'The Adventures of the Emerald Band' Volume One

Chapter One: The Magi Academy: Part 4

4 – Helena Vogt

It was quite in the Magi Academy's courtyard, just as the young mage Helena Vogt preferred. The verdant garden at the centre of colossal academy was popular amongst mages of every age and status. It was rare to be able to enjoy the pleasant warmth, and not be surrounded by noise and crowds. The Courtyard was large, and could easily hold a few hundred people comfortably, and it was often populated with that many, if not more. But today, it was mostly empty. The graduate mages – those who were a few years older than herself – were all in the large dining hall on the other side of the academy. There they gorged on food and devoured cup after cup of ale, wine, cider and lemon-water as they celebrated their achievements. Many more were in supplementary classes, she knew, or had gone home for the winter break to see family. For once, the courtyard was peaceful.

Helena sat in a soft shadow, beneath the leaves of a towering oak bursting bright with apples of red and green. She was quiet as she studied a well-weathered book on potions, its cover faded, its pages torn at the edges from overuse. As she sat and waited for her next class, a gentle breeze brushed her cheeks, bringing a spring warmth, despite the falling snow.

Her chestnut hair was combed straight, covering one eye, protecting her from the onlookers, and giving her the solitary study she enjoyed. A few chilled, crystallised flakes dropped onto the back of her hand, yet this did not disturb her, she was quite content as even these flakes felt mild. Winter may have ruled the skies amongst the grey clouds and sleet, but in the garden courtyard, it was always spring. Everyday mages would gather to sit, talk, laugh, play and enjoy their time away from study.

As she flicked through pages of scribbled notes, she glanced at the few others with whom she shared the garden. Two teenage mages, one an Elf, the other a dark-skinned Human, were sat on a bench, so closely that their breath became intertwined. They whispered to each other, and would either laugh, or give the other a gentle, flirtatious slap to the shoulder. In the far corner another mage played with his familiar, trying to command the small owl to follow his orders, but the bird simply chirped gave the mage pecking kisses. A young Orc, his brown skin stretched over thick muscle, swung his wooden staff like a sword, battling imagined enemies.

This was a typical sight within the courtyard of the Magi Academy. Students allowed to go about their lives without fear of the outside world, or indeed the outside chills, which seemed so far away. The isolated mountain bastion, the Magi Academy, was separated from the rest of the world not only by the large ancient stone walls of the Academy, but also the frigid, raging waves of the ocean. This was a place they could be themselves, away from the distrust and hatred many felt towards their kind.

However, this blissful peace was soon violently broken by a bellowing, ear-bleeding rant. Although Helena could not see the source, she recognised the eloquent accent laced with madness and cruelty. There were none in the academy who did not know Sythus Areanus. She dared look up from her book, just in time to see his silver hair was frazzled. It was strange to see, for the Elf had always portrayed himself with a smug, superior nobility which he delighted in lording over the other students. He is really angry. She knew instantly, and considered fleeing then and there. However, despite her logical mind screaming at her to run, she couldn't help but be intrigued by what had made the Elf so furious.

She watched the ruby-robed Elf stomping into the courtyard, and saw many of the other students flee for the safety of the surrounding buildings. Those who remained all averted their eyes. No-one wished to catch his ire as he stormed violently along the cobbled paths of the courtyard. His face was so malformed into a seething scowl that those ignorant few who did not immediately look away, were left horrified.

Helena had seen a dire-wolf when she was a child, growing up in Westgart, a town in the wilds of the Kingdom of Starkhafen. Sythus didn't quite resemble the sharp-toothed beast she had seen, but he had the same horrible bloodlust in his eyes, the same sharp white teeth, and his screaming was not unlike a wolf's howl at times.