Chapter Text
“Shall we get started, or are you just wasting my time?” Could you really blame him? Though you were still starstruck that all of this was real, it was hard to process.
“Oh! Yeah uh, with what?” You snapped yourself out of your gaze. You adjust yourself and follow master to a more private area. To hell with all those people staring, the roles may be reversed, but who would pass up an opportunity like this? In fact, thinking about it now, you don't remember what maxim looked like. Who knows how much you grew, he could be a short guy. God forbid if he was tall, you'd feel like shit for talking down to him.
The two of you eventually reached a dark alley. The same one that no one goes in except for some staff members, and it gives you chills every time. Maxim looked around as thoughts were running through his mind, either contemplating how training would work or attacking the tiny bird watching us. That cat side is really showing.
“In order for this to work... I'll need you to..” He muttered the last bits that you couldn't hear.
“What was that?” You asked wanting to know his request.
“Hmm …” He mumbles again, tail flowing between his legs and keeping his eyes off you.
“M-maxim, what do you need me to do?” For a minute you were going to call him ‘master’, but it still felt weird. Besides, you liked his name, he really spoke power.
“...hold me or get in some sort of physical contact with me...” you couldn't believe it. He was too embarrassed to ask to be held. Maybe this is how magic works.
“That's it? Seems easy enough.” Cautiously, you pick him up not wanting to disturb him too much. His fur was so soft and fluffy, you hoped he was unable to hear your heartbeat quicken.
“Don't get used to this, I won’t condone this much unwanted contact” he said sounding grumpy, he had no idea how badly you wanted to continue holding him. You could cry over how cute he is when when crabby.
Maxim took his mind off you and performed his spell. In the blink of an eye, the two of you appeared in an abandoned library. Or at least it looked like one since there are books everywhere that seemed like they haven't been touched in almost decades. It was dark, barely any light except for some old bulbs. Maxim hops out of your arms, giving your new training grounds some more light. It helped you get a better view, it was oddly spacious.
“Here we are our domain”
“Woahh, so no one will find us here?” What kind of question was that? You mentally slap yourself, that's the whole point of an ‘abandoned hideout’.
“Precisely.” he sighs annoyingly. Maybe he also knew it was a stupid question.
Maxim leads you to the center of the library, where there was mostly more open space. He holds his front paw out signaling you to stop. It was clear to tell how dirty this place was. Even in the way maxim walks he'd stomp his paws around to remove dirt from himself. At a certain point, he came to a dilemma that he wasn't sure about asking for. His hind legs shove some dust around, figuring out how the trial would continue.
From the looks of maxim's posture, he's going to regret what he’ll do now.
“Um, what are doing-” before your question could be answered, his tail is firmly placed on the ground and runs in a circle. The trail from them are dusted away with maximum's tail, he created a surprisingly perfect circle.
He was done. His face grimaced in disgust, feeling pebbles and dirt in his tail. That quickly faded when he went back to you and rubbed his tail against your leg. Damn he really thought little of you.
“This is the Merlin Circle. It focuses your energy. Helps you master new spells. It is where you will learn the Art. Step inside, you leave everything else behind. Once you enter, there is no going back.”
You look at the circle hesitantly. It didn't look like anything much, but in order to help maxim and learn the impossible, you were willing to do it. You took a careful step over the circle and stood in the center. The outline burst into blue flames, startling you. Your master didn't seem too worried, so this was most likely part help the ritual.
His eyes glow a brighter blue.
“I am Maxim Horvath, sorcerer of the 777th degree, and you are my apprentice.”
He notices your eyes fall to your ring you held on to, it to started to glow too.
“Your ring is not a piece of jewelry. It projects the electrical energy of your nervous system into the physical world. Without his ring, a sorcerer is powerless.”
The flames grew hotter making sure you stayed in the circle. Suddenly a tight hold forms around your throat. The circle began to die down along with the pressure in your neck. It didn't hurt, it was just unexpected.
“What was that?” you ask while rubbing your neck. It almost felt like someone's hand was on it.
“We are now bonded, that strain you felt was me. Meaning you will be bounded to me until you've learned everything as my apprentice”
Everything? They must have taken him many years to master a lot of magic you.
“So, what now?”
Horvath's ears perk up remembering something important. “Before we begin, I need to hand you something.”
“With what hands?” You couldn't help yourself and laugh at your own joke. If he were human right now, his unamused face would have looked more threatening. Now it makes them look cute. “Watch yourself y/n, I might look vulnerable now, but I still have some magic left.” He hisses. You laugh at yourself knowing you'll regret it later when he becomes human again. Horvath hovers his left paw and moves in a circular motion over the ground. Before your eyes, a large and rather old looking book appears beneath his drifting paw.
“This here will introduce you to the spells I will be teaching you, perhaps more. Study it and teaching you will be a lot easier for me” he shoves the book towards you. you were about to lift it until you realized how heavy it was. It was like college all over again, carrying five textbooks all at once. “But what about you? When will we meet again?” You asked while still struggling to hold the book. “Soon, I have business to take care of. I'm holding you responsible for learning these spells.”
He sways past you, not letting a single fur touch you. To your assumption, he's probably not comfortable being small and feral though still prides himself highly. “Let me make this clear, I have high expectations for you.” Those were the last words he traded before prancing away on his delicate paws. With Horvath gone again, you headed back to campus. Surprisingly enough you were only a few minutes away from campus. Turns out the hideout wasn't just the library, it was the basement. No one will ever find anything there.
The group who interacted with your master first must’ve given you a weird look. Honestly you blame them, after all you did talk to a cat. Part of you almost believed that he wasn't going to return anytime soon. Though after everything, anything is possible.
For the rest of the day, you spent your time reading upon magic you were requested to study. The best part was no one could bother you. A lot of students are more for party goers, thankfully you blended in as a bookworm. There were all sorts of spells that you skimmed through, hell you didn't know that wild magic was a thing. Looking through a certain angle, isn't that what maxim would use? It only makes sense since he’s shaped as a fuzzy feline.
Later on the sun began to set, you decided it was time to head back to your dorm. If you were lucky, clay wouldn't be there completely trashed. Hopefully at another party for some stupid reason. To your surprise, he was there just asleep. A sigh of relief exits your lungs while still Having the book snaked in your arms. Those 10 years can match up to now. You placed the book on the floor, covering it in a pile of clothes to not raise any suspicion. Depending on how tomorrow is, you will continue to study more spells. Nothing has happened, you only glimpsed through how to cast a spell. There was no action taken, meaning you have accomplished nothing.
You quickly changed into another set of comfortable clothes being a tank top and shorts. As comfortable as your previous clothes were, you had more dignity then sleeping in a dusty and probably fur covered hoodie. The sound of soft breathing was audible over the silence. That was a lot better than hearing constant nonsense from overbearing students. You slipped into the sheets, sinking into the mattress comfortably. It wasn't that you were tired, it just gave you some time to think.
‘I barely remember them. I hope I don't fail him’ your thoughts ran, those slowly feeding is your eyes grew tired.
‘What was next for me? How much longer am I going to be here alone, one of the only people who knows magic is real?’ Relaxation flows over your body, in an almost paralyzing way. So many questions but so little answers.
The night takes effect and puts you into a soft slumber. Tomorrow will be another day.