Waking up beside Vera Stone will never fail to be the highlight of my every single day.
Mornings to me will forever remain a constant surprise. Having been a Knight for almost nine years, opening my eyes to a new dawn has always been a bizarre and overwhelming experience. And having her here right beside me as I welcome these daily breaths of relief, it gave me so much more to be hopeful for.
Every glimpse I have of her is a glimpse of my future. She was everything I never thought I would want, but now I'm scared to lose. There was not an ounce on my body that could comprehend how lucky I am to have this woman in my life. There were no words in existence that could explain why or how we work, but still, we do.
We are everything.
After taking in the sunlight beaming through her windows as if it was her first time in a long while, she finally returns my gaze, the smile on her wide like I have never seen before. There was perhaps an entire hour of just comfortable silence of us holding hands and breathing in the familiar yet surprisingly foreign air. Our lives had shifted in a matter of months and then weeks. And in a few hours, so much more could still happen to ruin this feeling we're feeling, but that didn't matter.
"So..." I eventually broke the quiet. "What's on the agenda today?"
"I have to talk to Council." Right, Council. There's a whole lot of explaining that needs to be done. Vera's unquestionably going to be grilled by that asshole Bernard. We must be thinking of the same thing judging from the look on her face. I squeezed her hand in hopes of reassuring her.
"Whatever happens, you know I'm here right?" I notice her exhale heavily as if she was relieved of the reminder, "And not just me."
"I know. We're gonna get through this no matter what comes after this meeting."
"Hey, I love you."
"I love you too."
"Grand Magus." The Head of the Council greeted the two of us with a curt nod. It was intimidating, to say the least, to feel the intent gazes of people who have the ability to decide our fate in mere minutes. I, of course, held my head high despite the trepidation beneath the surface.
"Thomas, you shouldn't call her that anymore-" As suspected, the annoyance called Mr. Bernard voiced what I can only assume is one of his first complaints. I couldn't help but somehow agree with him, though. Why was Thomas acting the opposite of what I expected?
"Last time I checked, I was the Head of this council." Thomas directed an expressionless stare to the nuisance and continued to confuse me and visibly the entire Council. Vera, on the other hand, kept her composure and greeted him back.
"It's good to see you all." Thomas motioned for the two of us to take a seat. "I can see you've brought with you the Temple Magus."
Vera ignored the question and clasped her hands together eagerly. "So, how do we begin this discussion?"
"Maybe we should start with the whys." Someone from the crowd proposed to which the Head agreed to.
"Why did you not tell us you lost your magic?" Was the why he chose to address first.
"And answer us truthfully. If only it were up to me, we would be using the glove of truth on you right now." The bothersome man spoke out of turn.
"But it isn't up to you, and this is not an interrogation." Vera was signalled to proceed.
"I didn't tell any of you for a few reasons. First of all, I thought for sure that I would get it back immediately, and I was right. Another reason, when was the last time you trusted a high-ranking Order member with your whole heart? And not because of manipulative charms or because they're the Grand Magus, but because you saw the leadership they possessed and believed in their capability. This position was something I worked hard for. And right before I accepted to become Grand Magus, I assured myself that I was going to be a better leader. The progress I wanted to make and my distrust for every single one of you was enough fear to drive me to keep secrets. If any of you found out, you would have deemed me unfit to lead and cast me out without hesitation. I didn't want to compromise my chances of succeeding."
"And what great leadership builds itself on deception? And it's our fault you don't trust us, not that you've been willfully isolating yourself? Unless, of course, if you needed someone for something." Mr. Bernard sniped and the rest of the room was clearly torn from each of the valid points made by both sides. Regardless of how she tried to hide it, my instincts just knew that Vera was fuming. I gave her a glance that I hoped delivered to her what I wished to say: "Let me help."
I cleared my throat to gain the attention of everyone. "If I may, I would like to say something."
"From how I've observed this society, I can say that you don't actually give a reason for anyone to trust you. Have you ever noticed that every single one of our enemies over the past months has all told us a similar thing: we're elitist assholes. We don't care enough. We don't try to understand. This secret society is no society. Acolytes enter expecting somewhere they could belong and find purpose. Instead, they're met by greediness and contempt hidden behind masks and disguised as leaders."
"Your definition of society is filled with sentiment."
"Is that so wrong?" Vera came to my defense.
Mr. Bernard replied with a haughty release of breath. "Vera Stone, talking about sentimentality- hah! Now, that's funny. You really sticking to this "changed person" act?"
"This is exactly what's wrong. I've come to recognize that. Compassion is treated as a folly. This Order is filled with humans who have forgotten that they are just that. And because of the example that we have shown, we are creating more and more heartless monsters."
Right as the argument was just getting to its most intense, the Head stood up and banged his hands thrice to table. "Okay, I think that's enough of that. I'd like to speak to the Grand Magus and the Temple Magus in private."
"What? That's it?" Mr. Bernard cried incredulously.
"Not necessarily. We still have to think about punishment, but for now, I'd like to have a conversation with them." He gave him a stern look. "Dismissed."
After the room was emptied with the exception of the three of us, Thomas smiled at Vera.
"What convinced you?" She was rightfully disconcerted.
"It would be a lie to tell you that I never considered banishing you, but it would also be a lie to tell you that I never believed in you. I did. And I guess all it took for me to stick with what I believed in is for someone else to remind me." He paused for a moment, clearly reminiscing some very dear recollections. "I received a phone call from one of your acolytes. He's said quite some things about the two of you. First, there were complaints, and I thought for sure that was a sign. But then he continued, and I had to rethink what kind of sign I was actually given."
