Cover & FAQs

Just for fun, I whipped up a cover for Forgotten Era. You can see more details (not to mention a larger picture) here at my DeviantART.

And now, long-overdue Frequently Asked Questions!!
(Last updated on 2/4/09)

WARNING!!! SPOILER HEAVY!!! DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE NOVEL!!!

How did the character of Eravisté come about?

It all started in summer of 2007. I had summer school that year for failing algebra, but the summer course was incredibly easy. I ended up bringing a book to school after a few sessions to burn some of the extra time I had after completing assignments. One of those books was Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells, a book that I still consider one of my favorite books (if not my favorite).

I was fascinated by the character of Arisilde, a very soft-spoken sorcerer who had destroyed his mind with a nasty concoction of drugs. I don't know what made me fall so madly in love with his character, but I couldn't get the guy out of my head! Eventually, I did what I always do when I get inspired: I drew. I ended up drawing an effeminate man with a long ponytail and glasses in my sketchbook (back when I still actually drew in sketchbooks and not almost exclusively on the computer). I've changed his design somewhat since then, but he has always been a very lighthearted, caring, and calm person.

Eventually my math spiral started overflowing with drawings of this weird new character, who actually refused to have a name at first. I called him "Arisilde" for a long time, at least until I was finally able to get a finished Photoshopped drawing of him done. He stuck with me like frickin' glue. I couldn't get him out of my head.

In fact, a bonus funny story: I had a class with a good friend of mine the semester after the summer I created Era. (Say that three times fast!) At that point, my Era obsession was at an all-time high. That fucking mage was on my mind ALL. THE. TIME. So one morning in class, the teacher turned off the lights. I reached up to adjust my glasses.

Wait... I don't WEAR glasses. I have NEVER worn glasses. Why was I trying to adjust my non-existant glasses!?

I just kind of froze mid-wtf-moment, and I got a really odd look from said friend. Yeah, guess who I was thinking of at the time who DOES wear glasses? XD

Can I get some quick stats on all the characters?

Sure~

• Era Dalgard/Lucien Baines is 26 years old (though physically 23 since he didn't age for three years) and was born on September 15. His Mage-Name is Eravisté. He is 6' 7" and weighs 144 lbs. His hair is pale blonde and so long that he can sit on it, so he often pulls it back. His eyes are white-gold (though they used to be violet blue) and his skin is pale, leaning towards peach more than tan. He is far-sighted and wears solid gold half-moon glasses. Era's build is very thin and lanky with little muscle mass, and he has a sickle-shaped scar on the left side of his neck and a roughly diamond-shaped scar right beneath his sternum and on the right of his spine on his back, courtesy of Caine. His hands are very strong, despite his otherwise lack of muscle mass. If Era were an animal, he would be a barn owl (though he used to be a great horned owl before that whole Death debacle).
• Gabriel Dalgard is 42 years old and was born on July 7. He does not canonically have a Mage-Name, but if he did, it would be Aszmaard. He is 6' 4" and weighs 201 lbs. His hair is nearly-black brown and fairly short (though he does sport a connected moustache and beard). His eyes are ice blue with orange rings around his pupils and his skin is tan from all the outside work he does. Gabriel is very fit - he's not overly muscular or broad-shouldered, but he's stronger than he looks and certainly has much more muscle than most spellcasters do. He has a number of minor scars from various accidents throughout his lifetime, mostly on his hands. He has a tattoo on his right shoulder of a red tribal design, which he chose because "it looked badass." If Gabriel were an animal, he would be a spectacled bear.
• Crisilla Baines is 17 years old and was born on December 2. She is 5' 5" and weighs 114 lbs. Her hair is chocolate brown, wavy, and goes down to her mid-back. Her eyes are forest green and her skin is healthily pale. Crisilla, having been raised in nobility, doesn't have much muscle to her at all, though she is thin without being bony. She has a scar on one knee from scraping it deeply on a rock when she was younger, and despite the fact that it's usually covered by her clothing, she (jokingly) says it "mars my otherwise flawless feminine appeal." If Crisilla were an animal, she would be a Turkish Angora breed of domestic cat.
• Jarred Blake is 32 years old and was born on May 18. He is 6' 1" and weighs 175 lbs. His hair is dirty blonde and cut halfway between the bottoms of his ears and his shoulders. He also has a small goatee. His eyes are light brown and his skin is naturally pale but tan from being in the sun. He is fairly muscular and broad-shouldered, though he is more suited for a sprint than a marathon, so to speak. He has a number of minor scars from his fencing and horseback hobbies, though he wears them with pride. If Jarred were an animal, he would be a West Siberian Laika breed of dog.
  
• Caine Lapointe is 38 years old and was born on January 30. His Mage-Name is Surront. He is 6' 3" and weighs 149 lbs. His hair is muted brown and just barely long enough to brush his shoulders. He also usually has a light stubble on his face from forgetting to shave. His eyes are a striking shade of green and his skin is not quite pale, but not tan, either. Caine has a bit of upper arm strength to him since he used to be quite fond of swordplay, but otherwise his build is fairly weak. If Caine were an animal, he would be a harpy eagle.
• Dashito Eros is 23 years old and was born March 19. His Mage-Name is Tralneir. He is 6’2 and weighs 152 lbs. His hair is black and reaches slightly below his chin. His eyes are blue-grey and his skin is somewhat pale. Dashito is thin, but he has some muscle mass for his size. If Dashito were an animal, he would be a mourning dove. (Dashito is also a character borrowed from my good friend Beth. Love you, dearie! <3)

Wait... did I just read that Jarred is engaged to someone 15 years younger than him and a minor? Isn't that a little... creepy?

Yes you did, and yes it is. I'm certainly not condoning it, and you'll find no mention of it in the story itself. It was a different time with different standards of decency. In fact, most girls in that era married a few years earlier than Crisilla did, and like hers, the marriages were arranged. She also got lucky in that they ended up very compatible with one another - they're very much in love. And considering that her other options were all men ranging from their mid-40s to early 60s, I think she lucked out. (No, that wasn't in the story either, so just trust me on that one. =P)

Why did you include the Grim Reaper in the story?

Besides the fact that I find the figure of the Grim Reaper fascinating? :D Alright, alright, there IS a legitimate reason.

Era was the Grim Reaper in his original plot. Mage all alone in a tower by day, Grim Reaper by night. Even though he lived on the edge of a little village all alone in a gloomy tower, he was a very nice fellow. A sweet little girl looking for work ended up being his apprentice, learning his secret, and they fell into a chaste sort of love for one another. She, if you haven't guessed, was the inspiration for Crisilla. Yes, Crisilla was originally a love interest before I dropped the idea entirely. So that's why Death appears in the story: I try to keep little bits of my original character plots in the final versions if I can help it.

What's with Era's middle name, "Dior"?

I'm not very into the fashion scene, so I didn't really realize that there was already a very famous Dior out there when I came up with Era's name. XD I picked it for the meaning, not to pay homage to Christian Dior (no offense meant).

What does Era's full name mean, anyway?

"Lucien" roughly translates to "light." I've also seen it translated as "man of light." "Dior," as far as I can tell, means "golden," which certainly fits Era's character design. "Baines" means "bones," and apparently was a nickname for a thin person. XD

"Eravisté" is a name I came up with myself using the sentence "I destroyed something he loved" as inspiration. Read Death of the Necromancer if you wanna get that reference.

Are you going to try and get this published?

In all likelihood, no, ESPECIALLY not this draft of it! I've always intended Forgotten Era to be a graphic novel anyway, so if I do want to end up going places with this story, I want it to be in the medium I'm comfortable with. Besides, there's a lot I missed this time around, such as mentioning how Death shaped his current personality. Not to mention I'm already thinking up major shifts in the plot and Era's characterization that may or may not be permanent.

Wait, what!?

Yeah, there's a lot I left out of this draft of the novel simply by accident. No outline was used in this since I went purely by dialogue and gut instinct. Plus I've got a neat "what if" situation that completely takes Death out of the picture.

Care to elaborate on that?

Eh, why not? :D

This incarnation of Era is cheery, happy-go-lucky, and a bit bumbling at times. In my original characterization of Era, he was much more of a mysterious figure. He was that person you see at the park every Saturday at noon, feeding the pigeons with a melancholy smile on his face. That's the kind of feeling I wanted him to evoke... and this story doesn't provide that. I like his current characterization, sure, but it's a lot different than how I originally imagined him.

Basically what happens is this: instead of taking the abuse that Era inflicts upon him, Caine speaks up. He, a man many years Era's senior, begs him to cease his experiments. This shakes him up; the main reason Era went as far as he did was because, in some twisted way, he thought Caine was willing to endure the pain he went through for Era's experiments. Once he realized that wasn't the case, he snapped out of the emotional deadening he'd placed on himself and, after a brief word to the king, he fled the castle. He wandered for a few years, helping people where he could and living a very modest life on the road before eventually coming back at Caine's beckoning, leading to the showdown and him taking back his title as Archmage. To atone for his crimes, he becomes a prisoner in his own tower, unable to leave the castle for years to come.

...At least that's the idea. I might edit it later.

What's with you and Era? Why do you keep addressing him directly?

Because he's a very important figure to me, and he feels nearly real. I know he's not, of course, but I love him even so. He's been a prominent voice in my head for years now, and I can't thank him enough for being there for me.

If you have a question, feel free to post it in the comments! Anonymous comments are allowed!

Acknowledgments

Beth: God, I love you so much. You have been so unbelievably supportive during this whole freaking month. You always kept up-to-date with the story and got pissed if I told you that you'd just missed the latest chapter by a few minutes. Thanks for obsessing over Era right along with me (and for letting me borrow Dashito for a little while).

