Legacy of Forgotten Times 150 A Spectacle of Sword and Ice

"I am Maxwell the Great and this is my assistant, Lucas the Whimsical. Now, get your hearts ready for a spectacle of Sword and Ice!"

Luke didn't like the way Linri called him so he grabbed the microphone from Linri's hands.

"As my assistant said, tonight there is going to be wonders, miracles and, most importantly, magic!"

 Linri was surprised. Luke was normally a man of few words and it was usually hard to get him to say anything. I mean yeah, in the club this was exactly how he talked during the magic show, but he didn't expect he would do it again now. Also, did he just call him his assistant? Linri took back the microphone.

"Now, for our first show, my assistant will show you the true meaning of finesse and marksmanship!"

One of the guys from the backstage brought a big red target. The drumroll started.

*Bdum* *Bdum* *Bdum*

Luke materialised three knives and all of them hit the bullseye without missing.

"Amazing, right!?... Yeah, I didn't think it was that amazing either, so how about we do something a little bit harder?"

Linri started to stroll around the stage while trying to hype the audience.

This time the support crew came and set down two more targets. They were on opposite sides, creating a big triangle with the first one. The drumroll came again.

*Bdum* *Bdum* *Bdum*

Luke created six knives and threw three of them into the air. They didn't seem to be going anywhere near the targets before he got ready and took his position as they started to fall down slowly. Just when they were halfway down, Luke threw the other three knives and hit them in the back. The knives changed direction in mid-air and all six of them hit the bullseye, two on each target!

"WOOOOOOO!!!!!" The audience went wild and started to clap their hands while getting up from their chairs. It really was amazing to see that in real life. Just how could he aim so well?... Of course, they were ignoring the fact that his knives came out of thin air: it should be a sleight of hand thing, right?

Luke bowed towards the audience with a foot in the back, looking elegant before he came and grabbed the microphone from Linri's hands.

"You were impressed by that? It was just the opening act and we have so much more in store for you! Now, it's my assistant's turn to amaze you with the wonders of ice!"

Linri showed both his hand to the audience front and back, then he rolled up his sleeves before opening his mouth to show there was nothing inside either. Only after that did he lift his head and look at the ceiling while opening his mouth as wide as he could. He reached his hand in and slowly pulled out a sword made of ice. It looked like a beautiful artwork made up of crystal.

He walked towards one of the big red targets and slashed it in half!

That wasn't all. He looked at the sword and seemed unsatisfied with it as he tapped his foot a couple of times, seemingly pondering something, then a light bulb appeared on top of his head. He held the sword by both ends, showing it to the audience before he started slowly pressing it inwards. The sword was shrinking little by little before, finally, he closed his palms. When he opened his hands again there was a rose made up of ice sitting in his palm.

"A beautiful rose for a beautiful lady," Linri said while giving it to one of the cuter girls sitting in the front row. The girl blushed and took the rose as he went back on stage and grabbed the microphone from Luke's hands.

"How was it? I guess we all know who is the main attraction tonight, am I right?" Linri said while pointing at himself. 

"Hey!" Luke said and slapped Linri on the head. Linri's hat fell down, but Luke caught it.

He was about to give it back, but instead he stopped. He looked at the hat, then at Linri and then to the hat again before he thrust his hand into the hat and pulled out a giant buster sword! 

Linri looked surprised as he grabbed back the hat. He did look inside, but it was empty. He turned the hat and shook it, but nothing fell down, so he thrust his hand tried to pull something out. He struggled and struggled, but, whatever it was, it was refusing to come out.

"A little help, please?" Linri asked and Luke grabbed Linri's waist, helping him pull that thing out. However, even so they failed and both fell down.

"Okay, that's it, mister! If you are not coming out no dinner for you tonight!" Linri shouted at the hat now which was sitting on the ground upside down.

A paw made of ice peeked out of the hat and slowly came out. It was a husky! Even though it was an ice sculpture, it seemed so real! It even walked to Linri and gave him the puppy eyes.

"Fine, you can still have dinner," Linri said while rolling his eyes.

The crowd went wild! They couldn't believe their eyes. Was that thing really alive? If so, how could they see through it?

"Seems like you guys liked my assistant's little tricks! If so, how about we make it snow inside for our last trick?" Luke said and gave Linri the signal.

Linri started to shoot icicles up into the audience and Luke slashed them into pieces with the knives he threw. They were slashed so thinly that they looked like little snowflakes.

Everyone was amazed by the sight, looking at the snow in wonder. However, when they looked at the stage again, the magicians had disappeared! Was this the famous invisibility trick?

Even the goons did not notice when they left and, by the time they did, those two were gone. They did find Izaya(?) with a giant bruise in his eye passed out next to an open exit door.

---

"What did I tell you? That was fun, right?" Linri said as he started to count the money. Before they left they didn't only kick Izaya's(?) ass, but had also taken his wallet.

"Yes, it was," Luke nodded his head.

"Want to do it again sometime in the future?"

"Yes, but this time you will be assistant," Luke said.

"Heck no! I am the one with the cool Fire and Ice powers. You are the knife guy, so, of course, you are the assistant."

"Is it too late to add a William Tell trick to our repertoire?"

"Ugh. Anyway, you seemed really into it back there. Could it be possible that this was not the first time you did a magic show?" Linri tried to change the subject. There was no way that he was going to volunteer to be his target.

"It was the first."

"Then why did you seem like a fish in water?"

"My little sister liked magic shows. In my hometown, there was a guy who always hosted one every weekend and we would go to watch it together."

That was new. Linri did not know Luke's backstory had this sort of side to it. Since he was a merc, Linri always assumed he was just another orphan.

"Aw, that's too bad. then! I am pretty sure she would have liked our little show."

Luke smiled for the first time Linri had met him.

"Yes, she would."

"So how old is she?"

"13."

"That pretty old! I thought there would have been more of an age difference. Wasn't it hard to grow up with someone so close to your age? I am pretty sure you must have had countless fights."

"Yeah, we had…" Luke sounded melancholic.

Oh, no…

"Luke? Don't tell me… is she…?"

"Yes"

Linri kept his silence. At this point, it wouldn't really amount to much if he said sorry. Sometimes, Linri had trouble remembering that these guys had lives outside of what was mentioned in their backstories: for example, Linri always assumed Luke had no family since he was a merc. However, it turns out he had a little sister who passed away.

"How?" Linri could not help but ask.

"Cancer. That was why I became a mercenary, to pay for her medical bills, but unfortunately, even if you are the richest man alive in the world, some people just can't be saved."

"That's rough, buddy," Linri put his hand on Luke's shoulder.

"What about your parents?"

"We still talk... sometimes. They didn't approve of what I did to get money for her. They are musicians, so we were always poor growing up"

"So why do you still do it? You don't have a reason to work in this line of job anymore, no?"

"Somebody has to feed them because they sure as hell can't feed themselves," Luke answered angrily. Oookay, his parents were a landmine. Noted.

"You know... anyway, forget it. See you at school man. It was a fun day," Linri said.

"Same," said Luke while going towards his own room.

Chapter end