Suspicions & Growth

He stands over us covering the moment with oppressive shadows. Seemingly oblivious to where he is, the man emits intense killing intent. Even if help were to come they would be too frozen by fear to step up.

I instinctively put my arm in front of Alyson which earns a raised eyebrow from Sever.

Sever: “And you are?”

Nao: “Alphon, what does such a dangerous guy want from my friend.”

Sever: “You seemed more than friends.”

Alyson: “Relax Alphon, I got this.”

She moves my arm away and stands up against Sever. Usually, Alyson commands any ring she steps into against this guy, she looks as small as me.

Alyson: “What do you want with my brother?”

Sever shoots me a glance but quickly returns to Alyson, meeting her glare with his own.

Sever: “I rather we discuss this away from strangers.”

It’s my turn to get up and stand up against Sever. I might be taller by a small inch but I still feel like I’m still the young kid in the situation. Despite that, I puff up my chest and enter the fray.

Nao: “You’re the stranger here, I’ll stay.”

Sever looks me over and snickers.

Sever: “Alright, do you know that your brother is missing?”

Alyson & Nao: “What!?”

Alyson: “I saw him this morning, what do you mean missing?

Sever: “As one of you might recall, my employer’s son went missing. One suspect was your brother.”

Alyson: “Pft, Nao? He’s not strong enough to take on Anton and his boys even after a workout?”

Sever: “Workouts you say? Do you know when he began and his workout regiment?”

Alyson: “Less than a week and I’m sure you can’t go from weak as a stick to beating guys near twice your size.”

Nao: “Y-Yeah, what makes you think Nao is missing anyway?”

Sever: “Because we’ve been tailing him and other potential suspects?”

Nao: “You’ve been what?”

Alyson: “Nao is not the cause of whatever happened to Anton. He might get on nerves but that’s beyond his ability.”

Sever: “That is yet to be seen. There are many ways a dwarf can take revenge on his bullies. A gun of some kind perhaps.”

Alyson: “You’re going too far now, we have no guns at home.”

Sever: “I guess we can go to your home and ask his mother.”

!!!

I grasp Sever’s necktie and look deep into his dark eyes. I want to make his skin burn through illusion but I hold back.

Nao: “Leave. Her. Alone.”

Sever: “Such a reaction from someone who hasn’t even met her before. Why so angry?”

Nao: “I-I just don’t want people like you messing with my girlfriend’s family.”

Sever: “A girlfriend you met only yesterday on the same day you suddenly arrived in town.”

Nao: “!”

I need an edge, mind reading!

…

…

Sever: (Such an intense stare. Let me guess….reading my mind?)

!!!

I let go of his tie and nearly fall back. But that was the wrong move. Sever smiles triumphantly while fixing his tie.

Sever: “I think I got enough info, thanks for your time.”

Alyson: “W-Wait, will you stop suspecting Nao?”

Sever: “…Sure, you made compelling arguments. You won’t see me again.”

He disappears into the shadows of the arena and leaves us in a darkness deeper than we thought possible. We say nothing as we took our gear off and exited the building. But when we return to the light, Alyson breaks the heavy atmosphere.

Alyson: “I want to say thanks for standing up for my family back there. I don’t usually open up to someone this quickly but, you’re a good guy Alphon. I trust you and want to keep this relationship going.”

Nao: “…Me too. I’m kind of exhausted for today though.”

Alyson: “I-I get it, sorry our first date turned out like this.”

Nao: “Don’t worry, It was fun all the way through. Let’s ignore that last part.”

Alyson: “Haha, yeah.”

…

…

Nao: “I can see you don’t have the best relationship with your brother but please, try to get along. He’s family and you can’t get that back if you lose it.”

Alyson: “…”

I leave Alyson alone at Crimson Battlefield and stalk the streets. What the hell am I supposed to do? My eyes dart to every person I pass and every shadowy corner.

My breathing becomes haggard and my head begins to pound. There’s nowhere to run to that I feel safe from eyes that haunt the back of my mind.

