6.1 The Ousting of the Spirit of Fire

The door was slammed open, as a man walked in. His tall with toned muscle, he was wearing a sleeveless cloak with a mask that only covers his mouth to his troat.

"Master, we have found Cináed" a man sited in front of a water sphere spoke.

"Where?"

"At the Forest of the elves, it seems that he used spatial magic"

"This is to easy, this might be a trap. How about the Elves, do they know?"

"Cináed appeared at the South-East of the Forest far from the Elves settlement" he stood straight and went out of the room.

A group of 18 people was waiting for him.

"Everyone who knows spatial magic, come with me. Those who doesn't, assist him on monitoring the other races, and avoid them from finding out what we are doing" as he pointed at the room he came out from.

"Gyoi!"

12 out of the group walked towards him and created a circle which he was in the center, they chanted in unison. Blue particles slowly emerged from the floor, and in a moment, a ray of light came. The light swiftly moved to create a magic circle on the floor, while the particles flowing in the air became cursive writings in the magic circle.

"Spatial magic!" they said in Unison. The magic circle emerged from the floor and became a sphere of light that envelop them. The sphere of light slowly shrinks while their still inside, then suddenly it vanished into thin air with them in it.

while those who were left, immediately walked inside the room.

They all created a small water sphere each and in a moment, different places was shown on the spheres.

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Cináed the Spirit of Fire only stood where he arrived, as if waiting for someone.

He sat down, deep in thought when suddenly a light appeared out of no where then in a second it became a giant light. As the light disappeared, 13 people emerged.

"So you have arrived" he said the moment the light showed the mask of the man at the center of those people.

"So you were expecting us" the mask man answered.

"I've already known for awhile now that the Great Magic Saint and Master Swordsman, Gahar Gözlegçi is after me. I grew tired of waiting for you so I came instead to a place you'll easily find me" the magicians with Gahar showed great displeasure.

"You impudent, how dare you mock Master Gahar" the man at the front spoke.

Cináed then sent his aura their way, showing great contempt to the man who spoke.

"Gaaahhh" the man screamed as he fell down on his behind.

"Stop!" Gahar ordered.

"Hahh-hah-hah-ha" Cináed laughed loudly. "Are you ordering me" he then released a stronger aura.

Three out of the people with Gahar lost consciousness while the others, knees gave out.

Gahar unsheathed his sword and attacked Cináed.

Cináed weaponless, bare his claws cloaked with blue flame to block Gahar's attack.

"If you want to stop me with your sword, you'll have to become stronger than a Sword Saint" he spoke as he laughed.

"There is no need, being a magic saint is enough!" Gahar backed in an instant and immediately casted a spell.

"Water Solidus" multiple sharp edged water appeared and instantly slashed Cináed but Cináed only transformed into a Blue Flame that almost evaporated the spell.

"Master!" another man screamed.

"I know" it was said that Cináed has become powerful enough, not to be affected by water magic. The only weaknesses he had, reduced to one.

"Proceed with the plan!" some carried those who are unconscious then spread out of the Forest and left Gahar to fend of Cináed.

"What's the plan? Are you buying time for them to scape, when you just barely arrived?" Gahar attacked again, this time he cloaked his sword with enhancing spell.

"Don't underestimate me!" Gahar screamed as he slashed at Cináed as fast as he can.

"But I'm not underestimating you, their is no need!" Gahar showed great killing intent towards Cináed.

"Prepare yourself" Gahar said as if he had the advantage.

Gahar jumped and instantly approached Cináed, his sword was now cloaked with water magic essence and slashed at Cináed who easily evaded.

"Neh, Gahar. Oh mighty magic saint. Why can't you reach Sword Saint?" Gahar continuously attacked that was

easily evaded by Cináed.

"That is none of your business!"

"But it is, cause their is an attack under Sword Saint that has a chance to destroy me" Gahars eyes widened, but doubting.

(There is no way for him to know that, the only chance to know stances in advance is if someone already reached the said skill)

"But you won't know that cause you can't advance to Sword Saint, but really, why is that?"

"I told you, you have no need to know. Because you will vanish from this world soon" Gahar casted Earth bind that pierced through Cináed.

"Do you want me to tell your subordinates, why?" he said as he walked through the Earth Bind.

"Bakana"

"There is no need to be surprised, I am the spirit of fire. Of course I won't be binded by Earth magic"

*Mada!?* Gahar spoke to one of his companions telepathically.

*Mada desu*

'Tssk' (Useless humans)

As Gahar was doing this, Cináed suddenly appeared beside him.

"Should I tell your subordinates, why your unable to reach Sword Saint?" this is when Gahar realize what Cináed meant.

(Does he know my secret? No, impossible) "Go ahead, they won't believe you"

"They won't believe? That your not a human anymore?" Gahars eyes widened as Cináed continued.

"Surprised? How does he know? Does he know more" Cináed only laughed satisfied.

"So what if you know, that knowledge is off no use to you"

"Ohh of course it doesn't but if you fail to defeat me, what would happen then?" Gahar became furious and more determined.

*Master Gahar, it's ready*

"Darkness!" darkness enveloped Cináed, but Gahar can only hear Cináeds Laugh.

Gahar, started chanting in Unison with his subordinates through telepathy. The darkness around Cináed slowly condense and turned into rope like, that completely bondage Cináed.

"Oohhh what are we playing now?" Gahar flinched.

(He was right, darkness is one of Cináeds weaknesses. As long as Cináed doesn't overcome this, he is not invincible. Like a fire that slowly dies out in the middle of a cold night) as his worries fade away.

