Bab 4: Magic...Exists.
The old man handed his book to another at his side. Then, with both palms empty, he raised one toward the ceiling.
"Ooooh, are some doves gonna pop out now?"
"Ohohoho, this is gonna be good! I can't wait to see what he'll do!"
"Nah. I know magic tricks. My friend wanted to be one of those street-walking streamers, so I know all about this stuff. This is gonna be stupid…"
Many varied reactions and opinions resounded, but all ceased to stillness upon witnessing the old man's next move.
Like a nebula manifesting in space, numerous sky-blue orbs of light bloomed within the room. They flowed toward the old man's extended palm in a circular vortex, pulsating with such intensity that the air pressure created a heavy wind.
"What… What's happening?!" a random voice shouted from the crowd.
"What, you ask?! Dear Heroes, this!" the old man cackled, his cloak fluttering wildly. "This is the ability to bend Nature's will to one's own! Don't avert your eyes now. The best is still yet to come."
The bright particles danced in a whirl, each casting an ethereal deep blue glow onto the room's walls. A symphony of sound filled the space around the old man—delicate clinking and chiming from small beads of ice as they condensed and collided with one another.
"Now, for the finishing touch," the old man paused, then with a smirk and a decisive swing of his hand, he declared, "Veil of Frost!"
A shockwave of freezing wind burst forward with the old man at its epicenter. It blew past Sato and his countrymen, the howling winds burning the eyes of anyone they touched.
"I can't see!" Sato cursed beneath his breath. He raised a hand to shield his tearing eyes and peered through the cracks of his fingers. The old man stood before him, his lips curved into what might've been the only smile of genuine satisfaction the soldier had seen from him.
But Sato couldn't look for long. The biting cold seared his eyes dry, forcing them shut as he tried to recover.
Moments later, the wind began to die down to a breeze, until stopping completely.
'Is it over?' Sato questioned. Slowly, he opened his eyes to reorient himself. Several voices rang out in the room around him as he did.
"Oh my… It's… It's…"
"Beautiful!"
"Wowww…"
'What? What happened?' Sato slowly removed his hand and opened his eyes, only to freeze in place - not due to the temperature, but from sheer astonishment.
What stretched before him wasn't the dull texture of wood and stone, but the sparkling dazzle of blanketing ice. The few torches that had survived the blast shone through jagged shards of ice, contributing an entwining light that painted the decrepit room in shimmering shades of orange and blue.
'What the…? Did he do this?' Sato watched the smiling old man with narrowed eyes of skepticism.
Though the soldier prided himself on his grounded and pragmatic nature, even he couldn't help but ask the question: 'Is it possible? Could… Could magic actually exist?'
Sato remained still to ponder as he considered it. However, in the end, he shook his head and nodded to himself. 'No. It's not possible. I have no idea what he did, but it wasn't magic. That's not possible.'
Meanwhile, Sato's countrymen shared their own beliefs.
"Woahhhh... How'd you do that?!"
"Are we on TV? This has to be TV! These are some awesome special effects!"
"Are you stupid? Do you see any cameras?"
"No... But that's the point, right?"
"I think... No... I can't believe it!"
Agawa stood amidst the group, nervously chewing on her thumbnail as a way to cope with the obvious anxiety painting her face. A cold sweat poured down her brow as she muttered, "What's happening? What did he do? That couldn't have been magic, right? It was just a trick…"
Likewise, the punk from earlier, who had scoffed at the possibility of magic, now crossed his arms and scowled, stubbornly refusing to accept what he saw.
"Yeah, right! I'm not falling for this crap. There's no way it's real!" he growled, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of doubt.
Bewilderment filled the room as Sato's countrymen continued to argue and debate. The old man watched them, his hands crossed behind his back and his smile never fading, though it had returned to its usual artificial demeanor.
"Heheh, please calm yourselves, Dear Heroes," the old man said coyly. He extended his hand in a display of grandiose showmanship and continued, "That was only the first half of the display…"
"Half?" one questioned nervously. "You don't mean to say there's more, right?" A bead of sweat poured down his brow as he approached the old man hesitantly. Yet the sorcerer provided no answer. At least, not verbally.
