Aaron M. Neal

Mira leaned over the starboard side railing of the Grey Hare gazing out across the shimmering waters.  The Golden Cliffs of Thera lived up to their name as the morning sunlight reflected off the sandstone bluffs.   Tall and majestic, these cliffs jutted hundreds of feet above the ocean, dominating the horizon as far as Mira could see.  This wasn’t the first time she had sailed from Ragner to Thera, yet still, the grandeur of the land left her in awe.

“Beautiful sight, aren’t they?”

Mira turned to see the ship’s captain, Jin Heleran, walking to join her.  At first glance, most would never take the man for a sailor.  Tall and wiry with neatly trimmed hair, the man wore the clothes of a nobleman, and although he had spent a lifetime on the seas, his skin was as fair as hers.  Jin rested both hands on the railing and smiled at her.

“They shine just about as bright as the coin I make over here,” he continued with a smirk.

“Typical Jin.  Only has sights on the profit.  Is that all you see in them?” Mira asked.

The man laughed.  “Well, I also see deadly rocks that’ll crush us if we get too close, but I suppose that isn’t quite as poetic.”

Mira rolled her eyes and sighed.

“What do you see?” he asked.

Her eyes focused on the massive cliffs.  “I see a land full of wonder and might.  A land that dominates over even the ocean.  A land of power.”

She leaned back from the railing and drew in a deep breath.  With the intake of air, she felt the power of this land, Airiya.  It whispered to her soul, so faintly that none of the other Ragnerians onboard could feel it.  Even she had to meditate for a month before she could first sense its presence in the air.  The power reached out to her, begging to be united with her, and so, she bonded the Airiya, fusing it with a portion of her soul.

A simple flame will suffice.

While she held onto this bonded Airiya, a red and white glow emitted from her skin.  Opening her palm up, she expended the power to cast a small tongue of fire that danced playfully in her hand.

Jin jumped back.  “Must you do that on my ship?!”

Mira let go of the remaining Airiya and closed her hand into a fist.  “This land has power.  Power that I intend to take back with us.”

Once the flame disappeared, the ship captain relaxed back on the railing.  Then he laughed.

“And you gave me shit about the money.  What makes you any different?”

She crossed her arms.  “Easy!  My cause is noble.  I will be the one to bring Airiya back to our lands to secure the throne for High Son Daeres.”

“Aye, best if you did,” he said with a grin.  “Because then I will be the man who made it possible.  Tharis and I would be living easy for the rest of our days.”

“Jin!  Look ahead,” shouted a voice from above.  Mira looked up at the crow’s nest to see Wren, a young boy, pointing ahead. “It’s the lighthouse.  We’re close.”

The captain pulled out a telescope and they strode to the bow of the ship.  Mira peered out in the direction Jin was looking and saw it.  From this distance, her eyes could only make out the faint silhouette of the enormous structure.  Supposedly, the tallest tower in the world, the Flame of Baelom stood twice as high as the surrounding cliffs, and despite the distance, she could easily make out the reflected light at the top from the mirrors.

“Mikel!” the captain boomed.

The first mate, a short man in equally fine clothes, stopped his conversation with Lynn and Suvram and hurried over.  He eyed Mira cautiously, but then ignored her to face the captain.  “Yes, sir?”

“We have a busy first day.  Lots of people to talk with.  We’ll need to work fast to set up as many meetings as possible.  You ready?”

Mikel nodded.  “I’ve studied our list of contacts, but it wouldn’t hurt to review it before we arrive.”

“Excellent.  Then let’s go over the plans in my quarters.”  Jin tucked the telescope away and headed towards his cabin.  He turned back and smirked, “Oh, and Mira, don’t burn the ship down with that ‘power’ of yours.”

She rolled her eyes again and sat down, back against the railing.  That power of hers would change their lives if only she could figure out how to bring it back home.  The presence of Airiya could only be felt on this continent.  Well, technically she could start feeling it about a week ago, but it was extremely faint up until she could see the cliffs.  The truth of the matter was, Airiya only existed on Thera. 

Ever since its discovery twenty years ago, sailors brought back stories of a culture that bent the laws of nature to their will.  It took years before anyone believed the tales, but once they did, everyone sought to wield that power.  And within a half decade, three of the empress’ children had sent envoys to study Airiya.

