The chisel scraped delicately across marble, efficiently shaping the stone.

  Romuald Garonian leaned back and examined the line.

  Not quite right.

  He adjusted the angle and tapped again. A sliver flaked away revealing the curve of a golem’s nose.

  The sizable figure was nearly complete. An idealized man, broad and sharp-eyed, his expression cold.

  He hadn’t finished the face, so it was up in the air whose likeness it was.

  The nose will decide it.

  Footsteps approached across the polished floor. Romuald didn’t turn.

  “My lord.” Edden bowed deeply. “The soldiers will withdraw before the long night, as you instructed.”

  Romuald gently wiped marble dust from the statue’s chin. “Good. Let us lower our defenses. We have observant rodents in our city.”

  “Shall I... prepare the gift?”

  Romuald smiled deviously. “Yes. Make sure your artifact is working before you set it up.” He turned the statue slightly, admiring it from a new angle. “Curiosity must be properly rewarded.”

  “Of course, my lord.” Edden hesitated. “And your… New child?” He eyed the giant figure of a man with slight discomfort.

  “He will be ready. Most likely.” Romuald finally turned to face him. “Anything else?”

  “The refugee influx has slowed, my lord. Word has spread about the gates being closed. Fewer risk the journey now. But still… their numbers remain staggering.”

  Romuald moved to a basin and rinsed the fine dust from his fingers. “Any dissenters after our last fireworks?”

  His nose filled with the stench of burned flesh. He sipped his wine to get rid of it. The glass was unpleasant to his wet fingers.

  “The guild has filed a formal petition. Concerned citizens. There’s even some directly complaining to the church.”

  “Dig into it and get me a list of everyone complaining,” he said. “We will make use of it soon.”

  “My lord?”

  Romuald turned, keeping back the stinging behind his eyes. “Don’t let a single person in. Not until the rebellion is crushed. Mercy is a luxury we cannot afford.”

  Edden nodded. “Understood.” He was smarter than to argue.

  Romuald stepped past him and returned to the statue. Frustratingly, he found the muse of sculpting had just left him. He clapped for another golem to refill his glass.

  “Leave me.”

  Edden bowed and departed in silence.

  Romuald stared at the sculpture, its expression frozen in marble thought.

  Why was he forced to fix the mistakes of his predecessors and ‘peers’?

  Viera’s office was dim and crowded, lit only by a magistone lamp.

  The table sat at the center of the room, her trusty ledger in the middle.

  Dolen lounged in one corner of the room, tapping his leg on the floor.

  The rest of the leadership circled around.

  Viera standing stiff near the wall, Hiveo quietly leaning on his cane, and the knight duo, Cero and Janni, seated across from each other with folded arms and matching frowns.

  “So,” Dolen drawled. “What do I do with the kid?”

  Viera looked up from her papers. “Marco?”

  Dolen nodded. “That one, sis. He’s learning quick… But are we gonna keep him?”

  Viera’s lips curled into a faint smile. “We might. You just go and have fun with him. I’ll take care of the rest… If we go ahead with the plan, that is.”

  Janni leaned forward, tapping a finger on the table. “The ruins will be wide open.”

  Viera’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe. But they could have been more sneaky about it. Such carelessness smells fishy.”

  Cero scowled. “We’ve been sitting on our asses here for months. We’ve given nothing back. No results. No progress. We can’t stall any longer.”

  “She’s right to be cautious,” Hiveo said softly. “Romuald is sly. He leaves traps behind him the way other men leave footprints. But it’s worth the risk.”

  Janni turned to Viera. “You’ve seen the area. Can we make this work?”

  There was a long pause.

  Viera exhaled slowly and crossed her arms. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

  Dolen clicked his tongue. “You always say that before something fun happens.”

  “It’s called intuition.” Her tone was sharper than she meant it to be.

  Hiveo stepped in again, voice calm. “We’ll use the passage. We move fast. If it’s a trap, we pull out. But if they had really found the archive? We have to do it.”

  The table fell quiet.

  After a long beat, Viera nodded, albeit reluctantly. “...Fine. We’ll move on the next long night. I’ll handle the prep.”

  After everyone agreed, she walked toward the door. “Let’s get going. Otherwise ‘our’ people won’t survive until we need them.”

  Her burns had barely healed after the last time. She hoped she wouldn’t incur new ones tonight.

  They went out into the dark.

  The city would close before the Goddess’s rest started… And the refugees wouldn’t save themselves.

  The morning after the eclipse, David arrived at the usual clearing, the air damp and cool beneath the canopy.

  Dolen was sitting on a wet log, peeling bark from some stick.

  "Let’s see what you can do." The mage spoke up without lifting his head.

  Dolen looked sleepy, but David paid no mind to his antics. That was just how he was.

  He took a deep breath and focused on the channel within his eyes. The spark spell. Runes shimmered in the air and a snap of light burst from his palm within seconds.

  Dolen gave a low whistle. "Not bad, kid. You’re picking this up faster than I thought."

  David grinned, flushed with pride. He had been training hours every day to earn that.

