《The Fatebound Wizard》


 Chapter 1 - Beginning of Fate

    The sun shone brightly on the filthy mud road. A young man trotted through the narrow street, paying close attention to avoid the smelly waste on the edges of the road.


    He calmly glanced at the sallow people going about from the corner of his eyes.


    ¡°The Lord has raised taxes again,¡± said a middle-aged woman standing in the corner of the street.


    ¡°The harvest also hasn¡¯t been good this season,¡± said another, pudgy, middle-aged woman with a dim expression.


    The young man calmly passed by them, ignoring the extended hands of the beggars at the side of the road. After crossing a few more intersections, he arrived at a slightly cleaner and wider street.


    This is the western district, also known as the commercial plaza. Unlike the eastern district, where most people are sallow and malnourished, the people here had slightly rosier cheeks and a brighter light in their eyes.


    Ren walked forward, stepping on the cleaner gravel path, avoiding the pedestrians in his path.


    ¡°Apples! Here are some fresh apples! Buy them before they¡¯re gone!¡± Yelled a slightly dark-skinned uncle standing behind a stall filled with apples.


    ¡°Cheese! Fresh cheese! Come and get it before it¡¯s gone!¡± Shouted a middle-aged man.


    The street was filled with the shouts of hawkers and people coming and going.


    Ren looked at the side of the road filled with stalls selling various foods and objects, from fruits to cheese. From fabrics to tools and equipment for various trades and crafts, the prosperous trade scene stands sharply in contrast to the desolate slums in the eastern district, filled with serfs, beggars, and poor people.


    Unfortunately, this is a standard scene in this middle-ages like world. Ren has gotten used to it. He continued moving forward, ignoring the noisy surroundings, and crossing the street to move to a slightly quieter area, still filled with people, but much less than before.


    ¡°Get out of the way! Make way for the guards!¡± Ren looked to the side, looking at the majestic guards wearing studded leather armor, patrolling the street. The four guards walked forward majestically, reaching the end of the street as the people made way for them.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Ren looked at the guards disappearing at the end of the street with twinkling eyes before moving forward again and entering a tailor shop.


    ¡°Mom! I¡¯m back.¡± Walking to the back of the store, past the counter. Ren walked up the wooden stairs to the second floor.


    ¡°Welcome back, Ren. There¡¯s food on the kitchen table; you can eat first. I¡¯m busy for now!¡± His mom shouted from a room at the end of the wooden corridor. It seems that she¡¯s busy dealing with textiles. It¡¯s probably a new order.


    Ren walked to the storage room, grabbed a towel, and then trod down the stairs again and into a room near the courtyard. He grabbed a wooden ladle, scooped water from a wooden bucket in the corner of the room, and washed his hands.


    As a transmigrator from modern times, he is aware of the terror of diseases in the Middle Ages, so he always makes sure to maintain proper hygiene.


    After cleaning the dirt and dust from his hands, Ren walked to the kitchen and quickly ate his portion of food.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m done! Your portion is still on the kitchen table. At least eat lunch before continuing to work!¡± Ren said loudly.


    ¡°Sure, honey. I just need to finish this piece of fabric.¡± His mom, Susie, shouted back from the second floor.


    ¡°I knew you would say that,¡± Ren muttered to himself as he packed up his dishes and cleaned them before walking to his room.


    ¡®It¡¯s been almost a year, huh?¡¯


    Ren thought as he lay on his bed. It has been nearly a year since he transmigrated into this world. A year ago, he was no more than a broke college student, worrying about the incoming exams and looking forward to his future.


    However, he didn¡¯t know how, but after falling asleep in his dormitory, he woke up in this boy¡¯s body upon waking up. Ren Fatum, a 13-year-old young boy.


    His father died a few years ago, and his mother raised him alone. The original Ren died while playing hide and seek with his friends in the grove near the eastern district. Even now, the original Ren¡¯s memories show just a dark, blurry shadow before he lost consciousness.


    His friends were the ones to carry him back. Ren remembers that the first thing he saw upon transmigrating into this world was his mother¡¯s worried and terrified face.


    The sight of him in a coma nearly scared her to death. It wasn¡¯t until later on, as he regained mobility, that she got better. He strictly remembers her admonishing him and warning him to never go to that grove again.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s because of the love and care that I received from her that I quickly integrated into this world.¡± Ren thought absentmindedly.


