Elemental Blitz

16

Rael moved through the wilderness with a quiet purpose. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting long shadows across the landscape. He didn’t need to rush. They would come to him soon enough. His enemies had already made their move—first the Vael’Thor, then Azure Sky—and now the Academy had sent its finest to deal with him.

The Grey Hawks.

An elite force of fifty Magi Hunters, led by Bryse Cole, a man infamous for his relentless pursuit of rogue mages. The stories of his cruelty in subduing those who defied the kingdom’s laws were whispered throughout the Kiston Kingdom. Rael had heard the name before, but it didn’t matter. Not anymore.

Rael had gotten the warning about the Grey Hawks from the Shadow. Fully awakened it is not just a force of nature, it is nature. Animals, insects and even plants are it’s to sees and hear through. Not even the most secure hall in the most impregnable fortress is safe when the fly on the wall is literally the fly on the wall. His intel network is the world itself now.

“They think they can send their dogs to put me down,” Rael muttered, the crackling energy of his Prismatic Cognition flaring around him. The Shadow inside him, ever present, hummed in agreement.

They underestimate what you’ve become, Rael. The world doesn’t know what true power is yet.

Rael’s lips twisted into a grin. “They will.”

The trail leading through the mountain pass was narrow, the perfect place for an ambush—one Rael had no intention of avoiding. The Academy had made its choice when they sent the Grey Hawks after him, and now, they would learn exactly what he was capable of. His Prismatic Cognition blazed to life, showing him the elements as patterns of pure energy. The shadows whispered along the edges of his vision, offering their own insight. The magic of the world was laid bare before him, and with it, the limitless potential for destruction.

“They’re coming,” Rael whispered, sensing the shift in the air.

He didn’t have to wait long. A few moments later, the sound of marching feet echoed through the mountains, followed by the clinking of armor and the low hum of magic being readied. The Grey Hawks moved with military precision, their bright silver armor reflecting the early morning light, their weapons glowing with elemental enchantments.

At the front of the formation strode Bryse Cole, his large frame intimidating, his face set in a scowl. His armor was a darker shade than the others, embossed with runes that shimmered with power. He carried a massive broadsword on his back, a weapon known to be infused with several deadly enchantments.

Rael stepped out from the shadows, making no effort to hide his presence. He let them see him—let them feel the sheer weight of the power that surrounded him. The energy in the air shifted, the elemental forces bending to his will as prismatic light flickered around him, mixing with the dark tendrils of shadow.

The Grey Hawks stopped, tension crackling between the two forces. Bryse stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His voice was calm, but laced with authority.

“Rael Phaze,” he called, his tone flat. “By the order of the Kiston Kingdom and the Magi War Academy, you are under arrest for the unlawful use of magic, murder, and treason. Surrender now, and you’ll be spared a painful death.”

Rael stared at him, unfazed. “Spared a painful death? You don’t know what pain is, Bryse Cole. And neither does your little band of hunters.”

Bryse’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t understand what you’re up against.”

Rael smirked, raising one hand as dark energy crackled between his fingers. “I think it’s the other way around.”

Without another word, the first wave of the Grey Hawks rushed him, their weapons drawn, elemental magic flaring to life. Rael didn’t move as the prismatic energy within him shifted, weaving intricate patterns in the air. He snapped his fingers, and the world exploded around him.

A storm of lightning and wind tore through the mountain pass, throwing soldiers into the air like rag dolls. The ground beneath them shifted as Rael bent the earth to his will, creating jagged spikes of rock that impaled several of the hunters before they even had a chance to strike.

Bryse shouted orders, trying to rally his men, but Rael was already in motion. He moved like a shadow, faster than the eye could track, his Prismatic Cognition guiding every step. One by one, the Grey Hawks fell, their enchanted weapons useless against the sheer force of Rael’s power.

One of the hunters, a woman wielding twin blades of fire, leaped at him, her weapons aimed for his throat. Rael barely glanced at her before raising his hand and extinguishing the flames in an instant. Her momentum faltered, and Rael sent a blast of wind that sent her crashing into the mountain wall with a sickening thud.

Another hunter, this one with a warhammer charged with lightning, roared as he brought the weapon down toward Rael’s head. Rael caught it mid-swing, the lightning dispersing harmlessly around him as his own energy twisted the magic into nothingness. With a flick of his wrist, he shattered the warhammer and sent the hunter flying back into the ranks of his comrades.

The ground beneath the remaining Grey Hawks began to rumble as Rael’s Prismatic Cognition flared once more. The elemental forces danced around him, the air growing heavy with the weight of his power. He slammed his hand into the earth, and the ground erupted beneath the soldiers, sending them scattering in all directions.

“Bryse Cole!” Rael’s voice boomed over the chaos, his eyes glowing with a mix of prismatic light and shadow. “Is this really all you’ve got? Fifty of your best, and they can’t even scratch me?”

Bryse gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with fury as he drew his broadsword. “You’re just one child, Rael. One child with too much power. That doesn’t make you invincible.”

“Let’s find out.” Rael’s grin widened as he raised his hand, summoning a swirling vortex of wind and shadow. The storm tore through the battlefield, lifting Bryse’s remaining soldiers into the air and slamming them into the rocky cliffs. Their screams were lost in the roar of the storm as Rael’s power obliterated them with terrifying ease.

Only Bryse remained, standing amidst the destruction, his broadsword glowing with deadly energy. He charged Rael, his weapon swinging in a wide arc, the runes on the blade flaring with power. Rael caught the sword in his hand, the energy dissipating as he twisted Bryse’s weapon from his grip and shattered it like glass.

Bryse stumbled back, his face a mask of disbelief and fear. “What… what are you?”

Rael stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous. “I’m your worst nightmare.”

With a casual flick of his wrist, Rael sent Bryse crashing into the ground, pinning him with the sheer force of the wind. His enchanted armor bent under the weight and ribs cracked. The Magi Hunter struggled, but he was no match for the overwhelming force of Rael’s magic.

“I want you to live, Bryse,” Rael said, kneeling down beside the broken hunter. “Because you’re going to deliver a message for me.”

Bryse coughed, blood spilling from his lips. “W-what message?”

Rael’s eyes burned with the power of the Shadow and Prismatic Cognition. “Tell the Kingdom, tell the Academy… I’m coming. I want the Azure Sky, I know you probably dont know them but that isn't my concern. Tell them, if they try to get in my way, I’ll burn their kingdom to the ground. If they want to avoid my wrath, stay the f**k out of my way.”

With that, Rael stood, releasing Bryse from his magical prison. The broken hunter lay on the ground, gasping for breath, his eyes wide with terror.

Rael turned away, leaving the battlefield behind him. His journey had only just begun, and there were more enemies to hunt. But now they knew what they were up against. Now they knew what true power looked like.