Faded and Forgotten

Before I could step out of the way a girl who had been carrying in her arms stacks of books hadn’t watched as to where she was going. The books fell like it was raining books from the ceiling.

“I’m so sorry—please forgive me, I didn’t mean to cause such a mess—”

One of the books that were last to fall had opened its pages releasing a magical circle that activated around the parameters of both me and the girl.

I didn’t seem to recognize this girl's face. She must've not been a servant while I was still in the Brighthart castle, she must’ve taken up a position while I was someone in exile.

What happened next I didn’t expect: an effervescent light began to lumine the floor, all along the edges the glyphs began to be alighted and the light surged up.

Before I knew what had become of myself I saw the girl had traveled with me and although she was to blame I didn’t feel the urge to voice out my opinion.

There was no point in saying anything; that’d only add more flame to the pyre. She had a soft-looking face, short hair that had two small ponytails that were a strawberry blonde color.

“Hmm, who’re you?” She asked.

“That doesn’t matter right now—What matters is that we get back to Brighthart Castle—”
Even if she tried to guess, I knew she wouldn’t have known that I even existed. My father made it out so that only those who had been servants at the time would know my face. Having them remove my portrait didn’t help either.

I had to say something to quell the tides of her curiosity—

“I’m a guest”

“It’s all my fault—” She said.

“So you're the one who activated the magic circle?—I don’t suppose we can get back the same way?”
She shook her head,

“One way travel” She had said

“I’m terribly sorry”

“Do you have any idea where we are?” I asked.

“You mean you don’t know?—”

“Not a clue, but never mind that, what’s more important is we find a way out of here”
The place looked rather grim—smiles seemed to be something you’d be hard pressed to find in the people.

“What happened here—?”

The buildings were more primitive than those in the capital city, while it didn't totally look like a slum, it is as if they were building out of poverty.

“This is where those who do not have magic are taken to”

“You can’t be serious—”
If I wasn’t a nobleman's son then I would’ve been taken here to live in a place like this…? All because my magic hadn’t manifested.

“I guess I can consider myself lucky…” I had spoken the words coming out of my mouth even though I wished to keep those words to myself.

Rather than go into detail about my situation I thought to fill in the silence,

“How far are we from the capital city?”

“Far enough that you’d need to travel by ship”

A society that views people without magic as worthless, tossed to the wind to live a life like this. I knew I shouldn’t voice my opinion further and so I kept it to myself.

“Well the sooner I can get back the better, I do have a promise I intend to keep after all”

It’s only normal that someone would be drawn to a better life, even if that meant to steal for what they want in this world.

“The people here I heard worship the dragons, hoping that they might come save them one day—at least that’s what I was told”

“To be honest I never been here before, but I heard about it from the other servant girls”
“We’re going to get out of here, one way or another, I promise you this”
Before we knew it, a young child came up from behind her and took the book, dashing off as fast as he could.

“Hey there, you thief!—” I said.

“That book is important—and expensive. I'll get in so much trouble if I don’t bring it back” She had said.

And so I chased after the kid knowing that it would lead me into a hornets nest. I wanted to meet the leader of the thieves. The servant girl was quick to follow me and keep up with my pace. I don’t blame her for wanting to get the book back, she could be let go just because she didn’t return the book.

The whole place, this den of thieves was people who lived in the trees. The young boy could be seen climbing one tree to go on to the next. I didn't wish to lose sight of him but as I tried my best to follow his tracks instead of finding the boy, I found someone who looked to be different from the rest.

From all the sad faces that I saw, those who sat around this man were also in better shape, wearing grins upon their face, men and women, boys and girls, old and young all found their place amongst their leader..

“I take it you’re the one who lost this book—what does it mean to you so much you’d risk your life just to have it back in your hands?”
The man had a cleverness about the way he looked, he had long hair the color of a blazing flame, short bangs that were parted in the middle and eyes as green as blades of morning dew grass.

“Hand it back—” She said.

“So, it does hold meaning to you, at least to the girl it does, that’s as obvious as can be”
“But what lengths will you go just to get back an old book—?”

“A maid uniform—what family do you serve—” An older girl with long tinsel hair said with eyes that could see right through you.

Before she had the time to speak I whispered in her ear not to tell him that she serves the Brighthart family.

From what I had already seen for myself as being a scribe’s apprentice and looking over history and what has happened—it turns out the Brighthart family rules by fear and so if they were to know this we would become pawns in their game.

“She serves the Crystal Cathedral”

“Is that right—well lets just say I don’t believe a single word that you say” said the man who was sitting on a barrel in the middle of the others, the girl with the tinsel hair leaned on his right side, irked by our presence and our response.
“You did good to bring such a treasured item to me, perhaps you aren’t useless after all,” He had said to the boy, and once the boy had been dismissed and given a coin that he flipped in the air he went on down the tree and made his way back to the streets.

“You don’t have a clue what it's like to live like this, I could tell you I never wanted to become a thief but that isn’t the truth, I don’t mind taking from people who don’t deserve having it in the first place—and that means you two”

“Now, this book means something to you and if you want it back then you’ll have to listen to me—”

We were already surrounded, even if this servant girl can use magic it’s clear she doesn’t know how to control it. I don’t plan on dying here—I will make it back to Earth somehow, someway—

“What is it you want from us—?”

There were a good amount of people that were on standby but seemed to rather observe us and what we had to say.

“Magic portals can be traced by what’s left behind—so if you don’t want people coming after you then you’ll give me back that book,” She had said, summoning as much courage as she could muster.

“So, let them come it’s not like we're far away or anything—”

“Hah, what a joke, don’t you think so, Igneus?”

“We don’t care to steal objects like petty thieves, we steal magic. Isn’t that ironic?”

“With the price of shortening our lifespan we can wield the magic that we steal from grimoires—in turn we tattoo the spells onto our bodies and so that leaves us with its power"

“But judging from this book there is only a one-way portal spell, however one must know magic in order to activate it”

“This is magic that we cannot steal and so that’s where you come in handy—you’re going to teleport us back here with that spell once you come with us to a rift”

A look more than surprise was set upon her face.

“No, no I can’t I won’t go back to a place like that—”