《Living With Magic》


 Chapter 1: Failing

    Arthur stood hesitantly in front of the class of fifteen students. They had all grown to know each other pretty well over the past semester and yet, he was still nervous. Sweat was slowly becoming visible underneath his arms and down his back. The teacher, Professor Swisham, was very strict about neither using magic nor note cards to help with the speech. In her words, ¡°They are a crutch that once used are very difficult to set down.¡± So here he stood, swaying side to side attempting to speak about the negative ramifications a centralized banking system could have on the magical community.


    ¡°So¡­.as we all know, banking is currently a privatized and complex system that differs not only between countries but even within some larger cities. Like..¡± and his voice trailed off as he lost his place. Although overwhelming before, the gazes of both the students and professor Swisham now bore into him like sharp, steel poles rooting him in place. Realizing he couldn¡¯t continue, professor Swisham sighed and slowly stood up from her small desk at the front of the classroom. ¡°You can sit down Arthur.¡± Arthur didn¡¯t even look over at her and just silently walked back to his desk in the back of the classroom.


    Once he sat down a wave of relief washed over him. It was the relief one might feel after avoiding a deadly spell by centimeters. To Arthur, public speaking was his warzone. ¡°This was your third try Arthur, I can¡¯t give you another.¡± Hearing this Arthur just nodded. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had failed to give a speech. ¡°I understand professor. I¡¯ll be happy with the grade you choose to give me.¡± The professor just glanced his way one more time before simply nodding and calling up the next person to give their speech. Everyone before and after Arthur successfully finished their speeches. Whether they were great or not, Arthur had no room to judge. He couldn¡¯t give a speech at all. At the end of the class, right before Arthur was about to leave professor Swisham called him over.


    ¡°Arthur, could you come up here for a few minutes?¡± Arthur was expecting this as he begrudgingly walked up to the front of the class.


    ¡°Yes, professor?¡±


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m going to say, Arthur, you can¡¯t pass this class without finishing that speech. I know you aren¡¯t a bad student. The other assignments you¡¯ve turned in over the years have been great, but I¡¯ve given you as much leeway as I possibly can. I just can¡¯t let you graduate without passing this class. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her stern face softened slightly after passing on the news. Similar to many teachers in the university she had grown fond of Arthur.


    Arthur knew it was coming, but it was still hard to hear. He was the only fourth year in this first year class. His continued failures in public speaking were well known by the teachers at this point and many had tried to help him over the years. Supplementary lessons, practicing speeches over and over, along with anything else the teachers could imaging. Nothing helped. His crippling anxiety wasn¡¯t easily cured.


    Arthur was surprisingly one of the most promising students of his year otherwise. He was extremely advanced in many of the theoretical classes including physics, mathematics, spell creation, and spell casting. The rules of the university were strict, however, and the age for the final year of graduation was twenty. At the age of twenty, you were either expected to graduate or move on to a career outside of magic.


    His disappointment was clear on his face. ¡°I guess rules are rules after all. My parents will be happy though.¡± He gave a weak grin. ¡°Thank you so much for everything you¡¯ve done professor. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t have done better. I would have liked to stay working in the school if possible.


    It was then that professor Swisham slid over multiple envelopes, each with the name of a different professor on them. ¡°I know you don¡¯t think you deserve it and convincing you isn¡¯t worth our time, but please at least look these over. They are job offers from each of the professors. Everyone would like to have you helping with their research.


    Arthur knew it was coming but was still surprised at the number of the envelopes in front of him. He looked at them hesitantly but pushed them back without opening a single one. ¡°I can¡¯t. I promised my parents and myself in a way. I can¡¯t back away from that now.¡±


    The professor nodded and took back the pile of envelopes while Arthur stood up to leave. ¡°I hope we¡¯ll see each other again.¡± Arthur said as he was heading towards the door. ¡°I¡¯m sure we will professor Swisham said with a smile. ¡°Good luck.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    With that Arthur left the classroom only to be bombarded by his two friends.


    ¡°What the fuck, Arthur! That was your last chance!¡± Brennan, Arthur¡¯s good friend since freshman year stood to his right angrily glaring at him. Brennan was a few inches taller than Arthur and was much lankier. He had a body of a fully-fledged spellcaster. One who solely focused on spells.


    Laughter came from his left side. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you failed again! And on a topic you wrote an entire research paper on!¡± Emily stood on his left. They met partway through the second year when Brennan and her dated for a short, and explosive, period of time. She was on the shorter side, but much more athletic than the other two. Although it wasn¡¯t by much, she was the least cynical out of the three of them.


    ¡°Thanks for the comforting words,¡± Arthur responded walking past the two of them. They rushed to catch up. ¡°Oh come on, we¡¯ll still visit you. It isn¡¯t too far of a trip.¡±


    Emily nodded in agreement. ¡°Exactly! We couldn¡¯t leave you alone. I¡¯d be scared to see what you end up destroying when left to your own devices.¡±


    Arthur grimaced slightly. She was referencing his single class in alchemy. One of the few subjects he just couldn¡¯t figure out.


    ¡°Oh shit, I have to get going.¡± Brennan had just noticed the time. ¡°I¡¯m meeting up with Rachel in a few minutes. I¡¯ll see you two tomorrow!¡± With that, he vanished. He never got tired of showing off his long-range teleportation. Or that he was seemingly meeting up with a different girl every other week.


    Arthur stared at the empty spot next to him. ¡°That spell would make life so much easier.¡± He said with a sigh turning back to Emily.


    ¡°Right!? It almost makes me wish I hadn¡¯t focused solely on combat.¡± She twirled her golden hair nervously. A habit she¡¯s had since before Arthur met her. ¡°Seriously though Arthur, Are you going to be okay?¡± She looked up at him with concern.


    It was a difficult question to answer. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not sure I can return to my parents. Not since our last fight. I couldn¡¯t stay at school either. They would make sure I¡¯m fired within an hour. They practically run the place. I have a couple other ideas that might work out.¡± He paused noticing the look on Emily¡¯s face. It was the face she always made when she was about to offer an idea she knew was a bad one. Her forehead was slightly scrunched up making a number of small creases.


    ¡°You could come stay with my family for a while.¡± Arthur knew she would offer, but he also knew the complications it would bring to her family. He shook his head.


    ¡°Thanks, Emily. That would just end poorly for both of us. I couldn¡¯t do that to you.¡±


    ¡°I figured I might as well offer.¡± She gave a melancholic smile. Arthur knew there was a deeper meaning to the offer, but he and Emily had tried multiple times before. They made for a horribly toxic couple.


    They eventually came to the center grounds of the university campus. A beautifully arranged garden of trees, flower, and other plant life. Some flowers loomed over the others dropping petals the size of a human. Other plants ranged in size and color making a rainbow of vegetation that stretched out between the four large buildings encircling it. To a newcomer the sight was entrancing, but Arthur and Emily simply ignored the view after having walked through it so often.


    ¡±I¡¯m heading to my next class. With practicals coming up I can¡¯t afford to skip anymore. Where are you off to?¡± Emily said having stopped opposite of Arthur.


    Arthur scratched his head in thought. ¡°I might use one of the training rooms one last time. Work off a little steam while I still can.¡±


    Emily suddenly looked really serious and grabbed Arthur on his right sleeve. ¡°I know you like going off and doing things on your own.¡± She paused gathering her thoughts. ¡°Just please let me know where you¡¯re off to before you do. I don¡¯t want you to completely disappear from my life.¡±


    Arthur pulled her into a quick hug. After parting, he said, ¡°I promise. You¡­and Brennan ¡­ are important to me. I wouldn¡¯t just leave you two behind.¡± He then readjusted his backpack started heading the opposite direction. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later¡± Arthur and Emily parted ways with a wave and Arthur began heading through the thick foliage to reach the towering gothic building on the other side. He entered through the thick wooden double doors and made his way through the winding marble corridors before stopping at a steel door on the basement level.


    He placed his hand on the cold steel allowing magical energy to flow through and with a loud clunk the door swung open. Everyone¡¯s magical energy was unique to their person allowing for the magic to work for identification purposes. It¡¯s very similar to a fingerprint in that regard.


    The room Arthur entered was small and blindingly white. Runes were etched into the walls and floor used to nullify magic. This was a state of the art training room. One that could handle immense amounts of magical energy and a unique room only students at Falstrom Academy had access to. Only the rich and influential made it into Falstrom and the money given to the school was often used in exorbitant ways. These practice rooms being one of them.


    Arthur started off slowly with a few fireballs thrown at the wall. Each increasing in size and power. These quickly turned into fire blades flung haphazardly around the room and ended with a ring of fire forming around Arthur slowly expanding out before exploding into a blast of pure energy. Anyone seeing this would have been scared senseless. This wasn¡¯t the kind of power many magicians could hope to have and Arthur wasn¡¯t finished. As the flames died out he sat down in deep concentration. A crackle of electricity resounded through the room as lightning soon surrounded Arthur flowing between his hands and causing his eyes to turn a luminescent shade of blue. With a scream, he hurled the lightning at the wall causing the lightning to hit the center and spread out crawling across the ceiling and floor. A little calmer now Arthur sat back down onto the floor and said one word, ¡°Status.¡± Yet nothing showed up. He slammed his fist into the ground in frustration before speaking out loud. ¡°Why am I the only one it won¡¯t appear for?¡±

 Chapter 2: The Impossibles

    After exhausting himself in the training room Arthur started to think of the options he had open to him. His lies to Emily were half-assed. This also meant he wouldn¡¯t be seeing Emily or Brennan before he left. They wouldn¡¯t let him leave at all the second they heard he didn¡¯t have a plan. They have enough to worry about with their positions in their parents¡¯ companies and the upcoming graduation. He could head to New York? He shut that down immediately. His parents had too much control in major cities. They would find him pretty easily. What about the small university he worked alongside his third year? Pembrook? Pemmington?


    Arthur pulled out his phone and after a quick search found the university. Penton University in northern Wisconsin. They were located in a smaller city called Appleton just north of Lake Winnebago. Arthur had never been to Wisconsin, but right now he just needed a spot he could make some money doing what he enjoys. After a long period of research, he finally found the name of the professor he worked within the University, Professor Murphy. He was a loud, friendly Irish man that could drink anyone under a table. Making up his mind Arthur gave him a call.


    ¡°Arthur you son of a bitch! How are you doing?¡± The man¡¯s gruff voice exploded from the phone causing Arthur to flinch.


    ¡°Hi, Professor Murphy. I¡¯ve found myself in a bit of a bind. Are there any open positions up at Penton in a research capacity?¡± Arthur cut straight to the point.