  "Which means," Dolen added, already turning, "we’re moving to the real stuff."

  He stood up, threw the stick out, then walked deeper into the woods.

  David followed him until they crossed paths with a hulking, humanoid beast. Bristling fur, jagged teeth, and a guttural growl.

  "Burn the monster with your spark," Dolen called out, stepping to the side.

  “What?” David froze. "You're insane."

  The beast charged.

  David dodged to the side. Use the claws? Dolen could kill him instantly. Or worse.

  The monster swung at him. David kept jumping back, trying to cast the spark.

  Another attempt. Another failure.

  The monster slashed, and David could almost feel the claws digging into his arm.

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  A barrier appeared at the last second.

  "Come on, put your back into it!" Dolen shouted, as if it were a normal lesson.

  David wove between the trees, but the bristlemane kept up.

  Between sidesteps and ragged breaths, he tried casting. Again and again. But he couldn’t focus while dodging.

  Dolen wouldn’t let me die.

  He stopped and poured all his focus into the runes, letting the beast strike at him.

  As he predicted, a barrier stopped the monster’s attack.

  Finally, the runes held. A spark leapt forward and singed the monster’s fur.

  The monster roared through the pain and kept attacking. A single claw slipped through the barriers and tore into his shoulder. Blood spurted out.

  David cried out.

  A heartbeat later, a massive spike of hardened dirt shot from the ground and impaled the beast through the skull.

  It slumped to the ground.

  David dropped to one knee, gasping.

  This motherfu–

  “Just because I’m here, doesn’t mean you can stop dodging!” Dolen called out to him, annoyed.

  David shot him a glare as he took a healing tincture out of his bag. The creamy substance soothed the pain that radiated through his arm.

  “What even was that?” Done with his first aid, David turned to Dolen, his tone accusatory. “I could have died! You let me get hurt!”

  "I thought you wanted to be a mage," Dolen said, his eerily voice calm. "This is how I learned. And I had to cast my own barriers."

  David bit his lip. Right. He was still furious, but he couldn’t find it in himself to talk back.

  So be it.

  Leaves rustled and David startled.

  Dalia and Talia stepped out from between the trees.

  "You were so brave!" Dalia said, eyes wide.

  David jumped away, startled.

  "Wha-" she stammered, surprised by his expression and suddenly shy.

  Talia smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Don’t be a jerk."

  "Sorry," David muttered, then glanced back to Dalia. "Thank you, but I did nothing. If not for Dolen’s barriers I’d be dead."

  Why are they here?

  Talia shrugged. “That’s just how uncle Dolen is.”

  “Hey, you little rascal!” The man in question called out. “You got something against me?”

  Talia giggled and ran up to the man to give him a hug.

  Dalia remained, peeking at David. “I really think you were amazing. I wouldn’t be able to do anything like that.”

  The praise got him off guard. He felt his cheeks growing hot, and changed the topic. “Why are you here and not at the tavern?”

  "Mom said we earned a break," Dalia said. "We are training with sir Cero."

  As Dolen was bent over and listening to Talia explain something to him in whispers, a group of people in armor walked out of the bushes.

  In the front was a bulky man with a knightly countenance. The mentioned sir Cero?

  Dolen straightened up, having listened to Talia, nodded and clapped his hands. "Perfect. Marco, we’re going with them!"

  David blinked. "Wait, what? Why?”

  “Training concentration. You’re severely lacking. Consider this part of your training.”

  “Shouldn’t I tell my parents? They don’t know I’m leaving."

  "Too bad. We’re already out here."

  David tried to protest, but Dolen was already walking. And David would rather fight that monster alone than try to oppose the weirdo mage.

  They trekked deeper into the forest, the rays of sun piercing through the leaves.

  Dolen walked in front along with Cero and the rebels.

  The mage turned to the twins. "Your job is to talk to Marco nonstop. Talk his ear off."

  “That’s easy!” The twins laughed in unison.

  "And you…” he pointed straight at David. “Cast sparks like your life depended on it." Dolen added.

  Nothing would surprise David anymore. He just nodded and did as ordered. He tuned out the twins talking to him and cast his first spark.

  And he walked right into a barrier that appeared in front of him. His nose met it with a dull thud.

  “Talk and cast. I’m always watching.” Dolen called out without turning back to them.

  The twins burst out laughing.

  Despite himself, David smiled. This was preferable.

  They continued on. Talia asked about his favorite food. Dalia asked about his worst nightmare. He dodged questions, cast sparks, tripped on a few barriers.

  And yet, it was fun. Dolen’s methods… were an acquired taste, it seemed. They weren’t that different from his own. And those people didn’t even bat an eye at it.

  David could fit right in with them. Eventually.

  At one point, as they crossed a stream, Dalia brushed close to him. "You’re really cool, you know."

  She did that ever so often. Was she trying to get closer to him?

  David looked away, heat rising in his cheeks. This is awkward.

  He kept walking. Dalia sighed.

  Talia whispered something to her sister. They giggled.

  Somehow, a day that started with dodging around a gruesome monster continued with a leisurely walk and light training.

