Warlock of the Magus World – Redux

Leylin dutifully obeyed the witch's instructions and placed both of his hands on the crystal ball.

The surface of the crystal ball felt icy cold, and Leylin could even feel strange, almost imperceptible vibrations under his fingertips.

His head quickly began to hurt as if there was a hurricane stirring inside. Ostensibly in synchronization with this headache, the crystal ball also started to emit a faint white glow.

"That's it. Don't let go." -The witch stared attentively at the crystal ball's reaction to the boy's action.

As many seconds went by, the pain buzzing within Leylin's head increased exponentially. The crystal ball in his hands had grown brighter, and now it flashed intermittently.

"I can't... do this anymore-- !" -Leylin clenched his teeth, and the pain was effectively splitting his brain in two, causing him to loosen his grip on the crystal ball unavoidably.

"Hmmm. So you are at this level?" -The witch nodded her head. She took out a goose feather pen and scribbled something on Leylin's form.

The Farlier heir waited for her to elaborate.

"We categorize the magic potential of acolytes into five gradings. First grade is the worst and fifth grade the best. You are in the third grade." -The witch revealed impatiently.

She then turned a ring on her right hand and stamped a strange mark on Leylin's form, which shone in dim red light for a second.

"My examination is over, continue through the opening behind me. Next...!" -The witch told nonchalantly.

Seeing a young girl with freckles entering the tent for her shot at the crystal ball, Leylin took his sheepskin-made form and made for the indicated exit.

Without sparing the old witch another glance, he lifted the hanging curtain of the tent and proceeded to the next part of the test.

The area was still as spacious as the one earlier, and in the middle, there was a white-bearded old geezer sitting behind a square metallic table.

'From the layout of this room, this should be the second and final test... We'll discuss this whole affair as soon as I'm finished, Aralis.' -Leylin inwardly told his A.I., as he sat in front of the old geezer and handed the form over to him.

[Understood, Doctor.]

"Third grade..." -The white-bearded old geezer stroked his chin not letting any emotion show: "Alright, now we'll check for your elemental affinity."

The old wizard knocked thrice on the tabletop and it immediately split open. A mysterious black basin rose from the center. This basin was not shaped evenly. It looked to be made of stone, and there was a kind of liquid metal flowing inside that resembled mercury.

"Carefully look into it. Focus only on the water, let nothing distract you." -The old geezer's voice sounded, seemingly carrying an authoritative tone.

Leylin could not help but divert all his attention towards the heart of the basin. With his constant focus, the mercury-like substance whirled over and over in repeated motions, after it turned into a miniature, turbulent whirlpool.

"Tell me, what do you see?" -The ancient wizard asked.

Leylin's eyesight felt a little glazy: "A raven-black whirlpool. I can identify nothing else out of its features, other than it is moving fast... There are also various red spots disseminated throughout..."

"Anything else?"

"Some green specks of light in the surrounding area outside the whirlpool."

"Are there a lot of those green spots?"

"Not at all. I can hardly discern them..."

"Very well, boy." -The old geezer snapped his fingers, and Leylin suddenly came back to his senses.

'I'm getting tired of being put under magical illusions unwittingly.' -Leylin clicked his tongue mentally.

[I would've warned you, but my capabilities are extremely limited when it comes to magic...] -Aralis said with a tinge of bitterness.

'No matter. We just have to be patient...' -Leylin had swiftly reined in his emotions.

"In the aspect of elemental affinities, you possess the highest level of compatibility with the Darkness element. Followed by the Fire element, and finally a smidgen of the Plant element." -As the old geezer spoke, he rapidly filled in the form and added his ring mark like the witch had done previously.

"Let me give you some advice, boy. Magi are able to use every kind of energy, but only by following the path you have the highest affinity with, can you progress the furthest."

The old geezer handed the form back to Leylin: "Your test is officially completed. You can now go forth into the camp to choose your academy."

Leylin slightly bowed and then left the tent. As he lifted the canopy at the back, a ray of sunlight came shining down.

Just then, he noticed a certain person rushing across the camp to meet him.

'Fuck, here comes the blond chimp. We'll have to postpone our meeting for later.' -The Farlier heir decided reluctantly.

