Kieran couldn't stand it.
His mother hadn't taken her eyes off him in the last week. Because of that fact, he was unable to sneak out to see the green-haired Goddess.
He didn't literally think she was a deity and instead, she was more of an idol to the budding Time Mage. He wanted nothing more than to lay eyes on her and his moment came later on that afternoon. She strolled past the kitchen window as Kieran was sitting at the table chopping vegetables.
It was a sign, Kieran knew it. He had been trapped by the people he was calling his parents, jailed under the ruse of their loving nature.
He knew why he was forbidden from leaving the house. It was his magic. Between them, his parents Mark and Tina were both in awe and afraid of his gift. Not that Kieran had ever given them a reason to doubt him. Other than sneaking out and getting caught that is.
Still, it's only a minor offence when you compare it to war, Kieran thought as he stopped time. His mother's back was turned and Kieran would hold the veil for as long as possible. All to get a glance at the one he admired.
Immediately, Kieran jumped out the window and ran down the street following the path she had taken. When he arrived, Kieran was stunned for a moment at the sight of her beauty. For some reason, both her feet were planted on the floor, as though she had stopped moving before he had stopped time. Odder still was the fact that her eyes were closed. It was as though she sleeping while standing up.
The children - who were now more akin to teenagers since the last time he saw them, were frozen in suspended animation like everyone else. Unlike the statuesque Goddess beside them, they were all engaging her in one way or another.
The first tinge of pain assaulted Kieran's strained mind. He wouldn't let go yet. He would hold on to time long enough to get a close-up look at the woman of his affection. However, everything went to hell the moment he stepped in front of her. The woman's eyes opened and took in everything around her. Her stilled companions, the motionless street and the sweaty boy in front of her.
"Oh shit. You're a Time Mage," she cried as Kieran's grip on the veil was released and time resumed its natural state.
Kieran's first instinct was to double down. Stopping time again and running away seemed like the best plan at that moment. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't fast enough. Two teenage girls and a fully-sized Bear that appeared from nowhere piled on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Even if he was ready to stop time again, Kieran wouldn't be able to escape from beneath the trio and his efforts would be in vain.
Instead, Kieran did what every boy would - every boy not surrounded by a throng of friends that is, he apologised profusely and begged miserably.
"I'm s-sorry. Please let me go. I haven't done anything wrong. I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm so sorry. Please don't hurt me. You're just... and I'm... It's like... I can't explain it. I'm really sorry though."
"Oh my word, we have another one," the blonde on top of him called out. "Who is it?"
"Who is what?" He answered while struggling to find an inch of freedom.
"Don't play dumb with me, Kieran. That's right, I know your name. It's my magic power. Now tell me. Who were you following?" The blonde was pressing him for information and worse yet she already knew his name. 'What sort of magic lets you know that information?' Kieran wondered as he managed to pull one arm free. With it, he gingerly pointed in Abi's direction.
"No way. That's two in one day, Mom. You're killing it," the blonde laughs merrily.
The teenager's mom, whom Kieran was having a hard time struggling to believe, began walking towards him. When she reached the pile of bodies, Abi crouched down to look him directly in the eyes.
"You're a Time Mage?" she repeated. This time there was less shock in her voice and instead was laced with fascination. Also, her words sounded like a question so Kieran nodded in return, still a little embarrassed over the blonde girl's statement.
"Violet, would you kindly get Bear off him, please? You can get up too, Blondie."
Violet made Bear release his prisoner and Blondie also removed herself with a smile. After Kieran was able to breathe properly again, he stumbled to his feet. Blondie and Violet hadn't been so bad, but Bear's weight alone was a different story. Bears in general are not the lightest of creatures and when they're trying to enforce their weight it can be very effective. Especially on much smaller creatures. Those creatures being human and in this specific case, Kieran.
Even after his breathing had sorted itself out, he stood there silently. So too did the women and teenagers, even the Bear made no further attempt to make noise. The green-eyed Goddess never took her eyes off him during that time however, it was as though she was studying him. Her piercing gaze read his very soul.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Kieran didn't know the extent of her power, but after seeing her void beam during the war - and Blondie being able to name him the way she did, he was certain they already knew everything there was to know about him.
So the Time Mage didn't hold back when he began explaining the circumstances that led Bruce Gold to become Kieran Ely and subsequently the events that placed him onto Tironia. He also told them what he'd been doing since his arrival, which wasn't really much of anything except for being grounded.
The hard life of a teenage boy.
Kieran Ely, Space Mage
Dungeons Stories Volume 5
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It takes me a second to realise what's happening when I return from my domain.
Becca is the only normal-looking person in our entourage. Blondie is mid-air with a fist thrown up and a large smile is plastered across her face. Violet is mid-step with Bear in her arms and looks as though she's about to topple over. That doesn't happen though and as my attention snaps to the only animated-person in sight, I realise just how special my stalker actually is.
