Deep in The Corson Mountain Range, there are several villages where the reach of the Magistrate of Moonveil, sadly, grows thin. In this group of mountain passes, these villages have been ruled over by many groups of bandits over the years with some person or another rising above to take control and declaring themselves warlord of the region.

In the village of Solaris A middle aged man is pulled into the alleyway next to a tavern building. His assailant pins him to the wall. "Three days we gave you, and what do you do?"

The man mumbles a response, and the other man continues, "That's right, you pissed away all that coin we gave you with specific instructions to grab supplies for our current project." He raises a hand and makes air quotes while keeping the man pinned with his forearm.

The pinned man nods. "I'll get it back for you, please, I just need time."

The assailant sighs. "You see, I wish you'd have thought of that when you went to go GET OUR SUPPLIES!"

The assailant pulls his dagger and presses it to the pinned man's throat. Before a killing blow could be delivered, a figure approaches the two, unseen, from the end of the alley. In a swift move, a rope is tied to the assailant's leg. The humanoid figure takes his staff with the other end of the rope tied to it and throws it over a jutting board of wood, and pulls it down, hoisting the assailant up by his leg he clicks a button on his staff, and the runes begin to glow. He lets go of his staff as it is locked in place in the air.

The man who was being attacked looked up at his savior and saw a man in dark blue robes with a red cloth around his head at eye level. The figure turns his head halfway towards the man on the ground. "Get the hell out of here." As the man runs away, The savior turns back towards his catch. "Hello, Aidan."

The man called Aidan looks up. "Lysander! How is my favorite bloodthirsty vigilante? Listen, I know this looks bad..."

Lysander crouches down and slaps Aidans face. "You surely remember what I said would happen if I caught you assholes running your shit in this town again."

Aidan nods. "Y-you said you'd s-string me up by my ankle, a-and beat me within an inch of my life."

Lysander nods. "Very good, now, I'm going to give you a single chance to save your bones. What are you, skid marks, doing here?"

Aidan is quiet for a couple of moments before he gathers his courage. "I can't tell you, Lysander."

Lysander stands and kicks Aiden in the jaw. "Wrong answer, but I'm nothing if not merciful." He takes aidens forearm and puts his heel on the groove between his shoulder and his upper arm. "Why are you here? I figured our last spat created an understanding between me and Orson."

Aiden yells in pain. "Orson's not in charge no more!"

Lysander stays silent for several seconds before he takes his foot away. "What do you mean?"

Aidan breathes his pain away. "Some old fucker came in and took power. The boys say he's been away a while, and Orson was only ever supposed to be a placeholder. Obviously, Orson thought he could take leadership for himself, even renamed us to the Legion of Black Horses. So, old fucker comes back and, when he sees what went down, he goes off and just kills Orson."

Lysander stops him. "Orson is dead?" Aidan nods, and Lysander continues. "Got what was coming to him in the end. Who's the old fucker? Got a name?"

Aidan nods. "Calls himself Lennox. wears lether armor with a steel gauntlet and armor going up his left arm. Cool shit if you ask me."

Lysander snaps, "I don't give a shit about his accessories. What is he doing? Where is he?"

Aidan grimaces. "I don't know where he is, BUT I do know where the operation is gonna be."

Lysander crouches again, down to his level. "What operation?"

--

Cinder, Tywin, Child, and Golem walk down the road not far outside of Milmond.

Cinder is donned in his light leather chest armor covered in a long dark green long-sleeved jacket that buttons halfway down the torso much like the jacket of a formal suit. Over the jacket, he wears a black outer cloak. beneath the lower part of the long coat, he wears thick cloth armor pants underneath the plate metal greaves that lead down to his thick brown boots.

Tywin wears a long maroon coat with metal pauldrons and vambraces. Underneath the coat, he wears a metal studded leather cuirass. completing his traveling armor, he wears long black pants and black boots.

Child wears the leather armor she is used to wearing.

Cinder sees her slightly shiver. "You didn't get a jacket before we left?"

She looks sharply at him. "I'll be fine."

Cinder shakes his head slightly and looks down. He wordlessly takes off his outer cloak and tosses it to her. She begins to protest before seeing him walk away. She feels the warmth of the cloak and sighs as she decides to put it on.

Before too long, they make camp for the evening they sit around the fire in the dying light of the sun talking amicably among themselves.