"Hey! Leylin!" -George's voice rang beside his ears: "Have you finished your aptitude test already?"

"Indeed, my friend. What about you?" -Leylin nodded his head and waved the sheepskin paper form in his hands.

"I have completed it too! I, this young master, am a genius with a fourth-grade aptitude! Hahahaha!" -George laughed uproariously, wearing an excessively smug expression.

"I am not too familiar with the grading of acolytes, could you be so kind to explain it in detail for me?" -Leylin asked, genuinely inquisitive. He wanted to see if the teen had anything to say about that.

'May this chimp earn his keep as my tool.' -Leylin grimly mused.

"Of course! This is all common knowledge, dear Leylin. For us of Count lineage and higher, at least... In spite of which academy you like, this is a very important part to consider before applying." -George told in a solemn way.

[Who does this guy think he is?!] -Aralis was outraged.

'Bear in mind that George's family is much more prominent, therefore enjoying a bigger influence than the likes of a Viscount House. This lad was consequently privy to a lot of secrets regarding the Magi. And I want those secrets, however small they may be. Furthermore, the kid speaks the truth when he says grading is important when it comes to choosing an academy. I just need to know why...' -Leylin put his A.I. in place, telling her his argument.

[You're right, I'm sorry.] -The calm tone was returning to her speech.

'Good. Now, why don't you hibernate for a bit? This conversation seems like it will drag out.' -Leylin suggested before George went on with his explanation.

[Sure, I'll do that.] -The usual beeping sound let the Farlier know he was currently alone with George.

"See, the aptitudes of the acolytes are ranked according to the chance of being promoted to a proper Magus. They are categorized into 5 grades, as that old lady no doubt informed you. The fifth grade is the most eminent, with an astounding 90 percent chance of becoming a Magus!"

"The fourth grade is slightly inferior with a 50 percent chance, which is still incredible nonetheless. I, this young master, am a genius at this level! My father will definitely be elated! I have the letter ready to be sent back home!" -George digressed, as he was clearly overjoyed.

"I'm still listening, friend..." -Leylin tapped George's shoulder and finally brought George back on track.

"Oh, I apologize... Where was I? Ah yes, the fourth rank. What's below it is the third grade, where there is a 10 percent chance of becoming a Magus. As for the second grade, there is only a 2 to 3 percent chance to graduate. The first grade is the worst by far with only 1 percent, and even as low as a 0.1 percent chance..."

"Regardless, there is only a fair chance for the third grades and above. As for the first and second grades, they can essentially resign themselves to be an acolyte their whole lives!" -George stated.

"Elemental affinities; what could you tell me about them?" -Leylin continued asking.

"They are the bricks shaping the future path of a Magus. Some Magi can manipulate lightning, some Magi can make fire rain down from the sky, and some others can even specialize in frost spells... These and more can be the paths chosen by an acolyte starting his career."

"Although a Magus is able to use any type of elemental spell in theory, the ones with the highest affinity will not only grant a faster casting speed, but will also carry more power. That is why an acolyte should stick to their best elements." -George concluded.

'The elemental affinity will determine the path of a Magus, and the aptitude will determine the distance a Magus can walk on said path; if at all. Pretty much what I already knew.' -Leylin gathered.

"Everything makes perfect sense, but it doesn't sound like you thought of it yourself..." -Leylin told with a half-smile.

"Hehehe, you got me! These are actually the words of a traveling Magus! I saw him in my father's solar when he was on a visit, about 3 years ago." -George said embarrassed, as he scratched his head.

The Farlier heir only faked a chuckle.

"Oh right! I almost forgot! My dear Leylin, I have also managed to inquire as to why the black-robed Knights were so cold and distant towards us!" -George seemed to have remembered something and was itching to share the news.

"The strength of a Magus, even if he is only an acolyte, is not something a Knight can oppose... So don't you think the black robes' conduct when we journeyed was a little strange?" -The blond youngster mentioned.

"There is indeed something odd about it!" -Leylin nodded his head and asked with a bait conjecture: "Could it be that they have some hidden background?"

'Yes, tell me more, chimp... Give me all of your secrets for free...' -Leylin was glad to have made the determination of 'associating' with George. He was now his trusted 'best friend' and could exploit his arrogance and naivete without any trouble.

