Chapter 1: CYNFFON Y MWNCIOD

The majestic mountains stood tall and proud, some small and others reaching up to the heavens.

The lush green grass extended in a seemingly endless field, basking in the warm rays of the bright sun that shone down on the winding mountain path.

It was the home to many mythical creatures and animals, a place where few humans have ventured to explore.

Few have dared to tread the winding path of the lush green mountains, for fear of never being able to find their way back.

The majestic creature roamed the mountains, its fur transforming into a multitude of hues when hit by the sun's rays.

It went about its day peacefully, peacefully grazing on the lush vegetation, oblivious to any threats that may lie in wait.

This is what makes the mountains so alluring and unexplored; the presence of these beautiful creatures living in their natural habitat.

Even though the mountains were incredibly high, with some reaching the sky, there was one tower that towered even above them.

Its dark, pointed roof pierced through the white clouds, making it seem even taller than the mountains.

Its grand size allowed it to oversee the lands and sky from its lofty position.

The dark tower known as Twr Mage was only accessible to the highest rulers of the world and Magic.

They used this tower to observe the entirety of the magical world.

The Twr Mage had many grand and expansive floors, with long, dark steps leading up and down.

The rooms were all similar and had the air of a sacred church.

All the rooms had many hard wooden benches and glass windows, but the very top one was quite different from the rest.

The topmost floor had no windows, only large openings in the stone walls, from which nothing could be seen but the ever-shifting white clouds.

The room had a plush, scarlet-hued carpet with an array of tables and walls lined with shelves of books.

High, wooden doors towered in the background, lending an air of grandeur to the space.

Juniper was a powerful female mage who lived in the Twr Mage, one of many magic rulers. Her long hair was as dark green as her vibrant eyes, cascading down her back.

Her presence was awe-inspiring and she commanded respect from all who met her.

She always wore a fancy green dress when it was time to work, and she sat on an enormous black fur chair that could comfortably accommodate up to ten people.

But she sat alone, flipping through the pages of her large book that floated in mid-air, hovering just before Juniper.

She didn't need to touch the paper; she simply had to move one of her fingers slightly to turn the page.

"Do you plan on reading that book again from start to finish? Do you have work to do?"

An elderly man, who had been a part of the Twr Mage for many years, stood by the open gap of the Twr Mage.

He peacefully watched the clouds as he read a scroll in his hands.

The peaceful atmosphere soothed his soul and he felt a deep connection to the Twr Mage.

"What are you discussing? We are in a state of peace. No one would even dare to attempt to use Hud Tywyll. But if they do, my treasured book will let me know immediately".

Juniper flipped through the pages of her book as she conversed with the elderly man, growing more and more bored with each turn.

She propped her chin up with one hand as she read a passage, her gaze never leaving the page.

Two large wooden doors creaked open, and a man wearing a dark suit and a long red cape with two long collars stepped into the highest room.

His dark hair was slicked back and spiked up.

"Sadly, Juniper is right. The world has become too dull and uninteresting. We desperately need something to provide us with some amusement and entertainment".

Cai shut the two enormous, antiquated wooden doors with an echoing creech reverberating throughout the spacious chamber. He headed towards the vacant, unkindled fireplace.

With just a click of his fingers, a small, tiny flame appeared on top of his thumb as he knelt down to knee-level and saw that the wood was still in good condition.

He used the small flame to ignite the wood, sending heat to the highest room and warming up his hands by extending them towards the fire.

"How could you say something like that, Cai? Our responsibility as members of the Twr Mage is to maintain peace and order through magic. Why would someone as young and foolish as you be trusted with the task of preventing wars from breaking out?".

The elderly man spun around, facing Cai and bellowing out a string of insults that were met with only a warm smile and the crackling of the fireplace.

"My job is called Heddychwr, and I didn't get it for being the most intelligent, but for being highly skilled at what I do for a living".

The comment from Cai made the Old man cease his shouting and insults, causing the room to fall silent.

The only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the flames as the old mage's rage finally came to an end.

"At last, I can have some peace and quiet now".

From far across the room, the old mage stood, while Juniper continued to peruse the pages of her book, and Cai warmed his hands nearby.

There was a vast, dark marble table in the highest floor of the room, with many papers and scrolls stacked together, nearly reaching the ceiling.

The Mage, shrouded in a thick hood, wrote on a piece of paper with a feathered pen, ensuring that the room remained completely silent before continuing.

"But to be said".

The hooded mage starts to finally write while talking.

The sounds of his voice and the sounds pen scribbling on thick paper echoes through the room.

"Those powerful Warrior Monk Mages, commonly known as Mages Mynach Rhyfelgar, must be dealt with immediately before they can disrupt the balance of Magic, especially those calling themselves Cynffon Mwnci".

The weather today was ideal for sailing, providing an opportunity for travellers to explore the world and traders to reach their destinations quickly and safely.

Not a single cloud dotted the horizon, and the waves were gentle as a sailor's boat glided across the sapphire ocean towards the distant town.

The middle-aged sailor gazed across the endless expanse of the ocean with his large spyglass.

In the distance, he could make out the small fishing village of Tir Porthaddoedd, a trading town that catered mostly to fishermen.

The captain of the boat had the solemn duty to ensure that all of his passengers were satisfied with their journey.

Spotting numerous seagulls hovering around his vessel, he estimated that it would take approximately fifteen minutes before they arrived at land.

The Captain strode across the main deck, announcing that they would reach land in less than twenty minutes.

His passengers were already gathering their belongings, eager to get their first glimpse of the next town.

While strolling around, he noticed a young man lying on the floor of the boat, face down, seemingly in a deep sleep, even as people around him shouted for others.

