Realm of the Runes: Blood Right

Chapter XLIII

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Days passed and the Divines followed the same routine without fail. The hall would burst into chaos the moment Bobby awoke, Merah and Jambu screeching and flapping after him. Ben would lumber out of his room half dressed, with the disposition of a hibernating bear. Daphne would be the next one out, fully dressed with her hair pulled back in a messy bun, acting quickly to break up the argumentative brothers. 

Matthaios would be next, his pants and boots intact and a shirt draped carelessly over his shoulder, complete attention focussed on the breakfast table laden with bacon and eggs. Lissa would appear, drifting about the room like a feather on fire as she added her two cents to every conversation, argued with Ben, and filled her bowl with fruit and yogurt.

Ryaki would appear next, dressed in her tight black leather pants and a blouse in some colour between grey and midnight, boots firmly laced to her knees. She'd make two cups of coffee before speaking a word to anyone, before helping herself to a plate of crispy bacon. Rich would join her, his tastes turning more toward thickly buttered toast and scrambled eggs, though occasionally she shared a sip of her coffee and a strip of bacon.

Dennis was inevitably the last to rise, his curly hair getting longer by the day. He'd lately begun tying into a bun on top of his head, his angular face actually suiting the style surprisingly well. His clothing was as outrageous as ever; billowing pantaloons and a cuirass one day, bright yellow track pants and a button-down shirt the next. He could always be trusted to have a light rune floating about his person, other runes hidden in one pocket or another.

The mornings were filled with weapons training in the Gymnasium, riding lessons at the stables, or target practice in Velos. The old barracks were now fully repaired, and they'd occasionally spend the night there as a group, exchanging banter across a glowing campfire, the ancient walls around them sheltering them from stormy weather.

Their afternoons were still occupied by Chronos's teaching in the Athenaum. They knew the colossal structure inside out - every vault, nook, and cranny. They'd discovered tomes containing the deepest secrets of the esoteric arts, magick, rituals, and partially detailed records of mages and wizards of the past. 

The interior of Mageia still remained a mystery, as the Divines were only granted entrance to certain rooms. Daphne and Dennis in particular spent many late nights in the lower rooms. Daphne examined thick tomes explaining the delicate processes of alchemy, surrounded by mortars and pestles containing the ground remains of various reagents. While she crafted potions from ancient recipes, Dennis etched complicated runes into endless pieces of papyrus. 

He showed her how to scry as well, but the girl could only see faint glimpses through the crystal. Dennis, on the other hand, had become increasingly adept at spying on people. The Corybante's barracks in the Palladium through the eyes of his trainer, Chronos's quarters in god only knows where, the Athenaeum's conservatory through Merah's beady black eyes... He'd decided not to intrude on any of his companions, but anyone outside the group was fair game.

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Weeks turned into months. Ryaki continued to disappear, sometimes for days at a time. Matiros was also absent during these spells. At first, her friends had worried. Rich would spend meal times in silence, barely touching his food. Ben's eyes would narrow at the faintest shadow, hoping against hope that the small Asian girl would materialise as if nothing had changed. But whenever she returned, she was happy. She'd smile, join their conversations, and even give Dennis a hard time like she used to. They stopped worrying. She was doing what she had to do.