“There you are.” after the first round of new student orientation, Caroline and Jason found Aimee and Thomas from the other section in the giant debate auditorium. According to the orientation, this is where some of the greatest debates about magical theories and their applications took place, because the by-laws dictated, that all parties in this debate will remain anonymous and their voices should be clouded by special magic, which in turn allowed the theories to be examined and evaluated regardless of the stature of the speakers.

 

“Hey, sorry we couldn’t join you.” Thomas scratched his head: “They told us we have to stay with our house during the orientation. And everyone’s so… young.”

 

“That’s because most of the students come from pre-existing magical families. And even the ones coming from the civilian world are mostly around college age.” Thomas shook his head and sighed: “I wonder what Ms. Josephine Wong saw in us.”

 

“How about your poisonous lava blood?” Jason joked: “That must account for something. Maybe you’re the descendants of half dragons.”

 

“Well, they’re only effective against vampires as far as we know.” Aimee chuckled: “We’ve donated blood before, and it’s not like somebody would call us and thank us for vampire-proofing them.”

 

Different from Caroline and Jason, Aimee and Thomas were here as formal students - they were recommended and brought in by Josephine Wong, and they were accepted at the Anderson House directly. According to Aimee, they could’ve gotten into the Hellbruck House if they wanted to, because that one is more about combat techniques and strategies and they were police officers. 

 

“Did or Garret tell you anything about your special blood?” now that Thomas brought it up again, Caroline asked.

 

“I… I don’t know. I asked, they didn’t exactly give me any clear answers.” Thomas scoffed: “I mean … Garret I get, but Ms. Josephine Wong, whoof, it’s harder to get in touch with her than an actual celebrity.”

 

“That’s not fair. She did take time to give us the whole talk about this world.” Aimee patted on Thomas’s back while they were walking out of the auditorium: “And that time she took us shopping for the necessities and paying for almost all of the stuff.”

 

“Yeah well, but she was doing all of the talking. And… and world shattering.” Thomas laughed: “Not that I mind, but there was just not enough room for questions, you know? I asked about the blood thing, but her words were: ‘It’s probably something dormant in you all along, and something happened to awaken or revitalize it.’”

 

“That’s vague and esoteric as hell. Do all high power folks talk like this?” Jason chuckled.

 

“You know what? Things got a lot better ever since San Francisco.” Caroline smiled: “And I think I’m beginning to understand the way Boss was behaving. It annoyed the shit outta me, but I understand more of it now.”

 

“Hmm. Do tell.” Thomas looked at Caroline curiously.

 

“Well. Knowledge has weight.” Caroline felt like she was put on the spot, so she started struggling a little bit: “It … well… truths are difficult to hear. It literally hurts.”

 

“Yeah. She’s not joking.” when Aimee turned to Jason, Jason shrugged: “When Boss told us about some things we’ve always wanted to know, and something we’ve never asked for. There's this… force and pressure surrounding my head and my whole body. I felt like the more I listened, the greater the force became. And my head hurt, my heart started racing, the blood in my body felt like boiling...”

 

“... and your bones felt like they’re being squeezed in all directions - like wood or metal being pressure treated.” Caroline continued: “It was not fun ...”

 

“Holy crap, just some information can cause that?” Thomas frowned: “What did he tell you? What did he say?”

 

“Well, he was telling us about some of the basic forces in the world, and magical elements. ” Caroline scratched her hair: “Shit … I’m feeling like I have it in my head but I can’t express it! He told us about there being a grand, unmeasurable force, or being in this world called the Will, and its senses, thoughts and actions formed into things like a river, or stream that starts from everywhere and at the same time ends everywhere...”

 

“Hold up, hold up.” Thomas cut Caroline off, with a trembling voice.

 

“I … I don’t feel so good.” Aimee said.

 

When Aimee and Thomas started feeling weak and almost could not feel their legs, Jason and Caroline held on to them and prevented them from falling on the ground.

 

“Holy shit. I understand it more now.” Caroline lifted Thomas up: “Thomas you’re feeling alright?”

 

“Shit. What the hell happened?” when they found a place to sit Aimee and Thomas down, Thomas asked.

 

“Knowledge has weight. And it fucking burns.” Caroline answered as she paid close attention to both Thomas and Aimee, while offering her flask to them: “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know even this bit of information is enough to cause this much trouble. Here, if you still don’t feel well drink some of this.”

 

“Thanks. I’d like some.” Thomas’s face was now all red like he was splashed in the face with boiling water.

 

“Slow and small sips, don’t chug.” reminded by Caroline’s action, Jason also offered Aimee his flask.

 

It took quite a while for both Aimee and Thomas to feel better and be able to get back on their feet. The wine from Caroline and Jason’s flasks made them cough heavily, but it at least ease their bodily and mental pain.

 

“Holy fuck. What the hell was that? How is that forbidden knowledge? ” Thomas breathed heavily after a small sip of the wine from Caroline’s flask: “I swear I’ve heard that kind of stuff from stoners and junkies before. Why didn’t any of it hit me like this?”

 

“I think the simple answer is that it comes from someone who actually knows.” Aimee shook her head and looked at Caroline and Jason with mixed feelings in her eyes: “This is crazy. The owner of an around-the-corner inn being a high level wizard.”

 

“Cultivator.” Caroline and Jason said at the same time.

 

 

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