Gram woke up with his head on a hard metal bunk. The early light of the day passed through the windows and blinded him. This had happened three times now, and it never felt any more real each time. He was “detained” and now sitting in a cell in the city jail.

He explained in detail about what happened to the High Magister and Arch Mages, including a rough summary of what had happened over the previous few days, as well as a heavily abridged summary of what happened to Andromeda in the time before that. Either he was bad at explaining, or they didn’t believe him, because they detained him “pending trusted testimony”. Which basically meant that until Andromeda could be roused from whatever happened to her, he would be locked up. It was better than he would have hoped, in all honesty, he half expected them to execute him on the spot.

Between his tone, the implication of the situation, the high tension, and what he said, he wouldn’t blame them if they did. But instead, he was here, and that much was a mercy. It still didn’t make him feel any better, but he at least got to live another day.

“Argram.” A voice said, Gram turned to see a guard standing by the bars.

“What? It’s too early for breakfast.” Gram said. He would also correct the name as well, but no one listened to him when he said anything.

“A decision has been made, you’re to come with me.” The guard said. Gram felt his blood run cold.

“Does that mean… Its… time?” Gram asked. The guard stared at him, not betraying an answer one way or the others. Gram stood, a pit in his stomach welled like an infection. He didn’t know if he had strength enough to stand. He was led out of the jail and into the light of day outside. What awaited him was not what he expected. The old man, High Magister Ferdinand, alone.

Some of Gram’s last memories before waking up in the cell three days before was a bright flash, followed by darkness, with Ferdinand being the last thing he saw. There was a tense atmosphere between them.

“A few hours ago, three men from The Gallery arrived at both your former office, and your home. Upon investigation, they were looking for you, and Andromeda. I assume this is related to your story?” Ferdinand said.

“They were Fort’s men. He agreed to take up collection duties. What did you do to them?” Gram asked.

“We haven’t made contact, but it seems they’re losing patience. I came to collect you so that you can navigate this situation.” Ferdinand said.

“I can try to help, but I can’t see a way around what they’re going to do with her.” Gram said.

“It’s unfortunate, but we’ve elected to refuse the invitation.” Ferdinand said, Gram’s jaw practically hit the ground.

“Do you even know what you’re saying?” Gram said. Completely honest, he had no other instinctual reaction then to believe the situation was being misunderstood.

“Yes, even if we take your statement of the island’s population being in critical danger from this deal falling through, we can’t risk Andromeda being injured in her current state. The potential for damage and destruction, as well as the political upheaval that her death would bring. Would be far more devastating than anything else.” Ferdinand said.

“Literally thousands of innocent people will die if you don’t do anything. How could you possibly justify that?” Gram said.

“Do you expect me to sacrifice the life of my Arch Mage, Argram? Her life is far more valuable than all the lives in this city.” Ferdinand said. Gram reflexively went to punch Ferdinand in the jaw, but a strange feeling overcame him, and he found himself unable to move.

“You are a High Magister, your job is to protect the people and look out for their best interests. What is wrong with you?” Gram asked.

“I will have you remember, that my own indiscretion indirectly lead to this situation to begin with. I will not act without forethought again. If maintaining her safety means I will weigh the deaths of thousands on my own soul, that is a risk I am forced to take. If even that is not good enough, High Magister Crowley and Arch Mage Carrion have already signed off on the plan.” Ferdinand said. Gram felt a rising fire in his chest, fury and sorrow in one, and the urge to swing at Ferdinand grew ever more, only the strange feeling around him wouldn’t let him move an inch.

Ferdinand raised an eyebrow at Gram, then shook his head slightly. “You are to meet with these men, then direct them to a location we have designated. There they will be neutralized. Once you do this, you’ll be absolved of your part in this and I will take Andromeda back to King’s Grove.” Ferdinand continued.

“And if I refuse?” Gram said.

“I recommend against it, but if you were to refuse, then the situation will massively spiral out of control.” Ferdinand said.

“You said it, all of this is your fault. Don’t treat me like your personal scapegoat. If you can’t see a way around this, then that's on you.” Gram said.

“You will NOT speak to me in that way, Argram Gallery. I am still unsure of your innocence in this matter, and your words may be the ink that signs your fate. You will go to them, and you will deal with them. If I do not find your performance satisfactory, I may decide the liability is too high as is.” Ferdinand said.

Ferdinand witnessed as… Something… happened. Gram’s nose began to bleed, and an unexplainable feeling overwhelmed him. Something so alien to him that words alone could not do it justice. Gram reached up, and put his finger to Ferdinand's chest. He should not have been able to move. When the finger made contact, everything changed.

In Ferdinand’s vision, he saw a wave of reality ripple around him. Showing him not only the street they stood on, but the whole city, and further beyond, the island and its people. The view grew ever wider until he could see a spectral image of the entire country, and as it grew he saw the entire continent, then the rest of the world, and then it all shrank, into a singular blue marble that shrunk ever smaller and smaller until it was nothing but a spec of dust flowing in infinite darkness.

He blinked, and it was all gone, with Gram standing in front of him unmoved. His glare pierced Ferdinand through and through.