Four years ago, High Son Daeres, ruler of Jaesraheim and the Southwestern Province of Ragner, joined his brothers and sisters in his quest for power.  He commissioned the local schools and libraries to send prospective students to discover the secrets of casting. 

Mira was one of those students — sent forth by Tharis Framp, head curator of the First Library of Jaesraheim.  Tharis was the closest thing to a father she had, though that wasn’t saying much.  Her real parents had left her at the orphanage mere hours after her birth — given up in fear of what her existence would mean for the couple.  Both were Pure-Eyed, so when she was born with one red eye and one grey, her father assumed an affair had occurred.  To not lose their status amongst the Pure-Eyes, they chose to discard her in secret and fake a miscarriage.  At least, that was the story the orphanage had told her.  Truthfully, she could care less who or what her parents were.  They abandoned her, and that was all that mattered.

Her life wasn’t all bad though. At age seven, Tharis adopted her as a ward to the library.  She lived and worked within the library doing whatever Tharis, or the rest of the staff required.  For years she organized shelves, mopped floors, and served tea to guests.  It was hard work, but she was eternally grateful to Tharis.  Finally, someone had seen value in her.

Although Tharis spent little time with her, she was his first pick when Daeres put out his commission across the city.  Since then, she had been fortunate to travel overseas twice to study casting at the School of the Monarch in Phaeros.  It was regarded as the best casting school in the nation, if not all of Thera.  Both of those previous trips had lasted for a year each, and while she learned much in that time, she struggled conveying that knowledge back to Tharis.

Many Ragnerians misunderstood Airiya.  It was more than just utilizing power.  It was about forging links and bonds with the world around you.  All matter in this world had an essence, or in other words, a soul.  The water in the ocean, the flowing air, the dirt in the ground, the plants growing from the soil.  When she entered the Eye — a relaxed mental state — she could feel the presence of these surrounding souls.  Airiya gave humans the ability to connect with the souls and conform them to a person’s will through castings.

Still, Airiya wasn’t a source of power, merely a conduit.  Shaping another soul required energy and that energy came from the caster’s soul.  When bonding Airiya, the caster permanently fused a portion of their soul with the Airiya, and when a casting was performed, that bonded Airiya exited the body along with that part of the soul.  The caster’s own essence was the source of power.

As with most things in life, there were dangers to using Airiya; three to be exact.  These were: the immediate casting sickness, the penance, and the risk of becoming soulless.  The first caused the caster to become dull.  As the soul became weaker, the body of the caster regressed back to basic survival skills.  The mind became cloudy, reactions were slow, and sometimes parts of the body would lose functionality.  Luckily human souls were resilient and healed quickly, so these effects were only temporary.

The next threat was one Mira avoided thinking about too much.  While a person’s soul healed quickly, it never fully healed back all the way.  This effect was extremely hard to notice in the moment, but over the course of a lifetime of casting, the effect could add up, resulting in the soul permanently shutting down a part of the body to conserve energy.  This was known as a caster’s penance.  Mira had seen both mild and severe penances amongst the casters of Phaeros; from a defunct hand, all the way to paralysis from the waist down.  For many Ragnerians, the fear of a penance alone was enough to drive away any desire to learn casting.

The last danger was by far the worst.  While human souls were quite resilient, there was a point when a soul became too weak to heal, and if casters weren’t careful, they could bond too much Airiya and thus cast away too much of their soul.  When this happened, the caster was left in a permanent state of casting sickness.  They no longer possessed any personality and could only manage to perform basic tasks such as eating and drinking to stay alive.  These people were known as the soulless, a penance far worse than death in Mira’s eyes.  She pitied the unfortunate who bonded more than they could handle, regardless of their arrogance.  No one deserved a life without a soul, if you could even call it living.

Risks aside, Airiya dominated society here in Thera, and would ultimately reshape Ragner if it ever made its way across the ocean.  The problem was, not even the Therans knew exactly where Airiya came from.  The common theory amongst the scholars in Phaeros was that Airiya originated from great crystals such as the one in Byron, a sight she’d love to see one day.  Most commoners, however, believed the power came from the land itself as a manifestation of the soul of the planet.  Whether Airiya came from the planet or giant gemstones, something in these lands had to be the source of the power.  She was going to find it, and she was going to do so on this trip.

