Book 2- Part 9

"Wait, I may be confused. You were punished for… what exactly?" Suma asked. It was morning now, and I had gone back to Atmosia pretty early in the morning to talk with Suma about what happened. I was sitting on a vine chair in our squad's room, and she was perched on a metal bar nearby.

"I wasn't punished, I was just questioned, but if they can prove I did something, which I didn't, then I will be arrested. They think I was money laundering, or hiding taxes maybe; really, I was a bit lost during the whole thing." I explained.

"Why do they not simply… oh, right. For a moment, I forgot your people cannot do magic." Suma shook her head and ruffled her feathers like she was chastising herself for forgetting. "Jake, how do people in your world investigate crimes without Memory Magic? Do people often get punished for crimes they did not commit?"

"Sometimes, but it isn't all that common where I live. On my world, we have people who trained for years before they are allowed to become detectives. They learn how to tell when people are lying, how to find people who are trying not to be found, and how to interpret evidence they find at crime scenes."

"I suppose this bears consideration, but what do we do if you are arrested by your people?" She asked.

"I doubt that will happen. I didn't actually commit any crimes, at least, none that I know of. Hopefully this will blow over in a few days." I shrugged.

"Are you not worried?" Suma tilted her head.

"I'm terrified. I've never had something like this happen to me before. Well, except for the noble thing last year, but nothing like this has happened to me on my world anyway."

"But should we not have a plan, even if only as a precaution?"

"Look, I really…. I just don't wanna think about it okay. If something does happen, you can just summon me and that will be that." I sighed, feeling that churning in my stomach return.

"I know that you do not, but we need to nonetheless." Suma pressed the issue, ignoring my discomfort.

"My lawyer says he can handle it, and that I should try to go about everything like normal for now."

"Perhaps if we summoned one of the investigators you mentioned to Atmosia, they would understand?" Suma suggested.

"I don't know, maybe. I did think about that, but I'm worried about the larger repercussions."

"Meaning?"

"I may have mentioned this before, but my country has a habit of… well, let's just say it's probably better if the governments of the world don't learn of Atmosia." I said.

"Yes, I think you said something like that before. Anyway, if we cannot summon someone here, I suppose that means we have no choice but to leave it to your layer."

"Lawyer."

"Yes, that."

"Does Atmosia not have people who memorize the law and represent others in court?" I asked.

"It may, but Ambos does not. If someone goes before a judge or council, they have already undergone several Memory Delves and interrogations. There is no way an innocent Neame would still be under investigations after all of that."

After our talk ended, Suma sent me back home so I could rest. I didn't sleep last night and was exhausted. I fell face down on my bed with a thump and was out in just a few minutes. I didn't dream; instead, it was just like closing my eyes and opening them again, but a lot of time passed between it. I guess I was too stressed to dream. I woke up just in time to grab a snack before Suma summoned me for daily training. Now that I was able to participate, I was getting a lot of good experience. After that was my magic classes. I had been practicing my activation speed. I was standing in a room on base, it was mostly made of gray stone, and the instructor who had been teaching me was perched on some vines about two meters away to my right. He was guiding me through a magic activation exercise.

"You are doing much better now, Jake." He said. "I would say your activation speed is on the level of… a standard Neame child." In truth, my spell activation speed is a lot faster, but I was learning a technique that merged my original style with what I learned at bootcamp. It was supposed to help me maintain power while still being able to activate spells quickly. That's why I was so slow.

"I almost can't believe children can do it. It's taken me weeks just to get this far."

"It comes more natural for Neame, I suppose. While not every child will grow up to use magic regularly, we are all taught at least some." He raised his wings and cast a spell that formed a few targets from some of the vines scattered around the ground. "Try using what you've learned and cast a nature spell." I nodded my head and started.

"Vines." I said and the vines rose from the ground. I was imagining moving the cellular structure at first, but realized I was over thinking it and settled for just picturing them moving.

"Great, now use them to attack the targets." He said. I imagined them moving like bullwhips and one by one they cracked and popped, leaving huge gashes on them, and the targets alike.

"How was that?" I asked.

"It was great. You even used a lashing technique. Have you seen it done somewhere before?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Well, that is good. I was worried it would take a while to teach you that." He flew up and landed beside the now ripped targets to examine them. "You have improved quite a bit since you first started, in the basics at least."

"I always heard that the basics were the most important part."

"Indeed. Especially where magic is concerned." I stopped looking at the vines and turned to me. "All in all, I would say you are about three times as fast at activation as you used to be."

"So I've gotten stronger?"

