Lorlen walked into the Night Room, which felt oddly empty with only the Higher Magicians present. The Heads of Disciplines, the Heads of Studies, and Director Jerrik were already there. The seven were sitting in chairs arranged in a large circle, with two empty ones there for the High Lord and the Administrator. Their murmurs quietened as he walked in and took his seat.
"Shall we begin? The High Lord is recuperating in the Healer's Quarters; I don't believe he will be joining us this evening," Lorlen said, arranging his blue robes and nodding to Lord Osen, who had accompanied him with his notepad. Osen found a seat outside the circle and nodded back to Lorlen, pen at the ready.
"I know you all have many duties to attend to, so I think we should only discuss the most urgent matter that cannot wait," Lorlen began, making eye contact with everyone in the room. "The status of the High Lord and his Consort must be agreed on, in light of recent events. As you all observed, the final two Ichani were ultimately defeated by the High Lord and Sonea through the use of black magic in defence."
There were a few wide eyes among the Heads of Studies when Lorlen confirmed this. Lady Vinara, Lord Balkan and Lord Sarrin looked like they knew this already, and watched Lorlen attentively.
"Firstly, I propose their defensive act does not merit the usual penalty of execution for knowledge, and use of, black magic."
"Agreed," Lady Vinara said. After a moment, Lord Balkan nodded his assent, and all others also followed suit.
"I further move to recognise that their actions, performed in defence of Kyralia, do not merit either the demotion of the High Lord from his position, nor the expulsion of Sonea as a novice of this Guild."
Lord Balkan cleared his throat. "Administrator, while I agree that their use of black magic in this instance was defensive, we cannot overlook the fact that once that knowledge is acquired, it is not forgotten. The High Lord and Sonea are, in effect, black magicians, whether or not they reserved its use solely for wartime."
"I concur with Lord Balkan," Lord Sarrin said, peering sharply at Lorlen. "If they retain their current positions, this breaks with one of our Guild's most fundamental laws. So the question is, rather, one of the Guild's position on black magic."
Lady Vinara looked thoughtful. "We must consider the fact that our utter lack of knowledge of black magic was the reason we were left this exposed to the Ichani's attack. Do we allow only a select few to know it, for defensive purposes? Do we continue to forbid it entirely?"
"If the latter, the King will expect to know our strategy for deterring such an attack in future," Balkan said. "This invasion has demonstrated the relative weakness of Kyralia, and indeed all the Allied Lands, in comparison to Sachaka and possibly other non-Allied lands such as Duna. His Majesty is anxious to fix this imbalance."
"But we cannot possibly condone the widespread knowledge and use of black magic," said Lord Harkin, the Head of Warrior Studies. "Sachaka is an altogether different society. A slave society of black magician landowners. The evil of such practices are well known. Are we to become like our enemy in order to deter our enemy?" he asked indignantly.
"Well put, Lord Harkin," Lady Vinara answered. "Nevertheless, the problem remains. How do we emerge from this war a stronger, better prepared Guild, without embracing dangerous practices that could prove even more destructive in future? We are home to hundreds of magicians from across the Allied Lands. Merely seven Ichani almost destroyed us. Can you imagine if strengthening oneself endlessly was common Guild practice? If anything, this war has shown us the reason our predecessors banned black magic and destroyed all knowledge of it."
Silence followed her astute summary. Lorlen rested his hand on his chin, and his eye slipped to Sonea's blood gem on his finger. He didn't know exactly why, but he hadn't had the heart to take it off.
"I think the points raised so far have come to the heart of the matter," Lord Balkan began. "Personally, as the Head of Warriors, I cannot in good conscience recommend we all go back to doing things as we did. Our weakness has now been exposed." Balkan's gaze turned thoughtful. "We must also consider what kind of political message demoting or otherwise punishing the High Lord and his Consort would send. It would essentially tell our enemies that the Guild has decided to remain wilfully ignorant of black magic."