Her first two voyages were paid for by the High Son’s coin, but after two years overseas with no tangible results, Daeres grew disinterested in Airiya.  Tharis, in the hopes of a reward, decided to invest in one more trip for Mira, but this final trip could only last two moons.

Just two more moons and then back to ward duty for the rest of my life.  A life without casting.

She clenched her fist.

No.

This time would be different.  This time she had a plan: complete the Pilgrimage into the Tyran Desert and find Ishum, the eternal deity that guided the people of Baelom.

The Pilgrimage was the final trial undertaken by any Baelon before they became a Mage.  It required the prospective Mage to venture out into the desert by themselves to gain the deity’s blessing.  The specifics of the Pilgrimage were a closely kept secret amongst the Mages, and it was forbidden for anyone to talk about their experiences.

During her previous lessons, she managed to learn only three facts about the Pilgrimage.  First, Ishum was somewhere in the Tyran Desert.  Next, when a candidate was skilled enough, Ishum himself would call out to the caster and guide them.  Finally, the Pilgrimage was extremely dangerous.  If a caster failed to receive Ishum’s blessing, they became soulless, and since Ishum resided in the desert, the soulless caster usually died on the journey back.

This danger alone turned away many before they even attempted the Pilgrimage, but if a caster managed to complete the Pilgrimage and attain Ishum’s blessing, they joined the ranks of the Baelon Mages, an elite order of casters highly respected throughout the nation.  These Mages held high positions amongst the nobles and royal courts.  Some Mages even ventured to the other Theran nations as hired guards.

Mira had little interest in any of that though.  She simply wanted to meet this Ishum in person.  As an eternal being, he had to have some idea behind the origins of Airiya.  He was her last chance at finding a life outside of wardship.

A shadow passed over her followed by a thud as Wren leaped down from the ratlines.  He made his way over and sat down next to her.  Something was off about him; he looked . . . nervous?  That was uncharacteristic of him.  Wren was Lynn’s younger brother, and this was their first voyage with Jin’s crew.  Carefree and adventurous, he was the only one outside of Jin who didn’t see her as some freak.

“I saw that flame you made . . . is it true that you’ve cursed our souls?”

Heroes above!  Of all people she wouldn’t have expected that to come from Wren.

“That’s utter nonsense.  Who’s been filling your head with those lies?”

“Really?”  He relaxed his shoulders, then glared over at Suvram’s position.  “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him . . . I’m sorry, Mira.”

“No worries.”  Suvram eh?  If he truly believes that then I’ll make sure to put on a show later that will scare him senseless.

“But it is true you’ve cursed your own soul, right?”

She sighed.  Even if I do bring Airiya back, teaching these idiots would become its own challenge.  Still, he wasn’t far off.  “Something like that, but it’s a price I won’t pay until much later in life.”

He frowned and laid his hand on her shoulder.  “You’re so brave.  To take on this burden for the sake of Ragner.”

Doesn’t he realize the whole point is for everyone, including people like him, to be able to cast back home?

“Thanks Wren.  If you are ever interested while we are here, I could teach you a little.”

His eyes lit up, but then he glanced back over at Suvram.  “Sorry, but I don’t like the idea of cursing my soul.”

She sighed.  “I’ve told you, don’t listen to that man.”

He grew serious and wrapped his arms around his knees.  “I’ve heard the stories, and not just from Suvram, Jin too.  Stories of people who’ve lost their soul.  They say they walk around like they’re alive but really, they’re dead . . . chills me to the bone.”

Mira paused, choosing her words.  “Those stories are sadly true . . . but I assure you that only happens to reckless fools, and you are no such fool, Wren, are you?”

He gave her a weak smile.  “Thanks, but I think I’ll still pass on your offer.”

Suvram looked over in their direction.  The burly man had a face that made the cliffs look alive.  “Wren!  Enough talking to the ward.  Get back to work.”

“Yes, sir!” the boy squeaked as he jumped to his feet.

Wren, along with the rest of the crew, busied themselves as they sailed closer to the city.  Mira decided to spend the rest of the trip looking out over the bow.  As the hours passed, the Flame of Baelom grew taller on the horizon.  Eventually, the Lesser Flame appeared too, and soon Mira could see the rest of the city.

