Ryan stood dumb for a while. Then somehow he asked, "What do you mean by gone?"
"Gone, man!" Rudy snapped, "Stolen! It's not in the place I had kept it!"
Ryan stepped inside the room and said, "Let me see; where did you keep it?"
"On my bedside table, where else?" Rudy said weakly.
They approached Rudy's bedside table. There was nothing except the bedside light orb. Seeing it, Ryan said, "Anybody can steal it from here, dude. You oughta be-"
"What should I do now?" Rudy whimpered.
"Let's search," Ryan said, "in case it rolled over and fell somewhere."
The two buddies searched the whole room like hound dogs for almost half an hour, but all in vain. Let away the phial of essence; not even a needle was found. It was totally gone.
"Where in the world did that freakin' phial go?" Rudy said, panting.
"Search every other spot in the room," Ryan declared. "It could be that you left it somewhere else."
"Maybe," Rudy said, and he began to search. They left no stone unturned to find the essence. Ryan and Rudy both searched every nook and cranny of the room, but the results were the same as the plates piled up on the grand table after lunch or dinner-empty.
As they both were panting, Ryan said to Rudy, "I couldn't believe it but now I admit-it's stolen." "Yeah, it's nowhere in the room," Rudy replied, "Either it's taken out of the room or it's-"
"Taken out of the school." Ryan remarked.
"We gotta report it to Armædéone," Rudy said. "He can make the right decision in this crisis."
"Yeah, go on." Ryan said, "I'm joining you in a while."
"Fine," Rudy said, hurrying out of the room.
Ryan stood up. He's got something in his mind. A suspect. The Hansens! They could do it! And if they really did, then-
Ryan hurried to the Hansens' room, swearing at them from inside.
As he went through the corridor, it took only a minute to reach the Hansens' room. The door was ajar. Ryan approached the room, kicked open the door, and thundered, "You-" but before he could say anything more, he noticed the room to be empty.
Ryan entered the room. The messiest room he had ever seen. Nothing was inside the cabinet. Instead, their things were on the bed, under the table, and scattered all over the floor.
"Is this the room of a scypher or a dog?" Ryan thought, and at that moment, he realized the big mistake he had made. Bob and Tom don't even know that Rudy is the werewolf; let away the essence. Then how can they steal it?
Realizing the mistake, Ryan stepped to exit the room, but it was too late by then. An invisible force pushed him and knocked him down so that he hit the bathroom door, which was closed.
It was Bob and Tom. They were in the room now, and Tom had used the pushforce charm on Ryan, whose head twinged in pain.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Tom barked,
"Er-I was-" Ryan tried to find or make up an answer.
Suddenly Bob completely changed the topic and said, "Wanna duel, dog-nose?"
"Yeah! Let's see what you can do against us!" Tom hissed cheerfully.
"Well, you dumbo; you don't know what duel means." Ryan said, slowly getting up, "Duel ain't two against one."
"Two against one, bah!" Bob laughed, "Where did your brags go now?"
"It's you who brags-" Ryan couldn't finish; there was another attack of the pushforce charm on him. He was thrown away, and he hit the wall with a thud.
Ryan knew now he had to strike back. On the other hand, Tom was saying, "Duel, or keep getting thrashed, you filthy clod!"
But at the next moment, an axispin charm made him spin three times like a ballerina, and as he felt dizzy, he collapsed.
Ryan took his time by the axispin charm. After performing that, he lit himself up with the energy refill.
Bob snarled, "Nice move, idiot; but that's the best you can ever do." He lit himself up too.
ZAP! ZAP! Both Ryan and Bob shot a blast, but both met each other halfway, and- BOOM! An explosion sent both thrown away to their respective ends.
Tom was up by then. He snarled, "Get ready, you freakin' bighead; I'm going to teach such a lesson that you'll be mad enough to turn into a great motherfucker!"
"WHAT'D YOU SAY!?" Ryan shot two blasts at once at Tom, and he was thrown away, hitting the wall hard. He moaned, "My damn head..."
"Who else wants to get thrashed?" Ryan said, "It's free of charge!"
"I'll make sure you cry in pain," Bob hissed, standing up.
Then what happened can be called a duel. An energy emission duel. Ryan and Bob both charged at each other, with a few strikes successful and a few in vain. At last, they were panting as the energy refills were over. Of both.
Ryan didn't wait. He refilled his energy blasts.
Bob stood up, wiping out sweat, and said, "Enough of this ballet, you moron. Let's get some real shit outta you."
Bob lit up himself, but Ryan didn't lose time. He used the pushforce on the delicate place. Bob's abdomen.
"Awk", Bob squeaked as he was down, holding his abdomen.
Ryan shot two blasts at him too, this time making sure that both blasts met each other. And-
BOOM! Bob was completely thrown away onto his brother's bed by the energy explosion. Alphonse McCarley's technique number two. This time, Bob was knocked out. He lay senseless.
"You fu-" Tom gritted his teeth while standing up but before he could finish, there was a bark outside the door.
