¤ When Our Eyes Meet

‘I want to take a look!’ Aurora hopped a little on the spot. ‘I have never seen a fairy.’

Salmer exchanged a look with Eriksen, who shrugged. Why not?

Pushing through the crowd, Salmer cleared the way to the front of the crowd for the petite girl. Aurora stood eagerly before the dirt path, peering ever so often down the path to try and spot the fairies.

‘Here they come!’ Someone pointed and shouted.

There was a soft glow in the air that heralded the fairy retinue’s arrival. As they came into view, one could tell straight away that these were no mortals. A shimmering aura surrounded each fairy, visible even in the strong summer sunlight. Their long hair was worn loose or swept up in elaborate arrangements and were in all sorts of hues, from orange to deep purple. The wings that made them legendary were displayed proudly, as they made their way up the path slowly and gracefully amidst the rowdy crowd.

At the head of this procession, a particularly tall fairy led the way. The thin silver circlet that bound his electric green hair at his white forehead indicated that he was of some rank amongst his people. But one did not need to look at the ornament to know that: it was obvious from the stately way he walked and how the other fairies deferred to him. His golden wings were unfurled slightly, giving him a most majestic mantle.

Aurora stared at this fairy lord with wide dark blue eyes as the retinue passed her. Something niggled in her mind just then, as if telling her that what she saw was actually familiar and very important. The scars at her back started to ache too, even more so then when Eriksen had touched them accidentally.

Salmer, seeing her bewildered expression, thought it was awe from a first sighting of a fairy and did not question her.

Abruptly, the fairy lord halted in his steps. The procession stopped, confusion showing on some of the fairies’ faces. The fairy lord only waved off his subordinate’s questions and combed through the noisy crowd with his emerald eyes, as if sensing something amiss.

With an electrifying shock, he made eye contact with Aurora. Aurora only saw his eyes widen as if in surprise and recognition, before his brow furrowed and the fairy averted his eyes quickly.

It seemed as if the fairy lord stepped more quickly afterwards, leading the way to the village head’s house with uncommon haste…

Fairies are such an enigma to all of us mortals. It seems as if they had been living in their lofty paradise since time immemorial. One of the old tales of the village speaks of some ancient time during which the fairies ruled over mortals like gods, taking interest in us only for sport and amusement.

In my youth, when the last Fairy King reigned, there was little trace of such disdainful treatment from these winged creatures. It was only after King Kranz’s death, then did the fairies in Orbis start to close up on themselves. Now, the fairies loathe to have all contact with the mortal world, when before, they would have at least lent a grudging hand to aid us mortals when we were in need.

Back then, even though the fairies did not allow mortal visitors to their realm, there was an Academy established by King Kranz a few centuries ago. It stood just outside the borders of El Nath, a tall forbidding tower that was rumoured to reach right into the lands of Orbis. King Kranz was very concerned about the diplomatic ties between mortals and fairies and established the only school in Ossyria to accept students, both fairies and mortals. However, this Academy only accepted students handpicked by a team of fairies, appointed by the King to select only potential talents.

Every year, during summer, the King would send this team of fairies down to El Nath, not only to hold the Selection, but also as a gesture of goodwill. The Selection would draw aspiring students from all over Ossyria and Victoria, who would bring business and trade to the village, much to the glee of El Nath’s merchants.

While the idea of their children being picked for this Academy was not popular, the villagers of El Nath still held some respect for its mortal students. It was rumoured that these students were granted powers beyond mortal comprehension, and this in turn bestowed upon them almost immortal qualities.

What I can say is this: rumours do have some basis in truth.

¤ Ida

Jaysen made wide circles, looking out for monsters hidden in the snowdrifts as he guarded Silver, who was reading intently from the leather-bound volume as they walked along the snow-covered path towards Orbis Tower. ‘The Academy was a… tower outside El Nath?’ She read out incredulously. ‘What?’ Jaysen exclaimed. Both of them stared up simultaneously at the great stone tower before them.

‘Could it be?’ Silver whispered, closing Salmer’s journal softly.

