25: Children of War
Phantasia wondered who they could be. There were still plenty of students in the second year that she’d not managed to become acquainted with, but none struck her as an obvious choice. At their age, though, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual development was in total flux and it was difficult to form definitive conclusions about anyone’s potential. Someone like Joel, with poor psychic defences, could develop some over a matter of weeks just as easily as he could grow several inches from a growth spurt.
Ms Thorburn collapsed back in her chair and sighed. “I don’t believe we’ll avoid another war. I’m no prophet, contrary to what some people suggest – I’m just a seer – but I’m supposed to be good at predicting things. The Apostle Wars ended with an anticlimax, fifteen years ago. The Fae have always said the world can’t sustain much more conflict before it dies and want to avoid any further wars, but it just feels like fate that we’ll end up teetering on the edge of the abyss before things improve.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’d rather you were all prepared for it. Mr Payne thinks the same way, as do the rest of the staff. No one wants to see another generation turn into children of war, but if that’s what fate decrees…”
The classroom door slammed open and Joel’s soaking body stomped into the room with heavy black boots. Kaori followed, her face glowing with amusement as she sheathed her umbrella into a cosy purple-and-black case. Deluded by magic and innocent of the wider world, they – like their fellow students – enjoyed life as best they could. It would only be a matter of time before the illusion was shattered and they were thrust into the harsh reality of a world nearing destruction. Maybe it was for the best that they were prepared, after all?
***
During the morning break, the majority of students elected to stay indoors, even though the rain had died down to a gentle veil of mist. Phantasia did her social rounds, chatting with her various acquaintances about their opinion of Godhand’s flight and the unsurprising disappearance of Astrid, Elizabeth, Vespa and Amanda.
“I’ll never forgive her for this!” said Phoenie. The illusion removed her involvement from the whole affair, but had somehow retained the issue of Amanda’s betrayal. Theseus, detached from his girlfriend in a mire of false memories, paced back and forth along the corridor, muttering to himself.
“I can’t believe she upped and left like that,” he would say, “I never did anything wrong!”
It wasn’t the only issue left entangled by the lacklustre spell – Kaori found herself suffering flashbacks to ‘nightmares’ she’d been having all weekend, and Shelley sat alone in a corner, even more withdrawn than usual. At the rate everyone’s minds were struggling to cope, it was inevitable that they’d begin to recall their true memories, but in such a way that would leave them only more confused! Phantasia wanted to dispel the layers of illusions with a click of her fingers, but it would require a Water faerie of some skill to do something like that. Frustrated, she found herself outside, away from the confusion.
“They haven’t calmed down yet, I take it?” Dante was sitting on a damp wall, taking deep breaths of the refreshed air, a look of quiet serenity about him.
“Everyone seems a little on edge,” she replied. She wandered close, but was careful to avoid his personal space. She didn’t want him running away from her again!
“Godhand’s gone,” he said, “Suddenly we’re free to be ourselves.”
Phantasia took a few steps closer. “They stopped you before?”
“Yeah,”
She waited for elaboration, but Dante remained silent. “Were they after you?” she asked. It was a risky question but, instead of closing up, Dante laughed.
