Chapter 3: make do of what you HAVE not DONT
This feeling I have felt this once before.
My previous life.
Again I never wished to feel this way.
Voices from back then are brought up again"You going to pursue what. You'll never make enough money doing that. Stick to what your brother and sister are doing. You should not go into that. Think about the pay. You've got to be better. "
My breathing was heavy.
I am paralyzed standing at the podium.
Have I not met standards once again?
Am I going to be cast out? Singled out once more?
I gaze into the Chalice as I see no tint of color only the reflection of the Stained Glass Artwork above reflecting on the water.
As the light from the day begins to drain twilight is upon us.
Suddenly I feel to warm touch on my back.
I calm back down to reality. I begin to breathe normally.
I turned to see the two bodies on me.
It was Marko and Lila. The two who have cared for me all this time. The two have helped me all this time.
Yes, they were my parents.
"It's all right Val," Marko says patting my head.
"You going to be alright baby just breathe," Lila says in a calm and soothing voice.
I shed tears as I was disappointed, sad, scared, and angry that I didn't get selected but they were there to comfort me.
As my watery eyes began to clear I glanced over at Eriko, Vincent, and Elise who should be overjoyed and happy. Looking sad and disappointed.
"Shouldn't they be happy?" I thought to myself but I realized looking from their perspective their daughter got the blessings as I didn't.
The looks on their faces read "We are ashamed." Vincent said.
Marko stands and heads towards their direction.
I thought to myself "Oh no he's going to school and belittle them."
Marko stops in his tracks.
"Sir Marko I am deeply sorry for this em-"
He kneels down and gives Eriko a hug.
"Congratulations Ms.Eriko"
The Agnello family looks surprised at Markos' gesture.
Lila heads on over as well.
"Congratulations Eriko" Lila says.
Marko stands up "What with the down faces for?" Marko was acting like his usual self.
Marko and Lila celebrate with the Agnello family as I make my well as well.
"Congrats Eri," I say with a smile in my voice.
"Thank you, Val" she responds.
"We all should be celebrating. Let us make our way home." Marko demands.
As we were about the leave a voice calls as it echoes throughout the cathedral.
"Valerus family I will say a Non mage is just as rare as a Dyad Mage." The pastor says.
Am not too sure if that was a compliment or if it was a pity for me.
Marko and Lila rush me out of there.
The pastor then says "Remember this Mr. Valerus a twelve-star mage can be chosen at any point of their life" as the doors of the cathedral close.
SHUT
DROP
The light from the eyes of the pastor disappears. The pastor's body drops as a hooded figure emerges from the shadows.
"Ugh controlling that body for that long of a time was a haste."
ZING
"Deadman do you read? Is the selection done?"
"Yes it is El Phantasmo"
ZING
"I really thought you were going to get caught there a mage from The Federation. Phew,"
"Am not as careless as someone like you"
"What did you say!"
"Bloody Queen please be quiet."
"Yes sir."
"We now have the whereabouts of two more twelve-star mages. What is the plan now?"
"Just observe them for now. We'll need them eventually. Keep an eye on that Valerus boy for now."
"Of course sir"
ZING
ZING
"Valerus Marina, hmmm"
Walking back home that line stuck in my head. Playing in a loop. "A nonmage is just as rare as a Dyad Mage. Twelve Star mages can be chosen at any point in their life." With Eriko and her family walking ahead I couldn't help but fall back in line a little.
"Hmm, what's bothering bud," Marko asks as he notices me thinking.
"Oh, nothing father."
Lila jumps in "Could it possibly be about what the pastor said?"
I grow silent as they catch on.
"It is" Lila remarks.
"Well done be down son. You will do fine. You have great combat prowess. Your exceptional quick I'd say almost as quick as me."
That is true. What I haven't realized while training with Marko is I've been keeping up with his pace. I've seen him breaking a sweat too.
"With training and perseverance, you will be better than me in all ways. That is the truth Valerus"
"No matter if you're an irregular mage or not. We still love you and the strengths that you have." Lila says with a comforting voice.
