Caster's Spell (A Mage Tale Book 1) Page 27

  "You did intend to fight, didn't you?"

  "Y-yes sir," he answered honestly with a gulp.

  "Why?" The dean took a few steps closer.

  "I—they were going to," he paused as if the words overlapped behind his teeth. He took a quick breath to straighten them out. "...hurt Wes."

  "And you sought to protect him?"

  "Yes... sir."

  "Hm." There was silence for a short uncomfortable moment. "How noble. Since you were behaving strictly in defense and had no intention to harm anyone, you will receive a single detention, and nothing more. But may I add that in the future, it'd be wise to just let the sentinels do their jobs." Then he turned to Cameron. "Thank you for acting so quickly, but your presence is no longer necessary."

  With a tap of his scepter, Axel and Cameron disappeared, leaving the Warlock alone to face the masters.

  "What shall I do with you?" Dean Sinclair asked rhetorically. He silently thought long and hard as Wesley began to sweat.

  "In this matter, you're off the hook," the master finally said.

  "What?" Boscawen exploded.

  "It's obvious that he didn't want this and that he didn't want anyone to get hurt," said the dean. "His spell alone should be a testament to that. It was half as strong as he could have made it."

  Wesley was surprised by the revelation.

  "But that's not to say that you are completely out of trouble," Sinclair started again. "There is the little matter of a relic that has gone missing."

  Wesley had almost forgotten during the chaos.

  "Do you know anything of it?"

  "N-no," he had to force his voice to sound. "I didn't know it was gone until Cameron woke me up, honest."

  "Well the boy's obviously lying," Master Boscawen said quickly, but it wasn't her who preoccupied Wesley’s attention.

  Master Tesla was glaring at him with the same eyes he had seen in Liam countless times before.

  "I promise, I didn't take it," he said to her. "I don't know why it's gone."

  Her brows attempted to reduce the angelic glow of her normally cheery face.

  "We should put it in the chair," she said coldly.

  "What!?" Master Rosen marched over to them. "No, Penelope! Out of the question. He is just a boy, not a criminal."

  "The second part has yet to be proven," said Master Boscawen. "And while in it he won't be able to lie."

  "Have you lost your mind!?" Rosen continued to object. "That's just—"

  "What chair?" asked Wesley. "If it'll get the truth, I'll do it."

  Tesla's eyes widened.

  Master Rosen walked over to the boy and took him by the shoulders. "You have no idea what you are suggesting. The chaire de vérité is a torturous interrogation spell that will prostrate you, and force you to answer truthfully to any question asked. Wesley, it's a pain that I hope you never have to know, designed to question monsters, not children."

  Briefly, he wondered why would Master Tesla want to put him through that. Then with a nod, he decided that, while daunting, the chair could prove his innocence.

  "I'm almost fifteen, not a child. I'll do it," said Wesley. "I'll sit in the chair."

  "That won't be necessary," he heard Dean Sinclair's voice from behind Rosen. "The fact that you'd be willing to face torture should be enough."

  "But it isn't," Master Boscawen insisted, Master Tesla sharing her grim look of disapproval.

  "I know," the leader of the school reluctantly agreed. "Which is why a formal investigation will be put into play. I've already informed the local magister." He looked at Wesley. "But until then, you will continue with the same routine, at least until the Final Exams. I'll make an announcement to the school that expulsion awaits anyone who shows any aggression towards you."

  "The Secret Police?" said Rosen. "Has it become that serious?"

  Dean Sinclair looked off into nothingness. "If my hunch is correct and he didn't take the Orb, then it may be far more serious that any of you know."

  Abandonment

  It was nostalgic, but in a disheartening way, their eyes. Wesley found himself walking through the halls feeling as alienated as he had been on the very first day of school. Everyone looked at him with the same eyes, a heated hatred that forced him to keep his to the ground. There were only two real differences from this day and then. One was that he had become a better source-sayer and now, could feel what everyone else could only describe as tension radiating from every student, which made the walk far more strenuous. The second change was what made it bearable.