“No one understands their own mistakes better than me, let that be clear. If you want to take off and leave these people to die, or if you are even willing to take that risk, then that’s your right. But don’t for a second believe I will help you, I don’t want more blood on my hands, and if you really had a head on your shoulders, neither would you.” Gram said. He pulled his finger away from Ferdinand's chest and wiped his nose to clear of the blood. When Gram stepped back, he turned around and marched back into the prison.

“Where are you going?” Ferdinand asked. Though he was still in a daze, Ferdinand felt himself ask the question.

“You had me arrested because you didn’t know if you could trust me. You don’t, so I’m going back until you do. Anything else might give you another excuse to say it’s my fault.” Gram said, then he closed the door behind him. Ferdinand stood along in the street. For a moment, and only a single moment, he felt very small.

-----

A few miles out of Aeroae, there was a secure facility maintained by the Magisters of Betel as a home base to operate out of. This is where Andromeda had been kept in the intervening days between her discovery and now. At that moment, she sat completely still in a chair behind glass. She hadn’t moved an inch since he left her that morning. There had been no progress on stabilizing her condition, and if anything it had gotten worse.

The first to meet Ferdinand was Carrion, who was charged with looking after her in his stead. His expression was grim.

“Nothing?” Ferdinand asked.

“So far as we can tell, nothing is wrong with her. Even considering the strangeness that Arch can create, we can’t distinguish what is causing it. But besides that, something else is happening.” Carrion said.

“Go on?” Ferdinand prompted.

“Right, look at this.” Carrion said, handing a Reflex Glass to Ferdinand.

“What’s this?” Ferdinand said.

“This is a live measurement of ambient mana in the room we’ve been taking care of Andromeda. It’s getting to a point where we can’t vent the excess quickly enough into the surrounding area without threatening the local wild life.” Carrion said.

“Do we have any idea why this is happening?” Ferdinand asked.

“None, all we know for sure is that it’s definitely her that’s causing it. Though, her body isn’t experiencing any adverse effects to the high levels of mana.” Carrion said.

“Double the outtake and double the intensity on the voids.” Ferdinand said.

“That could damage the ecosystem, it might even attract monster activity.” Carrion said.

“I understand that, but we can’t risk any harm coming to her from a lack of ventilation.” Ferdinand said.

“I can’t in good conscience sign off on that, The Island’s Magisters are already on high alert due to the situation in the west.” Carrion said.

“You don’t expect me to leave my Arch Mage to harm, do you? Crowley would surely do the same for you in the same situation.” Ferdinand said. Carrion was quiet, then shook his head.

“Sir, Crowley might try. If he ordered such a thing, I would comply. However, if I had even the slightest say in it, I would risk myself a thousand times over for these people.” Carrion said.

Ferdinand stepped away and toward the glass, he looked at Andromeda sitting on the chair. Completely still, despite the ever shifting nature of her appearance. He remembered when he first saw her just a few short months ago. She had shattered his expectation of reality, in a way that he never thought he would see in his life. In his rush to capitalize on this, he risked her safety and security, and now she was in grave danger whether he did something or not.

“Sir?” Carrion said.

“How high are you willing to increase the ventilation?” Ferdinand asked.

“Oh, hmm, as long as we don’t keep it at this level at all times, I think an increase of half again would be acceptable.” Carrion said.

“We’ll go with that then.” Ferdinand said. Carrion called over a magister and delivered the order, then went to Ferdinand’s side.

“Can you tell me about her?” Carrion said.

“Andromeda?” Ferdinand said.

“Yes, she was inducted not long ago, and I hadn’t had the chance to meet her. She must be impressive to get you to break your rule.” Carrion said.

“I’m afraid I’m not much more familiar with her than you. I’ve spoken with her twice since she was brought into the fold. With the first time being not long before I named her.” Ferdinand said.

“Really? I would have figured she was under your wing for years by this point.” Carrion said.

“Honestly? That is what I should have done when I learned of her existence. But because she was inexperienced, I thought it would be a good idea to send her to Cylas.” Ferdinand said.

“Ah, I see, which would be when Arch Mage Rapture got to her.” Carrion said.

“Yes, whatever she did to Andromeda began this instability. I believe.” Ferdinand said.

“You don’t blame yourself for that, do you? There is no way you could have known she would be targeted like that.” Carrion said.

“As it happens, I do. I made a rash decision, and look what that caused. If I had kept her near, I might have been able to prevent this.” Carrion said.

“You may have, or it could have brought danger to you and King’s Grove. If anything had happened to you in these times… Well, it terrifies me to think about what might have happened.” Carrion said.

“The King died on my soil, then, his son took over the country and drafted my people without so much as a warning. I thought it was the beginning of the end, then I heard reports of a fantastical miracle worker making their way through the country.” Ferdinand said. “I exercised what little control I had on the whole situation and funneled the people of King’s Grove through Salsi, hoping that I might meet with this prodigy. Then she walked through my door.”

“The Mending Mage, correct? I heard rumors about it all the way here just before the announcement. Andromeda was this mage?” Carrion asked.

