Magnus stayed on the path he had been walking, descending into the vast plains and familiar fields of farmland that surrounded Arlcliff City. The storm above was finally letting up, with the sun beginning to peek through the blanket of gray. Sunlight broke through in small clusters, casting patches of golden light across the plains. The wet landscape shimmered, refracting the light in a way that made the fields look as if they were dusted with gold.
Humming to himself, Magnus didn't see any farmers or travelers along the way. Given the heavy storm, it wasn't surprising—most people didn't have the luxury of using magic to stay dry.
As he approached the city gate—different from the one he, Mia, and the others had first entered through—he noticed the familiar sight of heavily armored guards stationed by the gateway. The gatekeeper sat inside a booth built into the wall, seemingly busy with paperwork. One of the guards spotted Magnus, motioning for him to wait before walking over to the booth and knocking on the wall. The gatekeeper, preoccupied with his tasks, glanced up and spotted Magnus through the window. His expression shifted from skepticism to urgency as he shot to his feet and rushed outside, clipboard in hand.
Magnus tilted his head, a hint of confusion crossing his face as the gatekeeper hurried over.
"Greetings, young sir," the gatekeeper greeted respectfully, offering a polite nod. As he did, Magnus noticed the man's eyes darting between his clothes and something behind him. Following his gaze, Magnus realized he was staring at the mana construct cage holding the two vampires' true bodies.
Ah, right. I guess that would give away the fact I'm a Takerth Academy student pretty quickly.
"Apologies for the trouble, but could you tell me your name?" The gatekeeper's voice wavered slightly, a mix of anxiety toward Magnus's status as a mage and the likelihood that he was a noble.
"Magnus Wright. I left Arlcliff City about three weeks ago on an assignment from the academy, and I've just returned today."
"Oh, I see." The gatekeeper flipped through the pages on his clipboard, jotting down notes with quick, practiced movements.
"Do you need anything else?" Magnus asked.
The gatekeeper shook his head.
"Of course not, no. I just needed to document your name to avoid any issues in the future. Please, head right in." He gestured toward the already open gate, signaling the guards to let Magnus through.
Magnus nodded, moving past the gatekeeper and guards as he entered through the towering gateway, passing through the massive shadow it cast. The bustling energy of the city greeted him once again, a rush of sounds and sights that felt both chaotic and familiar. He paused, taking a satisfied breath before continuing down the cobblestone street, buildings flanking him on either side.
Alright, first stop, Takerth Academy. Basker, I know it's unlikely, but I think it's best we don't have the Nullfang enter Takerth Academy. In the off chance someone can detect it while it's not interacting with the world, I don't want to have to explain why some undead skeletal snake is following me.
[Very well, Master. I'll have the Nullfang wait at the outskirts of Arlcliff City.]
Hmm, with how fast it is, that should be a safe distance. It'll still be able to reach me in a matter of seconds if I really need it.
He had a lot to do and check up on now that he was back, but the day was still relatively young, giving him plenty of time. Although he wasn't particularly tired, given how quickly he had reached Arlcliff City, he did miss his dorm room.
Navigating the city with a mental map, Magnus weaved through the typically dense crowds. People parted instinctively, splitting like the Red Sea, their gazes a mix of curiosity and caution. Subtle murmurs trailed behind him, their whispers barely audible over the city's ambient noise. He noticed more than a few eyes fixed on the mana construct cage floating behind him.
It wasn't every day that the average person—even in Arlcliff City—got to see magic up close.
As Magnus moved through the Lower City and into the Upper City, where Takerth Academy was located, the curious looks from passersby gradually faded. The bustling crowds thinned, replaced by the quiet grandeur of high-end buildings that dominated the Upper City. When the familiar walls of Takerth Academy finally came into view, his mental map clicked into place. He realized he had approached from an unusual direction, finding himself around the back of the academy.
At this point, he figured he had at least half of Arlcliff City mapped out in his head.
Making his way along the academy's perimeter toward the entrance, Magnus spotted a familiar group of armed guards even from a distance. His expression brightened as he recognized them standing in their usual positions near the open metal gates.
Always trying to look so professional when they're bored out of their minds.
One of the guards, idly scanning the empty street, froze when his gaze landed on Magnus. His initial frown quickly shifted to recognition, the sternness melting away as he called out to the others.
