I give you chapter three folks. This chapter by far has been my favorite to write. Why you ask?..because we finally get Olivia and Seth alone togather and of course some action :) lol..not that anyone is reading this but just in case i get readers in the future. Happy Easter everyone!

Chapter 3: Ditching

The sun had left and what little tiny rays were left was being replaced by thick dark grey storm clouds. It was as if the titans themselfes were aware of the coming storm. I eyed them through the window, while professor Wu was scribbling like crazy on the board. I turned back as she called for me and some others to pay attention. Classes were more tense than ever, Professors were cracking down and really making us work hard. Assignments had become tougher, papers longer, and practice sessions in the towers more intense. They wanted us prepared. I really sympathized with Myth students, becuase If professor drake was bad before he was a raginng tyrant now. Even pROFESSORWu was short on patience. After an hour and a half long class, i had finally gotton my potion right and carried it to the front, along with my essay on ravens and grendals. I had already been to divination, myth, ice, fire, death classes that day. My secondary class of sorcery was next. The previous day Alhazred had let us practice our spells in class. I barely passed. I loved sorcery but it was extrmely difficult and took imense concentration. Even Thuergy, which everyoen though was an easy A and passable school was more difficult than i thought. I passed through the portal to krokotopia and was hit with sand in my eyes and sizzling dry heat. Yuck.

"Hey sergant talbot" I gave him a quick nod and tiny smile to be polite. He was a cheerful, yet tough cop and Archaeologist from marleynone. He oversaw the excavation of the pryamids over the last few months. I normally said hi to him on my way to balance class.

He gave me a smile and head nod. "Good afternoon Olivia. Study hard you hear? hard times are coming young wizard"

"Don't i know it!" I called to him with a sigh as rode my skyracer pegasus across the hot sand to the floating island where the balance school was held.

I landed and i saw a handful fo students head down into the school. My gaze went to a mander selling recipes and once he walked back into his shop, i bit my lip and couldnt believe i was thinking it. My concentration was literally at zero right now and i felt restless. It was an uneasy feeling since i was normally bubbly and quit calm. A figure climbed up the ladder and it was then i realized it was Seth.

"Hey. You just getting out of class too?" I inquired as i leaned with my arms rested on my pegasus.

He turned suprised to see someone was there and then he gave me a half grin. He brushed sand from his hands and he then walked voer to where i was, leaning against the stone furniture building

"Not the best class ever that's for sure. Is it just me or are all the professors cranky lately?" He removes his orange and blue hood and peered up at me wiht those intense green eyes.

I chuckled and gently ran my hand up and down my mounts mane. It was soothing to him and hw as getting antsy just hovering there "Id say cranky with a capital C." I sighed and glanced toward the class.

"I was actually..thinking of ditching." I confessed and drew my gaze back to him.

The sorceror suddenly grinned fully and pushed off the wall.

"'I'll be dammed. I guess theurgist CAN live outside the law. I'll have to tell a friend of mine, he won't believe it."

"Oh shut up" I huffed ,rolling my eyes

"No no seriously, I think the spiral has stopped spinning!" he spread his arms to the sides and turned himself in a small circle all dramatic like.

I glared at him and found myself gripping the reigns tight. I could'nt figure this guy out. When i first met him he was intense and didnt smile too much. Now he was liad back and almost goofy acting. Not to mention annoying the piss out of me. Did i mention condecending?

"Will you like, SHUT UP?" I growled to him. " And what the gnomes is with your constant condecending remarks about theurgist?" I slid off my mount and gently tapped my wand on her nose, sending her away for the time being.

Seth stopped spinning and this teim his smiel faded andhe stopped laughing. He gazed at me with an expression i can only describe as stunned. Finally he closed the few spaces between us and gently touched my shoulder

"Hey, im sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I have an enormous respect for Theurgist actually. You don't know me Olivia, so mybe YOU could lay off the judging?"

Oh Titans. His hand was warm on my shoudler and I felt his jade green eyes burning through my head since i wouldn't look at him. I slowly turned to face him, took a deep breath, then forced myself to let it out slowly.

I nodded. "Ok fine. Im sorry too...mybe were just all on edge lately."

Seth moved his hand and then gazed around quickly before motioning for me to follow him

"Good. Now that we settled that, if your going to ditch then you'll want some company right? I have one more class in Thamauturgy and i dont think i can sit still anymore today." He climbed on his muont and went toward the portal door.

I watched him wide eyed and then whistled for my pegasus again. When she came i jumped on quickly and flew after him "excuse me!...why do you think i want you to come with me? I never even said i was going anywhere" I called as we soared through the air.