Phaeros was founded at the mouth of the River Ezram.  The river carved through the tall rocks to form a steep canyon snaking inland, and civilization shaped the walls of this canyon into a series of plateaus with densely packed buildings occupying the various levels.

The Flame of Baelom was built in the center of the river’s mouth, rising over twice the height of the cliffs.  Its smooth flat walls rose with the slightest taper.  Near the top, a round portal was cut out on all four sides of the tower.  Inside sat the lantern mirrors.  Above the lantern portals sat a pyramidal roof that completed the shape of a large obelisk parting the waters of the river.  Engraved just below each of the portals were two golden flames and a three-pronged shepherds crook — the Baelon Crest.

To the right of the Flame of Baelom, along the coastline, sat the Lesser Flame.  The Lesser was an exact replica of the main spire, although much shorter and with no lantern at the top.  A long bridge with arched supports connected the towers, and matching bridges branched out from each tower to their respective cliffside, dying into two more flat topped towers slightly smaller than the Lesser.  The entire system, constructed out of sandstone, formed one solid horizontal line spanning the entire width of the canyon.

As Jin steered the ship towards the docks along the north canyon wall, Mira went below deck to grab her pack of clothes and her cloak.  She only had three sets of clothes, so she brought all of them with her onboard; everything she ever owned, slung over her back.  When she returned to the deck, the crew was already tying off the ship and lowering the gangplank.  Once docking was complete, Jin called everyone together on the deck.

“Listen up.  We’re here for two moons and then we sail back home.  We need to set up as many contacts as possible in that time, so these first few days are critical in networking with the Baelons.  Mikel and I will make our way to the White Fox Inn in the Lightridge district.  After setting up base, we’ll head over to the Sun Palace to gain an audience with Lord Mizrakellen.  Suvram, I want you to head to the banks and see what you can muster up there.  Lynn, since this is your first time, go with Suvram.  He’ll show you around the city.”

The Sun Palace?  Just what trading is he planning on doing this time?

“Mira, feel free to visit the school and start scheduling lessons.  The rest of you lot can follow me to the inn and start unpacking.  I want everything off the ship while she’s docked down here.”

Everyone nodded in agreement and made their way down to the dock.  Jin caught her shoulder and handed her a coin purse. 

“Since we’re here for a short time, I’m giving your allowance all in one lump.  Don’t waste it before we leave.”

Mira peered inside to see three gold talents, five silver menos, and about fifty drechi — all Baelon currency.  She drew the pouch shut and tied it to her waist.  The talents would cover the school’s tuition, and the rest was merely a bonus.  “Thanks, see you at the inn later tonight.”

Quickly, she strode down the gangplank.  The School of the Monarch was also in the business district, so she joined Lynn and Suvram as they headed towards the Lesser, much to the stone-faced man’s dislike.

As they walked along the main road, many of the locals stared in curiosity.

“Why do they look at us like that?” Lynn asked, continuing to speak in their native tongue.

“Don’t suppose it has anything to do with the fact that we’re three blond-haired strangers with skin as pale as the moon?” Mira said, annoyed.

Everyone around them were dark-skinned with jet-black hair, and while the Baelons wore bright bold fabrics, the three of them walked in dull tans and grey.  But the Therans weren’t as intrigued by their skin or fashion choices as they were about their eyes.  There weren’t any native Pure-Eyes anywhere on Thera.

“I’d just thought they’d be used to seeing our kind by now,” Lynn replied.

Mira rolled her eyes.  “They might be accustomed to the notion of another continent, but actually seeing a Ragnerian is still quite rare.  Especially since the other High Sons and Daughters have moved their trading to Mildrona.”

“Mildrona?  Where’s that?”

Did this woman bother to learn anything before coming?

“It’s a nation to the north of here, and they are still willing to sell us Airacite.”

“And these people won’t?”

“Many years ago, some would.  But it was illegal.  The Baelons hate the use of Airacite.  Goes against the wisdom of Ishum.”

“I see . . . and why is that?  Doesn’t it provide the power of Airiya without the er . . . curse?”  She whispered the last part; afraid she might offend somebody even though they couldn’t understand her language.

