Streets of Sorcery: Chapter IV (Patreon)

Chapter Four

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

|Two Years Ago|

Markus Kaine pushed the door open and stepped into the bustling halls of Tuck's Remedial Mage School, the harsh lighting immediately making it clear to all who entered that the establishment did not exactly have the biggest focus on quality.

As he navigated the crowded corridors and glanced at the paint-chipped walls, Markus couldn't help but notice the curious glances and whispers from the students. They seemed intrigued by his more formal style of clothing, a stark contrast to the more casual and relaxed attire of the school's other faculty members.

The feeling of being out of place only intensified as he entered the tutors' lounge. He could feel the eyes of his new coworkers on him as they continued their conversations in hushed tones, the air thick with judgment. Markus tried to maintain an air of confidence, even as he felt their gazes on him like a physical weight.

A tall, muscular man with spiked black hair leaned against a nearby wall, a sardonic grin playing on his lips as he looked Markus up and down. His piercing dark eyes seemed to bore into Markus, sizing the other mage up like a piece of meat as he stood with his thick arms folded over his chest. Markus knew from his appearance alone that this was Van, the school’s eminent Combat Magic instructor.

"Ah, looks like the new guy finally showed up," Van drawled, his gaze never wavering. "Gotta say, I wasn't expectin’ someone quite so… dapper." His voice dripped with condescension as he gestured dismissively at Markus's clothes.

Markus nodded, already feeling that this wasn’t going to go well. "Yes, I'm Markus Isaac Kaine," he replied, voice flat and calm. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Van's grin only widened at Markus's discomfort. "Pleasure to meet me too," he replied, his tone heavy with sarcasm. "You know, most of us don't bother dressin’ up for work. This isn't some fancy academy, little man. But hey, maybe you'll set a new trend."

A few of the other tutors snickered at Van's comment, and Markus felt a familiar knot of frustration tighten in his chest. He forced a tight smile onto his face, refusing to let Van's mockery get to him. "Well, I like to look my best," he said, trying to inject some levity into the conversation. "It never hurts to make a good impression."

Van's smirk faded slightly, replaced by a look of mild annoyance. It seemed he hadn't expected Markus to take the high road. "By the way, how hard did you suck the old man’s dick to get the job? That cheap bastard said he wouldn't hire anyone else, unless a Third Star walked through the door and begged for a spot." His voice dripped with skepticism as he raised a questioning eyebrow.

Markus carefully schooled his expression, throat suddenly dry as he carefully avoided a lie. "Well," he began, tone placid as a lake, "I showed him a Third Star spell…"

Van's eyes widened with astonishment before he caught himself. A beat later, his sneer transformed into a scowl, his eyes narrowing with a mixture of disbelief and resentment. "Huh, must be nice to get by on fancy tricks," he muttered coldly, pushing away from the wall and stalking off.

The rest of the tutors resumed their conversations, their voices low and conspiratorial. Markus stood there for a moment, feeling the weight of their disapproval like a physical blow.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –​

|Now|

Markus Kaine walked up to the bar doors in the pouring rain, a slight look of contrition on his face. Heavy with the scent of spilled alcohol and stale flick smoke even from outside, the air outside Trixie’s Tap felt tense and left Markus feeling unsure about entering, if only for the fact that he wasn’t one for drinking.

At least, not anymore.

The young man hesitated at the door, skin and clothes untouched by the downpour as the Aqua Veil charm he had cast on himself a good thirty minutes ago did its job. You’re here for Ariel. Just make sure she has a fun time. With that thought in mind, he took a deep breath to steel himself for what he knew would likely be an irritating evening. He knew his presence wasn't going to be welcomed, but he decided to go anyway, if only to prove to the cute blonde that he would be fine engaging with her outside of work.

Decision made, he pushed open the doors and walked in.

His eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim lighting as he stepped inside Trixie’s Tap and his brain took another to take in the sounds and smells of raucous laughter, loud chatter and hearty bar food. Let’s get this over with.

His gaze trailed over old wooden tables and chairs scattered across the creaky floor, the entire bar a gathered throng of bodies the likes of which matched exactly the sort of people you would expect to see on this side of the Milford township. Even with only a glance, he could tell that this place was odd for a reason; at least half the people in here had to be mages of some sort. It was clear as day to him, given the slight brightness in their eyes that most non-mages lacked, but even odder was the vague roughness that seemed to be the general atmosphere for the bar's clients. Several eyes glanced his way as he took his first few steps in, the slight acknowledgement-turned-derision in their gazes as they took in his clothing quickly noted and immediately ignored. He wasn't here to be judged, especially by strangers.

