"I'm sorry but do you really think you're gonna become the world's strongest wizard?" Sidney asked, struggling to regain her composure.
Kieran turned his head to face her direction. His eyes met hers in a fierce gaze that forced her to look away. Just from looking at him, it was clear that he meant every word he had stated. His goal was clear and although it sounded impossible, it was the path he had chosen to take in his life.
He then turned around and looked at the old man with the same intense gaze, something that neither of them wished to messed with. "This is what I wish to achieve in my life."
Upon hearing this, the man clenched his fist and nodded his head.
"You have ambition. I hope that one day you achieve this goal of yours."
The man then got off the table as he excused himself to go back to the spare room in the house to take a nap after having exerted so much of his magic power in healing Kieran. When he finally left the room, Sidney turned her attention back towards the teenager.
She looked interested in his life and wanted to learn more about him. Hence, she decided to stay close to him for a while. As the day passed on, she had done all of her household chores and later went out into the forest to hunt.
"This time I won't loose my kill to that witch," she said, aiming her bow and arrow at the beast. "Last time I got distracted, but the same thing won't happen again today."
The huntress took aim and released the arrow, imbuing it with magic to enhance its killing potency. The arrlw travelled Swifty through the air and connected with the side of the beast.
As the creature collapsed against the ground, Sidney came out of her hissing spot and moved towards the beast to secure the kill. When the levitation magic was casted, she began trekking back to the village to trade the magic creature in the local market. She eventually made it back to the village and managed to obtain a total of seventeen ten coins for the kill.
The moment the huntress returned back into the forest, a familiar image came into her sights.
"I can't believe she came back after that day."
"Who are you referring to?" Kieran asked, puzzled by what she said.
After the conversation that happened earlier that day, Kieran decided that he would help out the family with carrying out their chores and would also learn how to hunt better under their teaching and guidance. As he had previously made up his mind, he didn't wish to leech off of the kind people that saved his life.
"Fuck no. Why is she back here?"
Kieran was now quite curious as to who Sidney was referring to. He didn't know anyone else from the village, so he assumed this was someone he hadn't met before. Or perhaps it was the huntress that nearly killed him during their first encounter almost two days earlier. He wasn't sure what he would do if it ended up being the same woman.
Kieran stood close to her as they both moved to a different part of the forest, a part that had far less trees and less prey moving about. As she spotted a nearby magical beast and quickly got into position, she readied her weapon and shot out another enchanted arrow. The creature was oblivious of her presence, making the hunt all the more easier to execute. Moreover, most of the creature she would hunt down were weak basic grade beasts that had weak magic affinities. She wasn't foolish enough to think she could take on a beast of a high grade. At least not after what she had witnessed nearly two days earlier.
When the magical beast finally died, she repeated the process once more. Enchanting the body of the beast and transporting it back to her village to sell and earn a living. Compared to the levitation spell used by Samantha, Sidney's enchanted was on the far weaker end and could only affect weaker basic grade magical beasts.
The rest of the day was spent hunting down and selling up to ten magical beasts in the market. She had earned a total of fifty gold coins but was duly exhausted after exerting herself throughout the day.
She walked back home, ready to do one last chore before finally calling it a day. She wouldn't usually go through such lengths to make so much money in one day, it was because of the new guy that was now living with her and get dad that made her feel like she should put in more effort today to bring home more income. The money was placed in a silkwoven sack around her waist and had a considerable weight to it. On her back, her bow and arrows hung securely, ready to be drawn and used in case of any emergencies. She held an exhausted but satisfied expression on her face. Meanwhile, Kieran walked right behind her on their way back to the house.
"Let me help out with dinner tonight," Kieran offered as he walked to one side of the kitchen and picked up an apron and worry it over his clothes.
He then walked back towards the stoves and looked at Sidney.
"So, what are we gonna make tonight?" He started to arrange some of the scattered utensils and brought out everything he thought they might need to make dinner.
"I appreciate the help," Sidney then went to work and brought out the ingredients to make the same grounded wheat grains.
Carefully, she added water into the pot and whisked the mixture with finesse. Seeing if there were any 'seeds' forming, yet the food looked quite alright.
"Almost done. Now all that's left is to warm up some soup. Kieran, head over to the fridge and bring out the bucket where the soup is kept."
Over thirty minutes later, and dinner was served for everyone. This time around Kieran had joined them in the living room, since his body had healed well enough since the previous day. Not only did everyone eat breakfast, but they all went to talk about what transpired during the day. Kieran had even told them of how he saw a bunch of Hunter's struggling to take down a large magical beast and how one of them ended up getting killed in the process.
