A few days after meeting Darius Valeno and Orion Caldas, Seris was lounging about her apartment. She felt restless.
"We've spent a good deal of time talking about your past."
Erin was relaxed in a chair with his laptop open in front of him. He had been making copious notes on everything Seris had been telling him. Seris had reluctantly agreed to share her story with him in exchange for his help in navigating this modern world.
Everything still felt alien to her but she was slowly coming around. She had finally figured out how to fully use a cellphone and a television. The internet was still a work in progress and she hadn't even bothered trying to learn how to drive.
"You were a gifted sorcerer who participated in demonic incursions but they were fewer in number during your time. You also had close friends, were an upstanding member of the Global Order of Sorcerers, and spent your free time studying lost spells from ancient cultures. That sums it up right?"
"Pretty much yeah."
There was much more to her story though. The memory of turning down the position to lead the local temple floated through her mind. She had never wanted a position of authority, just freedom to live her life on her own terms.
Then there was the matter of her close friends. The two people she felt the closest to. Fear of learning about their fates had kept her from looking too deeply into their past. It also kept her from the local temple. Once she arrived there, it was inevitable that she would learn of their fates. Such knowledge could end up crushing her heart.
Leo Torrent and Rhianon Tee were every bit as gifted as her. The three of them had been the prized sorcerers of the global order, unstoppable and closer than blood.
Seris gave a heavy sigh.
"I think it's time."
"Time for what?"
Erin looked up from his laptop with a concerned expression on his face.
"There hasn't been another incursion, it's been fairly peaceful these last few days. Are you wanting to go looking for a fight in another city?"
Seris got up from the couch where she had been sprawled out.
"No, I meant it's time for me to face my greatest fear."
Erin simply frowned at her. What in the world could someone as powerful as Seris have to fear?
Seris didn't elaborate, she just put her shoes on and headed out the door.
"Hey! Wait!"
Erin quickly sprinted from the table to follow her.
"Where are you going?"
Seris leaned against the wall of the elevator as it descended from the third floor to the first.
"The local temple."
Erin looked surprised and even more confused than he had earlier.
"You told me the other day that you were absolutely certain that the current leaders were a bunch of bumbling baboons. You also said you had zero interest in wasting your time meeting them."
"Did I really call them a bunch of baboons?"
"Twice."
Seris chuckled. She was not known for her tolerance when it came to inept leadership, another reason she had turned down the leadership position of the local temple. The idea of playing politics with higher up elders in the order was enough to set her teeth on edge.
"I'm not going there to meet them. I'm going there to learn more about my friends."
Understanding dawned on Erin's face which was quickly replaced by a look of compassion.
"I see. You think they'll have a record of them?"
"I know they will, they were just as powerful as me and the temple keeps a record of every sorcerer that's been assigned to it."
***
The temple looked roughly the same as when Seris had left it around 300 years ago. There had been some modern renovations and improvements to keep the building safe for people to live and work in but largely it was the same. This provided a sense of relief to Seris.
Erin walked alongside her as they both went up a long, cobblestone paved walkway. It ended at a set of large grey stone stairs that led up to a massive set of double wooden doors. Above the doors was the name of the temple engraved and glowing with its own ambient golden light, 'Temple of the Badger'.
"Seriously, they named this place after a badger? Lame."
Seris smiled at his reaction. Privately, she agreed with him.
"It was named this because of the sorcerer who founded this local branch of the order. His name was Thomas Badger."
They pushed through the double doors which opened with ease.
Inside was a spacious entrance way with a spiraling staircase that led up to the second floor. People passed around, busy with their own work or conversations, none of them paid any attention to Seris or Erin.
Seris took the lead, walking past the stairs and down a long hallway that was flanked on either side by more wooden doors.
Erin kept his head on a swivel, taking in as many things as he could. He had never been inside a temple before, normal civilians usually weren't invited in.
"This is incredible. Enchantments, alchemy, conjuring, training, there is so much crammed into this place!"
Each room that they passed had a large sign mounted on the wall next to the door. Erin read every single one of them in fascination.
Seris stopped at the end of the hallway, the plaque next to the door read, 'Archives'.
She pushed open the heavy dark wooden door and Erin followed her in.
The room was large, filled with seemingly endless bookshelves. Scrolls and books were stacked on every shelf. The smell of old paper wafted through the air. It reminded Erin of being in a library.
"These are all records of sorcerers who were part of this temple?"
"Yep, every single one of them is recorded here. Their name, deeds, and ultimately their fates."
Anxiety built within her as she started to sort through the documents. Endless scenarios flashed through her mind. She pictured happy endings and sad endings for her friends despite her attempts to focus on the task at hand.
"Ah, so question for you. If it's been three centuries since you were last here, how did we walk in through the front doors without anyone stopping us?"
Seris looked up, briefly taken aback by Erin's question.
"You know, that's a good point. I was so absorbed with my own thoughts I hadn't stopped to consider that."
The skin on the back of Seris's neck prickled, the same as the last time a group of sorcerers had tried to sneak up on her.
She set down a random scroll she had been studying and faced the doorway. Erin was shrinking back, trying to hide behind Seris. If there was going to be a fight in this room, he was in the way and absolutely useless.
"I figured it would only be a matter of time before you came here looking for answers."
An older man, appearing to be in his late forties, stood there wearing an outfit that was similar to the other sorcerers. The only difference was his shirt which had the word, 'Temple Head' emblazoned across it in golden letters.