Fire Emblem: Last of the Manakete

EDIT: Changed auto-version to block version.

Winners are Levinheart and (Revisionists>Towers>Libraries>White Magic)

"You ask why I spend my time, energy and treasure trying to understand a people that are long lost to the sands of time. It is because they are long lost that I seek to understand them. Nobody deserves to be forgotten: right or wrong, good or evil, it is the duty of the living to remember the dead."
-Master Clarence Darkstalker


"So then," you say. "I figured 'If I can make my own feedback loop, what would happen if I used the tablet to make another feedback loop and put them together?' So I gave it a try, and loe and behold, I manage to cast Arcthunder." You grimace. "Of course, since I hadn't really expected it to be that big, when I hit the rock I sort of blew it up, so I had to dive for cover. Gave poor Firescale and Master Skyfire a scare."

The other students ooh and aah, clearly impressed. The party had been going on for quite a while now, and time and again you'd been called to tell stories and give examples of your magic. You'd had to be careful a few times to not talk about things that Archduke Letoro had asked you not to, but for the most part the other students had been eager to hear about your adventures and what magic does out in the "real world."

You'd also talked a bit about Father and Mother, since everyone was interested in where you learned magic first. Not their dragon-sides; you're still not completely comfortable with how many people there are listening, especially since a few newcomers had drifted in from outside over the course of the party. For all that you're sure news of your real nature will start spreading like wildfire soon, you want to have a chance to talk to the Revisionists first, so you can all get on the same scroll. You should probably figure that out tomorrow…

"Are you sure you're not some sort of Awakened?" Calta asks. "I mean, what you're describing doesn't seem magically possible!" A few other students murmur in agreement, but thankfully nobody seems scared or worried about that. In fact, a few seem positively eager to hear that you're some sort of forbidden enhanced mage.

You're just about to answer when a dry voice comes from behind you. "I believe you mean Ascendant, Calta," Archmage Stormspeaker says. "While the two terms are sometimes confused, they do mean different things."

A small part of you takes it as a complement to your storytelling abilities that everyone jumps in surprise as he speaks. Of course, you hadn't noticed him coming in either, so you stumble a little as you turn to see him standing just inside the door, his arms folded as he looks around the room full of suddenly guilty-looking young mages.

"A-Archmage Stormspeaker," Fillia says in a voice that's clearly intended to be casual. "This… ah… isn't what it looks like?"

The man raises an eyebrow delicately. "Really." he says.

"Really! This… we were just… helping Anna take inventory?"

A long, awkward silence fills the room as the Archmage makes a show of looking around. "If you're going to lie, child," he says finally. "At the very least make it believable." Fillia wilts.

Swallowing, you speak up. "I'm sorry, Archmage," you say. "They were just trying to make me feel welcome, if there's any trouble it's my-"

Archmage Stormspeaker waves a hand. "Contrary to popular belief, I do remember what it was like to be a student. Including the traditions that the Masters of the Hall have long turned a blind eye too." He looks around again. "Besides, it is heartening to see the students of this institution willing to reach out and give their new fellow the opportunity to be part of the community. That being said, curfew is approaching, and you need to clean up Miss Anna's space before you can leave." Blinking, you look at a nearby window, only to realize that indeed the sun is nearing the distant horizon. You hadn't realized you'd been celebrating this long!

"Yessir!" Fillia says immediately. "Alright, everyone, let's get this done. You lot over there, start-"

As you watch the Whitewing take charge of the situation, Archmage Stormspeaker clears his throat quietly. "Ryza, this is for you," he says, holding out a scroll with a fancy seal on it. "One of the benefits of giving a solitary test is that the grade can be given out more swiftly."

Gently taking the scroll, you look up at the taller mage. "Did I pass?"

A tiny smile appears on Archmage Stormspeaker's face. "I'll leave you to discover that on your own, Ryza," he says. "Have a good evening." With a final nod to Anna, he turns and leaves the store, his long cloak sweeping behind him.

You glance behind you to see Apollo and a few of the nearer students staring at you with more and more turning as they realized something was going to happen. "Well, are you going to open it?" Apollo asks.

You hesitate for a moment: for all that you feel confident with how the test went, you can't help but worry. After all, since you'd woken up, had anything just… gone the way it was planned with no unexpected complications? Blitzbolt clearly hates you, could he somehow pull something off? Were the specific terms and names more important than you'd thought they'd been? Could he have somehow appealed to the Regent to try and stop you from getting accredited? Surely not, surely there hadn't been enough time? Had there been? Had the back of the test been written in invisible ink-

"Ryza?"

Blinking, you glance at your shoulder, where Apollo's hand is resting. "Sorry, sorry," you say, shaking the worries out of your head. Jenna and Lacroix had insisted you'd be treated fairly here, and Archmage Stormspeaker lived up to that. Everything was fine.

Carefully breaking the seal, you unroll the scroll and start reading. "Dear Ryza, we… we are pleased to inform you that, after reviewing your accreditation tests, it has been determined that you have the skill and knowledge of a true mage of the Marble Hall, and that you have earned the rights and responsibilities of a fully accredited member of our organization."

The room fills with cheers. "Great job, Ryza!" Apollo says, wrapping his arm fully around your shoulder and pulling you to his side. "See, I told you everything would work out!"

You smile as you briefly lean into your friend, your eyes continuing to trace Archmage Stormspeaker's words. "A small ceremony will take place at noon on the day after tomorrow in front of the gate to the central Hall." You cock your head. "He really likes doing things the day after tomorrow, doesn't he?" you say.

Apollo shrugs. "Well, in this case, it's because that's the week's rest day. Ceremonies like this are always done on rest days: that way anyone who wants to attend will be able to without having to skip anything." You nod, that makes sense. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what are you going to do tomorrow? I mean, you don't have classes to go to, though if you wanted to you could probably sit in. Might be interesting."

You're tempted. As you continue skimming over the Archmage's letter, you note that both Archmage Stormspeaker and another writer (who you assume is Mistress Softshimmer, based on the fact that she's focused on the White part of the test) talk about potential next steps. Turns out you'd been right that your knowledge of human terminology still needed some work: both of them had suggested that you look into that. Maybe listening to a human teacher would help you. Besides, just getting to spend some time around the Hall seems like it'd be fun.

However, you stop yourself. You can't stay here long: you need to get back to Agrithe to help out with all the problems there. You can probably justify staying a little, especially since you'll need to talk to Archmage Stormspeaker about how you're going to get back home safely, but you need to remain focused and on task. Which means you need to focus on the things that need to happen. "Thanks for the offer, Apollo, but I do have to get a few things done before I leave," you say.

The boy cocks his head. "Like what?" he asks.

Glancing around, you notice that there are still students listening, but it's not like you're going to say anything about why you want to see certain people, right? "I need to go talk to the Revisionists," you say. "Jenna and Lacroix told me to talk to Master Darkstalker, and you mentioned you have a class with him?"

