Arcana Academy: Sin's Pressure.

Chapter 13- New Friend?

Turning to his back, Istar threw the ball he had in the air. He had bought it before leaving the town and back to his dorm. Catching it, he examined it again and smiled at the little gem in the middle. He turned his head and Mika wasn't there. Two days had already passed and since then only some talk between them had happened.

The only times the two talked was when Mika was done with his notes. Now being him at classes left Istar alone again . Never before had he felt silence so loud to the point it made him uncomfortable. Jumping off of his bed, he sat down on a chair and kept throwing the ball at the wall.

He started to wonder about class and what he was missing. Thinking about it, he didn't know much. He knew the different types of magic but only used two of them. Change magic he rarely knew about until Oga did what he did on the first day of class. He thought that this school would be nothing; the only reason that thought existed was by how he was on his own already fighting. All he had to worry about in the swamps was knowing how to use a blade and making sure he got his money from bounties.

Catching the ball, he threw it back to his bed and sighed. The boredom was kicking in, knocking at his door. He couldn't go to class, not like learning things would make him satisfied, and unlike Mika, he didn't have a teacher that would want him to ignore the expulsion and still go to class. But with that thought it came to him. Mika wasn't intending a class but an election; so that should mean that it should be fine to go to his elective.

Istar jumped out of the chair and walked out of the door.

***

Making it to his elective, just as he hoped and expected, no one was there. Just him, the mat, poles, swings, and the open space. He started to stretch out his arms and legs, feeling his muscles pull apart and even hearing his bone crack. Standing back up, he dashed and jumped, landing on a pole with a foot, and then leaping across to another.

Feeling the wind clog under his foot, Istar jumped towards the sky, being launched towards a hanging platform. Grabbing on the edge, he flipped himself up toward it. Istar looked down and saw the large leap he had made; then after taking a deep breath, he sat down and looked up towards the second level. But as the sun started to fade out and the room became dim; taking a deep breath he saw the faint image of himself falling down- reaching out his hand.

Istar let out his breath and laid down on the platform. His open palm felt like it had a handle in it, even though when he looked there was nothing. Memories of him jumping from tree branches to vines came back as he waited until what he was hunting came around. Then some came when shop owners would beat him when he stole food or failed his bounty.

Getting beatings from a stick or the back of a hand was painful at first but he chuckled when he thought about the venom of a Lappard. That small piece of venom from the slimy lizard was one of the most painful things he had experienced. It burned his veins to the point where it felt like he was going to die. Istar touched the scar going across his nose and smiled.

"Yo, how long are you gonna stay up there?"

Istar pulled himself back up, seeing Izuru in the entrance. "What's he doin here?" He jumped down, letting the wind break his fall.

"Yo." He said.

"Yo." Istar replied back.

"What are you doing here?" Izuru finally entered the area.

"Got bored staying inside my dorm," Istar replied, "What about you? I thought you had class."

"Oga let us go, we have a quiz tomorrow so class was let out early."

Istar took a breath and slightly nodded his head. "Instead of studying you come here?"

"This clears my head." Izuru pulled down his hood as the sun came back and shined the area, "Along with helping me keep my spirit and I more intact."

"Spirit?"

"Do you know anything about Spirit Magic?"

"Nope, the first time I saw it was in the arena."

"Hmm, well, there are many different forms of it," Izuru said, "Mine is Summon Castover."

"Sounds cool, what does it do?"

Izuru put his thumb to his chin, thinking about his next move, "How about I show you?"

"Sure." Istar gave a slight smile, feeling the excitement of something new.

Izuru pointed to the platform that Istar was resting on, "Let's have a race. The one with the fastest time wins."

"Yeah sure I'll take you up on that." Izuru took out a coin from his pocket, asking Istar his choice, "Heads."

"Then I am tails." Izuru flipped the coin in the air then caught it in his hand, "Heads."

Istar took a breath and readied himself. Izuru looked at the clock on the ceiling, waiting before yelling to go. In an instant Istar jumped towards a pole in the ground and wind gathered beneath his feet, launching him up in the air. He grabbed onto the ledge, flipping himself up and Izuru called the time.

"So? How was that!?" Istar yelled out.

"6 seconds!"

"Pretty good huh?!"

Izuru then whispered, "yeah it's good," A purple radiant glow started to form around his silhouette. His eyes started to shine even brighter as he put his hood back up; the ears of the top of his head stood up with a purple outline as a large cat-like tail of magic, "Summon Castover: Violet Cross."

Before Istar could yell out, a purple dash flew right past him in less than a second. Quickly turning around, he saw Izuru multiple platforms above him, looking down as his purple light faded away. "So? How was that?"

"....I didn't even get a chance..." Istar froze in amazement.

Izuru jumped down and landed on Istars platform, "That's Summon Castover. It allows the Linked Host and Spirit to combine and improve physical attributes and allow the host to have the abilities of the spirit."

"That's pretty damn cool."

Izuru jumped down and landed to the exit, looking back up and gesturing

for Istar to follow; and so he did. Running through his bag, Izuru pulled out a small notebook, "You're coming back to class tomorrow right? I'll let you borrow my notes for tonight."

Istar hesitated but eventually took the book, "Thanks. You sure?"

"Yup. What's going on in class is stuff I already know pretty well."

"Thanks."

"Well, I'll see you later Istar." He turned around and started to walk the other way.

Istar raised his hand up slightly, lazily waving, "Yeah, I'll see you around." He sat down, opened the book and saw the neatly written notes, "I think I made a new friend...wonder how Polka would react to that."

Arcana Academy: Sins Pressure.