Chapter Two

The thoroughfare was packed as Nahmeh made his way through the streets to their destination. He and Delacroix passed many vendors and traveling merchants- even circus performers in the square- before they reached the gates that lead to the castle.

The old castle housed the council as well as the most esteemed school for training magic users and applying their talents where they are most needed. Nahmeh never had attended the school himself, but he knew a lot of people who worked at or had attended the school.

He also had done a lot of work by creating and installing many of the seals and other defensive and offensive sigils throughout the castle's structure. So he was very familiar with it and knew his way around.

Just before he reached the metal gate he was stopped by Croix when she let out an exclamation of 'Oow!' before she took off in the direction of a booth a few hundred yards back.

Nahmeh laughed as he followed and joined her.

'What do you see, Croix?' he asked.

Delacroix hopped up to an open crushed velvet box.

Inside it was a black stone set in a silver bangle. Nahmeh leaned down to inspect it. It had even darker veins webbing throughout he could faintly see as the light tried to refract through it.

"Ya have a good eye, sir," the vendor said with a toothy smile.

Nahmeh smiled back and straightened. "That is a very nice stone. I'd think it would catch anyone's eye."

"Ah, indeed. That is a piece of jet stone. Very good for magic users to channel their powers through."

"How much do you want for it?"

"About sixty silver."

"That seems a little excessive for a bangle. Jet stone can be found anywhere, and I could buy three bags of them for that price," Nahmeh said politely.  

The vendor's smile widened. "Well, since you seem to know what's what, I'll sell it to ya for fourty- five," he said.

Nahmeh shook his head. "How about I also buy these aquamarine and bloodstone rings with the bangle for sixty-five?"

The man thought about it for a moment, but then seemed to consent. "Sure. That seems alright to me." The vendor closed the box and handed over the two rings to Nahmeh. "That'll be sixty-five, including the bangle."

The witch handed over the money and took the items. He took off his hat and put them inside before saying thanks and holding out his hand to Delacroix.

She hopped on and fluffed out her feathers with pleasure.

'You happy?' Nahmeh asked with humor.

Delacroix rubbed her soft head on his cheek. 'Yes.'

He huffed and turned back the way they had been going.

The gate to the castle was large and old. It had been there since the castle had been built, to Nahmeh's knowledge, over two millennia ago.

In the shadow of the towering gate, the witch and his familiar called out to the gatekeeper.

There were some long moments of silence before something shuddered and began to groan.

"What business do you have here?" A rusty voice creaked out.

Nahmeh held up a hand with a piece of paper. "I come with a summons from the Council."

A well dressed gargoyle appeared out of a stone pillar beside the gate. He took the note and read it carefully. Nahmeh watched as his eye, enlarged by a monocle,  wiggled back and forth as he read the slip and inspected the seal at the bottom of it.

Nahmeh waited patiently until the gargoyle spoke once more.

"Please put your left hand out."

Nahmeh did so even though he knew it wouldn't do any good.

The purpose of it was to register his arcana signature. Sort of like a fingerprint, one's arcana signature is unique to each individual.  It's nearly impossible to replicate it, and once recorded, it could be used to determine a multitude of things. From evidence in a court of law, or even giving an accurate reading of what kind of spells are cast by an individual.

His hand wasn't even fully lifted up when the gate rumbled and opened to let him pass.

The gatekeeper was surprised, but quickly recovered. "Please, sir, head on to the castle. I'm very sorry to have held you up."

Nahmeh nodded. "It's alright. It's good to see you take your job so seriously," he replied as he continued on through the gate and up to the large doors of the castle.

Once up the steps, the guards on each side of him pushed the doors open, their heaviness evident from the low groans their hinges gave as they were moved.

Inside the entry room was pretty close to how Nahmeh remembered it. The room was made of pearlescent gray and white marble stone, their shimmer and shine from the sun that came through the large floor to ceiling windows.

Nahmeh smiled with quiet confidence as he walked up to the desk placed in the middle of the room.

A bookish sort of youth with a shock of white among his dark brown hair watched him through stylish and delicate glasses.

"Yes, sir? How may I assist you?" he asked politely, but his countenance seemed somewhat arrogant. As it would, seeing how he was working at Serriara, Academy of the Arcane.

"Just wanted to let the Council know that I'm early for the planned meeting. I know they must be busy, but please let them know I am here when they are ready."

