Theodore Chrono

by Shanon Chong

  The dice fell from the air as Georgo released his magic on the dice, they dropped from the sky and then hit the stone arena’s ground. Bouncing into the air, they spun and spun before landing on a pair of ones, snake eyes. Chuckling, Mr Rhimmage watched Georgo’s smile disappear as he read the effect of the spell on the board.

  “I doubt the potency of your magic,” Georgo murmured as he held his arm out horizontally. “Play within my space.” Mr Rhimmage was slowly lifted off his feet until he was floating above the ground.

  “Absolute control within your Zone?” Mr Rhimmage inquired as he took several deep breaths. “Explorer’s mark, I call upon your blessing.” Georgo’s jaw dropped; Mr Rhimmage was no longer confined by Georgo’s spatial magic. “Damn. Lucky I included that in the effect list.” Mr Rhimmage giggled playfully. “Maybe beating the second-strongest mage in the nation might not be so hard…”

  “Don’t speak the impossible.” Georgo sneered. “If that was all I could do, I wouldn’t be considered strong.”

  “But that is all you can do.”

  “Lies,” Georgo replied pridefully as he held his chin high. A small, translucent cube appeared in Georgo’s palm as his expression became angrier.

  Mr Rhimmage prepared for Georgo’s next attack. The board that displayed each of the possible outcomes of the dice rolls changed colour as he muttered under his breath.

  “Adventurer’s mark,” Kicking it again, the seal broke easily. However, Georgo didn’t wait for the dice to roll before the cube within his palm expanded and consumed Mr Rhimmage. Georgo stood silently as he looked at his palm where two red dice lay. A seemingly ethereal voice echoed from the confines of the cube: “Roll the dice that decide your fate.”

  “The cube,” Georgo muttered, holding his arm to the sky where the cube slowly floated. The cube lost some of its pure white, revealing the interior of the angelic prison. “In the time I spent away from the battlefield, I learned some new tricks.” The dice within his hand glowed a deeper shade of red. “Dreams, dreams are the best prisons.” Flipping his palm, the dice fell from his hand, hitting the floor and bouncing, the sides showing the entire assortment of possible outcomes.

  The board glowed; a bright red apparition spawned itself from the board’s magical energy. A bloodied ghost faced Georgo. The legless former human floated toward and around him. The apparition’s constant pestering led Georgo to an impatient reaction, and he lashed out at the misty figure. Georgo’s eyes remained clear and free of the madness that trailed him, and he did not release the magic to clear himself of the harrassment he faced.

  Wasn’t this just a representation of someone’s inner mind? I mean, my own interpretation didn’t seem like it had any logical flaws. Maybe unique magic revealed a person’s inner world, their own internal conflict creating one of their greatest assets. The subconscious fear and apprehension to approach Mr Rhimmage wasn’t his figure, but maybe it was his personality, risky and carefree.

  “Surrender…” Georgo panted, inhaling and exhaling. The ghost slowly worked into his mind, playing with the emotions any human would feel.

  “Surrender means defeat, does it not?” Mr Rhimmage said, his voice echoing throughout the dome.

  “It does.”

  “Does surrender not mean relief? Does it not mean release from the ghosts that plague you?” Mr Rhimmage worked on Georgo’s mental state, playing with his opponent’s mind. “Does that choice not also apply to you?” He continued working as a harbinger of defeat, the very embodiment of the anxiety that wouldn’t leave the greatest of warriors, for defeat wasn’t just a fear…it was an inevitability.

  “Surrender does mean relief, release from the ghost you use to plague me,” Georgo said. “Defeat also means an eternity of disgrace, dishonour, and weakness!” He looked at the cube. “What does defeat mean for you?”

  “There is no defeat; there is only death,” Mr Rhimmage replied. “Not once have I lost in a fight.” He stood within Georgo’s cube. The pure white environment he remained confined in floated toward the ground until it was only waist-height above the floor. Mr Rhimmage’s mental fortitude couldn’t be belittled. He somehow managed to stay sane within the pure-white, isolated environment. The same could be said of Georgo, who bore Mr Rhimmage’s magic with years of blood, slaughter, and war.

