Magi

Magi Chapter 5

The next day, Shirou taught Hayako about incantations.

"Mana is always reacting to the words of magi," he began, "even now, as we speak, it reacts in subtle ways. Incantations are certain word combinations that yield useful results."

"I know," said Hayako, "I'm familiar with the concept of incantations, I just don't know very many."

"Very many? I find it hard to believe even a prodigy knows any at your age."

"I know two."

"Two? You can't mean..."

"A seal and a release."

"What happened?"

"I was bullied as a child because of my hair. One day, in middle school, I stood up for myself and nearly killed all the bullies. Knowing that a magus's strength is mostly proportional to their mana output, I did some research and sealed most of my mana. I haven't released it since."

"Interesting... Well, I'll teach you some more incantations."

"Okay."

"Here's a good one. Oh, source of all life descend, Rain!"

Some of the mana in the area turned into water and fell.

Hayako tried the same incantation and quickly got results. The two spent the rest of the day trying various incantations. At the end of the session, Shirou congratulated Hayako.

"You learned in a week what usually takes years," he said, "Good job. The only thing I have left to teach you is freeform transmutation, but even you can't learn that in the time we have left."

"Okay," said Hayako.

"Before you go, take this."

Shirou produced a black hooded cloak with "Shirou's Academy" written in white on the back in kanji.

"Wear it during the tournament. It'll make you look cool and mysterious and you can whip it off dramatically when you get serious. The more of a show you put on, the more popular you'll be and the more Mr. Sawano'll be inclined to listen to you. Plus, if you do well, and you will, it'll be great advertisement."

That evening, Hayako and Suzuku looked up Sawano Industries warehouse eleven and went to the industrial district to find it. After about twenty minutes of searching, they found the building. It was old and run down looking, showing its years of disuse. Hayako and Suzuku went inside.

Inside, they turned on their phones' flashlights and looked around. They saw several young magi, lying chained up and unconscious on the ground.

"This is awful," said Suzuku. "Hayako, help me get them out."

"Right," said Hayako.

Hayako cut the chains off with mana while Suzuku tried to wake up the children.

Suddenly, Hayako sensed a spear of mana moving toward Suzuku. Hayako quickly threw up a barrier that shielded Suzuku. She then looked around to see that they were surrounded by several magi.

"I can't believe they came alone," said one of them, "After letting the others live."

"A trap," said Hayako.

"Where's my sister?" said Suzuku.

"Sorry girl, your reunion's been cancelled," said the magus.

The magi closed in. Hayako threw up a ring of mana around her and Suzuku and lit it on fire. The magi jumped back.

"You can't get us with the same cheap tricks," said the magus who had spoken before.

The magi launched several spears of mana. Hayako let the flames die out and created a ring of frozen mana. The spears impacted the wall uselessly.

"Suzuku, get out of here, I'll buy you time," said Hayako.

"But...," said Suzuku.

"I'm going to do something big and I don't want you getting caught in it, go."

"Right."

Suzuku bolted for the door. Hayako shielded her from all the spears launched at her and created several blocks of frozen mana above the magi and dropped them. The magi all dodged Hayako's attacks, but that was okay. She was only trying to get Suzuku out unharmed.

Suzuku managed to get out unharmed. Hayako created a dome of frozen mana around herself and began to speak.

"Just give up," said the magus from before, "I told you, you can't get us with your tricks."

"I think I can," said Hayako, "My body is scarlet flame, my bones are tinder, my blood is steel. Embers are my tears and heat is my breath. I shall render all things to ash, Inferno!"

A wave of fire spread out through the warehouse, catching every magus and the building itself on fire. The magi screamed and rolled on the ground, trying desperately to put the flames out.

"Let me help you with that," said Hayako, "My breath is cold, my body stiff. My tears are snowflakes, and my blood is ice. On this darkest of days, all shall freeze to death, Winter Solstice!"

Instantly, all the mana in the area was converted into ice, quenching the flames and freezing all the magi.

Carving a path out of the ice, Hayako calmly walked out of the warehouse, thawing and carrying the children as she went. She walked out to Suzuku.

"Problem solved," said Hayako.

"That's scary," said Suzuku.

"What's happening?" said a man in a lab coat, running up to Hayako and Suzuku, "I came when I saw the flames!"

"Who are you?" asked Hayako.

"I'm Oshikawa Sayuto," said the man, "I work at the Magi Research Center nearby."

"We seem to have stumbled on some kind of magi trafficking ring."

"Have you seen my sister?" asked Suzuku, holding up her phone.

"That's terrible. Can't say I have," said Oshikawa.

"Can we trust you with these children?" asked Hayako.

"Of course. We're fully equipped with medical facilities too. I'll make sure they're healthy and find their way home."

"I think we better come with you and see," said Suzuku, "Just to be safe."

"Of course. Follow me."

"So, you must really like magi to be researching them, huh?"

"I believe that if humans and magi are to get along, we must better understand each other and I believe that these things are possible."

The three talked and walked as they headed to the Magi Research Center. When they got there, everything seemed to check out, so Suzuku and Hayako left the children in Oshikawa's care.

The two then went back to their hotel for the night and slept.