"Dont focus on what you don't have focus on what you do have," Marko says.
Words that hit me in the right spot. Words that I didn't know I needed to hear.
Back at home, we have a grand dinner celebrating this joyous occasion.
As I get up from my seat and head towards my room I hear a voice call out my name.
"Sir Valerus I wish to speak with you" the voice is Vincent.
He and Elise stand side by side one another trying to cheer me up.
"It's alright I understand it's not that deep" a saying I would say in my previous life.
"Alright, but Eriko wishes to speak with you out on the balcony."
"O-Ok" why did I stutter?
I go past the two and return to their rooms while Marko and Lila clean up. Eriko awaits me under the moonlight standing on the deck.
I see her staring at the moon as the light reflects upon her face with the stars filling the night sky.
"You called for me Dyad Mage Twelve Star Mage of Virgo," I said jokingly.
Eriko turned around surprised " Don't sneak up on me like that and please don't call me that just act normal" she requested.
"Well, it's not going to be so normal from here on. You have immense power at your disposal and you'll just grow stronger." I said to her.
With a short pause, "You'll grow strong as well." Eriko says walking around me with her hands behind her back. "I won't let this blessing mess up our friendship. It's just a title. Twelve Star Mage Dyad Mage won't matter. She looks up to the sky and makes a grabbing motion with her hands.
"I see" as I walk towards "So what did you want to talk about?"
I just was wondering what you going to do What is your dream or goal in life?
Ah a question that I have never asked myself. What is my endgame for this world? Will I just go for the normal route and strive to be the leader of this world? Should I hunt down all the bad guys and become a vigilante at night?
Questions that I asked myself.
"Wh-What is yours Eri?"
"Hmm, mine?" as she puts her hand to her head.
"I just want to explore the world."
"Why chose that"
"Why? No disrespect to your parents or mine but I dont wanna live my life cooped up in some mansion. I wanna explore the world and travel by having this-" she shows her Virgo Symbol "allows me to do that. It also gives me the power to change the world."
"Now that I shared mine you had enough time to think what's yours?"
"Um. Um. To be the greatest mage this world has ever seen" I said with a soft voice.
"Huh what was that"
"She's purposefully doing this," I thought.
"To be the greatest mage this world has ever seen" I repeated with a little more volume
GIGGLE GIGGLE
"So you want to be the Ruler of the Nation"
"No, I want to live my best life and be the best mage I can possibly be."
Eriko looks at me "That's a good dream."
"Is that what you wanted?" I asked.
"Yes, that's all I wanted" as she smiles.
WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH
The autumn winds blow harshly as it becomes winter soon.
"It's getting chilly. We should head back inside"
"Goodnight Val"
"Goodnight Eri"
As we both leave the balcony.
I head over to the dining hall as the light still seems to be on. I peek inside. It's Marko and Lila they seem to be discussing something. Am going to wish them goodnight. "F-"
"An irregular please that's not worthy of my time. It's pathetic" Marko says.
"Wha- What did he say am pathetic. I knew it" I stood frozen out the door I couldn't say anything or move my feet. I zoned out I couldn't hear anything but my thoughts as scenarios went in my head. I then had the sudden urge to run towards the exit and run away. "Why am I doing this?
"Is something my father would say. Now I told myself if I ever had a kid I would never treat them like that" Marko says with confidence.
"Yes dear I know I told you that many times"
"You think am being a good father to him?"
"Of course you are dear.
"Especially about what happened today?
"Valerus will grow up to be something special. Something remarkable."
SLAM
"What was that?"
PAT PAT PAT
"Marko huff huff" Vincenet out of breath.
"Sir Valerus seems to have run away"
"Wha"
"Why would he-"
"Ohh he must've heard me talking about how my father would talk. Stay here dear I'll go fetch him and clear the misunderstanding. He shouldn't be that far off."
