It was the final day of the school week and only ten minutes remained of Riarshi's last class.
The long-awaited weekend teased Riarshi from just outside of the classroom door and beckoned him from the end of the hallway. He could already feel himself sinking into his worn out couch and watching re-runs of his favorite shows late into the night.
Despite his longing for the free world and the chance to finally stretch his legs, the opportunity to learn the history behind human magic and how it sculpted the earth made Magic History Riarshi's favorite academic class.
Riarshi ignored the rest of the professor's lecture, given he already held a firm grasp on the content of today's lesson. He elected to study his notes instead, hoping the ten minutes separating him from freedom would be over by the time he finished.
Today's lesson focused on the world's origins of magic. His mind's voice read over his scribbled mess.
At the beginning of time, all-powerful beings known as The Divines created the universe with their magnificent power. Today, we revere these beings as gods and the guardians of Earth.
However, creation cannot occur without a cost. Creating the stars and planets of the universe forced the Divines to use an astronomical amount of magic. This enormous expense in power left a sizeable gap of negative energy in the universe's gravitational pit, or whatever.
The gap in spacial energy eventually transformed into negative magic. This led to the inevitable creation of the demon race once souls of the dead fell within its depths.
Riarshi read the last line again.
So that's how my mom was made, huh? I bet I'll learn more about that sometime.
Riarshi's attention was still deep in his notes when the professor dismissed the class. Her shrill voice and the rattle of her wrist jewelry snatched him from his prolonged muse.
Without a moment of hesitation, he quickly packed his bag and sprung from his chair, the metal legs screeching on the tile floor.
It was almost three o'clock, so he had to move fast. If he was a minute too slow, he would miss the 3:15 PM bus. He wanted to get back home as soon as possible.
Just as he threw his bag over his shoulder and bolted towards the door, someone called from the far end of the classroom. "Hey, Riarshi! Wait up a second!"
This friendly voice caught Riarshi's attention. He spun on his heel, and an enormous smile greeted him.
"Oh, hey, Tabito. What's up?" Riarshi said frantically, trying his best to be polite but also make it obvious that he was in a rush.
Tabito failed to take the hint.
"Not too much, you busy tonight?" Tabito asked.
Riarshi raised a brow. "Uh, no, not really, why?"
"Oh perfect! I was just wondering if you wanted to catch a bite to eat at Merino's Diner. It's a small place right in downtown Spiritfield, maybe a ten-minute walk from campus."
Riarshi was speechless.
Hold on, what was going on? Did somebody ask him to grab food? And not just anybody, but a high leveled magic user who was almost kicked out of the program by his own limitations just a few days prior.
Riarshi had already been through this scenario once with Leon, and many others before him - a facade of sincerity. Mistrust tainted his vision.
"Nah, I'm all set," Riarshi said curtly, then turned to leave, causing his bag to slide down his shoulder. He was losing time.
It seemed that Tabito sensed Riarshi's inner turmoil, because he let out a belly laugh and said, "I can tell you're suspicious right now. Don't worry - I get that - but just trust me here, all right?"
Riarshi stopped, readjusted his bag, and looked at Tabito over his shoulder.
Sincerity floated within Tabito's eyes. But suspicions deriving from years of harassment remained ingrained in the back of Riarshi's mind.
Was Tabito going to lead him to an alley to get beaten up by a bunch of levels (Riarshi had first-hand experience), or would Tabito humiliate him in front of a crowd of people? There was no such thing as a sincere high magic user.
Riarshi shook the thoughts out of his head. He didn't have time for this mind-boggling mess. He had to get to the bus stop in ten minutes or he'd miss his ride home.
He peeked at the clock hanging above the door.
3:07 PM
It was already too late. Even if he ran with the boost of his magic, he would still miss the bus.
Riarshi's head sank between his shoulders in defeat, his chin nearly touching his chest. The next bus to Westray wasn't scheduled to arrive until five, and he wouldn't wander aimlessly in the city until then. He had no idea what lay outside of the Program grounds.
Tabito left him with no other option.
"Okay, I'll go," Riarshi sighed. There was no point in arguing. If there was even the slightest chance this guy's sincerity was genuine, he might as well take it. What else was there to lose?
