Chapter 65

"Daniel it's good to see you again." A man with graying and whitening hair said as he opened the door that had just bee knocked.

"I told you that retirement is impossible and that you would be back."

Daniel smiled. "You of all people should know that that business was finished. We've come to discuss our relations for the next few years."

The man looked over at Alex as if remembering something. "We?"

The man at Alex with a gentle smile he smiled as he felt the energy radiating from the young man.

"Good… good, come in." He said as he led the group into his room.

Alex looked around and noticed the room was not empty, several people were scattered around. Men, women, young, old, but one stood out to Alex. His eyes lingered for a while in the corner of the room where a guy around his age was sitting facing the corner.

"Alex right? I'm Havers. I saw you on tv recently." The old man who had opened the door said while shaking Alex's hand.

"This is your apprentice who you have wrote to me about. He is a bit more, quiet than I would've guessed but that is a really good quality in a person." The man paused for a moment before looking to Daniel.

"We already know why you are here. You know… it's strange watching a dog and cat at a standoff and not being the grasshopper that led the two together. It's would be my unfortunate displeasure to tell you that the dog arrived here before you, and we reached a agreement with him, but it is also our pleasure to tell you that we are giving you an exit."

Michael and Daniel tensed up as they had lost an opportunity. Alex however, didn't worry as he watched the workings of the clan with his sparse spacial sense, making him more and more sure that it would be best to not dirty their hands.

"What was offered?" Daniel asked.

The old man shrugged. "A show of strength and a promise."

"Lucky for you, their show of strength was a little, underwhelming." The old man said as he looked at the two.

"We give you the same chance, and who knows if you do well enough maybe you can convince us to not… apprehend you."

"We stand no chance against you, so we will be on our way, Ale…" Daniel was cut of as Havers spoke up once again.

"Not you. Your apprentice, versus mine." He said as he motioned to the guy in the corner.

"Luke." Havers called, prompting the young man to get up and move towards him.

"Alex, this is my apprentice. What do you say about a mage battle between the two of you? If not for just the thrill of it then for yours and your masters well being." Havers asked.

Alex looked over at Luke who was studying him closely. He knew that he could defeat him, the only question is how much would he have to reveal with this duel.

Alex fought the want to just open a portal and escape with his instructors and nodded, noticing the tension from his instructors fading.

Havers noticed as well. "You have a lot of faith in your apprentice. That is good, but so did the temple."

Havers turned to Alex. "I'll be honest with you Alex, if it weren't for Daniel and his boyfriend's habit of using illegal techniques, I would've apprehended and locked you all up as soon as you entered. It's good that you decided to battle. Luke show Alex to the arena. The rest of you, gather the clan, there is going to be a show today."

"Oh, and Alex do try and be careful, Luke can be a bit savage to his opponents."

Luke turned to leave the room and Alex followed after looking over to his instructors who nodded as if telling him it was fine.

"What is a mage battle?" Alex asked as they entered a much safer elevator.

Luke turned to him for a moment before turning back around. "A battle where two mages fight. Not two martial artists or wealthy people, so no using your fancy chain blades or potions, only magic. Besides your weapons would be more of a hindrance, especially if you aren't very good at controlling them."

Alex nodded in understanding and stepped forward as the doors to the elevator opened.

He walked beside Luke as he led him to a room.

"You can leave your stuff here." Luke said as he moved closer to the door that held the arena on the other side.

Alex pulled off all of his belongings and moved towards the door as well.

"You should put on that armor, it's the one thing in this fight that will be permitted."

Alex shrugged and pushed open the doors.

'I don't want to ruin it this early.'

Alex walked to the opposite side of the arena as he watched people file into the stands above.

"Alright. I see no reason to delay the fight, any who miss it were simply too slow." Havers said as his voice echoed through the arena.

"Begin!" He shouted.

Alex watched in amazement as Luke lifted off the ground and flew towards him quickly.

