Once they were in the Dean's office, Dean Siege gestured to the water hand, which dropped Robert onto a nearby stool. The Dean fixed Robert with an angry stare, then waved his hand to dismiss the water hand. It melted into a pool of water at his feet and evaporated into wisps of magic particles which faded into nothingness.
"What did you think you were doing?" Dean Siege began furiously. "You could have been exposed! Manhawk told me everything and begged that I keep an eye on you, to make sure you didn't do anything reckless. But it's your second day in this school, and you're already restraining another student with a Mystic Earth spell. Are you out of your mind? Do you really think no one else knows about the existence of Ancestor souls? Do you realize how quickly those kids could pass on information, were it to be placed in the wrong hands? Do you know what'll be done to you if they got hold of you?"
Robert's eyes dropped, unsure about how to feel or what to say. Yet, he couldn't deny that he felt an unsettling sense of satisfaction about defeating Parker and Isabel.
The Dean sighed, his tone shifting from anger to concern as he sank into the seat behind his desk. "You are a treasure Robert, you're more than this. All these students here are weak, nothing, compared to you, and you could be one of the most powerful wizards anytime in the future. Don't blow it by exposing yourself. Many are willing to risk it all just to rip your Ancestor soul from your body. And right now you have no excuse to cover up the fact that you can use two elements!" The Dean's anger resurfaced and he rose slightly from his seat, but his words were cut short as the door knob suddenly turned.
"Unless, of course, he gets a magic beast!" Zack said as he burst into the office, his magic sound amplifier clutched in his hand.
Robert and Dean Siege froze in shock, their faces turning pale as they stared at Zack in disbelief.
"Zack? Why do you insist on following me everywhere?!" Robert snapped with a scowl, already aware that Zack had been eavesdropping on his conversation with Dean Siege using his magic contraption.
Dean Siege shot Zack a piercing glance before releasing a deep sigh and sinking back into his chair, rubbing his temples.
"Sir, is everything alright?" Zack asked hesitantly, fearing that he had overstepped and was about to be punished. He had burst into the Dean's office uninvited! Zack couldn't believe his own recklessness - it seemed like the most foolish thing he'd ever done. The thought of suspension made his heart sink, imagining his uncle's furious reaction.
Dean Siege let out a sigh. "You overheard the conversation?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the Wizard eye hanging from the ceiling.
Zack's voice trembled. "Y-yes, sir. But I didn't catch anything about Ancestor souls..." He trailed off, immediately regretting his words.
The Dean's eyebrows rose in a resigned expression, his distant gaze suggesting he was lost in thought. Zack shifted uncomfortably, curiosity getting the better of him. "Sir, if I may ask, what's on your mind?"
"Me?" Dean Siege asked, feigning distraction. "Oh nothing serious," he added, rising to his feet. "I'm merely pondering how to make sure that this stays a secret," he fixed Zack with a resolute glare. "If it were up to me, I'd either have you strangled to death or have Robert do it."
Zack's legs turned to jelly. He shot a horrified look at the other two, who could kill him without any difficulty. And if they did, no one would care, not even his uncle - who'd probably welcome the news.
"And I choose to handle you myself," Dean Siege declared, his eyes hardening as he raised his hand. Suddenly, a giant black scorpion erupted from a tattoo on his neck, its many-legged body exploding into the room with such force that the air shuddered. It stood there, its massive claws and tail poised, its eyes burning with a malicious intent. It was enormous, nearly half the size of the Dean's large office. It turned to face Zack, its black eyes glinting malevolently. With its enormous pincers, it reached out and snatched him up like a rag doll. Then its tail arched over its head, the stinger aimed right at Zack's heart.
Zack was frozen with shock, his heart racing in his chest as he gazed in horror at the creature holding him up. He looked as though he might wet himself, his face contorted with intense fear.
"No, wait, please!" Robert pleaded desperately, as the scorpion's tail inched closer to Zack's chest. "Can't we make him promise not to tell anyone?"
Dean Siege glanced at him and chuckled softly.
"You think I'm gonna to kill him?" Dean Siege's laughter was soft, but cold. "No, no, I'm just gonna curse him, so that he can't tell anyone who's not trusted about your Ancestor soul. If he does, then the curse will take effect. Don't worry, he's not in any real danger - I just need him to keep his mouth shut." The Dean's eyes glinted with amusement as he watched Zack tremble with fear, completely unaware that the scorpion's stinger was not actually a threat, but only a scare tactic.
