Paramount Magus

I hate passing out.

Why do I always seem to pass out?

This is ridiculous, I need to somehow fix this problem. And quickly, I can't be passing out at school mid class, I'll get expelled for gods sake. A made who can't stay awake, I'd be made fun of for the rest of my life.

I opened my eyes to the sound of wheels turning and the abrupt jump of the carriage, which made me smack my head painfully against the wooden bench I was laying down on.

I guess we're still traveling with the caravan, that's good knees it means I didn't sleep for too long.

Gloria opened the door and then recoiled in shock dropping the fruits she had in her hand.

"Holy fuck, the rabid wolf is awake already."

The rabid wolf? Who the fuck is that.

"How the fuck are you awake right now. It's been like not even three hours since the hoard."

It's only been three hours since the hoard? I guess I slept for less time then I thought, good job body ! For once you fought the shitty desire to stay asleep, soon it'll go down to two hours and then finally one hour and then it'll go away completely, this is great news !

"Uh hello? Did you get brain damage Sylas."

Oh right I've been speaking in my head, whoops.

"Yeah I'm fine, I'm guessing Alaric healed me."

I said with a smile.

"Huh? Who the fuck is Alaric? Holy shit, you totally did get brain damage, don't move! I'll go get Randy this instant.

I tried to fix my words but it was too late, she was already running to bother Randy.

I had to sit their awkwardly for a minute, but when they came back together looking frightened I couldn't help but giggle a little bit.

Before things got even more out of hand I explained my mistake.

"I don't have brain damage, my teacher and role model is named Alaric, he's an accomplished healer so after being healed by him countless times I guess I'm just used to him being the one who heals me, I'm sorry for the confusion."

They both let out a deep breath they seemed to have been holding in for the last couple minutes.

Gloria patted my shoulder.

"Good, I was hoping you weren't disabled just yet. With the way you fight you'll certainly become somebody important, good or bad I'm still debating, but certainly somebody."

I cocked my eyebrows in a questioning gaze.

"The way I fight?"

Gloria sent me a questioning gaze back.

"Do you not know how scary you fight, not to mention how scary you look?!? You fucking smiled the entire fight, even when you sacrificed your forearm to save me, you didn't lose your smile for even a second. It was fucking terrifying."

She took a breath and then continued.

"Not to mention how good of a close quarters fighter you are? It would've been good to know we had an ace with us, you said you excelled in close quarters combat, you should've said you dominate it."

Randy nodded his head and continued Gloria's tangent.

"Quite frankly you're by far the best close quarters fighter here, and maybe even the best close quarters twilight mage in Marebore for your age."

I shot him down instantly.

"Now your being ridiculous, I've only been training for around a year, my teacher said I was average for my age."

Gloria and Randy's eye widened to a terrifying degree.

"AVERAGE?"

They said in unison.

"You honestly think your fucking average?"

Gloria asked..

"You're a retard."

Is all Randy said.

I took a moment to collect my thoughts.

"Am I not average? My teacher told me nobles train at the youngest age they can at weapon mastery, before my final month of training he said I was around the middle of the pact. After my training maybe slightly above average."

Gloria replied.

"Your teacher was lying to you,maybe to push your growth, or maybe he genuinely doesn't know, but I doubt that. The simplest way I can put it is…. you are a monster. Your physique and mana rotation combined makes a disturbingly effective combination, and that combination is a killing machine with almost no flaws in his swordsmanship not to mention your excellent decision making skills. I wouldn't want to fight you right now, and I'm a dusk mage. I'll be honest, I'd lose, and quite terribly at that."

Randal continued.

"Your only weakness is that you lack a wide variety of spells to use, but your also sixteen years old. It's kind of ridiculous that you can use advanced mana rotation and basic elemental spells when you've just awakend. It takes most people years, and even they call themselves geniuses."

Gloria nodded her head in agreement.

"Your only competition would be royal family descendants from any race, they always are trained to a ridiculous degree to show off and maintain their power. And top nobles from any kingdom will also train their children since birth, the rest of the nobles only really know shitty chants that they relie on to call themselves genius magicians, most suck in actual fights."

