PHASE 3: In Which Alliances are Made
The sun sets as another day ends in the prestigious campus of Aubrianne University.
Three new friends walk the pathway towards the Magic Division's Dormitory. Long shadows fall on them from trees that line the way, faded by the electric light from the lamp posts the university installed for the students' added security.
"Sebastian, remember what happened the last time we passed this way?" Dorin asked his sworn bother with a laugh as they went on their way. Sebastian didn't seem to have heard him. He had his hood back over his head. It was shaped strangely, for a small white bird, a caladrius, was currently sleeping beneath it as it perched on his shoulder.
"What?" their new acquaintance, Johan, asked curiously. "What happened?" He looked at his two companions as he held on to the sleeping dragon draped over his shoulder.
"That was the time when we were jumped by those wizards from the Capital," Dorin answered his own question. "They were wearing invisible cloaks as camouflage, and tried to abduct us."
"So, it was at this place, huh?" Johan looked around the area.
[They have already fixed the pavement] Wrote Sebastian, pointing at a part of the sidewalk that looked newly cemented. [They added more light posts as well.]
"Yeah, that was the part where the bushes suddenly rustled and–"
Just then, a rustling sound came from the bushes.
The three companions froze in their steps.
They watched the bush intensely, waiting for something to jump out at them.
Johan gave a deep breath when nothing happened after a while.
"For a moment there, I thought a group of warlocks were going to attack us!" he said with a laugh.
He was still chuckling when he noticed that Dorin and Sebastian still stood their ground. Neither one moved.
Johan looked back at the bush underneath the shade of a tall tree. Again, there came a rustling.
Dorin stepped forward with a stomp of his foot. His hair shone golden as a thin halo of electricity covered his body. He blew the bush aside with a flip of a finger and was ready to send a bolt of lightning at anyone who might show them aggression.
Johan stayed where he stood. He held on tightly to Dagon, looking around to make sure there was no one there to ambush them, as Dorin and Sebastian went closer to the bush.
Dorin flicked his finger once more. The bush itself got uprooted from the ground and flew to one side. He braced himself for what ever it was that would be hiding behind it, but was surprised instead when he felt Sebastian tap him on the shoulder with his slate.
[Stand down] was written on it.
Sebastian went in front of Dorin who lowered his hand and watched as he approached the bushes. He knelt beside an unconscious person who seemed to be fast asleep in a small depression on the ground. He was black skinned, wore a black cloak and looked to be in his early 20's.
"Do you know him?" Dorin asked, his body still sparking with electricity.
[No, but he seems harmless] replied Sebastian. He held the guy's hand and patted him gently on the face.
"Did Dorin hit him?" Johan asked, coming closer to look at the man.
"Of course not!" Dorin said defensively, "All I did was pull out the bush!"
Finally, the young man gave a soft groan and stirred.
"See?" Dorin said. "He's okay."
The young man opened his eyes. Yellow dilated irises shined in the dark, and looked straight at Dorin. Sebastian involuntarily moved away. The young man raised his hand, reached out to the wind mage, smiled, and lost consciousness again.
"Ha! I knew it!" Johan suddenly cried, "You probably hit him earlier with the bush! See, he was pointing at you!"
"Hey, I threw the bush in the other direction!" Dorin said defensively, "Besides, he was smiling!"
"Probably hit him on bad!" Johan was by the man's side by then. He handed the still sleeping Dagon to Sebastian and pulled the guy's arm. "Let's get him to the dorms, someone might know him there."
[Shouldn't we send him to the infirmary instead?] Sebastian asked with Dagon in his arms. [Besides, we shouldn't even be moving him, what if his neck is broken?]
"For the last time, I didn't hit him!" Dorin sighed. "Let's carry him first to the dorms."
"Yeah," said Johan, "I don't trust doctors."
[But did you see his eyes?] Sebastian asked his companions. [They were yellow and glowed in the darkness...]
"Must be a half breed," Dorin said thoughtfully. "Aren't there any half breeds here in the University?"
