Number One and Rising - 1 The Eye of the Storm

Elias looked at the sky, the sun had risen over the mountains and the haze had left the sky’s cloudless. He lifted his sleeve on his right arm revealing a single golden etching, the number one. He looked upon his ‘Name’ with disgust. He slid his sleeve down and continued his walk too school near the busy morning road soaking each step he took with an invisible imprint upon the ground.

The road was rather quiet when you drown out the sounds of cars and buses. As you got farther into town you could witness business men leaving home kissing their wife’s as they maid their way to their cars coffee in hand. Other homes you’d be greeted with elderly woman tending to their gardens as their husbands sat on the porch with a news paper. He would go out of his way to fake a smile and wave back, in fact, he thinks he could never get a more personal greeting than with these same strangers.

Nearing the train station on his way he senses the same gentle glowing magic he was used to sneaking up behind him. He turned a corner and twisted around and chopping down at the air. He heard a whimper as he hit the head of someone who stumbled back. This was one of the few people he considered to be an acquaintance, Cecilia, she appeared out of nowhere with a slight glow. She was a shorter girl about his age with short brown hair wearing the school uniform. She gave a defeated smile, “Surprise, ha ha!” He shook his head.

“I honestly don’t know how you do.” “Do what?” She gave him a tap with her elbow, “You know what I mean.” They climbed up the stairs of the train station. “I told you before, my Ability is Sensory. Anything you do, I can sense it. That includes your tricks.” She pouted as the train flew into the station. Power was retaliative to what your ability was, an example would be Cecilia’s Fade.

Fade is a technique were the user morph there inner energy, their magic, to become invisible. At a beginners level all you do is turn translucent, just invisible enough to not become noticeable at a glance, something like a ghost. A downside to this is that’s all it is, people can still sense the magic of you ability being used, or your aura. Through training you can learn how to avoid that problem, or other things like making any noises silent, covering up your aura, or even mimicking objects or people.

The train looked normal on the outside despite the flying magical devise on it’s side that glowed purple. The inside, however, was a different story. The car opened up to a space seemingly larger than it’s outside. Many people sat down on sofas and stood next to vending machines, others sat down at a counter were a waitress was filling up a cup of coffee for a man wearing a suit. The two headed down the car and sat in one of private rooms. It had two couches facing each other with a coffee table in the middle.

“Hey, Elias, I think I’ve asked you this before, but what magic is used in the making of these trains anyhow.” He laid down on one of the couches and propped his feet on the table, ” And I would have answered before, but it’s a type of Dimension magic.” “She sat on the opposite couch and cocked her head, “I don’t believe they taught us that one.” Elias sighed and closed his eyes, “It’s because they didn’t. It’s a dangerous and unstable type of magic unless used wisely, that’s why they have schools like ours. Its inner workings are used to shift reality, like this train.” She nodded and laid down mimicking Elias by propping her feet up.

After a couple of minuets the inter com booted up, “Next stop, School of gifts, Students have a great day at school and use your powers efficiently.” It repeated and the two got up and walked back to the front. Elias could not use his abilities in the train, the amount of magic around him made him slightly dizzy and impaired his vision. After cutting off his flow he accidentally bumped into someone, not paying attention he just apologized and walked off the train. The moment he stepped off the train he herd Cecilia shout at him, “Watch out.”

Elias felt a ball of force hit him directly in the back pushing him through the door and down the stations steps. He hear a lot of people panic and a chuckle of laughter as he rolled into the street. Elias tried to get up onto his knees and he could tell the ball that had hit him had severely injured parts of his back. Elias quickly began healing it with non traceable magic. He could feel the very membranes of his flesh stitch together and bones crackle back into place. For any normal person this would have been excruciatingly painful, but the mark on his arm labeled him somewhat above an average person.

Cecilia was at his side in just a few seconds with green glowing hands, she was attempting to heal him, but she didn’t know just how bad it had been. From the pain he could tell there were cracks in his spine, it would take a minuet to pinpoint each one. He could make out some faces walking down the steps, it was Victorian and his lackeys. The delinquent had a sphere of air resonating in his hand and his buddies walked down the steps behind him cackling. “Don’t even try it, No Rank, that’s a job for the school practitioner. That will be one painful fix too.”

She got up and created a small flare in her hand, Victorian grew a devious smile and flung the sphere at her. What he hit turned into mist as the real Cecilia flung a bolt of fire from a couple feet away as she reemerged back into existence. The bolt was blocked by one of his lackeys and he snarled, “As if I would let such a wimpy attack touch the Boss.” He prepared his ownflare in his hand, dwarfing the one previously made by Cecilia. Before he could attack Elias had gotten on his feet and placed his hand over the flame stopping it from taking shape.

The three took a step back and Victorian looked somewhat shocked by his recovery, and rightfully so. Elias popped his back and an audible cracking resonated as if all of his spine popped into place. Every one who had had the misfortune of hearing it shuddered, including the crowed that had formed to watch. “How in the hell- Well, looks like some one wants another reason to stay down.” He prepared two more spheres in his hand but before he could continue a man had appeared out of nowhere. “I believe that is quiet enough from you Mr. Lorian.”

The man was rather large wearing a white suit with a gold pocket watch hanging out of a pocket on his chest and sporting a nicely kept grey beard. But what stood out the most was his Aura, and from what Elias could tell it was large, he could tell who it was just by seeing it’s color. “Mr. Harbinger!? I, I-” The old man peered at Victorian through a rather scary glare, one that demanded respect. And if his glare was not enough, the number on his exposed forearm was.

A large golden number akin to Elias’s shown proudly, ‘Number 10.’ This was Harbinger, one of the greatest Board Combatants to have played it’s sick games. “I believe class is about to start. I believe it wise you leave and catch the bell.” The three looked back at Elias and Cecilia who had come and stood next too him inspecting his back. He snarled and walked down the street and the onlookers did the same all of them whispering and gossiping. A couple of rumors are going to be flying around today.

Mr.Harbinger turned around and inspected Elias who had appropriately tuned his magic down to fit his accompanying level at the school. The mans eyes shown a light, “It seems as though you are unhurt, but it definitely seems like you took quiet the beating.” Elias had noticed the slight breeze on his back, it seems like the back of his uniform had been ripped and torn to tatters by the attack. “Not to worry.” the man flicked his hand and his shirt had been returned to normal seemingly in a fraction of a millisecond. Elias thanked him, “Now can someone tell me the reason this boy attacked you.”

“Because he can,” Elias answered straightly and with no hesitation. The man stroked his beard, “Is that so.” Cecilia stepped up, “He attacks us nearly every weak, and if it’s not him than it’s some other high tier.” The man nodded, “Well, i will personally see them punished this time around. I will not permit fighting in the city, and most importantly from my very own students. I will be writing a letter to each of their families later.” Cecilia hung her head, “Well that would be one hard one to explain to Pa.”

The man flicked his hand again and a purple doorway sized portal opened up near them. “This portal will take you to the front of the school. And you don’t have to worry about a note, in my eyes self defense is a warranted offence.” He took another look at Elias and the two locked eyes, “Be seeing you in class,” and he dissipated into a fine mist. Cecilia looked at Elias, “Cool Teacher,” and she walked through the portal. Elias had stopped before entering and allowed for himself to calm down. That man left such a black aura were he stood that he had to compose himself before entering the portal.