Enough is Enough
Jonathan was a little surprised Cara showed up to his room. She wanted to give the illusion that they really were seeing each other and even looked like she prettied herself up for the occasion. Cara had garnered stares from the initiates but none of them said anything. Jonathan thought it was because Tobin was noticeably absent when she came in. Cara looked around and was a bit surprised at her surroundings. Jonathan could tell she was at first probably trying to hold her nose, when she actually started to sniff she smelled stargazers, his mother’s favorite flower.
“It is better in here than I ever imagined,” Cara said as she sat down. “Your room is thrice as large as mine.”
“Room in the Tower is finite, room here is less so,” Jonathan replied.
“Your furniture is even nicer,” Cara said.
“Your furniture has been handed down from previous students,” Jonathan said. “I am an instructor and mine is brand new.”
“You have fresh flowers,” Cara said.
“Stargazers,” Jonathan replied. “I get them delivered once a week.”
“Well this is a nice room,” Cara replied. “I expected for all of you to live like those initiates out there.”
“Thank you, I guess,” Jonathan replied. “You have Monica angry at me, Blaine as well.”
“I am expecting to receive an angry letter in a few weeks,” Cara replied. “My parents will hear about it I am sure. It will get around and I will be left alone from lesser men. You will get a reprieve from Her Majesty and can live your life in peace.”
“Works for me,” Jonathan replied. “How many people saw you come over?”
“A lot,” Cara replied. “Especially Poppy. I asked her for some lip cover.”
“You did?” Jonathan asked.
“She practically threw me out of her room,” Cara laughed. “Now about this commoner.”
“You too?” Jonathan said shaking his head. “There are tons of things to worry about instead of that. Kevin Wilson is looking for people. We are rumored to be getting into an actual war with the Donalians and the Barbarian tribes are also itching for a piece.”
“Well Tobin said he is going to beat the daylights out of who he is calling your apprentice,” Cara replied then took a breath. “I saw the fight Jonathan.”
“And that idiot Tobin got lucky,” Jonathan replied. “Just stay away from the idiot and he is bound to tire himself out. How do you even know his name?”
“Because he said it, then threatened my entire class,” Cara replied. “He is stealing your bad boy persona except I think he pulls it off better than you.”
“My persona?” Jonathan asked.
“I am sure you are aware that although many girls say angry things in public about you, that many secretly wonder what it would be like to be with you.”
“Russell and Xalen were the pretty boys in my class,” Jonathan replied.
“And yet they could not cower you,” Cara replied. “Tobin is getting that attention now. He said when he squashes Charles that will prove why you don’t want to face him.”
“I gave Charles permission to fight that idiot,” Jonathan said. “And I gave him the correct plan.”
“Well Tobin wants to fight him tonight,” Cara said. “I know you cannot be there, but do you want me there? I can save your initiate if it gets out of hand.”
“Save Charles?” Jonathan said. “Save him from what?”
“I have seen you in action so I am not doubting you,” Cara replied. “But that will be Charles out there, not you.”
“Go if it makes you feel better,” Jonathan replied. “That idiot is not going to know what happened to him.”
“Another thing has come to my attention,” Cara said then cleared her throat. “Are you with or leading on Grace Story or that mountain girl?”
“Are you people daft?” Jonathan asked no one in particular.
“Grace Story says you want her,” Cara replied. “She said she could have any commoner she wanted but would not soil herself to do so.”
“Good for her then,” Jonathan replied. “I am sure she will probably get more action as well. No to both of your questions.”
“I heard the Tower Mage is leaving for a while,” Cara replied. “Where is he going?”
“To see the fighting up close,” Jonathan replied. “And I have to deal with Kevin Wilson the entire time.”
“You know he does not have the reputation you think he does,” Cara replied. “Many people see him as a coward for refusing to shut your mouth in the arena.”
“Liar,” Jonathan laughed. “He has hundreds of mages so far up his backside you would think they are his dinner coming out the other end.”
