"Did you catch that? The woman addressed the person on the phone as 'High Luminary Feirau'," Robert noted. Just then, the aroma of something burning jolted his attention back to the grill, prompting him to take out the sizzling fillets with tongs and plate them.
"So..." Zack let his sentence trail off, expecting Robert to continue. He showed no interest Robert's meal, apparently full of his own.
"High Luminary... I've come across that term before. And if I'm not mistaken, it's got a lot of things to do with..." Robert's eyes grew wider as a realization dawned on him.
"The Illumination Temple?" Zack asked.
"No... not the Illumination temple. The Black Fraggers."
"The Black Fraggers?!" Zack burst out. "You said that so calmly. Wait a minute, you're kidding. You're just messing with me, right? Stop it, no one jokes about that name!"
"Does anything about me scream, 'I'm kidding!'?"
"Oh, God!" The alarm in Zack's eyes was unmistakable. "And they're in this forest, probably not far from where we are!"
"Likely," Robert said thoughtfully, trying to sound casual even though his tone betrayed heavy unrest. "Are you sure this was just recorded?"
"Yeah, I was outside looking for water," Zack began, scratching the back of his neck, "and then I heard that sound - boop-boop - you know, the one phones make when they're dialing. It's not exactly loud, but that sound can carry pretty far, especially out here where it's quiet. I thought maybe it was you, so I figured, why not? A little eavesdropping wouldn't hurt anyone - Yeah, I know, not exactly my finest moment. (Robert rolled his eyes) And that's when I took out my sound amplifier to listen and I heard that instead." He paused, studying Robert carefully for a reaction. Robert merely fixed him with a cold stare.
"What?" Zack asked, throwing up his hands. "I know it wasn't cool to want to listen in on your..."
"No, no, that's... that's not what I'm thinking about," Robert cut in. "You mentioned hearing the 'booping' sound while the call was trying to connect, yeah? That's when you took out your amplifier?"
"Yeah..."
"So, after you couldn't make out what the conversation was about, it didn't occur to you - naturally - to check your surroundings for the caller, who was probably pretty close by at that time, given the proximity needed for you to hear the 'booping' sound at first?"
Zack took a moment to think. When it clicked, he muttered a sheepish "Oh," and scratched his blonde hair sheepishly.
Robert smirked. "Guess the conversation literally dumbstruck you, huh?"
"Haha," Zack laughed dryly. "Real funny. But, even if it is the Black Fraggers, they're not after us, right? From the conversation, it sounds like they're trying to gather intel on something, some sort of trap set by a Magic Council Magistar," Zack pointed out.
"Manhawk?" Robert asked, looking at Zack.
"Well, Manhawk isn't the only Magistar."
"But he's the most well-known, isn't he?"
"Yeah, he's accomplished a lot, but let's not forget the Magic Council's got thirty-five other Magistars," Zack replied, his unease lightening. "That being said, I think they're actually plotting to assassinate a particularly unlucky Magic Council Magistar who's heading towards the Sonic Owls' territory in the eastern part of this forest."
Robert arched an eyebrow. "Assassinate?"
"Probably," said Zack. "I didn't really think that one through. But if it is true, then that Magistar sure picked a seriously bad time for a camping trip."
Robert thought for a moment, then said, "Zack, look, we'll go over the recording later. Right now, I need to fuel up. My stomach's about to riot." He helped himself to some fish from the plate and took a hungry bite as he sat down on a stool.
"Alright, but one more thing - Ah!" Zack caught himself just in time as he almost leaned against the hot grill. "So, while you and Oliver were out, I had an idea. I've decided to combine my creations into a single, sturdy suit. Imagine it - a large, robust, battle machine that incorporates all my gadgets..."
Robert cut him off. "Yeah, yeah, go do whatever, just don't bother me with the details." The last thing Robert needed while enjoying his meal was someone rambling beside him about laser-blasting water bottles and the likes of it.
"I just need your help with one thing..." Zack pressed on.
"What is it?" Robert mumbled around a mouthful of fish as he gazed up at Zack. He caught the apprehensive look on Zack's face, as if he feared being turned down.
