Jonathan's office was a spacious, airy room with high ceilings and windows that reached from floor to top. The room was shaped like an octagon, with walls painted a soothing shade of blue. In the center of the room stood a large, ornately carved wooden desk with a matching chair behind it. The desk was tidy and organized, with a few papers and trinkets arranged neatly. On either side of the desk were two comfortable-looking armchairs, upholstered in a soft, plush fabric.

The room was filled with light, thanks to the sparkling crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Soft, natural fiber rugs covered the floor, adding warmth and texture to the space. The walls were adorned with tapestries of the different elemental symbols. Several potted plants were scattered throughout the room, adding a touch of greenery and life.

Jonathan's office was a welcoming and inviting space, perfect for conducting private counseling sessions or engaging in deep conversations. As I entered, Jonathan was sitting at his desk reading a scroll and looked up at me and smiled. "Rollie, what a pleasure it is to see you. How have things been going? I've been wondering about how well you've transitioned to Attleton. It must be pretty well, eh? You've already made an impact on the Dragonstryke team."

I nodded. "Thank you. Things have been going great for the most part. I've been really loving campus."

"That warms my heart to hear. You belong here, Rollie, and I'm sure you'll continue growing to become a great fire mage one day. Anyways, what can I do for you?"

"Yeah, I got this strange letter the other day in my mailbox. I've asked a few people if they know who it's from, but no one has had a clue. I was just wondering if you might have any ideas who this is from or what it might be about?" I pulled out the letter from my cloak and handed it to him.

Jonathan's eyes widened slightly, and he read through it a few times. "And you say you received this in your mailbox?"

I nodded.

Jonathan took a breath. He paused and looked at me, deep in thought. "I'm going to be 100% honest with you, Rollie. This letter is from a friend of mine, I firmly believe."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's a friend of mine who likes to pay visionaries a visit. Are you familiar with those yet?"

"Visionaries? No, I haven't heard much about them."

Jonathan set the letter down. "So my friend is a wind mage, and he really respects the word of visionaries. These are people you can find in the larger cities in Lementum. You pay them whatever fee, and they claim they can see the future. It's similar to fortune tellers in your culture. But these people apparently have 'visions' when someone pays them a visit. Not many people give them much credence, but I guess my friend does."

My whole body shivered. "Your friend doesn't know me, right? How would a visionary have known about me if they have no validity?"

"That's a good point. But it's also like dreams in a way. Visionaries see things that you might see in a dream or a nightmare. I'm sure you've had instances like that, where you dream about someone or something who doesn't exist in your life? These visionaries are a little more lucid and can catch names, whereas, in dreams, you're not always able to discern those details."

The conversation was already confusing me. "So when it talks about me being a piece to a puzzle, do you know what the puzzle is about?"

"I might. Daniel is a groundbreaking mage capable of new things the mage community isn't aware of. And I think he wants others to join him in his academic pursuit."

"And what exactly is this academic pursuit?"

"It's hard to say. Even though Daniel and I are pals, I still need to find out the full extent of everything. If you think I'm a smart guy, you'll find Daniel to be on a different level of intelligence, but he's not intimidating to talk to. I don't want you to be scared of chatting with him."

"To be honest, this letter is pretty spooky. There are hardly any details, and it feels very cryptic."

Jonathan shrugged. "I wish I had more to give you, but I don't." Jonathan snickered quietly to himself. "Daniel can be Like that. Part of me thinks it's an act, but it's how he's always been. He likes to have this aura of mystery and sophistication."

"Well, this letter is mysterious, so he nailed that. Do you know where this location is?"

"Yeah, I do. It's at a restaurant in Port Harbor. He probably wants to meet you close but not have you go to a bigger place elsewhere where you'd have to take another ship."

"Is it okay and normal for students to leave for Port Harbor in the middle of the week? I don't want to get in trouble if I decide to go."

"We typically don't have students leave in the middle of the weekend, but that doesn't mean they can't go. It's just an expensive ticket to pay for."

I laughed. "So, how does he expect me to pay for the ticket to Port Harbor?"

Jonathan tapped his desk. "To be honest with you, I'm not sure. I will have to bring this up to Daniel because The more I think about it, I'm not so sure it's a good idea myself."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Why is that?"

"Because you're a student and in the middle of your studies, and you just started here. I would hate to have all these distractions thrown at you as you're just finding your footing and getting comfortable."

"Well, I am interested in meeting with him. If anything, it will be a good story, right?" I said and smiled. "Finding the money would be the issue. If you're friends with him, let him know I would like to talk, but I don't have the money to go to Port Harbor."

Jonathan rubbed his chin. "I will relay the message to him and let you know. But at the moment, Rollie, it is my personal recommendation that you stick to your studies here and continue being a good student. Outside distractions like this might hinder your success, and I would hate to see that happen." There was a pause between us. "But I can't tell you what to do, only recommend, but I hope you understand."

"Yeah, sure thing. I appreciate that, man."

Jonathan nodded. "Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"

I shook my head.

"Oh, and Rollie, if things aren't going well with your mentor Patrick, please let me know. I know he can be a bit intense sometimes."

"Nothing I can't handle. If it wasn't for Patrick and his connection to Richmond, I wouldn't be on the Dragonstryke team.

