(Alex, 16)

I ain't sure why I let the crew talk me into finishing university this term. Probably because I didn't get any sleep last night, so my sleep-deprived brain went 'whatever' when they pushed for me to attend lessons today. We only have this week and next week, then it'll be the winter break. I might not return to university next term, though. Just finish out this semester, then leave.

Not sure how Prince Traitor will react to that, or what will happen with the warrant, but I don't care. My crew will probably follow me out when I leave, and I feel bad for that, since they're busy establishing new lives.

"Hello, Alex."

"Leave me alone, Prince Jacob."

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," he says.

"As if ya care," I shoot him a glare with as much venom as my tired self can manage.

"As much as you want to blame me for things," he says. "Do not think I do not care about you, Alex. I still see you as a friend, even if you think that means little, and I do care for my friends."

"Tell that to Jason."

"Your instructors are aware you may be out of it today," he says, and I glare at him. He told them to keep an eye on me. "Before you think I am singling you out, I had Papa informs both universities that members of the advanced training group had a late training exercise last night. It is doubtful any of us received much sleep last night, but I knew you would not have slept at all. Rather than singling you out, I decided the best course of action would be to state the entire advanced training group. It is known we perform intense training routines, and as it is a part of the university requirements, exceptions for attention can be made as a result of things involved with it."

"Whatever," I say as we enter the university.

I walk off towards my lecture hall and take my usual seat. My already-exhausted body wants to sleep during lessons, but I know that would have me on punishment, so I force myself to stay awake. Instead, I think about what Miranda said.

After she left last night, the crew and I talked about it. Had she known Jason was Nolan, her story would have an entirely different meaning to it. As it is, she was talking about Jason, just unknowingly. Why did she tell me a story about Nolan being immortal? Of him recovering from a beheading and destroyed heart?

At least Niko did not hear that story, or he would use it as proof that Jason is alive.

Her story was confusing and made no sense. Not even a god could survive that when slain by one of the Magus Swords. They could when slain by other weapons, but the Magus Swords were designed to disrupt divine power. And Nolan was no god.

I'm still not certain on how Nolan did that.

So how could Nolan have survived being slain by a god using a divine weapon? Gods can die to divine weapons, after all., so even if Nolan was somehow immortal, the god's weapon would have slain him for sure. Her story really makes no sense at all.

Lessons pass in a blur for me as I both think on that, on Jason, and on, well, the future. I get scolded for not trying that hard in afternoon drills, but Prince Jacob's influence is clear there, as they only scold me for it and not push me harder.

At the end of the day, I walk back to Jason's home. I don't think I can live here anymore, not without him around. Not only does just looking at it hurt, but there's really no reason for me to be here anymore.

The people from the Dragon Clans are talking with Sage Alyssa and Sage Michael when I enter, but I barely give them a hello before going upstairs and to my room. I pack up all my stuff into my spatial storage, then start to leave. As I pass by Jason's room, I stop. He probably wouldn't care if I took some of his stuffies.

I enter his room and pause a little. Tiger Alpha is curled up on the bed, talking to himself.

"-and Jacob and Alex are bickering," he says. "It's really annoying. I'm not sure why they're fighting each other. Yeah, it's silly. I hope they stop soon. Alex is all gloomy, too. I dunno why. He was squeezing me really tightly last night, so I hypnotized him into going to his crew."

He did what?

"Yeah, yeah, I shouldn't have done that, but it hurt," he says. "Ever had the stuffing squeezed out of you? It's not pleasant. Okay, okay, that's an exaggeration. He didn't actually squeeze the stuffing out of me."

"Do ya always talk to yourself?" I ask.

Tiger Alpha jumps up and stares at me, then looks away.

"You don't normally come in here," he says. "Were you looking for me?"

"No," I answer, then remember that he'll probably guard the stuffies. "But I'm moving out, and was wanting to see if I could take some of the stuffies with me."

"I hypnotized you into joining the crew last night," he says. "Because they'd help comfort you. My hypnotism shouldn't have made you want to move out."

"No," I don't think I can actually say the reason. "I'm moving in with Connor, my brother. He and I are blood, and the house is mine, too."

"Oh," he pauses for a moment. "Sure, but none of the golems. Do you want a dragon stuffie to snuggle with?"

"I thought Jason's only one was at his house in the Unwild Lands?"

"No," Tiger Alpha walks to the edge of the bed, then opens one of the chests at its foot with force magic.

He hops into the stuffies inside of it and worms his way down, returning a minute later with a dragon stuff in his mouth. The dragon stuffie is about twice as tall as he is, with a grey body rather than red or black.

