Chapter 84

Riley could not help but recall her first walks to the academy as they moved at a rapid pace.

It did not seem to matter that the streets were thick with people moving towards their daily labor as if Tobias was Moses himself. The seas of folk parted before him as he moved, never having to slow down.

Some even crowded further out into the lane as he created a wave of humanity, crowding the narrow carriage lanes.

"Good morrow, Ranger." Some would say, while others would pull their children closer and stare about warily.

"Ok, it was weird before; now it's just plain eerie," Riley marveled, feeling something like a supervillain.

Some whispered and gestured quietly; those who looked scruffy or perhaps a bit nefarious to her eye vanished down alleys.

"What I'm wondering is if it's going to make this assignment easier or harder," Tobias mused as they began to climb their first hill, moving toward the castle.

"Probably both, like everything. Do you want to know what's funny?" Riley asked as she bounded, happy for the space to move if nothing else.

"What's that?" Tobias asked, sounding distracted.

"In the world I came from the idea of magic existing is seen as an easy out, an answer to everything." She mused.

Tobias slowed, then stopped and looked at her strangely before falling to laughter, causing the people around to look at him wide-eyed as if he had caught some deadly malady.

"By the dead Gods really?" The chuckles continued to erupt out of him like an earthquake. "When did magic do anything but make life harder?"

"Well, it's easier to start a fire at least." Riley mentally shrugged.

"Fair point, but beyond the practical." He gestured vaguely around him.

"Well, nothing is easy back on earth, either. People seem to be people no matter where I've gone. Though this world is pretty medieval compared to where I came from," Riley explained.

Tobias, mindful of the crowd that was keeping a respectful distance, began to move again as she spoke.

"You've used that word…medieval a few times, but it doesn't translate," he prompted, turning left.

"It was a time period after a great empire called Rome fell. Things got very primitive and regressive until something called the Enlightenment. Things started to get better then. That's where things like human rights really got their start." Memories of college courses flashed in her mind like the dying embers of a campfire.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Human rights?" Tobias stopped again, pausing at the concept.

"Yeah, in my old world, the nobility that's left is largely ceremonial. There was a series of rebellions where the commoners killed a lot of them. People vote on their leaders now. If these murders happened there, they'd be investigated no matter who got killed, and they'd never stop looking, officially at least," Riley mused, going off the memories of hundreds of TV shows that still existed in her patchwork of recollections.

"People have a say in their governance? That sounds like chaos." Tobias replied.

"Oh, it is, and it's basically what you have now with a few extra steps, but we're all raised on the easy lie that the government cares about us, and we have a say, and some people go right on believing until they're part of the illusion." She scoffed.

"But you care about people. Sabine, how does it go...Pissed you off?"

"I do care about people, and I think most people care about people. It's the systems and the mechanisms that make things cruel and unnecessary, the idea that there's a way things are done. In my view, if the system doesn't honor a basic set of values that life is sacred, burn it, bin it, and find a better way. I don't think that's something that should be comprised on," Riley mused.

"So which world do you think is better?" Tobias asked, growing curious.

Riley paused and puzzled as the switchback path came into view.

"Neither. On earth, there's advanced technology, but children still starve on the streets like here. If you get sick, there's advanced technology and healthcare to help you get better, but only if you can afford it. The governments talk about universal rights and equal justice under law, but it's unfairly applied. It's a world, good and bad. If anything, Calaria is more honest about its brutality. "

"Did you try to change things there?" Tobias asked.

"No, I wanted to, but it was hard enough to survive. Those memories are the most fuzzy. I remember so much about rights and freedoms that they must have been everywhere, but there's also this revulsion inside of me at my powerlessness there that's just as inescapable if ephemeral. The inequality exists very much like a fog, but the details are just gone. I knew there was a constitution in the realm I lived in, but I'll be damned if I remember what it said. It's… frustrating. How do you be good in a world where you have to compromise to eat?" Riley asked.

"You make the best choices you can and live the best life you can. Perfection is impossible, but that doesn't mean you can't try and be decent," Tobias shrugged.

"That's what I like about here. Nothing is easy, but I feel like I can do something. Being powerless really sucks," Riley replied.

They were coming to the top of the path. Passing student sorcerers that quickly moved out of the way, as much as the path would allow, crowding the edges.

"Is it weird being on this side of it?" Riley wondered.

"I'd liken it to how you feel. It was a different life in a different time. Now I'm here; nothing makes sense, and I'm doing the best I can," Tobias chuckled.

"Smooth," Riley replied as they passed into the grounds.

"Good morrow, Ranger." The two guards said in unison.

"Would one of you give me directions to your barracks? I have business with your commander," Tobias asked officially.

They each turned pale and looked at each other nervously. "Is there trouble?"

"No monsters, nothing pressing; there are matters I'm looking into that he may be able to assist me with," Tobias replied.

They each let out a long, slow breath.

"Twins?" Riley said to Tobias, causing him to break out in a grin.

"Oh, that's good sir." The guard nodded in affirmation to his words. "Just head up to the castle grounds. It will be back and to the right within the parade ground, tucked up against the castle. There's no way to miss it."

Tobias gave a polite bow, "Thank you. I wish you a quiet day."

"Oh, I'll be sleeping soon. We're off duty in about an hour's time," he smiled.

"Then enjoy your rest. Good day, fellows." Tobias said as he passed.

"Well, he seemed nice enough," Riley heard the one say to another as they made their way towards the castle.