As the riders approached the hut an old man came stumbling out of it, most likely alerted by the trampling hooves of the horses. He immediately spotted them, and lifted the staff in his hand and hammered it into the ground. A wall of flames appeared between them, but after the initial outburst, the flames grew to normal size, making it possible to jump through them without any damage.

Gil didn’t look dangerous though, in his noble apparel with no weapons in sight, but the soldiers seemed ready to charge the old wizard any second.

“Stop!” Gil shouted as much to the wizard as to his own men. “We are not here to fight, nor inflict any harm upon your person!”

The old man was clothed in grey wool layers, and his staff was crooked and thick, and about five feet long. “Then why would you bring soldiers?” He sneered. Then his grimace turned into surprise. “Elf! You’re an elf!”

“What gave me away?” Gil said with a little chuckle. “And those are for my personal safety. I am here to profit from your knowledge of magic, by receiving your tutelage.” Gil said in an amiable tone.

“Interesting, very interesting.” He said while stroking his beard. “I am afraid I can’t accept you as a student, I am retired and studying magic.” He said as he tapped with the staff one more time. The flames slowly died out, leaving a black and burnt ground behind. “But I can offer you a little guidance.”

“Excellent. If you need anything, then I will give it to you if possible.”

Meslis made a crooked smile. “A little money to buy ingredients would be nice.”

Gil smiled. “No problem.” He made a sign to a soldier behind him, who took out a pouch of silver and handed it over to Meslis. “When can we start?”

“Tomorrow, as early as possible. I am in the middle of something right now.” The magician said, and returned inside his hut. A strange and sweet smell came from it, giving the feeling of puke.

The riders returned the way they came from, trotting.

Unsurprisingly, Gil saw the girl again on the way back. She come quite a long way, walking at a fast and firm pace.

“Ellyn!” He shouted, making her turn around. “You wouldn’t need a ride back, would you?” He enthusiastically proposed.

“Eh, what? I mean no you don’t have to, I can make it on my own.” She was flustered, and had no idea of how to deal with this noble, who seemed quite odd as to take interest in the common folk. But she had never seen let alone spoken to any noble of any kind until now, and therefore had no frame of reference.

“Why not?” Gil asked her, slowing his horse down besides her. “Come on, take my hand.” He reached out with his hand, which she took after a little hesitation. She didn’t see any valid reason of refusing his offer. He helped her up in his saddle, installing her before him. A few smiles were exchanged between the soldiers, although nobody spoke. Their discipline was too high, even out here without their superior officer.

“Now tell me, why do you have to hunt in a forest so far away from your village? Gil asked amiably.

“To sell them, I need to eat after all.” She quickly said, out of nervousness.

“You don’t have a family?” He asked.

“No.” She guessed the second question, and answered it. “ My father left us a long time ago, and my mother died when I was little.”

Probably of giving birth to you, Gil thought. “You seem to be able to take care of yourself. You must be pretty good with that bow.” He said.

“I can hold my own.” She said. He lightly laughed and patted her head. She was almost as tall as him though.

They continued speaking most of the road back, though it was for the most Gil asking questions and Ellyn answering them. But he surprised her a lot when he explained that he was a wizard and an elf. For some reason she became more comfortable with him when he told her that.

He let her off at the entry of the town, and then went over to find the encampment that the soldiers had established.

He found his tent, which had already been set up by the men, and spent a good night’s sleep in it, though a bit short.

The next day, he woke up before dawn and quickly prepared himself. This time, he went alone, without his guards and leaving only a note which informed them where he had gone, and instructing them not to follow him.

Riding his horse, it took him over an hour to come to the mage’s house. Meslis was already waiting for him. “There you are. I’ll set you to your practise and then you’re on your own.”

Meslis pointed to a bucket and immediately began, barely leaving him the time to get off the horse. “First you should train your elemental skills. Drop a rock in that water and try to keep it from falling to the ground. If you succeed, you can try to blow this rock off the top of the bucket.”

Gil already knew a lot about a wizard’s magic, elemental magic. It consisted of three elements, each having being associated to realms by the magicians: fire, lying deep within the earth at such extreme temperatures that it could melt the earth itself; water, filling the gigantic seas and hosting the legendary marine beings, sometimes even bigger than castles; and the wind, coming from the sky and causing storms able to destroy and wreck havoc on the surface.

It was not possible to create any of these from nothing, not even wind. A wizard could only manipulate and amplify what was already there: they couldn’t create wind deep in caves, or create fire or water from air.

“I have a few questions first, if I may?” Gil asked. The wizard reluctantly nodded. “What is the difference between wizards and... sorcerers?” He said hesitantly.

“Sorcerers?” Meslis venomously spitted the word out, with a despising scowl. “What do you want with those?”

“I heard they were a nasty bunch. I wish to hunt them, one of them have killed some ancestors of mine.” Gil said solemnly.

