Chapter 7: Corin Academy

The summer heat of the rising sun was pleasantly offset by the cool morning air, though Eli could feel the temperature quickly changing. From where he stood at the stop he saw how the city gradually woke as the streets and sidewalks filled with people going about their daily lives.

He fondled the strap at his chest of the small bag that hung across one shoulder and stared down the street he knew he was headed, the road that led out of the city and to Corin Academy. His insides fluttered at the thought though it would then sink at the realization that he was breaking in. Could he even break-in? It's Corin Academy, after all, the premier institute for maestros. He sighed when he thought about the task at hand. " Son of a bitch," Eli's blood ran cold.

"Hey, Ajax," He was rigid as he turned. Eli looked up from a downturned face and made eye-contact. Ajax seemed to tower above him. Not because there was that much difference in height, but rather every time they met Ajax stood with a straight back and puffed chest while Eli seemed to try his hardest to retreat into himself, even his tail curled between his legs. Ajax's vengeful eyes stared down the length of his nose.

Eli shuddered at their intensity, though something was different. He remembered the fear that haunted them when Ajax was pinned by that creature, and the ghost of that fear still seemed to linger. Eli felt his rigidity slacken. Maybe Ajax was still the same from the good old days, maybe. Eli's thoughts were cut off by Ajax's expression that went dark. "Why're you looking at me like that," His voice was low, slow, and filled with rage. "You think your better than because of what you did?" He shoved Eli. "I didn't ask for help," he shoved Eli again, this time onto the ground.

"It was going to kill you," Eli's voice cracked with the threats of a sob. "I had-"

"NO!" Ajax cut him off, "You think I needed your help! I would have preferred it if that thing bit my fucking head off than have to suffer through being helped by a magicless piece-of-shit like you!" Eli was shocked speechless, he hardly noticed the small gathering of onlookers who seemed to entertain, at least to Eli they did.

"I," He managed a word.

"Could have been killed," For a split second Ajax's voice changed tone, though only for a second. "You have no power, all you are is a freak with a tail, and you want to die for me? Like your life weighs as much as mine." Ajax lifted Eli by the collar of his shirt and held him in one place. Eli's hair stood on end as a crackling light started to form around Ajax's free hand. "Looks like I'm going to have to knock some sense into you . . . again." Eli shut his eye for a pain that never came.

"Now that's just mean," Eli opened his eyes to the strange voice. A man in a baseball cap stood behind Ajax, one hand held the grip of a bat the rested across the shoulder, and his other hand held Ajax's wrist. He twisted it and with a pained expression, Ajax let go of Eli. Ajax turned to the man with a baseball bat almost as if he wanted to fight him, but simply stormed off. Eli, who fell to the ground, was helped up by the man. "You shouldn't let people do that to you," The man said as he mussed Eli's hair and walked away. Eli swallowed the knot in his throat, and when Alice finally arrived, did nothing to betray what just occurred.

The bus ride to Corin academy wasn't short, and the stops did nothing to shorten it. Though when they finally made it out of the city there were few stops to slow them down. Alice made up games on the way to cheer up Eli who, for some reason, seemed down, and she eventually succeeded. Alice teased him about how unbelievable it was that his mother let him go but Eli shrugged it off since his mother often gave him free space, though this was probably to keep him from complaining when she doted on him.

Soon enough they made it to the final stop, and from there footed it to the Academy. "You think we can just walk through the front gates?" Eli asked.

"Nope, but we don't have to," With that, she began walking along the wall until finally coming to a stop. "We're going in from here." Eli looked around and saw nothing but the school wall, grass, some rocks.

"What?" Alice grinned and with some effort, used her leg to push aside a sizeable rock that his a hole in the ground.

"Me and my friends use it all the time to sneak in and out," She said proudly.

"Right," Eli still couldn't believe that Alice went to Corin Academy.

"Come on," Alice said as she jumped down the hole. Before long the pair climbed out of a hole on the other side of the wall. Eli stared completely awestruck, even from where he stood he could see that the Academy was like a little city.

