Private Tales The Third Rung

[Selene Avar]

Vel Acadria

Selene sat quietly in a grand throne like chair, it's plush exterior more comfortable than anything she had ever sat in before.

The chair belonged to the Headmaster of the Academy. Stuffed with feathers and made of the hide of some sort of creature, Selene was almost entirely sure that it cost more than most homes in the peasant quarter of Vel Anir. Sitting in it now, she understood why.

The Headmaster had not been pleased to be ejected from his office, but in the standings of Dreadlord's he was well bellow her. Having been elevated to the First meant that her stature had increased greatly, and there were now few that she had to answer to. With that came a feeling of satisfaction, and a new amount of freedom that she had greatly enjoyed.

That freedom was also why she was here.

Months ago, before her elevation, she had placed an asset here within the Academy. The request had been his, but the opportunity had been hers. Now things were moving faster, and she needed him to do his part.

She only hoped he was up to the task. "Come in."

Selene called as there was a knock on the door.

 

[Gylfi Runarsson]

The door opened just far enough for Yves to enter. He wore the standard uniform of a Proctor. As always, his hair was neatly cropped and styled. In complete silence, he shut the door behind him. He took two steps forward and came to a halt. His arms folded behind his back.

Looking upon Selene, he thought that her place on a grand chair was... fitting. As if there were no place more natural that seated atop a throne. The corners of his mouth curled upward in a winsome smile. He closed his eyes and respectfully bowed his head.

"Selene," He greeted her.

 

[Selene Avar]

"Yves." She responded in greeting.

The two of them had come to an arrangement of sorts, one that she was glad to use. Since her trip to the Spine things had changed drastically. Her promotion had one well, but the ritual she'd performed above the Peaks had...shifted things into further acceleration.

She needed to begin things now. Truly.

"It's time." The Dreadlord stated plainly. Wards were set around this room, magic that prevented eavesdropping. "I need you to begin to steer them towards me."

Her plans depended on it now. "Specifically those the Houses have their eyes on."

 

[Gylfi Runarsson]

He raised a hand and held his chin between finger and thumb, "I see."

It was much sooner than he expected. He was then grateful for his immediate efforts once being placed in his station. Although there was still much to learn, he knew the standouts of the current class of Apprentices.

"I know of some," He mused aloud, then suddenly a thought came, "There's a Urahil."

He stroked his chin, wondering if the Apprentice had similar thoughts to himself when he was once enrolled at the Academy. Noble children, abandoned by family.

He pushed the thought aside and produced several pieces of parchment, all folded together, from a pocket inside of his coat. He approached Selene and offered it to her. Upon unfolding the stack, she would find that each page contained notes of Apprentices he already began observing.

"They are far from complete," He admitted, "For I've only been able to observe for a short time. I must thank you, though. Your influence has allowed me much freedom."

 

[Selene Avar]

"No noble sons." Selene stated plainly, lips thinning for a moment until she shook her head and added. "No offense."

Selene grasped the parchment from him a second later, unfolding it and pulling apart the different notes. She carefully placed each of them apart the desk, reading them at a quick glance to grab an initial impression of each student.

This years crop was apparently troublesome. "I don't think I've seen this much killing among a Class since I was in the Academy."

She mused out loud to Ives. Deception and murder were common enough among Apprentice Dreadlord's. Usually it was only one or two, but it seemed this crop had killed half their class in an adventure in the Falwood, and since then three more had died.

One name in particular raised her eyebrow.

"Which one killed the Archon's son?" There was an official line of course, that a girl named Alloi had done the deed, but from what she read on the paper it had been a bit...obvious.

She wondered if Yves or any of the other Proctors had learned the truth.

 

[Gylfi Runarsson]

A small smile grew on his face and he dismissively shrugged her comment aside, “No harm done.”

She was right. More students had died at the hands of others than died from punishments or missions. Yves had only read over the Falwood incident, for his placement as Proctor had come years after.

“Not Alloi,” He said, eyes closed, searching his mind for the knowledge over the incident. He had spent quite a few hours personally researching what really happened.

“Igot Crane was notorious for predatory behavior, particularly towards the female Apprentices. There have been reports written by Proctors about times where Igot had acted and assaulted his female peers.” Eyes opened and lips thinned as he wryly smiled, “Of course, the Archon made sure the reports were never filed, and that no punishment was ever administered to Igot. The little one was given ample freedom.”

He did not reveal how he managed to get access to undocumented reports.

He cleared his throat, and finally got to the point.

“The Falwood incident. Talus Morid, Sierra Knight, Henry Bauer, and Luther Urahil. Those four, as a group, fought and killed half of their class at that time. I read that the bodies were all found within close proximity. It is to my understanding that they came together to protect each other, to defend against their classmates.”