"Is that who I think it is... Hey! Look who's back!" The other guards turned, their faces lighting up as they mirrored the first guard's reaction.
"Eh!"
"It's Magnus!"
"Magnus is back! And he looks... different?" Magnus shrugged off the comment as he approached them. Most people on the way here had been too focused on his academy uniform and the magic construct floating behind him to notice. But now, up close, it made sense that the guards who saw him regularly would pick up on how different he looked.
"Well, a lot of things happened while I was off on my assignment. Let's just chalk it up to magic shenanigans," Magnus said, earning a laugh from the guard who had mentioned his appearance.
"I mean, if you say so. But seriously, kid, your new look isn't exactly helping in the, uh... masculinity department. I mean, seriously, your hair is practically shimmering in the sunlight." His words, paired with a stifled chuckle, set off laughter from the rest of the guards. Magnus rolled his eyes, shaking his head.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Gerald's already said everything you guys are going to bring up, so it's too late to tease me about it." After a few more jabs at his new appearance—and Magnus offering more vague excuses involving 'magic'—the conversation finally shifted to a different topic.
"You guys look like you've been recovering pretty well," Magnus noted.
One of the guards nodded.
"Of course. Most of us only had a few bruises anyway, thanks to you and those knights you brought along. Grial's still recovering, but he's been cleared to do that at home. We drop by for a drink with him every now and then."
Magnus raised a brow.
"I'm pretty sure drinking slows down the healing process."
"Bah, don't even start. The last thing we need after not seeing you for nearly a month is you badgering us," another guard grumbled, waving off his concern.
Magnus sighed, giving a resigned nod.
"Alright, fine. I suppose you all being able to drink together is a good enough sign that you're doing alright." The first guard smirked, unable to resist.
"Aww, is little Magnus worried about us?"
"Shut up," Magnus shot back, though his tone was more exasperated than harsh. He then turned to the others.
"So, has anything notable happened while I was away?"
The guards exchanged glances, each of them taking a moment to think back over the past few weeks.
"Honestly, I don't think so," one of them finally spoke up.
"Yeah, it's been pretty quiet since the raid. The crackdown really did a number on crime. Honestly, even the troublemakers have been keeping their heads down. The whole city feels... calm."
"Right, the raids..." Magnus muttered, his expression turning contemplative. The guard who had brought up the raids fell silent, his mouth snapping shut as the others shot him warning looks, subtle shakes of their heads telling him to drop the subject.
Awkwardly, the guard scrambled for a new topic. A moment later, his face lit up as an idea struck him.
"Oh, right. Celia's been dropping by practically every day since you left. Actually, I think she even stayed over in your room for a couple of nights." At the mention of Celia, the other guards nodded, murmuring in agreement.
"Yeah, she's been around a lot. You should definitely go see her. She's been trying to play it cool, but it's pretty clear she's missed you." Magnus's brow furrowed slightly, but he simply nodded.
"Got it. Well, thanks, guys. I've got a lot to handle now that I'm back, but we'll catch up later, alright?" The guards waved him off with easy grins.
"Yeah, sure thing, kid."
"Things have been pretty damn boring without you. We'll be looking forward to it." They watched as Magnus walked away, passing through the barrier surrounding Takerth Academy. His figure disappeared down the path to the dorms, and the guards lingered for a moment, the air settling into a quiet stillness.
"He seems to be doing better," one of them said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, I guess. He doesn't seem to be repressing as much... Or maybe he's just gotten better at hiding it. Either way, all we can do is hope Celia will look after him. You know how he is—he won't show us anything real." There was a quiet murmur of agreement, followed by a few more sighs. Ever since the raid, Magnus had felt a bit... off. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what was wrong, even if the cause was clear. With him being away from Arlcliff City—the source of the trouble—for so long, they hoped he had finally gotten a chance to process things. At least, that's what they told themselves.
With Magnus, it was always hard to tell. He had a knack for hiding how he really felt when he wanted to.
Meanwhile, unaware of the guards' concerns, Magnus continued his walk through the academy grounds. He made his way toward the dorm area, his steps steady and unhurried. There was no need to pull out his mask and switch to his Cain persona. As far as he knew, since Seraline had led their assignment and invited him along, she could sign off on the mission's completion herself—without him, or rather, without Cain.
