Athena says, “Understood, Chief.  We’re to investigate the two individuals who were snooping around and then left this last week.  We’ll begin immediately after our classes end.  You can expect out first report Monday morning.” 

The Chief nods and says, “Dismissed.”

The Chief’s assistant opens the door and out walk Athena, Selene, Tyson, and Jason.  Theodore waits until the last two are through the door before taking a step after them.  Even though they can tolerate being in the same room as him and also no longer freak out whenever he looks at them, they still haven’t been able to accept him.  He makes an internal sigh, but doesn’t blame them.

He manages two steps before the Chief says, “Just a moment, Theodore. 

His assistant closes the door as Theodore turns around.  “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, I’m just concerned.”  The Chief gestures to one of the sofa chairs in front of his desk while his assistant pours them some tea.  “Have a seat.”

The Chief waits for Theodore to drink some tea before saying, “How have you been?”

Theodore blows on his tea before taking a second sip.  “Are you pulling me off the assignment?”

“No, the opposite.  I just want to confirm a few things before giving you your task.”

“Is it about my relation with Tyson and Jason?  I think they’re getting better.  At this rate, we might even be able to hold an actual conversation in a few years.”

“That brings up my concern.  Plato used his ability, despair, to awaken the dormant memories within all three of you last summer.  The trauma from those memories made Tyson and Jason go berserk-”

“And in the chaos, Plato was able to escape.  Yes, I remember.  I’m the one who contained them until help could arrive.”

The Chief sigh and downs his tea.  “Plato’s escape was an oversight on our part.  We should have realized that if they could remove the memories about your time in Corsica, then they could also return them.  Containing Tyson and Jason was the correct decision.”

Theodore sips more tea and says, “Then you want to know why I wasn’t affected?”  He shrugs and says, “Like I said back then, something got in my eye.  Or do you think that’s wrong?”

The Chief’s assistant says, “There’s no denying that your memories are still sealed.  We, however, are starting to suspect it wasn’t an accident.”

Theodore sets down his cup of tea.  “You’re afraid he’ll awaken my memories as the world’s worst assassin?  That I’ll betray our organization and kill Athena?”

The assistant shakes her head.  “No, Tyson and Jason have already proven that the present you will clash against the past you.  It’s why they keep having memory flashes.  Our fear is something else.”

The Chief says, “You’ve read your files.  We fear the type of memory flash you’ll have once you’re forced to confront your past.  Not only will you be completely exposed, with your strength, you’d put countless civilians at risk.  That’s why, if you feel anything, the slightest worry, the faintest doubt, come clean and tell us.  Our responsibility is to look after you.”

Theodore places a hand over his heart as he takes a breath.  Jeremy gave him a similar talk earlier that morning.  He, the Chief, the Chief’s assistant, and everyone in the organization mean well, but they already have their hands full with Tyson and Jason.  Theodore nods and says, “Nope, I don’t feel anything at all.”  He gives a confident grin with a playful salute as he adds, “No worries, I promise to be careful.”

The Chief sighs and dismisses Theodore.  Theodore nods and leaves.  Waiting for him outside the door is, “Athena?  You didn’t leave with the others?”

Athena clicks her tongue.  “What kind of squad leader would I be if I left without everyone in my team?”

Theodore blinks and says, “In other words, you still need to give me my mission parameters.  Aren’t you just going to have me sneaking around on my own like usual?  I mean, it’s not like I can directly coordinate with half the team.”

Athena sighs.  Her tone is full of sarcasm as she says, “Yeah, that’s exactly it.  I waited here for you just to tell you that.”

Theodore chuckles as he walks past Athena.  His smile droops once she can no longer see his face.  Their current mission is a red herring.  The two they’re investigating are the ones who attacked Arthus.  “Hey, about this miss-”

“Sophie!  Hey, Sophie!  What’s taking so long?”  Jason runs down the corridor, but freezes upon seeing Theodore.  The carefree smile he wore stiffens into one of terror.  He fights off his fright and forces himself to say, “Let’s hurry before the trail gets cold!”

Athena takes off after Jason as he runs away.  Him running into Theodore without any preparation could easily trigger a memory flash.  She glances back to Theodore and mouths, “Sorry.”

Theodore waits until the echoes of their footsteps vanish before fist pumping and saying, “Totally called it!”  He then turns around and, with a text to Athena, leaves for school on his own.  Instead of wasting his time investigating two dead ends, he’ll conduct his own investigation.  “Not like I was actually given anything to do.”

 

Theodore stops by Arthus’s table during lunch.  Considering that morning’s events, Athena will be too busy trying to sooth Jason to be able to eat with him.  A sly grin spreads across his face as he sets down his tray. “You mentioned the other day that you’re not going on the eco-trip.  In other words, you don’t have any last minute packing to do, right?”

Arthus says, “I’m taking Samantha out on a date tonight.”

Theodore stifles a laugh as he says, “Dude, she flat out turned you down during study hall.”

