CALLO

Callo’s mind was alight that night with excitement. One of the only redeeming qualities of his father was his ability to tell stories of fond times in his past: Drinking with friends, doing stupid stunts, and being young. Callo loved having the freedom to be young. He loved the stars, the view of Son Lake, and the sound of the roaring falls.

Callo loved the company, too. His elven roommate Behngi was different but gentle and kind. Syn was hot and excitable. Marin had a sense of wonder that heightened the beauty of the night. Then there was Aellaria.

Aellaria made Callo nervous—nervous in the best possible way. Sure, she seemed to have a distaste for him and openly derided him. There was something there, though—something that made his mind light up in a billion sparks. After dealing with Flair’s antics last year, nothing about Aellaria could’ve pushed him away stronger than she drew him in.

AELLARIA

When the others had returned to their tents, Aellaria snuck off to begin the search for Mist Primrose. Aellaria was frustrated when the investigation was not very fruitful. As a magical flower, it bloomed regardless of the time of day, but the familiar azure petals evaded Aellaria for fifteen minutes before Aellaria understood why.

Herbalists and clever Spire students must have already gathered any Mist Primrose in the area. Aellaria decided she would have to be bolder to get the flowers she needed.

Behind the roaring falls were pockets of air and small cave systems. Given the danger of falling into the roaring waters below, students and herbalists would likely not venture there. Aellaria made her way to a less severe dropoff and climbed over the cliff's edge.

Using subtle earth cantrips, Aellaria made hand and footholds as she descended the cliff to line up with the falls. About twenty feet below, a ledge seemed to tuck under the falls. Aellaria slowly and cautiously made her way toward the ridge. Her muscles started to burn from the controlled descent, but Aellaria was experienced and confident in her abilities. She set her feet down on the ledge and tested her weight.

Aellaria took the risk and was rewarded almost immediately. Tucked in the shallow cave behind the falls were several stalks of Mist Primrose. Each had dozens of azure flowers that subtly glowed with magical potential. She went to one of the stalks and gently plucked one of the flowers from the stalk.

She popped the brilliant little flower into her mouth and began chewing it. The stress in her mind from forming all of the hand and foot holds on the way down started to fade. It felt like a fountain coming to life in her mind, and within minutes, her mana stores were prepared for the return trip.

Aellaria didn’t have access to the means to rehome the magical stalks. Instead, Aellaria started to strategically cut back the flowerheads and tuck them away in a pouch under her robes. Aellaria snipped away just enough flower heads to keep the plant healthy but gathered as much as possible to make the coming week easier.

As Aellaria worked, she heard something behind her. She turned around and saw someone in a blue robe coming toward her. Phoenix’s crescent moon above provided very little light, but she could see who it was. Callo was climbing down the cliff face using the very hand and foot holds that she made.

‘Why is he coming here…’ Aellaria thought. She knew the cave was too shallow to hide, and even with access to Geomancy, she did not have enough mana to move enough stone to hide herself and protect the mist primrose.

As Callo approached the cliff in the dead of night, he reached out and pulled from the waterfall to create an ice railing to make the ledge much safer. On the other side of his impromptu railing was an almost 150-foot drop to the water below. He shimmied forward and realized he was looking at Aellaria.

“Callo. Why are you here?” Aellaria asked. Her voice was cold, colder than even the Cryomancer looked comfortable with.

“I was worried about you. I saw you drop over the edge of the cliff. When you didn't return, I followed to ensure you were alright.” Callo said. He looked over Aellaria’s shoulder and saw the Mist Primrose.

“I’m fine. I heard about the caves behind the falls. I wanted to see if it was as beautiful as people say.” Aellaria lied. There was a part of Aellaria that recalled the fading echoes of Lilium’s memories. Aellaria knew that this boy bore some responsibility. Everything in Aellaria’s mind screamed at her to take action now.

Callo took a tentative step closer to the safety of the shallow cave. He looked out at the water falling beautifully past them. Along the stones in the cave wall were a handful of flowers, creating an almost tranquil glow. “It is beautiful… You don’t strike me as someone who would risk their life just to smell the roses, though.” Callo smiled at his clever albeit mild double entendre.

Aellaria desperately tried to recall what Zenithor had learned when he tried to read Lilium's emotions imprinted on the locket that held Celia’s picture. She remembered pain, Callo’s smile, friendship, and betrayal. Callo’s presence made her feel bile in the back of her throat.

Aellaria smiled, putting all her will toward getting this boy away from her before things escalated. “When alone, I reflect on the beauty around me.”

Callo sighed and leaned against the cave wall. “I wanted to ask you. Did I do something wrong? Ever since I first saw you outside of Cryonolon’s class, I felt like something was off between us.”

‘Of course there is, you frosty little troll.’ Aellaria thought but had gotten better at hiding her distaste for the Cryomancer. “No. I guess I felt I didn’t belong that first day. I’ve been told I have a resting bitch face, but that’s just me being in my head. I’m sorry.”

