It was a hot afternoon and the sun was at its peak. Birds were chirping, looking for food, flocks flying around. One could hear the voice of the forest if one just stood still and stayed silent. Being summer, the animals, predators and prey alike, were cooling themselves down. Some under tree shade some in a stream of cold and pleasant water.

Time to time, the wind blew through the jungle; rustling the leaves. It had a warm temperature but it was still much needed in this hot climate.

Suddenly a tremor ran through the forest starting the birds and the animals. A big gash appeared in the air seemingly tearing apart space itself. The gash healed very soon but left a human body behind as its reminder. The body lay there for quite a while as if it was dead.

After a while, it twitched a little and moved its finger, confirming it was only unconscious and not dead.

Ugh… What happened? Where am I?

Ahh! My head!

The young body opened his eyes slowly while holding his head and groaning in pain. He looked about 19 years old, male, wearing a dark black jacket, with navy blue trousers. His dark black hair, which was wet with sweat, slightly falling over his black eyes which were like the deep abyss, giving him a profound and handsome look.

Ugh... What the fuck is going on here, Ahh! This fucking headache!

He started cursing and groaning from the pain. He slowly got up from the ground, groaning and moaning all the way. He then tried to remember where he was and how he came here.

“Last I remember, I was at home surfing the internet. There was… an electric fluctuation after that… I think, which fried my computer.”

He started murmuring in a low voice as he slowly tried to remember.

And I….blacked out after that…

………..

“SHIT! The computer’s done for. FUCK!”

He shouted out in pain from losing his computer.

After wailing for a while, he started to calm down and tried to focus on his current whereabouts. As such he started noticing his surroundings.

Am I in a jungle? How the fuck did I get here?!

Suddenly, he flinched as he thought of the only reason he can be in a forest, after presumably getting knocked out by his beloved (now fried) computer.

I was…abducted! Some asshole kidnapped me from my home.

As he thought of the possibilities that accompanied that aspect, he started hyperventilating and was on the verge of a panic attack. He knew the things that happened to someone who was abducted.

No, stay calm and think about it. Breathe in…and breathe out.

He started taking deep breaths. That didn’t really help but it did make him notice his surroundings. Maybe it was the green trees, maybe it was the fresh air or maybe it was the diffused sunlight through the leaves but he calmed down soon after looking around.

I have to get out of here first and then think about those things.

After looking around, he chose a random direction and started moving.

……..

He kept walking amongst the dense trees hoping to meet some kind of a human settlement.

How deep am I in this jungle? I have been walking for half an hour now and I am not getting anywhere. Just hope I don’t meet any wild animal and become its lunch.

As he thought of the possibility of becoming someone’s food, he shivered and started walking carefully trying not to make any kind of sound, even going so far as to control his breathing. After walking for a while more, he started getting thirsty.

Ahh...I need some water, my throat‘s completely dry.

Deciding to look for water first he started moving again but as he had zero experience in survival skills, he still moved in the same direction but this time hoping that water will meet him in his path.

Along the way he picked up a thick stick and sharpened one end of it with a stone, using it as a protection measure.

Moving along the trees, swinging the sharpened stick, practicing for the real deal, he kept going. Soon he started getting tired. His breathing became rough with his hair and clothes completely wet with sweat. Unable to continue, he decided to take a rest.

This is a good place as any to take rest.

He sat down using a huge tree root to support his back and slowly closed his eyes. Even though his eyes were closed he was on full alert for any movements around him.

Suddenly, he heard a sound which seemed like a horse neighing. He got started and quickly got up. He didn’t know it was a wild horse or someone riding on it but he couldn’t miss this chance.

He contemplated for a while and decided to check it out as he started to move in the direction of the sound.

As he approached that direction, he started hearing the sounds of people shouting and cursing. After he walked for 4~5 minutes, the trees started getting sparse and he noticed a dirt road cutting through the forest on which there was a single-horse cart.

As he got near, he suddenly ran and hid in a nearby bush. Peeking through the gaps he could see there were around 5 people in roughed up brown leather armor surrounding the cart and the two men which seemed like the owner of the cart and the driver.

Horse carts…. Do people still use that?

But upon further notice, he started to doubt his eyes as the 5 people with armor were holding cold weapons like sword, ax, spear etc. One of them was even holding a hammer.

What the fuck, in this age using sword, axes and even hammers! Am I going crazy from the thirst or is this some kind of role-play?!

“Just hand over the initiation stone and we’ll let’ya go. What’d you say, mate? No one has to get hurt.”

The middle age man holding the hammer said in a slightly weak voice. He looked around 40 years old completely bald with a black beard.

The man standing in front of the cart took a simple glance at him and murmured in a low voice, “Hmm, there shouldn’t be anyone who knew about me having the stone let alone the path I was going to take…Was it that captain?”

He was wearing a red long coat and had short red spiky hair. His red eyebrows were sharp like a sword making a “V” shape complementing his red fierce eyes. He stood there stroking his chin, contemplating by himself seemingly uninterested in the bandits. His eyes were calm but under that calm surface was hidden rage. Slowly he looked up to the middle-aged man holding the hammer and said in a cold voice, “You think you have the power to negotiate here. The only reason you are alive and talking is that I want you alive.”

Hearing the threatening words, all of the bandits surrounding him took a step back with their hands trembling.

“Do-Do-Don’t be hasty, I admit we can’t beat you 1 on 1 but we outnumber you right now. Just give us the initiation stone and we will be on our way.” One of the bandits stuttered. He was wielding a short sword and was also dressed in ragged leather armor.

