26th day of the season of the sun 2448

It was now evening and Ariella had been teasing Azena at every possible opportunity for a long hour. Her eyes fixed in the books, Fayne tried to ignore them as she continued her search. Serfantor was trying to help her, but the noisy conversations of the two half-elves were very distracting. They were indifferent to the rest of the people around them. Several of the apprentices who were trying to finish their homework ended up complaining, and the guardian didn't even let them finish and rushed to their table.

- Enough! shouted the half-dreamy, half-rageous voice of the spell in charge of the library. Everybody out!

All of them, even the whistleblowers froze. Ariella raised her arms, freeing Azena's head, which she had immobilized in a friendly duel, yielding. Azena lost her balance, got up and was about to launch a counterattack when she noticed Fayne in the background waving at her to stop. She looked up. A translucent face floated above her.

- So ! the guard continued. You're all entitled to a warning. I'm not giving two!

- What? Azena wondered. I didn't get a warning last year.

- The rules are changing, the guardian hissed in her teeth. Now get out.

Azena was startled by its vehemence.

Serfantor was the first to rise from his chair. He scurried down the rows of shelves full of books and passed an anxious group of apprentices staring at him. Azena, Ariella and Fayne followed him, followed by the guardian who made sure they made it to the exit.

- Now... Stop it! Ariella giggled.

Serfantor heard a slight squeal like shoes slipping on the floor. He guessed that Azena and Ariella were still jostling each other. Their silly little laughter relaxed the atmosphere.

- Honestly, Fayne mumbled, you're acting like tomboys.

- Yah. What's the issue? Azena asked her.

The herbalist simply shaked her head at her.

When she saw the group of apprentices leaving the library, the guardian folded her ghostly arms.

- Azena, you're still banished. The rest of you, come back when you've calmed down. Anyway, you should all go to bed.

She turned around and disappeared through the doors, leaving translucent strings in her wake. Azena tried to touch one of them, but it disappeared when her finger made contact.

- I'll go back tomorrow by myself, Fayne said. There must be more information available.

- The masters' tower, said Azena, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

The two half-elves exchanged sly glances.

- Rohhh, do what you want, said Fayne with a smile. I'm going to bed. Are you coming Azena?

The archer nodded and followed her with an energetic step. Serfantor didn't bother to say good night to the young women. He decided to leave on his own, but he noticed that Ariella, who was left behind, had remained motionless.

- Are you all right? he asked to be polite.

He was unsure how to react to the blonde. Besides, he wasn't very good at the social aspect in general.

- I just wanted to say good night, she explained. Azena and Fayne are a bit disrespectful at the moment. After all, you've been very helpful in our research.

Serfantor raised an eyebrow. He wondered about Ariella's motive. She could have simply run off with her friends. About that, they getting small in the distance of the poorly lit corridor.

- It's nothing, he said, trying to smile slightly to appear friendly. After all, I owed it to Azena after all the trouble I caused her last year.

Ariella nodded her head with a sincere and benevolent look in her eyes.

- You have a good heart deep inside. I'll see you later.

She turned her heels and set a fast pace hoping to catch up with the other two young women.

- Hey! she shouted. Wait for me!

Serfantor found himself alone with his thoughts. On the way to the fourth graders' tower, he replayed the scenes of the day in his mind over and over again. An image of Nymia kissing her lover with ardor resurfaced. Each time, Serfantor felt his cheeks blush. He couldn't believe it. It was practically an impossibility in his mind. But he had to admit that Ariella knew her parents better than he did, so it had to be true.

- Shit, he thought. Stop thinking about it.

Nymia and Eldarytzan transformed into him and Merryn, the young grey elf whom he had helped to escape from the dark kingdom of their people. She was beautiful; her gaze sparkling with intelligence, her cheekbones were high. Still wrapped up in his thoughts, he sensed her fragile hand that came to rest on his chest. Her white tunic disappeared, an impossibility that only occurs in the fruit of the imagination. He let the situation run its course on for a while. He shivered as Merryn slowly brushed her finger along his shoulder.