Markus paused slightly as he spotted a familiar head of blonde hair at the far end of the bar, the person in question seated around a long wooden table with several others. The sight of his coworkers seated alongside Ariel, laughing and chatting eagerly with an ease they never extended towards him should have rankled, but he never gave it much thought before and, honestly, he still didn't care much now.

Their faces were a mixture of annoyance and surprise, clearly not expecting him to show up. Ariel, with her golden hair and sparkling blue eyes, waved him over with a friendly smile, oblivious to the tension that seemed to hang in the air.

Markus hesitated for a moment before approaching the table, his heart pounding in his chest. It wasn't fear that gripped him, but rather the anticipation of the inevitable confrontation. He took a seat next to Ariel, trying to ignore the wary glances from the others. They clearly didn't expect him to show up, and he could feel their disdain. Sitting down next to Ariel, he tried to ignore the hostile stares, especially one in particular. He focused instead on the worn wooden table, its surface etched with countless marks and stains from years of patrons abusing it.

"Let me go grab you a drink. What'll you have?" Ariel asked, her voice a light, melodious contrast to the harsh cacophony of the bar.

"Water, please," Markus replied as he glanced up, his voice barely audible over the din. Barely audible it may have been, but the rest of the table still heard enough to stare at him with barely concealed confusion.

“Just water?” Ariel blinked at him, confusion clear on her expressive face as well. “At a bar?”

Markus simply shrugged his shoulders, unsure how best to respond. “I’m not really one for drinking, but thank you, Ariel.”

“No problem,” the blonde tilted her head slightly as she rose from her seat. The look on her face couldn’t quite conceal her confusion, but she seemed to at least try to hide it. “I’ll be right back with your water.”

As the young woman made her way to the bar, a couple of Markus’s former coworkers exchanged glances, smirking at each other before one of them muttered, "That’s so typical of you, Mark. Just water, really? You think our cheap drinks too good for you?"

Another chimed in, a long-faced redhead whose name Markus never bothered to learn. "I bet he thinks it'll dull his precious magical senses."

“Probably doesn’t wanna stain his suit or something,” another nameless nobody made himself heard.

“Yeah,” a female voice chimed in, one Markus recognized as the dark-haired tutor who did a piss-poor job of teaching Force spells, “who wears a suit to a bar anyway?”

“It’s a blazer,” he corrected instinctively, almost immediately regretting his decision to engage as he shut his eyes in exasperation. He had tried to ignore the jabs, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. The tension was palpable, and he could feel the resentment from his coworkers like a physical weight pressing down on him.

“It’s a blazer,” a familiar rough voice parroted mockingly. “So fucking full of yourself.”

Markus took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. He knew he was better than these petty comments, but their constant needling was beginning to wear on him.

After several long seconds with nothing but the sounds of the bar and the smell of stale beer assaulting his senses, the dark-skinned mage opened his eyes again to shoot a questioning glance over his spectacles at the man sitting across and to the right of him, the same man he had attempted to ignore since he first sat down. “Pardon?”

The man in question lowered the beer in his hand and scoffed loudly as he twisted his face into his usual sneer. His body language oozed arrogance, and his posture seemed to be a challenge as he sat there in a sleeveless undershirt, almost daring anyone to oppose him. "You think you're better than us? So good you won't even drink with us?"

Of course I do. Markus shook his head, meeting Van's dark-eyed gaze. "Of course I don't. It's not about being better, Van," he tried to explain, his voice steady despite the rising tension. “I simply don't drink.”

Van cut him off with a dismissive wave. "Whatever, we don’t wanna fucking hear it."

“...Sure.”

The table remained mostly quiet after that, the conversation almost nonexistent apart from sparse bits of conversation that quickly found themselves interrupted by a dark glare from the dark-haired mage nursing his beer in silence. The tension among Markus's former co-workers continued to rise, their body language growing increasingly hostile as they exchanged pointed looks and whispered comments.

None of them had ever liked him, but Markus knew that he had to thank the man across from him for turning their initial disdain into outright hostility. As the tutor in charge of Combat Magic at Tuck’s Remedial Mage School, Van had been the strongest and most imposing figure in the building for years. That is, until Markus had started working there. If the others had disdain for Markus from the beginning, Van had nothing but raw hatred for him the moment they first met.

Even now, the man seemed to revel in the discomfort he was causing, a cruel smirk playing on his lips as he continued to goad Markus with snide remarks and mocking comments.

