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StLQ Chapter 6 - Talented
🕑 Added 2025-08-10 11:08:37 +0000 UTCI had two things to do before classes. To confirm the date, and to meet with the headmaster.
For the former, I headed to the place where stupid questions would appear the least suspicious. The library. People in the library were always lost in one way or another, and the librarian, Onivia Goodwind, was one of the kindest old ladies I knew of.
I asked her what the day was, and she responded with only mild confusion for my well being. She spoke with a frail but tender voice and said it was the twenty-fifth of midwinter. I smiled and thanked her, exiting the library.
Then I frowned. The twenty-fifth of midwinter. That meant the month would change six days from now, into the first of the grey winter. It seemed I had gone back in time precisely a week before the disaster and my coma, and I’d spent one day messing about, doing nothing.
I had six days to solve this mess. Plenty of time if I was smart—which I wasn’t—but, perhaps with my past memories, I could get things done.
I hoped to solve one big problem immediately at my next destination. I headed up to the very top of the spiraling staircase. The trip, even at a brisk pace, took me almost five minutes. It was no wonder everyone was always in a hurry in this school considering these goddamned stairs.
At the very top was a small alcove known as the lantern. The headmaster’s office. I knocked on the door. Ten seconds later, the door opened.
“Kai Willswort?” responded a man, whom all the way to the modern day, I respected dearly.
Headmaster Zettel Donovan was the second youngest headmaster in the history of Lokora’s academy at thirty-six years old, though his outfit made him look much older. He had a short beard and a brown robe. The type of outfit every old mage wore. His staff was a unique dragontail staff that passed down from headmaster to headmaster. Inside the orb grew a miniature world tree.
I nodded. “Here to apologize for breaking the rules. And I’d like to ask you about a few other things.”
“Come in.”
I entered the office and took a seat on the opposite side of his desk. The headmaster’s office was one of the few rooms in World Tree with a window showing the outside world. The floor and walls were all made of thick glass, as if we were inside a giant lantern. Lokora’s sprawling town was visible outside, though everything except the lit up paths and houses was dark.
“Mrs. Camila informed me of the situation,” Donovan said. “You channeled mana without supervision and without warning. Not a full spell, but a free-form flame.”
“Yes, I am sorry about that,” I said with a bow. “The impulsive thoughts, uh, got the better of me.”
Donovan laughed lightly. His tone and demeanor was entirely different from how he used to talk to me after my transformation. We hadn’t exactly been friends at any point. More like close acquaintances. Donovan was the first to help me recover my life after I woke up from a coma with essentially nothing. He helped me renovate my mom’s old home, and offered me a fair sum of cash to help me rebuild my life. Without him, I would have essentially been homeless.
Additionally, I knew he was a damned sharp mage. If something troubled him, he moved to action immediately. If there was one person I could ask to help me with this case, it would be Donovan.
“Yes, I was told you ‘forgot the rules’” Donovan said calmly. “Mrs. Camila described your casting as ‘surprisingly proficient.’ She claimed your spell was controlled. You caused no harm to yourself nor your surroundings.” He faced me, not with an angry expression, but a curious one. “Perform the spell again, if you please.”
“Now? Am I free to cast magic?” I asked.
“This is a controlled environment,” Donovan said. “Go ahead.”
I showcased the flame to Donovan, surprised that I wasn’t being scolded. But I guess I couldn’t complain. Donovan studied the flame for ten seconds. Eventually, he nodded, and I cut off the source of mana.
“You control it well,” Donovan said. “Not perfectly, but your touch with mana is at least two years ahead of your age. Where did you learn this?”
“Secretly. With books.” That wasn’t entirely wrong. I had partly taught myself, though I had employed tutors here and there.
“That’s a dangerous game,” Donovan said. “Casting mana beyond your limit of control without a spotter rarely leads to anything good. Although, it seems you have survived without the slightest harm.”
“I had spotters, don’t worry,” I said with a laugh. “The flame is pretty much all I know. I haven’t gone beyond it.”
A lie. I knew a few offensive spells. Enough to kill an animal, perhaps even an unsuspecting human, though a good martial artist would probably knock me to the ground before I could form any spell at all.
Donovan looked thoughtful, slightly distracted, as he turned to a mound of papers. He tapped his pen and studied some list of names. “Your talents may qualify you for scholarships, especially ones that involve tutors. Ignoring your talents would be a waste. I will send applications to your guardian, ones that I see best fit for your situation. How does that sound?”
“Uh, sure,” I said. “Am I being punished?”
“A mark will be left on your account for breaking the rules,” Donovan said. “As will be the case for any other violation, controlled or not. Do not cast magic without permission, Willswort.”
I nodded. A single mark only meant that my mother would be informed that I’d broken a rule. A few more marks would lead to a suspension, and some other punishments I couldn’t exactly remember. I had no reason to dispute one lone mark.
“You are free to leave.” Donovan tapped his pen a few times, saw that I wasn’t leaving, and then remembered, “ah, you had something else to ask? Do you wish to dispute the mark?”
“Not at all,” I said. “It’s much more important. I need your help with something. The school might be in danger.”
