Chapter 40

"It should be nearby. Everyone keep quiet." James said as he looked at the map.

"I'm pretty sure it's that Boulder." Alex said as he pointed to a rock that was moving very slightly.

Anyone else wouldn't have noticed it but Alex was able to see it clearly.

"Okay, you two know what to do. Be careful out there." Tom said as he noticed that it was indeed the crab.

Alex and Taylor converged on the crab slowly.

Alex scanned the crab. Its back was facing them. It had large claws and was covered in armor. Alex found a spot that he would attack.

The slight gaps in its armor were everywhere, but the weakest link was in its arm. Normally, most wouldn't be able to see or much less hit the weak spot, but Alex whenever he got in range, charged up his attack and swung.

His scythe flew around and hit the still curled-up arm, instantly severing one of the claws of the giant crab.

Taylor sprung out from the other side his blade instantly shining as he swung it. He tore through the crab's armor and made one of its eyes useless.

Taylor glowed suddenly as he jumped back. The crab hissed in pain as its claw and eye were removed. It snapped its other claw towards the only enemy in its view but he jumped back as its claw missed him.

Alex jumped up and swung his other scythe down, aiming for the armor behind its eyes. A loud crack was heard as the scythe came into contact with the shell. The crab slumped down as its brain was pierced.

Alex freed his scythe and looked at it. He smiled as he saw that it was still perfectly fine. "This was some really good metal. There's not a scratch on it." Alex said while looking at it.

"You guys must be really jealous." Taylor said as he stabbed the crab again to make sure it was dead. "I mean look at this, it is so beautiful that I would marry it if I could."

The two instructors looked at each other before Tom spoke up. "If that is true then, I know a guy."

James smiled.

"Nah that's fine, we have decided to stay as friends." Taylor said as he cleaned off his weapon.

"You two will be getting home late a bit later than usual. Does anyone else want to try out for the racing club?" Tom asked while looking towards the other students present.

Derek thought about it but ended up not joining. He still didn't know any speed-enhancing techniques with lighting.

"Alright then you two, the school's west of us follow me, and if you lose me then here." He said before tossing two compasses to the students.

"Just run in a straight line, not too hard right?"Taylor said while doing some stretches.

"We'll have to burden you with taking our weapons back by yourself." Alex said as he handed his chain blades to James.

James nodded it wasn't the first time he had done this. He pulled out a sack and stored all the weapons.

"You guys will have to wait on me this time. You get to keep your weapon from today on, so don't leave before I get to the school."

Alex and Taylor nodded. Tom usually kept his daggers on him, but he wanted to see Alex and Taylor's pure speed.

He walked over to the two and whispered. "Once we exit their view I want you to cut loose Alex. Hold nothing back, the racing club is just for fun, but it is also a way to get used to moving at your top speed. You to Taylor, this will be good training for speed concentrated mages."

Alex nodded, he still hadn't used his light affinity to its fullest.

He was too paranoid of someone watching him.

The three got ready as James started the count down.

"Go!" Alex sprinted as a propeller pulled him forward. The students behind were caught off guard as a strong gust of wind nearly blew them over.

'Right, my spacial control has increased a lot since the last time I used it in this way.'

Alex readjusted the propeller, only increasing the thrust when he got used to it.

Thirty seconds into the race Alex's body began to glow, but the glow was drawn to his arm where it was suppressed. No one would notice the glow unless he was in complete darkness.

His speed increased drastically. He was forced to use his spacial element to dodge the trees that were approaching at rapid speeds. He soon caught up to Taylor and could see Tom not too far ahead.

Alex had caught up to them, but he had noticed a problem. He was fast but he had such a small amount of light energy.

He would run out before he arrived at the school.

He tried sensing the energy as he ran, he could do it he tried consciously absorbing it while running. He could do it even if it was still very slow.

He would have to slow himself down to make it without running out. He could do it though.

He followed beside Taylor. 'this pace is perfect.' He thought as he was forced to duck under a low-hanging branch.

'Splitting my focus is too difficult.'

Taylor, seeing Alex keeping up, sped up and moved to catch up to Tom.

Alex sighed, as the sound of the air being cut became audible. The propeller increased in size and Alex focused his spacial perception ahead of him. Every time he lifted his legs he was pulled tens of feet.

He was forced to create a windshield for himself made from spacial energy.

Alex sighed as he could breathe well again.

He had managed to keep up with Taylor's new pace. He wasn't able to absorb light mana but was still approaching his max speed. He weaved in and out through the trees. Sometimes avoiding obstacles by a miracle.

Alex looked over to Taylor, he was sweating lightly. Taylor was purely using his body to move at these speeds. He didn't want to leave him behind but Alex was feeling something new.

He suddenly had a flashback to when he was younger. He was sitting in the backseat of a car feeling the wind on his face. Alex had imagined himself flying along with the car, waving to himself before going past it off into the distance.

Alex began speeding up further. His feet touched the ground even less until they eventually didn't.

Tom, who was previously just barely in the view of the two students, was finally getting closer to the two. Taylor finally began breathing heavily as he pushed himself to the absolute limit.

Alex had stopped using his spacial energy to maneuver around the trees. He would use his light energy to kick off of them giving him short bursts of speed.

