4 Field Trip

Silvio pressed his face against the buggy's window, letting his breath fog it up. Despite the warmth of his uniform, the bitter cold of Gesmaura's mountain ranges sliced right down to the bone.

But that did nothing to curb his enthusiasm.

Silvio bounced in his seat as he watched the scenery go by. Making one last turn on the mountain pass, the carriage made its way into the valley, where scenery changed from mighty mountaintops to the snow-flecked streets of a small village.

The carriage ground to a halt and the door clicked open.

"We're here!" announced Crowe, poking his head through. "Single file line, boys--."

Nobody listened to him. The young men of the Temple all dashed to the exit, squirming and trying to worm their way past the newly blocked entrance. Ducking under someone's legs, Silvio jumped out of the buggy and rolled forward into the snow, barely salvaging his reputation by jumping back up.

The girls' carriage seemed to be no more efficient at unloading its passengers than the boys', and Silvio waited several minutes until his sister finally emerged, joining her.

At the front of the group, Crowe crossed his arms and sighed. "And this is why I told you all single file! But did you listen to me? Of course not. Stop wasting our time and line up, boys on one side, girls on the other. And actually line up this time!"

With nothing short of a few insults aimed at Crowe beneath their breath, the students did as they were told. Silvio and Hana stood next to each other in the line.

Waiting for their voices to die down, Crowe motioned for them to follow him and began walking down the street. "Welcome to Minumna!" he said, gesturing to the town around him. "Not many Sorcerers live here, mostly just Workers. So why, you may ask, would we take a field trip to Minumna when there aren't Sorcerers around?"

One boy raised his hand. "Because of the mine!"

"That's correct! Minumna's located right in the heart of the Hakalai Mountains, which hold a great diversity of enchanted gemstones. Did you know that the Minumna Mine produces 30% of all gem exports on the continent?"

Crowe was interrupted as a small group of villagers came up to them and threw coins over them. "Rirasiru's blessings!" they called, then walked off.

Attention broken, the children dove for the coins and scooped up as many as they were able. Silvio looked at one and noticed they weren't made of gold, but foil. Pulling back a corner, his eyes lit up. "Chocolate!" he exclaimed, popping one sweet into his mouth before sharing his other with Hana, who was unable to get any coins at all.

"Eyes on the prize, kids!" shouted Crowe, attempting to get their attention once more. But of course, it was a lost cause.

Silvio looked around. To the other side of the street was a group of pretty women, dancing and selling beer. They were very talented, twisting and turning gracefully to the beat of the drum. And then his attention was broken again, this time by a large fenced-in yard just filled with dogs. There were Huskies, Malamutes, Chinooks, and Samoyeds. All sled dogs. They let out a cacophonous symphony of barks as the children passed. Silvio patted one on the head. Around the corner was a long line of people waiting at the well, up ahead a Sorcerer loudly berating two Workers. Minumna was a little shabby, but it was definitely a lively place.

Crowe stopped at a large building, located right in front of one of the mountains. "Anyway, this is the Minumna Mine's Gem Emporium. Many enchanted stones are sold right here at this shop. Let's stop in, shall we? But if you think you get to goof off, you're wrong." Crowe removed his bowler hat and tipped it around, muttering an incantation and tapping on it with his staff. "In this hat contains a scrap of paper with your assignment. Pick one up before entering."

Crowe held his hat out as the students filed through the door, taking one piece of paper a pop. Hana took the first paper she felt, but Silvio rummaged through it a bit until he took one that felt lucky.

He unfolded the paper right away and read it.

"These are… spells?" Written on the page were three spells and their effects. "Hey, Hana, did we get the same ones? Open yours up."

Hana peered over his shoulder to read his and opened hers. Looking it over, she shook her head.

Crowe closed the door behind him, and immediately, the students crowded together. There were many employees attending to the Emporium, but as soon as they heard it slam they turned to the students and prostrated themselves on the ground, practically scraping their chins against the cold marble floor.

Only one person, the cashier, stood back up and approached Crowe, smiling warmly and shaking his hand.

"Moi, Herra Crowe! So these young 'uns are this year's devotees to Isaana-sa?"

