Chaos

Haleana Hiran took a deep breath. She reached inside her cloak and clutched the soft velvet pouch inside one of its pockets. She felt the hard edges of the stone and sighed.

"Almost." she whispered. She started walking.

The sunlight is blinding and with her heavy garments, Haleana felt hell. It's scorching hot but she has to endure. She has to get away as fast as possible. She picked up her pace and pulled her hood lower to cover her face - no one should see her.

"Hamen will get mad." she whispered again. Hearing her own voice soothed her. It was unusual but she felt safer hearing herself.

She looked back at the city of Jalei, the capital of Jamina, it was almost faint with just the tip of the main hall seen from where she stands. Surely by now, everyone knows that the Merlin's Stone is missing - stolen. A small mirthless smile cracked on her lips. Hamen will be happy once he sees the stone. He'll be deliriously delighted when she delivers it to him - the accursed stone of immortality.

"He'll be happy. That's what matters." she said to herself. She tore her gaze away from the city and stared at the path she's bound to take.

The end of the road is the entrance to the thick forest of Ceazara. People avoid the forest. Whether it was because of the dense atmosphere or the rumors that no one has gotten out of it is a mystery, but Hiran has no misgivings. Beyond the forest is Colonia - her home.

★★★

"You have to believe me!" Selene shouted over the deafening caws of the other prisoners. The guards of Jalei who escorted her just looked at her and sneered. No one was paying attention to her. Nobody believes she's innocent.

"I DID NOT STEAL THE STONE!" she shouted after the retreating backs of the Jaleian guards.

"Little girl, you are fighting a lost cause." A man's raspy voice said.

Selene looked wildly around the cell she was thrown into. It was dark - too dark to make out anything off of the shadows.

"Who's there?" she asked cautiously.

"Who's asking?"

Selene's back straightened. Her brows furrowed. The voice sounded familiar.

"Witch Apprentice, Selene Huviar." she answered. For some reason she felt compelled to respond.

"Ah." a thoughtful acknowledgement. "And why would a member of the Circle be at a place like Abisus?"

"Someone stole the Merlin's stone." Selene answered, "They think it's me." she added with caution.

A chuckle.

"It's not funny." she snapped," someone pretended to be me and took that stone. I swear I will find her and make her pay."

"Her? You seem so sure it was a female." he mused.

"No man steps on the altar. The stone can only be held by a woman."

"Ah. You're right." he agreed and another soft chuckle followed.

"Who are you?" she can't help asking.

"No one." was his uninterested reply.

Selene turned away from the direction of the voice and grasp the cold bars of the cell. She tried to look pass the dingy corridor but her eyes were met with several pairs of bloodshot eyes from the other cells. She sighed.

"I swear I'll get out of here - and I'll find you." she muttered under her breath.

★★★

"You have to try harder."

Lirea Prideaux looked up to her brother gloomily. The sea breeze is seeping through her thin camisole.

"I am trying." She said faintly, "I don't get why it's not working." She flailed her hands helplessly towards the ocean.

"Because you're not trying hard enough" Serio Leith Nen said, almost exasperated. He glanced at his sister and saw she is starting to shiver from the cold. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Alright. Let's take a break. We'll do it again until you get the hang of it."

Lirea nodded. She picked up her shawl to wrap herself and started to walk away.

"Lirea," he called after her. She stopped and looked back, "you know why we're doing this, don't you?" She sighed but nodded. He watched her as she walked towards the other end of the beach to their hut.

Lirea has a strong affinity with water but she is soft at heart. Her reluctance to hurt anyone or anything is making her weak but Serio is tasked to make sure she learns to use her abilities – even just to make sure she survives if she's left alone.

Back in their hut, Lirea crawled into bed. Her clothes are damp from trying to summon the waters to do her bidding but she paid it no attention. All her life, Serio has attempted to train her to use her abilities. She does not remember any other memory of him and her besides those they spend every day in front of the vast ocean. She sighed and rolled to her side. Her body and mind hurt – as to why Serio is adamant she learns to use her abilities is beyond her. Serio himself is quite skillful and with him, Lirea thinks she has no need to use her powers. She sighed again. She wishes she understands more of what goes in his head.

She drifted to sleep then until a loud bang woke her up.

"Serio?" she called and received no response.

★★★

Colorful dresses were laid out on the bed. The room itself has too many bright and fluffy ornaments and was a far cry from his earth-toned bedroom back home. Sebastian Jarl Rüzgar sighed and turned to face his escort, Milo Brájen Kiefer.

"Tell me again, why am I here?" he asked.

Milo cleared his throat and shifted his gaze away from Sebastian. "For vacation, sir." He replied.

"A break. In Emore. With the Graces of Jist Silla." Sebastian muttered. Milo nodded. "And the dresses?"

"Aren't they pretty, sir?" Milo asked, awkwardness evident in his voice. Sebastian raised his brows. "Umm, the Graces forbid manly clothing." Milo added uncomfortably.

"Am I supposed to wear those?" Sebastian asked dubiously.

"Err.. uh-uh." Milo stuttered, "I'm afraid so, sir."

"Is it still because I'm on vacation?"

Milo nodded slowly.

"You got to be kidding me." Sebastian muttered while slightly massaging his temples. With a wave of his hands, the windows of the room opened, "It's getting stuffy here."

"Would you like me to get you something, a refreshment perhaps?" Milo offered. Sebastian absentmindedly nodded. Milo sighed in relief and left in a hurry lest his master changes his mind and starts asking more questions.

When left alone, Sebastian walked to one of the big windows. It was situated on the left side of the bed and overlooked the courtyard. People, women to be exact, peppered the yard, most of them huddled together. Each of their attire resemble the same ones laid out on the bed.

Sebastian let out a resigned sigh.

He knew perfectly why he was taken to Emore.

Unbeknownst to Milo, he overheard the conversation between the members of the High Council of Majika and his father, Cosmo Otto Aarav, the Minister of Egre'ce. It appears that the council is under distress as threats of rebellion loom over it. He has never interacted with the witches and the warlocks of the council but words say that they are the most powerful and their authority rivals the government. Having an alliance with them secures a smooth governance in any of the countries.

As to why Yasenia Torea, the Upper Circle witch of their neighboring country Jamina, specifically asked his father to take him somewhere far, to which the minister, along with his wife and Sebastian's mother, Eilidh Mirren, readily agreed to. It is puzzling to Sebastian as his mother would not dare allow him to be out of her sight, lest be in the secluded domain of Emore.

Emore is in Egre'ce, but its exact location is unknown. It does not submit to neither the government of the country or the Majikas.

"Being able to get here likely took more than a simple conversation between my parents and the Graces. There has to be more than that to convince the Graces to take me and my right hand, Milo, in. It is known that the Graces of Jist Silla do not interact with man." Sebastian thought to himself.

"Sir," Milo called. Sebastian turned to him and raised his brows. Milo is already dressed similar to the Graces. "They won't allow me anywhere unless I dress alike." He said with resignation. Sebastian can't help but laugh.

"It suits you." Sebastian said and guffawed. Milo's face reddened but he joined in the laughter. "I guess if I wanted to go around, I'd have to dress that way too? But in here, it's not necessary?" Milo nodded while starting to take off the upper part of the dress.

Sebastian turned away from him and looked back at the Graces in the courtyard. He has to find out why he was taken here.

★★★