Chapter 13: Lorenstein

'My sleep schedule is a bit fucked, so I'll stay up until I feel tired, I guess.' Theo thought to himself as he refamiliarized himself with his home. He stood up, took a quick look around, then went to the guest bedroom.

The room is fairly barren with just a bed, dresser, a chair in front of the dresser, and his staff leaning against the side of the dresser. He sat in the chair and created some dirt on the dresser and played around, making things out of it with magic with the dirt, making more dirt when necessary.

"Theo." Sydney's voice rang quietly as Theo groaned and his eyes opened drowsily. "Theo, wake up." She said as she shook him a bit. Theo opened his eyes a bit more and saw Sydney smiling a bit, clearly amused by how he slept. "Were you so tired that you didn't get to your bed?" She asked.

'Hm? Oh, I'm still at the dresser...' Theo thought as he sat up a bit.

"What are these? They look like us." Sydney said as she picked up a figurine of Kendra.

"I fell asleep making them. I started making them in my cell whenever I was bored." Theo said drowsily slurring his words.

"I don't remember seeing any though." Sydney said.

"I had to deconstruct them after making them in order to make sure the guards didn't see them. They didn't like me having things I wasn't given." Theo said.

"Ah..." Sydney said, thinking she stepped on a sensitive topic.

"I don't mind talking about it." Theo said as he leaned back in his chair a bit. "Ignoring the first six months, it wasn't bad, I was just alone." Theo said.

"Just... Stray away from the first six months in conversation for a little while... Mom and dad will blame themselves." Sydney said. Theo nodded. "Also, mom's been cleaning all morning, so I'm gonna stay in here until she's done. She's in one of her focused moods and I'd just get in the way." Sydney said as she went over to Theo's bed and sat down.

"Okay." Theo said as he stood up and stretched a bit.

"What spell did you use to make these?" She asked.

'Fuck! I didn't use one...' Theo thought to himself. "Wanna hear a secret?" Theo asked.

"Sure?" Sydney said with a confused expression and tone.

"I don't have to chant to use magic." Theo said.

"You're lying! You've always used a chant, I've seen it." She said, clearly displeased by the perceived lie. Theo groaned.

"Watch." He said as he put out his hand. After a moment, a blue light appeared and at the same time, a water ball began to form.

"What!? Since when!?" Sydney asked as she stood up and tried analyzing what Theo was doing.

"I've been able to do it for as long as I can remember." Theo said.

"Bullshit!" She exclaimed as she poked the water to make sure there isn't some kind of trick.

"I hid it because mom said people can only use spells when they chant, and I didn't want to be seen as weirder than I already was." Theo said.

"Well... Yeah... That's fair..." Sydney said as she wiped the water off of her finger. Theo dissipated the water.

"That aside, dad knows." Theo added.

"...What?" Sydney asked sternly.

"Well, it was when I still slept in their room. One night I was play-" Theo was swiftly interrupted.

"Before you started *learning* magic!?" She asked with shock.

"I've said too much." Theo said.

"No wonder I could never match up to you! You've been practicing since way younger than me!" She exclaimed. Suddenly, a knock was heard on the door.

"What are you two talking about?" Kendra asked through the door.

"Theo can use magic without a chant!" Sydney yelled. Kendra burst the door open.

"What!?" She asked with shock.

"I told you it was a secret!" Theo said with exaggerated emotion as he laughed a bit.

"Since when!?" Kendra asked.

"He said he's been able to since he was, like, at least one." Sydney said.

"But that was before you started learning magic..." Kendra said as she began to doubt.

"You were teaching her..." Theo said as he pointed at Sydney.

"You mean... You remember things from back then?" She asked with confusion. Theo nodded hesitantly

'I've said way too much...' He thought to himself gravely. 'Well, no going back.' He thought with a mental shrug.

"He also said dad already knows!" Sydney added.

"What?" She asked sternly. Theo flinched.

"I was using magic one night while I was still in your room, he saw me! He said that if I filled his cup with water he wouldn't tell anyone, he probably thought it was a dream!" Theo admitted with fear.

"I'll have to ask your father when he gets home... For now, I'll clean." She said sternly as she exited the room and closed the door.

"I fear for him..." Theo said as he gave a silent prayer for his father.

"That aside, what else can you do with that?" Sydney asked excitedly.

'Ah, there's the Sydney I know.' Theo thought to himself. "Well, as you know, I can make those figurines. I've also done an entire play with water magic before, that was fun." Theo said.

"That's amazing!" She said. "I get the feeling I'll forever be in your shadow for magic..." Sydney added.

"Well, you're still way better than me in swordsmanship." Theo said.

"That's true! I'm actually a higher rank than dad now!" Sydney said with an excited tone.

"That's great! I didn't realize you had gotten so good!" Theo congratulated Sydney.

"Yup! I'm amazing!" Sydney said happily.

"Hmm... As a gift for your fifteenth, I could try teaching you chantless magic." Theo offered.

"Would you!?" She asked excitedly. He nodded. "Let's go quickly, then!" She said as she hopped over to the door and ran to the front door. Theo followed with a walk.

"What's got her so excited?" Kendra asked.

"I'm gonna see if I can teach her chantless magic." Theo said.

"Oh? Well, that would certainly be an exciting prospect for her." She said. Theo nodded, then walked to the door.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Sydney said excitedly as she set up a target.

'She's as childish as I remember.' Theo thought with a small laugh.