Chapter 10.

PART 1.

Rita puts down the morning newspaper, not wanting to read more of the stupidity of the politicians. She notes the time at the wall clock, which currently shows her 10 in the morning.

‘Which means Karan has already left.’ She thought to herself, as she walked to the kitchen, where she pours herself a cup of tea, which she left to brew a few minutes ago.

Her husband has become more ruthless at his job (the career of a lawyer is already brutal) ever since the disappearance of their son to the other side.

After Hatori was born, he started to shed his ruthless ways of pursuing cases. However, since he disappeared, he seems to have relapsed.

Though he does not show to anyone, Rita knows that the arrival of the mages the day before yesterday shook him badly. Which is the same for her.

Rita touched the piece of marble left by the mages, which according to them will provide magical protection from mundane and magical catastrophes. But the marble is just another reminder of what they both have lost; at least the taunts of the neighbors have stopped for some reason.

‘I can’t believe I used to care what those harlots thought.’ Rita thinks, furious at herself. She looked at Hatori’s picture, pinned on their living room, having just completed a project with his considerably older schoolmates.

She walked to the picture. “Will you ever forgive me?” she asked to the picture, with one finger touching the side of the frame.

the expression of the child in the picture remained the same, and it failed to reply.

Meanwhile, deep in the foundations of the home, unbeknownst to Rita, something as a result of magic, was starting to take form.

PART 2.

After he was done dealing with the crackling thunder, something rushed in his body. He tried to hold on to his consciousness, but he couldn’t stop himself from losing it. The only thing which he remembers, is that Zeko finally gave him a compliment. Hatori will keep the moment to himself, lest the old mage gets angry with him.

All of which results in Hatori waking up in his bed, quite sore as if he has done hundreds of push-ups and squats, while Zeko made him run hundred rounds afterwards, which results in his whole body aching the next day.

Wincing a little, he sits up, and manages to walk to the toilet. After he is done with his morning tasks, he finds Raven and Josh present within his room.

“So, how do you feel, huh? Huh?” Josh was bouncing around in excitement. “Tell us already!”

“Soar.” Hatori answers.

“Really? Is that all?” Raven asked in disbelief.

“What, did you think that I would be different somehow?” he asked.

“Would you believe us if we said yes?” asked Josh in return.

“Yes, yes I would.” Hatori shakes his head.

The door suddenly opens. “Yo!” greeted Avinash, who was sent flying just after the greeting.

“Oooooooh!” Josh watched the spectacle.

“Let me check up on him.” Raven leans out of the door. “Are you okay?” he asked Avinash, who is slumped against the wall opposite Hatori’s room.

“I felt as if I was grabbed, and thrown out of my room, just like my father would do, after I… you know what? Never mind.” He walked unsteadily at first, but quickly regained his stride (which he practiced daily.)

“It seems that he finally has access to his magic.” He enters the room once more with Raven in front.

“I’m sorry. I was surprised.” Hatori said, stopping Avinash in his tracks. “Is that what I was supposed to do?” He turned to Josh, sitting next to him.

“Yes. It is a polite thing to do.” Said Josh seriously.

“That’s boring. I'd rather throw him out of here again…” Hatori gets an expression of focus on his face, but nothing happened.

“Ha! You might have gotten lucky, but you can’t expect to succeed every time now, can you? Get control over your magic, and then, only then, you will be the match of me. Avinash, the future king—” Avinash is pulled towards Hatori, and promptly ends up on the floor, once more, becoming the victim of the camel clutch.

The door opens again, but thankfully, Hatori’s attention is already occupied by the squirming enemy under him. “Stop playing boy; we’ve got training to do.” Zeko’s voice snapped him out of it, and he promptly gets up to follow him, Stepping on Avinash’s hand accidentally, inducing a yelp out of him.

PART 3.

Raven and Josh also followed them to the place of training, lest Hatori decides to drag them out of their rooms in the morning once more with the help of Zeko. Whenever the old fox looked their way, he always seemed to nod with an approving expression, making both boys nervous.

“How do you feel today?” Zeko asked, which is the first question he asks Hatori every morning. The opinions of Josh and Raven are never taken into account.

“I feel soar, as if I have done too much of your assigned exercises.” Hatori repeated the same explanation which he gave to his friends earlier.

