Following the same routine every morning, Nicholas went to school and attended his usual classes. However, things had progressed. His studies had moved up a level, and the subjects were growing more demanding. His current classes included:
- Proper etiquette and manners
- Business Language
- Human Anatomy
- Economics
- Intermediate Self-defense
- Magic Grade 1
- Agriculture
- Craftsmanship - Woodwork
His favorite classes were Magic, Self-defense, and Craftsmanship. The reason he enjoyed these classes was because they were very active, and he got to learn more about magic and fighting.
His sister, Selas, started attending the school as well. The only downside to his school life currently was that Irene and her family had moved to a different estate and were now attending a different school.
He became closer friends with Alex and his brother over the next year, as Alex was also very interested in magic. Most of the magic classes were basic demonstrations on each element and absorbing the mana into their bodies.
No one in his class had developed a mana mark yet, but they all figured out the point in their bodies that they absorbed the mana in most comfortably.
Alex’s mana point was the backside of his left hand, just below the knuckles.
He didn’t exchange snacks with Alex like he did with Irene, but they would always play hero and slaying imaginary monsters together. They both knew it was their imagination, but they enjoyed the time together. Sometimes Richard would pretend to be the bad guy for them. Richard still teased his brother when Nicholas was there, but it was more funny than mean.
When the day ended at school, Nicholas would chat with Alex after school for a bit while Nicholas waited for his sister to meet him, and they would go home together.
“It’s almost my brother's time to leave the assistant teacher position and start his own work. He won’t be home much anymore,” Alex said.
“It’s okay as long as he comes back. Think about it, if he becomes an arcane knight, he can fight bad guys and monsters and be a hero! Isn’t that cool!” Nicholas replied.
“Yeah, it is! When I grow up, I will also be an arcane knight!” Alex said.
“Me too.”
Selas walked in, and they went home together.
As they went in, they noticed that there was another carriage outside the estate.
When they walked into the house, their dad, Nathan Arnell, was in the living room, having a chat with guests over the fireplace.
The kids listened in on the conversation.
“C’mon, Arnell. Just think about it. It’s a perfect deal, and you’ll have more money than you can imagine. All you have to do is relocate some of your shops and give us the building.”
“As tempting as the offer is, gentleman, I don’t want to sell. This business and all the buildings we use are part of something my family built over the last 60 years,” Nathan replied.
“Haven’t you noticed, especially in Wintersong, that business has slowed down considerably in the whole area? You’re practically losing money. Why not let us buy it from you?”
“Sorry, but the answer is no. If there’s anything else you would like to discuss, then please do so, but I am firm in my decision of not selling the Wintersong branch or any other branch that my business has.”
One of the guests, a fat man with a mustache and monocle, lost his patience and stood up.
“We have nothing more to discuss. Just know that when the Faraday Merchant Company becomes the biggest business, know that you said no to our proposition!”
The fat man stormed off and pushed the door open.
On the other side of the door, Nicholas and Selas felt the vibration of the plump man as he pushed the door open. They quickly hid around the corner until the man left.
The kids didn’t notice it, but the fat man definitely noticed them. He smirked menacingly, his anger seeming to fade away.
As they saw the man take off, they went in to greet their dad.
“Who was that, Dad?” asked Nicholas.
“The owner of the Faraday Merchant Company, Bartholomew Faraday. He wanted to buy some of our stores, and I said no.”
“I don’t like him,” Selas uttered.
**********
Back at the Faraday Estate
Bartholomew was meeting with a group of people. The leader of the group was wearing a blue bandana and had an eyepatch. He was about 5 foot 4, very bulky, with a couple of scars on his forearms. He had a rapier at his waist.
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“So what’s the job, boss?”
“Kidnap Arnell’s kids and hold them for ransom until he gives up the storefronts.”
*********
In agriculture class, Mr. Pin, 6’2, with short hair and a tight-fitting shirt that enhanced his muscular features from farm work, asked, “Which months are significant for growing crops and why?”
Nicholas answered, “The beginning of the 4th month, Plantes.”
“Correct. Now, since Nicholas was the only one who was able to answer, it shows me that you all don’t understand the significance of each month. Let’s go over the basics.”
“Month 1 - Lux, for when the light starts to melt the snow.
Month 2 - Messis, for when we begin our harvest.
Month 3 - Bloom, for when the flowers and plants grow exponentially.
Month 4 - Plantes, for when we plant the harvest for the next winter.
Month 5 - Vere, for the end of bloom.
Month 6 - Embers, when the weather starts getting hot.
Month 7 - Ignis, for when it is as hot as fire.
Month 8 - Frigid, for when it starts cooling down.