He had his head resting on his hands and his legs crossed.

The sleeping male had bright white hair that spiked up in a tall Mohawk.

He wore a black hooded shirt and a pair of baggy white sirwal trousers with black cloths wrapped around each knee.

He wore peculiar shoes; they were black with a white feather attached to the end of each shoe.

The captain of the ship approached the young man who was sleeping and gently nudged him with his foot in an effort to wake him up.

"Hey sorry, I know it's early but you really need to wake up now. We're almost at land and you don't want to miss it, so please wake up now!".

The captain tried desperately to wake the male, but to no avail.

In a last-ditch effort, he decided to give him a hard shove, and if that didn't do the trick, he would splash some water on him to jolt him awake.

"Don't be concerned about him; he's got it covered".

The captain heard a voice behind him, as if a man in his forties or fifties had just spoken.

He spun around in shock, but there was no one there.

He was even more confused when he turned around to see a Red Kite bird perched on the chest of the sleeping man, its gaze directed straight at the captain.

"He always seems to have an innate sense of when to wake up during long or short travels, as if his body knows exactly when to rouse itself from slumber".

The captain could scarcely believe his ears; the red kite bird had just spoken to him as if it were any other human.

Speechless, the captain slowly backed away, rubbing his head in disbelief, while the talking bird began to preen its feathers.

The shop was far too small to be considered a proper establishment.

Everything was crammed in together in disarray, and the pungent smell of fish filled the air.

A young woman with short, brown hair, one side covering her right eye, held her nose to block the pungent fish odor while surveying the cramped, dingy store.

All the shop had were catching nets and rods, made primarily for fishing.

"Excuse me, sir. Do you have any items related to magic in your shop?"

The young female called out to the shopkeeper, an aged man with an eye patch and missing his left arm.

The shopkeeper stood behind an ancient wooden table, which had a variety of fishing equipment strewn about in disarray.

"You will find it very difficult to discover any sort of magic here, young miss. Tir Porthaddoedd is nothing more than a trading hub for fishermen and travelers".

The shopkeeper quickly went back to his task of connecting the ropes together, weaving them expertly to form a large net with only one arm.

As the young female scours the small shop, she looks around for anything that may have a hint of magic about it.

"Is it possible for you to have any Cardiau Gwysio? I don't mind what it is".

After giving up hope of finding Magic in the small shop, the woman approached the shopkeeper's table for one final attempt to purchase something.

"Actually, I do have it, miss. I wouldn't mind selling it for a reasonable price, as I don't do much traveling anymore".

From his chest pocket, the shopkeeper pulled out an unusual, dark blue card that was adorned with a golden print of a dog, its nose to the ground.

He handed the card over to the young woman.

"Which one is this?".

The young woman examined the card, inspecting it from both sides.

"This card can summon an incredibly intelligent dog that can find any type of treasure, from scrap metal to gold. It can even detect enemy traps, for those who like to live dangerously".

Glancing at the Cardiau Gwysio card once more, a travellers bag for sale also caught her attention.

The young woman rummaged through her back pocket and produced a small pouch of gold, which she placed on the table in front of the shopkeeper.

"Great! I'm glad you decided to sell it".

The fishing village of Tir Porthaddoedd had a strong smell of fish wafting through the air, as it was a bustling port town filled with fishermen and traders that made their living off the sea.

Most markets only sell different types of fish that have been caught.

Everything was built with strong wood from roads, walkways, and even houses.

The pungent smell of fish wafted through the air as the young female stepped outside of the fishermen's town.

With her newly purchased travelling bag slung over one shoulder and the card she had just bought from the old shopkeeper for a reasonable price, the young female continued her journey while taking in the sights.

She hears the loud chatter from the large gathering of people and heads towards them.

Once the young female approached the crowd, she noticed that everyone was getting incredibly excited over a single poster that was hung up on a wooden wall.

Seeing everyone getting so excited about something other than fish was very peculiar to her, so she read the poster to find out what all the buzz was about.

A renowned and immensely powerful Mage, the Aero Mage, is making a one-day visit to Tir Porthaddoedd today.

Excited to witness the power of Wind Magic, the young female set out to find the renowned Aero Mage.

"We have finally arrived!".

The young man with the white hair leapt with joy upon waking from his deep slumber.

As he disembarked from the boat and stepped onto the wooden docks of Tir Porthaddoedd, he stretched out his arms and legs in delight.

After completing his lengthy stretch, the young man whistled a cheerful melody from his lips.

From the heavens, a vibrant red kite bird gracefully alighted upon the shoulder of the young man with white hair.

"Anything".

The young man inquisitively asked the red kite bird.

"There was nothing but a lot of fishermen and travelers".

The majestic red kite bird gracefully ascends from the shoulders of the white-haired young man and soars majestically through the sky.

"Has Ioan really returned after all these years?".

The young man with white hair surveyed the bustling town, taking in the wooden homes and shops.

He shielded his eyes from the sun with one hand as he looked around.

"He has to be; there is no other option. He must be; it is imperative".

The youthful male heard his avian companion talk from above him. From afar, he observed a large crowd rapidly swelling in number.

The young man begins his search in the bustling crowd, inhaling the pungent scent of fish deeply into his lungs before exhaling.

"I adore the delightful aroma of fish".

The white-haired young man sprinted towards the thronging crowd, the red kite bird soaring just above his head.

The male from the woman's dreams was performing in front of a vast crowd, his sword gleaming in the sunlight.

His hair was slicked back, and his shirt unbuttoned showed off his perfect, lean body.

His sword skills were unbelievable; he seemed to wield it with ease.

He gracefully maneuvered his sword with remarkable expertise, twirling and weaving it around his body as he glided across the floor.

