"Now then class, we are almost finished with today's lesson on minerals used for Alchemy. I just want you all to remember a few key points. Metals are minerals and many can be used to enhance potions though a few of the softer metals like sodium and lithium can explode when introduced to air or water. If you want to try our homework of harnessing one Rhydins many heavenly bodies into a gem stone, research the star maps and do your best to understand which resonance your target has that will fit your gem stone."

Ammy's ears twitched hearing the door to her classroom open. A glance showed someone entering and sitting at the back of the classroom. She put the sight aside for now and finished her lecture.

"If you are trying the gem stone homework I want to see you're written work and research to show why you chose the heavenly body for a gem of your choice. Now then, class is over. You all have a good day and I will see you all in the laboratory Friday."

Ammy smiled at her students as they left leaving the room empty but that person that had come in. She erased the chalk boards then gave her attention to the guest. It was a lady in grayish robes and clinging to a staff. A tilt of her head as Ammy sifted through Academy staff and even Coven inhabitants. She'd never seen this woman before.

"Hello miss. Can I help you?" Ammy asked walking over to the guest.

Lahan looked up hearing Ammy's voice and offered a smile perhaps beyond Ammy's shoulder. "Afternoon Professor Spiritor. I hope I didn't intrude or disrupt your class. I came to speak with you about one of your healing balms and perchance see if you remember someone you may have sold it to?"

Ammy took a chair and sat near Lahan and noticed the pale, scarred mahogany eyes. She closed her own golden eyes in silent sympathy.

To be blind at so young an age. I wonder what your eyes have seen.

"A healing balm you say' Was there something wrong with it' No one had a bad reaction to one of my balms did they?"

Lahan's smile remained. The voice of a woman in love with her craft and caring for the people she touches.

"Nothing was wrong with the balm, Professor Spiritor . . ."

"Please, just call me Ammy."

"Alright, Ammy, nothing was wrong with the balm. I simply am curious as to who you might have sold it too. The man was using this as a bandage." Lahan held out the silk handkerchief.

Ammy looked at the offered handkerchief. That was a mighty pricey and nice looking cut of cloth for a bandage. She reached out to it with her stone hand and took it gently from Lahan's hand.

Lahan felt the brush of fingers on her hand. Was that stone I felt' Is Ammy a living construct" Her mind was a swirl with intrigue.

Ammy sniffed the handkerchief and blinked a few times. She looked at the design on it a few times then looked to Lahan.

"Where did you meet this person?"

"At the Red Dragon Inn. He was injured by something that introduce chaos energy into the wound. I healed his injury with my ley line magic and he gifted me the handkerchief as payment."

Ammy looked at the handkerchief once more and sniffed it again then handed it back to Lahan. "I do know the man this balm was sold to. His name is Mako Phoenix."

Lahan's brow furrowed a little trying the name in her mind then saying his name. "Mako Phoenix. Sounds like a strong name, perhaps a strong man. You know know him then?"

Ammy gave a small sigh. "I do. He stays at the Red Dragon Inn. A permanent room he has there from what I understand until better living quarters are found to his liking."

Lahan smiled feeling hope settle in her. She'd be able to seek him out again. The smile faltered though hearing that sigh from Ammy.

"Why do you sigh Ammy?"

"I sigh for know the kind of man he is, but I will not color your judgement if you are wanting to seek him out. Just be careful."

Lahan gave a slow nod hearing Ammy's warning. "I shall be careful when I meet this Mako Phoenix once more."

Lahan hauled herself up with her staff and made ready to leave. Ammy stood and offered her normal hand to Lahan. "Reach out and take my hand. I'll walk out of the Academy. Class is over and I am on my way to my quarters in Alchemy House."

Lahan smiled and took Ammy's hand when she felt it. It was furred and soft feeling. She was now very confused. The woman had stone for one hand, fur for the other"

"Ammy, are you a golem by chance?"

Ammy blinked. A glance down and she understood the reason for the question.

