The stone halls were dark at night in Wistram. True, the mage-lights provided decent illumination, but the magics that controlled them dimmed the intensity of light that each floating orb of light or eternally burning torch gave off.<\/p>\n
Many mages didn\u2019t care to wander outside of the thick walls that made up the citadel that was Wistram academy. Thus, this change in ambient light was the only clue some had that it was time to sleep. In parts of the citadel where there were no windows, mages could wander for hours without ever seeing the sun.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hear it\u2019s dimensional magic. Very complex stuff. I wonder how big Wistram really is. Has anyone ever tried to measure it from the inside and compared it to the outside?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up!\u201d<\/p>\n
Most mages preferred to walk the halls at night with orbs created by the [Light] spell. However, the two new students who crept from shadow to shadow used no magic now. They were trying to be quiet.<\/p>\n
And failing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just saying, who created this place? It had to be an [Archmage], but how many additions were made over the years?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPisces, for the love of leaves<\/em>, shut up!\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Elf in front snapped at the young man creeping along behind her. Pisces closed his mouth, and she prayed he\u2019d keep quiet.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you sure we\u2019re going the right way? I thought we should have gone left back there.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria hissed<\/em> with annoyance and straightened up. She paused in the shadows between two globes of light and looked around to make sure no one was walking down the corridors.<\/p>\n There wasn\u2019t anyone. They were safe. Mages did like to stay up at odd hours, it was true, but this wasn\u2019t a particularly well-travelled part of the academy in the day. Most students up this late would be drinking or having a party elsewhere. As for the mages, they\u2019d be studying books, or doing the same thing as the students.<\/p>\n Still, Ceria lowered her voice as she spoke to Pisces.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to be stealthy here, don\u2019t you get it? And the oval library with the staircase is this way, I\u2019m sure of it!\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces frowned, but Ceria knew her sense of direction was better than his. Wistram was confusing, but she\u2019d gotten used to wandering around forests where every tree looked like the last one.<\/p>\n To his credit, Pisces kept his voice low, but he still kept chattering. Both he and she were nervous, and so he kept talking while she led them onwards.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see why we\u2019re hiding. It\u2019s not as if we\u2019re doing anything wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to steal a book from other students. And we\u2019re going to one of the restricted libraries to do it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026it\u2019s not their book.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria knew what she was doing might well get them kicked out of Wistram. But she was sick of sticking to the rules. She\u2019d had to deal with Rievan, the rude, arrogant Human teacher who seemed to hate half-Elves, and Illphres, who had refused to teach them magic. She hated Wistram\u2019s stupid secrets and the way everything was give and take around here.<\/p>\n And she was afraid she would fail the exam that was only a couple of weeks away. So Ceria had decided to break the rules and help Pisces steal the magical spellbook.<\/p>\n \u201cThey didn\u2019t expressly<\/em> forbid us from entering this section of the academy.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria frowned at Pisces.<\/p>\n \u201cThey told us this place was off-limits!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh. Yes. Well, I believe that may have been a warning rather than an inviolable rule. From all we\u2019ve seen, I surmise that these restrictions are meant to test how we react to such impositions, not actually stop all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Stop using complex words!\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces paused. He chewed at his lip and rephrased his statement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can break the rules\u2014if we\u2019re not caught. They\u2019re expecting us to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Right.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria thought about that and nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cMakes sense. Okay, let\u2019s get in there. Why couldn\u2019t you have just said that from the start? You always use too many complicated words!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I like <\/em>complicated words.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces muttered as he and Ceria snuck down the empty side-corridor. She knew he was right, at least in a sense. It didn\u2019t seem like Wistram had many totally absolute rules. But still, she had to point out a flaw in his reasoning.<\/p>\n \u201cThe problem isn\u2019t whether we\u2019ll be caught by other mages and get punished. It\u2019s whether anyone sees us and sells someone else the secret that we were sneaking about right before a spellbook got stolen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh yes. Secrets. That would be problematic.\u201d<\/p>\n Behind Ceria, Pisces grimaced. Here in Wistram everyone\u2019s actions and words were carefully noted by people around them, to be used and traded like currency. Secrets were the lifeblood of the mages here, and it meant their presence in this part of the academy would be noted by anyone they met.<\/p>\n Ceria peeked around an intersection and then moved down it when she saw no one was there. She glanced up at a painting on the wall\u2014some relief showing a bunch of adventurers battling a Goblin Lord. That meant they were close.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re sure the other students aren\u2019t going to try and grab the book tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey said they were going to talk to another mage who specialized in dispelling wards. I think we\u2019re safe. The magic killed or nearly killed one of their friends. I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll be too eager to try again without preparation.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria stopped. She turned to look at Pisces. He was nervous, but his pale face also looked excited. She was less sanguine.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of them got killed? <\/em>Are you sure this plan of yours will work?\u201d<\/p>\n He hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cFairly. I believe there will be no risk to either one of us, even if it fails. The only thing we have to fear is being seen.\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Elf shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cI wish you\u2019d explain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToo many ears back in the banquet hall. And I\u2019m still not sure the older students don\u2019t place eavesdropping spells in the hallways. I can tell you now if you want, but it\u2019s faster this way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTell me later, then. We\u2019re close.\u201d<\/p>\n The two moved onwards. Ceria knew her footsteps were almost inaudible, but Pisces shuffled around a bit in his cheap robes. Still, she didn\u2019t expect anyone but another half-Elf or a species with good hearing to pick up on the faint sounds.<\/p>\n \u201cHow did you know what they were saying, anyways? Do you<\/em> know a listening spell?\u201d<\/p>\n She had to ask. Pisces hesitated. When he spoke quietly, his voice seemed uncertain.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething\u2026similar. Suffice it to say I heard every word they spoke. Now\u2026is this it?\u201d<\/p>\n They\u2019d reached a pair of double doors, set right next to a diagonal intersection of three corridors. Ceria stared at the doors and then at the way the wall ended a few feet ahead of the doors. Architecture and the laws of space didn\u2019t seem to matter in this place.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is it. Keep an eye out and make sure no one\u2019s coming.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces nodded and looked around while Ceria put her ear to the door. She knew the room beyond the doors was large, but she listened hard for any sounds of people moving about. After a minute she\u2019d still heard not a sound. Satisfied the room was probably empty, Ceria opened the door and she and Pisces slipped inside.<\/p>\n The oval library with the staircase was one of a multitude of libraries in Wistram. Most contained books, as befitted libraries, but some were dedicated to one subject, or all comprised of books from a certain era. One library had a pool of water in it, and all the books were waterproofed to let mages read and bathe.<\/p>\n Wistram was very odd. But this library was fairly normal, as libraries went. The room was indeed ovoid, and a central staircase led up to four walkways around the room where shelves of books sat side by side.