Melody of Mana

I looked down from the window of my dorm. The city was currently in two states. While the streets were nearly dead to all traffic the walls looked like someone had kicked an ant nest. Men were running here and there, ostensibly setting up barricades and defenses, or delivering supplies to caches along its length. With a sigh I took another drink of my tea.

As far as things in the academy went, there had been some changes. Classes were cut so that we were now using almost no mana in them. The reasoning for this was simple, as much mana as possible had to be flooded into the school's wards. We didn't know if we'd be attacked, but it was safe to say that if the city was, the academy would be a rather large target for capture.

The only classes I was now using any mana in were my Healing and Combat Spellcasting courses. These were considered to be so important should the time come that practical experience was deemed invaluable. Even in those though we were going through a lot more theory than actual spellwork.

I'd taken time to make a few adjustments. Firstly there were a few things I was going to have with me at all times. These included a little bit of gold, hidden in a hollow in one of my shoes, my carrying case for my radio, and my spindle. The last of which was now mounted on a necklace beside the walkie, going everywhere with me. These were the only things I really considered crucial to have, the rest was nice, but not really that important. I did put a rather plain dress and the armor Professor Rooke had made for me in easy to get to places though, in case things started happening and I had time.

For the moment though the Central Duchies were holding. Nobody honestly thought that that would last forever, but there was hope. The real hope was that perhaps the enemy army would have supply issues like we were sure to soon. Of course that was more of a pipe dream, no chance they'd come all this way without proper supply lines.

I slipped out of my room and made my way down the halls, heading for my next class. I still had plenty of time, but getting out and moving sounded like a wonderful idea. It was so quiet, everyone seemed tense and worried, conversations never growing much beyond whispers in the halls.

We'd also lost a good number of our older students. Many of those boys who'd been of age, almost all in their final year, had left the academy to go and help with the preparations, and the fighting to come. They'd been extended that option, and told in no uncertain terms that they'd be welcomed back when classes resumed.

Those of us who were left behind could only worry and grit their teeth as their friends, family, and lovers had been pulled into the effort. Particularly because it was becoming increasingly clear how much had been hidden from public knowledge. We were now getting a few rumors about how so many of the forces sent out in this war had never returned, or had been beaten so bloody that they could no longer function in their current forms. Letters informing students of their loved ones' deaths that had been kept hidden to keep morale up were now being delivered, one after the other. There was simply no reason to hide them anymore.

I sat through my classes, but it all seemed a bit forced. The teachers' hearts weren't in it, nor were the students. We were just learning to keep ourselves busy while those who had the power to do so made decisions that would spell the doom or deliverance of our country. Afterwards I went up to one of my favorite spots on top of a tower with Kala to watch the stars.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, leaning over and resting her chin on my shoulder.

"I'm wondering if we should stay here or not."

"Mmm, you're thinking that it might be better to go hide in the temple district, or perhaps with Lucien."

"Yeah. When things start getting hot..."

"If..."

"When. We're going to be sitting in one of the biggest targets."

"Fair. Then why haven't you whisked me away yet? I assume you don't plan to go alone."

"This is still probably the best place to be. The wards are strong, the teachers are bound to be tough, and there are still a lot of escape routes. Who knows what it'll be like somewhere else."

"And yet you're worried about it."

"Of course."

"Well, mind if I make a suggestion?" I leaned on her as she asked, nodding. "Let it be, there's no point in worrying about something. You've already made some plans, at least basic ones. Now trust that they'll do the best they can. Then depend on the rest of us. There's no point trying to handle it all alone."

We laid there, looking up at the sky for a few minutes in silence. "Do you think the country will survive?"

Kala blew out air with a huff. "Honestly? I kind of hope it does, if only for stability's sake, but I doubt it."

"And when it falls? Do you think that we'll be okay?"

"I mean, probably. Yeah, they might go after the royals, and their immediate families, but we're just a priestess and a bard. Who'd care about us either way so long as we don't make any big waves."

