1Pederasty ¨C a sexual relationship between an adult man and a boy. It was a socially acknowledged practice in Ancient Greece and Rome and elsewhere in the world, such as Pre-Meiji Japan (wikipedia)
2For more details, you can read about perpetual motion in wikipedia.org or watch a documentary in YouTube entitled ¡®The Impossibility of Perpetual Motion Machines¡¯
Chapter 30 – Day 16 Saturday
¡°Ah, my worthy opponent finally arrives!¡± My mysterious senior greeted me as I entered the 5th floor baths. ¡°How come I haven¡¯t seen you all week?¡± he asked with a frown.
¡°I do beg your pardon,¡± I replied with a slight bow. ¡°My friends and I had been very busy. Several students asked us for assistance to challenge their senior mentors and help get them out of unwanted apprenticeships...¡±
¡°Tell me about it.¡±
I sighed as I removed my clothes to join him in the pool.
¡°C¡¯mon, tell me about it!¡± he repeated.
I stared at him, confused.
¡°Well? Tell me what you¡¯ve been doing all week?¡± he went on.
¡°Oh, were you not aware about first Prince Nigellus¡¯ duel for his apprentices last Monday?¡± I asked him.
¡°Hmm,¡± my senior rubbed his chin. ¡°I did hear that he lost a new apprentice and one of his guards,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve always known that he was all bark and no bite.¡±
Sometimes I wonder why my senior seems to be oblivious of the things happening on campus. I was tempted to tell him that it my friends and I were involved in this incident, but decided to keep it to myself.
¡°Well, after Nigellus lost to two neophytes, the rest of the students started to fight for their freedom as well!¡± I told him excitedly. ¡°Some of our classmates who excelled in military arts even helped out, and now, most of our fellow neophytes are free from unwanted apprenticeships. Only a handful willing ones remain. Quite a lot of apprenticed seniors were freed as well.¡±
¡°Hmm, now that¡¯s good to hear!¡± my senior grinned at me. ¡°That¡¯s definitely a huge improvement from what the academy turned into after Nigellus came up with that ¡®mentor-apprentice¡¯ bullshit! I bet Nigellus is moping in his private residence right now!¡±
¡°It sure looks like it,¡± I replied. ¡°As a matter of fact, we haven¡¯t heard from him all week. We¡¯re actually looking forward to next Monday so we can challenge him again.¡±
¡°Good luck to your group, then! And I hope those two released apprentices find better partners to comfort them.¡±
¡°Partners?¡± I asked.
¡°They must have been quite traumatized. Nights would be particularly difficult until the effects wear off.¡±
I thought of Darius and his nightmares. I wonder how senior knew about his trauma. Could it be that he really is or was one of Nigellus¡¯ former apprentices? He is, after all, very beautiful as well.
¡°Anyway, don¡¯t trust that bastard. That Nigellus is like a snake on the grass that hides in plain sight and strikes when you least expect it.¡±
¡°I know what you mean, senior, we¡¯re getting ready for such an attack, but for now, I think he¡¯s still too humiliated to make a move.¡±
The two of us laughed heartily until my senior reached out both hands to pinch my cheeks.
¡°And now your cheekbones are getting rounder!¡± he frowned.
¡°Huh?¡± I felt my face turn hot.
¡°I knew this would happen, that¡¯s why I came prepared!¡±
My senior stood up suddenly and went to one of the stalls where he left his belongings. He took a small lamp and a large drawing pad out of his bag, then placed a stool near one of the torch lights, and beckoned me to seat there.
¡°I¡¯ve been bringing these things every morning for a week, waiting for you to show up!¡± he pouted as I tied a towel around my waist. ¡°You didn¡¯t even visit the library, and with the way things are, you would probably gain more weight by next week, and then I wouldn¡¯t be able to draw you properly anymore!¡±
¡°So, you decided to draw me here right now?¡±
¡°We can play chess some other time.¡±
¡°Well then... what do I need to do?¡±
I was surprised when my senior opened the small lamp. The light from it was so brilliant, I had to raise my arm to cover my eyes.
¡°Perfect!¡± he cried out happily. ¡°See how the light makes your bones stand out more as it passes through soft muscle tissue? I can even see the outline of your interior organs!¡±
¡°You can?¡± I looked at my arms and saw what he meant. My bones did look more visible against the bright light, I can even see my veins and ligaments as well!
¡°Now, stand behind the lamp and stretch your arms out to your sides. That¡¯s it, now stay like that for a while... wow! I can vaguely see your heart pumping and your lungs contracting!¡±
My senior positioned another stool in front of me where he sat with a sketchpad in one hand, and a pencil in the other. He stretched out his left arm, thumb out, and squinted one eye as he stared at me.
¡°Will this take long?¡± I asked as he started sketching.
¡°Of course. I plan to draw every bit and detail, after all...¡± he mumbled in reply.
¡°My arms are starting to hurt,¡± I told him, moments later. ¡°Are you not done yet?¡±
¡°Just a bit more and you can put them down.¡±
A couple of minutes later and my arms are drooping to my sides. I was a bit surprised when a gust of wind suddenly pushed my arms back up and kept them level to my shoulders.
¡°Does that help?¡± he grinned at me.
¡°Yes, thank you...¡± I replied. ¡°Senior, how old were you when you manifested?¡± I asked him to help pass the time.
¡°I was nine...¡± he answered absentmindedly. ¡°You?¡±
¡°I was 10. But I don¡¯t think I actually manifested,¡± I said with a frown. ¡°It was then that I found out that I had two cores.¡±
¡°You already had 2 cores at age 10?¡± my senior looked at me with his brows raised. ¡°What do you mean, you just found out about it?¡±
¡°Well...¡± I hesitated a bit before continuing. ¡°I found this... book, you see...¡±
¡°What book?¡± he asked with interest.
¡°J-just something I found in passing... I read there about a certain... meditation to strengthen your mana, so I tried it out myself and felt something circling in my chest... like two spiders spinning their webs in opposite direction...¡±
¡°So, you just ¡®felt¡¯ it then, huh?¡± he asked thoughtfully.
¡°That¡¯s right, senior, how about you?¡± I asked him.
¡°People manifest in different ways, but most of them awaken their powers violently,¡± he told me. ¡°They say it¡¯s this life or death situation that triggers mana to collect and form a sphere around your heart. I was already born with one, though, and manifested when I got my second core, though this is only possible for people with the right constitution, of course.¡±
¡°I read something like that as well,¡± I nodded in agreement.
¡°In my case, I accidentally turned water into ice when I fell asleep while bathing. I was so alarmed that I cracked the marble bathtub in half,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I had to cover it up by saying that the tub was already cracked in the first place.¡±
¡°It was good that they believed you, then!¡±
¡°Well, the things in our manor are not exactly in the best condition,¡± he said with a snort. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m actually thankful that I was sent to the Royal Mauve Academy. I wouldn¡¯t have been given a proper education, otherwise.¡±
¡°Oh, I feel the same way!¡± I concurred. ¡°I heard that the library here has all the books in the whole empire! I knew then that I just had to study here!¡±
My senior laughed at my tale.
¡°We had the same objective, then!¡± he confessed. ¡°If only I could read those magic books in the forbidden floors...¡±
¡°Would you like to?¡± I asked, excited. ¡°I know of a way to get inside the library at night without anyone noticing us!¡±
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
¡°Seriously?!¡± he looked interested.
¡°Yes, you see, most of the spells I know are mainly for surveillance, defense, and repair. I think perhaps the tome used to belong to an undercover magician or something.¡±
¡°Can I see this tome of yours?¡±
¡°I...¡± I was suddenly taken aback. Should I show my senior my book? ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can take it here with me...¡±
¡°You¡¯re right, it would be a problem if you¡¯re caught with a magic tome...¡± he said without much concern, though I was afraid I might have insult him.
¡°Would you like to come to my room, then?¡± I found myself asking.
¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m stuck here in the 5th floor,¡± he grumbled. ¡°The library is actually the only place I¡¯m allowed to visit for now, I¡¯m not even allowed to interact with other students.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°I¡¯m currently under probation,¡± he replied with a mischievous grin. ¡°I can¡¯t even attended my classes since my punishment isn¡¯t over yet.¡±
¡°So, that¡¯s why you don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening in campus!¡± I blurted out. ¡°I was thinking, perhaps, you were one of Nigellus¡¯ concubines...¡±
This made my senior laugh out loud.
¡°Oh, please, I¡¯d much rather blow my head off!¡± I laughed with him as well. ¡°Now, come a bit closer and hold your arm up to the light,¡± he instructed me. ¡°I want to see the veins and arteries in your hand.¡±
The wind propped my arm up once more as I changed my position, letting me lean comfortably on thin air.
