Volume I: A new beginning (Chapter 1 - 5)
1. Lost
"Another boring day," Kenneth sighed as he packed his books and pencils into his bag. Human history and technology seemed to have taken a very different course in Idan. It was a hybrid of Medieval and Renaissance tech that flourished in a peculiar way to give rise to a technological age unlike any other. As he rose from his seat he noticed that most of his classmates had already done packing and on their way out. No one carries their belongings around anymore. They just suck them up into a magical storage and then they are good to go. Making their items 'magically' reappear only when needed. Kenneth on the other hand never really get used to the idea. He still kept his backpack with him whenever he goes for his classes. "You done, Ken?" A slim and tall youngster with greenish hair called out to him. "Let's go, Sal." Kenneth replied. He slid his bag onto his shoulders and followed his friend out the door. His keychain tingled when it brushed against the frame of the door as he passed through it. He sighed deeply when he thought about the keychain. A memento from two years back. It was a piece of bronze carved into the shape of a mountain with his initial engraved at the back. The mountain was Mount Jaya, a mountain located near the 23rd Junior Scientist Camp Kenneth and his childhood friends attended 2 years ago. How much things had changed for Kenneth since the day he enrolled in Idan. He sighed just thinking about it.
Kenneth's powers had waned just like Erik said before. Merely a year after he stayed in Idan, he had already begun to notice the changes. It was subtle at first but as time went by, it became more obvious. It took considerably more time for Kenneth to learn new moves and improve his powers. He had a hard time learning to cast new spells compared to when he first entered the academy. His grades eventually dropped over the following year until a point where he no longer cares. He ended up in the last class, the 'backwater' of Idan as they called it. It wasn't an easy fact for Kenneth to accept, being a high-achievers back on Earth in his primary school time. It felt even worse disappointing his grandpa who was one of the most respected wizard in Idan. But it didn't happen without a fight. Kenneth struggled like never before during his first year in Idan. Coping with learning a completely new language from scratch and adapting to living alone at the same time. Those were tough times for Kenneth. Despite his best effort, things didn't turn up like he had hoped. "Wanna grab a bite at Voodoo Lounge?" Sal suggested. "Sure" Kenneth nodded, interrupting his flashback.
Kenneth wasn't the type to give up easily but he realized that he was just not the person his grandfather and his father hoped he did become. It wasn't an easy decision to make, to give up on mastering Magic. Especially when his cousin is one of the top students in Idan, the pride of Ecuador family. He is someone whom everyone look-up to and would someday succeed his grandpa as one of the Grand Magus of the academy. Kenneth had gone though disappointment after disappointment, countless let down before he finally made up his mind 2 months ago. Life didn't turn out like Kenneth had hoped when he decided to move to Nirvana. He was looking forward to a life of thrill and adventure, not the same old routine he had back on Earth. But either way, life goes on. "What would you like to have for lunch today, Ken?" The waitress asked, snapping Kenneth out of his rumination. "The usual please," He quickly answered. "What's with you today, Ken? You seemed to be out of focus since after class." Sal asked. "Are you still worrying about the whole Magic thing?" He added. "Nah," Kenneth shook his head.
Sal's full name was Salazar Rojas from the House of Rojas. His father was an infamous warlock skilled in the dark arts. So were his two elder brothers. They were powerful sorcerers in dark magic, curses and voodoos. Sal on the other hand was like an outcast from his family. He was a bright child gifted with magic. His family thought they had found a successor to the Rojas's dark legacy but they were deeply disappointed. Sal's affinity for dark magic waned as he grew older, without any particular cause found. His family tried various ways to return him to his 'old' self but none of them worked. As so, Sal's grade dropped and he ended up meeting Kenneth in the last class. After that, nobody paid much attention to him anymore. He was left alone as he continued his studies on his own. "Start missing being all mighty and powerful? Being the center of attention?" Sal asked as he picked up a piece of fries. "Don't you?" Kenneth answered. Among the many people he met over the past two years, Kenneth found Sal to be the only one he could relate to the most. Perhaps it was their family background, or the hobbies they shared. Whatever it was, they ended up becoming close friends since their first encounter.
"Feel like becoming a hero?" Sal said jokingly as he pointed towards a group at the corner of the café. There were three burly orcs and a human youngster surrounding a smaller orc teenager. Bullying wasn't something uncommon in Idan. With a population of over 1 billion consisting of 6 major races and many minors, it was hardly surprising. Perhaps it was the weather or the drinks he drank but that day, Kenneth took the challenge. "Wow, Ken. You serious?" Sal said as he watched his friend walked towards the back. Sal chased after Kenneth when he realized that his friend was doing it for real. However, it was a bit too late. Kenneth approached the group as casual as always. "Hey, hey! What are you guys up to?" Kenneth said. "Get lost, loser!" The youngster in the group said. Kenneth immediately recognize his face. He was Juan Diago, one of the top 15 most gifted young wizard of Idan. Outside the classroom, he was also known for his tendency to bully the weak. "Don't think I don't dare to hurt you just because you're related to Grand Magus." Juan said. "We should all get along as citizens of Idan." Kenneth ignored Juan completely and wrapped his arm around one of the orcs, as if they were best pals. "I think you don't get the message, he said get lost!" One of the orc yelled while the other two shoved him aside. Kenneth knocked over a nearby table and fell. He got back up and walked towards the two orcs. "You sure you want to do this?" Kenneth's expression was serious, there was not a single trace of the casual smile on his face moments ago. "Ignore him," Juan said. The three orcs turned their attention back on the smaller orc. "Guess we're really doing this," Kenneth grinned.
