PART 4

  Idle Souls

  Theo checked his timepiece for the third time that morning. 10h30. Time had not suddenly started to flow any faster, much to his chagrin.

  Yawning and throwing his covers off before rolling out of bed, Theo shuffled over to his desk with one eye open. Documents, everywhere. Letters, script, old homework, and scrap paper for reports.

  He opened the other eye and picked up the object in the center of the table, dully turning the card-shaped box around on his desk to inspect all its sides.

  Clunk, clunk, clunk. Clunk, clunk, clunk.

  “Come on, do something,” he whispered at the inanimate object as he finally let it fall from his hands and back onto the table.

  Clatter.

  Sighing and grabbing his morning routine bag by the entrance to his room, he opened the door and slowly stumbled outside.

  “Late today, boss,” laughed a cheery voice as he made his way to the boys’ bathing area.

  He stopped and squinted at the glasses-clad Chel at the end of the hall before continuing his trudge to wakefulness. “I know, I know,” he grumbled. “And what did I tell you about calling me boss, for Graces’ sakes. I don’t even know where you got that from.”

  “Yeeees, boss,” sang the figure as they disappeared down the other hallway.

  Theo let out another sigh, walking into the bathing area and over to a bath at the very end, where he set his bag down and picked up the tome resting in a small nook at the front.

  Book in hand, he rested his knuckles on the basin and whispered the proper words to call the Earth Mother.

  Fill. Ignite.

  After patiently waiting for the bath to fill, with absolutely no thoughts running through his mind, he undressed himself and gently slipped into the heated wooden tub.

  He closed his eyes.

  Two weeks had passed by in a flash. Especially when Darius had left before dawn the day after their chat, after having spent the night speaking with every classmate. Leaving a workshop full of memories, the fresh smell of baked bread, and a book smaller than a pocket tome for him.

  It is no shiny sword, but it is also something very, very important.

  The miniature book looked like it was bound by hand, carefully and lovingly, with silky, white thread woven between the pages.

  These are special. You can tear them out. That is the last blank spellpaper I have that can make spells. It is special because it does not need to be in tome. Only need blood and script. It will activate.

  Pristine. As white as the Souls of the Earth Mother.

  There will be no more in the future. You must keep this safe and use wisely.

  Tall. Grandiose. He could still see them in his mind, how brightly they shone. How warm that one tree was, like a true living being, under his palm as he set it on fire.

  He opened his eyes to dispel the red, staring at an empty bathroom.

  Over the past two weeks, MATS had officially declared a state of emergency. Not because their offices were attacked, not because the east main office was now officially decommissioned, but because of the chasms.

  No wonder the Anchors are trying to reverse time, he thought to himself every single day as he walked up to the bulletin board outside the lecture hall only to see that another sanctuary was slowly crumbling into the void. The world is going to disappear into nothingness.

  Revenge felt like such a distant word now. It had propelled Ty, and there was no doubt that the order in which she went around Chloris to destroy each sanctuary had something to do with when chasms opened up in each sanctuary, but it was over now. The Earth Mother had realized her plan. What was in store next…he had no clue. The only inkling he had was from a conversation from a day full of blood, fear, and…what, delusion?

  Why would they just up and leave if the whole point was to get rid of them?

  Revenge.

  Why hadn’t he prodded her?

  Do you trust me?

  “I trust you,” he whispered to nobody.

  Nine sanctuaries so far had expanding holes emerging from where the trees once were, all the same. No one had any idea what it was, including MATS—or so they claimed—but one thing was for sure: the common folk blamed MATS for it, and MATS pointed the finger back at them. Fighting back, storming town after town. Caring more now about fighting and putting the small-yet-deadly population of sorcerers on the front lines in the name of self-preservation than for the Academy of the Graces, which might as well have been defunct.

  The only classes held anymore were voluntary training. If one wanted a proper education, the only option was one-on-one classes with professors who were either exempt from duty, integral for the basic function of the school, or unfit for battle. All remaining classes were canceled, and there was a high chance it would remain that way indefinitely.

