by Shanon Chong
“Can’t be too bad, right?” I replied, placing my hands on my head as I walked. “Anyway, we should probably go to the Eastern Market to get food and scout out the Church.”
“Well, we can alternate. Anyway, we will settle that later. I’ll have my shower first, so go ahead and read the book.”
“Thanks,” I said with a smile.
We entered the school again. Rushing up the stairs, we opened the door to our room and raced into its warm interior. Rachel had already entered the bathroom and turned the faucet on before I had even gained my bearings. I closed the door and went to sit on the couch.
Finding the book Rachel had borrowed, I flipped through it. I found a small page marker where Rachel had written, “Dreams,” in a thick bold font. I blinked and then began to read the large novel’s ideas on dreams.
Chapter 17: Cooperation
Rachel hobbled out of the shower wearing a fresh set of clothing; I stood, placed the book on the table, and moved to use the shower. Grabbing a white tunic from the closet and a pair of white pants, I stepped into the bathroom and showered quickly. I put on the tunic as I closed the shower door behind me.
“Did you wipe up the water on the floor?” Rachel asked as I exited.
“Why?” I replied, opening the door slightly and peeking into the bathroom, looking at the droplets of water that spattered on the floor.
“Well, I wouldn’t want the bathroom to have water stains on the floor.”
“Sure, I’ll clean that up, then.” I entered the bathroom and, kneeling, wiped up the water droplets and stains. I mean, I still wanted to read the book. “Anyway, are we going to copy the information from your notebook to an actual book?”
“It’s safe in my pocket, isn’t it?” Rachel chuckled as I returned to the living room. “I mean, worst-case scenario, we return to the shrine and get the information again.”
“Actually, on that train of thought, I wanted to try something with your notebook.” I recalled Harrold’s notebook with the extra communication features. “Would you be fine if I used the last few pages of your notebook while we look through the book together?”
“Uhh, sure… Want to sit on the bed, or are we staying here?”
“Let’s just stay here,” I said, sitting beside Rachel, who shuffled slightly away from me. “We don’t have classes tomorrow, right?”
“Well, it’s already Sunday. Look.” Rachel pointed at the clock on the wall. “It’s two in the morning.”
“Sure, same difference,” I replied quickly. “Let’s read.” I shuffled closer to Rachel, who frowned before accepting it. Placing the book on our laps, she opened it to the middle, where there was a page marker. I opened Rachel’s notebook to the back page, grabbed two pieces of paper, and worked in between them. As Rachel read, I hopped between the two tasks, drawing runes in her notebook and looking at the page she had skipped to.
I placed the notebook on the table when I felt the upgrades were completed. Rachel looked at me before placing her hand in the centre of the book and closing it.
“Done?” she asked. “I went ahead and got all the parts about dreams.”
“Really?”
“Of course,” she replied incredulously. “Who do you think I am?”
“My wife-to-be?” I teased. “I’m joking. Let’s look through the book together.”
Rachel didn’t say anything for a few second as I opened the book. “Rachel?” I asked, looking over at her. She was now blushing a deep shade of red.
“What?”
“Nothing,” I replied dismissively, looking at the book’s several markers. “Should we start with the first dream, then?”
“Yeah, though, in the novel, they’re called trials.”
“Anything significant about them?” I flipped to the first marker, which now had a more appropriate label: “First Dream.” “I mean, like, what do the dreams do?”
“Honestly, after the first dream, you aren’t told much.” Rachel sighed, looking for a line in the book. “It even says here…” Rachel coughed as she tried to make her voice deeper. “I didn’t feel any different after the dream.”
“Wow, insightful. What great writing,” I said sarcastically as I found the line for myself.
“Shut it,” Rachel replied playfully. “With the second dream, he finds himself with slightly more strength.”
“Like how, exactly?”
“Well, I don’t know… The only real number we’re told is that fact that one year has passed.”
“So, these trials are annual?”
“You make it sound like an actual event.” Rachel giggled. “I mean, the other information in the book suggests that there’s more than one person who’s experiencing the trials.”
I looked at Rachel, who continued to browse through the book without speaking. Competitors? I was part of some sort of elite trial? I looked at the ceiling, groaning slightly. Rachel turned to look at me but didn’t ask anything. Why was I being dragged into some game with fate? Why me? Did I really have to play this unfortunate loop of events?
“Theo?”
“Yeah?” I shook slightly at Rachel’s call to attention. Sitting up, I looked at her, and she looked right back at me.
“Maybe you need some sleep.”
“No, I’m fine. Let’s keep going.”
“No, you aren’t. Let’s go to sleep,” Rachel replied. Slamming the book shut, she stood behind me and pushed me to the bedroom. She got into the bed and then beckoned for me to join her. I caved, slipping under the blanket and closing my eyes.
After quickly falling asleep, I got my first peaceful night of sleep in a long while. Not a single dream invaded my sleep, and I got a full ten hours of well-earned rest.
I awoke to Rachel holding onto me tightly, leaving me rather helpless. She was physically stronger than me in every way. Harrold probably wanted me to begin my training with him later in the afternoon. Of course, I decided to break free from Rachel’s hug, and I slid out of her embrace and went to get something before Harrold kidnapped me.
