Chapter Six: Ill Omens
Aster laid limp over the counter. At first, I couldn't move. I was still stuck in a bit of a trance from the look in her eyes as she attempted to warn me about… something…
"Aster?" I put my hand on her shoulder when I finally snapped out of it. "Aster," I shook her gently, not wanting to hurt her, but just enough to wake her. The owls screeched and flew in circles above us. "Oh god, what do I do, what do I do, what-," I looked around, trying to find something… or someone… anything that could help.
Aster groaned, getting my full attention again as she weakly pushed herself back onto her feet. "That was… a strong one. I think I need to sit down."
"I'll say. What just happened?" I asked, taking her arm and helping her wobble over to the stairs just a few metres away. I squatted down in front of her, holding her hand in mine as she sat and rubbed at her eyes with her other hand. "Is there anythin' I can do to help? Should I go get help? Do you need a glass of water?"
She smiled weakly down at me. "I'll be fine. My branching is rarely ever that intense. I just need a few minutes."
"Branchin'? So that's what this is. Is it kind of like fortune tellin'?" I asked, now understanding that it's how she knew I was coming.
She fidgeted with a flower near her ear that refused to reopen. "That's not quite it," she spoke slowly and with many pauses. "Branching refers to my ability… to extend my awareness into the trees around me… to see and hear what they do. It's how I can tap into the discussions that are always happening in the natural world around us. I've been able to do it for some time, but," she closed her eyes and her hands rushed to her forehead, as if hit with another spell of dizziness.
I didn't know what to do. I felt useless. "This 'branchin''… it looks like it hurts. It can't be safe to do somethin' that takes so much out of you, can it?"
Her hands slowly fell from her face. "Just as Attuned must be careful not to attempt magic beyond their abilities, wood nymphs must be aware of our boundaries when branching," she explained. "It's difficult to extend your consciousness outside of your own body. Dangerous, too, to untether yourself from your physical form like that," she paused, and her frown was enough to break a heart. "I overreached just now."
"I don't mean to pry, but do you zone out like that a lot?" I asked. "You did it the last time I was here, too."
A shiver ran through her body and her leaves drooped, the flowers losing vibrancy. "Sometimes the trees want to show me things, so they draw me into them so that I can see what they're seeing," she sat up, seeming to feel a little better physically. "It can be difficult to understand them, since they primarily communicate through sight and feelings, and they rarely try to speak to me like they did just now, since I don't know their ancient language."
I caught her eye and had to ask, "Aster, that… vision, or whatever that was just now… At the end, it seemed like you were tryin' to warn me about somethin'."
She rubbed the back of her neck and worked her way up to her temples, wincing at the touch. "I'm not sure what I said to you just now. The trees' emotions were so strong that I felt them taking over me, but now they're all muddled. I can sense that much is troubling you, though," she opened her eyes and stared at me like she could see my soul. "Your energy is restless. Perhaps my message had to do with that? Oh, I'm being no help at all!" she lightly tapped her fist against her thigh.
"Aster, don't worry about it. I'm more concerned about you right now," I took her hand again. "You literally just passed out. There's no need to push yourself."
She smiled gently. "You're too kind, Percy. I can see why you're Sun-Attuned. Warmth just radiates off of you." She tried to stand up, but she was still unsteady. "Please don't worry about me. I'm already feeling much better," she lied. I could tell by the expressively sad flowers that framed her face.
"You don't have to get up yet," I took her arm to hold her up, since she was so determined to stand.
"I'm fine," she smiled again, but it wasn't her usual glowing smile. "However… Well, I'm not sure if this will be any help, but I have been studying the ancient tree language. I think I recognised a word just now, perhaps two," she propped herself against the wall as she took a step down to my level. "It didn't quite make sense to me, but they may help you better understand what's happening in your life."
"I guess I could really use some answers about… well, everythin' that's been happenin' these last few days," I sighed.
She nodded. "I'll have to strain a bit to remember exactly what the trees were trying to say, but I should be okay. I'd really like to help you if I can."
I hesitated for a moment. "Alright, but don't push yourself."
She nodded again, this time with a real smile gracing her lips. She closed her eyes and let out a slow breath. Her eyes were dark again when they opened. "I can almost recall… Yes!" she stumbled a bit and I threw my arm out to catch her.
"Are you okay?" I asked, desperately hoping she wouldn't make herself faint again.
Her eyes lightened as she looked up at me. "I'm fine, Percy. The trees that I branched through were at the edge of a vast, grassy plain. Rolling hills stretched for leagues all around!" her flowers seemed to glow with excitement and the leaves on her arms danced.
I smiled slightly at how happy the thought made her. "Is that important or just a warm image?" I looked down at my arms and noticed I was still holding her up. I blushed and pulled away.
"Oh, yes," she giggled a bit. "I believe that these trees wanted to communicate with me because something terrible was going to happen there," she said, more serious now. "They tried to speak to me, but the connection was strained and muddled. I'm certain I kept hearing the word 'blood' through it all, though."
"Well, that's ominous," I furrowed my brow.
"The second was a word I'm less familiar with, but the trees repeated it enough that I should be able to find it," she walked around me to the bookshelf the owls were perched on and pulled out a thick, old tome. She fingered through the pages until finding the page she wanted then traced her index finger down the thin column of words. "Yes, here it is. 'Fragment.' It came up a few times, but that means very little to me," her leaves drooped again as she frowned. "As I feared, I wasn't helpful at all, was I?"
"Er, no! You were a lot of help," I stammered, not wanting to see her sad. "I really appreciate your help, even if I'm not sure what it means yet. If anythin', I should apologise for bein' nosy when you're so worn out," I laughed nervously and rubbed at the back of my neck.
"Not at all!" she beamed. "Truthfully, I've made children cry by branching in front of them, so your curiosity is refreshing!"