She would understand where his point was going.

“I watched that group very closely. And through watching, I saw signs of Igot showing interest in Sierra. I believe that those four were responsible in killing Igot. Henry Bauer is particularly close with Sierra. Though, they’re currently dispatched on a mission off the Cortosi Coast. As for Alloi, she was clearly framed. I couldn’t fathom why.”

It was clear that he was quite serious in his role of assisting Selene. He was a Proctor mostly by title. On occasion he would conduct a lesson and oversee training, but most of his time was spent in the Archives and observing the Apprentices.

 

[Selene Avar]

Selene nodded slowly.

The information didn't come to a shock. Crane senior had a rather nasty habit himself, though it did not target women. There was no surprise his son had inherited such things.

She listened carefully as Yves explained the circumstances around the boys killing, nodding slightly and listening along. Urahil was already out. That was a name she was more than familiar with. House Urahil was not one that favored her, not since she'd been sword to Virak.

Morrid she'd actually heard of. The boy had been sent to escort Gabriel Banick to Alliria. She knew of Gabriel, and if he had his hooks in the lad then it was unlikely she could tear him away.

Yet.

"Bauer and Knight." She said with purse lips.

The story of banding together in the Falwood. She did not know if such things were true...mostly because in her own class they would have all killed one another.

"Tell me more of them." She said. "Their abilities, personalities."

 

[Gylfi Runarsson]

"Of course," He lowered his head in a compliant nod. Posture straightened, he began, "It's clear that the group is oddly cohesive. Bauer and Knight are somewhat anomalies among their class. First, it was them. Of the group, I mean. I questioned the Proctors about them, and they were the first to... come together."

He folded his arms behind his back, "Bauer is strange. Out of their group, he is the weakest with a sword. I can see that he has a sharp mind, but he defers to simple solutions. If I could describe his methods, especially in combat, with a single word, I would call him a brute. His physical strength seems to be top of the class, and he excels in melees and hand-to-hand combat. His magic, which Proctors have said up until recently has been uncontrollable, possesses incredible raw power."

He leaned in and stressed his next words, "Incredible raw power. It comes with an incredible drawback, but if he hones his ability... He would easily rise as a high First, potentially higher."

Again, his posture straightened, "But, he has a weak mentality from what I have seen. He may not survive the Academy."

"Knight is also a strange one. It is no surprise to me that she and Bauer formed an early connection. I've observed very similar personality traits in them. They are caring, kind, and possess strong wills. She is an Empath, and in her class, there is none that matches her skill with a bow. It's worth noting that they are particularly close. They do well to hide it, as none of the other Proctors seem to be aware. They spend ample time together."

He paused to think, but no more information came, "For them, that is all I've gathered."

 

[Selene Avar]

Selene considered for a brief moment. "They will do."

At least as a first step.

Both of them had their drawbacks, but if what Yves said was true then they would be a good start. She had to make sure things didn't develop too quickly of course, and that they kept their mouths shut, but she was confident.

As confident as she had ever been.

"I need to speak with them." She stated bluntly, then stopped for a moment and corrected herself. "One of them."

Just one to begin with. She had to test the waters. What she wanted went against every convention, every tradition, everything that Vel Anir had stood for in the last thousand years since the Dreadlords were founded.

She had to be careful.

 

[Gylfi Runarsson]

His arms folded across his chest, and he nodded. In that moment, he thought of which one would be best.

"Bauer," He decided and nodded to himself, "He may appear to be, but he is no fool. He knows how Dreadlords are. He has most likely heard of you, as well. You have been created large waves as of late. Dealing with him, it is best if you try to... act kind."

The last sentence was passed as a kind of warning. Yet, he had no doubt that she herself was aware of her situation. Yves then thought that perhaps that was the reason why she had summoned him so suddenly.

"Yes. Bauer. I forgot to mention," He smiled, mischief tugging up at the corners of his mouth, "He's a surprisingly cold one."

He composed himself, "I will create an opportunity for him to meet you soon. Is that all you require of me, Selene?"

 

[Selene Avar]

"Despite common belief, I do have my charms." She stated plainly as Yves urged her to be kind.

Selene had a reputation among the Dreadlords for being cold and ambitious. It was true of course, but that did not mean she was completely devoid of other emotions. She knew kindness just as she knew cruelty.

Both made excellent weapons.

"Send the boy to me when you can." She confirmed with a nod. "I will ensure the rest."

This would be the start of it all. The plan had been there since she was a teenager. She'd known what she wanted to do and she'd even known how. Yet she'd never had the power before. That had all changed when Duvain had been executed and she could claim credit for the kill.

