Chapter 6

The Passage

“The Luster Mines…Silicias…”

Ever since the pirate had uttered those words, they were about the only thing that Terrill could continue thinking about. Whether it was helping to clean up some of the wreckage on the deck or shoving the pirates into the hold, where they could do no damage, those words tugged on him. He wanted to believe it was because he realized they were heading to the wrong place if the woman was on another continent entirely.

Yet at the same time, he couldn’t shake the feeling there was something deeper calling him there. Something from his youth that he couldn’t quite recall, as it often was with children of a young age.

Terrill also couldn’t shake Krysta.

“You keep moving around and it will aggravate your wound,” she chastised him as soon as she could, which was after she had rested and finished the rest of her healing duties. He had made sure she took care of the others first, but that peeved her more than he would have thought.

“I told you, it’s barely anything.” His huff didn’t stop her from lifting the corner of his jerkin up to check on the light burn. He didn’t really feel anything from it, but supposed that Krysta had a point in not making it worse. Not that she had any intention of leaving it, for her hand lightly touched to the skin of his side and he felt that familiar warming sensation as the burn slowly disappeared. Soon as she was done, she backed off. “At least we’re making good time.”

“Yes. The Academy students are a boon. I think you can even see Sagitta already,” she replied, putting her hand over her eyes to peer forward. Terrill let a chuckle escape his lips at that. It was doubtful the other continent was that close, but with the increased wind and water control from two of the Academy’s best and brightest, they had cut travel from the remaining five days into a lone two. With the sun rising, providing further evidence of the damage the pirates had done, it was the kind of boon all the passengers needed. “Though you want to head to Silicias now, I bet. I heard you muttering.”

“Not sure, yet,” Terrill said, leaning forward while he expelled a sigh. “It feels too easy, and too much like I’m being led around. This woman keeps bouncing from place to place, and I just want to get a lock on her. Don’t suppose anyone on Sagitta might’ve heard differently, do you?”

“It’s very possible.” The answer didn’t come from Krysta, but from the familiar bespectacled student that was now approaching them with his posse. “Luster Mines is owned by the mayor of Serotin. It’s a major source of ore, and much of it is used for research.”

“So, it’s a colony of Sagitta, then?” Krysta asked, prompting the boy to nod. “Silicias is pretty far, though, isn’t it? Like, to the south of Sayn, right?”

“With the advent of magical devices and the research into them, the entire continent of Sagitta has cut down on most old travel times. We even hear tell that they’ve done similar works in Rotarin on the far western continent. Though travel to the west has been difficult on account of-”

“You really like explaining things, don’t you?” Terrill said, a grin adorning his face. The boy didn’t realize he was joking with him, and his face flushed with embarrassment at the Guardian’s words. To distract himself from it, he turned towards Krysta.

“A-anyway, the Luster Mines are owned by Mayor Rainert of Serotin, who oversees much of the continent, so if you’re interested in them, it’s in your best interest to go to Serotin. He would know about any goings-on there,” the boy finished, puffing his chest as though he’d proven Terrill wrong. Terrill didn’t much care, looking out at the darkened sky with the tinge of yellow behind them that indicated the sunrise. With a breath, he took in the sea, while the boy continued on. “That said, miss, we’d like to invite you to the Academy!”

“M-me?!” Krysta uttered, stepping back from the shock. The students had bowed low, and Terrill let a laugh tear from his lips.

“Yes. We grossly underestimated you, and for that, we are sorry! We presumed, as you were coming from Sayn, that you had a lack of magical abilities,” the boy stammered out, tripping over his words. “That was clearly a false assumption, and we believe the Academy would do much to gain from your abilities!”

“Uh…that is…er…”

“Aw, why not humor them, Krysta?” Terrill said, never stopping his laugh, and never turning away from the water. “Besides, if Serotin’s our best bet on this journey, I see nothing wrong with it.”

“I’m not out to be a student.”

“Can’t you consider?” one of the female students cried, coming over to take Krysta’s hands. Krysta looked uncomfortable, but didn’t push her away. “We know Torry would be interested in meeting you. She’s our top student, but healing and light-based magic is the one kind that constantly eludes her. You’d fit in well.”

