My destination, the Tomb of Origin. The sacred place where it was said to be where the great Astral Mages were buried. The legend did not provide why and how the great Astral Mages died despite their greatness and might. My mother told me the possibility of the legend to be altered by humans as time passed by. Like the existence of Jhurai, the humans treat him as god despite being human. It was said that Jhurai was the savior who saved his fellow humans from the terror of mages.
According to legend, Jhurai defeated the mages with his infinite wisdom. This was said to be the result why Jhurai was immune to magic which led to the fall of the evil reign of mages. The great day of Jhurai was said to be the day Jhurai died to sacrifice himself when a demon mage came to destroy all humans. It was said that his sacrifice was so truthful and just which was why the world was rid off of magic for a day. As a mage, or course I don't believe that.
Until today, it is still a wonder why on that certain day, magic is removed from the world. Whatever the reason, that day wiped out almost all of my kind. We were murdered mercilessly by these justice-claimed humans...
"Hey...! Friesha??. You there?.." my thoughts were suddenly disturbed by a human. This human. "Friiiiiiiiiieeeeshaaaaa?..."
He then held both edges of my mouth and forced it open.
"Whaar raaryhou hooernngh? Rhekh ghou!!" I then removed his hands from my mouth. "Did you even wash your hands?.."
"No," what a disgusting straightforward answer.
"I see, then... What are you doing following me until here in a thick forest like this?!!" my voice was quite loud as I screamed that one out.
"I already told you-"
"Yes, yes! You want to defeat me but not until I'm at my full potential. Okay, okay!! I understand!!!"
"If you understand, then why do you ask?.."
"I mean, grrrrrhhhhhhrrruuuuuuu!!!!" I took a deep breath and sighed. "Nevermind..."
We've been walking for three days now and he still won't stop following me. This persistent boy just won't give up. Even my nights were restless ever since he noticed me once that I tried to flee on my own. Yes, I tried fleeing on my own one night and now he would always sleep after me, and wake up before me. Believe me, I did my best to flee from him, but with my instability every time I cast a teleportation magic, I would end up bringing him along.
That was when the thought came to me like light coming from the gods, which halted my steps as I turned towards him. Perhaps it's the right time to settle this once and for all.
"Then, why don't you fight me properly now?.." I provoked.
"No I won't," he shrugged his shoulders and tilted his head,
"You're just scared aren't you? To be defeated in my unstable state... Indeed that would be a shame," unstable or not, I was a proud mage and instability was never an excuse.
"I'll win. And I don't want to win this way."
"Heh?! How sure are you?!"
"Very sure."
"Overconfidence, I see. Then how about I demonstrate to you how gravely mistaken you are?.." I then flew up in the air showing off intimidation. However, as serious as I was, Felgard wasn't even budging.
"You'll just hurt yourself you know."
"Tch.. Your underestimating me..!" I felt myself very insulted which fell to rage. "I'll show you then, this time I'm the one challenging you! Felgard Belthrone! Let's have a duel!!"
He then scratched the back of his head and sighed, a very irritating sight for me, "I understand then, but this isn't what I want okay?"
He then took out his wooden sword and got ready to fight me.
"You'll pay for underestimating me!"
"Nope, I am not underestimating you. You're just overestimating yourself..."
There was a few seconds of silence. Then, before he could attack, I backed away from him and cast a spell. However, as unstable as I was, I must do critical thinking when casting skills.
"Tremor!" I raised my hand to call out a huge force from the ground, yet instead, the ground was split in half. So I just levitated a portion of it and had it strike Felgard. However, that process took quite a while which made him get closer and slashed my attack in half.
"Protection Wind!!" I intended to have the wind protect me by blocking him and sending him off, yet the wind was too strong and blew me away instead. Although, I did managed to dodge that, it was sure to be just luck. Yet, when I averted my eyes, Felgard was already in front of me ready to strike back.
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"No you won't!" I clapped my hands. "Time!"
He was shocked, but too late to react. A small time spell, in the form of a golden sphere, trapped him inside a time dimension.
"Now!" I cast the spell for my ultimate flame magic. "Flame Child!"
Successfully, Flame Child emerged perfectly. Just as soon as I smiled out of content, the palm of my two hands began to ache in intense pain. Still it didn't matter. While the time sphere is still present, I could still-
"!!!!" I immediately backed away. "How?!"
Felgard had already freed himself from the spell and was about to hit me with his wooden sword. Last time too, on our first battle, Sun Child did not do much damage to him.
"B-barrier!" Just in time, a barrier managed to block his next attack, but it was weak and was pushed down with me as he slammed it with strength.
I spun the barrier around to reduce impact but I accidentally cast more wind magic and a tornado was formed, destroying the ground and uprooting even tall trees. Animals began fleeing from the area as the tornado continuously dealt damage to the forest.
"Aah! Too strong!!" I tried canceling it through chanting a spell but debris from the forest being swept away by the tornado was hitting me on random parts. "Aah! Kuhh... AH!" I could only scream out the pain as wounds began appearing from hit parts.
"Friesha!!" I heard Felgard shout my name, yet was unable to see him with all the wind, debris, and dust blocking my field of vision. "Where are you?! Are you above, below, or at the center?!"
