Page 80 of Into the Isle

Edda Torfen, TA, said Hersir Kelvar was indisposed on official academy matters. He was supposed to have returned today, but didn’t, so she half-assed a bit of a lecture before letting us go early.

Outside the class, I asked Randi, “Think the Hersir is all right?”

She nodded as we walked away from the longhouse called Hodur Lodge, which was in the southwest quadrant close to Nottdan Quarter.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Randi said. “Probably just sneaking around in some shadows, doing sketchy stuff.”

“Why do you say that? Because he teaches ‘stealth’ class?”

“Well, my brother told me his nickname is Kelvar the Whisperer. Do with that what you will.”

I gave an impressed pout. It was a pretty badass title, admittedly, and I looked forward to meeting him.

For now, I had to shift my focus to the final class of the day. The one I’d been dreading ever since looking at my schedule this morning. Runeshaping Basics. Such a harmless name, yet with such harmful implications.

We hoofed it across to the far southeastern side of the campus plateau, to a place called Vala Chamber, via a thin section of woods. I didn’t feel as fearful walking through them during broad daylight, with someone accompanying me. We cut across the southern road leading up to Nottdeen Quarter, in order to get to Vala Chamber faster.

I was quickly getting acquainted to where everything was. Honestly, I was having more fun that I’d ever had. Even with getting the shit kicked out of me and getting bullied, teased, and meeting strange men. I felt I was actually living for the first time in my life. The veil of Selby Village had been tossed aside, and in its place an entire new world had opened.

I desperately didn’t want to lose it. Part of me didn’t even want to complete my mission of finding out who had damaged my family name, because I knew I’d be racking up enemies along the way.

Another part of me cursed myself for my weakness. I owe my mother my promise. It was an oath I’d made to her—and to myself—and I refused to break my vows.

Randi took the lead as we approached Vala Chamber. It was on a gentle slope in the middle of a meadow, with a few small longhouses nearby, huddled together. It made the Chamber look like the town hall of a tiny city.

Vala Chamber was a domed building, giving it a unique appearance among the longhouses. Its name came from the female seers of legend who could see the future. A gentle green light shimmered above the dome, in a circle. When the sunlight hit it just right, I could see the shape of the spherical magic.

Craning my neck, I asked, “What’s that?”

“Wards would be my guess,” Randi said. “Got to protect the magic from getting out, maybe?”

We both shrugged, then walked through the double-doors into the chamber. There were multiple rooms, most of them with their doors closed. We went down a hall that had rooms left and right, with only a central room open at the end of the hall.

Students were inside the meeting room. I saw the same initiate faces I’d been seeing all day. The professor stood at the back, eyeing the students who were taking their seats. Randi and I slipped into the row at the back.

Our teacher was a fierce-looking woman. She was gaunt and tall, with a sharp chin, scrutinizing eyes, and none of the kindness Hersir Thorvi had. This one looked mean, with streaky gray hair.

My heart sank, because I’d been hoping for an understanding teacher. Judging by this woman’s stern face, I wasn’t going to get much understanding from her.

“Runeshaping,” she said, and everyone in the room quieted. “It’s what makes us unique. It’s what brought you to the Isle and Vikingrune Academy.”

She spoke with no chalkboard or anything else near her. Not even a table or chair. Her black robe fluttered when she paced from one side of the front to the other.

“My name is Hersir Gudleif Selken. You will refer to me as Hersir Selken. I will be teaching you how to Shape the runes to do your bidding. How to carve the air with the symbols of our people, to do great and terrible things. This class will thrust you above the competition and put you on par with our enemies. Because, rest assured, many of our foes utilize magic as well. So we must fight back with it.”

It sounded awesome. If only I could do it.

I shrank in my seat, hoping no one would single me out. It would simply break my heart, because unlike the other jabs and barbs I’d taken referring to my half-elven blood and my name, this was something I was supposed to have control over.

I’d wanted my inherent magic to show itself for years now. It should have come at eighteen, at the latest. Now, I was twenty-two, and despite the seniority of my age, my mother Lindi had promised me it would eventually come to fruition.

When I started to doubt it and had asked how she was so sure, she said it was because I had the blood of elves in me. They were a magical race, quite literally where the “inherent” part of magic came from.

So, it was only a matter of time.

I hope you’re right, Ma. For my sake, I hope you’re fucking right.

Hersir Selken continued. “By now, you have all met Hersir Axel. You’ve traversed the Tyr Meadow and seen inside Gharvold garrison.” She threaded her fingers together in front of her. “Would it surprise you to learn that I am capable of bringing down Axel, one of our most stalwart soldiers, with a simple flick of my wrist?”

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