"C'mon bro ease up on me!" Will shouted from the other side of the gym. I just started laughing. I'm currently doing some practical training with Will where I'm actively shooting lightning at him with just my hands and he's supposed to either dodge or block it, so far I've shattered every single ice wall or stalagtite he's created with a blast of lightning. Really this is just a way for me to get back at all the physical bullying he's done to me.
"Really? You can't handle a bit of," I charged up a blast, "LIGHTNING!?" And fired while joking with him.
"AGH!" he screamed before leaping to his right making me barely miss my shot, "That one was TOO close!"
"Then the right thing to do is simple: dodge faster." I stated while charging up another shot.
He created an ice wall in front of himself, "Are you crazy!?"
"No," I shot a much weaker blast to the ice as a taunt. I still shattered the ice though. I said afterward, "Sam and Sheila are the crazy ones. I'M the smart one."
"Yeah. And the one who's gonna KILL me!" Will exclaimed.
"Hey man c'mon. On the bright side, look how good you're getting at free form magic!" I assured him, "You pretty much got the hang of using it, but now you got to get the hang of using it effectively!" I shot another lightning blast but this one missed pretty far.
He asked right after, "can we take a break? I want to check if Quinn has my suit and weapon yet."
I stared at all the tiny holes of cement and concrete that I damaged from blasting lightning at Will and the walls taking the aftermath or missed shots. I turned back to face Will, "yeah sure I'm getting pretty tired anyway." I took off the coat from my suit and threw it on the table at the side of the room, "I'm going to grab some water, you can just go ask Quinn."
After stepping out of the gym and grabbing a water bottle in the break room, I thought "What have Sam and Sheila been up to?" so I decided to check what they were doing in the gym from the watch room because I don't want to interrupt them, much less join them. Every gym has these rooms on the side with one-sided glass so whoever wants to watch our training or experiments they can.
I slided the door into the watch room and turned on the small panel that shows the statistics of the room, the amount of damage, ventilation level, turn on the microphone to hear what's going on in the gym etc.
Taking a look in, There were clumps here and there of flames still burning on the ground and on the walls. The vents were at seventy-eight percent power to keep the flames from burning the whole place down.
Sam was down on one knee and his sword planted into the ground for him to lean on. Twenty or so feet directly away from him, Sheila was on both knees but slowly getting up and she was holding her water-coated whip in the air getting ready to strike.
I quickly turned on the microphone to catch her saying, "This should be," she huffed, "the end of weapons practice."
Sam yanked his sword out of the gym floor, "Yeah you're right," he waved his hand and fire started to ignite on his sword, "A practice where I win." he foolheartedly said.
Sheila just started cackling, "What can you do!? You spent most of your magic already!"
"What can I do? I can make you lose!" And Sam got back up and started to sprint at Sheila in one smooth motion.
"Stop trying to sound cool!" Sheila shouted and she cracked her whip at Sam. He jukes out the whip and throws some of the fire on his sword to turn the water to steam. Sheila pulls her whip back one more time and cracks at Sam at the exact same time as Sam shoots the rest of his fire at her. Both attacks impact and send them both flying back from each other, "Have they just been doing this for three hours?"
I turn the ventilation systems to one-hundred percent power and then run out of the watch room. I open the main door accidentally releasing some smoke , "Are you both all right?" I shout into the room.
I see a circular ring of water move around the edges of the room and it's quelling the flames, "we're alright. We're just practicing after all." Sheila shrugged.
Towards the back, Sam was putting out flames and he told me, "We're fine!"
"Damn," I heard from behind me and I turned around to see my twin, "What have they been up to?" He was holding a bag with the stamp of the United States with Quinn's signature on it.
"See I told ya, Sam and Sheila are the crazy ones. Also, that's your suit right?" I pointed at the bag.
"Yeah, I didn't get my weapon just yet though. It's not completely finished yet is what he said." Will stated.
The two crazy ones were stepping out of the lab. Sheila just stepped around Will to avoid him but Sam fist bumped him and said, "Hey Will, your ice good enough yet that you think you can hold off my flames in a sparring match?"
