Jacob found Deputy Yang typing away on a Lenovo laptop in the lounge area by the bay windows.

"Hey, you're up!" Jimmy said, looking up from his laptop as Jacob entered.

Jacob nodded. "Are you doing anything?"

"Writing my report on that raijū crossover." Jimmy reached his hands over his head and stretched like a cat waking from a nap. "Why do you ask?"

"Uh... I was wondering if you'd give me another lesson." Jacob said.

Jimmy snapped his laptop closed and sat back in his seat. "You sure you don't want to rest?"

Jacob forced himself to be firm. "I don't want to get caught out like that again. I need to be able to handle myself magically."

Jimmy nodded. "That makes sense. I'm sorry you got left there. That's on me. I should have been more careful watching out for you."

Jacob shrugged. "It's okay." He was almost kind of glad it had happened. He'd learned a lot and gotten a glimpse of what that other world was really like. But should he say that? Would it sound stupid?

"I... uh, I'm a little glad it happened, actually." Jacob immediately regretted saying it.

Jimmy sat up. "Really? Why?"

"Well, you know..." Jacob shrugged.

Jimmy gestured to the couch across from him. "Here, sit down bud."

Jacob plopped down on the couch.

"Why are you glad it happened? It's fine, you can tell me. It's better to talk about it, you know." Jimmy said.

Jacob looked at the floor. Should he talk about it? He'd never talked about stuff with Luke or Thiago before, but Jimmy seemed like a really good guy who would know what to do. "I guess I'm glad it happened because it made me realize some stuff, like how dangerous magic and that other world is, but also how stupid I am to be scared about other stuff that isn't actually scary."

"Put some stuff in perspective, eh?"

Jacob frowned, then nodded, "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Well, I'm glad you got something out of it. Experience will teach you more than any book or old shmuck like me will."

"Really?"

"Of course. Now, that doesn't mean I think what happened was good. I was super worried while you were missing, man. Can't imagine what it was like being over there by yourself. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." Jacob blushed.

"If you don't mind me asking, after what you've seen so far, do you think you'd want to be a Ranger?"

Jacob shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know. It seems a little scary."

"It did to me too, when I first started. But the more I saw Rangers work, the more I realized how important this job is. It's not about beating up magical creatures. It's about protecting people. Using the abilities you've been given to protect other people who can't protect themselves."

It made Jacob think of his parents again. They wouldn't be able to do anything against a magical creature. Neither would Luke or Thiago or anyone else from school. Christ, did that make him responsible for protecting them? He'd never thought about having to protect other people before.

"Did you always want to protect people?" Jacob asked.

Jimmy laughed. "No. Hadn't even thought about it. I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up, but that was before I knew I had literal superpowers. With great power comes great responsibility, right? Man, I sound so corny. I don't have any regrets, though. I really love doing what I do. Don't worry, you're still super young. You got plenty of time to figure out what you want to do and what motivates you."

Jacob considered this. What motivated him? He'd always wanted to be an ecologist and had worked toward that in school, but it was always something that was far off. Something that he just kind of did in his spare time. But now he needed to learn more about magic so he could protect himself from that rogue mage and so he could explore that magical world and all the magical ecosystems without being in danger. He didn't want to do anything else but learn magic to achieve those ends. Almost like he was craving it. It was a weird sensation. Was this what it felt like to be motivated, like one of those characters from anime he'd watched who only ever had one goal and did everything they could to achieve it?

He'd only ever told his parents about wanting to be an ecologist, should he tell Jimmy about this? If he really wanted it, he'd tell him, even if it sounded stupid, right?

"I want to learn more magic, so I can protect myself against the rogue mage."

Jimmy nodded. "Alright, I can teach you."

"What about your report?"

Jimmy waved a hand. "Ah, it'll get done when it gets done. Anything specific you had in mind?"

"Uh, something I can use in combat. Like a fireball or something."

"Whoa-ho there bucko, that's a little too advanced for you right now. Hmm, alrighty, before you get another lesson you gotta show me the first wasn't a waste of time. Let's see that resistance."