"Nay miss. Just a Lupinossai that has had a long, interesting life that cost me my hand." She smiled.

"What was your name miss?" She asked walking Lahan out of the room and through the halls and to the courtyard beyond.

"It is Mel. She lied. A habit ingrained in her since the days of her death writings.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mel." Ammy would lead Lahan to her own quarters as they chatted lightly.

Lahan pulled up short in front of Mako and leaned on her staff. She felt something within at knowing he'd not stepped off into another realm. That he was still here in Rhydin. Perhaps a savior for her and the darkness she was in. The words he'd uttered were amusing.

"Perhaps you mistake me, rough one. Few would ever call me a healer. Demon, witch or a lady to avoid maybe. I simply undid the chaos weaving in your wound. The balm you had finished the rest of the healing." Lahan let a smile grace her face.

Mako's eyes regarded her for a long moment. Dressed in drab, noncommittal grays and blacks, Lahan struck him as someone used to be sequestered somewhere. Maybe deep in a convent somewhere. Though seeing her use of magic and the goat skull upon her satchel, the warrior thought she would make as good of a nun as he would a barmaid. He stroked the stubble on his chin for a bit.

"I am no well versed in magic or the arts of healing and comfort. I just know that you brought me comfort, removed pain and my wound healed shortly after. You have something precious of mine..." Mako said.

Lahan's hand rose to the silk handkerchief about her neck in a moment of loss. "I can offer it back to you if you wish. I should have known silk was too expensive for anyone to use as a bandage." Lahan took the handkerchief off and handed it to Mako.

Mako moved his hands, one rough, calloused and used to sword play and killing, the other cold, metal smooth and whirring to hold her hand. The silk cloth the only thing between their touch.

"I was not speaking of the bandage, miss. I was speaking of you having my deepest respect. You've shown me kindness where few ever have." Mako said quietly. "Please, continue to keep and wear it if you wish."

He stood, moved around her, stood behind her and redid the silk handkerchief about her neck. Lahan was blushing from the touch of his hands upon her own hands and the words of sincerity he spoke with.

"Would you like to take a walk with me sir" Have a good conversation?" She asked Mako.

"I was born in a low land village called Hemmings Orchard. The village was known for it's apple harvests and varieties of berry crops. My father was an orchard owner, he loved to raise pomegranates and peaches. From dawn to dusk he was always walking the orchards, helping the pickers with harvest or trimming or spraying. Anything needed, father was there.

Mother on the other hand was a well know spinster of the village. She was always finding new methods for dying her various threads and yarns. Her weaving was the envy of all the ladies in town and many wondered how she knew to get various colors so vibrant. Some accused her of witch craft, of spelling the fabrics she made to fool people out of their money. Hemmings Orchard was not a village of tolerant folks when it comes the idea of magic being used in anything.

They preferred to call upon some force never seen or understood to aid them in whatever they needed to do. My parents were no witches, nay, not a single drip of magic in their blood."

Mako walked by Lahan's side listening intently. "Yet you display magical talent. Bizarre magic talent. Were your..."

Lahan shook her head no discerning where the logic of Mako's question could possible lead. "No relative in our whole lineage was of magic using or witch blood. All honest, hard working farmers, traders and merchants. A puzzle isn't it. I come from bland stock yet I can work Ley Line magic and more. The key to this riddle is jealousy."

Mako made a gruff cough. "Jealousy?"

Lahan gave a small smile hearing him. She enjoyed the cool breeze on her cheek and the smell of cooking bread letting her know they were in the Market Place.

"Jealousy. As I mentioned before, many were envious of my mother's weaving. One woman was so jealous she started spreading rumors that my mother was a witch and that was the only way she could out do her own weaving. It was all lies but the good nature of the villagers was easy to mislead. My parents were harassed night and day, father's business was ruined and no one would buy another of mothers woven cloths.

My mother was so upset at the false accusations and the loss of business that she began her own rumors. That the lady accusing her was really a witch trying make mother a scape goat."

