56. Prophecy #2
That was a big burden to bear, and Aeden didn’t like the sound of it, not one bit, especially when he didn’t believe the director.
It was as if madness had taken hold of the entire room.
He had walked in freely to accept his charges and be disciplined for his actions – not to be told that they thought there was a prophecy about him and Nyra, that he was going to change the world somehow.
That was the very last thing he would have expected from this conversation.
He had come to the academy expecting to investigate the Battle of Weir and expose the secrets he believed were being hidden.
He had gotten some answers, but each new answer only led to more questions.
If Malveus was responsible for the attack on his parents, why did he wipe out the Supports?
What was his motive, and why was the Conclave complicit in hiding it?
To add to all of the secrets and mysteries, Aeden now found himself clamouring to stand beside the very academy he had every intention of bringing down.
There was a certain amount of irony in that.
“And how do we ready ourselves?” Mistress Jara said. “Our Scouts have mobilised, and I will report back as soon as I hear from them. In the meantime, what do we do?”
“Master Sorrel, I need you to help with defences for the academy,” Director Vale said.
“This means wards, barriers, and protections being in place. Master Storme, you will brief those that can fight from the Offence and Guardian classes, second years and above. For the time being, all training will be to prepare them to defend the academy and the students inside. Master Sorrel, I would invite you to do the same with the Supports.”
“Er, what about me?” Aeden asked. “What part do I play in all of this?”
“Don’t you see, boy?” Master Storme said. “You have to survive at all costs. Otherwise what was the point of all this?”
“We still do not know if an attack is imminent, but the very least we can do is be ready for one. In the meantime, you will continue your training. The bonding ceremony is imminent, and we need to focus on bonding as many riders with Aer-Kin as possible,” Director Vale said.
She looked up towards the ceiling and sighed.
“We will need as many bonded riders as possible for what is to come.”
“The gods know we will need them,” Mistress Jara said as she looked upwards as well.
“Where are the Conclave? Surely they’ll be here at any moment to shore up our defences.
” She was visibly frustrated and understandably so.
The very thought of the Conclave coming and taking Nyra away was at the forefront of Aeden’s mind, but this whole situation was potentially life or death.
“In the meantime, I would like for you to spend time with Master Ember and help him collect as much information on Nyra as possible. Any evidence that ties you to the prophecy will only strengthen our position with the Conclave and help keep her safe,” Director Vale said.
That made no sense to Aeden, because that meant the Conclave also believed in this prophecy, and that in itself was ludicrous.
“Then after this, you will carry out your punishment for the attack on Kael. We need to keep as much normality as possible without the academy falling into a blind panic. Chaos will not help anyone right now, and more than ever before, we need to make sure that the academy is ready to defend themselves when it is needed.”
Aeden didn’t like this one bit. How many lives were at risk, how many lives was his life worth? It was something that Aeden struggled with, and for a moment he had to resist the growing urge to vomit in the middle of the floor as bile rose in the back of his throat.
“I don’t like this,” Master Sorrel said.
For once, Aeden agreed with the old master .
The very least Aeden could do was be ready for an attack and make sure that he and Nyra were strong enough to help form a defence against the Sable twins.
“ Nyra, are you awake? ” he reached out through the Weave.
“ I am. I feel like I’m saying this all the time, but what’s happening? Your anxiety is going wild ,” she said.
“ I have a lot to explain to you, but that can wait until I see you at the hatchery. I just needed to know you’re okay .”
“ I am. The healers are finished with my leg. There’s a nasty-looking scar, but outside of that, there’s no permanent damage .”
A warmth reached Aeden through the Weave, like he was sitting in front of a campfire on a cold night. The sensation prickled his skin but was comforting nonetheless. It settled Aeden’s nerves, if only slightly, but it reminded him of everything that he was doing, he was doing for Nyra.
“What if we left the academy?” Aeden asked the room. It was a logical option, one he had given plenty of thought to in the past. “You know, me and Nyra. If we weren’t here, then they would have no reason to attack the academy.”
“You two wouldn’t last two days out there in the wild,” Master Storme said. “You forget that I’ve seen you in training. As good as you are in a scrap, you’re not ready for full-blown combat or survival. Besides, they likely have Scouts already monitoring.”
“Don’t be getting any ideas about fleeing,” Director Vale said.
“If something was to happen to either of you, then all of this, all the challenges we’re about to face, will have been for nothing.
An attack on the academy may well be coming.
I need you to ready yourself for that day, so that this prophecy has every chance of coming true. ”
“Then help me learn to fight,” Aeden said, challenging the director. “I can help.”
“Here we go again,” Master Sorrel sighed. “Foolish boy forgetting that Supports are best at just doing that.”
“Very well,” the director said, “but you must do both – refine your healing powers, and Master Storme will help you with your combat training. Mistress Jara too will help you further your riding skills.”
Aeden didn’t know what to think of this entire scenario, but one thing he was certain of was that he was not going down without a fight. He would fight, and fight hard. Harder than any Support had ever done. He would show that he could be just as dangerous as anyone else on the battlefield.
“ Whatever it is, Aeden, just know that I will always be by your side ,” Nyra said.
“ I know ,” Aeden replied, “ that’s something I would never doubt, but I have a feeling that from this point in, things are only going to get more difficult, for both of us .”