On the peak of Mount Catastrophe, explosions roared like a mad dragon having tantrum. Trees toppled, while birds panicked, flapping away in a frenzy that would make even the most experienced flier dizzy.
Fire and lightning danced together in a chaotic dance, creating a spectacle that looked more like a magic show gone horribly wrong than an actual battle.
Amidst the chaos stood a figure draped in a pristine white robe that somehow remained spotless even in the midst of nature's meltdown. It was Elder Garath, a powerful mage known for his impressive spells and his uncanny ability to keep his laundry looking fresh. He almost obsessed with it, it makes his associates hate him.
His long, neatly groomed grey beard swayed slightly in the gusts of wind, and his calm expression seemed almost comical against the backdrop of destruction.
However, his sharp eyes were glued to the swirling chaos ahead, betraying a hint of anxiety that he tried to mask beneath his calm facade.
"Focus, Garath," he muttered to himself, sweat pooling in the fabric of his robe. "You've handled worse than this. He is just a child. You can do this."
Just then, an orb of shimmering light zipped around him, mirroring his every move with the enthusiasm of a puppy that just found a stick.
"Stay close," he instructed the orb, trying to sound authoritative while internally questioning every life choice that had led him to this very moment.
Meanwhile, perched high in a nearby tree that was clearly having a rough day, a boy barely eighteen years old sat, hidden among the branches.
His hair was a wild mess, partially due to the breeze and partially due to the fact that it was just a bad hair day, a bad hair day because he have to fight an Elder mage while just wanting to go fishing.
He clutched something in his hands, something that would definitely make his classmates at the Velaron Academy raise their eyebrows in confusion.
What he held wasn't a wand, a staff, or a dusty old tome of spells like most mages in this world would wield. Nope, This was a sleek, long rectangle with a handle that looked strange and foreeing as if it was cam from another world.
It had a few small orange-red runes etched into its side that glowed ominously, and smoke curled up from its end like it was fresh out of a grill.
"Alright, Aedan," he whispered to himself, trying to keep his heart from racing faster than this. "Just point and shoot like always. What could possibly go wrong?"
He took a deep breath, steadied his hands, and prepared to make another feat as the world's first gunslinger mage in this world.
Aedan took a steadying breath, channeling his inner marksman. He aimed his Magic Blaster 5000 – a name he'd totally just made up on the spot but thought sounded cool – from behind the tree. He squeezed the trigger, feeling a mix of excitement and the lingering fear of being obliterated by a cranky Elder Mage.
BANG!
The sound echoed like a cannon blast in the quiet mountain air. A projectile shot forth. It was a small fireball that launched with incredible speed then expanding rapidly in the air until it reached a fearsome diameter of five meters. It hurtled toward Elder Garath with all its might.
Elder Garath saw the attack coming and raised an eyebrow, a blend of surprise and admiration crossing his face.
"Impressive," he muttered under his breath. "That talentless child can create magic attack with such speed and power."
In less than a second, Aedan had created a fireball the size of a small cottage, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy mixed with ambition.
"That artifact, I must have it!"
Elder Garath thinking quickly and he immediately conjured three shimmering water barriers in front of him which flickered with magical energy. The first two barriers were shattered like glass under the force of Aedan's fireball, sending sprays of water everywhere.
The last barrier, however, held firm, absorbing the blast of fire and extinguishing it in a cloud of mist that enveloped the area, shrouding them in a cool, steamy haze.
As the mist rolled in, Aedan could barely make out the silhouette of Elder Garath, who was protected by his magic protection barrier.
"Nice shot, but you're still not a match for me!" he called out, his voice dripping with mockery.
Aedan gritted his teeth from his perch in the tree. "Fuck you, old man!" he shouted back.
He had no intention of playing it safe right now, especially when he could potentially take down an Elder Mage, one who quite frankly, was ruining his fishing day.
Elder Garath gritted his teeth. But then, he regaining his composure and narrowed his eyes.
"You're clearly have something of great potential, but you have much to learn about responsibility and the proper use of that power." He raised his staff, preparing to unleash his next attack.
He now stood amidst the swirling mist, unaware of how close Aedan had gotten. He couldn't sense the boy moving and couldn't feel his presence. After all, Aedan wasn't channeling Mana in the usual way. To the Elder Mage, Aedan might as well have been a rock, no magic signature, no energy pulses. Just a kid, completely beneath his notice.
He just made a huge mistake.
With his eyes closed in concentration, Garath's lips moved silently as tendrils of lightning began forming around his staff, coiling and writhing like angry serpents.
He was almost ready to unleash his devastating attack that would send a storm of magical birds made of pure lightning to hunt down his prey and Aedan wouldn't stand a chance.
But while Garath was focusing on the final preparations of his spell, Aedan was already moving through the cover of mist, using the trees as stepping stones and making his way closer to the Elder Mage.
He reloaded his Magic Blaster 5000, fumbling a bit with the new magical cartridge as he moved between trees.
