Turpis POV
Turpis vision is suddenly blackened and when his eyes focused he noticed that he is no longer in the cave as the floor is completely flatened, and Melfroy was nowhere to be seen.
Turpis noticed that he was surrounded by a lot of black fog, like he is in the midst of a thundercloud, then turpis noticed a glimmer of light in the distance, and so he walks towards it.
As Turpis walked closer to the light, he realized that it was not just a single light but rather a multitude of them scattered across the distance. The lights were of different colors, ranging from shades of blue to green, but the majority of them were reddish in color. He couldn't help but wonder what could be the source of all these lights.
Just as he was about to take a step forward, the black fog suddenly enveloped him and his surroundings. Turpis felt a shiver run down his spine as he looked around frantically, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He tried to run towards the lights, but it seemed like the fog was slowing him down, making his movements sluggish and ineffective.
Turpis braced himself, his body tense, and as time passed by, the fog suddenly clears arround him. As the haze cleared, he could make out a figure seated in a stone chair. The man's back was turned towards Turpis, shrouding his face in shadow and making it difficult to discern his features.
However, Turpis noticed that the man was facing a standing large circular object, like a gate, with countless symbols and runes inscribed on its circumference.
A low hum filled the air, and Turpis watched in curiosity as the symbols etched on the circumference of the circular object began to illuminate one by one. Turpis don't know why but as soon as he saw the figure stand, his body immediately turns around and began to run in the man's opposite direction.
As Turpis began to run he could hear a strange sound in the distance, like the creaking of something and the fluttering of winds. Then, slowly, the sound transformed into a distorted voice, barely audible at first, but growing clearer and louder by the second.
Soon, the voices joined together in a haunting choir, their tones rising and falling in an eerie harmony. Turpis felt his heart pounding in his chest, his feet pounding against the rocky ground as he ran faster and faster, desperate to escape the ominous sound that seemed to be pursuing him.
But no matter how fast he ran, the voices only grew louder, closer.
****
Turpis groaned as he slowly regained consciousness, his head pounding with a fierce headache.
[Apprenticeship Initiated Successfully]
[Apprenticeship Report]
'What?' he immediately thought what he heard and saw a transparent tab.
[Apprenticeship Report]
[Teacher: Melfroy the Banished]
[Arcane Mastery - Invoker]
[3rd Level - Coalescent]
[Headmaster of school of Space]
[Weapon Sense]
[7th stage - Sword, Crossbow, Bow, and spear]
[8th stage - Glaive]
[Mastery of Arts]
[Master of Blade Dance]
[Runesmith]
[Master of many voice]
[Student: Turpis Roan]
'What is this thing?' Turpis was initially confused when he saw the transparent tab, as he had never seen anything like it before. He wondered what it could be for, but as soon as he saw that it contained a lot of information about his teacher, Melfroy, he realized that it had to be related to him.
He tried to sit up but immediately felt dizzy. After a few deep breaths, he looked around and saw Melfroy cooking something over a small fire.
"Melfroy?" Turpis called out weakly.
Melfroy didn't move a single inch.
Turpis tried calling out again but still, like a unmoving statue, Melfroy didnt move, Turpis frowned at this.
Turpis muttered the word "teacher" under his breath, and Melfroy immediately turned his head towards him, a wide grin stretching across his face. "What is it, my dear student?" Melfroy asked in a jovial tone, answering his student with great enthusiasm.
Turpis felt a twinge of annoyance as he observed the comical faces Melfroy was making, but he tried his best to remain patient. After a sigh, he decided to voice his suspicions, "Did you tamper with my mind, Melfroy?".
Melfroy chuckled at the question, "My dear student, what makes you think that?" he replied with a grin. "I simply gave you a little push in the right direction. You know, a little nudge towards greatness." he continued as he move his hip forward and backward repeatedly.
Turpis eyes dilated, all the color of his face drained, and he could feel the delicate flower in his back clenched tightly.
Turpis stood up with a sudden jolt, his eyes blazing with anger as he charged towards Melfroy, his body fueled by a rush of adrenaline that dulled the pain. His footsteps echoed in the cave as he closed the distance between them, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Melfroy's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden outburst, but he maintained his composure and raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Looks like someone is excited to begin his lesson," Melfroy said with a gleeful grin.
With a powerful kick Turpis immediately begin his assault on Melfroy, and Melfroy just stood his ground, he didnt even bring out his orbs and just starts on blocking Turpis's attack without moving a single step.
Turpis continued to throw punches and kicks, but Melfroy continued to block them effortlessly. Finally, bored Melfroy spoke, "You have to do better than that if you want to defeat me, my dear student!." Suddenly Turpis noticed Melfroys shoulder began to move and he knew he had to back away, but Melfroy was just too fast.
