Flames of Ashes

Chapter Twenty-three. Arcana.

"Man sharpens his blade not for beasts, but for the shadows he casts on his own kind."~Tadvakiq

***
The minute we got back to school, Celia and I went to search for Auron. According to her, the Legions were having a sparring match and Auron was going to be there, so we had a few moments before we had the meeting ordered by the garrison about what was currently going on in Caramat and apparently other kingdoms.
"Are you certain that he is going to be there?"
"My waters never run dry or flow otherwise."
"Celia."
"Have I ever given you fake information?" She hooked her arm in mine trying to slow down her pace to keep up with me.

"This war will claim thousands of lives on both sides, immocent and otherwise."
"If this is your way of asking me whose side I am on then be pleased to know that I am on the winning side and you and I both know that a war is not as simple as picking sides." We were already past the forest and approaching the tower of the Legion. "The fighting part is important but some would argue that the whispers take more precedence." Scheming, lying and betraying all arts of winning a war and I loathed every piece of it.

Crystal kingdom was divided into two factions at this very moment: The Jebizites and The Herodites. Last I heard from Drake, the Jebizites, Celia's part of the kingdom, were backing Persidia and the latter supported the Crown.
"And did those whispers convince the other Kingdoms to oblige to your cause?" She glanced at me with a slight smile. "Curious little cat, aren't you? Northernburg is neutral, some say they want the Crown for themselves while the Quinns support the Dragon's bane."
I pressed my lips, staring at my hands.
"You have reservations." She remarked and I shook my head but she countered, "When you are unsure or you feel guilty you gaze at your hands, so what are they?" I glanced at her sideways but still chose to answer.

"How are you sure that the Quinns still have your back if those whispers might have died down?" When she did not respond I carried on, "humans are fickle especially when it comes to power. If you do not continuing feeding them they would start to get hungry and if your opponents find out that they hunger, they start their talks and it would filter into their ears."
"Hmm. However, Quinoha owes Persidia a great deal, so they would think twice before betraying their benefactor."
"And you know all of this because?"
"Because my dear friend, as a Wyn you must have heard the phrase, 'Knowledge is power'" If knowledge was power, power was power. She nuzzled closer to me and we finally arrived at the Legion fields.

Only one tall building stood before the vast fields. The fields were not as vast as the one on our side. There was a considerable amount of people gathered watching my brother Auron fight with someone else, shirtless and we went to join the crowd. Both their sweats glimmered, with Auron's brown hair watering the fields as he moved in for another fatal blow.
"The gods have blessed my eyes with such a pleasing sight!" Celia sighed, grinning like a fool.
"Celia! That is my brother!" Zarir was leaner but Auron was bigger and had more muscles all over him. Who would win a fight between the two?
"I know. Lucky you." Anyone else would have said that and I would not mind but Celia was from Crystal and it was an open secret that Crytsalites practiced incest.
"Stop looking at me like that." She frowned.
"Like what?"
"All righteous and vindictive"
"Eldor's breath I am not!"

"What is the point of having a brother if he doesn't turn you into a woman?" My mouth became agape at her words.
"Yes, yes, I know what you are about to say: 'the Eldergods' wrath and the lesser deities scorn befall you and your iniquities'"
"I was not about to say that and you know the Holy Text?"
"I do. Who doesn't? I'm guessing you because you've never once taken their name, yet you and the gods act so similar."
"Do not compare me to them."
"I am not. I'm just stating a fact. Why don't you believe in them? The gods have a plan for everyone."
"Have you ever thought that maybe the gods use all of us as a means of entertainment, and they might not have any clue as to what they are doing with our lives?" I winced when Auron took a blow to the jaw, but he shook it off like it was nothing and gave a more lethal blow to his opponent and he landed on the floor, and any attempt to stand up was met with Auron's foot pressing his head to the ground. Finally he yielded.