《Reaper of Cantrips》Chapter 5: In Memory
Advertisement
In the dimmed atrium, Pan stood between Sotir and Aria. A crowd of arcanes, young and old, surrounded them. Everyone in attendance wore somber expressions and clothes of grey.
At the back of the room, candles flickered on a makeshift altar, and photographs of deceased arcanes looked dull between the fire. Their faces of grey smiled, unaware that they would all be murdered and reaped sometime after their final photos. Pan had to admit – that was a lot of lost lives.
Pan was glad there had been only two, not counting her of course, but she wasn’t like them.
Pan leaned into Sotir’s space. “Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?” She paused.
He didn’t answer. He stared straight ahead and listened to an elder arcane read the names of the lost arcanes.
Pan continued, “I didn’t get you a present.”
Sotir’s eyes flicked in her direction, but he didn’t turn. “That’s alright. I didn’t tell you about my birthday because I didn’t want you to get me anything. I thought you might give it to me in the middle of the memorial.”
Pan leaned closer. “I would have.”
“I know.” Sotir smiled. Finally, he leaned closer and whispered, “By the way, how did you know it was my birthday?”
Pan started to sweat. She tried very hard not to look in the direction of the cake. She stared straight ahead and tried to listen.
Sotir straightened. He still smiled.
“Aria told me,” Pan said.
On Pan’s other side, Aria blew out a breath. “Now, you’ve done it,” she whispered. “Be quiet.”
Pan agreed. She should keep her mouth shut. Likely, she’d just ruined Sotir’s surprise. He probably worked his power even then, trying to figure out exactly how Pan knew. He’d see the cake. He’d see the conversation. He’d see it all.
Advertisement
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” he said quietly in her ear.
Slowly, Pan smiled.
The elder arcane cleared his throat. He flipped the page, and Pan thought he might be ready to conclude the ceremony. She tensed and stretched to her full height. The elder arcane began another list of names. Pan slumped.
Amazing that any of us are here really. Those must be the names of an entire generation.
The elder arcane put down his paper. “We’re here to honor all of the people that lost their lives to Cesarina and Merig – the first and last of the reapers. May we never see their like again.” He bowed his head.
Pan did the same. She was familiar with memorial services and the gesture was a reflex.
Someone blew out the candles, and the lights came on. Slowly, conversations started and an exodus to the food table began.
Pan snagged Sotir’s sleeve between her fingers and held him back. He had to save room for cake. He didn’t move, merely leaned on his staff and waited for others to filter around him.
“We should wait,” Pan said.
“Oh?”
“So, there’s nothing left for us to eat but the castoffs.” Pan delivered the line with a straight face. Then, with a smile, she added, “It’s a brilliant plan. I’ve always wanted to dine like a rodent.”
Aria hung back too, and as more people moved towards the food, Pan could see the birthday attendees, standing like rocks against a stream.
Sotir’s old mentors and Pan’s began to cluster together. Sotir’s friends moved against the crowd towards the cluster of mentors. A couple headed for Sotir: Hagen and Pollon. Pan expected the dream invader and healer. She didn’t expect Uda, the fire starter. She didn’t even know that Uda was a friend of Sotir’s. By all rights, Uda shouldn’t have any friends. She had been Aria’s bully at the beginning of their arcane journeys, yet Uda had plenty of companionship. Pan and Aria had each other and little else.
Advertisement
“I heard about that future colony job.” Hagen stuffed his hands into pockets and stopped before Sotir. He narrowed his eyes at Pan’s hand on Sotir’s sleeve, so she let go. “That’s going to be a tough one.”
“Probably tiring,” Sotir agreed. He stole a glance at Pan and let his friends carry him away in conversation.
Pan and Aria stood in momentary silence. A few tears fell from Aria’s watery eyes, and she blinked fast. Pan grabbed Aria’s shoulder and turned her away from the auras of the other arcanes.
“So, what did you think of the memorial?” Aria asked.
Pan froze. She hoped that yellow didn’t course through her aura, like it always did when Aria mentioned reapers. “It was alright. What did you think?”
“Sad,” Aria said.
