Heavy howling winds were dancing outside of the walls, singing a symphony only they could decipher. Blood storm left plenty for the winds to “play” with.

Seea was sitting at her library post looking at professors and mentors of all kinds of wielding specialities going around trying to find traces of whomever entered the dark arts section while all of them were hiding in the Main Hall. In her mind she was at fault – she left her station and the reason did not matter, neither did the fact that the Headmistress told her to join everyone in hiding. Nothing excused missing the culprit that took Feral Origina, one of the sacred books they were not even allowed to read.

Legends stated, L’arc bore a sacred trinity of Origina books, written by the all-holy mother with her own blood. Books carried such power that primary gods had to separate them and give each book to a different end of the world, so they would never cross paths. No one really knew whether the trinity was a thing or a legend, whether there were more books, or where they could be – Origins manuscripts were a well-kept secret, even in the Intricate Arts Academy not everyone had the knowledge what the book was, just that they were not allowed close.

Origins stories corrupted kelium – that was the official story students were told. Upperclassmen would also add that there is pure darkness locked away on the pages of the Feral Origina and it will bite anyone stupid enough to even simply touch the book. Obviously, Seea has seen the book and heard all the stories around it – being in the Academy that long she outlived quite a few very ambitious rumours and even more challenges concerning the book. At some point she even saw mentors send newly arrived younglings to go and touch the Origina and report to them about the feelings the book gave them. That was brilliantly stupid, as the Origina was off limits without specific permits.

Seea did not realise how she dozed off, still staring into nothingness, trying to contemplate how she managed to fail so brutally.

“Why is your light flickering?”

She felt shivers as her feet stood cold in the water. Everything around was dark, yet silhouettes could be deciphered. There were trees all around, rooted in the dark cold water she stood in, yet it was not a forest Seea recognized or knew of. Across from her, just mere steps away, was a shadow. Tall, well-built, she could not tell any features but felt unease - the shadow looked at her with heaviness and longing. Was it her shadow? Was it a god?

It wasn’t uncommon to be visited by male gods if you were a cute young maiden, be that in your sleep or somewhere on your walk around. Gods approached all mortal beings from time to time, but Seea never heard of one in a dark forest. Yet she felt drawn to his darkness, to the mystery and unease his gaze caused her.

– Who are you?

“Wouldn’t you like to know, little candle light? Who do you think I am?”

– I know you are no friend. Am I in a dream state? Are you here to take my kelium? Consume my soul?

“Oh dear lords, what do they teach you in the Academy these days? All that sounds terrible and I am not terrible at all.”

Darkness approached Seea, his steps light yet confident, as if a cat wandering around its prey. She could feel him smiling, probably quite proud of the unease he caused. It was one of these situations where you’re advised to play dead, so the hungry hunter will leave you alone, being not interested in a prey well-done. However something told Seea, this being will not back off.

“I am no danger to you, child. At least for now. I just came to say my greetings, as our meeting will soon take place and I’ve waited for quite some time for it.”

– Meeting..?

As Darkness spoke his last words, his voice faded and he blended in with the rest of the scenery. Seea couldn’t tell if the being was still here, watching her, or left for good. She desperately needed to wake up.

* * * * *

Headmistress Afagonia was pacing in her office, feeling as if old stone walls decorated with thin patterns of kelium are about to collapse right on her head. Intricate Arts Academy was built solely to protect the Feral Origina, to pass on great teaching the book gave the first kelium weilders, to stand here, on the edge of dark waters, for millennia and hold the powers hidden deep within the pages of Ameera’s manuscript. 

Being part of the greatest most powerful trinity, Feral Origina could only exist peacefully away from it’s sister-manuscripts, not causing any disruption to souls, hearts and, what’s much more important, to kelium veins, running through all living and none in this world. Now that it was stolen, Afagonia knew something much deeper was at play. The Blood storm was no coincidence. Chaos caused by it was not by mistake on their part either - even the night guards were caught by surprise, as if the storm appeared out of thin air, without any noticeable signs. 

