FEAR, HOPE and LOVE

Chapter 1: Night.

«Chapter 1»

Esovax slung a white graphic tee over his head, he put in on and complimented it with a pair of tight fitting jeans and a trench coat. He had a dilemma as to whether would he wear a hat or not, he chose the latter.

He snuck on a pair of Nike sneakers and out he went. At the lift lobby he was greeted by his neighbours whom he had always admired. They went by the names of Mr and Mrs Butterjacks and they had just moved into the condominium. If not for them, he would have to put up with an annoying old lady who was forced out about a month ago.

"Hi! Where are you going for tonight?" Esovax inquired, not wanting to invade their privacy too much

"Oh, we are going to the opening restaurant just down the corner, the executive chef is a friend of mine and we would like to support him." Mrs Butterjacks replied.

Esovax kept wondering how Mrs Butterjacks had kept her slender and curvaceous figure after pregnancy. She was surely beautiful but Mr Butterjacks was the total opposite. He was stocky and slightly obese, it didn't help that he had a clean shaved chin. It made him look like the loser from middle school.

At moments he thought of seducing her with his charm but the thought of breaking up a perfectly happy family of four deterred him successfully for a full month. Perhaps he might think otherwise another time. But for now, Mrs Butterjacks would still be a loyal wife and mummy.

When they reached the lobby, Esovax ran to his car, he did'nt even react to the Butterjacks' "Goodbyes!" he started the engine and the engine revved a sexy growling voice. The car was screaming to be used and abused and Esovax grounded the accelerator to the ground.

He cruised across the highway while gazing at the lunar constellation that engulfed the maroon sky. He winded down his wind screen and the serene yet harsh wind struck him face-first. As he entered the entertainment strip, he winded up his windscreen as the exhaust from the surrounding cars suffocated him like a python killing it's prey.

Throughout the whole strip, only a single bar had caught his attention.

"Wiley's bar never fails to entice me, heh!" he thought to himself.

Since he was of legal age, he frequented the chic bar as it always has always been the forerunner of innovative practises and cocktails.

The valet parking was complimentary as it was an elite club. The sounds of the resident DJ could be heard yards away, making the other clubs look inferior in comparison. It's lush interior was a far cry from what the other bars and clubs offered, it was the pinnacle in which it was invite-only and even so, there was often a waiting period of at least two months.

Esovax was greeted by an attendant who looked familiar.

"Esovax! I'm Valeria! Do you remember me?" the attendant exclaimed, brimming with excitement.

"Sure I do! Treat me well in here!" he joked.

Valeria was his classmate in high school where together, they would ace tests. Esovax never really took a love interest in her but she was deeply infatuated with the charming young man. Esovax made a statement as a sophomore when he threw the "Best Party Of All Time" voted by his schoolmates.

Since that party, Valeria had always been secretly admiring him until it became not-so-secret. Her best friend posted a confession video that she had made for Esovax, the once popular and intelligent star became obsolete overnight.

Valeria led Esovax to the best seat in the house, the VIP lounge.

"Thanks for hooking me up!" he said in a husky voice that always made Valeria's goosebumps pop up like a reaction from a chemistry experiment.

"MY PLEASURE! ANYTIME ANYWHERE!" replied the starstruck lady who just had her slice of eternal happiness from her crush.

Esovax took off his trench coat and placed it on a rack where other obscenely expensive and limited designer ones where being displayed. His worn out cowhide coat paled in comparison to exotic skins that the other VIPs wore but he didn't give a damn.

Across the airy space where the Boston elites and socialites gathered, he vaguely remembers where the passage was. He first came here with his mentor about a decade ago but still remembers the first trip vividly.

Esovax was only 16 when he was taken to the underpass, a rite of passage and the highway to where all magicians barter and shop for items.

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"Esovax! Esovax! We all late!" shouted his mentor Winston.

The duo was travelling through the sewage like underpass to meet up with an acclaimed wand maker who had oh so dearly volunteered to forge a brilliant ruby encrusted wand for the next rising star, Esovax Lichstein.

The magician prodigal who had mastered the usage of all the elements in record time.

Winston shook and kicked Esovax out of his deep slumber.

"A horde of goblins are on the way! We need to hurry!" exclaimed Winston

They sprinted with pure fear as the thought of bloodshot goblins raging for a piece of delicate human meat gave them shivers down their spine.

Esovax trips and falls, he twisted his ankle and pulled a hamstring. He screamed and grimaced from the pain as his mentor stood helpless.

"Sure, magic can help but in return, a great sacrifice must be given for a great cause!" Winston said with cold sweat beads slowly dripping from hos forehead to his ashen white beard.

As his mentor abandoned him, he could hear a frenzy behind him.

The horde had arrived.

The goblins were all suited up for war with spiked chainmail and shredded pieces of metal protruded out of their armour like a hedgehog.

Esovax tried to drape himself with a invisible cloak but it was too late, the goblins had spotted him.

The bloodlust from the goblins could be felt miles away as they ravaged and looted whatever they could.

Esovax thought it was over when a goblin bared his razor sharp teeth and swung his great sword over his head. He was pleasantly surprised.

"Don't worry, I'm here, ill protect you!" Valeria was violently shaking Esovax as he drifted between consciousness.

Valeria was genuinely worried for her beloved beau that didn't reciprocate the same intense, obsessive love that she had for him.