“Teach, what the hell, man?” Pyro yelled above the class when he saw me splayed over my clone’s shoulder. The clone stopped Levitate and landed, placing me on the teacher’s seat and taking a seat on the desk himself.

“He’ll be up by the end of the day,” the clone pointed out, a most indifferent look to him. Seeing myself from another perspective was quite jarring, was I such a pain in the ass?

“Come on, don’t leave us hangin’, teach. Tell us what happened!” Pyro urged, gaining the wholehearted support of the class. It had grown a lot since our return from Inferno Desert, soon I’d have to hold classes outdoors to accommodate the number of mages.

“Nah,” the clone swerved his hand in front his face dismissively, “too lazy. Anyway, let’s get this underway.” The class continued. None of the mages had managed to sustain an elemental yet, one of the most basic spirits. The class ended with poofs and faulty summons, but they were growing, which was nice.

By night, I was back to my normal strength, after constantly gnawing on food to rebuild myself.

“Okay, summon a hollow clone now and try to transfer consciousness from the first to the second,” Donna directed.

I did as she told, prepared to collapse again, but this one didn’t take much mana or stamina. Maybe because it was probably a living corpse. The procedure went surprisingly smooth, it looked like the hardest obstacle by far was summoning an actual self-conscious clone. The first clone was now just a husk and the second one gained the ability to think. So, how do I put an extra consciousness in me?

“How would I know?”

Even after all those years together, even after knowing each other inside out, she still surprised me sometimes. The last step, the last goddamn step, and you don’t know!

“Yeah well I’m not all-knowing. How about you think about it for once?”

Eh, nah, I’ll pass. I went home that night, getting a good night’s rest. Around noon the next day, when Dawn dragged me out for lunch, something, strange happen. ‘Strange’ being a rather heavy understatement. We walked through the courtyard, through the bustle of mages and a couple figures were spotted in the skies far north. Many heads were turned to the spectacle encroaching us. It didn’t take long before panic and commotion set in, the masses had realised there were two colossal creatures flying toward us and decamped the area to hide in the shadows of the buildings. We did the same.

They slowed their flight as the came closer to the Order, diving downward to the courtyard and landing. Me, along with everyone were dumbstruck by the sight of dragons! Hey, so, are those–

“Yup.”

One was near black, horned and scaly. The other one was of a much lighter, greying ash, with no horns. “We seek an audience” the black one’s booming voice ruptured the sky, “with Eric Archibald!” it shouted out. I was sure half of Aquan heard that announcement. Yeah, in my head I knew I had to speak up, or do something, but all I could afford was a mindless stare at the winged behemoths. I mean, these things were dragons! Creatures of myth and legends, folktale and children’s stories.

More and more heads began turning to me, and the pair of fire and ice looked in my direction as well. Okay, calm down. The witch was cool with me, so these guys should be too, right?

“Well, buddy, you kind of were the only mage in existence to ever turn her down, probably. That might’ve really hurt her pride, you know? Probably. Rather, it doesn’t matter what you do or think, if these two want to hurt you, they’ll do it, probably. The Order is an insect to them. Anyway, good luck!”

With a great sigh, I walked in front of them, despite Dawn clinging on to me to keep me where I was. “Well?” I started, “What do you want?”

“The witch will come to this, Order. You will see to her.” That’s what he said, a loud, bold statement shaking the entire Order of Mages placing immense but ultimately unnecessary pressure upon my unwilling shoulders. With that, they simply flew off, that’s it. He didn’t say when, why, or where in the Order.

Despite the amazing sights of the colossi, the rest of the day was quite uneventful, unnervingly so. Dawn fed me, I wallowed in magic tomes, and eventually fell asleep. But really, I couldn’t relax, because the next day, I was in a room with the political bigwigs of Aquan and a swarm of security.

“We need not explain the severity of this situation to you, right boy?” One suited man asked, his bald spot reflecting the chandelier’s magnificence.