– Bring me Seea, please - headmistress nodded to a young petite woman, silently waiting by the door.

The silence of her office was killing Afagonia, but actions needed to be taken. They could not rest now, especially knowing that also one of the students went missing at the same time with the storm. The only knowledge she was now missing is whether Seea, one of her most treasured students, who did not find her way yet, was in on it. 

Someone softly knocked on the heavy wooden doors, opening one.

– Headmistress? – Meruna appeared in the doorway, looking concerned.

– Yes, child? 

It needs to be noted, that none of the Intricate Arts Academy teachers, professors or simply mentors would ever close or lock the doors to their studies as long as they were inside. It was a silent rule that all students have access to get any answers they seek for and that they should never hesitate to ask questions. Kelium veins ran through all L’arcian, alive and not, and were deeply studied since the beginning of time - so it was no secret how easily they became corrupt with darkness. To avoid said darkness, especially in young minds capable of bending and weaving these veins, the best practices were trust, loyalty and kindness on all ends of communication. 

Kelium was no toy. Energy took shapes, forms and actions to protect those chosen to wield it. L’arcian veins were as alive as any breathing living organism, running through souls, trees, animals and rocks all alike. 

– I overheard you summoning Seea, Headmistress, – Meruna spoke calmly, but Afagonia sensed her deep concern. – I hope you know she had no part in this, I stood by her the whole time we hid from the storm.

– My child, I appreciate you stepping up for your friend, however she was the library guard of the night and it would be a big mistake on my part to not summon her. Something very dangerous, more dangerous than you can ever imagine, happened tonight and I need all the knowledge I can gather to try and fix it… – she paced across her office as if the young student was not even there.  – You may be excused, my dear, no harm will come to your friend.

Meruna left while Afagonia stood there in the heavy silence, contemplating that she also saw Seea several times during their wait for the storm to pass. And she was the one who ordered everyone to the Main Hall, no that the library was less safe - it was built to protect the Origina no matter what.

* * * * *

Seea shivered, when a cold hand touched her shoulder. The night was not cold at all, even though any hope for a refreshing breeze was instantly butchered by the stench from outside - results of the Blood storm were still getting cleaned out. The Academy was not exactly known for ditching manual labor and exclusively using kelium for life comforts. All students, on the contrary, were taught that wielding is a very gracious and elegant process and only to be used to bettering the world around them, not to simply make life better for one tiny little L’arcian. 

Essentially kelium wielding or vein weaving was taught as a somewhat reality-altering energy exchange with L’arc. It was not a simple process, definitely not a snap of the fingers type of thing. However, younger students did start with very simple patterns and performances, gradually learning not only the theoretical part and history of L’arc, but also the extent of their own capabilities. L’arcians were known to be blessed by only a glimpse of kelium wielding, very few, like Headmistress Afagonia, were capable of higher-end “tricks”, such as mixing energies - wielding the same kelium pattern as either a pair or a group, expanding everyone’s potential.

– Seea, Headmistress is summoning you – a girl stood next to her, lightly shrugging her shoulders.

– Oh, hey Cissea, yes of course.

Seea stood up and patted herself on the cheeks to make sure she’s more awake than she felt. It was a very childish habit, but it has saved her numerous times in life, instantly waking up her brain as if it was some kind of a magic spell. She had this habit for as long as she could remember herself and never knew where it came from - Mother Oura never did anything of the sorts and it’s not like Seea ever picked up any habits from random people around. Yet it was there, the cheek patting. Subtle, childish, as if a distant memory.

They followed intricate corridors leading up to the floor, where all the studies formed a true path of knowledge for students of all ages - even the walls in between heavy wooden doors were covered in books, manuscripts and ongoing works of mentors, professors and teaching practitioners of kelium wielding.  Seea enjoyed the study floor, it gave her exciting shivvers, every time opening up more and more secrets of all types of kelium related crafts. Not just kelium related though - wielders would usually find ways common folk could use anything proven useful during kelium research. It was a fascinating collection of curious minds and, secretly, Seea always hoped to end up here, one of the greater imaginations of her generation.

