Magium: The Chronicles of Varathia

Chapter 1: The Point Of No Return

They say that there exists a very fine line between stupidity and bravery. As I stand here in the middle of the forest, I gaze upon the explosions far into the distance, I realize I may well have crossed the line - to a point of no return.

My name is Barry, an everyday ordinary guy from the faraway Western Continent. The only thing that has defined me is my lifelong obsession of becoming a mage - and oh, the places it has taken me.

And that's how I ended up in a deadly mage tournament against the most powerful mages in the world, with roughly no magical abilities; all I can rely on is my trusty fortune trinket. Sounds crazy? Too late chump, there's no going back.

As I stand here, knowing it's no longer possible to return to my normal life, I can't help but feel qui...

I feel as though I have been frozen in time, yet I can see and hear all that is around me. The fairly young and handsome body my soul seems to be in, moves and thinks on its own.

I remain unsure of what is unfolding before me, but I am certain now... that this is me. I look through the eyes of what I presume is my own Earthen body. I feel like a spirit trapped within my own vessel, unable to think or act for myself.

As I attempt to gain senses and control over this body, I feel a sharp pain in the area where I believe my head should be.

A million memories suddenly flood my mind, memories of everything that had happened so far. Before I can bring my thoughts together and collect myself, my eyes suddenly begin to flicker, as I feel my consciousness being dragged out of my body, towards the depths of the unknown.

"What... What on earth-"

For what seems like a millenia, my soul is thrown back and forth between my body and what seems like a different plane of existence entirely. The torment is indescribably immense, as I fall to my knees in pain. And then all of a sudden, my mind snaps, as I momentarily find myself in the eerie darkness of the Magium once more. The eerie darkness capable of wiping me out of existence.

No, not again... I have endured enough. This... This is my chance. To right the wrongs, and save all those who I couldn't. I can't let this happen, I can't let this happen again, not just after I have gotten this small glimmer of hope...

I quickly pull myself together, and resist the force with all my might, but not before collapsing to the ground. I find my consciousness fading once more, but this time, I feel as though I am back in my earthen body.

After what seemed like an eternity later, the pain disappears. I sigh in relief.

As I look up at the pale, blue sky, tears well up in my eyes, trickling down my face.

"I thought... I thought it was all over. I thought... I thought I would never see the world like this again."

Yet here I am, back to ground zero. I gather myself up from the ground, after spending a few moments reminiscing. I quickly sit down against a tree, tired from all the exhaustion.

I wait for a little longer, till the flickering of my soul between the earthen and ethereal planes comes to an end. While I remain seated on the ground, trying to catch my breath, the realisation slowly dawns upon me, as I come to understand my situation and begin considering my options.

Day 1 of the Mage Tournament.

Somehow, I had managed to 'regress' back in time to the very first day of my arrival at the continent - or atleast that's what I've managed to conclude.

My memories of the past - or rather the impending future, still remain fuzzy, but I more or less remember everything that... will be happening to me here on.

"Could it have been... Him?"

No, Eiden was too weakened to be able to pull off something like this. The last memory I have of him was as he stared at the Magium in defeat, drained of his last ounce of strength, before being reduced to nothingness. This can only mean one thing - The Magium itself was behind this.

But why? Why the hell would it send me all the way back here? What does it want from me, after having wiped me nearly out of existence?

As I get closer to a clearing I had seen up ahead, I begin hearing voices. Two mages talking in a clearing a few feet away from me. I hide behind a tree and listen in on them, trying to not get spotted.

It seems like the two have just finished fighting. I try recall my memories from the first day of the tournament, but it does not take me too long to recognize the event that was unfolding before me.

"... Those tales about mages as strong as giants were just codswallop, after all! Hell, if all those 'legendary' mages are as weak as you, I am going to win this by sundown!"

He starts laughing, but then stops suddenly.

"Wait, who's there?" he says, turning to my general direction.

As I stand behind the tree, I smile because I know exactly what follows now. I think back at all the fun times I have had with my trusty old friend, yet right now, he knows nothing about me.

This is how we are going to meet for the second time.

"I know you're there coward!" says the Cutthroat.

"I am warning you - show yourself right now, or I'll have my knives find you!"

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