Episode 22: The School of Magic

And now we will step back in time turning back the pendolem...to 500 Years in the past before the the great war between the Matron Republic and the Imperial Army. Before Kel had begun his rigorous journey. This is the story of the Heaven's Branch School of Magic and Witchcraft. Heaven Branch is a school that was founded by one Elwood Rendervourus, a half elf with magical power that was on the scale of an entire fleet of magicians. Our story picks up within Heaven's Branch's halls and our next Guild member.

"Be..."

"...erry!"

"BERRY WAKE UP!!"

Waking up out of a messy bed in a messy room was a girl with vanilla colored skin, her long pink hair messy and swinging infront of her face like a wore nothing but a white button up and a pair of aquamarine panties. Berry, she was an unorganized yet beautiful young girl, a girl who mysteriously appeared in Heaven's Branch acouple of months ago. And standing above her waking her from a misty sleep was her first friend at school, Magna a girl with navy blue short hair held up in two ponytails. "Berry wake up we're gonna be late for class!!" Magna yelled snatching the pillow from under her head and slapping her face with it. Berry grabbed the pillow and turned to one side.

"Five more...minutes..." She said half asleep.

"No more minutes! Berry you have to wake up now!!!" Magna said jumping on the bed and shaking her. In retaliation Berry tossed her off of the bed and she fell hitting her face. "OWWIE!!!"

"Ok ok I'm up." Berry said standing to her feet and lazily dragging her feet to the bathroom. Magna stood with a redden but happy face. "Ok brush up really quick! We have to be to school on time today!!"

Berry used the bathroom, took a bath and brushed up, she came out of the bathroom wearing the Heaven's branch uniform only half way. The uniform consisted of a white button up, gray skirts and a beige sweater vest with a heavy black and blue mages' cloak which fit over their backs like a haori. Berry always nevery wore her sweater vest and never tucked in her shirt where Magna was the exact opposite wearing hers correctly. "So anyway why is getting on time today so important?" Berry said grabbing her rocker designed backpack off of the couch in her dormspace while yawning.

"Silly have you forgotten?" Magna went on as the two of them walked out of Berry's Apartment waiting for her to lock the door and with that they both began walking down the hall. "Today we summon our familiars remember!!"

"Familiar?" Berry asked.

T.T-Magna "Berry you really should pay attention in class more. Familiars are summoned creatures whom act as a medium of magical passage between a magi and the magical force around them."

Both girls made their way through the city of Waltzbolt. Waltz was a magic city which looked like an average ordinary metropolitan city with trains, tall buildings and dozens of people walking back and forth in the streets hurrying to their jobs or to school. Even 500 years into the past the country still had cities of high technology, even though it looked so ordinary it still had elements of a magical touch. Guardian Dragons with armored knights riding them flew across the city skies alongside planes and airships. Men and women of different races from humans, to elves, wolfmen and orcs were also present.

The girls made their way to a trainstation and boarded a train which would carry them out of town and straight to Heaven's Branch which was a massive school big enough to be it's own town. The steam train rolled above the town on a rail that hung over the entire city, leading off into the mountains. The cart was filled with students who all went to Heaven's Branch, some of them holding wands, swords and many other potions and booklets. This was just like any other day for Berry, whom was known all across the campus as the "Mystery Girl". Only children born from high powered aristocrats can join the school, Berry suddenly appearing out of nowhere and not born from any particular rich family she was known as the Mystery Girl. She was also called many other names and since her status in the corporate world was unknown many other students stayed away from her...all except one. Magna.

"The civil war between the Drachma Empire and the Matron Republic continues to wage on, families in the more eastern regions are advised to migrate away...." The news anchor on the in-rail screen said as students all looked up in fear.

"Th-That war is kinda scary..." Magna said gripping the pendant hanging from her neck.

"Don't worry, it's more to the eastern center belt of the continent. We're more west..." Berry replied yawning and plopping down in a seat beside two other students.

"Bu-But that's just a hop and a skip over!" Magna said sounding even more worried.

"Calm down Maggy, remember what the instructors said. The Matron and Drachma had an agreement not to fight anywhere near heavily populated areas." Berry said with a shrug. "Waltzbolt and Heaven's Branch is a city and school known across the world or something like that right? So I doubt the fight will come this way...you need to stop worrying so much."

"Maybe you're right."