The young woman watched the beautiful dance from the back of the crowd, her brand-new traveler bag slung over one shoulder.

Everyone around her was entranced by the man, with even the males falling head over heels in love with the dancer.

The renowned Aero Mage was exceptionally proficient, particularly with his sword.

The Aero Mage looked around the crowd and gave them a cheeky wink, sword held firmly over his shoulder. As the dance finally came to an end, a wave of applause washed over the area.

The alluring wink was directed solely at the young female, whose heart had just fluttered with excitement.

"Thank you all for your wonderful support at my performance today. It was truly appreciated!".

The Aero Mage bows deeply towards the assembled crowd, pushing back his hair with one hand while keeping his sword slung over his shoulder.

Everyone around the Aero Mage clapped madly in love, both female and male.

Only the young female at the back seemed to have it all together and clapped normally, for the dance was truly great.

"Sorry but who are you".

Everyone abruptly stopped clapping in total chaos at the sudden sound of the voice.

Everyone's gaze shifted as they heard the voice, and the young woman and the adoring crowd noticed a young man with white hair and a red kite bird perched on his shoulder.

He boldly strode up to the Aero Mage, undaunted by the cold glares of the onlooking crowd.

"Oh, behold! I am the renowned Aero Mage, the master of the magical arts".

The Aero Mage bowed politely to show his greetings and then, with a cheeky wink, playfully arched an eyebrow at the young white-haired male.

He pushed back his own hair while doing so.

The young white-haired male stared at the Aero Mage from head to toe, making him feel increasingly uncomfortable, yet the Aero Mage managed to remain composed.

"What are you referring to? You are not the same person".

The young white-haired man brushed past the Aero Mage and quickly departed.

Taking a step back from the throng of people and the Aero Mage.

"How dare you show such contempt for the Aero Mage?!".

The enraged mob roared, hurling insults at the young man with white hair who attempted to leave, but the furious crowd blocked him, encircling him and demanding that he apologize to the Aero Mage immediately.

"Now, everyone, please try to remain calm. I'm sure he didn't mean to disrespect me in any way."

The Aero Mage swiftly stepped in to interpose between the young white-haired male and the hostile crowd that was rapidly gathering.

"It is only one way to show him who I truly am".

The Aero mage strides confidently in front of the young white-haired male, and the crowd gradually subsides into a tranquil hush as they stand.

The Aero Mage pointed a single finger, aiming it toward the young man with white hair.

"And that is".

The white-haired young man queried.

The Aero Mage ran his fingers through his slicked back hair as he tapped his sword against the arm of the young man with white hair.

"A light sparring match between us. The first to fall will be the loser".

The Aero Mage called out to the crowd, eliciting cheers of joy as they were delighted to see the Aero Mage in action and up close.

The Aero Mage pointed the sharp tip of his sword towards the chest of the white-haired young man, so close that it almost touched him.

At first, the white-haired young man looked at the Aero Mage with a serious expression, as if he was about to accept the offer. However, in the end, he slowly moved the sword away, declining the Aero Mage's offer.

"No thank you, I think I'll pass".

The white-haired young man gently shoved the Aero Mage aside and attempted to depart for the second time, yet the unfriendly gathering again barred the white-haired young man from exiting.

"Please leave him now. I promise to put on an even better show later tonight".

With a final wink to the crowd, the Aero Mage made his departure with his sword slung over one shoulder.

The crowd followed behind him, some purposely bumping into the young white-haired male with their shoulders.

Once everyone had dispersed and the jostling had ceased, the white-haired man straightened his shirt and surveyed the gradually thinning crowd from afar, finally ready to depart himself.

A young female of approximately the same age stood before him, with short brown hair swept to one side, partially covering her right eye.

"Hi there!".

The white-haired young male braced himself, expecting more insults and shoves.

Yet to his surprise, she smiled and extended her hand for a handshake.

"Are you hungry? I've heard that this place has really good fish!".

Asked the young woman.

The place in Tir Porthaddoedd was surprisingly pleasant after everything she had seen that day.

It was mostly constructed out of wood, giving it a rustic, homey feeling.

Everything looked so luxurious with a live band that was truly talented.

The two enjoyed their meal of fish with peas and chips, while the woman sipped her water and watched the man savor each bite of his fish.

"What is your name?".

She had inquired while the white-haired young man tossed a chip out of the open window to feed his pet red kite bird.

"Neifion Dacus".

The young man named Neifion carefully takes a small morsel of his cooked fish and tosses it out the open window to feed his patiently waiting bird.

"And that's Sky".

Neifion opened his mouth wide as he took a large bite of fish, then proceeded to chew noisily while introducing his pet red kite bird to the young woman sitting across from him.

"Nice to meet you, Neifion Dacus. I'm Lili Hughes".

After taking a tiny bite of fish, Neifion devours it with huge bites.

Lili then takes a long sip of her water from the large jug and continues on.

The place that Lili had chosen to eat may have been fancy looking, but it was also very old-fashioned.

With stone walls, a nice little fireplace, wooden tables, open windows, and a live band that Lili is becoming a fan of for their smooth and light sounds, it was the perfect atmosphere for a memorable evening.

"That man renowned as the Aero Mage".

Lili took another bite of her cooked chip and told Neifion.

'What about him".

Neifion gulps down his jug of refreshing water to wash down his meal before returning to the fish and chips.

"That dance of his was truly magical; it was as if he had bewitched everyone watching him, making them believe he was a master dancer. They all acted as if they were under his spell, and even tried to emulate his moves. However, it was not their fault; the only reason it did not affect you and me is that a trained Mage is immune to such enchantments. So please do not judge the people of Tir Porthaddoedd".

