A True Genius Worries

by Sophia Schmidt

  "I resent that. My plan was rock solid." Phloria objected.

  "Indeed it was. But you misunderstood me. I meant that I still can't believe I didn't screw up!

  After how I behaved during the first day, I was starting to believe I was a hopeless case."

  "There, there. A single slip up means nothing, it can happen even to the best of us." Visen was

  mostly speaking about himself, trying to be supportive at the same time.

  They started sharing the highlights of each one's contribution to the victory, patting

  themselves on the back and complimenting to each other.

  Lith was already nauseous from all the niceties, seriously considering to cut off the next hand

  on his shoulder.

  "If we want to eat more than hot air today, we need to prepare the meat. Has any of you ever

  skinned and gutted some game?"

  Lith used earth magic to conjure several jars from the ground, to collect the non-edible parts

  before destroying them with darkness magic.

  An awkward silence followed.

  "I never hunted alone, before. I would always give my game to the cook. He always took care

  of the rest." Phloria was embarrassed, so she fiddled the ground with her foot.

  "Interesting." Lith thought. "Phloria does that every time she feels uncomfortable. I could

  exploit this tell, if I ever decide to plagiarize poker."

  "Or if you are curious about who she is interested in!" Solus chimed in.

  "What?"

  "Come on, spoilsport. Don't you want to see some romance? You are all so young and

  hormonal, wouldn't be cute if two of your teammates hook up?"

  "It would be a disaster. First their mind would become even emptier, and second, I don't want

  to spectate some kids making out. The cave is little and my patience short." Solus mind-

  pouted at him. ¨C

  According to Solus' observations, Phloria wasn't uncomfortable around any of her teammates.

  That was disappointing for her, she really wanted someone to jump on Lith, just to see his

  reaction.

  "I know only the basics, but I'm a fast learner." Visen volunteered, winking at the girls.

  "Neither of them is really cute, but beggars can't be choosers." He thought. "I will show to

  the girls that a real man doesn't fear a little guts and blood." ¨C

  Having already experienced high school, Lith could recognize that look at first sight. It was

  what undeserved confidence mixed with desperation and the willingness to f*ck anything that

  moves looked like.

  "Okay." Lith said hiding a cruel grin behind a kind mask.

  "First, you have to drain the blood. To do that, you hang them upside down and then cut off

  the head." He made an exaggerated movement on purpose, sending a little blood

  everywhere.

  Visen's face lost its colour, turning pale. Lith mercilessly handed him a big fluffy rabbit.

  Despite being already dead, its big round eyes were staring at Visen, like asking: "Why did you

  kill me?"

  While Visen was trying to come up with an excuse to go back with the girls, Lith had already

  took the skin off of his prey, handing that too to Visen.

  "Put it in a jar for me, please." Lith never stopped smiling with a kind and brotherly expression

  on his face.

  Visen let the rabbit fall from the shock. When his hands touched the greasy and sticky side of

  the skin, he turned green, fighting against the urge to puke.

  "You're a monster!" Solus accused him.

  "Guilty as charged." He confessed. ¨C

  "At this point, you need to perform a big incision, and pull out all the organs. Like this!" He

  turned the gutted rabbit toward Visen, to let him better appreciate the view.

  Just to keep on the safe side, Lith reinforced the Hush barrier and conjured a pot really close

  to his teammate.

  "Why are you still holding the skin?" Lith pretended to not have noticed he was frozen stiff.

  "Here, toss away the guts for me, please." When Lith handed him the viscera too, it was too

  much for Visen. He fainted on the floor like a dead weight. Lith had expected some screaming

  and puking, but that was fine too.

  "What happened?" The girls asked after hearing the thump sound. They had run in the

  bathroom after the first blood.

  "Nothing. Seems Visen is not cut to be a hunter, though." After getting rid of the poser, Lith's

  movements became much faster and precise. It wouldn't take him long to finish.

  "Does anyone know how to cook?" He asked.

  "Are you asking that just because we are girls?" Phloria sounded quite enraged.

  "No, just because I hope someone can give me a hand."

  "Sorry." Belia said. "I know how to eat, though."

  "What about you, oh fearless leader?" Lith poked her, since Phloria still refused to reply.

  "I never got the chance nor the desire to learn. But I'm quite skilled at eating too, thank you

  for asking." Phloria took a mental note to at least learn how to butcher, otherwise her hunting

  skill would lack a practical use.

  Before starting to cook, Lith cleaned everything and destroyed the jars and their content. He

  called the girls to wake up their fallen comrade and show them how to use first magic for

  cooking.

  When the delicious smell of roasted meat started to spread, Visen fully regained his senses

  and appetite. Using so many powerful spells while fighting such a hard battle, had exhausted

  most of their mana and stamina.

  They managed to wolf down everything they had got during the morning, leaving nothing for

  dinner. Despite not having salt or any spice, their meal was seasoned with victory and hunger,

  making that the best meal the three of them ever had in their life.

