This Day
Alec Lee woke up with a torrent of water being dropped on his face.
"WHAA!?" He sat up startled and drenched in cold water then immediately after groaned as he clutched his head realizing it was bandaged and feeling a strong pulsating ache underneath.
"Ugh, what happened?"
"Stupidity, that's what." "That spar should've been called off after Nylat's started using his Craft.
"Oh yeah, Bludgeoner Craft aye?", Alec put his hand to his chin deep in thought even with his eyes closed and still dazed from the hit. "Seems like it specializes in using blunt objects and hard-hitting attacks. That one skill I saw,
"Sheesh, even a supercharged mace can't beat video games and over-analyzing every little thing about magic out of you. Get up already!"
"Huh?" Alec realized he was on the floor of the main room of the gym. He opened his eyes and looked up to see two shadowy figures above. He blinked his eyes as they slowly began to take focus. One was a well-toned brunette girl in an orange tank top carrying a bucket and the other was a burly man with gray hair wearing a dark green t-shirt.
"That's good Anna, you can go." the brunette girl promptly dropped the bucket next to him with a clang splashing more water on him and walked away.
"Just as nice as usual I see, Anna." Alec got up slowly and shook some water out of his shirt.
"Hmph." Ted Sturlson, co-owner of the Knight Arms Gym, tossed Alec a glass vial of glowing yellow liquid which he easily caught in the air.
"You know I'd kick you out in a heartbeat if I wasn't making so much money from all the elixirs you keep buying." "Geez, I even had to suspend a promising talent like Nylat Frinx for a whole week from here for this." "He might even start going to Iron Warrior ." The only reason Ted cared about where Nylat Frinx went to train was that having great aspiring Venturers at his gym would make more people want to come to Knight Arms and he did not want to lose any customers to its rival Venturer gym that was also in the Ninth District, Iron Warrior.
"I know you don't mean that Ted." Alec chuckled nervously while removing the cap of the vial and emptying it of its contents. Immediately he could feel their effects restoring his health, bringing back some of his energy and significantly decreasing the pain in his head.
He's right, ever since I came here to become a Venturer, the only reason I was able to keep going through day after day of this is because of these elixirs. I've been using so many of them over these past few weeks that I almost wasn't going to be able to afford that in time.
"Yeah right." Ted grunted and handed over a bag full of 3 more elixirs.
"Here's the usual and then some, this should fix you up even if you did get a concussion."
"Thank y-" Alec had tried to grab the bag from him but it wasn't budging from Ted's iron like grip.
"Pay up first." he said with a pleasant but also somehow menacing smile.
"Yep, right. Sorry about that." He pulled out four $5 bills from his wallet.
"I promise you Ted, someday I going to be treated with respect in this gym, actually, I might even become one of the 12."
"Ahmm, Ahmm" Ted was barely paying attention to him as he counted the money and deposited it into his pocket.
"And a basilisk will lose a staring contest...tell me some more of your delusions. There's no way someone like you could become anything close to that, you don't even have a chance of becoming a Venturer much less one of the 12 Paladins of Aegea."
"I'm serious you miser, someday I'm going to show everyone what I can do."
"Sure, but first you should probably go home and give your head some time to heal before it gets even more messed up, if that's possible. " Ted suggested with the smallest hint of concern he could manage.
Alec rubbed his bandages gently. A lingering pain was still there under them. Even with the elixirs, it would take some time for him to fully recover.
"A week away from the gym wouldn't be too bad. I could use some time to relax, and maybe think over things as well."
"Alright, I guess that's the best thing to do." Alec admitted.
After grabbing his stuff from the locker, he walked out of the door into the warm night air and begun his walk to what he currently called home, an apartment in the 13th district which was a pretty good walk from the Ninth.
I might talk a big game, but I know they're right. Without having a codex like Craftsmen do, I don't have magic, and without magic, there's no way I can handle the kind of threat that Venturers have to deal with. Maybe it's about time I just give up. Become a landscaper or something. But then, the last ten years would've been for nothing, wouldn't they?
Even though it was the middle of the night, the lights from the traffic above and below along with the holographic store signs made it as bright as day. However, as Alec got closer and closer to his apartment, the lights began to fade and become sparse. Traffic decreased as well till the streets were completely empty.
From the corner of his eye, Alec could see the buildings gradually go from pristine and modern to derelict and run-down.
Yep, this is much more familiar, just like home.
The 13th district was the poorest district in Centre City. Even in this world of magic and technology, there was a large gap between the rich and the poor, in some ways, because of it. Due to the incredible powers of Craftsmen that allowed them to do the work of hundreds in a fraction of the time and advanced technology that automated everything from delivery to customer service, it was hard for a large number of people to get jobs especially in cities like this one. Why pay for a construction crew when you just hire one person who can conjure a building in a few minutes? Why employ a bunch of people to run a store when you can just buy a single machine to do most of the work? This was Alec's personal reasoning for the way the world was. He had accepted this much.
"Well, I guess that's life. Nothing I can do about it."
Alec shrugged his shoulders at his own musings when heard a-
'BANGGG!!!'
It was the sound of an explosion.
"Huh!?"