"Because if your going to ditc,h why not get some fun out of it? and besides security is ten times more tight than it's ever been. Your going to need my help, because trust me..I know a few tricks." He landed finally at the portal door and the minute i landed he guided me inside

"oh alright alright." I sighed all dramatically, yet inside i wanted to girly scream. I know it;s beyond pathetic to be this way over a boy, but despite his arrogant and annoying ways, i couldn't deny he looked good doing it. Id never tell him of course.

When we arrived at the spiral door, iw as suprised to see two gaurds there . I supressed a sigh and looked at Seth who already had an easy grin on his face.

" You wizards headed back to wizard city?" one asked gruffily "That's the onyl place your allowed to go, otherwise ill need to see special pass from the headmaster."

"Let me try first, you might just tick them off" I whispered to him.

I walked up to them, trying to give them my best simper. I had no idea if i was a good flirt or not. knowing my luck, they would simply laugh there asses off and tell us to get lost.

"Come on boys, let us through, please?" I fanned my robed "were like so hot and tired, professors working us to the bone, you know? we were just hoping to..." I paued, suddenly realizing i had no diea where he wanted to go

"Headed to Azteca." Seth spoke up suddenly, and i heard the laughter in his voice he was trying to hold back. "I just wanted to visit the folks, nothing wrong with that right? Ambrose knows already." he leaned his elbow on my shoulder and gave them lazy, yet casual, yet charming grin. I had to raise mty eyebrow at his beign comfortable enough to lean against me like that.

One of the gaurds rolled there eyes "Sorry kids, but only wizard city. Now come along we don't got all day."

"Great" I muttered and had to glare at him. He just HAD to mess it up didn't he? I elbowed him off me ,starting to get irritated with him.

Seth's smile faltered and he muttered a curse under his breath. In a flash i saw him reaching into a pouch on his belt and before i knew what was happening, he blew the deep blue powder into there eyes and I gasp.

"The heck are you doing?!" I yelpd out loud in shock. The gaurds caughed and tried waving it away but almost imemdaitly they went still, there eyes staring ahead blankly.

"You didn't.." I suddenly realized what it was and a cold chill went through me. Memory erasing powder. Hard to make and illegal for shop owners to sell.

Seth stored it back quickly and then nudge me forward. "Relax! there going to be fine, wev got mybe a minute before they snap out of it. They won't even remember we were here."

"That's illegal you idiot! we could get expelled for that" I hissed as i reluctanly followed him as he opened the spiral door. "How did you even get it?"

He didn't answer me right away as the portal door opened in a blinding, flashing whirl of light. I stepped through right behind him and immediatly felt the sensation of being tugged and pulled in all directions. Right away i felt my boots land on moist ground and my eyes popped open. The sweet smell of fruit and moss met my nose and i heard the waterfall already. I had onyl been to azteca once in my third year, but it was only for a short erradn iw as running from the headmaster, i hadn't been any further than the portal door.

"It really is beautiful here." I mumured as i gazed around at the lush forest.

Seth turned to me once he was sure the portal was closed. "Ok now look, I know your not happy with that i did back there, but they wont know, you got my word ok? no offense but your flirting skills sorta...suck. I had to do something to get us past them. Were only going to stay for a bit. I have to be back anyways to practice at the arena."

I stalked past him, hitting him on the arm lightly with my staff as I did so and shot him a look. Mybe iw as bad at flirting but he didn't have to rub my nose in it!

"Ok fine so im a bad flirt. You had better hope it doesn't come back to bite us in the ass. Anyway...are you really from here?" I gestured in front of me as we made our way through a narrow tunnel toward the zocalo.

Seth pushed aside some thick branches and we tried in vain to keep our boots from getting wet but it was impossble.

"Nascut i no és així ?" He smiled proudly as we finally arrived at the zoccolo.

"What the...are you speaking in Aztecan?" I suddenly laughed even though i tried hard not too.

He laughed and waved a hand "Just showing off I guess. yeah i speak it fluently, i am from here you know. I just said i was born and raised here. Isn't it beautiful?"

"Well that's NOT fair to the non bi -lingual people you know." I tried to keep a smile off my face. "Anyway come on, show me around mybe? like you said if were going to ditch might as well have fun."

"Now were talking. I know just the place!" he grinned and we got our mounts I followed him, hoping the aztecasuaruses here wouldn't rat us out

I stared at Three points, once we emerged and looked around in wonder. It was beautiful to say the least. Thick liush trees, soft green grass, the sound of the waterfall in the distance. The humanoid dinosuars were in small groups or running businesses. I spotted mybe a dozen or more wizards like myself wondering around, trading and buying. Seth noticed my expression and laughed under his breath.