Apollo nods. "Yep, Ancient Magic," he says. "If you want, I could introduce you, I'm pretty sure he'll have time tomorrow." He looks over at another boy. "Hey, Cane, you're in Master Darkstalker's Advanced Dark Magic class, right?"

An older boy, about Artemis's age and wearing a black hood, nods his head. "Yep," he says. "We're doing a big independent research project right now, so Mistress Slickshadow's class took over his lecture hall time for the next few weeks. Master Darkstalker said that if anyone has any questions, they can go talk to him in his office during our normal lecture time, so that'll be where he is."

"Great!" you say. "I don't want to be any trouble, but it is important that I talk to him if I can."

"Alright, I can show you where his office is tomorrow," Apollo says. He pauses for a moment and glances around before continuing in a lower voice. "I don't have a class until the afternoon, so if you don't mind, could… could I hang around? I'm really curious about, well, about you."

You nod. "Of course, Apollo," you say. "I'd be happy to have you." The boy smiles. "So, it's getting late. We should probably help clean all this up so-"

"Nope!" Fillia says, somehow . "Nope, you are forbidden from doing anything. You just busted your tail on the big test." (You panic for a moment that you'd somehow let something slip and now everyone was going to start staring at you right now), "You go get some sleep. It'd be really bad if the new mage collapsed in exhaustion at her own initiation!"

"I'm not that tired…" you say as the bigger girl grabs your shoulders, turns you around, and starts pushing you towards the door.

She ignores you, looking back over her shoulder. "Apollo! Make yourself useful and walk your girlfriend back to wherever she's staying."

Both you and Apollo go red. "I told you all, she's not- she just- I-"

"So you didn't skip class for the first time in… ever, just to try and be there with her while she takes her test?" Fillia crows, reaching back and grabbing Apollo's arm to drag him towards the door even as she continues pushing you. "And you didn't just pass up library time to hang out with her? Nice try, but I know a load of pegasus dung when I smell it." Finally reaching the door, she pushes you both out. "Now get going, and stay out of trouble, children!" With a final cheeky grin, she shuts the door in both your faces.

"Who's she to talk about not getting in trouble?!" Apollo splutters. "She basically lives in trouble!" He looks at you for a moment before turning away again, and in the light of the lantern hanging above the door it's clear he's beet red. "I'm sorry, Ryza, I tried to tell them but they just don't listen to me and everyone's always asking how we met and what you're like and are you really Sypha and does Sypha know and and and-"

Sighing, you put your hands on either side of his head and making him look at you. "It's not your fault," you say. "It's not your fault that people want to make something out of nothing." You're embarrassed too, of course, but you carefully shift that emotion off to the side to deal with later; right now Apollo needs you to be calm. "You're my friend, you're my best friend's brother, of course I'm going to act like I like you since I do. If the rest of them can't figure out the nuances of emotions, that's their problem, not yours."

After a moment, the boy nods. "Thanks, Ryza," he says. "Though… maybe try not to touch my face like that if we're trying to convince them that we're just friends since this sort of touching is normally… beyond friendly."

Oh.

Interesting.

Good to know.

"Sorry, sorry," you say, your composure wavering for a moment as you let his face go. "Alright, let's go. I'll drop you off at Flamewheel if you want-"

"Maybe go to the main Hall first," Apollo says. "The other guys gave me a hard time last night about needing a girl to walk me back. Not that that's your fault, of course, but maybe not adding fuel to the fire would be good."

"I guess that makes sense," you say quickly. "Alright, let's go."

Thankfully, nobody seems to see the two of you walking together, so there shouldn't be any new rumors popping up. After saying your goodbyes to Apollo outside the gates of the central Hall, you make your way in. There aren't many mages out, but those that are all give you respectful nods. You nod back, grateful that things seem to be working out.

As you sit on your bed, staring out the window at the stars twinkling above, you find your thoughts drifting. Levinheart… the name sounds right, drawing from an ancient word for lightning, but… a part of you feels… "Father, Mother, I'm doing it," you say softly to the empty sky. "I'm making progress, slowly but surely. I… I hope you're not upset, that I'm… becoming more like the humans. I won't forget my nature or what you taught me… but if I'm to set things right, then I have to understand them, and they have to trust me." You hug yourself. "Besides… this lets me help Artemis best, and she and Agrithe need all the help they can get right now." Laying back, you close your eyes. "Whatever name I take, I swear I will always be your daughter, first and foremost."

As you drift to sleep, you allow yourself to imagine the faint sensation of a hand running through your hair.

---

The next day, after meeting with Apollo by the gate and letting him lead you through the maze of the central hall, you find yourself in front of Master Darkstalker's office. Taking a breath, you raise your hand and knock on the door.

"Come in," a slightly crinkly voice says. Pushing the door open, you see an older-looking human man sitting behind a desk scattered with scrolls and books, looking up at you over his semi-circle glasses. "Ah, young Ryza," he says, smiling. "I saw your examination yesterday, very good, it was very good. Congratulations on passing." He glances at Apollo. "And Apollo, a pleasure as always. Is there something I can do for the two of you?"

"Thank you, Master Darkstalker," you say, gingerly making your way in. "Are you busy? We can come back later."

He waves a wrinkly hand. "No worries, dear girl," he says. "Now, is there something I can help you with?"

You hesitate for a moment before reassuring yourself that both Jenna and Lacroix had said you could trust him. Besides, even if you were good at deliberately talking around something, this man probably knows enough to see through any deception. "Well, I'm here because Master Skyfire and Mistress Flarestone said you could help me," you say, spreading your wings. "I'm… I'm a manakete, and you're the leader of the Revisionists, so if anyone can help me try to get people to stop telling false stories about my people, it'll be you."

Master Darkstalker leans back in his chair, not looking particularly surprised as he studies your wings. "Manakete…" he says quietly, glancing at Apollo for a moment. "I had suspected, when I watched your casting, that you were of draconic blood. They were mighty wielders of magic, as much as humans like to ignore it many of our advancements in the arcane can be traced back to what we learned from studying their… your… homes."

Your eyes widened. "You know that term?!" you ask.

He shakes his head. "Sadly, child, no, I have never heard that phrase before," he says, picking up a quill and starting to write at the bottom of a piece of parchment he'd already had on the desk in front of him. "But I assume it is your people's name for yourselves?"

"It is, yes," you say, your eyes scanning the desk. Frowning, you realize there's plenty of little scraps of parchment… shards of stone… "Those… those are relics, aren't they? Manakete relics?"

