Inner Discord

Chapter 11

Firstly we just stood there, astonished.

Secondly I freaked out. I did not know if it was laughter because of something as stupid as that letter, and that Aphron would bother doing that,  or anger that had caused this. 'Really, I have to use my magic and can't break anything?! That's just ridiculous! I wonder who thought up this sick joke!'

Despite seeing me in such despair, Boeithe remained strangely calm. 'So, he knew you may have teleported here. That may be because he had been observing us all that time. If that's so, he might still be doing it now. But then, why put in a letter that you must have arrived here in time if you read it when he already knows that you'll succeed with my help? It doesn't make any sense.'

I thought it over a little bit and ultimately reached the following conclusion: 'Maybe he was just stupid and thought he wouldn't reveal himself despite giving such an obvious hint.'

Boeithe looked like she did not understand what I was saying. 'If you say that, then you're the idiot. I think you probably will have noticed that this Aphron guy can't possibly be dumb because he managed to get a function like that in the secret agency of the Kallistoi?'

I immediately knew an argument to counter hers. 'Why would the agency care about having someone smart in that position? I understand that the leader has to know at least a little bit about his environments, but the third-in-rank might as well just be some bruiser they picked up from the street who's pretending to be smart. Or maybe that guy is just someone from a family whom the first-in-rank owes a lot of money to.'

'I don't know. I feel like this is some kind of test, not only to test how you use your magic and how fast you can get a hold of things, but also to find your true intelligence. I think maybe there's some hint in the letter or around the building that might indicate what we're supposed to do.'

I looked at the letter, not sure what to expect, but the only thing I saw was text that must have been written by someone who clearly is not the smartest one on the world. 'If you think so, then please tell me what that would be?'

Boeithe first stared at the letters a few minutes, and then brought it slowly to her eye. It seemed she was studying it thoroughly. As she went on with analyzing things I probably could not ever understand, I decided to investigate the building. 'While you take a closer look at the letter, I'll be off doing my part.'

I did not even think she heard me. Boeithe must have discovered something very interesting inside that cursed letter, for all she saw was that stupid thing, nothing from the outside world seemed to be able to reach her.

It looked like nothing that could be of much use was showing itself on the building. The only thing I saw were those same, plain, grey, ugly walls. However, I have to admit I had hopes enough to find anything that my eye fell on something that could not be of any importance. It was a strange crack in the wall, circular, with a drawing in charcoal around it. Looking at it more closely, I realized it being the universal symbol of magic, a beautiful combination of a pentagram, hexagram and heptagram. The radiuses of their circumscribing circle were of different length, rendering everything even prettier. Little time I just sat there while staring at the mastery of the art. Then I just continued.

The moment she saw me, Boeithe jumped up in excitement. 'Brother, I found an amazing hint in this letter! I think this was what Aphron wanted us to figure out!'

I was set on fire by her excitement, and all too enthusiastic myself I screamed: 'Tell me, you needn't hold back!'

'Well, observe this middle part: he tells you to get inside the building. The only thing you can use is your magic. You're not allowed to break anything. You have to find your room, get inside and outside it.'

I had no idea why this was important. 'Well, go on, although I do not grasp why this is important.'

'You'll notice that fast enough. There's no need to rush things. Let's first take a look at your previous assignment.'

Huh? What had that to do with this? Probably because of the astonished look on my face, she continued: 'You spent some hours in which you were unable to use magic as you wanted. You were allowed to use only your magic for that task. There you have something similar. And then something that looks of zero importance, me being bullied by that stupid, happens, and you make infinite progress. That was when you got inside the building: you made the first step to be able to succeed.'

I thought you could see it like that, but also that there was little chance Aphron would have put that much thought into it.

'Then you collected the arguria, you got inside the room, you made the second step.'

I finally started to see where this was going.

'And ultimately, you weren't able to complete the final step, getting outside it, and needed help.'

'Okay, go on.'

''So, I think the message is this: do exactly what you did before.'

'How would I do that?!'

'First, look for something that seems of no importance.'

I had to think of the drawing, and gesticulated to her I knew where to find it.

'Then, use earth magic on it.'

'You're really going about this like it's exactly what we have to do, right?'

Ignoring me, Boeithe just continued: 'Then we have to use teleportation magic. 'Cause, did this letter ever say you're not allowed to put off the anti-teleportation screen?'

'No, so I wouldn't break the rules doing that... But wait, what's the guarantee this is going to work?'

'Do you have a better idea?'

'No. Let's get going then!'