"Y-you are not?" Confused, Vlad inquired, daring not to trust the thoughts flashing through his mind. "Aren't you all one of the set of spies sent by the elders to gather information about the sorcerers?"
"What set of spies? We are the descendants of the witchcraft practitioners left behind during the Dark War." One of the witches in the group stepped forward, her words ripping a huge chunk from Vlad's image of the witchcraft lineage's elders.
"T-that can't be true. Even if a few of our people were left behind during a hasty retreat, the elders would have gotten them back." Vlad defended his leaders, choosing to believe their words and the vows they had made in the presence of the masses.
"Why would we lie about it? No one has come for us, nor have we seen any spy sent by the so-called leaders of the witchcraft lineage!" Growing angry, the witch yelled at Vlad, tearing down more of the image the elders had created.
"You all should calm yourselves." Hayteyr interrupted the descendants of the witchcraft lineage, stopping a possible disaster from occurring.
"What we should be considering right now is how we can get to the lost city of Rythe." She focused her gaze on Vlad. "Do you know the location of the city?"
"I think it's around where I fell. I didn't get the chance to inspect the area before I was chased by the sorcerers of Aranyrs." Vlad disclosed, his expression still solemn.
"That means the Aranyrs know the location of the entrance to the city of Rythe. But seeing how they haven't infiltrated it, it means they can't." Hayteyr concluded, using her knowledge of the Aranyrs' behavior.
"Do you know if they have people watching the entrance of the magic city?" Zayxehr asked Vlad, getting involved in the discussion.
"I don't know. And even if they do, I don't think they would let me and a bunch of others in. It could possibly be a ploy created by the sorcerers to invade Rythe." Vlad answered, expressing his opinion on the outcome of their future actions.
"If that's so, we'll leave it for when we're stronger and focus on the task at hand. Since you can't head back to the city of Rythe, what are you going to do?" Hayteyr concluded before inquiring about Vlad's intentions.
"I don't have any idea about the situation outside the city of Rythe. Moving alone would put me at risk." Vlad responded, making known his circumstance.
Hayteyr considered this, then nodded slightly. "Very well. But you'll need to prove yourself if you want to be part of us."
"What do I need to do?" Vlad asked, relieved that he was to be accepted but also wary of the quest to come.
"Help us with a task," the woman said. "There's a place we need to investigate. It's dangerous. If you survive and return with useful information, we'll consider letting you become one of us."
Vlad nodded, knowing he had little choice. "What's the task?"
Hayteyr gestured to a group at a distance from them. "They will be your companions. You'll be briefed on the details on your way."
As Vlad joined the encampment, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had stepped into a deeper and more complex web of intrigue than he had initially realized. The young men and women in the group eyed him with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, but one of them, a tall man with a burnt scar across his cheek extended a hand.
"I'm Aidynr," he said. "If you're coming with us, you'd better keep up."
Vlad shook his hand, grateful for the semblance of camaraderie. "I'll do my best."
..
Settling into a tent of his own, Vlad was halfway through taking off his top when a young woman stepped into his tent.
"And who are you?" Looking at the unfamiliar figure, he asked her.
"Someone you lied to." Zayxehr looked spiteful as she hissed.
"Uhm… can you forget about that? And please wait outside so I can change." Initially stumped by Zayxehr's appearance, Vlad swiftly recovered before speaking.
"I won't forget about it!" Zayxehr snapped at Vlad. "And you should wait until I'm done before you get undressed."
"Fine." Admitting defeat, he dropped his grey top and looked at Zayxehr. "What do you want with me?"
"You should be a bit more respectful to someone who's stronger than you." Having learned from Trax that the magic given off by Vlad wasn't as strong as hers, Zayxehr became more stuck-up.
"Sigh!" No longer bothered by Zayxehr, Vlad went ahead and took off his top.
"W-what are you doing?! Put your top back on!" Quickly turning her face away from Vlad, Zayxehr screamed.
"I don't have much time before I undergo the task given to me by Hayteyr. I have to wash up." Vlad said as he began to untie the rope on his pants.
"Fine! I just wanted to inform you that you should be careful, and also listen to every word Aidynr says to you." Zayxehr advised Vlad.
"Am I hearing things? When did you start caring about my well-being?" Turning his head toward Zayxehr, he asked her.
"I don't care about your well-being. I just don't want people to say that someone I brought ended up dead within a day of joining us." Refuting Vlad's claim, Zayxehr voiced out before leaving his tent.
"System, did I become irresistible after becoming a wizard?" Looking at the entrance of the tent, Vlad asked the wishing system.
[I'm not designed to undergo self-communication with the host.]
The golden scroll appeared in front of Vlad, the words written on it sounding in his mind.
"That… sucks." Walking toward the bathroom, he called forth a portable mirror with the word, "Rorymx!"
I guess the reason I couldn't awaken my powers is because I'm cursed by the universe. A talent like mine is rarely seen, even in ancient times.
Seeing how easily he called forth a mirror, a spell that only a few barons and baronesses could perform, he attributed his inability to awaken to a curse from the universe.
Checking out his face in the mirror, his smile widened as he nodded repeatedly. Magic really does beautify, even though beneath it lay a horrifying madness and evil.
..
Finishing up in the bathroom, he erased the sweat and dirt accumulated on his clothes with a single word, highlighting once again the convenience of magic and increasing his love for it.
Leaving his tent, he met up with Aidynr and the rest of the team.
"You're on time." Aidynr nodded at Vlad, acknowledging his punctuality.
As they gathered their supplies and prepared to set out, Vlad couldn't help but wonder what he had gotten himself into. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: if he wanted to survive, he would need to rely on his wits and every spell he could muster.
The journey to the destined location would be fraught with danger, but it also presented an opportunity for Vlad to prove his worth and uncover more about the enigmatic group he had joined.
As they ventured into the night, the flickering light of the campfire behind them, Vlad felt a renewed sense of determination. He would survive, not just for himself, but for his bedridden mother who depended on him.
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