Illusions and Lies by InL (epub ebook reader .TXT) 📕

him, signifying his command of silence.

The sound of a small bell could be heard and the voices started to die slowly. Arwenn still at the brink of her astonishment didn’t even realize that the sound came from beside her.

Acryl’s head was supported by her left hand while the other hand was used to ring the small silver bell. She looked bored, as if doing such an act was just a deliberate act to annoy. But they all knew better, this girl never attracted the council’s attention over something useless. When the noise finally cleared, she smiled and stood up.

“Nice sound isn’t it? I admit that this bell here caught my attention in the marketplace. Imagine, in a such busy place, it made a small sound but it caught my attention. So, I thought that maybe” she shrugged “ if I rang it today, I can call the council’s attention right now.”

She looked around and approved that she was looked at intently as if expecting something really relevant. She continued.

“ Now, let me tell you a fact about gem holders or gem vessels as we are commonly addressed” then raised her hand abruptly to stop any question or argument “Let me finish. I know that everyone here is a well respected leader of their own land, each of you here are looked upon by the people. They admire and respect you whenever you talk. I may not have my own land to rule upon, but I am a vessel holder and I hope that the council will listen to me the same way your people listen to you” she said this with such fervor. “The gems themselves have powers which are ready to use. They can be passed on to absolutely anyone, of course if the only if the person is willing to take the risk and accept the gem’s test. If the person passes, they live with honor, if they don’t, they die. Very simple.”

Lord Clerson snickered “The light gem’s different. It can choose its owner, and it only chooses one of the Blight’s. To be passed on to some…” he contorted his face in disgust “couldn’t even heal a scratch”.

Acryl shook her head “The test that I was saying signifies trust between the gem and its owner. If the gem does not trust the vessel, no power can be taken from it. However, when the vessel feels that gem is using too much, he or she can definitely suppress it”.

King Ganther who looked anxious asked “What exactly are you implying Acryl?”
“I’m saying that, the light gem will not grant us powers if it does not want to. And there is actually a ritual that can let the gem and the vessel communicate with each other”.

With this statement, some of the vessels were surprised including Arwenn. She did not know of this.

“Yes, I do remember…” Lady Minn said as she looked as if she was grasping some information in her mind. “There’s a small town called Resaka that has spring fields where scripts are engraved. They said that those scripts enable the understanding of between gems and vessels. Though, it has probably been forgotten already. Since, normally that kind of understanding is already established when the vessel passes the gem’s test.”

King Ganther stood with new found strength and hope. “Then I need the council’s votes.” And after the long wait, the King announced the results.

Arwenn was going to Spring Fields of Resaka.

The Academy

Jasmine has her eyes wide open. As a merchant, she has travelled every now and then from town to town. Some were depressive and some, doing better than most. She admits though, that most of the places her family visited were villages and hamlets.

However, Rune was a different story. Located at the borders of Halafiel and Quarkur, the academy is considered as the most prestigious school of both kingdoms. It is composed of about twelve large buildings where classes are held, a park with a huge twelve feet high fountain, three dormitory houses for students, several eateries aside from the school's main dining hall and a library which is a twin structure that holds numerous numbers of books.

She was looking at the building's exterior, amazed by its design and wasn't aware that she was walking backwards when she felt her heel step into something. She was going to see what it was but lost balance as she lifted her foot and fell backwards. She was ready to feel the hard ground, only she didn't. Mid fall, she felt an arm grabbing her and holding her by the waist. Opening her eyes, which she involuntarily shut when she was about to fall, She blinked only to look into the brown eyes of the most handsome man she had laid her eyes on. Everything seemed to slow down.

After a few heartbeats, the man frowned saying "Stand on your own. I'm quite having difficulty here".

Jasmine slowly tried to stand ignoring the flutters on her stomach. Regaining her balance, she noticed that the luggage she was holding was also grabbed by the man with his left hand and she can imagine that he used the other arm to catch her. She blushed. What? she asked herself. Blushing was rare for her. That luggage was not light either.

