Vlad stared at the night sky, his mind reeling from the voice that had echoed in his thoughts.
[Your wish is granted.]
Those words lingered, filling him with a mix of disbelief and curiosity.
Suddenly, a golden scroll appeared in front of him, shimmering with an ethereal light. Vlad was first shocked by its appearance, but intrigue quickly replaced his surprise.
'How is it able to float?' he wondered, reaching his right hand toward the edge of the scroll in an attempt to grab it.
"Woah!"
His hand passed through it several times. No matter how many times he tried, he failed to make contact.
A few seconds after Vlad stopped, the scroll unrolled itself, revealing intricate runes and symbols that seemed to pulse with life. As his eyes scanned the markings, words began sounding directly in his mind, revealing the scroll's contents.
[I am the Wishing System, created by the Lost One to guide those who are lost and without purpose to a better destination.]
Vlad's heart raced with excitement. "A wishing system? How does it work?"
The previous words vanished from the scroll, replaced by a new set that resounded in his mind.
[I am a system that reciprocates what the host does for others, but amplifies it several times over. The host must fulfill the wishes of others using his own capabilities before I can grant his wishes.]
[I operate in levels, with level one being the lowest and level four the highest. Each level increases my abilities and the complexity of wishes I can grant.]
The scroll glowed, illuminating the details of level one.
[At level one, I can accomplish everything a viscount-level magical practitioner can, and even more subtly. At the same level, I can also awaken the dormant magic within the host by using the entire wish bar he accumulates.]
Vlad's eyes widened.
"You mean I can have magic?"
[Yes.]
[By fulfilling wishes and accumulating wish bars, the host can wish to awaken the magic within him.]
The Wishing System confirmed.
Excitement surged through Vlad. He laughed with pure, unbridled joy, uncorked his flask, and took a deep swig of wine. The reality of his new situation sank in, and the future looked brighter than ever. The possibilities seemed endless.
He drank until the world spun, then fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
…
Vlad woke the next morning with a pounding headache. The events of the previous night came rushing back, and he sat up abruptly, his heart racing.
Thinking of the golden scroll, it immediately appeared before him, a tangible reminder that it hadn't been a dream.
Rubbing his temples, Vlad processed the information. He had been given a second chance, a way to awaken his magic and possibly achieve everything he had ever dreamed of.
'I can't tell anyone about this,' he concluded.
He vowed to keep the Wishing System a secret. The power it promised was too immense, and he couldn't risk it falling into any hands other than his own.
Remembering his bedridden mother, he directed his thoughts toward the system.
"At level one, can you heal my mother after I've accumulated enough wish bars?"
[My capability at level one is insufficient to heal the host's mother. Leveling me up to level two will get it done.]
The scroll answered, rolling out glowing words.
"That's good. As long as there's hope, that's all I need."
Determined to make the most of this opportunity, Vlad began to formulate a plan.
He needed to accumulate wish bars by fulfilling the wishes of others. The more wishes he granted, the closer he would get to awakening his magic.
..
He set out into the town with newfound vigor, his mind focused on selling his assistance in exchange for wishes, a venture profitable to both himself and his employers.
Starting with simple, mundane tasks that required only a little extra time and effort, he moved through the town, assisting a merchant in organizing his inventory, an elderly valum in dressing her garden, a few historians in finalizing their research, and other jobs typically reserved for valams and valums: non-wizards and non-witches.
Regaining the fervor he had possessed when he first began digging through ancient histories in hopes of discovering a second chance, Vlad threw himself into these tasks with enthusiasm. Each completed wish brought him one step closer to his goal.
He soon realized that the easiest way to accumulate wish bars was by helping witchcraft students with their theory assignments. He first investigated whether there would be any penalty for doing the assignments of future witchcraft practitioners, and only ventured into it after finding none.
The students, eager to spend their time practicing spells and impressing their friends, were more than happy to hand over their assignments to Vlad.
"You're a lifesaver," one student said, handing him a thick stack of papers. "If I have to write another essay on elemental theory, I think my head will explode."
Vlad smiled, taking the papers. "Happy to help. Just make sure you ace your practical exams."
