FIVE: Must Save Them

"You've caught His Majesty's eye."

The solemn gaze accompanying Itzae's words caused Calix to flinch as he sat across the table from his teacher.

The man had only returned home minutes earlier, finally back from his latest secret venture. The look of worry in his usually calm eyes made Calix uncharacteristically nervous.

"Is that bad?" the boy questioned anxiously.

"No," Itzae let out a sigh. "It just means there is something I must discuss with you sooner than I planned to."

"And what is it that we need to discuss?" Calix asked, feeling the air suddenly grow heavy.

"Well, my boy, there are terrible things I've seen and even worse things I've heard as I've been away from the empire," Itzae explained.

Away from the empire?