"Listen to me carefully, Richard. The effects of magic are linked to the laws of causality."
"But not in the sense one who is not a sorcerer might think..."
"The laws of magic dictate taking the laws of causality, the directive of al simultaneously happening in the universe, and disobeying them."
"Sorcery, at its core, is an act of going against nature. Of going against reality and 'God'."
"Hm? What's that? You don't believe in God?"
"You don't think such a being could possibly exist? I see..."
"Well then, I would rather not bore you with theology. But just know this. 'God' or gods, it matters not if they exist or otherwise. That isn't really important. What is important, is that your hands, are capable of twisting the world and bending it to your will. It is a damning act, and it will cost you your soul in the long run."
"But it is for a noble cause, regardless of its steep cost. Such is the modus operandi of all who engage in sorcery. Now then..."
***
Richard smiled.
He had no idea why that memory popped into his head at such a strange moment.
Magic had always been with him. He was born into a family of sorcerers after all.
His childhood had not been overly dark, but he had experienced his fair share of tragedies and horror, just like every other child. Those had done a rather good job in shaping him into what he had become.
But his nightmares weren't the only things that had a hand in shaping the current him.
His experience with magic was rather guilty of this as well.
He was something most would consider a prodigy, after all.
Having received formal training from the former patriarch of the Bane family, his father, he had learned how to cast spells whilst simultaneously learning how to read.
Magic was embedded into every fiber of his being.
And perhaps it was the ancestral contract with that Demon, or it was just something with the wiring of all those with Bane blood, but the mere thought of the arcane arts made his blood boil with joy.
And so, he had dedicated his life to mastering his craft.
In more ways than one.
At an early age, he had discovered the art of combining the power of Demonic entities and mundane spells to produce enhanced effects and abilities.
Usually, it usually involved invoking the name of the Demon alongside the name of the spell.
Excalibur...
A blade that could cut through all, laced with the tenebrous cutting magic of a Blade Demon.
It was not a physical blade. Rather, it was a spell that condensed a blade of mana that could travel within an effective range of about a hundred meters.
Even then, cutting through the Lich was supposed to be impossible. Although the element of light and the holy attribute were the weaknesses of undead type abyssal creature, his spell didn't contain any of those things.
Richard looked down at the falling halves of the Lich, his expression unreadable.
Magic, just as he had learned all this years ago, meant going against the laws of nature.
However, what did that mean in the face of things that were supernatural?
Nothing.
It meant absolutely nothing.
So to combat these supernatural entities, it was advisable to go beyond.
In other words, creativity was key.
Suddenly, the sound of clapping filled his ears.
Richard turned around with raised brows. Standing at the entrance to the warehouse, Leon wore a wide grin,
"Congratulations. You all did well."
He turned to short man with a hunchback beside him,
"What did you think, Inspector Ludwig?" Leon said with a smile.
"Satisfactory. Although that spell was quite intriguing."
The short man spoke up,
"You are the Bane boy aren't you?"
Richard sighed internally.
He had suspected it but now it was practically confirmed.
'We've been played. Again.'
***
"Sorry for tricking you all again. I have a feeling would have turned out better this way. And it looks like I was right, so that's a plus."
Celine wore a sour look,
"It was all meaningless. You had us running circles. We were almost harassed by a bunch of thugs too."
"By the way, where did you take those guys, Richard..." Umbra asked curiously.
Richard smiled mischievously, "That's a secret. But they aren't dead."
Leon raised a brow,
"Sounds like you all had a lot of fun. Luckily for you, things are going to get even more fun."
He grinned,
"The origin essence cores will be processed and your cuts will be given to you before the end of the day. Although this line of business is fraught with danger and death, the pay is not bad at all."
Richard sighed, "It is well deserved."
Then he paused for a moment,
"By the way, there's something I'd like to discuss with you later."
Leon frowned, "How important is it?"
Richard shrugged, "Depending on how you look at it, it can be considered super important."
Leon nodded, "In that case, how about we meet up later tonight? For now, you all deserve some rest. And maybe a few baths..."
He glanced at the others who's clothes were completely covered in blood.
Staring at Richard who seemed relatively neat, he suddenly became very curious.
Still, he pushed his curiosity down and smiled,
"Let's meet up three days from now. How does that sound?"
Before all the words could leave his lips they had all turned around to head to their respective homes.
Leon clicked his tongue,
"How rude..."
He raised a brow when he noticed Richard was still there.
"What is it?"
For some reason, Richard's face was uncharacteristically serious.
"That man just now..." Richard trailed off.
"You mean the inspector?" Leon asked.
Richard nodded,
"This mission doesn't seem simple. There might be more than a few suspicious things involved. I was wondering if he knew anything."
Leon frowned,
"Something definitely happened then. Although I would like to know now, I'll wait until tonight. As for the Inspector, they come only to confirm the success of the mission. He's a good guy. You don't have to worry about him."
Seeing the certainty in Leon's gaze, Richard couldn't help but trust him.
He sighed. Then he raised a brow when he noticed Leon's scrutinizing gaze.
"What?"
"What do you think of your team now? Are they still a headache and disappointment?" Leon asked with a sly grin.
Richard's expression changed. He cleared his throat,
"Well, they weren't terrible this time. Certainly not the best, but I guess I can't ask for too much, right?"
He paused for a moment then sighed,
"They were quite good actually. They are an elite team of young sorcerers. Their potential is also good."
Leon chuckled, "Look at you, talking ke an old man."
He hesitated before adding,
"Although it is good to have goals, I think living life with ease can be good too."
Richard raised a brow, "What made you say that?"
Leon smiled wryly,
"For a youngster, you seem to carry a lot of Demons in your heart, Richard."
Richard went silent for a moment then chuckled,
"I guess you are right."
***
On the drive home, Richard thought about the events of the day. Although it was fraught with danger and the evils of the supernatural world, at the end of the day, it was just an ordinary day in the life of a modern day sorcerer.
Driving into his driveway, he drove his beautiful car into the garage.
Stepping into the dark house, its coolth embraced hom tenderly. For some reason, it made it seem even more homely. Perhaps it was because it was so familiar now.
Climbing up the stairs, he pushed open the door to his room. Pulling his clothes off, he headed into the bath for a quick shower.
A few minutes later, the sound of water from the showerhead hitting the bathroom floor filled his ears.
Feeling the hot water flow into every nook and crevice in his body, Richard let out a satisfied sigh.
This was what truly made him happy.
The simple things of life...
Stepping out of the bath, he quickly dried himself with a towel then plopped down onto his bed.
Picking his phone up from the bedside table, he checked the time.
'It's still quite early. I suppose a quick nap won't hurt anyone.'
With a groan, he dropped onto the bed.
Its warmth was inviting, almost taking him to the sandman instantly.
Still, he fought the pull for a while.
He couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
Although he complained a bit, in reality, the life he led now was much better than what he was put through before returning to this city.
He sighed as the memories flooded back.
He quickly shook his head to get rid of them.
'It doesn't matter anymore. What use does thinking about that do now?' He reprimanded himself.
He sighed and closed his eyes.
Before long, he was unable to resist anymore.
Sleep quickly claimed him...