Sebastian and his friends found Olivier on the edge of the southernmost point of the Eldenarian Palace. Outside the walls of the city, which were guarded 24/7 by Eldai, laid a sparse set of grasslands that eventually ended in a series of craggy cliffs overlooking a gray ocean. Waves lapped up on the eroded cliff-face, sending sea spray and the overwhelming smell of salt into the air.
He cringed at the scent as he approached the temporary head of the Eldenarian Council. He stood at the edge of the precipice with another magician at his side; the two of them were casting a spell simultaneously, their arms and hands moving in complete unison. The faint, shimmering hue of a massive shield charm could be seen hovering a few feet ahead of them.
"What's he doing?" Sebastian asked as they got closer.
"They're beefing up the shield charms around the city," Ajax answered. "They're expecting an attack any day now."
He nodded. Fortifying the palace was essential to warding off any assault the Order of the Black Lotus would launch. But even he knew a shield charm, no matter how complex or strong, would keep the Shades out for long. They would find a way through.
They always found a way.
Upon reaching Olivier and his companion, Sebastian cleared his throat awkwardly.
Olivier turned and smiled at the group of teenagers. A thin coat of sweat could be seen on his skin. His chest rose and fell rapidly. Whatever magic he had been expending on the shield charm must have taken a lot out of him. Magicians from House Lumai were generally lightweavers.
Shield charms weren't their area of expertise.
Still, Olivier and his companion seemed to be doing a good job.
"What can I do for you all?" The man wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He glanced at his companion before gesturing toward the palace walls. "You can go. We'll finish the final sector later."
They nodded, bowed, and then scurried off.
Sebastian took a peek at the shield charm before it faded back into obscurity. "You think that'll hold them?"
Olivier chuckled. "Not at all. But it will give us enough time to devise a plan to ward off their attack should it come."
"It will come," Ajax insisted. "And when it does, we have to be ready."
The man nodded. He arched an eyebrow at the group. "So, what can I do for you?" He lifted his head to the sun. "It's a bit early. I'm assuming you have something important to tell me."
"Yeah, actually," Remy said, "we do have something important to tell you." He nudged Siren. "Go on. Tell him about your idea."
"Right." Siren blushed. "Well, after Imogen brought up recruiting Solairs to help us fight, I figured we would need a way to get the word out. Then I remembered something my father—" Her voice faltered. Tears welled in her eyes at the mention of her father, Sirus Lombardi.
"It's okay." Ajax draped an arm around her and held her close to him. "It's alright."
Siren rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. A shuddering breath left her lips. The two of them had been spending a lot of time together since returning from Vashara. Sebastian figured the shared trauma of having both of their parents murdered by Thorian was enough to form a bond between the two.
Ajax's father and the previous head of House Brynjir, Achilles Washington, had been killed weeks ago in Hodvekt. Like Sirus, he died protecting Sebastian and the others. Had it not been for Achilles and Sirus, Sebastian wasn't sure if he would have even still been alive.
They both died as heroes. Sebastian was determined to make sure their deaths weren't in vain.
His hands curled into fists at his side. He clenched his jaw as he struggled to keep the anger bubbling within him from exploding outwardly.
Too many lives had been taken by his father and the Order. Too many. He wasn't sure how many more he could take.
Sniffling, Siren wiped her nose and continued speaking. "My father once told me about how the councilmembers would contact the magician community with important messages. The council room can reach most magicians in the world."
Olivier stroked his beard as he nodded slowly. "Ah, yes. You are correct. The palace does have that capability."
"We were thinking about sending a message to the Solairs and other Eldairs around the world," Remy added. "Sort of like a call to arms."
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Olivier paused for a moment. "I'll have to draft up a speech. If we want any chance of bringing more people to our side, we'll have to be convincing."
Sebastian nodded. He was right. Their message to the Solairs would not only have to be convincing, but it would have to provide a clear path of action and further incentive for them to join what appeared to be the losing side.
Because they currently were the losing side.
The Order grew in power and size every day. With the acquisition of another Eldenarian Artifact in Chieftain Naidini's animagi amulet, he would only get stronger. If Sebastian was a Solair, he would have stayed as far away from the war as possible. But, as Imogen said, they needed their help. Desperately.
He just hoped they would come.
"Go get some breakfast. I hear they're serving French toast," Olivier told the group of young magicians. "I'll let you know when I've finished my speech."
"French toast? Say no more!" Remy spun on his heel and bolted for the walls of the Eldenarian Palace.
They all laughed as they watched him nearly trip over the unruly grass as he made his back inside the city's barrier. Sebastian smiled. While Remy could be annoying and a know-it-all at times, he was grateful for the boy's presence. He was a beacon of light in these dark times. They all would be much worse off without him.
As Sebastian, Ajax, and Siren turned to leave, Imogen tapped Olivier, who had started working on the massive shield charm again.
"Yes, Imogen?"
"Er, I was actually thinking I could give the speech."
Everyone turned to look at her, eyes wide. Sebastian blinked, not quite sure if he heard her right. Olivier lifted both brows at her. A slightly bemused expression had surfaced on his face.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I want to give the speech to the Solairs."
