Chapter VI
It was a quiet Tuesday morning there in the Omaruan town of Wilham, with only a soft breeze to be heard blowing through the leaves of the nearby trees. It was fairly warm out, so all of the windows in the house had been pushed open to allow the fresh air access to its interior—an interior already filled with the savory scents of cooking meat as the house’s occupants frantically made breakfast before it was time for school and work. Abigail Reiner let out a soft sigh as she stood by the window in the living room, taking one brief moment of respite to gaze out at the neighborhood before turning back and heading into the kitchen where Scott was busy at the stove and their seven-year-old son, Eric, was waiting impatiently at the table for his food, bouncing up and down in his chair as he watched his father before turning and gazing up at the arrival of his mother.
The little boy smiled widely, looking quite adorable in his little black T-shirt and shorts, and as always, she found herself marveling at how much he resembled Scott with his short brown hair, bright blue eyes, and even his smile. As she gazed upon her son, she was once again reminded of all that she had sacrificed and how much time had passed since she made her decision to turn her back on Ijiria and go there to Omaruo to live a secret, magicless life with her new family.
She had not seen Nigreos and Album since Stellareid and she had only seen Ilirianna and Ryokumo once or twice when they made the risky decision to pay her a visit—visits that were typically intended to keep her relatively up-to-date on the happenings in Ijiria. However, due to the time discrepancy between the two realms, where only three and half years had passed back home, there in Omaruo, it had been seven since the Battle of Stellareid, meaning that the time between visits could be whole years, if not far more. She certainly missed her friends, but there had never been even a moment of regret for what she had decided. All that time later, Abigail still fully believed that coming to Omaruo was the correct choice.
And every time I look at Eric, I’m reminded of that fact. Everything I sacrificed was well worth it to see that beautiful smile of his.
“Good morning, Eric,” she greeted, walking over to the kitchen table and gently rustling his hair. “Are you all ready for school?”
“Yup!” he chirped, always strangely excited for it despite most kids his age dreading the time both away from their parents, as well as spent stuck in a classroom. “Miss Kelley says we’re gonna finish our reading time today and I’m really, really excited! I can’t wait to find out what happens!” His smile then widened even further as he quickly added, “It’s not as good as your stories though, I promise, Mommy!”
Abi chuckled, moving her hand down to brush his cheek. “Well, I’m very happy about that. Now, eat your breakfast and we’ll head off in twenty minutes.”
As she spoke, Scott brought over a small plate of bacon and eggs for Eric, which the little boy immediately got to devouring as if he hadn’t been fed in months. Scott and Abi watched him for a few seconds before giving each other an amused look, sharing a quick kiss, then moving to get their own breakfasts before settling down at the table with their son, though she certainly didn’t miss the ever-present exhaustion that hung over Scott’s features. He worked so hard day-and-night to the point that there were instances where Abi had to beg him to take time off, for not only did he have a pretty demanding job doing research in molecular biology, but he also had a personal project of his own that he was dedicating much of his life to—a project that Abi feared was nothing more than a waste of time.
Scott Reiner sought to find a way to defend them should the Ijirians ever come knocking on their door. He wanted a means of fighting back himself rather than having to rely solely on Abi’s magic—a magic she had used so rarely over the last seven years that she feared she may be too rusty to fight the mages of the Citadel. The law dictated that if they were ever discovered, then both Scott and Eric would be erased while Abigail would be dragged back to Ijiria, put on trial for breaking the Oralian Isolation Act, then sentenced to death. It would be a tragic end that they were desperate to avoid, so Scott came up with a plan to study magic through Omaruan biological means, going so far as to identify the source of mana production within a magical body’s cells. He used samples of Abi’s blood to do so, with the end goal being a magicless means of stopping mana production.
“If I can just create something like a weapon that, should an Ijirian be struck by it, would cancel their magic, then they would become magicless as well, if only temporarily,” Scott had said once. “If that happens, then anybody could fight them… Even me…”
Obviously it was possible to temporarily stop someone from using magic, but Abi still wasn’t sure there would be a way to do so without them using magic themselves. In addition, even if they succeeded, cut off the magic of an Ijirian intruder, then either apprehended or killed them, it would only incur an even more aggressive retaliation from the Citadel that would almost certainly drag innocents of Wilham into the mess. In her opinion, should Ijiria discover them then there was nothing they could do to save themselves, yet she still supplied Scott with her blood and allowed him to run his tests. He wanted to feel like he was doing something rather than sitting on his ass with the ever-present fear of the end looming over them, and this project gave him something to work towards.