Alec stopped dead in his tracks. He looked around him and spotted a trail of smoke coming from behind a building across the street from his apartment building. The sound had come from not too far from where he was. If he ran, he could make it there in a few minutes. However, he stood still.
"Is it a fire? But I can't hear any firetrucks or anything. It's probably nothing then, I should just get home already."
As Alec turned his back to the trail of dark clouds that climbed into the air, he heard a loud and shrill cry come from behind him. Before he realized what he was doing, he was already rushing towards it, hoping he wasn't too late.
***
When he reached the building that was the source of the scream, he was panting heavily having run there at top speed. After he regained his breath, he examined it and found something quite strange about it. The building itself appeared to be an old and large abandoned factory of some kind with busted windows and spray-painted graffiti all over it. That wasn't strange for the 13th district but what was off was that there was no flame at all that Alec could see and he could not smell any ash in the air either. Whatever these clouds were emanating from the building, they weren't smoke. That much he could tell. Another cry of desperation rang out from the factory. Alec was certain now.
"It doesn't matter what's going on. I'm sure there's someone's in there that needs help."
He pulled out his phone in order to call in an emergency but the holoprojection was fizzled and scattered with static.
"My phone's not working and I have no idea how long the person in there is going to last if they don't get help...I'll have to go in there myself."
Despite how he felt, Alec was not sure if he was able to save anyone. He was still a powerless nobody. For all he knew, he could end up needed to be rescued himself but..."
Alec pulled out a shimmering crystal from his pocket then gripped it tightly and closed his eyes. After a few seconds of deep concentration passed, he shook his head and placed the crystal back into his pocket.
"Still nothing, huh." Alec sighed. " He stared at the ominous building in front of him imagining what kind of dangers could lay within. He shook his head trying to cast outside his fears and doubts.
"This is the chance to be a hero I've always waited for. Even if it isn't how I planned it to be, everything I've been doing up till now will be for nothing if I just turn back now."
After finding an entrance into the factory, he looked around for any signs of life. The main area of the building was mostly empty aside from a few barrels and scrap metal here and there. The walls, floors, and ceiling of the building were covered in grime and rust. It was hard for Alec to make out the entirety of the area due to the large amount of thick mist and the shadows of the night, but he continued scanning the room relentlessly.
"Hehehehe..." A high pitched laugh emerged from the darkness.
Alec's blood froze. Before he could discern where the haunting sound had come from, he was wrapped in tendrils that restrained him and brought him to his knees. He could do nothing but wait as his captor emerged from the mist. Alec's eyes widened in shock and realization.
Everything had become frighteningly clear. He had been caught by a wraith.
Like two sides of the coin, where there is magic there are also monsters.
Ten years ago during the Great Emergence, not only was magic revealed to the world, various kinds of monsters showed themselves too. One kind, in particular, were wraiths, a spectral creature conjured from the materialization of mankind's imagination and deepest fears. Many took the form of creatures from myth and legend. As Alec watched the beast prowl closer, he could tell that this wraith took the form of a mandrake, and it was now baring its fangs at him.
The monstrous beast that lurked ever closer to him resembled a moving tree in the form of a lion. It had a body made of bark and a mane of vines that were the same ones that Alec was currently confined by. Its eyes had peculiar spiral irises with a line going through them. Mandrakes had the ability to imitate the voices of humans. This was how it led unsuspecting victims straight towards it and Alec had taken the bait completely.
Alec lowered his head In shame and regret.
"I guess they were right about me after all. A fool playing at being a knight... And now I'm about to be eaten by a tree with teeth." Alec chuckled mirthlessly. "What a miserable day this turned out to be. "
Six months ago, Alec had participated in the Bright Stars Festival, a tournament that would guarantee admittance to the top twenty participants to the Venturer Academy, Centre Bastion. It was a mock battle tournament where only physical skill was allowed and magic was forbidden. It was the perfect chance for a Blank like him to be allowed to attend a Venturer Academy, at least, that's what Alec had thought.
"Eighteen, eighteen, I had reached the top twenty and then some, but they still refused to accept me into the academy, just like always."
Alec had desperately pleaded to the judges to reconsider their decision with fists clenched so tight he drew his own blood, and these were the words they answered him with:
"To allow someone as unqualified as you to become a Venturer, would be an overwhelmingly irresponsible and irreprehensible mistake."
Those words rang loudly in his head now sounding more true than ever.
"I guess they were right after all, huh."
The mandrake came closer and Its vines wrapped even tighter around him. He could feel his life force being drained out of him. He still halfheartedly resisted the vines but was certain that this would be the end for him as he stared into the creature's eyes.
"Since when were you that gullible? They may have said that but why are you going to let them decide who you are, where your story ends? What was that thing you're always saying?"
More words shone through his mind. Even louder and clearer than the ones before. Words that someone had told him not to long ago, that had pushed him to pursue his dream even after being tossed aside. He began to slowly stand up. His legs were unsteady as he struggled to regain his footing.
"You don't truly lose until you've given up. How could I forget something so obvious?"
He gripped the vines that were binding him tightly.
