History

My reply was simply to gape at him.

Magic was a speculative subject in Thorla. Scientists acknowledged its widespread use in ancient times, but they believed it had gradually diminished due to inadequate genes diluting it out.

This was millennia ago, so without a magic-wielding person in Thorla, it was accepted as truth: magic no longer existed. I couldn't fathom how they thought they used magic back then. However, they were dangerously mistaken. I had just witnessed a man slay an animal with an attack so quick I barely managed to protect myself.

It felt like electricity dancing on my fingertips as excitement boiled within me. "How can I use this magic?" I asked, trying to mask my excessive exhilaration.

The man smiled and glanced at the ground. "I'd be pleased to teach a fellow Thorlan, however…" He trailed off, leaving me in silence. "Once you do, you can't go back to Thorla."

My expression remained serene as the words registered. "What?" I blurted out.

He released a hefty sigh and looked off into the distance, evading my gaze. "Anyone exposed to the Essence will naturally comprehend it-"

I cut him off abruptly, my irritation bubbling up. "That would be a great thing," I rebuked.

He shook his head and began speaking, "Why do you think Thorla doesn't possess this power?" he quizzed me.

I pondered for a moment and came up with two answers. "Inferior genes and inability to control it?"

He bit his lip and tilted his head to his shoulder. "Close. They were exterminated. This place we're at is a completely different continent. They wanted to keep the power all to themselves."

The sudden revelation left me subtly puzzled. I hadn't lived through those events, so I didn't care much. However, it was still bizarre to think about. "And?"

"That cannot happen again. Not only because of the impact it would have on the Earth but also due to the potential crises between the two continents. It would be catastrophic. With the majority of humans comprehending magic, animals would ascend into Magical Beasts, the world would become richer in essence, causing a great exaggeration in power, and then this continent would wage war to keep the power to themselves. Do you think I was strong? Boy, I am the bottom of the barrel. There are many men and women much more powerful than me; they could quite literally kill me with a wave of their palm."

It seemed arduous for him to continue as sweat dripped down his forehead and veins bulged. "Sigh, we're going to have to take a slight break. Come, let me lead you to my home." Suddenly, we were heading towards the city in front of us. As we neared, my eyes flickered around, paranoid to the utmost degree.

"Won't they know who I am?" I asked.

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye before turning back ahead. "Don't worry, I have… quite a bit of status here, along with some tricks," he said with a sheepish smirk. I nodded and followed his lead.

As we approached, I caught sight of a modest ripple in the space in front of us. It was as if the area was water. "W-"

"An illusion. I'll explain later," he cut me off, anticipating my question.

Before I could refute, the world around me unexpectedly changed, the palette of colors transitioning from ebony, orange, and tan to a myriad of vibrant and resonant hues. The medium-sized buildings morphed into fortresses that towered above the clouds. Their gunky black facades transformed into sleek and elegant raven walls.

I could barely see my reflection in them. Despite being a slight blur, I could make out my golden hair flowing down to my shoulders, strands skimming the corner of my brow. My eyes were dim and baggy, their yellow glow losing its shimmer.

I followed the man as we turned onto a gaudy road. Men and women in everyday civilian clothes strolled across the street, carefree and gleeful.

He extended his arm just past me. "Wear this." I cocked my brow. "Wear what?" On cue, as if planned, light radiated from his finger and distorted into the form of a ring. I stared in awe at the marvelous trick, flicking my eyes between him and the object.

Once it finished materializing, it dropped into his palm. He shook his hand, drawing me out of my stupor. I grabbed it and slipped it onto my finger.

It was an ordinary black ring that fit perfectly on my ring finger.

After a long standstill, he peered back and smiled. "That's better. For now, you'll be Grant." I raised an eyebrow and looked at the sleek building beside me.

To my shock, my hair changed from yellow to dim brown, the skin around my eyes transformed, and the arch of my nose became more prominent. My chin was broader, and my ears poked out. "I'm kinda… ugly."

The man giggled. "Don't worry," he said, placing his hand back in his pocket. "As much as your looks are glorious, they would attract too much attention. Even if it's positive attention." I nodded in agreement and stepped forward.

—

Eventually, we reached our destination.

Unlike the other parts of town, this area was shabbier. It was a small wooden building, devoid of windows. We entered through the door, and as expected, it was just as hideous on the inside. There were heaps of paper on a metal desk and various tools scattered around.

"Not the tidiest," I remarked.

"Don't worry, just a showing."

We moved to the back of the building. "Secret door type thing?" I asked curiously.

He nodded. "I inject my essence into it, and it opens. Fancy, if you ask me." I mentally approved, taking note of such mechanisms for the future.

As expected, the walls parted, revealing a lively silver room with various stations and people bustling about. A cacophony of sounds filled the air: shouts, clanging, and mechanical noises. "And this is…?" I surveyed the area, unsure what to make of it.

"A lab. A lot of testing, and theories, and most importantly," he spun to me with a big grin plastered on his lips, "training!" I didn't share his excitement; my motivation was delicate after the recent battles and the exertion required to survive.

"Perhaps I can sleep first," I requested, though my tone implied it was an order. He sighed, disappointment lacing his expression. "Fine. But first, I shall explain the rest to you." I was willing to hear him out.

We walked past the occupied men and women, taking a left into a long corridor. Lights dangled from the roof, the real light source emitted from a sphere at the far end.

