Fun Fact: Sorcerers and Warlocks are relatively new classes. When magic was first discovered, these two classes belonged to the same class, Wizards. The wizards were one of the most powerful types of magi that delved into the roots of arcani, Reality manipulation.

After a bloody civil war that lasted a hundred years, the wizard class eventually went extinct and split themselves into the two classes that we are familiar with today. Reality magic gradually faded out of existence as well, and was replaced by much tamer forms such as Divination magic.

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Felix did not hold back on his entrance. He stood up slowly from the cracked ground and glared at the group of metas in the middle of a standoff with the Guardian Council. The psychic put his hands behind his back boldly, floating towards the gang of metas.

“A meta?” A woman with snowy white hair exclaimed, before scrunching up her face. “Traitor! You side with these magi invaders? Have you no shame?”

“I only take the side of humanity,” Felix spoke as calmly as he could. “Without arcani, these lands are unforgiving. We wish nothing more than to provide succour and shelter to those who need it. We have no desire to fight, except for the survival of our fellow humans.”

The woman eyed him warily, before breaking into a hearty chuckle.

“I recognise you, Felix Pagonis.” Her eyes narrowed. “Heard you single-handedly took down the Angelo syndicate with nothing but your Esper abilities, eh? The Meta Liberty Fighters could use a man like you on our side.”

“As I’ve just said, I have no desire to fight.”

“That’s a good start,” she replied coldly. “Name’s Isis Nikolaou, leader of the Meta Liberty Fighters. Shall we have words?”

“Nikolaou, was it?” Cybele butted in. “Our request is simple. Allow us to bring the metas in this town back to our refugee centres, where they will be properly clothed and fed. Do that, and the Guardian Council will leave this place for good.”

Isis turned to Felix.

“Does this yapping woman speak for you?” she asked lazily, before turning to the Guardians. “Is this how you magis negotiate? Funny, sounded more like a demand to me. The metas in this town are under our care. Why should we give them up to a bunch of outsiders from some big city?”

“Because they’re in terrible conditions without anything else to sustain themselves!” Cybele was swiftly losing her temper. “If you really claim to be their caretaker, the least you can do is improve their living conditions.”

“First you demand my property, and now you disrespect our methods.” Isis shook her head with an amused look on her face. “You really don’t realise the position you’re in, do you? Looks like the ‘Elite’ Guardian Council is nothing more than a bunch of brainless muscleheads.”

The woman picked up a twig on the floor, twirling it around her fingers absentmindedly.

“A simple lesson on negotiation-”

She seized Felix without warning, pointing the twig at his neck. “Always have something to bargain with.”

Felix’s eyes widened in surprise as the frail looking twig transmuted into a jagged metallic dagger. The Guardians charged up their rifles immediately, and the surrounding metas powered up in response.

“No! Let him go, please! Don’t hurt him!”

What the hell, Aglaia? Why’d you run out?

“What have we here, a meta girl?” Isis flicked her head. Spikes burst from the ground, encircling and trapping Aglaia in a ring of teeth. Cybele took a step forward, but Isis simply pressed the dagger harder against Felix’s neck. The Guardian leader released a growl of frustration.

“What’s the matter? Not used to losing?” She taunted the heaving woman. “But you’re in luck today. I’ll let all the metas in this town go free, in exchange for-”

The woman gestured to Felix and Aglaia. “-This two.”

“Fat chance,” Cybele spat. “We don’t trade lives. Let them go!”

Isis continued looking at her with a silent smile. The Guardian leader looked around, slowly realising that she was the only one who had still kept her weapon up. She glared at her subordinates, but they were avoiding her gaze.

“It seems your men are a little unwilling to put their lives on the line for a few metas. You’ve lost your bargaining chips.”

The meta leader simpered at Cybele.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Oh don’t fret, my dear girl. These two metas are guests of mine, and will be treated as such. No harm will come to them, if they comply with our demands.”

Felix did not resist the meta hooking the freezing metal device onto his neck. Aglaia looked at him worriedly, but he only shook his head slightly at her.

“Oh, and before I go, a parting gift-” Isis smirked slightly.

Yells of shock went around as the ground beneath the Guardians turned into freezing water without warning.

“-For the disrespect you have shown me.” The meta walked away, waving her hand. “That’s only going to last for a minute, by the way. So best get out of the water before you’re buried alive.”

Felix followed her reluctantly.

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His kidnappers’ base lay sprawled beside a rundown factory. A thick sheet of ice covered the depowered heating grilles, almost as if it was taking the pleasure to mock them for finally losing their war of attrition.