    The Irish man was angry on the other end. ¡°I told you to call me James. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve ever been your fucking teacher.¡± Calming down slightly he continued talking, ¡° I might have something for you though. How have you not been offered a spot at Falstrom? They all seem to love you there. Or I¡¯m sure your parents would love to have you back home.¡±


    Arthur scoffed but quickly covered it up, ¡°Yeahh none of that is really an option at the moment. It¡¯s a bit of a long story. I don¡¯t have much time to make this happen. Will the position be available in the next couple days?¡±


    Silence met Arthur from the other line. It was a few seconds later before James spoke, ¡°It¡¯s that bad, huh? I think I can come up with something. Just get up here as soon as possible.¡±


    Arthur smiled slightly, ¡°Thanks, James. I owe you one.¡±


    James laughed and said, ¡°You owe me more than one at this point you bastard. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± With that, the call ended. Arthur picked up his backpack on the floor and made his way out of the academy.


    A few hours later he was walking up to the train station. He chose an older method of transportation in order to avoid any identification issues that might come with using the teleportation systems. He couldn¡¯t afford to be careless. It wasn¡¯t until he was close to the train station that he saw two familiar figures waiting out front. A short muscular girl with golden hair and a tall lanky guy looking straight at him. Arthur froze in his tracks and quickly turned around to begin walking the other way. A hand landed heavily on his shoulder.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get away that easily.¡± Brennan was right behind him looking more serious than Arthur had ever seen him before. Emily quickly caught up as well, but instead of saying anything she just punched Arthur right on the bridge of his nose.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He swore as blood began gushing out. A quick healing spell from Brennan fixed the break, but the blood running down his face and shirt wouldn¡¯t be as easy to take care of. The familiar taste of iron overtook his sense as the blood drained down into his mouth.


    Emily was tearing up now as she looked up at Arthur, ¡°You promised. You just promised you wouldn¡¯t do this.¡± It was surprisingly cold for early May as sharp gusts of wind hit Arthur in the back causing him to involuntarily shiver.


    Arthur looked at the angry, crying face of Emily and glanced over at Brennan for help. Arthur was met with an equally angry yet less teary gaze. He wasn¡¯t sure what else he could say other than, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He choked out the words as if they were difficult to say. To many people they often were.


    Gathering his thoughts more carefully he was able to add more breaking the short silence. ¡°There¡¯s more to my situation than I¡¯ve been letting on. I just need to¡­get away. I¡¯m still not sure if I¡¯ll have a permanent place to stay yet. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to either of you to get you involved. You two have your own issues to handle.¡± Brennan stepped up this time.


    ¡°Of course we have our own shit to deal with. That doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t make time for yours. Come on.¡± In a move that was characteristically unlike him, Brennan grabbed Emily and me on the shoulders and teleported us into a clearing within a thickly wooded area. The setting sun cast orange and yellow rays through the trees and they danced across the ground oblivious to the atmosphere around them. The clearing had three sleeping bags set up and a fire already set up. The flames, a bright blue, leaped up and out as if striving to reach the abundance of trees just out of reach. Blue flames indicated a magical fire had been set. One that would not go out naturally.


    Brennan walked over to a small chair set up next to the fire and slumped into it. The light cast from the flames made him look even more worn down than usual. ¡°This was meant to be a more pleasant surprise, but welcome to our first hunt.¡± He threw his hands up in a mock celebration.


    Arthur looked at both Emily and Brennan in surprise. ¡°How? What? How did you get permission? Even you two should have trouble going out on a hunt before graduation.¡± Brennan smiled, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate the power of our families just because yours is so abnormal.¡± Arthur nodded in acceptance. ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m excited for the both of you. I truly am.¡± His voice faded away as another question popped into his head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t having me here cause both of you a ton of problems later on? Bringing anyone without proper certification could end up with all of us in jail.¡±


    Emily now joined Brennan at the fire. Her tears had dried up, but she refused to look at Arthur. She just continued to stare into the blue flames leaping up in front of her. ¡°Since when would any of us care about that?¡± Her voice was barely audible, but both Brennan and Arthur flinched slightly when she spoke up.


    Arthur now joined the two of them at the fire, weighing his options. It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach a decision. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not in a huge rush. I also have no idea where we are and how to get back so I would love to join the two of you. What are we hunting?¡±


    At that Brennan handed him a yellowed piece of paper. The age of the paper was impossible to guess. It felt as though the letter would crumble under any amount of pressure applied to it. At first glance, it looked blank, but focusing magical energy into the letter made bright runic symbols appear slowly across the page. Reading and writing runes were a necessity for magicians and was taught at a very young age yet some runes Arthur couldn¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°I can see that the hunt is in Albania and it has a goddamn A rating for fucks sake. How did you even get a hold of this? No one, not even with your parents¡¯ influence, would let students go on a suicide mission.¡± Brennan laughed and nudged Emily. ¡°I called it! Exactly the response I was expecting.¡± Emily just gave a half-hearted smile before downcast expression appeared once more.


    Brennan reached back over and snatched the page from Arthur causing the runes to fade away once more. ¡°We¡¯re hunting The Imp.¡± He said with a smile on his face. ¡°Even an Elder Imp shouldn¡¯t be much trouble for us. The difficulty lies in catching it. As you two know my magic specializes in tracking and movement so we shouldn¡¯t have any difficulties. The experience we gain will also give Emily and me a huge boost moving forward. That won¡¯t be a driving force for you though, huh?¡± He addressed Arthur at the end knowing his issues with the status screen.


    Arthur waved it off. ¡°The money would still be nice. I bet my parents have already frozen my accounts. Is this meant as some last hurrah for the three of us?¡±


    Brennan shrugged and replied, ¡°Not initially, but I doubt Emily and I will be able to stop you when all is said and done.¡± He then reached behind him to a cooler Arthur had failed to notice before. A beer was then thrown to both Emily and Arthur as Brennan raised his dark brown bottle. ¡°To the three impossibles of Falstrom. May our powers always remain a mystery to those around us.¡± All three raised their beers, although Emily did so begrudgingly. As the three bottles were about to touch above the blue flames, time seemed to stop.

 Chapter 3: Devastation

    Arthur could feel it. The interference of time. Forbidden magic to humans. Not that he hadn¡¯t dabbled in it a few times. The imp had used a simple spell that froze time for a short period of time within a small area. With minimal work, Arthur freed himself from the spell but remained frozen in spot. He still wasn¡¯t sure who or where the enemy was.


    To the right, a soft rattling echoed through the clearing as a short creature hobbled out from within the woods. It was only about two feet tall but was wearing an expensive looking suit. The skin that was visible was gnarled and grey. The look of an elder imp. The creature slowly hobbled up to their group of three scowling. ¡°Fucking idiot kids. I don¡¯t have time for this today.¡± His voice was deep and grating causing the hair on Arthur¡¯s arms to stand on end. The imp paused for a second before looking straight at Arthur, ¡°I know you can move child. You¡¯re a terrible actor.¡± Arthur¡¯s blood ran cold, but he shifted his weight to look comfortably at the imp.


    ¡°This is my first time seeing an imp in person. You look exactly as I expected.¡± Arthur couldn¡¯t think of anything to say but figured talking was better than trying to fight the creature in front of him. The imp looked at him curiously. ¡°And this is the first time I have met a human capable of escaping my time magic so quickly¡± The imp hobbled closer and looked carefully at Arthur¡¯s very average looking features. Something registered within the imp, and he took a step back. ¡°You look so much like your parents. I never thought I would meet one of your family here.¡±


    Arthur began to stand up, but the imp pointed his short cane directly at Arthur¡¯s forehead. ¡°Unlike many others though, I don¡¯t happen to be frightened of your family. Sit the fuck back down.¡± An invisible force slammed against Arthur pushing him back into the seat. ¡°Now I¡¯m not a fan of murdering younglings. It doesn¡¯t leave a good taste in my mouth. You¡­¡± The imp waved his cane at Arthur¡¯s face, ¡° are an exception though.¡± An eery smile spread across the imp¡¯s face as he looked over at Arthur. ¡°Your family has been tormenting my kind for generations. So many slaughtered. So much potential wiped out. I think the world might actually throw me a celebration for getting rid one more Montale.¡± The elf raised his staff, but Brennan leaped out of his chair as the effects of the time spell wore off. He teleported to Emily first then to Arthur and then quickly teleported away from the Imp.


    The three of them reappeared in a similar looking forest stumbling and falling onto the bright green leaves and dirt underneath them. ¡°Fuck!¡± Brennan swore. This isn¡¯t right. This isn¡¯t where we should be.¡± A crackling laugh came from behind them as the imp appeared once more looking amused.


    ¡°Teleportation and advanced teleportation at that. Your group is very interesting Montale.¡± The Imp was obviously fucking with them. Emily stood up now. She realized how dangerous the situation had become and wasn¡¯t going to give the imp any more chances. With a loud crack, she disappeared leaving a hole in the ground where she was previously. She covered the distance between her and the imp in half a second and swung her heavily reinforced fist down at the small creature.


    ¡°Very good!¡± The imp screamed out as a flash of light struck out sending Emily flying back with a spray of blood. ¡°You two are very impressive.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Emily!¡± Arthur screamed out at the now still figure lying on the ground. A large gash cut across her stomach and blood was slowly pooling underneath her. Arthur looked over to Brennan. They didn¡¯t need to say anything. They knew what they needed to do. It happened within a second. Brennan teleported once again. He carefully picked up Emily and disappeared once more. At the same time, a high-pitched crackling filled the air as lightning gathered around Arthur.


    The imp was now fully focused on Arthur, the same toying smile plastered across his face. ¡°I was wondering when you would use your accursed magic. Lightning belongs to the gods, not too lowly humans like you.¡± A dark ball shot out from the imps cane straight at Arthur. As if he was lightning himself, Arthur appeared behind the imp. ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something here, Imp. I was hoping you would leave well enough alone. I¡­¡± But his speech was cut short by another spell. It wasn¡¯t a spell Arthur was familiar with. A binding spell of some kind. One even he couldn¡¯t escape from easily.


    The imp slowly walked up to Arthur grimacing. ¡°I think you are the one who doesn¡¯t understand, Montale! Did you really think I wasn¡¯t prepared to fight you after knowing who you are? I didn¡¯t think anyone was this fucking stupid in your family.¡± The imp slapped Arthur with his cane and crippling pain shot through his body. Arthur screamed out in agony, but the pain wouldn¡¯t let up. ¡°This is for what your sister has done!¡± The imp hit him again and a fresh round of agonizing pain shot through his body. It felt as though his body was being jabbed by millions of needles. In and out. Over and over. Tears and snot ran down Arthur¡¯s face as he crumpled to the ground. ¡°Please....no more.¡± He muttered, but the imp wasn¡¯t listening or just didn¡¯t care.


    Again and again, the imp would name one of his siblings and each following slap of the cane would be more painful than the last. All Arthur could do was withstand and wait for an opening. Any opening. He was running out strength. After the fifth or sixth slap of the cane, Arthur couldn¡¯t keep count, the imp turned his back to Arthur. Arthur realized this was his only chance and without hesitating, he unleashed the most deadly magic he could think of on the spot. A long lost and long forbidden spell that ate away at anything living in the area it was cast. An absolutely horrible and agonizing way to go. The spell happened quickly, the imp didn¡¯t have a chance to react. A pitch black arc shot out from Arthur through the Imp and out into the distance.


