Theodore slowly opened his eyes, squinting as he adjusted to the light. He could see three figures in front of him, their faces becoming clearer as his vision sharpened. It was Mia, Elara, and the leader, their expressions a mix of concern and relief.
"Hey, Theodore, can you hear us? How do you feel?" Elara asked, her voice filled with warmth and urgency.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a bit dizzy," he replied, trying to sit up, but the remnants of exhaustion clung to him like a heavy blanket.
"You saved all of us. We don't know how to reward you," the leader said, a grateful look in his eyes, his voice thick with emotion.
"But Max...." Theodore said, his heart heavy as he thought of his fallen friend.
"Yeah, it's really sad. He was our friend," Elara added softly, her voice trembling with the weight of their loss.
Theodore scanned the cave around him, searching for any sign of their missing companions. "Where are Jack and John?"
"They're inside collecting diamonds. We'll leave the cave when you're ready. Our mission was only to explore," the leader explained, determination flickering in his eyes.
"Well, I'm ready. Let's go," Theodore said, his resolve hardening.
"Okay, it seems you can walk. That's good," the leader acknowledged, giving Theodore a reassuring nod.
As they began to walk out of the cave and head toward the city, the air felt cooler and fresher, a stark contrast to the damp darkness they had just endured. Other mercenaries would soon take over the mission of protecting John and Jack, but for now, the focus was on regrouping and healing.
Mia walked beside Theodore, her expression serious. "Well, thank you for saving me and my sister," she said, her voice filled with sincerity.
Theodore looked at her, a small smile forming on his lips despite the heaviness in his heart. "It's okay. That's what a real human does, right?"
Mia didn't quite understand what he meant by "real human," so she simply nodded, a hint of confusion in her eyes. "Y...yeah."
"You said you don't have any magic powers, so how did you use them against the rock man?" he asked, curiosity sparking in his voice.
"Well, I thought I lost it, but it seemed like I just lost control of it," she admitted, glancing away as if the memory was too painful.
"Now I understand. But really, you were a different person when you used your power. Your eyes were shining with electricity, your chest glowed red, and electricity surrounded you. It was...really scary," she said, recalling the awe-inspiring sight.
"Well, I don't remember any of that. I just remember when the rock man hit me with his foot," he said, a frown creasing his brow as he tried to piece together the fragments of his memory.
"What? You don't remember killing him?" she asked, shock evident in her voice, her eyes wide.
"I killed him? Did I really do that?" Theodore replied, surprise washing over him, his mind racing with the implications of his actions.
"Oh, damn! You really don't remember anything about that!" she exclaimed, disbelief lacing her words.
"Mia, Theodore, move quickly before the sun sets!" Elara shouted from a short distance ahead, urgency evident in her tone.
"Okay, we will!" Mia responded, and they started to pick up the pace, the sun casting long shadows behind them.
Time passed, and soon it was 6 p.m.
"We finally arrived," the leader announced as he and the team entered the building, the familiar sights of the mercenaries' headquarters bringing a sense of comfort.
"Hi, we just finished our mission in the cave," he said to the receptionist, a hint of pride in his voice.
"Cave mission, okay," she replied, taking out some coins to pay the leader. "I remember you were five, right?"
"Yeah, Max... he was killed by the rock man," the leader said, his expression falling into a somber silence as memories of their fallen comrade flooded back.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," she said softly, her voice filled with empathy.
The four of them headed to the mercenaries' restaurant, the warm smell of food enveloping them. "So the total payment is 60 gold. Everyone will receive 15 gold coins," the leader said as he distributed the coins among the team, a sense of camaraderie lingering in the air.
"Food is on me," he added with a smile, earning grateful nods from the team.
After twenty minutes of eating and enjoying the food, the atmosphere was filled with laughter and relief. Theodore turned to the leader, curiosity tugging at his mind. "Sir, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, go ahead and ask anything you want," the leader replied, his expression open and inviting.
"Do you know anything about Sato-sensei in this city?"
"Well, I've heard some information about him. They say he's a good sensei and lives here," the leader said, recalling snippets of information.
"Do you know where exactly he lives?" Theodore pressed, his anticipation building.
"He lives on Rasco Street, but I don't know the exact address," he replied, trying to remember.
"That's great information! Thanks," Theodore said, feeling hopeful for what lay ahead.
"You're welcome, kid," the leader replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
"I also want to ask you about a man called Magnus."
The team's expressions changed at the mention of the name, their faces paling as if a ghost had entered the room. "Did you say Magnus?" the leader whispered, his voice trembling slightly.
"Yeah, do you know anything about him?" Theodore asked, confusion swirling in his mind.
"Hey kid, just forget about him and don't say his name out loud," the leader warned, fear creeping into his tone.
"Why? Is there something wrong with that?"
"He's one of the seven most powerful humans in the world," the leader said gravely, his eyes darkening.
"He's a peak level with all the elements and can use magic that only he can wield."
"Peak with all elements? That's incredible! But what kind of magic?" Theodore asked, intrigued, his heart racing with excitement and trepidation.
"The dark magic," the leader said in a hushed tone, glancing around as if expecting someone to overhear.
"What's that magic?" Theodore pressed, curiosity piquing further.
"There's no confirmed information about it, but there's a book called The World of Magic that discusses it," the leader replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
"It mentions that it's a very powerful magic that can be combined with a sword or any tool, allowing the wielder to cut through even particles of matter and slice through dimensions," he explained, his voice thick with awe.
"And he has many other skills as well."
"I didn't know that, actually," Theodore replied, his mind racing with the implications of Magnus's power. He couldn't shake the feeling that he met a someone with this great power.
"Okay, sir, I guess that's enough to know for now," Theodore said as he stood up from the table.
"Yeah, I can't tell you anything else about him anyway," the leader replied, his tone becoming more serious.
Theodore nodded and walked away, heading upstairs to the hostel floor. He entered his small, dimly lit room and collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts wandered back to the man they had spoken about and the mystery surrounding his dark magic.
"What is the story behind that stone?" he muttered to himself, lifting his hand in the air as if trying to summon some kind of magic. He clenched his fist, frustrated. "This is pointless. Nothing is happening... Ahhh."
He sighed heavily, feeling the weight of the unknown pressing down on him. His mind raced with thoughts of what had happened in the cave, and the strange power that surged through him.
"I need to find Sato," he whispered, determination growing in his voice. "He's the only one who can help me control this power... I need him to train me."
With that, Theodore let out a deep breath and allowed his eyes to slowly close, his body sinking into the mattress. His last thought before sleep overtook him was a promise: "Tomorrow... I'll start looking for him."