Mia's Magic, Chapter 6
Mia's Magic: Chapter 6
Written by diamondgirl
Dinner itself was pretty uneventful. Kayura and the ex-Warlords had finally
adjusted to being on the same side as the Ronins and were calling them by their
first names instead of the names of their armors. Mia was still regaining her
energy, but since she'd eaten a lot at lunch she only had to eat a little more
than usual. After dessert, it was time to get down to business.
"Now, I know you came regarding my battle earlier," Mia began. "The man you saw
me fighting was Jared. I knew Jared a thousand years ago when I lived as a magic
user in Europe. No I'm not immortal. It was another lifetime. Jared was obsessed
with me, and put a spell on me so that I believed I was in love with him. He
bound me with a wizard's pact, and then let me burn for his actions. Now, unless
he gives up his claim on me, every lifetime I will be forced to be with him. For
that reason, I am intent on defeating Jared."
Kale and Sekhmet looked at each other, then looked at Mia again. Kale asked the
question on both their minds. "What about those swords? The jittes you used
looked a lot like Kayura's old Star Swords." Mia thought about this for a moment
before responding.
"They _were_ the Star Swords. I used them frequently when defending my village
long ago, and this is the first time since that I've used them. I've never used
their full power, but I know it's greater than anything Kayura dished out."
Hearing this, the guys all paled as they remembered how powerful Kayura had
been.
"Now you know why we don't mess with Mia," Kento said, drawing at least a smile
from everyone present. The group talked for a while longer, then Kayura's group
left while the rest started winding down. Yuli had school in the morning, and
Mia and the guys had work. After going through the usual routine, everybody went
to bed. Sleep eventually claimed the house, and a new day approached.
* * * * * * *
_Attacking where Morgan could defend the Ronins was foolish of me,_ Jared
thought as he ate. The shades were pulled so that no one could see inside the
apartment. _I'll have to take them down separately, before she can get wind of
me. Who should I go after next? Strata will be more cautious now. Perhaps . . .
yes. He should be an easy target._
Smiling to himself, Jared began to plan as he ate.
* * * * * * *
Yuli sat quietly in his first period class, trying to listen to his teacher.
Unfortunately, his mind kept drifting to that morning before breakfast, when Mia
had given Yuli a second charm to wear on his wrist. It was a bracelet, braided
with strings the same color as each of Mia's magic candles. Mia had insisted he
wear it, because the magic it contained would completely protect him from
Jared's magic. Now Yuli was fiddling with it as Mrs. Miura went on and on about
the scientific method.
Yuli was caught by surprise when the lights flickered off. His bracelet was
getting warmer, and Yuli was pretty sure it meant Jared was getting ready to
attack. As Mrs. Miura flicked the light switch on and off, trying to get the
lights to work, Yuli decided he had to get everyone to safety.
"Mrs. Miura, it won't work," he stated, standing up. "You have to get out of
here." Mrs. Miura turned to Yuli, not sure whether to believe him.
"What makes you say that, Mr. Yamano?"
"I know the guy who's doing this. He's obsessed with Mia, the woman I live with,
and is attacking all of us guys who live with her until she goes with him. I
think he's after me now."
"And why should you be allowed to face him alone?"
"Jared is a dangerous guy, and I'm the only one he won't be able to hurt. You
have to believe me!" Yuli was getting desperate-the bracelet was vibrating now,
as if short-circuiting. Jared was closing in, Yuli was sure of it.
Suddenly all of the windows exploded into the classroom. Jared could be seen
floating outside, his eyes gleaming maliciously. He drifted into the room,
focused on his target. "Hello, little Yuli," he said. "I've come to kill you
now!" Jared muttered something in an unfamiliar language, and a concentrated
blast of magical energy flew at Yuli.
Jared's spell did not have the desired result. The bracelet glowed, and Jared's
spell dissolved inches away from Yuli. Several students screamed, and others
fainted. Mrs. Miura went white, then took charge. She quietly told everyone to
leave the room, getting those who had fainted out also. The students obeyed, and
the first was about to leave when Jared noticed. The door slammed shut, trapping
everyone in the room. Turning back to Yuli, he caught sight of the bracelet.
"I see Morgan protects you even when she is cannot be physically present," Jared
growled. "Looks like I'll just have to resort to brute force." Jared lifted a
chair in his hands and swung it at Yuli. The boy ducked, but was caught
off-guard with another swing. Yuli was immediately knocked unconscious, and
Jared removed the bracelet from his wrist. As the class watched in confusion and
terror, Jared slung Yuli over his shoulder and vanished into thin air.
* * * * * * *
Mia felt a chill go through her, and the bracelet on her wrist dropped to the
floor. She knew immediately what it meant: Jared had Yuli. Mia had to get the
others back to the house immediately.
Pretending she'd just been paged, Mia looked at her pager then back at the
class. "I have to go, so class is dismissed for today. Don't forget your papers
on legends in the real world is due on Thursday!" Mia packed up her papers as
college students flooded out of her classroom, then dashed out as well. Pulling
out her cell phone, Mia dialed Cye at the restaurant.
