Academy Rebels Read online

  Card Mage

  Academy Rebels

  Eden Redd

  Card Mage: Academy Rebels © copyright 2020 Eden Redd

  All Rights Reserved

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  “Whether you win or lose… you can always come out ahead by learning from the experience.”

  ~All Might, My Hero Academia

  Card Mage

  Academy Rebels

  One

  Mist floated from the sea like pale fingers across a dark shore. Tendrils slithered along the sandy beach, the sun long since set behind the black horizon. Street lanterns swayed in the small breeze, their lights flickering. The ocean scent carried with the breeze and mists, blending together and flowing into the seaside town of Silver Port.

  A figure emerged from a side street, gaze on a tavern by the docks. Eyes slid from side to side, a following shadow pulling back as the figure took slow steps toward the tavern entrance. Incantations fell from the figure’s lips as he approached. A chill in the air touched the man’s face, his hood trying to keep in some of his internal body heat. Arcane words dripped from his lips before an internal flare of mana washed over his mind and caressed his thoughts.

  Stay calm and nobody gets hurt.

  The man approached the tavern entrance, glancing at the sign which read “The Drinking Serpent.” Smirking to himself, the figure placed his hand on the door handle and pulled.

  A torrent of heat washed over the figure as he stepped in. Dax glanced around, seeing the tavern was partially filled with locals. They didn’t even look up from their drinks and casual conversation. The bartender eyed him as he turned and approached the bar. The hearth crackled as heat filled the warm and cozy drinking hole.

  Dax moved to the bar and looked sideways as he spoke, “I’m looking for a game.”

  The bartender kept his gaze as his mouth formed a polite smile. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Dax looked to the bartender, eyes narrowing, “First rule of Battle Club is bring gold.”

  The bartender’s smile slid into a smirk. “Clive never mentioned anyone else would be joining the game.”

  “I said I was maybe. Standing here, it pretty much confirms I’m attending,” Dax said with his own sarcastic smirk.

  The bartender gave a gruff chuckle, still cleaning a glass. “Yea, whatever. If a fight breaks out, I’m throwing you out first.”

  Dax kept his smirk. “Even if I don’t start it?”

  “Especially if you don’t start it,” the bartender said with a menacing edge.

  Dax closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, “Have you ever thought of another line of work, like dishwasher? It’s pretty calming to listen to the water as you clean piles of dishes.”

  The bartender’s brow hardened. “Listen up you piece of academy trash, you may think you're better than everyone else, but I’ve seen hundreds of you flunk out and you fit the pattern. Shut your mouth before I shut it for you.”

  Dax opened his eyes and bowed his head slightly. “My apologies. I thought we were just having some playful banter.”

  The bartender looked down as Dax slid a gold coin across the bar to the bartender.

  The bartender’s brow softened. “The game is in the back. It gets rowdy, I’m coming for you.”

  Dax nodded before turning away and walking toward the hallway in the back. Senses alive, he heard the bartender take the coin and the mage smiled to himself.

  Stepping beyond the hallway entrance, Dax made his way down a short corridor with several doors. All of them were dark except for one. Light glowed from underneath and shadows moved. The faint sounds of talking curled from under the door with a hypnotic pattern.

  Dax approached the door, fist hovering before it.

  You’ve done this dozens of times. Just keep calm.

  Dax let out a long exhale before he knocked.

  The sounds of talking stopped. Chairs moved and a shadow approached from under the door. A click filled the small space and the door cracked opened, a stern eye peering out.

  “What?” the person said with a frown.

  “I have gold,” Dax said innocently.

  An eye blinked before the person it was attached to turned away. “Says he has gold.”

  “I’m fine taking anyone’s gold,” a voice laughed from deeper inside.

  A head nodded and the door opened.

  Light spilled out as Dax nodded and stepped inside. Lanterns hung on the walls of the medium-sized room. A large table took up the middle, four men sitting around it. There were more chairs than bodies. Dax noticed a lack of windows and mentally planned his escape back through the tavern.

