Work Text:
The Enemy was dead.
—
After the first few apprentices spotted them, words were murmured and everyone’s heads went up. The whole Refectory fell silent. Call, Tamara, Aaron, and Jasper stood awkwardly in the doorway, feeling the weight of hundreds of eyes on them. People they knew, people they didnt. Everyone was staring.
Then the room exploded into applause. Students Call didn’t recognize at all were whistling and clapping and standing up on their chairs, chanting and yelling that the war was over.
Master Rufus climbed atop of the Masters table, looming over them all. He clapped his hands together and an instant silence fell — students were still moving their mouths, still applauding, but nothing was audible but Master Rufus.
”Today we welcome back to the Magisterium four students who have achieved an almost unprecedented victory in the history of the Assembly,” he said,” Jasper deWinter; Tamara Rajavi; our makar, Aaron Stewart; and our newest chaos magician, Callum Hunt. Please welcome them back.”
The silence spell dissipated just long enough for a deafening roar of applause to sweep through the room.
”The Enemy of Death, he who sought to make himself and his minion immortal, he who would have defeated death itself, has now met death. We have not one but two Makars in this generations of mages. Every student here has contributed in some small way to this. We are truly lucky.”
People whistler and clapped. Across the room, Alex Strike winked at Call from under the fall of messy brown hair.
”Now, we should remember that while the war is over, we have not yet achieved peace. The Enemy might be gone, but his minions remain. There are battles yet to be fought, and as mages from the Magisterium, it will be your job to fight them.”
This time there was a much more subdued murmur of applause. Good.
Master Rufus is right, Call thought grimly. Even more than he knows.
”Now. Call, Tamara, Aaron, and Jasper,” said Rufus, turning towards the four of them, “Raise your wristbands. In them you will find a new stone, a tanzanite, representing the greatest victories achieved in the cause of the Magisterium.”
Call jerked his wrist up and stared. It was true. There was a purple-blue stone glimmering on his wrist. Beside it was another new stone. A black stone, representing his new status as a Makar, a user of chaos magic.
Jasper pumped his fist skyward and whooped. Suddenly the room was full of people shouting: The Enemy is dead! The Enemy is dead!
Only Tamara and Aaron didn’t chant along with them. They looked at Call — Tamara with disquiet and Aaron with worry. They, Jasper, and Alastair were the only ones who knew, Call thought. You couldn’t kill a monster when you were that monster.
Rufus lowered his hands, a gesture that seemed to unlock the students from their places. Everyone started running towards Call and his friends, pelting them with claps on the back and questions about the Enemy and the battle. Call whirled around in a sea of bodies, trying to keep his balance.
Kimiya was hugging Tamara and crying. Alex was shaking Jaspers hand aggressively. And then Aaron stood in front of Call, reaching for his arm to steady him.
Call was the first to speak, his voice quiet in the roar of applause that seemed to drown the Refectory, “Does this change anything?”
“Yes.” Aaron swallowed, looking small again, “This makes everything different, Call. Why didn’t you tell us?”
Call sighed, watching as Jasper got carried on Rafes back chanting and grinning, “I didn’t want you to hate me. You’re my best friend Aaron.”
He looked up and grinned, “I don’t know if things will ever be the same, but Call—“ His eyes were threatened with tears, “I’ll always have your back, Enemy or not.”
At least someone was acting normal, Call thought to himself, suppressing a pity laugh to himself. That was before Aaron tightened his grip on his arm.
Moments before he planted a massive kiss right on Calls lips.
Calls eyes went wide. Aaron’s were closed as he leaned into him. Then he processed what was going on, and he leaned into Aaron, closing his eyes as well — Tamara who was standing near him started to laugh, and Celia was looking bewildered at the two of them. He was aware that people were watching them, but it didn’t matter.
Finally, Aaron had pulled back. “You’re a hero.” he said, smiling like an idiot, “I always knew it.” He winked at that.
”Um. . . thanks.” Call said intelligently. So that had been his first kiss, and it was everything he had imagined, “Wait no! Aaron I like you!” He blurted out, blush creeping onto his cheeks.
A blush started on Aarons cheeks as well, “I like you too, Call.” He grinned again, causing Call to grin and laugh.
”Took you two long enough,” Tamara said, coming up behind the two boys and clapping them on the back, “Look at Jasper.”
At that moment Jasper sailed by again, on Rafes shoulders as people cheered and sang, “For Hes a Jolly Good Fellow.” He had an even larger grin on his face now.
Call smiled too, and Aaron took his hand. There was no way Jasper was going to say anything anytime soon, not if it meant giving all this up. Calls secret was safe.
”Excuse me,” Master Rufus said, pointing to Call, “May I borrow you for a moment? That is, if you’re not too busy.”
Call swallowed a groan of humiliation, had Master Rufus seen all of that? Well it didn’t matter, things were about to change forever from that moment forward. For better and for worse.