After saying that, I paid extra attention to his demeanor and expressions. The habit came automatically from my work as an investigator.
Donovan lifted an eyebrow, expression turning serious as he faced me. “Interesting. Explain.”
“It has to do with Luna, my classmate,” I said. “To put it straight, I am fairly certain her family is involved in black magic. Lichcraft, specifically. I think she’s planning something with lichstone shards.”
Wrinkles appeared on his brow. The look in his eyes shifted. He eyed me curiously. The look was either confused or concerned. Closer to the former, I thought.
“Interesting. That is quite the claim.” Donovan’s voice grew sharper, the hint of tiredness now gone. “Luna is my student. As her tutor, I would be shocked to learn of her involvement in lichcraft. What makes you believe she’s planning something like this?”
“Luna is my neighbor,” I said. “There’s always shady stuff happening in their house. I don’t have direct proof, but I am more than confident. If you search her house, I am ninety percent certain you will find evidence.”
“Search warrants aren’t granted through simple hunches,” Donovan said.
“I understand,” I said. “I ask you to perform a remote scan for lifeblood. Luna possesses lichstone shards in one way or another. Remote scans will most likely find something.”
Donovan’s eyes were sharp. He was taking me seriously. “I’ve spent years teaching Luna directly. She is an odd girl, but she is not evil. She does not spark me as someone who would do something so atrocious.”
“I know,” I said. “I’m not saying this because I’m upset at Luna or whatever. I’m here because I’m genuinely worried about her, and her relatives', well-being.”
He thought about it, a troubled expression on his face. “I suppose your warning is serious enough to warrant an investigation. Approaching one will be difficult, however.”
“I suggest a simple scan for black magic, and specifically, lifeblood,” I said. “Perform it at her house. I’m positive you’ll find something.”
He tapped his pen, thinking. He breathed in, then out. “Very well. I will investigate your claim for myself, and I will keep a closer eye on Luna’s behavior. A scan will be performed on her house today. Thank you for informing me.”
“Thank you,” I said, lowering my head. “Ah, and if possible, don’t tell Luna or her family that I sold her out. I don’t want to get in trouble.”
“Of course,” Donovan said. “We will treat this as an anonymous tip.” He gave me a serious stare. “But remember, Kai, if your claim is dishonest, remember that baseless accusations of black magic may lead to punishment finding the accuser instead.”
I leaned back. “It’s only a hunch, but a strong one. I’m not doing this to bully Luna, or anything. Black magic is dangerous enough to be investigated.”
Donovan nodded. “You are correct. Thank you again. The scan will be performed today.”
I bowed. “Please tell me the results immediately after the scan. I want to know if I can trust her or not. I’ll stress out waiting otherwise.”
The last part drew a slight laugh. “I understand. I will perform the scan today, and I will inform you of my findings by the end of the day.”
“Thank you, headmaster.”
I bowed again, keeping it for perhaps slightly too long. Donovan said, “The situation will be handled. Thank you again for the warning. You were right to inform me of this.” He picked up his pen again. “Now, classes are starting. Study well, Willswort. We will meet again.”
I thanked him again, and exited. I stretched outside the door with conflicting thoughts.
Am I happy with that? Is a scan going to be enough?
I had hoped to trick Donovan into catching Luna for me. I wasn’t qualified to fight liches with my magic. And admittedly, I wasn’t very good at investigating either. My power had been a bit of a cheat when it came to keeping my job. Lich sight, however, was only useful after the traumatic events had happened, which most likely meant the crime had already happened.
Contacting Donovan was certainly more useful than attempting to convince Lokora’s law enforcement. I knew that as a fact. How? Because I used to work as one of Lokora’s investigators. And my boss, old Arnoll, that clueless donut-licking arse, had been the sheriff there for over seventeen years.
If Donovan didn’t find anything for me… Well, I’d actually have to use my head.
I headed downstairs, preparing for another long walk down to whatever class I had next. I yawned from my lack of sleep.
Then I paused, seeing something at my feet.
Purple mist. Smoke-like wisps oozing out of the branch next to me.
A void hole swirled around in the dark hallway.
I paused, staring at it. My heart began racing. My left eye throbbed, as it always did when a void hole was near. I had expected my powers to disappear, considering I hadn’t yet lived through the coma this time.
But the void hole was there as clearly as ever. I glanced around myself, spotting no one, wondering if I should activate it. A part of me feared that activating lich sight again would end the vision, bringing me back to reality. That would have been cruel, considering I was just starting to get invested in this.
If the void hole sends me back, this place was fake in the first place, I thought. I had to activate it.
And if lich sight worked normally, I could possibly use it to solve this case.
I eyed my surroundings to see if there was any rope. There wasn’t, of course. Rope wasn’t essential, but it was strongly recommended. Activating lich sight always made me pass out. Not a calm sleepy unconsciousness either; I usually thrashed about with my limbs wildly. Securing my body with rope was necessary for the safety of myself and the people around me.
The only thing to lock myself with was an empty locker on the hallway near the void hole. I snuck into the locker, closed the door and flicked the door shut. Through the small air holes in the metal, I focused on the void-hole and activated lich-sight.