Jonathan beamed. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Please let me know what your friend Daniel has to say. I'm going to go back to my dorm and study."

"Have a good night, Rollie. Thanks for stopping by. My office is open whenever you need it." He slid the letter to me, and I put it in my cloak.

I waved goodbye and went back to my dorm room. In the study lounge, I spent my time trying to learn the runes and mouth sounds out for each one. It was like learning a new alphabet, but more complex than just learning A to Z. I kept studying until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I went back to my room and fell asleep.

Classes were standard the following day, and I was falling into a groove. Although I still couldn't stand Professor Hawthorne's course, at least Tim and Houston were less annoying than in the beginning.

Later in the evening, during dinner, I sat at the usual table with Boris and Chris. Neither of them had anything interesting to report with their day, and neither did I. We were near the end of our dinner when Principal Pine approached us.

"Excuse me, gentlemen. May I speak with you three when you have a moment? Please, finish your meal. I'll just be waiting over here." Principal Pine stepped a few yards away and stared at the three of us.

We looked at each other with blank faces. I didn't want to show any panic, and I'm sure neither of them wanted to either. After finishing our meal in silence, a staffer came to our table and cleared our plates.

"What do you think this is about?" I whispered to Boris.

He shook his head and kept a straight face. "Your guess is as good as mine, and I think the three of us have a pretty good guess."

As we approached Principal Pine, there was no humor or smile on his face. I had previously seen the same flat expressions from other middle school teachers and principals. "Come on up to my office," Principal Pine said.

The three of us followed him through the student center building, walked up the spiral staircase, and went into his office. His window was massive and had a breathtaking view of the campus. If I was him, I'd stare at it all day, but I'm sure he had grown a little tired of it. On his shelves, he had a variety of metallic trinkets and trophies. There was a set of double doors to the left side. I wondered where those led.

The walls were paneled in a rich, dark wood, and the floor was covered in plush, cream-colored carpet.

At one end of the room stood a massive mahogany desk with a high-backed violet chair behind it. The desk was impeccably organized, with not a single piece of paper out of place. On either side of the desk were three comfortable-looking armchairs, upholstered in a deep red fabric. The room was dimly lit, with a few strategically placed lamps providing a warm, golden glow. A large fireplace took up one entire wall, its flickering flames casting a cozy, intimate atmosphere throughout the room. The walls were adorned with framed certificates, awards, and a few carefully chosen pieces of artwork.

Principal Pine walked behind his desk and stood behind his chair while gesturing for us to sit down.

"Do you have any idea why you're here right now?" Principal Pine asked.

The three of us were silent. Boris and Chris shook their head, I could see them from my periphery, and I joined in with their head shake.

"I'm not one to yell. I don't like it, I find it rude, but actions like this can frustrate me. So excuse me if I raise my voice, but I think the three of you would do the same if you were in my position." Principal Pine had a calm tone, but I shook in my shoes as he glanced down at his desk and took a deep breath. "I'm disappointed on numerous levels."

"With all due respect, sir, but I speak for all of us when I say that we're not sure what you're talking about," Boris said.

Principal Pine stared at us with old, tired eyes. "I've seen my fair share of troublemakers. I'm aware that you two and Bradley would like to stir the pot every once in a while, and I'm sure it bothers the three of you with him gone. It's understandable to be frustrated, but we can't act out our frustrations like you boys have."

"Sir, I still don't think we follow," Boris said.

"Believe me, I've made sure with the Mage Force Officer that spotted the three of you painting the graffiti on the rec hall was correct. The officer said he saw three people paint the side of the rec hall. His descriptions matched you three perfectly. When he came by for dinner the other evening, I asked him if he could point out the suspects for the graffiti. Without hesitation, the protector pointed to you three and said, 'Those were the ones I saw in the middle of the night. They seemed to be up to something suspicious, and I saw them paint the message on the side of the rec hall.'"

Boris cleared his throat and said, "With all due respect, sir, why would Rollie want to write that message? He's a Fyron. It wouldn't make any sense."

"Enough with prefacing everything you say with all due respect. I get it. You have respect for me, but apparently not enough to tell me the truth." Principal Pine shook his head again. "I didn't think you three would commit to the lie for this long."

"I know which officer you're talking about. We exchanged a few words with him because he was rude, so it doesn't surprise me that he is accusing us of offensive graffiti. Not all of these officers are the most upstanding people," Boris said.

"Boris, you're disappointing me on a level I didn't think possible. You're an intelligent young man who does well in school. I would hate to see any of your talents go to waste by having to spend too much time in detention."

"We didn't do anything, so I can't understand why we'd have to be in detention."

"My officer friend Tuck described the scenario as one Venomaus out on watch. Then a Fyron with a mohawk dropping ink in front of a Winderon streaming wind to create a spray against the wall. Does any of that sound familiar to either of you?"

Boris shook his head. I followed his lead, and so did Chris.

"Since Boris has been doing a lot of the talking, please excuse yourself to the hallway." Principal Pine pointed at the door.

Boris clenched his jaw and sat still.

"Please, excuse yourself. I'd like to talk with Rollie and Chris about some things."

Boris blinked but stood up and left the room, closing the door behind him.

My heart hammered away in my chest.