Dream And Dept

Tony and Mr. Frank arrived at a quaint, wooden cottage nestled amidst a serene landscape. Its rustic charm extended even to the roof, which shared the same timber construction.

"This is my cozy abode," Frank warmly remarked, rapping lightly on the door. Soon, it creaked open to reveal a girl who appeared to be of a similar age to Tony.

"Welcome, father," she beamed, inviting them inside.

"Thank you, my dear. I've brought a guest," Mr. Frank introduced Tony with a grin.

"Hello there," the girl eagerly extended her hand for a friendly handshake, to which Tony responded in kind.

"Nice to meet you; I'm Tony," he introduced himself.

"I'm Ivory."

Tony stepped over the threshold, finding the interior unassuming yet remarkably tidy. A wooden table and chairs, an aging TV set, and modest electrical fixtures painted the scene, conjuring memories of his own humble beginnings.

"Hey, Nala, I'm back!" Mr. Frank called out to his wife. Shortly, a woman, adorned in an apron, her face graced with the character of age—complete with a sprinkling of grey among her raven tresses—emerged from the kitchen.

"Hello, dear," she greeted, planting a tender kiss on her husband's cheek, showcasing the enduring affection of this seasoned couple.

Nala's curious gaze settled on Tony. "Who's the young one?" she inquired.

"Oh, my apologies; this is Tony. He usually frequents the Elemental Chamber for meditation and spends the night there. Today, I thought we'd invite him over for breakfast," Mr. Frank explained.

"Tony, allow me to introduce you to my wife, Nala, and our only daughter, Ivory. And, of course, this is our charming little home," Frank continued.

"Delighted to meet you all," Tony replied with a slight bow, appreciating the warmth of their welcome.

"Good thing you came on time; breakfast is almost ready. Ivory, help Tony to the dining table. I'll serve breakfast," Nala said with a warm smile.

"Yes, mother," Ivory responded, assisting Tony to the table.

A few minutes later, the table was beautifully set with a simple yet inviting meal – rice, tomato sauce, fried chips, and plantains. It might not have been extravagant, but the aroma was rich and inviting. Tony eagerly filled his plate.

"Mmm... delicious," he mumbled with a mouthful of food.

Nala playfully teased, "Take it easy, young man."

Curiosity got the better of Ivory. "Father, how did you and Tony become so close?"

"That's a good question," Mr. Frank replied with a chuckle. "A few days ago, I met him in the Elemental Chamber during my closing hours. He was meditating while everyone had already left. I waited patiently for him to finish, but he ended up snoring like a monster in his deep sleep."

The room filled with laughter, and Frank continued, "So, the next morning, I returned to do my usual cleaning, and there he was, still fast asleep. I woke him up and asked why he was sleeping there. He explained that he didn't have a home. That's when I decided to help him by allowing him to spend nights in the chamber."

Nala complimented her husband, "That's so lovely of you."

"Thank you, hon, but there's more to the story," Mr. Frank continued. "Tony isn't just any mage; he's one of the few kind ones I've met in my entire life. He even stood up for me against Derek, the troublesome mage. Tony's air Talent is incredible."

"That's really amazing. Thanks for helping my dad, Tony," Ivory expressed her gratitude.

Tony's face momentarily clouded with emotion. "Well, that's not a problem. I understand the feeling. My family went through something similar before..."

Nala, perceptive and compassionate, inquired, "So, where is your family?"

"Gone," Tony replied, his pain evident in his eyes.

Curiosity got the better of Ivory. "What happened to them?"

"I'd prefer not to talk about that," Tony replied, turning his attention back to his meal.

Mr. Frank quickly intervened with warmth, "If you don't feel comfortable talking about your family, I promise we won't ask you anything about it. From now on, you can stay here with us for as long as you wish."

"Thanks for your kindness, but I'll only stay for a few days. I have my own path to follow," Tony replied.

"Whichever way suits you," Frank assured.

They all continued to enjoy their meal until Mr. Frank rose from his seat. "Well, I'm done. I'll be heading back to the Elemental Chamber. You guys take care, and Tony, feel at home."

"Bye, sweetie."

"Bye, Dad."

"Looks like I better return back to my shores," Ivory remarked as they finished their meal.

Tony, eager to help, asked, "Hey, can I assist you with that?"

"Uhm... sure, if you feel comfortable with it," Ivory replied. The two of them left the dining table and grabbed a long broom to sweep the leaves scattered across the compound. Their home was surrounded by numerous trees, making leaf cleanup a daily necessity.

"Tony, you're a mage, right?" Ivory inquired.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering, aren't you supposed to be in the Mage Hunting Academy?" she questioned.

Tony sighed, "Well, about that, it's kind of complicated. Let's just say I ran out of funds to pay the academy's fees."

"I can relate," Ivory sympathized. "I couldn't complete my college due to a lack of money. Even the loan my dad took out couldn't cover the fees. Luckily, he's paid back the loan."

