Leo’s one connection to Opal Corp was dead. The Adept named Volus might have been the only one who knew that Leo was secretly a Holgeld and stood to inherit the most valuable and powerful company on the planet. Leo knew the stakes now, if he was to go after this trillion dollar inheritance, his life would be on the line.

These were stakes that Leo could handle. He’d never want to go back to being a powerless foster kid, a nobody at the mercy of a heartless world. Leo had his Sorcerer Magic System, there was one more piece he needed.

Leo searched through Volus’ jacket pockets. He found the gold device that activated his magic system, but there was no sign of the Interview Invitation Card. That was what he needed now more than anything. It was supposed to get him in the door at Opal Corp. Now it was gone.

Leo stored the gold activation device in his Pocket Dimension along with the stuffed rabbit. He then searched the rest of Volus’ body. Not only was the Interview Card gone, but so was Volus’ briefcase full of cash. It hurt Leo to imagine that much money winding up in the wrong hands.

Then he remembered one of his new Sorcerer Spells. He summoned his Magic System. “I want to activate Ears Of The Master.”

A wall of sound hit Leo all at once. His head throbbed as he could hear every car, every helicopter, ever bird flapping their wings in a mile radius. He focused, he needed to see if Volus’ killer was still around.

He heard a voice about a block away, they were talking quietly into their phone but Leo could hear them clear as day. “The old guy was lying there dead when I found him. Not that I’m complaining. I grabbed a bunch of dough off of him and, get this, he had an Interview Invitation Card. For Opal Corp.”

Leo’s eyes lit up. Even if this wasn’t Volus’ killer, he was still the Thief who had his Interview Card. Leo ran in the direction of the voice. He kept it focused in his mind. “I want you to call your fence, Boris. He’ll pay big bucks for an Interview Card. We’ll be eating good tonight, baby.”

Leo found the Thief in a nearby alley. Leo blocked the entrance. This guy wouldn’t be able to leave without going through Leo. “Hey buddy, I think you have some things that belong to me.”

The Thief turned around and looked Leo up and down. This guy was tough looking, he had violent tattoos and a biker vest with combat boots. “I’ll call you back, baby. Some little punk thinks he’s going to pull one over on me.”

Leo activated his Burning Hands spell. He was ready for a fight. “This is your only warning.”

The thief laughed. “That’s a level zero spell, kid. You can buy those on the black market for a cup of coffee.”

Leo didn’t know if this was true or not. While Opal Corp and smaller competitors sold magic that had to be registered and was limited in scope, there were also illegal black markets where criminals and others could buy spells for their own ends.

The Thief reached behind him and grabbed a baseball bat. Then he cracked open a small capsule and poured its contents along the length of the bat. The bat crackled with powerful electric magic.

“I was saving this for a big job tonight, but now you’ve gone and interfered in my business.”

The Thief ran at Leo. All of a sudden, Leo’s burning hands didn’t seem all that impressive. The baseball bat had much more reach and was sure to electrocute Leo to death before he got off a single punch.

Leo needed range. He called on his Sorcerer Magic System. “Flame Arc. Now.”

The flames on Leo’s right hand grew and extended into a long whip. Leo reared back and cracked it as hard as he could in the direction of the Thief. The flaming tendril hit the Thief square in the chest.

The Thief dropped to one knee. “Holy crap that hurt.”

The Thief pulled out another capsule and crushed it against his chest. A rosy glow emanated and Leo could tell that the Thief recovered to full health. “Those healing spells aren’t cheap, punk. You’re gonna die for that.”

Leo was ready. He flicked out his flame whip once again but this time he wrapped it around the thief’s electric bat. Leo yanked the bat out of the Thief’s hand and caught it before it hit the ground.

“I take it you’re not a real Sorcerer then.” Leo swung the baseball bat as hard as he could. The bat buried itself in the Thief's gut, his body convulsed as the electricity surged through him.

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The Thief collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Leo watched as the electricity drained out of the baseball bat, leaving it as a normal piece of wood. Leo tossed it aside. The electric charge spell was only one use.

Leo was thankful that, as a natural born Sorcerer, he could use his spells over and over again as he needed. Leo got the briefcase of cash and put it in his Pocket Dimension for safe keeping.

Most importantly, Leo retrieved the Interview Card. He held it gently like the precious object that it was. Hee could sense the powerful verification spells that had been crafted into it to avoid forgeries. That must be a perk of his Sorcerer Magic System.

All of a sudden, the card vibrated in his hand. A voice, not the voice of his own system, rang out. “Your Opal Corp interview begins in fifteen minutes. Missing this appointment window will make you forever ineligible for applying at Opal Corp in the future.”

Leo nearly jumped out of his shoes. The Opal Corp hiring facility was way across town. If he didn’t hoof it, he wouldn’t be able to make it in time. Normally, Leo could only afford the subway but he had a briefcase full of cold hard cash. He flagged down the first cab he could.