“Hear you got fired, right?” Van continued on a different tangent, his tone taking a different turn as his expression lightened somewhat. Despite that, the bar's dim lighting cast shadows on his face, making his sneer appear more sinister. “Must suck.”

Markus stared back, expression and voice flat. “What about it?”

"No, I'm just saying. I haven't seen anyone get kicked in at least five years," Van crossed his overly muscular arms over his chest, the action just emphasizing his imposing presence. "I can’t believe it. You, of all people, though? Ariel told us all about how torn up you looked, almost cryin’ or somethin’. Must have really fuckin' hurt to make you crack."

“Van!” Ariel’s voice cut in before Markus could retort, his attention shifting towards her as she walked up to the table placed a stein of water in front of him.

As surreptitiously as he could, Markus placed a finger inside the glass to cast a quick Purify, his index glowing blue. His actions went unnoticed as everyone’s eyes were on Ariel as her hands went to her hips, the petite woman appearing the very image of indignation as she glared angrily at the muscular man at least twice her size. “I told him you lost your job, yes, not everything else he said,” she began, turning to face Markus, before glaring back at Van as she sat down next to Markus, “I also told you to be nice.”

“Come on, Ari,” Van said with an annoyed grunt. “I said it sucks that he got fired. What? You want me to suck his dick too?”

Markus allowed himself a tight smile that even a blind man could tell was insincere as he nodded and replied, “Yes, unfortunately.” He ignored the sounds of laughter from a few at the table as well as the following high-five. “As of today, I am no longer employed at Tuck’s.”

The muscular combat mage clicked his tongue and raised his beer to his mouth again, the condensation on the cold glass creating droplets that fell onto the table. “Yeah, been wondering when the old man would get tired of your shit too.”

“Van!”

The other man's anger seemed to simmer beneath the surface as he slammed his half-empty mug onto the table, the amber liquid sloshing over the rim. “I’m just saying I’m surprised it took three years. You just waltz in there part-time and show us all up with your fancy academy teaching?" Van spat, bitterness dripping from his words. “Big fish, small pond. Probably compensating for somethin’, in my opinion.”

Markus raised a palm up as he responded, intent on easing the tension. “Van, I'm sorry if it came across that way. It’s j—"

"Alright, that's enough," Ariel interrupted, her voice firm as she stepped in between Markus and Van. She shot a glare at Van, effectively silencing him for a moment. The other coworkers at the table looked on, their expressions a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

The young blonde offered Markus a smile, one he returned graciously. Raising his mug of water to his lips, he gulped down a mouthful of magically purified water and stared back at Van as the man across from him did the same with his beer. This night is going to be absolutely terrible.

Unsurprisingly, his prediction came true.

As the evening wore on, the jabs continued, the other coworkers joining in on the malicious fun as Van paved the way despite Ariel’s attempts to mediate the tension. Markus tried to hold his tongue, but the weight of their words was becoming unbearable.

“Well, this was nice,” he finally said after thirty minutes of sitting at the table nursing a glass of water. “I’m glad that I could hang out with you all, but I have to get home and-”

“And what?” Van interrupted, his dark eyes narrowing. “You got somebody waiting for you?”

Markus clenched his jaw, struggling to maintain his composure. What now? I’m leaving. Isn’t that what you want? Relaxing his jaw, the former tutor blinked as he took a moment to ponder the question. “I don’t see how that matters.”

“Don’t you live alone?”

How does he… “Again, I don’t see how that matters.”

“I’m just saying th-”

After a half hour of constant irritation and three years of mocking, Markus felt himself crack as he stared back at his former coworker. “Seems like you’ve been doing a lot of saying tonight, Vanford. Maybe you should keep your mouth shut for once.”

Van's face reddened with anger, but before he could say anything, Ariel intervened again, placing a hand on Markus's arm. "Markus, how about we head out?”

“We?” Both Markus and Van spoke in unison, their eyes meeting each other in confusion instead of anger.

Ariel’s blue eyes met Markus’s own as she continued. “Yes, we. It's getting late, and you don't need to deal with this." She cast a glare at Van as she spoke the next words. “My place is closer. Why don’t you stay there tonight?”

Markus felt his heartbeat quicken at the implication, his hand resting on Ariel’s as she smiled at him. Is she saying what I think she-

His thought came to a screeching halt as Van burst to his feet, the bar's worn wooden floor creaking beneath his feet from the abrupt action and the chair beneath him screeching against the floor as it fell backwards. Several eyes turned towards them from across the bar, the bar’s volume lowering as Ariel let out a slight yelp of shock, and the other coworkers rose to their feet as well.

