Somewhere…
"Come Prometheus," you shout; shattering the tarot card above your head with the book in your telekinetic grip. Upon breaking the card a brilliant azure flame erupts in your field of vision temporarily blinding you. In place of the flames a man bound in chains to an urn overflowing with fire stood triumphantly. Both you and the man glare at the eldritch abomination before you. Focusing your rage upon the amalgamate in front of you causes the man to tilt the urn of fire on your foe; engulfing it in flame.
Unfortunately instead of agony the amalgamate merely shrugs off your attack, and instead sends a blast of frigid air in your direction instantly freezing the water crystals in the air around your head. You reflexively erect a magical bubble around your body staving off the worst of the blow, but if it attacks you like that again you might not make it.
"Rhea, I need your help," a soft voice calls from behind you, and you feel a gentle healing wave wash over you. Refreshed, you immediately summon the man once again. This time channeling your magic through his urn sending a blast of pure mana towards the amalgamate causing it to yell out in actual pain.
"All right darling, I need your help on this one," a refined voice rings out through the hall.
"You got it! Let's go Fujin," a raspy voice shouts summoning a large man in leopard skins. With a determined glare she focuses her will causing the man to intake a large breath. As the man breathes the refined voice rings out once more.
"Come forth Caliope," with a frigid glare she summons a beautiful woman in long flowing robes holding a weathered tome. The woman opens the tome and swirls of ice begin to form around her head. "Oh radiant ice, come forth," the refined woman chants closing her eyes in concentration.
"And scatter to the four winds," the raspy voice joins in with a wicked grin.
"Diamond Dust," the two shout in unison. Fujin blowing a strong wind through Caliope's frigid air trapping the amalgamate inside a tornado with little chunks of ice rapidly cutting into its skin. Eventually the tornado gives one last blast knocking the creature off of its feet.
"Alrighty then let's finish em off Demeter," a voice with a southern accent calls out summoning a robed woman covered in vines who immediately places her hand to the ground.
"Can we join the party," an overly excited voice squeaks as she summons a robed man crowned in laurels, wielding a rod in one hand, and a glass of wine in the other.
"Sure thing sugarcube," the southern voice responds putting all of her willpower into this next strike.
"Okay, I wanna feel the ground shake, rattle and roll," the energetic voice shouts as the man starts to gather lightning at the tip of his rod.
"Alright," the southern voice responds using Demeter's strength to shatter the ground around the amalgamate sending it soaring into the sky.
"Earth Charge," both voices shout in unison as a loud crack of thunder comes from the sky using the bolt of lightning to smack the creature back down into the earth. Your companions and you breathe heavily staying on guard as the dust settles. You don't have to wait long.
"Such rage, such anger, is this truly where your potential leads? Is this all you have to offer," a distorted cackle emerges from the creature. "I honestly can't figure out why he defends you lot. You cling to each other like parasites, sharing your feelings, pretending to care about one another, 'accepting' your faults…is lying to yourself really the right way to live your lives?"
"You're right," you speak softly stepping forward magic sparking to life, "we cling to each other because we are weak. Apart we are weak, but together we have friendship. That friendship makes us strong." As you speak a bright light starts to emerge from the diadem atop your head. "Our potential is infinite if we stick together. Even if we have to unite against our friend. Even if we have to seal you away with him. We will not lose. We will not submit. And now you will feel the full force of that friendship…" Each of your friends starts to lift into the air with you as you continue to channel the magic.
"The kindness to care," the soft voice shouts with confidence summoning Rhea and beginning to start a magic circle.
"The courage to keep laughing no matter what," the energetic voice yells seriously summoning Dionysus who adds another layer of magic causing the mana to become unstable.
"The strength to be true to yourself," the southern voice calls summoning Demeter who stabilizes the circle.
"The determination to stand by your friends," the raspy voice yells using Fujin to increase the speed of the circle.
"The will to help others," the refined voice yells causing Caliope to add one last layer to the circle.
"This is our potential," you scream in unison with your friends summoning Prometheus to channel all the magic in the circle, "HARMONIC CONVERGENCE!" A bright light blinds you, and the world around you begins to fade…
Fr 8/14
"Now Boarding Train 772, Now Boarding Train 772. All passengers please board the train and thank you for riding the Monarch Rail," the announcer's voice crackling to life over the PA wakes you from your sleep with a start. You quickly reach down between your legs and grab your bags swiftly getting in line to board the train.
"Next please," the attendant says in a practiced tone; just the right balance between politeness and a command. He looks you in the eye as you present your ticket. As he looks it over you take in the blue of his uniform, a Monarch Rail staple; you're sure that somewhere in marketing someone just really liked blue. "Here you go sir, have a pleasant ride." You take your ticket and board the train.
As you are one of the first people to board you have a choice as to where you can sit; however, since you paid extra you head to cabin 5A. You set your stuff down and relax on the bed pulling out your phone. 1 text message from 367-7377: Hey this is Alina, you better… While you do not recognize the number you do recognize the name. Alina is your friend from junior high who went to boarding school for freshman year. Over summer break she convinced you to apply to the same school and by some miracle you were accepted. You smile and unlock your phone to read the rest of the message.
