Chapter Twenty-Five: Baptism by Fire
Rin woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. His body ached in places he didn't even know existed, a reminder of the intense fight in the cave. Groaning, he dragged himself out of bed, only to find Keon staring at him with wide eyes.
"You look like you fought a troll," Keon said, handing him a cup of steaming coffee.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Rin muttered, taking a sip. The warm liquid jolted him awake, but it did little to ease his sore muscles.
"So," Keon began, sitting across from him. "What happened?"
Rin leaned back, recounting the events of the previous night. Keon listened intently, his expression shifting between concern and disbelief.
"And now I'm officially part of the Vanguard," Rin concluded, rubbing his temples.
Keon blinked. "You're insane. You know that, right?"
"Probably," Rin replied with a shrug.
---
The First Assignment
Later that afternoon, a knock at the door interrupted Rin's rest. He opened it to find Elias standing there, a folder in his hand.
"Suit up, rookie," Elias said, tossing the folder onto the desk. "You've got your first mission."
Rin raised an eyebrow. "Already? Didn't I just finish proving myself last night?"
Elias smirked. "The Vanguard doesn't do downtime. Consider this your official baptism by fire."
Keon looked over Rin's shoulder at the folder, his curiosity piqued. "What's the mission?"
Elias ignored him, focusing solely on Rin. "Meet me at the southern docks in two hours. Don't be late."
With that, he walked away, leaving Rin to sigh in frustration.
"Looks like I'm not getting a break anytime soon," Rin muttered, opening the folder.
---
Mission Briefing
The folder contained a map of the southern docks and a detailed report on their target: a rogue mage who had been smuggling illegal artifacts into the city. The mage was believed to be hiding in one of the abandoned warehouses, using his magic to evade detection.
"Sounds easy enough," Rin said, tossing the folder aside.
"Easy?" Keon echoed, incredulous. "You're going after a rogue mage. Do you even know what kind of magic he uses?"
"Does it matter?" Rin replied, pulling on his jacket.
Keon groaned. "You're hopeless."
---
The Southern Docks
The docks were eerily quiet when Rin arrived. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the rows of warehouses. Elias was waiting near the entrance, his expression unreadable.
"Ready?" Elias asked as Rin approached.
"Define 'ready,'" Rin replied, shoving his hands into his pockets.
Elias chuckled. "Good enough. Let's move."
They navigated through the maze of warehouses, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridors. Elias stopped in front of a large, rusted door, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"He's in there," Elias said, nodding toward the door. "I'll cover you from outside. This one's all yours."
Rin blinked. "Wait, what? You're not coming in?"
Elias smirked. "Consider this part of your training."
Rin groaned but stepped forward, pushing the door open.
---
The Rogue Mage
The warehouse was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of damp wood and rust. Rin walked cautiously, his senses on high alert.
"You're a brave one, coming here alone," a voice echoed from the shadows.
Rin stopped, his eyes scanning the room. "Yeah, well, bravery and stupidity often go hand in hand."
The mage stepped into the light, a tall man with piercing eyes and a cruel smile. He held a staff in one hand, the tip glowing with an ominous green light.
"You must be the Vanguard's new recruit," the mage said, his tone mocking. "They must be desperate if they're sending someone like you."
Rin smirked. "Big talk for someone hiding in an abandoned warehouse."
The mage's smile faded, replaced by a look of irritation. "You'll regret those words."
---
A Heated Battle
The mage raised his staff, and a bolt of green energy shot toward Rin. He dodged just in time, the blast scorching the ground where he had been standing.
"Okay, that's new," Rin muttered, his eyes narrowing.
The mage attacked again, sending a barrage of energy blasts in Rin's direction. Rin weaved through the onslaught, his movements quick and fluid.
"Is dodging all you can do?" the mage sneered.
Rin grinned. "Just warming up."
He closed the distance between them in a flash, his fist connecting with the mage's stomach. The mage staggered back, coughing, but quickly regained his composure.
"You're stronger than you look," the mage admitted, wiping blood from his lip.
"Thanks," Rin said. "I get that a lot."
---
Unleashing Power
The mage raised his staff again, chanting an incantation under his breath. The air around him crackled with energy, and a large, spectral beast materialized beside him.
"Seriously?" Rin said, exasperated.
The beast charged, its claws swiping at Rin with deadly precision. Rin ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the attacks.
"Alright, enough of this," Rin muttered.
He focused his energy, his body glowing faintly as he activated his unique ability. The beast lunged at him again, but this time, Rin met it head-on, delivering a devastating punch that sent it crashing into the wall.
The mage's eyes widened in shock. "What are you?"
Rin smirked. "Just a guy trying to live a quiet life."
With a burst of speed, Rin closed the gap between them, delivering a knockout blow that left the mage unconscious on the floor.
---
Aftermath
Rin dragged the mage out of the warehouse, where Elias was waiting.
"Not bad," Elias said, inspecting the mage. "You handled that better than I expected."
"Gee, thanks," Rin replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Elias chuckled. "Get used to it, rookie. This is just the beginning."
As they walked back to the academy, Rin couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to get a lot more complicated.
End of Chapter 25.