Inside the first-year dorm of Fyrnic, Kai was pacing back and forth restlessly. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, and darkness was settling in, yet Simon was still nowhere to be seen.
"Is Angry Bird doing something to Simon?" Kai asked, his voice laced with anxiety.
Toad, who was focused on assembling a Lego car, replied without looking up,
"Probably not, man. Don't worry so much."
"How can I not worry? Angry Bird is terrifying! What if he finds Simon annoying and just... thrashes him or something?"
"Kai, you're being way too pessimistic," Jack interjected, his eyes never leaving the pages of his book.
"I'm not being pessimistic! It's called being realistic!" Kai snapped, while Jack simply rolled his eyes in exasperation. Finn chimed in softly, trying to ease the tension, "Maybe... he's just working hard on his training drills."
But then, Oliver chimed in with a look of pure skepticism. "Do you guys honestly think Blackburn will make it into Exigros? He's only a first-year. No offense, but I know for a fact there's no way he's getting in..."
"Shut up, Frenchie! Have you ever even been scouted by the Captain for training!?" Kai fired back. Oliver merely narrowed his eyes.
"Well, I don't care about Exigros anyway, so it's not a problem if they don't call me..."
The tension in the room snapped as the door opened to reveal Simon. He looked like he had just crawled out of a disaster zone—bandages on his cheeks, clothes caked in dust and grime. He was limping slightly, the pain in his leg finally catching up to him.
"Good grief, Simon! Did you just get back from hell?" Kai exclaimed, rushing over to help steady him.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Simon replied with a weary but triumphant smile.
"Did you pass? Tell us, did you make it!?" Toad asked eagerly, while Finn nodded repeatedly, hanging on Simon's every word. Jack stopped reading and looked over at Simon with genuine interest. Even Oliver, despite pretending to look away, was clearly eavesdropping with bated breath.
Simon looked at each of the expectant faces surrounding him. Then, breaking into a wide, triumphant grin, he announced:
"I'm in... I made the cut!"
The room instantly erupted in a wave of excitement as his friends cheered for his incredible achievement.
Everyone was eager to hear the whole story, but just as Simon was about to begin, a sharp, stabbing pain flared in his chest. He gasped and clutched his heart, his body trembling with the intensity of the ache.
Kai and Toad lunged forward to steady him before he could hit the floor.
"Simon! Are you okay?" Finn cried out, wide-eyed with fear. Jack slammed his book shut and rushed over, while even Oliver looked on in genuine shock. The pain was so agonizing that Simon couldn't even manage a whisper; he could only squeeze his eyes shut and endure the silent scream inside him.
Simon remained still for a moment, refusing to say a word as he endured the agony, waiting for it to subside. His friends watched him with mounting concern. After a while, the pain finally eased.
"I... I'm okay," Simon whispered, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. But Kai wasn't convinced.
"Was it because Angry Bird pushed you too hard during training?" Kai demanded. If Simon had said yes, Kai would have undoubtedly rushed to the Headmistress's office to file a report, demanding she take a big stick to "Angry Bird."
However, Simon shook his head. "I've been feeling this for over a week... maybe two. I didn't tell you guys because I didn't want you to worry. I think my body is just struggling to keep up with training that might be too advanced for me. I probably just need to eat more and get my strength up," Simon explained, trying to reassure them.
Jack furrowed his brows, clearly troubled by Simon's revelation.
"In that case, Simon, don't you think you should get checked out at the infirmary? If it's been going on for over a week... maybe two... it could be something serious."
But Simon shook his head in refusal.
"I'm okay. Really, I am. Don't worry. If it gets any worse, I promise I'll go see Madam Celavan immediately."
Jack wasn't entirely satisfied with that answer, but he decided not to push the matter further for now, simply giving a reluctant nod of agreement. To distract them from their worries, Simon immediately dove into the story of how he had earned his spot in the team. Listening to his thrilling adventure, his friends finally relaxed a little.
In the days that followed, Simon found himself under the intense tutelage of Captain Vukasin. The Captain was far more demanding than Dean, pushing Simon to his absolute limits. He had to scramble just to keep up with the grueling pace.
In addition to his grueling training, Simon had to endure the envy of some senior trainees. The news that a mere first-year had not only joined the Exigros Trainees but was also rumored to be a potential Scarp had sparked deep resentment. Unable to voice their frustrations to Vukasin, they took it out on Simon instead.
Behind the Captain's back, they often bullied him into doing their chores—making him lug around their heavy weapons or spend hours cleaning their training equipment. Ever the selfless soul, Simon performed these tasks without a single word of complaint, quietly helping them even as it drained the last of his remaining strength.