"I can't help it. You're fascinatin'… I mean, your power is fascinatin'!" I quickly corrected myself. "The fogy eyes are a bit off-puttin' at first…," I mumbled. She laughed properly, her leaves dancing with delight. "Everythin' you… feel, or hear, when you branch like that, the trees tell you?"
"Yes," she said, her glowing smile making me feel warm and fuzzy. "All wood nymphs can branch," which essentially means we can see through the trees, as they are a part of us, and we are a part of their forest."
"When did you develop your ability?" I asked.
"All wood nymphs develop it as soon as we can wiggle our roots, which marks our transition from stationary saplings to mobile nymphs," she explained, but only gave me more questions. "I was about five years old," she grinned proudly.
I smiled back at her, unable to keep a straight face around her glowing personality. "Little Aster must have been adorable."
She giggled. "My parents say I was a troublemaker. I used my branching to cheat during games of Nymph or Gnome with the other young nymphs."
"I don't blame you. Branchin' would definitely come in handy durin' Hide and Seek," I chuckled.
Her hand met my upper arm. "You must tell me about this game sometime. Human pastimes fascinate me. I just love learning. There's so much knowledge to gather from the world," she grinned. "I hope to be accepted into Penderghast's cultural exchanged program next year, so I can learn more about Attuned magic."
"Penderghast has a cultural exchange program?" I asked, though it did make sense with all the different types of people I'd seen since arriving on campus.
She nodded enthusiastically. "It was started by Professor Kontos of the Natural Sciences department, following his graduate studies at the college. I've read all his works."
"You sound perfect for the program then," I returned her energy, but her face fell.
"That's what I told my parents… They don't approve of me attending Penderghast, but," she shook her negative thoughts away, "I've already submitted my application, and if I get accepted they won't be able to stop me."
"Why don't your parents approve?" I asked.
She looked up at the owls. "There is… history… between the wood nymphs and the Attuned that stretches back to the Wand Wars…"
"That sounds pretty dark. Do you want to talk about it?"
"It was long before my time. My grandfather had not yet rooted and my father was young," she explained. "I was raised to be wary of your kind, but you don't all seem bad. I've met several of you while running this shop, and while all Attuned are a little odd, you seem pleasant enough."
"Oh thanks," I chuckled.
She leaned rather close to me, making me blush. "Some more so than others," she said, her voice a bit lighter.
I tried to think of something else to talk about, not wanting to embarrass myself again. "I… I think it'd be really cool to have a wood nymph on campus. You could learn Attuned magic and we could learn about nymph magic."
She gasped. "My father might uproot me from our forest and transplant me elsewhere if I ever taught any of our magic to you Attuned," she narrowed her eyes slyly. "Then again, what he doesn't know won't hurt him, as you Attuned are so fond of saying."
"Wouldn't you be seen if you did it on campus? You know, the trees and all…," I questioned, but then returned her sly grin. "But… if you taught me somethin' inside a buildin'… like… I don't know… here, you could probably get away with it."
"How positively taboo!" she squealed excitedly. "I'd be honoured to teach you." She pointed to a small potted plant with three pink flower buds on the counter. "Here."
"Oh, are you goin' to teach me to make it bloom?" I asked, rather excited about this new experience.
"Precisely!" she giggled. "It's quite easy. You just have to let it hear your heart song, and give it the encouragement it needs to grow." She leant over the flower and whispered to it. "How are you doing, little friend? It's plenty warm today, and with Percy here, the air tastes like sunlight! Wouldn't you like to wake up?" The bud shook a bit, but then gladly opened to peek out at the room. At my look of confusion, she explained, "Wood nymph magic isn't about casting. It's about working together, all parties nurturing each other. The warmer your heart, the more radiant your magic."
"Okay… Well, here goes nothin'," I said, leaning over the plant. "Hey there, little one. I hope you like my, er, sun energy. Wanna spread those pretty pedals of yours and photosynthesize?" I whispered. The second flower shivered and flew open, doubling in size and turning a bright turquoise. It let out a squeal of sorts as it bloomed. My eyes went wide and darted from the flower to Aster, who was shocked.
"It seems that you just turned it into a different species of flower entirely!" her expression softened. "Our magical foundations may bee too different to fully grasp each other's methods of spellwork," she giggled.
I chuckled. "Hey, I still made somethin' happen. That was brilliant!"
Aster looked towards the window near the door, the leaves in her hair rustling as if a sudden breeze had swept over them. "Oh, I've just seen through the trees. Your friend is on his way back and is eager to return to school."
"Oh," I turned to look at the window, too, suddenly dreading leaving. It was so fun to be with her.
"Best of luck with your try-outs, Percy. And thank you for spending time with me," she was beaming when I turned back around.
"I guess you'll know from the trees whether I make the team or not," I bit the inside of my cheek.
She took my hand in hers. "I believe in you. Do your best, follow your heart, and the path ahead will be clear to travel."
I let out a gentle sigh. "I'll see you later, Aster." I walked out of the shop, turning as I closed the door to look at her one last time. She waved with a bright smile. Griffin grabbed my arm and led me back down the street.
It didn't take us long to get back to the stadium. Several people had already gathered on the side of the field, including Zeph, who was waving at me like I couldn't see him. "Hey, Percy! Good luck, but don't me mad when I kick your butt!" I chuckled.
"You really know how to cut it close, don't you, Langley?" I grumpy looking upperclassman trudged over to us. He had eyes like sharp glass. "I thought you were flaking on me." Griffin held up the belts and was about to respond, but the guy just waved him off. "Don't wanna hear it. Just give me the flags and I'll let you get back to chilling with whoever your friend is." He eyed me disdainfully, but then froze. "No way. You're the first year Sun-Att I've heard about!" his eyes shot open. "The only one at Penderghast in, like, a hundred years or something!"
