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Chapter 09

Magic, Love Potions and Tears

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Finding a secluded corner of the grounds was not easy, but he had managed it. A lake was a fair distance from the school fed into the largest artificial reservoir ever constructed by magic or scientific engineering. In a secluded cove attached to the river was a stone circle nestled deep in the forest so far away from civilisation that the only sounds were birds' songs and the running of wild animals.

He was surprised that there was still an area near the castle steeped in what Ace could only describe as the oldest magic. He had read about such places but assumed that the mainlanders had pulled down the areas where ancient magic ruled but discovering this was a pleasant surprise.

Though the pillars that surrounded the circle we're broken, he could still feel the magic here. Deciding that now would be the perfect time for it. He sat in the centre of the stone circle. He assumed the meditative Burmese position he began to do as he had been instructed at Dragon Hall.

He remembered back to the exercises that Yen Sid had suggested. He was the only one at the Hall that would not ask for favours or a letter of mark. Ace slowed his breathing, controlling his heartbeat and trying to find his centre. There he found the spark that he had been looking for, but it was no longer a small spark but a raging torrent that threatened to overwhelm him.

He knew what he needed to do. Magic was a natural force, and in those with the gift, it could be self-destructive something that the villains never taught their kids was that you needed to control it properly something that they were hesitant to do because that could mean weakening yourself. But unrestrained magic could and did influence the caster the common expression Yen Sid used was that the Tale was wagging the Dog.

Ace had to take control of the fire without getting burned. This was a difficult proposition but not impossible, he would have to take it a day at a time, but binding and controlling the power was the first real step along the journey. He noticed that now he was trying to control the fire actively, he could feel everything around him more clearly as if he had a set of eyes just for seeing life around him.

It was like gazing into the night sky as he saw birds fly through the air and forest creatures going through their life daily hunts and foraging, he saw the trees drawing in water and breathing in real-time it was as beautiful as it was overwhelming.

Ace slowly brought himself out of the meditative state he had made a good start, but it would take time to tame his magic correctly entirely but as the saying went the journey of a thousand miles started with a single step.

He opened his eyes, and blinked at the sun had started to set. He tried to spring back to his feet, but his body protested the movement. He understood why if the sun was setting, he had been sitting in one spot for hours, and now his muscles were aching and as he slowly unfolded his legs from the meditative position he lied down on his face and began to make small motions to undo his now cramping legs.

It took a while as the tightening and pulling off his muscles began to unknot, he slowly got back to his feet. Walking, however, was another hurdle altogether, his hips refused to move as he wanted. His knees wanted to lock with his every step. His thighs' muscles were burning with every step he was forced to use his sword as a walking stick until he could get to the nearest tree and make one of his own.

He was thankful that the stone circle was so secluded and away from the school as he was walking like he had been riding horse for a week or soiled himself and it was not dignified nor pretty to look at but was undoubted funny.

Ace hugged the tree as he came to it his entire lower body was burning with muscular fatigue and atrophy. Using the strength of the tree, he pulled himself to his full height and reached for the closest branch pulling the limb to him before he used the knife in the crook of his back to slash through it.

"Sorry." He said as he touched the tree ", but I need this brother tree." He cut the leaves off and used it as a staff it was around six feet tall, but Ace used its inherent strength to help him walk. If the limb proved to be strong enough, he might keep it.

It took almost twice as much time to get back to the school than it took to stumble onto the circle. Still, it allowed him more time for his legs to get back into working order so by the time he saw the first of the schools stone parapets came into view his severe stance had turned into a usual walk with a limp.

The branch had served him well as he came to the rear entrance, he decided that he would keep his makeshift staff. After all, what kind of magic practitioner didn't have a staff of some sort as he rounded the corner to get to the corridor leading to the dormitory he stopped.

The door to the kitchen was open.

Knowing that he would regret it, Ace made his way to the door pushing it open. He was not prepared for what was inside the kitchens.

Sitting on the counters were the VK's that made up Mal's crew they were watching in rapped amazement as Mal was making something. Her face was covered in white powder and her fingers thick with what appeared to be dough he had he spell book propped up next to her reading the instructions.

Ace shook his legs to get more blood flowing into them, hoping that this would speed up his recovery. He took a breath and entered the room, pushing the door hard enough for it to hit the wall with a mighty boom.

