M.I Hausk

Chapter 1 - Prologue

Everybody lies

The Cursed Instructor

The late afternoon sun slanted over the Arcane Academy of Pyrenstone, casting long, lazy shadows on the cobblestone paths. Senior Instructor Valen Myrlith walked alongside a colleague, their voices lowered in gossip about someone's unrequited affection as they neared their classroom.

Around them, students bustled, clutching armfuls of grimoires and glowing scrolls, some looking harried, others lost in thought. Myrlith separated from her colleague with a nod, striding into her classroom with the ease of someone who'd done it a thousand times. Her confidence radiated, honed over years of precise spellwork and lectures that left her students awestruck-most of the time.

"Today's topic, petrifying spell" she declared, pacing before the chalked rune on the ground, "is not simply a spell that you should use randomly. It is a force of nature, one that must be respected. You cannot force it, nor should you-"

Suddenly, her words faltered. A sharp pain lanced through her chest, and for a split second, the control she held over her magical aura slipped. The air around him crackled with energy, sending papers and spellbooks scattering across the room.

Her student laughed, thinking it was part of her action to show how a petrifying spell works.

"Miss Myrlith?" one of her students called hesitantly, concerned creeping into their voice.

But the instructor didn't answer. Her eyes widened in panic as the room began to blur around him. She staggered forward, gripping the edge of her desk for support, but the magical energy now swirling uncontrollably through him was too much.

Her body jerked violently, and before anyone could react, a surge of uncontrolled magic burst forth from her hands, sending a column of fire streaking across the room.

The students dove for cover, and as the fire collided with the far wall, Valen Myrlith collapsed to the ground, her body convulsing, mouth foaming with magical discharge. The last thing she saw before darkness overtook him was the shattered remains of her classroom and the terrified faces of her students staring back at her.

-

A knock echoed through the cluttered halls of the Pyrenstone-Plainsborough Adventurer Guild. Tessa Lynthel, the shy receptionist, a halfling with soft brown hair and wide, hazel eyes that reflect her curiosity, stood at the door to Gregor Hausk's office, her hands wringing nervously around a parchment.

"Um... Master Hausk?" she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "There's a commission that, well, it's kind of urgent, and no one else wants to take it. It's from the academy..."

Gregor Hausk, lounged behind his desk, boots propped up on a stack of old grimoires, a bored expression on his face, and off-center "Investigator" nameplate. He barely glanced up, twirling a quill between his fingers.

"Let me guess," Hausk drawled, his voice thick with sarcasm. "Another rookie mage who botched a spell and now thinks they're cursed? Tell them to drink some holy water and sleep it off."

Tessa bit her lip, glancing at the parchment in her hand. "It's not quite like that... The commission is from one of the academy's instructors, Valen Myrlith. She, uh... She's in bad shape."

Hausk raised an eyebrow, interest barely flickering in his eyes. "An academy instructor? Aren't they supposed to know what they're doing?"

"They said it's a curse, but no one can figure out what caused it. They've tried everything!"

There was a long pause. Hausk leaned forward, finally putting his boots back on the ground. "Everything? Or you mean their usual cocktail of low-tier spells and useless charms. So, the academy's finest can't solve their own little mystery, and they want me to waste my time on it. Sounds like they're desperate."

"She is my cousin." claimed Tessa shyly, as she did the cute finger pose.

He glanced at Tessa, a half-smirk forming on his lips. "Fine. I'll take a look... if only to see how badly they've botched things."

Tessa exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Master Hausk! The Guild Master said-"

"Oh, I'm sure Caudus will love this. Tell her to prepare the paperwork. I'll need full authorization for whatever wild theories I come up with for this one," Hausk interrupted, grabbing his weary coat from the back of his chair and standing up with a groan.

As Tessa scurried off to relay the message, Hausk sighed and shook his head. "An academy instructor... Of course, it can't just be a simple curse."

Without another word, he strode out of his office with his cane, limping, his mind already racing with possibilities.