Tabito raised a fist and let out a joyful cheer, claiming victory in this short-lived duel.
"Hell yeah! Let's go! Lemme tell you, they have amazing food down there, man. Fried food of any kind, sandwiches, subs, wraps, seafood, they literally have it all. All the meats come from a farm in the north where everything is grass fed. All the seafood is also shipped in straight from the ocean to the East. They also do a ton of grilled meat if you're looking for something on the healthier side. Have you ever been there?"
"Uh, no... I haven't," Riarshi said awkwardly, taken aback from how much one person could talk in one breath. "I'm not from the city, actually."
"Oh, no way. We gotta talk about that at the diner," Tabito suggested with sincerity. "But trust me, this place is awesome. We go there all the time."
Riarshi's stomach did a flip. We?
Tabito turned to the back corner of the room where one student had remained sitting at their desk, away from other groups of conversing students.
He cupped his hands over his mouth. "Hey, Hara, wanna go to Merino's today?"
Riarshi's face dropped.
He glanced in the same direction as Tabito, and a pair of blue sapphire eyes met his gaze. A petite girl with midnight-black hair casually rose from her chair and made her way toward the two boys. Her tiny sneakers squeaked along the tiled floor of the classroom.
It was the girl from the Showing - the one who shoulder checked him in the tunnel, then awed sixty thousand plus people with her amazing, knee-crumpling, magical strength.
Although Riarshi shared the same classes as her, it was like she inhabited another world, distant from the rest of the class. She never spoke to anyone, nor answered questions raised by the professor. She was simply a silent, tiny figure of glowing beauty.
As she walked over, Riarshi noticed that her eyes were the same as they were two weeks ago - a massive, empty sea of blue.
"Yeah, that's fine," she answered in a soft voice, "But please don't shout it across the room next time."
Small beads of sweat-soaked Riarshi's brow. Even after two weeks, he was still wildly obsessed with the deep sapphire of her eyes and how they magically glowed in the sunlight. And right now, of all times, he couldn't keep himself from staring into them.
But there was a change - so fast Riarshi wasn't expecting it and couldn't prepare for it. Her beautiful eyes shifted and honed in on him, narrowing into an icy glare that sent a painful shiver down his spine.
This was the first time she had acknowledged his existence during the weeks they were in class together, but this frigid gaze was far from a welcoming introduction.
"Wait, did you invite him?" she asked coldly.
Riarshi felt as though a thousand dagger-like teeth bit into his chest with that remark, ripping out his heart. Then a foot stomped on it for good measure.
"He's coming with us," said Tabito, not even fazed in the slightest by her sudden change in tone. "I invited him today!" he exclaimed with a big, cheeky grin.
"...Why?"
Riarshi then felt like a million sharp daggers had pierced his chest, burning through his innards. His heart, already trampled on, was now crushed by a hammer.
"Because-" retorted Tabito, "-he wasn't busy and seems like a cool guy." He threw a sly wink over to Riarshi. "He keeps to himself and doesn't act like a prick. I owe him one too."
This subtle compliment helped ease the million small stab wounds piercing Riarshi's heart, at least enough to let him breathe again. But his brain suddenly did a flip within his skull. Why exactly did Tabito owe him?
Hara let out a heavy sigh. It seemed she recognized there was no other choice, and that Tabito wouldn't budge from his stance.
"Whatever... Let's go," she barked. She stomped into the hallway and whipped her schoolbag over her shoulder.
The speed at which she passed between the boys - along with the waving of her long black hair behind her back - sent the sweet, fresh scent of vanilla to Riarshi's nostrils. A scent he enjoyed immensely, but also a scent he wished, with all of his might, would never become rotten.
***
This trip was the first time Riarshi ever explored the city outside of the Program's grounds. Although he would often watch the crowds downtown during his bus ride, walking the streets of the largest city in Aginem was a completely different experience. Foreign, at best.
Neon signs above the dozens of stores and shops shone brightly in the late afternoon's orange and deep-blue dusk. Men and women of all ages flooded the sidewalks. The density of the crowd barely gave any passerby a shoulder's width of space between the two lanes of foot traffic.