Sever or his men could be anywhere and those shadows…

Nao: “I want to go home…I want to see my mom.”

Arc: “Get yourself together.”

Arc, thank god. In all this madness, I forgot about you. Help me get out of this mess.

Arc: “Get stronger.”

What?

Arc: “The time has come, school fun is over. Embrace your role as a mage or face certain death.”

Death…

I’m only 17 and I never had to really face that concept before all of these. But the shadows threatening to consume me, It’s really starting to hit me.

I’m really in danger of losing everything. Is becoming popular and beating Alyson that important anymore?

*Ding*

Practice Offensive Spells (+3) ]Daily]

Learn Meditation (+2)

Kill one Invader (+10)

…What is an invader?

Arc: “You’ll find out eventually, prepare yourself.”

…Okay, I will. But I have to get home first without being seen.

Arc: “Instead of transforming back immediately, instead transform into an animal.”

I can do that?

Arc: “Yes, but you need time to focus. It will be…very painful the first few times. Pick something not too small but something people won’t question.”

Yeah, maybe Sever will think Alphon is just a werewolf or something. I’ll go through the upstairs window somewhere. Need to find a good place to do this.

I search around for a bathroom or some forested area. Both have pros or cons in the situations but I’ll take either way. Eventually, I find a nice area with enough trees to cover my transformation.

I want to glance around but that will give me away. I enter into the thicket as if it was the most natural thing. When I was deep enough, I focus on a big dog.

1…2…3! Shape Shift!

Instantly, I could feel my bones break and rearrange themselves. I almost blew my lungs to pieces with my scream but I muffled it by biting my hand.

I bit down so hard that blood starts to feel my mouth. Anything to keep quiet. My body begins to shrink and shift into a dog. A muzzle, my ears, fur, and new legs. And unlike last time, my clothes don’t shrink with me.

I has to be almost over, it has to be! I close my eyes and pray for this to the end as my body heats up from the transformation.

To my surprise, my hand slipped out of my mouth. I couldn’t bite down anymore when I started to get on all fours. This released a torrent of tortured screams but thankfully, it sounds like a dog instead of a human.

After what seemed like ages of being ripped apart, it was over. My body cooled down and could finally open my eyes. The world looked…different and my body…felt foreign.

I pushed myself up on all four paws and started to walk. My balance was terrible and I fell a few times but I kept pushing forward. I finally got out of the thicket and was greeted by a few curious looks.

I didn’t exit from where I came so I can only hope these people are just bystanders.

“Hey, are you alright?”

One of them tries to pet me but I’m not into that. I force myself to learn how to run fast as I take off toward my house. I can tell this will confuse those people and anyone I might come across along the way but I don’t care.

I need to go home, I want to see my mom. Hell, even Alyson would be nice to see.

!

“Ow, what the hell?”

Damn it, did I just bump into someone.

Velo: “Is that a dog?”

I look up after recognizing the voice and see my friends. I’m so happy I could cry.

Mat: “Whoa, is that dog…crying?”

Wait guys, take me home!

Mat: “And now it’s barking at us.”

Damn it, they don’t speak dog! What now?

Tallow: “Wait look.”

Tallow points to my neck and everyone follow to see what’s there. I can’t really look down but it must be Arc.

Valo: “N-Nao?”

I nod my head as hard as I can.

Anthony: “Did Nao turn into a dog?”

Mat: “Damn.”

Velo: “But why?”

Anthony: “I’m sure he’ll tell us when we get him in the house. He obviously can’t turn back out here.”

Thankfully, Anthony got the to idea lead us all back to my house. When at the front door, Anthony knocks, and Nell answers.

Nell: Hello kids, what brings you here.”

Anthony: “We’re here to see Nao and show him my new dog. Can we come in?”

Nell: “Nao’s not here at the moment. I actually haven’t seen him since this morning, I’m starting to get worried.”