"No, just faster. I might get scared if you got any stronger." He chuckled for a second. "A spell's strength can come from improving the basics, but the amount of mana one possesses and uses has more to do with it. If you have gotten stronger over the last few weeks, it would not be by much."

"Oh." I said, nodding.

"But your magic control is far above what it was when we first met, so you should be proud of that." I'll admit, that made me smile a little. "Now, let's shift your training. You need to learn how to manipulate your mana with more precision."

"Is that different from my normal magic control training?" I asked.

"Imagine it more like the next flutter in your flight. It is simply a higher level of what you have learned so far. Practicing it will give you greater control over your spells' effects, as well as make you less likely to break runes or magic channels."

"Alright, what do I need to do?"

"We will start with mana molding, similar to the exercises you have been doing so far, but this time I want you to do them on a smaller scale." He fluttered down onto the ground beside me. "I will demonstrate." An aura of light green magic surrounded him, then slowly moved down to the tips of his feathers. After all of it was gathered, the magic started to slide off his wingtips, like water floating aimlessly around in a spaceship. It bubbled up and twisted on itself like a snake until it finally calmed down into a ball, then it began to shrink until it was no larger than a marble.

"Cool." I said, impressed. It was super neat to watch. "I think I've done something like that before, but it didn't look nearly that intricate."

"That is not surprising, this training method was originally developed by children."

"Really?"

"Well, that is one rumor I have heard anyway. Apparently, a few gifted children created the technique to help them with their magic classes many years ago, and some of the adults started doing it after the children improved a remarkable amount quite quickly."

"By kids, for kids, huh? Good for them."

"Indeed. Anyway, it is your turn." My instructor said and returned to his perch, letting the magical marble dissipate. The first part was pretty straightforward, and was similar to the body enhancement spell I learned during boot camp from Suma. Manipulating the magic afterwards was a bit harder. I managed to do it, but it took me way longer than my instructor.

"How was that?" I asked, still concentrating on keeping the little marble still and between my hands.

"Very good, now just one hundred more times."

"Can I ask you something?" He nodded his head. "I know you said that this could be useful for my runes and improving my control, but I feel like I have pretty good control of my spells already. Is there anything else it can do?"

"Ah, so you feel like this practice technique may not be worth your time then?" He asked, sound rather smug, like he knew something I didn't.

"Uhm… I don't know. Maybe?" I said, unsure.

"From what I heard of your bout with your Lieutenant, you nearly killed her several times because you lacked the necessary control." He said.

"Uhm…"

"One hundred more times."

"…Yes sir."

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Suma's POV

 "I see, so Sentinel is under investigation… this is inconvenient." Lieutenant Datahu said.

 "Yes ma'am. I was wondering, would it be possible to secure the room on base Jake was originally offered?" I asked.

 "So he wants to start living here then? I have no issues with getting him his own room. He is rather large after all. When did he come to this decision?" She asked.

 "Actually ma'am, he does not know I am asking about this. I was simply wondering if it was possible. I plan to bring it up with him later, if you would be willing to accept." I explained. She stayed quiet for a moment, seemingly in thought.

 "Suma, I know your relationship with your familiar is a… strange one, compared to most, so I feel as though you should get his consent first. I certainly would not want one of my friends making major decisions for my life without my consultation." She pointed out.

 "I know, and I will. I just wanted to know whether or not asking for it would be pointless. I feel fairly confident that I could convince him to live here full time. In fact, until we joined the army, he spent most of his time on Atmosia anyway."

 "I see. Well, if he accepts, I will make sure the room is secure, but only if he accepts. He may be a familiar, but it is clear he is no mindless servant or simple beast." She looked at me seriously for a moment, as if she had a question. "Private Suma, Jake is quite powerful."

 "Yes ma'am." I acknowledged.

 "Far more so than you, correct?"

 "Without a doubt." I nodded my head. Admittedly, it bothered me that Jake was so much stronger than I was, but I realized that my jealousness and envy was not due to his strength, but my annoyance with myself. I needed to get stronger, not to be better than Jake, but to be worthy of flying beside him.

 "How were you able to… no, actually, I do not want to know. If I do not know, then I can deny it." With that, Lieutenant Datahu assured me once again that so long as Jake agreed, then he would have a place to live on base. I left and contacted Jake after his training classes. I summoned him to my room, and decided to have the conversation with him, then and there.

