*image chapter_3.png

You and Hane walked through Kaelich. School has yet to start, and you both wanted to speak to each other.

Hane spoke first, "I heard that you were the one who fought the demon. Is that true?"

"Yeah, I was the one who did it. But, considering that Adeline was the one who weakened the demon, I was only there for cleanup."

Hane shook his head, "No, without you there, ${fname}, I doubt the professor and I could have escaped. It was fortunate that you arrived when you did."

You looked at Hane. The burn marks that covered his left arm went from his wrist up to his elbow, and the gauze on his face didn't cover the burn mark on his face entirely. He must've noticed you looking at him because he spoke,
"I look pretty bad, don't I?"

*if (romance = "Hane")
  *goto romanceHane
*else
  *goto nonromance

*label romanceHane
*set hmeter %+10
*line_break
You grabbed his hand and entwined it with yours, "You still look handsome to me."

He smiled, "You have bad taste in boys, you know that?"

"Couldn't be worse than dating someone with a pretentious reputation like, The ${title1} of Kaelich."

He laughed, "And I thought you hated sarcasm."

"Well, considering you're such a huge fan of it, I decided I'd try it out."

"And what's your verdict?"

"You were right. I think sarcastic humor's right up my alley."

You both smiled at each other. The fact that you couldn't speak to each other, when Hane was in the hospital, was difficult for both of you.
However, it looked like both of you intended to make-up lost time.

*page_break

"Jokes aside, I'm glad you're safe, ${fname}"

"Me too. I was disappointed I couldn't see you at the hospital."

"You wouldn't have liked it. I looked awful. The doctors had to wrap my entire arm, and my face looked much worse a week ago."

You replied, "Like I said, you would've looked handsome regardless."

Hane laughed at this, "I'm sure you wouldn't have said that if you saw me, but I appreciate the thought." His laugh spread to you, and soon you were both laughing.

You missed his laughter. That jovial note that tinged the air whenever he loosed it, like that day in summer class, was unlike anything you've heard. 

Your eyes wandered to Hane. Despite his looks, you actually did still find him attractive. The burns on his body made him look more mature. If anything, he looks more grown-up since the last time you spoke to him.

*goto firstday

*label nonromance

You replied...

*choice
  #Sorry, I didn't mean to stare.
    *set amity %+15
    *set hostility %-15
    Hane shook his head, "It's alright. At first I was shocked to see my face in the mirror, but I realized something after thinking about it."
    He continued, "The burn marks that covered my body were a reminder. Addy was right. Unless I learn to control my mana, accidents like this might happen again."
    You responded, "I'm glad you you see it that way."
    Hane looked intensely resolute. Despite his appearance, he carried himself with an unspoken determination and pride that was awe-inspiring.
    *goto firstday
  #You don't look that bad, actually. I was just admiring how the gauze makes you look more mature.
    *set hmeter%+10
    Hane smiled, "I appreciate the thought, but I've seen my self in the mirror enough times to realize I look bad."
    He continued, "But the burn marks are a sort of reminder. I can't shy away from controlling my mana. Not unless I want to lose control again."
    You replied, "I'm glad you see it that way."
    Hane looked intensely resolute. Despite his appearance, he carried himself with an unspoken determination and pride that was awe-inspiring.
    *goto firstday
  #Alright, I'm not going to lie. It looks bad. You hardly look the same.
    *set hostility %+15
    *set amity %-15
    Hane nodded, "I know. I can't deny the way I look. I've looked at the mirror, and I know I look different from before."
    He continued, "But the burn marks are a sort of reminder. I can't shy away from controlling my mana. Not unless I want to lose control again."
    You replied, "I'm glad you see it that way."
    Hane looked intensely resolute. Despite his appearance, he carried himself with an unspoken determination and pride that was awe-inspiring.
    *goto firstday
  #I've seen worse. I don't think most people would really pay attention to it.
    *set calmness %+15
    *set excitability %-15
    Hane looked puzzled, "Are you sure? They looked quite apparent in the mirror."
    You nodded, "I'm sure. You only notice it because you're entirely self-conscious of it."
    Hane continued, "Regardless, these burn marks are a reminder. Addy was right; unless I learn to control my mana, accidents like this might happen again."
    You smiled.
    Hane looked intensely resolute. Despite his appearance, he carried himself with an unspoken determination and pride that was awe-inspiring.
    *goto firstday

*label firstday

*page_break
From inside the halls of Kaelich, you heard a voice call out, "${fname}!"

You look toward the sound. It was ${school_friend} running towards you.

Hane looked at you, "A friend of yours?"

"Yeah, that's ${school_friend}."

*if (school_friend = "Aron")
  *goto Aron
*elseif (school_friend = "Danae")
  *goto Danae
*elseif (school_friend = "Jericho")
  *goto Jericho
*elseif (school_friend = "Erika")
  *goto Erika
*elseif (school_friend = "Ray")
  *goto Ray
*else
  *goto Alana

*label Aron
*page_break Hey, Aron!
Aron ran up to the two of you and he immediately shook hands with Hane, "You must be Hane! Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too, Aron."

You spoke, "Aron, how was Muria?"

"Quite fascinating, if I do say so myself. I was able to practice magic of every disciplines, although I can say with certainty that my ${fskill} has gotten stronger."

Hane turned to you with a puzzled look, "${fskill}? Is there a reason why he specifically mentioned ${fskill}?"

You replied, "Aron struggled with his classes during the first year of school. During the second year, he was able to master ${fskill} through sheer effort and extreme self-neglect. Although, I don't think the way he went about it was the healthiest method."

Hane looked surprised, "Wait, did you say 'mastered ${fskill}'?"

Aron spoke, "Yes, in fact, I've become even more adept at it, recently. I believe my ${fskill} is undoubtedly on par with Spell Academy students."

Hane looked even more surprised, "Whoa! I thought ${fname} is the most gifted student here, but I can see you're no slouch either, Aron!"

Despite his comments, you can sense deep envy coming from Hane.

*page_break

You understood why he would be jealous. Considering that he failed a simple mana exercise last summer, and also the fact that you rectified his mistake, Hane felt entirely inferior compared to you.
Now, upon learning that Aron has mastered a discipline of magic at such a young age, he has met another student who surpassed him in skill.

Hane smiled at the two of you, "Looks like I've got a lot of work ahead of me, if I want to catch up to the two of you."

Aron replied, "I'm betting you can beat me at the other disciplines, as long as it's not ${fskill}."

Hane shook his head, "You're far too humble. Just take a compliment from a summer flunkee."

Aron came to a sudden realization and he turned to you, "Oh, yeah. That reminds me. I've only been in Furze for the past few days, and I haven't been able to call you because I've been traveling. Can you explain what happened during the summer accident? I heard it was all over the news for a few days."

You and Hane nodded.

*goto meetmorg

*label Danae
*page_break Hey, Danae!
Danae walked up to both of you, "Hi, you must be Hane! I've heard about you from ${fname}."

Hane shook her hand, "I hope you've only heard good things."

Danae smiled, "Of course. ${fname} isn't the type of person to speak ill of others easily. Not unless there's a good reason, at least."

Hane looked at you, "Well I'm glad, ${fname} thinks so highly of me."

Danae brought something out of her backpack, "Here, before I forget to give it. It's from my grandmother's restaurant."

In her hands was a silver tin. When she opened it, a thick aroma filled the air.

You spoke, "What is this aroma?"

