“Scyla?”

“It’s nice to see you too.” Scyla placed her hands on her hips, smiling at me with a predatory grin. “I didn’t exactly expect to meet with you here, of all places.”

“Wh-what are you doing here?” I was completely taken off guard as I stared at her. She looked much as I remembered, her hair only a smidge longer than years ago. She wore a chic black dress ending just above her knees. Adorning her wrists were the familiar matte white pearls, but around her neck, she had replaced the matching pearl collar with one of lacy black silk.

“Well, that’s a bit of a foolish question.” Still smiling, she pointed up with her index finger. “I work here, of course.”

“I-in the hotel?” I hadn’t expected a woman of her aptitude to end up-

“No, not the hotel.” Scyla frowned momentarily before rubbing at the arch of her nose. “I can see that straightforward obliviousness of yours hasn’t changed.”

“I-” I crossed my arms, suddenly feeling defensive. “We only met for less than a day.”

“Ahh, but I could already tell the person you were at that time.” She winked at me before gesturing toward a spot on the couch where I was sitting, almost directly opposite me. “Do you mind?”

“Uh, yeah, go ahead.” I gestured wildly to the spot as she made herself comfortable.

“While perhaps your thought process hasn’t changed much, you aren’t the kid I remember anymore.” Scyla nodded to me as her left hand swept out, snagging a drink from a waiter walking by with a tray of expensive-looking spirits.

“I wasn’t even sixteen yet. Of course, I’ve changed since then.”

“I distinctly remember you telling me that you were sixteen.” She was grinning at me again, her smile just as charming, if not more so, than I remembered.

“Well, it was my first time out in a big city. What do you expect from a village boy when a girl like you corners him?”

Scyla laughed, her laugh no longer the practiced windchimes I had once remembered her forcing. It had a distinctly throaty sound, almost like that of a purring cat, maturing just as she had.

“My, did I leave that much of an impression?”

In answer, I simply shrugged.

“Well, I do apologize for my behavior. Speaking of reminiscing, whatever did happen between you and your master?”

“He left me behind,” I said matter-of-factly.

“I see.” She flicked a hand toward me, and upon her index finger, I saw a ring made of shadowy-looking gold, a metal I recognized instantly as Ornnax. “If I ever meet him again, I must thank him. That deal we made back then proved exactly what I needed.”

“That’s right.” I drummed a finger along my thigh as our earlier words returned to me. “You mentioned you ‘work’ here, but then you said you don’t work here in the Parisian, and now you’re saying that the ring helped you….”

Before my brain could tie the loose threads together, Scyla inclined her head toward me.

“I’ll do you the favor of saving you the struggle of thinking. Because of his signet ring, I garnered legitimacy far more easily than I had ever hoped. In the ten years-”

“Eight.” I corrected.

“-In the eight years since then, I’ve managed to rise rather far in our familial rankings. With the official grand opening of the academy nearing and the city of Akadia looking to have all the makings of a major city already, it was decided one of our family would be delegated here as the central pillar.”

“You.” I realized as the implications snapped into place.

“You’re looking at the youngest Eorial branch leader in over one hundred years.” She said smugly, wrapping her arms around her chest.

“Wow.” I shouldn’t have been surprised. Even when I’d first met the woman, little more than teenagers at the time, she’d managed to overwhelm me with her vitality and drive. It only made sense that she would climb so fast with just a bit of support.

“I’m not sure you should be one to be impressed, though.” Scyla glanced at me from the corner of her eye as she took a sip from her drink. “Considering some of what you’ve been up to over the years.”

“Excuse me?” I raised an eyebrow at her, genuinely confused about what she was referring to.

“I’m an Eorial.” She wagged a finger at me as if I was being silly. “I have eyes and ears everywhere. You really think I wouldn’t bother keeping tabs on you after our meeting?”

“But I hid my identity,” I responded with what could have been a pout.