Truly what an airhead he was. How could I tell if I myself can't see? I disregarded the pains and began chanting another spell. Yet the debris would always get in the way, still I continued. "Spirits of void, scatter within me-ahh!.. Let your hollowness-kuhhh!.. b-be judge to all of matter-aagh!.."
Despite being an unfinished spell, immediately a huge black sphere appeared from above, which began sucking the tornado to it. However, it would seem the disturbance in my spell chanting resulted to it being too strong and began falling down, which will surely devour a massive portion of the forest, me and Felgard included. The tornado, as if fighting back against it, spun harder trying to shove it away.
Just then, the results of instability began taking effect as my hands and arms began to ache and bleed randomly while still being wounded by debris spinning around me. As the pain intensified, I ended up screaming, "F-Felgaaaaaard!!!!!"
"You called?" I opened my eyes, and for a short moment, I saw people which blurry figures I didn't know. A total of four figures, where one was extending a hand to me. It was so bright that I couldn't tell their faces, yet I just grabbed that hand. I then closed my eyes and felt myself being dragged in the air, jumping from debris to debris until I just knew that I was out of my own destruction.
"Oioi! It just got even stronger, it's dangerous here now," I barely opened my eyes and saw Felgard's face close to mine as I felt myself being carried by him. "We need to escape right now," and he began running while having to carry the near unconscious me up in his arms.
Eventually, the pain intensified and I passed out from the lack of strength in my consciousness.
"Ah... My veiled hat's gone again..."
"Hurry! There they are!" "Get them!!"
"Don't let them escape!" Kill all of them!!.
"Sister, we can't group ourselves. We must split up!"
"Why?! We need to stay together, that way..."
"That way all of us will die!!!"
"But Vashki..."
"Neonorra, flee with your daughter. I'll distract them."
"Then what will happen to you?!!"
"Don't mind me sister. It's Friesha you must put all worry for."
"Aunt Vashki, are you leaving us?"
"Only for a while. Auntie left your present for me back home, so I have to get it back. It's special for me.
"But the hoomans?"
"Don't worry, Friesha. You know I'm the fastest there is right? So I'll be fine."
"Please Vashki."
"Now, dear sister. Go with the rest of the women and children. Take them to your hiding spot. I'll distract them now."
"Do I have no chance for you to stay?"
"Take care of Friesha..."
"Auntie V-vashki..." I woke up on top of a simple bed. Facing the ceiling, I ended up recalling what just happened. As well as the dream I just had. The pain from straining myself was still there. Just then I remembered, "Felgard!!"
I went down the bed and ended up falling down the wooden ground, face first. It would seem that my strength hasn't fully returned to me yet which led me to my current state, being unable to at least stand up. Just then, the wooden doors of the wooden room opened.
"My oh my, don't move yet child," the voice came from a old woman who went down to me. "Oh, no no. Your still so weak."
She then helped me get up and placed me back on the bed.
"Felgard? Where's Felgard?"
"Felgard?" the old woman blink thrice before remembering. "Ah..! You mean the boy who carried you here? No need to worry even the tiniest bit. He's currently resting on the room next to this one."
"Ah, I see," I calmed myself down after knowing he was fine. "Was he injured?.."
"He had a few scratches, but he'll be fine," for some reason, her words were comforting and reliable to hear. "You both were lucky to have escaped that very strong tornado. It was quite sudden."
"Ahaha... Yes, were quite lucky..." I slightly chuckled to myself, knowing full well it was me who caused it.
Just then, I remembered the vision I had on that incident. As I opened my eyes, I was sure to have seen four people. I can't remember how they looked like as their figures were very blurry. Was what I saw a vision?
"Little miss, is it okay to tell me your name?" the old lady opened the window, allowing light to enter and bring light to the small wooden room. Revealing simple objects all made of wood. From the small table to the vases and hanging decorations, they're all made of wood.
"Friesha Mirraden," I answered while in amazement of how small, simple, and nice the room was.
"Friesha, hmm what a nice name," she then sat down on the only chair in the room. "You seem to care so much for the boy next room. Is he a friend?"
"Ehh?! No no! He's not a friend! M-more like a nuisance..." it was quite embarrassing talking about Felgard for some reason. I somehow don't want to badmouth him either, "Well, h-he's useful at times... so..."
"Aaah! So that's what it is?!! I see, I see. Pardon me for intruding you two then," she seemed amused as she giggled to herself. I believe she was misunderstanding. "But aren't you two a bit too young for that?!"
Yes! She's definitely misunderstanding!!
"W-w-wh-whaat are you talking about, miss granny?!! Your misunderstanding!" I hoped she understood and not talk about it further.
"Ahaha! I understand. I mean young people these days are more energetic and lively. Of course you'll like to leave home and go on adventures despite your age," she then gave an innocent smile.
So it was I who misunderstood. Man, I felt embarrassed. At the very least, Felgard is safe.
"He hasn't awoken yet though," the old lady said. "I'm getting worried..."
"Ah, I see," I replied. In truth, I was slightly worried.
I lost to him this time, still, he helped me out. Truly, he's just annoying... Giving me a hard time. With my weak body, I could only stare at the wall separating our rooms.