"It's STIX! Or should I say River Stix, or Stinks!", said Bap.
"Righto, BAPped-On-The-Head-As-A-Baby!", sneered Stix.
"Mine was better...", said Bap sticking out her tongue.
"Oh be serious. We're not even in the same league! I'm not here to play with amateurs! I'm here to see just how good SHE is!", said Stix, pointing at Christine.
"ME?!! What do have against ME, Mr. Stix?"
"Heheh...I don't really have to tell you that, do I? I was #1 here! I was getting ready to take Valedictorian, and then you knocked my entrance scores right off the top spot. Now I'll be lucky if the Dean even acknowledges me!"
"Look...", said Christine. "I'm sorry about your situation. Believe me, I did not do it on purpose.�
"YEAH, Stinks! Leave her alone. You're yesterday's news! Live with it!"
"Silence loud one!", spoke the woman next to Stix. The woman blasted Bap with a large fire spell, knocking her to the ground in a state of unconsciousness.
"Allow me to introduce my lady, Char.", motioned Stix to the woman. Char had a face of steeled hatred which contrasted Stix's maniacal grin. Christine wondered how the two could be a couple....
"Wait a second!", blurted Christine. "YOU BOTH want to fight me?"
"We are a single soul." said Char. "You hurt Stix, you answer to me!"
"What a gal!", grinned Stix. "Well, now. Shall we begin?"
Christine's first impulse was to run as she did not have her staff, and felt she could not compete with the clear might of these two mages. However, seeing an unconscious Bap on the ground, she was faced with a problem. She could not run and leave Bap in the hands of these people, nor could she carry Bap away fast enough before the two would strike. However, before she could make a decision, an ice spell trapped Christine's feet to the ground.
"You're not going anywhere.", said Stix. "The fun's just starting!" Christine's feet were encased in thick ice. She did the only thing she could think of, tipped herself over so that she covered Bap. At least perhaps she might absorb most of the blow. She could not see behind her, but instantly felt the stinging pain of a combination fire and ice spell strike her in the back. Ice shards cut her arms, and she bled onto Bap. After 2 more of these spells, she began to feel faint. "Pathetic! Truly pathetic! Summon your staff and start fighting, or we will be forced to REALLY hurt you!" What Stix did not know is that Christine did not know how to summon her staff from its current location. Therefore, Stix continued to think Christine was taunting her and continued to get more and more angry. "Alright. I've had enough of this! Char, are you ready?"
"Ready, my love."
Christine buried her face deep in her arms and cried. She couldn't do
anything....anything at all...except...sit and take punishment at the hands of
these people. With a flush of fear and shame, she dreaded each second,
wondering if the next would be the one before total darkness.
Suddenly, she heard a huge explosion and the two mages scream. She still would not lift her head from her arms.
"Oh crap...it's ZEN!", yelled a wounded Stix. Christine kept her head down. In front of her was a swirling form. While she could not see it, she could feel it. However, unlike the gray mists of Stix and Char, this form was total darkness. As if one could see pitch darkness swirl. When the darkness began to subside, the silhouette of a figure could faintly be made out.
"Look, Zen. It was just a misunderstanding. See? She's okay. She attacked me...I...I had to defend myself!!!" Stix got down on his knees. "#$#!! Believe me! I can't have this on my record!!!"
Zen began, "Stix...you have a lot more to worry about than your record. You've screwed up big this time. You have no idea what awaits you in the next few days."
"#$!#!!", yelled Stix. "You damn soul-less security guard! You've never had to work for anything in your life! It's easy to punish when you've never known punishment! The Academy is a load of #$!#$! I worked my butt off, and this is how it ends?!!!"
"It hasn't ended yet Stix. Believe me, you'll welcome the end when it comes."
"You were the only one who saw me. If I take you out, I can be Valedictorian AND the Dean will never know about this!"
"Hopelessness breeds insanity. I'm ready.", said Zen tightening his glove.
The battle was over almost instantaneously. With a swirl of blue light around him as though he were a god himself, Zen called up from the earth an earth golem. The earth golem growled with ferocity, and with the strength of 100 men, proceeded to deal a blow to the enemy which rendered Char unconscious and Stix on the ground groping to get up. Fortunately, he got the help to get up as he felt a tightened leather glove around his throat lifting him into the sky. Although somewhat dazed, Stix's vision seemed untruthful as he gazed into the reddest eyes of hell itself. Zen's teeth were clenched as with effortless movement, he began to tighten his grip on Stix's throat.
"Zen....wait...", pleaded Stix. "for Althena's sake...someone help me..."
