“What did you get out of him?” Marvin asked while leaning back in his chair with his feet propped casually on his cluttered desk.


    Trey shifted in his chair, which was positioned against the wall opposite his older mentor. “He described what a Soul Sigillum looks like before he got suspicious,” he replied.


    Marvin''s feet hit the floor with a soft thud as he straightened up, his eyes brightening with excitement. “That’s progress! Tell me everything he said,” he urged, leaning forward, elbow resting on the desk.


    Trey reiterated what he learned from Professor Leek to an attentive Marvin.


    The old man looked genuinely happy as the young guardian finished up. “Well done,” Marvin said. “It sounds like you used your mind magic effectively. I think it’s time to put more effort into cornering this Darius Schallevon.”


    Trey hesitated, concern etched on his face. “Marvin,” he began cautiously, “Professor Leek also mentioned something else about blood-binding. He said that if a master were to perish, any individuals bound to them would also die.”


    “Ah,” Marvin remarked. “I can see why that may trouble you. While Calvin Leek is certainly more of an expert on blood-binding than myself, I suspect he was teaching the broader strokes rather than diving into the arcane specifics. There’s no need to worry,”


    “But—”


    “Grimmault is dead,” Marvin interjected with a note of finality. “Let’s focus on the living. I’m going to reach out to Hektor and see if he has any fresh intel for me. It might be time to venture off campus again. The headmaster seems sufficiently concerned with other matters. I’ll avoid tomorrow, though. I wouldn’t want to interfere with your face-off against Dana.”


    Trey scoffed. “I don’t know how this capture-the-flag match turned into a one-on-one showdown between me and Dana.”


    Marvin chuckled. “You’re about to find out that not every girl swoons when you flash that charming smile. She’s going to wreck your shit, and I’m going to enjoy every second of it.”


    “Thanks for the encouragement,” Trey shot back, glowering at the dark mage teacher, who was clearly relishing Trey’s impending doom.


    “You’re about to get a healthy dose of humility,” Marvin said, his voice dripping with amusement as he leaned back. “You better hope you still have a charming smile after she’s done with you.”


    “It’s not fair!” Trey protested, throwing his arms in the air dramatically. “I can’t use magic.”


    “And it will stay that way,” Marvin insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I don’t want to see anything that resembles a spell. That includes mind magic, too.”


    Trey slumped in his seat. “I know.”


    Marvin looked at him with a hint of sympathy. “Look, I know that isn’t easy for you, but you know why we are doing it this way. You can’t act like an average mage; I expect more from you. I don’t know of anyone else that I could do this with.”


    Trey’s only response was a grunt.


    “Although at this point, it’s possible I could take it from here—”


    “No,” Trey cut in. “I know you are just pretending to offer me a way out, but I’m committed.”


    “I can’t get anything past you,” Marvin said with a light chuckle. “Anything else before I kick you out of my office?”


    “If you could avoid next weekend,” Trey requested. “It’s Skye’s birthday.”


    Marvin tilted his head back, as if he was reading an imaginary calendar on the ceiling. “So it is. Thank you for the reminder.”


    “It’s hard to forget,” Trey said. “After all, that’s why we are here.”


    ***


    Trey stood atop the fortress, watching the field engineers hurry to make their final repairs from the previous match. The other team loomed menacingly on the other side, with their most formidable member positioning herself directly opposite of Trey. She exuded an intimidating presence despite her petite stature. The crowd around them held its breath, anticipation hanging thick in the air as the battle was about to commence.


    The sound of the gong echoed through the air, its resonant clang triggering a rush of adrenaline. Dana approached Trey and Skye confidently, but unlike Derrick, she brought a teammate. Trey knew from Skye’s debriefing before the match that the tall, slender brunette was Fayette, an earth-light specter.


    Dana launched her opening salvo at Trey, expertly mixing fire spells with dark magic, immediately testing his defenses. He had his shield and a newly forged helmet from Kronar, but he still felt under-equipped for the heat Dana was bringing. He could spare only a fleeting glance at Skye, who was caught in her own fierce duel against a flashy barrage of light spells.


    Trey’s focus returned to Dana when a wave of heat washed over him. He breathed in deeply, desperate to catch a rhythm, but the differences between this battle and his previous one with Derrick were stark. He clenched his jaw as Dana unleashed an Infernal Vortex spell, quickly followed by a trio of Shadow Missiles. The dark projectiles lashed out, pushing him back. As he repositioned, he caught a peak of Fayette slowly circling around, widening the angle of the dual attacks.