About a half mile south of the Program facilities, Tabito happily and Hara reluctantly led Riarshi to a vast city square lined with a variety of restaurants, clubs, hotels, and shops.
There was a large stage erected in the middle of the square where a live band performed a set of songs.
Dozens of people sat on blankets along the many grass patches scattered throughout the center, listening to the band during the warm fall afternoon and filling in the breaks in music with their own singing. Some of these people had food in their hands; others had drinks, and some had both while they laughed and talked merrily within their groups.
Everything was noisy, joyful, and bright. Especially bright.
Was this the life of the city?
Tabito turned to Riarshi as they walked along a strip of shops, each having their own large sign advertising the variety of goods they offered, such as food, clothing, wood carvings and collectables. Shop owners stood out in front of their shops and beckoned people in with convincing sales pitches and exuberant body language.
"Trust me Riarshi, this diner is the best. It's been around for over a hundred years with only one family running it the entire time. It's famous among the second and third semesters at the Hero Program and all the college students as the spot for late-night food, since it's so cheap..."
Music from the live band muffled Tabito's voice. Their speakers, spread densely throughout the square, added to the beautiful aesthetic with a bright purple glow.
As Riarshi walked, the fall wind blew through his hair, carrying the scent of decaying leaves and odd perfumes from a nearby shop. His widened nostrils also picked up the sting of bug spray from one group laid out close to the path.
This wasn't aerosol bug spray like he'd seen in Westray, but a bright green mist spraying from a blonde girl's hands to the legs of a broad shouldered, bearded man. The man smiled to signal her to stop.
The three Hero Program Newbies arrived at the hidden gem along the square strip of shops.
While they walked, talked, and Riarshi's head swirled in circles, Tabito had pointed to a small shop cast off in a corner with a flashing neon sign above the entrance. The S and the D on the sign weren't functioning, but Riarshi could still make out what it meant to say - Merino's Diner.
Upon entering the front door, a tiny bell rang just above the frame. Suddenly, an overwhelming blast of varying scents rushed into Riarshi's nose; these included fried foods, meats, and a plethora of other foreign spices that tingled his skin.
Compared to the outside of the diner - which was somewhat beaten with cracked sidings and the semi-functioning sign - it appeared the staff kept the inside very clean. Barely a sign of dust or dirt was left on the square maroon tiles of the floor or the surface of the booth tables. This was a massive difference compared to Westray's diners, which always looked as though they were about to crumple with the slightest gust of wind.
They all greeted the smiling hostess standing just beyond the entrance. Picking up three menus from a wooden container, she led them to an open booth next to a window.
Riarshi's rear squeaked along the red leather seats as he slid himself into the booth. He ran his finger across the top of the checkerboard patterned table. His eyes shot open - it wasn't sticky at all.
This diner was already amazing!
After receiving their drinks from the waitress, they took a few minutes to place their food orders. Riarshi was unsure of what he wanted, electing for a random choice from the extensive sandwich list.
Writing the orders down and walking away, the waitress left the three teens in an awkward silence.
Riarshi stirred his soda with a straw while he watched Hara swipe through her phone. Her scowling face and razor-sharp glare gave off a powerful aura of annoyance, so Riarshi quickly averted his eyes. He peeked around his cup to see Tabito happily sipping his drink and swaying back and forth in the seat like a child.
At that moment, there was something Riarshi needed to know.
He, too, swayed in his seat, strumming his fingers on the table. The tension floating in the air and gnawing within his chest ate at him. He wanted to cut to the chase and discover the high magic user's real motive for being so civil, almost to the point of being overbearing.
Randomly fidgeting for a few more moments, Riarshi sighed and swallowed his pride. "So, Tabito, I appreciate you bringing me here and all. This place seems really cool. But I have to ask...Why though?"
Tabito looked over at him. He opened his mouth.
Before Tabito could answer, Riarshi quickly added, "Sorry, I don't mean to be so blunt. I know I was a burden at the practical, but if you're gonna give me a hard time about that, I'd rather just leave now. I don't need anymore hate from anyone in this program."
