Chapter 2 — The Witch of Vorshan's Hills

A light breeze rustled Hulle Novidus’ long blonde hair as he scanned the auras of the newly arriving students. The covered walkway that connected the third floor of the Great Library with the adjacent Hall of Registration and Advancement was an ideal vantage point that allowed him to view the new students as they passed through the inner courtyard either on their way to receive their student insignia or when heading to their prospective Orders afterwards.

“Those magic spectrum glasses sure are a cheat,” Aldri Touften opined from his side. “Anyone interesting this year?”

“Hmm… a few. None worth trying too hard to recruit yet though. At least none that didn’t already have the robes for another Order.”

“Another lackluster crop this year too, huh.” Aldri sighed. “When Welkin graduates after the winter evaluations, it’s going to be a blow.”

Aldri wasn’t wrong, and Hulle wasn’t looking forward to taking over the position of acting leader for the Order’s student membership. He would have to try to convince Ulren or Endreise to take the leadership if he could.

“Oh, hey.” Aldri excitedly tapped his shoulder and pointed. “That brown-haired shortie who looks lost, she’s wearing robes with our Order’s symbols, isn’t she?”

“Hmm, you’re right. Interesting,” Hulle mumbled as he focused on the aura of the girl in question. “Oh? She has a rare affinity too.”

As Hulle watched, the girl distractedly walked into a second-year boy from House Ravelle who was standing around with his Stormbringer friends, probably looking for recruits just like he and Aldri were.

“Ack, isn’t that Verdin? Of all the people to bump into while not paying attention… ah, man, is she really arguing with him? In public? Wait. Did he really just challenge her to a duel?” Aldri groaned. “And, of course, the newly-enrolled girl accepts. Is it just me or does she seem happy about it? There’s no way she doesn’t recognize his Order or house colors, is there?”

Sure enough, the arena idiot’s buddies were loudly clearing people from one of the sufficiently-large grassy spaces and took up positions to cast the dueling barrier. Hulle always found it amusing that the only abjuration magic that all members of the arena Orders knew was the spell to create dueling circles.

Quite a crowd was gathering to watch. Interestingly, the girl’s familiar stayed outside the dueling circle sitting on its haunches to watch. Her familiar being something other than it seemed was a possibility considering the density of its energy, but that it wasn’t participating in the duel suggested it was indeed a common dog. Was the girl really just a country bumpkin? Maybe full of herself due to her unusually high energy density for a first-year?

“Shouldn’t we go rescue her?” Aldri asked. “Verdin’s loaded up on enchanted items and probably won’t know to hold back against someone not from the Greater Houses. She might get seriously hurt.”

“No.” The girl was better equipped than expected—from her enchanted robe to the pouch showing spatial magic and a holy amulet imbued with divine energy. “If she causes a scene, us being there will involve the Order in her dispute. As it is now, I doubt she has officially joined yet.”

Aldri laughed. “You’re one cold dude.”

Was that supposed to be a joke about his ice affinity? Or a critique of his personality?

Ignoring the unserious second-year that had been assigned to ‘assist’ in the scouting, Hulle focused his attention on the start of the duel. A surprisingly complex and unorthodox mandala formed in front of the girl to receive Verdin’s opening salvo—a dangerously powerful lightning spell as expected, proving Aldri’s assumption correct.

Light flashed and sharp cracks sounded out in quick succession as the unfamiliar spell completely absorbed the lightning strike and the bolt was returned back at a slack-jawed Verdin in five parts, each from mandalas that appeared around the original which had briefly become visible to the naked eye.

“Wow…” Aldin breathed out at the display.

A sphere of light formed, defending the lightning mage from his own lightning, arcs of which surrounded him in fractal patterns before dissipating into the ground. The girl didn’t waste any time, darting forward with physically impossible speed, twin daggers made of wood suddenly in her hands.

Quick jukes and an acrobatic leap allowed her to dodge Verdin’s flustered follow-up, and she stabbed both daggers down into the protective bubble of energy surrounding her opponent, flooding the bubble with disruptive shadow magic channeled through the practice daggers—daggers that were clearly enchanted to conduct energy attacks.

“Oh, I see,” Hulle realized. “She’s a wild-talent.” She hid it well through the use of the spell construct and as earth-type body-strengthening, but the subtle and likely unconscious uses of air magic to adjust her rotation and trajectory were clearly visible through the glasses.

