Fragments of Alchemy: The Code Breaker

Chapter Two ~ The Meeting in the Chamber of Trials ~ Part I

'Good morning, and thank you for giving up your Sunday morning to attend this meeting,' the Amaranthine Magister said, her voice carrying over the gigantic room with the aid of a Reverberation Conversion. 'I am Aurora Boreas of the Amaranthine Fragment, one of the seven Magisters of Blackthorn and Burtree.' She wore purple robes, signifying that she was of the highest Fragment, and therefore, the leader of the Magisters. By her side, a pactua who was part owl part leopard, sat on the floor swishing her tail calmly.

'I am joined by my fellow Magister Gregorio Giovanni of the Cerulean Fragment.' Magister Boreas pointed to the man in the indigo robes who had the ridiculous fashion sense to shave his facial hair into a handlebar moustache and a soul patch. Every time Chadwick saw him, he couldn't help but smirk and snort a little laugh. On the Magister's shoulder sat a beautiful lagonidae. The brilliant Chimaera was half cockatiel, half lizard.

'Kalma Hollunder of the Viridian Fragment.' Magister Boreas gestured to the old grandmotherly lady in green. The Magister had short greying curls on her head. On her shoulder sat a black noctigris like Chadwick's mother's. Seeing the Chimaera reminded him of his mum, and he frowned at the reminder that his parents had left him here alone.

'Gelsey Gold of the Effervescent Fragment,' Magister Boreas said. The lady in orange raised her hand, which had an Insignia ring on every finger and a few bracelets with Conversion Circles as well. She also wore several necklaces, chokers, and earrings, all with Conversion Circles engraved on them. Almost as if to match the brilliance of all the Alchemist's jewellery, her Chimaera was a brilliant butterfly-chameleon with shimmery colour-changing wings and a curling tail that she was currently using to hold onto her Alchemist's arm. The pacerta was truly a marvellous sight.

'Eostar Finrod of the Aurulent Fragment,' Aurora said as she gestured to the man in yellow robes. At his feet stood a black panther with bat wings. Chadwick couldn't remember what the Chimaera was called, but it was certainly a ferocious sight. In contrast, Eostar looked like he couldn't harm a fly. He was a rather round man with yellow hair to match the colour of his robes.

'Thomas Alder of the Azure Fragment,' Magister Boreas said, and Todd's father raised his hand. Seeing the Magister reminded Chadwick about how Todd had died yesterday in the Shadow Mansion. One second the twat had been insulting him, and the next he was dead. It made Chadwick feel bad for calling him Talder. The Magister had the same white-blond hair and blue eyes as his deceased son.

'And Sora Soma of the Cardinal Fragment,' Boreas finished, pointing to the Asian lady in red robes. Her black hair contrasted with her snow-white skin, which Chadwick always assumed was the result of some Viridian Illusion Conversion. He wondered for probably the tenth time what sort of Chimaera that Magister had. Whatever it was, she always kept it hidden away.

Movement across the gargantuan circular room caught Chadwick's eye, and he looked straight across from where he sat; it was his best mate Charlie waving at him from his seat across the room. Chadwick held his hand up and smiled despite how morose he felt over everything that was happening. All it took was a best mate to remind him that life wasn't all bad.

Chadwick couldn't wait to sit down with Charlie and fill him in on all that had happened since the last time they'd hung out: How he'd been kidnapped by Ruis Pethboc. (A man who no one would have ever suspected of being a Shadow Spy.) How he'd been held prisoner in the Breaker's secret Shadow Mansion. (Everyone knew of the mansion. Parents often frightened their children into behaving by threatening to send them to the Shadow Mansion if they did not behave.) And especially, he couldn't wait to tell all about his Joint Trial and Advancement, and how he'd met his new Protégé, Althea Presten.

'For ages, the Council of Magisters has worked alongside the Keeper of the Code to run the halls of Blackthorn and Burtree,' Magister Boreas continued speaking to the large group of Alchemists and Chemists. 'We come to you this morning to share dismal tidings. The Keeper and his Animarum have left Blackthorn.'