"So you are a Mage? How fascinating! What kind of magic do you practice?"

Neifion asked.

"Sure am, the reason why I am traveling so far from home and now here at Tir Porthaddoedd is because all over the country of Snowcoastal there are these castles where mages get trained to become Mage Warrior Monks. These Monks travel all around the world to fight for peace, justice, and the greater good of all".

Lili told Neifion.

"Are you inquiring about Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar? Do you wish to pursue a similar path?".

Neifion drained the last of the jug of water, then wiped his mouth with his arm.

"What brings you to Tir Porthaddoedd today?".

Lili slowly savored her fish as she asked, still in the process of finishing her meal.

"I was on the lookout for the person I had been told was here".

Neifion tossed a crunchy chip out of the open window for Sky to enjoy.

"What is the name of the person?".

Lili asked moving her plate and jug aside after finishing her food and water.

"His name is Ioan, and he is an honorable knight".

The waitress walked up to the table where Neifion and Lili were seated and asked if either of them would like a refill of water.

Neifion accepted the offer and began sipping his second glass of water.

"A Knight? They are becoming increasingly rare in this day and age".

"Oh yeah, Ioan. He is known by many names: Y Marchog Gwyn, Marchog Gwynt, and my personal favorite is Marchog Draig Wen, since he can transform into a large white dragon at will".

Neifion continues speaking between hearty bites of his fish and generous gulps of his jug of water.

"like an actual, fire-breathing dragon?"

Lili asked.

"The vary same".

Neifion responded.

"Apologies, Neifion. Unfortunately, no Knights who can transform into a fire-breathing Dragon reside in this town. If Ioan is wise, he should be aware that Tir Porthaddoedd has instated a rule banning all fire-type magics due to its hazardous potential. After all, the majority of the buildings here are constructed out of wood".

Lili said to Neifion as he quenched his thirst from his jug of water.

Lili rose from her seat, rummaged through her travel bag, and withdrew a small pouch of gold, which she placed on the table.

"It was an absolute pleasure to meet you, Neifion Dacus. Likewise, Sky!".

Neifion waved a fond farewell to Lili as she left, while Sky bowed its head in silent admiration.

"Oh Lili, before you depart".

Lili had her hand on the door handle, but when she heard Neifion call out her name, she turned around to face him.

"I promise that I will repay you one day".

Neifion gave Lili a thumbs up and a warm smile before she left the building.

An hour has passed since Lili met Neifion Dacus and his beloved pet bird, Sky.

Lili sat on a wooden bench at the docks of Tir Porthaddoedd, observing the hustle and bustle of sailors and fishermen coming and going.

Boats were departing the trading town, while others were arriving, bringing with them a wealth of goods to be exchanged.

The soothing sound of the blue ocean waves soothed Lili as she studied the map of Snowcoastal, a country with Mage castles dotted throughout.

She was trying to find her way to the Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar to begin her training as a Mage.

Sadly, according to the map she was reading, there was no Mage castle as close to Tir Porthaddoedd as she had hoped.

However, the slight bit of good news was that the nearest Mage castle was located two days away by boat, south of Snowcoastal.

Could this be the same castle she had been dreaming of since she was a little girl?

The emblem of the Mage castle was renowned for its vibrant red background, on which a golden monkey with an incredibly long tail was depicted.

The monkey appeared to be playing with the four elements of magic - fire, water, earth, and wind - as if it were juggling them.

"Cynffon Mwnci".

Lili exclaimed as she studied the map of Snowcoastal intently.

"I remember you".

Came a voice behind Lili.

Lili quickly recognized his voice as soon as she heard it.

She put her map down on her lap and turned around, her eyes widening in surprise.

There he was, the man of her dreams, the Aero Mage, standing behind the wooden bench with his sword now strapped to his leg but his shirt still unbuttoned.

"May I inquire as to the reason why you did not come to join the rest of the Tir Porthaddoedd to watch my performance earlier today?".

"As a Mage, your magic had no effect on me. Fortunately, I am not going to the Gwarchodwyr Lleng Brenin to report on your magical dance".

Lili rose to her feet and spun around to confront the handsome Aero Mage.

"You are not the genuine Aero Mage, as you have claimed to be. You are an impostor".

Lili folded her map and placed it into her traveler's bag before turning away from the Aero Mage.

With her next plan in mind, she began searching for a sailor's ship to travel south before the day was over.

"Is there any way to verify my identity as the true Aero Mage?".

Lili froze in her tracks as she heard the Aero Mage call out to her.

She slowly turned around to face him.

"What do you mean by that?".

Lili asked.

"I noticed that you were examining the map intently. Allow me to take you to a magnificent Mage Castle, for I am a Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar from Cynffon Mwnci. It will be an unforgettable experience!".

The Aero Mage saw that he had finally gained Lili Hughes' full attention, and as she slowly spun to face him, he smiled and extended his hand in a gesture of friendship.

"Trust me".

Tir Porthaddoedd was now beginning to slumber, with all the shops and markets shuttered and all the sailors' ships and fishermen's boats securely anchored for the night.

The moon was full and the stars were out, twinkling brilliantly in the night sky.

Neifion lay down on the wooden floor of the docks, allowing himself to be lulled by the soothing sound of the waves and the gentle rocking of the boats.

His red kite bird, Sky, rested on his chest, preening its feathers.

Neifion's eyes grew heavy and gradually shut as he surrendered to his exhaustion.

"Did you see the Aero Mage afterward?".

Neifion Dacus lay on the wooden floor, attempting to sleep, when he heard the voices of two young females conversing as they walked past him.

Ignoring the white-haired young man, the two continued on their way.

"Yes, I've heard he is still here. He is returning to his Mage castle soon".