“Sort of.  For the end user, yes, you are correct.  They can utilize the bonded Airiya within Airacite without using any of their own soul’s energy.  But as with all forms of energy, it must originate from somewhere.  In order to store bonded Airiya into Airacite, a caster must first bond Airiya themselves and then transfer it into the Airacite.”

“So, like a bank?”

At least she’s a quick learner.

“Precisely like a bank!  The downside comes from the efficiency of the Airacite.  A person can only withdraw one-quarter of the energy put into the Airacite.  The other three-quarters are lost in the process.  In other countries, there are people called depositors who make a career out of refilling Airacite.”

“But wouldn’t they curse their soul by doing it regularly?”

“The risk is high, which is why they get paid generously.  They live short luxurious lives for the convenience of the many, and that is why Baelons are against the use of them.  It’s a wildly inefficient system.  Moreover, it selfishly passes the consequences of casting onto someone else.”

Lynn didn’t respond as she processed it all. 

Suvram on the other hand gave her a puzzling look.  “Why do you know so much about this?  You speak like you’re one of them.  Wasn’t your mission just to learn how to bring this Airiya back to Ragner?”

“Obviously that’s the goal,” she glared.  “To bring honor to Jaesraheim and High Lord Daeres.  But embracing the culture here will undoubtedly help in that endeavor.”

“If you say so, ward . . .”

They pressed through the crowds towards the Lesser, and entered a large arched entry, twenty paces wide, at the base of the spire.  They walked into a large lobby with a series of arched ceilings running the length of the space.  The road continued through to the other side of the spire, but they made their way to the perimeter of the lobby where people gathered in lines outside a series of large stone doors.

These were the lifts that took people from Lowtown to the bridge above.  Powered by Airiya, they showcased the engineering feats possible only with casting.  Channels directed seawater below the lifts, and casters would raise the water up a sealed shaft way, sending a floating platform within the shaft way upwards.  These lifts existed in all the towers throughout Phaeros providing a fast and convenient way to traverse the various plateaus of the city.

After only waiting a short time in line, they shuffled into one of these lifts.  The platform was a wide wooden disk with a woven railing a foot away from the perimeter wall.  A caster greeted them inside and shut the stone door.  With a flash of orange light, the door’s edges merged into the walls forming a completely seamless surface. 

Lynn’s eyes widened.  “Heroes above.”

Mira thought she heard the caster stifle a laugh.  Just wait until we move.

After a quick inspection to make sure the seal was solid, the operator turned around to face them.

“Your first time I take it?” he asked in Baelon. “Please stand away from the wall and keep your arms and legs behind the railing.”  He glowed with an indigo aura, and Mira felt the floor lurch upwards at great speed. 

Lynn almost lost her balance, and as much as Mira tried not to, she laughed.

Suvram steadied the woman and gave Mira a stern look.  “Very funny, ward.  If I recall correctly, you reacted the same way four years ago.”

“. . . Whatever.”

Within a minute they were at the bridge level as marked by a painted ring on the shaft wall.  The caster opened a new doorway in the wall, and they stepped out into another crowded lobby.

“This way,” Suvram gestured to Lynn.  They exited the tower onto the wide bridge spanning the canyon.  Lynn rushed over to the side of the bridge to take in the sight.  Mira followed and leaned along the railing.

From that vantage point, she could almost see the entire city; each plateau neatly carved into the steep canyon walls.  Most of the buildings were constructed from matching sandstone, but were decorated with vibrant banners and canopies.  Some of the more iconic buildings stood out to her such as the Golden Gallery and the amphitheater in Midtown.  Above, on the next plateau, she could see the four spires and the dome of the Sun Palace towering over the ridge.  The Business District was on that level.

“Beats any view in Jaesraheim.”

Lynn continued to gaze across the canyon.  “It’s hard to believe humans made this . . .”

“Well, they used Airiya to flatten the plateaus, but still . . . it’s incredible.  Just imagine the possibilities back in Ragner.”

Lynn’s eyes met Mira’s.  “I suppose it really could change our way of life.  Do you really think you can bring it back home?”

“Of course!”

“Well, you certainly are confident.  Maybe you really can do it.”  She looked back out over the city.  “One thing still doesn’t make sense to me.”

“What’s that?”