  Chapter 82 Interludium

  After lunch, the group fell asleep. The stress and the fatigue from the last two days weighted

  heavily on everyone, but Lith and Phloria were the most affected.

  They had been on their toes non-stop since their arrival in the forest, the only moments of

  rest were those that they spent in the cave. Lith had pushed his body so hard during those

  days that he was aching all over.

  He used Invigoration as much as he could, and that meant very little. From his experiments

  with the potions, Lith knew that the physical enhancing ones had side effects, just like fusion

  magic, that only proper rest could remove.

  Invigoration could make up for them, but how could he possibly justify his ridiculous recovery

  speed? His mind kept searching for a solution, but without success. Restless, he started

  reconsidering his group's situation and chances of success.

  The more he thought about it, the more the exercise didn't make any sense.

  "How the heck is a group of teenagers supposed to last for a whole week? With no prior

  notice nor someone capable of hunting, I can't see even a genius get past the third day.

  The Headmaster's magical beasts attacked once a day, and each time it was much worse. If by

  tomorrow they get serious, it will be our end. And that's just the icing of the cake, there's also

  the fear, the need to search for food and shelter.

  Not to mention things like those spiders that just want to eat you.

  Sure, we could just hole ourselves in the cave, but if Solus is right, then we would only risk of

  damaging our grades. I don't know how long I can still hold on. The forced cohabitation is

  pushing me to the brink of insanity.

  My hatred and rag
e are eating me from the inside, it's only a matter of time before I snap." ¨C

  Phloria's group woke up only for a frugal dinner, at the expenses of Lith's food stock, before

  going back to sleep.

  The moon was shining bright in the sky, and from its favourite spot, Scarlett was

  contemplating the last piece of the puzzle that had fallen into its lap.

  The Scorpicore was atop the tallest hill of the forest, the only place from where something of

  its size could sit comfortably while looking at its domain.

  "First, a group of five man-pups with six mana cores. That alone was beyond odd, but with

  the Clackers ravaging the forest, I had almost forgot about it. But then, somehow, one of

  those man-pups manages to remove from his body the Stunner Clacker's venom without it

  losing much of its potency.

  I know it's not a big deal detoxify it with magic or an antidote, but extracting it from a victim?

  Not even a magical beast capable of using light magic would be able to accomplish such feat.

  Let alone a human, with their silly imitation of magic.

  It would require to be able to locate and manipulate the venom coursing through the body

  with surgical precision. That's something that only an Awakened like me would be able to do.

  I need to have a chat with this pup, before this charade comes to its end." -

  Scarlett's elite squad was in a deep slumber, resting to recover from the many wounds

  received that day. The Scorpicore set a powerful barrier around its beloved minions, so that

  no one could bother them without incurring in a sudden death.

  Then, with a powerful flap of its wings, Scarlett took off, using his gold rimmed enchanted

  pince-nez to find where the anomaly was hidden. There were just a few dozen groups

  remaining, between that and its speed, finding the cave was a simple task.

  Once outside, it suddenly realized to have overlooked a major problem.

  "Dammit, how the heck do I start a conversation without scaring the sh*t out of him?"

  Scarlett scratched its right ear with the back leg, searching for a solution.

  "I got so used talking to Linjos and his minions, that I had almost forgot that my appearance

  can be quite intimidating. Kidnapping isn't a good ice breaker. I could enter after devolving to

  a cat, but why should he talk to me?

  Damn, this is going to be harder than I expected." ¨C

  After pacing for a while, hoping Lith would somehow notice its presence and wake up,

  Scarlett decided to change its approach. Thanks to the pince-nez, it could see that the

  anomaly was a ring.

  The artifact was different from everything Scarlett had ever encountered. Its curiosity was

  more piqued by the second. Scarlett decided that if the owner was unavailable, it could

  always try with the artifact.

  Scarlett sent a tendril of mana, thin as a silk thread, to connect its mana core to Solus',

  establishing a telepathic link.

  "Whatever you are, I demand an explanation. What are you trying to accomplish in my

  domain? Why are you leeching energy from a helpless pup? Speak, or I will crush you

  between my fangs!" ¨C

  Scarlett didn't like humans much, but was still polite towards them, hoping to avoid useless

  conflicts. But when facing cursed objects, it would show no mercy, stooping down at their

  level and speaking the only language they knew: violence.

  Hearing that alien voice resounding in her mind, Solus was terrified, instantly waking up. It

  had been such a violent intrusion that even Lith regained his senses, his conscience dragged

  along with hers.

  "What is happening?" He asked.

  "I don't know, there's a voice in my head, and a giant monster thingy outside." ¨C

  Using Life Vision, Lith could see through the cave's walls Scarlett's silhouette and energy

  signature. His mouth went agape in front of the biggest and strongest magical creature he

  had ever seen.

  "Solus, what's its mana core?" His mouth went dry, Lith needed to lean against a wall to not

  fall on his knees for the shock.