Sal opened his mouth to try and stop Kenneth when he saw what his friend was up to. However, he was again too late to act. The ground trembled slightly as one of the orc crashed into the wall nearby after getting sucker punched by Kenneth. It caught the attention of the entire restaurant. The other two orcs roared and launched themselves towards Kenneth. Magic might not have been Kenneth's talent but that didn't mean he totally forgotten how to fight. Despite his busy schedule in Idan, he was still able to find time to practice his psychic element with his maternal grandpa – Count Fleming. He also returned to the Freedom Fortress occasionally to visit some old friend and practice his sword skills. The two orcs approached Kenneth in a thug-like fashion. Their moves were crude, typical of skill-less brutes seen in street fights. A few quick side steps were all it took for Kenneth to threw them off balance.
As one of the orcs regained his balance, he came charging at Kenneth with a straight punch. Kenneth was about to dodge when he felt a binding spell targeted at him. Suddenly, an invisible force froze his feet to the ground when he tried to move. Kenneth ended up eating the full blow to his gut. His legs buckled and he dropped to his knees. Orcs were commonly known for their strength and durability. Furthermore, most orcs practiced physical enhancement spells that boosted their strength and durability further. A single punch from the orc would have been enough to knock Kenneth out cold if it were to hit his head. But it didn't. "Stay down, I you know what's best for you!" The orc that punched Kenneth spitted on his face. Despite the pain and humiliation, Kenneth chuckled to himself. Sure, it was very painful. It felt as if his intestines were pulled from his gut. But the feel of adrenaline rush and heat of battle were something Kenneth had not felt in a long while. Enduring the pain Kenneth got up and went into Overdrive. His entire body surged with energy. With a grin, he charged at the nearest orc, sending him flying towards the nearby table with a single kick. Juan tried the same trick again, casting a binding spell on Kenneth. However, Kenneth broke through it easily while knocking out the last orc with an upper cutter. Juan's binding was easily overpowered by Kenneth's brute force.
Juan fumbled slightly when he tried another spell. Being a citizen of Idan, most of them had very minimal encounter with the outside world. It meant that elements and abilities of power users were a foreign concept to them. Seeing Kenneth suddenly power up without casting any spells would surely surprise anyone who knew nothing other than magic. The next spell Juan casted was much more powerful than the one before. Four visible greenish rings encircled around Kenneth, immobilizing him. "You're dead!" Juan gave a cynical laugh while Kenneth struggled to break free. An iron maiden sarcophagus appeared behind Kenneth. Dark tentacles shot from its interior and began dragging Kenneth into the spikes-covered interior. Kenneth stomped the ground with his right foot after he managed to free his right leg from the ring. The ground beneath Juan's feet fissured, causing him to lose his footing. Before the iron maiden completely closed its lid, Kenneth unleashed a burst of energy radiating from his body from each and every direction. A technique known simply as break in the art of energy manipulation. The psionic energy shattered his fetters and also the tentacles that were pulling him to his death. Juan was taken aback by the sudden development. He gasped as Kenneth appeared before him, fist clenched. Before Juan could utter another word, he was knocked unconscious with a singe punch to the cheek. "Drop your weapons! Everyone on the ground now!" Someone barked outside the restaurant.
Kenneth felt a strong nullifying magic enclosing the entire café he was in. When the fight broke out, someone must have alerted the authority. Kenneth picked up the nearest chair and sat down. It wasn't the first time he got arrested for violence in public places. "Great, it's the Spokes!" Sal sighed and sat down beside Kenneth. The smaller orc that was supposedly being bullied was unfazed by all the commotion. He didn't utter a single word the entire time, only eyeing those around him. "God, that hurts!" When the adrenaline rush began to fade, Kenneth felt the pain at his gut coming back to him. Before he knew it, he was lying on the ground as his friend called out to him while a few adults in uniform barged into the café. The last thing Kenneth saw before he completely blackout was the orc transforming into a young lady. Then, everything became pitch black.
2. Dark Days
It was evening when Kenneth regained consciousness. The sun was already on the horizon in the academic metropolis of Idan. The first thing he noted after waking up was the scent of chlorohexidine that lightly tainted the air around him. The smell of hospital. "Ken! You're awake!" Sal patted Kenneth on the back. "What happened?" Kenneth only managed to sit-up half way before he felt a dull pain radiating from his abdomen. He instantly wrapped his arms around it. "It still hurts? Here. Take this herb. The doctor says it will ease the pain." Sal passed Kenneth a cup of blackish herbal cocktail. Kenneth swallowed it in one gulp before grimaced in disgust. "Pu-uh! What the hell was that? It tasted so bitter!" "You're lucky that you survive without needing an operation." Sal took the empty cup from Kenneth. "It was that bad?" Kenneth asked. "Worse is to come." Sal replied. "Apparently you just interrupted a…" Before Sal could finish, the door barged open. A woman in a blue office attire walked in. "Who's she?" Kenneth asked with a puzzled look on his face. She was that same young lady that shapeshifted from the ogre he saw before he blacked out.
The lady closed the door with a gentle twist of the knob, a real contrast to the way she entered. She produced a small cube from her handbag and activated it with a click. Both the boys just remained in the same position as before, waiting to see what the lady would do next. She took a seat at the closest chair. There was a momentary silence before she spoke in a soft tone. "Do you have any idea what you done?" Kenneth half-opened his mouth to answer. But what happened next startled the two teens. They literally flinched. The lady slammed the cardiac table in front of her and yelled on top of her voice. "You just wasted 4 years of my life!" Both boys felt their heartbeat suddenly shifted into a higher gear. "4 years!" She repeated. "Sorry, I didn't know it was that serious." Kenneth was quick to apologize. 'Why did you choose today of all days to be a hero?" Kenneth kept quiet. "Because of you!" The lady stood and pointed her finger at Kenneth. "The only lead we got to the Sonora Cartel is gone! For 4 years we have been tracking them, 4 years…" The lady said. She looked frustrated. "Who are the Sonora Cartel?" Kenneth asked. The lady sighed deeply. "I need a smoke." She fished a packet of cigarette from her breast pocket and picked a cigarette out with her mouth. She lit it up and inhaled deeply, disregard of the smoke alarms in the room. "I have probably said too much. Guess this is just my luck!" She tossed the cigarette to the floor and smoldered it after a few puffs. "You'll be suspended as per Idan's academy protocol under section 5 on inappropriate use of magic. You will receive the formal letter as of tomorrow morning via your homeroom tutor. That will be all." The lady clicked the small cube again, deactivating the Arc Net that surrounded the room. She left the room without another word.
