Just as I finally made it to the city gate, I could hear the laughing pyromaniac starting his hysteria fit again. I turn to look back and I could not even believe what he was capable of.

The standards for a powerful world-caster as they call it must be amazingly high for someone to be at this level of control and power. My mind was frozen as it saw him control three of the flame spears as they started circling around him and speeding up simultaneously as well while the remaining two just stood at his sides.

The rotating spears descended and all you heard was the crashing of the spears into the buildings as they burst into flames and men, women and children unfortunate enough to get caught up in it became charred bones.

I started feeling nauseous at the sight, I wasn’t surprised anymore. I was scared. I didn’t know there were people this fucking crazy in this world where burning an entire village single handedly was something they could stomach. The screaming and crying was finally getting to me. I felt like a fool to think I didn’t really care since they weren’t my humans… they were still people that I could talk with, what the fuck was wrong with this world.

“Jupiter! Let’s go to the cavern! We should be somewhat safe there for now!” Phoenix tried to get me to focus.

“Sure” My voice felt a little dead. The adrenaline was still there but my mind was feeling like it was going to break down again. I didn’t know why I was feeling this way. I felt everything around me make me feel lost. I wasn’t in control. I can’t do anything about this situation. I have to just watch as they all die, as they all burn.

This was just purely shocking, what if I get hit or the mysterious duo decide to eliminate everyone, or do they just not care? I couldn’t even think straight and just kept running. I felt bad for everyone but I knew my tiny little magic couldn’t even stop one of those two’s snorts. I was incredibly weak and this world offered so much more…

After having rushed for more than an hour, I saw nothing but a flaming carcass of what used to be that quaint and beautiful little village.

The smoke was rising as I didn’t see the duo floating in the air nor the remaining parts of the village which I assume the fire mage took care of. The view felt heartbreaking as I know for a fact that hundreds are buried in those ashes, I could only hope that some people made it out and hopefully the kid also makes it out alright.

I didn’t know where the other runaways from the village escaped to but I kept travelling towards the caverns as that was the only place I knew of while contemplating what kind of world I ended up in.

“Phoenix, this world seems a lot more dangerous than I previously believed…”

“Yeah, those two guys that destroyed the village probably belonged to a larger organization from the way they were acting so we have to be careful around these parts.” Phoenix calmly stated.

“I feel really weak…” I say while my eyes look back one last time at the village.

“Then grow stronger until you don’t.”

Two words, two fucking words were all I needed but the level of commitment and strength those two words required of me were as deep and unfathomable as the oceans on Earth or the skies above it.

“Grow Stronger.” I felt myself stuck in a loop these past few days, where I wasn’t really improving but simply enjoying myself for what little accomplishments I made. As if learning how to light a match in a world where others grow up learning to set a mountain on fire, I felt ridiculous at my previous notion of absolute power and my so called goals.

“Phoenix. What would I need to do to become the strongest on this planet?”

“Create your own power.”

As I kept jogging towards the cavern, what Phoenix told me kept repeating itself over and over again.

‘How do I create my own power? What kind of power?’ All sorts of thoughts flooded my mind as I realize bits and pieces of what needs to be done and a plan slowly forms in my formerly naïve mind as to how I will dominate this new world.

Being weak was my biggest fear. I realized this the more I talked to Phoenix and what I cherished people in that village? What if those were my loved one’s that were being threatened to be burnt to a crisp in front of me? I shivered at the idea of being so powerless.

These thoughts and different forms of power kept collaborating in my mind to create waves of new ideas and formulas for a stronger power, my very own shield for protection and sword for progression.

Walking into the cave, lit by its dim radiance, I sat down near the far end of its walls and simply meditated on my next plans.

“Phoenix, how do I create a new power? I asked anxiously as I needed a real way to protect myself and I realized my little fireball and earth spike were as good as the goblizard idiots they were used to hunt.

“Well, use what you have to build what you need! What did you get ever since coming to this world?” Phoenix asked as if I was an idiot for even asking this.

“Phoenix, I know I can just use magic but thing I am trying to figure out is how to build a proper combination of energy to create my own source of power like we said previously. I don’t want just any regular power as I need something that can withstand against those massive fire spears and other energies! “ I clarify as I felt that Phoenix wasn’t going to stop treating me like a kid otherwise.

“Ah, see now that’s more fun. Hmm, I think you should figure out what direction you want to head in first.”

“Direction? Meaning?” I ask puzzled.

“Yup. Direction. Manipulating the energies of the world has many uses and as such many ways in which it can be used.” Phoenix spread out a tentacle and started drawing on the cave floor in front of me as it continued its description.

One is the energetic enhancement route, which in simple terms just enhances the body through the accumulation and spread of energy within oneself.

Two is the energetic manipulator who uses their manipulation of the energies to create different phenomena in the world around them.

“ Now, obviously these are the two simplest ways to describe these two different paths but each contain a myriad of complexities that only those devoted to their respective routes could ever begin to see so don’t ever underestimate either!” Phoenix sternly warned me while emphasizing that last part.

“Alright, well I’d rather go the manipulation route since I want to be able to create a set of spells that are unique to me and can fit various circumstances instead of just fighting, you know?”

“Great, now you need to figure out how exactly to do that. We don’t have much info but if you really want power, you’re going to have to put a lot of thoughts into what you want to create and then figure out how to create it. I know the basics of energy manipulation and that it has limitless possibilities but we’re both beginners in the actual “doing” parts.” Phoenix admitted.

“Fair enough, I figured you weren’t some one stop shop to all the info I was ever going to need to know, haha.” Having figured out some direction in my current situation, I couldn’t help but try and lighten my mood as the village burning down really made me feel uneasy especially at how powerless I was.

“Hey, Doesn’t change the fact that I am still amazing! Hehe.” A proud wiggle followed that statement which forced a smile onto my depressed face.

My experience in this world so far has been nothing like a novel or story would ever be. I had to learn the language on my own, well with some assistance of course but nonetheless the learning wasn’t some speedy trick, the reality of my predicament made me realize that this world was very real and not going to go my way unless I learn to be extremely powerful like those mysterious figures who burned the whole village down.

My mind couldn’t help but relieve the image of those giant seven spears of flaming death that one of the men could control. It was too extravagant how powerful he was.