CHAPTER FOURTEEN : PRE-MISSION

Aly smiled, "We will be clearing Pier City's sewers of dire rats."

"Sewers? Rats?" Terry paused for a moment, "You sure you want to do that kind of mission?" Terry questioned.

"It'll be fine! It'll be a bit stinky but we can do it." Aly said with a wide smile as she again began to happily skip forward towards the road.

"We should have just taken a task alone," Terry said with a sigh.

"We should've but you are too nice," Erebus said with a deep resonating chuckle in Terry's head. Terry began to follow Aly again. She pulled a small book out of her back pocket as Terry approached.

Aly opened the book to a marked page and began reading, "Chariot of the circle. Come. Deliver us to our destination. Circle Chariot!" She yelled out as a lightning bolt struck down from the sky. After the flash, a chariot similar to the one that Darryl and Alison road in on back at the orphanage sat in front of Aly.

Terry walked forward smiling, "Did you just read that spell from that book?"

Aly nodded her head, "Yep. I write all my spells down they are so hard to remember."

"But that spell was so short. Why not memorize it?" Terry questioned.

"If it was that easy I would have." Aly put her hands on her hips and pouted her face, "Alright Mr. Hotshot class E mage. What spell do you have memorized if it's so easy?" She asked with a sour look on her face.

"Oh I don't know many spells I mean I'm not that good and don't have that much mana." Terry said shaking his hands.

"Why are you wanting her to think we're weak so bad." Erebus questioned he sounded amused.

"I don't know." Terry thought in his head.

"You just don't want to be caught in a lie. She'll figure it out eventually."

Aly was quiet for a moment, "Well having low mana is something you need to work on. If you want to even have a chance to move up to a D rank mage." She said proudly, "So casting spells is the best way to build it up. Like a muscle." She said happily. "Now whow me what you got."

Terry was silent for a moment and then started an incantation, "Light of fire form in my hand light the way in times of need. Ember." Terry said as a small flame appeared in Terry's hand, "I know it's not much but..."

"Wait you remembered that many words to a spell I would totally fumble over something that long." Aly said with a smile, "Being able to remember spells that good must save you a lot of mana."

"Not really." Terry remembered how casting spells like this used to feel, "Casting any kind of magic makes my heart race a bit and I feel like I'm going to pass out. I don't really even know why they let me in here." Terry said with a laugh.

"So you are a liar now Terry? Why not just tell her the truth." Erebus questioned.

Terry shook his head, "Well after you." He said opening the door to the carriage waiting for Aly to get in.

"They must've seen something in you. They don't let just plain anyone in the circle. You must have some potential." Aly said smiling getting into the Carrage and Terry following behind her sat across from her.

"I mean..." Aly smiled warmly, "I know what it's like. Growing up I always wanted to be the best mage. My mom would get so mad at me cus I would steal her spell book and go in my room and practice casting. But she had a good reason to get mad at me."

"Why did she get mad at you?" Terry questioned leaning forward.

"I would read from the book over and over again each time I would cast the spell I would feel feint my heart would also race but I held on to the spell anyway. I guess a few times I scared my mom cus I almost died from exhaustion."

"That's... crazy that you pushed yourself that far." Terry said quietly, "But yeah I know that feeling. I just really didn't have anyone that would really care if I slumped over and died while trying to grow my magic like that."

"Your parents don't care?" Aly questioned.

"Don't have any. I grew up my entire life in an orphanage I never met my parents." Terry said looking in Aly's eyes she seemed almost sad. Terry smiled, "I remember growing up always wanting to find a Tome so I could be a strong mage. I guess that was the cheap way to wish. You actually worked for it."

"I... didn't know. I'm sorry about that... and when it comes to Tomes I wish I found one too. It was always a dream to be like Sir Dragon Caller or Madam Phoenix but the chances of that... are so low." The carriage began to move heading toward pier city. "But you have a family now!" Aly sounded excited, "The circle will be your family I know that's why they took you out of their. They wanted to make sure you had family. You could be my little brother and I'll always protect you little bro."

Terry laughed, "Thanks for that."

"I mean it if any mean old mage messes with you I'll set them straight! I bet you'll make a great D rank mage someday!" She said with a smile.

"D rank.... yeah. Someday." Terry smiled back, "So these rats we're killing how many?"

"Not just normal old rats. Dire Rats. They are ten times larger then normal rats with massive teeth and claws with red eyes. Their quite mean. I fought one before in D rank but it was only one... but I'm a C rank now so I can handle the ten that we have to kill here... and when we're done with the rats we'd have some free time to maybe stop by the Trader's Inn." She said happily.

"I love the Trader's Inn that's where Liz cooks." Terry's eyes lit up.

"You don't seem very worried about the Dire Rats." Aly said, "I thought you would of been at least a little worried being a E rank mage."

"Oh I'm not worried I know you got this." Terry said with a slight smile.

"You have faith in me?" She questioned, "Not many people have that."

"Yeah I have faith in you." Terry said with a nod of his head.

"Then your right. There's nothing to worry about. You just stay behind me when we deal with those rats and it'll all be good." Aly said putting her fist up and smiling wide, "I'll show you how good C rank mages can be."

"I'm looking forward to it." Terry said happily looking out the window. He noticed that they were now in what seemed like a new city. All the buildings were made of white concrete the air almost smelled different. He heard what sounded like water and the unmistakable sound of birds squawking over head. "Where are we?"

"Pier city. The chariot will take us to our objective... and then wait for us to come back to it."

"I see." Terry said with a smile as the chariot began to slow down stopping at an old building. It looked older then all the buildings around it. "I guess this is the place." Terry said getting out of the chariot.

"What did I say about staying behind me." Aly scolded Terry jumping in front of him. She walked forward to the building and went inside with Terry close behind her. "Now to find the entrance to the sewars."

Terry couldn't shake an uneasy feeling like something bad was about to happen. He gulped hard but followed Aly through the old decrepid building that apparently hid an entrance to the sewars.