Touch of Fate

Chapter 116: It Really Is

Mike woke earlier than usual. It was still dark outside, and the other inhabitants of dorm hadn't started moving yet. Feeling strangely energized, he decided to get up. Quickly dressing, he went downstairs, reveling in the unusual silence of the typically boisterous dormitory.

When he got to the front lobby, he was surprised to see Anna, the dorm manager, already up and working. She was directing a small team of maids in the kitchen as they went about preparing for breakfast. Her quiet voice rang out in a firm decisive manner that was completely at odds were her normal sleepy demeanor.

Noticing him staring, Anna gave him a respectful nod before resuming her duties. Not wanting to bother the maids in their tasks, Mike stepped outside. Lacking any real destination, he decided to wander over to the Magic Department. On the way, he came up with the idea of checking in on the conjured dragon. He was feeling slightly guilty about the whole situation.

When he arrived at the pavilion, he could still see the huddled bulk of the dragon. It was curled up in a lump, appearing to be asleep. However, as soon as he got close, it raised its head and glanced in his direction, watching him as he walked up.

"Hey there big guy, doing alright?" Mike stretched his hand out towards the creature's head, and was rewarded as the dragon pushed its snout against his hand in a affectionate nuzzle.

[Argh, my heart!]

Mike sighed. "You're making this difficult. I can't improve my conjuration magic unless I let you vanish."

The dragon gave him puppy dog eyes, almost as if it understood what he was trying to say.

"Don't look at me like that. I can't afford to let my development stop here, and I can't practice Conjuration unless I let your summon expire. I mean, its not like I can just cast two spells at once....."

[Wait....]

Trying to remember the sensation of dual casting he'd been using without really thinking about it, he focused on the mana tether that was maintaining the dragon. He worked to maintain it, while he started the chant for Conjure Object. It was more difficult than usual, requiring his intense concentration, but he managed to complete it.

A simple wooden stool popped into existence in front of him.

"So it really was that simple....." Mike felt like kicking himself for not thinking of it earlier. "Well, I suppose this means I can keep you around."

The dragon nuzzled him again, nearly knocking him over in the process.

"Alright, alright. I get it. Your welcome. I guess I need to come up with a name for you, now."

[I should keep it simple. Even if I maintain the mana flow, there is no guarantee he won't disappear at some point in the future. Better not get too attached.]

"How about Red? Nice, simple, and to the point."

The dragon stared at him for a moment before huffing once and looking away.

Slightly annoyed, Mike decided to call him that anyway. Mostly out of spite.

[More importantly, this means I can start working on conjuring things. I wonder what I should start with.....]

He felt Audra climb out of her dedicated pocket, and up onto his shoulder. She and the dragon started trading stares. It felt like some kind of mutual understanding was achieved. With a hop, she glided over to Red, and clambered onto his head, something the larger dragon patiently allowed.

Setting herself in the center of his forehead, she emitted a tiny squeak that was translated as a victorious cry following the successful conquest of a worthy rival. Red laid back down and closed his eyes, seemingly content to let Audra have her way, as the little dragon started clambering over him like a playful child.

Chuckling Mike started going through a mental list of the things he missed from his previous world.

[I don't think I can manage something as complex as electronics. To be honest, I barely understand how something like a computer works. Guns could be an option, but it seems like they have access to gunpowder in this world, and yet magic is still king. Maybe once I can make them permanent with Calling Magic....]

With a start he realized that there was an entire category of things he could conjure, that he really missed from his old world. Choosing one that was particularly dear to his heart, he spoke the chant for Conjure Object again.

When the thin cardboard box appeared on the floor, he was so excited he didn't even mind the large drain on his mana. He cracked it open and took a big whiff of the pepperoni pizza he produced from memory.

It smelled good, but he still needed to put it to the test. He grabbed a slice and took a bite.....then immediately spit it back out. It had the consistency of soggy bread, and tasted like chalk.

Dropping the slice back into the box, Mike sighed. [I wonder what's wrong. Maybe I can't conjure food for some reason? I'll have to ask Instructor Melinda later today.]