Nobody in the class understood their thick Eastern Gesmauran accent fully—and Silvio described them as a they because he wasn't sure whether they were a man or a woman. They spoke with a smooth, androgynous tone, but even more peculiar was their appearance. They were of fair height, about 182 centimeters, dressed in a puffy white tunic with a flower-embroidered vest and a pair of black trousers tucked into scruffy, too-small boots. The cashier was almost impossibly beautiful, in an ambiguous way—they looked infinitely kind and youthful, of around twenty-one years of age, with foxlike facial features and large crimson eyes that twinkled with joy. Their blazing red hair, pinned back behind their ears by a beaded headdress, bounced as they moved, but the hue was unlike any ginger Silvio knew of. It was fuller and richer, like wine, tucked into a ponytail that draped all the way down to their waist.

… It's a girl, Silvio decided, a girl with a fox's soul in a human body. His knees went weak when he looked into her eyes. She was the most gorgeous person he'd ever seen.

"How's it going, Mica?" asked Crowe, letting go of her hand. "We have a very promising group this year! So you're not working in the mine today?"

"Oh, no Sir. The Lord Superior assigned me to work the till this week!"

"Ah, is that so?" Crowe cracked a smile. "Tricky old dog must've known we were coming. You always manage to wrangle the most expensive sales out of us!"

"Haha, I'm undeserving of such praise, Sir! Just doin' my job!"

Crowe let Mica be and turned back to the children. "All right, kids. Today's the day you've all been waiting for. After reading and going over syllabi all week, it's time to start learning spells! But first, can someone tell me the foundations of Gesmauran magic and what a Sorcerer is? Silvio?"

"When the Gods began walking the lands, they couldn't contain all their divine power, and some leaked into the environment. The highest concentrations of this excess power are stored in gemstones. Um… Sorcerers are the descendants of people who were chosen by the Outer One to be able to wield a small concentration of the Gods' power as magic. When people from a Sorcerer bloodline come of age, a crest appears on their body as proof of their right to wield magic."

"You are absolutely correct! Good job, Silvio! While there is magic in all of nature, gemstones are convenient because we can put them in staffs." Crowe held out his staff, letting his students ooh and ahh over the sparkling gems inlaid in it. "Think of them as small storage devices filled with divine power. By connecting our hearts with the power in the stones, we can cast spells. Furthermore, it doesn't matter what size the stone is. The amount of power it holds is always the same, whereas a tree might only sequester a little bit while a reed stores a ton and vice versa. However, each stone holds different magical properties. You need different stones in order to cast most spells, and different amounts of stones, too. Say you need four holly blue agates to cast a spell, but you only have three. You can't cast that spell no matter what without the fourth agate, even if you have all the other stones needed. Magic is a lot like baking. If you don't measure out your ingredients properly, then it'll turn out disastrously! Spell Calculations is the study of spells, gem ratios, and gem properties, and the foundation of Gesmauran magic. All of the basics are in this class, kids, and you'll find what you learn here will serve you well in your upper level courses later on!"

Hana raised her hand.

"What's your question, Hana?"

"How come only some people can use magic?"

Crowe paused. "Hmm… good question. To be honest, I don't know. That was something decided many thousands of years ago by the eldest Gods. They decided that our families were more morally pure than others, so they bestowed us this gift as a reward. Mica, why don't you explain your job for the kids?"

"Me? You sure?" Mica blushed but joined Crowe anyway, gesturing to the sparkling stones around them. "Well, Minumna Mine is a huge employer of those of us Workers that don't have magic. The mine is huge. It goes through many of the surroundin' mountains, and there's still plans to expand it! We Workers dig tunnels and discover gem ores. The Lord Superior—that's our boss—he's a Sorcerer, he's able to make explosions and stuff, so he helps us with places we can't reach sometimes. Then we process and polish the gems in a big ol' rock tumbler and they get sorted and shipped. But the gems hold a finite amount of power, so when Sorcerers use up all of the magic stored inside, the gems get shipped back to us and we bury them in plots so they can recharge. It can take many years for them to recharge, though, so we're constantly diggin' out new ones! So many different types of gems are found in the mountains." She took a rose quartz out of a drawer and held it up to the light. "Isn't it pretty? Would anyone like to see it? How about you, young man in the back...?"

"I don't accept things from Workers," said Jan.

"Jan!" Crowe snapped. "Don't be mean to Workers."

Mica gave a thin-lipped smile.

"... You should pity them, instead!" He papped Mica on the back. "Workers can't help the fact they were born inferior to Sorcerers, so don't make their lives harder than they are already. Now open up the papers you were given."

