The Burning Flowers

Chapter XV

The Battle of Stellareid spanned three days total, but in the end, the Kosah-Rei and Rickori Keskivaara’s forces were beaten back, though not without painful and destructive losses on Ijiria’s side. Most of the Company Lords had been killed in the initial blast caused by Lunara Noctis, and those who were never cursed were dragged from their offices in the Fourth Ring and beheaded out on the streets, leaving not a single one left alive by the time the fighting concluded. The Company buildings were ransacked by the traitors, and while Stellareid’s forces succeeded in retaking the Fourth Ring, there were a lot of valuable assets stolen or destroyed. The Fourth Ring was the site of most of the battle, and once Ilirianna Iiji and the remains of her royal team were recovered enough, they played a massive role in driving the traitors back and overrunning them in the Third, Second, and First Rings. By the third night, the chaos was quelled and Stellareid was retaken, but even though the Great City remained under Ijirian control, there were few among them who considered it a victory.

The six leaders of the Kosah-Rei never made another appearance, successfully escaping alongside Rickori Keskivaara and his husband, Velanor Kinrono. Only Nigreos and Lunara were successfully apprehended and locked deep in the Saientia dungeons, with higher security dedicated to guarding them than had ever been posted within the castle. They didn’t want a repeat of what happened with Uma Miyon, so anybody allowed near the dungeon was thoroughly checked for Leiolai Sartella’s biological magic. On top of the failures to kill or capture any significant leaders, the Ijirian side suffered losses so great that it would be an embarrassing stain on their reputation that they would never be able to wipe away.

Acostav Luz had been killed in Lunara’s activation of the Teritus, only to be swiftly followed by Viiro Noctis and Eko Luz. Fayela Rio, Hirokol Pafran, and Jessi Yuahl lost their lives fighting Quill Tyrus, and Ella Cartigan was murdered in an attempt to stop Uma’s escape from Saientia. Nobody knew what became of Abigail Reiner, who disappeared during Nigreos’s capture and was never seen or heard from again. Nobody found a body, but no matter how hard they looked for her, there was nothing indicating what may have become of the young nature mage. Some believed she had been killed by the cultists and her body burned to cover up the evidence while others argued she might have been captured by them. A third theory was that she defected due to stress and had abandoned her duties as a member of the royal team.

Unfortunately, her disappearance wasn’t the only mysterious incident during the battle, for Lord Eganno Cartigan was killed under unclear circumstances. His body was discovered when Ilirianna Iiji went to his office in the castle to answer a summons, only to find him slumped on the ground, his throat slit open and his life already ended. Nobody knew how Saientia was infiltrated or who killed him, with some wondering if he committed suicide due to the shame of his loss. Many others were blaming Leiolai Sartella, arguing that she must have used changeling magic to assassinate him. Ilirianna voiced her agreement, but the changeling was not found before the battle ended, so the Lord of Stellareid remained unavenged.

Upon the conclusion of the battle, Ilirianna took up control of the Great City while awaiting the arrival of the Lord’s younger daughter, Thea Cartigan, who had been spending time with her extended family across the bay in Jeysa and was the next in line to lead the City with her father and older sister dead. Given the fact that the young woman had never fully prepared to lead Stellareid, it was decided that her uncle and aunt would accompany her and provide her advice in the attempts to help the city recover. Unfortunately, such destruction would take a long time to come back from, and it was likely that Stellareid would never again reach its previous heights in anybody’s lifetime. The Kosah-Rei and Keskivaara ravaged it, crippling scientific advancement and burning the economy to the ground.

It took Thea Cartigan over a week to prepare and arrive, and by the time she did, riots were spreading through the lower Rings in response to the Kosah-Rei’s attack, leaving Ilirianna eager to depart Stellareid and leave the issues in the hands of the rightful leaders. Her plan was to make for Erika the second they were able to, so when she passed things off to Thea, she promised that the capital city would provide them as much aid as they could. They decided to leave Iris Mackia in Stellareid for the time being due to the fact that the surviving healers were being overwhelmed with the injured, then made her own preparations to return to Erika.

