The tension in the air was thick, heavier than any storm Kael had ever felt. The mayor's party stood before him, their faces hardened with rage, their hands twitching toward their weapons. The night had fallen swiftly, casting long shadows that made the riders seem like looming specters, their armor glinting ominously in the fading light.
Jaren stood beside his father, seething with anger, though his usual brashness was tempered by the presence of his father's authority. Kael, however, remained unshaken. The storm within him, the potent energy of Ethereal Insight and Boundless Austerity, thrummed with anticipation.
The mayor's voice cut through the silence. "Kael, you've crossed a line. You've humiliated my son, and for that, you will pay the price."
Kael met the mayor's cold, calculating gaze with a steady one of his own. "I have no interest in your petty family drama, but if you're looking for a fight… you've found one."
The mayor's eyes flickered with a brief flash of fury. "Don't think you can just walk away from this. I'll make sure you regret ever crossing me."
At his signal, the mayor's men moved, advancing on Kael with practiced precision. But Kael wasn't worried. He could feel the overwhelming difference in strength between him and these men. The disparity was vast, like a child trying to match the strength of a seasoned warrior.
With a calmness that belied the chaos around him, Kael stepped forward, his body fluid as he moved. His legs surged with power, and in an instant, he closed the distance between him and the nearest of the mayor's men. The man, a burly figure wielding a thick sword, swung down at Kael with brute force.
Kael twisted his body just enough to avoid the blow. The sword crashed into the ground with a deafening thud, but Kael was already behind him. Before the man could react, Kael drove his knee into his back, sending him sprawling into the mud.
The remaining men hesitated, clearly startled by how easily Kael had dispatched their comrade. They had expected resistance, but not this level of power.
Jaren, furious and humiliated, lunged forward with his sword drawn. He was faster than the others, but Kael's senses, heightened by Ethereal Insight, allowed him to predict Jaren's movements with ease. With a fluid motion, Kael sidestepped, grabbing Jaren's arm and twisting it behind his back, forcing him to drop the sword.
Jaren struggled, but Kael held him in a vice-like grip, his strength far greater than Jaren's could ever hope to be. The mayor, watching from a distance, growled in frustration.
"Release him, Kael!" the mayor bellowed, his hand going to the hilt of his own weapon.
Kael didn't even spare the mayor a glance. Instead, he tossed Jaren aside like a ragdoll, sending him tumbling to the ground. The other men, who had been inching forward in an attempt to flank him, now hesitated.
"You want me to release him?" Kael's voice was calm, but the authority in it was undeniable. "Then you'll have to come and take him."
The mayor's face darkened, his hands tightening around the pommel of his sword. But he knew, deep down, that he was no match for the power Kael was wielding. He had heard the rumors, of course—of the orphan boy who had humiliated his son—but seeing it firsthand was something else entirely.
Kael stepped forward, his footsteps slow and deliberate. The mayor's men drew their swords in unison, but Kael's hand flashed out like lightning, catching the nearest sword by the blade and twisting it from the man's grip before sending him crashing to the ground with a single blow.
The remaining men, seeing their comrades fall so easily, began to back away. But Kael wasn't done yet. He moved toward the mayor, his eyes locked onto the man's.
"I'm not here to play games, mayor. I want answers," Kael said, his tone ice-cold. "Tell me about the power rankings. What do you know about wizards, warlocks, and knights?"
The mayor's eyes narrowed, confusion flickering across his face. "Knights… warriors… wizards, warlocks—what do you need to know? They're just legends, ancient relics of the past. We've had our knights and warriors for generations, but as for wizards and warlocks… they've been gone for centuries."
Kael's brow furrowed. The mayor's words confirmed a suspicion he had held since the beginning: this world was isolated, cut off from the broader expanse of knowledge and power that might exist beyond its borders. The mayor's worldview was limited to mortal power, to the warriors and knights who ruled this land.
Kael clenched his fists, frustrated. "And the world? How is it structured? How do dynasties and empires fit into all of this?"
The mayor sneered, still too prideful to fully recognize the danger Kael posed. "Dynasties and empires rule the world. You have the high and mighty, the rulers of entire continents—those who control everything. Below them are the nations, the kingdoms, and the lesser lords. It's a simple hierarchy. You've heard of the empire of Oros, haven't you? They're the most powerful. And the nations—they're merely pawns in the hands of the emperors."
Kael absorbed the information, his mind racing. Dynasties and empires. These were the real players of the world, the ones who wielded true power. But the mention of wizards and warlocks had intrigued him. To think they were considered ancient relics of the past was baffling.
Kael's gaze softened. "You think wizards and warlocks are gone, but I don't believe that's true."
The mayor's lip curled. "I don't care what you believe. Wizards are dead. Warlocks are no more than tales to frighten children."
Kael took a step back, his mind processing everything he had learned. This world, despite its strength and structure, was blind to the true potential it had once known. Wizards and warlocks were considered myths, but Kael felt a growing certainty that they were far more than that. They were the key to understanding the full scope of power that lay hidden in this world.
As Kael turned to leave, the mayor shouted in fury. "You think you're above me, boy? You will regret this!"
Kael didn't answer. He didn't need to. His mind was already focused on the road ahead. The power he was cultivating, the knowledge he was gaining—it was only the beginning. The world beyond Grey Hollow held so many secrets, and Kael was determined to uncover them all.
He would learn about the true hierarchy of power. He would seek out the wizards and warlocks that the world had forgotten. And when he had all the knowledge he needed, he would reshape this world to his will.
With that thought, Kael disappeared into the shadows, his steps echoing in the stillness of the night.
The world had no idea what was coming.