“It’s true,” Cara laughed. “He is too strong and volatile to risk angering. He was considered the strongest mage around and still might be. You have your lightning magic which changes the game a bit but without it could you beat someone like him?”
“I don’t know,” Jonathan said truthfully.
“Well most of us know that we cannot,” Cara said. “And he is quick tempered. The Mage Commander is also very knowledgeable and has information that you could learn from. Before you ask, yes I still think you are a stuck up commoner. Just one wrapped in a pretty package with a bad boy streak.”
“There is the Cara I know,” Jonathan said. “For a moment I almost got caught up in thinking we were a real couple.”
“Me with Mr. I will kill everyone?” Cara laughed. “Say what you will about Big Tobin, but at least he knows how to have fun.”
“Why does everyone call him Big Tobin?” Jonathan asked. “There isn’t a little Tobin around.”
“That is just what he wanted to be called,” Cara said.
“Since when do you care?” Jonathan asked.
“Since Big Tobin threatened to beat the pit out of anyone who wouldn’t,” Cara said. “He let it be known that women are not an exception. With you last year we all knew we had Lord and Lady Farrah to put you in place. Big Tobin does not have that.”
“He will,” Jonathan replied.
“Well I have stayed here long enough,” Cara said as she stood up. “Come over here and get your reward.”
“What are you talking about?” Jonathan said as Cara walked over.
“This,” Cara said as she sat on his lap and planted a kiss on Jonathan.
This was unlike his first kiss with Farrah. Both of them had no idea what they were doing and learned on the go. Cara had obviously kissed someone before and seemed relaxed instead of forceful. Jonathan also noted that her lips and mouth were smaller than Farrah’s was but it was still pleasant. Just as Jonathan started to enjoy himself Cara broke the kiss and tussled her hair a bit. Jonathan was a bit breathless and looked up at Cara who shot him a smirk.
“Do not get too happy commoner,” Cara said. “I have to keep up appearances and so do you. When I walk out of here, no doubt your little group of commoners will be smirking and whispering. When I reach the Tower with my lip covering smeared, someone will say something. When you are seen with my lip covering all over your face and your robes smell like my perfume, the dots will be connected. Perhaps we should be seen in Magus Mazuli a few times to really seal it.”
“The Tower Mage told me he knows it is all an act,” Jonathan replied.
“And you are his favorite instructor just like you were his favorite student,” Cara said. “He will not say anything.”
Jonathan walked her to his room door out of the small hallway he and Red shared and into the main area where all of the initiates were. Tobin shot him a glance then looked over Cara and whistled.
“If you get tired of messing with that boy, I got something for you right here,” Tobin said as he stood up and grabbed himself.
Jonathan knew they were not really together but could not stop himself. Before he knew it, he had pushed Cara out of the way and was running towards Tobin who stood up and smiled. The idiot probably really thought that he wanted the
fight. He beckoned Jonathan on and threw a straight right punch that would have landed clean. Instead Jonathan dodged to the left of the blow, after being knocked unconscious by Russell Jonathan had made it a point to prepare to move whenever someone was about to throw. Jonathan was about to blast Tobin but thought better of it and put up a shield just as Tobin threw another punch. Jonathan felt it land on his shield and knew Tobin had to be hurting. Jonathan blasted the boy with enough of a wind spell which made him fall over on his bottom.
“Get up idiot,” Jonathan said as he saw Tobin about to kick at his leg. Instead Tobin kicked a shield and got a light mage bolt to the face.
“I said get up idiot,” Jonathan said as he glared down at Tobin. “You wanted a fight and you got one. Just imagined if I wanted to end you, you would be dead already.”
