A good night's rest did wonders for Carmine's focus. She wouldn't call her mind settled, but she could organize her thoughts and observations with more clarity than the day before.
After some actual time to reflect, one piece of information stood out to Carmine: the distribution of the arcanite crystals in Almyra's limbs. The largest grew from her arms, as expected, but the second largest emerged from her legs. That warranted attention. Almyra’s preferred spells and methods for casting focused on channeling spells from her core, through her arms, and out of her hands. She sensed her powers begin in the center of her chest, which matched the clusters that grew inside her. However, each mage could do so differently, it all depended on how they envisioned the source of their power.
Almyra and Adelaide often argued on the better method in the years prior. Unlike Almyra, Adelaide believed her power came from her mind, like Carmine. Because of that, they both felt their spirit depletion in the form of headaches. Almyra on the other hand, felt it as a form of fatigue; she’d get winded after casting for too long. With that thought in mind, the distribution of shards didn't match the tendencies of the caster. Almyra didn't cast spells with her legs, and yet a large potion of her power crystallized there. Had she been using a spell that channeled a spell in her legs, it'd be different, but nothing Carmine heard from her circle or Vale suggested that.
Carmine rode the lift down to the undercroft in the dead of morning, and stepped out to examine the remnants of the grisly scene. She hoped to gain some insight from the residue. Instead, she laid eyes on a clean dais and polished floor.
They erased it. Carmine grumbled in frustration, kicking the nearest wall. Someone better have investigated this before her or she'd tear the tower down for incompetence. With a deep breath, she set her anger aside. What was hidden from the eye may yet remain to a different sense.
She strode to the center of the testing ground, recalling how she and Adelaide won the entrance exam there so long ago. Kneeling on one knee, she touched the dais. She closed her eyes and extended her arcane sense over the testing ground. In her mind, she caught the fading wisps of sorcery carved into the ground by powerful magic. She poured her own mana into the remnants as metal would fill a mold. It might not be perfect, and it took a fair bit of time, but she started to see the shape of the erased magic circle in her mind.
The gauging spell was clear, as she expected. However, over the next hour, she felt her energy fill a second spell circle weaved under the first. An extra mark here, a connected line there, subtle things that, alone, seemed like quirks of the caster, but together formed the basis for a second intent.
Carmine recognized the markings. She didn't know what spell they made, but she'd seen the Waters of Life use similar runes for draining essence. That dispelled any doubts Carmine had left. This was deliberate.
“Ms. Felis, I didn't expect to see you here so early.” Carmine startled at the headmaster's voice behind her. She'd been so focused on her investigation, she didn't hear his arrival.
“Headmaster Thomas,” Carmine greeted back, rising from her crouched position. She dusted her off her robe and half-turned to face him. He wore a reserved smile, careful not to be too wide given the circumstances. “I take it you heard from Vale.”
“Uh, yes.” the Headmaster nodded along, struggling to meet Carmine's eyes. Instead, he kept glacing back to the testing ground behind her. “Vale informed the panel you'd be taking her place. We've chosen to accept her judgment and have the…procedure you undertook be considered a practical exam. I would say congratulations are in order, but…”
“But it's not the time.” Carmine finished.
“Indeed.” Headmaster Thomas’ nostrils flared with a long sigh. He stepped beside Carmine and stared at the spot where Almyra presumably suffered the incident. “How is Ms. Leonne?”
“Almyra is stable for now.” Carmine crossed her arms. “The physical damage from the arcanite shards is repaired, and Vale is watching in case of any more sudden growths.”
“That's good.” Thomas’ shoulders sagged in relief. “I feared the worst when I saw it happen. I thank the Ancients Dr. Valentine knew what to do.”
As he spoke, Carmine kept her eyes on his face. She scrutinized every line and shift, trying to catch any signs of deception. As headmaster, he was one of the few who would have access to those forbidden tomes, which made him one of Carmine's suspects. His reactions seemed genuine, but she knew better than to rule out his involvement on that alone.
