Dawn of Arcane Destiny

Chapter Ninety-Five

Niran and Inara fled their home as it burned to the ground. Smoldering ashes rained from the sky around them as they sought the safety of the street. Niran supported his wife as she gasped for air. This tragedy was so sudden. What had happened? It hadn't been a particularly dry year.

They got out just in time, for the next moment the thatched roof gave way, collapsing in on itself, destroying any hope at recovering their home. The couple watched aghast as their neighbors joined them.

The whole village was ablaze.

Wails of horror and anguish filled the air as people watched their meager belongings go up in smoke. Some ran to get buckets to fill at the well, but Niran and Inara couldn't bring themselves to move.

"The crops!" Some of the men yelled hurrying over to prevent their livelihoods from being destroyed as well. Niran knew that they would be too late to save the entirety of the crops. Most of them were already burning at a fast pace.

Black smoke clogged the air, lit only by the destructive, golden flames. Inara gagged "Our home!" She cried.

"It's okay, it's going to be okay." Niran assured her. He felt two tears course down his sooty face, tears that he wished were only caused by the sting of smoke. He tore his eyes away from the blaze when he caught movement in his peripheral vision. A dark figure, almost invisible in the smokey night swept towards the forest, almost silent and unseen.

In that moment Niran knew, this was no accident. This was arson.

***

Caelum hurried down the corridor towards the library. He had already looked everywhere else. Drayce had to be attending to business at his desk. He broke into a jog. If what he had heard was true, things were starting. Destruction was starting.

Caelum burst through the doors, startling Drayce, who had been about to open the doors himself.

"Caelum! What wrong?" Drayce asked. Caelum was still trying to get used to the simple crown that sat on Drayce's head. It wasn't fancy, just a ring of gold that rose to a point in the front. It somehow made their situation more apparent.

"The university. Chaos. I think the destruction is starting." Caelum puffed.

The blood drained from his friend's face. "When? What's happening?" He demanded. They both turned and started back down the hall.

"Hustlers, assassins, the dregs of society, are ransacking the University of Katallis." Caelum explained. "I never liked where that school was located."

The University of Katallis was located approximately where the slums and privileged districts met, symbolizing that knowledge was for everyone. It was good in theory, but not safe. Many didn't have the money for education, so the poor saw it as an insult. The school had suffered vandalism on many occasions, But nothing on this scale. These people saw themselves as the saviors to those low in society. This likely was going to start a revolution of sorts.

Drayce cursed. "Are there any Soulless?"

"Not that I've heard, thank Non. I think it's just the people. It seems that your coronation has sent the people into a new rage." Caelum said. "Shall I send soldiers down there? The constabulary is already there but I don't know how well it's going for them."

Drayce nodded thoughtfully. "Bring your most trusted men and I'll go down there myself."

***