Chương 18: Landing

And, as I watched, there was a white horse. Its rider was holding a bow. He was given a crown, and he went off winning victories, and to win more of them. Book Of Revelations 6: 2 Hazel woke up with a start. It took her a brief moment to orient herself. She'd fallen asleep on the magically comfortable seats of The Prydwen, her head resting against the bulkhead. Sora's mind glowed like a campfire. Bright, fierce, and passionate, she reminded Hazel so strongly of Megan. Before…

Hazel shook her head and banished the thoughts, taking some comfort from the girl's presence. As nice as Sora's mind was, Felix's was an enigma. It looked completely open and defenseless, as was nearly everyone else's mind. His memories were there, his thoughts were there, but a close look at any of them revealed them to be utter nonsense. When they'd first said hello, when her mind was on the new world and new magic they were encountering, he was busy thinking about a parade of rainbow flamingos.

When they'd settled down and made introductions, his mind was playing a star wars trailer. His thoughts and actions did not line up at all, and his memories were all over the place. Memories of working as a pizza driver, memories of going to college. Memories of becoming certified as an engineer, memories of giving birth. Memories of being a boy, being a girl, being young, being old. Of living in the present and living in the past, a thousand-thousand lifetimes crammed into his head.

All of them were active and firing, all of them looked like he was aware of them. He seemed completely normal, but Hazel was utterly convinced he belonged in an insane asylum. His mind was all wrong, and it scared her. She couldn't tell if he was about to attack her or not. Only long manners kept her from running screaming from the boy, discipline smacked into her by the Matrons. It was probably unhealthy, but she'd already broken enough of their edicts, she didn't need to break anymore.

And like, none of his thoughts had been bad, or hostile towards anyone. If Sora was a campfire, then Erik was a forge. Far greater flames lay in the depths of his mind, but they were carefully controlled. Walls had been built around them, channeling them to purpose and keeping them tightly under control. There was a depth of passion there, but walled off and barely allowed to see the light of day. They weren't walls to prevent her peeking inside his head, like Professor Mistvale had.

Instead, where Sora was wild and free, he was controlled and organized, but still undefended. The pair of them were… comforting. Hazel could see herself warming by their fire. Their flames built off each other, giving and taking as the two of them interacted. All of it was highly metaphorical, of course. Naomi made her skin crawl. The girl had defenses around her mind already, proper defenses like Professor Mistvale.

They were made of bone, woven together with fine threads to make a weak wall that she bounced right off of. It was crudely put together. The first steps of protection, nothing like the fine defenses Professor Mistvale or Professor Paracelsus had around their mind. More like a picket fence that said "please don't come in." It was enough that Hazel would've needed to think for a moment to get in, and she refused to do that. Not when it wasn't her life or liberty at stake.

Not that Hazel was trying to get into Naomi's mind. Her head was… fuzzy, for lack of a better word. It expanded around her in a sphere, always on, automatically reading everyone's thoughts. It took great effort to 'pull herself in' and not try to look at people, and the effort-reward ratio was all off. It was like everyone kept invading her personal space. She could be super uncomfortable pulling it in, or uncomfortable with the invasion of space, there was no winning.

When someone was in her space, she could automatically read their mind, delve through their memories. It was like they were pressing a book up to her face. Of course she was going to see what was there! Kevin was a dumbass. There wasn't too much more to say. Completely self-righteous and sure he was right in a way she'd seen from too many of the boys in the cult. The less she had to do with him, the better. His mind was like dozens of rigid stakes set in a swamp. It was nice to know she was a 'Light' witch.

Light mage? Whatever the term was. Speaking of Light mage, Erik had already figured out she was a mind mage. He'd repeated Professor Mistvale's cautions and warnings, and opened up his mind to her. With his non-existent mental defenses - along with the reasoning why he didn't have any yet - it displayed a starting level of trust. Then there was the potion. I only have some idea of what's needed to become a natural mind mage at your age.

Erik had mentally communicated to her after she established a "bridge" between their minds. I don't know the details and I won't pretend to. I do know it's devastating. Pychos Apokathistemi should help. Mind, body, and soul, it should help you. It won't remove the scars that define you, just remove the harshness from the scars that limit you. He hadn't given details about the potion, but Hazel had been infernally curious. Turned out, the potion was rare.

Erik only had one, the entire Morsin family only had a second one, and the ingredients and preparation time made it prohibitive. And he'd given it to her. Just like that. She was still thinking over taking it or not. It seemed too easy. Too simple. Too many problems, erased with one drink.

