“Alright, boss. Elder Aris wasn’t satisfied he had seen enough of you using runes to perform a write up.” There was a thick layer of disappointment in Darius’s voice. It was clear this was the outcome he wanted to avoid. “He wants you to have another fight.”

It wasn’t unexpected. Max had been counting on Edric interfering if his assessment didn’t go well anyway, so he expected at least two magic assessments as a minimum. In every lifetime they’ve encountered each other, he was always itching to uncover more than Max was willing to talk about. The only slight surprise was the request came from Elder Aris himself. Max glanced over at Cy, who had retreated into his hood.

“Wouldn’t it be easier for them to watch me make a rune and then see it used up close? Why do I have to fight again?” Max offered a possible solution, even though he knew it would never pass.

“It’s not Elder Aris’s style.” Both Cy and Darius chimed in at the same time. Their tones were significantly different. Darius’s voice appeared sympathetic and frustrated, as if he made the same argument moments ago with the other Elders. Cy’s voice was unusually aggressive.

“Then what difference is it going to make?”

“Elder Nova wants you to write your runes on these. Be careful though, they’re a tad bit stronger than magic bones, boss.” There was a stack of parchment papers in his hand as Darius pointed over to what must be the huddled group of Elders. Six people were gossiping together while throwing the odd look over at Max. The old man from yesterday, the woman who stared at him when he first arrived, Elder Aris, Elder Charaka, Edric, and a woman in strangely modern clothes.

The unfamiliar woman had long, blonde hair which was pulled back to the point where it looked painful as she stood elegantly in a white crop top and sweats. She was also considerably taller than most women Max had seen in this world. Perhaps she was one of them? She didn’t have any tattoos on her arm, so there was no way to be sure.

Max accepted the pieces of parchment before realising a spell had already been casted on them. But what kind? This wasn’t Edric's usual pattern of behaviour.

Cy had been waiting for Darius to return to the group of Elders with Max’s consent for another round. “Be careful with what you write.”

“Why?” Max was surprised. Did Cy know about the spell on the paper?

“Elder Nova experiments with unique types of magic. I suspect the papers are linked to a book in her possession. Draw on the paper, and they’ll appear in her book.”

“You’ve seen these before?”

“A long time ago.”

Once again, the Elders had been a pleasant surprise to Max. They’ve earned their name through and through. Max was about to speak when he saw a ten-year-old boy approaching them in a huff.

Story Name:

Haiddeck of Hibiscus House

Genre:

Drama

Description:

Guide the sheltered, young youth as he is forced to grow up in a cold community.

Goal:

Help raise Haiddeck to welcome in a new age.

Difficulty:

★☆☆☆☆

How to Start:

Encourage Haiddeck to be himself!

“YOU DUMB FUCK.” The kid shouted at Cy causing several people to stare for a moment before it was collectively decided to ignore them. “You’re too fucking sheltered? Go get some real goddamn life experience?” He spat at the ground. The thick glob of spit left a trail from the ground to his mouth before he wiped it away with no shame. “Bunch of pricks. What the fuck do they know? Who the fuck is this?”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“His name is Max.” Cy didn’t lower his hood, but his relaxed stance meant he felt somewhat comfortable.

“Fucking shit name.” The youth scowled in Max’s direction and received an unamused look back. “When this shit is over, you better be coming over and reporting what happened to me or else… I’ll spit on your friend.”

Max took a disgusted step back. Who was this gremlin of a child?

“Sure, we’ll come over. How about tomorrow afternoon? After Max has his interview with the Elders?” Cy’s voice remained calm and pleasant.

“You think the cunts are going to let this bitch in?” Haiddeck cursed more than the sailors on BB’s ship.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But they won’t chase us out right away. They’ll let us stay for a few hours even if we get denied. Dad will want some time to get supplies together for us, and I doubt they’ll deny him that right.”

“Damn good point. See you bitches tomorrow.” The youth left to join some of the others gathered around the pitch.

“Who the hell raised a prick like that?” Max let the unfiltered words slip out.

“I told you to be more forgiving to the kids.” Cy’s voice indicated he was in a good mood after that brief encounter. “Besides the prick just did you a favour.” Max couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. “His sister is Delrid. You know, the one you wanted to talk to about the encrypted message? Even if you can’t stay, you might have a chance to meet her. Or at the very least, we can pass on a message through Haiddeck.”