“I-”

“Oi, you kids. Haven’t you been up all night? Get some rest!” called one of the soldiers, bringing an abrupt end to the conversation. Krysta was relieved.

“Well, just think about it, please. We can give you a tour once we make berth in Lentaris.”

“This will be exciting!” another sang. They retreated soon after.

“Too exciting if you ask me…” Krysta muttered once they’d all left, joining Terrill at the front of the deck to watch the sea. “Never thought life would get this hectic that day I found you in the woods…or maybe I just hoped it wouldn’t. Like a naïve dream. Instead, now we have this woman, and the Academy, and the Luster Mines on Silicias and something about heroes and pirates and it all sounds like something out of a bedtime story!”

Terrill said nothing, his lips turning into a frown. The more she ranted, the more Terrill remembered, and at this point wished he hadn’t. He really didn’t want to recall his parents going off to war on Silicias and never coming back, with nothing but his father’s sword to show for it.

Before Krysta could see his new expression, he wiped it from his face.

“Well, for now, let’s focus on what we can find. I think we should go to the Academy. If anyone would know anything, it’d be the mayor in Serotin, and maybe even the director of the Academy, right? Let’s not jump into things without a thought for whether we should. Go get some more rest.”

Krysta agreed with him, and doubtless wanted to tell him the same thing, but he must not have masked his expression entirely. That, or she just sensed what his previous thoughts had been, for she turned away and left him on the deck as the sun rose.

X X X

The ship took another day and a half to reach its destination that was the border town of Lentaris, on the eastern edge of Sagitta. Aided by wind and water, it afforded Terrill little time to sit with his own musings about the mines, instead investing his time in defending the deck alongside the soldiers. Indeed, the soldiers knew very little about the place, except for the same fact he did: that it had been the site of the biggest battle that the war fifteen years ago had offered. Some of them still considered it cursed, while others considered that out of a storybook, themselves. They were still yammering on about it the morning they were to make port.

“I’m tellin’ you, there’s a reason Sayn never returned there! It’s cursed! Filled with monsters! A nest of ‘em!”

“Oh, don’t be silly. The miners have been working there near on a decade and nothin’s happened.”

“That’s because they haven’t dug deep and reached the monsters’ nest. Mark my words!”

Terrill didn’t want to mark them in any way, shape or form. The thought of people putting themselves in danger was worrying, but he hoped that it was just rumors, if that. The most relieving thing, either way, was that he knew not all his memories were bad, and it was something Krysta had expressed to him.

Unfortunately for her, the Academy students had made it very clear that they weren’t taking no for an answer, and as Lentaris came closer and closer, she finally said it straight to them.

“I’ll go with you to the Academy, but not to stay!” she said, hands on her hips and all in a huff. They only heard the first part, clapping hands together in joy. “Ugh…are you even listening…?”

“It’ll give us a chance to look around at least. How long will it take to reach the Academy from the port?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Specs (as Terrill decided he would now be called) told him. He pushed up on his glasses, an overconfident and disturbing laugh leaving his lips. “You’re a magic-user, correct?”

“So I’m told.”

“Then as soon as you’ve passed the border inspection, we’ll whisk you there in no time.”

Terrill and Krysta grimaced in tandem, though their new escorts failed to notice. A new wrinkle had been introduced, one they hadn’t thought of in their hectic departure: border inspection. As the students made to disembark, the traveling duo began to converse in harsh whispers.

“How do we get past this? You were at the Academy before, right?”

“Sure, but that was an old credential on a very temporary trip, and we didn’t exactly get passes before we boarded. Even if I did have a credential, I’m not sure how I can cover you getting in…”

“You’re a real help, Krysta…”

“I don’t see you coming up with any better ideas!” Their mutual snapping was interrupted by a bell on deck ringing, indicating how close they were to making port. Whatever solution they were to come up with, they knew they needed one promptly.

With the hubbub on deck, that looked to be a difficult task, indeed, and one that their minds were not quite up to the task of. It got worse as the noisy pirates, all cuffed and tied together were tossed on the deck, awaiting delivery at the port. All the noise prevented Terrill from being able to think, and he decided to look out at the provincial port town, though he wasn’t quite sure “provincial” was the way to describe it.