On the other hand, Jack couldn't shake off his unease regarding Simon's chest pain. As soon as classes ended and Simon dashed off to the training grounds at full speed, Jack took action. He grabbed Kai by the collar and dragged him toward the library.
"Jackie, what are you doing?" Kai protested.
"You're going to help me find a book in the library. Now shut up and follow me," Jack commanded, leaving Kai with no choice but to tag along. Meanwhile, Toad and Finn had already headed back to the dorm.
They arrived at the library, where making even the slightest noise was forbidden. The Belanas were perched in the shadows, ready to bite anyone who dared to break the silence. Kai followed Jack's instructions, scanning the shelves, but the sheer volume of books was making his head spin. Jack, however, remained intensely focused, scrutinizing every single spine.
He was deeply unsettled by the sudden pain Simon had experienced in his chest. Sensing that something was terribly wrong, he began searching for information on a specific type of magic he had once heard his father mention—a secret he hoped to uncover within these dusty pages.
While searching, Jack spotted a thick, weathered volume. He pulled it out and carried it back to the table. The title, nearly faded into oblivion, read: Ancient and Vanishing Magic. Jack began flipping through the pages intently. Kai sat down across from him, watching him closely. Though Kai didn't fully grasp what Jack was up to, he felt instinctively that following Jack's lead was vital.
"Jackie, what exactly are we looking for?" Kai whispered cautiously. Jack adjusted his glasses and looked up.
"Don't you think it's strange that Simon's chest pain started so suddenly? For this to happen over the last week or two is... quite strange. He blames training, but Dean wouldn't push him to the point of heart pain. Besides, training makes your muscles ache, so why is his heart hurting?"
It was only after Jack's explanation that Kai began to truly consider the gravity of the situation.
"So, is that what you're looking for now?" Kai asked, glancing at the pages Jack was flipping through.
"Sort of," Jack replied, his eyes never leaving the yellowed pages. "I remember my father mentioning it when I was young. It's a type of magic that kills its victim slowly. It's an ancient power that granted by the Gods to only a few Chosens. This magic eats away at a person's heart, like a rot. It takes time, but it's devastatingly effective."
Kai's eyes widened in horror. The thought of Simon being under such a curse made his heart race.
"So, does that mean Simon is...?"
"I'm not sure yet. I'm still looking for clues. I need to cross-reference the symptoms and understand exactly how this magic functions," Jack replied, his focus intensifying.
Kai clenched his fists tightly, his heart aching for his friend. "Why... why would they do this? Simon hasn't hurt anyone. Why use such a cruel magic on him?"
Jack looked up, his grey eyes softening with an empathy.
"The fact that Simon is the son of the man who could destroy Mythaion... that's what points them in this direction. No matter how kind Simon is or how much he differs from his father, the belief that 'blood is thicker than water' is deeply ingrained in the minds of the Old-Bloods here."
"Useless, narrow-minded thoughts! Why can't they differentiate a son from his father?" Kai hissed in frustration.
Jack remained silent, letting out a soft sigh. To be honest, a part of him was still afraid of Simon. His cousins—his aunt's sons—had constantly warned him that Simon was the spitting image of his father, and having heard the terrifying tales of Cain Blackburn, Jack couldn't help but feel uneasy. Yet, looking at Simon now, he saw the differences Kai had pointed out. He wanted to believe in Simon—to believe that he wouldn't end up like his father.
While Jack was lost in thought, Kai was busy calculating who could be behind such a sinister act. "It's definitely Vermillion," Kai declared with absolute certainty.
Jack gave Kai an exasperated look. "Kai, do you not understand the part where I said I'm not sure yet? We haven't even confirmed if it's the magic I suspect, so don't go dragging Logan Vermillion into this."
"I'm dragging him in! Even if what you say is true, it's Vermillion. Simon beat him in front of the entire school... he's definitely holding a grudge. Think about it—Simon only started acting this way after their duel," Kai countered. Jack paused, considering it. It was a possibility. However...
"I doubt it. The Vermillions are masters of Fire Magic; it's been in their bloodline for generations. If Logan were to master any magic, it would be fire," Jack argued.
"But... but... maybe he's the exception? Maybe he found a way to get that 'slow-killing magic' you mentioned!" Kai refused to back down.
Jack sighed in exasperation. "Do you honestly not understand how Chosen magic works? Where is your mind during Master Ermik's classes?"
"Mostly on lunch..." Kai replied sheepishly.
"Don't get smart with me," Jack snapped, lowering his voice quickly as he realized how loud he'd become. He took a deep breath to calm down.
