Legend of the clans

Chapter 3: Bonds

"Due to the untimely death of our previous Magi. The knight entrance exams has been postponed to the first week of March. This means knight candidates have four weeks to prepare instead of two." A short elderly man announced. He adjusted his spectacles as he continued to speak to the student body. With baited breaths the students listened carefully to him.

"That said; I would like to announce that the list of eligible candidates will be plastered on all notice boards across the school. According to this year's rules only teams of four can participate." The principal contineued as Cody scouted the boy from last Friday.

"Lastly, the rest of the student body should proceed as normal. You are Marula Academys' finest so be responsible." The principal stated, as he took a short glance at Cody. As he left the podium, the doors around the hall started to glow. Slowly they opened letting the student's out.

"Well if it isn't Sito." A boy called to him outside of the hall. "Since we are the best in our school. Do you want to partner up?" He asked, as he approached him.

"You invent such interesting ideas Brandon." Sito replied, with a smug smile.

"I'm in and I have an idea of who should join us." Sito added, as he looked at Cody.

Abby and Cody stood outside the hall because they were waiting for Zack. Just as the iron doors started to close, Zack quickly grabbed a hold of their hands and dragged them with him.

The trio slowly broke away from the mob because Zack was headed in a different direction. This confused Cody and Abby who were beginning to question his thinking.

"The lists in the cafeteria, Library and multimedia labs will be crowded. Seeing them would be impossible right now. However, the one next to the principal's should have no one, due to people being afraid of authoritarian figures like the principal." Zack stated, as if he knew what they were thinking.

"Great job Zacky. I can always count on you to think things through." Abby complimented the boy, while repeatedly slapping him on the should.

"Anyone could have thought of it really. It's nothing special." Zack responded as his cheeks turned a bit red. Upon seeing this reaction Abby laughed.

My friends. Cody watched his friends laugh. You have always been by my side through thick and thin.

"Thank you." The boy mumbled softly, before joining his friends. Now it's my turn to return the favor.

Upon their arrival the trio found two people already there. "So Maya is the person you were talking about?"

"That's a low blow." Abby muttered to herself. Without notice she approached both Sito and Brandon.

"Her gelatin magic is very handy; but I have another use for her." Sito replied. With his arms folded Sito turned away from the list. "Unrequited love for someone I know. I want to force them to fight each other to pass the exam." Just as he was about to finish talking, Abby suddenly appeared and slapped Sito on the face.

"That was for last week Friday and your underhanded scheme." Cody and Zack watched in stun silence at what just happened

"Why you litt-" Brandon stopped.

"It would be a waste of energy to fight them here." Sito told him. "Besides I don't want them to get in trouble. No. I want to crush them in front of everyone. Isn't that way better than a backstreet brawl?"

"That's if they are able to get a fourth member." Brandon agreed. "We have the only person who could've joined them."

"Yes who would want to anyways?" Sito questioned. "An abnormal, a Mamba who is not accepted by his clan and a girl who was so pathetic that her parents ditched her in a -"

"Shut up!" Cody responded. He clenched his fist as he angrily looked at his brother. "Don't you dare say another word about my friends or you'll regret it."

Abby looked back at Cody in Surprise. Zack tried to calm him down but he came up short.

"Where did you get the balls to finally stand up to me? Either way. If you two wish to pass the exam, I suggest that you join my team instead." Sito offered. He diverted his eyes from Cody and focused on his friends. "I can drop Maya from my team, after all she is an abnormal."

"Your offer does sound convenient." Abby replied as she returned a smirk. "However, I've decided to follow this abnormal freak to the end. He is my friend and I'll never abandon him the same way my parents did to me."

Calling Cody a freak is a bit too much don't you think? Zack nervously agreed from behind her. He then noticed tears well up on Abby causing him to step forward.

"W-We don't want trouble here; please just leave." Both Sito and Brandon listened and left.

Cody took a deep breath before noticing tears flow down from her face. He slowly walked up to her and gave her a huge hug. "It's alright. We are with you."

"And we won't ever leave you."Zack added. After some time Abby calmed down. This allowed Zack to go and take a look at list.