Tiger Alpha jumps back onto the bed and releases the dragon stuffie, looking at me.

"Boss made this for you," he tells me. "He meant it as a birthday present for you, but you can have it early if it means you'll feel a bit better about whatever you and Jacob are squabbling about. Or as a housewarming present, since you're moving into a new home."

Right. Tiger Alpha doesn't know Jason is dead, and we aren't supposed to tell him. As bad as I'm feeling, Tiger Alpha would probably be devastated. Jason is his father, in a way, and he's essentially a child at the moment. A child with a lot of magical power. I think Sage Michael mentioned that they'll tell Tiger Alpha, eventually, that Jason is caught up with work and unable to return home, but that Tiger Alpha should still guard it, as Jason intended.

I take the stuffie from Tiger Alpha and examine it closely.

Jason made it with grey eyes, just like all dragons. I know he mentioned that the dragons which ruled over the Dragon Clans were silver and gold, but this is most definitely a grey dragon. As I stare at it, a memory from Quinn returns to me.

A grey dragon, rising taller than any mountain, staring down an army of angels and gods and an army of demons, more armies to the side. Its form is ethereal and intangible, its aura clear, even as only a memory. It was a force of power far beyond any from Midlaris, a force which cowed even the gods by its very presence.

The dragon inhaled slowly, and the armies began to flee. Then it exhaled… and the armies dissolved into nothing. The bloodstained dirt of the battlefield changed, turning into a field of lush grass and vibrant flowers.

It flicked its tail, leveling the hills beside it and destroying the armies that had been fighting there as well.

Even just by the memory of the dragon, I know it was something truly different. Something truly powerful.

Something above even the gods of the First and Second Order. The Divine Dragon itself descended during the war. I never did have a memory of what happened to end the fighting before we sealed the passages. If that memory is correct, the Divine Dragon itself made an appearance and wiped out armies of both sides.

Jason must have recovered that memory at some point, then made this stuffie for me because of it. A unique dragon unlike any other. I hold it against myself.

"Boss made its fur like mine, too," Tiger Alpha says. "So whatever's making you sad, you can cry into it. When Boss returns, you can cry into him, too."

The problem is that he won't be returning, Tiger Alpha.

I sigh, looking at the tiger stuffie golem.

"Thanks, Tiger Alpha," I reach out and scratch his head, and he purrs lightly. "I'm going to be going, now. I'll see you around, I guess."

"Bye," he says. "Don't forget to bring me mice."

"Yeah," I tell him. "I'll try to remember that."

He curls back up on his bed.

"He's taking the stuffie with him."

I frown, but decide not to question it and just leave. Tiger Alpha has his own quirks, and I suppose talking to himself is one of them. Talking to himself with a commentary on what is going on, that is.

I make my way downstairs and look at the Sages.

"I'm moving into the Amarxik Mansion," I inform them. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Sage Alyssa tells me. "It's understandable, given the circumstances."

"Yeah," I say.

"You're always welcome to return," Sage Michael tells me. "And don't forget that Eden enjoys hanging out with you guys."

"Yeah," I say. "I'll see him around. He's probably in the training group right now."

"It was canceled for today," Sage Michael informs me. "Everyone who could lead it slept little."

"Alright," I say. "Bye."

I leave the house and walk down the street, dragging my feet on the way to, well, my house. The guards let me in when I approach, and the butler leaves for Connor when I enter. I wait for my brother in the foyer, and it only takes a minute before he comes into view at the top of the stairs.

"Alex," he says. "How are you doing?"

"I feel like a dragon's turd," I tell him. "I can't… I can't stay there anymore."

"I understand," he says. "Come on, I can show you the rooms."

"Thanks," I say.

(Jacob, 16)

Tasha and I walk along the street in silence. I received permission from Papa to go for a walk through Varil City after lessons today, just to walk around, and decided to invite Tasha along. Neither of us really know what to say, though.

Receiving confirmation that Jason – the most powerful Magus to ever exist – died hurts more than just believing him dead. What could I have done differently? My attacks would not have even been noticed by Enamas, and if he did take notice of me again after delivering that strange message, I would have died, too. Same with Lina and Tasha.

Truthfully? If I could turn back time and do things over again, I would avoid even going there in the first place. If we were not there, then no blame could be put on us, and this rift between Alex and the three of us would not exist.

Which means that we would be able to support him as he grieves.

I would warn Jason about Enamas, naturally, but this is Jason we are talking about. Either he would reseal the god, only to be left weakened for the battle, then die during it, or he would leave the god as-is and come up with a different plan, only to fall then.