The burly mage towered over Markus, his eyes narrowed to slits as he stared down at the dark-skinned man across from him. "You've always thought you were better than us, huh? Why don’t you say what you really think for once in your life, you fucking coward?" he spat, face red with anger as he slammed his heavy palms down on the table.

“Better than you?” The bespectacled man began, voice dripping with derision as he threw Van’s sneer back at him. “Always and forever.”

“I knew it,” Van scoffed, lips twitching as he locked eyes with Ariel and glanced around the rest of the table. “I knew it from that first day he walked in. He thinks he’s better than u-”

“There is very little that you know,” Markus interrupted, forcing Van’s attention to snap back to him. “No, not them. I could not care less about them,” he gestured to the majority of the nameless people milling around their table. “I don’t know them so I can’t think that.”

He stepped backward to point a finger in Van’s face. “You, though? I know I’m better than you. I know it the same way I know I have five fingers and you have five brain cells.”

“Y-”

“Honestly,” Markus barrelled on, uncaring of Van’s darkening expression. “I don’t think it’s fair for me to say I’m better than you. Quite honestly, it’s not hard at all, a very low bar to clear.”

He stepped backwards from the table, locking eyes with Ariel for a moment. Her expression unreadable as she stared at both him and Van, Markus glanced back at the red face of the muscular mage. “I’m pretty sure you saw how I managed to teach a brat to be better than you and it only took me half a year.”

"You fucki–" Veins bulged in the other man's neck, the memory of his loss clearly fresh in everyone's mind.

Markus couldn't help but smirk, reveling in his own quiet arrogance as he regarded Van. "If I had to, let's be real," he scoffed and offered Van an open, wide smile, "I could probably manage the same with a very motivated cat."

The tension in the room reached a boiling point, and the atmosphere grew heavy with anticipation. Markus knew he had gone too far, but he couldn't resist the satisfaction of pushing Van's buttons. Several other patrons of the bar nearest them seemed to hold their breath in expectation of a brawl, as the establishment’s overall volume dropped.

Van's eyes narrowed, his jaw tensing as his anger swelled. "That's it!" he bellowed, vaulting over the table with surprising agility for a man of his size. His fist pulled back, muscles straining, he threw a punch directly at Markus's face.

To everyone's surprise, Markus deftly caught Van's fist in his hand, the corded muscles beneath his navy blazer flexing. "Really, Van?" he taunted, smirking at the shocked expression on the muscular man's face as he pushed him back. "Is that all you've got? A punch? A powerful mage reduced to mundane fisticuffs, are you?"

Van's face flushed an even deeper shade of red as he stumbled back, anger evident in every line of his body. The muscular combat mage rushed forward to swing again, and again, and again, his movements growing more wild and desperate with every missed punch. Markus, unbothered, continued to deftly and casually evade each blow, his movements fluid and precise, confidence only growing as the altercation progressed.

God, he teaches combat magic? He thought with a snort, batting away one of Van’s blows away from his face, If I wanted full-time, I could have taken his job easily.

Ariel, her expression a mixture of concern and exasperation, stepped forward from the sidelines, trying to defuse the situation. "Enough!" she cried, her voice cutting through the chaos like a knife. "Both of you, stop this right now!"

“Both of us?” Markus glanced at Ariel, a flicker of doubt crossing his features, as she shot him a glare that he previously thought was reserved for Van. Maybe I might have taken things a bit too far. Right? He glanced around the bar, noting the wary and expectant looks of the other patrons as they eyed the fight. Right.

He took a deep breath and prepared to try and calm Van down. "Van, look, I'm sorry if I–"

His words caught in his throat as he noticed the dangerous glint in Van's eyes, the man's quiet mutter, and the unmistakable crackle of electricity sparking around his clenched fist, the sound like dozens of chirping birds at once. Thunder Strike? Markus's eyes widened as he realized that Van was trembling with rage, barely able to contain the magic building within him as he chanted under his breath. He’s trying to pull a Second Star?

Fear and worry on her face, Ariel turned her back on Markus to face Van, her voice trembling as she begged, "Van, don't! The fight’s over. Markus is sorry! This isn't worth it!"

Van didn't seem to listen or care. Instead, the man finished his quiet chant, let out a guttural scream and rushed forward, electric energy around his fist intensifying with the sudden motion.

“Ariel!” Without even a thought, Markus grabbed the small woman and pulled her close, using his body as a shield to protect her from the impending attack.