One
"It's her." A student whispered to her friend as they saw the silver-haired lady, floating her way through the hallways.
"Looks like something flipped her off again." another said.
"You bet." The mage said. "There's never a day where Eudora skips a class after storming out."
The other one scoffed. "Well, she is 'thunder' afterall."
They giggled in weird unison. "You think it's Professor Gord?"
"Bet a diamond on it."
Eudora stopped on her tracks and the young mages froze. She slowly looked behind her, the piercing stare of her white eyes sent shivers to the group as they look away in embarrassment.
"Oh 'Doraaaaaaaa!" A loud manly voice bounced in the long, white walls of the Academy of Magic. Eudora's face softened. It's Valir.
"You pissed my mentor again?"
She saw the bystander hand over a diamond to her friend.
Eudora clicked her tongue. "Don't call me that."
"I told you, you're not supposed to toast everyone around you when you feel like it." Valir said, as he played with a small flame on his right hand.
Eudora floated unwaveringly over her friend's remark. It doesn't help that her only friend is an apprentice of her greatest enemy, Gord.
"I never toasted anyone." Her face is still but her words are sharp, voluming down after her pause. "Lest not allowed to."
She reached the library and opened it with her bare pale hands.
"I know, the school prohibited you from using some of your powers-"
"MOST." She said through gritted teeth.
"-Okay, most." Valir crossed his hands. "But it's only because you're too—"
"Powerful." Eudora smirked, her most complex reaction, as she browsed through the shelves of the section 'Arcane Magic'.
"You know the rules." He blocked Eudora's way by leaning on the shelf infront of her.
Eudora flickered her way out of Valir's barricade and reached for a book at the 2nd floor of the shelves.
"Fanny." Valir said.
"She's skilled, talented, one of the best assassins in the Land of Dawn. She's too powerful."
"Fanny doesn't have powers." Eudora deadpanned.
"Wrong." He said. "Fanny doesn't have magic."
Eudora turned her head to him.
"Most of us worked hard to gain what we have." Valir walked his way to the reading tables as he examined every mage inside, studying and practicing their abilities. "Not all of us start at 50, 70 or 90 percent. Most even start with 0."
Valir side-glanced the book on Eudora's hand, read; Humans and Arcane Magic
"Like Gord."
"Being the best hero because of practice or building skills and styles makes you powerful." He continued.
"And, when you don't have to work that hard to create so much power." Valir brought his gaze back to Eudora.
"That makes you dangerous."
She slapped her book shut, so strong that it echoed through the library. "I don't care."
(...According to studies of Dr. Einwald, forcing too much Arcane Magic on a human body can exhibit tremendous harm. It is because of the capacity of a normal body in holding magic that is unfamiliar to its nature. Case No. 4118 showed a man who reached his limit on Arcane Magic, resulting in a fuse of his nature and powers turning him into a half pink and green 'monster'. Up to this day, he is known to be the most unstoppable mage who holds the strongest Arcane Magic to ever be achieved by any human...)
"Why are you reading about Arcane Magic anyway?" Valir raised his eyebrows. "Where's your usual toasty toasty stuff?"
"It's LIGHTNING MAGIC, Valir." Eudora closed her third book. "And I've already read every book in that section. None of them are useful enough." ...except one. She thought.
"It's not fair that you're blessed with strong powers, now you're reading every book in this huge-ass library? How even???" Valir's voice was too loud before he even realized it.
Mages held in silence after he talked and then later started murmuring.
("It's Eudora."
"Valir..."
"Lightning..."
"...he.....revenge?"
"Dangerous..."
"Killer.")
"Stupid animals." Eudora said.
Valir removed his hands on his mouth, rolled his eyes and smirked. "Case 4117. I know you're reading about Gord's case."
She rolled her eyes.
"And? Everyone has read about it already."
"For the record, they haven't. And you're THE Eudora. You're a self-centered, self-obsessed toaster. You don't care about his past!" Valir scoffed as he said toaster.
"You call me toaster one more time—"
"—Unless!" Valir leaned. "There's a personal gain in this."
"What?"
"You think he knows something about your magic that he's not telling you."
Eudora hid her grin, he caught her again. "Why else would he ban me?"
Then, a british accented overtly proud voice spoke behind her. "That's a good question Eudora."
Valir scrunched his nose on Harley and his perfect gold hair brushed to a flawless curl. A boastful rich boy who thinks he's the most beautiful man whom ever lived.
"Why would he ban you, when it's obvious how my Deathly Magic is the strongest among every super skill in this Academy and all of Magic City?" Harley said as he played with his cards effortlessly on his left hand and leaned with his baton on the right.
"Oh right." Valir smiled mockingly. "Even stronger than your sister's?"
Harley glared at Valir. "Stronger than your brother's."
"Stop bringing me into your family issues, thank you." Eudora said mockingly.
Harley, quite annoyed and dwelled upon Valir's remark tried to compose himself and elegantly said "You, mockery of a decent male, shut your mouth before I put these cards in it, will you? I'm talking with REAL Magic City mages and not just some Fire City resident up for revenge."
