Ashton's mind was still reeling from what Marcus had just said to him. He tried to say something but he could not. His words keep getting stuck in his throat. Why should he become the bait for the mutants in the academy when he could just stay back home and have an infinite night's rest?
"I will take that as you have well comprehended what I just told you." Marcus said, his tone impatient as he yawned loudly. This was evident he was tired already and needed a good sleep fast! But…
"Wait! What about Jamil? What privilege does passing the greeting test give him?"
"Jamil?" Marcus blurted like he was hearing that name for the first time. He heaved and then snapped his finger across Ashton's face like he was making him sleep by hypnotizing him.
Ashton's eyes were nervously twitching at Marcus' finger snap and his eyes swirled in a vortex into a vivid imaginary land and….and..~~~
~~~~
"Get me the finest wine and the most expensive cheese cake. A full fledged chicken and some turtle dove feet!" Jamil commanded the slave Mages, his voice husky.
He spread himself over a golden throne like a little rascal and said to one stray slave Mage. "Hey you twerp! Get here! Fast!" he yelled, arrogantly.
The slave Mage ran hastily towards Jamil tendering a quick how.
"Here I am, Master Jamil." The slave Mage said, her voice quivering.
"Be useful for once in your pathetic life!" Jamil taunted, his voice steely. "Get down on my feet and start pressing your fingers against them. They seem heavy as I sit. Massage them!"
She ran to his feet and started to massage them with some olive oil. As she continued to massage his feet, the food he had requested was brought into the room. His continuance changed as he perceived the delicious smell of the food which was undoubtedly going to be scrumptious in taste.
"Olé!" He rejoiced, pushing the slave Mage who was massaging his feet away. He stomped towards the incoming banquet with plenty of smiles running through his face.
"Verminous!....~~~
~~~~
Snap!!!
Time out!!!
Ashton shrugged, coming back to his present reality.
"Satisfied?" Marcus asked.
"What did you just show to me? Jamil cannot be that vile!" Ashton snapped.
Marcus scoffed, not ready to give Ashton an answer. He pushed the door open again, ready to retire to bed and leave the bothersome Ashton to stand night watch, but Ashton followed hastily behind him.
When Marcus had been inside the room, he recited a magical creed while swerving his index and middle finger in a circular motion. As he did that, an orb appeared before him. It was large enough to fit in plenty of people all at once.
Ashton was stricken by this and his mouth was just hanging agape, but he manage to mouth;
'Sick!'
Marcus stepped inside the orb, his whole body was no longer visible in the room, but Ashton could still see him standing still at the entrance of the orb.
"Where does this lead you to?" Ashton finally asked, his voice incredulous.
"We sleep in here."
A thought escaped through Ashton's mind. If Marcus was going to sleep inside the orb, why does he need to stand guard? Why can Marcus not create an orb for him as well to sleep in? Why? Why? Why? This is insane!
"We? What about me? Why do I have to stand guard instead? Why can I not get…."
Marcus shushed him off. "Enough with the 'why's' already. Everyone had gone through this night as well. You're not the first to do this nor will you be the last. So, stop whining and go stand in your position!"
Ashton's eyes lowered at Marcus as he glared at him. It seemed like he was going to give the pretty boy an ugly cut in the face with a fine fisted punch.
"Staying inside the room will do you no good Ashton," Marcus continued, a small hint of disappointment lacing in his words. "You do not possess any ability yet, so standing outside the room will be safer."
"And why is tha…"
Marcus shut the orb's entrance and a massive gust of magical dust swamped inside the room sending Ashton flying out of the door. He flew past the opened door and was sent into the wall opposite the room.
Ashton gasped at the impact of the crash as he grew weaker. He could barely gather enough strength to get up on his feet. The more he tried, the more it felt like a magnetic force was pulling him back to the ground.
"Fuck!"he cursed under his breath. "Why make human this weak?" He complained to the unknown.
He continued to struggle to get up again, mid way up, he fell back to the ground and finally gave up. His eyes darted towards the open already closed doors of the room Marcus had led him to. He rolled his eyes and muttered.
"Damn it! How can I stand guard throughout the night in this weakening state?"
As he fell asleep, the same strange magical light that had ensued from within him the night the mutant raze happened awakened again as the elemental prowess flowed through his vessels awaiting his own submission to awakening.
***
The next morning, Ashton was awoken by the noisy muttering of people as they walked past where he was laying. He strained his eyes as the morning light shone into his iris. As he looked about, he could see some people staring wildly at him.
It was like he was in the middle of a show. As the people hung around staring at him like he was a mad man sleeping on the bare ground instead of standing watch for the night. He could here some say;
"He seems to be a tough kid."
"I heard he got here last night."
"Wild…"
"...what? He got his ritual reinstitution last night?"
"...did he even bother to stand guard?"
All this petty gossip did not seem to bother Ashton at all as he closed his eyes to get some more sleep. Though his entire body was wallowing in pain, he just wanted some sleep! He closed his eyelid and tried to focus on getting another sleep episode. As he drifted off to sleep again, a voice cut through his peace demanding him to stand up now!
'You do not disturb a dog while it's asleep, why disturb me now?' Ashton thought to himself.
Splash!
"What the heck!" He cursed, opening his eyes abruptly to see who had just bathed him in cold water.
"Get up! Fast!" The mastermind of the water spree commanded, his tone impatient and demanding.
As Ashton's eyes fell under his menacingly cold gaze, he gathered all his will power to get up and managed to stand on his feet, but he was just as weak as what he had felt last night, even more! His bones creaked as he tried to stand on his feets properly and eventually, he plunked down to the ground on his face.
KERPLUNK!