Zack scanned the list finding his and Abby's names in seconds. He continued to the second page then to the next, but did not see Cody's name anywhere. Worried Cody joined in on the search. His fingers moved frantically on the pages however, they could not find it. Just before the boys were about to give up, Abby spotted a sheet of paper on the floor next to a puddle of water. "This must be Brandon's doing."

As she picked it up, she spotted the name they were all looking. "Here it is. Welcome to the team, I guess." She stated as she handed the paper to Cody. "Seriously though, why didn't they just reduce the font? What was the point of writing two names on a completely different page?"

Upon receiving it, Cody spotted another name below his. "Tesla Tsela? Who could that be?" Zack asked.

"Beats me." Cody wondered, with the name not ringing a bell.

Wait. Could he be the boy from Friday? Cody thought, before turning towards his friends. For now let's focus on finding that fourth member, meanwhile I'll search for Tesla privately.

"For now let's go around and ask people to join us. We will meet at the school gate before sunset." Cody told his friends. Immediately after that the group separated.

"Knowing Cody he will privately search for Tesla; I'll leave him to it." Zack mumbled to himself.

"That dummy." Abby laughed.

The three travelled all over Marula Academy asking anyone they meet to join them. To their dismay, everybody declined their request due to a certain individual being a part of the team. All the while Brandon kept making laughing at them every chance he got.

One person even blasted Cody with a water spell. "Like I'll join your pathetic team get lost." He added.

The bell rung, signalling the time to go home. "Any luck?" Cody asked upon arriving at the school gate.

"Nope. Everyone declined my offer." Zack responded

"Abby?"

"Same here. I can't believe people hate you for something you didn't do or have a say in becoming." Abby complained.

"Can you blame them?" Someone interrupted. The trio looked up to find Sito standing on the wall." Long ago the abnormals nearly destroyed the world. Countries, cities, cultures and citizens alike were affected. Some were even wiped off the face of the Earth. If it wasn't for the first magi and his associates nothing could have remained."

"What does that have to do with me? I wasn't there when it happened." Cody asked.

"Nobody cares about that. The fact of the matter is that you are abnormal and thus are a threat. Be happy that you are free because some are not." Sito explained.

"Why are you here?" Abby asked. Her turned red little red.

"I'm going to train at Cosmo's. Please tell Nora I won't return tonight."

"Show some respect, she is your mother." Cody responded to his twin's statement.

"The day I do that, is the day I die. " Sito used his ability and ran away.

"What a loser. He is taking his own mother for granted." Abby stated. "I would give up my left eye to spend time with mine."

The trio walked down the road which passed through the abandoned industrial sight. Little to no one used this road ever since the outbreak of a disease. Although it was the quickest way home, this area was a notorious place for thieves. With lots of places to run to and underground tunnels to hide in, patrolling this place was a nightmares for the knights.

Ahead of them was an elderly woman, who was a carrying some luggage on her back. Behind her was a tall, slander, young man in a grey sweater. He was wearing a torn, black skinny jean with a red bat on the side. The person concealed his face with a bucket hat.

Just as the boys were about to help the old lady the person behind her started to run. Like lightning he grabbed the bag from the lady and ran off.

The boys seeing this started to pick up the pace. Like the wind they ran past the old lady. Abby quickly followed.

As the thief looked back, he saw two boys running after him. Due to them inching closer, he sprouted two metallic objects from his arm. With one jump he was in the air. This was easy.

"Aeolus blast!" shouted Zack, as he blew strong winds that disrupted the air flow. This shocked the villain. Just as he was about to counter Cody created a giant black staff. With one swing the villain was sent crashing down.

Abby who was standing by the elderly woman marveled at Cody's spell. "What the hell happened this past weekend? He was able to combine his staff spell and expansion technique."

Zack not wanting to be distracted by Cody's attack kept watch of the villain. Tiny gust of wind swirled around his hand as he prepared for the enemies action.

That attack took half of my energy. I only have one more inside me. Cody thought, as the staff vanished.

Suddenly, Zack used his 'gale palm' spell on Cody. Before he could speak, a piece of Cody's hair got cut. When the boy looked back, he saw a metal scythe traveling towards Abby.

"Lava path!" Abby shouted, as she created a spell that slowed down the attack. She was then able to safely get the old person out of the way. Like they said in class, someone needs to keep watching over the bystanders. I'll let the boys deal with this one and step in when I see an opening.