“The panel came to another conclusion, Ms. Felis,” The headmaster stated, his hands folding over each other. His mouth tightened, and Carmine could see he struggled to even start his next thought. “In consideration of Ms. Leonne's exemplary grades, and her performance up to the incident…we have decided to award her the rank of Sorceress despite it the incident.”
Carmine raised her brow. She thought for sure Almyra's exam would be inconclusive. Objectively, it was good news, but another side of Carmine didn't trust it. “No disrespect, headmaster, but that rank is a hollow gift. She's been cursed to give up on her dreams. No court will retain a powerless sorceress, and being called one at this point almost feels like a sick joke. It's just going to remind her of what she's lost.”
“I…” The headmaster shook his head. “I agree. I just don't know what else we can do.” He stared down at his feet. Carmine had never seen him look so small. “Emmet's exam is today.” He said suddenly. He lacked his usual proud-parent grin present when he usually mentioned his son. “As the head of the emergency response team, please look out for him carefully. I'm asking as his father, not the headmaster.”
His concern ran deeper than Carmine realized. Even during the crisis in the Riven territory, he wore a reassuring smile for his students. Now, every crease on his face had deepened by five years in a day.
“I'll look after him,” Carmine promised. If someone went after Emmet too, she'd do whatever she could to save him. That said, she doubted there'd be another attack. One could be deemed a freak accident, two was a pattern.
Either way, with the headmaster around, Carmine put her investigation on hold. Just below the platform lay a few long tables with chairs behind them. She found her designated spot and waited. As students and instructors trickled into the testing area, Carmine organized her thoughts and findings.
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The two facts of which she could be certain were thus: Almyra was attacked, and whoever was responsible used blood magic to do it. While she wouldn't know which spell until she got back and read the Waters of Life herself, Carmine believed the spell used came from the forbidden tome. She took that book from the Leval vault only recently, so it had to be someone with access before her. She supposed it wasn't impossible someone outside the tower could orchestrate the attack, but given the adjustment to the spell circle, it wasn't likely.
Carmine shifted to watch the dozens of test takers seat themselves in the testing order. Observers stood wherever they could find room, while instructors and guests sat on the opposite side of the students. Around two dozen students were tested each exam day. Add their circles, instructors, and everyone else, and there had to be around 150 people all watching the testing ground. The blood spell couldn't have been added during the test, but was in place prior. It didn’t trigger for any of the other students before Almyra, meaning there was either a trigger, or the caster activated it themself. Carmine glanced at the few exorcists positioned around to observe. They would have seen someone preparing blood magic…but they didn't notice it when it was cast.
Carmine lifted her head, an epiphany striking her as the first student stepped onto the testing dais. The crysthesis was for the exorcists, so they wouldn't notice. That, and the preparation had to be before they arrived to watch. Only an instructor, or a senior student had that access. They had to know about the vault too. Only a scarce few fit that bill.
Carmine glared towards the judge's table, at Symphonia Leval. Perhaps it was a bit of prejudice, but Carmine never liked her. Symphonia had access and opportunity. Carmine could see the headmistress pulling something like this, the question was why.
Test after test went by, and Carmine could think of no more fitting suspect then her. While she pondered how to confirm her suspicions, she almost missed Emmet stepping onto the testing dais. She set her deliberations aside for now, she owed him that at least.
“My name is Emmet Leval,” he declared to the judges of his success. “Six years ago I enrolled as a student in this school to one day carry on its legacy. That goal has not changed.”
“Very well, Mr. Leval,” Symphonia addressed her son. “You may begin the–”
“Before we do,” Emmet interrupted, causing a stir through the judges. “I have something I want to show you.”
“Emmet, this is somewhat irregular.”
“I know. Just listen. Centuries ago this school was founded over this ancient complex. Using its principles, my ancestors raised a tower that bent space to their vision to accommodate all who wished to learn. That skill is the tower's foundation.”
“Emmet, what is this about?” Symphonia looked at her fellow judges, concern flitting over her face.
“I'll need some room.” Emmet pulled a page out from his robe.
Carmine realized what he planned and a small grin tugged at her face as she prepared for the surprise. She had every faith he could do it.
