Chapter 12

After Turpis's head was repeatedly slam to the table, he could feel that the his nose bridge was broken.

"Why does it have to be Jane!??" barked the man who still gripped the back of his head

As Turpis heard this, tears began forming around his eye and made his vision more blurry, but as he focused he could see the silhouette of someone who is familiar from him.

****

Turpis woke up abruptly, drenched in sweat and trembling. 'that again', he thought to himself, feeling fearful and anxious. Turpis unconsciously used his two hand to reach for his medicine beside him as he usually does.

But Turpis felt not his bottle of medicine but a presence beside him, and when he turn his head to his side, a head of an orc with its eye staring at him.

'Shit' Turpis immediately felt his hair stand up as he is really traumatized by these creatures.

Suddenly, Melfroy's laughter boomed through the cave, making Turpis almost shit his pants. "Haha," Melfroy chuckled, thoroughly amused by the terror on Turpis's face.

Only now did Turpis noticed that although the eyes of orcs are open, it is unfocused a sign that it is already dead, and his feeling of fear immediately turns into anger.

"F*ck you!, why do you have to dragged me back to that room" Turpis shouted back as Melfroy's laughter is really getting to his nerve and it also disturbing to hear.

"Why do you mean?" With his other eyebrow raising, Melfroy ask in confusion.

'This guy!' Turpis thought in anger as he started to think that Melfroy is really kind of irresponsible, "I nearly f*cking died by those creature!"

"Didn't I saved you?" Melfroy replied coldly as smirk forms on his face, and with a snap on his finger Turpis began to levitate towards Melfroy.

As Turpis began to levitate, he frantically struggled in mid-air, realizing that this elf had the power to easily kill him.

Melfroys hand touch Turpis neck, Melfroy whispered besides Turpis ear "Is it really my fault that you can't defend yourself for even a second?"

Turpis struggled, his mind racing for a reasonable rebuttal. He despised the feeling of helplessness, always hating how insignificant he was in the eyes of others. Throughout his life, he had always been powerless, constantly aware that his fate was in the hands of others.

"As my future student you'll always be subjected to fighting to further bring out your potential" Melfroy spoke like a sage as he released Turpis.

"Brat, this is always how the world works, the strong have the rights to eat the weaker ones, that's why don't ever think of slacking as I hate saving someone who didn't even try saving themselves."

A part of Turpis really want to reject the apprenticeship as a boiling rage brews within him, but he knew that Melfroy is right. He didn't want to experience the powerlessness that he felt when fighting those creature.

'Good, he didnt back out' Melfroy nodded in satisfaction and thought in bewilderment, 'However it really is weird how he is a halfling but didn't learn a single art in combat, is it because of his appearance?.'

As Turpis turns silent, Melfroy suddenly tap Turpis forehead and a light flash and began to dig through Turpis head and Turpis suddenly received an information.

"Come stand, let us begin the ceremony". Melfroy immediately began to prepare the body of the orc, after finding a wide clearing. Using a sharp blade, he made precise cuts to extract the blood of the orc.

Turpis stared at what Melfroy was doing and watched it with high curiosity and concentration. As the arcanist continued, he drew intricate symbols in the dirt with the orc's blood. Turpis knew that this was just the beginning of his journey with Melfroy, and that he was about to delve into a world of whatever those orb and mystery unlike anything he had ever experienced before, therefore he must prepare himself and began learning everything there is.

Melfroy carefully drew a circle with precision, his movements almost trance-like. With each stroke of his hand, intricate symbols and shapes began to take form, radiating outwards from the circle's perimeter. Despite the complexity of the designs, Melfroy moved with ease and confidence, as if this was something he had done countless times before. The patterns continued to grow and expand until they formed a sprawling network of intricate lines and curves, each one interwoven with the next in a mesmerizing display of artistry and skill.

Turpis watched Melfroy as he drew symbols and shapes around the circle, feeling a sense of unease. "Melfroy, is this ritual for us?" he asked jokingly. "It looks more like a ritual for summoning a demon."

Melfroy turned to Turpis, and flashed a mischievous smile before replying, "Well, if you address me as 'teacher', I might be more inclined to answer your inquiry." raising his eyebrows up and down rapidly in a playful manner.

Turpis was just about to show respect to Melfroy, but as he looked at the latter's face, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. "Why am I so easily pissed off these days?" he muttered under his breath, trying to shake off the sudden mood shift.

Melfroy raised an eyebrow at Turpis. "Did you say something?" he asked, in his playful tone.

"Nothing teacher" Turpis immediately replied back.

"Good" Melfroy nodded in satisfaction, "I thought that you suddenly began to act crazy after the fight with the orcs"

'This guy!!, whose fault do you think it is?', Turpis vein in his neck began to bulge and his breathing suddenly increase,'In, out, in, out, relax Turpis, relax' he thought as he immediately began to control his breathing.

Melfroy glanced up from his work and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, this isn't a demon summoning ritual," he replied calmly. "Only a lorith can summon those foul creatures. This is just a simple initiation ritual for your apprenticeship with me."

Turpis was bewildered. 'Wait, you were just joking about the demon summoning, right?' he thought to himself. But when he thought that there is this elf who can use magic, the possibility of demon existing is not far fetched 'And what the heck is a lorith? I've never heard of any creature like that before.'

Turpis had a vague idea about elves and orcs from hearing people around him talk about them in movies and games, but his knowledge on the subject was limited. He was never one to indulge in such leisurely activities as he was always focused on his work and studies. As a result, he didn't have much time to delve into the fictional world of fantasy and creatures.