I'd Give Up The World For You

Ira didn't expect to get a note to come visit Professor Lucien in his classroom on a day they didn't even have Magical Theory but he went anyway. He was curious what it was about but that was amplified tenfold when he saw his usually brightly smiling teacher looking rather grave. 

"What is it, Professor?" he asked, suddenly wondering if he found out that Ira had talked about things with Sarabeth even though he had left his source anonymous. 

"I found out additional information about what's going on and thought you might find it interesting. I've been reliably informed by an eyewitness that a Katalyan fire mage who survived the slaughter has taken over the castle after infiltrating the military," the professor said in an unusually grave tone. 

"He made some sort of deal to fake winning the Zelish War in order to get the wind mages on his side and used them as part of his plan. He's very powerful and supposedly very dangerous." 

Ira's first thought was that he now knew more about the Lone Wolf. His second was one of pure panic. 

"My mother works in the castle!" he blurted. 

Lucien's brows raised slightly. "Forgive me, but I thought your parents were dead."

"Well, they are. This is the woman who took me in afterward but she has always treated me like family."

"I see. Have you heard from her recently?"

"I got a letter from her last week. She didn't mention anything about a coup but she did say that things had changed and everyone was adjusting…What if she's in danger?!" Ira panicked.

"I honestly don't know what to tell you. I didn't realize you lived in the capital before coming here." 

"I didn't. I lived on a farm near the town of Cloverfield. After I came to the academy she sold the farm and moved to finally marry her fiancé. They had been engaged for a long time while he was working in the capital. But that isn't important! What am I supposed to do? I can't leave her there. She's pregnant!" 

Ira's memory flashed back to when Miss Veronica was saying goodbye to him over the summer and said he should come visit the following year because the baby would be born by then. That wouldn't be able to happen if she and the baby were dead!

Professor Lucien clamped his hands down on Ira's shoulders to calm him. "Breathe, Ira. As long as that fire mage is stopped your mother is going to be fine."

"If he's powerful enough to take over the castle who could possibly stop him?!" he demanded. 

"We can. What's one mage against several? Even if he is strong. Your element is the natural nullifier for his. If you're involved there's no way we could fail. Believe in yourself a little, won't you?"

Ira's head was spinning. Him? Fight a fire mage? He could hardly be considered a mage at all! Nothing he had learned could even remotely be considered an attack spell!

He was going to have to try though. If Miss Veronica was truly in danger there was nothing he wouldn't do to protect her. She was all he had left in this world and he didn't want her to suffer.

"When are we going to do this?" he asked grimly. 

Professor Lucien seemed surprised by his change in resolve happening so quickly but he gave Ira a small smile. "As soon as possible. If we can get everyone we want to involved we're aiming for the winter holidays."

"We?"

"Oh. Professor Gallagher. She was the one who saw everything happen in the capital. As such, she's trying to recruit the people she thinks are most suited to the job. But you can't tell anyone about this. We could both get in huge trouble for potentially leading you into danger."

Professor Gallagher? The literature teacher? She hadn't made much of an impression on him since he wasn't particularly fond of her subject. It was strange that she was involved in all of this. But thinking of who was involved…

"Can I tell Sarabeth Storm?" Ira asked hesitantly. "I think she could help." 

They had been in on trying to find out the truth behind what was going on in Mirea together. She was brilliant, if bizarre, and she was rather accomplished at blowing things up. That could potentially come in handy. 

Professor Lucien conceded more easily than he would have anticipated. "Alright but only Sarabeth." 

Ira was relieved. "Thank you, Professor! Is there anything else you need to tell me about this? So I can pass it on properly."

"Oh, yes. I forgot to mention that the fire mage in question was formerly the third prince of Katalya. His name is Rukelion Blaze. He has military experience so he would be very skilled at combat."

"Right. I'll tell her. I'll get back to you once I've talked to her!" 

He scurried out the door, hardly remembering to say goodbye, and went off in search of Sarabeth immediately. She would want to know what he had learned and he had to at least try and enlist her help. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed her. 

He rushed off as quickly as he could and ended up banging on her dormitory door. "Open up, Sarabeth! It's important!" 

She answered a moment later looking as if she had just rolled out of bed. Even her glasses weren't on yet. "What is it? It's early!" 

"…it's past eleven." 

"Oh. Well, that's early for a weekend. Why do you look so panicked? I've never seen that much emotion on your face. Did something bad happen? Or…does this have to do with the Lone Wolf?"

"Both," Ira said grimly. "Can I come in?"

Sarabeth stood aside to admit him. In his panic he didn't realize that Ciara, who lived across the hall, had heard the racket and peeked out of the crack in her door in time to see her enthusiastically pull him inside. 

Thankfully, her roommate was out for the day already. Otherwise this would have been more awkward than it already was. She sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth in anticipation before demanding he tell her what he found out. 

"The Lone Wolf is a fire mage named Rukelion Blaze who infiltrated the Mirean Royal Army in order to take revenge for the fall of Katalya," Ira began. "He was involved in the war with Zel and somehow managed to fake the whole thing in order to get the wind mages' help in his plans after saving their lives.

"He's taken over the castle, likely killing the king in the process. He's dangerous and my mother is there, Sarabeth! I have to stop him but I can't do this on my own. Right now the only people who know are the literature and magic professors but I need your help."

Her eyes widened. "Me? Why me?"

"Because you're good at blowing things up and are interested in poisons! Someone with your skills is the perfect person to take on someone so dangerous."

Sarabeth had never looked so flattered. She beamed at him. "I knew you liked me at least a little!" 

How did essentially calling her as dangerous as a mad fire mage constitute being liked in her eyes? Ira didn't refute it because he needed her. "So are you going to help me or not? I need to know if you're onboard so we can start coming up with a plan."

"I'm in. Who else are we trying to get in on this?"

"I…don't know," he confessed. He and Professor Lucien hadn't exactly discussed that part. "I think the teachers are covering that."

"Oh. Alright. I better get to my research then. There's no time to waste!" 

Sarabeth jumped off the bed and swiftly kicked him out of the room muttering about breaking down various poisons. At least he had one more ally on his very short list. She was a wild card but at least she was smart.

Ira turned to go when a figure suddenly materialized in front of him, making him jump. "Ciara! Where did you come from?"

Rather than answer that, she asked him a question of her own. "Has Sarabeth been threatening you? You seem distressed after answering her summons."

"Uh…she didn't summon me. I came here looking for her because I needed help with something. We're sort of working together on a project. Why would you think that? Did you see her drag me inside?"

"Yes," Ciara said with a frown. "But I've also seen her harassing you on several other occasions. Are you absolutely sure you aren't some sort of indentured servant?"

What was with this girl? Everyone else in the student body seemed to think they were dating but her guess was completely different. Also not terribly far off back when Ira was trying desperately to get Sarabeth to give him the information she was holding over his head. 

Still, it was a weird thing to think and he was embarrassed that someone he knew thought that. He crossed his arms over his chest defensively though his expression remained blank. He couldn't let her know she was getting to him. 

"She was teasing me by making me do something she would like in order to give me some information. That was how we ended up working on the project together.. You don't need to worry about me," Ira told her flatly.