I was determined to use the day to train and become stronger, so I decided to skip class once again. It may not have been the wisest decision, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to sneak into town and peruse the local bookstore for some Tier 3 books. After slipping back into the academy undetected, I settled into a meditative position on my bed and entered the Mind Sanctum.
The Tier 3 spells were more challenging than I had anticipated, but with guidance from Alexander, I eventually mastered them. In just fifteen hours, I had reached Tier 3 in all of the schools I was studying. Just as I was about to ask Alexander to teach me more about D-Force, the room began to shake violently, and I was abruptly forced out of the Mind Sanctum.
To my surprise, I found myself face to face with Colette, who was shaking me vigorously and calling my name in a panic.
"You can stop now," I said calmly, trying to regain my composure.
"Quinn, what happened?" Colette exclaimed. "You missed class again, and when I found you here, you weren't moving!"
“I was using my family spell to get stronger,” I said, “I’m sorry for worrying you,”
She blushed, “I- I wasn’t worried. Just concerned that you might not pass if you keep skipping class like this,”
“I apologize for skipping class, Colette. I understand that it is not the best course of action,” I replied. Colette blushed and averted her gaze. As she looked down, she noticed my shirt had turned dark red and she slumped down to the floor, clearly alarmed.
Concerned for her well-being, I quickly knelt beside her and asked, “Colette, are you alright?”
She took a deep breath and regained her composure. “I'm fine. I’m just surprised. You’ve managed to progress from Tier 0 to Tier 3 in two weeks using your family spell. That’s an impressive feat, especially since you're enrolled in six different schools,” she said, her tone a mixture of awe and concern.
“I couldn’t have made it without your help,” I smiled gratefully at her, “Let’s not dwell on that, okay?” She nodded in agreement, “So did I miss anything important in class today?”
“Nothing much,” Colette paused to think for a moment, “Oh, Professor Elody mentioned that the Elf Embassy will be visiting this Saturday.”
My eyes widened in surprise, “The Elf Embassy? What for?”
Colette’s face lit up with excitement, “They say they are bringing gifts! I’ve always wanted to meet an elf!” she squealed slightly.
As I pieced together the information, it all started to make sense. Leila must have given the wands to the elves and planted them near their location. The elves then picked them up and received the note from Henry, which was likely an invitation of some sort, possibly diplomatic. The ultimate goal was to get the elves to bring the wands as a gift. However, the reason behind this plan still eluded me, and it couldn't be anything good.
I made up an excuse for why I had to leave for a moment, then turned my thoughts to Alexander. As I reached out my thoughts I heard him speak.
“This isn’t good,” He said, “I’ve never fought an elf before, but if the rumors are true you can’t handle them yet,”
“I know,” I replied, “But we need to figure something out,”
He sighed, “I have something I can do, but that should wait until we have no other choice,”
“What is it?”
“I can’t tell you exactly, but supposedly it’ll allow me to be of more help to you, but there will be major consequences,” I could feel his frown in my mind, “Firstly you won’t be able to speak to me for a week after, I’ll be completely out. And secondly, my work will definitely come after you,”
“If it’s our only choice than so be it,” I smile, “Together we’ll take on anything that comes our way,”
I spent Friday after class making thorough preparations for what might lie ahead. My first task was to search for Mr. Moon, but he was nowhere to be found. He was probably occupied with the impending visit of the elves, but his focus was misplaced. Next, I sought out Cain and Able and implored them to get ready for a potential battle tomorrow.
Cain appeared baffled by my request. "What? Why?" he asked, puzzled.
"I have a foreboding feeling," I responded.
Cain seemed poised to object, but Able beat him to it. "I trust you. What scale of a battle are we expecting?" he queried.
"I'm not entirely certain yet, but it could be significant," I admitted.
Able nodded with understanding. "I'll begin brewing," he said confidently. Cain, however, appeared hesitant.
"I suppose if Able believes in you, I will too," Cain grumbled, throwing his support behind me.
I thanked them both for their cooperation and headed back to my room to continue my preparations. I spent the rest of the day researching everything I could about elves and their magic, trying to anticipate any possible strategies they might use against us. As I delved deeper into my studies, I couldn't shake the feeling that something big was coming. The stakes were higher than ever before, and failure was not an option.