‘Maybe?’ Jaysen murmured. ‘There aren’t that many towers outside El Nath and reaching up to Orbis, are there? How come no one knew before this?’

Tucking the volume into her backpack, Silver said, ‘It would not surprise me. Salmer did write something about no one being able to speak about… her. You know.’

‘Yes.’ It was quite strange, Jaysen thought. When Silver first told him that she could not speak Aurora’s name, Jaysen had scoffed at her. However, try as he might, he could only make a strangled sound, which made Silver laugh. ‘I told you so,’ she had said, shooting him a holier-than-thou look. ‘It must be a fairy enchantment. No mortal magic can do this.’

‘No sweat, right?’ Jaysen broke the brief silence that descended on them. ‘We can probably solve this mystery together.’ He beamed at Silver.

‘How strange, I don’t remember asking for your participation in my Project.’ Silver commented, walking a little ahead of him.

‘Aw, come on, shining ray of my desire. You know you want me to!’ Jaysen chased after her, declaring melodramatically.

Silver would have snorted in amusement, if she had not seen what was before them.

Further up the path before them, a crowd of Jr. Pepes gathered around a girl in long purple Moonlight robes, pecking furiously at her with their sharp, hard beaks. Trying to hang onto her white Guiltian, she repeated waved her Fairy wand to cast a spell to repel the mob of tiny penguins. Bright blue slashes flashed and faded in the air, causing many Jr. Pepes to squeal in pain as they disappeared. But somehow, even as she managed to get rid of one, two more would swarm in to fill the space.

One Jr. Pepe managed to jump up and bite onto her wand hand. Yelping out in pain, she dropped her wand, which immediately disappeared under the swarm of Jr. Pepes. Shaking her hand hard to make the little Pepe let go, she only succeeded in making it bite her harder, gleefully dangling from her hand. Tears came into the girl’s green eyes.

‘Oi!’ Jaysen dashed up into the mob, Silver following close behind. He chased the little Pepes away, smacking them with the flat of his dagger. Squalling in protest, the Jr. Pepes scurried away from this fierce onslaught, vanishing into the snowdrifts. The little Pepe on the magician’s hand squeaked in alarm when it saw its comrades disappear, and let go quickly to waddle after them.

Sobbing, the magician collapsed onto the snow, cradling her badly bitten hand. ‘Are you alright?’ Silver asked kindly, reaching down to help the girl to her feet.

‘Y-yes, I’m okay.’

Still shaking, the magician took the wand Jaysen had retrieved from the ground and gripped it awkwardly with her uninjured hand. She frowned in concentration. Her wound glowed and sparks of green light danced on it. When the lights faded, her wound had already closed up, leaving behind only smooth skin.

Hmm, a cleric. What is she doing in these parts? Silver thought, exchanging a look with Jaysen.

The colour very much back in her face, the mage smiled at the pair, her large eyes still red from her tears. ‘Thank you.’ Her voice was soft and meek, so much that Jaysen and Silver had to lean in closer to hear her.

‘Ah, no problem.’ Jaysen grinned. ‘How do I address this fair maiden?’

The mage blushed and said in an even softer voice. ‘I’m Ida.’

‘Good morning, Ida! This other fair lady here is Silver.’ Jaysen proclaimed loudly, ‘And me? I’m the famous Jaysen, skilled Bandit and-’

‘All-around smooth-talking wastrel.’ Silver interrupted him, talking to Ida in a stage whisper.

‘Excuse me!’ Jaysen drew himself up haughtily, ‘Most disdainful lady, you have just ruined my reputation and, more importantly, the punch line of my witty introduction!’ He stalked off, looking miffed.

‘He left out “inflated ego” in his description too.’ Silver patted Ida’s hand in mock sympathy. Ida could not help but giggle at the pair’s boisterous exchange.

‘I heard that!’ Jaysen called out over his shoulder. Stopping to turn around, he said, ‘If the fair ladies would be so kind to forgive my trespasses, and join my party? It gets lonely wandering the wide lands of Ossyria alone, you know.’

‘Come on,’ Silver exchanged a wry grin with Ida, and both of them hurried to join Jaysen as they entered the tall arch of the Orbis Tower’s entrance.

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