"MAGICAL FIGHTING INSIDE THE SCHOOL BUILDING!" Hancliffe's voice rang throughout the corridor," IS THIS WHY YOU ARE TAUGHT DUELING? WAIT UNTIL I FIND THE CULPRIT AND GIVE THEM TO THE ASSISTANT HEADMISTRESS, AND YOU'LL BE REGISTERED AS A MAGIC FOLK!!" His voice was as loud as a siren.
Ryan busily said, "Stop fighting, you fucker; or else we both are done for." He quickly used the pushforce charm to slam the door shut. Tom went and locked the door.
Ryan sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. Tom, on the other hand, awakened his brother with some karate chops.
"What the-" Before Bob could even finish his words, Tom snapped, "Hancliffe's out to find us. Stay quiet."
Even though the fight was over; Ryan couldn't resist properly. They continued their fight with words, whispering in the lowest tone.
"What are you still doing here?" Bob hissed.
"Why should you care about that?" Ryan replied, "It's all your fault I'm stuck in here. If you hadn't started the fight-"
"Duel, not fight," Tom said.
Ryan sighed. They truly made him late. He doesn't know where Rudy is or what his state is. He was supposed to join him soon, but Rudy may be back in his room after reporting the news to Ulysses by now. Who stole the essence anyway?
Hancliffe's footsteps were heard. He was patrolling the floor and searching for the fighters, muttering, "Which morons did it? Let's see......
His footsteps went away, and Ryan stood up and tiptoed to the door. Then he put his ear against its surface. Even Bob and Tom were quiet now. Minutes passed one by one. Suddenly, Ryan could hear the muffled footsteps returning. They were coming closer. Ryan's heart jolted, but he still stood there, listening.
Hancliffe was muttering, "No fighting here! Maybe the older students are making this....I'll...." The muffled footsteps were gone again. Ryan heaved a sigh of relief.
"What did that old dumbo say?" Bob asked Ryan, hissing.
"Oh, that," Ryan turned back at him, "He said that only half percent of an assurance is enough for him to go complain to Ulysses that the culprit is you two."
"Liar," Bob said like a boarhound.
Ryan went on, "He also said that every person whose surname starts with 'Han' is an asshole."
"You frickin' clown!" Tom snarled, "Get outta here. We ain't in need of clowns right now.
"Fine, as you wish." Ryan smirked at them, pushed the door ajar and got out. After that, he closed the door once again and locked it from outside, shouting, "You two fuck with each other in here; I'm going. Bye!"
"Hey! HEY YOU ASSHOLE!" Ryan heard Bob and Tom shout from inside, but he didn't wait. He ran through the corridor.
Bob and Tom's distraction was over, and within less than a minute, Ryan reached his own room. Rudy must be returned by then.
But as he poked his head inside the room, he saw nobody inside. The room was the same as he had left it.
Ryan couldn't understand what was happening. He thought he would search for him, but at first he needs to check Ulysses' office in case he's still there for some reason.
Ryan hurried downstairs, on the third floor. As he approached Ulysses Armædéone's office, he saw him scribbling a letter.
"Sir, may I come in?" Ryan asked, panting. But he was the only one inside. No sign of Rudy.
"Sure," replied the headmaster. Ryan entered while Ulysses looked up. Ryan asked him, "Where's Rudy?"
"Oh, he? He went back only two minutes after he reported the-"
"But he isn't there!" Ryan said, "Rudy isn't in his room!"
"Where were you then?" Ulysses asked.
"I-I was somewhere else," Ryan said.
"Then he must be searching for you." Ulysses beamed.
"Oh," Ryan blurted out. This was a possibility. He turned to go, but remembering something, he asked," Sir, what about the stolen essence?"
"Oh, that?" Ulysses said, "Robben's already off for the herbs again-"
"What about the stolen one?" Ryan impatiently said, "Won't you investigate it?"
"Well, my dear," Ulysses sighed, "Only a few people know about this essence. If we search the whole school for that, the secret will be revealed. So we are going to make a new one instead of searching for the old one."
"But it'll take three hours at least!" Ryan almost exclaimed, "What if he transforms in the meantime?"
"He won't." Ulysses assured him, "I've put a temporary vaccination charm on him. It will prevent him from transforming for only a short time-two and a half hours. 150 minutes. That'll be enough for the essence to be made once again. And Robben mustn't take more than an hour; he now knows where to find the herbs. He may even take less than an hour. Besides, Aracounis isn't very far from here."
"Fine," Ryan said as he walked out of the room.
He returned to the fourth floor in order to search for Rudy. First he poked his head in the common room, which was filled with students, but Rudy wasn't there. Newton, Smith, Sally, and Rex were altogether on one end. Newton called out," Hey, dude! We're having a great gossip here; wanna join?"
"No, thanks." Ryan strode away.
Ryan's next destination was his own room once again. But Rudy wasn't there. Even the bathroom door wasn't locked from inside; so he wasn't there either.
Ryan searched both the corridors, checking every room in the way. But he couldn't find Rudy on the fourth floor.