"That part of the room. Could you section it off with an Earth wall spell, please?" Zack requested, gesturing toward one corner, his demeanor still tinged with apprehension.
Robert's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he studied Zack's face, wondering why he seemed so on edge. It was only a simple request, why the sudden nerves? And then it clicked - just an hour earlier, Zack had flat-out refused his and Oliver's request for food. The memory of that ignited a spark of amusement in Robert. Oh, the irony - how poetic, how perfectly timed. Now here was Zack, making a request of his own; the perfect position to wield a little sweet revenge!
Robert relaxed on his seat, and his lips curled into a smirk. Zack caught the look immediately, and his expression shifted to pleading, sensing that the very thought he dreaded was already crossing Robert's mind.
He begged, "I know, I know you're totally gonna say no just to get back at me for earlier, but please, I really need that room to work on my machine without any distractions. One little distraction, even just a whisper of soft music, and my 'creative mode' goes poof! Like a candle in a blizzard!"
Robert's smirk remained unchanged.
Zack sighed. "Look Robert, you're the only one who can help me with this. Oliver's forfeit. Please, just agree and do it for me, as a favor to a friend."
Robert frowned. "Friend? What kind of friend lets their friends go hungry?!" He wiped his mouth with the sleeves of his jacket.
"I was just upset that you two didn't help me pick up the birds!"
"I'll do it. Not as a favor, but rather because I'm better than you, and I'm mature enough to rise above petty grudges. You know, shedding some of that infantile ego and acting like an adult sometimes wouldn't kill you," Robert drawled. He flicked his left hand lazily towards the corner and an Earth wall materialized, and then another, sectioning off a room in the corner of the building.
"Appreciate it," Zack said, hastily handing Robert three pairs of ear plugs before hurrying off towards the room. Robert's voice echoed after him, "No need to thank me, but you'd better tinker up something truly impressive and powerful. Otherwise, you'll owe me ten gold coins for every magic particle in those walls! That's billions!"
Zack's response was an impatient wave as he blasted through the wall with his laser gun. Robert sealed the breach with earth and went back to eating his fish. Soon, clanking sounds emanated from the room, followed by a brief silence and then the noise of metals scraping and colliding. Then, the unmistakable roar of a chainsaw suddenly filled the air, announcing to everyone within earshot that the young magic technologist was hard at work.
"What in the... a chainsaw?! Zack, are you insane?!" Robert bellowed, wincing at the cacophony. Above the din, he heard Zack's voice shout something that sounded very much like, "It's a metal cutter! Do you even know what a chainsaw sounds like?!"
"Tone it down!" Robert yelled back, clapping his hands over his ears. How was Zack expecting them to sleep tonight?!
The metal cutter's ear-piercing whine abruptly ceased. "Ear plugs, man! Why'd you think I gave them to you?!" Zack hollered from inside the room, but before Robert could fire back an admonishing response, the metal cutter thundered back to life, it's deafening screech growing even louder as Zack started cutting through metal.
Oliver burst into the building just then, looking like he'd lost his marbles. "What the heck is going on here? Who in the world is using a chainsaw at this hour?" The question was directed at Robert. "Don't they know that's a surefire way to attract every magic beast within earshot?"
Robert barely heard Oliver's words, but he had a good guess what it was about. He jerked a finger towards the Earth wall room, still munching fish. "Your best buddy, Zack," he said, loudly. "He's holed up in there, says it's actually a metal cutter."
"A metal cut-" the ear-piercing shriek of shearing metal halted Oliver's words. "Aaaargh!" Oliver growled. "That scamp's butchering our eardrums with a godforsaken angle grinder!" White magic energy gathered in his hands, and he conjured an icicle. He stalked towards the wall, clearly intending to demolish it, but Robert swiftly rose from the stool and stopped him.
"How about we just use earplugs for the night? Whatever he's doing in there sounds pretty important," Robert proposed, setting aside his plate and holding out one of the pairs Zack had given him. Oliver raised an eyebrow, clearly about to protest, but Robert's firm gaze reminded him of their earlier conversation about his dynamics with Zack.
