The blast from the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the area. A nearby tractor and harvester were completely destroyed, their metal bodies crumpled like tin cans. The wheat fields were flattened, turned to dust by the sheer force of the collision. The heat from the water had set the surrounding crops on fire, and the steam from the aftermath created a thick fog that blanketed the area. The farmhouse, which had been caught in the blast radius, was ablaze, its walls caving in and its roof collapsing. The power of a mystic spell, much less a supercharged one, was truly something to behold.
"The Black Fraggers only sent a single member of the Black Clergy to capture you two?" Manhawk said, his voice laced with derision. "That's quite the insult, considering your potential. It seems they don't understand your value." He looked at the two elementals, his gaze penetrating. "What a foolish mistake on their part."
"Do you really think I came alone?" the plant wizard asked, a sly smirk spreading across his face.
"All right, boys," Manhawk said, his voice smooth and confident. "Time to come out of hiding." He stroked his goatee as he surveyed the landscape. In the distance, from behind a tractor, four figures emerged from the shadows. They were men, wearing dark red robes, their faces obscured by the gloom, but their bodies giving off a faint glow of magic. They had the aura of 5th rank mystic wizards.
"What?" the plant wizard spluttered, taken aback by this turn of events. "How did you know?"
"Using the magic waves foreshadowing potion might fool some inexperienced common wizards, but you didn't expect to see me, did you?" Manhawk's voice was calm and assured. his hands clasped behind his back as he spoke. He carried himself with an air of authority, his green robe adorned with a badge that marked him as a chairman of the Magic Council. His gaze was piercing, his words deliberate and measured. It was clear that he was not someone to be trifled with.
"You may be a legendary wizard, but let's see how long you'll last against five mystic wizards," one of the wizards said, his voice dripping with arrogance. The other four nodded in agreement, their eyes fixed on Manhawk with a challenge. They were clearly underestimating him, believing that their combined power would be enough to overwhelm him.
...BUT...
Without warning, a massive fireball streaked across the sky, leaving a trail of blue flames in its wake. It was larger than any meteor that had ever been seen before, its diameter rivaling that of a public swimming pool. The heat it gave off was intense, cooking the ground below it even from a distance. It fell towards the five wizards with frightening speed, leaving them little time to react.
"A legendary spell?" the plant wizard said, his voice trembling with awe. He had never seen anything like it before. It was a spell of incredible power, something that could only be wielded by a powerful legendary fire wizard.
The five mystic wizards raised their arms, and cast their strongest defensive spells. As the fireball drew ever closer, Solomon and Poison smiled. They knew what was coming next.
"Doesn't it remind you of someone?" Solomon asked, his eyes still locked on the fireball.
"Doom," Poison said, his expression shifting from one of wonder to one of dread.
"That spell is nearly impossible to escape from. You'd be dead if not for your healing ability, Doom would have killed you a long time ago." Solomon said, a knowing smile on his face. "Let's see how these guys will deal with it."
Manhawk's ability to modify his spells was a mark of his status as a legendary wizard. He could take a simple mystic spell, like the fireball he'd just cast, and imbue it with even greater power by tapping into the legendary powers he'd acquired. The result was a spell that was far more powerful than any ninth-rank mystic spell. It was a feat that few other wizards could match.
In short, common wizards could only cast simple, small-scale spells. Mystic wizards were more powerful, capable of casting larger and more potent spells. And then there were legendary wizards, who could manipulate the very laws of magic, changing their spells into any form they desired, be it a chain, a sword, a fist or an axe.
The formidable wizards were capable of creating domains with their magic, where the laws of the elements were shaped by their will. They could manipulate the elements to their liking, and their strength was incredible. The highest wizard level, the Supreme wizard, could control the fundamental laws of the elements. They could bend time itself, and with each step up the ladder of power, they would get closer and closer to the realm of the gods. They could cast spells with just a single thought, causing devastation on a massive scale. Their power was absolute. They had fully merged with their element.
The meteor crashed into the ground, releasing a blast of energy that shook the earth and set the surrounding fields ablaze. The farm was reduced to ash, and the soil beneath it was churned up by the force of the impact. As the fire cleared, the five mystic wizards lay broken and bleeding on the ground. With trembling hands, they reached for blue bottles at their belts, downing the contents in a single gulp. Their bones mended instantly, but their wounds remained, as raw and bloody as ever. Desperately, they summoned their magic beasts, hoping to escape the wrath of Manhawk. But before they could, a water chain materialized out of thin air, snaking around them and their beasts. The chain was conjured by Manhawk, who held up his left hand, his eyes blazing with power. The chain tightened, and the wizards and their beasts were bound, struggling in vain against its unyielding grasp. It was clear that they were at Manhawk's mercy.
"A legendary wizard is truly a force to be reckoned with," the plant wizard thought, his eyes wide with awe. "I can't wait to reach that level of power…er, though my wounds are really starting to sting. Ouch!" He tried to move, but the pain was too much to bear. He could only lie there, trapped in his own thoughts.
"Red-eyed Cerberus, I'll leave these wizards in your care until I return. We'll hand them to the supreme judgement court for interrogation," Manhawk said, and a massive beast with three heads and the body of a leopard bounded out of a tattoo on his neck, landing in front of the trapped wizards. The beast stood as tall as a water tanker, its red eyes glinting with malice. It growled menacingly, baring its teeth, ready to strike at the slightest provocation. There would be no escaping its watchful gaze.
"You're a good boy," Manhawk said affectionately to the creature. "Now, Goldie."
As Solomon and Poison turned to look, they were struck by the sight of a massive white eagle with a golden beak. Its claws were terrifying to behold, but its voice was as sweet as a songbird's. It ruffled its wings, regarding the two elementals with a curious gaze while muttering sweet sounds at Manhawk who stroked it's beak as he said, "Good girl."
