Chapter 8 – Re-encounter

Redius left the training room in which he was tested by the examiner with a slip of acknowledgement for a disciple magician classification. He headed back to the reception and found the girl who had brought him to the exam.

“Not good huh?” she said as she saw Redius approach with no expression on his face. She would’ve thought that anyone who passed as a magician who be beyond happy, let alone a disciple magician.

Redius made no comment and merely handed her the slip of paper from the examiner. She took it, a slight confusion on her face then turned into an expression of shock as she looked down at the slip, then to Redius, then back and forth.

“So?” Redius asked, he didn’t have all day.

“Er..er… yes… I mean, yes sir. I’ll go get your identification now…” She said regaining her composure. She knew that their standing was now different, he was a magician afterall. And so she hurriedly went to fetch him the items.

A sudden hurry of footsteps caused Redius to turn only to be greeted by the sight of the previous examiner, a rush of urgency on his face. He scanned the room and found what he was looking for, Redius. He rushed over and grabbed Redius hand.

“I found you, finally!” he said at long last. Straight after Redius left the room, his mind took a little while to process what had happened. A 1st stage disciple magician, demonstrated such a powerful and fast casting as well as breaking through his barriers. Phenomenal. And then he realized the biggest discovery, he had used ice. ICE! It was such a rare element to be affiliated with and here he had found one. He knew he had to convince him to stay or find a way to contact him.

Redius’ furrowed his brows, not at the examiner’s expression of joy but rather his action of holding his arms. Small light blue mists began to emerge from Redius’ arms and the examiner immediately backed away. He could feel that if he didn’t, his arms would’ve frozen in a matter of seconds.

Redius turned back around to face the receptionist as she approached. She glanced at the examiner, curious as to why he appeared here, but then returned her attention to Redius.

“Here’s your cloak and badge.” She handed a black cloak to him with a gold wand insignia. “What is your name?” she then asked. This was a process to inscribe one’s name onto a magician’s badge to keep anyone from misusing it.

“Redius.” He replied. She then placed the badge onto a specific machine and a light covered it up. It was an equipment specific to the guild to inscribe an identity onto it. After it was done, she handed it over to him.

Redius then took off his cloak and packed it and proceeded to put on the black magician’s cloak. As soon as he put it on, the receptionists gasped at the sight. It seemed to fit him perfectly, not just the measurements but the atmosphere it brought out. His cold feature matched the black outfit whilst the gold insignia brought out a certain air of royalty in him.

The examiner could not help but be taken aback by the atmosphere too. Just as some powerful people exerted a pressure onto others, he could tell that Redius had it. Although it wasn’t prominent now, but someday…

As Redius began to leave, the examiner called out to him.

“Re…Redius” he called. “How would you like to live in the magician’s dormitory?”

Redius stopped in his track. A thought ran through his mind, right now he had nowhere to stay, this may prove to be a good idea. The examiner guessed that Redius wasn’t from here, as someone with such a rare element would not have been unheard of, and so he took the chance. He was right. Well, half right.

“We’ll even open up the first 3 floors of the library to you. What do you say?” The examiner urged. He desperately wanted him to stay, he would be a great asset to the guild.

Redius thought for a moment then turned and nodded. The examiner joyful sorted everything out as he got Redius a room and updated his badge to access the library.

Several days later, he had learned that the examiner’s name was Jael as he explained, one of 3 disciple examiners in the guild. Above him was the head and assistant head of the guild. So he had quite a lot of authority here. For the past few days he would stay at the library and read about the basics of the elements. Because of his diatis, he could now read and remember everything. Though he found most of the knowledge lacking, as his master taught him far more than what these books provided. He was obviously a greater magician than the writers of these books he thought.

One afternoon, as Redius was about to leave the guild, a girl entered just as he was about to walk out.

“Ah!” she voice leaked out as she pointed to Redius. A part from the receptionists and some guards, there were only a few other magicians present, all of whom stared at the two. Then seeing nothing was happening, returned their attention elsewhere.

The girl on the other hand, seeing Redius ignoring her and heading out, stood in his way.

“Hey! I’m talking to you.” She said pointing at Redius. She, was the girl who Redius had saved in the forest. Phoebe Plenio, the only daughter to the head of the Plenio household.

“What do you want?” Redius asked coldly, a slight annoyance built up in him.

Phoebe taken aback was speechless. In all life, everyone adored her. Especially guys. She was talented and pretty and every boy would try to woo her. But here was a young man who was the opposite. Not only was he not fawning over her, she could feel the annoyance in his voice. As if she was a hindrance.

“I…I… You’re coming back with me!” She finally managed to say. She had come to the guild because a few days passed and she had advanced to 1st stage disciple. She was here to receive her new identification. But seeing Redius, the person who saved her, and his attitude made Phoebe annoyed as well. No one had ever treated her that well before, so she was going to bring him home and show him her might.

“Get out of my way.” Redius replied calm as a wave-less sea.

“N..No… You’re... you’re coming back with me. My father would like to see you…” She said in a hurry. Which was true, because when she and her cousins returned they were scolded badly. But after hearing the incident, the family’s higher ups wanted to meet Redius if possible.

“Out. Of. My. Way.” Redius uttered the words sounds each syllable. A strong mist emitted from his body as ice began forming around where he stood. The temperature of the hall dramatically lowered and everyone’s attention was once again on the two standing in the middle.

The guards were about to spring into action when they saw the two in question and refrained. It was one disciple magician and one apprentice magician. They thought the disciple emitting the power was reprimanding the apprentice for disrespect or something. So they refrained from bugging in. The train of thought appeared in everyone’s mind in the hall.

Even if they had known she was now a disciple, they still wouldn’t have butted in. As long as they were magicians and they didn’t make too much damage, a little threat here and there were acceptable.

This was the way of the world. If you were powerful, you were right. And a higher advancement was obviously right regardless, unless you had the strength to back it up.

Phoebe shivered as the temperature dropped further and further, she wanted to get out of the way but her legs would not move. So she did what her instinct told her. She casted her spell.

Five giant water balls floated around her, only this time it was significantly larger and better controlled as the last time Redius saw her. But he did not care. To him, they were nothing.

Then despair fell on Phoebe’s face as 6 lances appeared around Redius and flew at her. 5 of which targeted her spell and froze them with the last one stopping right in front of her. It was to tell her that he could take her life as easily as that. The magic rescinded and all but the shattered ice on the floor was the evidence of the remains of a battle.

Redius then walked pass her who slumped onto the ground as he headed for the door.

“Stop right there!”