“Why would Tharis send you?” she asked. “Many Pure-Eyed scholars have dedicated their lives for the library, yet he sends his ward.”

Irritation swelled inside Mira, but she forced herself to remain calm.  The woman was being sincere, even if her suggestion was ridiculous.

“My ability to learn has nothing to do with my left eye, Lynn.  Not only have I proven myself an avid scholar under Tharis’ care, but I am a skilled caster.  Even among these people, I am far above average.  Tharis was right in selecting me.”

“He selected you, ward, for your expendability and nothing else,” Suvram said from behind them.  “If anything happened to us on the journey, the worst-case scenario for him would be the loss of his shelf stocker.”

Expendable?  She gripped the railing hard, barely managing to hold her tongue.

“Let’s move on.  Lynn, we’ll have time to sightsee on the way back,” Suvram said, continuing down the bridge.

Mira strode behind the two merchants in silence.  Tharis thinks more of me than that . . . doesn’t he?  She suppressed the thought.  For now, she needed to prepare her mind for the day’s task.

They passed through the Flame and the southern tower entering the Midtown level, and a final lift tower took them to the business district.  From there, Mira parted ways from the other two and made her way to the School of the Monarch.

The building encompassed much of an entire block of the city.  Two fountains flanked either side of the main entry canopy centered along the main road.  As Mira approached the entrance, the noise of the fountains drowned out the bustling sounds of the business district.  Once she entered the main lobby, it felt like silence in comparison.

Small groups of students whispered around tables and lounge furniture, and the footsteps from someone on the upper balcony echoed throughout the large room.  She took a moment to embrace the scene and smiled.  It felt great to be back.  Somehow the building felt more like home than Jaesraheim ever had.  Here she was skilled at something.  Here she had a purpose.

She walked towards a circular reception desk in the center of the room.  None of the clerks looked familiar to her.  That wasn’t unusual though given the amount of time since her last trip.  Let’s just hope my sponsor hasn’t been replaced too.

“Hello, is Master Zuroch still around?” she asked in Baelon.

One of the clerks, an older man, gave her a puzzled look.  “She is, but she’s a very busy woman.  What’s your business?”

“I’ve studied here in the past and would like to enroll once more.  Zuroch was my sponsor.”

The clerk looked her in the eyes.  “A student from Ragner?  What’s your name, Miss?”

“Mira Noniven.”

“Alright, the master should be available soon.”  He scribbled something down and handed the paper to one of the younger clerks who strode off to deliver the message.

Mira wandered off to rest in a chair a few paces away and closed her eyes.  Only two moons to make the pilgrimage . . . not much time to convince Zuroch.  She needed to make a strong impression with this meeting to show just how much of her casting abilities she had retained.  Ever since she first felt the faintest presence of Airiya on the ship, she had practiced every night after most of the crew went to bed.  She spent the first two nights focusing on reacclimating herself with the bonding process, and it only took a few hours to bond Airiya in its pure form — the white hue.  Pulling out the other hues, however, took more time.  With a few more nights, she regained all her previous skills from when she last left Thera.

“I thought you might never return.”

Mira looked up to see her sponsor standing over her.  The tall woman was old enough to have been her mother.  She had a stern face, and her dark hair was tied into a long braid.  Mira scrambled to her feet and made a hasty bow.  “Master Zuroch.  It’s been some time.”

“That it has.  Welcome back to Phaeros dear,” Zuroch said, relaxing her face into a smile as she embraced Mira.  “Come, let’s continue this in my office.”

Mira followed the woman down a connecting corridor, past many of the training halls and towards a bank of offices.  Every student at the school was assigned a sponsor to guide their lesson plans, and eventually grant them permission to attempt the Pilgrimage.  Master Zuroch was assigned to be her sponsor four years ago when she arrived at the school, and Mira couldn’t have been happier with the selection.  The woman was an exceptional caster.  She completed her Pilgrimage when she was around Mira’s age, and she served the royal family for many years before finally retiring to a life of teaching.  Many of the students thought she was the best tutor within the facility, and it was hard to argue otherwise.  Mira found her classes on defensive casting to be the most engaging courses.  Not that she was bad at the other subjects, just that she thrived in the practical applications of the art.

Once at the office, Mira sat across from her teacher at a large desk.  Zuroch cleared off the surface and returned a few books to a large shelf behind her.