¡°So... you¡¯re an elementalist, right?¡± I asked when he was in the middle of sketching my left hand.
¡°That¡¯s right...¡± he mumbled. ¡°My main element is water, but I can use wind as well. And you?¡±
¡°Well, mostly just spells... I can turn myself inconspicuous, and inaudible, move through shadowy places, and create masks to change my appearance. There¡¯s also an intangible spell that could turn my body to smoke, but it¡¯s a higher 6th circle spell.¡±
¡°Hmm, a mentalist, then. And how many cores do you have right now?¡±
¡°Three.¡±
¡°Ah, I¡¯m one core higher. No wonder you couldn¡¯t control the elements properly.¡±
¡°How did you get your cores, senior?¡±
¡°Through meditation,¡± he answered as he continued sketching, ¡°it helps collect more mana from your surroundings. As you should know, you need to fill your current cores to bursting to be able to create a new one, and it helped that I¡¯m usually stuck in my room being punished,¡± he joked. ¡°So, how did you get your third core?¡±
¡°Well... I was trying out a teleportation spell, when...¡±
¡°A what?!¡± my senior dropped his pencil as he looked up at me. ¡°That¡¯s a forbidden spell for a 7th circle magister!
¡°Yes, well... I actually had a blunder two years ago and ended up at the top floor of our family library¡¯s tower. In mid air, actually...¡±
¡°You fell?!¡±
¡°From the eight floor...¡±
¡°And you survived?!¡±
¡°I knew a little wind spell and was able to cushion my fall a bit... I got a leg broken, though, as well as my left arm... that was before I started using my rewind spell.¡±
¡°A rewind spell?¡±
¡°It turns an object back to the condition it was originally in before a given time frame. I was able to amend the spell for living creatures to undo injuries.¡±
¡°And you created your third core when you fell?¡± he asked in disbelief.
¡°It was like... taking a deep breath before jumping into ice cold water,¡± I tried to explain. ¡°I guess I took a deep breath of mana when I fell, and that forced my third core to materialize.¡±
¡°It¡¯s true what they say, then, that cores manifest in near death situations! The more terrible, the better.¡±
I came to thinking then.
About the high fever and splitting headache I got, days after I was plagued with nightmares after meeting the emperor on my 7th birthday.
Could it be that that was actually a manifestation due to the mental strain?
My mother no longer visited me then, and the servants left to look after me were so worried I might die, that they forced bitter medicine down my throat.
I started losing weight after then, partly because my servant neglected me so much, but I somehow made it through until I discovered the tome hidden beneath our library¡¯s staircase three years later.
Running around the estate undiscovered became much easier thereafter.
¡°You do know that you need an open environment when you gather mana, do you?¡± my senior asked me as I was lost in thought.
¡°An open environment?¡±
¡°Preferably somewhere close to nature, mana comes from living organisms, after all.¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m usually stuck in a room in my tower, but I meditate near my window, so...¡±
¡°No wonder you¡¯re so emancipated!¡± he suddenly blurted out, to my surprise. He stood from his stool and pulled up my arm. ¡°This is mana autophagy
1! Every living organism has innate mana, so without enough mana in the surrounding, your core is forced to gather mana from your own body! You¡¯re basically eating yourself!¡±
¡°That¡¯s a thing?¡± I asked, genuinely surprised.
¡°Anyone who knows anything about magic should¨C¡± my senior trailed off mid sentence and frowned at me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me all you had to guide you was that one tome you found ¡®by passing¡¯?¡± he asked.
¡°Well, you know how magic books are banned across the kingdom...¡±
My senior covered his face with both hands and shook his head slowly.
¡°Ugh... I should have known the minute I saw you...¡± he grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder you¡¯re still alive! I may have been detained in my manor all the time, but my maternal granduncle dotes on me quite a lot. Also, there¡¯s a lush garden right outside my room¡¯s balcony and my estate is located at the edge of a forest, so there was never any lack of mana in the surroundings, but you... locked up in a tower with only a window to look out from...¡± he muttered some more.
¡°Oh, I only got this emancipated after my teleportation accident two years ago,¡± I pointed out.
¡°You probably exhausted all the mana in your body, thus never got to truly recover!¡± he snapped at me. ¡°And even now, you have a rather advanced spell on yourself at all times to hide your mana!¡± he threw his arms up in exasperation. ¡°Just how dense are your mana cores?!¡±
¡°Dense? Is there a difference? And how did you know that I have a spell of concealment to hide my cores?¡±
My senior gaped at me and sighed in resignation.
¡°You obviously entered the academy without triggering the first class charms on the main gates,¡± he said in a matter of fact manner. ¡°I have a concealing spell as well, but I only activate it whenever I cross the academy gates,¡± he continued. ¡°Regarding core densities, it is said that the first core is usually the most dense. A denser core can store more mana, thus, it can give you enough mana to perform spells higher than your level. Consequently, it also means it would take more time for you to fill it and create a new core. Perhaps your third core is denser as well since it came from a terrible near death experience,¡± he said thoughtfully.
¡°Oh... so that¡¯s how it works...¡±
My senior gave another deep sigh.
¡°That¡¯s the problem with self taught magicians,¡± he grumbled, ¡°you hardly know the basics, and it seems that the tome you found was too advanced for you.¡±
Come to think of it, the lowest level spell in my tome was meant for three circle arch mages. I used to feel so drained when I first tried them out with my two cores.
But he didn¡¯t need to know about that.
¡°From now on, I forbid you to try any spells beyond your level!¡± he nagged at me. ¡°Two spells a day should be your limit, particularly for third circle magic. You¡¯ll literally end up as skin and bones if you carry on like this!¡±
I was about to complain and try to bargain with him, when we heard the clock tower begin to chime the 7th hour.
¡°Ah! It¡¯s 7 am already?!¡± he cried out in disappointment. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished sketching your hand yet!¡± He hurriedly picked his pencil and pad from the floor.
¡°We can continue tomorrow.¡±
¡°I need to go somewhere today, be back Monday...¡± he mumbled as he sketched on the pad. ¡°Just a little bit more...¡±
I had no choice but to wait for him to finish.
¡°So, when do you plan to sneak into the library?¡± he asked later.
¡°I thought you said you were detained here on the 5th floor?¡±
¡°During the day,¡± he corrected me. ¡°I may be able to sneak out at night. Meet you here by the baths? I would need your inconspicuous spell to make it down the 5th floor.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go on Monday, then!¡± I replied with a big smile on my face.
¡°Monday at midnight, to make sure the dorm head is done with his rounds.¡±
¡°Deal!¡± I reached my right hand to him.
¡°Done!¡± he replied as he closed his sketchbook before shaking my hand.
¡°And now it¡¯s time for us to leave.¡±
I was surprised when a voice suddenly spoke up!
We both turned towards the entrance and saw Senior Rian standing there with an amused smile on his face!
¡°Rian!¡± my senior called out to him. ¡°It¡¯s time already?! We¡¯re still talking!¡±
¡°It¡¯s already ten minutes past seven, the other vassals will come to take their baths shortly,¡± Rian replied. ¡°It would be wiser to go back to your room soon,¡± he added, looking at me.
¡°Y-yes, of course!¡±
I quickly gathered my things and dressed myself up.
¡°So, have you discovered his name yet?¡± I heard Rian ask my senior as I fixed my belongings.
¡°Not yet,¡± came his reply. ¡°I am yet to defeat him in a game of chess, and I was busy sketching him all morning.¡±
Rian laughed. It sounded so genuine that I was tempted to look back and saw them both staring at me.
¡°My friend here really likes you a lot, young neophyte,¡± he called out to me while clapping my senior on the back, ¡°please make him taste defeat a little bit longer. Serves him right for rubbing it in our face whenever he beats us at anything!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, senior Rian,¡± I replied with a smile, noticing Rian¡¯s brows raise slightly.
¡°I¡¯ll see you next week,¡± said my senior with a wide grin on his face.
¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you then, Seniors,¡± I replied with a nod before leaving.
1Autophagy - A process by which a cell breaks down and destroys old, damaged, or abnormal proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm. The breakdown products are then recycled for important cell functions, especially during periods of stress or starvation. From National Cancer Institute.
Chapter 31 – Day 18 Monday, third week
¡°ou seem to be in a good mood?¡± Arman asked me as we made our way to the dining hall for lunch.
