Chapter 22: Around The Grass

Arc: The Tragedy 

Near the boundary of Linyu city in Allentasia after Guy used the instantaneous transfer bullet .He sits down with his desperation face . 

Guy , melancholy:"We've been defeated ."

Diana:"We barely were able to survive , I almost died for the second time ."

Guy:"The king ordered us to do that though , let us return to him after we recover our energy ...those rocks , my fingers are destroyed ."

August 19 

At one of the large farms in the Holy City , our friends worked to earn enough money for the trip to Marsael where Zeke , Jason and Greed were handling the barn .

Greed nags:"OH, I'm tired."

Zeke:"We still have 4 horses to brush."

Jason , impressed :"Zeke , you're so skilled in dealing with horses."

Zeke:"I used to live in such a farm before the Redeyes Invaded the areas behind the ditch ."

Jason asks incredulously :"What ditch?!"

Tom, entering with a bucket of water :"Hey , we gonna take a lunch break."

 "Alright little guy, I'll be back later." Zeke talks to the horse with sadness feature in his face then he went out. 

Jason :"Did I say something that I shouldn't say?"

Greed:"It's not your fault , maybe something happened to him during the tragedy."

Jason:"Is the ditch relevant to it?"

Greed:"Yeas it is."

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Among the green grass and the sweet breeze of the summer , they all sat down on a mat when Tom stood up .

Tom, running fast across the green grass:"Let me show you how fast I can go with those shoes."

Ayami cry loudly:"Hey Tom , watch out ."

 Nichole, as she pulls Tom's ears:"You're coming with me to  wash the dishes after you hit me."

The farmer's wife:"Thank you very mush for your hard work ."

Dr. Marcuse:"And thank you for the delicious lunch...let's head to work everyone."

Jason is resting under the shade of the tree while Christine is browsing through the White Hoop book when she said to herself .

Christine:"Why did Mr. Miles closed the record book , what they are still hiding from us ?"

Then she hints a bright red butterfly and said with a smile :"The world is quite different here, I'm different here, how do I look like when I use my magic ."

She touches her tattoo and closed her eyes :"It doesn't matter , the important thing is that I'm useful this time and  helpful ."

Jason sneezes:"Achshoooo! , that sensitivity is back."

The butterfly flew and landed on a flower in front of him , carefully , he took out his sketchbook and started drawing , but the sketchbook suddenly went up the tree.

Zeke:"Let me see, wow ..you're talented lizard . "

Jason:"Stop copying that jerk and give it back."

Zeke:"You can use your magic to do that."

Jason, hardly shakes the tree :"No, I don't need magic to do that."

Zeke , holds on the tree:"Oh, no ...stop , stop!"

Master Valko:"Jason , Christine , come alone with me."

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Jason and Christine both sat in front of the Master , listening to him concentrically.

Master:"A magic user must learn four main lessons ,sense, control ,defence and  the maximum attack."

Jason:"A maximum attack?"

Master:"It is the limit that makes you use the greatest amount of magic , gathering the magic from your body and from the air around you. however, you won't be able to use magic for a while. "

Jason:"It's as an ace in the hole ."

Master:"Sort of , you can practise your sense the more  you practice your magic, for now you need to know how to control it , look at this ."

The Master closed his eyes , left out his index finger from both hands  to gather magic aura , he placed the index finger in front of him  horizontally when a silver light came out of his fingers . The light silver line started to glow and faint as the Master controls  the brightness of the light and came close to meet in a  midpoint . Then he turns the two fingers towards a leaf placed in front of him , the leaf flew because of the wind that is  created by the Master. Jason and Christine stayed astonished by what they've seen .

Jason flabbergasted :"How..How did you ?!"

Master:"I've gathered magic from the air by concentrating the aura from my body to my finger , When there is a two regions with different concentration of magic , the aura moves from the higher level to the lowest aura . Since my fingers have a lower magic , it is easier for me to observe the magic from the air .  As we magic users have about 15% of magic aura in us ,  compared to the guards .That's why the magic effect of the guards is ten times more than other magic users  . "

Christine:"So the silver light was aura?" 

Master:"Excactly , as you see I released 20% wind , If I realsed more , you both would've gone away . "

The Master asked the two to handle their index finger , then he tied both fingers with a short needle and said :"First learn  to gather the magic and make the two needles in your fingers meet at a point with your eyes closed , by completing this you would be able to see the aura"

Jason:"That's It?!"

Master:"Don't boast , I'll give you one day , If you didn't succeed  , you shall head back home."

Jason:"Alright, let's do it."

Jason tries to meet the needles , but he couldn't ,  something was pulling and preventing him to do that , then unforeseen it liberates, which made him stabbed his hands  with the needle.

Jason, started bleeding a bit :"Ouch , something was pulling me."

Master:"Easy you say."

Jason with himself:"For a moment I felt my hands were pulled , then they become free."

Master:"Those needles work as a magnet , there will be an antagonism when similar poles meet together."

Christine tries to bring the needles closer , but she got  injured too.

Master , leaving:"Continue training , you've until tomorrow noon."

The two practices for a long time and yet never advanced .

Jason, deadly:"Ahh, I can't continue , my fingers are full of wounds ."

Christine:"It seemed easy for the Master."

Jason:"It's easier to watch , I'll treat my wound first, I'll do it what matter it cost."

Christine:"I'll do my best."

Zeke, at the top of the tree:"You two , determination isn't enough ."

Christine:"Zeke, do you know how fat you are ?...You're hurting the tree."

Zeke, frustrated:"So harsh !"

Jason:"Did you do it?"

Zeke:"Those are  basic lessons. "

Jason:"Tell me how."

Zeke:"Where did your resolve went?"

Jason, grabs Zeke's ears:"Just give me a hint."

Ayami:"You need to ....."

Greed, puts his fighting stick on her head :"Don't say a word , they must realize it themselves."

Ayami:"Fain, let's treat their wound."

Tom and Nichole join the group and they all sat under the tree as a circle.

Ayami, treating Christine's injuries :"your hands are disttroyed ."

Christine, disappointed:"Don't mention it."

Tom:"The sun will be gone soon."

Zeke, treating Jason:"Yes, it makes your eyes start to wonder at the beauty sunset."

Jason:"So...what is the story behind the ditch?"

Suddenly , Jason asks which made Zeke stops moving.

Jason:"Of course I surprised you but, we all need to know , what we're facing ."

Zeke looks at them , they were ready to hear him carefully:"Alright , let me tell you about the tragedy , the day of  10/7/2008. "

To Be Continued...