“Thank you for seeing me, my lady,” Dallion said with a polite bow.

Now that he was a full hunter, and had a bit more experience of the wider world, he knew the importance of behaving properly. It was often that he felt like kicking himself, remembering how he had acted in the past.

“Mage would do if you insist on using titles,” Eleria Fall said. Neither she nor the room had changed even a fraction—probably the only things that hadn’t. “I appreciate the effort you took to let us know what you were here for. However, you still have the annoying habit of choosing the worst possible time.”

“Lately there’s no such thing as the right time, mage,” Dallion said in a firm but polite fashion. “You’re probably aware of the wars taking place.”

“I am, even if they are irrelevant as far as I’m concerned. It won’t be the first time things have become tense. Not too long ago, all furies united in an attempt to destroy the imperial capital. The Academy was even called to assist, or so the story goes. In truth, the emperor did nothing more but request the air of a handful of mages, just enough to prove a point.”

Is that true, Nil? Dallion asked within his realm.

It’s a matter of interpretation, the echo replied. Some say it was half the tower, others say it was less. She’s correct about one thing, though. The Academy has been through many wars, not all of them within the Tamin Empire.

“So, if that’s all you’ve come to say, I’ll have Lelandra take you somewhere where you can get some food and—”

“There was a cultist attack on a settlement not far from here yesterday,” Dallion interrupted. “Most of the acolytes were slaughtered, and the settlement destroyed.”

The mage’s expression remained unchanged. The complete lack of emotions emanating from her, suggested that she was prepared for this meeting.

“I am aware of the results. Were you there when it happened?”

“Yes, mage. I was the target of the attack.”

Upon hearing that, the woman’s lips curved into a faint smile.

“I see you haven’t kicked that habit of yours to get in trouble. The Nerosal fiasco, the cloud citadel mishap, Archduke Linatol’s banquet, the killing of a mage…” The last was said in a firm tone, making it clear her opinions on the matter. “There isn’t a mage in the Academy who hasn’t an opinion on the matter and none of them are favorable. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, mage. I’m on thin ice and should be careful.”

“Good. What are you here for?”

“Information, same as before.”

“And what will you offer in return? Since this is to be a business transaction, it won’t come for free.”

“What can I offer? A hunt? An artefact? Equivalent information?”

“Who are you working for?”

Now it was Dallion’s turn to smile. That was a question that everyone asked sooner or later. However, it wasn’t something everyone could afford to learn. Normally a hunter’s discretion was highly valued. Thankfully, the countess had told him that she didn’t care whom she shared the information with.

“That might be a bit too much.” Dallion looked her straight in the eyes. “I’ll need a Moon vow.”

“Nothing discussed on the matter will be shared with anyone. I vow by the Purple Moon.”

“Nothing about the workings of the tower will be shared with anyone,” Dallion said in turn. “I vow by the Green Moon.”

“Green?” Eleria nodded several times. “Fancy. I didn’t think there were more empaths.”

“I keep hearing that. I’m working for Countess Priscord. The specific request is to find an aetherbird.”

“The.”

“Sorry?”

“The aetherbird. There’s only one. There’s always been only one, it’s one of the grand loopholes. Of course, there are some who disagree, but that’s the Academy for you. Did she say why she wanted it?”

“I have a pretty good idea.”

“And you thought I might help you find it?”

“No, but I know you could tell me more about it. That’s what you do here, isn’t it? The bestiary you gave me last time. It turned out that it can’t be found anywhere outside the Academy.”

“There probably are a few archdukes who have a copy in their private collections. The world revolves around threats and favors. I wouldn’t be surprised if Priscord has one as well. She has always been ambitious. It won’t be the first time an archduke changes. What do you know about the bird?”

“That it exists and represented the embodiment of magic. It cannot be killed and apparently, it can’t be caught either.”

“Seems you didn’t need my help, after all.”

Dallion clenched his fists behind his back. While she had vowed not to share anything said, she hadn’t promised to give him any usable information. Had he repeated the mistake he made back when he had met the general?

“But it can be wounded,” he quickly added.

“Are you convinced?”

“I saw a feather sold at the night auction.”

“A bird doesn’t need to be wounded to release a feather, but you are correct. The aetherbird can be wounded. Technically, it can also be killed, although before it dies, it transforms back into itself. That isn’t the issue, however. If it was just that, someone would have captured it millennia ago. The bigger problem is that it cannot be caught in the literal sense of the world. Have you tried catching a firebird?”

Dallion couldn’t keep himself from smirking.

“Actually, yes.”

“And how did you do that?”

“By focusing on the eyes.”

With the rest of the firebird being fire, it was impossible to touch. The eyes, however, were like hard gems. Dallion had defeated his first firebird back when he was part of the Icepicker guild. His job had been to clear artifact items for anyone who would pay, and he did by defeating the guardians inside. It was also there that he had faced, and later caught Lux, making him into his second familiar.