Oliver exhaled heavily and shook his head. "How long's he gonna be in there?" he asked, discarding the icicle.
"He'll likely be at it all night." Robert shrugged.
All night.
Oliver fixed a stony glare on the enclosed Earth wall, from which the agonizing sound of metal being split and welded emanated like the cry of a tortured beast. Robert patted Oliver's shoulder and pressed the earplugs into his hands. Grunting, Oliver accepted them with a grim declaration of, "Cindy gets his bed."
Robert handed him another pair. "That's for her. Bring her inside and seal up the hole. I'm off to sleep," he said. With that, Robert turned and made his way to the snow bed nestled against the wall to the right. The soft chill of the bed met him like an old friend, and he sank into it with a relived sigh.
Ah, eventful days. For all their troubles, the best part was always this: sinking into bed at last, snug and relaxed, letting the weight of the day finally fall away.
Robert was pleasantly surprised by how soft and inviting the snow bed felt beneath him. He had braced for a chill, imagining the discomfort of lying on a flattened pile of cold, frozen snow - but instead, the bed greeted his skin with a gentle, crisp coolness that was oddly soothing. The room itself was warm - thanks to Zack's grill - and Robert's body was warm as well; yet, the bed of snow he laid on remained unchanged - firm but pillowy, cold but never biting, untouched by the surrounding warmth.
Robert shifted slightly, half-expecting to feel dampness or the tell tale signs of melting. But no, nothing. The snow remained pristine, dry, and impossibly intact. He scooped up a small handful of the white snow and let it trickle through his fingers, pressing a few bits against his skin. Still nothing; no sign of moisture, just soft, weightless, white powder that defiled everything he knew about snow. Robert had to admit, it felt very unnatural... who was he kidding? It's the Ice Ancestor soul's magic. Of course, it's got to be out of the ordinary!
Robert eased into the soft embrace of the snowbed with a quiet groan, adjusting his position until every part of him felt at comfortable. A sigh escaped his lips as he let allowed his eyelids to fall, and the world seemed a bit quieter as his eyes shut - even the sound of Zack's metal cutter seemed to dampen.
Then slowly, Robert's awareness slipped from the cool softness beneath him and sank into the inky recesses of his mind. Thoughts of Miss Greene surfaced first - her loving presence, her elegant and attractive beauty, the shape of her body, the image of her body in her bedroom on THAT Novaday...
Soon, Dora occupied his thoughts, and the memory of her heartwarming voice on the phone the night before echoed in his mind. He remembered sitting in his room alone during that call, and they had talked for hours - about school, about home, about everything and nothing all at once. Then, like a spark in the dark, the memory of their good-bye kiss on the day they were set to leave school for the mid-semester break, emerged. Robert could recall every moment clearly. The kiss had been long, wet, tender, and clingy; Dora, during that moment, was like a suction tube refusing to let go, pleading wordlessly to hold on just a little longer. The way it had made him feel was undescribable! Robert lips twitched at the thought, and without realizing it, he smacked them lightly. That was a memory that would remain vivid for a very long time.
Robert's thoughts soon wandered to Vanessa. They'd not interacted much since the incident with Jackson at the laboratory, yet something unspoken seemed to linger between them. On more than one occasion, Robert had caught her staring at him - silent and thoughtful, as if waiting for him to do something. And whenever their eyes met on those occasions, she'd flash a super-sweet smile that was so disarming, it left Robert feeling flushed and endeared towards her. Was he starting to develop feelings? Or was he simply responding like any other boy would in his situation? He couldn't tell. Robert hoped that once the mid-semester break was over and school resumed, he'd talk to her about...