"Be careful you moody theurgist...you almost have a smile on your face." He leaned against his staff and looked over the area.

I smiled and nudged him, before making my way down some stone steps.

"It just so happens i DO think this place is really...almost magical. So this is ..what did you call it, three points, the shoppgin area of azteca?" I looked to my left seeing a merchant outside the store

"You got it. To the right is the furniture shop and right next to it is where youc an buy spells and new decks. Around the corner there is athame and dagger store. See right across from us?" He turned me in the direction where the colossal pyramid loomed over us. It was majectic looking, trendils of black smoke wafted from the top and i very very faintly made out the aztecasuarus near the top

"Wow." I breathed out, just simply staring at it a few moments. "Don't tell me people live there?..I don't know my azteca history that well."

Seth started laughing "No way. The inside chamber is sealed as far as I know. If i remember right it was where the former aztecan king lived." He tilted his head toward a portal and i hurried after him

"Hey i should probably tell you...im technically not a high enough rank to be here, i haven't even been assigned any quest here...yet." I added trying no ignore the uneasy feeling growing in my stomach.

"I know, but most of the aztecs here won't even mind or even notice. Do you ever stop worrying?" He raised an eyebrow, before stepping through the portal.

I had to wait until my feet were one the ground before answering. "I swear you sound like fiona" I mumbled, before looking around. "Ok so where are we?"

Seth gestured with staff "This is Alto Alto, a small treetop villiage. The tucans here are pretty great. They love to good around.." His voice trailed off as she looked around as a sudden look came across his face.

I gazed up at the abounding canopy of trees and brushed some bangs off my forhead. The jungle was sweltering and heavy with moisture. I suddenly grateful i hadn't worn any heavy armor that day. A warm breeze blew through my hair and i had to stadn and watch as colorful tucans flew by, seeming to chase each other. I smiled. My gaze went to seth after a moment, who seemed uneasy

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Something isn't right." His gaze swept the view in front of us and slowly took a step forward.

I raised my eyebrows, unsure what he was getting at. Nothing seemed wrong to me, but then again i wasn't at all framilair with this world the way he was. I walked ahead of him, still looking around, trygn to wave it off and realx a little

"And you call ME the worrying type?" I teased over my shoulder as i made m way deeper into the forest.

"Olivia- WAIT!" His voice cut in sharply. I turned to see him picking up the pace as he walked swifly towards me, but I had no diea what was going on until I felt somethign grab the hood attatched to my armour. With a swift and powerful yank, i felt my feet leave the ground and i barely yelped before i felt myself flying through the air.

I grunted , feeling my body hit the ground hard, nearly seeing stars as every bone in my body screamed at me.. Rolling over, I quickly trying to get my bearings.

"What the hell!?" I shrieked and scrambled to my feet the best that i could. A tucan was racing towards me, it's eyes red and looking almost beguiled. It gave an angry , piercing cry and i managed to dodge it, before whipping out my athame. It was longer than most daggers. The blade it'sself was the lenght of my forarm. A jade gemstone was imbuned in the hilt, providing a boost to defense, and a second round chipped stone which was a deep emeradl color provided a forty percent boost to attack rating. The life symble was etched elegantly in emerald green along the blade. The noble knight's dirk was one of the strongest theurgist weapon's to date. At least it was once i helped imbune it with enchanments stones. I was never more grateful for it than I was now.

"Seth, what's going on? I thought you said these were peaceful birds!" I cried both alarmed and now angry. I lashed out, dunking low as I did so, and slashed the dangerous tucan right across his wing. It howeled in pain, droplets of blood dripping onto the ground as it flew back, circling both Seth and I now.

The Sorcerer cursed loudly and yanked me behind a thick and wide tree. His jaw muscles flexed and he whipped out his sword, motonign for me to crouch low.

"Why didn't you stop when i told you too?" He demanded, his eyes going from the circling Tucan and back to me with a fierce look.

I felxed my shoulder, trying to feel if anythign was damaged. So far it just throbbed form hitting the ground so hard. I gave him a look, as i crouched down with him, my dirk clutched tightly in my hand.

"Are you kidding me?..how was i supposed to know these birds were going to go phycho?" I snapped feeling my face heat up.

Seth shook his head in frustration. " I didn't say you needed to be phychic! but when i said something was wrong, that alone should have stopped you. I know this place, you don't...He's been beguiled, all the tucan's here have. Morganthe or Malastair one..it's not just celestia now, there taking over Azteca as well. Didn't you see the red in their eyes?"