*Slap*
Time seemed to slow down as a loud, resonating slap filled the cave. Turpis felt a powerful force on his left buttock, causing his left leg to give out and lose balance. The sound echoed off the walls of the cave, leaving a moment of silence in its wake. Turpis stumbled backward, catching himself before he fell completely. He turned to face Melfroy, who was grinning ear to ear with his hand still in mid-air from delivering the slap.
"Relax, my dear student. I was just joking," Melfroy spoke playfully, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Turpis couldn't help but glare at Melfroy, feeling his blood boiling with anger.
"But I did give you a push though" Melfroy continued, and just as he sense Turpis is about to stand he immediately followed up "but not that type of pushing, of course".
"sigh, this student of mine really can't handle a joke" although the tone of Melfroys contained a lamentation, Turpis couldn't help but get agitated by frustration as the expression of Melfroy's face contradicts its tone as it shows joy, as if a child finding a new toy.
Melfroy's playful demeanor only seemed to fuel Turpis's irritation. He couldn't stand the sight of his teacher enjoying his discomfort. "I don't find it funny," Turpis growled through gritted teeth.
Melfroy's expression shifted to one of mock concern. "Oh dear, did I hurt your delicate sensibilities?" he teased. "Perhaps I should coddle you like a newborn babe."
Turpis clenched his fists at his sides, his anger boiling over. He couldn't let his anger control him if he wanted to learn from his teacher. He knew that if he wants to gain power he don't have a choice but to suck it up.
As time passed by, Turpis began to calm down and take in his surroundings. He noticed that his left hand, which had been severed by orcs, was miraculously back. His eyes widened in shock as he examined each finger, flexing them individually.
'All ten,' he thought to himself, still in disbelief. He stared at his complete limbs in amazement, feeling a sense of gratitude wash over him.
Turpis turned to Melfroy, who was still cooking away. Despite his initial frustrations with his eccentric teacher, Turpis couldn't help but feel a small sense of respect towards him. 'Maybe he's not too bad after all,' he thought to himself.
*rumbling*
The sound of Turpis stomach couldn't help but growl as an intense aroma assaulted his nose.
"It's ready," Melfroy muttered with satisfaction as he savored the taste of his cooking. He then called out to Turpis, "Hey brat, come over here," beckoning him with a flick of his wrist.
Turpis hesitated for a moment, trying to suppress the grumbling of his empty stomach. The aroma of the food made his mouth water, and he couldn't resist the temptation any longer. He made his way over to Melfroy, his steps becoming faster with each passing moment.
Melfroy chuckled at Turpis' eagerness and handed him a bowl filled with the steaming hot food. "Be careful, it's hot," he warned.
Turpis blew on the food before taking a bite, and as soon as the flavor hit his taste buds, he narrowed his eyes and let out a moan of satisfaction. The food was delicious, and he couldn't remember the last time he had tasted anything so good.
Ever since he had awoken in this unfamiliar environment, Turpis couldn't remember the last time he had eaten. His stomach grumbled constantly, aching for sustenance, but he didn't know where to find food. It didn't help that he was constantly on edge, unsure of his surroundings and wary of any danger that might lurk in the shadows.
Just as he was about to asked for a refillment, he noticed Melfroy smiling across him, not taking any bite from the food.
Turpis heart immediately turns cold as he felt a bad premonition.
"Why aren't you eating?" Turpis asked warily.
Melfroy grinned from ear to ear,"how can I eat a human flesh?"
Turpis expression hardened and colors of his face drained,"You're joking right?" he asked in disbelief, but Melfroy just stare at him grinning from ear to ear.
*bang*
The sound of bowl slipping through Turpis hands echoed throughout the cave, and with a shaky voice, "But you promis-".
"pfffftt," Melfroy couldn't contain his laughter anymore, he laughed so hard that he had to put his hand on his belly to try and calm himself down. Tears streamed down his face as he laughed uncontrollably, causing Turpis to look at him in disdain, all the respect that he felt earlier quickly evaporate.
"What's so goddamn funny?" Turpis asked in frustration as he realized that he again falls on Melfroy's prank.
"Ha! I can't--" Melfroy burst into another fit of laughter, clutching his belly with one hand and wiping tears from his eyes with the other. "Your face--" he managed to say between breaths, before collapsing into another round of uncontrollable giggles. It was as if something had tickled his funny bone in just the right way, and he couldn't seem to shake it off no matter how hard he tried.
Turpis just picked up the bowl and begin to fill the bowl again with food and continued eating while staring at his teacher with a deadpan expression.