Streets of Sorcery: Chapter II (Patreon)

Chapter Two

                                       – o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

                                             |Six Months Ago|

Markus stood among his fellow tutors, the staff of Karcen’s Remedial Mage School, each one of them a good ten paces apart from each other as they stood in the front lot of the building, the sun high in the sky above them. The school stood behind them, its peeling paint, damaged sign, and general ramshackle appearance not doing any of them any favors as they maintained their positions with as much gravitas as they could manage.

Which wasn’t much, really.

In front of them, the air buzzed with the low drone of interested onlookers, most of them from the strip mall across the street, as more and more people seemed to gather to watch the ongoing event. At the far end of the lot, the chubby form of Karcen, the school's owner, could be seen sitting at a simple table, a smarmy smile on his face as he engaged in conversation with interested parents and customers who approached him, their attention drawn by the teachers' magical display.

To Markus’s left, a tall, athletic tutor named Van called forth a small vortex of fire, the flames spiraling around the bulging muscles of his right arm like a hesitant snake. The crowd's eyes were drawn to the modest dance of the firestorm, their faces showing a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty.

Next to Van, a petite, dark-haired woman named Mirabelle demonstrated her expertise in water magic, manipulating a tiny orb of water, making it dance through the air and change shapes, delighting those that focused on her. It was evident that her control over the element was far from perfect, but there was a certain charm to her efforts.

Another tutor, a middle-aged man named Gregory, exhibited his grasp over earth magic, summoning short, rough pillars of stone that erupted from the ground, forming a simple, yet impressive sculpture that caught the spectators' attention before he dissolved it to reshape the thing again and again.

In stark contrast, Markus appeared almost disinterested, the bespectacled tutor casting and canceling a student-level shield spell named "Flash Shield." The runic circle appeared in under a second, shimmering briefly before dissipating into the ether, a seemingly underwhelming display compared to his colleagues' efforts.

He could feel the weight of the onlookers' gazes on him, their confusion palpable as they tried to understand why he wasn't putting on a more spectacular show. To him, though, he simply couldn’t be bothered. Karcen didn’t pay him enough to care and he had no fear the man would risk losing him, especially not over something so petty.

“Huh?” Markus blinked mid-cast as he felt a tap on his shoulder pull him out of his thoughts. Despite the slight disturbance in his focus, his spell didn’t falter and the runic circle appeared just as quickly as before, popping into place in front of him. “Wh-” Turning to confront the source of the distraction, he paused as his blue eyes met a set of silver and a head of platinum blond hair nestled above those inquisitive orbs. “Who are you?”

A determined intensity filled those eyes while Markus looked up and down at the young boy — no older than fourteen — as he took a simple step forward, a hand on his gray waistcoat as he spoke up. “I am Alden A…” The boy blinked, seemingly catching himself before continuing on again. “Alden Watts. I am Alden Watts and I want you.”

Markus raised an eyebrow. "You want what?

                                   – o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

                                                   |NOW|

The grin on his face grew wider as he watched Part of me still struggles with the idea that he's this class’s Honor charge.” The other part can’t believe this remedial shack even bothers with something like an Honor charge. Students don’t even need this test to graduate, he grumbled to himself. It’s just an event to fleece families out of money.

"He's only been here six moons too but I'm sure you're so surprised,” Ariel retorted with a roll of her eyes. “What is this, your third Honor charge since you’ve been here?"

Markus stayed silent, the only sign of his amusement a slight twitch of his lips.

"Besides, just look at him," Ariel continued matter-of-factly. "He paid for your private tutoring for the last half-cycle. Not to mention those clothes and the way he talks. He's definitely crawling with money."

"Money doesn't mean—" Markus began with one finger raised, only to be interrupted by Ariel.

"I know, I know, money doesn't mean much,” the blonde woman said with a roll of her eyes, “but you're joking if you haven't heard of the type of things the rich and the nobles can give their kids to get a leg up on everyone else."

Markus tilted his head. "I was going to say money doesn't mean magic. I wouldn't ever say it doesn't mean much."

Ariel shook her head at him. "You're odd sometimes, you - Oh no."

