The Ogre Mage

"Lizardmen, we're just passing through," Robb said calmly. "We're not looking for trouble, and we don't carry anything of value. Let us through, it's best for everyone."

The lizardman leader let out a shrill hiss of laughter.

"Nothing valuable? Then what's that around your neck? My tongue can feel the energy it gives off."

Robb suddenly realized he was still wearing the green leaf brooch Valenwood had gifted him, which indeed emitted a trace of natural energy.

"Last chance, human," the lizardman leader threatened, the curved blade in his hand glinting coldly.

"Hand over your valuables, and we might let you live."

Robb took a deep breath. His mental energy began circulating.

"Looks like negotiations failed. Andrey, ready?"

"I've been waiting too long," Andrey replied. His eyes were fully golden now, and faint scale patterns shimmered on his skin.

With a roar, the lizardman leader signaled for his warriors to attack.

But Robb made the first move.

"Sonic Tremor!"

Invisible energy rippled from his palm, piercing the air at high speed and striking the three frontmost lizardmen.

They didn't even have time to raise their shields before being hit by the blast. Their bodies flew backward like they'd been smashed by a giant hammer, slamming into the wall and spewing dark green blood from their mouths.

Immediately after, Robb's wooden staff transformed back into the ironwood sword, and he charged the right flank like a bolt of lightning.

His sword flashed like flowing water, every strike deadly and precise.

Slash…

The blade sliced through two lizardmen's throats in one clean sweep. The cuts were so clean that barely any blood splattered.

They didn't even have time to cry out. Their eyes froze in disbelief as they collapsed.

Meanwhile, Andrey was not to be outdone.

He inhaled deeply, fully activating his Crimsonblood Wyvern lineage. Dense red scales appeared across his chest.

Dragonfire!

A torrent of searing flame burst from his mouth, roaring toward the remaining lizardmen.

The heat was intense, warping the air with waves of distortion.

The last three lizardmen had no chance to dodge and were engulfed. Their agonized screams echoed as their bodies burned.

The entire battle lasted only a few seconds. All eight lizardmen lay dead, charred or decapitated, none survived.

"These guys were pathetic," Andrey said with disappointment, smoke still rising from his lips.

"I thought there'd be more of a challenge."

Robb crouched beside the lizardman leader's corpse and noticed a strange mark, a spider-shaped tattoo carved into the inside of its left arm.

"This wasn't just a random robbery," he said, pointing at the mark. "This is likely Mora's symbol. I can feel the magic in it. No hired thug would die for their employer without some kind of magical compulsion."

Andrey leaned in, eyes narrowing in thought. "Spider… Old Spider Mora?"

"Most likely," Robb replied, brushing dust from his hands as he stood. "Looks like Otto was right. Mora really does love to test her visitors."

The two pressed on, more alert than ever.

This part of Lizard Alley was nearly deserted. The dark, damp alley was lined with crumbling buildings. Faint rustling sounds echoed now and then, rats, or maybe something worse.

After about ten minutes, the ground suddenly trembled under heavy footsteps.

"Careful," Robb said, stopping abruptly. He extended his mental energy to scan the path ahead.

"Something big's coming," Andrey warned, gripping his sword.

Moments later, a massive figure emerged from the bend ahead.

It was an ogre, over three meters tall, with sickly gray-green skin covered in warts and scars.

But its most distinctive feature was its oversized head, bearing a single enormous eye on its forehead. Its body was etched with tribal tattoos.

It wore a rough beast-hide robe and carried a thick staff, topped with a gem glowing with purple light.

"Ogre mage," Robb said quietly, eyes narrowing. "This one's far more dangerous than a regular ogre."

The creature let out a deep roar, and the single eye on its forehead flashed violet.

"Humans… I can sense the strange energy on you. The master is very interested…"

It raised its staff, and the gem flared. A beam of purple energy shot toward Robb and Andrey.

"Watch out!" Robb shouted. A golden-red energy ring formed around him and quickly expanded.

"Radiant Ring!"

The radiant ring clashed with the purple beam in midair. A blinding flash erupted, followed by a deafening explosion.

The shockwave shattered nearby walls and sent debris flying.

"That magic is strong…" Robb stepped back to avoid the lingering energy. His own attack had clearly been overpowered. "No wonder even High Apprentices avoid this thing."

The ogre mage appeared surprised by Robb's counterattack, but soon flew into a rage. The tribal tattoos on its body glowed ominously.

Its giant eye turned blood-red, distorting the surrounding air as ripples of warped energy began to spread.

"Psychic attack!" Robb immediately recognized the pattern and erected a mental barrier, warning Andrey:

"Shield your mind, it's trying to interfere with our consciousness!"