<\/p>\n Ceria had never seen so many books before coming here. This place alone easily held a fortune in old, sometimes cracking books of dust and ink. She coughed and Pisces sneezed as they walked into the room.<\/p>\n \u201cRot. Golems haven\u2019t dusted in here for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces nodded. Eyes watering he sniffed and pointed.<\/p>\n \u201cToo many\u2026books. Ah, but look. You can see someone\u2019s been here.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, Ceria could see places where the dust had been disturbed. She and Pisces made their way up the staircase, following the cleared areas and found themselves on the second level, staring at a wall of books.<\/p>\n \u201cIs there some kind of mechanism here? Some activated spell?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think so. But let me see\u2026hey, these are all real books!\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces pulled a few tomes out of the shelves. Ceria stared at them. It looked like this entire shelf was dedicated to Human history. She spied different genealogies, historical accounts, and personal bibliographies, all from Human kingdoms she\u2019d never heard of before. She frowned at Pisces as he flipped open a book and stared at the writing inside.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re real, yes. So what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, apparently if you do this\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces pulled one of the books from the shelves and switched it with another book higher up. The instant the two books had been pushed into place, the entire bookshelf suddenly faded.<\/em> Ceria gasped, and Pieces whistled quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cTruly impressive. They\u2019re books that were all spelled with the same enchantment.\u201d<\/p>\n He waved a hand, letting it pass straight through the bookshelf. Ceria stared through the intangible books. There was a tunnel in the wall, one that leads straight into another room.<\/p>\n \u201cA second library?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. That\u2019s where we\u2019ll find the spellbook.\u201d<\/p>\n The two students stepped into the secret tunnel cautiously. Ceria gasped as she looked around the circular room occupied by a shelf full of books, and of all things, a bed and dresser! There was a small table and mirror which were both covered with dust.<\/p>\n Pisces sneezed and raised a small cloud of dust, and Ceria coughed and wiped at her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cDead gods. Is this some secret bedroom?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2019d make a secret passageway into a library<\/em> of all places?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone who values their privacy?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces sidled away as Ceria kicked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cOr someone who likes books. Or\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr?\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded towards the passageway that led back to the main part of the library.<\/p>\n \u201cOr perhaps this library was ideal for whomever lived here. Most of the books seem to be largely historical in this section. Few people would bother to peruse the stacks. So whoever lived here might have constructed this hiding place in a time when the mages of Wistram were less\u2026amiable towards each other than they are now.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria shivered at that thought. She imagined mages fighting each other, sneaking about in hidden passages like this.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got a twisted imagination Pisces, you know that, right?\u201d<\/p>\n He shrugged self-consciously.<\/p>\n \u201cI prefer to think of myself as pragmatic. Now\u2026my plan should be working as we speak. We just need to find the book.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShouldn\u2019t be too hard.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria walked over to the bookshelf.<\/p>\n \u201cAh\u2014don\u2019t touch any of them!\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces cautioned Ceria as she reached for a book. She snatched her hand back.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? I thought the books were spelled against opening.\u201d<\/p>\n All the spellbooks she\u2019d heard of were warded against being read, but Pisces shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cThe one we\u2019re after apparently killed the student who tried to take it out. And we cannot be sure the other ones aren\u2019t trapped in the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDead gods.<\/em> Who\u2019s so paranoid they\u2019d use a spell like that?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria groused as she and Pisces studied the books on the shelf at a respectful distance. It wasn\u2019t too hard, just difficult to see the covers with all the dust clinging to the books. Pisces suggested blowing it away with a spell, and after that it was much easier.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m assuming this is a personal spellbook, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCorrect. There should be no title on the spine. And if we use [Detect Magic]\u2026aha! These two books seem to be the most powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces pointed to two of the tomes. One was thick and it looked to Ceria\u2019s untrained eye like the spell on it wasn\u2019t that powerful. She guessed it was just a valuable book of some kind, warded against tearing or decay. But the other book shone in her vision, not brightly, but with an intensity that made it seem realer<\/em> than the other books in the room.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the one. I\u2019m sure of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think so too. Now, what was your big plan? Pry it out with something? A pair of sticks, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be silly. The spell might activate! No, we just have to wait\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHold it!\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria held up one hand, suddenly alarmed. Her ears twitched and she put a finger to her lips. Pisces went still and Ceria crept back towards the entrance of the tunnel. She whispered to Pisces.<\/p>\n \u201cI hear footsteps.\u201d<\/p>\n They must have been loud, for her to hear them. Ceria held her breath as she realized someone was definitely coming towards this very library. She looked at Pisces, suddenly worried.<\/p>\n \u201cThe students?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014I think it might be someone else. If it\u2019s who I think it is\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces opened his mouth, but the door opened before he could tell Ceria. She flinched back into the tunnel, realizing too late that they\u2019d left the transparent bookshelf! Anyone would be able to see something was odd in an instant.<\/p>\n But the being that walked through the doorway was no mage, and certainly no student come to take the spellbook. A tall, inhumanly perfect woman made of grey stone seemed to glide through the doorway. She was eight feet tall and the stone clothing she wore rippled as she walked, as if she was alive.<\/p>\n Cognita turned and stared around the room. Her eyes found Ceria, hiding behind the transparent bookshelf, at once. The half-Elf jumped and shuddered, but Cognita just strode towards her with the same look of calm on her face as always.<\/p>\n \u201cCeria Springwalker. I hope you are having a good night?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Um, yes. Yes, I am. Cognita. Uh\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria stammered and took a step back as the Truestone Golem stopped in front of her. She was enormous. Ceria had no idea why she was here, but Pisces stepped forwards and Cognita\u2019s head nodded fractionally.<\/p>\n \u201cI have just received your note, student Pisces. May I ask what is the matter?\u201d<\/p>\n The young man coughed and stood a bit straighter as Ceria\u2019s head turned from him to Cognita rapidly.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, thank you Miss Cognita. I was hoping you could help me retrieve a book, you see. It\u2019s warded with some kind of spell, but I would like to study it to advance my grasp of spellcraft.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see.\u201d<\/p>\n Cognita\u2019s face changed slightly as she stared down at Pisces. Ceria saw something shift in the Golem\u2019s usually impassive features. Was it curiosity? Then the eyes shifted to Ceria and the half-Elf felt a jolt in her stomach.<\/p>\n \u201cI assume your friend is here for the same reason?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCeria? Yes, she\u2019s just here for ah, moral support. The book is this way. If you would\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces gestured, and Cognita stepped forwards. He smiled up at her, letting the tall Golem bow her head to enter the tunnel. He would have followed, but Ceria pulled him back and hissed at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou called Cognita?<\/em> That was your plan?