264 Days Until Truth And The Uncertain End
Zeydar laid facing the celling of his room staring at the way that the white molding was as immaculate as the day he had arrived. Just the other day he had noticed paint chipping that was now fixed. The Stars and Circles who worked as support staff were detail oriented, and entered his room far more than he realized. Zeydar was sure that it was a sign that they noticed everything.
Just how had he gotten out to see the dealer?
He thought of his last Dream, and the memory of Tyler on the day he’d gotten his Star tattoo. It had been sweet. He wanted to return. However he had returned to the present.
Eyes closed Zeydar focused on his breathing. Some time ago he had wanted to stop this, and to gain control over the magic that his Superiors wanted locked away. He had seen what that magic could do and now he lived in the whiteshade prison. Counting the hours until his next dream and counting the minutes for when the previous one would end, calculating the moments of how he would get more, and figuring how to hide the symptoms from his Superiors. Tyler would not have wanted that for him.
Unfortunately, Tyler was dead.
There was a knock at Zeydar’s door. Hand to his Staff he pulled himself up off the floor and glared at the door. Opening it from afar with the words of a spell, he held his Staff up ready to use what ever magic he could in order to protect himself. Instead there stood the Class 3 Magician, Jailah.
“I’ve been sent to collect you for dinner.” In her arms she he’d a black cloak with silver trim.
“What.” Zeydar dropped his Staff, eyes focused on the cloak. It was a Superior Cloak. Had his testing begun?
“I’ve been—“
“I heard you the first time.” Zeydar got to his feet moving quickly to grab the cloak and throw it on. A Superior cloak. A cloak to hide the identity. This was the beginning of his end as a student. Finally. “Take me there.”
“You aren’t to bring a Staff.”
“Last time I got reprimanded for not having my Staff.” He would not leave it. Not when Majorie had explicitly told him not to leave it around. “Let us go.”
Zeydar stepped past her pulling the hood of the cloak over his head, thankful that he was coming down. If he played his cards right, no one would be able to tell. He focused on his walking, trying to get the world to stop shimmering. His skin felt hot and alive, as if the magic in the air was scorching and burning him, finally able to get back in contact with him.
They came to the dining hall where a single table sat with the figures of many Superiors all dressed in black with their faces concealed. All the faces, that was, but Majorie who waved Zeydar over to sit next to her. He did as told.
“You may go.” Majorie spoke to Jailah who excused herself. Majorie cast spells around the room as soon as she left and the Superiors removed their hoods and gloves. Their faces could not be seen by the common folk once they became Superiors. Zeydar pulled off his hood wanting to hide. He knew his eyes were bloodshot, they stung too much to look normal.
“I’m happy you could join us.” Majorie spoke to Zeydar.
“Is this about my graduation and promotion to Superior?”
“It will be at the time of your birthday.”
“And the exams?”
“We are still determining them.” Another voice answered. Zeydar looked up to the old man. “Anthony, It is a pleasure to meet you Zedyar. Tyler spoke highly of you.”
Tyler. A name that wasn’t spoken and clearly, from the expressions, wasn’t meant to be. This man. Who was he? Zeydar knew little about all the Superiors and their positions. Much of it was information he could not get as a student. He did know, however, that the man had power.
“Pleasure.” Zeydar opted to be civil instead.
“Not much of the spitting image of your father.” The man eyed Zeydar carefully.
“My father?” No one spoke about his parents, less than they spoke about Tyler. The one who had raised him had been Tyler. The glares of the other Superiors towards the old man meant that this was supposed to be a secret. They did not rebuke him. Was he the Supreme Leader?
“Tyler.” The man confirmed. Zeydar had always assumed, although Tyler had never confirmed it. Hearing the confirmation did not surprise Zeydar, but he acted as if it did. “You didn’t know?”
“My mother?” Zeydar was itching to press more. Perhaps this man would tell him the secrets to things that were never spoken about. Perhaps this man could be Zeydar’s guarantee at his Superior examination.
“That is quite enough.” Majorie stepped in.
“I suppose it is.” The old man laughed at Majorie.
“Are you my mother?” Zeydar looked to her. Majorie glared at him. “I suppose not. You are too old for Tyler.”
There was a chorus of coughs around the table and Anthony chuckled under his breath. It confirmed that Majorie was his mother, a fact that Zeydar had wondered for years. Tyler was almost fifteen years younger than her. That would have made Tyler barely of age when he’d gotten… Suddenly, Zeydar wanted to pretend that this conversation had not happened. The mystery of who his parents were had lost its novelty around the same time that he decided that Tyler was the best parent he could ask for. He had always wondered and yet receiving the information did nothing, but add more questions than he wanted to think about.
So much for getting the man to help him with the Superior exams. This man had given the information to Zeydar to test him further and to shake him up.
“Why was I called to dinner if not to speak about my family, or my Superiorship?” Zeydar directed his attention to the other Superiors in the room.
“It is a customary monthly dinner. We do this in order to stay unified.” Majorie answered. “Especially in light of recent developments.”
Such as him destroying Arcadia. With a nod he began to eat as the meeting began around him. They spoke of the war, the searching for Dr. Igialistal.
“As always Estashia seems to be in our way.” A Superior complained. “The title of Queen has gotten to her head.”
“She is no Queen. Not by title nor rank.”
“In the hearts and minds of the people, she is.”
“And they are fools.”
“As for Evester Igialistal.”
With the name Zeydar’s perked. When was the last time he’d heard the name used in proper conversation?
“His friends have moved here.”
“Is that to say you believe that he is coming home?” Zeydar asked.
Coming home. Evester was born in Valaria and raised for a bit of his life until the initial fall of the Yasloughve Project when he moved to Ovaria with his father. Zeydar could remember the face of the teenager who revealed to Zeydar the truth of the drugs that these Superiors had used on him, by accident. Zeydar could remember the eyes of someone who was far from strong, far from wise, and dangerous all the same. Evester had never been Zeydar’s favorite member of EverDanger. Crass and Uly were more interesting. Kim and Phil were more entertaining. He particularly liked watching Lynx and Onyx acting together. Rayda had been his favorite member, from her nature and humor.
Evester was also the one that Zeydar was attracted to for years, and the one he had actually met. Even if that was one time and a coincidence. Thinking of the, now man, made Zeydar feel second hand embarrassment for his younger self who had once dreamt of dating him. Evester Igilistal and he were in different circles and Evester Igilistal would never know his name
“He may be.” Majorie answered.
“And if he does?” Evester was missing. Was he not?
“You know what we must do.”
What they must do? Zeydar looked to the faces of those who agreed. Why was it that Evester had gone into hiding, and that the Yasloughve Project notes were hunted?
“As for the project?” The conversation continued without him.
“Operational.” The person next to Majorie answered. “We can be space bound as soon as needed.”
“Excellent. Begin the pulling process.” Anthony announced to them all and Zeydar did not like the sound of that: pulling process.
“Here.” Majorie offered Zeydar a drink. “You look thirsty.”
Zeydar took the cup knowing full well that it was drugged and drank it without a care. She was providing his high for him and the magic had simply become too over bearing. The conversation seemed to drone on after that point, as his mind began to fade between dreams.
Marlena Marie 
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