Robert's thoughts then shifted to the Black Fraggers, and an uneasy feeling stirred in his chest. He pictured their members as ghastly figures - gaunt, almost skeletal - with faces hollowed by darkness, and their bodies shrouded in tattered robes the colour of dried blood... the visage of something torn from the edge of a nightmare! Zack's recording suggested that they might be close to their location. But what if those Black Fraggers members weren't in Horkii rainforest because they were after some Magic Council Magistar? What if they were here with an entirely different purpose? A worrisome thought began to take shape - what if the Black Fraggers had followed them into the forest, spying on him and Oliver? What if, even now, they were out there, watching... waiting... hidden among the trees?
Blankness...
Just as Robert was teetering on the edge of sleep, Poison's voice echoed sharply in his mind, "Hey, Robert!"
Robert's eyes snapped open. "This is exactly how it started the night you possessed me!" He thought, annoyed.
Poison was lost for words, clearly caught off guard.
"Well, perfect timing," Robert exclaimed. "Thanks for waking me up right as I was finally drifting off, old man! Do you have any idea how hard it is to fall asleep with the noise of a chainsaw - er... metal cutter - rattling your eardrums?!"
Before Poison could respond, a gentle voice suddenly drew Robert's attention. "Is everything okay, Robert?" It was Cindy's voice. She was beside him now, sitting on the snow bed next to his. Robert turned to look at her.
He surveyed her concerned face with an apprehensive demeanor. "Oh, Cyntara... uh, it's nothing, just a small nightmare. It's nothing," he said. He realized - a beat too late - that he had reprimanded Poison out loud, and judging by the look on Cindy's face, she had definitely heard him. He hadn't known she was already in the building, let alone sitting on the snow bed right next to his.
Cindy offered a small, understanding smile. "Okay, but you might want to put in your earplugs," she said kindly. "Doesn't sound like your friend in there's gonna finish before sunrise."
Robert grinned sheepishly. "I'll do just that," he said, and suddenly felt the earplugs in the palm of his left hand - he'd totally forgotten about them! Hold on a sec... had he just been prepared to sleep through the sound of Zack's metal cutter?!
Just as he was about to slide the plugs into his ears, Cindy's voice reached him again.
"Thanks, by the way. For the fish dinner."
Robert glanced at her and gave a small nod. Then, without another word, they both fitted their earplugs in unison and eased into their respective snow beds. Robert turned away from her, facing the wall and closing his eyes once more.
"What is it you were going to tell me, Poison?" was his first thought.
Poison's reply came with a slow measured calm - almost too calm. "I sense growing disrespect, Robert. Tell me, are you sprouting wings of insolence?"
Robert exhaled sharply in his mind. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, Poison," he apologized, his mental tone softening. "It's just... It's been a long day. And ending it knowing that some Black Fraggers operatives might be nearby? Not exactly the ideal sleep thought."
"I understand the feeling, son," Poison empathized. "Apology accepted, though."
Robert flashed a subtle smile. "So, what were you tryna tell me?"
"Oh, I think I forgot..."
"Seriously?"
A low chuckle rumbled in Poison's voice. "Just kidding. I wanted to talk about the girl. Her... ah, never mind."
"Her what?"
Poison hesitated, as if unsure how to proceed. Then with a sigh, he said calmly, "Her cleavage."
Robert's eyes flew open, and a wide grin exploded across his face. "Her cleave-? You're interested in her breasts? Ha! Poison, you're what, 4000 years old? And Cindy, she's just a teenager!" Robert struggled to contain the laughter bubbling inside him, and his body shook with the effort. He remained on the snow bed, silent, but his mind was racing with amusement.
Poison interested in breasts? Bwahahahaha!
But Poison's stern tone quickly sobered him up. "Kid, don't get the wrong idea. I'm not talking about anything inappropriate. I'm referring to the marking on her chest, very close to her left or right breast, I can't be sure. It's quite challenging for me to make complete sense of what I see through your eyes, but I believe that marking is significant." Robert's grin faded, replaced by curiosity.
"Whats up with the marking?"
Poison replied, "Do you remember that Plant wizard - the one who tried to capture you and Oliver at the wheat farm after your little shoplifting escapade?"
Robert nodded, eyes closed. "Yes?"
Poison continued, "I saw the exact same symbol on his wrist when he raised his hands to cast thay Maelstrom spell, the one Manhawk blocked for us."
