A Bad Luck Charm

Skyler raised her head to look at Malcom directly. She was surprised to see him looking at her unhappily.

"That is garbage! The feeling of defeat sucks! I tell you, they have beaten me many times! When you lose, all you feel is frustration, bitterness, anger, and all you can think about is what the hell did I do wrong to make this happen!" He said as he restrained his anger due to frustrations.

As he said that, Malcom looked at the flame and, smiling said, "If you lose twice! The frustration turns to fear… What if this is all there is to me? What if I don't win again!?"

Malcom suddenly laughed mockingly. Just as he did, he then created a torch and, sticking the tip of the flying flame, he lit it before he continued with disdain, "At that moment, one more defeat can mean resignation!"

Skyler took a deep breath as her tears continued to fall. She did not know what how to respond to him.

"What matters is to compete! Learn from defeat!" Malcom said with complicated expression, "Many people do not have the privilege of achieving that... but what will you do? Losing and giving up are two different things!"

When he said that, the Marked got up. He then dissipated Skyler's magic flame, before handing her the torch that he created.

Malcom looked at it intently before he said, "Lose to everyone else! The world is a huge place. Getting someone better than you is almost a certainty! But never lose to yourself, Skyler!"

The young woman looked at him for a second, and in his smile and in his eyes, she could see the reason why having lost against him felt different.

He was a man somewhat bitter about his situation. Still, even under those circumstances, he saw the world in a different way.

She got up and took the torch. Skyler paused for a moment, before she asked softly, "Losing to others doesn't matter as long as you don't lose to yourself?"

Malcom nodded and responded, "No one likes to lose! But losing only means that you tried and failed. There are many wins, even in losses!"

Malcom pointed to the torch. He then continued, "There are many ways to do things, illuminate with your power or illuminate with the torch, the result is to illuminate, if what you are doing does not work, then—"

"Do something else until it works!" Skyler said to complete his sentence.

Those words were more for her than for him. She raised her face, and looking at Malcom, she said, "That doesn't change the fact that I lost!"

Malcom shook his head.

"But I want to win again!" Skyler said with gritted teeth.

When she said that, the girl began to walk and advanced into the cave while Malcom was thinking about his own defeats.

That idea always helped him improve, but the challenges they had in front of them were getting bigger and better. He needed it to get better in a remarkable way.

The Mark on his shoulder weighed more and more and advancing through the cave, and they came to a huge underground cavern that had three tunnels, each that could be the paths to cross the mountain.

Looking at each other, they both smiled. Skyler then said, "Maybe we can find a good way to escape through those caves!"

Malcom nodded, but before they could advance, a huge growl was heard from inside one of those caves, and a huge creature emerged from the hole.

The two mages hid before the huge appearance of a terrifying monster. A Minotaur emerged from the cavern.

Skyler watched the Minotaur come out of one of the caverns, and the cave was now illuminated by small cracks in the ceiling that let light in.

The huge Minotaur walked through the open space in the center of the cavern. It seemed to be his particular cave already formed.

The way he moved made him look very territorial.

Skyler looked at Malcom, who hid as he tried to find a way to pass all the space between the small cave they had entered and the cavern without making the Minotaur notice his presence.

Skyler looked at him, and Malcom, looking at her, observed the torch in her hand and lifted his fingers with precision.

He pointed at it, but it was already late. The Minotaur had already seen the glow of it.

A huge filthy roar all over the cave and the Huge Minotaur puffing out his chest threw a huge blaze in the direction of the young ones.

Malcom moved with speed. The fire was not a problem for Skyler, but when dodging it, he saw the creature.

The Minotaur followed him with his eyes and taking the ax tightly, and he roared again.

Malcolm looked at the huge creature directly, before he muttered, "I have two whole years without encounters with monsters, but in just two expeditions with you, I have already seen too many! You really are a bad luck charm!"

The girl was still hidden, the fire of the Minotaur had not caused any damage to her, and from her hiding place, she waited for the right moment to attack.

Meanwhile, Malcom faced the beast that seemed to be very angry.

Jumping in the attempt to crush him with the ax but the Marked moved at full speed out of its path.

While he ran to the side, he left two cards behind. They immediately activated, creating several chains that were wound around the beast.

The Minotaur shook himself with force breaking the chains.

Malcom looked at him, took a deep breath, took two more cards, and looking in the direction of Skyler.

And he could see the young woman preparing to go into action.