[Well, yes,] Sebastian answered, his brows knitting, [but they usually keep to themselves in the main magic building and always travel in groups.]
"What half breed?" Johan asked.
"People whose parents are human and otherwise," replied Dorin. "They usually look human, but you can usually tell by their unique eyes."
"Eh?!" Johan gasped. The two looked at him. He looked surprise. "A-anyway, we need to get him out of here."
Both Johan and Dorin took an arm and pulled the young man up.
"Woah!" exclaimed Johan as he let the arm go and took a step back. "This guy weighs a ton!"
Dorin looked at the young man with a frown. "Let's do it together," he said.
The two were finally able to carry the man, holding on to an arm each, and dragging his feet on the ground as Dorin conjured a gust of wind to help keep the body afloat. They made their way back to the dorms, but as they were half way there, the young man started to stir.
"I think he's coming to." Johan stopped in his tracks to check on the man.
The guy groaned, stood up on his own, and touched his head with his left hand. Dorin and the rest looked anxiously at him.
"Hey, you okay?" Johan asked him. "We found you unconscious on the ground."
When the young man looked up. Johan was met by two light gray eyes.
"Hey, do you know where you are?" Johan asked the man, "Can you tell us your name and what day it is?"
The guy looked around, disoriented, but was able to stand by himself. "Name... Vincent... is this... the University grounds...?" He asked in a raspy voice. "What am I doing here?" he asked, "I shouldn't be back till Monday..."
"Like we said, we found you unconscious by the pathway..." said Dorin.
[Can you tell us your Division and major?] Sebastian wrote in his slate. The boy looked at it with squinting eyes. He seems to have trouble focusing.
"Magic division... arcane arts..." He rubbed his temple. "Can you help me get to the Dormitories?"
"We're almost there now," said Johan. He lifts a finger in front of the Vincent. "Can you follow my finger with your eyes?" The young man looked at him doubtfully. "This is basic for people with concussions," said he. "We do this a lot back in the mines."
After a while, Johan finally decides that the kid was okay.
"It's good that you seem to be fine, but can you remember what you were doing last before you woke up here?"
"I was in my room... waiting for my mother to call me downstairs for breakfast..." Vincent answered, "We visited the university three weeks ago, but she still needs to sign the waver... They won't take me in without parental consent..."
"What waver?" Dorin asked.
[Very young children can't enter Aubrianne University without a special consent notice and a waver from their parents.] Wrote Sebastian.
"How old are you, exactly?" Johan asked, looking at the young man before them. "You're about 2 inches taller than Sebastian, you sure you still need a waiver?"
"I'm only 8!" replied Vincent. "And I bet those guys are just really short!" he pointed at Sebastian, then at Dorin who was slightly shorter. Upon looking at Dorin, he stopped and squinted his eyes.
"Ray!?" He suddenly called. Dorin and the rest looked behind them. "Ray! It is you!" He suddenly jumped Dorin, a big smile in his face.
Dorin's face was full of surprise when Vincent jumped him! He was so heavy that both of them went stumbling to the ground.
"Whoa! Get off! You're crushing me!" Dorin cried as the young man buried his head in his chest. "I'm not Ray... who ever that is!" he said while trying to push the other back. "My name is Dorin, and I'd hate to disappoint you, but I have never seen you in my life."
"Huh?" Vincent lifts his head and stares at Dorin. "Well, you did get shorter..." Dorin frowned. "But this smell is definitely..." Vincent takes another whiff. "Ray, you smell of something else..."
Dorin pushed the lad off. "I'm telling you, I'm not Ray!" He finally got on his feet and looked back down at the boy. "You've mistaken me for someone else."
"Oh..." Vincent looked at Dorin, then at the ground and suddenly noticed his hands. He looked at it quizzically. "...Something's wrong with my hands..." he mumbled.
"Come on, we should get back to the Dorms soon," Johan reminded them.
[Do you have a room in the dorm yet?] Sebastian asked the man.
"I think they said something about the top floor..." Vincent said absentmindedly.
"Top floor?" Johan asked.
"Yes," said Vincent, "For the Special Classes."