A New Start

"Ah!"

Heads turned when Theo gasped, making him blush. Still, he hadn't expected to find a diagram he recognized almost the instant he opened this grimoire.

Okay, it wasn't like he knew this exact spell, but it had enough familiar features. Three sub-circles inside the main circle. Lines radiating outward in a fractal formation. Even the precise order of the symbols along the outer rim. Just like one of his dream-diagrams.

As he'd suspected, he already knew an arena spell. Which would make memorizing this simpler one much easier.

"Is that a good 'ah' or a bad 'ah,' young master Theo?" Lodo asked, glancing away from the bookshelf he'd been rearranging.

"A good one," Theo said quickly. "Thanks so much for finding this for me, Lodo."

"Think nothing of it. This grimoire contains the most basic arenas, anyhow; one might say it's a starter's manual." Lodo sighed and shook his head. "Although as I'm sure you remember Lady Meg telling you, it still might be too early for you to begin creating your own arenas."

"I won't know unless I try, right?" Theo felt around the floor for his notebook and pencil. When someone placed the book into his open hand, Theo looked up to see Zenith crouching beside him.

His heart swelled with gratitude. "Thanks, Zenith."

Zenith nodded. "So you believe this one will work?"

"I hope so," Theo said, squinting at the diagram.

Meg had told him that creating the arena wouldn't give him that great of an advantage, but he felt like he'd be proving something just by doing it in the first place. So that was why he'd hunkered down in the basement with this grimoire. Even if Meg was busy minding the shop, he could still get started on his own.

Maybe he'd have a better chance if he used the arena spell from his dreams, but he didn't want to depend on them. Besides, who knew if he had enough Levia to even cast it.

"You're quite serious about this rematch, aren't you?" Lodo said.

"We are." To Theo's surprise, Zenith spoke. His voice was firm, inviting no argument.

'We,' he said. It was silly, but a bubble of delight floated through Theo's chest.

"If you say so," Lodo said, though he still looked a little doubtful. "We all know what they say about curiosity and the cat, but I can't help but wonder what you two discussed in the first place. Whatever it was seems to have breathed new life into both of you."

"That's the right attitude to have," Darian called from her perch on a ladder by the bookshelf. Like Lodo, she'd been rearranging books. "Each defeat gives you an opportunity to become stronger."

"Yes, my liege," Zenith said, but Theo was too busy copying the spell to pay them much attention. It had a lot more fiddly details than the spells he'd learned so far; he was already having a hard time even with the grimoire for reference.

"Forgive my saying so, but you were quite upset earlier today." Lodo's voice made Theo snap his head up. The butler hadn't come any closer, but he was gazing at Theo with a troubled expression. "I confess I worry that I might have offended you, young master Theo."

"What?" Startled, Theo set down his pencil.

"Well, perhaps I was worrying for nothing." Lodo shrugged. "Sometimes this old man just can't help it...but you did seem quite bothered by what I said."

Theo's heart jumped. That was right. This had all started because the others had talked about familiars serving wizards as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and he'd been so horrified he'd run to the basement.

A completely immature reaction now that he thought about it, but he still didn't want to accept that they were right – that Ryan was right.

Swallowing, he dropped his gaze back to the grimoire. He didn't know how to keep arguing about it without coming across as rude. It had been easier just talking with Zenith.

"I didn't mean to upset you, young master Theo," Lodo went on. "It's not as if Lady Meg would ever take it as far as Ryan Crowley does, and we hardly expect the same from you. It's simply...the way things have always been. I've devoted my entire life to serving Lady Meg, and I've never resented it. I'm sure Sir Zenith feels the same about being your familiar."

"That's right," Zenith said, nodding solemnly. "But Theo says he wants to be partners."

Straightforward as ever. Theo blushed. "I – I mean – "

"If it's an arrangement that makes both of you happy, then it's all you need." A smile softened the lines around Lodo's eyes. "That's what's most important about the relationship between a wizard and familiar – to be in sync. And there are as many ways to do that as there are wizards and familiars in both worlds."

To Theo's alarm, a lump swelled in his throat. It took all of his effort to force it down. Some vague part of him wondered if this was what it felt like to actually have a decent father.

Embarrassed by this turn in his thoughts, he lifted the grimoire again, only to hear a creak from Darian's direction. She was leaning forward on the ladder, chin in her hands.

A question came to Theo then. "Oh, uh, Darian, does that mean you're, uh, gonna serve your wizard?"

Though that seemed the typical way of things, he couldn't picture the proud Prince Darian willingly submitting to anyone. Even Sam deciding to become an emo seemed more likely.