  Everything…everything came back to magic. The main reason for both sides perpetuating a fight that rewarded bloodshed and shunned surrender. Magic was to blame.

  But, he kept asking himself, day after day of shameful idleness, if that was what She wanted and Ty had done just that, then why is She punishing us? Did she not carry out Her will? Or was this a plan concocted by the hateful Earth Mother all along?

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  Theo slid further into the bath, closing his eyes again and letting the steaming water envelop him and his thoughts.

  * * *

  Feeling much more rejuvenated and alert, Theo sauntered across the sparse courtyard. The cool spring air was crisp, nigh nauseating. It reminded him of stagnation, of indolence.

  He walked up to the bulletin board at the front of the lecture hall building, so filled with papers and reports that, not only could he no longer see the actual bulletin board anymore, but they had begun to place new posts over the oldest ones.

  Third Grace - 25th, wrote today’s paper.

  How eerie it was, seeing a reference to a Grace whose resting place had been ravaged by Ty and utterly violated by the Earth Mother.

  His eyes glossed over the contents, reading the typical updates. The west was still doing well, and negotiations were in progress; the south was standing strong as well, though pressure was gradually mounting. No references to context numbers, which was worrisome, albeit ‘out of our hands’ as Moriya called it. Classes remained suspended until further notice—that wasn’t new, either. And then the names, ranks, and roles of those who had died for MATS.

  He scanned them for three names—a tactician, a healer, and a duelist—but found nothing. It was just a piece of paper. Words and nothing more.

  That’s what we all are, huh?

  Letting out a deep sigh, he hung his head for a split second before cursing under his breath.

  I should go…it’s the start of a new week.

  Somehow convincing himself to ascend the staircase all the way to the ninth floor, the tactician’s steps were heavy. His pace no longer mattered since there were barely people around anymore, not even on the research floors. The glass study rooms he could always see from the stairs were empty and unoccupied, seating areas dusty and barren.

  Despite everything, the tactician for 2-A walked up to the same reports handler that had helped him since he had taken the role of his class’s tactician, a sliver of hope still left in him that something—anything—would change.

  “Hi, there.”

  The reports handler looked at him expectantly, a pitiful smile on their face. “Hi again. Unfortunately—”

  “What is on the bulletin is all the information you have for me,” interrupted Theo plainly.

  A single nod.

  “There’s really nothing else.”

  They shook their head. “I’m really only here because they need someone manning the desk. They could have even put up a sign, closed off the area, but higher-ups want me here. Who am I to complain, though? I’d rather be here than out there fighting.”

  After recovering from the initial shock of having received something other than a dry, practiced reply, Theo responded, “Like the Headmistress? Or…”

  “The Headmistress?” The handler raised an eyebrow. “She hasn’t been by in more than a week.”

  “That…” began Theo, realizing that there were a handful of ways that he could have completed his comment. That’s not surprising. That’s not very responsible, she’s supposed to oversee the Academy. That doesn’t answer my question, she could still have sent orders without being present. That makes me worried about Ty.

  “That’s not a very useful reply, I know,” they shrugged before gesturing to themselves. “But that’s kinda my job right now. Sorry. Really.”

  The comments turned to dry, sarcastic remarks that he left unspoken lest he turn into another Faris. “Okay, I understand,” he exhaled instead, mercifully giving the helpless handler a smile before turning away. “Thanks.”

  I wonder if anyone useful is even around anymore, he thought to himself as he made his way down the stairs. I…wonder if he’s around.

  * * *

  With no luck scouring the dorms because Moriya and Chelsi had moved into the two vacant rooms that were once Alex’s and Cyril’s—though Cyril’s room was more of a glorified library for Chel—he hurried to the lecture halls next. When that proved to be a colossal waste of time, he checked the courtyards and the dining hall before ending up at the library.

  At wit’s end after having made one whole lap through the entire top floor, ready to give in and camp outside the professor’s room until he returned, if he was going to even return, if he was even at school and not on some kind of impromptu mission, Theo suddenly remembered the study room that Ty had brought him and Cyril to before. The one where she had met Moriya for the first time.