Nobody did, because they had already.

Crowe cleared his throat irritably. "You should have three spells that were assigned to you. All of the stones needed for these spells can be found in the mine. Your assignment over the next week is to team up with one of the miners and find out which and how many stones you need to cast these spells. If you need help, you can ask the miners. They're very knowledgeable about the properties of gems. The only hint you'll get from me is that all these spells have one core gem involved with all of them, and you only need one core for each spell. You'll pass this assignment when you show me the spells and all the correct gems, and as a reward you can keep your new stones. The school will cover the cost. All right, get going."

The students stampeded out the door toward the mine immediately.

"Wait!" called Mica. "Don't forget to wear hel… mets."

Only the twins were left. Even the wheelchair-bound Jan was gone. Mica approached them with a lopsided smile and stroked the back of her neck.

"Looks like I couldn't talk fast enough, eh?" she chuckled. "Anyway, my Papa offered to watch the register for me today, so do you want to team up with me?"

"Mica knows the most about magic here," said Crowe. "You two would be doing yourselves a great favor if you accepted."

Hana and Silvio glanced at each other and nodded in unison.

"Great!" chirped Mica. "This is always my favorite week of the year. Let's get goin'!" She pulled out two helmets from behind the counter. "But first, safety. Don't wanna split your cute little noggins!"

-

Despite the presence of enchanted stones, the mine was nothing special. It was dark and damp and the only source of light came from Mica's lantern. Every so often, a strange creature leaped in front of them. Each time, Mica raised her voice and waved the lantern violently at it, scaring it away. "The high amount of divine power in this mine has mutated some of the animals," she warned, "but all you have to do is scare them off. Except for the Spirit of the Mountain!" She didn't elaborate, and nobody bothered to ask her to. They approached a minecart. "Herra Silvio, Neiti Hana, do you wanna ride on the cart?"

The children brightened up.

"Of course you do! Hop in!"

The twins did as they were told, and Mica pumped a lever that caused the cart to move forward.

"So, you're Crowe's niece and nephew, are ya?" she asked. Silvio was under the impression the miner was the type who never, ever shut up. But that was okay; he didn't mind her voice. "Herra Crowe's my dear friend. We've been runnin' this program together for years!"

"You like magic, Miss Mica?" asked Silvio.

"I mostly like gems because they're so beautiful, but I sure do! Even if I'm just a Worker, I love to learn about nature. Plus, I think knowing this stuff's improved my sales record, and anythin' that keeps the Lord Superior off my back is worthwhile. Alrighty! Let's get down to business. Can I see your spells?"

Hana handed hers over first. Still pumping the lever in one hand, Mica took it and read it over. "Spina clypeus—when cast, thick, thorny vines sprout from the ground and encase the target. Folium sanitas—allows the caster to transmute dried flower petals into medicinal herbs. Silva magnificentiam—causes trees to bear tastier fruit. I see a common thread here. What do you think it is?"

"Plants?" Hana guessed.

"Righty-o! Do you know which stone has properties associated with growth and life?"

She paused. "… Petrified wood?"

"You've got it! There's your core stone! Looks like Crowe pulled a fast one on you, though. You can't find petrified wood in the mine, but you can in the mountains outside. After we find all the stones in the mine, I can take you to a good spot with petrified wood! How 'bout you, Herra Silvio? Let's find your core stone."

"Mica…" Silvio started. He was very close to her. She was pretty and smelled nice. He gulped. "This is kind of off-topic, but when we were walking through the town today…"

"Did you enjoy your chocolate?" Despite the darkness, Silvio noticed her smile. "The town isn't always this lively. You came here right smack-dab in the middle of a religious festival."

"One that throws coins?" asked Hana.

"Yeah," said Silvio, "and they said something about a Riru… Rira… Riri…"

"Rirasiru?"

"Yep! That's the name! Who's that?"

"Hmm… not surprisin' you wouldn't know him. Rirasiru was the patron God of Minumna."

"Was?"

"Well, a God can't die, but he ain't around no more." Mica shrugged. "Rirasiru-sa, the God of Selflessness and Good Karma. He got out of dodge before I was born, but Papa met him! He says he had a marvelous power. He could grant wishes!"

"Why did he leave?" asked Silvio.