Markus raised an eyebrow in confusion, following Ariel's gaze to where she was pointing. His coworker was gesturing toward Alden's opponent, a fellow teacher named Vanford Kirkton who had worked at the academy for eight solar cycles. Black haired and hard to get along with, if the harsh smirk he wore constantly wasn’t warning enough, the man was large and overly muscular in a way that only left Markus wondering how much time he spent studying magic as opposed to working on his physique.

"Oh," Markus nodded with a slight smile. "That. Don't worry, he'll be fine."

Ariel glanced back at Van before giving Markus a confused stare. "I mean, I doubt Van would hurt him. He’s an ass but not a monster. Thing is, that poor kid's gonna lose. He's gonna be so heartbroken."

Markus smiled back, a knowing look in his eye. "Lose? I sincerely doubt that."

As Alden and Van faced each other in the arena, the tension in the air was palpable. The crowd held their breath in anticipation, unsure of what to expect from the young prodigy and the experienced teacher alike. The previous fights had been students of similar age groups and skill meeting each other on equal grounds. This…

This was different.

With a focused gaze, Markus tuned out everything else and leaned forward in his seat, his eyes prepared to follow every movement of his student. The crowd murmured nervously, sensing the intensity of the impending battle, their eyes darting between both teacher and student about to begin their contest.

To the surprise of nearly everyone watching, it was Van that began the fight in earnest. The muscular mage tutor began to run toward his young opponent, a spell already on his lips as he quickly chanted:

"By Woden's Will,

Swift wind's embrace,

Carry me forth,

Wind Dash!"

To the eyes of many, his body was surrounded by a wispy nearly-transparent white aura as he rushed forward in a sudden burst of motion. His feet seemed to barely touch the ground as he sped across the auditorium in under three seconds, aiming a swift kick at the boy.

Alden, on the other hand, didn’t flinch nor did he move from his spot. Calm and focused, the teenager raised his palm as a translucent blue runic circle appeared in front of it, four simple symbols in each quadrant. The runes glowed brighter as the words “Impact Return” left the boy’s mouth, the shimmering barrier in the form of runes absorbing the energy of the teacher’s strike and sending him bouncing backwards with his own force.

A collective gasp erupted from the crowd, followed by excited whispers and cheers. Many couldn't believe their eyes; a mere student had just effortlessly defended against an attack from a seasoned instructor, using a First-Star spell to do so, and without a chant. First Stars may not have been the height of power - far from it - but a young mage using a spell on the same level as the instructors was something to be surprised by.

Markus couldn't help but smile as he recalled the hours he had spent teaching Alden the intricacies of that specific formation, and the specific runic structure that made up the spell. The countless hours they had stayed in his cramped office, refining the young mage's technique until it was near perfection, the frustration on both their ends…

                                       – o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

                                            |Four Months Ago|

Markus watched as his student struggled, platinum hair tousled and messy from hours repeating the same exercise. The irritation on his face was clear, teeth gritted  as he attempted to perfectly envision the formation before calling it up with only its name. He repeatedly cast the circle in the air, only to falter and hesitate, the spell's complexity overwhelming his mental capacity.

The tutor observed dispassionately from his seat, hands folded over each other with his face as calm and placid as ever. "Start over, and this time, concentrate on the circle as a whole. You know what parts go where. Stop wasting your focus on each individual rune."

Alden nodded, his face flushed with exertion as he took a deep breath and tried again. His hand moved in the air to trace the circle, but his hand wavered, and the runes were misaligned.

"No, Alden," Markus said, his voice firm. "Even if you cast it correctly, you’d still have to redo it. No tracing. You’re not a child. Envision and cast."

With a sigh, the boy attempted the circle once more. This time, he managed to align several runes, but his palm shook as the circle took several seconds to form, distorting the overall shape.

“Not good enough,” Markus stated, tone unyielding. “What have I told you?”

"Overthinking will extend the casting time and warp the structure of the formation." Tutor and student repeated in unison.

“Again.”

                                        – o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

Now, the boy’s dedication was paying off.

The fight continued as Van recovered quickly. Landing hard on the ground, he slammed his right palm onto the ground and immediately released his next spell, First-Star, as they all were:

"By Woden's Will,

Vines entwine tight,

Hold fast, bind right,

Snare Grip!"

