Chapter Fifty-Three: The Mage Returns


    I am a Mage.


    I’m still trying to process the way life’s changed since I Awakened, but I’m adjusting. For now, life is good.


    Magefell is still recovering from the Cult’s attack, no surprise there. It’s been almost two weeks, and all I can think about is the way the market has healed since then. Most of the buildings have been fixed, the Mages are doing a wonderful job, and the stalls are still getting set up, but a day or two from now, the market will look good as new. Some of the shops have already opened again, signs outside the doors, pronouncing discounts for all potential customers.


    I pull my cloak up against my head, and look down as I walk through the market. I don’t want others to notice me, which is also why I’m alone. While my friends aren’t as famous as me, except Yue, they’re still recognizable.


    I didn’t expect my fame, and I like to think it isn’t getting to my head, but I can’t deny the happiness I feel when anyone notices me and congratulates me. Then again, I never would’ve been famous if it wasn’t for one person: Eva. The citizens of Magefell know me because they saw the rush of magic I used on the final few hundred monsters. They heard the stories of how we took on the ‘evil mage and captain,’ and, of course, me and Yue, Helstrom and the Sterkona, are now instantly recognizable faces.


    For now, I just want to walk through the market in peace. As soon as one person notices me, I know a dozen others will flock around. I pass by Wil’s shop, and it’s open, but I stroll past it. I don’t know whether I’m grateful to him for giving me Nightwielder or not. On the one hand, it is a worthy blade, and can cut through mostly anything.


    On the other hand, it does explode with power in the most unexpected moments. Now, I have to be extremely careful whenever I use the dagger, so much that I’ve taken to using my sword more than it.


    I also pass by the perfume shop—I forgot the owner’s name—and it brings back memories, ones that are still raw and painful. While I have mostly been coping well with Astil’s death, it only makes sense that I would still feel depressed at times. Anni still needs comfort most days, but we’re always there for her.


    Zenyth Academy really is not the same since the battle. Firstly, of course, Astil is gone, and that puts a hole in life inside the academy. Next, I’ve become famous, and in Zenyth, I’m a little alienated by some people due to that. Thankfully, most people still treat me like they would anyone else. Then there’s the fact that I’ve publicly become the Cult’s enemy, which is another reason I move incognito when I’m alone. And, now that I’m public enemy number one, I have to avoid any confrontation with them.


    The first time I met Th’ul, Zenyth was at war, it seemed like, and that’s already happened twice more since the end of the battle. Often, Cultists and Rationalists—that’s what we call ourselves, because we’re the ones with common sense—are in an all out war somewhere in the Academy or its surrounding grounds.


    The plethora of inns and shops I pass by call to me with their signs and people, inviting me to check them out, but I ignore them all. Today, I’m just here to look, and to enter one shop. That’s all.


    The shop finally comes into view. While it was mostly destroyed by the battle, it’s standing now, and I couldn''t help but pay it a visit. Strangely, I’ve also forgotten the shop''s name, but they haven’t added a sign to the recently redesigned shop, so I can’t be expected to know it, right?


    I’m only looking for one person anyway.


    “Sir, I mean Sir Helstrom, I mean Zade!” A man—boy? teenager?—exclaims as soon as I come in. Reg. I bought a suit from him when I arrived, and I never got the suit but I doubt I ever will.


    “Hey, Reg! How’s the store?”


    “Everythin’ be fine for us,” Reg responds, lighting up. “We do not have many customers now, but it be fun to reopen.” I can see he’s struggling with adapting his language to be more formal. even so, hints—and maybe more than just hints—shine through his vocabulary anyway.


    “Well, it be, I mean, it’s good to see you,” I say. “What happened to all your customers who needed something that the battle interrupted?” The question isn’t phrased well, but Reg seems to understand.


    “We be, are spending most of our time finishing that. Some of them have gone back to their own countries, but some of them be staying here, so we finish that as soon as possible. Speaking of, we finished your suit, personali—persolini—personalized just for you.”


    “Really?” I ask. “That’s amazing.”


    “If you be following me.” Reg leads me into the back, where several hangars hold suits and dresses and clothes of all kinds. I’ve never had an eye for fashion, but I’m sure if anyone did, this place would be wonderful.


    “Here it be—are—is, you know,” He says, blushing.


    “You can speak naturally to me,” I tell him.


    “Mistress don’t want me to,” He responds.


    I turn to my suit and smile as I look at the elegant black clothing. I can already imagine using it, though for what reason I have no idea.


    The suit does remind me that I might still stand trial for the killing of the High Mage and Captain Wolf. Hopefully, High Mage Aegon can convince them it’s not necessary, and my popularity certainly helps my chances, but the Cult fights hard.


    I take my suit and thank Reg. It’s already paid for, so I leave hurriedly, heading back to Zenyth.


    I’m staring at the cobbles, wondering how they’re so spotless after such a bloody battle when a man runs into me—or, more probable, I ran into him—and we tumble to the floor, my cloak falling off my head. With a scowl, I try to retrieve it.


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    “You’re Helstrom!” The man exclaims. “Can you do the thing for me?”


    “Yes,” I respond, smiling, concentrating. I wanted to travel incognito, but I still like the attention.


    My body burst into flames, lightning crisscrossing throughout my body. Opening my mouth, I let the lightning pour out of it, adding to the layer of power.


