In the end, Professor Dupont decided to walk Margarette half way to the Military Department. She was against it at first, but the good natured professor convinced her that he had been planning to drop by the Science and Technology Department to visit Professor Newton. Johan simply waved as they parted, while Dorin accompanied Sebastian to see his aunt Althea in the Infirmary.
"Well, the arm seems to be healing nicely, nothing to worry about there." Althea said after checking up on Sebastian. "The burns might take a while to fade though."
She took some patches and placed it on top of the burnt wounds after applying some ointment on it, then wound bandages around his arm. "No need for a sling, just keep it clean and dry."
[Thank you professor Althea.] wrote Seb, inspecting his right arm.
"And as for you..." she said, addressing Dorin, "Here's the other charm I told you about." She handed him another translucent bracelet woven from thaums of magic thread. "Remember to keep it hidden."
"Won't it be detected when I pass the university gates?" Asked Dorin as he unlaced his left boot.
"Don't worry, I've placed an override spell on them," reassured his aunt. "The only way to detect them is if you decide to show them to other people. It's meant to look invisible to the naked eye, unless you know what it is."
"You can make conditions like that?" Dorin asked wide-eyed.
"It depends on the purpose of the weaver."
[Professor, if you don't mind me asking] wrote Seb, [for someone so gifted in charms, why are you only teaching medical arts?]
"Hmph. I prefer to keep a low profile," she replied, "and I would appreciate it if you keep this knowledge to yourselves."
The 2 left shortly after the check-up. The moon was out and its full face lit up the way as they walked back to the dormitories. There is hardly any light in the path, the dim light from the medical building being too far away, but the stars and the moon were in plain sight.
"Tomorrow morning, we'll be given the prizes for the photography contest, then I'll be heading back home..." Dorin said, partly to himself.
[Or you can stay and enter the university] Seb wrote, holding the slate up for Dorin to see.
"I've been thinking that too..." the other said. "I think of all the stuff I could learn here, the things I could see... all the food I could eat..." he sighed, "But then I remember our house in Monarch forest, and my pets, and my plants, and how mother would blow up when she comes home and finds me missing..."
[You could always come back] wrote Seb. Dorin looked at him sadly and gave a deeper sigh.
"You have no idea how my mother can be..." he shook his head, looked down at his feet, "Mother's only refuge is our home... whenever she comes back, all tired and battered from wherever she has to go to work, she would put her arms around me and weep silently..."
Dorin looked up at the moon, his face blank, unreadable.
Seb walked quietly by his side.
"If I leave that place..." he said to the moon, "it would completely break her."
A sudden sound made the two turn around. Behind them, behind some bushes, the darkness was moving. Seb was trying to make the shapes out when his good arm was suddenly tugged by Dorin.
"Look out!" Dorin ducked, pulling Sebastian with him just as a projectile passed over their heads.
Seb didn't have time to think. Words appeared and faded from his slate. He saw figures, blending with the dark foliage, visible only due to its movement.
[It's camouflage magic.] he thought, as his mind raced for a counter spell and his hand went under his cloak, passing over various bottles in hidden compartments. His fingers stopped over a small greenish bottle and pulled it out in one fluid motion, flinging it at the advancing figures.
With a flash, the bottle shattered, revealing 3 figures in front of them, surrounding them.
"Who are you?" asked Dorin, seemingly unfazed, "What do you want?"
The figures kept silent. Two of them held a weapon made of metal, with some kind of elastic band on the pointed tip, they aimed it at the 2 students and fired.
The elastic bands expanded and made to wrap itself around Dorin and Sebastian, but with a sharp whistle, the elastics changed direction, as if hitting an invisible barrier. One hit a nearby tree, enclosing it in a kind of elastic sheet, while the other was lost in the woods.
"I won't ask again," said Dorin. He swiped his left arm down, the wind rising in a spiral, sharp enough to cut the nearby bushes.
Their two attackers stepped back, while the remaining one came forward, carrying a staff of dark ebony. The staff was raised, magical words were spoken, and a rain of fire fell upon the 2 friends.