"Now it's time for you to choose... Your artifact!"
Alex said in an exciting voice.
Charles was still thinking about what Alex had said and called him. How he had showed signs of emotion, and how he felt like a human being to him since the first time he ever lay his eyes on him. Alex was like an ice cold demon to him, but Charles was slightly fond of him, but with this, Charles evaluation and fondness for Alex shot up.
"But before that. I want you to know that, the Emperor has ears and eyes everywhere. Except this chambers.."
Alex grabbed Charles's face, focusing his eyes directly at his.
'the emperor? What does that mean?' Charles thought.
"Now.." Alex stretched fort his hand and squeezed his palms in the air.
In an instant, Flame erupted from below the ground, in the middle of the room, where no glass cases could be found, on the ground there was a crest, it was the crest of the Flameworth's, a red phoenix and two swords.
Flame shot up from below the ground, burning the tiles and burning the crest too.
A pillar rose up from the hole made by the fire. The pillar was made of stone and had ancient like designs on it, like pictograms.
The pillar was not high, it's length was just about the length of Alex's waist. And Alex was about one hundred and ninety seven cm tall.
"Choose your artifact." Alex completed his sentence.
"Walk up to the pillar Charles. Place your hand on it." Alex folded his arms as he told Charles with a cold tone.
'Ah? Has he gone back to the ice demon state? Ha! I knew he wasn't human' Charles made fun of him in his head and a little visible smug grin appeared on Charles's face.
"What are you smiling for? Go and place your hand on the pillar." Alex said calmly, trying to avoid his annoyance from slipping out.
Charles walked towards the pillar.
'wielder of the flame of eternity. The second wielder since the founder of Flameworth. Let me see your artifact. That which will follow you for life.' Alex said internally as he stared at Charles with his cold and calculating eyes as Charles was placing his hand on the pillar.
"..."
"..."
"Nothing happened?" Charles said in confusion. His voice was filled with worry, scared that it had some kind of default.
Alex smirked.
"Use your mana." Alex said firmly.
'my Mana? Ah. I should put my mana into it? I think I have an idea of what to do now.' Charlestold himself .
The first circle that moved round his heart was formed with the flames of eternity. It could be called a flame circle, different from a circle made from normal mana. The circle was golden, an attribute of the flame of eternity.
The circle was like a natural satellite to his heart. They were like to the heart what the rings of Saturn is to Saturn.
It spinned and accumulated mana from the surrounding, it was like the holder of mana in the body. It sends down mana needed in any part of the body through the mana pathways (they are pure vessels created in the body of a mage when they create the first circle. To avoid passing through the normal circulatory system of the body and mixing with the blood.) to any part of the body.
A mage manifests his mana outside of his body, this mana can be used to form elements according to their affinity and will.
Charles had the purest form of mana, stateless, formless and unmaterialized, mana that couldn't be seen by anybody. Skilled mages can only feel it. But Charles, who was an anomaly could see it clearly, he saw it as light.
The mana in the circle of most mages are already materialized Mana. When they took it in, it was pure mana, but over time they took a certain shape, state and form and became visible to the eyes. This was not the case for Charles because of his abnormal circle made from the flames of eternity, they with held the purity of the mana.
CHARLES'S POV:
I'm closing my eyes, Alex told me to use my mana so I'm going to do it.
First I'm trying to make my mana pour out. Yes I can feel it, the circle around my heart is spinning now, mana is being generated through my pathways.
I can feel it running throughout my body, it's very plenty. This is the mana of just the first circle? And my first circle is not even filled up yet.
I'm channeling it now, trying to make all the mana focus on my palm that's placed on this stone pillar.
Why does Alex keep looking at me like that? Does he want me to hurry up?
I have to focus. Yes finally, I can see them. The bright white light, it's pouring out of my palm like water? No, gas? Anyway it's coming out.
It's entering the pillar now. Still no reaction?
AUTHOR POV:
'what? I can feel his mana, I can feel how hot and threatening it is. But why can't I see it? It's weird.' Alex thought as he squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at Charles who was still pouring mana into the pillar.
Charles's eyes were closed, but he opened them occasionally to sneak glances at Alex, and each time Alex caught him, he smiled warmly.
'this pillar!! It's-it's sucking my mana! I can't stop! Argh!!' Charles thought as he was having trouble trying to stop his mana from flowing out.
"Arrgghh!!" Charles groaned in pain as he held his wrist with his left hand, trying to drag out the hand that felt like it was glued to the pillar from it.
'now, let's see ..'
And thus therefore, there was a great brilliant light that shined across the entire room.
This light outshined the blue flames in the room.
The light had similarities to the light that shined on the crystal on the day of Charles's affinity evaluation. A case that still hasn't been solved by the elders and the Patriarch of the household of Flameworth.
A brilliant hue of red, blue, yellow and green shined in Harmony in the room. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Well, except the lingering black shadow that kept moving around the light.
'what is that ominous darkness that keeps lingering around his lights? And... He has the potential to bend his mana to form all elements? Amazing!' Alex was amazed at the sight, but immediately put his amazement to a halt when he saw that Charles was still struggling to stop his mana that was pouring out rapidly.
"So these are your artifacts? Not one but two? As expected of the wielder of the flame of eternity!" Alex said as he held unto Charles whom he had removed forcefully from the pillar and closed it.
Charles slowly lost consciousness as his head felt light.
'shit, im gonna pass out again.' Charles thought as he felt his vision getting more blurry and blurry, he had lost too much mana, he's going to need some time to refill his Circle with mana when he wakes up, thinking about it made him want to pass out even more, luckily for him, refilling an already formed circle is relatively easier than filling it for the first time.
"Don't worry my friend, you're in good hands." Alex smirked.
He didn't choose his artifacts, his artifacts chose him.
END OF CHAPTER.