CHAPTER 17: THE VEIL ORDER

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The Veil Order

“Wait.”

Kevin stopped and turned slowly.

Captain Orion stood at the edge of the arena, his dark cloak stirring in the morning wind.

The crowd had begun to disperse. The Choosing was over. The newly selected knights were being swallowed up by families, friends, and members of their new Orders.

Kevin was still trying to understand what had just happened.

A few minutes ago, he had believed he would walk out of this arena alone.

Now, somehow, he was a Magical Knight.

A member of the Veil Order.

He looked at the black-and-silver emblem on Orion’s cloak. “Captain…”

Orion gave a small smile. “You’ll have plenty of questions.”

“I do.”

“I know.”

Before he could say more, a familiar voice rang out.

“Kevin!”

Arena was hurrying toward him. She hadn’t yet received her Sky Order robe, but the insignia from Captain Aerion was already pinned to her clothes. She looked happier than Kevin had seen her in years.

“Arena.”

She grabbed his shoulders. “You did it!”

He laughed. “So did you.”

“Of course I did.” She beamed. Then her voice dropped. “But I was worried about you.”

“I thought nobody would choose me.”

“I know.”

“But someone did.”

She glanced at Orion. The Captain gave her a slight nod.

“The Veil Order,” she said.

“The Veil Order.”

For a moment, neither spoke. After everything they had survived, they had finally reached the place they’d dreamed of since childhood.

Two twins.

Two different Orders.

Two different paths.

Still walking toward the same future.

Arena suddenly grinned. “So… don’t embarrass me.”

“You too.”

She punched his shoulder lightly. “Good luck, little brother.”

“Little brother?”

“We were born at the same time.”

“Exactly.”

“And yet I’m still older.”

“How?”

“Because I said so.”

Before he could argue, someone called across the arena. “Lady Arena! Captain Aerion wants us to leave.”

Arena looked back at Kevin. “I have to go.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

“Of course.” She took a few steps, then turned. “And Kevin?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t change.”

He smiled. “I won’t.”

She left with the Sky Order members, and he watched her vanish into the crowd.

For the first time, he didn’t feel like he was trailing behind his sister.

He had his own path now.

“Emotional.”

Kevin jumped.

Veyr sat on his shoulder, crimson eyes narrowed in amusement.

“You could have warned me.”

“I wanted to see you jump.”

“You’re impossible.”

“And you’re officially a Magical Knight.” Veyr’s tone grew slightly more serious. “Don’t let the title make you careless.”

“I won’t.”

Footsteps approached. Captain Orion had returned, and beside him stood a young man wearing the Veil insignia, with calm eyes and a strange silver mark beneath his left eye.

“Kevin, this is Cael.”

Cael bowed slightly. “Welcome to the Veil Order.”

Kevin returned the gesture. “Thank you.”

“Should we go?” Cael asked.

“Yes,” Orion said. He turned to Kevin. “Your first destination is the Veil headquarters.”

“The headquarters?”

“Unless you’d prefer to walk.”

Kevin looked out over the capital. He had assumed the headquarters would sit somewhere in the central district. A grand tower. Maybe a castle. Something impressive.

Orion seemed to read his mind. “You’re imagining something different.”

“A little.”

“You’ll understand soon.”

Cael raised his hand. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to disappointment.”

“What?”

A circle of light bloomed beneath their feet.

Kevin’s eyes widened. “Teleportation magic—”

“Hold still,” Cael said.

The world vanished.

* * *

Kevin felt as though his stomach had been left behind.

He stumbled forward as his feet hit solid ground, clutching his chest. “I think I just died.”

Cael laughed. “You’ll get used to it.”

Veyr floated beside Kevin’s head. “I give the teleportation a six.”

“A six?”

“Out of ten.”

“Who asked you?”

“No one.”

Kevin straightened. Then he looked around.

“This is the headquarters?”

The Veil Order’s base lay beneath an older section of the capital. There were no golden towers. No royal banners. No grand marble staircases. No shining statues of former Captains.

It looked almost hidden.

Old stone walls ringed the compound. Narrow roads curled above and around it. The newer highways of the capital had been built over the old district, leaving the Veil’s home tucked beneath the modern city.

“This place…” Kevin murmured.

Orion smiled. “Doesn’t look like much?”

“I didn’t say that!”

“You were thinking it.”

Kevin looked away.

Veyr chuckled. “He’s learning already.”

Orion pushed open an enormous wooden door.

“Welcome to the Veil Order.”

Kevin stepped inside.

And stopped dead.

Someone flew past his face.

“COME BACK HERE!”

A second person tore after him. “You can’t eat that!”

“I ALREADY DID!”

“What…” Kevin breathed.

A tremendous crash shook the building. Then a voice bellowed:

“WHO WANTS TO FIGHT?”

Kevin slowly turned to Orion. “Captain…”

Orion kept walking. “Welcome home.”

* * *

The first person Kevin noticed was sitting at a long table, eating.

Not casually.

Like he had just discovered food.

Plates covered the table. Kevin counted at least seven. The young man looked up, his cheeks stuffed.

“New?”

Kevin nodded.

The man swallowed. “Welcome.”

Then went back to eating.

“That’s it?”

The man nodded, chewing. “Yep.”

A voice exploded from behind. “NEW PERSON!”

Kevin spun around. A young man stood inches from his face, eyes wide, smile enormous.

“You’re new!”

Kevin stepped back. “Yes.”

“Fight me.”

Kevin froze. “What?”

The young man grabbed his hand. “Come on!”

Orion sighed. “Renn.”

“What?”

“Leave him alone.”

Renn pouted. “But he has interesting magic.”

Kevin turned to Orion. “Is he always like this?”

“Yes.”

Renn grinned. “I like him already.”

Avoid him, Veyr whispered.

Why?

He looks like the type who considers getting punched a greeting.

Renn suddenly pointed at Veyr. “Is that your guardian?”

Veyr narrowed his eyes. “Don’t touch me.”

Renn’s grin grew. “I really want to fight you.”

Veyr’s wings twitched. “Wonderful. Another idiot.”

* * *

Kevin barely had time to catch his breath before something stranger happened.

A woman walked past him.

Then another woman walked past him.

Kevin stopped. He looked back.

The same woman. Same hair. Same clothes. Same face.

Then a third appeared.

“Wait.”

A fourth stepped out of the hallway. Then a fifth.

Kevin slowly turned to Orion. “Captain…”

Orion looked completely unbothered. “Multiplication Magic.”

All five women smiled. “Hello.”

Kevin’s mouth fell open. “Which one is the real one?”

All five pointed at each other. “Me.”

Kevin sighed.

Veyr laughed. “You’re going to enjoy this place.”

“I’m not sure that’s the word I’d use.”

* * *

A young woman stepped forward. She looked nothing like the others. Simple robe. An old book tucked under one arm.

She studied Kevin for several seconds. Then adjusted her glasses.

“Kevin Riven.”

“Yes.”

“I know.” She opened her book. “Noble family. Twin sister. Five-point Codex. Crimson magic. Newest member of the Veil Order.”

Kevin stared. “How do you know all that?”

She turned a page. “I read.”

He looked at Orion. “Does everyone here do this?”

“No.”

The woman glanced up. “Only the intelligent ones.”

“HEY!” someone shouted from across the room.

She ignored him.

Kevin smiled despite himself.

* * *

Then something enormous moved behind him.

A massive man was lifting a stone weight over his head.

“ONE THOUSAND!”

He dropped it. The floor shook.

“ONE THOUSAND AND ONE!”

Kevin stared. “Is that normal?”

The bookish woman didn’t look up. “No.”

“ONE THOUSAND AND TWO!”

She sighed. “Unfortunately.”

The man spotted Kevin. “You!”

“Me?”

“Yes!” He flexed. “How many push-ups can you do?”

Kevin hesitated. “Uh…”

“Wrong answer!” He slammed his fists together. “You can always do more!”

I hate him already, Veyr whispered.

Kevin nearly laughed.

* * *

Then Kevin noticed someone standing alone by a window.

Unlike everyone else, he wasn’t shouting. He wasn’t eating. He wasn’t fighting. He wasn’t laughing.

He simply watched.

Calm. Silent.

Their eyes met. The man gave Kevin a small nod. Nothing more.

Kevin nodded back.

Something about him made Kevin uneasy. Not because he looked threatening.

Because he didn’t.

And somehow, that felt worse.

Veyr’s voice dropped. Don’t underestimate the quiet ones.

You know him?

No. Veyr’s eyes stayed locked on the man. That’s why I’m telling you.

Kevin looked back.

The man had already turned away.

* * *

Orion stepped into the center of the room. “Everyone.”

The noise gradually faded. The food-loving mage stopped eating. The multiplication mage merged back into one body. The muscle-obsessed mage lowered his weights. Renn stopped trying to provoke Veyr. The bookish woman closed her book.

“We have a new member.”

Everyone looked at Kevin. He suddenly felt nervous.

Orion rested a hand on his shoulder. “Kevin Riven.”

A few people smiled. Some looked curious. Others looked completely uninterested.

But no one looked at him the way the crowd had during the Choosing.

No one laughed.

“He has earned his place,” Orion said.

Kevin swallowed.

For the first time, those words felt real.

Earned.

“Tomorrow, he begins his training.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Orion smiled. “Get some rest.”

Kevin relaxed.

Then Orion added, “And report to the cleaning hall at sunrise.”

Kevin froze. “…Cleaning hall?”

The room went silent.

Then Renn burst out laughing. The food-loving mage nearly choked. The multiplication mage became five people again from sheer excitement. The muscle-obsessed mage roared, “TRAINING!” The bookish woman calmly reopened her book.

Kevin stared at Orion. “Captain…”

Orion was already walking away. “Welcome to the Veil Order.”

Kevin stood there in disbelief.

Veyr landed on his shoulder. “You wanted to be a Magical Knight.”

Kevin sighed. “Yes.”

Veyr grinned. “Congratulations.”

Kevin looked toward the cleaning hall. “I think I made a terrible decision.”

Veyr’s crimson eyes gleamed. “Too late.”

Kevin gazed around the strange headquarters, at the chaos, the noise, the impossible people.

And for the first time since receiving his five-point Codex, he smiled.

Maybe…

Just maybe…

He had finally found where he belonged.