"So I've been told," I shrugged.
"Percy, this is Everett Merkseyer, our Captain," Griffin introduced us.
The big guy suddenly had a new attitude. "The team's never had a Sun-Att on it before. I hope you do well, and not just because it'll look good for me to have you on the field."
"You'd be lucky to have me," I tried to hide my smirk. I wasn't normally that arrogant, but he'd just been a prick to my friend and I wasn't going to have it. "You'd just better hope that when I make the cut, I like Thief enough to stick around."
Sadly, I'd had the opposite effect… I'd… impressed him… "Confident. You remind me of me, Miller, and I respect that." It took all of my self-control to not groan out loud. "And I doubly respect that jersey. I like your spirit. We'll be starting in five. I look forward to seeing what you can do out there, Freshie," he snatched the flags from Griffin and trotted off.
When he was out of earshot, I let out the groan I was holding in. "He's a bit of a wanker, isn't he," I looked over at my friend, who had looked a bit frustrated just a few seconds earlier.
"That's the captain for you. The best thing to do when he gets worked up is just let him run out of steam," he suggested. "So heads up for when you're on the team."
I sighed, trying to release any negative energy I had. The other students trying out were warming up with their familiars and practicing spells. "What's with the magic? I thought try-outs hadn't started yet."
"Plenty of players use Air magic for speed and agility boosts during games. It's totally legal, so it's become common during try-outs, too," he explained, leading me over to the others.
"Too bad I can't do anythin' like that," I bit the inside of my cheek, pondering my options to keep up with them. A yip caught my attention as Orien appeared by my leg and began dancing around me. "Luckily, I've got you, right bud?" I squatted down to rub under his chin. "What do you say, ready to give me a hand out there?" He yipped again and ran in a few circles before stopping in front of me with his purple tongue hanging out. "You're so precious," I mumbled, scratching between his ears. "Hold the phone. I just remembered, I have somethin' else that will help, too." I slid my bag off my shoulder and pulled out the wooden box Shreya had convinced me to buy. I pulled out the clear orb and rolled it around in my hand. "I might be able to get an air boost after all."
"Having Orien and Air magic on your side will give you double the options to get through each round," Griffin agreed.
"Now I can even the playin' field," I cupped my hands around it and focused on the swirling smoke inside. The orb became cold, making my hands sting a bit. Then it began to glow, sending light out from between my fingers. As the light disappeared, the smoke did, too.
"So… what did it do?" Griffin asked, not seeing anything different.
I squinted down at the empty glass. "I'm not sure. I don't feel any-," as I said the words, my feet came off the ground. Small cyclones of pure wind shot out of my hands towards the ground. "This is different," I panicked, but soon I was back on the ground, my knees trembling slightly.
"Wow. It looks like that marble held an Air enhancement spell!" Griffin cooed. "That ought to give you a boost for a while."
"I'm never goin' to get used to this," I shook my head in disbelief. If it hadn't been happening to me, I'd never have believed any of this existed. I took a few minutes to get used to my new movement patterns. Even walking seemed suddenly easier.
After a few more minutes, the captain blew his whistle, calling for us to gather in the ward circle in the corner. Griffin handed out belts, stopping in front of me with a grin. "I know you don't need any luck from me because you'll totally kick butt out there, but good luck anyway. Can't wait to have you on the team." I pursed my lips, trying to feel as confident in myself as he seemed to be of me.
I tied the belt around my waist and nodded. "Thanks. I hope I live up to your expectations."
"Alright, here's how try-outs are gonna go," the captain announced. "There'll be a series of rounds to test you on various skills essential to Thief. You'll be facing off against each other, so pretend this is a match and keep your cool. I'll be watching from the stands." Griffin nodded at us then followed the captain over to the stands. As the dome began to close, his voice echoed around us. "In a real match, teams would start on opposite sides of the arena, but you won't have a team to strategize with today. Things will reset each round, so don't worry too much about losing your flag. I just want to see what you can do." There was a moment of silence as the ward began to glow. "Everybody, ready!" He blew his whistle and the terrain shifted to an open field filled with flowers. Nowhere to hide... we were all in plain sight of each other. I looked around at my opponents.
"May the best Attuned win," Zeph smiled at me, but his eyes were cold. He wanted this and wasn't afraid to go against his friend. As he should be.
"Don't get your hopes up, fresh meat," one of the upperclassmen sneered at him.
"I want to get a feel for your close-range skills here," the captain's voice was still strong like he was standing right in front of us. "The next five minutes are an all-out melee. Protect your flag with all you've got. Ready?" he paused suspensefully. "Go!" he shouted.
Right on cue, two players ran towards me, eyes on my flag.
"This one's mine! Get your own target!" one shouted at the other.
"Big talk from someone who isn't gonna make the team!" she shouted back at him.
"Well, this escalated quickly," I said, looking around. Running wasn't going to be an option. They'd just catch me. This was going to be a defensive battle. I looked down at Orien. As if he understood just by my look, he darted out in front of me, growling like a pro. He tackled them one after another, pulling on the second by the tail of his shirt.
"Nice Arylu, nice Arylu!" he pleaded as he fell backwards. Orien growled again, spitting on him a bit this time. He was pretty terrifying for such a small pup.
I took the opportunity to gain some distance from everyone. Orien teleported onto my shoulder right as the terrain changed. This time we were in an old underground labyrinth. The air was stale and damp.
"Some terrains work against us, amplifying any sound we make," the captain said. "This round, I want you to be stealthy. Sneak up on your opponents and steal their flags."
With Orien on my shoulder, I walked cautiously down the dank hallway, my steps echoing on the wet floor. I came to an intersection and peered around the corner. There was another player looking around anxiously.
