I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM A PROPER SEND OFF

Alex subconsciously held on to his brother on the way down, wondering why he had just randomly collapsed. He softly placed him on the ground and stared at him.

"Hey, Alex..." I began.

"Mason? You OK? Why did you hug me out of the blue? Hey! Speak to me! Why won't you respond?!" Alex asked, his voice rising with each word.

"Alex....you.... Look....more handsome...up close," Mason muttered before coughing up a huge amount of blood.

"Hey, what are you saying? And why are you coughing up blood?!"

I saw the dark magic spreading through his body. He has barely a few minutes at best.

"Um...Alex? Maybe you should–"

"Should what!" he shouted as he turned to me in anger and pain.

Wow... this going to be difficult.

"Ah, Mason has just been stabbed by the dagger he had. I–I just think it's best that–"

"No! No, no, no! Hey, you can heal him, can't you? He has to pay for what he did to me!" Alex pleaded.

"Listen Alex, I don't have enough magic to help him. And even if I did, I'm very sure no amount of healing could can save him from the dark magic contaminating his body." I tried reasoning with him.

Alex looked devastated by my answer but he still clutched onto Mason's hand and tried casting a spell.

"Alex..."

"I have the key, right? I can do it! I could try to heal him!"

Mason smiled and slowly lifted his hand from his brother's grasp.

"You can't. I made sure you use up all your magic while fighting me, effectively reducing the magic building inside your body," he said.

"No way... I refuse to believe this! When I had finally learnt that you did all that just to protect me. I–I thought you had an evil agenda but all this time you cared. Please! You can't leave me!" he screamed his feelings out.

"I did this... It was all my fault," I muttered while kneeling down, frozen with shock.

I mean of course it was my fault. Maybe if I hadn't chopped my hand off, maybe if I was just a bit quicker, maybe...

"Max?" Mason turned to me.

"I'm really sorry dude, I–"

"Whatever you are thinking, it was not your fault. This is what I deserve for my sins" he spoke and spat a few more droplets of blood.

"You shouldn't talk right now, there is still–" Alex started but Mason interjected.

"Max, please take him as far from here as possible. He doesn't know the full story of this dagger."

I nodded my head in understanding.

"Wait, no. I'm not leaving you!"

I wasted no time and used the system's funny sleeping function. He passed out immediately and I caught him just before he fell on his brother.

"Dude, he's not going to like this. Are your sure there's nothing more I can do?" I asked as I gently placed Alex on the ground.

"There is one thing, but I'm sure you'll be adamant to agree to it."

"Name it! I have to do something to console your brother,"

"Very well then. But I want your word that you'll do ask I ask,"

"Um...fine then. What do I have to do?" I asked curiously.

"I want you to take my power before the dagger consumes me fully," he answered with a serious face.

"Wha–no way dude! Anything but that!"

"Oh shut up! Do you want the dagger to have access to wizard magic? And why should you even care if I die? And don't give me that 'I have no idea what you are talking about' look. I saw you do it to one of the twins."

"B–but the guy you stabbed–"

"–was a human. So imagine the dagger ten times as powerful as the last guy and you'll have yourself a good picture,"

"You do know what you'll have to go through right? Since you're already weak as it is, this will easily kill you,"

"Do you think I'm afraid of death? I was already prepared to die when I entered the business of protecting my brother, the only issue is that I could never allow myself to die until I knew my brother was in good hands."

"But–"

"You made a promise didn't you?! I'm not sure how long I can hold out!" he said, his dark eyes glowing a powerful purple.

I sighed in frustration and held him by the neck.

"You're one mad monster dude. Loco to the core,"

He smirked at me and said, "For my brother, I'd do anything. Keep him safe for me, will you?"

***

<*drain skill has been activated!*>

<*drain was successfully!*>

<*ability 'wizard' has just been attained!*>

<*system is modifying skill to fit users capabilities...*>

<*Success! >

<*ability 'wizard' has been converted to 'Warlock'! *>

***

"Don't worry, I will," I whispered and let go of the lifeless body.

The dark magic was almost through with its job, so I had a few seconds to get away. I grabbed Alex with my one arm and tried moving him.

I felt another arm reaching for Alex and noticed Griffin had moved in to help out. Together, we distanced ourselves from the dagger's new slave and tried going as far from it as we could even though I knew it was hopeless.

I could feel the dagger had already finished its takeover and now we were sitting ducks but then..

"Sup losers? Just destroyed a good chuck of monster in the forest and gathered... Why do you both look beaten up? And Max, where's your right arm?" Clive, the half orc, just appeared in the nick of time. I tried pointing behind me but realized I couldn't do so as my only hand was clutching Alex.

