CHAPTER 46: 46: THE PATH OF THE MAGE XIX

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He was on one knee, hand pressed to the cold stone ground, his chest heaving. The faint flicker of a black hole appeared in his palm for a heartbeat before vanishing, leaving behind only a tingling warmth and the undeniable sense of power.

He had done it.

Every sound came rushing back — the whisper of the wind through the stones, the distant drip of water, the soft crunch of Fizz’s wings flitting nearby.

Fizz froze in midair with wide eyes and trembling in a mix of awe and glee.

"Ohhhh. That is... actually terrifying. I love it."

John panted, feeling the last threads of the vision fade. "I... can feel it. The mana flows. The world feels alive. Like I can hear its pulse."

Fizz spun in celebratory circles, then zipped over to the serpent’s leftover corpse and kicked it square on the butt.

"Ha! Look at you now, you overgrown belt! You thought you were scary? You are handbag material! Snake noodle soup! A discount belt for a peasant who trips on their own shoes!"

He zipped back, patting John’s cheek with his tiny paw. "Congratulations, Master Forgetful. You are officially less pathetic now. Circle One John, Slayer of Snakes, Holder of Murder Marbles, and my favorite walking disaster."

John laughed, weak but genuine, and let himself sit on the cold stone. "Thanks... I think."

Fizz landed proudly on his shoulder like a king mounting his throne. "You are welcome. I hereby declare this Fizz Victory Day. Also, I want pancakes. And beef jerky. And maybe a pillow made of this snake’s face."

Then he paused, "Nah, I am joking. Who would want a ugly pillow like this? Maybe we can prank Sera with this pillow!"

John shook his head, finally letting the warmth of his new power settle in his veins. The journey had been brutal. The fight was near fatal. But he had done it.

Circle One Mage. The first step on the path of the Black Hole Mage.

And as the first rays of sun pierced the ravine and Fizz began humming a ridiculous victory song about himself, John allowed himself a rare, quiet moment of triumph.

John adjusted his pack and glanced one last time at the serpent’s massive corpse, now nothing more than a silent monument to their survival.

Fizz floated above his shoulder, humming what could only be described as the most self congratulatory song ever composed.

"Fizz the mighty, Fizz the great,

I roasted the snake and sealed its fate.

My master tripped and almost cried,

But Fizz was there, and the snake got fried.

Fizz the cute, Fizz the smart,

Hero of forest, hero of heart.

Circle One John is fine, I guess,

But Fizz is clearly the real success."

John groaned as they left the ravine, boots crunching over loose stone. "You wrote that just now, didn’t you?"

"Yes," Fizz said proudly, spinning in midair. "A masterpiece. I need drums. And maybe a chorus of woodland creatures chanting my name."

"Remind me to never let you get bored again."

Fizz saluted. "Already noted. Now, on to important business. Teacher fizz will teach you. Lesson number one: Black Hole Magic 101."

John raised a brow as they trekked through the forest, following a slope that would eventually lead back to the hills. "You are going to teach me?"

"Of course. Who else? Certainly not that cold woman Elara from the village. Or the temple priestess sera. Both of them look like they want to eat you."

John coughed into his fist. "I... have no idea what you mean. I am not a snack."

"Sure," Fizz said, smirking. "Anyway, before I start teaching, there is something you should see."

He floated ahead and stopped in a clearing where sunlight filtered through the leaves, landing on a cluster of mossy boulders. His fur began to shimmer with a faint glow, brighter than John had ever seen. Tiny sparks of orange and red danced around him.

"I feel it," Fizz said, voice lower and steadier than usual. "With your mana veins open, and reaching the circle one mage. I can finally access a fraction of my real strength. A tiny, tiny fraction but still enough to make weaklings cry."

He zipped high into the air, spinning once, then leveled himself toward the largest boulder. His fur flared in a burst of heat, and a small orb of fire, bright and tight, formed in his furry paws.

"Behold! Fractional glory!"

The fireball shot across the clearing with a sharp hiss and slammed into the boulder.

Boom!!

The explosion echoed through the forest, sending birds screeching into the sky. The boulder cracked in half, smoke curling from its scorched edges. Bits of moss and dirt rained down in the aftermath.

John stared with an open jaw. "Fizz... that attack could have defeated the E-rank serpent noodle without breaking a sweat."

Fizz floated down, spinning the revolver like a gunslinger and puffing out his tiny chest. "Of course. I am Fizz the Magnificent. Destroyer of rocks. Slayer of snakes. Bringer of joy and mild property damage."

John shook his head, equal parts impressed and exasperated. "You waited until now to show me this?"

Fizz wiggled his ears. "I told you, I can only use this much now because your power awakened. My strength is linked to yours. You get stronger, I get shinier, cutter, and stronger. That is how the contract works."

John crouched to inspect the shattered rock. The edges were still warm. "This is... incredible. If that is just a fraction..."

"Then imagine me at full power," Fizz interrupted, twirling dramatically. "I will be a blazing comet of destruction and sass. Worlds will fear my tiny face. I can even destroy a planet with my full power attack."

John laughed under his breath. "I don’t believe that. But I guess I have a long way to go. Before you can show me how to destroy a planet with one shot."

Fizz landed on his shoulder and patted his cheek with a paw. "Do not worry, Master Forgetful. Stick with me, and you might survive long enough to look cool like me. And don’t piss in fear and shock when I am able to use my full power."

John adjusted his pack again and looked toward the horizon, where the sun had fully risen and painted the forest in brilliant light. "Let us keep moving. We need a safe place to camp before nightfall."

Fizz yawned, curling into his hood. "Fine, but wake me if another snake shows up. I will roast it and write another cool song. Maybe something about your heroic tripping skills."

’Ha Ha Ha.’

John sighed but allowed himself to relax a bit. Circle One mage. Black Hole Core unsealed. His journey had truly begun.

And with a singing, boasting, glowing furball perched on his shoulder, he left the ravine behind.

--(End of Chapter 3)--