As the days passed, Vlad's reputation as a helpful historian spread throughout the coven. He became a familiar figure, always willing to lend a hand and solve problems. His price was simple: the employer had to wish for the problem to be solved. That was all.
Each wish he fulfilled added to his growing stock of wish bars, and with every bar accumulated, he anticipated the day his wish bar would be saturated, filled and ready to be used.
Despite the physical and mental exhaustion from his efforts, Vlad found himself thriving on the sense of purpose and progress. The mundane tasks, the research assignments, the small acts of kindness, they all added up, each one bringing him closer to his goal.
…
On the evening of the sixth day after receiving the Wishing System, Vlad walked through the bustling market square and noticed a group of students huddled together, their faces drawn with worry. Curious, he approached them.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing for a valam to barge into!" one of the students cursed, frost gathering around his hands as he stared at Vlad.
"Be respectful, Nalu!" another student chided his friend.
Then, turning to Vlad, he apologized. "I'm sorry for my friend's words. We're all stressed out. It must have affected him."
"What are you all stressed about?" Vlad asked, unconcerned by Nalu's rudeness.
One of the students, a young witch named Elara, looked up at him with wide eyes.
"It's our end-of-term project. We have to present a practical demonstration of a complex spell, but we can't get it right. We've been practicing for weeks, and it's just not working."
Vlad's mind raced. Helping them with their project would not only earn him more wish bars but also give him a chance to observe and learn from their spellwork.
"I can help you with that," he offered. "I might not look like much, but I spent the early years of my life dabbling in the incantations of spells, both orthodox and a bit of dark magic. Let's go over the spell together and see if we can figure out what's going wrong."
Convinced by Vlad's words, the students led him to their practice area. He spent the next few hours meticulously analyzing their spell, offering tips and corrections. As they worked together, Vlad's understanding of magical theory deepened, as did his appreciation for the hardship behind every successful witchcraft practitioner.
Finally, after numerous attempts, the students successfully cast the spell. A burst of light filled the practice area, and their faces lit up with triumph.
"We did it!" Elara exclaimed, looking at Vlad gratefully. "Thank you so much!"
.
[Host]
[Name: Vlad Rabiut Herak]
Lineage: Witchcraft Lineage]
[Magic Rank: ???]
[Age: 21 Years]
[Wish(%): [26%] +6%]
.
Vlad smiled, the sense of accomplishment warming him along with the increasing wish bar.
"Anytime. Just remember: practicing the right way and patience are key."
As he walked home that evening, a surge of satisfaction filled him. Helping others achieve their goals was not only earning him wish bars but also deepening his own understanding of magic.
The Wishing System's potential was about to unfold, and Vlad knew he was on the right path.
Days turned into weeks, and Vlad continued to provide help to those in need, fulfilling wishes and accumulating wish bars. The golden scroll remained a constant companion, its presence a reminder of the promise it held.
His actions did not go unnoticed. Sorin, ever observant, remarked on Vlad's newfound energy and dedication.
"You seem different, Vlad," Sorin said one evening as they walked through the town. "More focused. More driven. What's changed?"
Vlad hesitated. The urge to share his secret with Sorin was strong, and the drive to share the exciting possibilities of his future only made it worse. But he shook his head, forced a smile, and answered, "Just trying to make the most of my time. Helping others has its rewards."
Sorin clapped him on the back. "Whatever it is, keep it up. You're making a real difference."
..
Later the next afternoon, Vlad was returning from the market when he felt a tug on his left hand. A little girl with tears streaming down her face clung to him.
"Uncle Wish, please save my big brother! I wish for you to please save my big brother!"
"Stop crying and tell me what's wrong with your brother," Vlad said, patting her head to comfort her as he inquired about the situation.
"He got in a fight with Dray, and during the fight, Wyfre arrived with his friends and began beating him up." The little girl could no longer hold back her tears and began to cry again.
"It's alright. Take me there."
Letting the little girl lead the way, Vlad began thinking of a plan. He knew full well that he couldn't go head‑on against a group of kids with magical powers.
..
"What's the matter? Don't want to fight anymore? I thought you said you would mess me up?" Dray kicked the boy on the ground, entertaining his friends who were spectating.
"Hello, excuse me. Does anyone go by the name of Wyfre?" Vlad arrived close to the scene with a box in his hands, looking at the faces of the bullies.