  "Hm," he heard a grunt from his left. "So this is what it's like to be a deer walking past a pack of wolves."

  "More like a thousand wolves, Ax," Cameron said from his far right.

  "I don't like being a deer," said Sri, rubbing her arm as she looked up to Wesley quickly before staring straight ahead again. "Why don't we consider ourselves an elephant?"

  Wesley added, "Yeah, or a bear."

  "Don't worry, guys," said Cameron, before feeling Sri’s dour expression, "and...gal. Sinclair forbade them to do anything, right? So all we should be worrying about is what's for breakfast."

  "Yeah, you're right," said Wesley, feeling slightly less nervous.

  "He always is," Axel rolled his eyes.

  When they finally arrived at the cafeteria, Wesley wasn't surprised to see that their table was completely barren. He was hurt, but not surprised.

  "Uhuh," Cameron said as they all stopped to look at the empty table.

  "Well at least Freddy isn't stuck to your hip anymore," Sri tried to lighten Wesley's mood.

  Axel took a different approach and punched the Warlock in the shoulder. "Just like old times."

  "Yeah." Wesley rubbed the future bruise for half a second and started for the buffet. He glanced back up to the wall above the doorway. "Just like old times."

  They received their food and sat, pretending that the others weren't conspiring and throwing wrathful glowers. He ate in silent thought, while his friends conversed about something completely unrelated.

  They shouldn't be with him, was what he concluded. By staying by his side, they were standing against the rest of the school, putting themselves in danger. He couldn't have them get hurt—end up on the wall—for his sake. It was a terrible truth that he thought was inevitable. Master Sinclair's promise specifically named Wesley as protected, but not his friends. If they were hurt, out of sight of masters, their attackers might get away without consequence. They had no real reason to keep from taking out their anger on Axel, Sri, or Cameron.

  But it was the Sorceress that he was really frightened for. To him, they were all equally important, but he was afraid that she wouldn't be ready to defend herself, if approached by someone with bad intentions. Sri wasn't a fighter.

  "I want you guys to leave me alone," he said, still looking at his plate.

  "Huh?" Axel looked across the table at him.

  "Get away from my table."

  "What are you talkin' about, man?" asked Cameron with his easygoing smile.

  "Leave me alone," Wesley said more intensely.

  Axel laughed, "Quit playing."

  Wesley didn't want to, but he knew that he'd have to resort to heavy measures. "I can't trust any of you," he said, trying to act paranoid. "You're Sorcerers, just like the rest of them. You'll turn on me."

  "No," Sri squeaked, tears swelling in her eyes as she squeezed her spoon so tightly Wesley thought it might bend.

  The sight of her would break his heart and ruin his chances of succeeding, so he stared at Axel. "If I stay around you, I'll end up on that wall again. No. I can't let that happen." The idea of hurting his friends devastated him, but at least they'd be out of harm's way. "Never again. Get away from me."

  Cameron turned his chair to face him. "Wes—"

  "No!" Wesley stood up and looked down on his roommate. "We’re not friends!"

  He stormed out of the giant room, shoved his face into his arm and hustled to his appointment with
Master Conley.

  He stood outside of the master's door trying to calm himself, which became more difficult when he realized that Conley might not have wanted to teach him anymore. Then after taking some deep shaky breaths he reached for the knob.

  "You're early," the Fire Sorcerer said from behind his desk, without looking up. "I didn't expect you for another fifteen minutes."

  "Forgive me, Master," Wesley said. "May we begin earlier?"

  The sharp-faced man looked at the boy, and then returned to the papers before him. "Why not? Just let me finish up my work. I'd appreciate silence."

  "Understood," the boy said, but curiosity compelled him, even through the sorrow. "You don't mind me being here, I mean after all that's happened?"

  The man sighed, before giving Wesley his attention. "About the Orb of Genesis?" It didn't sound like a question. "I neitha know nor care if ya guilty, not when it comes to appointments. Listen, I'm an instructa and as such it is my duty to teach, not judge. If you're still interested in preparin’ for the Final Exams, I'll make sure ya ready. That is all."

