Three days passed as the two trained, or rather Norman watched Orel train. By the sixth day, the blizzard had all but relented to small yet fierce gusts of wind.

"We're going tomorrow?" Orel asked while meditating.

"I have already rented the car. It should get us to Geavu." Norman checked his phone.

"What about the festival? When was it?"

"Oh, that? A few weeks, I think."

"Should we go there before it or after it?"

Norman glanced from his phone. "Before, no doubt about it. We don't want to go against those two."

"Yeah, yeah. You keep going on about that. Are you really that scared of them?"

"You don't understand until you've witnessed what they can do, and I don't want you to get to that point."

"If you say so." Orel frowned. "Then, how is my magic?"

"Hmm. You are progressing well, but."

"But what?"

"I would give it a year or two until you can perform a cantrip."

"A cantrip?"

"Right, I haven't explained. Magic spells exist in these tiers, and cantrips are the weakest ones."

"And I'm not even up to that?" Orel shook his head.

"Magic is not some fun hobby you can pick up. Mages start training when they learn to speak and usually give up if they can't do the basics at the end of elementary school. That's just for those born to those families with the money and power to get into those schools."

"Then how long does it take to learn on your own?"

"That's simple. Usually, you don't. Few have the talent and intuition to learn magic independently, and even fewer can stand up to professional mages. That's why I'm not too fond of these institutions. If it were up to me, I would want magic to be taught free, yet carefully."

"So, do you have a spell?"

"Of course I have. I am an academic. In fact, I have a grand spell." Norman smiled.

"What's a grand spell?" Orel raised his eyebrow.

"A flashier version of your usual spell." Norman waved his fingers.

"So, you're not telling?"

"A mage is like a magician, and a magician never reveals their secrets."

"Then what was that talk about open magic teaching?" Orel asked with a sly smile.

Norman coughed. "Just concentrate on your exercise."

The next day the two packed their luggage and walked out of their room to the reception.

"We're returning our keys." Norman put them on the counter.

"You are leaving?" The man asked.

"Yes. The room is clean." Norman nodded.

"Are you perhaps going to the Firefox festival?"

"Why do you ask?" Orel asked.

"My son is going, that idiot." The man shook his bald head. "I'm more worried about him than money."

"Why are you worried?" Orel asked.

"People get hurt there—a lot of accidents. One reason it ended."

"I see," Norman said.

"Also, be careful on the road." The man remembered.

"Why?" Norman asked.

"I heard there was a jailbreak last night. The police are still searching for them."

"Really?" Orel gasped.

"We'll be careful," Norman said, lifting his briefcase.

"Luck be with you." The man waved. "And look out for foxfire."

"Foxfire?" Orel stopped.

"Colors in the sky. You will know when you see it."

A sleek yellow car was parked nearby, and a man gifted Norman the keys. Orel couldn't help but make a face as he noticed the tracks underneath.

"I suppose I will drive," Norman said, stepping into the driver's seat.

Orel sat in the front and turned up the heating, only to find it cranked up to maximum and his seat warm and fuzzy. Norman revved the engine, and a puff of smoke came from behind. It was not gasoline, however, but oil. Environment-friendly, the cars ran with rich plant oil extracted from the mighty trees all around Alanland.

"Do you drive much?" Orel asked.

"No, not actually. Much less this thing, but I think I'll manage." Norman pushed the petal.

The chain tracks spun, biting into the snow, and the car sped forward steadily. Its bright neon lights lit the darkness before the two in the deep driveways paved with snow. Though underneath the road was concrete, the further one got from settlements, the more snow and ice piled on. The car did not take long to drive on top of the snowfields, where only previous tracks and occasional signs led their way.

It was dark, oppressively so. The bright cones of light from the headlights snuffed into the darkness. The only light was that of the stars and moons, giving a gentle glimmer to the white snow. Orel was about to fall asleep when the sky lit up with vibrant colors. He looked from the window and saw glimmering green and blue waves like flags fluttering in the sky. They stretched far above and beyond the horizon, traveling along the car to the north. The white snow reflected the light and lit up like a warm lamp. Orel's eyes were open like his mouth as he took out his phone.

"Foxfire sure is beautiful." Norman smiled.

"Can we stop for pictures?" Orel asked.

"Sure, let me pull up."

The car stopped next to a forest, and Orel stepped out. Norman stepped out too, but for another reason. Orel went for pictures, snapped as many as possible, and sent some back home. As he came back, he saw Norman coming back from the woods with a relieved face.

"What were you doing there?" Orel asked.

"You know, call of nature." Norman closed his zipper. "Though, I don't think I'll be trying that again. The yellow icicle was quite freakish."

Orel's unamused face peered behind Norman. "What's that?"

"What's what?" Norman turned.

Like lamps, a group of lights loomed between the trees deep inside the forest. Orel counted around a dozen, but they shuffled too much to measure accurately. They were far from them, yet their light shone closer and closer as the two watched.

"Is someone there?" Orel squinted his eyes.

"Let's keep going." Norman pushed Orel toward the car.

"What?"

"It's better not to find out. If anything were to happen, we would be stranded here." Norman watched the lights. "Can you hear anything?"

Orel listened. "No?"

"They're not moving like people with lamps, yet there's no sound of engines." Norman frowned.

"It's just a bundle of lights." Orel shrugged.

Norman walked to the car. "Whatever they are, they can take my piss popsicle and suck on it for what I care."

Orel followed Norman to the car. Norman's reasoning hadn't convinced him, but the cold outdoors forced him to step inside. Norman turned the keys, yet the car did not start. The engine had gone cold.