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces looked blankly at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the problem with that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria spluttered, unable to explain. How could she convey the unease she felt when she looked at Cognita, or rather, felt the Golem\u2019s eyes on her?<\/p>\n The eyes of the Truestone Golem had been sculpted to perfectly mimic the eyes of a Human woman. But they were not alive. They moved as if they were, though, and Ceria knew there was some intelligence controlling the thing that called herself Cognita. But it was not the same as living and it scared Ceria.<\/p>\n She knew other students in Wistram felt the same or more strongly. Some mages avoided Cognita in the hallways. Ceria could get along with the Golem because she was helpful and acted quite normally, but she didn\u2019t like Cognita\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n Pisces however acted as though Cognita was no different than Ceria. He walked after her as the Golem studied the shelves and looked around the room.<\/p>\n \u201cYou see Cognita, we ah, happened to learn about this room you see, and I note that its previous occupant is probably long since deceased\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n Cognita nodded once and looked back at the two students.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the residence of Nemistra Verdinan, a Selphid who lived here for many years in hiding. She is long dead, but it is good to see her room has finally been discovered. I will have other Golems collect the lost books and return them to their proper locations.\u201d<\/p>\n Both mages blinked up at Cognita, caught off-guard by the matter-of-fact response. Pisces coughed.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, well, I am, ah, glad. But could I trouble you to ask whether taking her former spellbook would be permissible? It\u2019s the one on the second shelf from the bottom you see\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I see it.\u201d<\/p>\n Cognita studied the tome, eyes unblinking. Ceria and Pisces held their breaths. When the Truestone Golem turned, she nodded again.<\/p>\n \u201cThe tome is guarded by several wards that would melt the flesh of anyone attempting to retrieve it. I can remove it without issue to myself, following which the wards would be broken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcellent!\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces rubbed his hands together happily, but Ceria was uneasy.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019ll just give us the book? Really?\u201d<\/p>\n Cognita paused.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is acceptable. However, Wistram law now dictates that mages below the third year only be allowed one personal spellbook for their use. You have already been issued one. If I give you this book, you must return your spellbook.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria groaned. Of course. There had<\/em> to be a catch. But Pisces was undeterred.<\/p>\n \u201cVery well, Miss Cognita. I would happily trade in my spellbook for this one. Would you ah, like me to retrieve it before\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo need.\u201d<\/p>\n The Truestone Golem turned, and the stone woman calmly pulled the book out of the bookcase. Ceria held her breath, expecting something dramatic to happen. But all she saw was a slight ripple in the air as Cognita pulled the book out\u2014then she calmly turned and held it out to Pisces.<\/p>\n He was reluctant to take it. Pisces\u2019 hands trembled a bit as he reached for the book, and Ceria saw him visibly brace himself. But when he gingerly grasped the book and Cognita let go, nothing happened to him either. He nearly dropped the book in surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cThe wards have been broken. It is safe to read.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMany thanks!\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces stared delightedly at the spellbook in his hands. He beamed at Cognita.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot thank you enough. Please, accept my profuse gratitude for your help rendered in\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria kicked Pisces in the shins. He yelped, but she just smiled at Cognita.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, thank you Cognita. This was a big help. We couldn\u2019t have gotten the spellbook alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. You could not.\u201d<\/p>\n Cognita\u2019s eyes found Ceria\u2019s, and the half-Elf saw only cold marble there. But there was something in Cognita\u2019s tone that suggested the Golem understood what she\u2019d done. And she\u2019d done it anyways, knowing it would help Ceria and Pisces.<\/p>\n \u201cMost mages would not have turned to me for help. Your decision to do so is interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria had no idea what to make of that.<\/em> She cleared her throat nervously.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, well, Cognita, about this. We\u2019d prefer to keep this secret\u2014would you mind not telling anyone you helped us?\u201d<\/p>\n Both she and Pisces held their breaths as the Golem pondered for a moment. Cognita shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cI care little for squabbles between mages. I am bound to be truthful, so I shall be. Thus, I shall relate all I have seen here.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria closed her eyes and Pisces groaned aloud. Cognita continued calmly.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I am asked about these specific events, I will share what I have seen. But only then. I suspect your secret will be safe, young mages.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded at Ceria and Pisces. The half-Elf and young man saw the Golem\u2019s lips curve upwards slightly, and then the Golem turned.<\/p>\n \u201cI must be going. I have other duties. I am pleased to have been of assistance to the two of you tonight. Sleep well.\u201d<\/p>\n She walked away quickly, leaving Ceria and Pisces at a loss for words. They stared at her back, and then jumped as the Golem closed the double doors with a click.<\/em> Ceria immediately began hurrying towards the doors, but Pisces called her back.<\/p>\n \u201cWait! We\u2019ve got to cover our tracks! Let\u2019s get this bookshelf back the way it was.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think we just replace the two books in their original positions.\u201d<\/p>\n Sure enough, the instant the two books were in the right spot, the bookshelf became real again. Ceria and Pisces pressed on the books and shelf, but it refused to budge.<\/p>\n \u201cImpressive magic.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAdmire it later! Let\u2019s go before someone sees us!\u201d<\/p>\n The two hurried out of the library, closing the door securely and moving quickly back towards their rooms. On the way, Ceria questioned Pisces, who was trying to walk and stare at the pages of the spellbook at the same time.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was\u2014did you know<\/em> Cognita could do that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI had an inkling after she shattered that ice wall. If she can break Illphres\u2019 enchantments, why not the trap spells on a book? And it seemed easy enough to ask her for help. After all, the Golems of Wistram are bound to help the students, are they not?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria had to agree with that, although she would have never considered the idea. She doubted the older students would have either. She frowned as she led Pisces down a passage and flight of steps.<\/p>\n \u201cHow did you send Cognita a note?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSecret.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned at Ceria impishly. She glared at him and he raised his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cReally, it is a secret Ceria. I\u2026it\u2019s rather complicated. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n She frowned, but let the matter drop. Soon, they were back in Pisces\u2019 room and only then did Pisces open the spellbook on his table and let Ceria peer at it.<\/p>\n \u201cDead gods. Look at all the spells!\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces had a wild grin on his face as he and Ceria flipped through page after page of uneven handwriting. Whoever had written the book had done it in a foreign language, but the nature of the magic spells was something any mage could decode with enough effort.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t understand what that spell does. Do you see\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. But I\u2019m sure it will come in time. And look! This is clearly some kind of flame-based spell. Can\u2019t you tell from the way it\u2019s formed here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re right!\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria was giddy with excitement. They had a spellbook! A real spellbook, not one filled with useless spells! Her excitement faded a bit as she realized it really wasn\u2019t her<\/em> spellbook, though.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess you\u2019ll be able to learn a lot, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces turned to Ceria in surprise. He held the book to her.