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We've been walking for almost a week now. Didn't know that travelling through a forest could take so long. Trees everywhere, blocking our vision. Jack says that it should only take a day or two from here on. Raven says that since Jack says that it's only a few days, it must be another week or so. I've learned plenty, from the strange pair. Jack is a general for Zero Division. A highly advanced "technician" organization, specializing in anything that requires more engineering skills than civilians.

Technicians are people with little or no magical talent and who concentrate on using high-tech weapons and are more focused on brutal attacks. Of course there are tacticians and people who "plan too damn much" according to Jack. He seems to prefer more action, less thinking. Although he does think very fast and cannot be too dim, since he's a general. He dislikes mages because he doesn't think that they "play fair". In his opinion, mages break the laws of physics and should be hung for that. To this, Raven simply replied: "So you'd rather have a machine 'breaking the laws of physics', huh?". Jack never got around to answering to that.

Mages are a little more complicated. They seem to be able to freely control an element, no matter what element is in question. However. All mages have an Overruling Element, which is their 'natural' one. Even if a mage were capable of practicing another element, besides his or her OE, they'd not gain full control over any other one.

Even if mages have different elements, they can all practice the same types of magic. This includes offensive, defensive and neutral. Offensive magic is simply attacks based on ones own element, whereas defensive is obviously defending with it. Neutral magic varies, since it isn't based on elements. Neutral magic includes body-altering (Which Jack and Raven think I'm subconsciously using) vision-altering that allows Raven, for example, to hunt, using a sort of heat-vision.

But what interests me most, is Seeking. According to Raven, Seekers are very rare. They are capable of tracking down anyone, anywhere and telling what they look like or even what their elements are and how well they can use them! Raven also added as a joke: "And some guys even say that Seekers can kill you from any distance, provided that they have practiced enough"

After talking with Raven for quite a long while, I noticed that he did crack lots of weird jokes but he didn't make them out of everything. He did have a serious side. After chatting with him, I also learned that he was only three years older than I was, 19! Raven is a Hunter. That means that no matter what he's asked to do by his superiors, he must do it. I like to think of him as a bounty-hunter but he disagrees with the thought. "Bounty-hunters sell their souls for money. I simply preserve my soul by hunting"

Sixth day

We stop. Raven seems worried. I can hear loud sounds in the distance but Jack assures me that it's safe. We're close to the city and that Raven is just pulling my leg.

Suddenly, Raven leaps into a bush. After a moment, he comes out, holding a girl. No older than Raven.

"So sis. You've gotta work on that sneaking around thing of yours. Not really working, huh?" He holds his 'sister' by her neck. She's struggling against his arms but to no avail.

"Let me go! I can walk on my own!" He lets her go. She falls on the ground, letting out a displeased grunt, as she hits the ground hard. "I just wanted to see the damn newbie". Raven taps her shoulder, gently but with some authority. "Hey. No cussing. You know better than that"

"Gee. Sorry" She looks at him with sarcasm overflowing. "I didn't know that I wasn't awwowed to tawk to the wittwe boy wike grownups"

I let out a silent snicker, hearing her talk to her brother like a child. She whips her head at me, glaring seriously.

"Do I amuse you?"

I swallow and put on an equally serious but apologizing front. "No ma'am" She laughs and covers her mouth, obviously struggling to hold tears back.

"That's definitely not necessary! I'm not even as old as Ravey there! Do you call him 'Sir'?"

"No... I don't"

Raven looks at me, jokingly. "Well you should! Weren't you ever thought about a little thing called 'respect your elders'?" He and his sister both burst out laughing. Jack sighs and gets up.

"Shay-Lee. Pleasure to meet you again"

"You can just call me 'Shay', ya know?"

"I know. But I prefer it this way"

"Fine. I'm not stopping you!" Out of nowhere, she hugs him. He doesn't seem bothered and mouths to me, while being squeezed to death: 'Perfectly normal'.

After a moment, she lets go of Jack and comes up to me. I study her appearance. She has the same pointy ears as Raven. She's almost my size. Her eyes are a bright green and she has the same never-ending mischievous smile, as Raven does.

"So. Ryu, right?"

"How does everyone know my name?"

"I don't know. You tell me"

"Magic?"

"That's right!" She smiles and pats my head, just like Raven did earlier. She looks at Jack, seriously.

"So. Are you taking him straight to the Council, or will you take a day off first?"

"I was thinking that it'd be better to wash up first, so we will take a day off. Just to rest, before heading to the hearing"

"Sounds like a plan. I've gotta go now, so see ya later!" She dashes off, suddenly, not even giving us a warning. I feel confused and Raven seems to pick this up.

"Don't worry. She hasn't called me 'Ravey' for years" He laughs. Then goes up to Jack. "So. Your place or my place?"

"Are you crazy? I'm not putting a foot in your place, after last time!"

"Aah. That was your own fault. And you knew that she drinks a bit too much" Raven says, trying his best to keep on a straight face. "Besides. We're going to have an under aged boy this time. I doubt that she's that bad"

I get curious by the minute. "What happened?" Jack blushes a bit, Raven bursts out laughing, again.

"Oh! God! You're learning fast!" Raven tries to speak between laughs. "My sister is... Kinda on the... Wilder side... And Jack here tried to escort her home, after she'd had a bit too much to drink. So. My sis hits on Jack and he refuses due to..." He laughs loudly and I look at Jack, waiting for him to finish the story, since Raven is obviously incapacitated at the moment.