Hey this is Alina, you better wake up or you'll miss the train, and I would hate not having you here this year. That and you know, the school is giving you financial aid so not showing up would be extremely offensive. On a slightly unrelated note I hope you're doing okay and sorry about the new number; some idiot got ahold of the old one and started spamming me I figured it was easier to just change my number. Anyways I've got to go, unlike someone I know, I have new people to greet. Let me know when you get settled in!
You send back a quick Okay and lay down on the bed making note of the time: 5:00pm. The train ride itself is only six hours, but that's still six hours with nothing to do but sit and wait. You open your eReader app and read losing yourself in the world of the book. About halfway through the climax of the book your phone notifies you that it only has twenty percent battery left; remembering your promise to Alina you close the app and put the phone to sleep. You pull out your pocketwatch and check the time 7:43pm. Thankfully the book provided an ample distraction, but now you have about 3 hours left to kill.
"ActnaturallyIwasherethewholetime!" You look up across the cabin to find a girl with short black hair, blue eyes, an attendant uniform, and a nervous smile on her face. You barely have time to react when the door to your cabin is flung open by a train attendant.
"Hello there sir have you seen a young girl recently, about your age, shorter, black hair, wearing an attendant's uniform…" the attendant finally notices their quarry sitting across from you and redirects her attention causing the girl to waver under her gaze. "Katarina we are not going to clean up your mess."
"What mess," the girl responds innocently. The attendant then steps out of the doorway revealing what seems to be a cross between a fire, bubble bath, and a rubber ducky flowing out of the kitchen car. "Oh…that one," she sheepishly admits.
"Yes. That one, and if it isn't cleaned by the end of the train ride the damages are coming out of your paycheck. I'll be waiting outside," the attendant leaves the room slamming the door behind them. Leaving the both of you in a rather awkward silence.
"Sooooooooooooooooooo…what's your name?" She asks trying to break the ice. Your response is to merely push your glasses back up your face and raise an eyebrow. "Oh come on…I mean I did just break into your room aren't you at least a little bit curious?"
"No," you respond flatly.
"Playing hard to get eh? Fine I'll go first Mr. Charmer…I'm Kat! Nice to meet you," she excitedly sticks out a hand across the cabin.
"I'm Tim Smith. Care to explain how that mess happened?"
"Well, see…I'm kinda terrible at cooking," she sheepishly admits "I was trying to make some hot chocolate for the passenger in 3A, and I burnt the water, then the cocoa caught on fire, then my rubber ducky clogged the drain…" You can't help the accompanying laughter. "Hey come on…" she sighs, "Well I guess it is a little funny." She says before joining your laughter. You notice as the laughter dies down that her mood immediately deflates. You decide to help.
"Hey, let's go get that cleaned up" you say with a grin seeing her face light up.
"Wait really? I'm sure you have better things to do," she notices your bags, "like get ready for orientation and such."
"Nah, I was looking for a way to kill time anyways, Kat," you say as your walk out of the cabin, "coming?"
"Right! Hey Tim was it? Good luck," She smiles and grabs a mop leaving you to try to unclog the drain. At least the next three hours should prove to be entertaining…
"Well I think that's the last of it Kat," you say throwing the last of the burnt cocoa into the trash.
"Yeah I think it is thanks Tim," she gives you a quick hug and then realizes you are both covered in miscellaneous grime, cleaning supplies, and water. "I think we should go change before the train stops." With a wave she disappears into another car leaving you alone in the now immaculate kitchen. You decide to take Kat's advice and change into your school 'uniform'. The school doesn't have so much a uniform as it does a dress code. You slip into your maroon dress shirt leaving the top unbuttoned as you hate ties, pull on your black slacks and shoes, attach your pocket watch to the loop inside your suit jacket, and place your phone in your pocket checking to see if you have any messages; none. You grab your things and exit the cabin heading to the nearest exit waiting for the train to arrive at your school.
"Now arriving at Six Streams Academy, final stop for Six Streams Academy, and thank you again for choosing Monarch Rail!" The conductor's voice resonates throughout every train car as you hear the brakes screech to a halt, and the doors hiss open. The sight of the campus in the distance is breathtaking even if it is eleven at night. You grab your bags and step out onto the platform falling in behind what seems to be a steadily growing line of students and pull out your phone.
"Hey Tim," familiar voice sounds out as you notice a blur of motion to your right. As soon as you turn your head to the right you are greeted by the sight of Kat now in her school uniform.
"You're a student too," you ask.
"Yep, thanks again for your help back there! I don't think I could have afforded the damages on top of my student fees," she says nodding happily "oh look at me rambling on you're a new student here right?"
"Yes."
"Thought you were a newbie!" Your only response is to raise a questioning eyebrow. "It's the way you were staring at the campus silly! It's like you've never seen it before," she says laughing and putting her hand into the pocket of her slacks to check her phone.
"Well I mean it is a pretty great view," you sheepishly respond.
