by James K
Hawk-ionly-inodded-ibehind-ihis-icloak-iand-ireadied-ihis-iposition.-iHe-ichose-ia-iwater-itank-itower-inear-ithe-iabandoned-ibuilding,-ian-ielevated-iposition-iwhere-ihe-icould-isee-ithe-iwhole-isurroundings.
At-ithe-isame-itime-ithat-ihe-ipositioned-ihimself.
Bang!!
Raven-iblasted-iopen-ithe-irusted-imetal-idoor-iof-ithe-ibuilding,-ihe-iused-ihis-iright-ihand-iequipped-iwith-ia-igauntlet-iemitting-ipurple-ilight-ito-ismash-iit-iopen.-iDust-iand-idebris-iwas-ithrown-iall-iover-iinside-ithe-ibuilding.-i
"Enemies!!"
Some-iof-ithem-iwas-iinjured-iby-ithe-iresult-iof-iRaven's-ifirst-iattack.-iThey-iimmediately-iused-itheir-iweapons-ito-icounter-iattack.-iThey-inumbered-i15-ias-iRaven-icounted-iand-iare-iall-iequipped-iwith-ihigh-ipowered-igun.-i
Since-iRaven-ispecialized-iin-ifrontal-icombat,-ihe-iwas-imore-ithan-iwilling-ito-iface-ithem-ihead-ion.
"Show-ime-iwhat-iyou've-igot!"-i
As-isoon-ias-ihe-ishouted,-ithe-ibody-iarmor-ithat-ihe-iwore-iinside-ithe-icloak-isuddenly-iemitted-ia-ipurple-ilight-ithat-iexpanded-ito-iform-ia-i5-imeter-iradius-idome-iprotecting-ihim-ifrom-ithe-iinside.-iIt-ionly-ilasted-ifor-ia-isecond-ibefore-iabruptly-ishrinking-iin-iand-icovered-ihis-iwhole-ibody-iinstead.
The-ihigh-ipowered-iguns-ithat-iwould-inormally-itrouble-istandard-imagicians-iwas-iuseless-iin-ifront-iof-ithis-iprotective-icover-ithat-iRaven-iactivated.-i
Ding!-iDing!-iDing!...
A-imetallic-isound-iwas-ithe-ionly-ithing-ibeing-iheard-iwhenever-ithe-ibullets-itouched-ihis-icover.-iIt-ilacked-ithe-isound-iof-iflesh-ibeing-itorn-iby-ithe-ihigh-ipowered-igun's-ibullet.-iWhen-ithey-inoticed-ithat-ibullets-iaren't-iworking,-isome-ihas-ieven-ithrown-iexplosives-ileaving-ia-ideafening-iblast.
Raven-iimmediately-iactivated-ithe-iother-imana-iartifact-ithat-ihe-iwore,-iit-iwas-ithe-iboots-ihe-iwas-iwearing.-iRed-ilight-icovered-ihis-ifeet-ibefore-ia-iHaste-iSkill-iwas-iactivated.
"Ahhh!"
"Noo!"
"Where's-iLance?!!"
Everytime-ihe-ineared-ito-ian-ienemy-ithat-iwas-iusing-ia-igun-ito-ishoot-ihim,-ia-ishout-iof-ipain-iwas-ifollowing-ion-iit-ias-ihe-ipunched-ithem-iusing-ihis-ienhanced-igauntlet.-iThey-iwere-ibeing-ithrown-iin-iair,-irendered-iheavily-iinjured-iand-iknocked-iunconscious.-i
Some-iother-iguy-ieven-icalled-itheir-isuperior-iin-idespair.-iThis-itime,-ias-iRaven-iwas-iabout-ito-ifinish-ithem.-iA-iwave-iof-inoise-iwas-isuddenly-iheard-ias-ihis-imagic-iskills-iwas-isuddenly-icancelled.-i
The-iprotective-ilayer-isuddenly-icollapsed-ias-ithe-ienemy-iretreated-iafraid-ito-ibe-ithe-inext-ivictim-iof-ithis-icombat-imagician.-iRaven-iwas-inow-istanding-iin-ifront-iof-ia-iblue-icloaked-iman.
