"What do you mean by the First Vampire King?" asked Laudis, with an uneasy feeling.
"I've never met him, but I know one thing. Somehow, his right arm was purple. His nails were black, like you've said. The spine tattoo or mark doesn't ring a bell to me... It can serve as a conduit for a curse or a blessing. How did you come to know of the Heart's Arson?"
The youth told him everything. From his first meeting, about the page from the book, and finally, about their last meeting. Con listened to it in silence, nodding from time to time.
"I see... You shouldn't have done it. I know you were really intrigued by the empty picture frame, but still. Nonetheless, I advise you to focus on the first four Sword Techniques I've mentioned. You bleed because you breathe incorrectly. Your body lacks oxygen; therefore, it releases unnecessary blood. Your mana release is also complete trash. I've never seen it done with such roughness. Tell me, what's your dominant element?"
"According to Aamir, I lack it."
"Let me see it..."
The man stood up rapidly and observed his hands. They were rough with blisters, but he didn't focus on the outside.
'The Fire? No, he lacks the spirit necessary for it... Perhaps the Water? No, he's too unstable... The Shadow and the Light are no match for him... Plant? No, he's impatient... Maybe the Air? Also, no, he thinks rather than do... The Earth? I don't sense any sort of a typical Earth sorcerer aura, but he doesn't seem to be unable to use it,' the knight thought with closed eyes.
"So..." the boy wondered, filled with awkwardness.
"Yes, indeed, you lack a dominant element aura. Still, you haven't used magic in your life, have you?"
"Yes, at least I don't remember using it."
"That's why he couldn't sense it. People tend to change their mana emissions over time. Thus, a man who didn't use magic that much has almost identical mana emissions to a newborn."
"Man, listen. How could I know that stuff while I was literally the first sorcerer to exist?" the Carolan argued, with biterness.
"I never told you that you were wrong; you just lacked the knowledge. So, do you know anyone who can teach you the Earth element?"
"Yes... Or no... I suppose she can teach me..."
"Great, starting today, try to grasp the basics. That's the end of our meeting. Remember, kid, breathe air!"
The image in his head began to fade away with darkness. Laudis woke up; it was the middle of the night. He slowly glanced around the room. The boy was lying on the couch, covered in sweat. He got back his vision. The moonlight entered through the openings in the window, illuminating the living room. The youth stood up carefully and noticed he was in his undergarments. He walked to the source of the light, observing the moon. It hung in the starry night sky. Both the melancholy and the nostalgia hit him hard.
'I can't remember it clearly, but I think Solisia was talking to me. Though I don't know the reason why. Damn, my head hurts like hell. How long have I been asleep for? That Con guy, I don't trust him. He seems off, really off. It's no use to stay awake in the middle of the night. I'd better off sleeping. Tomorrow, I will train harder...' he thought, lying back on the couch.
The morning came by without any problems. The Crusaders were dressing up for the training. Solisia was trying to play it cool and forget about yesterday, but she couldn't. How could she? Laudis woke up not so long after. He changed into his robe and was ready to go. Still, something felt odd.
"How are you feeling?" wondered Gladius, watching him.
"I guess I'm all right. I don't recall why I lost consciousness, but somehow I had lost it. Someone took off my clothes, and I'm thankful for it. I was sweating a lot. Do you know who did it?" the kid replied, scratching his neck.
"Huh? It wasn't me, that's for sure. You should ask someone else."
"Ah, okay."
The four of them went to the same place. Laudis tried to start the conversation, but the atmosphere seemed dense. Almost like something had happened. A windless morning, with ruthless sun. The perfect condition for endurance training.
"Do you mind showing me how to use the Earth element?" he asked, glancing at the girl.
"Yeah, sure..."
They distanced themselves from the rest. While Solisia was explaining the basics to him, Dantenium decided to spill the tea.
"You know, I saw something yesterday. It was really strange," he whispered.
"What do you mean by strange?"
"Someone took off his robe..."
"Someone?"
"I woke up in the middle of the night because I needed to pee. In the darkness, I saw a figure. They were fully covered in a black cloak with a hood. They checked his temperature and, like I've said, undressed him. They had folded and put the clothing on the table. When I got closer, they noticed me and vanished in a moment. I checked on Laudis, and he was all right and didn't seem to be injured by them. The more time I spend thinking about it, the more I doubt myself. In the morning, I remembered it clearly, but now I see only the shadows. I can't tell for sure if it wasn't a hallucination. Still, I wanted to share it with you, so here you go," the man said, looking at the dunes.
"Honestly, I don't think I saw any sign of burglary. If anything, you could have been tired after yesterday."
"I guess so..."
"Okay, I kind of get the idea behind the Earth element," stated Laudis, standing up.
"Great, did you ever cast a spell?" wondered Solisia, glancing at him.
"I did not."
"Okay, then I will be quick about it. You need to focus your mana in your palms, almost like you want to shoot it out—"
"One problem," he interrupted.
"What's that?"
"I've never felt mana."
"Oh, man... Think about it like it's water floating in your body. You don't actually need to feel it; just imagining it will be enough. Going back to the main topic, after you've focused your mana in your palms, you have to say the incantation. Let's start with something simple, like 'Earth Spike invocare'."
