Chapter 4 - Departure
The influx of information had me stunned for a moment before a childish grin broke out on my face. I gained another affinity and even a rare one at that! Now, I could be considered the extremely rare triple elemental magician. I assumed that I could only steal abilities but I didn’t know I could steal affinities too. If this was spread out, thousands of magicians would come after me vying for my ability. Affinity to an element was fixed at birth and was a representation of one's talent. Even those magicians who have diverted from the beaten paths like illusionists or arcanists still needed an affinity to the arcane. Which is pure magic itself, the manipulation of magic without the need of the elements. Even our tattoo, the representation of thousands of my ancestors hard work and study only amounted to a subtle increase of affinity, or maybe an extra affinity gained if you’re lucky.
My heart was leaping with excitement right now. The fact that I could obtain affinities meant a whole new world opened up to me. I could learn all branches of magic, without the opposing forcing collapsing my mana center. Taking in deep breaths I tried to sort my thoughts. Yes, being able to gain affinities to all the elements was great, but I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. For now, I would train in only some of the elements, training in all of the elements at the same time would decrease training speed which I couldn’t afford right now.
Returning to my calm disposition I browsed through the new abilities I gained, which amounted only amounted to two. One was Intuition, which allowed me to understand something without any reasoning. The other ability I gained was shadow manipulation, this ability apparently lets me control shadows as I wished. It was vague and I would probably have to practice a bit with it before I understood it. While I was reveling in my new findings a voice found its way in my ears.
“Were you successful Oliver?” My father asked with a tinge of anticipation.
“Yes I was, I’ve gained the ability to manipulate shadows,” I said.
“Care to demonstrate.”
Without any hesitation I activated my ability, and the surrounding area turned dark. It wasn’t a natural born darkness which occurred due to the absence of light. It seemed to be a darkness with substance, a darkness that I felt an intimate connection with. I felt as though with a thought I could control the darkness as I wished. I concentrated all the darkness and gave it form in the shape of a sword. The darkness flowed silently around me forming a whirlpool where I stood, they started coalescing into a sword in front of me. The sword was long and thin, and completely black. It had no presence, it felt like the sword wasn’t there for some moments if I took my mind off it. I tried to grab hold of the sword but my hand touched nothing but shadows. It seemed that this power was all showy but without actual power. I would have to practice a lot for me understand all of its quirks.
“Excellent just excellent, a great crowd control ability,” said my father with a series of slow claps.
“Much thanks, father,” I replied.
“Hahaha, this is great news I’ve raised the ultimate successor to the Kai house. Within a few years, you’ll be more than ready. It’s just unfortunate I have to send you off to the Imperial Wizard Academy.” He said with a laugh.
It’s good that I have to go I thought. Otherwise, I would be stuck in this miserable place training all my life.
**
Ever since I was young I’ve never left the premises of the Kai house. I’ve never even seen the branch members of the Kai family. Unlike Irene, I was never allowed to roam free and visit cities. If the Council of Ten didn’t make it rule that sons and daughters of the ten houses were required to attend the Imperial Wizard academy. My father would’ve force me to stay here for the rest of my life. He’s always filled my head with thoughts of taking over the Empire, which I will admit believed in. I trained earnestly learning magical theory and learning the various uses of magic in combat. I’ve never had any interest in a political struggle so I focused all of my efforts into Magical Combat. My father praised me saying I was a genius with so much potential. With renewed effort, I kept training gathering my mana so I could break through to the Initiate stage, the starting stage for all aspiring magicians. In three short years, I did more than that, I exceeded the initiate stage and reached the adept stage when I was ten. Of course, I didn’t do this without help, I used mana elixirs, and herbal baths which increased my absorption rate of mana. Along with the help of my tattoo which slightly boosted my absorption of mana, it was no wonder I reached the stage I did.