"And why would you want to do that?"
Imogen stood tall and pressed her lips into a thin, tight line. "I think I'll be able to get the message across better than you can. No disrespect intended, but I don't think they'll take too kindly to an Eldair asking them to potentially sacrifice their lives."
Sebastian glanced at Siren and Ajax. Both of them looked just as gobsmacked as he was.
Chuckling, Olivier approached the bold Ordinaire. She didn't shrink under his cold gaze, though. Instead, she lifted her chin and folded her arms.
"What makes you think the message will sound any better coming from you?" he inquired. "You're an Ordinaire. A non-magician. The Solairs would despise you more than they despise."
Imogen smirked.
Sebastian's eyes widened.
The girl held her hand out. She hovered her opposite palm above it, her fingers performing the sequence for a nature spell. Seconds later, bright flowers sprouted at her feet, their colors standing out against the dry and monotone landscape around them.
Olivier's mouth opened but no words came out.
Imogen dropped her hands as her grin widened.
"Ordiniare you said?"
The man faced Sebastian. A stern look had replaced his bewilderment. "How?"
"We'll explain later," he told him. "But, to make a long story short, her mother was a Solair."
"Who was her mother?"
"You wouldn't have known her," Imogen quickly answered. "Besides, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that I'm one of them. I can get the message across. I know what it's like to not feel accepted by those around you."
Olivier studied her for a moment. His golden eyes flickered about her frame as he likely mulled over her words.
Sebastian had to admit he was impressed with her bravery. It wasn't every day someone stood up to the head of the Eldenarian Council—granted, he had only been in charge for a few weeks.
And he was nothing like the previous head, which happened to be Sebastian's father.
After a while, Olivier shook his head. Imogen's face fell.
"Why not?" she whined.
"The message should be coming from the leader of the magician community," he replied. "Not from some girl who just discovered magic existed."
"But—"
"You should get to the cafeteria soon if you don't want to miss breakfast," Olivier interrupted. He turned his back and went back to revising the shield charm. "I'll notify you all when it's time to send the message."
Imogen stepped forward, but before she could continue arguing, Sebastian grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the scene. She slapped at his hand as he practically dragged her off. Once they were far away enough, he let go of her.
"What the hell?" she hissed.
Sebastian kept on toward the gates. "You weren't changing his mind."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do." He glanced at her over his shoulder. "Now come on. All the French toast is gonna be gone if we don't hurry up."
Groaning, the girl threw her head back and stomped through the grass behind him.
Sebastian wiped the smile off his face as he passed through the alabaster gates of the palace. He couldn't help but admire her determination and spirit. She had an abundance of both.
He also agreed with her stance on who should've been the one to deliver the message to the Solairs. Imogen had a point—they wouldn't respond well to Olivier asking them to pledge their lives to the cause. For centuries, the general Eldair population treated their counterparts like lowly commoners. Solairs were seen as weak. Less than. Expendable. They weren't even represented in the Eldenarian Council. There was no seat for them. No house for them to congregate in.
They were alone in the world. They only had themselves to rely on.
Sebastian thought back to Nightfall, the club in Las Vegas that Jasper owned. The man had once been an acquaintance of his. But he sold him out to the Order without a second thought. He couldn't help but think his status as an Eldair played a large part in the man's disloyalty.
Then again, he couldn't exactly blame Jasper. His father probably offered the man the prospect of achieving his wildest dreams.
And those dreams were plenty wild.
The other Solairs of the world would have no reason to pledge their loyalty to the Eldenarian Council. Not without some demands being made. Sebastian knew Olivier and the larger Eldair community wouldn't want to meet those demands. They probably wouldn't want to negotiate at all.
It definitely would have been better to have Imogen, a neutral party in this tangled world of politics and relations, to relay the message.
But it wasn't up to them.
Sebastian just hoped some of the magicians would come to their aide.
#
After breakfast, Sebastian joined Imogen and Remy in the palace's massive library while they waited for Olivier to retrieve them.
He had never been a big fan of reading. Magic theory didn't interest him. Why should he read about magic when he could practice it? Most of the casters from House Tenebris felt the same. Out of all the houses, they were the least scholarly.
That title resided with House Lumai.
Or, at least it did.
Sebastian had only been inside the Eldenarian Palace's library a few times. Even still, every time he stepped foot in the wonderous building, he was overwhelmed with awe. He had never seen so many books in one place.
Bookshelves stretched to the ceiling, nearly fading out of the view as they reached the rafters above. Wooden ladders, bewitched to move and shrink on their own, zipped up and down the cases with librarians hanging tight to the sides.
The main wing of the library held about a few hundred bookshelves lined up in a dizzying amount of rows. Just looking at them made Sebastian's head hurt. Tables and plush chairs were placed on the black-and-white tiled ground now and then. A few of them were occupied by magicians reading and conversing with each other.
Sebastian was currently sat at one of those tables. Imogen was sat next to him, her nose buried in a battlemage guide. Across from them was Remy, who couldn't even be seen due to the mountain of books and scrolls he had piled on the table.
