The Otherworlders Academy - An Original Teen Fantasy

S2-Ep. 5.15 (R) - Know Your Limits

Previously on "The Otherworlders": Having missed being captured by the guards earlier, Sebastian leads Jake and Cameron into the backyard of Prince Julian's palace, where a circus performance is taking place. 

Inside the tent, various circus acts like aerialists, mimes, and jugglers perform. However, when an animal trainer leads a baby elephant, a tiger, and a sickly polar bear out onto the stage, Jake gets enraged.

Sebastian and Cameron are then forced to restrain Jake from climbing up on stage and choking the life out of the trainer, which aside from causing an explosive interracial incident, would also blow  their cover.

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The boys are back in the safe room. They've been at it for hours, Cameron having taken Jake's advice and tried to alternate between blasts of fire and ice to break the lock, but to no avail. The safe is far too thick, far too fortified, for this technique to work well.

Cameron's forehead beads with sweat as he strains to maintain a steady stream of ice on the lock. After a while, he just gives up, exhausted.

Taking a step back, he shakes out his stiff and aching fingers. And then, out of nowhere he grunts and kicks the safe with the flat of his foot. "Ugh! This is pointless!"

Jake and Sebastian ― who've been sitting patiently with their backs against the wall, watching Cameron try, and fail, to open the safe ― exchange concerned glances.

After a beat, Sebastian clears his throat. "So, Cameron?" He says as he gets up. "Might there be another spell you can try, you know, something from your magical bag of tricks," he asks gently, and with a playful touch, in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I mean, perhaps you could―"

"Don't..." Cameron bites back. He clenches his jaw as he grips the edge of the safe and pushes himself to his feet.

"Look, I apologize," Sebastian pleas earnestly. "I was just thinking that maybe if you tried―"

"Sebastian!" Cameron snaps. "Please, don't start with me!"

 Startled, Sebastian leans back against the wall. He lifts his hands up as an apology, giving Cameron some space. "Honestly, Cam, I didn't mean to―

"It's fine. It's fine!" Cameron cuts him off sharply. Then bowing his head, he quietly adds an, "I'm sorry" underneath his breath. He looks up at the ceiling and scoffs as he hears Master Achebe's words telling him that someday he will become a Great Mage, the Master's voice echoing in his head like a cruel and hollow joke.

At this point, Jake springs to his feet and steps in. "Okay, guys. Let's not lose our cool," he says evenly. "There's got to be another way to do this." Frustrated, he scrubs his face, then begins to pace the room. His hands, laced together, rest on his head as he ponders how either he or Sebastian could use their powers to help Cameron crack the safe open.

After a long moment passes, Jake blows out a slow breath. "I don't know. I'm flat out of ideas," he admits with a shrug. "From what the other kids said about their missions, magic always played a key part in them finding the artifact, so―"

"So, you're saying I'm a failure. Is that it?!" Cameron quips, basically putting words in Jake's mouth.

"No! Not at all!" Jake tosses back, stung by the accusation. "I'm not saying that. And I'm not implying that your magic is useless. I'm just saying I think we might be missing something here, that's all."

"Yeah," Sebastian adds. "We just need to come at this situation from a slightly different angle. You know, figure out how Jake and I can help you." After a beat, he slants Cameron a glance. "Why do you think we're blaming you? We're not, Cam, I promise."