"This is way too much like the catacombs from Double Undead Zombie's Wrath," she mumbled, but it echoed around the corners. She turned to walk farther down the hall she was in.
This is my chance. I can do this. I used my new Air enhancement to control a draft strong enough to unloop her flag from her belt, letting it drift back to me without a sound. That was AWESOME! Shortly after I stole her flag, it disappeared from my hand and the terrain changed again. It was a forest this time. Alright. This is what I'm good at.
"For this round," Captain said, "I want to see you use your magic to capture each other's flags. This is where you can be flashy. Impress me."
Orien hopped off my shoulder and jogged beside me as we made our way through the trees. We ended up in a clearing, which I admit now was a bit dangerous. I could hear footsteps behind me. I spun around, my hand gripped tightly around where my flag was attached to my belt.
The girl from the open field was in front of me. "You're still in this?" she seemed shocked as she skidded to a stop only a few metres from me. After a moment of us staring at each other, she began to back up slowly towards the trees she'd popped out from.
I smirked. "You're not runnin' away, are you?"
She scoffed and switched to the offensive. "Ha. Fresh Meat's gutsier than he looks. Don't tell me you're looking for a showdown."
"That's the point, innit? These try-outs are nothin' but a standoff," I kept my smirk. "May the best Attuned win."
"The last guy I beat said the same thing, but if you think you can do better, by all means," she said cockily.
"You shouldn't have said that," I chortled, eyeing her flag. I looked at Orien and he jumped into his own offensive stance. When I felt his magic flowing through me, I extended my hand towards the ground, surprised at how much magic actually shot out of me. The ground rippled slightly before the trees began to grow behind her. The roots sprouted from the ground and wrapped her legs while the branches extended and trapped her arms, holding her like a scarecrow.
"Holy crap! Please stop!" she shrieked. Before she was almost completely covered, I nicked her flag.
"I guess you should have run away when you had the chance," I smirked again. I knelt down and held out a hand to Orien and, amazingly, he high-fived me without a single command.
We jogged off into the trees to search for a new opponent, flag in hand. The terrain changed once more, putting us in a swampy area. I could hear the chirping of the birds turn into the caws of a crow. To keep him from getting his paws muddy, I pulled Orien onto my shoulder. We trekked for a while before everything became covered in a dense fog. Where is everyone? A splash made me spin around at lightning speed. The puddle of water nearby rippled, but it didn't seem like anyone was there. Something in the reflection seemed off. I took a step towards it, looking down into the murky water. "Holy shit!" I took a step back when I saw the same guy I'd seen previously in mirrors. He reached towards me, but I wasn't going to stick around to find out what he had in mind. I tried to step backwards, but I fell. It was only then that I'd realised he'd almost gotten hold of my ankle. Orien jumped in front of me and snarled protectively. My reflection was startled and suddenly disappeared. What the fuck?! My heart was pounding in my ears. The only thing able to break me away from my downward spiral of thoughts was the piercing sound of the captain's whistle. The forest disappeared and the Thief pitch returned.
Every student seemed a bit out of place when we reappeared, some falling to the ground, some in strange poses. The whistle blew again and the captain stood up. "Alright, I've seen enough to make my decision. When I call your name, come up to the stands and I'll let you know if you've made the cut."
"Hold on a second… what… what the hell was that?" I looked back towards the spot where the puddle had been, but it was just grass. Orien turned around and cocked his head at me, worried. I noticed all the stares a while after I should have. I looked at Griffin. "You were watchin' from the stands. Did you see any of that?"
The captain sighed. "Freshie, getting freaked out is part of the game. You're gonna have to get used to it."
"But that wasn't-," I started, feeling rage build up, but then I stopped. It wasn't something I needed to tell them. I needed to talk to Zeph and Shreya. I let out a deep breath and pulled myself off the ground, looking down at Orien. "You believe me, don't you?" I asked quietly, just to be sure I wasn't crazy. He rubbed up against my leg. "Thanks, mate," I scratched under his chin. He licked my hand before disappearing.
While I was talking to Orien, Captain had turned his attention to the rest of the students, calling them up one by one to get their results. Finally, he called me up. He flipped through the sheets on his clipboard, his feet propped up on the chair in front of him. He set the clipboard down and looked up at me. "Okay, damn. Where have you been all my life? It almost hurts my pride to say this, but the team needs you." He sat up straight and grinned. "What I'm saying is, congrats. You made varsity."
"Oh, er, thank you. That's great," I faked being excited, a bit uneasy still.
"Look, I get that you were kinda spooked by that last terrain, but don't worry," he said. "We practice terrain preparedness extensively. You can expect an official practice schedule by the end of the week. I'm glad to have you on the team, Miller. Not many first years have the honour." He held out his hand. I shook it, but it wasn't long before his attention was on the next person, which was fine by me. "Next up, Zephyr Hernandez!"
I left the stadium and leaned against one of the grand columns just outside the main door. There were four tall columns, each supporting a golden dryxmar, the school's mascot. The bases of each column were solid gold as well, and the four of them bordered a grassy square with the school's seal stamped down in a golden circle, like a wax seal on an old letter.
I let out a deep breath, trying to understand what had happened in the last terrain, as I waited for Zeph. I needed to tell him. That reflection of mine was really creeping me out… and he'd grabbed me this time. I heard footsteps and my eyes darted up from my feet to find Zeph looking rather defeated.
"There's one dream up in smoke," he mumbled to himself. "Classic Zeph, couldn't make the cut."
I frowned as I walked over to him. "Oh no. Not more bad news…"
He looked up urgently, apparently not realising that I'd been waiting for him. He forced a smile as if I hadn't seen his disappointment already. "Captain told me the news. Congrats! I knew you'd make it if you tried out," his smile didn't faulter, but his eyes showed his jealousy. "And varsity, too! I only made JV, but oh well, right? I shouldn't have bought this special jersey," he let out a forced laugh. "I can't believe I was so sure I'd get onto varsity. Stupid, right?"
