Magis gathers in my palms, I strain with everything I have in order to cast something noteworthy. A sphere of bundled gusts rotates within my grasp and a belabored smile spreads across my face. Wind was always the most natural affinity for me if I ever had to name one. While I'm glad I can still cast at all, I can't manage to keep myself from getting frustrated as I feel droplets of sweat bead up against my temple. In a matter of a few uncomfortable moments with some ancient stalker creep, I went from being able to conjure a cyclone without a second thought, to barely maintaining a a gust sphere that isn't even breaching gale force level. Anxiety bubbled in my chest, I tossed the sphere into the air before it dispersed after traveling a few yards away.

I stomp my foot and scratch my head from agitation, "Sheesh! What am I supposed to do?! Literally shoot the breeze with Rohan Strauss? It's hopeless like this..."

A whistle fills the air behind me, "How long have you been there?"

Wyatt steps over to me, not taking his hands out of his pockets as blue vapors drift off of his cigarette. " Hm, long enough to get a bit nostalgic. You making any progress?"

I let out a sigh and shake my head. "It's like my body's taken a complete 180, now I'm having more issues with emitting anything at all. I can't practice control or shaping without something to work with. I don't know I'll be able to be of any use when he get's here Wyatt. I'm..."

"You and me both, it's kind of funny though. I used feel really uneasy around you, like I could sense all of that power you had in the chamber and you were just one wrong move from dumping it on somebody. Now I'm comfy as can be, like you got de-fanged."

I inhale and spit a quick stream of wind at him, putting his cigarette out. "I haven't given up on myself yet. I'll admit I'm nervous about what's to come for us, but that doesn't mean you get to mess with me."

Wyatt looked down at his cigarette disappointed, before spitting it over the edge of the roof. "Heh, well he was right about you being no pushover. I'm glad this hasn't gotten you completely down. We'll be depending on one another going forward, so if you ever need anything, even just to talk, just send for me. Solidarity and all of that stuff." He turned around and fixed his tie. "We'll figure something out Alina, c'mon, we're gonna be late for the assembly."

"I guess you're right, thanks Wyatt." I start to follow him after taking one last look at the skyline. "Um... did Tyson really say that about me?"

Sleepy-eyed, he held open the door motioning for me to hurry up. "Yeah, honestly he wouldn't shut up about you. Given the chance he always had something to say about how 'incredible you were'"

Bittersweet as it was I couldn't help but smile thinking about that. "You know, after you guys had it out. He talked about you a lot too. He had a lot of respect for you and the way you never back down from anything."

"Tsk. A lot of good I did him."

*   *   *

Several hundred of my classmates had gathered in the courtyard waiting for the big rally. If I were the man I was a few weeks ago I would've been so geeked to have a some grand speech to give the student body. Things are different now though, I'm not just mouthing off about some big dance or block party. This is my chance to step up and make a difference around here, like Tyson made me believe I could. I grabbed the new badge on my blazer and it gave me an extra surge of confidence. After I glassed that one broad, saving two magian marshals in the process, they tracked me down and deputized me! My first act as a juvenile lawman is to address the state of affairs with the people I'm here to help. If I can inspire a few more people like myself, maybe that feeling would spread and we'll have a force on our hands before we know it.

I slick my hair back before I arrive at the courtyard, the lights were dancing more wildly than usual from he spectile, everyone's excited to get started. I look towards the center of the courtyard, between the statues of the past valedictorians of Arcton Academy. Mr. Travers, Alice, Wyatt, and Alina were all waiting. Travers stood tall at a podium, his old wounds healed, and the rest were sitting in fold up chairs behind him. Once I start making my way to the stage, some of the people I saved the other day notice me and start cheering. I can't help but blush at the whole thing and wave back at them as I head to the chair on Wyatt's left.He gives me a nod as I sit down.

"You know what they're calling you right?" He snickered.

I kick my feet out and put my hands behind my head to get nice and comfortable before side-eyeing him right back, "Hey don't be jealous man, I like the sound of 'the people's champ'.

"Oh man you're into it? Damn I wish Tyson could see you now!" He chuckled to himself. "Well, I'll be counting on you, champ."

Mr. Travers was definitely more put together than the last time I had seen him, but it's apparent that even right now he's working through something in his head. His posture and demeanor doesn't feel like that of a person who know's what they're going to do. Honestly, if I had to sub out our show runner at this moment, I would think Wyatt should have the floor. Ah, what do I know? Let's see how things turn out.

Mr. Travers fixed his tie and stepped forward to address the audience. He inhaled, and channeled magis into his pointer finger to draw a glyph in the air in front of him. It was a simple "amp" glyph, I don't know how to make one myself but everyone's seen one of those at least once. He taps the glowing circle twice with his finger, causing two light bopping noises to travel across the courtyard. The crowd quiets down once he looks like he's ready.

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"I'd like to thank all of you for coming here today."

The sentence carried through the courtyard, and everyone's eyes were on him as we waited for the speech that would... well I don't really know what I or anyone else was expecting. All I know is that there are a lot of scared people here, and Travers has always been a source of safety and guidance for students like me. That's what makes this whole situation so freaky, because soon after he spoke, I witnessed the massive shoulders of Hank Travers begin to tremble.

*   *   *

"I'd like to thank all of you for coming here today."