He laughed off, "Yeah no not yet. I have yet to even make any ice that can withstand Zack's lightning, but I hope my Ice will improve faster so I can spar with you soon!" he pointed at me.
"He isn't wrong about that," I shrugged, "what he is wrong about is that my lightning is much more destructive than your fire Sam. Basically, he might be able to withstand A blast of fire, I don't know about multiple like Sheila can."
"Oh sweet!" Will shouted, "Sam wanna try it out now!?"
"I'm a little tired right now, maybe in a bit." Sam turned down.
"What the hell happened here?" A voice said behind me. I turned around to see Quinn tapping buttons and notes on his phone, "I check my cameras and I see a gym with the ceiling nearly covered in smoke. Mind telling me what occurred?"
"Woah take a look, Quinn taking note of our activities actively." Sam whispered to me.
I then stated, "it seems Sheila and Sam were having a sparring match with primarily their weapons," I pointed at Sam's sword, "and then they both started getting um… competitive and started using magic for every swing they threw at each other. And all the damage and smoke in the room is the aftermath." I covered for the both of them.
"... Great, I'll have someone look at the damages and have to file that for this organization's taxes too. I was just in the middle of finishing up your weapon," he pointed at Will, "and the weapon for the ninth member. Also, where the hell is the other culprit anyway?"
Sam said, "Probably the locker rooms… wait did you say the ninth member? EHHH!? WHO'S THE NINTH MEMBER!?" he started shouting.
"I agree with that sentiment," I stated and Will nodded.
"The ninth member I actually hid from you for a lil' while now. He's a rare specimen because he isn't from the New York Metropolitan Area… hell even this nation. He's just a rare specimen I guess. I've been in contact with him for a couple of days now and he arranged to come here ASAP and that he's already been practicing magic for hours when he discovered and reported he had his powers."
"What's his power?" Will asked.
"Classified." an extremely common answer by Quinn.
Now I asked, "When is he arriving though?"
"I'd say… maybe fifteen to thirty minutes. He landed at some airport upstate just an hour ago." Quinn said, checking the timer on his phone.
"Why upstate? To avoid JFK airport traffic I assume?" Sam reasoned.
"Nope," Quinn put his phone down, "private non-commercial airport."
"So a private jet?" I deduced.
"Probably. We didn't even fly him out here, he came out of his own accord." Quinn shrugged.
"So our newest teammate is like, hyper-mega rich?" Will asked
"Seems like it," I said, "Anything else Quinn?"
"Nothing," he shook his hand, "Just admiring how durable my suits are. Even after all the damage that happened in there, Sam's suit is still basically unscathed. It was right to try tailoring clothes using mostly alloys from alien ships. Those alloys allowed me to stretch the metal this thin and still be super flexible. Usually metals from Earth would just stick to whatever they're touching if we stretched it to the thickness we use for yarn or sewing goods for textiles. Beyond that, nothing. Do y'all need anything from me?"
"Wait, we can make requests for our weapons?" Sam asked.
"When did I mention that?"
"Like a minute or so ago," Will said.
"Ah. Well then, yeah of course you can request weapons," Quinn stated, "you asked for a sword," he gestured at Sam, "and I gifted you an Odachi. Adam requested a scythe and I gifted him a couple of days ago. The ninth requested a specific one so I made it… well FINISHING it. If members didn't make any requests I'll make what I think fits their power and personality the best. Example one: Sheila's whip. Her sarcastic quips are like a whiplash back at you. Example two: Sage's bow. It's a bow because she is a free-spirit and the bow allows for the most freedom when it comes to attacking.. Also arrows made of light. Now anything else?"
"What's my weapon? Thanks for the explanation though." Will asked.
"English-style Longsword," Quinn then turned around, "I'm going to assume y'all have no further questions so good day to y'all I have work to do. When the newest member comes around I'll be there." he raised his right hand over his head I guess as a wave.
Sam turned to us and asked, "What power do you think the ninth has?"
