Chapter IX

Rennigan Glaus took a long, deep breath as he gazed at his reflection in the mirror, his hands running along the bluish-white formal vest he had slipped on over his dark blue dress tunic, wanting to make sure he was as presentable as possible. Given that most of his clothing were lightly colored, he briefly scanned himself to make sure there wasn’t even a slight stain anywhere that he hadn’t previously noticed, then reached his fingers up to adjust his slightly overgrown silver bangs. Normally, he wouldn’t so much as brush his hair to go back home and have a meeting with his father, but that particular day was a very important occasion, for he was not the only person attending this discussion. As he had been informed by Ilirianna, he would be accompanying Masters Sinna Cartus and Nyx Rana as they attempted to persuade Kloras Glaus to not only gain them permission to make their move on Ankalla, but also to pull the distortion generators back out of storage. They believed that having Rennigan speak in their favor would be invaluable, and he couldn’t disagree with that conclusion.

After all, I’m rather confident that Father wouldn’t have eased up on his constant regulating of the Masters had I not put a foot down and urged him to do otherwise. That’s not to say I necessarily disagree with the idea of making sure the Masters can’t just do whatever they want, but these are dark times, and thus, boundaries need to be pushed if we want to come out of it in one piece.

In his eyes, this was one of those instances where the Council of Elders and the Masters of Ijiria needed to work together, for if the attack on Ankalla could go off exactly as they hoped it would, then the fall of the Kosah-Rei could happen within a mere month. Not only did they have the potential to gain their first significant victory against the cult, but they had a chance of finishing the war itself, a thought that both excited and terrified him. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that the Masters of Ijiria were about to walk straight into a trap, but at the same time, they had evidence that the Kosah-Rei leaders were at the fortress, which meant that whether it was a trap or not, Quill Tyrus and the other five would be at this battle. In a mere handful of weeks, Rennigan not only learned the means of killing Quill, but was also being given a chance to put that information to the test.

Though, it’s entirely possible Ms. Jellia was lying through her teeth, but… Rennigan sighed as he took one final look at his reflection. Well, that just doesn’t add up with the way she behaved. No, I’m being paranoid. This trick will work so long as I can get myself in front of Tyrus…Then I can kill him, and finally be done with all of this nonsense. Faye, Hiro, and Jessi can rest in peace, knowing that their murderer was slaughtered. Then…maybe…I can finally join them…

Rennigan grimaced as his mind wandered to what he might do after Quill’s death before he decided that he was getting way too ahead of himself and that there was no reason to think about such things. He took a deep breath then turned and approached his closet door, which he quickly got about pulling open before kneeling down to rummage for the box containing his dress shoes. Figuring that they were probably shoved way in the back since he’d never actually worn them after moving into this house, he crawled inside a little further before finally laying his hand on the cardboard surface that should have been the box he was seeking. However, the second he dragged it into his line of sight, his satisfaction evaporated upon realizing that it was half the size of his shoebox.

What the hell is this? he wondered as he flipped it open, only for a horrible stab of sadness to claw its way through his body.

“Look, I just felt bad that I got gifts for Jessi and Hiro and ignored you! When I saw Caeli got you something, I realized I was being stupidly petty, so we’re gonna go in this shop, you’re gonna pick out whatever you want, and I’m gonna buy it for you! So come on!”

Echoes of a conversation long past went through his brain as he gazed at the rounded bottle of blue liquid resting atop some cotton cloths inside. It was the only solstice gift he’d ever received from Fayela Rio, and given that he’d just picked something at random back then, he didn’t quite remember what exactly it was. He knew it was some sort of potion they’d bought in Noctalus, but for the life of him, he couldn’t have said what it would do.

If it’s not expired after three and half years, he added. Can potions like this expire?

Rennigan gently reached inside, recalling how he had set it in this box once he returned from Stellareid and left it there without ever touching it again. When he graduated and moved in with Ryokumo, he probably transported it without ever knowing what was within, but when he picked the bottle up and turned it over, he found the name of the potion to be etched into the glass.

The Elixir of Sweet Dreams? Ah, right… A dream customizer, was it?

“Well, on top of guaranteeing one a good night of sleep, it also allows your subconscious to customize your dreams! Figured this was the only way you’d get to experience being Nyx Rana’s apprentice, yeah?”