Andrey clenched his teeth and furrowed his brow, clearly struggling against the mental assault.

"This guy's way tougher than I thought…"

Seeing its psychic assault fail, the ogre mage changed tactics.

It slammed its staff into the ground and began chanting in a strange, guttural tongue.

The ground trembled. Dirt and rubble gathered into three giant stone golems, each over five meters tall and brimming with elemental energy.

"Go! Tear them apart!" the ogre mage roared, sending the golems charging toward them.

"I'll handle the golems, you take the ogre!" Andrey shouted, fully activating his dragon blood. His entire body was wrapped in glowing red scales.

Robb nodded, eyes sharp.

"Time to go all out."

His mental energy surged, a silent storm erupting inside him.

The ogre mage flinched, sensing danger. Its eye widened in fear as it raised a shield of magical energy.

"Mind Disruption!"

Robb unleashed a psychic blast, invisible waves radiating from him.

The shockwave tore through the air and pierced the ogre's mind directly.

The magical barrier was useless against this kind of attack. The ogre howled in agony, staggering backward as its staff fell from its hand.

Its eye was filled with disbelief, it couldn't understand how its defenses were broken so easily.

But Robb didn't stop.

He instantly channeled both light and fire elements.

"Radiant Ring, full power!"

This time, the energy ring was three times larger, six meters across. Golden-red light swirled around it like a living thing, pulsing with deadly power.

The ring blasted forward and tore through the ogre mage's chest.

Unlike before, Robb had channeled a much greater volume of magic, still less efficient than a true mage's advanced casting, but devastating nonetheless.

As the ring passed through it, the ogre mage seemed to ignite from within. Golden-red light coursed through its veins, visible beneath its skin.

Its massive eye lost focus. Its mouth opened wide in a silent scream.

Then a shadow darted past, the ironwood sword gleamed like cold steel.

Dawn Cross Slash: Overdrive!

The blade moved like a meteor streaking through the night, too fast to see clearly.

A perfect cross-shaped cut appeared on the ogre's chest and neck. The slices were so clean they looked machine-cut.

Its face froze in shock and fear. The giant fell backward, slamming into the ground with a thunderous crash.

The light in its eye faded. Life left it in an instant.

The three stone golems collapsed at the same moment, losing their magical support and crumbling into rubble.

Andrey, panting and bruised from the golems' assault, was mostly unharmed.

"That was insane…" Andrey stared at the ogre mage's body in awe. "You ended it almost instantly."

Robb sheathed his sword. "Direct combat wastes too much energy. Best to strike fast and end it in one blow."

He walked to the corpse and picked up the staff, examining the purple gem at the tip.

"An energy crystal. Still has some juice left."

He disassembled the staff and pocketed the gem.

"Might be useful for future research."

Unfortunately, these wild spellcasters only used crude innate magic, so there weren't any proper spell models to collect.

Andrey looked back the way they came.

"We've taken out more than ten lizardman warriors and an ogre mage strong enough to fight a High Apprentice. That hag must be crazy, sending all her elite thugs to die like this…"

"I doubt this is the end," Robb replied, continuing forward. "Either way, I will meet that old woman today. I want to know why she attacked us."

The environment grew darker and more eerie.

Spiderweb patterns faintly covered the walls, and the air was thick with an ancient, arcane aura.

They turned one final corner, and found an old brick building before them.

Above the doorway hung a faded wooden sign with four carved characters: Maze Pawnshop.

"We're here." Robb took a deep breath, eyes scanning warily. "Stay alert. This place reeks of trouble."

The two approached carefully and pushed open the rickety wooden door.

Inside was a dim room, cluttered with all sorts of odd items: Faded portraits, broken statues, rusted weapons, dusty jewelry. The air was heavy with an ancient, mysterious scent.

"Anyone here?" Robb called softly, his mental energy probing the area.

A faint sound answered, from behind a curtain in the corner.

The curtain shifted, and a hunched figure emerged, an old woman with sickly yellow skin.

"What rare guests," she croaked, her voice like bark scraping bark. "A young wizard apprentice and a bloodline knight. In all my years in the Black Mist Forest, I've rarely seen your kind together."

Robb and Andrey stayed on guard, eyes locked on her.

"You're Mora?" Robb asked bluntly.

The old woman flashed a nearly toothless smile.

"Yes, child. I am the Old Spider, Mora. So, you already know my name… and came here anyway. Brave of you."

Robb met her sunken eyes head-on.

"The ambush in Lizard Alley last time. The lizardmen and ogre mage today. All your doing, wasn't it?"

Mora's grin widened, a glint of approval in her eyes.

"Clever boy. Yes, those were my little… greetings."

"Greetings?" Andrey scoffed, golden light flashing in his eyes. "You call that a greeting?"