I just wish he’d spend less time on it, Abi thought sadly. He shuts himself away in that office of his for so many of his days off… I wish instead, he’d come home more often.”
Of course, as hopeless as it may seem, that wasn’t to say that Abi hadn’t taken precautions of her own. She had no means of protecting herself or Scott, but Eric had a guardian watching over him that would take action should the need arise. At the current moment, it was in a deep slumber, tucked away in a small compartment in her closet, but a deal had been struck between them years ago.
“You have my word, Abi, that should he ever be in danger, I will come to his aid. That being said, your plan is risky, and may bring harm to him should his half-magicless body not be able to bond with me.”
“You’re right, Angel, but it’s better than nothing. I’ll warn him once he’s old enough to understand that my stories about Ijiria aren’t make-believe. I’ll make sure he’s aware of the risks, but I’ll also make sure he knows what you are and what you can do for him.”
“Very well…”
Abi shook her head, wanting to push such grim thoughts aside. Her life was a peaceful one, so she hated allowing her mind to spiral into paranoid fears of Ijiria’s wrath. Not only was there no reason they would be found, but Princess Ilirianna Iiji was watching their backs from the Citadel and had promised to do everything in her power to keep Omaruo and Ijiria separate from one another.
“Alright, I’m off,” Scott announced once he had finished his breakfast and washed his plate in the sink before heading over and giving his son a kiss on the forehead. “Have a fun day at school, Eric, and be good for Ms. Kelley, okay?”
Eric nodded enthusiastically. “Okay, Dad!”
“Good.”
Scott then walked over to where his wife rose to her feet, embraced him, kissed him again, then bid him a nice day at work. Abi watched him depart, wishing as she always did that she could have done something to help bring in money for the family as well. The problem was that she did not have a legal identity, and as such, in the eyes of the Omaruo governments, she did not exist. Finding a stable job without identification that wouldn’t draw unwanted suspicion upon the Reiners was far too great a challenge, so she remained at home, took care of Eric and the house, and spent her life as a mother—a life that was far removed from what she once thought she’d have back when she arrived at the Academy of Erika. There was no magic, no combat, no politics, and best of all, no death.
And there is nothing in this world I would trade it for…
“Alright, Eric,” Abi began, turning back towards her son and seeing that he had finished eating. “Go get your shoes on so we can lea—”
At first, the sudden sensation that rushed through Abigail was utter terror. Her body seized up, her senses went on high alert, and she stopped breathing as she waited for the signature that was bound to follow that burst of magic off in the distance. She only released her held breath when she was able to confirm that what she was sensing was undoubtedly friendly as she collapsed into her chair and sighed.
“Mommy? Are you okay?”
Eric hopped out of his chair and hurried over, his eyes wide with concern as he gazed up at her. Abi laughed, extending her arms, wrapping them around him, and hoisting him up into her lap so she could give him a tight hug.
“Yes, Sweetie, it’s all fine. Don’t you worry about me,” she soothed. “Now, go put on your shoes. We’ll get going for school in just a few minutes.”
This time, he wasn’t quite as content obeying her, but Eric still did as he was told as he rushed off towards the front door where his velcro shoes awaited him. Abi could still feel her heart pounding, so she placed a hand over her chest and took slow, deep breaths as she smiled wryly.
Gosh, don’t scare me like that, Liri.
Since Ilirianna wouldn’t dare use magic in Wilham aside from the opening of the portal, Abi knew that her old friend wouldn’t reach her for some time, so she continued about her typical routine. Once Eric had put his shoes on, he and Abi made their way out the front door and began the ten minute walk to his elementary school just around the corner. As they moved, Eric talked excitedly about the activities for the day then to the show he watched the previous night then to how happy he was that they were having pasta for dinner, and while it could sometimes be hard to keep up with the ramblings of a second-grader, Abi absolutely loved listening to him. The amount of joy it brought her was indescribable, and she was always sad when they reached the front gates of the school and she had to part with him.
“I love you, Mommy! Bye bye!”
Giving him one last hug, Abi replied, “I love you, too, Eric. Have fun at school”, before watching him rush off towards the building to merge with the crowd of other kids, almost certainty seeking out his friends.
