Chapter 29
The group spent the day training with Scarabia. The training was much like it had been on the first day and there was no march to the oasis. Kalim was completely normal all day.
'They're going to think we're crazy.' Odette thought as Kalim escorted them to their room.
"I'm sorry we only have one spare room right now so you'll have to share." Jamil explained as he brought them to the same room he had locked Odette and Grim in previously.
"Thank you for housing us especially on such short notice. We'll make it work." Azul assured him with his normal smile.
Once they were inside the room and knew they were alone they began to discuss the day.
"Kalim doesn't seem the type to have mood swings like Floyd." Jade said as he stood against the door.
"Yeah Otter doesn't seem to be the type to act about things like bad grades." Floyd said sitting on top of the desk in the room.
'They're still taking this seriously.' Odette thought raising an eyebrow.
"There must be another explanation. Jade will you please have a talk with Kalim?" Azul asked as he sat in the desk chair.
"Yes, but he's rarely alone." Jade pointed out.
"Leave that to the rest of us. We'll distract Jamil." Azul said with a smile.
Grim and Odette went to the lounge and began to set up a game Azul had seen on a book shelf in the room while Azul and Floyd went to get Jamil. It didn't take long for them to get him into the room and at the table were they had set up.
"Why not?" Jamil asked looking them all over.
"We've had a rough day and need to unwind properly. All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy." Odette said giving him her best innocent smile.
"Who's Johnny?" Floyd asked flopping down beside her and Azul.
"It's just a saying in my world." She explained.
Jade made his way to Kalim's room and gently woke Kalim up.
"Is it morning already?" He asked as he sat up rubbing his eyes.
"No, I'm sorry to wake you up but I saw a wonderful tapestry in the vault and I had some questions I wanted to ask you." Jade whispered.
"Oh sure no problem." Kalim said instantly waking up and taking Jade to the vault.
"This one against the wall. The colors are so vivid." Jade said reaching out and gently touching the tapestry.
"We don't have this kind of material back home." He explained
"The colors are rumored to represent an ancient princess and her penniless lover." Kalim explained.
"How do you keep track off all these treasures?" Jade asked glancing over his shoulder at the piles of gold and jewels.
"Jamil keeps track of it." Kalim said looking over the room too.
"He is a good servant, even Azul compliments him and he doesn't do that often." Jade said.
"He is the best. I couldn't ask for anyone better." Kalim grins.
"Was it your idea or his to do this training?" Jade asks as he turned back to Kalim.
"It was mine. It seemed like a good idea." Kalim answered.
"You sound unsure." Jade pointed out.
"Honestly, I've been feeling sick lately. I've been falling asleep randomly and unable to remember important conversations. It's been been effecting my role as dorm leader." Kalim confessed.
"So keeping everyone during the break was your idea too?" Jade asked.
"I think so." He answered
"You sound unsure again. Another forgotten conversation?" Jade asked.
"Yeah." Kalim answered.
'My spell might not work on him.' Jade thought as he winced. "Ouch I think I got something in my eye." Jade said as he hand went to his left eye.
"Oh, are you okay? Do you need me to look at it?" Kalim asked standing on his tip toes to get closer to Jade's face.
"If you wouldn't mind. It's the left." Jade said as he removed his hand and opened his left eye. It was glowing. "Shock the heart." He whispered using his signature spell on Kalim. "Don't be afraid. I'm here to help. Tell me the truth." Jade whispered.
Back in the lounge the group had played the game a few times. "I win this time!" Floyd cheered.
"Good job Floyd." Odette said. "So that makes one win for Jamil, two wins for Azul and one win for Floyd." She said writing the win down in a small notebook. "I didn't know you were so good at board games Azul."
"It's because he's part of the board game club." Floyd said earning a glare from Azul.
"The school has that?" Grim asked looking over at Azul who was now blushing.
"Yes, it's a small group less than five members." Azul explained.
"That's probably good for something like board games club not to have too many members." Jamil pointed out. "This has been a nice evening. I'm actually trying to win. Kalim isn't great at this game so I'll let him win every so often so he'll still want to play. It's been like that since childhood."
"Childhood? That's a long time to know someone who isn't family." Odette pointed out.