“It’s meant to be.”
Sotir was not surprised. He made no effort to pretend the ruse had worked – no wide eyes, no startles. He just smiled, content and a bit embarrassed, probably on their behalf.
A group of nearly thirty arcanes waited for the atrium to empty. They moved towards the small table of tucked away birthday food, and the cake started its rounds.
She leaned close to Sotir, amid the confusion of cake-filled plates. “I’m sorry I spoiled the surprise. I might just live with you to make up for it.”
Sotir’s eyes snapped to hers. “Make a promise of it, and I’ll hold you to it.”
Pan felt her innards do a flip. She held Sotir’s gaze, until a plate of cake hovered near. The dessert caught her eyes. Pan reached for it, but Sotir snatched the plate out of her hands.
The lights went out. A long moment of darkness followed as Pan’s eyes adjusted to the light of a hastily relit candle. Only then did the cake find its way to her hands.
“I didn’t want you to drop…something else,” Sotir said. “Power’s out.”
“I can see that.” Pan picked up her fork. She didn’t need light to eat cake. “Why is the power out?”
Sotir gave a small shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t really care to look.”
“Let’s all finish our dessert so we can head to the lounge,” a mentor called over the flurry of annoyed and frightened voices.
“And tell ghost stories!” Someone shouted.
Pan felt the first bite of her cake had been ruined. Someone just had to suggest ghost stories.
“Sorry, Pan,” Aria whispered.
Pan grunted her muffled agreement.
Advertisement
Veneofel: A Wonderful World of Magic, Imagination and A Certain Overpowered MC
Johannes Aarvold is a normal student who yearns for knowledge on every medium possible. He is having the time of his life when he figured out that the girl she loves also loved him. But because of an Unusual Blue Book that he borrowed from the Library, he was transported to a different world called Veneofel. But the moment he was transported in Veneofel, he fell straight towards the castle of the Final Boss, The Demon King! Let's join Hans and their comrades in their various adventures and misfits in order to search for a way back home and, at the same time, conquer the world itself! This is my First Work so it is not that polished. The grammar can be wrong, the writing style can be messy, but still, I really want to write what's in my mind. For those that will take their time reading this, feel free to tell me all my flaws and I will do my best to correct it. Thank you very much and Enjoy Reading! ^_^
8 158The Dragons Predicament
Monsters, humans, war. Within their shielded cities of Technomagi, the humans live their lives in small boxes. Only venturing out of their bubbles with gunslingers or mages trained to defend against the beasts outside. Teleportation to other cities is normal, done through square boxes on rails that are housed underground. These days, the disparity between humans and us has grown to a breaking point. In a single night: an entire nation of monsters vanished. A cloud and flash of light that all had seen. Only the strongest could survive against their might and stubborn ingenuity. Those terrifying, amazing humans. We had laughed at first. ‘What possible danger is there? They’re just humans’. That was centuries ago by this point, of course. We all realized the moment we saw that metal tube fall. There is something that only a human can accomplish, through their ability to see light even in the darkest situation. You don’t win against humans. You either die with them or live to serve them.
8 364First Of My Kind
A story about a young man who is reborn into a strange world full of new and amazing things. But there is also many powerful and evil things in this new world, along with corruption, discrimination, slavery and hate. Will this young man be able to survive, especially as he is not human any more, or will this world corrupt him like it has so many others. This is my first attempt at FF, I am happy to receive criticisms and advise. Please check out my other story http://royalroadl.com/fiction/7971 18+ (Violence, Strong language, Gore, sexual content)
8 133TheFamousfilms ship book {DISCOUNTED}
(Cover on this book is mine)I don't own any of there characters the I make any ship requests so please give me ones thanks
8 220EastCoast Løvë
Must Read
8 158Genesis Swan is the elder sister of Bella Swan. She and her sister move in with their father after their mother Renee and her new husband go off around the country. The sisters are best friends, and do everything together, and even happen to fall in love with two vampires of the same family. How will the sisters prevail when they seem to be in danger 24/7? (All rights go to Stephenie Meyer. I only own the random characters and extended plot lines.)
8 162