The Lineage Of Magic

KAAABOOM!!

Another explosion shattered the tranquil air, causing the once small crack in the protective barrier to spread like a sprawling spiderweb. Danial, both terrified and intrigued by the mysterious power shielding them, couldn't help but voice his concern.

"Dad, what... what is that light? What's happening?"

"Danial!! What are you doing out here? Get inside the mansion, quickly! Follow the maids' instructions; they'll take you to safety."

For once, Hassan, who always maintained his composure, was visibly shaken upon seeing his son and his friend's daughter still exposed to danger. He sighed, feeling pity for the poor children thrust into such a harrowing experience at such a tender age.

Sigh "Poor kids. I hope this doesn't leave them with lasting trauma. Safety first, then deal with these bastards outside."

Obeying his father's urgent command, Danial grabbed Charlotte's trembling hand and rushed inside the mansion, scanning frantically for any sign of the servants. But the halls were deserted.

"Crap! Are we trapped? Well, I'll just head for the top floor then."

Charlotte, still visibly shaken, began muttering to herself. Danial leaned in closer, trying to make out her words.

"Hehehe..."

"Um, Charlotte?"

"Hehehe, ahahahaahahahahaha!"

"Uh... what's so funny?"

"Ahahaha, what a spectacle! The unending flames, the barrier breaking, and oh, the life-and-death situation we're in... It's exhilarating!"

Danial backed away slowly, his discomfort evident. If asked what terrified him most right now, he'd have pointed straight at the girl before him.

"I always thought she had a sadistic streak, but no... she's a full-blown maniac, reveling in this chaos. Gotta... gotta get away slowly."

Danial edged further back, every step a deliberate effort to avoid Charlotte's notice.

"Oh my? Hahaha, Danial, where do you think you're going?"

Well, his efforts hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Haha, I was... uh, going to the restroom."

"The restroom's the other way, you know?"

"Uh... oh, haha."

An awkward silence fell, but not for long.

"I thought you were just planning to leave this delicate lady behind."

Danial retorted in his mind, 'Delicate lady? Where? All I see is a maniac who gets off on chaos. Damn it!'

Of course, what he thought and what he said were two very different things.

"Well, what do you suggest we do in this situation, Miss Charlotte?"

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. Those fools who dare attack a magical lineage deserve more than just death. Torture sounds about right, but not too mild, hmm... let's leave them half-dead."

"Hmm, what's wrong, Danial? You look pale."

"Don't 'what's wrong' me. We don't even know if they attacked from afar or if they're nearby. We don't even know where they are! How are we supposed to capture them?"

"Oh, don't worry. That was a magical attack."

"Magic?"

"Didn't your father tell you anything about magic? It seems you don't understand the basics. First, you have to sense mana..."

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying the explosions were caused by magic?"

"Yes, precisely. After sensing mana, you learn to manipulate it and store it within your body..."

"So, you're sticking with this explanation, huh?"

"And then, the most crucial part: converting mana into energy or substance. You can't use pure mana directly; it's inefficient. With converted magic, you get 100% output for only 40-50% input. Same results, half the effort. To achieve this, you use spells."

"Huh, I never knew magic was that... straightforward. By the way, where are we heading?"

"Well, it may sound straightforward, but each step requires intense concentration and effort, which strains both body and mind. Also, I forgot to mention, there's a more efficient method that boosts output to 110% with input consumption as low as 38-43%. It involves using a staff or, more precisely, a magic-core imbued item. We're going to retrieve that item from my room."

Danial scratched his head in disbelief. "So, you're telling me there's an item that can enhance magic efficiency like that?"

Charlotte nodded confidently. "Exactly. Now, let's find it."

As they hurried through the mansion's corridors, dodging debris and avoiding pockets of magical disturbance, Danial couldn't help but admire Charlotte's composure amidst the chaos.

"You seem strangely calm for someone who was laughing maniacally just moments ago."

Charlotte smirked. "Oh, that? It's just my way of coping with stress. You'd understand if you were used to dealing with magical emergencies."

Danial chuckled nervously. "Right, I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this magic stuff. It's a lot to take in."

"It is, but you'll get used to it," Charlotte reassured him, a hint of warmth softening her sharp demeanor.

Danial followed Charlotte through the mansion, his curiosity battling with the sense of danger that loomed outside.

