The Hand of Reality Appears

A week before the new school year rolled in, a pair of strangers appeared at the entrance of the academy. They were led by an automaton to the headmaster's office and were introduced as delegates from Uri's home plane, Furialis. They wished to speak with Uri about something that they did not disclose to the headmaster with the excuse of it being only between them, Uri and the current leader of Furialis. With much doubt about the pair's credibility, Headmaster Solven led them to where Uri would be summoned to, "Is the reason for this need to speak with Uri about something bad?"

"No, do not worry about the substance of our discussion," One of the delegates said with a soft smile and a comforting tone, "Uri Geld may reveal to you what we discussed once it is over."

"However we are not allowed to do so, under direct orders of Henry Eldi'vst, leader of Furialis."

"I know Henry rather well," The headmaster looked at an automaton who was followed by Uri, "I shall leave you to your conversation," He began waking away as Uri looked at the two well dressed strangers wanting to talk to him.

"Look, whatever it is that you need to tell me, make it fast," The young man said as soon as he stood in front of the two delegates, "I was busy and I have no intention of wasting my time."

"Do not worry, Uri, we will be very clear and to the point with what we need to talk to you about," The two were men, both with mostly hidden tattoos on the back of their necks that were covered by the cloaks of their outfits. The colors were correct for who they were supposed to be, the symbols on their clothes matched the symbols of the Furialis nation but the tattoos made Uri realize that something might be wrong.

"We have heard of your use of magic from a few years ago, if I recall correctly you would've been in first year."

"A year and a half ago," Uri corrected.

"Yes, we have been sent to investigate what that magic could be."

"So it took you a year and a half to be sent out," The life mage looked at the one that was talking and sighed, "I don't know who you are tricking but it isn't me, who are you and what do you want?"

"The book," The other man replied in a deep, growling voice, "Your magic is from a book, we want it."

"What book?" Uri asked, playing the ignorance card as the two men showed no real change in emotion, "I don't know what book you could be referring to aside from my school textbooks about life magic."

"You and I both know what book we are talking about," Their hands both gained a magical aura, but not of a color that would indicate they were using a school of magic taught in the academy, "You will tell us where it is or give it to us or die," They both seemed to cast a spell without having to write it out or say a word and Uri felt his body be grabbed by the neck and lifted from the ground. His wooden cane fell to the ground as his legs flailed under him while his hands tried to break his neck free from the invisible grasp of their magic, "The book," The man repeated, "Or it will cost you your life, pathetic mage," He could barely get air into his lungs as he tried to break free of the grasp of their spell. Uri's limited capacity to breathe was his timer on the search in his mind for solutions. With all the old texts he had read, there was surely a way to beat such magic and maybe even understand what it was.

"Are you really going to make us kill you, boy?" The second man asked as they continued to tighten the invisible hands holding Uri's neck. He found it, they were using reality magic, all that he needed to do now was remember what spell counteracted that. They seemed rushed in trying to get the information and with their attack being in the open, they would be seen the instant someone used one of the several stone paths.

"Reality Anchor," Uri wheezed as his hand drew a spell quickly. The sudden loosening of the grip on his neck made him gasp for air as he fell to the ground and his wounded leg could do nothing to support him. He was on his stomach gasping for air as the two attackers looked at each other and then at the life mage who had somehow been able to break their spell.

"How did you do that, boy? Is that the power of the magic?" Uri couldn't help but chuckle in between the gasps for air as he found his cane and propped himself back up to his feet, "What are you?"

"A life mage."

"You are more than that!" The second man replied before they both tried to cast a similar spell but a ripple appeared a meter from Uri, a ripple in midair, "What?"

"Reality magic is," Uri coughed before regaining his composure, "Is a powerful type of magic, where did you learn it?"

"It matters not, give us the book or we will kill you."

"The book is nothing more than scattered ashes," Uri grinned as a pair of ripples appeared in front of him once more. His breaking of the rules had saved him once more, proving to himself how important the study of the older texts was.

"You lie!" A purple spell was formed in front of one of the attackers before a simple bolt barely missed Uri. They had the knowledge of old and new magic and the tattoos on their necks, now much more visible, were not something Uri could identify. He began casting a life spell as the two rushed to cast a fire and a storm spell.

"Wall of feathers," A sudden burst of light was then followed by a pair of angels who used their wings to block the fireball and the bolt of lightning. Uri had taken on the same habit as Kelly in the sense that despite Wall of Feathers being a 3rd year spell and one he shouldn't know, he had already practiced it and mastered it. The angel bodyguards looked at the two attackers and kept their large, armored wings in a place to protect Uri, "Without your reality magic, you aren't much, are you?"

"Do not mock us, Uri'ost Geldst," He looked at them with a concerned expression, "We know you more than you think, boy."

"You are not Oik, why are you using my Oik name?" Uri asked as his angels stopped another weak projectile.

"Is there a difference between the Oik you and the non-Oik you?" The men both grinned, "You are a cancer to this world, we will have our way."

"The Oik me died years ago," He dismissed his angels, "If you want to try and deal with that side of me, I dare you, Sham'Bo," An aura appeared around Uri as he smiled, "If I am an anchor of reality and call upon Oik magic, the only thing left for you to do is to try and attack me direct," He looked behind the men as a small group arrived, "Or simply give up," The young mage gestured with his head for the men to look behind them. They both turned and gave him a very clear look at their tattoos.

"You are impostors," The headmaster called out as several spells were cast at once, summoning large elementals, "Stop them," He had gathered a small group of teachers and teachers in training to apprehend the two attackers.

"You will know pain and suffering, Uri'ost," A portal opened next to both men.

"The Hands of Reality know where you are now, boy."

"Doom is coming your way," The pair of men disappeared through the portals and before anyone could do anything to stop them, the portals closed. It was almost as if they had never existed. Uri let his magic fade as the creatures were dismissed by the other mage.

"Uri, are you alright?" The headmaster asked as he arrived near him, "Are you hurt?"

"A little, but nothing my own magic can't remedy," He replied before looking around, "They were very clear about what they wanted."

"I contacted Henry of Furialis, he confirmed that there were no delegates here to see you," Benjamin explained, "What did they want?"

"The book," The two knew what book they were talking about without having to say a word about it.

"What did you tell them? Did you lead them elsewhere?"

"No, I told them that I burned it," Uri shrugged, "This proved only one thing to me."

"Which is?" The headmaster looked in the same direction as the young mage, "What did it prove?"

"That the old texts need to be studied."

"How so?"

"Does the Hand of Reality ring a bell?" The headmaster shook his head, "Well, me neither, but they use reality magic, old magic."

"This is an attack on a student in the academy, I will make sure that I do everything to respond to it," The headmaster explained, "Do keep this to yourself, the details at least."

"Not much I can really talk about anyway, Headmaster Solven."