[IC] The Magic Apprentice(s) (REBOOT)

[RomanAria]

Running through snowbanks and frozen bushes in a blind panic while hypothermic, being chased by horrible... creatures.
Not anyone's definition of fun.
Especially not people with short legs.

"Hurry!" cried the boy that Grace was running with-- she still didn't know his name.

"I'm t-trying!" she shouted, trying to disentangle herself from the frozen bushes that were tearing at her clothes. The creatures were coming closer... closer...

There. She was free. She sprinted to catch up to the tall boy, the adrenaline pushing her exhaustion and coldness away.
"Which way now?!" she panted.
"To the castle. Now go, go!" The boy's voice cracked and in horror she looked back, watching him turn to face the creatures--

An impact that knocked her over, and agony shot through her as one of the creatures leaped onto her, its claws digging into her shoulders. She rolled and the creature's jaws snapped shut less than an inch from her neck. She tried to shout, to warn the boy-- but he'd already seen. He tackled the creature, rolling with it off of Grace.

"Run!" the boy cried. He wrestled the creature, not seeming to have any weapons; more of the monsters surrounded him, snapping and snarling.
"Run!" he called again. "Don't worry about--" his words were cut off at the sound of snapping bone and tearing flesh; the boy screamed.

A burst of red in the corner of Grace's vision.
Red blood soaking the snow.

She fled, the boy's dying screams still echoing in her ears, tears streaming down her face.

It wasn't five minutes later that she reached the castle, seeing other children. She was so shocked that she ran right up to them, almost crashing into them. She turned and realized that the gate was locked... and that the creatures were approaching.

"W-we're stuck, a-aren't we?" she whispered, taking shaky breaths, thinking that maybe it was for the best that the boy had died so quickly, and then feeling horrible for thinking as much.

[olcharlieboi]

As all the surviving apprentices arrived (including not posted ones) at the castle, they would soon be trapped as the creatures begun surrounding the area.. the one that looked different is in the front growling.. the others listening to it's orders. they would be slowly approaching the apprentices.... but they would notice something behind the creatures... as bushes shake and a man in a full suit and an unlit cigar in his mouth steps out from the tree line walking straight towards them.... he begins walking through the ranks of creatures and none of them seems to take notice his there, a flame would come off the tip of one of his fingers as he cups it with his other hand lighting his cigar... he would stop next to the leader and look at the apprentices.

He'd turn his head to the creature... before pretty much round house kick it through the ranks of the creatures and into the trees breaking them with unbelievable strength. he would then turn towards the apprentices waking rest of the way to them as the other creatures suddenly notice his presence "...why the hell are you all here.." he states at them seeming slightly annoyed. the other creatures would roar and suddenly charge at them.

The man would simply yawn and snap his fingers "remove them" he shouts and suddenly three huge figures learn from the castle and land behind the man.. giant creatures..

Chimeras... they would begin slaughtering the creatures like they was nothing, sliceing, biting, breathing fire... some even melt into a goo from poison spat out from the snake head... after a lot is killed the night creatures would begin running all of sudden scared....

Before long it would just be the mysterious man standing there with three huge Chimeras standing behind him. he'd snap his fingers as the gates then begin to open into a huge courtyard, way bigger then the castle should have from the looks of it, and the three chimeras suddenly poof transforming.


Into small cute versions of themselves and follow the man as he walks past the apprentices inside.

[booksmusicanime]

Mecca's moith opened and closed like a dying fish. Surprise, shock, and relief battled to be the dominant emotion but in the end surprise won. She watched as the man walked past, still gapping at him and the now cute Chimeras.

[Eklispe]

Bristle at first wanted to call out a warning to the strange man but when he kicked one of them into the trees Bristle figured it might be better just to watch. The stranger proved himself more than capable of dealing with what apparently didn't even qualify as a threat to him. He watched in awe as the monsters the stranger summoned tore apart the gray beasts before transforming into tiny, doll sized versions of themselves. Bristle paused momentarily unsure if he should follow inside or what. However when the thought that some of the gray monsters were still out there he quickly decided that it couldn't be that much worse inside the castle, right?

[Rex]

Alex watched in compete shock as this new comer walked through the horde of creatures as though they couldn’t see him. How? Was it something he had on? Was there a pheromone he put on to make him invisible to the creatures? Alex thought. Alex nearly jumped when the man kicked the lead creature past the horde and into a tree before 3 more creatures came down and ripped apart the monsters that were chasing him and the others. Before long the creatures were done with the monsters and changed into a much cuter form of themselves.

