by Eric Vall
“We have to make one last stop,” I said.
“Mason, the test can wait,” Aurora said with a frown.
“Yeah, but I can’t,” I retorted. “If we don’t do this now, I won’t get any sleep tonight. I’ll only be able to think of the test.”
The half-elf narrowed her eyes at me, but eventually she relented. “Fine. We will conduct one test. But then you will get some sleep even if I have to tie you to the bed myself.”
“If that’s what you’re into,” I joked. I knew I should be exhausted right now, and my body certainly was, but my mind was racing a thousand miles a minute.
Aurora seemed baffled for a moment, but then understanding registered in her eyes and a bright red color stained the tops of her cheeks. Her mouth gaped open and closed for a moment, but seemingly at a loss for words, the half-elf spun on her heel and began to march up the road.
“Wait up,” I laughed as I shifted my bag and the guns in my arms. “Aurora!”
Still chuckling, I ran to catch up with the embarrassed blue-haired maiden before she left me behind to fend for myself on the streets of Serin.
I had decided that the best place to test the guns would be in the field that Abrus had first tested my magical abilities. It was a wide-open space set away from the city. This would reduce the potential for any accidents or injuries and also allow me to gauge the range and accuracy of the weapons.
Despite how eager I was, now that it was fully dark, I knew we needed some lights to conduct this test properly. So, since we had to go through the Oculus itself to reach the testing field, Aurora and I gathered a few supplies, mostly torches, and some wood planks to serve as targets. I also quickly chiseled out a rudimentary wooden grip and stock for the revolver and rifle, respectively. No one stopped us or questioned us as we collected what we needed, and not even an hour after we had left Elias’s shop, we were setting up a rudimentary shooting range by firelight.
Once I had the targets set up and a circle of torches illuminating the surrounding field, I set down my bag and the rifle and reached for the box of ammo. Aurora drifted to my side from where she had been lighting the last torch.
“I’m curious to see how all this comes together,” the half-elf remarked before a yawn split her face.
“You and me both,” I replied with a grin. “Don’t worry. This should be quick, I promise. We’ll be in bed before you know it.”
“Is that a proposition?” Aurora asked as she glanced up at me slyly. A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth, and I realized she was trying to get me back for my earlier comment.
That half-elf didn’t know who she was challenging.
“Only if you want it to be,” I responded with a wink.
Aurora scowled and looked to the revolver I held in my hand. “To quote Elias, are you going to stand there all night, or is this test actually going to happen?”
“So impatient,” I teased, but the half-elf was right.
This was it. The moment of truth had finally arrived.
Slowly, I cocked back the hammer and released the cylinder. All the pieces moved together seamlessly. Trying to contain my excitement, I carefully loaded six bullets into their chambers and clicked the cylinder back into place.
I now held a loaded gun in my hand.
In the middle of this fantastical, magical realm.
With a gorgeous, magical half-elf maiden at my side.
Fuck, this life was awesome.
“Take a step back now,” I instructed Aurora as I kept the barrel of the gun pointed toward the ground. “It’s going to be a little loud.”
“I remember,” the Ignis Mage grumbled as she recalled the incident with the gunpowder. She took several steps away from me, perhaps a little overly cautious.
With my heart pounding behind my ribs, I turned to face the wooden archery target that I had placed twenty feet downfield. Sweat trickled down my temple as I raised my arms and steadily extended the gun away from my body. I closed one eye to sight down the barrel and put my thumb against the hammer.
“Here goes nothing,” I muttered to myself as I cocked the gun.
I took a deep breath, focused on the center of the target, and as I exhaled, I squeezed the trigger.
Even though I was praying the gun would go off, it still surprised me when it did. My hand bucked from the recoil, and the vibrations radiated up my arm.
I stood there panting as the gunshot echoed out across the field. Downrange, the top of the target had been blown clean off.
“Holy shit,” I breathed. “It worked!”
I spun to face Aurora, careful to keep the gun pointed down range. The half-elf stood several feet away, her eyes wide and her mouth agape with shock.