"Who are the Sonora Cartel?" Kenneth asked. Sal hesitated. "C'mon. Tell me." Kenneth pushed further when he saw Sal's reaction. "It's a criminal organization that hires my family from time to time. They dealt in all sorts of criminal activities – drugs, extortion, kidnapping, blackmailing, illegal animal trades, brothels and so on. But they are most notorious for they drug trade." Sal answered. "I see. What drugs do they sell?" Kenneth asked. "Magical potions. Illegal ones." Sal explained. "They mass produce cheap potions that normally cost much more without much quality control. Some are aphrodisiacs and sexual stimulants, especially popular amongst the middle-aged wizards. On the other hand, we have the physical enhancement potions which would cost quite a lot if bought via the legal suppliers. Then, not forgetting the usual narcotics that will take you high up into cloud nine. But they are severely addictive." Sal added. "Just the usual criminal organization." Kenneth said. "What they do is nothing unusual but their connections are pretty impressive. There have been rumors that they have corrupted a few higher-ups in the Idan academy, letting them infiltrate into our academy." "So that's why she sounded so pissed." Kenneth tried to stand up but staggered. He managed to balance himself by holding onto the bedrail. "You sure you're allow to walk." Sal sounded concerned. "I'll live," Kenneth shrugged.
The next morning Kenneth received an earful from his grandpa – Señor Ecuador. It wasn't the first time he got scolded. He was getting used to the insults his grandpa threw at him. "You're nothing but a disgrace to the Ecuador family! Now get lost! Taking you in was a mistake!" Kenneth's grandpa yelled. As usual, Kenneth kept his head down and pretended to listen to the old man's rattling. Despite his kind face and gentle voice, he was a prideful old prick. Pride and status quo meant more to Señor Ecuador than his own flesh and blood. His grandpa distanced himself from Kenneth the moment he found out that Kenneth was not only failing in magic but having disciplinary problems as well. Those were dark days but thanks to Count Fleming, Kenneth got back on his feet once more. Kenneth left his grandpa's office after he was done screwing him. He left without a word, he just closed the door and walked away. "Was it bad?" Sal appeared at a corner. "You don't say," Kenneth sighed. It suddenly got him thinking about his maternal grandfather – Count Fleming. Despite his stern exterior with a face that depict no emotions, deep down, he was a very kind person. Count Fleming helped Kenneth more than anyone else since he came to live in Nirvana two years back. Looks are indeed deceiving. "You wanna go for lunch?" Sal asked. "Nah, I got community service to do," Kenneth replied. "Right…" Sal nodded and the two of them went their separate ways.
Kenneth picked up the last of the trash around the area he was assigned to. He then reported back to his supervisor in-charge before heading back to his dorm. He grabbed a burrito at a local deli as he walked his way back to his dorm. It was already late evening and the next two days were weekends. As he chomped his way through the tortilla, his mind wandered. He doubled back the way he came and took the opposite junction heading towards the Cupola Bridge – the tallest suspension bridge in Idan. The bridge connected main land of Idan to Rowan Island and overlooked the Cupola Sea, where the bridge got its name from. He picked up a bottle of root beer from a convenient store before making his way to the midway of the bridge. He walked towards the nearest tower holding the bridge. A stairway was built into the suspension cable leading to the tallest tower – meant as a tourist attraction. But it was closed since the start of the Monsoon season. The wind was especially strong during that time of the year, making the hike to the top dangerous. Kenneth approached the entrance and was greeted by an elderly security guard manning the door. "Sorry, we're closed. It's the rainy season." He said. "Okay," Kenneth appeared to turn around and leave. The old man waved at Kenneth as he left. But in reality, it was all an illusion. A trick he picked up from Count Fleming. Kenneth entered the gate leading to the stairway while the guard was kept distracted by the image he conjured.
Kenneth slowly made his way up the top of the tower, fighting chill winds as he climbed up the stairs. Once he reached the peak, he drew a deep breath while gazing upon the night scenery of Idan. The bridge seemed completely out of place when viewed against the city of Idan. The buildings in Idan were mostly made of wood, even those that stretched up to 30-stories high. The use of magic fortifications caused the material to be weather durable and strong as steel. However, the tallest building in Idan was a mere 40-stories. There was no skyscraper in the city, unlike most modern cities. That was the reason the steel bridge stood out so much. He sat down at his usual spot. It was during one of those dark days that he first came to the peak of the bridge. Kenneth was utterly depressed back then. The thought of suicide even crossed his mind a few times. That was how severe his depression was. Kenneth leant against the barricade and began sucking on his root beer while enjoying the scenery. At the same time, memories of his depressed days played back in his mind. If it wasn't for Count Fleming, he might have already taken his own life, or worse. "It's all in the past now," Kenneth murmured to himself. Another strong gust weaved through the steel bridge, causing the cable to sway. Kenneth sucked the last drop of his beverage and kept the bottle in his backpack. He was about to descend but stopped when he caught sight of a figure at the opposite end.