There were only
Does it show?¡± I asked,
¡°
Well,
¡°
I think so, too,¡±
Oh, pssh!¡± Arman snorted. ¡°No one in our family had ever shown any talent in ¡®common¡¯
¡°is. ¡°But isn¡¯t your family famous all throughout the empire for your talent in alchemy and your apothecary shops?¡±
¡°that¡¯s because Gramps is still as strong as an ox,¡± he explained. ¡°He¡¯s the only one in our family who¡¯s actually an alchemist, but even so, he hasn¡¯t got a drop of mana in his veins,¡± he went on. ¡°He practically does everything in the shop. Pop¡¯s got no talent for alchemy, after all. He¡¯s a second son like Gramps, but all he¡¯s good at is marketing our products.¡±
¡°
¡°Pops¡¯ idea, while Gramps sponsored young talented alchemists to train in the main store.¡±
¡°you know what? He only teaches me all his secret techniques!¡± he said proudly. ¡°He knows how talented I am, and I plan to prove him right when I return in six years to claim my birthright!¡±
I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be very proud
¡°stop giving me false hope!¡± he giggled in delight.
¡°
Well, if it¡¯s just medita
Arman
Ugh... don¡¯t look now,¡±
Huh?¡±
I couldn¡¯t help but to look at th
Well, p
You think they¡¯re mentor and apprentice?¡±
¡°body against their will.¡±
Hey, look under the table!¡± Arman said with a chuckle,
I slowly looked back at the couple¡¯s direction
They sure look...
Oh, Patrick, do you even know what they¡¯re doing?¡± he asked me.
O-of course ¡®that¡¯
Ah, and here I thought you were as innocent as
So, what do you think?¡±
¡°
¡°
I-I... I think that any relationship with
So do I!¡±
¡°I would much rather have a sensible man as a partner. Not that I have met a lot of women, mind you...¡±
Tell me about it!¡± Arman
¡°After all, the best they can manifest are mediocre healing skills, and serve as priestesses in the Holy Temple. The rest are only good for child bearing and are only taught how to serve their husbands in the dinner table and in bed.¡±
And how to look pretty!¡± Arman
I would like to meet Elliot¡¯s sisters, though,¡± I added
Hmm, there is that...¡±
You can go on first, while I reserve the table,¡±
I stole another glance at the couple
They were still busy kissing, oblivious of the stares of other students.
M
¡°
¡°
You sure about that?¡± he looked
¡°
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
¡°
¡°
¡°¡®that¡¯ aspect!¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
But h
¡°
¡°
Good idea,¡±
¡°Royal Highness, the empire¡¯s first Crown Prince Nigellus Vladimir Indicum V, is sick in bed,¡± said his vassal, 6th year Senior Norbert.
H
Sick in bed?¡± asked Prof.
¡°
I expected nothing less from a coward!¡± bellowed Senior
¡°
¡°ay from the muttering crowd.
S
His highness will be accepting your challenges soon,¡± he answered coldly. ¡°He simply wants to be in his best condition to do so.¡±
I wonder when that would be?¡±
There¡¯s no helping it, then,¡± said Prof.
The crowd of students with us cheered upon hearing this, while Senior Norbert stayed standing still in front of the portcullis, his
Everyone, go
¡°s back,¡± he said. ¡°My family¡¯s sword and my overcoat is still inside this building.¡±
No
¡°asked something of you.¡±
¡°Senior Andr¨¦ bellowed.
N
And my overcoat?¡± Darius asked.
¡°¡®took¡¯ you,¡± he replied with a mocking look on his face. ¡°We have already gotten rid of the rags.¡±
Well then
We left the place shortly after, with Cat and Lycan staring
I counted
¡°
¡°
¡°breach the prince¡¯s castle,¡± Cat replied with a grin.
¡°knights armed with crossbows?¡± Arman said with a frown. ¡°Even the professors couldn¡¯t do anything but wait for that bastard to come out of hiding.¡±
¡°barge in and force him out to stop all this nonsense?¡± I wondered out loud.
¡°this private residence is like a consulate,¡± explained Darius. ¡°It¡¯s the direct property of the royal family even though it¡¯s located within the academy, thus, it has its own rules and regulations inside which is controlled by the crown prince.¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Exactly!¡± Arman harrumphed. ¡°
¡°Andr¨¦ really should have been born first!¡± Cat sighed.
¡°still be difficult even if he was,¡± said Darius. ¡°Senior Andr¨¦ was born to one of his majesty''s slaves, after all, while Nigellus was born to one of his favorite consorts. He was only given the title of crown prince due to his talent in swordsmanship, and because his majesty only has three male children to continue his line.¡±
¡° almost all his majesty¡¯s children are female,¡± said Elliot, ¡°Even the Empress was only able to give him four daughters.¡±
Actually, he had other male
¡°n evil bastard,¡± said Arman with a laugh. ¡°Imagine, siring hundreds of children, and only having three heirs to choose from.¡±
¡°
¡°ly covered Cat¡¯s mouth. ¡°Y-you should never, never, speak ill of royalty!¡±
Well,
¡°
¡°in the throne,¡± said Darius.
¡°Isn¡¯t he still in solitary confinement?¡± asked Elliot.
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Darius replied. ¡°He¡¯s currently in the Holy Temple to ¡®strengthen his spirituality¡¯,¡± he added sarcastically.
¡°Well, he still sounds so much better than that bastard Nigellus!¡± said Arman.
¡°Andr¨¦,¡± said Cat and a nodding Lycan.
¡°
Chapter 32
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully.
We had an early supper in the dining hall, then visited the library where I lent my notes from Prof. Novil¡¯s lecture to my friends. I also made sure that the window I placed a spell upon was still safe. We would have to enter through that window later, after all. We went back to the dorms after studying at a quarter to seven, and went to the 5th floor baths at eight o¡¯ clock.
¡°Look!¡± Elliot moaned as we were getting ready for a dip. ¡°Look at how loose my clothes are getting! I¡¯m telling you, Senior Andr¨¦¡¯s drills are killing me!¡±
¡°Y-you should try lifting weights,¡± Lycan suggested, ¡°It turns fat to muscle, you¡¯ll get big again.¡±
¡°But I like being fat!¡± he sulked.
¡°Well, at least, it¡¯s not just your fat that¡¯s disappearing, your blemishes are mostly gone now, and your skin is getting noticeably brighter, too!¡± Arman pointed out.
¡°Pat¡¯s also getting fatter!¡± said Cat while pointing at me. ¡°I don¡¯t see your ribs as well as I did the first time we took a bath.¡±
¡°His hair is getting longer and shinier as well!¡± Arman said proudly as he handed me a new bottle of maple smelling oils for my hair. ¡°Now, Lycan, don¡¯t forget to use this lotion on your skin to get rid of the scaling.¡±
¡°T-thank you,¡± replied Lycan who handed it to Cat.
¡°I¡¯ve got this!¡± Cat cheerfully applied the lotion on the burn marks on his skin and scalp while standing over him. Lycan beamed and held on to Cat¡¯s small body as he did, a sweet smile playing on his scarred lips.
¡°Ah, it¡¯s nice to soak in warm water after a tiring day...¡± sighed Darius as he entered the pool and sat beside me, holding his towel tight around his body.
He haven¡¯t taken a bath naked ever since he came to the dorms, but I once saw several scars on his back while he was dressing, including a mark near his right hip in the shape of a signet ring ¨C the same mark that was etched on the left side of Lycan¡¯s scalp, just above his mutilated ear.
¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± I asked as he sighed.
¡°Much better,¡± he smiled, leaning his head back with his eyes closed. ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling pressured all day, thinking about our second challenge. At least now, we have another week to rest our nerves.¡±
¡°Me, I can¡¯t wait `till we meet our masters next week!¡± Arman said excitedly as he sat on my other side. ¡°By the way, my friend back home just sent me a new batch of concealing cream, we can make more of your ¡®magic mask¡¯ cream and give it to Prof. Novil to get rid of his suspicions. Maybe we can even sell them to his friend for some pocket money!¡±
¡°What would we need money for?¡± asked Cat. ¡°Everything in campus is free!¡±
¡°Well, you never know when you might need cash, particularly during emergencies,¡± replied the merchant in, Elliot.
¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± I replied, ¡°but I would only be able to make one daily, since my senior told me not to use magic too often.¡±
¡°Oh, right, he told you to be careful, right?¡± Arman said absentmindedly.
¡°Yes, apparently, using too much can be harmful to my health...¡±
¡°It is?¡± Arman, Darius, and Elliot cried out in unison.
¡°How?¡± asked Cat who was suddenly in front of me, his big eyes full of concern.
¡°It seems that using too much magic can drain the mana in the vicinity and force my core to use my body¡¯s innate mana instead.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t get it, but that¡¯s bad, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Cat.
