Night fell upon the city of Destol. The moon looked down upon the silent city as people turned their lights off as they went to bed. Others sat in silent meditation, Cycling Toh throughout their cores. The Academy was brightly lit up, the white tower a shining beacon for the rest of the citizens. Surrounding it was a large wooden gate. It was closed at the moment, but a cart was riding up to the gate. Mat was waiting for that exact moment. While he waited, he slipped on his disguise.
“How do I look?” Mat asked from the top of the building they were standing on. Spring looked at him approvingly, Sam much less so.
“That robe is far too baggy for you. They’ll see straight through it.” He said fearfully.
“No they won’t.” George said calmly. “It’s far too dark.”
“I think you look incredible.” Spring said, smirking.
“I’m sure you do.” Mat replied, winking at her. Spring giggled cutely.
“Here we go.” George mumbled, rolling his eyes.
“Do you two ever stop?” Sam asked. “Stupid question. Of course you don’t.”
“Oh be quiet.” Spring said, slapping Sam’s arm playfully. “Mat’s my cute little boy. Aren’t you?” She asked, stroking Mat’s arm.
“Yes.” He said dejectedly.
“What are you?” She asked.
“You’re cute little boy.” He said, sounding defeated.
“I know you are.” Spring said, wrapping her arms around him. She planted a soft kiss on his cheek, making his ears burn.
It only took a couple of minutes for the cart to arrive, and the gate flew open.
“Now.” Mat said quickly. Spring grabbed him and jumped off the building. Just before they hit the floor, Mat froze time, slipping out of her arms. It felt like he was wading through sludge as he ran toward the open gate. One of Sam’s black pens was hidden in his pocket.
As his Toh got dangerously low, Mat threw himself through the frozen gate. The guards on watch were about to close the gate and swap over. As time unfroze, he dropped chucked his pen a little away from him.
“Excuse me?” Mat said meekly. He wrapped the white robe closer around himself nervously.
The two guards turned to look at him, the gate momentarily forgotten.
“What do you want.” One of them barked.
“I – I believe I dropped my pen out here somewhere but it’s so dark. I wondered if you could help me find it?”
The two guards shared a look.
“Why don’t you just leave it. I know you have more pens.”
“It is my lucky pen sir. It will only take a moment of your time.” Mat said meekly.
As he talked, Mat slightly put his leg out. The guards who were swapping over were walking toward them, and one of them tripped over Mat’s leg.
“What the hell!” He roared, launching himself at Mat. “What the hell are you doing boy?”
“I – I -” Mat stuttered.
“Leave it Greg. He’s looking for his special pen. You know what they’re like.”
That was clearly meant to be an insult.
“I’m s – sorry sir. I’ll just come back tomorrow.”
Greg bent down and picked something up. A black pen.
“This what you’re looking for?” he growled.
Mat nodded frantically and took it in a vice like grip.
“Thank you so much.” Mat said.
“Yeah, yeah, now get out of here. YOU, close that gate.” Greg barked at the man on the switch. He jumped to attention and quickly slammed the gate shut.
Mat turned and ran into the building. The gate being closed would be an issue, if his friends hadn’t already snuck into the Academy.
Mat smiled in glee.
Mat snuck into the small closet they other were hiding in, sensing them with his Eyes of the Tiger.
“Right,” Mat said, “we need to do this quickly. Spring, we need to get to the Archives.”
“What about The High Educator?” Sam asked. “He won’t let us in his room.”
Mat grinned mischievously.
“I might be wrong, but I heard that he got an urgent call to the other side of the city. As far as I know, he won’t be around for at least a couple of hours.”
The others all stared at him in shock.
“We don’t have time to stand around.” Mat commented. “Let’s move.”
George gave Mat a brief nod as he and Sam snuck out of the closet. Mat met Spring’s eyes briefly to signal they should leave in a moment. Her purple eyes were smouldering.
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“W – what?” Mat stuttered, this one not an act like with the guards. Spring ran a finger down his bare chest as he was reclothing himself. The robe wasn’t going to work this far in.
“Do you know how sexy it is when you take charge.”
Mat’s mouth stumbled, letting out several small noises, but he couldn’t get any words out.
“Oh you don’t do you?”
Spring wrapped her arms around his neck, her warm skin a comforting sensation for him.
“Spring please.” Mat said hoarsely. “Not here. We have to get on.”
Spring pouted, gave him a light peck on the cheek, and helped him put his shirt on.
She did the buttons for him as he threw his long blue coat around his shoulders.
When he was reclothed, she gently grabbed his hair and pulled his head to her. She kissed him passionately, her other hand around his waist. When she reluctantly pulled away her eyes were glued to his face.
"You're blushing," She teased. "Do you want me right now?"
Mat couldn't get a response out, just small, high pitched noises.
"Oh you do don't you?"
"Yes," Mat eventually managed to squeak. "But not yet. We have a job to do."
“Well, when we're done, I think my clever boy deserves a reward. Shall we get on?”
Mat stuttered as he agreed.
Mat closed his eyes, using his Eyes of the Tiger to see if anybody was standing by the stairs down to the Archives. There were three men standing around silently. Mat glanced at Spring, holding up three fingers. She nodded briefly, bending her legs so she could charge in quickly.
Mat froze time, slogging through the stillness of the moment to walk past the three men. They were unarmed, but Mat knew a weapon didn’t need to be on their person. Spring didn’t carry her Sword of Eternal Flame with her, she just summoned it when needed. He walked past the three men and down a few stairs, hiding behind a small bit of protruding stone. He unfroze time, breathing a little harder than before. After mentally counting down from three, Mat moved out of his cover, walking up behind them.