She continued on with her long rant.

"They're always expections of course, but that's the general outline of the kids attending Castor academy. The rest of the children would be people trying to become somebody special, like you. They normally are quite weak, but if you use yourself as an example, some are freaks of nature."

I gave a half bow very awkwardly.

"Thank you for the important information, it's nice to get a warning before I knocked somebody out by using too much force."

I took a second to collect myself and then asked the burning question that was on my mind.

"One more thing."

I looked at them very seriously.

"Who is this rabid wolf? Is the caravan in trouble?"

They were looking at me with serious expressions and then Randy restated his earlier comment.

"You're a retard."

The last couple days went peacefully, apparently I was this so called rabid wolf, they named me that after watching me fight with my teeth and hands and tearing a beast apart.

Kind of ridiculous if you ask me, but I have no control over it. The merchants that traveled with the caravan won't even talk to me anymore to be honest, apparently they said I was too scary to approach.

And yet they talk to the other magus, like they aren't even more powerful then I am.

My wounds were still hurting, but they're mostly healed now. After Randy worked on me constantly for the last couple of days.

He wants me to be at my top strength for the recruitment process, but I don't think it'll be a problem even if he doesn't finish healing me in time.

But he got it done, all that was left from that death sentence of a fight was more scars added onto my body and sore muscles from the extended healing. But it's nothing some sleep won't fix.

Gloria also came to see my personally, after letting me catch my bearing she personally apooogized for having to be saved, she said it was her fault I got injured, she also promised me a favour whenever and wherever I need it, which is never a bad thing coming from a Dusk mage.

I told her it was my choice and declined the favour, but she insisted and I eventually caved. Of course I shot her a teasing remark about her owing me a favour for "whatever I need" before accepting.

She giggled and matched my snide remark by saying.

"Anytime, anyplace remember."

And with a over exaggerated wink, she walked away.

We eventually arrived at Liberta.

I could tell Liberta would be a different experience in it's entirety right from the start, after all the two guards that let checked our cargo were an elf and orc respectively.

Don't get me wrong, I've seen other races before, especially during my childhood, lots of creeps like young elf's. So I saw my fair share of other races in my slave days.

But it was odd seeing them right away, after all they're a rare sight when your in the human kingdom.

After ten minutes of the guards thoroughly checking the caravan, and confirming our identities with the magus association they let us in.

I've been shocked a number of times, from the day I saw Alaric for the first time, to when I had to fight the Beast wave. But I don't think anything affected me quite as much as the breathtaking sight directly infront of me.

I entered in the western gate, and infront of me was the largest market I've ever seen, and every race was right infront of me.

It was overwhelming, I've never seen anything quite so…. Cool.

I looked over and I guess I was staring because a dwarf who was smoking from his pipe flipped me off.

"I'm sorry sir."

I said apologetically.

"Fix your staring problem pal."

I nodded and kept on walking with the group, I should watch out for who I stare at, I don't want to get in trouble before even applying to an academy.

After an twenty minutes of slowly cruising through the market we arrived at the magus association building.

We went in and they confirmed our identities, I don't really understand how when I didn't hand them anything but that's their business.

I got my reward of 15 silvers and said goodbye to my companions, I had to find a place to stay the night. Tomorrow was the big day.

"Thank you all for everything, if you ever need some ody to fill a spot im your man."

Wick gave me a thumbs up.

Even though it was a simple gesture I could tell he was being sincere.

Gloria was a little more straight foward giving me a hug, she thanked me once again for saving her life, she backed away and gave me a wink and a smile.

"Anytime, anywhere remember?"

I smiled back at her.

I shook hands with Randy and we agreed to meet once I gained some more experience in light magic, it was a nice goodbye.

I gave them a final wave before walking downtown towards the hotel the caravan owner gave me directions too, apparently he has connections there and I can get a discount from mentioning his name.

I'll rest for the night and head out bright and early to the academy trials, they're open all day so I don't really have to rush. But I want to beat the crowd, the less time I have to wait the better.

It's time to join an academy.

End of chapter 9