The Gift of Good and Evil

Sophie & Agatha

You found the two readers walking with their group of friends over the bridge towards the Castle for Good. It seemed as if they were headed toward the archery field, as a few of them had bows.

"Sophie! Agatha! I'm glad I caught you. I hate to interrupt your free time with your friends, as I'm sure you have much to catch up on, but I was wondering if you two might take a stroll with me around the grounds." You proposed, slightly out of breath from attempting to catch up to them.

Sophie and Agatha looked at their friends and then each other.

"Um, sure professor," Agatha answered.

The rest of the group stood still for a moment until Sophie and Agatha stepped away from them; then turned to continue their way across the bridge. The last one to move was Tedros, who had a longing gaze set upon Agatha, to which she smiled softly before turning to follow you.

"I thought I could show you a little bit of what I taught your classmates this past semester. And maybe get to know you a little bit more in the process." You said, a smile on your face.

Sophie, who walked along your left side, had avoided looking at you; while Agatha, on your right, looked at you far too often.

It was awkward at first, the three of you walking in silence, but you figured you had lots of ways of getting them engaged in a productive conversation.

"I'm curious, if you don't mind me asking, what prompted you to want to return to Gavaldon?" You asked, stepping a few paces ahead of them and turning around to walk backwards. "I know there was quite a bit of excitement that took place last year, but surely that didn't scare you two off?"

Sophie's eyes shot toward the ground. You hadn't meant to bring up Rafal's attempt at stealing all magic in such a way that Sophie felt embarrassed or ashamed; but it was a rather unavoidable topic, given that they were the two most involved parties.

"My mother," Agatha answered. "I didn't want to leave her. I actually didn't want to come to this school in the first place. Sophie did. But we both got brought here and were told there was no way back. It wasn't until after we defeated Rafal that a portal opened up allowing us to return."

You nodded. "I see. Two readers entering the school at the same time is quite rare. If I remember correctly, my sister and I were the first."

Both Agatha and Sophie stopped in their tracks.

"What?" Sophie muttered, shocked by your casual statement.

"Oh come now, surely your friends told you I'm a reader too," you chuckled.

"Y-yes they did, but they didn't mention that you had a sister," Sophie replied.

You grinned. "Indeed, a twin sister, split between good and evil. Just as our headmasters were."

Sophie and Agatha exchanged looks.

"So your sister was an ever?" Agatha asked.

You nodded.

"And I am a never."

"Where is she now?" Sophie asked as you all continued to walk. You had turned to face forward again and filed back in line with them.

"Oh she's gone. Has been for a long time now," you said solemnly.

"I'm sorry," Agatha whispered, placing a hand on your shoulder.

You turned to her and smiled. "Thank you. It's alright. I made the choice to be immortal. I knew I would outlive everyone I'd ever known and loved."

You watched as Agatha's eyes widened slightly. She had been told you were immortal. But she had not truly believed it.