Six Warriors

The Diary Lock - (Miguel)

Fenrir went to tend to some wounds he had acquired on his fingers, while Ethan brought him the prize they were looking for and it was a notebook, apparently a diary and was magically locked away. 

"Is this going to help with anything?" Ethan asked.

"If that's what I'm thinking, it will help a lot," Miguel said, "I mean I think...no, I'm pretty sure that's it."

"And what are you thinking it is?" Sam wanted to know.

"Dagda Spellon's own diary. If only I knew how to open this. Mike, do you have any ideas?"

"Not at all," Mike denied, "an arcane lock of this level is impossible to open by any common means, it's impossible to break in unless you're a very powerful mage or have the key to the lock. Otherwise it's impossible."

"So it's useless anyway" Sam sighed, "we don't know where to find the key."

"I wouldn't say that," said Fenrir, his fingertips bandaged, "remember the Garm Prize Arthur told us about? The teddy bear?"

"So what?" Sam asked with a frown.

"Gartham told me he tore the teddy bear to pieces and guess what was inside it?"

"A key!" Miguel exclaimed, looking at the lock of Dagda's diary.

"It's still a problem," Sam continued, "this Garm guy doesn't look like a flower to smell. Why would he give us the key for free?"

"He won't," Arthur said, "he's not that sort of thing."

"Does he know what that key is for?" Fenrir wanted to know.

"I think not."

"It's better if it stays that way, then, otherwise he'll know what value this object has and that would be bad."

"What do you suggest then, Fenrir?" Miguel wanted to know.

"Sneak into the wolf's hideout, then take the key for awhile, until we open the diary. I could do that, I'm sneaky enough and I move well in the shadows."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Mike warned, "from what I know of Garm's abilities, he would definitely sniff you out Fenrir, however sneaky you think you are, you can't hide your scent and in that the White Wolf would catch you."

"There are ways, yes, to disguise the smell" Miguel objected, "using some kind of substance that causes a very strong odor, preferably unpleasant, he wouldn't know that the smell is Fenrir's. In fact, only I think it's strange that he KNOWS the smell of Fenrir?"

"His sense of smell is very keen" Mike said, "he would follow that odor, even if it was a nasty one. I'd be more careful with him, Garm and his g**g, if I were you. That guy... he's not as reasonable as the Iron Lord."

"How about if we talked to him?" Sam suggested, "let's offer something in return."

"Are you crazy?" Arthur questioned, "He would never trade with the Phantom Lord. He's already marked the Black Wolf, Fenrir, as his rival. He won't stop until he knows she's stronger than Fenrir, meaning he never will any alliance with us until then...or even later."

"We'd better leave Garm there" Miguel said, looking at the diary, "look... basically, this lock is magic, we have a lot of books on different types of magic in the library, maybe there's something that can help us. I'll make some of researches."

"Got crazy?" Fenrir asked, "It could take months, maybe years for you to figure out what spell makes up this lock."

"You underestimate my power," Miguel smiled confidently, "besides, I think Takehiko would be more than happy to help me with that, he likes interested students."

"I wish you luck then," Mike said, relaxing in his chair, "a Dagda Spellon spell is not something to be underestimated, even with Takehiko's help."

...

"Miguel, Miguel, Miguel... always asking me curious questions about subjects most students don't even know about or show interest in. Lock spells, huh?" Talked Takehiko, with his hand on his chin. It was the first thing Miguel had done the day after Ethan had given him the diary, look for Takehiko, maybe he could help.

"Can you help me?" Asked Miguel.

"Miguel, you know that the first semester exams are approaching, right? The tournament will require a certain score on the exams, not that I'm doubting your cognitive ability, but don't you think you'll be overwhelmed with so many studies?"

"Don't worry, I'll do well on the exams. Can you help me?"

"Alright, if you guarantee that you will get good grades, I can help you yes, after all, how could a teacher deny help to a student who seems so interested?" He smiled and then put his hand to his chin again, "Actually, object magic isn't really my specialty, maybe we should ask Professor Synfull for help..."

"No, not him!"

"Something against Professor Synfull, Miguel?"

"No, it's just…how about leaving it all just between us?"

"What suspect…you're not up to anything that goes against school rules, are you, Miguel?"

"I just wouldn't want him, Synfull, to know about it. Nothing against school rules, not necessarily."

"Hmm...I'm aware of your supposed connection to the Phantom Lord, Miguel, and it saddens me, I know how reckless young people can be, but a brilliant student like you shouldn't be involved in these unofficial clubs."

Miguel didn't answer anything, just stood there, looking serious, like a diligent student who really wants to know something. Takehiko sighed and didn't talk about Phantom Lord anymore.

"Very well Miguel, I can refer you to some books, but that's all and what you'll do with that knowledge is out of my hands. Just be careful." Takehiko waved at him, "I'll give you everything in your Student Bracelet, just hold on and you'll have your study materials, go, go, you can leave, I have to make the list and it's not so easy, I will do some research. Go for now, my curious student."

"Thank you very much Professor, I assure you it is for a good cause, I just want everything to be kept confidential for the time being."

...

The whole day passed, with Miguel anxious for Takehiko's list, it wasn't long before closing time for the library, which meant that if the professor took a little longer, he would have to wait until the next day.

Luckily this was not necessary, Takehiko sent a message through his Student Bracelet and it was quite a long list of books, Takehiko wished him luck and good fun. It could only be a joke, Miguel even liked to read, but that wouldn't be fun after all.

In the library, the librarian complained to Miguel:

"Hey, Miguel Moschee, no, don't you have four books on loan already?" she complained.

"Yes, yes, but you know, exams are approaching, I need to study a lot."

"No way kid, not even four semesters would require that many books, no! I can't let you take more than ten books from here."

"Please, isn't it adults who keep telling teens to read more? Now that I want to, you censor me like that, it's unfair."

"It's the rules of this school, get those ten books before I get mad and don't even let you take those!" The woman then noticed Miguel's expression and seemed to be moved, she cleared her throat, "well, you can still come here during your free time to study the books that are here, but without taking them. Maybe this will help you, now go, go soon you nerd will learn what you want to learn so badly." She then smiled at the boy.

Miguel left, trying to stack the stack of ten books in his arms, not quite seeing what was in front of him. It was no surprise that he bumped into someone and dropped the books, the surprise was WHO he bumped into...

"Studying hard for exams, Miguel?" Kurt Zeherlay asked, looking down at him while Miguel was still down.

"You…" Miguel growled.

"How curious... if I remember correctly, none of these books are required in the first semester, right?" He gave a cynical smile, "what are you studying so hard, Miguel Moschee?"

"This is none of your business!" Miguel responded irritably, getting up and picking up the books.

"You know, none of this would be necessary if you guys had accepted our alliance" Kurt spoke into Miguel's back, "but now, it's too late. You'll be crushed and it will make you regret it far more than any research you're doing, for bigger than the stack of books."