    The Imp knew the spell and knew his fate as he crashed heavily to his knees. ¡°How? How could you?¡± The question confused Arthur, but quickly the sounds of the Imp hellishly screaming filled the forest as his skin and organs congealed into a dark black sludge. It wasn¡¯t until he stood up and looked around did Arthur notice the true extent of the damage he caused. The surrounding forest and wildlife had completely disappeared leaving only the same black sludge for miles. Arthur just stared dumbfounded at the aftermath of the spell he used. In a daze, Arthur sloshed through the sludge. It was a devastatingly terrible spell. It wasn¡¯t until houses became visible in the distance that the imp¡¯s words started to make sense. A horrible sense of dread filled Arthur as he made his way to the village. Each step felt heavier and slower than the next as if the black sludge he was trudging through was sucking him down with it. He knew what he would find, but he continued forward. He had to see for himself.


    It was a small village. Each house, with matching yellow brick and tall archways, stood now as a monument to those dead inside. The village was eerily quiet as Arthur walked through smelling of freshly baked bread and other delicacies. Evidence of the lives there was obvious by the abandoned food stalls in the middle of town and other abandoned items strewn amongst the black goop. Arthur checked inside a few houses, but each was the same. Random pools of black sludge filled each house. Remnants of those who once lived there. He was numb walking through the town. He committed a crime on an international level. He had killed so many. It was an accident though, right? He hadn¡¯t known what the spell would do. He hadn¡¯t known the village was here.


    Arthur slumped down into an empty bench in the center of town. It was then a notification popped up in front of him. The first he had ever seen in his twenty years of life. The two words flashed colorfully in front of him as if to mock him. ¡°Level Up.¡±

 Chapter 4: Recovery

    Arthur wasn¡¯t sure how long he had been sitting there. Perhaps an hour? Maybe a day or two? His shock left him numb to his surroundings. He just continued to sit and stare. He didn¡¯t have the energy for anything else. At some point the exhaustion from overusing his magical energy hit him and he fell unconscious upright on that bench. His figure looked more like a statue among the now empty city as the sun cast his long shadow on the ground. He wasn¡¯t sure when Brennan initially showed up or when they ended up in the waiting room of the Falstrom University hospital. It was all a blur.


    The two of them rarely left their seats in that waiting room. Nurses ran back and forth through the room always looking stressed out and overworked. Off to save the next life for less pay than they should be receiving. Each time a nurse rushed through Brennan looked up. Hoping the nurse was coming for them with an update on Emily¡¯s condition. It was never the case. The off white walls and sterile smell were just as off-putting as Brennan remembered. He was never a fan of hospitals. Reminded him to much of his childhood.


    Arthur glanced up as Brennan mumbled once again, ¡°This was all my fault. I was too eager. Too na?ve.¡± Escaping his self-loathing for a few seconds Arthur managed to respond his voice cracking slightly, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault Brennan. None of us knew how powerful the Imp would be. We had no way of knowing. It was a nice thought.¡± He grinned slightly trying to cheer Brennan up.


    Brennan looked over in surprise at the sound of Arthur¡¯s voice, ¡°Sure, I know that logically, but it doesn¡¯t change what happened to you and Emily. I don¡¯t think I can ever fix what¡¯s been done.¡± Brennan stared down at the palms of his hands studying each crease so he wouldn¡¯t have to look at Arthur.


    Arthur looked forward at a small painting of a landscape. Rolling green hills and sunlight shooting through the breaks in the clouds. It would have been a beautiful sight had it not been hung haphazardly in the waiting room. ¡°The most either of us can do is try to be better. We can¡¯t change the past. We just need to be stronger for the future.¡± It was an empty and generic reply. Arthur didn¡¯t have much else to say. Brennan appeared to silently agree and the two sat there in silence once more.


    It was another few hours before a nurse approached the two of them. She looked similar to many of the others with light blue scrubs and hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.  ¡°Brennan and Arthur? Her mother is still in the room, but you two can come visit her now if you like.¡± Brennan shot up ready to rush back there. Arthur was a little slower to his feet. Still hazy mentally, everything registered slower than he would like. After fully standing up he turned to Brennan, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Emily wasn¡¯t in good shape. Her fragile figure was laid back on a large white bed. A variety of machines neither Arthur nor Brennan knew were connected to her in some way. Whatever the imp hit her with was difficult to heal. Bandages were wrapped heavily across her chest although blood was still visible soaking through them all. The good news was that she was awake. It was her mother that greeted them first. She walked steadily up to Brennan, looked him dead in the eyes, and slapped him hard. The sound echoed through the room as his head jerked back from the force. He hadn¡¯t tried to stop it or turn away.


    Although she wasn¡¯t crying Mrs. Anderson was not as poised as she often was. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke to Brennan. ¡°I know it was your idea. It¡¯s always your idea. I should hate you more than I do. You put your friends in danger with this one. You¡¯re all lucky to be alive. Emily barely is. What made you imagine the three of you could handle an elder imp alone? And as your first hunt? You¡¯re more idiotic than I thought!¡± Her voice was rising in anger, but Brennan and Arthur weren¡¯t about to stop her tirade.


    It was then a weak voice came from the bed, ¡°Mom, stop. It was my choice too.¡± Mrs. Anderson calmed down slightly at the sound of Emily¡¯s voice. It was a sudden change, but she backed off letting Arthur and Brennan approach her bed. ¡°Go ahead and talk. I¡¯ll be speaking to your parents later.¡± Mrs. Anderson went to sit back down into her seat in the corner of the room.


    Emily looked up weakly at the two of them, a soft smile dancing across her lips. ¡°Hey guys, glad we all made it out alive.¡± Brennan and Arthur could only nod. They were at a loss for words. Eventually Brennan spoke out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Emily. I really thought we could handle this one.¡± Emily¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter, ¡°I think we handled it pretty well all things considered. How did you two kill the imp?¡± Arthur¡¯s face froze up at the question. Brennan was the one who gave a response. ¡°I managed to escape with you after you fell unconscious. Arthur took care of the imp on his own. I¡¯m not sure exactly how. He just started speaking again an hour or two ago. Whatever happened was bad, really bad.¡± Brennan was able to roughly guess what happened when he found Arthur in an empty village filled with black sludge. He figured it wasn¡¯t his story to tell though.


    Arthur nodded attempting to form a sentence through his jumbled thoughts. ¡°I finished off the imp, but there was a bigger cost than I expected. I¡¯ll tell you two later. When it¡¯s right. When I¡¯m able to.¡± They both accepted the answer. They wouldn¡¯t push their friend. Arthur walked up to Emily¡¯s side placing his hand on the side of the grainy, plastic bed. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re okay. I¡¯m scared to imagine what I would get up to without you around.¡± Arthur forced a smile.


    With no small amount of pain, Emily raised her hand and placed it on top of Arthur¡¯s. ¡°I just hope you can recover.¡± She knew him too well. She could tell something was wrong. That he wasn¡¯t okay. Arthur, in an almost inaudible whisper, responded, ¡°Me too.¡±

 Chapter 5: Strange Conversations

    Here he was, still at Falstrom academy weeks after he planned on leaving. Arthur was sitting in the expansive, bright, and surprisingly modern library reading through a yellowing book on teleportation magic. He had reached an odd crossroads with the hospitalization of Emily and Brennan¡¯s extended series of absences. He wasn¡¯t quite sure where his future lies or if he should still head up to Wisconsin. His call with James a week earlier was a tough one. James was always an emotional guy and Arthur¡¯s postponement of the position sent him into a fit. It got so bad Arthur hung up the phone halfway through the screaming fit. He planned to call back once his plans became more final.


    Arthur was currently more concerned with the odd situation in the library. Over the last hour or so he had been barely able to read about the intricacies of large-scale teleportation. A red-haired student in the corner had been glancing over at him every few minutes since he had walked in. She sat among a group of students Arthur had never seen before, although that¡¯s not horribly surprising given his anxiety issues. He didn¡¯t know a good portion of students at the school. Something about her gaze was familiar, he just couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. It was only until she stood up did he remember. He was surprised he could forget. She was one of the tallest girls in the school standing roughly six inches taller than Arthur. She had been in a few of his advanced theoretical spell-casting classes. He was almost certain they had never spoken before though. He watched her wave bye to her study group and head his way. He knew it would happen eventually, but even so, his mind went blank the second she approached. Her towering figure, an impassible wall to Arthur, came up to his table and looked down at the book he was reading.


    ¡°Teleportation, huh? Do you plan on working for the city when you graduate?¡± She smiled slightly as she sat down in the chair opposite Arthur. Her casual clothing made it seem she was about to go lay on the couch at home rather than study in one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. It would normally be a look that would cause many to lower their guards. Arthur, however, was still just as rigid as before. He could feel his hands clamming up thinking of an intelligent response.


    ¡°More just my own curiosity.¡± He shut the book, finding it impossible to read as the words kept jumping across the page. Only realizing after that his response answered a question she didn¡¯t ask. He fumbled to ask something, ¡°Can I help you with anything?¡± It wasn¡¯t a friendly question although that wasn¡¯t his intention.


    She paused at the sudden question, but responded in kind, ¡°I just heard about Emily, I¡¯m really sorry. She was always so nice to me and spoke a ton about you. I never would have guessed you could be talkative with you way acted in our classes.¡± Arthur just shrugged and said, ¡°I¡¯m not great at meeting new people. I don¡¯t have a lot of time for much else besides my studies.¡± He was loosening up a bit now. It always took him a little while to get over the initial shock of a conversation with someone new.


    The red-haired girl gave a sly grin, ¡°You made time for Emily though.¡± Her response caught Arthur off guard. He just gave a thoughtful nod, ¡°I guess I did¡­and still do.¡±


    She gave him a few seconds to see if he would say anymore. Noticing he finished his thought she sighed, ¡°It may not be my place to say but¡­.she loves you, you know. I think you love her too although you don¡¯t seem to be as willing to admit it.¡± It was not a conversation Arthur wished to have. Especially with a girl he barely knew. He didn¡¯t appreciate others knowing his personal life. It wasn¡¯t their place to get involved. ¡°If you¡¯ve talked with Emily that much then you must know we¡¯ve tried dating before. Multiple times. It....was, not a good match. I didn¡¯t like who I was then.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    She got a little angry at that and lightly slammed her palm against the table. The sharp sound echoed through the towering shelves causing a few heads to turn their way. ¡°Bullshit!¡± She hissed, ¡°You are many things, Arthur, but you have never been a bad guy. Just an asshole.¡± The last comment was whispered, but Arthur still heard it. He couldn¡¯t disagree.


    He looked up into her brown eyes, there was a story here. More than what was being said and possibly regarding him. He just couldn¡¯t think of what it might be. He had never spoken to this girl before and Emily had never mentioned her. ¡°Listen, it sounds like you knew Emily really well which is amazing. I can¡¯t begin to describe how much I owe her. I would do anything for her, but we have to remain just friends. Like many other people, you don¡¯t know the whole story.¡±


    Tears filled her eyes and she quickly wiped them away with the sleeve of her grey sweater. She got up to leave but turned to say one last thing before going, ¡°Asshole.¡± It was louder this time. ¡°You don¡¯t know the whole story either.¡± She went back to her study group in tears. Besides comforting her they threw Arthur a few dirty looks. He decided it was time to go.