‘Not unexpected. He was channeling a frightening amount of magic for a first timer, or for his age.’ He never let his thoughts show up on his face. “Very well, we will practice with your magic today. It won’t be something too hard for now; consider it to be a test drive for now.”

“I’ve never driven a car…” Hatori said, already lost in his fantasies.

“Attention!” Zeko commanded.

“Yesir!” Hatori immediately saluted.

“Before we begin today’s training, we must go over one more important thing.” Said Zeko.

“What is it?” asked the boy.

“Before now, you were just a simple student to me. I would have improved your physical condition, given you some lectures, and then left you to pursue your own path. However, I would like if you would accept me as your master, and become my apprentice.”

“But am I not your apprentice yet?” asked Hatori in confusion.

“No. You are just a student. An apprentice is someone who is a lifelong student of a mage. All my techniques, secret or otherwise, I will teach you. I will advise you as you grow up, to help you in finding your own path of magic.” Explained Zeko. ‘And of course, tear anyone apart whoever threatens you, just like a parent would.’ He thinks to himself.

“Hatori,” Josh sounded so serious. “You don’t realize how great of a chance this is.”

“Yes. Kids of our ages don’t get an offer like that, unless they are some sort of genius.” Agreed Raven.

“So, should I accept him as my ‘Master?’” asked Hatori.

“Yes!” Both boys answered.

“Even though he has a terrifying reputation, as you two have repeatedly told me?” Zeko started to smile, while an expression of terror appeared on the faces of his friends.

“Yes, even then.” They both said once more, making Hatori wonder whether they practiced with each other or something.

“So, how should I accept you as my master?” is the next question of Hatori.

“Just say that you accept me as your master, and it’ll be done. This is nothing important, but sometimes, boy, you will find that formalities like these are important all the same, even though they don’t serve a purpose.” Explains Zeko.

“Okay. I, Hatori Eagle,” at his grunt of approval, Hatori continues. “Accept Zeko, as my master.” He hesitated there for a moment, since he didn’t know the full name of Zeko, but he decided not to pry about that too much.

After the formalities were done, (Zeko will register the paperwork to the king during the afternoon,) Hatori begins his training, with instructions from Zeko.

“Right now, you feel as if you have gained a muscle which you never had before. As a result, you have a hard time controlling this muscle. You feel as if it does things at its own will.” Zeko began his lecture.

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“Right.” Hatori remembers programs from the BBC, showing how baby elephants have trouble controlling their trunks. This must be the same for his magic. ‘Only elephants have it since the start of their lives, while I only got this trunk yesterday.’ Hatori quickly started to pay attention to Zeko once more, lest he gets distracted by imagining a trunk on his own head.

“However, once you practice enough, it’ll become a normal part of your body; you will have the same control over it as you do over your hands and legs. For now, meditate, and try to reach for the magic within you. Remember the feelings you felt during the awakening yesterday. Those will guide you.” instructs Zeko.

“Well, we don’t wana disturb you, so we—” Josh tries to slink away.

“Would be doing the same thing.” Zeko nodded in approval.

“Wah?” Josh’s face is too funny for Raven to control his snicker.

He knew that this would be happening, and as a result Raven was already sitting near Hatori.

“Even though you have access to your magic, focusing on it, and working with it will only strengthen you up for the future. I’m glad that my apprentice has such hardworking friends.” Zeko nodded in approval.

Josh just plopped next to Hatori as well, wanting to protest, but the words dying in his throat every time.

PART 4.

“And so, he was already hurling the kid of Amarnath around by the time I got there.” Zeko was saying. “Which is a good thing. I thought that after the lightshow yesterday, I might have to coax him harder to get his magic out. But it seems like it is already there; I only need to improve his focus.”

“Yes, so he can draw upon it on a moment’s notice, just like we do.” Said the king.

“Hmm. I will get him started on magic heavy training soon, although, I will have to train his stamina. He was tuckered out too quickly today.” Zeko said unhappily.

“Well, no one else better to do that, eh?” Porus smiled.

“True. But the biggest issue would be for him is control. He will be flailing around for the first few months, to be honest.”

“That’s fine.” Porus said, slipping into his easy speak. Something which he couldn’t get away with anyone else. “It’s not like I expected him to duel with adult mages already. Take your time.”

“Of course, I would. I couldn’t have fast-forwarded his training, even if you wanted to. In fact, if you insisted on it, I might have to take the kid and run away.”

