Pyre stood over Faelan. Linnea had done everything she could, but his body was still badly scarred, two fingers gone, the skin along his arms and chest warped by fire. Even if he recovered enough to work again, Pyre could tell the flow of magic within him would never be the same. The damage ran too deep. For a moment, she let herself wonder if going to him first would have lessened it, but with injuries this severe, the outcome likely would not have changed much.

  Linnea remained at his side, shoulders slumped. Her pale skin made it obvious she had drained her reserves dry. Pyre knelt and placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. For nearly a cycle, Faelan and Linnea had taken care of her and Silver. They had been there at her lowest. Seeing them like this twisted something in her chest.

  She rose and crossed to Garret's bedside. He lay beside Air, gripping the blanket over his legs as she approached. His eyes flicked toward her but never fully turned; he was clearly avoiding looking at his father.

  Pyre rested a hand on his head and leaned closer. "I'm sorry, kid."

  Garret stared down at the blanket. "Don't be. You did everything you could. Everyone did. I'm grateful for that."

  Air leaned into her view. "Besides, if anyone should be apologizing, it's me. If I'd just gone with the creepy guys, none of this would've happened."

  Pyre shook her head. "No. You don't get to blame yourself for that. You didn't ask to wake up here, and you didn't ask to be an elemental." She straightened. "There are always going to be people who try to take advantage of capable people. I chose to become as strong as I am so I could protect those who can't protect themselves."

  Garret turned to Air. "I actually wanted to ask you something. How did you do it? How did you walk into something impossible and hold out until things turned around? You don't have proper memories of this world. No real attachments. If it were me-"

  "That's not true," Air cut in. "I've got Silver. I've got you. Your mom. Your dad."

  "But you barely know us." Garret's voice cracked.

  "I've got my word too."

  Garret blinked. "Huh?"

  "Even if I don't have my proper memories, I think I've still got my proper self. I told you that as long as you believed things would go your way, they would. If I stopped following that belief while you were watching, I'd be a liar. This might sound silly, but feeling like I lied to my friend would hurt more than any punch that big guy could have hit me with."

  Garret's gaze dropped again, darting across the folds of his blanket. "I see." His fingers tightened in the fabric. He looked toward his parents. "Then I want to believe... that I can heal my father."

  Linnea's head snapped toward him. "Garret-"

  "You and Dad only studied the necessary levels of healing magic." He thought back to the spells the Inquisitor had used to subdue Kelar. "But there are levels beyond that. Magic that can restore any injury."

  Linnea covered her mouth. "Learning magic like that takes cycles of training. And you won't be able to learn it if you're stuck here in Alderbrook. you would have to—"

  Garret turned to Air. "You're going to Aurelios, right? There are hundreds of genius spellcasters there. So please." He bowed his head. "Take me with you."

  Air smirked. "I'm not the one you should be asking. But sure. If you want to become some super awesome magic guy, I'll help however I can."

  Pyre let out a quiet chuckle. "Looks like we're all heading to Aurelios." She glanced at Linnea, who gave a small, conflicted nod. Part of her clearly wanted to keep her son close, but stopping him would only smother the spark she had just seen ignite.

  Pyre ruffled both boys' hair. "I'll keep you safe for as long as you need me to." She paused, a faint grin tugging at her lips. "And I'm sure Silver will figure out something useful to do too."

  Silver popped into the room. He jogged lightly over to Air. "Hey, kid. You feeling good enough to walk?"

  "Uh, I think so."

  "Good, 'cause we've gotta move. That Inquisitor guy's ready to leave, and I don't wanna keep him waiting."

  Pyre waved a hand dismissively. "Pfft. That guy's a big ol nerd. He won't do anything to ya."

  Garret threw the blanket off his legs and slid out of bed. "I'm ready to go too."

  Silver scratched his chin. "Yeah, no. I doubt your mother wants you going all the way to Aurelios."

  "Actually," Pyre said, pointing at Garret, "she's fine with it. Says he wants to get good enough at healin' magic to fix his old man."

  Silver sighed. "Awesome. More kids to look after."

  They said their goodbyes to Linnea and Anya before leaving the guild hall. Garret held his mother tightly for a long moment before finally pulling away. Afterward, they stopped at the tavern to grab a barrel of Melo juice and hauled it toward the Inquisitor's airship waiting at the edge of town.

