Chapter 3

It had grown into a procession of Mages. Some looked curious, some looked frightened. An electric charge ran through everyone there. Somehow they seemed to know what had happened. A passing whisper through the crowd: Someone had broken a rule.

What happens now? What is to be done?

Rules had never been broken before. Things like that just didn't happen in the Black Mage Village.

The Mages kept their distance, first eyeing Mr. 44, then taking a long stare at Garland. A shimmering cloud of energy still seemed to cling to Mr. 44, traces of the power he had just recently commanded lingering. His eyes were still lit by the strange neon glow.

The other Mages seemed disturbed by this. It had been a long time since any of them had summoned forth the use of their power. Magic, as a rule, was only used in times of great need or trouble.

There must have been trouble if Mr. 44 had used magic. But none of the Mages were brave enough to ask about it.

Garland wasn't certain where they were going. He hadn't thought much beyond simply getting back home to the village. Now that his punishment was drawing nearer, he wished passively that he had taken Mr. 44's advice and simply kept his mouth shut.

Every time the boy happened to glance up at his friend, he found Mr. 44's sad gaze upon him. The big Mage obviously could not understand why Garland sought out punishment when it could be easily avoided.

Garland didn't know the reason himself.

As they made their way across the planked walkways, Genomes and Mages alike paused in their daily tasks with worried glances and curious tilt-of-head. Then since there was nothing better to do, they would fall in behind, following the growing caravan, exchanging low-voiced murmurs between each other.

Finally, Mr. 44 stopped in the small glade just outside of the graveyard on the edge of the village. The Mage squeezed Garland's shoulder gently, an act that told the boy plainly to stop and wait there. Garland did as he was requested, watching silently as the big Mage made his way up the worn path towards the village's sacred mound. Then the boy lowered his head.

The sunshine slanted down upon the boy's head in gentle rays. The gathering of Mages and Genomes stood huddled, oddly hushed at his back. Garland could feel their curious and condemning eyes upon him. He could not bear to turn around and face them.

The weight of the stone piece in his hand began to drag like a lead ton.

After what felt like an eternity, Mr. 44 appeared at the head of the path. Someone was walking with him. Someone of much smaller stature armed with an awkward swinging step. Garland knew who it was right away.

Garland shivered and took an involuntary step back.

The boy didn't know why. It didn't matter that Vivi was younger than he was. Something in the back of his consciousness shied violently away from any contact with the other child. People on the outside might wonder why the Mages held someone so obviously young as Vivi in such a high regard. Garland knew the reason. Vivi might seem rather awkward, quiet, and shy…

But there was a great power hidden in that silence.

As the two approached, Garland lowered his gaze, refusing to meet the younger Mage's eyes.

Mr. 44 stepped down, taking a place behind Garland, facing to where Vivi stood upon the slightly upraised ground. The young Mage didn't speak. He was simply listening.

Garland forced the tremble out of his knees and made his way forward. First one step. Then another. Until he was directly in front of the little Mage. There he placed a piece of the broken stone upon the ground, and backed away slightly, head low.

"I… went into the Warded Glade. S-something bad happened there. A magic stone.. I saw it. It.. broke..."

A low wave of whispers broke out in the crowd behind him. Garland could feel both anger and fear coloring his cheeks.

"But…!"

The chatter broke off immediately at the sharpness in his speech.

"It was an accident! I don't even know.. really… how it happened. I only.. touched it."

Garland forced his gaze to meet Vivi's.

The low sound of chatter started up again, this time with a slightly worried note.

Still, Vivi didn't reply. The young Mage inspected the broken stone at his feet, then turned back to Garland, seeming deep in thought.

"It's an ill o-omen…" One voice began.

"The stone.. protected this village didn’t it? If it's broken…"

"W-what can we um.. do..?"

Vivi tilted his head to one side slowly. Garland held his breath as the young Mage looked about to speak.

"Ludicrous!" A harsh tone barked from the middle of crowd.

A Mage stepped forward, half-brandishing his staff at Garland. "This ruffian has a record of doing such spiteful things. Do you realize that he has broken a rule? And in doing so.. has put the entire village in peril?"

Garland did everything in his power not to glare.

"Do you realize what that stone did?" The Mage demanded. "Not only did it uphold the illusion that kept Humans from invading our home… but it also kept the forest around our village alive and green! Without the magic protecting it, the land in the village will once again return to a wasteland. Like the rest of the forest!"