Jacob accessed his magic. It was much easier than it had been the night before. Stretching that magic muscle throughout his body was harder, but he got it first attempt. He pictured green, and saw himself hardening into steel.

"Hit me." Jacob said.

Jimmy hauled off and punched him in the arm. Jacob felt the deputy's fist, but it felt like someone tapping him.

"Nice. Alright. When you get good with resilience, you'll be able to slide it around to different body parts. Why do you think that might be important?"

Jacob blinked at the question, then thought about it for a moment. "To conserve magic?"

"Very good. I'm telling you, you're a natural, kid. That's reason number one: Only needing resilience where you're being hit, and thus not spending magical energy to cover your whole body for an entire fight. But reason number two is that it also allows you to strike with more force with a given body part if you were using the strength-resilience spell, for example. If I can take the entirety of my magic and put it into my fist, that's a far smaller area and thus a far higher density and potency of magic than if it were spread around my whole body."

Jimmy opened his palm. The green cloud that lay over it slid up his arm, back and forth across his torso, down into his leg.

"Whoa, how did you do that?"

"Practice."

Jacob grinned.

Camilla walked into the room.

"Whatcha teaching him?"

"I was going to teach him how to sense magic visually."

Camilla put her hands on her hips and looked Jacob up and down. "Let me know when he starts teaching you useful stuff so I can fight you."

Gulp.

"Haha, very funny. You better be careful Ms D'Angelo, he's a quick learner."

"So am I. Any idea what his aptitude is?"

Jimmy shrugged. "He'll get tested if he goes to the Academy, along with you and the rest of your class."

"You can't test him here?"

"No."

"But my father tested me."

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"Really?" Jimmy looked confused.

"Yes, he did, but in classic fashion he didn't tell me what my Strength Chart was."

"I've only ever heard of people being tested with the device they have at the Academy, but I guess your father is Antonio D'Angelo. Jacob's been fairly natural at Consumption magics thus far. So maybe he'll be a shade of green. Speaking of which, why don't you show me your resilience, Ms D'Angelo."

"Why should I?"

"Oh ho! Sassy, aren't we? Because if you're going to continue coming with us on our little excursions, you need to prove your battle aptitude."

"But I've been fine!"

"Sorry, rules are rules. Sheriff Hueller would have already tested you if he didn't have a soft spot for you."

"He does not!"

"C'mon, I just want to help you. Maybe there's a thing or two you can teach Jacob about casting it."

Camilla glanced between them. She folded her arms. "Fine, but you have to agree to duel me, Deputy Yang."

Jimmy laughed.

Footsteps approached.

"How are things?" Sheriff Hueller strode into the lounge.

"We're chilling." Jimmy said.

"How are your magic levels?" Sheriff Hueller asked Jimmy.

Jimmy folded his arms. "Not bad, actually. But that's because you benched me against that Raijū."

"You know why I did that."

"I know: 'I'm the only strong Consumer we have.' Doesn't mean I like watching the other deputies risk their lives while I do practically nothing."

Sheriff Hueller's level gaze stayed on his deputy for a moment longer.

Jimmy cleared his throat and looked away. "Any word from Chicago?"

"Nomad Rangers are a day out. Apparently there was a massive Producer crossover in Yellowstone. Local Rangers were totally overwhelmed. Any spare Nomads went there."

"Damn. Not like Wyoming's got a huge Ranger presence to start with."

"No. They'll be here tomorrow. But, because of Seattle and Calgary's recent upticks, the rogue mage can't be the only reason for the increase in crossovers."

"You think?"

Sheriff Hueller nodded, face grim. "It's too much for one mage. He can't be everywhere at once. Killing Producers and feeding them to Consumers takes time, like Jacob saw."

Silence.

"But, the Council Representative doesn't see it that way. Won't send us more than they think necessary and certainly won't pull other on-duty Rangers to aid because the Nomads are tied up."

"The usual, 'lack of evidence' shenanigans?"

"Indeed. None of us have actually seen this rogue mage, and they never rely on non-Ranger eyewitness to pull other on-duty Rangers. They're also calling the upticks just 'natural fluctuations' even though they're way out of nominal ranges."