A second tray plops down next to Theodore’s.  Justine says, “Don’t you get tired that?  She turns you down, like, every two weeks.”

Arthus says, “I’m wearing her down, bit by bit.”

Theodore says, “So in other words, you’re free.  Hang out with me, then.”

Justine says, “What are we doing, watching a movie?”  She frowns and scrunches her nose at questioning looks Theodore and Arthus give her.  She jabs a finger at Theodore and says, “Hey, you promised to tutor me in English!  I don’t care how you try to weasel your way out of it, I’m sticking with you until I pull up my grade.”

Theodore drops back against his chair with a sigh.  He runs his hand through the back of his head while saying, “I’m not brushing you aside.  I just assumed that with tomorrow being the eco-trip, you’d be busy packing tonight.”

Justine holds her head up as she says, “Nope, I took care of all that last night.  And because we leave early tomorrow morning, there’s no training either.  I’m completely free this afternoon.”  Her expression brightens as she leans forward towards the center of the table.  “So, what do you have in mind?  A movie?”

Theodore makes a face as he says, “No way, I hate movies.”

Justine says, “Aw, and there was one I really wanted to see, too.”

Arthus says, “Why don’t you go with some of your friends?”

“Urgh, they hate sci-fi.  They’d spend the whole two hours complaining about how Twilight is better.”

 

Arthus and Theodore follow Justine into a music store.  Arthus watches Justine run off to the metal section while saying, “So, why the mall?”

Theodore picks up a CD and pretends to skim the back while waiting for Justine to put on a pair of headphones.  He glances towards her and says, “I originally wanted someplace secluded, like the park.”

Arthus says, “And here I thought there was some deeper reason.  Well, the park isn’t as safe as you might think.  A chimera is rumored to have been spotted there.”

“A chimera?  What, more fantasy talk?  You make it sound like you’re not the only one.”

“You don’t realize it, but we’re part of a much larger community than you know even exists.”

Theodore switches the CD in his hand for another one.  He chuckles and says, “Saw right through me, huh?  Well, fine, just what kind of community is this?”

“Okay, then I’ll be using the mall as an analogy.  Up here in the surface are the shops everyone knows about; clothing boutiques, music stores, gym equipment, shoe stores, whatever.”

Theodore makes a wry smile as he says, “And hidden downstairs are shops only a select few know about?”  He shrugs and adds, “Next you’re going to say that this applies to the whole world.”

Arthus suppresses his irritation as he says, “Actually, yeah.  Those blessings you keep calling psychic abilities are considered a secondary power in that hidden world.”

“And magic is the primary?  How’d something like that even get decided?”

“A long, bloody, and pointless war.  Everything else is now relegated as a third power.”

“Whoever told you all this is delusional.”

Arthus clicks his tongue.  “Okay, then.  Your turn.  Why do you insist on psychic abilities?”

Theodore leans closer to Arthus and says, “I’m actually part of a secret government organization that researches both psychic development and protects psychics from being exploited by other organizations.”

Arthus chokes on his laugh.  “You- you’re completely serious too!  Wow, okay, I thought, yeah, I thought there was something, but wow.”

Theodore says, “You know, most people react differently.”

Justine says, “Really?  What did you tell him?”

Theodore looks left, then right, then leans towards her ear.  With an over dramatic tone, he whispers, “That my daily life as a student is actually a cover.  In truth, I’m a secret government agent tasked with monitoring psychic activity.”

Justine laughs as she says, “Psyhics?  You’re totally in the wrong school.  None of the ones in this city attend Calvera Private Academy.  How did you guys even get into this sort of conversation?”

Both Arthus and Theodore chuckles at her remark.  Arthus then says, “So, find anything you like?”

Justine holds up a small bag.  With a bright smile, she says, “Yep, two new CDs for my workouts.”

Theodore says, “Couldn’t you just get those songs of youtube?”

Justine says, “What kind of secret government spy are you?  Telling me to break the law.” 

“A practical one.  I’m not really given much of a wage.  If anything, it’s more like an allowance…”

   Justine laughs and says, “Anyway, I know where to go to next.”  She takes Arthus and Theodore by their hands and drags them to a fitness store.  Once they are in the section dedicated to martial arts equipment, she adds, “Last year, Arthus fought of a pair of thugs completely on his own.  Earlier this week, Theodore made me feel terrified for my life.”  While Theodore ignores Arthus’s stare, Justine continues, “So, now, I really want to know.  Who’s stronger?”

“I am.”  Both answer in unison.  They look at each other for a moment and then turn back to Justine.  Theodore says, “Actually, what kind of question is that?  Do you go around wondering the outcomes to hypothetical fights?”

Justine blushes as she looks down.  “Well, kinda…  I’m only taking Iaido because my parents said kendo isn’t for girls.”  She takes a pair of foam covered rubber swords off the wall and says, “I want to face the winner.”