  The ship was small and compact, built for only a handful of passengers and light cargo. Metal turbine blades lined its sides, each etched with wind spells that shimmered faintly in the light. Only skilled spellcasters could create artificial enchanted objects, which made airships rare and painfully expensive. Air and Garret let out quiet oohs as they boarded. Once everyone was seated, the turbines began to spin. The ship lifted smoothly into the sky.

  Garret peered out the circular window. "This is nowhere near as scary as traveling on your back."

  Air shrugged. "C'mon, it wasn't that bad. Next time I'll be extra careful so you don't fall."

  Garret shuddered. "Next time? No thanks. I don't ever want to travel like that again."

  Air laughed and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "Alright. Don't complain when you get left behind."

  The boys talked for hours, but by sunset both had slumped in their seats, fast asleep. Silver draped blankets over them before leaning back himself. He couldn't help wondering what the High Council intended to do with Air. He had only visited Aurelios' Great Hall a few times with Pyre, and it was overwhelming every time. Aurelios was the largest city in Modus, built over centuries by the greatest spellcasters to ever live. No other city rivaled its influence. In some cases, it held more sway than entire kingdoms.

  Before long, Silver's eyes closed. When they opened again, Air and Garret were staring out the window. Silver turned and saw yellow lights far below, scattered like stars fallen to earth. Sharp blue hues radiated from Aurelios' first layer, and beyond it rose a circular wall encasing the city. Higher still, other layers hovered in orbit, moving in slow, deliberate patterns. The airship drifted just beneath the third layer before descending. Even now, Silver felt a bit of awe at the sight of the massive city.

  They touched down atop a tower in the first layer. Its exterior was forged from dark blue metal, the design sharply angular. The airship door lowered, and they stepped out. The Inquisitor guided them to an elevator, and they began their descent. They stopped on the forty-seventh floor. The atmosphere was cold and sterile. To Air and Garret, it felt nothing like the natural warmth of Alderbrook. They followed the Inquisitor down a long hallway toward a towering set of doors. He raised his hand, and the doors opened automatically.

  Air and Garret's eyes lit up. They stood inside a vast library, shelves stretching high overhead.

  The Inquisitor stopped abruptly, and Silver bumped into him. "This is where I say farewell. We will meet again. "He stepped out, and the doors shut behind him.

  Pyre chuckled as she dropped onto a nearby couch. "Watch where you're goin'."

  Silver scoffed and sat across from her. "Whatever. Isn't someone supposed to be meeting us?"

  A new voice answered, calm and precise. "Master Giro will be with you shortly. In one or two hours."

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  A woman sat at a nearby desk, reading. Her eyes scanned the page intently, yet she spoke without missing a beat.

  Garret skipped up to her desk. "Does that mean we're free to read anything we want while we're here?"

  "Of course." The book glowed faintly, and the page turned on its own. "If you are willing to learn, then this entire library is open to you."

  "Oh. Then where can I find medical books? Healing magic stuff."

  "Sections thirty-six A through thirty-nine Z." Without looking up, she reached beneath her desk and produced a stone tablet, handing it to him. "Here is a map. If you require assistance, press one of the labeled buttons on the side. My staff will respond."

  "Thanks, miss." Garret turned and darted between the shelves, Air close behind.

  One of the woman's fluffy white, dog-like ears twitched. A tear formed beneath her right eye, but she brushed it away with elegant precision, never lifting her glasses. "So youthful," she murmured softly. "And so willing to learn. Beautiful."

  Silver watched her, one eyebrow raised.

  ----------

  At least forty minutes had passed, and Garret's pace had slowed tremendously. The library was so enormous that even after seeing the tower from the outside, it was hard to believe it all fit within these walls. Every so often he stopped to pull a book from the shelf, skimming a few pages before handing it to Air, who was now balancing eight books in one arm. Air leaned closer and looked down at the tablet Garret carried. He squinted at the pulsing blue dot in the center.

  "So... that's us, right?"

  "Yep. And if I'm reading this right, we're almost where we want to be." Garret pointed to a red dot nearby. "I set a marker for section thirty-six M."

  "That's awesome! What other books are you even looking for? Do you really need this many?"

  "Well, right now I'm mainly looking for Mont Vusair's Healing & Aide, Volume Three. My parents still had their old copies of volumes one and two lying around, so I've read through them a couple times. I'm also hoping to pick up a few more books. If we're going to be staying in Aurelios for a while, I'll have plenty of time to read."

