The Gift of Good and Evil: Bound By Blood

Dirt, Duels, & Descendants

"It's not ash," Sahar said as he examined the dirt. "Though it seems to have similar properties."

He scooped up a few handfuls of the soil and put it in a potion bottle. "I'll see if I can figure out what made it look this way back in the potions lab."

You nodded as he walked back down the path to the school. You had called your wife and the other two professors because each of them was well respected in the art of alchemy and potions; if anyone was going to figure out what caused this soil to be darker and different from the rest, it was them.

Manley bent down, grasping a handful of the dirt and tasting it. "Well...the mineral contents taste the same as that dirt over there," he said as he pointed to a patch of untainted soil.

You and your wife made a disgusted face as you watched him swash the dirt around in his mouth. Not all nevers were as gross as Billious; though you had to admit, sometimes his knowledge was useful.

"I'll take a few vials just in case Sahar doesn't find anything," he said before bottling up some dirt. "If anything, I can at least see if it has any abnormal magical properties compared to the rest of the dirt."

You bowed your head. "Thank you Billious, that would be much appreciated."

He let a big grin inch up his face, in which you saw the approximately 5 teeth he had remaining. He nodded his head proudly before wandering off with his vials of dirt.

You shook your head. "It's just so odd...why would a stymph have no memory of how he got here and this patch of dirt look like someone lit it on fire?"

Lesso shook her head as she shifted her weight, her heels getting stuck in the soil. "I don't know. But we'll have to make sure we're keeping a watchful eye on this area...and the stymph stables."

You nodded. "Good thinking. We can't afford to have anyone get lost again; stymph or student." Your eyes got lost in a haze of worry. Your wife recognized it almost instantly.

"Don't worry," Leonora said. "It'll be fine."

...

The following day was the first day of dueling club. You had held off hosting it for the first few weeks so that the first years could get better acquainted with one another, as they were going to be dueling each other. But now that it had been a few weeks, you were ready to start running it again; after its proven success last year, you wouldn't dare get rid of it, even without a looming threat.

You had decided to keep it in the same slot as it had been the second semester of last year; Friday afternoons. You also had taken the first few weeks off to allow professors to sign up for their teaching slots; and coordinate what everyone was planning to teach, to organize a coherent schedule.

Today, no specific teacher was going to be teaching a lesson; you were just planning to introduce the concept to the first years, and get them acquainted with the third years a little better.

You and the deans had collectively decided that this year, you would have the first years paired with third years who would act as their mentor; similar to the new professors. Each third year would have a first year they would help with spells, advice, and techniques; when they weren't dueling themselves. It would be a good way for the two classes to bond, and a good learning opportunity for them both.

As the students all shuffled in, you had them quickly sit in the bleachers to make the few announcements you had before you got started.

"I'm so excited to continue our dueling club again this year!" You hummed as you stepped forward with the deans, all three of you smiling from ear to ear.