The snowstorm was fierce and relentless. Looking out one's window, one could see only snowflakes being tossed around by the cruel, roaring winds. Wesley, head of the mages of Camelot, sat on a table in his messy room. The table was covered in piles of books and the stone floor was carpeted with magic scrolls. There was so much in fact, that barely any floor could be seen.

Knock! Knock! There was a rapping on his door. But that was no surprise. Wesley had requested the presence of one of his apprentices and was sure it was him at his door.

"Hey Derek!" Smiled Wesley as he opened the door. Indeed it was who Wesley was expecting. The mage greeted his apprentice with a smile. In truth, he often spoke to people with a carefree smile. But in truth, the heavy weight of guild tugged on his heart under his happy-go-luck façade.

"H-hi, m-m-aster." Derek said through chittering teeth as he hugged himself for warmth.

"You walked here?" Scoffed Wesley as he rose one eyebrow at his apprentice.

"Y-y-yes. I can't afford a horse."

"Oh, Derek." Sighed Wesley as he buried his face into his palms. "You're my apprentice. You should be able to teleport." Wesley was disappointed in Derek for not being competent enough to teleport by now, but in all honestly Wesley couldn't care less. Derek was about to die at Wesley's hands.

"Sorry, m-master." The man shivered.

"Does anyone else know you're here, Derek?" As Wesley asked this question, his tone suddenly became serious. His face, grim. His dark-green eyes, sinister.

"No." Answered Derek. "Why?"

"If you got lost in the snowstorm no one would have been able to find you." Wesley lied, when in reality he had a much darker reasoning for asking his apprentice the question.

"Oh." Smiled Derek. "Thanks for your concern." His apprenticed smiled. Wesley was staring at Derek, almost as if he was studying him.

"Why did you summon me here?" Derek asked Wesley.

"Oh. I'm glad you asked! Of course, I would have told you anyways. Come in!" Chuckled Wesley. The young apprenticed stepped through the threshold of Wesley's door and entered the room. Little did he know, it would be the place where he draws his final breath.

"Derek," Wesley started as he sat back down on the table of books. "How would you like to ascend?" Wesley rubbed his hands together and grinned a toothy grin. In most cases, it would have looked evil and villainous. But Wesley had a childish look and kind eyes; so it just looked amusing. And to be clear, Wesley was a very kind person. Murderers can be kind, after all.

Derek looked confused. "Ascend? What do you mean?"

"I can make you something greater than human. I've devised a spell that can turn people into something divine! You'll have greater strength, and greater prowess in spells." Wesley's eyes were lit with fiery passion as he talked about this great ascension.

Derek's eyes widened. He was obviously intrigued. And who wouldn't be? Wesley was describing power. And with power comes wealth. You see, Derek was very power-driven. Every thing he had learnt under Wesley's teachings he tried to use to gain power. Usually, Wesley would never accept such a greedy apprentice. He only allowed Derek to study under him because he knew that a power-hungry mage would make a great guinea pig.

"Of course, master! Please, allow me to ascend! Use the spell on me, master!" Derek begged Wesley. His voice trilled with excitement. And as Derek gave him permission Wesley smiled a wicked, toothy grin.

"You made the right choice!" Wesley assured him.

Wesley engulfed his hand in green mana.

"I'm sure you know my magical power by now, Derek." Wesley guessed as he stared at the green energy swirling around his right hand.

"Actually, sir. I don't." Derek admitted, hanging his head slightly with disappointment in himself.

"No worries. It's called RAW MAGIC. It allows me to cast any spell without using materials or preparation. But it uses up more mana than normal. I can turn it on and off, allowing me to control the spells affected by my magical power. Usually, this spell would require a lot of preparation. But thanks to my magical ability I am able to do it rather instantly." Wesley placed his mana-infused index finder on Derek' forehead. As he did so, the mana shifted off his hand and began to surround Derek's scrawny body. As the mana consumed his body, his flesh started to morph and harden. The boy screamed in sheer agony as he fell to the floor kicking and flailing his arms like a ribbon blowing in the wind. 

"Yes, the transformation can be a bit painful. But I wouldn't worry too much." Smiled Wesley, the malice behind his eyes was getting clearer. And it became obvious that Wesley didn't expect his apprentice to leave this room ever again. "Besides, my room was enchanted to be soundproof. So you can scream all you want. You don't bother anyone." Under his smile, and under his evil intentions, there was one more feeling: pity. He felt nothing but pity for the pathetic mage who had nothing to offer to the world. Nothing but a sacrifice for some experiment.