He didn't see the corner and the reality of the approaching wall startled him. He stopped dead in his tracks, took advantage of a few moments of solitude to pull himself together and continued on his way. The hormones were taking a bite out of him. It had to stop if he wanted to concentrate on what needed to be done. To console himself, he told himself that this was normal for a seventeen-year-old man. Was Merryn okay? Where was she now? Was she thinking about him too? Serfantor hoped to hear from her soon, but there were no guarantees. She seemed to be strong anyway. She would manage.

- Besides, Azena has more qualities than I thought.

The archer took her place in his mind. Her mischievous smile constantly challenged him. She wanted, despite the risks, to enter the Mother Tower to find the truth about a threat that could affect her loved ones. It was more than any gray elf would do, especially for strangers who were worthless to them. He knew her heart was good. He meant it to a very limited number of people only. So he wanted to support her in return, but after the events of the past year, he knew he would have to show his proof of his good will.

- I think I should get closer to her, he thought. But how without her being suspicious? What would attract her?

A shiver ran through his spine when he thought about his mother's plans.

- I'll have to be discreet. Azena isn't known for being subtle either. I won't be able to tell her everything if I decide to rebel against Mother.

He climbed up the spiral staircase in the tower of the third-year apprentices, entered his room, closed the heavy door behind him. Ignoring the darkness that barely affected his vision, he dropped his belongings beside his single bed and lit the two lanterns on either side of the window with an enchanted lighter. He sighed, trying to put his worries aside and leaned against the window sill. The two flames danced lazily in the moonlight, reflecting a soft yellow glow on the walls.

He hesitated about his decision. He had so many fears about his mother, about his entire people. Grey elves are manipulative and selfish. He questioned the wisdom of turning his back on these vile beings. It was a risky gamble, very dangerous. He also had to ensure Shalith's safety. Shalith... He looked up.

His confidence returned when he saw a shadow with iron gray eyes shimmering in the night. Shalith was perched on a nearby tower like an invisible, ever vigilant protector. Her power was incalculable. A dragon, proud and strong despite her weaknesses. They had already accomplished so much together. Serfantor already knew that she would refuse to stoop to anything less than right.

- We might as well go through this horror together, he thought to himself. I'll find a way to do good in this difficult situation. For Shalith and Merryn. Yeah, I'll find a way. Azena, I'm going to offer you the chance to join my skotar team, just as you so desperately want.

He smiled and, content with his meditation on his decision, he wrapped himself under his woollen blankets and had the rare gift of falling into a peaceful sleep.

✦×✦

27th day of the season of the sun 2448

The next day, Serfantor spent his dinner accompanied by GoldenHeart's new captain Èrionda, a jovial sylvan elf whom Serfantor knew quite well, CrimsonRoar's captain, a sturdy Detmorian with rebellious hair, SwiftSilver's captain, a lunar elf with long snowy hair and a soft face, and finally, Nymia. The trainer did not give them a moment's respite; she sat down at the end of the large wooden table, ignored her meal and thundered:

- The skotar season starts in thirteen days and your teams are not complete. The year is condensed as you already know, so the trial period will not be done this year. So choose well.

She paused and hit the table with a firm fist. Serfantor's plate shook dangerously. The gray elf hastened to stabilize it. He couldn't help but avoid Nymia's gaze for fear of blushing because of the coach's secrets. Nervously, he took a bite of his mashed potatoes. Nymia seemed to have noticed his odd behavior and raised her voice:

- Listen to me, we must redouble our efforts if we are to defeat the Isriss academy teams... and each other. Last year was acceptable, although it could be greatly improved. Erionda is GoldenHeart's new captain; she'll make the change, won't she?

- Yes ma'am, Erionda replied fervently.

For some reason, Serfantor didn't like her first impression of Erionda as captain. She reminded him of a blindly devoted henchman. She smiled at everything Nymia said, almost rising to the table, her face and eyes glowing of a forest green.

- You won't be disappointed in me, she added.

The coach nodded:

- Serfantor, do you have any questions? You seem distracted, is something wrong?

The prince had to admit that Erionda made him slightly uncomfortable.

- No, Guardian Nymia, he replied respectfully. I need a new attacker and I think Azena Kindirah would be extremely good. I had the chance to hang out with her a little bit last year and yesterday.

The three other captains watched him, surprised by his choice. Erionda, on the other hand, rolled up her upper lip slightly, showing irritation. Nymia raised her eyebrows, apparently equally intrigued by her reaction.