The words escaped my lips and I prepared to address the student body, to inform them of the stakes that lie ahead. My thoughts gather, a whirlwind of rhetoric and anecdotal lullabies fill my mind as I try to stitch together just what to say to these impressionable adolescents that have been left in my care.

"Several tragedies have fallen upon the citizens of Arcton over the last month. The amount of trauma and suffering some of us have endured... there are no words that can convey the weight thatbears down upon us."

I allow the audience to murmur for a few moments, so my sentiments are absorbed with a little time.

"However, now is not the time to fester in our woes. We-"

My train of thought is thrown off course. Whilst scanning the crowd for reactions to my statements, I consider the things I am about to request to these children. Children who I aim to make into soldiers in a conflict older than any of us could quantify. That's when I saw him, my ward.

In the middle of the mass I saw Tyson, who looked on as I spoke. His eyes were devoid of any life, and the hole in the middle of his chest was still agape. This gave me pause, but my wits are still about me and I know that whatever I'm seeing is a vision of stress and nothing more. I avert my gaze to a cluster of young men to my right and clear my throat.

"We, must take this time to-"

Again, one of the young men cracks his neck by bringing his head from side to side and my mind is bombarded by a previous iteration of Tyson whose neck I had snapped with a right hook while training him. I pan my view once more, my mouth becoming more arid by the second. Each new set of eyes I meet, morph into forgotten sins.

"We must take time to... to..."

I feel a firm grip on my shoulder, and turn to see another young man who I watched grow to adolescence while riddled with loneliness and despair. I met his pain with apathy, and brushed his struggles aside. Now here he is, offering support. Just how long had my hands been shaking?

"I'm... I'm sorry"

*   *   *

I pass the old man a bottle of water and pat his back to gesture him to go take my seat.

"Real inspiring Hank. Sheesh."

I stand in front of the amp glyph for a beat, nothing's coming to me. Improv it is.

"Clearly even someone as stoic as Mr. Travers has been affected by all of the garbage that has been going on in this city. That's why we can't rely on just him if we want things to change."

Everyone stirs for a few moments, not believing what just happened. I can see that I have their attention though. Time to double down.

"You saw it yourselves, those of you who were at the market with me and Kurt over there." I wave Kurt over to come stand with me and he obliges.

"We took out those bastards that made a sink hole that swallowed up a bunch of innocent people. But we owe our lives, as well as our victory to the rest of you that were there! Tell em, champ!" I take two fingers and coat them with magis before tapping the amp glyph and sliding it over to the front of Kurt.

"Yeah that's right! I couldn't have beaten that invader so soundly if it weren't for the cooperation of every artist in the area that lent me the extra heat to shape. There ain't no people's champ without the people!" He pumps his fist in the air and the crowd actually goes nuts over it. I'm completely beside myself with all of this cheering for Tobias Kurt of all people, but whatever, you don't have to be a genius to have charisma.

He has a big dumb smile on his face as he passes the glyph back my way with a fiery swipe.

"The real point of this whole gathering, is that, yeah things have sucked real bad in this town as of late. We have been subject to atrocities, and at the end of the day... we're still here, and thanks to what some of you did the other day, we all know that we can all make a difference together. We can fight!" The crowd roars in response. Damn, maybe I half decent at this whole rallying thing. Just a little more to cover and my heart can stop beating out of my chest. I can already feel my fingers starting to lock up.

"I know better than anyone that not everyone is born a fighter,sometimes mock battles in the training hall are enough to make someone faint. A fight to the death between two fully developed magian artists... If you make it through there's no way you won't be different by the end. If some of you want to head for the hills before we get attacked again, I understand completely. We don't just need fighters, people with ideas, people who can teach, anyone interested in crafting, anyone with anything they think they can offer... We need you. That's why going forward, the academy's policy will be that of specialization. All students are allowed to study or focus on whatever they pease, and no one is gonna give a damn about whether or not you can throw a fireball to graduate."

I take a deep breath and take a look at the crowd, mixed reaction on that one. I'm gonna make my last point as soon as I can. This public speaking is for the birds.

"New curriculum aside, it's up to you guys to decide what you want to do with your time going forward. There's a big war coming, and whether you stick around Arcton or not, you're going to feel the impact of how all of this ends. Confide in each other, and seek whatever support you may need. We'll all get through this one way or another, and this rally is just the first step."

A few murmurs and mumblings bubble into a furious cheer from the crowd. I think my job's done here. Alice skips my way and gives big smile. "Wyatt you did great!"

"Ah, yeah. You should probably see what's up with your old man."

"I will, but for now let's enjoy the turn out. It looks like we won't be relying on just us five to keep the city safe anymore!"

I pull out a stick and gesture for Kurt to come with me. "Yeah that's a relief alright, I'm gonna go before I get claustrophobic out here. Kurt spark me up."

Alice pouts as we take off. "What am I supposed to do with this crowd?!"

"Tell 'em to have a great day and you'll see them at class. We've got shit to do!"

Kurt and I run off, and he snaps his fingers to light my elderleaf. He lets out a sigh, "I really do hate to leave my public, so where are we headed exactly?"

"We're gonna finish the job of that chick you glassed and figure out what in the world they were digging for." I recall my skateboard and kick off for the west end of town.

Kurt clicks his heels and ignition glyphs come to life at the soles of his shoes.Flames surge from beneath him and he takes flight by my side. " It's about time we got active again! Now this is a mission I can get behind!"