  A large young man in a black robe looked up from the other side of the table. “You? Really?”

  Dax stepped in, a small disarming smile on his lips. “I heard there was a game and I wanted in.”

  The other men in robes glanced at each other before they all stared at Dax. The large man scowled as he leaned back in his chair, thick arms crossing.

  “I didn’t even know you had any gold, slum runner,” the large man grinned.

  Dax eyed everyone in the room. He barely knew their names, but he knew the big guy’s name. Clive Yardley was a mage, but built like an ox with anger management issues. Dax wondered why the big student didn’t just join the Fighter Class. He was the size of an ogre, but shorter and much less polite.

  “I didn’t know there was no weight limit for a battle game?” Dax blinked.

  Clive’s brow formed a hard V. “Always a fucking comment. Throw this joker out.”

  The other young men stood up and began moving around the table when Dax fished into his robe pocket and pulled out two gold coins.

  “I came to play, not fight,” Dax said as he bowed his head.

  The mages eyed each other and turned their gazes back to Clive.

  The large mage raised an eyebrow before a wicked smile appeared. “I suppose we can play another game for some practice. I don’t like taking gold from the poor, but I’ll make an exception with you.”

  Dax kept a solemn expression as the other mages backed off and he approached the table. Drinking it in, he saw the arcane circle burned into the wood. Decks of cards were in neat piles around it and a small pile of gold stood before Clive. The arcane words along the circle glowed with dim power.

  Dax sat in a chair opposite of Clive, hands resting on the worn wood surface. “What’s the bet?”

  Clive eyed the thin mage with a mischievous gleam. “How much can you afford? Clearly, I have had an excellent winning streak.”

  Dax fished in his robe again and pulled out a few coins. He counted them slowly, placing each one on the table as the others around him stared down in annoyed disbelief. The counting was excruciatingly slow until Dax reached ten coins.

  “Is that enough?” Dax asked innocently.

  The mages in the room blinked before they started laughing. Clive joined in with a hearty belly laugh, fist hitting the table and the pile of gold shifting.

  “It’s a start,” Clive managed through his own chuckles. “Place it in the side circle.”

  Dax pushed his tiny pile of ten coins into the side circle and kept a stupid smile on his face. Clive grabbed a fist full of coins and dropped them on Dax’s small pile.

  Dax raised an eyebrow, “That’s too much. I can’t afford that.”

  Clive gave Dax an evil grin. “Don’t worry about it. What you can’t pay now, you can pay later in favors. The Academy is pretty tough and I’m sure you’re good for it. Your time as a slum runner may come in handy if I need it. So, are you still in?”

  Dax sighed as he looked down at the pile o
f gold. “I suppose I don’t have much of a choice.”

  Clive nodded with confident eyes. “You are smarter than I thought. Do you know the rules?”

  Dax nodded. “Pick a monster card and try to make a construct. They fight until one is destroyed, and the winner takes all.”

  Clive nodded. “What’s your Life Sphere degree?”

  Dax raised an eyebrow. “We’re not supposed to tell the degree of power in our spheres.”

  Clive chuckled. “To make it fair, each player must know their degrees so it is a fair match. My Life Sphere is 3rd degree.”

  Dax nodded before a ghostly image of his stats appeared before his eyes.

  Name: Dax Sage

  Class: Mage

  Health: Normal

  Mana: 300/500

  Mana Shards: 0

  Spheres of Magic

  Air: 1

  Water: 1

  Fire: 0

  Urth: 0

  Life: 1

  Decay: 0

  Light: 0

  Dark: 0

  Time: 0

  Space: 0

  Mind: 2

  Body: 0

  Dax eyed the ghostly image. The Academy informed every student on their first day they would receive a magical tattoo and see just how powerful they are. They explained it was to help them train, but Dax felt it was a little too much hand holding for his tastes. Be that as it may, he couldn’t deny the fact it made it easier to call it up and not waste any time trying to remember all those numbers.

