DRAGONBORN SORCERER

"Say, man. What do you prefer the most?" The giant-looking baldy adventurer leaned on Skyler's shoulders, nearly slamming him against the wall. He somehow managed to keep holding the beer that was about to spill from his hands.

Right after Skyler's evaluation, a big party was thrown by the clan members. In a short amount of time, not only did they managed to prepare foods, they also managed to find the sweetest beer.

The night has fallen. The clan officials' work was done for the day, and thus, everyone joined in the banquet— held to welcome the 'Chosen One'.

The long hall before the front desk, was filled with adventurers. Some tried to share the story of their greatest achievement, while some tried to stop them from bothering Skyler. At the centre of the hall, a long table with various meets, beers, and various delicacies were set up. It was a feast where everyone could eat whatever the wished.

Not to mention, some adventurers were already passed out from drinking too much alcohol, while others were engrossed in competition.

Skyler, however, wasn't particularly happy. If anything— he was rather nervous. He never anticipated the event would take such turn. He reluctantly listened what the others had to say.

"Come on, Mr Mark. Don't pat him so hard. He might feel uncomfortable." A childish looking girl with green curly hair scolded him, "If you're not careful, your behaviour might bother him."

"Is that so, Luna?" He lifted his arms from Skyler's shoulder, "Forgive me, young man. I got careless." He smiled.

"No no. It's alright. I don't mind." said Skyler, taking a sip of the beer he was holding, "Whoa! This is so refined. I've never tasted anything like this before."

"Oh! So you like drinking." Sylphy approached with another bottle, "Feel free to drink to your heart's content. We have plenty."

She started poring him more. Skyler was happy to receive such hospitality. Never in his life had he been treated like a special individual before. Anywhere he went, he was just used and eventually discarded.

With a gentle smile, he drank another glass, recalling his past experiences. It wasn't bad compared to what he had endured before.

"Say, Skyler." With a blushing face and nervous demeanour, Sylphy said, "I know it's sudden. And you may not feel the same way. But… do you mind going out with … me..?"

'Did I hear her right.' His cheeks reddened as he thought, 'Or did Sylphy really just ask me out. No, no, I must be drunk. There's no way she'd actually ask me. Yes. I must be delusional.'

"Come again?" Yet to confirm, he asked her, "I didn't quite understand your words."

"I said, will you go out with me…." She was beyond embarrassed. Confessing one's love, after all, was no easy job.

'Oh, so I did hear her right.' He was lost in thoughts, 'But why me. I'm not that impressive. What's she thinking asking me so suddenly?'

However, he felt doubts about Sylphy's decision, he was happy to face her confession. It was rude not to give her a proper reply. So, he intended to say 'Yes'.

It was moment, he felt immense pain on his head. He couldn't comprehend what happened. All he could remember was the happy faces across the clan as he fell on the floor unconscious.

"Eh??"

'What just happened? Oh, That's right. I'm not worthy to be this happy. It's too good to be real. Everything must be an illusion.'

The light in his eyes faded once again.

***************

Skyler's was regaining his consciousness. His eyelids twitched as he tried to open them. Darkness consumed his vision while half of his vision was blur— soaked in blood.

The wounds on his head and over entire body, were deep. Blood flowed down from his forehead trailing over his cheek— pooling at his chin before falling.

His mind was messed up. The pain was unbearable. With each weak pulse, his mind was drowning into the haze of dizziness. He was in no condition to comprehend— where he was or how did he ended up in that hellish situation. All he could feel, was the immeasurable torment and trauma over his entire body.

"What…. What's this." As he muttered, his voice trembled. He tried moving his arms. The sound of the shackles answered him. His legs were immobilized too.

Skyler, by the way, felt the cold chain wrapping and tightening his entire body.

"What the hell is going on?" He tried to move again, yet another failure. He panicked as the darkness mocked him with no answer. All he could hear was the echo of shackles clashing with each other, and could taste the blood on his tongue.

"I don't understand. What's happening?" He whispered as a terror ran down through his spine, "I was in the clan… Yes, that's right. I was inside the clan when I felt the sudden pain… in my head?"

At that moment, cheerful faces of all the members started revolving around his head. He was happy back then— so happy as to let his guard down.

'Those happy moments, was all those an illusion?'

"Stay calm, Skyler." He muttered through cracking teeth , "I'm a Stage-5 Mage. I should be able to use magic at least. Now, how do I use?"

The void remained silent, providing him with no such guidance, thus, didn't know how to use it either.

Though, what he did know that it wasn't an easy job to enchant magical spells out on whim. It required disciplined training, consistency and mastery to harness mana within the body. Without these, wielding magical abilities are nothing but a distant dream.

"Damn it, Hemmy! I know. I know. Stop lecturing me already." He roared into the void— into the eternal darkness.

Hemsworth's advice echoed through his mind as the ghost of frustration only deepened his despair.

"Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT !!!" He kept shouting on frustration, "Why the hell am I so damn pathetic? Why the hell I keep trusting others when all I ever get is betrayal? Damn it! Damn it! DAMN YOU, XAN!!

He screamed out loud. Leading him to cough blood. The tears he shredded, turned to blood, flowing from his eyes in agony.

"What's the point of starting a new life when I'm again facing such cruelty, such agony, such distress. Why? Why? WHY, XAN?"

The name left his mouth like a vile curse— occasionally with coughs of blood. His futile struggle against the shackles did nothing but mocked him as his mind ultimately hit a maze of realisation, and the fragments of thoughts spiralled.

"Are the clan members and Sylphy the culprits who are the reason of my circumstances? Or maybe I was in an illusion from the moment I woke up. Yes, yes, that can be it." He chuckled awkwardly, albeit rather uncertainly, "You've gotta be kidding me, right? They seemed to be so much happy finding out me to be the chosen one by their goddess. There's no way they'd do this to me. Would they?"

He once again thought of those happy faces, those joyful moment, those praise, even Sylphy's confession. Could those memories really be just an illusion?

"Now that I think about it, their smiles were giving me a creepy vibe back then. Yet, Sylphy's face…" he clenched his teeth, "Her cute face…. Was real. Yes. It was real. I'm damn sure of it. Then all she did was an act? Was her gentle and warm smile nothing but a mask hiding her ill motives?"

Another silent. The pain and dizziness was deafening him. It was chewing his mind, his entire body and soul, as well as his memories.

"There's only one way to find that out. I need to break out of here." He might be reluctant in trusting others. But he wasn't weak to give up— not just yet, at least. He attempted once again, gathering all his might. Yet another failure.

The sound of the shackles echoed, and nothing more happened.

"Whoa! Look at that pathetic." A voice different than his own, came to his ears, "Haa-Haa-Haa. He thought that he was some sort of big shot, a chosen one? Give me a break, haa-haa-haa. Can't blame him though. He after all fall for my tricks."