Renbao walked out of the ward where Tobey was, onto the lobby. The fluorescents above his head illuminated a tranquil blue colour. Tougen, the man who had attended to Tobey stood at the lobby’s entrance waiting for Renbao who took light steps towards him.
“Thanks as always,” said Renbao, patting Tougen on the shoulder.
Tougen shook his head. “It’s my job. More than that, what is the meaning of this? The kid is Vassar.”
“You could tell?”
“His wounds. His mana structure was different, and the sheer amount of it…” Tougen’s voice trailed off. He sighed and brought out a cigarette from his lab coat pocket. “Let’s just say he helped me with the work.” He lit the cigar and drew a smoke.
“You guys allowed to smoke in here?” Renbao scoffed.
“Take a look around,” Tougen replied with an inhale. “I work hard so no one stays here when I smoke.”
True enough. The only occupied ward is the three-story healing clinic was Tobey’s. Healers were terrifying when they knew how to work their jobs, and Tougen was the best in the IMA.
“What the hell is master Sinix thinking?” Tougen asked, drawing another smoke.
“Don’t know,” Renbao shrugged and walked to the window to look outside. The assembly had finished, Bell and Finn were approaching the building. “I have no problems with it really,” He smiled.
“You think the kid will be okay?”
Renbao paused in thought.
“What position would you consider interesting?”
“The Grand Mage.”
Renbao turned to Tougen, “I don’t know, he’s a really interesting kid.”
Tougen chuckled, “He must be if he’s getting you excited on the first day.”
“Well, we’ll have to see,” Renbao replied as he walked away. “Bye, Tougen.”
“Bye, Ren.”
Renbao proceeded to the entrance of the building where Bell and Finn walked in through automatic glass doors.
“Do take care in the clinic.” The female voice of the AI sounded as they entered.
“Master Renbao!” Bell called out with a wide grin as she approached him. Both of them were dressed in their uniformed blue jackets. The school’s insignia showed clearly at the left chest pockets.
“Yo.” Renbao waved his hands in reply. “How was the assembly?”
“Hmmm,” Bell touched her chin. “It wasn’t what I expected, but it was okay regardless.”
“Fair enough. I’m guessing you’re here to see Tobey?”
“Is he alright?” Finn asked, his arms crossed.
“Ooouuu. Guess someone cares after all.” Bell nudged at him with her elbow.
Finn shrugged, “Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m asking because he’s part of my Cadre now, nothing more.”
“Mmhmm…” Bell teased with her smile.
Renbao smiled at them both. “Well, that’s good. Bonding is important for any Cadre. You’re going to need to get stronger as a unit. Yours is already a special one, you both have a Morpher.”
“Not that we asked for one.”
“Come on, don’t say that Finn.”
“Think about it this way Finn,” Renbao said. “You have to make use of your advantage.”
“Obviously,” Finn sneered a reply. “I’m not stupid. And that’s exactly why I need to know if he can keep up with me.”
Renbao placed a new toothpick in his mouth and rolled. “Well, that’s fair enough.”
“Where are you going?” Bell asked.
“I have a business to take care of. I’ll be back soon; you just get ready for your classes tomorrow.”
“Sir, yes sir.” Bell raised her hand to her chest in playful salute as Renbao turned and walked out the door.
“Have a nice day.” The AI sounded.
Renbao’s boot thumped on the ground as he walked away from the clinic. He raised his head to the windows, he could see Tougen who had put out his smoke. Either that or he had finished the cigarette. It was always one or the other with him.
Renbao suddenly felt a smile grow on his face as he walked, remembering the conversation he had with Tobey the day before.
“What position would you consider interesting?” Renbao had asked.
“The Grand Mage,” Tobey replied.
“What?” Renbao had not expected that. He had leaned back on his chair and laughed.
Tobey wore a stern look as he said, “I’m going to become the Grand mage, master Ren. Then I’ll regain my tribe’s honour.”
Renbao placed his hands in his pocket. “Very interesting kid.”
***
Tobey drank a glass of water, he had his eyes all over his body, searching for remnant scars. This is amazing, he thought. His body was so clean he could hardly find any.
He could feel his mana flowing like blood through his body. He raised his hand and placed it on the necklace he wore on his tank-top, clenching tightly. He hissed as he remembered the battle from the day before. He had been no match for Renbao alone.
“Fuck.” He hissed. “I’m still weak.” He dropped the cup on the table and stared at the silver pendant, suddenly remembering Mama Carven and Mordred.
Bell and Finn walked in through the door. “We’re coming in,” Bell said as she walked in first.
“What are you guys-”
“Wow! Look at you, your scars are gone!” She sounded way too excited than she should have been. She walked over to the side of the bed where he sat.
