The First Archmage

(Gavin)

Samuel looks at me, stopping when he realizes I had. He has the wax covering his ears, though asked why I didn't put some in mine. The answer to that is that I highly doubt the Howls of Terror could affect me. They're based in magic, meaning that my INT gives me a large protection, and they also utilize a form of mental magic, which I have a Resistance Skill for that's still at only Level 1.

Howls of Terror might bring it up to a fair bit higher.

The reason I stopped my progress into the wooded hills is because I could sense the beastkin gathering around us, though they're remaining a fair distance away. Far enough that the General wouldn't notice them with his measly PER, but mine's exceptional enough that I can spot them clearly, making out every detail of their bodies quite well, despite the shade from the trees and the distance.

They have grey fur of varying shades, streaked across them to give them a sort of camouflage. Though they have human bodies, the fur covers them entirely. They walk on their toes, like wolves do, and have thick, bushy tails. In addition to that, each one has a pair of triangular ears atop their heads, much like Michael. The beastkin also posses fangs, though they're only visible when their mouths are open.

Each of the forty-six beastkin I can see have lithe, muscular bodies. They all also have decent Levels – not a single one of them is under Level 15, meaning that they all might have a secondary Class. The highest of their Levels is Level 23.

That one has a larger frame than the others, as well as a far more menacing air about him than the rest. He also has a number of scars covering his body, telling of a life of war and hardship. His eyes are a deep blue, instead of the amber or gold of the rest of the packs' eyes. His Aura and Mana Pools are also much larger than the others'.

Nothing for me to worry about, though. General Samuel looks nervous, and is practically radiating it as well. They will definitely notice that, and probably already have.

As expected, a few moments after we stop moving, the Howls begin. It starts with the leader, the Alpha Wolf Beaskin, then quickly spreads to the others, who all begin to howl as well.

Mental Resistance is Now Level 2!

Mental Resistance is Now Level 3!

Mental Resistance is Now Level 4!

Mental Resistance is Now Level 5!

Mental Resistance is Now Level 6!

That was… after only two seconds of the Howls of Terror, which has been known to last for a full minute against particularly tough people. I barely had time to register that there was a slight effect on my mentality before it was gone.

Mental Resistance is Now Level 7!

General Samuel relaxes beside me, realizing that the effects of the Howls of Terror are not affecting him. Sometimes, one must experience the power for themselves to believe it possible.

Mental Resistance is Now Level 8!

How long will they go, before realizing that we are unaffected and will not succumb to their Howls? Before they realize that we are not like the others they have faced?

Mental Resistance is Now Level 9!

Probably awhile. Best to remain as stoic in expression as possible, like the General has begun to do. That, or I could just smile. I'll do that. Clasp my hands behind me and smile.

Mental Resistance is Now Level 10!

I turn my gaze to the Alpha Wolf Beastkin as soon as I receive that notification, and he falters for a moment.

"Hello!" I call out using Magic Voice to ensure he hears me clearly. The Howls around me falter, stopping within a few seconds. "I am Gavin Jakran, Duke of Zelar, Archmage of Jozan! General Samuel du Drei of Trii has accompanied me here as I am from Jozan, and not a nation near yours! May we speak?"

Appraisal Resistance is Now Level 7!

That one just jumped past Level 6, didn't it? Does the Alpha Wolf Beastkin have Level 6 Appraisal, then?

"Thank you!" I call out. "For your attempt to have me Appraised, Wendell Greytail! I swear on the blood in my veins and my status as the Hero of Nies, the God and Origin of Blood Oaths, that I am not here to fight!"

My body glows with Nies's crimson Divine Power for a few moments.

"Would you kindly come closer so we can speak without needing to rely on my verbal magic and high perception?"

Wendell Greytail, the Alpha Wolf Beastkin, hesitates, then approaches, two of the nearest beastkin following close behind.

"Why have you come, human?" Greytail sneers.

"A human can't go for a leisurely stroll through some woods?" I ask, and he glares at me. "General."

"I would like to apologize," General Samuel steps forward, and Greytail snaps his gaze to him. "For the actions of my men. They were under orders to not attack unless provoked, as of thirteen days ago, yet it is my understanding that they violated these orders and actively antagonized your people. Demerits and punishments have been given unto them, and soldiers more willing to listen to their superiors are on their way to the fort as we speak to take over their duties."

"Why would Trii give such an order?" Greytail growls, showing his fangs a little.

"Easy, there," I say. "We are simply chatting, there is no need to get hostile."

"Maybe I should teach you-"

"Calm yourself, Greytail," I warn. "Before I descend unto you a world of hurt like you've never known. I don't intend on fighting you, but if you grow violent, I will show unto you the power of Jozan. The General is apologizing to you, and you remain hostile. He wishes to seek peace, and you remain hostile. If you would like proof that we could have wiped out every last one of you, I will gladly give it to you."

"As if a mere human could take me on!" Greytail laughs, though I can tell he's unnerved, likely affected by my aura as a Tier II Species.

I remove my cloak, my tunic, and my boots, the wolf beastkin looking at me in confusion. To them, it appeared as if they simply vanished, due to my speed.

"Come at me with all of your might," I tell him. "If you can kill me, then Trii will surrender to you and yours."

"No we-"

"If he can slay me," I look at the General. "Then it is clear that he and his are capable of wiping your people out with ease."

I turn my gaze back to Greytail, the General silenced. After several moments of thought, Greytail takes several steps back, then begins to glow with Aura, cloaking himself in it and forming claws of Aura on his hands and feet.