Master Darkstalker nods. "As I said, I had my suspicions about you," he says. "A few other Revisionists came to the same conclusion, and we had a meeting yesterday. We decided that it would be best for everyone if we allowed you to approach us at your own pace and on your own terms, if that was your intention." He gestures at the various pieces of your people's history. "Of course, we also wanted to be ready in case you were willing to talk to us. I was just looking over my notes and theories to see if there were any that seemed solid enough to bring up."

Standing on your tiptoes, you take a look over the desk. Most of what you see is sadly similar to what Lacroix and Jenna had: small scraps and pieces. However… "Wow, where did you find that?!" you gasp, pointing at a mostly-intact scroll covered in Makai runes. "It's the most complete thing I've seen outside of my shrine or the Deep Library!"

Master Darkstalker nods, carefully removing the small weights holding the scroll open. "While most Revisionists keep our own study materiel, sometimes we come across pieces that need to be more carefully preserved," he says. "This is one of them. My role in our unofficial organization is to be a curator: I protect all those pieces that are either very fragile or simply so rarely complete that they cannot be left vulnerable."

Carefully, you reach over and take the scroll. The mage does nothing to stop you, simply watching as you look it over. "Where did you find this?" you ask more calmly, scanning over the parchment.

"That one was actually found in a small ruin over the border between the Empire and Felician lands, during the last war about half a century ago. That's likely how it survived so long; the Felician tribes avoid such places for some reason." Seeing the look on your face, Master Darkstalker grimaces faintly. "The lord who led the force that took that ruin ordered everything within destroyed, but thankfully the head of his mage contingent was a Revisionist and secreted away everything he could to protect it from the flame. Would it have been more respectful to leave it in place? Assuredly so, but Master Brightstorm did the best he could in the situation he was presented with."

You suppose that's true. "Thank you for keeping this safe," you say.

"You are welcome, Ryza," Master Darkstalker says. "If you don't mind me asking, what does that say? I've been pondering over it for years, and while I believe it's a letter of some sort I cannot tell for certain."

"You're right, it is a letter," you say. "How could you tell?"

Leaning forward, the mage taps the top of the scroll. "The series of runes at the top reappears several times throughout the rest of the document, which makes me think that is the recipient's name or title. The structure also resembles a human letter."

You nod, that all makes sense, and he did come to the right answer. "Well, it's from someone named Gangini to someone named Indranila. Apparently they were cousins, but he had to move away deeper into the Unsettled Lands because his parents were working on some big project." You frown as you continue reading. "Huh, that's odd… he kind of indicates that his parents were interacting a lot with the humans that lived around there… are there any humans up in those plains?"

"There is one small city, Cat's Cradle, but that's on the coast and acts only as a trading post. There are some rare herbs and minerals that are only really found in the Ocean of Grass," Master Darkstalker answers. "The Felicians tolerate it, mostly because the local clans are able to get certain goods that they can't make themselves, and that allows them to have a leg up against rival clans."

Apollo, meanwhile, is peering over your shoulder in interest despite the fact that he can't read a word of Makai. "So does it say what the project is?" he asks curiously. "It must be something really cool."

"I'm not really sure," you say. "From his writing style, I'd guess Gangini's only in his sixties or seventies. Well, was, at any rate. He doesn't really get what his parents are up to; in fact he's mostly complaining about how hot and dry it is. Apparently he's… oh, that's cool!" You look up. "He was a hybrid! His mom's a Black manakete, but his dad's Red!"

Both humans give you interested looks. "Was that common?" Master Darkstalker asks, once again grabbing a quill and starting to scribble notes. "We've theorized that there were different groups of dra- manakete, that were separate from each other. We had always figured that they were rivals and didn't interact with each other much."

You shrug. "Intermarriage wasn't exactly common, no, but we weren't enemies with each other," you say. "As for full hybrids like Gangini, they were super rare. Most children of two colors would take after one or another, sometimes with a few signs of the other half of their heritage. Gangini, if I'm understanding him right, he was an even mix, showing a lot of traits and abilities of both his Tribes." You flutter your wings. "From what I remember reading, that's even less common than being Sky-Blessed like me."

"Fascinating…" Master Darkstalker murmurs. "It's funny; I've spent more than a decade pouring over that letter, looking for any patterns or clues, but in just a few minutes I've learned more than I could have imagined."

"Well," Apollo says. "Books aren't really very helpful unless you can read them, so it makes sense that as soon as you meet someone who can tell you what it says it becomes a lot more helpful."

"True, true," Master Darkstalker says. "Thank you, Ryza."

"You're welcome," you say, setting down the letter and digging around in your pocket. "I have a dictionary I've been working on with Jenna and Lacroix. It's not complete yet, of course, but everyone's said it's really helpful."

"I can imagine so," Master Darkstalker says. "But forgive me, you said that you had come looking for help, but all we've done is talk about my research. What is it you need, Ryza?"

You trace your fingers along a nearby fragment of tablet. "It's just… it seems everywhere I go, there are people who… who hate me just because of what I am," you say. "Even in Agrithe, there've been some people who've tried to make me unwelcome or take advantage of me, and Artemis and others have warned me that there are people who'd… who'd attack me, just for being a manakete. If Archmage Stormspeaker hadn't been there, I think Master Blitzbolt would have. He certainly did his best to make things difficult for me." Apollo hisses, and Master Darkstalker bows his head slightly. "I just… I want it to stop. I want to be able to live my life without constantly having to worry about people being cruel just because of what I am. You all… you've been trying to convince people that manakete aren't as bad as the stories say, right?"

Master Darkstalker nods. "That is one of our goals, yes," he says. "And while I wish I could say I'm surprised that you've met resistance, unfortunately the old stories do hold great power still."

"But why!?" you ask. "All this happened a thousand years ago, why are people still hung up over it?" Apollo pats you gently on the shoulder.

The older mage leans back. "There are many answers to that question, Ryza," he says. "But I've always felt a large part of it is pride. After all, your people were extremely powerful." He glances at Apollo. "There's also the matter of legitimacy, something that the Empire clings to more and more zealously these days. They claim that, since the First Emperor protected humanity, that gives his heirs special privileges." His face takes on a thoughtful frown. "Although… it is likely there are many who simply believe it because that's what they've always been told. Those people… we have the best chance of reaching them, and from there we can work to either convince or bypass those who can't or won't see reason."

"How can we do that?" Apollo asks worriedly. "I haven't really been paying attention to the whole thing, but from what I've heard you've all been trying to do that for ages, and not a lot has come from it."

"True," Master Darkstalker says. "True, but we've only been working with theories and circumstantial evidence before." He gestures to you. "Now… now we have proof. Proof that manakete were not so different from us. Sentinel be praised, we even have a name now, something without the negative connotation of dragon." He studies you. "My fellows and I were actually planning to have a meeting this evening, to touch base with each other. If you wish, you could join us, and we'd be able to work out a solution together. Having more minds working together is usually beneficial."

"Okay," you say. "That sounds like a good idea, thank you."

