A Sorcerer Legacy

The carriage had already taken off, and the inside was as stable as if we were still on the ground. From the windows, I could faintly see the clouds as we passed by them quickly. Since it wasn't my first time in a flying carriage, I wasn't at all flustered; in fact, I felt relieved. Flying carriages were one of the safest means of transportation, with very little that could affect them mid-air. Not to mention, they were much faster than other modes of travel.

"So, I heard you went to Brimstone. How was it?" Gusto's voice broke through my thoughts. "Did you meet any visionaries? I'd love to hear about the experience."

Professor Dawkins shook his head. "Barely," he said. "But I doubt the visionaries stay outside the main city. I didn't happen to meet a single one on the outskirts."

Gusto nodded and leaned back. "Come to think of it," he continued, "who is your new traveling companion?" His gaze lingered on me.

I was about to say something, but Professor Dawkins beat me to it. "A new student," he explained briefly.

"A new one?" Gusto asked, his interest piqued. He looked at me, and I quickly responded, "Yes, sir. I'm starting as a fifth-year."

"How extraordinary," Gusto muttered, a peculiar look on his face.

"Indeed," Professor Dawkins said. "None of the faculty may have ever heard of someone being admitted into the Academy Spire so late."

"Nor have I," Gusto replied, glancing at me before turning back to Professor Dawkins. "As you know, all the other students would have been honing their magic skills for almost four years now. The professor has asked me to train our young lad here and bring him up to speed."

He turned to me and smiled. "You're a lucky one, young lad. You couldn't have asked for a better mentor. Not only is he a master of his craft, but his ability to flawlessly communicate the art of Runecasting also makes him a great teacher."

Professor Dawkins waved a hand at him. "Oh, stop it. As you can see, our dear Gusto here is prone to flattery." He chuckled. "It's one of the reasons he's risen so high in rank, despite being such a young man."

There was a short silence before Gusto turned away and pulled out a stack of newspapers. He handed one to Professor Dawkins. "Have you seen this?"

Professor Dawkins took the newspaper and started browsing through it. From the corner of my eye, I glanced at the page. A large humanoid figure dominated one section—its face resembled that of an oak, with long horns protruding from the back of its head. The figure's large build was covered in thorns, which grew from its jaw. The black-and-white photo almost seemed to come alive, its piercing gaze seemingly staring right through the newspaper, giving off a devious smile. I shuddered in awe, quickly looking away.

I calmed myself as I remembered seeing these magical newspapers before. Unlike regular papers, these were imbued with magic, showing moments from the past as if they were happening in real-time.

Professor Dawkins spoke again. "Although opinions differ, not many believe the Dracongard is a significant threat."

I continued staring out of the window, distracted. Something distinct in the clouds caught my attention, but I couldn't make out the silhouette clearly. I turned my focus back to the conversation.

Gusto, continuing his earlier topic, said, "Although I wasn't able to convince my colleagues, I personally believe the Dracongard is a major threat. It was your wife who alerted me to his activities months ago."

"Flora," Professor Dawkins said, his tone filled with melancholy and concern.

Gusto sighed. "She wrote to me about his activities just before... What happened to her. She asked me what the ministry planned to do about him."

I watched them both, noticing their solemn gazes. I didn't know who Professor Dawkins's wife was, but from the way they spoke about her, it was clear something bad had happened. She was either deceased or in a dire situation—though it was more likely the former.

Before I could share my condolences, Gusto added, "She entrusted me with this," pulling something out of his bag and placing it before Professor Dawkins and me.

I squinted at the object, my curiosity piqued. " This is..."