Mom was in a hard place here, as for the first time in a gathering of such importance, her role was one of protector but one of advocate to a minor. “Yeah,” I said, giving a look at how composed mom was, “you can all cut the crap and formalities and just ask or say whatever you want. I prefer frankness,” then threw a look at dad’s slightly anxious appearance.

The captain of the guard was there, and he certainly blabbed the most, no doubt the bureaucrats already debriefed him on his chosen questions and statements.

“Good,” the decorated officer said, “I shall ask some basic questions on behalf of the gentlemen here.”

Bingo…

“You will answer to your best ability, and I need not remind you of the gravity of punishments lies in this situation can incur. Take your time, and answer.”

He seemed like a swell guy, but was nothing more than a puppet dancing to the tugs of strings from the shadows, at least in this case. I nodded.

“It was reported dragons, creatures from legends appeared in the grounds of the Order of Mages yesterday afternoon. Is this true?”

“Yeah.”

“Those dragons asked specifically for you. Is this true?”

“Yup.”

“They also mentioned the witch, believed to be a myth. After seeing dragons, we’re inclined to believe the witch herself exists too. Do you think the same?”

“Well,” I put my finger to my chin, “yeah, I think so,” and slouched back in my chair, “I met her once already.”

Murmurs spread across the room, some faces aghast, some deadpan, some drinking the water set for them on the desk to quell the fright welling up within them. “You, met, the witch?”

“Uh-huh. She’s really strange.”

“Would you say she’s dangerous?”

“Dunno, man. But I can say for sure, if she wanted to harm us, there’s nothing we could do to stop her. Anyone can guess you would put up measures against her to protect Aquan, or at least the rich people, but, eh, how do I explain it…” I sat up again and put my forearms on the table, “That’s like putting up a picket fence around your house and hoping it will protect your house against a hurricane. I’d say to just ignore her whenever she comes and go about your normal life, but,” I eyed them all, “fear makes us lash out before we are lashed, doesn’t it?” I posed something of a rhetoric.

“Are you saying she’s stronger than our guard?”

“Are your guards stronger than the councilmen at the Order?” I asked the captain.

“N-no,” he answered defensively, “is she stronger than the councilmen?”

“Like a lion to a rabbit.”

“How is it you know of her strength? Did she show you? Or tell you?” Their eyes ogled me now, searching along my face for the slightest of micro-movements, waiting for an answer.

“She didn’t tell me, no. And what she did show me, were just two spells, both of which I lack proper knowledge of. I’m not boasting, gentlemen, but there’s hardly a spell I haven’t heard of, and the extreme usefulness of the two that she used gave me just an inkling of her power.”

“Describe those spells.”

“A summoning spell. It was somewhat similar to the teleporter at the Order. She distorted space and I happened through that space, appearing before her. The next spell, is an autonomous, almost living defence spell. It’s like her magic forms a barrier of its own to protect her. I used Arc Lightning because I didn’t want to hurt her, but even if I used a more powerful one, she would probably brush it off.”

“Okay, do you know of her story? The legends and folktale about her,” he asked, which I replied positively. “Tell me then, how much of it is true.”

“The ice and fire part, I know it’s true if you’re talking about her dragons, but I’m not sure if she herself can do it, though I’ll just assume she can. The life and death, light and shadow parts, those are true.”

“How do you know this?”

“I met two of her apostles on my journeys.”

“Who are they?”

“Sorry, can’t tell ya. Confidentiality, you know?”

“I don’t think you have a choice in the matter,” the captain stated. “Son, need I remind you of the punishments if you don’t comply?”

“Hold up there, buddy,” I stood up, holding my laughter in, “for people benefitting from my knowledge, you sure are cocky. Who the hell’s going to take your punishment for not talking?”

He placed his clipboard down and magic lit from his hands, “Watch your mouth, boy,” he warned me.

“Buddy, if you wanna go, we can go,” I prepped Dispel just in-case and flared my magic, significantly more than his. Guards rushed in, mages from the Order too.

“I know you’re a narcissist, but you’re a masochist too?”

“Eric, stop!” mom screamed out.

