The Prince Of Magic

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Still, as he reviewed his work, the young mage still felt a foreboding sensation that won't go away.

Recalling his grandfather's advice helped him calmed down somewhat.

He was still kind of nervous, but it was not as much as it was before when he stepped foot unto the island. The beat of his heart rang loudly in his ears as he took in the sight crimson light blinking in the darkness, as if it was right next to his ears.

He felt a trickle of sweat slid down the side of his neck, making him clench his right hand in reflex as he ignored the urge to wipe it.

Laying a hand over his heart, Hadrian took a deep breath and closed his eyes, counting from one to ten in his mind.

When he opened them again, his heart was calm and his thoughts were silenced.

"Wish I could get in the zone like that…" A familiar voice commented idly nearby.

Hadrian shifted his gaze and saw Kieran standing to his right with his arms crossed over his c.h.e.s.t.

At first sight, he might appear calm and relaxed.

But, to the eyes of an experienced observer, it was the opposite as his body language expressed his anxiousness clearly as the sun would shine in the sky.

Signs of tensions were clear, and it can be seen with the way his brows were furrowed, the tight muscles around his shoulders, and the way he shifted his weight on one foot to the other.

The frown of disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e was the most obvious out of all them.

Taking in the comment, Hadrian just smiled that was touched with a hint of resignation.

The retainer, however, doesn't seemed keen on letting the silence reign over the area again and continued to speak.

"How do ya do it, boss? Rushing in here without hesitation?" Kieran asked, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. "I know I've said this before, but I'm really not cut out for this type of shit."

"I've noticed, Kieran." Hadrian remarked with a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt in his voice. "As for how… well, I supposed it comes with being a magus. Danger had always been a part of our lives, and death was something that we must always be prepared to face. With every progress we make on our research, the possibility of dying due to it is always there."

Hadrian paused, thinking for a few moments before he let out a chuckle.

"Not that it would stop us from continuing to advance. The same thing can be said with the normal folks. Even if they went through troubled times, they will still try their best to live their lives to the best of their abilities and move on. Mankind's history is a testament to this fact." Hadrian said, giving the retainer a knowing smile.

"Yeah, true." Kieran agreed slowly, a bit skeptical. "But this is different. No humans have ever stepped foot on a territorial alien's living space before."

"Haha, yes. But in my case, I just can't leave the others here without making sure that they can safely escape." Hadrian laughed slightly, wryly amused at his own reason. "I'm well aware that they are well capable of such if the situation calls for it, and I respect that. I guess you can say it's selfish on my part, but I want to help, even if it's dangerous."

Kieran huffed, not knowing whether to be amused or impressed.

In the end, he settled for neither.

"Ya know…" The amber eyed retainer slowly drawled. "That's all well and good, but I'm still not comfortable being here. And for the record, I still think mankind can go to hell for all I care. No offense to present company." He added, seeing the raised brow his liege gave him.

"None taken. And yes, your discomfort is noted, Kieran. You've said as much on our way here." Hadrian said, amused by the retainer's deadpan expression.

"Then, you won't mind if I escape with the others first?" Kieran asked in a weary tone. "I think I've had enough of battles for today."

The moment of silence from his liege didn't really instilled much hope in the retainer though.

"Um…" Hadrian's bright cyan eyes shifted upwards in an attempt to not meet the gaze of a certain servant.

"Boss?" Kieran called, suspicious as to what his liege's was planning.

"Nothing! We'll see when the others get here." Hadrian said with a smile that was too bright for Kieran's liking.

Alarm bells rang in his mind, the amber eyed retainer was not about to let his master get away without a clear answer to his request.

"Oi! What –" Kieran was about to ask, but found himself interrupted.

*BOOM*

*CRASH*

*CLANG*

An explosion of noises caused the master and servant to pay attention to their surroundings.

Amidst the first sound, the familiar sounds of something breaking and metal clashing against another followed almost immediately.

The source of the noises came from a certain distance. It was somewhere far out of sight, but close enough for the two to hear it. The crystal trees and the mist that had spread throughout the island made it difficult for them to truly pinpoint where they heard the noises from.

Hadrian picked up Silver Trident in his right hand from its holster, staring in the direction where he heard the noises with a calm and observant gaze.

Kieran, who stood near him, was also quick to follow his example.

The retainer already had Dooley in both of his hands, nervous but prepared to assist in the events to come.

Granted, his request earlier had went unanswered, but his loyalty and trust in his master was enough for him to muster the courage to grab his weapon.

That, and he also had a strange feeling that, if he pushed the matter, the three witches who-shall-not-be-named might do something to him later.

'And that's not even including the old man…' Kieran deadpanned, worried of what the old assassin might say at his cowardice. Or do, depending on the old man's mood.

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