I walk toward the stone structure. On it, there are various ancient runes, and there's a large handprint that seems like it was dug into the stone.
I place my hand on the handprint.
A humming sound fills the room, it's the type of sound that a computer makes when it's being on.
It feels like my vitality is being drained from me.
The Mana I stored in the cells in my right-hand gets sucked into the stone. There's no light, no flash, nothing and then it stops.
I remove my hand and look towards Alexander.
I can see a gentle smile on his face.
Then I turn my neck to the direction of his gaze– the back of my head, and I see two objects hovering and shimmering with bright light.
"As expected, you didn't get only one artifact, you got two. That's a first."
My eyes widen and I stare at the objects floating in front of me.
Then I heard:
"Take them. Let's go, we're done here."
I nod and take my new artifacts.
***
I just gained two special magic objects that are mine and mine alone– this means that only I can use them and they're fused with my mana.
"Not bad, not bad at all. But, how the hell do I use these?"
I'm holding a strange ring with spikes on it, the ring is gray colored and it emits a strange mana apart from my own.
Its mana is neither elemental nor pure. It's like the void, it's like pure mana but it's not like pure mana. I find the existence of this ring weird and confusing.
And there's a weapon on my bed, by my side– I have no idea what it is, it's made with some kind of metal, it's like a ring but much larger, if there's anything like a thigh ring then it'll be this because I can fit my whole thigh in it.
It's just circular and has no design on it, the edge is smooth, thin and sharp like a sword and I'm pretty sure it can slice through flesh easily.
I'm a mage, what would I need a weapon for?
This ring seems to be much more than what I see it as, I'll hold onto it from now on until I discover its abilities and what that unique mana it's emitting is. But I won't wear it though, I'll just keep it in my pocket. Mysterious things like this always trigger metaphysical reactions, I'd like to avoid that.
I glance at the circle– the weapon.
"As for this weapon..."
I put it under my bed.
"I'll just abandon it for now."
***
In the training grounds.
"That's enough training for today."
Klaus tells me as he throws the boulder away from my head with one hand.
I stand up and stretch my body and crack my neck as I flex my muscles.
"Good, you're getting be–"
Like a hungry lion, I lunge toward him, he's standing without guarding himself, he has too many openings so it's the perfect opportunity to catch him off guard.
His arms are crossed across his chest, exposing his stomach, so I go for a blow under his stomach. My right fist is clenched and I put strength into my right arm to make my punch more explosive.
As my fist is about to connect to his stomach, he raises his knee with a speed that made it seem blurry and he blocks my punch.
Crack!
It's my fist. It's broken.
I skid back, taking two large steps back, and I shake my wrists, waiting for the broken bones to heal. It usually takes about five seconds.
"Nice try."
Through the faint dust flying around our area of impact, I see his grinning face and the glim light in his eyes.
"Tch."
I click my tongue.
Just what kind of senses does this guy have?
He rushes towards me like a natural disaster, his burly figure seems to propel the dust that follows behind him like a hurricane.
With a speed that should'nt be possible for his size, he swings his large fists toward my face.
I can't block it with my hands else it'll get broken so I barely tilt my head slightly to the left–dodging his fists, but his fist slightly grazes my ear, leaving behind a small cut on my ear that stings me.
"Ouch."
In that moment, I hold his lunged hand with my two hands and use it as support and push my body up, propelling my leg to his face level.
I twist my waist to spin and I connect my heel with a spinning kick to his jaw.
Thud!
He didn't flinch, and the sound was as if I had hit a sandbag.
It's like time itself has slowed down as he remains unmoving.
He let me hit him.
With his left hand, he holds my ankle, holding me upside down like an object, and making me dangle in the air.
I can feel the blood rushing towards my head as the world around me keeps spinning.
BoomCrack!
Like a truck with failed brakes, his right fist slams into my ribs, shattering some of them.
"Argh." The pain I feel from that punch... getting hit by a hammer would be less painful compared to this.
And he throws me on the ground like I'm some object.
I land, face-first on the sand, and some sand enters my mouth.
"Ptui".
I spit out some sand and I sit on the ground.
I'm holding my ribs now, the punch he landed on me broke some of my left ribs, but it'll heal back soon.
"Not bad, not bad. You lasted ten seconds. And that surprise attack was good too."
He's grinning, obviously thrilled by this... Pathetic fight.
"If I was using flames, you'd be dead by now."
"Oh yeah? Then why don't I die when you burn me every single day with your flames while 'tempering my body?"
"I regulate the heat and temperature of my flames, and besides, the burnt parts of your skin fall out by themselves anyway. Your healing ability is truly a blessing."
His facial expression is akin to one who just found a new source of high.
"Ew. You disgust me."
"I love you too young Master Charles."
As I hear his words, I clench my fists and my teeth and jump from where I sit, heading towards him with great speed.
I'm determined to make one hit count. Just one, I don't care if I keep losing, but just one hit would make me the happiest man on earth right now.
But...
He holds my neck mid-air and slams my back into the ground.
"You have a lot of things to learn before you create your first circle."
He chuckles evilly.
I hate this world.