"This place is amazing,"

"You get used to it," Alice shrugged. As she made her way onto the immaculately paved grey brick road. Eli followed Alice Alice while staring at all the sights. He bumped into Alice who came to an abrupt stop. "That's where we're headed," Alice was pointing down the road which converged with others in a circle, the center of which stood a fountain, behind the fountain was a large building with a clock-tower face. "The Headmaster's office is in there."

"You know," Eli said, "This was easier than expected."

"I know," Alice replied, "I guess we could've walked through the front gate after all. getting into the building was as easy as everything else since the front door was unlocked. Alice explained that this was because the Headmaster preferred it unlocked. The interior had a sleek and spacious design. Alice led Eli towards and up a wide flight of stairs that spiraled upwards. It was clear that she knew the building like the back of her hand from all the stories of pranks she pulled on students and staff alike. Eli snickered with her as she scrolled through the better ones. Eventually, they got to the top floor.

Alice led Eli down a long hall, the end of which stood an intricately carved door. "This is it," Alice said, "Now the trick is to get inside." She leaned back on a leg as she pinched her chin, obviously trying to think of a way.

"Why don't we just push it open?" Eli asked.

"Do you see the size of that thing?" Alice replied sarcastically.

"Wouldn't hurt to try." Elit turned towards the door, and the minute his hand touched it, it grated open. Eli turned to Alice in utter surprise. Her jaw was wide open. Eli grinned and lifted his arms in a mock biceps-flex. To which Alice mock swooned.

"Alright, now you go look for it and I stand guard," Alice said.

"Wouldn't it make more sense for you to look for it?"

"Yes, but, uh, you know, Just do it, man."

"Alright, fine, sheesh." Eli conceded. The room was wide and sparse. There was only a wall of bookshelves to his left and a lone desk towards the back, behind which was a wall of ceiling-to-floor windows that overlooked the fountain outside. The light from the late afternoon sun shining in from the window almost blinded Eli as he walked toward the desk. His step echoed loudly. He looked on the desk for the object but saw nothing. "It's not here," Eli said.

"Just keep looking," Alice replied from the door. Eli strolled over to the wall of books and walked along the shelves. A book titled 'The First' caught his eye.

"It's an interesting read," A sudden deep voice said from just behind Eli who yelped in surprise. He turned on his heels to see a mountain of a man behind a pristine-beard. "Though no matter how interesting it is, I doubt it warrants breaking and entering." It was then that Eli noticed Alice over the man's shoulder, even from her backside Alice could see the look of utter defeat on her face.

"We weren't, this isn't, we're in trouble aren't we." The corners of the man's beard where his mouth was angled upwards in a smile.

"You, not at all what, but little-miss-syne here." He jerked the shoulder she was on. "You must really love this school," The man said to Alice.

"So I'm not in trouble?"

"Well, actually, I wouldn't say that." The man said as his gaze fixed on Eli's tail. "Now, you're not here for a book are you."

"No, actually," Eli stopped himself after realizing that there was no way to explain why they were there without, well, giving way why they were there. The man held out his fist. and in it was a round plate of metal, seemingly gold, with the symbol of a circle with a swirl made into it.

"That's it, How did you?" The man cut him off.

"Don't lose it," He said as he dropped it into Eli's hand.

"Thanks, um, sir."

"Corin," The man corrected with a smile as he put Alice down on her feet. Eli looked back up at the old man who nodded with a smile. He and Alice then slowly moved towards the door, though it felt like they were floating. "Hang-on," Their hearts leaped into their throats. "There's nothing I can do about the boy, but Alice, I expect you right here on the first day back from summer vacation."

"yes, gra - Headmaster," Alice replied. As they walked past the fountain Alice held the object out in front of him. They had no way of knowing the thoughts of the old man who watched them from his office. He knew he was bound to get an earful for this.

The next night Eli and Alice stood before the door they had found in the library. "You do the honors," Alice said.

"With pleasure," Eli responded. He put the plate in place. The door immediately began to shiver and quake. It pulled apart revealing a stairway leading into darkness. Eli and Alice shared a look before finally stepping forward. They had no way of knowing what waited for them in the ancient structure.