Dusk was upon us. The initiation was over.
I remember falling to my knees, I was so tired that day. Mathilda was next to me clutching her chest, her staff beside her forgotten. We had done it, the initiation ended and we were still alive.
"To the ten remaining contestants... I salute you!" The headmaster's booming voice rose above the chaos in our hearts. "You have survived! You have been deemed worthy to enter our prestigious academy! Congratulations!"
No applause, no cheering. Even the headmaster wasn't expecting any fanfare as he and the few teachers present retreated soon after. Everyone knew this was a small respite. The tales of the tribulations on the island were just that, tales. None of us believed them wholly. What fools we were... If only we knew the truth was more horrid than our wildest fantasies.
I remember that sinking feeling all too well, that shock that started when the killing happened. And by the time of our acceptance, it had grown to dread.
What utter fools we were...
Several aides were running around healing and consoling the accepted. I still remember the nice boy that came to heal my broken arm. He said nothing would be as trying as this trial. He was lying. My arm healed, but some scars could not be mended.
I would... I would learn that lesson later that day.
After our sanity had garnered some respite, she rose like the angel she was. "Classmates!" Mathilda tried to yell but her voice cracked, quiet but intense, everyone listened intently. "Our new lives begin tonight. Tomorrow we will be sorcerers and sorceresses. I know we are exhausted," several chuckled. "I can barely stand up myself... and I doubt I will be able to unsee what has happened today.
"But I say let us enjoy this last night of freedom!"
"I don't think I can stand..."
"We need rest!"
"Enjoy what? I for one think of leaving!"
"You cannot leave!" Mathilda was on verge of tears. "What was this all for? We have to stick together!"
No one objected to that. I for one believed them all to be my family that day. I would be right, I thank the Gods to this day that I was right.
"What do you suggest we do, Mathilda?" I asked, genuinely curious.
She smiled at me, at au us all. "Nothing much... Let us go to the coastline and drink to the fallen! We can all be together, healing together!"
The aids smiled, and most of the accepted nodded in agreement. Mathilda wasn't asking for us to throw a celebration. It was more of a send-off to our old lives. And yes, none of us wanted to be alone that night.
And so it was decided. We would travel to the rocky shores of the island and try to make amends. The red skies were ominous but expected. As with most tales, none believed that night never fell on Academy Island, however, this truth was not as distressful as the others - the Eternal Dusk skies have always been beautiful to behold.
The beach was comprised of rocks, rocks, and fog. With the red skies overhead it truly felt like we were in a story. Some of the aides brought us ale. They told us we could stay as long as we wished so long as we were at class tomorrow at noon. After that, they left us to heal in peace.
As we sat on those rocks, more and more people started to converse. The ale made some forget, and others ignore, their troubles. It tasted divine, in memory at least, it tasted like the Nectar of the Unspoken. In time, some of us even laughed. In more time, we were fully committed to our task.
"We must be strong!" Mathilda stood atop a particularly big rock. "Who are we? Are we mages or not?" A resounding huzzah! answered her. Mathilda took another swig of ale, "We come from farmers, craftsmen, and -"
"Jill here was a rich merchant!" Someone chimed in and we all cackled.
"Point taken!" Mathilda bowed to Jill. "But now she is a mage as we are all!"
Another huzzah! and the smiles were plentiful. That moment in time has always remained with me. That unity and companionship. Very few things in life are as special as feeling like you could truly die for someone.
I say this because soon after Mathilda's rousing speech, we saw ships on the horizon.
"Are they sailing here?"
"I don't see any other island..."
"But Academy Island is invisible to laymen! Not to mention the protective wards all across its parameter!"
Regardless of that fact the ships still approached. We soon discovered why - black sails.
"Mageslayers..." Jill's whisper was a curse.
"They must've somehow discovered a way to bypass the wards," Mathilda said. "We must alert the teachers!"
"By the time we reach them, they will have disembarked," I said, the magnitude of the situation rising like the morning sun. "They can't step foot on the island, Mathilda. Or we are all doomed."
She nodded with eyes I cannot forget - filled with terror and rage. And despite that, she climbed her rock again. "Mages! What say you? Do we defend our home?"
A unanimous "Huzzah!" was her answer.
"Who is the fastest among us?"
"My fleetfoot enchantment saved my life in today's initiation," Jill said.
Several confirmed and Mathilda nodded. "Jill, you are to run to the masters and alert them that the Mageslayers have discovered a way to embark on the island. Go!" Jill said a couple of words and was soon gone.
"It will take her some time to reach the castle," I said.
"We must sted fast then."
Nine of us stood facing the black sails as they threatened to assault our new home. Inebriated and tired and dedicated. Our bond was forged, and our hearts were set.
Mathilda rose in the air, aiming her staff - dark clouds emerged from nothing over the fleet, as red lighting struck from above. To no avail, of course, the Mageslayers had wards of their own. As Mathilda dropped to the rock, two more were elevated to continue the cast.
I and three others weaved waves to strike at the black sailed heathens. Leaving two to try and stall their approach with furious winds.
All to no avail.
We barely slowed their approach. Soon... soon they attacked. All I remember was turning to see one of my sisters impaled by a massive spear. I... I remember Mathilda and me shrieking, combing our casts to send a torrent rivaling that of a master sorcerer at the black sails.
This finally made one ship sink.
The retaliation, however, was... was...
I... I... so much death that day... so much needless death. And for what? We were so young... so tired... so foolish...
More spears, more death. I felt so hopeless. Soon five remained. We decided to combine our wind casting to at least hold them off until Jill returned with reinforcements. This worked... for a while...
Until a spear impaled Mathilda through the chest.
I can still see her face! Defiant and strong! She was the best of us! And without her, this cursed island would be a distant memory! I... I...
I unleashed an Unthinkable Spell. I never told the academy for they would've banished me, the pretentious snobs. As you can see I remain without a left hand... that spell was nearly the end of me...
The pain that I felt... oh merciful Gods the pain...
I... I'm sorry... I can't continue to do this... I'm sorry...
...
"Can you describe what you saw when you arrived?" The Archmage inquired.
"Corpses," Jill said. "I thought they were all dead. I thought I was too late."
"But you managed to save one?"
Jill sat silent.
"So it's true? They held off a fleet of Mageslayers?"
"They stalled long enough for the academy to set up defenses, yes."
"The nine that stood..." The Archmage said with reverence, his face alight with respect.
"The nine that stood." Jill nodded, her eyes filled with tears.
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