Yaub offered Cel and Wrion to sleep with the rest of the students at the Drunken Dragon Inn. The former commander’s son accepted the offer as he wanted to put a distance between himself and the people who were already judging him harshly, but Cel didn’t care for the judgment. She decided to spend the few nights before she left with her brothers and sisters at the orphanage.
Tuk and Zer were against her leaving for the mainland and joining the academy, but as the days passed, they were slowly letting it go and just enjoying their time together. The orphanage didn’t really care all that much whether she stayed or left, and once Yaub settled all of the paperwork, she was allowed to leave the island legally.
After spending the morning with her old friends, Cel found herself with her new crew of Academy of Magic students at the finals of the Two-Way River games.
“Who do you think will win?” Drevan asked Cel.
“Moiran’s, of course,” she answered with a smile. “There is no way anyone else takes the trophy at the Two-Way River games other than us. We play it out our whole lives.”
“I don’t know,” Drevan said. “Those Eruthera guys seem to have taken the training really seriously and they look good. I’ve heard they somehow made a mock of the river flowing in two ways to simulate the Two-Way River so they can practice at home.”
Cel thought for a second. “Nah, no way, if you wanna bet I am all for it,” she said with confidence.
“Ok, let’s make a bet,” Drevan said, rubbing his chin. “If I win, you have to take half of my chores for a month once we are at the Academy of Magic.”
“What if, not if, when I win?” Cel asked half-teasingly.
“I’ll be your designated guide at the Academy until you settle,” the boy said, flashing his big smile.
“That hardly seems like a fair deal, you answer some questions and I get to do your chores,” Echo said.
“Well, the odds are heavily in your favor, no one has even beaten Moiran’s at their games, everyone plays for second anyway,” he said, putting his hand out.
“You’ve got a point,” Cel said, taking his hand. “Bet is on.”
They watched the final stages of each of the games, Moiran players and teams taking in the easy victories, with the second-comers changing depending on the games. The Barrel race was surprisingly close, where a girl from Azarim was in the lead for most of the race, only losing the first position in the last lap. Between Two Fires wasn’t even close; not a single Moiran player was hit and taken out.
After some Moiran traditional dancing and singing, the Aqua Twist finals were about to begin. Nine players from each team jumped into the river. The teams were split into two groups of four players, each of the groups taking one side of the river and a keeper that guarded the line. Two referees from each side of the river signaled the beginning of the game and tossed two balls, a red and a blue one. Red balls granted one point, while blue granted two, and the goal was to send a ball behind the keeper into the goal.
As the game commenced, the roar of the crowd echoed along the riverbanks. The players, adept in water, moved with grace while battling each other for every meter of the playing field. The Moiran Team, known for their dominance in Festival water games, quickly adapted to the challenge the Eruthera team was giving them.
Cel and Drevan watched intently, their eyes following every move of both teams. The Moirans’ strategy was clear - they swiftly passed the red ball amongst themselves, scoring single points steadily, while they strategically aimed for the heavier blue ball and kept it in play in the middle of the field, only trying to score with it once the opportunity arose.
On the other side, the Eruthera team, as Drevan mentioned, was surprisingly adept. It was evident that their hard training paid off as they kept the game close; the score near the end of the first half was only 12 to 8 for Moiran’s. They were evidently less experienced with the actual river’s currents, but their preparation showed in their coordinated movements and unexpected tactics.
The second half went in a similar manner. The Moirans, with their innate understanding of the Two-Way River and experience, began to slowly extend their lead. Their familiarity with the river’s currents allowed them to make daring plays and recover quickly from any setback.
The Eruthera team, however, refused to give up. They adapted quickly, learning from their mistakes and copying some of the Moiran’s tactics; they managed to get back into the game close to the end. Their resilience earned them admiration from the spectators.
The Erutherans tried to go on an all-out attack, holding both balls at times and attacking even from the opposing current, but the Moirans managed to fend off their attacks, holding a decent advantage as the game entered its last minute. The final whistle blew, and the Moiran team once again emerged victorious, the final score standing at 21 to 15.
The crowd’s applause was deafening as the Moiran team celebrated their hard-earned victory. Cel turned to Drevan, a triumphant smile on her face. “Looks like you will be my designated guide at the Academy.”
Drevan laughed, shaking his head in good-natured defeat. “There are worse things in this world than that. But you have to admit, the Eruthera team gave you a run for your coin.”
“They sure did,” Cel agreed. “It’s good to see such competition. It makes the victory even sweeter.”
