Returning to the regular class schedule the next day brought a couple of surprises. The first was the number of students who recognized Trey from the capture-the-flag match, many of them giving him an appraising look. Although his team was defeated, Trey discovered that taking out Derrick was an achievement that others felt was worthy of celebration.
The second surprise came at the start of his History of Magic class.
“Good afternoon, class,” Professor Huul announced. “The headmaster has requested that we deviate from our scheduled curriculum. We will be starting with the Burning Covenant today.”
The entire class was suddenly paying very close attention to the history professor. “To set the scene, I will ask a persistent question that history has yet to provide a resolute answer for: which primary affinity holds the greatest power? Some individuals, now infamous, have taken this inquiry a step further, striving to prove that their chosen affinity is fit to rule over all others. They amass a following and launch a campaign for brutal dominance, their ambitions leaving thousands dead in their wake. Even in the past millennium, there have been several notable uprisings, including separate attempts by a few different dark mages, a fire mage, and even a light mage—all vying to subjugate the magical realm under a ruling affinity. We will explore these uprisings in greater detail when we return to our regular curriculum.”
Professor Huul’s voice, while serious, carried a tone of intrigue. “The Burning Covenant will undoubtedly go down in history as more significant than any of the previous uprisings, if not solely for the sheer devastation left behind. You see, the Burning Covenant did something no one had tried before: uniting two affinities.”
The history teacher paused for a moment, scanning the class. “Solomon Grimmault, the master architect of the Burning Covenant, was a dark-fire specter possessing raw strength that may never be witnessed again. Charismatic and strategic, he initially attracted a following by avoiding violence. He even established a council that included representatives from other affinities, giving his movement a sense of legitimacy. While fire and dark magic users flocked to him, the general populace largely overlooked him—until it was far too late.”
“Why would other affinities join the movement?” a student asked.
“There weren't many,” the teacher admitted, “but if you were convinced a new world order was about to be introduced, such a move could promise safety.”
Professor Huul scratched his chin. “There were actually two notable players in the Burning Covenant who didn’t possess either the dark or fire affinities. Grimmault received his magical education here, at Windrake, about twenty-five years ago. It was within these walls where he met his future wife, Elena Sansa. Elena was a promising young mind mage, training with the Grand Oracle himself before she was seduced into joining Grimmault’s side.”
The elf instructor almost had a look of nostalgia on his face as he discussed Elena. After a few seconds, he subtly shook his head and continued his lecture. “The other is a mysterious artificer called Grimstone. Very little is known about him. In fact, it’s doubtful that Grimstone is his real name—he likely took on the moniker when he joined Grimmault’s side. What Grimstone is famous for, however, is his unprecedented talent with artificing. He created items for Grimmault that still can’t be replicated today.”
Another student raised their hand. “What about the Verdants?”
“Ah,” the elven history teacher said. “The infamous Levi and Merida Verdant. Levi was a powerful fire mage, and Merida complemented his strength with her dark affinity. Together, they rapidly gained notoriety as two of Grimmault’s most ruthless minions, feared for their merciless tactics. Let’s start at the beginning, though.”
Professor Huul went on to describe Grimmault’s upbringing, briefly covering the specter’s time at Windrake Academy, and then started expounding the founding events of the movement. The teacher lectured until noticed his time was up.
“Next class, you will be learning some of the more grittier elements of the Burning Covenant. Be prepared; that discussion is not suited for casual listeners.”
“Professor Huul,” Skye asked after raising her hand. “How was Grimmault defeated?”
The instructor's expression shifted to one of intrigue. “We will discuss more in the upcoming classes, but that’s perhaps the greatest twist of the Burning Covenant: no one knows.”
***
That night, Trey arrived at the Riv, unsure what mood Bree was going to be in. He downed a potion he had gotten from Skye before heading in—just in case. As he entered the practice room, he was unnerved to see his redheaded teacher with a mischievous grin on her face.
“I’m glad you are happy to see me,” Trey said nervously.
Bree let the silence hang in the hang for a long time.
Trey took a deep breath. “Should we get—”
“I think you’re a mind mage,” she said abruptly. “That makes the most sense.”
Trey chuckled, hiding the panic running rampant through his entire body. “Have you been having sexual fantasies about me?”
Bree snorted and slugged her usual target on his shoulder. “I’ve been thinking about it since our last lesson. Why all the subterfuge if you are just a fire mage? I don’t know what Marvin’s objective is here at Windrake, but if he needed a fire mage on campus, he could’ve just used me. He chose to bring you as a null guardian, which would mean you would avoid the Soul Inquiry. You could be a divination mage, but they don’t have the same dark stigma. No, I think Marvin needs a mind mage for whatever he is doing, and that is why you are here.” She was staring at him intently, daring his facial expressions to confirm her hypothesis.
“Oh, great!” Trey exclaimed in feigned exasperation. “Now I have to use my mind magic to erase your memories.”
Bree’s concentration broke as she laughed, but then her face sobered quickly. “Wait, can mind mages erase memories?”