    It¡¯s been almost a year, and as his fourteenth birthday approaches, he is not only learning more and more about this world but also getting used to it.


    Ren stood up and walked to a small wooden desk. He grabbed a piece of parchment paper and then sat at the desk. He closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. At the next moment, a strange pen appeared in his palm.


    Ren calmly looked at the obsidian black pen filled with golden lines. This could be said to be his ¡®cheat¡¯. This pen appeared in his mind after transmigration, along with a thin black glove.


    Thinking of this, he stretched his palm again and concentrated. The next second, the thin glove appeared, covering his hand.


    ¡°This ability is quite handy.¡± Although this wasn¡¯t the first time he tried this, Ren was still amazed. The fabric of the glove is also quite magical; he doesn¡¯t feel like he is touching anything. It¡¯s as if his hand is still bare.


    He isn¡¯t sure about the origins of these two items, but he¡¯s almost certain about their abilities. After all, he has spent the past year exploring and testing them.


    ¡°This pen and glove will serve as the cornerstone of my rise in this world.¡± Ren held the pen tightly with his gloved hand, his eyes flashing with determination. The nearing guards¡¯ test will serve as his first step towards transcendence.

 Chapter 2 - The Upcoming Guards’ Test

    He has spent the past year learning about his surroundings, this world, and the magical pen and glove that appeared in his mind.


    This is Lonest City under Viscount Bloodhound. It was awarded to him by the King of Azurea for his outstanding accomplishments during the war against the Mistwood principality.


    However, despite being a skilled warrior, Viscount Bloodhound''s ability to govern falls short. During the five years Lonest City came under his rule, living standards have greatly dropped. This can easily be seen from the increasing number of beggars and poor people in the eastern district.


    Even the people living in the western district have had a much harder life in the past few years due to the constantly rising taxes.


    ¡®My mother¡¯s skills might have allowed us to live decently in the past, but life is still getting harder.¡¯


    Ren thought as he twirled the pen in his palm.


    ¡®It¡¯s imperative to participate in the incoming guards'' selection, not only to ease our financial situation but to also start the plan.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t waste the past year playing around. He constantly wandered through Lonest City, gathering information about his surroundings. He also frequented the library quite often, learning to read and write the language of this world. His predecessor left him with a certain knowledge foundation, upon which he built and expanded.


    ¡®All of this is to stand up in this world and master extraordinary power.¡¯


    Through his investigation in the past year, Ren discovered that this is not an ordinary world. He had personally seen a knight under the viscount split a man in half with a wave of his sword. Not only that, the sword wind left an obvious gash on the ground. This happened a few months ago in the eastern district during a small uprising.


    This world has knights that harness the power of battle energy. Truly extraordinary beings with the power to easily destroy an army of hundreds of soldiers.


    In the beginning, Ren planned to join the guards, perform outstandingly, then get selected to join the knights under the viscount and get access to the method of harnessing battle energy, thus becoming a noble knight.


    However¡­


    ¡°Knights and battle energy are no longer of interest to me,¡± Ren muttered with a smile.


    He has a new path to follow¡ªthe path of a wizard.


    Ren looked at the pen with gleaming eyes. The pen and glove that appeared along his transmigration are undoubtedly the cornerstones of his future path as a wizard. He calls them the pen of destiny and the celestial glove.


    These two items are undoubtedly amazing artifacts, especially the pen. With it, he is confident enough to embark on the path of a wizard, even though he is a commoner, and climb to a very high level.


    [Cole Bloodhound]


    Ren wrote this name on the parchment paper using the pen of destiny.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Letting go of the pen, it magically stood on top of the parchment paper, autonomously sliding across the paper and leaving many words behind.


    [Viscount Cole Bloodhound, the lord of Lonest City, walked through the corridors leading to his basement. The usually majestic and cruel lord looked nervous as he approached his basement. He was about to meet with a legendary wizard after all, even though it was only an apprentice.


    But¡­ He doesn¡¯t know this. This is the only wizard the proud noble has ever met, after all.