¡°I think I heard something like that before,¡± said Darius. ¡°Mana needs to be processed in your core to be used in magic, so if the mana in your surrounding isn¡¯t enough, your core will take mana from your body itself in order to process it.¡±
¡°I feel you,¡± said Elliot, patting my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s like, when my body feeds on my fats whenever Senior Andr¨¦ overworks us.¡± He sobbed as he stood in front of me, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice that his mid section had indeed become slimmer. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be apprenticed to a masted chef and leave Senior Andr¨¦¡¯s hellish training!¡± he muttered.
¡°Then... that time when you stayed all night just to perfect the magic mask...¡± Arman trailed off, his face going pale.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m quite used to it,¡± I assured him.
¡°But still...¡±
¡°It was inevitable back then,¡± I interrupted him, ¡°and I¡¯ve hardly used any magic for a while now, aside from the small inconspicuous spell I used last Saturday to meet with my senior.¡±
¡°You still don¡¯t know who he is?¡± asked Darius in a flat tone.
¡°No, he still haven¡¯t bested me in a game of chess. We promised to introduce ourselves properly when he beats me. All I know about him is that he¡¯s a second year who can also wield magic, that he¡¯s under probation for a month, and that he¡¯s acquainted with Senior Rian.¡±
¡°Oh, Senior Rian? He¡¯s that senior who gave us access to these baths, right?¡± asked Arman. ¡°I guess he can¡¯t be that bad, if they do know each other.¡±
¡°You still shouldn¡¯t trust him blindly,¡± Darius said with a frown. ¡°You never know what someone¡¯s really thinking until they spring a trap on you.¡±
I gently touched his hand and smiled at him.
¡°I¡¯d like to believe that I can trust him, though,¡± said I, ¡°he¡¯s just this eccentric guy who¡¯s obsessed with chess and likes to draw human anatomy. Particularly from a walking skeleton,¡± I added with a laugh.
¡°Still, it would be better if he finished drawing you and finally leaves you alone,¡± Darius squeezed my hand.
¡°He¡¯s still a great chess companion, though,¡± I replied, earning a scowl from him.
Something tells me he won¡¯t be happy if he finds out that I plan to meet with my senior later that night.
¡°Lycan is good at chess too!¡± Cat thankfully piped in. ¡°I¡¯ve never won a game with him before!¡±
¡°Speaking of chess,¡± said Arman, I never got the hang of it. I could never remember how the pieces are supposed to move.¡±
¡°I could teach you if you like,¡± I volunteered, glad for the change of topic. ¡°I saw some chess boards in the common room back in the dorms.¡±
¡°Then, let¡¯s borrow one and play it back in our rooms!¡± suggested Elliot.
¡°Good idea,¡± I looked at Arman, ¡°but first, let teach you a simple meditation to improve your mana sense.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s right...¡± Arman got out of the water. ¡°What do I need to do?¡±
¡°Meditation?¡± asked Cat.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
¡°It¡¯s a practice of clearing your mind to improve your mental and physical prowess,¡± Lycan said beside him. ¡°It¡¯s like the breathing exercises father makes us take before and after training.¡±
¡°Senior Lycan, you¡¯re pretty knowledgeable, aren¡¯t ya?¡± Darius asked him.
¡°I-I do some meditation myself, every night before sleeping,¡± he said shyly.
¡°I wanna meditate too!¡± Cat cried out, his arms high in the air.
¡°Sounds interesting, let us join too!¡± said Elliot.
Soon, all five of my friends are lined up in front of me, sitting on the edge of the pool. I touch their backs, two at a time, to let them feel the flow of mana in their body.
¡°Ha-ha! That tickles!¡± Cat squirmed as soon as I touched his small body.
¡°Woah, that¡¯s hot!¡± cried Arman. I touched him last on purpose so that I may focus on him more.
As expected, he was the only one who felt the flow of my mana immediately. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he manifests soon.
I only hope that he doesn¡¯t get caught using magic and get dragged to the ivory temple before his 4th year.
¡°Can you feel it traveling through your veins?¡± I asked Arman when I stopped the flow of my mana.
¡°Yeah... it¡¯s like when I drink my tea too fast and the heat passes down my throat... this heat... it¡¯s traveling throughout my body... right down to my toes...¡±
¡°Breath slowly in and imagine more heat from around you, entering your body...¡±
I watch as Arman breathed in. I could feel the mana in the air, get attracted to his body, like water seeping into an empty vessel.
I guess I would need to place a spell of concealment on him as well, even before he manifests a mana core.
Before someone else finds him.
Before it¡¯s too late.
That night, Cat fell asleep with his head on the chess board.
Darius and I took turns teaching Arman how to play. He was even able to beat Lycan once before Prof. Whitman sent the both of them back to their respective rooms.
¡°Off to bed with you now,¡± grunted Elliot as he picked a sleeping Cat up and placed him on his bed. ¡°Our little¡¯s Cat¡¯s getting bigger and heavier each day.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, he might even get as big as Lycan some day!¡±
My two friends stared at me.
¡°I don¡¯t think he could actually grow that big,¡± Darius chuckled as he continued cleaning the head of the dire wolf carved on the hilt of his family¡¯s sword.
¡°It¡¯d be a shame if Cat grew too big for me to carry,¡± sighed Elliot.
¡°That¡¯s right, he¡¯s cuter this way,¡± I said with a laugh, ¡°wouldn¡¯t it be nice if he can stay this cute forever?¡±
¡°Well, we can¡¯t really tell what the future brings. I only hope I don¡¯t get any thinner with all of Senior Andre¡¯s training,¡± Elliot grumbled.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll probably gain everything back after you get apprenticed to a master chef,¡± Darius told Elliot with a grin. ¡°You,¡± he pointed at me, ¡°need to gain some more weight, too!¡±
¡°Ahh, I can¡¯t wait `till next week!¡± said Elliot, rubbing his hands together. He looked at us with a grin. ¡°I better go sleep so tomorrow comes sooner.¡±
With that, Elliot lay on his bed and was soon snoring loudly.
¡°Are you still working on something?¡± asked Darius as he put his sword aside.
¡°I plan to finish this book I borrowed from the library.¡± I raised the book I was currently reading as I sat on my bed.
¡°Can I...¡±
Darius¡¯ words trailed off.
I looked up and saw him pouting at me, his face going red, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel my face burn as well.
I moved to my right, not saying a word, and held my left hand out to him. He took it in his and climbed next to me, holding on to my chest and leaning his head on my shoulder.
We have been sleeping like this ever since that Friday night, when I first held him.
¡°Are you almost through?¡±
His hand trail down my chest, making my body quiver. I held it and gently kissed his fingers.
¡°Are you sleepy?¡± I asked back, placing the book I was reading on my study table.
¡°You know I can¡¯t sleep without you.¡±
He reached up to caress my face. I bowed down to meet his lips in a gentle kiss.
We have shared several kisses since last week, but we never got any further than this.
¡°Ughn...¡± Darius gasped as my hand slipped around his waist.
He pushed away from me and pulled my hand from under his shirt. That was as far as we can go.
He still can¡¯t take anything further, it seems.
¡°Should we call it a night?¡± I smiled gently.
¡°Just... a little bit more...¡±
Darius kissed me once again.
This time, he didn¡¯t simply press his mouth against mine. He opened his mouth and bit me with his lips.
¡°Can you hold me tighter?¡± he asked me, his eyes filling with tears.
¡°A-are you okay?¡± I embraced him, pulling him closer, feeling his raising heartbeat against mine. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself.¡±
I felt his body shiver, heard him sob a couple of times, yet he kept his arms around me and wouldn¡¯t let go.
¡°I¡¯m not...¡± he whispered in my ear. ¡°Y-you can touch me again...¡±
¡°Are you sure?¡±
He nodded.
I started rubbing his back.
¡°Where do you want me to touch you?¡±
Darius simply shook his head.
I trailed my hands lower and touched his waist once more.
I heard him whimper, particularly when I touched the place where I saw the mark on his back. I could feel the deep scars with my finger tips.
¡°Can I kiss you some more?¡±
He nodded in reply.
I nuzzled his hair and kissed him gently on the neck.
¡°Ahh!¡± he gasped, and we both stiffened when we heard Elliot mutter in his sleep.
We stayed still until his snoring started once again.
I gave a deep breath and placed an inaudible spell around my bed to play it safe.
¡°That was close,¡± I said, laughing softly. ¡°I guess we should go to sleep as we¨C¡±
I was silenced when Darius kissed me yet again.
I was surprised as his tongue slipped inside my mouth and his lips covered mine in a passionate kiss that left me literally breathless.
I slipped my hands beneath his shirt once more, feeling his warm body all over, wanting to envelope him in my arms even more.
He moaned as I touched his chest. I couldn¡¯t help but pull his shirt up and stare at his toned body.