  “I wasn’t actually this strong until the end of my third year,” Georgo said under his breath. “I made my rule…no, my vow to never lose no matter where I went.” Black metal chains emerged from the ground, slowly waiting for the cube to disappear. Mr Rhimmage didn’t reply, nor did he laugh or respond. Georgo held his hand above his head and said, “I’m sorry.”

  The white cube disappeared from sight, vanishing from existence. Chains bound Mr Rhimmage before he touched the ground. Looking around at the hellish obsidian bindings that held him afloat, he said to Georgo, who had held his eyes closed, “Did you drag these chains from hell?” He tugged at them, urging their tough metal clasps to unbind themselves.

  “You’re the first to experience this,” Georgo said, panting as he spoke, his mental exhaustion evident.

  “Saving this for Andreas?” Mr Rhimmage replied, his words echoing from the top of the chains. “I guess I must either surrender or die…” He sighed as he held his head high. “Well, go ahead.” He chuckled, laughing at the idea of death, subjecting the thought to scorn.

  “Then die,” Georgo muttered, and a single chain with a blade fashioned from end hurtled at Mr Rhimmage’s heart.

  “Stop!” Mrs Indallias shouted, and the chain was halted midair by her lance. The polearm released Mr Rhimmage from his chains. “You two went too far! Both of you, release your magic!” she commanded, and the chains and the ghost disappeared. The two mages looked each other in the eye, neither admitting defeat.

  “I admit I went too far,” Georgo apologised as he climbed to his feet. “Allow me to rectify that mistake.”

  “Don’t worry. I can’t accept your apology; I’ve danced with death too many times.” Mr Rhimmage chuckled hollowly as he stood slightly jarred from the fight… moments passed before he held his hand out for an honourable finish to their battle. Georgo shook his hand, roughly accepting Mr Rhimmage’s shoulder to provide assistance back to the classroom. Georgo’s dusty-blond locks had lost the band that bound it. The hair hung low over his eyes and hid his expression. Stephanie berated both Mr Rhimmage and Georgo loudly for the possible outcomes that could have stemmed from their rash decisions.

  The class ended in silence, neither adult speaking a word as Mrs Indallias scolded them. Mr Rhimmage and Georgo sat quietly in students’ desks as we left.

  That day continued slowly, as Rachel and I returned to our room to study. Our strengths hadn’t been tested yet, and I was starting to get impatient. However, I didn’t really feel the need to get tested by the school.

  Days passed as we studied in the small office within our room, sitting on the two desks provided for both of us, constantly exchanging notes and only very occasionally talking about something that wasn’t school.

  Exams came and passed. I remained nonchalant through the entire experience, knowing I would probably pass. I struggled slightly with the alchemy exam after I got distracted by a butterfly that floated within the room. Piper opened the window and released to poor insect after the exam; however, I had a feeling my grade would have suffered accordingly.

  The combat testing ended with a simple divination ball examining my current magic strength. I could be sure it wasn’t anything special due to the standard response from the examiner, who wrote everything with a smile. I didn’t really think about it until I returned to my room, where Rachel casually swung her legs up and down on the bed.

  “How did it go?” she asked as she threw herself to her feet. “The magical strength exam, I mean.”

  “I know what you meant,” I replied, patting her on the shoulder comfortingly. “I did average, I guess.” I sighed and held up a book. “I mean, I thought I would do better.�
� I took off the school uniform and placed it on a hanger.

  “Hey, don’t sweat it. Tomorrow we’re getting on the carriage to the military camp close to the mission,” Rachel replied, “so stay positive, okay? We’ll be fine.” She patted me on the back and then slowly guided me to the shower. “We can talk more before we sleep. Just have a shower first.”

  “Thanks, I’ll see you in a bit,” I replied, placing my clothes on the table that surrounded the sink. After finishing my shower, I changed into my nightwear and exited the bathroom. Rachel had turned off the lights in the living area and retreated to the safety of our room, which was now warm from the heater’s radiation.

  “You’re anxious, aren’t you?” she asked, starting the conversation as I placed my legs under the warm bedding. “I’m also assuming that you’re excited,” she continued, randomly poking at emotions until she hit the correct one.