Rennigan snorted as he recalled the joke Faye had made in an effort to tease him, and it reminded him of just how passionate he used to be in regards to succeeding Nyx. These days, he no longer held such lofty ambitions, for he didn’t intend to remain in this world long enough to take up such responsibilities. Unfortunately, he had to continue pretending he sought the position of Master of Water, lest his father become harder to manipulate.

He gazed at the bottle for a few moments longer, allowing the memory of its purchase to fuel his determination more than it already had, and instead of returning it to the box, he stood up, crossed his room, and placed it on the surface of his dresser just beside that ugly plush “zombie” toy Ryokumo once gave him from Omaruo. This way, it would be perfectly visible every time he entered. Content, he swiftly returned to his search for his shoes, and once he acquired them, he hurried downstairs to prepare for the arrival of the Masters. The meeting would be held at Kloras’s estate, so the plan was for Sinna and Nyx to swing by and pick him up before the three of them headed over together.

However, he must have been dallying in his room longer than he realized, for when he reached the bottom of the stairs and entered the living room to greet Ryokumo, he was unable to get a word out before they heard a knocking at the door.

“Ah, are they here already?” Ryokumo mused with a grin. “Pity you guys didn’t see fit to invite me. I would have loved to sit in on a discussion with dear Kloras Glaus! I did quite enjoy our brief interaction all those years ago.”

Rennigan smirked, eyeing Ryokumo slyly. “Caeli, if this meeting wasn’t as important as it is, I might very well have done that. However, I fully expect you to ruin any chance of convincing him to help us, and therefore, you will be watching the house.”

“So you’re saying I can have dinner with him at a later time?” the wind mage replied, to which Rennigan shrugged.

“Perhaps. I’ll work something out with him.”

The two broke out into laughter as Rennigan approached the front door. He fully expected the Masters to send a servant to retrieve him, so he hadn’t bothered to prepare himself quite yet and was stunned into silence when he opened it to reveal Master Nyx Rana just on the other side, her small form mostly covered by the flowing white cloak wrapped around her body. Her cowl was down, giving him a full look at her youthful face, half-lidded eyes, and apathetic demeanor.

“Ah, er…M-Master Rana?” Rennigan stuttered, his body going stiff as he corrected his posture and attempted to smile. “Good morning.”

Her head slowly titled to the side while she silently stared at him, as if she were blatantly analyzing him. He had only met Nyx personally a handful of times, but the only instance he had been in such close proximity as this was when she paid a visit to his father the night Faye came over for dinner. Otherwise, his interactions with Nyx took place in the Chamber of the Masters, with the others present as well. With that said, he had heard plenty about her eccentricities, so wanting to be polite, he patiently awaited her indication that he was allowed to speak.

“You dressed up quite fancily,” she stated randomly, her words far from what Rennigan was expecting. “Are we not just speaking with your father?”

Rennigan hesitated. “W-well, um…? I guess I just figured I should look my best given that a couple of Masters would be present as well.”

“Oh. You didn’t need to do that. Sinna just dressed in her normal leather, so nobody would have noticed if you wore whatever you wanted.” Nyx spoke with an airy, disinterested voice, her white eyes almost looking past him despite her directly addressing him. “But I appreciate the thought, Mr. Rennigan.”

“Uh, thanks?”

“You’re welcome.” Nyx then leaned to the right, her attention shifting to Ryokumo, who was observing from the couch with a stupid grin on his face. “Good day to you, Caeli. It’s nice to see you again.”

Ryokumo, exaggerated as always, jumped to his feet and bent forward in a low bow. “As it is my pleasure to be in your magnificent presence, Master Rana! I wish you both the best of luck in dealing with the human shitstain we call Kloras!”

Rennigan internally cringed at Ryokumo’s crudeness, but before he could apologize to Nyx, she merely blinked a few times, said “Okay”, then turned around and motioned for Rennigan to come with her. The younger water mage hurriedly shot a glare at Ryokumo then closed the door and followed Nyx towards the large carriage awaiting them. This time, he was able to prepare before finding himself in the presence of a Master of Ijiria, so he took a couple of deep breaths as Nyx stepped into the open doors of the carriage then pursued her inside. He’d met Sinna Cartus on occasion as well, but he’d never been as close to her as he was now, so he barely suppressed his surprise at just how massive she was. Her head was pressed against the ceiling, and the bulk of her toned, muscled body took up quite a bit of space on the bench she sat upon. As Nyx had said, she wore a leather, sleeveless jerkin that showed off just how powerful her arms were, and the stern look on her face was the cherry on top of the already overwhelmingly intimidating presence the Master of Rock held.