Anoko: God, we've been friends for ages now! You're always there to support my little creative endeavors, whether it be a dinky little fansite or a full-blown novel. Thanks for being one of my first internet best friends - and thanks for the constructive criticism you left on the novel.

Kanjal: You have no clue how flattered I was when I read in you DeviantArt page that you considered Eravisté one of your favorite characters. You're the first Era fan I know that I haven't met in real life. It's also awesome to see your interpretation of his character - major hugs and head-pats, buddy!!

The TDF'ers: You crazy little forumers, you. Thanks for all your support in the NaNoWriMo Frenzy thread. I know I got a few readers from TDF, and I can't thank you enough for taking the time to come here and read my silly little attempt at a coherent story. You guys rock (and Razi wholeheartedly agrees with that).

Everyone else: Even if you only dropped by and read a few parts here and there, or if you actually stuck it out and read the whole thing, thank you so much. It means a hell of a lot to me, and I just hope I was able to make the time you wasted here a little entertaining. You guys are AWESOME, and don't you forget it!!

And Era: Goddammit Era, this is all your fault!! Fucking mad-mage!! How dare you make me go through this, you little... blargh!!
Anyway, I love you to death, sweetie. I finished your story now, so kindly stop making me obsess over you. Please and thanks.

Afterword

I did it.

Wow.

I'm still kind of in shock; I literally finished the book maybe ten minutes ago. I honestly... wow. I did it!!! I did it I did it I did it!!!

But I did so much more than just beat NaNoWriMo for the first time, too. I believe this is the first time I have ever seen one of my stories through to completion. Most of the stories in my head never get told; I'm a drawing kind of artist, not a writing one, so usually the most anyone ever sees of the epics running around in my head are some stray drawings of characters they know nothing about.

When I have a story in my head, usually it just stays that: a story. But once a character comes along for me that fits the bill for that story, that's when things start getting fun. Drawings start. I try the character out in a roleplay. I obsess and refine endlessly in my head.

Then, more often than not, the story slowly fades away, unused, in my head, never to be seen or heard from again. A sad fate for a perfectly good story, yes, but it happens, and it happens often.

Not in this case.

I place the blame for this mess of a month entirely on Era himself. If I wasn't so obsessed with him this past year-and-a-quarter, I wouldn't have stressed away my November! How dare he. The nerve of some fictional characters and all. Too bad he's so damn likeable, otherwise I'd... no, I probably wouldn't do anything horrible to him. I don't even torture my most unlikeable characters, let alone my likeable ones (unless horrible crushing guilt on Era's part counts, though he gets over that fairly well). Some of my other artist friends, for some bizarre reason, find it a little odd that I don't do more cruel things to my personal playthings. I guess it's the same reason that I usually play good characters in video games with "good" and "evil" endings: I'm a sucker for everything being all right in the end.

Though, I guess if I had to go back to find out who to blame for Era in the first place, it would be Martha Wells. She's the author of Death of the Necromancer, one of my favorite books, and her character Arisilde was the inspiration for Eravisté. It's sadly out of print in the USA; I was extremely lucky to find a copy at a half-price bookstore. If you like the character of Era - if he drove you to read this piece of crap more than anything else - read it. She's a far better author than I'll bet I'll ever be, and I can't recommend her highly enough.

Did you know I skipped work on one of the busiest days of the year to finish this sucker? I did. I'm such a horrible person. Did you know that I also had to figure out an alternate swear for Gabriel several times during the course of writing this monster? You see, I just kind of let the dialogue flow in my head. Many times, Gabriel ended up saying "Jesus Christ!" I obviously had to omit that since, well, Jesus doesn't exist in this plane. Usually it turned into "fucking hell." Fun little trivia there.

And now I realize that I'm beginning to ramble, so I guess I'll wind this down. To all of you who actually took the time and effort to read this, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'll make an acknowledgments entry and thank you more there, because you are just that cool.

Love you all, and... I DID IT!!!

Part 50

<-- Back :: Home

Ages passed.

The world turned.

Seasons faded into each other as hours became days became weeks became months became years.

People in the castle came and went; Era saw them all. Many changed as he knew them, but most did not; this saddened him, but he felt joy in seeing the country he helped run flourish.

Era wound up outliving the King, but this was to be expected. His oldest son became King in his stead, and Era had no doubt that the reign of King Arcturus V would be long and prosperous as well. And I will help to ensure that, he decided early on. I’ll lead him as far down the right path as he’s willing to follow me.

As he approached his eighty-eighth year, Era could feel his age in his entire being. At age sixty-four, he’d finally decided to grow a small silver goatee, only a finger width wide; he now sat in his easy chair at the top of his tower stroking it in thought, the world around him black as night but for the light of a nearby candle.

The stars are so beautiful tonight, he thought with awe, slowly and carefully raising himself to his feet and shuffling over to the sill. He opened the window to catch the breeze, breathing in the cool night air as deeply as he could. He remembered, on the edge of his mind, the night he’d made stars with Crisilla sleeping peacefully by his side. The memory was no longer a painful one; instead, he smiled at the youthful delight it still brought him.

The breeze picked up slightly, and the room went dark. The wind had extinguished the candle.

Era suddenly felt a presence he hadn’t felt for over sixty years. Turning around slowly, he smiled gently at the figure behind him. “Death,” he said, “how good it is to see you again.”

“The pleasure is mine,” he replied, his voice surprisingly fond in its lack of emotion. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” he said, suddenly looking and feeling as young as he was the first time he had encountered Death. “I’ve been ready all evening.”

“Good,” Death said, beckoning him. “Let’s be off, then.”

“One moment,” Era said. He dashed over to where the staff was in the corner of the room, picking it up and blowing the dust off the gem.

He then trotted back over to Death’s side, smiling his best. “Now I’m ready.”

The End

:: Afterword ::

Part 49

<-- Back :: Home :: Forward -->

Archmagical duties kept Era and Dashito quite busy; their quiet moments were few and far between, but they appreciated them immensely. “There’s much more bookkeeping than you’d imagine,” Era explained to him. “Keeping logs of what supplies you’re using, ordering more of what the entire castle needs, bills of action for our independent mages to carry out… It can get quite overwhelming.”

“I’m sure,” Dashito said, a stack of papers in his arms. “And, of course, it all needs to be filed just right.”

“Right.”

They worked late into the night many times a week, sometimes passing out at their respective desks. Very little actual magic was done, to the disappointment of them both; Dashito wanted to learn more, and Era wanted to teach him.

“It would help if we had more than just us working on all this paperwork,” Dashito suggested.

“Very true,” Era replied. “I’ll ask the King if we could get a bit of help, at least with the filing part.”

“Yeah,” he joked, “and while you’re at it, tell him we’re sick of organizing ingredients until our hands stink of herbs.”

Era chuckled at that, but suddenly froze mid-laugh.

“What’s wrong, Lucien?” Dashito asked, afraid of what he might hear. I hate it when people freeze like that, he thought. Reminds me way too much of Caine.

“You just gave me a brilliant idea,” Era said excitedly. “Wait right there, I’ll be back up in… uh… soon!!” He then dashed out the door, floating quickly down to the bottom of the stairs.

Stunned, Dashito, peered out the door in time to catch Era running out the bottom door. “What was that about?”

The potion cart clacked with the sound of glass hitting glass.

The worst part’s always getting it to town, he thought. It’s fucking heavy, and I always lose a bottle or two. He was just about to set off when a vial bounced off, hitting the dirt beside his foot; he bent down to pick it up.

That’s when he heard the clopping of a carriage horse’s hooves.

At first he thought nothing of it; carriages came down that road all the time. It was only when he looked up and saw that it bore the colors of Elsequaire that he grew suspicious. What’s an Elsequaire coach doing all the way out here?

Of course, his suspicion only grew when it stopped right before him.

A royal messenger stepped out of the carriage, looking down his nose at Gabriel. “Gabriel Dalgard?”

“Uh, yeah. That’s me.” He put down the vial he held and turned his attention to the wiry man in the bright clothing.

“You are hereby summoned to Castle Elthren post-haste,” he said, “by order of His Majesty King Arcturus IV and Archmage Baines. You are also to bring what belongings you can, as it most likely going to be an extended stay.”

He blinked in confusion, giving the man an odd look. “Say what?”

“I said,” the man repeated in his nasally voice, “that you are to pack your bags and move to the castle. Is that such a hard concept to understand?”

Gabriel was stunned at first, standing frozen in place as the messenger waited impatiently for him to respond. Then, slowly and quietly at first but growing louder and more powerful as he continued, Gabriel began to laugh, happily and heartily as he could.

“Does this mean you’ll be going?” the man asked with a roll of his eyes.

“Fuck yes,” he said, the man cringing at Gabriel’s curse. “Don’t move an inch, I’ll be out in ten minutes!”

“But,” he protested, “we were going to send another carriage… one we wouldn’t have to share…”

“Get over yourself,” he shouted happily as he ran into the house, “I’m leaving now!!”

The man sighed resignedly. “Very well,” he muttered, “but if you’re not out here in exactly ten minutes, we’re leaving without you.”

Era was jumpy for three days after he had rushed out of the room on Dashito. I guess he just has more energy now that we actually have some secretaries to help us file all this, he rationalized, not entirely convincing himself. Either way, we’re practicing magic more, so I guess I can’t complain.

“Dashito,” Era asked, “how about we take a walk to the castle lobby?”

