The Lonely Thoughts of a Snail in Soil

The Boy of Gold

Chapter 9: The Boy of Gold

The Ancient Magi created five everlasting rules long ago, that all Hidden are to follow. The Indescribable Rules. They are as follows:

Immortality is forbidden

Entrance to the Dark Layer is forbidden

Deals with Demons are forbidden

The Races are to stay on their lands

The Spirit Layer shall never be colonized

All but one has been broken.

-- Excerpt from 'The Guide to the Realm of the Hidden.'

Neth

Fire erupted out of Neth's hands, blazing a path through the dry, deserted land. The magi was getting good at creating large infernos, letting his power flow without restraint, without caution. He had no desire to let this power slide, or let it leave his grasp. Once he was satisfied, Neth went over and sat down next to his teammates. They were sitting underneath a cover, avoiding the hot Arizona sun.

    "Giving up already?" asked Noon, the ever-playful warlock. "That seemed kinda weak. Maybe you should go set more sand on fire."

    "Haha," Neth replied, throwing his butt down into a chair, picking up his water bottle and taking a big gulp of water. "I believe it's your turn to do longevity practice. When's the last time you even summoned an elemental?"

    Noon, who called himself the Ever-Playful coincidentally, stood up, dusting off his shorts. His dark skin was beaded with sweat from the heat, dripping off his large arms. He moved aside his ponytail over his shoulder. Lifting up his curved knife, the four inch blade covered in green runes, Noon gave a big smile to the two girls sitting without a care in the world. "Any suggestions Grain? Faun?"

Grain, the Black Chained, a powerful witch who used possessed chains, waved a hand as she played on her phone. Neth couldn't help but glance at her Hello Kitty tattoo, who was waving happily on her arm. Grain's family was from Japan, so she had fallen pretty hard for their pop culture, such as the shirt she was wearing with a happy face emoji and approximately ten bands adorning her small wrists. "Do whatever."

"Yeah, I don't care either," said Faun, the Bloody Mary. The vampire was playing on a Nintendo Switch, trying to beat a level on Mario Kart. Neth tried to play her earlier, but lost so miserably that he decided to just let the sleeping beast lay. Her bangs were covering her eyes, so he was unsure how she was even watching the game.

Noon shrugged. Rubbing two fingers along the blade, he closed his eyes, breathed, and drew out an arcane symbol in dark green, saying the corresponding spell. A light flashed, and all of a sudden a small dirt creature was at his feet. It was cute in a way that only dirt could be cute — if for some reason had a sexual attraction to dirt.

"Hey," said the elemental. "I was sleeping."

"Well," Noon replied, "you're gonna break some stuff now."

"But I don't wanna break stuff," it whined. The elemental made a pouty face. "I wanna sleep."

Neth would have found it hard to say no to the little creature, since it barely came up to the knees, but Noon pressed on. "Listen, you can sleep after you go smash that chunk of land over there."

The elemental turned, looking at where he pointed. It said, "That seems hard."

"I'll give you a power up."

The elemental hesitated, then its small shoulders sagged. "Fine. But I'm only going to put minimum effort into it."

Noon's eye twitched, but he let it go. "Whatever. Just move okay."

The elemental went off, and Grain gave a snide comment. "It's like watching a parent scold a child."

"Except without passion," added Faun.

"No one asked," snapped back Noon. "The small ones are tricky." Noon waited until the elemental got out to a far distance, then he said a spell, holding his knife up as though it was the center of prayer. Green flames came from the blade. The elemental grew in size, letting out a bellowing roar. Bringing up both fists, it smashed down, causing the earth to shake.

"I think the record was twenty minutes of using that spell," Neth said. "Let's make it twenty-five minutes."

"Done." Neth watched as Noon began to command the elemental to smash more earth, sending large chunks of dirt and rock to fly into the air. He had the creature throw massive gray rocks into the air. Seeing him sweat, Neth was impressed when his friend's control made the elemental jump and destroy the rocks swiftly. The pieces rained down, one bonking the creature on the head.

"Ouch!" it yelled out. "Hey, what's the big idea?"

"Sorry!"
  
It muttered something else, angrily going back to the chores Noon was having it finish. While the practice went on, Neth glanced at Grain for a moment. "So, think we'll be getting some strong first years in the fall?"

"Hmm," Grain buzzed. She still didn't look up. "Maybe. I've only heard of a few heroes bringing students. So who knows who else will be coming."

"I too have heard that Angela, the Dragon Slayer will be attending."

Faun smiled. "And will we show her students what we're made of?"

Neth could only grunt. This was going to be their second year at Denver High Academy, and yet they had already made a huge name for themselves. Great things would be expected from them, one included making the first years strong.

After all, the Iron Four were tough as nails.

And as far as making their peers weep, they were kings.

But Neth also knew that this year was critical. Their team would be seen as major rivals to the third and fourth years, which meant a lot more challenges to overcome. The first years would pose a problem, yet if they couldn't defeat their elders, then all of their training would have been for nothing. Neth, the Son of Fire, hadn't earned his name for being weak.

"Finally," Noon said. "Done. Someone else is up now."

"Not it," Grain and Faun said at the exact same time.

"Then I guess we're done for today." Neth stood up, dusting off dirt from his shoulders. "Alright, lets head back and get lunch, then we're on for weight lifting."

"Hey, how come they don't have to practice magic?" Noon asked, his eyes showing betrayal.

"Because they said 'not it.'" The magi shrugged. "Simple."

Noon scowled. The four of them began their journey back to their training house a few miles away. Neth let the warm sun fuel him, setting the fire inside him grow even larger. The four were looking to do the impossible this year: win the Gargantua Tournament. The greatest of the hero competitions, the Iron Four didn't quite make the cut last year to qualify. Now though, after rigorous training from their coach, and with less competition out of the way, their chances were high to make it.

Neth could only smirk to himself. His team was the best, and with him at the helm there was no way that the four of them would lose. Neth was not only the Son of Fire, but also the son of a great magi leader, Councillor Grant Vin, head of the Grand Canyon District. Their family line was full of greatness and prestige. From generals, to councilors, to even wealthy businessmen and nobility. The Vin family's name and honor was now on him, and Neth would do whatever it took to make it above and beyond those expectations.

The training house finally appeared. Neth let out a sigh of relief. "Last one there has to make lunch."

    The other three yelled in surprise, then dashed off in a hurried huff. Neth wondered what the new year would bring them.

    He wondered what mysteries would excite them.