The large man walked out of the cave, inhaling more smoke into his lungs. Beams of warm light flashed past his eyes, illuminating the scar on his cheek that he received years ago, during one of his many raids. His cloak flapped in the wind as he stopped, breathing out enough smoke to paint the air white for second. He looked at the small numbers he had left—the bandits that were working with him for the time being.
He could feel it in the air, he could taste it.
The scent of magic.
Raw magic that emanated from somewhere.
But where?
He felt it. A prickling sensation on the back of his neck, a sense of being watched. He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound, as he looked at the surrounding woods. The rustle of leaves, the snapping of twigs - all of it told him that someone, or something, was hiding in plain sight.
The sound of heartbeats, steady and rhythmic, drifted through the air, mingling with the soft whoosh of blood rushing through veins. It was subtle thing, but one that he'd grown accustomed to over the years.
"Be on guard, lads," he warned, his voice low and even. "We're being watched."
'He knows we're here... what's the use hiding?' Quinn thought, still holding up the bandit they'd captured. His eyes met with Lilith, her brown hair dancing in the wind, a hint of a smirk on her face. He whispered, "Cover up for me..."
"Cover up for you?" She cocked an eyebrow.
"Yes." Quinn said. "He already knows we're here and if he is the leader, I'm pretty sure we're in a hell lot of danger!"
The bandit, chuckled. "You think you can win against the Baron? That's a ridiculous move!"
"What do you know?" Quinn asked, annoyed.
"You can't win against the Baron...." The bandit said. "...even if you trained for a hundred years, he'd be still far much superior!!!!"
As the bandit continued to taunt them, a strange marking began to appear on his forehead. It started as a small, delicate shape, like the wings of a butterfly. The marking grew, spreading across his forehead like a tattoo, its colors vibrant. Quinn's eyes widened as he recognized the symbol.
Without hesitation, Quinn grabbed Lilith's arm, pulling her close as he prepared to make a hasty retreat. But before they could take a step, the bandit's body suddenly convulsed, his eyes bulging out of their sockets. He let out a blood-curdling scream as his body began to contort and twist, his limbs flailing wildly.
In a split second, the bandit exploded like a grenade, sending shrapnel and debris flying in all directions. Quinn was caught off guard, but Lilith reacted quickly, conjuring up a glass shield that bubbled around them, protecting them from the blast.
As the smoke cleared, Quinn stumbled backward, his ears ringing from the blast. He looked up to see the Baron standing tall, a smirk on his face. "Two little mages," the Baron said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Please tell me you're lost."
Quinn cleared his throat, getting to his feet as he brushed off his clothes. "No," he said, his voice firm. "I'm not lost. In fact, I'm exactly where I need to be."
The Baron's smirk grew wider, his eyes glinting with interest. "Oh? And what makes you think you're at the right place and time?"
Quinn's gaze locked onto the Baron, a fierce determination burning within him. "Because," he said, "I've been searching for you."
"Quinn, I don't think this is a good idea," Lilith mumbled, but Quinn ignored her....looking at the bandits that were staring at them.
The Baron placed a hand on his chest in a gesture. "Please ..I should be honored, to have someone so young looking for me." He pouted his lips. "And yet I'm not interested, because the whole kingdom is most probably looking for me. So you should be honored, you've found me. But the question is, to what charges?"
"I don't even know who you are or what you've done," Quinn said, his voice dripping with venom, "but I'm only interested in beating you to a pulp!"
The Baron's eyebrow cocked upward, his voice low and menacing. "Excuse me?"
Quinn smirked, a stubborn glint in his eye. "You think I'm here because of what everyone else thinks about you? I don't really give a damn about what you've done or who's looking for you. But I'm only here because I want to fight you. You're the strongest right now, and the only thing in my mind is killing you!"
The Baron laughed, the sound ringing through the woods. "You're such an interesting kid, aren't you? What makes you think you can stand a chance against me?"
Quinn grinned, his confidence visible. "Well, I did send your minions to hell, didn't I? That should make me a worthy opponent."
The Baron sighed, his expression unimpressed. "As much as I'm interested in your small talk, I don't really have time for that... you're still a million years weaker than me. But, this is what I'll do for you. I'll let you fight one of my guys—"
But Quinn didntw waste a moment, his eyes flashing with stubborn intentions. A burst of flames erupted from the ground beneath him, taking the shape of a fox as it bolted straight towards the Baron.
The Baron barely glanced at the fox, his gaze drifting to the corner of his eye. A burst of aura exploded from him, disrupting everything around him. The ground began to crack, his purple aura lighting up like an extra layer of skin. Everything within his vicinity started crumbling to the ground, a crater-like structure opening up as the ground disintegrated under the weight of his magical power.
The wind responded, blowing roughly and almost throwing Quinn and Lilith off balance. The air was charged with the Baron's magical energy, making it hard to breathe. Quinn stumbled back, his eyes glued on the Baron as he struggled to maintain his footing.
"Quinn, no!" Lilith shouted, grabbing his arm to steady him. "This is madness!"
But Quinn didn't respond, his gaze glued to the Baron, his stubbornness burning brighter than ever. The Baron, on the other hand, looked unimpressed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Let's see what you're made of," he said, his voice dripping with menace.