“Rook no name, A.K.A Zero of the Flowing Blade. Just dropping your last name wasn’t enough when I already knew the age range I was looking for. Your time as an adventurer was eventful, to say the least. Only a few years later, you withdrew entirely from being an adventurer shortly after participating in the first dungeon excursion in thirty-some years. I bet something happened during that, something that caused you to leave?”

“So you don’t know everything after all.” I sighed, leaning back.

“While you did a poor job of hiding your identity, the guild itself can be a hard nut to crack. I know you had a duel with Iris Steel Haze that led to her death, but I know nothing regarding the finer details.”

“Good,” I answered.

“Oh, and now you tease me so.” She batted her eyes at me, but when I didn’t falter, she simply sighed in defeat. “Well, it was worth the try. How was Songhold?”

It was my turn to sigh, not even surprised she knew about my whereabouts there. “How’d you know?”

“Same process as before, Zero disappeared, so it was just a matter of connecting dots, looking for someone extraordinary of the same age. You went to Songhold and became a circuit fighter on behalf of the dons. I never was certain if it was really you, but now you just confirmed it for me.”

“I fought on behalf of myself,” I said, cold steel in my voice. “I did not throw myself in with their lot.”

“I apologize if I touched on something sensitive.” She raised a placating hand before lowering it, a waitress making her way toward our table. If she were surprised to see Scyla sitting across from me, she never showed it.

“Your drink, Sir.”

“Thank you.” I reached out, taking the drink off the tray as she quickly made her escape. Undoubtedly the workers here had been specifically instructed to avoid lingering and upsetting the influential customers that would be found in such a place.

“So, you left Songhold,” Scyla spoke up, regaining my attention. “I presume that has to do with your mother?”

“How did, wait-” I bit back my words, suddenly connecting dots. “She mentioned having an informant. Was that-”

“It wasn’t me specifically, if that’s what you’re getting at.” Scyla shook her head. “But the Eorial and the Baster have been in closer contact of late, so when I found out which member of the Baster family was supposed to be meeting with one of our contacts, I may have passed along the information of a person of interest in Songhold for her to investigate.”

“Talk about full circle.” I exhaled, shaking my head. Mind turning over itself, I took a swig from the drink I’d been brought, freezing the moment the alcohol passed through my lips.

Shit. That’s strong as hell.

“If I may ask, what brings you here to Akadia?” Scyla questioned, and for once, her expression softened as if she weren’t trying to drudge up any bit of exciting news she could find.

“I’m here to teach,” I said with a shrug. The information wasn’t exactly meant to be a secret, at least not to someone who was already aware of the entirety of my history.

“Teach?” She raised an eyebrow at me, clearly surprised. “I thought perhaps you were looking to enlist in the Scholar’s guild or something more befitting a man of your many talents.”

“Nope.” I shook my head in denial. “I have zero interest in anything like that anymore. I just wanted a fresh new start.”

“I…see.” Scyla scratched just beneath her chin. “Well, I did say you haven’t changed that much, and it appears I was right. You never were all that interested in reaching for grand new heights. Which brings me to the question of why did you ever join the adventurers guild in the first place?”

“That’s a long story.” I lamented. “But, at the very least, it wasn’t with any aspirations of rising the ranks simply for the egotistical aspects.”

“Right.” She nodded. “So, here to teach. What exactly do you intend to teach then? No offense, but this academy will be stacked with some of the best scholars Haerasong has to offer, and you said it yourself. You were just a village kid who likely stopped their education around the time I met you, am I correct?”

“You are,” I confirmed. “But that’s why I’m not here to teach linguistics or mathematics, but magic.”

Doing the same trick I’d shown the cart driver, I flicked a hand upward, whispering under my breath as a tiny spinning circle of water spun above the palm of my hand.

“Oh, you think you’re special?” She smirked at me before flicking her palm up, mouthing the same word of power beneath her breath as she copied me. “Or maybe I should apply at well?”

My water disc dissipated, my surprise disrupting my mana flow as I looked at Scyla with eyes wide.