We entered a room in the center. "This is my room," he said, waving his hand. "Sit, please." I looked at the wooden chair and sat in it, crossing my legs. He took a seat in a similar chair.

"So."

—

A couple of hours passed, and I was escorted out by Clyde's assistants. They brought me to my room, which was simple but neat.

It had a desk, a wardrobe generously filled with fitting attire, a bed, and a bookshelf. I nodded as the assistants departed, leaving me with my room and thoughts.

I took a moment to adjust, pacing around the room aimlessly before slipping off my bloodied armor.

I changed into neat clothes and sat down, the softness of my bed a delight after weeks. I shut my eyes and looked at the ceiling. "A lot is to come," I said to myself.

The realization wasn't shocking. I opened my eyes and sighed.

Clyde had told me many things, but only a few stood out.

This continent, Weryn, had planted mages in Thorla who discreetly either assassinated mages or spiked their drinks, rendering them infertile and unable to reproduce. This process took centuries, but ultimately, it was a success.

And for reasons Clyde didn't know, they kept it a secret into the future, as if they never had magic to begin with. The reason? Power.

The pureblooded royals wanted the power to belong to Weryn and only Weryn. They made a vow, still heeded after millennia, that should Thorla recover the ability to use Essence, war would be waged. Such power-hungry animals, I thought.

I rested my head against the blankets, my eyelids growing heavy. My thoughts raced, so many problems it was hard to digest.

Eventually, my mind slowed down.

—

A faint gust caressed my neck, my eyelids gradually opening to reveal my golden eyes. My room was nearly pitch black, and in front of me, a very weak outline of a blade rested on my neck.

I relaxed my body, scanning the room.

I managed to make out two figures before they spoke. "Move without being ordered, and you're dead," one whispered in my ear, his hot breath tickling my earlobe.

The men, each nearly six and a half feet tall, were armed with short five-inch blades. One was closer to my side than the other.

I remained silent, staring ahead. A test, perhaps? I thought. The man's hand reached below my armpit and nudged me up. "Up." I turned my head to meet his gaze. "Unhand me," I requested calmly.

His bushy eyebrows furrowed as his crony pressed the blade against my neck, a trickle of blood seeping down to my chest.

"Listen to us," he commanded in an irate tone, "Or we'll cut your neck." The threat was empty to me. These words did not instill fear. They were fragile men, pitifully weak.

I slammed my armpit to my upper torso, trapping his hand. With control gained, I spun counter-clockwise, applying pressure to his knuckles.

CRRRRRAKKKKK

Before I could revel in his pain, I hurled my off-hand at the other man's nose. His eyes widened momentarily before filling with resolve. He dodged my strike and quickly retaliated with a punch to my lower hip. I recoiled backward, reeling in my extended arm after the rotation.

Due to the limited visibility, the man failed to notice my next move. He gasped in fright as my palm wrapped around the back of his head.

My stance was peculiar but rewarding. My right arm was clutched against my body, right and left legs spread and firmly planted. My hand wrapped around the back of his head, and with my front leg in line with his face, an oh-so-brutal attack was incoming.

I pulled and raised my knee, slamming his head forward. Instantly, I let go of the other man's fingers, grabbing ahold of his elbow instead. In unison, the men cried out in distress. One was wickedly kneed in the head, his head snapping back in a gruesome manner. Blood flew in a crescent, and his eyes rolled backward.

The other man fell to my left as I shoved him. However, as I thrust, I released my grasp, delivering a backhand to the bridge of his nose.

I withdrew my left hand from the incapacitated assailant and plunged it into the second man's gut. Before my strength could send his body reeling, I wrapped my arm around his torso and held him up.

"Aha! Look at that!" I exclaimed. I snatched his cheeks and mashed them together like one does to a baby, eliciting a giggle from myself. He whined like a pig while scratching and clutching at me in vain. "You snuck up, had the number advantage, and lost miserably. You're a fucking loser." I released my grip and let him tumble onto the tile floor.

He began to rise to his knees, but I slammed my foot onto his back. He looked up and pleaded for mercy, even giving me a waterworks show. I shook my head. "I can't do that," I said, lingering. "I gotta kill anyone who tries to kill me, y'know?"

I raised my foot, my knee lifting to my chest. "Bye," I said, devoid of emotion. I brought my foot down like an executioner's blade, smashing it into his skull. He wailed before it made contact, only for me to forget it. Fragments of his skull spurted out and smacked against the wall. A cacophony of grotesque sounds filled the room. Like wet mush, his brain was obliterated.

"Disgusting," I muttered, my nose wrinkling in disgust. Wet, bloody chunks clung to my foot, drooping and dribbling more blood onto the ground. A pool of blood seeped around his body and onto my clean foot. I peered over at the man I kneed, still unconscious. I trotted over and squatted down, picking up the knife they had used. I couldn't even torture him.

I plunged the knife deep into his skull. It offered minor resistance. And just like that, they were defeated in nearly a dozen seconds, slain in thirty. I stood up and looked around, walking to the door to activate the light.

From the center of the room, a lively white glow illuminated, eventually allowing visibility.

Now, the gory exhibition was for anyone to witness. I thoroughly scanned their attire, unmasking them and memorizing their faces. It might not serve any purpose, but I wouldn't pass on the possibility to identify them. I sighed. Now I had to find Clyde to clean it up.

Fuck me.