I changed into my undershirt and mage’s robes before I left for the market. I would go ahead and buy some food for the two of us to share later. Locating Rachel’s purse, I took one gold coin and two silver coins. Writing a quick note, I placed it on the purse before I left.
I reached the market before the hustle and bustle had begun. The open stores were still setting up. I made some quick purchases and then decided to walk around the plaza for fun. Holding my leather satchel to my chest, I walked around, hoping to catch some gossip while I was here. Standing by the map, I waited for even the slightest bit of conversation.
“Have you heard about all those missing people?” a voice said behind me. “I heard the council’s searching desperately for this one person.”
“Really?” another replied. I remained quietly staring at the map. “Isn’t his name like Fabien or something?”
“Fabien Meffur?”
“Yeah, him.”
Bored by the strangers’ conversation, I looked into my bag, ensuring the freshness of my goods before I left. I started my journey back to the school after rearranging the entire bag of products.
When I reached our room, Rachel had just woken up. I placed my bag on the coffee table before approaching her.
“You have a good night’s sleep?”
“Did I?” she asked back cheekily as she carefully put her clothes on. “I mean, you even woke up and bought groceries.”
“So we don’t die of starvation,” I replied, organising the food in our cooler box. “Anyway, you do whatever you want; I’ve got to do some training with Harrold.” I left the room.
Months passed after that day, surprisingly quickly. Rachel and I alternated our grocery runs as we slowly got into the swing of things. We continued to go through the book together to pass the time at night. Rachel’s friend Bethany returned after several weeks. I, however, spent most of my time training; Harrold’s regime had hit a high point in the last few
weeks. At my current state, I was able to actually do twenty laps of the Northern District, and the rock-climbing had escalated to cliffs with awkward overhangs and smaller rocks.
I had already lost interest in the training, and honestly, I was bored. Of course, not all of the training went so swimmingly. In my Zone training, I had barely reached twenty yards in total diameter of my mental bubble.
Harrold stood before me as I recalled the entire four months’ worth of training.
“Well, I’ve done all I can,” he declared. “You would honestly benefit more from working something a regime with Rachel at this point.”
“That would be good.” I stretched slightly as I crawled out of the minuscule room I had grown fond of. “Thank you for training me. I’ll be sure to make you proud.”
“I look forward to that. Anyway, you’re probably around the strength of a tier-two mage now.”
“So, I can cast tier-two spells?”
“You could even cast tier-three magic if you were desperate.” Harrold closed the door to the room behind us. “Well, I can’t help you anymore; be sure to…stay in shape.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ve got some classes to teach. If I want to stay on probation, I’ve got to be doing something,” Harrold muttered as he sauntered away.
“I guess I’ll have to talk to Rachel, then.” I sighed.
Leaving the main building, I sat on the grass outside. What would I do? I mean, I knew Rachel well, but magic-wise, I knew absolutely nothing. I held my head in my hands as I waited for an idea, any idea, to come to mind. Rachel used fire magic; and I was proficient in absolutely nothing. Rachel was at minimum tier three; I could barely use tier-three magic… How exactly was I going to bridge the gap and stand equal with her? Well, I had runes; they still didn’t do much in a practical sense, though. Theoretically, I could use basic armament magic and just work with Rachel more directly.
People walked past me quickly; no one bothering to check on my obviously stressed state. I was glad that everyone was either insensitive or too shy to ask…because I definitely did not want to talk right now. I groaned slightly as I lifted my head and placed it against the wall. What was I going to do?
“Theo?”
“Rachel?” I grabbed the wall and lifted myself off the ground. “What are you doing here?”
“Coming back from lunch. You?”
“Thinking about how our magic might work together.”
“Right…okay?” Rachel took a step back, confused at the direction the conversation was heading. “Uhh, I know, but who will help us with that?”
“Well, maybe there’s a room where we can use our magic?”
“We should ask my mother, then.” Rachel paused. “She’s the principal.”
“Sure,” I replied quickly, opening the door to the main building for Rachel to pass. “After you.”
“Thank you.” She walked through, ignoring the other students who were attempting to exit the building. I remained at the door for a few minutes, holding it for the students who decided to walk through. Eventually a third-year student offered to help hold the door with a precisely placed earthen hand. His magic remained until the remaining students had dispersed and left the building.
Following Rachel, I saw her displeased scowl after entering the building. I was tempted to say, “How long did you wait?” but I refrained from angering her with my potentially sarcastic comment. I trailed her closely as we walked the hallways together to the stairs. It was an efficient process from there; the shiny golden nameplate already told us whose office it was.
The door floated open expectantly as Rachel and I approached. Rachel’s mother leaned back in her large leather chair, casually sipping from a glass of water. She raised her head to look at us. “I’ve been expecting you.”
“I’m sure you have,” Rachel replied sarcastically, plopping herself down on the leather couch inside the office. I quickly joined her.
“That was rude…” An annoyed expression came to Mrs Indallias’s face. “Anyway, I know what you’re here for.”
“Convenient,” Rachel said snappily. “So, what’s your solution?”
