Week 4: The Crazy hat - Part 1

Flames and screams. Ash sinking through the gaps in the floorboards into Lu’s eyes. The fire raged, searing their chest. A scar. A burning brand. They dropped into a puddle of blood, cloaked figures around them screaming and waving weapons as if possessed. They had faces. Lu remembered those faces, lightly, in passing. They had only given a glance to those they had killed. One of them stepped forwards into the pool of blood, tall. Their face was blurry, only their eyes remained. Almond eyes, afraid but steadfast. Lu stabbed them with their hand as if it was a blade. It was not the heart of the mother, or so a masked figure said. Another robed figure came forward. Their heart pulled away, not the heart of the mother. Another one. Another one. Another one. Another one. Another one. The half-forgotten faces laid cold on the floor, floating in the ocean of blood. It was pouring out of Lu’s side, straight from their heart. Lu Looked up. There was a silhouette, a woman, elven ears, a crown of screaming stars that were not stars. Lu looked down. The faces were now that of Helvia, Aregoma, their father, childhood friends, Nauzet, Captain Lidia, teenage friends, Tessa, the gnome, everyone else who they had ever seen or known. Their faces were looking up at the screeching stars that were not starts and their blasphemous queen, their eyelids were sawn open, forced to see. Forced to witness the whining starts that were not stars and the grotesque reaper.

*****

Lu woke up in the back of a wagon, laid on a blanket over a pile of crates. The dark walls around them were only illuminated now by some essence torches and some globes of floating light that seemed to follow them like faeries or spirits. A woman they recognized as one of the merchants was driving the cart. Next to her Helvia was still asleep.

“Good, you are finally awake” the woman said turning to look at Lu. Her face was beaten and bloodied but otherwise healthy, her copper hair was messy and her clothes dirty. “We should be arriving soon, your friends told me to let you know they would be on the front with the captain.”

“How long have I been asleep?” Lu asked.

“Not long enough if you ask me.” She laughed “Around four hours actually.”

Lu nodded and jumped off the cart. Their body felt stiff and bruised, but their neck was light. The collar was still gone. It seemed like most of the horses had ran away or hurt During the ambush, there were only enough of them to pull the wagons. People seemed to want to stay close to each other, but they were silent. No conversations voices or laughter, only passing whispers. When Lu reached the front of the silent procession Aregoma and Tessa were there with the captain in a quiet conversation.

“Hey Lu!” Aregoma exclaimed. “How are you feeling?”

“A bit... Weird, but alright I guess” they replied, walking to get besides the trio.

“So what was your name again?” The captain asked.

“Lu. Lu Lowfield if you need a surname.”

“I will need a surname when I write a report about you.” She smiled. “Impressive stuff, have you ever consider becoming a paladin?”

Lu searched for any sings that the question was a joke, but found none. “Well... It is complicated, I don’t think that is the right career for me.”

“A shame, really.” She said. “I will still mention your name to Master Izador in case you change your mind.”

“Do you know Archmage Izador?” Tessa asked Grenna with a mix of awe and fear.

“I have been working around these lands for close to twenty years, I know most of the Archmages personally, but Izador is the only one I tolerate.” After a second she looked at Aregoma and grimaced. “Sorry, I mean, it is not because he is human, I have no problems with elves, it is just that... He is more down to earth.”

“I wasn’t thinking anything of it.” Said Aregoma. “I get what you mean, I guess it is just a thing that to become an archmage you have to be a little eccentric.”

“Are all of the archmages elves?” Lu asked.

“Except Izador, yes.” Tessa answered. “Longer Lives, more time to fill up your resume and get the right connections to get the title.” She then looked at Lu and whispered with such a weak voice that was even difficult to hear, like she was about to reveal her darkest secret. “How... did you get permission to use space spells?”

Lu and Aregoma looked at each other for barely a second.

“Oh!” Tessa clutched her amulet. “But that is forbidden! You can’t...”

“I saw nothing.” Interrupted the captain. “Are you sure the kid did any spell at all? Do not listen to the rumours.” She Looked at Lu and winked, dramatically tilting her head and opening her mouth slightly so that it was clearly not just a blink of her one remaining eye.

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Lu cleared their throat and changed the topic of conversation. “So what sort of resume do you need to become an Archmage?”

“Ah” Aregoma turned to Lu. “This is important, there are five titles that a mage can have. Well... No, let’s stick to the three main one: Acolyte...” She gestured to herself. “... Is a mage that is able to cast spells of grade one or higher. People who are studying but cannot yet cast spells are called initiates.” She gestured at Lu. “Then we have Highmages, who need to be able to cast grade three spells in one path and grade one in at least two other paths. And then Archmages can cast spells of grade five from at least one path and grade three from at least two others.”