If-iWilliam-iwas-ihere,-ihe-iwould-irecognize-ithat-ithis-iperson-iwas-ithe-isame-ione-iwho-ibattled-ia-iZairus-isoldier-iin-ia-ivideo-ithat-ithe-istudent-icouncil-ipresident-iallowed-ihim-ito-iwatch.
"So-iyou're-ireally-ihere."-i
Instead-iof-ibeing-iafraid-ias-ihe-ilose-ihis-imagic-iskills-ibecause-iof-ithe-inewcomer,-iRaven's-iexpression-iwas-idelighted.-i
Their-iinformant-ionly-itold-ithem-ithat-ithere-iis-ionly-i30%-ichance-ithat-ithis-icloaked-iguy-istill-ihasn't-ileft-ithe-ivicinity-iof-ithe-iTanza-iCity-iand-irendezvoused-iwith-ithe-iother-ienemies-ithat-ithey-iare-ialready-imonitoring.-i
Apparently,-ithe-igovernment-iwas-ialready-iaware-iof-itheir-ilocation-ifrom-ithe-istart-iand-iallowed-ithem-ito-istay-iin-ia-imonitored-iplace-ikeeping-ithem-iinformed-iof-itheir-iactivities.
There-iare-ialso-ipossibly-imore-isecrets-iwhy-ithe-igovernment-iallowed-ithis-ibut-iit-idoesn't-imatter-ianymore.-iAs-iRaven-iplans-ito-icapture-ithem-iall-inow.
Raven-iimmediately-iactivated-ithe-iring-ihe-ihas-ion-ihis-ileft-iindex-ifinger.-iIt-iimmediately-iallowed-ihim-ito-iuse-iall-ihis-imana-iartifact.-iHe-ihad-inot-igiven-ithe-icloaked-iguy-ia-ichance-ito-ilearn-ithat-ihis-ijammer-iwas-icancelled-ias-ihe-ivanished-iand-ireappeared-iat-ithe-iback-iof-ithe-ienemy.-i
"What?!-iHow-icould-iyou-"
As-ithe-iguy-ifelt-iRaven's-ipresence-iat-ihis-iback,-ihe-iwas-ishocked-iand-iimmediately-iattempted-ito-igain-idistance.-i
Of-icourse,-iRaven-idid-inot-iallow-iit-ito-ihappen-ias-ihe-islapped-ithe-iman's-iback-iand-imultiple-ipurple-ihands-imade-iof-imana-ibounded-ithe-icloaked-iguy.-iIt's-iskill-icame-ifrom-ian-iauxillary-imagic-iin-ihis-igauntlet.-i
As-ithe-iman-iwas-ibounded-iby-ithe-ipurple-ilight.-iRaven-ineared-ion-ihim-iand-ipunched-ithe-iman-iin-ithe-istomach-irendering-ihim-iin-ipain-iand-ianother-ione-iin-ithe-ijaw-ito-iput-ihim-iunconscious.
"That's-ifor-iour-iFalcon."
Raven-isaid-iafter-iand-ilooked-iat-ihis-isurroundings.
He-inoticed-ithat-iaside-ifrom-ithe-i11-ienemies-ilying-ion-ithe-ifloor,-ithe-iremaining-isurvivors-iin-ihis-iassault-ihas-ifled-ithe-ibuilding.-iHe-idid-inot-ibother-ito-ichase-iover-ithe-ismall-ifry-ias-iHawk-iwas-ioutside-ito-iclean-iit-iup.