"One second." I sang up a silence bubble around us and Kala looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Giving us a bit of privacy?" She leaned forward a bit and I stopped her with a slight glare.

"Yes, because I'm not supposed to talk about what I'm going to."

"Oh."

"Did you know I met Crown Prince Lief a few years back?"

"Seriously? How?"

"Well, let's just say Dras and I ended up going on a nice brutal little adventure during an attempt on his life and we ended up with him for a day or two. He's... well, he was a bit naive. Generally a pretty good person though. He... helped solve an issue that had been hanging over me for awhile. Then I was told in no uncertain terms that we were probably never going to talk again."

"I'm not entirely sure what to say to that Alana. It's not every day that you learn two of your friends were all close to a potential king."

"Two? I thought you hated Dras." I chuckled.

"Hated? No, I was just jealous of how close he was to you. He's alright I suppose."

I laughed, "Yeah, and he's matured a good bit here recently too. When we were young he was just this little spitfire wizard who liked to hang out in all the wrong places."

"Like a bar that caters to prostitutes and other dregs?" She mimed fainting.

"Just so. What kind of horrible person would frequent such places?"

"I can only imagine someone of terrible moral standing. Indeed, I'd hate to associate with such characters!" Kala loudly proclaimed.

"Well, it could be worse. At least they wouldn't be boring. Can you even imagine spending time with a bunch of... I don't know, priests or something? The mere thought of the lectures could put me to sleep."

"Oh my sweet, you have no idea the horrors that lie that way."

The two of us sat there and laughed for a bit. It was refreshing, I'd been stressed and not had a good one of far, far, too long. Soon enough though we ended up going back to our star gazing.

It was nearing time for us to head back inside and actually sleep when I heard a ringing. Kala popped up, her hair falling over her shoulders as she looked around. It took both of us a few minutes to realize what was going on as a series of lights appeared near the city wall. The sound of the explosions took another moment or two to reach us.

The world seemed to stop between the rings of the alarm bell. Somehow the enemy had made it all the way to the capital's wall without anyone knowing. Had the Central Duchies fallen? Had they just been bypassed? It was impossible to know.

The two of us watched in stunned silence for a few moments. We looked on as flash of light after flash of light flowed over the walls, some of it seeming to bounce up and around them. It seemed the wards were holding back whatever magics they'd released against us. Even then it was still shocking to watch.

Kala's hand grabbed for mine, holding it tightly. I was sure that my face mirrored the terror and surprise written now on hers. Both of us watched with wide eyes as the assault continued, unsure of what to do.

Then there was another bell, this much closer. The whole tower below us shook as the academy's alarms went off one by one. With a quick look at each other we both began to move.

The stairs seemed to fly by as we took them at speed. Neither of us yet knew exactly what the situation was, so the go to would be to head to the dorms rather than try to evacuate immediately. They had the best protections and thickest walls in the school, so were the elected place in case of an emergency. There were also plenty of escape routes from them as well, so we'd not be trapped if we did need to evacuate.

The sound of the school's alarms felt like it was nearly shaking the building as we breathlessly made our way into the halls. They were mostly empty at this hour and those that had been out of dorms seemed to have already made their way back as we ran along.

Our school may not have been overly complex in layout, but it was surely big. It was only a few halls until we came to the main atrium, across from which was the path home. Around the halfway point though there came a nearby booming sound, followed by a cloud of dust.

My heart seemed to freeze in my chest as a dozen men ran inwards from the front entrance. Each and every one had at least a minor aura, and they were all in solid black armor. I instantly regretted not casting invisibility over us, or using my communicator, or a hundred other possible protections I could have tried, but it was too late.

"Remember men, capture only. Minimal damage, particularly on the students. We want everyone alive." A man at the front said as they stepped in. His eyes locked on us as ours did on him. "We have our first targets."