  “I have a 1st degree Life Sphere,” Dax stated simply.

  Clive rolled his eyes. “I suppose I’ll have to pull it back. Don’t want to take advantage of you.”

  “Aren’t you taking advantage of me by putting in more gold than I put in?”

  Clive’s confident smile soured. “You’re a real piece of work, aren’t you? How did you even manage to make it to the Academy in the first place?”

  Dax shrugged. “Lucky, I guess.”

  Clive tilted his head forward, shadows covering his eyes. “Just pick a damn card so we can get this over with.”

  Dax nodded. Hand reaching over, it hovered over a few stacks of cards before he pressed down on one and took the top card. Bringing his arm in, he held the card to his chest, the monster side against him.

  Clive did the same, picking from another stack and pressing the monster side to his large chest.

  “Last one standing wins. Any questions before we start?”

  Dax looked to the side and chewed on his tongue. The moment lasted a little too long, the other mages looking down with annoyed expressions.

  “Any questions?” Clive growled.

  “If I win, will the extra gold go to me?” Dax asked with wide eyes.

  Clive’s gaze narrowed. “Sure, why not. I have plenty.”

  Dax looked to the others gathered. “You heard it. Extra gold is mine. I just wanted to make sure everyone knows.”

  Heads shook in disbelief.

  Clive sighed. “Place your monster card down, face up.”

  The two mages put their cards down, monster designs facing up. Dax eyed his card, seeing a unicorn. Brow wrinkling, he was sure it would be something else. He didn’t even know you could play some of the nicer creatures. Glancing to Clive’s card, a raging ogre with a club was drawn on the card surface.

  The thick mage gave an evil grin. “It seems we have our monsters. Cast the spell and create a 1st degree construct.”

  Dax mentally went over his studies again. There are twelve spheres of magic, each one dedicated to an element. There were the usual four elements: fire, air, water, and urth, but there were others that brought balance to all magical energies. Each sphere had a degree of power, one to twelve. It ranged from simple to the most complex. A mage or spellcaster could never go beyond twelve and very few ever reached that height of power and knowledge.

  They are going to try and rattle you. Stay focused.

  Dax took in a deep inhale and began reciting the incantation. Nervous energy bloomed as the words came out slow and a little slurred. The gathered mages looked to Dax with raised eyebrows before they began to snicker and chuckle.

  Dammit, take your time.

  Clive shook his head. “So, it’s true. You are the slowest mage in the entire academy. I didn’t believe it until now. No wonder why you hang out in the back and don’t participate like the rest of us.”

  Dax ignored them, speaking the incantations, but unable to speed it up. When the last word was uttered, tendrils of mist snaked from his hands and formed a tiny unicorn on the arcane circle. It glowed with a pale aura as it stamped its hoof and bowed its head, white horn gleaming.

  “Finally,” Clive sneered before he rattled off his incantation.

  The words mumbled into the air before mists floated up, swirled and formed an ogre on the board. It carried a club, licking its chops as it leered at the unicorn. The two small constructs faced each other, a short distance between them.

  “The circle will keep them inside, but whatever happens in the circle, stays in the circle,” Clive informed.

  Dax nodded as he mentally took hold of the unicorn. Mana constructs didn’t have any intelligence of their own. They were created and used to help mages in battle. The Life Sphere allows for a mage to bring them to life, but they didn’t last long once their use was over or they took too much damage.

  Dax smiled. “I’m ready.”

  Clive nodded. “Good, it will make my victory so much sweeter.”

  A mage to the side raised his open hand and brought it down with a quick swipe.

  The ogre roared and charged, its club held high. The unicorn reared up on its hind legs, the front hooves kicking in the air before they slammed down and charged. The two miniature constructs raced toward each other in the blink of an eye before the entire unicorn fell to its side and slid.