“Ok, now that was awesome,” Alex said before he heard the man ask why they were here. Alex figured this was some kind of body guard for the master so he politely said, “We’re truly sorry to disturb you and your master, but we were told of a master of magic who could teach us the ways of to control and master magic ourselves.” He hopped being politely and civil wouldn’t get him killed and also know how the man walked through the horde of monster without being noticed.

[olcharlieboi]

The man looked at the apprentices especially Alex after they followed him...... he walked up to him and taps some of the ashes into his face "know who you speak to before you speak boy" he says annoyed "There is only one person who lives here, and that's me, use your head" he states shaking his head

[Eklispe]

Bristle nodded, as he thought, this man was the master who lived here. Able to teach magic. "Then if you are the master, please, teach us how to use magic." A simple request, perhaps even under-worded, but Bristle was in no state of mind to think of anything more elegant. At least he assumed the others were here to learn magic. Why in the nine would you be here otherwise?

[duskshine749]

Zephyr had been quiet ever since he came upon the group, mostly because he was scared all he would do is scream if he tried to say anything. He had his sword out, ready for a last stand. But through either luck or very elaborate planning, a man who was apparently the magic master they were searching for came to their rescue. Zephyr really didn't know what to say, so he just stayed silent, sheathed his sword, and followed everyone else.

[booksmusicanime]

Mecca scrambled to regain her composure. She was surprised—and kinda miffed—that the man who had just saved them was the actual guy that the group had been going to find. She kept her mouth shut though, not trusting herself to speak. She feared what she might say and she really didn't want to say anything to anger him.

[Rex]

“I meant no disrespect. I was just simply thinking outside the box. None of us have been in the castle and have no idea if it’s just you or others inside the castle,” Alex said before he added, “And technically you’re not the only one here since you have three creatures guarding the castle.” Alex was always the one to find a loop hole in anything, but he didn’t tread too far since he didn’t know what this man was capable of.

“So I take it you’re the master of magic my grandfather spoke of?” Alex said before he introduced himself as he followed the man, “My names Alex Danger. It’s a pleasure to meet you sir.”

[olcharlieboi]

The man would raise an eyebrow and shake his head walking away alex "...Why the hell are you all here" he states "I'm sure you've heard i don't take apprentices without good enough reason" he states "...not to mention this path is one that there is no going back on, you will face unimaginable pain. You will probably even die" he states glancing back at them "So I'll ask again.. Why are you here?"

@Rex @booksmusicanime @duskshine749 @Eklispe @RomanAria

[booksmusicanime]

"I want to learn and I don't care what may happen to me!" Mecca said, stepping forward and angrily crossing her arms. Her golden eyes glared at him, she wasn't going to turn around now, not when she was finally there! And also not when it was freezing outside...and night time.

[Eklispe]

Bristle thought about the question. A reasonable question really. Unfortunately his reasons weren't the same. Because he had nothing better to do? Nowhere better to go? No one to go to? Eh might as well be halfway truthful. "Here to learn like everyone else. Pain is something I'm used to. Besides I'll do anything you want me to no questions asked, good enough reason for you?" Bristle asked confidently of the old man. Couldn't be that bad right? Certainly better than any of his other options at this point. His odds of making it back out of this forest and being able to make a living on odd jobs seemed pretty low.

[Rex]

“I want to learn about magic, about how it works, and how it can be used to help others,” Alex said before he continued, “Think about what magic could do in the world if we could study it and understand it. I want to be able to help people with magic.” Alex stopped when he heard the man talk about the dangers. He thought about it for a second, thinking of the pros and cons.

“You say it’s dangerous, but isn’t everything new you try these days. Yes we might not know a lot about magic. However, you’re the most powerful being around to help up understand it. We all know the risks and yet we’re all ready to take the chance of death to better understand magic. Shouldn’t that be reason enough?” Alex said.

[duskshine749]

It seemed everyone else knew exactly why they were here, but Zephyr needed a moment to think of his reasoning. He had come here to learn magic sure, but why was learning magic so important to him that he was willing to risk his life for it? After a little more thought it came to him. "I'm here because I've been interested in magic for almost my whole life," he said to the man, "and magic is one of the only things in my life anymore that makes me feel anything. It's one of my only passions, and if after all of this you won't teach me then I go home to my empty life. That is why I am here." After he finished Zephyr realized that got a lot more intense than he meant to make it. Now the others probably thought he was weird, he just kind of looked down to avoid everyone's eye contact.