That meant no one had to know that Cain had returned to Takerth Academy until Magnus was ready to handle everything that came with that identity. For now, he could just stay as Magnus—a far more low-key persona, at least within the academy walls.
Magnus made his way into the dorm building and through the lobby without drawing much attention. A few people cast curious glances his way, likely noticing the subtle oddities in his appearance, but no one approached him. When he reached the reception desk, where the various 'Vira's' worked with their usual friendly smiles, he headed toward the one he was most familiar with.
Her smile widened slightly as she looked up and saw him.
"Hello, Magnus, and welcome back. I hope your time away from the academy was fruitful."
Magnus nodded.
"Fruitful is one way to put it. I just wanted to see if you had any updates for me."
"Oh, there's no need to worry about that," Vira responded immediately, then continued.
"While you were away, your teachers were informed, so you won't be penalized for any missed classes. However, I should let you know that if you want to attend classes again, you'll need to mark your 'outside' business as complete." Her comment made Magnus furrow his brows slightly. He understood the implication: to resume his studies, he had to formally complete the assignment he had taken on with Seraline. But if Seraline had already made it back to Arlcliff City, why hadn't she done that yet?
"I see... I'll make sure to take care of it," Magnus said, and Vira nodded in acknowledgment.
"Of course." With that, Magnus headed for the stairs, climbing up to his dorm room floor. His mind churned with unanswered questions.
Seraline hasn't marked our assignment complete yet? Did I make it back before her somehow? Or did something happen on her way back?
He wasn't sure, but there was no immediate rush. They had finished the assignment much faster than the allotted time, giving him some breathing room before he needed to finalize anything. In a way, it was a convenient excuse to skip classes for a bit longer while he handled his other priorities. Not that he wasn't interested in what they'd be teaching now that he was officially classified as an Adept-level mage.
Arriving at his dorm room door, Magnus used the Sigilbrand on his hand to unlock it. The door swung open, and a wave of still, familiar air greeted him. It smelled exactly as he remembered—clean, welcoming, untouched by the passage of time.
His eyes swept over the room, finding everything almost exactly as he had left it. His bed remained pristinely made, not a speck of dust in sight on any of the furniture. The reason for such careful upkeep was immediately apparent—Celia sat at his desk, her head resting on her arms as she slept. Papers and books were scattered around her, forming a miniature moat of knowledge, with her open notebook serving as her makeshift pillow.
And here I expected her to be up and about when I returned.
A soft smile tugged at his lips. He considered letting her sleep, but he had too much to handle, and he preferred she hear of his return directly from him rather than through rumors of Cain's presence in the academy and Arlcliff City.
Reaching out, he gently shook her shoulder. She remained deep in sleep through the first few shakes, but after a minute, she began to stir.
"Hmm?" Celia let out a low, groggy hum as she sat up from her notebook, her eyes fluttering as she slowly woke.
"Hey," Magnus said, leaning down so his face was level with hers.
Her reaction was slow. She blinked at him, her mind still muddled with sleep. But when recognition finally struck, she jolted upright with a sudden burst of energy.
"Ah! Who are you-" Her attempt to leap to her feet backfired as she knocked over the chair, tumbling backward onto the floor. She hit the ground with a thud, a sharp hiss of pain slipping through her teeth. Magnus hovered above her, caught between concern and a stifled laugh.
"Celia, relax, it's me," he reassured her, keeping his distance to avoid startling her further.
Untangling herself from the awkward sprawl of limbs and chair legs—her uniform adding to the chaos—Celia finally managed to sit up. She stared at Magnus, a mix of confusion and surprise on her face. She knew his voice, but his appearance... it was so different from the image she had etched into her mind.
"Magnus... wha- what happened to your...?" Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words.
"Evenline told me you might have run into a glitch, so I worried, but... why do you look so different?"
Hmm, looks like Seraline delivered my message to Eveline. But she didn't sign off on the assignment. That's still bugging me, but I should probably clear this up first.
Magnus extended a hand toward her. She hesitated for a moment before accepting it, her fingers brushing against his with a subtle curiosity. His skin felt... weird, an odd sensation she couldn't quite place, but it certainly wasn't the warmth or feel of a human.
"It's a long story," Magnus said with a lazy smile.
"Do you mind if we sit down and I explain it over some tea?"