The team didn’t linger long around the Two-Way River, but on Yaub’s instructions, they made their way back into Thalasyn where the showcases would be held in a few hours. On Eloken’s insistence, the students of the Academy of Magic were about to showcase their magical abilities to all the Festival goers. He thought it was a good idea to start breaking the stigma about magic and to show people it’s completely fine and harmless to use magic. He had also hoped he would gain new students this way from some of the Isari allies.
Cel used the break between the river games and the showcase to once again meet with her friends. As Cel returned, she snuck behind Yaub as he was talking with a tall, large man of similar build to his, tribal tattoos decorating the arms of both men. She overheard the man Yaub was talking to was from Hoptar, a kingdom from the south, most of the kingdom was covered in a large unexplored jungle.
Hoptar was mostly known for its exotic spices, creatures, and unique plants that they traded with the rest of the continent. Their hunters were one of the main attractions during the festival as every three years they would bring new species they discovered in the jungle. Some of the creatures were dangerous predators brought only for display, some of them were exotic pets that the elite from the continent bought and brought home with them to show their status and power. Additionally, some were utilized for more pragmatic reasons, serving as sources of food, leather, wool, and various health benefits that were
extracted from them.
In the short period she knew Yaub, Cel learned from him and other students that he was from these parts of the mainland as well. As she pieced together from different sources, he was a member of one of the tribes in or near Hoptar’s jungle, and because he didn’t like their brutal barbarian ways, he decided to leave in search of a more peaceful life up north, and that’s how, years later, he stumbled upon Eloken and his crew.
“I don’t know, Yaub,” the large man said. “Something weird is going on in the last few years.”
“Tell me about it,” Yaub said, chuckling, putting his large palm on the man's shoulder. “People dashing around, healing mortal wounds, jumping higher than the Gorsmops, it’s a crazy world.”
“Yeah, that,” the man said, not sharing the laughter. “But also the creatures from the jungle started acting weirdly. We used to have to wander into the uncharted territories and risk our lives in order to find new species, but lately, they have been coming to us, as if they were running from something in the heart of the jungle.”
“That is weird,” Yaub said. “Have you explored what could be causing them to run?”
“Hell no,” the man exclaimed. “If the predators are running away, it can’t be any good. Also, why would we go further into the jungle when the animals are coming to our door?” The man said, stopping for a second as he was thinking if he should continue.
“But the weird thing is,” he decided to continue. “We have been finding some of the monsters mutated or their behavior changed completely.”
“What do you mean?” Yaub asked, removing his hand from the man’s shoulder and crossing his arms.
“Well, some of the animals grew almost double their size. You will see at the showcase; a midnight panther that is usually two, two and a half meters long, we caught several that are almost four meters tall. It was a real struggle to capture those beasts,” the man said with a worried look on his face.
“That’s interesting,” Yaub added, not wanting the man to stop giving him more information.
“On the other hand, some of the animals we sold as exotic pets, like loquas that were tame, cuddly, and friendly towards humans all around, displayed increased aggression when encountering humans, to the point we had to kill them as there was no way of catching them.”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“What do you think is causing that?” Yaub asked the man, matching his serious and grim tone.
The man didn’t give Yaub any useful information, and the conversation turned in another direction toward more shallow topics. Cel used that moment to reveal herself to Yaub and the man.
“Oh, Cel,” Yaub said, flashing his biggest smile. “Didn’t see you there. Meet my friend Grop.” He gently put his large hand on her back, introducing her to his friend.
Cel shook the man’s hand, his palm double her size. “Nice to meet you,” Cel said, returning a warm smile to Grop.
“Are you ready for the showcase?” Yaub asked her.
“Yeah, can’t wait for the newly discovered animals, to be honest,” she said. “And are your students ready for their showcase?”
“They better be,” Yaub chuckled. “They’ve been practicing for the past three months. Eloken is going to be pissed if they mess this up.”
Thalasyn’s main square was full of people waiting for the showcase, the balconies on the houses surrounding the square barely holding the mass of people. Flags and banners of myriad colors fluttered in the breeze, casting playful shadows on the faces of the gathered crowd. The showcases began with the less impressive showings from different kingdoms; bigger attractions like Isari Students and Hoptar creatures were left for the end.
Cel’s eye was caught by the Trobolt inventors, who brought their latest machinery and instruments each festival. This time they presented a cooling device they called a “fan”. A wooden object with metal petals on the top and handle at the backside. When cranked, the petals spun rapidly, creating a refreshing breeze. They brought several people from the crowd that were blown away by the device and its breeze, which earned the Trobolt inventors the largest applause of the day.
