He sat under the trunk of the oak tree, a strand of greenery in his mouth chewing it, with his incisors he gnawed it until the last bit of juice was absorbed then spat the remains on the ground and selected another straw, then another one and another more repeating the process absent mindedly until he caught sight of the greatest trader exiting the mansion. He stood up dusted his pants and continued to observe the three figures approaching him. From his wand he produced water to wash of his face and hands and then took a posture apt for a person hired for their servitude.
The man leading the triplet was Lord Stuart Mayfly, elder brother of Lady Ludmilla Mayfly and the next heir in line for the Family of the Mayfly. He wore an extravagant coat with diamond and gold engraved all over, his trousers equally golden and a hat with a feather so long it nearly touched the ground. There was a child in his arm, no older than three sharing the same fashion as his father. Their follower however was a man of mystery wrapped in a cloak.
"Its been a long time since we meet Lord Stuart Mayfly"
"Surely you jest, its been a quarter since the last time we exchanged face" replied Lord Stuart with a smile in his face. Both parties shook their hands.
"How do you do Krodh? You look a lot shabbier chap than before" Lord Stuart said while grasping his hands firmly.
"Thank you for you inquiry My Lord, I am doing quiet well for myself. How about you?
"I've been doing amazing like this fine weather here" pointing at the sky Stuart gave a hearty laugh "I call it fantastic even, feeling like chugging a bottle or two, Care to join me will ya?"
"Frightfully sorry sir but I gotta run some errands after our greetings"
"That's a shame...Speaking of which let me introduce you to my darling son Gibson Mayfly, such a sweet little kid he is, the apple of my eye."
Krodh bowed before the toddler, there was innocence, the same as thirteen other kids the lord brought to show him. Krodh pondered if the little guys knows of any sibling of his but in his absent mindedness he forgot to exchange pleasantries with the young lord.
"Oh don't mind it" the lord stopped him, "Little Gibson is too young for this stuff, instead Krodh I have a request teach him a little about magic, the basic stuff will do."
"why me though?"
"You're the most knowledgeable on the art of combat besides I heard you are going to enroll in the most prestigious Academy of our capital, might be a good chance to revise some stuff."
"As you wish My Lord" Krodh bowed.
The Lord sat on the grass and put his son on his lap," Does Papa make a good chair son?" Said the lord as he played with his son's hand. "Now pay attention to what Krodh has to say."
"Firstly let me define magic, it is the craft of harnessing the power of four element that is Fire, water, Air and Earth. The mana created from our body is the main fuel consumed upon using magic. In order to modify the elements into different shape and size one must chant special incantation in order to transform the raw mana and element into a spell. There are three levels of spell: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced." Krodh took a breathe.
"Every person in these lands can use all four element easily and every person can learn beginner spells in a short amount of time. Except for people who are blind as Vision is a necessity in order to use magic....Now a question may arise about the difference between a peasant who knows magic and a student who mastered the arts. Well the answer is that the mastery level of the elements themselves."
Krodh picked up a rock and threw it far, "Throwing a stone without a goal is easy and manageable by most."
He picked up another rock and aimed at a dove sitting in the branch of the oak tree, "But throwing it at a stationary target in a precise distance with a momentum beyond human eye while maintaining the habits of consistency is the hardest part of mastering an element. Learning all elements is easy mastering them is where the real challenge starts" as soon as he finished the sentence he flung the stone atop.
A dove crashed into the ground, it's small chest crushed by the rock. Floundering in the ground each time it tried to flap its wing, a dozens of feathers uprooted from its body on impact. Fleeing from the red horror flowing out of it. The stone inside dug deeper as it struggles to get up. It's eyes were slumbering while the body awake madly pounding it's beak against the stone. The child tried to reach it, more than any obscure lessons the mad dance of death was most interesting to observe.
"Mastering an element allows us to use the advanced form of it's spell."
"Krodh can you display it to him, a little showman ship won't hurt." said the Lord.
"Fair enough" Krodh prepared to use the oak as a target practice.
The Lord interrupted "No I meant a live combat for I've a got a better target practice for you."
The man in cloaks stepped forward, he revealed himself by taking of the cloak. He was a sack of bone; no ears, no nose only his eyes to see his pitiable state. His long unkempt white hairs and beard made him appear older.
"Now watch carefully to what Krodh will do." Said the Lord cheerily to his son
Krodh glanced at the lord, he had a hunch on what lead his opponent to this destination. His opponent was coughing loudly while his body swung about as if drunk. Even in this dire situation he didn't run, Krodh questioned his opponent's sanity.
"By the way use the spell which those court magician brag about."
The death sentence has been announced. Krodh was a bit reluctant against a harmless opponent, there was a small amount of guilt as he looked closer at every missing part of the man but the judgment has been already passed.
Krodh took his position, the advanced spell he would use had a short-range, around 12 meter. The man had no wand, no arms, not even the utensils to grab a weapon. In a magic fight the wand was essential as it reduced the cast time significantly, a spell that takes 15sec by hand comes off instantly with the help of the wand.....
The sun stopped at it's track, half of it's face floated in the horizon. The other pair flew off the nest as the lowly drew it's last breathe. The dead air flowed again... Onlookers mistook it as a duel of honor, a fight to the death but the wind that passed them froze their nerves and the last ray of the sun blinded their eyes.
"Void Release: Air"
Instantly the man's chest and stomach swelled up, his body bounced on the ground once and then multiple air blades came out from all over his body. He exploded like a balloon; multiple parts flew apart on all direction. The land appeared like a sacrificial ground and offering has been laid as the stars arrived on the sky. The eye at the corner stared at the broken sun, a snake like cord hung near the nest. Krodh looked at the head that had split in two, he went to collect it. 'Cleaning this mess would be painful' he thought.
The Lord called for him.
He had his wand out, used it to protected his son from the splatters of the lowlife. He appeared to be elated, his child not so much.
"No matter how many times I see it I never forget the feeling of bliss. Nothing less expected from The Blood-Eyed Dissector. Well Gibson did you learn everything?"
Gibson was standing on his father's lap, his face was near the lord's ears. He whispered something.
The Lord looked concerned, he stood up and said, "The boy seems to be under the weather, well Krodh I will go back to the mansion where upon I shall retire for the day." '
The Lord hasted inside. Krodh took his pipe out and smoked for a bit, when he was done he picked up the dove and headed for the mansion.