Out of curiosity, Kenneth walked towards the figure. It turned out to be a female elf. The elves have very distinctive pointy ears, obvious even from a distance. The girl didn't seem to notice Kenneth's presence even though he was almost standing beside her. She seemed to be deep in thoughts. "Jessica?" Kenneth blurted. The elf girl turned towards Kenneth upon hearing her name being called. "Kenneth? What are you doing here?" Jessica sounded genuinely surprised. From afar Kenneth had his suspicions but after seeing her eyes before he called out to her, he reaffirmed his concern. Her eyes, they had the same look he did when he looked into the mirror many months ago. It was a silent distress signal!
3. Falling
Jessica was your above average student at Idan. Despite being an elf, her prowess in elemental magic was not extraordinary like her elven peers. She was struggling hard and only barely able to maintain her grades in the second-tier class. However, she was hardworking, more so than others. Kenneth knew that well because he observed her a year ago when they used to be in the same class. "How's things going?" Kenneth asked, sounded as casual as possible. "What are you doing here?" She repeated herself, suddenly became more alarmed and guarded. "This is my usual spot to get over things." Kenneth leant beside the safety railing next to her. "I just got suspended." He recalled those therapeutic sessions he had back then. The most important approach to a depressed person is to get them to start talking. "Oh…" Jessica murmured, sounding less on edge. "So, what brings you here?" Kenneth asked. Jessica kept quiet. "C'mon, I told you mine, it's only fair if you tell me yours." Kenneth tried to get her to open up for conversation. Jessica stared at the large domed-cathedral in the distance and murmured "It's beautiful up here," "Yeah, kinda make you forgets all your mundane worries. That's why I always sneaks up here whenever I feel under pressure." Kenneth said. "You know, sometimes you tried your best, again and again. But you never succeed. Never…" Jessica murmured. "I know what you mean," Kenneth reminisced the struggle he had been through the past two years. "But it's alright to fail. As long as you tried your best." He added. "Thanks," Jessica replied. "How did you get past the guard?" Kenneth asked. "Here, let me show you." Jessica backed away from the safety railing. She then whispered a magic incantation. From Kenneth's limited understanding of the old Elven Tongue, she was chanting some sort of portal spell.
Within seconds after her enchantment, a portal opened before them. "Let's go," Jessica said. As they stepped through the portal, Kenneth found himself standing on the bridge, below the tower where they were before. "Nice spell. You gotta teach me that someday." Kenneth said. "Sure. Bye." Jessica cut their conversation off and walked away. Kenneth waved as she left and walked towards the opposite way, back to his dorm. The next day began just the same way as it did the day before. Kenneth left his dorm at 7.30 a.m. and headed for the community service center in West Idan. He was suspended for 2 weeks for the ruckus he caused at the restaurant. He was also punished with 150 hours of community service. And the duty that day was painting the Borayuke Stadium. It was the second largest stadium in West Idan. Each year, it held the preliminary rounds for the West Idan selection tournament. Successful candidates would represent West Idan in the Idan League, a 2-yearly magic tournament between the 5 regions of Idan. The chosen candidates that made it passed the preliminary rounds would automatically be promoted to the elite class regardless of their assessment throughout the year. Kenneth tried the tournament but was never able to even qualify into the preliminary. Bottomline was, his knowledge and skills in magic were poor.
Kenneth picked up the roller brush and started painting at the far end where the old paint was scrapped off. From where he was, he could clearly see the ongoing tournament inside the stadium. The stadium was almost deserted as the preliminary rounds were not much interesting to watch. The matches wouldn't be as flashy as those in the Idan League. A familiar face caught his attention while he was brushing the wall. It was Jessica. Her opponent was a strong one – Ellis Monteggia. She specialized in summoning spells, overwhelming her opponent with strength in numbers. Kenneth thought Jessica didn't stand a chance against Ellis. However, when the tournament began, Kenneth began to think otherwise. The facilitators applied a magical barrier to each of them. The barrier was invisible and applied directly onto the skin like clothing; without jeopardizing their movement. The barriers were casted by powerful sorcerers well beyond their ranks, allowing each candidate to go all out without hurting each other. The victor would be determined when one of their barriers absorbed a predetermined level of damage or one of the candidates submits. Kenneth slowed down his pace when he noticed that his supervisor wasn't looking. He then moved his tools to a blind spot where he could watch Jessica's tournament without being spotted by his supervisor.
Jessica struck first the moment the bell rang. Fire twirled around her wand and sent a wave of scorching flame at Ellis. A magic circle lit up on the earth in front of Ellis when the flame came at her. Mud burst forth and gathered at the center of the circle, shielding Ellis from the flame. After the dust and smoke settled, Jessica came face to face with an eight-foot-tall mud golem. With a quick cast, her wand extended and formed a spear entirely made of fire. She thrusted the tip into the golem's chest, breaking the its seal. The golem crumbled into dust after the magic spell that gave it life was destroyed. More mud golems came at her after she destroyed the first one. The magic circle that Ellis created was still glowing while she continued chanting and channeling her magic into it. More and more mud golems rose from the earth and charged at Jessica. The golem army launched themselves at her one after the other. Meanwhile, another two smaller magic circles appeared on the ground behind Ellis. Metals were being drawn from the earth in one circle while water began gathering on top of the other circle. Jessica cut down each and every golem that came at her but new golems spawned faster than she could annihilate. She was slowly being pushed to a corner. Jessica casted a short spell on her wand after which she swung her spear hard. The spear extended and was transformed into a long whip which sliced through the golems in front of her. With a sharp flick of her wrist, the entire length of the whip came down at the magic circle that was spawning the golems, destroying it.
