Page 88 of The Scars Within
An hour passed in near silence, interrupted only by the occasional sneeze or cough as we stirred up dust. Books and scrolls littered the floor, categorized in neat piles, but it was getting frustrating. We were finding nothing new—just the same information we already knew.
The Tyrians rebelled against us, sparking the war to seize control of the Gem. Then, after the Battle for Mareki, the Aryans founded Mageia, building the fortress over the Mareki Gem to protect its four essences and maintain the balance of the elements. That much was common knowledge.
But something gnawed at me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Professor Hogboom was about to say before Captain Thorne cut his lecture short that day. “Has it ever been recorded that the Mareki is capable of more than channeling our elements?” I asked, breaking the silence.
Tatum tapped her nails absently against the book’s spine she was skimming. Cleo glanced up. “Not that I’ve ever seen.”
Laney joined me, curiosity in her eyes. “What are you thinking?”
I hesitated, piecing it together. “There has to be more to the story. We are living through our history without a factually correct prologue. The Mareki must have some quality worth starting an earth-shattering war over.”
For once, Laney was speechless, her brow furrowed in thought.
“The story we’ve been taught doesn’t add up,” I said, my voice steady but edged with unease, the pieces shifting in my mind. “Why hasn’t anyone questioned it? The First Four—the ones Professor Hogboom mentioned—founded our continent. They channeled the firstsurge of magic into their veins, shaping everything we know. And yet… they’ve been erased from history?” I paused. “He said the records may have been burned to ash during the battle, but why?”
A realization hit me. “What if his murder is connected to what he knew about our history?”
Laney’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“What if his lectures were more than just that—a warning? He told us to keep our minds open, that it could mean the difference between life and death. Did you recognize that old book he had in our last lecture?”
Laney and Cleo nodded. Tatum was standing behind them, biting her lip.
“I wonder if we could find that book,” I suggested, but my thought was interrupted.
“Keep our minds open…” Tatum echoed from behind us. She rushed over to a pile of scrolls, unrolling one with a sudden urgency. “Here,” she pointed to a passage. “This is the oldest scroll I’ve found, and it’s not even dated. But look here—this part mentions the Mareki Essence. Not essences, plural. Just one singular essence. At first, I thought it was a mistake, but… what if this scribe was right?”
We all fell silent, digesting her words.
Cleo’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Do you think this Mareki Essence differs from the Mareki Gem we know today?”
Tatum shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s the same, but something happened before the Battle for Mareki. What if the Mareki we have now isn’t what it once was? Or they used different terms back then. I don’t know. But have any of you ever encountered it being called the Mareki Essence?”
We exchanged glances, silently shaking our heads.
“Did Professor Hogboom refer to it as the Gem?” she asked.
“No. He only called it the Mareki,” Laney answered.
I rummaged through my memories of our history. The Mareki Gem rests in the Eternal Tomb on a pedestal in the center of its four essences:air, earth, fire, and water. Each essence is fueled within a smaller gem that connects itself to the Mareki.
But what if the four smaller gems aren’t gems? What if they’re…
“The splintered shards will become whole again…” I whispered to myself.
“Once the forgotten realm is due,” Lakota continued for me.
I scrambled to return the texts to their shelves. “Hurry,” I urged, glancing over my shoulder. “I need to show you all something.”
I led my friends out of the library, quickening my pace without making it obvious. The last thing I wanted was to draw attention, but I couldn’t hold back my excitement. I had to show them the hidden passageway I’d literally stumbled upon days ago—a secret buried within these ancient walls.
I should’ve told them sooner. Part of me hesitated, afraid they wouldn’t believe me. Now, that fear feels ridiculous. These are my friends, and we trust each other completely.
We wove through the halls, moving fast but careful not to rush. The shortcut through the courtyard would save time, but as we crossed the open space, I heard a high-pitched voice cut through the air.
“Oh no! It’s the mage! Run for your lives!”
We halted mid-stride, turning toward the source. There stood Pehper, hands cupped around her mouth, putting on an exaggerated show. She was with ‘salt’ and several other spices she picked up for the day. She pretended to cower, arms shielding her face as if I were some dangerous monster.
