Beginnings of the Modern Mage - Heating Up

…~~Wake Up~~…

…~~Nao~~…

…~~Arthur~~…

…~~Alphon~~…

…Wake Up…

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEy2skPQGw
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuXCr8g6S5

My eyes explode open and I feel fire boiling my flesh causing me to scream in agony. Blood pours out of my mouth and my lungs burst open only to reform again.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWwsEK8YD2
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxvwZ22wUl

This pain is…too much. Why am I going through this? What is happening? Instantly, I feel bugs slithering on my legs and arms, holding me down. Forcing me into the flames.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzPCPywZ1P
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXmhJIHiom

I fight back, struggle, and push away the bugs but their grip on me tightens. Not again, I don’t want to die again.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWdaC071ST
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF43ZGZE3tI

~~“Nao!”~~

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeshIxThIP
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoTSpwcq4F

*Door flings open*

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcY1CSQLh6
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeR3PQuedQ1

~~“What happened?!”~~

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYP4w5MzbRz
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnqJ1bD5XY

~~“Sorry, he’s just having a really bad nightmare.”~~

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQH91i0VbxN
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WLrywwtk2

More bugs crawl into my mouth eating up the blood flooding it. No, please don’t crawl in there! NO!

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2enyO5Uy9
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAFiVz0GH0

~~“Let me through!”~~

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Qhv6yVCFt
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk24IWV1Sf1

No! Not another one! Get bac-

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1yYceTwWq
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WlIYkPcXq

“Nao, wake up! Please honey, wake up.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0XUiTbAZO
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8r6EjIzTbJ

~~Nao~~: “Huh?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1uPdcxO5i
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90vcLGZDas

Another bug consumes my form but it’s…warm. My body cools and the flames subside. The skin that was torn and burnt returns. My vision clears and I see bodies without faces.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGDn3fXLg5
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOhgGCGdiv

My eyes slide over to the girl hovering at the door with concern covering her face. For some reason, I feel something from this warmth and the girl. Their faces return and I try to breathe air that’s strangely not filled with smoke.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkzlqcObJ2
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugzQDDh8GB

~~Nao:~~ “Where…am I?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpgBoO11wY
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGQTGrxgpg

“You’re home, whatever happened in that dream is over. You’re okay.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAkUtB5bhA
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3UHLyQ8Ud

Dream?

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrStkCcMHdi
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzZi63tyBe

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXrTSFep5b
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5OPEUvEFg

I return the hug and sigh in relief.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVItm2UljlF
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoLhF5RNbl

Nao: “I am okay now, thank you…mom.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYB1CH7jbfV
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGwg5NlEsK

Nell: “Are you sure? I never seen you like this before?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPBGVApVtv
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeJ35SNo1m

Nao: “I’m sure. It was…just a dream.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteCx5RD7s2
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopecBA9L3L

Nell: “…Can everyone give me a minute with Nao.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2tEMiyszX
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDiEdz0GUf

Everyone leaves with worry still on their faces. Now I’m all alone with my mother, sitting on the bed soaked with my sweat.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hcd89wOMn
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0O8Jux08N

Nell: “Nao, do you want to talk about the dream?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqfBbIKYNH
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaK0n4HJIc

Nao: “I…can’t remember it.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTbBtXUSHZ
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgYrJAL3EP

Nell: “I see…maybe it’s for the best. Do you want me to stay with you?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYFXyzuvub
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnYH2LYyP1

Nao: “…Yes please.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1puHgVJu3
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMvT9OPhBI

I embraced the warmth once again and held onto it for dear life. We stayed like that for a while before the silence was broken once again.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKW4bQwyJtW
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zIgCNOaTn

Nell: “If there’s anything bothering you, at home or at school, please tell me. It won’t inconvenience me or this home.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfei8VMktu
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AFrx6OFJa

Nao: “…I’ll tell you, I promise.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMC7GRazYA
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLAaZrzSJu

Nell: “Good, I’ll cook you and Alyson some food. Take as much time as you need to collect yourself.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfybI1DdnW
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTURIs4bno

And so the warmth leaves me in this cold room with the only light coming from the window overhead.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bFM6VbJqJ
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmwFkqlmsQ

I sit there in silence for an unknown amount of time. I…just sat there, staring at the wall. Eventually, I collected enough of my pieces to leave the room.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbNwVdgVCq
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9ik94zBCf

Standing outside, leaning against the wall in front of me, was Alyson.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaBC700WLu
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPKBvifHpy

Alyson: “Are you…okay?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WMzsHRyXR
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYa85j9Mam

Nao: “Yeah, thanks for caring.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCtdVeaDjN
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLihwydwzq

Alyson: “…I want you to know, you’re off the Black List. I won’t be responsible if you…”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcExe3ukYBR
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqWK0Css6T

Alyson: “I’m going out, I hope you’re better by the time I get back.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16VYeS9tv5
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKm3rnBh98

She left before I could say anything in response to her strange brand of….affection?

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRpfyBoCeZ
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTR2P6CurE

I go downstairs to see the group looking with worry. They crowd me, asking me questions I have no answers to.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvdSYYP6eH
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEkyWrtHW4

That pain and…whatever happened before, that wasn’t all due to increasing my stats…right?

