The Reborn Magus and His Prince

Chapter 14

"Alex?"

Yulian called the prince's name. He could not decipher his expressions. The light coming from the dimly lit candle created a strange glow reflected in his golden eyes. He averted his eyes, feeling a little uneasy under those stares.

But he's the great magus, he can't let one little prince intimidate him. He didn't know how did he offend this royalty, he had only eaten the food offered by him and had not offered him in return. Last he checks, there's no rule about that. So, he returned his gaze to those enigmatic eyes. Whoever blinks first is the loser.

A few seconds later.

"Ahhh!" Yulian grabbed a pillow and covered his face much to Alex's silent amusement. He did not see the smile of victory on the prince's face.

What's wrong with him? A heat had risen from his body and it made him uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?" The prince had the nerve to ask. He could hear the mirth in his voice.

Without looking at him, he stood up. "I'm going back to my room."

"Already? You haven't finished eating these yet."

Now, he's certain Alex was teasing him. And he won't let himself be someone's amusement. "It's late and I'm tired."

But at the same time, he grabbed the remaining plate that still had food in it and walked to the door. "Goodnight and thanks!"

In a flash, the figure of the shorter boy was gone. Leaving a laughing prince alone in his room.

Once on his own, Yulian finished the pastry in one bite, brushed his teeth, and dived in his bed. With a contented sigh, his eyes closed, and went to dreamland.

It felt like he had only closed his eyes for a second then opened them again. Judging by the scenery at the window, it must be around five in the morning. The sun had not fully risen yet.

A pricking pain wormed its way on his hand where a similar mark that he had put on Minnie was. He got up and eyed the distorting mark Someone had come for her.

There's no choice then. He had to use the energy he'd been reserving for future emergency use.

He touched the mark on his hand and when he removed it, the mark that was changing its symbol had been charred and had transferred to his palm.

He closed his fist and began chanting.

"Smokes of fire, take me to the mark you devoured."

Mists crept up from the floor. It enveloped his whole being.

As soon as the fog-like smoke cleared, the familiar room of Minnie entered his vision. The body of Ann on his feet, unmoving.

He conjured a whip made of fire and aimed at the retreating cloaked man at the opened window, an unconscious Minnie on his shoulders. But he deflected and jumped down.

Yulian did not immediately chase him instead he knelt to check on Ann. He sighed in relief, she was only beaten to the unconscious. After making sure there's no serious injury on her body, he followed the trail connecting him and Minne in a thin line of smoke visible only in his eyes.

The cloaked man had been jumping fast on every rooftop it could land and Yulian followed in pursuit. He did not mind acting in the open as most residents were asleep still and barely anyone can be seen on the empty streets.

Yulian aimed with his whip again and this time it caught the raised foot of the man, making him stumble and fall on a dark alley.

Yulian had to quicken his moves and directly leaped down to catch hold of the girl. But it was too late, he had only managed to hold her hand before he too was pulled to the ground. He uses his own body for cushion when they hit the bottom.

He looked down and the girl was sleeping peacefully still. He set her down and tugged the string that connects to his enemy sending him flying to his feet.

The man groaned and said in that raspy voice of his. "You again! What are you?!"

Yulian crouched down to see him eye to eye. As he expected, the man's face was covered with a white mask that only has two holes for the eyes. "It should be me asking that. What are you? And what did you with this girl?"

"Ha! You're just a puny boy! You better not stick your nose where it doesn't belong or else you'll meet the same fate at that b***h behind you!"

He put his hand down on the ground but before he could summon a magic circle. A foot came crashing down on his hand.

"AAAhhhh! You f*****g bastard!"

"Mr., I don't think you realize what situations you're in right now." Yulian eyes revealed a dangerous glint in them. The whip bounded on the man's hand glowed and like a snake had slithered slowly towards his upper body. The man shrieked again in pain. A flesh burning rose into the air.

"I will do the talking and you'll only respond when I tell you, alright?"

The kneeling man seemed to have not heard him as he was busy holding his breath in trying to lessen the pain.

"Why don't we first see what disgusting face you hide behind this mask."

Yulian raised his hand and his fingers inches away from the mask when he heard a strange sound coming from the ground. He leaped just in time a wall of water emerged between him and his captive.

He saw how his whip made a hissing sound and then evaporated into the air, severing his connections to the man.

Just as the water subsided, another cloaked figure jumped down from above. In mid-air, he threw a whirl of water in his directions in which Yulian quickly countered with his fire. The two elements crashed, creating fogs in the surrounding.

With his hands full in facing the newly arrived enemy. The other cloaked man had taken this opportunity and ran around him. Realizing his intent, Yulian break the connection and dodged the attack. He wanted to pursue the man, now had taken Minnie again. However, a sharp form of water cut through in front of him he had barely avoided.

He did not much have time to watch him escape again for the second time as his current enemy came with an attack after an attack.

This type of an attack, he couldn't help but feel familiar like had seen this already but with a third perspective. So he easily handled all of his attacks.

A whistling coming from the outside of the alley followed by jogging footsteps stops the two from clashing again. The water elementalist retreated until he reached the rooftop and fled without a word.

Yulian too receded into a darker part of the alley when those footsteps were getting near. He whispered a spell under his breath but the connections between him and Minnie had been severed already. Without much choice, he chanted again, and smokes rose and his body disappeared.

Yulian slumped on the floor of his room. Feeling drained even though it's only early in the morning. He did not get up for a long time. Just laying down widespread with his right arm covering his eyes. Different thoughts occupied his mind.

Madame and her granddaughters, how will they feel now that Minnie had been taken again? His chest was full of heavy feelings of guilt. And those two mysterious cloaked figures, just what are they up to?

He felt too weak for the first time. And even simple teleportation caused him to almost deplete his energy. This body of Yulian wasn't used to with a soul of a magus.

'There was nothing we could do.' Ignis appeared, feeling his guilt. 'Calis had found allies in this world to do his bidding, we must be careful from now on."

"And the girl?"

'We must patiently wait, from their earlier actions, they did not mean to kill the girl. We must first gather our strength and find again their traces.'

"We find them and then what? They will escape again from my grasp."

The little fireball floated in his line of sight. 'I told you I will help you regain your original strength.'

Yulian frowned and uncovered his eyes. "You've been telling me that but haven't taught me anything."

'There wasn't a right time but now that we have purified some dark energies You can start honing that body.'

He sat upon hearing him and with new vigor. "It is possible for this body to reach my original strength?"

'That's what I've been telling you. Now, follow my words. Sit up straight.'

Yulian obediently followed. He crossed his legs.

'Those energies you have absorbed summon them and circulate it through your entire body. Imagine it as your natural energy for it to combine with your original core.'

The whole day, Yulian did nothing but follow the fallen god of light every word. He had not stepped out of his room even for lunch.

He opened his eyes and saw darkness in his room. Without lifting his fingers nor muttering any words, the candles lit themselves up and illuminated the whole room.

He could feel it, the energies inside him, much more stronger than before. Ignis had told him, the more dark energies he purifies the more powerful he could become.

He stood up and stretch his limbs. He walked to the windows. The students who had came home had returned, they were clamoring from below, laughing and talking with each other.

He felt his stomach asking for foods but too lazy to go to the cafeteria. Maybe he could go to Alex's room again and see if he have still any foods left.