The moment the large circle was destroyed, all the golems disintegrated into dust. Jessica then started chanting in her ancestral tongue, her eyes turned white in the process. Thunder clouds began to gather above them halfway through her spell. Suddenly, a few flashes of lightning struck where Ellis was standing. A blinding white screen of light was produced when the lightning bolts connected to their target. Jessica was well aware that she didn't land a direct hit before even the first lightning struck. A small gnome stood beside Ellis, maintaining a purple barrier. "You really improved a lot, Jessica. I never thought you could go this far. But this is a far as you can go," Ellis said. "We shall see," Jessica's eyes turned white once more as she began chanting in Elven Tongue. The dark clouds vanished as rapid as they formed. Red flames twirled around Jessica when her spell was near completion. Ellis on the other hand was done with hers'. A knight with its steed, both cladded in silver armor stepped out from one of the magic circles. The globe of water on the other hand was transformed into a lance for the knight. "This ends now," Ellis said. "I couldn't agree more," Jessica replied.
The silver knight charged at Jessica with its lance, only to be met with a wave of flame so powerful that it melted Ellis summon unit as a whole. The flame engulfed everything in its path and surrounded Ellis's shield. Kenneth's mouth opened wide in awe as he witnessed for the first time the extend of Jessica's magic. Ellis too was taken by surprise. She was clearly not prepared to handle magic of this extend. She never anticipated Jessica to be so powerful. Within minutes, the purple barrier began weakening and then it collapsed. The gnome shrilled as its clothes and beard caught on fire. Jessica retracted her flame immediately and casted a water spell to put out the flame. The gnome was a living creature and not one of Ellis's mindless minions. "Thanks," Ellis said. "I concede," She announced. The gnome vanished at Ellis's command, returning to its dormant form as its master's bracelet. "Congratulation," Ellis extended her arm for a handshake. Jessica clasped her hand with both her palms. "Thank you. It was a great match." Jessica said. After that, the two of them parted ways, giving the arena for the next contenders.
Kenneth quickly resumed his community service work. Lucky for him, his supervisor didn't catch him slacking off. Later that day, Kenneth caught sight of Jessica on his way back to his dorm. She seemed to be in a hurry after she came out from an alley. Kenneth decided to follow her as he felt something was peculiar about her tournament early on in the day. He knew she was a good sorcerer but the spells she used seemed a bit way beyond her capability. Especially that last move. Kenneth trailed her through down town to end up at the same place they met yesterday – Cupola Bridge. She opened a portal in a secluded location and then vanished. All the while, she had no idea she was being followed. Kenneth used his illusion to get past the guard like he did before and climbed his way up the tower. Once he reached the top, he could see the familiar figure leaning onto the safety railing. As he approached her from the side, he noticed her hands were holding onto a bottle filled with white pills. She was staring at the bottle, her mind deep in thoughts and unaware of Kenneth's presence. "What's that?" Kenneth said. Jessica flinched at the sound of Kenneth's voice, almost dropping the bottle over the edge. "It's nothing," she was quick to hide the bottle. "I saw those! Don't tell me you are doping just to win." Kenneth said, his voice was stern. They stared at each other for a long minute, their eyes locked onto each other's gaze; neither of them was willing to give in. Until finally Jessica sighed and showed Kenneth the bottle of pills.
"Where did you get these? I thought magic enhancement drugs are expensive." Kenneth said after taking a closer look at the pills. "They are not authentic, I bought them illegally." Jessica answered. "But why? Why go to such extend?" Kenneth propped further. "I just want my parents to be proud of me, just like my brothers and sisters. They were all high achievers. I just want them to notice me." Jessica murmured. "If they truly are your parents, they will love you as who you are." Kenneth replied. "And these pills, they are not safe. Who knows what else is inside them." He added. "You don't understand! My siblings are all talented and powerful. I am the only one who has to struggle so hard just to keep up. They won't even bat an eye at me! I am a shame to my family!" Jessica began tearing up. "Yes, I do! I was in the exact same situation as you are now. If that's the way they treat you, then they are no family. Family are supposed to accept you as who you are. Not penalizing you just because your siblings are better." Kenneth explained. "No, you won't understand! This is my fight. It's none of your business!" Jessica snatched the bottle from Kenneth's grasp. A portal opened before them as Jessica prepared to leave. "Please, stop doing this before it's too late. You might regret it later." Kenneth warned. "It's already too late," Jessica said and vanished into the portal.
4. Burnt
Kenneth returned to the stadium the next day for his community service. But his main purpose was to keep an eye on Jessica. The preliminary round continued from the day before. He gathered at the side door of the stadium with the other delinquents. Their lazy supervisor arrived 15 mins later than he was supposed to. He distributed the paint brushes and paints before shooing them off to their work station. As was the day before, Kenneth was assigned to the far end of the stadium where the crowd was thin. He picked up from where he left off the day before, covering the walls with a fresh green coating. The tournament began not long after he started painting. Kenneth wasn't really interested in the matches at all. He was only there for one particular candidate – Jessica. He wanted to help the elven girl before she sunk deeper into oblivion. Jessica reminded him a lot of himself back when he first came to Edan. He was in her shoes once. He knew exactly how she felt. He was lucky to have Count Fleming helping him throughout his dark days. However, Jessica didn't seem to have such support.
Kenneth knew exactly when Jessica's match would be. He peeked at the tournament schedule earlier, before heading to his work station. With a simple illusion spell enhanced with his psychic element, he created a convincing clone of himself. Kenneth then disappeared to a secluded corner when no one was watching, letting his clone do the rest of his work. After making sure that he was freed from prying eyes, he activated his cloaking jacket. It was a gift from his childhood friend, Prince Gaea. He then took a seat amongst the barely empty part of the stadium. His execution was perfect, reflecting the hours he had put into practicing stealth mode. Not a single person batted an eye when he walked right passed them to a seat with a better view of the stage. The matches started with introduction of the candidates before they took the stage. Jessica seemed as nervous as the day before when she made her way to the stage. Her opponent for that day was Lionell. His class was magic knight – a unique class of sorcerer and knight combined. He was known for his defensive magic and his massive shield. His shield was bigger in size than he was. Though he wasn't the top few finalists of the Idan League, he was definitely a strong opponent.