“I dunno, mom. I feel like if I stop, they’d just attack me,” I stated, taking in the number of spell-hands and swords directed at me. I knew from this little argument that I was on their watchlist, just as much as the witch was, and to be honest that really pissed me off.

“This is pointless, Eric. There are rank four’s and five’s here, not to mention the top guards. I know you’re strong, but you can’t fight your way out of this.” Despite mom’s calm and dad’s nervousness, their roles switched when things got heavy.

There was a long pause afterward, of utter silence. “Hmm, you’re wrong, mister,” a light, somewhat familiar voice came from a dark corner of the room, “Eric Archibald is the strongest mage in Aquan at the moment. Though, his youth makes you think otherwise, doesn’t it?” The figure walked forward, and was warned clearly and loudly by the guards to stay still. Who’s she…

One of the guards, after constant warnings, swung to her neck, a full-on strike for decapitation, but a white layer of magic appeared and blocked the attack.

Oh, right, of course.

She ignored the attack, and the many others, including spells and walked right up to me. By then, they stopped attacking in fear of harming me and my parents. “Didn’t Audax and Aurora tell you I’d meet you at the Order of Mages?” she asked, placing her hand on my backrest. Everyone else watched on in stupor.

“Uh, Aurora and who?” I replied, then it clicked to me, “Oh, your dragons. Yeah, they did but, well, because of that–”

“These guys questioned you,” she finished my sentence, then looked at them, scattered and fearful, “not very hospitable, huh? Come on,” she held my arm and pulled me out of the chair “let’s go.”

“Whe–” before I could even ask where she was taking me, we teleported right in the middle of Aquan. “You’re a ridiculous person, you know that?”

“I’ve been told that before,” she smiled and immediately began wandering around. I walked after her for a couple minutes, feeling like I was looking after an over-curious child, yet, the maturity she exuded felt like eons of experience.

The pace she picked up was astonishing, I had to grab her by the collar before she sped off again, “Slow down a bit,” I implored, finding it difficult to keep up with her brisk gait, “why are you here anyway?”

“A tour?” she shrugged. “I’m basically a hermit. The only people I really know are my followers and, well, you. Every decade or so I like to come out and frolic.”

Donna, the hell am I hearing?

“The wisest being in the world, that’s what. Just show her a good time and stop complaining. She might teach you a cool spell.”

A wicked laugh entered my mind and dripped from the edges of my lips, whetting the witch’s mind with a misunderstanding. “What? You’re thinking I’m easy prey because I don’t socialise much?”

She couldn’t have been more off. In fact, my mind was so segregated from the canvas of lasciviousness she painted me on that I took an absurdly long time to realise what she meant and process a reply. After those seconds of thought, I played along, “You’re exactly right. I’m in my teens you know? In my mind, I’ve already had you twice.”

She cackled out, swinging some heads our way, “This will be more fun than I thought!”

Well, might as well enjoy it. But before that…

I was hungry, so I figured a quick bite at The Big Boar–a bar that happened to serve breakfast–would be the best way to start, and as fate would have it, a familiar face called out to me. “Hey, boyfriend!” May yelled across the floor, her table near the bar. “Boyce, get us some mugs!” she yelled at the owner, which could only mean they were on a first-name basis. She must’ve been a regular here.

I was just going to tell her I only came for breakfast, but it looked like she wasn’t the only drunkard. “Let’s go!” Emily pushed me over to May.

“Come on, come on,” May slapped me on the arm multiple times, “introduce us!” I sat in the middle of them, feeling a little awkward, but too hungry to pay it any mind.

“May, this is Emily, a mage. Emily, May, a huge pain in the as–” she elbowed me in the ribs and I wheezed like she struck a deathblow, all in theatrics of course.

“Hi,” she greeted, “I’m May Pendulum, a lawyer in this city.”

“Emily Crescent. People call me a witch,” she said, so nonchalantly. Folks, the beauty of alcohol rests in its ability to make the most obnoxious of things fly right over your head.

“So,” May said, leaning over me a little, “do you have a big black pot you throw people in?” She gasped, suddenly remembering another stereotype, “Do you ride a broom?!”