"Oh really? To which mage castle does he belong?".

The friend asked.

"Cynffon Mwnci. That's right the Aero Mage is a fully fledged Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar".

Neifion opened one eye and sat up straight, his attention caught by the two young females who were whispering secrets to each other.

Opening both eyes, he felt Sky rest on his shoulder as they walked past.

"Have you heard that Neifion?".

Sky asked.

"Is the Aero Mage from Cynffon Mwnci?".

The Aero Mage's personal boat was truly grand and awe-inspiring.

As Lili followed the Aero Mage through the lengthy walkway, she observed the golden walls adorned with pictures of artwork, all painted by renowned artists.

Some of the pictures were even centuries old.

But among the pictures, there were strange and frightening statues of women, seemingly in fear of an impending death.

There were countless of them, and as Lili and the Aero Mage continued down the long path, they finally reached a single wooden door.

"This will be your room until we return from our trip".

The Aero Mage grasped the handle of the door, pushing it open to allow Lili entrance into the room.

She paused, taking a moment to survey her surroundings; the room was much larger than she had expected, adorned with a king-sized bed, an exquisite carpet, a single table and chair, and a glass window that provided her with a breathtaking view of the ocean as the ship would sail on.

Lili was undeniably impressed, but deep down she knew none of what she was seeing was real.

As she was about to take a step forward, she quickly spun around to find the Aero Mage had his sword drawn and pointed directly at her.

"Those aren't just statues we passed by, are they? They used to be ordinary women".

Lili told the Aero Mage.

The Aero Mage said nothing to Lili, but smiled and laughed whilst pushing his hair back. With a swift click of his fingers from his free hand, two monstrous looking men, both built like a house, appeared from the room which Lili was about to enter.

Lili barely had time to react before two strong hands firmly grabbed her arms, bending them almost to the point of breaking her bones and forcing her down to her knees.

The Aero Mage let out a loud, hearty laugh as Lili was held down to her knees against her will.

With the tip of his sword, the Aero Mage slowly raised Lili's chin so she could look directly into his eyes.

"You must have been incredibly naive to be taken in by my ploy. I must admit, you were one of the easiest targets I've ever had".

Lili desperately tried to break free from the vice-like grip of the two large men as the Aero Mage spoke to her.

However, her efforts were in vain, for the two men were far too strong for her.

After the struggle, the Aero Mage noticed something attached to Lili's leather brown belt - cards.

With one strong yank, he ripped off the belt from her waist and held it up with the cards in his hand, leaving Lili in horror.

"Ah, these are Cardiau Gwysio indeed!".

The Aero Mage slowly examined each of the cards attached to the brown leather belt, a malicious grin spreading across his face.

Suddenly, he grabbed the belt and cast it out of the open window.

Lili was filled with dread as she heard the splash of water from outside and the menacing laughter of the Aero Mage and his two burly goons.

She felt an icy chill run through her body as the Aero Mage slowly nudged his sword against her chest.

"Now it's time for you to join my gallery of Artistry!".

Lili closed her eyes, fearfully anticipating her own death, just as the other unfortunate souls before her had done.

She dreaded the thought of being turned to stone, unable to escape her impending doom.

The grand and ostentatious vessel rocked from side to side with considerable force.

The Aero Mage stumbled, his blade slipping from the gentle grasp of Lili as he desperately sought to regain his footing while the ship continued to rock.

Lili slowly opened her eyes, relieved to find that she was still alive and hadn't been turned to stone.

She had watched as the roof of the boat had shattered and completely collapsed.

Neifion Dacus expertly executed a perfect landing as he plummeted from the roof and landed on the ground.

'"You again".

The Aero Mage saw Neifion standing atop the rubble of the roof when the smoke cleared away.

"Sky now!".

Neifion shouted as something quickly swooped in and snatched Lili from the boat where the roof used to be.

Too fast for human eyes to see, it vanished in a blink.

Lili looked back with awe as the boat grew ever more distant, and she realized she was perched atop a huge bird that was large enough for a human to ride.

"Lili you okay".

The enormous red kite bird was known as Sky who has the ability to grow to a size large enough for a human to ride it

"Sky, it's you. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. However, you should be concerned about Neifion, as he is still in the same place".

"You should have faith in Neifion, Lili. He will be alright."

Sky simply replied.

"They won't escape".

The Aero Mage snapped his fingers again and one of the hefty goons shuffled forward with a large whistle in hand, handing it over to the Aero Mage.

Neifion Dacus suddenly leapt down from the pile of rubble, slowly making his way towards the Aero Mage and the two burly men.

Aero Mage beamed at Neifion when he blew his whistle.

Neifion halts abruptly as more of the Aero Mage goons emerge from the entrance doorway.

Ten huge men now encircle Neifion, forming a wide circle, each one bigger than the previous.

Neifion quickly counted ten goons surrounding him with no way out.

He vigilantly scanned his surroundings, making sure no one was lurking in his blind spots.

"This is not satisfactory".

"That should keep him in check. Now let's go after that bird"

The Aero Mage pointed his sword towards the open hole in his roof, unleashing a powerful wind Magic that took the shape of an arrow as sharp as any that had been fired from a bow. More arrows followed, each one aimed at Sky and Lili.

"Hold onto my feathers tightly, Lili!"

Sky issued an urgent warning upon seeing the hazardous wind magic hurtling towards the bird and Lili at a rapid pace.

Sky was able to dodge the arrow like the wind, while still keeping Lili on its back, by making a sharp right turn and then another sharp turn to the left to evade the second arrow of wind Magic.

From below the boat, the Aero Mage unleashed more of his wind Magic from his sword, forming it into a shape of a sharp arrow.