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was a joint effort, Ceria. This book is as much yours as it is mine. We can take turns reading it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s yours. You didn\u2019t need me at all! You could have done all of this by yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces shook his head, offering the book to Ceria as she backed away.<\/p>\n \u201cNot true. Your expertise in subversion and stealth were quite essential. And the addition of another pair of eyes and another mind to cross-check my conclusions were invaluable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook, we worked on it together. And I want you to study it as well. If we can learn some spells from this, we might stand a good chance of passing the exams at the end of the month! This is an opportunity for both of us, Ceria.\u201d<\/p>\n Slowly, it began to dawn on Ceria that Pisces had intended to share the book with her the instant he\u2019d figured out how to take it. She looked at him awkwardly, not sure what to say.<\/p>\n He was a Human, but he was genuine and clearly wanted to help her pass. She smiled at him, and Pisces grinned back in delight.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014okay. We can study together. Two arrows are better than one. But it\u2019s your book, okay? After all, you\u2019re going to have to give Cognita your other spellbook.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue. I\u2019d better pretend I lost the other one.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces nodded at Ceria. But then he smiled widely again, overcome with delight.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s see how many spells we can identify! I\u2019m sure there\u2019s at least one Tier 4 spell in here!\u201d<\/p>\n The two got back to poring over the book. Ceria squinted at the magical writing, guessing some of the spells with Pisces.<\/p>\n \u201cHey. Isn\u2019t that\u2026[Stone Fist]? That\u2019s a good Tier 3 spell!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? I thought it was Tier 2?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s Tier 3. You see, when you use it you create this rock armor around your hand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t that really heavy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d think so, but I saw a [Druid] using it once. He cracked a boulder like it was nothing!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI bet we could learn that in time for the exam. What do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe. But look here. This is some kind of movement spell, I\u2019m positive of it! Can you see what the nature of it is?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria bent forwards to look at the spell Pisces had pointed to. In doing so, she realized that she was sitting in a room in the middle of the night. With a young Human man.<\/p>\n A few years ago\u2014she would have put an arrow in Pisces\u2019 head, or run away. But now she was sitting next to him as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Ceria paused.<\/p>\n He was a good person, albeit a bit clumsy and wordy. But she liked him, and thought of him as a friend already. In fact, she quite liked him. Ceria had no idea how she felt about that.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The next day, Ceria had trouble keeping her eyes open in all of her classes. She was exhausted from staying up and trying to puzzle out the spells in Pisces\u2019 book. She nearly fell asleep twice in her class studying basic enchantments and how to decode magical auras, but she didn\u2019t dare close her eyes in Rievan\u2019s class.<\/p>\n \u201cI trust you\u2019ve all memorized the lessons from yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n He stared around the classroom, staring at each student in turn. When he met Ceria\u2019s eyes Rievan\u2019s nose wrinkled slightly and he looked past her. He pointed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou there. Pisces. Where is your spellbook?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces jerked upright, blinking rapidly.<\/p>\n \u201cMy spellbook?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes! Where are your notes?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces folded his fingers together as Ceria tried not to stare at him.<\/p>\n \u201cI lost my spellbook, sir. But I can recall my notes from last class quite well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n One of Rievan\u2019s narrow eyebrows rose as he glared at Pisces.<\/p>\n \u201cThen you will surely be able to recall my statement regarding the dangers of overabundance of mana in the system? Repeat my words back to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria winced, but Pisces just cleared his throat, looking quite calm.<\/p>\n \u201cMana, sir, may over accumulate in any living being\u2019s body as a result of a spell or influx of mana in a charged environment, but more often than not it is a result of imbibing a mana potion improperly. For a mage, casting any spell will usually resolve the issue, but for those without mana, time and rest are the only usual solutions. A competent mage may attempt to drain the excess magic from a person, but this action is not without risk. And in high concentration, excess mana may well lead to rupturing of blood vessels or parts of the body overloading or shutting down.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria and the other students in the room gaped as Pisces delivered a perfect summary of Rievan\u2019s lesson from yesterday. The [Mage] stared hard at Pisces as the young man finished and sat down.<\/p>\n \u201cVery\u2026good.\u201d<\/p>\n He said it grudgingly, and turned away from Pisces without another word.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will continue our lessons from yesterday! Clear your desks and begin forming your spells again. I want to see more attention to detail, Springwalker! And you\u2014Elkrin, is it? Your control of your [Fire Orb] spell is abysmal! Focus your flames or don\u2019t bother to cast the spell at all!\u201d<\/p>\n The lesson ended without incident, which was to say Ceria ended up being scolded for her lackluster performance. But she was more concerned with Pisces. After it was over, she walked down the corridor with him.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe you memorized all of that!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI paid attention in class, and I have a good memory.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces scratched at his hair self-consciously as they entered the banquet hall. Ceria saw Calvaron and Beatrice at their usual spot and waved to them. She got her food and made her way over. She and Pisces had to pause as an older man carrying a tray nearly ran them over. He grunted and without a word of apology went to sit at an empty table.<\/p>\n \u201cStupid Human. I nearly dropped my plate!\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria grouched as she sat down. She\u2019d taken some pork chops roasted in a sauce that smelled like peanuts today. Pisces had a more balanced meal; he\u2019d taken one of the pork chops and several sweet red fruits that tempted Ceria. He stared after the man, frowning.<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t that poor Elkrin? He seems upset.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShouldn\u2019t he be? You two were in Rievan\u2019s class just now, weren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron laughed and cleared part of their table so Pisces could put his food down. He and Beatrice were nearly finished with their meal\u2014some kind of small, round pasta-like food drizzled with a thick sauce and accompanied by steamed vegetables.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. Rievan tore a strip off of Elkrin for his spellcasting.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria nodded as she began to cut her meat apart. She still felt grouchy from having to deal with Rievan. She paused and narrowed her eyes at Calvaron.<\/p>\n \u201cWait a second. Isn\u2019t that a secret I should be charging you for?\u201d<\/p>\n He laughed and slapped at the lower, horse half of his body.<\/p>\n \u201cNot everything <\/em>is a secret, Ceria. Something as normal as that is just juicy gossip. But it looks like Elkrin\u2019s not taking the dressing down well, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria half-turned in her padded seat to look. Elkrin did have a murderous scowl on his face and no one was sitting with him. Calvaron shook his head as he tsked<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cAttitude problem. He may be a good adventurer, but you have to be willing to learn if you want to stay here. I bet he\u2019ll be gone within the week.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces and Ceria exchanged a glance at this. They could understand not liking Rievan, but leaving because of that? Wistram was their dream.<\/p>\n Calvaron noticed the look.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly a few people actually quit, but they\u2019re usually only adventurers. Some of them\u2014even the good ones like the Gold-rank adventurers who come here to improve their craft\u2014they don\u2019t like being told the magic they practice is inefficient. So they leave.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStupid. Arrogant.