Either way, Jason would end up dead.

"You keep sighing," Tasha says, and I feel her hand brush the back of mine.

"I know," I tell her. "I worry for Alex. He has gone into a destructive mindset. He may abandon Varil City and his plans of becoming a slayer. He has already voiced his thoughts that he does not wish to serve Varil if I am to be king."

"He will see reason," she says. "Even if our shared experiences are gone, the bonds forged do still exist. Alex is a Magus, and we have an unbreakable bond. It may bend at times, but nothing is truly strong without being able to give some. Once he has time to grieve and adjust to things, he will apologize for everything he has said and done."

"Truthfully?" I ask, and she gives me a curious look. "I want to fight him."

"Jacob-"

"I do not mean as enemies," I tell her. "Alex has a lot of anger pent up within him, and right now, the three of us are the target of that anger. He has even more of that aimed at me because of our encounters and my binding him to prevent his violence. If he and I fight, then he can let it all out. All of that anger, all of that rage. When he does, it may be the step needed to begin repairing our relationship. Mistrust will still exist for a time, but at least he will have released the anger that holds him."

She is silent as we continue our walk, contemplating my words.

"Though right now," I tell her. "Alex needs to rest. He seemed dazed today, far more so than the rest of us. He has moved on to another stage of grief, and once it passes, the rage within him will return. If we are to fight, it should be then."

"And if he kills you?" She asks.

"He will not," I tell her. "Alex is a Magus. He will not perform a lethal attack. He will do his best to hurt me, to wound me, to take me down, but he will not attempt to kill me."

"You cannot be sure of that," she says.

"I can," I smile at her. "It is something I know for sure. I will take whatever beating it takes – and deliver whatever beating it requires – to alleviate that rage within him."

When Alex and I fought on Sorday, I noticed that none of his attacks were aimed at killing me. Or rather, I noticed after the fight, as I lay on my mat that night. Alex wanted to hurt me, he wanted to make me pay for what happened to Jason, but regardless of what he says, he does not wish me dead.

I find myself sighing again.

Tasha and I followed him home, from a distance. We wanted to make sure he managed the walk okay, as he was unsteady. He was only home for maybe twenty minutes before he left for his family's home here, according to a guard I ordered to stay behind and watch him in case he went out again. We suspected he would decide to return to his crew for awhile, but had not expected his decision to visit Connor.

The most likely option, we deduced, was that he decided to move into the Amarxik Mansion, to live with Connor instead. That alone is proof that the bonds forged between us still exist, as he chose someone he barely knows in this life over those he forged bonds with through blood.

"Come," Tasha brushes her hand against mine once more. "Let us go somewhere to take our mind off of things, Jacob. There are street performers at the nearby park we can watch for a short while."

I nod, then we make our way to the park. It is one of the few green spaces in Varil City, with some trees and a hedge maze making up its main attractions, along with a small pond. A place for those who never leave the city to experience a small touch of nature.

With the bitter cold, there are not many people around, and only one street performer. Usually, they are a mage of some sort, performing a small show of magic in the hopes of earning a little coin, though some are musicians.

The performer present today is a musician, a bard. She has long, flowing hair which is a dark green at the tips and fades to sun-blond at the roots. Her emerald-green eyes sparkle with light, her skin soft and fair. Despite the chill and light snowfall, she wears only a dark green winter dress, though a coat is folded onto the case for her instrument, a guitar. The model is unlike any I have seen before, but the sound it emits is just as beautiful.

Her age is hard to pin down. She could be only a few years older than us, or a decade older. She is young, though.

The song she sings now is in some unknown tongue, but it reminds me of springtime. Of the bright, gentle warmth of the afternoon sun, of the songs of baby birds, freshly hatched.

A larger crowd than I would expect to have gathered here has, fourteen adults and five children gathered in front of her, listening to her sing despite the cold.

When the song ends, the spectators applaud gently, and Tasha and I do the same. The bard smiles at everyone, looking around at the crowd. After gazing at everyone, the bard begins to strum once more, another tune filling the air as the crowd silences once more.

This tune uses a quicker tempo than the previous, a cadence and rhythm which has heads bobbing to it as she begins to sing. Despite her words being in a language I have never heard before, I understand every word of it.

"From the mountains and the seas,

"From the forests and their trees,

"From a land that's further than the ocean,

"Greater events were set in motion.

"Do not question the mysteries,

"Which can rise from victories,

"When you think that one has died,

"Just remember the changing tide.

"For the one who holds twelve keys,

"Is the final one the universe frees,

"Their return comes all too late,

"But they make up everyone's fate.

