The Gift of Good and Evil: Bound By Blood

Losing Magic: A Guide to Coping

It was the Friday following the lantern festival and dueling club had just concluded. They had practiced working as a team to help fend off enemies, meaning the professors. It had gone exceptionally well except for a few incidents.

At one point, Hort had gone rogue in his werewolfness, trying to simply trample over the professors; but had effectively busted through the group of students holding up the shield in the process, leaving them virtually defenseless.

Another time, several of the first years were attempting to help the third years keep back a group of the professors from breaking their line of defense. However, one of them sneezed, knocking over a few students, which sent them and others tumbling down like the domino effect.

But overall, the professors were very proud of their students; they took risks, worked as a team, and stepped up to prove they were capable of both working together and fending off a sizable enemy threat.

However, there was one student in particular several of the professors noticed that wasn't quite on their "A game" during the activity.

"Tedros!" Espada called after him as he moved to collect his things before heading back to his dorm to wash up for dinner. "Come here my boy, I want to talk to you."

The young prince stopped where he was standing, his coat and vest a few steps from him on the nearby bench. He quickly moved to grab them, slinging them over his shoulder before jogging over to join Rumi back on the training mats. "What can I do for you professor?" He asked.

Professor Espada put his hand on Teddy's shoulder. "Walk with me," he hummed as he gestured toward the hallway to his office.

As they walked, it started in silence. Tedros wasn't quite sure what Professor Espada wanted from him, but the kindness he was showing made him slightly nervous. When they were about halfway down the hall, the older man finally spoke.

"You know, Tedros. Magic comes in many forms. It can take the form of a weapon, an element, a special talent...or simply the ability to rally a people."

Tedros looked at him nervously. What was he getting at?

"When someone possesses more than one of these types of magic, they are seen as someone who shouldn't be trifled with; someone powerful," Espada continued. "But do you know what I think?" He asked. "I think it isn't those types of people who are the most powerful. I think it's the people who take whatever kind of magic they have, whether it be considered rare, great, or ordinary, and they use it for the right purpose."

He looked at the young boy.

"Now, that isn't always necessarily considered doing good, as we were once led to believe...but simply being noble. Do you understand what I'm saying son?"

As they made it to Rumi's office, he stopped in front of the door, looking down at Tedros's slightly confused face. He opened the door, nodding his head in a gesture to get the young ever to join him.

"Y-yes professor," Tedros muttered. "But...why are you telling me this."

Without speaking, Rumi closed the door, moving around his desk and sitting down in front of the young prince. "Because," he said softly, "I know what you're hiding from us dear boy. And I want to help you."

Tedros looked at the older man confused. Sitting down, his eyebrows furrowed. "What I'm hiding? I-I'm not sure what you mean professor," he admitted.

Rumi only smiled, tapping a single finger on his heart. "You know of my special talent, yes?" He asked the boy.

The young prince nodded. "You can hear heart songs," Tedros answered.

Espada nodded. "Correct." Immediately, Rumi went to pull open a drawer from his desk. After rummaging around for a moment or two, he pulled out a golden totem that looked to be a small fox. Tedros recognized that fox; it was the totem that sat on the top of the professor's magical staff when he used it. He called it his guardian.