“We don’t usually have a destination,” he said with a smile. “Any particular reason you have one this time?”

“Maybe,” Era said, grinning.

“Alright then,” he said with a grin, throwing an arm around him. “Let’s go.”

Dashito actually had to fight to keep up with Era’s long strides; he was obviously in a hurry. What’s got him all wound up? he thought, burning with curiosity. They then waited in the lobby, Era nervously picking at his fingernails and tapping his foot.

Finally, the gates opened, and Era’s face lit up. As Dashito finally saw the reason for Era’s anxiousness, he burst into a grin. And suddenly, everything makes sense, he thought with satisfaction, watching the second most powerful man in that half of the world gleefully hug-tackle a bear-like man in an orange robe.

That evening, the three of them were sitting in a freshly-cleaned and bare room – Gabriel’s new quarters.

“Potions master, eh?” Gabriel asked with a chuckle. “You’re alright, kid, you know that?”

“I certainly try,” Era said with a huge grin on his face. “I’m just glad you decided to accept.”

“Why wouldn’t I? It’s certainly a more lucrative job than my last one.”

“And you won’t have to farm your field anymore,” Era added.

“What!? Hell no, I’m still farming my own damn field!! I wouldn’t trust anyone else with it!!” he shouted playfully.

“Alright then, have it your way,” Era laughed.

“But yeah,” he said, relaxing. “I appreciate it, kid. You went out of your way for me.”

“Not at all,” he said. “In fact, the King loved the idea.”

“Well, so do I.” Suddenly his expression soured slightly. “Wait, do I have to wear those hard-to-put-on robes every day?”

“Most likely.”

“Damn it. Maybe this isn’t as great as I thought.”

Era and Dashito exchanged a look and laugh. “I’m sure you’ll get used to it,” Era told his second father. “Besides, I’ll bet you this will be worth putting on a slightly uncomfortable robe or two.”

“Yeah,” he said with a smirk, “so do I.”

<-- Back :: Home :: Forward -->

Part 48

<-- Back :: Home :: Forward -->

“Are you alright, sir?” Dashito asked him.

Era looked distant and off in his own world, but he quickly turned around to his new apprentice. “Yes,” he said, “I’ll be okay. It’s just hard to say goodbye, you know?”

“I do,” he said, nodding.

“And you’re welcome to call me Lucien if you like,” he said with a smile. “Or Luc, or Era if you prefer. There’s no need to be formal here.”

“Are you sure?” Dashito asked. “I mean, I am your apprentice.”

“And therefore I believe we have the right to be casual with one another,” he joked lightly.

Dashito smiled. “Thanks, sir—uh, Lucien.”

Era smiled, scribbling something on a piece of paper and dropping it down a chute for the servants to collect. “You’re very welcome,” he said. “Now I think it’s time for a bit more tea, don’t you?”

And I’m not the one bringing it? Dashito suddenly felt very glad of his choice of master. “That’d be great. No lemon for me, though.”

The carriage ride back to Sarmanna seemed much, much longer than usual.

Gabriel felt little relief as he stepped out onto his porch, exhausted from the trip as he was. And Era’s not here anymore, he thought. What is this, empty nest syndrome?

The house was empty and quiet, the couch still slightly disorganized from Era’s last awakening on it. He straightened the pillows on it and rearranged the blanket with half a mind, then trudged up the stairs to unpack.

“Too tired for that right now,” he muttered to himself, tossing his bag on the floor and collapsing on the bed, wriggling out of his boots. He groaned as he sank into the bed. “Guess tomorrow I’ll start working on my latest batch of potions or some such.”

He rolled over, staring at the ceiling. “Just like old times,” he said resignedly, drifting off into a deep, heavy sleep.

A week later, Era and Dashito were strolling casually down the halls of the castle.

He’d had a formal ceremony after his speech and settling in; he’d feasted as much as his small frame would allow him to, unwittingly butting elbows with some of the most powerful men in the country in the process. Power games still aren’t to my taste, he thought afterwards.

He’d also learned that Dashito slept in the servants’ quarters. “But you’re an apprentice!” he said incredulously. “Your master is supposed to arrange your living conditions!”

“Caine, uh, didn’t like to be disturbed,” Dashito explained. “And honestly, I didn’t want to be anywhere near him when I was asleep.”

Era chuckled. “I understand completely,” he said. “If you’d like, though, we can change that. We can easily put a bed in the attic above this room, if you don’t mind a little dust.”

Dashito looked surprised. “You don’t have to, but… yeah, I’d like that.”

“Then we’ll get right on it.”

The two became fast friends; Era found that having him around made the hurt of Gabriel not being there much easier to bear. I still miss him, he thought. He was like a second father. But he was right: we do all have to move on eventually.

Their walk was merely for the pleasure of it; neither of them had a destination in mind. “If they didn’t make half the castle’s guards follow us when we did,” Era joked, “we could go walking in the woods.”

“Ah well,” Dashito replied with a smile. “This place is enormous; I don’t think I’ll ever see all of it.”

“Very true.” He smiled as they walked side by side for a while, startling some of the servants as they passed. Seemingly out of nowhere, he chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” Dashito asked.

“Nothing, really,” he said. “It’s just… have I ever told you about the first time I cast magic after losing my memories?”

“Everyone, the Archmage is on his way!!” shouted the Academy guard. “Everyone on your knees, show some respect!!”

It was several days later, and Era and Dashito had decided to pay a visit to the Academy. “I am the headmaster now,” he said, not fully believing it himself. “I suppose it’d be good to drop by every once in a while.”

Once again, the entire student and staff body dropped to their knees as Era approached. Several of the teachers wondered why on earth they’d told the detectives investigating his disappearance that they’d never heard of him; after all, he had been the Archmage.

Embarrassed, Era motioned for everyone to get up. “It’s fine, it’s fine,” he said, “just go about your normal routine. Pretend we aren’t even here.”

Slowly and with a good deal of confusion, some of the students began to slowly rise to their feet and resume their duties, casting sideways glances at Era the entire time. Once the rest of them realized it wasn’t some sort of trick to weed out the gullible ones, the rest eventually rose as well.

“Much better,” Era said with a smile, earning a chuckle from Dashito. They continued down the hallway to Tarrgus’s office.

The guards pulled open the doors for them, bowing as they walked by. Tarrgus was, as usual, busily working away at his desk.

“This had better be important,” he grumbled. “I’m very busy.”

“I suppose this is a rather important visit for us,” Era said politely.

Startled, Tarrgus jumped out of his seat. “You!! What… why are…” his face paled as he realized exactly who Era was. “Your mageliness,” he said, bowing as low as his gut would allow him to and breaking into a nervous sweat, “you must excuse my horrible attitude towards you during your last visit. I truly… I don’t know what came over me…”

“All is forgiven,” Era said with a smile. “I’m merely here to check on how my school is progressing.” My school, he thought with an excited inner laugh.

“But of course, milord,” he said, pulling out a record book. “Let me, uh, get the proper records here…”

While he was digging, Era noticed a familiar record book out on a desk. He flipped through it absent-mindedly, stopping on a familiar page.

Erauldin --- Samuel Lyonsworth

Eravisté --- Lucien Baines

Eravitral --- Wendon Schmitt

Erbusyyn --- Galen Foley

He smiled triumphantly. Perfect.

<-- Back :: Home :: Forward -->

Part 47

<-- Back :: Home :: Forward -->

“I hate to see you leave so soon,” Daniella said, handing him his satchel and his staff, “but I know you’ll do wonderful, sweetheart.”

“Thank you, Mom,” Era said with a smile, throwing the satchel strap over one shoulder. “Is Dad still here? I’d like to say goodbye.”

“He’s probably upstairs,” she said. “Want me to send a servant up to fetch him?”

“No, it’s fine,” he replied, already heading for the stairs.

He climbed to the top, walking leisurely down to his father’s chambers. “Father?” he called to the other side of the door. “May I come in?”

“You may,” he said.

Opening the door, he peered in to find his father standing at the window. Era approached him, a little surprised that his father was even taller than he was. That’s hard to do, he thought, even if we are related. “I’m going to be off soon, sir.”

“So I’ve heard,” he said. “Daniella made quite the fuss about it.”

“She’s… not mad, is she?”

“No, nothing of the sort. She just doesn’t want to see you go.”

“I’d stay, if I could,” he said quietly. “But I am needed at the castle.”

“The castle has always been your first home,” he said bitterly.

“And the road was always yours!” Era snapped back, shocked at his own tone.

Owen glared at him. “What was that!?”

“Even… the day I entered the Academy, you were away on ambassador duties of some sort. I don’t even remember saying goodbye to Mother, but I remember apologizing because you weren’t there.” He sighed. “I’m not criticizing you for your work. But it’s awfully hypocritical of you to chastise me for never being there when you couldn’t even do the same.”

Slightly shocked, Owen turned back to the window. “What a strange thing for you to remember.”

“It is,” he agreed.

They stood in silence for a while, awkwardly trying to scrounge up a conversation. At last, Owen broke the silence.

“Lucien,” he said, unsure of his own words, “Don’t ever… ever give up. Stick through to the end of whatever it is you decide to do.”

Era smiled. “I will, Dad.”

Uncertainly at first, Owen put an arm around his son. Era finished for him, pulling him close and patting him on the back. When they pulled apart, Owen wore the beginning of what could, with some coddling, develop into a smile. Era beamed back at him.

“Best of luck,” he said gruffly, turning and leaving the room quickly. Era watched him go in silence, eventually leaving himself to head down to the carriage awaiting them.

