Third week of February, Royal Guard tower. The three legendary mages and Margareth were in Otrera's Office in the sofa area, they seemed to be analyzing some information about Madame Stroika's movement.
– The students are taking that placement test today, the weeks went by in a hurry. – Commented Margareth without losing focus on the transcribed reports from the memory of Ha'tse that Taurus and Cancer got.
– I used to love these tests. – Morrigan commented without taking his eyes off the profiles he was analyzing.
– Of course, you always got A+. – Laughed Edward who analyzed some reports.
– These kids do a very good job, it makes our job a lot easier. – Said Otrera leafing through one of the physical reports.
They were there in this dynamic of analysis and conversation and then Nora walked into the room and seemed to bring some papers with her.
– Mrs. Morrigan, here are the reports on how the prisoners are reacting to your experiments… Mr. Edward, here are the costs you had asked me to find out to send a team to Kalaria, budget approved by the way… Ms. Otrera here are the reports you requested on recovery about our agents who were attacked in Kalabu in the north of the Mávro continent. – Said Nora delivering the required reports.
– Thank you so much Nora, very efficient. – Morrigan thanked, who took a look at the report and saw that it was a very well done report.
– Thanks pretty, everything in order, I'm going to talk to Alister to dispatch them. – Edward said with a smile.
– Delayed! – Said Otrera dry.
– Understood madam! – Nora said humbly.
– See if you do your job right. – Said Otrera.
– Oh no! Otrera let's get this over with... Nora is doing an excellent job, and the last five combat missions she accomplished with flying colors and managed to bring back the targets she asked for... Ethan ended up letting Ha'tse die and you just gave a warning and even gave him tips... You've just been messing around with the girl. – Edward interceded.
– Eddy is right, you have been hard on the girl. – Margaret said.
– She just has to do the job right, Astaroth… – began Otrera.
– Otrera, that's enough, she's not Astaroth... You and Nora need to talk and get right, and now... Chainbox Cage. – Conjured Margareth who sent an Otrera and Nora to a cage dimension made by extradimensional chains.
– You know she'll come back possessed, right? – Morrigan laughed.
– I know… But it was necessary, it was getting out of hand. – Margareth said.
– It's just that these two are right. – Laughed Edward who goes back to reading his reports.
– You know what, I'm getting out of here, because I don't want to be in her sight when she comes back. – Morrigan said elegantly leaving the room with her documents.
– I agree... I won't risk it, I'm going back to BA. – Margareth said leaving the room.
– And I'll see if Alister and Ethan need help, I'd rather face Ethan's jealousy of me near "Ali", than Otrera's anger. – Edward said, swallowing and leaving the room.
***
Margareth's extradimensional chain cage, was a series of chains that mold themselves into the shape of a cage, in addition to more chains that looked like they were the ones that held the cage in the air in the middle of a black space, it was a 60m2 cage. The two were sitting next to each other.
– I haven't come to this place since I got detention at Belladona Academy. – Laughed Otrera.
– Hard to imagine you in detention. – Nora said.
– Me, Morrigan and Edward were always getting into trouble, how we weren't expelled I don't know. – laughed Otrera lighting a cigarette. – And you, were you never grounded here? –
– Never, I graduated from the academy with top grades and without any detention or even complaints. – Nora said. – Why do you hate me so much? Since you arrived you've only mistreated me, and I have you as my hero. –
– I know I've been a bitch, you don't deserve me to treat you like that, I don't know how you didn't slap me. – Laughed Otrera.
– Because would you probably slap me and I would go around the planet? – Nora suggested.
– Possible. – Otrera replied giving another drink.
– Look, I know I'm no Astaroth... And I never intended to try that, and you're always so hostile. – Nora said.
– I know you don't want to... The problem is me, I'm very attached to the past, everyone talks about my fame and my achievements, but I had many frustrations. – Said Otrera.
– His death? – Nora guessed.
– Yes… He was so strong, so powerful, but even so he died, I didn't just lose my master, I lost the love of my life. – Commented Otrera crying a little.
– You two… – Nora said, joining the dots.
