“How so?”
“I just find it coincidental how Pixie has an ingredient we are looking for, especially seeing as she doesn’t know there is a codex locator spell.”
“And why are we against convenience? Aren’t we on a budget with time?”
“Please tell me we aren’t doing a vendetta run.”
“We aren’t, I promise you! Tienus gave me this list, and it was a godsend! We know exactly where to find Pixie.”
“Yeah, considering she either A, hadn’t left already, or B, hadn’t gotten there yet. We don’t have that kind of time to waste. I say we find another method of getting the prism.”
“Nonsense! I know the habits of the Deo. They love to linger and cause havoc. It is what they do.”
“One would think they’d be keeping their heads down after already getting a firm slap on the wrist by the High Order.”
“One would think, wouldn’t they?” He chuckled. “But like the rambunctious children they are, they are attracted to rebellion. Can’t get enough of it.”
“Sounds like you would know.”
Rufian wrapped his arm around me and sighed contentedly. “Ahh, dearest Silas, we have the prism in the palm of our hands! Why waste time searching high and low when we know exactly where one will be? It’s fate! You believe in fate, don’t you, hero?”
“Yeah, sure… I am also familiar with how it could bite you in the ass, too.”
“Now, don’t start that down-talking, Silas. It is bad for our partnership! Now come, let’s bid our farewells and head to Thaddii. The sooner, the better.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
As soon as Rufian and I said our goodbyes, we teleported to Thaddii, Mavriel. Upon first glance, I immediately noticed that this place was a lot different than Ether-Serin, the bright and colorful slice of heaven on the other side of the spectrum. Thaddii was a warrior district, with bleak undertones and dry streets, empty roads, and a sense of danger lurking around every corner. The air was thick with the smell of sweat and metal, and the sound of clanging swords could be heard in the distance. We continued to pace under the murky sky above, suffocating the area with a feeling of desolation and despair.
Damn, I almost felt like we were back in Senterra… almost.
As we walked through the streets, I studied how the buildings were made of stone and had a hint of ancientness to them. Rufian seemed to be at ease in this environment, moving with confidence as he led us toward our destination. I remembered him saying that he was familiar with all parts of Mavriel, but he failed to mention the clear contrast from one district to the other.
I followed closely behind him, my mind still reeling from the sudden shift in scenery. While I had expected Thaddii to be different from Ether-Serin, this town was beyond anything I had imagined.
“It reeks of war and strife,” Rufian commented as we walked. “Thaddii is where hunters are born, fae who are tested in mind, body, and mana so they may become warrior arcanes.”
“Were you a hunter?”
“No. Hunters are precursors to soldiers of various factions of Mavriel’s forces. We have several branches, Hox being the least popular and Kyruz being the most popular. You’ll find only the strongest of fae in Kyruz.
As we turned a corner, Rufian stopped abruptly and gestured toward a large building in front of us. “This is where we need to go,” he said, his voice low and serious. I looked up at the building, taking in its intimidating size and somewhat Renaissance exterior. The entrance was guarded by two heavily armed soldiers, their stern faces giving away nothing of their thoughts.
They were nothing compared to the guards back in the baron’s court, though…
Once we stepped foot inside the unmarked building, I was taken aback by how stark and empty it was. Clean, polished ceiling to floor, but empty. There was no one behind the mahogany desk in the receptionist area, and not a soul in the lounge area to my left either. Until a loud boom broke out, the sound of the double doors on the other end of the hall flying open, and some poor sucker being kicked out of an office.
“And don’t you come back here wasting my time!” someone inside barked at him, the voice of a child piquing my curiosity.
“Ouch…” a fae with bright orange hair groaned with his butt to the ceiling and his confidence on the floor. He was shame-faced, and I had to hold myself back from snickering at the pathetic sight of him on the floor as he scratched at his head disorientedly.
Rufian earned a glare from the poor fae as he stifled a chuckle, a woman in high red heels clacking away toward the open door from within the office. “Sorry!” Her perky voice apologized, the short and adorable girl dressed like an assistant standing there with a flushed sympathetic voice. “Gua is easily irritable before his next dose of Eugenshine!”
She finally acknowledged us standing there to the side, her eyes glowing up and her fae ears twitching, “Huh? We don’t have another appointment this morning. Oh boy, I really hope I didn’t overlook something in the schedule! Gua would be upset with me…”
“Why, I would sure hope not,” Rufian said in his suave debonair charm before he bowed to her. “We are walk-ins,” he clarified before he cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to the task at hand. “We need to speak with the Headmaster.”
The orange-haired fae stammered up and brushed down his knees before he sucked his teeth and eyed us, “Good luck with that.” He limped toward the exit as the receptionist watched, before she swallowed a lump in her throat and cast her stares between me and Rufian.
“Ugh, well, we don’t necessarily do wa—”
“WHO IS IT NOW?!” a voice from within said, making her wince. I studied her stats, realizing her name was Beinella, a level 130 fae!
Hell, she was no receptionist, she was a fucking fae warrior.
“Ugh, sorry Gua! I was just telling these boys that we don’t do walk-ins anymore!”
“Bring them over!” he hollered, taking Beinella by surprise.
She snapped her head toward us with blank yet expressive eyes. “Oh, ugh, well, right this way!” She gestured for us to follow her inside, and I was genuinely curious to see who I would find in there. The voice hinted at a bratty kid, but Rufian mentioned a headmaster, so now I wasn’t sure.
But when we were led to a large, ornate office, I didn’t see a kid. In fact, I didn’t even see a short, plump man with a balding head and thick spectacles sitting behind a desk. I saw a bona-fide, giant ass red panda with a monocle, a pair of black demon horns, and an attitude…
“Headmaster.” Beinella bowed, Rufian trying his best not to peek under her skirt. “Rufian and Syodas.”
I followed her lead, as did Rufian. But my eyes were aching to look back up again! I mean there was a giant red panda sitting behind a desk! I swear we were in Mavriel, the land of the fae, not Zootopia!
But then I thought about Jezz’s condition—could he have been cursed as well?