"No, no, no!" -George shook his head: "My dear brother, you are guessing in the completely wrong direction; these black-robed Knights are actually one of the experiments of a Magus!"

"An experiment?!" -Leylin's eyes widened in feigned shock. Under his mask though, he was more eager to know the specifics.

"In the process of the experiment, this batch of human samples had already sustained an overdose of radiation, and would not live past the lustrum. That is why they were used as disposable guards to escort acolytes like us!"

Leylin thought of Angelo's pale face and silently nodded his head: 'My suspicions were correct. Those radiation traces that are connected to magic use... The magic crystals, the black robes, the white-robed Magi; it all pointed in the same direction. Moreover, this corroborates my other theory about the hazards of this strange type of radiation... I'll have to tread carefully.'

"For us who can potentially attain the rank of Magus, which Knight would not want to prostrate themselves and hope that we pick them to serve us in the future? The only ones who will not take us seriously are those who will not live more than a few months." -George said with some misgivings.

His face was indignant, it appeared that as an heir to a large noble family, he was displeased with the rude manners of the black robes from before.

"I heard that with the caravan from the west, not only had they been treated like young masters by the Knights along the journey, but they had even slept with some of them! You know, not all of the female knights have bulging muscles! They say their greater stamina allows for some-- !" -George's dissatisfaction only lasted a moment, before it turned into the vulgar expression of a pervert.

'I should've expected this...'

"Look, I don't want to hear any more about that if it's all the same to you." -Leylin interrupted, shaking his head. He could not stand George's antics a minute longer, but he was not finished draining every piece of information out of him yet.

"What if instead, you tell me your opinion of the academies here?"

"This, my father had already decided for me. I'll be attending the Ennea Ivory Ring Tower. My family has a relationship with one of the senior Magi inside, so it was the obvious choice... Hey, would you like to enroll with me? We can be side by side, as we climb to the top!" -George extended an invitation with enthusiasm.

[Please. Just, no.]

'You came back.' -Leylin thought with a ghost smirk.

"I will think upon it, but before moving ahead with any selection, I wish to look around and explore the available prospects on my own."- Leylin declined his supposed friend's offer politely.

"Alright, brother. I am going to carry out the procedures for my enrollment. If you need anything else, you can come to the Ennea Ivory Ring Tower area to look for me. Best of luck, dear Leylin!" -George waved his hands and squeezed into the crowd.

'Down to business, my assistant.' -Leylin got serious as soon as he was gone.

[Certainly. So where do we begin?] -Aralis followed suit.

'First of all, I wanted to let you know that my theory on the black robes was proven right by Blondie. In a nutshell, I believed them to be experiments of a Magus. You can check that memory after we're done.' -Leylin was content with that outcome.

[Congrats, Doctor. I'll do that. So, what is the next point to discuss?]

'My arcane potential. I am a third grade, with an approximated 10 percent chance of becoming a Magus. Any input?'

[I think it is perfect for you. Not high enough so you'll draw unwanted attention, not low enough so you'll have a hard time advancing.] -Aralis said confidently.

'Exactly my thoughts. Furthermore, I do not think most academies would scorn me. I may not be as talented as Blondie, but I'm still part of the acolyte population which is likely to become a Magus... On another note, what do you think of my elements?'

[They're okay. I don't know anything about how they work, but they sound nice. And believe it or not, it doesn't surprise me that you have Darkness as your main affinity...] -Aralis commented.

'There's one other theory I have covering that topic...'

[Please, do tell!] -Aralis urged him.

'What do you think the previous Leylin's elements would have been? Do you believe he would've gotten the same results in the test as me? If not, then what? And most importantly: why?'

[Are you implying that it is your soul that has the attributes for magic; not your body?]

'Indeed. Think about it: you are fused to my soul, not this body. What if magic worked the same way...?'

[It does make sense, Doctor. The implications could be fascinating!] -The A.I. displayed her passion for her Master's work.

'Ah, this is but a fleeting idea that sprouted in my mind from today's events. But do make a note for me to research more about souls. By the time I'm an established Magus and have a proper lab set up, we'll work on this. Who knows what doors this could lead me to... What new techniques I could devise to increase my power...' -A fiendish smirk appeared on Leylin's face for an instant before disappearing.