Stolen novel; please report.

“What?” She chuckled, dismissing her own magic. “I did tell you I would become the greatest mage alive one day, did I not? By this point, I’d hope I could do something as simple as manipulating basic wild magic.”

Perhaps there was a hint of egotism to me, but I couldn’t simply see myself upstaged so easily. Returning her smile, I held my hand out, palm facing down as I called out.

“Rainsplitter.”

Instantly a pommel appeared in my hand, the tip of the blade gently pressed against the granite tile beneath our feet.

“What is that?” Scyla nearly jumped out of her seat, eyes bulging before she seemed to remember her place, composing herself.

“Trade secret.” I smugly crossed my arms, letting the blade gently lean against the sofa.

“Can I touch it?” She was staring at my sword, her hand reaching out, but I dismissed the blade before she got close.

In part, because I wanted to be aloof, but the more pragmatic reason was simply that manifesting Rainsplitter for extended periods was exhausting on my limited mana supply.

“Trade secret,” I repeated.

“Buzzkill.”

A silent, albeit not entirely uncomfortable silence, permeated between us as we sat, sipping our respective drinks, until at last, my escort from earlier appeared, patiently standing nearby.

“Yes?” I raised an eyebrow at the woman, tired of waiting for her to speak.

“Your room is ready, Sir.”

I looked between my escort and Scyla, who was beginning to stand up, stretching her arms overhead exaggeratedly.

“Well, it’s getting late.” Scyla turned toward me with a tired simper. “I didn’t intend to stay for long. In fact, I was preparing to leave when I spotted you.”

“Why were you here in the first place?”

“Trade secrets.” She stuck a tongue out at me playfully before quickly walking away, waving on the way out.

“Oh, and Rook?” Scyla paused, standing in front of the doors leading back into the interior of the Parisian lodge.

“Yeah?”

“Do you really think you’re qualified to teach?”

I frowned, wondering if perhaps she were teasing me, but I heard no jest nor insult in her voice, only sincerity.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Well, good luck with your job application.”

And then she was gone, passing through the doors inside.

“Sir?” My escort was staring at me, her eyes questioning.

“Do me a favor, will you?” I turned to her, mulling over thoughts.

“Yes, Sir?”

“Grab me another drink, will you?”

-------------------------------------------------------

Three Days Later

“You may come in.”

Dusting the cuffs of my shirt off, I nervously made my way toward the doorway leading to where my fate would be decided.

The Director’s Office.

“Ahh, Mr. Koor.”

“Director.” I nodded pleasantly as I entered the office. It was surprisingly small, a desk of black cherrywood, with two cushioned chairs on either side, a few plaques, and a bookcase. There was little else to see. The office, which belonged to the Director of the most important academy in the country meant to house the children of the wealthiest and most influential figures, was apparently content with being a minimalist.

“I looked at your qualifications. The firsthand ability to use magic up to the composite level. Not bad, but not exactly something that would be enough to earn you the position. Our last applicant was a scholar from Dunehold; she ran several interesting research projects aided by the abundance of mages within Dunehold. She, as well as her research partner, have even released several publications on various magical topics. I’m sure you’ve heard of her last publication, ‘Magic and the Modern Era.’”

“I have.”

“Well, I mention this for several reasons, but foremost I want you to understand the caliber of educator we are looking for. I’ve overlooked your…suspicious lack of certain criteria upon your application. In fact, I would have thrown it out if not for the input of an important third party-”

I could guess who that had been. A note had been waiting for me at the front desk after my chance encounter with Scyla, one that, while it spoke in no detail about anything, if one read between the lines, it was clear she had opted to offer a bit of a helping hand in fast-tracking me.

“-on their behalf, I take on your application as a special exception, but I will not simply bring you into our fold on that recommendation alone. You must realize that what Parisian academy is looking to do is not simply educate. It is to bridge a divide, a rift that has been forming between the many factions of Haerasong. Incompetent educators will prove exceptionally harmful toward that goal, especially in a field such as magic which is already a contentious topic.”

