The Legendary Magicians (Etalsian Legends Book One)

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO: A Mortal Guardian's Burden

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ANNE GAVE HER friend another hug. "Shh, you did your best."

"N-No," Xandri cried; "my... my family... I don't know what happened to them. I even used my magic against them! Against them, Anne!"

Losing her strength to stand, the young Mistress fell to her knees. "Will they welcome me back once we return? Or will I just see them as stone tablets erected on the ground?"

"They will be there to greet you, Xandri. Hush now," Anne tried to calm her but failed.

"I wasn't there with them! I wasn't by their side! They fought without me! I was— I— Anne, my family!" she wailed in her friend's arms.

Finally, all the grief she had been suppressing this entire time was let out. Frost began to crawl from Xandri's body to the floor, and snow slowly fell within the room.

"Anne," she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"What if... I surrender myself to the Dark Dimension?"

"What?" Anne exclaimed, holding both of Xandri's shoulders and getting her at arm's length. She stared straight into those dull and weary icy blue eyes. "No, you should never!"

A baritone voice echoed in the room. The principal's slate-gray irises had turned pale yellow whilst he spoke, "What do you think will happen if you surrender, Mistress?"

Xandri did not answer.

"What do you think will happen if you surrender... Mistress of Ice and Snow, the remaining Mortal Guardian of the Living Realms?" This time, Principal Fynn had left his seat, stepping closer to Xandri.

"I'm all they want and not any other person. If they have me, then no more danger shall come to my people and to those I care about," she answered, her eyes turning back to brown as she limited the manifestation of her magic.

The principal's voice boomed above Xandri's words. "FOOL! If they have you, everyone will perish!"

He gestured a finger gun and fired a bullet of light at the young Mistress, sending her crashing against the wall. She held onto her steaming abdomen while coughing.

"Principal Fynn!" Anne exclaimed angrily.

"Step aside," he ordered, pointing his Light Gun at her face.

Anne retreated, looking worriedly at her friend. 'I have met Light Magicians my age and their bullets are not this strong... What can I possibly do against this level?'

Principal Fynn turned back to Xandri, continuing, "Do you think they won't try to make you a useful combat tool? You will be a puppet of the Dark Magicians! You will not be the Guardian of Etals, but the destruction!"

Each time he emphasizes words within his sentences, he shoots her with a bullet of light. The pain was sharp and searing, each impact pushing Xandri closer to the edge of consciousness.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" shouted Anne, summoning a force of wind that almost made the older man lose his foothold. It was a magic technique called Blowing Winds.

"You dare overstep—"

The principal's words were cut short as Director Dion separated the three of them with curtain-like flames, his now-red eyes burning in displeasure.

"I do not see a good reason why this all resulted in a fight." He stepped forward, his calm yet firm voice knocking each of the three back to their senses.

"Miss Cahall, to surrender is not a valid option for a Mortal Guardian like you. Remember how the other Guardian, the Master, His Highness fought for our Etals Kingdom. I hope you ponder on these words for some time.

"Miss Ninlil, kindly take your friend to the Ymir Infirmary to treat her... sunburns. If you can't find the way, you can ask Miss Cahall.

"And lastly, you, Meyer Fynn. Can't you settle with simply talking with the Mistress? What is the need to use your magic against someone unwilling to fight back? And you are the older one. Next time, try considering how young the age of 13 is. You are allies, not enemies. Do not make an enemy out of the Mistress."

Director Dion closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The Curtain of Fire magic technique that separated the three fizzled into smoke, and Anne was then able to take Xandri out of the Hlidskialf Room.

AS SOON AS they stepped out, the troubling sound of commotion entered their ears.

"What is going on?" Xandri asked and then hissed as the snow she summoned came in contact with her burnt skin.

"Your water magic might give you a more soothing effect than using your Spirit of Ice and Snow," Anne suggested while looking around. "I think something's happening outside this building. I'm not sure, though."

Following her friend's suggestion, Xandri's icy blue eyes changed to cerulean blue as she channeled her inner Water Spirit and summoned the Ocean Wave.

However, before she could press a key to play the Healing Cloud for herself, Anne grabbed her wrist and dragged her to run. With her free hand, she evaporated the keyboard in a flash.

Xandri was about to throw a question when a winged figure crashed right behind them. Her pupils shrunk as she seemed to recognize who owned those wings, but decided not to make any assumptions. Therefore, she turned around, only for her cerulean eyes to meet a pair of orange ones.

Those familiar pair of eyes that somehow has its ways to make her heart skip a beat.

"J-Juji..." she whispered her friend's nickname.

The winged girl cried soon after. "I... found you." Slowly, she took her steps to envelope the other in a hug. "Oh, gosh, I'm so worried! I thought they had taken you away from me!"

Xandri smiled and wiped away Juji's tears with her thumbs. "Don't worry now. I'm here. I'm alive and well."

And she was right. Those wings were from a magic technique called Wandering Albatross Wings, and she had only seen one Animals Magician perform that in front of her.

Juji continued to cry, her wings expressing her unstable emotions. "You- weren't- breathing!"

"I... wasn't?" She gave her a confused look.

"Don't you remember?" Juji began to explain. "We fell together. I don't know for how long we're falling, but I woke up first. You— You were— I thought you died!

"I left to call for help, to find any person who could help, but by the time I returned, you were gone! Not a single trace of your presence is left, aside from a few melted ice and snow. I panicked and went— I don't know— What I know is that I must find you. If ever the Count—"

"The Count?" Anne asked with furrowed brows.

"Yes, I saw him enter a portal just before I lost consciousness for the second time that day," Juji answered and then met with those cerulean eyes again. "I thought he took you away and that I'll never find you again!"

"So, the Count of Dark Dimension has followed you here in the Magicless Region?" Director Dion asked as he opened his office door.

The three girls turned to face the Director, his presence imposing and calm. "We need to move quickly. If the Count is here, then we must be prepared for anything."

Xandri, still weak from her injuries, nodded. "What do we do now?"

Director Dion's eyes softened as he looked at her. "First, you need to heal. Let's get back inside so you can use your Ocean Wave. Then, we must gather the others and prepare for the Count's next move."

Anne took Xandri's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "We're with you, Xandri. We'll get through this together."

Xandri smiled weakly. "Thank you, Anne. Thank you, Juji."

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