Jano had never been part of anything as fun or demanded so much of his internal organs before. He was now entirely convinced that two full days of a festival was enough to kill anyone who fully embraced it. Though there were many who were certainly giving that theory a good run for its money. There had been several more displays after the King’s address and more speeches by several other important figures to the alliances.

There were meant to be more exhibitions later that night, but during the day it was mainly more displays and family friendly entertainment. He decided to skip lunch and the accompanying play for spectators. In return for some extra training while the training yard was quiet. On the way down from his home, the palace was still overrun with people enjoying themselves. Taverns had been set up behind cheaply made but nicely decorated wooden shacks.

He brushed past groups of street performers, all plying their trade and making the most of the crowds. The atmosphere was like nothing he had ever experienced before. He felt a pang of sadness as he thought that Alsace would have loved it, but he tried to put it out of his mind for now. There was nothing he could do for her immediately, he needed Dariea’s help for that. And he needed to be much stronger than he currently was.

It was a strange experience seeing so much colour packed underneath the cloudy shadows of the chaos essence which wrapped around the settlement. On arrival at the training school, he ducked under a rope, which showed that the area was closed for the festival and he skulked inside before anyone could tell him to turn around.

His head still hurt from the festival the night before, but he settled down into a meditation pose to focus on gathering essence and readying his spirit. As he was so used to when he practiced in his room.

He spent the next few hours throwing projectiles at the targets, practicing both the stone and the chaos shield and meditating during his down time. He barely even had to focus to picture the runes any longer. The few which he had learned seemed to come to him instinctively.

“Is our festival not interesting enough for a stranger?” He heard the teacher’s voice in the distance.

Jano snapped out his latest bout of meditation channeling stone essence to see Herat walk towards a rack with a series of weapons. Staves, maces, swords and spears. “Well then, show me what you’ve learned.” Herat picked up a spear and with a mighty yell, hurled it at Jano.

He barely had time to react, but he threw up his stone shield and the spear bounced off. She had continued her run and picked the spear from the ground. She was much closer to Jano than he was comfortable with. She jabbed down at his legs, then at his midsection but each time he managed to block it with the shield.

“Are you just going to defend all of this time?” She sneered. She jabbed again and Jano knew he wouldn’t get there in time, so he rolled awkwardly back over his shoulder. A crunching sound let him know that he was only partly successful.

He fired a stone spear at Herat. She dismissed it with a spear of her own, which was now shrouded in a dark purple essence. She dismissed it so easily that Jano couldn’t help being jealous.

She ran at him, so he tried something a little different. He focussed all of his will towards the onrushing Chaos-Shaper and threw up a shield. It only reached up to her knees but it caused her to fall over and skid across the dirt.

She smiled as she looked up at Jano. “Good. You’re starting to think a little bit like one of us….”

Her grin grew wider as she said that last word and she spat a globule of dust onto the floor.

“Even if you do resort to your techniques of stone.”

“You’re going to pay for that.”

She began the chase once more, but she began firing small projectiles of chaos essence at the same time. As if to prove her wrong, he began to draw on the chaos essence which so generously surrounded them. Throwing up his hastily assembled shield, the chaos variant being more pliable and versatile than the stone version. Jano tried to run, but he found himself penned in, his back against the target wall.

She jabbed at him with her spear once more and he just about held it together. Then, with his back against the wall, he channeled chaos essence and concentrated hard. He focussed his will on the instructor and small chaos daggers erupted from his body and flew toward her. Then, he made the most of the gap created and quickly touched on the remaining stone essence and surrounded himself with a stone shield.

Herat stopped attacking. “You can channel two types of essence at once?”

Jano looked at her, he was very confused. “No. I mean, I don’t know. Is that wrong?”

She smiled as she saw the awkward honesty written across his forehead. “Don’t be stupid. Of course it is not wrong. I’m just a little shocked that you, who is just beginning their training as an adult, is able to do such things.”

“So what does that mean?” He asked.

“I don’t know. I cannot do it.” Herat laughed. “I chose to specialise in the chaos, as all Chaos-Shapers do. I never even thought about tempering my spirit and body to channel two types of essence. You should report to Dariea and ask her.”

Jano bowed. “I will. Thank you for your help today. The training was exactly what I needed.”

“It was my pleasure. Keep at it stranger, you can be as strong as you want to be. No matter how late you start.”

Herat put the spear back on the rack with the other weapons and then walked away into the depths of the school. Jano conjured a chaos shield and began to fire stone spears at the targets simultaneously. He hadn’t realised he could do it, so he wanted to practice. The accuracy was miles off, but he was grinning like an idiot. If Herat was impressed, then maybe he wasn’t totally useless. He made a mental note to mention this to Dariea, but he somehow doubted he would forget, regardless of the festivities.

After the day began to darken once more, he decided to finally rest. His spirit was exhausted and he felt he had more than earned a celebratory drink. He left the cordoned off section of the school and saw that in the next to the main training yard, there was a large crowd. They were watching two people facing opposite one another and each had conjured some form of animal, much like the one which had sat by the King when he had been introduced.

There was a dragon style creature, made of clear blue water. It crashed around the makeshift arena, billowing whirlpools of furious water at its opponent. Facing it was a large lion of pure white. It was clearly made of fire, but it flickered and shone like the sun. It was retreating from the dragon of water, but it blasted beams of light towards it from time to time, taking chunks from its opponent.

