Chapter Three

Nahmeh and Delacroix followed the translucent familar up and down a seemingly random pattern of stairs and halways until they reached a large wooden door. On the door sparkled a small gold plate.

Nahmeh smiled as he recognized the name engraved into it.

Leela glided up the door and opened without any announcement. The three stepped into the room and behind the desk at the back of the room was a man with long apple green hair. His smile was large and his brown eyes with filled with mirth.

He stood and strode over to Nameh.

"Master!" he greeted with a deep laugh and grabbed Nahmeh's hand. "Its been too long! I've been meaning to call on you, but there is always something to do!" He looked around and smiled even larger when he spotted Delacroix on Leela's head.

"And Master Croix! I am glad to see you doing well!"

Nahmeh was all smiles, too. "Freesha, I am glad to see you are doing well for yourself," he praised. "And please, don't feel obligated to come see and me and Delacroix. Being on the council and headmaster of such a prestigious school at such a young age must be a burden all on its own."

Freesha turned red in his face. "Young for you, maybe, Master," he said with embarrassment. "But I'm not so young anymore!" He let go of Nahmeh's hand. "Please, sit down! Leela, can you get drinks for everyone, please?" he asked his familiar before leading Nahmeh to sit infront of his desk.

Freesha quickly sat in his own chair.

"I wish to know what you've both been up too since I saw you last! Everything after the tournament seems to go alittle foggy for awhile," he chuckled as he gestured to his head.

Nahmeh nodded. "It was a very crazy time for you. You were the youngest practitioner to win the Arcane Crest Tournament, so I'm not surprised that in the whirlwind, you have some gaps," he laughed. "Alot of things happened,' he said, twisting the dark sapphire ring on his left hand without thinking. "I can't say where I've been or what I've been up to in detail, but I'm doing what Ive always done, I suppose," he added with a small laugh.

Freesha nodded, his smile still on his face. "I'm glad to hear it. Without your help, none of this would've been possible," he said and gestured to himself and the room. "I'm afraid I called you here to ask for your help once more, Master," he confessed as Leela brought a small tray of drinks over.

"I figured as much," Nahmeh admitted and thanked Leela as he took a glass. He sipped on the drink as he waited for Freesha to continue.

"I have a group of promising students," he began and did the same as he took a glass. Leela sat beside Nahmeh and sipped her own glass of juice. "But they are unruly as they are talented. They have no respect and the instructors don't know what to do with them..."

Freesha looked embarrassed. "I confess I tried teaching them myself but they have trouble focusing. They are wonderful, please don't misunderstand," he quickly corrected himself, "It's just that I realize now that perhaps my approach wasn't the best..."

"Are you asking for my advice?"

Nahmeh knew what Freesha was asking, but he wanted to make his former student say it. Old habits died hard, he admitted to himself with amusement.

"I was hoping that you could help teach them, actually."

"I'm afraid I will have to pass on that," Nahmeh said and took another sip of his drink.

The headmaster sighed. "I had a feeling you would say that," he groaned. "But, please, Master, hear me out! These kids have alot to offer and I know that you can bring it out of them."

Nahmeh shook his head. "Again, I have to decline. You know why. It's not-" his sentence was cut short by Delacroix hopping onto his shoulder.

'At least think about it, Nahmeh,' she interjected. 'It might not be such a bad idea. Its getting alittle old doing the same things all the time.'

Freesha was obviously included in the thought because his face was beaming. "Yes, please think about it, Master. Its only three children, and under your guidance I'm sure they would learn quickly before-"

"It's not about learning quickly!" Nahmeh said sharply. "Freesha, your thinking is the same as its always been. Learning means nothing if you don't know why it is you're learning it in the first place!" Nahmeh rubbed his face before he continued. "The children are young and the reason why you are getting nowhere with them is because you are pushing for results. These children don't have a reason to become better, except because you want them to, so of course they are not going to take it seriously!"

Freesha frowned deeply. "Master, I don't appreciate you speaking to me as if I were still a child myself. You have no idea what kind of person I am now, and I would kindly like to remind you that while I was your student, I am above you in terms of power and authority now. Is it too much to ask for some respect?"

Nahmeh's already narrow eyes became narrower. "I think that you saying that has only strengthened my point and my resolve to decline." He stood up from his seat slowly. "I'm sorry, but I am afraid I cannot help you."

"Can't or won't?"