Lionell stepped onto the stage confidently with his large shield and a medium length Medieval sword. It wasn't against the rules to use weapons in the tournament. However, they were rather biased when Kenneth tried entering the match with his lightsabers. Apparently, technology from outside the magical realm was forbidden. He never entered the tournament since. After a brief reminder from the judges, the match begun. Jessica started off with a quick offense, lighting up the area around Lionell with fireballs. A blue glow shimmered around Lionell's shield. He was then seen slowly advancing through the wall of flames. Jessica pointed her wand at Lionell and chanted. A wave of orange flame burst forth from the tip of the wand. Lionell's shield absorbed the full force of the blast and continued advancing forward. Jessica intensify her fire attack but it didn't seem to work. Lionell's shield was just too strong. However, she maintained the pressure while casting another spell behind her back. She was using alchemy to transformed the dirt on the ground into fine powder. When Lionell was within striking range of his blade, he turned his shield slightly to give way for his blade. Fine powder suddenly dispersed and filled the air. A dust explosion ensued. The smokescreen bought time for Jessica to get behind Lionell. Once she had her sight on her target, she blasted him with everything she got.
Lionell took the full force of Jessica's flame. The protective barrier applied by the judges prevented him from being burnt. Lionell's managed to turn his massive shield around before he sustained enough damage to lose the match. Jessica's outstanding maneuver and tactics wowed the crowd. They cheered and clapped for her. Jessica had never felt that kind of attention in a long time. There was a sense of confidence in her after she glanced at the score board. Just a few more points to victory. She kept her pressure on Lionell, bombarding him with lightning, fire and earth projectiles from all directions. But Lionell managed to block all of them. His massive shield seemed more powerful than before. It was emitting a strong protective aura around Lionell, protecting him 360°. Jessica knew the same tactic won't work twice. She continued stalling Lionell while buying time for her to think. Meanwhile, Lionell continued gaining momentum as he advanced towards Jessica. She never knew he could move that fast while carrying such a heavy shield. Jessica escaped through her portal the moment Lionell reached his striking distance. She was like a matador dodging a charging bull. At one point in the match, she felt a sudden weakness spreading over her entire body. Before she could escape into her portal, Lionell caught up with her.
Lionell's massive shield released a sudden burst of blue energy. Lionell was propelled forward with his shield in front. He collided into Jessica like a wrecked train, knocking her into the portal with enough force to break all the bones in her body. However, the protective barrier absorbed all that damage and calculated them into points. Jessica emerged from the other side of her portal, unsure of the event that occurred in the split second earlier. She glanced at the score board. Their scores were almost even after the attack. Another blow from either side and it's game over. She got onto her feet, feeling her strength returning while the unexplained weakness disappearing. She was desperate to end the match quickly. Both sides looked equally exhausted from the moves they pulled. Jessica pointed her wand above her head and attempted a potent spell meant for the experienced. A fire spell unique to the elven kind. As she chanted, a whirlpool of flame formed in the air above her. The twirling flame slowed down to a stop and an apparition was seen. A ghastly image of a huge viper on fire appeared behind Jessica. The crowd cheered once more. Even with Kenneth's limited knowledge of elven magic, he knew from first glance what it was. The Fire Viper – Gyrate. It was one of the elven's sacred beast, their guardian of fire. Soon, fire engulfed Jessica, giving her a strong power boost.
A fiery aura radiated from Jessica body, her eyes shone with overwhelming power and her hair ran wildly. The ground shook violently at Jessica's command followed by geysers of fire emerging from fissures on the ground. They converged onto Lionell, lighting him up. Lionell, Jessica and the entire stage was engulfed in flame. Then, the bell rang, signifying Jessica's victory. "That's enough Jessica. You won." One of the judges said. However, fire continued to ignite the stage, burning everything. "Stop it! Why can't I stop it?" Jessica murmured to herself. Lionell began to scream as his protective barrier shattered from the intense flame. The medical personal and safety staff quickly rushed into action. They tired their best to put down the fire to get to the two candidates. However, the fire seemed to have a mind of its own, resisting all attempts to put it off. "Jessica stop this madness!" One of the judges ordered. Concerns began to grew among the crowd as the fire began spreading beyond the stage. It burnt a few of the staff who tried to get to Jessica and Lionell. Jessica tried everything she could to stop the flame but nothing worked! She began to panic and shouted for help. "Help! I can't control the fire!" There was no reply. There was only silence all around her. No even the judges' voices got through the fire.
Seeing as the situation began escalating, all the audience were evacuated and more powerful wizards had to be called in for help. "A cheater like you don't deserve my power." A voice resonated in Jessica's mind. "Who said that?" She asked, turning around in the sea of red, yellow and orange. There was no one there. "You had great potential. But you're just too impatient. And this is your punishment for misusing my power!" Gyrate appeared before Jessica. She froze. "You… can talk?" "Foolish girl!" Gyrate said and disappeared. At that moment Jessica began to feel the heat. All the fiery magic she used before didn't hurt her nor did they feel hot. However, Gyrate's flame was different. The moment it left, she began to feel the burn. It was a slow aching pain at first but slowly built up its intensity. The next minute, she was running in a frenzy. She dropped down and rolled on the dirt to put out the flame. However, it just won't die down. Among the chaos as audiences evacuated from the stadium, one voice was clearly heard by Jessica. It was the familiar chanting of her father! Dark clouds suddenly loomed over the stadium. A torrential rain then poured over it. The rain that came down was different from the average downpour. It had an unexplained atmosphere to it. The rain brought with it a feeling of intense sadness.