I wasn’t exceptionally well-versed in politicking within the upper echelon of the nobles and the powerful, spending my time keeping to myself when I could. Still, I was at least aware that outside of professions such as adventurers, magic was generally frowned upon by the ideological ‘purists’ within Haerasong. Considered the majority faction within Haerasong, they held on to the belief that Haerasong was meant to provide a beacon against the supernatural, be it magical beasts or magic in general. It had often been a point of contention during my time as an adventurer; it wasn’t uncommon to hear that a commission had been canceled or interrupted part way through because someone within the anti-magic faction had caught wind and decided they took personal objection.

“So, please show me your value, or else I ask you don’t waste my time.”

Just how much should I say?

At the very least, I had zero intention of mentioning the existence of sages. Not so much because I was afraid I would potentially be pursued for such knowledge, there was always the risk, but more so because I was uncertain if the Director even cared about such deep lore, unnecessary for the academy’s goals.

“While I may not have any publications under my name-”

“You have nothing under your name.” The Director corrected me, her stern gaze unwavering. “-and against my better judgment, I’m pretending to not understand the potential implications of that.”

Right, so don’t try any funny business.

“As I was saying-” I coughed, doing my best to not let my nerves show.

You’ve battled creatures of nightmares and harnessed ancient magic. A job interview is nothing.

“-While I may not have any official publications under my name, I promise you my knowledge of magic far exceeds what even established researchers would know.”

“If you believe as such, then please do sell me.”

I thought for a moment, debating what would be the best avenue to prove my knowledge, before finally settling on something I was still attempting to divine the deeper meaning of myself.

“Do you know of the basic principles of mana theory?”

“I am aware if not well versed.”

“Well-” I held up my hand, and with a quick whispered word, several small orbs of water levitated above my palm. “Mana is, as most understand, an elemental force. In a desert, you might find mana such as thermal or earthen. Except, there aren’t really different types of mana. Rather the properties of mana change depending on the relative state.”

The orbs of water rearranged themselves as if on command, now looking like a neatly ordered row of translucent beads.

“Yes, that is a basic mana concept.” The Director seemed unimpressed with my presentation. “I do hope there is more to it than just that.”

“Of course,” I said, nodding as if it were obvious. “This bridges with how mages use their mana cores. Nearly everything that exists has an elemental affinity.”

“Nearly?” The Director peered at me in intrigue momentarily as she caught my implication. “Does not everything have an affinity?”

“No,” I said as the memory of a horrid black mass killing hordes of helpless adventurers replayed before my eyes.

That very same black mass would later become an instrumental component of the mana matrix currently residing within me.

“I suppose that isn’t the main point of this mini-lecture, so I’ll let you continue.”

“Thank you.” I bowed my head in gratitude before I resumed speaking. “The truth is mana is not just a singular force as contemporary mana theory would suggest. Take water, for example.”

The beads of water in my hand melded together like a minute lake floating above the palm of my hand.

“We may look at water as a single continuous existence, but it is composed of individual sub-parts that create what we see. When water freezes-” For good emphasis, the water froze together into a block of warm ice, the drain on my already limited mana reserves becoming more readily apparent after the fact. “-it may look like the change was an external factor, when really it was the change upon the internal state of what makes up water that changes it from liquid to solid.”

“I see you have an affinity for Frezess as well.”

“And that is where you are wrong.” I winked at her, which in hindsight, was probably rather unprofessional, to say the least. “This is where I get to the meat and potatoes of what I’m about to tell you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Earlier, I mentioned the mana core of a mage, and for a reason. A mage utilizes magic through the purified mana of their core. As I have an affinity for Aulous, when I cast water magic and draw on mana from my core, it is recast in the hues of my affinity, adding fluid properties to my pure mana.”

This, of course, wasn’t technically entirely true, as I didn’t have a mana core, but then I was a unique case, and even then, the overall statement held true even for the mana contained by my sage rings.