She looked at you, "It's stir-fried Doht cabbage and Laharian onions. The meat on top is Murian veal."

She gave you and Hane a plastic utensil to eat with. When you tried it, a sweet and sour flavor coated your entire mouth.

"Wow, this is amazing!"

Hane nodded, "This is incredible. I didn't know Murian cuisine was so delicious."

Danae shook her head, "This isn't Murian cuisine, its Estenian-Lahar fusion."

*page_break

"Whatever it is, I want more of it!"

When you and Hane finished the contents of the tin, you handed it back to Danae.

You spoke, "No wonder your grandmother's restaurant is doing well."

"If your grandmother made that, Danae, remind me to stop by her restaurant. That was delicious. It beats the hospital food ${fname} and I tasted."

Danae giggled, "Actually, I'm a little jealous of you, Hane."

Hane looked puzzled, "Of me? Why?"

"I never got to see ${fname} all summer long. You got to talk all summer long."

You replied, "Well, it's not like I saw Hane every day. Besides, we only finished one third of summer class before the accident occurred."

She turned to you, "Oh, yeah. I've heard about the accident briefly. Actually, I only got back to Furze a few days ago. Could you guys fill me in?"

You and Hane nodded.

*goto meetmorg

*label Jericho
*page_break Hey, Jericho!
Jericho immediately walked up to you and Hane, "You must be Hane! I've heard about you from ${fname}!"

Hane shook Jericho's hand, "It's nice to meet you Jericho."

You spoke, "How was Muria, Jericho?"

"It was incredible! My dad took me to the Golden Hall."

You and Hane looked at him with awe, "Whoa! The Golden Hall!"

The Golden Hall was a banquet hall in Muria's Commercial Tower. It's famous for hosting lavish parties and wealthy socialites.

You spoke, "What was it like?"

"The Golden Hall itself was the size of a football field, with an additional backyard for outdoor concerts. The ceiling was far above me, I think it was roughly one-fifth of the Commercial Tower's full height."

The Commercial Tower itself was an incredibly tall, silver building in The Market District. If The Golden Hall was the size of a football field, then Commercial Tower was easily five times the length of the banquet hall. Despite its name, The Golden Hall was not gold. Jericho explained that the entire Hall was a luminescent marble of white and bronze.

Jericho continued, "The walls had intricate patterns painted in them, although I couldn't really see them in detail. I was sitting in the backyard with my father."

*page_break

Out of curiosity, you asked, "That reminds me. What company does your father work for Jericho?"

"Oh, I never mentioned it, did I? My father works for Alterna Corps."

You replied, "Hmm. I've never heard of it."

Hane spoke, "That's because Alterna Corps is based in Doht, and they mass produce magical appliances. Most companies here are based in Lahar or Esten. I assume your father is handling an extension of the company here, Jericho?"

"Actually, my father's the CEO of Alterna Corps."

You and Hane were speechless. You took a few moments to absorb the information that Jericho just gave you.

Hane spoke first, "Wait, as in he owns the whole entirety of Alterna Corps?"

"Yes, in fact, my great-grandfather was the founder of the company. My father inherited the business a decade ago."

If Jericho was the son of someone so powerful and influential, why was he going to Kaelich? There were a number of larger, and more well-known, magic schools in Furze and Muria.
However, before you could ask him anything, Jericho spoke first, "Oh, by the way. I missed what happened over the summer. Can you guys fill me in?"

It looked as though he was deliberately trying to change the subject. Despite this, you dropped your questions and answered Jericho.

*goto meetmorg

*label Erika
*page_break Hey, Erika!
Erika walked up to you and Hane, "Nice to finally meet you, Hane! I'm Erika!"

Hane shook hands with Erika, "Nice to meet you Erika."

You spoke, "Hey, Erika. How was Muria?"

"Muria? Didn't I already tell you over the phone?"

"Actually, you never talked about your trip."

Erika came to a sudden realization, "Oh, my Goddess! You're right! I was so busy talking to you about my healing class that I completely forgot to mention anything regarding Muria!"

You replied, "Well now's your chance. How was it?"

She spoke, "It was amazing! If Furze's fashion style is considered playful and colorful, then Muria's can be seen as a mature and eclectic blend of modern and exotic clothing."

Hane replied, "I suppose that's true. Murians dress much more differently than the people of Furze. Although, I didn't realize you were deeply interested in clothing and fashion."

She said, "Fashion is quite inspiring to me, and I like to sew my own clothes too. In fact..."

Erika twirled around, and she spoke in an eager tone, "Did you guys notice anything about my clothes?"

Erika was wearing a baby blue dress, with frills at the bottom of the dress and at the sleeves. Whenever she moved, a dramatic swaying motion contoured her arms and torso.

Hane spoke in a surprised manner, "Wait, you made this? It looks so well-made!"

She nodded, "Yup. Although, my mom did help me make this."

You replied, "Still, it looks very impressive, Erika. It suits you very well."

She curtsied and said, "Why thank you, ${fname}."
*page_break

Erika spoke, "Is there anything else you wanted to know about me, Hane?"

He replied, "Well, I suppose I want to know where you're from, but it sounds like you're native to Furze."

"Indeed I am! Wow, ${fname}, I didn't know you made friends with such a quick-witted person."

She continued, "Okay, since you know so much about me, I get to ask you guys a question now."

Hane replied, "Sure, what did you want to know?"

"As you all know, I was gone all summer long for Muria, which means I missed all the events that happened during your summer class. Can you guys fill me in?"

Hane spoke, "Well, I think ${fname} can talk about it in more detail, since I wasn't awake during most of the accident."

You replied, "I think we should both explain the parts that we remember, at least."

You and Hane looked at each other and nodded.

*goto meetmorg

*label Ray
*page_break Hey, Ray!
Ray casually walked to you and Hane, "Hey, ${fname}. Is this Hane? The one I've been hearing about?"

Hane shook Ray's hands, "Nice to meet you. I'm Hane."

You looked at Ray's hair. He usually had a neon green fauxhawk, although he had changed it since you last saw him. Instead of his usual fauxhawk, Ray styled his hair into a pompadour and dyed it bright red. The ring on his lip was also noticeably missing.
In lieu of his missing lip piercing, he had matching red gauges in both his earlobes, as well as a ring around his left nostril.

Ray almost looked like an entirely different person.

Ray spoke, "So, ${fname}, did your ${summer} get any better over the summer?"

You nodded, "Even though class was cancelled, I managed to improve it. Although, I admit it's not as good as I wanted it to be. Having a full summer class would've been really helpful."

Hane looked shocked, "Wait, you're struggling with ${summer}? I've seen your magic before. You're far and above better than what anyone at Kaelich's can currently do. I thought you only came because Mr. Adelich told you so?"

"Well, I did take it because Mr. Adelich said my ${summer} was 'particularly lacking'. Although, he didn't really tell me I was failing."

Ray laughed, "Ha! You haven't seen ${fname}'s real magic. Did you know that ${fname} was the reason I managed to master ${fskill}? I'm doing my best just trying to keep up with ${gsuffix} Prodigy over here."

You replied, "${gsuffix} Prodigy?"

