Arthur crouched in the shadows outside Lord Varic's mansion, his heart pounding in his chest. He had spent weeks preparing for this moment, honing his skills and gathering information about his target. The time for revenge had finally come. Pulling up the hood of his cloak to conceal his face, he took a deep breath, feeling the familiar surge of mana and life force through his body.
"Ready, Baal?" Arthur whispered, his voice barely audible.
Baal's voice echoed in his mind, dark and eager. "Always. Let's make this bastard pay."
Arthur moved silently through the darkness, his steps light and purposeful. He had memorized the layout of the mansion, knowing exactly where to find Lord Varic. As he approached the perimeter, he used a simple illusion spell to cloak himself from the guards' sight, slipping past them unnoticed.
Reaching the main building, Arthur scaled the wall with ease, his enhanced physical abilities making the climb effortless. He slipped through an open window and landed softly in a corridor. The mansion was a testament to Varic's wealth and power, with luxurious tapestries and gilded ornaments adorning the walls. Arthur crept through the halls, his senses on high alert, the faint sounds of the mansion's nightly rhythms reaching his ears.
He finally reached the door to Lord Varic's chambers. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he summoned a small flame to his hand, using it to melt the lock silently. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside.
Lord Varic was awake, sitting at his desk with a glass of wine. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the cloaked figure enter his room. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded, his voice laced with anger.
Arthur took the off the hood and said "Your worst fucking nightmare."
Varic's eyes narrowed as he stood, mana swirling around him. "So, the little brat thinks he can take on a noble? You're in for a rude awakening, boy."
Arthur wasted no time, launching a fireball at Varic. The noble deflected it with ease, countering with a blast of lightning. Arthur dodged, the electricity crackling past him. He retaliated with a series of quick spells, fire and ice weaving together in a deadly dance.
Varic smirked, his movements fluid and controlled. "You're not bad, but you're out of your league."
Arthur gritted his teeth, pushing himself harder. He used his chi to enhance his speed and strength, closing the distance between them. They clashed, Varic's mana shield meeting Arthur's enhanced strikes. The room shook with the force of their battle, furniture splintering and walls cracking.
Arthur summoned a torrent of water, aiming to drown Varic. The noble countered with a gust of wind, dispersing the water and sending Arthur crashing into a bookshelf. Books and ornaments rained down on him, but he quickly got back on his feet, fire in his eyes.
"You'll have to do better than that!" Arthur growled, launching a barrage of ice spikes at Varic.
Varic created a shield of earth, the spikes shattering against it. He then transformed the shield into a barrage of rock projectiles, which Arthur barely managed to dodge. One of the rocks grazed his arm, drawing blood.
"You're persistent, I'll give you that," Varic sneered. "But persistence won't save you."
Arthur's eyes blazed with fury. He channeled his anger into his magic, summoning a whirlwind of fire that engulfed Varic. The noble screamed in pain, his clothes and skin burning. But he quickly recovered, extinguishing the flames with a wave of water.
"This ends now!" Varic roared, his body glowing with mana. He unleashed a powerful blast of energy that sent Arthur flying across the room, slamming into the wall with bone-crushing force.
Arthur groaned, his vision blurring from the impact. He struggled to stand, his body trembling with pain. Varic approached, a cruel smile on his face. "Any last words, boy?"
Arthur's mind raced. He couldn't die here, not without avenging his parents. Summoning the last of his strength, he activated his Harmony Breath, feeling his life force and mana intertwine. He extended tendrils of mana towards Varic, aiming for his mana core.
Varic's eyes widened in surprise as he felt his energy being siphoned away. "What--?"
Arthur seized the opportunity, using the stolen energy to heal his wounds and strengthen his next attack. He launched a barrage of spells, forcing Varic to retreat.
Just as Arthur was gaining the upper hand, he heard footsteps approaching. Reinforcements. Varic's men would be here any second.
"Time to go," Baal urged.
Arthur nodded, releasing his grip on Varic's mana. He used the last of his strength to create a blinding flash of light, disorienting Varic and his approaching guards. In the confusion, he slipped out of the room and down the corridor, moving as fast as his weakened body would allow.
He made it to the window and leaped out, landing hard on the ground below. Ignoring the pain, he sprinted into the forest, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
After running for what felt like hours, Arthur finally collapsed against a tree, his body shaking with exhaustion. He had failed to kill Varic, but he was alive. And he had learned valuable lessons from the encounter.
"We'll get him next time," Baal said, his voice a mix of frustration and determination.
Arthur nodded, his eyes cold. "I know. And next time, he won't be so fucking lucky."
Baal chuckled darkly. "That's the spirit. Let's get to work"