“I’m talking about real life. The only way to capture a firebird is to put it in an adequate cage, and the only adequate cages are a form of magic crystals. However, you’re not dealing with fire here.”

“No. I’m dealing with magic.”

“And magic can only be contained by more powerful magic. Trying to lock the firebird in a gem would be like trying to imprison a glass of water in the ocean.”

The mage’s explanation was terrible, but Dallion knew what she had in mind. That made things seemingly impossible. Only seemingly, because Dallion could think of a way to keep the creature contained—one that he desperately wanted to avoid.

“What about the Order? Don’t they have anything that could be of use?”

“You’ll be the first to convince them to do anything. But even if you do, I doubt it would work. Magic is also the domain of a Moon. If my suspicions are correct and the bird is a Moon’s familiar, the Order wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.”

“So, the Order can’t catch it and the Academy can’t catch it,” Dallion mused. That left the Star, or to be more precise, his cultists.

“You’re really determined, aren’t you?”

The woman stood up, then made her way to the far section of her library. Her fingers moved faster than Dallion could follow, drawing a pattern in the air. Once she was finished, one of the books changed appearance, turning into a wooden box.

“There isn’t much more I or anyone else can tell you about the creature.” Eleria pulled out the box, then went to her desk.

Anticipation filled the air. Dallion tried asking the guardian of the box what it held inside, but the entity just snorted at him.

“So young and so impatient,” the woman said as she opened the box.

Upon seeing it, Dallion froze. The item held nothing less than a phoenix feather. There was no mistaking it—the exact same item that had been sold at the Linatol night auction. Up close, it looked far more impressive. Using his layer vision, Dallion could see that each feather barb was a thin sliver of magic. It was as if the feather was made of light turned solid.

“Some would call it magnificent,” the mage said. “It cost me a massive fortune to acquire it, not to mention the vast number of favors it took me to get to a position just to buy it. Unlike most other items, phoenix feathers are unpredictable. Hunters don’t set out to find them, they just happen onto one. Auctions rarely sell them and it’s always a last-minute event. Usually those who have them don’t want to part with them.”

“I can see why.”

“You can touch it, if you like.”

Dallion was about to thank her, when it suddenly hit him; he wasn’t supposed to be able to touch it. If the aetherbird was made of magic similar to a firebird, his hand should go right through it. Even at the night auction, no one had actually done so in Dallion’s presence.

“One of the paradoxes,” the mage leaned back. “While part of the creature, the feather cannot be touched. And yet, when it’s dropped, it becomes physical.”

The feather gleamed in purple, as if aware that it was the topic of discussion.

“Won’t I consume it if I touch it?” Dallion asked.

“You’re already awakened, so no. That’s another paradox. The embodiment of magic has no effect on the trait itself. The only thing it guarantees is awakening for someone who isn’t.”

After a few moments of hesitation, Dallion reached out towards the feather, half expecting him to be slapped like a child reaching for cookies. No such thing happened. The sensation was quite anticlimactic. The feather felt just like any other feather left to warm up in the sun.

Hello? a voice said, causing Dallion to drop the feather and pull his hand back. His left hand moved onto the hilt of his Nox dagger as he fixed his glance on the mage again.

“I see you’ve seen the final paradox,” she said perfectly calm.

Unsure what to do, Dallion remained in the same pose for a few minutes, then cautiously relaxed.

“The feather comes with its own guardian—something only an empath or someone reading a lot of ancient records would find. To oversimplify things, the feather represents the awakening realm of the aetherbird, including its guardian. This isn’t an echo, it isn’t an instance, it isn’t entirely a realm even. It’s—”

“An exception,” Dallion finished the words for her. “And you don’t want anything in return for letting me go inside?”

“What made you think anything like that?” The woman reached into one of the desk drawers, then placed a silver rind on the table. “I’ll be going with you. Needless to say that the realm isn’t something that has been explored in the last few millennia. You see, it takes an empath to be allowed access inside.”

“And I happen to be one. That sounds quite convenient.”

“Dear boy, how many of the books you see do you think are books? One thing about being a mage that has reached my age is that you amass a lot of things you cannot use until the right key arrives. Right now, you happen to be one of those keys. I’d say that the choice is yours, but I doubt you’ll get a better opportunity than this. Not with what most nobles and members of the Academy think of you.”

The offer was obvious: access for information. It was nothing new, all part of doing business, even if it still felt ominously convenient. He knew for a fact that news of him being an empath had started to spread. As far as he was aware, only a handful of people knew, but where there were half a dozen, there was always room for one more, especially someone adept in finding loopholes.

With one swift action, Dallion grabbed the ring, then placed his hand on the feather.

REALM AWAKENING