I picked up the amulet, turning it right and left in my hand as I thought through my options going forward.

  I needed this. Many of my current problems would become issues for a stronger and more prepared me if I used this item. My magical sense simply couldn't see the inner workings of this metal amulet. Neither could I manipulate it to my magical will with my metal attuned magical power.

  It was a gamble. A word that would have adequately described my life had it not been the machinations of people who had lived far longer before me.

  So far, this seer seemed mostly interested in the act of building a weapon, rather than using said weapon.

  Cerys could easily be in great danger going forward if that other seemingly murderous seer realized she was no longer of much use to me, maybe even a hindrance, a weak point.

  So far, for what it was worth, this man seemed infinitely more trustable and the least controlled man I have ever talked to.

  I wanted to be like him, able to drop such a life changing choice onto someone, free them of their future in a way they could look forward to while leaving little strings attached.

  Well, what could I lose from not choosing this? A future where I could be free of at least that man’s controlling future sight.

  My hand went to my chest, “I, Erec, will never take off this amulet until I defeat you, headmaster, in a duel.”

  I put the amulet on.

  I didn’t feel any difference, it just sat there around my neck, resting on my chest with a barely perceptible weight.

  The Headmaster stared at me for a few seconds, as a good natured grin spread across his face.

  “I dare say that work of immense talent was well worth the single unquestionable favor I now owe that woman.” He then looked at Cerys with an expectant expression.

  “You are quite right, Headmaster, I can’t even feel his magical presence.” A wide, happy smile spread across her face, “It's as though he’s a magicless human.”

  “I thought so, now, Erec, what do you want to do first today?” The Headmaster said, his grin infectious.

  “I think I want to just relax and walk around this academy, take it all in.” I said, looking at Cerys with a question written on my face.

  “I would like to change into something new, then tour this academy as well.” She answered with a smile still on her face.

  The headmaster clapped his hands over his head once, “Then it’s settled!” He relaxed back into his chair, “Enjoy your day off, be ready for tomorrow, for it will be jam-packed with new things for you to do, Erec.” He then looked to Cerys, “As for you, you are welcome to do anything you want in this academy, you are as safe as I believe you could be.”

  “See you both tomorrow, enjoy!” He said as he got up, moving over to his massive wooden desk, laden with book after book, loose papers scattered about it.

  He then sat in his leather swivel chair and started writing into a massive book that dominated the top of his mound of parchment and leather.

  I got up, turned to Cerys and said, “I will let you go for now, to get to what you wanted to do, I will be a while as I explore these grounds, you are free from being forced into my life if you so choose.” I said with a faint pang in my chest.

  Her radiant smile turned from said expression into a clearly hurt frown. “Do you want that?” She asked as the Headmaster tsk’d to my right.

  “I personally don’t, but I want to leave it up to you whether or not you want to follow me.” She looked thoughtful then turned on her heel and left the room in a heated movement that belied anger, the doors closing without her guiding them back into their closed state.

  “I guess the lesson won't be able to wait until tomorrow.” The headmaster half chuckled and half reprimanded me with another tsk.

  I turned to him, confused about Cerys’ reaction to my open acceptance of her choice to a new life.

  “Sometimes, being fair isn’t kind, sometimes, being kind isn't fair.” He said in a matter of fact tone. He entered a full belly laugh that shook the room, only calming down after a good ten seconds of not laughing. ”The first time in ever being uncontrolled by forces outside of your power to deny and you instantly choose to commit a faux pas on one of the only people in this world who truly loves you.” He said, shaking his head with an accusatory but humored look on his face.

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  My eyes widened.

  “Oh.” was all I could say as the explanation finally hit me like a charging alpha chimera.

  I sat down, folding into a head holding position as I silently reprimanded myself.

  “Well don’t just sit there, go after her!” He said with an excited tone. “You can’t keep a lady waiting for more than she feels comfortable doing so.” The words striking true in my brain, but also hitting a cord of similarity to Gerald’s old saying.

  ‘Well, he did say he had disagreements with the old man,’ I reassured myself.

  I got up and said “Thank you for the lesson, Headmaster,” as I turned to move out the doors.

  “My name is Desmond, you can call me it, if you so choose.” He said, a chuckle riding off the end of his sentence.

  I turned to him, my right eye brow raising in surprise. “Very well, nice to meet you, Desmond.”

  His grin turned a tad more angular as he shooed me out with his left hand, his right still writing in his massive book.

  I turned, dashing to the door, opening it with my magical will. I then rushed out, looking for Cerys. She was nowhere to be found. I started searching for her, my earlier interest in this academy taking a back stage to my new found purpose.

  —-----------

  Four hours later

  —------------------

  I have been to seven buildings of differentiating purposes. A Library, three instruction buildings, the dormitory I used last night, another dormitory, a lab and a cog smith warehouse. I was coming up upon the biggest of all the buildings just now, my borrowed academy exercise outfit clung to my body with sweat. My breath never moved above a steady pace that most people would have while sitting down.

  The colosseum style building was fast approaching me as my feet carried me in a sprint that sorry tool for a trainer used to call a ‘jog’. It really was, to me, a jog. I could go faster if I used metal to form around me to assist me like a frame to move fast and far. I enjoyed running at this ‘leisurely’ pace though.

  As I approached the marble colosseum, I heard nothing but the air wooshing past my ears and the quiet patter of the academy shoes that felt light as a feather on my feet. These shoes were a direct contradiction to the metal training boots that I used to be forced to wear every place I went.