"The way the story goes, it's because the townspeople only took from Rirasiru," said Mica. "Rirasiru wanted the people to learn the joy of living for others. So he granted all their wishes, but they never followed in his example. Rather than become more giving as he intended, they just became more selfish and took advantage of him. They even tied him up with chains so he couldn't go anywhere and just dispense wishes all day."

"That's so cruel!" said Hana.

"You're pulling my leg, right?" Silvio tilted his head. Nobody would ever be so disrespectful to a God.

"No, I'm not!" Mica had a look of pure earnestness on her face. "You can head to the Temple and see the chains for yourself. It's real! But y'know, a human couldn't actually control a God. One day Rirasiru-sa got tired of it all and he just upped and left. It was around this time of year that he did, so one of the things we do durin' this holy week is give each other sweets to symbolize that we've learned our lesson."

"Where'd he go?"

"No one knows. It's been almost thirty years now. Rirasiru-sa just faded from the collective conscience of most people since there's so many Gods poppin' up all the time. Only we worship him nowadays."

"I think that's a bit sad," said Hana.

"Yes," Mica replied, "it is a bit sad."

Silvio opened his mouth to speak again, but was abruptly cut off by a loud rumbling from deep within the mine. The earth shook, vibrations growing more pronounced until it crescendoed into a mighty crash.

"What was that?" gasped Hana, shaking.

"Nothin' good, that's for sure," said Mica. She brought the cart to a halt and jumped out. "Sorry for cuttin' into your time like this, but I'm gonna check it out. Someone could've been hurt!"

"Wait for me!" Silvio rose along with her, brandishing his staff.

"Oh, no you don't!" scolded Mica. "You stay here where it's safe!"

"B-But!" Silvio tightened his grip. "What if YOU get hurt? We have some enchanted stones on us and Hana knows lanua…"

"Enough!" Mica stamped her foot on the ground. "I'll be just fine, I promise. But under no circumstances can I endanger a child! Stay put!"

It was strange. Despite her passionate words, Mica didn't sound particularly upset. At most, she sounded mildly annoyed with him. But then again, Mica probably had to give this warning a lot, and regardless of tone, Silvio knew he wouldn't persuade her, so he lay off.

"I'll be back soon," said Mica, already making her way in the direction of the sound. "Don't move."

As Silvio watched her disappear into the darkness, he jumped out of the mine cart.

"… You're going anyway, aren't you?" said Hana.

"Duh," replied Silvio. "You coming with?"

Hana hesitated. "I think we should listen to Mica," she answered at last.

"But what if she's in trouble too?"

"You can't do magic yet, Silvio! You'll just…"

"… Weigh her down?" he snapped.

Hana choked on her words. "… I…"

"You know what?" hissed Silvio. "The real dead weight is YOU! Just because you can do magic already doesn't mean you know what's best! I'm going!"

"Silvio…"

He didn't answer her. He stamped off after Mica, leaving her be. Silvio stewed in his thoughts. As long as he remembered, it was always him protecting Hana, not the other way around. He was angry at her for saying he wouldn't be of any help, but even more he seethed at the fact he was weaker than his twin, although he'd never admit it to himself.

Well, he'd prove her wrong.

… But it was awfully dark in here.

Even his night vision wouldn't adjust to the unrelenting blackness of the mine. Silvio grasped his staff to his chest, muttered the mantra, and whispered a spell:

"Luz."

But nothing happened.

Gritting his teeth, he whispered it—again, and again, and—

A tiny golden light appeared to him, flickering and faint, barely enough to illuminate the way even a few inches in front of him, but there it was.

Magic.

He'd done magic!

Silvio's sour mood faded away into excitement. His first spell! Oh, if only Hana were here to see this! Wiping sweat from his brow, he paused to catch his breath before continuing. Maintaining the light was heavy work, and he feared collapsing from exhaustion before he even caught up with Mica.

But clearly the Goddess of Fortunate Coincidences was on his side today as he caught sight of the glow of Mica's lantern and heard two voices conversing back and forth.

Poking his head into the chamber where they were, he almost burst into laughter.

There was Jan, knocked out of his wheelchair and lying sprawled across the ground. The wheelchair itself was crushed under a pile of boulders.

"… What were you thinkin', trying to extract stones yourself without a miner to help you?" scolded Mica. Jan just lay there like a frightened dog. The redheaded miner bent down and picked up a chunk of unpolished rock. "Almost losing your life for one measly spinel! Don't you feel foolish? Not that you're the only one here who can't listen to directions," she added. "Come in, Silvio, I know you're there."

