For weeks now, nothing interesting had been happening at the Council of Wizards. Rovenna, however, should have been relieved that the only thing that required her attention was reading a mountain of parchments, which contained extensive and varied reports submitted by each of the Divisions, as well as attending to some direct requests coming from the Conclave.

That was the thing about living in an era of peace.

Although, as a young and innocent Initiate, who dreamed of one day reaching the highest peak to which every wizard aspired, it had never crossed her mind that she would have to deal with boring administrative tasks, which included the constant complaints of all the Master Leaders of each Division who every week requested resources as if she held the keys to the royal treasury.

In any case, for her advanced age, quietness was not bad at all. She should not forget all the trouble she had gone through to get there. The scornful treatment of her teachers, once they found out about her humble origins, the arduous training riddled with obstacles and traps, almost impossible missions that could have discouraged her, political intrigues, betrayals, disappointments, broken friendships and, above all, painful sacrifices.

After all that, a time of rest was more than welcome.

She stood up with the intention of stretching her numb body after several hours of work. With a warm woolen blanket over her purple robe, and a hot cup in her hands, she made her way to the wooden door of the wide balcony, which, to her regret, she had to keep closed due to the winter cold.

In front of her, unfolded a panoramic view of the wide mouth of the Yorgad River, and Nemertya city's lively harbor, where every day she saw dozens of ships coming and going, which from a distance looked like nothing more than toys. On board would go merchants, fishermen, officers of the Royal Navy, who would go out to patrol the northern islands, as well as risky adventurers, who were heading for adventure in search of unknown lands, without knowing if they would ever be able to set foot on their homeland again.

Beneath her own feet, stretched her beloved and colorful city, now covered by what she hoped would be the last snows of that long winter. Among the red-tiled houses with pearly walls, and narrow, winding stone streets, she could watch carriages and horses, people of all classes, ages, professions, nobles, wizards, craftsmen, vendors, wandering musicians, soldiers and suspicious characters, leading who knows what kind of clandestine life.

And Rovenna was responsible for the safety of all of them.

She heard the door open, giving way to her assistant, Theo, who again walked in with another stack of parchments. Rovenna sighed at the sight of him, closed the balcony and rested her mug on the desk.

“Leave them over there, Theo, I'll check them out when I'm done with these first. Maybe tomorrow...”

“Master...”

At his harsh tone of voice, Rovenna looked up. The boy's eyes had darkened, showing a sterner look than usual.

“Did something happen?”

“I can't be sure.”

Rovenna dropped a scroll she had just selected from the pile, and leaned back on the seat, leaving her hands clasped over her stomach. It would be better to sit down, if it was that serious.

“Tell me.”

“A message has arrived from Shadowrock.”

Rovenna arched her eyebrows.

“From Eldrin? Now that's strange. Usually, we're the ones who have to insist on him sending us reports.”

He shook his head.

“No, Master. This is not an official message, but from one of our informants.”

The last words echoed in Rovenna's head.

“I see, go on.”

“Apparently, the castle has been affected by the outbreak of an unknown disease. That is why the Order has decided to prevent the entry and exit of anyone until the patients are out of danger.”

There was nothing strange about that. The measure would help prevent the spread of the disease. The unusual thing, really, was that the Leader of the Order had not sent an urgent message to the Council. But, if it was Eldrin Caedos they were talking about, he had always done as he pleased. It was sometimes rumored that he considered himself as much the master of the castle as the Count.

Could it be that Eldrin had also contracted the disease?

Every time she thought of him, she was grateful that the Conclave had rejected his candidacy for the same position she currently held. Having him as her superior would have been intolerable, for her or any wizard who knew him. She would have preferred to be exiled to the mountains or sent to the farthest island of Terrarkana to deal with the pirates herself.

But Rovenna wasn't going to lose time with his eccentricities. So she decided that she would pretend that she hadn't heard anything about it, and would only act in case the problem escalated.

After all, she had not received any official communication.

So she let Theo know but, to her surprise, the matter was not over yet.

“There is something else, Master... Our informant says that the isolation started right after the Count left the castle.”

It seemed to be then that chaos reigned in Shadowrock.

“And where did the Count go in the middle of that crisis?”, asked her.

“To Serenity Glade.”

“With the elves? Well, that wouldn't be odd... if the circumstances were normal.”

“I haven't gotten to the weirdest part yet,” Theo cleared his throat. “There was a confrontation.”

“Bandits?”

“It wasn't humans.”

“Elves?” Rovenna's face paled. An elven attack could only mean a coming war.

Her young assistant couldn't bring himself to continue.