Orel glanced at the lights, drawing shadows from the trees that reached the car. Norman twisted and turned the key, yet the engine only revved and coughed. At that point, Orel could see the lights. His increasing urge to know what cast them turned into a horrifying realization. There were only balls of light floating at heads high from the ground. There was nothing amongst the groups of lights than themselves and the shadows around them.

"I knew it! Let's get out of here!" Norman got the car running.

The chains pulled the snow into the air, yet the car did not move an inch. Norman realized that the vehicle was only sinking into the snow. He had pushed the pedal too hard before the car had gained speed.

A pair of headlights lit up before them, or so the two thought. It was merely another pair of lights, yet there was a short man between them this time. Both Orel and Norman already knew who it was. His dark mantle made him almost invisible in the darkness if not for the lights around him.

"What should we do?" Orel asked.

"Be quiet, and let grown-ups handle this," Norman whispered.

The man stopped a short distance away and gestured for the two to come closer. Norman and Orel stepped out of the car into the cold. The man's glimmering red eye looked at them closely as a sinister smile crept on his long face.

"What a coincidence we have here. This is mere, what, the second time we meet?"

"What a coincidence. I was about to say the same thing." Norman stepped forth. "Daniel, was it?"

"That is lord Daniel for you." Daniel sneered.

"Well, lord Daniel, what gives us the honor of your presence?" Norman bowed, gritting his teeth.

"I come bearing a warning, so heed my words: You are not to step a single foot in Geavu."

"That was never our intention," Norman paused. "Lord Daniel."

"Do not lie in my presence, but that is to be expected of your class."

"And what class would that be?"

"A big dumb berg." Daniel made his lips flap with each sound.

Norman looked Daniel in the eye. His expression was blank but still amusing for Daniel.

"Well, we'll be off now." Norman turned toward the car. "Orel."

"Yes?"

"I'll push the car; you press the pedal."

"Alright."

"Hmph." Daniel smiled.

Norman went to the back of the car and tried pushing it forward. Orel sat in the seat and carefully pressed the pedal. Slowly but surely, the car made its way out of the shallow hole it had made. As the vehicle freed itself, Orel jumped to the passenger seat and waited for Norman to return.

Yet, as time passed, Orel could find no sign of Norman. Orel had no idea what was taking him so long, but the cold forced him to shuffle to the other side and close the door. He glanced at Daniel, still standing away from the car.

At that moment, Orel watched as Daniel recoiled and dropped to the snow. The door Orel was grasping swung open and smashed shut. Orel yelled in surprise as the car began moving.

"A berg, you say?" A voice mocked.

"Huh?" Orel looked at the empty driver's seat.

"Right, sorry." The voice apologized.

Norman appeared in the blink of an eye, heaving and smiling nervously.

"Norman?!" Orel blurted.

"No time now." Norman pushed the petal to the metal.

The car sped past Daniel, still recovering. Before he could stand up, it had already escaped into the darkness.

Daniel did not have to wait for another set of lights to come from the opposite direction. The car stopped, and a lone figure stepped out and ran to him.

"Dan, how did it go?" Fynn asked.

"They did not respect our proposal." Daniel rubbed his jaw.

"Did those bastards punch you?" Fynn's face twisted with anger.

"Looks like they are not all bergs. I could barely notice the footprints until that mage swung at me."

"You didn't see him?"

"I was off guard, that's all." Daniel walked to the car.

"So, are they going to be a problem?" Fynn followed shortly behind.

Daniel stopped at the door. "Most certainly."

"Then our new friends will give us a hand," Fynn said as a couple more cars gathered around them.

"For once, you are right, brother." Daniel stepped in with a sinister smile.

Norman and Orel traveled in silence. While Norman was thinking about how to explain himself, Orel thought about what he should ask first.

"So, that's your spell?" Orel opened his mouth first.

"Yup, as you saw." Norman nodded.

"And you used it to punch him?"

"As you saw." Norman nodded.

"What are we going to do now?"

"I haven't thought that far. I didn't think I would survive." Norman laughed nervously.

"Then why did you do it?"

"You're right. I should have gone for the nards."

"No..."

"Honestly, he just really pissed me off." Norman gripped the wheel.

"And those two will be really pissed off." Orel crossed his eyes.

"Would you have rather given up?" Norman glanced at Orel.

"Well, no, but-"

"They were rude to us, and I just returned the favor."

"Or you could just be the better man," Orel said.

"Orel, let me tell you the truth. Adults can be jerks too."

"tell me something new." Orel rolled his eyes.

"I stand with my opinion. I would do it again. I would never shake hands with that man. Well, maybe if it was to agree to punch him again."

"Well, you will probably get the chance now."

"You still want to continue?" Norman looked over.

"Of course I do. I already told you so." Orel crossed his arms. "Now that you've seen him, how do you think we fare?"

"You? No chance. Me? Maybe." Norman said without hesitation.

"Maybe? You can turn invisible!"

"And that's all I'm good for. Well, maybe I got a few aces, but who knows what he can do with his orbs?"

"Aren't you being a bit too cautious?"

"Mage duels are all about caution. If you run in head first, that face is getting blown off. Besides, that was the worst-case scenario we just witnessed."

"Oh?" Orel tilted his head.

"I showed my spell and ran away. That's a huge disadvantage if we run into each other again."

"But didn't you say that isn't your only trick?"

"Well, he doesn't know that." Norman smiled smugly. "Anyway, I would have still preferred to have it hidden."

"Right. Well, we have to suffer the consequences of your actions now."

"I'm sorry, okay? Well, not sorry for him, but sorry that I dragged you into this."

"It's okay. I would have done the same thing." Orel shrugged.

"You realize that you would have died if you did that? And why are you blaming me then?"

"Adults should set a good example."

"I'll show you a good example," Norman murmured.

"Still waiting." Orel whistled.