"It's a common thing here. Rumor is these two have know each other since childhood." Jamil said gesturing towards Azul and Floyd.
"That mostly true but we didn't start hanging out until middle school." Floyd explained as he rested his elbow on the table then rested head on his hand.
"Oh because Azul was,.." Grim began but Odette quickly covered his mouth as Azul began to glare at Grim.
"Let's not burn newly built bridges especially over lose lips. We agreed to keep that a secret." She hissed at him.
"Yet you follow him as your dorm leader now, how strange." Jamil remarked.
'Is it? Five years is still a long time.' Odette thought.
"I follow Azul because he's interesting." Floyd confessed beginning to look bored.
'Why are all these people so weird?' She thought shaking her head.
"You're faking being submissive?" Jamil asked.
"I wouldn't put it like that. Azul makes interesting decisions but the minute he makes a boring decision Jade and I won't hesitate to challenge him." Floyd explained.
'So fricking strange. Is this all just a game to them?' She thought.
"This is a well known fact between us. They can challenge me but I won't lose." Azul said.
'That's kinda sad. They seem so close but it's all so precarious balanced.' She thought as she glanced between Azul and Floyd.
"That's the point of the Vice Warden, it's not to be a servant but to challenge the house warden so what's best for the dorm is done." Floyd said.
"Wow that was really insightful for you." Odette chuckled.
"Have we missed anything fun?" Jade asked as he and Kalim entered the room.
"Nothing to exciting." Azul commented looking over towards the two.
"Kalim, you're up!? Why didn't you come find me? What if you had been kidnapped?" Jamil exclaimed as he got up from the table.
"I was fine, I was with Jade. We had a nice chat." Kalim explained with his normal smile. "Do you know where the silver and blue carpet is? I'm thinking of gifting it to the Mostro Lounge."
"We need to talk." Jamil as he grabbed Kalim's wrist and pulling him towards the door.
"Can't it wait? I was fine. I'll find that carpet later for you Jade." Kalim called over his shoulder.
"Jamil is mad." Grim whispered wide eyed.
"I never thought I would see his mask crack like that." Odette said as everyone stared at the closed door. 'I'm starting to have a bad feeling.'
"I think we're done for tonight." Azul said getting up from the table.
The group headed back to their shared room. Everyone took the same position they had been in earlier with Odette and Grim on the edge of the bed, Azul and Floyd at the desk and Jade against the door. "How did the talk go?" Azul asked.
"I believe your hunch is right. Kalim is being brainwashed." Jade confessed.
"Is that possible? Can magic really do that?" Odette gasped.
"It is. Ruggie's signature spell control's someone's body so yes magic can control someone's mind." Azul explained looking over at her.
She shivered at the thought. 'That's a little terrifying.' Odette thought as she wrapped her arms around herself.
"It does require strong magic. Not just anyone can do it." Azul said.
"How strong?" She asked.
"Azul or Riddle strong." Jade answered.
"I can barely control fish let alone humans." Azul added trying to ease their fears.
"I don't think anyone here is that strong." Grim sighed.
"That's because they're hiding themselves." Azul pointed out.
"Whoever is hiding is the one controlling the otter." Floyd said.
"Even with my magic I couldn't find out who it was." Jade sighed.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"He means his signature spell." Floyd said with a grin.
"Floyd!" Jade snapped.
"It's fine with her having no magic and Grim has so little, even if you tell them they can't defend themselves." Azul sighed.
"Jeez thanks." She pouted. 'I feel like they're making fun of us.'
"My signature spell is Shock the Heart. I can only use it once per person. To put it plainly I make you tell the truth. It has few drawbacks, like if you know about it or if you have strong magic or a strong will." Jade explained.
"It works very well on scary cats and wimps." Floyd chuckles.
"When in the vault I asked Kalim if he knew who used hypnosis magic he does but he wouldn't tell me. Say he made a promise a long time ago not to reveal it." Jade explained.
"Your signature spell was undone by his morale code? I think only Kalim could pull that off." Azul chuckled. "But I believe I know who our culprit is. Now here's the plan."
'He came up with something this quick or did he figure it awhile ago?' Odette wondered as she listened to his plan.
After discussing the plan the group went to bed.