"I only have one of this with me right now," Aedan muttered under his breath. "Well, here goes nothing."
He slammed the cartridge made of enchanted wood which he made by himself under the handle, feeling the runes on the side pulse with new energy.
His heart pounded in his chest as he stoped behind a tree, about ten meters away from Elder Garath. The old Mage still had his eyes shut, oblivious to his presence.
Aedan watched as the lightning tendrils grew more intense, twisting around Garath's staff like they were ready to strike.
He gritted his teeth, realizing he was running out of time. If Garath unleashed that spell, Aedan wouldn't be fast enough to dodge and don't have anything that could save his life. His only hope was to act now before the spell came crashing down.
He steadying his breath and took aim, his fingers tightening around the trigger. A bright white light began to gather at the tip of the Magic Blaster 5000, condensing into a fireball so hot it singed the leaves around him just by existing. The heat was intense and the power was incredible.
And then.
BANG!
The shot exploded from the barrel, a beam of condensed fire and heat tearing through the mist with incredible speed.
Aedan hadn't even braced himself properly and the recoil sent him flying backward he landing hard on his back with a painful thud.
But he didn't care. He didn't need to see to know it hit something.
The white light blazed through the air and piercing the magic barrier around him. It missing Garath's chest by mere inches but slamming into his arm.
The Elder Mage's eyes snapped open, wide with shock as the beam tore through his right arm, severing it completely from his body.
"AAAAAAA!!!"
Garath let out a scream that echoed across the mountains, clutching the empty space where his arm had been just moments ago. Blood spattered the ground.
Aedan dazed but still conscious then pushed himself up from the ground, his eyes wide as he saw the damage he'd done.
"Holy shit," he whispered, unable to believe it. He'd actually taken off the guy's arm.
The Elder Mage stumbled backward, shock and fury etched across his face.
"You... insolent child!" Garath bellowed, his voice a mix of pain and rage. The tendrils of lightning around his staff fizzled out, and completely gone.
Aedan feeling the adrenaline surging through him. He quickly scrambled to his feet, a grin spreading across his face. He had just defeating an Elder Mage, a high-ranking Mage in the Academy by his own hand.
Aedan walked slowly toward the writhing Elder Garath while reloading another cartridge into his Magic Blaster 5000. This one was loaded with a simple fire spell. Nothing fancy but enough to finish the job.
Garath lay on the ground, groaning in agony, his once-spotless white robe now soaked with blood. His staff had rolled just out of reach but the Elder Mage made no attempt to grab it.
His focus was entirely on the pain radiating from the stump where his arm used to be. His eyes, red with both rage and disbelief, locked onto Aedan as the young man loomed over him.
Aedan stood there, grinning as though he'd just caught the biggest fish of his life. There was a certain satisfaction in seeing the mighty Elder Garath brought low, especially after all the insults and mockery from him Aedan had endured at the Academy.
"I never thought I'd see you like this, Elder," Aedan said.
Garath's eyes blazed with fury.
"You... do you have any idea what you've done?! Do you know who I am?!" he spat, trying to force himself up but immediately collapsing back down with a grimace. He certainly didn't remember much about Aedan to remember that he had insulted him.
Aedan tilted his head, his grin widening.
"Oh, I know exactly who you are," he said, holding up the Magic Blaster 5000 and admiring it for a moment. "But this, this little beauty here changes everything, doesn't it? With this, I can finally use magic. Your insults and mockery, none of it means anything anymore."
Garath's anger flickered for a moment, replaced by something else. Fear. Realization dawned on him, the artifact in Aedan's hands was no ordinary trinket. It was dangerous, powerful, and in the wrong hands – the hand of a man filled with grudge – it could upend everything.
Garath had made a fatal error. He had underestimated Aedan, thought him just a rebellious kid to be crushed. But now, with blood soaking into the earth and his body trembling in pain, he saw the truth. Aedan wasn't playing around.
Desperation crept into Garath's voice as he tried to appeal to reason.
"Come back to the academy," he said, his tone softening. "We can forget all of this. You'll be treated well. I can arrange a high position for you in the kingdom. You can have whatever you want. Just... stop this madness."
Aedan scoffed, a wicked smile curling on his lips.
"You think I want your titles and promises? No, I'm done with all of that. I just want one thing. Freedom. And you... you're going to be my message to the Academy and the kingdom. A warning so no one comes after me."
Garath's eyes widened in terror as Aedan aimed the Magic Blaster 5000 directly at his head. His mouth opened to plead, but the words never came.
BANG!
A searing fireball erupted from the blaster, hitting Garath square in the face. In an instant, the upper half of the Elder Mage's head was obliterated.
Aedan stood there for a moment, staring down at the lifeless body of the once-mighty Elder mage. He took a deep breath, feeling a strange mix of relief and exhilaration.
"Guess I'm not going fishing today. The lake is ruined," Aedan muttered, holstering the Magic Blaster 5000 as he turned and walked away, leaving the scorched and broken remains of Garath behind him.
---