Trey shrugged. “How would I know?”
Bree smirked and shook her head. “My theory is very logical, but part of me worries I’m just being hopeful.”
“Hopeful?”
“You remember what I said would happen if I found the next mind mage.”
“As this theoretical mind mage,” Trey responded, “the offer is quite tempting.”
“You’re going to leave me hanging off the cliff, aren't you?”
Trey flashed her a winning smile and began walking to the other side of the practice room. “Can we start the lesson? My mind magic class is after this and I don’t want to be late.”
Bree rewarded his antics by shooting a fireball at him that tested his agility. He dodged to the side as the projectile sizzled past his ear. In a quick maneuver, he spun around and launched his own spell back at her, which she deflected.
“I see you’re ready to duel then,” Bree said with a wicked grin on her face.
They started with a warm-up fight, with Trey casting his magic without a streamer. After that, Bree coached Trey through a few drills before handing him her father’s wand. Once again, the young guardian-mage faced off against the redheaded professor.
In a flash, their battle started, and fire magic began flying across the room. Trey twirled the wand around, summoning a fiery whip. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the whip crackling through the air toward Bree. She reacted swiftly, twisting away just in time to avoid the scorching lash that grazed the space where she had been standing.
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Her eyes widened in surprise, though she didn’t hesitate to retaliate with a fireball. “Where did you learn that?”
Trey shrugged as he lazily deflected her spell. “I read something about it.”
The fire magic teacher’s eyes narrowed. “If you think you can taunt me and get away with it, then I have another lesson to teach you.” With a fierce expression on her face, she lunged forward, waving her wand wildly in front of her, spewing a deluge of fire magic at Trey.
Trey's heart raced at the sight of Bree's fiery assault. She commanded the flames with a ferocity that was both exhilarating and daunting. Instinct kicked in; he tightened his grip on the wand and sprang into action. Spinning to the side, he countered the onslaught with his own arsenal of spells. After sending a couple of fire bolts at his opponent, he whirled his arms around, channeling the Infernal Vortex spell he had been working so hard to perfect.
Trey grinned triumphantly as the flames rushed towards Bree. His smile, however, was wiped cleanly off his face when the redhead slashed through the vortex with the swipe of her wand.
“You have to do better than that to beat me,” she said. Though there was a hint of playfulness in her voice, it also carried an intensity that frightened him slightly. Her wand sliced through the air, invoking more magic. Trey was forced to retreat in order to survive the redhead’s fury. He deflected or dodged spell after spell, occasionally sneaking his own, but the fire magic professor was relentless. Eventually, he was cornered, his only option was to divert the powerful fire magic that came shooting at him.
With a smirk, Bree launched the same spell that Trey had placed his confidence in earlier: Infernal Vortex. The massive torrent of fire surged toward him. He tried to slash through it like she had done to his vortex, but he was only partially successful. The spell burnt through his tunic sleeves and the bottom half of his pants but only did minimal damage to his skin.
Bree squinted at him, trying to process what she was seeing. Then realization dawned on her and she burst out laughing. “Did you actually use a fireproof tonic?!”
Trey was brushing the embers off of his ruined clothing. “You did warn me last time.” He then shot her an accusing glare. “What would’ve happened if I hadn’t found one?”
Bree shrugged. “Then you would’ve needed a healer.”
“Bree!”
She smirked at him. “You’re the one who decided to play with fire, and now that I know you’re fireproof…”
“Mostly fireproof,” Trey corrected her. “It’s not a perfect potion. And it’ll be wearing off soon.”
“Then we better hurry,” she said, raising her wand. “I’ve never been this excited to undress a student.”
Trey frowned. “How many students have undressed?”
He dodged a fireball that flew by his ear.
“Why don’t you look inside my mind?” she teased.
“I don’t want to see naked students,” he retorted, flinging a spell back at her.
“What if they’re girls?” she replied, countering with more of her fire magic. She laughed as her fiery projectile caught the distracted guardian’s shoulder. “Focus, Trey!”
Trey smirked as he brushed the flames off his shoulder. He hadn’t discovered any naked students in his teacher’s mind. Instead, he found she was completely fixated on the target in front of her.
***
Two days later, Trey sat in History of Magic class, deliberately avoiding eye contact with the figure positioned next to Professor Huul at the front of the room. The Grand Oracle stood there, his gaze sweeping across the students while his expression remained impassive.
“Welcome, class!” the history professor announced. “Instead of our usual lecture, I’ve decided to invite a guest—actually, two—to give you their first-hand experience. I’m sure you all recognize our first guest.” A few students giggled quietly.
“Let’s start with your more famous accomplishment,” the teacher continued. “You were key in organizing and leading the defense of Greshelm. Can you share more about that experience?”
The headmaster nodded, his demeanor serious. “Certainly. Many believed that the followers of the Burning Covenant relied on stealth, striking at vulnerable points with surprise and speed. We were confident that they would easily fall to a trained army. Unfortunately, that confidence proved to be in vain. The razing of Palagon, one of the strongest fortresses in Arestia, sent shockwaves throughout the region. Fear gripped the land, and suddenly, Grimmault had a path to total domination. Yet, standing in his way was Greshelm.”
