We Three Mages (Editing)

Chapter Twenty Four: A Different Sort of Fight

Nadia and Mari were just hanging out, talking, giggling and laughing before the training session with Lieutenant Ross.

“Why don’t we hang out more often?” Mari asked Nadia.

“B-Because we’re both so busy and y-you’re always hanging out with Buddy.” Nadia answered.

“Well, we should do something about that.” Mari smiled.

“Yeah.” Nadia nodded. Mari looked up from Nadia and out of the corner of her eye she spotted Devin. “Oh, it’s that kid that Jared started to hang out with. He helped us out with Jared a few days ago.” Mari said.

“Right!” It took Nadia a second to remember him since he hadn’t played a very big role in their simple scheme. He had been simply there.

“Hey Devin!” Mari yelled out to him. Devin looked in their direction and soon regretted it as he was hit head on with a spell. “Devin!” Mari ran over to him to make sure he was okay.

“Eh…” Devin pushed himself up from the ground.

“D-Don’t move, that was a pretty powerful spell, we don’t know how injured you may be.” Nadia forced him to sit back down.

“But…but I can’t!” Devin shouted.

“Why?” Mari asked him. Instead of an answer, Devin looked dead straight ahead at the person who had attacked with an intense stare. Nadia and Mari followed his gaze to see that is was none other than Emerson himself. That was not surprising. What made Mari speechless at that moment was the fact that Buddy was there with him with a horrible grin on his face.

“Buddy! What are you doing?” Mari stood up.

“Mari?” Buddy seemed a bit worried for a moment, but then regained his composure. “This Year One thinks he’s some sort of bad ass. He called Emerson out while we were just hanging out. He called him all sort of nasty things and said that he was half baked mage or something. That boy needs to learn his place.” Buddy shoved his finger in Devin’s direction who in turn flinched. “Ha ha  ha!” Buddy laughed.

“He was standing up to a bully!” Mari shouted at him. “Which you were supposed to take care of; I can now see why you didn’t.” Mari had a hard time looking at her boyfriend.

“Mari, this is no different than how Jared acted against Ridden. Ridden needed to be taught a lesson so Jared stepped up and did it. This punk needs to be taught a lesson so I stepped up to do it. Now move aside.” Buddy brushed her off easily.

“I will not.” Mari protectively moved in front of Devin. “If you think you can harm a single hair on this boy’s head then you’ll have another thing coming.”

“Ha! Are you serious Mar? Do you even realize how much you sound like your impulsive kid brother right now?” Buddy laughed. Emerson laughed as well, but it was far more nervous than Buddy’s. Emerson knew the price of pissing  off a Dixen. “Quit it.”

“I’m acting like him? That that’s a good one. Where do you think he gets it from you numbskull.” Mari had finally started to realize why Jared hated Buddy so much.

“Wow, this is just like how Dex described it.” Devin muttered as he watched Mari with a new found respect.

“W-What?” Nadia asked.

“Dex told me word for word what happened until he left during the Ridden incident. He said that having Jared suddenly appear before him was like having a prayer answered. It feels like that a little bit right now.” Devin could feel the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile. “It’s a great feeling.”

“Yeah, i-it is.” Nadia agreed.

“Mari, you’re being absurd. He’s a Year One, no one will care if he shows up to class one day with a bruise or two. It just means that he was taught the way of the Academy is all.” Buddy said. “Do you really want to fight me of all people?” Buddy gloated. Emerson started to inch away slowly.

“I’m not going to fight you Buddy.” Mari calmly walked forward and got right up into his face. “I don’t need to fight you in order to win. That’s how weak you are.”

“You didn’t think I was weak last year.” Buddy countered.

“Last year I didn’t know you needed to beat up defenseless Under Years in order to feel empowered.” Mari could feel anger bubbling.

“That brat isn’t defenseless. He casted a Barrier Spell to try to protect himself. Though it cracked easily enough.” Buddy laughed again.

“Shows just how much more talent he has than you.” Mari said. She then stood up her toes so she was eye to eye with him. “Listen here Buddy Drellin, if you so much as flick a fire booger at any Under Year I’ll come down on you so hard you’ll have to be demoted back down to a Rank One because the obvious difference between us will be far too much to ignore.” Mari promised.

“Ha! Like you can threaten something like that.” Buddy laughed, but that soon died as he stared into her eyes and saw the confidence that was clearly shown in them. “There’s no way…” Buddy looked over to Emerson to see what he thought, only Emerson was gone. “Emerson?”

“He knows the truth all too well. He had the pleasure of getting his ass handed to him by me twice and I’m sure he doesn’t was a third time. You should follow his lead.” Mari lowered herself down and walked back over to Devin and Nadia.

“We’re done Buddy. I’d rather go to war now than be known as your girlfriend.” Mari didn’t even bother to turn around. She knelt down next to Devin. “You alright?” She asked.

“Yeah, thanks Mari.” Devin blushed slightly. With the help of Nadia he was able to get up.

“Come on, lets head over to the Library. Lieutenant Ross will be able to heal you right up so you can continue learning from Dex.” Mari smiled at him.

“Okay.” Dex leaned on Nadia as the three of them made their way.

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Sorry this isn't very long, but more will come very shortly. Don't forget to comment and vote if you liked this Chapter or any of the previous ones!

        ~Demonslayr62