“Sometimes there is nothing you can do, but remember… and fight to make sure it never happens again. This… is my final wish…”

The walk was awkward and mostly silent as they traveled to this academy which may or may not be able to help in this little uprising of theirs. Though Nova is already anticipating the denial of any such help, Finn looks for high hopes in getting the aid that Nova needs to get the Glaive back. It would have been a casual stroll to the school if it weren’t for legionnaires and patrols being seen every so often. Many times when walking down the street the group had to run into the alleyways just to be sure a chase wouldn’t ensue, just by being seen walking. The students were nervous of all the cloak and dagger, while Nova and Finn weren’t so much worried about the hiding, but instead they were more worried due to tension the students are giving off. The air was heavy as they continued to walk, Tyse himself tried to clear the air by trying to take time and talk to everyone, but only to be cut short when they encountered a patrol.

As time went on they had finally reached their destination, Durosa Academy. The building was quite large, the front of the building looked like a chapel or church, and off to the right side other buildings were connected to in, built in bricks and stone. Around the area were metal fences with a gate up front, placed along the path to the front entrance were trees which hadn’t any leaves due to the winter season. Quickly they walked to the front door so to not risk being seen my legionnaires. The doors were large and wooden made of oak, metal handles on both doors on the center. Surprisingly it opened with ease as Tyse lead the others inside and closed it immediately. When they entered it was warmer that the outside air. Nova and Finn stopped to take a good look around while the others went further inside. The room was tall and warmly lit. Sunlight poured in from window panels high on the walls, the carpeting and banners were made of velvet and the walls of marble. To the side of the entrances were chairs and small tables. On the left was a lit fire place and chairs around it, near the center of the room. At the side was a door to the other building and at the far end were double stairs leading up to a large wooden door. At the base of the stairs was a welcome desk and a woman sitting behind, working on some paperwork and on the computer. Tyse told the guys to go hangout in their rooms as he walked with Nova and Finn to the front desk. The other students didn’t hesitate to go, as they pass their way through the doors to the next building.

Nova and Finn followed close behind Tyse as they approached the woman. Tyse walked up in front of the desk and the woman looked up from her papers and took a look at him. She was a young woman in business attire, who had brunette hair and didn’t look like she was past her 20’s. “Hello there Ty, a surprise to see you here! Do you need something?”

Tyse gave a warm smile, “Thanks for asking! Actually I have two friends here who need to talk with the Headmaster. Is he in now or is this a bad time?”

“Well he should be free right now, he’s been in his room all day. Let me just call to make sure.” The secretary typed on her computer and started a call to the office. After a moment of delay the secretary got an answer from the Headmaster. “Mr. Wiel, Tyse has some guests in today and say they need to speak with you. Shall I send them?” The three stood in short silence until the secretary received a response, “Yes sir, I’ll send them up now.” She ended the call and turned her attention to the three. “He’ll see you now. Just remember to knock when you get there, good luck!”

Tyse gestured to the secretary, “Thanks a lot!” then he proceeded towards the stairs. Nova counted the steps on the way up, 20 as she counted. They were made of marble, but carpeted in velvet like the rest of the room. The railings were of oak, curving along as they climbed. At the top they reached the door which was of dark wood, beside it stood two marble columns. Tyse opened the doors and let Nova and Finn through first and shut the door behind them. They entered a sort of grand hall, the floor was of polished marble with red carpet down through the center of the hall to another marble door at the end with iron handles. The ceiling was high and columns ran down the sides of the hall. The various windows poured in warm light, almost making the light too bright for the eyes. However, despite all of this, the real thing that caught the attention of Nova and Finn were the grand statues throughout the hall. It was seen that there were three marble statues on both sides of the halls, depicting a divine being. Though Nova couldn’t recognize most of them, Finn could pick out and name every single one of the beings. Finn pointed them out to Nova, “These are the Grand Gods in their truest forms. There you can see! Ix the Goddess of Cold, and her sister Saeon, the Water Goddess across from her. Next we have Terras, Earth God, and Vaeus the Air God. Finally Tonitrus the Thunder God, and--.” Before he could finish Nova filled in the gap, “Pyrium… where it all started…”

There was an awkward silence in the group, “Right…” Finn said.