Nahmeh placed the glass carefully on the desk. "I'm sorry, Freesha. Try thinking about the students as individuals rather then as peices to further your career. Then maybe something will happen."

Freesha stood as well. "It's regrettable that you feel that way. Despite my past, I feel I have truly taken your lessons to heart. I don't think that I could have gotten far without them. As for my offer, I think you will be changing your mind. All I ask is that you consider it more carefully." He stepped back around the desk and gave a small bow. "It was nice seeing you both again. The next time I see you will be as a council member, so please try to remember that next time you feel like speaking too freely."

Nahmeh gave a small head bow in response to the mild threat before exciting the room. Leela began to follow them but Nahmeh held up a hand.

"Please, don't trouble yourself. I remember the way back just fine," he said alittle curtly but not unkindly.

Leela nodded and stayed back. Nahmeh gave her a final smile before departing.

He began to walk back a different way then they came. He decided to take the scenic route that would take them through the castle grounds. While he walked he decided to check on some seals that might need touching up.

Croix transformed into her human form and began to walk beside him. She was tall enough that their shoulders brushed as they went through a side door and out into a garden.

'Did you have to speak to him like that? You had to go and spoil a prefectly fine reunion,' she chastised and crossed her arms under her small chest.

Nahmeh sighed with irritation. "You know I did. He's the same as he was when he was a child: power hungry and impulsive. All he wants is results with little effort on his part."

'I still think you should try it," she argued as they turned a corner.

"Well I don't. He needs to learn how to fix his own problems, Croix. Plus, I'm too old to be dealing with that sort of excitement-"

Like someone had heard him, a big ball of fire was hurled right toward them. Nahmeh had only a second to react but his tome and wand were in his hand before he could give a concious thought and he had already completed a sheild sigil.

The heat was intense as it slammed into the magic sheild a moment later. The power was nothing to laugh about either. It had him loose his footing briefly, and at just over six feet, and two hundred pounds, there was few that could do that even on their best days.

Delacroix lowered the arm she had used to block the fire and rubbed the back of her hand casually to chase away the heat. 'What was that about?' she asked.

Nahmeh shrugged and scanned the area for threats. He couldn't see any danger but he could see the path of burned topiary that had been incinerated from the magic fire. He also could hear shouts and laughter from far away.

He only noticed then that his hat had been knocked off. He bent down to pick it up but Croix snagged it and placed it on her own head.

'Lets go have a look~' she smiled and grabbed his hand to pull him along.

He didn't object and let her take him down the fire scorched path till it stopped right before a clearing that lead into another small garden lawn. On it were three kids- two boys and a girl.

They were in a circle, their backs toward him and Delacroix. He coughed to announce their presence and to get their new strangers' attention.

Two spun around with a guilty look on their faces. Nahmeh could tell they were brother and sister by their light pink hair and deep purple eyes. The third looked at him, his narrow yellow eyes sizing him up before moving onto Delacroix. He let out a small snort, clearly not impressed.

Nahmeh ignored it and addressed the issue.

"Did one of you make that fire ball?" he asked.

He had a strong feeling these three were the kids Freesha had been talking about.

"Yeah. It was me," the third kid said defensively as he stepped infront of the girl.

Nahmeh wasn't convinced but went along with it. "Oh? Well I hope you know that playing with such dangerous magic is forbidden."

The kid scowled and flipped his black hair out of his face aggressively. "So what? It was an accident."

"Kas-" the other boy warned but was brushed off with a glare in his direction as well. "And who the hell are you, old man? You don't teach here, so you can't tell me what to do."

Nahmeh smiled. "You're right, I don't work here."

There was silence as no one spoke. The tension seemed to fizzle into confusion.

"Um...then who are you?" the girl finally asked. She peaked around the boy, Kas, to blink up at the two strangers.

"Just a visit-" Nahmeh started to say but was cut off by Croix's sharp jab to his side with her elbow.

'We're here to teach you!' she said cheerfully into their minds.

They looked startled at the disembodied voice.

Nahmeh couldn't help but laugh. He put his hands on his hips.

"Well, in a way thats true. I'll give you a free lesson if you want it," he said. Croix wouldn't take no for an answer. She was so stubborn...

He knew he had to admit defeat for the time being. Croix wouldn't let it go other wise. Nahmeh cleared his throat to make a another statement,

"I'm Nahmeh Orion, and this is my dear friend Delacroix," the witch introduced with a bow. "Pleased to meet you all."