Chereads / Mage Ascension / Chapter 2 - Red mission site

Chapter 2 - Red mission site

He opened his door and walked out into the corridor. The great hall wasn't to far away from his room and only took five minutes to arrive. Normally the hall was reserved for official mages, apprentices had no access to it unless there was an important event like today. Acteon gasped in its glory. It was a sight to behold, ruby encrusted statues littered about the hall and prices paintings adorned the magically inscribed walls. Fresh magma spewed out from hidden passages and filled the center of the hall as a pool. A fire throne reserved for the great mage stood magnificently at the end of the pool, seemingly absorbing the magma.

Acteon walked in further and felt a blast of heat, he ignored it as he joined the skittering apprentices. They were all trying to get the missions that were in their best interests. Acteon got in line for the missions book and when it was his turn he surveyed it with interest. He looked for the missions that were in major forets or locations heavily soaked in nature elementum. He signed up for two green missions that were located in the hearts of major forests.

There was one red mission that was near the unexplored Gaia jungle. The jungle was one of the only parts of the plane that the mages couldn't conquer. It was overrun with wild beast tribes, mythical beings, and dangerous items. It was also sure to house invalubvale treasures. But the mission site was label red which meant it was advised to be on the level of advanced apprentice or pseudo-mage to take it.

After everyone finished picking their missions they gathered around the head apprentice Alex who would announce which missions they received. Acteon worried if Alex would give him the missions he wanted, but only time could tell.

Alex began listing out who received each mission and as the green and yellow ranked missions ended Actaeon was fuming in rage. Alex must have changed his mission preference to orange, which was at the advanced apprentice level! Acteon held his tongue as Alex listed out the rest of the missions.

When Alex finished the orange missions Acteon heart fell into his stomach. Surly Alex wouldn't have been this petty, to assign him a mission he would surely die from! But alas Acteon was assigned to the only red mission site, the Eros catacombs. Sure the Gaia jungle was right nearby but that wouldn't matter if Acteon was dead.

"Alex! How am I assigned to a red mission site I am only at the level of beginner apprentice!" Acteon questioned as everybody turned their head towards him.

Acteon looked around for support but he only saw faces of malice. Even the two mages present didn't say anything. After all they were way above the levels of apprentice and couldn't care for their petty squabbles. They just wanted to hurry up and go back to their magical experiments and away from these apprentices.

"Oh, the other missions were already taken Acteon and since this is a mandatory mission handout I had to give you the red mission site" Alex chuckled a she blatantly lied. Before Acteon could retort a loud voice interrupted them.

"Hurry up an announce who has the Red missions!" Janin yelled.

"Ye.. yes right away" Alex mummerd.

Janin was the son of the great mage of Blazing towers. He was also a pseudo-mage and could kill half of the other adepts here in less than 10 minutes if he wanted. Janin went on the path of a body refinement mage and he had the muscles to show for it.

"The red mission site is handed out to Janin, David, Maya, and Acteon" Alex mumbled

David and Maya were advanced apprentices on the threshold on becoming pseudo-mages the last step before becoming an official mage. David was a traditional fire mage while Maya had the bloodline of a flame succubus. Both could practically count as pseudo-mages but neither could currently beat Janin on a one on one fight.

"Ok, the handout is over return to your dorms and get ready to leave." Alex said before quickly leaving the meeting hall in embarrassment. He hated it when the pseudo-mages out showed him. The only reason in fact he is the head of all the apprentices is that the pseudo-mages didn't feel like having the title. Alex only had power over them in name, he couldn't do anything towards them.

Without tarrying a second latter all of the apprentices left the hall. If they got on the bad side of one of the mages supervising the handout they would be killed without hesitation. Alex hurried to his room and packed his belongings. His room was fairly simple with a bed, two cabinets, and a desk. The reason he didn't have to share dorms like the other normal apprentices was because he was a participant of the nature trials. In regular circumstances he should have been treated like nobility. If Alex had dared to attack him like before he would have been executed immediately. And of course the pseudo-adepts and those nearing the level had rooms of their own.

Acteon left his room and headed towards the flying ship that was taking him to the red mission site. The green and yellow and orange level missions had to get there on their own means. But of course the red mission's were drastically different. They are usually battle grounds where the pseudo-mage's of different factions fought head on. As battle was the only way pseudo-mages and those nearing that level could grow at a fast pace. When he step on the ship the surprising mage's eyebrows raised.

"Why is there a beginner apprentice here, Is this a mistake? Well it's too late now, make peace because you are sure to perish." The old man chuckled.

Acteon quickly sat down in an unoccupied corner and ignored the stares he was receiving from all the other advanced apprentices and pseudo-mage's. After twenty minutes the ship got ready and began to take off. Acteon drew in a breath of excitement as this was his first time on a flying vessel.