I sighed. "Zeph…," the longer I stared at him, the more effort it took him to maintain his façade. "My spot should be yours. Thief is your thing. I just kind of fell into it."
"Don't worry about it," he waved me off. "I'm used to my best being second best by now." I was going to object to his negativity, but he shook himself back into a smile. "I still got a flag during try-outs! My abuela would be so proud." He turned back towards the stadium doors and his face finally fell. "I honestly don't know why I'm so surprised I didn't make it. It's not like-," he caught himself and forced another awkward smile as he turned back around. "Sorry. It's really not a big deal. It just hurts a little bit in the moment, you know? I'll be over it by dinner."
I could feel myself getting irritated at his self-deprivation. I pulled him into a hug a bit too aggressively, but after a moment, he let himself relax into it. "Zeph, why don't we go get lunch? We don't have to talk about anythin' in particular, just somethin' to cheer you up."
He pushed me away, his smile looking a bit more real, but not enough. "I'm totally fine! I was gonna head up to my next class early and get a bit of extra studying in anyway. You know, keep ahead of the curve." His eyes met mine, looking gutted. "I'll see you later, Perc."
Before he could turn away from me, I grabbed his shoulder. "I don't think so. You're my friend, Zeph, and I'm not goin' to let you be alone when you obviously feel this bad. Especially since it's sort of my fault."
His eyebrows shot up. "It's not! It's me, not you. You were great!" he looked down. "Besides, I'm being totally uncool right now. You do not want to hear me start whining."
"I don't fancy repeatin' myself, mind," I spun him towards the stairs and slung my arm over his shoulders. "Come on, let's go get somethin' to eat." He was reluctant at first, but he eventually let me help.
We took our seats in the dining hall with heaping plates of food, mine filled with things I hadn't even tried before but was willing to try just to cheer him up with my weird reactions. He slouched in his seat, staring at his food, and let out a long sigh.
"Hey, I know try-outs meant a lot to you, and I hate seein' you this down, but I can't help but wonder if this is about more than just Thief," I eyed him from across the small round table. "Some of the stuff you've said about not bein' surprised and seemin' uncool makes me think that there's somethin' else goin' on."
He sighed again. "It's just… I'm used to not being the best in class. I try hard, but sometimes it's not enough," he frowned. "I've made my peace with that, but when it comes to outside the classroom, usually I'm so good at stuff like teamwork, sports, and making friends, so I figured, 'hey, I've got the whole package for Thief. This is my time to shine!'"
"You did," I said, leaning over the table. "You have to be good to get on junior varsity. If you weren't, they wouldn't have taken you. And I'm sure you'll make varsity next year."
He rolled his eyes. "I know, I know, but not making it this year is just one more reminder that I don't have things together, like, at all."
I scoffed. "None of us do! Hell, I'm still comin' to terms with bein' sucked through a mirror and spat out into a lake in a magical world I didn't even know existed until a few days ago," I chuckled.
He laughed, finally smiling genuinely. "It's silly, but I wanted to be the freshman who started college and was already doing all these cool things, like playing on the sports team."
"It sounds to me like you were usin' Thief as a means to an end," I said bluntly.
His smile faded a bit. "Yeah… I guess I kind of was. And now I can't cross it off my bucket list, which is gonna bug me for the rest of the year."
I laughed. "Aren't bucket lists for old people about to die?"
"I'm pretty sure they're for anyone with big dreams, and you're looking at the dreamer," he grinned. "I even carry mine around for good luck… not that it helped during try-outs."
"Zeph, it's okay to not know where you fit in yet. That's what the college experience is all about, findin' your place in the world," I said. "You know what? You were probably just tryin' to cross the wrong thing off your list today. What else is on it?" He smirked weakly and pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. He unfolded it and pushed it towards me without a word. "'Make friends'," I read. "Check. 'Confirm Water-Att.' Also check," I grinned. "'Pet an actual dryxmar' in all caps with… five exclamation marks," I laughed.
"I heard they giggle when you pet their trunks!" he beamed. "They're hard to find, but I've got all year and I'm persistent."
"'Eat twenty dragon links for breakfast and breathe fire'?" I squinted at the paper. "Zeph, is that even humanly possible?"
He smirked. "That's what the rumours say, at least. You eat all twenty, you breathe actual fire."
"No, I mean, is it humanly possible to eat twenty dragon links in one sittin'? Those things are hot," I remembered my shame at not being able to eat one without nearly dying, and I love spicy food.
"I repeat, I've got all year, and I'm persistent," he chuckled. "I also want to join a weirdly cool club and find somewhere cool on campus."
"Define 'somewhere cool,'" I asked, thinking that most of the campus was pretty damn cool.
"Where I grew up," he started, "there's this weeping willow in the middle of a pond in the park, but the pond is always freezing so nobody goes out there."
"Let me guess, except you?"
"Bingo," he beamed. "I waded out one day in the middle of summer and it turns out a bunch of imps lived under the canopy," he explained. "They were super grumpy that I interrupted their brunch, but I won them over with my stellar personality and became a regular brunch guest."
I laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like you." I looked around then back at him. "I can't believe you've had so much magic in your life already. I wish I had that."
He nodded. "I guess it's easy to take magical things for granted if you've grown up with them. Honestly, seeing how excited you are about magic makes being at Penderghast even more magical for me."
"Really? How so?" I asked.
"Everything is new and different to you, but you're trying to make the most of it," he said. "If I'd been thrown into a magical world like you, I'd be freaking out."
