Chapter10 Jack's New Trial
The shimmering portal dissipated as quickly as it appeared, leaving Jack blinking in the pre-dawn light.
The haunting melody lingered in the air, a phantom echo of untold power.
He wasn't transported to another time, not yet anyway.
Instead, a ripple of panic spread through the Magic Academy faster than a bad rumour in a high school cafeteria.
Apparently, "raw, untamed magic" wasn't exactly welcome on campus.
Turns out, the magical equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane was brewing, and the academy was right in its path.
Dark whispers snaked through the corridors, tales of shadowy figures and malevolent energies.
Even the gargoyles looked worried, which, considering their usual stony expressions, was saying something.
Jack, despite a healthy dose of "nope" churning in his stomach, found a strange sense of resolve hardening within him.
This wasn't some video game he could pause or reset.
This was real, and he was smack-dab in the middle of it.
Professor Magnus, looking more grim than a basilisk with a toothache, barked orders for the academy's defense.
Jack, drawing on his extensive knowledge of video game strategy and siege warfare documentaries (don't judge), hesitantly suggested a new defensive layout.
He explained how concentric circles of defense, choke points, and flanking maneuvers could be adapted to magical combat.
The professor, after raising an eyebrow so high it nearly disappeared into his hairline, surprisingly agreed.
The ensuing chaos was…organized.
Students scrambled to reposition magical artifacts, set wards, and reinforce barriers.
Jack, directing traffic like a seasoned fantasy general, found himself surprisingly adept at applying his modern-day, gamer-honed strategic thinking to this medieval magical mess.
He even used a bit of reverse psychology on a particularly stubborn group of apprentice mages, convincing them that guarding the west tower was the "elite" assignment.
It worked like a charm.
A few wide-eyed glances and whispers of "He's actually good at this" gave Jack an unexpected surge of confidence.
But defense wasn't Jack's only challenge.
Magic theory class, always a struggle, had become a full-blown existential crisis.
Trying to reconcile modern scientific principles with the whimsical nature of magic was like herding cats riding unicorns.
Sophia, bless her pointy hat, noticed his frustration.
"Having a bit of a 'mind blown' moment, Jack?" she asked, a playful smirk on her face.
"More like 'mind shredded'," Jack muttered, gesturing wildly at the arcane diagrams in his textbook.
Together, they wrestled with the concepts.
Then, in a flash of inspiration, Jack connected the seemingly disparate ideas.
He explained how magic, in a way, resembled the manipulation of energy, not unlike manipulating electricity or even code.
The professor, who had been observing their exchange, paused mid-lecture.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"Ingenious, Mr. Smith," he boomed, "A most…unconventional, yet insightful perspective." Another point for Team Jack!
The ominous pressure of the approaching darkness grew heavier, palpable in the air.
The academy buzzed with nervous energy.
In the magic labs, students prepared potent concoctions and enchanted items.
Jack, while mixing a particularly volatile potion, accidentally triggered a magical trap.
Purple sparks flew, the air crackled, and everyone dove for cover.
But Jack, instead of panicking, remembered a trick he'd seen in an Indiana Jones movie.
He used a strategically placed mirror to redirect the errant spell, not only neutralizing the trap but also, quite by accident, creating a new and potentially powerful magical compound.
Sophia, watching with wide-eyed admiration, couldn't help but be impressed.
"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" she whispered, a hint of something more than admiration in her voice.
Just when the tension had reached a fever pitch, Lady Eleanor and Isabella arrived, bearing gifts of enchanted armor and protective amulets.
Seeing their concern etched on their faces, Jack felt a surge of warmth and determination.
He promised them he would protect the academy, and their belief in him filled him with a strength that went beyond spells and potions.
As the final preparations were made, a hush fell over the academy.
The air thrummed with anticipation, the calm before the magical storm.
Jack, standing beside Sophia, felt a strange mix of fear and excitement.
He gripped his newly discovered magical compound, a faint glow emanating from within.
Then, a messenger burst into the room, his face pale with fright.
"Professor Magnus!
They've found something...
in the forest.
Something…unexpected.
" He gulped, then added, "They think...
they think it's connected to… John Smith.
"
The shimmering portal, a swirling vortex of emerald and sapphire, pulsed with an energy that prickled Jack's skin.
He hesitated, one foot poised on the threshold of the unknown.
One wrong step and he could end up in medieval Iceland wrestling polar bears, or worse, back in his old apartment facing another pile of overdue bills.
He shuddered.
Magic school, despite its current air of impending doom, was definitely the lesser of those evils.
"Well, are you coming or what?" Sophia's voice, laced with amusement, snapped him back to the present.
She stood beside the portal, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a serious focus.
"Professor Magnus isn't known for his patience, and this… thing… isn't waiting for teatime."
Jack took a deep breath and stepped through.
The world on the other side was not what he expected.
Instead of a bustling marketplace or a dragon-infested wasteland, he found himself in a dimly lit chamber within the academy itself, the air thick with the smell of ozone and burnt toast.
Professor Magnus, his beard bristling with barely contained magical energy, stood before a group of students, his gaze fixed on a swirling, shadowy mass in the center of the room.
"This," Magnus boomed, his voice echoing off the stone walls, "is the manifestation of the dark magic we've been tracking. It appears to be growing stronger."
Elara Moonshade, a mysterious woman with eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe, stepped forward.
"The energy signature is unlike anything I've encountered.
It's ancient, powerful, and… chaotic.
"
Jack, ever the pragmatist, raised his hand.
"So, what's the plan? Do we chuck a few fireballs at it and call it a day?"
Magnus fixed him with a withering stare.
"Absolutely not, Mr. Smith. This requires a delicate approach. Ms. Moonshade has devised a ritual to contain the entity, but it requires precise timing and coordination."
As Magnus detailed the complex plan, a mixture of excitement and trepidation coursed through Jack.
This was it, a real magical crisis, not just another botched potion or a misfired spell in class.
He glanced at Sophia, who gave him a reassuring wink.
Maybe, just maybe, he could actually contribute something useful this time.
Meanwhile, back in the familiar world, Isabella paced anxiously in her chambers, her fingers twisting a silken handkerchief.
News of the strange occurrences in the academy had reached the castle, and although the details were scarce, she knew Jack was involved.
Lady Eleanor, ever perceptive, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Don't you worry, my lady. Master Jack is a resourceful young man. He'll come through this, just like he always does."
Even John Smith, back in his simple cottage in the village, felt a pang of concern.
He'd grown fond of the odd young man who'd appeared out of nowhere with his strange tales and even stranger inventions.
He hoped Jack was alright.
Back in the chamber, the air crackled with anticipation.
The shadowy mass pulsed and writhed, as if sensing the impending ritual.
Jack, despite his bravado, felt a knot of fear tighten in his stomach.
This wasn't a video game.
This was real.
And this time, there were no extra lives.