    He opened the door of the basement and walked in, respectfully greeting the figure in the depths of his castle¡¯s basement. He repeatedly assured the figure that he would order the guards to bring him more prisoners for his experiments, then nervously asked whether the potion for eternal life had been prepared. The wizard¡­]


    Ren grasped the pen, preventing it from writing anything further. He already has enough information about the wizard apprentice and the Viscount. Now, all he needs to do is participate in the guard test in three days.


    ¡®Revelation Script¡¯. This is the name he gave to the ability of the pen of destiny to query information. As long as he writes the name of a person, place, or event, the pen will automatically start writing information about said subject, including past events, present occurrences, personal comments, and possible future events.


    However, this ability is quite draining on the mind. As the pen writes more and more information, Ren will get more and more tired. Moreover, as the pen writes information about subjects that he has no previous knowledge about or that are vastly stronger to him, the mental drain will dramatically increase.


    He¡¯s oftentimes left tired or with a headache after using this ability. Sometimes, when he queries information far beyond his knowledge and reach, he¡¯ll directly faint.


    This is why he directly stopped the pen when it was about to write information about the wizard. He knows enough for now. He needs to enter the castle and gather more information about the wizard, especially his name, before his plan proceeds to the next stage.


    Ren stretched as he stood up. He looked at the setting sun through his window with deep eyes, a slight smile hanging on his face.


    ¡­


    At the same time, in the depths of the Ironfort castle. A red-haired man in a bloodstained black robe was gradually perfecting a mysterious ritual. He ignored the bloodcurdling screams of the man tied to a white bench as he continued to engrave runes on his bones.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    The man¡¯s body suddenly exploded, splattering blood and pieces of flesh on the red-haired man and the surrounding area.


    ¡°Another failure.¡±


    The man muttered as he swiped the blood on his face.


    ¡°But it¡¯s getting close. In one year at most, the ritual will be perfected, and that will be the time for my promotion to a full-fledged wizard.¡±


    The man said with a wide grin on his face, his eyes flashing with madness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to urge that idiotic Viscount to send me more people.¡± Thinking of that daydreaming moron, the man smiled sarcastically. In another year or so, after his plan comes to fruition. That guy will lose his value, and that will be the time to get rid of him.


    ¡°But for now, let¡¯s entertain that idiot.¡± The red-haired man muttered with a smile as he started cleaning the bench. Another guy will be sent here soon, so he needs to prepare to continue the experiment.


    ¡­


    ¡°Honey, did you play with your friends today?¡± Susie asked while looking at her son softly.


    ¡°No, I went to the library, mom. I need to prepare for the guard test.¡±


    Ren said as he drank the soup his mom prepared for him before chewing on a piece of bread. Their expenses have been tight recently, so this is their dinner.


    ¡°Do you have to participate? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Susie looked worriedly at her son. She didn¡¯t want him to follow his father¡¯s path.


    "You''re aware of my decision, Mom, so there''s no need for concern. I¡¯ll be very careful.¡± Ren calmly said.


    His father, or rather, Ren¡¯s father, was a guard. It¡¯s a pity that he died during the hunt for a ferocious beast a few years ago, leaving his predecessor and his mom devastated. This is why his mother was against him becoming a guard.


    Fortunately, he managed to convince her last month. Although he doesn¡¯t want to make this strong and caring woman worried, becoming a guard is vital for his future plans.


    ¡°Sigh¡­ Be careful. Don¡¯t recklessly charge forward like your father. No matter how much glory or merit you get, they¡¯re not as important as your life.¡± Susie sighed, then gently said.


    ¡°I know, Mother, you¡¯ve said it many times, and I don¡¯t want you to always work so hard to support us. I want to be of help to you.¡± Ren solemnly said to his mother.


    Susie looked at her strong and mature son with a look of distress. If she could, she¡¯d rather help her son find a simple and honest job than be a guard like his father, but she knows that she can¡¯t change his decision.


    He has greatly changed since that incident last year. Although she¡¯s gratified with his growth, she¡¯s also distressed that she can¡¯t support her son through these difficult times, so much so that he has to participate in the guards'' test to support them.


    ¡°Be careful, sweetie; no matter what path you choose, your mom will always support you.¡±


    Susie said this as she picked up the dishes and went to clean them.


    ¡°...Thanks, mom.¡± Looking at her back, Ren strengthened his resolve to proceed with his plan. He can¡¯t allow anything to happen to this gentle woman.