The Sorcerer Who Loved Magic But Hated Reading

It had been three days since they completed their mission. Alaric was in his room, practicing and working out. He wanted to keep his body strong and ready for the next mission or a tough opponent. Sweat dripped down his face as he finished a set of push-ups.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Alaric paused, wiping his forehead with a towel, and walked over to open it. Standing outside was Elyas, his expression serious.

"Come outside," Elyas said. "We need to go see Master. He wants to tell us about the new power and how it's affecting your body."

Alaric frowned. "I'll pass. I've got more training to do."

Elyas's eyes narrowed. "You have to go, or do you want us to end up back in the library?"

At the mention of the library, Alaric froze. He hated the endless reading and research sessions there. He sighed heavily, realizing he had no choice.

"Fine," he said, grabbing his jacket. "Let's go. But if this turns into another lecture, I'm blaming you."

Elyas smirked and turned to leave. Alaric followed, already regretting his decision but knowing there was no escaping this time.

As Alaric and Elyas walked down the hallway toward their master's room, Alaric's mind wandered. He didn't notice the man coming from the other direction until it was too late. Alaric bumped into him.

"Oh, sorry about that," Alaric said quickly, stepping back.

The man, who looked tall and strong, glanced at Alaric for a brief moment but said nothing. He kept walking as if nothing had happened.

Alaric frowned, his brows furrowing. "What an ignorant man," he muttered under his breath, his voice dripping with frustration.

Elyas turned his head slightly and said forget about it. and he kept walking toward the door ahead, focused on their destination.

When they reached the door, Elyas pushed it open and stepped inside. He glanced back, noticing Alaric still standing a few steps behind, muttering to himself.

Alaric!" Elyas called out, his tone sharp. "Hurry up and get in here!"

Snapped out of his thoughts, Alaric shook his head and quickly walked forward. He stepped into the room, his annoyance fading as he faced the serious atmosphere inside.

Master sat waiting for them, his piercing gaze fixed on Alaric as if already aware of the small delay. Alaric took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever was about to come next.

As Alaric and Elyas entered the room, they both paused in front of their master, Jester Malvik.

"Congratulations on completing your first mission," Master said, his voice filled with pride.

Elyas grinned and nodded in agreement. "Yes, thank you, Master."

Jester Malvik gave a slight nod, his expression calm but pleased. "You both did well. But the mission is only the beginning."

After a brief pause, Elyas spoke up, his curiosity piqued. "Master, I have a question."

Jester's eyes locked onto Elyas as he asked, "What is it?"

Elyas glanced at Alaric before continuing. "I want to talk about Alaric's power. During the mission, he lost consciousness, and his power... it was like a black hole. It seemed to swallow everything, and it completely sealed up."

The room grew quiet, and Alaric shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the attention. Master Malvik studied him carefully before responding.

"That power," Jester said, his tone measured, "is rare and dangerous. It's a force that even I have only heard of in stories—an energy that absorbs and seals, leaving nothing behind. We will need to understand it more before it becomes a threat to you or others."

Alaric felt a chill run down his spine. He hadn't realized his powerful magic.

Master Jester Malvik sat back in his chair, his eyes fixed on Alaric as he spoke. "The power you used is not something new. It's incredibly strong, but dangerous. The last person to wield such power was over a hundred years ago."

Alaric listened intently, his curiosity growing. Elyas stood quietly beside him, just as interested in hearing the story.

"The man who used this power," Jester continued, "was one of the most powerful people to ever walk this land. He was able to dominate the entire guild on his own. No one could stand against him."

Alaric felt a sense of awe mixed with fear. He hadn't realized his power was tied to such a dark history.

"But there's a price for using such strength," Jester said, his voice becoming more serious. "The more he used the power, the more it drained his body. It was as if his body began to fight back, to take revenge for all the power he had used."

Alaric's eyes widened as he tried to imagine the kind of exhaustion the man must have felt.

"One day, after using his power one too many times," Jester continued, "he disappeared. No one ever heard from him again."

After a moment of silence, Elyas reached into his bag and pulled out a small, sealed cube. He handed it to Master Malvik.

"This is our enemy," Elyas said, his voice steady. "The one who destroyed the village. His name is Dragon."

Master Malvik took the cube, examining it carefully. He then looked up at Elyas and nodded. "You can claim his bounty through my assistant. Just wait for him to prepare everything."

Elyas nodded in agreement, relieved to know the matter would be handled.

But Master Malvik wasn't finished. His expression turned more serious as he spoke again. "I have request for you. A mission." "That's the reason I called you."

Alaric and Elyas listened closely.

"You'll need to take care of a beast named Balarok," Master Malvik explained. "He's been terrorizing the land called Jeju. He's been killing over a hundred people every day."

 Elyas and Alaric's eyes widened at the mention of the beast's cruelty.

"We received word about him a week ago from their captain, but our guild has been too busy to respond," Jester continued. 

Master Malvik nodded. "You'll take Brody with you. He's strong, and he just completed a mission. He'll be a good help. Good luck, you two."