\u201d<\/p>\n Beatrice put that in. The Dullahan was spoon-feeding her head on the table as usual, and she seemed content to let Calvaron do all the talking. Ceria had to agree with her, but she yawned as she opened her mouth. That made Pisces yawn too.<\/p>\n \u201cOho! You two look tired! Did you keep each other up at night, or is it just a coincidence?\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron dodged the rolled-up napkin Ceria hurled at him. He twisted his fingers and the ball of cloth flew back at her, forcing Ceria to duck or let it smack her in the head.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t throw things unless you can catch them when they come right back at you, Springwalker. Telekinesis and levitation spells come later in the year though, I\u2019m afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat. I\u2019ll be sure to heave my plate at you when your back is turned, then.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria growled as she picked her napkin up from the floor. Calvaron just laughed again. He was always ready to smile, which made Ceria wonder if all Centaurs were so good-natured. Beatrice on the other hand was as prone to smile as a rock.<\/p>\n \u201cHow were your other classes? Did you like learning about enchantments? I always found that class dull, myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria shrugged and Pisces smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cOur teacher\u2014Fedric\u2014is fairly good at saying as little as he needs to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFedric? Oh, he would be. Dullahans are like that, aren\u2019t they, Beatrice?\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron nudged Beatrice\u2019s body, and her head on the table scowled at him.<\/p>\n \u201cI say what I have to. I don\u2019t run my mouth, Calvaron.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m surprised to see so many Dullahans in Wistram. No offense, but I\u2019d barely heard of your people before coming here.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria looked at Beatrice with interest. Fedric, their teacher for their class on enchantments, was an old male Dullahan. She\u2019d seen a number of them in the corridors as well.<\/p>\n Beatrice just shrugged her shoulders as she swiveled her head to talk to Ceria.<\/p>\n \u201cNot too many. But all good spellcasters get sent here from Baleros. One continent means lots of Dullahan applicants.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue enough.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron nodded. He pointed across the banquet hall, and Ceria saw a group of six Centaurs walking down the hall. They were far bigger than most students, and so they had to walk single-file to get in line.<\/p>\n \u201cMy people don\u2019t usually go in for spellcasting, but like Beatrice said, the best come here and there are a lot of us on Baleros. That\u2019s why you\u2019ll see quite a few species that are rare in most places. Selphids, for instance.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria and Beatrice shuddered a bit at the mention of that race. Ceria had seen the deathly-white students walking the halls, dead bodies controlled by their parasitic owners. Calvaron shrugged stoically.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re not so bad when you get used to them. I know they get a bad rap back home, but the ones here are all very polite.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWistram truly does have more species than I\u2019ve ever seen before.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces wiped at his mouth with a napkin. Calvaron grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re way more diverse than most cities, it\u2019s true. Anyone who can become a mage or learn a magical class is welcome here\u2014if they\u2019ve got talent and coin. Of course, not all races are as gifted as others. That\u2019s why you won\u2019t see many Minotaurs, although I\u2019ve heard they can make good mages. But most Minotaurs don\u2019t like to use magic, so they\u2019re not inclined to study here anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I bet some species aren\u2019t as numerous or trusting of Wistram.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria said that thoughtfully as she chewed on some cow\u2019s tongue she\u2019d found under one of her pork chops. Calvaron grimaced and looked away as he replied\u2014he hated to eat identifiable body parts, although he was surprisingly unconcerned about eating cows. Ceria had wondered if he would have been bothered by meat, but apparently Centaurs were far enough away from cows to eat them without guilt. She wondered how they felt about horses.<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean half-Elves, Ceria?\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugged. She\u2019d seen a few half-Elves roaming the halls, but they were far from common. She\u2019d been tempted to talk with them, but it wasn\u2019t as if she was back on Terandria and she had to stick with her own kind. Plus, she was a new student and she wasn\u2019t sure if she\u2019d make it past the exams.<\/p>\n \u201cI know my people are naturally good at magic. But\u2026I can\u2019t say I\u2019m surprised there aren\u2019t many around. We\u2019re not exactly welcome to strangers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou and the Gnolls. You know, of all the species in the world, the only race who won\u2019t set foot on Wistram are the Gnolls?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n Both Pisces and Ceria frowned at Calvaron. Ceria tried to think of a Gnoll, but only had a vague image of a furry dog-like person, similar to one of the Beastkin tribes from Baleros. She\u2019d never seen one in person before; she heard they lived on Izril and seldom ventured as far as Terandria.<\/p>\n The Centaur nodded, frowning a bit as he explained.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a real pain too, apparently. A lot of Gnolls are famous [Merchants] and [Traders], you know. They\u2019re pretty resilient and their tribes like to move about exchanging goods. But none of them will do any kind of business with Wistram, even through middlemen. It\u2019s some kind of grudge, although I\u2019ve never heard what it was about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? A Gnoll grudge? I hear they keep those for lifetimes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToo right. It\u2019s a shame too, because I\u2019d bet their tribes would benefit from having a few of their number learn magic. But\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron shrugged. Beatrice raised her head so she could get everyone\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n \u201cA Gnoll did come here to study once, though. About a decade or two ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA Gnoll? You\u2019re pulling my hoof, Beatrice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope. He came but dropped out before his first year was up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur leaned towards Beatrice, but the Dullahan closed her lips in a slight smile.<\/p>\n \u201cSecret. Pay me and I\u2019ll tell.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone chortled at that. Calvaron was fairly rich in secrets Ceria had learned, and many students and mages came to him to exchange tidbits for goods and services. But Beatrice had her own collection of secrets, as any longtime mage in Wistram did.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s worth a juicy secret. Would you consider a trade for something else? How about other goods and services rendered\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron wiggled his eyebrows at Beatrice and she smiled a bit wider.<\/p>\n \u201cNot worth my time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, you!\u201d<\/p>\n They liked each other. It was quite obvious from the way they flirted. Calvaron did it openly, Beatrice with deadpan remarks that might be serious or a joke; you could never tell which.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like you\u2019d better cough up a secret if you want to know, Calvaron. Me and Pisces don\u2019t have enough to cover the costs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll pass. You don\u2019t collect as many secrets as I do by spending them frivolously.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron waved a hand. Pisces looked intrigued and leaned forwards over the table.<\/p>\n \u201cJust how many secrets have<\/em> you obtained during your stay here, Calvaron?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a secret in itself, my dear Pisces. But suffice it to say, I\u2019ve got more than one person\u2019s little tidbits locked away in my head.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur tapped his head importantly. Pisces looked impressed as he nodded, but Ceria thought the Centaur was full of it. She raised her eyebrows.<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean, you\u2019re a secret keeper? Ooh. Fancy.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces snorted. Across the table, Beatrice choked on her food. She had to place her head on the table while the rest of her body pounded on her chest. Ceria and Pisces nearly fell over themselves laughing as Beatrice\u2019s face contorted and Calvaron had to reach over and slap her on the back a few times. When she was done, the Dullahan turned her head with her hands so she could glare at the two.