The Hidden World of Nitea [2 | The Other Realms Series]

Chapter Fourteen

Eddie entered the practice room and closed the door behind him. It was still dark inside. He flicked the light switch, expecting to see his mentor, but the room was revealed to be empty.

Eddie raised an eyebrow. "Louis, we're in the right room right?"

"Right," Louis answered him, still nestled inside his bag. "We're on time too. Maybe he's running late."

"Should I message him?"

"Nah, he might be busy. Let's just relax while waiting."

Eddie grasped the strap of his messenger bag and removed it from his shoulder, letting it lean against the wall. He glanced at the right. The wake shakes had not even been prepared yet. Perhaps Giorgino was still ordering their drinks at the café. It should not take him too long.

His mind traveled backward in time to the moment they acquired their first ingredient. A slimy mass of scales slipped from his grasp as the dragon freed itself. Its slitted irises narrowed at him as it charged through the water. He was cornered. Helpless. Moments from being mauled to death. Eddie shuddered. Above the ground, he had all the power in the world, yet as soon as he submerged himself, he became powerless. Vulnerable. Weak.

It won't be that way anymore.

Eddie summoned a square target and held it in his left hand. Its surface was coarse and coated in black, with the exception of a yellow dot that marked its bullseye. He gazed at his right hand as he gathered heat in its palm and fingers. Once it was hot, he pressed it against the target.

The areas that he touched glowed a glaring red as soon as he applied heat to them. He lifted his hand. It blackened as it cooled. He then hovered his hand over the target, radiating heat from his palm. It reddened once more, though it took a few seconds longer for it to achieve the same shade of vermillion.

Beep, beep. Eddie beckoned to open his bag and retrieved his cellphone from a distance. He pressed a button and held his phone to his right ear.

"Hello?" Eddie said.

"Oh hi, Eddie!" Giorgino said, his voice obscured by the sound of leaves loudly rustling. "Look I'm really sorry, I'm really busy right now and I forgot to tell you that class is canceled but anyway, yeah, I'm sorry I can't make it."

"Wait, so will there be a substitute mentor?"

"A substitute? Uh, I forgot to arrange for that. There's no lesson today, so you can go home, but you can also stay in the practice room if you want. Sorry for not telling you in advance, I forgot to let you know. Bye."

His mentor then hung up. He indeed had a hectic schedule—so hectic that there was no time slot available for him to mentor his own student. Eddie shrugged. He was already quite advanced, as far as he was concerned. One missed lesson would not hurt him. Eddie summoned his bag and inserted his phone into it. As he kept his phone, Louis flew out of his bag and to his side.

"Hey, we can go home!" it said. "Let's go back and sleep."

"Can we go home later?" Eddie told it. "I want to try something new."

It levitated in front of his face, frozen in its spot. "You're serious?"

"I'm serious."

"Ed, you haven't taken any anti-sleeping serum. You're gonna doze off sooner or later."

"I don't feel sleepy yet. It won't take long anyway."

Louis snorted. "If you need me, I'll be napping."

It dove into his bag and zipped it shut. Eddie then flung it across the room. His attention returned to the square target. Back to practice. He made it float in midair as he took twelve steps back. His front leg shifted as he prepared his stance.