Valir fired up quite literally as his hands started to smolder with stronger fire.
"Okay, that's enough. Harley, leave us alone." Eudora hissed.
"Sure, sure lad. But I'm only here because I have knowledge you might be interested in."
"What?" She asked sharply, not quite amused.
"There, there! Don't be too hot on me. It's a book about lightning studies I suppose. But nevermind." Harley acted as if he's leaving when Eudora stopped him.
"Tell me more." She said in a slightly desperate tone.
"Now, that's a new reaction from the naturale talent of the Academy! Well then..." he grinned "...what do I get out of the deal?"
What? Eudora clicked her tongue at the stubborn child "A haircut coupon?"
"Hey! Don't touch my hair!"
"...candy?"
"I'm too sweet to have more candies." He replies, twirling the golden strands of his hair.
"That doesn't make any sense." She deadpanned. "Okay, I know."
"I'll distract Lesley for a day so you could go do whatever you want." Eudora said.
"Deal." Harley smiled.
—
"I'm telling you, don't do this."
Valir and Eudora were already on their way to the residence grounds of the Academy after the usual hours they take to stay and study more at the library.
"Why not?"
"Because it's illegal? Because the idea came from my arch nemesis?" Valir rhetorically stated.
"Just because you've rivaled against him for the place of the Magic Duel Champion, doesn't mean you're arch nemeses."
"Oh, yes it is." Valir snides. "But I'm serious, tell me you're not doing this."
"I am." Eudora said in a tone, turning to Valir so he would see how sure she was.
They stared each other down.
"If Gord catches you, I don't know what he'll do next. He's already banned all of your powers. Isn't that enough reason to stay out of trouble?"
"No one gets stronger by staying out of trouble."
She stated and didn't break her stare until Valir raises his hands in defeat.
He sighed "Fine."
Eudora smiled.
"...but I can't have your back when you get caught. So be careful, okay?"
They have already reached the middle alley that splits between the buildings of men's and women's. Valir tapped Eudora's back as she gives him a nod before turning to the other side of the residence grounds.
Eudora's room isn't as clean as what people would expect. But it is pure white. She floated above a few scattered books on the floor and took the piled scraps of paper from the bed to her desk and laid on her back.
She can still study even when she stares at her walls; all of which are filled with sketches of lightning studies.
It isn't easy to be her like what everyone thinks. Sure, she had innate powerful magic but day and night? She never stops reading and trying to know more, trying to be stronger. She's always known that her magic is something more than just how the Academy treats it; dangerous.
Which is why she's still trying to find out what really lies in her real power. But after years of reading and studying, something still doesn't add up. She has read every book in the library regarding her magic but it is still limited to what she already knows.
It seemed like she has reached the dead end to her skills. And that is something she can't accept.
—
Eudora woke up cold. She didn't have to look at the time to know it's already midnight for this had already become a habit, waking up to the freezing first minute of the next day.
She grabbed a coat and started to her door. The residence grounds has a curfew at 10 in the evening; no one could go in or out after the said time— but it's almost impossible to control some mages which is why it's almost like there isn't a curfew at all. She floated casually near the exit and hid when she saw the minions guarding the exit. She easily stunned the one farthest from her and flickered beside it. The two other minions tried to catch her but she already sprinted effortlessly out of the grounds. Eudora heard one say 'not again!' far behind her as she smirked in satisfaction.
Eudora has never tried sneaking into the Academy of Magic when it's about to close, even though everyone thinks she would be that kind of mage. In fact she abides by the school rules more diligently than most. But this time is different.
Night classes lasts until 12 am so getting inside wouldn't be much of a tedious work if she tries hard enough, she thought.
'Entrances are already closed.' her mind spoke as she peeks at the guard at the exit. 'I guess there's no choice.'
She took a deep breath and floated vehemently to the exit when the guard isn't looking. Then just about when it looked to her, she turned around as if she's walking from the inside and exiting the Academy.
Then she made an abrupt stop.
"Oh no! I forgot my purse!" Eudora exclaimed. She then rushed to the guard. The man didn't look quite convinced with her act.
"Hello, sir. I think I left my purse inside, could I just go in and grab it?"
He frowned at her, still uncertain.
She then held one of his hands together—gave him a fleeting electric current— and tried to pull herself into a smile "It won't take a while, I promise."
The mage guard, a bit enchanted by her charm (or so he thought), gaped at her "O-okay, but be quick. The school's about to close."
She grinned as she teasingly touches the guard on his shoulder, giving him a gentle current that he would mistaken as attraction.
"Thank you."
—
Entering the library wasn't much work for it was still open when she got there. The librarians are already about to leave and so she sprinted behind the shelves.
'Now, where is this Restricted section?'
She remembered what Harley told her a while ago.
A book dedicated to Lightning Magic at a so called 'Restricted Section' of the library.
'R Section.'