Their place was secluded enough, as compared to the street littered with poorly insulated tents that lead up to it. The tents were already empty, and a small weight lifted off Felix’s chest. At least the Meta Liberty Fighters honoured their word. Felix reached the end of the long spiralling staircase, and found himself in a much more dimly lit bunker.

The boy squinted his eyes, struggling to adjust his vision to the darkness. His surroundings were a monotone gravel grey, and the whole place resembled an undercroft in need of some serious refurbishing. A blast of warm air hit Felix, and he took the moment to fully bask in its comfort. At least they had a nice heating system.

There was a small click, and the device around Felix’s neck stopped humming. He pulled the unlocked collar from his neck.

“Apologies for that. Some of our comrades don’t know who you are.” Isis kept an item resembling some sort of lighter and gestured to a small table. Felix looked around. Most of the metas had left, leaving only Aglaia and him alone with the Liberty Fighter’s leader.

“Welcome to our organisation, Mister Pagonis.” The woman was pouring him a cup of tea.

“I didn’t say I was joining you.”

“Nonsense.” She chuckled. “You didn’t come here because you felt threatened by me. Our cuffs are convenient tools to maintain order, aye. But the shock they deliver will be nothing more than a mild itch to a Tier Five like you.”

Felix’s eyes flitted to the collar still on Aglaia’s neck. A small smirk curved his lips, feeling confidence return to him. This woman was sharp, but she wasn’t omniscient.

“You’re right.” He leaned back against his chair. “I’ve come to see if we can come to an agreement. To convince your organisation to use their abilities and resources for good.”

“Why do you insist on helping those who would leave you at the first sign of trouble?” Isis took another sip. “You have been abandoned by your so-called brothers in arms.”

She leaned forward. “Tell me something, Felix. Do you believe in peace for one and all? That so long as we find a compromise, we can find happiness for everyone?”

“No, but I choose to believe that such ideals are man’s guide to a better path. Politics and division are naught but an illusion to distract us from that.”

“As expected from a soldier who has fought countless battles,” Isis replied. “And yet despite all your victories, you still do not realise a simple truth. To fight for a dream come true is fleeting, and the reality is that the victor takes it all.”

Felix kept his silence, and the woman took the cue to continue.

“There is no ‘better path’. There is only bloodied victory, and what the condemned winners choose to do with their spoils.” She downed her cup. “We are all sinners; death awaits us all. But until then, I choose to share my spoils with my kind. Our kind. Why waste time and effort trying to make peace with those who have oppressed us? They’ll use us and dump us, just like the Guardian Council who refused to fight for you.”

“Perhaps you are right.” Felix swallowed the bitterness in his voice. “But we are living in a calamity, and people need help. Can’t we set aside our differences for the greater good, even for a brief moment? Everyone is suffering, both meta and magi. This is no time to be squabbling about which is better.”

“Finally, you ask the right question. I hope you can finally see why I’m doing this.” The chair scraped roughly on the ground as Isis stood up. “There is no better time to unite the world under one flag. If peace and succour is truly what they desire, the magi should have no qualms subjecting themselves under our rule. After all, it is the metas who have the monopoly over arcani now.”

Just like two thousand years ago… Felix pursed his lips.

“Nature has already fought the final war for us and decreed us winners.” The leader stretched her hand towards him. “There will be no need for any more wars when there is only one side left. Join us, my dear boy. Return to your brothers, and fight by our side as our knight of peace. As their beacon of light.”

Light…

“It doesn’t take a telepath to see that you’re intending to use me as a powerhouse for the Meta Liberty Fighters.” Felix downed his cup as well. “I wonder what else you plan to use me for.”

“Trust is earned, Pagonis. But I shall give you mine first,” Isis said. Red flashed in her eyes, and the long wooden table turned into a sleek, metallic looking counter.

“My ability, like yours, has the potential to be one of the most devastating powers in the world. I believe the proper term-”

The red glow vanished, and the counter reverted to its original form.

“-Would be ‘Reality warping’,” she continued. “Unfortunately, I am a mere Tier three, and my power’s area of effect is largely limited. Any change I make will not be maintained for too long without conscious effort.”

“It’s a great party trick, but it has no real power.” Isis shrugged. “Unlike yours.”

The woman waited patiently while the pause in the air boiled for a moment.

Felix broke the silence.

“Alright then, two conditions. First, I want her-” He pointed to Aglaia. “-to be safe at all times. And second condition-”

“I don’t like sharing my quarters with strangers.”