“Nah,” Emily chortled, “I don’t do either of those, but the broom does sound nice. Now, where could I find,” then looked up at me with an index to her chin, “a strong stick to ride on?” and gave me the most licentious smirk I’d ever seen. Even I laughed out, this woman was a riot!

I pushed her forehead back with my finger, “I thought you were the prey? Don’t break character so easily.”

“Oh my,” May exclaimed, putting a hand to her mouth, then gave another, “oh my,” in a rather low tone, bringing to light her acknowledgement of our topic. Right then, the hairy owner dropped down six mugs of beer, not exactly small in size. Heck, I wasn’t about to let it go warm on me whilst I waited for the food. Well, I shouldn’t have given in, because the food never came, just more beer. Boyce, the owner, made so many trips to us that I couldn’t recall the number of mugs cycling through our table.

“You know, if you continue–”

I got this…

“Do you now…”

Sure, I do, I answered with full confidence, nevertheless, I didn’t touch anymore alcohol. Those two finished off my share, those damn demons.

We left drunkenly, sightseeing the rest of the posh northern district, then heading over to the artsy western district, making a ruckus here and there. May tagged along and both of them seemed like they were the tour guides. I didn’t and couldn’t complain, instead I just tried my best to keep up with them in this floaty feeling. With the noise they made, the guards found us in no time, and soon a fleet of them were shadowing behind us, keeping their distance.

Emily grabbed our hands and we were swept through a portal, right into the eastern district and its industrial setting. May stood there totally perplexed by the immediate change of scenery, but just let loose a loud cheer without even trying to understand what happened.

“Now they’re really gonna get antsy,” I told her.

She shrugged, “I want to meld with the crowd. When people see those serious looking guards, they won’t interact with us in a normal way.”

Somehow, by some measure of alcoholism, we found another bar in the eastern district. It looked like they just opened their doors because chairs were still flipped upon the tables. This time, we finally got food, but still engulfed ourselves in the revelry that were spirits. This time around I stomped them, the food giving me a good foundation to win. I could only hope it wouldn’t try to escape my stomach later in the day.

After we took a look at the stupendously tall buildings and factories, we set out for the southern district, despite my warnings of thievery. But I guess that was a stupid thing to worry about with Emily there, that’s what I thought. Yet, when some novice pickpocket bumped into her and made off with her coin purse, she stopped me from casting any spells to stop him, “It’s alright, leave it be.”

“But that’s your mo–”

“Currency has zero value to me,” she said, with a big smile perpetuated by booze.

May poked me and shook her head, “Boyfriend, that’s not how you do it. You gotta be more demanding else she won’t take you serious.” May pushed Emily against a wall and came in close, mumbling something.

She misunderstood something, didn’t she?

“Yup.”

By now I was just admiring this comedy skit, grinning stupidly at May’s lines, but then, the unfathomable happened. May, in her intoxicated lack of inhibition, actually touched lips with Emily! A snigger escaped from me because I knew she was fighting an internal battle of embarrassment as she pulled her head back, “I, didn’t mea–” Emily kissed her back, tongue and everything, shutting her up.

What am I watching right now? I asked myself, hardly believing what my eyes fed me, and neither could the passers-by.

“I don’t know, but it’s amazing how left-out you are.”

When they finally stopped, May looked at me, “Sorry, boyfriend, but I’m taking her home with me,” she smirked slyly, “wanna join us?”

A smorgasbord of thoughts rushed into the filter of rationale in my brain, thankfully none of the regrettable ones made it through to my decision-making. “I–I’ll, pass,” I said, my hormones losing their shit with that decision.

“Wow, man, that sounded really strained. But you are taken after all,” she shrugged. After a while they left, through a port from Emily.

I sighed, casting Levitate and quickly finding my way back to the Order. I’ve never felt so bitter about making the right decision.

“I’m just glad I don’t have to see my master getting it on. That would be damn awkward.”

You don’t look too bad yourself, you know. You could get it on with me, I smirked.

“Says the guy who passed up a golden opportunity for infidelity.”

Well, she was right.