First Appearance

For the first five minutes of our run, I focus intently on my legs and magic control. Once I felt satisfied that I could control the pace of my magic with less concentration, I took in my surroundings. This was the first time I had been this far from the fortress. The trees here were still green, as I expected from my world, but the green was more profound and vibrant. The world as a whole was brighter and more colorful. I hadn't figured out if that was just the nature of this world or a result of centuries less of pollution. 

Suddenly, Bryanna came to a halt. I was glad I was paying attention, or I would have sped past her. 

"What's wrong?" I whisper after kneeling behind her. 

"There's a large group in front of us; it seems like they have set up a camp."

I reached out with magic and detected the campsite as well. I was impressed that Bryanna could run and scout the forest simultaneously. I had a new goal for my magic control.

"We aren't far from the 5th Legion; these guys are bold. But are they arrogant, or can they back it up?"

"Wait. I was going to suggest we move slower to prevent the bandits from detecting us. Are you suggesting that we attack them?"

"Not we, me. I know you were worried about taking on a group of bandits. I'll get closer and sneak in. If I feel they deserve to have their lives taken from them, I will. Otherwise, I'll return, and we can slowly maneuver around them."

"Good luck," Bryanna whispered as I approached the bandit camp. I climbed up a tree and hopped from branch to branch until I was just outside the perimeter. It was a cliche, but every spy movie I watched told me that bad guys never look up. I push some magic into my ears to help enhance my hearing. I scanned the camp until I noticed a tent with a couple more guards and was tied up tightly. I focused on it for a second and realized there were prisoners inside. 

I took a deep breath and weighed my options. I realized there was no way for me to free the hostages without alerting the entire camp. Luckily, the prison tent was in a back corner. I decided to head back to Bryanna. Once the battle started, she could cut open the tent from behind and work on helping them escape into the woods. 

I took my position in a tree more centered over the bandits. While I waited for Bryanna's signal, I created an attack plan. There were two guards at the entrance, four in front of the prison tent, eight around the campfire, and another dozen spread out, and that didn't include the ones sleeping. I never thought my first fight with my new powers would be over thirty against one, but it was now or never. 

Bryanna made the sound of an owl, and I instantly leaped from the tree. I was shocked that I had perfectly calculated how much energy to put into that jump, but I quickly composed myself. I pulled a sword from its hilt and flipped myself upside down. As I approached the large campfire, I started to spin. 

"Wind Magic: Fierce Storm!" I shout, and a tornado-like force erupts from my body and becomes engulfed in the flames. I stop my spinning and jump back as the fire overtakes the men sitting around the fire, almost instantly cremating them. I turned towards the two guards to my right and unsheathed my second sword. Here goes nothing, I think as I hurl both swords at the bewildered men. The right one pierces straight through the heart of its target, but the left goes through the left side of the man's stomach.

Now for a technique I crafted myself. Bryanna had shown me how to make stitches using only magic after a lively but clumsy knight in training cut his leg deep with his blade. I had developed the ability to create magic strings from my four fingers and retract them into my hands. I had wrapped those strings around my swords and pulled hard to retrieve my blades. They instantly flew back to hands, and I was able to maintain the magical strands' grip around the hilts, ready for another strike. I would need to work on throwing with my left hand, but a third of my foes were out of the fight in mere seconds. 

Three men saw me and what I had done; their shocked expressions turned into anger quickly as they rushed toward me. The first one took a clumsy overhead swing at me; I swiftly closed the distance and sliced open his stomach with my left sword while parrying an attack from the second man and kicking the third. I turned and pierced the first man's neck with my sword to ensure he was dead before returning my attention to the other two. 

"Just who the hell are you?" Shouted the second man. I thought briefly while deflecting blows and then decapitating the third bandit. I should have come up with a clever and cool-sounding name before this. I used magic to deepen my voice, trying to sound more intimidating.

"I am just a traveler looking for a lost friend," I say as I run my sword through his heart. I'll think of something later. I needed to get to the prison tent and ensure Bryanna could escape safely. I conceal myself and quickly run over the tent, quietly making my way past men desperately trying to put out the fires that engulfed their friends and some of the tents and carriages. 

The four guards in front of the tent that held the hostages were still firmly in place. These unconsenting guests were of high importance. I decided to try another technique. Again, leaping high into the air, I pierced the ground in front of the guards.

"What the-"

"Who are-"

"Earth Magic: Impaling Spikes!"

From the crack in the ground I had created, multiple small but deadly sharp spikes of rock protruded forward. Before anyone could react, multiple spikes ran through the guards. A couple died instantly due to spikes piercing their heads, while the other two were locked in place with numerous wounds. They tried to shout, but only blood escaped their lips. I ended the spell, allowing the two men still alive to bleed out from their wounds as I quietly ran around the tent. It was empty, and I didn't see Bryanna nearby. I completed what I needed to and concealed my presence before heading to the meeting place we had scouted out earlier.