11th of Sifdras - 2nd Auryn

  Last night before bed, Cira and I discussed our appointments with Mistress Yevvena and it sounds like hers went just as well as I expected. She tells me that she already has her classes all picked out for the coming term. I report that I was not so decisive about mine and she suggests that I take at least one class with her.

  After I told her about my family and home life the other day, we settle on alchemy. From her perspective, I will already have an edge being exposed to it all my life. She is also quick to note that all first year students are required to take at least two combat basics classes, so there is a good chance that we will be in that class together too.

  Today, we first years all get to choose our Coven. We will choose from Drakonys: The Twin Dragons, Temporia: The Eternal Phoenix , Unio Luminae: The Everwatching Owl, and Vodalysa: The Cosmic Serpent. I recall seeing the crests of each of them on the jacket of the beautiful winged man who checked me into the dormitories here. Each of the crests were embroidered in a different color on a black background in quadrants; blue owl and purple serpent on top and red dragons and green phoenix on the bottom. Together they are the symbol of the Midnight Court.

  These four Covens have been a frequent topic of discussion among the group of us over the past several days. Some know where they want to be, like Vesa, who has already picked Drakonys for herself, and Syffy knows that she will be asking to join Temporia. I ask them both how they know which one is for them, but neither response is very helpful.

  Vesa tells me that she is drawn to the dual nature of the Twin Dragons and the fire aspect reminds her of the desert outside her home town of Horora. Syffy tells me that she heard that scribes— or students of magic, as we are called at the Midnight Court— of the Eternal Phoenix are usually steeped in historical and political research topics and often become advisers to kingdoms across Akeroth. Neither of these approaches seem applicable to me and so I am left to wonder.

  Mistress Yevvena also discussed these in greater detail with me yesterday, telling me how each one embodied a different aspect and skill set. For example, Unio Luminae scribes are known as the great collaborators, often investing in causes and seeking common ground to achieve their goals, while Vodalysa scribes tend to be the deep thinkers and explorers, jumping into the mysteries of the cosmos with both feet. These aspects are descriptors meant to align the candidate with other like-minded scribes. She eluded to other activities and benefits that are specific to each Coven, but also that those are not something to be discussed outside the membership of the Coven.

  The secretive nature of the Covens gives me pause. It makes me wonder how Unio Luminae scribes, who are supposed to be so collaborative, would have to keep Coven-sensative information from those they are collaborating with. It seems like a direct contradiction to their entire purpose. Mentally, I cross this choice off the list for me. Since I already ruled out the fire aspected Coven, Drakonys, and the historians in Temporia, there seems to be only one clear choice for me. Vodalysa and the Cosmic Serpent, which is depicted in a deep purple hue in an endless double stacked loop.

  There is a formal ceremony after lunch that all the scribes present so far are encouraged to attend. That number is much larger than I expected as the Great Hall is packed with scribes at long tables running the length of the enormous space, facing a small dais at the far end. On the dais are two of the same tables at which several figures sit. Cira tells me they are the faculty of the Court and I recall all the name plates from the 6th floor. It is odd though, that there is one more faculty member on the dais than there were doors in that hallway.

  My thoughts are interrupted by a stoic looking man with a trimmed white beard and long silver hair approaching the podium on the dais, just in front of the tables. He wears a formal, dark green suit jacket embroidered with gold floss over a white collared shirt and a tie of the same deep green. It is so dark a green, it looks nearly black and I can only tell it is green by the daylight reflecting the color in a brighter hue. Formal dress pants of the same color are hemmed neatly above polished black dress shoes to complete the ensemble. His stern voice carries loudly over the entire Hall and I can only conclude that it has been magically enhanced in some way, though none of the aether in the area seem particularly affected.

  He welcomes all the scribes to the new academic year at the Midnight Court and formally introduces himself as Dean Elorian Windraven. I now recognize the name on the door at the end of the hallway and link it to this legend of the magical realm. Anyone who has lived in Mesym for any amount of time knows of his illustrious deeds, real or exaggerated. From wars, to politics, to philanthropy, and even his deeds here at the Midnight Court, this revered, enigmatic figure has been an admired and feared persona for many, many years.

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  He introduces the faculty by name as they stand up from behind their table on the dais. It is good to put the faces to the names that I have seen on their office doors. In addition to all of the others, there is one more figure whose name I had not seen yesterday: Master Garion Blackclaw, a renowned War Hero, Cira tells me, who is the combat instructor here at Court.

  After that, he makes a few casual announcements, such as a number of rules for going to the town of Perlshaw at the base of the mountain and that the Eldwood is not to be entered until further notice for the safety of all the scribes. Finally, he asks all the Coven Leaders to step forward and my heart starts to race as four of the faculty advance to stand at the edge of the dais, each one carrying a wand. Several of the staff members in the same gray coats with the emblem of the Midnight Court filter in from behind the dais somewhere to set up large banners by the professors.