*fake_choice
  #Please don't make new nicknames for me, Ray.
    Ray laughed, "I'm just kidding. I figured you would react that way."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You replied, "You're just doing this on purpose aren't you?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "I definitely am!"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Hane giggled, "At least Ray's being honest."
  #(I'm already called ${gsuffix} Magician at home, I am not about to have another patronizing nickname. I attempt to change the subject.)
    You were about to reply to Ray, but it looks like he had something to say.
  #Sounds cool, did you make it up just now?
    "I sure did. I thought it fit considering you're probably the best student at Kaelich's."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Hane nodded, "I've hardly seen magic like yours anywhere else. Considering what happened over the summer, I'd be hard-pressed to find anyone else who can do what you did."

*page_break
Ray turned to you, "Hey, can you fill me in regarding what happened over the summer? It looks like I missed a lot. I saw a newspaper in my mom's room which had Kaelich's at the front page. I bet it was something big."

You and Hane nodded.

Ray smiled, "I can't wait to hear this."

*goto meetmorg

*label Alana
*page_break Hey, Alana!
Alana ran up to you and Hane, "Squee! I can't believe I'm going to meet Hane!"

She grabbed his hand and vigorously shook it up and down.

Hane looked a bit flustered, "Oh, uh-- yes. It's nice to meet you too."

She wrapped both her arms around you and Hane, "I missed you guys so much! I can't believe I was away for so long!"

Wait, but she's never met Hane before.

You spoke, "Alana, have you met Hane before?"

"Umm, never actually. But in these five seconds I've known him, I feel like I've known him all my life!"

Well, it's nice to know Alana is as bizarre and strange as ever. Besides, it looks as though Hane is adjusting to Alana's eccentric personality.

*page_break

Hane spoke, "Well, I'm sure you've done something fun in Muria. What was it like?"

"Squee! It was amazing. Muria was so big! Not that Furze is small... but if Furze is a cheetah, then Muria is a lion! Does that make sense?"

With most people, her comparison would have made zero sense. However, that doesn't seem to be the case here.

Hane smiled, "Absolutely! You're saying that Furze is lively, but Muria is somehow more aggressive in its way of life!"

She smiled, "Exactly! ${fname}, when did you meet such an smart person?"

You replied, "I met Hane during summer class."

She gasped, "That's right!"

Alana continued, "Actually, can you tell me all about it. I've only been in Furze for a few days, and literally no one has told me anything about the accident."

You nodded, "Of course! Now, where do I begin?"

*goto meetmorg

*label meetmorg
*page_break

You and Hane explained to ${school_friend} what occurred during the summer. 

Hane went into detail regarding the events that resulted from the accident. You spoke about your fight with the demon, and Professor Adeline's role in the mana exercise.

After you both finished explaining, ${school_friend} asked a question, "And you both ended up in the hospital?"

You nodded, "Yes. Although, my injuries weren't nearly as severe as Hane's."

"It's thanks to ${fname} that Professor Adeline and I were able to escape."

${school_friend} nodded, "${fname} has a habit of helping people. I should know, ${mcnoun3} taught me my first conjuration spell during my first year."

Before you could finish speaking, the bell rings. Your final year at Kaelich's has begun.

Hane spoke, "We'll pick this up later. It's nice meeting you, ${school_friend}."

He waved goodbye. ${school_friend} waved back, "Any friend of ${fname} is a friend of mine!"

Hane smiled at the two of you before disappearing into the building.

"Looks like we're in different classes this year, ${fname}. Tell me how your first day goes, okay?"

You nodded, "Alright."

*page_break

When you arrived at your classroom, you saw your new professor at his computer desk. He was frantically getting organized. His arms shuffled papers around and his gaze was entirely focused on the computer screen. It looked like he was busy getting ready for the lecture.
Your new professor was a man in his thirties and he was very tall. His figure was the exact opposite of Professor Adeline's. While she was rather petite, this professor was comically larger than everything around him. You've seen him before at Kaelich's, although you've never had the time to speak to him.

The professor got up from the computer desk and spoke to the entire class, "U-uh... welcome to class! I hope we all do our best, and that this year we become better at magic." The professor's voice wavered. He was clearly nervous.

The class was dead silent. No one replied, not even a peep.

The professor continued, "M-my name is Professor Murdoc. I h-hope you all do well. Wait, I said that already... what else? Oh, where are m-my notes..."

In one side of the classroom, a girl with white hair raised her hand, "Professor? Your notes are in front of the whiteboard."

Professor Murdoc turned around and saw his flashcards in the front of the classroom. He replied, "O-oh! Thank you, Morgana."

You looked at the girl who raised her hand. You've never seen her before at Kaelich's. Considering how small this school is, you surmised she must be a new transfer student.

*page_break

Morgana had white hair, and a fair complexion to match. Despite her blank-white appearance, her eyes were the most striking feature on her entire body. They were a bright-crimson red, and it made her delicate appearance look fiercer than she lets on, at first glance.

Murdoc fiddled with his flashcards and shoved most of them into his pockets. He spoke, "Which r-reminds me. Um, class, this is our new t-transfer student, Morgana. She recently moved from Esten's c-capital, Yarvul, to study magic here in Furze."

*page_break

"[i]Yarvul?[/i]", you thought.

A spellcrafter from Yarvul is very unusual. Unlike Muria, Yarvul isn't a bustling metropolis. Instead, Yarvul is a large research base that also houses the center of Esten's government. In addition, there are suburban neighborhoods surrounding the outer edges of Yarvul's topographical location, and most people who lived in Yarvul came from these neighborhoods.
Despite the large population, very few spellcrafters lived in Yarvul due to the underhanded discrimination they faced. While spellcrafters weren't limited by the law, social stigmas surrounding magic often prevented spellcrafters from pursuing livelihoods and jobs in Yarvul. 

*page_break

If the new student came from Yarvul, it's possible she was fleeing from discrimination.

The class turned to look at her. Morgana remained as stoic as possible. It was apparent she didn't want to say anything to the class; whether her silence was due to a profound sense of superiority or intense shyness, you couldn't figure out.

Murdoc continued, "R-right! Let's begin class shall we? Okay... u-um... w-which one was I s-supposed to do...?"

The class continued until the afternoon. You were curious about the new transfer student, although you didn't have any opportunity to speak to her.

When school finished, you waited outside the school for Hane and ${school_friend}, and all three of you walked home together.

The evening passes peacefully.

*page_break The next day

The next morning, Murdoc assigned a group project to the class. He explained that the project will mainly focus on creation spellcrafting.

Murdoc spoke, "Uh, I w-will not be assigning p-partners for this. You may choose who your partners are. M-my only requirement is that there can only be, um... two people p-per group... Yes, only two people. N-no more no less, please. Thank you."

*page_break

You looked around. You've seen most of the students in this class before, but you weren't familiar with any of them. Due to this, you weren't certain if anyone would be your partner.

However, in a few moments, that would no longer be an issue. Hordes of students come up to you, immediately asking you to become their partner. Your reputation as a spellcrafter precedes you, and it looks as though you have plenty of options.

However, before you could pick a partner, the white-haired transfer student approached you, "${fname}, I presume? Would you like to be my partner?"

How did you reply?