Ryan became worried. Where did Rudy go? He hasn't transformed, of course. Then where....?
He headed for the stairs. Rudy can be on the third floor...That's less logical than the fourth floor, but what else can he do?
As Ryan approached the escalator, suddenly he met someone-Jean. She had come from the third floor. "Oh, hey," Jean said, "where are you going? And-" She noticed Ryan was alone and inquired, "Where's Rudy?"
"I was supposed to ask you that!" said Ryan, "Have you seen him anywhere?"
"No..., why?" Jean asked.
"I can't find him," Ryan said. "He's gone since he reported to Ulysses Armædéone about his stolen essence-"
"Stolen essence!" Jean almost exclaimed.
"Wait, don't shout," Ryan explained everything to her and told her about his search for Rudy. Jean seemed worried too. She said, "Good luck then; try to find him. And I'm going to look for him in this floor once again. Let's get going."
"Yeah, good idea," Ryan said, "in case I've missed any place."
Ryan and Jean went both ways-Ryan downstairs and Jean in the corridor.
On the third floor, Ryan found the hall to be totally empty. Then he paid a visit to the teachers' rooms too, but with no results. All the places possible were searched in the floor, but Rudy was nowhere. Ryan thought, maybe he's on the fourth floor, but he missed the place he was in. So he decided to join Jean, who must have found him if he was there. Ryan headed back to the fourth floor, full of tension.
On the other hand, Jean was wondering if Rudy was actually on the fourth floor, as she couldn't find him after all possible places were searched. She thought she'd head to the stairs, but then it struck her mind. Rudy could be there, where she had met him that night! The balcony!
She headed for the balcony. All the places of the fourth floor were searched except that; very few people care about the balcony. It's situated at the very end of the east corridor.
She approached the balcony. The door was ajar. It didn't look like somebody could be there, but actually there could be somebody. As Jean pushed the door open, she realized that there really was somebody-the one they were looking for.
Rudy was looking down, holding the bars of the railing.
Jean heaved a sigh of relief and strolled forward, "Rudy..."
Rudy jumped to his feet upon hearing his name. He stammered, "Jeanie! What are you doin' here?"
Jean approached him and held the bars too. She said in a whispering tone, "What are you doing here? Ryan and I have been searching for so long-"
"I'm so sorry," Rudy said. "Ryan must be worried; but since the essence was lost, I had the feeling that I'd transform at any time. That's why I'm here, alone."
"You're wrong," Jean said to him boldly. "Armædéone's spell must work! You've got to keep faith; it's only your delusions out of your fears."
"Maybe you're right," Rudy said. "Anyway, still, I come to this place in order to relieve myself of mental strain. This balcony is soothing."
"But your bestie is worried," Jean said. "We've got to relieve him from his tension;"
"Yeah, fine," Rudy sighed and smiled, but before he could even turn back, the smile on his face faded away. He stood fixed, as if petrified. Waves of fear flowed down his spine.
Jean, who had turned to go, turned back and said, "What happened?" Rudy stood quiet, as if made out of stone.
Moments later, Rudy frantically spoke, "No...no... no... not again... NO..."
Jean anxiously stepped forward and said, "Don't tell me that-"
"It's happening, Jeanie!" Rudy frantically exploded in words: "I can feel it happening! Only a few minutes and I-"
"No, it can't." Jean shakenly said, "Ulysses Armædéone's spell... "
"IT DIDN'T WORK!" Rudy leaned back against the wall as he got unbalanced, "IT DIDN'T FUCKIN' WORK! I'M TRANSFORMING!"
Jean went to him and said, "Rudy, look. Before you transform, we can still run to Armædéone, and he can try to-"
"No use, Jean." Rudy softened his voice, which was turning hoarse, "He did a spell on me, but that didn't work. And then, what's left for him to do now? I'll be a killer, a brute once again and this time I shouldn't be left free."
"Rudy, please," Jean still tried to wheedle,"be positive; there'll still be a way;"
"What's positivity for now?" Rudy had started to shake, and his body parts were twitching. He went on, "You're only wasting time talking. I'm going to be that thing again. That's my destiny. And as for it, it may be the last time I'm meeting you. The last time I'm being myself."
"No, you're-" Jean tried to cut in, but Rudy grabbed both of her hands and said, "A lot of people will die once I'm on a rampage-it's midday now, everyone's awake. I can't let it happen. This should be the end of me."
"Don't talk like that," Jean slowly said, looking into his eyes, which were turning red.
Rudy said, "So let me fulfill one last wish of mine." "What wish-" Jean couldn't finish her word; Rudy had dragged her closer to him and whispered, "I just wanna bid you goodbye."
Jean was awestruck as she found herself under Rudy's arms. Rudy lowered his face closer to hers. Both foreheads met.
And then, when Jean could feel his breath, she understood what Rudy was attempting to do. And it was too late to deny it.
She only let out a whispering squeak, "Rudy!" and closed her eyes for a new, unbelievable, and unexpected experience.