¡°You¡¯re so beautiful...¡±
I take note of every hill and crevice made by the muscles on his chest and abdomen. I trailed them with my finger, disregarding the marks left from past events we would rather forget, particularly the deep round scar around his nipple.
I pulled him closer to taste him there.
¡°Ah!¡± he gasped.
I licked around his nipple and enclosed it with my mouth, tasting his salty skin. Suckling him.
¡°Don¡¯t!¡± he gasped louder, pulling at my hair.
I looked up and saw the frightened look in his eyes.
I had to pull away.
¡°Sorry... are you okay?¡±
¡°I... I¡¯m fine...¡± He leaned his head on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... it¡¯s still too much...¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I rubbed his back and pulled the covers over the both of us. ¡°We don¡¯t need to rush it.¡±
¡°I really want you to hold me...¡± he whispered as we cuddled underneath the covers. ¡°I want to do... so much more...¡± he started to sob again.
¡°Shh... we¡¯ll get there soon enough...¡±
I rocked Darius to sleep that night.
His tears didn¡¯t seem to want to stop falling, so I chanted a sleeping spell to help him rest as well.
It was past midnight when I slipped away from my bed, leaving him there with a pillow in his arms before I headed to the 5th floor to meet my senior.
Chapter 33
¡°
inconspicuous
My senior was hiding in the darkest corner of the baths, waiting for me
¡°inconspicuous spell you told me about?¡± he rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he walked around me. ¡°That¡¯s a very useful spell, I should have asked you to teach me that one so we can just meet in the ground floor instead. I¡¯ve been here waiting for 12 minutes, you know?¡±
¡°do beg your pardon, senior,¡± I said with a slight bow, ¡°my friend had some trouble sleeping, I gave him a sleeping spell and made sure he was fast asleep before I left.¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°later you¡¯ll be using an inconspicuous spell on the both of us!¡± he nagged at me. ¡°I bet you plan to use other spells when we reach the library as well.¡±
I wasn¡¯t able to
¡°
¡°
¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to trigger the alarm of the magical artifact by the 5th floor staircase.¡±
T-there¡¯s
¡°it only works on me,¡± he replied, ¡°It makes sure that I stay in the dorms all night. Besides, Rian said he already told Prof. Whitman about you. You¡¯re just using the baths, after all, the professor¡¯s probably turning a blind eye about you coming up here.¡±
I gave a sigh of relief. I guess
Now, l¡®inconspicuous¡¯
I had to chant the
Remember not to utter a single
Thankfully, w
We hardly met any people outside, aside from a couple of s
¡°breaking my inconspicuous spell when I did.
¡°
Keep your voice down,¡± I hushed him. ¡°Follow me inside before a guard catches us.¡±
¡°Grand Magister up stairs?¡±
Senior
I hoisted myself up on to the window sill and turned back to help my senior. He reached his arms up
Your spells are really amazingly useful,¡± he said as he watched my every action. ¡°
My bones are quite sturdy, senior,¡± I said with a smile.
Truth be told, I thought you were older than me
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡®some¡¯ books was actually a pile that reached up to his chin.
¡°
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
See?¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°dimensional pouch!¡± I gasped. ¡°B-but... that¡¯s stealing!¡±
Nope. We¡¯re just secretly ¡®borrowing¡¯
¡°
¡°it this way, these books belong to the empire, and the empire takes taxes from its people, and as people of the empire who pay taxes, it means that these books rightly belong to us as well. Besides, we plan to return it, anyway.¡±
But... but... even if you place it in a dimensional
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
The whole area was suddenly flooded with blinding lights and a blaring alarm that w
I quickly chanted my
We
¡°
Now, h
¡°
¡°
I did as I was told and jumped right in
I
¡°
¡°
I-I¡¯m sorry, professor,¡± I said, bowing my head, ¡°I-
¡°brilliant chess player, you know?¡± my senior praised me. ¡°I haven¡¯t won a game against him, yet.¡±
And you¡¯ve been in here all this time?¡± the professor asked suspiciously.
Well,¡± my senior looked around the bath, ¡°obviously.
I
¡°outside anyway?¡± he asked the professor. ¡°What was all that noise about?¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°is the time I take my baths, after all,¡± my senior replied nonchalantly. ¡°Why not check Nigellus¡¯ residence? Or are they immune from suspicion since he¡¯s the first crown prince?¡±
¡°
¡°sped at his rude remark. ¡°P-please don¡¯t mind him, professor, I-I¡¯m just ashamed that you found me here like this, next time, I¡¯ll ask your permission properly to visit my senior here in the baths.¡±
¡°Ethan,¡± he called to my senior with a frown. ¡°Just stay low until your probation is over.¡±
¡°
S
Well
¡° should really head back now,¡± I told him as I stepped out of the pool, wondering where I heard that name before.
Then, let¡¯s leave together
¡°Patrick!¡± my senior waved at me with a big grin.
¡°glared back at him. ¡°Stay low.¡±
Chapter 34 – Day 19 Tuesday, 3rd week
I really am sorry about this, Prof. Whitman,¡±
¡°If it means that Ethan can stay out of trouble.¡±
I felt an uncomfortable
I-if it isn¡¯t already too much,¡± I
Yes, Rian have already informed me about that. As long as you don¡¯t bother your seniors, then you are free to use the baths after them.¡±
Thank you very much, Prof. Whitman!¡± I told him after giving a big sigh of relief.
I looked around the empty halls as we passed the 4th floor.
¡°It is stated in the Royal Mauve Academy handbook handbook, under ¡®Emergency Measures¡¯. It is safer here in the dormitory than outside, after all.¡±
¡°Thank you for accompanying me back.¡±
I was bombarded with questions as soon as I entered our room.
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°as well as our group using the baths every evening,¡± I added quickly before my friends could react.
He knew about us sneaking up stairs?¡± Elliot asked, wide-eyed.
¡°seems that Senior Rian had already informed him about our nightly use of the baths after all the seniors have taken their turn.¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
I¡¯m not actually the only one, you know,¡± I objected.
¡°above his chest.
How did you...¡±
¡°
How did you not get caught?¡± Cat asked with interest.
¡°then we used an inconspicuous and an inaudible spell to hide our presence from the guards before breaking in,¡± I told him with a smile.
¡°s so exciting!¡± Cat¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°You should have taken me with you!¡±
Don¡¯t encourage him, Cat,¡± Darius frowned at us. ¡°Patrick, that was very dangerous! What would you have done if you were caught red handed, breaking and entering
¡°.
Darius has a point, Patrick,¡± said Elliot, ¡°is it really worth
¡°Cat wondered, scratching his head, ¡°you already go to the library almost every day, why would you still need to sneak in and take some books?¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
W
¡°
You really did all t
¡°
¡°
Wow, that senior of yours really is something,¡±
Exactly! T
That senior of yours is sure to get you in trouble next time!¡± Darius nagged
¡°
But would it be safe to keep those books
Arman¡¯s right,¡±
I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± I assured my friends
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°¡®
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°¡± It¡¯s a good thing, though, that he has never shown any ambition for the throne, thus the other two princes don¡¯t bother him much. All he does is spend his days in the royal library whenever he¡¯s in the capital.¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°¡®perpetual spell¡¯ to gather more. Where would you even store it if all your mana cores are already full?¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Chapter 35 – Day 20 Wednesday, 3rd week
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°anybody,¡± I continued, ¡°I can rewind something that gets broken, but only from a certain time. I can revert an object to it¡¯s former state, but not if it¡¯s missing a part. I don¡¯t have enough mana to do so. I don¡¯t even have the capacity to fight back in case my friends and I are really in trouble...¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°¡®perpetual mana siphoning spell¡¯?¡±
¡°¡®rewind¡¯ my cores back to its fullest capacity every time it runs out of mana...¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°
¡°S
I
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°the right to kill a direct descendant of the royal family, no matter what they do!¡±
¡°
¡°personally killed another royal.¡±
Senior Ethan
Unless, of course,¡±
Is...
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡®Basic Elemental Spells¡¯ book I got from the library.
¡° ¡®praeuro¡¯, meaning, to reduce something to ashes.¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Chapter 36 (PG)
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Kiss me too...¡±
H
¡°
¡°
H
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± he argued. ¡°I don¡¯t care who he is, I just don¡¯t like you meeting him!¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡®
I
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
The surprised look on Darius¡¯ teary face turned
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Chapter 37 – Day 21 Thursday, third week
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Stolen story; please report.
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Chapter 38
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°can do, is come up with ways to use mana even without a core, by storing it in sigils to create magical formulas and equations, and to use these formulas and equations to imbue ordinary objects with magic.¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°revenue and taxation,
¡°Grand Master Albert nodded, ¡°since fewer and fewer people manifest magic in our era, being an alchemist is now a sought after profession with one of the most highest paying salary throughout the empire! I believe two of our students here come from a family of apothecaries?¡±
That is correct
O-our family merely trades medicine, professor,¡± Norman said shyly.
