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.

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.