Sol: The True Self

by Joshua Chou

  “Wait,” said Nora. “Shouldn’t we ask Liam to train him?”

  Iris drank from her cup and waved her other hand dismissively “Out of the question,” she said. “Ethan must do it.”

  “I’m not sure if this is wise, ma’am,” said Nora.

  “Like I said,” Winston insisted, “I’m in.”

  Liam smiled at Winston. “I think he’ll make a great addition. Right, Mrs. Iris?”

  Iris looked at Winston and nodded in agreement. “Welcome to the team, Mr. Wright.”

  Winston folded his arms and smirked. He seemed to enjoy the notion of joining a supernatural defense force.

  On the other hand, Ethan hid his concerns behind a smile. He glanced at Nora, who was looking hesitant.

  Ethan wondered to himself if playing along wise. Could he meet Iris’ and Nikita’s expectations?

  “Count me in too,” he said.

  Nora glanced around the table, and then sighed to herself. “I suppose I have to babysit Winston too?” she said. “It’s not like I have much of a choice, right?”

  “You will make a great addition to the team,” said Nikita. “You begin your training tonight.”

  Chapter 13 – Initiation Day

  “So I’m a Sol-user?”

  “Yup.”

  “When do we start?”

  “When I get some tea in my system.”

  Ethan picked up a warm cup of tea and downed the whole thing. It got colder over the course of the meeting earlier, but Nikita took his leave after telling Winston the logistical stuff.

  The basic rules that he needed to know all boiled down to the mantra of serving in A.X.E.L. They almost sounded obvious too: be respectful, serve the common good, and all the other ethical laws that came with those goals.

  He wasn’t sure that Winston understood he was being a quasi-cop.

  “How’s the tea?” asked Winston.

  Ethan glanced at him. Winston was certainly listening to Nikita earlier, but Ethan wasn’t sure if he was really taking the advice to heart.

  Shortly after Nikita took his leave, Winston was more than eager to find out if he could begin training immediately. Ethan would keep his word.

  But he wouldn’t be nice about it.

  Ethan was glad that they were alone with Nora at the moment, or else someone might strong-arm him into being gentle.

  “You seem to be taking the news well,” said Nora. “Most people can’t handle the truth about Wraiths.”

  Winston smiled. “Thanks, I guess.”

  “Though Iris was a bit too pushy about making Ethan do Liam’s job.”

  “Liam’s injured,” said Ethan. “Unless someone else is able bodied and can cast magic.”

  Nora looked away. Ethan couldn’t see her face. Perhaps she was thinking of something else?

  “Before we head out,” he said, “I gotta tell you a few rules.”

  Winston nodded. “The Chief guy told me earlier.”

  “I’d like to say the big ones before we begin,” said Ethan. “Are you listening? Because it didn’t look like it earlier.”

  “Alright? I’m listening.”

  Ethan stuck out his index finger. “One. Don’t ask people for favors because you exorcise Wraiths.”

  The other student shrugged. “Kinda weird, but alright.”

  “Two. Try to work with a low profile.” After lifting the second appendage, Ethan stuck out his ring finger. “And Three. Finish off all Wraiths with your talisman.”

  He produced a talisman with runes etched onto its surface for Winston to see. Winston stared at it with curiosity, but disappointment as well.

  “A sticky note?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” Ethan replied. He stuffed it back into his pocket. “And it purges Wraiths from people. The only reason to not use one is if you’re killing a lesser Wraith.”

  “Did you use this on Hector?” Winston asked.

  Ethan frowned. “Did you have any more questions?”

  Nora turned back to look at the two of them. Both boys were staring daggers at each other. At least they had restraint, or else this would explode in her face at any second.

  Perhaps it would. The space between them threatened to catch on fire.

  “I’ll ask later,” Winston said finally.

  Ethan and Nora turned away from their newest member. Winston was still sitting comfortably, and he began to smell the tea.

  Ethan gave Nora a glance. “I can handle this,” he mouthed silently.

  She shook her head.