The rain doused off the fire, creating tendrils of smoke in the air. The medical staff rushed towards Lionell and Jessica. They were both severely burnt by the fire. Half of Jessica's face was ruined. She lost all of her hair. Her clothes were gone and most of her body was charred. Her skin easily peeled off her flesh and at some part of her body the flesh was separated from her bone. Both of them were unconscious and brought to the nearest hospital via magical portals. Kenneth only watched as the injured were escorted into portals. It was a very convenient way to transport patients. Kenneth maintained his seat despite the chaos. His eyes were locked onto an elder elf. He was a fit male, most elf were. Kenneth wasn't able to tell his age from his looks as most elf tends to retain their primal youth appearance despite their age. The elder elf looked his way. From his looks, he seemed to be able to see through Kenneth's cloaking. However, he didn't seem to bother. He just walked away with a few of his elven kind after the fire was put off. Kenneth then left his seat and deactivated his cloaking when no one else was looking. The stadium was deserted when Kenneth left. A few members of the Spokes remained outside the stadium to seal off the scene. They are sort of like police of the magical world. Kenneth sneaked passed them easily with his invisible jacket. He headed down the familiar road back to his hostel. He sighed along the way thinking back whether there was anything he could've done differently to help Jessica. But there was none.
5. The Detective Club
3 months had passed since the preliminary rounds of the West Idan Tournament. Kenneth was resuming his community service activities after class as were the day before. It was a punishment for inappropriate use of magic even though he didn't really used any magic in the fight. As he picked up the mop to start cleaning the hallway, an overweight lady in red dress approached her from the side. "Hello, Kenneth." She said. "Erm, hi Miss…" Kenneth read her nametag. "Miss Rowena," She replied and extending her right hand at the same time. Kenneth shook it and asked "Are you from the disciplinary committee?" "Yes and no. I am actually from the Detective Club, part of the Foreign Affairs Division." Miss Rowena replied. "Okay. So why are you looking for me?" Kenneth said. "You still have 3 more months to go for your community service, right? What if I told you, you can avoid those by joining the Detective Club?" Miss Rowena said. "Sounds a bit too good to be true. But, let's hear the rest," Kenneth opened the nearest classroom door. The two of them entered and took a seat at the front desk. "What is this about?" Kenneth asked. "Let's start from the Foreign Affairs. Of all the major and minor races in Idan, we're the ones that care for the welfare of the erm… How should I put it…" Rowena hesitated for a moment. "The inter-breed. No that doesn't sound right." "Alright, I get what you're trying to say…" Before Kenneth could finish, Rowena interrupted. "You need to know that you're not the only one in this magic realm. There are a lot of them out there like us." "Us?" Kenneth raised his left brow. "Yes, I too am not a pure-bred witch. I am half-demon you see." Miss Rowena revealed her serpent-like tail. "Okay…" Kenneth was surprised at the woman's openness. "But I still don't get why you need me to join your club. What do you gain from this anyway?"
"You were the only inter-bre… One who I was able to find in the academy. You are currently not in any club and with history of multiple disciplinary offences and…" "Enough, Miss Rowena. If you're not comfortable telling me the reason then it's fine. There's no need to bring up all those excuses." Kenneth raised his voice and interrupted her halfway. "My club needs members or else it's gonna be disbanded. And you're the perfect candidate." Rowena answered quickly. Kenneth paused and stared at Rowena for a moment before opening his mouth again. "I see." He nodded to himself. "If I were to join the club, then I no longer have to do the remaining community services?" "Yes. I've spoken to the head of the disciplinary committee. They agreed to it as long as you report yourself to the club each day after school. Like some form of parole of sort." Rowena replied. Kenneth didn't have to think long for a decision. He was tired of all the cleaning duties and gardening each day. It was so exhausting to the extent that he fell asleep in his classes on multiple occasions. "I'm in. When do we begin?" Kenneth grinned. "Wow, that was easier than I thought." Rowena murmured to herself. "What was that?" "Oh, it's nothing. Just talking to myself. Follow me, I'll enroll you to the club today." Miss Rowena left her chair and headed for the door. "Wha-at? Right now?" Kenneth quickly put his cleaning equipment away and followed after her.
"How many people are in the club anyway?" Kenneth asked. Miss Rowena was a fast walker despite her appearance. Her strides were short but they were quick. Kenneth struggled to keep pace with her initially. After getting used to her momentum, he was able to walk beside her. "Besides you, there are another 2 members." Miss Rowena answered without looking at him. "Just 2?" Kenneth stopped in the middle of the walkway. "I told you it was getting disbanded, didn't I?" Miss Rowena kept walking. "C'mon, we're almost there." Kenneth ran after Rowena. "What have I got myself into this time?" Kenneth murmured to himself. They reached the Southern wing of the Main Academy building. It was one of the oldest structures in the academy. "Here we are," They stood before a maple wood door. Despite the age of it, it was pretty well-maintained. It still had a dull lacquer shine on it. As the door creaked open, Kenneth was greeted by a faint smell of burnt rosemary. "Welcome to the Detective Club!" Miss Rowena said as she entered the room. Inside the modest room sat two individuals. A demi-human and an orc. The demi-human was a female humanoid feline while the orc looked slightly different from the usual orcs. "Guys, I have finally found a new recruit. Guess we won't be disbanded after all." Miss Rowena said. The two just kept quiet. The girl continued reading her book while the orc continued doodling. They paid no heed to Miss Rowena. "Guys, wouldn't it be nice to introduce yourselves to the new comer?" Miss Rowena said, sounding irritated. The two of them finally stopped what they were doing and stared at Kenneth.