Anthony: “I see, do you mind if we wait in his room for him. I’m sure he’ll come back soon.”

Nell: “I suppose, as long as you make sure the dog doesn’t ruin anything.”

Anthony: “I can promise he won’t.”

Everything smoothly from there all the way to my room. Once inside I run around to find a towel or something to bite down on. I find one and look at Anthony, hoping he understands what to do.

Shape shift!

Immediately the pain returns as I bite down hard on the towel. Hot Steam escapes my body as the fur melts off my skin and my bones reshape.

Mat: “What the hell!”

Anthony: “Quickly, help him! Don’t let him scream!”

Everyone holds me down while Anthony keeps the towel in my mouth.

Tallow: “Ouch, his skin burning hot. I don’t know how long I can keep touching this.”

Anthony: “Hold for a bit longer!”

They tried their best and eventually, the work paid off. Through blood, sweat, and tears, I saw the world through human eyes again.

Unfortunately, everyone got an eye full of my dignity. Most of them immediately looked away save for Velo who took a bit longer.

Nao: “S-Sorry for this…everyone. Thank you…so much.”

Mat: “Yeah, just put on some clothes.”

Mat takes a random shirt from my room and throws it at me. I equip it along with the pants Anthony throws me.

Anthony: “What happened? What forced you to transform into a dog despite the pain.”

Nao: “Sit down for this one, it’s a lot to take in.”

I told them everything I learned except the fact I…made Anton disappear.

Mat: “Wow man, that’s rough.”

Anthony: “That’s not the worse of it, I’m pretty sure we’re the other suspects.”

Everyone: “What?”

Anthony: “Of course, we’re easy scapegoats and were bullied just like Nao. Anton may have bullied Nao the most but we felt his wrath too. I’m sure they suspect.”

Mat: “Man, what the hell!”

Velo: “What do we do?

Tallow: “But we have nothing to do with Anton’s disappearance.”

Anthony: “…It’s always like this. The outcasts are the ones that always get blamed for the problems of the nobility.”

Anthony: “But things will change. Nao, I’m ready for my weapon.”

Nao: “You mean magic item right?”

Anthony: “Yeah, give me magic missile.”

I freeze when I remember what I did with that spell. It’s powerful enough to blast a hole through a person’s chest. To think that’s the weakest offensive spell…

I can’t give that to Anthony but if I don’t…I’ll have to explain why. I…can’t do that! They’ll leave me for sure if they find out I’m a killer.

That feeling is reinforced when Anthony takes a toy shotgun out of his bag.

Nao: “…A-Arc says you can’t get that one.”

Anthony: “Why?”

Nao: “B-Because it wouldn’t well with that weapon.”

Anthony: “I see, what a shame. Any other offensive spells I can get for this?”

Nao: “Ummm…”

Probably not if magic missile is that letha-

Air Bullet (6)

That doesn’t sound too bad.

Nao: “Air bullet.”

Anthony: “Sound great, get it for me.”

Points: 1

Nao: “I’ll infuse it but after I make sure mom knows I’m home.”

Tallow: “How do you plan on doing that?”

Nao: “One of you distract her while I go to the front door.”

Mat: “Distract her with what?”

Nao: “Tell her the toilet is backed up or something.”

Anthony: “And the dog? How will we walk out of here without it?”

Nao: “Illusions.”

The plan was set and executed. Valo went out and told mom to check the bathroom. Anthony kept an eye on the situation through the cracked door.

Eventually, he moved his hands signaling me to go. I go as fast and quietly as I can to the front door. I open it and close it loud enough to catch mom’s attention.

Almost immediately, Nell came running from upstairs to greet me with a hug.

Nell: “Nao, where were you?! We were so worried.”

We?

I look upstairs to see Alyson looking down at me with some concern.

Nell: “Alyson came home and told me some man said you were missing.”

Nao: “I was fine, just taking a nice stroll around town after going to the book store. Sorry for not paying attention to the time.”

Nell: “Please, don’t do that again. If you do this again I’m going to ground you.”

