Alice walks into her class a couple minutes early. She sits down at her seat, and a blonde friend of hers comes to sit by her.
“Hey Alice, how's it going?” her friend asked.
“Hey Susan, it's going alright,” said Alice looking at all the empty seats. “Where is everyone?”
“Most of the guys were emergency enlisted, they won't be coming to class for a while, I think your new boyfriend was one of them,” said Susan.
“New boyfriend?” asked Alice trying to sound clueless but her eyes look to where the new guys usually sit.
Alice looks back at Susan who is grinning. “Lex told you didn't she.”
“Was it the Tall one?” asked Susan.
“Before I answer your questions let's be clear that he is NOT my boyfriend, whatever Lex told you it was likely not what actually happened,” said Alice.
“You mean you guys didn't kiss?” asked Susan.
“WHAT!” flipped Alice. “NO!”
The other people in the classroom looks at Alice.
Alice awkwardly says, “sorry everyone.”
Everyone goes back to whatever they were doing before the random yell.
“Did Lex tell you that-....” Alice cuts herself off and pauses. “You just made that up didn't you?”
Susan laughs and nods yes.
Alice shakes her head, “that is twice in two days I have fell for class clowns.”
“Ohhh, so it was Breaker who saved you,” said Susan.
Alice buries her face into her arm to end Susan's little game that she often plays.
“I bet your imaging that's his arm you're cuddling with,” Smirked Susan.
Alice throws her other arm to push Susan off her chair.
“It's not Godfrey's arm is it?” Susan continued to Joke. “or… both?”
“Why can't you just be normal for once,” sighed Alice.
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“Shit! How close Boris,” asked JJ.
“Two minutes away, five of them,” Boris said.
“How is he doing that?” asked Breaker.
“When you have red magic, some people can combine it with pure magic in their eyes which allows them to see what others don't, No time to actually go into depth.”
“Soooo, like X-Ray vision?” asked Breaker.
“Sure,” said JJ.
“What's the game plan?” asked Kyle.
“Breaker, guard Sean. Me, Kyle, and Boris will jump them.” JJ ordered and then looks at Boris. “You can fight right?”
“I will guard Sean,” Said Boris drawing two short swords that were sheathed on his back.
“I don't know if I trust Sean's life in this guys hands yet,” thought Breaker. “But I don't want to show distrust.”
Breaker lines up with Kyle and JJ while Boris and Sean stand behind.
Suddenly three people dressed in skin-tight black uniforms charge from the trees. Breaker, JJ and Kyle each take a man.
----
The person fighting Breaker goes to stab him, but he slaps the blade away from his body and used the opening to elbow the person in the head. The person ducks under Breakers elbow and swivel kicks Breakers legs out from under him. As Breaker is in mid-air, the person swings his sword overhead. Breaker lines up his sword perpendicular to the persons swinging sword and blocks it. The person is trying to out strength Breaker and continues to push the blade on Breakers blade.
When Breaker hits the ground the blades near Breakers throat, but then Breaker pushes harder and gets a little more distance between the blades and a quick death.
“This guy is smart,” thought Breaker.
The person is on top of Breaker trying to force the blades on Breaker. Breaker quickly shifts his blade parallel with the other and lets the blade fall while he rolls his head and shoulder out of the way. The person's sword gets stuck in the ground by Breakers head, and Breaker kills the person and pushes the body off him.
“But smart doesn't win sword battles,” thought Breaker.
-----------------------
The person attacking JJ is trying to get close, but JJ prevents that with his reach and smarts. JJ swings every chance he can at every angle he can. The person rolls to get close but JJ strafes back. The person jumps in the air towards JJ and JJ steps to the side dodging the attack.
“I'm not getting anywhere with this guy, and I can't do this all day,” thought JJ.
Suddenly the person quickly throws a shuriken at JJ who is not expecting it and hits him in the leg. Then the person says something in a different language and fire shoots out towards JJ.
“Water spell, Water wall!,” responded JJ pulling the water from a nearby river to block the fire.
“Cheap bastard,” thought JJ.
Suddenly a sword is stabbed from behind the person, he falls and reveals Breaker. JJ nods to Breaker and Breaker nods back.
Breaker and JJ look to Kyle who just killed his opponent with Wood spell magic.
“He used magic first,” defended Kyle.
The three of them look to Sean and Boris, and two people in the black uniforms lay dead by them. Boris’s red eyes have faded to normal.
“You guys good?” asked JJ.
“Good at what?” asked Boris.
“Are you alright is what that means?” said JJ.