Zenith seemed to think so too, for he cried out an aghast, "Theo!" Darian, on the other hand, tossed her head back and laughed.

"Not at all. I'm the prince of Miria Fortress. They're going to have to prove themselves worthy of me, and when they do, I'll be happy to swear them in as my loyal subject."

"As I said, there are all kinds in both worlds," Lodo said, his tone mild.

Just like that, all of Theo's remaining doubts scattered. Now he was certain he hadn't lost because of his relationship with Zenith.

"Let's leave Theo to work, shall we?" Darian said. "Besides, these books won't sort themselves."

"Of course, Prince Darian." Lodo nodded.

Silence fell in the basement again, aside from the sounds of Darian and Lodo rearranging the books and the steady scratch of Theo's pencil on the page. He had started drawing the dream arena spell next to the one from the grimoire, wanting to compare the two.

"Theo." Zenith's voice took him by surprise. "Do you already have a location in mind?"

"Huh?" Theo looked at his familiar, who was still crouching by his side.

Zenith turned away slightly. "Forgive my impertinence...I was wondering...since this is a basic arena it will mostly resemble the area it was created in. So...if you choose the location wisely, it may prove to be an advantage."

He was definitely blushing now, which flooded Theo's chest with warm affection. Before today, he was sure Zenith would have never volunteered a question of his own initiative like that.

"That's a good point. I guess I should think about it, huh?"

A location that might give him an advantage. Which meant one that he knew well, and Ryan didn't.

An image drifted from his memory. Dappled sunlight falling through rustling tree leaves. A brook quietly babbling in the distance. Victor extending his hand with a smile on his face.

The images scattered when Darian spoke. "You don't need to decide right away. It's probably best to focus on memorizing the spell first."

"No, actually," Theo said, his heartbeat echoing inside his head, "I think I might have an idea?"

Well, he wasn't one hundred percent sure, but it might be a good start. The wooded park in his neighborhood was decently sized, but not so big he'd get lost in its depths, and the dense growth might obscure Avia's line of sight.

And somehow, it felt poetic to challenge Ryan again on his home turf.

"It's near where I live," he explained. "We can go there to practice after school – oh, I guess it's more convenient if we go straight there instead of here first, huh? Uh, if I gave you directions could you get there on your own, Zenith? You have a phone, right?"

Though come to think of it, he texted Meg and Darian all the time, but never Zenith.

Sure enough, Zenith shook his head. "I'm fine without one. I don't understand how those things work in the first place."

He said it in his usual matter-of-fact manner, which made Theo struggle against the incongruous – and rather unkind – urge to laugh. Maybe it made sense Zenith didn't understand technology, but Darian had adapted like a fish to water. You'd think some of her savvy would rub off on her knight.

Well, he could work with it. It wasn't like people hadn't known how to navigate before GPS. On the other hand, it might be nice to have some way of contacting his familiar without having to go through Darian or Meg.

"Theo has a point, actually," Darian said as if she'd just read his mind. "Maybe it's time to get you a phone, Sir Zenith."

Theo had not expected her to propose it so casually. "Um, well, it's okay – I mean, you don't have to spend Meg's money just to – "

"Who said anything about Meg's money?" Darian cut in. "I'll pay for it myself."

"Huh?" Theo blinked, wondering if he had misheard. Or maybe he'd made the wrong assumption? He'd thought all this time that she and Zenith didn't have jobs and were living off Meg's no-doubt none-too-extravagant income as a bookstore owner.

"Yeah, no big deal." Darian hopped down the ladder and stretched out her arms. "I was planning on hitting up the Golden Royale this weekend anyway."

"The Golden Royale?" Theo sputtered. "You mean that casino off the interstate?"

"The one and only." Darian winked. "You know, the casinos of Earth aren't too different from the vice halls on Tielos. Either way, my luck hasn't failed me yet."

"My liege." Zenith sounded a tinge alarmed. "You needn't impose on yourself for my sake...."

"I was going to go anyway, so it's hardly an imposition."

Zenith bowed his head. "By your will, my liege."

"I'll be off, then. See you." With a casual wave, Darian strolled to the basement door.

"Best of luck," Lodo called after her.

Theo stared at the door, unable to banish the image of this prince from another world hitting the tables with the retirees who made up the Golden Royale's usual clientele. Funny how that ranked among the weirdest things he'd encountered in this world of magic battles.

Well, he couldn't sit here imagining silly crap forever. This arena spell wouldn't memorize itself.