“You say you only have an affinity for Aulous, then how did you freeze the water you conjured?”

“Simple.” I placed the block of ice on the desk, sliding over to the Director. “It’s because mana as we know it is actually two base components.”

“Two?”

“One is, of course, the mana as we understand it, a universal sort of mystical energy that permeates everything and can be used for nearly anything, most commonly used for wild magic; an affinity is what often dictates what sort of magic a person will utilize. But, if that were the case, how does Kin magic work? What sort of element would mana have to be to fuel more abstract varieties of Kin magic?”

“I confess that I don’t know; I’m not an expert in magic theory.”

I smiled confidently.

I had her.

“Under basic mana theory, composite magic is the formation of two affinities into one. Simple addition.” I raised my index fingers before smacking them together, now raising two fingers on my right hand. “The only way to access composite magic is by having the prerequisite mana affinities. But I discovered that it is not the mana that carries the element aspects, but the formation and structure of the bonds between mana ‘particles’ if you will, that provide the aspect.”

“Explain.” Her face was hidden behind a mask of calm composure, but I could see I had managed to strike a nerve, if for once in a beneficial way.

“You can have me examined by an expert to confirm what I’m saying, but once more, I will remind you I have no affinity for Frezess. Yet I could freeze that water. It was possible through a means known as ‘mana fusion.’ By altering the bonds between mana, you can overcome the natural resistance between mana, granting free manipulation of mana that allows for the evolution of the mana state into what is currently thought of as a more ‘advanced’ form.”

“In layman’s terms?” The Director picked up my small block of ice, her face scrunching up as she realized the ice wasn’t cold.

“Current mana theory is akin to addition. Two plus two equals four. Scorz plus Rentar equals Scortar. But, under my theory, you can still achieve the desired result even if you only have one of the necessary affinities. No longer is it simply two plus two, but now two squared may also net you four.”

“And you’re saying this is all due to these… mana bonds?”

“Correct,” I confirmed.

“Tell me.” The Director leaned back in her chair, clearly pondering everything I’d said. “How is it that you came to this deduction when none before you have? The concept itself doesn’t seem so outlandish then none should have uncovered it before.”

“It’s a matter of perspective.” I tapped a finger on the desk as I spoke for further emphasis. “A mage would not uncover such because a mage has the predisposition of a mage in the first place. A mana core provides an obstacle to greater understanding as it removes the elements of resistance. A mana core simply works. If you have an affinity, it automatically filters, or rather un-filters, the pure mana within a mana core to the elemental affinity of a person. This preconceived bias of how mana works causes Mages, those who can see into the world of mana, to never understand that there is something deeper to discover in the first place. As for those who are merely scholars searching for the answers without the touch of magic to guide them simply cannot see what may exist beyond the naked eye, no matter how they try, and thus can only falsely study what is seen at the surface level.”

“Are you implying that you’re different?”

The words I’d been preparing withered as I considered her question.

I am, but it’s not like I can tell her that.

“Fine.” The Director put the block of ice down on her desk, sliding it between her hands like a puck. “Will this ice melt?”

“No,” I answered.

“Well, be that the case, may I keep it?”

“It’s... It’s just a block of ice, though?” I raised an eyebrow at her, confused why she would want something as mundane as that.

“A block of ice that won’t melt.” She reminded me.

“So, about my-”

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Koor.” The Director cut me off before pointing toward the door. “We will meet with several more applicants, but if you are selected, you will hear from us in a few days.”

“Right.” I stood up, suddenly feeling downtrodden.

It’s not like that’s a no, Rook.

But it also didn’t sound much like a yes.

“It was a pleasure meeting your, Mr. Koor.”

“Likewise.” I smiled, faking my smile.

“Well, do have yourself a good day.”

And just like that, it was over. I quietly left the office, closing the door behind me as I was ushered away by some sort of aid, guiding me through the winding halls until I was standing outside the prestigious academy.

Well then.

“Now what?”