The meal was superb but I wasn't given a chance to digest it all. I was pulled by Cellon and Ren to a meeting. But I wasn't informed what it is about.
So now I found myself sitting with a group of old mages. I knew they are all strong mages since they sit with Amalric and I can feel the hum of magic around me. I don't know how I know, but I just felt it is.
I am with the Council of the Mages.
Ren whispered, "Just answer the questions truthfully, okay?"
I nodded, slightly shaking because I really don't know what they'll be asking me. I hope it won't be too personal.
Amalric stood, then everyone stood. I followed suit, I don't want to stand out more.
When he sat, everyone sat down too. Okay this is such a hassle protocol.
"Now," Amalric said in a booming voice. "We should first talk about the Manticore attack in the city."
"It never happened before!" exclaimed one chubby man. "How did a Manticore reach there, Great One?"
Amalric sighed, "I still have no idea. But I can think of one possibility - they may have sensed a new budding mage."
There was full of exclamatory and shocked reactions. Ren grabbed my hand hard. I looked at him. He was looking at me, his eyes full of concern and something else.
"Nina," I was pulled out of my thoughts when he said my name. I gulped, feeling the tingling sensation where his hand touched my skin.
Cellon nudged Ren, which brought us back to reality. I looked down, heart beating really fast. What was that?
"How did you reach that conclusion, Amalric?" the woman with Amalric last night asked to break the shock.
"Remember the first appearance of the monsters?"
"The sphinx?" Ren replied.
"Yes," Amalric replied. "You were there, right? It was the day you activated your magic, right?"
Ren paled but replied, "Yes."
"Then, when the next sphinx appeared, it was near where two mages were activating their magic."
"But in a human city?" an ugly man said. Okay, I'm such a judgmental person.
"We only activate our magic inside Agrissi!" the ugly man continued.
"Yes, but there are others who do not realize their heritage. Too many mages activated theirs with humans. Even Amalric here did too!" the beautiful woman from last night, okay I'll just name her Cindy, short for Cinderella. Describing her that way takes too much time.
I noticed that it was only her that addressed Amalric with his name. I should ask that to Cellon or Ren later.
"Then," the chubby man said, treading carefully. "Did you find out who that mage is?"
"Yes, she's here with us."
All eyes turned to me.
"So that's why we have an unknown person here," the ugly one said with disgust.
Amalric's aura flared, very visible to us all that the ugly one cowered in fear. "I do not have a member in the Council who considers mages born not from a magical lineage filthy or anything of the like. Everyone of us should consider them as one with us."
He cowered even more. The blacks of Amalric's eyes grew larger until it covered his whole eyes. This old man is damn scary. I shouldn't ever, ever trouble him.
"She looks like Oborin," the oldest one in the room said, breaking the tension.
"Indeed," Amalric said. I noticed he was back to his usual self. There wasn't even a trace of that scary aura from him now.
"Tell me, child. What happened that day?"
I gulped, should I tell them what really happened to me? But Ren said I should answer them truthfully. Maybe it was really me activating my magic. Okay, here goes.
So I dived down to the story starting from the crash, then to my dream, then to the fight. I felt my throat drying up, which is unusual since I am used to talking nonstop. This is something new, maybe I'm just nervous now.
After my recap, everyone took their silence, comtemplating and digesting everything I said. Finally, the oldest one, Grandpa, said, "Show me your Grandpa."
"But I -" Before I could finish, a thin wisp of light came out of my mind and expanded in the center of the room. In it was a scene I have always missed, Grandpa Bo sparring with me.
Ren whispered, "Memory magic."
"Is this your Grandpa?" The Grandpa said.
"Yes."
"It is Oborin!" Amalric exclaimed. "So that's where he hid. No wonder we couldn't find him. He wasn't even in Agrissi!"
"But how is her magic activating only now?" the chubby, Chubs, said.
Grandpa swiped his hand, and the scene moved and changed into where he was holding a cute baby girl, probably me.
He raised his hand and a red light shone.
"Sealing magic!" everyone exclaimed, making me jump in my seat.
"Why would he seal it?"