The blood stained claymore hits the ground with enough force to crack open the ground. Silas had attacked where the mage was but he was no longer there.

  After the heavy attack Silas did not stand there frozen but moved right instant. Accelerating towards a direction taking a big jump he'd disappeared. Leaving the confused mercenaries.

  He was heading towards the campfire area. He lifted up his claymore and slashed towards a direction. The wind in his surroundings went crashing towards the direction.

  Then a figure came into view. His body blurred but present. It was the same mage.

  The Mage kneeled down and placed his hand on the ground. A pit formed beneath him and the ground swallowed him inside. But before the opening closed Silas was able to shove his claymore into it.

  The opening closed, when Silas pulled his claymore out the ground burst open. It got mud on itself, along with fresh blood.

  “Got away.” He muttered as he turned his gaze towards the mercenaries.

  His foot stomped on to the ground and he charged in the direction.

  Somewhere around the castle itself a man with a leather cloak grabbed a large wooden door handle and opened it. Inside, it was dark but as soon as he lifted up the lantern someone in the dark room illuminated.

  From what was visible it seemed as if many beasts were resting there. Asleep even in a chaos going around.

  The man took in a deep breath and walked inside, with a cyan–coloured glowing orb in his hand.

  He heard a noise behind him, a noise too close and his grip tightened around the orb.

  “Tsh tsh.” A voice came behind his back. He turned around to see a woman, Zara.

  “Whatcha doing here?” She asked with her dagger inside her sleeves, glowing blue.

  “Who're you?” He asked when he turned to face her.

  She doesn't answer, just smirked and crouched. “I have something to say…”

  The moment the man seemed to relax her body moved and exploded towards him, the dagger surfed towards his rib but a magical shield blocked it.

  The man was flown back meters away.

  Zara froze, her eyes wide, “Was that a shield…?”

  The man was on the ground clutched his rib, “Fuck, that still hurts.” He muttered. When he looked up a foot knocked him back again. Another shield protected him, but still felt the knock back.

  He crashed onto the wooden wall with a loud thud and some of the beasts opened their eyes.

  Zara shook her head and hand, “How many do you have?”

  The man stood up, huffing out air. “You must be a hunter. How did you find out about this?”

  Raised her finger to him, “None of your business.”

  The man flew back, breaking the wooden wall behind him. Zara had struck him by a kick to his chest. Again blocked by a shield.

  The man stumbled onto the ground, rolling back. “Seriously, how many do you have!?” She asked loudly. Then she noticed the orb on his hand. “I see.”

  The man lets out a whistle, and Zara hears stamped behind her, she blindly jumps upwards and to the roof. Below her the beasts started coming out. Bears, lions, wolves. Larger than usual.

  “Are they drugged?” She asked on top.

  He didn't answer, just looked at her. A giant hawk came diving down straight at Zara, she dodged it. And raised her dagger up to which it seemed like it'll slide in its belly… Another shield. “On the beasts too!?”

  On Finn's side.

  Both Finn and the mage stared at one another. Both had their magic ready in their hands. One with fire the other with water.

  None of them moved first, until a fire arrow came towards Finn, he leaped down from the stone wall and with swift movement moved out of the area. That is, what the mage saw.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Finn reappeared behind the mage, threw something behind himself that turned into fire, and it turned into steam in seconds when Finn came into contact.

  Both shifted from their initial position.

  Now standing far apart the mage noticed Finn was producing his magic from thin air.

  Mage: He raised his eyebrow, “How is he using magic? I don't see any medium.” He muttered to himself.

  From a pouch on both sides of hips he grabbed pebbles and Finn saw it. Finn, using water propulsion, dashed forward and reached out his hand to grab the pouch. He missed.

  The man got away and made more distance between himself and Finn.

  Finn: Eyes twitched, “I was too reckless, I should've waited.” Saying that he shifted his posture, snapped his finger and… Another propulsion, but this time instead of aiming for the pouch he aimed for the ankle.

  Finn swept his foot, he didn't fall but stumbled back. At the moment Finn successfully grabbed one of the pouches. And Finn tore it open, pebbles dropped and fell from the roof. But Finn caught some of it and let the others fall.

  “Come on now.” He said, as his eyes glow blue and steam starts to form around him, the mage threw a small piece of cloth towards Finn, mid air it ignited and Finn threw one pebble and it shot towards the mage with steam coming off of it.

  The cloth and steam–propelled pebbles met and pebbles tore through it. And, the mage had disappeared. Finn's eyes wandered around, his body shifting posture to posture in different directions, the steam started to reduce and lines of water surrounded him.