“By the gods,” she whispered as her eyes dropped to the weapon in my hand. “That is… it’s…”
“Amazing?” I offered with a grin as she trailed off. “Why, thank you.”
The half-elf shook her head in disbelief. “Mason,” she said. “With that weapon, we could slay a drake in half a moment. It is nothing short of remarkable.”
“Actually, something this size would be a little impractical against a drake,” I corrected as I turned back to the rifle I had set in the grass. “It’ll do in a pinch, but this is what you want to use against big game and bloodthirsty monsters.”
I swapped out the revolver for the rifle and dug through the ammo box for the larger bullets. As I loaded the lever-action, I noted that Elias’s work was truly impeccable. Everything fit and moved together exactly as it should.
Once the rifle was ready, I looked again to the target as Aurora removed herself to a safe distance away. I placed the wooden stock against my shoulder and took a minute to familiarize myself with the feel and weight of the gun. When I was ready, I pulled down on the lever and loaded a round into the chamber. I took a deep breath again, focused on the front sight above the muzzle, and squeezed the trigger.
This time, I was ready for the recoil. I absorbed the energy into my shoulder and kept my feet planted. An instant later, the left side of the target exploded in a shower of splinters.
“Oh, hell yeah,” I said with a grin. I pumped the lever and loaded the next bullet.
“Do you want to try?” I asked Aurora a few minutes later as I paused to switch back to the revolver.
“I would prefer to watch you,” the half-elf replied as she shook her head and eyed the gun in my hand distrustfully.
“It’s just like any other weapon,” I told her reassuringly. “It’s only dangerous if you aren’t careful or paying attention.”
Aurora frowned and opened her mouth, but before she could respond, a sharp cry echoed out across the field. The half-elf and I spun in the direction of the sound, and a mage in a white robe ran out of the shadows cast by the torches.
“Defender Solana,” the mage gasped as he reached us. From the silver embroidery on his robe, I guessed he was an Aer Mage.
“There is no cause for alarm,” Aurora replied as she made a calming motion with her hands. “Terra Mage Flynt and I were merely testing out a new weapon. We apologize if the noise startled anyone.”
“What?” the mage asked in bewildered confusion. “No, I’m not here about any weapon. Mage Abrus sent me to find you, Defender Solana.”
Immediately, Aurora’s demeanor changed. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“I looked all over the Oculus for you,” the mage rambled. “This was the last place I checked, I’m sorry, but you have to come quickly. There’s been another attack!”
“Where?” Aurora demanded with a frown.
“Edhil,” the messenger replied instantly. “Their raven arrived less than half an hour ago.”
“That means whatever is attacking them could still be there,” the half-elf said sharply as she looked at me.
Before she could say another word, I bent down and collected my things. My box of ammo was still more than half full.
“Let’s go,” I said firmly as I straightened back
up. My heart had begun to race with adrenaline as I imagined another drake ravaging the countryside. We had to do something.
“Mason, you aren’t yet a full Defender,” Aurora tried to argue with a frown. She reached out a hand as if to stop me. “I do not think Abrus would approv--”
“Aurora,” I cut her off, “I just spent the last few days working my ass off to create these weapons. Now, they’re finished, and a monster is attacking an Illarian city. I promised to use my powers to protect this kingdom, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
I cocked the rifle in my hand loudly, and as the casing ejected onto the grass, I repeated myself. “Let’s go show them my boomsticks.”
Chapter 10
“Edhil lies an hour outside of the capital,” Aurora had told me as we mounted our horses in the Oculus’s stables. “We must ride hard if we want to arrive in time to make any difference at all.”
The countryside was pitch black as Aurora and I raced out of Serin on horseback. We followed the river Amris south and pushed as hard as our mounts could handle. Aurora rode several feet ahead of me, bent low over Nerfrina’s neck as the horse galloped desperately. The half-elf wasn’t even seated in the saddle, and more than a few times, my eyes strayed to the curves of her hips and backside, the short white robe she wore was not really conducive to racing on horseback. Even in the pale light of the moon, I got a decent eyeful of the red stockings that hugged her lithe thighs like a second skin.