This might sound like the greatest of accomplishments for an aspiring magician, but there's a major flaw. Before I reached the adept stage all I did was train. On my father's instructions, I was forced to master the 100 initiate spells and meditated every day. I didn’t play with other kids I just meditated. My schedule since I was seven till recently was for me to meditate all morning, take occasional breaks to eat, study, and then return to meditating. Once in awhile, my father would call me down for his innovative study sessions. When I was still naive and asked my father if I could take a break and play outside I was slapped. It wasn’t the pain that mattered but the shock. All I asked was to have a break, it was extremely stifling for a child at my age back then to constantly train but that’s all I did. Still, that wasn’t an extremely major event and my father apologized. Still, a seed of doubt was planted in me then and it started to sprout. When I reached the adept stage, I wanted to show my father my accomplishment so I went to his private study.
When I got there I realized something was wrong, the door was opened a bit just a little crack. I didn’t want to disturb my father so I waited quietly. After a few minutes, I became a bit impatient so I went to knock on his door but something stopped me. Through the crack, I saw my mother's face as I heard her cold, and calculative voice.
“Why must you train that bastard child, he is nothing more than a product of a fling you had. Why must you turn your back on my precious Irene for that little bastard? Even if he is a man, hasn’t there been a case of a woman ruling the Kai family for a while. ”
With every word she spoke thunder boomed in my head. I was young but I was extremely mature, I may have been ignorant to affairs of the outside world but I understood adult concepts. Since alI I did was read and train it was no wonder I turned out to be as mature as I was. So, with every word she spoke that seed that was planted in me as a kid started to sprout faster.
“Shut up woman! I love Irene and nothing can ever replace my golden child, but you must admit he is talented. He may be a bastard child but he is useful and anything useful is meant to be used.” My father yelled back with a touch of anger.
“It doesn’t matter if a bastard child is talented he will amount to nothing! Only my pure blooded Irene is capable of being an heir to the Kai house. He will only bring nothing but ruins to us I tell you!” She yelled back with wild frenzy in her voice.
“Morgana I don’t have the patience right now return to our chambers and cool your head. Don’t worry I have all of my plans set up, and everything will turn out right. I’ve poisoned that boy ever since he was young. It won’t kill him but it’ll be more than enough to control him and that despicable woman. I may have injured her greatly but she is extremely dangerous. Fortunately, I have her son’s life in my hands otherwise, she would have come back to attack me.” he replied with a low voice. At the end of his little speech, a small smile appeared on his face. That was the moment that I declared within my heart that he was no longer my father.
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“Fine I will trust you this time but sooner or later she’ll come back and you’ll have to deal with her,” she replied turning towards my direction to leave.
Seeing her turn my way I ran for my life all the while trying to keep my steps silent. That speech was not something I was ever supposed to ever overhear. It was only fate that let me breakthrough to the adept stage at the right time for me to come to his study. It was the first time my father unveiled his evil nature and I was there to witness it. That was the moment when I started to doubt who I was.
**
“Unfortunate, but this will be a great time for me to get combat experience, as well as put that arrogant Lexus girl in her place,” I said trying to appease him.
“It’s good to be proud but the tournament will be watched by many high ranking officials and mages so do not dishonor us.” he reprimanded me sternly, “Also, I see that your outfit is lacking I don’t want to provide you with too many magical artifacts but one to protect your life should suffice.” He said as a ring appeared on his hand. It was funny how he was only giving me one magical artifact whilst Irene was loaded with tons of them when she left a year back for the first time. Still, it didn’t matter it’s not like I want anything from him anyways. I was alright with receiving training from him but I would never take any life protecting treasures from this bastard.
He threw the silver ring at me and I caught it in one hand. I dropped it in my pocket since I wouldn’t trust anything he gave me. I saw him glance at me as I placed it in my pocket but he didn’t mention it.
“Alright, now this will be the last time I’ll be seeing you in a while. So, you must improve before our next meeting,” he said as a suitcase made of black leather appeared in his hand. My father had an interspatial ring, a ring which had it’s own pocket dimension. It was a rarity on the continent of Alvernon, with only a select few having the prestige of owning one. Receiving the suitcase, I opened it to see some enchanted clothes as well as other miscellaneous items.
“Yes, father I’ll train as hard as I can so I reach my former stage and surpass it,” I replied.