They were at the end of the hall, now at the foot of a grand stone door which seemed like you needed a giant to open. Tyse stepped up to the door, straightening his posture. He then raised his hand to knock on the door, and gave it three knocks. He knocked with moderate force and the door sounded as if it were hallow. They sat in silence anticipating something to happen, until from the other side of the door you can hear the voice of a man say, “Come in.”

From there Tyse then seemed to have effortlessly opened the gigantic stone doors. Pushing forward with both hands, one on each door. As they entered Tyse closed the door behind them and the setting was warmer than the grand hall behind them. They enter into a hexagonal room, with bookshelves along both sides of the room. The room was tall as the grand hall with the walls made of dark wood and the carpeted floors also seemed to be over wood. There was a big desk in the back center of the room made of mahogany, seemingly polished. There was a man sitting behind the desk, he seemed like he was in his middle age and was blond. His hair was long and combed back, except for the front where his hair parted in long curtains. He looked at Tyse and the new faces, it seemed like he was in the middle of coffee and reading, “Welcome, welcome, please have a seat.” He put down his cup and finished reading as Tyse and the others took their seats in the nice accent chairs in front of his desk. He set a bookmark in his book and set it on the desk. He took a look at Nova and Finn, memorizing their faces and features. “Good to see you Tyse, I see you have brought new comers.”

“Good to see you too sir, this is Finn and Nova. They’ve come to ask for your help in a certain… matter.”

“Come to see my help? Oh, but please before I forget, I am Headmaster Wile, of Durosa Academy, but you can refer to me as Mr. Wile. Now how can I help you?”

For a second, no one spoke, Finn looked blankly not really prepared on what to say. Tyse sat patiently, wondering what it is Nova or Finn would say. Nova then spoke up with the first thing in her mind, “We have an urgent matter regarding… Pyrium.”

The Headmaster looked at her as if what she said was strange or incomparable. He squinted his eyes a bit and then regained his posture, “The Goddess of Flames… yes what of her?”

“Well I assume that you are aware of this morning’s news claiming her transgressions against the common people. I just need to first say that… all of those claims were false, she did not attack the innocent, nor had the intent in the first place.”

“I am aware of the news, and what it had to say on the matter was quite… disturbing, for lack of better word. Now, Miss Nova, for what reason are you telling me, that you would say otherwise against the news reports? What evidence you have to say otherwise on the matter, or what are you hoping to gain from this, dare I ask.”

Finn held his breath during this exchange of words. The tension radiating from Nova could be seen as she tried to compose her words into the best way her point can be said. Tyse on the other hand sat observing them, wondering what exactly this “help” would reveal itself as. “I just wish to inform you on this morning’s events before I… we ask for your help.”

The Headmaster looked at Nova with his hands clasped together, “Then please proceed.”

Nova could see in his eyes that Mr. Wile was studying her, and analyzing every word she said. Judging her very character as she tried to get her point out. “Well, Mr. Wile, the reason why I protest against the news reports… is because I was with the Goddess this morning when it happened. Well longer than just this morning really.”

The eyes of the Headmaster widened a moment, then back to the same studying look from before, “Please continue, Miss Nova.”

“Well from this morning Pyrium and I came into town from near Briedon to… warn people of the Legion threat, after they burned down Briedon.” Nova spoke on about the events of these past days in a calm composure. Though she herself felt awkward and out of place as she spoke about it. Listening to herself speak about the Legion and their slaughtering and burning of its own people sounded crazy even when she is the one saying it. Throughout the whole time explaining this to the Headmaster, he still had his stern look fixed on Nova, almost unflinching to what she had to say. This gave alarm to Nova, thinking that he also thinks her a lunatic and thus no longer buying into her story, yet listening anyways to see how extravagant the story would go. However, Nova didn’t lose composure in her voice and completed telling him about her journey with the Goddess this past day. There was a silence in the room, the only thing you could hear in the crackling of fire in the back from the hearth. “Hmm…” The Headmaster said aloud.