Alec had heard of a technique that would allow someone to control the mana outside of them instead of from within, but he wasn't sure if it was true and had never been able to perform it despite training for three years to.
"This has never worked before, but I got to give it a shot anyway since there's no way I'm giving up now, heh, maybe all I needed was a life or death situation and with this much ether, I should have a better chance than with those small crystals I've been practicing on this whole time. Here goes everything. This day is going to be my beginning or my end."
"I might have no magic, but you have plenty of it don't you!?" Alec shouted at the beast. He closed his eyes and felt waves of surging magical power emanating from the vines stronger than he had ever felt before. He synchronized his breathing, his blood flow, and even his heart to them till they all pulsed together in accord.
Noticing his sudden animosity, the mandrake began charging at its prey before it could escape somehow. Just as it was about to reach him, Alec called out this...
"Mana Release!"
Nothing.
Nothing at all happened, the vines that were holding him still remained ensnaring him tightly and the beast continued to approach him.
"Dangit! It's got to work!"
"Mana Release!
"Mana Release!"
"Come on. This has to work! There's no other way!"
The monstrous wraith crouched down preparing to pounce upon its defenseless prey.
"MANA RELEASE!!!"
Still Nothing.
Suddenly, the mandrake leaped into the air lunging at him.
As Alec saw a glint of light shine from the faint moonlight on the mandrake's claw, a jolt of inspiration came to him. With all his might, he raised his vines covered arms to protect himself from the attack.
'Snap.'
The tendrils that were restraining Alec were instantly sliced apart as the mandrake's own claws ran through them. At the same moment, Alec jumped backward to avoid the beast's second swipe at him.
"Huff..huff"
Alec was breathing heavily. He still was not able to harness magical energy and he had barely been able to escape a single attack from the creature with all his strength. He was left clueless as to what do next and if there was anything could do to get out this terrible situation.
"Dang it! Why didn't that work? I did everything right didn't I? Isn't this how it's supposed to go. Aren't you supposed to unlock your powers when you need them most?" Alec laughed humourlessly. "I guess I read to many comics for my own good. If I can't use magic even at a time like this, then maybe that really is something only Craftsmen can do."
He stared into the monsters again as it carefully assessed him and readied itself to attack him once more prowling around Alec looking for any signs of weakness.
"I don't really have time to sulk though. I might be a Blank and outmatched, but I'm not going down without a fight. Plus, if I don't finish this thing now, it could go on to attack other people, and I am not going to let that happen."
He looked down at the vines that were still somewhat wrapped around his arms.
"Maybe I can do something with these."
Meanwhile, The wraith had completed its assessment and decided that now would be the best time to take him down. Large thorn-like spikes began to emerge from its body. Each one was as long as Alec's arm and looked like they could pierce right through him as well. After this was done, with explosive power the mandrake bounded straight towards Alec.
"AAHHHH!!!" Alec shouted as his charged to meet the monster's assault.
"MAGICAL KICK BREAKER!!!"
From out of nowhere, a young woman slammed into the mandrake with a powerful kick to the face sending it flying into the far wall of the factory. Numerous spikes broke apart from the mandrake as it collided with the wall and scattered all across the room with one careening on the floor next to Alec, who was on the ground, having just barely managed to avoid getting caught in the crossfire of the woman's powerful attack.
As the woman rose off the ground, Alec stared bewildered at her. She was wearing a black and purple-striped tracksuit. Her hair was black with white streaks and her eyes were the same violet as the lines on her tracksuit.
The same girl he had seen earlier today.
The young woman turned to him and looked at him straight in the eyes.
"I'm Nera Vide, a Volunteer Venturer. Who are you?"
For a few moments, Alec just sat there stunned and speechless unsure of what to say before eventually gathering his thoughts.
"Wait, we've met before remember. Earilier today, how could you forget?"
"Huh? Wait, yeah. You're that guy from earlier who almost got beat up by those losers with flaming baseballs."
"Hey, that makes it sound even worst than it was. Anyway, what's with this nonsense about being a Volunteer Venturer and how'd you know someone needed help here."
"Well, just like before, this is my territory, the thirteenth district and somebody's got to protect since I can't rely on the professional Venturers to do their jobs. And, as for how I found out something strange was going on here..."
She lifted up a side of hair revealing mechanical ears. Anatomically, they locked almost indistinguishable from regular ones except for their metallic color and various lines on them.
"Cybernetic implants. Those are pretty rare."
"I guess so." The self-declared magical warrior of justice admitted nonchalantly. "I could hear that thing's screaming from almost a kilometer away."
'Crack!'
A cracking noise erupted from where the mandrake had been kicked into the wall. They both rushed over to inspect the beast as more and more cracks began forming over its body. The cracks spread over its hide like a block of thawing ice. They grew larger and wider until in a matter of seconds, the mandrake burst into pieces of wood and vines.
"No way. That can't be." Alec uttered out shocked at what he was seeing.
The splintering of the mandrake's shell had opened to reveal a girl with dark black long hair and deep empty blue eyes. She was wearing a torn baize jacket and skirt and her skin was covered in sigils, the mark of magic which was strange since she was a Blank just like Alec.
Her name was Charlotte Adlen.