1 Talon Swift

Flashes of green and red, bursts of white and amber followed by screams and explosions.

A small village was uprooted as dozens of robed individuals seemingly destroyed everything in their path. A small boy looked through a crack between two planks of his tree hut as two groups clashed with only destruction and death was left in their wake. As horrifying as the scene was, to the boy it was impossible to divert his eyes.

"Magic." He whispers softly.

A white-robed individual pushed through the lines, using nothing but spectacular magic to create a path while completely negating all the cursed that were thrown at him. A wave and the ground shot up to block, another wave and the water in the fountain gushed forward at his attackers. As he pushed his assailants back, a black-robed man with a red embroidered dragon on his back calmly moved forward, undeterred by all the destruction around him. A casual stroll as if everything went to plan.

A swish of his wand and fire crackled from its tip to surround him in a ball. Whirls of wind seemingly attracted to it formed along the ball causing it to swell and turn even brighter. Another flick of the wrist and the ball shot up, creating a tornado of fire that swiftly made its way to the opposing white-robed individual. Maniacal laughter resounded as the black-robed individuals managed to take down one more white robe.

The white-robed individual was slowly getting pushed back by the tornado as he kept on barraging in with different spells. Then out of nowhere - the tornado exploded into ice. A reaction that was inconceivable. The white-robed man took off his hood and Talon could see his young visage and his gentle smile. A gentle and sweet voice filled the battlefield as the silence was broken after the awe-inspiring ice explosion.

"You dare and use fire against me? It seems dark magic truly damages one's brain. Well, let me introduce myself. My name is Elbrand. And for yours, no need, as for the dead I do not need to remember." Elbrand gently lifted his wand and smiled. "See you in hell."

The ice that was literally everywhere congregated quickly to form a majestic dragon. Another flick to the wand and the water that laid upon the pavement joined in flowing from within the ice to create eyes and vivid details and markings along with the ice dragon's scales. A flick of the wand and lightning wrapped around the dragon. Even if Talon was far from the battlefield holed up in his treehouse, he could feel the tension - no, the pressure, building from the dragon. Papable as if gravity was turned up a notch.

"Go." Elbrand flicked his wand.

The dragon opened its mouth and flew out to the black-robed individual who immediately swung his wand, from him and his black-robed entourage a black cloud, filled with destruction came in a bid to stop the dragon from swallowing them all up.

Elbrand smiled.

"Wrong answer". He said casually flicking his wand and spikes exploded from the ground - impaling the black-robed individuals. Their bodies, impaled, bled profusely, their guts falling from their ground, their bodies mangled to a great extent as the spikes pushed straight through them.

With another flick of the wand and the spikes turned to mud and the bodies fell to the ground. Their blood congregates on the cobblestones, forming a river towards the drainage.

"Do you have to make such a gruesome spectacle Elbrand?" A gruff voice said as a visibly larger male made his way to Elbrand.

"Well, it's not like they take it easy on us, Connely. They ****, murder and pillage whenever they go. I won't let up on them until I'm certain they're dead." Elbrand said still having a jovial smile on his face, but his tone was as icy as a glacier. Even the big man seemed to shiver for a second as he took in the answer.

"Clean up, we need to move and contact the authorities to somehow avoid another PR-disaster". The big man shook his head and started walking, shouting orders to the other white robes as he did.

Talon still looked at Elbrand, taking in his white hair, red eyes and gentle face. Talon labelled him as the 'antihero' immediately. Good guy, but definitely not wholly sane.

Elbrand then turned his head - looking straight at Talon - as if he knew he was their. His red eyes fixated on the crack where Talon had his eyes clustered to the wooden wall. For a split second Talon saw the 'trademark' smile before Elbrand looked away, flicked his wand - cleaning up the massacre before him. Rain started to fall - and before Talon knew it all the white robes flicked away into nothingness.

Sweat on his back, his pupils dilated as he sat there for minutes - scared by that one look. Even if the smile was as warm as summer, as sweat as honey, Talon could not help but shiver.

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"Talon Swift?" A deep sonorous voice echoed in the grand hall.