“Focus, Mason,” I muttered under the sound of the wind. We were currently racing through the dark on our way to fight a monster and hopefully save some villagers. Now was not the time to be thinking of how strong Aurora’s thighs were or how smooth and soft her skin looked, so I shook my head and clenched my left hand around the rifle tucked safely against my side. The cold metal bit into my palm, and a wave of calm washed over me.
This was why I had been brought to this world and granted these powers.
I had to cast away all doubts and fears now. I was no longer Mason Flynt, operations manager from Earth.
No. Now, I was Mason Flynt, Terra Mage, Metal Mage, protector of Illaria.
And I was going to pump this rampaging beast full of hot lead and iron.
The main road Aurora and I rode on was worn smooth by frequent travel, but eventually, we had to cut east across the fields and enter the woods. We lost some speed as the horses maneuvered through the trees and the dark, but Aurora turned in her saddle when she sensed my frustration with the speed of our travel.
“We are nearing Edhil,” the half-elf whispered as her emerald eyes glinted in the moonlight. “Keep your wits about you and be prepared. We don’t know what we will find.”
“Oh, I’m ready.” I pumped the lever to load the rifle, and the metallic click echoed loudly through the quiet forest.
We continued to pick our way through the trees, but a few minutes later, the horses began to act up. Nerfrina anxiously nickered, and my stallion tossed back his head and stamped his feet nervously. Aurora cocked her head to the side as if she too was listening.
“We’ll go on foot from here,” the half-elf announced with a new edge of steel in her voice, and my heartbeat picked up in response.
“What did you hear?” I asked as the two of us quickly dismounted. We lashed the horses to the closest tree trunk, and once she had a hand free, Aurora withdrew her sword from its sheath.
“Screams,” the Ignis Mage replied solemnly as she gripped the hilt of her sword. The silver metal reflected the light of the moon, and the blade appeared to be illuminated from within.
“Really?” I asked. I tilted my head but couldn’t hear anything besides the wind and the sound of the horses grazing.
“Trust me,” Aurora replied as her gaze locked on the woods that stretched to the east. Her knuckles were blanched white as she clenched her weapon. “Come on. This way.”
The Ignis Mage took off into the night, and I ran after her with my rifle held tightly in my left hand. My leather bag was heavy with the weight of my new revolver and ammo, and it banged against my right hip in time with the war drum pulse of my blood beating in my ears.
A minute later, I finally heard the screams.
They echoed out through the darkness like nightmares brought to life.
Blood-curdling. Terrified. Dying.
Aurora and I broke into a dead sprint as the screams grew louder. The half-elf was used to running, and her long legs carried her ahead through the trees and out of my line of sight. I put my head down and pushed myself harder. The air sawed in and out of my lungs, my heart beat a tattoo harshly into the underside of my ribs, and my magic eddied beneath the surface of my skin. It longed to be summoned, but I pushed it down in favor of the cold metal gun clenched between my fingers.
Whatever this beast was, magic wouldn’t be its demise.
I was going to kill the bastard Earth-style with prejudice.
An orange glow pierced through the trees, and the flash of light caused me to stumble as I exited the tree line. Then, I looked up toward the source of my distraction and caught my breath.
The village of Edhil was on fire.
The twenty or so structures that I saw through the smoke were completely engulfed in fire. Tongues of orange, red, and yellow flames danced high into the night sky, and dozens of people ran screaming between the burning buildings and the thick smoke. Someone vaulted over an overturned cart only to go down hard as their ankle gave upon landing, and then they were lost in the throng of stampeding people.
Aurora stood frozen half a dozen yards ahead of me, and she stared with wide eyes at the devastation that had befallen Edhil. I ran quickly to her side with a plan already formulated in my head.
“Aurora!” I shouted over the chaos as I reached out and grabbed her shoulder. “Aurora, you need to put out the flames!”