Cinder puts another log on the fire and sits back as Child comes over and sits next to him. Cinder regards her awkwardly. She looks at him and pulls the cloak around her further. "Thank you, Cinder, for the cloak. I'm sorry I've been snappy with you. I guess I'm like that with everyone."

Cinder chuckles. "Were you like that with him?" He gestures at Golem.

She shakes her head sincerely. "He saved my life."

Cinder turns to her, a confused but fascinated look on his face. "I'm guessing the circumstances there are a little odd."

She sighs and nods.

Cinder raises his eyebrow and looks down. "Look, you don't have to tell me if it isn't important, but, if it is, for the safety of myself and everyone here, I need to know every factor that could come into play in fights to come."

She sighs and nods. "Golem. come over here."

Golem comes and sits on the ground in front of them with a thud. "May I be of assistance, Child?"

She nods to him. "Cinder should know the truth." She turns to Cinder. "What we tell you today can be told to the people in this company and no one else. I need your word that you will take this secret to your grave."

Cinder looks between her and Golem and simply nods.

She nods to him and says, "Golem is alive. I mean, well, not alive, but I-I don't remember the word."

Golem chimes in. "Sentient. I am Sentient." Cinder looks alarmed but doesn't move. "It is a pleasure to meet you formally, Lieutenant Colonel."

Cinder accepts an outstretched metal hand hesitantly. "Ok. How..."

Golem speaks. "I do not know very much about my origin. All I do know is that I woke alone in a workshop, and I pushed my way out. I was scared. I didn't understand how that was possible. I know what I am. and I know enough to know it is impossible for me to feel. But I also have muscle memory and instincts and all of these things I know I can't have if I am simply a Golem."

Cinder grows serious and nods, waiting for him to continue.

Golem looks at his hands. "It is for those reasons that I must conclude that whatever runs my arcane engine is what makes me sentient, Alive, as Child would say."

Cinder nods. "Ok. I think I understand. Someone did something very illegal, and here you are." Child seems apprehensive of his statement. and he puts his hands up. "He is none of my business. Plus it isnt his fault that he was born. He's stuck here just like the rest of us and just like the rest of us. He's doing what he can with what he has. I respect that."

Child smiles genuinely for the first time since she met him. She throws her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you Cinder."

Cinder becomes very still at the contact until he eventually gets comfortable enough to place his arms around her. "Of course. No worries."

She pulls back and goes to her sleeping bag once she says goodnight. A couple more moments of amicable conversation are had between Tywin and Cinder before they go to bed.

————————————————

The next day Cinder walks up next to Tywin. "Hey. If you don't mind, I have a question or two about Magic."

Tywin's eyebrows raise in surprise. "Um. Ok, I'll give you as much as I can. Shoot."

Cinder nods. "Ok. well, I guess, how do you do it?"

Tywin chuckles. "Well, There is one main source for all magic. Magic is the ability to manipulate the weave of reality to conjure different spells and enchantments. Underneath the weave itself you've got two main manifestations of magic. Divine magic comes from the gods. All gods have the ability to grant power to their followers which is where you get clerics and paladins. Arcane magic comes from a few places. You can be born with natural ability, and if you have even a small amount of natural ability you can spend years in study to learn how to use your power more effectively. That's where we get Mages like everyone in the Magistrate. You can also gain arcane magic by being granted power by a non-deity." He gestures to his ring. "That's where mine comes from. Alone, I have no ability even to make the smallest flame."

Cinder nods thoughtfully as Tywin continues. "As far as how, well, even if you have the ability, it takes an amount of concentration. You have to keep the idea of what you want to happen clear in your head. and then you say the word associated with this affect."

Cinder nods as a silence falls between them. Tywin looks at Cinder thoughtfully and speaks. "I have to ask. Why the sudden interview?" Cinder stays silent and looks away. "I won't pry as to how you came across this power. I only have a warning. Most beings who give this kind of power aren't the nicest people. I got lucky. And these people can extract a heavy price."

Cinder nods solemnly. "Will you help me?"

Tywin sighs and nods. "Of course Cin. You have but to ask. How about we give it a simple go."

Cinder looks up and gives a half smile before nodding. Tywin raises the closed fist of his left hand ,with the ring on it, and breathes in and he speaks on the exhale. "Fire". His ring glows a firey orange and a blast of fire shoots out of the gemstone and hits a tree scorching the bark. "Just focus on that feeling in your chest, think what you want to happen, and speak the word that feels right."

