Divine Magus: Awakening-Chapter 39: Soul King

A younger Aaron was sitting opposite the headmaster of the academy at the time.

"How many times must I say that just because it’s called battle class that you mustn’t beat up everyone in sight!" The headmaster yelled at him.

"Listen, the only reason why you are not being expelled is your high magical talent. Why can’t you be like Victor?" The headmaster rubbed his temples.

"He’s also talented, respectful, and has two elemental streaks like you." The headmaster complained further.

"You know what? New punishment, become Victor’s student, and let him discipline you. If you improve in character, I’ll wipe our slate clean and you won’t be facing possible expulsion." The headmaster waved off Aaron.

"What? That teacher’s pet? I’ll never." Aaron retorted.

"Either this or leave the walls of the academy." The headmaster let out a sly smile.

Aaron tutted before storming out of the office.

Navigating his way through the halls, he found himself at the library.

Without further ado, he entered and searched for a particular person and soon found him.

A younger Victor was sitting on a table and had someone sitting beside him.

The person had brown hair with silver streaks.

"Victoris, the old man in that big chair said that-" Aaron started speaking aloud much to the detriment of everyone else in the library.

"I should give you a lesson in manners? I know and I can see that my work is cut out for me." Victor sighed as he interrupted Aaron.

"This is your fellow tutor mate, Liam. His name is Aaron." He gestured at Aaron before looking at him.

"Aaron, this is Liam." He pointed to the kid.

"What kind of trouble can the silver streak get into?" Aaron scoffed as he pulled out a chair and sat on it.

"He isn’t in trouble. We silver streaks know how to behave like civilized humans and not like animals." Victor replied with a soft smile that irritated Aaron.

"Um, I’m here because I didn’t do well in a test. The teacher instructed me to take this lesson else she’d fail me." Liam cut the building tension with his soft voice.

"I’ll get to you when I’m done with the topic that we’re in." Victor focused on the books sprawled out on the table.

Aaron scoffed before folding his arms and closing his eyes.

Aaron, Victor and Liam met up every other day of the week after they were done with the day’s classes.

Sometimes they’d focus on Aaron, other times on Liam.

Aaron didn’t notice it but he was starting to like their little meetings.

"Oh, I almost forgot. There’s something I have to handle, I’ll be back." Victor speed-walked out of the library.

"So, I don’t mean to intrude but what was with the initial bad energy that existed between you both?" Liam asked Aaron who was getting ready to take a nap.

"Oh, that? Well, it happened on the day of our orientation. Some guy was begging me to hit him and so I did. Yet there Victor was, making a mockery of me." He closed his eyes to get comfortable.

"Oh. I mean he is a bit of a teacher’s pet." Liam muttered under his breath but to the hearing of Aaron.

"That’s what I told the headmaster when he asked me to meet him. Maybe you aren’t so bad after all." Aaron smiled properly for the first time since their lessons together.

"You really said that to the headmaster?! I wish I had your courage." Liam laughed.

"Hang out with me and you’ll get all the courage you need." Aaron leaned back on the chair.

And so they did.

Everytime they had the chance they’d hang out together and so they got closer until they became best friends.

"Aaron look!" Liam ran into Aaron’s room and showed him what was in his hands.

"We’re third years now, don’t squeal like that." Aaron rubbed his ears before looking at Liam’s hand.

Inside was a small doll made of leaves, "Oh nice doll?" Aaron chuckled awkwardly.

Staring at him stupendously, Liam groaned.

"Not the doll idiot. I don’t understand how you’re a C-rank mage with that IQ of yours." Liam shook his head in mock disappointment.

Muttering a spell, Liam dropped the doll on the floor and it started moving.

"I managed to create an animation spell but something is wrong. It seems hollow for some reason." Liam poured out the issue he was having unto Aaron that was poking the doll.

"It might be the lack of a soul," Aaron muttered mindlessly.

Liam furrowed his eyebrows, "A soul?" He questioned, apparently confused.

"You know. The thing that separates us from other living things like plants or amoebas. Our spark or essence. I don’t know how to describe it." Aaron went on mumbling.

"No, I understand what you’re trying to say." Liam nodded while taking a mental note to research souls.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Liam tackled Aaron who was about to put the doll in his mouth.

Liam stayed true to his promise to study souls.

Aaron had on a black windbreaker and a long sword, he was headed for the underground facility.

Standing on a hidden teleportation ring, space twisted around him and he found himself at his destination.

He navigated his way through the many floors and entered the office he was looking for.

Inside was a far more mature Liam, he had dark rings around his eyes and a stubble on his chin.

His focus was on a table that had a beast sprawled out on it, its guts and entrails everywhere.

"Bro take a break. You need rest or you won’t be able to find the right girl." Aaron advised his best friend.

"Please. Like being officially announced as ’The Death Magus’ gives you an advantage over me." Liam scoffed as he stopped what he was doing.

Turning to Aaron, grey wisps could be seen leaving his body.

"This beast has an affinity for, guess what? Souls." Liam’s eyes glistened with scientific curiosity.

"One of the few that exists. I will stop after this I promise." He promised before turning back to the beast.

Letting out a sigh, Aaron left his office.

Liam didn’t stop.

*******

"He was so obsessed with achieving the ability to control souls and when he got it, he went mad." Aaron rubbed his head, his eyes a bit teary.

"I learned of his experiments on humans but I didn’t report him. Until he did it." His eyes turned cold and the room increased in temperature.

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