Finally Some Answers 1

Thirty minutes later, Sky was staring at the name plate to the left of the solid, wood door in front of her. Magical Oversight Committee Room, it read. Aven was about to open the door when she spoke.

"Shouldn't you knock first?" Aven sighed and wrapped his knuckles sharply on the wood.

A few seconds went by, and the door was opened by the golden elf, Lorien. Up close he was stunning. His beautiful face with its high cheekbones and wide, friendly eyes could have been carved from marble as a loving master's life's work. He smiled warmly at her and Sky had to look away, to shield herself from the blinding radiance.

"Come on in." He said in his musical voice. Turning, he told the room, "It's Aven and he's brought Glace and another classmate of ours." Sky's eyes darted to his retreating back in shock. He'd acknowledged her as one of his classmates.

Sky felt two cool hands grip her shoulders as they steered her into the room. She looked back at Instructor Drakkon to whom they were attached.

"It's fine. No one is going to attack you right now."

Sky turned to the front again and observed the room. It was spacious and well-lit from an entire wall of windows through which natural light filtered. Along the walls were tables on top of which sat metal constructions that glittered with magic. To the right was a desk piled high with loose papers and thick tomes. Vaeryn was standing behind it and he smiled as he saw them enter. In the left back corner was a large circular table upon which stacks of more books had been placed. One lay open and was being looked at by West and Dain. Uriel was leaning against a big blue machine in the center of the room. He was glaring at Vaeryn and looked angry as if they were in some sort of an argument. The white-haired male Sky had seen at the smoking remains of the summoning room was standing in front of a huge, familiar, spherical display. Lorien had gone to stand beside him.

"What is that?" Sky asked pointing to it. Her curiosity had finally won out over her practicality. Instructor Drakkon and Aven both looked in the direction she pointed.

"That is-" Instructor Drakkon began. Aven cut him off.

"An Air-Light Optical Viewer, an ALOV."

"Where the Other have you been, Aven?" Demanded Uriel grumpily. Aven looked at him sharply.

"I don't answer to you."

"Yes, but we are all doing you a favor researching this ring and its effects, and your communication should not have taken so long." Vaeryn said coolly.

"I got distracted by the fire in the girl's dorm." Aven said with a shrug. Vaeryn gave Sky a piercing look that went over her inch by inch taking in the soot marks on her uniform and skin. She shifted uncomfortably and looked away to her left. Dain was standing there, having crossed the room. He looked worried.

"You- you are okay, right? Did Mia check your lungs?" Sky smiled at him and a pink tint crept into his cheeks.

"I'm fine. I wasn't in need of a healer. Instructor Drakkon rescued me in time." She was pleased that someone other than her jailor was concerned for her. Dain nodded and a look of relief crossed his face. Uriel rolled his eyes.

"You're sick. You know that right, Loser?" He said and turned to Vaeryn. "Now, I am telling you that even if it looks like this human has Elemental Magic, it won't be able to use it. The thirty three percent human blood is constant in all the samples. With a percentage that high, we don't have to worry about it and there is no need for it to be recognized even if it has a feeding requirement."

"Not now." Vaeryn said irritably. "I assume you have a reason for bringing them here with you, Aven."

Aven nodded, "This is Skylar Maren. She is the human that got the ring from the XiFi exercise. She and Glace wanted to know what was going on. Have you identified it yet?"

"We have, just this morning actually. It is called the Nousolennova." The white-haired male said speaking for the first time in a voice that reminded Sky of crashing waves.

"The explosion of the new day's Sun?" She asked attempting to translate the name of the ring. Everyone turned to stare at her in stunned silence.

"Yes, that's correct." Lorien said with a small smile that didn't reach his sharp eyes. "How did you know that?" Sky frowned.

"I read. Is that a crime?"

"Depending on what country you're from, it could be. Where are you from, by the way?"

"What does it matter where the garbage came from? Trash is trash." Uriel said with a tone of obviousness. Aven shifted his stance and put his weight on the balls of his feet with his knees slightly bent. It may have been an almost unnoticeable change, but he had put himself into a fighting stance. Dain fisted his hands at his side and Lorien snorted in amusement. "What?" demanded Uriel. The white-haired male sighed.

"Don't start again, Uriel." He warned. His voice was strong but there was a resigned tone to it as if no matter what he said, Uriel was going to do what he wanted anyway. West crossed the room and started whispering urgently to Dain, in such a soft voice that Sky could only make out a murmur and no words.

"I find it amusing that you would try to mock me for my interest in an unusual human when you're just the same as me." Lorien said with a wry smile. Uriel glared at him. The white-haired male sighed heavily and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Vaeryn watched them all with an unreadable expression.

"I am not interested in that disgusting thing!" Uriel retorted hotly.

"I didn't mean her. I meant that runaway daughter of the human lord whose picture you've been carrying around in your pocket like a lovesick idiot." Uriel flushed and his eyes flashed dangerously. He opened his mouth to respond when the white-haired male cut him off.

"Enough you two. Lorien don't antagonize him. He's already in bad mood just from being here. And Uriel, that human is our guest, so be civil."

Vaeryn smiled coolly at Uriel and Lorien as they stopped bickering.

"We are undoubtedly going to be asked to investigate this fire and its cause. Sylas take Lorien and our Conscription and go observe. Let Lorien take lead. I want to see how he does."

The white-haired male nodded, "come on, you two." he ordered. Lorien and Uriel fell into step behind him. Uriel couldn't resist one more glare at the room in general.