"Yo, my name is Kenneth. Nice to meet you." Kenneth began with the usual cliché. "Hey you're the grand magus's grandson, right? Didn't know you were a half breed too." The girl said. "Half-breed…" Kenneth was starting to hate that word. "Wasn't really trying to hide it though." Kenneth replied. "That's alright. We all have our own reasons. I am Catherine. You can just call me Cathy. I'm a half demi-human and half demon." The feline demi-human said. There was a light screech as the feet of the chair scraped against the cement floor. The orc stood from his seat and with a stern look as he introduced himself. "My name is Frayland Obasi, a blood ogre." "Hi, Frayland. What's a blood ogre exactly?" Kenneth asked. "It's half elf and half ogre. That's what they call themselves." Miss Rowena answered. "Right…" Kenneth sat down onto the nearest chair. The entire room was aged but well kept. It was modestly decorated and equipped with the usual furniture of a club room. It was relatively small compared to the others. When everyone was seated, Miss Rowena began. "Once again, I would like to welcome our new member Mr. Kenneth Ecuador to our club. As you all know, this is a specially made for half-breed like us. There are many similar clubs like us in the academy…" "Again, with the word 'half-breed'. We're not animals you know." Kenneth thought to himself. He turned towards Catherine who continued with her book the moment Rowena started. "Well, at least not all of us." Kenneth snickered. "At least siting here is not as tiring as the community services." Kenneth thought to himself. His eyes grew heavier as Miss Rowena kept yapping away. Soon he fell asleep on the desk.
"Mr. Kenneth!" There was a heavy thump on the desk when Miss Rowena called his name. A heavy spell book was slammed onto the desk just next to his face. Kenneth crossed his arms preparing for a fight. "Wake up! We're getting to the important part here." Catherine smiled. Kenneth rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of the situation. He had no idea how long he had dozed off but the rest of the members seemed to be paying attention unlike before he slept. Even Frayland had stopped doodling. "Good, now pay attention." Miss Rowena pointed at the photos on the board in front of them. They were levitated in midair and enlarged by a magnifying magic typically used by tutors. Since computer and AI were never invented or adopted in the Magic Realm, they have some alternatives to them. All the pictures had a black cat in them. They were taken in the academy building but Kenneth wasn't sure which building they were. And the cat, it looked just like any other black house cat. However, something about the cat sounded familiar, Kenneth just couldn't recall. When the name was mentioned he finally remembered. 'The Midnight Tail' – that was the name the students gave it. It was a popular urban legend a year ago when it was first circulated. Many students would stay up late till midnight to try and catch the black cat. A rumored reward of a few hundred gold pieces were put forth for whoever that managed to capture the cat. However, no one succeeded. And the legend continued. Kenneth wasn't really someone who fancy gossip. Other than the usual news circulating around the cat he knew nothing more and didn't care to know more.
"That was some time ago, right? When the chase for the Midnight Tail was all over the campus." Kenneth asked. "Yes, it is. There are still a handful of people hunting after it despite the end of the madness chase after the elusive feline. Your challenge is to find out more about the incidence from the information we have. Try to find out how this phenomenon came about and why." Miss Rowena said. "It's detective work, basically." She added. "Great, how do we start?" Kenneth asked. "That's entirely up to you guys. I'm just the advisor, you're the members. Here is all the info we have and I'll leave the rest to you guys. Bye." Miss Rowena left the room. Kenneth was left slack-jawed as he watched the advisor headed for the door. He wanted to call out to her but Catherine stopped him. "It's okay. You'll get used to it." Catherine said with her ears twitching. The three of them then gathered around the rectangular desk stacked with papers, photos and other 'evidences' of the Midnight Tail. "Is this what you guys usually do in this club?" Kenneth asked. "We're not really any more experienced that you do. Right, Fray?" Catherine replied. "We've only been here a week earlier than you did." Fray added. "And our first mystery was a complete fluke. Miss Rowena made the whole thing up! She left just as she did just now on our first day here too." Catherine screened through the stacks of photos. "That's true." Fray nodded. "Huh? Can't believe she's that kind of advisor. Anyway, this sure beat cleaning the hallway." Kenneth said. "Oh, so you were recruited from the detention center? So are we," Catherine said without taking her eyes off the photos. "Look guys, to be honest, I don't really know much about this Midnight Tail. I am not much of an urban legend fan." Kenneth read through a piece of newspaper cutout. "Neither am I," Fray added. "Same goes here. But we gotta do something right? Or else we'll all be back to scrubbing floor. Besides, it's boring just sitting here doing nothing." Catherine said.
The trio spent their entire evening going through the stack of documents Miss Rowena left them. They sort them out and summarized them into a simplified file. "Good job, guys." Catherine clapped her paws together. Kenneth and Fray sighed in unison. They were both worn out from the process but Cathy seemed enthused by it. "We'll continue this tomorrow then." Cathy said. Kenneth nodded, he was too tired to reply. His mind was filled with details about the Midnight Tail, from witness accounts to photos of the cat. As he left the club room, he ran into a janitor cleaning one of the many lecturer's room. The rooms were mostly empty as they were relocated to a new building in the Eastern wing. Kenneth smiled at the janitor as he passed by. The room the janitor was cleaning belonged to the late Madame Cornelia. He couldn't help recalling the name as it appeared a few times in the materials he screened through earlier. She was nicknamed 'The Cat Lady' for her fondness of cats. She was the secretary of security for the campus prior to her retirement. Because of her hobby of keeping cats her name appeared numerous times in the materials. However, she was long gone before the rumor of the Midnight Tail even begun. The encounter triggered Kenneth to ponder about the lady and her cats. It wasn't hard to see why people would relate the two.