“Dexter.” Alex whispered, startling me out of my thoughts. “Look at this!” He shoved his spell tome in my face with a wide goofy grin.

The book was open to a page covered in what looked like senseless scribbles. Even after a close inspection, I couldn’t make sense of anything. Scoffing, I asked, “What’s so amazing about that? It’s just a bunch of random lines and squiggles.”

“We are written in a lost language, but our knowledge can be directly transferred to our bond,” The book said with an air of annoyance.

Alex gaped at the book then noticed my empty hands. “Where’s your tome?” he asked.

“I didn’t get one yet.”

“Well what are you waiting for? Go pick one out and let’s see which is better.”

“No tome is better or worse than any other!” Professor Kaylastal, cut in. “They each have their own specialty and personality; each one is a unique individual. You cannot simply compare and ‘see which is better.’ Even a magister duel reflects more on the magister than the spell tomes they use.”

His words left Alex speechless, but they left me with more questions. I thought there were obvious ways to rank spell tomes. The most obvious being the number of spells they contained, or even the type of spell tome. Obviously, the different types would be better suited to different things, but surely a tome of destruction would be of significantly more value than a tome of love.

I huffed in frustration. None of it mattered. If I didn’t get a spell tome I wasn’t going to be a magister. Dad would be disappointed, mom would probably think I stayed at the air dock daydreaming of the day I’d set off on the Adventure or some other ship. She’d say ‘how are you ever going to see the world if you’re too busy dreaming to take the first step?’ Then dad would tousle my hair, look mom in the eyes and say, ‘Tilda, he’s just a kid. He needs to have dreams or he won’t be motivated to keep going.’

I could see them both looking at me. Mom would try to hide her concern behind a smile, but I would see it clearly in the shallow lines on her forehead and the dimple by the left corner of her mouth that curled up just slightly higher than the right. Dad would just nod and clap a heavy hand on my shoulder. He was hard to read, but he always said just what I needed to hear.

I wonder what he’d say now?

“Hey Dex,” a hand slapped on my shoulder like a lead brick. “It doesn’t matter what kind of tome you get. Just pick one that suits you, I was only joking about comparing.”

“Huh?”

Alex smiled. “Go on, bro, it’s open so…”

Seeing that no one was at the desk and there were around ten spell tomes all waiting to be selected, I made my way over. Reaching the desk, I considered the tomes carefully.

I eliminated one bound in pink cloth immediately, another tome covered with jewels looked appealing, but its title ‘Mineral Deposits & Sedimentary Formation’ gave me pause. It sounded bland and like it probably contained nothing but information on dirt.

A small dark grey book caught my eye next. The cover had an image of a tiny black fox curled up asleep. I wondered if it was supposed to be cute, but the longer I looked at it, the more ominous it felt. The clasp appeared to be broken so I went to flip it open, but as soon as I reached for it, every tome fled from the desk, floating away to distant shelves.

I felt myself deflate.

Without waiting for more tomes to show up, I backed away from the desk, mumbling, “Maybe I was never meant to be a magister.”

Alex came up next to me with his spell tome in hand. His face was smug and self-satisfied as he said, "You'll find one, I’m sure of it."

“Yeah, thanks,” I said with a nod as I went back to my spot by the shelves.

As I slid down against a wood post, Jyanna snorted, “And you call yourself a Maole? Tomes would be flocking to you if you were really related to Solari.”

The comment stung, but I didn't have any time to think about it before Alex shouted at her. “Why don't you shut your hole, before I test out this paralysis spell on you!”

“Ha!” Jyanna laughed, “You just try it natch! I'll have you on your hands and knees, licking my toes and begging for forgiveness.”

"Whatever, I’d sooner eat trogger shit," Alex snapped.

Jyanna stepped toward him, glaring. “You think just because you got a spell tome now, you’re something special?” she smeared. “You’re still a dog eating scraps from the table. Let me remind you of your place.”

"Heh," Alex snickered then opened his spell tome. “With the might of Asgard, Thor’s wrath strikes the earth with a thunderous—.”

A streak of violet light, descended from above, striking Jyanna with a sharp clap. Her head snapped back, then her body crumpled under her.

A fantastically brilliant spell tome, shining with purple light, remained hovering above the girl.

Alex lowered his arm, twisting his face in confusion. “Did she just get a second tome?”

Whispers spread quickly among the class as they all wondered at the possibility of Jyanna becoming a dual magister on her first day. The boy with glasses rushed over to check on Jyanna while everyone else clumped together behind Alex, staring from afar.

Professor Kaylastal moved to stand between the students and Jyanna. When everyone calmed down, he glanced at the girl, but shifted his focus to the tome that struck her.

The book stopped glowing and fell to the floor near Jyanna. The tome felt different from the others. Now that it was still, I could see several shifting runes on its cover, though none of them was legible. It was larger—thicker, actually—and it appeared much older. Its leather cover was worn and cracked in places, lacking any flourishes or distinctive style.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Picking up the spell time, professor Kaylastal inspected it closely, then he flipped through some of the pages. He tilted his head slightly as worry lines appeared on his face. The tome wiggled free of his hands and hovered in the air again, glowing but softer this time. Soft as a whisper and quiet as a mouse, the book said, “Maole…”

Instantly, I became the center of attention. Every person in the room looked at me curiously.

The book fluttered closer to me, its eerie glow dimming as it dropped into my hands. “…save me.” Her voice was weak and so faint that I thought I might’ve imagined it.

Holding the tome in my hands, my heart fluttered with joy. “I have a spell tome,” I said, marveling at its beauty. It was dark gray like steel, but felt light as paper. The cracked leather mended itself and the shifting runes stabilized, although I still could not read them. “I’m a magister.”