  Then from a direction a huge amount of fire started rushing towards him, he concentrated most of the water at the direction while a layer still covered most of the direction.

  Then small fireballs started coming from random directions.

  To Silas.

  His claymore clashed with a stone golem, and he cut through it. The stone crumbled to the ground. Far ahead, a mage, with his blood on his back. Crouched and both palm on the ground. He muttered something under his breath and more golems started erupting from the ground.

  And from the walls mercenaries started shooting arrows towards him. Silas raised his claymore high and a shield of aggressive gust surrounded him. The projectiles fall even more contact.

  Silas launched his body forward. The mage again, dodged by just an inch but the wind pressure threw him off back. Before Silas could react a golem punched him from the back, and yet he didn't move a bit.

  He flung his claymore at the golem and it shattered. When Silas looked at the direction the mage had flown to was now empty.

  Zara. Now on the ground. With hawks, wolves, bears and lions looming over her and around her. Yet she had a smirk on her face.

  She scratched the back of her head, “A mage, a beast teamer. What are you? Both, maybe.”

  The mage stood far away from Zara, behind the beasts and yet his legs trembled.

  “How many times have I broken your shield?” She asked, taking a step forward and the beast's bodies stiffened and ready to plunge.

  She continued walking ahead, “I heard it has a limit. And, it seems as if the glow is dimming.”

  The moment she said that the mage's eyes went to the orb and yes, it had dimmed.

  He didn't even get the time to react to the orb and Zara again spoke, with loud words. “Now stop playing around and fight! You hear me!?”

  When they met eyes Zara threw her daggers forward, both she and her weapons glow at the moment that took place, less than a second.

  Her movement was a blur, she moved forward, skipping hundreds of steps and grabbed her daggers mid way.

  When she came to hand reach of the mage the daggers slammed and retreated in a to and fro motion.

  The shields activated and saved him, countless times until. The orb itself broke.

  One dagger pierced into his throat.

  Zara stopped. The build up energy flung him to the wall, and it broke.

  Zara without looking back sliced her dagger behind her, the electric charge struck the beasts and they fell to the ground.

  When Zara came to the mage, it was in debris. Motionless. Zara leaned in and put her finger on his neck, wrist and nose.

  Finn. He lets out a shockwave of water molecules. The mage is pushed back and falls down the roof.

  The moment he hits the ground his wrist and ankle are shattered by stone wires. He screamed in pain. tears started forming in his eyes.

  And the mage saw Finn on the roof. Right on top of him. Finn lifted one of his legs, and it was hardened by a layer of rocks. He stepped off the platform and fell towards the ground.

  But, between the ground and his leg lay the mage's head.

  Silas, sliced through all the golems. He looked around but there was no sign of the mage. Except for some archers on the walls, they'd stopped shooting arrows. Face sweating and body trembling.

  Finn had appeared at the other side of the wall. Blood in one of his legs. “There's no point in running. Except execution.”

  The mage was hiding far away, he kept his eyes on Silas from a window. The mage hid behind the window's curtains.

  The mage heard a whistle. He turned to the direction and saw Zara, seated on a table just a few feet away.

  She whistled again.

  Hours ago. In the city.

  The sun was just setting. The sky is a vibrant mixture of red, orange, yellow and a bit of pink.

  Riven and Shirin walk out of the post office with an envelope in Shirin's hand. Her fingers tightly held it. “I can't wait to go home and see what's inside.”

  Riven had a soft gaze on her, “Finally.”

  “Yes, finally! I was so worried about it.” A childish grin forms on her face. “God yes! It took sooo long.”

  “Hm, you really waited hours in there just for that.” Ruffled his own hair.

  “Hey, you don't say that. You got yours but I didn't get mine. I was worried and yes, I'd be willing to wait even a day in there.”

  He giggled, “Of course you would… Hungry?”

  Her pace slowed to his question, then she nodded, “Yes.” He just smiled to himself and put his hands in his pockets.

  They walked in silence for a moment until she asked, “So, what was in your letter?”

  “In mine? I haven't read it yet.” He answered.

  She looked at him with raised eyebrows, “Why so?”

  “Um.” Ruffled his hair again, “We did agree to read it together and each other so I waited.”

  “Really?” She asked with a wide mouth and he nodded.

  She was again about to say a word but was interrupted by a voice behind them. It sounded familiar. They turn around to see Calira. With the same usual clothing and hands in pockets of the jacket.

  Calira: Approached them, “Hey. Um…” Averts her eyes for a moment, “About the reward. You could just give it to my dad when the report is completed.”

  Both Riven and Shirin were frozen in place just by seeing her. “Also… if possible and needed. I'd like to be at your party.”