*choice
  #"You? I'd rather not, I don't even know who you are."
    *set hostility %-15
    *set amity %+15
    *set morgmeter +10
    Morgana glared at you, "You don't know who I am yet. But if you become my partner, I guarantee we will do well on this project."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You looked at her gaze. She seemed to be entirely serious regarding her claim. You became pensive for a few moments. It's not simply a question of familiarity, you didn't know how skilled Morgana was regarding creation magic. If she turned out to be mediocre, the brunt of the work would fall to you.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana spoke again, "Still unsure? Let me put it this way, there's a reason why I came from Yarvul and somehow survived. You know what that place is, correct? It's living hell if you're a spellcrafter."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She continued, "Don't take me lightly, just because you don't know what I can do. That's all the more reason to be wary."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You smirked. Even if she wasn't as strong as she claimed to be, she had a desire to prove herself, which impressed you.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You replied, "Alright, I'll let you be my partner. Just prove to me that you're capable."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana nodded, "If that's what it takes."
    *goto project
  #You smiled at her, "Alright, I'll be your partner."
    *set amity %+15
    *set hostility %-15
    *set morgmeter +20
    Morgana extended her hand to you, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ${fname}. I'm Morgana Lefoux."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You shook her hands, "Likewise, Morgana. I'm ${fname}."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She nodded, "Yes, I know. It seems as though many regard you highly here."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana motioned to the students around you, "It's obvious you're much more skilled than the rest of these students. It's fortunate we get to be paired together."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You weren't certain exactly what Morgana is capable of, but she seemed entirely confident of her skills.
    *goto project
  #You were wary of making her your partner, because you weren't certain what her intentions were, "Hmm, I hardly know you. Perhaps if we could become acquainted first?
    *set calmness %+15
    *set excitability %-15
    *set morgmeter +15
    Morgana replied, "Hmm. A fair request, considering we've never met."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You spoke, "At the very least, I would like to know your name."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "My name is Morgana Lefoux. I lived in Yarvul all my life, until this year."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "Yarvul, huh? I've never been there. Is it different from Furze?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She replied, "You wouldn't want to know. Just be grateful you're in Furze, and not in a hellhole like Yarvul."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    It looks like her birthplace was a touchy subject. You avoided it for now and changed the subject, "Well, regardless, I'm glad to be your partner."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana nodded, "Likewise. I can tell that you're a skilled magician. Why do you think I picked you first?"
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "Thank you, I'm flattered you would think that."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "Nonsense, I'm going with the most logical option. The better my partner is at magic, the better the outcome will be."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    Morgana's explanation seemed cold and robotic. Perhaps it was simply her upbringing from Yarvul that caused her to act as coldly as she did? Moreover, it seemed as though Morgana could somehow detect someone's ability with spellcrafting. Although, the method which allowed her to do so was a mystery to you.
    *goto project
  #You grabbed her hand and shook it up and down, "Of course! Actually I was hoping you would be my partner."
    *set excitability %+15
    *set calmness %-15
    *set morgmeter +15
    Morgana replied, "Is that so? At least you aren't lacking in enthusiasm."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She continued, "It's nice to meet you, I'm Morgana Lefoux."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "Likewise, Morgana. I'm ${fname} ${family_name}."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She nodded, "Yes, I know. Before class started, I heard students whispering your name in class. When everyone came flocking to you for this project, I realized who they were whispering about."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    It looked as though she deduced who you were based on rumors and whispers alone. She was quite shrewd to be able to what she did.
    *goto project

*label project
*page_break
When it became apparent that you had already picked your partner, the other students around you frantically dispersed, in search of another project partner.

Morgana spoke, "So, from my understanding, you are quite skilled in magic. However, how skilled are you in creation spellcraft?"

*if (creation >= 20)
  *goto quiteskilled
*elseif (creation <= 8)
  *goto notskilled
*else
  *goto somewhatskilled

*label quiteskilled
*set morgmeter +5
You replied, "Not to brag, but I'm quite confident in my ability to use creation magic."
*line_break
*line_break
"Excellent, I expected no less from someone with magic seemingly as reputable as yours, ${fname}."
*goto project2

*label somewhatskilled
You replied, "I'm more skilled in other disciplines, but my creation spellcrafting is quite potent."
*line_break
*line_break
"That's good news for us. The more skilled the both of us are in creation magic, the better we'll do."
*goto project2

*label notskilled
*set morgmeter -3
You replied, "Actually, my creation magic isn't quite as good as my skill in other disciplines."
*line_break
*line_break
"Hmm. That is disappointing, if I'm being honest. Regardless, we're partners now and we should make do with what we have."
*goto project2

*label project2
*line_break
*line_break
Professor Murdoc spoke, "Uh, class! F-forgive me, I forgot to m-mention. You will be using c-creation magic to make a promethean."

The entire class looked shock. A promethean was a warrior made of metallic objects, such as silver, and it was fully capable of being given orders. More impressive, the promethean becomes a summoned ally once it has been brought to life.

However, creation of a promethean was intermediate-level magic. It didn't require complex spells, but it was extremely time consuming to produce one promethean. In addition, a vast amount of mana and a plethora of ingredients were needed to bring the promethean to life.

Murdoc spoke again and added, "Th-this is due within the next month or so. A-actually let me l-look at my schedule again."

Clearly, Professor Murdoc wasn't familiar with the phrase, "Adding fuel to the fire."

*page_break

If a few students weren't stressed yet, they certainly were now.

Chaos erupts from the classroom. Those who still didn't have partners became desperate, and were practically begging others to become their partners.

Despite the bedlam state of the classroom, Morgana spoke calmly, "Hmm. A promethean will require many ingredients, but I think the catalyst will be the most difficult to find."

"A catalyst? What's that?"

She spoke, "Simply put, a catalyst is a center of many, large-scale devices. These catalysts are commonly found in expensive Laharian machinery. Additionally, rather than using a standard processor, a catalyst has a core that uses mana."

Morgana continued, "However, catalysts are very expensive. Sometimes, they're worth more than the entire internal system of a machine."

You were impressed. Morgana seemed to be quite knowledgeable regarding this particular subject. You wondered if this was a byproduct of her Yarvulian upbringing.

*page_break

However, the fact that Morgana isn't familiar with Furze is a setback. In addition, you were entirely unfamiliar with catalysts, so you wouldn't know where to get one. As it stands, neither of you have any idea where one could acquire a catalyst.

Murdoc spoke again, "U-Um, class? The p-primary ingredient needed for a promethean i-is a c-catalyst. We will not be providing one th-this year. P-Please acquire one of decent quality. You may search th-the Market D-District or buy it e-elsewhere."

You turned to Morgana, "Actually, Professor Murdoc presented us with a good idea. The Market District would probably have a catalyst."

She nodded, "Alright, since you're most familiar with Furze, I'll trust your judgement. Then it's only a matter of what catalysts we can afford, so make sure you come with as much coins as possible. I will also do the same."

"Alright, sounds like a plan."

*page_break

The Market District was found in the eastern section of Furze. This part of the city was home to high-end boutiques and luxurious bodegas. However, at the center of the Market District was an area filled with flea markets and hidden trade shops; although, the occasional super store could also be found here..
This area was locally known as, The Roaring Bazaar. Aptly named for its incredibly high level of noise; most of which, come from bartering merchants and shopkeepers and their equally opportunistic customers and patrons.

*page_break

The rest of the day passes. When you arrived home, you were somewhat overwhelmed. Creating a promethean won't be easy, but hopefully you and Morgana would be up to the task.

Fortunately, neither you nor Morgana had school tomorrow. Which meant you could spend the entire day at The Market District.

*page_break The next day

The next morning, you asked your mother and father for some coins to pay for the catalyst.

Your mom spoke, "Oh, dear, a catalyst? That is quite expensive. Are you certain Kaelich's isn't providing the students one? That's what they used to do back in my school days."