    The sound of excited students greeted him as he stepped outside the dark walls of the library. He couldn¡¯t help squinting as the bright sunlight assaulted him. It was another hot, summer day on the campus. The smell of freshly cut grass always helped calm him down, but this time he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what the girl said. What did she mean that he didn¡¯t know the whole story? A student exiting the library shoved him trying to move past waking him from his thoughts. It was then Arthur realized he didn¡¯t have anywhere to go. Emily had recently left the hospital but was undergoing physical therapy back at her parents¡¯ house. Brennan was gallivanting about who knows where.


    Choosing to enjoy the weather, he sat down on a bench overlooking the entrance hall. This time of year the incoming students would be taking tours of the campus. He enjoyed watching their tour groups go by and the unbridled excitement of the students viewing the school for the first. It reminded him of his first days at the academy. Back when things were much simpler.


    It didn¡¯t take too long for the first group to walk by. Only ten students and their parents were being led around, a much smaller group than usual. The parents and prospective students had on some of the nicest clothing Arthur had seen anyone wear to a school viewing before. It wasn¡¯t unusual for rich and influential families to choose this school, but something was different about this group. They had a greater sense of authority than others had. Well, that and assigned bodyguards. Bodyguards that seemed to recognize him.


    ¡°For our first stop, we have the common grounds of the school. Hundreds of years of history reside within these grounds. Teachers and students alike have been adding to the plant life here with the first being the grand oak in the center. The founder Belmont infused the oak with magic now unknown, but with each year the oak grows larger and stronger. It still stands as the exact center of campus and the point on campus with the highest concentration of magic.¡± Most of the incoming students were enraptured by the story, which was mostly true. Most tour guides took a few liberties with the stories they told. The bodyguards had been whispering back and forth with the other adults in the group. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t be walking away without them approaching them.


    One of the parents, a tall, burly man in a multi-layered black suit, stopped the tour guide where they were and walked up to Arthur. He was getting sick of being approached by strangers. His annoyance did not beat out his anxiety though and he once again found his mind going blank as the man approached.


    ¡°Are you a Montale?¡± It was an expected question and the man¡¯s heavy British accent was even more of a surprise. Arthur answered the man truthfully.


    ¡°Yes. Who are you?¡± Arthur didn¡¯t do pleasantries as often as he should. He had run into trouble a few times angering the wrong people.


    The man unexpectedly grinned. ¡°I¡¯m Nigel Corbyn. Prime Minister of Britain. I¡¯d like to ask for your help.¡±


    Today kept getting stranger.

 Chapter 6: Duel

    ¡°No thanks.¡± Arthur¡¯s quick response left Nigel speechless. Who would turn down the prime minister?


    ¡°But, you don¡¯t know what I was going to ask yet. How can you turn me down so definitively?¡± Nigel didn¡¯t look annoyed, just curious.


    ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± Arthur had something to focus on. Something to take his mind off that constant, voiceless feeling at the back of his mind. That nagging over what to say and how to say it. He shut all that down by focusing solely on the topic at hand. ¡°Although you know I¡¯m a Montale, you don¡¯t know which one. How do you know I could help with your situation? And why would you want to be associated with my family at all?¡± Arthur kept thinking of more and more questions to ask.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re the right one simply because you¡¯re in this university. There is no such thing as a weak Montale and I need a bodyguard for my daughter that¡¯s a little more inconspicuous than my usual hires. Some extra help with classes wouldn¡¯t be too bad either.¡± Arthur looked back at the two bodyguards behind him missing the not so subtle wink the prime minister gave him. They stood out way too much. ¡°As for the affiliation¡­.I don¡¯t think your family is truly as evil as everyone says.¡±


    ¡°You would be surprised, but if I were to take this job I might need some protection of my own. I¡¯m not on the best terms with my own family at the moment. If I¡¯m going to stay on campus you will have to convince them not to get involved.¡± The prime minister grinned already taking that as a yes. ¡°I can see to that. I would also cover any expenses you may incur while here. On top of that, I can also promise $20,000 a month as payment.¡± It was a lot of money. Money Arthur desperately needed since his accounts had been closed by his asshole parents. This could also allow him to stay within the University he loved and close to his friends who both seem to need him and whom he needed as well to be completely honest. He wasn¡¯t ready to take on the world alone. Not after what he had done a few weeks ago.


    Arthur nodded slowly. He couldn¡¯t see any downsides to the position. ¡°What exactly would you need me to do?¡± The prime minister looked at Arthur then back at a teenage girl among the others. ¡°You would just need to be around her. You will attend all of her classes, follow her through campus, and tag along to any social gatherings she is a part of. You don¡¯t have to actually take part in anything she does though. I don¡¯t expect you to become her friend. Just be in the same general area and prevent anyone that would try to hurt or kidnap her.¡±


    Arthur nodded once more. It was a simple job. He could seemingly work on whatever he wished while protecting her and would still retain access to the University¡¯s facilities. No downsides so far.


    ¡°Are you really willing to accept my ability to protect your daughter solely based off my last name? Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t like a demonstration of some type?¡± It was more of an excuse for Arthur to use his magic once more. He had been having difficulties with certain spells since the incident and thought a demonstration in front of others might help.


    Nigel smiled at that and waved over the male bodyguard. ¡°An excellent idea. I also never got your name?¡±


    ¡°Arthur Montale.¡± Arthur reached out his hand to formally shake the Prime Ministers. It was a life-changing handshake although neither of them realized it at the time. ¡°Arthur? Ahh, I¡¯ve heard of you. It seems as though I¡¯ve found the troublesome one in the family.¡± By now the bodyguard had reached the two of them. He was much larger than expected now that he was right beside them. The man easily stood a hulking six and a half feet. His dark, heavy set brow and a jagged, dispersed scar that cut across his left cheek indicated the man was no stranger to violence. The man was heavily-built. His muscles were visible even through the thick suit he was wearing. He was more of a bull than a man.


    ¡°Arthur Montale.¡± Arthur introduced himself to the man. The man looked over Arthur questioning just how much of a threat the skinny, pale, average looking Arthur could pose.


    ¡°Bernard.¡± The man met Arthur¡¯s grip with his own. The man¡¯s giant hand engulfed Arthur¡¯s. The single name was also the sign of an elite bodyguard. Many professionally trained bodyguards discarded their names for simpler ones. Not just to make themselves easier to forget, but to also hide their previous identities from anyone interested. Arthur was a little excited. It had been a long while since he fought someone competent.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The prime minister looked between the two of them before taking multiple steps back, joining the tour group who were now watching Arthur and Bernard with interest. ¡°Try not to destroy the school!¡± The tour guide shouted, but his words were ignored by the two figures squaring off in the plaza before him. Arthur¡¯s muscles were tensing in in preparation. He already had his first few moves planned out. He knew to win this one he had to keep his distance. Close-combat would be a quick way to lose.


    Nigel shouted out next, ¡°Begin when ready! Fight to incapacitate, not kill!¡± At his words, Arthur made the first move. He shoved his arms out to each side causing roaring orange flames to burst around him, enclosing him a circle of immensely hot hellfire. Tentacles of flame burst out of the walls as if they had minds of their own rushing towards the bodyguard.


    ¡°I said not to kill!¡¯ Nigel shouted out seeing the immense display of power, but it was much too late. The tentacles encircled the bodyguard who was still standing calmly in the spot he started. It wasn¡¯t until a tentacle shot towards his head that he moved. Despite his size, the man moved fluidly and efficiently. Each of his movements seemed so minuscule, but the tentacles continued to miss the target as the man inched his way towards Arthur¡¯s position. Each tentacle that missed lashed out and smashed against the brown and red bricks causing many to crumble and melt under the immense power of the attacks.


    The tour guide wanted to speak up, but he knew he didn¡¯t stand a chance. Not against the monsters in front of him. He was already preparing a speech for how to best describe this situation to his superiors. He leaned over to whisper to the prime minister, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ll be covering the cost of damages?¡± It was framed as a question, but they both knew it wasn¡¯t.


    The prime minister just nodded, not taking his eyes off the fight for a second. He was enraptured by the magic he was seeing. It was unlike any he had seen before.


    Arthur noticed the man was gaining ground and chose to switch tactics. The tentacles disappeared almost instantly causing the bodyguard to hesitate out of confusion. Arthur took the opportunity to cast large fireball in his direction. He realized the bodyguard was too quick for his previous magic, so why not attack with a spell he can¡¯t dodge. The blinding fireball caused many watching to turn away as it slammed into the bodyguard¡¯s position. Flames burst out in all directions flickering across the ground. Hungry for something to consume. The bodyguard burst through the flames with his arms crossed across his chest. He was seemingly unfazed as he started running towards Arthur. The bodyguard withdrew two blue daggers. Weapons Arthur had never seen before. The bodyguard was frighteningly fast as the daggers cut through the wall of flames surrounding Arthur aiming directly at his chest. Although unplanned, Arthur used a new minor teleportation spell to burst into flames appearing a few feet behind the hulking man.


    Arthur hadn¡¯t accounted for the extreme speed the bodyguard was showing. He couldn¡¯t keep up with just his fire. It wasn¡¯t his specialty, and Arthur wasn¡¯t sure how effective it would be, but he cast a time-slowing spell directly onto the hulking man. A look of surprise flashed across both the bodyguard and the prime minister¡¯s faces. ¡°Go.¡± The Prime minister said to the female bodyguard beside him. With carefully practiced grace she performed a series of hand gestures often only needed for very complex magic. Arthur felt his body turn rigid. He wasn¡¯t able to move. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t control his muscles, it was that something else in his body was working against them. It was a painfully grating sensation as his body refused to listen and he fell to the ground at an odd angle. A snap rang out as his elbow broke from the impact. He wanted to scream out, but his body still refused to do as he said.


    The female bodyguard looked down at him apologetically, ¡°Sorry about that. That magic may have been a little much. It should wear off in a minute or two.¡± Arthur could only look at her shoes walk towards Bernard. His eyes refused to move as well.


    Next up was an expensive pair of black, leather shoes. ¡°I had heard stories, but I¡¯m even more surprised seeing it in person. To think there¡¯s a human capable of using time magic. Are you sure you even are a human?¡± The prime minister¡¯s last question was followed by odd chuckling. The man had one of the most ridiculous laughs Arthur had ever heard. If he was capable of doing so, he would¡¯ve laughed as well.