A blinding array of vibrant red orbs suddenly began to pool around the old man's other hand. Then, following a sweeping gesture, he exclaimed "Flame Screen," and the room exploded into a torrential blaze.
It swirled and pushed past Sato, devouring the air and slamming hard into the walls of the room. Shaken screams echoed within the flames.
"Oh god! What's happening?!"
"Help me!!!"
"What the hell are you doing?! Are you trying to kill us, you insane old man?!"
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!"
Each was locked in a fit of total hysteria. Yet none panicked more than Sato.
'I... I need to escape this place. I can't stay here!'
His breaths grew increasingly unsteady. His chest was wracked with palpitations, and a gut-eating nausea twisted his stomach into dozens of knots.
"Not again! Not again!" the soldier repeated. His knees involuntarily buckled, and much to his shame, he huddled over in fear. He balled up on the floor, clutching his head with tightly shut eyes. Far gone from being a grizzled killer, his visage was more akin to that of a frightened child.
"Make it stop… Make it stop… Make it stop!" Sato pleaded. More memories of his supposed death assailed him. The scratch of smoke as it filled his lungs. The agony of his blood boiling and his skin peeling off. The soldier re-experienced every moment in a flash of a second.
However, that's when a fact that had eluded his notice until now came into focus.
'It doesn't hurt?'
Slowly, Sato opened his eyes and unlocked his body. Though terrified, he forced himself to take in the scene ahead.
A seemingly chaotic wall of flames plumed past him, only they weren't unguided. Almost as if sentient, the fire avoided him and his countrymen. It flickered with a windy hum. The air was warm but not scorching. Even more astonishing, the flames left no blackened marks or charring on the walls.
'A-Am I… Am I okay?' Sato thought nervously. His heart thrashed against his chest as he reached out a reluctant hand.
Then the impossible happened. Oddly, the flames danced away from the soldier's probing fingertips, allowing them to slice through like a knife to butter.
Sato cast a glance downward and inspected his body, surprised to find not even a speck of ash on his damaged clothes and equipment, let alone any burns.
Sadly, though his physical form was uninjured, his psyche was not.
The soldier's mental clarity leaked from his mind by the second, like water from a cracked glass. Any semblance of calm poured forth from his skin in the form of a cold, soaking sweat.
"Calm down, man. Calm down. You're okay," he mumbled to himself between shallow breaths. He reached for his trembling hand with the other and steadied himself. "Everything seems fine. It's just an illusion. It isn't real. Take deep breaths…"
As the last fragment of ice burned and the final plume of steam faded away, so did the fire. That's when a young man in a dark blue high school uniform excitedly spoke. There wasn't anything particularly unique about him except his unkempt, fiery red hair.
"I-I-I knew it!" the boy exclaimed, his eyes wide, and smile wider. "This is one of those things, right?! The thing where you get transported to another world as a hero?! Holy... This is awesome!"
The old man extended his arm in a grandiose flourish. His cloak briefly flew around his form as his bony fingers fell upon the excited boy.
"Your enthusiasm is magnificent, Dear Hero! Yes, we've summoned you to defeat the King of Devils, Raum himself, and his legion of filthy black-bloods! What awaits you all is a new life full of adventure and wealth! The life of a hero!"
Sato eyed the old man warily, his thoughts racing. "Like I haven't heard that line before… Next, they'll be asking me to sign 'right on the dotted line' of a liability waiver," he quietly growled, though his body still trembled in place.
Part of the soldier was all but convinced, mesmerized by the magic trick. But the other half still dismissed the old man as a senile crackpot with a knack for special effects. Sato's mind churned with discomfort as his skepticism battled his reluctant curiosity, leaving him on edge.
'Aside from that, what did he say? Defeat the "King of Devils?" Is this supposed to be an RPG? Maybe I'm dreaming…'
He pinched himself to check if he was conscious. The sharp sting on his arm reassured him he was awake. Of course, he knew how ridiculous that was, but so was the situation. The soldier fully expected to suddenly jolt awake and find himself lying down in his usual uncomfortable cot back at base.