Derek writhed in pain on the ground, kicking and screaming. His white skin was turning into a shade of burgundy. His eyes began to resemble precious stones that no one bothered to cut into gems.

"Be careful with the kicking!" Wesley cautioned him. "You might damage the scrolls on the floor." But Derek didn't hear it. Wesley was staring intently at the poor man, watching the transformation and studying carefully how it was happening.

"So far so good..." He whispered to himself. And just as he said that, Derek- no, this wasn't Derek anymore. The thing Wesley had created stopped moving.

"Oh dear. This might not be so good." Wesley sighed. He knelt down next to the burgundy creature he had made and poked it. 'Is it dead?' Wesley wondered. But then, like a flash of lightning, the creature leaped onto Wesley and tackled him to the ground.

Wesley swore as the beast started clawing at the mage.

"I didn't mean to give it claws!" He yelped. It was the least of his concerns right now, but he was surprised nonetheless.

And then, Wesley's salvation...

Wesley's door swung open, and Arthur stepped into his room.

"Hey, Wesley. I need your help with someth- WHAT IS THAT?" Arthur's lovely voice turned into a panicked cry as he saw the thing attacking his friend.

"It doesn't matter! Just get it off." Wesley screamed as his forearms shielded his face from the thing's merciless claws. Arthur didn't argue. He leapt at the thing and knocked it off Wesley. The king pinned down its arms, but it's legs were still flailing.

"Thanks, Arthur! I owe you one." Smiled Wesley as he placed his hand on the creature's face.

"Don't mention it!" Arthur said. His voice was strained as he focused his strength into keeping the thing down. Wesley once again infused his hand with mana. For the second and final time he sent the mana into the creature's body. The creature's arms stopped struggling. And it's legs stopped kicking. It's limbs fell to the ground and it's body went limp.

"Is- is it dead?" Arthur asked Wesley, his violet eyes wide with wonder.

"God, no!" Wesley laughed. "No magic can cause something to die just like that. I simply put it to sleep."

"What was that thing?" Arthur asked as he stared at the monstrous abomination in front of him. "Did you make it?" Those last four words pierced Wesley like a spear. Arthur was more intuitive than he guessed. 'Or could it be more than simple intuition?' Wesley wondered.

"No." Lied Wesley. "My apprentice was visiting me, and all of a sudden he just turned into this thing! He must have tried a dangerous spell before coming here. Honestly, I've never seen anything like it."

"I'm just glad you're alright." Arthur said with a warm smile. His pretty eyes stared into Wesley's. And for a brief moment, Wesley could have sworn that the king's eyes were filled with love and affection as they looked at him.

"Hey, Wesley." Said Arthur as he looked around Wesley's room.

"Hm?"

"This is where you sleep, right?" Arthur asked.

"Well, yes. But I don't really have a bed. Just books and scrolls."

"That simply won't do!" Declared Arthur. "You're a court-mage. You need to get a good night's rest every night."

"But I don't have a bed-" Repeated Wesley.

"You can sleep with me!" Arthur smiled.

"I'll go buy a sleeping bag!" Cheered Wesley. "Thank you so much!"

Arthur looked a bit sad. "Oh, I meant in my bed." Started Arthur. He was blushing slightly. "You know, because they're more comfortable. But if you want to sleep in a sleeping ba-"

Wesley's eyes widened and his face turned as red as a tomato. Arthur, who Wesley thought was the most handsome person he'd ever seen, just said they could share a bed!

"No, no! I'd love to sleep in your bed even more! Sleeping bags are uncomfortable anyways!" Beamed the mage.

"Wonderful!"

"King Arthur!" Bellowed a palace guard as he knocked on the door. "A regiment of Holy Knights was attacked by vicious, burgundy, unidentified creatures. What are your orders?"

Arthur and Wesley looked at each other and exchanged nervous looks. But only Wesley knew the truth. They must have been created by his cult in Liones.

"Enter the room, guard." Ordered Wesley. The guard opened the door and stepped in.

"You mean like this?" Wesley asked as he pointed to the monster that was sleeping on his floor.

"That's it!" Cried the guard. "That's one of the things!"

"Hand me your sword, sir." Wesley ordered. And the guard did so. Using the sword, Wesley cut off the creature's head, then gave the sword back to the guard.

"There's one more thing, your majesty." The guard added, turning to the king.

"Hm?" Arthur responded.

"Around a hundred are heading for Camelot!"