You shook your head, "Kaelich's spent a lot of funds fixing the school buildings because of last summer's accident. They're currently tight on budget. Although, I heard that the grading for this assignment was slightly less stringent to accommodate this."

Your father replied, "That's no excuse! Now the parents of the students are stuck paying for this! Do they think we can just pull coins out of our--"

"Derek! Don't you dare say it."

"What? I was going to say, 'Pull coins out of our bank accounts.'"

Entirely unconvinced, your mother replied, "Hmph. Just don't let me catch you swearing again. You used to swear too much when we were young."

Your father nodded meekly, "Sorry, honey. It won't happen again."

*page_break

Your mom was satisfied by this response and she turned to you, "Returning to the topic we were discussing, how do you plan on buying this catalyst, ${fname}?"

You spoke, "Well, my partner and I plan on heading to The Market District to see what we can find. We plan on splitting the cost of the catalyst."

Your father sighed, "I guess it can't be helped. A standard Q-032 catalyst will cost somewhere between 650 to 800 coins, and, unfortunately, I only have 150 coins on me at the moment."

Your mom smiled as she brought out her purse, "Make that an additional 350 coins. Luckily, I have some extra coins leftover from my paycheck last week."

Your parents gave you a total of 500 coins (+500 coins).
*set coins +500

"Thanks, mom and dad! Hopefully, Morgana and I will be able to buy a decent catalyst."

Your father spoke, "One more thing, ${fname}. The Roaring Bazaar is infamous for scams and tricks. Don't buy anything if it seems too good to be true. Any reputable shop will always sell at a competitive price. Anything lower than 500 coins is suspicious, okay?"

"Alright, dad."

With ${coins} coins in hand, you headed to the bus stop to meet-up with Morgana.

*page_break
Before you went to sleep last night, you called both ${school_friend} and Hane to see if they wanted to join you. Unfortunately, both of them were busy today.

${school_friend} told you that ${noun3} had an important family affair today. When you asked what the event was, ${noun3} replied, "My uncle flew into town yesterday. My entire family plans to spend the entire weekend with him, myself included."

On the other hand, Hane had to visit the hospital today. Despite the fact that he was almost completely healed, he was required to visit a doctor every week for a full physical examination. This was done at the order of Headmaster Kane himself, after the demon attack. You surmised this was to ensure Hane's full recovery by the end of this school year.

As it stands, only you and Morgana were going to The Market District today.

*page_break

When you arrived at the bus stop, you saw Morgana standing by herself in a dark corner. She looked calm and serene, yet her eyes were guarded against something. In front of her, a large number of people were patiently waiting for the bus.

Morgana noticed you, "Oh, ${fname}!"

She approached you with a smile, "I managed to get some coins from my caretaker."

This statement puzzled you, "Caretaker? Your parents aren't living in Furze?"

"No, my mother's a researcher for Yarvul, so she's still living there. As for my dad, I've never met him."

You nodded, "Oh, I see."

It looked like Morgana had an unorthodox family situation,. You attempted to change the subject by asking her, "So, how much did you manage to get?"

She smirked, "Like I said, my caretaker came through for me. I have 1000 coins with me."

"Whoa, nice job! I did pretty decently too, I currently have ${coins} coins with me."

She nodded, "Good. As it stands, we have more than enough for a catalyst. If we're lucky, we might be able to buy more than a standard Q-032 for our project."

*page_break

Out of curiosity you asked her, "I'm not very familiar with catalysts, what is a Q-032 catalyst?"

She spoke, "I would be glad to explain it to you, but the bus is already here."

Right on cue, a large double-decker bus parks near the bus stop. The crowd of commuters form a line to enter the vehicle.
Morgana grabbed you by the arm and both of you got into the line.

She looked at you, "To put it simply, a Q-032 is the most common catalyst used in Lahar. There are other models, such as the A-4, but they're usually more expensive. A Q-032 is the easiest to attain and the most cost-effective model."

You nodded, "Thank you for explaining that."

"You're welcome."

Morgana's expertise regarding this subject was almost unnatural. Laharian magic schools typically don't teach this subject, not unless they're spellcrafting engineer students at The Spell Academy. You were almost certain that Estenian schools must have focused education on technology, since it's their country's main export and specialty.

After a few moments of waiting, you and Morgana boarded the bus. The bus ride was air-conditioned, so you were able to enjoy the view of the city comfortably.

*page_break

When the bus arrived at the Market District, you and Morgana looked around.

You were right at the center of the fashion district. The shops in this area displayed glamourous clothings that were ten times more expensive than anything sold in your neighborhood. Morgana regarded the entire place with indifference, "Let's go, ${fname}. You said the bazaar was this way, right?"

She pointed towards the south east.

You nodded, "Yes, let's go."

*page_break

As you got closer and closer to the bazaar, the noise around you got louder and louder. Finally, you were surrounded by an incessant exchange of words between shopkeepers and their customers.

The Roaring Bazaar was a melting pot of social classes. Many high-end stores set up shop here to take advantage of the crowds entering in and out of the bazaar everyday. However, there were innumerable shops in the bazaar that belonged to middle-class and lower-class citizens of Furze. As you stood at the entrance of the bazaar, you witnessed the bazaar's mish-mash aesthetic of metal and glass skyscrapers surrounded by smaller wooden and stone stalls.
The entire environment of the area was utterly incohesive, and yet it was contagiously vibrant. At every side of the bazaar, something interesting was occurring; there were business-savvy street performers and impromptu music festivals at every turn. The Roaring Bazaar certainly lived up to its name.

*page_break

Morgana spoke, "Wow, this place is nothing like Yarvul."

"How so?"

"It's so loud. Everyone in Yarvul is required to maintain a low level of noise around the research laboratories, at all times."

You nodded, "Well, that's The Market District for you."

She smiled, "Come. Let's get our catalyst."

You and Morgana explored The Roaring Bazaar.

*page_break

In order to find shops that sold catalysts, you and Morgana asked various shopkeepers and local citizens. Most were willing to help, although some ignored you. Towards the end of your search, you and Morgana split up to find information.

Fortunately, you and Morgana exchanged phone numbers beforehand, in case anything came up.

*page_break

After an hour of searching for catalysts, you and Morgana convened at a surprisingly quiet corner of the bazaar. At the center of this corner was a water fountain, which hummed with the flow water.

Unfortunately, your search came up empty. You explored the southern side of the bazaar, and there were no machine parts sold there. On the bright side, you found a good 6.99 coin deal for Deep-Fried Hoppers.

You spoke, "Sorry, my search didn't yield anything useful. Although, if you're hungry I found a good restaurant."

"No, thanks. I'm not very hungry, but thank you for the offer."

You replied, "Not at all, it was just an idea." 

You continued, "Anyway, how did your search turn out?"

Morgana looked at you, "Well, I found quite a few machine shops; however, I think there are only three places that have good quality catalysts. Also, I think we'll only be able to pick one out of the three to visit."

You turned to her, "Why can't we just visit all three?"

She shook her head, "All three locations are in opposing directions. Visiting all three of them will require us to stay here until nightfall, and I'm not comfortable being in a strange location past dark."

*page_break

You nodded, "That makes sense. So what three shops are worthwhile to visit?"

She continued, "There's an expensive machine emporium north of where we are. I'm sure they will have expensive, quality catalysts, as well as several more affordable options. There's also the
shop west of here with middle-of-the-line options that are neither too expensive nor too cheap. Lastly, there's a cloaked man who offered catalysts at a very cheap price."