Theodore accepts a sword and glances at Arthus.  “Well, I can’t stand someone thinking he’s better than me.”

Arthus returns the stare while also accepting a sword.  “And I’ve been itching for a challenge.”

Justine says, “Great, let’s go!”

A short bus ride takes them to the park.  Once there, they walk for a tennis court hidden behind a hill.  According to Justine, “We can kiai at the top of our lungs no there’ll be no one to complain.”

Arthus says, “In olden days, people like you would die young or become formidable.”

Theodore says, “Are you going to tell us you’re older than you look, too?”

“No, nothing like that.  I’ll be turning seventeen in a few weeks.”  Justine goes to comment, but Arthus cuts her off by continuing, “This looks like a good spot.”  He sets down his bag and glares at Theodore.  “Any last words.”

Theodore sets down his bag and circles around Arthus.  He readies himself to dash forward while saying, “I’ll give you a minute to pray.”

Justine holds up her right hand and swings it down saying, “Begin!”

The distance between the two closes in an instant.  Theodore thrusts, Arthus parries, Theodore drops and spins for a sweep.  Arthus leaps back and Theodore follows.  He springs onto his feet and thrusts again.

Arthus sidesteps and swings underneath Theodore’s sword.  Theodore lowers his arm and uses his sword to push Arthus’s downward.  He then thrusts again, this time for Arthus’s head.

Arthus avoid the attack by twist to the side.  He continues the motion and sends out a roundhouse kick.  Theodore ducks and rolls underneath the attack.  He then dives forward in anticipation of Arthus’s next move. 

Theodore vanishes.  Arthus literally saw him disappear before his eyes.  He feels the cold sensation of a dagger sliding across his neck.  He’s behind me.  He turns around, but doubts he’ll make it.

Arthus swings and hits Theodore’s arm.  Arthus is more shocked than Theodore at his success.  “Huh?” 

Theodore’s attention is engrossed on the bushes.  His practice sword is lodged within their branches.  Arthus sniffs and picks up a forth scent.  He readies himself for a fight while saying, “Should we leave?”

Theodore sighs and scratches the back of his head.  He speaks loud enough for Justine to hear him.  “Sorry, just a squirrel.  I might have gotten a little too into that match.”

As he goes to retrieve the sword, Justine says, “No kidding!  I could barely keep up with your swings.  You two are amazing!”

Theodore keeps a light hearted tone as he says, “Well, you’re up against Arthus.  Try not to die.”  His expression tenses as he pulls his sword free.  From underneath the training sword slides out a lustrous, black sword.  He slides it back underneath the bush with his foot, takes a deep breath, and turns around.

He hands the training sword to Justine, gives her a slight push on the back, and says, “Alright, my turn to referee!”  He swings down his arm and adds, “Ready, set, fight!”

Theodore watches the match in half daze.  Only once Justine says to Arthus, “You’re just messing around with me!” does he realize how much darker the sky has become. 

Arthus says, “Well, it’s getting late.”  He deflects Justine’s swing, steps in towards her, and flicks her forehead.  He ignores Justine’s grumbling to say, “And that’s my win.” 

“I couldn’t even touch you…”

Theodore laughs and says, “Maybe you’ll do better next time.”

Justine says, “Right, we still need to have a match.  You owe me that and a lesson.”

Theodore separates from Arthus and Justine at the bus stop by the park entrance.  His mind drifts back to the black sword as he continues on home.  No doubt about it, that was my obsidian sword.  The same one I used in all my assassinations.  What was it doing there?  He recalls it falling into the ocean after his final battle with Athena.  The organization spent months combing the Mediterranean for it and never found a trace…

Theodore stops walking and says, “Did Tyson tell you I was here?”

Selene steps out from behind a tree.  Theodore chuckles as her black hair gets caught among some branches.  He asks if she needs any help, but receives an, “I got it.”  She disappears with a pop and reappears beside Theodore.

Selene straightens her hair and says, “He was completely breaking down.  What did you do to him?”

“He snuck up on me during the middle of a match.”

Selene winces, recalling the few times she’s snuck up on him during training.  “No wonder he’s having a memory flash.  Your serious face is terrifying.  But, the only people back there were Arthus and Justine.  Can any of them really make you get serious?”

“Arthus might be like us.”

“Shouldn’t we alert the Chief and Jeremy?  What if Corsica moves in to collect him?”

“No, I get the feeling he’s part of a much larger organization himself.  I don’t want to do anything until I learn more about them.”

Selene sighs.  “Well, if you say so.  Sophie trusts you and that’s good enough for me.”

Theodore chuckles and thanks her.  Then, at her grimace, he says, “Is it that strange?”

Selene gives a nervous laugh.  She grips her arm and says, “It really is.  It’s barely been a year since you were trying to kill us.  I would have never imagined you, or Tyson, or Jason joining our squad.” 