"I... Refused due to..." He blushes a bit. "A malfunction". I take a moment to think, then laugh just as much as Raven, almost rolling on the grassy ground. Jack gets angry.

"That's not what I meant! I just... Forget it. We've got to wash up and sleep. Early rise tomorrow" He wanders off, leaving Raven and me on the ground, laughing our heads off.

A few hours after sunset

I found a waterfall. Lucky me. I undress quickly and soak myself into the cool water. I close my eyes and relax, still chuckling to myself about Jack's past adventure. I open my eyes and look at my reflection on the clear, calm water, seeing a pale-skinned, dark haired 16 year old boy. My reflection stares back at me with ice blue eyes, studying me, as I study it back. I look at the ugly bruise on my chest. I had almost forgotten it in all the hassle. It has cured pretty well. But it's still a sickly green color. I press on it a bit, just to check it out and I cringe. It hurts a lot. Even still. I got up from the water and ran my hands along my chest, down to my legs. I'm not too tall. But tall enough to have some bulk. I don't have huge muscles. I'm lean. I don't mind. Big muscles would just get in the way. I dry myself up, setting my hair in a ponytail, more out of habit than looks.

When I get back, I find Raven sleeping and Jack sitting down next to a staff of sorts. It seemed metallic but it was way too thick to be actually used as a proper spear.

"What's that for?"

"It's one of my own designs" He sighs and lifts the 'spear' up onto his hands. He twists a ring around it, on the but of the spear and it makes a loud clicking sound. After a moment, I notice that the big metal bar is actually switching it's shape. It's turning into a hammer! I look at the transformation in total awe. Even if it only takes a second, it's impressive. In just a few splits of a second, I see a huge hammer with a few spikes on the sides.

"That's so cool!"

"Yeah. If I could get the damn thing to work" He throws it on the ground and the hammer clicks back into a spear. "It doesn't keep the form long enough for me to do any damage with that" He buries his head in his hands.

"Hey... Why not ask for help?" I sit down next to Jack, looking worriedly at the general.

He sighs deeply, then gets up. "If I ask for help, people will think that I'm no good as an engineer. Then they'll shut down my project... No! I'll figure it out!" He gets up and picks the spear-as-a-hammer in his hands. I look at him, seeing him so distressed makes me worried. He doesn't get this way too often, from what I could tell.

"We're all a bit tired... We should go to sleep, if you're okay with that?"

He lets out a chuckle. "Why wouldn't I be okay with that? I am tired. So yes. It does make sense. We have to get up early tomorrow, anyways, so why not actually go to sleep early?"

I ask him. "Hey... What's the hearing about?"

He turns on a serious face. "It'll be ok. If they manage to pull magic from you, they'll probably send you to Longpoint. If not, you'll still have a place with the technicians, if you want of course"

"Longpoint... Sounds familiar..."

"It should! The tallest tower in the world is there! That's the Council's Mirror. Don't ask me why they call it that" He cracks a smile. "But it's surrounded by the famous Nine Circles. They make sure that nothing that they don't want in, gets in. Think of it as a fail-safe. If they don't want a mouse to get in, they lock down all Nine Circles. As far as I've been informed, the Circles, which are simply put; just nine round walls, block magic from flowing in the area inside them. If that were kept up for too long, everything inside the Circles would die, eventually. Ironically, that's where the battle-mages train. In the Council's Mirror. So if you do get there, make sure that they don't lock down the Nine Circles, while you're in there" He winks at me.

"Hehe... I'll make sure that won't happen" I smile back.

"So... Are you done with questions?" He asks, yawning.

"Not by a long shot. But I'll let you off the hook for now" I smile at him, yawning myself.

"Well. You really are a bright one" He pats my shoulder. "Lets head to bed then"

I rest myself on a makeshift bed that Raven made, while I was bathing. It was comfortable but I have slept in better beds. Still. No sense in complaining. I hold my swords close to me. I forgot to practice today! I get up, groaning at my own stupidity. I almost limp in my near-dreamy haze and head towards a clearing.

Two hours later

I'm standing with my swords in a striking stance. The same my sensei had, when Raven had disarmed him. I couldn't understand Ravens speed. It didn't make any sense. I always considered myself fast. That's how I win my fights! I out speed the opponent! I'd need a new way of fighting, if I want to spar with Raven.

I lunge at the darkness, imagining an opponent slashing at me. I duck and slide under my 'enemies' arm. I lift my right hand, slicing towards the neck of the enemy. But. He's too fast. He sees it coming. His arm drops over mine and I lose the sword to the wind. I switch to a left-handed stance and dance around my opponent, searching for a weakness. He doesn't give me any time. He lunges at me and I raise my sword, hoping to catch his with my hook. I do. His sword gets caught and I flick his blade out of his hand. I drive the sword into the ground and press my own against the throat of my enemy. I won. I won a fight against nothing. How good am I?

I pick up my sword that lies on the ground, a few meters ahead of me. I check the blade and notice that it's in perfect condition, as always. I smile to myself and let out a sigh.

"Nothing gets to you, huh" I start walking towards our makeshift camp and lay my head on the not-so-pleasant 'bed'. I start thinking about the following day and I am both nervous, as anxious to meet Iris and the Council. It all sounds so interesting. I want to know more about magic that lets people move faster than the eye, as well as technology, which makes spears turn into hammers in a blink of an eye. I let the fantasies settle in and I give in to the safe, soothing darkness. The only one thing I know for sure in the world. Darkness is always present, no matter how many lights are on.