  He went back to his work.

  Wesley sat in the nearest seat and waited for the man. He argued with himself, without words, trying to convince his remorse that leaving his friends was the right choice to make. But his selfishness and pain also made a compelling argument for him to go back and apologize. They were his only family on this side of the planet.

  "Are ya ready?" Master Conley was standing just before him, much like he did on the first day of class. Stern-faced and fists behind his back.

  "Yes, sir."

  They stood across from each other on the battle platform.

  "I saw your kai yesterday," the master started. "Ya used it flawlessly. Assuming that the activation of all of their spells, in such a small place, would leave behind a ton of residual source, was a good plan. But ratha than making the spell as powerful as you could have, ya only mustered up enough to counter their attacks."

  "Should I have done something else?" Wesley said. In truth, he was only acting on instinct the other day; even his selection of the spell was random.

  "No. It just interests me, how you were able to match them exactly. It usually takes a source-sayer..."

  Wesley had to think of something quick, but all that came out was, "I dunno."

  "Right," Master Conley said slowly. "I'm sure it was nothin’."

  Whew.

  "That was the perfect spell, used and at the right time. With reflexes like that, you probably don' need me. Howeva," the tall red-head continued. "Your lack of conviction will lead ya to defeat."

  "Huh?" Wesley scratched his head.

  "In every duel that I've observed you take part in, ya ease back just before victory. Ya have to understand that this is a school and that the Exams are watched closely. In the G-class especially, sanctioned duels are protected and by that I mean that no one can get seriously hurt. During the Exams, if you hold back, you will lose."

  "And losing the duel means that I won't pass?"

  "Master's aren' permitted to discuss the specifics of the Exams with students. But it is an opportunity for you to display that ya are capable of using your magic. The amount of source ya can call on and how efficiently you use it, is how you are scored."

  "Okay." Wesley tried to think of everything that he could use that would show his source level and skill.

  "So, since you have already perfected kai, for the remainder of our appointments, we will be working on the... impressiveness of ya spells and more importantly, ya conviction."

  The master raised one of his hands to the boy, but kept the other in a fist at the small of his back.

  "Prepare yourself to duel."

  The A-class mage seemed to take him more seriously that day. Wesley could feel that Master Conley was using more source than he did in earlier battles. But it was during this time that Wesley knew that he could go all out, and forget about the Orb and what he did at breakfast, so he enjoyed it. Master Conley inevitably won, as usual, and for the rest of the appointment he helped the young mage to control using large amounts of power. By the end he was drained, too tired even to feel sadness or regret.

  As he reached for the door, to leave Conley's class, he contemplated how he was going to get past his roommate. The sun would remain in the sky for hours but he was comfortable with staying in bed until the next morning. He concluded that Cameron would feel so betrayed and angry that he'd avoid seeing him altogether.

  He was wrong.

  "I don't buy it," said Cameron standing in the hall outside of Dueling class.

  Wesley, so unprepared for the confrontation, was at a loss for words.

  "You don't hate me," his roommate went on. "And you don't think that Ax or Sri would turn their backs on you."

  "I'm serious, Cameron. Stay away from me." Wesley started for the dormitory.

  "Nope." Cameron walked with him. "I'm your friend. And if you think that something like that is gonna push me away, you're even dumber than they say."

  Of course Cameron would figure it out, Wesley reflected.

  "I don't care if you think we'd get hurt. Sri and Axel feel the same way, ya know. You're not protecting us by saying that you don't trust us. Cuz we're still gonna watch your back and we're still gonna let everyone know that you are our friend."

  They exited the Lockhart building.

  "Cam, I really hate your brain sometimes," Wesley finally said. "Can't you see that you guys are better off leaving me alone?"

  "M-mm," said the Sorcerer. "You have no idea how wrong you are. We're best friends now. Without you, I would have never talked to my cousin, Sri would never have gotten to be herself, and Ax... well, he wouldn't have gotten in as many fights." He laughed. "We'd be much worse off."

