Chapter 003
"The Sparking Scoundrel"
When absorbed into his work, the world around him would fade out of existence. And though the night was fleeting, this determined soul wouldn’t retire until everything was in order. Atop the cluttered desk in front of him, the scattered documents gawked silently. Each of them detailed a different kidnapping at a different time in a random location across Esteras. What did this mean, he wondered. What were they planning by abducting the mages of the state? To incite fear? Or were they merely lowering the military’s numbers in order to scale a wide-scaled offensive? The near-infinite number of possibilities taunted him. Plaguing his mind to the point where he couldn’t think of anything else.
“I’d advise turning in for the night, sir.” Posted next to him, Sabine gave him a concerned glance. “This isn’t good for your health.”
James chuckled. “Worried about me, are you?”
“Actually, I’m more fearful of what the generals might think once they notice your tardiness, as of late.”
“Well don’t be. I have everything under control.”
“Now where have I heard that line before?”
James rested his head on his wrist and peered down at the sheets of paper. “This operation needs to be perfect. Not a single element of it can be faulty. So until its key components are completed, I’m not going anywhere.” Beside him, he caught the subdued sigh released by his lieutenant, accompanied by the look of vexation materializing in her pair of ashen irises. He was aware breaking the rules wasn’t something Sabine was fond of and while he felt a certain level of guilt by putting her through this, he realized it was something neither she nor himself could walk away from. If this mission were to succeed, he’d need the magic of a powerful mage. He required the assistance of his guardian.
“You know, Zen, I appreciate you doing this for me.”
“Do I really have a choice?” she frowned.
“Everyone does. I could transfer you to another bracket and you can pretend you never heard a thing.”
“Seriously, sir,” Sabine muttered, crossing her arms. “I’m disappointed in you. Your attempts at removing me are becoming increasingly pathetic. Perhaps you’re losing your edge?”
Scratching the back of his neck, he snickered, “Maybe I am.”
“In all seriousness, sir, there is a lot banking on this.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“If we fail, you can forget about being promoted to general. You’d be lucky to even keep your job. I sincerely hope all of this is worth it to you.”
“I can’t turn my back from this, Zen. Someone has to do something about the kidnappings, the murders. Though our higher-ups see it fit to feign ignorance, who's to say I must follow their example? I didn’t enlist in the military to be another conscienceless cog in their machine. I want to change the world! So, if they really are too prudent, too cowardly to act then, I must do so myself.”
Sabine smiled. “In layman’s terms, this is just another of your ill-conceived stunts to shoot through the ranks.”
“Hey, those so-called “stunts” have worked for me thus far, haven’t they?!” he laughed. “Still, I don’t think we can afford to neglect this case any longer. If whoever is behind these crimes really does have a personal vendetta against combat mages it means you might be in danger also. I can’t risk that.”
“Because with me gone it means you’ve lost one of the only three people on the planet who can tolerate your crap on a daily basis, right?”
“Or, perhaps I just really care about you,” he slyly corrected. “If the lives of my comrades are on the line, along with the safety of Esteras’ people, well, that’s reason enough for me to lose a few more hours of sleep.”
“How noble of you. Even still, I assure you, sir, I can handle myself.”
“Oh, there’s not a doubt in my mind. Why, I reckon you’ll long outlive me in this profession, Zen. But, as your superior and fellow soldier, I should at least be making an effort at apprehending these criminals, should I not?”
To him, she looked as if she’d more to say. However, the knock on the door ruined her chance to do so. “Come in,” called James. Marching inside the room arrived a man outfitted in a black combat mage jacket. He’d long, cinnamon-colored hair fixed into a ponytail reaching halfway down his spine, green-colored eyes, a well-built frame, and lastly, a scruffy goatee at the tip of his chin. Upon realizing who it was, James shot out his chair, joining Sabine in raising a hand to his head in salute.
“Colonel Andrew, sir!” they both barked.
“At ease, Griffin,” the man stated casually. “After all, I am taking my orders from you now, aren’t I?”
“And nobody appreciates that more than I do, sir!”
“Let’s just hope you actually know what you’re doing.” Stiffening his back, the colonel bluntly reported, “My squad has undergone inspection and preparations. They’re ready. With your say so, we’ll venture to Peon City as instructed.”
“These men,” responded James, sitting back in his seat. “Can they be trusted?”
“I handpicked them myself and they’re among the best mages in my bracket. If there’s anyone who can be counted on for this mission it’s them. Which reminds me, how have you been doing on that front? Certainly, your own strike team won’t consist solely of Zenobio and that trigger happy fool Dolton.”
