The last time I saw that particular spell, I was 8 years old, and we spent Christmas on an island on the Pacific ...
It was hot, there was no snow, my uncle made it snow .. the end.
" Yes, precious indeed. "
I took a good look .. he didn't change, but to be fair, he was looking exactly like this as long as I could remember. Potions sure helped, but his sheer amount of magical energy also slowed down the ageing process.
" .. the theatrics were unnecessary. " I remarked.
Turning back to my friends, Pelit got stuck in an especially awkward facial expression, and Rim looked like he was in the middle of a wink.
I reached out to disrupt the spell around them ..
" Don't. "
I sighed and turned around. By the way ..
He wasn't shy .. just eccentric .. had a carefully crafted image, so to speak.
" .. All this and no hugs? " I asked teasing.
" I would, but the shields might be in the way you see. "
He walked closer and offered his hand instead, which I took.
" Nice to see you, kid. "
" Yeah .. you too.. " I turned around admiring the frozen scenery. " ..maybe. How much of your power this spell siphon? "
" Quite a bit, actually .. I am getting old. Dispite my dashing looks. " he tapped his chest.
" Hmm .. life .. "
He took a glance at my hand.
" Still getting around without a wand? How's that going? " He asked.
" It's going .. "
He chuckled to himself. " You haven't changed much, always with the banter, like when..
I raised my hand, stopping these tangents in the past.
" If you don't mind .. tell me why you came. "
He looked a little dejected but quickly recovered himself, then cleared his throat.
" .. I want you to come home and attend the Lyceeys. "
" Thanks for coming .. goodbye, uncle. "
I couldn't believe he came all this way for .. wait .. I couldn't move.
" Give me 5 minutes, and if you still feel the same .. I never bother you again. "
I almost immediately said no as my spells were ready to break myself and my friends out of here .. and yet .. I let it pass.
I felt my body obeying me once again and turned around to give him the go-ahead nod.
I didn't stay for sentimental reasons alone, but fighting my uncle head on is .. what's worse than a joke?
The gap between our powers was just too severe. Old age did nothing to close that gap.
He started walking towards the hill in the distance, and after one more look at the friends, I quietly followed him.
———
" .. maybe your uncle .. Ouch!! W- what the hell .. why does my face hurt!!? "
" Not me .. damn it all .. my left eye feels like it's falling out. "
As my friends were restarted, so to speak, they were inevitably hit with the after effects of stuck in time .. they faired better than others .. most tripping and falling all around the square.
I tapped their shoulders and nodded towards the hill behind us. " We need to talk .. come with me. "
As much as they didn't understand my sudden seriousness and were confused by their physical discomfort, they followed me without question.
We took a seat on the grass, and I spent a few seconds admiring the scene of two dozen strangers making suspicious eyes at one another, as experienced magican, they knew they were subjected to a spell .. but who done it indeed?
Rim was the faster of the two, as usual.
" Don't tell me that your uncle already came and left? " He asked.
" Pfft .. don't be ridiculous, Rimel! Nonsense ..
R-Right Ferith? " Pelit turned to me a little unsure.
I felt the grass underneath my hands, I grabbed a small handful and let the light breeze blow most of it away from my palm.
Well .. the only way to go now is forward..
" Yes, he was here, we talked .. he asked me to move back home to France, attending his school for the next two years .. "
I let my words sink in .. but as it turned out, my friends weren't as surprised as I anticipated them.
They both gave me a sad look, then a near identical nod.
" Yeah, well .. you came from an ancient family, so I always figured you would go and take your place. After all, there's only you and the professor left .. so .. " Rim let it end there.
Pelit tapped my shoulder reassuringly.
" Yeah, mate, we kinda figured this might happen when we saw the letter. Don't feel bad about it .. "
I smiled, thinking they were much more insightful than I gave them credit. But ..
" Here's the thing .. he wants you two to come as well. Attend school with me. "
That did take the air out of them, like literally. For a second, they looked to be frozen again, but Rim gathered himself.
" .. Go on. "
Pelit just slowly nodded, doing his best to keep himself contained.
I gave them credit for this show of self-restraint.
" I .. for reasons I'm not going to share with you.. agreed to go. But when it comes to your freedom and ..
" DUDEEEEE!! "
" LET'S GOOOOO!! "
God damn them .. blasting me from both sides? Should've left them frozen.
" Good .. that was .. yes. " I tried to sound legible playing with my ears. " .. You do understand what that means, right? In 6 weeks, you'll be packing up your lives. Uprooting everything and moving to a different country? "
I didn't want them just agreeing without a thought .. but even now, they didn't listen to me. Too drunk on the happiness they felt.
