As if sensing someone, the old man hunched over the workbench stood up straight and turned to Alec.
"Awake already? Disgusting cur."
Alec glared at Shim.
"Isn't it just that you suck at putting people to sleep, fucking bastard?" Alec shot back.
Shim answered by firing a magic missile at Alec's bare chest. Alec was a little surprised by the casting speed of a teacher, but he still tried to throw up a barrier to defend himself.
The magic missile struck him right in his torso, eroding skin and burning his flesh slightly.
Alec felt the pain. But he was more concerned about the fact that his mana didn't respond to him. It refused to budge.
"Freak." Shim snorted. A magic missile should have done a lot more damage than that. A normal, dignified person would have felt enough pain to make them curl up and cry out in pain. Only a freak would wince and look at the shackles instead.
"Don't even think about trying anything stupid. Those shackles—"
