The Sorcerer Who Loved Magic But Hated Reading

Alaric and Elyas stood in front of the guild's quest board, scanning the rows of parchment pinned to the wooden panel. Alaric's eyes gleamed with determination as he read through each one, but his gaze was drawn to the hardest quest: "Slay the Bandit King's Goblin Minions". The reward was generous, but the risk was high. Elyas, noticing where Alaric was looking, stepped in front of him to block his view.

"Don't even think about taking that one," Elyas said, his voice low and serious. "It's too dangerous."

Alaric raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about danger?" he retorted. "I'm a sorcerer. I can handle it."

Elyas sighed, crossing his arms. "Maybe so, but you're not invincible. What about the goblins' traps? Or their numbers? We could end up in a real mess."

Alaric frowned, clearly tempted by the challenge. But then his gaze fell on another quest lower down the board. It read: "Assist a Village in Need". The description mentioned that the villagers were suffering from wounds and needed help with medicine and care.

"Look at this one," Elyas pointed out, nudging Alaric with his elbow. "The village needs help, and you're great with healing spells. Plus, it's safer than hunting goblins."

Alaric sighed. "I don't want to babysit villagers," he grumbled. "I'm a warrior, not a healer."

Elyas's eyes softened. "But they need us, Alaric. Just take the quest. It's not about being strong or tough all the time. Sometimes it's about doing what's right."

Alaric hesitated for a moment, then gave in. "Fine, fine," he muttered. "I'll take the village quest."

Elyas clapped him on the back. "That's the spirit. Come on, let's get moving. There's no time to waste."

As Alaric and Elyas continued their journey towards the village, they suddenly heard a familiar voice calling out to them from behind. It was Clara, a fellow adventurer they'd often crossed paths with in the guild. She jogged up to them, her bright eyes scanning their faces with curiosity.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Clara greeted with a wide smile. "Heading out on a quest?"

Elyas nodded. "Yeah, we're on our way to help a village with some bad wounds. Figured it was about time we did some good in the world."

Clara's expression brightened. "That sounds great! I've been looking for a quest too. And besides, I need a party to join."

Elyas exchanged a glance with Alaric, who was clearly less than thrilled about the idea. "Uh, I don't know, Clara. We're not exactly looking for company," he replied, hesitating.

Clara's face fell slightly, but she quickly recovered. "Please, guys. I need to join a party for the quest. And I'd really like to help out."

Elyas bit his lip and turned to Alaric. "What do you think?"

Alaric let out an exasperated sigh but didn't want to be too harsh. "Fine, whatever. It's only boring," he grumbled.

Elyas grinned and gave Alaric a quick pinch on the cheek. "Just smile and be nice, will you? It's okay, Clara. You can join us."

Clara's face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you, Elyas, Alaric. I promise I won't be in the way."

Elyas clapped her on the shoulder. "No worries. The more the merrier. Let's get going."

Clara's eyes sparkled with excitement as she joined them, bouncing along happily. "Thanks, guys. This will be fun!" she said with a smile.

As Alaric and Elyas walked through the dense forest on their way to the village, Alaric was bored out of his mind. To pass the time, he started casting small magic spells—simple tricks of light and sound just to keep himself occupied. Elyas noticed right away.

"Alaric, be careful with that!" Elyas called out, his voice sharp. "You might hit someone or cause trouble."

Alaric shrugged. "It's just a little magic," he muttered, not looking up from his spells.

Elyas sighed and apologized to Clara, who was walking with them. "Sorry about him, Clara. He's a bit of a fool sometimes."

Clara smiled, trying to be understanding. "It's okay, really. Boys will be boys, right?"

Elyas gave her an apologetic look. "Still, Alaric, can't you at least try to act like a gentleman with Clara here?"

Alaric rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Fine, fine, father," he muttered under his breath, his tone full of sarcasm.

Elyas sighed, not sure whether to be exasperated or amused. "Just try to be nice, Alaric," he said, giving him a stern look.

Alaric's boredom got the best of him, and he continued to mumble under his breath. "Fine, fine," he repeated, making sure Clara heard the sarcasm in his voice.

Clara spotted a small village ahead through the trees. "Hey, look! There's a village," she said, pointing ahead. "It looks like it's not far now."

Elyas's mood lightened at the sight. "Good, we're almost there. Let's go check it out and see what they need."

Alaric shrugged, clearly not as excited. "Fine," he said, his tone still bored.

As they continued through the forest, the village grew closer, and the air filled with the sounds of everyday life—voices, laughter, and the occasional clattering of tools. It was a welcome change from the silent woods they had been walking through.