– Yes, we fell in love during my training, we were discreet about our relationship, but the master mages knew, my teammates understood our love, even Eddy who was in love with me, it hurts me to this day how much I did he suffer. – Said Otrera.
– Seeing someone else in the position, especially someone so weak, bothers you, right? – Nora guessed.
– Weak? Girl you're anything but weak, you have skills and fulfill missions alone like me, Mor and Eddy could do, not to mention that you're too young to want to be at Astaroth's level, you get there one day, you have the potential. – Laughed Otrera.
– So you think I have talent? – Nora asked.
– For sure. – Said Otrera already on the second cigarette.
– You know, since I was young, and especially between my 12-17 years old you three were my world, your exploits on the battlefield were impressive and legendary, you did impossible things, I always wanted to be like you three... In the academy I tried to be like you, I graduated a year after the end of the war, I did some field missions, but I wasn't lucky enough to be in the same fields as you, when the news of the death of Astaroth arrived at the Academy, we were all heartbroken. – Nora said, reminiscing about the past and how those years were for her.
– I honestly still don't believe that I'm an inspiration to so many people... I honestly don't wish this life for anyone, it was suffered, it was difficult missions, we didn't know if we would live or die, we forged ourselves in battle, always for the benefit of Celestia, and there Astaroth guiding us, helping us to understand the weight of the duty, and we became the mages he trained us to be, but it costed us so much. – Said Otrera, crying remembering not only Astaroth, but all the colleagues he lost.
– I wonder how hard it must have been, I saw your glory, but no pain to get it all... But everyone wanted, wanted to be like Twelve's Ace, Twelve's Shadow Master and Twelve's Stormy... Between us, what's the real reason you bother with me then in office? – Nora asked.
– The reason I'm so bothered is the frustration of the two people I wanted them to have in this position not being... I got pregnant in the war, I was 25 years old, it was about two and a half years until the end of the war, was three months pregnant, by my calculations she would be born in time to be a Gemini, meaning she would be eligible for Gemini's master mage, yes, she was a girl... But I lost the child, Madame Stroika made me lose my child, I was hoping that she would grow up in a world of peace and that she would be the master mage who would represent the new era after her father retired... And the other person is my student, Astarte, when I decided that I would come back, I wanted her to assume the position of her brother, she is also Gemini, but when I saw, the position was already occupied... I forgot that the positions of master mages are destined, I was the one who was deluded. – Said Otrera reflective.
– I see… I know I'm not the one you wanted in the position, but know that I'll always give my blood and life for Celestia, always. – Nora said.
– Spoke just like him. – Said Otrera smiling. – In part my anxiety is also because I'm in his position too, he was the Grand Master, I'm afraid I'm not as good as him. –
– I don't know what he was like as a Grand Master, but you're doing an excellent job, doing everything you can, and that's what matters… You can count on me, always. – Nora smiled.
– Thank you so much, and I'm sorry for treating you so badly. – Said Otrera hugging Nora.
– It's OK! – Nora said that now she understood better Otrera and her past.
The cage dimension dissolved and then they were back to Otrera's room, now it was empty, the three who were there knew they would hear a good word from Otrera when they got back and took off.
– Apparently they've already gone far from my room because they know they'll be in seriously danger. – Laughed Otrera.
– Well, I have to get going, I have some things to settle before my next mission. – Nora said to leave with a smile on her face.
– Go there, and remember, you are an amazing master mage, regardless of what I say ... You need to know your worth. – Said Otrera with a welcoming smile.
That experience had been enriching for both, Otrera finally understood that she shouldn't get so attached to the past, that things change, generations change and with them totally new and different people, they could even retain some similar traits, but it was a new generation with new talents and personalities. Nora learned more about heroes, their lives are not always as happy and easy as they seem, she saw and heard the glories, now she knew a little more about the pains, sufferings and losses. Now Nora understood that things were much more complicated, but Otrera also learned that the new mage masters had no responsibility to the old ones, they had to be themselves, not a reflection of their past comrades. Now the 12 master mages could relate better, there was greater harmony between them, especially between Otrera and Nora, the past and the present were balanced opening up wings for a better future.