***
The-inext-imorning,-iWilliam-iwoke-iup-iearly-iand-itook-ihis-ibreakfast-iwhile-iwatching-inews-iin-ithe-itelevision.-i
He-inoticed-ia-inews-iabout-isome-iexplosions-ithat-ihas-ioccured-iin-ian-iabandoned-ibuilding-iat-ithe-iedge-iof-ithe-icity.-iIt-iwas-isaid-ito-ibe-ia-imilitary-ipractice-iconducted-iby-ithe-iarmy.-iWilliam-idid-inot-ithink-itoo-imuch-iabout-iit-ias-ihe-ionly-inoticed-iit-isince-iit-ihappened-ion-ihis-icity.-i
William-iprepared-ihimself-ias-ihe-iwent-ito-ithe-iAcademy.-iToday,-ihe-iwill-imeet-ihis-isenior-iand-ihe-iwas-ihoping-ithat-ino-itrouble-iwould-iarise.
###-iChapter-i20-i--iResearch-iProject
"William,-iI've-iseen-iinstructor-iElaine-iat-ithe-icafeteria-iand-ishe-iwas-ilooking-ifor-iyou."
Gilbert-iapproached-iWilliam-iwho-iwas-isitted-iin-ifront-iof-ia-icomputer-ias-ihe-iwas-irequested-iby-ithe-iinstructor-ito-inotify-ihim.-iThe-imorning-iclass-ihas-ialready-iended-iand-iWilliam-iwas-icurrently-iin-ithe-ilibrary.
Both-ihim-iand-iGilbert-iwas-inot-iwearing-itheir-iacademy's-ipolo-iuniform.-iWilliam-iis-iwearing-ia-iblue-ilong-isleeves-ishirt-iinstead-idue-ito-ithe-isports-iactivity-ievery-ifriday-iof-ithe-iweek-ifor-ithe-i2nd-iyear-istudents.
William-iis-icurrently-ibrowsing-ithe-idatabase-iof-itheir-ilibrary-iand-isearching-ifor-isomething-ibefore-ilooking-iup-ito-ihis-iclassmate-iGilbert-iwho-iapproached-ihim.
"Ah,-ithank-iyou,-iis-ishe-istill-iat-ithe-icafeteria?"
"No,-ishe-isaid-ifor-iyou-ito-isee-iher-iat-ithe-ifaculty.-iDid-iyou-ido-isomething-iwrong?"
Gilbert-iasked-ias-iit-iwasn't-inormal-ito-ibe-icalled-iout-iby-ia-ihigher-iyear-iinstructor.
Instructor-iElaine-iwas-ifamous-ifor-ihis-ibeauty-iin-ithe-iAcademy.-iShe-iwas-ionly-i24-ithis-iyear-iand-ialready-ia-ilicensed-imagic-iengineer.-iNot-ionly-ishe-iteaches-iat-ithe-iacademy-ibut-ialso-iworking-ias-ian-iengineer-iin-ia-icertain-icompany.-iGilbert-iwas-imore-ithan-iwilling-ito-iknow-iany-inews-iabout-iher.
"Nothing,-ithere's-ijust-ia-ismall-irequest-iI-iwas-iasked-ito-ihelp."-iWilliam-ianswered-imysteriously,-ihe-ipacked-iup-ihis-ithings-iand-istood-iup.
After-ilearning-ithat-ithe-ibeautiful-iintructor-iwas-iwaiting-ifor-ihim,-ihe-iwent-idirectly-iat-ithe-ifaculty-ion-ithe-i3rd-ifloor-iof-ithe-imain-ibuilding-iin-ithe-iAcademy.
He-isaw-ithat-ithe-idoor-iwas-iopen-iand-ipeeked-iat-ithe-iroom.-iThere-ihe-isaw-iagain-ithe-ionly-iinstructor-ithat-iis-ialways-inot-iwearing-ithe-idesignated-iuniform.
Instructor-iElaine-ican-ieasily-ibe-iseen-iwith-iher-ilong-iamber-ihair-idraped-iover-iher-ishoulders.-iShe-iwas-isitting-iin-ifront-iof-iher-idesk-iand-iseems-ito-ibe-ifocused-ion-iher-icomputer.