'Welcome to the world of magic. We fix all your problems on your first day. Tada!' Nevermind the long path taken to get here. Nevermind all the other girls who were still stuck in the cult. Hazel had magic, and that was offering to make all the difference. This is too good for the likes of you. A sneering voice from her memories reminded her. And they weren't wrong. It was far too nice for someone like her.

"Are you coming?" Sora asked. Hazel blinked. In the moment she was reflecting, Felix had gotten up, grabbed his stuff, and was already out the door. She could feel his mind moving down the hallway, like a pilot light. Like another fish joining the swarm outside. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Just woke up." Hazel made her excuse. It had the benefit of being true.

"Well, come on, let's go!" Sora was dressed in fancy witch's robes. They would've been as black as night if it weren't for the faint hint of twinkling stars in them. Hazel already could guess - no mind reading needed - that they wouldn't be treated with the needed reverence. She stepped in the hallway and froze. So many people. Moving all around her, pressing in, closing in, she could feel their hot stares on her skin, making her itch. She wasn't allowed to use her super mind powers. Er. Magic.

She couldn't use them to deflect people away, to make them not notice her. She started to hyperventilate, especially as she was drawing a number of burning eyes. Felix and her were the only wixen not wearing robes. It had said it was optional on the letter, and Professor Mistvale said they'd work it out at Corwin, but everyone else was wearing robes. Hazel fled back into the cabin, and Sora leaned on the door.

"Hey, you okay? Shit, you're not. Ugh… need me to do anything?" She asked. Hazel barely heard her. Trapped trapped TRAPPED! No, not trapped. Just… busy out there. Hazel instinctively reached for her meds, before remembering they weren't there anymore. Another thing she had to thank Professor Mistvale for. Ugh. No meds, trapped, people, the walls closing in… deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. Look at the water. The soothing water. It's right there. Just a little bit of glass between Hazel and the outside.

Between her and total freedom, and the warm embrace of the ocean. Sora hovered uncertainly, constantly looking over her shoulder.

"Uh, most of the crowd's gone now, if that helps. We really should get going." She said. Hazel nodded.

"Yeah… yeah we should. Sorry." She wiped a treacherous, shameful tear away.

"Can we pretend this didn't happen?" Sora grinned.

"What happened?" Hazel barked out a cry-laugh.

"Yeah. Exactly." The two girls took up the rearguard, the Pychos Apokathistemi feeling all the heavier in Hazel's pocket. Would it have helped her? Would she not have panicked if she had taken it? Too many new things, too many changes. They got off the ship together. Paracelsus and Mistvale were at the gangplank, counting students as they left. A few other professors were there as well.

The Prydwen wasn't the only ship at the dock, and some students were getting off a longship, shedding fur coats as they walked down. There were a thousand reasons the first years were at the bottom of The Prydwen. Seniority meant the eighth years got the top spot, the shortest walk, and the best views. One minor one that occurred once a year was how every first year that was a stranger to Avalon was stunned upon the first sight of the mythical island. It looked like a slice of paradise.

Pearly white beaches surrounded the entire island, except for where the docks of the major ships were. The town of Corwin looked like it came out of a children's picture book, one where everything was painted just so. Where every building was beautiful, where magic was on every corner. Wixen whizzed through the air on brooms, some children were having a snowball fight in the middle of summer, and there wasn't a single foul smell or beggar in sight.

A forest surrounded Corwin, with a path that was easy to see even from miles away. Anyone could get to Avalon, so long as they traveled for seven hours. By the same token, people could get to nearly anywhere from Avalon, so long as they traveled for seven hours from the island. Stepping off the trail in the forest was an excellent way to start the journey, and anything could be found along the way. After the forest was an ugly scar, a slash of black and red that was seen in the landscape even from a distance.

It pulsed with malice and darkness, seemingly encroaching on the thin path slicing through it. And there, on top of the hill, the castle of legends was built with gleaming white stone. Camelot. Banners flapped from the tallest towers. Pennants hung over the walls. The clouds were perfectly parted to allow sunlight to shine on the castle, and just the castle. Hazel half-swore she could hear a choir of angels strumming harps and singing choirs.

"This way! Students, over here!" A voice called out. Another professor was there, guiding the throngs of students over to… Hazel rubbed her eyes.

"Okay, I know we're in Arcadia and the magical world and everything, but is it normal to have sleighs pulled by wolves?" She asked Sora. The wolves were as big as she was, with thick, scraggly fur crossed with scars. The scars on the front half of the wolves made sense, but what gave Hazel a great sense of unease were all the scars on the back half. What could possibly be scarring an entire pack of supersized magical wolves? They weren't quite as scary as they looked.