You replied, "A cloaked man? How much did his catalysts cost?"

"The cheapest one he was giving away for a mere 250 coins." You suddenly became wary of this option.

You spoke, "Morgana, I don't think we should go to the cloaked man. No legitimate seller would give catalysts at such a price. They're probably bootlegs or broken."

She shook her head, "At first glance, I would have agreed with you. However, underneath his cloak, I noticed he was hiding an extremely expensive and rare catalyst, called SYS-001. How he managed to get his hands on one is unclear to me, but I'm certain that he has high-quality products as well."

Morgana continued, "Since you're the one who's most familiar with Furze, I'll leave the decision to you."

Which shop did you decide to go to?

*choice
  #The expensive machine shop north of us. It was called, "Grandis Opifex Emporium".
    *goto emporium
  #The shop west of here. It was called, "Cyria's Odds and Ends."
    *goto bargainmart
  #I took a gamble. I decided to go the cloaked man selling cheap catalysts and the SYS-001 catalyst that Morgana mentioned.
    *goto cloakedman

*label emporium
*page_break
You decided to find a catalyst at the high-end shop, Grandis Opifex Emporium.

When you and Morgana arrived, the store was surprisingly deserted. The building itself was two stories tall, and well-decorated with plant-life and other flora.

Considering that you were close to the heart of The Roaring Bazaar, the ghost-town atmosphere of the building was unnerving.

Upon entering inside, you saw large aisles stocked with various metallic objects and machine parts. The shelves were made of an unusually reflective glass that made the products more appealing to look at.

Leaning against the far left counter of the first story, you saw a burly man lazily reading a magazine. He must be the cashier.

Morgana was looking around, and when she was satisfied she turned to you, "Let's go to the second floor, ${fname}. I don't see any catalysts here." 

*page_break

You followed her upstairs and were met with even more reflective shelves. The second story was also empty of human presence, except for one security guard dutifully watching over the shelves.
You and Morgana split up, and decided to look for catalysts separately to save time. There were a number of entirely foreign-looking machineries stocked in the shelves, and you could only guess what they would be used for.

From the other side of the room, you heard Morgana call to you, "${fname}! Over here. I think I've found what we need."

You followed her voice and found her gazing greedily at a counter, stocked with what seemed to be catalysts. The glass counter housed small metallic spheres with clear glass at each of their centers.

Morgana spoke, "This is exactly what we need. Some of the products are more expensive than I expected, but they also have cheaper catalysts we can use for the promethean. Just remember, the more powerful the catalyst, the better our promethean will be."

She added, "When we buy a catalyst, I think we should each cover half of what the total cost for the catalyst should be. For example, if it costs 800 coins, I'll pay 400 coins and you will pay 400 coins as well. Is that fair?"

You nodded, "Yes, that seems fair."

You turned to the counter and looked at the choices before you.

*choice
  #You saw a brand-new Q-032 catalyst. This was the standard model and it would make your promethean quite strong (It costed 700 coins total. You and Morgana split the cost so you only pay 350 coins).
    *set prometheanpower +3
    *set catalyst "Q-032"
    *set catadjective "brand-new"
    *set coins -350
    *goto cashier
  #You found an older Q-029 catalyst. This was the standard model... fifty moon years ago. It would make your promethean somewhat weaker, but it would be undoubtedly cheaper (It costed 500 coins total. You would only pay 250 coins because you split the cost with Morgana).
    *set prometheanpower +1
    *set catalyst "Q-029"
    *set catadjective "old"
    *set coins -250
    *goto cashier
  *selectable_if (coins >= 550) #You discovered an A-5 catalyst. This was a new, experimental model. This catalyst would make your promethean stronger than a promethean with a standard catalyst, but it would cost much more (It costed 950 coins total. Morgana doesn't want this model [she added that this model was untested because it was new, and she didn't know how well it would perform], so she will only cover 400 coins. It will cost you 550 coins.)
    *set prometheanpower +2
    *set prometheandefense +2
    *set catalyst "A-5"
    *set catadjective "experimental"
    *set coins -550
    Morgana looked embarassed, "Sorry, I didn't think this was a good model. I was willing to pay more if I knew how well this catalyst works, but being utterly ignorant of its specs makes me a bit paranoid."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You replied, "Don't worry, this catalyst will be worth it. You can take my word for it."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She nodded, "Alright, I'll trust you. Hopefully this model works out."
    *page_break
    *goto cashier
  *selectable_if (coins >= 700) #You saw a top-of-the-line B-40. This was a luxury catalyst that was laced with damascus fiber. This catalyst would undoubtedly make your promethean strong (It costed 1400 coins total. You would pay 700 coins because you split the cost with Morgana).
    *set prometheanpower +3
    *set prometheandefense +2
    *set catalyst "B-40"
    *set catadjective "top-of-the-line"
    *set coins -700
    *goto cashier

*label cashier

You and Morgana paid the burly man at the bottom floor. He seemed entirely uninterested in your presence and your purchase. Surprisingly Morgana spoke to him, "Sir? Why is the store completely empty? Every shop we've seen has been filled with people, but this store is noticeably deserted."

The man looked at her and replied, "The locals don't like the owner of this store. It looks like this building used to be a popular local diner, although I forgot its name. The owner of this current emporium basically forced the diner to shut-down and swooped in when its real-estate value plummeted."

She nodded, "I see. So it's out of animosity that people avoid this shop, then?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, the only ones who shop here are clueless kids like you." It looked like the man himself hated being in this store as well. 

Morgana replied, "Then why work here? Why not work elsewhere in the bazaar?"

He laughed, "You talk as if the rich will just hand out jobs like candy. I barely have enough money to get by, and you expect me to go somewhere else? You're clearly joking, young lady."

She spoke, "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I was raised outside of Furze."

"Then you need to watch yourself in this place. There a lot of meaner and hungrier folks than me who might take advantage of tourists like yourselves. Some may even resort to violence. I'm not saying this to scare you, but you need to realize that the bazaar can also be a dangerous place if you're not careful."

The man packs the ${catalyst} catalyst in a complimentary store bag, "Thanks for shopping. Stay safe, kids."

*page_break

When you left the store you immediately turned to Morgana to check on her. She seemed entirely stoic, unlike her excitement when first entering the bazaar.

"Hey, Morgana, sorry about that. I forget that people tend to be rude around here, but don't take it personally."

She shook her head, "No, that's not the reason why I'm quiet. I was just thinking about what he said."

"You mean about people taking advantage of tourists?"

"Exactly. Look around, ${fname}. Do you see anyone else with white hair and red eyes here?"

Well, white hair and red eyes weren't exactly common features anywhere, but she had a good point. Morgana stood out like a blinding beacon in a sea of black, brown, and blonde people.

She continued, "It wouldn't be difficult at all to spot me from a crowd, and if anyone sees us with this bag, they can assume we bought this with coins."

You became alarmed, "Do you think we'll be targeted for a robbery?"

She replied, "It's not like it's guaranteed that we'll be robbed, but the cashier's words left me worried."

She started walking, "Let's go, there's no use lingering around here considering the possible dangers."

You nodded, "Alright."

*goto robbers

*label bargainmart
*page_break

You decided to find a catalyst at the middle-of-the-line shop, Cyria's Odds and Ends.

The store you arrived at wasn't a machine shop at all. It was more like an antique store. The building was quaint but charming, and the walls were made entirely of coastal oak.

