The three magi stood in front of me, their arrogance reeking like rot.
"Quite the display you put back there," sneered the short one in the centre. His voice dripped with false composure.
"Not very impressive, Zangif. He merely relied on materialization and projection," the tall one on his right scoffed.
"True, nothing impressive. Projection is the easiest of the five disciplines," the fat one added, lips curling into a mocking grin.
I chuckled, the sound low. "Then why don't you step on here and show me something impressive?"
I lazily raised a dozen earth spikes and flung them upward. The three wove their hands frantically, glyphs sparking into existence, and a red shield shimmered before them. My spikes hammered into it. The shield quivered, whining under the strain, before finally dissipating with a pathetic sigh.
They weren't laughing now.
Cold gathered in the air as they drew a circle beneath themselves, frost sweeping outward. An ice spear swelled before them, spinning into a monstrous shard the size of a carriage. It shrieked through the air, aimed for my chest.
I raised a hand, grasped at it, and the spear cracked, split, and burst into glittering shards. The fragments tinkled harmlessly against the ground.
Their faces twisted with shock.
"You—!" Zangif barked, but his words drowned in the roar of the tall one unleashing a beam of scarlet energy. The fat one joined in, his spell condensing into a jagged lance of fire. Zangif clapped, sending a ripple of compressed air barreling toward me.
I floated upward, exhaling slowly. With a thought, I conjured a shield of golden essence before me and pushed. Their spells smashed into it—then crumpled like paper, the shield surging forward to meet them.
"Break it! Now!" Zangif shouted, desperation cracking his voice.
The divine shield slammed into them. They screamed as the weight of my power tore their formations apart. The tall one flailed, glyphs scattering from his hands in chaos. I was upon him before he could draw another breath.
I seized him by the throat. His eyes bulged as I lifted him higher, his legs kicking helplessly. "Projection is the easiest discipline, isn't it?" I whispered before igniting my palm with golden fire. His flesh bubbled, then burst; the fire ate through bone and marrow until only ash slipped through my fingers.
The fat one shrieked, his spell unravelling. He turned to flee, but I was faster. I pulled the ground up into jagged stone chains that coiled around his limbs, dragging him back down to me. His screams echoed as the chains tightened, splintering bone. I twisted a hand, and his body folded unnaturally inward with a wet crunch. He spat blood, his face pale as death.
"Pathetic," I muttered before snapping my fingers. His body erupted into a crimson mist that rained down upon the earth.
Zangif alone remained, hovering, trembling like a cornered rat. His arrogance was gone, replaced by the stench of fear. His eyes darted toward the cage of civilians nearby. I followed his gaze.
He smirked suddenly, gathering his last fragments of courage. A glyph flared bright red before his hand. "Let's see you save them, magi or whatever you are," he spat, hurling a bolt of energy at the cage.
I didn't move. Instead, I wove a dome of golden light over the cage. His spell smashed against it, fizzling into sparks. The people inside were untouched, their frightened eyes wide as they realized what I'd done.
Zangif froze mid-air, realization dawning too late. I tilted my head, lips curving into a faint smile.
"You really thought I'd give you the chance? That I'd abandon them to chase you… or save them while you ran?"
His eyes widened, panic flooding them.
"Oh, come on," I added, voice dripping with mockery. "I'm not some comic book superhero. I'm not dumb."
In a blink, I was there, one flash of golden light, and I stood before him. He jerked his hands up, desperate to form another spell, but my arm pierced through his chest before he could finish. His mouth opened in a strangled gasp, blood bubbling past his lips.
"Not very impressive," I whispered in his ear. Golden light surged down my arm, filling his body like molten fire. His flesh convulsed, cracks of brilliance spiderwebbing across his skin.
And then he broke. Zangif exploded in a violent burst of gore and radiance, the pieces of him scattering as little more than drifting motes of ash. The battlefield fell silent. Behind me, the civilians sobbed inside the cage, shielded from the worst of it by the barrier I'd woven. The stench of blood and burnt flesh lingered, acrid and heavy.
I pulled my hand free, flicking the air as though brushing away filth.
"Three magi," I muttered coldly. "And not a single one worth remembering."
I descended slowly, each step through the air deliberate, as though I were walking down an invisible staircase. Every pair of eyes on the field followed me, wide, unblinking, trembling. By the time my boots touched the ground, the silence had become oppressive.
I strode toward the cage. One wave of my hand, a soft click and the lock fell apart, clattering uselessly to the dirt. The cage door swung open with a groan.
I extended my hand toward them, smiling faintly. "Come. You're free."
Their gazes darted between one another, fear and disbelief warring on their faces. I raised my voice so all could hear:
"Your daughter asked me to free you from your bondage," I declared, every word ringing across the camp. "And I have done just that. For my Lord's namesake"
They shifted uneasily, murmuring. At last, an old woman stepped forward, her hands shaking as she clutched her shawl. "If… if I may ask, sir," she said cautiously, "who is this Lord you speak of?"
I let my smile deepen. Slowly, I spread my arms wide. White wings unfurled from my back, pure and radiant, stretching nearly two meters across. Gasps erupted from the crowd.
"I am the messenger of the Lord," I proclaimed. "I am Michaelos, leader of the Heavenly Host. The Shield Aegis. Protector of all who serve and fall under the God of Protection's merciful eyes."
The people broke into stunned whispers. A grimy man near the front swallowed hard. "Where… where can we worship Him?"
"Walk northward," I said, my voice firm but gentle. "Into the ruins. You will find a settlement. Ask for Enoch, he will know what to do."
They dropped to their knees, bowing toward me.
But my brow furrowed. I let my wings rustle once, as if in disapproval. "Don't worship me," I said sharply. "I am a servant, just as you are."
To drive the point home, I let my body blaze with golden light. My wings shattered into motes of divine essence, scattering like falling stars before I vanished in a shimmer of gold.
When I reappeared before the tent, the woman inside startled, leapt to her feet.
"You're alive. You—! Thank the gods!" she gasped, tears welling. "Did you… did you find my parents?"
I smiled softly. "They're safe. Head north to the settlement. They'll find you there. Tell the men at the gate you wish to see Enoch. He'll take care of the rest."
Her hand flew to her mouth as relief washed over her face. I turned to go, but her voice stopped me.
"Wait! Please… what is your name?"
I looked back at her, let my expression soften, and offered a radiant smile.
"My name is Angilos, messenger of the God of Protection."
The glow flared faintly around me as I stepped out of the tent. The sound of hurried footsteps followed, hers, scrambling after me.
I chuckled under my breath.
Persistent. Admirable, maybe. But not today.
With a flicker of golden essence, I vanished, leaving her grasping at air.