Nao: “No don’t do that. I’ll be good.”

Nell: “You better be. Now, go back to your room. Your friends are waiting for you.”

Nao: “Thanks, see you for dinner mom.”

Nell: “Of course.”

Mom lets me go from the bear hug, allowing me to go back to the group. But first, I’m stopped by Alyson.

Alyson: “…You’re not a kid anymore, don’t stay out late.”

Nao: “Don’t worry, I won’t. How was your date?”

Alyson: “….You don’t need to know that.”

She leaves back into her room with a slight blush. I can’t help but smile at knowing that I’m the one that caused that.

I go back to my room where my friends are waiting. When I got inside they were already playing some of my video games.

Anthony: “You’re back, can you infuse air bullet into my weapon.”

Nao: “Sure thing.”

I take the toy shotgun and start infusion. My mind wasn’t really in it though. Alyson, invaders, Sever, and what I’ve done. So many things race through my mind that destroys any focus I have.

Should I even allow Anthony to have an offensive spell? What happens if this is just as bad as magic missile?

Arc: “Do it.”

But-

Arc: “Your friends need to be able to defend themselves. Air bullet is a perfect choice for that task.”

My mind drifts to those voids in reality and Sever hunting my friends. I can barely protect myself, let alone my friends. Maybe Arc is right.

I redouble my efforts and focus on creating Anthony’s weapon. After about an hour of attention, the shotgun glows bright enough to feel the room.

Arc: “This came out very well. Anthony can probably get off 4 shots before it breaks.”

Nao: “Arc says you’ll have 4 shots.”

Anthony: “Great, I love it.”

He takes the shotgun and places it back in his bag

Tallow: “This took longer than usual, are you okay?”

Nao: “I guess I’ve been through a lot today.”

Arc: “You still have daily tasks to complete.”

Valo: “You should take a break.”

Nao: “Ummm…”

Anthony: “Valo is right, don’t wear yourself out.”

Nao: “…Okay, I’ll take a break today. Be careful on your way home.”

Anthony: “Yeah, see you tomorrow at the library. Remember to cast the illusion of the dog.”

I nod and followed the group out the door. Mom was still in the living room so I made an illusion of the dog appearing next to us. It didn’t have a lot of detail and didn’t have feet but it’s good enough.

*Ding*

Points: 3

And that’s 10 spells a day!

I say goodbye to my friends and went back to my room.

Arc: “Are you really going to take a break after everything?”

Nao: “Of course not, I just need a small break. I’m going to use the rest of today to get stronger.”

I look at the bite mark on my hand and wince.

Nao: “Good thing mom didn’t see this. She might have prevented from to school. I better get a bandage.”

I go to the bathroom bandage my hand and slip back into bed. I tried to take a nap but my headache and worries prevent me from falling sleep.

Arc: “You know what to do.”

Nao: “…I know.”

I look at the clock and it lingers around 3pm. I have plenty of time, to rest later. I push myself off the bed and get ready to work out.

[4pm]

*Ding*

Points: 6

I clean the sweat off my body and notice how I look.

Nao: “I’m pretty ripped. Never thought I would look this good.”

I smile as the thought to show Alyson comes to mind but shake it away. I gotta focus, I don’t need it.

Thinking that, I go to the bathroom mirror to make sure there’s no remaining hair from my hair.

…

…

Well, it won’t take long. I deserve some recognition for my efforts. I put my shirt back on and knock on Alyson’s door. She actually opens it up pretty fast.

Alyson: “Yeah?”

Nao: “I got something to show you.”

Alyson: “Whoa, don’t take you pa-”

…

…

Nao: “Aren’t I huh…ripped?”

Alyson: “…I’ve seen…better. Try not to hurt yourself trying to do stuff beyond your capability.”

And she closes the door in my face…

Nao: “I don’t even know why I bother.”

Bet she’d like to see Alphon’s abs. I pull my shirt down and go back into my room.

