Proctor: Congrats! You will be staying here until your next challenge.

--- Chapter 86 ---

This is taking place at the same time as the night of the last chapter.

Within the modern city of termina, a small club hired a magician to perform live. The sign placed outside reads, “James Smith, the arcana-less magician! Performing LIVE tonight!”. The regulars pile in, purchasing their drinks, and finding tables and seats. James is in the back, giving himself a pep-talk. Magicians within this world have to step up their game, as there are regular people with genuine magic. He heads onto the stage, bringing his magic supplies.

James: How’s everyone doing tonight?

Everyone: WOO!

James: Yeah, that’s what I like to hear. Alright, tonight I’m gonna start off with a card trick.

He pulls a deck of cards from his bag. He shuffles them up and asks a member of the audience to draw a card. He does and puts it back. James begins to shuffle the deck and pulls the top card of the deck.

James: Is this your card?

Man: Nope.

James: That’s right because this is.

James flicks his tongue, making a card appear on his tongue. The crowd is in awe.

Man: Uh, still no.

James: Ahe, yah it would be pretty crazy if I could do that.

He says in a nervous tone. The crowd laughs, but there is a common thought of “Was that meant to happen?”. He then retrieves a spoon and shows it off as a normal spoon. He then proceeds to make it bend with his mind.

Man: He just has an extra spoon in his sleeve! He’s using it to bend the spoon!

He begins to sweat nervously as the crowd begins to murmur about him. A younger man sitting in the corner of the room, dressed in a red button-up and black blazer watches the boy closely. He leans in on his cane, a sly smile cracks across his face. As he does, James feels the smile in the sea of glances and mockery. But when he looks to see who it is, there isn’t anyone there. James swiftly moves onto his next trick. He shows his hands are empty, but waves them around and makes a rainbow-colored handkerchief appear.

Man: He just grabbed that from his pocket!

The crowd begins to boo him, and he lifts the handkerchief to his forehead wiping the sweat off it, laughing awkwardly. On the roof of the building, a black smog begins to pour out of nowhere. Appearing from the smog is the masked man and the man who was watching the kid. The masked man is holding a red leather-bound book.

Mask: Now, you better follow the master’s plan to the exact. No funny business. Did you get that?

Man: Of course, of course. Why would I go against it?

Mask: Let’s be clear, I don’t trust you, nor do I like you.

Man: Ouch, so harsh my fellow colleague. Just because I like to have a little fun with my work, doesn't mean I’m any less loyal or effective.

The masked man looks him in the eyes, a serious look meant to burn a hole through his composure, is shrugged off like it was nothing.

Man: Fine fine, just put me in the game coach, that’s all you have to do to get me out of your hair, and to me, that seems pretty fair.

The masked man sighs and walks to the edge of the building. He looks back at where the other guy was but he isn’t there. He drops the red book over the ledge. I clash into a damp puddle, bouncing momentarily before halting on the damp cold stone. James had finished his set early after getting booed off the stage. He heads into the back room and begins to tear up and heads outside for air. He presses his back up against the wall and looks up at the dark clouds above. He then looks down, and in a puddle in front of him is a red leather book. He grabs to book and rubs his hands along the ornate leather design on the cover. He opens to the first page, it was adorned with intricate drawings and the title of the book.

James: The book of phantom?