“You’re seeing me off, right?” Era asked Gabriel.

“Hell yeah,” he replied heartily. “I’ll help you get settled in as much as you need to. Then… I guess I’ll be off.”

“Yep,” he said, trying not to think too far ahead.

The carriage ride was, of course, far too short for Era’s liking. As they exited, a servant hurried up to guide them to the Mage Tower.

“That’s alright,” he said, “I remember the way.”

“Very well, sire,” he said, dismissing himself.

Era and Gabriel made their way down the long stone hallways of the castle to the very back, where a spiraling staircase led to the Archmage’s quarters.

“You have to float to the top to get there in any sort of hurry,” he explained to Gabriel.

“Then let’s walk.”

They did, walking up the many flights of stairs in the circular tower to get to the top. Era looked over the edge near the top, surprised at how little the height scared him. I suppose it’s ingrained by now, he thought.

“So you’re going to go home after this?” he asked Gabriel.

“Yeah. Guess I’ll go back to tending my land and selling potions.” He chuckled. “All my plants are probably dead by now.”

“Oh no!”

“Don’t worry, harvest season’s long past,” he said dismissively. “Plus I probably need to weed it anyway. I’ll just till it all and start over.”

“Just start all over?”

“Yep. I’m sure you’re already aware of this, but fresh starts are… well, refreshing. No unnecessary burdens. You can try it all again. Know what I mean?”

Era nodded, grabbing the doorknob to his chambers. “I think I do.”

Opening the door, they found that Dashito was already inside, waiting patiently for them to arrive. “Do you have any bags with you, sir?”

Era looked down to his satchel, chuckling as he handed it to him. “Just the one,” he said, setting his staff against a wall. “And that one doesn’t even need to be unpacked.”

Several hours later, after the three of them had had a long conversation over tea, Gabriel finally stood up.

“I suppose it’s time for me to go, kid,” he said.

Era stood up as well. “I’ll see you out,” he said quickly.

“Nah, Era, you stay here,” he said. “I won’t plummet to my death on the stairs or anything, I promise you.” And the sooner we say goodbye, the better, he thought, not relishing the thought.

“I… alright then,” he said quietly, walking over to Gabriel as the older man grabbed the doorknob. “You… take care of yourself, alright?”

“I will,” he nodded, “and you do the same.”

“Promise,” he agreed, wrapping Gabriel into a hug. Gabriel clapped his back in the embrace, breaking it to muss Era’s hair, earning a chuckle out of them both.

“Good luck, Era,” he said with his half-smile.

“You too, Gabriel.”

The door open and shut; Era felt profoundly alone as he heard the click of the knob. Gabriel was gone.

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Part 46

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Upon returning to his parents’ home, they were immediately greeted by a curious Daniella.

“What did he want?” she asked. “Was everything okay?”

“It was… it was better than okay, Mom,” Era said with a weak smile. “He wants me to be the Archmage again.”

“By the gods,” she said, agape. “That’s wonderful news… but you don’t look very happy about it.”

“It’s just going to change a lot of things,” Era said quietly. “I won’t be able to see my loved ones as much, my walks through the woods are probably a thing of the past… it’s a great honor, of course, but it’s just very sudden. It’s going to change everything again.”

“And you just went through a great deal of change already.”

“Precisely.” He smiled up at her despite himself. “I still accepted, though, and I still intend to follow through on that.”

“Luc, you know you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to,” she said.

“I know,” he replied, “but I think… I can do a lot of good with that kind of power. I messed up horribly before. I took it all for granted. But this time,” he said with conviction, “I want to get it right. I want to make up for my past mistakes.”

“That’s the way to be, honey,” she said, standing on her toes to kiss his forehead.

Gabriel gave him a confident smile, but he was concerned on the inside. I hope you can live up to that promise, kid, he thought, I really do.

“Anyway,” he said, “I’ll need to collect my things. I move in to the castle tomorrow after a ceremony.”

“That soon?”

“Yes,” he said. “The castle isn’t complete without an Archmage.”

Daniella gave him a sweet smile. “What is it?” he asked with a grin back.

“Nothing, really,” she said, “it’s just… it was hard for me to really be happy for you the last time you became Archmage, you know? I felt like I was applauding a stranger.” As they headed for the stairs, she began to head another way to a different part of the house. “This time, the man standing up there will truly be my son.”

“You sure you’re ready for this, kid?” Gabriel asked with concern.

Era fiddled with his sigil, tugging at his cloak to make sure it was set perfectly. “No, of course I’m not,” he said, “but I’m going out there anyway and giving an impromptu speech.”

“Nice of them to warn you about that,” he said sarcastically.

“No, it’s not their fault. I had to give a speech last time, too.”

“Yeah, then I guess it is kind of your fault,” he joked.

“Thanks, Gabriel,” Era said, raising an eyebrow to him. Gabriel merely laughed.

“You’ll do fine. I promise.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “Just don’t freak out and everything will go just fine.”

“I hope so.” Era swallowed nervously, setting out for the castle gates.

When he reached the end of the hallway that led out, the announcer was just calling his name. Maintaining his dignity, he walked calmly out of the doors, and a roar sounded from the crowd as trumpets blared around him.

“Thank you,” he shouted to the crowd. It’s larger than I thought it would be, he thought nervously.

“I am sure some of you remember me from three years past. Your opinion of me then does not matter; whether you liked me or hated me, I am a different person here and now. Three years can change a person immeasurably. Indeed, a single moment can become the cataclysm that can change your entire life forever.

“I have come to realize that I was not making the best of what I had before. I had never known suffering. I had never had to hurt a day in my life. Things like that… change a person. Once you realize your tiny, focused little world is only a small fraction of a much larger reality, the whole world seems to open to you. Things you took for granted become strangely and profoundly beautiful. Once I opened my eyes, I realized how much potential I had to help those around me. I merely wish I’d realized soon enough to help those most precious to me.”

He looked around at the crowd, breathing deeply to calm himself. “I have little more to say,” he announced. “I will try my hardest to be the best person I can be. I will use my power to make this country – this world – a better place, if only a little bit at a time.” Suddenly out of words, he nodded politely and backed away. “Thank you.”

The crowd roared once more; perhaps it was only out of duty or politeness, but it made Era feel like he was on top of the world, if only for a moment. His eyes glanced over the crowd and over to his guards; suddenly he saw a flash of blue hair behind one of them. The king of thieves threw him a smile and a casual salute before scurrying away.

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Part 45

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Walking back down the same red carpet they’d been on only the day before, listening to the fanfare and staring uneasily at the guards, Era and Gabriel once more gained an audience with the King.

“Good day,” he greeted them.

They both bowed to one knee. “Good day, your highness,” Era said politely.

“Rise,” he commanded gently. “I am sure you are wondering why you are here.”

“I am,” Era said, nodding without breaking eye contact.

“Well, you see,” he said, “it has to do with a request made to me by Archmage Dashito yesterday.” At the mention of his name, Dashito stepped out from behind the throne, standing tall beside the King.

Dread began to fill Era. What does he want? he asked himself. Is he upset over Caine’s demise? He’s testifying against us, right?

“Dashito, here, is sadly inexperienced in his position,” the King explained. “He feels that his master was so wrapped up in personal concerns that their apprenticeship suffered because of it.”

“I… see,” Era said nervously, not really seeing at all.

“Therefore, he has a proposition for you,” he said, giving a nod to the Archmage. Dashito walked slowly over to stand right before Era, looking him right in the eye with all the courage he could summon.

“Eravisté,” he said quietly, “I would like to be your apprentice.”

Shocked and caught off-guard, Era looked at him in confusion. “You… you what?”

“I wish to be your apprentice,” he said again, “while you take the mantle of Archmage.”

Era’s heart began to race, his eyes widening. “I… the Archmage? You want… you want me to be the Archmage again?” Gabriel, too, looked blown away beside him.

“Yes,” the King said. “You are free to refuse, but I am offering you the position of Archmage once again.”

“I…” he began. “Sire, I mean you no offense, but… but I committed atrocities while I had that same power you offer me now. I would not want to risk your trust again.”

“Are you not the one who said you had changed?” he asked lightly.

“Yes, but… the Archmage,” he said incredulously.

“There is no denying that you would be a great asset to this country,” the King elaborated. “The power to manipulate the human soul, even if you never used it again, is nothing to scoff at.”

“But…”

“Furthermore,” he continued, “the attitude you bear now is much more favorable than the one you had the last time you took the position.”

Era was silent a moment, trying to find a place for his eyes to rest. “I really don’t know what to say,” he whispered.

“All we need,” the King said, “is a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’”

Looking to Gabriel, who smiled and gave him a shrug that said “it’s up to you,” he then turned his focus to Dashito. “You would be my apprentice,” he said quietly, “despite what I did to Caine?”

“I’ve known you weren’t the same person he talked about ever since you were imprisoned,” Dashito said. “I’d like to believe in second chances.”

Era looked up to the King. “Then yes, your majesty,” he said confidently, “I accept.”

“Damn, Era,” Gabriel said incredulously as they left the castle. “You’re the Archmage. Again, I mean. Fucking hell, kid, how do you feel?”

“Ah,” he said nervously, “very overwhelmed.”

“You seemed just fine when you were actually telling the King you accepted,” he joked, playfully punching his arm lightly.”

“Yes, but… I can’t believe I accepted!” he said, suddenly on the verge of a freak-out. “Why did I do that!? Gabriel, what if I, I don’t know, revert or something!? What if I can’t stomach the job? What if I hurt Dashito too, he’s such a nice young man, I don’t—”

“Era.” Gabriel grabbed his shoulders and stared him in the eye. “You need. To calm. Down.”