<\/p>\n \u201cNot that funny.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was pretty funny. No one calls people like me secret keepers or\u2014or shadow brokers or anything like that, Ceria. I\u2019m just a broker, a middleman. Or middle-Centaur if you like. It doesn\u2019t roll off the tongue as smoothly. I buy and sell.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd make a good profit, I\u2019ll bet. You\u2019re rich!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWistram rich, my dear half-Elf. It\u2019s not the same as being actually rich. If I left this small isle no one would know my name. Here I have a bit of power.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhich explains why you maintain your independent status. Any faction in the academy can treat with you without fear you\u2019ll trade their secrets away. It\u2019s a valuable position to be in.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces observed that as he glanced carefully at Calvaron. The Centaur\u2019s eyes focused on Pisces and he gave the younger man a nod of respect.<\/p>\n \u201cSharp, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe hides it well. Tell us more about these factions, Calvaron. How did they pop up?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. It\u2019s a long story\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron glanced at one of the windows that let bright sunlight into the room. Ceria knew this was just theatrics; the Centaur had very few classes she understood, and he liked to lounge around in the banquet hall with Beatrice.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, you\u2019ve got time and we don\u2019t have classes for the rest of the day. Give us new students a bit of history.\u201d<\/p>\n The Centaur grinned as he popped another grape into his mouth.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat, for free? This isn\u2019t just gossip. Some of this stuff is important. I can\u2019t just give it away! You know how it works. Secrets for secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces and Ceria both groaned at the same time. Ceria was going to tell Calvaron she didn\u2019t want to know that bad when Pisces raised a finger.<\/p>\n \u201cWould a small one do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor general history? I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron\u2019s eyes sharpened, and the Centaur leaned forwards. Ceria saw Beatrice\u2019s hands move; the Dullahan\u2019s head whispered something and Ceria felt magic around the four of them. Some other students looked around, but most seemed used to what was going on.<\/p>\n It was an exchange of secrets. Calvaron and Pisces spoke to each other, but Ceria only saw a blur around their mouths and heard nothing. The Centaur had pulled a small crystal out of a belt pouch; it glowed bright red as Pisces spoke. The Centaur nodded, and in the next moment the bubble of silence dissipated.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019d say that qualifies. How did you find out?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces smiled enigmatically at the Centaur.<\/p>\n \u201cSecrets for secrets. To learn my method, you\u2019d have to pay quite a lot, my dear Calvaron.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose I deserved that.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria was dying to know what Pisces had told Calvaron\u2014it could be just pointless information, but how had Pisces found out? She knew she wouldn\u2019t get an answer from the Centaur though, so she pointed at the gem that the Centaur was putting back into the pouch at his waist.<\/p>\n \u201cIs your truth crystal broken? It glowed red when Pisces spoke.\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head, grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cNope. It\u2019s a little trick. Most truth spells glow green or blue or white when someone tells the truth, right? I\u2019ve enchanted mine to do the opposite. Sometimes you can throw someone off with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces nodded as if this was perfectly sensible, but Ceria just rolled her eyes again.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything in Wistram seems like a trick or mind game.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s just because you\u2019re new. You\u2019ll get used to it quick enough. Now, I believe I owe you some history?\u201d<\/p>\n All four students took the moment to refill their plates. Ceria took some cold cubes of ice and splashed them into a sweet drink of fruit, delighted at the luxury of it. She sipped at her drink as Calvaron began speaking.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose you know Wistram has been around for thousands of years. It was founded oh, way back, when a lot of nations were at war and mages wanted a place to learn and teach in peace. Well, Wistram may have gained and lost power over the years, but it\u2019s always been independent. No nation controls us\u2014we have an army of our own here and only a truly grand fleet could make it to our shores with weather spells raised against them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot to mention Wistram provides many services.\u201d<\/p>\n Beatrice put that in. Calvaron nodded proudly.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do provide the best spells and mages. You can trust a Wistram-certified enchantment. And we can enchant weaponry and other artifacts as well. We do a booming trade with adventurers who want better gear or to have something analyzed\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, yes. Wistram is great. That\u2019s why we came here.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria cut in, impatient to get to the good part.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does this all have to do with factions? From what I\u2019ve heard, they didn\u2019t always exist.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Miss Busy half-Elf, they didn\u2019t. And if you\u2019d let me explain, you\u2019d know that a few centuries ago, mages competed in Wistram quite fiercely. It was every mage for himself and they formed their own groups\u2014but there was no faction. Instead, powerful mages attracted people to them. One of them was Archmage Zelkyr. Mind you, he wasn\u2019t just an Archmage, but an actual<\/em> [Archmage].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe obtained the class?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces\u2019 eyes were shining, and Ceria scooted forwards on her seat. Calvaron nodded, looking just as excited by the idea.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a matter of history. The class does<\/em> exist, and he and the other [Archmages] who ruled Wistram at the time all had them. But Archmage Zelkyr was the best. He was a Drake \u2013 famous, you know, for being able to damage one of the Walled Cities\u2019 walls. But he was more famous for his ability to create Golems.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCognita.\u201d<\/p>\n Beatrice said it quietly. Calvaron nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cHer and an entire army of Golems. They eventually made it so that Zelkyr was in undisputed control of Wistram. He alone explored the higher reaches of the citadel, searching for ancient magics left behind by the greatest mages in Wistram\u2019s history.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHigher up? You mean, there\u2019s places not yet explored in Wistram?\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron nodded as if it were obvious.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. How many mages do you think lived in Wistram? The greatest of them\u2014legends who could cast countless magics\u2014all settled the highest floors. If you go exploring higher and higher you\u2019ll run across their creations, spells, and maybe their rooms. But imagine the amount of traps and dangerous spells up there! Just trying to break into a former mage\u2019s room is deadly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut Zelkyr had the monopoly on that, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria was beginning to understand what had happened, and why the upper floors were off limits now.<\/p>\n \u201cHe did indeed. Zelkyr ordered his Golems to guard the entrances to the upper levels and seal it off so only he could learn from the mages above. Of course, the other mages didn\u2019t accept that and there was a huge battle. But in the end his surviving Truestone Construct\u2014Cognita\u2014imposed a new order on the surviving mages. They could live and study in Wistram, but the upper levels were for Zelkyr and the few he trusted alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHence their current inaccessible state?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron pointed a finger at Pisces as he stole a grape from Beatrice\u2019s plate. She jabbed him with a gauntleted finger.<\/p>\n \u201cGah!<\/em> Damn it Beatrice, it hurts<\/em> when you do that!