"Don't I need to think about something?"
"Hm... You're right, it comes to me naturally, but I guess you have to think about it."
'Right, the Earth Spike. Sharp, but rough at the same time. With a tip that can pass through the steel. Imagine it, you idiot...' he thought with closed eyes.
The youth extended his right arm. Sand began to dance around his feet because of his mana flow. The rest looked at him with curiosity. Dante decided to come closer just in case. A white light came from his hand.
"Earth Spike invocare," the boy whispered.
From thin air, the projectile was summoned. He didn't think of its size, and it was a great mistake. The Earth Spike was five meters long, with a diameter of two meters. Unlike the ones the girl had summoned, it was grey with white stones embedded in it. It crushed after a second, destroying a dune. His hand started bleeding, and the bandages began turning crimson. The man rushed to him and strangled him to the ground. The women looked at him in disbelief.
"Let him go," declared Udania, reaching for her staff.
"If you lack magic knowledge, just say so. The thing he did before was not normal magic. It was a perfect example of something we call the false magic," he replied, letting him off.
"What's the difference then? When I read the book about magic there wasn't anything said about that," asked Laudis.
"Normal magic uses your own mana. The false magic uses mana from the surroundings. It wasn't mentioned, because it isn't sustainable. The maing difference is that you have to use greater amount of it in comparison to the normal way. It's because every distance it has to travel, the mana loses some of its charge. The thing that made me realise it wasn't normal was the presence of those white rocks. They are literally the bones you've decided to bring out. It seems like there is a mass grave beneath us."
The blue-haired woman got shivers as soon as she heard the news. The Earth sorceress felt a mix of disgust and anxiety going through her body. The youth didn't react in any way. After all, why should he be scared of dead men?
"Nonetheless, it looks like you're not an Earth sorcerer."
"Why do you think so? wondered Solisia, intrigued.
"People who specialise in other elements tend to use the false magic. It's easier to use it than the common one. You should focus on your swordsmanship rather than using elements. Also, those Sword Techniques aren't weak. Consider using them more effectively, maybe breathe differently? Two of you start your training. We've got no time to lose."
"Shut up," the girl muttered.
The sorceresses distanced themselves and started practising the spells. Ice and Earth were being summoned throughout the whole day. The shapes of summonings were distinct and varied in size. From simple walls and spikes to complex cages and whole traps. On the other hand, the men were sparring with no to little breaks. Laudis, covered in sweat, faced the Warrior of Hades. The man was levels above him, yet he didn't go easy, just like previously. 'Vampires won't go easy on you, then why should I?' The youth focused on the raw swordsmanship, skipping the techniques entirely. He felt it was better to practise them with their creator. The time went by in the heat of the training. The sun was hiding behind the horizon, marking the end. The Crusaders were going back to the hotel. Vendors were selling their products with their loud advertisements. Despite walking in a hood, the boy's odd eye was still visible. Yet not a single person asked about it.
"Why do you think they treat me normally?" he asked, looking at Dantenium.
"They are the most diverse. Originally, the Carola wasn't that big, but after years of conquering, they became a multicultural nation."
"So freaks like me aren't that odd to them. Maybe they aren't so bad after all..."
"Oh, I've just remembered. I told you about a man who healed a blind man? He's coming to us at nine p.m."
"That's nice. What's his name?"
"I think it was Madeen Machir, the Plant sorcerer. It's a very rare sight, especially in those directions."
"I see..."
The Crusaders entered their room and started preparing for his arrival.
It was fifteen minutes to nine, and the healer left his house. The man wore a white coat, a black hat, leather gloves, and glasses. He was average in height and weight, a typical Carolan. The lights coming from the buildings near the road illuminated it. After a while, he was about one hundred meters from his destination. Suddenly, Madeen was assaulted by someone. It was no other than the famous Vampire's Buther, also known as Denir Moodeen. The assaulter injected him with the same green substance, making him lose consciousness. The night was early, and the sky was still pretty lit. In a deserted alley, Mr. Machir was stripped of his clothes.
'Man, I knew he was average in terms of weight, but it's too loose for me. Damn... Nonetheless, I have to work with it. It's good that I shaved yesterday; I wasn't sure about that part. My glasses look almost identical to the original ones. I did a good job. I couldn't do the wig; I lacked the experience. I had to buy it... That knucklehead sold it for two hundred golds... At least, I know my next target, ha,' he thought, changing his clothes.
The man put the numb body of Madeen in a barrel he had prepared. There was a sign on it, 'Explosives, don't move'. Denir was ready for his meeting with his new subject. He walked to their hotel, exited, but hidden behind a neutral expression. He stood before it and entered it, fixing his coat and glasses.
The knocking sound came from the door. Laudis had opened it and let him into the room. Denir glanced carefully at the surroundings. He sat on a chair and opened his suitcase. It was filled with herbs and powders that were mostly unknown to him. Still, his first step was accomplished. The Vampire's Butcher successfully came to his precious subject. He showed them a false, polite smile. In reality, his thoughts were focused on only one thing: 'What is that youth?'.