But before the two pairs of lips could meet, a grunt was heard. Jean opened her eyes and saw Rudy had let go of her and leapt aside. His voice was making a bad rattling noise. He had pressed his mouth shut with both hands.
Jean stepped back horror-strickenly, and Rudy revealed his mouth, where sharp, pointy werewolf teeth had appeared. He let out a low growl. His body had gradually started to get hairy.
"Jeanie, run!" Rudy spoke in a harsh voice within the rattling noise. His hands were furry and long, sharp claws thrusted out. His face was starting to transform. Jean stared anxiously.
And then Rudy did something. After the claws appeared, he went to claw himself again.
SLASH! Rudy moaned as his own claws produced four rough cuts on his abdomen, and blood was oozing out of them like a fountain.
"Rudy!" Jean gasped in anxiety and shock.
As Rudy moaned greatly, he raised his claws once again.
"NO!" Jean shrieked. She dashed and grabbed Rudy's furry arm.
Her grab was tight; it prevented Rudy's claw from reaching his skin. She matched Rudy's werewolf strength; which had only half appeared.
"Rudy, what are you doing?" Jean panicstrickenly said, "You'll die!"
"Let me go, Jeanie," Rudy grunted weakly, "let me claw myself!"
"No! Please, Rudy-there must be another way, stop!" Jean frantically tried, holding his arm still.
"For my sake, Jean, please-" Rudy stopped, and closing his eyes, he let out a low howl. The transformation was almost done. He was fully furry. His face had changed into a beast's face. He had fierce claws and teeth. Jean let him go, trembling in shock.
"Ah, Jeanie...I-I'm a-goin'." Rudy said and knelt down, unable to stand. His body twitched more, and his limbs flexed and turned into stronger muscles. And in some moments, the transformation was over. Complete. Jean was petrified in shock.
Rudy stood up in full strength, let out a fierce snarl at Jean and pounced at her.
Jean shrieked and ducked, but that wasn't necessary. The werewolf was too strong and had leapt too far. He went over the railing and landed outside.
Jean swiftly got off the floor, clutched the railing bars, and looked down. Rudy had landed on all fours. Jean kept watching as Rudy got up, shoved snow off his fur, and dashed out of the academy compound. The last of him, as Jean could see, was him springing up and leaping over the gate.
Jean stared in shock, rooted to the place.
"Shit," she muttered.
BAM! Jean jolted and jerked back, hearing the noise, and saw Ryan, panting as he banged on the already open door.
"This was the last place I would bump into," Ryan said, panting, "Found him, Jean?"
"Yeah," Jean said, clenching her jaws, "I've found him really bad."
"Where's he?" Ryan said, looking around.
"Gone," Jean sighed and said, "he's transformed." "Gone? Transformed?" Ryan bellowed, "Are you mad? Armædéone's spell-"
"Didn't work." Jean said, "He jumped down and fled. We gotta-"
"Report to Armædéone, quick!" Ryan exclaimed, jerked back, and dashed out of the room.
"Wait for me!" Jean followed him.
The duo dashed through the corridor and swiftly reached the escalator. Jean explained everything to him all the way down the escalator, omitting only the thing Rudy was about to do with her. That thought made Jean blush red like a tomato, and she decided to resolve the matter with Rudy if they found him back.
As the two reached the third floor, they hurried to Ulysses Armædeone's office.
"Sir!" They both exclaimed chorusedly as they reached the office. The door was open, and Ulysses was writing something. A book maybe.
"What happened? Why are you screaming?" Ulysses looked up and said, "Come in."
Ryan and Jean entered the office, and Ryan started to say, "Sir, Rudy has-" But Jean stopped him and said, "Close the door first, sir."
Ulysses confusedly stared at them, and the door slammed shut.
"Now, tell me what happened." Ulysses calmly said Ryan said, "Sir, Rudy was on the balcony and-"
"He transformed in front of me!" Jean shrieked, "He escaped the academy! Jumped down and fled!" "What!" Ulysses asked, surprised. "But I performed the spell on him, and I was sure that-"
"But that didn't work, sir!" Ryan screamed, "He's gone now! Out on a rampage!"
"Calm down, calm down," Ulysses said. "We're taking care of this instantly. I advise you to calm down and join your friends while I hold a quick Seven Sorcerers meeting before we get going. Then Robben shall announce everything in the turret; he's already back with the herbs. Don't worry; we're going to get him back and save the civilians from him. Just calm down."
As Ryan and Jean left the office after Armædéone's assurance, they could hear footsteps already coming nearer...The remaining six sorcerers were already called.
"Total ruckus," Ryan told Jean. His head had started to ache already.
"Why didn't the spell work?" Jean asked, "I was sure that at least Armædéone's spell had no chance to fail."
"But it failed," Ryan said. "That's not the only problem. There's more: Who stole the essence? Why did Rudy still transform despite the spell? And most of all, who made him consume that filthy draught in the first place?"
"What draught?" Jean confusedly asked.
"Oh, you don't know," Ryan said.
Ryan explained everything about the happenings in the library that night to her until they reached the common room.
