Chapter 38 - Invitation

“Dear Arien,
I hope this letter finds you healthy and well.
I am avoiding communication through the twins for reasons you will likely understand after reading this. I’m glad to hear you, Sari, and Alia are managing. From your last message, I got the distinct impression that, in a rather veiled manner, you were trying to tell me you’ve been helping the City Council with bureaucratic corruption. I know your situation after the Tragedy has not been easy, but I urge you to reconsider. Corruption must be burned out with iron, otherwise one may fall victim to it oneself. I trust you will see the Honor in that.
However, I write to you for another reason.
A month before my ninth birthday, I managed to unlock the System.
I know you have always wished me well, and unlike some of my “companions” here, this news will surely make you happy. At the beginning of the fall, I intend to enroll in the Academy. I have trained hard these past years, and with both pride and humility I discovered that the levels of my assignable Skills reflect that effort.
But I do not write this to boast. I seek neither applause nor attention.
My achievement did, however, have one fortunate consequence. Malbek was extremely pleased and promised me a reward, whatever I desired. Even in the capital, unlocking the System before one’s ninth birthday is considered a significant achievement.
While reviewing my Status, I discovered something important. I possess an unusual Trait, and the moment I saw it, I thought of you.
Then I remembered our poor teacher’s words, that unlocking the System early is often linked to higher Perception. That made me reconsider several things I had noticed about you over the years.
I have always thought of you as something of an older brother, and certainly a wiser one.
You always SAW more.
I may be mistaken, and if so, I apologize in advance. But as my reward, I asked Malbek to bring my friend to the capital and cover his stay and Academy entrance fees. He was rather surprised when I told him who I meant.
You have either already unlocked the System or are close to doing so. Join me in Wayhold, and let us train together to fulfill our oath.
Send the word YES through the twins, and my brother will arrange everything. Should I have been mistaken, then once more I beg your forgiveness and await your reply.
P.S. I sent two identical copies of this letter, hoping at least one would reach you.
Your friend, Will Greyrock”
Arien read the letter three times, grinning at the parchment like an idiot. Will had somehow figured him out from barely a handful of clues, and after more than two years apart, the bastard still managed to surprise him.
Not once had Will allowed their friendship to fade.
He always asked about Arien and his sisters, laughed at the more absurd local dramas, and genuinely cared about their problems.
In turn, his descriptions of Wayhold and the people of the capital made Arien feel as though he had seen the city himself. Granted, Will focused perhaps a bit too much on walls, arenas, horses, and warriors, but he was still a boy after all.
He lived with his aunt and spent most of his time training at a school for future warriors. He had several sparring partners, and his favorite pastime was riding beyond the capital’s walls.
“Join me in Wayhold.”
How could Arien not love him for that?
But what should he do?
He had thought about the famous Academy many times. Yet every time, fear held him back; the fear of becoming tangled in matters far beyond him.
He still had the body of a child, little money, no patrons or connections, and almost no understanding of who actually held power in the capital. A serious mistake there could cost him far more than it had in Ribenne.
During his time here, he had tried gathering even basic information about the major factions and influential figures in the capital, but their town was such a backwater that the only news came from merchants who had never been there themselves and merely repeated stories heard third-hand. As long as his Skills kept improving, Arien had been willing to leave it at that.
Will’s invitation changed the calculation. With someone he trusted beside him, he could finally learn how the capital actually worked before stumbling blindly into its dangers.
He already knew what he wanted to do. The harder part was convincing himself that it was sensible.
“Why are you grinning like that?” Alia asked from her bed, where she was reading her favorite book, The Warmth of Mal. “What did Will say?”
“Will unlocked the System. He plans to apply to the Academy.”
“That’s wonderful. From what you’ve told me, he sounds like a very honorable boy. No wonder the gods favor him. You should take after him.”
“Yeeees, I probably should. Listen…”
“Sari, is that you?” she suddenly shouted, interrupting him.
What? He hadn’t heard anything.
“Yes,” came their sister’s voice from outside. “You’re still awake?” she asked, opening the door.
“Arien got a letter from Will. He unlocked the System. I was just saying Arien should follow his example,” Alia explained.
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Sari exclaimed, stepping inside. “A letter? Did something happen to Korlis’s brother? Can I read it? I love your Will’s letters. He’s so serious it loops around to being funny.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Arien hesitated.
Sari’s eyes narrowed as she looked from him to the letter. Once he handed it over, there would be no pretending the invitation had never arrived.
Well. So be it.
He passed her the parchment. She read the letter twice. By the time she looked up, a tear was running down her cheek.
“So this is it?” she whispered. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“What do you mean? What’s happening?” Alia asked.
“Arien is going to Wayhold. To the famous Academy,” Sari answered before throwing herself at him and wrapping him in a hug.
“If this is some kind of joke, it’s a terrible one,” Alia said uncertainly.
“It’s true, little sister,” Arien said, stroking Sari’s hair. “I unlocked the System too. And I can see mana. Apparently the gods favor me as well.”
“Arien, don’t blaspheme! You know how much I hate that. Every night I worry about your souls, and neither of you care at all!” she cried irritably. “Priestess—”
“Alia.” The warning in his voice silenced her. Arien slipped free from Sari’s embrace and crossed to her bed. “You are our sister, and we love you. But stop talking to us like a parent scolding children. I may be younger, but according to both human and divine law, you owe Sari respect and obedience. ‘After the words of us, the gods, you shall heed the Head of your household, for such is the natural order of things, and thus we created the world.’ Those are Sul’s words, are they not?”
