The students approached the platform to choose their props, Dorin was about to do the same when he noticed Seb aiming his cellphone at him.
"Hey, did you take my picture?" he asked with a grin, "Let me see!" They both looked at the camera phone. The photo, like the ones earlier, was blurred.
"Again!" said Dorin with a frown, keeping as steady as he can.
Seb took another snapshot with the same results.
"What gives?" Dorin wondered aloud.
[You probably have an anti-photo charm on you.] wrote Seb.
"What for?" the other asked.
[Ask your mom] Seb replied on the slate. Before Dorin could say another word, Seb went to the boxes to take the only remaining props in the box. A toy snare drum with sticks tied to the sides, and a creepy wind-up monkey with an evil sneer on its face.
"Hey, you're Sebastian, right?" called one of the students to Seb. "Do you have some extra film on you?"
[What type?]
"135 film please, 12 shots," the guy replied. Seb reached into one of his inner pockets and pulled out a small box of film. "Thanks," said the guy, handing him some money.
"Do you have all kinds of film in there?" asked Dorin, eyeing Seb's coat which didn't look bulky in any way.
[Yup. I also have slides, the older, the more expensive.]
Just then Josiah called for their attention. "Please note that you will be submitting a total of 4 photos today; 2 pictures to show the difference between wide and narrow aperture, and 2 pictures to show the difference in shutter speed. You can take as many photos as you want and choose 4 from the stack after we get them developed."
"Oh, we get to develop them today?" asked Dorin. Josiah ignored him."
"You have 2 hours to take pictures," the lecturer continued, "you may take it here inside the room or you may step outside. Your subject for today is the toy you chose from our boxes. Anastasia and I will be available if you have any further questions."
"We will have our lunch break at 12 noon,” said Anastasia “but before you leave, please put the toys back in the boxes. The class will resume at 1 pm"
[Let's go.] wrote Seb.
The two decided to step outside to take pictures under the natural light. Seb placed the creepy monkey on a wooden fence, the woods as the background, and started taking photos.
[Take the drums and play behind the sneering monkey.] he told Dorin, writing fast.
"Like this?" he asked while Seb took pictures of the monkey with him playing in the background.
Dorin took a couple of pictures of the monkey too, then of Seb, then of a curious red fox peeping between the trunks of 2 beech trees in the woods.
[Don't take too many pictures, your film might run out.] wrote Seb. [You also took photos last night, right? There are only 36 shots in that camera. You can't just put in a new one since we need to develop the roll later.]
"Oh, I still got... 17 shots remaining," said Dorin, looking at the frame indicator. "Can you stand under the sun with the drum?" Seb did as he was asked and gave a drum roll as Seb took some pictures. He focused on Seb's hand as it beat the drum, the sun behind him.
"I heard there’s a photo contest after the camp?" he asked Seb.
[Yup. 1st place is a high-end twin-lens reflex camera.] wrote his friend, [Reason why I joined.]
"Woah, a vintage camera, huh?" Dorin mused, "That would be nice, but I'm already content with my SLR." he grinned. “Besides, a new digital camera would be of no use to me back home where there is no electricity.”
[Are you finished? We still got about 2 hours before lunch]
"Then, how about a trip around campus while we look for somewhere to eat?"
Seb nodded in reply.
They made their way, following a path leading away from the cabin, out of the woods, and into an area that Dorin recognized.
"Hey, this is that place last night where we left Margarette near the gates!" he looked around and ran to the side of the wall. "It's my tiller... you planted it!" he touched the branch of laurel. New leaves were already sprouting from it. Seb watched him closely.
[That is a branch of a golden bay laurel tree. It only grows in the southern lands.] he wrote.
"Yeah, my mom brought a twig once and planted it in our garden. I see you have planted it as well." he touched the branch again, "It's deeply rooted in the ground, I'm guessing you're a wood element?"
[Something like that.] replied Seb.
"So you can help plants grow? I bet you have a great garden back home."
[A herb garden for my spell ingredients.] Seb wrote, [I have been wondering how you used the branch to fly, it hasn’t been embedded long with power, you mentioned a rudder?]
"I just needed something to sit on while traveling, and it helps with turning directions, less stress on the wind magic."
[You were using pure wind magic to fly?] Seb asked.
"Yup, wanna see?"
[Yes, please.]
Dorin gave a whistle. The air started to stir. Another whistle and a gale lifted him up to the air. Seb held on to his coat. With a third, higher note, Dorin started to move around, first one direction, then the other, and soon he was flipping in the air.
"Wow, the charm aunt Agate gave me really works wonders! I feel so light and my magic is flowing out regularly!"
[It's a wonder you can fly at all. The whole university grounds has a magic suppressor of its own. Most students can't work magic inside the campus, particularly here, inside the inner walls.]
"Really?" Dorin asked, "How about you?" Seb was motionless for a while. He raised a hand. On his palm, water started to accumulate and overflow. He closed his hand and the water was gone, evaporating into the air. Perspiration dripped from his chin.
[That's the most I can do.]
"But the plant..."
[It was already flowing with your energy, all I had to do was focus on it to grow.] he wrote, [I would like to do some tests to gauge the magnitude of your magic, would you consent to that?] he asked.
"Sure, why not?" Dorin replied with a friendly grin, "But you need to show me around campus first!" he quickly added, "Besides, I'm starting to get hungry!"