She has heard of that section before but only in gossips. That there, at the highest floor of the library, lies the rumored haven of books bound to secrecy. And no one knows why.
Over the years, some speculations arise, that it may contain instructions about dark and banned magic, or absurd fornication, or the secrets of the Land of Dawn. It is also said that no one can find it or enter it if not permitted by the Highest Office.
Why else would they put a book about Lightning Magic in there if it doesn't contain something that no one is allowed to know? It could be the key to the door of her dead end.
She recalled what Harley told her.
("They said it's located at the highest shelf at the farthest edge of the library." Her brows furrowed as Harley say. "No one's ever dared to try but maybe you're strong enough to be the first."
"And why do you care?" She stared him down "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you're banned from using your most powerful skill on me, and I want to know if it's really as lame as Valir's." He snided.
"That's not enough reaso—"
"Why are they scared of you? The only mage banned from using her powers? I want you to find out why so I could defeat you fair and square, Eudora." Harley cut her, his eyes gleamed with determination.)
The lights went out in the library and she heard the lock of the big doors. She then started to work her way up the floors through soft hops between the shelves and flickers upwards. There could be atleast a hubdred floors to these shelves and she has already reached the top before but never saw anything unusual like an R Section.
'But it never hurts to try.'
Finally, she reached the top and there it is... just books. Nothing.
Upwards is nothing but the ceiling.
She started to think of how Harley could have tricked her. Stupid, she thought. Of course that little brat won't ever help you be more powerful than he is.
Eudora blew the dust out of the top shelf and sat there. She could see the wide array of shelves and it was almost nauseating to see how vast the library is from above. She closed her eyes and sighed...
When Eudora opened her eyes, she saw a hint of light started to twinkle from the farthest shelf.
'A light?' and then the lights started to grow from one shelf to another, and another, and another one, until half of the library were lit by these lights.
The lights continue to approach her as she stood wide-eyed at what she was seeing. The library started changing its appearance, but not quite. Everything that weren't lit by these lights started turning pitch black and it seemed like the only room left is that where the lights hit.
Even the shelf where Eudora was seated was already gone. She walked through the pitch black vastness and to the sole room within it.
The shelves are now in the shade of gold and thicker. And every book are prominently hard bounded and lit in red light. There are fewer books but each one seemed very important and intricately designed.
As she hopped inside, examining the hidden books, her face could only manifest amusement. Eudora got a bit excited with the texture and rarity of the paperbacks and started browsing through some of it— containing some of the rumored pieces that the R Section has, they all turned out to be true afterall.
And then she snapped out of it when noticed that she got carried away and forgotten her purpose of going there.
'Focus, Eudora.' she reprimanded herself.
And then she started looking for what she's really there for. Lightning Magic.
Harley didn't tell her anything else about the appearance of the book besides that it is at the R Section. And also that it is all about Lightning studies and that it came from the battlefield. From the place where all doom is meant to happen; The Land of Dawn.
A book that came from the Land of Dawn and hidden away from mages? Every aspect of it screams that it's what she needs to finally—
Eudora flinched when she heard a shuffle behind one of the shelves.
'Someone's here.' she thought.
'Is it an official? It probably is. Frick what am I going to do? Stun, until I find what I'm looking for? It could only be an official, this must be why I got in, in the first place.'
Eudora carefully floated to the corner of the shelf where she heard the shuffle. As she drew near, the sound of the stranger flipping through the pages grew louder and louder, and...
She flickered behind the man and quickly casted her stun on him— but much to her surprise, the man got away.
He looked at her, shocked, with the book he was flipping on his hand.
He has jet black hair gelled to an upward curve, with a tattered red scarf and some kind of weapon around his right shoulder and arm. He wears a permanent smug on his attractively formed face.
The book on his hand is thick, brown and an obvious antique. But what caught Eudora's eye is the big blue thunder emblem engraved on its cover.
He's holding the said book about Lightning Magic.
"Human." Eudora's brows furrowed. "Who are you? And why are you here? You're not a mage so how did you get in?"
He smirked. "The same way you did."
"I need that book." Eudora said.
"And I need it too, so bye bye!" He said and waved mockingly at her as he bounced from shelf to shelf upwards.
Eudora groans and ran to grab the book from the stranger but he's surprisingly faster than she thought. In desperate attempts, she threw a stun at the man that failed miserably every time. Until they finally reached the top shelf, she was still frantically chasing him.
But when he's finally about to run off to the vast darkness surrounding the R Section, the stun Eudora casted finally caught him.
She grinned as she flickered to grab him by his shoulder, flipping him and catching each other's eyes.
Just then, the man's lip curls into a smirk as he raised the book and waved it.
"Nice try." He said and in a blink, Eudora wasn't holding him anymore but a different creature of some kind.
It's a monkey!
It shot her repeatedly, causing her to drop from the shelves in surprise.
She quickly grabbed a shelf to keep her from falling and groans as she races back to where the monkey was... but it's already gone.
The stranger took her book, and she had lost him.
"Crap."
~
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