COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 13: Staz (Part 2/5)

          Truvius's eyes widened when Káel came out with the suitcase trailing him, his voice dipping to a shocked whisper. "What is that?"

          "A suitcase, it's like a bag with wheels," Káel said, but Truvius's awe didn't change.

          He circled the object, looking at it from all angles and knocking on different parts of it. Finally, he noticed the zipper and pulled on it. Naturally, it went up with a loud zwoop, magnifying his awe as he ran the zipper up and down, watching it close and open with Phantom hovering over his shoulder. The man seeming to be just as captivated by the contraption.

          Káel wasn't seeing an end to his fascination, and stopped him after the constant sound resurrected his headache, reluctantly agreeing to Truvius' suggestion in putting an illusion on it. As much as he hated his roommates perpetual state of being right, a metal box with wheels and plastic would definitely land him with a hoard of nosy classmates if left undisguised.

          And so, after a few minutes of muttering and intense stares, Káel's bag had donned a lustrous sheen, flawlessly painted with the image of a giant wooden chest propped sideways on an iron hand truck. His relief died when the seemingly perfect disguise was rippled by Truvius' fingers as he gripped the handle, leaving him with a warning to keep it from unwarranted contact, and solidifying Truvius' claims when he called the art a "cheap illusion."

          They were a quarter through the stairs, Truvius seizing up for the tenth time as the suitcase toppled down two steps with a rattling bump. Káel watched the ripples still, tossing his gaze over the rail to catch the group of acquaintances at the bottom. They had migrated to one of the doorless archways, indiscriminately chatting and blind to the two students attempting to sneak down the stairs. With this in mind, Káel snatched the bag from Truvius, swiftly descending the twirling path with a cascade of rickety bumps, Puff clinging to the bag in terror the entire way as it shook violently.

    —————    

          "Delicate school supplies?"

           Káel ignored the unconvinced ring to Leon's tone as Truvius continued to sell a knockoff lie. His skills of persuasion left much to be desired, but at least they were almost at the silver house entrance, the hand truck illusion undisturbed and decently convincing. 

           "I could kill a nomad with my analytics textbook," Leon replied, a weight pressing into Káel 's neck as Leon tossed his arm to rest over his shoulder and hang. The purple house student then assured Puff with a brotherly smile, pulling a nervous hiccup from Talli as she held the purring drake. "Not you though, you're my buddy."

          Puff snorted.

           Káel continued walking, despite Leon being attached to him, and the group rounded a corner to the familiar large room with the five emblemed doors. After a short struggle with keeping Leon from sneaking in behind them, Vera and Truvius oddly shared a sigh of relief, the two of them making sure the massive door had locked before locking gazes in confusion at their mirroring habits.

          Truvius opened his mouth to speak his confusion at her relief, but Vera beat him to the gun.

          "Nice illusion, it's a bit wobbly though." She poked the bag with a cocky smirk, allowing the ripples to pull everyone's attention.

          Talli looked at the bag in awe, running her fingers across it and watching the image ripple and distort.

          "Alright that's good," Truvius said with a nervous chuckle, skimming the barren lobby without a shred of ease. "Quit it or it'll break."