Mage

Decima

Peace had straightened out a lot of aspects of everyday life. For one thing, more and more people were interested in education and the development of ideas. Howan thinks we're entering a golden age.

But if the golden age meant that I had to stay in late for 5 days in a row because some student keeps scorching my meticulously cared for bookshelves with fire magic, then we can go back to war.

Halfway through today's ash marks I just gave up and placed a tapestry over it, I could deal with it tomorrow afternoon.

I rushed to the stables of the library and untied Raymond, mounting him quickly and taking off to Kyan's lab.

She had only just moved into it a month ago when she graduated, but already she was busy. As her sister she let me come right in and I put my satchel on a hook on the wall.

"There's my little alchemist!" I said, watching Kyan hunched over some complex instrument, writing things down on some parchment.

"The potion is in the cabinet, I put it in a yellow bottle this time," she said, not looking up from her work.

I grabbed the potion and put it in my bag, wandering over to her, "It's getting late Kyan, you should have the line disbanded outside, people are really piling up."

"Can you ask Lyal to do that? I want to finish this before I pack up."

"You have too many customers, Kyan, and you work too much. You should really take more time for yourself," I told her, grabbing my bag, "I'm sure your girlfriend would appreciate it."

"First of all, you know Rhosyn and I get midday meal together every day, and second of all, this is for Rinn actually. I think I found a way to get rid of his nightmares for good, it's very preliminary right now, and I need to run more tests to be sure."

"Wait, really?"

"Yes," she finally looked up, "Now go on, bring it to him, he should be well-rested for tomorrow."

"Right, of course, thank you, Kyan, you're amazing as always," I told her on my way out.

"I know I am," I heard her say.

I rode my way towards the north part of town where the dome stood and tied my horse to the designated post. The guards didn't even say anything or bat an eye as they moved the enchantments around the door to let me through, I did come here practically every day.

During the beginning of his sentence, Rinn started having nightmares, a side effect from the magic corruption. He was fully healed, but this was something that current medicine couldn't fix. Kyan's new girlfriend had helped her heal and encouraged her to start working on a potion to heal him and applying herself to doing what she does best helped her forgive him. her first potion recipe only worked temporarily, and so someone was needed to deliver it to Rinn every day.

When Kyan became busier, I took over for her, and it was a few months ago when I saw Rinn for the first time after his sentencing.

It was hard to see him at first, and we didn't get very long to talk, so we traded letters. After a few weeks my other siblings joined in and we rotated days to bring him his potion, giving each of us the opportunity to see him and slowly understand him better.

I couldn't pinpoint the moment when I realized I forgave him; it was something that came subtly and probably in the words of the letters that lay in a box under his bed and stacked on a shelf in my room. We still have plenty of things to work through, and it definitely isn't going to be easy, but my heart ached to try.