    The prime minister then looked down at the small amount of blood that was coming from Arthur¡¯s elbow with a look of regret. ¡°I didn¡¯t think she would actually use water magic in such a way. I just couldn¡¯t afford to have Bernard hurt any further. You burnt him up pretty bad during that fight. Bernard¡¯s always been a little headstrong. He should have forfeited the second you used that first attack. He didn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Arthur could feel his movement slowly returning and he painfully pushed himself onto his back to relieve the pressure on his elbow with a pained grunt. If he wasn¡¯t so consumed by the pain, Arthur would have been pretty disappointed he didn¡¯t have a chance to use his lightning magic. For some reason, ever since the village incident, he wasn¡¯t able to use lightning at all.


    When Arthur looked over at his elbow, he noticed the bone was actually sticking out through his forearm which is why there was blood in the first place. Not many injuries could bother Arthur anymore, but something about the sight of his own bone made him nauseous. Any energy Arthur had left was now being used to prevent himself from fainting. ¡°Oooo that¡¯s looking worse than I thought. Let¡¯s get you healed up and then we can discuss your first day of work.¡± Arthur let out a pained grunt of agreement. The prime minister helped Arthur to his feet. Soon after the female bodyguard came to help as well. With the tour guides help they partially carried Arthur to the school medical center.

 Chapter 6.5: Alyssa

    Alyssa Corbyn was, on all accounts, a very normal sixteen-year-old girl. She enjoyed being on social media and had a very popular Instagram account. She often found herself spending hours taking the perfect photos and spent weeks learning how to properly edit them. She viewed as any other hobby people spend their lives on. She was careful not to let it consume her. Other than her father being prime minister of Britain there was nothing else extraordinary that stood out about her. Over the last year, she had shown a minor affinity towards wind-based magic and her father became involved immediately, as he usually did. He had a habit of becoming overly excited when it came to her potential future.


    ¡°Alyssa, I¡¯ve found it! The perfect school!¡± Over the last week, her father had been using his extensive network of powerful connections to get her into the best magical university he could. With the minimum age of entrance being sixteen she just barely made the requirements.


    ¡°Dad! I can barely create a small breeze, why would I go to a magical university?¡± At that, her father rushed into their quaint living room with a huge smile. ¡°The connections! Think of the people you could meet and the things you could see. You don¡¯t have to be great at using magic to become a magician.¡± She sighed. It was impossible to argue with her father. They had been going back and forth on the matter nonstop for weeks, but it had been much worse this last week. She figured it might be better to play his game for the time being. ¡°Which University is it?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    With a grand gesture, her father replied, ¡°Falstrom Academy in the United States. I¡¯m sure even you have heard of it.¡± Alyssa shook her head violently. ¡°No, dad! I¡¯ll be eaten alive there! I won¡¯t fit in! Even you should know that.¡± But her father just waved off her objections.


    ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯ll fit right in! Getting in there will guarantee you a great future. I¡¯ll make sure you have the best resources available. At least come take a look at the campus with me. You can bring along a few friends if you wish.¡± Alyssa hesitated, she knew it was a trap but she wasn¡¯t sure how. Knowing it would end poorly, she accepted to go visit the campus. She figured she might at least get a few good pictures out of it.


    After a quick hop through the London teleportation station, she found herself in a brand new environment. The first thing she noticed was that no matter where they seemed to be in the city the smell of piss was always in the air. She kept looking for anyone else that seemed to notice, but each person just walked quickly ahead to deal with some unknown and very pressing issue. No one made eye contact, no one gave small pleasantries to each other in passing, and most people didn¡¯t even seem to notice that she existed. It was bizarre.


    The worst was yet to come at the university though. Her father immediately found some strange college student he knew and the next thing she knew the kid was using frightening magic against her father¡¯s bodyguard. It only devolved from there as her father explained that student would be her bodyguard within the school. She now stood awkwardly in the corner of a bright white room trying not to puke as her new bodyguard¡¯s bone was being pushed back into place. It was all so far out of her control and she now found herself entering Falstrom University under worse conditions than she expected.

 Chapter 7: Introductions

    Arthur had noticed the girl in the corner of the room. As his bone was being reset she was trying her best not to be sick, but she never left or looked away. She was strange even by his standards. Luckily for Arthur, broken bones were easily healed with the right magic and after a few hours, Arthur was almost completely back to normal. With a loud crack, he tested out his elbow only wincing a little at the initial pain otherwise it was back to normal. Magic could do some amazing things medically. Sitting up in the bed he was now able to get a better look at the girl. Long, brown hair that almost reached her waist, equally brown eyes that almost looked black with the lighting of the medical room, and a round, innocent looking face. She was, by all accounts, an average teenage girl.


    Noticing his stare she addressed him, ¡°My father told me to wait here for you. I think he¡¯s meeting with the president or something like that.¡± Her soft voice echoed through the otherwise empty room. Four other beds were lined up against the wall. Each perfectly made as if the beds were simply for show. She took a few steps closer. Arthur had been having too many interactions with new people lately. The stress had been building slowly since the first, but this was reaching his peak. He could feel a panic attack coming on with each step she took. His breath started to become more and more labored until she stopped, noticing his condition.


    She wasn¡¯t really sure what to do. Arthur lay gasping for breath on the bed when just a second earlier he was sitting upright fully healed. She started to panic. ¡°Should I go get the nurse?¡± She asked hurriedly.


    ¡°No.¡± Arthur wheezed out between breaths. Even with all the shit, he¡¯s had to put up with in his life, a panic attack would always be the most unpleasant. That tight squeezing of your chest, nausea, the inescapable feeling of doom. It was irrational and he hated himself for having one, which just made it worse. He curled up into a ball focusing on the one thing that helped, Emily. He would play out scene by scene the first time they met, their first date, and their first kiss. It was another twenty minutes before he came around. Even then, his arms were still shaking uncontrollably. He knew it was an unhealthy crutch using Emily, but it was the only thing he found that worked.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Arthur jumped slightly at the question. He had completely forgotten about the girl who was now sitting beside his bed. ¡°Yeah¡­yeah, I¡¯m fine. Just some mental issues I¡¯ve never properly addressed.¡± He tried to give her a smile, but it came off more like a grimace.


    The girl moved her chair a little closer causing the metal of the chair to screech across the tiled floor. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± It was another situation that caught Arthur off guard. The girl was looking at him with only friendly intentions. It was genuine empathy. Something Arthur never received from relative strangers.


    Arthur ended up just shaking his head at the question, ¡°Thanks for the offer, but there¡¯s nothing logical to it.¡± He then tried to change up the subject, ¡°So, are you Nigel¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Alyssa actually. They mentioned you¡¯re Arthur Montale. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± She put her hand out to shake his, but Arthur¡¯s hands were still shaking at his sides. She quickly lowered hers hoping Arthur didn¡¯t notice and he was polite enough to pretend not to. ¡°So, what level have you reached to be able to cast that kind of magic?¡± Hearing that Arthur¡¯s face grew dark. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve never seen fire magic like that. Were you actually controlling each tentacle separately? How did you do that teleport thing?¡± The questions came gushing out.


    Arthur tried his best to answer each one in order, ¡°For my level, I¡¯m not really sure. It¡¯s just one of the amazing benefits of being a Montale.¡± He tried to sound sarcastic, but his deep voice and lack of inflection made it hard to tell. ¡°As for the fire, yes I can control each one individually. I think it¡¯s a skill specific to me, but I still need to do some further studies regarding it. The teleportation might be something you can learn in your third or fourth year. It depends on what you study and your affinity with magic.¡± He paused, then asked a question of his own. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what magic are you currently capable of?¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    He noticed Alyssa uncomfortably shift in her seat. Then an almost unnoticeable breeze brushed past him slightly ruffling the sheets on his bed. He just stared at her dumbfounded.


    ¡°My dad knows people. With that and a bit of money, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to get me enrolled here.¡± She sounded defeated. Arthur was never great at comforting others. It didn¡¯t stop him from trying. ¡°I can see why you¡¯re dad hired me. Well, if you ever need any help or have any questions I¡¯ll always be around.¡± Her smile was genuine when she replied, ¡°Thanks. It will be nice to have someone to talk to on campus.¡±


    A knock on the door interrupted their chat. Three quick raps and a heavy slam afterward. Arthur knew who it was. ¡°Come in, Emily!¡± Arthur shouted and the door slid open. Emily came hobbling in with the help of an intricately carved cane. It looked like whatever the imp did, even magic couldn¡¯t speed up the recovery.


    Emily looked a little irritated at Arthur lying in the bed. ¡°Why are you getting into fights in the middle of the school?¡± It was then Emily noticed Alyssa sitting by Arthur¡¯s bed. ¡°And who is that?¡±


    Alyssa was the first one to respond, ¡°I was actually just about to leave. I¡¯ll see you around Arthur.¡± With a smile and a wave, she left leaving Emily and Arthur alone.


    Arthur looked over at Emily. She looked as though she hadn¡¯t slept properly in weeks. Heavy bags hung under her bloodshot eyes. Bandages could still be seen wrapped around her torso. She shouldn¡¯t have come to see him.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re up and about. How much longer until you¡¯re fully healed?¡± Emily immediately cut him off there, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. It¡¯s annoying how great you are at that.¡± Arthur knew he wasn¡¯t getting out of it, so he quickly summarized what had just happened. When it got to Alyssa, Emily was much more skeptical than he was. ¡°Why would the prime minister hire a boy he doesn¡¯t know, who is close to Alyssa¡¯s age, to follow her around constantly? Doesn¡¯t that seem a little strange to you?¡±


    Arthur stopped and fully thought about the situation he was now in. It did all seem a little strange. He was never one to really care about political matters though. He found them to be extremely disingenuous. If Nigel was using this situation to get closer to the Montale family he would be sorely disappointed. He ended up just shrugging it off. ¡°I figure if he is using me for some reason than at least we¡¯re both benefitting. If it means I can stay on campus and continue to see both you and Brennan it¡¯s worth it.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m also happy you¡¯ll be staying. I just think you should be careful with what you agree to. Especially when such influential people are involved.¡± Emily¡¯s concern was evident.


    ¡°I know the risks involved. I am also very capable of escaping if need be. Thanks though, Emily. It¡¯s nice knowing you¡¯re here for me.¡± He reached out to touch her hand, but for some reason, she jerked back avoiding him. Arthur looked at her worriedly, but she wouldn¡¯t meet his eyes.


    ¡°Brennan came to talk to me the other day¡­.¡± Her voice was cracking slightly as she spoke. ¡°He¡¯s changed, Arthur. I almost don¡¯t recognize him anymore. He seems to think you¡¯ve changed as well. What exactly happened after Brennan took me away from the imp? Why were you sitting in an empty village when Brennan found you?¡±


    Arthur had been successfully repressing the events of that day until just now. He didn¡¯t want to think about it. What he had done. It was crippling. He chose to lie. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an easy battle. The imp was obviously tougher than we all thought. I managed to defeat him and found that village to rest in. Maybe the imp had something to do with why it was empty.¡± Arthur¡¯s voice was rushed and angry. Anyone could tell he wasn¡¯t telling the truth, Emily included. She could also tell it wasn¡¯t a topic to be taken lightly. ¡°Well, if you ever want to talk about it I¡¯m always around. If you need help please reach out to those around you, Arthur. We do care about you.¡± Arthur nodded, at a loss for words.


