An Offer

Three of them were youthful men possessed of an almost otherworldly handsomeness, the kind of striking features that would have set hearts aflutter back in Gladius's previous homeworld. 

Yet it was the solitary maiden among their ranks whose beauty truly stole the breath from one's lungs. With flawless, delicate features framed by lustrous tresses and eyes that shone with the depthless mystery of the cosmos itself, she was a vision of beauty that completely outshines those famous beauties back on Earth.

Gladius had to assume the reason for their greater appearance was because of Magic. Though, appearance or not, he was ready to act if it came down to it.

As this regal quartet studied him with a mixture of slight wariness and insatiate curiosity, Gladius did not allow his stance to falter, maintaining that state of profound focus and readiness should this encounter turn hostile. Yet neither did he allow his instincts to mislead him into presenting an overtly aggressive posture.

He kept his silver sword out, though lowering it to show he was non-hostile. He didn't want to startle the Mages by suddenly recalling the sword.

Striding forth with the quiet confidence of one who has stared death in the face and emerged triumphant, Gladius calmly addressed the curious mages. 

"I don't want any trouble," he stated in an even, resonant tone. "Though it seems you have questions for me, if the confusion on your faces is any indication."

After a beat of stunned silence, the apparent leader of the group – a striking youth with raven locks and bearing of authority – managed a faint smile as he nodded in acknowledgment. 

"You guessed rightly. It is not every day we bear witness to one who seems utterly devoid of even the faintest whisper of mana, and yet possesses sufficient skill to slay a rampaging Nascent Beast unaided."

His words seemed to shake the others from their stupor, a flurry of hushed whispers and sidelong glances passing between the mages as they studied Gladius with renewed curiosity. Though their body language remained guarded, Gladius could sense no outright hostility from the quartet – at least, not yet.

The woman of the group cocked her head to the side, regarding Gladius with a coy smile. 

"I can tell... you're from a small town, aren't you?" Her melodious voice carried a hint of amusement, as if she found his presence in these perilous wilds utterly bemusing. "You seem to have some potential, mage or not. Perhaps they simply never had the chance to awaken your Innate Spirit?"

"Or maybe he's doing that strange thing of compressing mana into one singular point," one of the other mages, a tall and lanky youth, offered with a casual shrug of his shoulders. 

Yet his words only earned a derisive snort from another member of the quartet – a shorter mage whose bearing exuded an almost palpable aura of arrogant pride.

"Tch. If that were true, don't you think any one of us would have sensed that flow of mana?" the diminutive practitioner scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain as he regarded his taller compatriot. "Honestly, Merrick, sometimes I wonder if you've even mastered the basics of mana perception."

Gladius, however, paid little heed to the mages' bickering, instead seizing upon this fortuitous opportunity to glean further insights into the wondrous realm he now found himself inhabiting. 

Focusing his attention upon the woman, he posed a direct query. "You're right, the small town I hail from lacked the resources to properly test for any latent magical potential I may possess. As such, I've had to rely solely upon honing my physical prowess to survive against the beasts that roam these lands."

He allowed a faint, appreciative smile to grace his lips as he continued. "Perhaps I do harbor some innate connection to the mystical forces you call 'mana.' If you would be so kind as to aid me in uncovering that truth, I would be more than willing to offer my services as a guide through these treacherous forests – and any other assistance you may require."

The leader of the mage quartet regarded Gladius with eyes that seemed to glimmer with a calculating light, as if some burgeoning scheme were taking root behind that impassive facade. 

After a momentary pause, he reached into the folds of his immaculate robes and retrieved a slender wooden staff, shorter than those wielded by his companions yet still adorned with intricate runic etchings that pulsed with a faint, otherworldly luminance.

"Very well," the mage addressed Gladius, his tone carrying a clipped professionalism that bordered on outright dismissiveness. "If you are at least capable of channeling your spirit's essence, attempt to attune your energies with this basic wand. The degree to which it resonates with your inner power should provide us with a rough gauge of your magical aptitude – if any exists at all."