“Your collection seems to have grown,” Mira said, eying the books stacked on top of books.

“Might be in need of more shelves soon,” the woman grinned.  “Care for some tea?”

“Only if it’s cold,” Mira replied, still looking at the books.  None of the new books seemed to be related to the history of Airiya.

“We’ll beat that habit out of you someday,” she said as she poured a cup of black tea.  A faint blue glow appeared around the master’s hand as she chilled the tea.

“Sorry, I’m a bit stubborn,” Mira smirked, taking the cup.

“Only a bit?”  The teacher poured herself a cup and leaned back.  Her dark eyes looked Mira over.  “It’s been over a year since you were here.  As I remember, the last time you took a break from your studies, your abilities had regressed considerably.”

It was true, she hadn’t expected to forget the presence of Airiya.  It took weeks before she could bond anything at all.  She had wasted a month of studies just getting back to where she left off, but this time she came prepared.

Mira took a deep breath and bonded a sizable amount of white Airiya.  So much that her entire body lit up the office.  With another breath she bonded five more hues — blue, indigo, red, orange, and green.  A near rainbow aura filled the room.

“Six hues . . .”  Zuroch’s eyes narrowed as she appraised her student.  “Very nice for a year without casting, but you bonded more than necessary just to impress me.  You still need to learn the importance of efficiency when casting.”

Mira let go of the Airiya and felt her soul go with the power and her mind dull.  The effect lasted only a short while, however.

“One day you will begin to regret the pointless castings of your youth.”  The teacher raised her left hand, the brand of a Mage showing.  She closed her hand into a fist, yet two of her fingers remained motionless.

That’s new . . .

“I’ve felt it coming for years, but it’s a harsh reminder of the costs these powers demand.  I imagine I’ll lose all functionality in my hand within a year or two.”

Mira swallowed hard, but Zuroch gave her a smile.

“But enough about me, you have returned and want to resume your studies.  How long are you here this time?”

Mira took a sip of her tea then sighed.  “Only a little over one of your months I’m afraid.”

“Well, it’s good you came back prepared then.  I can schedule you into tomorrow’s lessons, but I can’t guarantee which classes they will be.”

“Any classes would be fine, master.  I am eager to learn and develop as a caster,.” she said with a small bow in her chair.

“Good, meet me in the lobby tomorrow at the eighth and bring money for your tuition.”

“Thank you.”

Mira gulped down the last of her tea and gave another bow before exiting the office.  The encounter with her master went better than she had expected.  It was rare for someone to leave the school for such long intervals, and she appreciated the patience shown regarding her situation.

When she returned to the main lobby, she glanced at a clock on the wall.  Not even midday yet.  She had a few hours to waste before Jin and the others would make it back to the inn, but there was no point in sticking around the school.  She walked back out into the city and with no destination began wandering the streets of Phaeros.

Not much had changed over the past year.  People from all classes of life packed the streets of the upper plateau.  While bankers, merchants, and noblemen stood out in horse drawn carts, most of the crowd consisted of the middle class traveling to the business district for work.  There were only a small number of beggars on the side roads, most of whom were either soulless or clearly suffered severe penances.

Here on the upper plateau, there were city guards on patrol, but none of them were armed outside of their casting.  She recalled only one incident where she saw the guard need to intervene, but even then, she never truly felt like she was in danger.  Compared to Jaesraheim, Phaeros was practically an utopia.

She found herself standing at the city’s main gate.  The gate and doors were open, so she stared out, down the road.  For all her time in Thera, she had never traveled anywhere other than Phaeros.  There was no reason to leave as the city was surrounded by wilderness for miles.  Yet despite the harsh landscape, the Baelons figured out a way to live out here.  People built farmlands up on the plains, irrigated by the river below.  They flattened out plateaus in the cliffside to build buildings and roads.  There was even an entire under city carved inside the north cliffs with its own series of lifts and ramps to the various levels.  The amount of effort required just to survive was astounding.  It was a wonder anyone chose to live out here, let alone an entire city.  Nothing like this could ever exist in Ragner.  Well, until I bring Airiya back.