Jimmy snorted. "Typical Council."

Sheriff Hueller turned to Jacob. "You need to stay here for another day. Once the Nomad Rangers get here we should be able to flush the rogue mage out. I've notified our contacts in the Vancouver Police Department with the description you gave. If he shows up on their radar, we'll know."

Jacob nodded.

Sheriff Hueller turned to Jimmy. "You should go and get some rest. We don't know when he will strike again."

"I was teaching Jacob how to visually sense magic."

Hueller grunted. "I will take over. Go and rest."

Jacob blinked. Learning from the stony Hueller?

"But-" Jimmy said.

"Jimmy."

Jimmy sagged. "Okay, sorry chief." He winked at Jacob. "I'll catch ya later, bud. Show the Sheriff what you got."

"See ya." Jacob said.

Jimmy packed up his laptop and left the room.

"If you're going to teach him, you might as well teach me too." Camilla crossed her arms.

"Very well. Follow me." Sheriff Hueller turned and strode out of the room.

Jimmy and Camilla followed.

"We will train in our actual training room. Usually it is occupied by one of the deputies but I've instructed them to not use their magic unless absolutely necessary."

They followed Sheriff Hueller into a section of the Sanctuary separate from the Refuge, lobby, and common area. Sheriff Hueller passed the device on his wrist over a sensor next to a set of metal doors. It beeped green and they entered. They went down a hallway, past two doors labelled Barracks and Mess through a door labelled Training Room at the end of the hall.

The training room was more like a dungeon. It reminded Jacob of the one in Camilla's basement, except five times larger. The floor, walls, and ceiling were hewn stone. Training dummies and targets were piled in one corner and racks of various weapons lined the walls. A section of the space was a mash of stone ramps, shelves and structures, like a skate park.

"Haven't been here in ages!" Camilla laughed. She went over and examined the weapons along the wall.

Hueller shed his black cloak. Beneath he wore long sleeved black fatigues that made him look like a ninja.

"Deputy Yang's idea to teach you how to sense magic was good, but let's see how you handle that resilience spell first. Cast it, I will come at you."

Jacob nodded.

Before he could even think, Hueller came slicing at him, kicking his side. Jacob engaged his magic in a panic. Hueller's kick sent him into the ground.

"Oof." Jacob landed hard on his side. What the hell? He hadn't had a moment to get ready.

The Sheriff bent into a stance. "Quicker. Enemies won't wait for you to be ready. You saw that when you ran from the chimera, no doubt. You have to be prepared before you step onto the field of battle, both physically and mentally. Again."

Jacob struggled to his feet. The chimera. It hadn't been lightning quick, but there hadn't been any hesitation or indecision in its movements. If he'd been quicker about engaging his magic, he could have run immediately instead of hiding. He engaged his magic, slid it throughout his body, and cast the spell.

This time Hueller's kick sent him stumbling to one side, but it didn't hurt.

"Better, but you still need to brace yourself. Casting the spell is not enough. Get into a stance and absorb the blow normally. Again."

This time Jacob weathered the kick and didn't move.

"Again."

He braced himself and Hueller kicked him from the other side.

"Again."

Hueller came at him for what seemed like hours. By the end he was sweating through his shirt and having trouble engaging his magic. It was like it was too tired to flex. He hadn't been this worn out since going to soccer try outs in grade 7. But he had a much better feel for how to take blows and keep his feet, and his control over the magic was more automatic.

"Good. Now let's practice your magic sensing. Engage your magic. I will half-cast a spell, wherein I release the magic to cast a specific spell, but don't actually build the spell. You will sense the colour of the magic I am releasing and tell me what type of magic it is, then what colour."

Jacob engaged his magic. It took him a few tries but he pushed through the resistance. From Hueller's left hand he could feel a deep violet.

"Um, Decomposition?"

"Are you asking me, or answering?"

"Answering. Decomposition."

"Correct. What colour?"

"Violet."

"Be more specific."

"Deep violet. Feels almost black. Like the Reaper's magic."