Taking a deep breath, he nodded. “I know,” he said, “I’m just… the Archmage, Gabriel, it’s unbelievable.”

“Heh, yeah,” he said with a smirk. “Just don’t forget about ol’ Gabriel up in your tower there, alright?”

Realization suddenly struck Era. “That’s right… I won’t be seeing much of you if I’m in the castle all the time, will I?”

Gabriel shrugged. “We all have to move on eventually, kid. I’ll come see you or something. There’s always letters, too.”

“Yes, but… it won’t be the same,” he protested. “I’ve gotten used to you just… being there, you know?”

“Same here, kid. Same here.” He looked ahead as they walked, masking his reluctance.

Feeling as if a lead weight had just been tied to his heartstrings, they continued down the path in silence.

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Part 44

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Later that night, after a relaxing dinner with the parents he hadn’t seen in years, Era prepared for bed.

I really do feel like a little kid again, Era thought happily. I even have my old room and everything. The room was neat and organized, obviously touched up to be a guest bedroom in his absence, but he loved it nonetheless. He gazed out the window to the still city, feeling profoundly nostalgic.

He curled up under the comforter, but a curious whim haunted him. Tossing and turning, he finally indulged, carefully getting out of bed and tiptoeing down the hall.

Along the way, he ran into Gabriel, who was exiting the washroom wearing nothing but a pair of slacks. “Hey,” he said, “where are you off to?”

“Just checking something,” he said with a smile.

“Alright then,” he grinned, scrubbing a sideburn with a towel.

Era then noticed the necklace around Gabriel’s neck and burst into a grin. “You kept it!”

Looking down at and picking up the wooden bear, he shrugged. “Yeah, so? Don’t make a big deal out of it,” he said, slightly flustered.

“I won’t, then,” Era said, beaming.

“Yeah, whatever. See you in the morning.”

He chuckled lightly. “Goodnight, Gabriel.”

“’Night.”

Era continued down the hall until he reached a door he thought led to the right room. A peek inside confirming his suspicions, he gently swung the door open all the way.

He found himself in Crisilla’s room.

The walls were a lovely rose shade, music boxes and delicately-crafted dolls lining the shelves. He lowered himself onto her bed, taking in this little piece of her.

He sat there, drowning in memories, for what felt like ages. The plush of the carpet caressed his toes as he warmed his fingers in the down quilt. He glanced over her bookcase and the curios on her dresser, marveling over her many perfume bottles and scarves.

I wonder if Mom and Dad did this, too, he thought. And I wonder if her house back in Sarmanna looked like this as well.

His curiosity sated and his nostalgia indulged, he slowly made his way back to his room where, after snuggling down into his blankets, he drifted easily off into sleep.

“Lucien,” Daniella called, “wake up. There are people here to see you.”

“Hmm?” Rolling over, he clambered out of bed, smoothing down his hair and putting on his glasses before strolling downstairs with sleep in his eyes. “Who’s here?” he called over the banister.

“People from the castle, they said.” She stood next to a man dressed in formal robes, flanked by two royal guards.

Surprised, he hurried down to their level and bowed politely. “How may I help you gentlemen?” he asked.

“Lucien Baines,” the man announced, reading from a small scroll, “you are hereby summoned by His Majesty the King, Arcturus IV, to the castle as soon as you are able to make the journey.”

“What for? I thought we were done at the castle.”

“I was not informed of the circumstances of your visit,” he said, “I was told merely that you are to arrive promptly.

“I see,” Era said, confusion in his voice. “I’ll be there as soon as possible, then.”

“Very good,” the man said, nodding to the guards, sending them back outside. “We eagerly await your arrival.”

He nodded, and the man turned on a dime and left, leaving his mother and him alone in the lobby.

“Wonder what that’s all about?” she said. “You said you already testified before the king, correct?”

“Exactly,” he replied. “I have no idea what this is about.”

“Well, you go wake your friend and get cleaned up,” she said, “I’ll prepare you both a light breakfast.”

“Well, this is a little nerve-wracking,” Gabriel joked uncertainly as they headed down the street in a carriage once more. “What do they want this time?”

“I have no clue,” Era said nervously. “I mean, he didn’t change his mind, did he?”

“I sure as hell hope not. I’d rather not go to jail… again.”

“Or worse,” he whispered.

“Yeah, or worse.” Blinking in surprise, he turned quickly back to Era. “Wait, wait, I highly doubt that’s the case. He seemed to thoroughly believe you’re innocent, right? Which you are! So we should be fine, right?”

“I… hope so,” Era said uncertainly.

“Just don’t worry about it, kid,” he said, tugging at his ceremonial robes. “We’re almost there anyway.”

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Part 43

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I should have realized that they’d be here, he thought as he stood rooted to the spot. It never even occurred to me. Yet here they are, my parents, my mother and father…

He smiled widely and gratefully, looking them both in the eyes. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see you both again,” he said quietly.

“Lucien,” his mother replied, “I thought… well, I never imagined I’d see you again, even before you went missing.” She walked over to him slowly, looking up to his face. “You were always so busy.”

“Mom,” he said, “I want to apologize. There are so many things I regret now, not the least of which was shunning the ones who loved me most for my own selfish desires. I have changed, and I never intend to be that way again.”

She smiled, choking back a sob. “That’s good to hear,” she replied. Hesitatingly and awkwardly, she held out her arms to Era. In return, he wrapped her in a warm embrace.

“My baby, don’t you ever go away on me again,” she said as they gently swayed in their hug. “I don’t regret anything as much as I regret sending you to that horrible school. It took you away and turned my sweet little boy into a man I didn’t recognize until now.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “I’m here now. I don’t hold any ill will towards either of you. I love you both so much… and you wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through to find you again.”

“Sweetie, we were always right here,” she said, finally pulling away. “We’d never go anywhere on you.”

He smiled. “I understand. I have quite the story to tell, though, when we have the time.”

“Apparently so,” his father said in a deep, unnerving voice. “There are rumors abound that you were connected with your sister’s death.”

“Owen!” his mother protested. “We see our only son for the first time in ages, and you immediately start with the accusations!?”

“I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important, Daniella,” he said gruffly.

“You’re just unbelievable,” she snapped. “How dare you—”

“Mother!” Era interjected quickly. “What he says is true. I did… have a connection to her death.”

Shocked, she looked back up to him. “What connection? What happened?”

“I’ll explain everything,” he promised, “but not until we get somewhere away from prying ears.”

“Then right after the service is over, we’ll go home,” she assured him, “and we’ll clear all this up over a hot meal.”

“That would be wonderful.”

Era sat in silence before his parents, his story told and his anxiety building as the moments passed without words. Gabriel accompanied him, sitting on his right side for support.

Daniella sat with her eyes down and her hands in her lap, contemplating all that she had just heard, while her husband sat straight, tall, and emotionless at her side. After what felt like an eternity, she looked up, locking eyes with Era.

“Lucien,” she said, “you’ve been through a great deal these past months.”

He nodded. “I will understand if you don’t believe even half of what I told you, mother.”

“No,” she said with a smile, “I believe you. And I also don’t blame you for… for what happened to Crisilla.” Her voice cracked slightly.

He looked at her with incredulity that melted into gratitude, reaching out and grasping her waiting hand. “Thank you, mother,” he said quietly, “thank you so much.”

“It’s alright, honey,” she said, smiling. “I’m glad to have the full story now as well, on both you and her.”

Era stood up and walked over to where she sat, wrapping his arms around her. “I love you, Mom.”

She choked back a sob. “You haven’t said that to me since you were a little boy.”

“I mean it, too.”

She grinned broadly, tears in her eyes. “I love you too, Lucien.”

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Part 42

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As they exited the castle, still wearing their ornate robes (“A gift from the King,” the tailor had explained as he handed their old outfits back), Era’s knees suddenly gave out, making him collapse into Gabriel.

“Freaked you out that much, eh?” he joked lightly, supporting Era with one arm.

“Quite,” Era said, nodding. “I was positive that… well, that we wouldn’t be walking out of here freely.”

“You were right about him, though,” Gabriel said. “He is a very intelligent leader. We’re definitely lucky there.”

“Most definitely.” Era carefully got back on his own feet, taking a few cautious steps. “I feel like walking on air.”

“Hate to be a downer,” Gabriel said, “but you do remember we have a funeral to go to tonight, right?”

“Of course,” Era said quietly, nodding slowly. “I would never forget.”

“Alright.” He looked at Era with concern. “Are you going to be alright tonight?”

Smiling despite the worry in his eyes, Era nodded. “I certainly hope so.”

“Well, Archmage,” the King said after they had left, “does what Baines say match with your perspective of Caine’s death?”

Stepping out from behind a curtain, Dashito nodded. “Yes, sire,” he said, bowing his head. “Their story is true, to the best of my knowledge.”

“I find it odd,” he said, “that you do not speak on your master’s behalf.”

“I didn’t… it wasn’t that I hated him, but I held no great love for Caine, either, your highness.”

“I see.”

“The truth of his death is more important to me in this case.”

The King nodded. “How do you feel about your newfound responsibility, young Archmage?”

“Overwhelmed,” he said, “if I may say so, your grace.”

“Oh?”

“I just… don’t feel prepared for this position,” he said meekly. “Caine was often… ‘preoccupied’ I guess would be the best word for it. I learned little of court etiquette and even littler of the official duties of an Archmage.”

“Caine was a very intelligent man,” the King thought aloud, “but he never was the best teacher.”