Abigail then turned and began walking the way they’d come, for she could sense Ilirianna’s presence just now crossing the border of Wilham. She absently wondered if the young woman was there for an important reason or if it was just one of her rare visits. It had, after all, been some time since they last spoke, and while they kept these visits to a minimum in order to not take unnecessary risks of revealing their lies to the Citadel, Abi did consider it important to keep up with her. It was through Ilirianna that she knew the Kosah-Rei had yet to be defeated, that Nigreos and Album had ascended to the Masters, and that, most importantly, Ilirianna was not an Iiji. Evidently, she’d learned the truth of her father back in Stellareid, but had refrained from telling Abi for another two Omaruan years.
And I still can’t believe it… Master Taurus and the Queen… Though, if anything, I suppose I’m just relieved that the Kosah-Rei never exposed the truth… But then I get anxious wondering why that is?
Shaking these questions from her mind, knowing Ilirianna would certainly answer them, Abi continued back to her house where she took a seat on their porch bench and awaited the woman’s arrival—an arrival that took another ten minutes.
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Abigail grinned warmly at the sight of her old friend making her way up the driveway, her long emerald hair pulled back in a ponytail and a smile of her own crossing her mature features. It was as she regarded Ilirianna that it dawned on her, after all this time, their ages had caught each other. When they met, Ilirianna was around four years older than Abi, but with the faster Omaruan time, they were now both twenty-seven years old. It was strange to think, for the Princess had always seemed wiser and more mature than her, so Abi found it disconcerting that they were now equal in age.
And…it’s not like it’ll stop. Next time I see her, I’ll be older than her… And that’ll go on and on until I’m an old lady and she’s still in her forties. This…is probably what Scott dealt with during my time jumping back and forth…
“Ilirianna Iiji,” Abi called out. “What brings you to my humble abode?”
Ilirianna chuckled as she reached the porch and stopped just a few feet from where Abi still sat. “Business. And perhaps, I missed you, too. But mainly business.”
While Abi could tell that she wasn’t joking about having a reason for being there, it was obvious that she was still being somewhat unserious, which told her that her business wasn’t something to be that concerned about. Rising to her feet, Abigail embraced the other woman, enjoying her friend’s touch before releasing her and saying,
“Well then, come on in, Liri. I’ll make us some tea.”
As promised, Abigail led the Princess to her living room before heading into the kitchen to put some water on the stove. She went about the process of producing a particular type of Omaruan tea that she knew Ilirianna loved and always saved for occasions such as these, and once the water was boiled, she filled two mugs then carried them out to where her friend patiently awaited her return on the couch. Ilirianna said her thanks, watched Abi sit down in the chair across from her, then raised her mug in a silent toast. Abi did the same before the two took a sip of the tea. There was no sense of urgency to begin their conversation, allowing Abi and Ilirianna to simply enjoy this rare moment together as they drank the beverage and listened to the sound of birds through the window.
“Scott and Eric are already off then?” Ilirianna asked softly, to which Abi nodded.
“You just missed them, actually. How long are you here?”
“Kumo’s opening the portal again at around noon Omaruan time, so only a few hours.”
Abi frowned, wishing it could have been longer but understanding the dangers of Ilirianna staying there for even the short time she planned to. After all, the realm dagger that the royal team once kept safe was currently tucked away in a small compartment at the bottom of her closet, along with The Angel. According to Ilirianna, she and Ryokumo staged the theft of that dagger, making it appear as if the Kosah-Rei had raided their Academy dorm while they were in Stellareid. They had been thorough, enabling Abi to hold onto it as a fallback should she ever need to hop realms herself. Apparently, there was still some suspicion surrounding the story, especially from Toranei, but since that dagger was officially destroyed in the fight with Mallicent, the few who knew about it were unable to make a big deal of the situation. In addition, all the evidence conveniently pointed at the Kosah-Rei, and eventually, the matter was dropped. Even Nigreos and Album believed that to be the case. Therefore, in order for Ilirianna to be there now, she and Ryokumo had to secretly steal one from where they were usually contained behind the backs of every significant figure living in the Citadel. That was why she couldn’t be there for long, for if anybody ever noticed the dagger had been stolen, there would be hell to pay. She needed to go back to Ijiria and return it as fast as possible.
“Right…” Abi finally muttered. “I understand. I’ll tell Scott you said ‘hello’ then.”