"Oh gosh," Jean said, "big mystery. You think dark magic's behind this?"
"No idea," Ryan said. "Dark magic-common sense says no to this possibility, but deeper doubts say yes."
"Complicated," Jean said. They both joined the other beginners in the massive common room, where everyone was present.
"Hey, rhino. You two are dating?" Tom smirked as Ryan and Jean took their seats. Not answering that useless question, Ryan said, "How'd you get out of your room?"
"The pushforce charm, easy use." Bob hastily said, "Damn," Ryan had thought that he had taught them a good lesson.
Newton, who was next to Ryan, said, "Where have you been, man? You look so exhausted!"
Ryan couldn't answer; before that, Robben's announcement rang throughout the academy building: "Everybody, attention! It's a very important notice you all need to know!"
The talking stopped, and everybody paid attention. There was a significant urgency in Robben's voice. Only Ryan and Jean knew what Robben was about to say.
Robben went on, "You all know about the werewolf attacks, which occurred twice this week."
"Oh, I forgot!" Tom girlishly said.
Robben went on, "The news is, this werewolf is back."
Everybody gasped, except Ryan and Jean.
Robben continued, "The werewolf, this time, is on a rampage outside our academy. The naive civilians are in danger. Due to that, the Seven Sorcerers have held a meeting and instantly set out to protect the civilians and catch the beast, as they are the key protectors of our land. So the Seven Sorcerers are now unavailable in the academy. Don't panic; stay put. Don't put a toe outside the academy. Withhold your manners. Even the Seven Sorcerers are absent; I and Madrocux Hancliffe are in charge. This current situation is marked as an emergency situation. The emergency situation will go on until the werewolf is caught by the Seven Sorcerers and the civilians are safe. Stay well, everyone, and don't panic, I repeat."
As the announcement was over, everyone burst out in talk like a thunderstorm.
"He's back!" Newton shrieked, "All these days I thought that he's gone for good, but now I see the Seven Sorcerers are off again to pursue him. If things go on like this, when are we gonna study in peace?"
"Woah bro," Smith commented, "what a poem. 'This' and 'peace', good prosody!"
"Shut up." Rex snapped, "Things got serious now.
"How come only a werewolf is spreading so much fear among magic people like us?" Sally said, "Only a magicless beast?"
"Yeah, really," said Rex, "we're the best batch ever to be in Magicademia. Why don't we pursue it ourselves? We all can work together and go get this son of a bitch."
Ryan was about to protest Rex's last words, but Jean pressed his hand to stop him.
"Where's my net?" Smith said, pretending to be serious.
"Dude," Newton annoyedly said, "don't joke around. You all know that beginners like us can't catch a werewolf. He's still a hazard to us. We know a few spells only, and we're prohibited from going out too. We-"
In the middle of Newton's lecture, Ryan got off his seat and proclaimed, "Guys, I'm a-going. I've got a bad headache."
He strode off for his apartment, wondering if there was any anti-headache charm. This headache was a bonus with the tension he already had. Where is Rudy now? Have the Seven Sorcerers found him or not? Will they be able to finally find him? Has Rudy killed any civilians already? Questions blossomed inside his mind, arousing both his tension and his headache.
Ryan reached his room and entered. Rudy was mostly with him whenever he entered this place, but he was not this time. The room was now emptier than ever to Ryan.
Exhaustedly, Ryan sat upon his bed. The sunshine was nice but not enjoyable. He didn't feel good. He was about to lie down on his bed, but at that moment, something caught his eye.
Under the light orb was a folded piece of paper that wasn't there before. This thing was unexpected and new to the place. Ryan grabbed the paper, feeling curious, and unfolded it. It was a note, written in a mass of untidy scribbles of black ink. Ryan started to read the note, and as he read, he let out a gasp of shock and surprise. It was a note, indeed, from Rudy.
Ryan, still surprised, read the brief and hurriedly scribbled note again and again. When did Rudy send it? Probably when he was dueling-no, fighting with the Hansens.
The note said,
Dude,
I don't feel good. I have the feeling that I'll transform anytime. And it could happen anytime soon. I'm afraid, man. That's why I'm leaving this note for you. If I transform, there is a chance of me fleeing to Aracounis. Because dude, I've been feeling that whenever I transform, Aracounis calls me. And that call, I fear, comes from the dark side. The dark side of Aracounis. I'm really afraid, man. If I transform, that call from the dark side of Aracounis will inevitably get the better of me.
Sincerely Yours,
Rudy.
Ryan sat, clutching the note tight. One thing is clear now. Rudy has left the academy and gone to Aracounis, most probably to the dark side of the enchanted rainforest.
Ryan doesn't know much about the dark side of Aracounis, but he has heard some of it. The dark side of the forest is definitely no good. It has lots of danger and is fatal to Scyphers, non-magic or magic. If Rudy is there, he's in serious trouble. A trouble enough to take away his life. Ryan shuddered in anxiety and fear. That's why Rudy left the note.