He took notice of Taylor's heavy breathing. 'He's pushing himself pretty hard, I'll save some energy for when we get there. We should be close.'

He continued to monitor Taylor as he ran next to him. They caught up to Tom he was within arms reach of Taylor.

Alex was becoming more worried about Taylor until he saw the school's border not too far from them.

Tom slowed down before stopping.

Alex quickly went over to Taylor, when he saw that Tom was stopping. He put a dome around the two of them before summoning some light energy in his hand.

Within seconds he created a small halo of light.

"Thank you." Taylor said as he absorbed the light mana and healed his destroyed leg muscles. His complexion returned to normal quickly.

Alex patted him on the back and dispelled the magic.

"You two kept up, good job. You obviously are welcome to participate in any events that the club hosts and a the end of the year there is a race between all members. Whoever wins will be the next captain."

"As you are keeping your affinities secret, for now, it seems that Taylor is the most likely candidate to take up the mantle. If you do, then make sure to blow them out of the water. That way they can't say that you don't deserve the position."

Tom could tell that Taylor was close to the Expert class. He was already almost as fast as him who was nearing the Master class and also had a domain.

Alex was something else from what he knew, his spacial affinity was still in the Beginner class, and yet he was able to keep up and with only slightly heavy breathing.

The three entered the school grounds and waited for a while as the rest of the hunting club slowly started gathering back up. Alex watch as twelve other students came back shortly after them. Mostly wind mages and a few lightning mages. They chatted with Tom as they waited for the rest of the hunting club as well.

"Here you go." James said tossing the three their weapons as he walked out from the woods.

——————

"Thank you for the ride." Alex said as he left Tom's vehicle.

Alex returned home an hour later. He entered his room locked the door and appeared in the woods behind his house. He held a stack of books in one arm as he traveled into the woods.

Taylor was already waiting at the entrance like always. When he saw Alex he gathered some light and held it in place.

Alex opened a portal and the two stepped through.

Alex helped Taylor contain the light. They reached the bottom and Alex created the halo. For the first time since he had awakened his light affinity, he could feel such a vibrant amount of light mana.

He sat next to Taylor as he opened the book on the light affinity. He started reading as he absorbed as much as he could.

Alex had no knowledge of what to do, so he would first learn before he leaped headfirst into strengthening the affinity.

An hour later he closed the book, an awkward look on his face. 'There is so much fluff in this book. I don't see why a light mage would have to know their opinions. Every page has 'light is the superior affinity' written on it somewhere.'

'This is just crazy, but at least it has enough to get started.' Alex thought while he began focusing on his mood.

He brought up his favorite memories. His grin growing as he began absorbing the light mana. The light mana was more easily flowing to him now that he had a positive emotional balance.

There were other techniques that the book spoke of but you had to trick yourself into being happy. Alex didn't want to use them as they were disingenuous, and would more than likely mess with his mindset.

——————

Days came and passed and eventually, a week had gone by.

Alex had gotten to the school gymnasium only to see that the entire place was different. The principal was actively walking around. The teachers were on edge, and just in general, the entire atmosphere of the school had changed and not for the better.

Someone was riling up the students, the more radical ones were picking on those who were different. Racial slurs were being spat out as if something or someone had given them the backbone to share their and their parent's opinions.

That is when Alex saw them. The three men in white robes were being led through the school by an official. As they walked by they shared their opinions about the 'nonnative people' that were present. They talked openly about how they should have put up a solid border between all nations and only let those who they chose through.

"The temple would happily put up a border between the kingdoms if the people could unite and bring us into power."

'The temple of the false god.' Alex thought as he remembered what he was told. 'They preach about righteousness and then go around and do things like this.'

Alex looked at the three clowns. Two were thoroughly enjoying spreading all these false promises, but one was different. The one in the middle Alex didn't know how to put it into words, but he felt broken as if he felt no joy. The man had no light behind his eyes he was just speaking up and adding to the conversation and putting up an act.

"Attention everyone! We have some very important guests, these three have come a long way to make it here, so make them feel at home. Their orders are to be taken as if they came from my own mouth." Mr. Carter said before continuing.

"Now that that is over, we can begin. I'd like to introduce three visitors from the head temple of the one true god."

There were loud applause from certain students while a majority only clapped along. Many didn't know why these men were being treated so well.

"Weren't they shamed a few years back for what they did?" A student whispered.

"They were, they had to hide their temple as they were avoiding the public outrage. I have no clue why they are here." A student answered.

Alex here's the quiet whispers and created a sound barrier around the students. 'From what I know, these guys are extremely radical. I don't want you guys to get yourself into trouble.'

Alex then kicked their shins with an invisible force in order to get them to shut up. The two yelped as they looked around and accused those next to them of kicking them.

"Alright, quieten down, as these three introduce themselves." The principal said as the clapping was dying down.

One of the men stepped forward. "Hello, my name is brother Tim. I hope you all will treat me well in the coming days that I will reside here."

The next one stepped up. "Hello, I am brother Devin."

"Hello, my name is brother Rodriguez. It is nice to come all the way out here and see such devout followers of our god." The last one said with a gentle smile on his face.

'That is just wrong on so many levels.' Alex thought as he watched the broken man smile and give a heart-warming message while feeling completely lost himself.