"It could be strategically good to allow Sachaka to think so, while secretly training select magicians in black magic. Let them think we continue to ban it, while we remain prepared for the worst," suggested Lord Daglan, Head of Alchemic Studies.
Vinara raised an eyebrow. "Well, then I don't see why we would need to look any further than the two black magicians we already have, who proved their loyalty to Kyralia yesterday."
Lord Harkin rubbed his chin. "Indeed. Perhaps there is some stroke of fortune in the fact that the Guild now has its own black magicians. How many witnessed their use of black magic in battle?"
"No one except who was on the grounds with me can claim to know exactly what happened. That means only myself, you Lord Harkin, and the ten other magicians who were with us on the front line, just before the Ichani opened the chasm in the earth. Everyone else was in the Guildhall throughout the battle," Balkan pointed out. "Rumours are flying, but war is always accompanied by rumours. Our official story can be that the High Lord and Sonea arrived just in time at their full strength, and finished off the Ichani through conventional magical battle. The real story would be known only to us and the ten witnesses, sworn to secrecy."
"How would we ensure silence?" Sarrin asked.
"We could make a vow to the King, on penalty of expulsion from the Guild and the blocking of powers," Balkan suggested. "That would apply to everyone in this room, too. A state secret, if you will. Much like the King's closest Advisors are bound under oath not to reveal his business."
"It would resolve a number of things," Lorlen admitted. "It would allow the Guild to have two black magicians – and perhaps more in future, if needed – for defence. In the meantime, keeping their existence a secret would prove a strategic advantage in the event of, the Eye forbid, another invasion. We'd have the element of surprise we lacked this time."
Everyone paused to consider this idea, and Lorlen waited for objections. None came.
"We will need to determine the details of this new arrangement, including gaining the approval of the King. How the black magicians will be monitored, and so forth. It would exclusively be a defensive role," Balkan said.
"Are we in agreement, then, that the High Lord and Sonea should continue to remain in their current positions as High Lord and High Lord's Consort? And that Sonea should finish her studies? If we have decided on secrecy, to de-instate them would essentially be to confirm their knowledge of black magic to the entire Guild," Lorlen summarised.
Balkan frowned. "If our official story is that they did conventional battle yesterday, then it would look strange to demote two heroes. But we also need to consider what precedent we are setting. If the Guild is to have two black magicians at all times, they cannot be in leadership positions. They must be selected from amongst Warriors, and they must answer to the Higher Magicians and the High Lord, who should not be black magicians. Given they will have permission to strengthen themselves many times over, to give them decision-making power could be a recipe for disaster."
Lorlen bristled at that. "Lord Balkan, as Lady Vinara said, both have proven themselves loyal to Kyralia and the Guild at risk to their lives."
Balkan gave Lorlen a polite nod. "I realise that, Administrator, but I'm thinking long-term. Akkarin and Sonea are our current two black magicians, yes. But this is about setting a new practice for two new Guild roles that our successors will continue to uphold. If we are to have more black magicians in future, we cannot test their loyalty in battle beforehand. We'll need to have mechanisms in place that ensure their power comes with restrictions, and a clear chain-of-command," Balkan explained.
Lady Vinara and Lord Sarrin nodded. Lorlen gestured for Balkan to continue.
"Which is why the High Lord needs to voluntarily step down," Balkan said. "And Sonea needs to become, de facto, a Warrior upon graduation. This will then set two key precedents for the future. One, that Guild black magicians are, in effect, specialised Warriors, and therefore they can only be selected from amongst Warriors. And two, in accepting the role, black magicians lose their eligibility for high office."
The three Heads of Studies were nodding at Balkan's words. Lorlen went over in his head what was being proposed, and had to admit that it was an effective way forward. Not only would it allow Akkarin and Sonea to remain in the Guild, it would rectify the Guild's weakness in the face of a future attack. I've made my peace with that, Akkarin had said earlier that day to Lorlen about the prospect of no longer being High Lord.