Lying on his bed, he lifted the sword in his grasp and pointing it at the ceiling, as though he were face to face with an opponent. It had been some time since he wielded the sword. With it, he desired to further his training as a hunter.
Upon picking up the sword, he was reminded of the time he was given his very first weapon.
"I know it doesn't look like much son, but I promise I'll buy you a better one on your sixteenth birthday. Now, smile for mummy…"
The note he had left her before leaving Mistwood Village came to his mind. He couldn't imagine how she must have felt after learning that her son left the village without even giving her a final farewell. She had always done everything in her power to make his life better and this is how he went about repaying her kind heart.
With no authorization to return back to the village, he may never see her again in his life, but perhaps it's for the best to ensure that his curse doesn't affect her any more than it already has. Of course, he wished to see her once again, but unless they somehow manage to cross paths outside of Mistwood Village, that might never happen. He never knew her as someone who travelled out of the village, and as for his own journey, he had no idea what awaited beyond this point.
Everyday, after his body had fully recovered from the injury and poison, he would help out the family with carrying out their daily chores to make their lives easier. A week had passed, and Kieran was learning more about being a hunter.
When it was time for them to have their dinner, Hector cleared his throat and asked Kieran a question - One that he wasn't expecting to hear. After staying with these people for a while and sharing their lives, he never gave much thought to him one day continuing his pursuit of improving his magical ability. Even so, he was grateful for the life he now had, and he wished to do everything in his power to ensure he never looses it.
Of course, the teenager still had the ambition to pursue strength, and didn't wish to settle for mediocrity for the rest of his life, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he slacked off for the rest of his life. Only those with ambition could achieve greatness and Kieran had it in spades.
It was his nature. He was driven to achieve more but he was greatly limited by his physical resources and environment.
Now Kieran had someone who was offering to help him improve his magical ability. Not even the elders of Mistwood Village had ever gone out of their way to make such an offer to him. When his dad was still alive, he was the only one who had taught him about magic even though he hadn't awakened his magical power at the time. His father explained to him a lot of things which he could not remember currently and found them very confusing at the time. That was before he was given the novice level spell book.
"If you follow me to the local magic school, then perhaps we could meet with the village mage and see what he can do with your magical deficiency," Hector offered, feeling pity for the boy's lack of magic talent.
Getting up from his seat, the man began to flex his wrists. It had been a while since he last used magic. This was because he was nearly magic fatigued the last time he had used his magical power when he casted a more advanced healing spell on Kieran's body. He noticed that his magical power was nearly up to full strength after a week of abstaining from using magic, meaning that he could finally return back to hunting with his daughter.
'I'm glad I never exerted myself to the point where I was near magic fatigued. There's no way I can stay copped up in this house all day when I have better things to do,' Sidney thought as she cleared the table and washed the dishes. Kieran had also joined her in cleaning up the kitchen before heading to bed.
After realizing that he had been sleeping in the old man's bed, he apologized and wished to sleep in the guest room instead but the man was stubborn and refused to move back into his room.
Kieran got onto the bed and drifted to sleep soon after.
"I hope this mage can help me."
The next day, everyone woke up early and rushed to do their household chores, especially since Hector had fully recovered and could now use magic again. And also because he said he would take Kieran to meet with the mage of Sunhaven so that they can get to the bottom of his magic deficiency, helping him overcome his weakness overall.
The mage resided in one of the largest living accommodations in the village, big enough for someone to oversee the entire village from the rooftop, and also where he lived with his family.
Hector lead Kieran through the village. The sound of people chatting and engaging in daily business caught his eye as he moved through the oorn roads of the street.
"We're here."
The both of them stood before a large gate separating them from the inner compound. A few seconds later after knocking, the gates opened up, and two men were seen standing on the other side. Kieran couldn't take his eyes off of the large building. He felt drawn to the building structure. The wide lawn that lead to the building was well maintained and free from litter. Indeed, the mage who lived here was surely living the life, one free from the pangs of poverty.
When the two finally reached the front door, Hector knocked his hand against the door, and a woman eventually came to open the door for them. She was the wife of the mage, a woman in her late twenties and a stunning beauty. Kieran was more mesmerized upon gazing at the interior of the building, the large space and multiple rooms capable of housing the entire village if need be.
Just as they were escorted into the living room to take a seat, a man suddenly appeared from one of the many rooms.
"Hector, long time no see. How have you been?"
The man who had just entered the room was the mage of Sunhaven, the strongest wizard in the village.