"WHAT!"
"You cannot be serious! She has been dreaming of going to the Academy since she was 10 and now you do this?" Rio sounded angry.
Nora looked disappointed but she didn't speak a word. Afterall, she hadn't spoken to him since last year,she didn't see the point of doing it now. Aunt Verina had her arms crossed and she looked furious. Uncle Vasilikios looked tensed and dad...he was rather difficult to read. His expressions were calm and that is what angered me even more. Did he not know what this would mean for me? Princess of Ethera, a magicless failure in the name of a starseed who hasn't even attended the Academy!
"Young man, might I remind you that I am not only your father but I'm also the King. You dare not take that tone with me."
"Why?" I asked with tears rolling down my cheeks "Why can't I go? Is it because I have no element?"
"Yes" he looked down as he said the word.
I started laughing "What was I thinking? Of course I couldn't go. Because if I cannot go there as a magically gifted starseed I'll have to go as a commoner and that would just be a disgrace to the family ,right? and being a royal that would make me look like a filthseed. So ,instead I'm supposed to be here and not tell the world about this. Oh, no, wait. If I become a filthseed, your heir, your Prince becomes one too! You do know what would happen to me right? The consequences!" He didn't say a word. He just looked down.
"Fine. I'm leaving." I said as I stood up and stormed out. I knew that I must have hurt them but I didn't care. I was furious.
Nora and Rio followed me back to my room where I tried to stay calm but I couldn't. I kept crying and crying and they just held my hand and tried their best to console me. It was past noon when a knock on the door interrupted our conversation. I opened it to see Aunt Verina.
"Oh good you're all here. Come, I need to show you something."
"What?" I asked.
"The real reason why Vary....King Varyon, doesn't want you to go to the Academy." said aunt Verina.
The three of us looked at each other and without asking any further questions we followed her as she took us through the hallways, the stairs and then lead us to the Dungeons. We kept walking in what seemed like a never ending Hallway which lead us to a large door. Aunt Verina unlocked the door with her keys and signaled us to enter a dark room. She asked Rio to light a flame just on his hands instead of the torches and lamps in the room.
"Don't make any loud noises. You'll wake him up." She said as she lead us in. It was a large room with a barred cage like structure in the middle. Inside was someone who looked human, but not quite. As I walked closer I saw his hands -burnt. His feet too looked burnt.
I looked at aunt inquisitively.
"We discovered him last night. He has burnt half the villages north of the capital. A starseed gone Rogue. And that isn't even the strangest part. Look at him. He looks possessed, like he isn't doing this out of his will."said Aunt Verina
"Judging by his appearance and his clothes he doesn't look Royal, he could be a filthseed." said Rio.
Aunt Verina nodded "We don't know what caused him to behave like this but none of the element masters could control him singlehandedly or find a way to kill him. It took all four of them just to contain and leash him. Fire cannot burn fireseeds but he has burn marks all over him. He isn't in his proper senses and he is killing everyone in his path. Besides, he isn't the only one. Azore, Ravaiya and other kingdoms too reported these creatures. None of them have found a way out. That's why they are holding a Royal council meet in Azore. I brought you three here because I thought you deserved to know the truth." aunt Verina said.
"What about starseeds? Is he killing them too?" Eva asked.
"He is killing especially Starseeds." said aunt.
And then it hit me.
"So that is why dad doesn't want me to go to the Academy. I'm a starseed without an element. He thinks I won't be able to protect myself if the time comes." I said.
"But that is the Academy of Shircai. The best of the best users in the world are on campus." said Rio.
"But that still doesn't make it invincible. Besides, if she is here she will be a priority. In the Academy there will be more than 2 dozen Royals. Don't even get me started about nobles." said aunt Verina.
I kept thinking and looking at the man in the cage.
What could have caused this abnormality?
"That's it. I'm going to talk to him. He can't do this again." Nora said and turned as she hit a lamp while doing so unknowingly. The lamp fell and created an echo. What followed was havoc!
The sound woke up the Burnt man .As he tried to charge towards us he hit himself on the bars of the cage. But he didn't stop there. He started throwing flames everywhere, as if in a blind rage. He was desperately trying to free himself. The four of us rushed outside as aunt Verina tried to lock the door with her element - Air. As we exited the building aunt Verina said she had to go somewhere and tried to reassure us not to worry and head straight to our rooms.
The three of us headed to our rooms in silence. I tried to get some sleep but couldn't. The events of the day kept playing on and on in my head. So I got out of bed and headed to the garden for a walk.
As I entered the garden I saw a familiar figure trying to practice with his sword.
"It's the middle of the night Maximus Pihone. Who practices in the middle of the night? And that too in the gardens" I asked.
He glanced at me and replied
"Perfectionists. Besides it's quite here"
Yes, that he definitely was. Maximus Pihone, (or Max as I called him) the son of Lord Percivious Pihone, was my closest friend. We trained together and studied together and most importantly he understood me like nobody else. Unlike the other starseeds or high ranking court officials, he never made me feel inadequate or judged me. In fact he was always there when I needed him.
"Why the long face?" he asked and I told him everything.
"So, you are giving up on your dreams of the academy? Then what is the point of me going there. I'll dropout too. We could stay here and continue our final years of education."
"That's sweet but I'm not giving up. At least I don't want to. But-"
"But you think you're father might be right in his place?" he said " I get it. I honestly do. He lost your mom and he doesn't want to lose you too. If I were in his place I would have done everything I could to protect my children , but what about the time he won't be there to protect you? What then? Shouldn't you be prepared and learn as much as you can? Besides you are Valerie. You are one of the strongest women I know. It's them who should be terrified. Think about it." He said as he got up to leave.
I thought about it. I thought a lot. And before I knew it I was headed towards dad's room. I wasn't giving up without a fight. I knocked on his door and he opened it while rubbing his eyes.
"Valerie? At this hour?" He asked.
"We need to talk."