Chapter 17: Episode 16: The Boy Is A Shield
The noise in the lecture hall immediately became loud, as Nymeria left the hall.
The hall turned into a market square as students were voicing their view.
"The candidate that average 89 did not eveb make the list.."
"It’s total bullshit, they picked Briar, who barely scraped 50."
"Professor Telas must have pulled the list from a hat. Or is she just playing favorites."
The murmurs and disagreement were get more and more loud. Some students eve felt that their names should have been there.
Meanwhile, Nymeria still had the confused look as she walked out of the hall..
She did not bother to stop or answer the small greetings of the candidates in the corridor.
Once she at the front of a door with the write up " Magical Theory department."
She stopped, pushed the door and entered inside.
Professor Telas’s office was a medium-sized room that was filled with scrolls on the shelf and aged leather-bound volumes.
Professor Telas attention was on a high shelf, she was shifting through it and looking for a scroll.
"Professor Telas," Nymeria said, holding out the parchment.
Telas paused her search and shifted her eyes to Nymeria. "Nymeria. You’re here. Finished with the names already?"
Nymeria nodded, crossing to the other side of the room to hand over the parchment. "Yes, ma’am. There was some... disagreement with the list. A student, Silas, even tried to harm Gwyn but I I stopped him before it got worse."
Telas took the parchment, her eyes scanning the list section before she tucked it under her arm.
Hearing the name Silas, a chuckle left her lips. "Silas? The son of Lord Gideon? No surprise there. Like father, like son; an entitled firebrand. Thank you for handling it, Nymeria. You did well."
After talking, Telas turned to her shelf, still searching for the scroll.
Nymeria was still standing there. She did not leave as she was thinking of a way to ask her question.
Finally, Telas sighed, turning to face Nymeria with a look of what is it kid. "Well? Out with it, child. If you have something to say, say it. Professor Valerius is waiting for me."
Nymeria licked her lips nervously. "It’s just... it’s strange, Professor. Reynold Starweaver. He averaged eighty-nine points across the entire trial. It has never been done by any Cadet. And still yet, he is not on the list."
Telas’s expression softened. She stepped down from the ladder.
"Yes, Nymeria. Reynold Starweaver name should have been on the list. You are correct. But this was not my fault. I compiled the list of potential candidates. The strongest names. And Reynold Starweaver was indeed on it." She rubbed her temples. "The Headmaster made the final selection. I tried, believe me. I argued his case, but he was firm. He had... to remove his name for some reason."
Nymeria raised an eyebrow "For some reason? What reason could be more important than the highest score in the academy’s history?"
"I don’t know, Nymeria. I only follow orders." Telas offered a slight shrug. "Thank you again for your service. You may go now."
Nymeria nodded. "Thank you, Professor." She turned and left the office, with the door clicking shut behind her.
Back in the lecture hall, the noise had already reduced with the students already leaving one after the other.
Reynold had already gathered his stuff and was ready to leave.
He was halfway down the aisle when a light tap landed on his shoulder. Reynold’s face turn into a frown, and he was ready to bite back at whoever dared tap his shoulder. But the anger disappeared when he turned.
It was Gwyn. Her face was still a little pale, but the previous shock had been replaced by a smile.
"Hey," he said, a genuine smile showing on his lips.
"Hey," she replied, her voice soft.
"So," Reynold started, as they stepped out of the the exit. "What’s your deal with the Silas guy? You steal his precious something? That level of hate is something else."
Gwyn chuckled. "I don’t know... maybe he still can’t get over that i... rejected him.. He’s just trying to nurse his wounded ego by trying to cause trouble for me."
"Ah. Makes sense." Reynold nodded, as he hesitated, picking his words carefully before asking his next question. "So, your uncle. The Minister of Internal Magical Affairs, huh? I’m still wondering why you came to the cafeteria at all. You could get whatever you wanted at those expensive places outside the school. I mean, with that kind of pull..."
Gwyn grinned,. "Why would I spend my allowance on a ten-coin meal when I can get the same thing here for free? Besides, I love the everyday fight at the cafeteria."