  ***

  Coach was a good sport over the phone. Ethan requested that they use the gym.

  He knew about Ethan’s A.X.E.L. responsibilities. Most of the teachers Ethan had known. If the need arose, He could ask his other teachers if he could be excused for dealing with Wraiths. Exorcisms were more immediately important than lectures.

  That wasn’t to say he could abuse that power. Ethan still had to make up lost time by finishing work after his patrols every night.

  “We’ll do some cardio on the track then,” said Coach. “Just try not to tear up the gym, alright?”

  “Can do, Coach.”

  Now Ethan carried a thick tarp over his shoulder. He marched into the gym with Winston beside him. Liam would have come, but he needed more rest. Iris came in his stead.

  The tarp was fire-proof and weathered over the years of use. Liam used it for his initial training with Ethan, and now it was the latter’s turn to use it to train Winston.

  Ethan rolled it out. Iris helped while Winston watched from the bleachers. Once the tarp covered an entire basketball court, Iris retracted the overhead basketball hoops. Once those pulled up to the ceiling, they had plenty of vertical space to practice their magic.

  “Shall we begin?” asked Ethan.

  Winston nodded.

  “First lesson. Try to summon your Sol. Watch me.”

  Ethan snapped his fingers. One flash of light later, Gabriel appeared beside him. Winston marveled at the sight of a spectral ice spirit at Ethan’s beck and call.

  “Like that,” Ethan continued with his lesson.“Try to imagine a ghost leaving your body. It’s pulling your brain and your heart with it. Let it go.”

  He dismissed Gabriel. “Give it a try Winston.”

  Winston held his hand up and snapped his fingers. He did so with less confidence that Ethan did, but his middle finger and thumb clearly made sound.

  Nothing happened.

  “There’s gotta be more than that,” he said.

  “Try to relax,” said Ethan. “Summoning it should be easier. Breathe slowly.”

  Winston tried again. His fingers snapped, but nothing happened yet. He glanced at Ethan expectantly.

  “Just close your eyes,” said Ethan. “I’ll walk you through it.”

  So Winston did that. He tensed his shoulders all the while. Ethan tapped both of them. Winston made them lax, or as lax as he could make them.

  Meanwhile, Iris watched from the sidelines. She kept careful watch of the session. If the need arose, which it probably would, she would step in to stop any infighting that may happen.

  Hopefully it wouldn’t. But Ethan and Winston weren’t getting along on the best of terms yet.

  Winston slowly inhaled. He found himself naturally reaching out with his hand. He brought his finger and thumb to snap once more.

  This time, it worked.

  A spark of light came from his hand. Rather than being infused with blue light, this one was radiant yellow. Winston felt it this time and opened his eyes. A smile spread across his face.

  Out of the flames came something larger than Winston. It was clad in steel and iron. Armor glistened and flashed with every spark around its body.

  It was also as skinny as a pencil and missing two feet.

  Winston wiped the smile off his face. “Wait, what?”

  Ethan glanced to Iris, who shrugged back.

  “What’s his name?” asked Ethan. “You must’ve known it the moment you sum
moned him.”

  “Ser-kay,” Winston replied. “Whatever that is.”

  “Sir Kay,” said Iris from her seat. “One of the knights of King Arthur’s Round Table.”

  Sir Kay glanced at his master. Quite quickly, the Sol disappeared as quickly as he was summoned. Winston kicked the tarp on the ground with his heel.

  “That was good,” said Ethan. “Summon him again.”

  “Why bother?” Winston replied. “He’s lame.”

  “Summon him again.”

  Winston scoffed. “He doesn’t even look strong! How am I supposed to fight with that?”

  Ethan paused. That was expected. He had a solution in mind, but he needed Iris‘ permission for it.

  He glanced to her. Their field leader nodded. She already knew the next step in sparring training.

  Ethan conjured Gabirel once more. The Sol threw a block of ice at Winston’s feet. Winston barely saw it and side-stepped the attack.

  “Hey!”