“We’re lucky to have lost our memories of back then.  We’d never have been able to start over like this if we hadn’t.  Still, even with that, I’m surprised you even talk to me.  From the reports I’ve read, I’ve done some horrible things to you.”

Selene shakes her head.  “At first, but your eyes are different now.  They were abysmal pits back then, but now, they’re full of life.”  She then places her hand upon Theodore’s arm and teleports them to outside Jeremy’s apartment.  Theodore says, “Hey, if you’re free, how about catching a movie with Athena?”

Wails from inside the apartment stiffen Selene’s expression.  Tyson will go berserk if he isn’t calmed.  Selene yanks the door open while saying, “Sorry, maybe next time.”

Theodore shuts the door behind her with a sigh.  He walks to his apartment two doors down, tosses his bag inside, and leaves by leaping off the apartment complex’s railing.  He lands on a nearby rooftop and sprints back to park to retrieve the obsidian sword.  From there he hurries to his secret spot in the forest.

…..

“Casitas Hotel,” Ian reads the sign over the building entrance upon stepping off the bus.  A cold breeze blows against him as he continues a few paces towards the lake.  He turns his back to the wind and, after dropping his bag on the pavement, stretches his neck as he waits for his group to join him.  

Will’s glasses darken under the sun’s glare as he approaches Ian.  He taps his classmate’s side with his elbow and speaks in a low tone.  “Think a fairy lights that sign up every night, too?”

The sun’s reflection off of Will’s glasses keeps Ian from looking him in the eye.  He clicks his tongue and says, “Aiyan, how long are you going to keep bringing that up?  The phone spoke to me.  Anyone from Mofa would think that.”

Jimar sets a bag and violin case on the ground and says, “Yo, quit stallin and get your bag already.” 

A few moments after the two return, Gale joins the group.  The late morning light makes him scowl, but he doesn’t say anything.  Unlike the other three, a sleeping bag is tied to his bag.  Jimar says, “Great, we’re all here.  Let’s go check in.”

              As they enter the lobby to meet their teacher, Will says, “So, why’d you invite Gale?  We’re you that desperate for members?”

              Jimar says, “Hey man, Gale’s cool.”

              Will rolls his eyes, but doesn’t say anything else.

              They receive their keys and proceed up a few flights of stairs to their room.   Ian, Will and Jimar claim their bed spaces with their bags.  Ian and Will share the bed near the wall while Jimar takes the one by the window.  Gale, however, unravels his sleeping bag underneath the table in the corner of the room.  He places his bag next to it.

              Jimar says, “Gale, we can share the bed, ya know?”

              “I’ve already gotten used to doing it this way.”

Jimar and Ian are flabbergasted by the comment.  Will doesn’t react and settles himself into the room.  Jimar clears his throat in an attempt to dispel his surprise and says, “Well… okay.  Hey, I know, let’s hit the dining room.  Those seven hours left me starving.” 

              Just before Jimar can open the door, Will says, “Hold on, the room keys.” 

              Jimar pulls out a small envelope from his pocket as he turns around.  From inside it he withdraws two identical plastic cards.  “Right, who wants one?”

              Ian takes a card and examines both sides.  He runs his finger over the magnetic strip while saying, “I still don’t get how this works.”

              Will plucks it from his grasp.  “I think I’ll hold on to this one.”

              “I’ll take the other one.”  Gale says, holding out his hand.  “I won’t let you lock me out like everyone else.”

              Jimar stares at Gale, his mouth opening and closing as tries to say something.  He gives up and passes Gale the remaining key.  He then claps his hands and says, “Alright, now let’s va moos.  Time ta start our holiday weekend.” 

              The four file out the door for the stairs.  As they walk, Ian says to Jimar, “Why did you bring your violin?”

              “To play during free time.  I ain’t get too many opportunities ta play under the stars.”

              Many classmates are already in the dining room having lunch.  The four of them are early enough to claim an empty table after serving themselves from the buffet.  More groups trickle in as they eat and the room soon fills.

The lights dim and a teacher walks onto the stage along the wall.  He uses a power point to describe the local fauna, flora, and nature’s warning signs.  He ends by telling the students their tasks for the day and to “not leave the hotel area between Chismahoo Creek Arm and Ayers Creek Arm.”

Ian, Will, Jimar, and Gale, having finished their meals, leave upon being dismissed.  They’re given bags, gloves, and a map marking areas they can both deposit filled trash bags and receive new ones at the door.

Will and Ian lead the way to the edge of the peninsula overlooking Ayers Creek Arm.  At Ian’s instance, they walk along a trail through the barren trees instead of on the road.  “There isn’t a single leaf anywhere…”

Jimar says, “Ian, jus’ where da heck did ya say ya came from?”

Gale saves Ian from having to answer with a click his tongue.  Even though he isn’t in the front, he somehow managed to walk into a spider web.  However, instead of flinching or spitting, he merely scowls and wipes his face. 

Will speaks in a low tone, “Freak.”  Ian is the only one who hears him.

