"I am used to my sister nagging me all the time but what I experienced back in my hometown might prove to be a little pointless here," I said to myself while staring eye to eye with a senior in the Blue Tower. "H-Hello." I greeted awkwardly but he seemed to be determined to stay silent.
Every time I avert my gaze, he would move and our gaze would meet. And I am starting to get annoyed. "What the hell is his problem?"
That instant, a slime flashed on his face. "Aha! You just cursed at me, didn't you? How did I know, you ask? Simple, I can read minds!" he said enthusiastically. I did not expect to meet someone older than me and embarrass himself around so many other people.
I feel pity and embarrassed for him.
"This guy- it should be obvious from just that angle, you know?" I want to say it straight to his face, but he is a senior. He is like a chick in a pen, whereas I am still an egg that is yet to hatch. I cannot just dirty my name on my very first day, so I let it slide.
"WOW~ senior, you're so cool!"
I'm dying. Like why the hell is he posing like an almighty being?! Did he think that my thoughts praised him!?
"Right after coming here and I meet a weirdo from the get-go. This is not a good sign." Surely, there are tens if not hundreds of disciples and he is the one that I meet right away. I'm worried about how will I last here.
The senior then told me everything that I did not want to know. First I refused but he insisted, so I acted like to hear him out.
"There is one stronger than me in this tower. All who claim to be the strongest will crawl before my feet. Are you strong?" he asked and I immediately shook my head. "No. In fact, I think I am the weakest among all the disciples here." I admitted. I didn't want to be entangled with such a weirdo anymore.
Getting tied up with him will be nothing but a headache. "Look at him, saying everything that he wants to say. Is this how lonely he had been?" I acted as if I listen to what he had to say but in truth, I just let it out the other ear. "Hehe."
All of a sudden when that senior is flexing his hand signs like it was special when in truth even a kid can do it as well, an intimidating senior appeared. "That's enough Claude. You are scaring the new recruit, for god's sake," he said while grabbing the senior's shoulder. "What the- I'm not done talking to him yet, Bronx!" he resisted.
Just as I expected from him.
"I still have a lot to tell him."
"Are you okay? He did not say anything weird to you, did he?" I just shook my head as an answer with a drained expression. He immediately realized it and grab his lips and keep them shut.
"He needs to- ehuuump?!" he complained with a muffled voice. "What the hell did I always tell you not to do every time there is a new recruit?!"
"Mmmmm!" he screamed like a beast about to devour its prey and the pitiful senior just whimpered like an injured puppy. It was a sight to behold and also a sight that I want to be erased from my mind. "They are both weird in their own way. What the hell, the other senior is even scarier!" I lost my shit and here I thought sis was scary.
I saw the world in a new light.
And because of that, I was brought to the Tower Master's office without any delay, thanks to the scary senior.
"That was a bit unexpected but I'm glad it's over. PHEW!" I said to myself but I suddenly felt like something is wrong. "Huh? Why am I the only one in this hallway? That's strange." I looked around, I even sensed the floor and not a single footstep on the same level. "Is it possible that there are no other rooms here?"
Just when I was thinking about that, the door suddenly opened.
KACHAK!
Cold air bursts out of the room as if the other side is filled with snow just like what William showed that day. The floor is frozen and by the looks of it, so is the door. 'But why?' that's the question that's plaguing my mind. Whatever it is, I know that the answer lies inside.
Before entering, I produced flames on both of my hands to counter the cold, and slowly but surely, I created a protective layer around me using the flames. "I did not expect that I would use this method that William taught me. In the end, I ended up learning from him more than he did from me."
Just the thought of it makes me want to laugh. "Well, I guess this is how friends are, huh?" with that, I am ready to come inside the room.
PSSSH!
The doorknob sizzled upon contact with my finger, I made sure that I only touch the knob since anything else might be set on fire and I don't want to be the one to bring down a century-old building on my first day. "That's just unheard of, not to mention that I will be the enemy of everyone in the kingdom."