“Oh I see, it's slang right?” asked Boris.
“Wait, where is Sean?” Kyle interrupts.
“He’s right-” Boris turns around to see that Sean is no longer Beside him. “NO!”
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“Major Walls sir, our scouts report that the Quali are marching towards Greatfold,” said a man with golden medium-long hair.
“How many?” asked Major Walls.
“Estimated 2000 sir,” the golden-haired man. “There are less than 1000 experienced soldiers stationed in Greatfold and about 500 or so emergency enlisted civilians.”
“Captain Cucumber. Take the 303rd and 304th cohorts to aid the Greatfold,” ordered the Major.
“Yes sir,” replied the golden haired man.
“I don't think that will be enough though,” thought Cucumber.
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Alice and Susan are on their way home after class.
“Did you see Sean in class?” asked Alice.
“I don't think so, your ex must have gotten him,” joked Susan.
Alice looks at Susan with a straight face.
“My bad,” Susan holds her hands in front of her face as if she is about to get slapped.
“Seriously though, where is he?” asked Alice.
“Maybe he was enlisted too? I don't know,” said Susan.
“You’ve seen Sean right? There is no way they would enlist him,”
Susan laughs and says sarcastically, “but he is from the great Tygren family! He must be a great fighter.”
“He’s a good kid. He may not be living up to the family name, but he has something that none of us Tygren’s have.”
“the IQ of a spoon?”
“Sean skipped two grades...”
Susan laughs. “I know, but some things he does are questionable.”
“Very true, but do you know what Sean has that Tygren’s don't?”
“No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me.”
“You are so hit and miss when it comes to being there for me,” said Alice angrily.
Susan takes a deep breath, and her face goes straight, “ I'm sorry, I didn't know you were needing me. I'm here now.”
“My ex tried to kill Sean... again! Sean is missing! And Lex is going to be fighting the most dangerous people around!” freaked Alice.
Susan hugs Alice as she could tell that Alice was about to cry, “shhhhh, its okay. It will all be okay.”
Alice starts to cry and says, “Tygren’s are supposed to be masters with swords, I can hardly hold one properly.”
“Tell you what,” said Susan holding Alice tightly. “We will find Sean and someone to train you. Then we will find Godfrey and kick his ass, how does that sound?”
Alice continues to cry without answering. A guy with dirty blonde hair all neatly combed to one side approaches the two girls. He is average height and rather lean. Susan sees him over Alice's shoulder. “We are kinda having a moment bud, piss off,”
The guy offers a tissue from his pocket and says nothing.
Alice turns around to see the guy and takes his tissue. “Thanks,” she sniffles and wipes her soaking and swollen eyes with it.
“Not a problem,” he smiles.
“Here I am balling my eyes out in front of a cute guy, what is wrong with me!” thought Alice.
“Those are some broad shoulders you have there. Mind if my friend cries on them?” joked Susan.
Alice pinches Susan's side.
The guy starts to blush and holds his hand out to Alice, “hey, I'm Xander.”
Alice stands there awkwardly before Susan takes her by the arm and puts it in his hand.
“Hey, I’m Alice.” Alice blushes.
Xander lets out a small chuckle. “Nice to meet you, Alice,”
Xander looks to Susan and says, “and you are?”
“I'm not the one you’re having babies with, it doesn't matter,” said Susan making them both light up like fireworks. “Enjoy.”
Susan walks away.
“Sorry about Susan,” Alice tucks her hair behind her ear. “She’s a bit of an ass.”
Xander chuckles, “It’s fine. So what has you so upset? If you don't mind me asking.”
“It's a long story. Not one that I want to share with a stranger,” Alice regretfully said.
“That was stupid of me! That sounded way worse out loud than it did in my head,” thought Alice.
“Fair enough, how about I tell you a little about me, and you tell me a little about you. Then I'm no longer a stranger right?” he smiles.
Alice smiled back, “sure.”
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Two people hiding behind brown cloaks sit at a table in the corner of a bar in Greatfold. A different man in the same clothes approaches them.
“It can’t be,” a voice of an old man on the left.
“Renar,” nods the third man to the person on his left. “Pathsis,” nods the third man to the person on his right. “long time no see.” He says to both.
“Long time indeed,” a female voice on the man's right. “What brings you back to the world of magic?”
“Magic spread to Zanova. Brayssia fell,” said the man.
“Have a seat Alfred, you have much to tell us,” suggested Renar.
“Thank you,” said Alfred.
“Well,” Pathsis says impatiently, “how did the place you left here for, turn to ash?”
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