    “That’s amazing!” The guy says.


    I know most expert mages would be able to do a simple parlor trick like this, but it’s still fun to watch everyone’s reactions. Other people have started to flock, and I hear some interesting conversations between them. One in particular jumps out at me.


    “I saw him in that clothes shop just a moment ago!”


    “And he came out with something!”


    “Should we shop there?”


    “Definitely,” I say, catching their attention. “You should definitely shop there for all your fashion needs. It’s wonderful, and, um, yeah, do that.” That wasn''t a very good advertisement but it’ll work.


    “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” I say, “I must get back to training.”


    — — —


    “I’m getting tired of all this attention, honestly,” I declare, furrowing my brows. “I just can’t with everyone in my face.”


    “Don’t be a liar, Zade,” Xavier responds, mock-glaring at me. “You love it, and you know it.”


    “You’re just jealous because I’m more popular than you.”


    Xavier shrugs. “I don’t really care. I prefer a life of simplicity.”


    “Simplicity?” Sia jumps in.


    “Yes, simplicity. It’s the cornerstone I sit on.”


    “Mhm, and that’s why the magic you’re learning is oh-so-simple.”


    “I learn that magic to make my life simple,” He responds irritatedly.


    I yawn, eyes closing. “I’m tired today. I think I need to go read.”


    “Aw, stay here a bit,” Sia tells me. “We want your company.”


    “That way, we have someone to remind us it could be worse off,” Xavier grins.


    “Why don’t you go talk to Skai, huh? I’m sure she’s dying to see you.”


    Xavier grins. “Whatever you say.” He leaves, chuckling, and I sigh.


    “I don’t like him too much,” Sia admits.


    “He’s just teasing,” I respond.


    “Doesn’t make him any less annoying,” Sia says, crossing her arms. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be saying that.”


    “You’re entitled to your opinion. You’re just wrong.”


    Sia laughs. “I’m tired too, by the way. Magic is harder than I thought!”


    “You’ll get used to it,” I say. “Eventually, I think. I haven’t gotten used to it either.”


    “But you have powers none of us have,” She points out. “Oh, and Charlli was asking about you.”


    “Not good,” I grimace.


    Whenever anyone in Zenyth asks about me, it’s for one reason: they want to talk, and usually, that doesn’t go well for one or both of us. The Cult isn’t very bold in their attempts to punish me, but they’ve tried several times.


    “I’ll talk to her later, maybe,” I tell Sia. “For now, I really need to relax a little. I have a couple chapters I need to get through.”


    — — —


    I read the chapters I need to, except for the second one. I’m not sure why, but I’ve been saving the chapter on the Mage War. I feel like I’ll learn something important from it, but I don’t think reading it now will give me that information.


    In the last week, Zenyth has grown much more welcoming, as long as both parties are on the same side, I know most Rationalists here at Zenyth and I’d even consider some of them my friends. There’s a rumor floating around now that the High Mages are going to test us soon. I need to be ready for that.


    And to be ready, I need to keep training.


    Without Master Thul, it’s been hard to learn new magic. Thankfully, my book always has tips on what I should learn. For now, I’m focusing mostly on two things: improving my shield and beginning the art of necromancy. On the side, I sometimes learn other bits of magic, but I don’t practice those as much because they are not my field.


    I begin with an exercise I’ve learned recently: stretching my core. It’s a good exercise to relax and prepare me and my core, and it also gradually increases my core’s strength. I probably should’ve started doing this when I started but it wasn’t as necessary as it is now.


    Grabbing onto my core, I slowly pull it from both sides and it stretches like goo. I must do this at a slow pace or I could injure myself. It doesn’t require much concentration and is very satisfying, so it brings a smile to my face as I work.


    I do this for about five minutes, my Mana increasing just a little as I do this. At level 5, my mana depletes much slower than it did at previous levels, and I can Burn only at a lower percentage, but doing magic is still dangerous, especially when I’m always learning something new.


    Today, the book wants me to learn how to identify anti-cores from far away. I’m on my way to learning how to create zombies and control dead animals and humans, but, for that, I’ll need to learn how to find anti-cores from a long distance. In general, I already know how to find an anti-core, but it’s much harder from a greater distance, because my mind doesn’t expect to find any in the infinite space. I have to really look.


    With my eyes shut, I examine the blackness around my core. Somewhere around here I should be able to find other cores. My skill in doing that has increased greatly in the last week, all in anticipation of this particular part. Stretching my vision over the blackness, I can finally recognize some cores. Most of them are from mages-in-training around Zenyth. That’s a good start.


    Next, I try to find the anti-core of the bird on my desk. It’s already almost disappeared but I’m able to get a glimpse of it before it disappears, hopefully giving me access to a plethora of anti-cores around Zenyth. I will not find any human anti-cores, but any animal that died recently I should be able to get.


    I stare around the void lit only by the pulsating cores I cannot touch. I search for something eagerly taking light from the cores. There must be something here: a frog or a lizard or a bird…


    There’s one. It’s small, maybe a fly, and it clearly died recently. There’s a core right next to it that I assume belongs to a spider who killed it.


    As soon as I see one anti-core, the others follow. Two, then four, then eventually a dozen anti-cores.


    I feel a sense of fulfillment. Sometimes, I love magic.