Arcane Academia

Chapter 14

"Rei, you did this," a voice says.
I look up. It's my childhood home. In flames. Deep, taunting flames of the darkest purple hues.
I turn around and find a teenage Kael watching me. I gasp.
I run to hug him just as he pushes me into the flames.
With a smirk he says,"whoops."
And then I'm choked by the flames.
---
I scream so hard my throat aches.
I look around. I'm in the hospital wing.
Just a nightmare. But it felt SO DAMN real.
Everything about it just...daunting.
Focus Rei.
All in your head. I bury my head in my hands
"Well you look well?"
I look up.
Prince Kian stares at me from the doorway. I look at the clock, it's time to be released from this hospital dump.
"Ecstatic, " I say.
"You sure?" he asks  looking concerned.
"Yes , I'll join you outside in a minute," I say getting up, grabbing my training gear and rushing to the bathroom.

I splash cold water on my face, a chill running through my skin.
I stare at my brown eyes in the mirror. Just nightmares. Focus. Let's go train.
I put on my academy clothes and jacket.
My skin thrives in the familiarity of actual fabric and not light hospital attire.

"You know 7.30 is half an hour after seven, brother" I say walking out looking at my watch. It's just turned seven, I was told to get ready by 7.30.
"Get used to it," he says as I leave the hospital, the breeze hitting my skin.
I breathe it into my lungs  those hospital walls sucked.
"For heavens sake, try to stay in one piece," Nurse Pottz says upon watching me leave.
"Until next time," I say.

We walk to the training tower. "Where's the leader? " I ask,"better yet who is the leader?"
"Brother we have to leave soon, father's expecting us," Kiana says rushing from behind me.
"I see, " he says as we enter a new section I'd never seen before.
The doors open.
There's a whole other training room in here and-
Ugh.

"You," I say.
"I," Ethane says walking towards us
"Perfect , you two know each other, Reia meet Ethane, your leader and one of my best options for the squad. He's the one who second my choice of recruiting you."
"I'm sure," I say.
"He's here to help you practice your Arcane skills-
"Brother we must leave," Kiana says.
"Get better acquainted you two, I haven't recruited anyone else yet so you'll have plenty of time to prepare, Ethane's got a whole agenda of your training, I'll be back in a week, " the prince says and with that they both leave, slamming the door.

"Grab a jacket," Ethane says.
I lift one off the shelves and try it on expecting the usual sting I'd get from other Arcane armour but instead nothing. The fabric almost hums and energises me.
"Cute," I say tightening the straps.
"I'm glad, the rest of today won't be," Ethane says and then flicks a switch.
Darkness.
"Daunting," I say just as I see something blue flung my way. I twist and dodge not a moment too soon. The flame crashes and fades in the wall behind me.
"Good, your reflexes aren't trash," Ethane's voice says somewhere in the darkness.
"Jackass," I say now more alert.
Another ball of blue flame zooms in my direction, this time I see it coming and brace myself only to have it split mid seconds into two.
I dodge one. The other hits my chest.
"Agh," I wince, something burns
"Always a flair for the dramatic," he says,"the jacket took most of the impact.
"You " I hiss, but he's right, physically within seconds, I'm okay.
"How the hell is this useful? " I ask.
In a flash another flame's thrown my way.
I dodge it with smooth momentum.
"Keep up," he says and I can almost hear him smirk.
The next throw I power all my rage and shoot back raising my hand, summoning the fire within.
Purple flames escapes my palms and illuminates the whole room for a split second before fusing with the blue flame and then disintegrating.
"Good," Ethane says flipping the lights back on."I just needed your to know how much volume your Arcane was when it was not on command. Not a moment to lose, we got training to do, Zandar will be here in an hour to evaluate," he says and with that walks towards the equipment beckoning me.
I just stand there bewildered before I smirk.
This'll be fun.
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