Headmistress’s study was at the very end, finishing the line of uniquely carved wooden doors, each having one-of-a-kind designs, usually created by the current owner of the study - using a very basic energy weaving technique even a first year could carve designs in different materials, so it was frequently used to show character, style and even political views and alliances.

– Carissa, dear, thank you. Now please leave us – Afagonia stood calm in the doorway, letting only one of the young women pass.

Nothing seemed off – Seea was aware she would be questioned, as she left her post, she left the library unattended and it did not matter if everyone were instructed to gather and leave anything and everything they were doing. Seea left her assigned position. Now she would and should be the first one to  be questioned for any related details, thoughts and any useful knowledge – she will be very lucky if no mind-related energy exchange goes into play. Hopefully, during all the years spent in the Academy Seea earned enough trust points to not pass as a person of interest in the Origina’s disappearance.

– Seea, do you know why I summoned you? – Headmistress leaned onto her desk – a massive table carved out of a century-old trunk.

– Yes, Madam. Tonight I was assigned on library lookout, due to the blood storm I left my desk at the library and it resulted in the disappearance of the Origina manuscript held in the restricted section of the library.

– You are a smart girl, Seea.

– I would not ask for a higher praise, Headmistress.

– You’re one of our most promising students, yet I believe you were not assigned an understudy? Could you tell me why?

– I believe it is because I have no specialization, Madam - the question hit exactly where it was intended to, as Seea expected questions about tonight, but not about her general experience at the Academy.

– Yes, indeed, your mentors keep mentioning you do not seem to be leaning towards any practical field for your talents.

– I would prefer pure research, Madam. Besides, my kelium is bound to light, it is not exactly fitting with any available practices.

Two women stood in silence for a while. Seea, feeling like she was not just decades, but centuries younger than her Headmistress, tried to keep calm and remember all the sin’lyan breathing techniques for high stress situations. Nothing teaches you calmness like the fire.

She grew up in the sands, in the most unpredictable, unbearable and dangerous regions of L’arc. And, even though sin’lyans were one of the very few people heavily guarded by their goddess and being favoured by a living deity did not pass without its perks, sin’lyan villages and towns in Crimson sands still remained and stood strong against all odds.

Right now being pierced by Afagonia’s cold stare did nothing for Seea. She grew up playing in melting sand, learning to sniff out a crawling moore days before it comes anywhere close, walking barefoot on burning rocks and playing with fire-crawlers, teasing the little demons to spit pure sparks onto the ground - that’s how you got elaborate looking glassy beads as a sin’lyan kid. 

– And yet, Seea, I’ve been told that you were just assigned an understudy several hours before your library duty.

– Excuse me? – that was a piece of news that came rather shocking to Seea, as she was not informed, not even a note on her table even now.

– Yes dear, I’ve been notified that Cathlyn Leportier arrived early in the afternoon and was assigned as your understudy. 

– Leportier? A child of the Blooming court at the Academy?

– Do you object us having a child of Blooming court at the Academy?

– I would not object to any of your decisions, Madam, it just seems rather unusual, as the Leportier dynasty did not have a kelium weaver born in the last five or six generations. It’s surprising to hear of a Leportier capable to connect to kelium at all.

– You’re overstepping, child.

– Pardon me, Madam.

– Cathlyn is not purebred. She was born with a very strong kelium connection and as soon as it manifested we were asked to take her in. Academy exists for the sole purpose of nurturing kelium talents, so of course we accepted her. Yet, tonight, after she arrived and was assigned as your understudy… – Headmistress made a pause, just to stand up and come up close to Seea, standing a head taller than her top student, and continued in a calm, cold tone. – Tonight, as she arrived and was assigned to be your understudy, she vanished. And so did the Feral Origina.