"What do you think that beam was, brother? A tall bronze skinned mage dressed in golden robes asked his short red cloaked brother as they moved closer to where they believed the bright blue beam had come from.
The red cloaked mage stopped, raising his right hand in the air, gesturing for his brother to halt also as he pointed at what seemed to be a dead body.
"Edward I think there's something over there". Edward strained his eyes in the light from the rising sun and quickly began to run towards the area without even filling his brother with the details on what he had seen. "Brother wait for me" his brother hollered, panting wildly
Edward on arriving the scene held his nose, the foul stench filling the area instantly assaulting his senses. His brother held the same expression, his face twisted in disgust. "What do you think could be the source of that foul stench?.
Edward replied with a frown, his other hand pointing at the rotting intestines and elf corpses that scattered the forest floor.
''There" Edward said, another body captured his sharp eyes, a badly mutilated corpse that laid some meters away from a tattered cloaked human that rested on his back looking at the recently risen sun.
"Gregory go take a look at the man over there while I search for the source of that spatial disturbance" Edward said, stepping over the elf corpses gingerly in order to get a better look. Gregory sighed on hearing his younger brother order him around like though he was his superior, but with a rather annoyed sigh suppressed his thoughts and moved forward to check on the human that he honestly hoped was dead.
Gregory taking a deep look at the bruised stranger's face laughed "For a second there I could have sworn that this man looks a little bit familiar".
"Who else do you know that goes around dressed in a dark blue cloak?
Gregory taking another good look at the assassin smiled "So the whole spatial beam was of your doing? "Yes, you overgrown dwarf, I had the battle of my life performing your useless order's job" Leo replied with a frown as the mage slowly helped him to his feet.
Edward rage written all over his face approached the assassin with a gaze so hostile it could kill "How dare you! Unlike your stupid association of cut-throats our order doesn't need to hide in the shadows like cowards to perform our duties".
Leo hearing this, growled flashing a canine "If your stupid order had been performing their duties like they're supposed to, I wouldn't have been stuck here fighting a demon".
"DEMON? Asked the two brothers in unison while they desperately tried to grasp the severity of what the assassin had just said. "If you are indeed telling the truth, then I'm afraid you will have to come with us to our base in order to help us report this to the elders" Edward said rubbing his chin in thought.
"Whatever, but can't you guys, I don't know HEAL ME OF MY WOUNDS! Leo shouted bringing the mage's attentions to his gruesomely injured body. "Oh that, please forgive our nonchalance towards your state" Gregory apologized before he placed his hands-on Leo's chest.
A golden light enveloped Leo's body coupled by a sweet sensation that travelled throughout his body, bringing him relief and in the process slightly healing some of his most severe wounds. "That's better, now I believe I have some elders to educate" Leo said out loud imagining the look on the faces of the Supreme when they realized how incompetent their subordinates were.
Edward sighed and led the way, inwardly hoping the assassin could show a little sense of respect when speaking to the five mages that made up the Order of the Sun's Supremes. Leo after some time of walking didn't move forward and instead sat on the ground, a very annoyed expression forming on his sweaty face.
"Can't you losers teleport or something?
The two mages scratched their necks in confusion, searching for a simple way to sugarcoat the fact that compared to other mages their age, they were simply amateurs and as such could not perform a spell as simple as teleportation.
"Don't tell me that since we last met, you two haven't even advanced in rank for the past four years? Leo roared, clutching his head in anger. "If so, He continued. "why would your order send, no offences two junior ranked mages to investigate what could be considered a major magical disturbance?
Edward fuming with rage turned around before giving a scream that vented out his frustrations. "That's because unlike other combat mage, we are more suited for recon and intelligence gathering ". A grin tugged at his lips. "Plus, there is a nearby magic portal that can transport us directly to the hideout" . "Fine let's get this over with" Leo said reluctantly, following the mages with his hands behind his head...….
The order of the sun's base shone beautifully, a beautiful ivory castle located on the southern sea, surrounded by a vast range of rocks and two giant serpents that served as guards to the magical center, not afraid to chomp any unwelcomed visitors. The coastline around the castle was always peaked with activities due to the fact that all visitors had to portal there first before they boarded one of the great serpents that would then ferry them directly to the castle.
And as such only the elders were allowed to directly enter the castle. The elders, five mages of the supreme rank that had over the years mastered a great deal of spells and arts regarding the general history of the art of magic.
The elders or Supremes as they are fondly called, had lived for quite sometime, each of them being centuries old;a feat that was established by many secret rituals that could only be accessed by mages that had at least reached the god rank.
The system of mage is divided into five ranks based on their members meritsregardless of their age.
The first rank, the Mortal rank (where the two brothers were currently stuck in) consisted of mages who had mastered a spell in at least one element and as such was mostly filled with beginners. The second rank is the 'Enlightened' rank which iss made up of mages that have mastered two elements, the "Imortal rank came next, its own members made up of mages that had mastered four elements, followed by the 'god' rank that consisted of mages with the understanding and mastery of all six elements and finally the Supreme rank made up of a selected group of individuals that have mastered one of the fundamental forces in addition to all the elements.
The fundamental forces are simply the four forces that are believed to be responsible for the working of the universe. The four forces being a: Order, Chaos, Time and Space while the elements consisted of Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Life and finally Death. For one to become a superintendent he must also be able to master all the elements along with two of the fundamental forces…...
Back in the forest, Leo gave a sigh of relief when the trio finally entered the building that contained one of the numerous portals leading to the Sun's base.
After taking one deep breath and gesturing Leo to step into the large circle that Gregory had drawn on the floor, Edward slit his wrist with a small knife that laid on an ancient table; allowing the blood to drip into the circle that they were all standing in. Immediately the purple runes that adorned the weird structure glowed brightly minutes before the trio disappeared in a poof, the weird house also fading away as they left the forest.