Enchanted Casters

Chapter 7

Kyle was dead silent as he and Sly made their way to the dining hall for supper.

Sly was concerned, "You still going through the motions?"

"N-no... I'm just not sure about the idea of having a party," he expressed. "This all has to do with just me and my family. I don't want to burden my plight on other people."

Sly jumped up and licked Kyle's face.

"Hey, I'm fine with burdening your plight!" he yipped. "I'll be there for ya!"

Kyle scruffed up Sly's neck fur and put his forehead on his.

"I know you will, buddy," he said. "But, I don't think anyone else will."

Sly jumped off him, "I'm sure Stan and Marion will. They're your friends, after all."

Kyle wasn't sure, "That's a lot to ask of a friend..."

During supper, Kyle was hesitant to bring up Reflection Forest to Stan and Marion. He just sat there listening to them talk about the festival.

"Kyle, isn't there something you wanted to bring up?" Sly nonchalantly urged.

"Oh! Yeah... How did Ashiryn do in her event?" Kyle asked.

"She won!" Marion stated. "You should've seen her go at it in the finals. She was effortlessly saying those spells. It made the other competitor sweat."

"Is that so?" Sly flatly remarked.

He cleared his throat.

"Don't you remember your trip with Meredith to Reflection Forest?" Sly persisted.

"Ooo, why are you headed there?" Marion asked with curiosity.

Seeing as there was no backpedaling out of this, Kyle fessed up.

"I have a hunch about Empress being my cousin," Kyle explained. "Meredith told me I could find out with the Gemini Mirror, and suggested I have a party."

"Hold up! You're saying Empress could be your cousin?!" Stan exclaimed. "That's crazy, laddie!"

"I know, that's why I want to find out," Kyle answered. "O-of course, I'm not insinuating you should join me. It is my problem, after all."

Stan lightly banged the table and stood up.

"So? Even if it is, I'll have your back!" he announced. "I'm not going to sit here while my friend's off in some forest!"

"Me too!" Marion chimed in. "It'll be a great chance to see what Mahoroth has to offer."

The two's enthusiasm earned them a lot of stares from the other students at the first year table. Kyle felt rather awkward about the whole thing. Sly then nudged his leg.

"See, they have your back, too!" he remarked.

"I-I guess they do," Kyle sheepishly chuckled.

Deep down, though, he felt terrible about getting them caught up in his troubles.

Heading back to their room for the evening, Kyle and Sly noticed Katrielle practicing her magic again. Like last time, she had a spark ball formed on the tip of her wand. However, this one was slightly larger.

"Sparkalar Showar!" she yelled.

The spark ball launched off her wand and into the sky. It floated in the air and rained down a shower of sparks in one spot. As it did, it slowly and steadily began getting smaller. Eventually, it disappeared, having depleted itself.

Sly was impressed, "Her training sure is paying off."

"Y-you know, I think I should ask her to join my party," Kyle told him.