But the giant bird easily dodged the attack by flying up, then quickly flew low to avoid the next arrow that just barely missed Lili's hair.

"That majestic bird"

The Aero Mage abandoned his far-reaching wind Magic, as Sky had taken Lili beyond the range of his magical powers.

The very angry Aero Mage spun around to face his two large goons, pointing his gleaming sword menacingly at them.

"Join forces and use your magic to take down that bird!"

The two large goons stepped forward just below the gap in the fallen roof.

With their combined magic, the two were able to create a large, powerful wind ball the size of two large chairs.

Its speed was formidable, and even the slightest touch would tear the skin from anyone's finger.

The two goons grinned in delight as they hurled the huge magical wind ball towards the sky, sending it soaring up to meet Lili.

The enormous red kite bird was only able to make a sharp turn to the right just in time, as the colossal magic ball whizzed past with remarkable speed.

When the magic ball grazed the feather of the red kite bird, the impact was minimal.

It was almost as if someone had just lightly punched the bird in its stomach, causing it to lose its composure.

Sky shrank back to its original size, and Lili and Sky plummeted into the vast depths of the blue sea below.

Lili was sinking to the bottom of the ocean, but thankfully she had the swimming skills her father had taught her.

She held her breath and started to make her way back to the top.

During her ascent, Lili spotted Sky, a red kite bird, who had seemingly been knocked unconscious by the fall and was sinking.

Acting quickly, Lili swam as fast as she could and managed to grasp the bird.

After securing Sky, she resumed her journey upward, determined to bring the bird back to safety.

Lili's gaze caught something else sinking in the water alongside her - her belt, with all of her Cardiau Gwysio still attached.

Desperately, she grabbed hold of her belt and began to swim back up to the surface.

Once finding air for her lungs, Lili breathed out gratefully for the air she had just inhaled.

'"Thank you Lili".

Sky had said, who had just started to wake back up, was in Lili's arms.

"Don't worry, little one. I'm here to help you this time".

Lili moved aside the strands of hair that had been obscuring her right eye, revealing an eye that was completely different from her left one; a golden colour with an oddly shaped pupil that resembled a key.

From her belt, Lili retrieves a blue card featuring a gleaming golden trident.

"Brenhines Cefnfor!".

Lili shouts out a name as she throws the card.

The card gracefully glides across the azure sea, hovering just above the surface as Lili's right eye begins to shimmer with a brilliant light.

The card began to glow and then a bright white flash illuminated the area, replacing the card with a woman.

She had long, blue hair cascading down her back and she was barefoot, wearing a shimmering blue fish-scale skirt.

Her upper body was adorned with shimmering blue fish scale armor, while her arms and lower abdomen remained exposed.

And her Trident gleamed with the brilliance of pure gold, even larger in size than Lili's.

"Please, Brenhines, I urgently need your help in preventing that ship from departing this town".

Lili's right eye glowed as brightly as a shimmering star.

After the command, Brenhines slowly looked at Lili from over her shoulder with an icy glare that would make any little child tremble in fear.

Upon seeing Brenhines' gaze, Lili wished she could swim back under the ocean and never resurface again.

"Brenhines?".

Lili asked softly.

"If you ever, and I mean ever, do anything as foolish as that again, and you end up losing all your cards, I swear to the Gods that I will obliterate all your Cardiau Gwysio, including my own. But not before I expunge you from existence".

Brenhines slowly turns, her eyes never straying from Lili, until she is standing face to face with her.

She lifts her mighty Trident, its golden tip coming to rest just inches away from Lili's neck.

Lili remained silent, her gaze fixed upon the Trident that was just inches away from her neck.

She held Sky in one arm, her belt with her cards in the other, as if preparing herself for whatever was to come.

Lili tried to conceal her fear as Brenhines backed away with her powerful weapon, turning to face the vessel commanded by the Aero Mage.

With both hands, Brenhines began to gracefully move around the Trident, spinning it in a mesmerizing and dazzling display as Lili watched in awe. The ocean seemed to move with her, almost like the blue waves were dancing in unison with Brenhines and her Trident. When the captivating dance was complete, Brenhines' blue eyes were alight with a bright glow. With a snap of her fingers, the performance was brought to a close.

In mere seconds after the click, a massive wall of water appeared, encircling the boat and transforming it into a watery prison, bigger than the town of Tir Porthaddoedd.

Everyone from Tir Porthaddoedd gazed in awe at the massive water wall prison from afar and all were filled with excitement, thinking it was a captivating and breathtaking show.

"What's going on".

The Aero Mage looked up from his boat, where the massive hole had rendered it immobile, and gazed upon the towering water wall prison that seemed to offer no escape for him and his goons.

"Hey punk".

Came a voice.

The Aero Mage eagerly watched as Neifion Dacus, the young white-haired male, effortlessly dispatched all of his goons.

The Aero Mage noticed that Neifion was completely unruffled; he wasn't even breathing heavily or sweating, and there wasn't a single mark on him.

Neifion held the goon tightly by the collar of his shirt, his battered and bruised body on his knees, barely able to stay upright in Neifion's grip.

Neifion delivered a devastating blow, a powerful punch straight to the goon's mouth, rendering him unconscious as he slumped to the ground.

"It looks like we are in this together now!".

Neifion strides over the unconscious thug and advances towards the Aero Mage and the two burly thugs who were left standing.

Lili swam back to the surface, keeping Sky securely in one arm and her belt in the other. After reaching the docks of Tir Porthaddoedd, she emerged from the water, dripping wet.

As she stood there, she secured her brown leather belt around her waist, which contained her remaining Cardiau Gwysio.

Sky, now healed and awake, flew out of Lili's arm and perched on her shoulder.