Manhawk cleared his throat and said, "Now, let's take these guys back to the school, Oh, and you two, perhaps it's time to revert to your human forms?"
"Oh, you're right," Poison and Solomon muttered sheepishly, before changing back to the two boys.
"Much better," Manhawk said, his lips quirking up into a smile. "Now, hop on," he said, gesturing to the white eagle, whose wings were spread wide, forming a sort of ramp. The trio clambered on, finding the eagle's back surprisingly comfortable. Once they were settled, the eagle began to take off, its powerful wings beating against the air as it lifted into the sky.
"I know you both have a lot of questions," Manhawk said, "and I'm happy to answer them. By the way, I'm Simon Stevenson, but most people call me Manhawk."
"Pleased to meet you, sir. I'm Robert Manuel and he's..." Robert said, but Manhawk cut him off before he could finish his sentence.
"I know who you both are," he said, a knowing smile on his face.
"You're a legend!" Oliver exclaimed. "I'm a huge fan!"
"How did you know about him?" Robert couldn't help but ask. Given that the average person in the world of Kreete believed that wizards were merely fantastical tales, Robert was astonished to discover that Oliver had knowledge of a magical individual. If it hadn't been for Poison, he might never have learned that magic was more than just a story told to children. It might have remained nothing more than a fanciful fantasy, something that he only experienced in his imagination.
The bird soared high into the clouds, and as they climbed higher, the view became even more breathtaking. The world below them looked like a beautiful patchwork quilt, stitched together with fields, rivers, and forests. They were flying so high, that ordinary people would probably mistake the bird for a plane.
"So, if you've got any questions, please ask away," Manhawk iterated, as the wind ruffled his black hair.
"Why do those men want us?" Robert asked, his black hair equally fluttered in the wind. "And what's this 'Black Fraggers' group?"
Manhawk sighed. "The Black Fraggers are a very dangerous and violent terrorist organization. I'll tell you more about them later, but suffice to say, they're bad news. As for why they want you two... well, the ancestor souls you possess are incredibly valuable."
"How did you find us?" Oliver inquired.
"Well, the ruckus you two caused at the hospital didn't escape the attention of higher authorities," Manhawk replied.
"Alright," Oliver said with guilty smile. "The Magic Council has a strict policy against public displays of magic, but it seems like that policy is being violated on a regular basis recently. I've heard reports of wizards using their powers to battle all kinds of creatures right here in town, what's going on?"
As Oliver spoke, Robert found himself increasingly impressed by his knowledge of the wizarding world. How did he know all that? it definitely wasn't common knowledge. Robert couldn't help but wonder how much more there was to learn about this hidden side of society.
Manhawk cleared his throat and continued, "It's true that the magic beasts have been increasingly brazen, venturing into the safe zones, which of course are the human settlements. This has put the magic council in a difficult position, as they have to protect the safety of both the wizarding and human communities. So they've decided to allow wizards to take immediate action if they encounter an aggressive magic beast in the city, even if it means breaking the rules about not showing off their powers. But in serious emergencies, they've advised wizards to conceal their identities with masks or other means, so as not to attract unnecessary attention. It's not an ideal situation but it's the best the magic council can do in the face of this growing threat. Of course, the council is working hard to find a more permanent solution, but in the meantime, this is the best way to keep everyone safe .We believe that the recent increase in magic beast activities is the work of the Black Fraggers, but we're still investigating the matter, we just haven't found any hard evidence yet."
Robert nodded, trying to process all this new information. He couldn't help but wonder what the future would hold, if the magic beasts continued to become more and more brazen. Would there come a time when the wizards would engage in a full scale battle with the beasts?
Manhawk's gaze shifted downwards and beneath the clouds, he saw people running in panic. Robert and Oliver couldn't see the scene unfolding below because of their low magic cultivation but it was a different case for a legendary wizard.
"Hmm, although Axille is only a small town in Heiss city, they've still got a good amount of wizards. They don't need our help. There are magic enforcers in the area too. The creature they're battling is only level twelve." Manhawk said.
"What are you talking about?" Robert asked, confusion etched on his face.
"Oh, just some common wizards and magic enforcers fighting a level 12 magic beast," Manhawk said, sounding rather nonchalant. "Magic enforcers are sort of like the wizard police."
"Why is it ranked level 12?" Robert asked, his interest piqued.
"Magic beasts are ranked based on the strength of wizards, with levels one through nine representing common wizards, ten through nineteen representing mystic wizards, and so on," Manhawk explained as he looked down and noticed that they were about to fly past the school, he surreptitiously gripped Goldie's feathers tightly.
"I'll see you boys tomorrow." He said with a tone of finality.
"Wait - what do you mean, 'see us'??" Robert started to ask, but before he could finish his question, Goldie suddenly turned a somersault in mid-air. The two boys were tossed from her back, plummeting towards the earth at a frightening speed. As they fell, they struggled to breathe, the wind ripping through their hair and clothes. But despite the terror of their situation, they were still breathing, they were wizards after all, and they've got ancestor souls too.
"Oliver," Robert called out telepathically, as the wind rushed past his face, "what level do you think Goldie is?"
"I think she's level twenty-two," Oliver replied, his silver hair ruffling in the wind.
"Seriously?"
"Yep!"
Oliver eyes darted around, taking in the view as they fell past the clouds. He realized that people might be able to see them at their current altitude, and they'd likely whip out their phones to record their apparent skydiving mishap. And then they would have to turn into ice and sand before the camera... then the people of the magic council would come to arrest them for public display of magic...oh I forgot, they recently allowed it.
"We'd better change," Oliver said.
"But why don't we just have a..."
"Just change!"