"A friend's wrath which you must appease,

"So drop down to your hands and knees,

"And after crawling through that mud,

"Reawaken bonds which are stronger than blood.

"When you've paid those sacred fees,

"Dotted those i's and crossed those t's,

"The twelve will stand in harmony,

"As Their Majesties intended it to be."

She stops singing and plays only a few more chords, before finishing, and as everyone gives her a small applause, she catches my eye and gives me a slight smile and nod.

I freeze at that and feel Tasha stiffen beside me. Whatever song she sang, it was intended for me. I can already pull out several of those lines which directly apply to things now. A friend's wrath refers to Alex and the way he feels towards me. One who has died would be Jason. Their Majesties can only be the King and Queen of the Gods.

The one who holds all twelve keys? I feel like I should know what that is referring to, but I do know she meant Jason with that as well. But how could he be the final one the universe frees if he was the first to die?

Reawakening bonds stronger than blood must be referring to the bonds between us Magi, but how can we reawaken them? Would it not be reforging, as we no longer hold those experiences?

Who is she, though? And why does she somehow know who we are and what is going on in our lives? Jason's death has yet to be made public – only a handful of people outside of the Magi and the Sages are aware that he died.

The bard begins another song, and as she sings, her dress ripples, fading into her body, marks of silver and green swirled around her. A spirit of some sort? No one else seems to have noticed her change, which means she is using a glamour to create the dress, and is specifically allowing myself to notice it. Tasha, too, if the small gasp she made at the reveal is any indication.

As this new song fills the air, a memory resurfaces. Towards the end of the war, Nolan died – at least, we thought he had. But the Fourth Rule of the Magi told us to not believe it. There was never any confirmation of his death that time, unlike now, with the spirit who confirmed Jason had passed on.

Nolan had gone off to do something, and he was ambushed by ten gods. They were gearing up for a massive war between the heavenly faction and the underworld faction, and did not want us interfering. Without Nolan assisting us, we would not be able to handle the gods in the battle. We found parts of Nolan, but not enough to confirm he was actually dead, only badly injured.

Even when word reached us that the gods were parading his head around on a spear, we did not believe him to be dead. Word might have reached us, but confirmation did not. We trusted he would return.

Though I only have memories and not the actual knowledge of my feelings at the time, I do know that I likely felt the same as the other ten Magi at what happened. We were watching the battle from atop a mountain. There was a valley with hills, and dozens of armies from both sides had gathered there to fight.

They began to clash, and the land soaked with blood. Our plan was to step in only after the gods, angels, and demons had weakened each other, the fighting settling down. That was the best course of action for us.

Our plan did not include a grey dragon taller than any mountain appearing from nowhere, intangible and ethereal. The angels and demons paused in their fighting, and the gods began to grovel.

The Divine Dragon itself showed up, and it destroyed both sides in mere seconds. Hundreds of thousands of demons, hundreds of thousands of angels, and dozens of gods, wiped out with two attacks, and it probably could have done it with a single strike. That event allowed us to end the war only months later, after years of battling.

When the Divine Dragon disappeared moments after destroying the armies and reshaping the land, Nolan returned to us, a grin on his face.

The memory fades there, but it is crystal-clear in my mind. Nolan had somehow contacted the Divine Dragon and convinced it to join us in the battle. It showed up only for the fight, but that one appearance made it clear to both sides where a being such as it stood.

It stood with the Magi.

I sigh again.

We stood in harmony back then, and that memory tells me that maybe we really were sent by the Divine Beasts, possibly even created by them to save Midlaris from the war between the heavens and the underworld.

But there is another mystery to solve regarding us: who is the Mother of the Magi? Lina mentioned that she has a memory that references this mysterious being, but grants no context as to who she is. The more we learn about our pasts, the more mysteries arise.

As the song which brought these thoughts on fades, I turn to Tasha, who gives me a slight nod. We turn and leave, listening to the harmonious sound of the spirit's voice and guitar. For several minutes, we simply walk in silence.

"To think a spirit would enter a city," I say. "That was quite surprising."

Our guards give us strange looks at that, and I realize that despite standing beside us, they could not truly see her.

"She was a spirit," I explain. "And a powerful one who possesses knowledge which may benefit us. Sadly, spirits are not known for being direct with their intentions or messages. We were to attempt to speak with her regarding her message, we would receive no answers and leave with more questions. What her words meant is something we can only interpret alone, much like with our memories of our past lives."