Brenhines then casually walked on the surface of the water, as if it were solid ground, to join up with Lili and Sky.

"Thank you Brenhines. I sincerely apologize for my mistake. I will ensure it does not happen again, and I give you my word."

Lili told Brenhines who just looks at her with her dark blue eyes holding onto her Trident.

' Just be more careful little girl. Remember your Cardiau Gwysio are more than just cards on your belt they are part of of you. And my warning still stands. '.

And with that. Brenhines vanished in another bright white.

The card reappears where Brenhines was once was. The card floats in mid air and moves towards Lili.

Lili catches the card in her hand and places it back in her belt and moves her hair to the right side of her eye to cover it.

Neifion slowly approached the Aero Mage clicking his knuckles doing so.

His smile also slowly fading.

Neifion stops where he stood when the two large goons steps forward protecting the Aero Mage.

' You are stupid. To confront me boy. You know being brave will get you killed. '.

The Aero Mage laughed pointing his sword towards the white haired with his two large thugs standing before him.

Neifion does not bother to say anything back at the laughing Aero Mage and his two large goons.

Neifion looks at the three people his look becoming more serious look on his eyes and removes his shirt and throws to the ground.

Neifion 's body was lean and muscular.

And from the left side of his chest and ending to the lower of his stomach.

Was a strange emblem on his body a white bird with large feathers flying around that seems to be a large tornado.

' Sky we need to go back there and help Neifion. '.

Lili turns around and begins to run towards a way to the boat and the large water wall prison.

But was stoped when a feathered winged blocked her view.

' Hold on Lili. You need to trust in Neifion. '.

' But Sky. Neifion is own his own. '.

' Trust me Lili. Neifion can handle himself he is a Mage remember. And also a Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar '.

' Wait Neifion is a Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar .'.

Lili had asked.

' Get him '

The Aero Mage ordered.

The two large goons rushed towards Neifion who just casually starts to stretch his both arms and straight after begins to jump up and down to warm up his legs.

' Hey Aero Mage '.

Neifion goes down to knee level so he could stretch his legs while the two goons rushed closer to Neifion.

' Are you a Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar from the Cynffon Mwnci '.

Neifion asked.

' Indeed I am. So you have no chance in hell in getting out alive. '.

' Fine then. You had your chance. But that's now it '.

Neifion fully stands up to stretch his back.

The two big goons was now up close and personal with one of the big men throwing his entire arm towards Neifion in a hammer fist punch.

Neifion with ease was able to block the strong blow.

With just his one arm.

Neifion pushes the large arm away from him.

The big thug loses his balance and footing.

Neifion delivers a hard flying knee connecting with the large thugs chin.

Breaking the thugs teeth and splitting the goons lip.

The thug fell heavily backwards being out cold before he even landed hard on the floor.

' The names Neifion Dacus. And I a Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar. And!. I am from Cynffon Mwnci. So how dare you lie to me and bring Cynffon Mwnci name to shame!. '

Neifion shouted while he walked over the sleeping Thug.

' Did you just say. That you and Neifion are from Cynffon Mwnci '.

Lili said after Sky had just told her where the bird and Neifion belonged.

The two had joined the crowed of Tir Y Porthaddoedd to watch the massive water wall prison closer.

' Uh. Bowen I think this guy is telling the truth. '.

The last remaining thug slowly starts to walk backwards.

Taking each step back away from Neifion.

' You dame idiot. Just attack him you are twice his size. '.

The Aero Mage the man named as Bowen swings his sword vary violently in a such a threatening tune towards his large thug.

Ordering him to attack Neifion.

Neifion Dacus makes just a single step forward.

Daring for any of the two being Bowen or his thug to come forward.

But the two instead steps back with neither of the two want nothing to do with the young mage.

' That so called Aero Mage. His name is actually Bowen '.

Sky told Lili.

The red kite bird rested on the shoulders of Lili while the two continues to watch the water wall with the town people of Tir Y Porthaddoedd.

The sight was indeed beautiful especially at night where the water wall glitters with the bright shinning stars.

' Bowen is indeed a Mage and is telling the truth that he is a Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar. But is not from Cynffon Mwnci but the Mage castle he belong to is called Swn Buwch '.

Sky told Lili.

' You will pay for what you did. To these poor woman turning them all to stone like that. Treating them like nothing but a collection a hobby to you. '.

Neifion called out towards Bowen and his large thug.

Throwing a few knees and fast punches showing off his fighting skills.

' I had it with you. '

Bowen shouted.

Bowen ran forward moving in front of his large thug and swings his sword.

A strong gust of wind suddenly comes out of the steel sword .

And the strong wind heads towards Neifion.

Normally the strong summoned wind Magic was enough to even blow a building down.

But Neifion just smiled when he caught the strong wind and held it in place with just one hand.

' Come on you call that Wind Magic '.

Neifion laughed.

Neifion's hair starts to slightly blow back as if a wind was blowing back his hair.

His eyes starts to bright up to the colour of a white cloud.

And his emblem the tattoo on his chest begins to glow a bright white colour.

' He can't be. He must the real deal after all. '.

The big thug fell to his knees in defeat.

Watching Neifion holding the strong wind in place with just one hand.

' So Neifion Dacus. Is the real Aero Mage. '.

Lili asked.

' That's right. Neifion Dacus. The Aero Mage from Cynffon Mwnci. A great and powerful Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar '.

Sky told Lili.

Neifion begins to control the wind in front of him.

Moving the strong wind between his both hands to form two large wind type balls and moves them so they completely surrounded his two fist.

' Now I am ready '.

Neifion called towards the two.

With his fist now covered with a type of strong wind magic.

' You idiot. Get up back to your feet and get him '.

Bowen ordered.

