Just as my eyes drifted to the notifications, the door swung open, pulling my gaze away from it. 'Another time, maybe?' I thought to myself as I glanced towards the door. "Mother!" Nyx yelled as she shot across the room like a bullet and threw herself at me with enough force to knock the air out of my chest.

"Well, hello there." I chuckled as I ran my hands across her back.

She murmured something as she buried her head in my chest. I grinned as I reached up and gave her a pat on her head. "What was that?"

"I missed you." She pulled her head away and stared at me with her emerald eyes. Her lips were twisted into a small smile, revealing sharpened canines that protruded ever so slightly.

"I missed you too." I gave her another pat on the head as she detached from me and scampered over to a desk close by, only to drag it close to where I was sitting.

"Empress." Alessia walked in close behind Nyx, wielding her poleaxe, which was still heavily chipped and covered in drying blood and destroyed wood. It broke my heart a bit to see it like that, but I decided I would make her a new one as soon as time permitted it. Maybe I would even make her a new weapon altogether.

"Alessia." I flashed her a smile as I watched her walk across the room. She held Nyx's backpack in her spare hand, which she curtly set down on the desk.

Nyx reached forward, grabbed her backpack, and quickly rummaged through it, searching for something, and was oblivious to everything else around her while she was doing it.

I pulled my glance away from her and towards Alessia, who was standing only a pace away. Her pole arm was nestled gently against her shoulder. These were my girls, and seeing them together reaffirmed what I felt. I would do anything for them. But I alone would bear the consequences of it all.

"So, Kharon, how is Nyx doing at school?" As I turned my head back to look at Kharon, I tilted my head slightly. I felt a slight smirk grow on my face that I struggled to contain.

The papers that were getting ruffled next to me stopped as I saw her perk up a bit. A questioning look appeared on her tiny face as her eyebrows raised slightly.

"Nyx is a student that I routinely have issues with. She is failing all her classes, and I'm unsure what else I can do to steer her on the right path." He rapidly clicked his tongue together, forming a facsimile of disappointment.

"Is this true?" I forced a sad sigh of my lips and turned my full attention towards her. Perhaps it was wrong of me to have some fun at her expense. But I couldn't help it.

"No! I'm an excellent student!" A faint red tint appeared on her cheeks as she stood up. She slammed her hands down on the desk, further echoing her defiance.

His teeth rattled together strangely. One that sounded much like a tsk. "Do you see what I mean? She is wild." He shook his head softly as if he were a disapproving parent.

Her head whipped around towards me and then to Kharon. "Mother, he is lying! I've done nothing wrong." Fear danced in her eyes like the grass on the wind.

I couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped from my lips as I shook my head. "We are just kidding. He says you are an excellent student." I pursed my lips slightly as I bit more of the laughter that tried to break through.

She sighed slightly as she cleared her throat. "That's not fair, mother." She sat back in her seat and quickly adjusted the ruffles on her dress. A small pout adorned her face. Poor girl, she wasn't used to dealing with this. But a little teasing builds character.

I reached out and gave her a quick pat on the head. A small consolation prize for her troubles. "It's alright, Nyx; it's just a little teasing."

"It's not funny." She huffed at me and crossed her arms.

"It will be alright." I grinned and pulled my hand away. "Anyway, have you thought about what you want to do with your life?" It was a tricky question to be sure. She was still only a child, at least to me she was. But this was a hard world, and I needed to ensure that she took care of herself.

"Well, I like magic, but I think I want to do something a little more, but I'm not sure what." She mused quietly to herself as she rifled through her bag. Looking for something in particular.

"What do you mean?" I crossed my arms and sat back in my seat, curious about her words.

"There must be something more to it than what Mr. Kharon teaches us." She reached further into her bag and pulled out a notebook. One that was labeled as notes for magical theory.

She placed the notebook on the table and opened it between us. Inscribed within were various runes and other scribbles involving the use of magic. The first shape was hard to describe. It was reminiscent of a simple flame, but a few strange shapes extended from it and hummed quietly with soft power.

Next to it was another symbol. A strangely etched rock with symbols flowed and shifted across its surface and shimmered with light brown energy.

This pattern continued on into even more elaborate shapes. From a quick glance, I could see a symbol that looked like wind, water, darkness, a moon, and many others. Each with its own etchings and marks. It was like an alphabet but more mysterious and etheric. But it was one that I couldn't seem to understand. Only the vaguest of meanings teased the corners of my mind. "I'm not sure I entirely understand it all," I murmured as I ran my fingers across the page. The power that brimmed ever so faintly underneath felt muted, much like the feelings that lived in my metal-clad hand. It was so close, yet it was so far away.

"It's magical, mother. Each rune is related to the other, but only in the faintest sense. I want to know more about them and how they are all connected. There is something there, and I want to know what it is." Her eyes glimmered as she stared at the runes. It was a glimmer of greed. A desire to seek more than what was given to her.

"What makes you say that?" I asked as I stared at the paper just under my fingertips. A slight pang of jealousy grew in my chest. I wish I hadn't given up magic.

"Well mother, it's hard to explain, but there is an underlying sameness to everything. I can't seem to put my finger on it. But I will find the answer." She nodded a bit as she ran her fingers over the cover before closing it.

"Speaking of magic, Kharon suggested he and Alessia could duel. Perhaps it would be a chance for you to see some magic up close." I changed the subject, slightly uncomfortable at the idea that Nyx was already excelling in areas I had no hope of ever reaching.

"Really? I've wanted to see Mr. Kharon use magic for quite some time, but he always tells me no." Her face twisted into a pout as she pushed her notebook away from us.

"Well, you need Alessia to agree to it first." I poked at her again and gestured towards Alessia, who was only a few paces away.

Her head spun on a swivel as she turned in her seat. "Please, Ms. Alessia, will you fight Mr. Kharon?" Her eyes widened as she tried to lay the puppy dog eyes on as thick as humanly possible.

She shook her head. "I think not. I wasn't asked about this before." Her eyes pulled away from Nyx and went towards me. The gold in her eyes flickered gently in the amber light cast from the lantern.

"I know. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. Would you do it for me?" I did the same thing that Nyx was doing next to her. Flashing her the best set of puppy dog eyes I could. I could make her if I desired, but that wasn't who I was.

She shifted between us, her eyes lingering on us for a few seconds each. At least until she closed them. "You two are insufferable. But I will allow it this time."

Nyx squealed her approval and clapped her hands together. "I can't wait to see Mr. Kharon do magic." A wide smile broke her face, revealing rows of pearl white teeth, all sharpened, glittering dangerously in the light. I couldn't either. I've only seen him do it once, which was long ago.