Jimar grabs Gale’s arm.  “Hold on, there’s a spider on your back.”

              Gale cranes his head over his shoulder while saying, “Where?”.

              “No, stop moving!  It’s a… I think it’s a lynx.”

              Ian takes a stick and brushes a bright-green spider from Gale’s back.  “You’re luck sucks.”  

              “I don’t believe in luck.”  Gale clicks his tongue and runs ahead.

              A pair of piers with my boats tied to them come to view after a few more minutes of walking.  Gale sits at the end of the first pier with his legs dangling just above the water’s surface.  He sits unmoving as he stares at the island in the middle of the lake.  Not even the crisp breeze makes him stir.

Ian, Will, and Jimar step onto the paved path that leads back to the hotel and begin to open their trash bags.  Jimar opens two before saying, “Yo, Gale!”

Gale turns upon hearing him and rejoins everyone as they’re putting on their gloves.  He takes a bag for himself and begins collecting trash littered along the shore.  Everyone else cleans up the road.

              Jimar picks up a flattened bottle while saying, “Ya know, we should watch a movie before hitting the sack tonight.” 

              Will flicks a bottle cap into his bag while saying, “What movie?”

              “Whatever’s on.  You three got any preferences?”

               Gale tires to say, “No,” as he walks past to leave his bag in the pickup area, but stumbles midway through the word upon stepping on a loose rock.

Will snickers as Gale loses balance and falls down.  Gale ignores everyone, gets up, picks up his bag, and continues to the pickup area.  Will then says, “How about something magic based?”

              “Cool, maybe we can luck in and catch Har-” A splashing sound from behind cuts Jimar off.  He swears under his breath and as he turns around.

Ian also turns around where he sees Gale jump onto one of the hotel’s boats and reach into the water to pull out his garbage bag.  Water splashes all over him as he struggles to pull it free.  His back and forth struggle despite his lack of results in his gloves and forearms getting drenches.  Spraying water even dampens his face and chest.

              Jimar climbs onto the boat and reaches for the bag.  He pulls it out with an arm and tosses it onto the edge of the pier.  “Ya alright?”

              Gale shakes the water from his hands while saying, “Fine.”  He sneezes and adds, “I’m going to get changed.”  He then stops before getting off the boat to pick a coin off the floor. 

              “What happened ta getting changed?”

              Gale, unable to pick up the coin, takes off his glove to try again.  His hand shakes as he pockets it.  He hops onto the pier while saying, “A quarter is a quarter,” and sprints up the path back to the hotel.

              Ian is convinced Gale is a normal human as he watches him disappear around a bend.  “No hei’an shengwu is this pathetic…”

…..

              Gale steps into the hotel room the following morning.  He’s drenched in sweat, but his breathing is normal.  He spares Jimar and Ian a glance as he says, “Where’d you all go last night?” 

              Will says, “What’d ya mean?” 

              Gale downs a water bottle from the mini-fridge.  Then, while getting a fresh set of clothes from his bag, he says, “Dinner, it was deserted.  Where’d you all go?” 

              Ian, Will, and Jimar look at one another in confusion.  Jimar says, “Gale, we hit the sack after eating.  We were too tired ta do anything else.”

              Gale clicks his tongue as he walks towards the bathroom for a shower.  “This room was empty when I got back from my run.  None of you came back until after eleven.”  The door slams behind him.

              Will looks to Jimar, “You’re the one who asked him to join us.”

              “Hey, Gale’s cool…  He’s prob’bly just sick or something.  He did get wet pretty bad yesterday…”  Jimar finishes his morning preparations and looks to the others, “Ready?”  Ian and Will confirm and the three leave for breakfast.

              Jimar and Will discuss what movie they should watch that night as they walk.  Will says, “I can’t believe we just feel asleep.” 

Ian listens without saying anything.  He’s too afraid that he’ll look like an idiot by revealing his ignorance about movies.  As his mind wanders off, he overhears other students making comments similar to Gale.  One conversation goes, “You could have texted me.”, “Seriously, we went straight to bed!”, “Liar, you were out till midnight!”

Ian speaks up as they enter the dining room.  “Why did we go bed to bed that early?”

Will’s taken aback at the sudden question.  He takes on a mocking tone as he says, “Because we were tired.”

“All we did was clean up some garbage.”

“You’re just in bad shape.”

              Ian lets the conversation die.  Dinner is the last thing he remembers before returning to his room to sleep.  He looks around for the students complaining about having been “left behind” the night before.  None of them showed up for dinner.

             

              Ian grabs a few snacks during dinner and leaves the hotel for the forest across the street.  He sets himself up on some branches for cover and watches.  If the same thing as last night happens again, he’ll catch it. 

              He does feel some guilt that he’s abandoning Jimar to what is about to happen, but forces the emotion from his mind with a shake of his head.  “He’s just a powerless…” 

              Someone is stepping out of Casitas Hotel.  He casts a spell to improve his vision only to meet disappointment.  Gale runs out the hotel and takes off down the road.  “He really did go for a run last night…”

              “Told you he’s a freak.”