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxIgbE87It
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgksJgJWBy

Anthony: “Maybe we should postpone our plans for a while.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGXxZmUuS3
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPPxQecu85

Nao: “No, I’m good. I can do it. Alyson will leave after eating breakfast which will give me an opportunity to see her outside the house.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiVo97HnEk
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ztKWOrDxi

Anthony: “…I guess. Fine, we’ll see you later today for the magic items.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvyVsFseTb
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4AhBju6Pp

Nao: “Oh yeah….got it.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIJEZcsach
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESG2NxLMV8

The group said their goodbyes and left our home. I went to the kitchen to eat my first meal of the day with mom. Alyson seems to have taken her food to go so it was just mom and me.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgY6StfDOd
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5WNjbuIu6

We said nothing but that was okay. Just being near her was putting me back together. I thanked her for the food and went into the bathroom. Time to find my ideal form for Alyson.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOuwNSzBlr
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACB0Eqq2bl

I look into the mirror and Nao stares back. I breathe in and out, thinking of what to change myself into. Someone else, someone not Nao. The answer came easily and so I closed my eyes.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtHeNAbr3c
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVj8RtbTyFN

The next time I opened them, someone else stared back. Tall, handsome with a clean shave, well built, and a different facial structure. This person looked nothing like me but the form…it felt right.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eP33887wW
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqkzOivbOW

Even the size of my clothes seem to change to fit my new body. I don’t know how exactly this spell changes my clothes too but I don’t question it. It’s too convenient to be suspicious.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgulCy6RQD
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBP1I01kbVR

I regretfully revert back and leave the bathroom. I still need to leave here as Nao, as me. I’ll transform somewhere safe and try to find Alyson at her usual hideouts.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SiAL5ZGqw
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQOCLKlC72

I go to my room and grab the best clothes I can. They have to be nice but generic enough to not give anything away. The best I could find was a form-fitting black t-shirt and jeans. I go downstairs and to the front door while hoping this is enough.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHKC7vRb6C
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIYYcJkESD

Nell: “Where are you going Nao?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoitMuKUM5A
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FY93TE2gv

Nao: “I’m going to the bookstore, I need something to relax my mind.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyJPVDGHVY
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxPtnAmu7F

Nell: “O-Of course, I’ll see you later. Right, Nao?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIcsGFLLYH
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQtzITaMrW

Nao: “Don’t worry mom, I will be back. You won’t stay here alone for long.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNbEE3SsnT
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWy8gfIsj8v

I open the front door and head towards the local cafe. It’s a humble little store with white round tables out front. Alyson may be queen but she doesn’t really have friends. Too busy studying to care about such things.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBpIBh5qUQ
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkisI287bK

This is one of those spots she goes to relax while working on school work or just studying. Luckily, I picked right. She sitting at the middle table drinking a smoothie while studying.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGbmjc20Jb
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoD8aPz4lt

I stay out of sight and sneak into the store bathroom. I find an empty stall and close my eyes once again.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4tVnDth2p

*Breathe In*

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGwrWMtVKk
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviqRreHaYZ

*Breathe Out*

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElxaSewrVi
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqhRjvonCo

I exit the bathroom a new man with clothes really fitting my muscular build. I stride out of the bathroom with confidence that only builds with the glances I get.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhGGyWeiuU
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rZGzBTf2q

The girl at the counter and some with boyfriends take in my body. Yes, this is what I wanted. I soak in their attention and go back outside towards Alyson.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvr7JOactT
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzglPMLwOEA

Nao: “Hey, is this seat taken?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41TXtwKIax
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQ6u2lKUs2

Alyson: “…No.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDqB1hbZ3O
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJPuRALIhy

I ignore her dismissive glare and set down with a casual smile. Now, let’s see what’s in that head sis.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpBTQ4delB
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq6fP3vxDW

Mind reading.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAMlqLCVga
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2Dd5IjJZw

Alyson: (Great, another try hard desperate to get with me. At least this one is cute.)

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡro2TDNcSRh
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKF0RMSqw7

At least I’m cute, it’s a start.

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4DuAZQVNs
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoOcHupu4B

Nao: “So what are you working on?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolYFSQVwN7
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFi3sPSags

Alyson: “Paperwork that doesn’t really concern you.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKnGXG8oPp
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMyApiLB6l

Nao: “Ouch, I can see that I’m not the first guy to hit on you. So I won’t, I’m new in town and just looking for a friend.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNglFLhPRzQ
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7NL0qvMHW

Alyson: “And out of everyone, you choose me to be your first friend?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorzHJtXkgn
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgXLjjKLJE

Nao: “Yeah, you’re the most interesting person I’ve seen so far. A pretty girl hard at work, that I assume is school-related, on a Saturday. As soon as I saw that I thought, this girl has a story to tell.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrX0cbXyUQ
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk6MXLIb7p

Nao: “Besides, I like hard workers. They’re the ones that can go the distance in life.”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZFA31mgH2
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7A3jH8KG4z

Alyson: “…Okay, you got my attention. My name is Alyson, what’s yours?”

536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3KaTKIu7z
536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKl4XuW8Pg

Nao: “Hm….my name is….Alphon. Nice to meet you Alyson, I hope this is the start of a beautiful relationship.”

ns216.73.216.141da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically