"What's the matter professor!? Is this really dark…magic!?" Ames asked with surprise.
"It's not! But it definitely is something foreign. I can't say what it is, but I'm sensing something dangerous and destructive. It may harm you in ways unknown! A foreboding feeling it is, but I think it may alter the balance of the present in some way!" the headmaster said with a grave expression.
"This magic definitely comes with a price! I can gauge it from how your health had been in these few months." The headmaster said with worry.
"But I am very near headmaster! I feel I'll be able to complete it if I get a little more time. please, headmaster, just give me a …"
"I can't Ames! What I felt from the magic, is darkness hidden in the shadow of the light of the spell. I can't allow you to deal with something this dangerous!"
Ames was crestfallen. He didn't know what to say. the headmaster was an eighth circle wizard, on the border of reaching the ninth. His words were not to be ignored.
Seeing Ames disheartened, the headmaster sighed, put his hand on his shoulder so as to console him. "I have great hopes of you Ames. I wish you to be in my place in the future when I retire." Boris was shocked as his eyes opened wide, but he immediately composed himself.
"I can't allow you to put your life in danger. Sometimes, the unknown should better be left unexplored, for the peace to maintain and light to keep shining. You're a talented young wizard! It's very difficult to reach fourth circle at your age. Keep researching on the original spell you were working on, that is an achievement great enough to make you sit on the council!" the headmaster said with a smile.
"I understand headmaster!"
"Good! discard everything and start fresh. I believe you'll take the right choice and look after yourself and the institute!" he patted on Ames's shoulder and walked away. Boris followed behind.
After they left, Ames started cleaning up. With wind magic he collected the glass pieces and other debris and dumped them on a huge drum under a chimney at the far corner of the room.
He then sat on the chair, held the book in his hands and kept his eyes locked on it, going deep into contemplation.
A sigh escaped him and he stood up holding the book in his hand and started walking towards the drum.
He dumped the book inside it and with the flick of his hand, a fireball appeared on his palm and he threw it inside the drum.
Everything inside started burning as smoke started rising. With one final look at the book engulfed in fire, he walked away.
*****
After passing a few cities, Luke's carriage reached the airport city Winchester.
The carriage came to a stop near the counter where a long queue of people was present.
Luke got out with his luggage, thanked the coachman and walked towards the counter to stand in line.
Travelling through road to Gemburn was not safe since it was the border city to the forest of corruption, which was home to endless number of monsters and dark beings. And also, the resting place of an annihilation class being.
Monsters frequented the roads often and merchants and commoners avoided the road. Thus, leading to the monopoly of the airships.
Luke was standing in line when the sunlight vanished and the surrounding got darker.
He shifted his eyes upwards for a look when he saw the huge airship, it had an elongated spherical balloon above and stuck beneath it was the passenger and driver cabins, able to hold almost three hundred people at a single time.
It docked at the platform floating above in the sky. And there was long track for the lift moving upwards vertically and then turning and rising diagonally from the ground towards the platform.
Everything was powered by the mana stones and the lift carried about fifty people at one time, and there were about ten lifts placed parallel to each other.
Luke was awestruck at the magical engineering brilliance. It was the first time in fifteen years he had come out of the mansion, and everything that people were used to was new to him.
"Hey!! Move on!" One man yelled from the back, seeing Luke fixed at his spot looking above when the line had moved on ahead.
"Huh!? Oh…sorry!" Luke apologised and moved forward. He didn't look up anymore, instead his head was down with embarrassment.
After a long wait, his turn finally came and he came forward to take his ticket at the counter.
"Where to?" the girl at the counter asked.
"Gemburn."
"Which class?"
"Class?" he asked, confused.
"Elite, economy or basic?" She said in a monotonous tone, completely annoyed and disinterested.
"What's the difference?"
"Are you a first timer?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Elite is ten gold coins. Economy is five gold coins and basic is fifty silvers. The higher the class, more the comfort. Now tell me, which is it?"
"Basic then." Luke wanted to save as much as he could as he didn't know how his uncle was, if he would be able to find him or not. How many days it would take to settle down if not. He had to be tight with his coins until he found a job or a stable income.
She handed him a brown rectangular ticket about the size of his palm.
He took the ticket and moved towards one of the lifts. He got inside and stood.
It was in a very rundown condition, used probably for the lower class ticket holders. There were some very fancy ones at the far end, mainly for the VIPs and elites.
After the lift was filled with people, it closed its doors and started moving up.
Slowly the ground started to get smaller and he was moving above towards the platform. After a few minutes, it stopped with a thud.
The doors opened and Luke got out. He stood motionless, stupefied as he saw the airship up close. It was huge, nothing like what he saw from down below.
There were bridges from the platform to the ship doors and above the doors were huge boards where the classes were written.
Luke looked around and finally saw the one he had to get on. He moved towards the furthest and smallest door at the edge of the ship which was the basic class.