--And yet, Mica still didn't sound angry.

Silvio did as he was told.

Jan rolled his eyes. "Great, two annoying people," he groaned. "As if being scolded by a Worker wasn't enough…" He scowled and swatted Mica away. "Worker! How dare you talk to me like that! If you don't lay off right now I'll have you placed in the pillory!"

"What's wrong with Workers?" snapped Silvio. "You should be more respectful!"

"You shouldn't be lecturing people on respect," said Mica coolly.

"But he insulted you!"

Mica took a deep breath and exhaled. "I appreciate the gesture, Herra Silvio, but I'm used to this." She turned back to Jan and bowed, body language deflating from her previous friendly confidence to that of a meek, frightened mouse. "Please pardon my rudeness. I was way out of line for lecturin' a Sorcerer, and for that I apologize to you as well, Herra Silvio."

"But you were right!" stuttered Silvio. At that moment, he felt as foolish as Jan. He had no idea how the mine worked, but he still let his stubborn pride guide his reckless actions. "Mica, you shouldn't let anybody push you around like that…"

Mica didn't heed his words. "Can you walk at all, Milord?" she asked Jan.

"I'm paralyzed, stupid."

"Oh… um…" Mica paused briefly, but returned to her subservient persona. "Of course. How careless of me. If you know anyone who's got restoration magic, then it shouldn't be hard to fix your chair. Let me retrieve it for you."

Mica wrapped her hands around one of the boulders trapping the chair and heaved, trying to lift it.

"Wait!" said Silvio. "I've got an idea!" Knowing how Hana struggled the first time she used levitatia, not even he could delude himself into using it on such a heavy object. He pointed at the corner, where a stray mine cart lay abandoned. Kneeling over it, he flipped it on its side so it stood up vertically and pried out the nails from the top board. Silvio broke the board in half over a boulder and nailed it back in with a rock to form a handle on top and platform on the bottom. He transformed the cart into a makeshift dolly.

He wheeled it on over to Mica. "Here," said Silvio. "If you roll the rock onto the platform and tilt the machine back, you should be able to move it as far as you need to."

"Whew!" Mica whistled in admiration. "You're a fast thinker!" Sure enough, she was able to move the rock away from the pile without difficulty. "Herra Silvio, this is brilliant! Mind if I show it to the other miners? A contraption like this—oh, it would reduce the workload so much!"

Silvio blushed. "Sure, you can use it. If you have other old carts lying around like this, then I guess you could repurpose them. But anyway, let's finish this." Silvio dislodged a random rock and began rolling it.

Only too late did Mica notice.

"Silvio, wait--!"

There was the distinct rumble again. The three of them looked up in horror and cringed as the boulders dislodged and tumbled down upon them.

"Levitatia!"

Instead of being crushed, Silvio felt nothing. Opening his eyes, he was immediately blinded by a silver aura radiating throughout the chamber. Above him, several boulders floated suspended in midair. In front of them, Hana, brandishing a glowing staff.

She slowly lowered them down and collapsed.

"Neiti Hana!" cried Mica, the first to regain her senses. She stumbled up to her and crouched over. "Are you all right?"

"I… I'm fine…" she whispered weakly. "Just let me rest for a few…"

"That was incredible! So many boulders at one time! You an' your brother are both incredible!" Mica clapped, but her excitement was short-lived as a growl echoed from the chasms.

"What was that...?" Jan stammered.

Mica put a finger to her mouth in the "shh" gesture. The growl grew louder and louder, and then from behind the collapsed pile of rocks came a gigantic grizzly bear, its hulking form causing reverberating echoes with every heavy step it took. It bared its teeth, large as steak knives, and rose up on two feet. It was so huge its head grazed the ceiling of the cavern, intimidating spikes jutting out from its back and ankles.

"The Spirit of the Mountain!" she squeaked. "We must've disturbed her den!"

"Run!" cried Silvio.

"No!" said Mica. "Did you know grizzly bears can run up to 64 km per hour? It's totally hopeless!"

"That's cool," said Jan, "hey, Worker, you got anymore cool animal facts before we're mauled to death?"

"Oh! Yes, I do, actually! Did you know grizzly bears can bite with a pressure of up to 544 kg?"

"Shut the hell up!"