After opening the door, I slowly heard a distant clapping amidst the all the sizzling sound that I was making every step I take and on the corner of the room was someone standing, he wore a dark blue coat and based on his looks and age, he must be the Blue Tower Master.
"Good day, Blue Tower Master. I am Mark Mercury. I am honored to meet you." There is no denying it, even though he is hiding his true strength, I can see it. His mastery over his spells and the nature of mana. A novice will not be drinking boiling tea in such a place. It would easily freeze into a cube. "This person, he is strong," I said to myself.
"Welcome, Mark Mercury. Just as I expected from the friend of the kid that flipped the kingdom upside down. You are quite meticulous. Using your flames to cancel out the coldness of this room. You are good." He said with a smile on his face.
And then as if everything was an illusion, the ice inside the room slowly disappeared before my very eyes. "This-!" I stood in shock as my flames also got extinguished. "Did he do this?! How is he able to erase my flames?" just as I ask myself these questions, the Tower Master called out to me. "You don't have to be surprised about it. That's just how my nature is."
I'm shocked. It's just as William once told me. "No way- anti-magic." I blurted out and almost instantly, a smile appears on the Tower Master's face. "Hoh~ looks like you are quite knowledgeable about my magic."
In a single second, the ice that I thought disappeared, appeared again and this time, all of it formed into spikes aimed at my neck. It's thin but I can sense the danger and bloodlust that he is releasing. "Did he think that I am an enemy because I knew about his magic!?" even though there is ice around me, I still managed to break some sweat.
It's nerve-wracking to even stand there and be able to hold my ground in front of a Tower Master's animosity. "Where did you learn that, boy? Are you a spy?" he asked with a smile on his face. "It's weird. How can he smile like that while threatening me?! Put that away, you crazy old bastard!" I want to yell. I want to yell so badly.
The pressure that he is giving off is nothing to scoff at as well! Is this a Tower Master?!
"Please calm down for a moment?" I pleaded. He looks like he is going to kill me if I don't give him an excuse. "Is that right? Then explain yourself." He responded aggressively. Not that I am surprised but it might be the same reaction that I would make if someone managed to realize what my magic is.
Considering that he is one of the few Primordial Mages in the kingdom, he must be extra careful in not revealing his magic to anyone. I am left with nothing but to tell him the truth that William figured out his magic just by reading some books and listening to people's words.
"My friend. William, he figured out your magic. We were talking about it a few years back." I said as fast as I can to save my ass. Strangely enough, the ice spikes retracted and disappeared. "So it was him, huh? I should have considered something like that first, I apologize for threatening you like you. It's just there are a group of people that I am looking out for."
The Blue Tower Master easily recovers his mood and thankfully, I was able to save my life. "PHEW! That was close! I need to watch my mouth next time." I said to myself.
Indeed, that is something that I should watch out for. I learned a lot of things from William over the years and most of them are not only radical but also convenient. "That guy- how in the world is he answering these things." I realized that William is a genius way back then but now, I truly see how terrifyingly accurate everything he has been mumbling about in the past. "And I have touched the tip of everything that he said."
"I can see that it is not the only thing that your friend, William had told you." The Tower Master said out of nowhere. "How come?" I asked. "Well, you just made a face that you confirmed something. I'm just deducting here but it looks like you are looking forward to everything that your friend has told you about magic," he smiled.
He's fast, did I make such an expression? Well, he is the Tower Master so it is quite expected that he is this sharp. "Yes. He is quite the guy to be with since he kept mumbling about stuff that I don't even want to know. But it turns out that some of them are useful." I confirmed. There is no need for me to lie to him unless I want to run for my life.
"So he's like that, huh? We have someone like him as well, though not that smart he is quite strong. You must have met him earlier, he tends to annoy new recruits or scare them off so I hope that you don't have any thoughts of backing out just like the others did."
"No way- so some of the words that he was saying are true?" I'm left speechless. And I was looking down on him because of his behavior earlier! "' Don't judge the book by its cover.' You were the one that told me that, right William?" the more I learn that what William said is true made me admire him more and more.