Upon entering, a sweet-woody aroma surrounded you. The store only had one story, but there were innumerable wooden shelves at every corner of the store. However, you noticed how dark the entire interior was. There were hardly any windows in the store, except for the front door, to allow any natural light. Even stranger, there were no electrical nor magical appliances to fix the darkness of the store.

As you walked through the building, a small wisp of flame appeared in front of Morgana.

She became alarmed, "What is that thing?" She extended her hand in an attempt to cast magic, but before she could cast a spell, an old woman approached the two of you from a dark corner in the store.

"Oh, I'm sorry, young lady. My fire wisp didn't mean to startle you. They're automatically summoned whenever a customer enters the building. This place is a bit dark, so I thought a little fire wisp would help with the lighting."

Morgana sighed in relief and spoke, "No, I should be sorry. I didn't know it was simply trying to help me."

You spoke, "Are you the owner of this store?"

*page_break

"Yes! Cyria Magendale, owner and proprietor of Cyria's Odds and Ends."

You replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Magendale. My name is, ${fname}. This is my classmate Morgana."

She blushed, "Oh! None of that 'miss' or 'missus'! I'm hardly a young lady anymore."

She continued, "Just call me Cyria. It's a pleasure to meet both of you."

Morgana spoke, "Cyria, does your store offer any catalysts? I asked various shopkeepers and I was told your store would have some."

She nodded, "Well, yes I do. However, my store doesn't specialize in machinery. As such, your selection will be quite limited."

You replied, "That's alright. In our current situation, we aren't particularly picky regarding what we can find."

*page_break

Cyria replied, "Well, if that's the case. Follow me."

She summoned another fire wisp and walked towards the back of the store. As she trudged through the store, you asked her, "If you mind me asking, Cyria, why aren't there magical appliances in the building? Wouldn't it be cheaper than constantly summoning wisps?"

She replied, "Actually, providing electricity and mana to magical appliances is quite expensive, especially here in The Market District."

"I see."

After a few moments, Cyria came to a stop, "Here we are! Now, I did warn you that the selection is quite small, but I hope you'll find something."

You and Morgana saw a small wooden cabinet. Inside the cabinet, there were only three different catalysts. Each catalyst was spherical in shape and metallic, with a glass at each of their center.

Morgana spoke, "This is exactly what we need, thank you Cyria."

Cyria smiled, "You're quite welcome."

Morgana turned to you, "Just remember, the more powerful the catalyst, the better our promethean will be."

She added, "When we buy a catalyst, I think both of us should cover half of what the total cost for the catalyst should be. For example, if it costs 800 coins, I'll pay 400 coins and you will pay 400 coins as well. Is that fair?"

You nodded, "Yes, that seems fair."

You looked at the choices before you.

*choice
  #You saw a brand-new Q-032 catalyst. This was the standard model and it would make your promethean quite strong (It costed 700 coins total. You and Morgana split the cost so you only pay 350 coins).
    *set prometheanpower +3
    *set catalyst "Q-032"
    *set catadjective "brand-new"
    *set coins -350
    *goto cashier2
  #You saw a rusted Q-032 catalyst. Unlike a regular model, its power output would be weaker. However, Cyria would give you a great discount because of how rusty it was. (It costed 500 coins total. Since you and Morgana would split the cost, you only pay 250 coins).
    *set prometheanpower +2
    *set catalyst "Q-032"
    *set catadjective "rusty"
    *set coins -300
    *goto cashier2
  #You found a shiny C-99 catalyst. This model is currently a popular option for catalysts. Unlike a standard catalyst, this model could retain mana for longer periods of time. (It costed 1100 coins. Morgana seemed particularly interested in this model and was willing to pay 600 coins for it. You only pay 500 coins).
    *set prometheanpower +4
    *set catalyst "C-99"
    *set catadjective "shiny"
    *set coins -500
    Morgana smiled, "Excellent choice. I know of this model. Researchers in Yarvul praised it for its reliability."
    *page_break
    *goto cashier2

*label cashier2

"Great choice! Let me get you a bag."

When you finished paying for it, Cyria hugged you both and said, "It was a pleasure to meet you both. It's not everyday one finds young people, such as yourselves, visiting a withered old crone like me."

You replied, "You're hardly what I imagine a crone would be."

She blushed again, "Oh, you two are too much. If only every youth were as sweet as the two of you!"

Cyria bid the both of you goodbye.

You and Morgana waved goodbye to her.

You spoke, "Well, she seems to be a lot nicer than most shopkeepers around here."

"Well, I just wished she didn't haphazardly summon wisps in her store. It nearly scared me to death."

You and Morgana started walking towards the bus stop. All-in-all, it was quite a successful shopping trip.

*goto robbers


*label cloakedman
*page_break

You decided to talk to the cloaked man.

You and Morgana walked towards the eastern section of the bazaar. After a few minutes, Morgana spotted the cloaked man, "There he is."

You looked at the man. He seemed entirely covered in a disgusting rag. Stains and holes riddled the clothes he was wearing.

Unfazed by his appearance, Morgana approached him, "Sir? Sir?"

The man looked at her, "What do you want? I'm not a vagabond, therefore I'm not loitering."

She shook her head, "No, we're not here to chase you away. Actually, I was wondering if you were selling any catalysts."

The man's eyes lit up, "Why didn't you say so in the first place? I've got lots of 'em."

He open up his cloak and he showed various catalysts he had for sale. You and Morgana only saw rusted junk and noticeably broken catalysts. 

Morgana grabbed him in anger, "I know you've got a SYS-001 catalyst. I saw you hiding one underneath your cloak. Please don't try to scam us, you won't like me if you insist on cheating us."

*page_break

The man spoke nervously, "You've got good eyes, girl. Alright, I admit it, I've got a SYS-001, but it's not supposed to be for sale."

She released him, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, this is a special order for a particularly nasty client of mine. On the other hand, I don't really like this guy, so I'm willing to give the SYS-001 to you... for a price, of course."

The man continued, "On the other hand, I could just give you a regular, old Q-032. I was hiding that too. I usually sell the junk I have to suckers, but you ain't no sucker little lady."

You weren't sure how trustworthy this individual was, but considering how unsavory this whole situation was, you were tempted to just leave. However, Morgana seemed determined to find a catalyst here.

Morgana turned to you, "It looks like he's willing to sell us functional catalysts, unlike the broke trash he attempted to scam us with. Just remember, the more powerful the catalyst, the better our promethean will be."

She added, "When we buy a catalyst, I think both of us should cover half of what the total cost for the catalyst should be. For example, if it costs 800 coins, I'll pay 400 coins and you will pay 400 coins as well. Is that fair?"

You nodded, "Yes, that seems fair."

You looked at the choices before you.