“That healer really did a good job,” Bell said.
“Yeah, he was good,” Tobey replied. “Nice uniforms. How was the assembly?”
“Well-”
“There were a lot of strong people, Tobey.” Finn cut Bell short, she pouted but let him continue. “The second and third years are on a whole different level than we are. You guys know what that means right?”
“Yeah,” Tobey grinned. “We’ve got work to do.”
“I’ll say it again, don’t get in my way.”
“I’m not interested in that.”
“I have to tell you for the sake of bonding,” Finn said as he came forward. He leaned by the wall near the window, his eyes turning from Bell to Tobey.
“There’s a man I’m chasing, and I’ll never catch him if I don’t graduate from this place.”
“Who?” Bell asked.
Finn grit his teeth and furrowed his brows into a squeeze. He turned his eyes out the window. “…My father.”
Tobey’s eyes widened at Finn’s words; his mind filled with a thousand thoughts. His father?
“Your father?” Bell asked. “What happened?”
Finn continued, “He abandoned me and my mother when I was a child, left us to suffer. She was the only one I had, and I was all she had. I hated him for leaving us, but she always said I shouldn’t talk about him.
But, a few days to my eighth birthday…she died. I found several letters under her bed, literal hundreds of them, all addressed to him.”
There was a strange silence in the room after Finn's words. “I’m so sorry Finn,” Bell said, trying to ease the tension.
“Doesn’t matter now,” Finn shook his head. “I spent years looking for him and I finally found him two years ago.”
“You don’t plan to kill him, do you?” Tobey asked, his voice stern.
“No. I don’t.” Finn rose his palm and stared at it. “I want to look him in the eye and perhaps I can see what my mother saw in him. I’m going to become strong, strong enough that I can stand next to him and tell him I became strong without him. He may have had my mother killed, but I won’t go the same way.”
Again, silence fell on the room when Finn finished speaking. Tobey stared at the blanket he was in then directed his eyes to Finn, glaring. Bell’s eyes endearingly faced Finn.
Finn rose a brow at both of them, blatant. “What?”
Bell giggled, then burst into laughter. “You looked so serious I thought you were going to say something weird. You’re not half bad you.”
“Matters of the family are delicate,” Tobey said as he stood out of the bed. “I can’t mock you for the reason you’ve decided to fight. If it is something to make you stronger, then I’ll support it.”
“Support it?”
“I-I’m going to becoming the Grand Mage. And I will restore my tribe’s honour,” Tobey stuttered much to the mouth opening surprise of Bell and Finn.
“Grand Mage?” Finn chuckled. “Do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
“Yes, I do. And I mean it.” Tobey walked over to Finn, standing in front of him.
Finn chuckled. “You’re crazier than you look, Son of Vassar.”
“Call it whatever you want. I’m going to do it.”
“Yeah, I see it in your eyes, bastard,” Finn smirked.
“Hey! You both don’t forget about me!” Bell said to them.
“Fuck no, I think you just might be the strongest one of us right now, though I hate to admit it,” Tobey said with a grin.
“I have no problems for now,” Finn said. “If we’re going to get stronger as a unit, we’re going to start here in the academy.” His expression became serious…again.
“We already know the people that are going to cause the most headache if we’re going to compete.”
“The Arcstones,” Tobey grunted.
“Exactly so. The academy ranks students based on academic assessments and credibility. Whatever we’re asked to do, must be done to a level on par with them if not greater.”
Tobey sat back down on the bed, “Well it doesn’t matter, I’ll surpass them soon enough.” He spoke. Tobey could remember it. The foul stench of blood that was spilt ten years ago.
“Never again,” he whispered.
“Don’t get cocky,” Finn said. As the trio continued their conversation, Thaus flew past the windows and across the building into the field. The golden eyes of the eagle glowed strongly under the sun’s rays. The eagle called as it spread its wings and flew off into the distance.
***
Sinix smiled as he paced down the lobby he walked in. White walled with golden runes patterned on either side. Ahead of them was a curved silver door guarded either side by men in long grey cloaks.
“Is something funny, Lord Sinix?” A cherry man beside him asked. He was short and bald-headed. He wore a long black suit in an almost similar fashion to Sinix’s. His face was rigid, not aiding his expression as he asked the question.
“Oh, nothing, Lord Hector,” Sinix replied as they reached the door. The door slid open and inside the darkroom was a long table arranged with two chairs. Sinix smiled as they walked in “I have a feeling; things are going to get very exciting.”
The doors closed behind Sinix as he chuckled. His emerald eyes shone as he walked deeper into the room of darkness.
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