“Theo, by the Grace of the Nymph!”

“It was the Elementals, Master. The Elementals attacked the Shadowrock soldiers, while they were travelling through the forest.”

No, Rovenna thought, an elven attack would have been more desirable.

Theo held out the report, and Rovenna snatched it from his hands. She continued to read it at full speed, almost to the point of dizziness, as she swung her eyes from line to line.

The Count of Shadowrock had been attacked without provocation and, after being captured, the Elementals had held him, as well as the rest of his large entourage, for four entire days. Nothing more was known about the consequences of that unforeseen assault, but since then, the castle had been blocked.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

So much for coincidence. Rovenna dared to believe that such a disease must not exist.

There was something else.

“Theo... if this is true... the survival of our kingdom...”

She could not imagine the extent of that disaster.

Eldrin, curse you, you had better be found dead, because that would be your only excuse.

They had to send someone immediately. But it would have to be an undercover mission. They couldn't draw attention to themselves. If word got out that the Elementals had risen up in rebellion against the humans, the whole kingdom would go into chaos.

And it wouldn't be surprising if the elves were also involved....

But she had to choose wisely. The Registry and Research Divisions were collapsing, to the point of demanding the recruitment of more staff, due to the growing number of wizards who were increasingly experimenting with the Codes, as well as inventing novel magical artifacts that had to undergo serious scrutiny by the Council in order to be approved. What was considered impossible decades ago was now becoming a new reality. It was even said that an official competition would soon be launched, so that inventors could exhibit their new creations.

She could not send the Education wizards either. The testing period for the new aspiring Masters was approaching, and the Initiates would begin their annual internships. The Acolytes, on the other hand, would start their training rotation through the different towns and cities. It could have been a good excuse to send someone to be instructed in Shadowrock, but any of them would still be too inexperienced for such a responsibility.

It was impossible to send someone from Control because that would require a special permission from the Conclave, and she had no way to justify sending a unit to an area as quiet as the Circle... Well, or so it was believed.

She had only one option left.

“How about someone from History?” she asked Theo, and then added in a sardonic tone. “I'm sure they don't have anything urgent to do.”

“They don't like to go outside, Master.”

“Please...” Rovenna sighed wearily, as she thoughtfully tapped the table with her fingers.

“I remind you that, last time, they replied that if you asked them again for any other task that was not directly linked to their function, they would consider it an abuse of power on your part and, consequently, they would file a formal complaint with the Guild.”

“Damn lazy bastards... It can't be that we don't have anyone...”

If she could, she would go herself, but there was no way anyone in her position would leave the capital unless disaster struck. Nor could she send any wizard from the city. To gain access to the castle, it had to be an official delegation that Eldrin could not refuse to receive.

What excuse was there for such a long journey to Shadowrock?

Suddenly, she remembered something.

“Theo... At the last assembly... That wizard... I don't remember what his name was...”

“You mean...”

“The one who made that ridiculous speech that made everyone start laughing at him.”

“He had some very bizarre ideas...”

“What Division is he in now?”

“Registry, but they don't consider him fit for important duties, so they demoted him to a scribe.”

“That's perfect! That serves our plans.”

“Master?”

“Bring him here, immediately! If his Division Leader asks you the reason, explain to him that I wish to personally handle the matter, as we cannot tolerate the presence of any mentally unstable wizard within the Council.”

So did Theo Malis, who immediately set off to fulfill his task. As the diligent assistant that he was, it took him no more than twenty minutes to run back and forth through the long corridors and stairs, until he reached the first floor, found the Registry Division, and dragged the aforementioned wizard with him.

It was the second time, after that notorious assembly, that Rovenna noticed him. There was nothing special about him. Medium height, thin, yellowish skin, brown hair, sparse and dull. A sickly appearance, in general, she would say. He couldn't have been more than thirty years old. A pity to have fallen from grace so early in life.

It was hard to imagine him making such a long journey, but there was no better alternative.

The wizard entered the study trembling from head to toe, probably due to the anxiety caused by the thought of all the terrible scenarios that awaited him after that unusual hearing.

Theo stopped between the visitor and the desk.

"Master Arcanist, Rovenna Astra, may I introduce Miryus Sentos, Master... Scribe... of the Registry Division."

Rovenna approached the terrified wizard, and shook his sweat-soaked hand.

“Have a seat...” she ordered him, as she wiped herself with a cloth that her assistant handed her on the spot. “I understand that you... are a man who is passionate about chimeras.”

The poor man could not help but let out an exclamation of panic. He immediately ducked his head.