As they ran, Danial couldn't help but notice the eerie silence that enveloped the usually bustling mansion grounds.

"Hey," he panted, trying to catch his breath.

"What?" Charlotte replied, her focus still ahead.

"Don't you find it strange that there's no noise, no one around?"

Charlotte halted abruptly, scanning their surroundings. Danial's observation rang true – the mansion, usually teeming with activity, now lay eerily quiet.

"This is bad," Charlotte muttered urgently. "We need to hurry."

Without waiting for Danial's response, she sprinted forward with newfound urgency. Danial, caught off guard by her sudden acceleration, struggled to keep pace but managed to follow her lead.

They reached Charlotte's room, and as Danial stepped inside, he was dazzled by the opulence. Gold adorned every corner, mixed with shades of pink and azure. Overwhelmed, he covered his eyes, spinning around in disbelief.

"Argh! My eyes, my eyes!"

Charlotte chuckled softly at his reaction, her hands deftly searching for the item they came for. Danial, still blinking away the glittering images, was eager to leave the room as soon as possible.

"sigh the live of a nouveau rich is something that i will never understand for my entire life"

"oh my who are you calling nouveau rich again?"

"uh, umm hahaha you must be mishearing things charlotte!"

looking at Charlotte terrifying calm gaze, he decide to keep his mouth close as to preserve his life.

Before they could make their exit, hurried footsteps approached. Uncertain if they belonged to friend or foe, Charlotte gestured for them to hide under the bed in hurry.

The door swung open violently as if someone was kicking it from the outside, however the next moment cause charlotte iris to open wide as its reveal Charlotte's personal maid, who had been by her side since childhood. Beside her stood two menacing figures in robes, their identities concealed.

"Is this where the Azure Dragon Staff is kept? Where is it?" one of the figures demanded impatiently.

"Wow, boss, this room's filled with gold. Can I take some?" the other joked.

"Quit fooling around. Gold is useless to us corrupted mages," the leader snapped.

The maid interjected angrily, "Stop bickering! I've been here for six years. This is the only place the Azure Dragon Staff could be, as the young mistress always keeps it close."

Danial, hidden beneath the bed, peered out cautiously. He saw Charlotte gripping what seemed to be an ordinary wooden staff, yet this ordinary wooden staff is the one thing that had been mention by those invaders. He was astonished to realize this ordinary thing was considered an artifact, noticing the dragon head atop the staff and the beautiful azure gem embedded within.

Under the bed, the tension was palpable. Danial and Charlotte held their breath, their hearts racing in the hushed silence. The seconds stretched agonizingly as they waited.

Unaware of their presence, the intruders continued their search.

"There's nothing here. Besides the lavish gold, there's nothing," one muttered in frustration.

The maid noticed Charlotte hiding, she decide to hide her true feeling behind a facade of composure. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and Rita hesitated, her lips forming an almost imperceptible "sorry" before she resumed her stoic demeanor.

"Hmph! What do you know? The young mistress is of the Dragon magic lineage. Dragons are greedy creatures, and those who inherit their power may seem wasteful, but they are also cunning. Sometimes, what appears ordinary can be extraordinary. Do you really think that finding the artifact would be easy?"

"Whatever. I don't care. Let's search elsewhere. This mansion is too vast. If we take too long, they'll return, and we won't stand a chance."

Emerging from their hiding spot under the bed, Danial and Charlotte breathed a collective sigh of relief, the tension dissipating.

"them? it must be dad and uncle Alex, they seem afraid to go against both of them? or maybe is it because they are in a rush?

While Danial was contemplating the possible scenario, Charlotte's mind was in turmoil. "Rita, why did you betray me?"

At that moment also, while the invader thrashing around the mansion, the maid, Rita, glanced at the place where Charlotte was, with a mixture of sadness and resolve. "I'm sorry, young mistress. I had no choice. They threatened my family. Please understand..."

Back to present situation Danial was in a very awkward position as he see Charlotte's eyes filled with tears, a mix of hurt and betrayal. She struggled to comprehend the situation, torn between her loyalty to her longtime companion and the harsh reality of betrayal.

Danial, unsure how to console Charlotte, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure this out, Charlotte. We'll find a way."

Charlotte nodded silently, her thoughts racing as she clutched the staff tightly, a symbol of her lineage and now a beacon of hope in uncertain times.