  A red banner depicting the crest of The Twin Dragons is placed just behind the smooth, tanned face of Dr. Featherspeaker. A green banner with the crest of The Eternal Phoenix rising from the ashes is placed behind Mistress Yevvena. A dark blue banner displaying the crest of The Everwatching Owl and a branch of a yew tree is set up behind Professor Greenborrow’s lighter blue huen persona. Finally, a purple banner of The Cosmic Serpent coiling in two vertical circles is placed behind a sharply dressed Professor E. Marblebrook, complete with rose-tinted glasses.

  The first year scribes are asked to approach the banner of the Coven they wish to be accepted into and everyone at our table is eager to do so. I stop Cira in the rush of everyone else, asking if she had figured out what Coven she was going to.

  She purses her lips, uncertainty on her face, “I think I might go to Unio Luminae. Did you figure it out? What Coven you are going to?”

  My face falls, not wanting to give up how close we have become. “Oh, yeah. I think Vodalysa is where I should go.”

  There is a reserved sense of shock in her reaction that feels similar to mine. “Oh.” Disappointment is thick in the simple statement and she leans down to hug me tightly. “You will definitely find what you are looking for, Serea. I believe in you.”

  I nod in her arms, all the more determined to figure out why these things— these mishaps— keep happening to me. To find out how I can protect people like Cira, who become unwitting potential victims to the unknown chaos I expose them to. I think of all these things as we part and I line up with the other Vodalysa candidates.

  I duck my head out to look around the line to the dais where Professor Marblebrook and a member of the staff stand. Marblebrook is talking to the next candidate in line as the staff member jots on a clipboard not unlike the scribe who checked me in. This staff member, however, could not be any more different than the pale, blonde winged boy I met that day.

  He seems of a similar height, but that is where all similarities end. His skin is a dark olive hue with coal dark messy hair, which is long on top, but cut short underneath. He appears to be human, but the uniform of a staff member— a white button down shirt with black tie and gray blazer— doesn’t seem to suit him very well. For one, he looks to be in a foul mood, a deep scowl on his face and a lazy posture to his stance. Then, his tie is loose to the second button of his shirt and the top button isn’t even done! I stare at his exposed neck incredulously, but my breath hitches when something dark moves across his already dark skin there.

  Eyes wide, I stare for a different reason until, as if sensing my gaze, his piercing golden eyes find mine. Suddenly, I feel like a doe staring dazed into the eyes of a wolf ready to pounce. It is only for a split second, but the panic makes me think my heart will leap right out of my chest; even after he breaks eye contact and goes back to writing at the behest of Mistress Marblebrook. I step back in line, out of sight of the intimidating staff member that just stared me down and try to catch my breath. I am given another start, however, when I find Cira in line next to me.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask in a panic. “Shouldn’t you be in the line next to this one?”

  She shrugs nonchalantly, “My heart wasn’t set on Unio Luminae.” She looks down at me then with a warm smile. “I would much rather be with a friend.”

  I purse my lips to reign in my joy that threatens to overflow from my eyes. I hug her, wrapping my arms around her tightly. “I’m so glad!”

  She pats my arm as a comforting gesture and when I let go of her, it is my turn to ask for acceptance into the Vodalysa Coven. I approach the dais and Professor Marblebrook.

  “Your name, scribe?” Marblebrook asks me, a confident smile on her sun-touched skin.

  “Seretra Crowfoot.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see the delinquent staff member scribbling on the clipboard just behind the professor.

  Marblebrook continues, “Do you wish admittance to seek the great mysteries of the cosmos, to dare to tread where you have not before, and to enable those around you to find deeper truths?”

  I nod emphatically. “I do.”

  She waves the wand at my left hand and I lift it to watch tiny threads of mana move through the wand and circle around the base of the middle finger on that hand. They spin quickly, forming a band of light and I watch as it slowly shrinks in diameter until it disappears completely into my skin. Shocked by the slight tingle there, I almost miss the next part.

  “Repeat after me, ‘From the Abyss, Wisdom Rises’.”

  I do so, but less sure than my declaration a moment ago.

  “Welcome to the Vodalysa. May the Cosmic Serpent guide your path.” She holds out her hand to me and I take it firmly.

  A surge of confidence buds within me as I move on so Cira can likewise be accepted. I’m not sure if it was the spell that was cast on me or internalizing the vow I just made to ‘dare tread’. But as I depart from the dais, a strange boldness has me locking eyes with the dark haired staff member. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he stops writing to stare down at me with his golden, predator’s eyes and gives me a devilish smile. I shoot him back with a smug one of my own before returning to my seat.