Chapter Three
I looked around and grimaced, I was surrounded by a ring of burnt broken trees, the flames on my hand crackled violently and flared whenever I focused on them. I kept my hand alight, focused my will and setting my sights on another tree on the edge of the burnt tree ring, I reeled my fist back and my fist exploded forward and crashing into the tree. But this time the tree exploded in a burst of flames and the tree test dummies that followed, met worse and worse fates.
This gave me three useful pieces of information. Firstly, the attack wasn't really magic it was… but wasn't really magic as this world. Basically, in this world, magic comes from within from several mana pools within the body with pathways connecting them, the pools accumulate energy from birth slowly until they are activated by outside magical energy. However, my flames don't siphon energy from my mana pools. How do I know this? Simple, my pools were never activated meaning that they draw off energy from somewhere else, purely unheard of in this world. The fire is magic that's for sure but they aren't mine not to mention, I said no incantation when activating them. There are silent casters but they are very rare and high-level masters. Which only solidified my claim meaning I'll need to keep my abilities secret for now, at least until I have enough power that it doesn't matter whether I can silently cast spells or not… then again I could always bullshit a chant anyways.
Secondly, the flames grow in intensity and heat over time, its firsts starts with high body heat until it reaches combustion and it really turns to fire and the heat of the fire gets hotter and hotter over time. This supports my idea to bullshit a chant and claim it as my spell building power over time.
Thirdly, the fire is directly connected to my will as magic supposedly is in this world. This means that it still followed some rules of regular magic and is not apparently some total anomaly easily detectable on the spot which was a relief to be honest, it also means that I can control it using my will.
I summoned the flames again and after a while my hands ignited, but this time I focused on shooting it at a nearby tree, it missed the first time and a few times after that, but I eventually hit my mark. I spent the next few hours refining my abilities further until it got dark and I eventually headed home, carrying a big bundle of firewood to not seem suspicious in front of the guard.
The next few months were spent refining and practicing even further, my flames got hotter, quicker until eventually I could summon them within three seconds of activating my ability and I've been working on reducing that time even further with a goal of instant combustion upon activation. I came to the steadily growing ring of broken, burnt trees every day without fail I became familiar with most of the guards at the main gate and reached the point of passing through with just a nod of my head, I've even had conversations with the rather friendlier guards and know many of their names as many of them knew mine they mainly warmed up to me due to my interest in joining the military.
Today, I was planning on testing my flames on weapons which is why I brought a spare sword that was in the box of my father's old things. "Time for a warm-up" I said confidently. I headed inwards a little before suddenly breaking into a mad sprint, I turned sharply and twisted my path heading for my usual training spot, this was mainly to exercise my body so it won't fall behind my magic. "Now for some real training" I said not in the least exhausted. I soon arrived at the easily identifiable ring of burnt charred trees and earth nearly forty meters wide. I went to the edge of the ring and pulled out the sword miraculously still in good condition and focused activated my skill my hand rapidly getting hotter until it ignited in a burst of red-hot flames I focused on the sword and hoped it wouldn't melt due to the flames or at least char. The flames on my hand slowly creeped up the sword until it was engulfed in flames. I assessed the tree in front of me, then raised my sword and swung in a fierce arc at the tree utilizing the increase in strength and speed activating my skill gives me the tree was cut clean in half and the two points of the slash were charred black.
I can't remember how long I spent training I only knew it was dark by the time I decided to leave and that day the width of the ring was nearly doubled. I was on my way home that night I decided to use the walk back to reflect on a few things. To begin with, it's been nearly a year since I woke up here I've been living with my family and been slowly coming to terms with the reality of being Cassius. I've spent nearly a year refining my power and have been improving by leaps and bounds every single day. But it still feels not enough, I'll need to get stronger to protect my family.
"My goal is set I'll become the Grand kni-" "BOYS, GET IT" a deep gruff voice howled. I ducked down. "Are they here for me?" I wondered "No, he said 'get it', not 'get him' and the voice was too far away to call for an ambush" I reasoned. I ran in the direction of the sound but still keeping a safe distance after all, we all know the saying about curiosity. And to avoid an entire "no witnesses" scenario.
