Samantha Rye and the Magic Girl High

‘So explain to me one more time how Apocolyptia’s here?’

‘It’s simple, really. Your mind is tethered physically to this plane of existence, and she is in the Void where she is tethered to your physical existence. So, I just created a conduit from this place through you to the void that A-chan can astral project some of her consciousness through so that she can spend some time here with us instead of being stuck in that dark bleak place.’

‘Then why is she a kid?’

‘That is so like you to gloss over me calling her A-chan.’

‘That’s only because I haven't found a more fitting name.’

‘Pffft. So cute. Anyway, I had a limited time to work on the conduit, so she only was able to get enough of her consciousness through to have the appearance and mentality of a child. Hence A-chan.’

‘So it’s not all of her, just a piece?’

‘If that helps you understand it better.’

‘So what happens when I go home?’

‘She will still be here. You leaving doesn’t break your connection with her.’

‘So I can just bond with her after I get home?’

Iggy then broke into a fit of laughter, falling out of her seat onto the ground. A-chan continued to sip her tea and take small bites out of a sugar cookie like nothing was happening. I waited patiently while she attempted to claw her way from the ground back into her seat.

‘Pfffft….Sorry, that was...pffft...that was rude of me. I won’t explain why that’s so funny yet. Let’s just say that cosmically it’s hilarious. In a good way...It’s always a good way with you.’

‘Oooook. Well, I’m just going to go allocate my newly acquired Mana and get going then. Enjoy your tea party! It looks fun, really. I’ll talk to you all later!’

‘Don’t be a spoiled sport. Besides, once you take one look at what your vindictive little subconscious cooked up, you will probably dump most of your remaining Mana in the new skill in thirty seconds flat. Sit and join us. Or would you rather be staring down those two awkward knights for the next several hours?’

‘Point taken. But now you have me really interested in the new thing on the Magus Stone.’

‘Then hurry up. The tea is getting cold and there is only so much A-chan here can talk about right now.’

I turned and walked back into the temple and looked at the stone tablet. The three colorless orbs from before were now glowing blue with the power I had placed in them. The keystone and the yellow orb both seemed larger as well. Off of the yellow orb, a branch had appeared that led to a colorless orb around the same size as the other three branching orbs.

I touched the new orb and felt both a skill and clarity come into my mind. It was as if a stack of puzzle pieces were all coming together.

‘Wait, if this is right then everything I thought was right!’

‘Mm.’

A-chan was suddenly beside me. Her little head was cocked to the side, looking at me with eyes that seemed to stare into infinity.

‘So the war is a war for resources between the Fairies and the Revenant. When they kill each other, they don't die, they just lose Aura. Which is why the girls were unconscious from being killed by the Troll when they are unaffected by killing each other. It absorbed some of their Aura.’

‘Mm.’

‘So the Fairies don't hold the Aura then, it’s still in the Fairybond. And when they lose Aura, they grow weaker. That’s why the Troll gave me so much Aura. It had taken it from so many other girls already that day.’

‘Mm.’

‘So then what happens to the world when I purify all of the Aura left in the world. What happens to the Fairies and Revenant when there is no more Aura for them to fight over.’

‘Mm! Mm!’

I look one more time at the shard of the fairies consciousness and she is grinning maniacally from ear to ear. It’s quite disturbing to see such a small child make such a face.

I excitedly touched the orb and pushed Mana into it. It hungrily sucked everything I had left. Just as I thought I was not going to have enough, the name of the skill came into my mind.

‘Aura Thief.’

‘Well Magus, if you are done with your riveting monologue, I have some apple tarts on the table that I’m sure you will find to your liking. So please hurry over.’

I walk over and pick up A-chan and hold her in my arms like a doll. She wrapped her arms around my neck and looked towards the doorway.

‘Well we can't keep an apple-flavored treat waiting, can we?’

‘Mm!’

-

I awoke to the sound of metal screeching and the lingering taste of apple tea on my lips. Iggy really went all out to spoil me and get me to stay in that last hour. I looked out the window to see us passing through a gate affixed to a stone wall easily three times the size of the school’s outer walls. I felt a barrier in place as we passed through. I wondered if that is Victoria’s work as well.

On the other side of the wall was a bustling city of people. We traveled through the main street where dozens of shops lined both sides. The smell of freshly baked bread lingered in the air. It was surprisingly clean for a medieval-looking city. Very few carriages were seen in use and most of the people walked to where they were going.

I began to wonder what I was going to do for food and shelter while I was here. With travel restricted, would they even have hotels or inns? What job could I do to earn money while still hunting for Revenant? I was good with a sword, but I didn't know if I had any skill in trapping or hunting.

Seemingly reading my thoughts, the blond-haired knight cleared his throat and spoke up.

‘With your skill with a sword, you can probably become a great wall legionnaire. I will personally vouch for your skills if you would like. You are a bit young, but you would move through the ranks quickly. It’s guaranteed room and board and some extra spending money.’

‘Thank you. I will consider it.’

We are suddenly disturbed by the giggling of the princess.

‘Oh no, you don’t. You think you are going to take her away from me that easily, Alder! No, we are dropping you off at the barracks and then I’m taking her to see the second princess!’

The blond knight’s face was pale and full of shock. The black knight's face grew pale and his eyebrows ticked up a notch more than usual.

‘You’re gonna scare her off before she even gets settled in, though. She’ll be jumpin' the wall by nightfall.’

‘Ufufufu. Once she is hooked, Mother and Father won’t be able to resist you staying in the castle with me! We can have such fun times together!’

She grabbed my hands with an excited wild look in her eyes. I couldn’t help but feel like I was going to become a new house pet. Well, if it came to that, I really would just jump the wall. I couldn't be kept too long from gathering more Aura.