“Of course, I will try my hardest to fill his shoes, my King.”

“Actually,” he said, “I may have a solution to your woe.”

As dusk began to set in, the field the crowd stood in was illuminated orange by candlelight.

Era and Gabriel had tucked away their new robes in exchange for black cloaks, and each held a candle delicately in their grip. Era had let his long hair down; it was a striking contrast to the darkness around them.

The two dozen people attending the funeral had their heads bowed low, their bodies forming a circle around Crisilla’s coffin. The lid was open, and she had been delicately cleaned and rearranged, looking like she was merely sleeping instead of cold and lifeless. You wouldn’t know what had happened to her unless you were told, Era thought gravely.

The ceremony was long and headed by a priest who chanted in an ancient, magical tongue with a loud, strong voice; not an eye in the audience was dry. After the prayers were completed, they lined up to pay last respects. Some merely bowed their head and said a word of farewell; some dropped a small trinket in her coffin; some whispered kind words in her ear, as if she could still hear them.

As Era approached, he felt Gabriel gently, but firmly, hold his shoulder. He smiled back at him appreciatively before looking down to Crisilla, bending over to whisper to her.

“I wish I could have been a better brother to you,” he said with a quivering voice, unable to keep his eyes from flowing. “I have so many regrets.

“But I’m so very, very thankful you greeted me that day in the market. I loved staring at the stars with you, and I loved your laugh and your sweet optimism.” He paused for a breath. “I know I wasn’t there for you, but thank you, thank you a thousand times, for being there for me.” He placed a delicate kiss on her cold forehead, wiping his eyes as he walked away.

Gabriel joined him after bowing his head in reverence, both standing in silence for a long while. Era fed off of his strength vicariously. As long as he is here, he thought, as long as I know there’s someone, somewhere, out there to help me along… I think I could get through anything.

He gave Gabriel a smile, who returned it with his familiar half-grin. Era looked around at the other guests, not recognizing any faces but Jarred’s. Their eyes met, and Jarred flashed him a hateful, piercing glare. Shocked, he leaned back, a mixture of confusion and sadness gracing his expression.

“Just try not to worry about him, kid,” Gabriel said quietly.

“He’s never going to forgive me, is he?” Era asked quietly and resignedly.

“Honestly? Probably not.” He sighed. “He’s a good guy, and he really loved Crisilla. But he’s one of those people who needs a face for his anger, and you happen to fit the bill in this case.”

“I certainly don’t blame him,” Era said. “I still blame myself quite a bit for her fate.”

“You’ll find a way to move on,” he replied. “So will he. Eventually his hate will cool. Eventually your guilt will fade. Eventually everything will get better for everyone. You just have to give these things time.”

“I understand,” Era said, nodding. He stood in silence for a while longer with Gabriel, feeling strangely calm despite it all.

Then a woman’s face caught his eye.

Era’s breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening. “Gods,” he whispered, “it’s her.”

“What?” Gabriel said, looking around. “Who’s what?”

Not answering, Era walked quickly towards her, his pace increasing the closer he got. The woman, with her pale blonde hair and regal bearing, stood beside a tall tree of a man with rough brown hair and a stoic face. As he approached, they both suddenly stared at him with shock in their expressions.

He stopped just short of them, taking the last steps to the pair slowly and hesitatingly. “Mother,” he whispered, “Father.”

“Lucien,” his mother whispered, her hazel eyes flooding with tears.

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Part 41

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They walked, slowly and proudly, to the Throne Room.

Their steps were soft on the crimson carpet leading straight to the King’s throne, and guards lined the walls beside them. Seeking reprieve, Era retreated into himself a little at a time. I need stability, he thought. Much as I hate what I was, much as I fear it, I need that emotionless side of me right now. His expression turned stony as his anxiety melted away against his hardening heart.

“Kid, what’s up?” Gabriel whispered, still looking straight ahead.

Let me speak to him, Era demanded of his stoic side. You will not use my voice. I am in control.

Are you so certain? the voice challenged him.

I will have to be, he asserted.

You forget that this is my element. You are powerless here. Nobody knows you here. They know only me.

He shuddered. Then they will have to accept that I have changed. You will come out no longer.

You would be dead without me.

Silence!! he shouted mentally, gaining control of his own thoughts once again.

“I’m alright,” Era whispered back, forcing a small smile. “I think.”

“Hope you’re sure.”

They finally reached the archway into the throne room. Trumpeters played a fanfare as a court jester danced his way across their path. “Presenting,” an announcer recited from a scroll, “His Majesty the King, King Arcturus IV of Elthren!”

“Shit, I just realized I have no clue what to do,” Gabriel whispered in a panic.

“Just follow my lead,” Era assured him.

The crowd before them parted, and Era took the lead, walking slowly, calmly, and confidently into the room. The King sat proudly atop his throne, an older man with a finely trimmed brown beard and a bejeweled crown atop his head. His throne was spilling over with furs, both from his fine clothing and those meant as a blanket.

Era approached his throne, kneeling slowly down onto one knee and bending over as far as he could in an extremely formal bow. “Your majesty,” he said humbly, “I am at your service.”

Gabriel followed his lead, bowing and speaking in turn. “As am I, my lord.”

“You may rise,” the King commanded, his voice gentle but compelling. As they complied, he looked over to Era. “Lucien Baines. You have been absent quite some time from this castle.”

“I have, your majesty.”

“Do you have a story to tell of your long sojourn?”

“I do, your highness, but the tale is long and I am sure our time is short.”

“This is true. Perhaps I will hear it later, then.” He glanced over them both. “In the meantime, we do have a much more pressing matter to attend to: you are both, according to my recollection, involved in the murder of Archmage Surront, also known as Caine Lapointe.”

“That is true, sire.”

“Enlighten me,” he said, leaning forward, “as to your connection to his death.”

Era swallowed heavily. “It was… I dealt the killing blow, your highness.”

The King sighed. “I had hoped not to hear that.”

“In my defense, sire, it was an act of self-defense and vengeance. He had… he had just slain my sister right beforehand, gravely wounding me in the process.”

“I see. So things are not entirely as my servants describe. Will you recount your side of the encounter?”

“Of course, your highness. I suppose I will have to explain a bit of my own predicament to shed some light on our circumstances.”

Era told him of his amnesia, of his quest for his name and identity; he told him of Caine’s taunts and threats; he explained his trip to the Academy, carefully stepping around his connection to the thieves guild; eventually, he explained their arrival at Attiricus’s mansion and the subsequent slaughter that ensued. His voice had started off calm, but by the end he was shaking uncontrollably, fighting to keep his knees from giving out. Gabriel looked over to him out of the corner of his eye, the emotion in Era’s voice making his fists quake.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Era shut his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. He looked up to the King and bowed low.

“That is my side of the story, your highness.”

The King looked at him with scrutiny. “You show such emotion,” he noted. “That is very unlike you.”

“Much is different now,” Era said. “I am not the same person I was before, your highness. Not in the least.”

“That does seem to be the case.” He looked over to Gabriel, who got a chill up his spine at the King’s gaze. “And you, Gabriel Dalgard,” he said calmly, “his story, to the best of your knowledge, is accurate?”

“Yes, your highness,” he said stiffly. “I was there for a lot of it, and everything he said, I can confirm.”

“Then I am at a bit of a standstill,” the King mused. “For you see, Lucien, I thought to execute you if you had, indeed, murdered Caine. That is what most of the castle would like to happen; Caine was well-respected.” Era felt a guilty sinking in his heart.

“However, I am inclined to believe your tale, and therefore, I think my judgment should be postponed, if not entirely cancelled. What are your thoughts on this?”

Era blinked, shocked. “I… well… I am most grateful, my King.” He bowed low, arms out. “However, as I described, I am not innocent in this matter. I am not asking for punishment, but I do not wish our previous interactions to come between me and any fate you would have in store for someone else in my place. If there are any at all, sire.”

“To the best of my knowledge, I see your actions as justified,” the King explained. “Though I, too, was fond of Caine, this does not seem like anything but a foolish act of revenge on his part.”

Era grimaced. “Your highness, he… his revenge was most justified.” Gabriel looked at him incredulously.

“Really now?” asked the King. “Care to explain?”

“Sire,” he began, “I must confess something else as well: in my fervor for knowledge and in questing for eternal life, I performed… ghastly experiments on my apprentice.” His voice trembled; his eyes wandered the floor.

“What sort of experiments might we be talking about here?”

“I… learned to grab hold of a human soul, grasp what we thought to be intangible, and to rip it from its human host.” He shuddered. “It… is an… excruciatingly painful process.”

“And yet our Caine lived for long after you say these experiments happened.”

“I did not release my grip on his spirit. I would place it back in after I had torn it asunder.”

“You say it was an extremely painful process. How often was this done to your apprentice?”

“A few times a week… for several weeks… your highness.”

The King’s expression hardened. “You must have had a reason for all this.”

“To hone my technique,” Era said quietly. “I planned on performing the same ritual on myself eventually.”

“To what ends?”

“I wanted to turn myself into a Lich, the undead, undying sorcerer from legends past. To do so, I would have to bind my soul to my very bones.”

“A Lich, you say?” he asked. “Then I can at least see your reasoning behind your apprentice’s suffering.”

“There is no justifying what I did, your highness. Nothing I could ever do could atone for my crimes.”

“So you say,” the King stated. “I am inclined to agree, but only because you make it so.”

Confused, Era lifted his eyes from the ground. “What do you mean, my King?”

“The only one who seems unable to forgive you,” he explained, “is yourself. Is it not enough that you regret what you have done?”