Gladius accepted the proffered wand without hesitation, already anticipating the probable outcome of this endeavor. Yet, he recognized the value in playing along, if only to gain further insights into the nature of this world's mystical underpinnings.

Centering his focus inward, Gladius reached for that profound wellspring of power that thrummed at the core of his very being – an energy distinct from, yet harmoniously intertwined with, the ethereal mana force permeating the environment around them. 

It was the primordial essence of his soul given corporeal form, the fundamental driving force that had first awakened his transcendent connection to the sword's mystic force.

With practiced ease, he directed that torrent of metaphysical might into the unassuming wand gripped firmly in his grasp. And in that moment, Gladius's eyes widened ever so slightly as an entirely new realm of possibilities seemed to unfurl before his inner vision.

While the wand itself remained utterly inert, devoid of even the faintest whisper of mana's radiant glow, Gladius could now perceive that enigmatic force with heightened clarity. 

It was as if a veil had been lifted from his senses, affording him an unprecedented glimpse into the intricate ebb and flow of mystic energies suffusing the entire realm.

Even in this singular instant of attunement, his mind greedily devoured every mote of information it could grasp, his comprehension of mana's fundamental principles expanding exponentially with each passing heartbeat. 

In that brief exchange, he gained a deeper understanding of the mystical force permeating this world, broadening his mind and strengthening his bond with the sword.

Though outwardly, the only visible manifestation was a faint tremor that caused the humble wand to shiver in his grip.

"I see..." The leader's voice betrayed neither surprise nor disappointment as Gladius wordlessly returned the ineffectual focus item. 

A series of meaningful glances were exchanged between the quartet of mages, unspoken understandings passing among them in the depths of those fathomless eyes.

"We should do it," the maiden proclaimed at last, an enigmatic smile playing across her lips – a smile of such breathtaking radiance that it could surely disarm even the most jaded of souls. 

Her compatriots offered resolute nods of assent, their previous squabbles seemingly forgotten in the face of this new agenda.

Turning his attention back towards Gladius, the leader managed a thin, inscrutable smile of his own. "It is... strange, to be sure, that one devoid of even the faintest whisper of mana could exhibit such mastery over the physical arts. Yet regardless of the reasons, you have clearly demonstrated your capabilities."

Those piercing eyes studied Gladius with a different light, feeling much calmer now that it was confirmed he had no Mana to speak of.

The leader continued to say, "As such, we can take you to accompany us back to Emberstar City. Your particular talents would surely prove invaluable, and you would find far greater opportunities awaiting you under our...guidance, than braving the wilderness alone."

On its surface, the offer seemed incredibly tempting – the prospect of shelter and security in this harsh, unforgiving realm. 

Yet Gladius was no naive fool, easily swayed by honeyed words and grandescent promises. He could read the underlying intentions flickering like shadows behind the mages' eyes, the subtle arrogance and condescension they exuded towards one they perceived as a mere mundane charlatan.

These were individuals who believed themselves to be the undisputed masters of their destines, entitled to wield both mystic and mortal alike as mere pieces upon the game board of their ambitions. 

Gladius had encountered such self-assured manipulators before, both in his previous world and this strange new realm – those who believed the shroud of power granted them impunity to exploit any perceived weakness for their own inscrutable ends.

Yet, the fact remained that he currently possessed few viable alternatives to their proposition. Lacking any true allies or safe havens in this unfamiliar realm, striking out alone would only leave him vulnerable to an untimely demise – be it at the crushing talons of some beast horror, or the unseen machinations of those who would seek to use him as a mere disposable pawn.

No, the only prudent path forward was to accept their overtures, at least for the time being. To bide his time, studying their ways and stratagems until the opportune moment to strike out and go on his own way. 

But until then, he would play along, maintaining an outward facade of gratitude while his instincts remained eternally vigilant.