Nova sighed, “I understand if you don’t believe me… but I stand by the truth as it is.”

After a moment the Headmaster released his clasp and placed his hands on the table, straightening his posture. “And what of this help you needed, that Tyse has told me about?”

Finn looked in confusion and spoke up, “So do you believe her story?”

Mr. Wile pursed his lips, “Though this is quite a tall tale you tell me.” Nova was about to speak up, but Wile raised his hand to stop her from speaking, “However… what you tell me now makes much more sense than what the News tells.”

Nova looked in surprise looking at the Headmaster with question, “You don’t think my story isn’t too farfetched, that I’m not… crazy?”

Mr. Wile got up from his chair and walked to the fire behind. Standing at its side to admire its flames and warmth. “Now Miss Nova, nothing can ever be crazy if we ourselves can’t define the simple phrase: normal. Now I do admit what you tell me now is a lot to take in, but it fills in a lot of holes that we aren’t being told by our government. Now please, what help have you come to me for?”

Nova and Finn gave each other an exchange of looks. Honestly neither of them have thought of coming this far. They had expected a quick denial from the thought of the Headmaster believing in their story alone. Tyse meanwhile listened to all of this happening right next to them. On the outside he looked calm and collected, but inside he was astounded by the tale that Nova shared. He couldn’t believe that the Legion would really kill innocent people just to get to the Goddess. He couldn’t believe that Nova herself was Pyrium’s companion for the time. He couldn’t believe that any of this was true or really happening, only to hear it all as a tall tale or lie, but despite all of that he still wanted to believe in her story. He knew that whatever would come next, he would want to be the one to see it all for himself when he steps up and offer them his help.

The room was waiting for Nova or Finn to speak up as it seemed to pause in anticipation on where this would all lead. The only sound heard in that time of waiting were the crackling of the flames. Nova looked at Finn as he looked back. Finn then spoke up to give the plan, “Right, well it’s really my plan that I need help with, but the bottom line of all of this is… it isn’t right what they are doing keeping the Glaive for themselves nor throwing propaganda on the news, so we think that the Glaive needs to be…” Finn looked to Nova in desperation on what to say next. Nova quickly took his que and spoke, “Returned… we believe that the Glaive needs to be returned- somehow- so that Pyrium could once again bring balance in her recent absence.”

“Right, what she said. So we need your help in order to do that.”

Mr. Wile walked back and leaned on his desk forward, now intrigued to hear what they have to say. “My help? How could I help you then? I doubt the military would mind the weight of a Headmasters word at all. Unless, that is, you wish to have this brought to the attention of the Arch Council?”

Finn looked nervous now on what he had to say next. Nova just sat looking down, getting ready to be rejected and having to face the idea of letting Pyrium just sit in captivity under the Legion’s lock and key. Finn then continued to give his plan, “Well no, what we had in mind may be… unconventional in a sense. You see we have a plan to go ‘get’ the Glaive… but we need help. A sort of distraction if you will, and the use of magic would be perfect for the occasion. We could take anyone we can get for it… what do you say?”

The Headmaster stopped leaning on his desk and walked back to the fire place with his hands held behind his back. He was in thought thinking about everything, but also seemed a bit disappointed. Nova took this silence as bad news already, but Finn was eagerly awaiting his response. Tyse continued to keep to himself, but with the high hopes that the Headmaster would agree to help, yet another part of him was anxious at the possibility of him declining to help. Tyse dismissed that thought with hopes that the Headmaster would see the situation as it really is and help.

The silent waiting continued in anticipation and the fire seemed to be burning brighter now in this moment. However, finally the Headmaster spoke, but without turning his eyes away from the fire, “I am afraid I cannot help you, or allow any of our own to help in your intentions. Now please, leave the premises.”

Nova closed her eyes and tried containing her disbelief and slight anger. Tyse and Finn was shocked and surprised from this response. Tyse looked at the Headmaster as if he had murdered someone, while Finn couldn’t believe the Headmaster. Finn replied in an agitated tone, “Wait, what do you mean you won’t help?”