senses, choosing to not stay with Igern, who looked murderous right now, and leave with Velvet and Gertine, who were going to the Mergifari.

“Oh, we’re also done here, so we can just go together!” Alrai said, which made Gertine and Nereus flinch.

“Nope.” Velvet said, not turning back to look at them. “If I see you following us, I will bomb the hallway and bury you two alive.”

“Is that a promise?” Alrai said.

“No, it’s a prophecy.”