  But there was no time to stop. Ethan kept throwing more ice projectiles at his new teammate. Winston found himself backing off with every step to avoid the attacks. Each shard of ice hit the ground hard enough to break bone.

  Now Winston stood opposite of Ethan on the court. Ethan was ready to attack again.

  “Stop it!” said Winston.

  “A Wraith won’t stop if you tell it to,” said Ethan. “Summon your Sol!”

  Ethan prepared to throw another block of ice. Gabriel mimicked him. Winston yelled and ran forward this time. Ethan threw his spell, but Winston dodged it. The ice flew past the spot where Winston’s leg was.

  Winston closed the gap much faster than Ethan was expecting. He balled a fist. The transparent visage of Sir Kay’s arm formed around Winston’s own arm, and both of them threw a punch.

  Ethan had no time to dodge. He wasn’t expecting to anyways. Winston punched four electrified knuckles into Ethan’s cheek. It wasn’t hard enough to break anything, but it still hurt.

  Gabriel disappeared. Ethan remained standing, but with a new pain in his neck. The only sound they could hear was Winston panting for breath.

  Ethan stole a glance to Iris. She was watching, and she was mildly pleased with what she just witnessed. Their field leader rubbed her chin in thought.

  “There we go,” said Ethan finally. “Good job, Winston.”

  “I hate you,” Winston said while panting.

  Ethan felt somewhat satisfied. He heard a bit of himself in that last remark. Now practice could really begin.

  ***

  When they were finished, Winston marched back to his room. Neither Ethan nor Iris stopped him from running off on his own.

  “I’m heading in first,” said Winston callously.

  He did not face them to say it. Winston was already marching back into West Dorm. Ethan and Iris took their time, but he passed through the newly renovated doors as quickly as possible.

  Evidently getting strong-armed into using magic wasn’t something he was comfortable doing. No one was comfortable doing it the first time for that matter.

  “It seemed fair when Liam did it to me,” Ethan replied.

  Iris shook her head.“But you need to show some restraint to these kinds of things,” she replied.

  They passed through the entrance this time. By now Winston was already gone. His heels passed around the stairwell, and then their newest member was gone.

  Ethan pushed the button for the elevator. “I don’t know, Mrs. Iris,” he said. “Why not get Liam to teach him anyway?”

  “That defeats the purpose of you doing this,” she replied. “You need to build trust with a new member.”

  “Right. ‘Trust.’”

  The elevator arrived. After the doors opened, Ethan stepped right inside. He pushed the button for his room. Before the doors could close, Iris held them open.

  “Trust me,” she said. “The more he learns from you, the more he’ll trust you in the field.”

  Ethan smiled back out of courtesy. It was polite to be enthusiastic. But he didn’t bother showing it in his eyes. Iris saw it, but she already said what she needed to.

  Also, she was holding back the elevator. Iris let go.

  The doors closed, and Ethan was alone. At least as alone as he could be inside a college dorm full of other kids and security cameras watching them at all times.

  Ethan felt a chill up his spine. “Don’t even think about it,” he said aloud.

  Gabriel materialized beside his host. “About what?” he asked. “I’m rather enjoying Winnie boy. This is better than that business with Hector, right?”

  Ethan stuffed his hands in his pockets. He dared not make eye contact with the ice spirit.

  “Too soon?”

  “Shut up.”

  Gabriel smiled. “To be fair, I had faith in you,” the mysterious boy said. “Maybe we could’ve avoided all this if you let me pull the reigns once in a while.”

  Ethan mashed the button for his floor with his thumb. It didn’t help make the elevator go faster, but it did make him feel like he was making those metal doors open sooner so he could leave.

  “Some other time then?” asked Gabriel.

  Ethan frowned. “Do I have a choice?”

  Those doors finally opened. Much to both of their surprise, Nora stood right outside. While she could not see Gabriel, the ice spirit stood close to Ethan like a clingy child.

  That was actually true, but Ethan ignored the thought and pretended he was alone with her.

  “Oh my God,” said Nora. She pointed to Ethan’s cheek. “Is that from training?”

