Mage Academy

A Matter of Trust

As soon as we go through the Portal and land back on the Academy lawn, I consciously try to avoid Guy. When the Monster Hunters allowed us to leave-- they really are authoritative-- and Mr Croft had gained a bit of colour back in his cheeks, he told us we had to make our way back to the Academy straight away so he could inform Master Plato about what had happened. I didn't know why he needed to tell her, I mean Guy and I are unscathed and all, but he was insistent so begrudgingly we slouched to a clear side street and lined up for the Portal. Or rather I slouched-- the constant bombardment with questions from everyone and Max's intense staring was making me exhausted, especially since I had practically no sleep last night. Also, I was drained. Taking down that Monster used magic I didn't even know I had. 

So the last thing I want to do right now is talk about this with Guy. I go over to Mr Croft and ask him if I can have a lie down. He nods. "Of course, Malory. You've been through a lot since you arrived at the Academy, haven't you?" He chuckles but gazes at me with concern. I can't even muster up the energy to smile. "I'm sending both you and Guy to the sick room."

"I'm fine, really."

But he doesn't budge and sends us off. The rest of the Group is told to help themselves to food from the dining hall and they leave, still chattering about the Monster. All except Max, who hangs back. "I'll go to the sick room too. I have a really bad headache." Mr Croft barely glances at him and nods, already hurrying off to presumably track down Master Plato. 

So we set off, but once we are out of sight from the rest of the Group, Guy leads us away from the Academy and down the hills towards the beach. Max and I follow wordlessly. Guy finds a cave and leans against the smooth wall, looking at us both. "So. Something's going on, isn't it?"

Max and I say nothing, but Guy isn't put off. "I knew it. You two know something. I suspected it ever since you came back from the Shadow Forest. You're hiding something."

Max narrows his eyes. "Maybe you should keep out of other people's business," he says menacingly. I frown at him and open my mouth to say something but he gets there first. "Look, the Monster thing was scary for you, I get it, but nothing is going on. Stay out of it." 

Guy doesn't seem bothered in the slightest at Max's sudden rudeness. Instead he shrugs. "If there's something to stay out of why would you say nothing is going on?"

Max glowers. 

No one says anything. Gibby pokes me in the neck. I sigh. "I told him that I can feel the presence of evil." I say to Max, who whips his head around to glare at me. I raise my eyebrows. "It's not like he couldn't already guess. He was with me when the Monster came!"

Max closes his eyes and sighs, then opens them and looks at the ocean. It twinkles in the warm afternoon light. It seems to calm him down. "I don't know you well enough to trust you." He says to Guy.

"You've known Malory here just as long as me, and you two already seem to have your own secret code." Guy says breezily, but the look in his eyes is serious. 

"It's different with Malory." Max says. He turns to face Guy and the two of them stare each other down; Max with his dark, distrusting eyes and Guy with his soft, serious ones. They seem to be weighing each other up. Talking without words. Eventually Guy slowly nods. 

"I understand. I could help, if you tell me."

Max snorts. "You don't understand--"

"I understand that you both feel lost. And I understand that feeling."

"What if we told you something that scares you? How will we know that you won't just run off and tell the nearest magician?" Max challenges. Even though I hate the tension, I am relieved that Max is asking these questions, because the truth is, we don't really know Guy... I like him a lot, and I want to trust him, but we'll be asking for a lot of trust here. 

Guy looks at both of us. "Okay. I promise not to tell anyone about what is going on with you two, if you promise not to tell anyone about me."

I stand up straighter. "What about you?"

Guy smiles at me, his eyes twinkling, but at once I can see see a trace of stress in his eyes. He looks at the sandy rocks beneath us and mutters something under his breath. It sounds like he's chanting something in another language, and Max and I look on, intrigued. 

Suddenly smoke appears out of nowhere, but not the kind of smoke you get from Fire, but a blurring, light blue mist that seems to surround Guy's body until I can't make him out anymore. 

But then the smoke clears.

And it's Guy. But...

"You're a SPRITE??!!" Max exclaims. 

I fight to keep my mouth from hanging open. 

Guy is... beautiful. It's still him but his features are more pronounced, more ethereal. His pale blue eyes are now a bright, glistening blue, his skin almost glistens and his white blonde medium-length hair is long and falls down his back. His ears are pointed and....

"YOU HAVE WINGS??" I cry out. They are shaped like ovals, look like smokey mist and are the colour of a rainbow, even though they are faint behind his back. But they are definitely wings!

Guy beats his wings and flies just a metre into the air, looking as free as anyone ever could, then floats back to the ground. He looks... comfortable, at ease in himself, but also slightly troubled.

He isn't a magician? But... he has to be! Sprite's don't have elemental magic-- they don't even engage with other Beings besides their own, choosing to isolate themselves in hidden corners of Moonbeam for reasons not entirely known. It is said that Sprite's are not to be trusted-- they 'dabble in the evil arts' and are cloaked in rumours, so their separation from the rest of society makes things even worse. I never thought much about them before except when I was told to never listen to a Sprite sing-- that's how they lure you in... and take you away forever. They are said to suck in the spirits from lost travellers. Some rumours say that they contain the souls of lost Sorcerers.  All rumours, because most Beings don't come into contact with them.

All rumours.

Guy understands.

I look over to Max and he nods at me. 

We tell Guy everything.