There were many rows of white stone houses leading up a hill, each of them set behind a large gateway that was manned by soldiers wearing robes rather than armor. The homes were square in nature, though the town didn’t look too populated on the whole. What captured Terrill’s interest most was the glowing light from a courtyard in the center of town, but it also served to remind him that without a way to make it through the gate, there was no way he’d ever even find out exactly what that was.

Neither were even close to a solution when the ship stopped moving, and a ramp lowered for them all to leave. The students were the first off, but the soldiers from Lentaris weren’t there to greet them.

“Pirate troubles, huh? I’m surprised you all made such good time. We weren’t expecting you for another day or two!” the leader of the guards called to the soldiers on deck. Terrill and Krysta stood by, watching as the pirates were escorted off. To no one’s surprise, Fire Lash was the most subdued, and he flinched as he passed by Terrill. The Guardian took no notice, continuing to tap his foot as he attempted to find a solution to the current predicament.

“We had a capable set of students on hand. Hope you have room enough for them.”

“We’ll shove them in like sardines. These pirate attacks are troublesome. The mayor, himself, has grown worried. Report came in that he started closing the road to the southern harbor, all passage to Silicias blocked.”

“That so? Well, it’s no trouble for us. Some of my men consider that place cursed in the first place!” The two soldiers met each other like old friends and allies, clasping hands together.

From his place on the deck, Terrill watched them, his foot having since ceased its tapping. There it was again, that mention of Silicias. Only now there was a direct connection with the mayor. Terrill wished to ask Krysta her thoughts, but when he turned, he found she was already heading down the deck with the remaining passengers, making a direct line for the pair of soldiers.

“This mayor,” she started, to Terrill’s alarm, “is there a reason other than pirates he’s closing off the southern harbor? Is there any way through?”

“The blockade’s pretty solid. They’re not even letting some top-level Academy students through,” the Lentaris soldier spoke, folding his arms. The pirates were now out of the picture, and with most people off the ship, Terrill raced after Krysta to prevent her from saying anything that would betray their lack of credentials. “But now that you mention it, the mayor was pulling some guards from here to send south before we had an uptick in pirate activity. Luster Mines is in his best interest.”

“Maybe he heard the same thing the pirates heard!”

“What’s that, girl?”

Terrill finally reached Krysta, pulling her back to his side as he chose to answer in her stead. “Something about Luster Mines needing heroes.”

“Well, we wouldn’t know anything about that here. We just run border patrol!” the man chortled. “You’d have to ask the mayor in Serotin…if he lets you see him. He’s picky ever since that Floyd broke in…again…”

“What? That kid? You mentioned him the last time we were here! Still haven’t caught him? What are you idiots doing?” The good-natured grin told Terrill there were no hard feelings, and for a moment, he considered just slipping right past and hoping no one noticed them enter the country. It seemed possible, given that Specs and his entourage were currently being granted entrance, keeping the attention on them.

“Hey, we catch him often enough! Or he lets himself be caught… But the mayor keeps him around because he’s a top student. Or so it’s said. His mother won’t stop singing his praises, when she’s not exasperated.” Terrill tugged at Krysta’s shoulder, hinting they should make a run for it. He wasn’t fast enough, as the guard finished and turned towards the both of them. “Now, if you want to see the mayor, you’ll need in the country. Papers?”

“Um…well…you see…” Terrill couldn’t help the grimace inside, but didn’t let it rise to his face. They were stuck, and despite his determination, he didn’t see any way to get around this.

“Ah, he’s with us,” the soldier from the ship suddenly spoke. Terrill blinked, taken aback by the statement. There was truth to his words as the man pulled out a certificate moments later, foisting it upon Terrill as if he’d had an extra one lying around for just such an occasion. “Our captain in the capital didn’t have time to prepare him a writ of passage, but he brought him on for extra security. Sent us the papers by carrier pigeon. Worked against those pirates, though, I’ll tell ya!”

The Lentaris soldier looked skeptical, holding his hand out for Terrill to give him the paper. Trusting his fate to the soldiers he’d fought alongside, Terrill handed the paper over, allowing it to be checked. He only hoped it worked, but began to fear it wouldn’t when the man’s eyes seemed to narrow one too many times. Eventually, he handed it back.