  Ethan hadn’t realized that a bruise formed on the side of his face. Congealed blood was stuck where Winston punched him. He hadn’t noticed the bruise during sparring.

  Maybe it was the blood pumping through his body that produced more color to his skin, but now it stood out like a bad wound.

  “Hold still,” said Nora. “Let me see.”

  Ethan stepped out of the elevator. Nora held his head in place to better get a good look at the injury. Gabriel watched all the while.

  “Don’t worry,” said Ethan. “It’s all part of the learning curve.”

  “Learning curve, my ass,” Nora retorted. She tapped the bruise to send shocks of ache across Ethan’s brain. “Don’t let him run over you.”

  Ethan smiled. “He kinda needed a free shot. It’s me he’s hitting, after all.”

  She let go. Ethan saw the fork in the hallways that led to his room. He began to walk in that direction.

  “If you were so worried about making him happy,” said Nora, “skip the fighting and just sit down to talk.”

  “Thanks, Nora,” said Ethan. “But no need for that. Winston’s gonna blow off enough steam by the end of the week.”

  Nora pressed the call button for the elevator. She unknowingly passed her hand through Gabriel’s body, which broke apart his image.

  It took a few seconds for the ice spirit to piece back together. When he did, Gabriel was less than amused.

  “You got that from training for one day,” said Nora. “What’s next?”

  “No clue,” Ethan replied. “Did you want to learn too?”

  “That’s out of the question,” said Nora.

  Ethan circled the corner. He leaned back to take one last glance at Nora. “I gotta sleep. Later.”

  Nora waved. He waved back before leaving. As he left, the doors closed between him and Nora. Had Ethan stayed, he would have heard something else.

  “If only I could,” Nora muttered.

  Chapter 14 - Succession

  Winston wiped the sweat off his brow. This was going to be harder than he thought.

  Every day since he was first let into this group, he wasn’t sure if he was making much progress. The second day was harsh to say the least. Ethan threw a variety of attacks at him, and Winston had to dodge most of them.

  No instruction, no metaphorical hand-holding to combat. Winston was dodging most of these blows.
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  Days three, four, and five were not much easier. Ethan switched up the routine to mix physical blows with magic attacks. Ethan was used to it. Winston was not.

  “It’s all part of training,” said Ethan earlier. There was not much enthusiasm in his voice. “You’re doing great.”

  If Winston did maneuver around the attacks, Ethan countered and clotheslined him to the ground with one arm.

  And Ethan was not going easy. This was “sparring” in A.X.E.L. apparently. Winston was not going to openly question how a new initiate was supposed to be trained.

  But he was sure that Ethan was still pulling his punches.

  Ethan always aimed for the feet. That became predictable, but when Winston got a leg up on Ethan’s attack patterns, Ethan went faster and threw Winston off.

  He had to adapt. Winston played his share of fighting games to know that adapting was something he had to do on the fly.

  “Need water break?” asked Ethan finally.

  Winston almost thought it was a trick. He wouldn’t put it past his quasi-teacher. This was probably some lesson on “being prepared for anything,” or something, like a corny kung-fu movie.

  To his surprise, Ethan dismissed his Sol and stood upright. He was not fighting.

  So Winston dropped his fists and marched over to the bleachers for his water bottle.

  He had his share of shot put training to know that being an athlete meant being flexible and other things. If he were more flexible, he would have done basketball like Hector did.

  But learning new things was hard. Winston had to accept that this was new, and he was going to suck at it.

  That’s why he had to practice.

  This was day six. Winston took a breather to drink more water. Sparring was over, thankfully. But this was perhaps not the hardest day.

  “Is this your water?”

  Winston looked up. Iris was sitting over him with one foot over the bleachers before her. She held an ice-cold bottle of water in hand. Winston snatched it up and downed the whole thing.

  “Thanks,” he grunted with a trickle of water running down the corner of his mouth.

  He glanced across the court. Ethan was also sweating, but less profusely than Winston was. He hadn’t said much since the start of practice today. He instead walked over to the edge of the tarp and began rolling it up.