A fat, chubby man waddled into the stark white room, his bulbous body seeming to fill the space. His round face was flushed with anger, and his beady eyes gleamed with malevolence. In his sweaty palm, he grasped a long, wicked-looking whip, its leather strips crackling with menace.
As he approached the thief, who was chained to the wall, the man's face twisted into a snarl. "You dare to steal from me?" he bellowed, his voice like a thunderclap. "You insignificant worm! You think you can pilfer from the great Marcellus?"
With a sudden, vicious flick of his wrist, Marcellus brought the whip crashing down onto the thief's back. The thief screamed in agony as the whip tore into his flesh, leaving bloody welts in its wake. Marcellus laughed, a cold, mirthless sound, as he continued to lash the thief, each stroke of the whip accompanied by a fresh insult.
"You're nothing but a flea on the back of a dog," Marcellus sneered. "A pathetic, sniveling wretch who thinks he can steal from the likes of me." The whip cracked again, and the thief's screams grew louder, echoing off the cold, white walls of the room.
As the thief hung from the chains, his body battered and bruised, Marcellus sneered at him with contempt. "You have two options," Marcellus spat, his voice dripping with malice. "You can either die a slow and agonizing death, or you can work for me." Marcellus's eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure as he waited for the thief's response.
The thief, coughing up blood and gasping for air, looked up at Marcellus with a mixture of defiance and desperation. "I...I won't work for you," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. Marcellus's face turned beet red with rage as he snarled, "Fool!"
With a swift and merciless motion, Marcellus brought the whip crashing down onto the thief's back, again and again, each stroke landing with a sickening crack. The thief screamed and screamed, his body convulsing in agony as Marcellus continued to whip him, his rage and fury knowing no bounds.
As the thief's blood dripped onto Marcellus's shoe, the noble's face twisted in a mixture of disgust and rage. With a swift motion, Marcellus raised his hand, and the thief, anticipating another blow, flinched. Instead, Marcellus's hand hovered near the thief's head, as if daring him to make another move.
The thief, despite his battered and bruised state, looked Marcellus straight in the eye, a fierce defiance burning within them. "You and your kind," the thief spat, his voice laced with venom, "treat us commoners and peasants like dirt, like we're nothing but rot. All because you have the power of magic, and we don't."
Marcellus's eyes narrowed, his grip on the whip tightening. "You dare to threaten me?" he growled, but the thief stood tall, unyielding.
"My group will come for your head, Marcellus," the thief warned, a cold glint in his eye. "If anything happens to me, they'll make sure you pay. You can't hide behind your magic forever."
Marcellus's face turned red with rage, and he demanded, "What's your name?" The thief's eyes flashed with pride and dignity as he replied, "Rudolph."
No sooner had the name left his lips than Marcellus's palms began to glow with a fiery light. The air around Rudolph seemed to shimmer and distort, and then, in an instant, his body was engulfed in flames. The fire magic that emitted from Marcellus's palms consumed Rudolph, his screams echoing through the room as his body was reduced to ashes.
Arcanus sat with the mysterious book open on his lap, devouring the words and diagrams that revealed the fundamental secrets of magic. The book had become his obsession, consuming every waking moment. He spent hours poring over its yellowed pages, neglecting his chores and even abandoning his daily trips to the market with his mother.
As he delved deeper into the book's secrets, strange memories began to flash before his eyes. He saw a man standing tall, holding a long bident, its tines gleaming with an otherworldly energy. The man raised the bident, and Arcanus felt the air tremble with anticipation. Suddenly, a great tide of water surged forth, accompanied by hordes of flames that danced at the man's command.
The vision shifted, and Arcanus saw many people bowing before the man, their faces filled with awe and reverence. The man's eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire, and his presence radiated an aura of power and authority. Arcanus felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized that this man was somehow connected to the magic he was studying.
The memories faded, leaving Arcanus feeling both exhilarated and unsettled. He couldn't shake the feeling that the book was revealing more than just magical secrets – it was uncovering fragments of his own past, and hinting at a destiny that lay beyond his wildest imagination.
Arcanus's eyes widened in surprise as he heard the familiar voice call out "Father". He turned around, and his heart skipped a beat as he saw a man with striking green hair and chiseled masculine features walking towards him. The man's piercing eyes sparkled with warmth, and his lips curved into a gentle smile.
