The Archmage's Apprentice (1/2)
"After the lion stage, they go back to being a cub. They become irresponsible and weak again." Kalastros shrugs, as if this has nothing to do with him. "Children are irresponsible because the weight of the world doesn't rest on their shoulders. Old people become childish again because they realize they're so close to death, and they start to feel as if the world is no longer their concern. They relinquish responsibility and stop caring about anything."
Kalastros frowns and puts down his knife. "These transformations are completely voluntary. Everyone is born a cub, yet only some people turn into lions. Many people remain weak and always blame others for their problems. These people remain infantile cubs their whole lives."
"Just the same, turning back from a lion into a cub is also voluntary. Haalfrin, you don't have to be a cub."
"I know exactly what you're going through right now. I've lived longer than everyone I've ever known. I was tempted to become a cub again, yet here I am still - the Archmage of Alasta - the hero who drove off the dragon. So, do you want to be a lion or a cub?"
For some reason, this conversation is starting to annoy Haalfrin.
What's all this talk about 'responsibility' and 'making a family'? Doesn't his master already know that he just wants to die in battle? What's the point in caring about this world when he plans on leaving it?
After all, his clan is in the Death Realm, and Haalfrin's heart followed them there.
So, Haalfrin hardens his heart and cooks the rest of the meal in silence.
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When Kalastros and Haalfrin finally sit down to eat their dinner, Kalastros relentlessly hounds his apprentice with questions like "What's your favorite thing to do?", "What kind of interesting things have happened to you?", and "What kind of people were your clansmen?"
Haalfrin recognizes how hard his master is trying to get closer to him, and his heart warms. Plus, he'd simply look down on himself if he didn't reciprocate. So, the boy starts engaging with the old man some more - answering all of his questions enthusiastically and making light conversation.
Still, at the back of Haalfrin's mind is a nagging feeling of futility. It's as if every moment spent making connections and building things in this world is a waste of time.
Even when he goes to bed that night, the empty feeling in his heart feels just a bit more cold.
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Many years pass, and of course, Haalfrin never stops trying to make little excursions outside the tower… though, with that horrible experience with Dakka, Haalfrin has learned to hide his identity as well as to strictly keep within the city limits – all to avoid the "war goddess's" cult.
(Of course, he doesn't mind fighting a dragon again, but those creatures cause way too much unpredictable chaos to those around him. Haalfrin may want to die in battle, but he'd feel bad getting others caught up in his quest.)
After Haalfrin's confession about his trip to the forest, Kalastros hired extra guards around the border of town and trained them thoroughly in disguise recognition techniques, and he also made them all memorize Haalfrin's face and build. Kalastros also promised himself not to teach Haalfrin any illusion magic until he grows up more.
Of course, Haalfrin swears every time the subject comes up, "Master! I'm NOT going to go to the forest anymore! At most, I'll just walk around town..."
Because of his master's strict, worried nature, it became somewhat of a game between the two of them, where Haalfrin would try to sneak out and go somewhere unexpected, and his master would try to catch him.
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There is a burly, scarred man at a counter talking to an attractive young woman with her brown hair in a ponytail, revealing her amber eyes.
"Sir, here's your contestant number," the professionally dressed woman says as she hands the large man a plate of metal with a name and a few numbers carved on it. "Make sure to survive for next year, sir. You're popular with the audience!"
The burly man gives a thumbs up and winks at the serving lady, "Oh, it's the highlight of my week to see your beautiful face when I come to register. I'd hate to get hurt and miss out..."
The lady blushes and hides her face away while the burly man picks up a massive sword that's waiting for him just outside the building.
Weapons aren't allowed inside, of course… Some of their "temporary contract employees" are pretty scary looking, and they usually have seedy backgrounds. So, the "no weapons" rule is for everyone else's safety.
The counter lady is about to go tell her friends that Sir Moimacho talked to her, when she looks over and sees a tuft of hair bobbing up and down just in front of her counter. She leans over and sees a young boy with light leather armor on and a serious look on his face.
The boy knocks on the counter to hopefully wipe off the surprised look on her face, "Oi! Lady! I want to submit an application."
"Um... Boy...," the woman asks while trying to hide her amusement. "Where are your parents?"
"Dead, obviously. Why?"
She hears this and sighs heavily. In her mind, this boy must be some poor orphan boy who couldn't make his way in the world... He probably has other poor orphan children to feed, and out of desperation, came here to fight to the death for money.
"Boy, you know that here, men get in an arena and kill each other to entertain the audience. I don't think this is the kind of place you should be..."
Haalfrin sees one of her eyebrows angled down in awkwardness. He hears her words and narrows his eyes. "Don't worry. I've seen blood," he says with the kind of brooding intensity that only rough warrior's who have bathed in their enemies' blood possess.
However, instead of being scared, the brunette only sees a cute, 10-year-old-looking boy say something comically ominous with his tiny voice.
Hearing this, she finally lets out a snort, turns to her coworkers with tears running down her cheeks, and she stammers out while holding her knees, "I… He…" She's laughing so hard that she can't even talk.
Seeing this, Haalfrin is far past the point of getting defensive over his mismatched age. Rather than getting annoyed, he feels exhausted. Day in and day out, he has to deal with the social ramifications that come with looking like a child and living in a society where mages are pretty rare.
With a tired, dull tone to his voice, Haalfrin digs into his pocket and pulls out a silver badge with the symbol of a 2nd Soul Gate etched onto it. "You see this!? I'm a mage!" he says tersely, "I'm a lot older than I look, and I'm not a child!"
The serving lady tries calming down at this, but deep down, she doesn't believe him immediately.
'Well,' the woman thinks, 'after thinking about it, stealing a mage's license is EXTREMELY illegal... and according to the rumors, it's hard to steal from a mage in the first place.'
The serving girl leans over the counter to take a better look at the "little boy". 'However,' she wonders, 'mages are always rich, and they usually have much more respectable jobs. Why in the world would a talented 'young' mage come to such a shady, underground establishment?'
Her eyes go wide a little as a possibility enters her mind. "'Well… I've heard there IS a certain type of mage that works shady jobs…, but they're usually criminals or people with a tarnished reputation…! Aren't they called black mages?'
Feeling intense fear in her heart, she looks down and pretends to be doing some paperwork as she tells the young mage calmly, "Hold please, while I get your paperwork filled out. You're a new contractor, after all."
The "paperwork" she is actually filling out is a posted notification to the duke's castle. Ever since the archmage became freakishly rich, most businesses in the city have been equipped with emergency far speak medallions to help report to the guards – all for security in the city…
…Of course, these instant communication medallions have nothing to do with a student who tries skipping lessons and hiding in the city...
Naturally, her reasoning in reporting to the duke is that a high-end noble like him is definitely going to have records of all the licensed mages in town. If the boy is bad news, then the duke's going to be anxious to pick him up anyway, and she can even get a reward for her good work.
If he's a lawful mage… then it was just an honest mistake on her part. Everyone knows nobles like to keep tabs on the mages visiting their cities anyway.
And so, she pulls out the official signup sheet and hands it to Haalfrin. She offers to get a scribe to write it for him, but he's perfectly literate. Once he fills the form out, she smiles and says, "There's a few official logs I have to put in for mandatory bookkeeping laws in Brandsdale. I'll be right back.