Leo hopped in the back seat. The driver turned around and looked at Leo’s ratty clothes. “By road or by air, kid.”

Leo handed the driver a thick wad of bills from his stash. “By air, and hurry.”

The driver shrugged and flipped a switch. Deep in the engine of the cab, a capsule broke open and released a strain of levitation magic into the cab’s fuel line.

Leo braced himself against the seat as the cab launched up into the air and shot across town. This mix of magic and engineering had been around a short while, but this was Leo’s first time experiencing it.

The cab touched back down in front of the gleaming glass and steel frame of the Opal Corp Recruitment Center. Leo hopped out and gave his driver a generous tip. Three minutes to spare.

The guard working the gate checked around and swung the gate closed up as Leo ran up. “Wait, there’s one more. I’m here. Please, I’ve been waiting my whole life to work at Opal Corp.”

Leo fumbled his Interview Card into the guard’s hands. Leo’s heart was racing, but the guard yawned as he fed the card into a scanner. A green light dinged and the guard waved Leo inside.

For the guard, this was just another day on the job, but for Leo, this was a new life about to begin.

Leo found himself at the back of a long hall filled with other Interview Candidates. Each of them looked just as nervous as Leo. They knew that a job at Opal Corp, even if it was just cleaning the toilets, could change their fortunes forever.

A huge screen at the end of the hall lit up. On it was none other than Romus Holgeld, the Founder and CEO for Life of Opal Corp. He had a meticulously trimmed beard, a perfectly tailored suit and a massive gold watch.

“Welcome, all of you. Understand that Opal Corp only hires the best of the best. Should you prove yourself worthy of being part of our illustrious corporation, understand that I will expect no less from you than I expect from my own family.”

Romus leaned on the huge Opal table in front of him. Magical energy crackled out from where each of his fingers made contact. It was said that Romus was not only the richest man in the world, but the most powerful Sorcerer who had ever lived.

Leo could not help but feel hatred and revulsion boil up as he took in Romus’ icy gaze. This could very well be the man who cast Leo aside and burdened him with a childhood of poverty and suffering.

The video clicked off and the big screen went dark. The girl next to Leo leaned in and whispered. “Kinda scary, isn’t he? You don’t think we’ll be interviewing with Romus Holgeld personally do you?”

The girl was Leo’s age with a trusting face and simple clothes. Leo hoped he didn’t appear half as nervous as she did. He put on a brave face for her. “No way. Opal Corp has thousands of employees, maybe hundreds of thousands, he’d never have time to interview every one.”

The girl shrugged. “He is a powerful Sorcerer, who knows what those kinds of folks can do. I’m Bethany by the way, nice to meet ya.”

Bethany shot out her hand and Leo took it. “I’m Leo. You shouldn’t worry, whatever we’re about to face, we’ll do it together.”

She shook his hand vigorously and gave Leo a big smile. “Thanks, Leo. That makes me feel a million times better.”

The guy standing next to Bethany let out a derisive chuckle. He smiled cruelly and Leo couldn’t help but hate him at first glance. “This idiot girl can’t be serious. The Interview process is a cutthroat competition. Only one in ten of these suckers will be lucky enough to get a job as a janitor.”

Leo stepped between Bethany and this jerk. “Hey, we’re all stressed out here. No need to drag others down just to make yourself feel better.”

The guy narrowed his eyes at Leo. He had perfectly quaffed hair and designer shoes “I don’t need to feel better, I am better. Look at the way you poor slobs are dressed. You don’t even know who I am.”

Bethany wrapped her arms around her chest in shame. Leo shook his head. “I don’t care if you’re Santa Claus. That’s no excuse for acting like a turd.”

The guy ground his teeth in anger. “I’ll have you know that I am Jorash Morgeld. My family is descended from Romus Holgeld’s second cousin. This Interview is just a formality. You should pray you don’t end up working under me some day. That is, if you survive the Interview.”

Bethany trembled with nerves. Leo had enough. “That’s it. One more word out of you and you’re done.”

Jorash spat on the floor, he reached back to slap Leo across the face. Leo was ready for him.

With a crack of fire, Leo sent out his flame whip and caught Jorash’s arm before he could bring it down. Jorash yelped in pain as his arm was badly singed.

Jorash shouted to the nearest Interview Proctor. “Help! This crazed maniac attacked me. He’s trying to sabotage the Interview.”

Jorash held out his burnt arm and the Proctor inspected it. The Proctor turned to Leo. “Interview Invitation Card. Now.”

Leo seethed with anger at Jorash as he handed his card to the Procter. The Proctor immediately tore the card in half. Leo felt his heart tear along with it.

The Proctor drew a metal baton imbued with concussive magic. “Your Interview is over. Leave now or die.”