I started to go on a rant, "I don't know but it's always some kind of fantastical element. The only weird ones are Adam and Sage with Light and Darkness which aren't technically elements, granted none of them are actual elements and just common ones from mythologies, so it could be like uh I don't know uhhh..." struggling to think of something.
"Wood or Nature!" Sam declared, "Like from Chinese Mythology. Speaking of that, do you think that humans back in the day had magic and what we believe to be mythology was actually real way back when?"
"That's just speculation at best. The biggest evidence against this is the lack of proof of mythological creatures though, like the big elephant in Islam or dragons from Chinese mythology. Not to mention the gods from Greek or Norse mythology." I reasoned.
Sam nodded,"I mean… yeah it is speculation. I posed this question just for conversation's sake-"
"Ah, I see." I awkwardly commented.
[Bam!]
Will slapped my back, "It's fine bro! At least you aren't completely mute haha!" he shouted.
"Whatever," I pushed him away from me, "Let's just get back to training, Sam ya wanna bring Sheila along?"
"Are you gonna get her?" he asked.
I started to say, "I can if you want-"
"Perfect!" he clapped his hands, "you get Sheila. I'm gonna test Will's metal, well ice rather." Sam then grabbed Will's hand and started running back to the gym where I was blasting him with lightning earlier.
"He's starting to pick up traits of Sheila, doing whatever you want irrationally. That'd be a dangerous combination for Sam, he may start developing a superiority complex if this keeps up." I thought whilst going to the break room to find her. I opened the door and no one was there but Adam and Sage. Both of them were just drinking Soda while lazily leaning back, deep into the chairs.
"Wassup," Adam waved at me.
"Hello." I said, "Have either of you seen Sheila."
Adam just shrugged but Sage said that, "last time I saw her, she was in the locker rooms but she may've stepped out by now,"
I was going to say, "Thanks-"
But Sage cut me off by saying, "Actually she's right behind you."
I turned around and jolted a bit to see Sheila peeking her head around mine, "Hey. Were ya looking for me?"
"Yeah I was. Sam asked me to get you so we can all spar," I told her.
She slid me aside, "That's fine but lemme get a drink first." and she greeted the two already in the room, "Zack you should grab something to drink too."
I just rolled my eyes but begrudgingly went in to grab a ginger-ale.
"Bro c'mon sit," Adam gestured to the empty chair to his left at the circular table.
I sat down while cracking open the can, "Let's just finish this quickly," I stated.
"Stop being such a buzzkill," Sage said, "relax for a bit, let's just chat and talk about anything important to you or us or whatever."
"There's hardly anything important to talk about," I commented.
"Then just say what IS important," Adam reasoned.
I looked at Sheila and she just said, "you can relax. Being tense all the time about being stronger with magic is hella boring anyway."
"Alright," the four of us just chatted about random stuff everyday nothing having to do with magic: the best bodega to grab lunch, favorite pizza here in Brooklyn, schoolwork, home lives etc etc. It was mildly comforting if it was somewhere and not a sterile break room in an underground lab.
At that moment on the PA system Quinn announced that, "The ninth member is entering the elevator. If all the magic practitioners could come out and greet the newbie that'd be great."
"Ninth member!?" The three of them were perplexed.
"Zack, why don't you look surprised?" Sheila asked.
"Because Quinn told us earlier." I sipped my ginger-ale.
Adam asked, "Who the hell is 'us'!?"
I took another sip, "Sam, my brother and me. Possibly Andrew because he sometimes spies on us using the cameras."
Sage asked, "How do you know Andrew does that?"
"I was in his room once to see how he forges his equipment. I also dabble in that kind of stuff so it interests me and he didn't push me away strangely," I told them, "Anyway we should throw away our empty cans and step out into the hallways." I got up and threw the ginger-ale into the trash can… except I missed and it fell a few inches away on the ground.
"Nice shot," Sheila sarcastically jokes and scoffs. I see Quinn's point of Sheila's quips.