Though were Jason still around, that would likely not be necessary. If he has the same knack as Nolan, he would understand the message perfectly clear, no matter how much of a riddle the spirit wove it.

"What message?" Tasha asks.

"Did you understand any of what she sang?" I ask.

"No," she answers.

"When she looked at me," I explain. "I had understood every word she had just sang. She came here to deliver a message to me. The only assumption I can make is that Enaveka sent her here."

"Excuse me!" Someone calls out, and I sense my guards stiffen as I turn to face them. "Hello! Have you any time?"

I appraise the speaker, a woman in her late forties, no doubt. She wears a fur-lined winter coat over her dress, her hair tied in a braid that rests over her left shoulder. A fur scarf is wrapped around her neck, a matching hat atop her head to warm her ears.

With Tasha wearing her university-issued coat over her uniform robes, and me wearing my own university-issued coat over my university uniform, we were likely mistaken for normal students walking with some friends. Unless someone actually knows me or has seen me often enough, they would not realize I am royalty in this outfit, and the Royal Guards did not interrupt her approach and distract her, which means they likely felt the same.

"We may," I answer. "We were planning on eating soon, though, so not too much time."

"We have snacks," she tells us. "After Lord Enaveka made his appearance, we have been looking for young men and women who might be interested in learning more about his teachings and the ways of his church."

"You are from the Church of the Kings and Queens of Power," I realize.

"Yes," she responds. "We have a study about to begin, where we will be talking about the feats Lord Enaveka shared with the church many generations ago. We don't require any payments for attending, and do have snacks for our guests to share. Hot drinks as well, if one wishes."

The Royal Guards no doubt already vetted this group out if they let her reach us and offer this, which means she is honest. If we attend, there will likely be several Royal Guards present as well.

"Do you wish to stop for a few minutes?" I ask Tasha. "We can eat dinner after."

"I do not mind," she responds.

"Where do we go?" I turn back to the woman.

"The building with the two gentlemen out front just down there," she points a few buildings down. "We have lots of newcomers this evening, but there should still be seats."

"Thank you," I tell her.

Tasha, our guards, and I make our way down to that building, and I catch sight of a man standing not far from it, reading a paper. I recognize him as a Royal Mage, so he is no doubt keeping a watch out for trouble.

Inside the building, we find the decent-sized room filled with benches, a small stage at the other side of it and snacks on a table lining one wall. Tasha and I sit in the back, our guards standing behind us. They are not the only ones standing, so they will not stand out, either.

Looking around the room, I spot several other Royal Guards I recognize. Four Royal Knights and two Royal Mages, out of the sixty or so people in here. Because of that, I hope Papa will not be too mad at me coming to this, with its crowded room.

Now that I think about it, this falls into a circumstance where I am permitted to hold Tasha's hand, as long as they remain between us. Not one to miss such an opportunity, I take it. Tasha gives my hand a light squeeze, and I smile at her.

A few minutes later, the woman who met us on the street enters and makes her way to the front of the room, hauling herself up onto the stage.

"Hello, everyone," she says, using magic so that her voice reaches us clearly even at the back of the room. "For those of you returning, welcome back! For those of you who have never been here before, welcome. Some of you are simply curious what we are about, while others are here because of the recent presence of the god here in Varil City.

"We are the Church of Enaveka," she explains. "And while we do have a temple, we also rent out spaces like here for smaller, less formal gatherings such as this. We are a long-standing church which has followed the teachings and passed on the knowledge given to us generations ago by Lord Enaveka, believed to be a prophet until his reappearance last Monday, when he revealed himself as a god.

"For those of you unaware," she continues. "When he arrived in Varil City last Monday morning, he declared that the Twelve Kings and Queens of Power, the beings around which our religion revolves, were also beings called the Magi, warriors and mages sent by a greater power than the gods to fight against the gods themselves as the heroes of our world, Midlaris. The tales we have do not come from the war, but their lives after it.

"Today," she tells us. "I will be telling the story of the King of Spring and the King of Knowledge, and their friendship and antagonism towards each other that built a nation after the war concluded."

Quinn and Ethan built a nation out of a rivalry? I have no memories of that, but as she tells the story of how the two Magi constantly squabbled, I come to realize that building a nation is exactly the sort of thing Alex and I might have done together. We are competitive, and we both build up followers naturally.

The way she tells the tale, though, it is as if we were at it for decades, possibly centuries, a civilization building up as we competed for who could gather the most people and turn them into a self-sufficient land of their own, then the people joining together without our interference.

Her tale may be exaggerated, but it makes me wish that Alex forgives me soon. I want to return to our friendship, even if we did compete against each other a lot.