"You can act calm as much as you want, but the fact remains. You won't be able to free yourself from this spell." but Cináed continued to smile as if he doesn't care.

Cináed then casted blue flames around them that instantly spread fire.

*Master?* one of his companion called out as if asking what is happening as he coughs.

*Cináed set the forest on fire, continue the incantation without fail*

*Gyoi* all 9 of his subordinates answered.

"Why, surprised? I might not be able to remove this thing, but it doesn't mean I can't cast my magic" Gahar then casted water torrent to put out the fire as much as possible.

Cináed took advantage of this and created fire swords and attacked Gahar.

(Is this the real power of the Spirit of Fire? Has he been just playing around with me? Am I just a fly to him?) This thought infuriated him.

'I didn't want to use this, cause I want to prove to him that I'm capable without this power' his body grew more mascular, some of his features turned into a lions. Clothes turned into something from hell, it was black with a flash of red. A mark or symbol appeared at the right side temple of his head.

He then attacked Cináed vigorously, that Cináed spat out a blood like liquid. No, it was more like liquidated mana. As it sips in the soil, the once burned soil turned into a healthy soil, grass and flowers grew slowly and beautifully.

But Gahar was to busy beating up Cináed to notice. Then suddenly, something flew out of the forest that was strong enough to flung Gahar away from Cináed.

It was a Dryad, she was gonna free Cináed but stopped. Instead, she faced Gahar to protect Cináed. As Gahar, stood up, more dryads appeared from the forest.

"You ungracious fools. Why are you protecting that monster!"

*There is no need to pretend in front of us. We know of your true nature* the dryads is only capable of communicating through telepathy.

"If that's the case, I won't hold back then"

Some of the dryads, attacked through close combat while most attacked in long distance.

Enjoyment can be seen on Gahar's face as he beat down the dryads fighting him in close combat.

While Cináed, showed his true emotion for the first time. Frustration can be clearly seen on his face.

Until Gahar killed two of the Dryads and completely destroyed their memory orb.

A sinister smile shown on Cináed's face, then he attacked both Gahar and the Drayds, that made the Dryads look at Cináed confounded.

"It looks like you chose the wrong side" said Gahar, the Dryads looked back at him furiously.

But the Dryads slowly backed up. They slowly turned their back on Gahar and retreated while looking at Cináed.

It was just a short moment, a moment where Cináed showed gratitude on his face. But this face was replaced with determination.

"Look what you have done, now no one will save you" Gahar laughed. He was so full of himself that he didn't even see the determination on Cináeds eyes.

'Is the incantation about to be finished?' Gahar was so consumed by his power, he didn't even notice that he was speaking loudly.

*Yes*

'Good, the main event is about to begin' Gahar closed his eyes and started chanting again.

Those words was the signal for Cináed. He released a ball of liquid, the same blood like liquid he spat out earlier as he was beaten by Gahar. Even the liquid on his face and body flowed towards the sphere. He then stealthily shot it out.

The ball travelled through the forest up too the middle, shoot up in the sky and rain down all over the Forest of Elves. As if it has a mind of it's own, it only rained down within the border of the whole Forest.

The aura Cináed was excreting went down to the level of a human. Gahar was so focused on the enchantment, that he didn't notice the change in Cináed.

After a few moments, a bright light rayed down on Cináed. The enclosure of the ray of light acts as a barrier, no sound, smell nor wind passes through it anymore. As if he has been separated from this worlds dimension.

As Cináed Ascends, the forest of the elves slowly changed. Soil became healthier, leaves turned greener and plants grew bigger.

A smile emerged from his face, but Gahar suddenly run towards North of the Forest. Where villages and cities reside and where the Dryads lives in harmony with elves and humans.

'What is he planning to do' Cináed tried to move towards the enclosure but with no avail.

He can clearly see the sinister smile that slowly painted onto Gahar's face. Fire came out of his hands, he burned the plants and trees on his way to the North of the Forest of Elves.

Just before Cináed lost sight of the location of the village, he saw flames devouring it. Tears flowed out of his face, he felt relieved that he can now show his pain. But not only pain, every emotion he has been hiding welled up and all, showed on his face.

His eyes fixed on Gahar, as if telling that 'I will come for you, no matter how long I have to wait. I will show you my wrath'

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Gahar laughs as if he became the most powerful being in the whole World of Avani.

"So this! this is how the Spirit of Fire felt when he razed those cities and villages. Urayamashii... I should have used this power from the very beginning"

Gahar killed the Dryads one by one as they protected the humans from him.

"Now! you realize that you sided with the wrong being"

He wasn't satisfied burning this one village to the ground. He then used gravity magic to fly and survey the surrounding area.

He casted meteor burst. First a pebble appeared, it became a rock, it got bigger and bigger until, a burning bolder appeared, he then used his fire to intensify it. He only back a bit and the bolder bursted.

He then controlled all the fragments to only fall to the whole North side of the Forest. As if he was only free running the power bestowed to him.

The flames only stoped when all the houses has turned to ruin. The air stench of charcoal, burned skin and blood.

Gahar didn't even flinched to what he has done to the land that was big enough to be called a kingdom.

Distorted human and elves filled the place, instead of remorse, this view gave Gahar such a twisted Idea.

He placed a curse on the whole land he burned to the ground. A curse that raises the dead and all those who will die within this land will rise again.

And thus the Forest of Elves became the Giants Forest while the North end of the forest became the Nemir Valley.