"Th.. Thank you" she stuttered and looked at his still scowling face.
"Next time, will you please be mindful of your surroundings!" he scolded.
"s..sorry" she said all the while telling herself to stop stuttering. Goodness, she also wasn't the stuttering type! What is going on with me? She thought.

"It will make the academy good if it gets rid of idiots" he muttered. But all the same, she heard it and she instantly got irritated.

She wasn't an idiot. People may have called her worst names before but never ever an idiot. She knew she could be stupid at times but she prided herself that even without proper education she read a lot and knew lot. In that moment as he was about to walk away she grabbed his arm and halted him.
He was obviously surprised by her actions, it showed in his face.

"I refuse" she told him with heated eyes.
"What?"
" I refuse to be called an idiot. Take it back" she almost shouted.

It took several moments before comprehension dawned on him.
The man let out an irritated sigh "let go of me"
"No,not until you take it back!"
"look, i only helped you bec..."
but she cut him off with "who told you to help me anyway!".
He raised his eyebrows then snickered "have you even bothered to see where you were going to fall at?".

Her eyes widened at this and felt his hands peeled off her fingers around his arm.

"Guess you haven't huh? Normally, a person would at least take a glance but you didn't. So that makes you” he pointed a finger at her “an idiot" .

Just because I didn't look, I'm supposed to be an idiot?

She countered mentally. But what he said made her glance at the place and was surprised to see that if she had fallen, it would totally be humiliating. Imagine falling at knee deep fountain surrounded by various people standing by. And the risk of hitting her head on hard surface.

Ouch

. She flinched. That would hurt and probably leave her head bleeding. But still, he didn't have to help if he didn't want to. She was about to voice out her opinion of him with the words annoying and stuck up pretend person but she only saw him stalking off.

She wanted to glare at him but she knew she wasn't. Instead, she was observing him. He was quite quick but his stride looked measured. He walked like someone who is entitled with the word respect. Alluring, she found herself thinking.
Then she was irritated with herself.

"No" she denied. She does not admire a guy who obviously was irritated with her and doesn't care for her at all. She groaned and put her hands on her forehead.

Deciding she has seen enough for now, she had to go to her assigned dormitory room. Maybe she'll forget about this meeting after all.

***

The three dormitories were color coded: purple, blue and red. Purple house are for the nobles, blue houses students who have great accomplishments academically while red are for those students who are not doing well with their grades. Each house have different styles of accommodation. It was arranged so that the students would aspire higher. Before entering rune, students have to take an exam which shall determine which house he or she shall belong to. Thankfully, she had slightly good results and now she earned her place at blue.

She smiled remembering the questions. Most of them were asking about ingredients needed for spells, on how they can be used or where to find them. Some questions were about places like forests and caves, on what are the expected dangers and the necessary precautions upon entering.

Some items were even asking for immediate remedies if one is poisoned. Silly as it may seem, most students may know those information through textbooks, but she knew those things from experience. She was a merchant after all, and her job enabled her to know those things.

Going back to the present, she stood outside the door eyeing her name beside another: Jasmine Brown and Forjesca Lex. A roommate, maybe she was inside already? She thought. Just in case the person might get startled by suddenly opening the door, she decided to knock. For a moment, she wondered what kind of person her roommate was, bad tempered, thoroughly nice or quiet? She was trying to comprehendhow she'll introduce herself when the door opened.

She blinked looking at the short haired beauty who stared back at her. Goodness, she thought. Will she be able to get past getting amazed by the people she meet here? The girl's smile flashed.

"You must be Jasmine. I'm Forjesca, but call me Jesca".
She smiled back somehow relieved that the girl was nice.
"Jasmine or jas" she introduces herself.

With a swift move Jesca took one of her luggages which she was holding with both hands "I'll help you with this".
"You don't have to" she tried to take back her luggage surprised even to see that the girl managed to brush her off and holding the luggage with only one hand. She's strong, she thought and observed that the girl certainly looked fit although she could see there were no bulky muscles. She was in fact looking gracefully