Mike had never felt so much elation since his feast with the elves, once again he was in such great company and in the midst of an abundance of good food. The beer was plentiful, almost like they didn't run out, and the wild meat he chewed was so delectable that he almost bit his tongue. He forgot his difficult nights at that feast, his moments of struggle in Talcaf forest, he lived solely in the moment.
The next day, he woke up to the sound of grunts, and turning to his left by a tent were men swinging swords once again, honing their blades and their swordmanship. He immediately squeezed his face, and squinted his eyes, the bright suns of Loonè were up, hotter than ever, it was a hot noon.
Mike was as damp and itchy as boiled wool, he needed a bath as soon as possible.
He sluggishly got up, the effect of yesterday's beer still lingering. He turned around trying to ascertain the path to Gaus tent, the sorcerer seemed to be somewhat privileged in the band, he must have water to spare, Mike reckoned, and he walked to him, his bearing staggered, he was still quite inebriated.
After a few falls on his way to Gaus' tent, he got in, slipping through the entrance and falling. Gaus sat up from his bed like he had seen a ghost.
"Oh, it's you."
He raised his head, and the old wizard walked to help him up.
"I see you enjoyed yourself quite a bit last night. I spent half of my night reading and studying, it is quite the privilege you and they have, and of course, I was sent my share of wine and meat."
"Huh huh…"
"Pathetic…" Gaus blurted and struck Mike on the shoulder with an open palm, the young man staggered back from the force, he could feel the sorcerer's radiance hot on his body.
Great heat awash him, and he felt close to fainting, and then, the heat subsided, almost like it had never been present. His vision became clear once again, and his head did not feel like it would fall over his shoulders.
"A detoxification spell!" Gaus announced raising his right hand like he had an epiphany.
"Alcohol is not good for you, not good for anyone at that. You should keep that in mind." Mike merely nodded, with how heavy he felt upon getting to the tent, he might just take that advice.
"I am glad you made it back here, I've sped things up since I have an apprentice now." The old rave rubbed his hands in excitement. He turned to Mike, and then pulled over a large piece of brown rag atop the tent's floor revealing a wooden platform with runic inscriptions.
"The transportation spell." Mike spoke.
"Indeed, Bloom here would stay at the center, and I'll be here."
The giant rune had two swirling circles to hold both the giver of radiance, and the one who would receive the transportation might.
"Take that piece of paper and write down everything you learn from both the rune and Bloom. It's fine if you put it down in your language."
Mike took the piece on the table and a quill, he watched earnestly like an enthusiastic student.
Gaus looked at his radiant beast, and then nodded. Bloom understood this immediately and got to work, supplying the spell with a great amount of radiance. The temperature in the tent suddenly rose and so did the pressure as the tent shook violently.
The spell came to life, taking a bright white hue, and with Mike's eyes, he saw radiance stream from the radiant beast to the spell and then to Gaus. Light encompassed the old sorcerer, and he held out his hands in a dramatic manner.
Mike gulped, the first trials were always clunky and messy. He was impressed by the sorcerer's courage, this new spell of his might be the very thing responsible for his demise.
Suddenly, the paper Mike held zoomed from his hand like it was pulled by an invisible force, and so was everything in the tent, the tables all hovered and then glued to the edges of the massive runes, so did books which piled atop one another across the edges. An innumerable amount of paper hovered above, twirling violently atop the rune, and all Mike could do was to watch.
He too was pulled but he was able to maintain his footing. Gaus had not explain things in detail nor had he mentioned actions to be taken in the likelihood that things went wrong. The sorcerer was so sure of this new spell of his that he did not consider the chances of things going haywire.
Bloom had fallen, and was in a state of shock over the rate of radiance siphoned from her body, Gaus on the other hand was totally wrapped in white light that it was blinding. Mike did not know what to do, he could only watch.
Then suddenly, the magnetic force tripled, and Mike was pulled forward—like a taut string pulled him over. It had happened so fast, he had little time to react when from his core birthed a blinding blue light.
A zephyr blew, calming the terrible storm that was the spell, and then the tent erupted sky high exposing Mike and Gaus laying on the ground.
In the scene was Araes, large and majestic, the crimson chains had spawn her, and with a mere touch against the rune, the spell was deactivated, its turbulent radiance siphoned into the regal wind element beast.
Mike's eyes were heavy, he struggled to keep them open but someone was hitting him to stay awake, he then saw hairy legs all around him, men gathered around him and he sat up worried about what went wrong. He looked about, and saw that their gazes were not at him but to what was behind him.
He did not notice at first, but a giant shadow loomed over him. He turned, and he saw.
It was Araes.