  They turned a corner and spotted a muscular man with an imposing frame pulling a book from a shelf. Garret caught a glimpse of the title and froze. Air nearly ran into him.

  "What's wrong?"

  Garret pointed. "That was it. M.D. Volume Three."

  Air glanced at the shelf. There were multiple copies of the same title lining it.

  "Hey, they've got extras. Don't even worry, they've probably—" He stopped. A long, empty gap stared back at him. "Oh."

  Garret joined him, shoulders sagging. "I guess I'll start with the others. Volume Three would've helped me understand them better, but I'll just have to wing it."

  Air placed a hand on his shoulder. "Why not just ask him for it?"

  "No. If he's got it, then he's got it."

  Air shook his head. "No need to give up so quickly. If you really want that book, just believe you're going to get it, and it'll happen. Remember?"

  "I don't think that applies to taking something someone already has."

  "Does it count as taking it if he doesn't see us take it?"

  "...Yes. Was that a serious question?"

  Air grinned and shook him lightly. "Remember that thing you used to find me when I left to fight Kelar? Can you sense where that guy is now?"

  Garret hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. He hasn't gotten far, but I can't tell exactly where he went. Maybe if I..." He closed his eyes and focused, scanning his surroundings. After a moment he opened them and glanced at the tablet. "He's sitting in a rest area near section thirty-eight."

  "Perfect. I've got an idea."

  A minute later, Garret approached the man, who was writing in a notebook at a table stacked high with books. At the very top sat M.D. Volume Three. Garret nervously waved.

  "Uhm, hello sir!"

  The man turned with a warm smile. "Howdy! What're you doing here all alone, little guy? Your parents work here or something?"

  Garret nodded, abandoning the excuse he'd prepared. "There's actually a book I can't reach. Could you grab it for me?"

  The man scratched his chin. "That's what the staff are for, but sure."

  Garret led him away while Air slipped up to the table and snatched Volume Three. He was about to leave when something in the man's notebook caught his eye. A symbol sat in the corner of the page. He didn't remember ever seeing it before, yet it felt burned into his mind. He skimmed the writing and noticed the word "Advent" repeated several times. Most of it made little sense to him. A gasp sounded behind him. Air's head snapped around. Garret and the man stood there. The man held a cartoonishly large book over one shoulder as if it weighed nothing.

  "Huh?" the man said. "What's going on here?"

  Air hid the book behind his back. "Oh. Hey. I'm just... passing through."

  Garret hurried over. "I thought you were going to run! I even got him to pick up the heaviest book to slow him down." He glanced back. The man didn't seem burdened in the slightest. "Although I guess it didn't really slow him."

  The man laughed and set the heavy tome down with a thud. "Is this some kind of prank? I bet Weiss put you up to it. I swear she's got a vendetta against me." He looked at his stack and noticed the missing book. "Tell her I won't spill anything this time."

  Garret shook his head. "Actually, we were trying to take M.D. Volume Three. I really wanted to read it, but I was scared to ask."

  "Oh, that book?" The man waved a hand. "Take it. I only needed to refresh my memory on something. Honestly, I could've just read the page and put it back." He chuckled. "Maybe Weiss' grudge is justified."

  He pulled another book from the stack. "I've got Volume Four, too. Might as well take it. Volume Three isn't long."

  Garret examined the titles. "Principles of Ritual Law...Foundations of Conscious and Subconscious Casting... Wow. What are you studying for?"

  The man rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, it's silly. I don't want some kids laughing at me."

  "I won't laugh. Only someone with a high-level understanding of multiple magical fields would read this."

  " Let's just say someone's counting on me to know this stuff, It's a lot of responsibility. When the time comes, I want to be ready. You'll probably hear about me in a few Cycles."

  He looked at Air, who was still thinking about the notebook. "You too. I'm fairly certain our goals will eventually align. I'm pretty sure-"

  A gloved hand landed on Air's shoulder.

  He turned to see the librarian they'd met earlier. She tapped the man lightly on the head with her twisted white wand. "Don't start bothering children. You already cause enough trouble."

  Air managed a confused "Huh?" before the world blurred.

  In an instant, he was back at the library entrance. He nearly stumbled but caught himself. Garret stood beside him, equally disoriented. The woman clapped her hands softly.

