Chapter 19: Magic fools

"So how long until we move again?" Charlotte asked.

"We won't need to move if you fix your healing magic," Ethan responded

"Well, at least I can use magic."

"How long are you guys finna argue? I'm hungry as shit. I'm not a vegetarian so if I don't eat meat soon then I'm going to die." Blake said to them.

"Nah we gotta learn magic first Blake. I'd rather die hungry than weak."

Blake rolled his eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, fine, we'll learn magic first. But can we at least grab a damn snack or something? I'm hangry over here." He groaned, rubbing his stomach dramatically.

As the argument between Ethan and Blake escalated, Charlotte and Lucy exchanged weary glances and decided that they had had enough. Without a word, they got up from their seats and left the two bickering men behind. As they walked away, they could still hear the raised voices of Blake and Ethan, but they paid them no mind and focused on finding something to eat.

Blake and Ethan finally noticed that the girls had left. They stopped their argument and looked around, but the girls were nowhere to be seen. Blake cursed under his breath as he realized that he had no one to back him up.

"We can't go, bro. We need to find the girls first."

"They don't need to learn magic. They might need to fix their magic but we are going to learn it so until then you will starve."

"What if I just beat your ass?"

"I'll just pretend I don't know you and you'll get arrested."

Blake glared at Ethan, his fists clenched in frustration. He couldn't believe that Ethan was being so stubborn, refusing to let him eat until they had learned magic. He knew that Ethan meant well, but he couldn't help but feel a bit resentful.

As they walked through the bustling streets of the capital, Blake's stomach let out a loud growl, causing him to clutch at his midsection and moan in hunger. He stumbled along, looking like a man possessed, his eyes scanning the street vendors for any sign of a hearty meal. Ethan walked beside him, seemingly unfazed by Blake's hunger, his gaze instead fixed on the women passing by, making occasional whistles or comments under his breath.

As they approached the small shack, Blake's stomach rumbled loudly, drawing a chuckle from Ethan. The shack was unassuming, with a thatched roof and a small, smoke-stained chimney. But as they pushed open the door, the smell of potions hit them like a wave. It was a heady mix of herbs, spices, and chemicals, with underlying notes of burning wax and singed hair.

Inside, the shack was dimly lit, with flickering candles casting a warm glow on the walls. Shelves lined the walls, filled with all manner of potion ingredients, from jars of dried herbs to vials of bubbling liquids. A workbench in the center of the room held a cauldron that steamed gently, and a small table was covered in beakers and flasks.

But what caught their attention was the dark lightning that glowed from the potions and gems. The lightning bolts were purple and blue and seemed to dance in the air. It created an eerie and mesmerizing effect. The lightning bolts were coming from the potions, giving off an aura of power and magic.

Blake couldn't help but let out a whistle of appreciation, despite his growling stomach. "This is some serious wizard shit," he said, looking around in awe.

The owner of the shack then walked into the room.

The center of his blonde hair was missing, giving him a distinctive look. He wore a purple, green, and black cloak that was adorned with intricate patterns and designs. The cloak was made of a thick, heavy material and had a hood that obscured his face in shadow. He carried a staff that was made of dark wood and had a glowing crystal at the top. His eyes were a piercing blue and seemed to glint in the dim light of the shack. He had a serious expression on his face and carried himself with a sense of authority and power.

Blake couldn't help but let out a loud burst of laughter at the sight of the man. Ethan, on the other hand, tried to contain his laughter, covering his mouth with his hand and looking behind to avoid making eye contact with the man. But despite his efforts, tears of laughter started streaming down his face as he struggled to keep his composure.

"Ah, so what are you two fellows looking for? Potions? Crystals? Or perhaps spells?"

Ethan then clenched his toes which caused him pain. The pain allowed him to stop laughing giving him a moment to talk.

"We are looking to learn magic."

"OoOoOoO. That is not cheap of a request. Do you have what it takes?"

"I mean I hope so. I think we should be able to at least do something basic."

"No, I mean money boy."

"Oh, money? That shouldn't," Ethan said as he put 200 bronze coins in front of the man.

The man's eyes widened as he looked at the pile of bronze coins in front of him. He couldn't believe the amount of money that was being offered to him. He had never seen so much money for a single lesson before. He looked up at Ethan, his mouth open in shock. He couldn't believe that someone was willing to pay six times the normal price for two people to learn magic. He stuttered for a moment before finally finding his words, "A-Are you sure? That's a lot of money for just a basic lesson."

"It's not so much a lesson we need. Can you unlock our abilities to use magic?"

"200 coins for just that?"

"Is it too little?"

"No-no not at all. This would've been the price much higher before we had awakening stones."

Blake's stomach growled loudly, interrupting the conversation. His face twisted in embarrassment as he tried to cover the noise with a cough.

"Can we hurry this up? My friend is kind of hungry."

The man reached into his cloak, pulling out a small, glowing stone. "This will unlock your ability to use magic, but it's up to you to learn how to control and harness it."

Ethan and Blake extended their hands and the man placed the stones on their palms. As soon as the stones touched their skin, they felt a surge of energy coursing through their bodies. It was as if they could feel the magic flowing through their veins, ready to be used at their command.

They then tried to use magic.

They couldn't.

"Why isn't it working?" Blake asked

"Do we have to imagine something? Like maybe it flowing through our veins?" Ethan asked.

"Imagine yourself as a mass of energy. The magic doesn't flow through your veins because they are made out of energy. Imagine the energy taking on a different form. This could be fire lightning or whatever you want. As the energy takes on this form it needs to be released so convert the energy through a part of your body such as your feet or hands."

"Wait is the energy like our life force?'

"No. It is the energy inside of you. In other words stamina. The more energy you convert into magic the more tired you become. You can also accidentally hurt yourself with your magic or put a strain on your body but you'll figure that out one way or the other."

Blake raised his hand, summoning a small sphere of water. But as soon as it appeared, his body gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, feeling weaker than ever before.

"Looks like your friend overdid it. I guess you two will need to do a little bit of trial and error."

Ethan's face twisted in pain as he summoned lightning which surrounding his fist, his hand shaking with the effort. His body felt heavy and he could feel the energy draining out of him. He collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, as the lightning dissipated.

Ethan and Blake then stood up breathing heavily.

"Thanks for the magic awaking thing but now we're going to eat because I'm finna die soon if I don't," Blake said as they walked out the door.

As Ethan and Blake stepped outside, the bright sunlight momentarily blinded them. They both squinted and raised their hands to shield their eyes, adjusting to the sudden change in light. The warm sun felt refreshing on their skin after being in the dimly lit shack.

They then saw Charlotte and Lucy in the distance sitting at a table outside.

As they approached the girls, Blake's stomach growled loudly, betraying his hunger. He couldn't help but stare hungrily at the fish on a stick that Lucy was eating. Without a second thought, he snatched the fish from her hand and took a big bite.

"HEY, THAT WAS MINE!" Lucy said her voice laced with anger.

"Let's just go to a restaurant together if you're still hungry girls. " Ethan chimed in.

"Fine." Lucy responded