The village’s recovery after the attack is going quite well. They know it’s important to finish the cleanup quickly in order to avoid disease spreading. In just a few hours, all the filth and remains were removed. Burials and repairs were already on the way by the time I left. Even some children were helping. Is it common to adjust so quickly after a disaster like this? I thought that the trauma would be crippling for most people, at least for a few days. Peasants are surprisingly tough.

This must be what it takes to survive at the bottom of the hierarchy of human society. As people who have no power, all they can do is bury their sorrows and move on. They don’t even have the power to avenge their families and friends. Even supposing they join the army in order to get revenge on the barbarian tribes, a peasant will just become an expendable shield for the nobility. It’s rare that a peasant can climb up the chain of command and reach any kind of position of power. They lack education and training. Most of all, they lack connections to people who are already powerful.

Selene is one of the exceptions. She comes from a long line of successful warriors and also has the talent to become a respected warrior herself despite being a woman. The Warrior’s Guild is a fairer playing field than the army because they are an independent organization and rarely subject to the whims of nobility. They reward their members based on ability and accomplishments, something that every organization should strive to achieve. Even though women generally have less muscle strength than men, the Guild doesn’t seem to care about this quirk of biology. Women are promoted as long as they meet the requirements, traditions be damned. I wish the Magic Guild functioned that way.

I wonder how Selene is doing right now. She’s such a capable and resourceful person that it feels stupid to even worry about her. The last time we saw each other was at the gate of Lapithos where they attacked me by surprise. I hope nothing bad happened to her as a result. My gut says it’s fine. She’s probably somewhere far away, cutting down some dunce who was unfortunate enough to cross her. Assuming she stays in Amisos, there’s a chance we will meet again. Am I too optimistic?

“Ah, there I go again. It’s unbecoming for a mage to let his thoughts wander idly like this. Even though night is approaching, some meditation wouldn’t hurt. It was a tiring day.”

I continue on my way through the forest. After making sure that no one is watching, I teleport the rest of the way. Chaos magic will remain my trump card for now. Using it has the unfortunate side-effect of revealing those mana wings created by ‘Origin’. I can keep them hidden in my body if I make a conscious effort, but using chaos magic always makes them pop back out as soon as my concentration slips for a fraction of a second. If I’m not careful, they could end up drawing a lot of unwanted attention.

In order to beat the Council, I cannot afford to live in solitude for much longer. For the sake of forming connections, I must find a way into either the military or the nobility, preferably both. Living as a hermit and practicing magic all day has its own charms, but it will take more than a few tricks up my sleeve to overcome a major seat of power like the Amisos Royal Council. They may be a bunch of rotten nobles, but I will not underestimate them again. I made that mistake once and almost paid dearly for it. Next time it will be their turn.

After arriving at my treehouse, I continue on into the tunnel. There is a slight chance that Nashira will be impacted by the recent events. It’s only fair to warn her since this is my fault. Inside her laboratory in the crystal chasm, she’s still the same as always. Standing over a table and working delicately on something thanks to her seemingly tireless body. As a human who needs hours of sleep every day to function, I’m a bit envious.

She looks up toward me curiously, sensing that something new has happened. I describe the past day’s events in moderate amounts of detail. I also express my concern over the security of her home. She simply nods her head and says “No worries, they won’t find this place” in her usual, serene voice and then resumes her work.

That nonchalant attitude puts a wide smile on my face. She reminds me of myself back in the Magic Academy. Absorbed in my studies, the days would pass by in the blink of an eye. It was the most fulfilling time of my life. In the end, my efforts were ruined by scum who can’t see past their own noses. I’ll be damned if I let the same thing happen to Nashira. Be it demon or human, intruders will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Anyone who dares to violate the sanctity of this crystal chasm will face a penalty worse than death. Depending on the situation, they may become my test subjects. I’ve been wondering for a while what kind of effect pure bloodstone has on the human body. I’m sure it’s quite spectacular.

There are other experiments for which live subjects would be useful. For some reason, Nashira never tries anything that requires living creatures. She says there is no need yet, that there are still many things left to try. I would disagree but only because my goals are very different from hers. She pursues knowledge with pure intentions, while I dream of nothing but revenge. I want more efficient ways of killing things while she wants knowledge for its own sake. Of course, I won’t say this in front of her. Nashira is untainted by the filth of this world and it would make me happy if she stays this way. I myself had a time when I could study magic with a pure conscience, but those days are gone and they’re not returning. My resolve is made. My hands are already stained with blood. There is no going back.

I return to my shelter on the surface. Nighttime has arrived. A cold wind blows through the forest. It’s mostly blocked by the trees but I can still feel it. The strong moonlight shines down on me. I teleport up to the treehouse and lay down on my back. While staring at the distant sky, I’m waiting to fall asleep.

I still have nightmares about my father. He sits on the throne in his royal robes with blood draining through the gaping wounds in his body. His eyes are black, empty sockets that send chills down my spine. As the blood drains endlessly on the cold floor, all the way to my bare feet, I hear him whispering my name and mumbling words like “Why” over and over. Sometimes the image of my mother is standing at his side with a ghastly, pale face and the same black eye sockets. She doesn’t say anything, preferring to just stare at me.

