Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 2- Descent of Darkness

Episode 89: The Singing Charro

*Adela*

Loud, festive music filled the nighttime streets which were lit up by colorful iridescent spheres of light strung together.

"Woah!" Renshu said, laughing. He turned to look at me. "Hey, is it fine if we join in?"

I nodded. "Go ahead, you deserve it," I said.

"Yahoo! Everyone let's go play!" He rushed off into the dancing crowd in front of us.

"Hey, wait for us!" my big brother yelled. He and the others rushed after Renshu. Well, except for Cheng who was going in the opposite direction.

I glanced over at my childhood friend. "You aren't going to join us?" I asked, turning around.

"You know how much I hate loud music," he said, rubbing his ears. "These lights too. They make my senses go haywire."

"Sorry, I should've known that."

He shrugged. "It's fine. Back home they rarely act up like this, but here... they've been going like crazy." He rubbed his ears and winced. He leaned his back against a mud-brick building.

"Want me to help out?" I asked, placing a hand on his right shoulder. "I can carry you back to the hotel."

"No, go on, enjoy yourself. I can make it back to the hotel on my own," he said, smiling.

"You sure?"

He sighed. "I don't want you to give up joining in the festivities to care for someone like me."

I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? Cheng, I'm your friend since we were kids. I still remembered that you were the only one whom Elliot would lower his voice around."

Cheng snickered. "It's a mystery how someone like me became friends with a guy that loud in the first place." He inched forward. "But don't worry, I'll power though this headache and make it back safely."

I pushed him forward, much to my surprise, he didn't trip over. "Alright, I'll trust you this time. But if you fail to make it back to the hotel when I return then I'll make you listen to Elliot's singing!"

Cheng gulped. "You wouldn't actually do that, would you?"

I smirked as I turned away from him. "Try me if you dare. Anyway, see you later!"

"Bye, have fun!"

"I will!"

***

It was no surprise that Cheng was sensory overload. The music the deeper I went got louder and louder. Though suddenly it became quiet. The loud music was soon replaced by the sound of guitar strumming.

"This is the story of the boy who wanted to become Magus Maximus!" someone called out in a sing-song voice. "He was born into an impoverished family. He was a frail boy. The kids at school mocked him for for the way he breathed. You see, he was born with asthma which prevented him from participating in events with the other kids. He could barely use magic without triggering one of his asthma attacks. Many thought that he should give up on being a mage. Then he went on to prove them wrong."

This voice...

"He set out to make his dream come true!" the singer said, raising the volume of his voice. "He took on the exam to one of the so-called best schools on the continent of Tozan Hoshi. Though there he too was met with discrimination. Though he didn't sit down and take it. He rose up fought against it. Those who sought to kick him out were instead the ones who were shown the door. Then he went on and took on the Novus Magus Secundus exam. While in the world of dragon, in a dream he met a man who claimed he resembled the previous Magus Maximus."