The VK's around Mal all jumped in fright Carlos landing with a meaty thud onto his butt.

"my, my what have we here?" he asked with a rakish smile "Mal you're looking very domestic dare I ask what have you elbow deep in…" he took a spoon from one of the side tables and spooned himself a piece. Not being stupid enough to eat it, he brought it to his nose and sniffed it, remembering back to the poison class, he caught several deadly plants' aroma. Using the handle of a nearby butter knife, he checked the substance's consistency. "Love potion or a dream potion?"

Mal gave him a dark look as she went back to the task at hand. Carlos stood up and rubbed his bruised posterior before retaking his seat.

"I need a tear of genuine sadness." She said ignoring Ace as he walked to look at the book

"your mother has love spells in here?" he said in genuine amusement he moved to take the book only for Mal to smack his hand away. He took a seat near Mal but opposite the rest of the VK's "that explains so much."

"Why are you here?" Mal demanded

"my dear, dear Mal I happened to be passing by and see the door ajar, and the light was streaming out like a beacon in the night."

"I need a tear?"

"what's the problem a tear is a tear?" said Jay as he relaxed back, Evie shook her head.

"no, an emotional tear has a lot more protein-based hormones than a reflex tear." She corrected him; Ace nodded he hadn't known that but then again, he hadn't been the best student of Dr Frankenstein's even if he made the subject so much fun.

"Listen to you." Mal Smiled

"Mal," the shout came from behind and before they could move "I was looking for you all the girls want you to do their hair." It was Lonnie the daughter of Mulan, her hair was now long, and she was wearing a pink and grey hooded tracksuit.

"Hi-Ace." She smiled at him "I saw your skills in the Swords and Shield arena you're excellent." He returned the smile with a polite nod.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." He said, "I was enjoying it too. I haven't had a good fight in a few days."

"Really?" she seemed shocked.

"yes, I like to keep my skills sharp."

She nodded her head before turning back to Mal with a smile.

"what are you making?" she asked, this caught Mal flat-footed as she tried to hide the spellbook behind her back.

"Cookies." Said Evie as she covered for Mal who was still trying to think of something.

"Yeah, Cookies." Repeated Mal as she tried to regain her footing. Lonnie smiled, and without even considering her action for a moment, she dipped her finger into the dough and ate it. She made a contented noise and then placed her hands on her hips.

"don't worry." She said in a reassuring tone, "I won't double-dip." She said as Mal and the rest of the VK's looked a bit horrified at her. A sense of macabre interest came over the group as they were curious about what the potion would do in its incomplete form.

"are you ok?" asked Jay as he moved closer to her, he appeared ready to react to any strange movement the girl could make.

"yeah?" she said, "but this could use some chips." She smiled before grabbing a bowl of the brown substance and pouring it in.

"chips?" asked Jay

"chocolate chips the most important food group."

"didn't your moms ever make you chocolate chip cookies?" she asked as the five Islanders looked at her with a strange disbelieving look "like when your sad and feel like the worlds coming down around you, your mom makes them hot and fresh with a big glass of milk and she makes you laugh, and the world becomes a bit brighter." A strange silence descended on the group as she finished describing something that no Island kid could or had ever experienced. Ace felt a more resonant burning of rage at his mother for never doing something like that for him.

"Sounds nice." He said, looking away for a moment trying to get control of his resentment and rage.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked.

"it's different where we're from." Said Mal he could hear the genuine emotion behind the manipulation.

"come on even Villains love their kids, right?" she asked she was unsure now as the silence descended once more.

"oh, oh my I'm sorry I just assumed, oh my." She said, getting embarrassed "how awful." Ace had enough control as he turned back to see Mal take the tear that fell from her soulful eyes and drop it into the mix.

"We don't like to dwell on it." Said Ace, "they hate us, but we need them. It's a relationship that exploits the weak and seeks to destroy the strong." She seemed shocked "if you don't mind, we got to get these in the oven."

"yes, we'll see you tomorrow." Said Mal practically ushering her out of the kitchen; she went mostly on what appeared to be autopilot. "evil dreams." She said as the door closed "boys treys Evie oven."

"yes Mam," said Evie with a small salute she worked the dough some more and shuffled behind Mal. Ace watched the group as they got busy putting Mal's nefarious plan into action. Ace sighed before he left, he heading to the rooms still limping slightly.

Tomorrow will be interesting he thought to himself.