*choice
  *selectable_if (coins >= 850) #You saw the incredible SYS-001 catalyst. Unlike the others, it wasn't spherical in shape. The SYS-001 had a cubic shape, and it was entirely made of orichalcum. The center wasn't glass either, it was crystal fiber delicately woven into the cube's center. (It costed a whopping 1700 coins. Morgana attempted to bargain with the man with little success. You split the cost, so it would cost you 850 coins.)
    *set prometheanpower +3
    *set prometheandefense +3
    *set catalyst "SYS-001"
    *set catadjective "incredible"
    *set coins -850
    *goto cashier3
  *selectable_if ((charm >= 15) and (coins >= 700)) #You reasoned with Morgana to pay extra for the SYS-001. She admitted that she wanted it very badly, as well. (It would still cost 1700 coins, but Morgana was willing to pay 1000 coins for the catalyst. You would only pay 700 coins) (Requires Charm above level 15).
    *set prometheanpower +3
    *set prometheandefense +3
    *set catalyst "SYS-001"
    *set catadjective "incredible"
    *set coins -700
    *goto cashier3
  #You saw a brand-new Q-032 catalyst. This was the standard model and it would make your promethean quite strong (It costed 700 coins total. You and Morgana split the cost so you only pay 350 coins).
    *set prometheanpower +3
    *set catalyst "Q-032"
    *set catadjective "brand-new"
    *set coins -350
    *goto cashier3
  #You found an awful Q-030 catalyst. It was in terrible shape, and you realized that the power output would be completely horrid. Your promethean would be weak, but the catalyst was a bargain (It costed 250 coins, but considering how cheap it was, Morgana was willing to pay for the whole thing. You pay nothing).
    *set catalyst "Q-030"
    *set catadjective "awful"
    *goto cashier3

*label cashier3

The man smiled, "It's a pleasure doing business with you."

He wraps the ${catalyst} catalyst in a large brown bag.

"See you around kids."

The man walks into the crowd of shoppers, and he vanishes.

You spoke, "Even though we managed to get a catalyst, let's avoid shady individuals like him next time, okay Morgana?"

She nodded, "I agree. I feel dirty buying from such a suspicious man."

You two walk to the bus stop with the catalyst in hand. Despite the unpleasant man, you both felt satisfied.

*goto robbers

*label robbers
*page_break

On the way back to the bus stop, you and Morgana managed to get lost.

Both of you wandered, until the sun was no longer visible.

After a long while, you came upon a deserted corridor. Both of you were about to enter when five cloaked individuals suddenly blocked your path.

*page_break

One of them spoke in a low-toned voice, "Now, what's the rush young lady?"

Morgana's eyes glared at the man who spoke, "What do you want from us?"

"Oh ho ho! That's a nasty look you've got there." The cloaked figures pulled out shivs and knives.

One of the other individuals spoke in a feminine voice, "What's in the bag, missy?"

Morgana replied, "None of your concern."

The woman replied, "You two look like a cute couple, I wouldn't want to gut a cute couple such as you two. Would you mind giving us what's in the bag? While you're at it, give us all your coins too!"

*fake_choice
  #Enough of this! I begin conjuring a whip of flame.
  #I don't know how fast they are, but I prepared to dash into the group and fight them all.
  #They didn't notice, but I began to create a barrier around me and Morgana.
  #Even if Morgana sees me do it, I began creating a void of dark magic behind them.

However, before you finished casting your spell, Morgana held her arm out in front of you, "Leave this to me, ${fname}."

She stepped forward.

The cloaked figures laughed mockingly. One of them spoke, "Be careful scary missy. We're not above killing children."

One of the other cloaked figures spoke, "I find the screams of children particularly soothing, if you ask me."

Morgana held her hand out, and a flash of light emanated from her palms.

The cloaked woman spoke, "You idiots! Stop her before she finishes casting whatever she's casting!"

Three of the cloaked figures dashed forward. Morgana waved her hand, and a violent vibration tore through the charging thugs.

In an instant, all three robbers were slammed against the wall, completely unconscious.

You spoke, "What was that? I've never seen spellcraft like that before!"

"I'll explain later, for now, we need to finish off these two!"

The woman spoke again, "Enough of this!"

The woman brought out a mana hand-cannon from her cloak, "Drop all your coins or I kill the both of you!"

*page_break

Morgana smiled, "You fool."

"That's it!" The woman pulls the trigger, and a beam of light races towards the two of you.

Morgana waved her hand again, and the beam of light vanishes completely.

"W-what? How is that possible?"

"Your ignorance was your downfall. A mana hand-cannon is susceptible to spellcrafting, since it uses mana as its bullet."

She raised her hand again, and light poured from her hands. She waved her hand once again, and the same strange vibration coursed through the remaining cloaked figures. Both of them were unconscious in a split second.

Morgana spoke, "Let's go, I don't want to meet anymore thieves, tonight."

You nodded, albeit somewhat awestruck, "Right, of course."

*page_break

Once you and Morgana boarded the bus you finally relaxed. The incident with the robbers delayed you both drastically. It was already dark out by the time you entered the bus.

You spent the bus trip comprehending what just happened. One moment you were getting mugged, and the next there were five unconscious people around the two of you. You wanted to ask Morgana a few questions, but you didn't quite know how to put it. You spent the entire bus ride in contemplation.

*page_break

When you both exited the bus, you turned to Morgana, "What spellcraft discipline was that? I mean the one you used on those cloaked figures. I've been using magic since I was a toddler, and I've never seen anything like it."

She looked at you, "It's spellcrafting unique to my family. It was the reason why I lived in Yarvul."

She continued, "We were being studied there like lab rats because of it."

"What's it called?"

"When the Estenians first witnessed it, they called it 'Anomaly' magic. I didn't like that name, so I started calling it 'Disruption' magic. It sounded better to me, and the name stuck."

"Wow! So does your mother use Disruption magic too?"

She shook her head, "No, my mother is unable to use that magic. My father was the one who could use Disruption magic, but like I said, I've never met him."

She continued, "To make things worse, I was told that the only reason my mother married my dad was to study his family's magic."

You remained silent.

Morgana spoke again, "But, that's neither here nor there."

The two of you remained silent for a few awkward moments.

*page_break

You looked above you, the moon was fully visible at this hour. Despite what happened a few moments ago, you felt satisfied with today's trip.

Suddenly, Morgana spoke, "I had a fun time today, ${fname}."

"Yeah, me too."

She looked at you, almost expectantly. Did you have something else to say?

*choice
  *selectable_if (romance = "None") #Maybe we should do more of this, sometimes? (flirt)
    *set romance "Morgana"
    *set morgmeter +10
    Morgana spoke, "Oh? Maybe we should." There was something subtly teasing about her tone, although you weren't certain.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    "If I'm being honest, I'm glad you were the one with me when those robbers attacked."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She smiled, "Of course. I'm glad that I wasn't alone either."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    After a few moments passed, Morgana grabbed you by the arm and kissed you on the cheek.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You blushed.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    She looked away. Her light skin made it easy to discern that she was also blushing.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You both walked in silent bliss, until you eventually went your separate ways. You bid each other good night.
    *goto endofday
  #I had nothing else to say. I simply smiled at her.
    *set morgmeter +10
    Morgana's expression relaxed. Has she been feeling tense throughout this whole trip? You wondered if she was expecting to meet bandits and thieves today, but at the least she was relaxed now.
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You both walked with a calm satisfaction, until you eventually went your separate ways. You bid each other good night.
    *goto endofday
  #Let's bring my friends, ${school_friend} and Hane next time.
    *set morgmeter +8
    Morgana nodded, "I would be interested in meeting your friend."
    *line_break
    *line_break
    You both walked home in a jolly mood, until you eventually went your separate ways. You bid each other good night.
    *goto endofday

*label endofday

When you arrived home, your mom and dad greeted you. They were interested about your day, but you were too tired to recall everything. Reluctantly, they let you go off to bed; although, you promised to recount everything tomorrow.

As soon as your body touched your pillows, you fell asleep.



*finish