21 Another day, another stalker (1/2)
Ashley was looking worried while her friend stayed unconscious on top of the bed. The one responsible for putting her to sleep was the young mage standing in front of her calmly reading his book of spells, her own brother.
She was not a huge fan of asking favors to him. This guy always would request something very valuable in return. Despite being her own blood, he loved taking advantage of her status as a bartender knowing that she would often meet plenty of adventures that would require help that only he could provide. The problem was, despite how shady he was, the young mage was honestly really good at his job. Ashley had yet to encounter someone who requested for his services and left unsatisfied, so she knew he was the best chance her sleeping friend, Evlin, had at finding the person they were looking for.
After Evlin revealed a piece of cloth of the person she wanted to see, the famous hero Marceus, the boy begun to perform some kind of ritual and the cloth started to glow with an immense silver light. The light proceeded to circulate Evlin's body and made her pass out leading to the current situation.
She has been sleeping for almost an hour now making Ashley very concerned and wondering if something could have gone wrong. But before she could question him, her brother tried to calm her down.
”She's fine... Stop making such a face...”
”But it has been so long now...”
”She was looking for this guy for a long time right? They probably have a lot to talk about. Just be patient and wait for her to wake up on her own.”
”You better be right...”
”Just relax for now... Why don't you go to sleep as well?”
”Like hell I would go to sleep in a place like this...”
”A place like this... I live here you know?”
”That's the point... If this is the place you call your home then there is no way i can let my guard down...”
”Oh please, you really haven't changed... Always worrying about nothing...”
”Never mind that now... What exactly did you ask for her in return?”
”You heard her... Nothing she can't live without...”
”Mmmm...”
”For crying out loud... I didn't ask for her left leg or her fondest memories or anything like that... Just a material possession that I've been keeping my eye on for a while...”
”Possession... You asked for her armor?”
”Not the whole thing... I would be fine with just her crossbow.”
”Why would you want that?”
”Do you ever wonder why she carries this thing around and not a staff like every other mage?”
”... Because it looks cool?”
”... No... It's because it possess all of the mass of a regular staff but in a much more practical and compact shape. Much easier to carry and handle it in combat. In fact, if you look closer, it actually possesses much more mass than a normal staff, which means she can access more magic power... And also because it looks cool!”
”This crossbow is really that good? Why don't all mages just shape their staffs as crossbows like her then?”
”Of course you would ask that... If it was that simple people would have done it already... The channeling tree can not simply be re-shaped so easily... Even my own staff is just a piece of the root in it's original state just like when i first received it.”
”Really... But Evlin changes the shape of her armor like it is nothing all the time.”
”That's because this girl is different... She is some kind of genius... Not many people can master modeling magic... I even heard she clobbered my student...”
”Your student...?”
”The prince, i was one of his many teachers.”
”You!?”
”Yeah... I tried my best to make him into a great mage but he would keep acting like a spoiled child... He kept asking me to teach him how to become a master-mage rank but he just kept relying on white crystals to do all the work... He was nothing but a lazy brat...”
”I never took you for a teacher...”
”Oh there is nothing that i enjoy more than being able to share the greatness of magic with people who desire it! If only i had... ... ... The right student...”
”... Why... Are you looking at her like that...?”
”Nothing much... Just wondering...”
While the two kept discussing Evlin finally woke up and jumped out the bed screaming.
”Find Daren and Lilith! Find Ria! Find Marcus! Find Daren and Lilith! Find Ria! Find Marcus! Find Daren and Lilith! Find Ria! Find Marcus!”
She kept running around the room repeating these words over and over again with Ashley and her brother looking at her like she was a broken record. Ashley tried to calm her down.
”Evlin! Evlin calm down!! You look like you are about to explode!”
”I don't have time to calm down! I need to find Daren, Lilith and Ria!! And i need to go to Emerald Dawn now!!”
Evlin put on her boots and reached for the door on the room trying to leave. Before she could do that however, the young mage quickly appeared in front of her blocking her passage.
”Hold on, we have a deal remember?”
”Oh right... I forgot about you, sorry... Huh... Your name was...?”
”Xadi... And it is very rude to forget about your benefactor... Now... My reward...”
”Right... My crossbow... You mind if... I deliver it to you next week?”
”You're kidding right? Maybe it's because i make it look easy but do you know how much effort it takes to perform a tracking spell?”
”I can't give it right now! I need to reach the city of Emerald Dawn as soon as possible and i can't get there fast enough without all the power of my magic. I swear i will give it to you later but please let me go!”
”You really need to go huh?”
”Yes, very much!!”
”Evlin!!”
Evlin looked at Ashley's face and realized that she had made the same mistake again. Xadi was a business man, and the moment they realize they have something you want, they always try to find a way to exploit it the best they can.
”In that case i want to double my price.”
”You want all of my armor? Fine you can have it... After I'm done with my business i won't need it anymore...”
”Not just the armor, i want all of you!”
”... Beg your pardon...?”
”I want you to become my servant. I will be your new master and turn you into the greatest mage in the world. With you under my belt, there is nothing that will be out of my reach!”