Month 9 - Perfectum, for when it’s neither hot nor cold, and anything can be done.
Month 10 - Noctis, for when the light starts to go out and it gets dark.
Month 11 - Gelu, for when the frost comes in.
Month 12 - Mors, for when plants and animals mostly die of the cold.”
“This will be on the test in 3 days. I hope you all study hard.”
The kids all groaned at the word “test.” The bell rang, and the class was over.
Nicholas waited for Selas, like usual. Once she arrived, they both went into the carriage with Rick. As they were riding up the street, there was a hooded lady collapsed on the road. Rick got out of the carriage to help her.
“Miss, are you okay?” Rick asked.
“I’m fine now, but you won’t be,” she said, drawing a small dagger and trying to stab Rick. He dodged backwards and kicked the dagger out of her hand. He suddenly heard a loud crack as the door to the carriage was broken open.
Rick dashed toward the carriage, but a man with an eyepatch and a blue bandana intercepted his path.
Rick noticed he had a small cut on his left arm. The man with the eyepatch licked the blood off his rapier.
“Shouldn’t you worry about yourself before the kids?” the man sneered.
Two large men were carrying the kids out of the carriage. The men covered the kids’ mouths as they ran off.
As Rick charged toward the kids, the hooded lady grabbed his leg while the man with the eyepatch stabbed the rapier toward him. Rick maneuvered as best as he could, but still got stabbed in the leg.
“Alright, we slowed him down. Let’s get out of here,” the man with the eyepatch shouted.
Rick muttered something under his breath. “Track.” A small glow shone around Rick’s collar bone through his white shirt. A condensed ball of mana struck the rapier.
“Shit! He’s an arcane knight. Quickly, get the kids away before he can catch up. Everyone else, surround him!” Eyepatch ordered.
Eyepatch ran away with the two large men, while the rest of his crew surrounded Rick.
Rick pointed his finger at a group of men in front of him. The word “ignite” left his mouth, and a pillar of fire erupted from the ground where he pointed. The thugs were burnt to a crisp.
Rick turned and looked at the other ones around him.
“Get out of my way if you don’t want to end up like them.”
Fear-stricken, the rest of the kidnappers ran away.
Rick ran toward the direction Eyepatch took off.
The two men made it to their horses down the road and took off, carrying the kids to their hideout.
A little while later, in the same spot, Eyepatch arrived, panting and out of breath from running at full speed.
“I think I lost him,” he muttered to himself.
As he was about to mount his horse, a small breeze passed through his arm. He looked down and saw a spurt of blood coming from where his right hand used to be.
Rick appeared behind him and grabbed him by the back of his neck.
Eyepatch screamed in pain as he realized what had happened.
“I’m going to say this once. If you want to keep the other arm, I suggest you tell me who hired you and where they took the kids.”
Sweat dripped down Eyepatch’s forehead.
“It was Faraday. The kids will be at a hideout east of his estate.”
“Thank you. You get to keep the other arm.” Rick crushed Eyepatch’s head.
“Your life is another matter.”
Rick headed back to the Arnell estate to report what had happened.
************
At the hideout
The kids were thrown into the cell, and the door was locked by the two henchmen.
“I hope we get a good amount for this.”
“Me too, I’ll go report it to the Faradays. I hope the boss comes back soon,” replied Henchman 2.
The door to the cell room closed behind them. Selas, scared and with tears flowing down her eyes, looked at Nicholas.
Noticing his sister, he gave her a hug.
Even though he was scared, his brotherly instincts kicked in, and he started to comfort his sister.
“It’s okay, those are bad guys, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And what happens to the bad guys in the stories that Mom reads to us?”
“They lose.”
“Yup.”
Selas started feeling better and calmed down. While thinking of the stories their mom had told him, he remembered a story about a knight who used magic to bend the metals of the bars open.
He stuck his hand out and tried to imagine the bars moving that way.
It didn’t work.
He thought back to one of his magic classes’ lessons.
Professor Nara, an old but kind teacher, explained the theory of using magic.
Her words resounded in his mind.
“Magic depends on our understanding of the elements, as well as having a visual image of what we want to do. Once we have those things, we have to feel the flow of mana in our bodies and stimulate that mana while focusing on the image. It becomes even harder to do that while moving or doing other tasks like drawing mana into our bodies while ‘casting’.”
Nicholas refocused and felt the flow in his body. His mana mark, with two parts, lit up.
He didn’t know why, but he felt a word pop up in his mind.
“Bend.”
As soon as those words left his mouth, the bars bent open enough for him and his sister to pass through.
His sister was surprised, but he smiled and said, “Let’s get out of here.”
The Book of Spirits muttered to itself.
“Not bad, kid.”