Jano watched the two Mages controlling their creatures and he couldn’t begin to fathom the runes and the control which it must take for such a display. Each movement was delicately scripted and inherently complex. As he watched, he wasn’t sure whether they were purely for show or whether they had any use in battle. As his attention wandered, a whirlpool erupted from the water dragon and crashed upon the white flaming body of the lion. It looked as though it might destroy the arena, but an official to the middle of the battlefield, high on a separate platform declared victory to the Mage with the dragon. The voice was so loud and clear. Jano was bemused as he saw the essence disappear, being shepherded by the Mages themselves. They bowed in respect to each other and then two new combatants took their place. It wasn’t similar to the exhibition, but it was more than simply a friendly display of essence.

I really did know nothing of the world, he thought. Jano moved on reluctantly. The day was growing darker and he headed back to his quarters. The street performers had smaller crowds than they had earlier in the day. Some were already heading back to the site of the main festivities, no doubt in the hope of getting a good seat.

Dariea wasn’t in the house and so Jano quickly got changed and had a small snack. Apparently the last day of the festival was a larger feast with more drinking, which he felt a little excited even if a little apprehensive about. It would be rude not to attend however.

He headed back up the hill and as he got closer to the top of the settlement, the crowds began to swell. From each settlement, people were dressed in opulent finery. Colourful silks decorated the landscape with interesting patterns and embroidery. He had never seen anything like this, even in the celebrations in the city. Though of course, it might have been different in the Mage’s Quarters and amongst the nobles. Not to mention the palace.

He approached the King’s platform and grew nervous. Without Dariea, would they even let him in? He shuffled forward. A small queue of special guests lay ahead of him. Their clothes made Jano’s look perfectly ordinary.

The attendant looked at Jano as he got to the front of the line. “Who are you?” She sneered.

“I’m Jano, Dareia’s…. Apprentice.” He had never actually called himself that, but he had been referred to it before.

The attendant looked him up and down, and she talked to her colleague. She looked as though she was about to dismiss him.

“Let him in. He is who he says he is.” A voice commanded.

Jano took a small step back as he watched the King of the Chaos-Shapers put his hand on the shoulders of the attendant. He had a large smile and he looked relaxed. Jano was ushered forward and he sheepishly walked next to the King. Music bellowed around in the main arena, but up in the King’s platform it was a nice balance and voices could easily be heard.

“Don’t worry. Dariea has told me everything. I am sorry for the loss of your wife.” He said.

“She isn’t dead, the Emperor is just…” Jano began, but he stopped as he saw the sympathetic look on Zabar’s face.

“Of course. In any case, we are honoured to host you and Dariea. She has helped us more than we could ever repay. She is unfortunately preoccupied this evening with a special task for me, but please enjoy the festivities.” He looked as though he was about to walk away, then he faced Jano directly.

“I would appreciate it if you don’t mention anything about mine and Dariea’s plan to bring Qursa down. It wasn’t strictly known by everybody, though most are aware of the hostilities across the continent. And there are those who would seek to use that against us.”

The King walked away as Jano was about to ask if Dariea would be returning. He stood in the middle of the busy platform. Grand attendees talked and ate small bits of food as they observed the music being played in the main arena. He felt entirely lost.

He walked over to a servant and grabbed a cup of wine. He started sipping whenever he became aware of the awkwardness of being alone on a busy platform. Which was quite often. He quickly grabbed another cup.

He felt a tap on the shoulder. It was the same small man with pure white hair from the previous night. “You’re from the City of Qursa. Correct?”

Jano nodded. “Yes, have you been?” He flinched as soon as he said it. Stupid question, visitors were strictly controlled and were only allowed in the nicest parts of the city.

“Is everyone really all as weak as you?” Jano was taken aback at the question but the look on the young man’s face was neutral. He wasn’t sure if he had been insulted or just addressed in normal day to day chat.

“I mean no offence of course, just that it has always projected such a strong face to the outside world. What is it like growing up without being surrounded by essence? What’s it Li—“ the white haired man was interrupted by a larger, almost identical looking man.

“Gryff, leave the poor lad alone. He’s just trying to have a drink and enjoy himself.” The taller man walked over to Jano and offered a massive hand. Jano shook it and tried not to wince at the pressure. “I am Afan, the leader of the Berserker Fire settlement. You’re Dariea’s student no?”

“Yes, I am sir.” Jano felt so small in comparison.

“Well then, I’m sure you aren’t as weak as my lad here thinks you are.”

There was a soft rumbling in the distance and Afan’s eyes darted from their group. He was focussed down the hill. There was a flash of green. A horrible, awful green which turned Jano’s stomach. What was worse was, he recognised it.

A number of bodies started stirring on the platform. Jano noticed the masked guards of the Chaos-Shapers starting to mix in the crowd. A louder rumble, this time audible above the music. More masked guards filled the main arena.

“Gryff, follow me. We are under attack.” Afan’s long white hair swept behind him as he moved swiftly through the crowd.

Attack? What? Jano downed the rest of his cup of wine.

Jano looked down the bottom of the settlement to see a huge shadow at the head of a group of Shimmer.