William-itried-ito-iget-icloser-ibefore-icalling-iout-ion-iher-ias-ithere-iare-iother-iinstructors-iand-istudents-iin-ithe-ifaculty-idoing-itheir-iown-ithings.-iAs-iWilliam-igot-icloser,-ithe-iaura-iof-ielegance-ithat-ithe-iinstructor-iradiates-iwas-iuncommon.
A-ivery-iintelligent-iwoman,-iclose-ito-ithe-iheadmaster,-icapable-iof-iwearing-iher-iown-ioutfit-iin-ithe-iacademy-iand-ithat-iaura,-idefinitely-inot-ia-isimple-iinstructor.-iWilliam-ithought-ias-ihe-ineared.
"Excuse-ime,-iInstructor.-iI-iheard-ifrom-i
Gilbert-ithat-iyou-iwere-ilooking-ifor-ime."
Of-icourse,-iWilliam-iwas-iaware-iwhy-ishe-iwas-ilooking-ifor-ihim.-iHe-ijust-iwant-ito-imake-iher-iaware-iof-ihis-ipresence.-iElaine-ilooked-iup-iat-ihim-iand-ismiled-iupon-inoticing-iWilliam.
He-iwas-iable-ito-iclearly-iobserve-iher-ipale-iface-iand-inoticed-ia-ismall-imole-ion-iher-ilower-ilip-ion-ithe-iright-iside.-iIt-ionly-iadded-ito-iher-imatured-ibeauty.
William-iwill-iturn-i16-iin-ithe-inext-imonth-iso-ihe-ivery-imuch-iappreciated-ithis-ipicturesque-iscene.
"I-ithought-ithat-iyou've-istood-ius-iup."
He-iscratched-ithe-iback-iof-ihis-ihead-ias-ihe-ifelt-ia-ibit-iawkward-ifor-ibeing-ilate.-iHe-iwas-itoo-iengrossed-ireading-iin-ithe-ilibrary.
"Follow-ime,-iyour-iseniors-iare-icurrently-iat-ithe-iForging-iGarden-i3A."
William-inodded-iand-iremembered-ithat-iit-iwas-ion-ithe-ileft-iwing-iof-ithe-iAcademy.
As-ithey-iboth-iwalked-ifor-ithe-idoor,-ithe-istudents-iand-iinstructors-ithey-ipassed-iby-iall-ilooked-iat-iher-iwith-idifferent-ilights-iin-itheir-ieye.-iApparently,-iaside-ifrom-iher-ibeauty,-ishe-iwafted-ias-iwell-ia-idelicate-iaroma-iof-ihoneysuckle-iattracting-ieveryone's-iattention.
William-isighed-iat-ithis.-iHe-ithought-ithat-ithis-iinstructor-iwould-igrab-iattention-iwherever-ishe-igoes.-iBut-iWilliam-iwasn't-iaware-iyet-iif-iit's-igood-ior-ibad.
***
Forging-iGarden-i3A.
There-iare-icurrently-i5-istudents-iin-ithe-iopen-iroom-idiscussing-itheir-ipredicament.-iIt-iis-icalled-ia-igarden-ias-itwo-iside-iof-iwalls-ican-ibe-idetached-iand-iprovide-ian-iopen-iair.-iIt-iis-iproviding-ithem-ia-iscenery-iof-igarden.
There-iis-ia-icircular-itable-ilocated-iin-ithe-iroom-iwhere-ithe-ifive-iwere-ihaving-idiscussion.-iThe-iroom-ihas-i2-ishelves-icontaining-ifrom-icommon-ito-iunique-imaterials.-iA-icouple-iof-imana-iartifacts-ican-ibe-iseen-ias-iwell-iand-iat-ithe-iother-iside,-iyou-ican-isee-i3-iArtifact-iForging-iBox.