"Sis. The things that you said were stupid were the truth after all." I can't wait to tell her about these things when I get back. Though I can already tell how she will react, I still want to see it for myself. A smile appears on my face without realizing it.
It all started with that, what comes next is the barrage of questions that the Tower Master wants to know about me and William. Though I cannot tell him everything that he wanted to know, I don't even have that much knowledge to explain the things that William told me, but I did my best to explain them just like how he did.
We talked for almost half an hour, and the talk about William pumped me up. And the fact that I am his friend somehow made me proud.
"What do you think? Did the Tower Master overdo it this time? You know how unhinged he can be, right?" Bronx asked Claude who is biting off the tips of his nails.
TAAAK! TAAAK! TAAAK! TAAAK!
"Stop that! It's so annoying!" Bronx complained but Claude continues doing it regardless. "Man, I really want to bust his head open sometimes." He thought to himself. "That guy is good. He will win over the Tower Master." Claude mumbled out of nowhere.
Not only that it was presumptuous it was utterly impossible to win over the Tower Master. "That's just impossible. Did you hurt your head? That's the Blue Tower Master we are talking about! He is nastier than the Red Tower Master, there's a huge gap between them. That guy is dead I tell you-"
Before Bronx could finish saying, he briefly stopped when Claude raised his finger. "There is a variable that you are overlooked, Bronx," Claude said with a serious expression, and for the first time, Bronx moved closer to hear the answer. "Wow~ so there are times that you act normally."
Claude just smiled at his words and brushed them off as nothing but utter rubbish. "Come here, I'll tell you….. to answer your previous question, I always act normal- kuak!" Bronx felt betrayed and before he knew it, he is already strangling Claude. "This fucker, why did I even hope to get a clear answer from this piece of shit!? Bronx you fucking retard!"
"Br-o-KUK! I- ca' bre-KUK!" Claude struggled as his face slowly turns purple and before he dies from suffocation, the Blue Tower Master sneaks behind them. "What kind of fuckery is this?" his cold and blank voice startled even Claude who was on his way to the path of ascension moments ago. "TOWER MASTER!" they both yelled to greet him.
Disappointed in that unsightly moment, he just shakes his head. "Please stop doing that kind of thing while bickering with each other. And no, I did not kill the new recruit. You have a better chance of killing him with embarrassment and annoyance than I do. You already have the keys to his room, run him down with all the rules that he needed to know."
Bronx and Claude stood like tall trees even though he is itching to touch his neck, Claude endured it.
"I will be expecting great things from you, Mark Mercury. Welcome to the Blue Tower. Have a great stay and improve!" he said as he immediately left to continue his work.
"Bronx-"
"Sorry about that Claude, I just moved by instic- KEUK!"
"I almost died, you fucker! Did you know that I caught a glimpse of my grandfather asking me to cross the other side of the river!? I was that close! Die! Die!"
It is as if I was watching a brawl between two crazy people, it is crazy. I can't even believe that they are disciples of the Blue Tower Master. "Is this how everyone here is?" I asked myself. though the answer to that is already obvious, I still had the urge to ask someone about it.
And as if the Tower Master witnessed the fight, ice restrained them. Without physical contact, the two started cussing at each other.
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!"
"BRING IT ON, YOU CRAZY FUCKER!"
"Do I wait for them to finish their fight first?" I asked myself and realized that the keys to my room has been dropped. Seeing how busy they are at their type of recreation, I took it to myself to look for my room. I quickly left the scene before I get branded like them.
"Room 143, huh?" I'm lost. I was just checking all the room numbers and they don't seem to match. "I am in a pinch." While I am scratching my head, a beautiful young lady approached me, I suspect that she is a senior in the tower and she gladly helped me find my room and even took me there.
"Thanks! I don't think I would have found my room without your help!" she just smiled and somehow, I felt my heart skip a beat. "No problem. This is what we fellow disciples should do." She said with a smile and left.
I stood there frozen as if I was retrained by ice in place. For the first time in my life, I felt something different.
"Is this what sis felt every time she sees William?" I asked myself, unsure if it is the same thing they call 'LOVE'