"Just Turf restaurant. No seafood here," a young man answered.
"Hello, I'd like to speak to Cye," Mia said. "Tell him it's an emergency."
"Hold on a sec. Hey, Cye! Come chick's on the phone, says it's an emergency. One
of your girlfriends?"
In the background, Mia could hear Cye. "Keiji, honestly! Didn't your parents
teach you manners? Give me that!" A moment later, "Hello? May I ask who's
calling?"
"Cye, it's me."
"Mia, what's wrong?"
"Jared got Yuli," Mia explained. "I need all of you guys back at the house
pronto."
"Okay. Hold on a sec," Cye replied, and yelled instructions to Keiji, who had a
radio blaring American rock music. "I'm leaving right now, Mia," Cye said.
"Good. Be careful, Cye," Mia finished, and hung up. Then she called Rowen at the
planetarium, where he'd taken his high school science class for a field
trip-he'd received his teaching certification early by excelling in all his
classes. Rowen wasn't the only teacher from the school there, so he was able to
leave, saying it was a family emergency. In a way this was true, since Mia,
Yuli, and the Ronins were like a family now.
Sage was able to get his brother-in-law to cover the rest of his kendo classes
for the day, and Ryo was able to call in a favor at the zoo with one of his
buddies there. Kento didn't have anything to do at the landscaping company* that
day, so he got out easiest of all.
{*=Yes, Kento is a landscaper in this story! The Armor of Hardrock gives him a
connection to the earth that, among other things, allows him to understand how
to make a certain area look best.}
Everyone made it to the house safely, and Mia got right down to business. "This
morning, I made sure to give Yuli extra protection against Jared's magic, since
he doesn't have an armor or anything like that to protect him. I also put a
signaler in the bracelet I gave Yuli, so that if Jared got him, the bracelet on
my wrist would fall off. I called you all because this is exactly what
happened," Mia explained. "I can't rescue Yuli on my own, and I need you guys to
be safe. Recent events have shown me that some of you will be able to help me
against Jared; more specifically, Cye and Rowen. You have magical potential like
none I have seen in years, and with some training you should be able to go to
battle-form. Are you willing to learn?"
Rowen and Cye looked at each other, then at the others, and at last back at Mia.
Swallowing, Rowen spoke up. "I'll learn. If I could handle helping defeat Talpa
and becoming the high school's favorite science teacher, I can learn magic."
"Nice attitude, Rowen, and thank you. Cye?"
"I never did like fighting," he sighed. "But I will fight to protect my friends,
and anyone who thinks I won't do this can go and rot in bloody Hell for all I
care." This statement shocked the group a bit, since Cye was such a good-natured
guy, but given the circumstances it was understandable. Mia nodded, then stood,
heading for the back yard. It was time to begin their training.
* * * * * * *
Jared sat in the old Japanese castle where he kept the boy prisoner. He knew
Morgan wouldn't come to rescue Yuli without a plan. She might bring backup, too.
Until then, Jared could prepare for her arrival. He might even entertain himself
by torturing the boy. Oh, my, what to do . . .
Anyone within earshot could have heard a teenage boy's screams.
* * * * * * *
"Focus on your magical elements, guys," Mia instructed. "Cye, focus on the
water, on the life-giving liquid that sustains and destroys. Rowen, focus on the
air, on that which separates Earth from space. Now focus on your armors, which
draw strength from these elements."
Cye and Rowen did as Mia told them, focusing on their elements and armors. It
wasn't helping a whole lot. Cye was about to mention this when Mia spoke again.
"Focus on your sure-kills. Focus, but keep the energy inside you. When you've
gathered so much energy it feels you're about to explode, you'll see a doorway.
Direct the gathered energy at the door and release it; this will open the door
and connect you to the universal magic. That is how you go to battle-form."
Cye did as Mia told him, focusing on his Super Wave Smasher attack. Slowly then
energy began to gather, then more quickly as Cye blocked the outside world.
Suddenly there was too much energy; it felt like he really was going to explode,
and Cye could see a door, as Mia had said. He released the gathered energy in
that direction, and felt a rush of power as the door opened. Cye opened his
eyes, which now glowed with a blue light similar to the light now glowing from
Mia's.
In Cye's hands he held his yari, the trident-like weapon of his armor seeming as
easy to carry as when Cye was fully armored. He looked over to Rowen, watching
as the collapsible yellow bow appeared in his hands and the limitless quiver on
his back. Rowen's eyes also glowed blue, which seemed a bit redundant with his
blue irises, hair, and headband.
"Would you two stop gawking at each other?" Mia said, breaking the near-silence.
"I need to get you two used to battle magic." When they looked at her, Mia
continued the lesson. "First thing you need to know how to do is attack. I'll
cast a leech-shield, and you try to hit me using magic." Mia muttered the spell
she'd used the day before, and got to work training Rowen and Cye hot to fight
the most powerful way magic users could. It was the only way they'd stand a
chance against Jared.
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