1217-01-17
I walk through the halls of Themaion, a massive, warm building alive with movement. Students rush to their classes, their laughter and hurried steps echoing off the stone walls, while knights stride purposefully, their armor glinting in the light streaming through the high windows.
Every student wears the same uniform: blue and yellow adorned with the emblem of Venadoma Academy—a small yellow and blue flame nestled within a white crescent moon. The insignia is everywhere, stamped onto the shirts, skirts, pants, and even leggings we've been issued for classes.
Agatha walks beside me, her hand occasionally tugging at my sleeve to keep me from drifting off course as we weave through the crowded halls.
"Hurry up!" she says, nudging me forward.
We finally reach our classroom, a massive space designed to hold hundreds of students. The seating is arranged in tiers, each row slightly higher than the one in front, allowing those at the top to look down over everyone below.
The professor isn't here yet. His desk sits in the corner near the wall, and the words "Professor Matthew" are scrawled across the board in bold white letters.
Agatha and I take our seats next to Jay, who greets us with a broad smile.
"Hey," he says warmly. "Do you have a pencil?"
"Yeah, I think so," I reply, rummaging through the small blue bag we've been given for our supplies. I pull out a pencil and hand it to him.
"Thanks—"
"History!" a voice calls out, stepping into the room with a stack of books in his arms.
"History is important in your lives and the lives of the people," the professor said, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the class.
The once-loud orchestra of voices settled into a quiet hum before fading entirely.
"This year, we'll study the Hundred-Year War, the Varvensi Agreement, the creation of the calendar, and the var, the universal currency."
I stiffen at the mention of these topics, curiosity bubbling inside me.
"But before we dive into those, we need to talk about the Era of Plenty, also known as…"
"The Year of Peace," one of the students interjected.
"And why is it called that?" the professor continued, a small smile playing at his lips.
"Because even Ghar was at peace," another student answered confidently.
"Correct," he replied, slamming the books onto his desk with a loud thud.
The noise startled some of us, and the silence that followed seemed to weigh on the room before he resumed.
"Now, does anyone know what happened before the Year of Peace?"
I feel a jolt of recognition. Adrian Kundra, I think to myself, my hands gripping my notebook tightly.
"The Battle of Kima!" Agatha shouted before I could gather my thoughts.
"Correct! And what happened during this battle?"
"Maranona helped Ahk," Agatha answered again, her voice firm.
"They go by Pallas now," the professor corrected gently, "but yes, that's true. Adrian Kundra, the cowardly king of Pallas, started a war with Wara—a war he couldn't finish. His ambition got the better of him."
Jay raised his hand, curiosity lighting his face. "Why did Maranona agree to help? Why would they do something for nothing in return?"
The professor paused thoughtfully. "Some believe it was due to King Milton's generosity. Without him, we wouldn't have the ability to form pacts with dragons."
"How?" another student called out.
"A dragon of white brilliance came to King Milton and offered its assistance. That was the start of dragon pacts. Without him, we wouldn't have Holy Knights or the dragon alliances."
"Why did the dragon come to King Milton?" Jay asked, scribbling in his notebook.
"No one knows for certain," the professor admitted. "Many believe it was because of Milton's unwavering faith in the Supreme Dragon."
"But don't the people of Wara worship the Supreme Dragon too?"
For a moment, a flash of disgust crossed the professor's face, but he quickly composed himself.
"The heretics of Wara abused their pacts with dragons, turning these beautiful creatures of peace into tools of war. It's an abomination."
"I thought pacts could only happen if the dragon agreed?" Jay asked aloud.
"Lower dragons," the professor said, his tone tinged with disdain. "Lower dragons can pact with anyone."
"What's a lower dragon?" another student chimed in.
"Lower dragons are tied solely to elemental powers—water, ice, sand, and the like," he explained. "Holy Knights, however, form pacts with Holy Dragons of Light, direct descendants of the Supreme Dragon. They can only pact with those blessed by the king."
"What about the lion?" Jay asked.
"The lion?"
"In Of Lions and Serpents, Adrian Kundra describes how those who believe in the Lion gain its powers."
"That book is fiction," the professor scoffed. "A story written to make Adrian's failures seem noble. In reality, he lost to Wara and needed King Milton to bail him out. That's why the book—and its sequels—were outlawed."
Sequels? I thought.
Students began murmuring amongst themselves as the professor rifled through his notes, eventually pulling out a stack of papers.
"I'm going to give each of you a copy of the Varvensi Agreement. It's best you memorize it for future classes."