The trio were deep within the combat magic section of the library. Both Imogen and Remy weren't gifted fighters, so brushing up on their battlemage skills was a necessity.
Those two might have needed a book to help them fight, but not Sebastian. His philosophy for dueling was to get out and duel. No amount of reading or studying would make him a better caster.
And a book certainly wouldn't save his life during a fight. Unless it was the only thing between him and a killing spell.
"You sure you don't want to check out anything?" Remy's dismembered voice asked. "You can never have too many spells in your arsenal."
Sebastian scoffed. "I'm good, Rem." He tapped his temple. "I've got everything I need up here."
"Whatever you say, Sebby."
"You sure about that?" Imogen's eyes were still glued to the book in her hands. Out the corner of his eye, he could see her smirking at him. "I think you could do with reading this guide. After all, you kind of got your ass kicked this morning."
Remy's head popped out from the side of his book mountain. "What's she talking about?"
Sebastian's cheeks reddened as he scowled at her. "Nothing. She isn't talking about anything."
"Oh really?" She leaned back in her chair as if she was in deep thought. "I seem to remember you losing our duel."
"Only because you cheated."
"Did I cheat? I don't think I did."
Remy burst out laughing, nearly knocking over his tower of reading material in the process. "Wait a second, you lost to her in a duel?" He threw his hands into the air and let out a wail. A few magicians around them shot their table a few annoyed glances. Sebastian sunk into his seat and covered his face with his hand.
He was never going to live that down.
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Sebby," Remy continued. "I'm sure you're not the only magician to get beaten by an Ordinaire."
"Half-magician," Imogen corrected.
"Right.' Remy facepalmed before smiling sheepishly at her. "Sorry, it's going to take me a little while to get used to that."
Imogen simply shook her head.
Sebastian glanced at the book in her hands. It was opened on a two-page spread surrounding defensive magic techniques—shield charms, disarming spells, diversion charms, and other skills that fell under that category.
He turned his nose up at the book.
While he was skilled at combat magic, it was the most powerful of casting methods. Especially when going against dark magicians like Shades. Against opponents like those, more lethal measures were required.
That was why Sebastian spent the majority of his private training sessions practicing the Obscurin Arts—the forbidden, dark magic established by his great ancestor and the founder of his house of magic, Obscurindell Tenebris. Only those with dark vitalae coursing through their veins could perform the Obscurin Arts. Not only that, but the spells were dangerous—and not just for their targets. If one pattern was performed incorrectly or the spell wasn't properly envisioned, grave consequences would ensue.
Sebastian still remembered the die he nearly killed himself trying to perform a killing spell. He still had the scar on his left pectoral to show for it.
The dark arts also left scars on the inside.
Still, Sebastian wouldn't stop performing them. He couldn't. Not if he wanted to defeat the Order. They would use whatever spell, whatever advantage they could think of. If he wanted to level the playing fell, his morality would have to go.
Though, he never had much of a problem when it came to that.
Yawning, he leaned back in his seat and threw a glance at the massive clock built into the center of the library. From the brass hands inside the glass face, he could see that it was approaching noon.
Olivier had yet to send for them.
He frowned.
"What's taking your dad so long?" he asked Remy.
The curly-haired boy shrugged. "Heck if I know."
Sebastian pursed his lips as he stared at the opened doors of the library.
It shouldn't have taken hours to write a simple speech. He knew Olivier could be a perfectionist, and that the man had a lot on his plate, but getting the message out to the Solairs should've been at the top of their list of priorities. Especially if they weren't going to let Sebastian go after Makaela.
"Maybe we should go check-in," he said. "He might need help writing his speech."
Imogen huffed as she kept reading her guide. "He's probably filling it with some pompous nonsense about how the Solairs should be 'grateful to have an opportunity to serve their council'." She attempted to mimic Olivier's soothing voice but failed miserably.
Remy scowled at her. "Hey, lay off. That's my dad you're talking about."
She held her hands up. "Sorry, sorry." The girl sighed. "I just think he should let me give it."
"What would you even say? You've never even met a Solair before. At least, not one who didn't want to kill us."
Sebastian turned to her, his eyebrow lifted slightly. Remy had posed a great question. What would she have said had Olivier agreed to let her give the speech? And it wasn't like the other Solairs of the world knew who she was. Just like Olivier, the girl was a stranger to them. Perhaps even more so than the current head of House Lumai.
Imogen's cheeks reddened. "I'd wing it."
"Yeah, of course you would." Remy snorted back a laugh. "Let's let the professionals handle this, okay?"
She rolled her eyes at him as he went back to reading a scroll on deception magic theory.
Sebastian had noticed the boy studying more and more illusion and deception magic in the past few weeks. He had even made that offhand comment during their meeting the day before about disguising himself as Thorian to trick the Order and their allies into surrendering.
Perhaps it hadn't been a joke after all.
As Sebastian opened his mouth to ask him, Ajax and Siren approached their table. His eyes lit up.
"It's time," Ajax said.
Beside him, Siren exhaled. "Let's hope this works."
"Yeah," Sebastian said while standing up, "let's hope."