He descended the wooden stairs to the first floor. Ornate banners fluttered from the enchanted beams above them,their golden threads glowing faintly as if stitched with sun light.
The central hall bustling with students murmuring tomes and translated incantations.The debates of spell theory echoing the hall.
Near the tall eastern windows, a table sitted four second-years clustered around a thick book. Pages flickering with a lazy wave of a hand.
At the center sat a Tirian Caldwyn, son of viscount Caldwyn,a man known to be as smug as he was politically protected.
His son was no different, he was laughing as his fire-red jacket hung loose on his shoulders, an affectation of casual nobility.
The others at the table laughed but Erevan's eyes never let Tirian's.
He stepped forward. Quietly. Deliberately.
One of the boys sitting at the table spotted him first."Well ,well, look who has descended from heaven, the so called mage slayer Graces us."
Tirian's smile didn't falter."Erevan." He said, drawing out the name like a jest."Come to audit our study group? Or do you need directions to the section on how to use magic?"
The laughter was immediate, but Erevan didn't flinch.
"I've come to talk." He said simply, in a low, steady tone."About the research funds."
The laughter stopped. Tirian tilted his head "Accusations, that's bold."
"I never accused you of anything, I just wanted to know you allocation. I already know about Michelle, Noir and the others."
Tirian's eyes narrowed slightly, the noble musk cracked for a moment.
"Your overreaching." Tirian said as he began to rise slowly.
"He's taking the bait, how predictable. "Erevan thought.
"And it's unwise."Tirian continued.
"No, as a researcher and part of the research division, I have a right to ask questions if I'm not satisfied with the inadequate information provided on this topic, isn't that what we do here." Erevan replied.
"Well then, somethings are better of unknown and I'm not obligated to explain how I run things."
"This means I'll have to go higher up the chain of command." Erevan said as he turned to walk away.
Tirian had a glimor of nervousness."Ok, If you really what to know so badly." He said with a smug expression on his face.
There was a quiet shift in the group. The air was thickening with attention. Someone Muttered "He's going to do it."
"A dual,"Tirian announced " Right now, If you win, i'll..."
"I don't think so."Erevan said in the same low and steady tone.
"What?"Tirian said as he smiled "it's said you don't do much dualing now,do you."
"No," Erevan replied as he turned to face him "If challenged to a dual the party challenged reserves the right to pick the specifics of said dual. Do I have that right Mr Tirian."
"I knew his pride wouldn't last long." He thought as he began to leave.
"Tomorrow,the public grounds, third courtyard, I win I get to demand anything I want of you." Erevan stated.
"And if I win you'll..."
Erevan turned to face Tirian his voice now serious " You won't."
Tirian blinked, then laughted again, this time quieter, and offered a mock bow." Very well,tomorrow."
Erevan turned before the others could speak, he left the murmuring table behind. The sound of the jokes following like a trail of ash.
Outside it was high noon, Erevan walked the northern route to the dormitory gardens. As he walked,he was planning his next move.
Now that he had his mark,how was he going to approach the dual.Even as he schemed he did not seem troubled, maybe a plan was in motion or something else but he never was the sort of person to panic.
As he approached the oak shade that stretched over the garden from it's green and lush leaves,he breathed deep, trying to let the fresh air from the garden calm his nerves.
It didn't, not quite. Because the moment he stepped onto the garden's path, the world beneath his feet shattered.
Time fractured.
The wind stopped, colors bled into gray and a deep hum pressed against his ears like silence given weight.
From the silence, emerged a man tall, draped in robes as white as bone, his armor gleaming with ethereal light.
He stood with his back to Erevan solemnly at the burning sun above. Wind swirled around him, though everything else was still.
The man turned slowly. His face was shrouded by a radiant helm, faceless yet impossibly familiar.
His gaze fell onto Erevan, as he was on his knees.
And suddenly-he was somewhere else.
Erevan stood at the edge of a dying world.
Before him stretched a dead horizon-cracked land, skies like ash, the sun bleeding black in to a broken sky.
Mountains lay crumbled and Oceans dried into salt. In the distance something vast and winged wept fire across the sky.
"The end."
He tries to speak but his voice was stolen by the wind. Then came a whisper-not from the man, but from everywhere and nowhere, a voice that trembled through his bones:
"Wake up, It's nearly time."
The vision broke like glass underfoot.
Erevan gasped, stumbling forward against the tree. The garden returned: the scent of wild roses, the distant laughter from dorm windows.
His fingers dug into the bark, grounding himself.
These visions were becoming a frequent occurrence, and more vivid. Sometimes they came as dreams. Sometimes as flashes during a dual or moments of stress.
His visions always involved that man, and he always says something or was it even him speaking,he never was sure. And he always stares at the sun.
He closed his eyes, slowing his breathing.
"I was wondering when you'd come up for air," Said a voice from a distant bench.
Erevan opened his eyes, there he was, Noir Jackson. He sat there looking at Erevan, observing.
Erevan and Noir were an odd pair, many researchers always thought Erevan was the was the brains of the two,but even Erevan had to admit, Noir was a scoundrel more so that he ever was.
Even as he hailed from nobility himself he wasn't too keen on formality. He sat there with a smile putting on the perfect musk.
Erevan walked towards him,"I can never tell when you're close,"he said as he lowered his voice. "You don't think I went to far,do you? "
"Not my cup of tea,but I think it's appropriate to show the red coats what you got,"Noir commented as he looked at him,"You alright? "
"You're a red coat too,or are you beyond them now,"Erevan said as he approached.
"I saw him again,"Erevan said as he sat down,laid back looking at the golden leaves as they descended down." This visions are becoming more and more clear."
"Look I've been doing some digging and I think you're going to like this,"Noir said as he pulled a book from his jacket.
It was a leather-bound tome, from the dry and stained pages you could tell it was an old piece.
"I think It's time you looked in to these visions, maybe you could approach your sister on the matter," Noir said as he got up."I don't like to be always troubled by the constant possibility that ...,look get help and we've got much more problems at hand."
"Yeah, I'll see to that,"Erevan replied.
"Please do,"Noir commented, "We are close and the war is near."
As he said this he looked to the dormitory with a resentful look.