I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, I am freakin' out… on the inside…," I tried to keep a straight face, but his smile made me grin. I was scared at the thought of getting found out when I'd finally found a place where I felt right. I had to hide the fact that I was utterly terrified, as well as amazed, by all of the crazy things happening around me. "It helps havin' mates like you."
He squinted at me then nodded to himself. "You know what? You're right. Even if I didn't make varsity, I can still cross something off my list." He pushed his plate away from him and stood up to grab another plate, this one loaded with dragon links. He sat down with a sense of purpose and stared at the sausages as they steamed in front of him, one of them still sending out tiny licks of flame. "I'm doing this, Perc. I feel inspired, no, unstoppable." He skewered his first link and held it up to his lips, preparing himself. I held up my hand, trying to object, but I was too late. He took a huge bite, devouring just over half of the first link. I was speechless. He ate three before the effects began to take place.
"Are… are you really goin' for twenty? Should I call the fire department?" I joked while honestly concerned about his well-being.
He shook his head and kept eating, his face as red as the links before him. Sweat began to bead on his brow and run down the side of his face. His eyes started watering. "Come on, talk me through this! Distract me! I need your help here," he pleaded.
I shook my concern away and stood up quickly, sending my chair back with a loud screech that silenced the room. I stood on the chair and cupped my hands to my mouth. "Give me a Zed!" I shouted. "Give me an E!" I continued. One student a few tables over shouted back at me. Zeph looked like he was about to die, but he shoved another two into his face. "Give me a P!"
"This is beyond embarrassing," I heard Beckett behind me, but he was quickly drowned out by the crowd getting involved with a roaring P.
"Give me an H!" I screamed proudly over them. Some of them got to their feet to shout back at me.
"Percy! I can't feel my tongue!" Zeph looked up at me, red as hellfire.
"You did it, Zeph!" I stared down at his empty plate.
"Holy- I did it!" he cheered as he looked down. "I did it!" he stood up triumphantly, fists in the air as the sweat drenched his jersey. The crowd was silent as his eyes went wide and his hands grasped at his mouth.
"You are not goin' to honk," I said, jumping off the chair and rushing over to him, ready to guide him out of the room if necessary.
Just as I touched his shoulder, he let out a massive belch, fire shooting out of his mouth and extending up to the floating light fixture above us. Everyone, including me, ducked. It was so hot. When the fire finally dissipated, the candles on the chandelier were lit. The crowd applauded and whistled at him.
"Ugh," he groaned and collapsed back into his chair, his head hitting the table. "I think that's the closest I'll ever get to being a Fire-Att," he mumbled weakly.
"That was incredible. You alright, mate?" I asked.
He lifted his head and smiled through the tears streaming relentlessly down his cheeks. "I feel like a champion," he said, his voice gruff from his sore throat. He sat up swiftly. "If I'd made varsity, I wouldn't have learnt that I have an actual bionic stomach," was his realisation of the entire event. I stood him up and made him bow, holding his arm up like a wrestling champion.
The dining hall went wild until the noon bell rang through the windows, making everyone immediately pack up and start leaving.
"Class starts in ten!" Zeph pulled his arm out of my grasp and snatched his bag off the floor, grabbing his list as he did so. "I've got to go! Thanks for lunch, Perc!" he said before darting out to join the herd.
"Hey," I called after him, "don't forget to cross this off your list!"
"You know it!" he beamed, still crying. I laughed.
I was on my way to my room when Shreya nearly ran me over on her way down the stone steps outside of the dorm. "Watch out!" I said before realising that it was her. I caught her by the waist, but her momentum made me spin and fall down a step. Her hands landed on my shoulders to keep her from falling out of my grasp as I regained my balance on the stone landing between stairs.
"Look at you, sweeping me off my feet," she laughed. "I was just on my way to lunch."
"You were leggin' it to lunch?" I asked, putting her down.
As she straightened her blouse, she said, "Do not judge. Rumour has it that Chef Gillespe Saint Montraire is catering today! He has three Michelin stars and five D'Uvrey goblets." I had no idea what any of that meant, but it didn't stop her from continuing. "He made the menu for my Sweet Sixteen gala, but we had to get on the wait list two years in advance!" She looked me over. "Oh, were you doing some sports?"
"Thief try-outs," I explained. "I made the team, but-," she cut me off.
"No way! I heard Penderghast goes all out for Thief! The parties are everything," she raved. You're gonna be campus famous!" she squealed.
"Shreya," I tried to ground her. There was no stopping her once she got started. "Listen, somethin' weird is goin' on." She cocked her head, finally letting me speak. "While I was at try-outs that guy from the mirror showed up again, and this time he actually touched me. He tried to grab my ankle from a puddle," I told her. "On top of that, I saw Aster earlier today and she was tryin' to warn me about somethin' while she was doin' that branchin' thing."
"Do you think she was trying to warn you about your reflection… or something else?" she asked, now rather concerned.
I shook my head. "I don't know. I think I need to look for answers somehow. Enough of this 'I'm just tryin' to blend in' crap. Obviously, keepin' my head down isn't workin'," I furrowed my brows and stared at the campus behind her. "More and more bad things keep happenin'. If I don't do anythin' about it, I won't stand a chance against whatever it is that's comin' after me."
She smiled and clapped her hands together. "Spoken like a true fighter. What's the plan?"
I sighed and rubbed a hand down my face to the back of my neck. "I dunno… Bristol wasn't my speed, but at least it wasn't dangerous. There weren't any magical forces out to get me… How am I supposed to handle this?" I asked, not really expecting an answer, but hoping for one. "It's not like I took a 'Fightin' Mysterious Evil Forces 101' class," I paused. "Wait… is that a thing? Do they have that here?"