Thorny vines sprouted from the ground, each one bursting forward on a direct path to entangle Alden's legs. The arena floor cracked and crumbled as the vines tore through, their gnarled roots seeking purchase. But the boy remained unfazed, summoning another rune circle with a flick of his hand. "Flame Lash!" he called out, and a whip of flames materialized from his wrist.

Without hesitation, Alden swung the manifestation of fire like a whip, severing the vines before they could ensnare him. Markus looked on in smug satisfaction at the efficiency and precision of Alden's Flame Lash, well aware that the boy had struggled with that particular section of fire-conjuration runes initially…

                                           – o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

                                                |Two Months Ago|

The flames flickered weakly, barely forming the shape of a whip before dissipating.

"Again," Markus commanded, his tone unforgiving. "Focus on your control."

The boy gritted his teeth and tried once more, sweat beading on his brow as he carefully traced the circle. This time, the flames emerged with more vigor but still fell short of forming the desired whip.

"Start over," Markus said, his voice stern. "You need to concentrate harder."

The room filled with the sounds of Alden's frustrated grunts and the crackling of intermittent flames as he repeatedly attempted the formation.

"Your lines are too shaky," Markus criticized again. "Imagine a perfect circle."

"Remember to maintain your focus until the spell is finished," he instructed in another instance.

"No, no.” He shook his head after another failed attempt. With a single motion, the tutor simply raised his hand in the air, a small runic circle already formed over his palm. The Flame Lash roared to life, a whip of fire twirling around the room with masterful control, all while connected to Markus’s wrist.

He turned back to Alden, voice low and intense. "Do you want to whine? Or do you want to win?"

                                          – o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

With another casual flick of his hand, the teenager reduced the remainder of the plant-based spell to ash in moments and the battle continued in earnest.

Van launched into spell after spell, each slightly more powerful than the last yet all still bearing the limitation of his close-range combat magic. Alden, in his silent grace, did not falter for a moment as the teenager countered every assault with his runic magic. The young mage danced around the arena, his movements fluid and precise as he evaded and repelled Van's onslaught.

The ground beneath their feet bore the scars of their battle—scorched earth, shattered stone, and the remnants of spells gone awry. Said tray spells flew toward the audience time and again, only to slam into an invisible field that flickered blue with every wayward spell or piece of debris that struck it. It served its purpose well, serving as the only reason the crowd could watch in such close proximity without risk of danger or death.

Not that any in the gathered audience really thought about this as they watched the battle in awe, their faces a mix of excitement and disbelief as the two mages clashed again and again.

Markus's chest swelled with pride as he watched Alden expertly deflect Van's next barrage of spells into said field. Good boy. Each motion of the boy's hand was accompanied by the shimmering glow of a rune, as they formed into a shimmering circle in the air, easily dispersing a barrage of “Flame Darts” from Van’s raised hand. The crowd's excitement grew with each exchange, the atmosphere charged with energy as the duel continued to unfold.

"By Woden's Will,

Darkness of night

Umbral might,

Shadow Strike!"

The bulky teacher’s fist became wreathed in darkness as he rushed forward, his powerful fist on a direct path to the boy he was struggling against.

The boy was ready, though, his rune circle already formed and primed with power in an instant. "Flash Burst!" The words left him in a powerful yell, and a blinding light erupted from the center of the circle.

A scream erupted from Van's throat as the man's senses were assaulted by the sudden glare. A pair of meaty hands rushed to shield his eyes, his spell losing cohesion as the man lost all focus.

The tutor in the sweater vest grinned from his seat in the stands as he recalled the long discussions they'd had about the strategic use of the Flash Burst rune. It was a spell designed to surprise and disorient opponents, and Alden had just executed it flawlessly.

The crowd watched in awe, captivated by the display of magical prowess as the young blonde followed up with a cry of "Mana Bolt", a bolt of blue light launching the blinded man off his feet before he could recover.

Alden's chant-free runic casting was a stark contrast to Van's own method of chanting, and it quickly became apparent to all that the young prodigy had the upper hand both in skill and casting speed.