" I can't believe we get to join this late, I know people start attending at 14 unless you are extremely talented, then it's earlier and ..
Rimel was already boring me with useless policy trivia.
" I get to leave the woods .. I honestly thought he just left us behind and never looked back. Now we get to start a brand new life with GIRLS .. GIRLS. "
Pelit was just excited to finally be around girls of our age.
They were looking at each other, but neither noticed they were having two different conversations..
I suppose it's useless to expect them to refuse. They weren't exactly the type of kids who had a whole lot to look forward to ..
Walked away a little, then turned around and took out the picture my uncle left me.
" What's that? "
Suddenly, my friends' heads appeared, one on each shoulder.
" ..my family. " I said it quietly.
They walked around me, turning serious.
" You look like your mother mate .. " Pelit tried his best with a compliment. " .. Around the face, you know. "
" Hmm, thanks. " I smiled.
My biggest mistake was leaving without even packing our things. I couldn't step inside that house, but my uncle was kind enough to keep everything as it was .. and brought me this little emotional manipulation.
" You guys look happy on it. "
Rim grabbed my shoulder and squeezed it lightly.
" We were .. anyway. " I put the picture away.
I grabbed their necks. " Thank you for coming with me. "
We stood there silently, appreciating our bond for a second .. it's funny how these heartfelt moments looked for a clueless onlooker.
We quickly started walking, ignoring the funny looks, and decided to finish the list of our soon to be ex coworkers.
———
Telling Captain Roche that we were leaving right after, I made a statement I won't be going anywhere .. was awkward at best ..
But the man was a Saint .. never wanted to keep us chained here and only asked us to visit.
" .. Can we still participate in the hunt for the Alkonost? " I asked, hoping for a last decent payday.
Pelit and Rim perked up since we were low on funds.
" Sure .. the more merrier. " He waived it off, rummaging thorough the bag of snacks we brought back.
We exchanged some winning smiles and took his prolonged silence as our cue to leave.
" That was so much easier than I thought. " Rimel sounded relieved.
" You didn't expect the man to cry or say we can't leave, did you? " I asked after hearing him.
" No, of course not .. but still, the man did a lot for us. He could've guilt us to stay, but he didn't even attempt it. "
" His not that kind of a man. Besides, we all owe him the same debt, and we pay .. one day. "
I nodded along with Pelit's low brow way of viewing the situation.
" The hunt though, huh? That's perfect timing right there. " I took over . " We will have a lot of costs going forward. "
" Aren't your family like super old? How come money was ever a problem for you? "
To answer Rimel's question was simple ..
I didn't know how to get my money from the family vaults. I knew we had money .. or used too at least.
" As far as I know, I don't have any .. " I shrugged.
It's always easier to lie than admit your embarrassing faults.
~
Our final days weren't exactly different.. more nostalgic, maybe.
Even Pelit was uncharacteristically enthusiastic about work and stopped complaining about .. everything, really. It was a strange change in behaviour.
Rim went overdrive and gathered information about the Lyceeys. He relentlessly consumed every bits of it .. in case we need it at some point. He was very much acting within character.
Also ..
One night, I woke up to take a leak only to notice their beds empty.
First, I thought they were on night guard duty or .. taking a piss themselves, so I didn't pay too much mind to it.
Then it happened again a few nights later ..
I had enough and kept my ears open when it came to sleeping the next night and followed them once they left silently.
All of my theories were more interesting than what they actually were doing.
Basic Duelling.. in the middle of the night.
I yawned and left them brandishing their wands at each other, flinging colourful beams at one another.
Our days were spent like that until we finally got the permission to legally hunt down the Alkonost.
The operation was simple, arriving through the portal near Tupyi, and after that, using magic to track the creature to its lair. Then, just tear it apart without mercy.
Strategy?
With this lot?
Even in its heyday, the Border Control never possessed the most talented.. or useful of society. Some people only stayed a week, others disappeared without warning..
And of course .. many .. let's just say weren't the kind of people you want to rely on during dangerous and high-pressure situations.
Not backstabbers or killers .. more like drunks and disturbed people.
Us three, though .. we were a team.
I knew what they were going to do before they did it themselves ..
They know me just the same, but without a wand, I was harder to predict.
We arrived in the middle of the field late at night.
In the distance, we spotted a few houses but nothing but the farm animals nearby.
" Man! .. Now listen here and follow the plan.. "
We all turned towards the Cap as he lined out our strategy for the hunt.