Clash of Civilizations

"What requirements? Go ahead," Apophis said, his face alight with excitement.

"We'll teach you a few minor spells first. Then we'll judge whether to continue teaching you based on how well you learn and how you conduct yourselves after gaining power."

"After all, our actions may have an indelible impact on your society."

"I understand. I believe my people will pass the test."

"Good. Go back and select the candidates now."

"What are the requirements for the candidates?"

"They need to be children between six and ten. Shamans need to have a devout faith in the elements, but mages have no such requirement."

"Mages, then. We've already devoted our faith to Tyr, though he's completely gone now."

"If you had faith in the elements, you'd surely make a fine Shaman."

"I'll go select the candidates now. Where will the teaching take place?" Apophis asked with a laugh.

"Bring them here after sunrise, then come back for them in the evening."

"All right. Our clan will provide everything you need for food and daily life while you're here, as tuition for teaching them," Apophis said, patting his chest.

"Won't that cause trouble for your clan? Your clan's daily harvest is limited."

"It's fine. We can't let you teach us magic for nothing," Apophis said seriously.

"How about this? We'll help you establish farms and pastures to ease your food needs, and you can draw us a map of the area as payment."

Apophis thought for a moment, then said, "All right!"

"Good. Go select the candidates according to the requirements and bring them here. We'll check whether they have the talent to become mages, then classes will start tomorrow."

"Understood. Thank you again, my brother." Apophis gave Jarod a hug.

The sudden embrace left Jarod a little dumbfounded.

"All right, all right. Go select the candidates now. The sooner we settle on them, the sooner we can move on to the next step."

Hearing Jarod's words, Apophis hurriedly said goodbye, then ran quickly toward the clan's home with the guards he had brought.

The excitement on their faces lingered for a long time.

Time passed quickly, and before long Apophis and his group had returned to their village.

He immediately summoned his trusted followers and the respected elders of the clan.

At Apophis's residence, the largest building in the village.

A crowd gathered together.

"What did you call us here for, Apophis?" asked the former clan chief, the most respected elder in the clan.

"I've gathered everyone here to discuss an important matter with you," Apophis said, suppressing his excitement.

"What is it? Look at you, so excited. You hardly look like a chief." The old chief took a sip of water and spoke slowly.

"My brother, the elf Jarod, said he could teach us magic." After Apophis said this, everyone present froze.

Crack. The old chief crushed the cup in his hand, and everyone turned to look at him.

"What are you all staring at? I just wanted to see if my strength had weakened."

"All right, the chief is still speaking. Keep listening." The old chief took out a cloth and began wiping his hand.

"All right, I'll continue."

"Gather the clan's children between six and ten years old. I'll take them to Jarod to test whether they have the potential to become mages."

"Of course, there's a price."

"What price?" the old chief asked.

"We have to provide everything they need for daily life," Apophis said, rubbing his nose.

"Did he ask for that?" The old chief was somewhat agitated, and his voice trembled a little.

"Ahem, I suggested it. He hadn't asked for anything, and I felt a little bad about it."

Apophis rubbed his head as he spoke.

The old chief couldn't hold back anymore. He threw the cloth he had been wiping his hand with into Apophis's face.

"Don't you have any sense?"

"Don't you know what state your own tribe is in?!" Thanks to having been a powerful warrior in his youth, the old chief was still very robust in his old age.

"You just agree to whatever anyone says. As chief, you don't even know when you should speak and when you shouldn't. Do you know them? Did you sell yourself out just because you fought one battle together?"

The old chief strode up to Apophis and punched him straight in the stomach. The blow was so powerful that Apophis dropped to his knees, clutching his belly. But the old chief wasn't finished; he pressed Apophis down onto the table.

The old chief's hands were like a pair of iron pincers, pinning Apophis firmly to the table. He was completely different from his usual sickly self.

"Wait, wait, wait. Let go first; I haven't finished," Apophis said, pinned to the table. He didn't dare move now, but if he didn't, the old chief's iron-pincer-like arms were going to choke him to death.

"Go on, talk! If you can't give me a proper explanation today, you can get ready to stay right here!" The furious old chief was like an enraged lion, and the aura he gave off stunned everyone.

Everyone else sat in neat rows like well-behaved children, listening to the old chief lecture him.

"Loosen up a little first. I can hardly breathe," Apophis said, his face gradually turning red as he patted the old chief's hand.

"Go on, then." The old chief let go, giving Apophis a moment to catch his breath.

"You're as formidable as ever," Apophis said, rubbing his neck.

"Don't try to laugh it off. Get to the point," the old chief said, giving Apophis a kick.

"They said they'd help us establish farms and pastures to ease the pressure on our food supply," Apophis hurriedly said. That kick just now had been very hard.

"I fully agree with everything Brother Jarod does. He would never cheat us."

The old chief spoke with a perfectly serious expression, showing none of his earlier demeanor.

"Old Chief, we can't trust a stranger who's only been through one life-and-death battle with us."

A young warrior spoke in a mocking tone, making no attempt to hide the amusement in his eyes.

"Did I ever say that? I've always trusted Brother Jarod." Everyone turned to look at the old chief.

With everyone looking at him, the old chief couldn't keep a straight face anymore.

"Brother Jarod and I are as close as brothers!" After saying that, the old chief even gave an excited little jump.

Watching the old chief clown around, everyone burst out laughing.

"All right, stop making fun of the old chief. Go gather the clan's children who are old enough. I'll take them to be tested. The sooner we go, the sooner we'll be back."

Hearing the chief's orders, everyone set to work gathering the children who were old enough.