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Jake's POV

My mum's house door squeaked as I pushed it open with my butt. My hands were too full at the moment, so we just put a towel between the door and the frame to prevent it from closing all the way. We've been carrying boxes from my car for about ten minutes now, while movers put most of my stuff into her storage shed. The only things I am taking in is what I use regularly, like my computer and clothes. Suma and I talked, and we decided that it would be best if I moved to Atmosia full time for a while. At least until either the HMRC dropped their case against me, or until Suma and I left the Drake's training camp. At this point, I don't know which is more likely, but I doubt either will happen soon.

Since I won't be living here full time anymore, I decided to get rid of my apartment, and legally move back in with Mum. She was fine with it since it was only a technicality, and I wouldn't be there that often, only to check in with her every few days. She wasn't thrilled about the idea of me living in Atmosia, or the idea of me leaving Earth in general I guess, but as long as I was being honest with her and keeping her in the loop, she supported me. Once every few days I will come back to check up on her, and to visit, and she would keep me informed about what the HMRC was doing. I also decided to transfer the bulk of my savings to her, since I couldn't use it in Atmosia anyway. Besides, I still have plenty of daljars full of mana, and gold coins, to spend there if I need anything.

I sat the last of the brown carboard boxes in my room, and sat on the couch to rest. "Jake," Mum said from the kitchen, "do you want any food before you go? The movers won't be done for another hour, so you have time." Her house was small, and fairly old at this point, so I could hear her as clear as day through the thin walls.

"Sure Mum, what do you want? I can go pick something up." I offered. I didn't bother yelling, but I did have to raise my voice a little.

"I have left over casserole from yesterday, does that sound good? It is sausage and rice." She said, still yelling.

"Sounds good." I answered. From outside, I heard someone shout out a curse followed by the sounds of something heavy hitting the ground. "I hope that didn't break." I mumbled to myself. "I'm going to check that, Mum. Be right back." I announced. I forced myself up from the couch and started outside.

"Okay, the food will be ready in a few minutes." She said. As I left, I heard the phone start to ring, and my Mum answered it.

I walked down her porch steps and saw one of the moving guy's left hand was covered in blood. "Are you okay?" I asked the guy.

"Gah… I gashed my hand." He responded. He was cradling his hand. There was blood on the ground, and his arm, something must have cut him pretty deep. "We were carrying the bedframe and I guess there was an exposed nail or something."

"Oh, that's going to need stitches." One of his coworkers told him, in one of the thickest Yorkshire scents I have ever heard.

"You might want to take him to the doctor. Don't worry about the rest of the stuff, you guys can finish it after." I said. I looked over at the bedframe, it seemed fine, if a bit scratched up on the side that hit the ground. It was made of metal, so it was going to be fine.

"Thanks. I'll take him to a doctor, and call my boss to send someone else out to finish." His coworker said. With that, the coworker wrapped a rag around the guy's bleeding hand, and they left. I was much stronger than I used to be, thanks to all the working out and then getting healed by Suma, so I dragged the bedframe to the shed and closed it up until their replacements arrived.

I walked back inside. "Mum, one of the movers left to go get some stitches. He gashed his hand open on my bedframe. They're going to send some replacements in a little while."

"Jake, something happened." Mum said nervously.

"What?" I asked. She looked really upset. Her face was white, like she was afraid.

"Robert called, he said that the HMRC have put out a warrant for your arrest." Her hands were starting to shake.

"What?! Why?"

"They think you're trying to flee the country." Mum said.

"Why do they think-" I started to ask, but then I realized that I sold my apartment, gave my mum all my money, and nobody can ever really get ahold of me. "Actually, never mind. I think I figured it out." Honestly, I was more surprised it took this long. Technically, they weren't wrong, I am moving to Atmosia… but I did intend to sort all of this out, so… moral grey area.

"He also said you should turn yourself in to clear everything up." Mum added.

"Okay, I'll go up there right now and sort this out." I walked into my room to grab my keys and phone.

"Do you want me to come?" Mum asked.

"Nah, but can you call Robert back and tell him to meet me at the police station?"

The drive to the police station felt longer than it actually was. I was nervous, of course, but not as much as I was that first time. This time, I know I didn't technically do anything wrong… at least not that they could prove. I pulled into the carpark and went inside. The station was busy, busier than last time. No one seemed to pay me any mind.

(Yeah, I guess they don't expect wanted men to just walk in huh?) I thought to myself. I walked up to a police officer sitting behind a screen. He was on his computer, but looked up once I got closer. "Hi, I'm Jake Vandal. I was told that I had a warrant placed for my arrest. My lawyer said I should come turn myself in to clear this up."