  “Of course. Who wouldn’t be excited, or even anxious?” I reasoned. “I mean, this is our first-ever mission.” I shuffled closer to Rachel to conserve warmth within the blanket. “You’re okay if I’m closer, right?” I asked, now lying shoulder to shoulder with Rachel.

  “Well, sure. Go ahead.” She sighed, caving quickly. “Why are you excited, exactly? I mean, we’ve already participated in a raid.”

  “Yes, but this time, we’re with all our classmates. And our chances of dying are significantly lowered.” I tried to reply logically; however, I slowly realised the downside of the school-run mission. “We don’t get paid at the end, do we?” The renumeration we had received from our day fighting the Church was a well-intentioned bonus to the experience we had gained.

  “The school wants to milk us for all we’re worth,” Rachel replied jokingly. “Think of it as an experience, not a job.”

  “Fair enough, I guess…” I yawned. “Let’s get to sleep; we have to wake up early.”

  “Sure.” Rachel giggled and leaned against me, “Goodnight,” she whispered directly into my ear as she suppressed her laughter to a minimum.

  “Yeah, goodnight.” I chuckled as I closed my eyes to get some rest. Rachel’s strange way of saying goodnight somehow managed to get me to sleep quicker.

  My father’s dreamscape built itself around me as I entered his realm. The pink buildings and randomly placed assorted goods instantly gave away my location. My father sat on a log that hadn’t previously existed in this world. A wave of nostalgia swept over me as I looked around the entire realm, realising I hadn’t been here in several months. In the centre of the realm, beside my father’s log, was an expansive wooden bonfire with two recognisable young female figures sitting opposite my father.

  Lily and Diana sat on the pink bench my father had relocated for them. Lily sat tall and refined on the chair, keeping her back straight; Diana remained slightly hunched over, fiddling with her white hair as she stared anxiously at my father, who sat casually on the log. My father, Andreas, held a notebook in his palm with the letter “G” embroidered on its cover, reading its contents. He snapped the notebook shut, and the cover made a slight thud as it closed.

  My father wasn’t the type to back away from a possible favour, assuming Georgo was asking him for one. Back before he’d left, there had been many instances where he’d assisted the local workers with their small projects and endeavours. Many of the times my father helped someone with something, he would reap the benefits quickly, from obtaining bread to getting personally smithed items. I wondered what kind of incentive Georgo had provided to entice my father into working this quickly.

  I observed Lily and Diana from a distance as my father fiddled with a small stick he had conjured into existence. The hearth that separated him from the two girls glowed an ethereal blue as it burned brighter. Hoping I could maintain an objective view of the situation, I pointed at the centre of the hearth.

  “Enhanced hearing,” I muttered quietly, and a magic circle appeared beside my ear and in the centre of the homely fire. I focused slightly, waiting for the magic to come into effect, and then I frowned as—

  “What are you talking about?” Diana shouted, interrupting my thoughts. She adamantly denied whatever my father had accused her of adamantly and had crossed her arms in front of her chest. Having zero context of their conversation, I didn’t have a single clue what they were talking about.

  “What connection do you have to the resurrection of Hzakor Arcan?” my father asked, using the Old God’s old name. Well, at least, the name Rachel had told me.

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about,” Lily stated firmly. She sighed. “I’m too busy with studying and the ranking ladder to worry about…whoever you’re talking about.”

  “I’m also too busy! I’ve never even met the Old God!” Diana added.

  “I never said anything about an Old God… Care to explain?” Andreas pointed out. “I mean, what is your connection to the Old God, Diana Harr?”

  “I-I have no idea what you are talking about…y-you madman!”

  “Please stop harassing my friend,” Lily said before my father could reply. She stood. “Diana isn’t in the best mental state for a high-stress interrogation.”

  “Thank you, Lily…” Diana said gratefully. “See? She sees that I’m innocent.”

  “I’m not saying you’re innocent; I’m saying now wouldn’t be the best time,” Lily retorted. Turning to my father, she continued. “Please consider my statement.”