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen don\u2019t steal. Yes, Pisces, the upper levels are closed. The top three are only off limits for new mages, but after that\u2014there is a door. Cognita and many golems guard it. It leads further up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, but why hasn\u2019t anyone gotten Cognita to open it? Zelkyr is dead, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m getting to that! Hold on!\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron took a long drink, enjoying making Ceria and Pisces wait.<\/p>\n \u201cOne day, Cognita came down from the upper floors and announced that Archmage Zelkyr was dead. Ever since then, she and the other Golems have been maintaining Wistram. They still fulfill his orders by helping us, taking care of the academy, fighting off intruders and so forth, but his other order still stands. No one may venture above. So while Wistram is safe\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe higher magics are off-limits?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces looked dismayed at the thought. Calvaron waggled a finger at him.<\/p>\n \u201cJust the ones that belonged to the greats. There\u2019s plenty of mages here capable of casting Tier 5 spells, or even Tier 6. But higher than that\u2026? You\u2019ll have to get past Cognita first, and that\u2019s pretty much impossible. If you challenge her, you\u2019ll be fighting her and Zelkyr\u2019s best creations.\u201d<\/p>\n Beatrice\u2019s armor shuddered a bit and she turned the corners of her mouth down.<\/p>\n \u201cGolems. Scary.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria thought that was ironic coming from a Dullahan, but she had to admit that for all Beatrice was a disembodied head and a body covered in light metal armor, she was clearly alive. Cognita and the other Golems were not. There was an important distinction there.<\/p>\n \u201cSo Cognita\u2019s not just a nice, friendly Golem?\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron snorted.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s as nice as a Golem can be, which is sort of. But try to get past the door and\u2026you\u2019re dead. No one\u2019s gotten past her since Zelkyr died.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd so far no one\u2019s tried?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd so far no one\u2019s survived.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Beatrice said it quietly. Calvaron nodded soberly.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, countless mages challenged Cognita and the Golems in the past. Some did it by themselves, others attacked in groups or tried to catch the Golems off-guard. None succeeded. The Golems are powerful, and Cognita\u2019s the strongest of them all. I\u2019ve never seen her fight personally, mind, but there are other guardian Golems that Zelkyr made. Occasionally some group of mages decides to challenge them, but they\u2019re always killed.\u201d<\/p>\n Both Ceria and Pisces shuddered. Beatrice looked between them and shook her head with her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. So long as you never try to get past the door, you\u2019ll be fine. And there are other places below the door that are still unexplored.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike below. There\u2019s plenty of passages unexplored there, although we do have a problem with the undead. There are a lot of bones stored in the catacombs and they sometimes reanimate people who get killed down there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLovely. And\u2026wait, how does this have anything to do with factions?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m getting <\/em>to that. You\u2019re the most impatient half-Elf I know, Ceria.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m the only one who\u2019ll put up with a Centaur like you, Calvaron.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah! True. Anyways, the factions in Wistram popped up because there\u2019s no one mage who\u2019s powerful enough to really control everyone like there used to be. Now our Archmages are just the greatest mages among us, not those with the actual class. And factions are just mages with similar ideals.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike the Revivalists. My faction. You two should join if you pass the exam.\u201d<\/p>\n Beatrice smiled at Pisces and Ceria. Calvaron rolled his eyes and tipped her head over.<\/p>\n \u201cStop that, Beatrice! Ignore her, you two. You don\u2019t want to get wrapped up in factional politics before your exam. That could really hurt your chances to get in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy? Surely if we pledge to one faction, they could help us succeed?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces seemed curious. Beatrice took the moment to respond\u2014she\u2019d cast a spell that made all the hairs on Calvaron\u2019s horse-half stand up, which the yelping Centaur was having to dispel.<\/p>\n \u201cThey might. But other factions don\u2019t like giving one strength. So it\u2019s a bad idea. Sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n Calvaron gasped as he managed to remove Beatrice\u2019s shocking hex. He glared at her, but she gave him a satisfied look and he decided not to escalate the situation.<\/p>\n \u201cYou won\u2019t have to deal with them too much. Just know that some mages belong to a group with certain ideals. They differ in how they agree of course, but they stick together when it comes to voting or pushing their agendas. Illphres, for example. Remember her?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria ground her teeth together. She was still sore about not being taught any combat magic all this time she\u2019d studied here.<\/p>\n \u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, she\u2019s an Isolationist. Thinks we should only allow mages who are already strong to join and that we should be reaching for greater heights in magic. That\u2019s why she didn\u2019t want to teach you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t the other factions force her to teach?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey can\u2026but Illphres is stubborn and it\u2019s not worth the battle. They\u2019ll use her not teaching to their advantage instead; the others will be able to say the Isolationists don\u2019t contribute their fair share and be able to vote against them. So Illphres is harming her own faction, but she\u2019s too influential for anyone to stand up to her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd meanwhile we<\/em> suffer for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria angrily stabbed her cold pork, but Calvaron just shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s bad luck I\u2019m afraid. Sorry. But there are other factions in Wistram you should know about. Your good friend Rievan, for instance, belongs to the Libertarian group. They want us to start taking sides with different nations and throwing our influence around.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds like a bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t let any of the Libertarians catch you saying that. A lot of them are from Terandria, and they take a deep interest in the politics from there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo factions are something else we\u2019ll have to worry about?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria didn\u2019t like the thought of that, but Calvaron just chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cNot for a while, and certainly not until you pass your exam. And if you get strong enough, you might be able to deal with factions on your own. The more important you are, the less your connections and factions matter. Then it\u2019s just about who you are as a [Mage].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut it sounds like unless I\u2019m a powerful mage, I\u2019ll need<\/em> to join a faction or be in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria pointed that out and Pisces nodded in agreement. Calvaron paused before shaking his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNot necessarily. You see, the factions keep each other in check so that the independents like me can function. How can I explain it? Okay, let\u2019s say someone\u2014a certain angry Elementalist teacher for instance\u2014wanted to harass you. Because he doesn\u2019t like your ears.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe doesn\u2019t<\/em> like me because of my ears.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but he\u2019s not actively trying to harm you or get in your way, is he? That\u2019s because if he did start attacking you, the Revivalists and the Preservationists would be all over him. They don\u2019t want him to alienate your people\u2014or spread the rumor that Wistram is a speciesist institution.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPreservationists? That\u2019s a long name, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey chose it, not us. Anyways, Mister Angry Elementalist would have to have a lot of support from his faction to get at you. He\u2019d also have to consider your friends, and how much the other factions would retaliate if he went at you. Mind you, you\u2019re hanging out with second and third-year students who aren\u2019t powerful. Beatrice is a [Runeshaper] and I\u2019m just a generalist [Mage], so we don\u2019t have much clout.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou study runes, Beatrice? You never said.