The sound of pages shuffling filled the air as soberly dressed magis murmured under hushed breaths, hastily flipping their documents. It was not unusual to have a parliament meeting at eleven in the evening, but the cabinet members were beginning to think that the day’s exhaustion had gotten to their president.

“Mister President, if I may.” Vice President Alcaeus Vulcan stood up. “What you are proposing will render our meta population disadvantaged for at least twenty more years. The meta employment rate is already at an all time low. If we carry on with the current system, our economy will plummet beyond recovery.”

“Warlock Vulcan has the right of it,” another cabinet member said. “We have enough data and experts to confirm that the increase in meta criminal activity is directly related to their unemployment rate. It is unfortunate that our society has developed in such a way that we do not have much use for their rigid and unique abilities, but we can remedy that by adopting our neighbours’ governance system.”

“So what you’re suggesting is that we forcibly collect monthly arcani from every single household and distribute them equally to everyone, regardless of their contribution?” A wizened, yet healthy looking Mage clanged his staff on the floor. “Have you not seen the states of the countries that adopt this system? Have you not seen how their ideological weakness only leads to the rampant laziness of their meta population? Although their metas also offer labour to help the magi in turn, the magi population are still unhappy about having to work for metas for free.”

The surrounding air temperature dropped by a hair.

“Members of the parliament, we cannot allow the hostile actions of our minorities to tread on the order we have built over the centuries,” President Cosmo Benedictus continued. “I’m well aware of what the world thinks of us. ‘Rigid’, ‘Discriminatory’; sweeping statements that only reflect their lack of understanding of our domestic policies. Integrating this new system adapted from them would only mean upsetting our magi majority. This bill will not be passed.”

“And what are we to do with the problem of increasing meta criminals in our society?” Vulcan raised his voice. “Civil unrest grows increasingly problematic every day. This toxic bubble will explode in our faces if we continue to deny them respite from their unfair working conditions.”

“Funny you should ask that, Alcaeus. Isn’t that why you’re in charge of the Elite Guardian Council?” Benedictus said. “To punish and deter future metas from travelling down the path of crime?”

“The Guardian Council is nothing more than a healing salve to a festering wound; it cannot serve as an elixir to the root of our problems.”

“I have a report here that says the contrary.” Grand Mage Benedictus hit the floor with his staff again, conjuring a large image of a green haired man.

“That is the root of our problems. His name is Titus Angelo.” He gestured to Vulcan. “I believe your team has had a run in with his sister recently. Our constables have uncovered that this man is behind the serial kidnappings of metas, turning them rabid with some sort of cursed spellcraft. Most meta criminals are part of organised crime, and Angelo is at the top of it. Take him down, and we may very well have dismantled the entire criminal hierarchy. You know what to do, Warlock Vulcan.”

The parliament fell silent, collectively staring at the Guardian Council leader deep in thought.

“Will this be enough? It all seems too easy,” Vulcan muttered to himself. He looked at the image again. “His ability is… ‘Physical Augmentation’? What does that mean?”

“I assure you, Alcaeus, this is anything but easy,” Benedictus said. “This man’s ability allows him to match the speed of our quickest airships, and shatter our most protected buildings with a single blow. It will take thorough planning and the full might of our most elite magi to take him down. Titus Angelo has a kill count up into the hundreds, but I believe you are up to the task, Alcaeus.”

“If that’s going to be the proposed solution to our problem, then so be it,” Vulcan said, still lost in thought.

“Thank you for your time, governors. Meeting adjourned.”

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

Sanskrit… sanskrit… Nope, not this language either.

Gaius flicked his hand, pushing aside a group of floating books. They flew upwards and returned to their respective shelves. He glared angrily at his stolen tome scrawled in some sort of undocumented language, as though he could frighten it into revealing its secrets. Unfortunately, the book was not intimidated. The magical energy within him was not reacting at the moment as well, even though it was the one that led him to the tome in the first place.

A faint glow emitted from his fingertips as the Sorcerer channelled a hair of magic into them. They brushed the pages of the tome, and an overwhelming sensation overtook him again. His lips moved by themselves, as if to utter some kind of spell, but they stopped as the feeling left him abruptly.

Gaius shook his head; there was definitely some kind of connection between the magic within him and the book, but something seemed to be missing. Unfortunately, he did not have time to ponder further when a blue light caught his attention from the side of his eye.

A glowing rabbit hopped towards him, staring at him intently. Gaius’ yawn echoed around the empty library as he waved his hands, dispersing the circle of books surrounding him. He glanced at the librarian’s familiar still looking at him.

“I know, I know. Closing hours, right?” Gaius got up to his feet. “I’ll get going now, happy?”

The arcane bunny bounded to a shelf, waiting patiently for him to leave. He checked his pocket watch; it was almost midnight. Perhaps it was best for him to get home as quickly as possible.

Gaius pulled out a wand from his trousers pocket and muttered an incantation. The teleportation rune carved into the back of the wand glowed slightly, and a circular portal shot out from the other end of the stick. He stepped into it and gave a farewell wave to the rabbit before closing the portal.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

The house was small and quaint, but it had everything an eighteen year old school boy needed to live comfortably. And the best part? It was located just by the outskirts of the city, away from the prying eyes of nosy neighbours who might accidentally find out his secret.

Gaius trudged to his bed, traces of magic peeling off from his fingers as they swept up the pile of robes on it. He waved his hand casually, sending them to the laundry cauldron in his kitchen. He lay on his bed and closed his eyes, feeling the exhaustion of the night reel him into the sea of dreams.

