Episode 14

The day was over too quickly for Chong Fen. Soon, night had fallen, he had slept. When dawn came, golden tendrils creeping over his blanket, he was no closer to inviting Jean to the dance than the day before.

Chong Fen changed, brushed his teeth and made out for the gardens. Four students were practising Tai Chi in the stone courtyard, but he ignored them and jogged, breathing in the sweet morning air. "What's up?" a voice said. Chong Fen turned, and to his surprise found Ross catching up with him.

"Nothing." he mumbled. "Why are you up so early?"

Ross shrugged. "Was caught in the com labs last night," he said, loooking unhappy. "I was just getting used to this blogging thing. Now i have to do 50 laps as a punishment."

He jabbed a finger upwards. Chong Fen followed the direction and saw a globe of golden light hovering after them.

"Wisp." Ross said, "The prefects summoned it to keep track of me. Kinda wish you were a ninja."

Chong Fen nodded. the only ninja in their class was Jean ... He looked at Ross for awhile.

"Ross," he said finally. "What if you wanted to ask ... erm, soemone to the dance. What - "

"Would i do?" Ross finished. "Ask her straight up. Honesty's the best policy."

Chong Fen frowned. "And if she rejects?"

"Find a new girl." Ross answered, rather nonchalantly.

They jogged together in silence, the wisp trailing behind.

"Okay." Ross said, after a long while, "If you don't dare, at least write her letter. Tell her to meet you somewhere. The hall, for instance. Or that ugly statue of the headmaster outside the hall."

Chong Fen raised his eyebrows. "Good idea," he said quietly. "Thanks."

He stayed on to accompany Ross for the rest of the fifty rounds.

*

At dawn, the pentacle and metals had been set down, ready for the summon. Gold, silver, bronze, a bottle of mercury and a block of iron to ground the magic. Sunlight streamed into the room, lighting up the wooden floors and revealing dust particles that fluttered about as Jera the nymph scouted around the tower for any incoming teachers.

Warren looked at a spot some five feet from where the invisible Jera was floating.

"All clear?" he asked.

"I'm here, you moron." said Jera, revealing himself. "Yeah, the tower's all clear. Class won't start for another 20 minutes, you said so yourself."

"Oh. Yes. Right." Warren replied, absent mindedly. He flipped through a book and compared it to his notes on the subject.

"You sure you want to summon a Familiar?" Jera asked. "They're kinda for real magisters, you know, not 15 year old kids. And you're summoning one with actual power - not that claw wielding idiot your senior has at her service."

Warren waved him away. "Keep watch. I took partial blame for the fiasco several nights ago, and its not like i could do anything. Basic magic?" - ( here he snorted in disgust) - "What? Dye their hair green? Useless."

He looked up at Jera. "Those martial artists don't deserve to be included here. Aren't we magisters the backbone of any army? What would the Government be without us and our magic? Huh?!"

"It's kinda our magic - you just spend mana summoning us." Jera shot back.

Warren ignored the statement. "You'll work with my Familiar to find them. Now go keep watch."

Jera vanished again, mumbling, and Warren began the Chain of Command. As he read it out, the iron block began to glow, absorbing extra magic to prevent any explosion.

Warren felt the well of mana inside him slowly dissapear, being siphoned into the five metals and focused at its centre.

Swirls of dust were now wafting over the floor, been drawn towards the midpoint of the pentacle. Warren crafted the last links of the summoning spell, attaching the creature as his Familiar, and snapped the book shut.

"Hello." said the girl. She looked at the circle, the five metals, and Warren. "Where am i?"

"A magister workshop in the White Sun."

They stared at each other, letting dust particles continue to swirl around the room. Warren noticed she was rather young looking, slim and with a petite build, with eyes that looked so innocent it hid the fact she wasn't human. She stared back, no fear in her eyes, only looking slightly curious.

"I'm your Familiar?" she asked, cutting the silence.

"Yeah." Warren stepped into the circle and held out his hand. "I'm your master, nice to meet you."

She was staring at the hand. "Do i bite it? What is that hand for?"

Warren rolled his eyes. "Don't act so blonde, Anukh." he said, "You're not fooling anybody in that form. Show me the second one."

For a moment, the girl was staring at him, head cocked to one side and curious. A blink of the eye, she was gone, replaced with a dragon, curled up and resplendent with red scales.

"More like it." Warren said, trying to keep his voice from shaking in terror. He cleared his throat. "As your first task, i'll ask you to bring us down from the tower. Me, you, Jera. Teleportation only."

The girl was back, and she cast a look over the room. "That nymph?" she asked sweetly, staring at a spot somewhere above Warren's head. "Cool."

And without any sort of special effect or whizzbang, they were gone.



Yuki's blog extract
I'm considered withdrawn from the world. I stay at the sidelines, watching the pace of life with weary eyes. But sometimes something lights up in your head. You realize you can't be alone forever, no matter what they did to you.

Today is one of those days. Perhaps i'm too careful. Feelings were once a part of my life - and i can't hide forever. It has to stop.

And her? She doesn't know i exist, along with the whole school. So i'll go to the ball, enjoy the food, the lights, and the music. And to stare at her and her date as they waltz past the rest.

Some things never change.



Alec's blog extract
For some strange reason, i can't find Taylor this whole afternoon. Popped into the com labs, trying to find him, and here i am, blogging. I am weird.

Sabriye's keeping awfully mum about this - not saying a word other than her critique on my dress. She's complimented it so much i feel like i'm some poster girl everytime i put it on. Thank the stars for a friend like her - people like me are more comfortable with a chessboard or in an op.

Well, i gotta stop. Taylor has to be somewhere - although i think he's probably just nervous.




Letter Draft, Chong Fen's Table
Where are you tonight my love?
What is it that you do?
It's true my heart is torn apart
When I'm not with you
What enchanted thoughts swim through your head?
Are any of them of me?
When, my dear, you go to bed
Is it my face you see?

Jean,

I have loved you for a long time. Is there any worst torture than being with you or seeing you in the hallways, knowing you're not mine? Unconfessed love is worst than trying to eat soup with chopsticks. Meet me tonight at the punch table, please, and release me from this pain.

Your Secret Admirer

Okay, okay, its kinda cheesy. And perhaps the poem's the only non-puke-inducing thing in the letter, seeing as i copied it off the internet. But there's not much time left before the ball, and i'm desperate.

Author's Note: Poem written by Taryn Grace. Taken from this site. Very beautiful piece of writing.

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