That's So Wizard

Chapter 18 - Shadow of a Doubt Pt. 1

The noises of the wild soothed him. At every side was a tree. He made his way down a grassy dirt path to pass a wild stream of water coming down from the mountains. It was crystal clear, and it was calming despite the velocity. Birds were chirping and flowers were blooming, because at long last, it was the time of rebirth—spring. He knew he shouldn't stay out for much longer, however, as his parents were waiting for him back home.

Daveon looked to the sun reaching midway through the sky. Despite the miles of flora, mountains, and more, he never got lost, as he travelled this way often. It was the only place he could be himself, given his powers, but he also had a passion for the natural world.

It was his eighteenth birthday only a week before. He didn't feel any different. Was he supposed to? Often he pondered this. Becoming an adult might have happened already, or maybe it'll come the year after, but will he know?

He asked himself a lot of questions when he was out in the forests, or climbing mountains. His magic allowed him to soar to heights nobody else would climb to, giving him a place to be alone whenever he needed it. When he was sad, he'd come to sit upon a cliff and just breath deeply—a view to rest his soul.

Wizards already felt alone at times. Some blended in well, while others always felt like outcasts deep down. Luckily for him, Daveon didn't focus that much on his magic. It was his family that brought a warmth to his heart.

A hop and skip brought him through the noisy streets of home. It wasn't long before he arrived at the building that functioned as his family's small restaurant as well as his house.

"Hey, Dav," came a young man's voice as he walked.

"D-Daveon..." muttered a girl.

He was a popular boy. The town itself was small, so everyone knew everybody, though he never really cared much for popularity. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate friendship. He simply preferred having a handful of tight friends over an ocean of acquaintances, but at the same time, he was a dreamer and was often in his own little world.

The druid pushed open the doors and a small bell chimed his entrance.

It was a quaint, cozy place to eat. The shop could only hold a couple dozen patrons at a time, but they got by, albeit barely. They didn't need a lavish life of luxury anyway. On that day, however, it was almost empty. He spotted his mother and father speaking with a man sitting alone at the corner table.

The gentleman was dressed to impress with a fancy black suit and slicked orange hair. It was not a tangerine samurai this time, however. It was a mango freak-show. The newspaper covering his face slowly lowered to reveal three deep scars on his face, vibrant green eyes, and an expression vacant of sympathy.

He carefully folded up the newspaper. This took what felt like an eternity, but once it was placed upon the table, he locked together his hands and looked between the two.

"Mr. Markani," spoke his mother. "Please. I promise—"

"You will not speak until I've asked you a question," snapped the man with a twisted glare in his eye. "I have been incredibly patient with you two. I let you open a store in my town, and all I ask is a certain, generous percentage of your profits every month. It's been a week over, and my hands are tied."

Daveon recognized this man. A kid would call him the town bully. An adult would say this place wasn't run by the mayor. It was run by Bryant Markani alone. Though he had men, he was rarely seen with them, and this confidence terrified people. His money and power was the life blood of Mollepata, whether people liked it or not, but he had no idea his parents had anything to do with it. They always told him not to worry about it—that they would deal with Markani if anything went wrong.