At-ithe-icenter-iof-ithe-itable-ithey-iwere-iseated,-iabout-ia-ihundred-ipieces-iof-ivarying-ishapes-iof-imetal-iwas-ilump-itogether.
"Mei,-ihave-iyou-ifound-isolution-iyet?-iYou-isaid-ilast-itime-ithat-iyou-ihave-irecords-iof-iMaterial-iMana-iSync-iTheories-iin-iyour-ifamily's-irecord."
A-iblond-imale-istudent-iasked-ithe-ione-iseated-ion-ihis-iopposite-iside.
"I-ihave-itried-ito-iread-iall-iof-iit,-iEric.-iBut-ithere's-ino-irecords-ior-iclues-ion-ihow-ito-imaintain-ilong-ioperation-itime-iof-isynchronization.-iHow-iabout-iyou-iNeo?"
"Same-ihere,-ibut-iI've-iasked-iaround-iand-iat-ileast-ilearned-ithat-iall-isix-iof-iour-ipredecessors-ito-ithis-iinvention-ihad-ithe-isame-iissue.-iThey-icould-inot-ifix-iit-iand-iinstead-ijust-iaccepted-iit-ias-ilimitation-iof-ithe-icurrent-itechnology."
As-iNeo-ianswered,-ieveryone-ifelt-idrained.-iThe-iAcademy's-ilibrary-iallowed-ithem-ito-ilearn-ithat-ithe-ithing-ithey-iare-iresearching-icaused-i3-igroups-iof-itheir-iantecedents-ito-igive-iup.-iNow,-iNeo-itold-ithem-ianother-i3-iwas-idefeated-iby-ithis-imana-iartifact-ipathway.
Apparently,-ibefore-ithey-icould-igraduate-iin-ithe-iacademy,-ithere-iis-itask-ithey-imust-icomplete.-iStudents-imust-iform-ia-igroup-iof-ino-imore-ithan-i6-ito-iresearch-ian-iunderdeveloped-imana-iartifact-ipathway.-iThey-idon't-ihave-ito-idevelop-iit-ithemselves-iand-iit-iwould-ijust-ibe-ifine-ias-ilong-ias-ithey-igave-ipath-ifor-inext-idevelopers.
Haaa..-iIt-iseems-ithat-iwe-ireally-ihave-ito-iaccept-iassistance-ioffered-iby-iinstructor-iElaine-iif-iwe'll-ireally-istick-ito-ithis-ipathway.-iThey-iall-isighed-iand-ithought-iof-ithis.
The-ifive-iof-ithem-iselected-ia-idifficult-iresearch-itopic-iexpecting-ithat-ias-itop-istudents,-ithey-iwould-ibe-iable-ito-icreate-ia-ipath-ifor-ifuture-idiscoveries.-iThey-iwere-itold-iyesterday-ithat-isince-ithey-iweren't-iable-ito-imake-iprogress,-itheir-iinstructor-iwould-ibe-isending-ihelp.-iThey-idid-iall-itheir-ibest-ilast-inight-ito-ifind-isolution-ito-ichange-iher-idecision-ibut-iwasn't-isuccessful.
Now,-ithey-ireally-ihave-ito-iaccept-iit.-iWhat-ikind-iof-ihelp?-iThey-iaren't-iaware-iyet.
They-ilooked-iat-ithe-itime-iand-ithought-ithat-iElaine-imight-ibe-ion-iher-iway-ias-ithey-iwere-itold-ito-iwait-ihere.-iThey-iobserved-ithe-isurroundings-iand-itidied-isome-ithings.-iThey-inoticed-ithe-ithick-igrown-ibushes-ithat-iis-iat-ithe-iside-iof-ithe-igarden-iand-ifallen-ileaves-iaccumulating,-iit-iwas-iunkempt.
