Chapter 13: Circlet

Joshua pulled up his hood, walking briskly through the streets bathed in the golden hues of early morning light.

The city was already awake—bustling vendors setting up food stalls, commuters rushing to work, and joggers weaving through pedestrians on the sidewalks. Cars honked impatiently, and the scent of freshly baked bread and brewing coffee mixed with the lingering smog of the city.

He kept his head down, his pulse still racing from the incident.

A child nearly died right in front of him. And in his desperation, he had somehow saved her—not by strength, not by speed, but by something else entirely.

Something unnatural.

"No cameras… no cameras…" he reassured himself.

This was an older part of the city—less tech surveillance, fewer eyewitnesses who cared. Hopefully, the authorities wouldn't track him down.

His legs felt heavy, his breath shallow. Even though he had just woken up before heading to the gym, he was exhausted—a deep, bone-weary fatigue settling over him.

And worse than that—

His stomach ached with hunger, but it wasn't the normal kind of hunger.

This was something deeper, as if his very being had been drained.

"Is this… because of magic?"

His hands trembled slightly as he made his way up the worn-out metal staircase leading to his apartment.

He barely got inside before his legs gave out, sending him crashing onto the floor.

"Shit… I feel like I ran a marathon and lifted a truck right after."

It was worse than any workout exhaustion he had ever felt.

His muscles weren't just sore—they felt hollow, like something had been pulled out of him.

His breathing slowed, his head spinning. He could feel the faint, residual warmth of magic lingering under his skin, those strange silver lines still faintly visible on his forearm.

Whatever he had done back there…

It had taken something out of him.

After several minutes of just lying there, staring at the ceiling, his stomach let out a loud, painful growl.

"I need to eat. Now."

With sheer willpower, he pushed himself up, staggering toward the kitchen. His hands moved on instinct—grabbing eggs, leftover rice, some frozen meat from the fridge.

His movements were slow, sluggish, but he forced himself to focus.

Crack the eggs. Stir. Heat the pan. Cook.

He didn't even care what he was making, only that it was fast and filling.

By the time the meal was done, he practically collapsed into his seat and began devouring it.

Each bite sent warmth through his body, refueling him in a way that felt almost spiritual.

But even as he ate, his eyes drifted to his forearms.

Even under the soft morning light filtering through his window, he could see them—the faint silver lines tracing his skin.

Not just his arms.

His shoulders.

His chest.

"Goddammit."

He shoved his chair back, pulled off his shirt, and checked every inch of himself in the mirror.

The intricate patterns ran everywhere, like veins of liquid silver embedded in his very flesh.

Maydee had said "every inch of your body will be touched by magic."

"When she said 'every inch'… she really meant it."

He exhaled sharply.

After finishing his meal, he washed up, letting the warm water relax his body.

The fatigue was still there, but at least his mind was clearer now.

There was only one way to get real answers.

Joshua dried himself off, threw on some clothes, and walked over to his bed.

He lay down.

Closed his eyes.

And whispered—

"Connect."

______________________

Heat.

The warmth of the fireplace was the first thing he noticed.

Joshua opened his eyes and found himself standing in the same spot—in front of the fire, still in the wooden chamber he had last been in.

And still, completely naked.

"Oh, come on—"

"So, how is it?"

Joshua jumped, spinning around.

Maydee stood near the door, arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips.

His hands shot to cover himself.

"Don't you ever knock?!" he blurted, then quickly added, "Master."

Maydee raised an eyebrow. "This is my room."

Joshua groaned in frustration before realizing she was right.

He exhaled sharply. "Sorry, Master."

Maydee chuckled. "Hurry up and get dressed. Meet me in the library on the second floor. I'll answer your questions there."

With that, she turned and left.

Joshua scrambled to find clothes, dressing as fast as possible.

The second floor was lined with ornate wooden doors, the air thick with the scent of aged parchment and burning candles.

One door stood slightly ajar.

He pushed it open.

"Master?"

"In here."

The moment he stepped inside, he felt like he had walked into organized chaos.

Books were everywhere—piles stacked haphazardly on the floor, scrolls spilling over desks, ancient tomes left open with pages covered in glowing symbols.

Some books floated in the air, slowly turning their pages as if unseen hands were flipping through them.

To his left, a large cauldron bubbled with a faintly glowing blue liquid. The air above it shimmered, distorting light like heat waves.

Crystals of various colors and sizes were scattered across tables, some pulsing softly, others crackling with faint energy.

Near the window, a massive birdcage held not a bird, but a floating orb of fire, flickering like a trapped star.

And at the center of the room—

Maydee, sitting behind a massive wooden desk, smiling.

"Sit."

Joshua hesitated before pulling up a chair.

"So," Maydee leaned forward. "What do you want to know?"

Joshua inhaled sharply.

"Everything."

"Tell me everything. What's happening to me?"

Maydee's smile widened. "My, my, my… my disciple is so feisty."

Then she leaned back, conjuring a small orb of light above her palm.

"You have the Gift," she said.

Joshua listened carefully.

"In simple terms, you can wield this world's energy—to shape it, to command it, to make it your own."

"This is a warrior village. We fight. We hunt. We survive. I am the only one with the Gift here, and it is my duty to protect our warriors when muscle isn't enough."

Joshua frowned. "And me?"

Maydee tilted her head. "You were Awakened. Your body has already begun changing. You've seen the marks."

Joshua instinctively touched his forearm.

"This isn't normal, is it?"

Maydee smirked. "No. But it's a start."

She reached beneath her desk and pulled out a simple circlet—plain, dark, unadorned.

"Put this on."

Joshua frowned. "What is it?"

"Something my master gave me—to test the next generation of the Gifted in this town."

Joshua swallowed.

Then, slowly, he placed the circlet on his head.

Darkness consumed him.