The two high mages in the duke's duty gave each other a quick glance. They nodded to each other and approached Anna slowly together.

The lightning magician pulled out some handcuffs that were magically enchanted to suppress water magicians and put them on the kneeling Anna. The other one, meanwhile, channeled his earth magic and oversaw the entire capture, ready for any underhanded tricks.

But Anna did not resist in the slightest. She let herself be captured while wearing a sorrowful expression on her tear-stricken face.

Not long after, the two high mages flew away, carrying their prisoner. Anna was not only restricted by the magical handcuffs but was also enveloped in some sort of capsule made by earth magic.

***

Lando stood in his hideout, watching the whole ordeal unfold. He was paralyzed by shock over his father's death and his mother's capture. Tears still uncontrollably flowed down his cheeks and slowly dropped to the ground.

'Why haven't I done anything? I just stood here as my father was murdered. I just stood here watching my mother get captured. Am I really that useless?'

After some more self-doubt, he slowly gathered himself together, clenching his fists in anger and frustration. 'I must save her! That's the least I can do now. I have no idea where she will be taken, but I'll find out and rescue her before they can do any more harm.'

With his decision made, Lando began to brainstorm ideas and possibilities.

While he thought of ways to rescue his mother, he looked out at the battlefield. It resembled the aftermath of a natural disaster, with buildings destroyed in a radius of nearly a kilometer. At the center of the battle, there were no longer even ruins left behind, only the remnants of a clash between three high mages and at least two powerful mages. Lifeless bodies of civilians were scattered amidst the rubble.

As Lando saw the nameless corpses of the civilians, he came to the realization that he wasn't much different from them in this fight. If the stray fragment of rock that graced his cheek had hit just a few centimeters to the right, he would be dead, pierced by a rock never intended to kill him.

With this realization, he swore to himself to never be this powerless again. He vowed to never become a nameless corpse in a battle that wasn't his. He refused to be so powerless in front of his enemies that he couldn't even save his loved ones. He would do whatever it took to prevent witnessing the death of another loved one right before his eyes.

To achieve this, he knew he had to become more powerful—powerful enough to kill his enemies, powerful enough to ensure that nothing like today would ever happen again. But he also understood that he couldn't be everywhere in the future, always by the side of his loved ones to protect them. So he would strive to become even more powerful, to deter his enemies from acting against him. He would eradicate anyone who dared to oppose him, making it clear that the next enemy wouldn't even consider challenging him or his allies.

And he would start with the duke, especially those two high mages. He etched their faces into his mind, vowing to never forget them for as long as he lived.

As his determination solidified, he suddenly felt a surge of power unlike anything he had ever experienced. Unconsciously, he channeled mana into the center of his body, forming his elemental core, as he swore to himself to become stronger. He had been on the brink of a breakthrough for a while now, and in that moment, he succeeded, becoming a mage.

Lando stood there for a brief moment, his mind empty as he comprehended what had just happened. If he had advanced just a bit earlier, he might have been able to save his parents.

With an even stronger resolve, his face determined, he thought to himself, 'Never again will I be powerless!'

***

Lando's first course of action was to gather allies, as he knew he alone wouldn't be enough to confront the duke and free his mother. He believed his best bet would be to seek out the revolutionaries, as they shared a common enemy. This led him to a tavern on the outskirts of the city, filled with common workers. Unsure of where to begin, he reasoned that the best place to find one of them would be where those who stood to benefit the most from a revolution gathered.

He took a seat at a table, still dressed in shabby clothing, and ordered an ale. Standing tall and appearing older than his actual age, he possessed a muscular build that allowed him to blend in with the others in the tavern.

He sat there for a while, observing and listening to the conversations happening around him. The most prevalent topic, of course, was the fight involving his parents. Many lives were lost, and the destruction had impacted numerous people. Discussions about the revolution were common, as it was not a new concept that clashes between magicians resulted in commoner casualties without consequences for the parties involved. In the minds of most of the nobility, it was the commoners' own fault for being born into their station.

However, a fight of this magnitude and the ensuing destruction would usually be met with punishment even for magicians as the areas of the city destroyed were governed by the duke. Unfortunately, for the common people, it was the duke's own men who were responsible for the devastation. The people in the tavern knew that they couldn't hope for any reimbursement for their losses of property or loved ones.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

As Lando observed the anger among the people, his attention was drawn to an old man sitting in a corner, engaged in conversation. He overheard discussions about the man being a novice with limited magical talent, likely reaching the peak of his magical journey like many others who awakened their elements but lacked the necessary skills to be worth nurturing. These individuals often ended up joining a noble's guard as soldiers, hired by merchants for security, or became mercenaries, utilizing their magic to enhance their physical abilities and surpass commoners in strength and resiliance, depending on their element. They were considered the lowest tier of magicians, yet still lived relatively comfortable lives compared to common farmers or factory workers.

Not hearing of any other magician in the tavern, Lando placed his hopes on the old man, who appeared to be in a less fortunate financial position based on his dirty clothes. Desperate individuals were often the easiest to recruit for a revolution, so Lando waited until the man stood up and left the tavern.

