Chapter 26 - How To Train Your Griff

Griff slowly woke up to find himself tied to a tree... upside down... and the old man who had knocked him out was in front of him, resting.

"Hey... hey! HEY OLD SHIT!"

Alatar slowly woke up from his sleep, giggling.

"Aaah! I see you're awake young man. I'm your master Alatar. I think that old geezer told you 'bout me?"

"But he didn't say you'd fucking kidnap me, tie me upside down, and sleep in front of me!"

"Ah that's just how I teach magic!"

The man got up, and closed in on Griff, his voice becoming slightly threatening.

"You. Don't have a problem with that, right?"

The man had been using his mana to build up pressure around the tree, shaking Griff.

"Yeah... yeah I do..."

Griff had no option but to accept these conditions.

"Okay then hatchling, take a look around you."

Alatar stepped back from Griff's face, allowing him to gaze upon the sunset. He was on a mountain, and Alfrum was just below them. Mana was seeping around the air, much more abundant then the Mana Surge in Ange's outskirts. Weird creatures were jumping, flying and walking around on this mountain...

"You brought me to the top of a mountain?!"

Griff didn't have a good relationship with mountains... it was hard walking down that freezing chunk of rock last time.

"Exactly! And not just any mountain. You see, some mountains near towns exert continuous mana surges due to the influx of mages to the area. After some time this can cause the birth of a Magic Zone. I'll explain that to you later. Your first task as my pupil is to get free from that position. And no physical prowess, try bringing out your mana at will. You have been using it only when you're in tight positions."

Griff's eyes lightened up.

'Well... this may not be so bad. He's not a sadistic old man, just trying to force my magic out. Yosh. Let's do this.'

"Okay, but I don't know how to forcefully control my mana master."

His determined face looked awkward as he was hung upside down, but Alatar liked his gaze, and smirked.

"Visualize a river. Right now yours is dry. You're keeping your mana up on the mountain behind that river. The source is plugged up with a giant boulder. You have to let that boulder break. Every time you use magic you replace that boulder."

'Okay, a river. A mountain. And a boulder. Pretty weird symbolism old man, but the hell do I know. Okay... water corrodes stone over time doesn't it? But won't that take forever!'

"Master Alatar, don't boulders get corrodes by water over a long period of time? How can I even release my magic then?"

"Kid, if you let reality cloud your imagination you will never use magic."

'So... I just think that my magic is stronger than that boulder. Flowing... slow at first, but picking up the pace. I don't think I can crack it immediately, but... I can corrode only one side of it with high pressured water, can't I?'

"I'd brace myself if I were you."

"Huh?"

The ropes around Griff had actually been burnt with the black fire he was emitting from his hands. Aaaand... he fell head first. Ouch, that's gotta hurt.

A/N: It hurts so bad, I can assure you. Been there, done it. Don't try this at home though kids. Almost broke my nose.

"I'm using magic willingly? I'M ACTUALLY USING MAGIC!"

Griff started jumping up and down, and he might have accidentally hugged the tree which was now on fire.

"You fucking stupid dolt. You'll burn the mountain."

Alatar snapped his fingers, and out came water from thin air, extinguishing the black fire.

"I thought my fire didn't go out?"

"Normal means can't extinguish magical flames, but magical water can. It depends on who the stronger mage is. Now, kid. I'm proud of you. You actually grasped your magic."

"Hell yeah aren't I awesome!"

"But just manipulating mana will not take you anywhere, and not knowing your attribute is your down-fall. I read your mana while you were trying to use it... matches up with what that old fart at the guild told me."

"So I can learn my attribute now??"

"Well, to most of my knowledge your attribute actually does not exist in previous records kid."

"What?!"

"We call people like you torchbearers. Bringing forth a unique attribute never before seen. To my knowledge 10 exist currently in the continent of Belvargh. The continent that the Kulvan kingdom is situated in. 2 of them are, I guess, a part of Kulva's military."

"So that's why I could become a noble's pet."

"Can't say it didn't happen before. A kid just like you from a nameless village was found to be a torchbearer similarly like you. His attribute was later named as Halofication. He was able to do many unnatural things like existing on a different plane. However, a noble family discovered the kid before he understood his magic, and used mana sealer cuffs on him, keeping him as an exotic war hound. That kid grew to be the biggest assassin of our current time..."

"Yeah... scary. At least I get the chance to prepare myself."

"Look kid, I want to tell you that even though Alfrum is safe because of the absence of Noble's, you'll have to leave one day because there is just so much a small trading town can offer you."

"I... actually think Alfrum is enormous."

"And that's exactly why you have to see the capital of Kulva, the City of King Kulva the 1st. Galas."

"Well, I'm all pumped up now! Let's do this master Alatar!"

"Are you ready for a year of hell with me you pipsqueak!"

"Yes master!"

"Then get ready..."

Alatar snapped his fingers, causing earth golems to rise.

"The best way to understand your magic is to fight... good luck."

"Ah... I won't be needing luck this time."

Griff's hair started to stand slowly as his left arm bursted in black flames. He cracked his knuckles, and took a step forward. A step, to change his future.