The Grand Oracle continued his narrative, detailing how he used air mages to maintain vital supply lines and earth mages to design new fortifications. He recounted the battle, explaining that the initial assaults on the south and east walls were mere distractions. Grimmault, leading an elite group of his followers, breached the northern side and launched a full-scale assault on Windrake Academy itself. His expression grew grave as he described his confrontation with Grimmault, telling them how he ultimately gained the upper hand and forced the entire enemy army into retreat.
“Why didn’t you use your mind magic to force him to surrender?” a question came from the audience.
The headmaster shook his head slowly. “If only it were that easy. Grimmault was a formidable foe, not solely due to his magical prowess. He had powerful allies backing him, one of which was Grimstone. Grimstone invented an artifact known as a Mindguard, which blocks mind magic.”
A collective gasp came from the students, many of them finding out right then that an artifact existed that could block mind magic.
“What of Elena?” Professor Huul asked. “I know you spent a lot of time with Elena while she was here at Windrake. Can you provide any insight into her motives or her role in the Burning Covenant?”
The headmaster’s expression grew steely. “No, I have nothing to say on that matter.”
Professor Huul took the hint and moved on. “Thank you for your time, headmaster… Ah! I see that Professor Kalo is here. There’s more I wanted to ask, perhaps—”
“No, that’s fine, Professor Huul,” the Grand Oracle interjected. “Thanks for the invitation. I’ll take my leave now.”
Marvin strolled to the front of the class, passing the headmaster, who was on his way out.
“That’s weird,” the dark magic professor said, eyeing his older colleague. “All the students are still awake. How did you manage that, Gordon?”
The Grand Oracle chuckled. “You’re not the only one with interesting stories, Marv—uh, Professor Kalo.” With that, he exited the room.
“Professor Kalo,” the history teacher said, gesturing to the spot beside him. “Come!”
Professor Huul turned to the class and Marvin joined him. “This is Professor Marvin Kalo, Windrake’s recently returned dark magic teacher. He has quite a few accolades when it comes to the Burning Covenant. Should we start with the Verdants or Linken’s Castle? Or perhaps Heavenfalls?”
Marvin raised his eyebrows at his fellow professor. “Not too many people know about Heavenfalls. I’m going to find out where you’re getting your information, Jairus.”
“Elves are good at keeping secrets,” Professor Huul responded, “but not that good. Let’s start with the Verdants then.”
Marvin provided some background on the Verdants, and then clarified and corrected several rumors the students had heard. He transitioned into describing his pursuit of the dangerous couple, which ultimately ended in a destructive battle that all but destroyed the small town of Voloma.
After wrapping up that tale, the class eagerly goaded him into the next one.
“Charles Linken was a noble who allowed Grimmault to use his castle as a base,” Marvin began. “They were hoarding a lot of valuable items, and losing the stronghold would be a major blow to their operation. The Verdants had been dealt with, and Grimmault was recovering in a different region from his failed attempt to storm Greshelm, so I decided to seize the opportunity. Under the cover of night, I snuck into the castle and took out anyone who I encountered. I was fortunate to take down half their force before the alarm sounded. I guess no one taught those grunts how to defend against a stealthy intruder.”
“After first, no one knew it was Professor Kalo that cleared out the castle,” Professor Huul added, enraptured by the dark mage’s experience. “It was only years later when the Grand Oracle pieced it together. The official reports say that over sixty magic users were eliminated that night.”
Hands shot up as students’ curiosities begged for more detail. Trey knew that there was a part of the story that Marvin was holding back.
Several questions were thrown out from the students before the history teacher had a question of his own. “Professor Kalo, we are running short on time, but I have to ask: did you defeat Grimmault?” A rare, teasing smile was on the history teacher’s face as he asked.
Marvin chuckled. “No, I did not.”
“Would you tell us if you did?” Professor Huul followed up, his merriment evident on his face.
“Even I couldn’t keep a secret like that for two decades,” Marvin claimed.
“You taught Grimmault here at Windrake, right?” Professor Hull continued carefully, still sensitive about asking the Grand Oracle a similar question.
“Yes,” Marvin answered. “He was a talented specter. Even as an acolyte, he understood dark magic better than anyone else I knew.”
“Besides brute force, what was special about Grimmault?” the history teacher asked.
“One of the things Grimmault was famous for was blood-binding,” Marvin mentioned casually.
A question almost immediately came from the class. “What is blood-binding?”
“Blood-binding is… well, I admit I don’t know much about it. You’d be better off asking the artificing professor, Calvin Leek,” he replied, prompting several curious glances from the students.
“Alright,” the elven teacher interjected. “Does anyone have any final questions for Professor Kalo before we wrap up class?”
After a brief moment of silence, the class was dismissed, and students started heading for the door. Through the bustle, Marvin ventured near Trey. “I set this up perfectly for you,” he said in a hushed tone. “Make it count.”