Following the slightly intoxicated man through the dark night streets, Lando eventually arrived at an old, seemingly abandoned factory building. The man knocked on the door, and after a brief moment, a small sliding window on the door opened. The opening was just wide enough for someone to see through. The door then opened, and the man went inside.

Excited to have found the potential hideout of some revolutionaries as this whole procedure looked suspicious, Lando circled the building, hoping to find a window that would provide him with a better view of the people inside. Fortunately, he discovered one in a narrow alley, the ally just wide enough for him to pass through without squeezing his shoulders.

Peering through the window, he saw approximately twelve individuals sitting at randomly placed tables in the dimly lit room.

Lando concluded that this was likely just a small cell of the revolutionary army, but it was his only lead thus far. Considering his options, he decided that the best course of action would be to approach them directly, as he didn't have the luxury of time to observe them until they made contact with more influential individuals.

Returning to the door that the old man had entered just minutes earlier, Lando knocked six times in a specific pattern, mimicking the man's behavior.

The sliding window soon opened, revealing a man peering through. Unfamiliar with Lando, the man asked in an unwelcoming tone, "What do you want here? This factory is closed."

"I am here because we have a common enemy," Lando replied, not knowing a better way to describe his reason for being there.

The man scrutinized Lando, taking in his appearance from head to toe. He closed the sliding window and walked away. Lando waited for a few minutes, assuming that the man would consult with his superior about what to do.

Five minutes later, the door opened and Lando was granted entry. As he was led into the room he had spied on earlier, he noticed that the people inside had drawn their weapons and were staring at him intently. "What do you want here, boy?" the man at the front, dressed in slightly cleaner clothes than the others, asked sternly.

"I want to join the revolution and thought this would be a suitable place to apply," Lando answered, undeterred by the weapons and hostile stance of the people.

Still suspicious of Lando, the man inquired further, "Why would you want to join? You have a sturdy build, but you can't be older than... 20, I assume? What can you do against the duke's forces?"

"I'm a space mage and I can do more than any of you, I assume. Just so you know," Lando confidently replied.

The people at the back exchanged glances with each other before bursting into laughter at Lando's statement. "And I am an Archmage in disguise," one of them mocked.

Lando raised an eyebrow at the man's comment and decided to make his point clear, as he had no time to waste. Dramatically gesturing with his fingers to mimic a gun, he pointed at the man who had mocked him. While still holding his dagger, he no longer held it in a threatening position as he joined in on the laughter. Lando fired a magical bullet made of compressed space in the direction his index finger was pointing. The bullet pierced the man's dagger, causing it to warp and break apart as space itself twisted it.

The man's laughter ceased, and the room fell silent for a moment. They were all shocked that the young man had been telling the truth about his powers. The man, who had been mocking him, visibly paled, and his knees trembled slightly. As a novice, he realized that the bullet could have easily killed him.

The other people in the room raised their weapons again, pointing them in Lando's direction. However, they seemed hesitant to engage in a direct fight with a mage. Uncertainty and even a hint of panic were visible on their faces.

The man who appeared to be the leader of the group, the same man who had questioned Lando earlier, managed to compose himself and asked, his voice stern but slightly shaky, "Why do you want to join the revolution? You could very well be one of the duke's men, here to kill us all."

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead, trust me on that one," Lando responded with a deadpan voice. He continued, clenching his fists as memories of the earlier fight resurfaced in his mind. "I want to free someone who is currently imprisoned by the duke. And if I have to kill a few guards along the way to get it done, all the better."

The leader, facing off against Lando, could sense the anger emanating from the young mage. Thus, he believed him to some extent and asked further, "Alright, I believe you. Calm down a bit. We all have our reasons for being here. By the way, I'm Kurt."

Lando, seeing no reason to use a false name, answered after calming himself a bit, "Lando."

"So, Lando, I don't want to pry, but for what reason was the person you want to save imprisoned?" Kurt inquired, attempting to gain some information about the mage's objective.

"I don't know for sure," Lando responded, not wanting to divulge too much about his mother. Many lives had been lost in the fight involving his parents, and he didn't wish to create any animosity with those who may have suffered losses.

Kurt, slightly suspicious but not pressing further, replied, "Alright. Just so you know, prisoners aren't kept alive for long these days. Most of us who were discovered to be part of the revolution are killed on the spot. However, many others are taken as prisoners for various reasons. The prison in this city is near capacity, as there are simply too many of us to imprison. Consequently, the duke has implemented daily public executions for prisoners who can't be branded with a slave seal or no longer provide him with political advantage. We've already lost many, and the duke's constant purges are making our lives increasingly difficult."

As Lando heard about the daily executions, panic began to set in. Time was running out. He hurriedly asked, "At what time are those executions usually carried out?"

"Normally at 9 o'clock in the morning. I don't mean to crush your hope, but if the person you hope to save is sentenced for tomorrow's execution, it's already too late. I'm sorry, boy," Kurt said sympathetically.

At that moment, all Lando could think was, 'Fuck! How do I get into this prison tonight?'