"Are you sure about this?"
"I'm sure about this."
"But you still need to recover."
"I will recover more by moving around and going outside. Besides, I can go pray for a swift recovery."
Thandiwe sighed, adjusting his silver brooch and hat, "Alright."
'Good thing today's a Sunday.'
("We're truly fortunate.")
She helped Alex to his feet, holding his arm as they walked out of Mallory's room, "I truly admire how devoted you are, but after the service is over, you're going to eat and then rest. Am I clear?"
"Very clear."
Their boots clicked against the tiles as Thandiwe led them through a less crowded hallway.
"Hey, Thandi!" said one of the boys leaving their room as he waved at her with smile. The boy was pale with white hair that had black streaks and blue eyes and his brooch was sapphire.
"Hi, Jasper. How are you?"
"I'm good. Oh! Mallory, my guy, glad to see you're okay," Jasper said, approaching his side and patting his shoulder.
'How do I respond?'
("Good.")
'Huh? How— Oh.... got it.'
"Good," Alex nodded to him as he watched Jasper's smile widen.
"That's good. You had me worried that day. But our dear Thandi was ready to fight deities that day," Jasper laughed as he poked Thandiwe's shoulder while she rolled her eyes.
"You were ready to negotiate with death himself if Mal's heart stopped beating completely."
"Whatever. At least he's okay."
"Yeah, he actually finished his breakfast today."
"Really?!" Jasper beamed as he turned his gaze back to the blonde, "I hope this isn't a one time thing and that you're really starting to take care of yourself, man."
"Don't worry about that, Jasp. Mal has me and this time, I'll make sure he takes his health seriously."
"He has me too. Besides, girls aren't allowed in the boys' dormitory, especially at this hour."
"I have a pass. Unlike you, I'm prepared," Thandiwe reached into the pocket of her blazer with her free hand and pulled out a silver card, showing it to him with a smug smile.
They stopped their stride as Jasper leaned towards the card, brow raised, "Hmmm..."
The card had vine-like patterns on the top left and bottom right corners and "Orion Mage Academy" written on the back in cursive, and "Authorized Student Pass" written under the bow and arrow emblem, followed by;
"Miss Thandiwe Phiri has been granted permission by the school administration and Headmaster Smith to enter the boys' dormitory to assist Mister Mallory Clifford, but only during appropriate hours."
Jasper's eyes widened upon seeing the Headmasters signature at the end as well as the date stamp, "Is it fake?"
Thandiwe's jaw dropped with an offended expression, "Fake? Unlike you, I was granted this card legally."
"Are you sure you didn't control the teachers' minds to get it?"
"Why would I do that? Besides, if I did learn mind control, I would've used it on you. And the Headmaster is the strongest telepath of this era, I couldn't use it on him even if I tried."
"I don't believe you."
She took a deep breath and turned to Alex with a smile, "Mal~?"
"Yes?"
"Are you about to stand upright on your own for a moment?"
"I suppose I can manage."
Jasper's eyes widened upon seeing Alex stabilizing his posture as Thandiwe let go of his arm before she reached into her bag and took out a book.
"W-wait!" Jasper backed away from her as she approached slowly, "Thandi, I was just joking! I totally believe you."
"Oh really~?" Thandiwe tilted her head slightly to the side, her grip on the book tightened as she continued walking towards him with a smile, "Unfortunately, I don't believe you."
Alex watched as Jasper began running towards the door with Thandiwe walking calmly behind him, 'He's your best friend or something?'
("We've known each other for eleven years. He's the son of one of my father's business partners.")
'Do you consider him your friend?'
("He never left me alone ever since with met, so I could call him a friend.")
'What happened to you?'
(".…..")
("Unfortunately, I can't talk to you about it..... I don't want to talk about it.")
'No pressure, dude. If you don't want to talk it, I'll respect it.'
Alex began walking slowly, using the wall for support as his eyes wondered from the dark green walls and the portraits framed on the wall, especially on a particularly larger one with a black-haired woman in a teal dress, her pale face stern and piercing icy blue eyes appeared real and alive as though she was watching him.
'Mallory? Who is she?'
("That's Princess Darya Augustus, first daughter of Queen Eleanor and King Cain. She's the founder of Orion Mage Academy.")
'Wow.... Eleanor ending up with Cain was something I didn't expect. By the way, why was Eleanor referred to as the Queen in the History book?'