After them, the announcer called for the Isari Academy of Magic, and Yaub took the stage. He apologized to the crowd for Eloken’s absence and explained their plan for the showcase. He introduced his first student, Drevan, her newly formed friend. The boy stepped forward, his youthful face beaming with confidence. He was a slender boy, with bright green eyes and straw-like blonde hair.
“My name is Drevan,” he addressed the crowd, jitters slightly visible. “And I can use a source of magic we call Vit. With this source, I can cast spells to heal myself or other living beings, including plants, animals, and, most importantly, other humans. First, I’ll demonstrate my powers on this plant.” He said, and Zoras brought an almost dead plant in front of Drevan.
He concentrated for a second, murmured some words under his breath, pointing his hands towards the dead plant, and the crowd gasped as verdant life spiraled up the plant, restoring it to lush vitality.
“There,” Drevan said. “The plant is fully restored now, and all the damage caused by neglect has been reverted. Now, if anyone from the crowd has a recent injury, I can demonstrate my powers on you.”
The crowd was silent for a moment before a young girl wearing a cast on her hand walked forward. “I injured my hand a few days ago; it still hurts, and I can’t move it freely,” she said in a shy voice.
“Come here,” Drevan said with the warmest smile. “We will take care of that.”
He asked for a knife or scissors from the crowd, and a woman from one of the houses that surrounded the square offered her scissors. The crowd passed them around, and they made their way to Drevan, who carefully removed the young girl's cast. She winced in pain as he fully removed it and took her right injured hand into her left, cradling it against her stomach.
“Stand there,” Drevan said and repeated the same process he did with the plant.
The girl watched with a reserved look in her eyes as Drevan’s hands glowed faintly, barely visible to her from this up close. That soft light slowly transferred from Drevan and enveloped her injured hand. The spectators held their breath, the only sound a distant murmur of the festival going on in the other parts of the city. Moments later, the girl flexed her fingers, her expression shifting from pain to surprise and then to joy. “It doesn’t hurt anymore!” she exclaimed, moving her hand freely. Murmurs of amazement rippled through the crowd as Drevan bowed modestly, his demonstration a resounding success.
“Please don’t overuse that hand,” he said to the girl. “It’s not completely healed yet; it still needs some time for the bone to regrow completely, and you need to strengthen your muscles. But in a few days, you should be all good.” He said, and the girl hugged him before running off to her mother in the crowd.
Next, Yaub introduced Liana, a student adept in the Vis source. With a confident stride, she took the stage. After introductions, in an instant, the girl dashed to the far end of the square and back, her movements almost a blur to the naked eye. She then demonstrated her insane physical capabilities by lifting heavy objects with ease. To prove her speed and strength, she performed a series of tasks in seconds, tasks that would take ordinary people much longer and a bigger workforce. Her display earned her a roaring applause.
Cel looked over at Yaub and Zoras, who both had dumb grins on their faces as they watched their students with pride. Yaub introduced two more students who showcased sources of Exo and Pal, and Yaub explained to the crowd how magic is nothing to be afraid of and how it can help people with everyday tasks and life in general. He encouraged everyone who has experienced anything similar to seek him out before they leave the festival if they are willing to join the Academy of Magic and learn more about their powers.
As they were finishing and the sun dipped lower in the sky, the anticipation for the Hoptar hunters and their animals grew. Handlers led the exotic animals onto the stage, each more magnificent than the other. As Cel, standing beside Drevan, watched, the four-meter-long midnight panther that Grop mentioned to Yaub took the stage and earned the biggest applause of their showcase so far.
On the far left of the stage, there was a cage that drew her attention; it was covered in beige cloth to hide its contents, but as the showcase was progressing, the cage started rattling more and more, and the creature from the cage started roaring loudly, drawing the attention of everyone.
“Now, now,” the showcase presenter for Hoptar said. “You will get your chance.”
The crowd’s anticipation mounted as the Hoptar presenter approached the mysterious cage. With a dramatic flourish, he pulled back the cloth, revealing a creature unlike any other.
“This,” the presenter announced, “is the Serpion!”
The Serpion was a majestic creature that left Cel speechless. It had a muscular body resembling a lion, but it was covered in shimmering scales that seemed to change color with the light, transitioning from deep emerald to a mesmerizing azure. Its head was serpentine, with piercing golden eyes and a mane that flowed like liquid silver. Despite its imposing size and formidable appearance, Cel noticed an unexpected gentleness in its eyes, giving it an oddly endearing quality.
