A Sorcerer's Journey Chapter 8
It was the seventh day of Ge Lin's stay at the Duke's residence. Sorcerer Dior had arrived at the Krakatoa Harbor to take the newly selected would-be sorcerers to the Lilith School of Sorcerers. Apollo, the group of students and the Duke, as well as a large audience of sorcerer-admirers, had come to the port to welcome Dior.
Dior dressed in a long black cloak. His face was obscured by a thin layer of mist, like that of Sorcerer Apollo What distinguished him from Apollo was his patched right eye. His right eye was covered with a black patch, like a pirate, and he had a ghastly pale forehead, which could be caught through the mist from time to time.
"How was your selection? Fruitful?" asked Apollo after he greeted Dior with a bow.
"It was great. I've recruited hundreds of students.. And I've made a fortune," replied Dior happily.
Dior had the same job as Apollo - recruiting potential sorcerers - and they were each responsible for selecting from their own a.s.signed territories.
Apollo was quite shocked at the number of students Dior had selected since himself had selected only six!
Apollo displayed no sign of surprise. He responded with a nod, as the frog in his hand was making ribbiting sounds.
"What a spectacle! Magnificent! You arrange things so wonderfully every year," said Sorcerer Dior to the Duke standing beside Apollo, formally thanking him for his arrangement of the send-off ceremony.gesturing at the crowd that had gathered as he turned to
Dior's appreciation was sincere. Although the Duke had hired some members in the crowd to applaud and chant, an overwhelming majority of the constantly growing throng of people was comprised of magic enthusiasts who came of their own volitions.
"Don't spoil these youngsters too much though," continued Dior, casting a glance at the students.
That was when Ge Lin noticed an interesting fact about Dior. He was constantly levitating a few inches off the ground and stayed in the air as he talked with Apollo and the Duke. Perhaps a habit developed to make him look less short?
"I only hope that they would come back for a visit someday when they become a Sorcerer several decades later," replied the Duke.
"A small chance! Only one or two make it out of a s.h.i.+p-load of students every year," said Dior with a scornful look on his face, "But I managed to obtain two students who were tested to have more than 15 points of mental strength. Quite gifted! I wanted them to learn magic under me, but they seem to already have connections back in the Academy…"
"Rather than mental strength, knowledge and willpower are what's truly important." Apollo shook his head.
"Knowledge and talent go side by side," retorted Dior.
After half an hour of chatting, Dior noticed that the seamen had finished up the transporting of supplies to the s.h.i.+p. Like any Sorcerer, he'd learned to suppress his emotions and said dully to Apollo and the Duke: "It is time to say goodbye."
"I will come back to the Academy and take a look at these kids in 20 years if the trip to the Underground World goes well," Apollo made another bow to Dior.
"Now, come aboard, all of you." Dior called the students.
Anchor weighed and sails hoisted, the s.h.i.+p began its departure from Krakatoa Harbor.
As the s.h.i.+p sailed far off the crowd began to thin, and all were whispering about the Sorcerers and the students. Apollo, too, bid farewell to the Duke and left.
On the deck of the large s.h.i.+p, the students selected by Apollo - Ge Lin, Robinson, Lafite, Chris and Nina Hank, Wade and Sam - quickly found that they were not the only candidates on board.
"Rule number one: NO INTERNAL STRIFE. Killing Sorcerers from the Academy never has and never will be tolerated. If someone dares to break this rule, he or she would have their face seared with a flame for 7 days and be thrown into the water for the sharks," said Dior viciously.
"Rule number two: DON'T COME TO ME UNLESS SOMEONE IS BEATEN TO DEATH," said Dior with a menacing voice.
"Barron, deliver the room cards. Keep a close eye on them," Dior shouted at a swarthy boy in the distance on the deck and walked straight to his plush quarter, not wanting to spend another second of his time off with the children.
"Yes, Master," the boy rushed to the newly arrived pack.
"I am a Great Knight. Come and find me if anything bad happens, like some beauties being accosted and molested for example…" Barron said wickedly, running his eyes up and down Lafite and Nina.
Barron was s.h.i.+rtless, with muscles clearly bulging from his chest, a signal that he was someone not to be trifled with.
"Humph, if someone had the courage to do that, I guarantee he would be served as food for the sharks," Lafite a.s.sumed a combative look.
"I will die before I let anyone touch my sister!" said Chris in the same threatening tone as Lafite. Chris was the strongest in the group, and was a head taller than anyone else. His sister Nina blushed with embarra.s.sment, hiding behind her brother.
At this point, it was almost certain that a big fight was about to erupt.
However, it seemed that Barron had seen many occasions like this. He clicked his tongue, rummaged his hand around in a wooden box and took out several cards, slapping them into the groups' hands before walking away.
The group went to find the cabins written on their cards. It was a five-decked s.h.i.+p.
Lafite was allocated to the first deck, the lowest one, her face turning livid as she realized. It was common sense that the lower the quarters, the worse the conditions as cabins below the water were noisy from the splas.h.i.+ng of water and humming of the engines.
Ge Lin ended up on the third floor. It was okay for him as the conditions were not too poor, and he had gotten accustomed to far worse after all the years living in the shack with Old Ham.
Chris and Nina Hank were lucky to be sharing a fifth-floor room, and they sped off joyously to it, running beyond the rest of the group.
"What cards? Does it matter…get the h.e.l.l out of here." a rude voice rang out after Nina entered the cabin. It was so loud that nearly everyone on the fifth level poked their head out of their cabins to see what was happening.
Chris and Nina's cabin had already been taken by somebody else.
"This is my room. You really want to continue with this the hard way?" Chris Hank fought back. His sister was pulling at the corner of his s.h.i.+rt, obviously scared.
Catching Nina whimpering, the youth in the cabin laughed grimly, turned on by her fear: "Let the little beauty stay. She and I can share a room," the man grinned at Nina who was whispering to her brother to give up the cabin.
"You are so dead!"
Like a hornet whose nest had been stirred, Chris clenched his fist and quickly threw a punch towards the boy's nose.
The two boys then scuffled, pulling, shoving, elbowing and kicking…
'As friends, this should be our time to step up,' thought Wade, but he was too scared to make a move.
Beside Wade was Sam coldly watching as the fight progressed and said: "None of my business."
Wade scowled at Sam's apathetic remark though he himself too showed no sign of going up to help.
It was Ge Lin and Robinson who finally disentangled the two boys from the tussle. Chris received praises for his st.u.r.dy body, having come out from the grapple uninjured while his rival had a swollen eye.
"You stay here. I'm coming back with my pals to teach you a lesson!" hissed the boy as he ran off angrily.
"I am not going anywhere. Go get your pals," replied Chris, showing no signs of budging at all.
"This is getting out of hand," sighed Ge Lin.