Sam had run out of arrows. She wasn’t sure, but she could have sworn she saw someone at the end of the rope as the Wyvern launched into the sky. She left the keep, being of no more use there, and made for the inner wall. Then, in the corner of her eyes, she saw a slim figure with red hair appear and then disappear. It was Astrid, but where was she going? And why so hastily?
She tried to follow. They went past the inner wall, around to the training grounds, and then to the corridor leading to Mr. Silver’s office. Sam called out several times but received no response. Then she lost track of which way she had gone. She moved carefully towards Silver’s office. The door was ajar, and she stepped inside, but it was empty. Until a voice sounded from the balcony.
Sam hid in the doorway and watched Mr. Silver speak with a woman who she at first thought was Astrid, but the woman was much taller and older. Silver gazed unmoving over the destruction that riddled his city. His voice was gloomy, and the woman’s voice was beset with anger.
Silver did not turn his gaze as he spoke: “I hope you’re happy.”
The woman shrugged. “I thought I’d enjoy this more, but to be honest I feel as empty as ever.”
“Are you here to kill me, then?” Silver turned, but his face was expressionless.
The woman leaned over the balcony and sighed. “I had thought about – quite a lot, actually. I thought, for some peculiar reason, that killing you would fix everything, but now I feel compelled to let you live.”
“I suppose I should be grateful, but I know you too well. Listen, Elizabeth, this quarrel that exists between you and I is our fight. You have no reason to inflict your wrath upon this academy.”
Elizabeth drew back. “I have every reason to hate this place.”
As Elizabeth spoke, Sam became filled with so many questions that she felt she had no right knowing the answers to. She tried to sneak away, but her foot crunched on a piece of paper; the sound was feint but noticeable to keener ears. Elizabeth stopped, her eyes scanned the empty office. She went on. “You left me. This is what this is about. I waited in The Nether until counting the days became futile, but still I was relying on you.”
“Elizabeth, I couldn’t,” Silver said.
“Where were you? I held onto the thought that you were searching for a way to bring me back, and when at I found my own way I see that for all these years you had been playing Slayer at this wretched academy!”
“Only because of our mistake. Look at this!” he gestured to the burning city. “We wrought this destruction upon the world. I knew full well that there was no way to make amends but I had to at least try. If I had gone back it would have been the end of everything!”
They stopped and each took a slow breath. Their voices became calmer. “Well, it’s in the past now,” said Elizabeth. “I’m surprised you still care for this place. You are better than all of these people, and yet somehow you love them.”
“Oh, and you’re incapable of love? Is that it?” He paused. “She is your daughter, isn’t she? I should have known you would have sent someone to infiltrate my ranks.” He sighed. “It’s a shame! She was a promising student.”
“You know well enough that a philosopher stone leaves the bearer infertile. I found her when I returned to this world, and she loves me as her mother. She is very loyal.”
Silver shrugged. “So what now?”
Elizabeth took his hand and looked into his wintery eyes. “You know what I want,” she said. “I leave the decision up to you, my love.” She leaned over and kissed him, passionately. He did not resist, but instead placed a hand on her back and drew her closer. They embraced each other as lovers when Sam presumed that they were enemies, and then, to her amazement, Elizabeth began to fade into a million shining grains of light, and float gently away like embers from a flame.
Sam knew now that it was time to leave. She didn’t fully understand what she had just seen but she began to wonder about all the trust she had placed in Mr. Silver. She silently backed away from the door and crossed the courtyard to enter the corridor. Suddenly she bumped right into Astrid.
Astrid was startled, her eyes flooded with dread and she paled. She held a dagger in one hand and in the other she carried a philosopher’s stone – though Sam knew not what it was. She gripped her friend by the shoulders. “Astrid! Where have you been? Why are you so troubled?”
Astrid shivered and did not meet her eye. She nudged Sam’s hands away. “Please, let go of me.”
“Astrid, what’s wrong?”
“I had wanted you to come with me,” she pleaded. “But Victor – he wouldn’t trust me!”
“Victor? Astrid wait!” Sam tried to hold her back but Astrid forced her away, and her knife accidently slashed Samantha’s hand. “Please, I don’t understand!”
But Astrid only shook her head and backed away. “I’m sorry…” She disappeared into the night, and Sam was left alone.
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