1 Vision

The Divine Beast roared furiously. It flapped its wings, creating sharp gusts of wind that tore through the sky.

People fighting this mighty enemy were ready for this attack though. They had researched the beast for months already, and they came prepared.

Warriors at the front of the formation raised their shields and released a pale aura that slowed down the incoming attack. The wind blades crashed on the shields, making the fighters take a few steps to stabilize their stances.

Adam watched the fight unfold from the back of the formation. He wouldn't join the fight. His job was far more important. The ones fighting in the melee were a mere distraction. He, on the other hand, would be the one to deal the finishing blow.

"Prepare the net!" He issued a short command to the group of people standing around him. They had been chanting in low voices from the beginning of the fight, sending spell after spell to boost the prowess of their fighters and weaken the beast.

His disciples sped up their chant after hearing the order. A golden net formed from the strands of Mana above the circle.

Adam took control of the spell with ease. He was the one who had created it after all. The net turned crimson when he injected his energy into it.

The beast clashed with the shield bearers, ripping through them with barely any effort. They were expendable though and Adam didn't spare them any thoughts.

He concentrated on the net and willed it to move. It blinked out of existence and in the next second it reappeared, coiled around the monster.

The Divine Beast, Griffin, roared again, this time in pain, and crashed onto the ground incapacitated. The net cut deeply into its fur and feathers, drawing golden blood.

Adam approached the beast at this moment. It stared at him furiously and spoke in a human-like voice.

"What is the meaning of this, Bloodmaster! Release me at once!

Adam snorted with contempt and ignored its pleas, focusing all his attention on the golden liquid slowly pooling around the beast.

"This will be more than enough," he murmured with satisfaction.

Adam, the Bloodmaster, breathed deeply and took command of his opponent's blood. It flowed through Griffin's wounds, from its mouth, ears, and every other orifice until it gathered above the creature.

The Divine Beast was dead, its body desiccated and without a single drop of blood.

The first stage was complete. Adam was relieved that everything had gone according to the plan. There was only one more thing to be done here.

Adam focused on the blood suspended in the air. Responding to his desire, it began to concentrate, until it formed a small golden gem, no larger than a nail.

"It is done."

The sound of a car horn woke Adam from the weird state he had entered. A vision of sorts, that left Adam sweating bullets behind the car wheel. It was real enough, that he instinctively looked around searching for the body of the creature he had killed.

There was no beast though, only cars stuck in the traffic as he was, and past them, the city of Cracow.

"Get a grip!" Adam scolded himself silently. It was just a daydream. He was so tired after spending the whole day in the district court that he must have fallen asleep for a moment.

The day had been a stressful one thus far, and it wasn't over yet. Adam had to get back to his office for a meeting with John Smith, his biggest client.

He took out his cell phone and dialed his secretary's number. The call went through quickly and Adam heard a pleasant and familiar voice coming from the speaker.

"Anna speaking. How can I help you, sir?"

"Is Mr. Smith already there?" Adam knew the answer even before asking. The man was more punctual than a clock.

"Yes, sir, he's waiting for you," Anna replied. "He arrived about 20 minutes ago."

"Shit!" Adam swore loudly. "Go apologize for me being late and invite him to my study," he went silent for a second, and finally added with satisfaction, "tell him that I have really good news for him. Now stop wasting time and get to it!"

"Right away, sir," Anna confirmed and disconnected the call.

"It's going to be a long ride," Adam thought. He looked through the window at the clear sky visible over the buildings. The infinite expanse of bright blue calmed him a little bit. The last few days had put people on edge.

Adam turned on the radio to take his mind off the strange daydream. He immediately regretted it though. The subject of the audition was the same as every other day lately. The asteroid. A piece of space rock that was bound to pass Earth dangerously close.

Scientists and experts had predicted that it was going to just barely miss it, but people rarely listened to them. New prophets and soothsayers cropped up every day. They were a mad bunch, all foretelling the same thing.

The end of days. The reckoning. The armaggedon. They used different names, but the meaning stayed the same. The doom of humanity.

They made people restless. The tensions were high and ready to burst. Acts of random violence became common, markets were out of stock, and everyone just hoped that the asteroid would safely pass in a few days.

Traffic finally cleared before him and Adam sped up. He drove through the Old Town and entered the suburbs.

Adam parked his car in front of a small building, next to a luxurious black limousine.

"Smith's no doubt," he thought while leaving the car.

Adam looked up and gazed at the asteroid visible high in the sky. It looked like a large shining dot moving slowly over the horizon. It was impossible to miss it.

A few more days and it would vanish from the sky, continuing its eternal journey through the space.

Adam put the asteroid in the back of his mind, right beside the strange vision he had had earlier, and focused on the task at hand.

He smoothed his jacket, a soothing gesture, grabbed his briefcase, and walked to the entrance to the building.

Adam was a successful lawyer and his firm was located in a small office block in a prestigious part of Cracow. The neighborhood was peaceful and filled with sprawling mansions and houses.

It bordered the forest-covered hills that hid the city zoo and an old fortification that dated back to the XIXth century. Adam lived on the other side of the hills, his house nestled between them and the Vistula River.

He loved to wander this place. Its shaded alleys provided him tranquility and calmness, a much-needed reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Adam reached the entrance and took a glance at his reflection visible in the glass door. He was a tall, middle-aged man with raven black hair and a well-kept beard. First signs of grey were barely visible on his head.

He wore a navy-blue business suit, a plain white shirt, and a striped burgundy tie. The suit was close-fitting and accentuated his lean, well-toned figure. Even though Adam slowly neared the end of his prime years, nevertheless he took great care of his body to maintain his professional image.

Adam quickly went up the stairs and to the second floor. He entered his office and saw Anna talking to a courier. He grabbed the papers spread out on the counter and skimmed through them.

"Forward it to Daniel. He'll know what to do with it," Adam ordered and walked quickly to his study. It was time to meet Smith. Adam opened the door and immediately saw an old man reclined in an armchair in front of his long wooden desk.

John Smith was Adam's biggest and most important client. He owned a couple of mid-sized companies and employed hundreds of people. Adam respected, admired even, his business prowess and intuition, but loathed Smith's personality.

Adam wouldn't have achieved his current position if he had let his feelings interfere with his work though. He put his most sincere smile on and shook the old man's hand.

Adam was sitting behind his desk and was massaging his brow tiredly. Smith had just left. The meeting had gone well, splendid even. Adam opened his eyes and took the phone.

He called Daniel and asked him to come to his study.

Daniel was a junior associate at his firm, and one of Adam's most trusted employees, his left hand so to speak. They had known each other for a long time. Adam considered himself a mentor to the younger man.

When Daniel entered the study, he immediately went to the desk and sat on the same chair that Smith occupied earlier. He debriefed Adam on the cases he handled and then waited for the older man's response.

Adam saw a faint shadow of his younger self in the young man, the same ambition glinting in his eyes. His gaze hardened as he confirmed his decision to give his protégé a chance to prove himself and fulfill some of this ambition.

He revealed to his subordinate the contents of the deal he had struck with Smith earlier. He also informed him that he intended to put him in charge of executing the aforementioned agreement.

"Can you handle it?" Adam asked while staring at Daniel intently. "I can give you a few days to think about it if you need it.

"No need, I'm in," Daniel's response was quick and decisive.

The two chatted a little bit more after that and then Adam left the building.