“Ah. You are but one of many, they have hurt many innocents.” The wizard said. “Well, they are unable to access to the control of the elements, or use the arcane art of spells... No they use soul magic, necromancy, and have other abilities, like the Loth.”

Meslis then smiled grimly. “But worry not, for me and my peers have hunted them for as long as we can trace back, and we have finally succeeded a few decades ago. The trait is hereditary, and their lines have all been eradicated.”

“Then I thank all wizards for that, and I am sorry I brought it up.” Gil smiled apologetically. “Where are all the other wizards? I had a truly hard time finding you and I wish to learn as much as I can from you all, while getting to know my fellow wizards.”

“You have a thirst for learning, that’s good. I only know where two other wizards live though; Pingran and Filian, the others are probably wandering about or have settled down in some secluded place.” He said thoughtfully. “Em, yeah, I believe Pingran live in Mitgard, while Filian lives near the city of Lamina.” He then chuckled a little. “I believe that youngling has taken it upon himself to become a wizard warrior, or some other nonsense. You see, he was my former student.”

Gil nodded, and glanced at Meslis’ staff resting against the small wooden door in the hut. He had probably left it there when he was preparing the exercise for him.

“Thank you very much, wizard.” Gil’s smile suddenly vanished, and with a flip of his hand he sent Meslis flying into the wall of his hut, and through it in the soil of the hut. Meslis eyes went wide open, as he struggled to get up. Gil then extended his arm towards him, holding Meslis in place with an invisible and supernatural force.

“You’re a sorcerer!” Meslis squeaked, as his body was slowly being crushed against the wall. Blood began flowing from his nose, ears, mouth, and even his eyes. Then Gil closed his fist and cracks resounded from all over Meslis body, bending it in unnatural ways.

The wizard went limp, his body collapsing like a puppet losing its strings. Gil let his arm fall down, recalling his Loth. This was a power that all sorcerers had the ability to wield; it was the manifestation of the sorcerer’s will through his power which then formed a Loth, a sort of material spirit, which existed physically only when the sorcerer willed it to. It could only be countered by raw power backed up with a powerful will, as Its strength depended on the will, raw power and skill of the wielder.

“Next time, a knife in the throat would be quicker.” He mused, while indifferently looking at the bloody corpse. “Though this feels more right.” In the neutral mask, a bit of sadness was carefully hidden over the waste of this old man’s life.

One more wizard down and he had revealed the location of another one. Pingran was already dead, but Filian was apparently living his life for the fullest in Lamina.

Searching around a little, Gil found the torch Meslis had used to make the firewall yesterday, and set the hut on fire, and the corpse with it. He then rode away, without an ounce of blood on his clothes.

When he was so far away that his figure was out of sight, a tall girl ran out from the bushes. She had tears in her eyes, and looked shocked and fearful.

She fell on her knees before the burning hut, while sobbing over the cruel death of the magician.

“I am sorry old man... I... I just hid, in the bushes... I couldn’t move, I was so scared...” She tried to speak, to explain why she didn’t help. It had all happened so fast, she hadn’t gotten over the initial shock from seeing the kind and fairy-like elf turn into a cold-blooded and murderous sorcerer.

For a while she just cried, constantly apologizing to the corpse in the burning home. Then she opened her red and swollen eyes. “Filian and Pingran ... I need to warn them...” She decided to go to Filian first, the old man’s apprentice, as he was probably the less powerful of the two.

Gil arrived at the camp, and was soon face to face with Mendel.

“You’re back earlier than I expected.” Captain Mendel said surprised.

“Apparently the wizard just wanted to guide me a little. He referred me to another mage, a certain Filian for a proper mentor.” Gil said, looking a little disappointed. “He lives in Lamina, so that’s our next destination.”

“The lands east of Lamina have been attacked by the Sa’arans. It would be foolish to begin venturing there.” Mendel warned

“Then what about joining the counter attack? Because there will obviously be one.” Gil said confidently.

“Hm. If that is what you order.” Mendel said. “We would have to wait a few weeks though, for the Tarnorian forces to gather.”

Gil sighed. “That’s okay. I’m not in a rush. Let’s just hope not to die in the coming battles, hm?” He said with a smile.

“I certainly hope so.” Mendel uttered, not looking convinced. “What about the silver you gave to the wizard? We’re taking it back?”

“No. He’s a kind old man, and it was I who refused his guidance in favour of Filian’s more complete teaching. Let him be.”

Mendel nodded. “En route East then. We will go a little north, to meet with the main force, wherever it is gathering.” He sighed, and began shouting for the men to get moving. He had hoped to just calmly camp here while he waited for his retirement, but now had to war.

“I certainly hope this Filian won’t die if the Sa’arans invade Lamina.” Gil said looking worried. “That would be such a waste.” Mendel agreed with him.