“N-no! My King! He isn’t ready for something like this! We needed more time!” Medulis said. Her hair was still smoking from the explosion she caused within the city to get there. “I need more time!”

Ash always knew that woman was just different than normal people. Always saying weird things and talking about prophecies no ones has ever heard of regardless of who they are. About building an empire or something of the such.

Then again, you needed to be crazy to graduate with five majors from the Mage Academy of Garn. Bastards did know how to ease up or relax once in their life times. Always causing problems then somehow uncausing them.

The latest had been a sudden blast of evolution on a termite colony. Had it not been from the Masters who called that horrific place home, half the empire would have been laid to waste by sentient, war mongering, emotionless, monsters that would have a taste for human flesh.

Ash was quite confident the mage was overreacting...again.

Bedridden for months because she saw some mana. Pretty pathetic if Ash was ever asked.

“Medulis, calm woman. He is just entering his Path. No different than any normal Path-”

Medulis swung her head around to stare at Ash with wide bloodshot eyes of a madwoman. “Have you ever seen a person be cocooned by an element like this before? Hmm?” She bent her knees then began to hop around Jonas’s orb of flame. Looking nothing like the imposing and powerful mage she actually was.

“Well, that is different, but I am sure its nothing to be of concern. We’ve seen an entrance to the Path have an effect on the physical world, its actually pretty common with the dukes and royal family.” Ash had to hold the bridge of her nose. What the hell was the eccentric woman up to now.

Medulis huffed condescendingly. “Oh yes, a little breezz or a flurry of snowflakes. I am sure they were just as terrifying and worthy of study as my Master’s phenomena. Quite positive of yourself aren't you, General.”

“She does have a point. Never seen this in my entire life.” Ioral suddenly said.

But, that only got him a sharp glare and a promise of death from Ash. “No one asked you, bandit. Best you be quiet and prepare to sign your soul to my master than waste words and time.”

“Now, now, Gravious Ash. Think what his Liege would say if he heard you now.” Frezar had to get in-between Ash and the bandits. She was ready to eat the alive i given the chance. “Lets us check with Magus Medulis on what exactly is going on. If anyone here would be qualified to speak about the situation, it would be her.”

“She’s a crazy woman! From that insane academy!”

“As are most geniuses. Are they not? Most intelligent people of the empire, though at the cost of their...uniqueness.” Frezar lead Ash towards the burning orb of fire. He was more than happy getting her away from killing the three bandit leaders.

There they found Medulis jumping on one leg and chanting in a gutteral tone that did not fit her dainty figure. She switched foot every minute or so until she finished whatever that chant was.

Once done she fell onto her knees in a heap. She looked utterly exhausted, but a satisfied smile on her face.

Frezar walked up to her with caution. “Magus Medulis, are you present of mind?” he whispered.

That got a sigh from Ash. She pushed past Frezar and kicked the downed mage over getting her attention.

“What happened? What did you find out?” Ash interrogated.

“H-he!”

Ash arched an eyebrow.

“He met the epitome of the Flame. Last of the Old Ones. King of all Destruction. This is unprecedented! None since the times of yore and age of legends had ever accomplished or ever had the minimum requirements to even attempt such a dangerous thing! Almost all that had tried burned to death within the first hour or came out absolutely crippled. I must record this! My journal! Where is my Journal!”

Medulis’s eyes shown with the excitement of a mad scientist.

“What?” said every single person close enough to hear, bandits included.

No one had died or even come close to it during an entrance to the Path for eons, much less burn to death within the first hour. That truth was an integral part in how everyone did things.

As a noble, he was expected to navigate his dreamscape and find meaning within either his bloodline or treasures he had acquired over time. It was meant to be a simple process of entering and hoping they found whatever they were looking for before the time allotted would end.

Otherwise they would be shunned and kicked out of high society.

Mostly because it was such a simple task, only the utterly stupid or absolutely incapable ever achieved a feat as damning as that. You have to be the worst of the dunces to even qualify for such a failure.

“M-Medulis…” Frezar gingerly tapped her, interrupting her impromptu session of note taking. “Did you just say this entrance to the Path was so difficult, our Liege, both mine and yours, could die in a ball of fire that currently is surrounding him and constantly getting smaller…”

She turned back to him with sparkling eyes. “Isn’t that so fascinating. Imagine what powers he would hold if he succeeded, regardless of how unlikely that was possible? Nevertheless, this would go into the annals of history and my place would forever be cemented as one of the greatest researchers.”