James smiled, sliding to the other side of the desk five specific documents. “I believe they’ll suffice.” The mage took his time examining the documents only for his glance to solidify on one of the sheets of paper, in particular. “Recognize him? You should. What with you being his master and all.”
“Wh...What?!”
“Oops, apologies, sir! I forget you don’t like the term “Master”, right? Makes you feel like you’re older than you actually are.”
“I don’t understand...”
“Neither do I. I mean, it’s not like being a master is indicative of one’s age.”
“Not that! I’m referring to Ransford!” he retorted. “Are you certain this is a good idea, Griffin?”
“I’ve seen what he can do. He’s reckless and that attitude of his could use some refining. Nevertheless, having him aboard this mission will undeniably be a big help.”
“Will it now? Well, have you managed to coerce him into joining us?”
“...Not at the moment, no,” he admitted, averting his attention from the colonel’s disappointed gaze.
“My old apprentice can be pretty hard-headed at times,” said the colonel as he started for the door. “He only has his sights set on one thing. Unless he thinks this case is worth it to him, he’ll deny your proposition on the spot. Whatever it is you’re planning to say in order to convince him, why, it better be something incredible.”
“Not to worry, sir. My plan is foolproof,” James confidentiality assured, watching the colonel close the door behind him.
“Do you actually have a plan? Or are you just full of hot air?” inquired Sabine.
“You should really have a little more faith in me, Zen. Now,” He picked up another file, this one containing a detailed account of the combat mage’s history and prowess. Staring into the magic user’s blood-tinted eyes, James announced with a grin, “other than Ransford, I also need to figure her out as well. She too could be useful in the long run.”
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Rune frowned.
Plastered on a glass window were numerous wanted posters and articles which mostly revolved around the current happenings festering throughout Esteras. Some reported how immigrants were being illegally smuggled inside the country. Others, however, discussed that more researchers and scientists were resigning from the military. Then there were those he cared the least about. Apparently, the number of nobles getting robbed by rogue mages was steadily rising.
Serves them right, Rune thought. Goes to show ya that flaunting your money around like an imbecile only paints a target on your back!
While most regurgitated the same information over and over again, eventually, Rune’s attention was drawn to a certain article stuck at the bottom of the window. “Another Combat Mage of the State Found Dead in the Capital”, was its title. Rune had heard mention of it in passing conversations. Combat mages from differing mage brackets randomly being abducted. As of now, there were still a large handful of soldiers who had yet to be found. Those who had been discovered, however, were sadly reduced to rotting corpses absent of vitality.
What is Military High Command doing? Despite the best efforts of the upper echelons of the military, and even the sovereign of Esteras himself, pretending as if their proud nation had entered a new era of peace, the country was more hectic than ever. Mages turning up dead. Criminal activity on the rise. People frightened to leave their homes at night. As far as Rune was concerned, there was no peace. Not at the moment, at least.
Nevertheless, Rune abandoned the cluster of flyers and strolled down the street, a childhood tune streaming out of his puckered lips. Today was his day off and he’d every intention of enjoying it. Though, as mother luck would have it, Rune hadn’t even made it to the end of the sidewalk before he heard the screams of civilians accompanied by loud explosions in the distance that shook the ground.
Rune halted. Towards him stampeded a herd of panicking people. Pushing and shoving. Running and tripping. Each of their faces was plagued by overwhelming anxiety. Yet, throughout the ensuing chaos and as the crowd ran past him as if he wasn’t anyone of importance, Rune remained standing where he was. He felt neither dread nor confusion. What instead harbored in his head was a sea of discharging vexation.
“Why did this have to happen today?!” he complained with a pout. Sticking his hand out, he managed to grab the arm of one of the panic-stricken civilians, stopping the surprised man dead in his tracks. “You,” started Rune. “What’s going on?”
“It’s a mage! He was harassing a woman but when he was cornered by soldiers he used his magic to...Let me go! We have to run or he’ll...”
“No problem, you get to safety and see if you can contact the mage bracket.” Rune released his wrist and, after issuing a series of whispered curses, he stomped off in the opposite direction. “Me, on the other hand, should probably take care of this mage myself.”
“Wh...What?! Do you have some kind of death wish?! No human can take on a mage, they’re unstoppable! Plus, it’s against the law!”
