A ray of light peaked over the windowsill. It was swiftly joined by another and then another as they advanced upon a lone figure. By the time the light reached the bed, half of the room was illuminated. The figure shifted. The scruffy face of a young man appeared as he pushed away from the blankets and rose.

He erected himself and clearly rubbed his eyes. Bang! Bang! The front door shook as someone banged on it. “Jack, it is I, Virtus. It is time for breakfast. The cafeteria opens in ten minutes.”

Jack rubbed his sandy eyes again for good measure and responded. “I’ll be right there. Just give me a few minutes to get ready.” The clothes he had set aside for today we're sprawled on the chair. A glance at the clothes served to remind him that he had yet to wear one before and only then did it truly sink in just how complicated the uniforms were. On second thought, it might take a bit longer.

Fifteen minutes later, a red-clad Jack staggered out of his room. One shoe was on the wrong foot, the left one of course, and he was wrangling the sock on his other foot. Calmly, Virtus steadied him with an open hand. It took some finagling and Virtus’ support, but they solved his footwear problem.

“We have to run now, if there is any chance to get a seat.” With that, the guardsman shot off into the distance. Jack cursed his luck before chasing after him like there was a demon in his wake. The one positive thing about this whole fiasco, that was his new life, was that he didn’t get winded for most of the trip. This new body isn’t as bad as I thought.

They were soon in front of a squat building that could not be anything but a cafeteria. An air of mass production and streamlined meals surrounded it. It lay sandwiched between a giant church with stained glass walls and a store that claimed to sell alchemical supplies and other magical goods. Chaos ensued as people of all ages vied for the doors in an attempt to beat the others in. Now, how am I going to get in? He pondered while scratching his chin.

“Hey Jack, over here!” A familiar voice boomed over the crowd from the side.

His eyes tracked the voice, only to find an odd group of people waving at him. Casper, Lillian, and a young blonde girl were each holding several bento boxes. The belated pair sighed in relief and headed over and joined them.

Lillian spoke up first. “I prepared a meal ahead of time for you. I warned you about the uniform.” She paused dramatically. “Maybe next time you should accept help when offered” She smirked at him with obvious satisfaction. Jack could tell that she loved to make people squirm. It didn’t matter, she had him dead to rights.

His neck turned a bright red. “I don’t need that kind of help. A man should at least be able to dress in the morning. It’s the principle of the matter.” He argued with little enthusiasm.

She just held out the boxes in her hands. “Here this is for you. The box in Casper's hands is for Viscount Ferrum.” She gave a small curtsy to Virtus as she noted him and he returned her goodwill with an inclination of his head, Casper grimaced and surreptitiously put the box down on a picnic table.

Only a minute later, they were all sitting at the aforementioned table. Jack jumped in his seat as they clapped their hands together, eyes closed. He might have squealed a bit. Each of them mumbled some words quietly. All he could gather was that it was some kind of a mantra. It all ended as smoothly as it began. Lids came off and spoons went in. The meal was utterly foreign to him. A diet of PB&J on wonderbread did not prepare him for the taste of real food. The mix of sauce, meat, and vegetable were perfect. That paled in comparison to the multicolored rice that served as the catalyst for the scrumptious fare.

“What is this?” He entreated. “I have never tasted anything this good in my life.” Everyone nodded vigorously in agreement. Too busy chewing to respond verbally.

Lillian blushed at his praise. “This is a meal from my homeland. The Starlight Imperium produces the best rice in the known world. The meal is one of our staples.” They kept eating.

After the food was finished, the young blonde girl tugged on Caspers sleeve. Casper’s gaze swiveled down to the young girl, then to Jack. He worked his jaw for a bit before starting the introduction. “Good morning Jack, this is Aster. She is my newest sister and is also starting her first day at the academy.”

When the small girl heard her name, she dropped her fork and huddled into a defensive position. It seemed to be an instinctive response. Casper leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Tension bled out of her muscles but she didn’t move. When he straightened up, it was with a forlorn look. His hand moved slowly in a ‘go ahead’ gesture to Jack. It took a second for him to come up with a response. In retrospect, it became apparent that he had never learned how to interact with children. He just smiled at the girl and spoke softly so as not to spook her.

“Hello Aster, my name is Jack Hearth.”

She finally gathered up enough courage to look into his eyes. He marveled at them, deep blue with white accents, like the flower she was named after. “Hello… sir. Nice to meet you too.”

“I am feeling good, thank you. No need to call me sir, Jack is just fine. I chose it myself and it is special to me. If you don’t mind, I have a gift I would like to give you.” He displayed two fingers for her perusal. “Two gifts actually, Is that alright?.” He held his hands on the table palms up.

She glanced at them. Then she shifted to see behind him before nodding in ascent. It broke his heart to see street safety in a child so small but he knew the drill. “I am going to put one finger on the palm of your left hand. Is that acceptable?

She nodded, firmer this time.

One of last night's lessons came to mind as he prepared his signature cantrip. A signature spell is one that is aligned with the caster's foundation sigil whereas a cantrip is a simple spell for novices. He only knew one at the moment, Laying Down Burdens. His master claimed that he would discover more with time and exposure. First, he constructed the spell form. In the center was the Hearth. Four smaller symbols, that he hadn’t asked about yet, attached to each of the corners. Ever so carefully, his index finger softly alighted on her hand and he willed the spell on his palm into her.

Several things happened at once. Jack and Aster didn’t notice though, as they were somewhere else. Their minds came together in a new place. A small Fire sped down a dark channel. As it did so, it burned any dirt or grime it came across, leaving them sterile. One channel became two and two became four. This continued until an image emerged from the pattern. Part of the power branched off from the channels and started to infuse muscle, bone, and blood vessels. The majority of the Fire continued down the mana channels as a human figure was silhouetted by thin inwardly spiraling lines. They finally reached the iridescent core after a time and there was a blinding flash.

Both Jack and Aster returned to their bodies simultaneously as they gasped for air. “Master did not tell me that the spell was so intense.” He managed to choke out. After a moment of fighting down a bout of disorientation , his attention returned to the small girl. She looked completely different. The small bags under her eyes were gone. Sallow skin had returned to a healthy hew and her hair shined like a wheat field in summer. Though, her eyes were still unfocused “How do you feel, Aster?”

Her mouth opened. Nothing came out as she worked her jaw for a second. “I… I feel good. Like I did before mommy and daddy died. Only I feel better.” She reported in surprise.

He smiled. “I cleansed your body of all the built-up magical sewage that accumulated in your body. The effect is supposed to be mostly physical since you have yet to use magic. that energy will push your body a bit past your previous limit-”

A mischievous look that only a small child is capable of crossed her face. Then she was on her feet. With a heave and a ho, she jumped straight up almost six feet.

Jack whistled. That was beyond his highest expectations. Too bad most of the strength boost is only temporary. The gunk will come back if she starts casting magic. I think.