But Clive didn't need an explanation as he raised his axe and slashed. We both ducked together with Alex and I heard the axe go through something before I turned to see Mason's body slashed in half, the dagger lying on the ground, vibrating with anger.

"Clive, the dagger–"

"I got it,"

He fished out another type of ring used for storing items and carefully placed the dagger in it.

"Now that that's settled... dude, WHAT THE HELL!" Griffin screamed at Clive.

"That's the thanks I get for saving your behind?"

"Dude, you should have yelled duck! Not just attack and ask questions later!"

"Well, you ducked so no harm done,"

"Jeez! What's with you guys and trying to kill me today?!"

"Thanks Clive, you're a life saver," I thanked him.

"Yeah, well...consider this my thanks for allowing me to join your party," he said, but I'm not sure he meant it.

"Now, where's–"

***

<*Exp points gained by killing monsters*>

<*200* >

<Quest completed!*>

<*Friendship conquerors all!*>

<*Enemies killed {5 5}*>

<*Mission success!*>

***

Huh, I guess she's fine.

Jessie later on joined us and helped control my blood flow to stop any from moving out my wound. Soon, we began heading to the checkpoint issued by Flintheart before hand, Clive and Jessie the ones carrying Alex.

"So, Uh, guys. About today... "

"No need to explain yourself Max. I enjoyed my time in the party," Jessie stopped me.

"Yeah, I did too. I've never faced a horde all by my own. It was actually fun," Clive said, then remembered who he was, "Don't tell anyone in class I said that,"

"Well, I can testify today was quite an interesting day. Thankfully, I was able to nullify any detection magic saving us from the teacher's eyes." Griffin continued. "Except, of course, me being injured by my teammates,"

"How are we going to explain about five monsters killed in the forest?" I asked the group.

"That's easy. I took liberty of placing some very strong monsters around the area, showing that they were likely killed in battle. And also, I realized most of those guys had dampening gadgets too, so North had planned all along to steal from us."

"Except this group specifically was told to finish us off. Don't worry on how I got the information," Jessie winked at me.

"Yeah, ok. And confidentiality? How about, what happened in the forest, stays in the forest?"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"Where...I'm...I?"

Looks like Alex had finally come to. Thankfully, we had already reached the check point and met up with the other Southians.

"Where's my brother? Max? Hey, why aren't you talking to me?" Alex began to panic.

"He's... Gone. Now other way to tell you, Alex," Griffin told him for me. Alex passed out again. I don't know whether it was from shock of just grief, but it sure added us more time to console him later on.

***

"Y'all look like trash," I told the entire class once I saw how everyone looked beaten up to a bloody pulp.

"Oh, haha. Says the one armed monster," Kira retorted.

We exchanged stories with the entire class and from what I could gather, the little turds from North had actually been practicing to steal our gains, not gather their own.

The class had two groups. The one to hunt us down and the rest to gather more beast essence for their class. I hope Arnold was in the good bunch. Unfortunately, most of the Northians had succeeded in their hunt, but I heard that others from out class dealt with a few of them.

"Well, I guess I have no regret in what we did in the forest," I shrugged as we waited for Flintheart to appear. We didn't have to wait long.

"Sorry kiddos. Had a little trouble with the North class teacher, but I dealt with it. Here," he said as he handed me a ring. I scanned through it and...

"ONE HUNDRRD THOUSAND ESSENCES!!" DID YOU ROB ANOTHER WOLF CAVE?!" I exclaimed in shock.

"Nah, just went around taking what's rightfully ours. I told you they wouldn't steal your loot and get away with it. It's their teacher who made me struggle a bit. She tried distracting me from what was happening but, I was way ahead of her and marked the teams that dared face my class," he finished.

"And you haven't seen what I've got," Clive whispered in my ear. I saw the displeasure flowing around as the monsters noticed I had got a little too close to Clive on our adventure. Not like I cared or anything.

"Hope you kids saw just how strong North really is. Was the experience worth it? Well, you don't have to answer now but expect me to start training you guys a bit more seriously. Now, let's head home."

He keyed in some coordinates on his watch and a portal opened up. When everyone had jumped through the portal, me being the class rep, I had to go last but Flintheart slowed me down.

"Max, I know you're still mad at me but please hear me out," he began but I raised my hand to stop him.

"Not interested in what you have to say. Just tell me why you stopped me and we can get on with our lives," I said coldly.

I could see the hurt in his eyes but I really didn't care. I hope he feels how I felt when he left me.

He inhaled deeply and said, " I saw the bodies. That was your party's doing?" My blood froze. Of course he would notice!

"Uh...no?"

"Don't worry, you can explain to me now. We have all the time in the world,"

"But the portal–" the damned thing shut down immediately.

"Well?"

"Yes...sir."