Rune glanced back at him. While at first his frustration nearly got the better of him, Rune realized he couldn’t necessarily blame him for speaking such nonsense. Without his uniform, he appeared just like anyone else. To a human, mages were tantamount to gods gifted with the ability to control powers beyond their limited comprehension. What chance did a normal person have at besting a creature possessing such infinite levels of strength? All they could do was run. Runaway and hope a hero would emerge to save them. Although Rune never considered himself to be a hero nor did he foster any intentions of becoming one, there was a specific reason why this troublemaker needed to be defeated.
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“I’ll be fine,” Rune reassured. With the tip of his finger, he forged a magic circle in thin air. As the shimmering symbol vaporized in his cupped hand flickered a hovering, infant flame. “I’m a combat mage trained in the arts of magic. Ease your worries, I’ll teach this bastard what happens when he dares to threaten my day off!”
The man raised a brow. “...Your what?”
For a split moment, Rune froze. “I mean...I’ll apprehend the criminal for endangering the life of the general public!”
The man’s face became clouded with doubt “...Are you really a combat mage?”
“Just get out of here already!” Rune barked back.
Without paying the civilian any more attention, Rune dashed away. It was an easy task to decipher where the architect of this panic was located. He but only needed to follow the screams. This eventually led him to Ponsetta’s very own marketplace. At first, everything seemed to be relatively normal. What surrounded him was a plethora of wooden stalls and tiny shops fixed on either side of binding cement pathways, the scent of freshly made goods hanging in the air. Though, as he further advanced through the jungle of stalls, soon his target bared their fangs.
Like a serpent lashing out to strike its unsuspecting prey, the flail composed of flowing, cerulean water erupted out of a wooden stall closest to him. Pieces of wood and volleys of multicolored fruits scattered in every direction, splattering onto the burnished ground like rain pellets. The loud crash alerted Rune but had he not reacted as quickly as he did, the watery whip would’ve impaled his waist and spelled the end of his career as a combat mage. Permanently.
“Shit!” he cursed, leaping out of the way of the cascading spell. The sharpened end of the winding formation of water mercilessly pierced the ground shortly before dissolving into a normal, harmless puddle thereafter. “It just had to be a water mage, didn’t it?!” Rune grumbled.
“What’s this?!” exclaimed a deranged voice. “They only sent one?!”
Stepping over the remains of the destroyed stall and out of a cloud of dust was a skinny, young man with shaggy black hair and dressed in a ripped cloak that partially concealed the upper portion of his face. “Figured you military dogs would show eventually but to only send a single combat mage?! Why, I’m kind of offended! Are you bastards underestimating me or something?!”
“Do you think this makes you look cool? Going around and doing whatever you please?” grunted Rune. “Is this some kind of twisted game to you?”
“Might as well be!” he snickered. “Magic gives us freedom, does it not? Ryas gave me this power for a reason and it was so I can make the best out of my shitty life! Now you idiot military dogs are trying to govern what I can and can’t do with my gift! In what world is that fair?!”
Immediately, Rune noticed something was off. Even the dumbest of criminals had some kind of plan. Whether it was to simply cause a panic or to stage a robbery, their greatest priority was securing an easily accessible escape route. So this left only two probable options. The first: he was acting as a diversion. And the second: he was experiencing a severe case of magic high.
“You’re a novice, aren’t you?” asked Rune, pointing his hands skyward in surrender. “This isn’t your fault. Your magic is overflowing, causing your body to react strangely. It happens all the time to newbie mages. We call them magic highs. The emotions and thoughts you’re feeling are just a byproduct of this phenomenon.”
Grabbing the sides of his head, the cloaked mage took a step back. “Wh...What are you...”
“Just calm down so we can talk.”
“N...No, I’m through talking!” Shooting his arm in front of him, the mage created a magic circle of his own. The spiraling ring radiated a brilliant azure light and appearing at its center was an archaic symbol resembling the shape of a winding stream. Once it vaporized, the mage shouted, “I’ll use my magic however I choose! Those who argue otherwise should up and disappear!!”
The three of them materialized simultaneously. As the crazed magic-user pointed a palm at Rune a trio of surging water javelins cut through the air and hurdled towards him in a burst of speed. While he was able to dodge the first by leaping to the side, the sharpened tip of the projectile pierced the tail of his red coat. Had he dodged a second later he was certain he would’ve lost his right leg.
Before the disturbing thought could properly take residence in his brain, the mage swiftly jumped into the air and over the second water blast prior to rolling out the way of the third. Crouched on the ground, he monitored his opponent's actions. His arms twitched and lashed like exasperated serpents while a series of hysterical chuckles escaped his smiling lips. What little control over himself the mage conserved had finally deteriorated, leaving a hostile, hilarity-stricken magical puppet.
