Rosh trudges through the streets, his steps heavy and unsteady. The weight of the day's events presses heavily on his shoulders, the near-death experience in the dungeon replaying over and over in his mind.
"I can't go raiding dungeons like that again," he mutters to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. The thought of facing another life-threatening situation without the strength to defend himself sends a shiver down his spine.
"I need to become stronger, otherwise, I'll just end up dying in one of those dungeons."
Rosh's thoughts spiral as he passes the houses, his mind fixated on the question that gnaws at him. "Maybe I need to grow physically... No, I'm a Necromancer; my strength lies in my mind. But how… How do I become mentally stronger?"
He arrives home, exhausted but still lost in his thoughts. After a quiet dinner, he heads to bed, but sleep eludes him as his mind continues to churn.
"I need strength, but I can't just become strong because I want to. How do others become strong? What should I do… Brother…?"
Suddenly, he remembers the black stone he found in the dungeon. He takes out the stone and stares at it quietly, its mysterious allure drawing him in. "What is this stone? Why does it attract me so much?"
Lost in his thoughts, he eventually drifts off to sleep.The next morning, Rosh is up early, training swordsmanship in his room, still haunted by the previous day's events. During training, a notification buzzes on his mobile, breaking his focus. He checks it and sees that he's received 100k INR (about $1200) along with a message from Hank: "Rosh, I transferred your payment. I added a small gift for helping us in the dungeon, check it."
Rosh's eyes widen with excitement. "100k for just being a porter? That's more than enough to get me enrolled. It's settled then—tomorrow, I'll take admission."
He mutters to himself excitedly, "Now that I have money, I want to gift something to aunt Jareen... But what does she like? Maybe I should treat them to a nice meal, or maybe a nice dress, or a bag."
Still unsure, he heads over to the Clara's room and asks, "Clara, what would aunt Jareen like? A bag or a dress."
Her eyes light up with curiosity, "Huh, why do you ask?"
"I earned some money." He explains with a grin. "So I wanna give her a gift."
She leans back, pretending to think, then smirks "A gift huh? I'll tell you if you buy me one too."
"Ohh yeah, I totally forgot about you." Rosh teases, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
She pouts dramatically, crossing her arms. "Whaa, then I won't tell you. Go ask her yourself."
"ohh sorry, I was just joking. Rosh quickly backtracks, waving his hands.
"What does my cute little sister want?"
Her eyes sparkle with excitement. "A computer! Buy me one! I've been using this old one for ages."
He hesitates, feeling slightly out of his depth when it comes to computers. "Okay... Why don't you come with me then? You can choose the one you like."
Clara practically jumps up, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. "Really? Then let's go! I know the perfect place for Mom's gift and mine." She dashes off to get ready.
Rosh blinks, surprised at her speed. "Sheesh, that was fast," he mumbles as he follows her out the door.
They soon arrive at a grand mall, a massive structure towering over the city. A large blue magic circle floats above the building, shimmering with an ethereal glow. The surrounding buildings also have similar magic circles, each a beacon of the city's fusion of technology and magic.
As they step inside, the mall is a spectacle of luxury. The floors gleam under the soft lights, reflecting the colorful displays from the countless shops lining the corridors. The air is filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the aroma of new leather from a nearby store. People bustle about, their chatter creating a lively hum that echoes through the wide halls.
Clara's eyes widen with amazement. "Wow, I really wanted to come here. My friends say this is the biggest mall in Manak."
She grabs Rosh's hand, pulling him eagerly towards the escalator. "Let's go to the third floor, the electronics section!"
They glide up to the third floor, where the electronic section is filled with gleaming gadgets and devices. The glow of screens illuminates the area, and the hum of technology fills the air.
Clara spots a computer almost immediately and rushes over to it, eyes sparkling. "This one! I want this one!" she exclaims, her voice bubbling with excitement.
Rosh watches her, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Anything for you, sis," he thinks.
"Okay, take it then," he says aloud, waving off the hefty price tag of 40k INR.
Clara beams, nearly jumping with joy. "Yay! Thanks, bro! You're the best big bro ever!
"Rosh chuckles. "Ohh, big bro, always remember that," he teases, ruffling her hair.
"Okay, let's go to the second floor. I'll choose the best dress for Mom," Clara declares, still bouncing with excitement.