    Emily slowly stood up to leave, leaning heavily on the cane. She looked at Arthur carefully one more time before heading out the door. The cane heavily cracking against the floor with every other step she took. Arthur wanted to say something to her as she left, to thank her, but the words just wouldn¡¯t come out. It wasn¡¯t until after she left that he thought of the strange encounter with the red-haired girl in the library. ¡°Fuck! I should have asked her about that.¡± He said to no one in particular.


    In one more vain attempt, he spoke out, ¡°Status¡±. It was the same as the thousands of other times he tried. Nothing appeared, causing Arthur to slump back into the bed, sinking into the pure white sheets.

 Chapter 8: Finding a dream

    Arthur was back in the training room. The small place was familiar to him. A room where he was in control, where the only thing to focus on was the magic he could cast. His own little world to do as he wished. He was currently sitting cross-legged in the center of the room while flames filled every inch of the space. It was a release for him. Too much had been happening recently. Too many ridiculous events happening over and over. As the flames continued to engulf the room Arthur attempted to cast lightning, but as soon as a spark jumped from his hands the mottled face of the imp would appear. He could hear the words the imp shouted at him, ¡°Lightning belongs to the gods, not too lowly humans like you¡±. Each failed attempt left Arthur soaked in sweat, but he tried again and again as more memories from that day continued to come back. The imp¡¯s demonic screams as he turned to sludge. The haunting village. The dozens of lives lost. It was like an invisible weight he could never shake off.


    Eventually, his flames dimmed and disappeared altogether as Arthur was left curled up in the middle of the floor. Tears were streaming down his face as he relived that day once more. He felt so helpless. Magic was meant to be a tool, a controlled means to an end. Arthur had never faced a situation where he lost control. Was the result of that spell actually his intention? Was he actually that destructive? If so, should he even have the power he did? Thoughts kept rushing through his mind for the next few hours as he lay there on the cushioned floor. It was an endless barrage of better ways to handle the situation and better magic to use. It wasn¡¯t until his hunger became unbearable that Arthur finally left the training room.


    No one was waiting for him. He didn¡¯t have any surprise visits from his friends. It was a normal day all things considered. It was a short walk over to the lavish cafeteria. One of the pride and joys of Falstrom University, the cafeteria ran purely on magical energy. Wraithlike creatures actually foresaw your coming and would have the food you desired ready and waiting when you arrived. Other than that ridiculous aspect the cafeteria was very normal. The interior looked like many other high-end cafeterias. High-vaulted ceilings with carefully carved spires made for an old gothic feel while the overly ornate chairs littered across the room added to that ambiance. Students were casually chatting or studying in groups littered across the cafeteria. Waiting for him at the front was a simple Greek gyro. He wasn¡¯t sure why but he had been on a gyro kick for the last week or so. Like most foods, he would get sick of it in another week and find another food to latch onto. Unsure if they even understood him, Arthur thanked the ghostly wraith that handed him his food and he found a comfortable chair in a corner to sit in.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    He watched students come and go. Some happy, some anxious, some melancholic, but all full of potential. Each one likely had hopes and dreams for the future. A job they would like to work, a loved one they would like to marry, or maybe even places they would like to go. Everyone had a dream yet what was his? He sat there and racked his brain for an answer. He was certain he had one when he first entered the school. It was ridiculous like many dreams are. An impossible place to reach that he could strive for. He was unsure of what that was anymore. He had more power than most people could ever hope to gain and yet power alone couldn¡¯t solve many of his problems. It only seemed to cause more.


    Lost in thought, Arthur stared at the opposing wall with a vacant look on his face. He hadn¡¯t noticed Alyssa sit next to him and begin reading a book titled ¡®Beginner¡¯s wind casting¡¯. At some point, he broke away from his thoughts to see the girl deeply invested in the textbook.


    ¡°You know, classes don¡¯t start for another week. You don¡¯t need to spend all your time studying.¡± Arthur said, breaking Alyssa away from whichever spell she was so focused on. He was happy to find something that could keep his mind busy. He wasn¡¯t enjoying being left alone with his thoughts recently.


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t, but I find it all fascinating. Now that I¡¯m here why not try and get stronger?¡± Alyssa turned back to the textbook, but Arthur cut in once more. ¡°Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?¡± Alyssa gave him a strange look, ¡°That¡¯s fucking weird. There¡¯s no need to be so formal about it. You can just ask the question without asking beforehand.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Arthur responded only a little annoyed, ¡°Well, what are your dreams for the future?¡± At that Alyssa paused to think. ¡°That¡¯s a tough question to drop on someone randomly¡­¡± She drummed her textbook with her nails while thinking of an answer. The sound was almost hypnotic. ¡°If I had to pick something off the top of my head it would be to work on my photography full time. I¡¯d be content just being able to do that for a living.¡± Arthur nodded. It was an achievable dream. ¡°You could choose to focus on that while you¡¯re here. If you focused on the right wind-based spells they could be used for photography purposes.¡± That caught Alyssa¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Which spells specifically?!¡± She was now fully focused on Arthur, leaning over the armrest of the chair to awkwardly stare at him. Arthur just shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t specialize in wind magic. I can say that many spells can be used outside of their intended uses. Maybe one of the spells in that book could be helpful.¡± Her eyes lit up at the thought. ¡°Thanks, Arthur. I knew I kept you around for a reason!¡± She was already rushing off to attempt a few spells in the book. He didn¡¯t bother going with her. Technically his job didn¡¯t start until the first day of school and he didn¡¯t feel like chasing after Alyssa until he was being paid for it. Instead, he finished his now cold gyro and headed towards the nearest teleportation station. It was about time he paid a visit to his brother. He had some questions to ask.

 Chapter 9: Brotherly Bonds

    The nearest teleportation terminal was within walking distance of the university. Arthur leisurely made his way across campus and out into the city. Arthur enjoyed the atmosphere a city had. There was always chaotic energy shared between the residents. He walked past a couple of homeless magicians, begging for a few dollars by casting simple water magic into shapes of dancing animals. The ephemeral figures were quickly destroyed by a busy passerby. It was an interesting thing to see, a tiny, water elephant being kicked into a cascade of tiny droplets. The man didn¡¯t even stop after destroying the tiny animals. He was completely absorbed into whatever was on his phone.


    Although magic was extremely commonplace, it did not curb the mental health issues and drug abuse in much of the country. If anything, the likelihood of the two seemed to increase in powerful magicians. This led to a rather complex homeless issue that many people refused to properly address. How could you offer help to someone that had the power to demolish a town?


    It was only two more blocks through the towering skyscrapers before he reached the entrance to the terminal. At first glance, the entrance looked very similar to stairs leading to the expansive subway system. It wasn¡¯t until you reached the doors at the bottom that you noticed the difference. Cities across the United States had put billions of dollars into the teleportation infrastructure, this led to some rather ridiculous uses of the money. The doors in front of Arthur were a deep, polished black. If he hadn¡¯t known better, Arthur would have thought he was walking into a cult hideout rather than an international terminal. A panel was placed next to the door and Arthur channeled a small portion of magical energy into the inconspicuous black box. With a shudder, the twin doors opened up allowing him to walk through into a bustling, modern terminal. I reminded Arthur of a European airport with excellent lighting and modern art placed precariously throughout. The doors and entrances used a very complex form of magic where crossing a certain threshold in front of the doors put each person into their own instance of the doors to the terminal. This meant that no matter how crowded it may seem, you could always enter within the same amount of time.


    Arthur looked over at the line for tickets. Buying those were a different story. It took an hour to purchase tickets to the magical, romantic city of Paris. Arthur had never been fond of the place. After finally holding a ticket in hand, he walked up to the attendant at the Paris terminal gate, an elderly man with graying hair and a gentle smile, and handed him the ticket. ¡°Heading back home for the summer?¡± The old man asked Arthur, assuming he was still a student.


    Arthur nodded, ¡°Something like that.¡± Public teleportation was different from personal. For starters, the magic used was foreign which often left magicians feeling disoriented an hour or two after the fact. The cost-cutting design of the magical platforms also made the trip last a few seconds longer than many would like. Nothing was more horrible than imagining you might be stuck in teleportation limbo for eternity. It was more common than the government wanted to admit.


    The old man waved goodbye at Arthur who had just stepped onto the raised, white platform. ¡°Have a good trip.¡± The old man¡¯s words were drowned out by the rush Arthur felt as his body was sucked into the void. A few seconds later he appeared on a similar platform in a very different terminal. It looked as though the terminal had been built inside an old, historic church basement. The dim lighting and damp atmosphere sent shivers through Arthur as he stepped down from the platform. He quickly cast a translation spell noticing someone waiting at the exit gates. He never bothered learning the language. He was never here long enough to have a need to. The spell not only translated what everyone was saying into English but would translate what he was saying into their native language. It was considered common courtesy for the traveling magician to cast it.


    At the exit, a rather young woman greeted him, ¡°Welcome to Paris, Mr. Montale. Is there anything I can do for you?¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but there¡¯s no need. Is my brother in his usual spot?¡± The woman nodded. It was always unnerved Arthur how his brother¡¯s attendants remained smiling. ¡°Would you like me to escort you to his location?¡± The woman began trying to lead him towards the exit of the terminal, but Arthur stepped the opposite direction.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I can make my own way there. You can head back to the office.¡± The woman looked slightly disappointed, but the smile never faltered. ¡°Very well. I hope you have a pleasant time in Paris.¡± The woman teleported away leaving Arthur alone among the crowds of tourists excited about their first visit to the fabled city. The city was one of the few that refused to implement many modern advances into their ¡°cultural hub¡± as they liked to call it. Paris had always been a city entrenched in history, culture, and tradition. Arthur found it extremely frustrating. Humanity revolved around evolution. Becoming better than the previous generation was one of the few positive aspects of their race and yet this city refused to step into the twentieth century with the rest of them. Of course, a few exceptions were made such as the teleportation terminal, but many other aspects of the city relied on centuries-old methods. On top of that, they implemented a curfew for magical usage. Those caught using magic after nine at night would be heavily fined. They framed it as ¡®remaining in touch with our roots¡¯.


    Arthur didn¡¯t want to walk through the city, instead opting to teleport to his destination. He was lucky it was only a few hundred feet away. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have made it. He still couldn¡¯t cast long-distance teleportation reliably.


    Soundlessly, Arthur appeared in front of a small caf¨¦ facing an empty and impressively small side street. Arthur pushed open the heavy wooden door with a clang as the top of the door caused a bell to ring above it. There was only one man in the caf¨¦ sitting at a table for two in the center of the restaurant. He was tall, good-looking, everything Arthur was not. His clothes although a simple dress shirt and pants looked pristine. The smell of freshly baked bread suddenly slammed into Arthur assaulting his sense of smell in a way he wasn¡¯t comfortable with. Good things should come in small doses.


    The man stood up at the sound of the bell and with a grin looked over at Arthur.