              Ian lashes out with a water whip at the comment.  Will dives to the side saying, “Hey, watch it!  It’s just me!”

              Ian cancels his spell and says, “You’re a powerless!  How’d you sneak up on me?”

              “How about telling me first.  What are you doing out here?”  At Ian’s reluctance, Will says, “Well?  Out with it!  I don’t have all day!  Or should I just go inside and tell everyone you’re a Deva?”

              “Fine, fine, something happened last night and I’m trying to figure out what.”

              “You mean that thing Gale was talking about?  Seriously?  Oh, come on!  He’s just trying to get attention for himself.  Just ignore him.”

              “Didn’t you notice anything?  He wasn’t the only one.  A lot of others said the same thing he did.  I’d be a failure of a Deva if I ignored that.” 

              “So, what?  You’re just going to sit out here until something happens again?  That’s stupid.  Just go in there and stop it from happening in the first place.”

Ian hears a sound and cleaves a bush in half with a water whip.  A squirrel scurries out from underneath and darts up a tree.  Ian takes a breath and he releases his spell.  He’s letting the situation get to him.  “Relax…” 

Will belittles the situation and laughs at Ian.  He says, “You’re so incompetent.  Can’t you do anything right?”

Ian doesn’t answer.

After an hour of nothing happening, Will says, “Hey, I’m getting bored.  Shouldn’t something have happened by now?”

“If you don’t like it, go wait in the hotel room.”

“Not a chance.  If something is going to happen, I want to see it.”

Ian doesn’t say anything, but silently agrees that too much time has passed.  After confirming as much as he can that everything is safe, he approaches Casitas Hotel.  The inside is empty; no clerk works the front desk, no one cooks in the kitchen, and no one is eating in the dining room.  Half eaten meals and winter jackets lay abandoned and scattered about on the tables and chairs.

             Will says, “So, you’re the Deva, where is everyone?”

              Ian walks out the room without answering.  The courtyard in the back wasn’t trampled, but plenty of evidence remains proving that a large amount of people passed through within the last hour.

              While Ian tries to guess as to where the trail leads, a section of footprints illuminate with a light similar to his tracking spell.  Will holds his phone out as he steps forward.  The circle of revealed footprints moves in line with his phone.

              Will holds his head high as he takes in Ian’s dumbfounded stare.  “What, you thought being able to use magic made you special?  Anything you Deva can do, I will do better!”

              Ian is taken aback by the conviction within Will’s words.  “Bu- But how?  You’re not even using any magic.”

              “Moron, magic can be coded.  You said it yourself, magic is a precise manipulation of energy towards a single goal.  Or what, you thought I was having you show me your spells just for fun?  The hiean shengwu are going to kill Mofa if you’re their last hope.”  Will walks past Ian, bumping his shoulder with his own, as he says, “Hurry up, this is killing my battery.”

              Ian makes a face, but follows Will onto the path leading towards the piers without a word.  He remains vigilant to ambush the entire walk down, but nothing happens.  The trail ends with everyone stepping off the docks.  All the boats he saw the other day are gone.

              Ian visualizes the map of the lake he looked through on the bus.  The cloudy sky covers the water within a blanket of darkness, but there are two islands in the middle of the lake.

              Will ends the spell as he turns to Ian.  “Now what?  Or am I supposed to solve this too?”

              “Shut up!  You shouldn’t even be here!  I’m a Deva.  This-” 

              “Is completely out of your league!  You can’t do anything right!  Face it, you need me.  You would have never even got here without me.  Oh, and look!  I just found us a boat, too.  Well, you’re the Deva.  Go ahead and get going.  Oh, wait.  Do you even know how to start a motor boat?  No, you can’t!  Because you’re useless!” 

              Will starts the motor and steers it towards the center of the lake.  A violin’s melody overshadows the engine’s roar as they get closer to the main island.

…..

              A fairy sized woman of about five inches stands on Ian’s shoulder.  Snow white wings sprout through the matching haori.  They flutter with each of Ian’s steps, moving as though the haori where an illusion and not cloth, as she slips off his shoulder.  Each time, her red hakama poofs out from the rush of air before resettling against her legs.  Her high pitched voice leaks through a crow’s mask as dark as her black unbound hair.   She cries out as loud as she can, “Wake up!  Ian, snap out of it!” while smacking the side of his head with her shukujo.  The six rings on the figurehead jingle with each strike.

              She stops her foot on Ian’s collar bone in frustration only to slip off again as Ian takes another step forward.  She flies back up onto Ian’s shoulder and with a, “Fine!” jabs the bottom of her staff into a nerve cluster near the bottom of Ian’s neck.