Reynold just shook his head. "You are so unbelievable."
Just then, Silas stomped out of the hall.. Seeing Gwyn smiling with Reynold made his stomach twisted with disgust that he almost puke.
Without thinking twice, he marched straight toward them, his was loud enough to draw the attention of the remaining students.
"Still got the nerve to smile and chat with boys, Gwyn? After you had your uncle manipulate the list just to put your name on it?"
Reynold sneer. This idiot Silas had still not learned his lessons..
Reynold immediately nudged Gwyn to his right side, placing himself in front of Silas. "Mind your business, Silas. You’ve caused enough trouble for one day."
Silas laughed. "You... I should have stuck that knife in your eye in the cafeteria instead of just slicing your cheek, you meddling Rider trash!" He took a step back, pretending to turn and leave, but then he spun back with full speed.
His fist shot out as he aimed it directly at Reynold’s chest.
The blow was laced with Fire Magic, a combination of heat and force made to send anyone into instant unconscious shock.
𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
The punch landed on Reynold. It was so fast that he could not dodge it.
Reynold’s body was flying backwards, but before he could reach the ground, he slammed his boot down, strengthening his movement midway. He slid back only a foot, his spine strong.
The heat of the spell was gone.
Silas froze, his eyes were wide with disbelief.
That punch was combined with the force of his innate Fire Magic, it should have shattered Reynold’s ribs and knocked him into unconscious. Instead, Reynold was standing, breathing hard, but was okay. Not even a scratch was on his body.
Silas let out a scream of frustration. He could not believe that his magic did not work.
He scream as a fiery aura flared around him. He raised his hand, gathering a sphere of burning flame above his palm, and rushed towards Reynold again.
"I will fucking kill you, you piece of shit!" Silas gritted his teeth.
Gwyn gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. The crowd shifted back in fear.
Dammit! Silas was not trying to injure Reynold, he was clearly trying to kill him. The fiery sphere could kill anyone in an instant.
However, the fiery sphere never touched Reynold.
Reynold shifted quickly as he simply caught Silas’s wrist. The bowl of fiery fire in Silas’s hand instantly quenched, the light vanishing as if snuffed by a wind.
The crowd was dead shock. A Rider had just stopped a Mage’s spell, bare-handed.
With a grunt, Reynold twisted Silas’s arm.
CRACK
The sound of bone cracking echoed. Reynold then shoved Silas with a brutal force. Silas tumbled backward, landing hard on his butt as a scream left his throat.
The murmurs of the crowd started to get worse as it turned into uproar.
Gwyn eyes look like they could fall out, her mouth was half-open, her eyes fixed on Reynold as if he were a monster.
Reynold did not bother about the the shock of the crowd, his eyes was fixed on the shivering Silas.
He spat at him and then grabbed Gwyn’s hand. He started to walk away, but stopped, turning back to Silas.
Reynold voice came out low but it send shivers down Silas’s body.
"Stay off Gwyn. If you value your ego, or what is left of your pathetic ability to raise a hand because the next beating will be worse."
Afrer saying that, he pulled Gwyn away, heading towards the cafeteria.
On the second floor, Professor Telas who was standing close to the window inside the office of Professor Valerius, suddenly had a pale face.
"Valerius! Come see see this!" she said pointing towards the window.
Professor Valerius who was on his chair sood slowly up as his eyes shifted to the window.
Through the window, he could see the fight between Silas and Reynold.
Valerius slowly let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
"Unbelievable," he muttered. "The boy is a Shield."
Telas’s head snapped toward him, her brow furrowed. "A Shield? But there hasn’t been a Shield for over a century! And never have there be a shield who is a Rider! The legends say they were Mages of protection, not..." Her eyes widened, connecting the dots. She gasped, leaning close to Valerius.
"Do you think... do you think he is A Two?"
Valerius turned. "I cannot tell, Telas. Not yet. We must wait until he is bond to a dragon. Only then will we know for sure." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Listen to me. What happened now must not spread. Handle the crowd.. If the boy is A Two, we need to keep him close, and we need to keep him safe until he is bond to a dragon."