  “You are free to leave, Lilia Xarez.” My father gestured to a gaping hole in his dreamscape. “However, once you leave, you will probably never return.”

  “I will take your offer to exit this dream,” Lily replied, quickly taking the exit and leaving the realm completely. Diana stared after he friend, confounded by her sudden disappearance.

  “What about me?” she exclaimed in disbelief. “Why can’t I leave?”

  “I never said you couldn’t, Diana Harr,” my father said carefully. “Maybe you’ll have luck with your dream of becoming an Enforcer,” he called after her as she left through the tear in his realm.

  “Theo, you can come out now.”

  “What was that about?” I asked plainly as I walked out from behind the building.

  “Well, I can’t have Georgo be the only person who doesn’t owe me a favour!” Raising his arms above his head, my father stretched. “Anyway, what are you doing here?”

  “I thought you summoned me,” I stated. “I can’t enter your dream on my own…”

  “Hmm, that’s strange… Anyway, I’ll probably contact Tiff and settle something with this Diana girl.”

  “Tiff?”

  “Harbinger of War, Tiffany Indallias, Steph’s sister?”

  “Right. Anyway, anything you want to say? Or should I just leave?” I looked at the wristwatch in my father’s large hands. “I mean, you don’t even know how I got here.”

  My father rubbed his chin as he tried to lean back on the log. Sliding off slightly, he didn’t panic but floated back into place. “Ah! Right, I wanted to warn you about Harrold. He might not be that innocent…”

  “But I’ve already confirmed his innocence, right?”

  “Do you remember Hans Ghil?” my father asked.

  “I do,” I replied, not really knowing what else to say. I mean, I didn’t really know the mage well; all I knew was that he was evil.

  “He’s got plans regarding your school’s little excursion.” His sigh echoed slightly throughout the surrounding area. “I can’t be certain that I’ll be around the mission area, but…I’ll see what I can do if anything happens.”

  “So, I can see you for the first time in a decade?” I paused. “Outside of this dreamscape thing.”

  “Probably not. Sorry. I still have my hands full with the Old God.” My father apologetically patted me on the back. “I’ll let you get some more rest before you wake up… Good luck with the raid.”

  He smiled and held his hand to my eyes, darkening my vision. I remained within the dark limbo until a sharp red light f
illed the entire room. The lack of another dream taking its place left me uncomfortable as I drifted within the void. I shouldn’t still be stuck like this… Worried, I decided to try to awaken myself, only to find myself locked within the confines of the dark void.

  “Theo! Wake up!” Rachel’s shout penetrated into my dream, and I felt someone shaking my right shoulder as I remained within the darkness.

  “Child,” an amalgamation of voices whispered from behind me, “don’t leave so soon.” Fearing what I would see if I turned, I held my mouth shut, not budging. “Worry, child. For even your closest allies may turn their back on you.”

  “What?” I muttered, shifting my body to face the Old God.

  I found myself lying in my bed. Rachel had held my face off the pillow during the few seconds I had rolled into a breathless slumber. She dropped my head, letting me fall back into the pillow. The cold Arcanan mist had fogged up the windows inside our room while we had slept peacefully.

  “Theo! Get changed!” she screamed as she tossed me my school uniform. “Quickly! We leave soon.”

  Chapter 22: The Mission

  Hours passed as the wooden carriage drove us south; the mission would have us outside of the Arcanan Capital for three days, only one of which actually involved completing the mission. The trip would take several hours by coach, resulting in a day’s worth of time lost. The sandy savannah that surrounded the paved path was arid and lifeless; the dry and waterless climate had left it nearly impossible for any fauna or flora to survive. Several teachers accompanied us; many, I didn’t know, and many, I wouldn’t ever learn the names of.

  The constant advice of the teachers who hopped from carriage to carriage was to keep drinking our water, which, mind you, was already limited. Our single rest stop, halfway to the military camp we would stay the night at, hadn’t been seen even after three hours on the carriage. Many students started expressing their doubts regarding our chances against the battle-hardened veterans of the Anti-Magic army. Many people started hallucinating ponds and streams that just didn’t exist in the desert that surrounded us.