Jonathan glared at Tobin who looked wide eyed and shocked. Jonathan stepped away and let a smirking Cara out of the barracks. Jonathan turned around and was shocked to see that not only was Tobin up, but he was moving. His next blow did catch a surprised Jonathan right in the nose and sat him down. Jonathan instantly curled up and put his shield on as his head cleared. Jonathan could feel the blood rushing from his nose and knew it stained his robes. Tobin beat furiously on Jonathan’s shield and Jonathan could tell from the amount of force that Tobin was using something other than his hands. Jonathan’s vision cleared and he could see Tobin had a chair. Just as Tobin brought his chair back to pound on his shield again, Jonathan released a mage bolt which caught Tobin full in the face. Tobin did not have the time to recover as Jonathan used the extent of his power to cast weak mage bolts faster that he had ever done. Because of their distance and Jonathan’s ability to cast eight separate spells, Jonathan thought it looked like a steady line of power instead of eight mage bolts peppering Tobin in the face. Tobin fell backwards and was trying to cover up as Jonathan peppered him in every area. Jonathan had no idea how long he would have kept going if Red hadn’t come in and placed his hand on Jonathan’s arm.
“I think he has had enough,” Red said.
“No he hasn’t,” Jonathan replied. “He wants to be the big tough guy. Tell him to get his ass up and let’s have another go.”
“You heard him Tobin,” Red replied. “Or is it Big Tobin? You don’t look so big all balled up on the ground. Are you getting up or do you plan on staying there all night?”
“Well answer him!” Jonathan said as he released a stronger mage bolt which landed on Tobin with a large smacking sound.
“I’ll get you for this...” Tobin said as another mage bolt slammed into him.
“Then get up and do it,” Jonathan replied. “People here think you are something special, you ain’t pit.”
“If I were you I would leave him alone,” Red replied. “You got to see Jonathan Thunder in all his glory. You are still not a mage yet Tobin. You have the nobles scared but soon they will figure out that you are nothing special. I once ran around and was scared of no one until a sadist named Gerald Morningstar did this to me.”
Jonathan heard the gasps as Red took off his shirt and exposed his scars. Jonathan took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes when he looked at them. If Gerald ever said anything to him or Red like he was something special, Jonathan would slap him on the spot. Jonathan smiled as he realized Gerald was no longer protected by the Prince or Russell. If they had ever saw each other again then it would be just him and Gerald.
“They burned you like that?” Julian said in a soft and shaky voice.
“He did,” Red replied. “I was too proud to quit like Tobin over there. Instead of mage bolts, I was hit with fire and none of them bothered to heal me the way they healed each other. Under that black mop on Jonathan's head there are similar scars from when he was jumped by cowards. Oddly enough the bird that just left here was one of them.”
“What?” Barney asked. “That girl attacked you?”
“Do not let what is inbetween their legs fool you lads,” Red replied. “We are mages, the women here can kill or hurt you just as fast as the men can. Tobin here got lucky and surprised someone who already thought he was down. He did the same to Instructor Thunder who didn’t really want to hurt him.”
“He did try to hurt me,” Tobin said. “He caught me unprepared and got lucky.”
“Then let’s have another go,” Jonathan said as he turned to face Tobin. “The fight starts when you are man enough to take the first blow.”
Jonathan was surprised when Tobin didn’t hesitate. Tobin closed distance until they were face to face and pretended like he was going to throw a punch but instead was bringing his knee up to land in Jonathan’s groin. Jonathan already had a wind spell on his mind and blew Tobin across the room where he landed smack up against the door leading into Red and Jonathan’s living area. The other Initiates gasped as Jonathan started walking over a stunned looking Tobin but wisely stood back out of his reach.
“You keep attacking because you know I will not kill you,” Jonathan replied. “Come at me again and I will use fire, it has a way of leaving permanent marks as reminders.”