“G-good morning, Master Cartus,” Rennigan greeted the second he had sat down across from her. “It’s a pleasure to officially meet you.”

Sinna cocked an eyebrow as Nyx slipped her tiny frame into the spot beside her. “Charmed, Rennigan Glaus. Are you confident you can truly talk sense into your vile father?”

Always baffled at how easily these people insulted his father to his face, Rennigan forced a confident tone and answered, “Yes. I am.”

“Good,” Sinna grunted. “Then let’s be off.”

The carriage driver closed the doors, hopped back into the coach, and soon enough, they were rumbling off in the direction of the Glaus Estate. From what Rennigan knew, since they already had to convince his father to give Koroha permission to investigate Ankalla, he was relatively familiar with the situation. In addition, Kloras was then briefed on the subject of the planned attack via some messages sent to him by Markreas’s scribes, so their job wasn’t to fill him in on anything. At this point, Kloras knew all of the details, meaning this was a pure session of negotiation. His father would have concocted a deal for them, and it was up to them to either accept it or, more likely, change his mind and make a counteroffer.

The ride to the estate was held in complete silence, but since Rennigan only lived a few blocks away from his family, it was barely a five minute trip before they arrived at the front gates and rode into the lush green courtyard that surrounded the front part of the two-story beige mansion. He kept his head down, having little interest in looking at a place that hadn’t really been his home in a few years, before they came to a stop, the doors were pulled open once again, and the Masters stepped down onto the driveway. Rennigan paused, gathered his thoughts, then got to his feet to follow Nyx and Sinna towards the front doors, finding that they had already knocked. By the time Rennigan had made his way up the curved stone steps and arrived on the porch, their knock was answered by the estate’s head maid, Rosaline.

“Greetings, Master Cartus, Master Rana. In my master’s place, I welcome you to our home.” She had an air of cold formality that was a far cry from her typically warm and loving attitude—a persona she put on whenever the estate had visitors of a status like Nyx and Sinna’s. “And welcome back, Young Master. It is wonderful to see you again,” Rosaline added upon making eye contact with Rennigan. This time, however, she allowed a slight smile to peek out before she turned and said, “Come. Master Kloras is waiting in his office. I’ll lead you there.”

Rennigan lagged behind as the Masters followed Rosaline into the entry hall, towards the spiral staircase just inside. Once again, he kept his head low, for while it was nice to see Rosaline again, he had struggled to feel comfortable in this place ever since he returned from Stellareid. He wasn’t quite sure why it felt so heavy and depressing, but he just couldn’t bring himself to feel happy in his old home anymore. The only place he felt at ease was back at his current house, and even then, there was a strange sense to it as well. Because of this, he hadn’t been back to the estate in quite some time. These thoughts dominated his attention on the way to the office, and he only snapped out once Rosaline had allowed them entry. Sinna and Nyx entered, but before Rennigan could, the head maid placed a gentle touch on his shoulder, squeezed, then stepped aside.

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“It’s good to see you again, Rosaline,” he whispered, then moved into the room as well.

Kloras Glaus’s office was primarily dominated by a vast library of books that he hardly ever read and were mostly there to make him appear highly literate. Nearly every wall had floor-to-ceiling shelves that lacked even a single slot for an extra book. It was a windowless room, and since there was no spot on the wall for firelamps, the only illumination came from a chandelier hanging above the center, the little fires casting a dull glow over the office. Directly ahead of the door was a desk at which Kloras himself was sitting, his silver hair tied in a braid that fell to his hips and his lanky form covered by the long green robes that identified him as a Council Elder.

The man rose to his feet then placed his hand over his stomach before leaning forward in a bow. “Good morning, Masters. Welcome to my home. It’s a pleasure to have you.”