    ¡°Arthur, it¡¯s been years! What have you been getting up to lately?¡± The conversation was forced. Arthur could tell he wasn¡¯t welcome here. The fact that he was initially welcomed by his brother¡¯s attendant was already an indication of that.


    ¡°Hey, Samuel. I had a few questions and wasn¡¯t sure who else to turn to. I promise I won¡¯t be staying long.¡± If Arthur¡¯s response bothered him it didn¡¯t show on Samuel¡¯s face. He responded in the same cheerful way he had before. ¡°I¡¯m always happy to help out my little brother. Come, join me.¡± Samuel motioned to the chair in front of him, which Arthur sat down in as if it was where he always belonged.


    A waitress came out with two large glasses of, what Arthur could only guess was, extremely expensive red wine. Samuel picked up the glass before taking a slow sip of the swirling red liquid. ¡°You know, this city means the world to me, Arthur. This is where I have built my roots. Created my empire. I even have plans to start a family in the next few years.¡± Arthur was about to congratulate him, but Samuel continued with his monologue. ¡°I am very careful about who I let into and out of my city. A single diseased rat can bring down a king in the right conditions. I¡¯m hoping I haven¡¯t made a mistake allowing you to be here.¡± It was an extremely subtle threat, but a threat all the same. Arthur reached out and took a long draught from his own glass. He never could tell the difference between a perfectly crafted Cabernet and boxed wine from the supermarket.


    Samuel scowled slightly at the lack of etiquette but waited for Arthur¡¯s response. ¡°I was honest when I told you my purpose for coming here. I¡¯m not really sure what direction I want to take my life in. I want to hopefully gain some insight from you on the matter.¡±


    Samuel leaned back in his chair, lowering his guard. He grinned at Arthur mockingly, ¡°So you¡¯ve finally come to your brother for advice? I thought you had your whole life figured out when you left the family. Are you telling me that your declaration to denounce the family name and pursue greater magical knowledge was just a rash and idiotic mistake?¡± If it was anyone else, Arthur would have already stood up and left, but Arthur believed his brother could help him. He couldn¡¯t afford to leave so early.


    Arthur returned Samuel¡¯s mocking smile with one of his own, ¡°No, I already accomplished it. I¡¯m just unsure of what to do now that I have. How have you come to terms with living in mediocrity?¡±


    Samuel suddenly threw his full glass of wine, shattering it across the wall behind Arthur. ¡°This is why no one wants to be around you! We get it, you¡¯re powerful. You¡¯re so much more intelligent than the rest of us. Did you really just come here to rub my fucking face in it? Get the hell out!¡± Samuel cracked much quicker than Arthur expected. He had always had a temper, but this was much more sudden than Arthur had anticipated. Something else must be going on, but he wasn¡¯t one to dig into personal matters.


    Arthur stood up. Although he was shorter than Samuel, he seemed to tower over him. ¡°You treated me like absolute shit when we were younger. I was hoping you might have changed just a little bit and would be willing to help me out. I¡¯m not sure why I expected anything different from your usual shitty self.¡± Arthur sat back down having calmed down a little. ¡°I was being polite by coming to you first. I could have just taken what I wanted and left. With how little Paris focuses on magic, I doubt anyone could have stopped me. I¡¯ll give you one more chance before I go off on my own. I¡¯m only here for the cube of the gods. Give me that and I promise I¡¯ll never come back.¡± Samuel could only look over at his brother in shock.


    It was silent for a few seconds before Samuel responded, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get you the damned cube.¡± Arthur smiled sweetly at his brother. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here for your return.¡± He raised his wine glass before taking another long swig as Samuel angrily slammed the door on his way out.

 Chapter 10: Rational Actions

    It had been an hour since Samuel had left for the cube. Arthur had downed three glasses of wine since and was beginning to feel the effects. The kind waitress kept bringing out glass after glass. How could he say no? He had been nervous about this meeting and it had gone so much worse than he could have imagined. He didn¡¯t hate his brother, well not entirely. They had their ups and downs, but Arthur had genuinely wanted to talk. Something about seeing a member of his family after so long brought out the worst in him.


    He stood up and started pacing back and forth across the caf¨¦. His shoes would occasionally scrape against the old, tiled floor causing him to stumble slightly, but his pace didn¡¯t falter. Once a thought was implanted into his mind it would often spiral out of control. It was similar to how small chunk of snow on a mountain could quickly lead to an avalanche and in this way his desire for that cube had gotten out of hand. It all started in the cafeteria earlier in the day. A dream of his own that he could chase after. One that would give his life purpose. He needed something big. Something seemingly out of reach.


    He chose to go after the gods. It was a topic he had looked into before. Artifacts had been found throughout the world. Unexplainable in nature, they always seemed to radiate a power beyond human understanding. With the free time he would have at Falstrom he was going to do research on the topic. He wasn¡¯t expecting his brother to explode as he did, or for his own arrogant actions to destroy their already fragile conversation. He doubted his brother was going to bring the cube. It would be ridiculous if he did. He was simply hoping to try and rectify the situation. As long as he could return to Paris to study the cube later he would be happy. A couple of other artifacts existed that Arthur wanted to take a look at. He could be patient.


    It was another hour before the door chimed once more. It wasn¡¯t his brother that walked in, but a number of his assistants. All in finely pressed suits and all looking extremely tense. The woman that stepped forward looked oddly familiar, ¡°Hello again, Mr. Montale. Your brother has asked us to escort you back to the terminal.¡±


    Arthur was expecting it. He didn¡¯t actually plan on rampaging across Paris to get the cube. That would be insane. He would do as he was asked for now and try to reason with his brother in a week or two when they both had some time to calm down. ¡°No need to be so on edge. I don¡¯t plan on fighting any of you. Lead the way.¡± He gave a small, disarming small as he followed after the group. They walked through the old, mismatched brick roads. A smell of old sewage mixed with an assortment of cooked delicacies stung Arthur¡¯s nose. He would never understand how anyone could get accustomed to this place. Arthur was surprised to see the sun had begun to set. The day was coming to an end and he had accomplished so little.


    The yellow, orange glow helped light up the now busy streets as everyone was leaving their places of work. They passed love-struck couples, loud groups of already drunk businessmen, and the occasional street musician. It was a completely different atmosphere from the city he loved. Much more tight-knit. Way too friendly and open. A couple strangers greeted them with a smile as they passed. Arthur responded in kind. He enjoyed being ignored. Doing his own thing without questioning eyes on him. It was all too much.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Once they reached the terminal the same female assistant as before walked up to him. ¡°We are not offering the cube today, but against my better judgment, your brother has extended another offer. If you want access to the cube then come work for us. Your brother seems to think that you could benefit our company.¡± Arthur shook his head. ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ll eventually be back to look at that cube though. Maybe we can work something out when that time comes.¡± The woman nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll let your brother know. Take care, Mr. Montale.¡± She teleported away with all the other assistants. Arthur sighed in frustration, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. He hopped on the teleporter back to Falstrom.


    The old man was there once more. Just as happy as before, ¡°Welcome back. Did the trip go well?¡± Arthur couldn¡¯t help but return the man¡¯s smile, it was infectious. ¡°It went well all things considered.¡± Arthur stepped outside the gate to head back, ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear. I hope the rest of your day is even better.¡± Arthur paused mid-step to respond, ¡°Thanks! Yours too.¡±


    Arthur didn¡¯t bother walking back, instead opting to teleport onto campus since it was within range. There were only a few students wandering around, probably the few overachievers attempting to get ahead in the upcoming classes. It was then his phone began buzzing. Over and over shaking his pocket and then his hand as he pulled it out. It was ten text messages from Alyssa.


    ¡®Arthur could you come help me with these spells?¡¯


    ¡®Please!!!¡¯


    ¡®I can¡¯t cast a single one¡¯


    ¡®How do you do it??¡¯


    ¡®Are you purposely ignoring me??¡¯


    ¡®Arthur! I¡¯ve been kidnapped! Come help over in the field near the library.¡¯


    ¡®You suck¡¯


    ¡®What if it was an actual emergency?¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re the worst bodyguard. Fuck you.¡¯


    ¡®Pleasseee¡¯


    It was a lot. A little crazy. Yet, Arthur began making his way to the library. He didn¡¯t bother responding, he didn¡¯t enjoy texting. He figured if she was still there he would help, if not it would be a good enough reason to head into the library to begin his research.


    As Arthur approached the field he saw Alyssa surrounded by a few other students. He was about to leave her be, but she caught sight of him. ¡°Arthur, you¡¯re the fucking worst!¡± She yelled it across the field causing Arthur to stop in his tracks. Her group of newfound friends looked over to see who she was yelling at. Arthur reluctantly began heading there way.


    Before Arthur could say anything, Alyssa berated him, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you respond to any of my texts? What are you doing that¡¯s so important?¡± He answered them honestly, ¡°I went to visit family out of the country. I just got back a few minutes ago. Are you really that helpless without me?¡± He took a jab at her, but it didn¡¯t seem to land. ¡°Of course not. I just needed help and I don¡¯t know many others on campus. Oh, these are Caleb and Sarah.¡± Alyssa finally introduced the two others that had been watching their conversation awkwardly.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Sarah. Alyssa has already told us a bit about you.¡± Sarah reached out her hand first. She looked like another incoming first year. She was a little taller and lankier than Alyssa with a short, blonde ponytail pulled back tightly to avoid having hair fall into her eyes. She looked like a very serious person even this young. Arthur shook her hand, ¡°Arthur Montale, Alyssa¡¯s bodyguard. Nice to meet you.¡±


    He then shook Caleb¡¯s hand who then introduced himself, ¡°Caleb Wilson. I¡¯m an incoming first year. I hope you¡¯ll be able to give us some pointers.¡± He was taller than Arthur with sunken cheeks and striking blue eyes. His hair was short and disheveled. At first look, many would expect the guy to be a model rather than a student at Falstrom.


    Arthur simply nodded and gave a short reply, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± He then turned to Alyssa, ¡°Well, It looks like you have things handled here. I¡¯m going to head out.¡± As he turned to leave, she grabbed his arm. ¡°Nonono. You¡¯re going to help us out.¡± She pulled him back into their circle. ¡°We need help with this spell here.¡± She pointed to a simple wind blade spell in the open book on the ground. Against his better judgment Arthur gave in, ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m not the best with wind magic.¡± He picked up the book and resigned himself to a long afternoon with the three of them.

 Chapter 11: First Day

    Arthur wasn¡¯t quite sure what he was looking at. ¡°Hey, Arthur! We have to get to class!¡± Alyssa in a ridiculous green beret and green and white robe ensemble tried to pull Arthur out of his apartment door, but he skillfully dodged.


    ¡°First, what the hell are you wearing?¡± He took another step back, dodging another attempt by Alyssa to latch on. ¡°And second, you still have another hour before your first class. Why would you get there this early?¡± Alyssa stopped and shot Arthur a disgruntled look before collapsing on his bed. ¡°I looked it up online. This is a wind mage outfit, right? I think it¡¯s cute.¡± Arthur couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°That¡¯s just impractical. How do you expect to move around in that during a fight? And announcing you¡¯re a mage and what type is just giving away your element of surprise.¡± Quickly realizing he may have gone too far, Arthur tried to recover the situation. ¡°It does look nice though. I¡¯m sure your Instagram followers loved it.¡±


    She sat up suddenly with a smile, ¡°Damn right! I already have close to three-thousand likes. You really should get an Instagram account. I could give you a shoutout. It would be fun!¡± She had been trying to get him to set up an account for the last week. He refused every time. He couldn¡¯t find the appeal of social media like others could. He didn¡¯t want to put so much of his life out in the public eye. Not that his complaints stopped Alyssa from posting a few pictures of him on her Instagram.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you dozens of times now. I won¡¯t.¡± He then noticed the object she had thrown into the corner of his room after barging in. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Arthur asked. It looked a whole lot like a staff, but he wanted Alyssa¡¯s confirmation. ¡°It¡¯s my new magician¡¯s staff. I thought it looked cool.¡±


    Arthur was more disappointed in himself that he hadn¡¯t mentioned it before. He sat down next to Alyssa sinking into the comforter. ¡°I blame myself for not mentioning it, but most magical items are scams. A lot of shops around the school exist to prey on new students. You probably won¡¯t be able to return it at this point just be very careful from now. Magical tomes and items just aren¡¯t that common.¡± It was Alyssa¡¯s turn to laugh at Arthur now. He always took things so seriously. ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid. I had it for a few photos I was taking. Who would believe the shit those salesmen say out there?¡±


    Arthur grinned sheepishly. He had fallen for it his first time visiting the Academy. He had been taught a lot of things during his childhood, but common sense was not one of them. ¡°Good. You¡¯re not as dumb as I thought.¡± He got a quick punch in the arm from Alyssa for that.


    Taking advantage of the lull in the conversation, Arthur stood up heading to the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯ll get changed real quick and then we can head out.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up!¡± She called out after him. She was already trying to conjure up the wind blade they had been working on over the last week. She had only been successful once, but that was all it took for her to begin proclaiming she would be the best magician in the school. Caleb and Sarah had been joining them every day as well. Not always for wind magic specifically, but Arthur was glad Alyssa was making friends her own age. It wasn¡¯t good for her to be spending so much time around him.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    It only took him a few minutes to change and the two of them were off. The muggy morning air had a way of sapping Arthur¡¯s energy. By the time they reached the classroom, he was ready to fall back asleep. ¡°Are you falling asleep? How can you keep me safe when you can¡¯t even keep yourself awake?¡± Alyssa had noticed his eyes drooping. He whispered back, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any real danger here. This is the safest college campus in the world.¡±


    She just sighed before turning back to face the front, ¡°Just try not to fall asleep.¡± Arthur nodded trying his best not to let his eyes shut. To be honest it wasn¡¯t just the weather making him tired. He had been staying up late ever since getting back from Paris studying the god artifacts. He had been coming up short. There wasn¡¯t a lot of solid information on the found artifacts and their locations.


    Lost in thought, Arthur hadn¡¯t noticed the teacher walk in and welcome the class. ¡°So today is just going to be for introductions and to judge where each of you is with your magical ability.¡± She paused to look out over the class, a look of annoyance flashed across her face when she noticed the half-asleep Arthur in the middle row. ¡°When I call out your name please come to the front of class, give us a small description of your hobbies and magic preference, and then cast your strongest spell if you have one.¡±


    This is how the first class went. There were only twenty kids in the class not including Arthur. Since he was just a bodyguard he wouldn¡¯t be listed as a student. Normally, he would have been almost collapsing from anxiety related stress. Any sort of activity that involved standing in front of a class, even a first-year class, would cause him to freeze up. Luckily, he was no longer a student. He leaned back in his chair slowly blinking off to sleep.


    ¡°Arthur Montale.¡± The teacher¡¯s voice cut through his daydreams. He hadn¡¯t expected this. He tried to respond, he really did. He only managed to get out two words, ¡°No thanks.¡±


    The words seemed to echo through the now silent classroom until one of the students started laughing. Who turned down a teacher on the first day?


    Alyssa had been looking at him strangely since his name was called, and after his response, she stood up in his place. ¡°Hi everyone. I¡¯m Alyssa Corbyn, daughter of Nigel Corbyn, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Arthur is my bodyguard and I¡¯m afraid that if he performed any magic he might destroy the classroom. I know a little bit of wind magic though¡± With that, she tried performing the wind blade. With a loud bang the gust of compressed air shot into the ground creating a large divot. It was by far the strongest spell that had been cast that day. The teacher looked impressed as Alyssa sat down with a grin.


    ¡°Very good, although I don¡¯t think your name is Arthur.¡± Alyssa¡¯s smile faded. The teacher then addressed the whole class, ¡°I expect everyone here to fully pay attention during class. No matter why they happen to be here.¡± She then glared at Arthur before stopping at the center of the classroom. ¡°After Alyssa¡¯s introduction, we should all know each other a little more. Now let¡¯s begin studying the intricacies of wind magic. If you could all turn to page three in the textbook.¡± Arthur leaned over to Alyssa, ¡°Thanks for that.¡± Instead of replying she slid over a note.


    ¡®You owe me one </img>">¡¯


    He stuffed the note in his pocket and laid his head down on the desk. He couldn¡¯t stay awake for much longer. It¡¯s not like the classes would be information he didn¡¯t already know. In this way, Arthur found himself a student once more.

 Chapter 12: Habits

    Habits are never easy to break and very easy to fall into. It can take only eighteen days for a habit to form and from that habit, a routine often follows. A daily pattern that everyone finds themselves caught in at some point in their life. Whether it be a specific morning meal, workout, or even the same pattern of activities from day to day. These routines can be dangerous for some. It is so easy to become entranced in the easy life that is formed rather than break away to work towards something more. This is where Arthur found himself over the last few months.


    Every morning he would be woken up by Alyssa¡¯s banging and loud, excited attitude. After no small amount of complaining, he would then follow her from class to class. It was all theory he learned years ago. After a few weeks in, many of the teachers gave up on forcing him to participate which only made the pressure to change and grow lesser than before. It was the first time Arthur had nothing to do, nothing to focus on. His progress on researching the god artifacts came to a screeching halt as did his motivation for just about anything else. The strange thing was, Arthur was happy or so he thought. It wasn¡¯t a familiar feeling for him. He noticed that just enjoying his life rather than striving for the impossible was a pleasant change. Alyssa had become good friends with a few of her other classmates and would often go out with them leaving Arthur to spend time with the fully recovered Emily or just wander the campus and city aimlessly.


    It didn¡¯t happen suddenly, but Arthur found himself going out to bars and clubs more and more as the weeks went by. Occasionally it would be with Emily, but oftentimes he would go alone. He had become fascinated by expensive whiskeys and bourbons while having the money to back up the hobby. This was yet another night Arthur found himself at McKinneys, a well-regarded Irish pub within the city. The pub was in stumbling distance of his apartment and by this point, everyone there knew him. Old posters for a variety of alcohols plastered the walls, although they were barely visible due to the dim lighting. Arthur sat hunched on a bar stool on the edge of a long, dark wooden bar. His figure obscured by the dark lighting and shadows of other patrons. He was sipping on an amber liquid, chilled by a slightly melted ball of ice.


    A woman, perhaps in her mid to late twenties, sat down next to him. She was in a professional, black top and skirt. She didn¡¯t say anything, just ordered a rum and coke and sipped on it next to him. Arthur usually would strike up a conversation. He was generally a very friendly drinker, but he just didn¡¯t have it in him tonight. He was too lost in thought.


    ¡°Have you ever had a day you wish you could do over?¡± The woman next to him spoke after a few minutes. She didn¡¯t turn to face him, but the question was clearly directed his way. ¡°I think everyone does. We all have our bad days.¡± It wasn¡¯t much of an answer, but he wasn¡¯t in the mood to say much more. He turned his focus back towards the whiskey in front of him that was becoming more and more watered down. The woman took his response as permission to continue speaking and continued with her thought.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered whether any magicians have the ability to travel through time. I bet it¡¯s appeared at least once somewhere. Why wouldn¡¯t they use it for the good of everyone around them? Why not make it known to the world?¡± Her words hung in the air. It was a heavy topic for a bar conversation. Arthur took the bait. ¡°Who¡¯s to say they didn¡¯t? Maybe this is the best outcome they could reach. Even with the power to control time, no one can account for every variable out there. Personally, I wouldn¡¯t wish for that sort of power to even exist. No one person should be able to change the world at their whim. Why should they be able to dictate what the best course of action is? That would be a pretty fucked up world to live in.¡±


    The woman now turned to face him. She was conventionally attractive with her shoulder-length blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and tanned, flawless skin. ¡°You must not be very religious then.¡± It was more of a statement than a question. Arthur shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m not saying gods exist or don¡¯t exist, but I¡¯ll never be the one worshipping them if they do.¡± It was enough of an answer for her. She glanced at him for a second before holding out her hand, ¡°I¡¯m Mary.¡± Arthur shook her hand and responded simply, ¡°Arthur¡±.


    Arthur woke up the next morning to the familiar pounding at his door. He grumbled and tried getting up, but a sharp pain shot through his head. He groaned, but slowly stood up as his sheets fell off him revealing the fact that he had nothing on. He was surprised and looked back towards the bed. Mary¡¯s blond hair was sticking out from under the covers of the bed. ¡°Shit.¡± He mumbled to himself as he attempted to throw on throw on a pair of shorts, but his right leg just didn¡¯t want to cooperate with him.


    The banging came again. ¡°Arthur! We¡¯re going to be late!¡± He finally pulled the shorts up and lightly cracked open his door. ¡°I¡¯m running a little late today. You go ahead, I¡¯ll meet up with you in the classroom.¡± Alyssa wasn¡¯t having and kept trying to push her way into his room. Arthur kept his weight against the door and it wasn¡¯t budging. ¡°What are you hiding from me??¡± She gave up trying to open the door, and instead glared at him through the crack in the door. ¡°A girl I met last night is still here.¡± Alyssa slyly grinned at Arthur. It annoyed Arthur immensely, but he wouldn¡¯t give her the satisfaction of knowing it. ¡°I¡¯ll warn her about you later on if she sticks around.¡± Still giving him that frustrating look, Alyssa made her way to class. ¡°Try not to be too late!¡± Alyssa yelled at him from the end of the hall. He had already closed the door but still heard Alyssa through it. Somehow, Mary hadn¡¯t woken up after all that or was still pretending to be asleep. Arthur was never good at the morning after conversations and he quickly wrote her a note, left his spare key, and got dressed. He was careful to open and close the door silently as he made his way out. It was then Mary got up from the bed. Her movements in gathering her clothes and belongings all seemed unrushed.  After reading Arthur¡¯s note she flipped it over and wrote a short note of her own. It was then that she too left his room closing the door with a soft click.