He smiles slightly. "Of course, this will also give people a chance to ask questions," he says. "We may all agree that your people were far more complicated than the stories would have us believe, but beyond that we all have our own theories. To be honest, we spend almost as much time debating with each other as outsiders."

You hope he's exaggerating, or else convincing the rest of humanity is going to take a long time! "Well, it sounds like it's even more important for me to come along, so that I can get you all on the same roll!" you say.

Master Darkstalker laughs. "That does sound like a good idea, Ryza," he says. "Besides, having you there will convince some of the busier members to set aside whatever else they're working on and show up!"

"Can I come too?" Apollo asks. "I know I'm not one of you, but Ryza's a friend, and she's my sister's friend, so I want to help too."

Master Darkstalker glances at you, and you quickly nod. "Very well, Apollo," he says, turning back to your friend. "It may run a little late, but thankfully tomorrow is a rest day." He looks back to you. "Is there anything else you need of me now, Ryza?"

You consider for a moment before shaking your head. "We should probably have this conversation with everyone else," you say. "So where're we meeting?"

"There's a conference room on the first floor of the Central Hall, the Round Room" Master Darkstalker answers. "It's very easy to find; it's just off the entrance hall on the left as you come in, all the way down that corridor. Archmage Thundercrier used it as her very first classroom, back when she only had twenty students. Nowadays, it's used as a private meeting room; nobody will disturb us there."

"Okay," you say. "And… thanks. Thanks for believing in my people, even when everyone else was saying we were just monsters."

He smiles sadly. "It is precisely when everyone's saying something that we should ask questions. Sometimes, those questions don't pan out, but in this case it seems we were on the right path. Now, we just need to find a way to help everyone else find their way to that path."

Apollo, sadly, has to leave to go to one of his classes not long after you leave Master Darkstalker's office, leaving you by yourself. You decide to take some time re-visiting your dictionary and going over the notes and memories of your previous conversations about your nature. Those talks have been between you and individuals; you get the feeling that it'll be more stressful to have the same conversation with a group, even a friendly one.

Finally, however, you go to pick Apollo up from the gate. "You doing alright, Ryza?" he asks as the pair of you make your way towards the Round Room.

"Yes, yes," you say. "I'm just a little nervous still. Everything's been going well, and I'm just worried something'll go wrong…"

Apollo pats you comfortingly on the shoulder. "Everything'll be fine," he says. "You have a lot of people to back you up on this, and tomorrow you'll have plenty of legal protection as well. Everything'll work out."

Smiling, you bump against him. "Thanks, Apollo," you say as you reach the door. You can faintly hear voices from within. Taking a deep breath, you put your hand on the door. "Alright, let's do this." With that, you try to push the door open.

It doesn't budge. "Um… help?"

Biting back a laugh, your friend leans forward, and together the two of you're able to open the door.

There are about fifteen mages in the room already (which is more of an oval than a circle), all with books and scroll and quills and talking quietly to each other. Every eye in the room turns instantly towards you, causing you to nearly stumble to a halt. Thankfully, since you're walking with Apollo, you're able to keep your legs moving to keep up with him.

"Ryza, thank you for coming," Master Darkstalker says from the head of the room. "We're still waiting for several members to join us, but it shouldn't be too much longer." He beckons you to the head of the long, oval table. "Please, allow me to introduce some of my friends. This is Mistress Blisterburn, the current head of archeological studies here at the Hall…"

For the next few minutes, as more mages quietly filter in, you get to know a few of the people who you're hoping will be able to turn the tide of misinformation about manakete. They're an eclectic mix, and some of them you get the feeling that you wouldn't particularly like under normal circumstances, but for the moment you are all united in purpose.

Finally, when the table is nearly full (a few mages having had to go to another room to bring more chairs), Master Darkstalker looks around. "I believe that is everyone at the Hall currently," he says after a moment. "Thank you all for coming. As you can-"
"A boon unique to your path forward appears."
A knock comes from the door.

Everyone blinks and looks around confused. A few start counting their fellows, while others look back at Master Darkstalker. "Should I… get that?" someone asks from the back of the room.

Master Darkstalker frowns, but nods. "It is possible that I miscounted, or we have a visitor," he says. "Besides, we always welcome new members. Please, invite them in."

You glance at Apollo as people murmur to each other. "Did you-"

A hush falls over the room as the door opens to reveal Archmage Stormspeaker. "Gentlemages," he says calmly as he enters, nodding to those he passes. "My apologies for my tardiness, I needed to complete preparations for tomorrow's ceremony." After a moment, he finds an open seat and sits down, setting down and organizing the pile of notes in his arms.

After a moment of silence, he looks up, a dry smile appearing on his face. "Rest assured, even if I were not here to learn the same as any of you, there is nothing illegal about groups of like-minded scholars coming together to debate. So long as there are no seditious plans to overthrow the Hall or the Empire, which I would find unlikely based on the temperament of our guest speaker, there is no reason for anyone here to be concerned." Steepling his fingers, he studies you for a moment before looking attentively to Master Darkstalker. "Whenever you are ready."

"Wait… you're a Revisionist?" Apollo asks. The Archmage's eyes flick to your friend. "Um, sir?"

"While the office of Archmage is bound to certain standards of decorum and discretion, young mage, we are still mortals with interests and curiosities," Archmage Stormspeaker says calmly. "And I am very curious to hear Mistress Ryza's input on my, excuse me, Silent Quill's theory about manakete having a complex judicial system that dominated much of their cultural thinking."

The room remains awkwardly silent for another moment before Master Darkstalker clears his throat. "Well, now that we have all members currently at the Hall in attendance," he says. "I was just about to introduce Ryza, our new sister at the Hall and a scion of a people we thought long lost." He looks to you. "The floor is yours, Ryza, if you wish it. You are the expert, after all."

Steeling yourself, you look around to meet as many eyes as you can. "Thank you all for coming," you say, spreading your wings behind you for emphasis. "As you have either heard or figured out, I am a manakete, what humans typically call dragons. Despite this, sadly many of the stories people tell of us are either misrepresented or flat out wrong. For example, despite what some say, manakete have no interest in eating or sleeping on gold." Thankfully, your attempt at a joke gets some chuckles. "So, in order to combat these false stories, I figure it's best to start by giving you all a chance to get the full story yourselves. I've been told you have a lot of questions and ideas, let's sort those out, if you don't mind."

What follows is several hours of answering questions and clarifying pieces of evidence that the Revisionists have found in the various ruins around the continent. Some, of course, are incorrect, occasionally bordering on ridiculous ("No, we certainly did not determine tribal leadership by ritual combat between mothers and daughters! Or at least not as a broader rule, some tribes might have, but it wasn't typical. Besides, I'm pretty sure the mural you're getting that from is depicting an old story, I think that's a version of The First Arbiter"). However, many of the theories are relatively close to reality, simply missing some of the details or nuance. For example, Archmage Stormspeaker's understanding of the role of mediation in manakete society was quite accurate.