Ilirianna nodded. “Yes, please do. But with that said, I want to hop right to business so we have plenty of time afterwards to catch up. Is that okay with you?”
“Absolutely. How can I help?”
“Right, well…” The Princess took a deep, long breath, as if making one last attempt to gather the many thoughts that must have been floating around in her mind, before she broached a topic that had been brought up the last time the two women spoke—one Abi hoped would have been resolved by now. “Master Grunly has still refused to name an apprentice.”
Abigail grimaced, her fingers rising to the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “Still? Oh Grunly…”
A painful and cold stabbing of guilt entered her heart, for even though she had taken the necessary precautions in the days leading to her departure, Edwar Grunly was still holding out hope. The only reason Abi took on Iris Mackia as a student during her third year at the Academy was so that she could introduce this talented young nature mage to Grunly, and to make matters even more ideal, she was able to bring Iris with her to Noctalus and Stellareid where, according to Ilirianna, Iris’s magic was critical in preventing even further death given how many of Stellareid’s healers had met their ends that night. Iris performed magnificently, even more so than Abi thought she would, so the solution to the Master of Nature’s successor should have been an obvious one. In Abigail's place, Iris Mackia was supposed to ascend to the position.
So why won’t he do it? Does he truly not understand what it was I wanted? I’m dead, so why would he continue to hold out for me? And even if I did return to Ijiria, how could he ever name somebody the next Master of Nature when they’ve been gone for over three years?
“I can see in your eyes that you remember when we discussed this last time,” Ilirianna commented with a slightly amused grin. “And I can confirm that absolutely nothing about the situation has changed. If anything, it’s gotten worse. His mind…isn’t what it used to be, and he’s recently had bouts of confusion and memory troubles.”
Abi’s lips drew tight as she pictured the cheerful and loving old man who had approached her in that barn so long ago—the man who had extended a hand to a nameless wanderer and offered her a chance to go to Erika and become a mage. He was like a grandfather to her, always looking out for her and inviting her up to his office in the Citadel for tea or lunch or just to chat. There was a lot about her decision to leave that weighed on her, but the image of Grunly drinking his tea alone never failed to make her nauseous. He loved her presence, and she loved his. In a fairer world, she could have had Scott and her friends in Ijiria, but that wasn’t an option, and she made her choice.
“Nobody’s said this aloud to him aside from myself and Markreas,” Ilirianna went on, “but we all know his days are numbered. Everybody’s waiting for him to die, and at this point, it’s looking more and more likely that the King will be the one naming Grunly’s successor.”
“That wouldn’t be good,” Abi whispered, finally working up the will to speak despite her comment having little to no value.
Ilirianna shook her head. “It would not. A Master appointed by Markreas would be just as diseased as the rest of them. As it stands, Edwar Grunly is one of the only Masters with the proper morals and integrity needed to help protect the Empire. He’s never been selfish or classist, and he truly thinks about the needs of his people. Markreas’s hand-picked successor would be more like Viiro and Acostav, like Sinna and Nakoma, and they would be young. They would be somebody that would hold that position for a long time… That needs to be avoided at all costs… Either Grunly needs to choose his successor, or he has to outlive Markreas…the latter of which is far from likely.”
“So then…” Abi began carefully, her brow furrowing in confusion. “What exactly can I do about this? I mean, I understand your predicament, but there’s very little I can do now…”
Ilirianna glanced away, her blue eyes settling on the cup of tea resting untouched on the coffee table. “Listen, I don’t want you to feel pressured into what I’m about to suggest. If you don’t like the idea, shoot me down and I will never blame you or think less of you. You have a lot to lose if something were to go wrong…” She then took another deep breath, as if to delay the suggestion she was about to put voice to. “Would you be open to the idea of bringing Grunly here to Omaruo—of telling him the truth?”
Abi’s eyes went wide, for even though it seemed obvious in hindsight that this was where Ilirianna’s mind was going, she found herself surprised nonetheless. “B-bring Grunly here?”
“Yes. He’s holding out for your return…but if he were to see that you’re never returning—that you’re happy here in Wilham—I think he would back down and retire. On top of that, you could personally give him Iris Mackia as a recommendation and urge him to appoint her. I’ve thought about it thoroughly and have come to the conclusion that Grunly would keep your secret and take it to the grave. He’s loyal to Ijiria, but I don’t think that loyalty would overcome his love for you. Now again, I understand if you wouldn’t want to take the risk by disturbing an otherwise calm lake, but I felt the need to at least ask, if only so that I know this isn’t a card I can play.”