              Ian cries out, slapping his neck.  A “No, wait!” rings out as his hand flattens the irritation.  He discovers a palm sized, paper cutout of a person with 美雪 written on it, “Mei xue?”  As he examines the piece of paper, he becomes aware of the violin and redirects his thoughts.  I’m a Deva stationed here on Earth to master Wu Xing.  I’m a Deva stationed here on Earth to master Wu Xing.  “I’m a Deva stationed here on Earth to master Wu Xing.” 

Wood magic can manipulate the mind by integrating itself into it though id usurpation.  The magic then moves onto the super-ego to create a unified mind that will obey whatever command is given.  The most common method is through a simple, catchy, and repetitive melody.  Fighting off the spell requires either a strong will or a firm sense of self.  Ian strengthens his defenses by repeating his mission to the point of making it into a mantra.  I’ll be fine as long as I doesn’t forget.

              Ian takes a breath and looks around.  He’s standing in a line with his fellow students in a clearing in the woods.  The area is as light as day, but the few sources of illumination aren’t powerful enough to have such an effect.  Jimar plays his violin at the front of the line.  He plays with a blank expression on his face.  He’s casting the mental manipulation magic while being controlled in turn.

A large, burning, cross looms behind Jimar.  One student stands before the cross with a blank stare on her face.  She presses a dagger into her own arm and lets her blood pour onto a blacked rock at the cross’s base.  She then stops after a few moments and hands the dagger to a white robed man wearing a pointed white hat and a matching face-cloth.

While he hands the dagger to another student, another man in white treats the girl’s wound.  The second man presses a blood stained glove over the wound and then releases it.  Not even a scar remains.  The girl walks off into the woods and disappears.  Probably back to the hotel.

There are seven people in white surveying the area.  All Ian can tell is that whatever they’re attempting, it’s powerful and dangerous.  The way they’ve lined up their sacrifices creates a living magic circle that changes in meaning as it gets smaller.  Each change in meaning builds on the previous one to create a result more powerful than the sums of its parts.  Except, spells don’t require blood to activate. 

“At least, no human spell requires blood.”

Ian gets so caught up in surveying the area, he’s crashed into by the student behind him.  He steps to the side and lets the student pass.  The people in white are so focused on their tasks that none of them notice him potentially disrupting the spell by breaking away from the living magic circle’s formation.

Ian crouches low to remain out of sight while strengthening his body with magic.  While wondering over what he should do, he sees Will walk forward to accept a dagger.  His first duty should be to stop others from becoming sacrifices.  “But it’s Will…”

Ian reprimands himself and hurries forward towards the sacrificial alter.  He’ll act once he’s in range. 

Will plunges the dagger into his arm and pours his blood onto the rock.  He then returns the dagger to the man in white and steps forward to have his arm healed.

Ian strikes with a water whip as the dagger is being passed to Justine.  He flicks the dagger away, coils his whip around the man in white, and rams the captive into the man next to him.  Justine, however, continues through the motion of plunging a dagger into her arm.  She goes through the gestures of returning the dagger, steps to the side to have her arm healed, and then leaves the forest. 

Ian, using Justine’s actions as confirmation to the future actions of his hypnotized classmates, dives to the side with a roll.  He springs onto his feet and encases another robed person in ice. 

He then turns around and swings his arm.  A water bullet flies out and hammers the head of another hooded man.  The man stumbles, but doesn’t fall.  He holds up his palms and finishes the spell Ian was trying to interrupt. 

Ian twists and stabs through the forming fireball with a water whip from his other hand.  The water whip then arcs around and stretches to pierce a second oncoming fireball.  He then pivots with his feet in order to guide his water whip towards the remaining fireballs. 

Ian doesn’t stop moving.  With the fireballs gone, he uses water whips from both hands to grab a pair of hooded figures and fling them off into the forest.

A wave of blistering heat rolls down on him.  His first action is to thrust up his arms to create a wall of water.  He looks up during the middle of that instinctive response and sees a blazing, orange fireball. 

Ian’s eyes tremble and his spell wavers.  But, by shaking his head, he forces himself to remember, I’m a Deva stationed here on Earth to master Wu Xing.  He grits his teeth and strengthens the water wall.  He makes the wall bigger and crashes it against the fireball.

The fireball flares and boils the water wall.  Sweat rolls down Ian’s back as he strengthens the shield.  Realizing, not enough… he casts a second spell. 

Ian cries out.  He strengthened the water wall, but it only boils at a faster rate.  Its protection is rendered pointless without the resolution to fully resist the fireball.  Dividing his attention between maintaining the water wall and completing a second spell is a heavier strain than he anticipated.  At the rate he’s going, the area will be reduced to charcoal and his classmates into ash.

Images flash through his mind at the thought of failure.  He sees the wreckage that was his village, the crumbled and charred stones that made his house, and the remains of his family and friends.  His determination to continue struggling hardens as he says, “Not… this… time.”

The ground next to Ian ruptures as a geyser rockets towards the fireball.  The stream pierces through the water wall and crashes into the fireball.  Steam sizzles from where the water and fire make contact.  Ian’s brain feels like it’s splitting in half as he both fortifies his water wall and reinforces his geyser.  “Gahhhh!” 