Her promotion, her quest within the Spine, all of it had come to this.

She knew it would take years yet, knew that she needed to build support and wait until the time was right. But she could feel the excitement in her chest. Goosebumps ran across her skin and she was almost happy enough to jump for joy.

Selene was close now, closer than she had ever been to the throne.

 

[Gylfi Runarsson]

“Charms,” His voice trailed off. He nodded to her after a moment of silence, “I’ll get you Bauer.”

With that, he turned and exited the room. His task was clear, so there was no need to linger. He knew his place in front of Selene. He was no friend, probably not even considered an ally. A mere pawn for her plans.

It did not bother him.

 

[Harry]

A month passed following Yves’ meeting with Selene. When the Proctor returned to The Academy, it was reported that Bauer and Knight were late returning from their mission.

Almost immediately upon arrival, Yves pulled Henry aside, informing him that he would be going to Vel Acadria for some unknown reason.

__________​

Yves had accompanied Hal on the journey, and had sent a message well ahead of time to Selene to inform her of their arrival.

Yves directed Henry towards the Headmaster’s office, but did not follow the Apprentice.

Hal approached the door, and gave it two solid knocks.

 

[Selene Avar]

"Come in." She called with an absent mind, her eyes trained not on the door but instead on the window which sat its opposite.

Though she had requested this meeting, half her mind was occupied with thoughts of something else. Two weeks ago there had been an attempt on her life, a foolish one, but an attempt nonetheless. She did not know who was behind it, but part of her suspected another Dreadlord.

An Archon in fact.

Idrig Crane did not hold her in high regard, and she thought that he might have gotten wind of her meddling with the Apprentices. A thought she had due to the Headmasters reaction to her appearance at Vel Acadia today.

The man had not at all been pleased to see her, and if she had to guess, Selene would venture to think he was going to report her presence to Crane himself. She would have to be careful.

Her lips thinned, eyes locked on the window even as Henry stepped inside.

 

[Harry]

He hesitated a moment. The Headmaster was not a woman. He pushed open the door, the wining hinges breaking the silence that Hal found to be uncomfortable. Her back was to him, but he saw long locks cascade down her back.

He stood uncomfortably straight, arms flat at his side, too nervous to speak.

 

[Selene Avar]

Selene managed to snap herself back into the moment, dragging her thoughts away from the traitorous headmaster.

A breath filled her lungs, and she remembered the words of advice that Yves had told her before this meeting had been set up. The oddly plush chair swiveled slightly as she spun herself with her heel, her gaze falling on Henry almost immediately.

She sized him up for a moment.

He was tall already, solidly built and clearly a warrior. Scars were etched in his skin, something not too uncommon in the Academy. Notably there were none on her, though the reason why was something no one had ever asked her. "Hello Henry."

Her voice was pleasant, though not overly sweet.

She wasn't ever going to try to sell herself as something that she was not.

"Do you know who I am?" Selene asked without the slightest bit of ego to her tone, the question genuine.

 

[Harry]

Her hair swung slightly as she turned. Eyes, unnaturally red, locked with his crystalline blue. As she called his name, he flinched, straightening further.

He wanted to put his eyes on anything but her. He was aware of her identity before she asked. There was only one with hair and eyes like hers among the notable Dreadlords.

When she asked, he nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.” His voice came strongly. Good. Her soft tone had put him at ease, but only slightly.

“Selene Avar. Many call you The Scarlet.” Despite his desire to, he knew that taking his eyes away from her would be a mistake. A sign of weakness. Possibly even disrespect.

 

[Selene Avar]

She nodded her head. "An unimaginative nickname."

Selene had never really minded it, but it had always seemed rather...childish. Then again it had been first granted to her in the Academy. She often forgot that they had all been children once, even if the Proctors had tried to beat the notion out of them.

"But yes." The Dreadlord confirmed with a nod of her head.

She gave a brief pause.

Did the boy have any inclination as to why he was here? She very much doubted it. Yves had proven to be exceptionally careful in how he'd done things at the Academy.

"I will be straightforward with you, as I am sure not many are." She stated plainly. "I need your help."

 

[Harry]

“My help?” He echoed. He didn’t like where this was going.

Proctor Oudin had said nothing about, well, anything. Hal entered the room expecting something completely different. The way she spoke, her saying that he was needed, roused suspicion in him. He was aware that he was in no position to deny her.

He probably would have preferred facing the headmaster.

He swallowed hard, “I’m only an Apprentice. What could I do for you that you can’t
do for yourself?”