Ah, the
Grand Master Albert
¡°classmate here, was able to transform a magic spell of illusion into physical form, with the use of an ingenious formula that he invented on his own!¡±
T¡®mask¡¯
¡°
¡°
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Arman looked troubled. I, on the other hand, felt flattered by his words. Truth be told, though, the only reason why the
¡°ation as an apprentice, Arman, I¡¯m sure there are a lot of things we can learn from each other!¡± Grand Master Albert proclaimed. ¡°You are surely meant to be an esteemed alchemist who would bring this empire to new heights!¡±
¡°Grand Master Albert, I¡¯m looking forward to it...¡±
Grand Master Albert
Ugh... my fashion design apprenticeship...¡± Arman
¡°we finished our lunch.
¡°Grand Master Albert seems to be quite understanding, besides, it is actually I whom he wanted to meet and take in as an apprentice.¡±
¡°you can¡¯t get too much attention,¡± mumbled Arman, ¡°I couldn¡¯t just put you under the spotlight like that.¡±
At least, t
I was about to
¡°had said, placing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Grand Master Albert, this is Patrick, the one I mentioned to you before.¡±
¡°
My
There¡¯s so much I want to ask you,¡± he started before I could react
M-master... you must be mistaken, I don¡¯t actually...¡±
¡°pssh!¡± he interrupted me. ¡°Prof. Novil already told me all about it, you don¡¯t have to hide anything, we¡¯re all in the same side, after all!¡±
¡°Prof. Novil said in a low voice. ¡°This isn¡¯t the right time and place.¡±
¡°the grand master said with a big toothy grin. ¡°Rest assured, your secret is safe with me,¡± he added with a wink.
I never knew what that ¡®secret¡¯
¡°can still stay together as Master Albert¡¯s apprentices,¡± I told Arman to cheer him up. ¡°Perhaps he might even let you go if you tell him that you were aiming for a different trade?¡±
Just tell him the truth!¡±
That¡¯s right, he seems to be a nice person...¡± Lycan agreed,
I¡¯ll try to tell him next week,¡± Arman replied with a sigh. ¡°I want to
Then I
Looks like we¡¯re not
¡°said. ¡°Perhaps I could help fix it with a rewinding¨C¡±
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Chapter 39
¡°Good afternoon Prof. Novil!¡± Cat called out as soon as the professor¡¯s door opened. ¡°We came here to play!¡±
¡°C-Cat, we¡¯re not just here to p-play!¡± Lycan stuttered from behind him.
¡°Ho-ho! What energetic students you have here!¡±
It was Grand Master Albert standing in the doorway, with his hands on his waist.
¡°Good afternoon, Grand Master Albert,¡± I greeted him with a nod, is the professor here?¡±
¡°Welcome, please come in,¡± Prof. Novil called us from inside. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that all of you were planning to be alchemists,¡± he remarked.
¡°I brought my friend Lycan to see your toys, professor!¡± Cat declared. ¡°Can we play with them inside?¡±
¡°Well, if you can stay quiet while Master Albert talks with Patrick and Arman, then go right ahead,¡± replied the professor.
The four off us entered the professor¡¯s room where he had prepared some tea and cookies for us, much to Cat¡¯s delight. We had a short snack before we entered a separate office while Cat and Lycan went with Prof. Novil to play with his perpetual motion machines.
¡°Hoh, so, where were we...?¡± Grand Master Albert said with a sigh as we sat around a low coffee table.
¡°About the apprenticeship, Grand Master Albert?¡± I reminded him.
¡°Ah, right, I want the two of you to start next week! And please, just call me master or simply sir.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t we have to pass some kind of test, first?¡± Arman asked.
¡°Nope, no need, I prefer observing my apprentices in action,¡± Grand Master Albert answered with a grin. ¡°Now, as to what we were discussing earlier in Prof. Novil¡¯s class, I heard that you are already quite proficient in magic?¡± he said, looking at me.
¡°N-not really, Master Albert...¡± I answered meekly.
¡°Sir, sorry for being rude, but can we really trust you?¡± Arman suddenly blurted out. ¡°As someone from an apothecary house in the capital, I know how students get dragged to the Ivory Tower. My grandfather, even I, get real frustrated whenever the apprentice we train for months, even years, are suddenly taken away to the Tower as soon as they manifest,¡± he went on, ¡°how can we make sure that you won¡¯t send us there one day?¡±
¡°Why would I send my alchemists to that blasted tower?¡± Grand Master Albert frowned at us. ¡°You have no idea how many of my own protegees were lost to those bastards! Three, to be exact! I have no plan of sending them more!¡±
¡°Then, Master Albert, what did you mean when you told me that you were on my side?¡± I asked him.
The grand master grinned at me.
¡°I suppose you¡¯ve met the third prince?¡±
My eyes widened at the mention of my senior.
¡°What about the third prince?¡± asked Arman.
¡°That¡¯s right, Master Albert, what is this talk about the third prince who is currently under probation in the Holy Temple?¡±
We turned to look at Prof. Novil who was staring daggers at the Grand Master.
¡°Oh, um... I mean...¡± Grand Master Albert stammered like a student being chastised by his teacher. ¡°Sorry, professor...¡±
The Prof. Novil sighed and sat next to him.
¡°I guess you already know the truth, anyway,¡± he told me, ¡°but that¡¯s not what we¡¯re here for.¡±
I was tempted to ask him what he thinks that we knew.
¡°We are here to talk about your apprenticeship, am I right?¡±
¡°Y-yes professor!¡± Arman and I answered in unison.
¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, professor!¡± Grand Master Albert answered with us.
¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit since you were in here,¡± Prof. Novil shook his head with a sigh.
¡°Neither have, you, professor,¡± Grand Master Albert replied with a grin. ¡°Anyway, we simply wish to bring back the old times, when mentors were true masters, and not horny, power tripping, damn brats out to create their own harems.¡±
¡°Mind your words, Master Albert,¡± the professor cleared his throat.
¡°Yes, yes, and in that, we are all at the same side!¡± the grand master concluded.
¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± I replied with a smile, ¡°my friends and I are glad that the rules in the student master-apprentice situation suggested by senior Nigellus was amended this year. At least, we are able to defend ourselves.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Arman nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, though, that that bastard Nigellus refused our latest challenge!¡±
¡°Language, Arman,¡± the professor reminded him.
¡°Sorry,¡± Arman grinned.
¡°Anyway, enough of that,¡± Grand Master Albert faced Arman. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Master Fentibeau¡¯s grandson? I heard you¡¯re a pretty good apothecary yourself, do you make your own creams? Can you show me some of your work?¡±
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
¡°Well... actually...¡± Arman looked flustered and actually shy.
¡°Sir, the base cream I used for the Magic Mask was made by Arman,¡± I told him. ¡°He formulates his own skin care, hair cream, and essential oils as well.¡±
¡°Hoh, is that so?¡± Master Albert pulled a familiar looking compact from his pocket. ¡°I did notice that this cream has moisturizing properties, as well as masking effects for blocking the sun¡¯s harmful rays!¡±
¡°Oh, and did you see how it whitens the skin and evens out scars, blemishes, and skin discoloration?¡± Arman piped in. ¡°That is actually a day cream I invented for walking under the heat of the sun!¡±
¡°Ho-ho, and the magic mask illusion?¡±
¡°We used it to hide Arman¡¯s beauty, so that the seniors would leave him be,¡± I informed him.
¡°And you meant to use it only to put burn marks on the skin, right?¡± he asked me.
¡°That was the plan, Sir.¡±
¡°Then I guess that¡¯s why you simply stopped there.¡±
¡°What do you mean, Sir?¡± I asked.
In reply, Grand Master Albert touched both his cheeks and pulled his mustache and beard away!
¡°What the ¨C!¡±
Arman and I were both surprised to see a clean-shaven man lying underneath all the masking illusion. He looked so much younger than his bearded counterpart!
¡°After I noticed the illusion spell in the cream, I tried to modify it myself. An illusion is anything you wish to show, after all. It doesn¡¯t necessarily need to be fixed on a certain image, like the illusion of burnt skin.¡±
He opened the compact which was almost empty. He smeared an ample amount of the cream on his nose which suddenly grew longer and sprouted a hairy mole at the tip.
