Angus had finished up repairs for the day on the front of the house and then he headed to his workshop at the back of the house. James had made himself and his father two beef sandwiches and two bottles of butter beer and carried them out to Angus on a large platter.
Angus’s workshop used to be a barn he had later converted into armor and workshop to build his weapons. The large doors were open as Angus stood by his work desk cleaning his weapon. Angus had on a leather apron and a genuine smile on his face as he saw his son.
“Hello. Sandwiches on your birthday for your old man. You must have something big to ask me.” He said with a grin. He took one of the sandwiches when James offered it to him and bite into it and nodded his thanks to his son.
“Alright son. What’s on your mind?” Angus said after finishing his sandwich in four bites and opening his bottle of butter beer.
James smiled. “Several things. I got questions though before I ask you.”
Angus shook his head. “Just ask me. It’s the happiest day of my life. So take advantage of the situation.” He said.
James nodded. “Okay. Ah. I want to become as powerful as you are. Can I be your apprentice?” He asked.
Angus put his bottle down and grabbed his son in a tight bear hug and patted his back. “You just made my day even brighter. Of course. Of course. It would be my honor to teach you my craft.” He said and pulled away to grin at his son. “Okay. Give me your questions.”
James stared at his father. “That’s it?”
Angus nodded. “Yeah. That’s it. We’ll get started today and by the time you reach my age you’ll be stronger then your old man when I become a gray beard. Go head ahead ask me your questions. I’m all game for answering you if I can.” He said with a chuckle.
James very much doubted that he would be stronger then his father when Angus advanced to a gray beard in power. Though he was smart enough not to say it. He smiled. “Why did you stop using your wand?”
Angus lost a bit of the light in his eyes at the question but he nodded. “I had a wand at one point when I was a wizard. I’m a magi now and my profession is weapons smith.”
James frowned. “Was? Dad you still are a wizard. I saw you use magic.”
Angus shrugged leaning back against his work desk and crossing his muscled arms across his broad chest. “I’m an American magi now but to answer you question I lost it in a duel. So I had to figure out another way of living. I traveled around spent some time in the wuxia and got a part time job here from an old soldier friend of mean.”
“The Wuxia?” James frowned tapping a finger to his chin. “I know that name from somewhere but I can’t remember. Who are they?“
Angus sighed. “The wizards of the far east as western Wizards call them. Wuixa is their proper name. They taught me a bit of the ancient ways before I came here and my friend helped me buy my ranch and get some employment going to start my weapons repair, trade and customizing business. Anymore questions.”
James pursed his lips. Angus snorted in laughter. “Come on son. Give them to me.”
James grinned. “Okay. Obvious question why didn’t you get a new wand?”
Angus sighed shrugging his shoulders. “Once a wizard loses his wand well you know.” He said shaking his head.
“Buying or winning a new wand isn’t the same. Wand chooses the wizard. So I had to let it go and search for another means of making magical contract of channeling.” He said and then picked up his butter beer to take another drink.
James frowned and studied his father. “What do you mean by magical contract of channeling?”
Angus held out his hand. “Can I see your wand for a bit. I’m not claiming it and this is not a duel.” He said.
James frowned at him but he took out his wand and passed it over to his father. James felt the wand come alive in Angus’ hand.
“Easy now. Calm down. I just want to teach your master a bit of knowledge. I don’t need your kind. The peacemaker chose me.” Angus said.
James stared as he realized Angus was talking to the wand. “Dad.”
Angus held up a finger. “You feel it don’t you. That easy feeling the wand is having just being held in my grasp. Have you ever let any of your girlfriends at school hold your wand?”
I shook my head. “No and I don’t have girlfriends I just have girls I’ve been interested in before. One my friends and professor Longbottom have held my wand before. It never reacted like this. Can I have my wand back?”
Angus handed it back to him with a nod of his head. “That was another issue for why I don’t use wands anymore. A funny thing. Wands know I don’t need them anymore. Anymore questions though.”
James started to shake his head but looked at the hybrid weapon on the work desk. “What is that?”
Angus glanced at his weapon. “Looks like a mogul weapon of war to me. It’s a engineered copy of a non-magical weapon. I call it 1911SC or the peacemaker for short.”
James shook his head. “It’s not just a simple copy of non-magi weaponry is it?” He said and started to reach for weapon as it glowed ruby red but Angus caught his wrist stopping James from touching it. He looked at his father.
Angus shook his head. “Your right. The peacemaker isn’t non-magi at all and neither is it a wizard kind hybrid. Remember the wand chooses the wizard. The reverse is true for this weapon. The magi chooses the peacemaker but it’s a mutual partnership. Do you wish to be a great powerful wizard?”
“Yes. I do. I’ll do whatever it take to achieve my goals. I must become a great wizard.” James said.
Angus smiled and quickly picked up his weapon and holstered it at his side. “Good. I can teach you what I’ve learned and help you become a great wizard.”
James picked up his sandwich and took two large bits from it suddenly feeling very hungry all of a sudden. A question suddenly came to him as Angus grinned at him.
“Are you a wuxia master? What is the far east magical world like?”
Angus’ pursed lips shook with held back laughter. “It is a wonderful place. I am not a master by any means it would take me well over a hundred years before I achieved the level of my former master Zhao Chen. If you do well in your training over next six months then I will take you to see Chen and do a bit of exploring in the hidden temple in the hidden forest. Is there anymore questions you got because I got two questions for you now.”
James had dozens or so questions swimming in his head but he wasn’t in rush now. He was free from school now and he had time to ask his father as many questions as he wanted. “I have dozens more questions but you can ask me your questions.”
Angus nodded. “So ah you got a girl your interested in?”
James chewed on his food a little before speaking. “Ah yeah. I talked my marriage plans over with mom and sense it is important event for the family to decide for myself-”
“So you do have a girl?” Angus said.
James flinched back frowned. “I didn’t say that.”
Angus chuckled. “I heard the sub text in the middle James. I was your age. I knew your mother was the one for me in 2nd year. I never let up until she accepted the fact. Okay you don’t have to tell me who she is yet. No. Don’t lie. I know when your about to lie. Second question what are you going to do for a living?”
James pursed his lips. “I plan to gain power like you and I have political aspirations to become the president.”
Angus nodded. “Continue.”
“I’m going to work for mom in her company in her magical spell engineering in between my training with you and my drive to gain power both politically and martially.”
Angus held up a finger. “Always remember son. Whether you choose to marry your girl or the one your mother chooses it just ain’t going to be a simple thing for you. I understand your reasons for keeping her hidden but eventually you’ll have to tell your mother. Two, I expect you to do your best while working for your mother. Don’t coast by on your ass or what your great great grandfather did. Do your best. Make your own legend. Three, you go for political power you have no friends but your family. One slip up and it’s over. So be sure of what you want. Position means nothing if the power behind the position isn’t yours by right. No one can give you power.”
James nodded. “Mother says you will be the most powerful wizard in the following decades when you come into your full power. Is this true?”
Angus shrugged. “I don’t know what will happen in the future. There are many powerful wizards and magi in the world.”
“Are you one of them?” James pushed.
“Yes.” Angus answered.
“Why aren’t you the president then? Why haven’t you taken control over America?” James asked.
“I don’t need the position. I already have power.” Angus said and stared at his son. “Power is power. No position can grant you that. You to have power first. It cost me a high price to learn what my father and brothers failed to learn. I’m telling you this now so that when someone comes to you and offers you a devil’s bargain for your soul you will know the proper response.”
