The Cut of Fate

2. Into the Woods- Hasmed

He had seen hell. A hell that would follow him until the day he ceased to exist, and one that was set to befall all of the kingdoms south of the northern border without a decisive victory on its front lines.

Many moons had passed since that day but the memory was still fresh in his mind. He couldn't help but shiver as it pierced his mind once more when he caught the smell of iron. It was as if he could still feel the cold of the killing intent that he felt in the presence of the opposing commander, even now he could feel that pressure that sucked the air from his lungs.

As he continued to move with the small group of soldiers that found him, his thoughts were still focused on that losing battle, no amount of will could seem to shut them out. It was as if a fiery frost was set alight along his bones as he remembered every painful detail all the way up until a blade pierced his neck. Though it was only a memory; the same cold that followed his soul being torn from his body was unforgettable, as was the relief that it was all over.

A relief that was short-lived and replaced with dread once he was dragged back into the war by a divine healer that was present. Though he despised them, there was nothing he despised more than the war that raged between the Ailwen and Lissuain Empires.

Even now, with an upcoming clash to happen once again in the hopeless war, he would give all he had to end the war once and for all. They ordered him away from the front lines to receive rest and give him the chance to train in an attempt to give him time to readjust. Something he had been grateful for; until they stepped foot in a town he did not recognize but knew felt familiar.

He wouldn't get much peace here, one scan of his surroundings and he spotted a group surrounding a girl in an alley. Despite their apparent age, they all seemed so–so small. He knew he had no room to speak about what was normal, him being far from it, but the villagers here seemed tiny; malnourished perhaps.

His own stature was quite intimidating; both because he was tall enough to stand eye to eye with the horse he walked beside and because his muscles seemed to ripple with every step that was taken. Differing from other soldiers around him, he wore a fitted soot black tunic and dark leather britches with boots that seemed to match. Among the plated armor and chainmail of those around him the man stood out like a wolf among dogs, something terrifying waiting in him that was hard to place.

In a town this far away from the capital, mages were not well known, so to many he might have just seemed strange. Mages typically wore similar wares, though he seemed to be missing many pieces of his uniform. Light breathable clothes were far easier for those like him to defend themselves as opposed to being weighed down by the heavy sets of iron and steel worn such as that worn by his counterparts that lacked an aptitude for magic.

"Hasmed," one of the soldiers behind him called, "Many of us are going to gather supplies and then find a suitable place to set up camp outside the village."

The large man nodded and watched as his group separated. While many of them scurries off, he stopped and started staring down a girl that was radiating energy. His midnight blue eyes burned with a soft light as he analyze the girl, feeling her power even from a distance away. Something was holding her magic back like a dam, but he could still sense the pool of mana lurking beneath the surface. He feared for those around her if the enchantment binding her mana was to be damaged.

As he watched the group around the girl he wondered if she would defend herself, or if he would have to step in. There were other soldiers in the village and he didn't want to have to explain where half a unit went. It wouldn't be long before he would receive his answer.

He caught himself staring down the boy that started the confrontation, but was still just as shocked as the others when he saw a fist that seemed to move in slow motion. As it slammed into the face of the one who attempted to grab her, a grin sprung to his face. It was gratifying to him, to see someone so set on having their way and get denied so cleanly. The excitement was short-lived when she sprinted towards him.

"I'm sorry!" she seemed as though she were running for her life.

It was at that moment that he realized that not only was she unable to use her full magic, but she wasn't capable of harnessing her magic at all. He let out a soft groan, realizing that she would be beaten to a pulp and that risked breaking the enchantment. Unless he were to help.

There was a slim possibility of her escape, but it was unlikely due to the number of them there were. And despite the little bastards' pampered appearance, they could move as fast if not faster than her.

When they shoved past him with vigor and much less respect in his direction any idea of letting her fend for herself had disappeared. Those little brats were dead. A shroud of shadow enveloped him and he vanished from sight. He followed them in his own way, wanting to witness what would happen before he had their heads for himself.

If only the girl could use mana, she could overpower them in presents easily. Especially the boy she had punched. He may have been the largest in their group, but when it came to the presents of his life force and the natural mana that permeated around him, he was nothing more than a runt.

And so he followed, letting her run deep into the forest.

And run she did.