After the creature let Zack go and withdrew to Dean Siege's side, Zack could barely speak. "Wh...wa... what happens if I say something about it to someone?" he asked with a trembling voice.
"Oh, it's gonna be really bad! So you'd better keep your dumb mouth shut, kid! And if I catch you spying on me or anyone else again with your device, you'll be in big trouble. Do you understand?" Dean Siege warned sternly. He looked down at the scorpion at his side and patted it gently, almost affectionately. The scorpion seemed to respond to his touch, its body moving in what looked like a purr. It was a bizarre sight, but Zack couldn't take his eyes off of it.
"Now you two, scram!"
The two left the office, trudging down the stairs in silence. The stone building was almost empty, save for a few students and instructors who lingered. The afternoon was fleeting slowly as the sun gradually approached the horizon.
It wasn't until Robert and Zack were in the large compound, underneath a massive tree with bright blue leaves and unusual creatures scurrying across its branches, that Robert finally spoke.
"One hell of a day, huh," he said.
"Yeah," Zack replied, gazing downwards and smiling sheepishly. "Hey, thanks for fighting for me back there," he said with a smile. "I really appreciate it. Now everyone would think twice before messing with me again."
"I'll admit, asking both of them to fight me together was a little rash, but it's fine," Robert said with a dismissive wave. He noticed how disheveled Zack's hair was, and couldn't help but smile emphatically. Zack looked like a sad, bedraggled little puppy. "You're very creative, you know that?" Robert said, "I have a suggestion - why not use your magic tech skills and knowledge to craft something that can help you fight off enemies? Maybe a magic battle robot or a magic lightning gun, you know, like the ones in movies and sci-fi shows?"
Zack's brows furrowed, but he began to chuckle, as if mocking himself.
"What's funny?" Robert asked, curious but amused.
"What's funny?" Zack iterated, "What's funny is that I haven't ever considered doing that. I've mainly focused on creating harmless things that'll be useful to me and also fascinate everyone, like this sound amplifier." He slightly raised the hand holding the magic sound amplifier.
Robert muttered aloud, "I guess not everyone has a fighter mindset."
"Yeah," Zack said thoughtfully. "Thanks for the tip - even though Dean Siege would start sniffing my tail once I start doing that."
Robert let out a hearty chuckle. "That old grump," he said, "I'll catch you later!" With that, he transformed into a swirling cloud of fine sand and shot up into the sky.
Zack stood transfixed, watching in awe as the cloud of sand faded into the horizon, until it was gone from sight. He exhaled a whispered "awesome'' and turned towards the brown edifice. The stone building and it's vicinity were already empty, devoid of any sign of the students or instructors.
"Kid, to be honest, I can't say your ancestors are thrilled about your friendship with that money maniac," Poison's voice resonated in Robert's mind. "That being said, taking his age into account, I believe he might possess a genuine talent for creating magical devices. Maybe you could share some of your imaginative ideas with him from time to time. You can tell from his aura that he's been through quite a lot," Poison added as Robert drifted through the air in his sand form, heading back to Axille.
"Yeah, I just feel sorry for pitiful people, makes me want to stomp on everyone else who's happy," Robert thought back. Just then, he noticed a small flurry of snowflakes drifting in his direction. "Hey, check that out!"
"Check what out?"
Robert's curiosity was piqued as he watched the approaching silhouette. "That cluster of ice particles, it looks like Oliver's 'Elemental morph' form," he mused.
"Kid, that's really him," Poison confirmed.
"It is? And he's headed straight for us. I wonder what he wants?" Robert's sand form slowed to a halt. The ice particles drew closer, and just as it was about to envelop him, it paused, and a telepathic message burst into Robert's mind.
"Hey, it's me, Oliver!" the ice cloud conveyed. "You need to get back to school - Dora's been pestering me non-stop, asking about your whereabout!"
"I'm already headed back," Robert thought back. "You didn't need to go looking for me! Oh, and by the way, have you managed to find yourself a girlfriend yet?" He couldn't resist teasing Oliver, who simply brushed off the question.
"See you at school," Oliver thought to him. "Your little girlfriend won't stop asking about you." With that, the ice cloud swiftly drifted towards Axille. However, the urgency in Robert's telepathic voice caused Oliver to halt abruptly.
"Hey, Oliver, hold on!" Robert exclaimed, his attention drawn to a commotion on the ground below. People were frantically rushing about, and something appeared to be seriously amiss. "What's going on down there?"