"I will be sure to do that," he said with a flat tone. "And your name?"

"Thank you," Nahmeh returned, ignoring the boys rudeness. "Its Nahmeh Orion," he said as he watched the youth scribble it down on what looked like to be a list.

"Would you like a tour, or introduction of this institution while you wait? I can assure you you will have time, and then some, if you are interested," the receptionist enquired without much regard to how snide he sounded as he implied Nahmeh would be placed on the back burner.

And it indeed would seem that way from the boy's  perspective. There were quite a few others all waiting, some more patiently than others, but they were all glaring at Nahmeh.

With a small smile Nahmeh shook his head. "No, thank you. I actually have other business whilst I am waiting. Please inform your head master that I am here to see him. I can see myself to his office," he added and turned toward the right direction before the secretary could get a word in edgewise.

The youth stood, his mouth agape as he watched Nahmeh take it upon himself to just leave and head for Head Master Freesha.

While he was debating whether to call security or not, a slightly translucent figure the size a young girl seemingly glided out of nowhere.

The young man found himself smirking and his worries were quickly gone. He knew Miss Leela, the headmaster's familiar, would take care of the pretentious man and put him in his place.

He sat back down and watched, but what he saw next made his, and everyone eles's,  jaw drop open in astonishment and stirred the jealousy in their hearts.

"Master Orion, what a pleasure it is to see you again," she said and gave a deep bow.

Nahmeh coughed slightly in embarrassment and quickly gestured for the Leela to stand up straight.

"Leela, you've matured into quite a lovely girl. I'm glad to see you as well," he said and then proceeded to place a hand on the familiar's shoulder.

'And Master Delacroix, I am exceedingly happy to see you as well,' Leela thought, her voice filling both Nahmeh and Delacroix's minds.

Croix let out a happy trill and flitted over Leela and found a spot on her head.

"Please lead the way," Nahmeh said, and gestured in the direction they needed to go.

Leela gave a smile that melted the hearts of all the men in the room. "Of course, Master. Please follow me."

******

The two left the room and there was a long pause of quiet before the room erupted into a cacophony of voices.

"Who was that man?!"

"To make the Angel of Serriara smile like that,  he must be be someone special..."

"I've never seen him before! I wonder who he is!"

"...and he talked to her as if they were already familiar with one another. How absurd!"

"But if he is so close to Headmaster Freesha, how come I've never heard of him before?"

"I heard him say he had a meeting with the Council!"

"Well, that's nothing unusual,  but if he knows the headmaster, then who knows…"

While everyone pondered and gossiped amongst themselves, the receptionist was curious as well. He looked at the name on the man. Nahmeh Orion… the longer he looked at it, the more the tickle of recognition itched his brain.

He frowned and scribbled the name down. He'd search the name later in the records. If this Nahmeh was indeed a friend of the headmaster, there had to be some sort of trail. He slipped the paper in his pocket before he stood.

"Malika, I'm taking my lunch a little early," he said. "Please take over for a little while."

His trainee nodded, her inky black hair casting a shine of verdant green as she bobbed her head.

"Yes, Mr. Airis."

He didn't reply and went off to the record hall. Airis took out the paper and began to look at the spines of some tomes and scrolls.

He began to look at the oldest records of Headmaster Freesha and his rise to power almost one hundred years ago, and then his admittance onto the Council.

It took Airis the better part of an hour before he closed the tome he was reading and decided to give it a rest for now. He rubbed his temple in frustration.

In one final act of slight desperation, he went to the record keeper.

"Good day, Record Master Galelan."

"Good day to you as well, Airis. What are you looking for today?"

"Records of a family. The name is Orion."

"Hmmm," Galelan hummed as he thought.

The record keeper's eyes then went pale blue as he used magic to find the correct tome or scroll Airis needed.

After a moment he grunted, and the sight returned to his eyes. "Right this way."

He lead Airis to the appropriate section and made a gesture. A small book floated down and landed in Airis' hands.

He smiled politely and nodded. "Thank you," he said and held up his hand to Galelan.

The record keeper did the same in return. A faint light resonated between them and then Airis left to return to work.

He held the thin book under his arm as he relieved Malika. He slid it into his bag and sat down. Airis would look at the book tonight when he got to his room and find out who the heck this Nahmeh guy was...