Rennigan noticed Sinna’s jaw clenched with anger, but she must have been ordered not to cause any further issues between them and Rennigan’s father given that she kept her mouth shut and didn’t talk. He was mildly surprised, for he had been under the impression that the Master of Rock was hot-headed and quick to speak her mind regardless of who she was talking to, or at least this was true according to Kloras.

Instead, it was Nyx that took the lead of the conversation. “Yes, good morning to you as well, Council Member. As I am sure we are both very busy, I do not want to take up too much of your time, so if you do not mind, shall we get right to it?”

“Yes, yes, we shall,” he agreed, moving to step around the side of his desk before folding his hands behind his back and smiling smugly.

As always when the Masters of Ijiria came knocking on his door, Kloras Glaus knew without a doubt that he held all of the power—that it was his word that would determine whether or not they got what they wanted. He often boasted of this to Rennigan, declaring that this was as it should be, and that without his influence within the Council of Elders, the Masters would be wildly out of control. Rennigan wasn’t sure he subscribed to that line of thought anymore, as it now appeared to him that his father was more of a hindrance to defending the Empire than anything else. That was why Rennigan had been speaking in support of the Masters in recent years and it was why he stood there beside Sinna and Nyx that very moment.

“However, before we properly begin,” Kloras continued after a momentary pause, his golden eyes shifting away from the Masters before settling on his son. There was a flicker of disappointment within them, though it was so fast that Rennigan would have missed it had he not been looking for it. “I’d like to ask why you are present for this, Son. I’ve sent letter after letter requesting that you come home for dinner, or even just to visit, and you never do. Even when I suggested celebrating your birthday, you declined, so why is it that you’d only stop by your childhood home to be the Masters’ personal puppet?”

Despite it being a cowardly move, Rennigan was unable to make eye contact as he listened to the sound of a genuine hurt within the man’s voice, like he really was saddened by the way his son behaved. “I’m sorry, Father, but I’m very busy these days, and this is an important discussion. I wouldn't be here if I didn’t wholeheartedly believe that my presence could make a difference.”

“You support them then?” Kloras inquired sharply. “You think I should convince the Council to allow all eight Masters of Ijiria to attack Ankalla—to give permission for an all-out assault the likes of which hasn’t been seen in our modern age?”

Rennigan smiled bitterly, his father’s tone already making it clear that Kloras didn’t intend to support the attack, or at least not without using it to further his own political desires. “I would. We might have the Kosah-Rei standing helpless beneath our boots and it would be idiotic to not crush them.” The young man took a deep breath, stepped forward to place himself beside Nyx, then forced himself to raise his head and finally return Kloras’s gaze. “Yes, I want you to give unconditional permission for this assault to commence, if not for the Masters, then for me. This is my best chance to take out Quill Tyrus, and I’ll be damned if you’re the one to prevent me from doing so.”

Kloras’s features contorted in confusion as he stared at Rennigan for a second before sharply turning his head towards Nyx. “What the hell is he talking about? Is Rennigan a part of the attack force?”

Nyx gave a gentle nod. “Yes, he is. King Markreas believed your son would be a valuable asset, especially given that he’s one of the only mages to have ever confronted Quill Tyrus and lived to tell the tale. On that same line of thought, we’ve permitted Ryokumo Caeli to join as well.”

Rennigan internally smirked, knowing that wasn’t the true reason he was offered a spot in the attack force. Instead, Markreas allowed him to join them under the condition that he petition his father to support them, but a truth like that would only enrage the Council Member, so it seemed Nyx opted to formulate a lie instead.

Kloras scoffed with annoyance as he reached his fingers up to touch the bridge of his nose. “Son, I understand that you’ve never been able to forget what Quill Tyrus did to you, and I don’t blame you for that. I don’t expect you to so easily move on from the deaths of your Academy teammates, but if that man really is at this damned fortress, what can you actually do about it? You and the others unloaded everything you had and it was all for naught! You burnt him alive, you depleted your mana even with environmental magic at your disposal, yet he still lives! I don’t want to demean your abilities, but attempting to fight him again, and in his own territory at that, is tantamount to suicide, and I will not send my only son to his early grave!”

Every bone in Rennigan’s body urged him to tell Kloras what he recently learned about Quill’s unkillable nature, but he bit his tongue, for he didn’t want Sinna and Nyx to know that he’d figured out how to take him down. After all, it needed to be Rennigan that killed Quill, so if the Masters knew the truth, they would almost certainly steal his target out from under him. That was why he remained quiet and allowed Sinna to reply in his stead.