Vera looked back at me, confused as to who the mystery caller was, which I responded to with a shrug. I had assumed that everyone was prepared to throw us to the metaphorical wolves, but maybe not. Whoever it was, they were absolutely unexpected. Unless... oh. "So, you were never planning to interrogate me- us? It was all for the reassurance of the rest of the Council?"
"You could say that. Especially in his case. You're the best Grand Magus we've had in decades, and you would know that. That might not say much since..." he trailed off, unmistakably not wanting to utter the name, Edward Coventry. "But hearing how that acolyte spoke about you, it reawakened the acolyte I was a long time ago. You make me feel hopeful, and I'm certain that I'm not the only one."
"Now, if we could finish this. Is there anything else you'd like to confess?"
"We're in a relationship." She declared out of nowhere.
For a second, he was in shock but recovered immediately. "Okay? Is that it?"
Vera mirrored his prior reaction, but grinned widely after his nonchalance. "Yes. Thank you so much, Thomas. I always thought you didn't belong here being the goodhearted person you are. But I was wrong with what I wanted to change."
"Oh, Vera, I actually forgot something. We still have to discuss your punishment soon. My judgment towards you might be a bit biased, but I can't let people think that I'm going easy on you."
"Okay. Call me once you've reached a decision."
It was a crazy and wonderful sight to behold. There were some uncertain stares, but the majority of the temple was filled with hopeful and grateful spirits. Vera and I were the forefront of something so familiar yet so new and tonight was the celebration of a new beginning.
"Promises can be scary because people and times can be very unpredictable. But today is the day to renew." Vera declared through the echoes of the great hall we were in. "This is the start of a new Order. A better one. One that will not trample on its subjects' needs or principles. One where each voice is heard and treated with value."
Everyone cheered with their glasses raised to the air. Vera blinked her eyes multiple times, trying to hide the tears. This was the happiest that I've seen her and as I witnessed the scene playing before me, I can't say I blame her. There were hugs from everywhere, smiles so bright; it was the first time this Order really felt like home, like a family.
And speaking of family, my own did their celebration in the small corner of the bar, clinking their glasses to each other's, giggling at some stupid pun Randall probably said, and Lilith and Gabrielle rolling their eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. I was so thrilled to approach them and join in on their party, but someone caught my eye. "Angus?"
He was sitting alone, averting his gaze from looking down at the drinking on his hand to me. "Shouldn't you be addressing me through my last name?"
It was apparent he knew what I came to him for, so I didn't hesitate to be direct. "Thank you."
"For what?" His attempt to feign innocence was pointless and he, too, realized that. "I don't like owing to anybody. No one in my family likes debts."
"You never owed me anything."
"Not for saving my life, no."
"You're a good man, Angus." I patted him on the shoulder in gratitude.
If I wasn't a werewolf, I wouldn't have been able to hear it but he whispered, "Thank you, Temple Magus." It was an act I deeply appreciated from him. He remained to be one of the few people who finally took my new position seriously. I chuckled in glee and returned to what I was going to do.
A couple of hours came midnight and everyone was let go from the party. Vera and I, however, stayed longer in expectation of a visit from a certain someone. And she eventually came. I got up from my seat to attend to her which she took the wrong way. "Oh, hush. The Grand Magus wants to see me."
"I know. Come in."
Vera's back was faced towards us. "I've been expecting you. How come you took so long?"
"What can I say? I like the suspense." She looked at me as if awaiting me to exit the room, but I shook my head. Vera and I talked about this earlier and since we weren't keeping any secrets to each other anymore, I was allowed to hear from the primary source.
"So?" Vera expected an answer. "I didn't die?"
As if for comical suspense, the necromancer did a full body scan. "I can see that."
"But I was going to, wasn't I? How-"
"You might not like what I've done, but it was the only way I knew how to not get you to die. I connected our souls."
"So we're eternally connected? If you die, I die." The necromancer shrugged in response.
"And you did this during our last encounter. That's why you touched my elbow." She received another shrug. "Why have you been helping me?"
"Didn't I tell you I could see the future? I always know the right path to take." It was likely going to be a cycle of this. From an ominous response to another ominous response.
"And what do you mean by that?"
"You're better than Coventry." That name quickly had my attention.
"And?"
"I know what you think of me. And I know myself. I acknowledge my antagonism against The Order, but I have my reasons. Until recently, you were just like the rest of them. Elitist, rich douchebags who care about no one but yourselves. But at this moment, I'm looking directly at change. And you can't blame me if I wanna see what that might look like."
"I'm a bored woman, Vera Stone. Give someone who can manipulate the future too much time and knowledge and eventually, everything new loses its sense of excitement. This, however, was an interesting story to watch unfold, don't you think?"
"For you, it might have been."
"I would feel sorry for you, but you did learn a lot, didn't you? What was that they said about experiences? That they're the greatest teachers? And would you say that that's true in your case?"
"So you wanted to teach me a lesson?"
"Not necessarily, but it doesn't hurt to know more, doesn't it?"
"Actually, it did, but I see your point."
"I'll see you again very soon, Grand Magus. Keep the story interesting." Before disappearing from view, she turned her back at us and winked. "And don't worry, I'm practically invincible."
THE END.