It did not take long for the two mages to catch up. They walked into the alley and saw Sebastian and Daniel who had been waiting for them. One of the tall thin men immediately smiled.
"Please do not misunderstand our intentions. We mean no harm to either of you. We simply want to have a conversation with you both. That is all we are asking for."
"Exactly right. The exchange office at the mysterious place has become a bit lackluster lately. I noticed that you two are quite familiar with the process when buying things. You seem to know exactly what you are after and how to evaluate quality. We just want to have a meaningful exchange of magic if you are open to it. What do you think about that?"
Daniel did not say much in response. He remained close to Sebastian making sure he was safe from any potential threat. Of course he also wanted to gauge Sebastian's strength in a real confrontation.
At least judging by the Muggle Repelling Charm Sebastian had cast earlier it was clear that he was not a novice at magic. Although Sebastian was only sixteen or seventeen there were many young wizards with extraordinary power in history. Daniel was not surprised by this possibility.
"An exchange of knowledge. Does that mean you want to communicate through magic and share spells?"
Sebastian asked carefully.
The two men shook their heads while smiling.
"No no no. It is not about ordinary communication between equals. What we mean by exchange is something that benefits both of us significantly. Every kind of magic has its own unique characteristics and applications. If you are too young and inexperienced even the magic you have inherited cannot be fully understood or utilized properly. Our idea of communication is based on this principle. You share your magic with us and with our extensive experience we can guide you in refining your magic practice. It is a valuable opportunity for someone your age do you not think?"
After hearing their words Sebastian shook his head and chuckled.
"You call this behavior basically trying to steal magic from other mages and you even dress it up so grandly with flowery words. I have to admit the two of you are really shameless beyond measure. I am impressed by your audacity."
"Is that not true though?"
The taller mage said with a grin on his face.
"I can tell from your voice that you are very young and must still have a lot to learn about magic and the world. We have years of experience under our belts. Decades of practice. And I am sure we could help you significantly if you would just listen to reason."
Before entering the secret marketplace Sebastian and Daniel had put on hooded robes to conceal their identities. So the two mages could not recognize their true faces. If they had they would have immediately realized Daniel's identity as guardian of the New York Sanctum. It would have been impossible to mistake him for anyone else.
"Alright I have heard what you had to say. I think it is time for me to leave now. You have seen that I have companions here. If we wanted to communicate with other mages we would do so on our own terms. As for your kind of communication forget it. I am not interested in being robbed."
The two individuals heard Sebastian's words. Although the smiles on their faces did not change much the warmth in their eyes had disappeared completely. They glanced at Sebastian then at Daniel before speaking slowly with barely concealed threat.
"To reject the good intentions we have offered like this without consideration. You must understand that the wisdom of your elders should be embraced with an open mind. Not dismissed in such a disrespectful manner young one."
"As a new mage let us teach you the lesson of respecting your seniors properly."
With a chuckle Sebastian slowly raised his hands. He took a step forward and increased the distance between himself and Daniel.
"After all this nonsense you still want to fight right? Come on then! I have been waiting for you to make a move!"
This time the two of them could no longer maintain their smiles. They looked at Sebastian with an expression of disbelief on their faces. They feared that Sebastian and Daniel might be powerful mages in disguise. But after a moment of consideration they regained confidence in their own abilities. Without hesitation they moved toward Sebastian with hostile intent.
The shorter man who had remained mostly silent until now suddenly raised his hand. He waved at Sebastian with force. At the entrance of the alley two large garbage bins flew up from their positions. The heavy filthy bins filled with trash and sewage hurtled toward Sebastian and Daniel.
Seeing their actions Daniel immediately prepared to intercept the projectiles.
But just as the bins were about to strike Sebastian chuckled. He raised his hand and with a flick of his wrist the black brown wand in his hand emitted a streak of light. It formed an invisible barrier.
"Protego!"
The invisible wall rose immediately blocking the two large bins in front of them. It sent them bouncing back toward the attackers.
The quick defensive response was clearly beyond the two men's expectations.
The trash bins and garbage that bounced back forced the two into a brief moment of chaos. The narrow alleyways did not allow for a smooth escape. They had no choice but to defend from the front.
The man who spoke earlier moved swiftly almost like a dancer. As the two trash cans flew back his hands raised. An invisible force resisted them sending them crashing to the ground with a loud clatter.
Before he could catch his breath he suddenly saw the figure in the black hooded robe closing in on him.
Sebastian took a step forward inserting one foot between the opponent's legs. He grabbed his neckline with his right hand and pulled him forward. Using his opponent's body as a shield he blocked the incoming attack route from the second mage. At the same time his right elbow slammed into the man's chin with force. The blow knocked him unconscious and made it impossible for him to resist.
Using the man as a shield Sebastian's wand extended from beneath his armpit. He sent a red electric shock at the charging opponent.
The lightning struck in an instant. The man's chest exploded from the impact rendering him unconscious immediately. Sebastian then cast Petrificus Totalus on the other enemy who was beginning to recover from the faint. The spell caused him to collapse to the ground completely immobilized. Within one or two minutes Sebastian had completely neutralized the two enemies who were both skilled in magic.
Daniel witnessing this was left utterly astonished by the display.
Sebastian looked at the two unconscious figures on the ground. They might not have been as weak as they seemed but it had taken more effort than expected to subdue them properly. Their lack of awareness of an unfamiliar magic system had certainly contributed to their downfall. But still the battle had not been as easy as he had hoped.
What bothered him more was the fact that despite his abilities he had to rely on his quick thinking and instinct rather than flawless execution. The speed and accuracy and judgment in his spell casting had been off. It had cost him more energy than it should have.
This is not like before. In my previous life I could have handled this much more effortlessly. I have grown too complacent. Comfort has dulled my senses.
The realization hit him hard. As he regained his magical power he had been focused solely on recovery. He had been neglecting the need for personal training. He had allowed himself to become weaker and that could not continue.
A hint of regret crossed his face as he glanced at the two unconscious bodies. If Daniel were not here I would have taken a few items from them. These types of people who steal others' magic are bound to have something useful. But with him around it is best not to risk it.
At present Sebastian still had to maintain a positive image. Jeopardizing his relationship with Kamar Taj could disrupt his plans for the future.
"Daniel what should we do with these two? We cannot stay here much longer right? If we do they are likely to resume their old ways once they wake up. They probably will not repent."
Sebastian asked while looking at the prone figures.
Even if he could not kill them Sebastian could not allow these two to continue roaming free. They did not know his true identity but the methods of a mage were difficult to guard against. It was better to deal with the problem now before it had the chance to escalate.
Daniel wholeheartedly agreed with Sebastian's reasoning. He was impressed by how much Sebastian had thought this through already.
"Sebastian you are absolutely right in your assessment. These two cannot be left to their own devices. I will bring them back to Kamar Taj to be dealt with by the Ancient One. They will probably end up in Kamar Taj's Mirror Cage for an extended period of time."
"Mirror Cage?"
Sebastian had never heard that term before in his studies. Whether it was something he had forgotten or something entirely new to him he could not say. However the concept intrigued him greatly.
Daniel elaborated while gesturing.
"It is a special containment area within the Mirror Dimension itself. It is used to imprison individuals who pose a significant threat or those who cannot be held by conventional means. The Mirror Dimension itself is a place where reality can be manipulated freely. But the Mirror Cage takes it a step further. It locks away dangerous entities in a controlled environment where they cannot escape without a Sling Ring to open portals."
Sebastian's curiosity was piqued by this explanation.
It seemed like a powerful yet subtle way to deal with those who could not be trusted to roam freely in society.