Robert followed Manhawk and Mr Charles out of the office and towards the front gate of the school. He could feel the curious stares of his classmates as they watched him leave, and the teachers' stern admonishments to pay attention to the lesson.
"Why is it so important that I attend a magic school anyway? To be honest, I think I'm pretty magical already," Robert said, a small proud grin playing on his lips.
"While your ancestor soul is indeed powerful, you're still developing the ability to fully harness its potential," Manhawk explained. "Attending a magic school can help you unlock your full potential, so you can use your power in a safe and responsible way. It's not just about becoming more powerful, it's about learning to control and direct that power. A magic school can make you stronger, and perhaps one day, you would be stronger than I am."
Robert's mind flashed back to the huge fireball Manhawk had created the other day. The memory sent a chill down his spine. The thought of being even more powerful than that was both thrilling and terrifying.
"So, are we taking the school bus, or did you bring Goldie? or your private jet?" Robert asked, unable to contain his excitement. His mind raced with visions of soaring above the school grounds on a majestic white bird or a sleek private jet. He imagined himself regaling his friends with stories of his adventures for years to come.
The two men shared a laugh.
"Robert," Mr Charles began, "I know powers can be fun and all, but it's important to remember that just because the magic council has allowed wizards to use their powers more freely, it doesn't mean you can flaunt or use them recklessly. There are still rules and regulations to follow, for your own safety and the safety of others."
"Then how are we going to get there?" Robert asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
Manhawk smiled and raised his hand. His silver ring glowed, and a scroll appeared in his hand.
"By reading a scroll?" Robert asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.
"No, no, no," Manhawk said, shaking his head. "It's a teleportation scroll, created by magic technologists."
Robert looked at him with a puzzled expression. "A what?" he asked.
Manhawk patted him on the shoulder. "You've got a lot to learn, kid," he said with a smile.
They left the school grounds and walked to the edge of the deserted street where the school was located. Axille was a small town located in the city of Heiss. It had a sparse population, most of whom were either magic enforcers or ordinary people who had no choice but to stay. The number of people living there had steadily declined as more and more people sought opportunities in the city. The town had a deserted, run-down feel to it. Many of the houses were in disrepair, with boarded-up windows and peeling paint. Only a handful of homes looked well-maintained, their yards neatly manicured and their windows sparkling clean. The streets were mostly empty, with just the occasional car passing by. It felt like a ghost town, devoid of life and activity.
"Axille seems like a ghost town," Manhawk said. "There's hardly any sign of life here, except for a few rats and raccoons. I think it's time to teleport you to Heiss magic school." The two men took a step back, creating some distance between themselves and Robert. "Once you arrive, look for a man named Dean Seig. He'll help you through the enrollment process." Manhawk handed the scroll to him. "Tear this when you're ready to go."
"I don't know," Robert hesitated. "Is it safe? I mean, the scroll is glowing and it's giving off this weird light I've never seen before."
Manhawk looked at the scroll and then back at Robert. "Uh, yeah, it's totally safe," he said, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Just give it a try."
"I'm not so sure," Robert said, fidgeting nervously. "Are you sure it's not going to do something crazy?"
"Just tear the scroll, Robert," Manhawk said with a tinge of impatience in his voice.
"Okay," He said and shut his eyes and then...
There was no then.
With a shaking hand, Robert tore the scroll in half. The parchment crumbled into tiny particles of silver and gold dust, then disappeared with him in a flash of bright light. Robert felt a rush of wind, and everything around him began to spin. The world blurred around him, and then, suddenly, everything went dark.
"Thank you for your help, Charles," Manhawk said, shaking Mr Charles's hand. "I must return to Guagazl to report to the Superior wizards. I'm grateful for your assistance."
Manhawk reached behind his back and retrieved a small golden feather. As he held it up, it began to grow in size until it was as large as a bird. "Goldie!" he called out, and the giant white bird with a golden beak swooped down to meet him. Manhawk leapt onto its back, and with a powerful beat of its wings, they were airborne. They soared up into the sky, leaving a trail of shimmer and a gust of wind that nearly knocked Charles off his feet. Within seconds, Manhawk and Goldie had disappeared from view. The street was once again silent and still, the only sign that anything had happened was the dust swirling in the wind.
Charles scowled as he watched the bird and its rider disappear into the distance. "What a fool," he muttered. "And he calls himself a wizard."
As he spoke, his skin emmited a blood red glow and began to ripple and bubble as though they were boiling. He let out a satisfied sigh as his features began to shift and change. Within seconds, he was no longer the blonde and thick bearded Mr Charles Currie, but a handsome man in his thirties, with a neatly trimmed beard and immaculately coiffed black hair.
"Manhawk is more careless than I thought," he said with a smirk. "He let his guard down so much that he didn't even notice I used my blood shape-shifting spell. Anyway, it's a good thing I got Charles' blood sample before he showed up with Manhawk. Haha!"
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Is the job done, White Claw?" an elderly voice asked from the other end of the line.
"Yes, it is, sir," White Claw replied. "Now, we just need to know know that by nine o'clock every night, he'll be on his way to the Heiss Magic School in Prixeo. All we have to do is figure out his usual route and ambush him."
"I'm pleased to hear that," the voice said. "Go to the new headquarters and collect your reward. You did a good job."
"Thank you, Blood Master," White Claw said, bowing his head in respect. He pocketed his phone and looked around for a taxi. He didn't dare use his magic beast for transportation - the magic enforcers would be all over him in no time. And when they discover he was a member of the Black fraggers that would mean a fight, which would only lead to more trouble than it was worth.