Ideally, the remains of the dead would be brought with them in order to receive a proper burial back home, but most were lost in the chaos. The bodies of Faye, Jessi, and Hiro remained in Quill Tyrus’s pocket realm while very little was left of Viiro between Nigreos’s attack and Ilirianna’s blue flames atop the Grand Observatory. Only Acostav and Eko Luz were in conditions that allowed them to be transported, but since they were to be buried in Noctalus, they were sent in a separate carriage alongside Album that split off from the others and returned to Noctalus. Album was also charged with reporting the incident to Nogara Noctis and Ilum Luz, for new Masters of Darkness and Light would need to be appointed. The Noctalus also deserved to know the fates of Nigreos, Lunara, and Neah. The former two were removed from Saientia’s dungeon and transported back to Erika to face the consequences of their crimes.

The only ones remaining in the carriage that returned were Ilirianna Iiji, Ryokumo Caeli, and Rennigan Glaus, as well as the prisoners. The trip was silent, lacking any of the banter and fun that had defined the initial departure from Erika for the winter solstice. All they did was ponder and ruminate, wondering what they could have done better and if they could have saved any of those they lost. By the time they passed through the southern gates and entered the capital city, they were so exhausted that they hardly processed the fact that they were home. However, they traded uncertain looks as they asked themselves and each other,

“What now?”

***

Ilirianna Iiji took a deep breath as she watched the massive white tower that was the Citadel coming into view, for she knew that the upcoming hours would be far from easy. Word had certainly reached the royalty and the Masters of what happened in Stellareid, but few would know the true extent of what took place. They would turn to her for an explanation, and while it wasn’t hard to make her report, that wasn’t exactly what had her stomach churning and her heart pounding. The simple truth of the matter was that she was appalled by the idea of spending an elongated amount of time in the presence of Toranei Iiji and Nakoma Taurus, her real parents and the scum that had been lying to her face for the entirety of her life. She wanted nothing to do with them, and having spent so much time pondering what Tali Firrik and The Angel had told her, she had begun to find herself not sad or broken, but angry. She was utterly livid at what they had done to her, and a part of her hoped that she would enter that tower only to learn they had abruptly dropped dead. If not for the fact that her own life would be upended by it, she would have gone straight to Markreas and told him the truth.

But I can’t do that. At all costs, I must retain my right to the throne. If I learned anything in Stellareid, it’s that this empire cannot withstand the current rule. King Markreas and Lord Cartigan turned Keskivaara against us, and if not for their idiocy, Stellareid would not have been destroyed. I need to become queen for the sake of Ijiria, so I have to bite my tongue, pretend to be a princess, and get myself in that throne.

The carriage came to a stop, followed by the opening of the door by the driver as Ilirianna, Ryokumo, and Rennigan filed out onto the sidewalk and began approaching the Citadel's gates. She stopped for only a second to order the Erikan guards to remove Nigreos and Lunara from the other carriage and take them down into the dungeon before she continued into the gardens and towards the front doors of the tower itself. Unfortunately, her twisted hope was swiftly dashed when she caught sight of Nakoma Taurus and Koroha Rihtta waiting at the foot of the rounded staircase before those doors. They must have already received word of their arrival, and as Ilirianna and Nakoma made eye contact, she found she did not have the strength to smile or pretend to be happy to see him. She just stared at him and watched him rush towards them.

“Princess Ilirianna,” he began anxiously, very clearly wanting to pull her into a hug. Thankfully, he would not do so publicly, so the Master of Fire instead bowed. “Thank goodness you’re okay. Everything we’ve heard about what happened in Stellareid is so hard to believe, and the implications are…well…” Nakoma shook his head as he stumbled over his words. “The Masters are gathered in the Chambers with your mother and father, as well as Council Members Glaus and Orland, awaiting your report. Rennigan, your father also requests you attend, as well.”

Ilirianna saw Rennigan stiffen up, but the young man wasn’t going to defy a summons from his father, so he gave a meek nod. “R-right. Yes, of course.”

Ilirianna shrugged, her features neutral as she echoed the water mage’s affirmative, though not without tacking on a caveat. “Sure, but Kumo’s coming with me. I want him to be present for this, too.”

“Er, well…?” Nakoma hesitated, making it clear that Ryokumo attendance wasn’t exactly desired, but when Ilirianna narrowed her eyes and gave him a stern glare telling him it wasn’t up for debate, the Master of Fire conceded, though not without a flicker of surprise crossing his crimson eyes. “F-fine. Caeli may attend. Let’s be off.”

“Yes. Let’s.”