Sheriff Hueller's eyes twinkled. "Good. Very good. Camilla, come here."

Camilla skipped over. "What's up?"

"I want you to cast various different spells and see if Jacob can guess them."

"Okay." Camilla turned and folded her arms. "Ready?"

Orange flared out from her.

"Production. Orange."

"Good."

They did it until his head spun with colours and it felt like he'd named every colour in existence. By the end he was sweating through his shirt and the sensing seemed more natural, like attuning to one of his five normal senses. The magic felt brighter, easier to 'see,' a sensation similar to having his night vision adjust to darkness. No longer vague impressions, but vivid colours with meaning.

"That's enough for now." Sheriff Hueller said. "Sensing an enemy's magic is one of the most important aspects of fighting. If you know what to expect, you can evade their attack. You saw the fight against the Reaper and know by now that each mage will have a few spells they are adept at and use for offence, defence, mobility. But the key to fighting effectively is to use as little magic as possible. I am better off evading a spell than blocking it with a ward or a Decomp spell. Jimmy is better off dodging using his own strength instead of powering magic into resilience to resist a big hit. Knowing what kind of spell your opponent is casting can give you that extra split second you might need to avoid it without using too much magical energy. Even on offence, you want to minimize magical waste and find the most efficient way to beat your enemy."

Jacob frowned. "Like finding the shortest route in a labyrinth." Like catching the easiest prey in your ecosystem. Like using the simplest technique to avoid a predator.

"Exactly. You need to save that magic for when something unexpected happens. Unlike a labyrinth, a fight is constantly evolving. What differentiates good fighters from great fighters is the ability to constantly reassess the best path to victory while the fight unfolds."

Jacob thought back to when he'd run from the chimera. Had he assessed the best way to victory? Or had he just run? Had that been his only option? Was it different in a chase? He didn't know. He'd made a split second decision and it had turned out correct. Next time he would make sure he had more options.

"Do they teach you this at the Academy?" Camilla asked.

Sheriff Hueller shook his head. "Not specifically. I learned all about fight tactics from my first internship under Ranger Tyson out of Portland. I did fairly well in my first years at the Academy, but it wasn't until after learning those maxims, seeing his mentality and philosophy firsthand, and actually using all of it in fights that I really started to develop what it would take to be a Sheriff."

"What does it take?" Camilla asked.

Sheriff Hueller grinned. "You have to figure that out for yourself. I can't help you, and neither can your father. No one can. It has to come from within. That's the only way." He turned to Jacob. "Let's see that resilience spell again. This time, Camilla, I want you to throw wards at him."

Camilla bared her teeth.

Jacob groaned. A tiny part of him still wondered if she was a vampire.

For the next half hour Jacob weathered blows from Camilla while the two of them maneuvered around the skate park like obstacle course. She'd lance little translucent cones of force at him and he'd cast resilience and dodge or take the blow if he couldn't dodge. Each strike was accompanied by a snarky comment about how Jacob was losing to a girl. Moving was difficult with the augmented speed and strength and his perception lagging behind, but he got to a point where he could handle it. He felt a bit like a marionette flopping and stumbling around, but even the unwieldy movements were quicker than anything he could do unaugmented. Camilla got better at aiming her wards and firing them faster such that even by the end he was still getting hit as much as he was dodging.

"Alright, that's enough." Sheriff Hueller said.

Jacob fumbled to a halt, breathing heavily, and bent over and put his hands on his knees. Sweat dripped off the end of his nose.

Camilla leapt down from atop the obstacle course. "Whew!" She was sweating too.

"Dinner is ready. I'm sure both of you are starving." Sheriff Hueller said.

Jacob's stomach rumbled. Food? He hadn't even thought about his next meal. He'd been too wrapped up in the training.

"We'll eat with the deputies in the mess." Sheriff Hueller said.

"I have to shower first!" Camilla said.

"Alright, but be quick. Otherwise there might be none left."

"Oh, there better be. Or else!" Camilla sprinted out of the training room.

"You hungry?" Sheriff Hueller asked.

Jacob was still too out of breath to say anything. He just nodded.

"C'mon then."