"A dress, huh... Okay," Rosh agrees, following her down to the next floor.
On the second floor, they enter the clothing section. The smell of new fabric and leather fills the air, and the colorful array of dresses on display is dizzying. Rosh, feeling a bit out of his element, picks up a red dress and holds it up for Clara's inspection.
"How does this look?" he asks, trying to sound confident.
Clara raises an eyebrow. "…Really?"
Rosh frowns slightly and picks up another dress. "This one?"
Clara shakes her head. "No."
"How about this one?" he tries again.
"No," Clara replies, this time with a hint of exasperation.
Rosh grabs another dress, holding it out. "This one looks quite good, right?"
Clara's expression is a mix of disbelief and amusement. "Noooo, stop. I'll find one for her."
With a determined huff, Clara begins sifting through the racks. After a few moments, she pulls out a beautiful white dress with delicate embroidery. "This one, buy this one for her. I'm sure she'll love it."
Rosh glances at the dress, then back at Clara's confident expression. "You're the boss today," he says with a smile.
After their purchases, they head down to the main floor.
She says, "Bro, how about some burgers on way home?"
"Okay" he says.
As they are descending, a peculiar long-statured girl, Elara, with long white hair and pointy ears, is coming up. She is wearing a beautiful green dress and an old butler is following closely behind her.
Elara sighs to herself, "It's been so long since I came to a mall. I should quickly buy some dresses and then look for hunter equipments."
"Malam, which floor has the hunters gear?" She asks without much interest.
As they approach each other, Elara suddenly stops in her tracks. A chill runs down her spine, freezing her in place. Her eyes narrow, scanning the crowd until they lock onto a boy walking alongside a girl, Rosh, whose aura seems threatening.
"What is this?" She whispers, her voice trembling. "He looks just like a normal boy, but that aura..."
From a young age, Elara has been able to sense dark mana around her. It's a skill that has both frightened and isolated her, even as it eventually led to her awakening as a dark mage. But this... this is different. Never has she seen an aura so pitch-black, so consuming, as the one surrounding Rosh.
The darkness clings to him, seeping from his very being like a thick, inky mist. It's not just dark mana, this is something far more sinister.
She instinctively whispers an incantation under her breath, sharpening her senses to get a better look.
As she focuses on Rosh, her vision sharpens and the darkness around him intensifies, stretching out like tendrils. Then, suddenly, from within the void, a massive eye opens, a monstrous eye, glowing with a malevolent light, staring directly at her.
Elara's breath catches in her throat, her heart pounding in her chest. Her concentration shatters, and she falls to the ground, her vision blurring as the dark aura abruptly vanishes.
The butler reacts abruptly, trying to catch her. "Miss, are you alright, miss?"
Elara tries to steady her breathing, her hands trembling as she clutches her chest.
"What... what was that?" she mutters, her voice barely above a whisper.
"A giant eye... it looked at me from within that darkness."
As she struggles to compose herself, memories of her past flood her mind. From the moment she was born, Elara could sense dark mana all around her. It was a gift, or perhaps a curse, that set her apart from everyone else. Children avoided her, and even her parents, though they tried to hide it, looked at her with a mix of fear and unease.
Growing up, the darkness felt like it was always just beneath her skin, waiting for a chance to take over. It wasn't until she awakened as a dark mage that she finally felt some measure of control. She could harness the darkness, bend it to her will, and use it to her advantage. Her talent earned her the title of a prodigy among dark mages, but it also came with a heavy burden.
She learned to sense the darkness in others, to gauge their power by the shadow they carried. But never, not once, had she encountered anything like this. The boy's aura wasn't just dark; it was an abyss, a void so deep and malevolent that it seemed to swallow the very light around him.
Malam helps her to her feet, his face a mask of concern. "Miss, what happened? Are you hurt?"
Elara shakes her head, trying to dispel the lingering fear that grips her. "I'm fine... just... startled." She forces a smile, but her mind is racing. "I need to find that boy," she thinks to herself, "I need to know what he is."
But when she looks again, he's nowhere to be found. The darkness that had engulfed him is gone, as if it never existed.
Meanwhile, Rosh and Clara exit the building with their purchases, blissfully unaware of the encounter. As they walk home, they stop to grab some burgers, chatting casually as if nothing unusual has happened.