¡°As you can see, the unique way you interpret magic into equations, makes it so flexible, that you can mold it into something more than what it was intended to be,¡± Grand Master Albert explained. ¡°Sigils have fixed meaning, there¡¯s a sigil for fire, wind, water, and so on. Runes, on the other hand, are letters from an ancient writing. But you have combined both of them so seamlessly that even a non-magic alchemist such as myself can manipulate the mana in your equation and command it to do my exact bidding!¡±
¡°Okay... you¡¯ve lost me at illusion spell...¡± said Arman with a groan.
¡°Let me explain it this way,¡± Prof. Novil stepped in. ¡°If a fire charm made with alchemy could be likened to a book with words permanently written on it, then fire magic created by a magician is like a play with live actors.¡±
¡°The difference is, in a play, you can ad lib and create impromptu scenes that are not in the script,¡± Grand Master Albert concluded.
¡°A magician¡¯s fire spell can be made to grow bigger and burn stronger...¡± I nodded in understanding.
¡°...But a fire charm made by an alchemist will only burn as much as the sigil dictates it to,¡± continued Prof. Novil.
¡°Oh, so you¡¯re saying, this cream that Pat made with alchemy can be changed, too!¡± Arman brightened up in understanding. ¡°It¡¯s just like real magic!¡±
¡°Exactly!¡± I was surprised when Grand Master Albert suddenly clasped my shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here to learn just how you came up with the idea of such a unique way to write formulas and equations! In fact, I¡¯m willing to be apprenticed under you, Master Patrick! We can start right now if you have the time!¡±
¡°Master Albert,¡± Prof. Novil cleared his throat once more.
¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, apprenticeships can only start officially next week,¡± Grand Master Albert said with a frown.
¡°That¡¯s not it...¡± the professor shook his head and sighed.
¡°I don¡¯t think I am qualified enough to have you as an apprentice, Sir,¡± I rationalized.
¡°Why not? I certainly have a lot to learn from you!¡± he insisted.
¡°B-but to teach a grand master...¡±
Grand Master Albert burst out laughing, making my face burn with embarrassment.
¡°Ah, Patric, I like you already,¡± he said, wiping a tear from his eye.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t tease the students, Albert,¡± Prof. Novil glared at his former student.
¡°Sorry, sorry, just couldn¡¯t help it!¡± the grand master laughed some more.
¡°Well, that would be all for today,¡± the professor said with a sigh. ¡°The apprenticeships will formally begin on Monday. You can talk about the apprenticeship with more detail, then. In the meanwhile, I¡¯ll see you two in class tomorrow.¡±
And with that, the professor sent us on our way.
¡°I really love those toys in the professor¡¯s room,¡± said Cat as we made our way down stairs. ¡°Do you think you can make something like that, Lycan?¡± he asked his friend.
¡°I think so,¡± Lycan replied with a shy smile on his face. ¡°I just need some wood and some tools and I can work on it this weekend.¡±
¡°Oh, good! I¡¯ll be sure to help you out!¡± said Cat.
¡°Can you make one for me, too?¡± asked Arman.
¡°Sure, if we can get enough materials.¡±
¡°We can ask Senior Andr¨¦ where we can get some,¡± I volunteered.
¡°What materials?¡±
The four of us looked at Elliot who was approaching us from the 2nd floor hallway.
¡°Elliot!¡± Cat called to him with a wave. ¡°Is your meeting over? Where¡¯s Darius?¡±
¡°He decided to stay, turns out, the two Grand Knights plan to keep the prospective apprentice overnight. They plan to go on a hiking trail early tomorrow morning to test their endurance.¡±
¡°What about you?¡± I asked him.
¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t really serious about joining them anyway,¡± replied Elliot. ¡°It¡¯s enough that my father¡¯s a knight, though he¡¯s more of a merchant. I would rather pursue my dream of being a chef.¡±
¡°What about Darius?¡± I asked him anxiously.
¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Elliot reassured me with a shoulder pat, ¡°he was doing great when I left, and he was getting along just fine with the three other apprentice wannabes that Grand Knight Lucifer picked in our class.¡±
¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked apprehensively. ¡°Did his fever get better?¡±
¡°Well, he didn¡¯t look sick at all.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll do just fine, Pat,¡± Arman chimed in. ¡°And you know fully well that Darius can take care of himself.¡±
¡°I just hope that his fever doesn¡¯t get any worse...¡±
After all, I am the reason he got sick in the first place...
¡°Pat, you worry too much,¡± Cat said with a sigh, ¡°for now all we do need to worry about is what we¡¯re gonna eat for dinner!¡±
This was agreed upon by Lycan¡¯s grumbling stomach which was shortly joined by Elliot¡¯s.
¡°Yeah, I guess there¡¯s really no need to worry,¡± I told them with a smile.
¡°We¡¯ll see Darius tomorrow!¡± Cat said to cheer me up.
¡°And we¡¯ll congratulate him for getting apprenticed to a grand knight,¡± Arman added, ¡°just like he wanted to.¡±
Chapter 40 – Day 22 Friday, third week
I
I know I shouldn¡¯t worry too much,
¡°
¡°
¡°Elliot said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m feeling peckish since I only had one bowl of stew during dinner. I hope they get the ovens fixed soon...¡±
I
¡°
I look at the messy table between Cat¡¯s bed and mine and was able to find a couple of caramel bars
¡°
¡°
Later, I heard Elliot snoring softly, yet
¡°
And so, I made my way to the 5th floor baths with the usual
Wh
I-I¡¯m sorry, Senior Ethan,¡± I apologized with my head hung low, ¡°it is true that I have been busy reading the tomes lately, but that¡¯s no
¡°
¡°d him, ¡°I was just really busy, in fact, I am very grateful for the pouch you lent me the other day...¡±
¡°smug grin. ¡°You can keep it, where else could you hide the stuff we ¡®borrowed¡¯ from the library?¡±
¡°can?¡± I thought of how much the pouch was worth and asked him again. ¡°Can I really keep such a precious artifact?¡±
Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a replica ¡®perpetual mana siphoning spell¡¯
Yes, as a matter of fact, I¡¯m
What a
I
But it¡¯s the best way to hasten the creation of a new mana
If you ask me, i
¡°your core to break, or worst, make the magician and their surrounding suffer in a magic backlash.¡±
Exactly. Your magic will
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
¡°
¡°is element was water, thus, the top of the tower he was occupying burst out like a geyser, and flooded his land. It¡¯s now known as the Mossy Tower that sits in the middle of the Blood Swamp in the eastern kingdom. The mana in the area dried up, killing all the living organisms in a 30 meter radius. The area is uninhabitable to this day.¡±
I
So, what did you have in mind again?¡±
¡°creating a similar spell...¡±
Senior Ethan¡¯s frown got deeper.
B-but mine wouldn¡¯t just
¡°
In the spell I¡¯m formulating, the caster
¡°a sucking spell?¡± a brow raised questioningly.
Well, since mana is being replenished naturally, then getting a little from
Hmm...
¡°mana depletion after all, not to mention, mana autophagy.¡±
¡°
¡°such a thing to other people!¡± I gasped in horror.
¡°from plants and livestock, but not from humans?¡± he asked flatly. ¡°Let¡¯s get real here, humans are a readily available and abundant source of mana. They won¡¯t notice anyway if it¡¯s just a little from each. And you said it yourself, that you can choose the target?¡±
¡°would be unethical!¡±
You do know that mana from humans make up a big percentage of the mana ¡®human mana¡¯
¡°
¡°If we can adjust the amount of mana flow and guard the core to prevent a mana overload, the mana burst should be just enough to initiate a manifestation... we can even add a fail-safe equation that would stop the accumulation of mana just before the new core emerges...¡± Senior Ethan mumbled to himself. ¡°Can I see the formula you¡¯ve been working on?¡±
Of course, senior,
Senior Ethan took out his pencils and sketch pad to write on, and we devised the rules for the ¡®perpetual mana siphoning spell¡¯.
Are you ready?¡± he asked me. ¡°Are you sure you want to try
¡°Ethan double checked the formulas we wrote on his sketchbook.
¡°
¡°now,¡± I insisted before chanting the first lines of the spell we just created.
It took a full three minutes to finish
I gasped as I felt mana drain from inside me, just as new mana from the air around us
¡°Ethan held my shoulder as I almost fell on my knobby knees.
¡°
¡°
I¡¯ve set it to
Isn¡¯t that too much
I shall
True, but the body can only use about 5% of the oxygen we breath,¡± my senior pointed out, ¡°
¡°my mana is replenished.¡±
S
¡°discuss about the outcome and results later in the library,¡± he finally gave in.
¡°I hurriedly asked.
¡°
¡°about the perpetrators?¡±
¡°still trying to track the books, but I¡¯ve already blocked them. I¡¯ve broken the tracing spells even before I sent you your haul, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±
¡°
Chapter 41
Where have you been?¡±
I met with Senior Ethan and discussed about the spell I was working on.¡±
¡°
¡° spell I mentioned before,¡± I told him.