Sonea may be disappointed to give up being a Healer, but no one would bat an eye at her sudden change of heart, putting it down to the experience of battle. Eyebrows may be raised about a young High Lord stepping down, but that, too, could be spun. A leader who saw the Guild through dark times choosing to opt for a quieter life in the aftermath of war. All the while, secretly, they would be taking on the new mantle of Warrior black magicians. It did make sense.
"Thank you, all," Lorlen said, nodded to each. "This has been most productive; more so, in fact, than I hoped we could achieve in one meeting. All in favour of putting these decisions regarding the new role of black magician Warriors to the King?"
Seven globelights, and then his own, glowed white.
"All in favour of confirming Akkarin and Sonea as the Guild's first two black magicians, providing they accept the role's aforementioned restrictions?"
All globelights remained white.
Osen made notes. Lorlen gestured with a hand to indicate they should remove their globelights. "Very good. In which case, the items of the agenda for our next meeting will be offering this role to Akkarin and Sonea, followed by elections for the vacancy of High Lord." Lorlen noticed that several eyes quickly flickered to Lord Balkan, who looked like the obvious candidate.
"Thank you, all. I will see you at the burial service for the fallen tomorrow at midday."
Everyone rose and moved to the door. While a part of him wished things could go back to being as they were – he struggled to imagine anyone but Akkarin in the black robes – Lorlen knew nothing could ever be as it was. He left the Night Room feeling like things had perhaps turned out as best as could be hoped for, under the circumstances.
Lorlen took his time walking across the dark grounds from the Seven Arches back to the Magician's Quarters. He breathed in the cool night air and enjoyed the silence. It seemed incredible that the grounds could be so quiet and peaceful. Only the bodies that lay dead in a line near the University, and the Guild's gates that were now a melted ruin, suggested what had happened in the past week. The Palace, of course, was drained of power and partly destroyed, as well as the nearest Inner Circle villas to the explosions at its gates. But it still felt miraculous that this was the only destruction they had to deal with. Lorlen shuddered, and not from the cool air. It could have been much, much worse.
– Akkarin!
He had just reached the steps of the Magician's Quarters when he almost stumbled in shock. Sonea's mental voice had just boomed in his head. He glanced down at her blood gem ring on his hand in surprise and, increasingly, relief. She's awake!
—
Akkarin opened his eyes. His room was dark, and he could see the night sky twinkling through the window. He sighed and closed his eyes. Another dream. It was so vivid a dream that Sonea's voice calling his name had woken him.
– Akkarin! Where are you?
His eyes flew back open, and he suddenly sat up, his heart pounding. It's not a dream.
– Sonea! He sent back through their blood gem link, which had gone quiet since the battle.
– Akkarin, you're alive! She sent back. Akkarin thought his heart would burst from relief. He swung off his bed and was at the door of the room next to his in five leaping strides. He opened the door and his eyes searched for Sonea's bed in the dark. She lay still, but the moonlight falling on her face revealed her eyes were open.
Black eyes locked on black. Akkarin realised he had forgotten to breathe. Sonea's face stretched into a weak smile. Akkarin exhaled loudly and was at her bedside in two more strides. He bent down to his knees and grasped her hand in both hands. Sonea shakily lifted her other hand and placed it on Akkarin's cheek.
"You – you came back," Akkarin said hoarsely, hardly daring to believe his eyes. He hadn't realised, up until that moment, how he had been steeling himself for the worst. How he had been slowly hardening his heart, as his mind began to tell him the second woman he loved may also be gone. That loving him had destroyed yet another woman's life.
"Don't you dare start thinking like that," Sonea whispered, her dark eyebrows drawing together in concern. Akkarin let out something quiet between a chuckle and a sob. He desperately wanted to pull her close in a hug but eyed the bandage around her and restrained his urge.
"Are you okay? Is it over?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Yes," Akkarin whispered, stroking her cheek. "Yes, I am. And yes, it's over." He leaned forward to press his forehead onto hers, their breaths mingling.