  As I made my way to the front arch of the colosseum, I saw no one at the front entrance, the desk being unmanned.

  I simply did like I had everywhere else. I blew past the front desk and opened the magi-metal gate front door that blocked my path.

  As I entered, I saw a crowd of academy students all looking at a middle pit that lowered a few meters.

  Curious, I entered and walked up to the edge of the pit, putting my hands on a marble railing and looked down.

  Down there was Cerys and another female academy student.

  They were fighting. Cerys had her warhammer and enormous shield, while the female student had a rapier and a parrying dagger.

  They were fighting with a fervor that belied something more than an honorable duel between students.

  With skepticism, I turned to another female student who was next to me and asked “This duel seems personal, what is going on here?”

  “The traitor of the empire is getting some well deserved payback after fighting on the wrong side.” She said with a sneer until she saw my face, she paused as she looked at me, first was shock, then was interest, lastly, was fear as she looked fully into my eyes.

  “Ah, that would make total sense, if she indeed were a traitor to the empire.” I said in a mock-agreeable tone, one that did no effort to hide the anger and grudging offence that shaded said tone. “For she is a fiance to a noble of house Doehiedron, I don’t have to explain how impossible that would be to exist at the same time.” I said, my voice losing all agreeability. “Right?” I said, leaving no room for her to disagree.

  “Cerys!” She visibly flinched, but continued fighting all the same, “Win quickly, we have much to discuss, lunch is approaching and I would like you to join me.” I said with a sure tone.

  The air cracked with heat as Cerys released her magical will.

  Seven cogs. I could already tell that Cerys’ opponent wouldn’t stand a chance.

  I spread my magical sense outwards to look at the opponent. Weak. Three cogs.

  ‘Why was a three cog student fighting a seven cog student, especially when they were trying to punish her with a beat down?’ I asked myself. I then looked more perceptively at the students who all looked a little beat up.

  Did they all fight her? Some of them had a decent amount of cogs being a few fourth and one fifth.

  A frown appeared across my face. Then a grimace. ‘How dastardly.’ I reproached.

  I assumed they had some kind of rule against the severe maiming or especially death of a student. One they may have been using to possibly get to Cerys if she broke said rule.

  My eyes widened, realizing that was the most likely intent of these students.

  She was about to do just that. Really hurt that student. They likely had nothing good to say to Cerys as she fought person after person.

  A primal anger roared deep inside of my psyche, one that was only growing stronger and stronger as I thought just how close they came to completing their scheme.

  Their weapons stopped in the air, Cerys and the female student pushed on the weapons with their arms and entire body. The weapons disobeyed as they simply just stayed where I kept them.

  “Enough, you wretches.” I said with a rageful tone. “How dare you make sport out of my wife as you goad and taunt her into a corner, taking advantage of rules most noble, fouling the honor of something so fundamentally sacred that is a duel.” My voice became dark and low, but carried none the less.

  Crackles and snaps sounded out as my voice carried across the coliseum, no other sound dared to pipe up.

  “You all will know just how bad you failed to think through your actions before committing them, should they have been discovered by me before they reached fruition.” I said, multiple doors of magi-steel and other weapons floating above everyone’s heads, obtained from the armory I felt from across the coliseum.

  All the metal parts started glowing hot red as electricity flowed through them, disintegrating anything that wasn't metal.

  “Have you found your understanding of your faults yet, or do you need to die before you figure it out?” I said with a quiet but audible tone that promised imminent destruction.

  The student next to me kneeled, body shaking visibly as she mustered up the courage to speak.

  “Your eminence, I confess that we had schemed, I beg your forgiveness.” She said with a fearful tone.

  ‘At least she shows the courage to beg, unlike these other pampered louts’ I thought in my enraged mind.

  ‘Wait, am I actually going to kill them?’ I questioned myself after a second of introspection.

  My eyes stared through space and memory, back to that dirt hill, back where that mound almost killed me.

  Where those spies met a quick and painless but violent and sudden end by my spell.

  I felt bile approaching the top of my throat.

  Tens upon tens of humans. More than a hundred, easily.

  They were out to kill me and those I wished to protect, I reasoned.

  Cerys floated up to the railing, vaulting over.

  She looked into my emerald eyes with worry, shaking her head. Signaling me to stand down.

  I didn’t see any reason to drag this out any longer, especially since she didn’t want it to be done so either.

  All the weapons stopped crackling as pillars of lightning erupted into the sky, painting the sea of blue with blooms of light that blotted out the sun for a moment.

  The thunder boomed as the light dissipated, many of the students covering their ears and screaming.

  The weapons all deformed into slag. I had no intention of wasting any time or magical will reforming them, they were most likely beyond saving anyways.

  They splatted to the ground, fusing with the marble benches and floor tiles.

  “My lovely wife, Lady Cerys, has asked me to go no further, thank her in any way you see fit, curs.” I said with finality, my left arm looping out for Cerys to take.

  She moved to my side and took it with her right.

  I then turned us towards the exit.

  We left, the coliseum staying silent as we made our way.

  “Too close for comfort.” Cerys commented as we walked back along the path back the way I came.

  I nodded.

  “So much for enjoying the academy grounds for a day.” She joked, prodding my unresponsive state.

  “Lets go have some lunch back at our suite, I would like some time to be with you, alone.” I said, pushing that image of the crowd of people before they got misted back into the deep parts of my brain.

  “I would like that.” She conceded.

  As we walked, the beauty returned to the academy grounds as I looked around with a perceptive gaze.