I felt sick with horror as it begint o sink in how bad things were getting, angry too. I growled to myself. "I saw alright..I can't believe this!..what do we do?, we need to tell Ambrose." I watched the Tucan that attacked me suddenly spot us and this time it had two friends with him.

"Shit!...no time right now. Were going to have to duel, come on." He helped me up and before I could say anything, he had formed a dueling circle and the Tucan's angrily flocked to there spots.

"Well isn't this great. Here I thought ditching was supposed to be fun." I called with a half smile as i took the second spot quickly, as Seth has claimed the first.

Seth himself gave me a brief head nod and an almost smile. He drew his deck and began shuffling and adding what spells he needed

"Not my best idea of how to ditch either. look, these guys are fire, so their going to throw meteor at us and most likely sun serpant. You got any items that has resistance to fire?" He asked quickly as the spot lit up for the tucan.

"Not really. Mostly to balance and death." i answered grimly as i got out both my thurgey and sorcery deck. I added in three Satrys, a few seraphs, some Forest lords, gnomes and centaurs. Blades and traps were a must and just in case, I made sure to add two hydras and three spectral blast.

"Don't worry, i can handle my own in a fight. My ring adds great boost and stats too." I told him , trying not to sound too defensive. When was this guy going to get it? I was no helpless Theurgist!

He didn't get a chance to respond as sure enough, Fire balls started pelting toward us, or rather me. The hot heat hit my barrier and shook the ground as they crashed. I grimaced from the heat and felt my face take on a minor sunb urn. My barrier cracked a quarter of the way almost immediatly.

"Oh sure ,pick on the Theurgist!" I yelled angrily at them.

" We'll get them" Seth assured me as he drew his deck. The second tucan passed and the sorcerors circle lit to life. He casted spirit blade after carving the balance symbol in the air and immediatly the three shields danced around his head.

I narrowed my eyes looking at my hand of cards. Nothing useful except for life blade, and a low serpah . i quickly cast the blade i, after carving the life symbol in the air. I felt the refreshing energy flow through me as i did so. Casting any life spell was invigorating to any life wizard. It wasn't sizzling like fire or frigid like ice, it was a pleasant mix of both. Like a rare rainstorm in Krokotopia when you were sweating your butt off.

"Seth, if you can spirit blade me, i promise to heal you." I added sweetly, giving him my most charming smile as the tucasn geared up for another spell. Him casting would be easier than having to sacrafice a pip of my own.

The Sorceror looked to the side at me, and for the first time he actually was trying not to laugh. He was the type to be focused and intense in battle, i had come to observe.

"What an endorsement!... do you try that smile on everyone?..yeah no problem." He nodded in agreement and after getting slamemd by sun serpant, his barrier went halfway down. The damm tucans had used double blades, feuling the spells energy.

"You ok?" I asked him quickly, seeing him crouch down after the spell's energy died down. There was a small burn mark on his face and he looked winded.

The sorcerer gritted his teeth, now looking intense once again. Straightening up quickly he briefly nodded to me. "yeah, but we need to finish this,these guys are stronger than I thought." he casted spirit blade on me quickly and when my turn came,i grinned finally seeing my Gnome card. I drew teh life symbol and the jade leaf glowed a deep emebradl and bright jade green from the added energy and power boost.

" No problem. i can get their shields half way down. mybe less, then you finish my gnome birds!" I sneered at them and then tapped my card quickly. The duel circles center became grassy and hundreds of gnomes quicklly formed into one, creating a giant one. It's green eyes were sparking with the energy boots from my blades. It's large fist wa arched back right before slamming down on both barriers. The tucans stumbled and nearly kneeled over as onyl a tiny fraction of there barriers were left.

"Nice! now lets fnish them." Seth nodde dhis approval witha tiny smile. After both of the tucans fizzled, he easily casted a chimera. The blades activated and snapped away, as did his trap on one of the tucans. The three headed creature crawled from the magically covereted dry dessert floor and blew hoards of locust and hot sand at the birds, demolishing what was left of there barrier. The battle was done.

"Ha!...nice work yourself. Come on." I urged him back as the duelign circle vanished and we both raced back toward the portal as the tucans lay weakly on the ground. I pulled a card out and activated a fairy, sending it over to the fallen beak breakers.

"What are you doing?" Seth demanded in disbelief as we breathlessly arrived to the glowing portal.

"'I'm a theurgist, remember?..mybe if we heal them it could take away the brainwashing- I dont know!" I threw my hands up not sure what to think anymore. I tucked my deck back securely in my pocket

Seth cast one last look over to them and then let out a quiet sigh "Let's hope so..alot of these birds were my friends. Come on." He stepped through and i scampered to follow, never more anxious to get out of there.