“A wild-talent? Wasn’t there a rumored ‘Witch of Vorshan’s Hills’ that received a commendation from the High Council the other day?”

Rapid and relentless strikes repeatedly slammed into the protective barrier with a ‘rat-ta-ta-tat’ of chaotic magic, and Verdin’s expression became panicked as he attempted to reinforce the barrier with his own energy only for the amulet around his neck to fail with a shattering crack as if made of brittle glass.

“I think Cousin Faris was saying something about that. His mother is from House Vorshan. Should be easy enough to confirm.”

The Stormbringer boy from House Ravelle fell backward and barely voiced his defeat in time as the girl’s dagger halted a finger’s width from his bare neck, shadows licking the wood.

The daggers disappeared and, with a big grin, the girl held out a hand to help the stunned boy up.

“Woah! She actually won,” Aldri mumbled, impressed. “Do you think she might be enough to make the difference?”

A chubby shortie Hulle didn’t recognize and wearing a robe from the Order of the Golden Dawn rushed over to the wild-talent girl.

“Not in time for this year’s competition. She won’t be skilled enough or strong enough,” Hulle evaluated. “But if we can get two more solid recruits, we should have a good chance next year. I could see her become the anchor for the team eventually.”

“What are you doing, Ria?!” Keira exclaimed aghast, grabbing Ria’s hand dragging her away from the scene. “I leave you alone for less than a minute or two, and you’re dueling a second-year, for gods sakes!”

Ranger woofed and excitedly congratulated Ria on her victory.

“Don’t encourage her, Ranger!”

“Why?” Ria asked, confused. “He started it, and I won. So, isn’t it fine?”

Keira smacked a palm against her forehead. “That’s the problem: You won!”

Ria starred at Keira as they hurried away toward one of the large ornate buildings. The noble girl truly seemed to believe winning the duel was something terrible. But dueling was allowed, right?

“Not only did you have the gall to fight and win against an upperclassman, you embarrassed a member of one of the Greater Houses!” Keira was grumbling in dismay as they approached the wide entryway into the building. “You can find your Order later; for now, just get your insignia and licenses, and we’ll meet back up with Arthur at the Grand Library as planned. Don’t do anything else to get in further trouble! If you manage to offend someone again, just keep apologizing until they leave you alone, and if another duel is demanded, tell them you are low on energy!”

“But my staff is almost full…” Ria started to protest but trailed off at Keira’s glare.

“Promise me!” Keira demanded.

“Fine,” Ria huffed, deflating from her post-victory high. “I promise.”

“Good. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Keira said and turned to Ranger, “See that she keeps to it.”

Ranger solemnly nodded, and Ria was flabbergasted. Keira didn’t trust her promise at all! Before Ria could say anything back, her golden-haired and golden-robed friend was already hurrying away.

“I don’t get it,” Ria told Ranger, and Ranger shrugged his confusion as well.

The plaque beside the arched entryway proclaimed the building to be the Hall of Registration and Advancement. Apparently, she could no longer be trusted to find her Order’s tower on her own.

With a sigh at having already messed up on her first day, she started for the archway only to pull up short at a warning bark from Ranger, barely avoiding walking into a boy who was descending the archway’s steps.

The boy glanced at her and her robe then rolled his eyes, never even breaking stride and continuing on as if she were beneath his notice.

Rude!

The boy was wearing a purple robe with silver embroidery in themes of shields and lions.

Ah! He was a member of one of the noble-only orders that Keira had advised her to avoid.

That truly was a close call. Ria sent Ranger her thanks as she started climbing the steps and made her way into the building.

This time when she drew up short, it wasn’t because of Ranger’s warning. Ria boggled at the scale of the hall she found herself in. It had to be five floors to the top, and counting balconies confirmed her estimate. Domes made of geometric glass topped the pillar-supported ceiling letting in natural light that softly lit the creamy white stone of the interior—a stone with spidery veins of gold and vivid glints of magic-dense blue.

She had enough presence of mind to move out of the busy walkway as she took in the majesty of the place. Rather, the whole place was busy with students lining up at counters manned by mages wearing robes in the academy colors and students and staff walking in and out of the side corridors. Now that she was here, Ria had even less idea of where she was supposed to go…

Entering the academy grounds through an entrance closer to the Vorshans’ capital estate had avoided the congestion of carriages at the main entrance, but it meant that Ria couldn’t just follow other students to where she was supposed to go. Being already in the campus proper was what had inspired Keira to suggest they join their Orders so they would have that paperwork ready when getting their insignias and wouldn’t have to visit the Hall of Registration and Advancement twice.

