A bell tolled about an hour before Cassandra would usually wake up, sounding through the entire grounds of Nobility and waking her. The sun had just barely peaked over the rooftops, causing a particularly sharp glare on her windows. She had forgotten to close the curtains the night before. Just in case, Cassandra checked to see if anyone else was out and about, but there were no signs of life outside.
Should she try to get some more sleep? No, it was too late for that. Besides, she was wide awake now. Instead Cassandra decided to take this opportunity to explore the grounds as most of the previous day had been spent indoors. She made sure to bring a cloak as the early morning still held the crisp cool of night, but the breeze was more refreshing than chilly.
There were many training grounds, as expected, but Nobility was also host to gardens that rivaled the palace. Beyond those, what caught Cassandra’s eye was a narrow entrance with dark stone walls guarding either side. Once she approached to get a closer look, its identity became clear. It was a labyrinth.
Curiosity took hold and Cassandra found herself stepping foot inside. What purpose could a labyrinth serve here at Nobility? Was it some form of test she would come across later? It could also be a secret test. Osmond seemed to love playing with their heads. She only became more curious as the blackstone walls fell into further disrepair the deeper she got into the maze.
The labyrinth itself wasn’t that large, so Cassandra quickly reached the center. It opened up to reveal a scene that was far from what Cassandra had expected.
Inside the center of the labyrinth was a tranquil space, much like the gardens beyond the walls. An ancient weeping willow hung its branches over a small spring, thick roots partially breaking through the surface of the earth. At the very center of this space was a replica of the stone archway that had led them into the Pavilion of Eternal Dusk. Even the cracks forming ‘Tethia’ were carved into the crown of the arch.
Cassandra approached the archway and touched the stone pillars. They were warm despite the crisp morning temperatures, and none of the vines winding around them had caused a single crack or chip. Could it be this was actually the original and not a replica? Still, that explained what this place was. It was meant for Dusks, not Tears.
Before she left she decided to take another glance around, and she spotted something small and white nestled in the nook of one of the risen roots.
“A fox?” Cassandra whispered.
Could it be the headmaster’s pet? If not, perhaps it was a magical creature that had taken refuge there. Whatever its origins, the fox appeared to be sleeping peacefully under the hanging foliage of the weeping willow.
The fox’s ears twitched slightly as she watched, but if it had noticed her presence it paid her no mind. Rather than an outsider seeking refuse, the fox seemed perfectly at home. Cassandra had to agree that the tranquil scenery suited it perfectly as if this space was made for it.
Cassandra’s train of thoughts was broken by the deep toll of a second bell. She needed to get back and prepare for orientation. Perhaps once everything was over she could return to check on the fox. Did foxes of the magical kind enjoy cookies? She would need to learn more about was it was before rashly feeding it things, though.
Finding her way back out of the maze was easier than expected. People had begun to move about the grounds, but it seemed Cassandra still had some time to prepare before the orientation officially started. First was breakfast, during which she checked her list of classes for anything related to magical creatures.
There! ‘Magical Beings of Tethia’ sounded like just the class she was looking for. Cassandra made a mental note to sign up for that along with the recommended classes for her course. Perhaps she could also ask about the rules on pets in Nobility.
Orientation was held separately by course, but each began on the first floor of the main manor. Cassandra joined a gathering of Tears in what would later be the etiquette classroom. Standing on the far side of the room was someone Cassandra recognized but had not expected to see there. Ophelia, the first princess of Nobility. For a moment it seemed their eyes had met and Ophelie smiled, but the next she addressed the whole group.
“Welcome to Tear Orientation,” she told everyone, “I am sure many of you are surprised to see me here. One of the duties of the princesses is to take turns throughout the year serving as a guide and representative for the Tears here at Nobility. That is why I will be taking you through the orientation materials.”
Princesses served as representatives and guides at Nobility? If they took turns, did that mean that Rosalind would be coming later in the year? That was something she could look forward to. Ophelia turned as Cassandra thought and pulled out a royal blue fabric before unfurling it to reveal a banner with silver words embroidered on it. At the very tip was the familiar symbol of a teardrop gem.
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“You may not know, but each course carries a motto from the founding,” Ophelia continued, gesturing to the words on the banner, “This is ours. ‘The Tears shall guide Tethia’s future’. Do any of you new Tears know why this is ours and what it means?”
“The Tears mentioned in it must be the artifact of the queen,” Rena answered with confidence, “The Tears of Tethia show visions of the future.”
Ophelia had a secretive smile as she corrected her. “That is part of it, but our motto has a deeper meaning than just that.” Rather than giving the answer she waited for another volunteer to try to answer.
“We are also Tears,” Cassandra guessed, “We must guide not only magic but diplomacy which ensure Tethia’s future.” It was the only answer that made sense beyond what Rena had said.
“Exactly,” Ophelia confirmed, “This motto must become part of you from this day forward. Live each moment as if your every action will affect Tethia’s future. That is what it means to be a Tear.”
