Weeks had passed since Boorg's death, but the wound was still fresh in Max's mind. The image of his friend's final moments haunted him, and thoughts of Snickers being dead as well in the time he comes back drowned him even more.
Merlin had pushed him into rigorous training to keep his mind occupied, but still, it was impossible to forget. But Max couldn't just train; he needed answers, and that meant facing the harsh reality of Boorg's story.
One hot afternoon, after another exhausting session with Merlin, Max decided to visit the town. The road was long, dusty, and seemed to stretch endlessly under the blazing sun. It reminded him of the day that he came to Merlin. Max had to know if Boorg's story of Maya's and Rakia's deaths was true.
When he finally arrived, the town was quiet. Max made his way to the town square, to the street where Maya's Alchemy Shop once was.
"Excuse me," Max said, approaching an older woman who was watering some flowers by a well. "I'm looking for information about two people, Maya and Rakia. Do you know them? Maya had an alchemy shop just there," he pointed with his finger at a building that was destroyed.
The woman looked up. "Aye, I knew Maya. The poor soul…"
"What happened?"
The woman sighed, wiping her hands on her apron. "She was a good person. Maya was a strong woman, we saw her with that other girl you mentioned, Rakia. They seemed like good friends. But a few weeks back, a spirit showed up. People say that Rakia was cursed, and the spirit came to take her soul. A man, or something that looked like a man, stood behind them. I was watching through my window, I thought he was going to protect them. But he was mad, swinging his sword around, and… after killing the spirit… he killed them both."
"Did he say anything?" Max felt his stomach turn.
"He was rambling, talking about justice and light," the woman said. "But his eyes… they weren't right. They weren't human eyes."
Max closed his eyes. It was Boorg—or rather, Barg—who had done it.
"Thank you," Max whispered, turning away. He felt sick. Boorg had been a victim, just like Maya and Rakia.
"I'm sorry, Boorg," Max whispered, looking up at the sky. "I'm so sorry."
Back at the cabin, Merlin was waiting, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. He didn't say anything as Max approached, but the look in his eyes told Max that the old wizard already knew what he had found.
"I'm ready to train," Max said quietly.
Merlin nodded. "Good. Then let's get to work."
Max's days became a blur of intense training sessions, each more brutal than the last. Merlin wasn't about to let him off easy. The old wizard had a twisted sense of humor, and Max quickly learned that "training" was just another word for "creative torture."
"Today," Merlin announced one morning, as they stood in a secluded clearing deep in the forest, "we're going to work on your fireball control. I want you to hold a fireball at exactly the size of an apple for the next six hours."
"Six hours?" Max groaned. "Come on! Can't we do something a little more… exciting?"
Merlin grinned. "Oh, you'll get your excitement, don't worry. If you lose control, that fireball will explode, and you'll be very excited for about three seconds before you're ash."
Max rolled his eyes but obediently cast a fireball, carefully maintaining its size. "You know, I didn't sign up for a career as a living candle."
"Then maybe you should work on your endurance, so you don't burn out so quickly. Now hold it steady!"
Max spent the next few hours concentrating on the fireball, his arms aching as he tried his best to maintain the perfect size.
"Your fireball's looking a bit wobbly. You sure you didn't sneak in some alcohol last night?"
"Very funny," Max grunted, his focus slipping just for a moment, causing the fireball to flicker. He quickly corrected it, sweat forming on his forehead. "You know, I'm starting to think you enjoy watching me suffer."
"Oh, absolutely," Merlin replied with a smirk. "It's one of the few joys I have left in life."
When the six hours finally passed, Max collapsed onto the ground, panting. "You're a sadist."
"Maybe," Merlin said, conjuring a glass of water out of thin air and handing it to Max. "But you're getting better. Your control is improving, and you didn't explode, so I'd say today was a success."
"Yeah, a real blast," Max muttered, gulping down the water. "What's next? You gonna make me juggle fireballs while riding a unicycle?"
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "That's not a bad idea. I'll save that for tomorrow."
"You're killing me," Max groaned.
"Nonsense," Merlin said, waving his hand dismissively. "You're tougher than you think. Now get up; we've got more to do."
Merlin introduced Max to "Mana Weaving," a technique that involved casting multiple spells simultaneously, balancing offense and defense. It sounded simple enough in theory, but in practice, it was a nightmare.
"Alright, Max," Merlin said. "I want you to cast a shield spell while launching a fireball and an ice lance at the same time. And don't drop any of them, or I'll know."
Max took a deep breath, raising his staff. "Okay… no pressure, right?"
"Just imagine you're in the middle of a battle, surrounded by enemies. You've got to protect yourself while taking them down—no room for mistakes."
Max began to channel his mana, feeling the familiar warmth of fire magic in one hand and the cool, sharp energy of ice in the other. He summoned a shield, focusing hard to keep it stable while preparing to launch the fireball and ice lance.
"Steady… steady…"
Max gritted his teeth as he juggled the spells in his mind. It was like trying to balance on a tightrope while juggling flaming swords.
"Almost… there…" Max muttered, just as the fireball and ice lance materialized.
"Good, now let them fly!" Merlin shouted.
Max released the spells, sending the fireball and ice lance shooting forward. For a moment, it looked like he'd succeeded, but then the shield wavered, and the fireball exploded.
Max was thrown backward, landing hard on his back as the world spun around him.
"Nice try," Merlin said, offering Max a hand to help him up. "But you've got to maintain control, even when you're pushing your limits. It's all about balance."
"Yeah, balance," Max groaned, wincing as he dusted himself off. "I'm starting to think you're just making this up as you go."
Merlin laughed. "Maybe I am. But you're learning, and that's what matters."
"Hey, Merlin," Max called out, as they walked back to the cabin. "How about a little one-on-one? I bet I can take you down now."
Merlin raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You think so, huh? Alright, I'll humor you. But don't go crying when I wipe the floor with you. And no dhiahrrea spells!"
"Ready when you are," Merlin said, grinning.
Max launched a fireball, followed by an ice lance, trying to catch Merlin off guard. But the old wizard easily deflected them, barely breaking a sweat.
"Come on, Max, is that all you've got?" Merlin taunted, summoning a gust of wind that sent Max stumbling backward.
"Not even close!" Max shot back, teleporting behind Merlin and casting a Solar Flare, blinding the wizard momentarily.
Merlin chuckled, even as he shielded his eyes. "Clever boy, but you're still not fast enough!"
With a wave of his hand, Merlin summoned a massive wave of water, crashing it down on Max before he could react. The force of it knocked Max off his feet, drenching him completely.
Spluttering and soaked, Max tried to stand up, but Merlin was already on him, pinning him to the ground with a flick of his wrist.
"Yield?" Merlin asked, still grinning.
Max groaned, nodding reluctantly. "Yeah, yeah, I yield."
Merlin let him go, helping him to his feet. "You're getting better. But you've still got a long way to go."
"You know, I was starting to think I might actually win that one."
Merlin patted him on the back. "You'll get there. One day, you might even be as good as me. But for now, keep practicing."