CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: UNFAIR TO DARK-CORES.

TAKI'S POINT OF VIEW.

"Hey, come to think of it…weren't we separated into groups of four?" Yal calls to my attention as we drink thirstily from the small stream we have just found although we're hungry as well,-at least we found water- I shrug "I just hope they make it to the end of this" I say simply, he nods, and continues drinking, he looks -desperate and pitiful- I stare at him, his present figure is absolutely humorous, he senses my staring and turns to me "What?" he asks obliviously, I chuckle "Nothing you just look so funny…so unroyal" I chuckle at my own humour -silence- "By the way Taki…" he starts nervously "Why do you want to become a Reverred?" he asks suddenly -I flinch; this is a question I sometimes pray not to be asked- "It seemed like a cool thing " I blurt casually, he looks at me quizically "If you tell me the reason you want to become a Reverred, then I'll tell you the REAL reason I want to become a mage" he states icily -real reason?-, I stand up from the streamside "I thought you just didn't want to be useless" I say -silence-, suddenly he gets up and smiles coyly "Don't mind me…come on let's look out for edibles" he intones as he rushes away, -is it weird that I am suspicious of his words?-

TAKI'S POV END.

**********

THE HOODED ONE'S POINT OF VIEW.

"So…you're telling me that I have such a huge amount of essence just stored as a reservoir only to be expended if I turn evil?" Netyisha asks in astonishment, I nod "I never knew this, or rather I was never taught this…how did you get to know?" she questions excitedly, I smile "Of course nobody will ever teach you this, but books will…knowledge is key" I respond simply, she stares at me simply amazed "I never knew you could be so interesting Mr Hood, I only knew you as the faceless, nameless mage powerful enough to be Upper Head Mage" she mutters shyly, her head down -I grin- "Until this discussion…I've always been very particular about…being accepted despite being a Dark-core…but now…" she pauses "It just seems so unfair that all dark-cores are deemed villainous and therefore unallowed to show their full magic potential", she pauses, and I perceive -the irritation in her tone- "I held back so much during my tests, as a Dark-core, I didn't want to be called evil", she continues steadily, I stand up and step to the shelves where I retrieve a book "The Mage Fenice is not even a Dark-core…so why, why do they think it's only Dark-cores that can be evil?" she asks rhetorically -her tone is bitter now-, I chuckle "Do you know that 93% of common people immediately throw or kill children discovered to be dark-cores?" I ask meditatively, she flinches "They just blindly follow the instructions of the officials of the system" I add, Netyisha stares at me intently "So what are you telling me Mr Hood?", she questions placidly, I hand her the book while saying "Why don't you deduce that?"

THE HOODED ONE'S POV END.

**********

So far, the game is even more tiring, it's an exhausting catch activity, and presently I am having serious issues keeping up with Rave's pace, but more importantly, I notice a group of -people?- at a distance steadily towards us "Hey Rave!" I yell to Rave who abruptly stops in his track, they soon reach us and the man who is apparently their leader marches up to Rave and I "Hey…pick, you serve us or... you die".