Cinder takes off his right glove and Tywin sighs when he sees the gem embedded in the skin of his palm. Cinder raises his arm with his palm facing towards the tree. He takes in a shakey breath and exhales. "Fire".

Out of Cinder's palm comes a torrent of flame that explodes in front of them sending them both flying back ten feet. Tywin sits up as Child and Golem come running up. "Are you guys ok? Are we under attack?"

Tywin accepts Golems hand to help him up. "No, no. Everything is ok."

Child helps Cinder up. "Ok? A fire storm literally just exploded in front of you."

Cinder looks down as his cheeks flush. "Yeah. I've recently come into some magic power and I'm trying to train it."

Child chuckles. "You may be a little green friend."

Cinder gives a half hearted laugh. "Maybe I'll just keep my sword handy."

Tywin claps his hand onto Cinder's shoulder. "Don't worry Cin. We'll make a sorcerer of you yet. I have some notes."

Cinder nods and chuckles as Tywin continues. "Your power is slighty more potent than normal. There is a way to fix this. You need to be more specific. Think in your mind that you want a small blast of fire to hit that tree. Then, if it helps, you can specify the word more carefully too. Instead of simply saying fire, you could say fire bolt or something along those lines."

Cinder nods and prepares his action again. He looks over to Tywin to make sure he's got it right so far and Tywin is gone. Child and Tywin have stepped ten feet away and are standing behind Golem watching Cinder.

Cinder rolls his eyes and refocuses. "Firebolt". A crackle of fire comes from his hand and fizzles to the ground.

Tywin comes over to him. "It'll be ok Cin. It takes practice, confidence, know that your abilities will carry you. trust yourself. and keep that specific idea of what you want in your head."

Cinder resets and breathes in, on his exhale, he speaks. "Firebolt". A blast of fire shoots from his hand and hits the tree scorching its bark.

Cinder almost jumps up in excitement. "Hell yeah!"

Tywin claps both hands on Cinder's shoulders. "Hell yeah is right brother. I knew you could do it."

Cinder chuckles. "You were hiding behind the robot, you coward."

Child feigns an offended noise.

Cinder looks at her. "You werent my teacher. You're off the hook."

Child gives a proud smile and climbs up on Golem's shoulders.

Tywin laughs. "You got the gift kid. Just keep practicing and you'll be able to do literally anything you set your mind to."

Tywin grows serious. "If you ever have problems from, you know what, I can help. You're not alone no matter what."

Cinder nods and they continue travelling for the day

————————————————

After another few hours of travel, they find themselves at the edge of the foothills of the Corson Mountains.

Cinder stops the party for the night. "We should camp here. Narfolk is only a couple hours away and I want us to be as fresh as possible when we get there, ready for anything."

Tywin nods. "Gives us a little more time to practice too."

Child chuckles. "Yeah, that's my cue to set up my stuff way over there. Good luck Cin."

Cinder smirks and heads off with Tywin.

Tywin picks a nice flat area to practice within eyeshit of camp. "Now, all this, quote-unquote, training is going to be is me giving you spell ideas that I know work. So, first, I will teach you something pretty fundamental. Fire a bolt at me. Just a small bolt if you can."

Cinder nods. "Ok?" He breathes in and out as he says the power word. "Firebolt"

Tywin smirks smuggly and readies his action balling his fist and pointing his ring's gemstone out towards Cinder. As Cinder fires he says a power word. "Counter" The ball of fire, that relentlessly flies towards Tywin, stops dead in front of his closed fist. He moves his arm up and the fireball moves with his ring. "This is what I like to call a Spell Counter, also known as the Fuck You Spell."

Tywin snaps his arm forward and hurls the ball of fire at the ground in front of Cinder's feet.

Cinder's eyes go wide as he doges out of the way. "What the hell?!"

Tywin comes closer to him and helps him up. "The affect you have to think of is the act of catching the spell energy, like a ball, and throwing it back at its caster."

Cinder nods. "Ok. I've got the idea. I just catch it. Just catch the volitile chaos energy that could easily kill me."

Tywin puts his hand on Cinder's shoulder. "You can do this. Trust your power and trust yourself."

Cinder nods and notices Child sitting close by, watching. "I thought you were setting up camp. Way over there."

She smiles and nods. "I saw that you were getting spells shot at you and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see that." She chuckles towards the end of her sentence

Cinder comes up and thumps child on the forehead and runs off.

