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Days began to blend together as Ash began to settle back into a routine. He would wake up in the morning, usually still feeling tired from the day before, then he and his classmates would head to Professor Maple’s class. After some lessons about history, or some irrelevant ramblings of the elderly man, they would head out into the fields surrounding the High Tower and find suitable spots to meditate and cycle their mana.
Ash still preferred to sit beneath the branches of the Tree of Spirits. He sat cross legged, leaning against its reddish brown bark. Now that he had a mana heart, he found it simple to move and control his mana. It was like a vortex centred just below his ribcage, his own darker coloured mana pulled the white streaks of the tree’s mana in, slowly but surely filling his mana heart.
They spent the whole day here, meditating, expanding their mana pools. Not once did they speak or check up on each other. Neither did Ash want to, though he did find this whole ordeal terribly boring. He longed for something different than this mind-numbing grind to power.
When the light of the Spire began to dim once again, Professor Maple would tell them to head back to their dorms. Every day his words were accompanied by worried glances towards the Tower, and a warning – “Don’t walk around inside the Tower, don’t get in anyone’s way.”
They went back to the dorms, only stopping by the cafeteria to grab dinner, then they would either sit in the common room for a bit or go straight to their rooms to sleep.
It was one of those days that they sat around the hearth when the door to the dorms swung open, startling them all.
Ash reeled back as Kira stepped inside. A mix of emotions rose within – anger, wariness and… grief? It made little sense, but he found very few things made sense lately.
Kira first looked at Maya. “Your father summons you. Come with me.” Then her gaze lingered on Ash. Her brows furrowed, and her lips formed a thin line as she glared at him.
A cold shiver ran down his spine as he refused to meet her gaze. She worked with Inquisitor Victor – a man who was fine with letting the Oracle burn Ash. He wouldn’t trust that man again, nor would he trust Kira.
“Why?” Maya closed the book she was reading. “Did something happen?” She asked as she hurried to grab her cloak from the hanger by the wall.
“Just come with me.” Kira curtly replied, impatiently waiting for Maya to put on her cloak. She then led the girl outside, letting the door slam behind them.
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A moment of awkward silence was only broken by the sound of the logs in the hearth collapsing under the heat of the flames.
“I wonder what’s going on.” Leon finally spoke up, prompting the others to look at him. “Don’t you guys think everything is a bit weird right now? The Inquisitor used to teach us, but we haven’t seen him since Ash returned. It used to be fine for us to walk around the first few floors of the High Tower, but now everyone just tells us to stay in our dorms…” He shook his head in confusion. “Something is wrong, don’t you think?”
Fionna nodded. She pulled her legs closer to her chest before she spoke. “I got a letter from my father.” Her voice was grim. “He’s in the Northern Pass,” She glanced at Damien. “Under the command of your grandfather. The letter said to be careful – the pass was under attack more and more frequently, and apparently your grandfather was worried about some threats from within the empire as well.” She pressed her lips together. “He told me to go back home if things take a turn for the worst.”
Damien narrowed his eyes. “I also received a letter from my grandfather. It spoke of the Pass being tested by more and more creatures of the night. And he warned me.” He paused, pondering whether to share everything. “He warned me because there are eyes on us. He didn’t say who, but he did ask me to be wary. All of us are fairly strong,” He gestured at Fionna. “Your golden mana is quite rare and sought after. Leon, your growth is almost unheard of, especially because you have no noble lineage. Professor Maple doesn’t call you a prodigy for no reason.” He then gestured at the door. “Maya may be blind to mana, but she is incredible despite that.” He then looked at Ash. “And your sight – it’s unheard of. Nobody can see mana so well.”
Leon scowled. “Sure, we’re all pretty good and all, but what’s that have to do with anything? We’re still first years.”
Damien shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You can use mana like you’re third year, Fionna is learning healing magic, Maya and I are quite advanced for our ages as well.” He made a vague gesture upwards. “And the High Tower is growing emptier with each passing year. This is just a guess, but we should be wary, nonetheless.”
“You say the Tower grows emptier,” Leon pointed at the door. “But it’s a challenge to even walk the hallways because so many people are constantly rushing around.”
“But they’re soldiers and servants.” Ash blurted out.
“Or members of the imperial family,” Fionna added with a scowl. “I’ve lost count how many times I’ve seen them in the last month.”
Ash nodded absentmindedly. His conversation with the crown prince had come to mind. His deal with him. Power and knowledge in exchange of loyalty. “It’s getting late,” He said as he pulled himself up from the soft cushions. “I’m going back to my room.”
“Good night!” Fionna said with a smile.
Ash sat on his bed, his hand reached for the corner of his bed, where it met the wall, and threads of grey mana extended from his fingers. They touched the bed and the wall, or they seemed to, at least. Instead, they revealed an illusion. Ash picked up the item at the corner, now revealed.
It was a leatherbound tome, wrapped in cloth. He carefully unwrapped the cloth around the tome, then opened it. The writing within was old, some sections illegible. But the parts that were legible spoke of old magic, of ancient times when humans tried to learn from the Duskborn.
Ash leaned back, the tome on his lap, and continued on from where he left off.