Marko heads off
"Dont forget your scythe"
Marko materializes his scythe. "Way ahead of you"
----------------------------------------------------------
PANT PANT PANT
"Why did I run? Why am I running away? They love me right? Right?
I found myself in an open area with a fountain.
HUFF HUFF PANT
"Great am lost. I've never been to this part of Kubridge it's dark, Was it always this dark?" I thought to myself.
STEP STEP STEP
Someone seems to be coming.
The moonlight shines at the point where the darkness ends. A man in a white robe appears. He looked familiar. "Pastor is that you"
His body shakes and turns to mush. The pastor who was once there turns into raw meat.
"What the fu"
STEP STEP
"Mr.Marina" a calm but devious voice speaks as they step forward. A man dressed in all black with a robe over his head comes to the light.
"Who are you" I questioned him as I began to feel uneasy.
The man stops in his tracks.
The man who has come to recruit you.
"Am still confused. What's going on?" I wondered as I took a stance.
The figure stops "Dont worry" Magic circles begin to light up within the area with the command of his hand.
Corpses begin to rise up from them.
"We shall talk later. Just come with me."
"NAH I played too many video games and watched too much anime to trust you" I yelled and stuck out my right hand and materialized my scythe.
"Very well"
SNAP
The corpses rush at me.
"Low-level grunts," I said to myself.
I swing the scythe around decapitating the heads of the corpses. One by one I dance and keep chopping off the heads of these mindless zombies.
"This is fun. A real battle where my life is actually in danger."
"Hmm. You move pretty well. How about-"
SNAP
New Corpses emerge but this time with wands.
"The hell he put some costumes on them. That cute"
BLAST
"Shit" I dodge the attack "Did that thing just shoot a fireball?"
BLAST BLAST BLAST
I dodged the continuous blast being sent by me. Weaving left to right. Side to side. Cutting through the ones that I couldn't dodge. Feeling the heat of the fire before I slash them away. I begin to close in on the spellcasting corpses.
HMPH
One appears right in front of me about to shoot a point-blank-range fireball at my face. I duck as I feel the fire brazily miss my skin. I stab the corpse upwards with my scythe as I swing my scythe around impale the other ones and turn them into a shishkabob. I throw the corpses at the hooded figure as he deflects them.
"A distraction?" the figure says to himself.
"Gotcha" I appear behind them going for a killing blow.
ZIP ZIP ZIP
I get caught mid-swing by these threads. "Damn didn't think of that," I thought to myself.
"Agh"
"I must say Mr, Valerus you move very well. Quick Reaction Time. An excellent weapon handler. Am surprised the Chalice of Paths didn't make you a weapon enhancer mage"
I struggle to move the threads as I do they dig deeper into my skin.
ARGH
"Oh, I dont want you battered up before I bring you back. I'll just knock you out" The hooded figure moves closer.
"Why the hell does he want me?" I questioned my reason for him needing me.
STEP STEP STEP
I close my eyes as I brace myself for a blow.
SLASH
The threads get slashed as am in the arms of Marko.
"The only person getting knocked out is you scum," Marko says confidently.
"Mr Marko pleased to meet you again"
"Again? When- ah whatever" Marko thought really hard before answering.
SLASH
The hooded figure avoided being cut by placing one of the corpses in front of me.
"Sorry am not letting you walk out of here alive. Valerus stay back and watch me beat the hell out of this scum."
"Scum scum scum is that all you can call me?"
"Yes. Scum" Marko readies his Scythe.
"I am Deadman."
Marko pauses. Puts on a thinking face.
"Oh, you're one of those Phantom Order mages that keeps appearing. Yeah, I know you."
"You do, it is an honor"making a bowing gesture.
"It's also going to be an honor to bring your corpse back to The Federation" as states as he twirls the axe around and readies it behind his back.
"Well, that can be said about you as well" more magic circles appear. The hooded man then summons more corpses at his disposal.
Marko gets ready to face off against the Phantom Order Member Deadman.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone