The Sorcerer Who Loved Magic But Hated Reading

The tunnel was quiet now, the only sound being the distant echo of the dragon's growls, now muffled inside the magical box. Alaric took a step back, his heart still racing. He didn't know if the seal would hold forever, but for now, the battle was over.

Alaric slowly opened his eyes. His head felt heavy, and his body was sore. He looked around and saw that he was in a small room, lying on a bed. The room smelled faintly of herbs.

"Alaric! You're awake!" Claire's voice came from beside him. She was sitting next to the bed, her hands clasped together. Her eyes were full of worry. Elyas stood nearby, his arms crossed. He looked calm but relieved.

Claire leaned closer. "Are you okay now, Alaric?" she asked softly.

Alaric gave her a weak smile. "Yes, I'm fine now," he replied. "What happened to the dragon and the items they stole from the village?"

Elyas stepped forward and spoke. "We took care of it. The dragon is gone, and we brought back all the food and supplies the bandits stole."

Claire nodded. "The villagers were so happy. They were waiting for everything to come back."

The door to the room opened, and Ben, the head villager, walked in. His face was filled with gratitude. He walked over to Alaric and said, "Thank you, young man. Without you, we don't know how we would have survived. The food and supplies mean everything to us."

Alaric gave him a small nod and said, "I'm glad I could help."

Alaric gave a weak nod and tried to sit up. "What happened?" he asked, his voice hoarse. Then his thoughts turned to the battle. "What happened to the dragon?"

Elyas stepped forward, his tone calm but serious. "We brought his seal," he said. "We need to take him to the master guild. The dragon has a bounty on his head."

"A bounty?" Alaric asked, frowning.

"Yes," Elyas replied. "His bounty is one million gold coins."

Alaric's eyes widened in shock. "Whaaaat? A million?"

Claire gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "A dragon bounty? That's huge!"

Elyas nodded but fixed his sharp gaze on Alaric. "You need to be more careful with your actions, Alaric. You don't always know what you're facing. Running into danger without thinking could get you killed."

Alaric looked down, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I just wanted to help..."

Claire placed a hand on Alaric's arm. "Elyas is right. Please, Alaric, think before you act. We're all worried about you."

Elyas sighed. "Just don't take risks you can't handle."

After that, Alaric, Elyas, and Claire began preparing to return to their guild. Mr. Ben approached Alaric with a warm smile and said, "Thank you again, young man. We are forever grateful for your help."

Alaric smiled back, feeling happy that he could make a difference. "I'm glad I could help," he said, his heart light.

Elyas, who was already gathering his things, looked at Alaric. "We should go now, Alaric. It's time to leave."

Claire nodded, giving a final glance at the village. "Thank you, Mr. Ben. You're welcome."

Mr. Ben smiled brightly. "I hope you all come back and visit us again. You're always welcome here."

The villagers gathered near the village entrance to say their goodbyes. Alaric, Elyas, and Claire stood together, waving to the people in the village.

As they waved, the villagers shouted their thanks and good wishes. "Thank you! Come back soon!"

Alaric felt a warmth in his chest as he waved back. It had been a long journey, but knowing they had helped the village made it all worthwhile.

Elyas turned to Alaric as they walked away. "This is the life of a guild member. Helping others and making a difference."

Alaric nodded. He was beginning to understand what Elyas meant. They had made a real impact today.

After that, they began walking through the forest, heading toward their guild. The sounds of the forest surrounded them, and the path was quiet. However, Alaric started to feel something strange. His body felt heavy, and his legs wobbled as he walked. He had used his Vorthos power earlier, and now he could feel its effects.

Vorthos drained the caster's energy, leaving them weak. It was as though his body was being slowly aged, each spell making him feel older. His energy seemed to vanish with every step.

"Alaric, are you okay?" Elyas asked, noticing that Alaric was slowing down.

Alaric tried to speak, but his strength was fading quickly. His vision blurred, and his knees buckled beneath him. He fell to the grass, unable to move.

Claire and Elyas rushed to his side. "Alaric!" Claire shouted, panic in her voice. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

Alaric could only hear their worried voices as they knelt beside him. He wanted to say something, but his body felt too weak. He could barely keep his eyes open.

After that, Elyas and Claire stood by, confused and worried. They had no idea why Alaric had lost consciousness so suddenly. Claire looked at Elyas, her mind racing. Then, she remembered something.

During the battle, Alaric had used Vorthos. She realized that the power he had used might have caused the problem. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Vorthos was a powerful and dangerous ability. It drained the user's energy and could even cause physical harm.

"Elyas," Claire said, her voice quiet but serious. "I think it's the Vorthos. Maybe it's what caused Alaric to lose consciousness."

Elyas frowned, nodding. "You might be right," he said. "That power takes a lot from the user. Alaric needs to be cautious with it; if he's not, his actions could lead him into danger.

They decided to take Alaric back to their guild. With great care, they lifted him and carried him toward their home.

When Alaric finally opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in a bed. The soft light of the room filled his vision. He blinked, confused at first, but then he realized he was back at the guild.

He tried to sit up, but his body felt heavy. "What happened?" he whispered, looking at Elyas and Claire, who were standing beside him, worried.

Elyas sighed. "You've been out for a while. Just rest now."