“Elder Glaus, with all due respect, your son is a professional mage who graduated the top of his class in a year that included three members of the royal team. He can more than handle himself, don’t you think?”

But Kloras vehemently shook his head. “Master Cartus, I am not gambling with my son’s life! Quill Tyrus isn’t a typical mage, nor are most of the other cultists that are allegedly in that fortress! Add the powerhouse that is Rickori Keskivaara to the mix, and you have a perfect recipe for a high death toll!” His father snorted, eyeing the Masters with a disgusted, accusatory glare. “And that’s under the impression this isn’t a trap. Have we yet identified the source of this leak?”

Sinna clicked her tongue with displeasure, making it seem like she was about to snap at him, so Nyx swiftly jumped in and answered the question. “We have not, but do keep in mind that in addition to the Masters of Ijiria, we will have entire battalions of Korrei-Tarr, as well as the King, Queen, and Princess. Trap or not, victory is assuredly ours.”

“Well, Master Rana, I was told a similar thing when Viiro Noctis and Acostav Luz led the royal team to Stellareid, was I not? How did that go? How close did Rennigan come to dying back then?” The Council Elder narrowed his eyes. “Forgive me for my pessimism, but can you really blame me for assuming that King Markreas is about to march the Masters straight to their deaths?”

“You should have more faith in us, Kloras,” Sinna spat, her self-control finally shattering in the face of such an offensive statement. “The Masters of Ijiria are not some bumbling fools that would be so easily killed. The Kosah-Rei do not stand a snowball’s chance in hell of surviving a force containing the mages this one will have.”

Rennigan nodded firmly. “She’s right, Father. I’m not going to die, so it’s imperative that you convince the other Council Members to permit this! Allow this operation to go forward, let us use the distortion generators, and I swear on the names of my team that we will win! Please!” Then, biting back his pride, the young man bent his back forward into a low bow, making his desperation obvious.

“Rennigan…” Kloras uttered with exasperation. “Why? Why are you so eager to go sprinting to your death?”

“I’m not going to die,” he repeated tonelessly. “I promise…”

The office fell silent, and since Rennigan refused to rise from his bow until his father gave them the permission they sought, he could not see the expression on the man's face. All he could do was hope that Kloras would listen to him—would hear in his voice just how important it was.

The man sighed. “Very well…” A surge of hope rushed through Rennigan as he rose back up, only for that hope to be dashed when Kloras continued. “I’ll permit it, but I refuse to allow such a goldmine to pass me by. You want my support, Masters, then you must give me something of equal value… Master Rana, take my son on as your apprentice or I refuse. That is my singular condition. Otherwise, you will leave my house immediately and I’ll urge the other elders to vote against you.”

“Father, no!” Rennigan exclaimed furiously, meanwhile, Sinna took a threatening step towards the much smaller man.

“You would dare—?!”

“Sinna!” Nyx interrupted, raising her voice louder than Rennigan had ever heard it go. Her petite hand shot out to grab Sinna’s arm, and though if the Master of Rock wanted, she could brush it off with ease, Sinna made no move to do so. “Stop, Sinna, please!”

She glanced back at the Master of Water with a stunned expression. “Nyx… Come on, he’s being ridiculous! He would allow the Kosah-Rei to elude us yet again all for his own selfish desires?! He would put the needs of the Empire below that of his own?!”

“She’s right, Master Rana!” Rennigan swiftly agreed before turning a snarl upon Kloras. “You listen here, Father! Enough of your bullshit! This attack is more than just some random operation! It is an attempt to exterminate the Kosah-Rei once and for all—to prevent them from doing to Harunhein and the other Great Cities what they did to Hiriech and Stellareid! How fucking dare you try to use such an important situation to strong-arm Master Rana into doing something she has repeatedly refused to do! I will not allow myself to gain her apprenticeship through such vile, manipulative means!”

Kloras visibly flinched as Rennigan screamed at him, his features contorting in pain enough so that the young man hoped he would see reason and correct his mistake. But true to his nature, Kloras Glaus dug his heels in anyway.