Laha brushed loose strands of hair from her face as they wind caught them, tickling her skin.

"Sadly, mother was correct. The woman that was jealous had been a witch and she was spelling her cloths to look finer than they were, but my mothers hard and ingenious crafting outdid the spelled cloth. When the truth finally came out, they village cast out the witch and she was not a kind one. She laid a curse on my mother before she left in exile. That one day, my mother would bear the seeds of ruin to their family blood line. A taint that would ruin the hardworking reputation.

Most of the villagers, and even my parents laughed and scoffed at the woman, sending her away with thrown, rotting vegetables and garbage. They had their laugh that day. The witch had her laugh a year later when my sister was born then another year after that when I was born. As me and my sister grew, we were could do things, talk with animals, feel trees whisper to us, even cause others to feel good or ill if our emotions were wild. No one was laughing 10 years after that cursing."

Taking another bight of her roll, she chewed as she allowed the memories to roll into her darkness. Swallowing she continued her tale.

"So, left on the coven's steps, life looked daunting, unsure for me and my sister. She was only 9 years old, I was only 8. The witches took us in seeing we had several unique talents. My sister could speak with nature directly and it spoke back to her. Oh the tales she'd tell me of what a small grove of white oaks have witnessed in their 80 years of life. That fish often wonder if things walking on land hold their breath for a long time while they look for water. She could even talk nature and creatures into doing as she wished.

I on the other hand, could touch the very magical essence in the land around me and use them to weave and create magic to my liking. I had another talent that was sleeping then. The head witch figured it out easily after a few days of watching me interact with living things and how my temper affected them. I was able to influence life with my emotions and even kill things when I felt cross or mad.

I thought it was a curse, and with our history, how could I be wrong? She thought it a useful gift for a budding witch in a time of lynchings, killings and witch hunts. So she gave me a black leather bound book and started to train me in the art of death writing. If it was just lessons, life would've been easier, but to do death writing, I had to make a pact with an undead spirit, a Shinigami. Had I been older I wouldn't have taken the pact. I wouldn't have thought I was special for the head witch to take such an interest in me. Little did I realize the whole coven was filled with Death Writers."

"Lahan Freya. That seems to be a name not befitting an heiress to parents that worked hard and to the magic you hold within you. It fits will on perhaps a noble woman of high blood and rank." He gave a warm smile regardless of it being lost on her.

Lahan reached out with a questing hand and poked him in the ribs. "I can be as noble or ignoble as I wish to be, mister Phoenix.

Mako felt the poke and took her wrist gently and held it a moment, moving them forward into walking again. "I meant no disrespect to you, Lahan and I will use your other name Mel, if it makes you feel safe from others that could harm you.

Now you wish to hear a tale about me" I was born into a life of lost identity and only knowing who my parents were by the history books. My father died on his marriage bed. My mother passed giving birth to triplets. I, my sister Ammy and a sister we never knew we had, Ama'el, are all close in blood and thoughts. From what we could understand, Ama'el was whisked away from descending governmental and military interests in the children of the late Witch of the Cirus Star and her late husband, Phoenix, a general with a history carved into the Humaran history books with blood and kindness. What I know of my parents is not much, but I know that what they were made us, even as young babes not even seeing yet a treasure to covet and mold to their whims.

From the time I could remember, I was being told how to live, how to move, how behave. Military methods, training, weapon lessons and killing efficiently and quietly were plied to my young mind and spirit. I was apt to most of the lessons but it would seem I was found lacking in something. Will to completely commit to be a trained killer. I owe my sister Ammy that small favor. We often met in the courtyards and talked about how our lives were going. We were kept separate often due to our studies. I was housed in the armory and barracks while she was whisked to the Hammer of Aethar's tower for training in the arcane arts.