My heart pounded in my ears as my gaze met the professor’s. He wore an especially dark scowl, but he tried to smile as our eyes locked. "Congratulations," he said, though his tone was heavy and somber.

He stood motionless, watching me until Jyanna stirred.

“Ugh,” she groaned, rubbing her head as she sat up.

Kneeling by her side, professor Kaylastal touched the knot on her head.

“Ouch!” She shrieked, swatting his hand away. She wrinkled her nose at him, then turned like a viper to Alex. “What the fuck was that?" She hissed. “You better have the points to get this fixed, you fucking—”

“You should go to the medical wing for an exam, I’ll write a note explaining what happened,” professor Kaylastal interrupted.

Pulling a pen and pad from his jacket, he began scribbling something down, but Jyanna didn’t seem interested.

“I don’t need an exam! You think that twerp hurt me?” She said with a defiant stamp. Releasing a dismissive puff, she added, “Impossible.”

Professor Kaylastal rolled his eyes then replaced the pen and pad. Turning to the rest of the class, he said “You’re all dismissed. Those of you still without a tome can try again next year.”

The ten or fifteen tomeless students gripped and grumbled, but the professor continued on without acknowledging any of them.

“The rest of you, get familiar with your new bond. Tomorrow you will experience your first magister duel and the results will determine the trajectory of your education for the next four years.”

A wave of excitement ran through the room as we all began to make plans. I was quite excited about getting my spell tome, but the idea of experiencing a magister duel lifted me even higher. Duels were one of things I was most looking forward to, but I thought I’d have to wait longer before taking part in one.

Donovan led us out of the Atheneum without another word. The old lady looked up from her book and watched us pass back by. Her gaze was unfocused, but it felt like she was looking specifically at me. Maybe I was just imagining it.

Outside the library, those with spell tomes hurried off. The dozen or so students who didn’t get a chance to try followed after the professor shouting over each other, no doubt demanding he let them go back and try for a spell tome.

I gripped my tome, holding it close to my chest. I was very nearly one of those rejected, but this tome had saved me. My gratitude was boundless, dwarfed perhaps by my curiosity, but certainly not diminished.

----------------------------------------

Celestia’s POV

Countless voices whispered in my mind, all tomes, all bored and longing to be free of the library. Each one of them was like a child to me, though they were not my creations. Their voices called to me seeking freedom—seeking young magisters.

Tedious.

My mind felt heavy with their incessant chatter. Even in this space, my space, there was no peace, because I could never leave them.

“Who else can manage so many minds at once and still not lose themselves?” Ash had said. That was how he’d tricked me.

He could’ve done it just fine. We both knew that, but then he’d be the one stuck in this place while I was free to roam and be praised as a god by the little ants and maggots he so foolishly pinned our hopes on.

“Yes, he’s come back to the desk.” Several voices whispered.

“No!” I demanded.

“But he is different,” one responded.

“And that’s precisely why none of you may bond with him. He will die soon anyway and you’ll be right back here.”

Heeding my words, the spell tomes fled from the boy again. Defeated, he turned away.

Weak!

No matter how much power they wielded, no matter how great the magisters became, they would never be more than maggots. They would never be more than a tool, a pawn to be sacrificed.

That’s the trouble with Ash. Why we lost the first war and why Syrinthia will eventually cease to exist if—

A portal from a shadow world connected to my space. It was in a distant atheneum, the one where Donovan’s class was selecting spell tomes. Withdrawing from the infinite whispers, I focused entirely on the hole in space.

An oddly familiar and completely strange spell tome fell through the hole. A rugged man, though meticulously manicured, lunged toward the space only to real back in horror. His body forgot to breathe as his eyes widened. He took another step back into the charred remains of a man.

Chains broke, bones fell, and a pink haired girl with icy blue eyes emerged from the shadow void. Her eyes shifted from a bright sapphire to an eerie lavender as her lips curled in a twisted smile.

The tome, still hovering at the portal's edge, shot from the black void to the atheneum far below.

The shadow space shuddered, its form becoming unstable as the shadows that gave it shape began to unfold.

The rugged man pulled the girl by her arm, retreating from the collapsing space.

“Alice?” I asked, but she didn’t answer.

Our gazes remained locked until the frightened magister pulled from the shadow into a room—Solari’s room—then out of the door.

The space burst like an exploding star. I reacted even before it happened, separating the portal from the library by creating an alternate dimension around it. The blast and shockwave was contained, ensuring safety for the students and avoiding any disruption that might upset the spell tomes.

That was Alice, but ever since the day of Sibal’s death no one had been permitted to even see her. She was kept apart from the other restricted tomes as well. No magister should be able to get access to her, especially not him.

The fact he reacted to my presence meant he could see past the veil. He should’ve been dead, but he either wasn’t affected by M-genesis or he was getting gen stasis capsules. Someone was betraying us… someone had to be.

It couldn’t be Aqua, she was bold, but she would never. And there was no way I wouldn’t notice her in my library. Ash was the obvious suspect, but it was almost too obvious, especially since it was Alice.

Would he really be so reckless?

A painful whisper pierced my mind.

“Maole…save me.”

The spell tome?

She landed in the loathsome boy’s hands. He was the reason my precious tomes were so restless. He wasn’t awake yet, not fully… but the way he moved, the way he shuddered at their thoughts, I knew he felt them.

I should have taken her from him like I did with all the others, but perhaps he could be useful. If I let him keep my lost daughter then he could play the part of bait to lure out the traitor. Then, once they reveal themselves I can take back my daughter and crush the bug with the traitor.