Just as he was pondering his next move, a scruffy-looking raccoon scurried over and started sniffing around his feet. "Get lost, you filthy lowly beast. Blood extraction!" White Claw barked, casting a blood extraction spell. He was a 6th rank mystic blood wizard. The raccoon let out a yelp, blood seeping from every hole in its body including it's sweat pores. After a few agonizing spasms, the poor creature lay still, its body now a crumpled heap in a pool of its own blood.
_
Guagazl in Comset Region, the same region Heiss is located but in the north.
Manhawk arrived at the Magic Council's headquarters, a towering edifice located in the center of the city of Guagazl. Its walls were covered in intricate runes, glowing with a faint blue light. Wizards walked back and forth, their robes of various colors indicating their respective departments. A few tourists snapped pictures, their eyes filled with wonder at the spectacle before them. In the upper chambers, arguments and debates echoed through the halls, the voices rising and falling like waves crashing against a rocky shore. As Manhawk drew closer to the tower, he saw a man with a thick beard and blonde hair running towards him. "Wait a minute," he thought. "Isn't that Charles the Archeologist? How did he get here before me? I left him in Axille."
"Mr. Simon, there you are!" Charles called out. "I've been looking all over for you. When are we going to see the boy with the Earth ancestor soul?"
Manhawk's expression turned grave. He felt Charles's aura and a realization dawned on him. The person that had followed him to Axille had not been the real Charles. It had been an imposter, someone who had used the blood shape-shifting spell or a potion to look like him. If that was the case, then it indicated that someone was aware of Robert's enrollment at Heiss Magic School, someone who knew about Robert and his ancestor's soul, someone who potentially wanted to harm him, possibly the Black Fraggers.
"We have a problem," Manhawk said, his voice hoarse. "I was tricked by an imposter. He took your shape and followed me to Axille. I fear he might be a member of the Black fraggers."
"Should I give orders to secure the area?" Charles asked, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. He was a respected member of the Magic Council, and he knew that they would take his instructions seriously.
"No, if they were smart enough to pull off a deception like this, they've likely escaped by now," Manhawk said with a sigh. "This is my fault. I let my guard down completely." He stroked his goatee, his face clouded with anger and frustration.
"I think we need to take action to protect Robert," he continued. "I think I know what their plan is. We need to send a message to the wizard protector of Bright Future Models School, Miss Xena Greene right? She'll need to keep a close eye on her student." Manhawk turned and began to make his way to the top floor of the Magic Council building, where the three superior wizards were waiting. He had to inform them of what had happened and what they needed to do next.
_
As the light from the scroll faded, Robert found himself in a fantastical environment. He stood in front of a school unlike any he had ever seen before. Instead of children in normal school uniforms moving about, the students here wore robes of all different colors. Some were doing things that seemed impossible - warming their lunch by conjuring a flame in their hand, conjuring leaves and flowers to dress another girl, using their bare hands to fill a water bottle, creating snowballs from thin air. Another boy was charging his phone by sticking the cord in his nose, and electricity crackled around his head. One boy was causing the wind to blow, and the girl's skirt flew up in the breeze. The students were all doing things that seemed like magic - like actual magic. Robert was awestruck, his eyes wide with wonder and confusion. What kind of place was this?
A minute passed before he managed to tear his gaze away from the incredible scene around him. He glanced around, searching for someone who looked approachable. He spotted a group of girls huddled together, and one in particular caught his eye. She had blue hair and was absolutely stunning. He took a deep breath and walked over to the group.
"Hi, girls," he said, nervously clearing his throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but could you tell me where I can find Dean Seig?"
Before he could get an answer, two boys approached the group - one was plump and gangly, the other tall and skinny with glasses.
"Piss off, pal!" Glasses guy snapped. "She's already taken. Go find someone else to flirt with, unless you want to get on young master Alexander's bad side. Now scram!" How dare this random guy in a stupid highschool uniform approach Alexander's girl? He didn't even have any magic aura. Who did he think he was?
Robert was taken aback by the boy's aggressive tone. He had always thought of guys who wore glasses as timid and studious, not like this guy who seemed to have an attitude that didn't match his appearance. Was this really the same boy he had seen just a moment ago?
"He's just trying to find Dean Seig," the blue-haired girl said, her voice calm and clear.
"His office is on the fifth floor," the chubby boy said gruffly. "Now get lost."
Robert glanced over at the boy called Alexander, who sat nearby. Alexander looked back at him coolly, his silver hair shining in the light, his chin raised in pride. He seemed utterly unconcerned by Robert's presence.
"Don't mind these kids, son," Poison said reassuringly. "They've just become basic wizards, and they think it makes them hot stuff. But you sure picked the wrong group to ask for direction."
Robert quietly made his way to the stairs, choosing not to utilize Poison's earth power to deal with the disrespectful group. Among them, Alexander, who allowed his henchmen to bother him, stood out the most. Despite the group emitting magical waves, the strongest among them appeared to be a 4th rank common wizard, while Poison's earth power already resided in the mystic realm. If he had lost his temper, the consequences could have been dire, as none of them might have survived. Fortunately, Robert was level-headed and chose to avoid confrontation.
"But you have to admit, Alexander is quite the looker," Poison mentioned.
"Quiet Poison, I don't want these guys to think I'm losing it if I respond to you out loud," he thought to himself as he made his way up the stairs.
"Oh, yeah sure," Poison replied grumpily.