I peeped over the bushes and saw around seven or eight men dressed I shabby black and brown clothes wearing poorly constructed black executioner like masks armed with weapons, similar to battle axes and war hammers they had surrounded a pristine white carriage with gold accents it was so clean and unblemished it seemed not to belong in this world, as if it descended straight from heaven to grace us mortals with its presence. "Probably some self-important noble getting what they deserve" I said purely apathetic to the situation. I turned to leave. After all, if I saved them miraculously all I would receive is a thank you at most, and definitely the masked robbers had magic unlocked to do something so bold who knows how strong they are it's not worth taking the risk, "Get her out!" the bandit leader barked to one of his lackeys. I stopped warily and turned around to see two lackeys who pulled a gorgeous young woman out of the carriage, before dropping her in front of the guy who was barking orders who I assumed to be the leader. The girl had long lavender hair which cascaded ended in a dark shade of blue, she wore a long flowing bright blue robe that did nothing to hide her bountiful curves. The robes she wore had gold accents similar to her carriage and looked unfathomably expensive.
They forced her to kneel in front of their boss, who took out a short knife it looked cheap but sturdy and would have no problem slicing through a neck or two. He placed the knife on her neck while he held her head. "Well, look at that we were aiming for that cart and whatever's in it, but we seem to have scored this little beauty as a bonus, what do you think boys if we kindly take her home and get to know her better?" he said joyfully. The rest of the bandits cheered happily. Panic flashed on the girl's face as she uselessly struggled harder. I didn't even want to imagine the dark twisted thoughts going through the minds of this collection of societal rejects.
They packed up everything inside the carriage in sacks and boxes which they saddled on two horses that were probably for the carriage, and headed in a direction which I presumed was east, when I was sure they were out of hearing range I walked forward and investigated the carriage I walked around and saw something which proved my suspicions correct, there were three guards who were all unconscious they were heavily armored but there were no weapons on them, "Probably, taken by those bandits" I reasoned "The bandits probably knew they couldn't beat the guards in a fair fight so they knocked them unconscious with a sleep spell." I deduced. I turned around and headed off in the direction of the bandits.
I caught up with the bandits after a few minutes, luckily the items they were hauling slowed them down so I didn't completely lose them. I tailed them for another half hour before arriving at the site of what appeared to be a camp. Using the term very loosely that is, it was nothing more than a bunch of tents and a few wooden structures, that were barely holding together. They settled into camp keeping the purple-haired girl in an empty tent close to the center of the camp.
I grimaced slightly, they were probably new that I could admit, but they weren't fools. They kept her in the center of the camp which drastically severed her chances of escape, not to mention the camp itself it's hidden far enough that the gate guards won't be able to find it easily but close enough to the road and city for them to rob from both the city and people who use the roads and disappear back to camp effortlessly, everything from the carriage robbery to the camp itself has been nothing but strokes of pure untainted genius. I started planning my entry and exit focusing on saving the girl rather than neutralizing the bandits after hitting several obstacles in my plans I started feeling less motivated to even save the girl after all I would lose nothing from simply going home and forgetting the whole matter, and to be honest, my main reason for doing this shamefully enough, was just to ask her out after.
I turned around fully ready to leave and forget this incident entirely. "Hey Matt, you don't mind if I go 'work' that girl do you?" one bandit shouted to their leader, "Sure, no problem I call next though" the leader now named Matt replied. That short conversation alone made my blood boil forcefully. 'Forget planning or even leaving these people alive' I thought infuriated. I activated my skill and felt my body heat start to soar and within a few moments my hands ignited in blazing red flames I pointed my hands toward the camp and fired multiple fireballs at them in rapid succession, the fireballs exploded on contact. I made sure to avoid the tent that the girl was in but rained hell everywhere else. I stopped the onslaught of fireballs keeping my hands still ignited and rushed for the girl's tent stopping just in front of it.
CHAPTER END.