They-ishould-ibe-iasking-ifor-ia-icleaner-ilater.-iIt-iwas-ialready-inoticed-ibefore-iby-iElaine-iand-itold-ithem-ito-iclean-iit-ibut-iprevious-icleaners-iand-igardeners-iweren't-iable-ito-icome-iin-ias-ithey-ilocked-ithe-iroom-ieven-iduring-ithe-inight-ias-ithey-istudied-itheir-iproject.-iThey-inormally-ilasted-iuntil-ithe-ievening-isince-ithey-istarted-ithis-iso-ithe-igardener-ior-icleaner-idid-inot-ihave-ia-ichance-ito-itake-icare-iof-iit.
As-ithey-ithought-iof-ithis,-iElaine-iwearing-ia-isimple-ibut-ielegant-iwhite-idress-ientered-iwith-iWilliam-iin-ithe-itow.
"Great!-iInstructor-iElaine.-iIs-ihe-ithe-igardener?"
Mei-iasked-imerrily.
Huh?-iIs-itheir-iresearch-iabout-igardening?-iWilliam-ithought-iand-iwas-iconfused-ibut-idid-inot-ithink-itoo-imuch-iabout-iit-ias-ihe-iimmediately-inoticed-ithe-ilump-iof-imetals-iin-ithe-icenter-iof-ithe-itable.
He-iactivated-ihis-iDivine-iSense-iand-iwas-isurprised-ion-iwhat-ihe-ihave-ifound-iout.
###-iChapter-i21-i--iSolution
After-ihis-iDivine-iSense-itouched-ithe-imetal-ilump-iin-ithe-itable,-iinformations-iabout-ithis-ipieces-iof-imetal-iappeared-ion-ihis-imind.-i
William-iwas-iable-ito-itell-ithat-ithe-istructure-iof-ithis-imetal-ipieces-iwould-iactually-iform-ia-ifull-body-iarmor-ionce-ifitted-itogether.
Interesting...
This-iis-iwhat-iWilliam-ithought-iwhile-iadmiring-ithe-ipieces-iof-imetal-ion-ithe-itable.
He-iremembered-ihis-ifull-ibody-ibio-armor-ihe-iwore-ibefore-ihe-i'died',-iit-iis-ia-iproduct-iof-ithe-imost-iadvanced-itechnology-ibefore-ihe-igot-ihere-iin-ithis-iworld.-iIt-iwas-ia-idevelopment-imade-ifrom-imagnetic-imechanical-isuit-iand-inanotechnology.
"No,-ithis-iis-iWilliam.-iHe's-ia-isecond-iyear-iand-iwill-ijoin-iyour-iteam...-ior-iwill-iassist-iyou-iguys.-iSince-iall-iother-ithird-iyears-ialready-ihas-iformed-itheir-iteam."
It-iwas-iElaine-iwho-iexplained-ito-ithem.
"What?!"
"Uhmm..-iIs-ithat-ia-ijoke?"
"Seriously?-iI-idon't-ireally-imind-ibut-ican-ihe-ireally-ihelp?"
"Perhaps...-iwe-ishould-ijust-ichange-iour-iresearch-itopic?"
They-ihave-idifferent-iopinions-ias-iit-ishould-ibe-isince-ia-isecond-iyear-istudent-idares-ito-iget-iinvolve-iin-itheir-iproject.-iOf-icourse,-isince-iit-iwas-itheir-iinstructor-iwho-itold-ithem-iand-iif-ishe's-ireally-iserious-ithen-ithere-ishould-ibe-ia-ireason-ifor-ithis-iarrangement.
"Yes,-iit-iwas-idecided-iby-ime-iand-iwas-iapproved-iby-ithe-iheadmaster.-iHe's-icapable-iso-ihe-ishould-ibe-iable-ito-ihelp."
Elaine-ismiled-iat-ithem-ias-ishe-icalmly-ianswered-itheir-iquestions.-iShe-iwas-iaware-ithat-iit-iwas-iWilliam-iwho-icreated-ithe-imagic-ijammer-icanceller-iand-iconfident-iabout-ihis-iskills-idue-ito-ihow-icomplex-ithat-imagic-istructure.