Abigail's shoulders slumped, her mind frantically racing as she ran through the pros and cons as quickly as she could, all the while still wanting to ensure she was giving it the necessary consideration it deserved. After all, Ilirianna wouldn’t be in Omaruo for long and would be unable to return for an answer given how important it was to minimize realm travel.
I mean, I trust her judgment, and I don’t think Grunly would ever sell out myself or my family. Even if he was hurt that I hid it from him back then, and even if he hated me for it, I don’t think he would ever be angry enough to tell King Markreas and the Masters. Liri’s right, it wouldn’t be much of a risk…but… Her mind strayed to Nigreos and Album, the two members of her team and some of her dearest friends. I never told them. I loved them with all my heart, so could I really tell Grunly the truth when they’re still in the dark—still thinking that I was killed in Stellareid? Could I really do that? Abi clenched her teeth. But what would telling Nigreos and Album really accomplish? For Liri’s sake, Grunly must select Iris. Talking to him would actually make a difference. It would allow me to do something for my beloved home that I abandoned. It would make sure that the Masters of Ijiria that Liri rules over will actually cooperate with her… Grunly must be convinced… He must…
She had little time to think, and based on how uncomfortable Ilirianna had been since arriving, the Princess understood the position she was putting Abi in. She wished she could haven spoken to Scott first, and she pondered calling him on the phone and broaching the matter now.
But I don’t know if he’d really support it. He doesn’t care much about Ijirian politics. He wants magic to stay away from his family… But then again, Masters that cooperate with Ilirianna would be more likely to obey her… If we can get the Masters under her thumb, she can protect us herself… She can order them to stand down if we’re ever exposed. Appointing Iris would make the climate in Ijiria safer for us. Would Scott understand that? I don’t know…
“I’m so sorry, Abi,” Ilirianna murmured after a long silence. “I-I’ve made a mistake. I should never have put this on you. Forget I said anything and we can just—”
“No, it’s…” Interrupting her before she’d even gathered her thoughts, Abi hesitated, knowing the significance of this choice regardless of the conclusion she came to.
“Let me give Scott a call, Liri. I’ll…see what I can do.”
***
Gently running her fingers through her son’s brown locks, Abi watched as he slept soundly on her lap, fast asleep from a long day of school and play. He was oblivious to the significance of his existence, to the dangers he was always in, and to the fact that her stories and fairy tales were based out of a world that really did exist. Eric Reiner was her pride and her joy, and she would give anything to keep him safe. So what would keep him safer? Was she supposed to refrain from risks by never telling another soul where she went or would it be better to help Ilirianna tighten her grasp on the Masters of Ijiria? What would make sure that Wilham remained untouched by the disease that was the Empire? What would stop Scott and Eric from ever being forced into the erased realm? The optimistic part of her wanted to believe that Album would never do that to her, but should she ever learn how Abi lied, would Album really break the law for her? Would she feel a need to not do her duty for a woman that didn’t trust her?
Probably not.
“So…we’re doing this then?”
Scott spoke in a hushed voice, wanting to avoid waking Eric, as he addressed Abi from his spot beside her on the couch. The television was on, but neither were paying it much attention, the sound nothing more than white noise in the background.
“Yes…” Abi whispered. “Thank you for trusting me, Scott. I know you didn’t want to do this, but even if I didn’t trust Liri’s judgment, I trust Grunly anyway. He’ll keep our secret.”
“Yeah, well, he better…” her husband grunted. “Cause I’ve got a bad feeling about it. It’s hard to put into words without sounding like a paranoid lunatic, but…I just feel like we’re poking a bear that was better left asleep. It’s been seven years since you’ve meddled in Ijirian affairs, so I worry what getting involved all of sudden is gonna do.”
Abigail smiled wryly, turning away from her son to eye Scott curiously. “Yet you said yes?”
“I did,” he replied. “Cause it’s what you wanted. I’ll support you with everything I’ve got, but…” His hand rose to rest on her shoulder, his eyes turning to gaze into hers as he let a slight grin peek out. “Well, I just wanna make sure I’ve voiced my thoughts. I trust you, and to a much lesser extent, I trust Princess, too. I just…”
Scott paused, a flicker of concern, and even fear crossing his features.
“...I hope we’re not biting off more than we can chew…”