Ermand gasped as the torment not only enfeebled his body but also his hopes. The intolerable soreness has brought him lying on the floor as he could not move an inch. His body has lost its power to make movements. 

He couldn't see the colours, everything went black. 

Am I blind?

Even if he tried crying out for help, no one would come for help, everybody must be on their way back home. The college authorities are assembled in some other hall, four or five floors above him. Hope was at it's nether end.

When Ermand almost thought it must be slowly killing him and closed his eyes, a voice echoed into his ears. 

Ermand, get up.

The voice was unrecognizable, whether it belonged to a man or a woman, but it was robust.

"No…," he quavered. "I-I'm d-dying…"

Ermand, rise up. The voice seemed to be commanding. 

"I-I… can't," he tried replying. "I… I'm not-t g-going… to… make--" Ermand felt dizzy as he felt the ghastly feeling taking control of his brain.

You will not die! Get up!

Ermand shot up immediately, gasping. He didn't know where all the energy came from. The pain had gone. He turned around him in search of the voice. There was no one in the hall.

He stared at his palms, they were red like cherry. His legs couldn't move. Nevertheless, he pulled himself up by reaching his hands on one of the pillars near to him and staggered out of the hall.

Tawarn is under destruction. My family.

He darted outside the college boundaries and in the direction of a large white circular raised platform. A man in a gray uniform sat in the middle of the platform with his hands on the steering that was affixed to the platform. Several people were rushing into the metal platform after buying their tickets. The vehicle is called a Locoshifter.

Ermand lurched toward the Locoshifter. 

"Where?" The ticket collector asked. 

"Fingercut street."

"Seven Erats," the gray capped ticket collector said, tearing a blue ticket from the board of different reels of coloured tickets in his hand.

Ermand dug in his pockets to get seven tiny bronze coloured metal coins. He realized he only had three Erats and a larger coin - one Pecun.

"Sorry, I only have one Pecun."

"Alright, give it," the man returned Ermand the blue ticket and three Erats after dropping the Pecum into his tin. The tin might seem extremely compact to carry all the money but it was grandly spacious inside. 

"All set. The Locoshifter is moving, everybody. Fix your legs!" The ticket collector announced.

Ermand stood on one of the circles bordered by a black tape. Some moist tentacles arose from it and glued Ermand's legs to itself as the large platform that carried people above, people began swirling. It slowly started twisting with sound as it gained acceleration. 

The Locoshifter disappeared from the place and appeared on another place where a row of deteriorating houses stood. Finally, it was Ermand's stop.

"Fingercut street," the ticket collector announced.

Ermand kicked the tentacles and it immediately removed it's grasp on his legs. When he got out of the Locoshifter, Ermand hurried toward the Chisels Eyrie. 

Fortunately, no one had been injured but their roof was broken.

"Ermie. Where were you?" Mrs. Chisel gripped Ermand's arms. Jack and Mr. Chisel walked toward them.

"I… was… nevermind. What happened here?"

"We don't know actually. Streaks of red light fell from the sky, hitting on some houses and yards. Some people were dead too. It is not fire, it just destroyed everything. Why weren't you on the bus with your brothers?"

"Mum, I got this… strange physical feeling that pierced into my flesh and hit on my bones. I-I'll explain this later. What are we going to do next?"

"What?" Mrs. Chisel gripped his arms more tightly.

"Tell me what are we going to do?"

"There hadn't been any news from the President," Mr. Chisel answered.

"Some say he has been trying to hide from all this strange stuff," Jack commented.

"Moreover, this didn't happen only in Tawarn but all over Iyerth. No one knows the root of this," Mr. Chisel added.

"Some news says it's the end of the world," Jack tittered, bringing his finger close to his mouth.

"Not funny, Jack." Mrs. Chisel glared at him.

"The most shocking fact is that the Protectors aren't quite sure of its source. Every Protector is engrossed checking in the facets they protect."

"Probably the end of the world," Jack muttered to receive a sharp slap on his arm from Mrs. Chisel.

"Did it stop?"

"It stopped about an hour ago. But all of us are worried if it starts again. And now that our roof is broken…"

"Don't worry about the problem with the house. I've got it fixed--"

"Did you just…?"

"No. My friend, Timothy, sorted the problem. He's a Chestnut. His father owns a house in the outskirts of Tawarn. He'll ask his father to rent it out for us."

"I know that you will find a way, Ermie." Mrs. Chisel hugged him.

A big, orange jello ball about the size of a football levitated in the air with an announcement from the senate.

"Everybody stay calm. The Protectors have told us that they're trying to find the source of this incident. The senate will be making a worthy decision today evening. Tomorrow, there will be a conference that brings all of the leaders around Iyerth together to make a fair decision to be made since this incident happened out of the ordinary."

The announcement was repeated again as the announcing ball levitated forward. 

A Knockman appeared from thin air into their yard.

"Mr. Ermand Chisel, Mr. Jackson Chisel and Mr. Jason Chisel?" 

"Yes," the three of them responded.

"You've all received a knocketer from Agledon University. Sign, please." The man gave Ermand a pen made of wood with ink filled in the transparent rubber bulb at the opposite tip of the nib. 

After signing, Ermand opened his knocketer. 

It read : 

Ermand Chisel
Fingercut street, 88
Tawarn
15th day, Gurzel month, 109th year of Epigal

D

ear student, 

Hope you and your family are safe and sound. This emergency knocketer is to inform you that you'll be having classes as regular from tomorrow. In case your family is not safe, immediately reply with a knocketer about your issues and we'll give our maximum support to raise you and your family from this mishap. Thank you. 

High Professor
Zaugustus Lewcent
Agledon Magic University for SpellcasterHazelfield block, 142
Tawarn

"New Tawarn? That's outside our country. It'd cost a lot to send a knocketer outside the country," Mr. Chisel pursed his lips, deep in thought.

"He stays in the dorm at college. Maybe I should talk all about it tomorrow with him."

"We'll adjust for tonight then. Hope it doesn't rain or the streak falls," Mrs. Chisel clasped her hands in excitement.

"But what about the rent?" Mr. Chisel inquired.

"I… I don't have an idea. I'll ask him every detail of it."

"Alright," Mr. Chisel nodded.

"Did you all forgive me now?" Ermand slightly lowered his head.

"Ermie dear. Parents always forgive their children," Mrs. Chisel replied, a broad smile appeared on her face.

Ermand nodded and glanced at Mr. Chisel, who nodded at him with a genuine smile. 

"Thank you…" he whispered. 

Still, his mind wasn't calm. Something else was keeping him restless. There's a lot of incongruous things that were dwelling around him.