- Continue. Express your choice.

- She seems to have a lot of passion in what she sets her mind to, he explained.

- So be it, Nymia decided. I approve, even though the choice is yours. You have my blessing. She's a lady with fire in her heart, that's for sure.

After the meeting, Erionda caught up with Serfantor in the corridor. Before he could react, she pinned him against the back wall. Between two torches lit by magic, he clearly saw the frustration in the wood elf's eyes.

- What are you doing?

- Azena was my choice, she grunted.

- And how do you know Azena?

- My brother told me a lot about her over the holidays.

- Who's your brother?

Erionda hesitated for a long time before replying as if she did not want to reveal this information.

- Teriondil Murkwan.

Serfantor noticed the similarities: the same minty eyes and same hair colour, except that Erionda's hair was short and spiked. Honestly, he didn't know Teriondil's last name, let alone that he had a sister. The latter never talked about him. He didn't know why, but surely it was indiscreet to ask her about it.

- Only during the holidays? Don't you talk to him at the academy?

The wood elf blushed, caught off guard.

- I shouldn't have told you, she hissed between her teeth. Anyway, it's not important. We'll see which team Azena joins.

She continued on her way, her fists clenched and her pace hurried. Serfantor gazed at her from afar until she turned and disappeared. He knew her well enough. They were friends, though he always kept his distance. She was in her fourth year of training, a naturancian, had had feelings for him that were possibly still present and was extremely competitive. It was a situation that he felt was delicate, but he had to approach Azena as soon as possible before she did, especially if she could introduce herself as his best friend's sister. Besides, it was strange that the two siblings never spoke at the academy.

✦×✦

After the afternoon classes, Serfantor searched for Azena through the academy without success. He came across Erionda who seemed to be in just as much of a hurry as he was, probably looking for the grey dragon rider too. The two rivals ignored each other.

- Perhaps she's with Tyrath, Serfantor thought.

He went to the Dragon's Nest and asked Shalith for help, but neither of them found Azena. In the end, he mounted his companion and flew over the academy grounds. To the east, the Crystal Lake shone under the powerful rays of the two suns. Its water, pale light blue, was so pure that you could see the bottom. Next to a lonely tree that thrived so close to the water, a dragon and a humanoid figure confronted each other in a friendly duel.

- Get a little closer, Serfantor said to Shalith. Slowly.

The black dragon obeyed and a few moments later, the two companions could distinguish Azena and Tyrath. The gray drake uttered a defiant roar, but Azena remained nailed in place, impassable. Irritated, he blew a gust so powerful that Azena lost her balance and fell backwards into the water. Fortunately, the lake was not that deep. She screamed something at Tyrath and got up, full of wet sand. She shook herself briefly and charged towards him. The two companions jostled, rolled and tried to dominate each other without causing injury.

- What exactly are you going to do? Shalith asked.

Serfantor explained briefly. With a snub, the dragon reluctantly approved of his plan and let him approach Azena and Tyrath alone. However, she refused to return to the Dragon's Nest. They compromised; Shalith had to be content to watch from afar.

When Serfantor was a few leagues away, Tyrath spotted him. Distracted by the newcomer, the dragon got hit by a ball of aggressive wind to the face. He roared, shocked himself and pushed Azena back into the lake with the help of a gust of wind that he blew out of his gaping mouth.

By the time the dragon rider got up, Serfantor was close enough to hear their words clearly.

- Are you not listening to me or what? she shouted angrily. I told you not to do that anymore! It's not gonna amount to anything and...

- Shut up, Tyrath interrupted her.

Azena dragged herself out of the lake and looked at him, shocked by the attitude of her dragon:

- Excuse me?

- We've got company.

Serfantor approached, but still kept a good distance between them. Tyrath's upper lip trembled as if he was about to roar.

- Serfantor, Azena said with surprise.

She paused to shake off as much sand out of her dirty uniform as she could. She got rid of a seaweed that stuck to her cheek, and then swore as her long wet hair dripped on her bow, which she placed next to her bag at the foot of the tree. She moved away so as not to get anything else wet and turned her attention to Serfantor. Her tone of voice underlined her suspicion.

- What are you doing here, Serfantor? You were determined to find me to search so far. I thought I'd have peace here.No one normally comes.

