《One in a Billion》Ch 12: Sofia
Advertisement
Julia was not very convinced when I told her that today I was going out with someone that I practically did not know, but Ragnar assured her that there was nothing to worry about, since he knew Sabrina well and that she had nothing to do with Vector.
I had already had lunch and was ready to go when Sabrina arrived at noon. She wears casual clothing, consisting of a simple black T-shirt, jean pants and black boots, while I wear the same as yesterday, since I don't know why she wants me to accompany her, so, it is better to be ready for anything.
I let her lead the way when we leave, and I follow her in silence for a while, but seeing that she does not explain the reason why she wants me to accompany her, I decide to ask her. "Erm, you still haven't told me why I'm accompanying you or where we're going"
"it's true!!!" she says, slapping his forehead with his hand while laughing "sorry, hmm, you see... Yesterday, when you had registered in the guild, I heard that you have an affinity with spirit magic and it happens that it is something very rare and... Sorry, I'm not explaining myself well. We go where my aunt lives, to the magic academy, she is the director. In the academy we experiment and practice a lot with magic as you can imagine, many times during these practices or experiments the students fall into what we call a magic coma, that is, in other words, using more mana than they have and falling unconscious for several days. When this happens, potions are useless, but there are devices that serve to store mana and transfer it to comatose students, thus recovering instantly. The problem is that, normally, the body of people only accepts mana that comes from the same body. However, mana from people with an affinity for spirit magic can be transferred without problems to other people."
"Aha, so... Do you want me to go to store mana at the academy? Is the academy going to pay me or something? Could I learn more ways to use magic as payment there? Ragnar only taught me how to set my sword on fire, but he forbade me to experiment for myself and refused to teach me more " I ask, hopefully.
Advertisement
"Yes, you could. But it would be a bad exchange for you, since you have no idea how rare people with your affinity are. My aunt is the only one in the whole academy with that affinity and she is always complaining about how tiring it is to recharge the artifacts, since, despite the fact that potions recharge mana, there is nothing that relieves the fatigue that occurs from emptying your mana reserve several times, except sleeping" Sabrina says smiling and jumping while walking "Also, if you want, I can teach you magic. Consider it as a compensation for helping me with the lion"
"You know you were never really in danger, right? I don't think you have to compensate me for anything, but I would love for you to teach me" I say, also smiling, because her happiness is contagious.
"Yes, I know... but what matters for me is the intention. Before yesterday we did not know each other at all, and yet you ran to help me even though it seemed impossible that you could do much. If you ask me, that is not something that everyone would do, and in my opinion, it deserves a reward " she says without stopping smiling "but let's stop talking so much and hurry to get there, I can't wait to see my aunt's face when she finds out that I found someone with an affinity in spirit magic"
So that's why she's so happy, I suppose she must love her aunt very much. I follow her as she begins to walk faster, almost running.
We arrived at the magic academy and entered through one of the gates in the wall. Inside there is a wide courtyard and four towers at each corner of the wall forming a square. In the playground, I see people eating, reading and enjoying the midday sun. As we head towards one of the towers I ask Sabrina "Are the walls really necessary, what is the academy being protected from?"
"They are not to protect the interior from the exterior, but vice versa... Magic is dangerous and if someone misses a spell it is better that it hits against the wall than against innocent people" she says as we enter and go up the tower's stairs.
Advertisement
Inside the tower she takes me through several corridors and stairs. After a while we come to a door and she opens it. Inside there are many instruments that I do not know, the walls are covered by shelves full of books and in the center of the room there is a desk, behind which a slender woman is sitting writing on some papers. She must be between 40 or 50 years old, and has the same eye color as Sabrina, the hair is white with lilac traces, and wears a long red tunic with silver embroidery.
"Hi Auntie, this is the boy I told you about, his name is Xelean." she says pushing me to approach the desk "Xelean, this is Sofia, my aunt and the director of the academy"
"Hi..." she rasped, circling the desk and lifting my face from the chin as if looking for something. "I think the guild has managed to fool my niece. From time to time the guild falsifies the data of the novice adventurers in front of their companions to facilitate them to form groups and thus reduce the risk of mortality. I suppose that since you are so young your friend decided that you would not get any group if they did not alter the information a little... But my niece believes in you and I can be wrong, that's why I asked her to bring you here. If I'm right my niece will have learned a lesson, and if I'm wrong we will have finally found someone who can help me fill up the academy's mana reserves, so I can get rid of these damn migraines. As you can see, I win in each way" she sits on the desk and extends his hand to me "show me the guild card… they may have said and written whatever they want, but the card is enchanted to show the real information"
I don't like her attitude but I guess it's normal since she thinks I'm cheating on her niece. I take the token out of the bag and hand it to her.