The train came to a hault and the students unboarded onto the railstation platform of Heaven's Branch School of Magus. The big 30 foot tall magical gate surrounding the school of six massive buildings that spelt out HEAVEN from a birds out view. Guard Dragons and young mages on wands and brooms flew across the skies above the school. Magna and Berry both made their way into the golden marble lobby. "Alright Berry you ready to get your familiar?!" Magna said punching the air. "With this we'll finally be able to use magic without using any Magic Cards isn't this exciting?!"

"Hardly." Berry said with a straight face.

" Wha?! Oh that's right you...never learned much about magic." Magna said raising an eyebrow.

" Magic isn't my thing I told you like a million times." The rebel replied punching the air. "Anyway I'm heading to Master Hougan's."

"Have a great day."

"Same..."

Master Hougan, a master of the hidden martial art Hado and Berry's Teacher. Almost a full year ago Berry had appeared in Heaven's Branch, but magic was too complex and boring for her to even listen to what the instructor was saying. That's where she'd found him, the old wrinkled man who would teach her a different path. He was also the school's instructor on close range combat. Over time Berry had become the most skilled hand to hand student in Heaven's Branch.

The beautiful cherry blossom trees spread their peddles across a twilight stone path as Berry trotted through, her target a small old shrine. She came to a hault seeing an old man garbed in a white robe with a slouched back, it seemed as though his entire form was held up with by a single wooden cane. Seeing opportunity she dropped her bag and grinned to herself, sprinting off towards the old man she cartwheel flipped into a jumping sky kick but the old man shifted to the side dodging the kick. "Are you a graceful deer? Or a reckless bison." The old man asked stroking his beard.

She slid to a hault on the stone path and turned back to see the old man standing completely still, his round strawhat casting a shadow over his face. "I guess I'm alittle of both...I've got something to show you old man. Something I developed all by myself...not even you'll be able to dodge this one master!" With that Berry stood with her feet spread apart and her fists held forward as if in Karate stance. The cherry blossom peddles flew away from her and began to burn in the air as her graceful blue aura turned into a dark fiery substance. A ball of spiraling black flame appeared before her.

'What's this? This dark aura...it cannot be...Dark Hado' Master Hougan thought staring at his student. Before Berry could absorb the dark sphere Hougan phased out, and appeared before her slamming his palm against her chest deactivating the transformation. She flew back afew yards and landed into a roll.

"Ow..." She rubbed her head leaning up to see him standing just infront of her. "Sorry...the transformation takes too long I know I should learn to..."

Before she could finish Hougan hit her over the head with his cane, followed by afew groans from Berry. "Never use that power again Martina." He said glaring down at her.

"Huh? But...why not? It's Hado so it's ok." Berry said.

"No it isn't Hado. It is Dark Hado, the exact opposite force of which I was teaching you. Dark Hado can't be used to save or help anyone. It is a power that only destroys. Many masters of the Hado have fallen from the use of Dark Hado, many of them have just become demons. That power that you wield is a power that you cannot grow stronger from." Hougan instructed as he walked past her. "Now come...there won't be any training today there is something I must speak with you about."

" Uh...ok..." She said stilled rubbing the side of her head.

The both of them made their way up the cherry blossom path stone steps and to the small shrine like house where they both sat on the front porch looking out at the swaying branches. Hougan sat down crossing his legs it looked as if he were going to meditate. And Berry just sat down on the steps kicking her feet like a youngling. "So what do you wanna talk about?" She asked.

"It concerns the war, I have reason to believe that the Heaven's Branch school and all of it's students are in grave danger." He replied.

"Ha...is that all, the news already reported that the school and the western side of the country won't be involved." Berry said waving her hand off to the subject.

"The Headmaster of the school seems to think so as well. But soon the Matron Republic will break this agreement and attack Drachma through the school. I will not stay here to watch this, I will return to Yamato soon." Hougan said standing to his feet. "I wanted to ask you if you will come with me to my home land where it will be safe."

"How do you know all of this?" Berry asked sounding unconvinced.

"This war has gone on for over 70 years. Matron will end this soon, I am a dreamseer...I can foresight the future from within my dreams. And a great darkness will befall this school." Hougan replied.

This made Berry's heart drop. "When do think this will happen."

"This calamity will unfold tomorrow."

O.o-Berry