"The Gods only provide us with the source of power to channel magic; the magic itself is something we develop on our own. Old-Bloods can only master the specific magic inherent to their bloodline. It's the New-Bloods who have to discover which magic they are capable of mastering. Do you understand now?"
Kai thought it over, looking a bit puzzled. "So... you're saying a Vermillion couldn't have used that magic?"
"Exactly. Unless there was a family member capable of other arts, but the Vermillions are fanatics when it comes to Fire Magic. They only marry into other fire-wielding lineages to keep their bloodline pure. They're 'Pure-Bloods.' So, the chances of Logan using that specific magic are slim to none."
Only then did Kai let out a frustrated huff. Even though he knew Logan was unlikely to be the culprit based on Jack's logic, he still couldn't shake the feeling that Logan was somehow involved.
Kai's eyes widened as a new possibility struck him. "Jackie, what if Logan hired someone else who can use that magic?"
"Kai, you're being—" Jack started, but Kai cut him off.
"No, listen to me first. Master Ermik said we can't fully use magic yet because we're still at the age where we're just beginning to receive power from the Gods. So, it's true Logan can't use it himself. But what if he used someone else who can?"
Jack hesitated. Kai's logic was starting to carry weight.
"Think about it, Jackie. Since it's not a visible physical attack, the Masters wouldn't notice. Even you only connected the dots because of what your father told you."
Jack pondered. It was plausible, yet still a heavy accusation.
"Kai, that's just speculation. It's risky. Besides, we aren't even 100% sure Simon is under the influence of the magic I mentioned yet. We can't label anyone a culprit. Okay? For now, keep your biases in check."
"It's not about hate," Kai muttered. "I'm just exploring the possibilities."
Jack sighed and shook his head, continuing to flip through the pages. After a few minutes, he finally found it.
"Found it. It's a type of Cursing Magic. It's not a visible kind of magic. That's why there needs to be a physical barrier—a medium—to cast it. What could those physical barriers be?"
"Like skin contact?" Kai suggested.
Jack pondered for a moment. "Possibly. But it could be anything that acts as a bridge—direct touch, or even through an object like a weapon or a gift."
"It could be inside an object, or it could be cast through touch," Jack said. But as he read further, he found a crucial line: This magic cannot be cast through direct skin-to-skin contact.
Jack's eyes lit up. "It's an object. The object is the physical barrier. It's the medium."
"So, we have to find an item in Simon's possession that contains this magic? Let's go search right now!" Kai urged, ready to bolt.
"Wait..." Jack stopped him. Kai looked at him, confused, but Jack was deep in thought.
"We can't just go searching blindly. We still don't know for certain if this is what's happening. We need a plan—one that uncovers the truth without causing unnecessary trouble for anyone."
Kai sighed. He hated planning; it was tedious and time-consuming in his eyes. But he trusted Jack. He knew Jack was the one who could actually solve this, so he complied. The two of them slipped out of the library, finally able to speak more freely away from the watchful Belanas, and headed back to the dorm.
"Think, Kai. You're always with Simon, even during Christmas. What kind of gifts did he receive?" Jack asked as they walked.
Kai pondered. "Well, I saw the wool scarf I gave him, Toad's Lego set, the book from you, and Finn's Teddy bear. Oh, and the map he got from Mr. Ox back on Kolavati Island. That's all I've seen. I don't think Toad or Finn would ever do something like that..."
Jack considered this. He didn't want to suspect Finn or Toad either, but since the symptoms appeared after Christmas, every gift was a potential lead. The map seemed unlikely due to the time gap. Then, Jack shifted his gaze slowly toward Kai. If this were like the twists in the books he read...
Kai immediately sensed the implication and waved his hands frantically.
"Don't look at me like that! I'm a New-Blood! I only found out Simon's dad was a criminal after I got here!"
Jack rolled his eyes. "I know. I don't suspect you."
"But your eyes were literally saying it!"
"That's just how I look at everyone..." Jack replied flatly.
"You're really something else. If you keep looking at everyone like they're a criminal, you're going to get into trouble..." Kai teased. Jack didn't bother responding, merely rolling his eyes again. Kai grinned, his dimple showing, but then he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh! There's one more thing. The dagger Senior Dean gave him. He said it was a Christmas gift. Simon felt so guilty because he only gave the Senior a pen."
"A dagger?" Jack asked, his tone sharpening.
"Uh-huh. But Senior Dean is definitely out of the question... right? He's like an older brother to Simon," Kai added confidently.
Jack pondered for a moment before nodding slowly. "Right... out of the question..."
They finally reached the dorm. Inside Jack's mind, a plan was already being meticulously mapped out—a plan that Simon must never find out about.