[olcharlieboi]

The master would raise an eyebrow at them then groans touching his hand to his forehead "..all of you really know nothing.." he states "those reasons are idiotic, and frankly... the same as death wish" he states looking at them with fierce and intense eyes "every one who I've taken with such reasons have all died during the initiation ritual while screaming so loud, I'm pretty sure the town nearby which is a long ways away, was able to hear it" he states then stomps his foot loudly, a giant magical circle appears on the ground behind him "If it's a death wish you want, what ever it's not my job to keep you alive" he states "You'll need better reasoning to survive than you simply want to learn magic, you need a real reason to learn it, a goal your hunting for" he tells them "or else this ritual will chew you up into a ground paste and spit you out"

His face says that he isn't lying to them, there would be traces of stuff laying around.. rags of old clothes and more... from previous apprentices who tried to learn but did not succeed. "You know nothing about pain, if you haven't experienced the pain of living as a wizard, or even as an apprentice" he states "People die regularly, Loved ones killed for being near you" he tells them "Best friends you made killed without you able to do anything" he looks to the sky "that is only the start.. the ritual pain is unbearable by itself alone, but when involving everything after..." the master would close his eyes "You would wish death had taken you long before then, I know I have." a strange stone tablet raises from the ground in the middle of the circle "To become an apprentice it must be paid in blood" he states "Write you name in your own blood on the tablet to seal the contract, Though you might want to read the rules before you do so" he tells them. "for disobeying a master after you have made the contract... could be a punishable offence.."

The Tablet would have a list of Rules on it 1: Once you have signed this contract you are no longer considered human, you are no longer a person. Until you have graduated you are considered as property to the world. The property of a Master. 2:The Master's word is law, break it, then he, or her can punish by which ever means they wish, including death. 3: An Apprentice is not to simply speak to another Master besides their own without permission. 4: The Master may do what ever they wish to the apprentice, no matter what they decide. from experimentation, to other uses. and 5: If you cause the death of another fellow apprentice, the punishment will be even more severe, left to the master or masters to decide, Common punishment is death. Under this there is a spot that says 'I (big space for multiple names) Soddenly swear to uphold these rules, as i join the apprenticeship of a magician and begin my path to become a master'.

@duskshine749 @Rex @Eklispe @booksmusicanime @RomanAria

[Eklispe]

Bristle shrugged, he'd been called worse for less. He didn't have any loved ones or friends to be taken away, and pain? Well what was that compared to the drudgery of going through life like a normal person. No, better to put all his cards on the table. He wouldn't fold when the pot was the biggest one he would ever see in his whole life. "Count me in." he said plainly and looked around awkwardly for something to sign with. "Hey, mind letting me use that?" he asked the man with the katana. Unless the master dude felt like supplying pens, he hadn't exactly packed for a blood contract.

@duskshine749

[duskshine749]

Magic was all Zephyr was passionate about in life anymore, if that wasn't good enough reason to commit his life to magic he didn't know what was. One of the other boys asked if he could use Zephyr's katana, to cut his finger or something and sign he guessed. Most people probably didn't have an open cut or something to get blood from. "Ya, sure," Zephyr said, holding out his sword so the boy could cut himself on it. "I'm Zephyr by the way, you?" Zephyr was more than happy to let anyone else who needed it to use his katana.

[booksmusicanime]

Mecca stepped forward towards the circle, her golden eyes as hard as gold ingots. Those very eyes read the rules on the stone, as she read them she pinched the top of her index finger hard and broke the skin, drawing a small amount of blood. There's not much to loose and just shame if I turn back now. She thought, sending a glance at the two boys who were talking near her, at least if she did die there could be others to join her in death.

[Eklispe]

"Name's Bristle, thanks" He grabbed the sword and made an X on back of his hand somewhat awkwardly with the blade, letting the blood drip over the sword. He signed his name on the ancient appearing tablet with a grimace, well all or nothing now. The cut on the back of his hand would doubtless scar over giving him a constant reminder of what he'd signed up for. Now he had no choice in the matter: he wiped the blade on the ground, removing his blood, and stuck it in the dirt, leaving it to whoever needed to use it. "Guess that settles that." he said cheerily and waited.