Jonathan let fire play on his hands as he looked down at a wide eyed Tobin. Tobin picked himself up and Jonathan could see his face was puffy and showing marks from the beating he had taken from the mage bolts. Jonathan wanted to let him keep it but figured his point had to be proved. If it was not he would set Tobin on fire and let him burn a bit before healing him. Jonathan extinguished his fire and let the healing magic come forth, healing was something Jonathan was just not good at. Jonathan supposed he was better than a lot of others, healing required a different type of concentration than most magic did. Those who became proficient at healing found it harder to cast normal spells which was the reason not many went that route. Jonathan first touched his nose and wanted to cry out as it straightened. The blood had stopped flowing a few moments before and Jonathan touched it to make sure it was not broken. Jonathan then touched Tobin’s face and could feel the power rapidly draining out of him. Another problem with healing was that if it was not your specialty, it took your power away twice as fast as any other magic.
“You are just trying to save your boy,” Tobin said as he slapped Jonathan’s hand away after he was healed. “So what I can’t take you, you hide behind your magic. You wouldn’t fight me man to man because you are scared.”
“Why would I fight an idiot when I have my magic,” Jonathan replied. “You were beaten and cowered. Everyone here is a mage, who cares if I cannot beat you with only my hands? I can beat you and there is nothing you can do about it other than cry and bleed.”
“I am gonna see if your boy is as tough as you are,” Tobin said threateningly. “They are all scared of me out there, even little Red.”
“If we aren’t holding back then come at me,” Red said. “On the street I wouldn’t have dreamed of throwing down with you. But we are not on the street, are we? I have little magic but I have been practicing like a mad man for two years.”
Jonathan shook his head as a big mage bolt slammed into Tobin’s chest who charged. The mage bolt was enough to stop him in his tracks but did not sit him down. Jonathan thought it was because Tobin braced himself for it and that Red did not target the face. Tobin’s minor victory at standing up to the mage bolt was short lived, Red had closed the distance and delivered a solid kick to Tobin’s groin. The large initiate went down cursing and swinging as Red danced out of his reach. Tobin was on his knees when Red gave him a slap to the face, Jonathan thought Red had put his body into it to make Tobin’s head snap to the side despite being outweighed by over eight stone.
“Come on then,” Red said looking at Tobin. “We ain’t in the street no more.”
“He has had enough,” Jonathan said shaking his head. “Whatever happened in this room better stay in this room.”
Jonathan could see the heads nod in his direction. Jonathan looked down at his robes and saw they were ruined; blood was hard to get out and his nose opened like a fountain. Jonathan fro
wned but was happy he had blasted that idiot across the room. If they had ever met away from the Tower he most likely would had killed that idiot, at the very least he would have been maimed. Jonathan went to his room and took off his robe and was about to put on another as Red barged into his room shaking his head.
“That idiot out there said he is going to beat up your apprentice,” Red said. “When did we get apprentices? I want a damn apprentice as well.”
“He means Charles,” Jonathan replied. “The cocky tosser I had to pound on the first day. He is an alright sort, well once you get to know him. He was trying to show off for everyone by beating down the big bad. Did you know there are levels to being a noble mage?”
“Levels?” Red asked.
“Levels,” Jonathan replied. “If both of your parents were mages, you are considered pure stock. They are the snobbiest around and most of them are stronger than the rest. They are at the top, that is what the Golads, Manchins, Gillespies, and Morningstars are. They grew up in mage culture and look down on most mages, including other nobles. Next are those people with only one mage parent. They try to gain approval of their peers but find it hard to. They go on like they are the real deal but they are not. The longer the line of unbroken mage blood, the stronger the mage. After them are those who have mage blood but no mage parents. That is Charles, both of his parents have a mage parent but did not receive the gift. The further away from a mage you are in your blood line the further down on you the rest will look. Some mages like Baron Nettleton does not know where his mage blood came from.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Red replied. “I know some noble mages are not much stronger than I am, maybe double the strength.”
“That sounds like a lot,” Jonathan replied.
“Not when people like the Golad’s are more than ten times whatever I can do.”
“Well good luck to Tobin then,” Jonathan said. “I drilled it into Charles’s head not to get close to Tobin when he has him down. I don’t think Tobin stands a chance against him.”
“You should have followed your own advice,” Red said looking at the blood stained robe. “He really let you have it.”
The Archmage Page 10