The Monsters Within

Chapter 3

"Tighter! It needs to be fastened tighter Krin," the mousy boy Jamis said through gritted teeth. "If he hits you squarely with a blast of wind it will rip it right off." 

Jamis grunted several times, jerking the ties for the chest piece tighter with each.

The piece was part of a uniform of fire-retardant armor that each combatant wore for the exam. It was made of a lighter material and offered protection against some of the other common elements as well.

Krin gasped, forcing air down into his lungs.

Once Jamis was finished, Krin stretched from side to side, getting used to the constricting grip of the armor. 

"I'm telling you, this isn't necessary," Krin said. He opened his mouth to protest further but Jamis held up a hand to stop him. 

"I'm perfectly aware of your defensive capabilities, but rules are rules," Jamis said with finality. 

"Besides," the small sophomore added, "you'll need the extra protection against Ricard's other abilities."

Krin's head jerked up in surprise. "Other abilities? What do you mean? He is listed with fire and air affinities."

Jamis shook his head. "He is only required to list two. But according to the exam by-laws, you can use as many affinities as you're able to."

Krin smacked a palm against his forehead and groaned. "Of course. How could I overlook that?" 

He thought for several moments.

How could he have been so oblivious?

It really was a huge mistake and now he'd be forced to redesign his strategy on the fly. Overlooking the by-laws resulted in a huge advantage for Ricard, even if Krin and Jamis were the only two that knew as much.

Krin's thoughtful expression must have appeared somewhat sinister for he noticed Jamis take several hesitant steps backwards.

The small boy bumped into the jagged edge of a broken locker door and squealed, the edge puncturing his hand where it touched.

Several droplets of crimson blood sprinkled down to the dirty stone. 

"Oh, shoot!" Jamis said, pressing a corner of his cloak to the wound. He glanced up at Krin with a questioning expression, then held his hand up before him.

"Do you mind?" he asked with a sheepish expression.

"Why don't you do it?" Krin asked, exasperated. "You have a spirit affinity just like I do."

Jamis' face reddened and he turned away.

"I'm not quite there yet," he muttered. 

Krin placed a hand on the young spirit user's shoulder.

He'd met the small boy at the start of the current year, and due to their mutual spirit affinity they'd become fast friends. 

Though Jamis was several years younger than Krin, he possessed much respect for the boy.

Jamis was intelligent, memorizing any document placed before him in just a few minutes. He often offered Krin perspective on things from angles that Krin himself wouldn't normally be able to see. 

And in truth, Jamis reminded Krin of Remi.

He felt the need to protect the young elementalist, considering Jamis was as prone to being bullied as Remi had been.

Krin had stepped into the responsibility as easily as breathing, and in turn the two provided each other a robust friendship when otherwise each would find nothing but isolation.