"What the hell are they?! Who called them?"
Exclaimed one of the knights who looked exhausted. His arms were bruised with a few scratches that were still dripping blood in places. There were more than two dozen knights in full armor.
But their helmets were starting to come off, their clothes were torn and they looked exhausted. They tried to deal with more than three trolls the size of a hill that looked raging.
The Trolls came from nowhere. Several witnesses said they appeared at the foot of the mountain and began to attack the residents' settlements. They destroyed everything in their path and now the knights were trying to hold them back at the village gates.
However, they were very strong and seemed to have no weaknesses. Stone Trolls were monsters that used to only appear in times of darkness. That was when the Mage fought each other representing their home countries. It happened hundreds of years ago. They shouldn't be seen in such a peaceful time. Who do they want to fight? Just ordinary citizens? Or the sword-wielding knights who were clearly incapable of breaking through the rigors of their stone bodies?
"Retreat! Back off! Prepare the flamethrower!" The commander gave the order. Then several knights appeared hastily carrying large catapults that reeked of crude oil.
"Shoot!"
The stone trolls roared as the earth ball covered in hot burning oil hit their bodies. But it didn't seem like it had much of an effect as they just brushed it off and the earth ball shattered burning the ground around it.
"Not working!! Back! Back! Summon a Mage!"
"This village has no Mage!"
"But earlier we called up a Mage from the nearby village!"
"No time!"
"Leave this village! Focus on evacuating the citizens! We can only slow the creature down! Keep your distance! Don't waste your lives!"
The situation took a turn for the worse, none of the knights were able to face them. Stone Trolls were creatures that were present because they were summoned by a Mage. Stone trolls were creatures that live by eating the magical energy of the Mage who summoned them. Only Mage or knights who understand magic could face them.
However, searching for magicians was not an easy thing nowadays. Because magic was rarely used, since the war and colonialism began to be abandoned.
"Cursed monster! Take this!" A knight dressed in all white appeared in the midst of the knights. He was followed by three gallant knights dressed in similar outfits.
The knight flexed his bow, and shot arrows into their chest area. In the crevice of the solid rock that formed their bodies—a crystal was embedded. Shining red magic crystal. When the arrow hit it, the crystal shattered and the stone troll disintegrated and fell on the ground like an ordinary rock avalanche.
The other knights cheered. Then another white-clad knight joined in on the red crystal hidden in the remaining stone trolls' bodies. Even though it was a little difficult and injured several knights. Finally all the trolls were successfully paralyzed.
"Thank you, holy knight, you have saved us," said the commander.
"We came immediately, as soon as we heard there was a monster. We know their weakness, but your weapons won't be able to destroy the crystal. They can only be fought with weapons that have magical powers," the holy knight brushed his black hair, revealing a charming look.
"Good job, sir Raphael!" His men flattered.
"Our job isn't done yet, we need to collect more sacred artifacts. Since they keep popping up lately. I don't know who summoned them. But I'll look for them," Raphael said angrily as he sheathed his silver sword back.
***
Quentin sat in his recliner slightly drowsy. He watched the bloody battle through the magic mirror he had recently obtained.
His hand tapped the handle of his chair in a huff. Stone trolls were strong, but they were easy to defeat if the knights knew their weakness.
"Why did you call them?" Freyja rebuked Quentin with concern. But she knew that the prince hated being patronized. So she just asked.
"I'm just trying out a summoning magic I just learned," Quentin responded reluctantly.
"Quentin, someone was killed, you know that right?"
"I know it was collateral damage. I didn't think the stone troll wasn't that easy to beat," said Quentin again.
"The kingdom will investigate this, I told you, don't draw attention,"
"Then? Do you want me to be like my mother? The one who stays in her castle all the time, using magic for petty shows and fun for the nobles? Do you want me, who is a Mage, to be their clown?" Quentin asked.
"If you just want to test your magic, you can do it elsewhere, there's no need to sacrifice innocent souls," Freyja lectured.
"Shut up! Do you know what that village is called? It's the village of Durtughal, the village where my mother was born. Do you know what they did to my mother back then? When they found out that she was a Mage. They sold her as the fourth wife of the emperor,"
"Oh, yes Madeleine told me before,"
"I just want to teach them a little lesson. I want them to know, what will happen if my mother who used to be a Mage is not so compassionate and fights them,"
"So this is your revenge Quentin?" Ask Freyja.
"Revenge? No. If I want to destroy them, I can do it even without magic. I can hire mercenaries to carry out terror and stuff. As other rich nobles used to do. I did scientific experiments, Freyja. What humans will do when facing magic in peacetime like now? I'm just helping the kingdom of Arbavia. After this they'll start to get busy again looking for Mages and forcing them to work for the country." Quentin explained as he rose from his seat and walked to the window.
"Quentin, do you remember what I told you earlier?"
"Which one? You talk to me a lot,"
"About Madeleine, she was the strongest Mage of her time who learned all her magic abilities self-taught. Then she summoned me from another dimension, to teach you magic properly,"
"Yes, my mother inherited all of her powers after she died. I thought her magic was just some trivial magic for party fun. I didn't know her power turned out to be this great," Quentin was excited.
"Madeleine is a wise magic user. But she knows she hasn't fully utilized her powers. That's why she asked me to teach you. She wants you to be the strongest. I hope you know what you're doing, Quentin. Hopefully you won't have to face a stronger enemy," warned Freyja the parrot.
Quentin laughed, feeling that Freyja had just said something funny.
"Freyja! This is why I stole the magic mirror from the east! I know everything! And listen to this,"
"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the strongest Mage on this earth?" asked Quentin.
Quentin waited eagerly for the mirror to answer. A few days ago he had asked. And without hesitation the mirror replied that Quentin was the strongest. But this time he was a little longer, the magic vortex on the surface of his mirror was slightly turbulent.
"Hmm, this is a little tricky," said the mirror.
"What? What does that mean?"
"I feel a strong aura, a great Mage might just appear in this world,"
"Huh? What do you mean? I'm definitely the strongest Mage!" Quentin shouted at the mirror.
"Hold yourself, you promised not to be rude to me right? Mr Quentin, I'm not lying,"
"Who is he? Who is a Mage stronger than me?"
"He's hiding his aura, he's so strong that even I, the magic mirror can't see his face," The mirror said carefully.