("The change came during the Fall of Kamaria's statue two centuries ago, and many books about Austinia were burnt by the rebels,") Mallory explained, ("When the Austinians developed the Core, many nations, especially the neighboring kingdoms, didn't appreciate the fact that citizens of a fallen nation had received divine gifts. They referred to them as demons and monsters, no longer humans. So, a war broke out and a foreigner leader came to power, destroying records of the royal family, especially Queen Eleanor. Only a few records survived, but hidden, even after power returned to our people and the foreign king's homeland was merged with Austinia, many had already adapted to the new norm and only referring the Queen by name in church, verbal storytelling and in some classes, but never recorded on text. And if her name was written down, the stories only labeled her as either malicious or incompetent.")
'I see....' Alex responded as he finally reached the open wooden doors, slowly descending the white steps, feeling the sun's warm rays on him.
The other students glanced in his direction as they walked passed him, some greeted him while the rest simply turned their gaze forward without a word.
On the paved path, near the shrubs close to the main path connected to the dormitory's, Thandiwe stood, laughing at Jasper, who was currently running away from a flock of birds similar to the ones Alex saw flying by Mallory's window.
"Thandi! Stop laughing and help me!"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you're the one who provoked them, so calm them down yourself."
"But it was an accident and it happened because you chased me!"
"And why did I start chasing you in the first place?"
"Thandiweeee..... Pleaseeee....!"
She sighed and stretched out her hand to him, palm glowing green as she created a force field around him.
The birds peeked the barrier and flew away upon failing to break through it.
She removed the force field and Jasper knelt on the ground as the other students nearby snickered and murmured upon watching the scene before they continued on their way.
Thandiwe chuckled at Jasper's glare towards her, then turned her gaze to Alex and approached him, wrapping her arms around his arm, "Sorry for leaving you to walk on your own, Mal."
("Pat her hand gently.")
"It's alright, Thandiwe. Besides, at least I managed to walk compared to how you found me this morning," Alex reached out and patted her hand.
"You're right."
"Um, hello!"
They're attention turned to Jasper as he stood up and dusted off the dirt on his trousers, "I'm also alright in case you're wondering."
She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Anyway, let's go before the service starts."
The cathedral stood behind the main campus building, at the end on the wide paved path.
The church was white with two dragon gargoyles places on the roof, and a white metal door with golden handles.
In front, stood a fountain with a white statue of a barefoot woman in a worn dress and long wild hair, holding a basin to the sky with both of her hands.
'Is that Mother Kamaria?'
("Yes.")
Alex glanced at the statue again before he entered the cathedral along with Thandiwe and Jasper as they walked through the second doors made of glass, entering the main prayer hall.
The walls were painted with images, with some familiar to Alex while the rest weren't. The golden chandelier chimed softly and their boots clicked against the gleaming tiles as the trio sat on the wooden benches in the three row at the back in the fourth column.
Alex sat in between them with Thandiwe on his left while Jasper sat on his right, close to space between the third column, whispering with boy with strawberry blonde hair sitting across their bench.
On the podium, stood a glass pulpit and two rows of three cushioned chairs were placed behind on each side, and two golden candle stands were placed on either side of a statue of a woman in a long dress with strands of hair flowing over her shoulders and a hood covering half her face, her right hand placed on her chest while the other held a staff towards the other side of room to a clear gem above the door.
Before he could look at the statue further, Alex felt Thandiwe's hands grip his arm tightly as he heard the bench creak next to her.
He glanced at her, noting her tense shoulders and jaw clenching while she faced forward as if refusing to glance at the boy with a silver brooch who sat on her left. The boy had golden blonde hair that shone in the light, fair skin and blue eyes that gazed at Thandiwe with warmth.
'Who is he?'
"Good morning, Thandi," the boy said with a smile.
"Who gave you the right to call me Thandi?" her voice was sharp, holding Alex's arm tightly without glancing at the boy once.
"Oh.... Sorry if I've upset you," the boy's smile faltered and turned his gaze ahead, shifting away from her as he felt Jasper's glare on him.
Alex placed his hand on hers until she relaxed her shoulders, loosening her grip on his arm.
("He's my twin brother.")
'Eh?'
Click
[Character info;
Name: Felix Isaac Clifford
Age: 18
Status: Second son of the Clifford family
Height: 5'10
Weight: 182 lbs
Occupation: Third year student at Orion Mage School
Ability: Ferrokinesis
Status: Current Main Character
Objective: Trying to win over Main Heroine and Primary Antagonist— Thandiwe Phiri]
'Just great....'
[Holder Candidate Quest Two: Don't get expelled.
—Don't die
—Pass your exams
•Duration: 4 months
•Reward: ??? + Skill
•Failure: Losing all intelligence]