After the image in the magic mirror disappeared, the two sorcerers of the Cadogan clan, Osslow and Garlane started a discussion among themselves while they were in a pool of green medicinal liquid. Their previous battle with the intermediate Brander sorcerers did not go smoothly as they sustained considerable injuries and hence they were in a state of recovery right now.
"From the battle that happened at Toledo Fort a while ago, we can determine that our opponent is Storm. From our reports, he is one of the rising stars in the Brander clan and just recently advanced to an intermediate sorcerer," Osslow was a sorcerer with a black mask covering his face except for his eyes and had dark hair that covered half of his face. He was a type of sorcerer who was meticulous and analysed his opponent in order to know their strengths and prepare a corresponding counterattack.
"Storm is known for using his wind elemental power to engage in long-distance combat and from what my earth lizard was able to gather from the battle, this information is accurate. He will be a troublesome opponent," Osslow said. "I suggest we resort to an ambush to deal with him"
"Are you by any chance implying that I that I am no match for him, hmm Osslow?" Garlane had white, spiky hair and was slightly displeased when he heard Osslow's assessment. This was because Garlane was an ice elemental sorcerer who also preferred long-ranged combat as his base fighting style. He had confidence in his abilities and his track record of eliminating his enemies was nothing to scoff at!
"As you said, he just recently advanced and I believe that he won against Black Hands because Black Hands got careless and he could have patiently probed until he found an opportune time to attack. Besides, we are going to attack him together, making it a two versus one." Garlane did not underestimate his opponent. He just thought that a two-on-one confrontation had a clear winner.
"This 'Storm' will suffer the same fate as the other two sorcerers!" Garlane said. "Well, I guess you do make a good point. Let us focus on recovery and preparation and after that, we deal with Storm."
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12 days later, on the highest floor of Toledo fort,
August had no idea that he had become the subject of his enemies and couldn't be bothered to care as he was in an office surrounded by countless documents in relation to the administration of the fort and the spirit stone mine not far from it.
The office was extremely spacious and had a large glass window behind it that displayed the entire Toledo fort and the spirit mine in one's eyes. Apart from August, a female sorcerer was in the room, standing to the side awaiting instructions. She was Amyra.
"Okay here is what you will do. Relay to Edgar that instead of subjecting the miners to an almost 24-hour working shift, he should go by the framework I have just devised and let the miners do a 12-hour shift and make the brothels free of charge for them." August turned to look at Amyra and said.
Apart from being sent to hold down the fort from external threats, August was given the Brander medallion and this meant that he was responsible for taking decisions related to the administration of the fort and the spirit mine as well. His first decision was to make to Amyra his assistant due to her social skills and likeable personality among the apprentice sorcerers.
After familiarizing himself with the issues at hand, he also decided to apply some simple business concepts he learned from Earth and they proved to be impressive as the production of spirit stones, storage, processing and transportation all improved significantly. "Also the best performing miners should be rewarded with free beer in the taverns. This will motivate them to work harder in the mine and that will contribute to an increased rate of production of spirit stones!" he added.
Amyra had a look of admiration on her face when she looked at August's handsome face and couldn't help but be lost in thought when she looked at his golden pupils that seemed to flash with a mysterious light. As his assistant, Amyra had witnessed August's demonstration of intellect in handling administrative work. She originally thought that he was simply a battle sorcerer but this turned out to be untrue.
"Amyra! Amyra! Did you just hear what I said?"
"Yes…err I heard…I will see to it right away!!" Amyra scurried off quickly while blushing after she realised that she was caught 'staring'. August shook his head helplessly.
With her curvy figure and exotic look, August had to admit that Amyra was a woman most men would dream of. However, he wasn't ready to chase after love in this world. His goal was power, power to determine his fate and to reach the fabled Ninth Rank Sorcerer!
However just as Amyra opened the door to head out, an apprentice sorcerer rushed into the office with an alarmed look on his face. "Senior Storm, there has been an attack on the caravan transporting the spirit stones to Feronia town!!!!"
"What!?" August had a grim expression on his face. As per his arrangements, he had two apprentice sorcerers protect the caravans and therefore for this attack to have happened then it meant that the enemy should have outnumbered them or been more powerful.
August stood up and made arrangements to head to the site of the attack. He gave instructions to Amyra and rode a horse to the outskirts of Toledo fort. He had to investigate who was responsible for the attack and he could only do that by seeing the scene for himself.
After some thirty minutes he arrived at a clearing and dismounted from his horse. This place was the site of the incident. The travelling party were all killed and laid on the ground with ice bolts pierced through their bodies. From the expressions on their faces, they seemed to have experienced despair and helplessness before their death.
August had a dark look on his face as he slowly walked around the bodies and seeing the carts intact with the spirit stones, decided to head back for his horse when suddenly Rhea gave him a split-second notification of danger in the surrondings. He barely had time to look around him when a yellowish shadow flashed towards him from behind, while an ice bolt also shot towards him from his 'blindspot', aiming for his head.
An ambush! August did not dillydally at all and immediately responded with the sorcery Rhea had optimized to its completion yesterday. He had been anticipating a day like this to come and hence, had always felt that a defensive sorcery was important to his battle method. With a defensive sorcery, he could now deal with unexpected attacks like the ambush today.
Wind Sorcery: Wind Spiral Barrier
Green elemental particles gathered around August the wind within a five meter radius transformed into a swift-spinning spiral barrier.
BOOM!!!
The yellow shadow and the ice bolt collided with the barrier and had no advantage as they were repelled by backwards, creating a loud explosion and an icy fog in the surroundings. After his sorcery eventually lost power, August finally saw what the 'yellow flash' was.
It was an Earth Lizard. It looked like a lizard but it had spiky skin and was made up of rocks. But what August found different from a normal Earth Lizard in his database was that the Earth Lizard did not have life-like eyes and seemed to have remained in position, not making any attempt to continue its attack contrary to its normally aggressive nature.
"Eh? You managed to block the combined attacks of my Earth Lizard and Garlane's ice bolt sorcery. I am impressed." Two dark-robed figures had a snickering expressions on their faces as they came out from the hiding spots and stood before August. It was Osslow and Garlane. "We lured you out here so that we could kill you cleanly but it looks like you still had other cards up your sleeve." Garlane said coldly. "Not that it matters though-you will still die anyway"
"You planned to finish me off with this ambush huh? It is too bad you don't have the ability." August retorted without any panic on his face after seeing the two. "Your alchemical creature is indeed powerful and ice bolt sorcery as well. But if you intend to kill then you must be prepared to face death as well."
August raised his right hand in the air as he spoke and wind elemental particles gathered in the air they took the shape of spears that were almost three meters in length and suspended above his head. The spears had a sharp feeling to them as if they could pierce anything and they pointed towards Osslow and Garlane and it descended with swift speed!
Wind Sorcery: Wind Spear Rain!