As the duel progressed, Van's frustration mounted. His spells became increasingly desperate, and his movements less controlled:

"By Woden's Will,

Water crash and splash,

Fierce tidal crash,

Aqua Clash!"

A torrent of water surged toward Alden, threatening to engulf him. But the boy's response was swift and decisive. He summoned a rune circle in the air and called out, "Gale Breaker!" A powerful gust of wind erupted, dispersing the water and leaving Van's attack in shambles.

The Gale Breaker formation? Markus thought as he leaned forward, eyes sparkling. That’s my boy! It was a challenging First-Star spell to master, especially for someone of his age, but Alden had managed it regardless. The boy's posture remained confident and poised, his eyes locked on his opponent, betraying no fear or hesitation.

With each passing moment, the tide of the battle turned further in Alden's favor. Even Ariel, who had been concerned for the young mage's wellbeing, found herself enthralled by his performance. She leaned in toward Markus, her eyes wide with excitement. "He's incredible," she whispered, her earlier apprehension forgotten.

Markus nodded, his own eyes never leaving the arena. "He's a natural talent, and… a hard worker."

Van, exhausted and demoralized, stumbled backward with a frustrated and bitter grunt, his reserves of magical energy nearly depleted. As he struggled to regain his footing, the combat mage prepared for a final, desperate attempt to turn the tide of the battle. His expression was strained and focused as he slammed both of his palms to the ground and screamed out:

"By Woden's Will,

Ground ascend,

Hands extend,

Stone Grasp!"

The ground beneath Alden began to tremble and rumble as the crowd let out another collective gasp. Roughly hewn stone hands, each one half the size of a grown man, erupted from the arena floor, attempting to wrap around the young prodigy and immobilize him.

But Alden remained unfazed, his expression calm and focused as yet another runic formation appeared behind him. "Blink Step!" he called out, and in an instant, the teenager vanished from sight, only to reappear three feet away from the grasping stone hands. Van stumbled back once more, sweat running down his face from the sudden exertion of multiple spells back-to-back.

As Alden stood tall in the arena, he could sense the shift in his opponent's resolve. Seizing the opportunity to end the match, he silently summoned one final rune circle in the air. His gaze fixed on Van with steely determination, the formation began to crackle with lightning. The circle shrank, both in size and position, until it curled around his wrist like a bracelet, imbuing his arm with an electric charge.

"Spark Javelin!" Alden called out, his voice unwavering.

A brilliant bolt of lightning arced from his hand, striking Van squarely in the chest. The air sizzled as the shaped lightning made contact, and the crowd's cheers turned to gasps of astonishment. The display of power was unlike anything they had seen in a graduation duel before. The announcer, caught off guard, stuttered for a moment before regaining his composure.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have just witnessed something truly extraordinary! Alden Watts has successfully executed a Second-Star Spell, a level of magic far beyond what any student is expected to achieve at this stage!"

The crowd went wild, their amazement and excitement filling the arena. Whispers of "Second-Star" rippled through the stands like a shockwave, as spectators marveled at the young prodigy who had just defied all expectations.

Ariel turned to Markus, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her mouth hung open as she spoke, "Did he just... did he really do that? A Second-Star Spell? How is that even possible?"

Markus, his pride swelling in his chest, simply smiled at her. "Alden is full of surprises. He's always had the potential, and I knew he could rise to the challenge."

The announcer continued to exclaim over the PA system, barely able to contain his excitement. "Folks, this is a moment that will go down in the annals of our school's history! Alden Watts, remember that name, for he is destined for greatness!"

As Alden left the arena, the applause and cheers growing even louder, he locked eyes with Markus once more. The pride in his mentor's eyes, coupled with the overwhelming support of the crowd, fueled a fire within him that burned brighter than ever before.

Ariel leaned in closer to Markus, her voice barely audible over the roar of the crowd. "You've done an incredible job with him. You should be proud, too."

Markus nodded, watching as his student disappeared from sight. "I am," he replied with a grin only bearing a faint hint of smugness. "On top of that, I might finally get that raise I've been aiming for."

                                         – o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

"You're fired."

"I'm what?”