Each one had on a grey pointed hat, with a bell at the end. There was no strap keeping them on - ah right, magic. The sleighs themselves were something grand. Dark oak with silver runners, each sleigh had Camelot's crest on them. A throne, a sword, and a crown.

"Eeeehhhh… you're assuming I've seen a lot of the world." The girl answered.

"You'd have to ask Erik. Honestly, I haven't been outside of Dublin much. Plus, we're not in Arcadia."

"We're not?" Hazel asked.

"No, Avalon is in its own dimension. Oh hey, there's Erik!" Sora enthusiastically sprinted off to her friend, and Hazel looked around before shuffling after them. She didn't want to stand out by being the last person in the crowd, or otherwise causing problems that would bring attention to her. Most of the upper year students were going to a great silver pool. Round stones circled the perfect circle of the edge. The student happily walked into the pool, descending like it was a ramp, and never came back up.

The water didn't seem to touch them or the things they were carrying. The word was at the top of quite a few people's minds, and Hazel would've had to try to not find out more about it. The silver pool. The argent passageway. The Ar-Go, the argo. Each argo could go to any other argo within range. The bigger the pool, the larger the range. A lever by the side of the pool could easily move a single rock in or out of position, turning the argo 'on' or 'off'. That was for the upper years.

The first years took the wolf-drawn sleighs. The two girls joined Erik and another boy in one of the sleighs. Felix spotted Hazel and waved. She gave a brief half-wave in return.

"Sora! Glad you could make it. You remember Bane, right? Gideon Bane?" Erik said. Sora did not remember Bane. Memorizing everyone after a single meeting was Erik's thing. She had heard of the Bane family though. They owned Mammons, the bank, and were famously neutral. She grinned at the pun she knew she'd torture Erik with later. The Bane…K family.

"Hiya! This is Winslow, be nice, she's shy." Sora hopped in, then plopped herself down in the cushion. Her tutor would've been stricken speechless if they had seen her pose. Hazel tried to make herself as small as possible as she slipped into one of the seats.

"Did something happen to your luggage?" Gideon politely asked. Hazel shook her head and mumbled a negative under her breath. Erik could see her rising stress levels, and quickly turned to Sora.

"Park, my dearly beloved minion." He said with a shark's grin.

"Uh oh. Is it too late to get another sled?" Sora asked. The question was answered as the two direwolves attached to the sleigh started to trot forward, following the rest of the procession.

"I appreciate you defending me from the bottom of my heart." Erik said.

"This isn't going to be good." Sora muttered. Bane nodded right along, and Hazel peeked out.

"But that was Lance Thalorien."

"Uh."

"His grandfather is His Grace,""Oh no."

"Kaladin Thalorien."

"Oh shit."

"Of Avalon."

"Oh fuck!" Bane was chortling in his seat, and even Hazel was smiling.

"Let me know if you need me to referee any duels." Gideon said.

"Appreciate the offer! I'll do that." Erik said.

"I doubt it'll come to that. The kid was going 'just wait until my grandfather hears about this', and I got the sense that Duke Thalorien doesn't tolerate nonsense." Erik shrugged.

"If he did, well, that's what tutors are for, and I doubt Camelot would have such a sterling reputation."

"People can get funny when family's involved." Gideon agreed.

"Thanks for the heads up on Lance. Got any idea which house you'll get sorted into?"

"Phoenix house." Erik promptly answered.

"I assume you're going for Kraken?"

"Bane family house." Gideon agreed.

"Can you imagine the reputation hit if we didn't go to the house of good judgment? Park, what about you?" Sora pointed her thumb over her shoulder at Erik, quite the feat when they were sitting next to each other.

"I'm following this goofball around. Who can tell what trouble he'll get in if I'm not there to help?" She said.

"That's about the most Phoenix thing I've ever heard, so you're going to the right place." Bane agreed.

"What are the house things?" Hazel asked.

"Camelot students are divided into five houses." Sora started to explain.

"Seven." Bane corrected.

"Eight, no?" Erik said.

"Like, most technically, eight, but the last house is dead. Doesn't count if nobody's in it." Gideon countered.

"And if we're doing that, there's only five we can get into, the other two are application-only." Erik said. Sora punched Erik in the arm.

"This! This shit right here! This is why I can't answer test questions well, there's three different answers that are all right!" She complained. The streets changed to forest as the massive wolves continued to lope along at a ground-eating pace. The ride was far smoother than Hazel would've guessed, and she assumed copious amounts of magic went into it. The woods looked idyllic from the outside. They looked very different from the inside.