Nao: “Okay, how do I practice offensive spells? I can’t really do it here and I won’t be able to leave the house today.”

Arc: “I have a function dedicated to battle simulations but I don’t know if you’re ready even for level 0. Find a place to practice, it doesn’t have to be today.”

Nao: “Wait, does that mean I’m done for today?”

Arc: “No.”

Learn Meditation (+2)

Nao: “Oh, got it.”

Points: 3

Nao: “I already used air bullet in the infusion without being fully integrated. Will this give me a headache too?”

Arc: “Be glad it was just a headache. If you actually tried to use that spell the backlash would be comparable to when you killed those bullies.”

Nao: “…I rather you did not bring that up. So infusion doesn’t give such a bad backlash. Good to know, I thought I was just getting used to the pain.”

Nao: “So should I wait until tomorrow?”

Arc: “No, mediation is a bit special. It’s not really a spell but a training technique. Your body can already handle the effects, learning the skill was more for me. I’m now allowed to handle more of the mana inside you.”

Arc: “Think of it like a restriction lifting off of me.”

Nao: “Okaaaay….”

Nao: “Does that mean I could have done mediation at anytime?”

Arc: “Yes, but without me, it would take much longer to see results.”

Nao: “I see, so is it like how it is in movies?”

Arc: “Somewhat, get in possession.”

I get on the bed and get into the classic mediation position.

Arc: “Close your eyes, focus, and feel the mana inside of you.”

Nao: “What about outside, that’s usually a thing in some of the books I read?”

Arc: “This world doesn’t have enough to matter at the moment.”

Got it, I focus to feel the magical energies throughout my body like blood. I read it about this a few days ago but this is the first time I’ve really felt it. Even my breath feels different somehow.

Arc: “Now it’s time to create your mana energy center. It can come in many styles. A heart, core, spiral, circles, full-body, etc.”

Nao: “Do I get to pick?”

Arc: “You’re one of the few that can. For normal mages, it depends on their home universe and teachers.”

Nao: “I want the best.”

Arc: “That depends on what your body needs and from what I can tell…”

…

…

Nao: “Arc?”

Arc: “…A crystal seems like the best fit.”

Nao: “Can I know why?”

Arc: “Really good at burst power and can form quickly.”

Nao: “Sounds good, the faster the better.”

Arc: “Good, now focus on the mana inside and let it collect around your abdomen like snow.”

Arc: “Nice, now imagine heating the mana and expanding it. Good, cool it down and shrink it. Repeat the process as long as you can.”

I do as I’m told and at first it was easy but eventually the strain starts setting in. Despite sitting still, my body starts sweating as if I’m exercising. Then I began the heating and cooling of the mana.

Arc: “Don’t hesitate to breathe in and out. This is as much of an exercise for your body as it is for your mana.”

Yeah, I can feel that. A squeeze in my abs and stomach tightening every minute. I keep this for as long as possible before tapping out due to exhaustion.

Arc: “A good first attempt. Take a rest and do it again until the day ends.”

Nao: “*Pant*….*Pant*….Okay.”

[9:00pm]

Even dinner couldn’t help restore my physical energy. I never knew mediation could take it out of me so much but I can feel it working. I feel that tiny bit stronger and my control over mana has improved.

Buuuut, I’m done for the day. I can barely move from my bed. So I close my eyes ready to get my well-earned sleep.

…

…

You know what, I haven’t increased my size in a while. I’m working so hard, I deserve a height to match my improving body.

Alphon shouldn’t be the only one to be tall. A 3-inch increase won’t be noticed.

Shapeshift! Next stop, 5’7!

Nao’s Current Stats and Spells:

Strength: 17.5

Endurance: 11.5

Intelligence: 15.5

Charisma: 18

Agility: 12.5

Magic: 18

Spells:

Scan

Minor Illusion [Active]

Magic Missile

Control Water

Acid Blast

Shape Shift [Active]

Mind Reading [Active]

Paralysis

Basic Healing

Air Bullet