“It… does not feel so, sire.”

“Your guilt is punishment enough for your sins,” he said. “It would not be enough for most, but for some of us, the guilt over having done wrong is worse than any punishment that could be dealt by another hand.”

“I believe I understand your reasoning,” Era said with a subdued smile.

“As for Caine’s death, my mind is settled,” he said. “You are both declared wholly innocent in the matter, as it was certainly a crime done in self-defense. Attiricus will be mourned, as will your departed sister, in due time.” Both Era and Gabriel’s hearts leapt. “In the meantime, you are free to go, though I ask that you stay in the city for another week at least, just to be certain that no ends in this case are left undone.”

They both bowed low on one knee once again. “I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for your mercy, your highness,” Era said humbly, meaning every word.

“As am I,” Gabriel said. “Your understanding is truly something to be admired.”

“It is always pleasing to have the favor of one’s subjects,” King Arcturus said with a smile.

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Part 40

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“So what are we waiting for?” Gabriel asked impatiently as they sat in the guests’ quarters. “We’re ready; why aren’t we in front of the King yet?”

After their fittings in the tailor’s office, the maids had attended to their hair and faces. Era’s normally scraggly hair had been tamed enough to shine in its tied-back state, and Gabriel’s beard had never been so well trimmed. He actually looks like royalty, Era noticed. Amazing what a razor can do.

“You’re actually eager?” Era asked jokingly. “I’m scared out of my mind.”

“You’ve met him before, though, right? You were the Archmage, after all.” He shrugged. “Why is it a big deal?”

“It’s just… I won’t be the person he remembers. I’m a little hesitant to see his reaction. And he is the King, after all. That’s jarring enough in and of itself.”

“What’s he like, anyway?”

“He is… kind. Thank goodness. We were blessed with a very fair monarchy this age.”

“Good to know,” he said, nodding. “No wonder we weren’t killed on the spot when I punched out Caine.”

“Precisely.”

“Anyway, what’s the hold up?”

“Politics, Gabriel, politics. It is a long game.”

“Heh. I see.”

After nearly an hour of idle chatter, a page finally knocked on their door. “Your presence is requested in the Throne Room immediately, sires.”

Era stood up nervously, opening the door to the young boy. “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“Thank you, sir,” the youth said, running off with a bow.

“Ready for this, kid?” Gabriel asked, a hand on his shoulder.

“No, not at all,” he said with a nervous smile. “But I’m going to go anyway.”

“That’s the spirit.”

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Part 39

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“My lord,” said the guard before Dashito, “former Archmage Baines and his accomplice have arrived in the city.”

“I see.” Dashito sat deep in thought at the top of his former master’s tower, staring idly out the window. Caine’s death had been jarring, but he had not been surprised. He was going to go sooner than later, he’d thought with resignation, either by his physical ailments or by his mad vendettas.

Though he did not mourn Caine’s passing beyond a passing guilt for not doing so, the death of the Archmage sent shockwaves throughout the kingdom, and he was right at the center. That’s what the apprentice is for: to take over in case something happens to the Archmage himself. He sighed inwardly. Too bad I’m really not prepared for this.

“Shall we… ‘see to him,’ my lord?” the guard asked quietly, a disturbing message underlying his words.

Dashito whipped his head up, looking the guard in the eye. “What…? No! Do not harm him!”

Baffled, the guard protested. “But my lord, he slew your master. Have you no desire to see him fall?”

“Caine brought his death upon himself,” he muttered, “and we’re not going to sink to his level and harm someone we don’t even know is guilty yet.”

“Sir, I must protest.”

“Protest all you want, but as long as Baines is in the city, he has my protection.” He glared the guard in the eye. “Is that understood?”

Stiffening, he nodded. “Yes, Archmage.”

Era felt butterflies in his stomach upon entering Elsequaire. I’m going to be talking to the King! he thought anxiously. Gabriel and he were taken directly to the castle, escorted to the front gates by the guards, and greeted by a page.

“Good day, sirs,” he said politely, bowing formally. “I am to accompany you both to the royal tailor. You must look your best before appearing before His Majesty the King.”

“Of course,” Era said, nodding.

“Man, this whole country just seems to hate my clothes,” Gabriel muttered jokingly.

They followed the page to a room filled with shelves and stands of leather and cloth of all colors and textures. The tailor stood tall and proud before them, waving the page out of the room. “Good day, lord Baines,” the tailor said politely, standing as straight and tall as he could. Though he spoke fondly, his voice and expression were stiff with what could only be fear. “I never expected to see you again, you were absent so long.”

“Please, relax,” Era requested. “It is truly good to see you once again.”

His tension faded visibly, though he retained most of his formal dignity. “I am pleased to hear it. And this gentleman is…?”

“Gabriel Dalgard,” Gabriel said, extending a hand to shake.

The tailor looked at him uncertainly, slowly reaching out and shaking his hand once quickly. He then pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his offending hand in what he hoped was a subtle manner, earning a scowl from Gabriel. “Let’s get started with the measurements, shall we?”

For the next quarter-hour, he took the measurements of the two mages with a piece of string with evenly-placed knots running along it, scribbling down notes on a sheet of parchment. Era and Gabriel then waited patiently as he rifled through a large closet of robes.

“If we had the time, I would make you each robes to fit your exact measurements,” the tailor explained, “but we are obviously in a bit of a rush today. Lord Baines, I believe you’ll fit just fine into one of your older robes, though it may be a little loose; you’ve lost weight since you left.”

Era chuckled. “I don’t find that hard to believe.”

“It’s a bit alarming,” he said with concern. “You hardly have weight to lose.”

“Things have been… difficult.”

“So I imagine.”

“Don’t worry,” Gabriel joked, “I’ve been trying to fatten him up.”

“That’s good news.” He looked Gabriel over. “I believe I have some garments that should fit you just fine. If you’ll both wait right here…” He excused himself, running out of the room and into an even larger supply room nearby. A few minutes later, he returned with two baskets.

“For you, milord,” he said, putting a basket at Era’s feet. Era peered into it, seeing an outfit of white silk and gold satin. That would get terribly dirty on my walk, he thought off-handedly.

“I assume you remember where the changing room is, sir?”

“Yes, thank you,” he said, leaving just as Gabriel pulled a stunning gold-and-orange robe with red accents out of his basket and grinned broadly.

He walked into a spacious changing room, stripping off his several-day-old, hand-me-down garments and carefully picking up the white silk robe. It was trimmed in the same gold cloth that made up the collared mantle and cut exactly to his figure. Undoing the clasps on the front, he threw it on over his head, following it with a brilliant royal blue shawl that was also trimmed in gold. He pulled on a pair of royal blue stockings followed by suede brown boots, finishing with the golden cloak.

He admired his appearance in the mirror. My hair is still undone, he thought, but I really look like… like me. Like the old me. He picked up the robes he was wearing and carefully placed them in the basket. Yet something tells me I’ll always feel more comfortable in those old, scratchy robes.

He continued to drink in his new appearance, lingering on his still-white eyes. They used to be violet-blue, just like Caine’s doppelganger had. He recalled the moment Death pulled out the pages of his book; he had screamed for him to stop. That was when they changed, he thought. They became blank as my mind did. They have a spiritual scar.

Despite being fully dressed, he still felt as if something was missing from him. Snapping his fingers, he dug into his satchel, pulling out his sigil and clipping it to the front of his cloak. Now I feel truly complete, he thought. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

Stepping back out of the changing room, he heard Gabriel in the room nearby cursing quietly as he struggled with his robes. Chuckling, Era continued to the tailor, handing him the basket of old clothes.

“Please keep these in a safe place,” he requested. “They have a lot of sentimental value.”

The tailor looked genuinely surprised. “I didn’t know you placed sentimental value on… well, anything, sir.”

“Like I said before,” he said distantly, “a lot has changed. More than even I can believe.”

Several minutes later, Gabriel finally exited the changing room. “How the hell do you get these on every single day?” he asked gruffly. “Thing’s a fucking pain.”

Era chuckled lightly. “You get used to it.”

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Part 38

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“Feels a little weird, doesn’t it?” Gabriel asked on the way there.

“It does,” Era said distantly. “Nothing feels real anymore. I feel so… disconnected.”

“Yeah, it’s got to be worse on your end. No offense.”

“None taken.” He looked out the window. “Crisilla’s funeral will be in Elsequaire, right?”

“Right. So we’ll just stay in town until then.”

He was silent a moment. “I miss her, Gabriel. Especially since I remember her now.”

“How’d you two get along, anyway?”

“She is… was… nine years my junior,” he said. “I hardly knew her since I was already enrolled full-time at the Academy, and you know their disdain for family visits.”

“Yep.”

“I really only met her after graduation, but… well, I was the Archmage. I was distant. I had ‘no time’ for family.”

Gabriel sighed quietly, readjusting himself slightly. “So you’re pretty upset about that, I assume.”

“I’m just glad I took the time to get to know her now.”

A bump shook the carriage, making them both cling to their armrests before they settled back down. “So you’re…?”

“I’m what?”

“How old are you? I never did find out.”

“Twenty-three,” he said, “if you don’t count my three years with Death.”

“So technically you’re twenty-six.”

“Exactly.” A look of realization crossed his face. “I never did get your exact age, either, Gabriel.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, it tends to alienate the young’uns, especially of the female variety.”

“What?”

“Never mind,” he said with a laugh. “I’m forty-two.”

“You are old!” Era joked. “You weren’t kidding when you said you could be my father!”

Gabriel scowled. “Very funny, squirt.”

