The Academy of Magical Arts 2: A New Life

Chapter 7: Inner Darkness

  ~Noelina~
  Grandmother had returned with the medicine a few hours later. Raynor and I went outside by the pond to read about alchemy. Daphne had to return to her family for a reunion, and won't be back until Christmas Eve. Michael and his family had to visit his grandparents, for their grandmother is sick. All our parents were making preparations for the Christmas celebration and my birthday. I told them that it would be fine if we left all the Christmas decorations up for my birthday, but they said that they wanted different ones for the occasion. Everyone was always busy this time of year, but was always excited.

  "Did you find anything?" I asked.

  "Nope." Raynor replied. "These books are centuries old, I doubt that we'll find anything."

  "It's worth it to try." I said. "Who knows, maybe we could add up two experiments and it could get rid of the dark magic."

  "That could be true." He said.

  "Hello!" We heard someone yell. We saw Eryx by the gate.

  "Eryx! What are you doing here?" I asked, letting him through. "Don't you usually help your parents prepare for Christmas?"

  "They're out getting a tree right now." He said. "What are you guys up to today?"

  "We're just reading about alchemy." I said.

  "Alchemy? What for?" He asked.

  "Turns out, Noelle has dark magic inside her body." Raynor explained. "We're trying to see if alchemy could fix it, so she doesn't have to take medicine forever."

  "Dark magic?! Noelle, that's extremely dangerous!"

  "I'm relying on my medication right now." I said. "It's nothing to worry about, really."

  "'Nothing to worry about?!'" Eryx exclaimed. "Dark magic can take over white magic much easier than if it was the other way around! This is something you have to fix!"

  "We're not professionals, you know." I said.

  "My grandfather used to be a professional alchemist." He said. "Maybe I could ask him."

  "Please do." Raynor said. "We're not getting anywhere with these books."

  "Got it." Eryx replied. "See ya later."

  ~Raynor~
  We walked back to the castle because it was getting cold.

  "I don't like that guy." I said.

  "Why?" Noelle asked. "Are you jealous?"

  Well, technically that is true. "I don't like that he's willing to fight me for you."

  "Please don't." She said. "I don't want any violence with this."

  "Sometimes, we can't help ourselves. We both want what we want."

  "Well, we shouldn't focus on that right now. We're trying to get rid of the dark-" She said dropping her staff and falling to the ground. A dark light engulfed her.

  "Noelle?!" I yelled. "What's happening?" As soon as I neared her, the dark magic sparked.