"It's awfully cramped in here sir."

"And? What do you want me to do about it?"

The road was bumpy and the carriage was loaded to the brim with miscellaneous objects. A young inventor from the countryside was currently traveling in the back of a delivery carriage. Having only his small amount of savings, he could only hitchhike toward his destination.

"Maybe if I a move this here."

He tried to move a stack of boxes but it fell on his foot. "Ouch." The sudden pain caused him to stand up but the carriage was small so he hit his head on the ceiling. "Oww!"

He tried to caress his head with his hand but he accidentally knocked over a container, spilling it on himself. The liquid had no effect at first but he started to feel irritated.

After a couple of more seconds, he began to scratch himself nonstop. He started moving around while scratching his whole body, knocking more luggage. One of them opened and had leeches that fell on his hands and body.

"AHHH! GET OFF ME!"

The slimy leeches started to wiggle around looking for blood to suck. Our little inventor had quite the phobia of wiggling slimy creatures. Because of this fear, he started shaking around, knocking more potions, objects, and swords.

"We're here."

The inventor had finally reached his destination, the kingdom of Stolzstadt. He only had one thing he needed to do in this city, get into Marblegob Academy and become famous.

"Pay up. I know you broke something back there."

"Let me count my pouch. Hey!"

The driver took the pouch and emptied it into his hand. The driver looked at the money in his hand and the inventor over and over again.

The man gave him a pitying gaze while praying. The inventor responded by pointing at himself and saying. "Worry not even if I'm broke I will be fine."

----------------------------------------

His journey in Stolzstadt has just started and he was already coinless. But he was still optimistic and excited about the new experience.

Bumbling out of the carriage he was greeted by the sight of towering houses and bustling shops. The man thought "Wow, this place is huge!". His eyes sparkled brighter than the reflection on his spectacles.

While wandering around he saw a park crowded with people. He decided to rest because his body was still stinging. Sitting on a bench he looked at a map of the city.

"I am currently at the gift shop? Wait a minute. Fairy Wheel, Tempest, Rarog coaster, Dragon's den, and TEACUPS! This is the wrong map." He crumpled the map and pointed his index finger at it. "Ignite." A small flame formed in his finger which burnt the map.

Standing up, he decided to ask somebody for directions because he didn't have another map. Gawking around he found a mother with her child.

"Excuse me, madam may I a-." His words were cut off by the mother.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any spare change but may Mezor bless you, dear." Said the mother before running off quickly with her child.

The inventor then tried to talk to the other people in the garden but he was avoided. Everyone either ignored him or gave him a pitying gaze.

"Go away you smelly bum."

"They're avoiding me huh." In a despairing state, he went to the fountain. In the water, he could see his reflection. His white trenchcoat had green and orange stains on it. His black pants were covered with cobwebs and cuts.

While looking at the reflection he could see pillars of flames rising. The man quickly looked away from the fountain and toward the sky. He could see huge fireballs exploding in the sky.

"Whoa! Those are some beautiful fireworks."

The man was amused by the spectacle of flames in the far distance. "Probably some sort of festival." The man guessed.

"Maybe I could have some fun."

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While running towards the location of the flame, he could see multiple people running with buckets of water. Other people were carrying jewelry and their children.

The air had an overwhelming smell of smoke and sulfur. He could see magicians around the area putting out small flames using water magic. "The smell of smoke always gives me a warm feeling inside."

When he got closer, the houses were burning and people were panicking. "The warmth of roaring flames and the smell of smoke, so nostalgic. They must be celebrating something special. I remember playing around the bonfires whenever we celebrated back in my village"

"Hey, this year's festival is quite beautiful. The roaring flames are burning brightly aren't they?"

"What!? How dare you! My house and family were burned alive in front of my eyes."

The inventor realized and a feeling of shame overwhelmed him. While looking at the flames and ashes, the inventor decided to turn around and walk away. "I guess it's time I try to find the academy."

"Coming through!" Yelled a man running towards the inventor.

The inventor was knocked away by a person wearing a suit of armor, carrying a big blue orb under his shoulder and a big absurd brown sack. The sack was filled to the brim with something and had the words "Cions" on it.

"Hey! Even if you're rushing do you have to push me?"

*CRACKLE*

*QUAKE*

A loud thunderous flame was heard followed by the sound of the ground rumbling. The inventor's annoyance was interrupted by something much more important.