“Master Arcanist!” he exclaimed. “I beg your pardon for my rash outburst during the assembly. I just...”

“Raise your head, Master, you have not come here to be punished.”

He, hesitating, raised his head slowly, like the animal that comes out of a cave when it sees that the predators have left.

The relief on his face was immediate.

“Wasn't it?”

“Quite the contrary. But, before I explain further, I would like you to remind me what you said at the assembly. I'm afraid I had other worries on my mind at the time.”

The man began to tremble again, although with less intensity.

“Well... perhaps you are already aware... but I used to work for Education.”

“Until they removed you, and sent you to History, and nobody liked you there either. You didn't do well in Registry either, it seems.”

The wizard blushed.

“Yes, it turns out that during my time in that Division I devoted myself to studying the Chronicles of the last hundred years, and I came to a conclusion that, to tell you the truth, if I may be so bold, I don't understand why nobody shares it.

“And what is this conclusion?”

“Well... that, contrary to what has been taken as a truth, there is no proof that chimeras have become extinct. What's more, there is a possibility that some of them could be living among humans without being discovered.”

Rovenna reacted skeptically.

“That is already too much, Master Myrius, even for a person as open-minded as I consider myself to be. No chimera could go unnoticed among wizards.”

“The point, Master Arcanist, is that there is a total lack of knowledge about the true power of chimeras. I remind you that millennia ago they fought alongside the giants.”

“But the Dragon's curse suppressed that alleged power.”

“Yes, but... to what extent? Just because the chimeras are prevented from reaching their most powerful form, does not mean that they were totally disadvantaged. The elves were also affected by the curse, and yet...”

“Let's leave the elves out of it.”

Myrius seemed to rethink what he was going to say before continuing:

“I venture to believe that chimeras are much more cunning beings than popular belief dictates.”

“We're not talking about belief, we're talking about the Chronicles. Besides that you have no proof either.”

“My guide is logic. Chimeras possess a unique ability that sets them apart from the rest of the races. I cannot admit that they have disappeared altogether, much less that they were content to go into exile in the mountains.”

“They refused to join the Covenant.”

“Well, that... is really worrying... for our future.”

“What are you saying?”

“I'm saying we're still at war with the chimeras, and any day now they could launch an attack against us.”

By the Nymph Nemertyss herself, no wonder they had him working as a scribe. But Rovenna did not say the latter out loud.

“It would be very frightening, indeed,” she commented. “That's why I've decided to take matters into my own hands.”

“You have?”

“Yes, but it will have to stay between us. If the chimeras are thinking of starting a war, we don't want to provoke them to bring their plans forward.”

“Well, I think there's a way around that!” replied Myrius, very sure of himself.

“Say it now, then!”

“We must convince the chimeras that we are not like our ancestors who hunted them mercilessly. I am willing to form a group of wizards to identify the chimeras that are living among us secretly, and establish preservation measures to later include them in our society.”

Rovenna was about to burst into laughter, but she stopped herself by standing up suddenly and exclaiming:

“You're our man!”

Myrius also stood up abruptly in complete surprise.

“Ah... ah... yes?”

“Your speech at the assembly has made me think a lot since then. I share the same concern as you, since it is only a few hours ago that we received a most worrying report... but... I warn you... it is only rumors.”

“What rumors?”

Before continuing, Rovenna observed Theo's inscrutable gaze, who during the whole conversation had remained stiff, with his hands clenched, trying to remain serious.

“It seems that a group of hunters who were hanging around near the castle of Shadowrock spotted from afar a group of strange, deformed-looking creatures running down the mountains in different shapes. The poor fellows got the fright of their lives.”

“No... it's not possible! Can it be true?”

“My informant is a trustworthy person. All information must be strictly confirmed before sending.”

Myrius put a hand to his chest, as if his heart ached. Rovenna was already getting tired of that scene worthy of a play, but she hadn't come this far in life feeling sorry for anyone.

She decided to finish it off right then and there.

She rested her hand on the wizard's shoulder.

“Master Myrius Sentos. As of now, you have been officially removed from your position on the Council.... You are to inform your Leader as soon as we finish this conversation.”

“But...!”

“But, under my authority, having my assistant as our only witness, you are hereby appointed as Leader of the Chimera Protection Task Force. In the next few days you will be assigned the rest of your team, and will be instructed to proceed to Shadowrock castle. However, you will have to do so undercover, as discreetly as possible. You will not be able to reveal your true mission to the Count or even to the Leader of the Order.

There was a long silence.

When the man finally raised his head, Rovenna found his face drenched in tears yet crossed by a broad smile.