Callo smiled. “It’s fine. I wish I had the freedom to express myself with no inhibitions. My father is one of the world’s best merchants–one of the world's best liars and people readers. Spending so much time around someone like that makes me feel pressured at all times to wear the perfect face. Mellow Goldrose always knows when someone is lying.”

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“That must be hard,” Aellaria said, but internally, she felt no pity for the child of one of the wealthiest men in the capital.

“Honestly, it isn’t hard. There is a small pain when I realize I am lying to myself, though.” Callo said with a cringing smile before adding, “There was something I wanted to ask you.” He stood straight as if the question in his mind was so heavy he had to brace himself.

“Go ahead.”

“Do you… Does the name Lilium mean anything to you?” Callo asked. Callo’s voice cracked on the word ‘you.’ He was off-kilter. He was nervous.

Aellaria didn’t dare move a muscle, not even a twitch in her eye. She felt her voice, Zenithor’s voice, demanding punishment just for Callo saying it. Lilium. ‘Kill him. Just kill him. Do it now. No one would ever know you killed him.’

Aellaria looked contemplative momentarily and said, “No, is that your girlfriend back home?”

“No, nothing like that. Lilium wore a hat like yours sometimes, with a wide brim. I thought you might know her,” Callo said. To Aellaria, he sounded guilty.

No one would hear him screaming over the roar of the falls. She thought.

Aellaria took a half step toward him, “It sounds like this person,” my daughter, “ meant a lot to you.”

Callo reached back, scratching his head, “Yeah, No. It’s tough... Lilium killed herself last year. For a while there, she was a friend, then she was distant, and then she was gone.” Callo said.

Aellaria hugged Callo beneath the waterfall. She held Callo between the shimmering curtain and the luminescent flowers. “I’m sorry to hear that. The death of a friend so young is a tragedy.” Aellaria rested her head against Callo’s chest. She could feel his nervous heart. She could feel the way his breath shook when he exhaled. Aellaria was surprised at the heat baking off the young Cryomancer.

“You seem to know…” Callo inhaled a ragged breath. “What it feels like.” He closed his arms around Aellaria, returning her comforting embrace.

She didn't say anything. Callo felt a nod against his chest. Aellaria’s cheek rubbed against his chest, and the wide-brimmed hat fell to her back. Aellaria felt the Cryomage rest his cheek against her scalp.

They stood there and embraced for minutes. Aellaria felt Callo’s breathing return to normal. His racing heart slowed. The embrace made Aellaria feel fear. It was almost familiar. This fear was not Zenithor’s but Lilium’s. The fear was a remnant of the glimpse Zenithor had made into Lilium’s past.

“We should go back now. If the others wake up, they might worry or get ideas.” Callo said. He pulled back and smiled at her. There was pain behind that smile.

“Yeah… Let's go back. Thank you for coming down. It does mean something to me that you worried.” Aellaria said, but her body was slack and defeated.

After the minutes they were together, the railing Callo put into place on the ledge had already eroded and fallen. He reformed it and returned to the handholds Aellaria made on her way down.

Aellaria followed behind him, hovering her hand over the icy cold railing in case she lost her balance.

Callo started to climb back up the cliff face using the natural ladder. Aellaria watched as Callo carefully climbed and flexed. He used his strong muscles to grasp a handhold and pull himself up the cliff face. Grasp, pull. Grasp, pull. Grasp–

Aellaria took in a breath, and the world slowed around her. Aellaria leapt as high into the air as she could; when she landed, she expelled every ounce of mana she had into one spell.

The handhold Callo grasped–the handhold that held his entire weight–grew longer and jettisoned out from the rock. Aellaria saw the open-mouthed surprise on Callo’s face as he fell. Callo formed his frosty barrier, but there was no water for him to freeze. Aellaria saw Callo’s eyes plead for help as he fell past her. His eyes begged for pity that wasn’t there.

Aellaria watched the events play out exactly as she had hoped. Callo didn’t have the combat effectiveness to save himself. Callo didn’t have the magical proficiency to save himself. The only thing in the world that could save his life was the enchantment on his student badge. It held a flexible and powerful enchantment that could rescue a student from all sorts of magical dangers.

Aellaria held Callo’s student badge in her hands. By the time Callo impacted the water's surface, he was out of range of the enchantment that should have saved his life.

Aellaria knew that the last thing Callo saw, besides the rapids rapidly rising to meet him, was her silhouette on the ledge above, capped by the wide-brimmed hat. That thought did not give her relief or comfort.

The wind blew against the tear trails on her cheek. Aellaria held Callo’s student badge with shaky hands. ‘You didn't even know.’ She thought. Aellaria looked past the badge to the waters below, her vision blurred by the pooling tears.

Aellaria tossed Callo’s student badge over the ledge and scoured the cliff face for any evidence of her presence on the climb back up to camp.