  Making his way past an unoccupied coordinator’s desk, countless vacant study tables, and several desolate reading areas, Theo made his way to the unmarked study room—where he had cried without knowing the reason behind it, where he had ignored his gut feeling and continued on with his life while Ty left in a rush—and put his pin on the indent in the wood, with absolutely no faith that it was going to work.

  And he was right not to have faith, because it did not.

  But then there was a familiar female voice from within. “Oh, one moment. He’s on his way.”

  “H…hello there,” responded Theo timidly when he saw that the person on the other side of the door was exactly the person he was looking for.

  “Theo. What do you need?”

  Speechless, Theo realized he hadn’t thought about what to say in the event that he would actually find Moriya.

  The steely-eyed professor regarded him silently.

  “What…are you doing in the library? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  “Research,” responded the professor laconically, gaze unwavering as he held the door open.

  Theo shifted his eyes to Chel sitting at a study table in the back, head buried in a book like always. “I’m surprised you didn’t get called out on a mission or anything. Aren’t you usually carrying out duties for the Headmistress or something?”

  Moriya shrugged. “She hasn’t been back to give me orders, so I’ve just been waiting.”

  “What about MATS?”

  Moriya tilted his head slightly. “What about MATS?”

  “Did you not get anything from them?”

  “Well, they usually go through the Headmistress, and besides, sometimes there are more important things than saving the world.”

  “Like…reading in a study room with Chel.”

  The professor expertly ignored the judgmental words. “So, what do you need?”

  “I’ve just been wondering about class…you know, after all the dead air these past two weeks. Waiting for orders to come in, what to do. Like, are we ever going to resume lessons?” He averted his eyes. “The ones from you, I mean.”

  Moriya looked surprised for once. “Oh. Yes, of course. Later.”

  “Later?” he snapped reflexively, letting out some of his frustration. “Is there even a later, considering everything that’s been happening?”

  Without even blinking, the professor answered, “Who said it was going to be at school? You’re in my care now, so wherever you go, Chel and I come with. We’ll find time to practice here and there.”

  Theo took in the professor’s intense stare. “What do you mean? Where are we going?”

  “I don’t know. Where do you want to go?”

  In the background, Chel raised her head, waiting for Theo’s reply with a curious look on her face.

  The answer came easily. “I want to see Ty.”

  “That’s the one place where I can’t take you.”

  “Do you know where she is?”

  “Not right now, no.”

  “I thought you could tell the future.”

  “I make good guesses based on data from previous Circles.”

  “What’s your guess, then?”

  Moriya paused, blinked, shifted his eyes to the side, then refocused on Theo. “I really do not know. Her path has shifted far too much.”

  “Then…”

  “Option two?”

  He did not have to think hard about it. Among the papers on his desk, several were Em asking him to come home, almost begging. Telling him not to stay at the Academy because it wasn’t safe anymore. Acknowledging that it was his prerogative to stay should he truly desire to, but also that he would personally pick Theo up unless he wrote that he understood the risk of staying. All his letters…met with denial. Because Theo knew that if he had stayed silent like he really wanted, the old sorcerer would most definitely have shown up at the gates, angry and upset at the obvious display of disrespect.

  “Emrys?” asked the professor, eyebrows raised with an interested look on his face that mirrored Chel’s.

  Theo bit his bottom lip. “I can’t just…show up at the headquarters and ask to see him. Isn’t he busy, Anchor and all? Wouldn’t he suspect that something was up?”

  “It’s not like he hasn’t seen you trying to kill him in the previous Circles, and he knows we’re going down Ty’s route now, so what else is there to be suspicious of? It doesn’t change the fact that you’re his son. How could he say no?”

  I’m not his son, Theo thought to himself, not only the bearer of the Mother’s sins but also of Emrys sel’esiet Seville’s name.

  Before he could give an answer, Moriya spoke first. “What are your orders, tactician?” he asked expectantly, a sly smile playing on the edge of his lips as if he had spoken it a thousand times.

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