“Apologies,” Rune whispered, his right eye gleaming orange.
Within him, his essence began to flow. A sudden and intense wave of heat enveloped the marketplace. His blonde hair fluttered. His coat’s tail tossed and turned from the violent currents of air the mage expelled. Planting his feet into the ground, Rune rocketed his right arm forward and unleashed a crimson catastrophe.
“Anguis Mordeo!” he roared.
A concentrated stream of famished flames ejected out of his hand and rampaged across the marketplace. Though he’d cast the destructive spell his body still burned. His throat tasted the heat. Portions of his jacket’s sleeve blackened and disintegrated. Even so, Rune focused on maintaining control. That was the most crucial component of being a mage. Without control, all that awaited a mage was rejection.
“Two can play that game!” he heard the deranged mage shout. “Aqua Immanis!”
Combatting his unchained inferno’s swelter blossomed the consoling chill of a discharging vortex of water. The pair of destructive spells clashed against one another, the fusion of contrasting elements spawning a massive explosion of steam and orange. In an instant, it dispersed across the battlefield, consuming mage, building, and stall alike. The force of the collision erupted in Rune’s face, unceremoniously removing him off his feet and knocking him several meters away. The sharp pain of his back meeting concrete ricocheted throughout his entire body. Rune released an anguished groan, saliva drizzling out his mouth.
On unstable legs, he commenced a wobbly ascension. He grabbed his forehead and aimed a foggy glare across the battlefield in search of his opponent. To his surprise, and partial disappointment, Rune discerned the criminal mage advancing toward him in a fragile stride. Courtesy of the explosion, the cloak had been removed off the top of his head thus allowing Rune to meet the delinquent’s pair of dilating, purple eyes.
“...More...more,” he grinned. “Bring out every combat mage in the military!! I’ll wipe them all out!! With my magic, I’m invincible!!”
Amidst his absurd cries to the heavens, Rune snuck a glance at his waist. Dammit! If only I had brought my tome, I could’ve beaten this guy with one spell!
Suddenly, a pulse of static ambushed him, causing the hair at the back of his neck to erect. “Someone’s being sloppy,” chuckled a vernal yet acquainted remark. Appearing in a flash of light that swallowed the marketplace whole, the combat mage materialized at Rune’s side, drenched in sparks of dancing electricity. “Fret not! I’ll lend you a hand, Master!”
“D...Daze?!” Rune gasped.
The mage pointed an electrified thumb to himself and poked out his tongue. “In the flesh!”
Out of the entirety of the Mage Bracket 9, Daze Springs was by far one of its most powerful mages. For better or for worse. Although he was its youngest member, innocence emanating from the goofy grin he loved flaunting, his magical abilities rivaled some of Esteras’ best mages. He’d fair skin, frizzly golden brown hair, a pair of baby blues, and an overall slender physique. And like any combat mage, he brandished his most valuable weapon. Cloaked in fiery, blue-colored energy, the silver book idly floated beside him. The archaic text inscribed across its dull, white papers glowed with the same intensity and pigment of the aura shrouding it. With this enchanted relic, Daze’s adversaries never stood a chance.
“It’s kind of silly for a combat mage to travel without his tome, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, well I had the day off! I wasn’t expecting to run into any trouble!”
“But it was you who taught me the importance of always expecting the unexpected.”
“Did I?” Rune inquired, scratching his head. “Anyways, how did you find me?”
“Some townsfolk reported a rogue mage running amok in the shopping district. Dear old Lieutenant Fellman dispatched me to dissolve the issue. Plus, your magical signature is kind of hard to miss.”
“Certainly took your sweet time, didn’t you?”
“Don’t be mean!” Daze pouted. “Ponsetta’s a pretty big place, I have you know!”
Dismantling their short exchange was the hysterical laughter of the rogue mage in question. “This is perfect!” he chortled. “I was getting bored of that loser! You look like fun! Show me what you can do, you damned mutt!!”
Daze cocked his head. “I take it this is the guy?”
“Observant today, aren’t we?”
“Well, in that case, this will be easier than anticipated! I’ll handle things from here?”
Rune sighed. “Knock yourself out.”
Stepping in front of Rune, Daze’s smile disintegrated. “I’ll only ask this of you once,” he muttered. “Surrender, now.”
“Like I’d be scared of a brat like you! You mutts don’t hold a candle to me!” Drawing another magic circle, he held his hands out towards the pair of mages and at the top of his lungs, shouted “Aqua Immanis!” as a maelstrom of howling water propelled towards them.