The bear roared and charged them. Mica grabbed Jan and rolled out of the way, just a hair's breadth from her arm getting sliced off.

"What do we do?" whimpered Hana.

"Prayers and stuff, bless me: Luz!" Silvio's staff lit up, and he ran in front of the bear, brandishing it in its face. The Spirit of the Mountain roared once more, chasing after him.

"That WORKED???" Jan stammered in disbelief.

"Remember the bear facts!" screamed Mica. "Herra Silvio, THE BEAR FACTS!"

"Hey stupid," called Jan, "dodge!"

Silvio ran under the bear's feet, tripping it. As it started to regain its footing, Jan activated a spell, hurtling Silvio's dolly at it. It caught the bear off guard, and it slipped, smashing its head into the wall and falling down.

With another spell, Hana sent a volley of boulders at it, burying it.

Huffing and puffing, she fell down again. "Did we get it...?" she asked.

The rocks rumbled, and the bear emerged. Well, its head did, at least. It howled an enraged howl. Without letting it break out, Mica drew her knife and threw all her weight towards the foe, plunging it in between its eyes. The Spirit of the Mountain screamed and shrieked for a few more minutes, until the light finally left its eyes and it went limp.

Everyone was silent for a few moments, confirming that it was dead.

Mica fell to her knees. "I hate blood..." she groaned.

Hana's eyes widened. "But Mica, you're bleeding, too!"

Mica stopped, tracing her line of sight down to her arm. Her sleeve was torn open, blood soaking through the white material. "Oh, I guess I am," she stated calmly.

"We need to get you help!"

"It's okay…"

"No, it's not!"

"Really, it's…"

"Here." Jan held out his sash. Mica and Hana stopped bickering, and all eyes focused on him. "Worker or not, I hate when people get hurt. Stop the bleeding with this." He paused. "It's not a gift. Wash it and return it to me later. And I'd better not see any bloodstains in it, or I'll make real on that pillory threat."

"Thank you." Mica accepted the sash and wrapped her arm up.

"Is everythin' all right in here?" A miner joined Hana by the entryway. "Whoa, what did you do, Mica?"

"Nothin'… this time. All's well now!" chirped Mica. "Could you take this young man and his wheelchair and bring him back to the surface?" He pointed at Jan. "There was an accident."

"Sure thing, Mica... wait, is that the Spirit of the Mountain?!"

Mica blushed and scratched the nape of her neck. "Uh..."

"Is it sacred or something?" asked Silvio.

"Sure is!" said Mica.

The three Sorcerers gasped.

"... I'm gonna make so much soup!"

"... You're going to eat it?" Hana asked, totally deadpan.

"If you kill it, you eat it. Those are the rules!"

"You just want to eat it," said the miner. "You always want to eat. And I bet you'll eat the whole thing in a day, too, possu!"

"I'm not a piggy!" cried Mica indignantly. "I'll share all the meat with you!"

"Yeah, right." The miner took the chair and slung Jan over his shoulder. By this point, even Jan was too tired to make a smart remark about it. "It's a miracle you never get fat." And without much fanfare, they left, leaving Mica and the twins alone once more.

Silvio slumped over. What pride he felt before was now crushed. "… I'm sorry," he mumbled to Mica.

"What's that?"

"I'm sorry." He dragged his toes through the dirt. "If I hadn't gotten ahead of myself, none of this would've happened and you wouldn't have gotten hurt. And Hana…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry for getting angry at you, too. You're right. I DO need to get better at magic before I get into situations like this."

Hana offered a wan smile. "It's my fault, too. I should've chosen my words better."

"But guess what?"

"What?"

"I did magic!"

"That's true! Sorry I didn't congratulate you earlier. Our lives were kind of in danger and stuff. But that's really great, Silvio!"

"All's well that ends well," said Mica with a shrug. "Herra Silvio, you WERE a great help with your ideas. But next time, maybe you could help me in a place that ain't quite as dangerous?" She winked at him.

Silvio blushed. "Uh, Mica?" he asked.

"What?"

"You don't have to do the whole 'Herra' thing. Just 'Silvio' is fine."

"If that's what you wish…"

"No!" He shook his head. "No. I saw how Jan talked to you. I don't wanna be stuck up like him."

Mica laughed. "I appreciate the gesture, H—Silvio!" She sighed. "But truth be told, I was out of line. A Worker shouldn't talk to a Sorcerer so candidly. See, I get very fired up when I see someone bein' careless and speak afore I think."