The four of us stepped out into the hall and met up with my brother and Sam. Cyrus and Xeno join up not long and of course Andrew doesn't leave his room… but I have a feeling that the cameras are watching us.
"Damn there's a new one already!? I haven't even met everyone!" Cyrus exclaimed.
Xeno tried to slam his spear on the ground and say, "Quiet yourselves! Be quiet to welcome your new comrade!" Of course no one heard him.
"Y'ALL SHUT UP!?" Sheila's attempt didn't work either.
It's chaos in the halls right now. Everyone's asking and talking about the ninth and his power and stuff. Just so much loud chatter that just becomes a mesh of noise. It's so strange how all this noise can be generated from just eight people.
At some point the elevator opens, no one notices, and we hear from the elevator loud enough to overwhelm the mesh of noise. One. Loud, "BAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!" a loud long string of laughter erupted from the elevator, "So these are my companions in battle, huh!? Utterly Fascinating! Who is the alien that I shall be learning from!?" A man… or maybe a boy had stepped out of the elevator. He was short, maybe around five foot two and three fifth's inches, with blonde hair and blue eyes... so very clearly European. His face could look like a mix of Italian and Romanian but his hair screams so very German. He was dressed… lavishly as a word to describe it. Brandishing a navy blue tuxedo with gold highlights, a golden pin with the crest of an eagle spreading its wings, "I have arrived to make my selfish dreams come true and grant happiness for others!"
"Man he is so tacky," I thought.
"That is my role," Xeno had put his spear up in the air, "greetings. And your name is?"
He slid his left leg back and extended his arm to bow, "Richard Adlehardht is my name." He stood back up straight, "It seems as though your team is in a high amount of disorganization. Shall I take the reins and lead them?" he offered.
"Pshh ain't no way am I taking shit from him," Sheila VERY quietly whispered to Sam and I.
I spoke out, "We can be organized if we want to. You're the new one here so we barely know anything about you so please explain yourself."
"Well said companion! I desire to know your name and JEEVES!" he snapped his fingers in his right hand. Another man this time much older and taller looking around mid-sixties age and around five-foot eight point twenty-five inches. He looked like a classical butler out of a movie. Neat tuxedo, older hair that was combed back, Dainty-rich looking glasses, a cloth draped over his right hand which he held at a perfect ninety degree angle. The whole works!
He bowed, "What do you need, master?"
"Write a check from my personal bank account," he snapped again, "TEN GRAND for the companion who asked for a valid explanation of ME… and uh, FIVE GRAND as a welcome gift for the rest of the crew!"
"As it turns out, I shall be taking shit from him, his money that is!" Sheila whispered to us again.
"Bro's throwing more money out than double my bank account god dayum!!" Cyrus shouted.
"Appreciate the comment, companion," Richard said and then declared that, "I desire to meet who's the head of this operation!"
I felt a slight push from my back and it was Quinn moving me away, "That'd be me," he said. For the first time today, I didn't see him typing away on a phone or laptop, "Greetings. Mr. Quinn, last name classified. It's nice to meet you in person Mr. Adlehardt.'' They both shook hands and Quinn had to bend down a bit to be on eye-level with Richard.
"How is my weapon that I had requested for coming along?"
"The actual blade has finished but the rest is still being worked on," he reported.
"Good, I would like to join forces with the most recent companion to learn magic with the alien," Richard sounded out every desire he had it seems…
Xeno said that, "it would be fine to start practice. You'll come to practice with Cyrus who also started his journey in Magic as of today."
"Perfect!" he snapped his fingers, "Jeeves! Get me into something more fitting for exercise and another check of five grand for Cyrus for being my first companion to train with!"
"Yes Master," the butler bowed and went back up the elevator.
"I always reward each of my companions bountifully," Richard explained.
"Okay okay wait wait, What is your power Richard!?" Sam spoke out and asked, "do you need to go under Xeno's spell to know?"
"Nonsense!" he snapped his fingers… again, "My powers are!" He extended his right hand and opened his palm. A green light emitted from his hand and a thin branch started to grow out of his palm, "NATURE!!"