With a swift glance, Robert took in the chaotic scene unfolding below him. A group of Magic enforcers were engaged in a ferocious battle with a gigantic, yellow, fox-like creature. Despite their valiant efforts, the enforcers' spells were having minimal impact on the beast, and several of them had already suffered injuries. Reinforcements were nowhere in sight, and it was clear that the enforcers were struggling to gain the upper hand.
"I think we should lend them a hand," Robert suggested, concerned.
"They can handle it, now let's go!" Oliver urged, his swirling ice form betraying his growing impatience.
"C'mon man," Robert persisted. "I know Manhawk took you to a different magic school in Bening. Don't you think this is an opportunity to gain experience and boost our advancement?" Robert asked, trying to persuade him.
Oliver took a moment to consider and then responded, "Alright, let's help them - but we'll make it quick."
The duo materialized at the end of the street and sprinted towards the battleground. A Magic enforcer, distinguished by his black uniform, caught sight of the two boys approaching and immediately held up his hand.
"Hey, you two! Get out of here, now!" the enforcer yelled with a firm and authoritative voice. "This is a restricted area, it's not safe for you to be here. We are handling the situation!"
Undettered, the Robert and Oliver continued forward, racing past a row of crumbled bungalows. "Sir, we're actually here to help!" Robert yelled back.
The enforcer's face hardened. "Help? You think this is a joke? I'm not messing around here. This is a restricted area, and you both need to leave - immediately!"
All of a sudden, the area was illuminated by a bright orange light.
Oliver was first to identify the source of the light. "Look out!" He shouted urgently. Robert shifted his gaze swiftly, witnessing a blazing fireball careening directly towards the enforcer, who was only thirty feet away from their position. The enforcer swiftly spun around, but time was against him - he was transfixed by shock, and was unable to cast a protective spell before the fireball struck. With a sense of inevitability, he clenched his eyes shut and steeled himself for impact.
It all transpired in a fleeting instant.
"Ice wall!"
"Earth wall!"
Robert and Oliver simultaneously cast their most potent defensive spell, harnessing their Ancestor soul's elemental powers. In effect, an Earthen wall and Ice wall materialized mere moments before the fireball's impact, positioned one behind the other. The ensuing collision was tremendous, producing a deafening boom that shook the air. The Earth and Ice wall, although significantly deformed and cracked, managed to hold firm. However, the shockwave inflicted significant structural damage to adjacent buildings.
Oliver and Robert were as powerful as 1st rank Mystic wizards when harnessing their Ancestor soul's element. Although they had rapidly achieved the peak level of Common realm's first-rank within just two days of attending school, their current access to their Ancestor souls' powers was limited to first-rank Mystic abilities. However, as they continued to advance, they would acquire increased access to their Ancestor soul's powers.
When the Magic enforcer opened his eyes, he was amazed to find himself still standing, unharmed. The Ice and Earth walls had dissipated, but he knew where they had come from - he heard the Robert and Oliver yell their spells just before the fireball struck. He looked around, catching sight of the boys running towards the battle ground, where the remaining enforcers were engaging the beast.
The Magic enforcer stood in stunned silence. "Those two youngsters just saved me using Mystic spells - how is that even possible?" He pondered.
As a third-rank Mystic wizard at the age of fourty-two, he couldn't help but feel amazed by the boys' remarkable abilities. "They're already first-rank Mystic wizards at such a young age... It's unprecedented," he marveled. His thoughts trailed off as he contemplated the awe-inspiring implications of their potential. "By the time they're my age..."
While the enforcer struggled to regain his composure, Robert and Oliver swiftly joined the other Magic enforcers, aiding in the battle and launching a collective assault against the level 16 Yellow Flaming fox. Under Poison's guidance, Robert maintained a safe distance from the beast, unleashing his spells with calculated precision and skill. Oliver, on the other hand, took a more casual approach, standing atop a tall building nearby and lazily launching powerful Ice spells at the creature to help restrain it.
The boys' arrival marked a decisive turning point in the battle, as their intervention proved instrumental in the enforcers' ultimate defeat of the Yellow Flaming Fox. However, by the time the chaos dissipated and the dust settled, the boys had already disappeared into thin air.
The enforcers were left in a state of wonder and confusion, scrambling to locate the teenagers who had played a pivotal role in their hard-won victory over the level 16 Yellow Flaming Fox.