The Cheat Seed

Chapter 3

"LEGENDARY SEED!!!???!!!" The words echoed through the auditorium.

Gabriel jumped from his seat. "How is that even possible???"

His face contorted with rage as the attention that had been his moments ago evaporated. The blue glow of his Monarch seed – which should have been the day's highlight – now seemed pathetically dim compared to Dave's brilliant orange radiance.

Gabriel felt like a toddler whose candy had been snatched away. His moment of glory, stolen by a farmer's son.

Marcus sprinted toward Dave, charging through the crowd. He leaped onto the platform and slapped his friend's face. Dave, still dazed, returned the favor with a harder smack. Both boys rubbed their reddening cheeks, eyes locked in mutual pain.

Then, simultaneously, they grinned.

"Legendary Seed!!"

"WooooHooooo!"

They wrapped their arms around each other, dancing awkwardly across the platform. The globe continued pulsing with orange light as they celebrated, oblivious to the stunned faces surrounding them.

"Ahem."

Mage Earth stepped forward, tapping Dave's shoulder. The dancing stopped immediately.

"Hi," she said, face-to-face with the new Legendary seed bearer.

"Oh...hello." Dave bowed nervously, suddenly aware of his position.

The gravity of his situation hadn't fully registered. A Legendary seed – rarer than diamonds, more precious than the crown jewels. Already the other seven mages exchanged heated glances, territorial lines being drawn. But Dave's eyes kept darting to Marcus, worried this miracle might drive a wedge between them.

When he glanced at his friend, Marcus stood tall beside him, head high, cheeks flushed with pride.

"No, No, No!!!" Gabriel stormed the platform, shoving Mage Earth aside to grab Dave's collar. He raised his hand to strike, but froze with his palm inches from Dave's face.

"Wha...Wh...Why can't...I...Mo..ve." Gabriel's body went rigid.

Mage Earth peered over his shoulder, her smile warm but eyes cold as winter. "You better discipline yourself, son."

She snapped her fingers. Gabriel flew backward as if yanked by invisible hands, landing in his seat where he slumped, unconscious.

"Well, that's taken care of." She chuckled.

"Thank you," Dave murmured.

"It's okay. Can I ask Mr. Dave to join me after the test, please?"

Dave turned to Marcus with wide eyes. Marcus mirrored his surprise.

"Um...okay...whatever." Dave scratched his chin, confused.

The other mages remained in place, their faces twisted with displeasure. Marcus grinned, understanding the politics at play. Mage Earth had staked her claim first, and none dared challenge her. As the master of all four elements, she outranked the specialists. Her versatility gave her unmatched influence in Krozon.

"So that's clarified. Go on with the test, people!" she announced.

Everyone settled back down as Dave followed Mage Earth to the front row.

"Roll number 60, Marcus G. Orno."

Miss Sylvie's voice carried newfound respect. She'd learned her lesson about judging students by appearance or lineage.

"Yes, miss." Marcus approached the circle, trembling with each step.

Just before he reached the white glow, Dave called out from the front seats.

"All the best, Marcus! I wanna see you with me in the Unreal Revoker Academy next year!"

"You bet!" Marcus's nervousness vanished instantly. He flashed a thumbs-up and grinned.

"Now go for it, brother!"

Marcus stepped into the circle. The podium vibrated, and the globe flashed with colored light. Everyone leaned forward, anticipating another Legendary awakening.

Gabriel, now conscious but dazed, clutched his head. "No, no, not him too."

Then, with a surprising snap, the flashing stopped. The vibrations ceased.

The circle at the center remained dark. The globe in Marcus's hands sat lifeless.

Gabriel's eyes widened, his face twisting into a maniacal grin. "FieldDust! Marcus is a FieldDust! Hahahaha!"

Laughter rippled through the crowd. Marcus trembled, pressing his hands harder against the globe as tears welled in his eyes. Droplets splashed onto the sphere, which slipped from his grasp and rolled across the floor.

Marcus collapsed to his knees. A FieldDust – someone without any seed at all. Useless in a world where seeds determined everything.

He sobbed openly. How could he return home now? He was nothing. A failure.

Only Dave reacted. He vaulted onto the platform and rushed to Marcus, lifting him by the shoulders to meet his gaze.

"Bro, it's okay... Marcus, look at me." Dave shook him gently. "I'm ready to hand over my seed to you. It's the right thing to do!"

The auditorium fell silent.

Marcus initially thought his friend was joking, but Dave's expression remained deadly serious. It was possible – the ritual of Seed Transfer existed for those willing to gift their power to another. Marcus could have a Legendary seed after all.

But the weight of such a sacrifice was too much.

"Request denied." Marcus grinned, then laughed hysterically.

Dave's eyes widened in surprise as Marcus broke free from his grip and bolted toward the academy stairs.

Dave felt his chest tighten – the familiar sensation that always preceded Marcus doing something monumentally stupid. Without hesitation, he sprinted after his friend.

Marcus's footsteps echoed through the stairwell as he climbed to the fifth floor. Behind him, Dave struggled to keep pace, fear driving him forward.

"A complete useless," Marcus muttered, bursting through the door to the academy terrace.

Dave emerged seconds later, gasping for breath. His heart stopped when he saw where Marcus stood.

"It's been fun, Wolfy," Marcus whispered, remembering his hero Cypher from the arena.

He turned to face Dave, balanced precariously on the building's edge, fifty feet above the ground.

"What are you doing, Marcus? Step down!" Dave's voice cracked with terror.

"Sorry, Dave."

"What do you mean? Take my seed! Marcus, I beg you!"

Dave inched forward, moving slowly to avoid startling his friend. Every muscle in his body screamed to rush forward, but he knew any sudden movement might trigger disaster.

Time seemed to freeze.

"You were a great friend, a family, and a brother too. Thank you for everything," Marcus said softly.

"Marcus?"

"Please look after my parents if you could."

"Wait!"

Marcus fell backward into empty air.

"Noooo!" Dave lunged, fingers grasping the ankle of Marcus's jeans.

The fabric tore with a sickening sound. Marcus continued falling, now head-first from Dave's desperate attempt.

Marcus closed his eyes, watching storm clouds gathering above. "Why God? Why me?"

Tears streamed across his temples as he plummeted.

"EHEM!... Mic check, mic check... 1, 2, 3. Ah perfect... my dear Marcus, your time has come. Find me as soon as you arrive."

The strange voice startled Marcus. The clouds overhead swirled unnaturally, coalescing into a dense mass directly above him.

Before he could process what was happening, a devastating bolt of lightning shot down, striking him mid-fall.

ZAPP!!!

Darkness.

Dave stared in horror from the rooftop, hands clutching his head. Mage Earth and Miss Sylvie burst through the door behind him.

"What happened?" Miss Sylvie asked, breathless.

Dave's voice came out broken and dry. "Marc...us jum...ped... and then he vanished..."

A stunned silence fell over them.

"WHAT!!!???"