  "Bright blue, but there's something odd. The amount of mana it holds its beyond words. Is like

  the world energy is willingly seeping in its body. It's similar to your breathing technique, but

  unbelievably stronger. Lith, I'm scared."

  "Same. Where the f*ck are the Professors? Without them we are dead!" ¨C

  Knowing there wasn't much he could do, Lith activated Invigoration, quickly replenishing all

  his mana reserves and restoring his physical strength. If he had to die, he would die fighting

  without holding back.

  Watching the world energy flow inside the pup through its pince-nez, Scarlett winced of joy.

  One of its questions was already answered. He was clearly an Awakened too, now the

  problem was to ascertain how deep he had been corrupted.

  Using another thread of mana, Scarlett created a separate mind link with Lith.

  "Fear not, I mean no harm, otherwise I would have just made the hill collapse, burying you

  all alive. I only want to understand the cursed object purpose and goal. I don't want to kill

  you, but if you try defending that parasite, you'll leave me no choice." ¨C

  Lith was so shocked hearing another voice in his head, that he started to believe he was

  actually going mad. Everything was happening too fast, and he could not make head or tails of

  those words.

  "What cursed object? Who are you and what do you want from me?"

  Luckily, unlike his mind link with Solus, this one was active, not passive. It required Lith's will

  to pass information or thoughts, so he could channel his anger and conceal his fear.

  "Do you deny having a living being at your finger?"

  Since the monster knew so much, Lith realized that lying would be useless, the best he could

  do was hide part of the truth.

  "No. But it's just a dimensional ring, it does no harm." Solus' real nature had to be kept

  hidden, otherwise the creature could take her for itself.

  "You fool!" Scarlett sneered. "Who would give life to such a trivial object? Don't you realize

  how deep is its deception? I can't believe that despite being Awakened you are so stupid. It's

  clearly a lie, and you know it!"

  "I'm a what?!" Lith asked. That conversation was making less and less sense.

  Scarlett snorted, cursing humans and their inability to take care of their own.

  "Another self-taught? Not bad, pup. An Awakened is someone that has learned to manipulate

  his own mana core. Not only it allows him to use magic the same way magical beasts do,

  guiding it with the mind instead of the body.

  But also makes possible to refine the mana core, drawing in the world energy and

  permanently adding it to his own. It's what you just did, pup.

  Now tell me, how do you call your talent? Every one of you I met gives it a different name:

  first magic, the supreme art, original magic, whatever."

  "True magic." - Lith mind blurted without a second thought. He had finally met someone that

  could explain to him true magic.

  Chapter 83 Interludium 2

  "True magic?" Scarlett sneered. "Another pretentious name for my collection, then. Why

  don't you come out? Talking this way is tiresome."

  "What about my Professors? Aren't you afraid of them meddling?"

  "No. Right now their surveillance mirrors just show you sleeping. It requires a bit of effort, but

  I can tamper
with them for a while." ¨C

  Lith swallowed a lump of saliva. The monster wasn't lying, it could have killed him ten times

  already. But that only made the situation even more scary.

  "How do I get out without waking the others?" ¨C A Warp Steps appeared in front of him,

  leading in front of the Scorpicore. Fighting hard to keep his knees from shaking, Lith started

  weaving all his strongest spells, preparing for the worst.

  Scarlett stared at him with an inquisitive look. Despite being so close, it was hard to perceive

  any trace of corruption, and that was already a good sign.

  "What do you want from me?" Lith asked with one spell ready for each of his fingers.

  "I already told you, I just want your cursed object. After that, I will get out of your hair."

  "My partner is no cursed object or anything. Is just an artifact, you are clearly mistaken."

  "Do you even know what a cursed object is?"

  "No." Lith admitted.

  "You see, no matter how powerful an artifact is, it has no life. It's just an object."

  Scarlett handed to him its pince-nez.

  "This is an artifact, believe me. Now, use your true magic and tell me, does it feel alive to

  you?"

  Lith used Invigoration and Life Vision, perceiving many and powerful magics within it, but no

  life. It had mana flow, but no mana core or life force.

  "Solus, what about your mana sense?"

  "It indeed has more power than many of your Professors, but no mana core." ¨C

  "That huge castle is a massive and powerful artifact, but is it alive?" Scarlett pointed to the

  White Griffon with one of its claws.

  Once again, both Life Vision and mana sense reported a huge flow of mana, but no mana

  core.

  "No." Lith reluctantly said.

  "Now, what about your ring?"

  Lith used Invigoration for the first time ever on Solus. Just like in the past he had used Life

  Vision to see her mana flow and life force, Invigoration revealed a small yellow mana core.

  "Why didn't you ever tell me you have such a weak core?" Lith asked, surprised by the fact

  that she was so weak, despite all the years spent together.

  "Well, you never asked. Besides, what did you expect? After almost starving to death, I was