As the man approached, Arcanus felt an overwhelming sense of joy and wonder. He had always thought his father was dead, or at least, that's what his mother had told him. But here he was, standing right in front of him, radiating an aura of love and familiarity.
Arcanus's eyes welled up with tears as he took in the sight of his father. He felt like he was seeing a ghost, a part of his past that he thought was lost forever. The man's green hair was a shock, but it suited him, making him look like a mythical creature from a storybook.
The man reached out and gently ruffled Arcanus's hair, his touch sending shivers down his spine. "Hello, son," he said, his voice low and soothing. "I've missed you so much." Arcanus's heart swelled with emotion as he wrapped his arms around his father's waist, holding him tightly, as if he would never let him go again.
The man smiled warmly at Arcanus, his eyes shining with excitement. "Son, I've been watching you from afar, and I'm thrilled to see your passion for magic. I think it's time for you to take your studies to the next level." He paused, considering his next words carefully. "I'd like to enroll you in a middle-class magic institute. It's not the most prestigious, but it's a great place to start, and at 13, you're a bit young for the more elite schools."
Arcanus's face lit up with excitement, but then his expression turned slightly wistful. "I was hoping to attend Prime Sage Institute," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The man chuckled and ruffled Arcanus's hair again. "Prime Sage is a great goal, son, but let's take things one step at a time. We'll work towards that, I promise."
Arcanus's face broke into a wide smile, and he threw his arms around his father's waist again, embracing him tightly. "Thank you, Father!" he exclaimed, his voice muffled against his father's chest.
Just then, Arcanus's mother appeared at the doorway, a look of surprise and curiosity on her face. She took in the scene before her, her eyes widening as she saw her son embracing a man she hadn't seen in years. A mix of emotions played across her face – shock, joy, and a hint of wariness.
.......
A group of seven boys, all around Arcanus's age, surrounded him, forming a tight circle that seemed to close in on him from all sides. One of the boys, clearly the leader, stood tall, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of mockery and contempt.
"Hey, look what we have here," the boy sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "The son of a noble, but not quite noble himself." He snickered, his friends joining in, their laughter like a chorus of ridicule.
Arcanus felt his face grow hot with embarrassment and anger, but he tried to stand his ground. The leader, however, would not let up. "You're not like us, Arcanus," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You're not from a real noble family. Your father's just a...a..." He paused, searching for the right insult. "A knight, that's all. He works for the nobles, not with them."
The boy's words cut deep, and Arcanus felt a sting of shame. But he refused to back down. "At least my father is brave and honorable," he said, his voice steady. "What about your family? What have they ever done?" The boy's face reddened with anger, but Arcanus stood his ground, his eyes flashing with defiance.
Arcanus's eyes blazed with rage as he charged at the boy, his fists flying. But he was vastly outnumbered, and soon found himself surrounded by the group of boys, who took turns punching and kicking him. Arcanus tried to defend himself, but he was no match for the mob.
Finally, they left him lying on the ground in the alley, battered and bruised. Arcanus struggled to regain himself, using all his strength to force himself to sit up. He leaned against a nearby wall, wincing in pain as he caught his breath.
As he looked up, he saw a strange sight - the words "DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC" were scrawled on the wall in front of him, as if he was viewing the written text from the mysterious book. Underneath the words were two options: "YES" and "NO". Arcanus's eyes narrowed, and with a surge of determination, he stretched out his hand and selected "YES".
As soon as he made his choice, Arcanus felt a strange energy coursing through his body. His injuries began to heal at an incredible rate, and his strength and vitality were restored. He stood up, feeling a newfound power and confidence flowing through him. The mysterious text on the wall seemed to fade away, leaving Arcanus with a sense of wonder and awe.
A mysterious man emerged from the shadows, his tall, imposing figure draped in a long coat that rested on his shoulders, covering his body. A wide-brimmed hat cast a shadow over his face, making it impossible to discern his features. His voice was low and gravelly, with a hint of curiosity.
"Who is a young fella like you doing laying in an alley?" the man asked, his eyes gleaming with interest. "Don't you have a house to go to?" He spoke in a slow, measured tone, his words dripping with a sense of concern, but also a hint of suspicion.
Arcanus looked up at the man warily, unsure of what to make of him. There was something about the man's demeanor that seemed off, but at the same time, he seemed genuinely interested in Arcanus's well-being.