Call of Ring(Compleled)

31 Two Rings

The walk back to the Calvin School of Magic was indeed uneventful. Blake noticed a student on the rooftop which jarred him a bit, reminding him of the battle he had faced the day before. Nonetheless, they went in the main entrance through the patio and to their dorm house. It was still early afternoon, but Blake had a plan on his mind that was different from Sadie’s. He found that out when he announced his plan to her.

“I think I’m going to rest for a bit. I want to study this ring and…”

“Close your eyes and sense something?” she asked in jest interrupting him.

“Yes. I believe this is required,” he said with confidence not bending to her whim.

“Well, I’m going to rest for a bit too, but then I’m going back to the bathhouse. I’m guessing you don’t want me to disturb you with an invitation?”

Blake knew he couldn’t wiggle out of a direct response to her question this time.

“No, no…” he blurted out more abruptly than he had wished to. “Please let me know when you’re going.”

Sadie flashed a smile that seemed to glow with approval and then she retired to her room. Blake didn’t bother to check if Natan was in his room. He simply entered his room and laid down on his bed. Although he was doing his best to focus his mind in on the ring, he couldn’t help but notice Sadie making herself comfortable in her own room across the hallway.

Blake stared at the ring on his finger. He decided to take it off and study it more closely moving the object closer to his eyes. It was then that he remembered a question he had from earlier.

“Why did the two rings look so similar?”

Realizing that he hadn’t inspected them next to each other, he rolled onto his side and bent over the side of the bed. He inserted his fingers into a gap within the mattress below him and retrieved the other ring from its place of concealment. Sadie had taken it and given it to him from her sack after they had chosen their rooms the first night. Presumably, she had found a place to conceal her tiara as well.

Blake rolled back onto his back, and held the rings up side by side, paying careful attention to remember that he held the original Ring of Cora in his right hand, while the newer ones from the market of today were in his left hand. Blake’s instinct suggested to him that the first ring was authentic and the second was somehow counterfeit. He hoped it was the same instinct that guided him to the number twelve for the trapping of the wild beasts.

The rings looked identical. Blake began to feel discouraged. They both were simple gold rings. And then fashioned into each of them was a solitary gem, with a greenish amber tone to it. Blake inspected the insides of each ring, but still, they appeared identical. He then tried wiggling gently at the stones of each ring, wondering if one would loosen proving itself of lesser quality. Although he had suspicions of which ring was authentically the Ring of Cora, Blake knew for certain that there was only one ring and that people were willing to die in order to have this ring in their possession.

Blake closed his eyes.

“What do you hear?”

I hear silence. Wait… I hear a fire crackling outside the room. Natan must be stoking the fire.

“What do you feel?”

I feel at peace, but at the same time I want to know more about the Ring of Cora.

I feel that I was drawn to the first ring, the one in my right hand. When I saw it at the market in the Midori Empire, I observed its simple beauty and wanted it for myself, not knowing anything more. Then I saw it described in one of the books from the secret cave at Gaius and Dorkus’ property. But the second ring’s experience of today is filled with too much nuance to dismiss. First of all, Sadie must have known it would be there because she asked the vendor, “Show me what is not on display.” Secondly, she slipped the ring on my left index finger which I have read seals a friendship as an ally. And finally, we were attacked shortly after I put the ring on my finger.

“What do you sense?”

Beware! This ring carries the power to promote good, but also inflict evil. The one who possesses it must be careful to properly examine their motives before wielding its powers.

It was as if a voice had appeared out of nowhere in the midst of his meditation. The voice was familiar to Blake. He suddenly knew it was the voice of Apollos. He wondered if this was how life and death worked in this world. His dead mentor had returned to give him advice. 

“Blake!” shouted another familiar voice.

Startled, Blake’s whole body twitched, and he opened his eyes to see an annoyed look on Sadie’s face. She was sitting on the bed next to him, but what was absent was the affection from the times before. As he came to his senses, he gingerly tried to sit up. He noticed that her white gown was wet in splotches.

“I’m so upset with you!” Sadie clamored.

“Why?! What’s wrong?” asked Blake confused.

“I came to you when it was time to head to the bathhouse, but your eyes were fastened shut. You didn’t respond to my voice! So, I left without you. My time of bathing was supposed to be relaxing, but the whole time I wondered if you were okay. Not only was I sad to not be with you, but it was even worse when Mage Zenith appeared. I left rather quickly to come back.”

“I don’t know what happened, I must have fallen into a deep sleep while trying to discern something in my mediation,” Blake replied trying to process all that she had just told him.

“I’m beginning to think you don’t want to be with me, but I can tell you are being honest,” she said looking less tense.

“I’m sad that I couldn’t be a distraction for you this afternoon,” she teased now smiling.

“Believe me, I’m sadder than you are about having missed the opportunity with you,” Blake said a bit embarrassed by his admission of honesty.

From the common area came the voice of Natan: “We should head out for the evening meal now. Is everyone ready?”