“Seems in order for you. Though this woman here…”

“I’m his fiancée.” Krysta suddenly squeezed his arm tight, drawing rather too close for Terrill’s comfort. He didn’t flush, and nor did he question the obvious lie spilling from Krysta’s lips, but instead beamed at the soldiers in an attempt to pass it off as the truth. “We thought we’d take a visit to the Academy together, isn’t that right, dear?”

“Yeah. It’s been a long time since we took a trip together, and wanted to visit the continent to see some of her old friends before…the wedding…” Terrill didn’t think he’d sold the lie that well, and now he did feel a blush creeping up his cheeks. Krysta held him tighter, keeping up a dazzling smile of a girl in love while her eyes, larger than he remembered them being, stared at the soldiers. From his proximity, Terrill noticed that same emotion she was giving to the soldiers didn’t reach her eyes.

It began to make the men uncomfortable, scratching behind their heads as they looked away from Krysta’s rather public display of affection for her “fiancée”.

“Ah, well, shouldn’t keep the lovebirds from their appointments any longer. Just show your writ to the guard at the gate and go on through. Your platoon going to meet us in the pub later?”

“Pretty sure most of my men are heading there now!” The two guffawed as they walked off, ignoring the “couple”.

“Well, that worked. Now we can get in together!” Krysta said when they were out of earshot. She never extricated herself from him, and he had no choice but to sigh and begin dragging the both of them over to the border gate. “I suppose we should have thanked him, but oh well. Looks like your Mr. Hero schtick got favorable results.”

“Krysta…” Terrill grumbled, and for the moment, she got the hint to shut up. The two proceeded to the gate, handing over their newly checked credentials before the guard waved them on through, allowing them to enter the town of Lentaris proper. “That lie was completely unnecessary.”

“But it worked,” Krysta said. “People are easy to read. They like to look the other way when they’re embarrassed by something. What’s more embarrassing than seeing a young couple in love? I knew they wouldn’t separate us if I fed them that.”

“How honest of you.”

Now that they were well past the border, Krysta removed herself from Terrill and placed her hands on her hips, glowering at him for whatever he was suggesting. He wasn’t even sure, himself. It had gotten them through, if in a less than honest way. “Look, let’s just be grateful we have free passage over Sagitta now. We have someone we are pursuing, right? So, let’s find that mayor and get some info.”

“Should I take it that you know where we’re going then?”

“No clue! But I’d imagine our friends do.” She was no doubt indicating the grouping of Academy students in the courtyard ahead, enthusiastic and waving them down with expressions of glee. The duo raised their own hands in return, providing a nervous chuckle that they couldn’t have heard.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Terrill decided there was no use standing around, and he led their way towards the courtyard. It was pointless to continue berating Krysta over a harmless lie that allowed them to pursue his target, and his focus once more shifted to finding the woman…or at least finding how to get to her in the first place. For that, they needed to get to Serotin and the Academy that was there.

Lentaris became irrelevant in light of this single-minded goal.

Terrill had already had a decent look at the town as a whole, and while its white-stone structure was fascinating, it paled to the path ahead. It was helped by something more interesting to the eyes upon entering the courtyard. While he got one last glimpse of the passengers from the ship and the soldiers heading to either inn or pub, most of his interest was absorbed by the most unique aspect of the Lentaris courtyard, one which drove him to speechlessness.

On first examination, it appeared to be a glowing light in the ground, shifting between different colors, or just a fountain spouting off different kinds of water. The closer Terrill and Krysta came to it, the more they could see that it was no fountain, but rather a chamber of sorts. A prism of light and magic surrounded the reflective water, and splitting off towards the west and south were different lines, winding through the town and disappearing into the wild. It was a machine of wonder to Terrill, and he was tempted to touch it, but decided to wait for Specs to explain exactly what it was and why they were waiting by it.

They hadn’t even pulled to a stop when Specs couldn’t help himself.

“Welcome to the pride and joy of the Academy, the Magic Transference System, or MATS, for short!” Specs said, his hands waving all about as though he was an (admittedly poor) showman. “We’ve done much research, and in order to make it easy to bring all magic-users to our humble school, our director managed to create this, using some ancient technology discovered in the city of Rotarin!”

