When I woke I saw Alea, Kai, and Leo playing cards on the floor.

The dorm was still in shambles, and it looked even worse in the light. Every vase, container, bottle, or light bulb had been smashed.

Every piece of furniture was broken, burned, or ripped.

All of their clothes, or what I assumed were their clothes, were now piles of ash on the floor.

I was badly impressed by how much they’d done within an hour. Then again, they had magical talents with them.

I sat up and found I was lying on a bedroll on the floor.

Everything seemed normal outside until I realized it was a ghost town. Not a single person was in sight.

I stood up, yelped, and landed on my butt on the floor, forgetting about the glass shard that had been stuck in my foot.

Kai and Leo helped me up, and I struggled to balance on one leg.

“One second,” Kai said, running to the backside of his bed.

Leo held me steady while I wobbled on my leg. He grinned as I blushed. “You know you shouldn't be embarrassed around me Dedri.”

“I’m not blushing, it’s just hot in here,” I mumbled.

Kai came back with two wooden crutches covered in intricate carvings.

“Try these,” he said, helping me adjust my hands to the bars.

They were lightweight and easy to walk in, not to mention absolutely breathtaking.

“Beautiful work as always Kai,” Leo said. I gasped. “You made these?”

Kai nodded as he blushed. I stared down at the wood helping me balance. Little vines with roses had been carved from the bottom up on either side.

“I thought you were into reading though?” I asked.

Kai laughed. “Me? Touch a book? No way.” I’d never been more confused in my life.

“But-“ I began. “We don’t actually enjoy what it looks like we do. It’s just a cover-up. Thank goodness we figured out before they trashed our dorm the first time.” Leo answered before I had the chance to ask.

“They’ve done this before?” I asked. Alea nodded. “Every time a new underdog comes in they do,” she said gesturing to Kai and Leo.

“First it was Leo when he came, then Alea, me, and now you,” Kai said.

I stared at my feet. “I’m sorry.”

Leo laughed and patted my back, almost making me fall forward.

“You’re just lucky we rescued you before they could get to you, or else you’d be dead meat.”

“So what do you actually enjoy doing?” I asked, trying to change the topic.

“Let me show you,” Leo said, walking toward his bed. He pressed a button and the bedpost lifted, revealing a large square panel on the ground.

He opened the square and offered his hand to help me down. I hesitated.

“Come on Dedri,” he said. I winced just looking at the staircase.

Leo took my crutches in one hand and I grabbed the railing to hop onto the top step. Leo caught me before I could slip and fall down the stairs and helped me down each step until we finally reached the bottom.

I reached for my crutches, but the space was too tight for them to fit.

The room was separated by two tables pressed against each wall.

The first table was covered in an assortment of glass bottles, test tubes, funnels, measuring cups, pipes, tubes, and many other things I couldn’t name.

Pink, green, and blue liquids fizzled and popped in a weird contraption you’d see on a tv show with tiny knobs and buttons everywhere.

A wooden box filled to the brim with paper was on the corner of the table next to large bottles.

“That’s my stuff, no need to look at it,” Leo said blushing. I found his embarrassment of his messiness cute.

“So what do you do?” I asked walking toward the table, and somehow forgetting I had to use crutches.

I face planted on the floor and ignored the sharp pain in my foot as I got to my knees.

“You need some help Dedri?” Leo asked, and I could hear the smirk in his voice.

“No, I like the floor,” I responded, moving to a sitting position.

Alea laughed. “You found a good one Leo.”

“I do alchemy. Potions and stuff,” Leo answered me.

“So… like a wizard?” I asked.

“Yeah, sort of I guess,” Leo said laughing as he helped me stand.

The second table was piled with wood in all shapes and sizes, little sculpting tools, and screws.

Designs for different things covered the wall and desk. I also saw hundreds of papers spilling out of a drawer.

“That’s my table, which I assume you already knew. I try not to make too much though. Not enough room,” Kai said shrugging.

I noticed Alea didn’t have a table. I looked at her questioningly.

“I’m into my gift, mostly. Animals, nature, trees, stuff like that. But I do have this,” she said walking back up the stairs.

Kai followed, and Leo held my crutches again while helping me up the stairs.

Alea was holding a small wooden box with a lock. “It has herbs and plants that tell you if they’re poisonous or not. I know it’s basic, but I used to have six more of these.

“I memorized them all though, so I threw them out. This is newly discovered things I’m still trying to remember,” Alea said, shoving the box under a beanbag chair.

“That’s amazing,” I said smiling.

“So, what about you Dedri?” Leo asked, grabbing his water bottle and taking a sip.

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

I had spent most of my life studying, doing homework, having a tutor, getting ahead in my classes, and didn’t have many hobbies.

Leo must’ve noticed my hesitation.

“Stuck in the life your parents thought you needed?”

I nodded, trying hard to shove town the tears clogging my throat.

“Ugh, parents are the worst,” Alea said, grabbing a broom to begin sweeping up the remains of a smashed lamp.

Leo sighed and mussed his hair with his hand. “This seems like a couple days work.”

“Uh, more like weeks actually. They got to the beds this time,” Kai interrupted.

Leo sat down on his bed and seemed to age fifteen years as he said “Is this even worth it anymore?”

“What might you be suggesting Leo Farwinkle?” Alea said, a smile tugging at her lips.

Leo looked at me and a grin spread across his face.

“What if we made a run for it?”