    A few searing fingers of a fire spell snuck around his shield and stung his arm. Trey knew he needed to do something, but wasn’t sure what. He hoped his team was picking up the slack while they kept the two major threats distracted. Skye decided to try her luck and charged at her opponent. Trey wanted to call her back, but there was no time.


    A wave of earth and water magic crashed together as the two engaged in a close-quarters range. Trey dodged a sinister claw of dark magic, only to notice Dana unleash a ferocious fire spell—except it wasn’t aimed at Trey.


    Time seemed to crawl as Trey watched the raging inferno rush toward a blindsided Skye. A surge of rage and dread coursed through him, fueling his instincts as he subconsciously channeled his mana. In a desperate bid, he willed the flame to veer away from Skye.Stolen story; please report.


    The spell twisted, changing its course. Instead of consuming Skye, it smashed into an unsuspecting Fayette. A wave of heat rushed back onto Trey as the specter went flying backward, her skin burning into charred wounds that promised to provide a challenge for Eva.


    Dana froze in shock, a mixture of horror and confusion on her face. Skye took one look at Fayette to make sure a healer would make it to her on time before joining Trey’s side. “Let’s take her down together!” she yelled eagerly.


    Capitalizing on the shift in the battle, they began to push a disconcerted Dana back.


    Skye remained in the partial safety of the fortress, battling against Dana’s fearsome prowess while Trey snuck out the side. Using a wooden barrier to mask his approach, he raced around the dangerous specter, hoping to flank her in a surprise attack.


    Skye flung a cluster of sharp icicles at Dana, who easily incinerated them into a puff of steam with a Fire Cone. Trey seized the moment, springing from his hiding spot and lunging toward the enemy.


    Dana was initially caught off guard. For a heartbeat, he saw surprise flash across her face, but she swiftly regained her composure. With a flick of her wand, she conjured a towering wall of flames, sending a Shadow Wraith through the roaring blaze to hinder his advance.


    Trey adjusted his stance, maneuvering through the magical barriers, but Dana managed to slip by, sprinting away in a full retreat with breathtaking speed. A sense of urgency washed over him. “Skye, protect the flag!” he called out before beginning his pursuit.


    He chased Dana across the battlefield, his heart pounding. Dana launched a fire spell over her shoulder, forcing Trey to swerve to the side, allowing his prey to scamper into her fortress.


    Finding a barrier, he took a moment to hide behind the temporary cover, quickly analyzing the landscape for his next steps. He groaned and dark magic began pelting his hideout much sooner than he had hoped.


    “Hey, Dana!” he called out in a playful voice, hiding his frustration. “Could you toss me your flag?”


    To his surprise, the flag came soaring over the wall, landing several paces away. Trey''s instincts screamed caution; he scrutinized the open space surrounding the flag. He sighed, figuring that springing the trap in front of him was still easier than a direct assault on the fortress.


    In a burst of courage, he dashed out into the open. Almost instantly, the expected barrage of magic came raining down on him. Adrenaline sharpened his reflexes as he zig-zagged through the onslaught of spells. The cheers from the crowd echoed in his ears as he reached down and swiftly snatched the flag from the ground.


    A fireball grazed his shoulder, prompting a yelp to escape his lips as he dove for cover behind a nearby stone barrier. Just as he thought he had earned a moment of reprieve, liquid fire cascaded over the top, forcing him to scramble to his feet. He narrowly avoided a second fireball, pivoting quickly to raise his shield and block a dark magic spell that streaked toward him.


    As the roar of excitement from the spectators crescendoed, he pressed on. The energy of the crowd propelled him forward, bolstering his resolve. With determination, he sprinted toward his side of the battlefield, narrowly avoiding Dana’s relentless magic.


    Then it happened—a firebolt struck him square in the head, sending his helmet tumbling away and leaving him dazed as he crashed to the ground. The moment the dust settled, he heard the eruption of cheers around him. His gaze fluttered across the field; Nora and Mako had successfully retrieved their forest flag, and he had crossed the line with the second, securing victory.


