Mania: The Beginning of All

We had both made haste from the area, yet the sound of that monster did not yet weaken. Every step felt as though it served no purpose, the distance between ourselves and the beast did not widen. We were not granted the slightest chance to converse, to discuss any new plan of action, rather we were forced to use our full focus simply to not be crushed by the blind rage of this abomination.

Projectiles were thrown at faster rates than before; strikes were aimed at where we would be instead of where we were, we would either contribute our full ability to avoiding the relentless attacks from the wizard or be brought to death by them. Our previous position at the bottom of the Mountains of Aerdal meant we were equidistant to any escape from this forest. The only hope we had was with a battle of attrition, but to assume that we held more energy than the manifestation of evil behind us would leave us both subject to the consequences of hubris.

After what could have been hours or days of relentless pursuit, we had split off from one another, and to my surprise, the beast had followed her. I believed in her ability to conjure a blast that would deliver an opportunity of escape, however, not intending to live out the rest of my life in this forest I did not halt my sprint.

The small gaps in the leaves let me track the cycle of day and night, when the sun rose again I decided to estimate my progress. The sound of the wizard had long since disappeared, but I wondered whether it was better to be alone in a forest without sound than fighting for my life at every moment.

This silence did not last, to my fortune, I had found his grace in an encampment surely self-made. He emerged from a tent, a shelter made of leaves woven together. How long had he taken to rest in this spot? His collection of structures was by no means advanced, but it was far more than I would expect for what would have been no longer than a day. Such a conclusion does not even take into account the distance between the location of our battle and his current location.

"I suppose you have various questions about my current situation?" He had taken the words from my mouth far before I was given the chance to speak them.

"Yes-"

"Well, they will have to wait. Where is the wizard? Why is he not following you?" His interruption served as a surprise.

"What?" I stammered any response I could muster.

"Now is a poor time to go deaf, commander. Where is the wizard? Where is your soldier? Why are neither with you?"

I took the proper position and delivered all the information he requested. "We were both running away from the wizard and one of its attacks resulted in our separation. The monster followed her after this separation; I do not know where either of them are."

He had stood up from his seat and walked around the camp, likely contemplating a response, or perhaps a plan of his own. I remained in my position, kneeling to him and waiting patiently for his word.

"If the wizard elected to follow her, that must mean it had regained some part of its conscience." He reached into the chest pocket of my cloak while speaking to me.

"What do you mean? The wizard did regenerate, but that was after my soldier had scattered all of its body except for the remaining half of its human corpse."

He held the item that he had just removed from my person; it was a shape I could not describe shrouded in an aura the same color as his magic.

"The spell that the wizard cast sacrificed his sanity for immense strength. He forsook that which allowed his humanity to persist, and with this inherited the characteristics of a beast." He had sat down once more. "Beasts will chase the most concentrated source of magic, and so with your endurance, I trusted you as a proper target for its rage. The reason you did not know of this would be because-"

"I am without any semblance of magic." I interrupted him with the realization of my shortcomings, and how they had been used by a child who I foolishly trusted.

"That is correct."

He stood up and paced around once more before continuing. "If the beast has decided to chase her, then he may be somewhat human again, however, she should be able to find us ourselves."

A scream, no, a bellow, loud enough to grace the entire forest erupted from an unknown area. We recognized the sound of that beast. Only moments had passed before its equally recognizable stomps could be heard from our location.

Instead of preparing for battle in any regard, instead of throwing an order, he put both of his hands on my shoulders and demanded my attention. We locked eyes as he spoke to me.

"I must admit, commander, I have lied to you. When you confessed to being without magic, I allowed myself to affirm such a claim, but it is incorrect." He placed the blade which he had been holding into my hands and returned both hands to my shoulders. "If you had no magic, do you suspect you coincidentally ran in the direction that would result in our meeting?"

I struggled to understand his words with the now amplified sound of the wizard's rampage, I had taken quite a few moments before understanding his implications.

"If I do hold magic, then how will I use it?"

"That, I do not know. However, it is not unwise to assume that in times of dire need, a hero's true abilities will make themselves known."

He released my shoulders and readied himself for the oncoming battle.

I held my blade forward at the approaching monstrosity, and I did not question his words, I did not take a chance to guess my own abilities, I would not waste any of the time given to me. I looked at the abomination ahead of me, and I believed in the words of his grace.

My reward came in the form of the same glimmer he had allowed me to glimpse upon, yet it emerged from my blade.

With no other option available, I trusted in my grace, and I trusted in his guiding light.