It was a direct, honest question, one that could be seen as impertinent. Little of Hal’s previous kindness remained. Like his magic, he was shaped into a cold individual. His honesty however, remained.

 

[Selene Avar]

The boy broke his mask faster than she thought he would. The shock of her prompting his help apparently a tad confusing.

Any other time she might have laughed, but in the moment she kept her face serene. Treating him with Kindness also meant not treating him like a fool. She leaned slightly back in the Headmasters chair, not lounging, but acting as though she were trying to find some modicum of comfort. "I will assume you have already realized that we Dreadlords are hardly a united front."

There were few students naive enough to believe that all Dreadlords worked together.

From what she knew of Henry and his friends they had already experienced more backstabbing and scheming than the average apprentices. Surely he must have already realized such things did not stop when you graduated. In fact it only got worse.

"The Academy and its students, all of you, are at risk." This was where she had to move carefully. "Idrig Crane is planning something."

"I am not entirely sure what, but I intend to find out." She did not need to explain the name, nor give it any other context.

Only wait for Henry's reaction.

 

[Harry]

Yes, he wanted to say, Scattered. Always plotting. Always alone. Always threatened.

The Proctors punished the Apprentices for forming bonds. For showing kindness. Hal was strong alone. But with his friends at his side? He became unstoppable.

Although thoughts such as those rarely rose in him these days. He sought strength in solitude. Ever since Igot, things changed for the young Apprentice.

At the mentioning of Idrig Crane, a dispassionate expression painted his face. Behind his cold eyes, a calm wrath swirled. It was as if mentioning his name forced Hal to compose himself. Merely mentioning the Archon reminded Hal of his goal, making him focus. For the first time since entering the room, Hal appeared to have an edge to him.

“Why would we be at risk?” He was genuinely curious. It made no sense why the Apprentices would be threatened. “Dreadlords form the backbone of Vel Anir. Without them, Vel Anir would essentially be nothing.”

His mouth hung open for a moment, as if he wanted to say something else. He closed his mouth, thought, then spoke again.

“You say the Archon is planning something,” He thought of Igot, “Do you believe it is personal, or something greater?”

 

[Selene Avar]

Good, she was drawing him in.

Of course it was all a lie, but then again Henry wouldn't need to know that. Likely, he would never find out. It was better that way, easier. "Perhaps both."

She said simply, shaking her head for a moment as if she had to think.

"Crane is a patient man, but his heart is blacker than most." Selene sounded as though she spoke from experience. Crane was too old to have been in her own class, but he was just young enough to have served as a Proctor during her time at the Academy.

Not that Henry would know that.

"I do not mean he will kill you, nor the others." She ran her fingers across the desk. "No, I believe he means to bind you."

She paused for a moment. "Understand, this is only conjecture. Informed, but still nothing more than that."

"I believe Crane has made a deal with House Luana, the family that he has served for many years." This was actually true, though the details were of course fudged a bit. "He will deliver them a great boon, and in return he will marry the eldest Luana girl and step into the line of succession."

Her gaze fell on Henry again. "I believe all of you will be that boon."

 

[Harry]

Brows furrowed in thought. He knew little of the politics of the Seven Houses, but understood how the balance of power would sway completely should Crane pull off such a daring plot.

Selene’s reputation preceded her, but he could not remember which House she served. He wished to understand her motives behind this.

“How would I, of all of the Apprentices, be of any value to you? You should know that there are others more capable than me.”

 

[Selene Avar]

"One has to start somewhere." Selene said with a shrug.

She would be kind, but she also would not fawn over the boy like some sort of swooning princess. Selene had to be honest, at least to a point. She had to make it seemed logical and reasonable to Henry if this was all going to work.

"You're no fool." She continued. "And unlike some of your fellow students you've not been exposed to the Game of Houses."

Her lips thinned. "If you are not yet capable, then I will make you so."

There was no other choice. Not if she was going to succeed in her plans.

 

[Harry]

Honesty.

Glacial eyes met with those like magma. The Apprentice had not been exposed to the Game of Houses, it was true. But it seemed as if the First intended to lure him into something far more dangerous.

What she said last shook him to the core. Sent a chill down his spine. Hal sought strength.

“You’ll make me so,” He echoed, stressing every word. He gave her a single nod, as if he were satisfied. Hal knew that his satisfaction made no difference. He surmised that his only option was to surrender himself to Selene. He felt that in his gut the moment she mentioned the Archon.

It felt as if he had toed a line lately. A line that separated his current world from a world that he would not be able to return from. On the opposite side of that line, he saw a world of unending strife and bloodshed.

He let out a deep breath, resolving himself, “You have my cooperation.”

And thus, he plunged himself into that world of danger.