Following Nakoma and the silent Koroha into the Citadel, the five of them made their way through the silver and white hallways towards the nearest lift, upon which the Master of Wind cast Ortumo to begin their ascent. Ryokumo remained uncharacteristically quiet, not uttering so much as a lighthearted quip in his typical attempts to lighten dark moods. He just stood there, staring absently at the ground. Rennigan was pale with anxiety, his foot tapping uncontrollably as he wiped his hands on his pants a few times before shoving them into the pockets of his torn white jacket. When they arrived on their desired floor, they were taken to the obsidian slab that acted as the door to the Chamber of the Masters. Nakoma placed his hand into the indent meant for him, activating the charm that pushed the slab aside to admit them entry. Ryokumo and Rennigan exchanged glances, neither of them ever having been inside the Chambers before, and Ilirianna solemnly wished it could have been under better circumstances.

When they walked into the circular room, Ilirianna found that all of the remaining Masters were present at the table, with Sinna Cartus watching them with anticipation, Nyx Rana hardly acknowledging their arrival, and Edwar Grunly immediately scanning the arrivals for Abigail. The sight of the old Master’s shoulders drooping and his gaze lowering to stare at the table with a distraught expression caused Ilirianna’s heart to hurt. She desperately wanted to pull him aside and tell him Abi was okay, but she had promised her friend to never tell anybody but Ryokumo where she went, so Grunly would have to believe, like the rest of the world, that his beloved pupil was dead.

I’m sorry, Master Grunly. I’m so sorry…

As Nakoma and Koroha moved to take their seats, Ilirianna noted Kloras Glaus and Solomon Orland standing against the left wall, the latter watching with his own interest while the former instantly tried to make eye contact with Rennigan, who kept his head down and refused to look back. Lastly, King Markreas was sitting in the Grandmaster’s throne while Queen Toranei stood at his side, her features as stern and pompous as always.

Wipe that stupid look of your face, Mother. What right do you have to look down on anybody, you lying whore.

Ilirianna did her best to shove that intrusive rage back inside, knowing how detrimental it would be to lash out in such a setting. The young woman stopped on the opposite side of the table from her mother and the king, Rennigan and Ryokumo placing themselves on either side of her before the three bowed to the Masters, the royals, and the councilmen.

King Markreas took a deep breath as he watched them, though not without sparing an uncertain look at Ryokumo. Given that the wind mage was not requested to be there, he almost certainly wished to ask why he was, but since that was far from important given everything else, he must have decided it wasn’t worth it. Instead, he looked at Ilirianna with a soft, relieved smile, then began.

“Firstly, Liri, I am beyond happy that you’re alive. Everything we’ve heard about Stellareid has rocked me to the core, and I desperately wish for it to be untrue. So tell me…” Markreas’s lips tightened as he prepared himself. “Are Masters Viiro and Acostav truly dead? And were Nigreos and Lunara the culprits?”

Well, here we go. Really no reason to hold anything back, is there?

“Yes,” she answered. “Abigail managed to deduce that Lunara Noctis betrayed us to the Kosah-Rei months ago. She was given a Teritus, which is the name for the little red ring used to cast the combustion magic, and was the one who marked Ladies Nium Noctis and Clara Luz during the solstice. She then marked Acostav in Stellareid and, when Abigail confronted her, she pulled out the Teritus and personally combusted fifty percent of the Fifth Ring. Abi attempted to restrain her, but fighting a dark mage at night was not an easy task, and Lunara escaped to the Grand Observatory. As for Nigreos, upon learning of his sister’s treachery, he took her side, personally murdering Master Viiro and aiding in Lunara’s murder of Eko. Album succeeded in apprehending Lunara while myself and Caeli handled Nigreos. Both are currently being locked in the dungeons, but unfortunately, Lunara’s Teritus was destroyed in Album’s battle with her.”

Much of that information must have already reached Erika, but even so, the stunned expressions of all present told her that many had been trying to deny that it could be possible. Ilirianna personally confirming it must have been the final straw to force them to accept the reality that was the Battle of Stellareid. To her dismay, the first to recover and provide a follow-up question was Grunly.

“And…what of Abigail?” he inquired. “Has she returned with you? Or…?”

