Chapter Three:

Kriston laughed. "Yeah. I know you are too old for me, but you can't expect me not to try." He grinned. A kid about 17 years old wearing all white walked up to them. White shirt. White Robe. White sweats. White high tops. He even had a white streak of highlights in his bangs of his hair, but didn't look old. Somehow, he made it work, he he actually looked cool!

He grinned. "I know what you're gonna say. I like white, Ima mage. Take this knife. Stab yourself."

Kriston took the knife. "What?"

"You heard me, man. You gon' do it?"

"Naw man! That's crazy. I don't even know your name and you want me to trust you with my life?!"

"Yes."

Dukestep said, "Trust him. He is the Head Titan in the Mage Department here."

"Well, still sounds psycho but...if Duke says so.." He stabbed himself in the gut.

He pulled out the blood dripping knife and tried to hold in the pain.

The kid's hands started to glow bright misty blue and he blasted Kriston's gut where he was stabbed. The blood stopped and the cut instantly mended itself like it had never been stabbed. Not even a scar remained. "Whoa..." Kriston said dumbfounded.

"Dope huh. I know...I'm uh, pretty awesome. The name's Zritmas. Forge Zritmas."

"Yep!" Dukestep smiled and Forge put his arm around her shoulder.

"Forge here is my boyfriend. We met here 2 years ago. At first I hated him for his ego, always complimenting himself. But he healed me during the first Mystic War and I actually got to know him better. He has gotten much better since the war."

Forge's face saddened. "I wish I was as good then as I am now. My brother...perished in that War before my eyes. My skills...weren't good enough to save him." There was a moment of silence. "Aye man. I'm sure you tried your best. That's all that matters. Besides, you weren't the one who hurt your brother. He went out in honor serving his people. That's what really counts. But I still don't get one thing."

Kriston shrugged. "I read about the Mystic War. Kingtillium and Archamium fought together in that War. How come an experienced Titan from Kingtillium didn't assist you?"

"We were only fighting side by side, but nobody said we had to help each other. We are amazing friends with the guys at Kingtillium. They are spontaneous and fun and cool. But they have to act emotionless and proper in front of their leaders. That's just the way Kingtillium is. Proper Passion and Order. The problem is, the King and Our School Director couldn't get along, even with the greater good at risk. They could ally with us, which they did. That's why we won."

Forge continued. "Here's the bottom line of that War. Pretty much this. We fought together to cast out the Dark Wizards. They didn't kill us. We didn't kill them. But we weren't on speaking terms because of a stupid feud between our leaders."

Dukestep agreed. "It isn't right but the feud it keeping us from growing and learning from each other." Kriston ran his fingers through his shiny hazelnut hair. He straightened his robe and rubbed the silk. "What's their feud?"

Forge answered, "I wanna know too. Nobody knows about their feud except the Titans who lived when Kingtillium and Archamium were first built. It's a blood connected feud. Man, this is legit stuff. It ain't no joke. This feud was really the only bad thing about the golden age of the First Times. Archamium is 80 years old! So is Kingtillium! Bro, imagine seeing this place.....when it was first built. Like, red ribbon cutting ceremony kinda thing. The Golden Ages of the First Times were a blossoming time of Prosperity."

Dukestep finished. "But that feud between King Atoaquinn and Director Jason is keeping us from our future as neighbouring forces, schools, companions, allies, you name it."

Forge abruptly stopped walking. He motioned toward a room so big, 5,000 Titanics could fit in rows with 5,000 stacked on top of one another and still have space to spare. The thing was, it was empty. Plain blinding white walls, roof, and floor. Why Kriston was watching in awe, was because if the students sparring inside. The battle was beyond anything words could possibly even try to describe.

Kriston saw a kid fly up and yell some weird spell. Fireballs appeared in his hands and he blasted someone flying in circles below him. The guy flying in circles stopped. He spun once in a circle and snapped his fingers. A shielding ball of ice formed around him, blocking him from the fireballs. Then, a third guy ran a jumped up. A hammer materialized in front of him midjump and bashed on the ice shield, breaking it.

Then, we pointed at the fire guy and beanstalks rose from the Earth obeying his command, growing uncontrollably and wrapped around the first guy. The caught his body on fire and shriveled the weeds confining him. The ice dude froze and 4th guy and so on. "Dope!" Forge grinned. "Indeed. You'll do this soon after you pick your element."

Dukestep lightly smacked Forge. He laughed. "Okay, you don't pick your element. Your element picks you man. I just wanted to get your hopes up. Teach the rookies a lesson!" He couldn't hold it. He burst out laughed till he was gripping his gut on the floor. "Man, at would've been CLASSIC!" Dukestep asked, "Are you done?"

Forge replied, "No." He kept laughing and Dukestep kissed him right on the lips. That stopped him. Kriston was in his zone, imagining it was him there, not Forge. Forge tapped his shoulder. "Artahiém to Kriston! Do you read, Kriston?"

Kriston snapped outta it. "I'm here. Uh...sorry. So, I'm not clear on this whole element to study thing..." Dukestep jumped up and clapped her hands. "Come with me!" She said peppy and excitingly. She flew off with her robes flapping in the wind. Kriston jumped up and flew after her. Forge mumbled, "Wish I could fly." And ran after them to the Hall of Elements.