The Red Cloaked Magician

The sun bathed them at 5 o'clock that afternoon. The white clouds and dusty wind blew past, stinging the eyes of the public watching the scene unfold at front of their seat. Standing on the coliseum with their dry mouths open, they scrubbed their eyes not believing the scene before them.

A man with his water barrier at front of his hand, struggled to fend off the incoming fire spell that covered the arena in walls of flame. Forcing even three guardsmen to create a high class barrier that usually only needed one, as the public behind them fell on the floor, wetting their pants. They were relieved of being alive, even though they bet most of their wages on the ten in a row champion against the unknown man with a red cloak.

"I beg of you, I concede!" The man tried to yield past the loud and accelerating wall of flame, which erupted from the sandy floor, reaching the sky and covered the man in shadows.

But the man with a red cloak covering his whole body, grinned as his eyes were shrouded by the hood. He kept walking towards the helpless champion that struggled with his water barrier, casting spells after another that evaporated the barrier into steam.

The champion knew that the red hooded contestor meant no harm, it was only his powerful spells that roared as if it was thunder itself, making it useless to hold a conversation between them.

The champion frowned as sweat stung his eyes, he was nearly out of mana and breathed heavily as his barrier evaporated one by one. His back was soon near the wall. If this kept up, he knew that he would never be able to see his son after this tournament.

A tragic future for his son that lived alone at a house nearby, a father that did everything to feed his only family member in the living world. What would happen to his son after he passes away? Whatever it was, the champion struggled to find a way to live for another day, as his 7 year old child studied patiently at home.

The red hooded man was now a few meters away, bringing forth a sword made out of fire as he kept firing the overpowered spells, forcing his opponent to focus on defending.

The champion clicked his tongue with the last barrier, jumping to the side he dodged the second incoming flame tower and kneeled before the now confused man.

"I concede!" the champion yielded, hoping that his opponent would notice.

The red hooded man extinguished his fire sword, walked towards the champion as the public still had their mouth gaped. He scrubbed behind his head and stretched his other hand forward. "Haha, sorry I got too excited..."

Smiling, the champion grabbed the hand and helped himself up with a reply, "Hah, it was a good battle, a complete loss". Though he didn't end it there, he held the hand firmly with his muscles towards the blue sky.

A wind blew past, removing the red hood, which revealed a man around his twenties with black messy hair and black eyes.

As he did, simultaneously the announcer shook his head from the intense battle and announced, "A marvelous battle that will be passed down generations! An inspiration for the children! The Winner is... the Red hooded Magician!!!!!"

The public glances at each other, then started to clap one by one, overwhelming the arena with their cheers as it was a battle that no one would ever forget, even those with drenched warm pants couldn't help but stand up and whistle. It was a battle that could only be seen at the most dangerous part in the world. The place called hell itself, the battlefield between the royal mages of the 3 kingdoms at Mont Grevyal.

As the public trembled the coliseum, the proud ex-champion bathed in sun together with the new champion, waved to the public as they made their way back to the loungeroom.

On the way back, the ex-champ boasted happily around, "It's unbelievable how someone at your age could master the fire element to such an extent, not only that! You won against its weakness so easily! To think I would ever live to taste a battle like that in my whole life!"

"And who did you learn that Flame Wall from? No, I mean where do you come from, you seem not to be from around here?"

The black haired man, turned bright red and avoided his eyes. He had just made a new fan and that fan kept barraging him with new questions even though they were ignored.

The ex-champion grabbed the hands and pleaded "it would be an honour to know your name, please tell me that at least"

The black haired man scrubbed his red cheek with his icy cold finger and answered, "Tony... Call me Tony"

A tear fell out off the eye from the fan, smiling with delight, he scrubbed the eye and added, "I am Carl, Carl Huskar the water magician, if you ever need me, call me!"

Carl took the other turn around the corner as Tony kept walking straight ahead through the empty hallway. Though he tilted his head, how could he call Carl if he didn't know where he lived?

Tony smiled with a shrug as he made his way towards the loungeroom where he would attain his rewards for winning. Grinning as the gold shined marvelously on the counter, he grabbed a bag and shoved them inside.

The money came from the bet on himself, considering how Carl had won over 10 tournaments in a row, no one would believe that he would lose to a unknown magician. Hence everyone gambled for the most part on Carl, tipping the balance of value to Tony tremendously.

Chuckling he turned around with the bag, threw a golden coin that was worth at least 1 year of food for a family of 4 towards the beautiful lady behind the counter.

She bowed with tears as he left the room for his real reward.

"Ah, the winner is here" A large man snickered behind the wooden table. Dressed like a rogue with his leather clothings and a scar across his nose. Shady was written all over him.

As Tony stood before him, he took out a card from his pocket, smiling as he waved it around, he said "As promised, the card that can get you past any borders as long as it is within the west continent"

Tony smiled, he might be shady, but he is a man that fulfill his promises, one that he would want covering his back in the battlefield without being backstabbed.

He handed the card to Tony, "Don't lose it, it is harder than you think to obtain one, especially a non foraged version"

Tony nodded as he held the card filled with magic aura.

"Oh, and don't forget, this is a neutral zone, the moment you pass by the borders, don't ever boast about your skills like before. The Royal guards will do anything to recruit you, even forcing you if they have to... Remember that"

"Thanks a lot owner" Tony answered, shaking his hand and then headed outside towards the crowd that awaited him. If they discovered him, they would probably charge towards him like rhinos, pushing aside the few guardsmen who blocked the entrance.

Casually, Tony went past them without care, no one noticed him, as he had activated the invisibility spell, creating an illusion. He chuckled as his cloak flapped with the wind.

A while after, he was now at the town square filled with citizens that brightened the city Loskantros with their smiles.