Ilirianna internally apologized to the Master of Nature once more before replying, “We do not know. She disappeared the night the battle began, and was never found either dead or alive. It pains me to say it, but I think she may have been killed by the cult and her body burned to ash. That feels like the only explanation, for I can say with certainty that Abigail Reiner would have never abandoned her responsibilities and run. I’m sorry, Master Grunly. Truly…”

“Ah…?” The old man’s eyes glistened with tears that he was fighting back. “Is that so? I see… Abigail…is dead…?”

Damn it… Hold it together, Ilirianna… Don’t you cry, too… Not yet, at least.

“We lost a lot of good mages that day, it seems,” Markreas uttered as he slumped back in his seat and shook his head. “What of Album? Or the other Academy students who accompanied you?”

“Album returned to Noctalus with the bodies of her father and brother while Iris Mackia survived and remained in Stellareid to help the medics, but…”

Ilirianna paused, sparing a sidelong glance at Rennigan, silently asking if he wished to give the report or if he preferred for her to do it. He glanced up at her, his golden eyes full of agony, but he mouthed a thanks, then forced his head to raise as he addressed those present.

“We identified the sixth leader as a man named Quill Tyrus, who was under cover via changeling magic as the ringmaster of a traveling circus present in the city,” he stated with as much confidence as he could. “Master Acostav was suspicious of this man, so my team and I spent time investigating him. He got the better of us, trapped us in a pocket realm and…” Rennigan swallowed, then forced out the rest. “He killed the other members of my team…and would have killed me, too, if Caeli hadn’t arrived when he did. Tyrus is not to be underestimated, and from what we gathered after the fact, the circus’ staff was mostly infiltrated by transformed cultists. Stellareid, like Hiriech, was highly compromised before the battle even began.”

“You’re kidding…” Markreas slowly shook his head, having obviously not realized the full extent of their loss.

As the king muttered to himself Kloras Glaus finally broke his silence and intervened. “Your whole team, Rennigan? That’s…?” The young man’s father furrowed his brow, seemingly unable to figure out what to say to his son. “But…we must have accomplished something, at least? Did we kill a cultist? Did we succeed at getting Vesh? What of Miyon? Son, Princess, answer me!”

Rennigan weakly shook his head, and since it was her responsibility to answer that question, Ilirianna retook control of the conversation. “We lost, Council Member. Sartella and Kristoff broke Miyon free, killed Lady Ella Cartigan, and got away. Tyrus escaped from Ryokumo and Rennigan, and Vesh got away from me with the help of Keskivaara. All we accomplished was capturing the Noctis. Even Lord Cartigan was slain in the midst of it all. I wish I could report better news, but I cannot.”

The room fell into a heavy silence, with even the more stoic Sinna and Koroha showing sickened expressions as they all processed what she had said. She was the bringer of bad news, and in their eyes, she and her team would have failed their mission miserably. The great royal team of Ilirianna Iiji was fractured and defeated. At the very least, nobody was left alive to tell them that she had attempted negotiations with Keskivaara behind Markreas’s back, for Viiro, Acostav, and Cartigan were gone while Album, Ryokumo, and Rennigan had agreed to keep it secret. Nigreos might sell her out, but then again, he might not bother. If he did, she would handle it.

“Tell me, Liri,” Toranei began, naturally the first to recover from the news. “Is Neah Noctis truly fused into Lunara like the reports said?”

Ilirianna nodded curtly, biting back a nasty attitude. “Yes. I’ve scanned Lunara personally and can confirm that somehow, Sartella merged Neah with her older sister, putting her into some sort of hibernation so that a cure for Hell’s Shadows could be found in the meantime. I have no idea how to get Neah out without Sartella’s help.”

“I see,” Toranei grunted. “That then calls into question what to do with Lunara Noctis. Naturally, Nigreos will be executed for his crimes, but I’m not sure Noctalus would accept Neah’s death should we kill Lunara. It may be better to remove the littlest sister before executing the older one. Edwar, is there any chance you could find a way to free Neah?”

Grunly spared a glance a Toranei, his mind still clearly torn by Abigail’s fate. “I do not know, My Queen. I have little knowledge of biological magic, and even if we did remove her, she would still die of her condition eventually.”

“Yes, but better she dies naturally than by our hand,” Toranei pointed out. “Noctalus would have less grounds to complain, which I feel is imperative. Relations between Erika and Noctalus are sure to be strained given all that has happened, so the more we can appease them right now, the better.”