  Clive’s eyes widened as hooves slammed into knees and legs. The ogre cried out as its body was airborne. It hit the barrier in front of Dax, light shimmering as the mage looked down with an almost bored expression.

  The unicorn was back to its hooves. It neighed before charging the ogre. The monster barely made it back to its feet when a horn stabbed into its shoulder. Powerful neck muscles bulged as the unicorn lifted its head and tossed the ogre into the barrier once again.

  Jaws dropped around the room as Clive growled his annoyance. Leaning forward, his mind worked to retreat and prepare a move to attack. He growled again in frustration as the unicorn never gave the larger monster a chance to regain its balance.

  “I’m thirsty. I really could use some mead,” Dax said with bored eyes as his unicorn was kicking the ogre’s ass.

  One of the mages took a step to get Dax a drink when Clive’s voice shook the room.

  “Don’t get him a drink you moron!” Clive thundered as his mind worked.

  “So thirsty,” Dax moaned as the unicorn slammed hooves into the ogre’s chest, caving it in.

  Just another few attacks and the gold will have a new home, my pockets!

  Dax smiled to himself as he remembered casting a spell from the Mind Sphere. He spent two hundred mana to ensure it would last a little longer than usual. Clive’s thoughts floated on the surface of his mind, pictures of planned attacks and counter attacks. It would have been a good fight if Dax didn’t see every attack before they happened. The young mage knew that there was a delay when it came to thoughts and actions when connecting to a construct and he banked on it. Clive, or any of the present mages, never said he couldn’t cast a spell before the game.

  The ogre’s back was to the barrier wall as hooves rained down. It managed to take a swing with its club, but the unicorn turned its horn to the incoming blow. The horn stabbed into the large club and with a wretch of its head, pulled the club free from the ogre’s hand.

  Eyes widened into the size of saucers as the unicorn beat the ogre with its own club. The last strike opened the ogre’s magical skull and light poured out before it fade
d away to nothing.

  Dax’s Mind spell faded away as he leaned back, the fight clearly over. With a smug smile, he stretched out his arms into the air before they came down and pulled the small pile of gold toward him. The spectral unicorn faded away as the mage began counting.

  Stunned shock filled Clive’s hard exterior before he glared at the mage across from him. “You…cheated.”

  Dax looked up, offended. “Cheated? I followed the rules. Gold, pick a card, make a construct and fight until one loses. Pretty straightforward if you ask me.”

  Veins emerged along Clive’s temples as he seethed in his chair. “You cast a spell. There was no way you could have countered all of my attacks. What degree is your Mind Sphere?”

  Dax lifted a finger and waved it. “It’s against the rules to say…” Dax was cut off when Clive began shouting.

  “What degree is your MIND SPHERE?”

  Dax kept calm as he glanced to the growing rage coloring the mages around him and Clive. “I find this question incredibly personal. I thought we were having a friendly game. I see that is not the truth.”

  Dax stood up, picking up the pile of coins and stuffing them in his pockets. “And no one brought me a drink. This wasn’t fun at all. I’ll take my winnings and go. Have a great night.”

  Dax made two steps before the shadows behind him grew longer.

  “You cheated and you’re not leaving until you hand all the gold back,” Clive’s tone was low and menacing.

  Dax was three feet from the door when he looked over his shoulder. The mages glared at him, hands forming arcane designs and incantations falling from their lips.

  “It’s against the rules for students to use spells on each other without a professor present. Everyone here could get expelled.”

  Clive seethed. “That includes you so I suggest you take your beating quietly.”

  Dax looked forward and sighed, his shoulders sagging. “I always hate this part,” and with that, he bolted for the door.

  Words of power filled the air as air bolts blasted from raised hands. Dax managed to get the door open just as a bolt struck his shoulder. The force stung, sending him spiraling into the corridor and crashing against the wall. Boots touching down, he scrambled down the corridor, eyes wide and his mouth smiling.