The Power of a Mage

In the heart of Mystic Grove, where Kingdom Emberlyn and Mooncrest met, a lone carriage advanced. Drawn by silver-maned horses, it journeyed through the dense, ever-raining forest. 

Unperturbed, the carriage pressed on through the muddy path. Hidden in the forest, warriors waited. Clad in muddy, leaf-adorned leather armor,  waiting for the carriage. 

Five bald-headed individuals comprised the group, distinguished only by stripes on their attire. Among them stood a charming young man. His dark hair framed god-given features: enigmatic eyes, a square jaw, broad shoulders, and a rugged beard.

"The carriage will arrive in five minutes. Is everything set?" Tovian, the leader of the bald group, inquired, addressing both his men and Xander, who had joined their adventurer party to earn some extra coins. He had no choice but to earn the coins he desperately needed.

Lionel, one of the bald brothers, questioned the ease of the upcoming task. "This will be the easiest coins we've ever made. Why did the guild need five men for this?"

“We need to be careful on this, Tovian,” Despite the difficulty distinguishing between the identical-looking men, Xander managed to recall Tovian's name due to the tattoo on his face.

"Quit wetting your pants, newbie. We know what we're doing. You are only here because the quest required five men," Lionel scoffed, belittling Xander for being an outsider. 

“Why would the quest need five men if it was such a simple job? Think about it for a moment,” Xander tried to knock some sense into the bald brothers.

“Shut up, newbie. You don't know how things work in Emberlyn. And we are in this adventuring besides for decades. If you are too much of a whiny bitch, why don't you stay here and watch the experts work?”

Doubts lingered in Xander's mind as he questioned, "Are you sure the carriage is coming alone, without any escorts?" Xander asked the group’s scout.

“Are you calling me stupid? I looked twice. They have no security whatsoever,” Lionel said.

"I'm just being cautious because this job pays ten thousand gold. No one would pay that much just to rob a civilian carriage," Xander argued. 

Growing up as an orphan in the treacherous streets of Kingdom Stormfell, he had honed keen instincts that had saved him countless times. The only time his instincts failed was when he accepted a job that led him to his mentor, Lucious. Since then, Xander's world had been turned upside down, and he was now on a quest to find a cure for the cursed powers Lucious had bestowed upon him before taking his last breath.

"What can I say? People can be foolish," Tovian snickered as the carriage finally came into view.

The sight of the carriage, pulled by powerful silvermane horses through the muddy path, surged adrenaline through Xander. The three bald brothers hid behind trees on either side, poised to strike.

"Watch and learn, newbie," Tovian said, taking charge. The brothers awaited his signal.

“Sigh. Gotta finish this before these idiots get me killed,” Xander whispered, gripping his dagger and hiding behind a tree.

“Remember the plan. We'll vanish with the items, like we were never here,” Tovian whispered, taking position.

As the carriage neared the marked trees, Tovian signaled. They pushed the trees down before the horses, the sudden collapse terrifying the majestic animals. The horses reared, neighing in fear, their frantic movements risking the ambush.

"MASKS ON!" Tovian shouted.

“MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!”

Tovian barked orders at his men. Seizing the opportunity, the group swiftly covered their faces with masks, concealing their identities, and closed in around the halted carriage with deadly precision. 

Witnessing their coordinated moves, Xander couldn't deny that these bald-headed individuals had experience under their belts.

Tovian, the leader, wasted no time and went straight to the carriage door, while Lionel unhooked the horses, causing them to bolt into the forest, leaving the carriage behind. 

“This is how it's done, newbie,” Tovian said arrogantly as he shot Xander a contemptuous look.

"Just get this over with," Xander growled, his frustration evident.

As Tovian opened the carriage door, an intense surge of heat engulfed them, followed by a deafening explosion. Xander's mind raced, reflecting on the events that had led them to this dangerous point.

“AGH!” Tovian’s scream pierced the forest, followed by the roar of a fiery blast.

"A mage," Xander muttered seconds before the explosion flung him into the air. The blast shattered the carriage door, leaving Tovian sprawled, his chest burning. Xander's vision blurred, recognizing the signs of a powerful spell – a lethal fireball conjured by mages.

Despite the rain, smoke and the stench of burnt flesh emanated from Tovian's chest. The bald brothers hurried to help, but a sudden gust from the carriage knocked them out.

Struggling to crawl away, Xander's legs were unresponsive. He glanced down, seeing a shard protruding from his leg, blood pooling. Adrenaline dulled the pain, but he couldn't move. His eyes darted, seeking an escape, landing on a figure emerging from the carriage.

Dressed in fiery red robes, the man exuded an overpowering aura, akin to a terrifying mage. His long robes brushed the ground, and his hood covered his face.

Tovian's men shouted in shock as they saw him fall to the spell. "Tovian! No!"

As the mage appeared, they cried out in anger. "You bastard! What have you done?"

Lionel’s pained cries mixed with their anger. "Get him! Don't let him escape!"

"Fools, you meddled in affairs beyond your understanding." the mage playfully chuckled, removing his hood to reveal short brown hair and a thick bearded face. A tattoo of a rising sun adorned the center of his forehead, signifying his membership in the mage guild.

Tovian lay unconscious, and Xander feared he might not have survived the fireball spell's devastating impact. The smoldering wound at the center of Tovian's chest was evidence of the spell's deadly force. Had Tovian been clad in metal plate armor, he might have stood a chance, but his leather armor offered no protection.

However, the other bald brothers were only battered and covered in mud from the wind spell's attack.

"A damn mage!" Lionel growled, clenching his teeth. The two remaining brothers reached for their swords, only to be met with a chilling sight. The mage merely raised his hands and unleashed bolts of lightning from his fingertips. The lightning struck the two brothers behind Lionel with deadly precision, piercing their skulls.

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" Lionel roared, his anger fierce like a cornered predator. But in this dire situation, Lionel was the prey, not the predator.

"You will join your partners soon," the mage calmly stated before unleashing another bolt of lightning, this time aiming for Lionel's chest, not his head.

"ARGH!" Lionel's agonizing scream echoed through the forest as blood spattered onto the ground. The mage showed no mercy, firing another bolt of lightning at Lionel's gut, causing him to shriek in even greater pain. Lionel stumbled toward Xander, who stood frozen in terror and collapsed at his feet.

As Lionel's screams finally subsided, Xander glanced around to see the four bald brothers lying lifeless on the ground, their blood forming dark pools beneath them. 

“Shit,” Xander mumbled and tried to kick away Lionel’s body to move.

"The last man standing. What spell should I use on you?" The mage's chuckle was devilish and cruel, turning his gaze toward Xander.