Max looked back at his pieces of parchment paper as he thought to himself. It didn’t seem as necessary to pass the assessment anymore. “Should I try to change a fixed fate during the assessment?”

“Not much point,” Cy admitted. “Only Dad and I specialise in this kind of magic. Elder Ji-min can use it a little but… he’s made mistakes with it in the past.”

Max was baffled. “Only three people?” He was ready to face more people poking around his past since his future was the only one off-limits. “It’s a good skill. Why don’t more people try it out?”

“Most people find it too disorientating. Delrid had a go at it a while back, and she puked after getting too overwhelmed… Ah, Dad’s coming back.” They watched the beast of a man struggle with an awkward sprint towards them. He was going to take a minute. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“Have you ever thought about trying it out? Surely one of your runes can tap into a person’s fate.”

It was a good suggestion, but Max would be working from scratch since his attempts to create an accurate prediction had been hit or miss. It wouldn’t be a bad use of a lifetime to fine-tune it. “Maybe, should we give it a go?”

Cy gave a nod. “Later though. You need to keep your focus on the next assessment.”

Out of breath from the short sprint, Darius turned to watch a signal from the other Elders. All of that strength and not an ounce of cardio, the imbalance was going to bite him in the ass one day. Elder Aris gave a weird hand signal that resembled too closely to flipping the bird causing Max to smile from the unexpectedness.

Darius shoved a quill-pen and ink into Max’s arms. “Now’s not the time for grinning! You’ve got fifteen minutes to get ready before you’re up against Elder Edric.”

“Oh really?” Max took his time as he set up the supplies before starting to draw mandalas of runes on the different pieces of parchment. There was no hesitation in his strokes. It was so much easier than carving each permanent line into bone. Considering Cy’s warning earlier, it wasn’t a difficult decision to add extra precautions onto each sheet.

“Why was Elder Edric chosen?” Cy was perplexed.

The others were probably feeling the same as Max watched a wave of confusion pass through the onlookers. Even the rude kid gave a concerned look in Max’s direction before he flipped him off with both hands. Maybe Elder Aris’s earlier gesture really was the bird?

“Is that bad?” Max asked calmly, as he finished drawing on another piece of parchment.

“It was probably the worst outcome,” Darius admitted. “Just… Try to show something before you get taken out.”

Oh? He’s going to put in some effort? Good, it will be refreshing to spar again after all this time. “I’m surprised neither of you have any confidence in me.” His words were mostly pointed at Darius.

“You can only work with the runes you’re making now, boss.” His uncertainty was caused by Max’s ability to come into a fight prepared? Seems like he didn’t look back far enough.

“And Elder Edric is a master of many types of magic.” Cy’s voice indicated a level of respect for the Elder. Max didn’t like it. “He won’t go easy on you.”

“Good.” Max wasn’t planning on going easy on him either.

“Good? What part of this is good?” Cy lamented.

“Oh, could you give me a sign or something when your fate has changed? This could go on for a long time otherwise. Maybe you could raise or lower your hood?”

“Take this seriously!” They lectured in unison.

The two watched Max as he decorated piece after piece of parchment. It wasn’t too long until he had ten, then twenty, then coming up to almost thirty when Darius snatched the quill-pen out of Max’s hand. Had he announced the end of his time? Max had been too entranced by his own runes.

“It’s time for you to go.” Darius’s voice was still grim. “I need to get into position as an elder. When you’re ready, stand in the same spot as before, boss.”

“Okey dokey.”

Cy watched his father begin another tiring, slow sprint. “I know we keep saying this but Elder Edric should be taken seriously. He can use- What the fuck are you doing?” Cy moved in front of Max, so his actions would be a little less noticeable to the Elders.

Max rolled up a piece of drawn on parchment and shoved it in his mouth before hiding a bunch of them in his various pieces of clothes. Hidden in his sleeves, packed tightly in between him and his belt, stuffed into his shoes; any place that could store the mountain he had made in fifteen minutes. Max struggled to speak while he kept the scrunched up parchment in his mouth. “Oo you fink I ca’ fi’ more i’ my mouf?” He choked out.

“Not if you’re trying to hide it. You shouldn’t speak either.” Cy had little confidence as he watched Max get up and make his way forward with a slight bounce in his step. “Just try to hang on long enough for Elder Charaka to get to you!”

Max ignored him as he walked to his spot. It was a slight struggle for him to contain the giddiness, which was threatening to collaborate against him with his too open face.

There was excitement and eagerness in the air from both sides. Max even had two presents prepared.