The clock tower sounded distantly, he counted three bells. Figuring that he had a little more time, he decided to let Audra continue playing while he went through a few exercises. Between traveling and the chaos of the last few days, he'd been skimping on his training. Summoning a sword of hardened earth, he spent close to an hour working on his forms.

Having built up a decent sweat, he activated his Lifestyle Magic, before preparing to leave. Luckily, his conjured objects vanished a while ago, making clean up rather easy.

"Come on, Audra. We'll be back later." He called to his familiar that was trying to chew on one of Red's horns to little effect. She reluctantly glided over to him, and resumed her usual place in his pocket.

Mike walked over to one of the cafeterias in the department and got a quick breakfast before returning to the east side of campus. He was almost late last to Basic Elemental Magic yesterday, so he wanted to be sure to make it there early today.

Unfortunately, the pushy redhead was waiting for him outside of the building. She had been hiding near the entrance with Rebecca in tow, and he only noticed her when his Detect Hostile Intent triggered.

He leapt back with a blast of Air Magic just as she emerged from her hiding place, finger already pointed accusingly. His sudden disappearance left her speechless for a moment.

"Hey!" She yelled at him. "You get back here!"

Mike relaxed and released the mana he'd been building up to counter attack. Apparently he needed to practice with the Detect Hostile Intent skill some more. He'd hate to hurt someone who was only displaying hostility and not actually trying to attack him.

He sighed as the two ran up to him. "What can I help you with?" He asked, already sick of the conversation.

"I wasn't finished with our talk yesterday. I know you've got some kind of secret, so spill it!" She said in a huff.

Mike felt himself get angry, "Look, I already told you, I don't have any secret. Even if I did, I don't owe you anything."

She gritted her teeth, as if unable to refute the argument. His Detect Hostile Intent triggered again, jarring his nerves. A slightly crazed look appeared in her eyes. "You frivolous, insolent, sad excuse for a man. You don't deserve that level of power!"

There was a crackle of flame as she summoned a wash of fire around her. Rebecca tried to grab onto her friend, but was driven back by the heat.

He'd had enough. A small part of him just wanted to simply crush the pushy woman. The more he thought about it, the better it sounded to him. Why not show them once and for all that he wasn't to be trifled with?

"You want to know about my power? Let me show you."

With a thought, he smothered the fire she'd created, leaving her gasping at the sudden loss. Summoning his own flame, he created a raging inferno around him, scorching the earth for meters in every direction.

He started chanting. "I let thee fly free. Dance in your fleeting brilliance, and sing your eternal fury. [Fireball]."

A compressed ball of fire appeared in his hand, crackling angrily in response to his own rage. He extended his arm towards the infuriating redhead, and for a moment, seriously considered letting it loose.

A sharp pain in his side snapped him back into focus. He could see the terror evident on Aine's face, tears streaming down in rivulets down her cheeks. Rebecca, on the other hand looked calm, an aura of water forming around her as she prepared to act. He didn't feel any hostile intent, so he assumed she was trying to defend herself and her friend.

[What am I doing?]

Mike threw his arm up, and released the fireball into the sky. It traveled a few hundred meters before detonating with thunderous blast.

As the wave of heated air washed over them, he started walking past them towards the building. "Sorry about that. I got a little carried away." He muttered lamely.

He figured the best thing to do was walk away. The damage had already been done.

Glancing back, he got one last look at the two girls before entering the training building. Aine had her arms wrapped around her knees while Rebecca was doing her best to comfort her.

He entered and closed the door behind him, grateful that no one else had shown up yet. He placed a hand on the pocket Audra was resting in. From the feel of it, he will need to repair his robes. The little dragon seemed to have taken a bite out of his side in order to stop him.

"Thanks for that." Mike whispered softly, feeling his familiar relax.

Something was going on with him. Staring at his hands, he took a deep breath and let it out. He almost killed a girl, simply because she was annoying.

[What the hell is going on?]