Revived: The Archmage's Return to the Urban World

Chapter 9

Jake was instantly teleported in front of his father's laboratory. Then David's unconscious body dropped to the floor.  He snapped his fingers and the guards he had left there woke up. They swiftly rose up, drew their firearms, and pointed them at him.

“Don’t move!” said one of the bodyguards.with top knot hair.

Jake looked at the man then sighed. “Relax. I’m not moving. I want to raise my hands but as you see, I have my sister on my back.”

“How did you do that?” the man asked. He tightened his grip on his gun. 

Jake looked around. There were seven of them, including the one at whom he threw the scissors. He didn't count them before he left, but he should be prepared in case they don't listen to him. 

“We all saw it!” the man continued. “With clapping your hands, you closed and locked the door. Then you put us to sleep after you snapped your fingers.

Jake's jaws dropped, but he quickly replaced it with a smile. He didn't think an ordinary person could be that observant. Usually, when he put someone to sleep, all they remembered was falling asleep and nothing else. 

He was about to answer when the bodyguard he wounded with scissors spoke.

“This is not right,” the man said, which got the attention of the other bodyguards. “The woman on her back is Ms. Caroline. He must have saved him from the kidnapper. Lower your guns!”

“I can see that, Jonas!” the man with the top knot shouted then glared at the one who spoke. “But you saw what he did! He’s not an ordinary man and could endanger Mr. Dummond!”

Jake's shoulder began to shake before he burst out laughing. 

“It’s nice that you’re that loyal to my father,” he said, glancing at the one with the top knot. Then he approached him and touched the tip of the gun. The pistol blazed and became red, and the man dropped it. Then he grasped the man's hand. “But you don’t know him as much as I do, Gary.”

“How did you know my name?”

He grinned. He touched the Aetherlock, whispered a spell, and then rapidly moved his hands from in front of him to the sides, and in a flash, a bright sigil appeared and surrounded everybody except Jonas. That sent the men to sleep again, but this time they didn't fall.

He turned to face Jonas and stared him in the eyes. The man was just staring at his co-bodyguards with his lips and eyes wide open.  “I am going to erase their memories of what happened. But not yours.”

“W-Why?” the man stuttered.

“Jonas, right? I want  you to work with me,” Jake replied with a smile.

The man narrowed his eyes and shook his head. 

“I need someone trustworthy to watch my father’s every move. And only someone close to him can do that,” Jake continued while still staring at the man’s eyes. “Don’t worry no matter what happens, I will not tell him about this deal.” He smiled then he walked in front of Jonas. “But if you betray me, I don’t know what I can do to you. Now, choose.”

Jonas stepped back twice away from Jake. “W-What can I get in return for doing that?”

Jake smiled. Then he moved his back to fix Caroline’s position there. “Ah, she’s getting heavier. Will you please take her?”

But Jonas remained still. His gaze fixed on Jake as beads of sweat began to form on his brows and forehead. 

“Come on, take her. Please.” 

Jonas hesitated but moved to take Caroline from Jake Jake stretched his back and uttered a grunt of relief. 

“You’re asking what you can get in return? Well, I will be the most influential and powerful person here soon,” Jake said. “If you help me with my revenge and fix other things, I can grant you a life you won’t get from serving my father even with three lives.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then, I’ll erase your memories and I don’t know what else I can do,” Jake replied with a smile. “The choice is yours.” 

Jake clapped his hands twice and the door opened on its own. Then the bodyguards all woke up. Confusion could be seen on their faces but they didn’t say anything.

“Okay, boys. Bring this man inside,” Jake ordered while pointing at David who was still on the floor. “And Jonas, please take my sister to a room inside. Make her comfortable as much as you can.”

Then he went inside and greeted his father, who was still rubbing his brow and had a puzzled expression on his face.  

“I am back,” he said. Then signaled the men to bring the unconscious David forward. 

“W-what the heck happened? And who in the world is this man?! Where is Caroline?!” yelled the old man.

“Caroline is with Jonas. She is safe and already resting in the room over there,” Jake replied. “And as for this man, he is the leader of the gang who kidnapped her.”

The old man stared at him before looking at David. “So, what’s  the reason? Is it just about money? Are they just some lowlife syndicate?” the old man demanded answers.

“It’s Anthony Smith,” Jake quickly replied.

“What? Anthony Smith of Smithsons Pharmaceuticals?” 

Jake nodded.

The old man started to breathe heavily while clenching his fists. “So, they turned to this. I should’ve finished them when I had the chance!”

“Why? What did you do to them? You and his father were good friends, weren’t you?”

Mr. Drummond took a deep breath before approaching the table where the bottle of whiskey sat. He then poured some into a glass. “Wake him up,” he ordered Jake.

“Alright.” Jake yanked David up, and the man regained consciousness in an instant. 

“Where am I?” David asked while hysterically looking around. 

“You!” Mr. Drummond called that got David’s attention, then he took a sip of whiskey from his glass. “What is Anthony Smith’s reason for kidnapping my daughter?”

Jake pulled David on the couch and let him sit there. 

“I-I can’t tell you…” David replied shakily. “I told you I don’t know! He just ordered us to kidnap that woman!”

Jake looked daggers at David. David noticed it and he just looked down on the floor. 

“Is it about our deal last time?”Mr. Drummond asked before moving in front of David. "I am not as nice as you think. If you don't speak up now, I'll go after everyone close to you, your family, your friends, the people you care about the most."

David began to sweat and stared nervously at the old man in front of him. While Jake sat on another couch, watching his father. He was curious as to how his father would react and think in this kind of situation. 

David abruptly knelt in front of Mr. Drummond, his forehead almost touching the floor. “I-I have a daughter… please… spare them,” he pleaded. “But I really can’t tell you anything!”

“Seriously?” Mr. Drummond responded then he stepped on the man’s fingers. “Are you willing to sacrifice your loved ones for your boss?” Then he called for Gary.

“Yes, sir?” Gary responded.

“Look for this person’s relatives and friends, then kill all of them. Don’t let anyone live.

“Wait!” David shouted. “Okay! I’ll talk!”

“Okay! Then talk now!” 

“It’s about the illegal drug that you…” David abruptly ceased speaking. His eyes widened, and the veins in his neck began to bulge. His face became red, then purple as he grasped his neck.

“David! What’s happening?!” Jake sprang up and dashed to David's aid.  Then he saw a smokey black symbol appear on David's forehead and eyes. David collapsed on the floor, and blood began to come out from his nose and mouth.

"What was that? What the hell happened, Jake?” Mr. Drummond demanded an answer while staring at the lifeless man on the floor. 

Jake replied with a sigh and walked away. He was positive he saw black sigils before David drew his last breath, and he was certain it was a curse spell performed on someone to cause them to die after breaking some rules. And that only powerful and experienced wizards could wield such magic.