Ryan stood up, determined, still holding the note, folded back as before. Rudy's in trouble; though transformed, but still he can't sit like a duck. He's got to do something. And for this, he needs to contact somebody, to discuss and do something effectively. Two is better than one in any situation. His first choice was Rudy, but he was the one in trouble.
Ryan thought and thought, and then he got it. Jean! She's the one who knows the secret, and she's the best one to be recruited in this situation. Ryan can reveal this note only to her. He just forgot about her in all this anxiety.
So Ryan quickly strode off on the way back to the common room. He reached it quick enough and found Jean in the mass of beginners, talking and discussing.
Ryan slowly entered the common room and whispered, "Psst, Jeanie...." But the whisper wasn't low enough.
"What?" she said, smilingly.
"I've gotta show you something," Ryan whispered again. "It's very important and serious, and we've got to do this by stealth." But the whisper wasn't low enough this time either.
"What is it which you've got to do by stealth?" Newton asked. "You gotta tell us, bro."
"Look," Ryan impatiently said, "it's a big secret, too big to tell all of you. You can't know everything; this is a very serious and important secret..."
"What important secret can be hidden from us?" Rex said, "We, the whole batch, have the right to know that; what is it that you can't tell us but you can tell her?"
"Yeah, explain," Smith said. "Or else we've got to suppose Tom's words to be true-you two are..."
"Yeah, yeah!" The others corroborated.
Ryan stood helplessly, with a desire to rip his own hair off. What now? It's hard to explain, but Ryan still wondered whether he'll reveal it to them. The reveal will raise controversy, but still the positive aspect is that they'll be a great force of beginners united, which will be a big advantage. At least the group doesn't have the Hansens, Verona, and Timo. Penny already knows, though.
Ryan decided he'd do it. Do it rather than lose all his ego. He doesn't care what the others think of him, but he can't let them think he's dating Jean, whatever it takes. So better do it than...
"What?" Newton's eyebrows danced.
"Alright," Ryan said, "I'll tell it to you all. Come with me. In my room, all of you."
Jean widened her eyes and raised eyebrows at him, but Ryan winked at her as a sign of his being helpless.
"Okay, come on, taskforce!" Rex proclaimed, and everyone followed Ryan and Jean outside the common room: Everyone means Newton, Smith, Rex, Sally, and Penny.
They quietly walked all the way down the corridor and entered Ryan and Rudy's room one by one. As all of them were inside, Ryan slammed the door shut with the pushforce charm, and Jean locked the door.
"Now tell us what's so big a secret?" Newton asked ardently.
"The secret is..." Ryan gritted his teeth and said, "We, which means Jean and I-"
"-are dating each other!" Smith finished the sentence. Incorrectly, though.
Ryan stomped his foot furiously and said, "NO! Not that-the actual secret is that we know who the werewolf is."
"I know too," Penny said, raising her hand.
Plenty of jaws dropped in shock. They were Newton, Sally, Rex, and Smith.
"And you've been hiding that from us all these days?" Rex gasped.
"Who is it?" Sally let out a squeak.
"How do you know him?" Newton said, "How do we realize that the culprit's from outside or-"
"Somebody within us!" Sally said.
"Okay," Jean bellowed, "Rudy-is-the-culprit! Satisfied?"
Rex almost fell down and had to hold the wall to keep his balance. The rest of the group who didn't know it gasped in shock.
"You're lying!" Newton said.
"Makin' fools out of us," Smith corroborated his words.
"No, she's right," Ryan sighed, "Rudy really is the werewolf. You'll notice he is missing now. He's the one who transformed, escaped the academy, and is on a rampage outside."
"Unbelievable," Rex remarked.
"We've been living with the stalker all these days!"
Sally thundered.
"How did he transform in broad daylight?" Newton asked.
"Oh, stop your nerdy questions," Rex exploded, "How in the world did they keep such a secret?"
"Why didn't you tell the Seven Sorcerers?" Sally shouted.
"Well, well, this is getting too far." Jean stopped them, "The Seven Sorcerers knew it long ago."
"Right in the night we knew it," Ryan corroborated her words, looking down, "And it was them who made him a сurе-"
"They knew it?"
"A cure?"
"Oh gosh," Newton sat on the bed, holding his head, "you guys are making me mad."
"Explain," Rex remarked, "Everything."
Thus, Ryan and Jean explained everything altogether, from root to tip. As they listened, their jaws dropped and their eyes widened.
"My mind is blown," Smith declared. "Just madness!"
"So what do we realize?" Newton said, "Rudy was fed the draught by some culprit or his own lack of knowledge. Thus, he turned into the murderer we fear now. Armædéone made a cure for him, but it was stolen today. Armadéone had put a spell on him so that he doesn't transform but turning everything wrong, he transformed in broad daylight, and escaped the school. Now the Seven Sorcerers are after him. That's it?"
"I didn't tell you to summarize what I explained," Ryan annoyedly said.
"So that's the mystery," Rex sighed. "It's hard to digest."
"It's hard to digest that the Seven Sorcerers let us live with a criminal!" Sally exploded.
"You still oppose him?" Jean interrogatively stared at her.