Daze’s tome, appropriately dubbed Squall, rapidly flipped through its pages until arriving at a page containing a different spell. Along with its lines of text imprinted onto the sheets of paper, Daze’s eyes ignited. Arcs of white electricity frolicked across his black uniform. His frizzled hair erected. Clouds of mist seeped out the corners of his lips. Once the water spell was only a few meters from reaching him, the combat mage simply aimed a finger gun towards it and loudly chanted, “Fulmeno Pisto!”.
For a moment, everything was still and quiet. Then arrived a storm. A light so bright Rune was forced to partially sheath his eyes. Blitzing out of the tip of his forefinger, the bolt of white lightning zipped across the battlefield, utterly dismantling the aquatic spell into droplets of electrified water. Its next target was that of the bewildered mage.
Perhaps he was too astonished to react? Or was it fear that consumed him? Regardless, like a statue, the delinquent stood dead in his tracks. A deer caught in headlights. Once the bolt of electricity met his chest his pain-filled screams echoed across the streets. Coated in an unempathetic veil of lightning, he could only cry and flail until he dropped to his knees and fell onto his back. Rune waited for the screaming to cease and the flickering lights to vanish. Only then did he remove his hands from over his eyelids. What lay before them both was now a fried, unconscious mageborn, streams of steam wafting from his charred skin.
Occasionally, he would forget just how strong of a mage Daze was due to his juvenile personality. It was moments like these that reminded him of the kid’s true potential. Though, as Daze looked back at him with a grin, every trace of intensity he once maintained dispelling in an instant, Rune remembered just how grating he could be.
“So?! What’d you think?! Did I look cool or what?!”
“Uh, don’t you have a criminal to restrain?”
“Hey, I want feedback, Master!”
“And stop calling me “Master”, will you?!”
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Just like that, everything came to an end.
The soldiers arrived to escort the rogue mage back to headquarters for questioning. The crowd which had gathered after the duel eventually dispersed, returning to their lives before the problem had been conceived. And as for Rune, he continued onwards to the Ponstetta train station like he originally intended. The only discrepancy, however, was the pest that refused to leave him alone.
Tapping a foot onto the metal floor of the terminal, Rune’s frown amplified with every passing second. Despite being accompanied by bustling crowds of chattering people and despite the monstrous groans of locomotives departing for their next journey across the country, none of these noises succeeded in drowning out Daze’s insipid rambling. Completely oblivious of Rune’s aggravation and the occasionally confused looks they’d receive from passersby, the chatterbox next to him rambled on nonstop.
It goes to mention that Daze graduated from the Military Training Academy two years earlier than most. This was mainly due to his skills with magic. Throughout Esteras’ history, there were very few mages who manifested lightning magic, let alone use it in such an impressive way. Other than Daze, Rune only knew of one other mage with the same abilities. Even so, it was obvious Daze was still a child based on the energetic and fun-loving manner in which he carried himself. While his official codename was “The Sparking Mage”, Rune deemed it more fitting to call him “The Sparking Scoundrel”.
“And statistics show the number of new mages who have undergone magic highs has risen in the last five years! I wonder if this means humans are becoming less immune to the effects of magic?! Scary stuff, right?! I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it! If this is the case, I’m sure glad I was born when I was, you know? If I couldn’t control my magic my life would lose all meaning! Or maybe not as I’ve always expressed an odd interest in learning to play an instrument. Oh! That also reminds me of this other article I read a while back about...”
“Daze!” screamed Rune. “As fascinating as your lecture has been, I do have to wonder, why are you here?”
“Oh, First Lieutenant Fellman told me to keep an eye on you.”
“What?! Why?! I’m off duty!”
“Maybe he just doesn’t want you to cause him any more trouble?”
“Great...” Rune muttered under his breath. Leave it to that bastard to ruin my day!
“Hey, Master?”
“I’m not your master.”
“I was wondering, why’d you choose to come here on your day off? If I was in your shoes, I’d sleep from morning until dusk!”
“It’s simple,” Rune answered. “I came to meet someone very important to me.”
The train released its piercing whistle as it pulled into the tracks they faced. Upon coming to a complete stop, its doors opened and the monsoon of people it carried within its belly flooded out. Soon, the terminal was filled with the excited cheering of family and friends reuniting. Teary eyes and malleable smiles quickly became the norm. However, Rune disregarded the excitement entirely. What instead he focused on was identifying each and every person exiting the massive, mumbling engine until, eventually, his eyes met hers.