Perhaps this is because I can hardly remember what her voice sounded like. She died long ago, before my admittance into the academy. I was told it was due to sickness. Could it be that she was murdered like my father? Did they lie to me because I was a child who was better off not knowing the truth? Some say that dreams are omens. I never really believed that but there may be some truth to it.

Will these nightmares leave me alone after my mission is over? Will my father’s spirit finally be able to rest? Or is his shade going to wander the depths of the underworld, unable to find peace for all eternity? Is revenge the only purpose I have left? They say it never brings happiness, but then why do we seek it with such fervor? Perhaps we are all clowns, dancing for the amusement of the gods. I hope they enjoy it.

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The next day, Rigel returns to the village after completing his early morning routine. The fairly large open ground between the wall and the forest has a number of spots where the earth was disturbed and simple grave markers were set up. This is the place where the villagers buried the victims of the attack. A few women and their daughters are on their knees with their hands clasped together, praying that their loved ones find peace in the afterlife. Rigel doesn’t know if they call it the underworld like the people of Amisos do. The religion in this part of Zamora is very similar, but there are a few differences. It’s yet another detail that he didn’t really think of until recently, and that may become relevant because of his new goal.

He didn’t care to ask what happened to the barbarians’ corpses. They were probably thrown into a mass grave further away from the village. It’s only natural that they wouldn’t give proper burials to their hated enemy. All that matters is that bodies were buried before the rotting comes into full effect.

His attention is suddenly drawn to the village itself. Rigel’s ability to sense the minute details in mana flow has greatly increased in the past month. This allowed him to get through yesterday’s battle without receiving significant injury. Now, his senses warn him that several human auras have appeared in the village which weren’t there yesterday. Simply by looking, he can tell that these new presences are strong. Their auras are bright enough to be seen though the wall surrounding the village even at considerable distance. Two of them are especially bright, suggesting that they are skilled mages. The other four are considerably weaker, possibly belonging to powerful warriors or mid-level mages.

“Reinforcements? There are only six of them and they could be dangerous… I haven’t felt auras this strong since the academy. No, it could just be hypersensitivity to mana because of my body’s recent changes.”

He proceeds into the village with his caution level raised high.

Asher was observing a group of men hammering nails into wooden boards with a bored expression. This is when he sees a member of his team approaching with an unfamiliar young man following behind him. The stranger has white skin and blond hair with such an intense color that it looks like strings of gold. Green eyes are looking in his direction. Even as a man, Asher can guess that women would find such features attractive. He feels a tinge of jealousy.

“Could it be…?” He whispers to himself.

As his teammate arrives, he stops at a respectful distance and raises a hand to salute his superior.

“Captain, this is the man we were told about.”

“Very good. Master Artemia I presume? I believe that is what the villagers called you.” He beckons the young man to come forward.

“I am not an archmage. You don’t need to use such a gaudy title.” Rigel says nonchalantly.

Humble from the start? What a curious fellow. Asher makes a slight smile.

“I don’t mind. After all, you did us a great favor by stopping the barbarian attack yesterday. My name is Henin Asher. I wanted to thank you personally” he says while making a short, polite bow.

“It’s what any decent person would’ve done. I happened to be nearby and I cannot just stand and watch such cruelty unfold. Rather than that, I am curious to know why someone like you is here.”

“Someone like me? What do you mean by that?”

“I can tell from your armor that you and your friends are not ordinary soldiers. They appear to be designed for stealth and ease of movement. I’m sure they’re also expensive. A captain isn’t that high of a position in the army, so I don’t see why you would receive such armor. Even more striking, your auras are too strong for common soldiers. Most likely, you were trained from a young age. Am I not correct?”

Two members of Bloodmoon are observing the conversation from the sidelines. They don’t move a muscle but their mana stirs slightly. This does not go unnoticed by Rigel. Asher’s reaction is different. His smile widens as he speaks.

“You’re quite perceptive. You must be skilled to be capable of sensing that much, as expected of one who single-handedly defeated a barbarian attack.” Rigel doesn’t reply. He is expecting a follow-up. Asher continues. “Are you available for hiring? Troubling times are ahead and the kingdom is in need of capable fighters. Someone with your distinction would receive a generous pay and other benefits.”

Unimpressed by the sudden offer, Rigel replies calmly.

“That would depend on what exactly you want me to do. I have a few conditions.”

“I will take that as a positive answer then. Before we discuss the details, would you mind giving a short demonstration of your abilities?”

“If you’re talking about the magic used yesterday, I can show it but I can’t explain how it functions. I trust you understand why?” Rigel uses a serious tone.

“No need for that, I only want to see a duel between you and my subordinate over there. It will be a friendly duel between mages.” He uses a hand to indicate one of the soldiers watching from the sidelines.

“I accept.”

