Ruins In The End (We Three Mages, Book Two)

(9)Chapter Twenty Three: Forever Rivals

It had been exactly one month and ten days since Devin began training under Seamus. The two were in Seamus's private quarters. Bamboo lined the walls and scratchy hay covered the floor. Swords of all sorts hung proudly along the walls. Seamus was kneeling on one side of a table while Devin sat on the other side waiting patiently for what his teacher had to tell him.

"Devin, you have become such a strong student in such a small amount of time, that most would use the word genius."

"Wouldn't be the first time someone's called me that." Devin casually shrugged off the comment.

"I supposed it wouldn't be otherwise Messa wouldn't have been so quick to train you. She has been pestering me every day about your progress here."

"I'm eager to return to her side to continue to learn magic under her."

"Why do you wish to follow the path of magic?" Seamus cut right to the point. His usual relaxed demeanor changed to that of a serious one, similar to how he was during his lessons.

"The people I look up to, they're the strongest mages I know, probably the strongest in all of Magistrax to be honest." Devin let out a nervous laugh. "I just want to catch up to them and show them that I'm not some little kid that's only good for spying and scouting. I want to stand on the battlefield with them on equal terms."

"You can do so by following the path of the sword," Seamus noticed the glint in Devin's eyes the moment he mentioned his friends.

"I am though," Devin said it as more of a question. "I am travelling a path that allows me to be both a swordsman and a mage."

"As Messa tried to explain to me, but half of what that woman says in nonsense." Seamus shook his head.

"It's only nonsense if you don't listen," Devin countered.

"Of course you'd remember that," Seamus sighed. The first week Devin had trouble understanding what Seamus was teaching. So later that same week Seamus pulled Devin aside and gave him some advice.

"I always remember the good ones," Devin smiled. "Anyway, I don't think the only reason you asked me here was to question my path to strength."

"I wish for you to stay here and become not just a favor, but a student." Seamus said as earnest as he could. Devin looked at the hay for a solid minute before he looked back up and looked Seamus directly in his eye. Seamus actually flinched as soon as he saw the young boy's eyes. They were those of a harden warrior who had long since chosen the road he's traveled on.

"With all do respect, I will not accept you request." Devin firmly, and calmly, answered.

"I see," Seamus knew the answer, but he still felt that twinge of disappointment. "May I ask the reason?"

"You can, but I cannot give it. Not yet anyway." Devin knew better than to just talk about the Legend. It was one thing to tell Messa, someone no one would believe, but another thing to tell a respected figure.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Seamus let out a long, heavy sigh. He looked out the window into the first light of the new morning. "Then I have another request of you,"

"Yes?" Devin asked when the man did not continue.

"Finbar, your presence agitates him. He can sense your strength by just being near you and it bothers him. I wish for you to become something of a goal for him. He keeps denying how strong you truly are only because he has yet to fight you for himself, not since the day you first arrived. He passes off your victories as mere flukes."

"Why do you want me to be his goal?" Devin asked.

"While he may be my top student, he isn't the top in the land like he believes he is. He has confined his world to just the dojo and that shall hurt him once he departs from here in the next two years. However, if someone from outside his little world would to show him that there is much more out there, then he do nothing from benefit from it."