Wiping his glasses and smiling, he looked up at Gabriel apologetically. “Do forgive me. I couldn’t resist.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes with a half-smile. “Whatever. I’m just glad to see you smiling.”

“Yeah,” Era said quietly, growing pensive. “I don’t know how I’m doing it myself. I still feel a gaping wound in my chest… besides the physical one, I mean.”

“That’s the fascinating thing about people,” he said. “They can overcome a lot more than you’d think.”

“It’s very true.” He looked out the window. “It still hurts – her death, Jarred’s anger, the terrible memories both new and old – but somehow I’m still smiling.”

“You’re a pretty exceptional kid,” Gabriel said. “You’ve got a real deep positive streak running through you, and that probably helps a ton. Makes me wonder how you were ever such a… well, a jackass, to be frank.”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “I’ve thought about it a lot. I suppose it may have been just the experience of going to the Academy – you’re encouraged to act as I did: focused, emotionless, cold. But considering that, when I forgot all that, I acted with Death like I do now, I suppose that this is the ‘real’ me.”

“And you’re all the better for it, I think.”

“Most definitely.”

Some moments later, Gabriel looked at him again with a skeptical eye. “You really graduated Valedictorian?”

Blushing slightly, Era nodded. “Ah… yes. Top of the class.”

“Fucking hell, kid, no wonder you picked up magic so fast.”

“But I didn’t remember anything.”

“So? The magic remembered you. It remembered your talent, and that’s another thing – you had talent. You don’t get to the top of the class without it.”

“True, but I had to work unbelievably hard in the Academy to reach that rank. I’m surprised I made it out of there in one piece after working as I did.”

“No life outside of class, eh?”

“Oh no, never.”

“That’s the thing with me,” Gabriel said with a laugh, “I actually wanted a life. Again, no offense.”

“Again,” he smiled, “none taken.”

Era was surrounded by an all-too-familiar shade of grey.

He whipped around, trying to find a way out, trying to find someone else in the expanse of nothingness. A deep, menacing laugh began to sound all around him. Caine. Panicking, he ran aimlessly, looking for anything that wasn’t grey.

He ran right into his old apprentice.

Caine had come seemingly out of nowhere, appearing right before him as if he had been there all along. To his surprise, though, Caine’s expression was one of sadness – the look of one who was betrayed.

“How could you?” Caine asked him softly. “Look what you’ve done to me.”

He slumped over, suddenly very, very dead. Fresh blood inexplicably covered Era’s robes.

Whimpering and growing more panicked, Era ran away, trying to find an escape once again. The world seemed to spin around him, growing blacker and blacker the more afraid he was. He stopped running a moment, looking back to where Caine had fallen.

Right behind him was Crisilla.

“I love you, Lucien,” she whispered with a smile, grabbing his hand. To his horror, it held a sword – a sword she plunged directly into her heart.

As the sword killed her, he felt as if he was being ripped apart.

Era woke with a start, coated in a cold sweat.

He was still in the carriage, Gabriel and the driver asleep as well. The early morning sky was filled with stars, the night bugs chirping their loudest. He shook uncontrollably, breathing fast as he tried to calm himself.

Just a dream, he reassured himself, it was just a dream. And yet he knew that wasn’t entirely true.

Unable to sleep the rest of the night, he passed the time by casting simple spells of colored light to amuse himself. When Gabriel woke, he feigned sleep, and he kept the dream to himself for the rest of the trip.

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Part 37

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The next day, after the medics were certain they were recovering well, Era and Gabriel were allowed to go home.

“Finally,” Gabriel muttered as they walked out the door, “I was going a little stir-crazy in there. Kind of like when we got thrown in jail, except the stink was gone.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Era said with a smile. “The medics were very friendly.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Outside, a carriage was waiting for their arrival. “Guess you really are pretty important, Era,” Gabriel joked.

“It seems that way,” he said, a little thrown off.

They climbed in and told the driver where they were headed, and the 30-minute walk became a 10-minute ride back to Gabriel’s house.

“Home sweet home!” Gabriel said happily, “Again!”

Era smiled as he walked in the door, setting his staff down in its usual spot. “Everything’s the same,” he said, “except us.”

“Yeah, that’s a bit of a weird feeling,” Gabriel admitted.

“Oh well.” He collapsed into his usual spot on the sofa. “Do you think Jarred’s doing alright?”

“Well, the funeral’s in three days. I guess we’ll find out then, eh?”

“True.” Era readjusted himself, deep in thought. “I hope he’ll be okay.”

“He’s tough. Don’t worry about him. You concentrate more on your own happiness, alright?”

“Okay,” he said quietly. But that was what I was doing before, Era thought, and look how that turned out.

The pair went about their typical evening routine as they got resettled in, and it was a comfort to both of them. The familiar setting and habits did a lot to ease their frayed nerves and unsettled psyches. They both went to their respective beds that night more at ease than they dared to believe they could be so soon after such a catastrophe.

The next morning, a knock at the door woke Era. Smoothing down his hair, he slowly got to his feet. “Coming,” he called.

Opening the door, he found himself face-to-face with two palace guards. “Is there something I can help you with, good sirs?” he asked quietly.

Both saluted in unison. “Yes, milord,” one of them said. “Your presence, former Archmage, is requested at the castle as soon as you are able to leave.”

“What? Why?” he asked, caught off-guard.

“We seek information from you and your traveling companions about the death of Archmage Surront,” he explained. “We understand, from your description, that his murder was done in self-defense, but the King requests your presence so he, himself, can hear the full story.”

“I… see,” he said. “You want both Gabriel and I to come?”

“And your other companion as well,” he added. “We understand that one of your group perished in that fight. We are truly sorry for your loss.”

“It’s… it’s fine,” he said. “Well, Gabriel and I should be able to make it, but Jarred is currently mourning the death of his fiancé. If it’s any help, though, he was unconscious for most of the fight.”

“I see,” he said, nodding. “Well, if his presence is needed, we will summon him independently. In the meantime, would you and Dalgard be able to leave in an hour?”

“An hour!?” he exclaimed. “I didn’t know you meant that soon! We just got home, I…”

“Forgive me, milord,” he apologized, “but this is a very serious matter. The sooner you are both there to say your piece, the sooner we can have order restored and a new Archmage instated.”

“Yes, that’s true,” he admitted. “Let me wake Gabriel.”

“Of course, sir.”

“Well, this is a first,” Gabriel said with his face still buried in his pillow. “Bah, tell the King to wait. I need my beauty sleep.”

“I think this is a little more important, Gabriel,” Era said, grinning.

“Nothing is more important than my good looks! Gabriel Dalgard, ladykiller extraordinaire, must always look his finest!” He rolled over, chuckling, and slowly rose from bed. “Give me like twenty minutes. I’ll be down there.”

“Alright.” Era started towards the door. “You can always sleep in the carriage, you know.”

“Very true. I didn’t think of that.”

Half an hour later, they were on their way back to Elsequaire.

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Part 36

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“Era. Era, wake up.”

Era was vaguely aware of someone shaking his arm gently. Stirring slowly, he opened his eyes to find Jarred waiting for him to get up.

“Good, you’re awake,” he said sleepily, following up with a yawn. “You took quite a bump to the head.”

“It feels like it,” he said, chuckling.

“Anyway,” Era continued, “did you need something?”

“Yes. Have you seen Crisilla?”

Adrenaline suddenly flooded Era as he began to panic. How do I tell him? What do I tell him? What do I do? “Jarred… you’d better sit down.”

Jarred’s grin faded as he sat on his cot. “What happened to her?”

Sitting up, Era did all he could to avoid Jarred’s gaze, taking a moment to gather his courage. “Jarred, Crisilla… didn’t make it.”

He blanched. “No,” he whispered, “no, you can’t be serious.”

“I’m sorry.”

Stunned into silence, Jarred sat perfectly still for what felt like ages. The silence hung in the air around them like a cloud.

Eventually, he stood up, walking towards the window. “How did he do it?”

“What?”

“How did he kill her!!” he screamed, snapping Gabriel out of sleep.

Era bit his lip. “He… he asked me if I remembered her, asked me if she was important to me. I tried to stop him, but… the sword, it went through both of us…”

Jarred slammed his fist on the windowsill, silencing Era. His expression was twisted with pain. “Her blood,” he whispered harshly, “is on your hands. I hope you realize that.”

“Jarred,” Gabriel warned, “you need to calm yourself. It wasn’t Era’s fault; he tried to protect her.”

“But he led us into this stupid mess!! He’s the one who led us right into a trap for that mad-mage to kill her!!” he shouted, venom lacing his words. “She was nothing to you, but she was everything to me!!”

“How can you say that!?” Era pleaded. “How do you know!? Jarred, I loved her, I loved her so much…”

“What!?” he screamed, whipping around.

“Jarred, Crisilla… she was my sister.”

He went silent, staring at Era. “She never told me she had any siblings.”

“Everything is different now,” he explained quietly. “I didn’t know either, not until… right before she died.”

“It’s a long story,” Gabriel explained, “but something tells me you’re not in the mood.”

“No,” he said, turning back around, “no, I am not.”

The three of them sat in silence for a long while, Jarred at the window while both Era and Gabriel stayed glued to their beds. Eventually, a medic came in to check on them.

“Good to see you’re all up and about,” he said. “Is there anything you need?”

“Yes,” Jarred said. “Is… is Crisilla’s body here?”

The medic nodded gently. “Yes, she is in the morgue nearby,” he said quietly. “Do you wish to see her?” Jarred nodded.

“Hey,” Gabriel said, “