  Wesley groaned and shook his head. "Not until this whole relic thing gets cleared up, you're not." They climbed the stairs to their floor. "I need you to swear to me that you won't tell them I wasn't serious. Sri isn't as strong as you."

  "You should really rethink the way you see her," Cameron advised.

  "I can't let them get hurt," Wesley went on, without addressing the Sorcerer's statement. They stopped outside of their door. "Swear to me."

  "Fine, you have my word," Cameron said reluctantly. "I don't think it's right, but I won't tell them."

  "Good." Wesley opened the door and dropped his bag, again unprepared.

  Axel was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, and Sri sat on the couch, her hands in her lap and her eyes fixed on the Warlock.

  "Oh,” Cameron laughed, “Yeah, I forgot to tell you something.”

  Then the oversized, bald boy announced, "We ain't goin' anywhere."

  Return

  Just three days until the start of the Final Exams and Wesley couldn't be more nervous. Aside from the fact that all but maybe four persons on campus likely wanted him dead and ignoring the idea that if he were to fail, his kind would be forever classified as inferior and denied formal schooling, he faced a new emotional strain. Home!

  Every year, for the weekend before the Exams, the students returned home as a mandatory vacation. Wesley hadn't seen anyone from back home in so long it was almost like planning to speak with Emily Palo. He didn't know what he'd say, or what they'd do, after the long awaited reunion came. There was so much to tell his family that he didn't know where to start.

  "Excited?" asked Axel at his side, with a bag slung over his shoulder.

  "I'm kinda scared," Wesley admitted. Then after noticing the Sorcerer's inquiring eyebrow, he went on, "What if they found out about the Orb and think that I—"

  "Don't be dumb." Axel stared ahead again, at the backs of other students. The entire student body was marching in a procession toward the portal at the end of the front walkway. "They'll know the truth."

  "Yeah, but the fact that I was so fixated on the thing... It's like I set myself up for this."

  "Don't worry about it. I wouldn't." Axel shrugged.

  "You ne
ver worry about anything," Wesley laughed. "Just like Cam. Where is he, anyway?"

  "Training with his dad. Since that's the only family he's got, Sinclair's lettin' 'em both stay."

  "Cool. I wonder if he'd—"

  "Nah, I already tried. No one else will even be on campus. Only Sinclair and the Elegros."

  "Hm," Wesley grunted. "Sri?"

  "She's already gone back to India."

  "Oh." They were about twenty meters from the portal, when Wesley asked, "So what's this gonna be like?"

  "I'm sure it'll be the same as coming here, except I hear that there's no portal station. You just get directed straight home."

  "Really?" Wesley looked up at the almost indescribable transparent swirl. "Well, I guess I'll see you in a few days."

  "Count on it, bro." Axel clapped his back before stepping through the portal. Wesley took a deep breath and followed.

  The farm.

  He was standing at the front terrace, with his bags, before he knew it. Home. He looked at the large brick house with its faded brown shutters, and wondered if anything had changed within. Climbing the front steps, he slid his hand along the brown rail that enclosed the porch, remembering how he used to ride them to avoid the time-consuming stairs. He opened the screen door and firmly knocked three times.

  Seconds later, a little boy with black hair and Wesley’s own deep green eyes, opened the door.

  "Wes!" he shouted.

  "Avery," Wesley laughed. "What are you doing here?"

  "Well the workload stacked up a bit after you left," he heard his father's deep voice, as the man approached. "Lil' Avery, here, is just picking up the slack."

  "Don't be silly, Sam," Wesley heard but couldn't see his mother from behind the man, before she pushed him aside. "It was too quiet around here when you went to school, so your aunt's been dropping off your cousin every now and then. When he heard you were coming back, he just had to be here."

  "Mom, Dad!" the boy lunged forward and squeezed his parents tightly. They laughed and hugged him back.

  Then Avery jumped on his back. "Don't forget about me!"