“I suppose so…” Grunly murmured. “I’ll look into it, but…Princess Ilirianna may be right. Sartella, or another changeling on her level, might be the only way to save her.”

“Then on that line of thought, what are we to do about the Masters of Darkness and Light?” Sinna cut in, narrowing her eyes curiously. “Two of Viiro’s children are traitors while the third is clearly not a viable option. Meanwhile, Lord Nackaal never had legitimate children, and

Lord Nogara’s are too young and inexperienced. The Luz have the same issue with Lady Tanna’s death, Lord Eldoran’s lack of children, and Lady Ilum’s young sons. I suppose there is Album, but she is an eraser—hardly fit to be a replacement for Acostav.”

“Actually,” Ilirianna said before anybody else could speak. “While I have no solution for the Master of Darkness, I think these rare circumstances may call for a slight breaking of tradition. Album has more than proven that she’s overcome her mana deficiencies. She single-handedly captured Lunara Noctis in the dead of night mere minutes after losing her brother. She faced down a friend, composed and collected, and has proven to be a loyal ally to Ijiria as a whole. Yes, an eraser is not supposed to be Master of Light, but given that Lord Eldoran, who has vehemently opposed any sort of official position all his life, is the only other feasible option, I would request that Album be promoted to Master. Or at least temporarily while we train Lady Ilum’s sons for the job.”

Naturally, this was a controversial opinion and Ilirianna could see in the Masters’ eyes that they all wanted to oppose it, but at the end of the day, she was correct. They lacked a better option should Acostav’s little brother refuse, and an eraser serving as Master of Light was better than having it be vacant, especially if the Master of Darkness was not filled.

“Loath as I am to say it, we should not quickly discard that option,” Nakoma said hesitantly. “We need a Master of Light, and Album Luz is a talented mage.”

“Master Taurus,” Kloras snapped, having been the most visually opposed to Ilirianna’s suggestion, and of course, that wasn’t surprising. Having the Luz eraser in the Citadel put her close to high value targets that, should she go rogue, would be easy pickings for her power. Kloras knew he was not well-liked, so there was no doubt he feared King Markreas turning Album against him. “I must protest, I—”

“Father,” Rennigan interrupted, his head still down but his voice firm. “Master Taurus and Princess Ilirianna are correct. A Master of Light will be needed, and Album is not a bad choice. It should be considered.”

“S-son…?”

“And while I’m certain my opinion means very little to the lot of you,” Ryokumo added, “I have personally been training alongside Album for the last few years. She is a brilliant mage, and a loyal, respectable woman. I, too, am with Glaus, Master Taurus, and Princess Ilirianna.”

Nobody was fully decided, but everybody seemed to understand the need to keep Album in mind. It would not be discarded, and while Ilirianna pretended to be merely suggesting it, she was fully prepared to do everything she could to replace Acostav Luz with Album, for she had a feeling that as the days passed, the more allies she had among the Masters, the better off she would be. After all, she could no longer rely on her mother or Nakoma, for they were liars and manipulators. She had no idea what the extent of Master Koroha’s knowledge was, so trusting her was off the table, as well, and if it was possible, she wouldn’t mind attempting to install Ryokumo in her place somehow. Sinna Cartus and Nyx Rana could go either way, but even they were not individuals she wanted to trust. Edwar Grunly was the only one who she felt she could rely on, but his days among the Masters were coming to an end—his retirement imminent.

Album would sooner be loyal to me than to the Ijirian Empire, as would Kumo. It may even be good to see if I can get Rennigan to replace Nyx, for I feel that after what he experienced in Stellareid, he’ll be thinking along similar lines as I am. Yeah, I need people like them serving under me when I succeed King Markreas, because if the replacement Masters are anything like these idiots…

Then the empire’s days are truly numbered…

***

The halls of the Ijirian Citadel were bustling as always, with groups of people hurrying about on business, many of them almost certainly overwhelmed after Stellareid’s fall. There wasn’t a second to waste, for they needed to minimize the damage caused by the battle at the City of Starlight. Yet, even with his surroundings being chaotic, Rennigan Glaus barely processed any of it as he put one foot in front of the other, moving solely on instinct. He didn’t want to think and hadn’t been thinking for quite some time now. He was more exhausted than he had ever been in his life, and he was surprised he managed to say anything when standing before the Masters of Ijiria. That night, from the second they entered the pocket realm to the capture of Nigreos Noctis, had been playing in his mind, incessantly repeating itself to the point that he felt he could recall it all perfectly. All of the suffering, death, and trauma followed him everywhere he went, both in waking and in sleep. It was maddening. He wanted to scream and cry and shove a dagger through his throat so he could be free of it all—so he could go join those he failed. The only reason he had yet to do so was because there was something he needed to do first, before he died.