“I have made my stance clear, Son. Perhaps you will hate me for this, but so be it. I only want what’s best for you, so if you’re going to risk your life like this, then you better be getting rewarded for it.”

“I don’t want a damn reward!” Rennigan fumed. “Tyrus dying is more than enough for me!”

But Kloras ignored him and stared directly at Nyx. “Your response, Master?”

Both Sinna and Rennigan spun around to stare intently at the Master of Water, their features silently urging her not to give in and that they could figure something else out, but Nyx’s ever-apathetic expression made her hard to read. Her silver eyes were locked on Kloras as she, too, refused to gaze at the others. Rennigan knew that Nyx had refused such an offer on multiple occasions, so he could only imagine she was internally debating how to salvage this situation and turn things around. That was why her eventual response caused Rennigan’s eyes to widen in horror.

“Very well…” she said. “Upon our return from Ijiria, I will officially make Rennigan Glaus my apprentice.”

No… No, come on, Master!

A stiff smile turned Kloras’s lips, a reaction that was far from the victorious gloating that Rennigan would have expected. “Good choice. You’ll have my support for Ankalla then. High Elder Orland intends for us to vote on the matter tomorrow evening, so by then, you’ll have all the permission you need to commence this operation. It’s always a pleasure working with you.”

“And you, Elder Glaus,” Nyx responded emotionlessly. “Good day to you.”

Then, without another word, the Master of Water turned around and made to depart the office, a visibly fuming Sinna Cartus on her heels. Rennigan lagged behind for only a second to glare with disgust at Kloras before he, too, followed the Masters from the room. He had nothing more to say to his father, and the look of sadness on the man’s face when he departed held little weight with the young man, for it merely seemed hollow.

Rosaline escorted them back to the carriage, and though she was clearly aware of the anger of Sinna and Rennigan, she made no comment as she bid them goodbye. It was only once they were back in the privacy of the carriage that the silence was broken, but since he could tell Sinna was about to explode with anger, Rennigan decided to quickly say his piece before she could.

“I’ll refuse, Master Rana,” he stated. “We can pretend that we’ll obey in order to defeat the cult, and when we return to Erika, I’ll decline the apprenticeship. That way, you’ll hold up your end of the deal but won’t get stuck with me. There’s nothing he can do about my response. I’m just…sorry about him—sorry it came to this.”

He could see the surprise on Sinna’s face, telling him that she expected he would take advantage of this situation, but Nyx revealed very little of what she was feeling. Instead, she just gave him a warm smile and shook her head.

“Do not apologize for your father’s actions, Rennigan,” she told him. “What he does is out of your control, and thus, I do not blame you for anything. However, I do think your refusal to comply with the deal will only destroy any future cooperation from him. Even if you told him to his face that you didn’t want this, my credibility would be crushed to nothing. We cannot afford that…so I would still ask you to do as he says. I’ll follow through with his request and I’ll take you on as my apprentice.”

Sinna grit her teeth and scoffed, though it didn't seem to be directed at either of them. “You really didn’t have to do that, Nyx.”

“I did though,” she murmured. “Kloras’s support for this attack is critical, so it would be selfish of me to decline and be partially responsible for the death of the Ankalla Operation. Kloras may be willing to bear such a burden, but I am not. I will do whatever I need to protect this country. Besides…” Nyx then turned back to Rennigan and gave him a sly wink. “It’s not like you’re a bad choice. When you were younger, I stood by my refusal to do what Kloras wanted, but now…” She shrugged. “Like Sinna said, you’re top of your class in a very competitive year. You survived the Battle of Stellareid when more powerful mages could not. And I do need an apprentice should the unthinkable ever happen to me… There are far worse conditions that could have been set. Do you disagree, Rennigan?”

“I-I…” he stuttered. “Well, it’s just that I don’t want such an honor because you were forced. Even if I’m an okay pick, that doesn’t leave me feeling any better about it…”

Nyx laughed softly. “Then earn it in your mind. Kill one of the leaders, like you want to. If you can accomplish something like that, then you’re more than deserving of the honor, right?”

Kill one of the cultists, huh? Rennigan took a deep breath, the charred features of Quill Tyrus’s fake face coming back to him and reminding him of why he was so desperate to get his father’s permission in the first place. Fine then… If I have no say in this matter, then I guess I just all the more reason to track down that fucker and finally take him down.