Stretching with the breeze, a growl could be heard, disrupting the peaceful citizens that now chuckled. He shrouded his burning cheek in the red hood. Actually, it might be best to get something to eat. He thought, walked with the street filled with vendors and the aromatic food.

“Fresh oranges for sale!”

“Buy a good weapon now!”

“Spices for sale!”

“Freshly caught Fish from the nearby sea!”

“Kyaa!”

“Armor and shields for sale!”

“Best fish curry in Loskantros!”

Tony rose an eyebrow, Did I hear a scream from nearby? Hopefully this alleyway leads to the source... Walking through the maze like alleyways, he found a girl backed to a wall as a group of three men took advantage of her child like appearance.

A man with a black cape with his palm on the wall behind the girl, held her chin upwards face to face. “How about it, come with us and we'll treat you to food.”

The girl in tattered clothings pushed the arm away, avoiding his eyes, she said “No! Leave me alone!”

“Hahahahah!”, the second man rolled on the floor, hands on stomach with his leather armor and taunted, “Boss, you got rejected!”

“Shhh! Don’t make him angry or he’ll kill you!” The third man covered the mouth of his partner.

Frowning, the black caped turned back towards the girl, “I’ll give you a new set of clothings, come with me and I’ll save you from poverty”

The girl pushed him away, “No! I know what you did to my mother! You sold her to slavery!”

“Smack!” The girl landed on the cobblestone alley, right cheek bleeding as tears rolled down from her blue iris.

“Shut up, you’ll come with me or I’ll force you to!”

The spectator laughed.

“Who’s there?!” The black caped asked, turning towards the laugh.

There he stood, resting his back with his arms crossed to the wall, watching the whole scene unfold. “Don’t lose your cool against a little child” He snickered.

“And what do you know?!” One of the thug said, taking out a knife, playing with it around.

Tony shrugged, “Not to get mad when I get rejected? I guess”

The men turned bright red and clenched their knives with anger, the black caped made the fragments of cobblestones arise to the air together with his flapping cape.

“Leave, or I’ll kill you”

“Pfft, kill me? Big words for a weak magician like you” Tony snickered, making the ground crumble, walls cracked and fragments ten times bigger started to float around him.

The black caped grinded his teeth, canceled his spell and said “We’re leaving”

“What?! Boss, why?” his goon retaliated.

The black caped grabbed the goon’s collar and warned, “We’re leaving...”

“Sorry boss”

As they passed, he whispered “I’ll be back for another day, illusionist” and left around the corner with his goons that stuck their tongue out.

Tony shrugged, took a glance at the girl then left the alley, leaving the girl on the floor as he turned around the corner.

“Wait!” the girl called out for him, standing up and followed. Turning around the corner, she passed Tony as he stood with his back on the wall. But she was no fool, “I know you are nearby, you used illusion magic didn’t you?”

“...”

“I can hear your cloak… ” she muttered and walked closer towards him.

She couldn’t see him, but yet, she kneeled with both of her pale hands on the ground at front of him and asked “Please teach me magic!”

“No…”

Revealing himself, Tony walked towards the streets as she grabbed his cloak.

“Please!”

“No…”

“Please!”

“Take this gold coin”

She slapped it away with tears, “I don’t want money, I want power!”

“No… With power comes great responsibility” Tony warned, walked past the vendors as she held his cloak.

“Pleaaase!”

He kicked her, she glided on the ground as the citizens walked by without care. They have been affected by illusion magic and couldn’t witness the scene.

She stood up, body aching and ran towards the red cloaked once again.

“PLEASE!”

“No” He said, frowned and turned towards her cheek.

“A girl should take care of her face…” Tony said and held up her chin. Casting healing magic that removed the bleeding wound caused by the black caped man. He saw that her eyes started to glimmer, he clicked his tongue of his mistake, kicking her once again.

“Leave, I don’t have time to babysit” He said, tossing a golden coin and walked away.

The girl didn’t give up, took the golden coin and followed, “I’ll give you one gold if you teach me magic!”

He laughed, turned to the right and asked a woman behind a vendor for the directions of a certain man. She nodded and pointed towards the town square.

“Thank you” he said, left a silver coin and walked towards the given directions.

The girl kept following, quietly this time.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

“I’m coming!” Someone yelled, running down through the staircase. Opening the door, his question mark turned into a smile. “Ah, the new champion! What can I do for you Tony?”

“Hi, Carl… I was wondering if you could teach the girl behind me magic?”

“Who me?” He laughed and peeked at the girl, “I am not as powerful as you, wouldn’t it be better for you to do it?”

“I don’t have time to babysit, besides… You won't do it for free” Tony smiled, handing over 5 gold coins.

“No!” The girl retaliated, pushing away the hand, scattering the coins around the ground. “I want you to train me!”

Luckily the citizens have been affected by illusion magic, or they would rush to grab the coins..

Tony frowned, picked up the coins and kicked the girl once again.

“Oi! You don’t have to go that far do you?” Carl questioned.

“Don’t worry, she isn’t fully human… Beastmen blood reside inside of her”

“Oh… That explains that hair and endurance to withstand 10 meters… But still Tony, she is still only a child…”

“I don’t care, I am leaving the borders as soon as possible, so I can’t babysit her. Beside with the ongoing war, it is even harder.”

“Though, it seems she doesn’t agree…” Carl muttered, gazing down onto the girl who held Tony’s cloak.

“I’ll have to leave her on the way then… May we meet another day”

“Right, good luck taking care of the child!” He smiled, waved as Tony went further away.

Who’ll take care of the child? I have yet to fulfill my own wish… And master is this how felt when I begged you 13 years ago? He thought, grabbing his chest and glanced at the half black and half white haired girl behind him. She’ll give up sooner or later…

“No!”

“...”