Serpion [https://i.ibb.co/R2fdmBM/DALL-E-2024-01-31-13-41-05-A-majestic-creature-named-Serpion-with-the-muscular-body-of-a-lion-covere.png]
As the announcer approached the Serpion with a prod in his hand, intending to demonstrate its ferocity, the creature’s demeanor shifted. Its eyes narrowed, and a low growl resonated from its throat. In an instant, the Serpion lashed out, its powerful tail sweeping the announcer off his feet.
Panic ensued as the crowd backed away, their awe slowly turning into fear. The Hoptar hunters, including Grop, and nearby Royal Guards rushed in, attempting to subdue the creature. However, their efforts were futile; the Serpion’s scales were like armor, repelling their blows with ease. It moved with surprising agility for its size, evading capture and causing chaos.
Amidst the turmoil, Cel, who had been watching in horror as they swarmed the creature, felt a surge of emotion. She couldn’t bear to see the magnificent creature being harmed. Stepping forward, she felt an unfamiliar power coursing through her. All of a sudden, she felt a deep, resonant connection with the Serpion.
Acting on instinct, Cel jumped forward and rushed towards the creature, her eyes locked with its golden gaze. She murmured words that came to her naturally, not breaking the gaze with the creature. The Serpion’s thrashing slowed, its growls softening. The crowd, hunters, and guard watched in stunned silence as the creature gradually calmed, its aggressive stance melting away.
With grace that belied its size, the Serpion approached Cel, its head bowing gently towards her. She managed to calm the creature that was in a murderous frenzy almost instantly. Cel reached out, her hand gently stroking the creature’s mane. It nuzzled against her, a gesture of trust.
Yaub, the other students, and her friends from the orphanage gathered around her, their expressions puzzled. “Cel, how did you...?” Zer broke the silence but was unable to finish her sentence.
Cel turned to them, a serene smile on her face. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I think we just made a new friend.”
The Serpion, now completely at ease, didn’t leave Cel’s side for the rest of the night. The Hoptar hunters didn’t want anything to do with the creature, so Yaub made a deal with them to take it off their hands. The Royal Guard was a bigger issue as they deemed the creature a threat to their island. Yaub managed to make a deal with them that they would return the creature to the cage and transport it to their ship as they were leaving the next day. The Royal Guard almost didn’t agree, but the council member and former High Commander of the Royal Guard, Fopit, persuaded them, and they reluctantly agreed.
The following day, after an emotional farewell with her friends, where tears were shed, hugs were exchanged, and kisses were given, Cel found herself reassuring them multiple times that she would be alright, that this new path was the best choice for her, and that someday they would all be reunited. With these promises and heartfelt moments behind her, Cel stood on the deck of the Isari ship, poised and ready to set sail for the mainland and begin her journey at the Academy of Magic.
She decided to go below the deck to check on the Serpion before they departure, the creature was sleeping in its cage last time she checked. As she approached the cage she heard one of the barrels move to her side.
“Who is there?” She asked her voice tinged with caution.
From behind the barrel Tuk emerged, a sheepish yet determined look on his face. “It’s me,” Tuk said, his voice barely above a whisper and his face red as always. “I couldn’t let you go alone to the mainland.”
Cel’s eyes widened in surprise. “Tuk, what are you doing here? How did you even get on board?
Tuk shuffled his feet, looking both excited and nervous. “Well, I learned from the best,” His face somehow got even more red. “I snuck on when they were loading the supplies. I just... I couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing you for God knows how long. And there’s something else – I think I can do magic.”
Cel's surprise turned into a curiosity. “Magic? What makes you think that?”
“It’s recent, I've been practicing in secret for the past few weeks,” Tuk confessed. “After seeing what you and the others could do, I had to follow you here I find out more. I don’t know much, but strange things happen when I concentrate really hard. Objects move, the air buzzes, my vision gets hazy and I see other places. I think I might have some sort of magical ability.”
Cel looked at Tuk, her initial shock giving way to a sense of understanding. “This is big, Tuk. But you can’t just stow away on an Academy ship like that, you should have told me and Yaub would taken you in, you heard him last night, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I wasn’t sure what to do, if I was imagining things or not, and by the time I decided I wasn’t and that I wanted to go with you, you were already gone, and this was the only way in.” He said shifting his feet in the process.
“Alright, alright, It will be fine,” Cel reassured him. “Let’s look for Yaub and tell him now so we don’t get into more trouble.”
“Are you sure?” Tuk asked her.
“Yes, they are good people, they will accept you right away,” Cel said. “You trust me right?” She inquired.
“Always,” Tuk gave her a warm smile and Cel returned with a hug happy to have someone she knows by her side on her new adventure.
“Let’s go then,” She said taking his hand.