Two Hearts Diverged

The Power of Choice

The crackling roll of thunder exploded across the sky in dark valley etched into the land between two tall mountains. A heavy wind almost bent the strong pine trees sideways as it traveled down the slopes and across the stony ground of the Vergesson Sanatorium as Alfur cautiously picked his way across the yard. He wished he didn't have to be going alone. As much as he'd spent the majority of his life looking up to and studying everything that this man had done, to be one on one in his own home sent a chill down his spine. What had he done to earn so much extra attention from Trent Ikithon?

In the last few years at the Halls of Erudition he'd studied as hard as he could. He would split his time between school, helping his parents, and visiting Basil's family and watching Ginny whenever he could. In class he asked questions, aced exams, and had quickly fought his way to the top, even from among the kids who had been lucky enough to go to the Academy their entire lives. He liked seeing their disappointed faces as lowly merchant's son was called first for his grades and asked questions that were far past the level of the others. He was proud of it, but of course, a piece of him knew that if Basil had been there it would be him instead. IF he'd been there. But he wasn't.

Towards the end of his second year he'd started being called into Trent's office more and more. He'd talked about politics, the Arcane, traditions, the impending war, and anything else that was thrown at him from behind the impressive oak desk that Trent sat at with his hands folded intently and his eyes flashing in the firelight. At first he'd wanted to vomit, his hero? Inviting him in? Impossible. But then he'd grown used to it and Trent had promised him a future and he had no reason to refuse. Much to his parent's chagrin, he left the rest of his class for more elite training in the arcane and soon found himself at the top of that.

As he walked, he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket. His fingers brushed against a crumpled envelope and he scowled at the path in front of him. He was never supposed to be doing this alone. He'd recently received a letter from Basil, the one person who he thought he'd known best, that had sent chills down his spine. As much as he hated to admit it, he shouldn't be surprised when the first letter he'd received had been a confusing account about how there was no way the Krynn could logically be cannibals. From there it had been one let down after the next until his latest letter about the Cerberus Assembly. Basil had written that Trent was a liar but there was no way. The man who had given him so much would never lie to his students. Basil was wrong.

He stepped cautiously up the wooden stairs of a large estate house and hovered in front of the imposing wooden door. He hesitated before bringing his hand up to knock then slammed his knuckles against the dark smooth panels.

The door was answered quickly by a half elf with long dark hair pulled back into a braid, she was draped in a long leather duster with red trim that had been fixed recently and scuffs and dirt were visible across the surface.

Her cold blue eyes looked him up and down quickly, "Lord Ikithon said he was expecting a student, I assume that's you?" She stood a few inches taller than him and raised an annoyed eyebrow as she looked down her nose.

"Yes." Alfur forced the words out and tried to match her confidence. He was invited and he'd sat with Trent tons of times, there was no reason to be a coward now. Trent would never hurt him. Unlike some people. He pulled his other hand out of his pocket and stood a little taller.

She didn't respond but smirked at his shift in demeanor. She turned around and nodded for him to follow her inside.

The outside of the house had been a poor indicator of what to expect on the inside. The dreary exterior surrounded by slightly unkempt plants was a poor match for the intricate expanse of carpets and wooden shelves lined with books and objects that all seemed foreign and mysterious. One quick scan of the foyer alone was a reminder that Trent Ikithon was the most powerful man in the empire and that Alfur was just the son of a sub par merchant who happened to be good at magic.