Flame Stealer

Ronin to did not answer.

They may be on the same team here, being Antagonists themselves. And Espinella may be the reason he found out what he needed to become Obsidian...

But that does not mean he can trust him immediately.

'You can only trust yourself, for you only know yourself.' That was his mindset.

And so, he just answered with a wry smirk. "If Professor wants to keep secrets, like how you found out about me... Isn't it fair that I keep some myself?"

Espinella adjusted his glasses. "I see... Well, we have only met after all."

He went to place a hand on Ronin's shoulder. "Think about it, Ronin. About what you wanted to become. Diamond or Obsidian.... the choice is always yours, it is your Heartstone, not mine."

"I just wanted this to be successful... You being my first specimen and all. Our aim, for now, is to have you become an Anthracite Coal."

Anthracite Coal was pretty much just a harder version of the common coal, or Bituminous Coal. It has the highest carbon content and fewest impurities in the ranking of coals.

"Say, what is the rate of your Flame increasing? Or is it affected by other factors?"

Ronin thought about it, and only gave a version of the truth. "It increases the more runes I learn."

"Ah, Runeology. So you must be an Illuso mage after all?"

"Perhaps." Ronin shrugged.

Espinella smiled. "For me, Illuso mages are the second most powerful to Morpho mages. We're not so different. Instead of transforming objects into something else, you transform words."

"Well, we can have you learn as many runes you need in the library. Though I suppose that it would be better if you somehow found another way to gain more Flame..."

"Something faster, and requires less effort of reading and reading all day..."

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Someone's fist was loudly hitting the door of Espinella's office.

Ronin immediately wore his cloak and hid behind a book shelf with his tiny body.

Espinella stood up and lost his former composure, becoming the nervous and frantic professor again.

"W-W-Who is it? I'm p-preoccupied at the moment!"

The person just kept on knocking on the door, more like banging, really. The nervous professor had no choice but to let it open a bit by a peep.

"Espinella.... Is he still with you?"

It was Professor Vyrill!

Espinella's eyes widened. "Vyrill! I thought you were in the infirmary---"

"Is Ronin with you?"

"Uh..... No, he isn't." He answered surprisingly quickly and calmly.

Vyrill's green eyes studied his expression. "I sensed his presence here."

"He was here earlier to ask me about a few things, then left. I can't have a Lower Year student stay here for too long, and he still have classes."

'He's not a bad liar.' Ronin praised. 'He even sounds more sure of himself when he lies.'

Vyrill paused for a bit, still unsure whether to believe him.

But eventually, he sighed.

"May I come in? There's something important you need to know about that boy."

Espinella opened the door more. "Alright.... Have a seat, you still look agitated."

Ronin just listened in on them while hiding behind the shelf.

"Would you like some tea? I still have some from earlier this morning." He offered. "I can heat it for you."

He took a tea cup from his desk, and placed it on the palm of his hand which heated it naturally with his Mage Focus within it that looks like a red patch or birthmark.

Ronin paid attention to Vyrill's thoughts. He looks on edge.

It was much clearer now, but still a chaotic string of phrases.

(The Abyss resides in him... It resides in me.... It soon will resides in all of us.... The beacon..... I must go there, retrieve what had been stolen....)

'The beacon?' Ronin raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Here you go, old chap." Espinella finished heating the tea.

Vyrill blankly took it, only asking. "What do you believe the beacon in the Abyssal Realm was?"

"Hmm? The b-beacon in the Abyssal Realm?"

"Until now, it baffles the scientists of Magecia. We could not travel to the Abyssal Realm too far, because of all the monsters and daemons lurking there."

Vyrill look at him seriously. "And the further they tried to reach the beacon, the more monsters resides. Like they were protecting it."

"I-I see...." Espinella was surprised by the sudden topic change.

But since Vyrill was noticeably not in the best condition right now, he let it be and entertained his notions.

"The beacon... I b-believe it is made of very hot and dense material. Light perhaps."

"Light?" Vyrill asked.

He changed to his calm tone again. "It is the only source of light for the Abyssal Realm after all. Perhaps Diamant placed it there so there can still gain light and nourishment without the sun."

It was a very viable theory. Not to mention Espinella has great sense over heat.

But Vyrill shook his head. "I believe it's something else. Something created and closely tied to the Celesto-Abyssal War."

"When that boy stabbed me... I had a vision." Vyrill revealed.

"R-Ronin? What v-vision?"

"Visions of gods. Darkness and light clashing, forming sparks and a tear. That tear kept on spreading, turning into a rift..... rift turning into a pillar...."

"And the God of Light was pierced."

Ronin perked up his ears at this.

'Wasn't it Aurion who stabbed Fausforous, not the other way around?'

"Well.... That really is strange." Espinella sipped his own tea. "But maybe it's just the delirium from death. A dream after being unconscious. Ronin had nothing to do with it---"

"He does. The rift was formed because a piece of the God of Light was taken away. His flame stolen, creating a Pillar of Flame."

"And that boy.... Like the God of Darkness, he also took my Flame once he pierced through me."

"He stole it."

Espinella could not believe his ears. "Your Flame was taken?"

"Not all of it.... But I can feel it." Vyrill touched his chest, opening the buttons...

And revealing his chest not wrapped in bandages. It was burned, but still the color of quartz.....

But there's now a black spot where his heart should be.

"This never happens when I resurrect animals. It was only he who could do this by killing. I am weakened and my Flame lessened."

Ronin's eyes went wide. Right, after he stabbed Vyrill....

He was so busy enjoying the ecstasy of killing that he did not pay attention to the small ding in his ear.

[Congratulations, you have leveled up.

Level 20 ----> Level 22 ]