"He literally did everything against his will!" Ryan shouted.
"He shouldn't even have come to Magicademia if he's a killer like this. He came, risking everyone else's lives." Sally remarked.
Jean suddenly said, "Ryan, you were about to tell me something else. What is it?"
"Yeah," Newton said, "I just forgot. What's it, dude?"
"I forgot too," Ryan grimly said. "It's this note."
He showed everyone the folded paper, which Newton grabbed on the instant.
"It's a note from Rudy." Ryan simply remarked.
"When did he write it?" Jean asked, shocked.
"Dunno," Ryan shrugged, "I found it on my bedside table."
"Let me see," Jean peered over Newton's shoulder, who had started to read the note already.
After both of them had finished reading, they both let out gasps.
"Hazardous!" Jean gasped.
"The dark side of Aracounis!" Newton fearfully remarked, "He's in mega trouble. I've already read somewhere that forests call werewolves; the bigger the forest, the stronger the call."
"What?" Rex said, "Pass me the note."
One by one, they all read the note, and then they exchanged looks, both shocked and confused looks on their faces.
"So he's there now!" Sally hastily commented, "To die! It's rellevin'; he's there to die instead of slaughtering civilians. It'll be a satisfying end for him. He deserved it."
"If he's not attacking civilians," Newton remarked, "who is Armædéone out to save?"
"That's it!" Ryan explained, "They need to save Rudy and bring him back here so that they can make sure he never transforms again! But their main goal was to save civilians because they don't know where Rudy is."
"So you're saying that," Jean anxiously said, "the civilians are safe, but it's Rudy who's in trouble?"
"Exactly!" Newton said this time," The dark side of Aracounis is something very fatal for teens like us. And a teenwolf like him will likely not survive."
"But what is this dark side of Aracounis that you fear so much?" Rex said, "How much danger is there actually?"
Newton thumped his foot onto the floor and said, "Alas, I'm in a batch of such pea-brains. Don't you have any thirst for knowledge, huh?"
"Not unless we're nerds like you," Smith said, "Bighead."
Newton didn't pay heed to Smith's words and started to explain, "So, Aracounis ain't waiting for you with orchards full of flowers and fruits. There's a specific side of Aracounis called the dark side of Aracounis. So, it's dangerous, hazardous, and malicious to anybody. The side has magical tricks and corruptions beyond your imagination which are enough to even outsmart the smartest kinds of sorcerers. The plants and animals there are all fatal to us. Such as stadium-size behemoths or blood-thirsty man-eater weeds or annihilator ants. Darkness beats the light side in that place. People who went there mostly couldn't return alive. There are a few exceptions, of course. But the survivors are mostly warlocks. So, you can understand how dangerous it is. In fact, everybody says you won't even want to believe you're on earth once you get there."
"Thanks for your valuable lecture." Jean said, "But what do we do now?"
"What else, let him die in the woods like that!" Sally said.
"WILL YOU SHUT UP OR I'LL USE MAGIC?" Ryan exploded.
"Stop, stop," Jean said. "It's a serious matter. Don't fight within yourselves right now."
"Fine," Ryan said. "We've recruited you all; we are a team now. We've got to work effectively. As for you all, the secret's open now. So our main focus will be on the matter we've found in the note. The Seven Sorcerers are out to save civilians from Rudy and also to find him. But we know the fact they don't know. Rudy is off to die in the dark side of Aracounis, but the Seven Sorcerers are searching the whole city for him. So what should we do? Everybody must understand by now?"
"Tell it to the Seven Sorcerers!" Everybody chorused.
"Yes, we've got to reach Armædéone or any Seven Sorcerers member and acknowledge them about Rudy's position," Ryan said.
"But how are we going to reach them?" Smith asked absurdly.
"Easy, by a note!" Ryan said, "We'll send a note to them. We've got to be quick; there's no faster way for this either."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Jean said impatiently. "Scribble a letter, somebody!"
"Yeah, time's running out. Every second counts," Ryan said. Then he headed for his cabinet with the intent of bringing a piece of paper and a birch-twig pen. But at that moment, Newton stopped him and said, "No use, man. It won't work."
"What do you mean by 'it won't work?'" Ryan annoyedly asked.
"Don't you know?" Newton surprisedly said," It's about our classification. Warlocks like the Seven Sorcerers are of the highest level there is."
"So what does that have to do with this?" Jean angrily asked.
"Notes by us normal people," Newton said, "Which means sorcerers, magicfolk, and non-magic people can't send letters to warlocks. A letter to a warlock won't activate unless it is activated by another warlock. Which means a warlock can be sent a letter only by another warlock. So, that's our system. Frickin' system."
"You mean we can't send a note to the Seven Sorcerers?" Ryan confusedly snapped, "Just because there ain't no warlock here, except themself?"
Newton nodded.
"Don't believe him," Rex said, "that nerd's lying. Go on."
"Try it then." Newton grimly said, "See what happens."