    As the echoes of battle faded, the chaotic scene began to shift. Cheers of excitement slowly faded into a murmur, and Trey was relieved to see Fayette walking, thanks to Eva’s extensive healing efforts. Eva approached him next, her brows furrowed in concentration as she tended to his injuries. But there was something else in her expression—an intensity that seemed to flicker in and out as she stole glances at him.


    Fuck, Trey thought, finally realizing a whole stadium of people had watched a powerful fire spell be redirected. I could probably explain my way out of this. Though, I really hope Marvin didn’t see—


    His thoughts were cut short as he spotted his furious mentor marching onto the field.


    He probably won’t kill me. Too many witnesses.


    ***


    “How could you be so foolish?!” Marvin shouted as loud as he dared. He had pulled Trey off the field and into a practice room. Still, Marvin was trying to maintain control over his volume.


    Trey was staring at the ground, avoiding eye contact with the inflamed dark mage. He knew there was no avoiding the conversation, but he dreaded it all the same.


    “Do you have any idea how many eyes were on you during that performance?” Marvin continued, his voice low and intense. “You didn’t just perform any magic, you put on a fucking show!”


    Trey tried to interject, but an angry finger shot out and waved menacingly in front of his face.


    “Do you know how many fire mages could redirect a spell that powerful?” Marvin continued chastising the boy. “Do I even want to know how you got to be so proficient at fire magic? And the mind magic! Don’t get me started on that. I thought if you did do a little mind magic, you’d at least be smart enough to not be so fucking obvious! Did you really think it was natural for an opponent to simply hand you their flag?”


    “I’m sorry,” Trey started, trying to quell the old man’s rant. He remembered the moment—how Skye had been surrounded, her face painted with fear. He’d acted on instinct, trying to protect her, and he wasn’t sure he regretted it, despite the consequences. “I saw that Skye was in danger and I panic—”


    “I did it,” a voice announced as the door swung open, alarming both of them.


    Marvin’s head swiveled to spot Skye walking into the room. “Huh?” he said.


    Trey remembered the moment—how Skye had been surrounded, her face painted with fear. He’d acted on instinct, trying to protect her, but now he regretted not thinking through the consequences… because that’s the truth.” Skye looked at Trey with devotion in her eyes.


    Marvin’s expression shifted to one of cautious consideration. “I wasn’t suggesting Trey can do magic,” he replied slowly, glancing between the two of them as if weighing each word.


    “Good,” Skye said firmly, recapturing the dark mage’s attention. “Now, if you could release Trey, we need to go celebrate our first victory.”


    Trey marveled as he watched Marvin melt under Skye’s steely gaze. Finally, the old man chuckled softly, the tension being released was almost visible. “Of course. You run along, and I promise I’ll let Trey go in a second.”


    Skye didn’t relent, giving Marvin a cold stare that dared him to renege on his promise.


    “He’ll be right behind you!” Marvin insisted.


    Skye nodded before spinning around and marching off.


    Marvin bit his lower lip, watching the sorceress walk away. “When did she get so scary?” he said quietly with a shudder.


    Trey found a weak laugh escaping him, but it quickly evaporated as Marvin''s intense gaze returned. “You and I both know that she did not deflect that fire spell, which means she is covering for you,” the old man said.


    Trey frowned. “Which means she knows I’m a fire mage.”


    The dark mage nodded in agreement. “If she knows about your fire magic, then does she know…


    “I don’t know,” Trey responded.


    “Can you check? With mind magic?”


    “No,” Trey replied firmly. “I don’t use mind magic on Skye. That’s not the type of relationship I want with her.”


    Marvin studied the boy for a moment. “Hmph.”


    “And I didn’t use mind magic on Dana, either,” Trey added.


    “You expect me to believe Dana just tossed you the flag?” Marvin asked accusingly.


    “She tried to barbeque me when I picked it up,” Trey countered.  “I didn’t use mind magic, though.”


    “It certainly looked like mind magic…” Marvin began but then paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.


    “What?” Trey inquired, intrigued by the sudden change in tone.


    “Nothing,” Marvin said abruptly, turning away and striding off, leaving Trey feeling unsettled.


    As silence enveloped the area, Trey''s mind raced. The magic he had so desperately been hiding had possibly finally surfaced. Skye’s unwavering support felt both comforting and terrifying. Then there was Marvin. He knew the old man well enough to know that ‘nothing’ was definitely something.