Like the guild halls that were also part of the Crysellian Grand Academy of Magical Studies, the Hall of Registration and Advancement had a public-facing entrance since it handled complaints and license verifications as well as providing services to prospective students and their families. The thought gave Ria a direction to start her search at least.

Gathering her courage, Ria set off through the milling students toward the far end of the hall where she could see another open archway which was likely the public entrance.

That the other students mostly ignored her was surprising. Ria had hoped making friends would be easier, but the most she received after making eye contact was an acknowledging nod or terse smile. More usual was an eye-roll and scoff like she received from the earlier noble boy.

Was it her robe? Her robe was more ornate than what she saw on many of the students seeming to be in the most rush and trying to avoid her, but hers was far from the most ornate… Was it her Order?

Miss Danna had said something about it but Ria couldn’t remember now. And there was the gratingly patient smile that Master Rigure had given her after he asked her which Order she intended to join. A smile reserved for humoring children…

A large “Information” sign caught Ria’s attention as she approached the far end of the hall. Identical signs were above the counters to either side of the public entrance. And sure enough, the lines at each were much longer than at the other counters. One line was suspiciously shorter than the other though…

Figuring out why didn’t take long. A kindly elderly mage was working the longer line. A stern-faced severe woman the shorter one.

Ria looked between the two lines and with a sigh chose the shorter one. Grandma Fana was a stern-faced woman, and she was friendly and reliable, maybe it was the same here?

Barely any time passed to let Ria’s mind and gaze wander before a beautiful blond-haired man whose face she would likely never forget strode through the archway and drew her eyes as he walked past. Ria turned with some dread to meet eyes with the freckled sandy-haired girl also from Vorshan’s Hills trailing a distance behind him and froze in place.

By the girl’s side was a large midnight-black cat half as tall as she was, when it smiled sinisterly at Ria, the tentacles that formed its mane also smiled.

Hells! Too creepy!

The necromancer girl’s mouth twisted in a snarl of recognition, and she advanced on Ria’s position, terrifying familiar moving sinuously at her side.

“You!” an Inquisitor-mantled and Oath-marked Amilee growled out. “Enjoying your ill-gotten sponsorship, witch?”

A mousy girl that had joined the line just behind Ria squeaked and ran for the other line, and other than the swishing of robes from everyone nearby turning to view the source of the commotion, silence spread through the near end of the hall as conversations halted.

Too shocked about the inscription plainly visible with the glyph of binding inked directly on Amilee’s forehead to even reply and curious about the lines of the binding which ran down in front of Amilee’s ears, behind her jaw, and then disappearing into her collared shirt, Ria discreetly tapped her shoe’s front onto the stone floor as she stepped backward, casting her Keira-tested and improved version of Sensing Sphere.

The lines of Amilee’s inscription approached each other above the girl’s collarbone before joining with complex geometry, glyphs, and phrases over her heart, likely detailing the oath. From there, the lines of power extended out to her arms and legs. The binding wasn’t the only surprise. The large travel sack slung over Amilee’s shoulder contained a number of enchanted puppets, most with sharp claws and fangs that seemed designed for combat.

“Amilee…” Inquisitor Duelleres’ lilting voice called back from where he had continued ahead. “We need to report our mission. You can catch up with your friend some other time.”

Amilee’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t think I’ve forgiven you, witch! You tried to have me lashed at a stake! Better hope that your name doesn’t appear on the job list, because I’ll volunteer to join that hunt!”

And with that last threat, Amilee stormed off, following Inquisitor Duelleres down one of the side corridors. The shapeshifter lingered just long enough for its tentacles to display amused eyes in Ria’s direction.

With some trepidation, Ria quickly glanced around to worriedly gauge the reactions of those around her and noted that the security-robed mage by the archway was leaning forward in his chair with an eyebrow raised, staff no longer rested on his shoulder, and staring in her direction.

Ah! Was she not supposed to use magic in here?

She released her spell and quickly made an apologetic gesture to the mage, exhaling in relief when the mage nodded and returned to his previous more relaxed posture. She repeated the apologetic hand gesture to those in line with her, and they mostly went back to ignoring her, except for the stern lady at the counter who seemed annoyed at her work being interrupted and gave Ria an evil eye before tersely calling the next person to approach.

Ugh, she definitely should have chosen the other line…