Ryan confusedly grabbed a piece of paper and a Birch-twig pen. Then he scribbled down the note for Armædéone. Then Ryan gave the note a finger tap as usual, but-
It didn't activate. It lay still.
"Rise, you fucker," Ryan angrily muttered as he kept trying to activate it.
"Let me try." Jean tried it herself, but she failed to activate the note too. Then everybody else tried one by one, but still, nobody could activate the letter, and it lay motionless.
At last, Ryan clenched the piece of paper, ripped it into pieces, and threw them aside in fury. Then he said, "You're right."
"Told you." Newton soberly said. "They and we use the same kind of paper and the same kind of pen. But it's the finger tap, which makes the difference. It would activate only if a warlock had touched it.
"If you're so wise," Smith hastily said, "then you tell us what to do."
"So," Newton said, "the easiest way-sending a note-isn't possible. Even if we barge into the Headmaster's office and use paper and pen from there, the result will be the same, so we'll have to find another, quick way to reach the Seven Sorcerers."
"What, go and find them by foot?" Jean snapped, "We've gotta patrol the whole city to find them; it'll take ages! We don't have time to lose-We don't know what trouble he is in now!"
"I've told you before; that was the only fastest way," said Ryan, grim and thoughtful."And now, time is running out."
"We've gotta do something," Rex said, "which is accurate and fast-altogether. But what do we do?" "There is no other way left, "Ryan said. " Except for some rule-breakin'."
"Rule-breaking?" Jean confusedly said, "What do you mean, Ryan?"
"I mean that," Ryan said, stone-faced, "We gotta go by ourselves."
Everybody let out gasps of shock. Smith exclaimed, "You don't mean us to go to that frickin' dark side of Aracounis and die like fools!"
"He's right," Newton assented to Ryan's words, "I was thinking something similar. If a note can't be sent, then there's no other way we can follow to save Rudy in time except this. We've got to go, 'cause we're the only ones to know where he is."
"Rudy's a part of ourselves. We can't let him die," Ryan passionately said. "We're Magicademia folk now. We are no longer typical Esoterico teens. In Magicademia, we are friends and family. Each one has a duty to the other. Rudy is our friend, and we gotta prevent anything bad from happening to him. Because we care for each one of us. I repeat, each one of us. And remember, unity is strength. We all together can be a match for even a warlock. If there are even five of us together, we can make it out of the dark side of Aracounis. So we must join forces with each other, and together we must endure the hardship to save one of us, even if he is a werewolf. This is a team now, and this team must be rallied to protect every member of it."
"Emotional, sentimental," Sally hastily said, pretending to wipe out invisible tears. "And melodramatic."
"Will you stop chickening now? Newton barked, "We've had enough of this."
"Look, don't argue." Ryan seriously said, "Time is speeding like ocean waves. We gotta hurry, so speak up: who is going to join me and who is not?"
"I am, for sure." Newton said, "We'll hit it."
"I'm in too," Jean said. "I'm prepared to face some bullshit."
"Count me in too." Penny sided with her bestie.
"We're four now," Ryan glanced at the others and asked, "Anyone else?"
Rex and Smith hesitated a bit and exchanged doubtful looks. But moments later, Rex proclaimed, "Alright! Let's get rockin'! We'll see what even the darkest side can do to us if we, the fabulous five of this tremendous batch of Magicademia, are in action! Come on, folks."
"Oh no, not-fabulous five," Smith dramatically said, "We're now the spectacular six! The more, the fierier!"
"Alright, we have all recruited now," Ryan grinned, "Except you, Sally. Now you can either come with us or go your own stupid way."
"Damn it," Sally abruptly blurted out, kicking the floor. Then she said, "Fine, I'm in too-in the Sick Seven. Now let's get going; there's no time to lose, remember?"
"The Sick Seven, yeah!" Rex proclaimed, "Let's get going!"
"Wait, wait," Newton said. " Before we get going, I want to know that-do we have a plan of action?"
"Well, you can't have plans when you don't have time for them." Ryan said, "Let's get going. Fast."
Ryan walked and unlocked the door. Then kicked it open.
"Sick Seven in action!" Rex declared aloud.
"Shhh, slowly!" Ryan frowned at him and said, "If you announce our quest to the whole academy, we'll be done for; we gotta do it by stealth."
"Stealth, bah!" Rex stretched out himself.
The group strode through the corridor.
As they went, Ryan explained to Newton, "Robben and Hancliffe stay inside mainly. Once we're outside, we'll be somewhat out of sight because they aren't supposed to keep watching outside. Obviously, students don't stay outside much, so they won't expect us there. So our job will be to get to the first floor with nobody significantly noticing us, and then once we're outside, we've got to leave the campus as fast as lightning-metaphorically."
"Understood." Newton said, "But you said we had no plan."
"We had," Ryan said, "if you think this to be one. Actually, we have to keep a fine percentage of it at least."
The team reached the escalator, and before they got on it, Rex remarked, "Off we are, to our step of being the greatest Magicademia batch ever. Yeah."
Ryan cast a sidelong glance at him and let out a disappointed sigh, "C'mon."