  The forest clearing was filled with the crackle of a growing fire and the low murmur of voices.

  Dolen moved around the camp, muttering under his breath as he carved sigils into the dirt, setting up wards.

  David followed a few steps behind, fiddling with the hem of his tunic.

  "Uh, Mister Dolen..." he began, hesitant. "Can I go home? My parents are gonna worry."

  Dolen straightened from his work just long enough to shoot him a look. "Nope. If it's a problem, I'll talk to them myself. "

  David opened his mouth to protest and then shut it with a grimace.

  The idea of Dolen, the crazy-powerful mage, standing at their door was not something he wanted to entertain.

  Better they don't meet him at all.

  He stuffed his hands into his pockets and trailed after the mage in silence.

  Meanwhile, Talia and Dalia had finished pitching their little canvas tent and were waving him over excitedly.

  Dalia practically grabbed David’s hand, dragging him toward the campfire.

  "Come on! It's story time!" she grinned, planting herself right beside him on a fallen log.

  David shifted a little to the side, but Dalia only leaned closer, resting her arm lightly against his.

  He arched away from the fire. I’m feeling hot after all that training.

  Across the fire, Talia was pleading with Dolen. "Uncle, show us something cool! Pleaaaase!"

  "You little mosser, will you just keep on pestering me?” The mage finally rolled his eyes and stood up, dusting off his hands. “Fine."

  He flourished his hands with uncharacteristic seriousness. The flames of the campfire leapt higher, then twisted and spun into shapes.

  Talia quickly ran away from him and joined them on the log, sitting on the opposite side of Dalia.

  David watched, amazed, as the fire wove scenes into the air.

  "Let us begin three hundred years ago, on the plains of Ki-Elico." Dolen said, his voice theatrical.

  The fire formed rolling hills, dense forests, and a scattering of settlements.

  Among the buildings, tiny flame humans battled towering beasts.

  "A city carved from monster territory," Dolen narrated. "By the hands of archmage Zelor Garonian himself."

  The fire twisted again. This time, David saw waves of flame consuming the lines of monsters and their settlements.

  Like a genocide. A chill ran down his spine.

  People around him cheered a little, Dalia squeezed his arm tighter.

  Just mindless beasts. Somehow capable of building villages…

  Dolen’s voice pulled him back.

  “The greatest mage to ever be born among humans bent the mountains to his will!”

  Within the fiery recreation of plains, jagged stones rose from the ground. They kept rising higher and higher.

  Are those… the walls? David thought of the incredible mountains surrounding Ki-Elico. Impossible. A mage created those?

  “He worked day and night, for this was his life’s work.” He paused as the fiery walls kept climbing higher and higher.

  Everyone was captivated by the flames. David especially.

  “And thus came to be the impregnable barrier cities of Minvariya.”

  Three more cities formed from the flames. But what happened next, completely took David’s breath away.

  It looked like a modern timelapse of the cities. Buildings starting and rising within the walls. Monsters crashing against the walls like a tidal wave, only to be decimated.

  Soon, the image was complete and the cities were filled with life. One element kept David’s eye the most - The academy of Ki-Elico.

  Even as a miniature made of flames, it evoked grandeur.

  I’ll make it there. One day.

  Dolen took a bow behind the now-static images and someone started clapping. David immediately joined in.

  It wasn’t until she yawned loud that he noticed Dalia was still pressed against his side.

  Without thinking, he gently shifted away and turned to face her.

  “Have you seen it before? The story?”

  Dalia stifled another yawn. “Yes! Many times. But uncle Dolen always makes it so beautiful.”

  Within the campfire, the illusion was fading, and conversations broke out around the fire.

  Cero laughed and started telling some ridiculous story.

  The other rebels chimed in with teasing comments, friendly jabs.

  David found himself at peace, if slightly uncomfortable with Dalia sitting so close.

  As he looked around he felt like he belonged with those people. With the eccentric Dolen, with the energetic twins… Even with the newly-met Cero.

  The evening wore on, the fire burning lower. Eventually, Cero ordered everyone into their tents.

  David clambered into the one set up by the silver-haired twins.

  Dalia curled up beside him, her breathing slow and even. Talia sprawled out, one leg half off the mat.

  David lay on his back, staring up at the tent’s dark canvas.

  He wondered what Sophie was doing.

  They’d been spending less time together lately, but she was in a much better place now than she had been back in Grainwick, so she didn’t need him as much anymore.

  He rolled over, turning his back to Dalia. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

  Despite the familial atmosphere, they were in the middle of the forest and on a scouting mission.

  It was funny, feeling safe in the forest where he brushed against death so many times before.

  David stirred at the sound of muffled voices. A soft hand shook his shoulder, and he blinked awake, groggy and disoriented.

  "Up, up!" Talia’s voice heckled nearby. "We’re moving! You lazybones."

  Still half-asleep, David crawled out into the night.

  The clearing was hectic with movement. People were slipping on armor, tightening belts, checking weapons.

  The campfire had been doused, leaving only embers glowing faintly in the dark.

  But no one spoke loudly. No one laughed this time.

  They were getting ready to work.