A hushed silence fell upon them for a few moments. Cassandra heard May whisper to her friend, “I get chills every time I hear it.” Most of the older students seemed to share her sentiment. However, Ophelia had a second roll of cloth, this one in a royal red fabric set with gold. When she unfurled it, Cassandra saw the royal sigil of Tethia itself. A wreath of feathers surrounding a many pointed star.
“This is a motto all of you should know. All Tethians were bound to follow its words by the founding pillars who brought the kingdom into being for this very purpose. ‘May Tethia stand a haven for the lost.’ As students of Nobility who will represent our kingdom, you must follow this more perfectly than any ordinary citizen will ever be expected to.”
Cassandra had always loved the phrase ‘haven for the lost’. It had also been the title of one of her favorite retellings of Tethia’s founding legend. In that legend the lost had referred to those who had been cast out due to war, discrimination, and poverty. However, perhaps Ophelia would reveal a meaning she had missed.
“Tethia may be a haven, but the lost still need guiding,” Ophelia continued, “Strive to guide and serve the citizens of Tethia with your unique talents no matter who or what they are.” After she finished speaking, she rolled up the banners once more and set them to the side.
“Everyone, take a seat,” May called from within the crowd, “It is class selection time! The first princess and myself can help advise you if you aren’t sure what to choose.”
As she spoke, chairs and tables materialized in the room, carefully placed to not land where any of the students were standing. Once the furniture was settled, papers flew from a stack on the teacher’s podium and distributed themselves at each place, shortly followed by a flurry of pens. Cassandra took a seat and looked hers over.
The recommended courses were marked in blue with a few required classes highlighted. The required classes included ‘The Art of Politics’, ‘Advanced Magic Control’, and ‘Hidden Weapons for Self Defense’. It seemed whether you followed the path of a shadow or not, being a tear meant that you needed to have the basics down.
Cassandra also made sure to select ‘Magical Beings of Tethia’, and added on ‘Culinary Therapeutics’ for fun. Alongside the class selection paperwork was a rulebook she would be able to keep. A quick skim told her that pets were allowed so long as they were approved by any room mates and dorm heads. Apprentices were excluded from needing those approvals as they had their own rooms, but pets over a certain danger level still had to be approved by the headmaster himself.
It would be nice if she could befriend the white fox someday, even if it would never be her pet. It reminded her of the tales of the founding archmage. He was said to have a pet white fox named Yuki. Did that make this fox Yuki Jr.?
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“Magic is the Soul of Tethia.”
Caleb had long finished his class selection and orientation, but he could not forget the motto of the Souls. For some reason, something about it seemed off, and the first magician had gone on some spiel about how Tethia was special because of magic, and the Archmage himself represented magic making him the most important being in Tethia. It was honestly annoying. He felt his time would have been better spent reading a book on the subject.
What did ‘soul’ refer to anyway? Was it just some fancy word, or did the names of those artifacts have some kind of deeper meaning? Caleb missed telepathy. So much meaning was lost in spoken and written words, but that was just how this world worked.
“Caleb?” Keane’s voice called from outside his door, following a light knock. Keane certainly wouldn’t intrude without reason, so Caleb invited him in. “I have something to show you,” Keane told him.
Something to show him? Based on Keane’s reaction it was something secret and potentially dangerous. Luckily his roommate was out at the moment, but he closed and locked the door just in case. “What is it?” he asked.
“Take a look at this,” Keane replied, holding out an ordinary seeming eyepatch.
No, on closer inspection, this eyepatch was made with high class materials no sane person would waste on such a small scrap of cloth. What were they trying to do? Turn it into an artifact? Caleb picked the eyepatch up to examine it even closer and felt the magic react to his touch. It seemed his wild guess was far closer than he had expected.
“Where did you get this?” he asked.
“I can’t tell you,” Keane told him, “I was tasked with finding out what it is and what it does, but I can’t test much without being able to use magic.”
“Why not ask your pair for help?” Caleb questioned.
“I want to keep this as much of a secret as possible,” Keane admitted, “You seemed like the best person to turn to in this situation. We won’t have much free time left after today.”
Caleb nodded as he continued to examine the magical eyepatch before him. “I can test it now. I already know some of what it can do. Did you want me to write out my report or just tell you?”
“Let’s not leave a paper trail,” Keane decided, “The less we risk the better.”
It was unlike Keane to be this uptight about something even if he was naturally secretive. Whatever this thing was, it must have connections to something important. Caleb began to examine its magic right away.
The answer was, it did a lot. However, everything it did had a particular theme. “What kind of monster are you planning to use this thing to bind?” Caleb demanded, “I’ve never seen something so complex like this before. Concealment, containment, control. It even feeds on the magic of whoever wears it to make sure it never runs out. I wouldn’t be surprised if you told me this was made to seal a demon.”
Keane frowned as he heard the report. “You might have to meet him in person to discuss this,” he muttered, “I don’t know the right questions to ask you or what he wants to use it for.”
“Who?” Caleb asked with some trepidation.
“Alois, the headmaster’s apprentice.”