Tywin is chuckling when Cinder comes up. "Ready to try it yourself?"

Cinder looks slightly panicked. "You're going to fire spells at me to see if I can counter them?"

Tywin shakes his head. "As much fun as that would be, no. I am going to fire spells at that tree and you're going to pull the spell from my hand and save our poor damsel in distress miss oakington."

Cinder rolls his eyes but nods in understanding. "Alright. I'm ready."

Cinder holds out his hand, and Tywin raises his ring.

there is a moment of tense silence before Tywin calls out "Fire."

This action is quickly followed by Cinder calling out "Counter."

The first several tries were filled with failure for Cinder. after 5 tries and Cinder gaining a nose bleed from trying so hard Tywin turns to him and offers his handkerchief. "It's a matter of practice, my friend. It took me several days and instruction from my patron to fully grasp the ability. Has yours talked to you any?"

Cinder shakes his head and returns the handkerchief. "I'll keep trying. I'm ready."

They take their positions again and continue the song and dance. Tywin readies himself and calls out, "Fire."

Cinder breathes in and calls out, "Counter."

Cinder is startled to realize that the crackling ball of energy is soaring towards his hand at speed. "Oh, Fuck!" Cinder jumps out of the way as the fireball scorches the ground behind him.

Tywin jumps up in celebration. "Yes. There we go!" He runs towards his friend. "I mean, you didn't catch it, but you drew it towards yourself."

Cinder nodded. "I just had this feeling that it would hit my hand, explode, and hurt me."

Tywin nods. "That's your soldier's survival instinct. You have to trust yourself. Or, more simply, trust your power. Know in your heart that your ability to manipulate the weave will help you to succeed."

Cinder takes a long moment and thinks to himself before talking. "Trusting myself is something I can do and have done for a long time. But trusting this power enough to ignore my survival instincts is impossible. What if we get into the thick of it and my damned brain won't let me give my everything to win because I'm too much of a coward to put it all on the line."

Cinder feels a punch come to his left shoulder, and he looks up to see Child. "I haven't known you for that long Cinder, but I do know a few things about you. You are stubborn, you're reclusive, you're used to working on your own, and you are most definitely not a coward. Even just talking to Tywin about these things and allowing him to teach you, I don't have to know what is going on to know that it was difficult."

Cinder looks down thoughtfully before giving her a small smile. "You're smarter than you seem, kid."

She smirks. "Oh please, by the looks of things, I'm a few months, at most, a year younger than you are."

They both raise their hands, holding up their middle fingers at the same time before they both share a laugh.

Cinder gets up and turns to Tywin.

Tywin smiles at him and speaks. "I couldn't have said it better myself. Just remember it. It isn't cowardly to wish to live, but also remember that you were given these gifts for the purpose of achieving the ends that your patron wishes for you. No matter what those ends are, let your power do what it is made to do."

Cinder looks to Tywin. "You read that in a book, didn't you?"

Tywin shakes his head. "My beloved used more eloquent words. but She told me the same thing."

Cinder nods. "I guess I should go ask her then."

Tywin smiles and chuckles. "You say that in jest, but I wish with all my heart that I were able to bring her here for you."

Cinder nods. "I know. I sincerely hope to meet her someday."

Tywin nods and stays silent for a second before looking back to Cinder. "In the meantime, you're stuck with me. Now, let's continue."

————————————————

They continue traveling at first light, and they head to a high hill that overlooks part of the town. Cinder looks out at the town and sees several signs of damage on many of the buildings. "Well, something has definitely been giving this town some visits."

Cinder looks down to the road going into town and sees a skirmish. "What the hells?"

He thinks to himself for a moment before he concentrates on his stone. "Magnify."

Tywin looks at him and nods in approval before doing the same.

Cinder opens his eyes and looks towards the skirmish to find his vision is clear enough to make out the face of each man.

Tywin points out that there are several, presumably, bandits fighting a man. Cinder looks and sees a man dressed in dark blue with a crimson cloth around his eyes fighting off four bandits. "He seems to be holding his own. though he may be here for the same reasons as us. We should help."

the group reaches a consensus before a thundering sound crosses overhead, and wind nearly blows them off the hill as the white and slightly blue visage of death flies above them and over the town. The enormous dragon breathes frost and ice onto the town, destroying many buildings in its wake.

The group takes in the terror of the visage before steeling themselves for the conflict to come.