You also pass around the Common-Makai dictionary you've been working on. You only have the one copy, of course, but Master Darkstalker promises to get copies made for anyone who wants them. "Language is one of the hallmarks of civilization, what separates intelligent creatures from mere animals. Having a translation to prove that your language is not simply decorative scribbling as some have claimed will go a long way to silencing naysayers."

Throughout all this, you also end up telling your own story. Not just your early life at home, but also what you've done since you've woken. How you helped get Artemis and Sypha safely home, how you made connections with the humans around you. "Proving that men and manakete can work and live together is important," Master Darkstalker had said. "After all, there will be those who say that, despite the more complex story of your people, the war still proves that manakete could not be trusted. We need to combat that angle as well."

Finally, however, as your voice starts to give out, someone raises a hand. "This is all fascinating," he says. "But at some point we're going to have to talk about how we're going to tell people about all this. There are going to be those who disagree, even with the evidence we can now provide, and we have to make sure that no harm comes to Ryza from the spreading of the truth." Murmurs of agreement fill the room.

As has happened several times before, everyone glances at Archmage Stormespeaker. However, just has he has done on other occasions, he simply nods to you and Master Darkstalker, seemingly unwilling or unable to take a leadership role in this circumstance. "You speak wisdom, Master Abyssbreaker," the old mage says.

You nod. "Jenna mentioned that she'd write to her friends scattered around the Empire and in the Divine Realm," you say. "What she did was leave me personally out and just give the information as if she'd found it in a ruin."

A few Revisionists nod along, but others look unconvinced. "Mistress Ryza, I understand your desire to be cautious," one woman says. "It is your life, after all, but things are changing. Mere archeological evidence can be more easily dismissed than a person. A genuine, living example, one that has changed this world for the better. A young heroine, using her power to help those around her, making a place for herself in the world? That's a story that will resonate with people, and I think that story can be used to amplify the evidence and sway more people."

"That's very risky," someone else pipes up. "There are going to be people who're going to disagree, and if they get an easy target in the form of Ryza they might go for her directly, either out of misplaced fear that she'll be the next Fell Dragon or simply to try and silence her. We may have only one chance at this, we should make sure we do it right rather than do it fast."

More voices join in, getting louder and more argumentative. "Ryza's going to be a fully accredited mage tomorrow," someone says. "That'll give her a lot of protection." He looks at you and Apollo. "And your friendship with Agrithe and the Southern Kingdoms will also help; together they're strong enough to give the Empire pause."

"From official harassment, possibly," someone else says. "But sadly there are plenty of people who are willing to skirt the law when it suits them. It'd be much safer to simply follow Mistress Flarestone's lead and suggest that we found some sort of translation between Common and Makai, which allowed us to determine everything else."

"People are going to find out the truth anyways! Even if none of us speak, there'll be others who suspect her true nature, and we have no guarantee that they won't-"

"Just because others are going to talk doesn't mean we have to have a hand in risking everything we've-"

"The greater risk is having our findings dismissed-"

"Enough," Archmage Stormspeaker's voice cuts in coolly. Everyone instantly goes silent to look at him. He holds the silence for a moment before speaking quietly. "We can give advice, of course, but we must remember that this is no long merely our own theories. This is Ryza's life and heritage, and as such it seems to me that we should defer to her thoughts on the matter."

Everyone looks in your direction.

[] Suggest that the Revisionists use your story to show what manakete are really like. This will likely be polarizing: drawing more people to your side on the one hand, but also risking particularly hard-line anti-manaketes making a fuss. You have your protections, but it is a risk.

[] Ask that the Revisionists keep your name and existence out of their efforts to convince people about the true nature of manakete. This will mean that any progress against the misinformation about manakete will be moderate at best, but will be safer for you personally.

[] Write-in

---

You bite back a yawn as you stand inside the gatehouse leading to the main hall, listening to the murmur of the crowd gathered outside. You'd been up pretty late last night talking to the Revisionists, and despite some disagreements and arguments and your throat feeling raw you think it went well. "Are you well?" Archmage Stormspeaker asks mildly, giving no sign that he had just spent last night in the very same meeting you had.

"I'm alright," you say. "So… what do I do?"

The Archmage looks at the sky thoughtfully. "It is just about time," he says. "I will go out first, and I will give a short speech, as is traditional. Then, once I call your name, you will join me on the balcony, where I will ask you your mage-name. You will tell me, it will be added to the Wall, and then you will receive your cloak. He smiles dryly. "Typically, this is done with an entire graduating class, so we try to keep things relatively simple while still giving our new mages a chance to be recognized."

"Okay," you say, before frowning as a thought occurs to you. "Um… at some point I'm probably going to need to make some… modifications, to the cloak," you say, gesturing to your back. "I'm guessing there aren't any slits for my wings."

"No, there aren't," Archmage Stormspeaker says. "Well, once you put it on, the cloak is yours to do with as you please. You will also be given a signet ring; in many ways that's your true identification as a Mage of the Hall, but the cloak has been a symbol of ours since Archmage Thundercrier, so it gets most of the attention."

A bell rings from the main hall building, causing the man to stand up straighter. "It is time," he says. "Do you have any final questions?" You quickly shake your head. "Very well, let us begin." With that, he turns and strides up the stairs and out onto the balcony of the gatehouse, allowing the sound of polite applause to drift through the door as he leaves it open.

As you wait for the clapping to die out, a weight falls on your head as Tempest, who'd been perched above you, glides down to land on you, crooning softly. "Thanks, Tempest," you say softly, reaching up to let him nip your fingers again.

"Brothers and Sisters of the Hall," Archamge Stormspeaker's voice rings out, clearly amplified by magic. "Once, our world was broken. The blood of countless thousands stained the earth, entire civilizations shattered in the fires of cataclysmic war. But our founder, Archmage Thundercrier, looked upon that broken world and declared that its best days were not behind it. She declared that she, and those who followed in her footsteps, would dedicate themselves to repair our world, block by block, spell by spell, memory by memory. Today, we gather to honor the latest member of our Hall, the latest who will rebuild what was once destroyed." Tempest takes off, leaving you alone as the Archmage continues. "Ryza, join me."

Taking a deep breath, you walk out into the sunlight.

Dozens and dozens of mages are gathered, standing on the flattened area in front of the gate, staring up at you. Aside from Archmage Stormspeaker, five other mages stand around the balcony, two of whom you recognize. Sunny Highwind and Blitzbolt stand on the other side of Archmage Stormspeaker from where you come to a halt, and beyond them is a tall, broad-shouldered man in a red cloak. On your other side is a woman in a white cloak who gives you a warm smile, and a man in a black cloak who studies you with a frown and cool eyes. Nodding to all of them, you allow yourself scan the group until you find Apollo, standing with a group of other students. He smiles and waves.