She shook her head with a laugh and put her hand on her hip. "No, but I'm here. With me at your side, some wispy shadows and a reflection that so doesn't do your gorgeous face justice won't be a problem!" I smiled and shook my head. "I don't want you to lose all your wonder for the magical world yet," she put a hand on my shoulder and stared into my eyes. "I'll make sure this place stays special for you, and that means helping you stay safe. And if there's one person you can count on, it's a Mistry," she smirked. "The magical community's most trusted helping hand since 1202."
I chuckled. "Shreya, have I ever told you how much I appreciate you?"
She waved me off. "Aw, c'mon. I'm not saying all this for you to thank me. You're the first friend I made at Penderghast and my closest friend here. I'm serious about helping you."
"I'm serious, too," I said. "I've told you some pretty crazy shit and you just accepted it without battin' an eyelash."
"I'm an incredible judge of character," she smirked. "I knew you were telling the truth and I'm so glad I listened. My life would have been so dull if I hadn't." She paused for a moment then looked around. "You know what? The dining hall just won't cut it for lunch today. A Gillespe Saint Montraire meal needs more ambiance."
"What are you getting' at?"
"I'm saying, let me take you on a picnic!" she beamed. "We haven't tried all the knobs on our portal door yet. Let's sneak some lunch out of the dining hall and eat somewhere new!"
"I just ate with Zeph, though," I said.
She squinted up at me. "But did you have dessert? Because that's what I mean by lunch. Gellespe Saint Montraire is all about the sweets."
I smirked. "I always have room for dessert." I shrugged. "I guess a change of scenery would be nice. Campus feels more and more like a nebulous force of evil."
"If anyone deserves to get away from campus for a relaxing, worry-free picnic, it's you," she beamed again. "Plus, you'll have my brilliant company, and you can try all of my Saint Montraire favourites!"
"Fine, let's go," I agreed.
"Music to my ears!" she sang. "I've already got my Mistry three-shelved pantry bag. Refrigeration included!"
I found myself back in the dining hall only moments after I'd left. Shreya had me handing her so many treats that I was sure her three shelves were already full. When she'd decided that we had enough, we made a B-line for the door and made our way back to the dorm, where she double-checked the bag to make sure we had everything. I looked over her shoulder and saw actual shelves in the bag. It was nearly a metre deep and I was surprised she could fit her short arm down that far.
"I don't think they're goin' anywhere, Shreya," I said as she continued to stare at the pastries.
"I just want to make sure they won't fall over!" she justified. "Half of the Saint Montraire experience is the presentation, after all."
I chuckled. "Okay, well, while you're doin' that, I'm goin' to get changed," as was my original mission once I'd returned to the room.
"Nonsense, you look great!" she beat me to the door and grabbed the third handle from the top. She swung the door open, but all that was there was a swirling green vortex. All the other knobs opened specifically into a certain area, but this… Then I remembered her telling me that the one that led to an open field opened up in a tree. She grabbed my hand and pulled me through.
On the other side was an open meadow with wild flowers, a few trees, one of which we'd just stepped out of, and a small river. Birds were chirping loudly and the sound of students talking in small groups could be heard from over a small hill. Another group of students stood in a circle around a pure white tree as a rainbow of magic popped around them.
"Where are we?" I inquired.
"At the base of one of the school-sanctioned hiking trails," Shreya explained. "A lot of the environmental classes do fieldwork in the area as well. It's the perfect place if you ever need to step out and take a breather," she said, grabbing my wrist to pull me along. She let go after a few paces and sat down on the grass, patting the spot next to her for me to sit. "But we're here to get our sugar fix!" she beamed, digging through the bag in her lap. "I want you to try a fruit franglepuff, a dragon's delicacy, and a Saint Montraire éclair, of course." She set three plates out in front of me. "The surprise is they each have a different magical effect, but I don't want to spoil them for you. Go ahead and pick one to find out what happens." She stared at me eagerly.
"Er, this is safe, right?" I asked. "I'm not goin' to explode or lose my tongue or anythin'?"
She let out a loud laugh. "You are so dramatic! They're one hundred percent safe, two hundred percent delightful."
I reached hesitantly towards what looked like a macaroon. It crunched when I bit into it, but the fruity flavour was quite satisfactory. "Oh mon dieu! Ce gout… c'est comme… c'est comme le soleil brille dans ma bouche!" I froze. "Shreya, pourquoi est-ce que je parle… francais?!" I was speaking French?!
Shreya had to hold her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. "This is the best thing since everyone suddenly started chattering away in French at my sweet sixteen!" she giggled.
"When does it… stop," I asked, realising it as soon as I said it. "Oh, thank god," I covered my face with my hands. My mum would have been so ashamed.
Shreya wiped at her eyes. "The more you eat, the longer it lasts," she explained. "A fruit franglepuff makes you a francophone until you can't taste it anymore."
I groaned. "But, Shreya, I'm English! I can't go around speakin' French…" My poor mum… turning in her grave. I laughed at the thought.
"Pish posh," she mocked. "Be multi-cultural. It's fun."
"You certainly do know a lot about desserts," I changed the topic.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder proudly. "I do consider myself a connoisseur of sorts. I like the finer things in life." She bit her cheek. "My sister ate all of the leftover eclairs the morning after my birthday. I was so mad, I didn't talk to her for a week."
"You should have labelled them," I joked. "'Birthday girl's. Touch and you will feel my wrath.'"
"That's exactly what Nehal said!" she looked at me, shocked. "She didn't even get in trouble for it. Our parents thought I was being overdramatic!"
"What, you, overdramatic?" I teased. She threw a serviette at me angrily. "It sounds like your sister pulled the perfect éclair heist."
"Well, that's Nehal for you, always doing things perfectly. She's an Air-Att. Thinks first, acts second. Knows just the right thing to say or do," she pursed her lips. "She can rationalise her way out of anything and has never been a problem child…"
"You and Nehal sound like complete opposites," I said.
