It was fascinating looking at a newspaper since they didn’t really exist much in my home world anymore. Underneath the “Masked Robber” title was a hand-drawn picture of a lion's head. It glared straight at me, but its mouth was closed. The lion seemed deep in thought but also intimidating, with its eyes narrowed.

I flipped to the first page and began reading. Once again, I saw the title and the columns running down the page. At the very top, with neatly written cursive, was the name, Ronoke.

In December, Lementum experienced a heinous bank robbery, resulting in a total of eleven individuals sustaining injuries. Tragically, one of the elderly patrons succumbed to the unprecedented nature of the attack. Witnesses attested to the perpetrator unleashing an inexplicable force - a white beam emitted from the criminal's palm that rendered its targets completely incapacitated.

The Mage Force tasked with investigating the incident posited that the culprit was an individual born with dual elemental abilities. While this phenomenon has been observed in the past, it is unusual for the colors of the elements to portray white, as they typically merge.

Thus, the question remains: what type of mystical energy did the assailant employ?

While definitive answers are elusive, I hold the belief that the perpetrator utilized iox magic.

Allow me to elaborate. Iox magic is a form of energy that traces its lineage to the legendary Manticore, a creature steeped in myth and fable. While some may dismiss the existence of such a force as mere legend, I contend that the evidence points to its reality.

But that's just a myth, right?

Mythology is a ubiquitous presence in our cultural heritage. Many of us may have a passing familiarity with its tales, while others may possess a more intimate knowledge of its intricacies. The present event brings to mind the legend of the Manticore, a creature steeped in mythos and imbued with otherworldly powers. While I shall refrain from delving into the finer details of its origin and stories, I shall instead focus on the salient information.

It is said that the Manticore commanded a vast army of minions, yet it remained dissatisfied with their abilities when pitted against the Gargantuan’s formidable Dragon Tamer. Mages also emerged from the Gargantuan, each imbued with unique elemental abilities that we all know today. However, the Manticore needed more, and so it birthed an iox mercenary, endowed with the power to grant its magic to others. The iox mercenary, the Manticore's closest ally, drew upon its master's might to vanquish the Dragon Tamer, utilizing a force known as iox magic.

Although widely regarded as mere legend, I maintain that the events at the bank bear all the hallmarks of the fabled iox magic. Such a potent force cannot be dismissed as mere fiction, but instead represents a tangible reality that we must acknowledge.

And for someone to use iox magic, they are powerful. But a more frightening thought is this individual is intelligent.

We've seen the copycat attempts on bank robberies since the successful masked assailant. And all the copycat attempts have failed. It's not to say those individuals aren't savvy, but they're using elemental magic that we've all seen before. The Manticore mask criminal showed that he's utilizing power unknown to others. A bank full of powerful mages to protect it was nullified in seconds.

The other attempts had strong mages run through the banks, but they were all stopped swiftly by the tellers working behind the counter. You have to hire skilled and talented mages to work at a bank.

People think my opinion on the matter is insane, but it's not an opinion. It's a warning. The magic from the Manticore never disappeared; it has only been hidden. I firmly believe that this individual began as a standard mage, one of fire or poison or ice or water or wind or lightning, but has since made the life-altering discovery of iox magic.

This is horrifying.

Regrettably, I speak not in hyperbole when I express my concern, for perilous forces indeed loom on the horizon. If swift action is not taken, the ramifications could be catastrophic and far-reaching.

I set aside the newspaper and thought about what I had just read. Farrah's brother, Elijah, had returned to the world and reconnected with their family and his job. I wondered what he thought of everything. Maybe I could get him to talk to Ronoke, which might better inform him of what's happening.

But another idea crossed my mind.

Getting off the bench, I approached Ronoke and pointed to the newspaper cover. "I just read your article about the robbery. That's pretty mind-blowing stuff."

Ronoke nodded. "While it might be mind-blowing, it's not meant for shock. That is a legitimate assessment of the situation. No exaggeration, although many will tell you that it is fear-mongering."

"Do you know what an orb is?"

Ronoke paused, but his lip curled up. "Why yes, tools made by Helena for Sandra, the Dragon Tamer, and the Molten Marauder. I know about them very well." He kept nodding and looked down at the table. "I haven't dialogued with a human-like this in many moons. How strange. Then again, these are strange times." He looked back up at me. "How do you know about orbs, young man? Do they teach them in school?"

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"No, actually. They don't do lessons on orbs anymore. I guess too many people have tried finding them and failed."

"While it is true that the quest for an orb is fraught with perilous outcomes, I maintain that Attleton's educational curriculum would benefit from its inclusion. However, my voice, as a gargoyle, on this matter remains unheard and unacknowledged."

"Has anyone ever found an orb?"

Ronoke shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of. I sense that you read the story and now think we need an orb to stop this masked man. Is that right?"

"Yeah, I guess. I wanted to know what you had to say about it."