Meanwhile, three more assembled around Red Hair. They piled together to form a new clique and eagerly conversed amongst themselves in a series of hushed whispers. A few moments and shifty glances later, the four nodded in agreement and turned toward the old man.
"So… What's the plan, old man?" Red Hair asked.
"Of course, Dear Hero! In anticipation of your arrival, the Lord of this domain has planned an excellent welcoming party to celebrate! It is planned that any of your more [complex] questions are answered there."
"A celebration?! Alright!" the boy cheered. His voice rang with excitement as he giddily bounced up and down on the floor.
"To that end," the old man interrupted, "my associates and I need to confirm the number of carriages required to transport you all. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, yes, that sounds great. Now go! I wanna think about what to do first!" Red Hair nonchalantly replied. Then, with a belittling dismissal, the kid waved off the old man with a single hand.
"Excellent!" the old man exclaimed. He offered no frustration with the kid's rude demeanor. Instead, he dismissed himself and his associates to the exit of the room.
Moments later, the door inched open, a groaning creak echoing as it did. Then, a parade of footsteps followed as the figures vacated the room, one-by-one.
"We shall return and retrieve you all momentarily. We thank you for your patience," the old man bowed, then left the room with the rest of his compatriots.
The door squealed to a close, followed by the sound of an internal metal lock clicking into place.
Now alone, Sato's countrymen seemed to revel amongst themselves in relief. Nervous laughter and murmurs of disbelief filled the air as they began to relax, their postures loosening and faces showing tentative smiles.
"Whewwwww, I thought we were goners for a sec there! That magic was kinda crazy!"
"Yeah… I'm still trying to understand just what exactly happened…"
"I don't care about understanding! I'm just happy to be alive!"
Numerous stressed sighs resounded throughout the room. Among them was a young woman whose trendy attire and poised demeanor suggested she was a responsible yet fashion-conscious adult.
"Ugghhhhh, my phone's not connected! Is anyone in here getting cell service?! We should call the police if we can!" she proclaimed.
She wore a stylish, form-fitting blazer over a chic blouse, paired with slim jeans and ankle boots. Her hair, meticulously styled, framed a face marked by determination and a touch of fatigue.
Dozens of eyes filled with renewed hope glanced at the girl, then to their pockets.
"Oh, good idea! Lemme check!"
"I'll check too!"
"Me too!"
An orchestra of clicking and clacking ensued as Sato's countrymen typed on their variously designed cellphones.
That's when Sato noticed another, shorter girl hiding shyly behind the first woman. She was nearly identical in appearance but sharply contrasted in personality. Her clothes were more reminiscent of a classic introvert, with a loose sweater and a long skirt, finished with a pair of feminine but bland sneakers. Her hair, though similar in color, was much shorter and hung loosely around her face, which bore a timid expression and wide, uncertain eyes.
Very briefly, she and Sato met eyes.
'I guess I should at least act nice,' Sato thought. He forced an awkward smile to put the girl at ease, but she only retreated further behind the taller girl to avoid his gaze.
"The feeling's mutual, don't worry," the soldier grumbled to himself.
Soon the tapping of fingers on phones subsided, replaced by dozens of frustrated groans.
"Damn… I'm not getting a reception either."
"Yeahhh, same."
"Ugh… What do I even pay the cell provider for?! Useless"
"I dunno, but yelling in my damn ear sure as hell won't fix anything!"
"Oh... Sorry."
As Sato's countrymen despaired about their loss of communication, the group surrounding Red Hair spoke up; their expressions directly opposed that of hopelessness. Theirs were lit up with child-like excitement, almost as if they'd found a new toy to play with.
"Everyone, listen up!" Red Hair took a stand and beckoned everyone to listen. "We've got something to say!"
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Sir_Killington
Sir_Killington I can't wait to delve into the magic portions of the book! I've put in a ton of effort mulling it over (especially whether or not to include "move names" or not). Do you think those would be good? Or are the names kinda lame? Also, I have an idea on how to weave them naturally into the story rather than them just being...there. So no need to worry about whether or not they're explained.
Hadiah
-- Hadiah diterima Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
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