“Well, I won’t say I’ve got a solution… I only have a rough idea of what you’re here for.”
“That’s okay, Mrs Indallias,” I interjected before Rachel could speak. “If you have any ideas, we’re willing to listen.”
“Mr Statler would probably be best in this situation,” Mrs Indallias replied calmly, “but our school’s facility probably isn’t good enough. Well, you could go to the military facility in the Western District.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll get Statler for you.” Mrs Indallias exited the office, and Rachel and I followed her. “He’s doing some work right now, but…I’ll convince him somehow.”
“Thank you,” I repeated as she opened the staff room door.
“Hey, Statler.”
“What?” He placed his pen on the table, stood, and bowed slightly. “How can I help you?”
“I need you to train Rachel and Theo,” Mrs Indallias declared forcefully. “I’ll cover your work.”
“Um, what?” Mr Statler raised his glasses. “I’ve got to mark my student’s work,” he replied. “I need to give them feedback on how to improve.”
“I’ll do that,” Mrs Indallias said. “Anything you want done, give it to me before you go.”
Mr Statler frowned slightly before grabbing some of the papers and placing them in his arms. “Fine. If those are your orders, I’ll comply.” He sighed. “I’ll finish my own marking. Just give me a slight raise.”
Mrs Indallias groaned at the word “raise.” “I’ll see what I can do. Anyway, thanks, Kain.”
“I’m pretty sure we established that I hate my first name,” Mr Statler replied sharply. “You can thank me by giving me some more money to spend.”
“As I said, I’ll see what I can do.” Mrs Indallias smiled and patted us on the shoulder. “You’re the best for the job anyway, Statler. I’ll leave them in your care.”
“Sure, I’ll see what I can do.” Mr Statler exhaled. “We’ll head for the steel monolith.”
“Steel monolith?” I inquired.
Rachel and I followed Mr Statler as he exited the school building.
“Military slang for the facility. It doesn’t have an official name, so we decided it needed some personality,” he explained. “Anyway, how about we introduce ourselves. I haven’t really talked to either of you.”
He strolled onward in silence. Finally, without turning back to look at us, he said, “Well, I’m Kain Statler, and I teach advanced combat magic at the academy. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Theo. I don’t really have much else to say about myself.”
“I’m Rachel. I’m Mrs Indallias’s daughter,” Rachel said tersely.
“I’ll be working with you guys to make something amazing with your magic.” Mr Statler coughed slightly. “Well, you two will be working together to make something that will even impress the stronger teachers.”
He stepped to one side, pulling the metal door to the military facility open. Waiting for us to pass, he guided us to a room to the right of the facility’s public rock-climbing area. An open space painted pure white appeared; not a single table or chair could be seen within the sparse room.
Mr Statler quickly fashioned a table out of magical energy, placing his papers on the light blue surface. He grabbed a blank sheet of paper and drew a table with two columns. Writing our names at the top, he placed the sheet on the table and beckoned for us to join him.
“Well, what kind of magic do you use?” Mr Staler prompted, pointing at the paper. “I understand you might not have settled on the magic you wish to pursue, but—”
“It’s fine; I know what I’m doing,” Rachel interjected, grabbing the pen off the table and writing “fire” on her side of the table. “I’m proficient in armament and summoning magic.”
“Specifically, fire-related
summoning?”
“Yeah,” Rachel replied firmly.
“Okay…” Mr Statler seemed unsure of how to continue. “Have you summoned weapons before?”
“I’ve had little success in that area.” Rachel sighed. “I mean, I’ve tried, and it certainly seems appealing.”
I remained silent as I realised that my magic pool was beyond limited. I waited for either Rachel or Mr Staler to prolong their conversation. However, it seemed that Mr Statler was keen on interrogating me now.
“Well, Theo, have you formally studied any magics?” He peered at me through his wire-frame glasses. “Of course, I wouldn’t be surprised if you haven’t figured out yet.”
“Er, why wouldn’t you be surprised?” I asked, avoiding his question.
“You’re only fifteen. This is the age most people explore their expertise. And, I mean, you’re the son of your father.”
“What does this have to do with my dad?”
“I met your father in the military. At that time, he was already a commanding officer. Even then, he hadn’t found an expertise. Well, I mean, I have some ideas, but that’s only if you’re open to learning some supporting magic, Theo.”
“As you said, I don’t really know what path to take with my magic.”
“Great. I’ll explain the principle to my idea. Rachel will create her own weapon, and then you will support from a distance. Whenever Rachel needs help, you two can switch places, and Rachel can rain hell on your opponent with fire magic.”
“Seems really simple,” I said as Rachel raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, I have to agree with Theo on this one.” Rachel stood beside me.
“Simplicity is best, right?” Mr Statler said as he carefully folded the paper he had written on. “Well, if you guys are willing to test it, I’d be able to prove its effects.”
I looked at Rachel, who had already lost interest in Mr Statler’s response. I tapped her on the shoulder, pointed at Mr Statler, and showed her a thumbs up and thumbs down, giving her a choice.
Rachel sighed. “Sure, we’ll try your method.”
I pointed at Rachel as she spoke. Looking at Mr Statler, I said, “Her words are absolute.”