Eyes closed, Robert's brows creased. "Are you suggesting that Cindy is a member of the Black Fraggers?" He cracked one eye open and glanced sideways at the red-haired beauty sleeping peacefully beside him on her own snow bed. He struggled to reconcile the possibility. "But she's just a kid."
Poison clarified, "I never said she's one of them. Just retrieve that flat glass box of yours ("A phone, Poison.") and tap that abstract circular thing labeled 'Interlink prober' and search for 'markings of the Black Fraggers' to see if it matches their symbol... or if it's just some trendy tattoo."
"Alright, alright," Robert thought, pulling out his phone from his pocket. "Man, can't believe I nearly slept with this in my trousers. Thanks for saving it from being crushed by these glorious, muscular legs of mine!"
"You might wanna leave out the 'muscular'."
"Ha, ha," came Robert's wry mental laugh as he made to turn on his phone, however the black, lifeless screen that stared back at him was a sharp reminder that his battery was completely dead. "Damn, it's out."
"Do I need to remind you that you're a Lightning wizard?
Robert blinked, thinking for a moment. "It doesn't work like that, Poison. I still need a charger..." Poison cut him off.
"Just point at the phone, Robert. I'll handle the rest."
Robert shrugged and did as he was told. "It's just a waste of energy, it's not gonna work..." he trailed off as a sudden sensation washed over him. He felt his magic energy stir and begin to flow through his body, unbidden. It felt bizarre, as if some invisible spiritual muscle had been wrenched. Half-expectedly, a soft, thin stream of purple magic energy began to seep slowly out of his fingertip and trickled into his phone. Two seconds later, the screen lit up. Robert's eyes widened. "Holy sparkles!" He whispered. "How is that even-"
Poison chuckled. "A highly versatile and adaptable atom, like your instructor had said. Magic energy isn't just for casting flashy combat spells, Robert. Its applications are practically endless."
Robert was stunned speechless, only regaining his composure when the phone booted up.
Poison's voice brought him back. "Now do your thing."
Robert focused. "Okay, Interlink prober... search: marking of the Black Fraggers. Let's go, come on - load already! I thought we've got service out here? Ah, there we go..."
He scrolled up, eyes scanning. "Okay, got it!According to this, the Black Fraggers' use a crooked K inside a circle as their symbol. It's exact significance to the group is unknown. Apparently, it's a popular motif - kind of like the cross of Lord Valmnar or the tri-circle of the old Samaline faith. It's even widely used in Spookfest decorations. Why would they do that? Never saw that in Axille during Spookfest - been years since we had Spookfest in Axille anyway."
He switched to image search. "Alright, pictures... Whoa, this guy has it tattooed on his... yeah, no need to see more. And this woman has it inked all over her arm... wow!" Robert's brows rose as he continued skimming. The marking was more common than he'd thought. It appeared on everything - on rings, wristwatches, jewelry, graffiti, heck, even part of a small business's logo! Cindy might have got the tattoo simply as that - mere tattoo... doesn't necessarily mean she's tied to the Black Fraggers.
"I suppose that clears up any suspicion," Poison's voice was laced with clear disappointment. Robert could sense it plainly - the restrained urgency, the eagerness to strike: If that mark had turned out to be a confirmed symbol of the Black Fraggers, Robert felt sure Poison would've wasted no time taking drastic actions against Cindy. But instead, it seemed the people of this age were careless enough to treat an embelm such as the Black Fraggers' marking as nothing more than art! The careless both baffled and annoyed Poison.
"Well then, I bid you good night," he said added, resignedly.
Robert let out a low grunt of agreement, closing his eyes. "Yeah, good night. Don't worry, I'll keep a close eye on Cindy, just to be safe. But right now, I need a good night's rest. We've got a long trek ahead tomorrow."
The last sounds Robert registered before slipping into unconsciousness was the soft crunch of footsteps - Oliver coming in - and the whoosh of freezing air as Oliver sealed the entrance. With that, the world faded into silence.