TBD

Ch. 1

The crowded space and mercilessly noisy atmosphere grates against my already frayed nerves as I force my way through the market. The shrill wailing and piercing cries from grief-stricken mothers is almost more than I can bear.

The lightly crumpled, official summons in my hand serves as a grounding point while I fight to regain my composure. I need to get out of here, and it doesn't seem like anyone is actually interested in trading today anyway. Every family with children within the stated age range in the conscription notice is here, and arguments, furtive whispers, and unfiltered grief flow through the air. No one wants to send their children to the Citadel.

Until this conscription notice came in a couple of days ago, only the upper class sent their children there. It is considered a privilege, an honor. Going to the Citadel is prestigious and has the ability to elevate one's status even higher.

The most recent skirmish started to take a toll on the numbers of noble children in their final year of the Citadel and on the front lines, so it seems those parents began pushing for a reform.

According to this conscription notice, those parents have been heard, and now children from all over the continent outside of the noble class will be going to the war college. Their presence is required within a fortnight of receiving this summons.

I shake my head as I skim the words for the hundredth time this morning.

Ridiculous, I thought.

Shrugging off the anger, I shove the letter back into my pocket and begin retracing my steps back out of the market. I'm not going to get anything done this morning with the state of the village anyway, and the ladies at home need to be made aware of this mess, if they don't already know.

As I slosh through the mud, dodging the deep ruts left by wagons, my mind fills with worry for the other kids in the village. How will they fare at the Citadel? Will they survive to the graduating ceremony? What about being on the front lines?

A tight knot settles in my gut as my mind reels with grisly images; Sarah with her mousy brown hair being struck down by an enemy sword through the neck. Bright red blood splattering her face, or little Sam with his gap-toothed grin being blasted across the battlefield by a Caster. I shake off the bloody thoughts and keep walking.

As I crest the hill, an old, well-built manor house came into view, with a breathtaking sunset casting the house in shadow. The closer I get, the clearer the picture becomes: cracked window panes, rickety steps, and missing shingles, it is clear from looking at it, the house was once quite stately, but as the years pressed on, the repairs became more numerous and more costly; however, despite the disrepair, there is a warmth shining through the windows, and the scent of a freshly prepared meal seems to cling to the house like a lady's favorite perfume.

As I near the porch, the silhouette of one of the Sisters moves in front of a well lit window, casting soft, warm light across her features.

Sister Nell

Despite her age and workload, Sister Nell still maintains her youthful appearance. Her skin is a warm mahogany, and her curls seem to always be well cared for and in place. She simply glows with vitality.

The groan of the steps matches my own, causing Nell to giggle, a lilting musical sound, and I dread telling her about the notice. Too many kids are being sent to s*******r.

Nell clears the empty space between us and embraces me tightly. I squeeze her back, loving how she always knows when I need grounding.

"Why the long face, child? What sad news do you bear?" she asks solemnly, after pulling away.

I drop my head and pull the letter from my pocket, letting her process the news without my raging emotions interrupting her. She shocks me by reading it aloud.

"Greeting:

You are hereby ordered for induction into the Citadel, otherwise known as Dùn Bàis. You are to report to Fort Cywren within a fortnight of receiving this notice for classification and instruction.

***Important Notice***

Read Carefully

•This summons is continent wide. All people of the age range 14 to 26, excluding pregnant or nursing mothers, are to report.

•All inductees that go through classification will experience an expedited education, as follows:

-Healers: any inductees placed within the Healers division will experience a 2 (two) year long education program, followed by a 1 (one) year practicum.

-Casters: any inductees placed within the Casters division will experience a 2 (two) year long education program, followed by an immediate instatememt into the Casters battalion, under the direct command of Lieutenant Colonel Fox Grey.

-Scriveners: any inductees placed within the Scriveners division will experience a 4 (four) year long education program, followed by a 2 (two) year internship.

-Legionnaires: any inductees placed within the Legionnaire division will experience a 1 (one) year long education program, followed by an immediate instatemwnt I to the infantry under the command of Major Aliyah Bardin.

• All Healers and scriveners will be required to take a written exam in order to determine current education level, after which all entry level Healers and scriveners will be escorted to their divisions, then their sleeping quarters.

• All Casters will report to the training field for magic testing, followed by a written exam. After, Casters will be escorted to their sleeping quarters.

• All Legionnaires will report to the south sidenof the training grounds, after Casters have vacated, for physical training to determine fitness level. Legionnaire trainees will be escorted to the barracks.

**Urgent Notice**

All initiates will be subject to a magic ability test prior to classification. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Anyone found to be hiding casting abilities, no matter how insignificant, will be submitting themselves for disciplinary action, possible death, due to falsification of documentation."

Sister Nell's glassy eyes meet mine as her voice gives out from reading the final sentence. A heavy weight sits on my chest as the implications of the whole notice whirl in my mind, but her soft voice calms the storm, until I register her words.

"You have to run, Deidre," she whispers. My eyes widen in disbelief, "Run? Are you insane? If they realize I've bolted, I'll be signing my own death warrant!"

Sister Nell drops the summons and grips my hands fiercely, "You'll be signing it anyway if you go!"

I jerk my hands away and begin pacing the length of the porch, confusion furrowing my brow.

What is she on about? This isn't how I expected her to react at all

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

"I am bound by my king to not say anything, but what I can tell you is there is a war coming; however, it isn't as they will make it seem. Be vigilant. Protect yourself, protect the boys. You will need each other when the time comes."

She sighs with defeat as she finishes speaking, slumping back into a chair on the porch, as if the conversation takes away all of her energy. Her gaze turns to the other kids inside the house, and her expression softens ever so slightly. I watch them as they play, and after a few minutes, my voice floats through the darkness that now envelopes the porch, "Don't worry, Sister Nell. I'll do everything I can to keep the boys safe."

Everything falls silent again as we both continue watching the kids play, completely oblivious to the fact that things have changed