I need to kill Quill Tyrus.

He could not face Faye, Hiro, and Jessi until that task was complete, so no matter how much agony he was in, he would not allow himself to be free of it until Quill Tyrus had met his end by Rennigan’s hand. It didn’t matter how long it took, somehow, he would find that man and he would kill him.

“You’re telling me to let you die, too—to walk away and pretend like I never knew you? Bullshit! It’s unfortunate that I’m unwelcome, but as you know well, Rennigan Glaus, you are stuck with me and you always will be. You’re not going to die on my watch.”

Rennigan internally scoffed as Ryokumo’s declaration came back to him like it often did when he thought of dying, and he still couldn’t quite wrap his head around it. It made little sense to him, for of everybody to tell him that they didn’t want him to die, Ryokumo Caeli was the one he least expected. It annoyed him beyond belief, just as it annoyed him that he appreciated those words. Even if he still wanted to be free, a small part of him was pleased to know somebody might just miss him when he was gone.

“S-son?”

It was as that word was stuttered behind him that he remembered his father was there, too, keeping a strange distance between them as they walked. Rennigan was sure that Kloras had plenty he wanted to say, but perhaps out of respect for what his son went through, he had yet to express any of his thoughts.

He’s probably pissed at me for failing so miserably. He bartered with Master Rana so that my team and I could have a chance at glory, and I squandered it. Then I go and talk back to him, supporting Album’s appointment to Master of Light even knowing that’s one of his greatest fears.

Of course, Rennigan didn’t regret speaking in Album’s favor, for he truly believed she would make a fine Master. She had overcome plenty of hardships in her life despite her noble birth into the House of Luz, and unlike him, she proved herself in Stellareid.

We need Masters we can trust… I spoke those words to Noctis the night we went to see Keskivaara… I told him I wanted to succeed Nyx Rana so that I could be that trusted Master, and when I saw Noctis fighting so hard to save his sister, I thought he could be that Master, too. Yet another example of me being fucking stupid… I hope you burn in the pits of hell, Nigreos… I hope you suffer for ever making me doubt that I could be wrong about you.

“Rennigan, please, look at me!”

Having already forgotten that his father addressed him, Rennigan entered the circular lift and turned back, watching as Kloras stepped beside him with an annoyed expression. The water mage sighed, cast Ortumo so they could descend, then finally responded.

“S-sorry, Father… My mind is elsewhere at the moment, and I really need to sleep.”

Kloras’s features shifted from irritated to remorseful, his tone turning softer. “Right, I’m sorry, Son. I’m just worried about you. I…” The man shook his head then placed a hand on Rennigan’s shoulder in a rare sign of affection. “I’m sorry about your team. I only met Fayela the one time, but…well, she seemed like a good person. She didn’t deserve that… None of them did…”

Knowing his father’s low opinion of Jessi and Hiro, a part of him wondered if Kloras was just saying that to be polite, but he quickly decided that he appreciated it regardless. “Yeah, well, thank you…”

“So what now?” Kloras inquired. “I’m not familiar with the Academy’s policy, so will you be given a new team?”

Rennigan’s lips tightened, for he’d already thought about that plenty of times on the trip back to Erika. “No… The Academy rules state that student death is the equivalent of failing their education, and as such, anybody who loses a team member is not strong enough to save them. The punishment is that you continue on. You get one team and one team only, so I’ll be working alone until I graduate.”

That's fine though. I wouldn’t want another team. Nobody could ever replace them, after all.

“Anyway, I’ll make do,” Rennigan went on. “I don’t plan on not graduating. I’ve got a Master to impress, so I’ll keep working my ass off. Now, I’m going to return to the Academy and get some rest, but if you need to discuss anything, I’ll be happy to meet with you tomorrow.”

Kloras’s eyes widened with surprise before he quickly said, “Hold on… I understand that, but first…were you being serious back there about appointing the Luz eraser to Master of Light? Does that not go against everything we stand for? Does that not give the Masters too much power?”