"Yeah it is, I love it here," she says putting her phone away, "what year are ya newbie?" She gets into line.
"Sophomore," you say falling in step beside her, "you?"
"Same here, guess it's a good thing I ran into you on the train eh," she says bumping you with her elbow, "now you at least have one friend, haha!"
"Actually you're my second."
"Oh really who's the first? You have a sibling here or something," she asks.
"Or something," you say looking away.
"Ooooooooh sounds special, who is it?"
"Al."
"Who? I don't think I've heard of an Al here," she says giving you a confused look.
"Right, sorry. Alina. Alina Jacobs," as you say her name a look of understanding crosses Kat's face, "do you know her or something?"
"Not really no. From what I've heard she usually spends her time studying or practicing her music so no one really sees her," Kat explains.
"Yep sounds like Al," you say with a chuckle.
"Well I guess if she's friends with you she can't be all bad," she says good naturedly, "but see if you can try to get her out of that shell of hers okay? Friends are good for everyone. Speaking of which hand me your phone real quick." Without warning she takes your phone from you and starts entering her number. "There, now if I ever need your help cleaning up a kitchen catastrophe I know how to find you," her laughter overshadows your fear of yet another mess to clean.
"You got it," you say with a grin taking your phone back checking the new contact info. Kat- 464-3626.
"Alright, it looks like you are all here. I am your guide for the evening Ms. Emerson," a fairly aged woman calls out from the front of the group, "I'm going to need all of you to separate out by dorm please." The students then file out into six lines and you fall into the back of the Madison dorm. "All right please make your way to the dorms and sign in once you get there. Breakfast is at 7am in the main mess hall followed by Orientation at 8am then you will take your entrance exams at 9am. Schedules will be posted on the bulletin board of each dorm if you forget. Please make sure to get adequate rest as these exams will decide your classes for the entire year. Good luck, and once again welcome to Six Streams Academies!"
With that Ms. Emerson heads back to the on campus housing for teachers leaving you to follow your fellow dorm mates. You pull out your phone and open your email confirming your room assignment. After a short trek the Madison dorm comes into sight. A slightly old fashioned exterior reminds you a little bit of the library back home, and the warm lights coming from inside the lounge is fills you with comfort.
You head to the front desk and pick up your room key from the security guard giving him a polite smile. Grabbing your bags you begin the trek to the third floor. After finally making it up three flights of stairs and a particularly long hallway your room is finally in sight. 3A. You slide your key card and open the door revealing a fairly sizable room and a young man with blond hair, a blue shirt, and khaki slacks reclining in the left bed.
"Hey, I'm Issac Bachman your roommate," he says extending a hand.
"Tim Smith, looking forward to it," you say while shaking his hand.
"Well I'd love to stay up and chat, but we have exams tomorrow so let's get you unpacked so we can both get some shut eye," he takes some of your luggage and places it on your side of the room. "I hope you don't mind, but since I was here first I decided to take the left half of the room."
"Not at all, thanks for the help." You search your bags for your bedclothes and phone charger, plugging it into the outlet by your bed. You change into your bedclothes and crawl under the covers the bed feeling heavenly after your long trip. Your eyelids feel heavy, but you remember you promised to text Al. Finally got to my room. I'm looking forward to this school year. Gotta sleep now, stupid tests tomorrow. You lock your phone, place it on the bed next to your pillow, and turn off the light.
"Good night," Issac calls from his side of the room.
"Night, Issac," you respond already feeling the siren call of sleep take you…
Somewhere…
Frozen. Everything around you is completely still. Bees are stuck in mid-flight, and the trees are caught in mid-sway. You look straight in front of you and immediately backpedal. A beam of pure mana is halted right in front of your face. After you recover from the initial shock you see that the beam itself is slowly moving forward millimeters at a time. For some reason you and the beam are the only things unaffected by the stillness. For some reason time is standing still.
You circle around the beam taking care to avoid being hit by it, and trace the attack back to its source. What you see makes your blood turn cold. The amalgamate stands tall eyes blazing in golden flames, a wicked grin spread across its terrifying face. Then you notice your friends, or what is left of them. Their bodies lie on the ground defeated. Their blood frozen in place like everything else. It fills you with rage.
"PROMETHEUS," you shout expecting him to answer your call, but no one came. You focus your will into a single point and once again call out, "Come, Prometheus!" Once again, nothing happened. He will not answer your call. You look up once again into the eyes of the amalgamate and silently seethe knowing you can do naught, but stare in this still place. You flop down onto the ground defeated and sigh.
Your friends are dead. Time is frozen. All you can do is wait. You don't notice the amalgamate's eye twitch, nor the movement of its appendages until it stands right in front of you. "You have failed them. Not only that, but you have failed him. Your potential wasn't enough to stop me. I must thank you though; because thanks to you I have finally won."
You hang your head, all thoughts of defiance gone, you accept defeat. You feel a rush of air as the amalgamate summons a figure with long barreled guns surrounded by chains. You close your eyes and wait for your inevitable end. It's over…