"Indeed, one who possesses an orb would possess the power to conjure magic capable of subduing the masked criminal. However, it is my belief that the criminal is not yet fully developed in their abilities, relatively speaking. While they may exceed the skill level of the average Attleton graduate, I posit that were they to face off against Principal Pine, whose mastery of Honora magic is well-established, they would be no match. Nonetheless, if this iox mage persists in their malevolent deeds, it is conceivable that their powers will continue to grow, eventually reaching a level where they could overcome even a skilled practitioner of Honora magic such as Principal Pine."

I scratched the back of my head. ”What does Honora magic mean?"

“The explanation is lengthy. But to put it in its simplest terms, it's the magic that is the strongest ability a mage could achieve. Very few are capable. The power of Honora magic is unrivaled."

"But what does it look like? How is it any different than shooting out a fire blast?"

"I'm not sure myself. I've never seen it performed in front of me. It takes tremendous skill, time, patience, and discipline. There’s a whole program that only a select few are eligible for."

I nodded. It was all making sense, somewhat. ”I see."

"Principal Pine is the ultimate guardian of Attleton. I mean, the professors there are a great line of defense if anyone ever tries to attack, but in the end, Principal Pine is one of the most powerful beings in our world. Another principal at another school is capable of the same power. Her name is Zita. She's the principal at Loxton in Europe."

"I'm not even familiar with Loxton.” I shrugged.

Ronoke gently tapped the table with his claws. ”It's the school that is part of the Englaria islands."

"Oh, okay, that makes sense. So back to this masked robber stuff because I find it pretty interesting. How do you think we should handle the situation then? Should he be captured?"

"Without a doubt, this individual must be apprehended and incarcerated for their heinous crime of murder committed through the use of magic. As it stands, this perpetrator is not merely a robber but a murderer, and must be removed from the public sphere with haste. The difficulty lies in the fact that the perpetrator's identity remains unknown, leaving them free to roam about undetected. The current approach to the situation appears inadequate on a global scale, with the gargoyles and Mage Force failing to collaborate in their efforts. Admittedly, there exists a contentious history between the two groups, leading to understandable reservations about working together. However, I maintain that in this particular instance, joint efforts are crucial. I suggest enlisting the expertise of individuals such as Principal Pine or Zita in the pursuit of this criminal, though I recognize that my suggestion may be perceived as impetuous by some. People say, 'well, they have jobs to take care of as principal,' But they're also the most powerful mages we have.”

My eyes widened. “Wow, I don’t disagree.”

Ronoke tapped the table again and rubbed his face. “While I understand that my words may not have a significant impact, as a writer for a globally produced newspaper, I feel compelled to use my voice for a noble cause. I fear that the involvement of Principal Pine or Principal Zita may come too late, as the Mage Force will likely seek their assistance once the masked criminal becomes more formidable. Mark my words, this criminal will grow in power, and by then, it may be too late to prevent more harm."

"But if someone can find iox magic, descended from the Manticore, does that mean the Dragon Tamer had some magic buried somewhere that's discoverable."

"Your statement is indeed a valid consideration, however, I am of the opinion that our focus should not be limited to just finding those elusive orbs. There might be other means to tackle the situation at hand. Perhaps, we could gather our best minds and resources to develop a countermeasure against the unique magic of the masked criminal. We should strive to explore all possible avenues before we conclude that finding the orbs is the only solution."

"But someone found the iox magic, right? So I think If a team was assembled by some Mage Force people, perhaps they could have someone on constant lookout."

"You're a sharp young man. They should hire you as a Captain for the Mage Force."

I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but I kept talking to him sincerely. ”Isn’t it possible that the Mage Force already assembled a team to search for those orbs?"

Ronoke shook his head. "I refuse to believe it. The visionary I've seen, that is quite reliable, can't sense anything of that nature occurring. Besides, you might be surprised that many people think the orbs are just part of mythology and are non-existent. Believers like myself are a rare kind. Would you consider yourself a believer?"

"I'm not sure. I guess so." My shoulders bounced. "Do you know of any books or anything I could read about the Dragon Tamer?"

Ronoke paused and smiled. "I've never met a human so interested in this stuff," he whispered to himself. "Sure, I don't see why not." Ronoke held a long finger in the air and focused on a bag underneath his chair. Shuffling some things around, he grabbed a book and gave it to me.

THE QUESTS OF THE DRAGON TAMER.

"Thank you very much! I look forward to checking this out," I said.

"My pleasure, young man. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you find it eye-opening. Perhaps even inspired. One man can't change the system, but he can influence others in his direction, and together we can move forward."

I jogged out of the park and went to the Englaria docks of Port Harbor. The building in front of the docks looked like a castle but only two stories high, with cream-colored cobblestone making up the exterior. Wandering inside the building, it had flagstone floors and dark wooden benches.

My grandpa was sitting by himself, reading a newspaper. He grinned as soon as he saw me. Standing up, we hugged and caught up for a moment before walking out onto the docks and taking a ship back to his house for the break.

In the back of my mind, I was bummed that I wouldn't see Farrah during the whole vacation, but at least I didn't have to go back to my home world and see my parents. It was much more pleasant spending time with my grandpa at his house. While on the boat ride back to Englaria, I thought about what other people were doing to celebrate spring break. Did people go to a special island to party and hang out on a beach? Or what did people like Head Counselor Jonathan do when the students weren't around?