Tabito sipped carelessly from his straw, then lifted his head and smacked his lips together. "Come on, now. That's not why I asked you to come, at all. I said earlier at school that I owe you."
"Yeah, about that. What did you mean?" Riarshi asked, raising a brow. "If anything, I owe you. You're the reason we didn't fail that practical. Right before I passed out I saw your magic explode. You easily got us third place. It was like you barely broke a sweat. I didn't even do a thing."
Tabito paused, then leaned back into the comfy booth seat. "Well, I appreciate your straight-forwardness. Seriously. I'll get to the point then. You remember that orange-haired girl you saved a couple weeks ago?"
It took only a second, but the image of the young girl in the alleyway flashed through Riarshi's mind and returned to the forefront of his thoughts.
The horrified look on her face and the way she winced at his demonic stare tore vividly through his thoughts. It hurt him, made him want to block out everything that was flooding back into his recollection.
But one memory stood out from the rest - the warming hug she gave him and the words she spoke before she left... when all the fear frozen in her eyes melted.
"You're my hero."
His mind shot back to reality. He looked Tabito in the eyes. "Wait, how did you know about that?"
A quick chuckle escaped Tabito's curled lips, which then spread into a wide smile. "Well, my man-" he tapped the side of his head, pointing to his spiky orange hair, "-that was my little sister."
Seeing their resemblance for the first time, Riarshi's eyes widened. "That was your sister?" he asked in disbelief.
Hara, whose nose was engrossed in her phone, took the time to glance up at the conversation. "He saved Tabbie? From what? When did that happen?" she added.
"Just a couple weeks ago," Tabito recalled, scratching his scruffy chin, "before we all began the Hero Program. Being from Spiritfield, and with Westray not being too far away, my dad likes to shop their market because of the low prices. I couldn't watch her that day, so she went with him to get some fresh air and burn off some energy. But while they were there, the little brat suddenly wandered off. My pops panicked like crazy and looked everywhere for her." Tabito strummed his fingers on the table. His smile faded.
"Eventually, after a while, he found her at a bus stop with dust covering her face and clothes. He checked her over, and she was obviously all right, but she wouldn't stop going on and on about this boy who rescued her from a scary, evil man with red eyes. She kept saying that this handsome knight named 'Ree-art-she' saved her, even though he got really hurt trying to protect her."
Tabito took a sip of his drink. "She was close with the name, right?" he said with a snicker. "Why do you think I was a bit taken aback when you introduced yourself at the fair? I instantly recognized your name, seeing that she still goes on about you everyday."
Riarshi's face burned bright red. He didn't expect anyone to know or find out about what happened in the alleyway.
"Oh... jeez, I mean - to be honest... I got my ass kicked. The guy was a... uh, demon. We were both lucky a real Hero was nearby to take care of the guy who attacked her," claimed Riarshi, his eyes lowering to his drink.
Tabito stared at him from across the table. His cheery face turned rather serious.
"But you, Riarshi. You ended up getting hurt trying to save her. You may be a commoner, but that didn't stop you from jumping in and helping a girl you didn't even know. And to top it off, you fought a freaking demon and held your own. I honestly don't know how you did it. But you did it."
Riarshi looked away.
"You know, at the fair, when I said that if it wasn't for Heroes and people who stick their neck out for others, the world would be an awful place to live? Well, I was talking about you, dude. To you, funny enough. Never would have guessed you would be the guy I shoved over trying to sign up for the Hero Program." Tabito winked and gave a thumbs up. "I wanted to thank you properly, for helping my little sister in that moment she was alone."
Riarshi's face reddened even deeper. He didn't save Tabito's sister to receive recognition or praise. He only wanted to help someone in need. Someone who felt alone, just like him.
"Oh... uh, it was no problem, Tabito. I was just doing what was right."
Tabito's cheeky grin returned to his face. "And that... is why I said you're a cool guy."
An unfamiliar sensation of warmth flooded Riarshi's chest, then the rest of his body. Hearing those words filled him with a joy he had not felt in a very long time. His lips curled into a rare, wide smile.
A smile very similar to Tabito's.