The Hunter Mage

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

For some weird reason, Captain Robbin found Vernon's reaction funny and immediately started laughing. He waited for her to finish laughing, hoping that he would get some kind of explanation at the end of it.

"I have to admit," she started to say but one could still hear her chuckling. "That was faster than I even thought you would be able to show signs of your magic let alone do magic itself. Makes me a little suspicious." She sat upright at this statement, her back as rigid as her new expression.

"Suspicious?" Vernon asked at the pause. He was looking from Bart to Captain Robbin wondering if he did wrong or right.

"Yeah but only a little," she chuckled again. "So, you have nothing to worry about." She said this with a wide smile but her tune sent shivers up and down Vernon's body.

He swallowed and weakly said, "Okay."

He was expecting her to say something but she didn't. Instead, she gestured towards Bart who immediately moved towards Vernon. His domineering stance caused him to take a couple of steps back.

He blinked rapidly as he tried to guess what was about to happen, he didn't think it was anything bad but it was hard not to be alarmed. Bart soon got close enough and stared down at him. Vernon swallowed looking up at the huge frame, if he thought Bart was huge before he was even more so close up.

Vernon closed his eyes the instant he saw Bart move his hand towards him. Bart took his arm a little forcefully and Vernon flinched, bracing himself for what was to come but nothing happened for the longest of time.

Curiosity soon got the better of him and Vernon peeked with an eye to see what was going on just as Captain Robbin started laughing. It was a loud crackle that Vernon still wasn't sure if he liked it, hated it, or was indifferent about it.

His face fell in disappointment and relief as he realized nothing drastic was about to happen but rather Bart was wearing him an armband. It was a deep green that everyone in the nature magic group had been wearing.

It was a deeper green compared to the wind magic group's. He had heard whispers that it was actually called mantis green but the children were banned from calling members of the wind magic group mantis. Vernon could easily figure out why, he could have imagined the upheaval it would have caused before it got banned.

He watched Bart's every movement as he slowly pushed the armband up until it rested on his arm just slightly above his elbow. Vernon smiled unconsciously feeling a sense of satisfaction, a sense of belonging.

Bart carefully let go of his arm after he was satisfied with wearing Vernon the band. Vernon studied it as he got his arm back.

"Don't lose it!" Captain Robbin muttered.

He nodded vigorously before answering, "I won't. Thank you so much." He bowed and waited, not sure if he could leave yet.

"Well, I guess there is nothing more that needs to be said. Regardless, you did quite well hopefully you get better and not faint every time you use magic." Captain Robbin said with a smirk.

Vernon looked at the floor, his ears were warmer and he thought he might die from embarrassment. Captain Robbin laughed at his reaction.

"Don't be so embarrassed, it must be as a result of forcing your magic out after it has been locked up for so long." Captain Robbin said Vernon's face brightened. "I hope," she added and laughed some more when Vernon looked up in shock.

"Run along now," she continued. "And I hope I don't have to tell you that you no longer have to come here every now and then. If I do want to see you, I'll send for you." She said and looked away from him.

Vernon nodded and fled, he had a destination, it wasn't another day where he was hopeful that this was it. He strutted with pride to his new group and got there to find them all standing doing nothing.

"Vernon!" Pam called. "We have been waiting for you. Ah, I see you have got your band, that's lovely. Now, you're officially a member of the Nature group." She announced.

Vernon couldn't help but smile at her words. He nodded, feeling delighted. "Yes," he muttered.

Pam chuckled, "Welcome Vernon everybody."

"Welcome Vernon,' thundered the crowd.

"Thank you," he managed to say but still kept his distance.

"Don't just stand there, you're a part of us now. Join them." She gestured towards the students and Vernon did as she said.

Even though he did think he was sort of them it wasn't easy to feel like he was a part of them and still stood a noticeable distance away but it wasn't enough space to cause an alarm.

"Okay, as usual, we would start with the seeds. It is nothing usual but I do know it is quite a difficult routine for you guys so, I want you to try it first so you don't run out of Mana from the other routine as this is quite tasking. Do you understand?"

"YES!" The students cried.

"Any questions?"

"NO!" They yelled again.

"Vernon, you don't have to take part in this but you could but please don't push yourself too hard, we would really like to not get a repeat of yesterday," Pam said softly.

The children snickered and Vernon felt smaller. He knew Pam wasn't trying to tease him but the snickers didn't make it easier. He nodded vigorously at her words hoping that would be the end of that and she would move on to discuss something else.

"Stop snickering!" She yelled. "Almost all of you did poorly on your first day here and it sure took you a very long time to grow a tree so, shush!"

The silence that rang out at Pam's word was so sudden it seemed loud. Vernon smiled, he did feel good to not be the one being teased.