We thought it was a great life. Our needs taken care of, our wants heard and sometimes rewarded. We had a family of several hundred brothers and sisters in arms and spells. I think it was my sister who started to want more. To want knowledge of our parents beyond the selected books we were allowed to read. She never knew how to respect authority or keep her head bent down and stay under the glare of reproof. She never told me she was getting beaten for her defiance, but I didn't need words. I could feel her hurt. I could hear her frustrated thoughts and she couldn't hide all of the bruises from me.

I would suppose about the time of our 19th birthday, things changed. I was close to being granted my final training to be an officer and she was close to be given her final tests as well. We met as usual and I wished to protect her from the beatings, called her out on all the lies and cover ups. I made her very mad that day, but she accepted my offer to protect her and to teach her what I knew in the martial and mundane arts of war.

It would have worked well, but halfway through my training, I was suddenly reclassified from officer material to assassin. The nightmares began then. An assassin of Humara is brain washed to the point of believing anything the trainers wished. I lost a lot of who I was to those days of indoctrination and repeated sessions of killing or being killed deep in the training rooms of our barracks. I was getting quite good at passing all of their tests with frightening speed.

I would have made a perfect killer, yet the kingdom had politics always swirling in the back ground. One of my trainers, afraid that I was going to be a tool to be used to wipe out an opposing faction in the kingdoms hierarchy, built in a fail safe with my brain washing. A fail safe that still troubles me. I was given an....unnatural desire for my sister as a way to keep me from losing myself entirely. This trainer knew she could break the cycle of death in me. And she did, but only recently." Mako said.

Lahan listened quietly as he spoke and the picture painted by his words seemed a dark landscape of gloom and lost humanity. Yet it sounded like he had reclaimed himself from this life he spoke of. She could tell though that he'd with held much from her, but she couldn't fault him that. It seemed they both walked a similar path if not in two different worlds.

"That is quite and introduction to your life. Are you and and your sister at odd with each other still" I assume by the attraction to her you mentioned, you have attempted courting her or, perhaps worse?" she asked.

Mako gave a small grunt as if hit physically. "You are quick to words and points aren't you Lahan. We are sometimes at odds still, but I am no longer attracted to her. That cycle was broken, literally when she laid me during a duel to the death. I'd rather have good conversations and watch the sun on the face of a hidden beauty than pine for something that is not right."

Was that an admission to finding me attractive" Lahan felt warm and hesitant a moment. She'd known how she felt about him after that one night helping him with his wounds, but could she risk knowing him more than a conversation' His soft grip on her wrist was warm and tingling, latent magic she could feel in him. If I hedge at this, will I not hedge with any other that seeks to be close to me" Time to roll up sleeves and see if this tree will bear fruit.

"Thank you for the compliment Mako." She could smell the bakery of the Coven as they walked. It seems he'd taken her home and she suppressed a long sigh. "Thank you for guiding me home. May we . . . have more conversations like today' Maybe more tea and company?"

Mako looked at Lahan and was quiet a long moment before he spoke. "I would like that, but know that if you want more from me, you will need to pass test of someone looking out for me. You'll need to convince my sister to let you closer to me. I must be off now Lahan. We will have more pleasant conversations soon."

He pulled her to him gently and bowed, placing a kiss to the top of her hand, then left her, walking away.

At the gates of the coven Mako stood, waiting for someone to show. A result of his letter he hoped. He needed to thank his niece, Myrlene, for teaching him how to use Brail for writing. He was dresses warmly, though the layers of kimonos failed to hide how thin and gaunt he'd become during captivity.

His patience was rewarded as soon Lahan appeared on the main path, clutching that mithril staff of hers. He could tell that his captivity had been harsh on more than himself. Lahan looked paler to him and more fragile than last they spoke. Soon she was close to him at the gates.

"Afternoon Lahan. Care to walk and have a pleasant conversation?"

Lahan drew closer, locked onto the direction of his voice and was soon holding him close. His scent a soothing balm to her grieved soul.

"Yes, let us have a good conversation and a long, long walk."

Mako said nothing yet he allowed a shallow smile to touch his face as she embraced him. He kept her close and turned them both walk from the coven and into the city of Rhydin.