Only The Beginning

Reckless

       Olive turned sharply, her breath catching as the voice echoed through the chamber. The air felt heavy, full with the unspoken tension of what she had just witnessed.

"I... I don't know what to think," Olive admitted softly. She clutched her hands together to steady them, the memory of the black orb and Isadora's impassioned words still vivid in her mind. "She truly believed she was doing something good. But the power... it felt wrong. Corrupted, even. She was inhaling painful emotions"

"She was." A new voice, a man, came from the portraits, "It appears the rumors are true, you have completed the third trial."

"Yes, you must be Professor Bakar."

"I am. I didn't expect you to be so young."

Professor Fig cleared his throat, "While she may be young, Olive has more than proven herself. Given your shock it tells me you haven't had many other options."

The portrait of San Bakar narrowed his eyes a little at Fig, "I appreciate your confidence in your student, Professor, however this will take some serious consideration."

Olive felt herself get hot with anger, she was tired of waiting, "We don't have time for considerations! Ranrok is moving faster as we speak, and it will soon be too late unless you all finally decide to trust me!"

"I can assure you that your outbursts are not making me any more convinced. Leave us, I must discuss with the Keepers." The portraits went silent; the conversation was over.

Fig tapped her arm lightly, encouraging her to walk in the other direction, "Seems like we'll have to wait, no matter how much neither of us like it." He smiled softly "Let's go and have a cup of tea."

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Olive always felt so at ease in Fig's office; it was the closest thing she'd felt to home. "So, you mentioned Isadora was inhaling emotions?"

She shuddered as she remembered the feeling, "Yes, she had been taking painful memories without permission from people, not just her father. She took them from Professor Fitzgerald too, who knows how many others."

Fig's face turned sour, "Such a monstrous act."

"She had told Niamh that she'd found a way to encapsulate the magical traces, she was storing them in goblin silver."

He thought it over for a moment, "Do you think it has anything to do with the repositories."

"It might... I haven't had the chance to tell you until now, but Ranrok is digging at locations tied to 5 names he found in the journals of a goblin metalworker named Bragbor. The four keepers and Isadora, that is how he's been one step ahead of us the entire time." Olive absentmindedly stirred the spoon in her tea, "Gringotts, the tower and now Rookwood Castle. I just don't know where he's headed next, but I'm sure the keepers do."

Professor Fig topped off her cup to keep it warm, "I've never known you as one to follow the rules," He had a twinkle in his eye, "Perhaps we should keep an eye on Ranrok, he's not very good at keeping his movements secret, almost as if he's setting off fireworks every time."

Olive cracked a smile at his attempt at a joke, "Maybe I'll hear from Lodgok soon, I hope he's alright."

"I'm sure he's okay." It was silent for a moment as they both felt the weight their missions consume them, "Would you humor an old man with a game of wizard's chess? I think we could both use some joy."

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Olive wiped the sweat from her brow as she worked on her chomping cabbages, had to keep a vigilant eye or you might lose a finger. She heard Milo, her owl, chirping from the main room, she brushed off the dirt as she got up to investigate. He sat atop a chair with a letter hanging from his leg, she eyed it curiously, noticing the familiar scrawl right away.