Chapter 4: [Prologue 4]: An Alternative To Hopeless Nothings

[I'll take an unregulated job. Yeah, that's it, I don't need a license. I only took the entrance exam because getting a license would be safer. But I'm sure I'll manage,] he thought to himself. By now he had already left the colosseum and was walking down the busy city streets.

It was early in the morning and a crowd had formed outside of the colosseum to watch the reward ceremony. Those that had managed to make it yesterday would be having their official acceptance proceedings today.

"Yeah, and after doing a few jobs, maybe I'll be able to form a party and join an adventurer's guild," he whispered to himself, kicking a piece of trash he found lying on the cobblestone pathways.

"Yeah right," he sighed with an exhausted grin.

"Unregulated jobs? Then what, get myself killed and leave Lira all alone? And where would I even find one, those kinds of jobs are illegal. What if I only get bounty jobs, I don't want to kill anyone," he continued, before turning into an alleyway.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck it all," he shouted, before slouching on the wall and slowly sliding down to the floor.

"Well, what's done is done. Now I just need to figure out what to do next."

"I could help," replied an old mischievous voice from right beside him. Kaion jolted to his feet, his fists out ready to knock the block of whoever had just startled him. It was an old raggedly dressed man, his face tanned with dirt and his skin wrinkled from time.

"How did you get there?"

"I have a job for you. And it'll pay quite nicely," continued the old man, ignoring Kaion's question.

"Great, a drunk," Kaion whispered, before turning to leave the alleyway.

"I can't pay you in Enarcs, but I have a lot of scrolls. I can offer you one based on which job you choose to take," the old man continued, his joyful expression unhindered by Kaion's comment.

"Pfft. And how sure am I that these scrolls of yours are legit? You might as well pay me scribbles on paper and I wouldn't even be able to tell the difference," Kaion replied, turning around to face the old man.

Though Kaion seemed reluctant, he was also desperate. Even though he knew that the old man was most probably just a crazy drunk blabbering on about nothing, he still hoped that there was a chance that this was all legit.

"They're worth more than any amount of Enarcs can buy," whispered the old man, pulling out a scroll from inside his tattered shirt. The scrolls didn't seem all that special, sure they looked old which perhaps made them seem somewhat authentic, but apart from that they just seemed like dirty old rolls of paper.

"If they are so valuable why don't you sell them?" Kaion asked, voicing his obvious suspicions about the whole thing.

"Didn't you hear me boy? They are too precious to be sold," replied the old man, putting the scroll back into the darkness of his shirt.

"So what do you need help with, and why are you asking me? There's the mage association and the adventurers guild. Why would you offer a random boy on the street such a 'special' offer?" Kaion asked sarcastically, his hope slowly dwindling with every second that he gave to the old man.

"Because these quests are for you specifically. Or someone with your qualities. I saw your fight-" as the old man said this, Kaion's expression saddened, "-and I haven't seen resolve like yours in decades. Right then I decided that you are the one, you'll be the one to take these scrolls," said the old man, his smile growing wilder.

There was a pause, a moment of silence between their back and forth.

"Don't give me that crap. Resolve? Pfft, you would've found the same resolve in any slumpuppy's eyes. All of us had something to lose. If you're going to lie to me, I'll be leaving," Kaion replied. All hope that this was a worthwhile conversation had been crushed. He would go home and break the news to Lira. Perhaps he could take up more jobs and join a party once he got enough money to afford the equipment.

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"With these scrolls, you won't have to worry about not having an affinity. Well, if you can master the techniques on this."

Kaion's mind went blank for a moment. This was what he needed, a cheat to beat the system. If he could get his hands on this, then maybe, just maybe their days of struggle would be over.

"Yeah right," Kaion laughed, shaking his head in genuine amusement.

"Won't have to worry about not having an affinity you say," he continued as he walked out of the alleyway. Good things were too good to be true, and though he had fooled himself into believing that he could get accepted into the magic academy, he still prided himself in being a realist.

"I'll be here when you change your mind boy. Just be quick about it, these quests can only be done once in a few decades," the old man warned.

***

"You're back! How'd it go?!" asked Lira cheerfully, still in the same position that Kaion had left her in.

[She waited,] thought Kaion, the sadness in his heart intensifying as he saw the smile on his sister's face.

"I-I... I passed," Kaion lied. [I can't do it.]

"You don't look too happy about it though," Lira replied, her smile fading the longer she looked at Kaion.

"I didn't get into the academy residence, so we'll have to get a new house closer to the city. But I should be getting my allowance soon, so that shouldn't be a problem," Kaion replied, trying to force a smile.

[I'll take the old man's quest and sell those scrolls. Even if he was they aren't worth what he said they were, anything will do until I can break the news to Lira. But I'm not going to take it if its too dangerous that's ou...]

"Hmm, okay then, I can't wait. Should I start packing? Kaion?" Lira stood up from her seat and walked towards Kaion, each of her steps seeming heavy, almost as if she would fall down at any second.

"Are you okay?" she asked, standing right in front of him.

"Lira? What were you saying?" As Kaion asked this, he picked Lira up and walked her to bed. He was still deep in thought, thinking about a means for their survival while at the same time keeping his failure from his sister.

"Kaion... You aren't lying to me, are you? I can handle it if you didn't pass. We'll make, just like we always do... together," Lira whispered, her head dig deep into Kaion shirt as he tried placing her on her makeshift bed.

[No Lira, we won't make it. The entrance exam can only be taken once a year, and I wasted all our money on it. I have to do this,] Kaion thought before looking his sister in the eye.

"I'm not lying. I really did get accepted. Now I have to go ask them about my allowance, I'll be right back," said Kaion, before kissing Lira on the cheek. With that Kaion left the house in a hurry, making sure to shut the door behind him.

"Kaion..."

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