Meanwhile, Archmage Stormspeakers continues. "There are many paths that a mage may walk, many lessons they may learn in their own way to come to their magic. Ryza first studied the arcane arts from her parents in a land far from here. Despite lacking what most today would call a formal education, she has proven herself to be a powerful and talented caster. Moreover, she shows an inquisitive, curious mind and a desire to learn and expand beyond her previous boundaries, to improve herself and to grow as a mage. Despite her youth, she has already taken on challenges and trials that many would hesitate to place upon the shoulders of even a seasoned mage, and yet by light, thunder and wit she has overcome those challenges. Thus, it is only right that she receive the honors to go with her burdens." He holds out a hand, and Blitzbolt unfolds the yellow cloak he's holding and, with perhaps a tiny moment of hesitation, hands it to the Archmage. Carefully, he holds it open and drapes it over your shoulders and fastens it around your neck. "With this cloak, Ryza, I commend you as an accredited Mage of the Marble Hall. Now, tell us, what is your mage-name?"

Taking a deep breath, you look up at him. "Levinheart," you say, your voice louder than you'd intended. The balcony itself must be runicly enchanted for volume. "I am Ryza Levinheart."

Archamge Stormspeaker raises a hand, and under his feet you see a rune-circle flare with Red magic and a faint hiss come from behind you. Looking back, you see red light flaring against the stone wall of the balcony, tracing your name into a wall that you realize is already covered in names. "Brothers and sisters, recognize our newest mage, our newest sister. Recognize Ryza Levinheart."

The crowd below you starts clapping and cheering. Your heart fills with warmth as you wave; while many of the mages are simply being polite, you can also see the ones you know. Apollo and the other Kingdom students, the Revisionists… they are accepting you, despite your differences. Despite having not known you existed a few days ago, they are now cheering you on. Recognizing you as one of them.

It gives you hope that one day, humans and manakete can move past the horrors of what happened in the past. As you wave, you envision a future where you've shown humans a better way of using magic, where you've found other survivors… Now, there is a precedent of peaceful coexistence.

There is hope.

After several long moments of cheering, the Archmage raises his hand. "As today is a solitary graduation, our ceremony is now concluded. Be sure, when you see her, to continue to extend the Marble Hall's welcome to our newest mage." The crowd below you begins to disperse, though many of the younger mages hang around, some standing on tiptoes to try and get a better look at you. You wave at them, and a few wave back.

Behind you, Archmage Stormspeaker clears his throat quietly. "This is also for you," he says, holding out a ring with a flat face, upon which is carved a simplified version of the banner you'd seen in his office. "Go, speak to your friends and supporters if you wish. However, do not tarry long, and when you are finished come meet myself and the other Heads of the Towers in my office." He meets your gaze firmly. "We have much to discuss."

You frown as you glance around, all of the Heads are watching you. "What… has something happened?" you ask.

The woman in white smiles slightly. "Never fear, Mistress Levinheart," she says in a soft, almost lyrical voice. "We would not go through this ceremony and them immediately turn around to do something harmful to our newest member. We simply wish to have a discussion with you." Sunny and the red-cloaked man nod, though Blitzbolt and the Black mage share a long look. "Go enjoy yourself for a moment with your friends, you've earned it. We'll see you in a little bit." With that, she turns, her ornate staff tapping slightly against the stone as she leaves. Sunny and Master Stormspeaker quickly follow her. Blitzbolt hesitates a moment longer, but finally turns to exit as well.

"Congratulations, kid," the red-cloaked Head says, holding out a hand. As you shake it, he squeezes firmly, though thankfully not enough to hurt despite the way his huge hand engulfs yours. "Master Magmablaze. Didn't see your test itself, but from the way Celestine's raving, you must have done something right. See you at the old man's office when you're ready." With a final grin, he saunters off, leaving only you and the black-cloaked mage. You look at him, wondering if he has anything to say, but he simply stares at you, faint weaves of Black magic coiling around him until you give up and leave yourself.

Thankfully, nobody's waiting to ambush you in the stairway, so you make your way out of the gate without any further awkwardness. "Ryza!" Apollo cries, leading the way over. While some of the people you recognize hang back, your friend, Master Darkstalker, and a few other students and Revisionists gather around. "How do you feel?"

"I feel… good," you say, taking the hem of your new cloak and running it between your fingers. It's well made, that much is obvious, and somehow the Archmage managed to size it properly to you despite a lack of fitting. However, it's a bit more… ornamental than the cloak your mother made for you. It's also a bit thinner; seemingly designed more as a status symbol than to keep you warm at high elevations. "Thank you all for being here."

"Of course," Master Darkstalker says. "It's not every day that a new young mage arrives seemingly out of nowhere, passes the tests of two different elements with flying colors, and is accredited in less than a week."

"Yeah," Apollo says. "And that's between helping a lot of people and happened because you helped even more people and you're going to go back home to help even more people." He hesitates. "Are you… going to leave right away?"

You consider. "Well, I have to go talk to the Archmage and the other Heads in a moment," you say. "And I do have a few things that I want to take a quick look at, but Agrithe needs me." You push the images of soldiers marching out of your mind; you'll be back to help as soon as you can! "So I probably won't be long."

Apollo wilts slightly, but nods. "Alright," he says. "But you'll write, right? To let me know how things are going?"

"Of course," you say. "You'll write too?"

"Yeah, of course," Apollo says. "I mean, if I can get the mail riders to take them; they've been a bit cagy recently."

Master Darkstalker gives Apollo a confused look, but smooths his face over a moment later. "If the Archmage wishes to speak to you, then we should give you your time to meet with your supporters." He gestures back to the others. "After you, Mistress Levinheart."

What follows is a brief but exhilarating volley of congratulations, back-pats, and cheering. Everyone compliments you on your new cloak, as well as giving various suggestions for "personalization." Apparently, it's somewhat traditional for full mages to stitch (or have stitched) patterns and decorations onto their cloaks. Some of the suggestions are… less practical than others (you're not sure why a bird would be flipping towards the Empire and why Calta had kicked Fillia's shin when she suggested it,) but a lot of them seem nice. You're going to have to get the wing-slits made, so asking someone to put some mountains along the hem wouldn't be too bad, as a symbol of where you came from, right?

However, after a few minutes, you finally wave your hands. "Thank you all for your support," you call. "I really, truly appreciate it. But I have to go talk to the Archmage, and I don't want to keep him waiting. After everything he's done for me, I don't want to be rude." It takes another minute to fully extricate yourself, but finally you're able to make your way back into the main Hall.

There's nobody to meet you, but thankfully the first walk to the Archmage's office is burned into your memory in stress, so you're able to find your way. As you ascend the stairs and reach for the enchanted knocker, the sound of voices from within makes you pause for a moment.

"-said yourself, visions are guidelines more than doctrine," someone, you think it's Master Magmablaze, is saying.

"Nor can they be discounted out of hand," a new voice says softly. "And this vision was one of the clearest I've ever had. A warning."

"From what you described, if it is a warning I can see multiple interpretations," Mistress Softshimmer says. "I am no expert, true, but I do know that visions are rarely clear-cut."

"And what of history?" Blitzbolt says. "A thousand-"

"Enough," Archmage Stormspeaker cuts in. "Mistress Levinheart, join us." The door swings open in front of you.

You contain a wince. "Sorry," you say, slipping into the room. The Archmage's desk is nearly full, but there is a chair open in the center, between Mistress Softshimmer and Sunny. "I just got here."

The Archmage nods, gently stroking Tempest's head as the thunderbird perches beside him. "Very good," he says. "Before we begin, official introductions are needed. Mistress Levinheart, these are the Heads of the Towers. You have already met Master Blitzbolt and Mistress Highwind, of course, Heads of the Towers of Thunder and Wind.. On your left is Mistress Softshimmer, head of the Tower of Light. On her other side is Master Darktide, Head of the Tower of Dark. Finally, Master Magmablaze of the Tower of Fire. Everyone, this is Ryza Levinheart."

You look around. "It's nice to meet you all," you say. Most of the Heads nod and agree, thought Bltizbolt and Darktide simply study you. "So… what did you want to talk about?"

A moment of silence passes before Blitzbolt speaks. "We would know what your intentions are, dragon, moving forward," he says, a slight edge creeping into his voice.

"Well, that's one way to put it…" Master Magmablaze mutters.

The Deputy Headmaster throws a dark look at his fellow. "Perhaps it is not a typical question that we would ask a new mage, but this is no typical mage," he says. "If we are unleashing her onto the world with our blessing, then it is prudent for us to know what her plans are." Master Darktide nods slowly.

You glance at the Archmage, but he seems to have fallen back into the neutrality of his office, and so he simply nods for you to answer the question. "Manakete," you correct. "If you're going to use a term for me rather than my name, at least use the right one, please." Sighing, you move on. "But to answer your question, I'm going to be going back to Agrithe soon. Archduke Letoro has offered me a position as Head Mage, after Master Shadebringer was murdered, and I have friends there." You shrug. "Beyond that… well, I really want to help humans come up with a way of using magic that doesn't involve taking my people's stones, the physical manifestations of our souls and the link between the two parts of our selves, and grinding them up." A few of the people around the table wince slightly, or glance at the nearest magical object.

"And what if people do not wish to change to this… new method?" Master Darktide asks quietly, giving no physical reaction. "What will you do then?"

You get the feeling there's something behind that question, but you meet his eyes anyways. "I won't be happy," you say. "But I believe people will be willing to change, especially once they realize just what they're doing. Once they realize manakete like me are people, not monsters."

"Even if a full change is not made," Master Magmablaze cuts in ahead of Bltizbolt opening his mouth, "the Hall has long encouraged the advancement of knowledge. Surely having a unique take on the matter can only be a good thing?" He holds up a hand. "Besides, I am sure Mistress Levinheart has her own questions and concerns. Perhaps it would be most fair for us to alternate questions." Mistress Softshimmer nods, and a moment later Sunny does too.

Blitzbolt and Master Darktide glance to Archmage Stormspeaker, who considers for a moment. "That does seem reasonable," he says. "And Mistress Levinheart has given an initial answer: when speaking of future plans it is always possible that they may change as the situation changes." He looks you over. "Have you any concerns?"

You ponder for a second. "Well, there is one thing I'm a bit worried about, and it goes back to what I'm going to be doing: do you have a way to help me get back to Agrithe safely? I came with Master Skyfire, but he had to go home to help his Duchess, so I don't have a ride, and I don't feel exactly… comfortable, going back on my own." Not with armies of soldiers potentially hostile to your mere existence marching around.

"There are several carriages that the Hall uses to transport those who do not have their own mounts," Archmage Stormspeaker says. "One of those can be made available to you, as is your right as an accredited mage."

That's better than nothing, but still… "And will those carriages be safe?" you ask.

Mistress Softshimmer cocks her head. "Of course, why wouldn't they be?" she asks.

Blitzbolt scoffs. "She believes that the Regent has some sort of grand scheme," he says. "A scheme that we have seen no evidence of." He looks you over. "Have you any more to say about that? Any more words from your master in the east?"

"Donnor," Archmage Stormspeaker says warningly.

You, however, meet his eyes coldly. "I fought against the kidnapping of three good people who did nothing to deserve what happened to them," you say. "I burned myself, both heart and dragon, by forcing myself to push faster and harder than I was truly ready for, because people needed my help. Artemis and Sypha were targeted because they were the children of those the Regent considers enemies; forgive me for being worried that there's a whole bunch of other children within his easy reach!"

"This Hall has long protected its students," Mistress Softshimmer says soothingly. "Even at the height of the Whitewing Secession and the Divine Split, the Marble Hall has been a neutral place. Many a peace meeting has been held here, since everyone knows that they can be safe here. I understand your worries, child, but we will ensure nothing happens to your friends."

"I know," you say. "And I'm glad about that, but I just wanted to make sure that you knew that there is a-"

"Might. Be," Blitzbolt says. "Might be. As I said, there is yet no evidence that this is anything other than an attempt to distract and sow discord in the Empire." He holds up a hand as Magmablaze starts to say something. "And I will acknowledge, perhaps this dragon is being genuine. After all, I trust Master Skyfire's judgement, and he said that he believes she believes it. However, as we can all see, she is young. Naïve. Letoro Cartese is neither of those things."

"You know, I didn't spend a lot of time in high-class parties and circles when I was growing up," Master Magmablaze says with a forced casualness that doesn't reach his eyes. "But I'm pretty sure the rules were that if you were going to insult someone you should at least have the decency to be subtle about it."

"Enough!" the Archmage snaps again, his eyes flashing briefly with Yellow light. "This is an official meeting of the Heads of the Towers, not a schoolyard spat! You will both act with decorum!"

Both men wince. "Sorry, Master Blitzbolt…" Master Magmablaze says.

"I apologize as well, Master Magmablaze," Blitzbolt says. "And… Ryza."

A long, tense silence falls before Sunny speaks up. "So, Mistress Levinheart, there is something I've been wondering. Do you know if there are any more of your people around? From what I've heard, you've only woken recently, and I'd understand if you didn't want to reveal any details, but it seems cruel that you're forced to carry so many of these burdens alone."

You shake your head sadly. "I'm sorry, no, I haven't heard anything," you say. "I've been caught up in other things," you say. "I hope there are others, hiding or sleeping like I was, but I haven't had a chance to look." You had asked the Revisionists, as part of spreading to story, to try and look for any clues, even giving them a few broad ideas of what might help point them in the right direction.

You hope you're not truly alone…

Mistress Softshimmer gives a noise of sympathy. "Well, if you do find anyone, feel free to nominate them for membership at the Hall, just as was extended to you," she says. "That will give them the same legal protections you have, and can be a first step into trying to make a safer world for any survivors."

"So long as they were not the ones burning cities and toppling civilization," Blitzbolt says. "I will accept, for sake of argument, that it is unlikely they sent their children into the war, but there was a war, and a lot of humans were murdered during it. We cannot simply forget that fact."

"Sol Invictus shines for the saint and the sinner alike," Mistress Softshimmer says. "The ability to forgive is a virtue, not a weakness."

Another moment of silence fills the office before you try to change the subject. "Well, before I go, I was thinking of spending some time doing a bit of research, could you-"

You stop, however, as the sound of footsteps comes up the stairs behind you. It's quiet, but Archmage Stormspeaker looks up as well, frowning. A moment later, the knocker is heard. "Master Dancingbreeze," a breathless voice pants. "With… urgent message…"

"Come in," Archmage Stormspeaker said, frowning slightly. Looking around, you see all of the other Heads look equally confused.

A middle-aged mage, wearing a full green cloak, quickly enters. He looks around worriedly, a scroll clutched tightly in his hands as he tries to steady his breathing. "Masters… please, I know you said… that you were not to be disturbed, but… well, this message… said it was urgent…"

"Then you did well to bring it to us," Mistress Softshimmer says soothingly. "Who is it for?"

The mage pauses awkwardly, his eyes flicking between Archmage Stormspeaker and Master Blitzbolt. "Well… ah… a knight arrived from Wyrmrise, carrying the banner of a Voice of the Emperor," he said, gingerly stepping forward and offering the scroll to Master Blitzbolt. "He said… he said to deliver this to… the Acting Headmaster of the Hall."

"Strange," Blitzbolt says, taking the scroll with confused frown before handing it over to Archmage Stormspeaker. "The true Headmaster is here, so there is no need for an acting headmaster. The messenger must have been dispatched soon after the first, and they haven't realized that the Archmage… that his attention is needed here first. But why would another message be sent so soon?"

A long hush falls over the room as everyone looks at each other before, slowly, each turns to look at you. "I… I think we all know…" you say. A tiny part of you is giddy; you could not have asked for better timing on the evidence that you and Archduke Letoro were right all along! Of course, that also meant that you had cut your warning so Mother-blessedly close!

Everyone turns to stare at the Archmage as he holds the letter. Sunny's mouth is open slightly, her eyes twitching worriedly. Blitzbolt's hand clenches against the arms of his chair as his mouth twists. Master Magmablaze and Mistress Softshimmer throw each other worried glances, while Master Darktide leans slowly back in his chair, rubbing his beard thoughtfully as Black magic seems to swim behind his eyes.

The Archmage, however, has simply been studying the seal on the scroll in silence. "This is under the Regent's personal seal," he says finally, his voice icy calm, "but let us not jump to conclusions." Not looking up, he breaks the seal and starts reading.

Nobody says a word as his eyes slowly, carefully scan the letter, his frown growing darker and darker the further down he goes. You shiver slightly as you see sparks, real, physical sparks, flashing around the mage as the air seems to fill with Yellow static. You resist the urge to pull your own magic around you defensively; this isn't harmful… just a really, really bad sign for his emotional state.

After all, if Mother or Father had been sparking like this, you'd be looking for cover from an imminent draconic transformation.

Finally, as the Archmage finishes, he lets out a long, slow breath as he forces his magic into dormancy. "It seems… our new sister spoke the truth as to the Regent's intentions," he says, his voice nothing more than a deadly whisper. "Thank you for bringing this to me immediately, Master Dancingbreeze. You may go. I will… deal… with this matter. Personally." Standing, he stalks to the back of the office and opens a case.

Within, propped up on a fancy pedestal, is a large, ornate tome. As the door of the case opens, a wash of Yellow power seems to slam into you: a gale of arcane energy emanating from the tome. On its cover, a female hand is holding up a large hammer, topaz-studded lighting bolts flashing around it.

You shiver, your skin crawling painfully. You know that tome. That's… that's Mjolnir. A Mastercraft. The weapon the Old Master had given to Archmage Thundercrier.

A tome that's killed Mother only knows how many manakete.

Seemingly ignorant to your sudden fear, Archmage Stormspeaker takes the tome and, without another word, turns and walks out of the office.

Master Dancingbreeze whimpers softly as he looks around. "It's alright," Sunny says gently, taking a deep breath to calm herself before standing and putting a hand on the younger green mage's shoulder. "You did everything right; you are in no trouble." The man nods thankfully as she guides him gently to the door. "Go on, take a moment to compose yourself, the Archmage will handle things from here."

Meanwhile, as Master Blitzbolt continues to sit at the desk, the other three Heads hustle out onto the balcony. "There are a lot of riders down there, well-armed and armored," Master Magmablaze murmurs. "And a lot of carts…"

"It gets worse," Master Darktide says, peering through a spyglass he'd pulled from his cloak. "Those carts? Those are sturdy things, covered, and they have bars on what tiny windows they have. Those are prisoner carts."

"They can't… he can't have really…" Mistress Softshimmer whispers weakly. "That's madness, utter madness!"

"I spent some time in Wyrmrise," Master Darktide says as Sunny hurries over, wringing her hands as she stares down at the path into the Hall, "and Justinian was always an ambitions man. He doesn't think small, and he believes in the Empire. While this is extreme… if he thinks that it's the best thing to do for the Empire, he will do it."

As the four continue to whisper to each other, you faintly hear the sound of the door opening behind you. Turning, you see the hem of Master Blitzbolt's cloak slipping out the door, which he closes behind him. Nobody else seems to notice that he's gone.

What do you do?

[] Follow Archmage Stormspeaker. You have to know exactly what happens down there, who says what, what decisions are made. Lives could depend on it, and even if they don't Archduke Letoro will want to know.

[] Follow Master Blitzbolt. He seemed... genuinely surprised by this, but you still don't completely trust him. If he's up to something, you want to be able to head it off fast. You might not have time to get help if he does try something.

[] Find Apollo. You have a bad feeling about this, it must have taken many minutes for that messenger to rush his way up here. If there's even the slightest possibility he's in danger, then your place is by his side.

[] Stay and talk to the Heads. They might be able to provide some insight into what's going on, and you do have some questions for them. Besides, the Archmage will likely return soon, and he'll probably already be irritated. You don't want to make his mood worse by skipping his meeting.

[] Write-in