The geyser digs towards the fireball’s core.  Steam envelops the fireball, but its oppressive heat continues to roll out unfettered as it drops towards the ground.  Still not enough…  The water wall can’t shield everyone from the fireball and the geyser isn’t enough to to destroy it. 

Ian grits his teeth and clenches his fist before his chest.  His hand trembles as he attempts a third spell.  His head feels like it’s exploding.  He’s blinded by the pain, but he persists with his third spell.  Pushing him forward is the image of what will happen if he fails, everyone’s charred remains. 

The spell Ian is casting is still beyond him.  He can form lightning, but it explodes in his face whenever he tries to direct it.  A slight miscalculation might result with blowing off his own arm.  His biggest trouble comes with directing the lightning bolt.  A lot from the environment needs to be factored into the spell when aiming. 

Ian’s screams grow louder and he thrusts his hand into his geyser.  He’s confident his lightning spell will succeed if he doesn’t have to aim it.  As such, he releases the spell and lets the lightning be carried by the water.

The fireball goes supernova.

…..

              A white, robed person with a white pointed hat and facemask strolls through the forest.  This robe, unlike the others, has a red cross embroidered over the heart.  The person stops as multiple fairy sized women fly out of the underbrush to surround him.

              “You overwhelmed Ian, but did you think to escape me?”  A woman with a crow’s mask appears in front of him.  Her black hair is indistinguishable from the mask’s feathers within the darkness.  She is a life sized version of what helped Ian return to his senses earlier.

The person shoots fireballs at her.  The six rings of her shukujo jingle as she swings her staff to meet each attack.  The flames fade at contact, serving only to luster her white haori and red hakama before disappearing.  Her graceful movements give the illusion of a dance. 

              She then lunges forward and jabs the bottom of her staff against the person’s forehead.  “Hiding your presence within a human, reveal yourself.”

              A large beetle flies out from underneath the person’s facemask.  A gaping hole remains where it ate out the flesh to create a nest.

              She flicks a paper talisman onto the insect while it’s midway between herself and the former host.  The hei’an shengwu freezes in mid-air with its claws ready to dig into her eyes and its mouth open to bite into her flesh as a transparent blue sphere encases it.

              She lowers the sphere onto the ground and thrust through it with the tip of her staff.  The insect inside cries out a convoluted combination of radio static and the roar of breaking waves as it’s impaled.  With the talisman no longer freezing it in place, it struggles to escape.  Its translucent wings desperately continue to flutter even after death.

              She slips her mask up onto her head to wipe the sweat from her forehead.  She sighs while saying, “And that makes four.  Really, flinging those two aside like that.  You made this so much harder than it had to be, Ian.” 

Having cooled off by taking in the cold night air, she readjusts her crow’s mask and returns to the hotel.

…..

              Ian moans and holds his head as he sits up on his bed.  He cringes at the sharp pain in his hand.  The center of his palm is scorched black.  My lightning bolt…  The bright morning light shining down on his face leaves him wondering how he got to his room.  He’s still in wearing the same clothes as the night before.  Did someone carry me?

              Jimar says, “Dude, what did you do last night?  You completely slept through the morning hike.”

              “What- what time is it?”

              “Almost time ta go.  Ya might find something ta eat downstairs if you hurry.”  Jimar turns towards the door upon hearing it open and says, “Sup, Gale.  Ya go for another run?”

Gale kneels and double checks whether his bag packed.  “The air is fresher here.”  He ties his sleeping bag to his backpack, swings it over his shoulder, and leaves, slamming the door behind him.

Jimar winces, “He’s ticked ‘bout something.”

Will clicks his tongue as he steps out of the bathroom.  “Relax, it’s just Gale.  What’s it matter?”

“Yo man, that’s harsh.  Anyway, I’ll catch ya guys downstairs.”

              Will stomps over to Ian once Jimar leaves the room.  “What happened last night?  Why didn’t you protect me?”

              “Protect you?  I told you to stay here.  You’re the [idiot in mandarin] who wanted to come.”

              “Obviously, I had to go!”  Will jabs Ian with a finger as he says, “I call the shots and you follow them.  Are you such a stupid dog that I need to explain that?  I’m just a normal human.  You’re a Deva.  You do everything I say and keep me safe!”

              Ian scoffs at Will.  “{like hell!  In mandarin}  You can just-”

              Will spits in Ian’s face.  Ian is taken aback for a second, but punches Will in the face just as he begins to smile.  Will staggers back, clutching his face as he bumps into the wall.  He steadies his balance and limbers out the room with a bloody nose.  Neither a single word nor glance is spared towards Ian.

              Ian laughs out once he’s alone.  I’m probably in trouble, but doubts that Will would reveal that magic exists.  Maybe I can convince everyone that he fell down the stairs?