Ordinary schools for non-mages were less expensive compared to the Mage Hunting Academy, but still posed a financial challenge for those less fortunate.

Tony expressed his regret, "Sorry about that."

Ivory smiled optimistically, "It's alright. Hopefully, my dad's saving up for it, and our mangoes will be ripe soon."

Tony finally understood, "Oh, no wonder you have so many trees around your house."

"Yeah, that's my mom's business. She trades fruit in the local market once it's ripe. We have others like apple and orange trees too."

"Nice," Tony complimented.

Ivory shifted the conversation, "So, what about you? Any plans on going back to the Mage Hunting Academy?"

Tony contemplated, "Well, I haven't really had a good source of income. My dream is to become a mage hunter and earn good money to take care of my family. But since they're no more, my dream is fluctuating."

Ivory offered encouragement, "Still, you have to keep it going. No one knows what might happen."

As they continued sweeping, Tony remarked, "Hey, this sweeping is taking forever."

Ivory chuckled, "Yeah, that's true. It's annoying sometimes, especially when the wind blows it back."

"Speaking of the wind, would you like to see some magic?" Tony asked.

"Huh? Sure," Ivory replied with curiosity.

Tony closed his eyes, focusing on his enatra. He moved his hands in a mysterious pattern, commanding the wind. A soft, gentle breeze swirled around his command, making Ivory's hair dance. The wind moved in a circular motion, pushing the leaves together. After a few seconds, Tony opened his eyes, and the work was done.

"There, now we're done," he proudly declared.

"Wow, amazing. It's nice to see a mage using their Talent for things more beneficial than hunting monsters and bullying non-Mages," Ivory praised.

"Can we go in now?" Tony asked.

"Here, sure. Let's go to the next shores," Ivory replied.

"What, another one?!"

"Yeah, this is only a fraction of it," Ivory revealed.

Tony begrudgingly followed her, even though he hadn't volunteered to assist with the sweeping.

The day passed, and as night descended, the silver moon bathed the surroundings in a tranquil glow. Frank and his family peacefully slumbered, while Tony remained awake. He sat in a meditative posture atop the wooden building's roof, his eyes closed, struggling to meditate as his mind was besieged with worries.

[Host is troubled]

[What's the matter, Tony? You can share it with me], his system's voice encouraged.

Tony let out a heavy sigh before saying, "I don't know where my life is leading, Mera. I can't go back to the Mage Hunting Academy because I'm still terribly broke, and I'm yet to find my sister. I can't stay here for too long, but I don't know what to do or where to go."

[Don't worry; we will find your sister once you successfully ascend to Grade B. The mission is too dangerous for your current level.]

"Then what am I supposed to do? I really want to go back to the Mage Hunting Academy."

[Then go back.]

"Huh? How? I don't have money for the registration fee," Tony was puzzled.

[With the help of the Imperial System, gold points can be converted to real currency], the system explained.

"Really?"

[Yes. Let me show you.]

A blue screen appeared.

[System bank]

[Gold points: 1000]

[Silver points: 10]

[Diamond points: 5]

[Keys: 0]

[Uses and explanation of points]

[Gold points: can be converted to real-world currency]

[Uses: used for purchasing real-life materials, and can also be converted to other points]

[Value: equivalent to a Dars. It can be obtained by completing easy missions]

[Silver points: used for purchasing items in the system's store, e.g., protective armor, Lightning Boots, potions, etc.]

[Value: 1 silver point = 100 gold points. It can be obtained by completing moderately difficult tasks]

[Diamond points: used for buying skills, and unlocking new Talents]

[Value: 1 diamond point = 50 silver points; it can be obtained by completing highly difficult tasks]

[Keys: these are used to unlock higher grades]

[Value: 1 key = 100 diamond points]

Suddenly, the screen disappeared.

Tony contemplated how challenging it would be to accumulate points but was relieved to see he had a thousand gold points, equivalent to a thousand Dars. His academy registration fee was six hundred and fifty Dars, so he still had some left.

However, his thoughts were interrupted by voices from below. Tony leaned over the roof to see Mr. Frank talking to another man who seemed agitated.

"The payment is taking too long, Frank," the man complained.

"I know, I promise to pay back the loan this month," Mr. Frank pleaded.

"That's what you said last month and the month before that. I'm not letting it slide this month!"

"Please, once I receive this month's salary, I'll pay off the debt as promised."

"You have three days, old man. I want my eight hundred Dars, or else I will destroy this house with a tornado," the man threatened as a slight wind swirled around him. After the threat, he departed, leaving Mr. Frank sitting on the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"An air mage," Tony whispered, having witnessed the man's Talent.

"I'll have to do something," Tony declared. He was faced with a difficult decision, torn between using his gold points to save Mr. Frank's house or paying his academy fees, leaving him in a state of confusion.