Trinity of Magic

Chapter 9: The Offer

Zeke couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by the old man in front of him. Despite his kind eyes and jovial appearance, there was a certain air of authority and power emanating from him.

Maximilian's long white beard was braided and adorned with intricate gold beads. His robes were made of the finest fabrics. Zeke didn't recognize the material. Even so, he could tell that it was expensive by the way it was embroidered with arcane symbols and patterns. The purple cloth was stretched to its limits by the man's round belly. His staff, adorned with sparkling gemstones and intricate engravings, leaned against his chair.

The boy couldn't help but feel a bit out of place in the luxurious office. He was surrounded by ornate furnishings and rare artifacts. He fidgeted nervously. Zeke was unsure of what to say or do in the presence of such a renowned and powerful figure. Maximilian seemed to sense his discomfort and chuckled, breaking the tension in the room.

"Don't be nervous, my boy," he said, his voice warm and friendly. "I didn't call you here to scold you or give you a lecture. In fact, I've been searching for someone like you for quite some time now." Zeke's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Searching for me? Why?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Maximilian motioned for Zeke to follow him as he took a seat on the couch. He leaned into the backrest with visible delight and folded his hands over his belly. The boy hesitantly took a seat right in front of the old man.

"Because, Ezekiel, your affinities are quite uncommon. You possess not one, but three affinities, that alone is less than one in a thousand among Mages. And your variety is extremely rare. I believe that, with my help, you have the potential to do great things."

Zeke couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had felt like an outcast since coming to the academy. He had struggled to fit in with the other students due to his unusual affinities. But now, the man in front of him said that his affinities were something to be celebrated, not ridiculed. However, there was no delight on Zeke's face.

"I don't know if I should believe you," Zeke said, his voice hard. Maximilian chuckled again.

"There's no need to believe me right away. I just wanted to meet you and have a good look at you. Now that I have seen you, I've got a proposition for you, if you're interested. I want to adopt you into my family."

Zeke was taken aback by Maximilian's offer. He couldn't believe that this strange old man was offering to adopt. Didn't all the noble students wholeheartedly believe that nobody would be interested in him because of his affinities? Yet here was a man who wanted to take a chance on him not in spite of his affinities, but because of them. Zeke was unsure if he could trust this old man, but he had to admit; The offer was tempting!

He didn't know what to say, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there must be some catch. He looked at Maximilian skeptically, trying to gauge his sincerity. The old man seemed genuine, but Zeke couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. The treatment of the past weeks had instilled a deep sense of inferiority in him. Zeke knew that it was not rational, but he had a hard time accepting that anybody could want or need him for his affinities.

Maximilian nodded understandingly. "I can understand your hesitation, my boy. But let me assure you, my intentions are pure. I have been searching for someone like you for a very long time. I believe that you have the potential to achieve great things."

Zeke was intrigued by the mention of his potential. He couldn't resist asking Maximilian about it. The old man smiled, his eyes lighting up at the opportunity to discuss his work.

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"I call it the Trinity Project," he said, his voice dripping with excitement. "I need a tri-affinity mage with mind and space affinities, as well as one of the body affinities. It's extremely rare, even for a tri-affinity mage, to have such a wide spectrum of affinities."

Zeke nodded as he took in the information. He had never heard of such a project before and was curious to know more.

"What is the Trinity Project exactly?" he asked. "And how can it help me in my current situation?"

"Ah, now that is the million gold question!" Maximilian replied with a sly smile slowly spreading across his face. "You see, I'm a researcher at heart. I've always been fascinated by the mysteries of magic. The Trinity Project is my attempt to unlock some of those mysteries. It's a secret set of skills; only a few people I trust even know that I've been working on this. But I believe it has the potential to change the world and revolutionize the way we think about magic."

Zeke couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was the old man serious? Could he actually be working on something this important? How would he change the Magic system? How could Zeke be of any help with that? He looked at Maximilian, his mind racing with questions.

"Can you explain a bit more about how this all works?" he asked.

"Well, that's where you come in," Maximilian said, his smile widening even further. "You see, the mage community of today is like a blind man in a treasury. They stumble upon something new occasionally. But they have no system, no logic, no nothing to guide them. The Trinity Project is to a mage what a compass and map are to an explorer. Instead of risking his life in uncharted waters, you would know exactly where you are going."

Zeke was still contemplating those words. However, the old man surprised him by asking a seemingly unrelated question out of the blue.

"Boy, do you know what I am most famous for?"

Zeke looked into Maximilian's eyes for a moment and then shook his head. He had never heard of the man before today. The only reason he even knew that he was a noble was because of his middle and last names.

Maximilian's eyes lit up with excitement as he told Zeke about his invention.

"Explosion magic!" he exclaimed, "is something I am quite famous for. It was a stroke of genius if I do say so myself." As Maximilian spoke, Zeke listened with fascination.

"How did you manage to figure out how to create explosions with magic?" Zeke asked, his curiosity piqued. Maximilian chuckled.

"Ah, we'll get to that later. But let me tell you how I came up with the Idea first: I was inspired by nature. I was traveling in the mountain ranges south of the empire, searching for some rare stones for my research. I came across an active volcano. It fascinated me! You see, my boy, I have a duo-affinity for fire and earth magic. So what could be a better expression of the potential of fire and earth than a volcano? It was there that I witnessed my first volcanic eruption. The power and destruction were awe-inspiring. I knew then that I had to find a way to harness that kind of power with magic."