"I ALMOST thought you would provide competition for me.", Zen growled. "How long I've waited for one worthy of me, and now to see that you are nothing but talk. Where is your talk now? " Zen clenched tighter. "As long as I run this school, you'll obey the rules, or you'll suffer the consequences. We're not your mothers, we're your superiors. Don't you see? We are the elite. To be offered to be made an elite is a great honor, and you spit on the Dean's pride in this act. I knew you would screw up. For your sake, you'd better hope the Dean doesn't let me handle the punishment!" Zen released his grip on the half-unconscious Stix. "Now get out of here. And if I catch you within sight distance of this young lady, you won't be within sight distance of anything, ever again. Got it?"
At this point, Char woke up and helped carry Stix off, not making eye-contact with Zen at all. She knew she was the only chance to save Stix, and did nothing to anger Zen to jeopardize it.
By this time, Christine had noticed a few minutes of silence, and lifted her head up and saw darkness ahead of her.
"Are you alright?", a voice came from behind her.
Christine let out a piercing scream of surprise and quickly jerked around. Pain shot through her arm, but only for a second, only to go numb the next. Christine saw blood running from a deep cut and clutched the wound with her left hand.
"That will need to be treated. Go to the medical facilities.", said Zen.
Christine said nothing. She simply stared at the ground, devoid of emotion. Shame was written all across her face. Zen must surely know that she did not know the Summon Staff spell. Would she end up like Stix? After all, she had been the only one late to the opening assembly. She was sure Dean hadn't forgotten that, and now her name will be publicly known in a school fight. She wanted to die...before she had here even had a chance to live. Eventually after much silence she looked up slightly and noticed Zen was staring down at her, unmoving.
She smiled a half-effort smile, "Um...I'm fine." Zen continued to stare at her. Christine had expected him to smile back, but he did not. He simply observed her as though he was trying to decipher her. Finally, he turned and began to walk off.
"Ummm....", Christine began. Zen paused, but did not turn around. "Thank you..." Zen then continued to walk until he was out of sight.
Bap eventually woke up and noticed a fainted Christine laying on top of her.
"OH MY!!! Christine!! You're bleeding! Come on, I'll help you to the medical facility!" Bap had to practically drag her there.
When Christine awoke, she was in her dorm bed with Bap standing over her. "OH! You're awake! I'm so relieved!!! I was so worried!!!"
"What happened?", groaned Christine.
"I was about to ask you that, but I think I've put most of it together.", she leaned down and gave Christine a hug. "Thanks for saving me. Everyone thinks you're a hero! Isn't that great?!! Toasted Stix!Heehee!"
"But...I didn't...."
"The Dean is giving you today off. Wanna do something? I have no more classes for the rest of the day."
"I'd just like to have today to myself if it's all the same to you, Bap." Christine turned her head away.
"Alright... hey, if you need anything, let me know, okay?"
"What happened to....Stix?"
"Char pleaded with the Dean to spare his enrollment. The Dean appreciated Char's record before this incident, and thus granted Stix�s �exclusion�."
"What's exclusion?"
"You are stripped of all school rank and expelled. You lose all record of you ever attending this university. It doesn't sound so bad, but if you get kicked out of the Academy, you really have no where to go. Get some rest." Bap left the room.
Christine slept for a few hours, and then got dressed. She grabbed a book she had been reading for enjoyment and headed out to find a quiet spot to read. She wanted to put the last day's events behind her, although the scar on her arm would definitely be permanent.
Eventually, after wandering out of central campus grounds, Christine found a
quiet isolated area in the midst of the grassy knolls. There was a shelter with
a bench and it was draped in flowers of red roses and violets. After sitting
down and starting her book, she eventually left reality to its place.
�
� "Pardon me, mistress." A voice came from in front of her. When
she looked up, a black flying cat with an envelope in his mouth was hovering
before her. With yesterday's events, flying cats were not at all surprising.
"Yes. May I help you....sir?"
"Yes, I am male gender. My name is Bat. I'm a baby black dragon."
"Your appearance suggests so.", Christine smiled. "What can I do for you?"�
My Master has bid me to come and give you this envelope. He has instructed me that if I should read the contents, he will "roast" me." Christine giggled. "Therefore, I will give you this, and take my leave. It was a pleasure meeting you Christine. I hope we shall chat sometime."
"Indeed, Bat. Thank you."
Bat flew off. Christine opened the envelope. Inside was a folded slip of paper.
Inside were two words, "You're welcome."�
END OF CHAPTER 1