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Suma's POV

The sky was clear above me, but I could see storm clouds in the distance. If it were day, I could tell which way they were moving, but it is too dark at this time of night. The air was cold too, which made flying harder. I was flying to my Captain's quarters; he had sent a messenger with orders that I report to him immediately. I was being escorted by the messenger, a Neame with even lighter blue feathers than my own, to the other side of the base. Once we got close, I saw it. From the air, it looked like just some stone outcropping, it blended into the landscape well, but the closer we got, the more I could tell it was molded stone. Its features were too smooth, and precise to be natural. The messenger and I landed outside. The entrance was dug out of the stone in such a way that you might miss it if you were flying, or did not know where to look. It was too small for most familiars to get through, but that was most likely by design; a way to force mages to use up their mana resummoning their familiars, and buy time as they did so.

"Captain Gigoales is waiting inside." The messenger said, and he flew away. I flew in, and noticed it immediately got warmer. The Captain was perched on a metal pole, reading planks that were leaning against the wall of his quarters.

He must have heard my wings beating; he turned around and greeted me. "Ah, Private Suma, welcome. Thank you for coming so quickly."

I landed on a vine perch near to him, "You are welcome, sir. May I ask why you summoned me so late at night?" My voice was tense. There cannot be very many good reasons to receive a summons from a commanding officer after hours, but I could certainly think of several bad reasons.

"It is about your familiar, Sentinel."

"Did he do something, sir? He is still rather unfamiliar with our culture. If he has done something wrong, I will accept full responsibility." I declared immediately.

"No, no. He has done nothing wrong." I breathed a sigh of relief. "But that does not mean my reason for summoning you here is a happy one." That tense feeling returned. The Captain used mana wrapping to bring one of the planks he was reading when I arrived closer. "Private Suma, can you read?" He asked.

"Only a little, sir. I chose Mathematics as my required secondary education while at the academy, but everyone had to take at least one runic languages class." I explained.

"I see." He turned the plank towards himself, and began explaining what it was. "This is a request from the Royal Court, and it bears the King's Seal. They are ordering you, and your familiar, Sentinel, to appear before them. They want to talk to you both about his origins, and his magic."

"Are we in trouble of some kind sir?" I asked.

"That may depend. I doubt you will be punished, if that is your only concern, but you may still face hardships while you are in the capital."

"The capital?"

"Did you think the Royal Court would come here? You will have to travel to the capital. You leave in three days." He placed the plank back down where it was; leaning against the wall. "I will warn you; they likely also wish to know more than the request has mentioned. They may even demand Jake demonstrate his Death Magic for them."

"I… I understand. Thank you, Captain." I said.

"Private Suma. While you are in the capital, try not to let them requisition you or your familiar."

"I do not understand."

"They may try to talk you into working directly for them. Do not listen to them. Neither you nor Sentinel is ready for such things, no matter what those arrogant politicians may believe." He ruffled his feathers, he seemed angry. "If in a few years, you chose to leave the Drakes and join them, then so be it. But I do not recommend you do so at this time. Neither of you have enough experience yet. You would end up as nothing more than pawns in their games."

"I see. Thank you, sir. I will inform Ja- Sentinel… of this immediately." Captain Gigoales dismissed me, and I flew back to my squad's barracks. As I flew, I looked back at the clouds in the distance, but it was still too dark to tell which way the storm was blowing.

"Jake, are you awake?" I called out to Jake over our private mental link.

"Suma, please don't summon me." Jake answered quickly. It startled me.

"Why not?" I asked, confused.

"I'm being arrested. If you do, then everyone will see."

"What?! Why are you being arrested? Did you commit a crime?"

"No, but they think I was going to. I'll be let go soon; I just have to sort this out." He explained.

"Okay. If you are sure, but I need to talk to you as soon as possible."

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"No, not exactly. I just received a summons. I will explain once you are free to talk."

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Detective Lin's POV

"I can't believe he turned himself in." My partner, Detective Sargent Grayson Harewood, said. "You think we jumped the gun on the warrant for his arrest?"

"No, even if he wasn't going to flee the country, it looked like he was. We made the right choice." I told him. "Which interrogation room is he in?"

"Room two."

At that moment, an officer named Matthew walked up carrying a stack of papers. "Detective Lin, here is that financial report on the Vandal case you wanted."

"Thank you, Matthew. Anything interesting in it?" I asked.

"I'll bet you five quid it's mostly expenses for gym memberships. I mean, did you see the guy?" My partner joked.