Veering around the inventor saw a gigantic molten skull on top of a Trapezoid-shaped mineral. It had two big meaty claws made of gold that were set ablaze.

"oh"

The inventor started sprinting and passed two mages with matching blue hoods. One of them looked nervous while the other had a confident smile.

"Worry not peasant, we... Wow, that person can sure run fast."

"Please focus on the fight."

"Ice Spears." Multiple spears made of ice were created that surrounded the raging elemental. The spears spun around before striking and impaling the corpus of the elemental.

The elemental melted the ice with its smoldering body and began to float menacingly toward the two mages while spitting flames at houses. Its claws were being dragged on the floor leaving sparks and embers.

"Cold Smack." A fist made of ice was formed on the ground brick by brick. It then flew into the Elemental, pushing it far away.

"Kraaaaah!"

The elemental smacked the ground and unleashed a wave of flames that melted the fist. Its flaming body began to increase in temperature and speed.

"Sorry but it's gonna rain on your parade. Do it, Morgan."

The clear sky began to be filled with dark clouds. It began to rain lightly above the burning houses. The fires began to dissipate and the smoke began to fill the place.

The elemental began to levitate fastly toward the two mages leaving a trail of fire. The rain then stopped and the clouds began to move and combine above the elemental.

"Ice wall." A wall made of ice materialized in front of the elemental stopping it from moving. The elemental threw itself upwards using its claws and spun around sending fire everywhere.

The huge cloud then shot out a big beam of water into the burning element. The air was covered in steam limiting the mages' vision.

*Thud*

*Cough* So much steam in the air, also was that one-liner necessary?"

"Of course, it makes me sound cool. You'll understand this when you're older like me."

"Any ideas on why there was a monster inside the city?"

"I did see someone suspicious earlier, it was somebody who was twitching and he seemed kinda familiar. Maybe it was WHOA!"

A damaged claw swung above the tall magician cutting their hood and hair. A glimmer of gold could be seen in the smoke and steam.

"It's round two, ready Morgan?"

----------------------------------------

Meanwhile somewhere calmer and colder, the inventor was walking in the snow. "This is so weird, why is it snowing during summer?"

Walking into an alleyway full of trash, he saw a girl talking to somebody. It was a dead-end alleyway and the girl was in front of the person blocking the way out.

The girl was wearing a white suit with small black stripes and carrying a small metal club. The person looked the same age as the inventor but unlike him, she had an aura of strength.

The person was the same person that passed the inventor earlier. He was still carrying both his blue orb and his sack.

Hiding behind a trashcan while eavesdropping, he heard the girl say "Knight, let's be clear here, you see I'm armed, and you're not. Now I don't want to whack or snip you but you're not leaving this shakedown without giving me your belongings. "

"I don't think so, lady. You may have that weapon of yours but I have this friend of mine."

A blue orb was thrown toward the girl. It missed and landed on top of the inventor's head knocking his glasses on the floor. "Damn it!" The inventor revealed himself clenching the orb with rage in his eyes.

"That orb will be a great offering to the comare. Now hand over it or you'll be sleeping with the merfolks tonight." Said the girl walking towards the inventor and the orb.

"Oh, you? Want this. Huh, craazzzzy." Said the inventor while pointing at the orb.

"Yes."

"Here you go then!" Yelled the inventor while spinning before throwing the orb towards the girl.

The girl readied her club and took a swinging stance.

*whoosh*

*bonk*

*WHOOSH*

The orb was sent flying towards the rooftops.

"Brennan no!"

"SCOOOORE!" Yelled the girl while punching the air. "Anyway you're free to leave random homeless person, you're not the person I'm robbing."

"I, Amminus Delvigne, am pissed off. I hate this city, so irritating and there was a scary monster, the whole time I spent here I suffered and was insulted. I will no longer let this happen and will st-tand up for..."

Looking up the inventor saw a monster on the rooftop spewing ice from its mouth. It had a big human skull made of ice, a body shaped like a cylinder, and 16 frozen slender limbs.

"Screw this, I'm out."

"I should probably go back to my house before my escorts try to find me." Said the girl.

The girl and inventor both ran away from the alleyway. The only person left was the boy wearing armor.

"Hahaha, nice illusion magic Brennan. You sure fooled them."

"..."

"Brennan, this is not funn~AAAH!"

The monster grabbed the gilded armor and threw him very fall away before flying into the air and producing more snow.