"N-now…" Mr. 44's voice startled Garland. The big Mage motioned widely with his hands. "I don't think he did this on purpose. It was an accident. He's only a c-child. He didn't mean--"

"Are you upholding rebellious behavior, Mr. 44?" The other Mage did not wait for Mr. 44 to be done speaking. "Behavior that places all of us into grave danger?"

Garland suppressed a snarl.

"N-no.. I'm not saying that…"

"So you agree that if rules are broken, there should be punishment?"

"Um….um…"

"Do you agree?"

"Um… yes…"

"Then why do you advocate this delinquent?"

"Um… I … don't know what that means…" Mr. 44 admitted meekly.

The rough-voiced Mage fixed Garland with a stern stare. Something behind the glow of his eyes made the boy shiver. "I think if someone cannot respect the rules of the village.. in so much as to even place the people who live here into danger… they should not be allowed to stay here."

A storm of shocked murmurs broke from the crowd.

Garland took a numb stumble backwards, almost falling up against Mr. 44. The big Mage supported the boy, one hand on each shoulder.

"What a-are you saying?" Mr. 44's voice was broken.

"I think you know quite well what I am saying." The harsh tone grated. "The boy obviously has no respect for the safety of this village. He causes us nothing but trouble and grief. He doesn't like to follow the rules here. He should be sent away."

"No…" Garland buried his head into Mr. 44's robe, wrapping his arms tightly about the Mage's waist.

"W-what!" Mr. 44 sounded angry. Garland had never heard his friend sound like that before. "You would send a c-child out into the world with no shelter or food.. he would certainly die! T-that's… h-heartless..."

"I agree."

Silence suddenly filled the glade.

Vivi had spoken.

Garland blinked, turning his head. Vivi slowly stepped down, making his way towards where the boy stood, still holding tightly to Mr. 44. Garland felt his breath chill as fear crept over him.

The little Mage paused for a moment, simply watching Garland. Then he reached a hand out slowly, a friendly gesture, and patted the boy's hand to reassure him.

"I-I… think that this was all a mistake." Vivi paused for a moment to adjust his hat. "Um… M-maybe Garland did break a rule, but he must have known how important this all is because he came and honestly admitted to everyone that he did it."

Vivi was studying Garland intently, head tilted. "I don't think that anyone should be punished for telling the truth."

"I honestly believe what h-happened was an accident."

Garland could only return the look in surprise.

The rough-voice Mage radiated hostility.

Vivi addressed him next. "Mr. 299.. it's nice to see that you are so c-concerned with um… keeping the justice here in the village. B-but I have to agree that your idea of a punishment is s-sorta harsh."

Mr. 299 stiffened. "So your idea of justice is letting hooligans get away with anything they so please with no punishment? Even if it costs us the safety of the village?"

Bastard…Garland's tail twitched, as he suddenly found himself filled with his own silent rage.

Vivi's eyes never left the other Mage. "If it's punishment that you are so w-worried about, I think it would be a fair punishment that Garland help figure out how to fix what was broken."

Fix…it…? Garland swallowed hard.

Mr. 299 was still quivering with suppressed fury.

"Is there anything else you need to say, Mr. 299?" Vivi asked, looking innocent enough. There was underlying strength to the tone in his voice.

Mr. 299 shook his head, nearly snarling. "No… nothing…"

There was silence for a moment.

Then Vivi turned to the others. "Don't worry. I'll f-fix this." His words sounded odd, as if he was using someone else's phrases for his own.

The crowd seemed to nod slowly, speaking in subdued voices with each other. They were content with the decision.

Vivi's choice was a good one. Vivi was so smart. He always knew the right things to do. Vivi could fix anything.

The little Mage was already making his way back down the dirt trail from where he came. Mr. 44 paused for a moment, then decided to follow, leaving Garland to his own thoughts.

His tail was twitching furiously.

Twitch.

Twitch.

Twitch.

Twitch.

A jolt suddenly of hatred shook Garland from his feet, nearly sending the boy toppling head over heels across the ground. Garland jerked his head up just in time to see Mr. 299's sneer as the Mage slipped off into the shadows. Shivers ran across his bare skin as a dull pounding grew in the back of his skull.

His lip was bleeding.

The boy stared down the dirt path, feeling suddenly very vulnerable and frightened.

~Chapter 4~