\u201d<\/p>\n Beatrice nodded. She tapped at her armor where Ceria now saw some carved symbols etched into the metal.<\/p>\n \u201cWorking on some personal enchantments. Rune magic is very popular among Dullahans. But not powerful in faction.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. But don\u2019t worry\u2014Rievan\u2019s not going to try anything. It would be too much trouble if he did and you\u2019re not worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, it\u2019s just politics. Like how you got stuck with Rievan and Illphres anyways. That was due to a squabble with the factions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Would you mind explaining how that happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces was interested, although Ceria wasn\u2019t. Calvaron shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cYou really want to know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019ll tell Pisces and you can just eat your dead pig, Ceria. Now, the current mages teaching are mostly mages who like doing it. Some mages earn their keep and just live here by teaching. It\u2019s not going to make them influential, but it is necessary and so they keep doing it. But a year ago, Tshya, the old Drake who taught me and Beatrice, died.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPoor Tshya.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe had scale rot. Very nasty odor. He never cleaned himself right near the end.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCalvaron!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, he didn\u2019t! Remember the smell? And he was old. But he was in charge of a lot of lessons, and so the council wanted another of the oldest and most inactive mages to take on the job. Unfortunately, that would have meant choosing Belfore\u2014he\u2019s a Preservationist, just like Yim, the other teacher who was taking on a lot of classes. But that would have meant that the Preservationists were essentially doing all the teaching, and they didn\u2019t want to let that happen in case it became precedent. So they insisted<\/em> that the teaching be taken up by mages from all factions, which led to, among others, Rievan getting tapped for the job.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not that important. So he got the job.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see. But what about Illphres? You said she was important?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, well, the Centrists\u2014they\u2019re the ones who want us to make every mage in the world part of Wistram and declare ourselves a nation\u2014they\u2019re always fighting with the Isolationists. And they really don\u2019t like Illphres, so they nominated her. And she\u2019s got a lot of enemies so they passed the vote and made her take the classes.\u201d<\/p>\n Beatrice smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cSimple, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria clutched at her head while Pisces nodded and kept asking more questions. Ceria went off to get dessert\u2014a lovely bread with sugar baked into the crust and glazed with honey. Mages ate well at Wistram, but this was a treat. She returned to the table and suffered through more discussions of politics. Pisces looked hurt when she suggested they leave.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t find this interesting? There\u2019s so much depth<\/em> here!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDepth is for people who want it. I came here for magic, not politics.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria groused. But she had one thought. She turned to Calvaron and Beatrice.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about Amerys? Does she belong to any faction?\u201d<\/p>\n The two older students blinked at her. Calvaron slowly shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cAmerys? Some factions wouldn\u2019t have her simply for what she\u2019s done. Others might, but Amerys has never approached anyone. The mage of the King of Destruction\u2019s Seven stands alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe has friends.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore enemies than friends by a long shot. No, Amerys is alone, for all she\u2019s an Archmage. I\u2019d walk clear of her if I were you. No one forces her to do anything. And she\u2019s unpredictable at best.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike when she went out to fight the Sea Serpent. That was a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot really. You know she likes battle, Beatrice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought she did it to gain favor with the Revivalists, or maybe the Centrists.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHer? Hah! Never. Now, I can see one of the other Archmages doing that. Old Verdan Blackwood for instance could have taken down the Sea Serpent, but Amerys volunteered. Do you know what happened after that? Pisces, you\u2019re not going to believe this\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Somehow, it was dinner time before the conversation ended. Ceria and Pisces loaded up their plates with more food and chatted with Calvaron and Beatrice for another hour until Ceria decided they really did need to get back to their rooms to study.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe we talked for six hours!\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria exclaimed out loud as she and Pisces headed back to their rooms. He only smiled, looking as happy as she\u2019d ever seen him.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s wonderful isn\u2019t it? This place is such a haven of learning. I feel like I\u2019m right at home when I have discussions like these.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMore like a place to get fat. I ate too much.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood food, magic, and interesting people to talk to. What\u2019s not to love?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRievan. And Illphres. And Charles de Trevalier.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, besides them.\u201d<\/p>\n Both students laughed as they went back to Pisces\u2019 room. There they pulled out the spellbook and stared at it. Ceria wanted to learn another combat spell, and Pisces was still staring at one spell he claimed to half-understand already. After a while, Pisces spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re betting on us.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria raised her head with a frown.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBeatrice and Calvaron. I heard they\u2019ve put money that both of us will pass the exams.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPeople bet on who\u2019ll pass? Wait, of course they do.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria sighed. She felt annoyed that Calvaron and Beatrice were treating her getting into Wistram so trivially, but Pisces took the opposite view. He smiled at her.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be angry. If they didn\u2019t like us or care they wouldn\u2019t have made the bet. I think they\u2019re trying to help us. They give us tips and secrets for free all the time, don\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess. It\u2019s just\u2014we\u2019re going to need more than a bit of help if we want to be sure we\u2019ll pass.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria sighed, dispirited. Pisces raised his eyebrows and tapped the book in front of them.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what this is for. Look here\u2014I\u2019m certain this spell is in fact [Flash Step]. I had to get to one of the encyclopedias to look it up, but the spell\u2019s description seems to match this spell exactly!\u201d<\/p>\n Filled with sudden interest, Ceria peered at the spell. She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYou could be right!\u201d<\/p>\n Then her face fell.<\/p>\n \u201cBut there\u2019s only three weeks left until the exams. Not enough time for either of us to learn it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think I can do it. At the very least, I want to try.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria stared at Pisces. She knew he was smart. But this? [Flash Step] was a Tier 3 spell.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to try?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. And you can learn [Stone Fist] as well. If we work together, we\u2019ll pass the exams.\u201d<\/p>\n Pisces grinned at her. Ceria felt her heart pounding in her chest. Just heard it. She smiled at Pisces, and held up a fist for him to bump his cautiously against.<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The stone halls were dark at night in Wistram. True, the mage-lights provided decent illumination, but the magics that controlled them dimmed the intensity of light that each floating orb of light or eternally burning torch gave off. Many mages didn\u2019t care to wander outside of the thick walls that made up the citadel that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693083,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693132],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-3712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-3","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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