Novus pointed again at the Cibus Gem atop his staff.

-Recently some of the researchers working in the Royal Academy discovered how to dissolve and enchanted Cibus Gem into water, allowing them to create Liquid Cibus.- Novus pointed at the roofs.

-They’re planning to put long tubes filled with the Liquid Cibus loaded with certain formulas, like for example a very simple one like…-

Novus extended his right hand and chanted in a soft voice, trying not to get attention from the passerbys

>Luxcanti

   >Facies Globus

   >Locusdex

After reciting these words, a slight pulse moved through his body from his chest, down his left arm, and then climbed up his staff. The Cibus Gem atop of it radiated a glimmer of light coming from inside its facets and then from thin air, a small sphere of white light floated over Novus' right palm.

-There, imagine this, but hanging from the cables you will install, they will light up the streets making it safer for anybody to walk at night.-

Novus closed his hand and Robio nodded, understanding what his friend told him. -Safer streets? I can get behind that, ya know? Last year I almost got mugged when I was goin’ back home after a job.-

Novus opened his eyes. -Wait, what? How is it that I’m finding out just now?- The young arcanist couldn’t hide his concern.

-Take it easy ya Nanus I just got slightly stabbed, I injure myself more fallin’ off a roof.- Novus stopped dead in his tracks.

-YOU WERE STABBED!?- Robio shushed him as some of the people around them turned to see what the ruckus was all about.

-Don’t ya shout like that, it was a light stab, almost didn’t bleed.-

Novus took a moment to gather his thoughts and calm down. -When did this happen? And why didn’t you tell me?- 

Robio stopped, realizing that Novus was actually worried. He sighed, breaking his smile, and took a couple of steps towards a low wall. He leaned against it, putting Novus’ case on the floor.

-Last year… Last year was rough mate.- He started talking. -Ya weren’t here to see it, but I know ya know what happened.-

Novus agreed. -Yes, I know of the Necromancer, but was it so bad? Most of the news that reached the Academy involved the guards and the Royal Ensis chasing him down.-

Robio shook his head. -That’s what they said to keep the people happy… But it wasn’t like that at all Novus.- The young arcanist knew that Robio was telling the truth, he only talked like this when he was being honest.

-I bet yer Mother didn’t tell ya ‘bout it, but every night hordes of Inmortu roamed the streets, most of the gang had a close encounter with them.-

Novus walked towards Robio, standing side by side, leaning against the wall, looking at his friend with concern. -I didn’t know it was that bad, why didn’t you tell me anything?- He looked down.

-Why didn’t my mother or my father say anything?- 

Robio attempted to pacify Novus. -Mate, ya have too much on yer plate, yer father asked us not to talk too much ‘bout it, and I think she was right.-

Novus turned to face his friend. -But you guys sent me letters to the Academy, you hid this for a year?- Robio couldn’t keep looking at Novus.

-Sorry, I thought it was a good idea when we decided it… ya were studyin’ and workin’ hard, we didn’t want to bother ya.-

Novus grew increasingly angry, as his initial confusion was burnt away by his flaring up temper. -So the best idea was to lie to me about my family and friends being in danger?-

Novus realized that a lot of things made sense, as during this brief respite after graduation his mother tried to keep him at home and avoided doing any social gatherings, maybe she feared that anybody would say something. -So she lied because she knew…-

Robio nodded. -We all knew mate if ya found out what was happenin’ ya would drop everythin’ and come runnin’.-

Novus contained his impulse of grabbing Robio by the jacket. -Yes I would’ve done that and maybe I could’ve helped!- Novus crossed his arms glaring at Robio.

-Sorry, I don’t know what to say.- Robio lowered his head. -Ya can do more good alive than dead, that’s for sure.- He looked at Novus. -Ya’re the best of us Nanus…- He placed a hand over his shoulder.

-We couldn’t get ya involved with the mess, we knew ya would come to help, but what ya were doin’ is more important.- Robio tried to smile. -Look at ya, the first lowborn wizard, ready to take the world by storm.-

Novus stood there in silence. Then, still without saying a word, removed Robio’s hand. -I don’t care.- Robio looked at Novus incapable of uttering a word in reply.

-I would never put my dreams over my friends Robio, even if they wanted to.- Novus picked up the case his friend was carrying, not even looking him in the eye. -It wasn’t easy you know, I was alone for almost four years, surrounded by the worst elitist assholes you can imagine... -

He picked up the case on his own, straining to put the leather band over his shoulder to carry it. Robio attempted to help but Novus stopped him with a gesture. -The only thing that pushed me forward was the idea of graduating and helping others like me.- Finally, Novus looked at his friend. There were a couple of tears in his eyes.

-I learned Spell Formulas, I became an Arcanist… Dammit, I even graduated first of my class, but what, in the name of the Ancient Magus, would all that mean if I lost my friends or my family?-

Novus pressed his finger on Robio’s chest. -I would’ve come home, I would’ve wanted to come home and help, Academy be damned, magic be damned.- Robio lowered his eyes, breaking eye contact, ashamed of himself.

-And now I’ll be alone again, alone and knowing that my friends and my family kept secrets from me.-

Robio attempted to interject. -But it was to help ya out, to protect y-

Novus interrupted him. -The only way you can help me is if I know what was happening, I could’ve made a choice, I could’ve picked what I wanted.- Novus was unloading not only the grief he felt for this lie, but also for the job thrust upon him by the Highborn in Court.

-You say you wanted to help me, you wanted me to graduate, but I’m graduating to help others, to help them have choices beyond dying in abject poverty.- Novus gestured around him.

-Do you know how many lowborn actually have magic? More than you can imagine and most of them either are killed or die accidentally by not knowing how to use Vis.- Novus, taken over by his emotions finally added.

-I almost died, or don’t you remember that and I did because I didn’t know, I didn’t understand.-

Robio, incapable of even speaking against Novus, just kept silent. The young arcanist, having spent all his rage, turned around and walked a couple of steps away from his friend. -I… I…- With tear-filled eyes he looked at his friend. -I can’t have the luxury of not knowing…-

He then turned away and began the climb uphill, leaving Robio, who gradually slid against the wall into the floor in silence. Novus left his friend there, feeling the bitter aftertaste of the argument dripping down his throat like acid, burning through his innards.

He couldn’t allow himself to ignore things, he couldn’t abide not knowing what he should and he couldn’t stand having information withheld from him.

He now knew why his father buried himself in work, trying to avoid him. He understood why his mother had taken time off from her very important job to keep him in the house as much as they could.

For how long did they think the ruse would work, hiding from him what, from Robio’s words, seemed to be a hellish period.

Novus shook his head, wiping his tears with his sleeve, and proceeded his journey uphill towards the “Chain” that connected the Castle of Rigel with the city.