Capítulo 6: The Melancholy of the Marked

Malcom was roaming through the city for hours. His mind was traveling in all the situations that weighed on him. The positive side of the things that he had seen that morning had disappeared.

His preliminary matches were already complicated, and there was no way to keep his tricks hidden against his next opponents, who were strong mages.

Malcom had been figuring out what to do but still did not have any ideas.

His mood was more down than usual, and the grayish color of a cloudy afternoon accompanied his frustrated footsteps.

When he got home, and it was quite late at night, his mother was sleeping, and all the lights were off.

The young mage went straight to the window where a small balcony was his companion for these occasions.

He sat on it and continued his train of thoughts when he heard someone coming down from the upper balcony. It was a young girl with long black hair making an effort to land on his balcony.

She looked like a silly thief who was doing a crappy job on stealthily entering her victim's home.

Malcom shook his head. He sighed before he smiled, "What are you doing? There are much easier ways to do that, you know."

"Shut it," she said softly. With some effort, the young woman managed to fall on his balcony.

She blew her bangs and then arranged her hair that got messy.

"Don't look at me as if I'm dumb. I'll go down as I want!" She said while glaring at him.

Malcom then replied with a smile on his face, "Always so lovely, Violet."

Violet smiled. Her smile was firm and full of confidence, her eyes shone in the moonlight, and her slender figure leaned over the balcony as she watched the street.

"I saw the lottery. Are you okay?" She asked.

Malcom smiled and directed his gaze in the street as well.

"I guess," he replied casually.

Violet hummed, before speaking with unmasked displeasure, "Those are three very difficult fights! My dad spent the whole day cursing your luck. He said it's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair, Violet," Malcom replied with the melancholy he always had.

When Malcom said those words, his hand went to his mark as it was his habit.

A lot of people had told him to just get used to it.

What are they referring to?

That he needed to get used to the fact that life was not fair?

Or the fact that he was not given the freedom to choose and just became someone who bears a heavy responsibility because others did not wanted to?

Just as he silently thought to himself, Violet rubbed the side of her chest where her mark was.

"Mal, you did amazing in your recent fights," she said with a bitter smile.

He grinned teasingly, "Are you envious?"

Violet snorted, "You asking me that? How dare you? I wanted to cheer you up, but you are making fun of me?"

"It's not making fun if it's the truth," Malcom replied before laughing.

She glared at him, "Fine! But… The next fight is going to be very difficult."

"No pain, no gain," he responded nonchalantly.

"Right! Since you are used to the pain, I know you can do it! If someone can, it must be you!" She yelled seriously while looking at him firmly.

"Crap. Are you really trying to make me feel better or not?"

She grinned, "You and Benjamin are the bravest men I know. We all know Benjamin is where he is thanks to you."

"Benjamin! I forgot about him. How was his lottery ticket?" The young man asked with a smile.

"He must be feeling better than you. His group is simple," She then answered, "It's like you took all the bad luck from him."

Malcom's almost scowled at that. Violet was really blunt. Too blunt.

"Well, at least, he will be fine," he replied thoughtfully.

They were both silents for a long time. The wind was whipping some of Violet's hair while the cold night's atmosphere took over the place.

Malcom sighed heavily before speaking, "Today, I met Skyler."

The girl moved her face and planted her eyes on Malcom.

"I was with Mabel, she had asked me to collect today, but it was all a trick, just for Skyler and I to meet," he continued.

The girl held Malcom's gaze a little longer and said, "And for what? Virtue Mabel… She's complicated. You should know this already."

"Yeah, of course. But I had no clue on what her aim was this time," he then continued, "I guess to see a good show?"

"Then what happened?" Violet asked with curiosity.

"She's normal. She doesn't seem super powerful. She seems like a normal person, not very different from us."

The girl turned her face once more against the night sky and, putting her hand in a pocket, took out several blank cards that she offered to Malcom.

"Pops said that he would try to do some more before the tournament. You might really need them," Violet said seriously.

Malcom smiled as he took the blank cards. In them, he would store his creations to be able to fight in the tournament.

With only twenty percent of his magical energy available to perform his usual materializations, it was impossible, so Malcom stored his creations in cards and sealed them.

By just applying a minuscule amount of magic to the seal he had placed, he could free his creation from the card.

This took a lot of work, but it was the only way he could fight.

"My father always says that you are very smart!" Violet said as she looked at Malcom, then continued, "He says that the system you created is brilliant, and he is glad that he was able to help you."

Malcom smiled before saying, "Tell your father that without him, I could not be able to participate in the tournament." Malcom then added, "And that I am in his debt."

"Nonsense! Marked mages must be united!" Violet declared with enthusiasm.

With those words, the girl was about to leave, but then Malcom spoke and said, "Tell your father that I still need several of those cards. After the first fight, I will do a treasure hunt. One hundred rubies, the cards I need, at least 50."

The girl turned and looked at Malcom doubtfully. "Don't you think that's too much? The tournament and the hunts, we don't need so much money you've worked for a long time," she asked with furrowed brows.

"It's nothing, Violet! It is a simple excavation. No danger. I need to do this," Malcom answered.

Violet shook her head as if feeling resigned.

She had long ago learned that Malcom's decisions were completely personal. No one could make him change his mind.

He never listened to anyone.

Malcom had convinced himself that his judgment was the only one he should follow.

"Whatever you say, Mal!" The girl said with a dry smile before she left.

Malcom spent another hour on the balcony, thinking about many things.

He had a goal, and that goal requires a lot of work.

Malcom needed a lot of money to be able to achieve his goal. He badly wanted to break the system that turned its back on him.