Oliver quickly conjured a wall of ice to block the incoming branch, but the branch's force was too great and it shattered the ice, sending shards flying everywhere. Oliver was thrown backwards by the impact, his chest feeling bruised and sore. He landed hard on the ground, gasping for breath.
"The difference between a common wizard and a mystic wizard is like night and day," the man said, a hint of superiority in his tone. "A common wizard can only cast basic, rudimentary spells. A mystic wizard, on the other hand, can manipulate the very elements themselves, bending them to their will. You see, there is far more to magic than simply casting a few flashy spells." He looked down at Oliver, a smug smile on his face. "You're just a beginner, a mere novice. You've still got a long way to go before you can even begin to approach my level of power."
Oliver slowly rose to his feet, his hands shaking as he wiped the blood from his mouth. He took in his surroundings, surveying the damage. The wheat field was a mess, trampled by the force of the man's magic. But luckily, the farmers had already gone home for the day. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the field.
Oliver turned to look at Robert, who was still standing a few meters away. "Poison, a little help?" he beckoned, then he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he had taken Solomon's form.
"Of course," Poison replied excitedly as he took shape, "let's kick some ass."
"Elemental spirits!" The man exclaimed, clearly astonished. Although he knew that they had elemental spirits that is; ancestor souls, he had never seen one before and he had heard rumors that anyone who possesed it could have a high chance of advancing to the supreme realm. They were rarest and most powerful forms of magic and possessing them was a sign of great power. The last bit of ancient magic in the entire world. The leader of the Black fraggers was rumored to possess one of the ancestor souls and was already in the legendary level, one step into the formidable realm while the three Superior wizards in the magic council were also rumoured to possess them. The remaining were scattered all over the world. But presently, the Black fraggers had gotten information of two ancestor souls... That's two!!!, If he could bring them back to the HQ...
(Do not worry, you'll understand all these soon)
"Your ancestor souls are not strong enough to defeat me, your powers are not strong enough to even unleash their full potentials," The plant wizard said, his voice full of arrogance, "they are only as strong as 1st rank mystic wizards while I am in the 7th rank. I'll give you one more chance to surrender." The plant wizard was very excited, he was going to battle two ancestor souls at once. He was gonna boast about it to those black bishops (superiors) who dare to order him around again!
"Just like Oliver said, what if we don't?" Solomon asked with a sly grin. The ancestor souls were a towering presence, their size and stature imposing and intimidating. Their hulking forms were both impressive and fearsome, sending a shiver down the spines of all who beheld them.
"So you have your own consciousness, separate from your host? Fascinating!" The plant wizard's tone was full of delight, as if he were a child discovering a new toy. Thorns, branches, and other dangerous-looking vegetation began to whirl around him, as if caught in a tornado. He was harnessing the power of the plants themselves, wielding them as weapons.
In the world of Kreete, the existence of wizards was thought to be rare, but this was only true for the general population. The average person might never even encounter a wizard in their lifetime, not knowing that they had walked right past dozens of them. Wizards were able to sense each other through their magical aura, like two tuning forks vibrating in harmony. They could recognize one another without ever having to be introduced. In other words, only wizards could identify other wizards without being told.
Though the average person knew that wizards existed, they had very different ideas about what they were and what they did. Some thought they were hidden away, working secretly for the government. Others believed that they were nothing more than a myth, a fable from another time. But seeing a wizard in action was a rare and wondrous thing, usually when they battle magic beasts in the city, even if it was masked behind a cloak of secrecy. People would gather to watch, their eyes wide with awe and wonder, as a wizard captured a fugitive, or subdued a rampaging beast. To most, wizards were like superheroes, hidden protectors of the city.
"It's just like the old days, Gabor," Solomon said, a false note of nostalgia in his voice. "Remember when the magic beasts would invade the town, and we'd all put aside our differences to fight them alongside the brave wizards of old?"
"It's a shame that the kids are just ordinary humans," Poison replied. "It's putting a real damper on our powers. Do you think we'll even be able to beat him?" His voice was heavy with doubt, as if he already knew the answer.
"Enough talk," the plant wizard snapped, his patience finally worn thin. "You've wasted enough of my time. I'm supposed to report back before sunset, and I'm not going to let you delay me any longer." As he spoke, a whirl of water began to form around him, condensing into a massive sphere of searing hot liquid. It hovered above him, thrumming with power, ready to be unleashed.
"Water element?" Poison asked dumbfounded. The sphere of water continued to expand as the plant wizard poured his energy into it. The sphere of water was obviously a mystic spell modified by the plant wizard who's second element was water.
As wizards grew in power, they could enter into a contract with a magical or elemental beast, who would become their servant and companion. The beasts were attuned to different elements, depending on their species, and a wizard could draw upon their power once a contract was formed. This meant that a wizard could summon their beast to fight by their side, as well as being able to wield the beast's element themselves. The plant wizard's water missile was a clear sign that he had entered into a contract with a powerful water-aligned beast, one with the strength of a sixth-rank mystic wizard.
"Water sphere!" the plant wizard cried, and the boiling hot sphere of water shot towards the two ancestor souls, its power rippling through the air. As it sped towards its targets, it gathered even more force and speed, a whirling vortex of liquid destruction.
The ancestor souls stood frozen, like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck. In this case, the "truck" was a massive sphere of boiling water, moving at breakneck speed. With their powers suppressed, it would be impossible to set up a strong enough defense. It would be like using a sheet of paper to block a speeding bullet. If only Oliver or Robert were ordinary wizards, the ancestor souls could have regained their power of a first-rank mystic wizard. But they weren't, and they were now faced with an insurmountable challenge.
"Solomon!" Poison yelled. "We have to set up a defense! As many ice walls as possible!"
"It's no use," Solomon replied, his voice shaking. "Even if we put up our strongest shields, we won't be able to withstand that attack."
"We have to try!" Poison cried, desperation in his voice.
"Aaaaaahhh!" they both yelled, as they summoned all their remaining strength and erected a huge shield of ice and earth. They closed their eyes, bracing themselves for the impact. Poison knew that he could heal himself after the impact, but he feared for Solomon, who couldn't do the same.
The water sphere collided with something, and the sound was like a thousand thunderclaps rolled into one. It was like the roar of a dragon, the crash of a thousand waves, the rumble of a million boulders tumbling down a mountainside. It was deafening, the sheer force of it sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The earth trembled, the trees swayed, and the birds scattered, their startled cries echoing through the wheat field.
But the force of the impact never came...
"Did we just…block the attack of a seventh-rank mystic wizard?"
Poison wanted to shout, but before he could even utter the words, he noticed a figure standing between them and the plant wizard. The figure was a middle-aged man with feathery wings that were disappearing into his body. He wore a green robe and had a jet black goatee, and the sheer power he was radiating was far greater than the plant wizard's. He was emitting magical waves so powerful that the air seemed to crackle with energy.
"Oh my God," the plant wizard said, his voice trembling. "It's…Chairman Manhawk." The mention of this name struck fear into his heart. Chairman Manhawk was one of the most powerful beings in Kreete, a wizard so strong that he had ascended to the ninth rank of the legendary realm. He was rumored to be able to move mountains and summon storms with a mere flick of his wrist... Rumored.