“Good evening gentlemen.” He said loudly. The three men all turned around in shock.
“What the hell.” One muttered.
“How did you get in there?” Another asked.
“Well, the last fellows let me through didn’t they.” Mat said, putting on a pompous posh voice. One of the men frowned.
“No you didn’t.” He said. “We report everybody we let through.”
“How else did I get in then?” Mat asked. “Did I freeze time to bypass you?” He chuckled lightly.
It did sound rather implausible. The men still didn’t trust him though. That didn’t matter, as Spring had snuck up behind them.
“Will you let me past or shall I call The High Educator?” Mat asked.
The men all looked horrified. Both of them.
“No, no.” One said. “That won’t be necessary.”
“I’m glad.” Mat smiled softly. “Have yourself a good day young man.”
The one guard was clearly older than him, but he didn’t question anything. Not even where his friends had gone. As Mat walked past, he elbowed the man in the head. Spring choked him into unconsciousness. All three men had been dealt with.
“That went better than expected.” Mat commented, rearranging his coat marginally.
“All because of your distraction.” Spring said, patting down his shoulders.
“Well, if you weren’t so strong we would have had an actual fight. You’re the only reason that was possible.” Mat said, helping to straighten her blue robe.
“You like my strength don’t you, my love?”
“O – of course. I – it’s really attractive.”
“Not more than you are.” She whispered lovingly.
***
Eritandellion stood at the top of his tower, looking down at the Academy. Though he couldn’t look inside it with his naked eyes, he could sense all that went on inside it. A small smile rested upon his face, his white cloak waving gently in the breeze. His students were learning without him. It was a shame he had been so busy recently. Funerals took time and so did the Council. Still, he had a bit of time now before he would have to leave for a good long while. He supposed his name would have to change when he eventually returned. People would get suspicious if he came back after a thousand years of supposedly being dead. Time was on his side though. A thousand years was a long time to find a new identity. He wondered what would have changed it that time. Thelysium would be run by different people he assumed. Emperor Isban would eventually have to leave his position. Perhaps one of his students would take over from him.
Eritandellion was very proud of his two students. They had grown remarkably close and formed a team. All they had needed was a nudge in the right direction.
Mat’s plan to distract The High Educator was genius. The Emperor would be proud of a plan like that. Eritandellion hadn’t even supplied him with the communication device. Mat had done that alone. He had figured out what it was, how to use it and done it all with great speed. Shame that Eritandellion only had one.
As he stood watching the Academy, he felt a person appear next to him.
“Couldn’t you handle this much faster than them?” Tresslia asked. She was a member of the Council. “You could use this time to Advance them as far as possible.”
“You miss out on the simple joys of life.” Eritandellion remarked. “Besides, they need to get used to me being absent.”
“If they were more powerful though…”
“No.” Eritandellion said forcefully. “This is my world. I shall handle it as I see fit.”
Tresslia tutted but didn’t say a word. Nor did she leave.
Klaressi walked through a portal and appeared as well.
“Is my home now the new meeting point?” Eritandellion asked. “It feels like everybody’s coming here. Didn’t bring The Dominion with you perchance.”
Klaressi smirked.
“No. I need to speak with you about something important.”
“Can’t it wait?” Eritandellion asked.
“No.”
Eritandellion rolled his eyes.
“Very well. I assume you will be taking your leave Tresslia.”
She stepped through a portal and vanished.
Klaressi opened a portal for them both to walk through.
When it closed, Eritandellion grinned.
“Thank you for your timely rescue.” He said.
“I wouldn’t wish Tresslia’s company on my worst enemy.” She said. “Now, I want to see what your students have learned.”
“Oh they’ve picked up a thing or two.” Eritandellion said cockily.
***
George and Sam snuck through the echoey, empty hallways of the Academy. Sam was leading the way, George following close behind.
“Are we getting close?” George asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“Yes, not far now.” Sam said, his voice quiet and defeated.
“It will be okay.” George promised. “We’ll get your work back.”
“What if The High Educator is still here? What if he finds us?”
“Then I’ll give him a good talking to.” George promised. “The way he treated you… he has no honour. Stealing isn’t what we’re doing here. We are rightfully taking back what is yours.”
As Sam was about to respond, footsteps echoed behind them. George looked behind him and saw a group of four guards, each wearing full sets of armour, walking at them purposefully.
“Hello gentlemen.” George said, blocking their view of Sam. “Can I help you with something.”
“Why are you in here?” The leader of the group asked. “You aren’t registered.”
George grew a pair of feathery bird wings out of his back. They touched the floor and went past his head. George wrapped his wings around Sam for cover.
“I flew.” George said calmly. “Now may I continue or is there some problem here?”
The leader’s eyes widened in surprise.
“George Clarentsi?” He asked.
George smiled at him.
“At your service.” George said, giving a tiny, mocking bow.
“Apologies my lord. I had no idea. I will sign you in now. Would you like to wait in my office for The High Educator to return?”
“Return?” George asked, faking confusion.
“I’m sorry my lord. The High Educator received an urgent call and had to leave the
Academy. I’m sure he will be back in a few hours.”
“That’s perfectly fine. I think I’ll take a walk until he returns.” George said. “Perhaps you could keep my being here a secret. I don’t want to get crowded. My business is urgent and I would like time to think.”
“Of course, my lord.”
“Thank you. On your way then old chap.”
The guards all bowed, turned sharply on their heels and almost ran away. When they were gone, George absorbed his wings, revealing a shivering Sam.
“Thanks.” He squeaked.
“No problem. Now we know that The High Educator isn’t here, we have ample time to raid his office. Let’s get to it.”
