The Alrevia Order [Elisop]

#12 The Great Mage Onyx

A large stone tower, built by carved stones laid one after another by magic, somewhere in a forest, sometimes in a desert. Rarely in the depths of the ocean but the mages had complained about the constant leaks and the impracticality of accessing the place so the Archmage had to take some measures with the other Great Mages in order to solve the problem and limit the teleportations from the Tower in the middle of nowhere. Just imagine the embarrassment of making a miscalculation and finding yourself swimming among sharks and saltwater fish.

At last, for once, vast meadows and fields of flowers greeted the Tower. It was a rare occurrence, and perhaps the last. However, as the saying goes, the worst storm breaks at harvest time.

"Luca," said the old man, "it's time to leave the Tower."

The dark-haired man stood there for a moment, his complexion livid as death. He was probably wondering something along the lines of, what the hell was the old senile man talking about, sure he was a distant member of the family but just the thought of sharing the same blood as that schmuck disgusted him to the point of being creeped out. He may have been the Archmage, the great Burke Lapadura, the highest authority in the Tower, but there were limits to the jokes.

"What-! You filthy old grandpa! You're getting rid of me in the end!?"

The old man with the balding head waved his staff with a grunt, he had lived many centuries but his sharpness was still there and a thud sounded in the office as he struck the young dark-haired man. The mage crouched down at the pain and held his head with both hands, groaning as he muttered curses.

"Idiot! Tsk, after so many years here I see you still haven't learned manners and you dare to brag about your skills?" He sighed as he paced the room, his fingers running through his carefully groomed beard. "Poor me, that boy wouldn't last long in the dreaded social sphere."

Luca rolled his eyes at the fact that he was right, completely senile.

"I have no interest in getting along with others," he replied.

"On the contrary, young man. You will learn one day that a human cannot remain in isolation and solitude forever... As well as a sprinkling of humility."

The old Burke raised an eyebrow and swung his stick into the back of Luca's head once more. The latter whimpered from the pain with watery eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"That's why you have to leave for Hamel." he said as he put the tip of his staff on the ground, he wasn't listening at all to what the young mage was saying.

"Why Hamel..." asked the dark-haired man who had somehow finally resigned himself to his fate.

"Because it is the realm of knowledge and wisdom. You'll learn things about society there that you can't learn by staying cooped up in this old, crumbling tower. I have already sent a letter to my friend there who is in charge of the general library to find you a place to stay."

Everything seemed already planned and fenced off. It had probably been a while since the preparations had begun. Luca had stopped complaining as he thought his way to this conclusion then finally crossed his legs, still sitting on the floor, and leaned on one hand.

"All right, grandpa, why don't you tell me the real reason now?"

His tone became wry and the corners of his lips turned up like a demon toying with someone more foolish than himself. Burke was a grumpy old man, but he never commanded the other Great Mages unless he had a motive behind his actions.