“Er…what does it do?”

For the first time, Specs didn’t take offense to Terrill’s question. He laughed. “Heh heh heh, I’m not surprised you are not aware of our country’s pride and glory. Very few use it, as it is only available to magic-users, and even then, only so many uses a day. It would appear not many have used it today. But to answer your question, it is a magical transportation system that taps into the power of earth and causes any who have magic within them to travel along a highway to a specified destination. In this case, Serotin!”

Terrill raised an eyebrow, but decided to accept this as fact. He looked to Krysta, wondering if she had seen or heard of this before, but her eyes gave away the fact that she hadn’t. A fist was raised up to her chest, shaking, and Terrill began to wonder if she was scared at the prospect of travel being, well, less than physical. He had to admit his own trepidation, preferring the ground beneath his feet.

“I would guess this is the quickest route to Serotin, then?”

“Only the fastest!” Specs’s female companion spoke. “Because it is a transference of magical energy, the process takes but a short time. On foot, it would take another three days to reach the city. But enough talk! Observe!”

The girl was bold, striding to the center of the swirling lights. Like on the ship, she kneeled, her magical power focused around her until it coalesced into a bright light that consumed her. When the light had faded, a gust of wind was sent out and the girl was gone. The line to the west lit up brightly.

“See? As simple as focusing magical power,” Specs said. He sounded a bit too proud. “Why don’t one of you try it?”

Terrill remained hesitant, and he could see Krysta did as well. At the same time, he knew they’d get nowhere if they didn’t try, and he endeavored to step forward…only for Krysta to do so first. Like the girl before her, Krysta kneeled, looking to Terrill. The air around her glistened, making her eyes shine as a whisper departed her lips.

“I’m sorry.”

Then the same lights flashed outward, and Krysta was gone.

It was Terrill’s turn.

Specs grinned with more encouragement than was healthy, and showed a far more confident nature than he had previously. He pushed Terrill into the midst of the magical energy.

From the very moment he stepped in, it felt very different. The air buzzed, and his hair stood on end from all of the magical particles in the air. He felt infused with them, and in a bizarre moment, believed he could communicate with the world itself. Unlike the students or Krysta, he wasn’t well-versed in the realm of magic, but still, he felt it was possible. He, too, knelt and closed his eyes, trying to remember the sensation of what it felt like to use magic.

Whatever it was did the trick.

His body felt like it was being squeezed through a tube, and it was as if he was breaking down, reduced solely to elements. The same went for all things attached to his person, or so he hoped. A light whispering came to his ear and he felt as though he was laying upon smooth earth, traveling in one direction.

And there was a voice, speaking to him, though he could not understand it.

All he could make out was a few words: “find them”.

That was hardly helpful, but as he sensed his journey coming to an end, he recognized something. Before that something was pieced together, he felt his body coming back together, materializing in a separate space that he stumbled out of. The sensation made him dizzy, and he fell into a receiving pair of arms that turned out to be Krysta’s. Her own face wore grim lines, but she said nothing, only pulling him out of the receiving device.

Terrill’s fingers twitched, resisting the urge to vomit after having felt like his body had been put through the wringer.

Worse yet, however, was the realization he was now able to put together: he’d felt that sensation before.

Terrill finally regained himself enough to stand, patting his hands all over his body to make sure every piece of him was still there, and his sword as well. Once he was sure it was, he breathed easier, knowing that despite the breakdown, whatever the transference was, it had pieced him together just as accurately…somehow.

What was more, was that it had put him in an entirely new place, evidenced by the very large building and campus stretched out wide before him, and the sprawling city behind.

Terrill’s lips twitched, another revelation coming to him. “So that’s what it is…”

“What is?” Krysta asked, her voice quieter than he’d ever heard.

The appearance of Specs put off his answer as he strode out of the device with a wide grin that gestured to the place beyond. “Welcome to the Academy!”

It should have been bold and triumphant, having arrived at this new place to explore, but neither Terrill nor Krysta cared much. She said nothing, but Terrill turned to her and whispered right back, “That woman, the one we’re chasing…I think she uses magic, too. I think…she used a power to teleport just like that.”

They both knew from that: this was the place to find answers.