A mischievous smile appeared on her lips:

- Tyrath is not pleased with your surprise visit, that's for sure. Anyway, come on, what is it?

She motioned for Tyrath to calm down. The young dragon flicked his nostrils, clearly annoyed. He growled slightly, turned around and curled up by the lake on the warm sand.

- He's going to pout a little, but ignore him, said Azena.

Tyrath shook his tail, but said nothing. His violet eyes followed Serfantor's movements. Suddenly, the gray elf felt more comfortable. Azena was much friendlier now that he'd helped her.

- Well, I'll get started, he said. I don't have a lot of time and Nymia is impatient, but she approved of my decision to recruit you as an attaquer for the DarkBlade team. What's in it for...

He didn't have time to finish his sentence because Azena cut him off:

- Really?! she cried out in a high-pitched tone. You're not kidding me, are you? Are you serious?

- I'll take that as a yes then. Of course it's not a joke.

- Why me?

This time, she seemed very suspicious.

- I fought you in a duel and I know you have fire in your heart, passion. An attacker must be determined and a go-getter. On the other hand, you have to work on your impulsiveness.

- Hold on. When's the probationary period? Does that mean I'm skipping it?

- Nymia did not give us time for a trial period this year because of a lack of time. The war and all that heckling...

- It's strange to think I'm part of the DarkBlade team. Let me think about it... It's a yes!

Serfantor felt a weight on his shoulders disappear. In the end, it wasn't difficult. However, he knew he hadn't won Tyrath's trust. The drake hadn't forgotten what the gray elf had done to him, he could see it in his eyes.

- Let's go celebrate! Azena exclaimed, lovingly clutching the silver dragon's head.

Her energy was explosive. She kept moving and suggesting activities to Tyrath, from jumping off the top of the Mother Tower to getting high on Teriondil's special tea. After a few suggestions, Tyrath finally gave in:

- All right, all right, he purred. Let's do something to celebrate, just because you're irresistible when you're happy.

Azena climbed on Tyrath's back and settled.

- Wait, Serfantor asked. Can I talk to you for a moment before you leave?

- Of course, my captain, Azena said in an exaggerated tone before giggling.

Serfantor strangely appreciated her enthusiasm. He had a hunch that this choice would turn out for the best.

- I'm gonna tell you something serious, okay?

He waited for her to nod and continued:

- I can't tell you the details and please don't make me talk. I'm already trying the best I can to push my limits. This is a very delicate and dangerous situation.

A foul breeze made their hair dance. Shalith, a shadow against the sunlight, landed next to her dragon rider and brushed her snout against his shoulder as a sign of encouragement. Azena made sure Tyrath made no disrespectful movements by placing her hand on his head.

- Keep going, she said.

- I think you have a good heart, he continued with a nervousness he tried to control. I didn't mean to hurt you last year, I assure you. The quill is yours and I respect that completely. For the harm I caused you, I deeply apologize.

He bowed very low, then straightened up to continue:

- I hope you can forgive me, you and Tyrath, of course. I haven't forgotten you. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that there's evil all around us. An evil that's subtly spinning its web and tries to accomplish its goals through henchmen whether they're willing or unwilling. Watch your quill. Whatever it can provide, powerful people want it in their clutches. Watch out for the dark-skinned ones too...

He stopped, unable to say more of what he wanted to tell the archer. He knew that she might be oblivious to her surroundings, but he also knew she was smart.

- Come on, piece it together with the clues, he begged silently.

Azena remained impassable for a long time as if she was waiting for something. Finally, she spoke:

- Is that all she said? Come on, what's going on? We could even work together against these bandits.

Serfantor couldn't accept this proposal, knowing that he was going to put himself in danger of exposure. Nervous, he decided to refuse and run away so she couldn't insist and ask for a reasoning behind his decision.

- I'm sorry, but the answer is no.

- About...

- I have to go, he cut dry with a forced smile to lighten the mood. I'll see you at skotar practice.

He hastened to mount Shalith. The black dragoness took off as soon as he put both feet on her.

- Hey, wait! Azena shouted.

He looked behind to make sure she wasn't following him. To his astonishment, but relief, Tyrath held her back and refused to move.

- Thank you Tyrath, Serfantor thought, looking away.