The nocturnal bus journeyed deeper into the stygian wilderness, as the last vestiges of twilight vanished from the horizon. Through the window, Fin gazed upon the celestial expanse, speckled with countless glittering constellations. The dense, leafy foliage of the forest and jagged rocks were obscured by the enveloping darkness, rendering them indistinct and eerie.
"And that's precisely what the Deathless one is waiting for, a chance to breach the Treaty," interjected Frost, his tone sardonic.
"He wasn't the sole practitioner of magic in his generation," Samantha added, her voice reverberating with reverence and conviction, as she recounted out the tale she'd learned by heart. "There was another, a valiant champion named Radiant Storm, who was slightly older than us, but she fought valiantly against the Deathless one and we were gaining ground. Unfortunately, the Deathless one committed the most heinous act imaginable." Lowering her voice, Samantha continued, "All knew that a great battle was imminent. The good magicians had hidden their kin, children and families in a remote cavern, far from the conflict to prevent them from being used as leverage. The Deathless one discovered their refuge and instead of engaging in the fight, he went to the cave to slay them all."
Lirien picked up the story, her voice soft and mournful. "He believed them to be easy targets, mere children and the elderly, with a few parents and infants. Despite their valiant efforts to defend themselves, they were unable to defeat the Deathless one and in the end, they perished. The brutality of the act prompted the Assembly to offer a truce to the Deathless one, which he accepted."
A pall of shock descended upon the group as they processed the horrific events. "Did none of the good magicians survive?" West asked, aghast.
"Every inhabitant of Pony School resides in a state of lament," Fin muttered, feeling a sudden gratitude that he had been unable to procure sustenance at the previous rest stop. He was aware that his mother had perished, and even cognizant of the fact that she had fallen in battle. Yet, he had never been apprised of the specifics.
"Pardon?" Samantha spun towards him, her countenance alight with frigid anger. "What did you utter?"
"Nothing of import," Fin retorted, crossing his arms as he leaned back. From Samantha's expression, he deduced that he had overstepped.
"Your nonchalance is astonishing. Your mother was among the casualties of the Cold Massacre, and you jest about her sacrifice? You place blame on the Mages, instead of the Deathless One."
Fin averted his gaze, his cheeks flushing with shame. He felt remorseful for his words, yet simultaneously frustrated. He believed that he should have been informed of these details by his father.
"If your mother fell during the engagement on the mountain, where were you?" Lirien interjected, her efforts to reconcile evident. Her hair was still disheveled from her fall at the Trial, and a small portion was charred.
"I was in a hospital," Fin replied. "My legs were malformed from birth, and I was undergoing surgery. I suppose she should have simply remained in the hospital's waiting room, even if the coffee was unpalatable." It was a common occurrence for Fin to be unable to restrain his words when upset.
"You are a dishonor," Samantha sneered, no longer the restrained and composed girl she had been during the Trial. Her eyes blazed with anger. "Many of the legacy students at the Memora have relatives who fell on the mountain. If you persist with your insensitive discourse, someone will inevitably subdue you in an underground pool, and there will be no condolences, including mine."
"Samantha," Lance interjected. "We are all members of the same apprentice cohort. Show him mercy. His mother has passed, and he is entitled to feel however he desires."
"My great-aunt also perished there," Lirien added. "My parents frequently mention her, but I never had the privilege of knowing her. I am not angry with you, Fin. I merely regret that this happened to any of us."
"Well, I am irate," declared Blake, a tall individual with curly dark hair, who was adorned in a T-shirt featuring a skull with a green grin. Fin felt a twinge of remorse at Blake and Lirien's presence, until Samantha ardently addressed Lance, "But it seems as though he is indifferent. Those individuals were revered."
"No, they were not," Fin retorted before Lance could respond, "They were casualties. They perished due to the perils of magic, and there is no rectification. Not even through the agency of the Deathless One, correct?"
A stunned hush descended upon the group, causing even those engaged in separate conversations to turn and stare at Fin. His father had held other mages responsible for his mother's demise and Fin trusted his father, but with everyone's gaze upon him, he was unsure of his stance. The quiet was only disturbed by the cacophony of Master Eldritch's snores as the bus veered onto a rough dirt road.
Lirien whispered, "I have heard rumors of dark-ridden beasts in proximity to the school, stemming from the Deathless One's experiments."
"Like horses?" West queried.
"I sincerely hope not," Samantha shuddered. West appeared disheartened.
"You would not desire a dark-ridden horse, even if offered one. These creatures are the Deathless One's lackeys, infused with a fragment of the void, rendering them more intelligent than normal animals but also bloodthirsty and erratic. Only the Deathless One or his servants have the capability to control them," Beth explained.
"So, they are similar to zombie horses under evil possession?" West asked.
"Not exactly. You can distinguish them by their eyes. Their eyes shimmer with pale colors, but they look normal. That is the frightening aspect," Beth added.
"I hope we don't have to venture outside much," she concluded.
"I do," Samantha declared, "I hope to learn how to identify and eliminate them. That is my desire."
"Oh, yes," Fin murmured in disdain. "I'm the madman here. Nothing to fret about at the infamous Memora. The nefarious equine academy awaits our arrival."
But Samantha was not heeding his words. She was leaning forward in her seat, attentive to Lirien's speech, as she related, "I've heard whispers of a novel form of dark-ridden entity, where the distinguishment is not apparent through the eyes. The subject is unaware of its own infested state until controlled by the Deathless one. So, in essence, even your feline companion could be a spy, observing your every move,"
The bus abruptly came to a halt. For a moment, Fin considered the possibility of another pitstop, but then Master Zoltar stood up, announcing, "We have reached our destination. Kindly disembark from the vehicle in an organized manner." And for a fleeting instant, everything appeared to be routine, as if Fin was merely embarking on a school excursion. Students gathered their luggage and equipment, hurrying towards the front of the bus. Fin stepped off the bus just after Lance, and as he had no baggage to retrieve, he was the first to truly take a moment to survey his surroundings.