As the dawn of the next day broke, and the ashes of the execution still smoldered, Sei was summoned by the leader of the village. He awoke from his slumber in the home of his deceased parents, a sense of satisfaction and even pleasure coursing through his veins as he remembered his hand in their deaths.
Without a care for the consequences of his actions, he prepared himself for the day ahead, donning his attire with a sense of power and control, adjusting his trousers and cinching his belt before finally grasping his sword, the symbol of his evil deeds.
As Sei stepped out of the house, he was greeted with condolences from the villagers. He paid them no mind and simply continued on his walk.
The village was bustling with activity, children playing in the streets, vendors selling their wares, and the smell of fresh baked bread wafting through the air. But Sei didn't care for any of it, his mind consumed with thoughts of his next move and the power he now held. He passed by a group of villagers huddled together, discussing the events of the previous night.
"Can't believe old man Rei got executed like that." one of them said.
"Yeah, he killed his own wife and tried to attack his own son. Who would have thought?" another chimed in.
Sei felt a flicker of satisfaction at their words, relishing in the control and fear he held over the village. He continued on, his malevolent grin never leaving his face, a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment washing over him as he plotted his next move.
As he reached the leader's home, Sei couldn't help but to smirk, thinking about how easily he had played the villagers, making them believe that his father was the one to blame for the murders.
"Excuse me." Sei spoke as he politely knocked on the door.
"Coming, hold your horses!" A deep, gruff voice replied.
Moments later, the door creaked open to reveal an elderly man, his wrinkles etched deep into his weathered face.
"Greetings, kid." the elderly gentleman greeted as Sei approached his door. "Please, do come in."
Without hesitation, Sei stepped inside and took note of his surroundings. The old man gestured towards a plush sofa, inviting Sei to take a seat.
"So, what is it that you wish to discuss?" Sei inquired, his tone tinged with a hint of impatience.
"First, let me offer you some tea." the old man offered, but Sei quickly dismissed the offer.
"I am not here for pleasantries, let us get straight to the matter at hand." Sei stated curtly.
The old man gave a small chuckle,
"Very well, then. I understand that you have recently lost both of your parents, is that correct?"
Sei nodded in confirmation, his mind dwelling on the events that led to their deaths.
"I have taken it upon myself to consider enrolling you in a magic academy." the old man continued. "It is clear that you possess a certain... potential. And given the circumstances surrounding your departure from your father's home, I believe it would be in your best interest."
Sei's expression remained stoic as he weighed the old man's words. He had no interest in attending a magic academy, his sights set on a different path.
"Tell me, do you know of demons?" Sei asked, changing the subject.
"Why do you ask? They are powerful creatures, far beyond the capabilities of any mortal to defeat." the old man replied, a hint of caution in his voice.
"I see." Sei said with a smirk, his true intentions hidden behind a veil of indifference.
As I weighed the pros and cons of the old man's offer, I ultimately came to the conclusion that accepting it would be a valuable opportunity to gain knowledge about demons and possibly the Cursed Land. Though I knew that revealing too much about my interest in the latter could spell trouble.
"Hmph, very well. I'll accept your offer." Sei said, masking his inner excitement with a hint of disdain.
The old man, Kazan, smiled and stood up from his seat. "Oh, that's great. Let's just get started. My name is Kazan, kid. You'll want to remember this old man's name to get into the academy," he said as he reached into his pocket.
Kazan's hand delved deeper into the pocket, and soon enough, he retrieved a small object, obscured from Sei's view by the old man's fingers.
With an outstretched hand, Kazan offered the object to Sei. "Take this." he said.
Sei reached out and took the object, feeling its weight and texture in his hand. It felt like a small folded piece of paper. Intrigued, Sei opened the folded paper and found that it was indeed a map, with a red circle prominently marked on it.
"That's the map, kid. Make your way." Kazan said as Sei examined the map. "There's a letter too, including my handwritten text."
Sei gingerly lifted the aged parchment, revealing an intricately sealed letter beneath it. As he reached for the wax seal, Kazan interjected with a warning.
"Stop there, kid. You don't want to open that, there's a seal on it, you can't use that letter again after you break it."
Slightly annoyed, Sei replied,
"Alright, alright. So this is all I get? No horses for the journey?"
"Of course not," Kazan retorted with a hint of disdain.
Feeling a twinge of frustration, Sei muttered under his breath,
"..fucking old man." He rose to his feet and with a curt nod, announced his departure. "I will take my leave then."
"Very well, go ahead," Kazan said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
As Sei stood up from the sofa, he carefully folded the map and slipped it into his pocket. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration at Kazan's refusal to provide him with a horse for his journey. With a sullen expression, he made his way towards the door. The old wooden door creaked as he pulled it open, revealing the bright sunlight outside.
He stepped out, the warm sun on his skin, the smell of the village drifting to his nose. But his thoughts were not on the journey ahead, they were consumed by his insatiable hunger for power. He knew that the only way to truly gain it, was to gain knowledge, and the magic academy was his key to that knowledge. With a sly grin on his face, he set off on his journey, determined to do whatever it takes to obtain the power he craved.