The Old vs the New

As they walked through the corridors Owen got a few suspicious looks from some of the students. They seemed displeased at this interloper, only a few of the seniors recognized Owen and their glances held a lot more disdain than the others.

Alex was following them though he seemed to be limping, Owen was supporting him as they walked. The demonic presence seemed to have subsided and the sun was beginning to rise, the students seemed tired but for what they had just experienced that was a best case scenario.

"Why are you back here," Alex asked almost annoyed.

"Honestly, I needed money. This place has money, the demons were the last thing I was expecting." 

"If you needed money you could have done something else, you have enough talent." Alex seemed disappointed.

"I needed a lot more money. I need to go find my sister." Owen's voice was a lot more sombre now. "Though tonight has at least given me a clue on where she might have gone."

"Ah, sorry to hear it."

They continued down the hallway following the Dean. As they made it higher up the building the decorations and amenities started becoming more luxurious. The better a student you were the higher you got in the university, it was a sad reflection of the world outside.

Magic was far too important to the kingdom, the amount of magic you possessed seemed to reflect the individuals worth even when most of the heroes on the frontline weren't the powerful mages holed up in the city.

Fane's office door was a grand and ornately carved door. There were two dragons looking ready to pounce at the door.

With a wave of his hands the an enchantment started humming, the doors opened slowly revealing a larger room hidden within. It was just as ornately decorated as the door with each piece of furniture representing some animal. The large seat being a lion with the one Owen took being a cat.

Fane almost collapsed on his seat, the burdens of his job weighed heavy on him and his posture.

"I need your help," Fane told Owen. "I can't get the Time-Teller back, I can't leave the city right now."

"It was supposed to be destroyed," Owen said almost shouting.

"Yes, I couldn't in the end. It was too good as a last resort." Fane looked ashamed. "We need your help Owen."

"You turned your back on me as soon as I was of no more use. You thought you had everything sorted out and now it looks like its all crumbling. Why do you think I will help you this time?"

Fane looked sombrely into his eyes. "Your greatest weakness, your too kind. You can't turn your back on us."

Alex looked at Fane confused, "Sorry, what. Why do you need his help."

Fane dismissed the question out of hand, "Don't worry Alex, we'll need you as well, or more accurately he will."

Owen looked at Fane, "Not this time. I have a promise I need to keep."

"Your sister, I know where she is." Fane replied. "I can pay the ransom."

Owen became angrier at this. "No, they have to pay. All I wanted to be left alone with my family and Taranelle has seemingly just forgotten. Why should I help this country that shows me no respect as soon as I follow through on my promise."

"Okay, what promise is this? I'm a Prince, I should know." Alex burst out.

"The Time-Teller, without me it could never have been made. I helped make it and then they never acknowledge me for it." Owen said venom tinted in every word he spoke.

"I helped make it, while it was ingenious I thought it was the Professor's design."

"Professor Cain certainly refined it but the magic was my inscription."

"I have a deal that can work in both of our favours," Fane cut in. "I'll deal with your sister and keep everything that happened tonight out of the ears of some troublesome individuals. You get the Time-Teller."

"That doesn't seem fair," Owen replied. "I'm risking my life for this."

"I'll help your sister too. I'll pull the resources of this academy towards finding a cure, we'll save her, you don't need the money if we do this."

Owen took it in. Going to the frontlines was hell, going there again would be the last thing he needed.

"Think it over," Fane said. "Before that we come to you Alex. You were going to the frontline next month anyway as part of the royal tradition. We're going to use that to sneak some things through in exchange I think Owen could help with the Baron Retore problem."

"What," Owen asked even more annoyed. "Why am I being volunteered?"

"Don't worry," Fane gave a sly smirk. "He was the man who instigated the kidnapping and this is a royal decree from his majesty. Keep things quiet but I need you to investigate, if you so happen to cause a ruckus after finding something I imagine his majesty would help you."

He was back in Fane's schemes, he knew it but he was useful and he hated to admit it but he just didn't have enough influence in higher circles.

So they both sat next to each other in decorated ornate suits. While uncommon it wasn't unheard of for people to bring people of the same gender as your plus one to a ball. Usually this was only done to allow some prominent merchant in, Owen was no such figure though. It was a first for a royal.

The carriage had an awkward tension as they rode past.

"This is going to make things difficult in the future," Alex moaned. "There are going to be rumours. My fathers going to rake me through the coals, no doubt he'll have already made a deal and I'll be engaged within the month to try and stop the rumours."

"We're here to dig up some skeletons, get over it." Owen replied.

"Are you not bothered by it," Alex replied.

"This was the only way Alex. If this is enough to rattle you, you won't survive the frontlines." Owen replied sternly.

"About that, how? How have you been to the frontlines? How have you got so much influence over Fane, I thought you were just another cocky student."

Owen seemed to look into the distance, looking past into somewhere no one else could see. "I used to live there with my sister. I lived in a village that got torn and broken by the war. That war has stolen secrets from this world, the fear of the people formed into demons. I saw the devourer get sealed only for the master of those chains to create a madness that screamed absolutes and nothingness in a cacophony of silent terror. Nothing makes sense on that battlefield."

"I'm sorry to hear that but I thought these things were legend."

"Legend bleeds into reality when magic is involved. Magic can make stories real, the grandest fantasy to the terrors of some backwater fairy tale are the shapes magic takes. You will see fear become reality."

Alex looked almost scared at this.

"I wouldn't worry, royalty won't see the heart of the battlefield. It's your privilege and curse to oversee this country." 

With that the carriage stopped.