The large man nervously gets up to his both feet with all his confidence now fully gone.

But still run towards the Aero Mage known as Neifion Dacus.

A large punch was thrown by the large goon.

In which Neifion ducked to dodge the heavy blow.

Neifion sees the opening and delivers his own strong blow to the gut of the thug.

With a added damage because of Neifion's wind Magic fist.

The thug grunts in pain when Neifion delivers more fast punches.

With each hit felling he was just hit by a running bull with his skin ripping and turning because of the wind Magic.

With another perfect delivered punch to the stomach of the large thug.

Neifion finished up with a strong powerful uppercut to the chin of the large goon.

The thug went to sleep before he hits the ground.

' Now that's the true power of a true Mage from Cynffon Mwnci. '.

Neifion stood over the large sleeping thug looking at Bowen directly to his eyes.

Neifion waves Bowen over.

' I won't lose!'.

Bowen roared and dashed towards Neifion Dacus who remained where he was a just smiled at the approaching Bowen.

' Neifion. Can use Wind Magic by will. And control it including the same air we are breathing '.

Lili asked the red kite bird on her .

While Sky explains who Neifion Dacus really is.

' That's right Lili. Neifion the Aero Mage has the power to control the air around us and use it for his Wind magic. Marchog Draig Wen Ioan taught him it. You see Ioan was also Neifion Dacus teacher. '.

Sky told Lili.

' Ioan was the one who taught Neifion Wind Magic '.

Lili responded.

Sky looked at Lili from her shoulder and nods with a yes.

' Look '

Sky points with his beak towards the massive water wall.

' The fight is finally over '.

Lili looks to see that the water wall was shrieking when the magic cast by Brenhines was now weakening.

The large water wall fell like a water fall crashing to the ocean below.

Until the water wall prison was now gone.

Strong waves came when the water fall has also finished rocking many boats and ships on the docks of Tir Y Porthaddoedd.

A bright colourful rainbow could be seen over the ship owned by the man called Bowen who was calling himself the Aero Mage.

From the docks Lili spots Neifion from the distance.

Neifion had Bowen over his shoulder when he climb up the hole in the ship that he made to get inside.

Bowen seemed to be out cold when Neifion gently puts him down.

Neifion stands up smiles with a thumbs up able to see Sky and Lili from the distance where he was standing.

Neifion keeps Bowen where he was keeping him in his luxury boat for the guards to catch him.

And see what he did to those poor women.

The sounds of heavy steel was heard from the distance.

The sounds from the feet of Gwarchodwyr Lleng Y Brenin.

' Time to leave '.

Neifion told himself making a quick getaway before the guards could arrive.

' Come on follow me. '.

Sky suddenly leaves the shoulders of Lili and takes the skies and starts to fly.

Lili starts to follow the red kite bird away from the crowed who stayed and watched the pretty rainbow.

' Where are we going '.

Lili asked who was now running trying to catch up with the bird who was really fast in the air.

' Gwarchodwyr Lleng Y Brenin. Don't like us mage's '.

Sky called from above turning a sharp right turn behind a wooden home of Tir Y Porthaddoedd.

Lili stops her running for just one second to look behind her.

To see the Kings soldiers known as Gwarchodwyr Lleng Y Brenin wearing their thick golden shining armour with the long purple cape have now surrounded the town of Tir Y Porthaddoedd.

With many heading towards the boat that Bowen and his thugs are kept.

Lili turns away to chase after the bird.

After a few turns Lili was able to catch up with the red kite bird.

Now slowing down her run to a slow jog.

' Remember. Neifion Dacus promised that he will owe you one day. With the years I known him. He always keeps his promise '.

Sky told Lili looking down towards her.

' But Sky. Where are we going '.

Lili had asked.

' We are going. To the place you want to go the most '

Sky turns its head to look at Lili who was in a fast jog still able to keep up with the bird.

' You are going to be a Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar. Joining the Cynffon Mwnci '.

Sky told Lili.

Lili couldn't help herself but to smile at the bird.

Who looked forward and speeds up its flying making Lili to sprint if she wants to keep up with the red kite bird.

At the very top of Twr Mage.

It became very cold by the strong wind since the top of the tower had no Windows.

The mage though was able to ignore the freezing cold temperature and was finally finished with his daily report.

Letting go of his feathered pen and places his thousands of written paper top of the rest of stacked papers on his desk.

His wrist aced from all of the writing. He rubs his forehead with his thumb from under his hooded cloak.

Then rubbed his neck with his hand.

His mind was full of relaxing.

But was suddenly put back to reality when the large wooden doors opened and rushed in a young mage.

The young mage hands the hooded mage a dark scroll so he can read it.

Once doing so.

The scroll told the hooded Mage the events that happened today especially at the town known as Tir Y Porthaddoedd.

' Those dame Mage Mynach Rhyfelgar. Always disturbing the magic peace. And once again by a single member of Cynffon Mwnci '.

The hooded mage crunched the scroll in his hand and drops the scroll on his desk.

And stood from his table.

' What are talking about '.

Cai was standing by the edge of the Twr Mage being scary close to fallen to his death.

He had his arm out so he could touch the clouds before him.

' I heard the Cynffon Mwnci had saved the day once again. '

Cai turns away from the clouds and walked away from the edge to talk to the hooded mage.

' That's what the Gwarchodwyr Lleng Y Brenin are for. That's there oath after all to keep the peace at Snowcoastal. Those Mage's are just destroying the order of Magic '.

The hooded mage told Cai.

' Just leave them be. They could bring fun to this now boring world they do nothing wrong after all '.

Cai told the hooded Mage walking past him.

And without even looking back Cai opens the large wooden doors.

And leaves the room.