A shiny silvery substance, coming in existence within his hands as he came towards Alex. Within seconds a fully formed sword was within his hand.

'Wind and earth?' Alex thought as he took control of Luke's entire shadow.

The shade within his clothes, beneath his feet and on the ground below came to life, engulfing Luke from head to toe and slung him to the ground using his own momentum.

Luke rose up a fierce look in his eyes that were hidden to everyone but Alex. He tried to move but he was still kept in place by his own shadow.

Alex watched as Luke threw his sword towards him. He was about to stop it, but he noticed it slowing down. The blade spun and an audible noise was heard as it flew back to Luke at an intense speed. It sliced through the strand of darkness that tied Luke down as if it was a string.

Alex felt his power being drained as he looked towards Luke. 'Earth and electricity. So there is a magnetism affinity.' Alex thought as he watched bright flashes of electricity arcing throughout what Alex thought was just a strange set of clothing.

The sword that had flown behind Luke, now returned and was moving towards Alex.

Alex flicked with his hand and his spacial energy collided with Luke's summoned sword, immediately knocking it away. Luke who had nearly broken free from the darkness which encompassed him, was suddenly engulfed once again. He was forced to the ground again and a loud buzzing was heard as Alex summoned electricity in his hand.

Alex ran towards Luke and threw the electricity towards him, after creating a path for the electricity to easily follow with his spacial energy, ensuring that none of his energy would be wasted. A groan was heard and the darkness faded, revealing Luke who was knocked out after taking a direct hit.

'Good thing he was pretty resistant to lighting, that would have left most people with scars.'

The noise of a microphone being fumbled was heard for a moment before Havers finally spoke up.

"The winner is Alex."

"You two go get Luke make sure he isn't hurt."

"It was still still on? Whatever, just go!"

Alex watched as two men came down and checked on Luke after seeing that he was fine they took him to presumably a healer, in order to do a thorough check.

Alex waited for a minute before he head Havers speak up again. "Alex you can come up now, your instructors and I have come to an agreement."

Alex entered the doorway that the two men had came through, and climbed a set of stairs before entering the stands and seeing his instructors and Havers. The few looked as if they had finished a conversation.

"You are quite the frightening existence Alex." Havers said while looking at him.

"Two noble class affinities and a third which even I cannot read. This is good for you though. It seems that your instructors, have have big aspirations, and while I don't agree with all of them, they fight for something with more ground than that of a book."

"I wouldn't have believed it, if earlier someone had told me that today I would meet the worlds youngest kings class mage."

——————

"Just bring us three waters for the drinks."

"What exactly sets them apart from us?" Alex asked as he sat across from his instructors.

Daniel and Michael surprised that Alex cut straight to the main point looked at each other before Daniel spoke up. "Well, much like us, they believe that all mages no matter who or where they come from, are equal. But that's where the similarities end. They don't care about the poor or impoverished. They don't even bat an eye towards you unless you are a mage and powerful, with a few exceptions of course."

"Exceptions?" Alex asked.

"They respect the fighters guild. All members do not have an affinity and yet they can fight toe to toe with us."

"They only respect those with power… so they're elitists." Alex said as he looked at the food that was in front of him.

"That explains a lot."

"What's nexts on the list?" Alex after taking in everything.

"You're not going to ask any questions about us?" Daniel asked.

"Why should I? That's something personal for you both, besides I already knew."

"You did?" The two asked at the same time.

Alex just nodded not adding anything.

'They did everything together, were ready to die together, and to die for each other. They already have more care for each other than the majority of couples. It also makes sense as to why Michael who is a light mage, would be in a secret society which stands against the temple that promotes all light mages as saints. He fell in love, with a man, his very existence breaks a taboo within the holy book. I can only imagine how conflicted he felt.'

"We will be meeting up with another old friend, and there, we will be able to freely test out your crazy ideas. Hurry up and eat, the quicker you are done the quicker we can get moving." Michael answered.