“Who knows?” Rennigan murmured with an apathetic shrug. “Who cares? Stellareid made it clear that we weren’t winning this war the way we thought we were. Perhaps the Masters need more power. Perhaps we should stop getting in their way and work with them to end this crisis before more people meet my team’s fate. We need a Master of Light, and if Album Luz is the only option, then we ought to pick her.”

“Er, Rennigan? What are you saying? Give the Masters more power? We need to—”

“Do what you want, Father, for it’s not my place to argue,” he snapped, talking over Kloras. “But that is my stance. I do not intend for my team to go unavenged. I will track down Quill Tyrus and I will kill him, but I can’t do that if the Masters of Ijira are handicapped. In more peaceful times, they should be checked, but in the middle of this war…” Rennigan glanced back and narrowed his eyes, wanting his father to know how serious he was being. “...we need all the strength we can muster.”

With that, Rennigan departed the lift with a stunned Kloras Glaus in his wake. He truly did mean what he said, and he hoped his father would heed his words. It was finally time for the Masters of Ijira and the Council of Elders to work together.

Fading away from the present once more, Rennigan continued to walk, finding himself first moving through the garden at the base of the Citadel before heading along the streets of Erika. He kept his head low, refusing to make eye contact with any of the civilians, all the while shutting out the sounds of merriment and cheer that permeated that strangely warm midwinter afternoon. His feet moved, his mind was blank, and eventually, he walked through the front gates of the Academy of Erika.

“As it so happens, poor Glaus was not able to secure himself a spot in the quiet room, so he reluctantly crawled his way down here where, obviously, there was also not a spot. Luckily for him, Jessi and I had already staked our claims on this table and, left with no other option, he hung his head and joined us.”

Rennigan moved down the walkway, hardly noting the other students around him, picnicking on the snow-covered lawn, training in mock battles, or complaining about upcoming exams.

“Stop being a grouch and smile for once!”

His eyes were growing heavy, as if he could drop right there and fall asleep in the snow.

“Alright, look… I know the two of us have never gotten along, but at the end of the day, we’re teammates. We’ve fought together for two and half years, so… I just felt bad that I got gifts for Jessi and Hiro and ignored you! When I saw Caeli got you something, I realized I was being stupidly petty, so we’re gonna go in this shop, you’re gonna pick out whatever you want, and I’m gonna buy it for you!”

He passed through the front doors of the third year dorm tower, making his way silently towards the lifts in the back, not even speaking a word of greeting to the young man behind the lobby desk.

“What, you never seen tits before? It’s okay, Glaus, we all know a virgin like you wouldn’t be able to handle professionals like them. They were sexy, that’s for sure, but you’ve gotta keep your priorities straight! This is a job! We can’t have fun! No pleasure houses for you!”

Eventually, he was standing in front of the door to his dorm room, his hand moving on its own to unlock it and permit him access.

“You cannot have Rennigan! I don’t know what happened to his head, but he’s clearly talking nonsense! You’re a murderer and I refuse to let somebody like you go back to Ijiria alive! If you’re Kosah-Rei then I’ll happily drag your body back to Princess Ilirianna and display you like a trophy!”

“Because, Glaus, I’m not gonna get out of here by walking over your corpse. I don’t want you to die for me, and I sure as shit am not backing down and allowing the asshole who murdered Jessi to run free! I need you…and… Hell, you're my goddamn roommate. We might not always get along, but we just lost Jessi… I don’t wanna lose you, too.”

“Rennigan! In your own words, we are not friends, right?! What reason do you have to remain behind for me?! Get to the port and go! You’re never going to become the Master of Water if you’re dead!”

The dorm room was deathly silent save for the echoes of his memories swirling through his mind. The living room was dark, the couch and table were both empty, the door to the bedroom was slightly ajar, and he could just barely make out Hiro’s unmade bed, just the way he had left it the day they departed for Noctalus. Rennigan kicked the front door closed behind him and stepped inside, stopping just beside the coffee table where he spotted one of Hiro’s textbooks laying open on the surface.

He dropped down onto the couch and sat still for a few seconds, barely making out the distant sound of students outside in the courtyard between the four dorm towers, but it seemed so far away that it might as well have been in a different realm altogether.

In the loneliness of that room, where nobody could see or hear him, nor could they offer him the comfort he so desperately desired, Rennigan Glaus lowered his head and could do nothing but sob.