"Actually, yeah. He does go to the gym, but that isn't the interesting part." When Matthew said that Grayson was right, Grayson smirked like he had won something. "The part you may want to take a look at is how often he has visited those gold for cash places. Specifically, the one closest to his house. He's been over thirty-seven times this year."

"We'll go talk to the shop owner when we get a chance. Thanks Matthew." I said and took the paperwork from him.

"No need, I already did." Matthew answered, proudly.

"You shooting for a promotion Matthew?" Grayson asked.

"Well, I'm taking my detective's test in a few weeks. I figured a little practical experience wouldn't hurt." Matthew smiled.

"So, what did the shop owner say?" I asked.

"Apparently, Vandal has sold him more gold than anyone this year, and all of it was gold coins, but he stopped a few weeks or so ago, maybe a few months ago." Matthew said.

"Wasn't he in the hospital for a while not too long ago? Maybe he stumbled onto some kinda treasure and hurt himself getting it out?" Grayson sat back in his chair and started to theorize. "How long ago was his hospital visit, and his last trip to the gold place?"

"The hospital records were sealed; we're still waiting on a court order for them to be unsealed." I told him.

"The owner of the store says Vandal's last visit was about three to five months ago, but he couldn't remember exactly. I asked him to email me any paperwork he found about it." Matthew explained.

"Thanks, let us know if anything comes of it." I said.

"Sure. See you later, I gotta get back to patrols." Matthew said, and walked away.

"So, do we think he is trying to flee the country?" Grayson wondered aloud.

"I don't know. But here is a better question, where did he get all that gold?" I said.

"Why don't we go ask him, then?" Grayson stood up and collected several of the documents before putting them into his desk. "So, do you wanna question him, or me?"

We started walking to where Vandal was and I told him, "You can do it. I want to watch." A minute later, Grayson was in the interrogation room with Vandal, and I was in the observation room next door; watching everything through one-way glass.

Vandal and his lawyer were sitting at a metal table, handcuffed and looking bored when Grayson walked into the room. "Jake Vandal. So, tell me, why turn yourself in?" Grayson asked.

"Because I didn't do anything. I just came to clear up this mess." Vandal said.

"My client has done nothing illegal, and yet you issued a warrant against him without proper cause."

"I don't know about that, you left your flat, emptied out your bank account, and changed your legal residence to your mother's house. You were planning on going on the run, weren't you?" Vandal's Lawyer side eyed him, like he was hearing this all for the first time.

"No, that's why I came in. I wasn't going to do anything." Vandal denied.

"So why move? Why get rid of all your money?"

"Be-because… I only put the money into my Mum's account. And I moved in with her because my dad died, and she has been really lonely. Plus, with all the legal trouble and my health, it just made sense." Vandal said. But he stumbled over his words, like he was trying to think. He was lying, and he wasn't very good at it.

"Maybe you'll answer a few more questions then. Where did you get all those gold coins from?" Grayson asked. Vandal looked shocked, like we had caught onto something he didn't think we would know about.

"I don't- uh. I just." He stuttered.

"That's enough, Jake. You don't have to answer any more of these questions. My client complied with an unjust warrant and turned himself in to the police to clear up this confusion. Now that you have seen that he has no intention to break the law, we demand that he be released immediately." The lawyer interrupted. Grayson was silent, he and I both know we don't have enough to hold him, not since he turned himself in willingly. No jury would be on our side for this. I texted Grayson to end it for now. His phone buzzed and he looked at it.

"Fine, I'll go get the paperwork ready. Would you please follow me sir?" Grayson said to the lawyer. They got up and left Vandal alone in the room. I stood there watching.

"Suma, you there? I'm about to leave the station." He was talking to someone who wasn't there. I wondered if he had a phone on him we didn't know about. "No wait! Not yet!" He started yelling. I didn't know what to think, what to do. I couldn't believe my eyes, because right in front of them… Vandal disappeared and I stood there like a knot on a log, just trying to figure out what just happened. I was going to call Grayson, tell him that Vandal escaped... or something, but just a few seconds later he reappeared. He quickly glanced around the room, and sighed when he didn't see anyone. "Okay, no one saw. I think we're good. Just tell me what you wanted to like this." He said. There was a pause, like he was listening to a response. "Okay, and what does that mean?" Another pause. He was definitely talking to someone. "The king, huh? Okay, is that good or bad?... Oh, yeah, I guess they would want to see it."

His conversation continued for another three minutes, and Grayson and His lawyer came in about fifteen minutes after that to let him go. I watched him walk out the door, looking uneasy. He got bad news, I think. I wonder which of the two of us looked more freaked out in that moment.