He charges at me on all-fours, pouncing at the last moment and slicing at my exposed chest with his claws. He performs a number of attacks, hitting my body over sixty times before stepping back, soaked in sweat and breathing heavily.

"Without… a trace of Aura or magic to defend yourself?" He asks, half to himself, half in amazement, and entirely in disbelief.

"I am no mere Human," I state. "I am the Archmage of Jozan and Hero of Nies, God and Origin of Adventures themselves. Had I wanted to harm you…"

I surround the area around me with a gravity field in the form of a dome over the ground.

The beastkin are forced to their knees, the Alpha Wolf Beastkin struggling to stay standing as all of the others are forced down by my power.

"As you can tell," I say, dressing myself once more, then stepping over to the Alpha Wolf Beastkin, who falls as he attempts to step back. "The gravity field does not bother me in the slightest, yet it's forcing even the General there to his knees, and you are barely able to withstand its force through your sheer strength alone.

"Now," I disperse the gravity field. "We can continue to flaunt our powers against each other, and you can continue to fail to intimidate me, or we can discuss things like reasonable people. Trii is seeking an end to the war, and I am sure that you are as well. It costs lives and resources on both sides, and only morons would want to continue to waste both of those. So are you a moron, Greytail? Or are you intelligent and reasonable past the primal side?"

Greytail stares at me for several long moments.

"If you truly are as powerful as you claim," he growls low. "Then you must slay the Wyverns living in the mountains to the south. Only then, we talk. Prove your might."

Must I really prove my might to such an inferior being?

"Very well, then," I manipulate the air around the five of us, lifting us into the sky. "Direct me there."

The beastkin seem startled at the sudden change in altitude, but I ignore it and follow Greytail's directions, once he collects himself. He leads me to a region of the mountains where the wyverns live.

Fifty wyverns live within these caverns, thirty of which are flying around now. Six of the wyverns come at me.

"Icebolt Chain," I snap my fingers, firing off an Icebolt.

It slams into the first one, passing clean through before snapping into the next-nearest. In under ten seconds, all six of the incoming monsters are falling to the ground, their bodies freezing as they do. When they hit the mountainside, they shatter into tens of thousands of shards.

Icebolt Chain is Now Level 9!

"Airbolt Chain," I snap my fingers, an Airbolt blasting forth and slamming into another wyvern, the beast exploding in a shower of blood, bone, and guts.

Then, the Airbolt snaps towards several more, raining death and destruction upon others. I slay six with that one before canceling the spell.

Airbolt Chain is Now Level 9!

"Lightningbolt Chain," I snap my fingers, a bolt of lightning flashing forth.

This one dances from wyvern to wyvern, cooking them and exploding them, killing twenty in total before ending.

Lightningbolt Chain (II) is Now Level 2!

The rest of the Wyverns fly out of the caves and towards me, shrieking as they do so. The beastkin cringe from the calls, though I recognize it as the sounds they make when summoning a Scaled Wyvern.

This one emerges from deep within a cave, and easily stands forty feet in height, its metallic scales a mix of grey and crimson, unlike the ordinary grey scales of regular wyverns. Spikes run from its head down its back to the tip of its spade-shaped tail, a crimson horn protruding from the top of its head.

Is it related to Bert? Because it looks a bit like Bert.

"Oi!" I yell in Shatus. "Do you know Bert?"

The Wyverns stop moving for a moment, clearly surprised by a person speaking their language. The beastkin and Human are both confused as well. The Scaled Wyvern flies towards me, the others forming a fight pattern behind it. They don't have magic of their own, but they're still dangerous bastards due to their resistant scales.

The one I fought in the Tower Dungeon was much weaker than Bart.

I can handle him.

"Who taught you to speak in our tongue?" Bart snarls, the beastkin covering their ears from his screeches. "I know that my brother would never have done such a… Bert? You!"

"So he's your brother?" I ask.

"YOU!"

"What about me?"

"You are Gavin Jakran, aren't you?"

"Maybe. Who are you?"

"Do not play games with me, Human!" He yells, the beastkin flinching, visibly shaken by his yells. "My brother has told me about how much of an irritant you are! He never mentioned you knew magic!"

"Hi, I'm Gavin, I use magic and am the Archmage of Jozan. I am also an Ascended Human capable of removing your head simply by raising my hand."

I raise my hand, summoning a Void around Bart's head. The rest of his body drops to the ground a moment later, and I release the Void, then look at the other wyverns, which are staring at the corpse of their leader.

Then… they go into a frenzy, screeching loudly and flying around randomly. Several fly towards me.

"Lightningbolt Chain."

Lightning Bolt Chain (II) is Now Level 3!

"Spear of Frozen Lightning," I perform the cast, a violet spear of lightning-filled and sparking ice forming in the air above me.

This spear is over thirty feet in length and a foot in thickness, the 'blade' two feet at its widest, tapering down to a fine point. An arc of lightning runs down the length of the blade, then I fire the spell.

It strikes my target square in the back as it tries to flee. I aimed for the wyvern closest to the center of the group, and after the spell hits, lightning explodes outward, turning to ice, as well as anything it touches, everything between the bolts of frozen lightning turning to ice as well.

My magic continues to spark and crackle, filling the area and traveling into the caverns, though once the spell fades, the lightning remains within the ice, as usual.

+500 Ascended Human Experience!

Ascended Human is Now Level 13!

+5 to All Attributes!

Interesting. Was killing Bart the reason I acquired so much Experience? I didn't think I'd gain that much Experience from something like this, though I did expect to gain quite a bit.

"So," I turn my gaze to the Alpha Wolf Beastkin. "Are there anymore wyverns you'd like me to deal with?"

"…no."