"What do you want with him?" Wyfre asked, scrutinizing Vlad's figure and then the box in his hand.
"Someone made a wish. I'm here to fulfill it." Vlad shook the box, drawing Wyfre's attention.
"You're that 'wish guy' everyone's talking about." Dray stopped his assault on the little girl's brother and turned toward Vlad. "I want to make a wish. What do you say?"
"A wish at a time. Wyfre will have to accept the box before I can fulfill another person's wish." Ending his sentence with his face turned to Wyfre, Vlad pushed the box toward him.
"Open it! Let's see!" Wyfre's friends gathered around him, hurrying him as they eagerly desired to see what the box contained.
3… 2… 1…
Gas spread in all directions within seconds, shrouding the area and blinding Wyfre, Dray, and their friends.
Having made preparations, Vlad didn't let the lack of visibility slow him down. He made his way to his target, the little girl's brother, lifted him up, and carried him over his shoulder.
"Run!" Vlad yelled to the little girl, grabbing her hand and pulling her away.
They dashed through the narrow alleyways of the town, the bullies in hot pursuit. Vlad led them through a maze of backstreets, using his knowledge of the town's layout to the best of his ability.
Finally, they reached a dead end, but Vlad spotted a stack of crates they could use to climb over the wall. Seeing the silhouette of a plump male teen running away, he figured the teen must have been the one to keep the crates there.
"Thank you," he muttered, helping the children over the crates and the wall. Just as he was about to follow, the bullies caught up.
"You're going to pay for that!" Wyfre snarled, launching a thick gust of wind at Vlad.
Thinking quickly, Vlad turned away from the wall before dashing toward the gust of wind, putting a confused expression on Wyfre's face.
He jumped into the air, got swept away by the gust, and skillfully somersaulted backward, placing his hands on the wall before landing on the other side, right where the children waited.
"What the hell!" Drayn exclaimed, astonished by Vlad's actions and his successful execution of the maneuver.
Continuing forward, Vlad and the siblings ran until they reached a safe distance, finally stopping to catch their breath. At their safe spot, the girl hugged her brother tightly, tears of relief in her eyes.
"Thank you so much," she said, looking up at Vlad. "May your wish be fulfilled, Uncle Wish!"
.
[Host]
[Name: Vlad Rabiut Herak]
[Lineage: Witchcraft Lineage]
[Magic Rank: ???]
[Age: 21 Years]
[Wish(%): [86%] +14%]
.
Vlad felt a warm sensation as his wish bar filled completely. He had done it. He had fulfilled the girl's wish.
"You're welcome," he said, smiling. "Stay safe."
As he walked away, the golden scroll appeared before him. Words resounded in his mind: "Wish bar completed. You may now make your wish."
Vlad knew what he had to do. To avoid any phenomena that might invite the prying eyes of terrifying fellows, he made his way to the barren land at the edge of the town, a desolate area where he could awaken his witchcraft lineage without fear of being watched.
'This is it,' he thought after arriving at his destination. Taking a deep breath, he muttered, "Time to awaken my magic."
Focusing his mind on his wish, he decreed, "I wish to awaken the dormant magic within me."
The scroll glowed brightly, and Vlad felt a surge of heat course through him.
Suddenly, a powerful reaction disrupted the barrier spell that shielded the entire witchcraft lineage. The ground trembled, and Vlad was thrown out of the safe zone.
Disoriented and in pain, he struggled to his feet. He realized he was in a place he had only read about in historical texts, the Forbidden Lands, a place of great danger and dark magic, controlled by the sorcery lineage.
'I'm not supposed to come here,' Vlad thought, panic rising. He knew he had to hide. The sorcerers, who acted as obstacles to the wizards and witches that thought themselves powerful and rebellious, would soon be after him.
He moved quickly, seeking cover in any pit on the barren land or cave in the mountain he could find. Not long after, a sudden premonition of danger dawned on him.
Shit!
His heart pounded as he heard the sounds of pursuit, propelling him to move faster. Glancing behind him, he saw heads gradually coming into view as the sorcerers scaled the slope.
Relentless in their pursuit, the sorcerers held on to their grimoires, drawing power from the spells contained within as the wind answered their call.
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