Twin Mages Book 2: Deception

Chapter 2: Late Night Watch

"Does anyone have their Algebra notes?" Kei shuffles through her papers, glancing around the table. "I think I forgot them in the dorm." Lily reaches across the table, folder in hand. "Here ya go!" Kei smiles back at her friend, getting back to her work.

Since the four of them are Apprenticed to Master Zephyr, they don't have time to carry out a school schedule like normal students. So instead, they had to do a full year curriculum during their summer break, giving them more time to carry out their duties during the school year.

As the four friends are working, they are so focused that they don't even hear the door to the Mage Hall open. Master Zephyr saunters in, grinning at the group as he approaches. "Hello, kids! Working hard?" Leo holds up a stack of papers, shaking his head. "Yes sir. I only have three or four more assignments until I'm all done with classes." Zephyr nods exaggeratedly, showing his approval of their progress. "Good! Very good!" He then clears his throat and pulls slips of paper out of his robe, handing them out.

"I think you four should have an early night tonight. Captain Odji recommended you four for night watch." The group groans, not liking night watch. Dez puts his pencil down, preparing to put his supplies away. "Can we do literally anything else?" Lily nods, sharing the feeling. Night watch is always so boring. It's just wandering the hallways with a buddy all night, every once in a while telling a student to go to bed and quit wandering the halls. Zephyr looks at the group, shaking his head. "You do remember why the night watch got started in the first place, right?" Leo looks across the table to Dez, remembering his attack, and how it was the trigger that started everything. Zephyr turns around, exiting the room. "Captain Odji expects to see the four of you back here at 10 pm sharp." With a sigh, the group packs up to leave.

Leo and Dez are walking down the halls to their shared dorm. The four of them decided that they wanted to bunk, not wanting to be by themselves after the attack last Christmas. So Dez and Leo share a room in the men's hall, and Lily and Kei bunk in the women's hall. As the boys walk through the bunk hall, they hear a commotion in a room. The two walk closer, Leo putting his ear to the door to listen.

"Please stop! It hurts!" "Hahahaha! Shut up, kid! New students have to get roughed up a little bit!" Leo looks as Dez, mouthing to him. "Some kid is getting bullied." Dez nods, pointing at the knob. Leo tries to open it, but it's locked. "Zephyr's gonna kill me!" Leo rolls his eyes as he ignites his hand, gripping the door knob and ripping it away from the door, letting it swing open. Dez darts forward when he sees what's going on in the room. Marcus on the floor with a bloody nose, and three boys wearing third year uniforms standing around him.

Dez looks back to Leo, who is still partially ablaze. "Go get Professor Frost. I'll make sure these three don't go anywhere!" Leo nods, bounding down the hall toward the math wing. Dez looks back to the room, seeing one of the kids shooting a rock at him. Dez puts his hand up, turning the rock to dust on contact. "What the hell kind of magic is that?!" Dez takes a step forward, helping his brother up. "You alright, Marcus?" The new student nods, as Dez tilts his head towards the hall. "Go step outside. You're safe now."

One of the kids starts laughing at Dez. "You think we're afraid of an Apprentice? You aren't even a Captain!" Dez chuckles at the older boy, untucking his shirt, pulling it up to reveal the scars that line his torso like tiger stripes. "These scars came from a man who thought it was okay to pick on someone smaller than him. Every one a mark from a coward too weak to challenge someone in his weight class." The boys look down at the floor, uncomfortable with the sight of Dez's marred and mangled waist. "What's wrong? You guys not able to take the truth? If you want to blow off steam, get permission to use the training center! Don't go bullying other people. Because next time, you'll see if you can bully me."
The boys look up to see Dez staring at them, one glove on fire, and the other giving a golden glow. "And I promise, nobody in this school can bully me."