After stepping out of the Locoshifter, Ermand strolled toward a congested café with a large sign board on which Goffy's Goblet café was written. The paint seemed to have faded off over time.

"You work here?"

"Yes. As a waiter and at times, I wash the dishes."

Timothy nodded and scanned the insides of the café. His eyes wandered around the untidy café that was decorated with posters on all of its walls.

"So, the Chisel came after a long interval, huh?" A huge man with frizzy red beard and bulgy eyes grumbled at Ermand.

"I was not supposed to work anywhere for the first three months in Agledon-"

"Don't boast about your nasty endless tales to me, you're fired a long time ago!" He barked, scratching his beard.

"I'm fired? But you should understand that I'm not allowed to-"

"I don't care what the hell is your reason. You're fired and I've appointed a new guy better than you!"

"This is unfair, you should've sent him a knocketer stating-" Timothy had to cut from his talk when Ermand gripped his arm and shook his head to him.

"Now who is this guy you pulled from your trash?"

"Trash?" Timothy's eyes bulged out in shock. "You should learn to mind your language mister."

"I apologize from his part but you should understand my situation-"

"I'm not a Protector to understand everybody's situation."

"So, I'm fired?"

"Do you need me to repeat that again?" He roared. A broomstick rose in the air under the gesture of the grumpy man. Ermand knew he would definitely lash the broomstick at him if he stayed there any longer.

"I need the payment for the two months I worked here."

"I have got nothing to pay you, Chisel."

"What about all of my efforts?"

"We'll, I don't think you did much effort in serving the people and washing some dishes. Now go!"

"You call that no effort?" Timothy asked the man in a furious tone.

"I shouldn't have trusted you," Ermand said, dragging Timothy out of the shop.

"You should've asked for your money. How much do you get paid for two months?"

"Five Twoks."

Timothy was startled to hear that Ermand would only get five Twoks after working there for two months.

"I didn't know people were this bad. What are you going to do?"

"Find another job."

"Another?"

"My mum is working as a household servant despite her health condition being worse. I couldn't let her work, I need to find a job."

"How many hours are you willing to work?"

"Four to five."

"Do you know how to cap potions bottles fast?"

"I know how to cap but fast? Like how fast?"

"My father knows of a potion factory of his friend's that he has recently started. They're in need of a few labourers to do these jobs."

"I can do that, although it would require some experience but I'll be doing it smoothly after I work for a week."

"I'll send him a knocketer about this. The factory is near to Candlewick town. It is situated somewhere over the Hustle city next to Candlewick."

"I can reach there."

"Perfect then. They pay around-"

"What's that?" A woman cried across the street.

Ermand and Timothy stared at the sky to where the woman had pointed. A red beam of light glinted in the sky, pacing toward the Candlewick town.

"Not the streakfall, please," Timothy mumbled.

"It is. Run!" He shouted and dashed forward to the stone pavement with Timothy sprinting behind him.

"What a lousy evening we had!" Timothy groaned as he ran behind Ermand.

"Let's hurry before the streak hits the street!"

Timothy nodded and dashed toward the Locoshifter that was about to take off.

"Wait for us!" Timothy shouted, waving both his arms in the air. "Wait!"

The driver of the Locoshifter stared at the boys running like mad men toward their vehicle.

"Looks like they must've escaped from an asylum," The ticket collector muttered to the driver. The driver nodded and started the vehicle.

"No, no!" Ermand screamed.

Before the boys could reach the Locoshifter, it swirled away from their reach. Timothy fell on his knees, panting. Timothy screamed with all the sound his voice box could produce as he watched the streak fall hitting the street a few shops near to them.

"Attowo basine!" Ermand shouted, extending his hands forward to him. A transparent barrier arose from his fingertips that covered Timothy and Ermand in a bubble. Along with the barrier, a fiery layer expanded around it. The effect of the streakfall burned everything around, except them, who were enclosed safely inside the barrier produced by Ermand.

Timothy gaped at Ermand, shock filled in his eyes.

"How did you do that?"

"Emile taught me this before the DCT-"

"I didn't ask how you learnt it, I asked how did you do that!"

"What do you mean?" Ermand was befuddled by Timothy's question.

"A simple and temporary protection spell cannot withstand a streakfall. How did you do that?"

"You know what I did. I used the same spell."

"That flame. A flame enclosed the transparent sphere. The flame protected us, it absorbed the intensity of the streak. Attowo basine is not the spell to produce a flame shield."

"I don't know. We're safe, what's more important than that?"

Timothy nodded, although he seemed to be unconvinced. When they found another Locoshifter and travelled back to college, none of them spoke anything to each other.

"Timothy, has an elf got into your shoes or what?" Ermand asked finally, walking with him to their dorm.

"I'm fine. I can't believe it's the protection shield spell that defied the ferocity of that streak, the streak that destroyed many houses and buildings, the streak that took many lives."

"Timothy. Ermand."

Charlie rushed to them with a one sided mirror in his hand.

"The reports said that the streets of Candlewick and Fingercut were hit by a heavy streakfall this evening. I'm glad you guys look alright."

"Fingercut? Fingercut street?"

"Yeah. The same place where you previously lived," Charlie replied, handing him the mirror.

A man in white and blue checkered shirt was standing with a paper in his hand in a disaster filled background.

"It has been notified by the president of Tawarn that all of us should be expecting another streakfall anywhere around us. The Protectors are still in search of the source. The studies released by the national Innovators have said that the intensity of the streakfall is gradually increasing according to the statistics they had collected till now. For more instant reports, stay tuned with The Tawarnian news."

The streakfall hit Fingercut street again. My dream came true...

"By the way, Ermand. Agledon doesn't let the first years work, they say they'd provide a constant sum of money. Also, you've received a knocketer," Charlie said, giving him an envelope and taking back the mirror.

Ermand immediately tore open the seal and pulled out the paper.

Ermand Chisel

Agledon Magic University for Spellcasters

Hazelfield block, 142

Tawarn

20th day, Chuston's month, 109th year of Epigal.

Ermie dear,

Extremely sorry for giving you such a late reply. A lot of things have happened over a month's time... However, we hope everything is changing for the good. Please, Ermie dear, don't do that work anymore. Goffinald is a ruthless man, you don't know him. Once he had lashed a broomstick over Jack when he asked for his payment. Please my son, I beg of you, forget that place.

As for the dreams. Are you still having those terrifying ones now? Geoffrey said that it'll be alright once you join Agledon, it is just because that you're too homesick. Are you having those dreams again, now? What is the strange phenomenon you wanted to say? Should we pay you a visit to Agledon? What about your DCT, Ermie? We expect a reply from you as soon as possible.

Anna Chisel

Uphill block, 21

Tawarn

Ermand crumpled the paper in his hands. He bit his lip while his head was in deep thought. He sensed something from the letter. Something told Ermand that whatever she wrote in the letter about his dreams weren't true.

Why are they lying? What is it that they're hiding from me?