‘Eight years have passed since we learned the truth of this world. I have been visited by my mother and Malleus a couple of times, who are now in a relationship. I dunno how to feel about that, but it happened. Anyways, me and Cierra are adults now; or rather, I’m almost an adult, but I only have like a month ‘til then, so that counts, right? I have almost complete control over all the elements now, so I might be able to take down a king if I wanted to… It’s probably not enough for Aldir, though. I need to be stronger.’

Suddenly, a crash is heard from outside of the castle. Aron looks outside of his bedroom window and sees opaque white smoke rising from the ground and a large new crater that has a small figure in the middle of it. The crater is maybe six feet deep and it looks like a void has ripped away the grass and replaced it with brown. The figure jumps out of the crater and walks slowly toward the university, like someone who has a job to do and wants to do it. 

The figure walks inside of the university, alerting the guards posted near the doors. They get ready to cast all at once, but they’re too slow for the figure. The figure throws a javelin made of ice at all the mages’ heads, slicing them off. Aron, Trish, and Cierra burst out of their rooms and see the headless mages and pools of blood pouring out from their necks and onto the now crimson red floor. The figure, wearing a mask with a creepy white smile and two gold crowns where you would expect eyes to be, looks at them and tilts their head. 

“Oops, I slipped. Too bad.” The masked figure walks toward them slowly. Aron looks at the ground and back at the masked figure with wide eyes and begins to cast his most powerful spell. Trish looks at the masked figure in anger.

“How the hell…”

“May this mana given to me by the gods enhance the power of fire and destruction. Burning Storm.” A large tornado of burning hot flames encompasses the room for around twenty seconds before Aron finally releases the cast. He breathes heavily and falls to the ground.

“Cute. Real nice try, boy mage,” The masked figure says in a similar distorted voice as the others. “But… I’m not here for you.” Aron looks up and sees the figure still standing, not even slightly trembling.

“How the…” Aron loses his breath. Cierra gets him standing up and leans him against a wall, beginning to heal him. 

“You, however,” The figure says with a smirk in their voice. “I’m here for.” The figure jumps toward Cierra but the Headmaster blocks them, trying to save her.

“Do you really want to try this?” The figure elbows the Headmaster in the ribs and takes Cierra’s hand, pulling her away from Aron as she finishes healing him. Cierra tries to pull her hand back, but the figure casts a sleep spell. Trish and Aron attempt to do an attack together, getting ready to cast. The figure throws another ice javelin straight into Trish’s chest. She coughs up blood immediately. 

“You are way too weak. I can’t imagine how much you’d struggle against the Queen.” The figure laughs in a distorted voice and flees the university, with Cierra in his arms. Aron runs out of the university and sees the figure jumping across the city. He breathes out heavily and goes back into the university, bending down to try to help Trish. 

“No… it’s too… late for me kid.” Trish says weakly, almost whispering. She reaches into her breast pocket, hand trembling as she does, and pulls out a small, worn piece of paper. 

“Go here… and train. I know… you want to save Cierra. But you aren’t strong enough… I’ve always liked you kids.” Trish smiles weakly, tears streaming down her face. She takes in deep breaths. Aron smiles weakly and sobs against the Headmaster and pushes a strand of her silver hair away from her face. 

“Don’t go. Please don’t go Auntie Trish.” Tears keep streaming down his face.

“Goodbye Aron… love you.” She smiles and her bright blue eyes go blank, her face still wet from the tears. Aron closes her eyes and sobs against her once more.

“Love you too, Trish.” He sighs deeply and stands up slowly, looking back at the university halls. The drying blood pooling at his feet. 

‘Why doesn’t this bother me as much anymore? These were human lives. I guess I didn’t kill anyone, so maybe that’s why?’ Aron walks over to each mage and closes their eyes. He stands up and goes upstairs to pack everything up and change his now bloodied attire. He finds a pair of random clothes, a green shirt and pants, and a red cloak.

“You know, I think this would fit you nicely, Aron.” Cierra smiled and showed him a red cloak she got from a random guy.

‘I insisted that she return it, but maybe it would fit me okay.’ Aron chuckles and puts the outfit on. He goes outside into the city and looks at the piece of paper.

“GO TO THE LOST ALE IN MAVI, MARENTH. YOU WILL FIND A POWERFUL MAGE TO TEACH YOU WHAT I COULD NOT.” 

On the other side of the piece of paper is what looks like a sigil of some kind. The sigil is a Q and a crown in the middle of it. Aron walks around the bustling city, looking for a carriage to take him where he needs to go. 

‘I feel like everyone should have been evacuated after that… thing attacked the university, but I guess not.’ Aron finally finds the stable for the animals that power the carriages. There’s hay and other food for the animals on the ground. He looks over to see a man in the shadows.

“Hey kid. You need someone to drive yous?” The man asks in a gruff voice.

“Yeah. I need to go to Marenth.” Aron says, cautiously.

“The continent all the way across the planet?” The man asks in bewilderment.

“Yes sir.” 

“That’s gonna fetch yous a steep price. You got money?” The man in shadow smiles with his yellow teeth, only illuminated by the moonlight. 

“No, but I think I have something better.”

The man laughs like a chainsmoker. “What’s better than money?”

Aron pulls out the piece of paper and shows the sigil. The man stands up and immediately gets out of the shadows and goes into the stable, grabbing two of the animals. He’s bald and has a beard that clearly hasn’t been trimmed in at least forty years, almost reaching to the ground. He has almost peasant like clothes that makes Aron wonder how he became a stableman. 

“Let’s go. I don’t wanna get killed by yous.” The man breathes deeply and gets into the carriage.

“I’m not gonna kill you.” Aron says, confused.

“I know yous won’t. But she might. Get in the carriage. You wanna go to Marenth, right?” The man says in a hurried voice.

“Alright.” Aron shrugs and gets in, almost immediately laying down on the seat.

The man starts driving the carriage as fast as possible into the city. He looks back and sees Aron already asleep.

“Kid must be tired from whatever happened. I need to get him to wherever he needs to be.” The man continues driving as fast as possible until they get to the forest, where he slows down and has the animals trot slowly. He breathes deeply once again and looks around. The birds start up their nightly chorus and everything seems to be at peace.