Turning back, she took in the view and imagined what it would be like to see the city for the first time through these gates.  Tall trees lined the main boulevard leading to a fountain in front of the Sun Palace.  The palace’s gold clad dome glistened in the sunlight, framed perfectly behind the fountain.  Within the palace walls, four obelisks rose far higher than any other structure of the business district — each proudly displaying the flags of both the Baelon Crest and the Banner of House Mizrakellen.  Behind, both the Flame and the Lesser dominated the horizon, making even the palace feel insignificant.  All of it paired together to provide an impressive sight for anyone entering the city.

Continuing her walk, she crossed over a bridge into the Hightown district, and after a few hours of meandering, she felt her stomach rumble.

I should probably head to the inn.

Luckily, the Lightridge neighborhood was on the same side of the canyon, and it took her only a little walk over to another lift to get to the appropriate level, and eventually she arrived at the White Fox Inn.

The modest inn looked just as it did four years ago.  Nothing made it stand out amongst the long row of surrounding buildings other than a painting of a fox above the door which she found rather cute.

Inside, the familiar common room welcomed her.  Most of Jin’s crew were gathered around tables finishing up lunch and conversing with locals.  Looking towards the bar along the side, Mira saw Wren sitting in conversation with the innkeeper, Seth.  Wren looked up and called her over.

“You almost missed lunch!” he said, finishing the last of his drink.  “Seth here has been telling me all about Thera!”

“Has he now?” she said, pulling up a stool.  The innkeeper gave her an innocent grin and filled a glass.  She had gotten to know Seth quite well during their previous visits.  As a former advisor in the Sun Palace, the man always had a story to share.

“How’s life been treating you back in Ragner?” he asked, sliding her the glass of ale.

“Absolutely boring.  I’ve been counting down the days till I could come back, but that’s enough about Ragner.  What sorts of stories have you been filling this boy’s head with?”

Wren practically stood up with excitement.  “He said there was this city built on the side of a mountain, and they have this giant wall that closes off the entire pass through the mountains.”

“Ah yes, Lasidria,” she replied while raising her glass to her lips.

“You’ve heard about it?  Did you know they have a palace at the top of the mountain made entirely of sapphire?”

She eyed the innkeeper.  He was known to exaggerate a few details from time to time.  “I’m sure it’s not entirely sapphire, but yes, I have heard of the city.  Probably from Seth the first time I came over.”

“Well, the dome at least is,” the old man said defiantly.  “Anyways, let me get you some food.”

As Seth exited to the kitchen, Wren looked at her.  His eyes reflected the same awe and wonder she had felt the first time she arrived.  “Mira, this place is incredible.  I saw these men casting at the docks.  They lifted huge crates through the air like it was nothing.  And the lifts?  Nobody told me about them!  I’m beginning to reconsider your offer about casting.”

“Is that so?” she asked with a smile.  “Better not let Suvram find out about that.”

“Yeah, suppose so,” the boy said, looking into his empty glass.  “Phaeros is incredible, but are there really other cities just like it?”

Mira took another drink and thought for a moment.  “Well, I’ve heard of cities such as Lasidria, Madeen, and Byron, but surely there are even more than that.  Supposedly far to the north, there are some nations that soar through the sky in flying ships.  Seth even claims he saw one come to Phaeros a decade ago.”

“Flying ships?  Like through the air?  How do they float?  Do they have sails?”

“Not sure.  I’m sure it has something to do with Airiya though.  Every time I think I understand the limits of casting, I find out about some new application that leaves me in awe.  It seems the possibilities are endless.  Can you imagine what our home will look like once we bring it back to Ragner?”

“Yeah . . . it’s going to change everything.”

Seth came back with her food, and the three of them sat around the bar for the rest of the afternoon.  Wren of course begged the innkeeper to retell the story of the airships which he happily told, but the old man didn’t stop there.  He had a dozen other tales to share, and even Mira found herself starry-eyed as the innkeeper told them about his travels across Baelom.

The afternoon quickly faded into the evening, and Jin and the others returned to the inn. They all gathered in the common room with a feast commemorating their return to the city and ate, drank, and danced far into the night.  Even grumpy Suvram let loose after a few glasses.

Eventually, Seth shut the festivities down and they retired to their rooms above.  When Mira finally laid down on her bed, her mind raced with excitement.  She had a lot to figure out in just two moons, but for the moment, she was simply glad to finally be back.