“Hmm,” he said not bothering to reply. “Meet me at the teleportation array. l have to go and retrieve Irene. I planned on taking to you to the academy in the afternoon but somethings came up so you’ll be leaving early.” he replied before he faded away. I breathed out a sigh of pent-up stress before heading towards the forest clearing behind our house. Time to leave this shitty place once and for all.
**
The flaming energy burned and crackled under the dimly lit room. It coalesced to form a burning wolf which seemed to be the embodiment of fire. Finally, I thought. It’s been ages since I’ve dominated anything under my flame and this was the first time I was successful. My dominant flame not only takes the ability of my target, it also gives them an fire attribute body. The wolf before me was a rank 2 Direwolf but with the enhancement of my flame, it became rank 3. Its fur was gone only to be replaced by fire, which layered upon its body like flames. When I dominated something for some reason I could absorb it and it would appear on my body as a tattoo. I haven’t dominated anything other than this Direwolf yet but I’m guessing it would. Whatever, not like I care I thought. Rubbing the fiery wolf tattoo on my hand I have nothing to fear. Maybe I should go and teach my arrogant brother a thing or two I thought with a smile.
I’ve been passing off Oliver’s constant wins over me as flukes but I can’t anymore. I’m not stupid. Oliver had Cillian’s constant attention so it wasn’t a wonder he can beat me. Yeah, I call my father Cillian when I’m alone. I hate that piece of shit, but I would never dare to call him Cillian to his face. All he cares about is little old Oliver only my mom is half decent to me, but she tends to flip out a lot mostly when it’s about my future. Letting out an exasperated sigh I walk towards my closet. I guess the only plus to Cilian is the fact that he lets me have so many magical artifacts. A little too many I thought. Reaching towards a box near the top of my closet, I remove a little necklace and tie it around my neck. This is a rare inter-spatial necklace one of a kind and a kind of heirloom in mother's family. It contains well let’s just say enough that if Oliver ever tried bullying me, I would destroy him. I could probably even fight long enough to run away from a Grandmaster Magician if one ever attacked me.
As I packed my bags I just took some extra miscellaneous items. I didn’t need to pack a bag but I had to put up a front. My mother told me that I couldn’t reveal this necklace to anyone under any circumstances so I had to make it seem like I packed a bag. Stuffing my bag full I heard a knock on my door.
“Irene, are you ready? We’re leaving.” Cillian said behind the door.
“Yes give me a minute,” I replied as I hurriedly put the necklaced under my garb and rushed to the door. “Let’s go, father,” I replied as I carried my small leather bag on my hip.
“Yes let’s,” he replied before he placed his hand on my shoulder. With minute subtlety, the surroundings changed into a forest clearing. The sunlight hit me directly in the eye when we arrived in the clearing. It was still early morning so there was a chill in the air.
“Who in the world is that?” I asked noticing a black haired person coming in our direction. Nobody ever visits our house and I mean no one. I’ve been to Lukedonia before and our house is the most secretive of all the houses according to other students. If it wasn’t for our rivalry against the Lexus no one would ever pay attention to us. That and the fact that my father Cillian is an arch-magus was probably the only reason we are even known.
“Who else would it be other than Oliver,” my father replied nonchalantly.
“O-Oliver? He looks nothing like Oliver!” I yelled in surprised. I mean how could he be Oliver? Oliver was average in every other aspect other than his talents. He had brown hair and hazel eyes, he was really plain. How could he transform into this devilishly handsome guy? The guy that was walking towards us was, at least, 5'9 in height which I will admit was similar Oliver’s height but everything else was different. He had long silky, smooth black hair which he tied into a ponytail. He also had extremely bizarre eyes, one was red while the other was brown. The biggest difference would probably be his presence. I dislike Oliver and even say I hate him but it’s pretty hard for me too. He’s always had this amiable smile which hid his terrifying power but now it seemed like nothing was hidden. He emanated an extremely powerful dark aura, it was subtle and most ordinary magicians wouldn’t notice it but I could. What in the world happened to Oliver I thought.