He ascended the steps, handing out papers to every student until one landed on my desk. I stare down at the neatly printed words, knowing they hold the key to understanding everything that came before—and everything that lies ahead.
—--------------------------------------------------
The Varvensi Agreement
Introduction:
In an effort to prevent the horrors of war, the following articles are hereby agreed upon by the nations of the world to outlaw certain weapons and inhumane actions during conflicts, for the sake of this agreement which is designed to protect human life, culture and the environment.
Article I: Ban on Dragon-Class Weapons
No country is allowed to create, store, or use Dragon-class weapons, which include any weapon that causes mass destruction through biological, or supernatural means.
Article II: No Attacks on Civilians
Attacking civilians is strictly forbidden. All military actions must clearly target enemy combatants only.
Article III: No Torture or Cruel Treatment
Embrace prisoners of war and civilians with humanity. Torture and any treatment that is cruel, inhuman or degrading is forbidden.
Article IV: Protect Cultural and Historical Sites
Cultural, religious, and historical sites must not be targeted or damaged during conflicts. These places are to be preserved regardless of the situation.
Article V: No Child Soldiers
Children under 16 years old cannot be used in any military role. Recruiting or forcing children to fight is strictly prohibited.
Article VI: Protect the Environment
Countries must not use methods of warfare that cause serious damage to the environment. This includes the use of Dragon-class weapons that harm nature on a large scale.
Article VII: No Deception in Peace Talks
Peace talks and ceasefires must be honest and fair. Countries must not lie or use trickery during negotiations.
Article VIII: Protect Medical and Aid Workers
Aid workers will be given special protections during armed conflicts in any country. This means they must not be attacked or prevented from carrying out their duties, and their facilities must not be targeted.
Article IX: International Tribunal
A special tribunal shall be established to investigate and punish those who will break the rules. All nations should work with this body to ensure that those who violate the law are prosecuted.
Article X: Accountability
Each country must see to it that these rules are observed within its borders and by its forces.
Signatories
The following countries, representing their leaders, hereby agree to the terms of the Varvensi Agreement:
MaranonaLeader: Laziel Maris
AhkLeader: Aldric Kundra
WaraLeader: Sakura Tsuri
TobeLeader: Thorne Aido
EleanorLeader: Elyra Maris
ShatarLeader: Amara Seti
UIKLeader: Flavius Marwyn
RaliLeader: Rafael Montague
TethambiaLeader:Tari Amun
Closing:
By following these articles, the signatory countries agree to make wars less destructive, more humane — preserving life, culture, and the natural world even in times of conflict.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Do any of you know why Ghar doesn't have a signature on the Varvensi Agreement?"
"Because it wasn't united under one leader at the time," I whispered to myself, but the professor quickly confirmed it.
"Correct. King Addo died years before the end of the Hundred-Year War, plunging Ghar into chaos."
"Professor?" I asked.
"Yes?"
"Do pacts count as breaking Article One?"
"That's a good question. Holy Knights do not break this rule, as they are not used in war—they are used for protection."
"If Maranona got into a war, would they be used?" Jay asked.
The professor paused for a moment, thinking. "I don't believe so, since King Milton respects these terms, even though he wasn't the one to sign it."
Speaking of which, do any of you know when it was signed?"
"It was signed on July 25, 1194, after the end of the Hundred-Year War," I piped up,.
"Correct. Do you know where?"
"Tobe, I believe."
"You'd be correct."
The bell rang.
"Thanks, everyone. Try to remember to study. See you next class."
The professor slowly left the classroom as students filtered out.
"I'll stay behind," I told Agatha.
I glanced at Jay and noticed a faint smile on his face.
"I was planning to stay behind anyway," he said, glancing back at his notes.
"It's fine. You can go," I replied.
"No," he said, shaking his head. "I'd rather leave together."
As the last of the students filed out, the classroom fell into an awkward silence, one I wasn't used to. It gave me a moment to think. Article Five and Article Six. But was that okay? Was it for our protection?
Shatar clearly violated Article One. Shatar, to the east, with its sand dragons and the Dragon of the Sun, Horace, who was never seen used in war—at least not officially. But could someone make it back from war with such a beast?
Article Four was clearly violated by Maranona, too. I thought about my home, my sister's stories of when she had fought in Tobe or UIK. Sure, it was always for our protection—but was that just an excuse? Did she get to do what she wanted? Did she enjoy her childhood? And would she regret it as the years passed?
It seemed that every country was breaking these agreements in one way or another, but who knew how seriously? If this is what we displayed, then I can only imagine what we keep hidden.