Book 1- The Ark of Time

Chapter 4

"Is there anyone who uses this place?"
Ruleum was humming something, "Yeah. Normally I use it."
She looked around in awe, gaping at the intricate designs that covered the walls, "Anyone else?"
"No, there is no one else." He snatched the spell book from the girl's bag, "I am going to need this for now."
"Okay." Horatia watched as Ruleum walked to the opposite side of the ring, flipping through the book.
"So, first I need you to show me how you stop time." He looked up at her, "Okay... Stop this book before it lands on the ground." He dropped the book, and Horatia moved unconsciously, stopping the book just before it touched the ground. The boy bent down and held the book, which would not budge, "Now, can you undo it?" The book slipped out of his hands and landed on the floor.

Ruleum picked it up and brushed it off, pacing back and forth. "You're doing well for just starting, if you don't mind, I want you to try this, It'll be harder, but it would save a lot of time." Horatia nodded, "Good, now do what you were doing before, but this time, before you're visualising time to stop around you, I want you to visualise yourself doing that thing with you were doing before... Does that make sense?"
She chuckled, "Okay, I'll do that." Closing her eyes, the brunette drowned every other thought out of her head.
"Are you ready?"
"I'm ready."
"Good, now start." He threw the book forward, and the brunette closed her eyes for a long time, the silence that cut through was left unanticipated. When the student opened her eyes, she was surprised to see that it had worked, and that the book was frozen in place. "You're learning fast." The boy smiled, his expression returning to normal, "You can take a break now, I can tell that that was a mental strain on you." He walked past her to the door, 'Just a second. I'll be back, I would prefer it if you pretended like I was still standing in front of you.'

"Okay, I'll rest up then." Horatia walked over to a bench against the ground walls and sitting down, her mind drifting to the structure around her as Ruleum approached the exit.
"Good job today."
"Thank you." She did not turn to look at him, 'Thought you had something to do?"
'Don't worry about it too much.' Ruleum opened the door in a rush and looked around, to find an empty hallway, "Am I sensing ghosts now?" He quickly closed the door, 'Never mind, I thought I heard something from here. Like a serial killer or something.'
'Serial Killer? And aren't you over here?' Horatia turned to witness the image she was speaking to shatter into fragments, her eyes widened at the strange sight. "What-!" Ruleum walked over to her from the entrance's direction, capturing her attention.
"Did I surprise you? You look pale." Her lips quivered, still brain processing what had happened, "Don't worry about it. It was probably nothing."
"Y-you were-... Jus- there-"
He chuckled, "Yeah, I guess I was. Anyway, are you ready to continue your training?"
Horatia's body jumped up, "Yes, I am!"

In the darkness of the hallway, he listened closely, "It's about time the next time-bending magician came along." The stranger leant against the walls, talking to himself, "But he might be a problem..." The man's cold, steely gaze darted to the noble, "I almost thought that the conscience next to the girl was him." A smirk crossed his face, "So this is 'The Blue Devil', he's different from the rumours, more powerful. His illusions are difficult to tell apart from him." He stood up straight and began to walk away in deep thought, "It's fine, everything is already set in place, we just have to wait." The young man walked away, his grey eyes darting from one side of the wall to the other.

"Come on Horatia! Repeat it, just like before."
"Wait- wait, wait!"
"You need a break?" Ruleum asked.
She took a moment, "No that's not it. I thought time didn't affect you?" The brunette asked, confused.
He thought to himself for a bit, "It depends, why?"
"N-never mind." The boy laughed, "What?"
He fiddled with the pencil in his hands, "You're powers work on me when I'm not using my magic, I'll still remember what happened when you were using them, and I can move freely within them."
She was confused, "I don't mean to be rude but, what powers do you have exactly?"
He wavered, the colour draining from his face as he pondered, "It's a hybrid of fire and moon magic." Ruleum spoke in hesitance, "Come on, let's continue with your training." He watched Horatia's reactions for a few moments, "And after we'll take a break."