Outside of the village wall, Rigel and the rest of the men find an empty spot with enough space for a mage’s duel. It’s possible that magic will fly toward people on the sidelines, so only members of Bloodmoon are watching because they are fast enough to dodge, unlike the villagers. Rigel and his opponent take up positions facing each other with around 10 meters of space between them.

“Is everyone ready? Very well, you may begin.” Asher announces the start of the duel. Both of the two fighters activate ‘Fortify’, a body-strengthening spell. Neither of them makes an aggressive move. They’re waiting to see what the other does first. After a few prolonged moments, Rigel’s opponent breaks the standoff. He raises his hand and activates a basic fire spell but with high power.

“Rain of Fire”

Many orbs of fire form in the air above Rigel and fly down toward him in a steady flow. He sees the attack and moves back two steps while chanting a spell of his own.

“Wind Break”

Rigel counters the fire spell by creating a shockwave in the middle of the flames that forces them to disperse into the surrounding air. Only a fraction of the spell’s power reaches Rigel, which is easily blocked by the aura emitted around his body.

“Earthquake, Lightning Orb”

Rigel casts two spells in quick succession. The first is aimed at his opponent’s feet, shaking the ground loose to make him lose his balance. The second attack spell is adjusted down to non-lethal levels. This is not a duel to the death, so the rules say to avoid killing blows. In case of accidents, a healing mage is on standby.

The man is not surprised. For an elite mage of Bloodmoon, a combo attack of this level is not nearly enough to faze him. He rapidly uses ‘Harden’ on the ground to stop the ‘Earthquake’ and then ducks to avoid the flying lightning ball. The ball misses and continues flying for a dozen meters before dispersing into the air.

So far, this is like a battle between mid-level mages. Neither fighter has used high-level magic. Rigel knows that his skill is being tested, so he chooses to ramp up the difficulty and go on a full offensive. He shoots a torrent of fire that the other mage blocks using ‘Air Burst’. While his body is obscured by the fire, he activates ‘Wrath of the Sky Dragon’ at full power. The other mage senses the big surge of mana even if he can’t see it. The spell is too strong to be fully blocked or countered, so he activates magic that causes his entire body to drop into the ground, as if he fell into a ditch. Rigel’s attack zooms harmlessly over the hole, shaving some of the earth as it passes.

“Not bad” mutters Asher who is watching from a distance. “Forcing someone of Gamo’s level to dodge instead of block or counter… His cast speed is almost on par with him too.”

The last attack was an important clue for Rigel. Earth magic alone is not enough to create that hole. The only way the man could do it that fast is by helping the effect with arcane magic. The ground is quite dense so its structure needs to be shredded first in order to be moved quickly by earth magic. This principle is also applied in the ‘Subduction Zone’ skill that Rigel used in the battle of Lapithos. For a soldier of Zamora to blatantly do this in a public match, it could mean that restrictions on magic are more lax in this country. He makes a mental note to verify this later.

Rigel advances forward and continues to unleash one spell after another. His opponent jumps out of the ground to avoid being trapped by his own hole and tries to counterattack. He leaps sideways at a low angle to dodge an incoming spell, at the same time scooping up a chunk of earth with his right hand. The earth is altered by arcane manipulation, coated with fire magic and then thrown in the same motion used to scoop it up.

“Cinder Blast”

The attack is not very strong but it was used in such a fluid motion while dodging and with such perfect timing that Rigel has no time to cast or dodge. It would’ve been considered a ‘cheap shot’ by students at the academy. The ball of hot, hardened dust is aimed directly at his head. A direct hit could cause serious injury. Time seems to slow down as it flies closer. Although this should be a tense moment, Rigel doesn’t feel worried. Instead, a strange emotion is bubbling up inside him. He doesn’t know what to call it. At the last moment, he releases a surge of mana in his arms and guards his head. The ‘Cinder Blast’ collides with his aura and disintegrates with a crushing sound. A flash of fire briefly covers his upper body.

“Stop! That’s enough.” Asher announces the end of the duel. He comes closer to check on Rigel’s condition.

“I’m fine. That was a very good attack.” He answers with a clear voice. His arms are uninjured.

“Excellent. Thank you for your cooperation. Take some time to rest now. After that we can discuss the details of your contract.”

“Very well.”

After they return, Asher splits away from the group, along with the man called Gamo that fought Rigel. He nudges him and asks “So, what did you think of him?”

“He’s definitely skilled. For someone so young, his mana control is quite impressive. His spells were clean, efficient and powerful. He understands the principles of counter-magic and seems to be familiar with mage duels.”

“Anything else? Did you see something unusual?”

“I did. Sometimes when he activated a spell, his aura seemed to flicker for a moment.”

“An aura that flickers? What does it mean?”

“I am not sure. It’s possible that his mana is unstable but I don’t know why. It could be some sort of illness or physical abnormality. A detailed examination would reveal more.”

“That won’t be necessary. For now, just keep an eye on him for any suspicious moves.”

“Yes, sir.” The man salutes and leaves the area.