"That freaking hurt...!" The villain stated, before he sent more attacks at the kids. Zack using wind was able to block the attacks but a few of them managed to pass through. When this happened Cody coated his hands in darkness and punched them away.

These kids are really good. The wind brat specializes in sensor and emission technique. The lava chick uses emission and the abnormal uses creation plus enhancement techniques. He also knows Pride's expansion skill. The villain analyzed. With a smile the villain got an idea. If I capture them I can finally return home. I won't owe Eclipse anything anymore.

Just as he was preparing to attack, a huge ball of lava landed on him. This created a massive explosion engulfing him in fire. "My attribute counters yours stupid." Abby stated, with a proud look on her face. A thick cloud of smoke began to rise up towards the sky.

"Do you think an attack like that can stop me?" The villain asked before his roughed up appearance emerged from the smoke. "Look I'm still standing."

Suddenly, Cody burst through the smoke. "She was just a distraction."

Cody quickly took the bag from the floor and prepared to retreat. As he turned around a wave of alchemic energy burst out of the villain. It's was so heavy that it made Cody kneel. "Do you think a couple of kids could beat me? I'm as strong as a fifth seat, a couple of school kids can't even come close." After this statement Cody noticed the dark aura enveloping the villain . "You are not the only ones who have stake in this ancient war."

"Ancient...war?" Cody repeated. At that moment the villain created multiple spears around everyone.

"Iron judgement!" He shouted.

At that moment, the elderly woman's hand started glowing, but before she could act lightning flew past her and Abby. With out effort the lightning seperated into small dragons which destroyed every spear around them.

Cody looked and saw a familiar face approaching them. His eyes had two lightning bolts. He wore a white shirt with a blue waist coat. Below he had blue jeans which completed the look.

"You think that will be enough-" The thief was distracted by some rumbling. Suddenly a roar echoed in the area.

"What is that?" Cody asked as he towards the sky. To his surprise a something was moving in the cloud of smoke.

"Is that a lightning dragon?" Abby questioned.

"If you are as strong as a fifth seat you might survive this however, if you are not...Well will see." The person stated as he pointed his right index finger at the thief. "Lightning dragon crash."

At this moment Abby ran up to Zack and Cody who were watching the villain cook in lightning. The elderly woman watched everything from a distance. After a minute, the villain was lying flat on the concrete road with a smoke trail coming off him. His skin was like charcoal and parts of his hair and clothes were burnt away.

"No matter the reason, killing is a crime. I've seen quite enough of death in my life." The person commented. Without saying a word he left.

As the blue haired boy turned the corner, Cody tried to follow. However, Zack called him and reminded him that he was still carrying the senior citizens' bag.

"Here you go ma'am." He stated before he ran off. Zack and Abby not knowing what was happening.

"Good bye ma'am." Abby spoke, before she started running. She easily left Zack who was already sweating.

"Have a safe journey home." The old lady said, as she saw the kids run. The senior citizen walked over to the thief, while light began to completely envelope her.

As it faded away a man emerged from it. He was now significantly taller and was wearing some strange outfit.

"My nephew and his friends are quite strong. It looks like the country will be in good hands with the next generation." He observed. "I bet my brother would be thrilled and angry about this." The man wrapped the villain in light and quickly teleported.

"For now, let me return to the Magi selection meeting. I bet everyone should be there by now."

"Hey wait up!" Cody

shouted, at the boy. With an annoyed look he turned towards the people chasing him.

"Thanks again for helping us." Cody spoke, while breathing heavily. His hands were on his thighs as struggled to completely stand up.

"No problem." The boy stated before continuing. He placed his hands in his pockets before shifting his eye away from Cody.

"Before you leave could you maybe tell me your name? The was something I wanted to ask you." Cody stated, as he completely stood up.

Without speaking the boy dug into his pocket. He quickly took out a name tag which he threw at Cody. The Dlamini boy almost dropped it.

"That's my name." He answered. Cody's eyes widened.

As his friends arrived Cody asked the boy to join them.

"I was pretty worried myself, but I'll gladly join your team." The boy rubbed his hair. "So when do we start training."