Zeke's eyes widened in amazement. "And you managed to do it? That's incredible!"

"Yes, it took many years of trial and error. Finally, I discovered a way to mimic the phenomenon with magic," Maximilian said, pride evident in his voice. "I believe that with your help, we could take my research to the next level. Together, we could change the world."

Zeke was fascinated by the possibilities described by Maximilian. However, he still didn't know how he could be of any help with that kind of research. So he tried to calm his excited heart and spoke as nonchalantly as possible.

"How could I possibly help with that?"

Maximilian's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward. The casual demeanor he had exhibited earlier was now replaced with grim solemnity.

"Do you have any idea how long it took me to do all that?" he asked, his voice low and grave.

Zeke shook his head, feeling a sudden sense of pressure wash over him. He had no idea what the old man was getting at, but he was interested to hear what he had to say.

Maximilian seemed determined to share his story. He began speaking in earnest, his words tumbling out in rapid-fire succession.

"It took me sixteen years. Five years, alone, to learn everything there was to know about volcanic eruptions. Six more years constructing a magic model that could mimic a volcanic eruption. And another five years to grasp the spell at a level where it could be used safely, without danger to the caster. That's how long it took me to create a single spell."

Zeke listened in stunned silence. It was a staggering feat, one that seemed almost impossible. He had learned that entire families and empires were built on a single set of skills. He found the old man's achievement of creating his own spell in such a short time impressive.

"Everybody told me how impressive my achievement was," Maximilian continued. "But that was not how I felt about it. My mind was consumed by a single thought. Do you know what thought that was?"

"No, I don't," Zeke replied, looking at Maximilian with a mix of confusion and interest.

"I thought that I had wasted a lot of time. In fact, I had wasted most of those 16 years. Because I, as well, was like a blind man in a treasury," Maximilian said, his voice taking on a more serious tone.

"I didn't know enough about volcanoes, or Mana-Constructs, or how to create a spell. I just didn't have the right tools for any of those things. But that can all change now, with your help"

Zeke raised an eyebrow.

"Me? What do I have to do with it? I don't know anything about those subjects, either."

"Not yet, my dear boy. But you have something that can be used to solve exactly this problem," Maximilian said. His eyes were lighting up with excitement. "Body, mind, and space. Those three affinities can give you a unique perspective on magic that I simply don't have. With your help, I believe we could finally bring light to the field of magic research. We could create new spells, new constructs, and new ways of understanding and manipulating magic. And, to be sure, even surpass my explosion magic."

Zeke couldn't help but feel a little flattered by Maximilian's words. He had always known that his tri-affinity was rare, but he had never found out about any hidden potential it held.

"But what would I have to do?" Zeke asked, still a little hesitant.

"The Trinity project that I spoke of is a set of methods I theorized," Maximilian said, his eyes twinkling. "A set of methods to help perceive the world around you in a new and far more academically relevant way. But here's the catch - for it to work, you need to have three very special affinities. I can't use the fruits of my research myself, as I have none of them, while you have all three. I am afraid that's all that I can tell you before you agree to my proposal."

Zeke looked at Maximilian with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. But the old man's insistence on secrecy only served to pique his interest further. He would not give up this chance to learn more about the project.

"I'm not sure if I understand," Zeke probed. "What's so special about those three affinities?"

Maximilian grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Ah, my dear boy, that is the crux of the matter. But you will find my lips sealed until you agree to my proposal"

"I-I don't know what to say," Zeke stammered, still trying to process everything.

Maximilian patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Take your time. I understand this is a lot to take in. But know that I'm offering you an opportunity unlike any other. With my guidance, you could become one of the greatest mages the world has ever seen. All you have to do is say yes."

Zeke couldn't help but feel tempted. The prospect of working with such a legendary Mage was something he had never even dared to dream of. But at the same time, he was hesitant. He had only just arrived at the academy. He didn't know enough about the world of magic to make an informed decision.

"I-I'll have to think about it," Zeke said, feeling overwhelmed. Maximilian nodded understandingly.

"Of course, of course. Take all the time you need. But do not wait too long, my boy. Opportunities like this do not come around often. And if I may say so, every day you attend those classes, is another day wasted."

While listening to Maximilian, Zeke got more and more confused.

"Wasted? What do you mean?"

"Ezekiel, I understand that you've been studying hard at the academy. But I fear that you are wasting your time," said Maximilian, his voice laced with concern.

"The Elementium Academy is neither equipped nor willing to teach all forms of magic equally. A good example would be your three affinities Blood Magic, Space Magic, and Mind Magic. They may offer classes on these subjects here, but the knowledge and instruction provided are far from satisfactory. You deserve better than that, Ezekiel. You deserve to reach your full potential as a mage."

Zeke listened intently, his brow furrowed in confusion. "But what can I do? I'm already enrolled at the academy. I can't just drop out and start over somewhere else."

Maximilian chuckled, his belly shaking with mirth.

"That's where I come in, my boy. I have spent many years studying these three affinities. I've developed a unique method of teaching them. I told you about the Trinity Project."

"What do you say, Ezekiel? Are you willing to take a chance and join me on this journey?"