“Would you do that honestly?” Porus glared right into the eyes of Zeko.

“I will.” Zeko met his gaze unflinchingly.

Porus smiled once more. “I chose well.”

PART 5.

Surendra Sharma observes the people who have come after his call.

The huge form of George Fernandes shows even within his astral form, while Shakuntala Mathis disappears in his shadow. But in the magical dimension, size means nothing. Shakuntala basically runs the business of the Mathis family in central India, while George is still limited in his region of Saptasindu.

Of course, these weren’t the only people who showed up to his call. They were the most likely to listen to him, however, as all three of them had rather friendly relations. He did note the absence of the Albions, but decided that they were not important in the grand scheme of things, since they were outsiders.

After the pleasantries were over, Praduman Rao the senior, who assumed the leadership of his clan in mysterious circumstances, asked. “Why have you called us now?” Among their circle, he is not known for dancing in the faux-pas.

“Very well. Let me get to the point. I trust you all sensed the surge of energy from the castle?” Getting nods all around, he continued. “I would like to know whether any of you have managed to get access to the boy or not, as all my attempts have failed.”

They all looked around, waiting for someone else to speak. Shakuntala finally spoke. “I believe that none of us has had any success in that endeavor.”

“Indeed.” Since none of them had to say it first, they all nodded.

“What kind of trouble did you encounter?” Surendra asked, wanting to know whether there is a common person who is stonewalling them or not.

“Well, after seeing the boy in the court,” Praduman spoke without missing the beat. “My younger brother who is situated in the castle, tried to approach the boy. Due to his blindness, he has a hard time getting his attention, coupled with the fact that he hangs around Zeko all day long, makes talking to him pretty hard.” He said, not revealing the information about how the said boy hangs with the Fernandes’s boy.

That bull is easily triggered. While he could take care of him if he gets uppity, he prefers not to pick fights with anyone unnecessarily.

Everyone shared similar information, and Zeko is the one common factor in all of them. “I believe, that as long as Zeko is around, we will have a hard time.” Said Shakuntala.

“That is true. But you can’t get rid of him so easily.” Praduman countered, “We might have our differences, but that Porus knows how to pick his men.”

While the argument continued, Fernandes remained quiet. He knows that Josh is continuously around Hatori, (Since he is a friend of his child, he tries to use his name even in his head), and he very much knows why exactly this meeting is called for.

“Very well, we will pool our resources, and try to get access to the boy. Is that fine with you, Fernandes?” asked Shakuntala.

“Fine.” He said gruffly, though he did notice Praduman’s disgruntled expression.

“I still say this is too much. Let him at least grow up a little before involving him in our games!” Surendra counted his lucky stars that Praduman was not here in his physical form; he would have certainly broken his stylish table by now.

“Oh, come now.” Yograj Joshi spoke then, making everyone shiver. He does not speak much, but there is a deep-seated fear he has established in all of them. “We all know why we’re here, don’t we? To take control over that boy, is our agenda. We shouldn’t fool ourselves.” He smiles.

Yograj is that Distasteful person who can’t be removed from the room. He might be just around the age of Zeko (which is quite young for a mage to amass this much political power, to sit in their circle) but even though he has a point, they can’t seem to just bring themselves to agree with him.

“Since our purpose is accomplished, I conclude this meeting.” Surendra sighed. Maybe he should have let his brother— ‘Better not go there…’ he shook his head to clear his thoughts.

They all started to blink away, except for George and Praduman. “Are you sure this is the correct response?” asked Praduman.

“Are you questioning your elder?” Surendra smirked.

“Ha! Just know this though, things like these have a habit of biting you in the future.” After these words, Praduman and George both blinked away.

PART 6.

“So, they are working together, hmm?” Porus muttered to himself. “The boy is already doing a great thing. I would have never thought that those snakes would work together.”

“But they are, even though they are rather disjointed.” Said George.

George Fernandes has a reputation of sorts. A politician, dueler in his younger days, but loyalty is something which he is not known for. This, of course, only his fellow noble leaders would say. Porus knows otherwise.

“I, to be honest, am not worried. Zeko is still going to stay with the boy after all, though it is a good thing you informed me. I must maneuver carefully from now on.” Said the king.

“Yes…” George trailed off.

“Anything else?” he asked.

George opened his mouth, and then shook his head. “Nothing. Just worried for the boy.” The king knows that he was not referring to Hatori.

(End.)