“They are, but Sari keeps—”
“Sari can do whatever she pleases. The holy texts say nothing about meeting men before marriage. If Priestess Uwa once sold herself in Wayhold and later chose a different life, that’s her affair. It doesn’t give her the right to invent commandments and use you to police Sari. Didn’t she mention that part? The entire City Council knows about it. I never brought it up because it wasn’t my business, but since I’ll soon be leaving, Sari will be alone here with you. Neither you nor Uwa has all the wisdom in the world, nor does either of you hold a monopoly on the gods’ favor.”
By the end, Arien was nearly shouting. He’d had enough of Alia’s constant sanctimonious comments, but it was the thought of Sari enduring them alone after he left that finally broke his patience.
His sister stared at him without answering.
Arien raised both hands, palms downward, and conjured two balls of fire the size of large oranges.
Alia’s mouth fell open. After a few seconds, he let the flames die.
A shame he still couldn’t actually throw them. Every time he tried, the flames fizzled out almost instantly.
Small steps.
“That was amazing, Arien. Shame you never told me you knew Fire Magic,” came Sari’s voice behind him. “Especially considering how often I struggled to light my stove.”
“You always said you wanted to be an independent woman. I didn’t dare rob you of the experience,” he replied dryly while turning toward her.
Sari was still smiling, and for a moment Arien simply looked at her, painfully aware that he would soon be leaving. Then she glanced toward Alia.
Their younger sister was staring down at her hands, blinking rapidly as tears gathered in her eyes.
Sari’s expression softened. She stepped past Arien and pulled Alia into her arms.
Arien couldn’t remember the last time he had seen them embrace.
“I’m sorry, Sari,” Alia sobbed. “After our parents and brothers died, I’ve been so afraid of losing you too.”
“Shhh,” Sari soothed her gently. “We know. And we love you.”
“The raiders…” Alia struggled to continue. “Father saw them coming. He grabbed the axe and told Mom to keep us behind. Wod stayed with him.”
Her fingers tightened in Sari’s dress.
“They were both shaking. Father could barely hold the axe steady, but when the first raider came through the door, he struck him in the shoulder. Wod knocked another one down. Just for a moment, the others stopped.”
She drew a broken breath.
“Then more of them came inside. There was shouting everywhere, and Mom was trying to pull us away. When I looked back, Father and Wod weren’t moving anymore.”
Alia buried her face against Sari.
“Mom grabbed a scythe and swung at one of them. She missed, but his friends laughed at him. He got angry. He beat her until she fell.”
For years, Arien had tried to imagine what that day must have been like: the shouting, the confusion, Mother struggling to keep them together while armed strangers tore through their home.
Some things they knew for certain. Terry and Wod were dead. Mari and Lisa had been taken. Dod remained missing. He had been in the forest when the raids began, and no one knew whether he had died there or been carried off with the other captives.
“They chained Lisa and me to the other girls and women, but the shackles kept slipping over my wrists. You know how thin they’ve always been. For once, I suppose that helped.”
Alia looked down at her hands.
“One of the raiders noticed. He said something to the others and shook his head. I don’t remember what happened after that very clearly. One moment I was standing there, and the next something hit me before I even saw it coming.”
She touched the back of her head.
“I remember falling and hitting something hard. After that… nothing. They must have thought I was dead.”
For a while, nobody said anything. Alia remained pressed against Sari, who slowly stroked her hair. Arien wasn’t sure what he could possibly say.
Neither he nor Sari had ever asked her about that day, thinking it kinder to let her speak when she was ready. Hearing her now, Arien wondered whether they had simply made it easier for all of them to avoid the subject.
“It’s alright now, Al,” Sari whispered. “Nothing’s going to happen to us. You saw Arien. He can summon fire. Almost like Sul during the Seven Trials.”
“Sul summoned the Sun,” Alia giggled weakly through her tears.
“That’s why I said almost. Though for this room, it’s basically the Sun. And after all the money we spent on lamps over the years.”
“Hey now,” Arien protested. “What am I to you, a portable lantern?”
They stayed up long after the lamp had burned low. Alia spoke until her voice grew hoarse, while Sari filled the silences with memories of their parents and brothers, some painful and others absurd enough to make them laugh through their tears.
Eventually, their conversation drifted toward Wayhold.
“The streets are probably wider than Ribenne’s entire market square,” Sari declared.
“That would be a terrible waste of space,” Alia said. “But they must have dozens of temples.”
“Dozens?” Sari scoffed. “Hundreds. One on every street, so you never have to stop preaching.”
Alia threw a pillow at her. Sari ducked, and it struck Arien instead.
“What about you?” Sari asked. “What does your perfect capital look like?”
Arien tossed the pillow back at her. “Libraries larger than our entire district. Training grounds full of mages who actually understand mana.”
“Of course,” Sari said. “You get invited to the greatest city in the kingdom, and you dream about books.”
“And you dream about wide streets.”
“Wide streets full of handsome men,” she corrected.
“Sari!” Alia protested, though she was already laughing.
Much later, Sari returned to her room, and the apartment finally fell quiet. Alia lay asleep in the other bed, her breathing slow and even. Arien listened to it in the darkness.
His thoughts returned to the final moments of his father and brother, as Alia remembered them: outnumbered, terrified, and still refusing to step aside.
Terry had spent his whole life telling stories about heroes: knights, mages, and ordinary people who chose to fight despite knowing the odds. In the end, he had done the same. He must have known what was going to happen when the raiders came through the door, but he had still put himself between them and his family.
Arien closed his eyes.
Until he saw proof otherwise, he would believe Mari, Lisa, and Will’s mother and siblings were still alive. When he was strong enough, he would bring them home.
And the people who had killed Terry and Wod would answer for it.