1. RUINS

"Mouse, you better not be sleeping!"

Luke winced as Lady White's voice came from the communication bracelet.

There were many types of people in the world. That had been the first thing he learned on finally getting into the Fire Waters School.

In a state of disbelief at the girl's antics, bordering on confusion he dragged himself up the small channel.

"This better not be a sewer channel," he spoke to himself, trying to shut out White's cursing. As she screamed her voice resonated inside the small space. His fingers ached from digging into the smooth stone while his arms were on fire from pulling what little weight he had over 5 meters straight up. The delusion of grandeur was a common illness at the school and at one time even he had it.

How White seemed to reinforce her's was a mystery to him. She thrived off it. Born to some no-name nobleman, at a time where one could throw a stone in a crowd and hit a noble, how she thought herself a gift to the world was beyond his comprehension.

She was talented that much he would give her, and then so were most of the children sent to this hellhole. in the seven months, he had known her, it has been a pain working with her or she liked to remind Luke to work for her.

"Are you igno_"

He cut off the link shaking his head to clear the ringing or at least try to.

"Crawl up the tower, Luke. Dance for me, Luke...Sure your highness, should a bring out wine from the cellar as well." he said sweat dripping, as he pulled himself closer to the hole. With a final heave, he pulled himself out of the back into the open.

A glance around the room told him he was alone. As expected, the tower was an obvious choice only that it had no entrance, well one easy to discern.

the bracelet flashed great before a deep voice came from it.

"They are here."

Luke frowned, they were too early but they had a plan. All that was needed was for everyone to stick with it they would be fine.

"And you are telling me this why?"

"Good luck."

That's all he got, try as he might he couldn't connect with any of his team. His face paled as the truth of the matter sank in. He had been abandoned.

"I paid, you brain-dead cow!"

A roar answered him, telling him all he needed to know.

"Channel the anger, you need all the help you can get." with a deep breath he calmed down enough to start looking for a plan. sitting down he took out a red crystal, with a blue scar trapped inside of it.

He began drawing, the intricate marking coming out as good as the ones he drew in class. The perfectionist inside of him wanted to take his time and maybe improve on the magical circle but he just didn't have to place his hands inside of the design.

"I want a bow."

He mutters, the little reserves of power he had left plunging.

A pale green light pooled within the circle, rippling as a curved ashen grey stick emerged. Ingrained habit had him wiping his circle, as he took out another get. Placing it on the stringless bow it melted into the wood.

The thought of having to buy more gems had him on the verge of tears.

The tower shook, the already weakened stone wall crumbling right in front of him. He could see the ruins as well as the Green skinned walking barring rams. Their fat legs ever so gently stepped across the ground.

"I will survive damit."

Red lines now adorned the bow, looking the part properly recurved back and a red string on it.

The largest of the horde a hulking mass of ferocity dragged its hands on the ground as it moved towards a boulder close to it. The think hands picked it up and with a roar lobbed it at the castle. Seeing the boulder not come anyway close ease the tension in his body. Puling at the string, a green tendril of power erupted from his arm through his fingers running straight to the end of the bow like an arrow only a small spinning ball of green energy was forming.

The magical drain pulled at something inside of him. He was dangerously close to exhaustion, but he ignored it all the same. As the horde's leader roamed about for more things to throw at him he carefully followed it, the tiny ball pulsing with a sickly light.

As it reached the next boulder he held his breath. Time dragged to a halt as he released the string. The green orb streaking across the space.

The Orc turned to find the tower the boulder slowing it down.

Unawares it turned just in time for the orb to find its way into its eye. With a muffled pop, the head blew up.

The horde stopped their rampaging about the place and all took in their head leader.

His vision was swimming but he didn't care. Without the head, the rest were all aimlessly raging beasts and without their strongest member, he didn't have to worry about the tower being brought down with him in it. Moving to the other end of the room, he huddled himself into a ball and let the angry roars wash over him as the exhaustion took over.

His last thought was of punching Lady White.