The training hall beneath the London Mage's Guild was vast, illuminated by gentle spheres of enchanted light hovering near the vaulted ceiling, casting soft, steady illumination across the intricate runes etched onto the stone floor.
Meredith stood opposite Richard, her expression calm but eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"All right, big brother—or is it younger brother now? If you're serious about this, you'll need to understand how magic works."
Richard raised an eyebrow, shifting his weight casually. "Can't be that different, surely?"
Meredith nodded slowly. "I suppose not."
She raised her hand, palm open. "F-rank spells—basics. Simple, but useful."
With a whispered word, sparks flickered between her fingers, bright enough to dazzle momentarily but harmless. "Spark. Good for distractions."
"Cute," Richard remarked, unimpressed but amused.
"Wait for it." Meredith focused, whispering, "Quickdraw." Instantly, her hand blurred, appearing at her waist clutching a sleek wand.
Richard's eyes narrowed as his sister smirked. "E-rank. Still minor, but critical in quick combat scenarios."
"Wait. Didn't you have a purple sphere last time?" he asked, not following.
"Yes. However, like I told you, mages can consume tomes and exchange their abilities. Now, while you won't see it much in lower ranks, exchanging a spell mid-fight in A-Rank and higher is not uncommon. You see, the lower the tome, the more common it is. For example, I have fifty-six tomes that allow me to acquire the purple sphere you saw earlier. There's a whole market for them."
She waited for Richard to nod, then took a breath, positioning herself. "Shadow Skip."
Meredith vanished in a blur, reappearing several feet away, her shadow trailing behind momentarily before merging back into place. "D-rank spell. I just exchanged it for the barrier from before."
Richard watched, impressed. "Nice."
"Wait until you see the next one," Meredith warned, stepping forward again. Her eyes gleamed.
"Mirror Veil."
Instantly, a couple of Merediths appeared around her, mirroring every subtle shift.
Richard felt momentarily disoriented, finding it hard to pinpoint her true location.
There she is.
"C-rank. Ideal for defensive illusions. Useful to confuse enemies," Meredith and her copies said in unison.
Richard nodded, a faint smile forming. "Impressive."
The real Meredith waved a hand, dispelling the duplicates.
"Now, B-rank magic—powerful crowd control."
Meredith extended her hand toward a cluster of dummies. "Root Cage."
Thick, twisted roots burst from the floor, entangling the dummies and holding them firmly in place.
Richard gave an approving nod. "Not bad at all."
Meredith smiled and raised her palm again, her voice sharpening. "Now, for the real damage. Volcanic Burst."
She gestured swiftly, and the dummy at the far end exploded into molten fragments, scorched and half-melted. "A-rank. Massive destructive potential, but it takes precise control."
Richard whistled softly. "Impressive indeed."
Meredith paused briefly, breathing steady.
Her gaze grew serious. "And finally, the current pinnacle of magic—an S-rank spell."
She closed her eyes, focusing.
"Storm Avatar!"
Her entire form crackled into a radiant figure wreathed in lightning, energy humming powerfully around her.
Richard stared, awestruck, unable to hide the pride in his voice. "That's incredible, Mer."
She allowed the power to fade gently, smiling with a hint of pride herself.
"Glad you think so. But to learn all this properly and become a hero, you'll need official approval from the Guild. I'll arrange your introduction."
"And if they refuse?" Richard asked, half-smiling.
Meredith's lips curled into a confident smirk. "They won't. After all, you'll be an ickle F-rank who got the Mage Class. Don't worry, they don't turn down their own."
Richard shook his head, smiling slightly. "How about a quick duel? Show me what else you can do."
Meredith raised an eyebrow playfully. "Are you sure? I don't want to embarrass you."
"I'll manage," he replied, stretching his arms lightly.
Meredith took position again, steady and confident. "Alright then, let's see how well you've held up."
Richard exhaled softly, summoning his old mask and twin daggers from his inventory with practiced ease. They appeared in his grip effortlessly, the familiar weight comforting and solid. He slipped on his newly purchased gear, the Shadow-Weave cloak settling around his shoulders, bracers tightening protectively around his wrists, and the sleek boots gripping firmly to the floor.
Meredith's eyes widened briefly at the familiar equipment, her smile faltering. "You kept them?"
Richard shrugged casually. "They kept me alive more times than I can count," he said, and left it at that.
She steadied herself, gripping her wand tightly. "Very well. Let's begin."
Instantly, she vanished with Shadow Skip, repositioning several feet away to his left. Richard tracked her movement effortlessly, instincts sharper than ever. Meredith summoned Mirror Veil again, creating duplicates that danced around him in a disorienting pattern.
That trick won't work a second time, dear sister.
He closed his eyes briefly, sensing rather than seeing her presence. Swiftly, he activated Burst Step, appearing behind the real Meredith. His daggers hovered near her throat, stopping just short of contact.
"Yield?" he asked calmly.
She froze, breath catching, then chuckled softly, conceding defeat. "I yield. Seems you're as good as the stories let on."
Richard lowered his daggers, smiling faintly beneath the mask. "I am better."
Meredith shook her head. "Alright, alright. Say, I could take the rest of the day off and come home with you."
Richard paused for a moment, then nodded. "I'd like that. Mum and Dad feel you've been avoiding them since you moved out."
"I am not," Meredith protested sheepishly. "I've just been swamped with Guild duties. Between raiding dungeons and spell creation research… it consumes all my time."
Richard raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. But I'd wish you good luck if that's all you plan on saying to Mum."
Meredith winced, imagining their mother's stern, disappointed gaze. "Alright, fine. But I'm not staying late—I have an early meeting tomorrow."
Richard grinned behind his mask. "That's more like it. Shall we head out now?"
"Yeah. Say, how much does your equipment increase your stats?"
Richard glanced down at his new gear. "Tell you the truth, I don't know about these."
"What?"
Meredith stared at him, incredulous. "You bought new gear without checking their stats? That's incredibly reckless, even for you."
Richard merely shrugged. "I was going for abilities rather than stats, and it's not like I'm going to stay with these for long."
"Right. Legendary hero, not settling for anything but the best," Meredith muttered, shaking her head in exasperation. "Well, what are you waiting for? Check them out."
Richard mumbled something about annoying little sisters and flicked open his status window.
"Well?" Meredith prodded impatiently, crossing her arms.
…
Name: Richard Blackwood
Class: Mage
Sub-class: Apprentice (0/5)
Sub-class: Astralis (Unique), Stars: 5/7 (+1)
Level: 88 (S Class)
Stats:
STR: 150 (+21) | DEX: 130 (+35) | INT: 100 (+25) | WIS: 90 (+28)
…
"Bloody hell. These stats are ridiculous for beginner gear," Meredith muttered.
Richard shook his head. "Most of them are from these old things," he said fondly, pointing at his mask and daggers.