//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: The Mage's Jump // by Marvelous Cheshire //------------------------------// THE MAGE’S JUMP BY GENOSABER CHAPTER 9 “Move dumbass!” I shouted as I pushed the red mage out the way of a blood bullet. I rolled back into a standing position and drew my knife. “Alright you son of a bitch,” I growled as I faced the vampire, bearing my fangs. “I gonna make you pay for hurting those villagers.” He simply laughed as he readied another bullet. “Foolish mortal. Do you honestly think you have the power to defeat me?” he said as he launched the bullet. I prepared to jump before a flash of silver flew past me, slicing the crimson orb in half. “Sorry, I was caught off guard,” The red mage said. Judging from his voice, and the youthful look of his face, he couldn’t be more than maybe sixteen. “You ready?” he asked. I smirked and nodded. “Lets go!” We shouted in unison, sprinting off in opposite directions. The Vampire growled before tossing a barrage of blood spikes at us. The red mage dodged with ease while I simply blocked my face with my sleeve, letting the enchantments protect me. We stopped once we parallel to the vampire. “Blizzard!” The red mage shouted, trapping most the Vampires body in ice. He started conjuring another shot before my knife met his still exposed chest, causing him to howl in pain. “Impudent fool,” He growled weakly as I walked up to him. “You think this will stop me? I am immortal. I am UNSTOP-” “For fuck’s sake, just die already,” I said, pulling my knife from his chest and chopping his head. “I hate it when they try to monologue.” I shook my head as I turned to the kid. “Not bad newbie.” I put my hand out. “Name’s Trace by the way, Trace Reinhart.” “Louis, Louis Allens,” He said, taking my hand and shaking it. “So, what do we do with him?” he pointed to the corpse. “General rule of thumb is to burn the body after you kill,” I said before getting an idea. “Actually, do you have a pair of pliers? There’s an old tradition I just remembered.” “Can’t believe it’s been nine years,” I muttered as I watched the screen fade. “Heh, I still have that fang.” I sighed and turned to the endless void of my Dreamscape. “Hey asshole! If you’re still here I want some damn answers.” I was met with only silence. I growled and started walking off towards where he showed up the first time. I got maybe halfway there before a sharp spike of pain shot through my head, forcing a howl of pain out of me. I fell to my knees as my vision blurred as another spike of pain hit me, making me collapse as words began to slowly appear in my vision. Two... lovers... Kiss... Another spike, this one weaker, shot up as more words began appearing, each clearer than the last. A Crying Moon The toll of bells A blade of ice Images began forming with the words, vague at first, but they became clearer over time. A bronze Necklace A secret revealed A maiden in tears running into the forest Anima... I felt anger well up inside me at that, but it was quickly shot down as the visions picked up pace A ballroom in flames Chaos running wild A loved one laying injured in the hospital. ‘Two black dragons stand against each other, as they released the power in their roars I heard two voices shout a single word: ULTIMA!’ The last image I saw before the pain began to fade was two rings, the larger one copper, the smaller silver. As my vision cleared a pair of black boots stepped in front of me. “Sorry I’m late,” a familiar voice said as he picked me up. “Had some things to take care of.” I glared at the Magus as he waved towards an open door. “I believe you want some answers, come along and I’ll explain.” I frowned but followed him through the door “What the?” I muttered as I see the other side. It looked like my office at the Cathedral, only... newer. The old wood paneling seemed fresh, and the desk was different, oak I think. I slowly looked around the room until stopping at the Magus, who had taken a seat behind the desk. “Looks like my old office.” “Technically true, but this is how it was when it was my office,” he said as he tossed his hat onto the hook on the wall. I blinked as I stared at the man. he was young, maybe mid to late twenties. His onyx hair was tied back in a ponytail just a little past shoulder length. He had a long vertical scar over his left eye. What caught my attention more than anything was his bright red eyes. They were slitted like a dragon’s, and seemed to glow slightly. He smiled as he stood up and drew off his gloves, revealing sharp black nails. He extended his hand towards me “My name is Leonidas Valentine, more commonly known in the history books as-” “Zero,” I finished, slowly taking his hand. “The most powerful black magic user on record.” His smile widened. “And who would later bind the Black Circle to the Order, becoming the first archmage.” I couldn’t help being a bit amazed. This man founded so many of the principles I’ve helped enforce within the Circle. “You are correct,” he sighed at sat back down, waving towards the seat next to me. “Sadly I did not come here to partake in a game of trivia. I’ve come to talk about the encroaching threat, the one Lady Shiva warned you of.” “She said it was nothing too dangerous.” I said with a frown. “But that vision tells me she’s only half-right.” Zero nodded. “It will be simple at first, but the one doing this will not stop after the first failure. She will continue until she has been directly defeated.” He pulled out a spell book. “Sadly, at your current level you’d die in less than a minute against her.” He began flipping through the tome. “That’s why I’m going to help you.” he stopped on a Spell code I didn’t recognize. “I shall help you master the art of black magic. More than just becoming a magus, I will show you the true path of black magic, that which has been all but lost to the veil of time.” “...” I was speechless. Not only was I speaking to one of the most well known figures in the history of magic, but he offered to teach me how to master my magic. “I-I would be honored,” I finally managed. His grin returned as he shook my hand once more. “One question though, how do you know this?” “I can’t say exactly,” He replied with a shrug. “Lets just say I’ve got an acquaintance from the spirit world keeping an eye on the enemy.” His head suddenly snapped to the clock. “Time to go.” He hit me again, forcing me out of my slumber. “Son of a-” I muttered as I sat up, rubbing my face with the weird green cast on my arm. I shifted my eyes to the window, seeing the the sun just beginning to rise. I heard a small growl and turned to see Fei looking through her bag. “Something wrong.” She turned to me, lifting up a simple dress. “All my clothes are still sized for my adult body.” She looked down at the pajamas she had on. “And I can’t keep using illusions, it’ll get tiring after awhile.” I nodded and got out of the bed. “Easily fixed, I can just bind a resizing enchantment onto them.” I rubbed my chin and looked down at the cast. “Might be a bit difficult with only one hand.” I shrugged. “Oh well. Got a stick of chalk?”