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

A boy cowered beneath the floorboards, trembling in fear as blinding spells flashed through the slits of wood that hid him from the constables. His house shook once more as the sound of a woman screaming pierced his ears. Every fibre of his being wanted to reveal himself and protect his mother from the magi constables, but she had told him to stay hidden.

“Please, this is all just a misunderstanding,” the woman pleaded. “We were tricked into transporting that spellcraft. We’re metas; you know we have no use for such tomes.”

“Every criminal says that. Like hell we’re believing a word from your kind,” a rough sounding voice grunted. “These addictive spells have destroyed the lives of countless magi families. May the gods have no mercy on your souls.”

The boy peeked out from his hiding place, watching the black haired constable leader clasp a set of power nullifiers onto his parents. He had a scary looking scar that ran down the right side of his face.

He signalled to his men. “Take them away!”

“No! Surely what we have done doesn’t warrant the death penalty?” the boy’s father cried out. “We’re just innocent civilians dragged into this illegal spellcraft business! We know nothing! Please, you can use the Veritas spell to-”

“Shut up, filthy meta! Do you have any children here? I know your kind don’t like to report to the authorities when a child is born, especially a weak one.” The constable’s voice dropped to a menacing whisper, barely audible to the boy. “You can tell me if you do; we’ll submit the information to the judge and you may be granted a life sentence instead.”

“No,” the couple replied simultaneously. “We bore no children.”

“If you say so. Pity, he could’ve saved you.” The clacking of magi boots slowly sounded further and further away until it was barely audible. The wooden floorboards creaked open slightly as a pair of green eyes spied around the now empty house.

Gaius crawled out of the hole in the floor, tears staining the wood as he clutched a tome in his hands. He may only be a ten year old kid, but he was smart enough to steal back the spellcraft before it reached the hands of their transporters. And that may be the key to saving his parents in the hands of a just authority. The young meta had no idea who to turn to, but he knew he could not stay in this house for long. His parents were depending on him. Gaius scurried to the door-

And screamed in shock as a huge blast knocked him back into the house.

“Found ya, you little thief.” A man stomped into the house, his fingertips still glowing hot from the explosion they had just created. Gaius scrambled backwards, hiding the tome behind him.

“Hand over the book now.” The look in the man’s eyes was icy cold. “This isn’t an ordinary spellcraft that one simply uses to become euphoric, boy. It concerns the fate of this world. Don’t make me hurt a kid.”

‘Fate of this world’? The only ‘world’ he cared for now was about to be hauled off to the gallows, and nothing was about to stop him from rescuing them. Gaius breathed heavily. He may still be a kid, but one of his meta abilities gave him enhanced reflexes. It was risky, but he’d be damned if he didn’t give it a try. Gaius dashed forward without warning-

An excruciating pain shot through his arm as a blood curdling scream rang in through the night. The boy tumbled to the ground, clutching the profusely bleeding stump that ended at his elbow.

“Foolish boy.” The man sheathed his bloodied rapier and reached for the tome lying face down in a puddle of the boy’s blood beside his dismembered hand. A small trembling hand came into view, grasping one side of the tome.

Gaius focused his energy into his arm, willing his regenerative ability to regrow his limb before he lost consciousness from the profuse blood loss. His face scrunched up in determination, pulling the book back towards him with his other hand. And then he noticed a faint glow emitting from the book.

There was no time to scream this time. The book exploded into pure energy, ripping through the boy and blasting the man into shreds. The magical energy coursed violently through Gaius’ entire body as light spilled out from his orifices. Chaos tore through Gaius’ mind as he broke through the wall with enormous force, bolstered by the magic that now powered him. The boy fell back to the ground, cracks appearing all over his skin as the energy threatened to explode from his body. But it never did.

His skin sealed itself up as his healing factor kicked in, seemingly supercharged by the book’s magical energy. Gaius gradually calmed down as well, the chaos in his mind settling down and the orange light fading from his eyes. He turned around frantically, looking for the tome, but it was nowhere to be found.

“No…”

It was gone. Everything was gone.

The boy sank to his knees in realisation, sobbing into his hands.

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

A deafening crack of thunder jolted Gaius awake.

He jumped out of bed, rushing to close the windows, but was greeted by an icy breeze gushing in instead. The Sorcerer backed away slowly as his eyes lit the darkness with an orange glow. This was no ordinary storm.

It was the work of an Elemental Mage. A Mage insistent on making a dramatic entrance, and with enough power to back up that impressive show.

Three loud knocks rattled the chains on his door.

Gaius approached it warily. Not many people knew where he lived; not even anyone from the Guardian Council did. If whoever behind the door was hostile, he had to be prepared for a tough fight. He took a deep breath and pulled the door handle.

“Mis-mister President?” Gaius’ mouth dropped in shock.

A grey haired Mage stood at his doorstep, wind billowing his cape and thunder crackling the ground around him. He was dressed in an impressive looking crimson robe with frilled shoulderpads, making him look like some sort of ancient general. His staff was a bright golden in colour, and a glowing purple orb nestled comfortably at its top end.

“I presume you are Sorcerer Gaius Deusdedit,” Mage Benedictus asked in a surprisingly amiable tone. “Nice to meet you, boy. May I come in?”

The glowing orb atop his staff dimmed as the weather turned back to normal.