Revived: The Archmage's Return to the Urban World

Chapter 11

“Why were you there? How did you know that there will be an encounter in that place?”  Jake questioned Mabelle as he stirred his coffee. 

“I have my assets. They tell me where there is a scoop, and by chance, that time, it was about the operation of the gang that you encountered. And I saw everything that happened,” the woman replied.

Jake exhaled and stretched his neck from left to right. Then he sighed loudly. “Alright. I don't have any choice but to believe that, do I? Now, what about your brother?”

The woman looked down at her hands, which were on her lap. Her eyes began to well up with tears. 

“My younger brother used to work for the Smithsons Pharmaceutical Company. He was an all around employee working for the CEO. But then, he discovered a secret deal concerning an illegal enhancement drug. And he was hunted because of that,” Mabelle narrated. “They thought he would expose that to the public.”

“Then what does that have to do with magic?”

Mabelle looked him in the eyes. "I saw it. I witnessed his death. The man who murdered him opened a dark portal, and a huge black wolf with two heads emerged and gnawed at my brother's body until nothing was left." Then tears started to fall from her eyes.

Jake’s face stiffened. He couldn’t believe there was someone in that world that could use that high level magic.

“Did you see the face of that man? Or perhaps you have a picture of him?” Jake asked while keenly looking at the woman. “I need to see his face.” 

Mabelled paused for a while and looked at him. “Why did you suddenly become so interested?” 

Jake gazed at the woman and tilted his head, then took a sip from his cup. “You want me to help you catch your brother’s murderer, of course I would like to see his face.”

“But you can just easily decline, and black mail me to stop,” Mabelle replied. “And it seems that you’re more interested to know that man who murdered, than to help me.”

Jake took another sip of coffee then he started to laugh without a sound. “Have you talked to the police about this?” 

“Yes. But they just laughed at me. Telling me that I am insane.”

“Of course!” Jake commented while laughing. “Alright, let’s say you’re telling me the truth here, if so, then this place would be in serious danger.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t tell you now,” Jake answered. “I want to know first if you’re telling the truth. Bring me to that man. And I will help you afterwards.”

Mabelled smiled. Her eyes were still teary. “No. You work on my terms. Tell me everything you know, or I’ll expose your photos to the public. Oh! I even have a video! People will learn about you and I’ll do my best with my ability to ruin your name and this company.”

Jake burst out laughing while holding his stomach. He stood up and went behind Mabelle. “I think you don’t understand something here,” he said, then he brought his mouth near the woman’s right ear. “I bet you can’t move now.”

Mabelle started to cry. “What did you do? Why can’t I move my body?!”

“Relax. I am just showing you a bit of what I can do,” Jake replied with a smile then he put his hand on the woman’s right shoulder. “Actually, I could put you to sleep, and I was about to. Until you told me about the one who killed your brother. Now, you work on my terms, or say goodbye to your memories?”

“No. Please!” Mabelle pleaded. “Okay. I’ll work on your terms!”

“Good!” Jake then released the spell and Mabelle was able to move again. “This is actually a win-win deal for you. You’ll get revenge on your brother’s killer, and you can save the world. Now Ms. Journalist, tell me all the information you have about that man.”

Mabelle rummaged inside her bag and took a handkerchief to wipe the tears on her cheeks. Her hands were still shaky as she continued to look for something inside her bag. 

“Don’t be scared. I don’t kill people,” Jake said trying to calm her down. “You saw me fight, did you see me kill someone?” 

Mabelle shook her head, then pulled out two photos from her bag and put it on the table. Jake moved to her side and took a look at the pictures. There, a tall , bald, tanned-skinned man in black hoodie was seen eating in a cafe.

“He is Andrew Edison,” Mabelle started. “He is the one who killed my brother. I have followed him since that day, and I saw this.” She pointed at the other picture and there Jake saw Andrew talking with Anthony Smith.”

But that wasn't the only thing that piqued his interest. In the photo, Anthony was carrying an old book that he was quite familiar with. He examined the image more closely, which verified his suspicions.  It was the book where he learned about the Aetherlock. The mystical book of knowledge passed down to heroes and kings of Eldramoria— the Eldratome.

“Why is that book here? What in the world is going on?” he mumbled to himself then he glanced at the Aetherlock. “Why does Anthony work with wizards? And why is there a mage here?”

“I-I’m sorry? Were you saying something?” Mabelle asked while looking at him. 

But he didn’t answer. He just smiled and sat beside the journalist. “Where can I find that man?” he asked.

“He is moving around,” Mabelle answered right away. “But he always hangs out in a bar in the outskirts of the city. He goes there every Monday and Fridays, and on Sundays, he sometimes meet a person from the Smithsons.”

Jake nodded while looking at the table. “Okay. I’ll help you out. Just give me all the information you have. And no telling about this to the public and don’t ask too much. Is that clear?”

“Alright.”

Jake requested for a business card, which Mabelle quickly provided. After saying his goodbyes, he left the woman and went in search of his father, who, according to the maid, was in his office on the 2nd floor.

He went there and knocked on the door.

“Who’s there?” his father asked from inside the room.

“It’s me Jake.”

“Come in,” he father responded.

He walked inside the room. His father was seated in front of a work table full of documents and other items, working on a laptop. He stood in front of it. 

“Did you miss your room?” the old man asked. Then he stopped typing to face Jake. 

“I am not here for that,” he quickly responded. “Listen. Please allow me to talk to Anthony Smith.”

His father paused for a while. “If this is about what happened to Caroline, you’d rather stop. We don’t have evidence. And the man who knew everything suddenly died in front of us. He even gave us a hard time disposing his body.”

Jake put his hands on the table and brought his face near his father’s. “I don’t care,” he said while staring at his old man’s eyes. “Announce me as the CEO as soon as possible and let me handle this problem with the Smithsons.”

“Okay. But you have to remember that I still don’t trust you,” the old man said before standing up to get some whiskey. “I don’t know what happened to you, but I’ll give you a chance. Blow this away and you’re done. I hate cleaning other people’s mess.”

“I am not here to gain your trust. I am here to get what I am supposed to have and to do what I supposed to do,” Jake replied.

“Then do it. Prove to me that you should have my wealth, power, and influence.”

Jake nodded and exited the office. He had a lot on his mind and was having trouble keeping his calm. He just wanted to have a nice life now that he was back in his own world, a life that was different from the miserable one he lived before. But that wasn't his only concern now; he was curious as to how and why strong mages had suddenly appeared in his own world.