"According to Sabrina you have 130 health and mana... Let's see if it's true" she looks at the card and laughs exaggeratedly for several seconds, when she finishes laughing she says "Ahh, I haven't laughed like that for a looong time. It seems I was right, the Adventurers Guild changed the information" but when she sees the sad face that Sabrina directs me and my confused face, she rectifies "Sorry, dear, I did not explain myself well. He did not deceive you, it is just that in the guild they wrote less than in reality is, this boy has 180 mana and health, as ridiculous as it sounds he has more mana than you, and before you ask, yes, he also has the affinities you told me"
"I knew it!! I told you that they had not deceived me" she says jumping up "but... I have been studying and practicing magic for years, but just a few months ago I reached 168 mana. How can a 14 years old have so much mana?"
"I don't know, it's the first time I've seen something like that, but that's not the important thing now!!!" she says slapping her hands and turning to me "Sorry for mistrusting you, dear" she says softening the tone of her voice, giving me back the token and, taking me by the hand, she brings me closer to a chair so that I can sit down "but now let's talk business, could you tell me why are you changing your appearance with an enchantment? "
"I-I can't, it's personal, how do you know?" I answer with confusion and a bit of fear.
"When you get to a certain level of magical knowledge, seeing through simple illusions is not a big deal. Don't misunderstand me, it's not that it matters much, it just makes me doubt if I can trust you or not... But it was already proven a moment ago that maybe I think about things too much" she says as she sits behind the desk "let's see, I offer you... 9 gold coins every weekend that you come to recharge the artifacts with at least 6 times your mana capacity, the potions go from my account. Okay?"
Advertisement
- In Serial26 Chapters
Magnus
Updates daily at 23:06 UTC. 2/1/2021 NOTE! This trilogy is being published by Aethon Books starting with book one on 5/1/2021. All books have been removed from RoyalRoad. This story was posted on RR in its entirety before being removed. Magnus Cromwell kills for a living. He’s organized, professional, efficient. Like a machine. But when his family’s life is on the line? That’s something else. That calls for the kind of warm-blooded vengeance that scorches earth and summons tungsten rods from space, leaves a whole lot of melted flesh, and no one to tell the tale. It should've been a blue milk run. As by-the-book as it gets. With his sister Nina out safe and the opposition decimated by hypersonic gunfire, MC wondered where they got the guts to even try. Then something hits him. Lays him out cold, and leaves him waking up to a fantasyland with nothing but his armor and a half-written note to guide him. It's a strange place where even stranger predators eye him for their next meal. Where his life’s on a timer, and where the darkest horrors haunt his dreams, painting visions of death. There's no right day to mess with Magnus Cromwell. But the universe sure managed to pick the absolute worst one. --- - MC is stone-cold, strong(OP), and gets even stronger, but he'll still face his fair share of challenges, both internal and external. - LitRPG-lite. No stats and an unconventional system. Expect abilities and progressions, but there will only ever be a handful of them. - Science Fiction and Fantasy collide, with a touch of mystery, Lovecraft, and body horror. - Professionally painted art scenes! - This series is finished. A Huge thank you to RoyalRoader MikeWe for the banner, and to NoDragons for his help editing the synopsis. Cover and scene art by the talented John Molinero Discord: https://discord.gg/s6e5rTj [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]
8 298 - In Serial16 Chapters
Agnes' Journey to Become an Archimage
The balance in the magical world of Tyrain is shifting. The monster menace grows stronger, the bureaucracy of the ancient empire grows corrupt and the nations engage in constant warfare. Change is coming, will Agnes be able to adapt to a world in chaos, becoming a true mage, or will she fall.
8 153 - In Serial15 Chapters
Under a Harey Moon
All Jacob wanted was to be a Hunter. Then one spring day, at the end of the first hunt of spring, something happened tht would change his life and his plans forever. This is my first story, so I appoligize now if it's rough. As such, it's possible I'll go back and make adjustments as I go. If I do, I'll leave a note saying where. Finally, this story is NOT for a child's eye. It contains several adult scenes.
8 110 - In Serial29 Chapters
Sebastian Scenarios // stardew valley
Basically a bunch of scenarios I thought of that I couldn't put into the original storyline my stories/ scenarios I thought of --There will be X readers but some will be from my Oc's. (Feel free to leave suggestions!!)---cussing-triggering topics-cussing-lemon
8 123 - In Serial6 Chapters
A Teacher, A Rapist, and A Liar
True story.
8 141 - In Serial26 Chapters
Arranged Marriage to Kill Him
"Lie there," he ordered, suddenly cutting through the silence and undoing the top button of his kurta. When she didn't move, still shocked at how she ended up marrying this man, he cocked his head towards the bed. "There." * * * Twenty-one year old Naina is about to marry a man twice her age, but she doesn't care as her would-be-husband is one of the richest man in the city. All she needs is to poison the old pervert, run away with his money to live her dream life and her childhood bestfriend (who also happens to be in love with her) would help her hide the dead body. But what happens when her would-be-husband is not old and bald? What happens when her would-be-husband is young and has the thickest black hair that would rival the density of Amazon forest? What happens when her would-be-husband is none other than the hot and rich Ahanay with his own share of dark and delicious secrets?* * * [This book is NOT your usual arranged marriage story]
8 100