He slammed the page face down on the dais, causing a spell circle to expand beneath him. Carmine felt herself shift in place. She hadn't moved a muscle, and the ground remained still, but distance grew between her and the testing platform. Everyone else in the undercroft let out shocked cries and startled groans, but Emmet continued his show. Stones erupted from the ground, molding mid flight into bricks. One by one, they laid themselves into the shape of a small keep, and Emmet hopped down from the dais to its side. Carmine expected he’d show off, but the lengths Emmet reached surprised even her. At this rate, he risked over exerting himself.
Emmet placed one hand on the newly constructed keep, and began reciting a new spell. In its doorway gap, space itself cracked and creaked like breaking glass. Carmine sensed the immense magic at play pushing against her mind as a gale. Something…wasn't right.
Carmine focused her arcane sense on the spell in front of her. She felt Emmet’s energy, as she expected, flooding into the keep, warping the space inside, but that wasn’t all. He emanated a second power in parallel. At first, Carmine thought he might be getting aid from someone else, but it all escaped from his body. It made what she sensed all the more confusing. He had a piece of Almyra’s spirit.
Horror turned her heart cold. She didn’t want to believe it, but she sensed the same feeling in him that she felt in the arcanite crystals from yesterday. Almyra’s magic hadn’t just been drained; it was given to Emmet.
Using stolen power, Emmet expanded the space inside his stone keep. The cracks in the doorway shattered and disappeared with the spell’s completion. He invited all the judges inside to look, and witness his feat of mastery. Approval and disbelief moved over the crowd in equal measure. Carmine even heard her circle cheering on the other side.
This…couldn’t be real. He couldn’t have been the attacker, could he? Emmet was kind. He respected his friends and valued their dreams as much as his own. At least, that’s what she thought. Going over her suspect criteria, Emmet met a few of the same requirements. To call it impossible would defy the sight in front of her.
Emmet emerged from the keep at the head of the judges moments later. A proud smile creased his face. Carmine knew he passed even before the judges announced it. How could he not? He replicated high magic from the tower’s founding. More than succeed, he planted the seed for his eventual ascendency to headmaster of the tower. If there were ever a test where he needed to impress, this was it. Carmine’s hands tightened to fists as she struggled to reconcile the facts. She needed to talk to him. She needed to hear him explain this.
Adelaide, Xander and Kay joined Emmet on the dais, giving their praise and congratulations. He looked happy. Carmine didn’t see a shred of guilt on Emmet’s face. She hoped this was some kind of misunderstanding. Otherwise…
With several deep breaths, she cleared the confusion from her face. Carmine stepped out around her table and joined her circle.
Emmet turned her way with a wide grin. “Did you see that?’ he asked. “I almost can’t believe it myself.”
“You did well, Emmet.” Carmine praised. She forced a small smile on her face. Hopefully if he thought it was strange, he’d chalk it up to yesterday’s incident. “You looked pretty calm giving that speech when you started.”
“Really? I was shaking inside, believe me.” Emmet stepped forward and took both her hands. Normally that contact would have flustered Carmine, but her head was too full to be shy. “I couldn’t have done this without you, you know. Thank you, Carmine, I really mean it.”
“Don’t thank me,” Carmine replied, her tone more curt than she intended. “You…did this on your own.”
Emmet grinned, eyes wavering. Without another word, he wrapped his arms around Carmine. It was warm, caring. He said nothing further, but she felt no malice or deception in him. Even so, she could not be sure.
Carmine lifted her arms and held him back, if only for a few seconds. If only…
She pulled back, rustling Emmet’s hair as she did. “So when should I start calling you headmaster?” she asked.
“Never.” Emmet answered. “We don’t need that between us.”
Why couldn’t you have said that earlier?
“I…need to get back to my post.” Carmine pointed over her shoulder to the other medical staff. “We should talk later.”
“It’s a promise.” Emmet agreed. He followed the others back to the student’s side, and Carmine returned to her own seat. She stared down at the hair she plucked from his head, hoping beyond all hope she was wrong.