After a few minutes of travel, I could see what looked like a barracks coming up. It had a cleared training ground where soldiers exercised and ran drills. There was a smaller section where several women in colorful costumes threw magic attacks at each other. As I looked, my hand began to feel warm.

‘Um, Clem.’

‘Yes, Sam.’

‘Can I have my hand back?’

‘No.’

‘I want you to look at that gorilla’s face first, and then answer me.’

She looked over to where the black-haired knight was seated. His face was as stoic as ever, yet his eyebrows were cocked almost 45 degrees upward and his cheeks were a slight flush of pink. He was staring intently at the two of us holding hands. He suddenly snapped out of his stare after a few seconds.

‘Ah, isn’t callin’ someone a gorilla a bit rude, though? I wasn’t harmin’ anyone.’

Clem blushed and then dropped my hand and sighed. The blond-haired knight chuckled a bit and shoved his elbow into the other knight's side.

‘You really need to learn how to read the mood, Rylan.’

‘But Alder, I didn’t do nothin’ though? I’m just sittin’ here mindin’ my own.’

‘Sure, sure. Well here is where we get off. Call on us anytime your Highness. We live to serve.’

‘It’s been a pleasure, Sir Grey. And I will see you again Sir Archon.’

‘But it wasn’t a pleasure, though? Well, it was a pleasure for me, Your Highness. ’

The gorilla and the blond-haired knight got out and waved goodbye. They once again asked me to stop by the barracks again when I had the chance. We continued on through the city toward what I can only assume was the center.

As we traveled, Clem scooted uncomfortably close to me and looked out my window. She began to tell me stories about growing up in the city, what restaurants are good, and what places you should avoid if you didn't want to get into any trouble. She talked about the history of the city and how it was half its size before the Revenant forced everyone to live behind a wall. It would have been a lot more interesting if she wasn’t leaning so close to me.

‘Ah, we should almost be able to see it now!’

She leaned in close and almost put her cheek against mine as she pointed up into the sky. I looked up but couldn't see anything through the tall buildings.

‘See what?’

‘The castle!’

The road turned and revealed a giant island floating above the city. There were several hot air balloons floating around it. On top was a large castle surrounded by vegetation. From this distance, it looked massive and I couldn’t help but show how impressed I was.

‘Wow! It’s so huge. What holds it up in the air?’

‘Special stones from the north that float. They were embedded in the ground by a Fairybond to cause it to float into the sky.’

‘Doesn’t the wind blow it away if it’s just floating like a balloon?’

‘No, it’s tethered to its location by another spell. You can hardly feel it sway either. It’s like being on a large ship on calm waters.’

‘Even in a storm?’

‘Well, it’s so high up that most storms go under it, but yes, it’s pretty stable.’

‘So, how do we get up? Balloons?’

‘Nope. Those.’

She points to the ground as two carriage-sized drakes take off and fly into the air. One was forest green with two tails and the other was azure blue and had feathers all along its tail and wings that spread out like fans.

‘So you have flying lizards, and you chose to come to the school in a carriage?’

‘You can't sleep or rest when you fly an avigator, and flying Revenant are terrifying compared to most of the ground ones. Believe it or not, the hippasaurs are faster.’

‘You guys sure do like your lizards for transportation. Do you have lizard boats too?’

‘Moatiles. They have big shells on their back that we put buoys on so it can't submerge. We have a proud history of breeding and taming various reptilian beasts of burden. It was once a proud export of the royal and noble families.’

Clem took out a small, thin, silver whistle from around her neck and blew into it. I heard a faint high pitch screech that was almost outside of my hearing range. I exaggerated a wince and wiggled my pinky in my ear.

‘You can hear that? I thought it was inaudible for humans.’

‘Just barely enough for it to be annoying.’

She giggled as a white lizard came barreling towards us in the air. It swooped down and landed in front of Clem and then snuggled into her like a dog that had waited too long for its master to return home.

Up close they really were magnificent creatures. Its head was easily the size of her upper body. Its form was sleek and curvy. Its eyes were large like a gecko and it had white scales covering its body. Its chest and parts of its wings and tail were covered in white iridescent feathers that reflected blues and purples. It looked as though it was wearing a feather boa.

‘Sam, meet Opal. She is my personal avigator.’

‘A fitting name, I see. So where is mine?’

‘It takes years of practice and finding a compatible animal before you can fly. You will be riding on the back with me.’

‘Aww. It can’t be that hard to get these things to like you. You just have to show a little tough love.’

I pulled out an apple and held it out to the creature.

‘But avigators are meat-eaters.’

‘So am I, but everyone loves an apple.’

Opal eyed the apple suspiciously. I took a small bite and then held it out again. It opened its mouth and I threw it in. It seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it so I decided to test the waters and jump on its back. I smoothly jumped up into the saddle and grabbed the reins. Opal stopped and looked confused for a bit, but then continued munching on her treat.

I held out my hand to Clem and as confidently as I could, I grabbed her hand and spoke with a deep voice.

‘Coming princess?’

She kind of squealed as I pulled her up into my lap. I placed her in front of me and scooted back a little. I could see her ears turn a little red.

‘Isn’t the maiden supposed to ride on the back?’

‘Sure, but I have no idea how to fly this thing, so you are going to have to take point on this.’

I hand her the reins and wrap my arms around her waist. I didn’t feel like seeing if I could use my air jump ability to land a fall from as high up as we were going.

‘Tally ho, princess.’

‘Tally ho?’

She shook her head back and forth like a dog shedding off water, and then pulled back on the reins and took flight. We headed upward toward the castle in the sky.