The half-elf turned to me, and sure enough, her eyes were wide with horror. I shook her again and repeated myself. “Put out the fire!”
My voice snapped the Ignis Mage out of her daze. She blinked, and the shock in her expression gave way to razor-sharp focus and determination.
The half-elf mage spun back to the burning village and lifted her hands above her head. The static of her magic built in the air, and then the flames that engulfed the house closest to us began to peter out. Seconds later, charred wooden beams and half a thatched roof were all that was left, but at least the structure was no longer actively burning.
“Keep doing that,” I yelled to the Ignis Mage as she raised her hand toward another burning home. “I’m going to go find the beast!”
Aurora whipped her head around to look at me, but I took off before she could say a word otherwise. I knew she would just try to stop me, but we didn’t have time for Order protocol. I may have been a novice in Abrus’ eyes, and maybe Aurora’s too, but I couldn’t sit back and do nothing while all these people suffered.
I ran through Edhil with my rifled locked and loaded. My eyes scanned through the smoke and flames, but all I could see were people screaming and fleeing. There was no sign of the monster.
As I rounded a corner and skirted the burnt-out husk of a stable, a piercing wail rose above the rest of the chaos and shouts. I cast my eyes around as I looked for the source, and then I found a woman half crushed by an overturned cart. The wooden vehicle sat atop the woman’s legs, and no matter how she struggled, she couldn’t wrench herself free. Worse yet, the sparks that floated on the warm night breeze seemed to have fallen on the hay in the back of the cart, and the straw leapt with the first tongues of orange flame.
A boy, no more than five years old, sat by the woman’s head and shrieked in terror as the flames approached them both.
I sprinted across the distance between us and stretched out the hand that wasn’t holding my rifle. My magic rushed to the surface and pushed outward in a tsunami-like wave. An instant later, a fountain of dirt and rock exploded into the air beside the cart. I channeled my magic, and the dirt rained
down on the cart and blazing straw. Within moments, the flames were extinguished, and by the time I reached them, the woman and the boy were streaked with soot and dust, but the flames hadn’t touched them.
I quickly surveyed the cart and deduced that physically lifting it would be extremely difficult and time-consuming. So, even though I already felt the drain from my magic usage, I summoned my powers yet again and caused another jet of rock and dirt to spring out of the ground, only this time I aimed it at the back end of the cart. As the stream of earth and magic smashed into the cart, the whole thing groaned as it was lifted upward and then flipped to the side. The wooden vehicle splintered as it crashed back into the ground, but I didn’t pay it any mind.
“Are you alright?” I asked the woman as I bent to examine her.
“Y-yes,” she stuttered as she looked from me down to her legs in shock. Her shins were bloody and bruised, but she was able to sit up without too much pain.
“Mama,” the wailing boy cried as he threw himself into her arms and buried his face in her soot-stained neck.
“W-who are you?” the woman asked as she looked at me with wild and terrified eyes.
“Did you see what caused this?” I asked the woman pointedly as I ignored her question. “Did you see what it was, what it looked like, or where it went?”
“No,” the woman whimpered with a shake of her head. “All I could see was smoke and fire.”
“You need to get to safety,” I instructed the woman as I glanced around us. “You should take your boy into the woods, away from the flames. Do you think you can you walk?”
The woman nodded numbly as she clutched her crying son to her chest, and I wrapped my free arm around her waist to help her to her feet. She stumbled slightly with a wince, but then stood up a little straighter and shifted her boy to her left hip once she was standing.
“Thank you,” the woman gasped as she began to stumble toward the western part of town where Aurora was. Already, the night sky was not so bright with orange fire. It seemed the Ignis Mage was having some success.
Once I was sure the woman and her son would be fine, I quickly returned to my search for the beast that had caused all this misery. The further I went, the more destruction I found. Entire walls of stone had been toppled, and most of the houses with thatched roofs had been set ablaze. I coughed into the crook of my elbow as the smoke stung my eyes.