The-ifive-icould-ionly-iaccept-iit-ieven-ithough-ithey're-istill-iunwilling.-iSince-ithey-ireally-ican't-idisobey-ior-iargue-iwith-ithis-igentle-iinstructor-ithey-ihave.-i
William-ilooked-iat-ithe-ifive-istudent.-iThere's-ionly-i1-ifemale-iin-itheir-igroup-iand-ihe-iwasn't-ifamiliar-iwith-iany-iof-ithem.-i
"Alright,-iyou-iguys-ihas-ito-ibrief-iWilliam-iabout-iyour-iresearch-itopic-iso-ihe-icould-ihelp-iyou.-iIt-iseems-iour-iheadmaster-iis-ilooking-iforward-ito-ihave-ithis-iresearch-imove-ia-istep-iforward.-iI-iknow-iWilliam-iwill-ibe-iable-ito-iprovide-iassistance.-iSo-iI'll-ileave-inow,-itry-inot-ito-istay-itoo-ilate-ihere."
""Yes,-iMa'am""
After-ithe-iinstructor-ileft-iWilliam-iwith-ihis-iseniors,-iit-igot-ia-ibit-iawkward-ibefore-isomeone-istarted-ithe-iconversation.-i
"First,-ilet's-iintroduce-iourselves.-iI'm-iEric,-ileader-iof-ithis-igroup."
"Mei."
"My-ireal-iname-iis-ia-ibit-ilong,-iso-ijust-i
call-ime-iNeo."
"Hello,-iI'm-iDarryl."-i
"Jake,-inice-imeeting-iyou."
The-ifive-iof-ithem-iwere-ibeing-ipolite-iat-ihim.-iApparently,-ieven-ithough-ithey-iare-isomewhat-iagainst-ito-ithe-iidea-iof-iletting-ihim-iin-ito-ithe-igroup,-ithey-iat-ileast-iplan-ito-itest-ihis-iskills-ifirst-ibefore-iappealing-ito-itheir-iinstructor.
William-ilooked-iat-ithe-igroup-ileader.-iHe-iwas-ia-iblond-iguy-iwith-ifair-iskin,-iand-ihas-ia-iprominent-icheek-ibone.-iHe-ithen-iglanced-iat-ieveryone,-inodded-iand-iintroduced-ihimself-iagain-ieven-ithough-iit-iwas-ialready-idone-iby-iElaine.
"I'll-ido-imy-ibest-ito-ihelp."
William-icould-ionly-isay-iat-ithe-iend.-iHe-inow-ihas-ian-iidea-ion-iwhat-ithey-iare-iresearching.-iIf-ithat-ithing-ion-ithe-itable-iis-iwhat-itheir-istudying-iindeed.
"So,-iwe're-istuck-iat-ithis..."-iMei-ipointed-iat-ithe-ilump-iof-imetals-iat-ithe-icenter-iof-ithe-itable-ibefore-icontinuing.
"Can-iyou-itell-ime-iwhat-ithese-ipieces-iof-imetals-iare?"
He-iwas-ibeing-itested.-iWilliam-iglanced-iat-iMei,-iwho-ihas-ibig-iblue-ieyes,-ia-ifluffy-ishort-ibrown-ihair-iwith-itanned-iskin.-iAnd-ias-ishe-iwas-icurrently-istanding,-ihe-iwas-iable-ito-iconfirm-ithat-ithey-ihave-ialmost-ithe-isame-iheight.-i
The-iother-istudents-ikept-iquite-iand-iwaited-ifor-ihis-ianswer.-iThey-ithought-iit-iwould-ibe-idifficult-ito-idetermine-ithese-ipieces-iof-imetal-iwithout-iprior-iknowledge.
Of-icourse,-iWilliam-iis-iaware-ithat-iMei-iisn't-iasking-ithe-iname-iof-ithe-imetal-ipieces.-iShe-iwas-iasking-ithe-ipurpose-iof-ithese-imetals.