Other Bandits also held their weapons tightly, getting ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Everyone was on high alert, their nerves tensed to the limit, cold sweat dripping down their cheeks.

Boom!

Suddenly there was a flash followed by a scream which too was cut short...

By the time everyone realized what had happened there was already a strong smell of burning flesh spreading into the atmosphere. The man wielding the short sword was burnt to a crisp with smoke coming out of his body. His body had shrunk to half his size and was still burning, giving off a smell that could make any grown and fearless man vomit his stomach out.

Everyone stood still like a statue, doubting their eyes and nose. They could hardly believe that someone was killed so brutally so quickly before their eyes.

“You dare threaten me; ME!” The red-haired man in the red coat shouted in a loud voice. His eyes were red like a burning hell, completely opposite of the previous calm gaze.

“You killed him! Ho-How could...how did this happen –wait-AHHHHH!” The bald man wielding the hammer wailed in a miserable voice taking his last breath. But this time everyone could see what it was that had killed him.

A fireball, the size of a human head, moving at a high speed had burnt the bald man to a crisp. The flashes, shouts and the smell scared the horse and the birds. The sound of a horse neighing and birds flapping their wings rapidly resounded through the forest.

“Why? You didn’t think I would be this strong. Your source just warned you about me being a ‘Pyromancer’ but didn’t mention my strength. Hehehe… either you guys have a really shitty source or you were completely duped. HAHAHA… Either way, I don’t care. You don’t have to tell me anything, I’ll just ask your souls.”

The words falling from the mouth of the red-haired man had everyone around him break out in cold sweat, shivering with fear.

‘Soul Search’ It was a spell which was known by many people and could be obtained from black market but was rarely performed since it was extremely dangerous and was regarded as morally wrong by the society.

“Do-Don’t be scared brothers. If we don’t fight we will die a death worse than dogs. Ready your arms. COME FIGHT TOGETHER WITH ME! YAAAAHH!” One of the bandits holding a spear shouted with a loud voice wanting to rouse his brothers so they can fight together.

He lunged forward holding the spear with both his hands. He stabbed towards the red-haired man wanting to snuff his life out. The red-haired man simply lifted his right hand, palm facing upwards.

Sparks flew out in front of his palm forming a fire which quickly turned into a shape of half human with only an upper torso of about 1 foot in length. It was completely made of fire and had no face. But if someone looked closely they could see that its face had some distinct feature which was quite similar to the red-haired man. If observed properly it could be seen that the fire form was still incomplete and was in the process of evolving.

As the fire took form, it flew around the red-haired man turning into a long fire streak. Suddenly the red-haired man again pushed his palm forward and used a spell stored in the avatar which was his Soul Form.

“Flame Shield” He muttered in a low voice.

The fire formed around his palm, getting bigger and taking a form of shield completely enwrapping him.

Everything happened in a blink of an eye. As the bandit stabbed towards the red-haired man the spear hit the fire shield first and the metal spearhead started to melt and the wooden shaft caught fire, burning the bandit’s hands in the process.

“Ahh!” The bandit shouted as he dropped the spear on the ground and backed away 2-3 steps.

“Humph!” The red-haired man snorted coldly.

“Did you really think these weak weapons could penetrate my defenses? Heh! Ignorant fool” He once again lifted his palm ready to cast another spell.

“Take pride that you die by my hand: Fire Pillar”

Sparks flew under the bandit’s feet suddenly forming a fire column of 6 feet. The fire blazed around like a dragon ascending to the heaven. It did not have the grandness of a dragon but was still enough to instill fear in anyone’s heart. As the fire died down the burnt body of the bandit fell on the ground with a thud.

“Hmph! Weaklings, dare to go against me.” The red-haired man coldly snorted and said in a mocking voice.

Suddenly a shout came from behind him. He turned around just in time to see the cart driver’s body falling on the ground. His heart was impaled through by a sword as he was looking at his master with misty eyes pleading for help.

“S-Save me mas-master.” The cart driver pleaded for help in a dying voice. But the red-haired man’s eyes still held the same indifference. It was as if he was watching an ant kill another ant.

The red-haired man slowly lifted his eyes and then looked at another bandit who chopped off the horse’s neck with his ax. He had a slightly confused look in his eyes as gazed at the two remaining bandits.

“We know we can’t kill you by ourselves. Hehehe.., the least we can do is to cause you extreme inconvenience by using our lives. FOR OUR DEAD BROTHERS” One of the bandits said, tears falling from his eyes yet laughing like a madman. Both of the bandits stood their ground wanting to fight until death.

“Hmm… Even the bandits have loyalty I guess. I don’t get it though, you guys started this then why do you cry? It’s not like I came into your house to slaughter you.” The red-haired man frowned and replied to the bandits. He looked towards the two bandits who looked like cornered animals ready to fight till death and said, “Ah, Fine, you guys can leave after telling me what I want to know.”

After hearing his words both the bandits were stunned and then happiness flooded both of them. They quickly decided to tell the dangerous man in front of them everything he wanted to know. They started forming the words in their minds they wanted to say but suddenly their world went blank and their souls were snuffed out from their bodies. The red-haired man gazed upon the two burning yet cold dead bodies.

His mouth curled upwards in a mocking manner as he said in a low voice, “Idiots, I wanted to keep one alive at first but now, hehehe…. If I wasted time searching your soul, the hiding rat will run away.”

He slowly turned around looking in a certain direction, his gaze piercing through the bushes and falling on a young man.

He slowly smiled, moving in that direction and said in a charming voice, “Welcome, Traveler.”