Fantasia (Part 8)

Previous parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Despite being stranded frustratingly just a town away from Ceres, Daniel had been keeping tabs with how his friends were faring through the use of a newly developed enchanted artifact called the Message Jewel. It had been an emergent favored item throughout the Empire of Fralippolippi because unlike the unwieldy Box of Conversation, this one could be carried around and, as its name implies, could even be worn as jewelry. It did have some limitations, like at that present moment when the storm was interfering with the ability of Daniel's Jewel to regenerate mana (energy). Before it completely died out though, Daniel had learned from Red himself of Helen, Mervin and Dominic, as well as the rest of the guests and some fellow wards of Fourth Group R, being holed up at Red's residence.

The house was full of youthful boys and girls--and no parents!--all of them full of vigor yet still immature. Daniel was tormented with lewd scenarios that could possibly happen in there. Oh! What instinctual need, what primal urge could be consuming them at this cold and turbulent night?

"Damn, I'm hungry already." Crag the musician was addressing no one in particular when he voiced out the sensation in his belly while going through the kitchen cabinets. The candlestick he was holding barely provided illumination for his search for additional sustenance.

Red, the homeowner, felt obliged to answer anyway. "Well, if it weren't for the prefects we wouldn't be in this situation."

A little while earlier, at around suppertime, the prefects dropped by to check on them. They had to do so, it appeared, because they've learned that there were no parents around, but the people in the house grumbled that the prefects simply wanted to eat, and eat they did upon a significant portion of whatever food Red had saved to pass the storm. The prefects left after being convinced that the collective prying eyes in the household would be enough to ensure nobody fooled around. They don't need to dine to their fill to figure that out, the homeowner rued. Besides, he glanced up the second floor and espied two figures staring out the window watching the storm, Mervin, for instance, had been too love-struck to even think of fooling around. Red noted how Helen giggled shyly over some joke Mervin had told her. It must had been one of those jokes the Fourth Group R had heard a lot of times but still laughed over them. He tuned in to their conversation; the collective prying eyes also had ears.

"You really want to be a Healer? Isn't that real challenging? I hear its Masters will not tolerate any mistake." Mervin was asking Helen about her future plans.

"I've put my heart into it. Of course, there should be no mistakes on matters concerning life and death." What a cute response, Red remarked to himself.

Mervin thought so too as he grinned, hoping to appear supportive. "For my part, I'd always thought I'd be good as a Knight, but I've realized the real thing is dangerous." Fralippolippi was one of the places in the world where monsters still thrive. "Lately I have come to take interest with enchanted artifacts...." That was upon the influence of Daniel, Red thought, but of course Mervin wouldn't mention that. The homeowner clutched his Message Jewel. It had a few mana left. He remembered having correspondence with the champion just before supper. Daniel won in the Citadel alright, but he sure is losing this match by simply not being here, poor guy.

A movement of shadows shifted Red's attention to a candlelit table not far from Mervin and Helen. Dominic was gesturing as he tried to impress Angela with his poetry published in A Merry Land. Another poor fellow. It was obvious to Red that Angela was feigning interest. What everyone actually enjoyed was the funny story Daniel wrote about the Codix Master Wilbur and a storm, which, upon removing exaggerations, was no different from what they were experiencing now. Daniel could be a Wizard indeed, was their bemused comment, for he sort of foretold the storm.

Guitar music filled the house once more. Crag had found a way to distract himself from the hunger. The rest of the guests have long found their distraction through card games. They were now discussing raising the stakes to ten Zennies for further thrill. Which made it faster for some of them to go broke, Red thought, and they'd be borrowing money from him. Of course he'd charge interest, a no-brainer for a budding Merchant like him. The thought of profit finally raised the homeowner's spirits and made him forget his own hunger as he went to the bedrooms to prepare for the comfortable slumber of his guests, be they losers or winners.

One town away, the Light Ace vessel finally continued with the last leg of its trip. The blockage had been cleared and the storm had a lull long enough to allow the boat to reach the port of Ceres. From the port, the wards and their masters went straight to the Pillars. The prefects had prepared them dinner, small consolation for the inconvenience. The prefects did not join anymore; they had their fill earlier that night. Later on, they allowed the use of their carriage to shuttle the wards directly to their homes. No detours allowed, they emphasized to Daniel. The wheels of the carriage splashed water around. The lower parts of the city were starting to get flooded. In the carriage, Daniel could only stare at Red's house as they passed nearby.

Back at home, Daniel, although tired from the competition and the voyage, could not sleep immediately. He had been thinking instead. If there was no storm, there should have been a Farewell Dance that night. In the first place, if there was no tournament, he would have been with Helen for two days now. If things were normal, he would have a fighting chance. For all the planning and re-planning he had done, this night was no different from that night three years ago. And when he remembered where Mervin and Helen would be sleeping tonight, he was crushed. Tonight might actually be worse.

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