She shrugged. "We balance each other out in a lot of ways, and just like fire needs air to keep burning, she's always there to boost me up when I need it," she explained. "When I'm upset, she knows how to calm me down. When she's feeling bored or unmotivated, I take her out and make her live a little."
"Havin' siblings sounds fun," I smiled, but I was proper jealous. Zeph had an interesting relationship with his sister, Beckett's life was driven by the competition with his sister, and Shreya and Nehal complemented each other perfectly. I hated being an only child more and more every day.
"Our parents like to say that I'm the tech-savvy one, while Nehal has the three P's I lack," she said. "Prim, proper, and presentable," she frowned, digging her fork into her éclair. "In a way, Nehal is my rock. She cools my flames, but she also always makes me feel like the cool older sister I try so hard to be," she smiled weakly. "I just hate when people compare us, and by 'people' I mean our parents when the whole 'carry the family business' thing comes up."
"It sounds to me like they believe in you, though, even if their goals for you aren't the same as your own," I tried to comfort her.
She nodded slightly. "I appreciate that they see potential in me, but I should be allowed to pave my own way. My youth is about figuring out who I am. Even though I still don't really know what that is."
"Hey, if anyone has themselves figured out as a first-year college student, they're the odd one out," I chuckled. "I had a similar conversation earlier today, so I know you're not the only one who feels overwhelmed. I'm still figurin' everythin' out, and don't even ask me about my future. I have no idea where I'm headed anymore, which means I have an abundance of options to explore," I told her.
"I hope that when Nehal goes to college in two years, she'll set out with the same mindset," she smiled thoughtfully. "I want her to thrive, like I am here at Penderghast."
I cocked my head. "Shreya, what's your life goal?"
She laughed. "You're so dramatic, Percy!" she threw another serviette at me, but then thought for a minute. "My entire childhood was about preparing for one set-in-stone future. I just don't believe in that anymore. It goes against my nature."
"What makes you say that?"
"We humans are such flighty creatures," she wiggled her fingers in the air like a bird taking off. "Our emotions jump around all the time. We develop interests, lose them, figure out we suck at things we like, or excel at things we never even considered before. I've found that it's much easier to navigate life by ditching things like life goals and setting daily ones instead."
I chuckled again. "Okay, so what's today's goal?"
She squinted at me, a sly smirk brushing across her face. "Today's was to make you smile, and I've succeeded many times over. Thanks, Percy… For being a good friend and for, you know, being so chill about my big personality. I'm sure it can get a little overwhelming."
"Not at all. It's one of your greatest qualities," I grinned. I picked up one of the treats she'd set out; it looked like pink fudge with chocolate drizzled over it. I held it up to her face.
She took it from my hand with a giggle. "Thanks. What's this for?"
"Friendship," I said simply, just wanting to see her smile forever. She had a warm and contagious smile.
"Very eloquent, and very sweet," she giggled again. "Want to see what a razzle-dazzle does?" She took a bite and her hair began to billow like a gust of wind was continuously blowing at only her.
She handed me an éclair. I bit into it and immediately burst into song. "What the hell was that?" I asked when it wore off.
We spent the next half hour eating the strange desserts and laughing our heads off. Afterwards, I dropped Shreya at her next class and headed back up to the dorm to finally change clothes… or at least I was going to… I'd gotten so wrapped up in my own thoughts about the try-outs and my reflection that I'd ended up in a part of the school I didn't recognise. It was similar to the other hallways in the main building, but there was a display case at the end of the hall and the usual blue flames on the wall sconces and torches were purple.
"What is with today? Have I wracked up some bad karma without noticin'?" I asked myself. Behind me, there suddenly came a loud shrieking sound. I spun around. "What the-," I ducked as a shadow flew towards me, grazing my hair as it passed over my head. It screeched again. It was much larger and angrier than the first shadow I'd encountered, and it had claws. The corridor went dark, leaving barely enough of that purple glow for me to see. The eyes on the shadow swivelled around to the back of its head. "Ah hell," I tried to stand up, but it lunged towards me again, this time lower, and I was forced to jump towards the wall. There's no way I can outrun this thing. It took me a second, but I was able to cast the first spell that came to mind. I threw a fireball, but it died out before it even left my palm. "Damn it! Orien?" I looked around for him when I heard him yip. He materialized right in front of me, and I could feel his magic pulsing through me within seconds. "Here goes," I threw another fireball, this one larger and burning brighter, but it disappeared as it hit the shadow's smoky body. "Bloody hell," I sighed. The shadow growled angrily and darted towards me once more. I threw my arms up, out of options. A loud, husky bark drew my attention as Orien leapt in front of me and growled at the creature. "Orien, no! Move!"
"Begone!" a voice commanded, and a blinding white light filled the room. When my eyes finally adjusted, I saw Professor Swan standing in front of Orien, who was shaking with terror.
I picked him up in one swift motion and held him in my arms to comfort the both of us. He whimpered. "You're alright, boy. It's going to be alright." He looked up at me, sadness in his eyes, before disappearing. My attention refocused on the lump of black shadow on the ground, writhing in pain. "What…"
"Perseus, follow me!" Swan ordered, starting back down the hallway. I was going to object, but she added, "There's no time!"
I stood to follow her, but I noticed something glowing in the creature's shadowy figure. It was some red rock. After investigating it briefly, I picked it up and shoved it into my bag. When I looked back, the shadow was gone.
"Perseus, please!" her voice echoed. "You're in grave danger, and you must follow me if you want my help."
Without knowing what else to do, I followed her. The rock was oddly heavy now that it was in my bag, but I didn't think much of it. Answers were just around the corner and I needed them more than anything else in my life.