  "Here they are."

  On the couch beside Pyre sat an unfamiliar boy with dirty blond hair, about Garret's age. One leg was crossed over the other.

  "Thank you for bringing them, Weiss," he said. The librarian bowed and returned to her desk.

  Silver frowned. "If she can do that, why doesn't she just move everyone around the library?"

  The blond boy sighed. "Are you braindead? Do you know how many people come in here every day? She'd die of exhaustion. Who invited an imbecile like you?"

  Silver held up his guild card. "Uh, you did."

  "I invited the sweet Miss Anya. You're just some old man who used her to trick me."

  "Old? I'm twenty-two!"

  Ignoring him, the boy pointed at Air and Garret. "Both of you, come here."

  They approached hesitantly. The boy stood and flicked them both on the nose. Garret jumped. Air didn't move.

  A smirk spread across the boy's face. "So it's true. You're the Advent."

  He traced symbols before Air's face. They transformed into a list of information. Air recognized the spell from when Linnea had used something similar on him. The boy sat again. "And you're an elemental. I calculated the odds of someone being both. It should be impossible. Yet here you stand."

  Air scratched his head. "Who are you? And why did you just hit Garret?"

  "My name is Giro Mercier. Apprentice to the current High Mage. Once you accept my offer, I will be your boss."

  Air blinked.

  "Tell me, Air. What do you want? Not just now. In your entire life."

  "Well... aside from helping Garret, I think I want to explore the world. I want to replace all these fuzzy memories I've got with new ones."

  Giro nodded. "Most Advents adopt that philosophy eventually. Only it normally takes them Cycles. You reached it in days. Interesting."

  Garret sat beside Silver. "You mentioned an offer."

  Giro produced a rolled parchment. "How would you like to go anywhere you want? All you have to do is sign."

  "Really?"

  "Really. All you have to do isl run errands for me."

  "Like what?" Garret asked.

  "Would you believe me if I told you four hundred Cycles of Modus' history were erased? And that not only is no one outside Aurelios trying to rediscover it, they're actively preventing us from learning anything?"

  Silver leaned forward. "What do you mean? How does that even happen?"

  Giro's gaze dropped to the floor, but his voice did not soften.

  "I am certain," he said slowly, "that something so terrible-so utterly vile-occurred during those four hundred Cycles that the world itself chose to erase it." His fingers curled at his sides. "Not just forgotten. Not lost. Erased. Torn from memory. Scrubbed from ink. Stripped from stone. Every mind, every book, every record that could have carried it into the future... cleansed. My mentor and I have given that nameless calamity a title. We call it The Advent."He lifted his head, and his eyes locked onto Air. "To my knowledge, only one remnant of that age remains in a form we can still comprehend. You."

  Silence settled over the room.

  "Advents. Individuals whose very existence defies the laws of Modus. Bodies that reject its limits." His voice sharpened. "Someone like me possesses strength, yes. But it is strength chained to this world. Bound by its logic."

  "I cannot uncover the truth of those four hundred Cycles alone. But you-your power ignores the inner workings of this world. It slips between them. It breaks them." His eyes gleamed now, no longer restrained.

  "So I will make you an offer." His voice rose, not in anger, but in conviction. "Help me uncover what happened during that erased era. Help me expose the truth the world buried." He extended the rolled parchment toward Air. "In return, I will grant you freedom. The authority to travel wherever you wish. To step beyond borders. To see every kingdom, every ruin, every secret this world still dares to hide. Air. With the allies you choose at your side, I want you to chase the greatest mystery in Modus' history."

  He held the parchment steady. "And in doing so... you may very well change the world."

  Air frowned, thinking. Then he smiled and took the parchment. " If that's all I have to do, then I accept. Traveling with my friends sounds like fun!"

  Pyre chuckled softly. "That's the spirit."

  Silver crossed his arms, hiding a grin. No more paying for transport. No more entrance fees. He was never skilled enough with magic to work under the High Council of Aurelios, but he'd heard plenty about the benefits that those who have gotten jobs here receive.

  "Excellent," Giro said brightly. "From this day forward, you will operate under the Latent Irregularity Tracking Enquiry branch."

  He gestured grandly.

  "Silver Selwyn.

  Pyre Amory.

  Garret Holloway.

  And Air.

  You are now official members of Team L.I.T.E And you'll be receiving your first assignment right now."