stern look was replaced with a smile. "Good morning Lucia. Thanks for watching over me at the Amazons." I smiled back "you noticed?" He chuckled. "Of course. I sense it when people watch me. You were the only thing stopping me from killing her" I was confused. "How so?" He grinned. "I thought you would like to kill her instead!" I managed a genuine laugh as I got up. We went downstairs to meet with the others for breakfast. It was there that Loch explained his story, and we all laughed merrily at it. A man burst through the door. Stand tall at five feet five inches, in bandit garb, he aimed his pike at the bartender. "I demand all of your gold." The bartender looked frightened. "S-s-sure thing Zack." Loch and Xavier looked furious at this. A fuming Loch came in behind him and drew his sword. "Put the money down." Zack turned around. "And who are you?" "My name is Sir Loch Finley. I hail from the lost eastern city of Ferox. Lay down your arms and I Will spare you." Zack was terrified. "That isn't true. It can't be..." Xavier walked up behind Loch. "I am Earl Xavier Santos III hailing from Renais. Lay down your arms." Damn. Those red eyes are intimidating. Zach ran. Xavier flicked a knife at his back. The force sent Zach faceplanting into the road. Not wanting to loose a knife he retrieved it, handed the money back, and took our party out of the inn. We walked, chatty as usual, when Ivan piped up: "are we going to that creepy-looking tower?" I nodded. "Where else?" Ivan gulped. As we came up to the gates, a robed watchman nodded to Xavier, and opened the gates, using kinesis. Yeah, that's how these show-offs work. We entered a large hall, with children ages seven to twelve bustled about, carrying books, parchment, inkwells and quills. The walls were a dark purple color, but looked more regal than sinister. In all, we were at a mage academy. We walked through the halls until we came to a class with a skull on a black spiral background. We opened the door, and interrupted the class. The teacher was fourteen years old, and was the youngest teacher in the school. He came in barely pushing 5'6" He had short brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a black cloak with no hood, and a monicle. He had the aura of a shy, powerful child. Ah Mattais. You never change. He looked at the class. "Class dismissed. Yes Alicia, elder magic is more powerful than the rest. Yes, both Anima and Holy. It is also the most dangerous. In fact my brother became a slave of the arts. Do not become one yourselves." Xavier smiled at his cousin. "I see you got the job?" Mattais bounced up and down. "Yes! I teach Elder Magic, Windmancy, Necromancy, and Magic Technology." I turned to the others, who looked confused. "He teaches Dark Magic, Wind Magic, Death Magic, and Magic-Industry Fusion" Mattais looked exasperated. "Common Misconception! Elder Magic! Dark Magic does NOT exist!" I looked to Ivan, Hector, Loch, and Heather. "You four go for a tour. If you would like to, you can enroll for later..." they left. Xavier put his hand on his hips and looked at his cousin. "First day?" Tay nodded. He looked at me and Xavier. "What courses did you two take when you were here?" I piped up first. "Kinetic, Dark, Necro, Mental. As well as the four Animas." Xavier spoke next. "Necro, Elder, Mental, Ice, Transfiguration, Medical, Runic and Death." Mattais went silent. Then he finally spoke. "Deathmancy? That is for the Elites only! I'm a teacher and they STILL won't let me there!" Xavier looked surprised. "That class is okay. Using magic to destroy stuff? It is nothing compared to your Goetia. You know what? You might not be a bad mage after all" Tay was overjoyed at hearing this, and used the wind to launch him up 5 feet in the air. I asked him something. "Is the king angry at you?" He rolled his eyes. "No! That is Tobias, my cousin, that is not Xavier's cousin as well. He is a jerk, and it trying to tell Roy about the prophecy. Which you two are in." We turned to leave, then Tay came up beside us. "I'm going with you. I am taking temporary leave. Archsage Lute Will understand. She was on an adventure herself once." Xavier smiled, and the three of us met Hector at the gate. "Are you finished?" He asked. "I got this cool new axe from magical smithing. It is silver, and the blade is always 0.01283 degrees Kelvin." We were soon greeted by Loch and Heather, and finally Ivan. I borrowed one of Mattais's Tomes, "Thunder, the novice guide" and we left on our way on the road towards Tobias's tower.
Stygian Sword Page 5