“Yes, I believe so, she claimed to have grasped the basics of mending in only a few weeks, and from nothing more than some old books she had on hand, with no prior experience. I didn’t believe her, until she gave me a reason to.” Ferdinand said. “As corny as it sounds, she was the light in the darkness that I believed would never come. But as soon as she did, I sent her away.”

Both men looked at through the glass in silence.

A short distance away, sitting alone in a room, was Rapture. She had sat quietly since Andromeda arrived, when an uninformed Magister told her to leave them alone. To everyone’s surprise, she did so and hadn’t bothered anyone for three days. Not even to eat or drink.

As she sat there, she remembered the white void. Where her dear, sweet sister resided. Wrapped in white, white in skin, white in hair, only the red of her pupils to contrast the blinding reality of purity that was around her. Not like the healers, their facade of purity was tainted by red. White was pure. She was pure.

The last thing she saw before being thrown from that world of pure white was the flames of red in her dear sister's eyes. When she found her again, they flickered red, black, and blue, but the fire was gone. Every thought in her mind was focused on White. As well as her part in the current situation. Rapture wanted so desperately to hold her sister in her arms and beg for forgiveness. Forcing that connection when she wasn’t ready hurt her in a way she couldn’t have understood. Now, it was all she could do to hold herself together. If sitting still and quiet would help her little sister, that's what she would do.

-----

In a decrepit building at the edge of everything, Orden stood behind a door, his mind was half in a state of delirium. It had been three days since he last slept, and even his knowledge of the arcane wouldn’t prevent his fall to exhaustion for long. He opened the door and felt a blast of heatless fire assault him. Inside was Eliza, laid on the bed, asleep. It was the only time she was free from the struggle of being alive.

Her skin was vacant of color, her hair had lost its vibrance and faded at the roots. She was dripping with cold sweat at all times, and every breath she took was labored. When she wasn’t resting, she put on a brave face, assured him that everything would be alright. She had complete faith in him.

She had been asleep for three days.

Orden sat at her bedside, his knees on the floor, and his weary head laying on the covers beside her. Though just being in the room made him feel as though his body was engulfed in flame, he didn’t care.

“I’m back Lizzy…” He said quietly. Afraid he might wake her up.

“I couldn’t do it… I thought if I found the Arch Mage, he might be able to lead me to her. But I couldn’t do anything…” He continued.

“Isn’t that just like me?” He said. “I always tried to keep up with you, and now I can’t even stumble right.”

He waited for a response he knew wouldn’t come.

“Who did you hurt in a past life to deserve me?”

“How did you look at me and think believing me was a good idea?”

“What should have I done?”

Nothing.

Even though his body burned with the flame of an invisible sun, he didn’t move. Tears fell from his eyes, before they could touch the blanket the evaporated in the air in front of him. He wanted to tear his heart out and hurt it into the distance. He wanted to scream until his lungs bled, he wanted to bury himself in the mantle of the planet just to he could burn like he thought he should. He wanted to be the one on the bed.

She didn’t deserve this. If she were the one in his shoes, this would have been done weeks ago. They’d be laughing together in some distant place, happy that this was behind them. But they were here, in a place between places, stuck with a half mad blood witch, a corpse, and a child.

“I promise you, when I fix this, I’ll take you to all the places I promised I would. We’ll do all the things we wanted to do. I don’t care if it kills me, I’ll make sure you’ll live to see it.” He said.

As he laid there, burning invisibly in the intense fury of the mana that choked the room, he felt a pressure on top of his head. When he reached to feel what it was, his hand met hers. He turned to look at her, her eyes still closed, and her breath still calm. She was still asleep. He gently placed her hand back to the bed, and wiped away the tears in his tired eyes.

“I’ll tell you everything I’ve ever wanted to, as soon as I know you can hear it.”

-----

In the remote countryside of King’s Grove. Argo sat on a log by the side of the road, resting after helping another of his neighbors pack the wagon and head off into the distance. This was the third this month, and he was rapidly running out of neighbors. The tithe and draft had rocked the region, just as they thought it would.

He saw the pattern now, the collection agent would arrive at the door, and a few days would pass. Then the family would pack up and take off down the road. The one time that pattern was broken was when the collection came a second time to one family, and with two magisters in tow. They dragged one young man Argo had worked with in the years before away, kicking and screaming. Ever since then, the collection agent never came twice. He never came to their door, and the tithe was never collected from them. It was starting to look like that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. But he could never be sure of that, which meant the stress only grew.

While he waited for his heart to slow, he noticed someone coming down the road. Just a speck at first, but as he got closer, the figure grew more well-defined. A taller man, about his height, a large build, about similar to his… A bushy beard and a long robe, the former similar to his own, but the latter notable for its faint blue, sun damaged almost to be white. He got closer, and Argo stood from the log, his heart now racing as the man he recognized so well approached him.

They looked at each other, and for a brief moment the lack of familiarity in the man's eyes made Argo’s stomach drop. But that passed, and they lit up with the warmth he knew.

“Greetings, brother.”