"You're a Time Mage," I blurt out without even saying hello. Unfortunately for him, my emotions are a mixed bag right now and after finally finding someone proficient in the rare and elusive element, I couldn't keep them from spilling out.
The young mage seems to be panicking. Is it because time has stopped but I haven't? I suppose it is quite shocking when your skills don't work the way you expect them to or when someone like me comes along.
As time restarts - for reasons beyond my comprehension level, the triplets ( with Amber tagged out today for a good-looking Bear) dive on the mage that's in front of me. They land directly on top of him, taking him down.
The sight alone has me howling with laughter on the inside. It was hilarious and if I was a cruel person, I'd be curled up in hysterics right now. As it stands, I'm lovely and feel slightly sorry for the young man being crushed to death under the combined weight of two Dragons and a Bear. Well, it's mainly Bear, but I don't want to personally comment on his weight. Bear likes me and I don't want to say anything to change that.
I should make a cuddlie like him. Or two. No doubt Violet will take mine if I don't make one for her. While I imagine how adorable a cub-sized version of a stuffed Bear would be, Blondie is happily chatting away to the Time Mage being crushed beneath her. Literally. He's suffocating underneath them, or so it seems.
I better stop daydreaming.
Moving closer and getting down to his eye level, he doesn't appear to be suffocating like I previously thought. When I ask him the same question from before, only this time in a much nicer tone, he nods in response. That makes me wonder once more if he is struggling to breathe and I tell the girls to release him. Them and Bear.
I mean, I doubt he's going to run away now.
"Violet, would you kindly get Bear off him, please? You can get up as well, Blondie." The latter seemed to be really happy about something she'd just discovered during their conversation, but it probably wasn't anything I want to know so I'll let her have it and wait patiently for the Time Mage to speak.
Ok, I might have gotten lost in thought while waiting. Wondering how long it would take this young master of time to teach others his skills at the Academy. That's if he even enters a contract with me. Part two of finding a Time Mage is more important than the actual finding itself, to be honest. If I can't convince him to enter the contract, then I won't gain access to his element.
Granted, I could just kill him. That's a cold line, but something Me would have said once upon a moon ago. The simple solution. Death, Absorption, Power. Dungeon Core style. Unfortunately for me, that's not how I roll. If this goody-goody's soul was in the red, I'd be justified in claiming his element that way.
Damn me for being so Goddess-damn nice. And damn Soul Guide too while I'm at it. Stupid do-gooders.
The Time Mage begins rambling through a very unexpected story and once he's finished, I'm at a loss for words.
Why's everything got to be so damn strange? Or awkward? Or weird? Or intense? Or just plain old, bat-shit crazy? Where's the mother-fudging easy life at?
Nowhere close to me, that's for sure.
The Time Mage - who happens to be from another world completely, is not the Master I thought him to be. Not to mention the fact that he's still young and has been sheltered for most of his second life. Definitely not Master standard.
Still, a Time Mage is a Time Mage regardless. I'd like to think that we need to find him somewhere to practice, but that's not number one on the list. Having earned a small modicum of parental responsibility, I'm going to have to speak with him before anything.
"Ok. First thing first. I need to speak with your parents." At my statement, the young Time Mage turns white. That's obviously not a conversation he's looking forward to.
"Kieran Ely!" As though he hadn't lost any colour at all, the man pales even further at the woman running down the road towards him. "What the hell did I tell you?"
"That's your mom, I guess?" It seemed pretty obvious, but I didn't want to make a fool out of myself. Gods know I do enough of that. The Time Mage nods in acknowledgement as his mom slows on her arrival.
"Didn't you hear me? What did I tell you?" she asks again.
"To stay inside," he mopes. Kieran's mother, Tina Ely, is worried something bad will happen to her only son and is afraid to let him out of the house. Or that's what I got from his story at least. Better see if I can help the poor soul out.
"Excuse me, Mam. Hi, my name is," before I can continue I'm cut off by a mother's fury.
"Stop. This is a family matter and it doesn't concern you. When you grow up and have your own children, little girl, only then will you be able to comprehend how I'm feeling right now. Now, stop luring my sweet child with your wicked wiles. Kieran, home now."
The street went silent as Kieran's mother frog marched him down the road towards their home. I just stood there. Silent. Still caught up in the fact that I had just been scolded by an adult. It shocked me so much that I didn't even defend the young Time Mage I desperately wanted to contract.
Even the girls didn't move. Everyone was still as we watched them round the corner before I finally came back to my senses.
"What was that? It felt as though my body had turned to stone." Becca asks.
"A mother's fury, I think." I'm not sure, but that's the only way I can describe it.
"You're not going to start acting like that to us, are you?" A worried Blondie voices her opinion from behind me and I turn to face her.
"You? Never. Light and Noir though. Pfft. That's a different story."
The girls laugh as I turn to face the corner Kieran and his mom disappear around. I know where they live, so it's not like the young Time Mage is going anywhere. I'm just going to have to do something about his mom first.
But what?