CHAPTER 36: FUTURE

This time round, since their fight had happened only a few minutes ago and his eyes were affected by the elemental heat skin when Hadrian touched them, Hadrian felt he stood a better chance.

For him, who was only channeling essence, his two cores essence potency wasn’t affected as much as that of the rank one mage.

On top of only channeling, which did make his vessels weaker, he had two cores while the mage only had one. Meaning, for twice the effect of output, he did not have to use as much essence as the mage.

Considering they were only rank one mages, their essence potency happened in powerful but quick bursts and they would need time to replenish.

Taking advantage of this, Hadrian didn’t hesitate. First thing he did was let bearded man channel the elemental essence, reinforced him with the state of his vessels in the phantom space, and grabbed the mage’s throat with both iron hot hands.

It was easy to let his guard down. After all, how could someone’s threat level go from regular human in one moment, to that of a rank one mage the next.

Having prevented him from screaming, some of Hadrian’s poisonous rat vessels, the poison from the phantom snake, ran up on the mage.

With his used up and replenishing essence, the mage brought down his hands on the bearded man’s arms that were choking him.

With his neck free but burnt, he let out quick short breaths. The main Hadrian vessel, carrying the space path core and not just channeling, didn’t give him a moment’s rest to cry out for help. He was already on him. So was the Alia vessel, carrying the elemental path core.

They might be not as experienced as much as the mage with their magic, but the mages situation was pathetic and he was facing two rank one mages who’s soul essence wasn’t as used up as his.

...

Inside, Haldon observed as the old lady set up her ritual, different coloured sands and candles.

"Would you light these up for me, dear?" She handed some candles to Haldon over her back.

They smelled like boiling wet rags and were soft in Haldon’s hands.

Flicking his write hand, a pasty white burning candle flickered into existence in his hand.

Bringing the rest to its flame one by one, he lit them and handed them back to granny who was now muttering and mumbling.

With soft steps, the old lady sprinkled the dust onto Hadrian. If you had missed her mumbling earlier, you wouldn’t now.

Hadrian didn’t fight back, his vessels drifted into sleep. At the last moment, he would let them go.

...

Outside, Hadrian observed as they put his vessel’s bodies on a carriage.

At the last moment, before the old lady’s magic took complete effect, he let go of the vessels.

I wonder how long it will take them to realize the vessels are dead.

"You two." Haldon said to the groper mage and the female mage from that night. "Go and back up the rest, I’ll deliver these and be back."

The two Mages nodded.

For the groper mage, though he had been promised to be left with one of the people who’d attacked him for revenge, through persuasion he was convinced otherwise. To let the Magloire mob handle it.

Turning to the old lady and bearded man, Haldon smiled, clasping his hands together. "Well, thank you for everything. This is where we part. Handle your own how you will."

He gestured to the last vessel body that had not been put on the carriage.

"And thank you too, dear." The old lady said with that creaky voice of hers.

Hadrian cursed.

I’ll just have to make an excuse to granny why I can’t go with her.

Bearded man picked up the remaining vessel and mounted it on his horse. A small cart was tied to the horse and that is where granny climbed on.

After riding for a while in their direction, the bearded man, Hadrian, stopped the horse and got off.

He walked to the back of the cart.

"I have business to attend to." bearded man said to granny, his expression stoic.

Granny took a moment as the cool night breeze blew their faces and hair.

"It’s you, isn’t it?" Though she was frowning, her voice was just as calm as before.

Hadrian, bearded man, nodded.

"Do you plan to kill me too?"

"Your son, and his friends, tied me to a tree as bait for a spawn. He had this coming to him."

Granny didn’t seem surprised by this, if she was, she didn’t let it show.

"I’ll have my revenge on you." She said in a casual conversation tone.

Bearded man let out a sigh. "Until that day arrives, you’ll have the opportunity to have a change of heart. When you do wrong me, or hinder my plans, then I shall kill you too."

Saying this, he left her the horse and made his way to the metal work shop.

The groper mage vessel had stalled the other female mage on some snack shop. She had stressed out over the matter, but in the end, Hadrian did manage to buy enough time conversing with granny.

In her face, Hadrian could see she wanted to ask why bearded man was coming with them. However, people lived all sorts of lives and make all sorts of deals. Sometimes, it was best not to ask. After all, it was just a human.

At the workshop, the guards did ask about the mage, but in the fashion of the mage in his memories, Hadrian did not answer directly, only threw angry words and curses.

"Leave him be." One of the guards muttered. "He’ll be answering to Haldon when he comes back."

At the workshop, the female mage occupied herself with other businesses while the groper mage and bearded man made their way to the basement.

They were stopped by two other mage guards. It was nearly an identical situation as it was at the main gate, this time however his attitude alone wouldn’t let him pass.

He did make up a reason for a deal between the witch, Haldon and bearded man to converse with Truston.

Let to pass, he followed his memory to the furthest end of the basement hall.

Fire sticks outside the cellar lit up only one. Inside it, beaten up, naked and bloody, a familiar face rose to meet Hadrian.