"That's a load of bull! You're not a heretic like those Unforgivables! You don't deserve to be treated that way!"

"You have a good sense of justice, Silvio, but unfortunately most Sorcerers don't agree with you." Mica tied the sash up into a bow. "You are the people who were chosen by the Gods, after all. Sorcerers run the world while Workers can only do the menial labor you won't so your magic isn't drained faster. Really, people like us are privileged to be able to live in your world, so we mustn't talk back."

"I think Workers are just as important as Sorcerers," said Hana. By now she pulled herself into a sitting position.

"Right!" agreed Silvio. "Your job is essential!"

Mica smiled. "You're kind. You two are kind. I have hope your generation will be the one to change things. If you could do me a favor, though… please don't mention anythin' about what I said. I could get in huge trouble with the Lord Superior for talkin' to Sorcerers like this."

Silvio pretended to zip his lips shut. "Mum's the word."

"We need to get you first aid!" piped up Hana, standing up and taking a few shaky steps forward. She grabbed Mica's injured arm. "I think Professor Ffion will be coming soon."

"I insist; I'm fine." Mica brushed past her, heading back to the cart. "An' if I need it later on, I'll head to the medical bay. No need to waste magic."

Silvio shot her a glance. No matter how hard she tried, Hana wouldn't win against Mica. She was even more stubborn than he was. Her bullheadishness impressed him, in a way.

Ring!

Silvio's pocket vibrated and blared an alarm. Taking out his message crystal, he tapped on it and Crowe's image projected into midair.

"Good afternoon, students!" Crowe chirped through the magical device. "I assume your hunt is going well, yes? I'm calling to inform you that it is now the lunch hour. Drop by the Emporium to pick it up. No more food will be served as soon as it turns 1300 hours, so come get it quickly!"

The message tapped off.

"Shoot, looks like we didn't get anything done," said Mica. "I'm sorry for all the delays."

Hana shook her head. "No, it's okay, Mica. There's no helping what happened."

"Hmm…" Mica tapped her chin. "Why don't we eat lunch together? I can take you to the spot with all the petrified wood and we can figure out what other gems you need while we eat. It'll be a picnic!"

"Sounds like a good idea," said Silvio.

Hana nodded in agreement.

It made Silvio happy that Hana volunteered to spend time with someone other than him for once. Hana didn't make friends easily with girls her own age, but she was comfortable with Mica. Even if Silvio would be with her, it was still a step forward.

They crowded back into the cart and Mica drove it down the tracks, taking a shortcut down a few new tunnels. Soon enough they were back where they started at the entrance of the mine.

"How about I meet you in front of the Emporium in ten minutes?" asked Mica.

"You're going?" asked Silvio.

"Need to change my shirt."

"Sure thing."

Mica waved them off and slunk around to the back of the building.

"And wash your wound!" called Hana after her.

Silvio's stomach growled.

"Man, I'm starving," he said. "Saving Jan's butt is hard work!"

Hana giggled and sniffed the air. "Mmm, it smells like vegetable soup!"

"Should we race to beat the lunch rush?"

"Mmm-hmm."

The twins ran to the lunch line, stumbling over each other and laughing as they beat their classmates to the front.

"You're in a hurry," remarked Crowe, ladling a spoonful of soup into a glass jar. He passed it to Silvio. "Is all going well so far?"

"Well…" Silvio accepted the jar. "We didn't find any stones, but we had a great adventure!"

"I see. You do have a week, you know. You could've had a worse morning." Crowe rolled his eyes. "Jan managed to crush his wheelchair! Ffion's had it up to here with repairing things! Mica's keeping you two in check, right?"

"Yes, Uncle. She's a nice person."

"She?" Crowe paused and gave him a funny look. "Silvio… Mica's a man."

Silvio almost dropped his soup. "Whaaaaaat?" he squeaked.

"Don't tell me you thought… oh, Silvio," he groaned.

"I'm… I'm going to go now." Silvio grasped his jar and staggered off, face red as a ruby. He wanted to bury himself in a plot along with the empty gemstones. Why didn't Mica correct him earlier? Or was he just going along with it to spare his feelings?

Somehow, that was even worse.

And now he had to face him again without shrinking into the dirt. Waiting for an amused Hana to join him, Silvio gulped and headed toward the meeting spot.