“But that is only one part of it.” Added Tessa. “Mages have to train in heart, mind and soul. The soul is tested with being able to casts the spells, mind is tested either with a long exam for the acolytes or presenting a thesis for highmages, and heart is tested in an interview with your superiors.”

“Which one is the fifth title?” Lu asked.

Grenna clapped her hands. “Magus! Correct?”

Aregoma Chuckled. “Yes, that is the highest title but there is only one and she is never around so it might as well not exist.”

“So Magus is a title that is given only to special mages that are on a league of their own, above archmages.” Tessa excitedly explained. “There is one every few hundred years, they are very rare, because the only requisite is that the entirety of the High Circle needs to agree on giving the title away to someone. So basically every archmage has to agree that you are just the best and you get it, but the people in the high circle are really proud and always refuse any suggestions that someone but themselves are worthy of being a magus... And you know the best part?” She waited for a split second before answering her own question. “The title was given to a thirty-two year old human, not even an elf like the prior ones.”

Aregoma laughed. “Oh but you weren’t there, it was such havoc having all of the Archmages come with excuses or trials to not give her the title and she just forced everyone to eat their words. I had never seen my tutor drink alcohol before or since.”

Aregoma and Tessa continued to talk about events in the recent past of the academy, as well as some of their common friend’s antics like the time Jake had to be banned from practicing magic outside, or when Prakash insisted on giving away a barrel of ale before it expired and got twenty people pissed drunk by the docks singing sea shanties. Not twenty minutes later they arrived at the end of the canyon and could see a town by the coast a few kilometres downhill.

An hour later they had arrived. It was an immediate upheaval as most of the townsfolk rushed to check on them and help with what they could. A large group of people who where preparing to make the trip in the opposite direction the next day were horrified at the story of the attack and had to cancel any future trips until reinforcements arrived. The mages and the guards, including Helvia whom at that point had just woken up, were called in by the local captain to report the events.

Lu was left alone and after handling the cart and mules as usual they took their belongings and went to bed. They did not manage to fall asleep until a few hours later, unsettled by the vague memory of a nightmare they had not too long ago, and the thought that today they had ended the life of no less than three people. They lied awake, going over the events of the day. It had been a long day. So many years calling themselves a swordsman and a fighter yet this had been their first real fight to the death. They could have died that day. They hadn’t even thought of that. In the moment they were so caught up with what to do next, how to keep Aregoman and Helvia safe that they had not had much time to consider the consequences of what would happen if they failed. But they were considering it now. A mere distraction, a moment of indecision, the wrong turn of the blade, a wrong guess... It could have all been over. It did not feel impressive that they survived, it just felt lucky. They got lucky, they were not in control at all. And who even were those people? That one man had the symbol on his mask, and the others were also wearing very cult-ish clothing. But they were targeting Helvia, not Lu, was it just some coincidence? What was the heart they were looking for? They feel asleep before the rest of their friends arrived.

*****

The following morning they woke up to an empty room still. In a panic their rushed out and into the door in front of theirs were Aregoma and Tessa were supposed to stay but it was empty as well, so they ran downstairs as fast as they could and... The three of them were sitting in one of the tables, finishing their breakfast. The elf waved at Lu, who could do nothing else but mutter a curse and stomp back upstairs to get dressed properly and pack their things.

They went back down to the dining area and sat with them, dropping like an anvil over the crusty wooden chair. “You could have woken me up you know?” Lu helped themselves to some beans on toast.

“I did.” Said Helvia. “But you didn’t say anything coherent so I thought best to leave you for some more time.”

Lu frowned while buttering another toast.

“Are you usually sea-sick?” Aregoma asked.

“Well...” Lu scratched their temple “I have never been on a boat before so I don’t know.”

“Oof, bad day to start.” Tessa added. “Today looks Like is going to be very windy, look at the waves.” She pointed at the sea through the window. “See the white tops of the waves? That means it is going to be a rough trip.”

They boarded the ferry soon after alongside all the other people from yesterday and some more who came from the south. The boat itself was a sail-less ship built out of ironwood about fifty metres long. The underside of the hull was engraved with golden runes the size of someone’s hand that emitted a permanent green glow. Inside the ship was set up with plenty of storage room for everything the merchants were carrying and the some, but the animals and carts had to be left behind. On the upper desk there was a large space with tables and chairs for the passengers to sit around and pass the time as well as some rooms with beds for those with more sensitive constitution. The captain, an old human with hair and beard permanently fixed by the salty air to make it look like he was always facing a strong wind, received them and guided them all inside. An hour later they were off the port and travelling towards the island.