¡°
¡°it¡¯s still at the experimental stage. We haven¡¯t perfected it yet, though the theory is quite sound, if I do say so myself.¡±
It¡¯s good then
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
¡°
Chapter 42
¡°Nooo!¡±
I heard Elliot shout.
¡°Patrick!¡±
Arman was screaming, as well as Cat.
Someone took hold of my left arm and yanked it up.
I heard my bone snap.
I couldn¡¯t register the pain, since my eyes were still glued to the image of Daruis, reaching out to touch my chest.
¡°Run.¡±
I read from his lips as he tried to push me with dying breath.
¡°Stand up, you goblin!¡± It was Will, dragging me away from my fallen Darius.
¡°Let go!¡± I scratched at his face. ¡°I need to revert him!¡±
¡°The hell!¡±
I tasted blood as his backhand hit my jaw.
I fell on the ground and crawled back to Darius¡¯ side.
¡°The undead goblin has gone crazy!¡± another smack, on the crown of my head this time.
¡°Stop or this goblin dies with his knight!¡± Wein shouted.
I tried to focus my sight at the people in front of us.
At Lycan and Cat fighting back to back with Arman between them.
At Elliot locking arms with Grand Knight Lucifer.
¡°Get rid of the pig first while he¡¯s weak!¡± I heard someone shout and saw Grand Knight Nero rush towards Elliot with a halberd in hand.
¡°Elliot!¡±
I cried out too late.
Brawling with Grand Knight Lucifer, Elliot was unable to fend off the sharp blade that rushed at his neck.
¡°Elliot!¡± Cried Cat.
Blood gushed out of Elliot¡¯s thick neck, but it wasn¡¯t enough to sever it completely.
Turin came up from behind him to do the finishing blow.
Screams filled the air as my friend¡¯s head rolled on the ground towards me.
I stared at the surprised look in his eyes as it rocked to a stop.
¡°How dare you!¡± Cried Cat, who was able to wrestle a sword from one of the seniors.
¡°Cat!¡± Lycan was instantly by his side, brandishing twin daggers from who knows where.
He parried while Cat attacked and slashed Turin¡¯s arms in a spiraling jump which ended with the senior¡¯s face being torn into pieces. An inhuman wail came from his tattered lips.
¡°Stop them!¡± Nigellus ordered. ¡°Kill them all!¡±
And so the two Grand Knights stepped forward once more, and with swords imbued with aura, faced both Cat and Lycan who fought like a four armed tiger.
Cat moved with lightning speed and incredible precision, aiming for the grand knights¡¯ vital parts, but their opponents were bigger, older, and more experienced than the two combined. They had armor and better weapons as well.
I watched as Cat¡¯s training blade broke in two after clashing with Grand Knight Nire¡¯s halberd.
Blood gushed from a long wound on his chest.
¡°Cat!¡± yelled Lycan.
He fended him off, sending sparks all around as his blades collided with the grand knight¡¯s armor. Grand Knight¡¯s Nero was pushed back by his sheer strength.
¡°Everyone attack them together!¡± yelled Nigellus.
I saw a dozen seniors bearing swords, running towards Lycan who stooped over to cover his best friend.
¡°Stop it!¡± Arman cried. ¡°No more! Please, just stop it!¡±
He tried to run to them, but a senior pulled at his arm and slammed his body to the ground.
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
I looked down at the hand in my grasp.
The cold hand that had stopped gripping mine four minutes ago.
What seemed to happen for an eternity, only lasted a few moments.
That was all it took to lose my friends.
A slap brought me back to reality.
¡°Are you back with us now, Lord Siccus?¡±
Seeing Norbert¡¯s sneering face stopped me from hyperventilating.
¡°Would you like to join your friends?¡± he mocked me.
¡°Be glad that you are closely related to his majesty the emperor,¡± Will said beside him, ¡°Prince Nigellus have shown you some pity. I can¡¯t say the same about your friends though.¡±
They laughed and looked at Arman who continued cursing. Two seniors were looking lustfully at him.
¡°He¡¯ll be a nice treat before we throw him to the gallows,¡± they said, their tongues hanging out.
¡°I¡¯ll kill you all before I end myself!¡± Arman was shouting in rage. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all you bastards!¡±
A hit to the head silenced him as he fell to the ground.
¡°So, cousin,¡± now Nigellus confronts me. ¡°What can your laws and your rules do now?¡± he asked with a mocking grin in his gaunt face.
And suddenly I realized something of little worth.
¡°You forced a core to manifest.¡±
The grin on his face flickered a little.
¡°You forced the high priest to awaken your core before, and then forced another one to manifest.¡±
¡°And so what if I did?¡± he looked down at me. ¡°Will that knowledge bring back your dead friends?¡±
I looked at the fallen body of my lover.
At the headless lump that was Elliot.
At the silent heap of Lycan¡¯s body, with several swords still sticking out of his punctured body.
¡°I am royalty,¡± Nigellus gazed up, eyes close, sweeping his arms to his sides. The dirty red flames burned in his open palms. ¡°It is no question that the Goddess¡¯ blessing should manifest in me. I am the future emperor of this continent, after all.¡±
He looked down on me once more.
¡°And you,¡± he sneered, ¡°you and your pathetic friends think you could go against me?¡± He pulled his head back to laugh at me. ¡°This is what you get for undermining my authority, Patric. This is how you lose to me.¡±
¡°Prince Nigellus,¡± Grand Knight Lucifer interrupted him. ¡°I shall take Lord Siccus with me for interrogation.¡±
¡°No. He is mine!¡± Nigellus snapped at the grand knight. ¡°Besides, what is there to interrogate him for? I have already killed my brother¡¯s killer.¡±
He faced Darius upon saying that, aiming to kick my beloved¡¯s body, but I won¡¯t let him touch his body anymore.
¡®Disarm¡¯
I chanted in a singsong manner.
His leg flew high in the air as he kicked yet he wondered why he didn¡¯t feel the impact with his feet. Until he noticed that he no longer had his lower leg.
¡°Gaaaahhh!¡± the crown prince¡¯s scream pierced the air. ¡°My leg!¡± he pointed at the bloody piece of meat flying in the air. ¡°My leg! What happened to my leg!¡±
¡°Protect his highness!¡± His vassals surrounded him.
¡°What did you do, you goblin!¡± Norbert lunged at me.
¡®Sprint¡¯
Another chant after holding on to Darius, and I was next to Arman. The two seniors by his side were surprised as I raised an arm.
¡°Duck.¡±
Arman quickly bowed his head.
¡®Puncture¡¯
It was one of the new spells I learned when I decided to try the defensive spells from my old tome. High pressured air blasted from the palm of my hand, blowing a hole through one of the seniors¡¯ face.
¡°What the he ¨C ¡±
¡®Slice¡¯
I slashed my arm towards the remaining senior and watch his head fall to the ground.
¡°He¡¯s a magician!¡±
Someone screamed from behind me.
¡°Incapacitate him before he could chant another spell!¡±
Ah, That¡¯s right.
¡®Slick¡¯
A thick band of black oil manifested around us. The seniors who tried to come near slipped and couldn¡¯t even stand upright.
Magicians are a valuable resource in the empire.
¡®Incinerate¡¯
The oil caught fire, burning all the seniors who were caught in it¡¯s slippery ring. More screams filled the air, accompanied by the stench of roasting flesh. Their companions tried to put the fire out with their cloaks while the two grand knights looked angrily at me as they shouted commands.
¡°You can¡¯t hurt me, can you?¡± I looked back at them while cradling Darius¡¯ body. ¡°You can¡¯t kill a magician.¡±
¡°Think again you bastard!¡± Nigellus shouted at me. ¡°Kill him! End him this instant!¡± he commanded his vassals.
But not one of them came close to where I sat with my Darius and Arman moaning by our side.
¡°I said kill him!¡± Nigellus shrieked, foam forming on his lips. ¡°Call the rest of the guards! Get the professors! Bring me that bastard¡¯s head!¡±
The grand knights moved then. Lucifer raised his sword, Nero, his halberd.
¡®Magnetize¡¯
Their arms shot right back as their weapons got stuck to the armor they wore. Nero gave a grunt as the spikes on his halberd struck him through the back. I chanted another sprinting spell and went to Lycan¡¯s side this time.
¡°Lycan... Cathan...¡± Arman fell on his knees, sobbing.
It was then that the heap stirred.
¡°Lycan!¡± Arman gasped. ¡°How¡¯s Cat?¡±
We were answered by a low, mournful moan.
Suddenly, the world around me lost its color.
¡°Nooo!¡± Arman wailed as crimson flames enveloped his body.